If I wasn’t going to be traipsing around New Orleans this weekend for VOODOO Music Fest, I’d be at this show. Great lineup of local and national bands, and will be hosted by Dean "Tex Rambunctious" Shortland, and–god forbid this is actually true–the one and only, Basil Marceaux. Wha…?! But you definitely don’t want to miss Chancellor Warhol, or Space Capone. And do I even need to tell you to not miss the Ying Yang Twins? Now that’s a timeless act right there. Check here for more details. —Deli Editor

Looks like some pretty "colorful" entertainment will be happening in Nashville this weekend, especially at 12th and Porter. It also looks like it might be a good idea to try and snag advance tickets for a lot of the shows going on, because they’re probably gonna be pretty packed. Go here for more information and tickets.–Deli Editor

The South African hip-hop group, Die Antwoord–known most notably for their recent ViRaL video, "Enter the Ninja,"–will be playing at Cannery Ballroom on November 3rd. This is very strange, especially considering that local favs JEFF the Brotherhood will be opening, along with Rye Rye (which makes a little more sense). Despite how varied the influences are that are detectable in Die Antwoord, I wouldn’t call their music very comparable to Jeff. But they’re awesome and we love to support, so let’s just say that they add a little flavor to an already tasty lineup. If anything, this show has to be one of the more curious, interest-peaking shows that has come through Nashville this year. Go here for more information, and to hear a nice story–(I think this might be their press release?)–about how Ninja (the lead singer) accidentally got the other half of the Die duo–VI$$ER–pregnant.  And do yourself a favor and watch some of the kooky music videos when you’ve got some spare minutes.–Deli Editor

This will be a cool show to anyone whose interest is peaked by the following:

Dresden Dolls.

Amanda Palmer.

Vermillion Lies.

ZOE BOEKBINDER.

Try and figure out how they’re all related. Well–not really. Just go to Foobar tonight at 9 pm to catch Zoe’s set, as well as local artists Holmes & Presley and Erin Manning–one of our co-editors! Show is only $5 AND there’ll be some great drink specials. Think "shot’o tequila and a PBR for $5…" Who can resist that? AmiRight?! Go here for additional show details. See you tonight!–Deli Staff

If you mashed up the alternative genres skirting the mainstream during the’70s and ’90s and churned it out with one guitar and drum set in a snarling, sexy, dirty mess, you’d have “Mountain,” the second full-length by Murfreesboro-based band Turtle Bangs. I could draw countless comparisons to the in-your-face energy of Patti Smith, the raw minimalism of the White Stripes, the psycho killer weirdness of Tom Waits, the slow seduction of The Stooges and more, but you’d do better to hear it yourself.

Turtle Bangs are best known for tearing up house shows around Murfreesboro, and there’s something to be said for cramming into a tight living room to hear the music resonating so loudly, you feel like you’re taking a beating from the kick drum and a stabbing from the guitar. But after hearing “Mountain,” it’s pretty clear the band is ready for more venue gigs.

A strange, tribal riff (very Neil Young) oozes slowly out on first track “Desert Stone,” with guitarist/vocalist Greg Stephen’s cracking howl: “You are what I want/you are the desert stone/you are the serpent’s tongue.” The rhythm may be slow, but it’s white-hot. Then Casey Carter’s drum beats stumble one after another over Stephen’s fits and stops of crunchy riffs in “There Is No Time.” Bare-bones as the album may be, each song is profoundly multi-faceted with tracks that can go from jam-band slow to warped speed over the course of two minutes. They can perpetuate meandering riffs until they’ve caught you in a trance as well as pound you over the head with short, angry chords, as found in “Wipe.”

The last half of the album grows somewhat softer with songs like “Oh My Brother,” which has a different melodic quality than the others that swaps sordid and hectic thrashing for something that borders on pretty. And though “Mountain” is riddled with blues influence, Turtle Bangs mainly explore the different outfits of punk from frenzied, hyper-tempo lust songs (like “Shake”) to slow, spiraling striptease songs like “Molly” in which Stephen implores in a ghostly moan so much like Iggy Pop, “I wish that you could find me and put me back together again.”

“Mountain” possesses a perfected sloppiness that’s difficult to achieve, especially with only two instruments, but Turtle Bangs pulls it off, and is one of the only bands that can sing about shaking it (listen to “Shake”) and convince me to actually do that. For those who need a serious dose of grungy garage rock paired with punk, “Mountain” is the cure. Let the healing begin. – Jessica Pace

From the poppy heights of their last sunny EP, Yellow Jr., Overzealous comes down from their sugar high with the darkest recording they’ve done to date. It has no heavy instrumentation, only a heavy heart. Titled “The Valley,” the five-song EP forges through the lows of guitarist/vocalist Dustin Sellers’ divorce. As the first recording they’ve done with new drummer Nick Morro, they sound complete as a trio and are still making music in the same way, but lyrically, things have pivoted to reflect the frustration, bitterness and boredom of Sellers’ experience. Abandoning their upbeat musicianship to spin a more ominous musical web, this is the most weight Overzealous has ever carried, and yet the tracks still retain a distinct glass-half-full feeling. 

Overzealous can still craft a beautiful, eerie melody, without relying on synthesizers, as they prove with the title track. Underneath a hypnotizing, shimmering sweep of guitars, Sellers sings, “She floats down, upside down, through the valley.” As far as Overzealous albums go, this is the most cryptic as there’s more room to speculate with the lyrics while the instrumentation, though still up-tempo, has come far from the simple catchiness of previous endeavors. Though vocal styles are nothing alike, instrumentally the band shares melodic similarities with Foo Fighters, stripped-down riffs with Band of Horses and even some of the cold ambience and airy percussion of Nada Surf and Matthew Good Band. Besides ’90s sentiment, “The Valley” has a quiet voice that may take a few listens to fully realize, but the melodies are no less interesting than those of other Overzealous albums. – Jessica Pace

Tyler Durden (Fight Club) once said, “You are not a beautiful and unique snowflake.” A Thousand Horses seems to be cool with that. Instead of molding to the pretensions of rock, they pay homage to their predecessors in their Southern-rock infused self-titled debut EP. This, ironically, makes them pretty unique.
Frontman Michael Hobby looks the part of the “long haired hippie” he sings about in “Travelin’ Man” and personifies the rock n roll stereotypes that exist because it’s rock n roll, damn it. With a voice that sounds like a younger Chris Robinson (The Black Crowes), he has a raspy, bluesy lilt that is evident on every track.

The rest of the band consists of Bill Satcher on lead guitar, Graham DeLoach on bass, Zach Brown (no, not that one) on guitar and Shane Lenzen on drums. Their five-track EP was recorded with the help of producer Dave Cobb in Silver Lake, CA. They recorded in one room as a full band, which is perhaps why the album has the spontaneous and eager feel of a live show.

Each track seems to channel a different ghost of rock past, most notably Tom Petty and Led Zeppelin. The lyrics of many of the songs on the EP solidify their “been there, done that” attitude of touring musicians, who both mock and adore the lifestyle they’ve chosen. The music, however, is the actual proof that these guys know what they’re doing. The natural harmony of the electric guitar, bass and drums make it evident that this band has been doing more than jamming in a garage.
The stand out track is hands-down “A Thousand Horses,” which fittingly features The Black Crowes guitarist Rich Robinson. The band plays so seamlessly together on this track, I kept hoping for a Slash-inspired extended guitar solo. The rest of the album is exactly what a rock album should be: simple, fun and catchy enough to remember the lyrics after your seventh PBR.

There’s nothing trendy about this EP and it doesn’t take any gimmick lessons from Ke$ha (the dollar sign still perplexes me). It’s a jam-til-4-a.m.-don’t-take-your-shoes-off-at-the-door-buy-someone-a-drink-and-make-some-bad-decisions kind of album. And that is definitely rock n roll. – Krystal Wallace

It seems Gabrahm Vitek was hardly resistant to the band of gypsies that captured him in his sleep. Feeding him nothing but soul, Mr. Vitek has been munchin’ on some funky jazz with some jivy cats. Marginally different from anything I remember hearing at Christopher’s Pizza in 2007, I can assure you that soul-tapped and face-lifted, Mr. Vitek has seen the light.

His latest full length album, Soular Flares, flows as smooth as the lively licks it encases. Gabe has put some serious concentration into making an album that transitions flawlessly. Intentionally starting things out on a train ride to the heart of the record, he breaks things up with three instrumental interludes, showcasing his dive into compositional experimentation as he swims around sounds like Radiohead’s MK1 and Pulk/Pull Revolving Doors.

Sandwiching these Radiohead-esque interludes are effortlessly catchy songs like “Your Turn”, “It’s On”, “You Got Fire” and “No Look Dancing”. (Check out the music video for "No Look Dancing" here). Up-beat and full of soul, you can expect to hear some vibrant horn solos, powerhouse backup vocals, and classic Gabrahm Vitek piano riffs. A delightfully interesting match-up, Gabe’s poppy vocals (at times Ben Folds, at times Jamie Cullum, at times straight Vitek) have a way of jumping around on a bed of jazzy instrumentation, yielding some very fresh originality.

Gabe dresses up his thoughts on love, women, and coming of age through his contagiously danceable beats – however, he doesn’t forget to slow things down with intimate and personal tracks like “Needle + Thread”. Despite this healthy combination, it’s obvious that “No Look Dancing” is the core of the album – allowing listeners to kick off their shoes and let go of the reins.

Soular Flares feels like one of those records where one lightbulb led one artist deep into a cave of invention – remaining reclusive until the music baby was ready to be born. Lucky for us, Gabrahm Vitek will be releasing this gem, polished and perfected, October 22nd at The Basement. Not to mention he has roped in a solid A-team of Nashville’s finest rhythm and groove players. I’ll see you there.–Mackenzie Grosser

After last year’s release of Denitia Odigie’s “Brick By Brick” EP, her fans were probably expecting something a little different from her recent full-length debut, “Vitality.” There is a major departure from Odigie’s previous soul-infused folk-pop sound, confidently heading in the direction of soul-pop and RnB.

Basically everything that Denitia writes or records is “soulful” in some respect, but damn… “Vitality” has got soul. We’re talking Erykah Badu-meets-Chaka Khan, then throw in the most tasteful elevator music, with a little bit of Shelby Lynn—(if the girl had some class)—and that’s what Denitia has dished out. From start to finish, this record is in a constant state of grooving; relaxed or raunchy; sweet or sultry. It’s all there. At the same time, “Vitality” manages to be what is probably the most laid-back set of recordings I’ve heard all year. Few artists can actually accomplish creating a record that not only grooves, but relaxes, from start to finish.

While old Odigie seemed to favor the “acoustic route,” “Vitality” does the opposite with a lushness of layered padding and a fusion of jazz/RnB instrumentation; (think flutes, saxophone, and strings). You can easily hear all of these additional instruments on, “Always Be With You,” where they are almost made more of a focal point; the sweet, softness of Denitia’s voice seems to carry the music right along, rather than the music carrying the singer. This song is a hidden gem in an album that I would already deem as a treasure trove of material. There are 6 tracks in a row that knock you over with solid quality.

Starting with “Tightrope,” (the standout track, in my opinion), listeners are jerked in a surprisingly different direction from the first track with a sound that isn’t heard anywhere else on the album. This is the real “foot-stomper,” centered around a catchy, grinding guitar riff, combined with a style that is similar to Jack White’s bluesy folk-rock, and the approach of a songstress like Grace Potter.

While “Tightrope” has the most “exceptional” sound on the album, the majority of the other songs are equally as strong in different ways. Odigie channels Rosario Flores or Suzanne Vega on “In Flames,” with a Latin-infused feel, while the ethereal ambience of “Sold” is incomparable. Even the tunes that were previously used on “Brick by Brick” were revamped, and have become considerably different versions from the previous ones, while the other remaining tracks surprisingly lean towards being a bit more experimental. Some of the songs even sound borderline industrial, such as, “What Is It Like,” which is, yet again, another interesting and pleasant contrast.

Denitia Odigie has reached a new level of maturity with the sound and direction she has taken with “Vitality,” yet she still manages to sound fresh and classic at the same time. You should hear her for yourself at her Nashville CD Release Show, which is taking place on October 17th at the Hard Rock Cafe. You can snag a copy of her album here.–Erin Manning

Photo by Michella Pace

J-Roddy Walston and The Business is a mouthful for an alt-country band opening for Shooter Jennings & Hierophant Friday night. J-Roddy trekked here from Baltimore to play some rowdy key- pounding, Skynard-like tunes, which was enough to please a circle of dancing audience members up front. There were a lot of boots, denim and long, tangled hair flying (except for on the drummer, who must have a day job), and the enthusiasm gave the foursome a down-home charisma even if the songs were running together towards the end of the set.

By this time, a packed venue was pumped and waiting for Shooter, whose set commenced with a recording of dialogue by Stephen King. It was difficult to hear over a boisterous crowd, but on Hierophant’s concept album “Black Ribbons,” released in spring of this year, King provides narration as Will O’ The Wisp, a DJ broadcasting his final show before government regulation infiltrates the airwaves.

The accompanying music is just as ominous; on parts of “Black Ribbons,” Jennings moves from his country genes towards dark and entrancing psychedelic rock. It’s still alive with whiskey-sour riffs, but they’re blanketed by some eerie keyboard work and drilling guitars which, when paired with Jennings’ dark, throaty vocals, sounds kind of like electrified Tom Waits, and many “Black Ribbon” songs are made poignant by one particular instrument, be it the shrill pounding of a key or the cold, hollow pop of the snare.

But then the foreboding air lifted after the first two songs and, to the delight of all the Waylon fans in the crowd, buoyant and hard-driving country rock was back and Jennings was singing “kiss my ass goodbye” in “Manifesto No. 1.” He presents the multiple facets of the album, alternating melancholic psych-rock with up-tempo country rock all while singing the blues, and balanced things out when he announced that he would be playing one for “all the Waylon Jennings fans” before beginning “Rainy Day Woman.”

If you hear an album as powerful as “Black Ribbons” for the first time live, the recording can have less of an impact. But luckily the set, which lasted for a solid two hours, was filmed and sold with the merch, so every song and Jennings’ repetition of how glad he was to be back home in Nashville was caught on tape. – Jessica Pace

There is no other way to enter a Space Capone set than shakin’ and groovin’. Greeted by fellow funk lovers, sunshine on our backs and a whole day of music ahead, the energy was positively radiant. Stacked with groovy breakdowns, tasty guitar riffs and the tightest horn section in town, everyone knows that Space Capone only comes to deliver topnotch performances. Recently named one of the 3 best bands in Nashville by The Scene and the Atlanta Braves band of the year, they truly lived up to their predictably hyped name by getting the party started in solid Space fashion.

The Running helped keep the positive energy going by segueing the crowd from “I just want to dance” to a reggae-rock fusion. Their determination to keep everyone moving with their psychedelic vibes and shred ready guitar solos was not only catchy but also surprisingly original. It’s hard to find a predominantly reggae band that doesn’t feel like a Sublime or Ziggy Marley knock off, but these guys have mastered a grunge/reggae/rock fusion that might even leave a hint of Nirvana in your mouth. Regardless, they kept things fresh and even busted into a little blues number at the end. The trio proved to be a solid festival staple giving the hoopers something to groove to and the drunk Asian boy in the flannel pajamas another reason to thrash around.

As the wind picked up and the cold weather set in, Jeff The Brotherhood had a hard job to do. Amidst the gloom and chilly campers their music had a difficult time warming us up and quite possibly left a few of us deaf. With a similar look and appeal to Joey Ramone, lead vocalist Jake Orrall gave it his all despite his self-proclaimed electrocution and ability to disregard the music cueing him off stage (or was I the only one that heard that?). However, in all fairness, they did have some solid instrumental breakdowns that reminded me of my old school Vans and Marlboro 27s.

Turbo Fruits (whose name made a lot more sense after the fact) had a similar punk rock love affair with music but with a hell of a lot more punch. With each song no longer than three minutes they did a significantly impressive job of reelin’ out the surf rock and keeping up with the energy. Lead singer, Jonas Stein had some sweet jumps that made their tribute to the Volcano Vaporizer all the more entertaining. A fun band with a badass drummer, Turbo Fruits delivered a tight performance leaving me singing, “I wanna go where the stars don’t shine” for the rest of the evening.

After a trip back to the car for many cold weather amenities, we were refreshed and ready to be giddy with Keller Williams and his freakishly fast moving fingers. It was interesting to go from one end of the technical spectrum to the opposite, as we stood waiting for said legendary songwriter Daniel Johnston. As people swarmed around me mumbling things about devil sightings, schizophrenia, and a triumphant victory over a crashing jet plane, I was needless to say intrigued. As Daniel took the stage I was left speechless and confused. Playing an acoustic guitar with half a neck, we watched as he fumbled through his binder to find the right words while uttering something about being in Arkansas. Joined by Cage The Elephant, I started to see the resemblance to Kurt Cobain, but can’t say that I will every fully understand his following. I’ll leave this one up to the other critics.

After a set by Morning Teleportation, we were left anxious to see Nashville favorite, Moon Taxi. From house party to headliner they killed their set with help from trippy black space suits outlined with dancing glow stick figurines. Like all Moon Taxi sets, they came ready to jam. With dueling solos between lead singer/guitarist Trevor Terndrup, lead guitarist Spencer Thompson and keyboardist Wes Bailey, the crowd was found in a serious head banging unison. Their musicality, stage presence, and successful means of dressing up jam rock, leave Moon Taxi to be a forever loved and sought after group – and rest assured, they will be back.

A proud mama moment for all of Nashville, Starry Nights paid quite the tribute to our hardworking musicians. Hats off to the guys at Happy Salmon and everyone else that helped to bring the festival back for another year. –Mackenzie Grosser

Starry Nights Music Festival celebrated its third birthday this year, and celebrate we did. Born and raised in the heart of Bowling Green, Kentucky, Starry Nights was held at the same sound location as previous years. A seemingly smaller and colder version of Wakarusa, this festival had all the well-liked components of your camping festival experience. Consisting of two stages encircled by merchants, food, and what I thought was a UFO light structure, the main area left ample room for hoopers, dancers, and shade dwellers alike. Campers set up just outside the music allowing trips to coolers, bonfires, and port-o-potties to be effortless. And then there was the music…

This year’s Starry Nights was nothing shy of an honorary party for Nashville’s hardest working talent, brought to us by our hardest working promoters. A very “coming of age” moment for Happy Salmon Productions, this festival showcased the endless success of Nashville’s industry professionals and their sought out artists alike.

Tesla Rossa and Rayland Baxter started things off Friday with early afternoon sets, and I rolled in just in time to see an unfortunate cancellation by The Ettes turn into a fortunate set by The Kingston Springs. Sun shining and crowd rushing, the Springs sounded as natural as their debut EP Vacation Time had promised.

Armed with serious components of musicality, chemistry, performance, and originality, I’d say they have an ideal thing going right now. Lead vocalist Ian Ferguson doesn’t hesitate to let his high-pitch vocals resonate atop the tightly knit drum and bass duo cutting up the background, as guitarist James Guidry jumps in with rivaling harmonies. As much as I hate to compare them to other artists, their sound is very Vampire Weekend moves to the West Coast – has a baby with an indie rock woman with Beatles influences that plays the tambourine…if that makes sense.

With consistent and contagious energy throughout, I couldn’t help but think to myself, ‘they don’t even know what they have right now’. Fresh out of high school, their stage presence was almost frightening – starting out songs like “Little Girl” with a bass riff and keyboard fusion resembling that of a Flaming Lips intro. Does anyone smell a record deal? Needless to say, my expectations for this group were high, and it was a pleasant surprise to see them generate hype both on and off the stage.

In a nutshell, Friday’s highlights consisted of a beautiful appearance from HoneyHoney, an energy hyping set by Sleeper Agent, and the unpredictable and perfected crowd surfing by front man Matthew Shultz from Cage The Elephant. Cage ended their set in collaboration with Autovaugn covering “Killing In the Name Of” by Rage Against The Machine…and leaving the set with a chipped tooth and side cramp I couldn’t have been more pleased.

Ghostland Observatory dipped into the morning with a light show that yielded confirmation from the US Air force, leaving the late-night crowd more than content. I’d say despite my choice to wear flip-flops and a skirt in mid-40’s weather, it was a fine start to the weekend.–Mackenzie Grosser