Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings w/ Fitz and the Tantrums @ Mercy Lounge 5/14/10

So this blog is a little bit delayed, but that is not because the show wasn't one of the most fun shows I have been to lately!

When I arrived at The Cannery on Friday, May 14th, I was excited beyond belief to see Sharon Jones, and I was pleasantly surprised by Fitz and the Tantrums. I actually met a couple that came all the way from St. Louis just to see them and after their show I understood why.
The male/female duo that comprises the vocal section of Fitz and the Tantrums is what makes their modern day soul music so unique and catchy. In addition to having a obviously talented group of musicians backing them (their drummer was playing with them for the first time that night), the two vocalists commanded the stage not only with their vocals, but with their all out, non-stop, energetic stage presence. This is a live show not to miss. Next time around they will more than likely be in a smaller room, so be sure you're there. As the band wrapped up their set, they received tremendous applause and lots of excited fans rushed to meet them at the merch booth.

As the time between sets grew shorter and shorter, I grew more and more excited about what I thought Sharon Jones would play during her set. While I ended up hearing about half of what I wanted to hear, the whole set was still incredible. Featuring mostly songs off of her newest album, "I Learned The Hard Way", Jones and the Dap-Kings pulled out all of the stops and showed the audience what it is like to feel and hear the new songs live. Song after song, you could see the audience bobbing the heads to the new tunes, which is undoubtedly a foreshadowing of the fact that this new record is going to launch Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings to new heights in their career. If you haven't heard her new record, be sure to buy it. If you're feeling a little unsure, you can listen to the album in full on her MySpace before you head out to Grimey's to pick-up a copy.

www.myspace.com/sharonjonesandthedapkings

www.myspace.com/fitzsoulmusic



Other pictures from the night:






























(The two above are of Fitz and the Tantrums)



















(Above is Homer from The Dap-Kings)

Space Capone - CD RELEASE w/ Mikky Ekko @ Mercy Lounge 5/7/10

Everyone crammed into the Mercy Lounge last Friday for an experience that can only be had in Nashville. While I was standing there enjoying the sounds and anticipating the glory of Space Capone, I realized that there are very few places on earth where you can have a musical experience similar to this one; one that is representative of such a high level of creativity and originality.
Leading off the night with Mikky Ekko is one of the best ways if not the best way to have a night begin. His soaring vocals on numerous songs had the crowd singing along and moving to his voice and exceptionally tight band. As Mikky continued to tastefully hit note after note in song after song and the evening grew slightly later, the Mercy Lounge was nearly, if not totally, sold out.
With Mikky's set coming to an end, the anticipation was killing me. I was so excited to hear the new material and knew that it would be incredible. As always Space Capone delivered a show that was above and beyond anything that I could have expected to hear. While taking heavy influences from the era of funk, Space Capone is able to make every song original, fun, and memorable. I am constantly finding myself saying to my friends, "no wait, this is my favorite song." In addition to now having fallen in love with all of the new tunes live, the new album has several previously unrecorded tracks that have been staples of the Space Capone live show for awhile now in addition to having some that were unveiled at the release show. The other great thing about this show was that with the entry price to the show was built in the cost of an album, so everyone in there walked out with a copy of the stellar new record.

Space Capone is playing next on May 17th at the Mercy Lounge 8 off 8th Road to Bonnaroo.

Also, I believe their new record can be purchased at Grimey's.

www.myspace.com/spacecapone

Other pictures from the night:

Coming Up This Week...

5/3/10 - Westfolk with Lawndart Casualty and Holmes & Presley @ The Basement - 8pm, Free

5/4/10 - Delta Saints (DVD Release) with The Hollywood Ten and The Other Brothers @ Mercy Lounge - 9pm, $5 and probably $8 if your under 21.

Notes: Heard a rumor that MFJR is playing with The Hollywood Ten on this show, if you know what that means, then you know what that means.

5/4/10 - The Rabbit Release Party @ Exit/In and The End - 9pm, Free

Exit/In Stage:
How I Became The Bomb, Colorfeels, Jordan Hull, and Kid Stuff

The End Stage:
Joshua Black Wilkins and the 40 Volts, Angel Snow w/ Viktor Krauss, Rex James (with an introduction to The Harp Guitar), Andrew Combs, Jacob Thomas, and D.E.A.

5/5/10 - Westbound Rangers, Brinley Addington, Gagrahm Vitek, and Josh Thompson - 9pm, $6

5/6/10 - Dr. Dog w/ Deer Tick @ Mercy Lounge - 9pm, $15

5/7/10 - Space Capone CD Release w/ Mikky Ekko - 9pm, $10 (includes copy of album)


I hope to see you all out at a show!

Local Natives w/ Suckers @ The Basement 4/30/10

I have been excited about going to this show for at least a few weeks if not a month and I was not the only one. When I showed up to try to buy my advance ticket yesterday from Grimey's at noon the show at been sold out for several days, but I was informed that I might have a chance at getting in the door if I was one of the first 50 people in line when the doors opened that evening. I got to the venue around 8 something and was able to get in no problem, but it wasn't much longer after I arrived that they stopped letting people in. Some of my friends had been there since 7...keep in mind the show started at 10pm. When there is a line 2 hours before doors, you know that you've got something special. The excitement of all who were in attendance felt almost tangible. Since there was so much down time, I got a chance to catch up with Kelcey (left), one of the singers and keyboard/guitar player for Local Natives, who also happened to be working the merch table at the time. He said that some of their main influences are The Beach Boys, The Beatles and Motown, which all become very clear when listening to their music after knowing this. In addition to these influences, he also cited Owen Pallett, who composes the strings for Arcade Fire. Also, when I asked him what he had in the van CD player right now, he said that the band is really into the new Bear In Heaven album and that they have been listening to that a lot lately. As the crowd around the merch table grew, I stepped back outside and enjoyed some fresh air before subjecting myself to the humid air that comes from being in the Basement when it's packed.

As ten o'clock rolled around, Suckers took the stage, and everyone piled in, ready for some music. Suckers (guitarist, right) was a band that I was completely unfamiliar with until last night. There were several songs that I enjoyed and their set got progressively better as the night went on. They played for about forty minutes or so and when they left the stage it seemed that the excitement really set in.

Everyone in the audience was all smiles as Local Natives carried their gear on stage. People were picking out pieces of songs, as the band checked their gear, and talking about how much they loved that particular song. Once they ran through a quick line check the band got cranked up and started off. About halfway through the first song the bass went out and so the jokes and stories ensued while it was being fixed. As soon as it was fixed, they announced they were starting fresh and kicked off the same song, which ended up being more awesome than the time the did it just moments before. This show was like a greatest hits show, but for a band that has only released one full length. Everyone in the audience was singing along to every song, making it feel as if the band and the audience were one. Song after song, as soon as the first chord was played, you could hear people scream with excitement. On top of having great songs, putting on a great show and being great musicians, all of the members of this band were incredibly friendly.
Tell all of your friends to go see this band while they are still playing in intimate settings because it is not going to be long before they are playing in bigger rooms.

Tour Dates and Music:
www.myspace.com/localnatives

So I know it's been awhile...

So it's been awhile since I've posted anything on the blog, but here comes a few fresh items for you all to enjoy!

Below are some pictures from shows I have been to in the last month or so:

Frontier Ruckus
www.myspace.com/frontierruckus


























Morning Teleportation
www.myspace.com/morningteleportation

TWO FREE TICKETS!

TWO FREE TICKETS to see Frontier Ruckus, Rev. Payton, The Apache Relay, & Rayland Baxter at The End on Saturday, March 6th to the first commenter on this blog post!

Big D and the Kids Table and State Radio @ Exit/In 2/16/10

Big D and the Kids Table is a ska band from Boston, MA that I have followed since I was in high school. They have played Nashville several times and, while this is my first time seeing them in town, I have heard that each time attendance has grown. They have just released a new record called Fluent in Stroll, which is the follow-up record to their immensely popular Strictly Rude. Traveling with back-up singers and new band members, Big D took the stage and delivered their Boston based ska to Nashville, which does require a bit of bravery as Nashville is not the most ska-friendly scene on earth. Featuring mostly songs from their new record during their set, they threw in several from the older albums ending with an encore of "Little Bitch".
This led to State Radio taking the stage, whom are also from Boston, MA. I had heard the name State Radio before, but had never heard their recorded music or seen their live show. If I were to sum it up quickly I would say that if you are a Sublime fan you would like State Radio. While they are definitely a Northeast reggae/punk band with hints of Dispatch, they appeal to the same crowd as the aforementioned Long Beach trio that was well routed in west coast influences. Overall I enjoyed what I saw of State Radio and so did the crowd, especially those upfront who were leaning on the barricade, screaming every word of each song, and calling for more long after the walkout music took over the PA and the house lights came up.
After the show I caught up with Big D front man David McWayne at the merch table and got to ask him a couple of questions about the new Big D line up and record. First, I asked about the new record, how he felt like things had changed from the last record, Strictly Rude, and those before. McWayne explained to me that the new record, Fluent in Stroll, and Strictly Rude were really just a return to the attitude of their first two records. In between Big D's first two records and the most recent two are two albums that more punk influenced and according to McWayne, Big D would play the punk stuff all day except for the fact that "when you are on tour, the road becomes your home" said McWayne and the negativity towards music felt throughout the making of the middle two records, influenced by the rise of emo, really began to wear on the band. According to McWayne, screaming all night about being angry can take its tole on you and he would much rather be singing about how "things are alright" and not bring the anger on the road with them. Another aspect of the band that I was curious about was the line-up change that the band seemed to have experienced. The main switch I noticed was the change in guitarists from Sean Rogan to Suburban Legends guitarist Brian Klemm. This switch due to the fact that Rogan has recently gotten married, but it is not a permanent replacement as McWayne assured me that Rogan will still be playing some shows with the band....who knows maybe he will be there when Big D returns to the Exit/In for their unannounced headlining tour.

Ben Sturgell Ticket Giveaway!

Any Ben Sturgell fans out there that love free tickets? Well, you have come to the right place. If you want two free tickets to see Ben Sturgell live at the Hard Rock Cafe Nashville on February 16th be the first to follow Music City Review (@musiccityreview) and tweet about the ticket giveaway!

RJD2 @ Exit/In 2/8/10

This being my first experience seeing RJD2 I knew only to expect a few things from what people had told me about his show, one of them being that he would be unlike any DJ I had ever seen, and it was true. RJD2 has to be one of the hardest working DJs I have ever seen. With an array of turn tables and other electronic instruments, RJD2 was able to make the music of so many come to life as one musical experience; he was the conductor of a one man orchestra of vinyl and electricity. Later on in his set he was joined by other musicians whom played drums, guitar/bass, and keys, at which point he stepped down from the turn tables and picked up the bass and/or guitar. Obviously taking his sound in a new direction by adding live instruments to his show, there were some songs that were phenomenally infectious and some that passed as okay, but overall the energy that the live musicians brought to the stage was definitely an added unique bonus to the show. I particularly liked when he combined his world class DJ skills with the live drums, it just kicked ass, plain and simple. In addition to the live musicians, RJD2 had a suit that he opened and closed the show with that was a jump suit with a trigger pad attached to the crotch that he could play and spin while wearing a welding mask that had a microphone in it that allowed his voice to be distorted. The crowd loved it and all-in-all the show was a great display of musical creativity.

Other pictures from the night:

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@musiccityreview

Aaron's Picks for 2/3 to 2/6

2/3 Split Lip Rayfield @ The Loveless Barn
2/4 Deep Vibration w/ Natalie Prass and Evan P. Donohue @ Mercy Lounge
2/5 Umphrey's McGee w/ Moon Taxi @ War Memorial Auditorium
2/6 Basement's 5 Yr. Anny feat. The Coolin' System and more!
2/6 Andy Davis w/ Steve Moakler @ 3rd and Lindsley
2/6 Of Montreal @ Cannery Ballroom

See you out at the show!

Duwayne Burnside and The Delta Saints @ Exit/In 1/28/10

Guitar, guitar, guitar, guitar. If you love technical and tasteful blues guitar playing, and you were at the Exit/In on Thursday, then you probably thought you died and went to heaven. From the moment the show kicked off with my personal favorite, The Delta Saints, the Exit/In was laden with a soulful blues mood that inspired audience members to dance and sing. While there is no need for me to reiterate how big a fan I am of The Delta Saints in general, this performance did showcase two new songs that enjoyed immensely and hope that you all get to hear sometime soon. As The Delta Saints did their thing and left the stage to roaring applause, Duwayne Burnside took the stage almost immediately, quite literally within 5 minutes. With the Les Paul of John Shaw (The Delta Saints' lead guitar player) and an amp that required some kicking, Duwayne Burnside proceeded to play the blues with immense skill and personality for the next two hours or so. Sitting in for the entire set were John Shaw on guitar and Greg Hommert on harmonica, both of The Delta Saints. This addition of talent provided an excellent avenue for dueling solos and a superb variety of tasty licks. Look for these two bands to be touring together in the future.

Links:
www.myspace.com/thedeltasaints
www.myspace.com/duwayneburnside

Other pictures from the night:

Duwayne Burnside Ticket Giveaway Winner...

Read Davis!

As I realized after posting this contest, not very many people have time to drive down to the Exit/In and take a picture so ticket giveaways in the future will be more simplistic, but give the man a hand for being creative!

Happy Salmon Presents - Rock The Block @ Exit/In 1/26/10

Last Tuesday's "Rock The Block" at the Exit/In definitely brought the rock but also had a little bit of hip-hop flavor. The line-up featured Nashville favorites, The Legendary Biscuits and Gravy, Mean Tambourines, and Heypenny, as well as Oklahoma City's Colourmusic.
As fans began coming in the door, Biscuits and Gravy were bringing their Roots style hip-hop in full force. Fronted by one the Nashville Scene's favorite artists of 2009, Future, the band has been gaining acclaim in the Nashville music scene and have seen increasing turn outs at every show. This may have something to do with the fact that every single band member is dripping in talent and they don't get in the way of each other. In fact, they do a phenomenal job of combining all of their strengths to bring together an impeccably full sound that has listeners eyes wide and head bobbing.
While normally I would say following Biscuits and Gravy is something you don't want to do, Mean Tambourines brought their A-game and were great. It was my first experience with the band's music, live or recorded, and I dug it. They rock, and not just in an average way, but in the sense that they are a really good straight-up rock band, which can be hard to find. They played a solid set and were warmly received by the moderately crowded Exit/In.
As Mean Tambourines wrapped up, the guys from Colourmusic were getting ready to hit the stage and hit the stage they did....hard. Colourmusic is one of the loudest bands I have seen in awhile and, as I was informed after the show, they left the big amps at home. While cranking their "small" amps, Colourmusic was able to share with Nashville the distinctive sound of Oklahoma. Combining serious stage presence with powerful drumming, driving guitar and bass, and strong vocals, Colourmusic was able to provide fans with an unique experience that I have yet to see any band in Nashville come close to replicating. One fun thing about this set was that they had many, if not all, of the members from Heypenny join them on stage for a song or two. Finishing their set with guitars over their heads and feet off the ground, Colourmusic said goodnight and Heypenny took the stage.
This was my third experience seeing Heypenny and it was by far my favorite. The band was able to sync up their music with video clips that were projected over multiple TVs all over the stage. There were able to nail it down so much so that the animated characters on screen were moving their mouths at the same time as the lead singer. Not only was I impressed with this combination of live audio and recorded video, but I was also impressed with the songs. This was my first time seeing Heypenny in a club and it provided me the opportunity to really focus on listening to the songs, which I loved. In addition to having great songs and incredible visuals, they have a very expressive and charismatic front man and bass player. By bringing together all of these elements Heypenny has all of the necessary pieces to continue to garner increasing attention from the Nashville rock scene. Check out them out at 8 off 8th on February 15th and see for yourself.

Links:
www.myspace.com/biscuitsandgravyband
www.myspace.com/meantambourines
www.myspace.com/colourmusic
www.myspace.com/heypenny

Other pictures from the show:

Biscuits and Gravy

















Colourmusic (featuring Benjamin Elkins from Heypenny)

FREE TICKETS!!!!

I have two tickets to see Duwayne Burnside and Delta Saints on Thursday night at the Exit/In.  Email me with why you should win tickets.  Best answer will receive two free tickets to the show!

E-mail: aaron@rabbitholerecording.com

Aaron's Picks for 1/25-1/31

So, I was thinking that while it is nice to know about a show that has come to town, I thought that it might also be nice to know what shows I am thinking about going to this week so that your only experience with them isn't just reading the blog after you have missed it!

Here are my picks for this weeks shows:

1/25 - Mercy Lounge: 8 off 8th featuring Moon Taxi and Boroughs. (Free)

1/26 - Exit/In: Rock The Block featuring Biscuits and Gravy, Colourmusic, Hey Penny, The Hollywood Ten and more! (Free)

1/26 3rd and Lindsley: Gabe Dixon supporting Dylan Altman

1/27 - 12th and Porter: Healing Haiti 1 Song at a Time featuring Jonny Lang, Marc Broussard, Dave Barnes, Josh Hoge, Tommy Sims, Heidi Rojas, Matt Ridenour, Melinda Doolittle, and Matt Wertz.

1/27 - Mercy Lounge: Justin Townes Earl w/ Dawn Landes and The Hounds, and Caitlin Rose

1/28 - Exit/In: Duwayne Burnside w/ Delta Saints

1/28 - The End: Vermicious K'nids and more.

1/30 - Exit/In: The Non-Commissioned Officers w/ Wax Fang and How I Became The Bomb

1/31 - 3rd and Lindsley: Band of Heathens w/ Scrapomatic and more

I hope you all get a chance to enjoy a show or two this week.


Also, on another note, I would like to thank the guys at Mercy Lounge for finding my camera, you are awesome and I sincerely appreciate it!

-Aaron

Dirty Dozen Brass Band & The Coolin' System @ Exit/In 1/21/10

On Thursday night I went to the Exit/In to check out the Dirty Dozen Brass Band (pictured left) and one of my favorite instrumental jazz groups in town, The Coolin' System (below), whom I have seen several times over the past year and have grown as a band significantly since I first saw them. It is fun to watch a band like The Coolin' System because every time you go to one of their shows it is better than the last one, and the last one was usually great! As anticipated, The Coolin' System delivered. The large crowd at the Exit/In was groovin as the members of the band traded solos and brought to life a Nashville crowd that always seems hesitant to dance. After getting the crowd warmed up, The Coolin' System exited stage left and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band took the stage.
This show was my first experience with the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, but from talking with many other people I was a rare attendee that hadn't seen them before. Not only was this a Nashville crowd, but I ran into friends from Bowling Green who had come down to see the show and as the DDBB took the stage I realized why they made the drive. Celebrating the 25th anniversary of their hit "My Feet Can't Fail Me Now", This New Orleans based horn band brought together that old time New Orleans sound with a hint of hip-hop flavor. It was danceable, sing-a-long, fun music and the band looked like they were having a blast as well. They played for several hours non-stop and the crowd loved every minute of it. This is not a band to miss if they make their way back through town again.



Other pictures from the night: