Say Hello, Wave Goodbye True, it is the beginning of a new year, but I have one more goodbye to announce: The Peels have left the building. The future looks bright for Robyn Miller and her boys and last Saturday the band and their friends bid their adieus at a raucous dance party before heading out the next morning to San Francisco. You know, despite any grumbling I may have done a few years ago when Ms. Peels first hit town (like many Seattle residents, I was envious of her ability to forecast trends and then prove herself correct... how dare she, right?!), I will miss her friendly face, sunny smile, and the way she never made me feel like a sour apple whenever I had less-than-patient remarks to make about whatever band might have been boring the pants off us both as she worked the door at Chop Suey. The band also took time out from a recent tour to inform me via e-mail that I am in the company of at least four others when it comes to my inability to regard any signs for the Dike Access Road with anything less than juvenile amusement. Goodbye (sniff!) and Godspeed, Peels. Don't forget to drop me an e-mail or two from the big time.

More news of prosperous futures: The Lashes have "inked a deal" (it was as gross for me to type it as it was for you to read it, so go ahead and relax your grimacing muscles already) with Lookout! Records. Finally, we can look forward to an actual album from the local 85-piece. And keep an eye out for bassist Dave Hernandez, who'll start popping up on your favorite late-night talk shows as the Shins make the TV circuit to promote their excellent record Chutes Too Narrow.

And while we're speaking of prosperous futures, congratulations to the member of a certain band who proposed to his girlfriend on Christmas. Sweet sentimentality lives....

I'll be sure to remind you next week about the upcoming Gray as a Color event taking place on Friday, January 9, but here's an early warning because it sounds like a fun party. Put on by Graylife--the producers of the Giant Robot 30th Issue Party--Gray as a Color is an art, fashion, and music walk in Fremont, and five bucks will get you access to all three destinations, beginning with Priceless Works Gallery (619 N 35th St, #100; works by Sam Trout and Iosefatu Sua will be featured) from 6 to 9 pm, then on to M:Pulse Gallery (3516 Fremont Pl; featured designers include Portland's Holly Stadler, Kathryn Towers, Linea, Claire Lafaye and Narcissa Dial, Oakland's Suzie Kim, and San Diego's Karla Manuel) from 9 to 11 pm, ending at ToST lounge, where you can catch performances by Tyco Party, the Girls, the Catch, and Plan B, as well as DJs Mug Frosty, Chris Tremens, and Naha. For more information go to graylife.com.

Fans of the Krautrock should set an alarm for Friday, February 20, when the Davis Redford Triad (of course TRIAD rather than trio)--featuring Stephen Wray Lobdell, who figured in Faust's '90s comeback--plays at the Fun House.

And finally, Saturday night may have belonged to Gatsby's American Dream, whom I happily got a chance to see (but am still too affected by Andy Greenwald's book Nothing Feels Good: Punk Rock, Teenagers, and Emo to hazard a comment on just yet, other than to advise bass player Kirk Huffman to pull up his mother-flappin' pants already. I heard he was all about his underpants even when he played in a certain ska band), but I thought Loudermilk's new material was as good as it's been rumored to be and I was filled with bittersweet pride to learn the band will pack up their Tri-Cities existence and relocate to Los Angeles in February. As always, don't forget to write.

kathleen@thestranger.com