Naturally my great love for The Posies led me to my great love for Big Star -- and I still remember being outraged when watching That '70s Show and realizing the version of "In the Street" playing over the credits wasn't Big Star's original, but instead a cover by … Cheap Trick. What. 

Big Star is one of those great power pop bands that people didn't appreciate until long after their albums were released. They're the kings of vocal harmonies and guitar riffs (I could listen to "Feel" all day, every day and NEVER, EVER get tired of it), and they know how to drag a song out until you feel like you can't take it anymore, and then finish it off with a bang -- leaving you feeling exhausted, but satiated, and yes -- wanting more. So much more. 

Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me does a stellar job not only covering the history of the band from Alex Chilton and Chris Bell's first collaboration, but also touches on the personal struggles of each. It's a complete picture of Big Star from its inception to its demise -- and later resurrection -- and of course, it's loaded with awesome tunes (Psst: Ominvore Recordings is releasing the soundtrack on vinyl!). It's a gorgeous portrait of the band, and a must-see for fans.

{Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me screens at the 39th Annual Seattle International Film Festival on Tuesday, 5/21, 9pm, and again on Sunday, 5/26, 8:30pm at SIFF Cinema Uptown}  

You guys! Hedwig and the Angry Inch is coming to The Moore Theatre this month, and we've got a pair of tickets to give a lucky imaginary for the 1/15 preview performance!!!

I am a HUGE fan of Hedwig (though admittedely, I've only seen it on film -- not on stage) and a HUGE fan of Director Ian Bell, who does the amazing Brown Derby series at Re-Bar. With him behind this production of Hedwig, a rock musical about an East-Berlin rock-and-roll godess who recounts her crazy life story, all while backed by her kick-ass band "The Angry Inch", I have no doubt that this will be a fantastic show. 

Trust me, you WANT this pair of tickets. For a chance to win 'em, just send an email to us at tig {at} threeimaginarygirls {dot} com with the subject line "Wicked Little Town" anytime between now and 9am on Monday, January 14. We'll choose a winner that morning, and send you an email letting you know that you (and your choice of +1) are on the list.

And if you don't win the tix, I suggest you purchase tickets anyway because THIS IS GOING TO BE AWESOME. (And if go and happen to have some blonde chick in glasses singing her heart out along with Ms. Hedwig in your audience, I apologize in advance.)

{Hedwig and the Angry Inch | The Moore Theatre | 1/15-1/27 | Presented by Seattle Theatre Group and The Balagan Theatre | $17.50 - $32.50} 

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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It’s probably totally weird that I’ve never read a Harry Potter book, that I find the movies utterly forgettable, and that I just plain don’t get people’s extreme HP fandom—but, you guys. BUT.

I’ve been crushing on brothers Paul and Joe DeGeorge of Harry and the Potters since I saw them play at the UW Bookstore sometime around 2003. They are exceptionally cute, very sweet, and just all around awesome guys who play rock-n-roll about all things Harry Potter.

As if that weren’t enough, these adorable rockers put together the Harry Potter Alliance; an organization that inspires social activism based on HP themes, and the Wizard Rock EP of the Month Club: a club featuring monthly releases from wizard rock bands, with proceeds going to literary-based non-profits. To date, they’ve raised over $50,000.

This year is their 10 Year “Bandiversary”, so the boys are rockin’ their way up the West Coast with a Summer Tour, and lucky for us, they are landing in Seattle on July 31 at The Vera Project with fellow dude of awesomeness Hank Green, and The Potter Puppet Pals. Yay!

You might ask if Harry and the Potters are a kid's band, and if so, you then might ask WHY I like them. All I can say to you is that you need to experience the imaginary goodness that is H&tP yourself to truly understand. Get a taste of some “Wizard Rock” by checking out one of my personal favorites below, “Save Ginny Weasley”—and then get some tix to the Vera show, before it’s sold out!

{Harry and the Potters w/Hank Green | Tuesday, July 31 | The Vera Project | All Ages | $10 | 6pm}

Nothing can really fill the hole in my heart left by the absence of Friday Mile, but Fort Union comes close.

Two Friday Mile bandmates, Jace Krause and Jake Rohr, have come together once again to create some beautiful songs, traveling back-and-forth from Portland (where the relocated Krause runs an amazing food truck called Fried Egg I’m in Love) to Seattle (where Rohr still lives and works, at Columbia City Theater) to record an album full of them, on—wait for it—pretty-pretty BLUE vinyl. And they’re officially releasing it on Friday, July 27 with a show at the Tractor Tavern.

Jace & Jake are both good musicians AND good guys. So I have to recommend that you head down to the Tractor and show them some support! They deserve it; trust me. Take a listen to “Border Song” below for a sampling of their debut release:

{Fort Union Album Release Show with Cataldo and Widower | Friday, July 27, 9:30pm | Tractor Tavern | $8 online, or at the door | tix also available at Sonic Boom Records}

Calling all Posies fans (Hey, that’s me!)! !!! Mr. Jon Auer is having another one of his fantastic shows at The Volterra Drawing Room on Thursday, July 19.

{Dear} $23 gets you in the door, or if you’re feeling fancy pants, you can pay $100 for the VIP experience: a meet and greet with Jon at 7pm, hosted wine and light apps by Volterra (yum!) and—Jon will play 1 requested song for each VIP! Hooray! There are a limited number of seats (only 65), so buy your tix before this sells out. Because it will.

{Jon Auer | Volterra Drawing Room | $23 GA, $100 VIP | All Ages | Cash bar for 21+ | Doors, 7pm (VIP)/7:30pm – Showtime, 8pm}

Tasseomancy: Ulalume
I shouldn't even like this. But I do. Twin sisters Sari and Romy Lightman infuse their folky music with a dreamy, Julee Cruise-esque feel and beautiful vocals. Basically, listening to Ulalume feels like you're in a fuzzy, drug-induced haze. Napping might seem like a good idea too -- until you realize the tunes will probably fuel crazy Gothic-fairy-tale-tinged nightmares.

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One of the bands that's been rocking my literal socks off lately is Atomic Bride. I still haven't had time to sit down and fully absorb their full-length CD Dead Air yet, but the second I slipped it into my CD drive, I was dancing to their retro-surf-punk-poppy tunes as hard as I ever did to early The B-52's. (If anyone could hold their own against Kate Pierson, it's lovely raw-throated vocalist Astra Elane). 

So anyway! Let's just say I'm INTO it. And I think you will be too. Check out their video for the ultra-catchy "Radio Recession" above, and then go see them live at The Comet on 7/14 (with The Valley).

I have finally caught up with SIFF madness and found three musical selections in the TIG stacks that are worthy of a shout-out.

Hermetic Delight: Universe Like Thousands of Red Alternatives
This band hails from Strasborg, France, so it was a pretty exciting package to open (we ♥ INTL mail, you guys!). Anyway, despite a totally mistranslated PR sheet, I snapped this up because hello. THAT IS A RIDICULOUSLY AWESOME BAND NAME.

Hermetic Delight specializes in throaty vocal whisperings that ramble all over swaying beats, keyboards, and sexy, sexy, sexiness. So, you know, very French. I can't really make out half of what lead singer Zey K. is saying, but it's damn compelling anyway.

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Attention all Blue Skies for Black Hearts and Young Fresh Fellows fans!!! My favorite Portland band sent me this brand spankin' new video and asked me to share it with our Imaginary readers first. The video shows BSFBH covering Young Fresh Fellows' "Aurora Bridge" -- with special guest SCOTT MCCAUGHEY!! Since YFF is one of the first bands I actually moshed to, and I am now a maniacal Blue Skies fangirl, I have an extra soft spot in my heart for this combination. Please watch the video. The vocals are glorious. 

Even better: Blue Skies for Black Hearts are playing The Comet next Thursday, June 7, and we have a pair of tickets to give away! Send an email to tig {at} threeimaginarygirls {dot} com with the subject line "Over There" between now and 6/4. We'll pick a winner Monday morning and put your name on the list +1 for The Comet show on Thursday. And in case I haven't made it clear before, YOU WANT THOSE TICKETS. Because Blue Skies for Black Hearts is so much fun live! 

{Blue Skies for Black Hearts w/the Knast, Hearts and Thugs, Gibraltar | The Comet| June 7 | 9pm, $7}

Video filmed and recorded at Perma Press Recording, Portland, OR.

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