R.I.P. Brad Baker, a.k.a. the sound guy at The End
September 6, 2012
Some very sad news came across my twitter feed yesterday. Brad Baker, the main sound guy at our beloved little rock club The End, passed away in his extended stay hotel room in the Super 8 on Spence Lane on Friday, August 31st. According to the Scene, he had been suffering from sleep apnea, which I know can cause a host of issues including heart and lung problems. He had also been suffering from other health problems the past few years from what I could tell. I, just like most musicians that have played The End, was initially confused and a little freaked out by his barky, fast way of talking, but I quickly realized that he really knew his shit and was actually a pretty nice guy. The sound quality of shows at The End both for the audience and for the band onstage was always great when he was working. He had a weird sense of humor and if you played there often, you eventually learned to “speak Brad” and not have to say “huh?” when he spoke to you. He also had a signature trick where right before the band onstage started, he would fade up the house music to blaring for just a split second and then cut it off. It took me a while realize why he did it, but it really did the band a favor. It grabbed the attention of the crowd, stopping their conversations and giving the band a chance to start their set with the crowd’s full attention.
My friend Jesse Baker, who also worked as a sound guy at The End, posted this video of Brad fronting a cover band in 1991. I really wish I’d seen this before his passing. No one really knows the details of his past but the Scene reported that he had stints as a touring crew member for REO Speedwagon and Chicago, as well as plenty of other concert production endeavors. But apparently he was also one incredibly badass singer in Hotel Bill & The Incidentals:
Brad was quite a character and in his passing we’ve lost a very special part of the Nashville rock community. Rest in peace Brad, we will miss you dearly.
A Few Good Shows: 8/31/12
August 31, 2012
This Labor Day weekend isn’t quite as insane as last weekend, but there are plenty of good shows to see. Here are my recommendations.
FRIDAY:
Screen Door Records presents Echo Group, The Joy of Painting, Self Help, The Dead Towns, Secret Shopper, and Norene @ The End. 9pm $5
Nikki Lane, Justin & The Cosmics, Hughbob & The Hustle @ The Basement. 9pm $7
Indie.Dance.Party.Nashville. Vol. 1 ft. DJ sets from Wild Cub, Lacey, Five Knives, Snap Acklen, Ugly Kids Club, Meth Dad, and more @ 12th & Porter. 9pm $6
SATURDAY:
Lightning 100/Miller Made Music presents Heypenny, Among Savages, Tyler James & The Cards @ Mercy Lounge. 9pm $FREE
High Class Hillbilly presents Nikki Lane, Johnny Fritz (formerly Corndawg), Hugh Bob & The Hustle, and Promised Land @ 1505 Lischey Ave. DAY SHOW- Doors 3, show 4:30pm $6 BYOB.
After Crawl Ft. music from The Maloneys, VITEK, Marc Scibilia, The Future, Eric Phillipi, and The Dandy Lions. “Heat Wave” art installation ft. Emily Clayton, Nina Mayer, Greg Pond, Angela Burks and Mandy Rogers-Horton. Free Jackalope beer, not free Pizza Buds, Honeybean mobile boutique and Tricycle Sweets Co. @ Brick Factory. 9pm. Phew, that’s a lot of shit going on!
SUNDAY:
NOT MUCH.
MONDAY:
Seth Graves presents 8 One-Offs-Off 8th, ft. 8 bands that formed specifically for this show as a one-off. @ Mercy Lounge, 9pm, FREE. Full details on facebook.
That’s all I got. Have a great 3 day weekend!
Darlings: lo-fi, lazy indie pop at its best
August 28, 2012
Darlings. I’ve mentioned them on here before… albeit a long ass time ago. I’ve seen the term “slacker pop” thrown around 1,000 times about this band but it’s really the very best possible way to describe them. If you think about Pavement and The Rentals having a baby, you’d be on the right track. I just want to have a drunken college couch makeout session with every one of their songs. They’re cute and irresistible. Do yourself a favor and check out these New Yorkers’ latest single “Pet the Ghost” on their bandcamp. It’s even available for free download for the time being! Now, can somebody get these slackers to stop slacking and tour through Nashville? Please?
A Few Good Shows: 8/24/12
August 24, 2012
As usual, there’s not shortage of good music to see this weekend in Nashville. In fact, this weekend is completely insane. Here are my recommendations.
FRIDAY:
Oh My Me, Ponychase, and Ancient Warfare @ Exit/In. 9pm $7
Ezra Furman, No Regrets Coyote, and Reid Magette @ The End. 9pm $10
Fox Fun 7″ release party, with Dirty Dreams and Aboriginals @ 306 McCall St. 7pm, FREE, All Ages.
My So-Called Band @ Mercy Lounge. 9pm $10 adv/$12 DOS
SATURDAY:
Nashville Cream’s 6 year anniversary party ft. PUJOL, Natural Child, Nikki Lane, Sparkle City DJs, Wild Cub, Future Unlimited, Y2K @ Mercy Lounge and The High Watt. 9pm $8. (Mercy Lounge lineup: Natural Child, PUJOL, Nikki Lane, Sparkle City DJs. High Watt lineup: Future Unlimited, Wild Cub, Y2K afterparty.)
The B-52s w/ Brandon Jazz & His Armed Forces @ The Ryman.
SUNDAY:
Sunday School Presents: Scale Model EP release show w/ Magnolia Sons and Sound & Shape @ Exit/In. 7pm FREE
My band Scale Model released our new self titled EP last week, so pardon the self-promotion for just a moment. We worked on this for most of the summer and Brian Carter at Paradox Productions did a fine job of recording, mixing, and mastering. I highly suggest him! Our friend Ryan Roberts took the cover photo, and I added typography and design. You can check it out below and purchase on bandcamp.
Also, if you’re in Nashville please come out to our EP release show this Sunday night (Aug. 26th) at Exit/In. It’s part of their new Sunday School series and it’s totally FREE. Joining us will be Magnolia Sons and Sound & Shape. Show starts nice and early at 8pm SHARP, rock o’clock schmock o’clock. This will be done by 1130 so you can go home and get some rest. This is gonna be one helluva weekend with the B52’s+Brandon Jazz & His Armed Forces @ The Ryman and the Cream Anniversary Party @ Mercy Lounge/High Watt, afterall!
A Few Good Shows: 8/17/12
August 17, 2012
Prepare to see some good shows this weekend- Nashville’s rock clubs are full of both local (East Nashville Underground!) and touring goodness. Here are some shows that piqued my interest.
FRIDAY:
Caitlin Rose, Andrew Combs, and Dirt Heavy @ The Basement. 9pm $10 21+
East Nashville Underground night 1 ft. Chancellor Warhol, Blackfoot Gypsies, Sex Bombs, Roots of a Rebellion, The Joy of Painting, and Kim Logan @ The East Room. This venue is new to me, but it appears to be in or near Matty’s Alley. Address is 2412 Gallatin Rd. $12 nightly wristbands/$20 full weekend wristbands which includes free drinks. More info on facebook.
QDP @ The 5 Spot. 9pm
SATURDAY:
Cio Cio San & The Half-Japanese Girls (my Weezer cover band), Foxcore (Sleater-Kinney covers), How Cozy! and Calicocat @ The End. 9pm $5
East Nashville Underground night 2 ft. Fly Golden Eagle, Oh No No, H-Beam, Hello Kelly, Mr. Jitters, and The Young International @ The East Room. $12 nightly wristbands/$20 full weekend wristbands which includes free drinks. More info on facebook. ENU also has a day party from 1-7pm- check that info here.
Archers of Loaf @ Mercy Lounge. 9pm $18
Ttotals, Dirty Dreams, and Gangly Youth @ Brick Factory. 9pm $5??
SUNDAY:
Shonen Knife, White Mystery, and Heavy Cream @ Exit/In. 9pm $10
Sunday School presents Honey Locust, the Hardin Draw, and Copper into Steel @ The End. 8pm FREE
Weezer and Sleater-Kinney tribute bands this Saturday at The End
August 16, 2012
Pardon me for the shameless self-promotion here, but there’s a great show this Saturday happening at The End and I’m proud to be part of it. My Weezer cover band, Cio Cio San & The Half-Japanese Girls, is playing, along with Foxcore (a Sleater-Kinney tribute ft. members of Heavy Cream and Take The Power Back), Calicocat, and How Cozy!. I believe Foxcore will also be covering some That Dog songs. CCS&THJG formed over a year ago as a one-off project to play a benefit show for Southern Girls Rock & Roll Camp, but it was much fun that we decided to keep doing it every now & then just for fun. I basically learned to play guitar by learning Weezer songs, so this is possibly one of the funnest things I’ve ever been a part of. We will play last, but please come early and support all the bands on the bill. And if you’re heading to the Archers of Loaf show at Mercy Lounge, why not pop on over to The End afterward and fuel the already burning 90s nostalgia buzz you’ll have going? The AOL show will no doubt be over by 1130ish, and we will probably go on around midnight, so come on over afterward and belt out El Scorcho with us!
Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/394449223943974/
A Few Good Shows: 8/10/12
August 10, 2012
This weekend, especially tonight, is teeming with good shows to see. With a host of good touring acts and good local shows, you have no excuse to sit around on your bum.
FRIDAY:
The Black Angels, Nightbeats, The Paperhead @ Exit/In. 9pm $15
Glossary w/ Jasmin Kaset Band @ The High Watt. 9pm $7
Home Blitz, Fox Fun, Dirty Dreams, Mom & Dad @ Noa Noa. (This is a house show- look it up on facebook to find the address/info!)
Quiet Entertainer, The Fisticuffs, Hanzelle, and Spoken Nerd @ The 5 Spot. 9pm $5 21+
SATURDAY:
The Carter Administration w/ Ole Mossy Face @ The 5 Spot. 9pm $5 21+ (Did I just enter a timewarp back to 2006?)
Ranch Ghost, Clear Plastic Masks, Western Medicine, and Promised Land @ Mt. Swag. (This is another house show- look the deets up on facebook.)
Y2K’s Three Point Five Year party ft. Coach, Hands Off Sam, Wild Cub, Snickle Fritz, Cashatt, KP & Teen Gangz, Strooly, Tyler Quarles, and other special guests @ The High Watt and Mercy Lounge. 9pm FREE
SUNDAY:
Sunday School ft. Hanzelle, Today The Moon Tomorrow The Sun, Forget Cassettes, and Telecommunicators @ Exit/In. 7pm FREE
That’s it- have a great weekend and stay cool.
A Few Good Shows: 8/3/12
August 3, 2012
As usual, there’s no shortage of good shows to see in Nashville this weekend, both local and non-local. Here’s what sounds good to me.
FRIDAY:
Ponychase w/ Deloreans and Echo Group @ the 5 Spot. 9pm $5 21+
Majestico, Magnolia Sons, and Jamie Kent & The Options @ 12th & Porter. 9pm $10
Quichenight album release w/ Fancytramp, T. Rust, and New Pleasure @ The End. 9pm $5
Diarrhea Planet, The Weeks, Grass Giraffes, Junior Astronomers, and No Regrets Coyote @ Mercy Lounge. 9pm $7
SATURDAY:
Poly album release w/ Cortney Tidwell and Natalie Prass @ Zombieshop. 8pm $7
Ill Communication: A Tribute to the Beastie Boys @ Exit/In. 9pm $8
P.S. In case you missed it yesterday, the official lineup for Soundland 2012 was released. The headliner is My Morning Jacket, with support from Divine Fits, Young the Giant, Johnny Corndawg, JD McPherson, The Weeks, Kopecky Family Band, Wild Cub, Night Beds, PUJOL, Nikki Lane, Mystery Twins, and Kansas Bible Company. A fine lineup featuring a good mix of established locals, up-and-coming locals, and THE go-to outdoor festival act MMJ. Good job Jason, Janet, and all others who work so hard on this event every year!
Have a great weekend!
steve cross loves music and science 