A very necessary (but no less sincere) Happy Birthday is in order to the Triple Door, who turns five this week.

Since the first time I went to a show there (seeing Brandi Carlile before she took her star turn), this venue has been near and dear to my heart. I have a feeling that is the rule, not the exception.

The sound system is first rate and the sightlines give even people in the very back of the venue a clear view of the stage. The staff is always friendly and attentive (and the waiters will not give you shit if you just want to drink water instead of a cocktail). I've been to the Triple Door many times, with friends, dates, parents and alone and I've always felt like I was treated like a VIP, not like the driver of a 1992 Taurus. It's an upscale night club but is never pretentious.

I was looking through the TIG archives earlier to try to decide what my favorite Triple Door memory, and it was not easy. Was it being so close to The Raveonettes that I thought Sune Rose-Wagner could notice me chewing? What about the epic LP release show for my favorite NW band, Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground? The glorious and perfect acoustic Nada Surf show (especially when the staff accomodated me beyond any reasonable expectation when I mistakenly thought I had a +1 for the concert)? I could go on and recount more memories but you might suspect I'm on their payroll.

To celebrate their fifth year in business (which can feel like an eternity with the average lifetime of Seattle clubs these days), the Triple Door is bringing in blues legend Robert Cray for two nights, Thursday and Friday.

Anyway, I wish a Happy Anniversary to the Triple Door and wish for five more wonderful years (and beyond).