Music City Review

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

2010-05-28T20:33:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-09T12:40:00.000-07:00

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...

2010-05-01T17:25:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-01T15:39:00.000-07:00

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...

2010-05-01T15:19:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-03-04T18:20:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-16T22:14:00.001-08:00

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!

2010-02-14T19:24:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-14T18:43:00.000-08:00

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:

Follow Music City Review on Twitter!

2010-02-06T08:39:00.001-08:00

For updates on concert info and ticket giveaways follow Music City Review on Twitter!

@musiccityreview

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

2010-02-02T21:20:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-02T20:48:00.000-08:00

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...

2010-02-02T20:45:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-02T19:46:00.001-08:00

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!!!!

2010-01-26T18:56:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-24T11:08:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-24T10:10:00.000-08:00

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:

Ten Out of Tenn Christmas Show @ Exit/In 12/13/09

2009-12-16T09:47:00.000-08:00

I arrived at the Exit/In at just a few minutes after 8:00pm, right when doors were opening, and as I approached the venue in my car I began to see the line that wrapped around the block. This sold out performance by Ten Out of Tenn could only be described as phenomenal. This immensely talented group of ten songwriters, friends, and musicians came together to perform each others original songs as well as some remarkably refreshing versions of older Christmas songs. In order to get a feel for some of the songs that were performed, this incarnation of Ten Out of Tenn is made up of Matthew Perryman Jones (right above), Katie Herzig, Tyler James, k.s. Rhoads (left above), Andy Davis, Erin McCarley, Jeremy Lister, Butterfly Boucher, Andrew Belle, and Trent Dabbs with a surprise performance from former touring member Griffin House, who just got back from touring with The Cranberries.
In addition to being great musicians, these people have their hearts in the right place and strongly support Mocha Club by going out of their way to use their beautiful music to promote this wonderful cause. Mocha Club is based on the idea that if you gave up $7 a month (the price of two mochas), you could contribute to different projects that would have an incredible, positive, impact on the people of Africa who could benefit so much from just a little help from each of us. Click on "Mocha Club" above or follow the link below to learn more.
As the band wrapped up their individual songs, they came together for one last song, and brought the crowd in on the singing, "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" by John Lennon. It was an incredibly moving moment and a perfect one to end the night on.

Artists in picture from left to right (k.s. Rhoads, Tyler James, Andrew Belle, Matthew Perryman Jones, Jeremy Lister, Trent Dabbs, Griffin House, friend, Erin McCarley, Katie Herzig)
Links:
www.myspace.com/tenoutoftenn
www.myspace.com/mpjmusic
www.myspace.com/katieherzig
www.myspace.com/tylerjames
www.myspace.com/ksrhoads
www.myspace.com/andydavis
www.myspace.com/erinmccarley
www.myspace.com/jeremylister
www.myspace.com/butterflyboucher
www.myspace.com/andrewbelle
www.myspace.com/trentdabbs
www.myspace.com/griffinhouse
www.mochaclub.org

Other pictures from the night:

Brendan Benson and Cory Chisel @ Exit/In 12/12/09

2009-12-13T11:38:00.000-08:00

On Saturday night I walked through the door at the Exit/In just as Cory Chisel (left) was hitting the first note of his first song to kick off what would be my first Cory Chisel live experience. Chisel, originally from Wisconsin, had a great voice, great band, great songs, and the perfect stage demeanor to make his set nothing short of superb. Checking in with the audience with a quick "How'ya doin out there" or "Everybody feeling good?" every couple of songs, the crowd cheered back with an extact "WOO" that typically translates to "Yeah I'm having a fun time", but this wasn't the only thing that Chisel asked of the audience. When it came time to do an acoustic guitar/vocal duet with keyboard player Adriel Harris, Chisel asked the audience to quiet down promising that if we were quiet enough to hear Harris sing it would be worth every minute of silence and he was right. The two performed a beautiful duet to a nearly quiet crowd that exploded with applause at its conclusion. From full out rocking songs to beautiful duets to a song that was heavily influenced by Otis Redding, Chisel has staked his claim in the Nashville rock scene. If you haven't heard his latest release, which was recorded at Blackbird Studios with a whole host of Nashville musicians most of which are of the Raconteur crowd, then as Chisel recommends, "...go to Grimey's and pick up a copy." As Chisel finished up his set, the Exit/In became more crowded and if it wasn't sold out by the time Brendan Benson took the stage then it was pretty close.
Benson (right), one of the founding members of The Raconteurs, has been touring this fall and winter in promotion of his new record, "My Old Familiar Friend" which is out on ATO records. Performing many of the songs from this record, Benson and his band were the personification of rock and roll. Some of my favorite songs from his new album that went over especially well with the crowd were "A Whole Lot Better" and "Garbage Day". While Benson is a founding of the Raconteurs, the songs are distinctly different from the Raconteurs, which makes his set a fun, new way, to see into Benson's creativity. In addition to playing a laundry list of incredible original tunes, Benson invited Chisel to join him on stage for a two song Tom Petty encore that consisted of "American Girl" and "Listen To Her Heart", which was an instantaneous crowd favorite. If you were unable to get to the show on Saturday night try your best to keep tabs on when Benson is playing in town again and be there.

Links:
www.myspace.com/thewanderingsons
www.myspace.com/brendanbenson

Other pictures from the night:

(Cory Chisel)

(Brendan Benson)

A Very Delta Christmas @ The Mercy Lounge 12/8/09

2009-12-11T08:03:00.000-08:00

It 'twas a Very Delta Christmas at The Mercy Lounge on Tuesday night, as The Delta Saints (pictured above) brought together some of Nashville's best up-and-coming acts to bring in the holiday season with a bang. Even though the whether was cold and rainy, that didn't stop hundreds of fans from coming out to support their favorite locals and making the night one of my favorites of this chillier season.
The first of four acts were The Westbound Rangers. Joined initially by the incredibly talented Greg Hommert of the Delta Saints on harmonica, the Rangers and Hommert did a rendition of "Rocking Around The Christmas Tree" that got everyone in the Christmas spirit. While they were the one of only two bands to play a Christmas song it was fun and sufficient in fulfilling the need for at least one Christmas song at this Very Delta Christmas. For those of you not familiar with The Westbound Rangers, they are a four piece americana/folk band that features guitar, mandolin, banjo, and upright bass. While the guys are hesitant to be called a "bluegrass" band, which they aren't, there are some definite roots in bluegrass in their music. What makes them different from bluegrass bands is that they pull from many different influences outside of that genre in order to make it much more of the americana variety. In addition to their great stage banter, the Rangers have many songs that the crowd was familiar with, including a theme song that has everyone screaming "WESTBOUND RANGERS" at the top of their lungs during the call and response part of the chorus. After the ruckus Westbound Rangers finished up their set, it was time for The Hollywood Ten to take the stage.
The Hollywood Ten are one of the most unique and powerfully emotive rock bands in Nashville. Period. With the incredible principal lyricist and songwriter Ben Ford (right) at the helm, the band has gained acclaim from many local fans and American Songwriter Magazine. When this powerhouse of a songwriter is teamed up with his equally talented brother, Michael Ford, Jr. (left) on bass and background vocals, the combination is magic. The brothers share an energy with the crowd that I have yet to see be matched by any other band in Nashville. That being said, if you have been following The Hollywood Ten at all in the past year you know that ever since Michael Ford began focusing more on his band Michael Ford, Jr. and The Apache Relay, his presence at a Hollywood Ten show as a band member is never certain. With a cast of incredible musicians rotating through The Hollywood Ten right now, Ben Ford is beginning to re-nail down a band that I think will continue to be one of the best in this town. The band performed song after song that had the entire crowd singing and dancing; and the singing and dancing would only continue as the Delta Saints took the stage next.
Being the only band that I know of in Nashville that, with unparalleled creativity, takes the delta blues and redefines it by mixing southern rock, heavy rock, delta blues, and a little hip-hop feel, this band is seriously one of the most talented groups out there right now. Every single member of this band is extremely talented and they don't hold back. The ground moving vocals of Ben Ringle(center), complimented by the dueling slide guitar and harmonica of John Shaw (far left) and Greg Hommert (left), and backed by one of the funkiest, hardest hitting, rhythm sections consisting of Ben Azzi (right) and David Supica (left in band picture above), this band is practically unstoppable. From crowd favorites "Steppin" to their closer "Momma" fans were dancing, drinking, and having a blast, so much so that the Saints got an encore as the third band of four, which allowed them to do their incredible rendition of "I Want You" by the Beatles that transitioned flawlessly into "I Feel Good" by James Brown. Leaving the crowd screaming and cheering "Delta, Delta, Delta", the band headed back into the greenroom.
Following this act is something that I would never want to do, but bravery is one of the many great virtues of the well-rounded and exceptionally talented Steve Moakler, who is destined to be one of the next big pop acts out of Nashville. Moakler, originally from Pittsburgh, PA., has a knack for writing pop songs that are exquisitely catchy and guaranteed to get stuck in your head, which in all honesty works well for me because I don't mind hearing them on repeat along side my other thoughts. As Moakler powered through his set playing one great song after another his Nashville fan base showed their support and enjoyed every moment of the rare full band performance.

Links:
www.myspace.com/thewestboundrangers
www.myspace.com/thehollywoodten
www.myspace.com/thedeltasaints
www.myspace.com/stevemoakler

Other pictures from the night:

(Westbound Rangers)

(The Hollywood Ten)

(The Delta Saints)

Soundforest.org Xmas Tree Ball @ The Mercy Lounge 12/4/09

2009-12-06T10:48:00.000-08:00

Friday night Soundforest.org had their first annual Christmas Tree Ball at the Mercy Lounge as part of the Sweet Water sponsored concert series called "Winter of Dreamz II" that has several more featured events for the month of December and one in January. As a part of this night three Nashville acts got together to help out Soundforest.org, which is a local non-profit company that brings together a community of people that are interested in planting trees to try and offset carbon emissions. The "sound" part of Sound Forest is referring to the fact that a large part of this community is musicians who are all coming together to support this great cause. If you go to their website you may even see some familiar faces sporting the company's new t-shirts that, when purchased, pays to plant a tree. Because the night was themed as such, there were several Christmas trees surrounding the Sound Forest table and fake snow falling as, the appropriately named Tallest Trees, Karius Vega, and The Protomen brought fans at the Mercy Lounge a taste of some of the unique music that this city has to offer.
Kicking off the night were Tallest Trees, whom I extremely enjoyed. This being my first time seeing them, I did not know what to expect as the three members took the stage, one being the drummer, and the other two being singers that had platforms holding an array of electronic instruments that were foreign to my eye. In addition to this, one of the members played electric guitar and a mini piano, the other played acoustic guitar, and at some points both added additional percussion. The band's unique mixture of live and electronic instruments was superb as they sampled in recorded vocals on top of their own, while building songs from basic drums, keys, and guitar, to full fledged multi-layered beings. With the addition of Karius Vega's background videos covering the entirety of the back of the stage, the band's songs felt as though they were the soundtrack of life.
Following the conclusion of Tallest Trees, Karius Vega continued playing the video but began spinning some of his own tracks. The video that Vega used was designed and created by Vega and added to his infectious dance music. The dance music continued pumpin until The Protomen came on.
The Protomen put on one of the most unique live performances of any band in Nashville. Beginning with an intro hyping up the crowd, who fervently pledged their allegiance to The Protomen, the band took the stage decked out in the all black attire, face paint, and helmet that have helped them to develop their image and garner avid support from their dedicated fan base. The Protomen's version of rock and roll has its influences in 80s rock, hard rock, and hair metal, with an overall hint of rock opera. With this blend of influences the band took their fans into rock and roll battle and, as their hypeman so epically declared, "On this night we battle for trees" and I'm pretty sure they won.

You can catch Tallest Trees and The Protomen for free on Thursday, December 17th with Majestico and Parachute Musical for the Miller Made Music Showcase at the Exit/In, as well as Karius Vega on new years eve for the Moon Taxi New Years Eve party at the Exit/In.

Links:
www.myspace.com/tallesttrees
www.myspace.com/kariusvega
www.myspace.com/theprotomen
www.soundforest.org

Other pictures from the show:

(Karius Vega)

(Tallest Trees playing percussion on top of looped instruments)

(The Protomen with Santa)

Roman Candle, Wild Sweet Orange, and Madi Diaz @ The Mercy Lounge 12/3/09

2009-12-04T09:57:00.000-08:00

The Mercy Lounge filled up on Thursday night as three bands from three different cities came together to provide an impeccable night of music.
The first of 3 is one of the best local artists in town, Madi Diaz (pictured above). With her extremely talented and well rehearsed band, Madi Diaz has developed a sound that is full, yet allows her beautiful vocals to sit perfectly within her highly emotive pop songs. In addition to performing many of my favorite songs off of her latest record, Ten Gun Salute, Diaz also featured several new songs off of her upcoming full length release, which she is currently tracking at Smoakstack Studios here in Nashville. If you live in Nashville and haven't been out to see Madi Diaz, make it the number one item on your list of things to do, and once you see her, you will be so happy that you did.
Once Madi Diaz and her band finished up their set, Wild Sweet Orange took the stage. Wild Sweet Orange is a five piece band from Birmingham which consists of bass, drums, 3 guitars, and 5 band members that can sing. The fact that there were 3 guitar players, and at least 3 people singing for the majority of the set, provided the band the opportunity to create some deep and intricate textures within their folk-rock sound. As Wild Sweet Orange brought their set to a close, I walked backstage to hang out with Madi and her band for a moment as we waited for the final act to take the stage, Roman Candle.
Roman Candle, based out of my hometown Chapel Hill, NC, brought new meaning to the word "rock" with lead singer Skip taking the stage by force with his high energy stage maneuvers which consisted of some pretty impressive jumps and spins, as well as man-handling of the mic stand; all of which only served to add to the band's catchy indie rock and roll sound. While the band is based out of my hometown, this was actually my first encounter with their live show. As I stated above I was very impressed with their level of energy, but what I was also impressed with was the band's control over their dynamics and the accessibility of their songs. Being one of several hundred that were in attendance at the show on Thursday, it was fun to watch dedicated fans singing along with most every word out of Skip's mouth. Also, another point of note is that this band has been extremely busy recording, when not on the road, releasing 3 EPs and 1 full length album in the past year. While the band is done touring for 2009, you can find out about tour announcements from their website or myspace.

Links:
www.myspace.com/madidiaz
www.myspace.com/wildsweetorange
www.myspace.com/romancandle

Other pictures from the night:

WRVU Benefit Show @ The End 11/19/09

2009-11-21T11:59:00.000-08:00

Thursday night at The End was the WRVU benefit show, which featured several local Nashville rock bands and DJs in between sets. In addition to this, it was the Cheer Up Charlie Daniels vinyl release show.
The first band of the night that I caught was Power Brrrd, a trio that reminded me very much of some older punk bands that I saw while I was in high school where it is all about the pure energy of the performance. The band rocked out for their entire 40 minute set, switched instruments 3 or 4 times during that period, and congratulated each other at the end of each song by saying "Good job Power Brrrd". After melting as many faces as possible, Westfolk took the stage.
Westfolk, formally known as Oscar Anthony and the Westfolk Band, is a 6 piece rock and roll band that is heavily influenced by the 1960s and 70s rock era. While the feel of their tunes are of that era, they bring a modern edge to the genre, which allows them to rejuvenate the older style and bring new life to that sound.
After Westfolk was Cheer Up Charlie Daniels, whom were celebrating the release of their new vinyl record "Live from '79". Some of you may be confused for a second about this title, I know that I was, but what they are referring to is "Welcome to 1979 Studios", an all analog studio, where the band recorded their live performance straight to 16 track analog tape. Covered in face paint with a movie projected over the stage right wall of The End, the band kicked off their set with the first song off of their new record and never looked back.

Below are some other pictures from the night.

Links:
www.myspace.com/powerbrrrd
www.myspace.com/westfolkband
www.myspace.com/cheerupcharliedaniels

Paleface & Michael Ford Jr. and the Apache Relay @ The End 11/16/09

2009-11-17T10:13:00.000-08:00

If you were looking for a night of fun americana music, Monday night at The End was the place to be. Nationally touring act, and Ramseur Records recording artist, Paleface brought their unique and undeniably fun show to the stage as the acoustic guitar/drum duo played songs from their new album "The Show Is On The Road" as well as other tunes. With obvious roots in folk and blues, Paleface brings that familiar feel to his songs but with a new twist that is based on the edginess of their live performance and the rawness of the fact that it is just a duo performing them. One thing that I liked in particular about their set is that they were visibly having a lot of fun playing the show. Paleface was dancing and running around the stage nearly the entire time while Mo was holding it down on the drums and bgv's. This energy was definitely felt and given back by the audience as they danced and sang along with Paleface.
After Paleface ended their set, Michael Ford Jr. and the Apache Relay took the stage. As always, the band brought a high level of energy to their performance, but also changed up their set a little bit this night with a few new experiments that I very much enjoyed. One of these experiments happened about halfway through their set as all of the band members playing stringed instruments stepped to the front of the stage, in front of the mics, and performed a song sans PA, which had the crowd silent as they intently listened to the band. In addition to this, they tried out some new songs, all of which went over really well. The band does not currently have any other Nashville shows booked right now, but keep an eye on their myspace for announcements about new shows.

Links:
www.myspace.com/mfjrandtheapacherelay
www.myspace.com/palefaceonline

Other pictures from the show:

Brett Dennen @ The Cannery Ballroom 11/13/09

2009-11-14T10:28:00.000-08:00

Sadly, on Friday night I arrived at the Cannery Ballroom just in time to hear Grace Potter end. I had figured at the time that showing up at 9:20 or so on a Friday night the opener would surely still be rockin, but I was mistaken. Fortunately I have seen Grace Potter before and know how awesome her set is, nevertheless I was still slightly disgruntled by the fact that I only got to hear one song and that it was totally my fault. Luckily, although I didn't know it at the time, I was in for a new live music experience that would push aside all of my disgruntled feelings and replace them with the sweet sounds of California.
Before attending this show I had only heard a few of Brett Dennen's songs, but ever since leaving the show I have had my favorite songs from the night on repeat.
Dennen, whom is based out of Oakdale, California, brings an eclectic mix of influences to his insanely catchy pop songs that had the audience at the Cannery singing and dancing from start to finish. Not only were people singing on their own, but Dennen's crowd interaction was phenomenal with several great call and response parts and some of his own lyrical riffing that made the night a unique experience.

Another unique thing about the night was the demographics of the crowd. Observing this allowed me to realize that Dennen's music transcends age groups from younger college age students to people of my parents generation. This may be due to the fact that Dennen's brilliant blend of California rock with diverse rhythms and vocal tones that are reminiscent of Paul Simon, make Dennen's peaceful perspective on life accessible to pretty much any audience.

If you have friends in any of the cities that Dennen is playing in on the rest of this tour, be sure to let them know that this is a show that they don't want miss.

www.myspace.com/b rettdennen

Other photos from the night:

ASCAP Rocks The Basement @ The Basement 11/11/09

2009-11-14T09:29:00.000-08:00

This ASCAP night at The Basement was nothing short of great! With indie/americana acts taking the stage all night, the display of incredible talent never ended.
While I happened to not make it in time for the first act, the second act that played was Jill Andrews of The Everybodyfields, which was really a special treat. Her songs were beautifully done with great dynamics and feeling, which were conveyed through her lyrics, vocals, and backing band in such a way that you actually found yourself seeing and feeling the imagery described in the songs.
The next act was Keegan Dewitt, a local song writer whom I have seen play on several different occasions and am always excited to see is on the bill of any show that I am attending. Dewitt performed this night as an acoustic duo, which allows the audience to hear his indie-folk songs in a raw, almost elemental, way as his record has a full band and gives insight into how the song may have been when he originally wrote the tunes. He also announced that he will soon be doing a European tour.
After Dewitt was one of my favorite local bands, Michael Ford Jr. and the Apache Relay. These guys bring a level of excitement and passion to their music that is absolutely infectious. From the moment this band steps on stage you can feel their energy as they bring a rock and roll aspect to the americana genre. If you aren't doing anything on Monday, November 16th, make sure that you are at The End seeing them perform with Allen Thompson and Paleface.

Links:
www.myspace.com/jillandrewsmusic
www.myspace.com/keegandewittmusic
www.myspace.com/mfjrandtheapacherelay

Mikky Ekko Showcase @ The Basement 11/10/09

2009-11-14T08:56:00.000-08:00

If you were one of the many people in attendance at The Basement on Tuesday night, you will be able to attest to the fact that this packed out show was one of extremely high energy. Mikky Ekko delivered his performance with commanding stage presence and powerful vocals. With songs that have an unique, emotive, spacious feel that envelopes the audience, while also weaving in textures of pop and rock, listeners couldn't help but feel the energy and bob their heads along with the beat. Be sure to check out the next Mikky Ekko on December 17th @ 12th and Porter with Sarah Silva & We The Living.
www.myspace.com/mikkyekko

Space Capone @ The Mercy Lounge 11/6/09

2009-11-14T08:26:00.000-08:00

For those of you who have been to a Space Capone show before, you know how much fun they are, for those of you who haven't been to a Space Capone show, you NEED to go to one. These guys bring the funk every time with grooves that will have you dancing the entire set. This night in particular was a blast because not only was it a great
turn out, but it was also Space Capone's birthday and he had a packed Mercy Lounge to celebrate it with. You can check out their tunes at www.myspace.com/spacecapone

What is the Local Lightning Spotlight?

2009-11-13T09:39:00.000-08:00

The Local Lightning Spotlight features Nashville artists on Lightning 100 for a full week of air time. We play these bands at 2:45 and 8:45 to show our support of Nashville artists. Click here for more information on how you can get your band local band on air. Local Lightning Spotlight is also a collective of Nashvillians who devote their lives to seeing amazing local and nationally known musicians.