Remember 2007? Remember Strangercrombie? Remember how I wrote to Dave Matthews, asking if he'd like to donate something?

Like how Blake Lewis agreed to sing karaoke with somebody ('crombie '07), and Ira Glass agreed to interview somebody ('crombie '05), the Ethicist from NYT Magazine agreed to be somebody's personal advisor (ditto)?

Here's the email (abridged):

Hi Mr. Matthews:

My name is Brendan Kiley. I'm usually The Stranger's theater editor, but once a year I turn into the Strangercrombie wrangler.

Philippe gave me your email address and said you might be interested in participating this year, which would be great.

In the past, we've auctioned off baseball tickets with Dan Savage and Sherman Alexie, an interview with Ira Glass, karaoke with Blake Lewis, etc.

We've got some bowling alleys who'd like to donate games. How about an afternoon of nine-pins, once you get back from South Africa?

I never heard back from Mr. Matthews—until today!

Hi Brendan, this is Brett, David’s assistant.

I would like to help you follow through on your request. I am hoping that Dave can offer something to you in lieu of bowling, etc, as his schedule does not permit him to confirm such an event.

Perhaps we can offer tickets to you for any show that DMB is performing in the year 2008. We usually do something to the effect of 2-4 tickets, with 2-4 lounge passes (these are passes that get you into an area during the show to enjoy some drinks and snacks), plus a signed photo as well to the winner of the auction.

Please let me know that this is acceptable to you. Stay in touch with me this year, and we will piece it all together.

Best to you, and good luck!

Brett

That's a very generous offer, Brett. Thank you. The thing is, we like to offer something a little different for Strangercrombie. Something you can't get anywhere else—like, say, Dave Matthews writes all your thank-you notes for Christmas. Or Dave Matthews tastes your soup and tells you if it needs salt. Or Dave Matthews tells your husband that you want a divorce.

No rush. We've got a whole year to think of something.

Maybe I'll post your letter on Line Out and see if anybody has any ideas.

To bid on this:

Karaoke with Blake Lewis
In case you’ve been living under a stone—beatboxing marvel Blake Lewis is an American Idol superstar who makes everyone’s hearts go pitter-pat. Singing karaoke with him will cure the sick, mend the brokenhearted, and possibly score you a spot in the VIP section of heaven. In an acronym: OMG! Plus a 30 gigabyte pink iPod signed by fellow Idol-ator Kelly Clarkson, a life-size cutout of Ms. Clarkson, and eight cases of kiwi-strawberry Vitamin Water. Did you ever dare to dream of such happiness? Priceless!

To bid on this:

Buy and Album Review
Either tell the Stranger writer of your choice what album to review, or write it yourself! Good for the issue of January 24. Priceless!

(View all Strangercrombie auctions at thestranger.com/strangercrombie. Bidding ends at 5 pm today.)

To bid on this:

Queens of the Stone
Two VIP Club seats to the Queens of the Stone Age concert at the Paramount Theatre on December 18. Plus a $25 gift certificates to Silver Platters on Queen Anne. A $185 value.

(The winner of this auction will have to call the Paramount today to confirm the reservation of their VIP seats. We will give the winner all necessary information to make that possible once the auction is closed.)

To bid on this:

Signora of Sasquatch!
Get the VIP treatment at Sasquatch!, the Northwest’s finest new-music festival in the mind-numbingly beautiful Gorge at George, Washington. You get two tickets for each day of the festival, VIP passes, overnight camping passes, and two Sasquatch! T-shirts and limited-edition silk-screen posters. Priceless!

To bid on this:

The Vera Project A $25 gift certificate to one of Vera’s edifying classes (sound engineering, breakdancing, silk-screening), as well as a T-shirt, a tote bag, and a CD sampler. Extra-special bonus: A big stack of 2007 releases (Menomena - Friend And Foe, Jesse Sykes - Like Love Lust & The Open Halls Of The Soul, Aqueduct - Or Give Me Death, David Bazan - Fewer Moving Parts, Rocky Votolato - The Brag and Cuss, John Vanderslice - Emerald City, Travis Morrison Hellfighters - All Y'all, 'Kurt Cobain: About a Son' Soundtrack) and a T-shirt from Barsuk Records. A $100 value.

Right now it's going for only $41.

All auctions end tonight at 5 pm.

You have until 5 pm tomorrow to bid on Strangercrombie items. The clock is ticking. So if you feel like throwing a party, now's the time to act because Strangercrombie's got you covered (and most of these are still going for $150-$250, which is totally affordable, especially if you and some friends all pitch in together).

VIP Party at Neumo's! A VIP party in their private VIP room for you and 99 friends. You get a secret password and a private staff.

A Sunset Birthday! You book the bands you wanna see and decorate the place however you'd like.

VIP Party at Nectar! You and 75 friends can take over the mezzanine at one show at Nectar in 2008! You'll get your own bar and view of the show without having to mingle with the little people.

VIP Party at Trinity! A chauffeured ride will take you to Trinity where you'll cut in line, skip the cover charge and go straight to the VIP section where special servers will bring you food and drinks.

Tea Dance at the High Dive! On a Sunday you get the High Dive all to yourself and 199 friends! The venue will provide the DJ, you provide the dance moves.

Sunset Happy Hour! Host your own private happy-hour (5:30-8:30 pm) at the Sunset Tavern. You'll also get a $25 gift certificate to Epilogue Books just because we're nice.

A House Party! DJ Pretty Titty will spin for your house party and The Stranger will supply a bunch of other party necessities (see the print edition for complete details... they're secret, so I can't tell you what they are).

(Remember, all the proceeds benefit FareStart. You can read more about it here).

Bands can no longer whine about how "it's so hard to get a show in this town! You have to know/sleep with/smoke out somebody in order to get booked anywhere!" because now, thanks to Strangercrombie, it's easy!

Book a Sunday at the High Dive

Have your band play, your friend’s band play, DJ, whatever. All proceeds from the night will go to the charity of your choice. Must be a Sunday. A $2,000 value.

A $2,000 value currently going for under $200?? That's crazy!

Your Band's Big Break

This seven-part package has everything you need to leap from your bedroom to the big stage—studio time, gigs, a guitar, legal consultation, a photo shoot, styling, and a promise from Sub Pop to listen to your demo. Behold: It starts with a beautiful white Epiphone G-310 guitar; eight hours in the studio at Electrokitty Recording (previous clients include Maktub, Mastodon, and U2); mastering by Sound Media (12 songs or up 74 minutes of music); a photo shoot with Stranger and Rolling Stone photographer Justin Renney; styling for the shoot by Christine Cherbonnier of VAIN; an hour of legal consultation with entertainment lawyer Wade Neal, esquire; four gigs at Sunset Tavern; and, of course, the star-makers at Sub Pop will listen to your demo. Priceless!

Have no musical talent but still want to feel like a rockstar? Then you can be 2008's Block Party Big Shot!

Be the envy of your friends and enemies at Capitol Hill’s premier music bacchanalia, with VIP passes for all days, refreshments, a King of Block Party T-shirt, and your own key to a private, padlocked porta-potty. Plus a dozen cupcakes from Cupcake Royale.

One of our best-loved packages—bid your way onto the guest list for every show for a whole year at Chop Suey, the High Dive, the Funhouse, Havana, Mainstage Comedy Club, and Nectar. The King of Clubs can also attend one show every week at the Crocodile Cafe, Neumo’s, and the Comet and one show per month at the Showbox, El Corazón, and the Tractor Tavern. Also: Admission and dinner for four at Jazz Alley. Also-also: Two passes to the Experience Music Project, and one copy of Crossroads, the EMP’s big book of American popular music. This package is the ticket to the social status you’ve been clawing toward all these years. Valued at over $7,400.

Normal show age restrictions apply—make sure the show is all ages before taking someone under 21.
Entrance to all the clubs includes a guest.

Right now this package, worth over $7,000, is going for just $760. That's a hell of a bargain.

(More Strangercrombie auctions can be found here!)

Beloved local poster designer Jeff Kleinsmith donated over a dozen posters to Strangercrombie this year. The prints are from past shows featuring Spoon, Calexico, Minus the Bear, the Little Ones, Turbonegro, Mogwai, the Shins, the Wrens, and more, and as of 10:30 am this morning, some are going for the ridiculously low price of $1.99. Everyone can afford that. So, got a Spoon fan on your gift list? A Shins lover? Or maybe your brother-in-law is just a fan of fantastic poster design? Then check out all the Kleinsmith posters available, there's something for everyone.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime gift! The winner of this auction will get to choose which song the Presidents of the USA cover. It can be "Achey Breaky Heart," it can be "Macarena," it can be "Baba O'Riley." It can be any song you choose! The band will learn it, record it, and give you a copy to enjoy for all eternity.

The Presidents of the United States of America record any song you want. The winner will also receive a copy of their new album, These Are the Good Times People, due out this March. Priceless!

The price (as of noon today) is only $355.

Not a Presidents fan? That's okay! You can also buy a song covered by other local artists including Dina Martina! Visqueen! The Posies! Say Hi! And Erin Jorgensen!

Bidding ends Dec 14 at 5 pm. And should you not already know, all the money Strangercrombie raises goes directly to FareStart. To find out more about this worthy organization, visit their website at www.farestart.org.

There are so many amazing, one-of-a-kind things to bid on in this year's Strangercrombie, The Stranger's annual charity auction. Starting right now, you have until December 14th to bid on fantastic presents like Cat Power's guitar! Karaoke with Blake Lewis! A private concert with Joshua Roman!

Today's item of the day is a golden one--you get to go to a show and get rock photography tips from one of the best rock and roll shooters in town, Charles Peterson!

An individual tutorial for aspiring music photographers with the legendary Charles Peterson. He’ll look at your work, give you some tips, and go to a show to shoot with you. Priceless!

Starting bid: $1.99.

Auctions close Friday, December 14 at 5 pm. Click here to view the other Strangercrombie auctions.