Nashville band, The Turbo Fruits, are playing at the Mercy Lounge tonight and opening for Colour Revolt. Tickets are $8 ($15 if you want a CD), and the show starts at 9:00pm. For all other info, go here!–Deli Editor

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Congrats to Heypenny!–Deli Editor

“Neo-Classic Rock” is an apt way to describe Reno Bo’s style. Their music follows in the footsteps of those great groups from the 1970s, never aping a particular band, but every once in a while you can hear echoes of the likes of Boston ringing from their amps. Their lyrics also have a sort of old-school feel to them: on one ballad, the singer croons the saccharine-sweet line, “I see stars when I’m looking into your eyes.” Keeping with the retro theme, the outfits could have been borrowed from the closet of Steve Miller or Van Halen – lots and lots of denim. The bassist was wearing moccasins (perhaps a ‘60s throwback?), and I hope the other guitarist/singer was aware that, with his long dark hair and basic tee/jeans combo, he had quite a Mike Myers from Wayne’s World thing going on. (I also hope that he doesn’t still live in his mother’s basement and date a psycho hosebeast.) Reno Bo ended one of the best Basement line-ups I’ve seen in a while, and in my honest opinion were not the most interesting act that took the stage Sunday night. (With their updated take on the British Invasion—powder blue suits, light-up mike stands, and raw boogie-woogie rock played on gorgeous vintage instruments—Dozen Dimes stole the show for me.) However, I will say this: Reno Bo’s drummer looks a bit like Steve Buscemi with a Jesus haircut, and plays like a cross between Animal and a very rhythmic octopus.–Christine Smith

At first glance, there’s nothing especially striking about the Kingston Springs: they don tried-and-true indie garb (plaid lumberjack shirts and tight jeans), and you can tell who they were listening to when they wrote their songs (Kings of Leon, Modest Mouse, maybe even some Fleet Foxes). But somehow, they’ve come up with the formula for musical success in Nashvegas. Sure, having a legendary pop icon in the family helps—singer Michael McDonald is the uncle of one of the boys—but it’s not everything in this town. After all, the chance to catch a glimpse of the ex-Doobie would not have been enough to draw a crowd of 150 or so on a Thursday night – particularly a Thursday night when the Black Keys and Tom Petty were in town. What these kids have going for them are a transparency and honesty in both their music and persona that are somewhat endangered in the Music City indie scene. Yeah, I have better-recorded EPs in my collection, but the home-recording quirks of their album give it a bit of grit and youthfulness that is infectious (plus, how many of the screaming teenage girls from Thursday’s concert are going to care if the mix isn’t always 100% spot-on?). As for the release show, the Springs were so overjoyed that often they were simply speechless and would just have to keep playing, and play they did. The keyboardist/guitarist/trumpeter astounded with his multi-tasking abilities; the gawky bassist gave Victor Wooten a run for his money; and the drummer was as clean and inventive as ever (you’d never guess that he picked up kit less than two years ago). And of course the handsome lead singer could have charmed the mini-dress off of any adoring high school girl of his choice – if, you know, his mom wasn’t there and all. Yeah, the kids are all right.–Christine Smith

Nashville’s own little babe-fest punk band, Heavy Cream, will be releasing their debut, full-length, vinyl LP, "Danny," on Infinity Cat Recordings on August 24th.
They also announced a string of tour dates with JEFF the Brotherhood, Detroit Cobras, Vivian Girls, Boogie Boarder, and more.
Go here to download an mp3 of "Watusi"

Heavy Cream – 2010 Tour Dates:
Aug 18 Exit In (w/Screaming Females & JEFF The Brotherhood)18+ Nashville, TN
Aug 20 Rock’s Off Cruise (w/Detroit Cobras)21+ New York, NY
Aug 22 Comet Ping Pong (w/Vivian Girls) AA Washington
Aug 26 Discoteca (w/Gestapo & Khazi) AA Chattanooga, TN
Aug 27 Pilot Light Knoxville, TN
Aug 28 Snug Harbor Charlotte, NC
Aug 30 The Box Charlottesville, VA
Aug 31 Black Cat (w/Unnatural Helpers) Washington DC
Sep 1 Union Pool (w/Boogie Boarder) Brooklyn, NY
Sep 2 Cake Shop (w/Unnatural Helpers) New York, NY
Sep 3 Flywheel (w/Sweet Apple) Easthampton
Sep 4 The Meat Locker Montclair, NJ
Sep 5 Elf Parlor North Adams, MA
Sep 6 The Rock Shop (w/Pterodactyl, Dinowalrus) AA Brooklyn, NY
Sep 7 Death By Audio New York, NY
Oct 8 Hi-Tone (w/JEFF The Brotherhood & Cy Barkley) Memphis, TN

Baaaaadass!–Deli Staff

Friday night at The Basement was Andrew Combs’ EP release party, with additional performances by Rayland Baxter and Caitlin Rose. It was probably the most likeable lineup of young, local folk/country artists that has happened in Nashville for awhile, and this was reflected by the large turnout, as well as the shared sentiment of appreciation for good times, great tunes, and southern pride (cringe). But in defense of all you country folks, this was definitely some quality Americana, and the farthest thing from Toby Keith, Bob Rosenthal, or…Heehaw.

Rayland Baxter started the evening off by easing everyone’s heat-stricken nerves with several of his wistfully lovely folk songs—one in particular that was presumably called, “Don’t You Fly Away, Boy.” Baxter’s tone and the gentleness of his delivery were like Mason Jennings, combined with the sensibilities and style of Brandi Carlile, Ray LaMontagne, or even Patty Griffin. He created the perfect mood for Andrew Combs’ set that followed.

Combs offered an upbeat, classic country-inspired group of songs consisting of the 5 from his first EP, "Tennessee Time," as well as a cover or two. With my limited knowledge of old-timey and classic country, my best description would compare Combs’ voice to a less bright Gram Parsons, with the songwriting style and lyrics of Townes Van Zandt. His modern take on the tricks of all the old country legends was refreshingly authentic–especially the two honky tonk numbers, "Hummingbird," and "Wanderin’ Heart"–which had all the girls on their feet as they sang along on the simply sweet chorus, "We fly so high on the wings of lover’s words, take me home to my hummingbird." There was something special about seeing the beautiful Heidi Feek performing by his side the entire time, which was almost ironic, considering that her father, Nashville singer/songwriter, Rory Feek, now performs in a country duo with his wife as well.

Whether songs like, "Tennessee Time," and "Too Stoned to Cry," were completely autobiographical or not, they still seemed surprisingly introspective for someone so young, but that was one of the notable qualities of his performance. He believably embodied his songs and their words, despite the seeming contrast between his age and the subject matter. It wouldn’t be surprising in the least to find out that Andrew Combs really does spend his summers at the Cumberland Gap–sitting in rocking chairs, growing wiser and angstier than his country counterparts. His demeanor was also more genuine than other young Nashville folk artists–as much as the old-timers that seem to have influenced him. Proper tribute was paid with his laid-back, bluesy cover of Linda Ronstadt/Dan Penn’s tune, “Dark End of the Street.”

The throwback to the 1970’s seemed to be the ongoing theme of the evening, given the artists that Combs’ (and Caitlin Rose’s) music seemed to be most reminiscent of. For the sake of indulgence, I imagined Andrew Combs as Don Henley and Caitlin Rose as Linda Ronstadt; THAT’S the kind of authenticity we’re talking about here! Rose performed after Combs’ rousing performance–a ten song set that was one of the more polished shows she’s given. Her supporting band was a solid ensemble that will hopefully be sticking together for Rose’s upcoming tour, including Jeremy Fetzer on guitar, Jordan Caress on bass and background vocals, and Skylar Wilson on keys. The popular favorites were sung with ease, i.e. "For the Rabbits," "Sinful Wishin’ Well," and "Learning to Ride." The real kicker, however, was the ballad, "I’m Leaving" which was powerfully moving with Caress’ beautiful vocal enhancements to Rose’s already satisfying melodies, as well as the ambience created by the combined efforts of Fetzer and Wilson. Two delightful covers followed—the first being Joanna Newsom’s, "Jackrabbits," and the second being Tom Petty’s, "Need To Know," and boy oh boy did everyone really start whoopin’ it up for that one. Combs, Baxter, and Feek hopped on the stage to sing along with her, and that was the telltale sign that the show was a success, and the night would be remembered as a joyous occasion. Everyone should be encouraged to catch any/all of the artists’ future performances, as well as purchase a copy of Andrew Combs’ EP.—Erin Manning

This weekend is the grand opening of Rocketown’s newer, and better location at 601 4th Ave. South. For anyone who is remotely interested in local music, this is actually important, because it’s Rocketown that has been, and continues to teach Nashville’s youth how to run a music scene. It’s almost shocking just how strongly Rocketown’s presence and influence permeates throughout Nashville in the form of some of our most prominent bands, (i.e. PUJOL, Meemaw, Marj, Put’er There, Modern Hell, The Industry, etc), but many people never realize this because their opinions of Rocketown are oftentimes based on the stigmas that seem to be attached to it. Don’t act like you haven’t heard someone say things like, “That venue only has Christian metalcore bands play there,” or, “I can’t get roaring drunk at Rocketown because they don’t allow alcohol and they’ll take my cigarettes…Probably ‘cause they’re Christian…” Lucky for you, those stereotypes and stigmas are only partially true—(it is indeed an alcohol and tobacco-free zone, but deal with it)—and they are also only a miniscule part of the purpose and actual Rocketown experience.

I recently sat down with Rocketown entertainment manager, Reagan Thomas, and venue staff supervisor, Daniel Pujol, to speak more in-depth about what Rocketown does for the Nashville community and music scene. It’s a lot more than you would expect, because it isn’t just a music venue, or a skate park; it’s a community for youth from all walks of life.

“Rocketown is there to serve as a safe place for anyone who needs it. The point is not to tell people what to do, or act as anybody’s parents, but to provide kids with an outlet, or the option of going there if they need anything,” said Thomas. Original founder, Michael W. Smith’s idea of a safe place just happened to be associated with Christianity, (as well as the board of directors, who provide a portion of Rocketown’s financial support), which is where the faith-based principles found in its mission statement come from.

But there are different ideas of a safe place or a community for different people, which is why Rocketown serves to enhance the lives of over 400,000 kids each year, through their various internships, programs, and services. Many of these are provided for free, or a very minimal price, including after-school programming, where classes are offered on everything from video editing and graphic design, to tutoring and art classes. You can learn how to do things like break dance, skateboard, play an instrument, or book a show through one of their many different clubs, or have band practice and hang out at the skate park or the coffee bar. The new location will offer a recording studio for bands and artists, as well as a small, local music store that will be kid-driven, and kid-run.

In addition, the new location will offer: a dance studio, an auto garage/bicycle kitchen for anyone wanting to learn about auto/bike mechanics; a bigger skate park; a new coffee bar; a green room and shower area for travelling bands; free, temporary living space for people who need help getting on their feet, PLUS all the stuff the old Rocketown had. Badass, huh?

By providing a consequence-free environment/giving kids a chance to mess up, Rocketown attracts open-minded youth, and is able to bring different communities of people and music together.

“We’ve got travelers and foster kids hanging out with kids from Brentwood and Franklin, and the J.C. Napier Lafayette projects collaborating with metalheads on music,” according to Thomas.

“It’s all about inclusion,” said Pujol. “[Kids are] raised on the internet; they’re smart…George W. Bush isn’t president now…It’s all about diversity…What they have in common is they’re all different. But the way the building is presented in public has to change…Being a faith-based organization doesn’t need to be a focal point, because that’s not the only thing about the building.” All you dudes and dudettes need to realize that Rocketown is less about ideological consistency and more about working with kids—encouraging, teaching, and enabling them to run their own music scene and be as inclusive as possible. This means no specific genres, (aka the superficial Rocketown Christian metal identity).

This also means that anyone can play a show there where they don’t have to pay to use a real sound system, and an engineer who will actually care about making an unknown local band sound good. That’s hard to find in Nashville, so you should try and find a way to support Rocketown so that they can continue to make all of the kiddies’ dreams come true. You can do this in one of two ways:

1) Volunteer! Nothin’ like some good’ol hands-on help.

2) Make a donation! 

Let’s all say thanks to Rocketown this weekend at their grand opening festivities. They deserve it!—Erin Manning

If you thought you had found all the buried treasure in Nashville’s local music scene, you thought wrong—unless you’ve been lucky enough to stumble across The Little Bear—Infinity Cat’s atypically non-punk trio. They are quite the hidden gem—never seeming to play with any of the Infinity Cat staples, i.e. JEFF the Brotherhood, PUJOL, Heavy Cream, etc.—(probably because they aren’t a punk band). Instead, they play pop/rock with a hint of folk, lead by singer/songwriter Claire Guerrero, who is joined by Mandy Rogers on keyboards/vocals, and Justin Baker, on electric guitar/vocals. A good comparison would be local folk band, Korean is Asian, but more upbeat and less folksy.

The Little Bear tends to entrance you with tight harmonies, and clever, polyphonic little ditties to build a more rhythmic layer of sound above the ambience of the keyboard/synth and electric guitar. (The song, “Parachute,” is a good example of this). The background vocal bedazzlements are a central theme in their material, helping to create both of The Little Bear’s dominant styles, which are either abundantly pretty folk/pop, or more theatrical, pop/rock. Listening to “Slow and Steady,” is like listening to Queen’s “Killer Queen,” with the bouncy, almost big-band approach, while “Coldest Cloud” almost grinds along to the point of being an old PJ Harvey tune. This variation in material is admirable, and while Claire will tell you that her biggest influences are Portishead, Fiona Apple, Bjork, and Stevie Wonder, her songs are also reminiscent of Jewel, Tori Amos, or even Michelle Branch (before she got pregnant and joined The Wreckers).

Assuming that none of the members of The Little Bear get pregnant, they should have some pretty exciting things going on in the near future. They recently recorded an album with Infinity Cat founder/legendary songwriter, Robert Orrall, and sound engineer, Jacquire King, whose previous collaborations include Kings of Leon, Norah Jones, and Tom Waits. You can also look forward to hearing SEXTTAPE, which is an upcoming split tape they’re doing with PUJOL on Infinity Cat Records. The Little Bear seems to be riding on a fast train that’s headed to the land of fame and fortune, so you should get on that train too, and take it to their next show, which will be at the 5 Spot on September 24th.—Erin Manning

Check out the Kopecky Family Band show(s) and other upcoming events in conjunction with the release of their new album, "The Disaster:"

–Tuesday August 3rd–iTunes Release!

AAANNNDDD

–Tuesday August 3rd–In-store performance @ Grimey’s, 6pm

–Sunday, August 8th–CD Release Show @ 3rd & Lindsley, 8pm

—Deli Editor

There was quite the crowd gathered at the Rutledge last night to hear an early performance by Katie Eck. In appearance, and sound, Eck very successfully played the part of a soulful diva. She was accompanied by a 5 piece band that looked like they had just gotten done playing for the Queen of Soul herself—(Aretha Franklin, dummies)—along with 3 background vocalists, and a set of pipes that could’ve blown the roof off of the place if it hadn’t been for her impressive control and tasteful melodic choices. Eck’s voice was reminiscent of Kimberly Locke and Joss Stone with her power and vibrato, but stylistically, she was more Alicia Keys, Ray Charles, or—I hate to use the same comparison for any wailing, female soul singer, but—Aretha Franklin. (The first song erupted into a finale finish of “Hit The Road Jack” that was Ray Charles-worthy. ‘Nuff said).
Katie’s original songs were more melody-driven and R’n’B/soulful, while the covers that she chose seemed to aggressively stride along the gospel side. The song that was (probably) called, “I Can See Heaven,” had a delivery and feel that was comparable to “If I Ain’t Got You,” by Alicia Keys, or even a Cece Winans approach. (And how ironic is it that Cece Winans’ daughter was standing nearby during that song?!) You couldn’t help but get the impression that Katie has had a lot of experience performing in church, most likely in front of huge crowds, given her notable stage presence, and the spiritual nature of many of her songs. This is something that makes her stand out, however, because there doesn’t seem to be many Nashville female Christian artists who mix their live performances with more stylistically mainstream, “non-Christian,” artists. (PAGANS). That isn’t a good or a bad thing—it’s just interesting.
Katie Eck’s songs are good enough to get the toes tapping of even the most irreverent, morally questionable show-goers; she cunningly tricks her audience members into enjoying her songs (because they’re good), thus making the subject matter merely an afterthought. You can decide for yourself by going to her website, where you can download some free songs from her EP. Check her out next time you get a chance.—Erin Manning

Chancellor Warhol
…http://www.myspace.com/chancellorwarhol

Brett McLaughlin
http://www.myspace.com/brettmclaughlinmusic

Check here for event info!–Deli Editor

“Bittersweet Horizon”’s bell-like melodies resonate like a morning alarm.  This sophomore full-length by Awake! Awake!, released the first of July, echoes with crisp synthesizers and wiry guitars that cut like cold air, beginning with the instrumental “Colors” intro, which leads into “Distance.”  Frontman David Johnson’s voice is introduced, which is lower pitched than the emo vocal trill expected.  An ethereal sonic quality reminiscent of Paper Route is present throughout, even on more gravelly tracks like “Firing Squad.”
The band works hard to keep the lengthy album from dragging; there are fifteen tracks, one of which is a bonus and three are pretty acoustic versions.  They pull it off by keeping the airy rhythms varied and invoking nostalgia at times.  The grating guitars and smooth jangle of “True North” bring to mind guilty pleasure ’90s pop rock (Gin Blossoms, anyone?), and you can appreciate the honesty in the lyrics, even if instinct tells you to recoil from such blatant expression of love.
Check out the choppy licks of “Disarmed” or the ocean noise that sweeps in midway through “Harbor Lights” to get a taste of all the lights and darks of the album.  Even in Awake! Awake! has some things to tighten, they’ve put forth a confident follow up to their debut, “We’ve Been Strangers.”  Complemented by Johnson’s vocals, which sometimes bear the shaking intensity of Matthew Good (the ’90s just won’t die), the music sparkles and changes color from upbeat to intense. –Jessica Pace