I know it's only January, far too early to make any official calls, but I'll take the risk and say local outfit the Young Sportsmen are gonna be a highlight in Seattle's music scene in 2006. Mark my words. The quartet's keen power pop summons the spirit of classic acts like Cheap Trick and Elvis Costello, but their modern attitude and harmonies also recall more current artists like Ted Leo and the Pharmacists.

I was only recently introduced to the Young Sportsmen, so perhaps I'm still in that starry-eyed and infatuated stage of my crush, but I get giddy every time I listen to them—an experience that embarrassingly involves me singing along and shaking my ponytail around like a fool. In fact, when enjoying their five-song EP The Familiar Glow of Colliding Particles (available at www.notlame.com) I have to fight off the urge to make a Tiger Beat–inspired fan 'zine—complete with trading cards, pin-up pictures, and fan letters—that I'd call Megan-zine. Unfortunately, though, I don't know the Sportsmen's likes and dislikes, their idea of a perfect date, or their favorite color, so I'd be lacking a lot of content. I'll look into it, though.

Now that I think about it, if such a magazine were to ever come to fruition (and don't put it past me), I'd also feature Speaker Speaker, Siberian, and Slender Means, but you know who'd make it on the cover? The Divorce! I thought 2005 would be their big year with the release of the band's second full-length, The Gifted Program, but strangely the boys are still a few steps from world-domination. Don't ask me why; that record makes for an absolutely fantastic dance party. I get warm fuzzies just thinking about it....

Lucky for me I can get all this obnoxiously girly giddiness out of my system this Saturday, January 21, at the Kirkland Teen Union Building with a show featuring both the Divorce and the Young Sportsmen! The bill also includes the Conversation Heart and Super Deluxe, so for only $7, that's one helluva deal! It starts at 7:00 p.m.—get there on time because the Young Sportsmen go on first and you don't want to miss 'em.

And you know, I might have to seriously consider this whole Megan-zine idea... I mean, I love having a column, but imagine what I could do with pages and pages to dedicate to all the bands that make me swoon! I wouldn't even know where to start! Let's see, I'd definitely have to make room for Claymore, and of course the Pharmacy have recently made their way into my heart... Juhu Beach and the Shook Ones too... this might just be what 2006 needs! MEGAN SELING