No one ever doubted that those in the Northwest hesher population were the biggest partiers in the land. But just in case the recent rise in cocaine's popularity has left you thinking the downtown hipster contingent now wears the party crown, a small item recently published in The Seattle Times will set you straight. "Bombs Found in Crackdown on 'Ozzfest,'" read the title of a tiny blurb about a sting on I-90 motorists heading to the June 23-25 concert at the Gorge. While the four explosive devices that were found turned out to be noise bombs rather than tools of mass destruction, one was reported to have been capable of spraying metal fragments. Five people were charged with 18 felony explosive violations. Blah, blah, blah... snooze. However, buried in the last paragraph was the real story, and proof that heshers still reign supreme: "From the 392 cars stopped, 252 people were cited, and many of them arrested...." All in all, there were 116 drug arrests and nine DUIs. In no way am I condoning driving under the influence, but come on, 252 out of 392? THAT'S HILARIOUS! Is, was, ever shall be, world without end--heshers RULE.

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I know you all love the Kinks, so this next item should make each and every one of you very ecstatic. That eagerly awaited Kinks tribute album is about to come out, and an anticipatory celebration is scheduled to happen at the Sunset Tavern on Friday, July 13. The best of the Northwest chipped in with interpretations of their favorite Kinks tunes, and the playlist goes like this: C Average, "Revenge"; Young Fresh Fellows, "Gotta Get the First Plane Home"; Mark Lanegan, "Nothin' in the World Can Stop Me Worryin' 'bout That Girl"; Mudhoney, "Who'll Be the Next in Line"; Model Rockets, "Ring the Bells"; the Fallouts, "You Really Got Me"/"This Man Weeps Tonight"; Heather Duby, "The Way Love Used to Be"; Baby Gramps, "Sunny Afternoon"; the Murder City Devils, "Alcohol"; the Congratulators, "Session Man"; Love as Laughter, "Tin Soldier Man"; the Fastbacks, "Waterloo Sunset"; Jon Auer, "Fancy"; the Pinkos, "Brainwashed"; Larry Barrett, "Act Nice and Gentle"; the Minus 5, "Wicked Annebella"; the Makers, "Strangers"; the Briefs, "Come Dancing"; Nikol Kollars, "I Go to Sleep." At 8 p.m., after an invitation-only schmoozer, the public is welcome to join in on sure-to-be-raucous "Rock-Lore Night," featuring Seattle's best Kinks cover band the Kwabs, and the Makers.

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Speaking of Love as Laughter, I heard a preview of the forthcoming album being played at (where else?) the Cha Cha, and in my opinion it is hands down the best album the band has recorded. Scheduled for a September, 2001 release, the album, Sea to Shining Sea, is semi-acoustic and boasts amazing songwriting from Sam Janye....

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An apology: Just minutes after deadline, I was informed that former Pavement frontman and Portland resident Steve Malkmus canceled his top-secret show at Portland's new club the Blackbird. So if you made the drive on my advice, sorry.

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Tune in next week when I'm bound and determined to have plenty of gossip from Eddie Vedder's "surprise" appearance at the Major League Baseball Charities concert at the Showbox on Monday....

kathleen@thestranger.com