Rock star hangout Linda's Tavern celebrated its eighth anniversary on Tuesday, February 12, and even the folks who don't hang out there much these days showed up to congratulate owner Linda Dershang. DJ Dann Gallucci spun records as Jason Finn, DJ Cherry Canoe, Minus the Bear's Matt Bayless and Corey Murchy, Graceland booker Jason Lajuenesse, Kill Sadie's Rebekah Dunbar, members of Gun Street Girls, and other sparkly folk enjoyed happy-hour prices all night long.

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One-offs or real deals? The newest buzz band seems to be the one featuring Creighton of Crictor, Nathan of Pretty Girls Make Graves, Mat of Carissa's Wierd, and eXBeSTFRIeNDS' Thomas. Mat sings, but it's rock they're playing, not sweet sad stuff. And Tennessee Valley Authority comprises Sean Nelson, Aaron Huffman, and various members of the Long Winters. Here's another new band to look out for featuring a former member of Harvey Danger (and this one's already playing shows): The Down Sound features Mike Easton and Aaron Huffman. Also, the aforementioned Jason Lajuenesse recently informed me he's playing drums for an as-yet-unnamed project (I was a big fan of his Canadian outfit, Closed Caption Radio).

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I've said it before and I'll say it again: Joe Meice is a man who makes things happen. His latest splashy accomplishment (in addition to the recent opening of Orbit Studios) just might be a big-ass recording contract for his band Alien Crime Syndicate, with a prestigious national label.

More than a couple of DJ Skribble fans are grumbling about the artist's February 16 appearance at the Showbox. The complaints? Allegedly, Skribble seemed wasted (the horror!), and fans accused him of "spinning" a pre-recorded CD. I received one e-mail opining that the turntable-adjacent VIP room was cleared out so that no one would detect the "fake mixing." Said the angry fan: "Note to DJ Skribble... if you're going to play a CD for us, please play one with decent music on it!"

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Perhaps you're shocked to learn that Courtney Love's "gentleman friend" is shopping her late husband Kurt Cobain's journals around to New York publishing houses. Or maybe, like me, you knew all along that this would eventually happen. In a Hole.com post, the widow explains, "Kurt was classic narcissist people pleaser--almost everything he wrote is almost begging for a audience."

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Finally, Happy Birthday to Mark Arm, who turns 40 on Thursday, February 21.

kathleen@thestranger.com