Today is the one week anniversary of the 2008 Academy Award nominations being announced.  The nominees for Best Picture are Milk, The Reader, Slumdog Millionaire, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Frost/Nixon.  I have made a tradition of watching as many of the Oscar-nominated movies before the big show as I can.  I have done a cursory look at Seattle theaters to see how to work this quest and I think it is possible.  I am talking about this here just in case other people had already started this quest and I could just hop on their train or if other people wanted to hop on my train.

Milk is playing at the Landmark Egyptian Theatre. The Reader is playing at the Landmark Harvard Exit. Slumdog Millionaire is playing at the Majestic Bay Theatre, the Landmark Harvard Exit, and the Columbia City Cinema.  Frost/Nixon is playing at the Majestic Bay Theatre, Landmark Metro Cinema, and the Regal Meridian 16.  The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is playing at the Regal Meridian 16, the Landmark Neptune Theatre, and the AMC Loews Oak Tree 6.

Btw, I am Thomas and I am new here.

photo by Matthías Árni Ingimarsson via the album leaf [myspace]

I’m not sure if you Sunday plans involve guacamole, advertisments, Bruce Springsteen and celebrating the Superb Owl, but if you think that all of that will leave you with enough energy to be relaxed by some post-rock daydreams, then you’re in business. Gearing up to record a new album, the Album Leaf , Jimmy LaValle’s name for his mostly solo endeavor (that picks up helpers on the road) is playing a show at Neumo’s that night. To me the band has always sounded a lot like an exploration of landscape features through richly layered technology, making for gorgeous soundtracks for everyday living. The last time I saw them, they were performing a freshly-composed accompaniment to Sunshine at the Seattle International Film Festival.

The thought of hearing what they’ve been up to and getting a peek at what’s in store for this fall’s new record is enough to make you want to exercise football watching in moderation. Want a chance to go for free? We have a pair of tickets that could have your name on them. Send a note to seattle.metblogs @ gmail.com and you’ll be entered to win. Those who include their favorite gametime snack might improve their odds; a winner will be chosen by Saturday morning.

// The Album Leaf with Black Mamba, Anomie Belle; 8 pm , $12 adv [neumos]

photo via matt & kim [myspace]

My face is still melting from that dreaded head cold that’s making the rounds; so I’ll probably be cozied up with a blanket wishing that 30 Rock wasn’t a re-run. But if you’re among the healthy:

• I’ve never seen Matt & Kim live, but I’ve always heard that their shows, like their bouncy synth-heavy recordings are nothing but fun. Listening to their latest, Grand, I decided that if I were tasked with making up a two word genre for them it would be something along the lines “spazcore romantic”. The songs are kind of singing diaryland entries set to goofy danceable synthesizers. If the rumors are to be believed, this is the sort of infectious enthusiasm that sets the crowd wild with good natured dancing. With locals Champagne Champagne, as perfectly paired an opener as you might imagine. [chopsuey ]
• Kinski, in contrast to the smile your face off danceparties, are a more contemplative sort who sound something like galaxies slowly colliding. The venerable Seattle band who have been deconstructing rock and coming up cosmic for nearly a decade recently released Down Below It’s Chaos. Joined tonight by Master Musicians of Bukkake, Shining Ones. [neumos]

Word on the street is that a Beatles cover band will be playing rooftop show at Pike Place Market Friday at noon for the 40th anniversary of The original Beatles last live show. This show mirrors the show the Beatles played, their final live was performance on the rooftop of the Apple building in London, on January 30th, 1969.

If you’re in the area, head on down for some music, maybe grab a nice lunch of fresh market produce, and enjoy your Friday.

Edit: relevant info: the cover band is Creme Tangerine. The show is free, located at Copacabana Cafe, 1520 ½ Pike Place. Show starts at noon!

* 6:00 PM: The Northwest African American Museum is hosting Regina Mason, the greatx3-grandaughter of William Grimes. Grimes was the subject of Life of William Grimes, the Runaway Slave, the first fugitive slave narrative published in the US. The book has been rereleased through the efforts of Mason and noted scholar William L. Andrews.
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* 7:00 PM: Image has new digs and is throwing an Open House to celebrate. Milton Center Fellow Hannah Notess will give a short reading, there will be pastries from Macrina (& I think the new space has an espresso machine), and Image will offer half-price ($20) subscriptions to attendees.
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* 7:00 PM: The U-District UW Bookstore hosts Siddharth Kara, author of Sex Trafficking: Inside the Business of Modern Slavery and former investment banker. At first I thought that was odd, but then it clicked, and now makes perfect sense. The business of sex slavery is an uncomfortable subject, and therefore an important one.
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* 7:30 PM: Humorist Henry Alford is at Elliott Bay Book Co. to read and sign How to Live: A Search for Wisdom from Old People (While They Are Still On This Earth), a book about death. The Shar-Pei on the cover is adorable. Look at that wrinkly face! Look at that wrinkly butt!
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It seems like we can’t go more than a few hours without news of layoffs these days. Today it was another 6,700 jobs and another 300 under performing stores from Starbucks.

On the (somewhat) positive side, CEO Howard Schultz will take a massive paycut (from 1.2 million in 2008 to 10K in 2009). Now, while I don’t really expect that paycut to result in him ‘sharing the pain’ with his laid off employees, it’s at least a good faith step for him to take and I applaud the effort.

In other interesting Starbucks cost-cutting news, they are eliminating the constant brewing of decaf coffee from their stores after the noon hour. Apparently this will result in a $400 million savings by September. Don’t worry, you can still get your decaf coffee, you’ll just have to wait the 4 minutes it takes for a pot to brew.

Now this move actually surprises me. I don’t drink decaf. I’m lucky that my body doesn’t have a problem with caffeine, even if I have it right before bed. But I do know people who can’t tolerate the caffeine, and for most of those people, it’s a lot more important for them to have decaf after noon than it is before. So I’d actually expect Starbucks to sell a higher percentage of decaf coffee AFTER noon than before.

It’s no secret that I prefer the small, independent coffee shops to Starbucks. But regardless of my coffee choices, I still feel badly for Starbucks employees. Here’s hoping they all land on their feet.

* 6:30 PM: Comixtravaganza! continues at the Ballard Branch Library. David Lasky and Greg Stump co-teach the LAST of these workshops, before Saturday’s Comixtravaganza Finale. Go make a comic book. Then send me a picture! You know you want to. All the cool kids are doing it.
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* 7:00 PM: Normally, I would be squealing like a 12-year-old girl at a– er, okay, I don’t know what pop stars currently appeal to 12-year-old girls, these days. Is Justin Timberlake too old?—[insert age appropriate pop icon here] concert about this reading, but I’m not. I’m conflicted. The U-District UW Bookstore has Lois McMaster Bujold, author of the Miles Vorkosigan series, in-store to read and sign her newest, The Sharing Knife: Volume 4: Horizon. I really enjoyed the Vorkosigan novels, but I barely got through the first book of The Sharing Knife series, and I have absolutely no desire to read the rest of them. I feel awful about it, too. Thus, no squealing, only avoidance. Your mileage may vary.
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* 7:00 PM: We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he to-day that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother… Richard Hugo House hosts the (hopefully) less dire Band of Poets: John Burgess, Jed Myers, David Rizzi, and Priya Keefe. Event will be held in the ever-popular Cabaret.
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* 7:00 PM: Because misery loves company, I tell you that 2008 Nobel Laureate, NYT columnist, and all around Mr. Smarty-Go-Party, Paul Krugman, is at Town Hall Seattle tonight, to discuss economics. His brilliant and prescient The Return of Depression Economics has been updated and rereleased as The Return of Depression Economics and the Crisis of 2008. A copy of the new edition is included in the price of the ticket ($55/$35 WAC members & students). Unfortunately, the event is completely SOLD OUT. Bummer. Mega, mega-bummer. In the Great Hall if you are lucky enough to have (or get) tickets.
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* 7:30 PM: Equally prescient, but less well known, Dalton Conley will also be at Town Hall, tonight. Conley is a social scientist who studies how class (socioeconomics status) is passed down through generations. His latest, Elsewhere USA, is a scary analysis of how technology and capitalism have transformed American life and devalued people. In other words, the personal is not only political, it’s also economic. I highly recommend reading the book, whether you attend tonight’s event or not. $5, downstairs.
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* 7:30 PM: Elliott Bay Book Co. hosts photojournalist David Bacon, to discuss, read, and sign his new book, Illegal People: How Globalization Creates Migration and Criminalizes Immigrants. Bacon is a former labor organizer, and his incisive book nails the link between human rights and economic rights. This book is another must-read.
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Triple door seats were completely full for the Blind Pilot show on Monday night. So unavailable were these seats that I had to force myself to give up my plan to locate and steal an empty one. There just weren’t any! Luckily the performing bands put on a show that took my mind off of the blood rushing to my legs. In fact, their performance was so good the blood started to re-navigate its path to my heart and brain (or maybe it was the beer).

The tail end of opener 3 Leg Torso, made me kick myself for being even a little late. Their lyric-less melodies jived really well with the starry lights on their backdrop, and the rest of the venue. This, combined with the aromas of Asian cuisine from those enjoying dinner and a show, created an interestingly sophisticated atmosphere.

As soon as Blind Pilot came onstage, the atmosphere shifted to welcome the earthy personalities that decorated the stage. Lead singer, Israel Nebeker, had a charming boyishness about him that really resonated with the audience. How can anyone resist a good-looking, curly-haired boy, in a short-sleeved collared shirt with neck tie and white sneakers? Admittedly, after a few cycles of Blind Pilot in my cd player I found myself falling as quickly out of love with them as I had fallen in love with them, but their show warranted another change of heart. With the exception of one microphone being too loud (dulcimer and banjo player, Kati Claborn has kickin’ vocal capabilities. Still, too loud), the acoustics of the show were mastered wonderfully. The subtle tones of the vibraphone and bass meshed well with the trumpet chime-ins, and each crescendo and diminuendo could be felt by the sway of the audience. Blind Pilot played a couple songs that aren’t on their cd, 3 rounds and a sound, but anyone who hadn’t looped their cd in their car for the last week and a half wouldn’t know that. The tracks transitioned well from one to the next, making it an enjoyable and relaxed Monday night show.