Doesn't this photo say, "Fuckyeah, I'm awesome!"? Photo by: Dave Sanders

So last year around this same time, I discovered an album called Oopma by lovely, honey-voiced Sabrina Chap - and I'm pleased to announce that she's coming back to Seattle with a week full of shows! Burlesque, caberet, piano-playing, crooning - you name it, Sabrina is doing it. Man oh man, I love this woman! She's currently cooking up her new album, We Are the Parade, and could use a some dollas to help finish it up and get it out the door. I'm a sucker for kickstarter campaigns, so I donated. You too? 

{Ed. note: Sabrina decided to share a song from her new album so y'all could hear what's next, so we switched out the track!} Ms. Chap generously offered up a preview of some of her new stuff for our imaginary readers! Take a listen to this track from We Are the Parade: 

So to recap: track down a copy of Oompa and mix up some Manhattans, take a listen to one of her new tracks, throw a few bucks her way if you dig it, and take your pick from any of the shows below to bask in the Sabrina goodness. 

Feb. 10th, 11th &12th
That's F*cked Up 3!
Burlesque as you've never seen it... 
ReBar
Doors @7pm | Show @8pm 

{complete show listings after the jump}

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Friends! Clear your calendar for Saturday night! The Young Evils are playing a set at the Rendezvous!

Yep, you read that right: The Young Evils, mega-awesome alt.indie.modern-pop Seattle band extraordinaire, fresh off PJ20 -- will be playing Saturday night at the Rendezvous, a gorgeous little sit-down theater that's approximately the capacity of our living room. And, to top it off, the Black Whales AND the Golden Blondes are opening? Come on now!

While our well-worn radars all register that something amazing must be afoot for such a great lineup to be taking place in such an intimate setting, we'll just keep our speculations to ourselves and dress up for a good time Saturday night! And you should absolutely join us -- tickets are only $8 in advance, and are available through the Stranger's ticketing service here.

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{photo by Robersen Ashman}

Earlier this week I talked about all the City Arts Fest line-up amazingness taking over the city of Seattle from October 20-22, 2011. One band I'm particularly pleased to see in the line up is Joseph Giant, the moniker of Joe Syverson, at the Rendezvous on October 21 with Son of Warren Oats, Smokey Brights, and Bryan John Appleby.

You might recognize Joe from his time spent with Throw Me The Statue, Pearly Gate Music, and Final Spins. Obviously with friends like those, he's a talented guy. But over the course of listening to his self-titled debut album, Joseph Giant proves himself to be more than a sum of his Neil Young / Wilco influences.

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The best thing about the San Francisco PopFest, besides the fabulous line-up gathered in one city over five consecutive days for the massive delight of p-fest attendees, is fact that all of those PopFest bands sometimes spread their west coast wings and, in the most wonderful of cases, travel north to visit us in Seattle.

On Friday, June 3 at the Rendezvous we have just such a migration from SF as two Seattle (and imaginary favorite) bands share a bill with two indie-popolicious artists from far away to make my one-night-mini-popfest dreams come true.

Opening the night is Monnone Alone, a band consisting of the most charming Lucksmiths' bassist of all time, Mark Monnone {and, sometimes, a couple very talented friends}. There has been a hole in our heart since the Lucksmiths called it quits (or how we like to remember it, put a hiccup in our happiness by hitting the 'pause' button), and here comes Monnone Alone to the rescue.

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at Rendezvous

{Photos by Steve Louie}

Huge thanks to everyone who came out to the Rendezvous on Saturday, October 29, 2010 to welcome Allo Darlin' to Seattle on their first visit to our fine city {full disclosure: the Three Imaginary Girls presented the show}. The sold-out show was filled with joy, even before the music began. With such an intimate space, everyone there knew that this was an important night. The unmatched mix of indie-pop gathered was bulletproof and we knew we were in store for a night we would all recount over many a summer campfire to come.

The evening started off with sweetheart-folksters The Special Places {2/5 of Seattle's Tullycraft}. It was Jenny Mears's first show donning an accordion, an instrument she only started learning four days before. She and her co-conspirator, Corianton Hale, weaved their way through a short 20-minute set hitting a {Tullycraft} cover song as well as their catalog of songs about hating and loving each other.

I had been waiting for months for the moment Allo Darlin' would crack open their catalog of songs and perform them steps away from me. With all the anticipation, it's hard to believe they actually surpassed my expectations. They effortlessly converted their silky, flawless pop songs about Woody Allen and polaroids into a rambunctious, jaw-dropping hootenanny that filled the room with euphoric jubilation.

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It's no secret that 2010 is the year of Allo Darlin'.  Since the moment I, {like all my fellow indie-pop heartsters in town} heard the first sweet notes of the Allo Darlin' debut full-length self titled album, I've wished on each falling star that they'd some day they'd bring their twee-liciousness to Seattle.

Well Seattle, tonight is the night! Three Imaginary Girls is honored to present tonight's sold out show at the Rendezvous with guests Math and Physics Club and The Special Places rounding out the dreamy bill.

Please tell me you got your ticket already and you'll be joining us for this fine display of dazzling indie-pop. The doors will open at or around 10p (maybe 10.10p?) and the music starts very soon thereafter.

Tonight is also our opportunity to wish Ethan {of Math and Physics Club} happy travels as he leaves to go out on tour with imaginary favorite Eux Autres. Our superstar bass playin' guy is going to tour and and record with them for the next few months at least. His first show with Eux Autres is 11/11 in Seattle, then they head south and have a few shows scheduled with Wild Flag!

Huge thanks to Seattle Show Posters for the Smith-a-licious poster art!

As I've professed already, Allo Darlin' have released my favorite record of 2010 {and, perhaps my favorite love song of the decade}. So, it's no surprise that when TIG got wind that they were thinking of visiting our fine city  for the first time from the UK, we crossed all our fingers until the date was set and we could put together our dreamiest line up of sweetheart indiepop.

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(Photo by human?)

I am in luck that both rip-roaring shows are in very close proximity to each other, so it's not the time-and-mind-squeeze it could have been. But this Saturday night, April 24, my favorite band-and-trivia driven contest/concert Grudge Rock is happening at the Crocodile about the same time as my new favorite Seattle band Wehrwolve is playing at the Rendezvous. I will make it through somehow, possibly killed by over-enjoyment imminent in Belltown that evening.

Here's the drill again on Grudge Rock: Two local bands go head to head on a Rock 'n' Roll family Feud, with all the questions being about MUSIC! A very Three Imaginary Girls kind of community spazz attack. One band will win all the prize money, and the other gets a set of steak knives, you bastards! (And coffee's for closers!) Just kidding, the LOSERS get consolation prizes. The important thing is that both bands play live, and that it's hosted by velvet voiced and sexy mutton-chopped Professor Jake Stratton, who unlike Richard Dawson doesn't try to kiss everyone but instead flies the flair like he does as BloodHag vocalist (RIP now, unfortunately), and Rat City Rollergirls announcer.

Which way are you headed this Saturday night? The imaginary calendar shows there are a bunch of options...

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at Rendezvous

Their stage attire resembles costuming for Royal Tennebaums – The Musical. These boys have more shtick than you can shake a shtick at.

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