Just a quick plug for my choice for tonight's show, an out-of-nowhere reunion of one of Seattle's best recent rock bands, The Cops! Their two albums are essential in the Naughty Oughts canon of Pacific NW punk-related goodness, and everyone who saw them when actually "together" realized how diverse and hale they were, astonishing even Dave Day of god-level Monks when he saw them at a Saturday Knights show at Havana (shortly before his much mourned passing).

It's a holiday blessing to have them back tonight at the Tractor, and I doubt they've lost any amount of that sparkle or big beat bash. Meanwhile, also on the bill is "thee" ferocious Thee Sgt. Major lll and "my new thang," roots-bastards Eugene Wendell & The Demon Rind. Singer/songwriter and long-time music business veteran Ian Moore recorded and co-wrote the Seattle band's nine song demo currently getting passed around by rock and rye, in the ditch, gut-bucket fucked up folk-rock fans. Mixed and mastered by Kurt Bloch, band focal point Kwab Copeland writes raw, rustic verse set to rollicking badland bomp.

more...

This week we've got three stupendous nights of Sunset Tavern burn down, and here are other reasons to be there every night, each and every one of us.

more...

It’s not everyday that you find a record that simply knocks you on your ass – but that’s exactly what happened to this powerpop-loving writer.

more...

You weren't the only one we asked to vote. We asked our imaginary staffers to gather their best-of-the-year lists too! Here's what has been in highest rotation on our iPods this year.

more...

See all the winners in the TIG Best Northwest Releases of 2005 Readers' Poll (see the top 10 winners, including Death Cab, Tullycraft, the Decemberists, and more).

more...

With their pitch-perfect harmonies, buoyant melodies, and good looks to boot, Slender Means are ripe for success. Neon & Ruin is simply one of the most pop-perfect local albums of the year.

more...

We'd been wondering when we'd get paired with the illustrious Sean Nelson for our KEXP appearance, and this month it finally happened! It was everything we dreamed it would be, and we played some great local tunes from The Briefs, Man Plus, Izabelle, and loads more.

more...

Their voices are melodic but unabashedly masculine, a brawling spit-take that neither seems excessively affected nor tattoo-collecting, Social Distortion, hot rod car wanna-be "cool."

more...

We wrangled Tennis Pro's David Drury and The Cops' John Randolph into interviewing each other.

more...

We wrangled Tennis Pro's David Drury and The Cops' John Randolph into interviewing each other.

more...