Congratulations to The Wooly Mamas, The Deli Nashville’s newest Artist of the Month.  The band may have caught your ear once or twice around town, as they have been sharing bills with quite a few other Nashville sluggers: The Daily Howl, Blackfoot Gypsies, and That’s My Kid, to name a few.  The Wooly Mamas got their start as a cover band, and built their catalog of originals as the trio outgrew their sets of Tom Waits, Hank Williams and Wilco tunes and sought an outlet for their creativity while maintaining their respect for the classics.  It was a very organic, and really, most optimal outcome for a story that starts with ‘three dudes in a cover band-.’ Whether you’re a long-term, devoted fan that threw down a vote on Day 1, or this is the first time that you’ve heard of the trio, one thing has been made clear: they rock hard enough to win this month’s poll.  Listen to "Make Sure," one of the two songs they released this past December, then buy them a beer at fooBar on April 26th for being winners. -Terra James-Jura

Fast Astronaut lost a point with me for not being efficient enough to name their band Fastronaut, but really, that’s my own bias against the space bar (or spacebar?) They earned it back with the track “Balance,” which gets better and dancier with each minute, and won me over completely after I listened to their entire “Invisible Sun” EP. Released March 1st, it’s a very well-produced bundle of synth-pop that, while mainstream-friendly, throws in some interesting turns that prevents me from immediately dismissing it as Top-40 flotsam. The EP has a hopeful heart that I can appreciate. Check out “Balance” for yourself below, and pick it up from their Bandcamp if you like what you hear. –Terra James-Jura

Trade in an ampersand and take out ‘the,’ and Melon and the Mayhem could easily pass for the name of a trendy new localvore restaurant somewhere in The Gulch, instead of an indie-pop band strongly influenced by jazz and Big Band swing. Mary Ellen “Melon” Klein leads her band The Mayhem through vintage numbers that are smooth enough to flirt with the boundaries of easy listening. The band is kicking off their East Coast tour in support of their second EP, “Bluerise” with a show at The End this Wednesday. “Cinnamon Eyes” is the first song off the album; it definitely hits its stride when the saxophone enters the picture during the bridge, but, face it, few things do not benefit from a sax solo. –Terra James-Jura

Has anyone been tapering their training schedule and carbing up in anticipation of The Tour de Fun on Saturday?  No?  Has anyone cut back to one pack per day to at least make it to The East Room without keeling over? Yeah… about that…

This weekend finds some great bands coming through town with some great local bands supporting them, as well as plenty of opportunities to watch music, ride bikes, and day-drink.  

Friday:

Bully is about to get a huge bump in notoriety and awesomeness in opening for Superchunk at The Mercy Lounge.  9pm, $15

Over on the other side of the compound, Vinyl Thief is playing with INTL (formerly The Young International) and Phin at The High Watt, 8pm, $7 (check out their new live video for "Slow Down" below)

 Wandering Eye, Take the Power Back and The Cherry Bombs make up a night of cover bands that you will actually want to see at the Stone Fox.  I mean, who wouldn’t want to see an all-female tribute band to Rage Against the Machine? (Well, I guess anyone with Superchunk tickets…) The show starts at 8pm, and cover $5.

Current Deli Nashville Artist of the Month Mouth Reader is playing at The Boro in Murfreesboro with Thumper, Boyfriend and Good Sex, 9pm

Saturday:

*repeat repeat Album Release Show at Mercy Lounge with ELEL, Blank Range and Churchyard, 8pm, $10

Lightning 100 Spring Block Party at Marathon Music Works with The Wild Feathers, The Apache Relay, Sol Cat, Roots of a Rebellion and more. Doors are at 3pm, tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door, and more details are available here.

Tour de Fun in East Nashville starting at 11am with a cookout at Riverside village, and going on all day. 30 bands at 13 venues; full schedule here.

Saintseneca with Blessed Feathers and Honey Locust at the High Watt, 8pm, $12

Sunday:

The Sunday Post at the Basement includes Radar Vs. Wolf, Them Vibes, Nelo, Sound Cards and The Summer Country.  The show starts at 8pm, no cover. 

Kylie Rothfield EP Release Show at 12th and Porter. The show starts at 8pm, and the $10 cover gets you a free EP as well.  

Was there a better way to start a week than with a lineup of female leads? The East Room hosted "The Ladies of Rock" on Monday, April 7th, and among them were New York transplants The French Lips. Vocalist Sophie Kadow possesses a smoky voice that has a strong capacity to kick ass. The East Room lent the kind of dirty that Monday night drinking calls for with a stellar line-up including Kelly Ruth, The Dead Deads, and Lady E and the Blacklight.  All of these groups deserve greater attention, but the slow burn of "Stray Dogs" warrants your immediate concentration, so you can pick up on the nuances of Kadow’s exchanges with the growing guitar noise in the track. Those lucky enough to catch the show (and ignore the thought of working on Tuesday morning) will agree how phenomenal the song was live.  -Amanda Aydelott

Congratulations to Kansas Bible Company for being the third and final band to win The Road to Bonnaroo series at The Mercy Lounge.  While the 11-member strong marching-cum-rock band may have had the numbers in their favor, their utter attack on the last slot of the night, complete with choreography and drummers planted in the audience, gained them the winning vote. Guthrie Brown and the Family Tree came out as fan favorite of the night, but, like the rest of the contenders, will have to shelf their ‘Roo aspirations of smelling 10,000 dreadlocks roasting in the sun for another year.  Check out the classic video for "How to Build a Planet" for a reminder of the rambunctious physicality that makes KBC so freakin’ fun to watch.  The band’s next Nashville show will be Arpil 19th at Mercy Lounge. -Terra James-Jura

From the top of her bio, Kelly Ruth instructs: “Follow your bliss, and I’ll do the same.” Her bliss has lead her to steadily craft a collection of folk songs with a 1960’s pop mentality, as demonstrated by “Blue-Eyed Lover” below. Her bliss has also inspired her to collaborate with visual artist Sadie Monroe to create “SHIFT: a Sensory Movement.” With the objective of “awakening in-taker’s senses to alternative existence,” this will be a multi-media event that will occupy The East Room for the next three Mondays in April (4/14, 4/21, 4/28) involving photography, art instillations and musical acts invited by Ruth, including Jordan Hull, Elise Davis, Honey Locust, Phantom Farmer, Charlie Whitten and Julianna.

The first night of the residency will be April 14th, at the East Room (promised to be ‘transformed’ by Monroe.) The event starts at 7pm, and the cover is $5. –Terra James-Jura

*repeat repeat’s debut album, “Bad Latitude” was officially released on March 11th, but it took a minute for the band to get in the position to ring it in proper. With an aptly named spring tour behind and Bonnaroo looming on the horizon, the band is dedicating April 12th as their hometown album release show. Keeping with the Manchester theme, fellow Music City offerings to the ‘Roo altar ELEL and Blank Range join the lineup (as well as Churchyard), and the opportunity to win two weekend passes to Bonnaroo is available to those that order presale tickets (available here.)

As for the record, let the thrashy pop-cocktail of “Chemical Reaction” do the talking. –Terra James-Jura

While the Deli doesn’t like to confuse our readers with too many good live music options almost as much as it doesn’t like confusing its cats with a laser pointer, it is a neccessary and fortunate evil. Be forwarned: the breadth and scope of events for next weekend is roughly doubled (also, if the cats are reading, get ready for some Garage Camping!)

Friday:

Tom Pappas Collection Single Release Show at The High Watt, 9:30pm, 

Year of October, Hot Mess Loves You, and  No Fun Intended open for Black Market Research at the Mercy Lounge, 8:30pm, $7

Earl Burrows with Devil May Care and Dean Jackson (members of Deer Tick and Turbo Fruits) at The Basement, 9pm, $5

The Goddamn Gallows Live Cd Recording Party at Exit/In with JD Wilkes and the Dirt Daubers, Phil Hummer and the White Falcons, and the Whiskey Hill Swillers, 8pm, $12

Black Cat Sylvester, Fistikuffs and  Al-D at The End, 9pm, $5

Arkansas Elvis at Springwater Supper Club with Eyes Like 20 and Nobody’s Leaving, 9pm, $5

#RAPCLUB presents Big Lo with kidDEAD, Mountainwalker, The Trinity Schill Kill, and Chris tha Skytrotter at the East Room, 10pm, $5

Saturday:

The Grayces at The East Room with Hot Mess Loves You, Blue Matches, The Simpletons, 9pm, $5

Rock out and raise money for a good cause with Kink Ador, Hollywood Kills and The Opposed at 12th and Porter, 9pm, $10  

The Daily Howl join The Wooly Mamas and The Greg Bachman Band at Springwater Supper Club, 9:30pm, $5

Future Unlimited with Forget Cassettes, Friendship Commander and Patrick Baker at Mercy Lounge, 8pm, $10

Tipper Whore with Birdcloud and Penicillin Baby at The Stone Fox, 9pm, $5

Sunday:

Dan Rossen (of Grizzly Bear) and William Tyler at Mercy Lounge, 8pm, $15 advance, $20 DOS

Adia Victoria, Elise Davis, Idle Bloom, and SC pop band The Explorer’s Club at The Basement, 8pm, no cover

The Grayces may have dropped off the radar for a minute, but not without just cause: they were working on their second full-length album, "Westing." While the release date is set for June, The Deli got lucky and was granted and advanced copy. Click HERE to read a full review of it. The Grayces are playing a set chock-full of new material at The East Room this Saturday with Hot Mess Loves You, Blue Matches and The Simpletons.  

Need to hear "Westing" immediately?  Well, son, the band is keeping a tight grip on the online presence of the new stuff, but our friends at The Written Record were kind enough to let us include this video of The Grayces performing a few tracks off  the album at Electric Kite Studio.  Enjoy! -Terra

 Future Unlimited have proven themselves to be vital architects of Nashville’s electronic scene, drawing a great deal of attention last year when Shia Lebeouf seized the chance to direct the music video for their single "Haunted Love." The resulting piece of film was disturbing enough to garner its own attention, but turned on hundreds of viewers to the group’s spooky, dreamy vibe.  The band has found a recent kinship with Nashville notables Forget Cassettes, joining them, along with Friendship Commanders and Patrick Baker, to give you the opportunity to lose yourself in a couple of intense, synth-saturated hours at the High Watt this Saturday, April 5th.  The show kicks off at 9pm, and costs $10. -Terra James-Jura  

Congratulations to Mouth Reader, our new Artist of the Month. They won through grit, determination, and good ol’ fashioned Facebook bombing. Their next show is April 24th at The Boro Bar and Grill in Murfreesboro, so until then, rock out to their brand-spankin’ new single, "Slave." -Terra James-Jura