The Spin
Diggin’ for fire
We arrived late to the Frank Black show at Mercy Lounge last Wednesday night, and found him all serious, hunched and eyeliner smeared, roaring through solo stuff and Catholics tunes. We missed the Pixies songs we heard he covered, like “Wave of Mutilation” and “Hey.” We missed his special guests, such as Spooner Oldham, David Hood (no word if Buddy Miller showed) and even drummer/producer Craig Krampf, who said he joined Black onstage to play percussion and do background vox on the Catholics’ frustrated epic climax “Headache.” But even if we can’t follow Black into the desert of Americana, we made do with another Catholics song, “Horrible Day,” and enjoyed “I’ll Be Blue” off Dog in the Sand, even if it made us long for Joey Santiago’s achy bursts on guitar. The place was nearly full, and with Duane Jarvis and Billy Block on hand, the sprawling, sometimes soporific output of late had a crisp, rockin’ friskiness. Though it’s the Pixies that always bring us back to Black, it was also his voice, brazen and plangent, that kept us there ’till the night’s end.
Booze, sunshine and tunes
It was a beautiful day on Eighth Avenue for Grimey’s/The Basement’s Second Annual Fall Festival and Big-Ass Outdoor Sale—the sun was shining, the beer was flowing and the music was loud enough to make us wonder if Mike Grimes was baking cookies or providing less wholesome services to The Basement’s neighbors. We rolled in just in time to catch Altered Statesmen (gearing up for their stint opening for Wilco), and instantly understood why the Chicagoans became so enamored with this quirky, soulful rock outfit. Other highlights included All We Seabees, locals with catchy hooks and a good-times, unpretentious style. Last up was Lone Official, who sounded downright professional, their lush, lilting, sonic landscapes the perfect counterpoint to the soft dusk light and cooling temperatures. Frontman Matt Button’s adorable tow-headed son stood out in front of the crowd, transfixed by his daddy’s melancholy tales of horse racing and bar fights. We didn’t find too much in the sale but observed many leaving with bemused grins and full arms—that’s what dollar vinyl and $2 plastic can do to a music nerd. The day ended with an entreaty from co-owner Doyle Davis to head down to Murfreesboro’s Grand Palace for their One-Year Anniversary Bash. We think we will...
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Booze, snark and tunes
…So we did. When we arrived at Grand Palace around 10 p.m., the place was already pretty full—with beer and a surprising amount of Jägermeister abounding. First up were East Nashville stalwarts The Carter Administration, whose bright, jaunty power pop got the night humming, tight and confident as hell. Next up was a short set from MC Chris Crofton that got a little ugly—OK, a lot ugly—but was hilarious nonetheless. A good portion of his set consisted of a protracted bout of verbal repartee with an audience member and an analysis of Pitchfork Media’s mysterious rating system. (Apparently an Asian chick in the band guarantees at least a 7.1.) Chicago trio Catfish Haven, Grand Palace favorites, were next up with a set of soulful, punchy, acoustic rock that confirmed our suspicions: drummer Ryan Farnham is a badass. Last, but not least, vintage rockers Turncoats played an electric set of covers by bands like The Kinks and did Television’s “See No Evil,” (dedicated to absent GP grandmum Bingham Barnes) that led to a full-blown mosh pit. Sean Maloney, who spun vintage soul all night between sets, got back on the turntables and the night devolved from there.... That said, we’d like to thank Alex Norfleet for letting us crash in his studio, and offer an extra special thanks to Catfish Haven for giving The Spin a ride back to Nashville in their Pepto-pink van.
Chain lightning
Getting to hear one of your heroes playing a song you wrote is a privilege few artists can claim, but one breakthrough country quartet Little Big Town received Thursday night. In the opening moments of their CMT Crossroads taping with Fleetwood Mac’s Lindsey Buckingham at The Factory at Franklin, Buckingham plucked the ringing guitar figure announcing Little Big Town’s “Bones,” a haunting number clearly modeled on the Mac’s “The Chain”—a connection made explicit when the songs were then married in a tour de force medley. The aggregate proceeded through a democratically balanced set list of LB and LBT numbers, and both parties seemed thoroughly elated—the Little Big Towners at the opportunity to belt out songs like “Go Your Own Way” with the guy who wrote ’em, and Buckingham (who played a solo show at The Ryman two days later) at being surrounded by the distinctive, perfectly honed blend of male and female harmonies that Fleetwood Mac have been missing since Christine McVie retired. (The show debuts on CMT Dec. 2.) “We oughta start a band!” yelped an excited Buckingham at one point. Damn straight.
Road warrior
Tim Sanderfer often lived on the road, and in a tragic twist of fate, he died on it. A single-car accident last summer outside St. Charles, Ill., claimed the life of the longtime Nashville tour manager and roadie, whose career included stints doing rigging for Alan Jackson and merchandising for George Strait and Tim McGraw. (At the time of the accident, he was on tour with Steve Irwin, whose own death occurred just weeks later.) To raise money for his widow Katrina and children Nicholas and Cecilia Rose, former Lightning 100 host Peter Rodman has assembled a benefit, Road-Aid 1, scheduled for 9:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12 at 3rd & Lindsley. Confirmed guests include Jumbo Shrimp, Greg Trooper, The Woodys, Dave Pomeroy and Dan McCorison—but with a cause like this, expect lots of old friends to show up. A minimum donation of $15 is requested; there’ll also be a silent auction.
Friday the 13th: A New Beginning
If it’s Friday the 13th, it’s time for another edition of RR, the zine published by Jeff Meltesen only on that unluckiest of calendar holidays. Under his nom de plume D. Striker, Meltesen does something different every time, from using an album-cover format to a lengthy fold-out; this week’s model includes the Trey Deuce Club Vol. 1, a CD featuring tracks by Ole Mossy Face, Hands Down Eugene (playing their hit “Mountain Pussy”), Duraluxe, Sad Apartment, The Good Americans, Taylor Joiner & Rachel Patton and John Smift XXV. And for one night only—guess which one—The Basement turns into a real live Trey Deuce Club, with appearances by all the bands on the disc. Show up 9 p.m. Friday, and don’t walk under any ladders.
Send cookie recipes for Mike Grimes to thespin@nashvillescene.com.