A Few Good Shows: 11/30/12
November 30, 2012
Once again there is a quality smattering of both local and touring shows to see in Nashville this weekend. Check out my picks below:
FRIDAY:
The Faint performs Danse Macabre, with Trust and Icky Blossoms @ The Cannery. $20 8pm.
The Ettes, Blackfoot Gypsies, Omega Swan, and Blackbear @ the new Zombie Shop- 500 Houston St. $7 8pm
Jasmin Kaset, Little Bandit, and Ri¢hie @ The Basement. $5 9pm 21+
Stephaniesid, Honey Locust, and Hanzelle @ The High Watt. $5 9pm
SATURDAY:
The Mountain Goats w/ Matthew E. White @ Mercy Lounge. $18 adv/$20 DoS 9pm
A Benefit for Poverty is Real ft. Wild Cub, Vinyl Thief, Foreign Fields, Casa Castille, and Afterlife Parade @ Exit/In. $5 min. donation, 9pm
Natalie Prass, 24/7, and Joshua O’Dine @ The Basement. $5 9pm 21+
SUNDAY:
The Carolina Chocolate Drops w/ the Two Man Gentleman Band @ Marathon Music Works. $20-$28 8pm
Promised Land’s debut EP, a new venue on music row, and collaborative TN craft beer
November 29, 2012
Promised Land. Photo by Alysse Gafkjen
A random assortment of good local music and beer news for you Thursday afternoon!
- Promised Land is a new local “supergroup” comprised of Joey Scala (Denny & The Jets, Turkeys, PUJOL), Sean “To the Wall” Thompson (Nikki Lane, PUJOL), Richard Alessio, Luke Schneider (Cortney Tidwell, Lylas), and Evan Scala. The best way I can describe them is if The Rolling Stones, The Allman Brothers, and The Carter Family all had a big threesome together. I caught them live a couple months ago on the back porch of Nikki Lane’s house, and thoroughly enjoyed their boozy, twangy set. With all the members heavily involved in other projects, I didn’t know just how serious Promised Land would be, or how soon they’d be releasing material. Thankfully this seems to be more than just an whim side project. They just released their debut EP Stoned Eagle on bandcamp, so go over and check it out! Also, as The Scene reported, the ‘Land opened for Seasick Steve at Third Man Records a while back. The show was recorded and will be released as a 45 early next year.
- New venue alert: A new intimate singer/songwriter coffeeshop/cafe has opened on music row. Benton’s Cafe is owned by veteran songwriter Benton Stokes and will give up-and-coming songwriters a chance to perform in an intimate setting right in the heart of Nashville’s music industry hub. Check out their facebook and twitter for more info.
- I was delighted to see the news that Yazoo and Calfkiller, two of my favorite TN craft breweries, have joined forces for a special collaborative beer! The brew is called The Beacon is an official “Tennessee High-Tax Ale.” This style was conjured up by the owners of Yazoo and Calfkiller to help bring attention to the fact that Tennessee has the highest beer tax in whole nation, which is structured to favor high-volume commercial beer brands over smaller craft breweries. This is one reason TN has a depressing lack of craft breweries. But with the formation of the TN Craft Brewer’s Guild, hopefully that will all change sooner rather than later. Check out the Yazoo blog for full details on the beer itself and how to get your hands on it!
A Few Good Shows: 11/23/12
November 23, 2012
I hope your Thanksgiving was everything a Thanksgiving should be- food, booze, and sports. That’s what Thanksgiving is all about right? No? (J/K) Anyway, here are some good shows to see in Nashville to combat those post-turkey feast blues.
FRIDAY:
MiMOSA, JMSN, and Cosmic Revenge @ Cannery Ballroom. 9pm $20
SATURDAY:
Useless Eaters, Paint Fumes, Bazooka, and New Pleasures @ The Stone Fox. 9pm $5
David Bazan plays Pedro the Lion’s Control, w/ Stagnant Pools @ Exit/In. 8pm $15
Y2K Presents: Dirty Feathers III ft. Coach, Hands Off Sam, and special guests Sosa, Purpl Monk, Schtompa (Cherub), Tyler Quarles, Cashatt, and Griffin @ The High Watt. 9pm 21+ is free, 18-20 is $5.
That’s it for now, have a great post-turkey weekend!
Mars Rover Curiosity may have made an “earthshaking” discovery
November 21, 2012
Curiosity’s amazing self-portrait from a few weeks ago. Credit: NASA/JPL
NASA scientists have created lots of buzz over the past two days because of an NPR story in which Curiosity’s chief investigator John Grotzinger is quoted as saying the latest round of data from Curiosity’s soil analysis instrument is “gonna be one for the history books.” That’s all the information we’ll get, though, at least for a few weeks. While the scientists are very excited about what they’re seeing, they have to run multiple tests and replicate the results in order to be sure the initial interesting result is not a fluke or a glitch. The instrument in question (SAM) looks for organic molecules in the Martian soil, which are the basic building blocks of life as we know it. While none of the instruments on Curiosity can directly detect the presence of life on Mars, they CAN detect basic organics. Even a confirmation of organic molecules would be a huge, MONUMENTAL discovery.
In the past, scientists that have “blown their load” by prematurely announcing exciting results have been burned by it, so this team really wants to be sure of the accuracy and interpretation of their data before going public. One needn’t look further than NASA’s Martian meteorite fossil fiasco in 1996, or their arsenic-based life announcement in 2010 to know that letting your excitement/amazement at your discovery get in the way of un-biased, fact-based analysis can be disastrous.
I certainly hope that the results they’re guarding/confirming point to organic molecules in the soil they’ve analyzed. Curiosity’s findings thus far prove that large amounts of water once flowed on the surface, right where the rover is exploring. It would make sense to me that some form of basic life once existed there. It also wouldn’t surprise me if one day we discover that the DNA from life there mixed with DNA from life here, and that we’re all part Martian, as the idea of panspermia suggests. Those discoveries are likely years or even decades away from happening, but this is still a very exciting time for science!
This will be my last post before Thanksgiving, so have a happy one!
Happy Birthday Edwin Hubble (and me)
November 20, 2012
Today I turn 31. Somehow I’ve managed to go this long without knowing that I shared a birthday with the famous astronomer Edwin Hubble (after whom the Hubble Space Telescope is named). This is cool! Even though I also share my birthday with Joe Biden, Mike D (of the Beastie Boys), and Robert F. Kennedy, by far the coolest is Edwin Hubble. If this is not proof of the immensity of my nerdiness, I don’t know what is.
Hubble was a pioneer in the field of extragalactic astronomy. His work, along with that of his colleagues and observations from other astronomers, led to the realization that the universe is continuously expanding. This is know as the metric expansion of space, and is a key component of the Big Bang Theory. Yeah, pretty serious stuff. I feel pretty cool to share a birthday with Mr. Hubble. Were he still alive, he would be 123 years old.
Science Friday: Explore the Milky Way Galaxy with Chrome
November 16, 2012
Michael Eades mentioned this yesterday, but I didn’t get a chance to check it out fully until today. The makers of Google Chrome are doing some very cool experiments with their browser, pushing the limits of what’s possible. This scalable, true-to-scale visualization of our home galaxy, centered on our own Sun, is simply phenomenal. It’s one of the coolest things I’ve seen on the internet in quite some time. Bravo, Chrome-people. Bravo. Do yourself a favor and check it out now.
A Few Good Shows: 11/16/12
November 16, 2012
We have a nice offering of shows featuring local and touring acts this weekend in Nashville. Here are my quick picks:
FRIDAY:
QDP @ the 5 Spot. 9pm $1 (Come by and say hi- I’ll be running the photobooth.)
Chubby & The Dots, Faux Ferocious and Graham Colton @ The Basement. 9pm $5 21+
Pinback w/ Solos @ Exit/In. 8pm. $16
Space Capone w/ Magnolia Sons @ Mercy Lounge. 9pm $10
SATURDAY:
Simon Joyner, Altered Statesmen, Stephen Molyneux @ The Stone Fox. 9pm $7
Same As It Ever Was: A Talking Heads Tribute @ Exit/In. 9pm $10
Dr. Dog w/ Cotton Jones and Ri¢hie @ Marathon Music Works. 7pm $15-$22
Kansas Bible Company free in-store @ Grimeys. 5pm FREE
PAUSE FOR THE CAUSE: A Benefit for Brett Whitacre of The Legendary Shack Shakers ft. The Legendary Shack Shakers (final show), The Dirt Daubers, and Pine Hill Haints @ Mercy Lounge. 8pm $12 min. donation
SUNDAY:
Two Bit Charlie CD release w/ Mystery Twins and Waterfall Wash @ The Basement. 8pm $5 21+
Awesome Shirt, Gnarwhal, Sunglasses, Knightmare @ The End 9pm $5
Have a great weekend!
Caitlin Rose announces new album/Self new music teaser/Echo Group’s new EP/Forget Cassettes & more
November 15, 2012
Several bits of good Nashville local music news hit me today:
The most exciting one is related to the Self show I mentioned last week! Matt posted a teaser compilation track today on the Self facebook, consisting of snippets of several BRAND SPANKING NEW Self songs. My mind is already blown just hearing this the first time. CHECK IT YO:
Also, Matt answered a few questions related to the Dec. 29th show- Yes this will be a full band show, and yes it will be the only Self show for the foreseeable future. I’ve also heard unconfirmed rumors that this will be the original Self lineup, except of course for guitarist Mike Mahaffey, who passed away in 2005.
Echo Group released the third in their Challtalk Record Collection series via Bandcamp. Each EP they’ve released thus far has been nothing short of phenomenal, even if they do draw excessive comparisons to the Walkmen. I would submit to those people that wearing your influences on your sleeve and being overtly derivative are two different things. EG walks that fine line quite well in my opinion. Check it out below:
Forget Cassettes released the second in their series of O Cursa EPs. This second offering of songs is a little meaner/grittier than the first, with the 3rd track “Tearin’ Up A House” reminding me a lot of the old Forget Cassettes. Check it out below:
Last, but most certainly not least, Caitlin Rose has announced her second full length album, to be titled The Stand-In. It’s due out Feb. 25th, 2013 in the UK via Names Records, and March 5th in the US via ATO Records. She worked with producers Jordan Lehning (of the Non-Commissioned Officers) and Skylar Wilson this time around, and the songs were a much more collaborative effort than ever before. Looking forward to it! Check out the lead track “No One to Call” below:
A Few Good Shows: 11/9/12
November 9, 2012
Pre-show listing importance: The NYC/New Jersey area is still suffering from the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. There’s a great opportunity to help this Saturday at The Well in Green Hills form 1-4pm. The Nashville Food Bloggers and Sweet Betweens are organizing a bake sale! So stop by and pickup some goodies to benefit Sandy victims.
Now for the weekend show listings: It’s gonna be another good weekend to get out and see some local shows in Nashville! Here are my recommendations:
FRIDAY:
Take the Power Back: a tribute to Rage Against the Machine, with Tipper Whore and Hotel War @ Exit/In. 9pm $10
Faux Ferocious w/ Hi Electric and Timmy & The Tumblers @ Springwater. 10pm $5
SATURDAY:
Peelander-Z with Electric Eel Shock and The Joy of Painting @ Mercy Lounge. 8pm $12
Schools, Evan P. Donohue, Calicocat, and Heavy Chase @ The End. 9pm $5
My So-Called Band plays Weezer’s Blue Album and Pinkerton @ the Stone Fox. 9pm $7
Ponychase record release in-store performance @ Grimey’s. FREE 5pm (Their new EP is fantastic check it out below!)
SUNDAY:
Regina Spektor w/ Only Son @ The Ryman. 7:30pm $24.50-$37.50
Snowmine w/ Bows and Arrows @ The End. 9pm $7
Have a great weekend!
Self to reunite for benefit show on Dec. 29th!
November 8, 2012
I knew the day would eventually come- the day that Matt Mahaffey, one of my all-time musical heroes, would get his defunct band/project Self back together on a stage. That day has finally arrived! It was announced today that Self will indeed finally return to the stage on Dec. 29th to play a benefit show at the Exit/In with Forget Cassettes. The show benefits the Music for Life Alliance, an organization that supports music education for kids who might not otherwise have access to it. I’m very curious as to who Matt will enlist for the band. I’ve no doubt Seth Timbs of Fluid Ounces/Seth Timbs Thing/Hot New Singles will be involved, but other than it’s anybody’s guess as to how many of the original members will be down for it.
Tickets go on sale 11/15 via the Exit/In website.
steve cross loves music and science 