Next Big Nashville becomes Soundland- my thoughts
June 7, 2011
If you’re a Nashvillian and even remotely connected to the music scene, you’ve probably heard by now that the annual Next Big Nashville festival/conference has changed their name to Soundland. Or at least Next Big Nashville Presents: Soundland. Click that link to visit their website, and you’ll notice that most everything still includes “Next Big Nashville” in the name, and the old logo is on the banner in the new logo. The event will become somewhat more focused on one area of the city- 8th Ave South. That means Mercy Lounge/Cannery/Third Man Records/The Basement/Grimey’s, but also 12th & Porter, MAI, Station Inn, Public Square Park, and others, with “fieldtrips” and artist-led workshops/seminars. There will also be a larger-than-ever outdoor main stage. All that and more can be found on the website’s FAQ.
All of what they’re doing sounds great- it’s exactly where the festival needs to go IMO. But I’m not sold on the name. Soundland sounds like a game to me. More specifically, a board game. I guess that’s because of Candyland. It just doesn’t sit right with me. Don’t get me wrong, I love this festival and city/music scene and will support them/work with them however I can. And I hope I’m wrong about the name… but I just can’t say “Yes, Soundland is a good name for this event” at this point in time. I look forward to the announcement of more details, especially the lineup. Make sure you follow them on twitter and Facebook for the latest updates.
Oh, and apparently Jay-Z is a fan of JEFF the Brotherhood.
As usual, I will be photographing this year at Bonnaroo for the Scene/Cream, so I will not be posting this Thur.-Sun. I may or may not have something worth blogging about tomorrow, so we’ll see. If not, I bid you adieu until next week.
Shows to see this weekend
June 3, 2011
Here’s a quick rundown of shows I recommend this weekend in Nashville:
FRIDAY:
Lambchop at Cheekwood Botanical Gardens. This is strange but awesome juxtaposition of outdoor fun, art, food, and music. The event starts at 5pm, but Lambchop plays at 9pm. For more info checkout Cheekwood’s website.
Quichenight, A Country Gentleman, Rock City Birdhouse @ the 5 Spot. 9pm $5
SATURDAY:
Times New Viking, D. Watusi, Big Surr @ The End. 9pm $10
… That’s about it for stuff that piques my interest.
I simply can’t go without posting this awesome video created by director Chris Abbas that combines a plethora of amazing imagery from the Cassini spacecraft (which has been orbiting Saturn for many years now) with the track “2 Ghosts I” from the album Ghosts I-IV by Nine Inch Nails. As the name of this blog implies, I’m obviously a huge fan of both music and science, and when they come together to create something beautiful like this I’m a happy man. If you can’t enjoy this there is something wrong with you. *HINT: If you’re viewing this post in an RSS reader, the Vimeo video below doesn’t show up, click through to actually view the blog page to see it!*
Have a great weekend!
Moustache May: the Final Cut/music tidbits
June 1, 2011
If you didn’t know already, I participated in the final (probably) chapter of Moustache May, the annual celebration of the follicle curated by local web design wizard Michael Eades (aka Yewknee). It was bittersweet to see such a ridiculous and awesome thing come to an end, and honestly I’m torn between shaving mine off and attempting to grow it out longer just to see if it can be tamed into a nice handlebar. That could possibly take another month or so of growth, so we’ll just have to see if I can hold out. To be quite honest, a lot of people stigmatize an ordinary moustache as “creepy” or otherwise undesirable. But I feel that a well waxed/curled handlebar sets its bearer apart as much classier. The above video is a mock movie trailer created by several of the “core” MM participants… or at least those around Nashville who have been a participant for many years. It’s quite hilarious and well worth a watch.
A few random music tidbits I felt like mentioning:
–SebastiAn just released his first full-length album, titled Total. I hate to make this comparison but it can’t be avoided- if you liked Justice’s 2008 album Cross, you will like this album. It’s really fucking good. Thick, juicy, sexy, filtered-French-sample-funk/electro.
–Stacked is a mix by Royal Sapien that somehow crams 300 tracks into one hour. I had it going in the background for a bit and it’s just that- very background-y. But the feat of fitting/mashing 300 tracks into one hour alone is worth mentioning. (Via Harder Blogger Faster)
-Speaking of DJ-related things. I may or may not have mentioned on here the fate of my La Paz Late Night series. Basically I’ve decided that space is cursed. No restaurants can seem to find success there and neither can any DJ nights, despite its great location and swanky interior. I don’t have the means to promote a huge multi-sponsor event and that’s what the owner wanted. So, I’m talking to some people involved with a thing that seems like it’ll be pretty badass, but I don’t want to jinx it, so that’s all I’m saying for now. Stay tuned.
What’s up this weekend?
May 27, 2011
My Moustache May photo from May 19. Believe me, I'm just as terrified of this as you are.
This weekend is pretty rad when it comes to show offerings in Nashville, as most are.
FRIDAY:
First at little self-promotion: Night of The Living Cover Bands Pt. II- Electric Boogaloo @ Walnut House in Murfreesboro. This a benefit for the Southern Girls Rock & Roll Camp, and I’m playing in a Weezer cover band for it. Rest of the cover bands: Guided By Voices (members of Those Darlins)/Fugazi (members of Gentlemen Divers & Apollo Up)/Sleater-Kinney (members of Take the Power Back & Heavy Cream)/Radiohead (members of Ascent of Everest & Protomen)/They Might Be Giants (members of Kelly Kerr & the Distractions)/The Replacements (members of HP Witchcraft & Skybox) Starts at 9pm!
Annual Moustache May Finale ft. Kindercastle and Roy Ira @ Mercy Lounge. 9pm $7 (As a proud participant of Moustache May, I wish I could go to this, but see: above.)
SATURDAY:
Third Man Records Fan Appreciation part 1: The Ettes, Dex Romweber Duo, Jacuzzi Boys, White Buffalo Woman, and The Turncoats. (No, not Linwood Regensuburg’s Turncoats, another Turncoats with whom I am not yet familiar.) @ Mercy Lounge. 9pm $12
Open Lot fundraiser @ The Zombie Shop, 506 6th Ave S. Ft. The Cherry Blossoms, Denny & the Jets, Natural Child, Plex Plex, and many more. For a full lineup and schedule check out Open Lot’s website. The Open Lot now has a new location downtown on Hermitage Ave. in the SoBro area, which is currently under quite a bit of “urban development.” This place is gonna start kicking some ass very soon, so keep an eye on it. *This event was originally slated to happen at Open Lot but has been moved due to construction at Open Lot.*
Holly Golightly & the Brokeoffs w/ Tristen and Reid Magette @ The End. 18+ $10 9pm.
SUNDAY:
Thrid Man Records Fan Appreciation part 2: Henry & June, PUJOL, The One Through Tens, D. Watusi, and The Grayces @ Mercy Lounge. 9pm $12
*Two-day passes to the Third Man shows can be obtained for $20.*
What’s up this weekend?
May 20, 2011
There is not shortage of good music to see this weekend in Nashville. Here’s what made a blip on my radar.
FRIDAY:
Social Distortion w/ Chuck Ragan and Sharks @ the Ryman. 8pm. $35
John Vanderslice w/ Damien Jurado @ the Basement. 9pm $12
SATURDAY:
Bad Cop, The Growlers, Majestico, Mom & Dad @ The End. 9pm $5 (Certain out-of-town media will be there filming, so… you know, it’ll be the place to be.)
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. w/ Generationals @ the Basement. 9pm $10
Mogwai w/ Errors @ Exit/In. 9pm $18 adv/$20 DoS
Another few things to note:
–Musician’s Corner in Centennial Park is off to a good start for its second year of existence.
-fEASTival is a new FREE food/music/art festival being held this Saturday the 21st in the 5 Points area of East Nashville. Check out their website for a list of yummy food vendors, beer vendors, and stage lineup which includes such notables as Majestico, Cheer Up Charlie Daniels, the Grayces, and Tiffany. Yes, THAT Tiffany… who a) apparently lives in Nashville now? b) recently starred alongside Debbie Gibson in Megan Python Vs. Gatoroid c) is now doing country music. Whoa.
Have a great weekend!
What’s going on this weekend
May 13, 2011
Jonathan Richman @ the 5 Spot in 2010/Photo by Steve Cross
FRIDAY:
Jonathan Richman (night 1 of 2) @ The 5 Spot. 9pm $12
Naked Without Us presents: Kink Ador, The Ettes, Hans Condor, Baby Daggers, and DJ Jane Dupree @ Mercy Lounge. 9pm $10
SATURDAY:
Jonathan Richman (night 2 of 2) @ The 5 Spot. 9pm $12
Naked Without Us presents: Vicious Guns, Hollywood Kills, Blacklist Royals, Details Details, and DJ Cornelainaire @ Mercy Lounge. 9pm $10
Across Tundras CD release show w/ Campaign, Red Forest Hunter, and Endamori. 8pm $5. (Across Tundras are some awesome dudes who play heavy-but-not-quite-metal-rock and have an organic farm in Goodlettsville. I recently took some photos of them at their farm for Sean Maloney’s article on them, which will be in either the June or July edition of Cowbell magazine, so look for that.)
SUNDAY:
Vintage motorcycle show at Drifter’s (1008 Woodland St., East Nashville) featuring free music from Heavy Cream, Turbo Fruits, Hans Condor, Useless Eaters, and Double Barrel. 12-8pm
Also worth mentioning, The Exit/In FINALLY FINALLY got themselves a snazzy new website. It was a good 5 years overdue, but better late than never.
Have a great weekend!
The Summer of The Features
May 11, 2011
As reported today on the Nashville Cream, Nashville/Murfreesboro’s hometown heroes The Features are prepping for the release of their 3rd full length album Wilderness on July 26. Their last album Some Kind of Salvation was simply fantastic, but this next one seems as though it will be the “perfect” Features record. I’ve heard absolute rave reviews from the first few local folks who got a promo copy to review, and hopefully *ahem, Rory/Rollum/somebody* I’ll have one to review soon as well. I can remember having a somewhat drunken conversation with producer/vacuum tube wizard Brian Carter one night at Mercy Lounge late last year in which he excitedly said something like “this is the record the guys and I have always wanted to make.” Basically I get the feeling this album was done the way the band wanted to do it, where they wanted to do it, and with whom they wanted to do it. Mad props to the Kings Of Leon for signing them to their own 429 Records and allowing the band to do what they want, when they want, and how they want.
Building up to the release, the first of probably many promotional items to whet our appetite is a 7″ single with the track “Rambo” b/w “This Much I Know.” The video above it a promo for that release, set for May 31st.
Stuff to do and see this weekend
May 6, 2011
First the music.
FRIDAY:
Shoot the Mountain, Gentlemen Divers, Church of Cleanliness @ the 5 Spot. 9pm $5. Shoot the Mountain has a new drummer- Patrick Rodgers of And The Relatives- and new batch of songs.
Twilight Singers, and Margot & The Nuclear So & So’s @ Mercy Lounge. 9pm $15
SATURDAY:
Heartbeater (supporting acts???) @ Brown’s Diner. 8pm $???
Jasmin Kaset w/ Delicate Cutters and Spiderfriends @ the Basement. 9pm $5
The Bohannons w/ Tiger Blood and Sunday Valley @ FooBar. 9pm $???
If you happen to enjoy planes and/or aviation even a little bit, you might want to consider the Great Tennessee Air Show this Sat. and Sun. in Smyrna. When I was a kid, there used to be an airshow every summer at the Tri-Cities Regional Airport and my folks took me every year. I wouldn’t call myself a military enthusiast by any means, but to me the appeal of seeing fighter jets perform highly skilled and intricately choreographed maneuvers is undeniable. These are planes doing stuff you simply will never get to see anywhere else. The main attraction is the Air Force’s Thunderbirds- a team of six F-16s that do some pretty amazing aerobatics. The show is both Sat. and Sun. and only costs $15 if you get your tix today. Conveniently, the tix are good for either day, so if it’s looking a little rainy on Sat. as it may be, you can just wait and go Sun.
JEFF the Brotherhood really are the champions
May 3, 2011
Jake and Jamin of JEFF the Brotherhood are pretty much the luckiest dudes in the world right now, at least in terms of their musical career. The Nashville Cream broke the story just this morning that they and their own label Infinity Cat have struck a deal from heaven with Warner Music Group. Read that Cream post for the deets, but in short, they (both the band and their label) get the $$$ and muscle of WMG while not sacrificing their creative freedom. They can still do what they want, how they want, but with this deal they reach a MUCH wider audience. Not only do they have all this going for them, but they have basically the greatest dad ever- Robert Ellis Orrall. He uses his years of experience in the music industry to help J&J run Infinity Cat, and he’s supported them in every way possible through their various musical endeavours. (Vice Magazine ran a cool little story on that recently.) Way to go, bros. You really are the champions right now. I can personally attest to the fact that these are some of nicest, coolest dudes you’ll ever meet and they couldn’t be more deserving. #Winning all around.
Shows to see this weekend
April 29, 2011
Here’s what I personally think is worth seeing this weekend:
FRIDAY:
The Pink Spiders, Evan P. Donohue, Devin Robinson, Denny & the Jets @ The End. 9pm $5. Yep, TPS are back, and for more on that check out Adam Gold’s feature on them in this week’s Scene.
SATURDAY:
Those Darlins Screws Get Loose album release party w/ Heavy Cream and Trophy Wife @ Mercy Lounge. $10 (half price tix available at Grimey’s!) Doors 8pm.
The Clutters Breaking Bones album release party w/ Big Surr and DJ Ben Swank of Third Man Records @ The Basement. 9pm
$5.
This is a really tough choice as both shows going to be utterly awesome. Might as well flip a coin?
In other news, the Cream’s “Conference Call” series continues with Evan P. Donohue. Definitely worth a watch or three.
In other other news, the Country Music Marathon is tomorrow and there are a ton of road closures around downtown. As usual, the Nashvillest gals are kickin’ ass and takin’ names by compiling all the info you’ll ever need to avoid crossing paths with the CMM.
Have a great weekend!
steve cross loves music and science 