Subject: Murfreesboro

• Nashville, Meet Murfreesboro

  July 2, 2008

• A Reason to Go to Murfreesboro: Southern Girls Rock 'n' Roll Camp Showcase Saturday

  July 18, 2008

• Another House (Venue) Bites the Dust: House House Cancels Upcoming Shows (and It's Probably Something You Did)

  July 21, 2008

• The Spin: Diorama-rama

  August 4, 2008

• Showbiz Pizza: Kayo Dot w/Most Amazing Century of Science at Tomăto Tomäto

  October 14, 2008

• Can We Go to the Murfreesboro Motel? Hammertorch at The 5 Spot Tonight

  November 6, 2008

• The Holla feat. Spoken Nerd, Swordplay & W.T. the Musical Mastermind

  August 7, 2008

• "We started wondering why were paying so much overhead in D.C...."

  September 25, 2008

• Temple Grandin Signing and Discussion at Davis-Kidd

  February 26, 2009

• Temple Grandin Appearance at Future Horizons Conference on Aspergers and Autism

  February 26, 2009

• Some things Murfreesboro has to look forward to

  December 18, 2008

• Please, Hammer, Don’t Torch ’Em

  December 11, 2008

• All Day Every Day

  December 4, 2008

• Tomato Squared

  April 24, 2008

• Yeah Yeah Yeah

  April 24, 2008

• Suspect Behavior

  July 26, 2007

• Rock and Tacos

  The Boro’s indie-rockers find a new casa

  March 15, 2007

• Royal Drag

  Murfreesboro’s Grand Palace loses its venue-hosting capabilities

  January 11, 2007

• Smoke ’Em if You Got ’Em

  Murfreesboro barbecue joint makes a wing to be reckoned with

  November 2, 2006

• Fort Awesome

  In Murfreesboro’s underground house party scene, kids make their own fun

  August 24, 2006

• Off the Grid

  Murfreesboro’s Grand Palace: “hip shit for the geographic center of rock ’n’ roll”

  June 29, 2006

• The Spin

  May 4, 2006

• Conflict of Interest

  Area jazz mavens must choose among three world-class shows on the same night

  April 6, 2006

• Stage Dive

  Feable Weiner goes down Murfreesboro gullets with relish

  May 27, 2004

• Boozing

  Herein, bar-hopping and drinking in Nashville 101

  August 19, 2004

• Release Me

  Wizards of Oz. return to Middle Tennessee with Whole Shebang

  July 1, 2004

• A Summons to Murfreesboro

  Come to the 'Boro for the punk bands, stay for the Sundrop and Lucio Fulci movies

  June 24, 2004

• Stage Dive

  Murfreesboro music night's better late than never, literally

  May 6, 2004

• Gone Fishin’

  Bredesen wraps up budget in sharp contrast to previous year’s turmoil

  June 19, 2003

• Hog Heaven: I Finally Get to Satisfy My Slick Pig Craving

  A couple of years ago Jack Silverman reviewed The Slick Pig in Murfreesboro. For research purposes, a bunch of us piled in his car and headed out there to nosh on lots and lots of meat. This was one of those times when I realized just how cool my job was--but that's not the only thing that stuck with me from that beautiful Middle Tennessee afternoon: the smoked wings. I. Was. Obsessed. Yup, they smoke wings there (alongside killer ribs, pulled pork and chicken) which, it seems, is the perfect p

  April 28, 2009

• Freeloadin': Download Streetlight Allstars' New Mixtape

  I think we can all agree that the Murfreesboro rock scene has been rather, er, quiet lately, but did you know that Bucket City hip-hop is gettin' real hot? It's not like the Boogie Down Bronx or nuthin' but there is a pretty sick clique trying to make things pop off. Most of the action revolves around WMTS' Blazin In the Boro radio show which, believe it or not, has been running for over a decade. BITB has birthed The Streetlight Allstars--a top notch party-rap crew--and their new mix Dope Shit

  April 29, 2009

• The Joys of Rotating Ads: Bible Reading Marathon Edition

  One of the pleasures of Internet news sources is the magical synchronicity that occasionally transpires between rotating ad banners and news stories, such as the priceless moment from The Tennessean shown above, herewith recorded for posterity. Apparently, the 14th Annual Middle Tennessee Bible Reading Marathon, which got under way Sunday afternoon at Cannonsburgh Pioneer Village in Murfreesboro, is a pretty big deal. After all, as Rev. Ken Sharp, vice president of Bible Pathway Ministries, d

  May 5, 2009

• Slippin' 'N' Slidin' Down the Slippery Slope to Toothless Climate Bills

  The symbolism is slippery, the bodies lightly clad, but the message is clear: Some Tennessee students are willing to engage in kiddie watersport to fend of a de-fanged climate bill.Members of the Tennessee Alumni and Students for Sustainable Campuses gathered outside of Rep. Bart Gordon's Murfreesboro office today--Slip 'N' Slide in hand--to urge the congressman to use his position as a senior member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce to support a strong American Clean Energy and Security A

  May 18, 2009

• Silly Things Cops Say: DNJ Article Quotes 'Boro PD Spokesman Claiming Psychedelic Mushrooms Kill

  File this one under "Idiot police spokesmen making ignorant comments to make busts of innocuous psychedelic drugs sound grandiose and dangerous."Thirty-five pounds of magic mushrooms were on their way up to the 'Roo when the Murfreesboro "Buzzkill" PD intercepted them. Hilariously, the psilocybin mushrooms had been baked inside chocolate cupcakes, rendering the normally foul-tasting fungus a delicious baked treat.But here's where it gets even funnier. To wit: "Mushrooms are similar to LSD in the

  June 12, 2009

• Road Trip to Murfreesboro: All Your Favorite Bands Are Coming to Club 527

  If you are one of many Middle Tennesseans who was too distraught over the death of Michael Jackson to attend last night's Candlebox concert at Club 527 in Murfreesboro, don't fret. Judging by their calendar of upcoming events, you'll have plenty of opportunities to see both the rock and hip-hop of days past in the days to come. Do you drive a truck with no doors and really big wheels? Then check out either the Saliva or Days of the New--yes, they're still around--shows. Do you like Public En

  June 26, 2009

• Those Darlins take (the) country by storm

  June 25, 2009

• What Were They Thinking? Guns Laws Backfiring on Legislators

  Our legislature may have succeeded in stamping out Little League baseball in Murfreesboro.It looks like the legislature's Republican majority has created a fine little mess for itself by enacting all those gun laws this session. As Pith's own Betsy Phillips learned on a trip to the wild hinterlands of West Tennessee, even many hillbillies think the laws are stupid. Lawmakers made the mistake of supposing the loudmouths in the gun lobby speak for the majority of voters. "They did a very good lo

  June 30, 2009

• Fresh Track and More: Hammertorch Release Lions Don't Cry at The 5 Spot July 23

  Hammertorch--the most legit alt-country five-piece to come out of Murfreesboro since you-know-who (rhymes with Flossary)--have just finished a brand-new record called Lions Don't Cry, and they're celebrating its release at The 5 Spot tomorrow evening. Also playing are Chris Crofton and the Alcohol Stuntband--last seen kicking ass unironically on Monday night--as well as Eric Zarycki and the Persuasion. I gave the record a spin and wrote up a little Critic's Pick: Sometimes Hammertorch crank out

  July 22, 2009

• Health Care Reform Supporters Take Over Tea Party Rally

  Service Employees International Union members are claiming they commandeered a Tea Party rally outside Bart Gordon's Murfreesboro office and turned it into a health care reform rally. Seven teabaggers were overwhelmed by more than 60 health care reform supporters who converged on the downtown square. "They didn't know what hit them. Rutherford County is ground zero for conservative politics in Tennessee and we went right into their house and took over their event."

  July 28, 2009

• "Beyond the Wall of Sleep" at The Belcourt

  July 30, 2009

• Closed, Closed: Tomato, Tomato

  Tomato, Tomato, the charming pizzeria in Murfreesboro, has closed. Molly Murphree, who co-owned the 2-year-old eatery with her brother, chef Mitchell, says the decision was made to focus on their original Five Senses restaurant, which will start serving lunch on Monday, Aug. 31. Located at 1602 W. Northfield Blvd in the 'Boro, Five Senses will serve lunch 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday, in addition to dinner nightly.

  August 27, 2009

• Help Kids in the 'Boro Do the Rock Right: Donate Items to New All-Ages Space

  ​Last year, I wrote about Y.E.A.H., a nonprofit group in Murfreesboro (Youth Empowerment through Arts and Humanities) started up by Kelley Anderson, the same kick-ass lady who started the Southern Girls Rock and Roll Camp and also plays in Those Darlins. Anderson started the all-ages art space/community center as a sort of follow-through on the camp. They were teaching girls to rock out, but then realized the girls were finding they had few places to play shows when camp was over. Red Rose is

  September 18, 2009

• YEAH! Donations Needed

  I know that times is tough, but sometimes it can be cool to cut back on the booze and pizza and throw your money to a good cause. The nonprofit outfit YEAH (Youth Empowerment Through Arts & Humanities), which works with Southern Girls Rock 'n' Roll Camp, is moving to a new facility in Murfreesboro and they need your tax-deductible donation dollars please. This multi-purpose space won't just be for the ladies, though. It will be "a music venue for all ages shows featuring local high school musi

  October 19, 2009

• School of Rock: YEAH's Rock Blok 2010 Registration Open Today

  ​Sure, bands are supposed to be these enigmatic, happenstance formations that only come to fruition because the stars happened to align just right that day in fourth period shop class when you discovered your bud loves Testament as much as you. But you could save yourself the heartache and go hang out with a bunch of like-minded kids, find your creative equals, and, most importantly, discover a vocalist you don't have to let be in your band just because (s)he has a P.A.

  November 16, 2009

• Lo-Pan at Springwater

  November 19, 2009

• In Search of Sage Advice

  ​The subject of this week's dining review is the 5-year-old Five Senses in Murfreesboro, where siblings Mollie and Mitchell Murphree deliver a creative seasonal repertoire of lunch and dinner. While leaning over the open bar to observe the work of chef Mitchell and pastry chef Dylan Mackin, I spied a beautiful crystal-coated bouquet of candied sage, waiting to be plated on an appetizer of polenta cakes. A few regrettable episodes of over-saging have led me to boycott the pungent dried s

  December 1, 2009

• Morning Roundup: Dude, Where's My Courthouse?

  ​J.R. Lind asks the $183 million question about what's holding up the long-awaited replacement for the Estes Kefauver Federal Courthouse.... An ugly legal tussle involving Murfreesboro nursing-home titan National Health Investors Inc. has an unexpectedly pretty outcome: a $44 million nonprofit foundation, mission TBA. E. Thomas Wood has the details.... Police burst into a Clarksville apartment, only to find two men dead from gunshot wounds. Neither has been identified.... Sad to say, the Colts

  December 7, 2009

• Vanilla Ice at Main St. in Murfreesboro Tomorrow Night

  ​From the department of low-hanging fruit: I wrote a little tongue-in-cheek Critic's Pick for Vanilla Ice in this week's JEFF-covered glossy, previewing the Iceman's performance at Murfreesboro's Club 527, or Main St. or whatever it's called, tomorrow night. I don't know if you've ever tried it, but picking out the funniest picture of Vanilla Ice from a Google image search is fucking impossible. Deciding whether or not to show him in his Hammer-pants record-groove heyday, his dread-locked

  December 11, 2009

• Thundersnake at Exit/In

  January 7, 2010

• For the other definition of success as a rock band, look up Glossary

  January 21, 2010