You guys! There are only a few more weeks until Dancing on the Valentine 8: A Cure for Leukemia! 

In case you haven't heard of DOTV before (what!), the fabulous Ms. Jenny George, a survivor of Leukemia, decided to start this benefit 8 years ago to give back to the organization that provides support to cancer patients, and is working hard to find a cure. The benefit has grown each year to raise more money for LLS, and this year DOTV is hoping to raise at least $10,000 to beat the hell out of last year's record-breaking $7,000+! 

The 2013 show features local bands covering the music of The Cure at Neumos on Saturday, 2/9, with all proceeds from ticket sales and raffles going to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The line-up is FIERCE this year, with Adra Boo, Daniel G. Harmann and The Trouble Starts, Erik Blood, Gibraltar, Head Like a Kite, Hotels, Lesli Wood (of The Redwood Plan) w/Jupe Jupe, NighTrain, Panama Gold, The Grizzeled Mighty, Vox Mod, and interludes by DJ Mike Steve. Plus! Our own Imaginary Dana will be emcee'ing, and Jenny's handsome son Attitcus will be making a special appearance on stage at the beginning of the night to sing some Robert Smith!!! 

We've got a pair of tix to giveaway to a lucky winner, so you can spend your donation dollars on raffle tickets instead. Email us at tig {at} threeimaginarygirls {dot} com with the subject line "Lovecats" anytime between now and 5pm Monday 2/4 for a chance to win 'em. We'll notify the winner Tuesday am. 

{Dancing on the Valentine presents: A Cure for Leukemia: A Tribute to The Cure benefitting the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society | Sponsored by CityArts, KEXP, and Uber | Saturday, Feb 9 at Neumos | Doors at 8pm | $15 adv, 21+} 

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It’s probably impossible that you haven’t heard Lesli Wood sing, either from her awesome Ms. Led days, or covering songs for Jenny George’s annual Dancing on the Valentine benefit, or fronting her kick-ass band The Redwood Plan.

It also goes without saying that the imaginary girls LOVE the heck out of Ms. Wood, and are beyond thrilled that she’s agreed to sing at our Imaginary Holiday Spectacular this Friday! (that’s the 21^st, people! SO CLOSE!) Every time she takes the stage, I’m personally blown away by her powerhouse vocals and amazing presence. Hell, sometimes when I see her out and about in Seattle I’m too awe-struck to say “Hi” because I’m rendered unable by my starstruck fandom.

I can’t imagine anyone NOT loving Lesli Wood, and I’m so looking forward to seeing her play on Friday. You’re coming too, right?

Head on over to the StrangerTickets site to grab some $10 tix before they sell out, because we really really really really want you to be there to celebrate the holidays with us!

Photo by Victoria VanBruinisse. 

It's time for another TIG event to celebrate our 10th Anniversary! And this time, it's a film event, because y'all know how I feel about the film. So ... dig out your flannel and Docs, because we're taking you back to the 90s with a showing of HYPE! at the Grand Illusion!

If you haven't heard of it before, or you know, in case you're not quite as old as I am, HYPE! is a great documentary about the Grunge scene, including interviews and performances from TAD, Mudhoney, Nirvana, Soundgarden, Coffin Break, The Gits, Love Battery, Flop, The Melvins, Mono Men, Supersuckers, Zipgun, Seaweed, Pearl Jam, 7 Year Bitch, Hovercraft, Gas Huffer and the Fastbacks.

We've planned a BIG evening of fun, starting with some nostalgic clips of Seattle bands, and Grunge Trivia hosted by Jen from Scarecrow Video -- complete with prizes! (Don't worry; we've got a mix of easy and hard questions to satisfy both grunge amateurs and aficionados.) We even have the cutest Three Imaginary Girls film buttons to give away, thanks to the extreme craftenating skillz of imaginary liz. 

Join us as we relive Seattle's 15 minutes of fame. (jk! we love our city!) Bonus points if you come in (almost vintage, right? gawd, it pains me to say that) clothes you actually wore in the 90s. 

Three Imaginary Girls presents Seattle Grunge: A Dream of the 90s

Featuring: a screening of HYPE!
Grunge Trivia by Scarecrow Video w/prizes!
and a short clip show packed full of 90s nostalgia*

at the Grand Illusion Cinema
Saturday, November 10, 8:45pm, $8

*Videos provided by Scarecrow Video; editing by Brian Alter. THANKS, GUYS!

I’ve said it before: I know all this streaming/on demand business is convenient because you don’t have to get off your ass in order to pick a film to watch, but I am a child of the 80s and I still really love going to an actual video store, browsing the aisles, reading the backs of boxes, and leaving with a few choice (or you know, not so choice) picks.

On Saturday, Scarecrow Video is blowing up this year's Independent Video Store Day with the following awesomeness:

- A sweet VHS Art New Wave Show
- A Scarecrow on Seattle rental section
- Coffee & Chai samples from VHSpresso
- Limited Edition Scarecrow Tees & Tote Bags for sale
- 50% off used movies for sale (blu-rays, DVDs, VHS – even Laserdiscs) - Saturday & Sunday
- $3 off new blu-rays & DVDS
- 10 rentals for $35

And! You can enter to win prizes: 
- A Full Series pass to the 2013 Seattle International Film Festival
- A theater rental at Grand Illusion Cinema
- Cinema Screening passes for NWFF
- Screening passes to Landmark Theatres
- $25 gift cert + 4 movies passes to Central Cinema
- 5-disc set The Story of Film: An Odyssey 
- A Blu-ray & region-free DVD player
+ tons of cool giveaways JUST for walking in the door!!! !! !!! !

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Okay, maybe “around Seattle” is a misnomer, as it was really “around Capitol Hill”. Anyway! On Monday {9/17}, I met up with Tierney, Jason, (tour drummer) Cash, and Sammy near The Comet Tavern before their show, and naturally, they were all hungry.

My first thought was Bimbo’s—but a claim was made that they were all “kind of burrito’d out…” and so, I suggested The Honey Hole: king of the deliciously huge sandwiches. Even though I lamented the loss of The Spicoli from the menu (say it ain’t so, Honey Hole!), I found a sammich I loved, and so did everyone else. And there was much rejoicing.

After dinner, I rounded up the coffee drinkers and took them over to Stumptown (don’t get mad at me, people, I KNOW Stumptown is a Portland roaster, but it’s my favorite place on the hill to grab coffee!) for some yummy lattes. They all agreed I hadn’t oversold it (thankfully), and that it was really, really, really good. And there was much rejoicing—and laughing over the giant duck decoy they use as a restroom key holder.

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For many Seattleites, The Rocket was the best source for all the music things, and most of us knew someone involved with putting it together. I used to pick up my copies of this bi-weekly mag excitedly, (long before I was picking up copies of The Stranger or The Weekly) scanning the pages for upcoming shows. In particular, shows involving The Posies. Duh. 

Anyway, after years of reunion rumors, Rocket publisher Charles R. Cross is throwing a party on Sunday, August 5 at the Feedback Lounge in West Seattle from 2-7pm for all the writers, artists, photographers, and staff of this long-missed local mag. All musicians that had write-ups in the paper are welcome too, which means that this has the potential to be one, big amazing musical event.

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This has actually been lingering in my inbox for awhile (sorry guys!) but I finally had time to take a proper listen, and am ready to declare that Sweet Diss and the Comebacks is joining the list of my new favorite PNW bands!

Nathan Reinauer hales from Seattle and currrently lives in Portland - and also apparently created some of the best stuff I've heard in awhile by performing, mixing, and mastering every note on Emerald City Love Song himself. Bravo, Nathan. Bravo. It's sweet and danceable ad power-poppy and. Oh hey. I LOVE IT! 

I also appreciate this description from their bandcamp page:
Catchy melodies, soaring harmonies, and more key changes than your ex-girlfriend's apartment.

Yup. That about sums it up! Take a listen to "Twenty-Something" below (I also recommend "Indie Girl", "Never Stop Wooing You" and "Dear Small Town", and if you like - you can listen to the whole album on bandcamp here, buy it on iTunes here, or order it from Japan (what?) to get it with 4 extra tracks.

Are y'all getting excited about this year's City Arts Fest yet? There's so much goodness packed into only three days! Since Victoria did such an incredible job picking stuff you can't miss,  I thought I'd join the fun with a list of my must-sees: 

Thursday 10/20

MUST SEE
Hedwig and the Angry Inch Movie Sing Along
SIFF Cinema
8pm | $12 
buy tix 

How do I even being to express my love for this movie? I can't. It's too much. If you've never seen it, you HAVE to. Like, right now. And if you have, how can you pass up a chance to sing "The Origin of Love" and "Sugar Daddy"? I mean, seriously. you guys. seriously. I only wish I had an official foam Hedwig hat/wig/thing to wear to this. 

RUNNER UP
Crystal Castles 
w/Crypts, Nightmare Fortress 
Showbox SoDo
7pm | $27.50 adv, $32 doors
buy tix

These guys won my heart with their cover of Platinum Blonde's "Not in Love" featuring Robert Smith. I proceeded to buy their CD immediately and fall for their crazy retro electonic-y pop tunes. I kind of bet they're adorbs on stage too. 

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We have been lucky enough to get a sneak listen to the new BOAT album, Dress Like Your Idols, releasing March 22, 2011 on Magic Marker Records and it rocks our sloppy pop socks off. If the album's cover art didn't give it away, the album is an aural thumbing through their personal record (and cassette tape) bins, paying homage to their influences with blatant Pixies references ("When Frank Black Says (No. 14 Baby)") and sly Pavement croons (as in "Kinda Scared of Love Affairs"). The collection of pop songs prove they are ready for prime time. They are still experts in the friendly quirk pop genre, but this time the expertly recorded songs burst with a swagger confidence (confi-pop?). And one Long Winters' inspired track, "Landlocked" even features guest vocals by John Roderick.

In true to analog BOAT cardbaord cutout form, the band has put together a special limited edition cassette gift for the first 100 pre-orders of this, their fourth studio album. The cassette features demos from Dress Like Your Idols and covers (click through to see track listing and video).  Plus the b side will feature a D. Crane mix-tape.

I can't wait to see what tricks and treats the band has up their sleeve when at their album release show at the Tractor Tavern on Friday, March 25 (with Pickwick and Concours d'Elegance).

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We kinda don't know where to begin on this one as it combines so many things we love, our hearts are on the cusp of exploding. A couple more watches and we could be toast (albeit tasty brioche french toast like served at Odd Fellows).

Our dearest man about town and Long Winter, John Roderick, offers a tour of Seattle that exposes his favorite nooks and crannies of our fine city with stops at Odd Fellows, Pretty Parlor, The Crocodile (including a chat with photographer great Charles Peterson), Earthwise Salvage, The Showbox (the night of the Telekinesis show), Shelby Earl recording with Eric Corson, and Le Pichet.

Behold the latest in Rhapsody's Rock Star Guide to the Galaxy -- Destination Seattle - featuring at least four eyewear change ups, three curse word bleeps, a kitty and a Barsuk hoodie (watch it).

What would have been mentioned on your rockstar tour of Seattle?

I like J. Rod's choices, but I'd make sure to show off Remedy Tea, Bimbos (predictable, I know, but you can't deny the power of the no-meato burrito and their happy hour margaritas), Gainsbourg (absinthe cocktails), Molly Moon's Ice Cream, and Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon. Ok, so my tour would basically be a food and drink tour of the city. I'd also include a stop at Velouria and Sonic Boom/Easy Street Records for proper fashion accessories.

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