Nashville for Free

Remember, Remember, the 5th of November. Probably sounds familiar. That’s right y’all, it’s Guy Fawkes Night.

There are really two ways you know this. Either you’re really into Guy Fawkes in general or , if you’re like me, your friends were obsessed with V for Vendetta when it came out. I mean, it’s not hard to see why! Dystopia, treason, explosions, fire, Natalie Portman, this movie has everything.

But obviously we’re not in the UK, so it’s not like we actually celebrate Guy Fawkes Night. Well, actually, they do at Belmont University. They don’t shoot off fireworks, but every year The James Madison Society hosts a screening of V for Vendetta followed by a discussion of how the film relates to democracy today. The movie will be shown tonight at 6pm at Belmont’s Massey Business Center room 103. You can get to MBC pretty easily from Wedgewood if you’re not a student at Belmont. There should be plenty of guest parking right out front. If all else fails, ask a student (but ask nicely).

-Emily

What I Want My Words to Do to You is a documentary about the experience of fifteen women—most of whom were convicted for murder, housed at New York’s Bedford Hills Correctional Facility—who participate in a writing workshop with Obie-Award-winning playwright and actor Eve Ensler.

These women, they did some bad stuff. Some of them were members of Weather Underground, a radical group that conducted a series of bombings and broke Timothy Leary out of prison before declaring war on the United States. This film is about how they “delve into and expose their most terrifying realities as they grapple with the nature of their crimes and their own culpability.”

Dr. David Curtis, professor at Belmont University, is hosting a viewing and discussion of this powerful testament to the liberating power of writing.

This film screening will take place in Belmont’s Leu Center for the Visual Arts (LCVA) room 117 at 7pm.

-Emily

There is something unflinchingly awkward about the idea of a date auction. Paying someone to go on a date with you? Isn’t that illegal in some states? Well, I guess as long as it’s men and not women you’re auctioning off it’s all fine and dandy.

If you’ve never been to a date auction, it’s exactly what you’d think it is. There are a bunch of (hopefully) hunky dudes on stage, showing off their PB&J-making skills and a bunch of giddy ladies (hopefully) try to outbid each other in the hopes of finding true love, or at least having a fun date.

Normally I’d say you should shy away from date auctions. I mean, you never can be sure if the product will be quality man or not, but I don’t think that’ll be a problem at this auction. You see, the fellas at this auction are all members of the Belmont University Rugby Team, so if nothing else you know they’re fit and tough, and what else could you ever want in a man? Right? Right? Not to mention that if you win one of these 12 fellas you’ll get a free dinner! Well, really, you paid for the dinner, but let’s forget that for now. The men will present, at your date, a gift card for one of the following establishments:

• $50 Jackson’s
• $50 Rumba
• $50 Belcourt Taps & Tappas
• $35 Dinner for two at Taco Mamacita
• $25 Chago’s Cantina
• $25 P.F. Chang’s
• $25 Chili’s
• $20 Kalamatas
• $20 T.G.I. Friday’s
• 4 $20 McDougal’s

You’ll feast like a queen! There will also be a raffle for gift cards to places like Maggie Moo’s, Starbucks, and Chipotle. And if you’re not really in the market to buy a man you should at least consider checking out the hilarity that is sure to ensue when hunks are up for sale to the highest bidder. Also, there will be free music from MACRO, B.R.I.T., and The Skeleton at the Feast. Proceeds from the event will go towards the rugby club’s next season’s expenses.

This event will take place tonight from 8-10pm at Belmont’s South Lawn (Grassy Knoll). If it rains it will be moved inside to the Neely Dining Hall.

-Emily

Indie fans, get pumped. Nettwerk recording artist Jenny Own Youngs is playing a free show tonight right outside of Belmont University’s Beaman building (across the street from Circle K on Belmont Blvd).

It isn’t every day that decent national artists play free shows at Belmont so I personally think that this event could be pretty cool. As for Jenny Owen Youngs’ music, I haven’t personally listened to it, but I do know that I have a ton of friends who are really excited to see her tonight. Last.fm compares her to Ingrid Michaelson, Rachael Cantu, and Jenny Lewis. Not a bad group to be compared to if you ask me.

This event will take place at 9pm tonight outside of the Beaman at Belmont.

-Emily

Due to my completely insane work and school schedule, I don’t get to read as much as I would like. I especially don’t get to read anything that was written in the last 20 or 30 years that isn’t a text book or about the music business.

I have, however, gotten the opportunity to read a few of Margaret Atwood’s books over the last couple of years, most notably The Penelopiad, which is the Odyssey told from Penelope’s point of view, and Year of the Flood, her latest. I enjoyed both, and was incredibly excited to hear that she would be speaking at Belmont. One of my professors even made it a requirement to go, but in all honesty I would have gone even if that hadn’t been the case.

Let me tell you, this woman was funny, and in a very dry, sarcastic way (my personal favorite). Hearing her read passages from Year of the Flood made me realize the humor she injects even into the darker passages. When I was reading it the absurdity of “Mole Day” or the “Anooyoo” products wasn’t completely lost on me, but hearing them out loud made me smile in amusement.

After she talked a little bit about her most recent works and read a few passages from them she took audience questions, some of which were good, some of which were rambling, but man was she quick-witted about all of them. When asked about being a feminist writer she rattled off a few old, incredibly outdated thoughts about women, and once again she pointed out absurdity in a way few people can. She never answered the question outright, but I think she was implying that if writing about women as if they were human beings with souls made her a feminist writer, then so be it. She also took questions about things from references to finger-sucking in her novels and literary theorists who might be way off base but make up theories that are incredibly flattering and make her seem like an even more impressive writer than she already is.

If you didn’t make it out to see her tonight then don’t fret, you have two more chances tomorrow. She’ll be at Belmont’s Massey Board Room at 9am and will be in the Lila D. Bunch Library’s Bunch Multimedia Hall (on the second floor) at 11am.

If there’s any way you can get out to see her I highly recommend it. As one of my friends said after we left the building, “I want her to be my best friend.”

-Emily

As many of you know, I am a (fairly) proud Belmont student. Say what you will about Belmont, it has its problems, but it also has a lot of really talented students. This Thursday, May 13th, you’re going to have the opportunity to see this for yourself while enjoying some free hors d’oeuvres.

This event will go from 6-9pm and will feature the work of Studio Art Majors, Art Education Majors, and Design Communications majors. It will take place in the Belmont Mansion, Gallery 121, the lobby of the Leu Center for Visual Arts, and the lobby of the Leu Gallery in the Lila D. Bunch library.

This event has really grown over the past few years, and this year it’s bigger than ever, so come on down and help these hard-working graduating seniors make their mark on the world.

Do you like fresh young talent and/or Vince Gill? Did your Rites of Spring experience get rained out, leaving you in need of something else to do that involves music? Are you a Belmont Student in need of whatsitcalled credit?

Tonight is Belmont’s Best of the Best Showcase, which, as the name implies, features the supposed best of Belmont’s music scene. The people playing tonight won either a songwriter’s night, or one of the showcases (country, pop/urban, Christian, or rock).

The following musicians are playing tonight:

Joshua Eric Wright – Christian
Miss B – Urban/Pop
The Delta Saints - Rock (they won the Rites of Spring Battle of the bands)
Cheryl LuQuire – Country

These songwriters will be playing a few songs as well:
Clare Dunn
Hailey Faith
Hailey Steele
Josh Johnson
Greg Bates
Jordan Kyle Reynolds

Normally, this would have nothing to do with Vince Gill, but tonight it does, because Belmont has chosen to honor him (probably because he’s a big donor and is very famous). You probably won’t hear his music tonight, but I can’t say for sure. Also, he’ll probably be there if he can make it to Belmont through this crazy storm. Have you been outside? It’s madness.

The event is TONIGHT at 7pm in the Curb Event Center at Belmont University. Have fun. Be safe.

-Emily

Yes, yes, yes, I go to Belmont University. I’m one of those. Please don’t hold it against me.

I’m going to be straight with you guys – sometimes bands at these showcases can really suck, but I speak from personal experience when I say that I usually enjoy most of the rock showcase. Let’s take a closer look at the artists at hand, shall we?

Delta Saints: one of Belmont’s most popular bands. If you like bluesy rock with some serious steel guitar then you’re going to like this band. They’re not my favorite thing in the world, but these dudes have some serious chops, and you have to respect that.

Eikon: I’ve never actually heard of this band, so I went to their MySpace to learn more about them. They’re a self-described indie band, and they’re okay. The first song on their site “Careful Hands Steady Hands” was a bit of a snoozer to me, but I think I get what they were going for. “Keep it Close,” the other song on their site was much more fun, but I think that they need to learn how to write a really soaring chorus.

John Flanagan: Dude. Can. Sing. Straight up. He can hit crazy high notes. The first time I saw this guy he sang “Grace Kelly,” the Mika song, and he was freaking fantastic. I hear that he’s going to cover “I Believe In a Thing Called Love” by the Darkness. I’m sure he’ll nail it. For fans of Queen and Ben Folds, which should be everyone. Word.

Daniel Berrios: This is another guy I had to Google, but he shouldn’t feel bad because I have to Google almost everyone. You can tell this guy is inspired by the classics: Dylan, Neil Young, I can hear his influence and still hear him. I think he’ll be a lot of fun.

Again, I’m not good at picking apart music, so don’t take any of my reviews too seriously. I only know “I like it” and “I don’t like it.”

So I’m going to say this: a lot of people don’t like Belmont and think that a Belmont band is automatically a crappy one. Not true. Belmont has a lot of talent, as does every corner of this city. Even if you don’t go to Belmont you can enjoy this free show. You may find your new favorite up-start band. It’s worth checking out, as is almost every event I blog about.

This event is this Saturday, Feb. 13th at 7pm in Belmont’s Curb Event Center.

You can find more info about the Rock Showcase HERE.