at Tractor Tavern

The working subtitle for this photoessay was almost Fuck Everything Else, Indie Rock Wins Forever. Because there's no other way to say it: Nada Surf puts on one hell of a pulsing, swoonworthy, face-shredding rock show. And not just any kind of rock, mind you -- this is fully legit indie rock, a term that gets tossed around way too loosely these days. You just have to know it when you see it: in this case, Nada Surf delivers their particular take, with the kind of big-guitar storytelling madness that keeps the crowd moving for the duration of the set, while blowing out eardrums in the most beautiful of ways. Without hesitation, I'll even go so far as to say that Nada Surf comes damn close to giving bands like the Wrens a run for their money -- and those of you who know my personal dedication to all things Wrens know the {musical} gravity with which I speak when I make that kind of a statement.

To wit: the setlist was flawless, and opener Eric Elbogen {nee Say Hi} did a tremendous job warming up the crowd with his batch of attention-grabbing, carefully delivered songs. I only wish more people would have stopped their yammering to pay more mind to his set, but with a sold-out venue that's on their tip-toes readying to rock the fuck out, there's only so much you can expect past the first five or six rows.

Say Hi:

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Just when we thought the new track from Nada Surf, "When I Was Young" {off the stars are indifferent to astronomy, which is officially out tomorrow on Barsuk} couldn't get any better, we stumbled across this gem of a video. While it's definitely a stripped-down version that doesn't have the same big, building, wall-of-sound vibe that the full band delivery brings, the intimacy and DIY element make this rendition a treasure of a whole other caliber -- and, of course, seeing and hearing this has gotten us that much more excited for the currently-sold-out show at the Tractor next Thursday.

Yep. Believe it or not, Nada Surf is playing at the Tractor. What's that? You didn't get tickets in time? Well, you're in luck: we're giving away a pair to one lucky winner, and you've got a whole week to enter to win! Just send us an email to tig {at} threeimaginarygirls {dot} com with the subject line "PicturesInOurPretendWallets" sometime between now and 5pm on Friday, January 27th. We'll pick a winner over the weekend, and notify you on Monday morning that you're headed to Thursday's show.

Good luck!

{21+ / 8p doors / SOLD OUT / Say Hi opens. Hat tip to Laura Musselman for sending the video our way!}

We know, we know. Tomorrow's show at the Croc isn't just about Say Hi -- in fact, he'll be opening the night up for Grand Hallway, who's got the mid-lineup slot before Wye Oak takes down the evening headline-style. However, here at TIG we loves us some Eric Elbogen, so much so that we'd like to give some tickets away to a pair of lucky Say Hi fans who are planning on getting down to the show for the whole thing, first moment to the last.

PS, if you haven't heard the latest Say Hi effort -- a little something called Um, Uh Oh -- here's a few notes about it from our friends at Barsuk:

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We'll get right to the point: if you haven't heard by now, there's a sweet lineup at Neumos tonight, and you'd best get yourself and some friends over to Capitol Hill to catch it.

Gracing the stage of one of our fave venues will be none other than Say Hi, starring the much-celebrated Eric Elbogen as he parties in the pants of his newest release, Um, Uh Oh. He'll be sharing the bill with the Globes and Cataldo, who will be opening up the night for all the early-comers.

Straight outta Barsuk:

The record is also Elbogen’s best to date. It’s weary and blue-noted, revealing, personal and pained and there’s expressiveness in his performance absent from previous releases. In fact, it’s difficult to fathom that the same songwriter that once wrote the sugary frivolity of the early Say Hi material could have written such a mature collection of songs. If you’ve been a fan in the past, you’re going to feel that Um, Uh Oh is a large step in the  evolution of the band. If you haven’t, this is the record that’s going to change your mind.

As per usual at Neumos, it's a lineup full of bands you'll want to see from start to finish, so don't be late. We'll see you there!

{Tonight's show opens doors at 8p / all ages / $12. Photo by the mega talented Jenny Jiminez.}

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at Ash Street Saloon

Local to Portland, Viva Voce seemed to light up the crowd the most. Kevin Robinson taking to smashing his guitar on the stage near the end of the set.

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at Bumbershoot 2009

Say Hi has shortened more than their band name over time. The band’s lineup itself has also mutated to the point where their latest release on Barsuk, Ohhs & Ahhs, was recorded entirely by Eric Elbogen, the man behind the band, at his home studio. A dark album with heavy hues of loneliness the album displays half-hearted attempts at cheering itself up, making its lasting impression a sincere one.

Perhaps this is why I was surprised when, trying not to slip on the slimy grass in front of the Broad Street stage at Bumbershoot on Monday, I walked up to what sounded like emo-pop. It seems fair to look at the progression of Say Hi To Your Mom to Say Hi in relation to the increasing maturity of both their sound and their name. But as they began to play “Dramatic Irony” it became clear that without the production value of their recordings, the songs became more upbeat. The song was still dark, due to it’s content, but the overwhelming sound was light-hearted.

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Next Friday, May 8, Neumo's has a really big show with three excellent bands: Cloud Cult, Ice Palace and Say Hi. To kick things off, we've been offered a prize package to give away to one lucky TIG reader.

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InSound 10th Anniversary Sampler available for 1 week only!

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Say Hi, the excellent band that not that long ago dropped the terribly unfortunate name of "Say Hi to Your Mom", just signed with Barsuk Records.

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at The Vera Project

They came to Vera to finish off a five-week tour and the pleasant exhaustion showed on their faces.

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