Category Archives: TVD Nashville

In 1999, a group of college guys got a band together with the desire to create some groove music. At the beginning, the group was funk-based with vocals, but after realizing their strengths didn’t lie in singing, the band progressed to an instrumental outfit experimenting with dance and electronic styles, creating a new kind of jam band that is known today as Lotus.

Over 12 years later, Lotus is a staple on the worldwide festival circuit and is continuously touring, playing clubs and theats as well. Lotus will be playing at Nashville’s new pride-and-joy venue, Marathon Music Works, on March 2nd.

We recently chatted with Jesse Miller, who’s on Bass and Sampler for Lotus, about everything from festivals and theme shows to his side project and his love for vinyl.

Do you produce your own samples, or do you dig around and borrow?

Produce our own. It’s usually a type of thing that we can’t pull off live. Sometimes we go and record horn parts or live strings, or do different noise manipulation type of things or effects that there’s no other good way to play except triggering the sounds.

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Never underestimate a little woman with a stand-up bass. Amy LaVere might seem and sound like America’s Southern sweetheart at first, but give her a minute and you’ll soon hear that there’s a lot going on in that seasoned soul.

Based in traditional Country and Americana, LaVere takes those old-school sounds to new places with touches of Jazz, Funk, and Rock ‘N’ Roll fueled with fiery lyrics and eloquent storytelling. LaVere will be opening for Rich Robinson ( of Black Crowes fame) on March 1st at Mercy Lounge, here in Nashville.

Listen through LaVere’s albums and you’ll immediately notice the range and diversity. Her 2005 debut, This World is Not My Home, is a Country-heavy project, while her 2007 release, Anchors & Anvils, explores the reverb and chordal color of a ‘50s high school dance with some interesting style change-ups in the album’s song sequencing (plus, simply kick-ass cover art of LaVere holding a glittery pistol). Her 2009 EP, Died of Love shows a more rocking side of LaVere, and her latest record, Stranger Me, is emotionally-charged capturing the mood of a mending broken heart.

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Here’s something you should check out. The Road to Bonnaroo starts tonight at Mercy Lounge! Many are familiar with Mercy’s 8 off 8th series – a free Monday night concert showcasing eight local bands that play super short sets – giving audience members a crash course in what’s happening in the scene. “The Road to Bonnaroo” is the ultimate of 8 off 8ths, where the best local bands compete for a slot on the Bonnaroo bill. Say what?!

Mercy Lounge is given three spots to fill, so there are three installments of “The Road to Bonnaroo.” At each event, everyone is handed a ballot, so they can vote for the most deserving artist.

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Keep your eyes on the clock and your finger on the mouse, tickets for Jack White’s first ever headlining tour go on sale today at 12 PM Central. (Remember the days when you had to wait in line for hours at a Ticketmaster location to buy concert tickets. Hooray for e-commerce!) Peep the dates below:

3/10/12 – Chattanooga, TN – Track 29
3/12/12 – Birmingham, AL – WorkPlay Soundstage
3/13/12 – Memphis, TN – New Daisy Theatre
3/15/12 – Tulsa, OK – Cain’s Ballroom
5/18 – 20/12 – Gulf Shores, AL – The Hangout Music Fest
5/26/12 – Quincy, WA – The Gorge Amphitheater – Sasquatch!
6/23 – 24/12 – Hackney Marshes, London, UK – Radio 1’s Hackney Weekend

While your waiting for the tickets to go on sale, check out Jack’s self-directed video for “Love Interruption” that premiered earlier this week.

Beginning-of-the-week bookings can be a tough gig, so it was nice to see The End bustling with a healthy crowd Tuesday night, especially for a band that is somewhat new to the circuit. From what I gather, Night Beds has been around for a few years, but has only played a couple shows with their current lineup. Judging from their performance the other night, the newly arranged Night Beds is off to an impressive start.

I went into this show with a pretty clear picture of what to expect; something soft and misty, setting a tone similar to how an underwater swim feels (if that makes any sense). Well, I got slapped in the face with something much different. Night Beds’ live versions are thicker and have more drive than the recorded tracks, which was a great transformation to make for this Rock club.

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Pure White gold as usual, Jack White teases us with this tasty little track off his solo project, Blunderbuss, set for release on April 23.

“Love Interruption” intros with a Wurlitzer-like organ reminiscent of “Son of a Preacher Man” and goes into a harmonic resolution to get the upper hand on the villainous powers of love.

In a press release, Jack White states that Blunderbuss is “an album I couldn’t have released until now. I’ve put off making records under my own name for a long time but these songs feel like they could only be presented under my name. These songs were written from scratch, had nothing to do with anyone or anything else but my own expression, my own colors on my own canvas.”

“Love Interruption” will be available on 7” vinyl with a non-album B Side, “Machine Gun Silhoutette,” on February 7th, courtesy of Third Man Records. You can pre-order it now at he Third Man Record Store.

The holidays are over and you’ve probably got a few gift cards lying around that you can’t see yourself using in the near future. Yes, the $25 to Best Buy from your uncle was a nice thought, but it’s not going to put as much as a nibble in that iPad price tag. Sigh.

Grimey’s “Gift Up” program might be the way to get more bang for your buck. Bring in your unused corporate gift cards, and they’ll give you a store credit for the amount of the card. The fine print: the card must be from a chain that sells music in physical formats and can not be a retailer that is going out-of-business. The amount on the card must be verifiable by phone or internet and cannot expire within six months.

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Delayed by the incredibly entertaining Tebow-bashing that occurred Saturday night, we managed to arrive at Mercy Lounge with just enough time to grab a drink and squeeze our way to a comfy air pocket within the crowd. Here, we celebrated the Patriots victory by way of The Features’ fitting sing-a-long chant anthems that would surely be a hit in any Boston pub.

The Features are a pretty big deal around these parts. The Tennessee natives have been in the game for over 13 years and have had a lot of support from their superstar counterpart, Kings of Leon…which doesn’t hurt in the quest for fans. The Features set a good example of what can happen if you stay dedicated to your craft.

Hopping from one city of dreamers to another, the norm tends to be discouraged talent moving away from the goals that brought them to these cities after a few years (or even months) of standing still. Some catch a buzz wave for a bit, but then run out of the means or know-how to keep riding it. The wave crests, fizzles, and suddenly their back at shore to start all over again.

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We’ve highlighted our fair share of Americana in the past few months because it isn’t too often that the genre gets the love and attention it rightfully deserves. In the name of folk music, we’re back with another awesome Americana duo straight out of Canada. Yes, you heard me correctly—Canada.

Whitehorse is a brand new project created by two of Canada’s most acclaimed folk singer-songwriters, Luke Doucet and Melissa McClelland.

The duo recently released their first self-titled LP on August 30th with Six Shooter Records, and it has been well-received by the public.

Whitehorse begins a worldwide tour today (1/18), in Cambridge, MA. Check them out if you get the chance. You won’t be disappointed.

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If one had to choose the all-around best venue to see The Civil Wars live, it would have to be the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Not only is Music City home to the folk duo, but the history, architecture and exceptional acoustics of the city’s famous “Mother Church of Country Music” combine for the ideal setting to take in The Civil Wars’ Americana bare-boned sound.

Thursday night’s sold-out crowd knew that they were in for something special. The absence of ticket scalpers was a clear indicator that the low temperatures and snow threats weren’t enough keep the fans away. By the time I made my way into the building, most patrons were parked in their pews and the limited number of exclusive hatch prints made for the show had long been removed from the merch table.

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Prior to New Year’s vacation, I spent my lunch break at Grimey’s New & Preloved Music for a free in-store performance by singer/songwriter, Sonia Leigh, a new talent signed to Zac Brown’s record label, Southern Ground. Leigh has been opening for Zac Brown Band, promoting her album, 1978 December, which hit stores this past September.

Sonically, Leigh is giving the Country fan something a little spicier than they’re used to from a female artist; not quite “Redneck Woman” heat, but it certainly has a Joan Jett/Janis Joplin kick. Leigh’s voice has a gritty rock edge to it that sets her apart, and it comes with such power and technique, that there’s no second guessing why she is where she is today.

When asked about her original style for the Country format in a recent interview, Sonia stated, “I write and sing all kinds of music. I’m inspired by all kinds of music. I just actually downloaded some old Italian sonnets the other day, so whatever moves me is what I get into. When I’m writing, it’s about where I’m at and what moment I’m in. Music is universal and the categorization of it…I don’t pay attention to that, and I don’t let it separate my interests.”

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Austin rock and soul enthusiasts The Bright Light Social Hour are returning to Nashville next Wednesday, and you could be there to witness all of the fist-pumping, sweaty-moustache glory!

In case you missed our coverage in October, TBLSH perform their mix of blues infused rock and dance with gusto, and this show will pack just as many blissful decibels into your ears. Not only can you win two guest spots, but you will also win a copy of their self-titled album on glorious vinyl.

We’re going to go easy on you—enter to win the tickets and the vinyl by sharing your favorite moustache in the comments to this post. Will choose one winner for both the LP and the tix on 1/11 at 9am.

I’ve been going to see Lucero for years. I’ve been to rowdy shows, calm shows, crowded shows, empty shows, and sloppy shows (my favorites, to be honest).

I’ve been to shows where the openers were people I’d never heard of, and I’ve been to others with openers the likes of Amy LaVere, Cedric Burnside and Lightnin’ Malcolm, Cory Branan, Drag the River, and Frank Turner, just to name a few. I’ve been to shows I can’t remember, and I’ve been to shows I’ll never forget. With Austin Lucas and Glossary as support, this past weekend’s two-night stand at the Mercy Lounge in Nashville without a doubt falls into the latter category.

The first night’s opening act was local Murfreesboro, TN rock band Glossary, who were there to support their seventh full-length album Long Live All of Us, which frontman Joey Kneiser calls “an all-inclusive homage to humanity” that emphasizes such qualities as “mercy, redemption, forgiveness, and second chances.” Their set included some of my long-time favorites, as well as one of my newest favorites, “Bruised Ribs,” off of Joey Kneiser’s free, downloadable solo album, The All-Night Bedroom Revival (which happens to be one of Ben Nichols’ favorite albums right now).

The second night’s opener was a particularly special treat: Bloomington, IN musician Austin Lucas with “one of his favorite bands in the world,” Glossary, as his back-up. Austin was there supporting his new full-length album A New Home in the Old World as well as showcasing some new songs, like “So Much More Than Lonely.” As Lucero frontman Ben Nichols put it, “He can fucking sing, he can fucking write a song, and he can fucking play guitar.” Considering the folk and bluegrass lineage from whence he comes (his father is Bob Lucas), it’s no surprise.

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Nashville’s The Muse will be hosting New York’s mesmerizing Ellis Ashbrook this Sunday night, and we at TVD are hoping you’ll join them.

Judging from the sounds of their new album Meridia, the show promises to be both compelling and surreal. If you’re making plans for Sunday, this show starts at 9 p.m. and is $7. Lovers of psychedelic rock won’t be disappointed either, as the band draws influences from Pink Floyd to Frank Zappa.

Be sure to preview the album which is available on glorious double vinyl.