Sometimes I feel like Dave Einmo is the busiest musician in Seattle. I miss running into him on the hill, because in addition to being a kick-ass rocker, he's also a damn fine all-around nice guy. But I digress, Einmo has manned Head Like a Kite for more than a few years now (I'd tell you the exact number of years, but Stoli has clouded my memory and I'm too lazy to use the internet), putting out a variety of eclectic sounds and putting on some hella entertaining live shows. The last album, Dreams Suspend Night, is a mash-up of music genres, with some amazing vocals by Asya Smoosh, plus tracks with Tilson from The Saturday Knights (like "Director's Cut" in the video above)-- and one of my very favorites, Her Space Holiday!

Back to the "busiest musician" thing. A visit to the HLAK web site reveals some sweet cover tunes ("Gimme Shelter!" hellyes), and a free download of some tracks. Dave has teamed up with Asya to form Daydream Vacation, which (based on "The Girl Don't Sleep") is poised to put out some shiny poppy hand-clapping tunes. 

I'm really interested to see what he does on the Fisher Green Stage, Monday Sept 5 at 2:15pm. Any guesses on possible special guests? :)

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ESPN's Gridiron Concert series has asked Seattle semi-cyborg crash-rock band Head Like A Kite to goose their after-party for the University of Washington versus UCLA game. The FREE bash starts at 8 pm (HLAK starts at 9:30 pm), and would be a good time for indie kids to come downtown to check out the Hard Rock Cafe if they haven't yet. (Some of us are slow getting out of our 'hoods, *cough* finger pointing at my own lazy self.)

Everyone around here knows that the recent world-traveling and still picking up bums for chats on the every rose has its thorn road HLAK -- headed by snake-fingered ring-leader Dave Einmo, humping on the bad-ass beatz of Trent Moorman, fuzzed up by bass and vox from lanky-gregarious Graig Markel and his ever-effervescent wife Zera Marvel, and featuring the fine mug and voice and charms of Tilson! Tilson! Tilson! -- is THE party band. Seeing them do that show at the thing back when reminded me of the last night of the Stiff Records Live! tour mixed with the Hacienda on a night when Lee Harvey Oswald brought in the first batch of "rum" raisin cookies. (Ref.: Free KEXP-sponsored Concert at the Mural Amphitheatre at Seattle Center, just this past summer, damn it's football season already!)

Now that summer's officially 86'd, it's time for the inaugural (hereafter annual?) City Arts Fest, which takes over our fair city this upcoming Wednesday - Saturday {Oct. 20th - 23rd}. Laden with an impressive lineup at venues far and wide, CAF is catering to more of the mini-SXSW feel that makes these 'festivals' enjoyable -- think along the lines of MusicFest NW's style -- and for this, we applaud and squee! with joy. There's something about cramming too many people into too small of a space, even with a homerun lineup, that can make a gathering of the proverbial vibes inherently less fun.

And so -- with sneakers laced up and schedules in hand -- away we go with the music! Click the links below for more info on each particular show, including the where & what on how to get yourself some tickets:

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Seattle soul-rock noir band Head Like A Kite has a new album called Dreams Suspend Night out at iTunes starting this week, but CDs will be in stores on May 18. Hyperactive and smoldering full-screen cinema bomp including guests from Boom Bip to members of  The Long Winters, Smoosh to Swervedriver, and Tilson, ex-The Saturday Knights. The latter also stars in their new video for new single "We're Always On The Wrong Side Of Sunrise":

The official HLAK CD release party is on Friday, May 21 at Neumos, with DAEDELUS and Thee Emergency, and DJ Terry Radshaw spinning between live music performances. For Head Like A Kite's set, expect Tilson, P. Smoov, members of Animals at Night and Zera Marvel, among others!

And we'd like to give you a pair of tickets to join us at the album release show!  To enter, email tig @ threeimaginarygirls.com sometime before 9am on Tuesday, May 18 with the subject "HeadLikeATicket".

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{Amazing Lesli Wood / Redwood Plan photo by Jason Tang from the TIG Flickr Photo Pool}

The weekend is nearly upon us... what are you most looking forward to?

On Friday night, Lesli Wood and the Redwood Plan kicking arse at the Comet with Dept of Energy headlining? Fresh Espresso (with a name like that you know they know how to work a Seattle crowd) with Truckasaurus and Head Like a Kite?

Saturday night we have to make sure you get your booty, whether it's broken hearted or already full of gue, to the Crocodile for the Dancing on the Valentine bash. It's an annual tradition and the *perfect* way to celebrate all the loves of your life and help raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. This years theme is all David Bowie all night. Dress up and dance your ___ off. What song do you want to hear covered?

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Here we are with Round Three of our interviews with all the main players (or at least their spokesmen) for this Saturday night's GRUDGE ROCK, which commences this at 10 PM, January 16 2010, at The Crocodile! For a little more background, check out Parts One and Two of this series. We've chatted with MC Jake Stratton and D. Crane of BOAT. Below is a Q&A with Dave Einmo of Head Like A Kite.

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This Saturday night, January 16, 2010, the Series Two, Episode One of live Family Feud style trivia and music blow-out GRUDGE ROCK commences! This time with indie rock romance Gorgeous Georges BOAT taking on the more Rowdy Roddy Piperish tech-soul rockers Head Like A Kite! Girls will scream! Boys will faint! The winner gets the Door Money and there are plenty of Consolation Prizes! And two sets by two great Seattle bands live on stage at the Crocodile. (Be there before 10 PM, because it goes on on time!)

I interviewed MC Jake Stratton in the first part of this three-chunk series covering The Event, and now comes a little chat with D. Crane of the pretty boys with the big batch of fans, the ever-loving BOAT.

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Grudge Rock, created by the brilliant ringleader Jake Stratton, leader of beloved first-ever sci-fi/hardcore band BloodHag), is styled as a 70s game show (Family Feud format) with bands playing and competing against each other. The winning band gets all the door money, but there are fabulous consolation prizes and more.

The show this Saturday, January 16 is GRUDGE ROCK SEASON TWO - EPISODE ONE, and it will be "party-inspired electronic rock music vs. indie pop" with fan favorites Head Like A Kite and BOAT.

This will be the first time the event is hosted at The Crocodile, as it has been running successfully at the Re-Bar and now needs bigger digs. The first WWF-styled boast was sent out by HLAK: "OPEN LETTER TO BOAT: You guys are toast. You can’t match the mental prowess of Head Like a Kite. We’ve got a panda bear that recites “The Merry Wives of Windsor” and Trent can spin seat cushions with one finger. Prepare yourselves for the consolation prize."

Just look at who is sponsoring the show: Pabst Blue Ribbon, Jameson Whiskey, Scarecrow Video, Fantagraphics Books, Pierced Hearts Tattoo & Piercing, Singles Going Steady, Trading Musician, Hardware Salon, Snoose Junction Part Dieu and Verellen Amplifiers. It's $10 (over 21, sorry), with 9 PM and the show starting exactly at 10 PM.

Here's our interview Mr. Stratton about the history of Grudge Rock, to be followed by interviews with both BOAT and Head Like A Kite.

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Fresh off the presses from our inboxes comes this week's launch of GIVE -- 30 downloadable tracks from a variety of Seattle artists, who are donating their songs to benefit Arts Corps and local area foodbanks. The $7.00 (!) compilation, which was produced, curated, and funded by Caffe Vita, will be available online here. Physical compilations can be picked up at all Caffe Vita locations, Easy Street Records, Sonic Boom Records, University Book Store, The Crocodile, EMP, Neumo's, and Sorrento Hotel. The in-hand compilations will include a physical card with a redemption code for the download, and a prettied-up sleeve to make it a ready-to-give present.

Here's the full track listing -- nearly all of which are exclusive to the compilation:

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I asked both brilliant and talented photographers Erik Clineschmidt and Jason Tang to list their five favorite Bumbershoot photos. Jason offered these as his favorites. - ChrisB.

Head Like a Kite:

"I almost didn't go to this one because Metric was playing 15 minutes after [their set began].  I'm so glad I did, even if it was for one song!"

Carly Nicklaus of USE:

"They totally killed it!  So much energy and a lot of fun to shoot."

Janelle Monae:

"Karma, I tell you. [When security stopped] letting anyone else in to the Metric KEXP lounge show, I figured I might as well kill some time and catch Janelle at the Fisher Green Stage.  Boy, was I in for a big surprise!"

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