Nashville Music Blog

Apparently the local music peddlers at Grand Palace are "getting rid of all of [their] CDs." Unlike most idle threats you get from retailers claiming complete liquidation, methinks the Grand Palace folks are for real. They say they will, however, continue to stock all local releases in their local section.

To celebrate this momentous and glorious step in our little store's history, we will have a CD SALE THIS FRIDAY (Nov. 21) AND THIS SATURDAY (Nov. 22) in which ALL CDs WILL BE 50% OFF. This includes both new releases and our used stock (where everything is already $5 or less). However, the sale will not include local or consignment releases. You know how it is.

There's a reason to make the drive to M'boro if I've ever heard one.

King Khan & BBQ. Photo by Steve Cross.

For more photos, check out the slideshow.

We had high expectations for Thursday night’s performance by the King Khan and BBQ show, having been promised an experience that would make us want to “break chairs, have sex.” So when we walked into Exit/In, just as the Canadian two-piece were beginning their set, we were surprised at the number of patrons still wearing jackets. This crowd didn’t look ready to start breaking anything, let alone make love to each other! The club may have been a little drafty, but shouldn’t Nashville’s rock 'n' roll fans have been working up a sweat—or at least drinking too heavily to feel the cold?

The band had the right idea. While BBQ was dressed conservatively, in black pants and shirt, black cape and red turban, King Khan brought some flash, performing shirtless in Daisy Dukes, a curly pharaoh wig with gold headband, and a sort of gold mesh shoulder garment festooned with mirrors. Apparently he’s the exhibitionist of the two?
The dudes got things started with an old favorite, “Waddlin’ Around,” and moved quickly through a set heavy on rhythmic stomp, while showing off their stylistic range. The crowd seemed a bit bewildered by their doo-wop-y slow jams (“Into the Snow”), but their fast punk rockers (“Dock It #8”) did get people jumping around excitedly enough to bump us in the nose. As we wittily remarked at the time: “Ouch, that really hurt!”

By the end of the set, even the non-moshers were ready to get down, at least a little bit. They complied with Khan’s request, at the beginning of a brief encore, to “get into it, clap your hands.” This display of moderate enthusiasm managed to impress the band, at least by contrast: Khan went on to note that “last time we were here, it sucked shit.”

The show ended all too soon around midnight. By that time, there was no sign of spontaneous chair breakage, but at least one audience member had removed his jacket, and revealed a flamboyant fashion statement of his own: an ironic Christmas sweater. And it’s not even Thanksgiving!

As an official casualty of the Summer of Dreamz, I've warned you all several times against tempting fate and trying to control your destinies by redubbing various seasons with names ending in unnecessary Zs. And yet, it appears some of you simply refuse to listen. In spite of my many cautionary tales, Mercy Lounge, in cooperation with Sweetwater 420, has chosen to title its upcoming winter concert series "Winter of Dreamz." Having witnessed firsthand the kind of carnage that can ensue when you carelessly toy with these unnatural forces and unneeded consonants, I can't help but fear for the future of Cannery Row. Yes, they are the reigning king of Nashville rock shows. Yes, the lineups they've got scheduled look freaking awesome, and yes, they've both tempted me to the very core and completely negated my rants against the futility of corporate sponsors with $2.50 pints of Sweetwater 420. But I still can't help but think they're flying too close to the sun on waxy wings. Their failure to include the world's greatest albino rocker, Edgar Winter, only makes things look worse.

Regardless, I guess we'll just have to see how it all goes down, won't we? This is what they've got in store:

Friday, December 5, 9 p.m.: KinderCastle CD release show w/Parachute Musical & Noises 10. $7 (21+), $10 (18–20).

Saturday, December 6, 9 p.m.: Movement Nashville brings you Space Capone & Kyle Andrews w/Elle Macho ($7, $10).

Saturday, December 13, 9 p.m.: How I Became the Bomb & The Protomen w/Jensen Sportag ($7, $10).

Saturday, December 20, 9 p.m.: The Holly House Winter Formal feat. Eureka Gold, Shoot the Mountain & many special guest ($5, $8).

Let's just hope it turns out better than what follows this cut....

Mind riders: JEFF the Brotherhood play twice this weekend.

How's you're weekend shaping up?

Friday Nov. 21

Ghostland Observatory w/Jensen Sportag at Mercy Lounge, 9 p.m.

Ghostfinger & Shoot the Mountain are at Wall Street. We think. There's been some confusion about the lineup. Anyone?

The Dead Trees & more at Exit/In, 8 p.m.

Weiners (feat. Wes from MEEMAW) w/Jeruselum and the Starbaskets, Heater & JEFF the Brotherhood at Lil Hammy (1318 Little Hamilton). All ages, 8 p.m.

Ricky Young with Keegan Dewitt & more at The Basement, 9 p.m.

Saturday Nov. 22

Party for The Rabbit magazine feat. JEFF the Brotherhood & more at The Neuhoff Warehouse, 1315 Adams, 7 p.m.

Mashville at The End feat. DJs Kidsmeal, Wick-It, Orig, Local Motion & more. 9 p.m.

The Features at Main Street, rock o'clock.

Duraluxe at The 5 Spot. 9 p.m.

Hotpipes w/The Carter Administration & Ladybirds at Mercy Lounge, 9 p.m.

Centro-matic w/Glossary & Baptist Generals at Wall Street, 9 p.m.

Sharing is for commies.

Last week a press release went out that began thusly:

Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen signed into law today a bill aimed at curbing the disproportionate amount of music theft occurring on state campus networks via peer-to-peer (p2p) services. Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) Chairman & CEO Mitch Bainwol, along with several other members of the music community, participated in the signing ceremony and welcomed the enactment of the legislation, SB 3794, which passed the state legislature earlier this year.

Feel free to read the whole thing at your leisure over at the friendly Recording Industry Association of America website, or just follow the jump. CNET has also picked up the story, as has P2PNET.

In essence, the law "requires that Tennessee public and private colleges and universities exercise appropriate means to ensure that computers connected to their campus network are not being abused for the purpose of illegally downloading and distributing copyrighted material through p2p file-sharing programs." The phrase "appropriate means" is what you might call a gray area. There's also that question of how to pay for all the snoopers and the doggy-doggers it's gonna take to peep on P2Ps. And there's also the question of whether there any fucking more important things to worry about at Tennessee universities, some of which may see tuition increases in the neighborhood of 25% this year.

But at least there's a law now. I know I feel safer knowing that college kids are going to completely stop downloading music because it's, like, illegal and against the rules. Have any of you college students heard anything from your schools?

Early photo of Loggins and Messina performing their classic "Raft Rock" ballads. Photo taken years before either could afford a yacht.

You should see them play the xylophone...

The Cream has two pairs of tickets to see Iron & Wine and Blitzen Trapper this Sunday, Nov. 23, at The Ryman. You make funny caption, you win tickets. (Be sure to include your email with your comment—it won't be published, but we'll need it to contact the winner.) Contest ends at noon today. Go!

Update: We have our winners. Thanks for playing.

"I remember watching your show when I was 6! Buy me a shot?"

Easily in the top three most beloved fictitious principals of the past 20 years, Dennis Haskins (a.k.a. Mr. Belding) is apparently releasing a karaoke CD/DVD package and will be appearing at the West End F.Y.E. on Dec. 17. From his publicist [sic]:

Dennis will be in Nashville to do the in store and after party presented by PLC Records and Jagermeister in support of his new CD/DVD project titled KARAOKE WITH YOUR FAVORITE PRINCIPAL DENNIS HASKINS aka MR BELDING. You can sing along with Dennis or watch the DVD talking about his first TV job on the FIRST episodes of the Dukes of Hazzard and his career as Mr. Belding. Come by FYE and sing, hang out get a CD?DVD or an autograph. But you will smile.... WE PROMISE

They PROMISE you will smile as the aged, mashed potato-y version of a former kids’ sit-com co-star croons awkwardly to “If I Could Turn Back Time.” But hey, he's doing a hell of a lot better than the principal from Ferris Bueller.

Who wants to get pizza after the show? Image via Paleofuture.

Lots going on tonight.

Howlies are at The End with Mean Tambourines and, uh, another band. Important fact: The Ettes are NOT playing this show. Seems there was a mix-up of some sort, but as singer/guitarist Coco tells the Cream, said Ettes "are not—nor were they ever—playing that show."

We told you about the new Warren Pash infomercial not long ago. Yeah, he wrote that Hall & Oates song about eyes that are not public. He's playing The Basement tonight with his band, Plastic Rulers.

King Khan & BBQ at Exit/In. 9 p.m. The Spin will be there. Will you?

Robert Earl Keen and Todd Snider at The Ryman, 7:30 p.m. Peace Queers mobilize.

The Subdudes at 3rd & Lindsley, 8 p.m.

Bruce Robison at Station Inn, 9 p.m.

I know that, historically, Nashville is where careers in Rock go to die, but sometimes there is just so much vanilla humdrum in our fair city I feel like I can't take it, like my heart's going to cave in. This is one of those times. According to an article in yesterday's Tennessean, we in Nashville might be seeing a lot more of Kid Rock in the days to come.

Kid Rock has a Nashville home and has become a part of the city's musical fabric. "I like the people," he says. "It's just a great representation of America."

I know I'm not the only one who has a problem with this. I do however see it as an opportunity for us to do something for this city that we love so much. If you happen to see Kid Rock anywhere in Davidson or Williamson County, then it is now your civic duty to kick him in the balls. Brothers. Sisters. All fellow Nashvillians. Come together and show this American dumbass that he's NOT WELCOME. Don't feel bad about doing it either. Remeber, he hurt you first. You might think I'm kidding...I'm serious. I don't want this guy spreading his seed around these parts and tainting our gene pool with his mediocrity.

As a reminder of the what we're up against I have posted a preview of VH1's Storytellers featuring Kid Rock (filmed in Nashville and premiering on Thanksgiving Day). That's right! Kid Rock will join the ranks of legends like Ray Davies, Elvis Costello, Ringo Starr, David Bowie, Tom Petty, Pete Townshend, Robert Plant, R.E.M., The Pretenders, John Fogerty, Paul Simon and Bruce Springsteen as he tells the stories behind one of the most irrevelant songbooks in the Rock 'n' Roll Pantheon, from which he should be banned for life. Spoiler alert: The show will open with a version of "Bawitdaba" in which Mr. Rock will be joined by a black choir.

In the words of Legs McNeil, "Please kill me!"

King Khan & BBQ: One of these men "would still make love to Dolly Parton."

"The Maury Povich side of Jesus" and more from the adventures of King Khan & BBQ. (Playing Thursday, 20th at Exit/In.)

Do you like American Music? Iron & Wine and Blitzen Trapper make American music. (Playing Sunday, 23rd at The Ryman.)

Ghostland Observatory have some "very powerful lasers." Check it. (Playing Friday, 21st at Mercy Lounge—note that the new start time is 9 p.m.)

Bruce Robison, Mr. Anti-Formula, strikes again on His Greatest. (Playing Thursday, 20th at The Station Inn.)

The Spin: Mates of State, Amanda Palmer, dancing at The 5 Spot & more.

Magnum P.I. and Indian Elvis?

Austin's danciest sexy-party duo have just announced they're going to move the start time of their show Friday up a bit. From the Mercy folks:

Ghostland Observatory has requested that the start time for their show on Friday at the Cannery be moved up. Originally, the show was scheduled to start at 10. It has now been moved up to 9. I guess they've heard about Happy Valley and want to be done in time to party upstairs with Jim, Maris and Mindub.

Check out our feature about Ghostland.

We arrived at Cannery Ballroom Tuesday night to the warm, welcoming glow of corporate infiltration: The folks from Toyota were pimping some new, tricked-out model and doling out silkscreened T-shirts with a Rock Band set-up in the back of one of their cars. As hilarious as it was to watch noobs drumming along to Descendents, the bitter cold only allowed us time to scoff at a verse or two before filing into the venue.

After a bit of a clusterfuck at will call, we entered the Ballroom as Land of Talk started their set. While Broken Social Scene has a habit of touring with their transient members’ less-than-impressive BSS mini-clone side projects, the Montreal three-piece immediately won us over. They covered quite a bit of space for a pop-savvy, punkish trio, and the groove was airtight.