Shooter Jennings returns to his Nashville tonight at Exit/In. The only child of Jessi Colter and the legendary country artist Waylon Jennings, Shooter takes after Dad not only in looks; he’s most famous for doing the country thing, and he does it with a hard riff to make good old-fashioned Southern rock. But this time he’ll be playing with band Hierophant, which formed in 2009 and in 2010 released “Black Ribbons,” a concept album featuring narration and dialogue by Stephen King. With Hierophant, Jennings abandons alt-country for rock that’s more on the psychedelic side. Either way, it’s going to get rowdy, and J-Roddy Walston and The Business will be opening, so come check it out at 8 p.m. – Deli Staff

Photo courtesy of NBN Summit

Venue hopping between Exit/In and The End wasn’t a bad way to spend the last night of Next Big Nashville, what with Cheer Up Charlie Daniels, some colorful out-of-towners and The Pink Spiders’ original lineup playing one of their many “last shows.” I walked into The End when The Lonely H was midway through an outstanding set. The term “Americana” makes me cringe, possibly because the term is so general and overused, or because so many play/try to play it. But if any band can jam blues, folk and rock and roll together and execute it in such a meticulous and infectious manner, it’s The Lonely H. Though the crowd was small – just a few Kings of Leon look-alikes in skinny jeans and hats who all seemed to know each other, it was roots-and-hard rock candy to the ears, made ten times better by the smiling bassist who just looks absolutely thrilled to be in the band.

Across the street, what was possibly one of the most theatric and visually compelling sets of NBN was heating up. Cheer Up Charlie Daniels and Kyle Andrews had already played, but when you walk in and see a clutter of TVs onstage, you know Heypenny is there. Seeing a Heypenny show is like being in Munchkin Land for a dance party. They’re colorful, costume-clad and ridiculous, and whether you laugh at them or with them, comedic lyricism and Ben Elkin’s aptitude for banging out a good beat on the keys makes it worth seeing at least once. Peelander-Z followed, a Japanese group based in New York whose heavy riffs are sort of a bonus to their crowd interaction. Few bands are so interested in the audience that they’d start a conga line in the crowd, pull showgoers onstage to play their instruments and engage in a game of human bowling.

The Protomen brough in a lot of people from outside Nashville, though their crowd was smaller than what they’re used to. A friend told me you have to acquire a taste for Protomen, which may be true; while the people close to the front were clearly big fans, some showgoers near the back seemed less than interested in this masked and face-painted band. I found all the beckoning to the audience a bit arrogant and one attendee remarked that they didn’t play their best songs. Though the songs didn’t really resonate with me, at least they’re loud, ambitious and capable of playing. Plus if you didn’t like it, by closing day of NBN, you probably couldn’t hear it anyway. –Jessica Pace

Photo by Jordan Jacquess

It was an hour later than scheduled with a line snaking down the side of the building before the show at Third Man Records was filled with the din of garage rock and snarly pop punk. It was basically punk night at Third Man, and the venue was pretty much packed for the first set. A super-elevated stage made my usual 5’3”-girl-stuck-standing-behind-a-6’-guy problem nonexistent, which was a pleasant surprise because there was a lot to see in terms of band presentation . Cy Barkley, a fairly new trio of boys who like noise, went on first. They’ve got a 7” out now and are looking for a new moniker for the band, which is currently named after their lead singer and founder. Their gritty Ramones-reminiscent punk riffs and the guttural shouts of the frontman were good, but stage presence paled in comparison to the foursome that followed.

Heavy Cream’s pixie-like frontwoman (Jessica of MEEMAW), clad in skintight leopard print, stole Karen O’s orgasmic vocals and Iggy Pop’s gyrating movements, and it was captivating throughout the entire set of under two-minute songs about stiff legs and girls named Tina. Her squeals and howls were befitting for the grating guitars and percussive rumble backing it, and as a side note: a dollar for every time she showed us the whites of her eyes would have bought everyone a beer or two.

Cheap Time’s mash of scratchy garage rock and punk sentiment with elements of ’60s pop makes for a dynamic set, and towards the end of the erratic session of stripped guitars and cymbal-heavy percussion, Jemina Pearl (formerly of Be Your Own Pet) joined them onstage for a song. That was the last set I caught at the venue, but I’ve little doubt pop-rock trio The Ettes kept up the same energy before JEFF the Brotherhood finished the night. – Jessica Pace

(photo courtesy of nbnsummit)

Me and my gal pals were real jet setters on Thursday night, starting things off with a little trip to the Gibson Show Room for the Nashville Scene VIP party, where we chowed down on some bbq and slammed some free shots–compliments of Patron, Firefly Vodka, and Fireball Whiskey. We really felt like the Queens of Sheba as we boozed and schmoozed with some of the NBN artists who were going to be playing later, including Fly Golden Eagle, Jordan Caress (of Tristen and Rayland Baxter), The Delta Saints, Frank the Fuck Out, Hollywood Ten, Apache Relay, Megan McCormick, and the Nashville’s Dead dudes.

Next we made our way downtown to Live On the Green, hoping to catch Garrison Starr and Sixpence None the Richer, but arrived just in time to hear Leigh Nash (of Sixpence) singing the last 10 seconds of their final song. What a letdown! So we went with Plan B and mosied on over to Mercy Lounge, where we were pleasantly surprised by Uncle Skeleton.

For those of you who remember Kindercastle before that precious ensemble broke up and went their separate ways, Uncle Skeleton is Kindercastle reincarnated. Uncle Skeleton featured many of the original Kindercastle band members, an almost-full string section, and played that same ELO-inspired, Romantically classical-tinged pop-rock. Most of the songs were instrumental however, which seemed to be the main difference between the new band and the old one. It was still pretty and very nicely arranged and orchestrated, so there should be no complaining.

Finally…the moment we had been waiting for arrived…sort of… We trekked up to 12th and Porter to hear Sarah Silva’s highly-anticipated set, and of course, she blew our brains out with her belting. Everyone was so lost in female-fronted band land by that point, that we even decided to stick around for Like Candy Red, who was kind of like watching the white girl, Nashville, TN version of En Vogue. We think the girls were three sisters, although we didn’t really care, because we were too busy groovin‘ and shakin‘ to their synchronized dance moves and cray cray stacked harmonies and wailin’… Thursday night’s Next Big Nashville lineup was a home run for us.–Erin Manning

I kicked off this year’s Next Big Nashville by dropping by the Belcourt Theater last night to watch the premier of the new Brooke Waggoner live concert documentary, “And the World Opened Up.” Filmed and produced by Charlie Peacock, the film included live footage and highlights from Brooke’s performance at ArtHouse in Nashville, as well as interviews with the artist and some super cute animation.

The performance at ArtHouse was rather notable because it featured Brooke playing all the hits (i.e. “Go Easy Little Doves,” “Femmes,” “Godwin,” and “Find Her Floods”)—but with a chamber orchestra as a backing band. As if Brooke Waggoner’s music isn’t gorgeous enough, who doesn’t get shhhiiiverrrs from hearing a full string section? Plus, some of Nashville’s other local artists participated in the performance or film footage, such as Natalie Prass and Kelsey Kopecky singing background vocals, Zach Casebolt playing violin, and Kai Welch playing trumpet.

The live interviews with Brooke revealed some very interesting insights into her musical background, including her huge influences by Romantic composers Debussy and Rachmaninov, to her fascination with and belief of Mozart as being the true King of Pop. Audience members also learned that she is very passionate about film scores, and would like to eventually compose music for films herself. Her artistic and songwriting processes were examined, showing how she makes her own orchestral arrangements, where she draws lyrical influences from, and how she began forging her career from age 9.

And may I just mention that she sat right in front of me at the theater? So for some reason, that made the experience even more satisfying for me. I guess because it’s so refreshing to see an artist keepin’ it real…? Anyway, the film was riveting and beautiful on an aesthetic AND musical level, so go here to purchase a copy, or to find out how you can see it.—Erin Manning

Heidi Feek’s debut EP, “Eden,” is a refreshing approach to country music, gracefully blending Americana, folk, bluegrass, and pop to create an impressively strong first release for the Nashville singer/songwriter. The album consists of 5 original songs, and features some very tasteful instrumentation by several of Nashville’s other young, up-and-coming artists, including Andrew Combs, Luke Herbert (The Deep Vibration), La’akea Presley (Holmes & Presley), Austin Manuel, and Markus Midkiff (Kopecky Family Band). Even after hearing the variety of musical styles that went into the recordings, one cannot help but suspect that Feek’s songwriting skills are more than capable of keeping her listeners engaged and interested—with or without such an appealing group of collaborators.

Heidi has admitted that she has numerous musical influences—including Don McClean, Marty Robbins, Jackson Browne, and Joni Mitchell—yet her music only subtly reflects these varied inspirations, creating a sound that is unique and more authentic than most of her female contemporaries. A major factor in this is her tone—a mezzo blend of Roseanne Cash and Neko Case, combined with her own distinctive vocal scoop. Outward simplicity and straight-forwardness make tracks like, “Blue Tonight,” “Jane,” and “Eden,” curiously reminiscent of Gillian Welch or Emmylou Harris, while also exemplifying Feek’s relaxed style and approach to her lyrics and songwriting.

The other two tracks, “Let You Back In,” and “Sylvia,” are noticeably catchy and were probably written with a more crossover “popular” style in mind. For those who favor more pop and less bluegrass, “Let You Back In” offers a chorus that could give Sheryl Crow a run for her money, whilst “letting listeners in” to Feek’s inner angst with the lyrics, “I’m alone—now wasn’t that the point of you comin’ over? No one’s home, ‘cept for this conscience on my shoulder, sayin’, ‘I was wrong, for makin’ a mistake again…After so long…after so long.’”

For bluegrass and country fans, the woeful wailing and perfect harmonies of the Heidi Feek/La’akea Presley duo on, “Blue Tonight,” are gradually beguiling, as well as the illusory title track, “Eden.” Feek’s ability to healthily balance traditional country styles, while simultaneously adding her own contemporary flare qualifies her solid conception of “Eden” as a rather notable accomplishment. As an album, it is simply lovely.—Erin Manning

P.S. If the text on the picture isn’t enough of a hint, Heidi Feek’s EP release party will be taking place on October 4th. Go here for more information. See ya then!

Quick quick quick! "For Nashville: For Haiti" has brought together 30 different Nashville based artists from various musical genres for the purpose of clothing, feeding, and providing shelter to those who have been displaced either by the January 2010 earthquake in Port Au Prince, Haiti, or the May 2010 floods in Nashville, TN. Every penny of the profits from this 2 disc release will be split between The Community Foundation of Middle TN for Nashville’s flood victims, and GLOW Ministries International for Haiti’s earthquake victims.

Artists on the album include: Dave Barnes, Andy Davis, Hot Chelle Rae, Sarah Silva, Space Capone, Kopecky Family Band, Alvin Love, B.e.t.a., Erin Manning, Justin Caldwell, and many more. Visit their website for more information if you’re interested.

And fyi, it will only be available for purchase up until October 16th, so snag your copy asap!–Deli Staff

A name like, “JP, Chrissie & The Fairground Boys,” invokes images of a rough-and-tumble group of good’ol boys fronted by a buxom blonde, but that’s not exactly the most accurate description of the new side project of The Pretenders front woman, Chrissie Hynde, and Welch singer/songwriter, JP Jones. Considering that none of the advertisements or press were allowed to link the new band with anything related to The Pretenders—(just a little something I overheard one of the bookers mention)—there was a surprisingly impressive turnout at their first tour date stop, which was at Exit/In on Saturday night. Despite the regrettably modest and somewhat misleading advertising, word must have travelled through the grapevine that Chrissie Hynde was going to be performing, so Exit/In was still beleaguered with Pretenders generation dudes and dudettes, a considerable amount of gals whose motto was presumably, “Gurlz Rock,” and even a handful of swooning women who were there for JP.

Now I must be honest; I hate side projects, most of the time they suck, and I really just wanted to hear Chrissie Hynde. So sue me. But JP Jones was swarthy and clever, his Welch brogue appealed to my girlish nature, and the 5-piece band offered sweet, sweet, angsty New Wave-meets-pop/rock at its finest. And dare I say it—they reminded me A LOT of The Pretenders—(that’s my last reference to them—I swear)—but only in a good way. JP added a fair amount of romance and delicateness to the songwriting and feel of the music, while the band replaced synths with extra guitars to steer slightly away from New Wave, and more towards folk pop with a hint of blues. (Listen to “Fairground Luck” and you’ll see what I mean).

Hynde’s familiar punkish-yet-pretty delivery and melodic tendencies were wonderfully ubiquitous, although she seemed content with letting JP have the spotlight most of the time, frequently stepping back to simply play guitar or tambourine. She even made several cheeky remarks about having no desire to have any notice paid to her from some superfans, and consistently directed all attention to JP. This is probably because 1) Chrissie Hynde is a badass, aaannnddd a bitch, (which makes us love her more), and 2) because she and JP were involved in a rather torrid love affair, which is apparently how the band and their album came about.

Their failed romance is a major theme in their material, which may sound one-dimensional, cliché, (or just plain awkward since they’re touring together), but they offer a unique take on a familiar situation because both perspectives went into each song. Combine the wisdom of a woman who is, “past her prime,” with the youthfulness of a man who is just reaching his, and you’ve got some delectably witty, genuine, and insightful tunes. The key tracks were presumably “Perfect Lover,” and “Fidelity!,” which gave a proper explanation to the “f’d up” situation those two got themselves caught up in, but in a touchingly pretty way. The catchiest tunes were probably, “Your Fairground,” or “Fairground Luck,” while “Misty Valleys” and “Never Drink Again” were absolutely gorgeous. The chemistry of Hynde and Jones was quite intriguing, and as my co-editor, Jessica Pace put it, “they were like Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks.” A “New Wave” version. From the perspective of being one of the youngest people there, I felt like I was witnessing something kind of historical and special, so that was good. Daaamn goood.–Erin Manning

“NJC is a 14-week television celebration of the various music genres, bands and performers that help make Nashville ‘Music City USA,’" says Executive Producer/Creator, Rick “Hypeman” Toran. “We are fortunate to have Director, Casey Culver, former production staff member on HBO’s True Blood, Emmy nominated reporter Stephanie Langston, Editor & Columnist of The Tennessean’s MetroMix Magazine Heather Byrd, and movie/video editor Craig Culver….just to name a few….working on NJC’s 2010 season! We’re very excited to offer the fans a sneak peek of our new format and high production quality that offers exposure to some of the best unsigned music talent Nashville has to offer.” Toran is joined by Executive Producers, Michael "Max Fab” West and Robert R. Eva. The TV show will officially launch on WZTV Fox 17 in Fall 2010.

NJC has partnered with the W.O. Smith Music School to help raise funds in support of their mission to provide quality music instruction to children from low income families. W. O. Smith Executive Director Jonah Rabinowitz states, "W.O. Smith Music School is proud to partner with Not Just Country in support of music education in Nashville. We are excited to collaborate with a program that is in the forefront of presenting the variety and breadth of music that abounds in our city.” Donations will be collected for the school during the event and throughout the television campaign.

Guests will be treated to live performances by Cobalt Blue (reggae), Cold Stares (blues/roots) and the Darling Parade (power pop/rock) along with exclusive viewings of the first two episodes of the new season shown on the Hard Rock Cafe’s Reverb Room BIG SCREEN and on closed-circuit television throughout the venue. DJ Victor Chatman of Victor Chatman Productions will provide musical interludes.

Not Just Country, will be kicking off its new season with “The New, Not Just Country, Premiere Party” on Friday, September 17th at the Hard Rock Café in Downtown Nashville at the corner of 2nd Ave and Broadway. The event is free to the public (18 and over), and doors open at 7:30pm. The Hard Rock Café will provide a 50% discount off of parking to guests. Go here to view flyer and directions.

This season will feature many of The Deli’s favorite local artists, including, The Worsties, Chancellor Warhol, K.S. Rhoads, and The Deli’s own Erin Manning. Be sure to check out the show, as well as stop by the TV premier party tonight!–Deli Staff

There is a particular rawness about music, that when captured right makes your whole world fall apart. It somehow seems to strip away the lies you’ve been telling yourself, and make apparent the realness of the world you live in; sorting through muddled love to find clarity. Rayland Baxter’s music does this for me.

A true folk artist for the people, Baxter has mastered the combination of poetry and music, leaving you with something that feels unrefined and unmistakably sincere. His latest EP, The Miscalculation of Song, showcases Baxter’s rich and rusty vocals, as they lay perfectly atop a bed of haunting slide guitar and romantic acoustics. It is nice to hear a musician that still puts as much effort into their lyrics as they do the music that accompany them. With thematic parallels of nature and women, love and love lost, Rayland’s music tells a story that is timeless. Burying his influences deep within, Baxter retains originality while reminiscing about the all-American story of our past and of our future.

An incredible songwriter and musician to match, Rayland Baxter is an Americana artist to keep your eyes on. Be sure to check out his latest EP, paying close attention to, “Hoot Owl”, “The Woman For Me”, and “Troubadour”. —Mackenzie Grosser

Oh, the legendary Deli party. Long absent and long overdue, it was finally resurrected Monday night with a good old-fashioned 8 off 8th at Mercy Lounge. The first time I went to a Deli party was two years ago in West End, and by the end of the night I somehow wound up becoming a writer for the blog. Since then, Nashville Deli festivities have waned. As the first party we’ve thrown in many moons, it started off like a young fawn, shaky and uncertain, but with a lineup of bands worth their salt, (hello, Holmes and Presley, Erin Manning, Alvin Love, Paper Machete, Evan P. Donahue, Turtle Bangs, Modoc and Overzealous), free swag and of course, some boozy and jovial showgoers, the Deli’s comeback party was, at least, a respectable shot at our first fiesta in a long while.

Thanks to rock and roll trivia right before, 8 off 8th commenced with an already-convivial atmosphere that peaked mid-way through the night and crashed before the final two sets. But as far as lineups go, the Deli was happy to host some fine Nashville talent, like Alvin Love (if Mr. Rogers had a soulful, poppy guest artist on his show, it would probably be Mr. Love), Americana/hard-rock infusion Modoc, and Turtle Bangs, an endearingly grody garage rock twosome from Murfreesboro.

Sets were short and sweet as usual, but that kept an already-diverse selection of bands interesting. Turtle Bangs might have given Nashville a taste of something it’s not used to, playing three rowdy, guttural numbers from their just-released album, “Mountain.” Modoc and Overzealous also have new EPs in the making and just-released, respectively. The last two to go on, they unfortunately played to a nonexistent crowd, but we know—it was a Monday night, so all who bailed are forgiven. I guess. At any rate, the Deli says thanks to everyone who came out, and to the guys at Mercy Lounge for letting us throw down there. Perhaps a weekend date is in order for next time. And there will be a next time. – Jessica Pace

The term singer-songwriter elicits images of coffee shops, tortured souls and just about any character from “My So Called Life”. That’s why Jay Brannan, though he falls into this art-house trap, is a completely refreshing and bitingly honest turn from the suicide-inducing norm. The openly gay Brannan took the stage at 3rd and Lindsley Wednesday night looking every bit the quirky solo act, and also one that could have just stepped out of an Urban Outfitters catalogue.

What followed was an earnest set (and the stuff little boys’ dreams are made of) as he gave a performance that seemed to be a mixture of his Facebook “About Me” page and the heartaches that would never make it to the cyber world. His voice was chillingly clear and in choir-like perfect pit throughout the show. Putting a new face to the traditional angry girl folk singer, he makes the genre his fabulous own.

With only two studio albums under his belt, he played songs that fans have come to expect (evident by the applause that came within the first two chords of each song he played.).Beginning with the song “Home”, he set the mood for a night filled with similar sentiments that are found in the lyrics, “Late nights in Hollywood/Banging guitars and boys/ Swing sets and cigarettes were our joys.” Ani Difranco would be proud; Ann Coulter would be disturbed.

He followed with almost every track from his 2008 release “Goddammed,” and interjected some notable covers: “Zombie” (The Cranberries), Black Boys on Mopeds (Sinead O’Connor) and “Every Little Bit” (Patty Griffin). Perhaps the most unique cover was Lady Ga Ga’s “Nothing Else I Can Say,” before which he told the audience if they remembered nothing else from this show they should take with them the first lyrics of the song, which are: “Cherry, cherry boom boom gaga.” Sorry to disappoint you Jay, but I get the feeling the audience took away a different message altogether. Which is somewhere along the lines of: Forget the Rufus Wainwright comparisons, Jay Brannan is his own (more disarming) force to be reckoned with. – Krystal Wallace