Mars Science Laboratory launches/other badassery
November 30, 2011
That is video of the final separation of NASA’s new Mars Science Laboratory rover (named Curiosity), sending it on its way to Mars. The probe launched successfully this past Saturday atop an Atlas V rocket, and will reach Mars in August of 2012. If you follow this blog you’ll know that I’ve mentioned this probe excitedly before- that’s because this is the biggest, boldest of all the robotic rovers we’ve sent to Mars. It’s about the size of a small SUV and it will be looking for evidence of conditions that may have been conducive to the development of microbial life, past and present. Important distinction: the probe is NOT searching for life itself, just for evidence that the planet may have been habitable in the past or maybe even the present. August 2012 will be a tense month for NASA and all following this probe’s progess, because the final landing stages are immensely tedious and complex. (See the landing animation below.) For now though, we just sit and wait as the probe zips through space and the engineers make the final adjustments to its trajectory. For some more expert commentary on this mission, check out Bad Astronomy or Universe Today.
Since I probably won’t be posting again until this Friday’s “A Few Good Shows” post, here are a couple more videos full utter badassery:
“Jetman” Yves Rossy flies alongside fighter jets on his jetpack. It doesn’t get much cooler than that…
Nothing like some shirtless 9-year-olds totally nailing “Crazy Train”
A Few Good Shows: 11/18/11 (My 30th birthday edition)
November 18, 2011
Before we get to the show listings, I have a show of my own to plug: I’m turning 30 this Sunday the 20th, and to celebrate I put together the 3rd-ever “Nashville Under the Covers” show at Mercy Lounge. That is, Nashville bands covering other Nashville bands. AND, it’s all to benefit YEAH‘s TN summer youth music camps- SGRRC and TNTRC. It’s gonna be a blast, and the lineup is fun (though Matt Friction did have to drop off the bill at the last minute), and the minimum donation is only $5! For more, read the generous blog post the Nashville Cream gave me yesterday. That’s this Sunday Nov. 20th, 9pm at Mercy Lounge, 18+, $5 minimum donation. (Hot tip: past YEAH volunteers will get in FREE with their volunteer tshirts!)
Now for the rundown:
FRIDAY:
Lucero (night 1 of 2) w/ Glossary @ Mercy Lounge. 9pm $20
Hanzelle, The Greater Good, Casa Castille @ The 5 Spot. 9pm $5
Hull, Tijuana Goat Ride, Laser Flames, The Ascent of Everest @ The End. 9pm $7
SATURDAY:
Wanda Jackson w/ The Black Belles @ Marathon Music Works. 7pm $15
Lucero (night 2 of 2) w/ Austin Lucas @ Mercy Lounge. 9pm $20
Bad Cop, Ranch Ghost, Denny & The Jets, Majestico @ The End. 9pm $5
Manchester Orchestra, White Denim, The Dear Hunters @ Cannery Ballroom. 8pm $17
SUNDAY:
SEE ABOVE. And come celebrate me getting old!
Have a great weekend!
Vitalic Noise “Family Affair” mixtape & introduction
November 17, 2011
My man Justin Katerberg has been steadily growing his Vitalic Noise Agency the past couple of years, but it seems that few people really know what Vitalic Noise does, beyond the blog. Well I’ll just tell you what came straight from the horse’s mouth:
Realizing that the majority of people still to this day have no idea what Vitalic Noise does, we couldn’t think of any other way to properly showcase the artists that we are working with than to set up a DJ rig and pushed record on a short tracklist of both artists signed to Vitalic Noise and a few other acts that we hold close to our heart. Did it work? I guess that part is up to you – love it or hate it, we would be ever so thankful if you were to share it with your friends.
Currently we represent, as either management or booking agents:
Fare Soldi
Justin Faust
Edwin Van Cleef
Cadillac
Moonlight Matters
Zimmer
Viceroy
Geisha Twins
FM Attack
So there you have it. Quite an impressive and ever-growing roster. Check out the mixtape on soundcloud:
A Few Good Shows: 11/11/11
November 11, 2011
This weekend is a little weak in the show department, but there’s still some good stuff to be seen around Nashville. Let’s get straight to the point:
FRIDAY:
The Black Belles album release w/ The Black Faces @ Third Man Records (Sold Out) 8pm.
Spidervirus reunion, w/ Riff Raff (AC/DC Tribute), Rock City Birdhouse, and Flesh Vehicle @ The 5 Spot. 9pm $5
Those Darlins @ Gilligan’s (in Murfreesboro). 9pm $10
SATURDAY:
Nashville Premier of Girls Night Out, a film by Meredith Kotas and Chris Davis. 4pm-8pm @ the 5 Spot, accompanied by performances by Birdcloud, Rall Tide, and very special top secret guest. $5 (proceeds benefit Southern Girls Rock & Roll Camp)
Har Mar Superstar, Fake Brad, Five Knives @ 12th & Porter. 9pm $10
SUNDAY:
Melt Banana, Diarrhea Planet, Look What I Did @ The End. 9pm $12. *BRING EARPLUGS YALL*
Have a great weekend!
Tristen needs your help to press a Christmas 7″
November 10, 2011
UPDATE: Tristen made her goal not long after I posted this, but you should still buy the 7″ when it comes out!
You’ve probably already seen this in a few other places, but it’s a cool thing that deserves repeating:
Nashville’s budding startlet Tristen loves Christmas, so she recorded her own version of 3 of her favorite Christmas songs and needs your help to put it out on vinyl. As awesome as vinyl is, it’s really damned expensive to produce, so many lesser-know bands/artists have a hard time coming up with the dough for the up-front costs. So Tristen has started a Kickstarter campaign, and is asking for your help in making this Christmas 7″ a reality. Check it out, and help her out. She’s a rad gal and is one of the best local acts in the game right now, so let’s make this thing happen, eh? Watch the video below and click here to donate.
M83 vocal audition video (your daily LOLs)
November 8, 2011
Do yourself a favor and stick with this one till the end if you’re already rolling on the floor like I was. I really wish this was real, but it has to be a fake, given the rest of this dude’s videos on vimeo… seems like he’s trying to be a sketch comic or something. I’d say this is step in the right direction. You’re welcome. (Via Kottke)
A Few Good Shows: 11/4/11
November 4, 2011
In case you didn’t know, I’ve been moving since last weekend, and the fact that my life is still mostly in sea of boxes in my new place means that my mind and body have been overwhelmed, thus no posts this week. But- I must tell you about some great shows going down this weekend in Nashville, so behold:
FRIDAY:
The Nobility’s The Secret of Blennerhassett Island album release show @ The Rutledge. 9pm $5 for entry $10 for entry + CD. According to their facebook, they are the only band on the bill and have a “DJ/general merriment” before and after them. I’m very excited for this one because the new album is phenomenal and the sound guy at The Rutledge is Frank Sass- the best sound guy in the history of sound guys. I seriously hope this venue starts getting more inde rock shows like this because he makes it sound like a million dollars, and every band deserves to sound that good.
Shoot the Mountain, Joel J. Dahl, Poly, and Backwords @ The 5 Spot. 9pm $5 21+
3rd annual rock for ovaries benefit ft. How I Became the Bomb, Soul Incision, and a fashion show @ Mercy Lounge. 7pm, $15 min. donation.
Girls & Boys Nashville presents: Dani Deahl, Coach, Hands off Sam, Jensen Sportag DJ set, Autoerotique, Rio, Kidsmeal, and Kevin Perryman. Girls free before 10pm, $5 gen. adm.
JEFF the Brotherhood, Mom & Dad, Seafood Hotline @ Walnut House in Murfreesboro. A YEAH! benefit show. 7:30pm $10
SATURDAY:
The Black Angels, Spindrift, and Dead Meadow @ Exit/In. 8pm $15
Big Surr w/ Triptides, Dino DNA, and Chrome Pony @ The End. 9pm $5
Hands off Cuba, Hepatitties, Coupler, Renee-Louise Carafice, and Bird Names @ Noa Noa (620 Hamilton Ave.) 8pm $???
SUNDAY:
Cortney Tidwell w/ Ponychase and Jasmin Kaset @ Exit/In. 8pm $7
Remember daylight saving time ends at 2am Saturday night/Sunday morning, and have a great weekend!
A Few Good Shows: 10/28/11 (Halloween edition)
October 28, 2011
Welcome to Halloween weekend in Nashville. This is a busy one, as always, and I’m just here to give you a smattering of some events of interest. By no means is this a comprehensive list of Halloween happenings. Just some stuff I think looks good/interesting.
FRIDAY:
Self (Matt Mahaffey solo acoustic) w/ Seth Timbs Thing and The Hellens @ The Basement. 9pm $5 21+
Vitalic Noise presents VITAL: 1 Year Anniversary @ Wine Loft ft. La Zebra, Dee Goodz, Deacon, Total Savage, Dark Sister, plus resident CRAVE DJs Losici and Dali Drama. 10pm $5
Halloween Spooktacular ft. My So-Called Band, The Aught-Nots, Space Capone, and Coach @ Mercy Lounge & Cannery. 9pm $15
The Grayces album release show w/ Dave Cloud and the Gospel of Power @ The 5 Spot. 9pm $5
SATURDAY:
Halloween Warehouse party ft. Girls & Money, Scale Model (I play drums), and Eight ‘O Five @ The Zombie Lair (aka Jiggy Graphics- 1015 W. Kirkland Ave. Suite 310, East Nashy) 10pm, $5 suggested donation gets access to the keg and spiked punch. Also there will be a professional movie makeup artist zombifying people!
Night of the Living Cover Bands: a benefit for YEAH! music programs (SGRRC/TNTRC/NYCRC) ft. Head over Heels (Go-Go’s covers), Ponychase (Cyndi Lauper covers), Cortney Tidwell, The Non-Commissioned Officers, Uncle Skeleton, and Spaceship of the Imagination. @ the 5 Spot, 9pm $5 or donation.
Jacuzzi Boys, Heavy Cream, and Cy Barkley @ The End. 9pm $6
The Greenhouse Halloween party ft. How I Became the Bomb, the Black Belles, and DJ Mindub @ The Greehouse. 9pm $???
SUNDAY:
Meatmen w/ Hans Condor and Slammers @ Springwater. 10pm $5 21+
MONDAY: (throwin’ it in there because I likely won’t have time to post on monday and there’s shit you should know about)
Dixie Downturn presents Halloween 8 off 8th ft. Lylas, How I Became the Bomb, A Greater Good, Casa Castille, Bows and Arrows, Shaboi, and Bummer. 9pm FREE 21+ For more info and previews of each band, check out Dixie Downturn!
Protomen, Peelander-Z, MC Frontalot @ Exit/In. 9pm $14
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin w/ Evan P. Donohue, Faux Ferocious, & Blown Stag @ The End. 9pm $6
PHEW. That’s it. Have a fun and safe Halloween weekend.
Makeup and Vanity Set: Charles Park III (Your Halloween soundtrack)
October 26, 2011
Ladies and gentlemen, Charles Park III from our man Makeup & Vanity Set has arrived. It will be your Halloween 2011 soundtrack. It can be purchased tomorrow (10/27) but you can stream it all now via his soundcloud. Or below. Words seem meaningless in comparison to simply giving this thing a listen. Only then will you understand. Clearly I am biased because I love this dude, but it’s the TRUTH. Everything he’s done is utter badassery.
A Few Good Shows: 10/21/11
October 21, 2011
This weekend is fairly average in terms of good shows to see, with Saturday’s “The Big Nashty” being the exception. More on that under Saturday.
FRIDAY:
The Swan King, Stallion, Laser Flames on the Great Big News @ The End. 9pm $5
SATURDAY:
Deer Tick, Virgin Forest, Dead People @ Mercy Lounge. 9pm $15
The Big Nashty: an all-day music festival featuring a hoard of great local bands including Bad Cop, Hans Condor, Evan P. Donohue, Cy Barkley, Natural Child, Natalie Prass, Reid Magette, and many more. The festival is being held at a farm of sorts at 550 South Tunnel Rd., way out near Gallatin. Camping is encouraged because let’s face it, you’re probably going to imbibe and we don’t want anyone making that drive back to Nashville proper at 3am while questionably intoxicated. Cost is $10 adv/$20 DOS.
Have a great weekend!
steve cross loves music and science 