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Movers and Shakers: David Vandervelde Moves to Nashville

Add another transplant to the list. Supposedly, Chicago artist David Vandervelde (who recently lived in Brooklyn) is moving/has already moved to Nashville (just for the summer?). It's no coincidence that he has a local connection—Richie Kirkpatrick from Ghostfinger played bass with Vandervelde on tour last year. Check out Vandervelde's glittery glam-tinged tune "Nothin, No," off his Moonstation House Band record.

You can see Ghostfinger and David Vandervelde play Friday, 16th at Exit/In. Be sure and show 'em that Nashville hospitality.

Guess who TVT Owes Money?

Not just Lil Jon. It's old news that TVT Records filed bankruptcy, but recently their list of unsecured creditors has surfaced, and guess who they owe money to? Like, everybody. If you've got the patience for 119 pages of oustanding debt, have at it. Of note is that, even as my eyes blurred scanning the file, I noticed at least one Nashville company to whom TVT owes money—about $500 (of the some $25 million altogether). Sorry dude. Bet the check's totally in the mail.

Sucks to Be Him

Too bad artist Jeff Orrall, former bassist for Be Your Own Pet, isn't getting too many plays on his Generation Zune page.

No Opener for Lou Reed Friday, May 2

According to Reed's publicist, he's the only act on the bill for his show this Friday at The Ryman. Melt Banana had opened other dates for Reed and it was thought they might open in Nashville. No such luck.

Breaking News: City Hall Closes Its Doors Sept. 17

Yep, no joke. Just got news that City Hall is closing its doors Sept. 17 after a three-year run. It was bought out by the building owners. There goes another mid-sized venue for the city that attracted more left-of-center acts.

More to come after I speak to the owners, but as it stands, the good news is that Austin Ray and Benjamin Goldberg plan to open a similar venue somewhere else in town.

UPDATE: The new space will be taken over by Urban Outfitters in early 2009.

UPDATE 2: After the jump, read a Q&A with City Hall co-owner Austin Ray about their plans for a new space. He couldn't tell me when, where or how big it would be, but he confirmed it will, indeed, come to fruition.

UPDATE 3: Comment from Great Big Shows owner Rick Whetsel, who handles all booking for City Hall.

Oh Mindy! D. Striker's Dame Strikes Again

So if you haven't heard yet, former country star/career criminal Mindy McCready was boinking former MLB pitcher/current 'roid ragin' douche Roger Clemens from the time she was fifteen until sometime well after it was legal. Will somebody PLLLLLLLLEEEEEEASE use this as an excuse to bar his entry into the Hall of Fame? Please?!? Statutory raping a second-string country music starlet has got to be grounds for keeping him out, right? Lying to Congress and playing for the Yankees were bad enough, but this is downright repulsive. Sure, there might have been grass on the field but that's a little young to be playing pro ball, if you know what I mean.

On that note, the next D. Striker show is June 13 at The 5 Spot.

Winged Victory: Andrew Bird Records in Nashville, Blogs for The New York Times

Turns out whistlin' genius Andrew Bird is recording his follow-up to last year's excellent Armchair Apocrypha in Music City. Bird recently began contributing to The Times' "Measure for Measure," a blog about songwriting which also features contributions from Darrell Brown, Rosanne Cash and Suzanne Vega. In his most recent post, he discusses working with Mark Nevers at his studio The Beech House.

The record I want to make here and now — the one I wish I could find in my local record store — is a gentle, lulling, polyrhythmic, minimalist yet warm tapestry of acoustic instruments. No solos, just interlocking parts. A little Steve Reich, but groovier. A little Ghanaian street music, but more arranged. Thick and creamy vocals like the Zombies’s Colin Blunstone. The bass warm and tubby like Studio One dub.

I’ve worked with Mark Nevers a few times before. We made “Weather Systems” in 2003 and he has had me down to play on some great records by the likes of Candi Staton, Will Oldham (a.k.a. Bonnie “Prince” Billy) and Bobby Bare Sr. and Jr. He is especially good with acoustic instruments and subtle, textural ambiance. He records guitars and vocals really “hot” so the sound saturates the analog tape. I knew his approach was right for me in 2003 when we recorded “First Song,” a quiet, spare tune. Driving home at 80 m.p.h., I could hear every note.

Wham! Bam! Thank You, Lamb!

You know that 10 p.m. benefit tonight at The Basement for Music City Arts TV 9—the one scheduled to have a rare solo set by Lambchop frontman Kurt Wagner along with Hands Off Cuba? Cream hears it's turned into a full-fledged Lambchop show, which is just as rare these days. The bill still includes poet Derrick Brown, Spring Hill Spider Party, and Stone Jack Jones, and tickets are still just $7.

If you see Lambchop's man-of-1,000-bands William Tyler—who appeared last weekend with HOC bandmate Ryan Norris in The Country Music, then performed with the Spiritual Family Reunion at their CD release show—ask him about the overseas Budweiser commercial he appeared in for director Harmony Korine. Sounds amazing. Can you really amplify a houseplant?

Department of D'oh: iTunes Leaks Raconteurs Album

We already posted about the Raconteurs' decision to release their second record, Consolers of the Lonely, out of nowhere and in all formats simultaneously, with but a week's notice. It was/is still due out tomorrow, March 25, but it turns out iTunes accidentally leaked the record to US and U.K. consumers over the weekend, making it downloadable for a short time. It's weird, 'cause that's like the one thing the band didn't want to happen.

It's a Wild World: Be Your Own Pet Get Censored

Really? Really?! Universal has decided that three songs on Be Your Own Pet's sophomore album Get Awkward are too inflammatory to be included on the U.S. release—those international listeners will just have to shoulder the trauma for the rest of us. Check out all the details at Pitchfork Media.

And the record industry wonders why it's becoming irrelevant.