Seattlest is quaking in their boots (bought especially for the occasion) with excitement for this years SXSW in Austin, Tex. We're making our initial sojourn to the festival and are so pleased to see there will be a strong Seattle contingent joining us in Austin this year. There are, to our calculations, 29 Seattle bands officially associated with the festival this year. These bands will be playing sanctioned showcases, what we will call "the......

Right on the heels of the announcement that the Mars Volta was added to the Sasquatch lineup, and right before tickets go on sale this Saturday, the three-day music festival has seen fit to delineate who will be playing on which day: Saturday, May 24th R.E.M. / Modest Mouse / M.I.A. / The New Pornographers / The National / Ozomatli / Beirut / Dengue Fever / Fleet Foxes / The Breeders / Okkervil River......

After months of wild speculation, the official 2008 Sasquatch lineup has finally been announced: R.E.M. / The Cure / The Flaming Lips U.F.O. Show / Death Cab For Cutie / Modest Mouse / M.I.A. / Flight Of The Conchords / Rodrigo Y Gabriela / Michael Franti & Spearhead / The Breeders / Built To Spill / The Hives / Tegan & Sara / The Presidents / Ghostland Observatory / Ozomatli / The New Pornographers......

We've already mentioned this weekend's Pyramid Alehouse Snowed In Party, featuring the Presidents of the USA (tonight) and the Dandy Warhols (tomorrow). Tonight, there's also Black Dice bringing their wall o' noise to the Vera Project. A lot of shows tomorrow night, starting with MTV-buzzworthy Minus the Bear, along with Helio Sequence and Grand Archives, at the Showbox. There's also Seattlest's favorite kick-ass female foursome the Trucks at the High Dive, and the lush pop-folk......

The above vid is a live performance of "Our Bovine Public," the barrelling leadoff track from The Cribs' latest release, Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever. Even if the album wasn't really, really good (and basically all we've been listening to lately), we'd have to recommend it based on the awesomely ambivalent title alone. The Brit-punk three-piece, made up of the Brothers Jarman (twins Ryan and Gary on guitar, bass and vocals, and kid brother......

We know that the weather has been rainy and overcast and downright crummy these last few days, but never fear: things are looking up! And just in time for this weekend's Capitol Hill Block Party, which over two days features three stages and nearly fifty bands. One of the bands that we're most excited to see is Britain's The Cribs. Comprised of three brothers (twins Ryan and Gary Jarman on guitar, bass, and vocals,......

Portland experimental rockers Menomena are coming to Neumos this Friday with openers All Smiles and Grand Archives. Enter here for a chance at tickets, a wicked cool poster and Menomena's critically acclaimed album, Friend and Foe (which you can stream right here). We'll be drawing for the winner tomorrow at noon!......

Portland's electro post-rock outfit Menomena is known for both their abstract pop hooks and digital loops. They'll be breaking out the guitars, keyboard, organ, drums, saxomophones, glockenspiel, and multi-part harmonies for their upcoming show at Neumo's this weekend. Stream their latest album, the exceedingly well-reviewed Friend or Foe, here. And fill out the entry form below for your chance to win a pair of tickets to Saturday's Friday's show, as well as a copy......

Finally, someone else sees things our way. Like peanut butter and jelly, there has been one natural combination longing to be put together: having a beer and thinking about your favorite insurance company. Thank God Online providers Esurance have stepped up to the plate. Meshing together insurance needs with scenester whoredom, that's right, this year it's the Esurance Capitol Hill Block Party. The Esurance Capitol Hill Block Party is a huge, two-day explosion of......