Next Big Nashville 2009: The Lineup for Saturday, October 10th

ROCK BLOCK
You know those kids who seem too big for this town? Expect to see them at Exit/In Saturday night, both onstage and off. Jemina Pearl didn't exactly say the nicest things about her hometown when she took off for Brooklyn last year—not that she minced words much when she received her mail here—and this, her first show here since the breakup of Be Your Own Pet, promises to send sparks flying. Pearl's bandmate John Eatherly was a powerhouse on drums when the two played together in BYOP, so it hardly seems fair that he's a pretty slick guitarist, too—but then life isn't fair, is it? Matt Friction's new venture with his Cheap Shots shares the bill, as do Girls (a band with no girls). Hey, this will be the one show on their tour where Pearl doesn't have to explain the song "Nashville Shores"!

If we truly wanted to apply any sort of high-school-clique-metaphor template to NBN's vast array of bills, this one would be a no-brainer. Saturday night at The End, you're looking at an indifferent but inexplicably adroit clan of burners with hearts of gold. These are the folks you might have seen ditching fourth period in order to roll a spliff and shoot off bottle rockets at the quarry. That said, they're the same kids who'd ace the pop quiz in Punk History 101 the very next day. Headlining are Infinity Cat's latest co-ed darlings Heavy Cream, who slather their untamed, ramshackle garage-punk tunes in a heaping layer of sincere glee. Sharing the bill are labelmates Daniel Pujol—possibly the most remarkably mature songwriter on the youthful bill—Denney and the Jets and Natural Child, who all do a fair amount of member swapping and house-show hopping. Openers include ridiculously un-Google-able bands Cannonmen, Wright's Jambuliyea Fest and CY. STEVE HARUCH & D. PATRICK RODGERS

Mercy Lounge
Aside from both having played Bonnaroo thanks to 8 off 8th victories, Saturday night's Mercy headliners The Protomen and Heypenny have little in common. One makes concept albums about near-quarter-century-old video games, while the other beefs up their dance-party pop with a second line. Can you guess which one covers Beyoncé's "Single Ladies" and which one covers "The Final Countdown?" Regardless, both have proven their ability to put on a helluva show, and should make for quite the bash to close out our NBN festivities. Ostensibly, by this point in the festival, all parties involved will likely be so sloshed that either band could cover "The Macarena" or "Who Let the Dogs Out?" and the crowd would eat it up. Also on the bill are The Kyle Andrews Fun Team, bar rockers Ponderosa, killer axe-slinger Megan McCormick and the perpetually confusing fusion of Auto-Tune, club beatz, Blink 182 melodies and Limp Bizkit riffs that comprise Mike's Pawn Shop's local campaign against art. ADAM GOLD

The 5 Spot
It's important not to forget the East Side. For those of you looking to get Next Big Five Points style—and for all you Eastsiders too weary of eight-minute drives to get your listless asses across the river—NBN has reserved one of the strongest lineups of the festival for The 5 Spot. An appearance from the stoney '70s musical time machine Hands Down Eugene—the archetypal East Side band—is always a treat. And the indie-rock joining par excellence of maladroit popsters Bows and Arrows, the consistently fantastic virtuosic melody makers And the Relatives and the elusive lo-fi minimalism of Bad Friend will serve as quite the preamble for the savage tour-de-force of poetic cock-rock that is Chris Crofton and his Alcohol Stuntband. It's also worth noting that this is Crofton & Co.'s first appearance in the festival's four-year history. Cross your fingers and prepare yourself for a Next Big Nashville-themed rap during the breakdown of "Dickerson Pike." ADAM GOLD

Best of the Rest
AutoVaughn These guys are nothing if not resourceful. When they needed money to jump the pond and tour, they sent out a call to fans—and got to play to some enthusiastic UK crowds as a result. Then they won a few thousand dollars worth of new gear from Fender in an online contest. Not bad. And we're pretty sure frontman Darrin Edwards has never duct-taped anyone's buns together. 11:30 p.m. at 12th & Porter STEVE HARUCH

Party Time
Third Annual BMI and Guitar Center VIP Brunch
This is a tough one, sort of. Eleven in the morning is totally not our usual wake up call on Saturdays, and Friday nights during Next Big Nashville have traditionally been all-out, making those Zs count for double. But we will be there because a) we love brunch and haven't been over to Cabana since the Funky Good Time dance parties stopped and b) by Saturday morning we relish any opportunity to talk to fellow festival-goers at a reasonable volume. Eat up, rest up and get ready to tear the roof off of Saturday night. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Cabana

Yazoo Brewery Party
After you brunch, it's time to get boozin' with the folks at Yazoo Brewery, Nashville's best source for fresh, delicious beer. Joining our favorite food supplier will be our favorite funk band with our least favorite name, The Coolin' System, with The Delta and special DJ sets from Keegan DeWitt, Madi Diaz and house-music honcho Principal. 12-7 p.m. at Yazoo Brewery SEAN L. MALONEY