The Marty Riemer Funny Festival has become arguably the biggest night for comedy in the Northwest over the past six years. This year’s event is this Friday (January 15) at the Paramount and features comedians Bill Burr, Kyle Cease, Nick Thune and Jeff Garlin, one of the stars of “Curb Your Enthusiasm”, which I think is the funniest program on television right now.

This year’s Funny Festival is being billed as “Wholly independent since 2009” after Riemer’s often very funny morning radio show was canceled on 103.7 KMTT (The Mountain) last September. I met up with Marty Riemer and his equally funny co-host and partner in crime, Jodi Brothers, at a coffee shop in West Seattle to talk about this year’s Funny Festival, what people can expect on Friday, wrapping the governor in a shroud, and sex with koalas. Goddamn it.

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There are few things in this world that make me laugh as hard or as regularly as the HBO show "Curb Your Enthusiasm", so it should surprise exactly no one that I'm really looking forward to seeing one of the stars, Jeff Garlin, next weekend (Janary 16) at the Paramount as part of former KMTT morning show host Marty Riemer's "Funny Fest" (which also features the very funny comedians Kyle Cease, Brian Burr and Nick Thune).

For our first ticket giveaway of 2010, we are thrilled to give away a pair of tickets to the show to one of our lucky TIG readers and their guest. It's simple, just send an e-mail to tig@threeimaginarygirls.com sometime between now and 9am next Monday morning (January 11) with "FunnyFest" in the subject line and we'll draw a winner's name at random and notify you shortly thereafter.

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at Paramount Theater

Somewhere in the midst of plush seating, complete and utter emotional annihilation, and a sea of gorgeous cartoon owl-laced merchandise lies this fall's Swell Season tour. Showcasing to many a seated theater across the states behind last month's release of Strict Joy, Glen Hansard, Marketa Irglova, and ninety-nine percent of the Frames swept last Sunday's crowd at the Paramount through one of the most compelling sets I've seen in recent years. Moving seamlessly from duo opener to full band to solo-singer-in-a-spotlight and back again, the show that these honest, earnest musicians put on was nothing short of true genius.

Glen and Marketa took the lead for the bulk of the opening songs (hence the sea of Glen photos), and proceeded to filter in the rest of the Frames for another half-dozen songs before Glen took solo center-stage rights mid-set. And this, as they say, is where the proverbial magic happened. What happened during Glen's solo piece of the performance rivaled even his mindbending set in Austin this past summer -- complete with a series of broken strings, a raging Van Morrison cover, and a rendition of "Say it to Me Now" microphone-free from the very front edge of the stage. Unlike some recent seated performances we've attended lately, this crowd was rapt -- absolutely and utterly rapt -- with attention for every moment of every song. And in-between fighting off a full-on sob festival and losing my lens cap, I took note (and very much appreciated) the lockdown that the Paramount staff imposed on seating, ushering in a few people every three songs or so and only during breaks in the performance.

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I went to the Pixies show last Friday night highly excited, but not knowing exactly what to expect. Accounts of the previous night's performance were nothing but positive, so I let myself look forward to the experience. I hoped to see one of the bands that shaped my outlook on music today, and NOT be disappointed in how they sounded and the show they put on.

This time, my doubtless anticipation was completely appropriate. Kim Deal, Frank Black, Joey Santiago and David Lovering not only looked exactly like they had in promo pics from ten or fifteen years before, they also SOUNDED just like they do on their records. Dare I say, even better!

This isn't a formal live show review, but I couldn't resist throwing my two cents in about the show. I couldn't believe how well Frank Black screeched, how creamy and gorgeous Kim's voice was, how impeccably amazing Santiago's solos were and just how damn precise and punctuating Lovering's drumming was. Frank and Kim may hate each other but they make sweet, sweet music. I shed a tear at that show... a tear of amazement and of awe for a band that helped shape who I am today.

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This not a test. I repeat: this is not a test. This is an actual ticket giveaway. (It's so good, I almost thought that we were kidding.)

The Swell Season will be stopping by the Paramount this Sunday, touring in support of Strict Joy which hit the shelves a few weeks ago at record stores across the States. The lucky winner will not only receive a pair of 14th row floor seats (!!!), but they'll also get a print of this limited edition tour poster made just for the Seattle date of the tour. Email tig@threeimaginarygirls.com with the subject line "StrictJoyInSeattle" to get in the running!

For anyone out-of-town that can't catch a Swell Season date on their relentless upcoming tour schedule, here's the link to Glen and Marketa's recent visit to NPR. (Click "Listen Now" at the top of the page for the full twelve minute interview on "All Things Considered".) I often will quip that performances like these are pull-the-car-over-and-stop kind of amazing, and that's exactly what this performance caused me to do. If you have the time, it's well worth the watch for both the sings and the interview. Enjoy!

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Although I often post here about how much I love Regina Spektor (an awful lot), I don't do it without good reason. Tonight, she'll be playing at the Paramount and I couldn't be more thrilled.

She's an unconventional songwriter whose songs don't always follow a structure and she can go from abrasive to sweet and gentle and back in matter of a seconds. One of her concerts is like reading a series of short stories - each song has a different perspective or tone or ideology; although her newest album, Far, is the most emotional, it's tough to say that it's the most personal. Live, she's perfectly lovely and charming and isn't afraid to pull songs out of her entire catalogue (I think each time I've seen her play, she's performed "Baby Jesus" - see below - although it hasn't appeared on one of her albums).

Have I also mentioned that she's really lovely?

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Did I just type that headline? Really??

It's true, we have a pair of tickets to give away to a VERY lucky TIG reader to see my queen of rock and/or roll at the Paramount on November 3. Regina Spektor is one of my very favorite artists as she her combine nonlinear songwriting with a harmony that is lovely when it needs to be and jarring when it's called for.

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It pains me that I'll be out of town the night that Monsters of Folk take the Paramount Theater stage on Thursday, October 15, so I want a lucky imaginary reader to go and weep and cheer and love it all in my place.

Want to be my stand in? Email tig@threeimaginarygirls.com with the subject line "I will be your monster of folk" by Wednesday night at 9pm (PST) and you'll be entered in the drawing for the pair of tickets to the  (I hear they are going to be really really good seats too!).

If you want, when you email me your entry, let me know how long you think M. Ward is going to be able to stay clean shaven after prolonged exposure to his hairy band mates. I am guessing that Conor Oberst only held out for a few days into the recording of the album. His artist demeanor and devil may care attitude lends itself well to skipping the shaving cream morning sauce.

To confirm that I haven't taken this scheduling mishap lightly on my part, I've watched these two videos over and over to nurse my broken Oberst Ward'd heart:

Awesome Monster of Folk on Monster of Folk interview:

My favorite song from the new really rad 'cause it grows on you Monsters of Folk album:

at Paramount Theater

Ever since I caught wind of "Tear Down the House" off of 2008's The Second Gleam, I've had a thing for the Avett Brothers. They're alt.americana without too much hippie folk, a deconstructed version of a front porch jugband full of new-old soul singers, a sort of modernized country-toned heartbreak festival without a single strum of twang. Epic, pen-to-paper lyrics fall in waves like clean white sheets, settling down on top of skilled fingerpicking and down-home harmonies. In short: these guys are gorgeous. The Avett Brothers are simple enough on some base levels to appeal to the casual listener, warm enough for the dreadlocked touring free-love set, and layered enough with lyrics to stop even the most jaded music critics right in their tracks.

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For those who have seen the Heartless Bastards live at in-stores and local clubs and love their tough woman-led, riff-bruised blues-rock, their stint opening for the Avett Brothers this Friday, August 28 will be special: Their soaring songs should echo through the Paramount Theater with astonishing results.

Returning again on tour (do they ever stop touring?) for The Mountain, an underrated, really-grows-on-you collection of anthems bolder and more honest than indie rock can usually bare, Erika Wennerstrom delivers clarity-driven songs about compromise, sorrow, and mindfulness like spitfire. After a few listens, compelling imagery enfold sin her punchily strummed and feedback-infused narratives, from the clarity-seeking lamentations of "I Could Be So Happy," to the brawling bar-rock of "Early In The Morning." Title title track as well mesmerized the audience at the last Sonic Boom live freebie show a few months ago.

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