When I moved to Seattle 12 years ago, I spent a lot of time talking on the phone to friends back home, mostly about music. My friend Keith mentioned Polvo to me and I said I hadn't heard of them. I still vividly remember his response: "Get thee to a record store, woman! I'm hanging up right now. Go!" So I went out and bought Shapes. Two days later, I went back and bought Exploded Drawing. I was really drawn to both the sludgy drone of the guitar work and the random, weird Eastern backdrop of it all. And then it was over. Polvo was suddenly, sadly no more.

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If you stop by the Skylark Cafe in West Seattle anytime between now and December 14, you'll see the walls adorned with photos taken by the ridiculously lovely and talented Jenny Jimenez, who has been one of the best photographers in this city for over a decade now. The photos of bands like Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Death Cab for Cutie and Gossip. The photos she took of the final Sleater-Kinney show (a favorite band of both hers and mine), are simply breathtaking. She's also been a great friend to TIG during that time.

To celebrate this exhibit, the Skylark is hosting a big party next Thursday (which coincides with the West Seattle Art Walk) for Jimenez's photos. It'll feature live performances from Amy Blashke and Damien Jurado, as well as "drink specials, fortune telling, air guitaring and lots of great people". The show is called "Show Me Your TIFFs", which is a perfect name because it recalls the slogan Sleater-Kinney used on t-shirts during their time as a band "show me your riffs!" Also promised, is an all-male wet t-shirt contest to win one of the prints from the show, which seems quite fair.

This all starts at 6pm, with the music starting around 9. It's 21+ and free.

Here's a photo of Fences taken at a Neumo's show earlier this year by our Hot Avocados Photography friends.  You can see Fences as he "spills his guts onto your shoes" at this Saturday's Reverb Fest (10/3).  They'll be at the Tractor sharing the bill with The Maldives, Staxx Brothers, Widower, Eldridge Gravy & The Court Supreme, Raggedy Anns, Brent Amaker & The Rodeo, Southside, and Hallways.

To gaze are more neat Seattle show photos (or to add your own!), clickety clack over to the TIG Sparkly Indie-Pop Photo pool.

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It's no secret that Wallpaper is one of my favorite Pac NW bands. Thanks to Jeremiah Johnson for adding this vogue-ing photo taken during the band's Bumbershoot 2009 performance.

Not to be left out of *any* of the festival fun, Wallpaper will be at this weekend's Reverb Fest Salmon Bay Eagles venue at 5p (following Visqueen).

As a music writer in this town, I've tried to make it a point of trying to be supportive of the amazingly talented photographers that this city is lucky to have. One of my very favorites is Tyler Soverns, who shoots photos under the name Rabid Child Images. He's used his SLR to become one of the best chroniclers of the flourishing hip hop scene we have in Seattle. His photos are often chaotic but stunning. A handful of times, his images have been featured here as photos of the day.

The Greenwood Collective (at the corner of 85th and Greenwood) is hosting an exhibit of photos from Rabid Child Images and the opening reception is on Friday, October 9 from 6-9pm - as part of the Greenwood Art Walk. It's also a party that has performances from DJ Swervewon and Murder Dice. I'll definitely be there, and you should too.

Before last Sunday's incredible Pet Shop Boys show, over drinks with friends, the next show that everyone in our group was really excited for was the show at Neumo's on Saturday, November 10 with School of Seven Bells. I became even more interested when I discovered how much I enjoyed the opening band, Warpaint.

Warpaint is an LA-based group that has a lot of pyschadelic melodies that still gets audiences to dance - and a perfect compliment for the synth-heavy SVIIB. They are re-releasing their debut EP Equisite Corpse on Manimal Vinyl after getting a lot of positive attention in their local area from the EP when they self-released it earlier in the year.

Now, Warpaint is offering us a pair of tickets to see them with School of Seven Bells at Neumo's on Saturday, November 10 (21+). All you need to do is send us an e-mail to tig@threeimaginarygirls.com before Wednesday, October 7 at 9am with "SchoolofWarpaint" in the subject line. Winners will be notified shortly thereafter.

There is little bettter than starting the weekend off with some free Flotard.

Tonight {Friday, 9/25} at 7pm, Visqueen will take the Easy Street Records {Queen Anne} stage to share some songs from their fabulous new album, Message to Garcia.   It's all all ages and all free!

See you there!!! Don't forget your eyepatch!

{Thanks for the photo mordac!}

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I heard Deer Tick on KEXP a few months ago and immediately rushed to buy their latest record. What I heard was a mix of grunge, country, rock and blues and it's just right for the Northwestern indian summer we're about to have. Fans of the Cave Singers and the Maldives will appreciate John McCauley's slightly ominous Americana stylings coupled with a plaintive, raspy singing style.

Deer Tick were recently named the #1 Breaking Band To Watch at SXSW 2009 by Rolling Stone's own David Fricke, which is kind of a big deal, right? I know! Apparently they're also quite funny to watch live, so I'm excited to see what they might pull out of their hats: "I've seen so many people play with virtually no stage presence and it's a bummer. I don't want to watch that. Besides, my songs are too sad to sing one after the other and not tell a few jokes."

I've had this show on the books for over a month now and I can't wait! Deer Tick plays tonight at the High Dive (sponsored by The Tractor Tavern). I think it'll be a great show for one of these last warm nights.

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Okay, guys. Here’s the thing: I am writing this recommendation based solely on my love for The Brunettes. We’ve mentioned Throw Me the Statue here on TIG a few times before and I’m sure they’re a mighty fine band, and uh, Nurses sound great too, but my point is – GO. SEE. THE. BRUNETTES. They’re an adorable band from New Zealand and they are chock-full of great lyrics and fun, poppy goodness.

Seriously. Exhibit A:

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Rip: A Remix Manifesto is a new-ish documentary film about the legality of remixes and mashups and features Gregg Gillis of Girl Talk as the poster child for open source licensing. Heading to Girl Talk's second Seattle show later tonight? Be an informed wild child and get a handle on the remix/mashup debate.  There's some pretty good Girl Talk show footage, too.

Although the narrator has a strident tone at times, the documentary brings forward valuable insights and varying viewpoints on reuse and appropriation. Reuse and appropriation are not new nor the exclusive domain of music: Walt Disney appropriated the Buster Keaton character Steamboat Bill when creating his first Mickey Mouse cartoon Steamboat Willie.  In  contemporary art, Yasumasa Morimura reinvents iconic art paintings and photographic images using subtle modification and not so subtle self-portrait elements.

Also appearing in the Rip documentary is one of my favorite authors and the technology culturist Cory Doctorow (Boing Boing). Doctorow is a strong supporter of creative commons licensing and many of his published books and short stories are freely available in various e-reader libraries.

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