GREEN TO THE SCENE

RAYLAND BAXTER w/ THE KINGSTON SPRINGS & BIRDCLOUD

Let's hear it for the newbys. This show is sure to amuse, inspire, and downright melt your face off, and the bands are all pretty much green to the music realm. Wait, melt your face off, you said? But I thought this was a folk show? Well this trio of talent is pushing the envelope and illustrating new talent variety with a quickness ... with one of the bands, The Kingston Springs, barely old enough to buy cigarettes and already making appearances with rock giants J. Roddy Walston and the Business and playing at Lollapalooza. Did I mention that their hailed EP, "Vacation Time" was self produced and recorded in the basement? I guess talent does run in the family. With that being said, they are wrapping up their highly anticipated debut full length album, set to be released in 2012, so definitely watch for that.

And how about the charming headliner and singer/songwriter folk extraordinaire, Rayland Baxter? Well this teller of tales was declared in 2008, and has been working on his first full-length album, tentatively titled "Feathers and Fishhooks" at the start of winter's first cold bite and will be mixed by Jaquire King (best recognized for working with Kings Of Leon, Cold War Kids, Modest Mouse and Norah Jones) and mastered by Richard Dodd who worked with the legendary Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. If you can spell the word "music", which isn't a very daunting task, you can recognize how big of a deal this 2012 release will be.

As for the two 'peas in a pod', chick duo Birdcloud from '09, who have somehow have mastered the art of being refreshingly abrasive and free without losing their feminine touch, well, their raw folk storytelling ability leaves you giggling, dancing, and drunk off whiskey. Who would have thought they hated each other to begin with? This concoction of bands equates to a perfectly assembled, must - see melting pot of folk variations, lo- fi rock, clever songwriting, and that warm fuzzy feeling of knowing that your Friday was well spent drinking PBR and watching these upcoming musicians that are guaranteed to be front and center for a long while. 8p.m. at Exit/In KRISTINA OUTLAND

Moogest leaves Asheville in awe

The celebration and recognition of Robert Moog, inventor and musical revolutionist, took place Halloween weekend in his hometown of Asheville, North Carolina. The festival, properly named Moogfest, and formerly held in New York City, was a spectacle of creativity and inspiration as musicians and fans flowed in from all corners of the world, packing Asheville to the brim to witness this moving event organized by his daughter, Michelle Moog and AC Entertainment, which is based out of Knoxville, TN.

The festival had everything. Aside from the nationally recognized artists that performed there, such as Big Boi, Pretty Lights, Spongle, Dark Party and Thievery Corporation, interactive workshops also existed in the Moogaplex in order get the eager participants' creative juices flowing. Hundreds of people came through to actively use a theremin, see actual recovered photographs of Bob Moog which were donated from family and friends, and sit in on informative question and answer panels and demonstrations to conclude a well rounded learning experience. Seeing all this was impressive, but knowing that Michelle Moog was the only paid employee goes farther than words alone can go. Volunteers came from all over to help bring this festival to life. To Michelle though, this is her job, which she is very dedicated to.

"My daily work is Bob Moog," Michelle said with a pleased grin on her face. "I have a focused vision for the future generation to keep what my father did alive and continue to reiterate the importance of creativity and music in schools."

She has done just that. Donating one dollar per ticket to the Bob Moog Foundation, as well as all profits from merchandise and the custom designed posters, in part organized and designed by AC Entertainment's Justin Helton, the impact she and all those who worked it has had on all those who witnessed the festival was massive.

"People have been touched and have contributed greatly to the cause," she continued, "Even at our Mini Moogseum we have seen a facelift. Mountain Gateway Museums has been so kind to donate their services to us and has enabled us to have our first professionally curated exhibit of the MiniMoog there, which we have been more than pleased with."

Manya Whitney-Miller of AC Entertainment who was the event coordinator for the Moogaplex, which was the venue that held the seminars, poster exhibit, demonstrations and late-night shows, had plenty to say about the turnout even before the first night was over.

"I have never had the pleasure of working in North Carolina before," Manya said as we sat in the back circuit room of the Moogaplex. "The city of Asheville is great and its inhabitants are extremely cooperative. I could not ask for more." She continued to say that AC Entertainment's major goal was to throw the best Halloween party the Southeast has ever seen while honoring the legacy of Bob Moog. Goal attained.

"It is already a success, and for that I'm thankful," she concluded. "You can sleep when you are dead. The harder a project is on the front end, the greater the sense of reward that follows once it is completed."

Even Murfreesboro's own Saul Zonana, who has been in the industry for 20 years now, made an appearance at the festival as the 'Moog Professional' demonstrator of the Moog E1. He gave an extremely thorough demonstration of the endless possibilities and functions of the Moog guitar while also expressing gratitude towards Bob Moog.

"I am a huge fan of the Moog legacy," Zonana started off. "I started getting in to it very early. The first gift I can remember that offered huge impact was when I got a Moog synthesizer when I was twelve years old. But pertaining to the guitar itself, it offers something no other guitar can offer. It has all these functions, but ultimately it is all analog, which gives you a more personal bond between you and the instrument."

Personal bond, inspiration, creativity and hard work seemed to be the going theme from all those who had a part in the success of Moogfest. It paid off in the biggest way possible, blowing Asheville up with pride, and for a second, reminding everyone why they loved music so much in the beginning.

"It has taken almost four months for this whole thing to come in to fruition," Michelle Moog said, winding down our conversation. "Its been tough, but this past week there are moments where I...." She trailed off and was speechless. Sheer pride showed through her eyes and she started a new sentence, "There is just a massive amount of energy here. All components of the festival have really created a stunning tribute."

Kingston Springs announce release of their first EP, "Vacation Time"

Who says a bunch of 17 and 18 year olds can't produce their first album in their own basement and it be a smash hit? Hopefully no one, because the quickly growing Kingston Springs will shut up all the skeptics with the recent release of their first EP, Vacation Time.
Released to the public on Aug. 9, the album was well received at a release party pieced together and supported by Happy Salmon Productions. The band, hailing from Kingston Springs, Tenn., said it was very happy overall with the finished product, as it should be, because it was two-year project that finally came to a close.
"Two years is a while, for sure, but we just didn't want to rush it and put out something we weren't one hundred percent happy with," said Ian Ferguson, vocalist and lead guitarist for the band.
The album, as described by Ian, has many influences and sources of inspiration including The Strokes, The Beatles and RHCP, but the songs are original in their own right.
"Each song is inspired by a certain time period of our lives," Ian said. "Because all of our songs reflect so many different points in our lives, it has made our music much more diverse."
As mentioned, the album was recorded completely in the creative privacy of Ian's basement with minimal guidance from his father, who too is involved in Nashville's music realm.
"We experimented a lot with the whole process at first, and eventually honed down the process to get a great end result," Ian confirmed. "One song was done in the studio, but the sound wasn't what we had in mind. We wanted a more natural sound, so using drum mics, and a 16 track, we recorded it ourselves."
He went on to say they all agreed on having the same raw sound on the EP that they have during shows and on how important it was for the album to reflect exactly that.
"We ultimately just want people to see our shows and really want our album. And when they hear that album, we want them to think about how great the show was," Ian concluded. He said for now, they are going to keep pushing and growing to develop their music.
Kingston Springs
Bass: Alexander Geddes
Drums: Matthew DeMaio
Vocals/Guitar: Ian Ferguson
Vocals/Guitar/everything else: James Guidry

John Flanagan's performance wins with Foxwoods

Foxwoods is one of the biggest casinos in the U.S., and the new face and voice for it has been chosen. If you don't know him, you will soon. Nashville's very own singer and songwriter John Flanagan, who moved here from Boston, won the contest at the casino with next to no preparation, relying on his 'natural talent of creating melodies', as he put it, as his guide. 

His music and stage performance fits the bill perfectly for such a contest. As he named his influences, the resemblances between his unique mixture of pop and broadway-style glitz and glamour, and a few of his favorite artists, were pretty apparent. 

"My melodies are that of Ben Folds, but my gimmick is more David Bowie and Freddie Mercury," Flanagan illustrated. "I also have a touch of Lady Gaga, even though I'm not as electronic. I find that in order to make an impression, a gimmick is necessary, and with every song, a hook is needed to entice the audience. I try to write music that's not so 'One, two, three; peter, paul, and mary." 

Speaking to him at Fido's in Hillsboro Village, he acted like anyone would, once they were given their first taste of fame; he was elated. 

"My family and friends are beside themselves with ecstasy," Flanagan said. "Not too many people have heard of Foxwoods here in Tennessee, but my hometown practically considers me a celebrity."  

This recent bout of new-found stardom took him by surprise, as he stated that he hasn't even had experience at casinos in the past.  

"What's fascinating to me about this process is the fact that I've never even gambled before," Flanagan said. "Suddenly ive become the face and voice that is involved with just that. I'm just a part of their image, as they are a part of mine now. All it took was one small step, but I was thrust in to a completely new light." 

The contest has given him high hopes for the future. The winning package included $25,000 worth of studio time and marketing benefits; $10,000 worth of that sum was dedicated to the promotions alone. With that amount of elbow room, he let his imagination roam and told me exactly what he was going to do with that money, once his EP was complete.  

"I want to blast the northeast with news of it," Flanagan said. "Beyond the winnings, there's been talk of not only being the voice of Foxwoods, but the face of it as well. I'd love to be on television. They have mentioned commercials, and me even having a concert of my own."

For the time being, his upcoming show will be in my hometown, Clarksville, Tennessee, at their annual festival 'Rivers and Spires'. He mentioned that he was apprehensive about the small-town crowd being receptive to his extravagant style of performing, but that he planned on toning it down a little, while still showcasing his talent.  

"I'll even wear a pair of jeans!" Flanagan said with a smile.

Thunderbear experiments with a fresh new sound

Describing the Thunderbear crew as musical maniacs would be an understatement, especially if you attended any of their shows. Andrew and Primo, the two main wheels of this crazy, dirty electro-tribal collaboration live in the hills of Nashville at a location that has become quite the chill spot for local fans and friends known as the ThunderCove, and is also where most of the magical music creation goes down. They have a unique sound, and offer a respectable difference from the majority of djs/dub musicians who populate the scene today.

Their secret: Primo keeps it fresh and energetic on the drums and various electronic devices. Andrew Bazinet slaps and taps on the bass, while also adding some synthesizer to the mix. They have guest appearances throughout their performance, including percussive drums and local DJs, who add some pretty killer grooves for the ultimate tribal grind. Live show production is a huge goal they strive to achieve at every show, which generally consist of live video visuals by Lee Stewart Designs, lighting design, and various local live art talents. Music can speak in so many different ways, and having full production at their shows is a way to express the music from every angle.

The most interesting part of all this, is when they are not working on Thunderbear, they are highly involved with the production side of music. Andrew is a studio recording engineer, who has worked for WB Studios for 4 years, but also said he has worked solo with various local bands including Moon Taxi, The Janissary, Oakleave, and Small Axe. Steve has been a live sound engineer/production manager around Nashville and has been creating a buzz about his work for sometime now. “When’s he’s not hard at work with the band, he’s booking shows and running sound for touring acts and excels to the fullest and doing this,” Andrew said. “Any local promoter will tell you the same thing. He’s the man when it comes to anything and everything in the Live Production field.”

They said they are having a great time making music, but their musical direction hasn’t always been a clear paved path. “We had never played in a jam or electronic band before we met,” said Primo. “After playing in a few rock and jambands, we had trouble assembling a definite band, so we decided to start something like our current project.” Since then they have met all kinds of promoters and friends who would help them develop into what they are known as today.

“We just like to rock ‘da party,” Andrew said. Primo concurred.

The band said they will continue to evolve and experiment with their music, and said they wanted to start handing out their music to the public very soon. However, an EP is still in the mix, so for the time being a few tracks will be available for take home use.

Rayland Baxter proudly announces the release of his first EP

The endearing Rayland Baxter, more commonly identified by his friends and fans as the ‘Steve Zissou’ of folk, will be releasing his very first EP this Saturday at The Basement. Called ‘The Miscalculation of Song’, his EP will feature seven old country and folk inspired tracks, and is something he has been working on for the past year.

“Its basically a sample of what I have in my catalogue of songs I have written,” Baxter said. “They are an expression of me. Its what I enjoy, or don’t, they’re my opinions, they’re songs about God, or maybe even just getting out of town for a while. Basically, my life is cultivated in these songs.” He wrote four of the six tracks, that will be on the EP, a year ago while he was in Israel visiting family and friends.

“I stayed up all night and wrote those four songs, ” Baxter said. “I just had one of those whims and basically had them finished in the matter of one full day.”

Rayland has been writing music for about three years now, and has been playing guitar for about five or six. He likes to read and has delved in to all different kinds of books ranging from ‘The Great Gatsby’ to a book he mentioned called, ‘The Invisible Man’ which was a novel that he described as a weird take on the prejudices of the 1940’s.

“If you want to be a good writer, it makes sense to read other great authors’ works,” Baxter said. “Its important to note their styles, as well as how they arrange words to create their complete thoughts.”

He said his music and writing has continued to grow, as well as his experiences playing at venues. He did a radio show on December 27th for Lightening 100.1 at 3rd and Linsley, but playing live he said, for the most part, was all new to him.

“I’ve sort of been ramping on the freeway,” Baxter added. “Hopefully the freeway gets bigger and bigger. I hope this will last for a long time.”

Baxter mentioned that he is content with his music as it stands now, but admitted that he would like to see even further development in the future.

“My music speaks to me just a little bit,” he said. “I still feel that I haven’t hatched completely in to my best writing yet.” After his EP release, he plans to continue his journey and wants to further his experience with playing shows and tweaking his music.

-The Nashville Listener-

I quit writing for Sidelines Newspaper, Middle Tennessee State University's paper, and took up a job being the local correspondent with the Nashville Listener. Most of these articles can now be found here: www.nashvillelistener.com, instead of the Sidelines website. 

The Nashville Listener is a new company, with concentration on local musicians, started by my friend and editor Jamie Sutton. My friend Carl Gatti, affiliated with Happy Salmon Productions in Nashville, recommended me to him, so he read some of my stuff from the campus paper and offered me a position as a writer. Just a bit of personal updating. I was very excited to be offered this position. So far, I've learned so much, and we keep growing as a company every day. The people I've met along the way have taught me so much and have enabled me to have very lasting relationships! Anyways...

Be sure to check us out! If you sign up for our newsletter, you get a free album sent to you via e-mail each month, as well as being automatically entered for drawings for free tickets to many noteworthy shows we will be featuring. 

Beat Repeat enjoys the journey of growth as djs

Clint Chapman and Tim Dugger joined forces early last year, to form one of the fastest growing dub experimental groups from the Nashville and Murfreesboro area. They call themselves Beat Repeat, and even though they haven’t been established for long, their quick success is evident to all those fans and newcomers who check them out. They started by playing mostly house shows, and even their first one offered something that people couldn’t forget.

“I remember the first time we played was at my house on April 10th of last year,” Tim said. “If you remember, that was the day all those tornados hit Murfreesboro. That was definitely a crazy and memorable show.”

July began, and their momentum picked up. Clint mentioned they played house shows for a minimum of once a week; most of the time it was more.

“We just created a buzz at those house shows, and before we knew it, we were playing at venues,” Clint said. “We’ve been doing that for about three months or so, but Thick as Thieves Productions really gave us the first shot at playing out. They really put a lot of faith in us, and for that we are thankful.

They both agreed that the influential people they have met along the way have offered a tremendous amount of experience that they contributed to their quick growth. They mentioned their friends from Jammenstein, as well as BigKid Productions. They’ve also done about three shows with Happy Salmon, their upcoming show at Club 527, in Murfreesboro, on February 19th, being their fourth.

Even though their heart is in playing house shows, they added that they loved playing at venues and being on the road because it offers such a different experience. For them, seeing packed shows from their position on stage gives them great joy because they simply love having a good time, causing the good time, and watching people dance.

“We’re just glad people like it,” Tim said. “People give us crazy compliments. One guy, in specific, approached us after a show and said he was going to quit his job so he could follow us everywhere we went.”

Even though the two have shown incredible progress, the don’t plan on letting up. Just to add a different twist to their presentation, they’ve decided to come up with a collaborative project involving cartoons, movies and even their own clothing line. They both agreed that they would like to see more art available at their shows. Its expected to take a few months to complete.

As far as their music goes, they’ve released a few mixes already that can be found on their myspace and on facebook. Their Meditation Mix was highly successful, as was their Mind Bomb mix, which was recently released. They also added that they want to be more involved with the production side of things as well; setting up their shows and the like. If you want a chance to see them play live, they will be at the ATO fraternity house in Murfreesboro playing a show tonight, at Blue Rooster the next day, and at Mercy Lounge on the 11th with Excision.

They are rather busy, because shortly after they will also be in Memphis with Zoogma on the 13th, and playing the Big Gigantic after party in Murfreesboro at the Boro, then again on the 19th with Karius Vega and Amtrak at Club 527. To see a full listing of their shows in detail, visit their myspace page. They also mentioned that playing at Bonnaroo is a very high possibility, but isn’t confirmed.

“We just have big dreams and high hopes,” Clint said.

3 Minutes to Live inspires locals to take action against human sex trafficking

The charity song mentioned in this article can be downloaded from The Band’s Official Website. All proceeds and donations are going to the charity Not for Sale.

Brian Terry, member of the Nashville metal band called 3 Minutes to Live, has decided to take action against the most heart-wrenching crime that can be committed today: human sex trafficking. Together, 3 Minutes to Live wrote the song, “Stolen” about a true-life survivor, found in Antioch, and donated all the proceeds from the download costs to the charity‘NotForSale.org’, which is dedicated to helping survivors, and stopping these heinous crimes that continue to be committed worldwide.

He said the idea crossed his mind back in the summer of 2009. He read a book about it, and once he discovered the staggering statistics, and the graphic accounts of a number of victims, he knew he couldn’t turn his back against the issue. Brian said that last year, human sex trafficking was responsible for over 32 billion dollars; an amount that surpassed both the illegal drug and weapon trade. He wanted to find the girl from Antioch to get more details and seek her help with the project that he believed would change the way America saw the inhumane acts that were happening right under our noses.

“I read about seven year old girls being branded with potato peelers,” Brian said. “A girl was even found in the back of a truck with her intestines outside her body, because she had been raped so many times. It took forty stitches or so to fix her, then after she was placed in a rehabilitation home, two years later, she died of AIDS.”

Helping End Modern Slavery

As for the girl who survived and inspired 3MTL, well, her story was quite moving, too. She was stolen from a church, was held prisoner and was treated like property for years. He said she admitted that she was forced to have sex with at least seven different men a day. When she refused, her captors threatened to kill her mother. She was often beaten, and was barely kept alive. The most sickening part, Brian said, was that when these men were captured, they were sentenced to 8 years in prison. They only served six months.

“After I heard her story, I was blown away,” Brian said. “We got her consent for the project, wrote the song, and went to the studio to record it. The producers really did a great job, but soon after, we found ourselves asking each other what we should do next.”

Brian went on to mention that their original intentions weren’t to make a music video to accompany the song. Once the song was done, the band started receiving e-mails and requests from volunteers who wanted to help them make it happen. He said one-hundred percent of the participants, including a videographer by the name of Bill Harding, who also is a professor at Austin Peay State University, were there strictly on a volunteer basis. Derri Smith, the Tennessee chapter director for ‘NotForSale.org’, even arranged for the band to shoot their video in a model home located in an apartment complex in Antioch. Brian said it seemed like all their resources just fell out of the sky.

The video was released yesterday, and features real statistics about sex trafficking that goes on in the United States, and can be found on YouTube, MySpace, and their official website.

“Im hoping people see the finished product and that it catches on,” he said. “If it does, it’ll raise awareness, raise a lot of money for ‘NotForSale.org’, which will enable them to combat this, and it will put the band in the spotlight, which will enable us to say more about it and hopefully create a bigger impact.”

3MTL is very excited and pleased with the way things turned out with the song, but Brian wants to push the envelope even more and continue to take affirmative action.

“Granted, we just wrote a song and shot a video, but if I had the funds, I’d go save those girls,” he said. “3 Minutes to Live is based on this idea: What would you do if you only had that long to live? Try not to be indifferent. At any moment, your time may be up and you may regret not helping out people when you could. The clock is ticking. Once you pass away, its too late. Money means nothing if you don’t do something good with it.”

With his own funds permitting, he plans to go to Cambodia with a team in April to research the matter further.

Electric Teeth hunger for success

Electric Teeth, who centralize in Murfreesboro, are a younger, more recently formed rock band. Despite their age, these 19 and 20-year-olds have already shown signs of great success and their fan base has grown significantly since their official formation last year. According to frontman Nathan Goodwin, they really gelled as a band and began playing at the end of MTSU’s school year at house shows and various other gigs. Goodwin said Electric Teeth loves playing house shows around the Murfreesboro area because the crowd is so receptive to their sound.

“We have a lot of great fans,” said Taylor Lowrance, who plays guitar for the band. “I’m from Memphis, and while music to them is kind of the thing to do, the ‘boro people really care.”

They have jamband tendencies, which is a style that is growing in popularity locally. They take great pride in their individuality though, because while they do have a seemingly recognizable sound, they successfully add their own twist to the music they create.

“I think something that defines our band is that none of us have tried to make our music anything particular,” said Goodwin. “We’re really good about letting what happens, happen.”

The band has already recorded six songs, but only three have been released to the public. Their goal is to have their very first full-length album released in time for spring break. For the time being, they are working on getting as many shows as they possibly can. They’ve been at such venues like The End, in Nashville and Club 527 in the ‘boro. The only show they have lined up at the moment will be an awesome one. Its set to be held on January 22nd in Murfreesboro with Deep Machine and Magic Veteran at YEAH, located off Maple Street.

“We’ve been playing a lot more shows, so we know a lot more people. This semester is going to be really good for our development as a band,” Goodwin said.

Chris Volpe's 'Shipwrecked' is buried treasure to folk fans

Chris Volpe's soothing folk tunes in his new album Shipwrecked! will keep listeners on an even keel. He produced all of the songs himself, and had quite the impressive lineup of guest musicians to boot. This album is chock- full with sounds ranging from the cello and harmonica to the pedal steel guitar and fiddle. The musicians featured compliment his heart-rending voice and happen to be quite reputable, including Jeff Coffin, Donnie Herron, and Kenny Malone who have played with such greats as The Dave Matthews Band, Bob Dylan, and Johnny Cash, respectively. The album's style definitely reflects his 'Bible Belt', Tennessee roots; although he does cover everything from bluegrass and folk, to jazz; with a little pop thrown in for fun. His song called Dusty Bibles features lyrics like, "Dusty bibles lead to dirty lives," which reiterates his dedication to the the Belt. Oh, and he humorously name drops when he refers to sinners as Saddam Hussein and Keith Moon. Its pretty good. This album should definitely hold high listening priority when you embark on your musical discovery endeavors.

Infinitus battles to promote positivity

If progressive metal is your thing, Infinitus is right up your alley. With their long hair and Iron Man t-shirts, they melt the faces of fans in the Clarksville music scene. One thing distinguishes them from other aggressive metal bands, though: Their lyrics are Christian-based. Their hope is to promote positivity through subdued Christian themed music, fit for the one who likes to rock. Hard.

“We’re genuinely happy people who like to play seemingly aggressive music,” said Wiley Jenkins, lead guitarist for the band. “The analyst will hear Christian undertones, but the everyday person probably won’t even notice it. We are hoping the goodness will just seep in subconsciously and the positive light will be shed on each of our fans.”

He added later on that they are trying a new approach to promoting Christianity while writing the music with lyrics that are close to their heart, while not limiting their appeal to only Christians.

“People say they love each other all the time, but having someone receptive to the phrase ‘Jesus loves you’ is few and far between,” Jenkins said.

Their solution is simple. They show their fans unfailing love and adoration in hopes for their good mood to gain momentum and spread farther. So far, they’ve had a lot of positive feedback.

Drummer, Roach B. Roach, who recently joined with Infinitus, recalled their most memorable show. His story soon excited the other four band members as well.

“We played at this skate park in Paris, Tennessee,” Roach said. “It was so awesome to see them get so excited about us when the show began. They were right up in our faces! Wiley ripped his pants, but he kept on playin’!”

He said those who came to see them that day loved the show so much, they asked them to come back soon after, for a follow-up show.

“It was such a neat feeling,” Jenkins said. “They came back the next time wearing Infinitus t-shirts. We remembered those fans and got to know them very well. It was a very rewarding experience because for the first time, people came to see us, specifically.”

They all agreed that they are collectively serious about their music, but on stage they like to have fun. They want to inspire their fans to let loose and have a good time.

“We’re so fortunate to have what we have,” Roach said. “We are all so different, but we work so well.”

Their last show was at the Rutledge, in Nashville for a Toys for Tots benefit. You can watch for this promising group of metal-heads in both the Clarksville and the Nashville area.

Moon Taxi's 'Live Ride' is more than a roadtrip for listeners

I'll be honest, not many live albums seem to impress me much, however, when I heard Moon Taxi's live album, entitled 'Live Ride', I was more than impressed with the way it turned out. They illustrated a quite solid and powerful mix of funk, folk and bluegrass, and they executed it in such a way that was unlike any other band I've heard thus far. The overall quality of the album is crisp and clean, and was properly mixed and mastered by  Ross Gower of Nashville Mobile Recording, in Franklin. Each member of this five piece band rises to their full potential. Go ahead, try and find a song that is satisfactory. It won't happen.  The album opens with fans chanting 'Moon Taxi', and they are clearly pumped to hear the opening song, 'Common Ground'. Although you can't actually see them playing, its so easy to visualize their stage performance. In specific, when they open up track number 10, a song that has a definite bluegrass feel entitled, 'Poacha Cooper'. Lead singer, Trevor Terndrup, says to the crowd to not be afraid to clap your hands. I did. All the songs are good, but another noteworthy song is the instrumental, track number 12, "Information Center." Its barely over two minutes long, but only two words came to mind when I heard it: pretty and epic. Its the kind of good stuff you look for that covers you in chill bumps. Wes Bailey adds the epic touch on the keys while guitarists Trevor and Spencer Thompson harmonize. Overall, I think this album is really well put together. Hearing this album before the New Years Eve show is exciting, because now I know what to expect: a memorable way to kick off the New Year.

Zoogma grooves Club 527-Murfreesboro

Zoogma kept the crowd dancing  well in to the evening when they played their show at Club 527 in Murfreesboro Friday night with local favorites, Beat Repeat and Deep Machine. 

Because of their genre, which is a balanced mixture of  electronica, rock and jazz, they brought a full crowd to the club. The crowd was comprised of mostly students from the local college, Middle Tennessee State University. Most of these students came prepared to party, and came specifically for Zoogma. Their faces were painted, which complimented the swirling light shows that accompanied Zoogma’s presentation. 

“Zoogma was so awesome,” Charles Todd, a local from the area, and a recruited fan of Zoogma, said. “I really liked how they fit perfectly with the other two bands/djs that were featured.”

Charles’ opinion seemed to be the general consensus. Many fans agreed that they really fit in with what the Murfreesboro crowd loves to listen to. Jam bands and dance music are two things that are really in high demand for these kids. 

“The fact that they combine a five piece band with a dj that uses cool samples, really sets them apart from bands that have the potential to be very similar to Zoogma,” said Megan Warren, a student from MTSU. “They’re really unique in that way. I can see how they’ve already played with such greats as Perpetual Groove and Lotus.”

Their progress as a band was evident to those who have been fans since their formation only a year ago. Some, including family and friends, even travelled from Oxford, and the surrounding areas, to show their support. Their fan base will continue to grow as they develop their talent, and will be a promising band to keep your eye on.

If you want to see more from Zoogma, their next show will be in Memphis on New Year’s Eve at  the bar/ music venue, Newby’s.

Karius Vega proves natural talent as a live DJ

Karius Vega hasn't been spinning live for long, but his musical genius has been evident for years. 

The beginnings of his career started in the studio. His passion for music 
production began as early as 12 years old, when he first started experimenting 
with mixing electronica and dance. He said he loved the immediate sense of 
control he had when mixing and editing in the comfort of a studio, but never 
quite thought of being a live dj. His styles have already diversified; his major 
styles now include IDM and drum and bass instead of predominantly electronica. 

Even though he got in to music at such an early age, he said he knew this was 
what he was destined to do. 

"I felt like I had an objective," Vega said. "Music is my life, and I aspire to wholly 
commit myself to not only that but to all those who are in search of inspiration." 

Inspiring his listeners and creating a legacy was of utmost importance to him. 
He said music is a part of communication and that communication contributed 
to keeping culture alive. Vega continued to express his gratitude for all his fans 
that have helped him grow. 

"The purpose of my ENCO mix was to get as much feedback as possible, Vega 
said. "Without my fans' feedback, I can't improve myself or accentuate the 
impact I have on the music scene." He reiterated that his fans have offered a 
significant amount of feedback, and for that he was thankful. 

He said to him, music was a bit like research. It was an ongoing process of 
refining himself and his music while trying to define his persona. He said his 
hope is to create musical history. 

"I want something to refer to once I get old," Vega said. "I want to create music 
that will help me catalogue my progress as both an artist and a person." 

He said he had high hopes for all the shows to come, and that he was in a 
constant state of perfecting his mixes. His recent  and seemingly effortless 
success as a live dj seemed to take him a bit by surprise, but his humility stayed 
constant. 

"I feel so blessed," Vega said. "So far, every show has been totally packed. It 
seems to always be a full crowd of fresh faces." 

He's preparing for two major shows that will be epic, guaranteed. On December 
4th, he will be showcasing his talent at Mercy Lounge with The Protomen and 
Tallest Trees. The show, called "A Party to Plant Trees",  will operate in 
conjunction with Soundforest.org, which is a non-profit organization that raises 
awareness and funds to help plant trees in the greater Middle Tennessee area. 
And rest assured, no party would be a party without Sweetwater Brewing 
Company's sponsorship and drink specials. 

Soon after on New Years Eve, you can catch him with Moon Taxi at the Exit/In. If 
you want to kick off the New Years right, it will be possible to do so with both 
bands and the incredible lighting and visuals that go along with it. Vega said 
he's never had the pleasure of playing with Moon Taxi, but that he's becoming 
very excited to be a part of helping people start off their New Year with a 
memorable show. 

Milktooth to release a raw, well-developed vinyl:

The cleverly named band, Milktooth, named after what is known in southern 
cultures as a baby tooth has come a long way since their formation in January. 
Frontman David Condos sits cool-headed in a local cafe and recalls the release 
of their debut, self-titled EP and is proud to announce the release of a 
personalized 7'' vinyl appropriately named "Halloween in Santa Ana" which is 
more than a treat for listeners. The album is set to be released on the Thursday 
before Halloween at their release party being held at the Nashville venue, The 
End. 

They've ingeniously come together to create an epic three song vinyl that is 
filled with creepy reverberated vocals and dirty distorted bass. Condos believes 
in the importance of developing a relationship with his listeners and chose to 
make  "Halloween in Santa Ana" a very special and personalized record. 

"Each vinyl sleeve will be hand-stamped by a band member. The stamp itself 
was designed by another band member's little sister, so you can see we've put a 
lot of thought in to this," Condos said. 

Although they believe in taking their time, Condos goes on to explain that the 
idea for the record itself took a mere four days to finish. For him, it was by far 
the fastest he's ever put an idea together in the three years he's been working 
with music. 

The vinyl will also include a download code to get the songs in mp3 format, also 
including their cover of the David Bowie song, "Cat People". 

"The idea for covering David Bowie started back at our EP release show in June. 
At that point the EP only had six songs so we wanted to fill it in with a cool 
cover," Condos goes on to explain he added his own twist to it that listeners are 
to look forward to, "I worked it to my advantage that I wasn't familiar with the 
song. I just looked up the lyrics to it and we gave it our own." 

Condos is very happy with how the album sounds. His aim is to impact his 
listeners and create a sort of 'chill factor' that he illustrates by mentioning 
Radiohead's album, Amnesiac". 

"I like impassioned music, the kind that gives you those unexplained chills. 
We're just trying to make everything sound raw and live." 

Music lovers gather to 'Save the Music'

Published: October 4, 2009

Musicians, students and music lovers gathered on Friday night to listen to their favorite bands and raise money for underprivileged children across the country to have access to instruments and funding for music programs in their schools.

The Public Relations Student Society of America hosted its first ever concert in an effort to raise funds for both the VH1 Save the Music Foundation and the PRSSA.

The concert united its audience to support music, something many of them were introduced to through music education programs. This early introduction to music is the reason why many students came to study at MTSU.

“MTSU is unique in the fact that it offers a degree in the public relations field with an emphasis in the recording industry,” says Paul Bernardini, vice president of fundraising for the PRSSA MTSU chapter. 

“So, with that in mind, VH1’s Save the Music Foundation is an appropriate fit to fill a philanthropic opportunity that our chapter hasn’t yet taken full advantage of.”

The core mission of the VH1 Save the Music Foundation is to restore instrumental music education programs, ensuring that every child has access to a complete education that includes the benefits of music instruction.

“I wish I had a wonderful organization such as this when I was growing up,” says Kristi Neumann, a Nashville musician who was featured in Friday night’s concert. “I couldn’t really start learning to play the guitar until I was 19, simply because I couldn’t afford to buy my own instruments.”

According to Neumann, she wouldn’t be the same person if she had never been introduced to music.

“Music made me who I am,” Neumann says. “I would be a disaster without it. The ability for me to jam out on my guitar relieves all my stress.” 

The concert was successful, raising more than $500 from ticket sales alone. 

Donation jars were distributed to businesses throughout Murfreesboro as well to give the community a chance to make cash donations to both causes. 

Since Save the Music’s start in 1997, it has managed to raise $43 million for schools all over the country.

The MTSU show featured many musical artistst from funky house bands like DeRobert and the Half-Truths to Jennifer Berettilonghini, who fearlessly played “Iron Man” on the bagpipes. 

A band comprised 30 middle school children from both Central Middle School and Bradley Academy made an incredible guest appearance.  They were led by Luke Hill, the band director for Bradley Academy with the help of his friend, Scott Kinney.

“It’s really a difficult thing to combine two groups of children from two different schools and make it work,” Luke Hill says. “It truly was quite a feat considering the Bradley Academy kids had about six weeks to prepare as opposed to Central Middle School only having about a week to get ready.”

The band did a fantastic job and their passion for music showed in their performance. 

Robin Kinney, a student at Central Middle School played the French horn and was excited to explain her involvement. Although she has been playing the horn for one year, she plans on auditioning for the All-Midstate Honor Band as soon as she can.

“They’ve been blessed to have a band to sign up for,” Hill says. “They get to give back tonight and show their appreciation through their musical talents.”

ODP also played a huge part in the success of this concert as they controlled the sound. They were very proud and excited to be involved in a function such as Save the Music.

“We are always excited to get our hands on any musical function that we can, especially if its proceeds go toward furthering musical education,” says Taylor Cole, a member of ODP and a sophomore at MTSU.

Surrealism at Nashville's Frist Center

Published: September 16, 2009

Surrealism: seeing the ordinary as extraordinary- was the theme of Dr. Therese Lichtenstein's photography and film exhibition, called 'Twilight Visions', which opened Thursday night at the Frist Center.  The exhibition featured more than 120 photographs by French artists from the 1920's and 1930's, such as Man Ray, Eugene Atget, Hans Bellmer and Brassai, and offered a unique insight to the social and political hardships during their culture's transition between world wars.  This mixture of documentary and experimental photography beautifully captured the celebration of electricity and encouraged observers to excite their vision and to be active participants as the walked through the disoriented structure of the exhibit. "It is so important for our culture to appreciate surrealism, considering all the things going on within our nation today," Dr. Lichtensteing commented when asked about how the exhibit could be inspiration even to the American culture today. Percieving the ordinary as extraordinary serves as inspiration to us during this time of economic crisis and emphasizes the concept of the Twilight Exhibit both literally and metaphorically. In the exhibit, twilight represents the undetermined time occuring between night and day, in a more literal sense, where everything is both hidden and exposed.  Metaphorically, the exhibit also represents a comparison; be it between the grotesque and the beautiful or reality and fantasy- and sometimes when things become difficult it helps to not be able to determine a clear divide between the two. "I found it really fascinating. It’s abstract. I really enjoyed the photos by Man Ray and would like to revisit again soon, remarked Libby Robinson Lacocke, a former personal finance professor at MTSU. The exhibition will be held at the Frist until January 3, 2010 then will travel to the International Center of Photography in New York from January 29 through May 9, 2010 and lastly, to the Telfair Museum of Art in Savannah, Georgia from June until September 30, 2010.

The Uprising of The Young

Published: July 29, 2009

The Young is truly a band that is fueled by love and lives for expressing strong emotion through music. Steven Miller, Eric Griffin and Trevor Greene have called themselves a band for three years now, but have practically grown up together and have been involved in each other's lives for a decade or more.

This All-American, Brit-Rock inspired band named after its mutual love for Neil Young is definitely one of the most promising bands to come from the mountainous Knoxville.

The Young's first EP, "Nylon April," was released in 2008, however, the band's first full-length album, dedicated and created after lead singer Eric's brother passed away, is something beautiful to watch for, called, "After the Crash."

"It's about the things people think but never say," Miller says. "A story of love, death and the death of people we love."

The members mention the hardships of being a band and aren't afraid to tell what it's like being on the road.

Yet, the guys continue to work hard at winning the hearts of fans. Drummer Steve Miller recalls a story from a show the band played a while back in the small city of Morristown and the band's initial doubt of how audiences would react.

"It was a packed bar in a small town," Miller says. "We were scared because it was an older group of people; we had to play two sets, and was the only band performing that night.

"It was cool because we gave them autographed CDs and it was the most genuine audience I can recall."

Being genuine and honest is an on-going theme for this talented group. Using John Darnielle as the perfect example for how its musical career should go, the band mentions that all it wants is to be able to play music and support the band members' family and each other.

The next two years will determine whether or not this endearing band will stay.

"The hardest part is the money," Miller says. "We aren't looking for fame, but would be thankful if we could find a record label to back us financially."

If the band continues to work and move as a single unstoppable unit, a label will be in its immediate future. The Young have grown and its listeners now stretch to places as far as Puerto Rico.

Apparently, the band's music found its way over there some time after the distribution of the first EP.

The Young's sound is catchy and appreciated by a vast group of people: its influences being the aforementioned Neil Young along with Blur, vocals resembling Radiohead and Travis.

Even though The Young consider its work to be mostly a group effort, lead guitarist and vocalist Eric Griffin admits his passion for music enables him to do most of the creative grunt-work.

"Well, I mostly just write a lot of music and look for drink specials," Griffin says. "I'm not afraid for vulnerable situations to influence our music."

This band offers, without a doubt, powerful performances. Mixing Eric's emotional vocals, Trevor Greene's steady pulse on the bass and Steve Miller's complex drum beats, an audience can't help being totally enamored after the show is over.