TWiN: This Weekend In Nashville | 12/14-12/16

It’s another collaborative effort from us here at No Country.  It feels like winter, but you know that the boys (and girls) are back in town with a lineup the likes of you haven’t seen since summer.  Given the sheer awesomeness of great shows this weekend, we’re going to spotlight just a couple of shows each night of the weekend.  It’s just a few of the many acts playing this weekend, so check our calendar if nothing below strikes your fancy.  Start making those weekend decisions now, and get out to see some live music…

Friday:

Matt: Father Figures, DOME, & The Maloneys @ fooBar

Are you familiar with zombie jazz crew Father Figures?  I wasn’t either until recently.  These nouveau-jazz-rad-asses are performing tonight at fooBar with support by DOME (“featuring members of Jeff The Brotherhood and Denney & The Jets“).  I’m no genius, but the plural of the word “member” makes me wonder if this side project would include both of the Oralls joining up with Denney & Co.  I don’t know what to expect out of DOME (and I’m pretty sure they aren’t this DOME), but I’m sure it will be fun.  Things get started around 9pm with The Maloneys, and tickets are a mere 5 bones.  You can check out the video for Father Figures’ “Steamship Authority” below.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO-JgfjGdO4&w=560&h=315]

Jessika: Rachel Yamagata, Ed Romanoff, & Adrien Reju @ 3rd & Lindsley

Rachael Yamagata will tell you plenty about herself if you only ask. Her bio reveals, “She’s highly driven and totally type A… She hates the phone, loves hot sauce and animals (not together), studies accounting in the mornings at the gym and can’t get enough of marathon dvd series and HGTV at night. She sighs that most think her songs are only about love relationships and expect her to be depressed and lovelorn. At heart, she is the eternal optimist writing about connection and hope. C’est moi, Rachael Yamagata.”

Rachel’s songs are lovely and lush. They’re dark without being melodramatic and occasionally, as with this duet with Ray LaMontagne, they have a sensuality that is reminiscent of that delicious moment when someone you’re sweet on wakes you with a gentle plea for another tussle before sunrise.

[youtube=http://youtu.be/YowbZLOwAgM]

She’s a favorite among some of my other favorites, Ryan Adams, Conor Oberst, and Rhett Miller, having guested with them all. Plus, for her new EP, she’s teaming up with Liz Phair (which does my Exile In Guyville obsessed teenage heart good) and local Madi Diaz. She keeps good company and will no doubt put on a good show and maybe with some special guests (a girl can dream).

Ed Romanoff and Adrien Reju are also on the bill. Show’s at 8:30. $15.00. 3^rd and Lindsley. Tix in advance here.

Andrew: Wild Cub, The Non-Commissioned Officers and The Glass Anchors @ The Stone Fox

Wild Cub‘s music can be and usually is a calculated, slowly-building process. Once the rhythmic foundation of the song has been laid, intricate melodic and harmonic variations are stacked one by one, but the songs never stray from the solid backbone. “Thunder Clatter” is a perfect example. The rhythm and melody are beaten into you and you’re wildly hooked. You can’t explain the addiction, but you keep at it. This is the most accessible and most fun of Keegan Dewitt’s projects. He also has no hesitation to reach back in time and rehash the throwback 80s synth groove every once a while. And why wouldn’t he? They’re fun. Watch the build-up idea of this sound in their most recent music video for “Thunder Clatter” below:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQe93QIrrqQ&w=560&h=315]

The Non-Commissioned Officers  are far removed from their film-scoring inception, but they’re still making great music that could be movie-soundtrack-worthy if they so desired. Why? It’s routinely epic, emotionally moving, and each song tells a detailed story with its design. Check out their new hit single “Ahead of the Wave” here.

I don’t know too much about Brooklyn’s The Glass Anchors, but I’m going to familiarize myself with their music by checking out their BandCamp at the aforementioned link.

Philip: The Kicks, Daniel Ellsworth, The Young International, and House of Fools @ Exit/In

Friday night, I think you should head to Exit/In to see Nashville’s own The Kicks perform with fellow locals Daniel Ellsworth, The Young International, and, from North Carolina, House of Fools. The Kicks have big rock and roll dreams and, if their accomplishments and buzz in 2012 alone are any indication, they’re well on their way to achieving them. It’s always great to catch locals on the way up, and this bill is jam-packed with talent. Head here for more info.

Saturday:

Matt: Holiday Parties Galore & Thunderbitch

If you are like me, you haven’t bought a single gift for your family, so you should start your day over at The Stone Fox for their Christmas Village and Holiday Party.  The daytime will include vendors, drinks, brunch, and DJs from 11 am until 3 pm.  As the day turns to night, the party kicks up a notch with performances by Heypenny, The Tyler Family Band, JP5 (Joey Plunkett 5), Birdcloud, and more (rumor has it Waterfall Wash will be performing as well.)

If you are still needing gifts for that vinyl loving music snob in your life, you should swing by The Basement & Grimey’s for their holiday party with music from Will Kimbrough, GED Christmas Soul Spectacular, Grandfather Child, The Danberrys, & Kenny Vaugh Trio from 4pm until 8pm.

From there, you should hustle immediately over to Ghot Wingz for possibly the only live performance of Thunderbitch in that stellar lineup at the improbable venue that we discussed a couple of days ago.  The rest of the line up are no slouches either with Natural Child, Fly Golden Eagle, James Wallace & The Naked Light, & Promised Land.  Things get started around 8:30, but I would try to be there early.  You can check out the Fly Golden Eagle/Alabama Shakes side project Thunderbitch below.

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/65000645″ params=”” width=” 100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Jessika: Ponychase, Bow and Arrows, Grandfather Child, & Money Cannot Be Eaten @ The Basement

Y’all know I love me some Ponychase. You can revisit my praise on the jump or just give ‘em a listen below.

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/users/1722177″ params=”” width=” 100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]

Lucky for us all, they’re playing Saturday at the Basement with some bands that I had to research a bit to share my findings below – Bows and Arrows, Grandfather Child (who is apparently spending the entire day at our favorite 8th Avenue South record store), and Money Cannot Be Eaten. Show’s just $5 and gets going around 9pm.

Exhibit A: Bows and Arrows cover of Velvet Undergound’s “Here She Comes Now”

[bandcamp track=3781299523  bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=venti]

Exhibit B: Grandfather Child’s “short performance video”

[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/48849033 w=400&h=300]

And finally, Exhibit C: Money Cannot Be Eaten

[bandcamp album=2636299814  bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=venti]

Andrew: Penicillin Baby, Megajoos, Vacation Bible School @ The Owl Farm

You don’t necessarily need an electric guitar to play in a rock band, because you can substitute a distorted bass. That’s what Megajoos do and it works. Some of their music recalls early Black Sabbath. It’s that straight-ahead good ole thrashy fuck-up-your-garage early metal that most can still head-bang to.  Penicillin Baby, who will be using this show for their EP release that we discussed a couple of days ago, are perhaps more 60s pop than anything else. But, both decades are respectable sounds to recall, eh?  Vacation Bible School doesn’t have the easiest name to find on the Internet, but I was able to link to their Myspace here.  They take us ahead to early 90s punk. This is gonna be a down and dirty rock show. Oh and by the way, it’s at a venue I’ve never heard of or been to: The Owl Farm. So here’s the address: 811 N 1st St, Nashville, TN 37207. (You might need it).

Philip: Relient K & House Of Heroes @ Rocketown

Regardless of what you do, share your weekend with us on Instagram & Twitter by tagging @NoCountryNash and hashtagging #TWiN.  Let’s show the world just how bad ass Nashville weekends are.