Nashville for Free

They’re probably most well-known for singing behind the excellent Mike Farris, but these sisters are the daughters of Rev. Samuel McCrary – one of the original members of the Fairfield Four. In other words, they’re the real deal. And they’re playing at Grimey’s tonight at 6pm.

So head on down to Grimey’s after work/school, check out some sweet records, and get your soul on. I mean, did you watch that video? It’s pretty sweet. Gotta love people who can cover Dylan and add their own arrangement without sounding tacky?

-Emily

Just because Americana Festival is over doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy some sweet alt-country-indie-americana rock. Grimey’s is here to take care of your free-wheelin’ soul. I say that because tonight they have booked Blitzen Trapper (playing the Mercy Lounge tonight with Dawes) for an early, all ages, and completely free in-store performance.

Also, BT just released their 4th album, called American Goldwing, which I’m sure they’ll be signing, so either bring your copy or buy one there so you can hang the autographed artwork on your wall and make all your friends envious.

Things will get started at 6pm, and it’s a Grimey’s event so there very well may be free beer. While you’re there you should consider taking the time to enter to win all their awesome contests. They may be your broke behind’s last chance to see Gillian Welch at the Ryman in December (pick me!).

-Emily

In case you haven’t heard, PUJOL just got signed to Saddle Creek and are about to go national. They’ve even recorded and released some stuff on Third Man Records, and that’s about as high an honor as you can get as a young musician in Nashville these days. If you haven’t checked out PUJOL yet, or if you’re a big fan, you’ll want to hit up their in-store at Grimey’s tonight at 6pm. Here’s a video to get you pumped.

Did you hear about the Americana Festival? It’s a big year for them because it’s the first year Oxford has recognized the word Americana as a really one. Suck it, spell check, I’ve been right all along!

Well, the festival started last night, and so far it’s off to a pretty great start. The swag bags are legit, the music is awesome, and at $50 for a four-day pass it’s pretty damn affordable for what you get. But I have good news for those of you who couldn’t quite make the commitment to shell out $50 for the best music genre. You see, there are some official and not-so-official Americana events happening this week, so you can still get your fix of that catch-all genre you love so much.

Let’s start with Grimey’s. This Saturday from 10am-8pm Grimey’s is mashing their fall outdoor sale and their annual Americanarama into one day of cheap records and CDs and excellent live Americana. Performers include our good friend Paul Burch, Hymn for Her, Glossary, Shivering Timbers, and more. There will even be some sweet DJ sets including one by the Record Wranglers. So bring your cash money (for the records!) and brave the crowds at Grimey’s for a few hours this Saturday. Oh, and Mas Tacos and Yazoo will be there, so you know it’s a party.

Next up is Musician’s Corner. As previously mentioned in the Weekly Highlights this week’s show is Americana-flavored and will feature sets from Brian Wright (who I highly recommend), Nanci Griffith, Ben Sollee, Peter Cooper, Eric Brace, and Jim Lauderdale. There will also be a tribute to the great Tom T. Hall with Peter Cooper. As always there will be vendors, food truck, etc. As always it’s in Centennial Park from 3-6pm.

Finally we shall talk about the Thirty Tigers party at the Hard Rock Cafe Saturday from 5-8pm. No AMA badge is necessary for this either, even though it’s the most official (I guess) of these events. Performers will include Amy Speace, Nikki Lane, Garland Jeffreys, Rual Malo, and Chuck Mead. There may be food. I hope there will be food. They Thirty Tigers, please make sure there is food.

That’s one full day of Americana, but if you want to hit up any of the other shows it’s sure to be a good time. It’s $15 for single shows except at the Mercy Lounge/Cannery where it’s $20 (but you get into both venues).

-Emily

Let’s have a little talk about JD Souther. He might not exactly be a house-hold name, but he’s written hit songs for and with some huge bands. For example, Souther wrote ”Best of My Love”, “Victim of Love”, “Heartache Tonight”, and “New Kid in Town” with the Eagles as well as “Faithless Love” and ”White Rhythm and Blues” for Linda Ronstadt. Oh yeah, and he’s also associate with Jackson Browne, James Taylor, and The Platters.

And he’s a solo artist. His solo stuff is pretty well renown. He even had a hit back in 1979 called “You’re Only Lonely.”

JD is playing an in-store today at Grimey’s at 6pm and with a track record like his I think it’s safe to say that some truly awesome shows are going to be played tonight. If you’re not planning on living a life of regret and love classic rock then you should probably go to this show. Yes, just go.

-Emily

If you know anything about 90s indie rock then you’ve probably heard of Stephen Malkmus or, at the very least, Pavement. If all those words went over your head then all you need to know is this: Stephen Malkmus is an indie rock god.

And indie rock god who’s having a meet and greet today at Grimey’s at 3pm.

Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks will be hanging around Grimey’s signing that Brighten the Corners: Nicene Creed Edition on vinyl or that battered copy of Slanted and Enchanted that you’ve had on CD since you were 15. Then you can chat about their new album Mirror Traffic, and talk about how much you want to hear “Cold Son” at their show at the Mercy Lounge later tonight or how you traveled all the way to Chicago to see the Pavement reunion tour a few years ago (okay okay, that was me).

This is going to be an awesome event, so you should probably make yourself available at 3pm. I mean, it’s not every day that you get the opportunity to chat with a dude who accused the Smashing Pumpkins of not having any function in a song. Oh yeah, and go to their show later at the Mercy Lounge.

-Emily

Seriously Grimey’s, you all are just too kind to us. The past few weeks you’ve had some pretty sweet in-stores, and yesterday you went and announced about a bajillion more, including a last minute one for today. And that last minute in-store isn’t just any local group, it’s freaking Ten out of Tenn.

Okay, maybe it isn’t all ten of the members, but Katie, Matthew, Andrew and Trent will be at Grimey’s at 6pm to warm up for their free set later on at Public Square Park for Live at the Green. So if you prefer small and intimate to big and downtown and like to browse for records during and before the set and meet the performers afterwards then hit up this in-store. Things will get started at Grimey’s around 6pm, but if you want a good spot you should probably get there early.

-Emily

Remember how I told you Grimey’s was stepping it up this week with the in-stores? First they brought the Carolina Chocolate Drops in for a late lunch, and on Friday September 16th they’re bringing you one of the biggest and best bands in indie rock right now: Girls.

In case you haven’t heard of Girls (what? really?) you should know that Pitchfork gave their most recent album of “druggy, ethereal pop“ 9.3 out of 10 and virtually every other critic seems inclined to agree that their new record (and previous records) are absolutely amazing. They’re playing later Friday night at the Mercy Lounge, but as I previously mentioned they’re starting their evening with a free in-store at Grimey’s. Did I mention it’ll be streaming online? To the whole world? Because it totally will. That’s right, people all over the world might see you if you go to this. That means America’s Next Top Wanted villains need-not apply.

The show starts a little early (5pm rather than 6pm), and if you want a guaranteed spot make sure you either get there remarkably early or buy Girls’ new CD/LP, because if you do Grimey’s will get you a wristband that promises you a spot even if the line to get in reaches around the block. Considering you get the new album Father Son Holy Ghost it sounds like a pretty solid deal.

-Emily

Grimey’s is really stepping up their in-store performances this week. The first of the sure to be packed-out and totally awesome in-stores features the Carolina Chocolate Drops, who are playing with Grace Potter at the Ryman tonight.

Apparently the folks at Grimey’s have been trying to get CCD to come in for an in-store since they saw them open for the Avett Brothers at the Ryman in 2008. According to the newsletter sent out by Grimey’s someone at the show yelled across the pews to Doyle to ask if Grimey’s kept their stuff in stock.

Robert Plant is a big fan too. He saw them perform at the Americana Music Awards and came to Grimey’s the next day to buy their entire catalog. That’s a pretty excellent enforcement if you ask me.

But what do they sound like? Here’s a few words from the folks at Grimey’s:

Carolina Chocolate Drops are leading lights in the old timey string band revival but they’re practically alone in delving into the African American side of the tradition. They incorporate all manner of primitive instruments (jugs, washboards, banjos) and vocalizations, even an early version of beat-boxing.

Fans of Americana and fans of roots music won’t want to miss this in-store. Unlike most in-stores this one is a lunch time event and starts at 1pm, so take a late lunch and feed your soul instead of your stomach.

-Emily

It’s been a little slow on the in-store front from Grimey’s lately, but I’m excited to announce that things are about to get awesome, because Hands Off Cuba are playing at Grimey’s tonight!

Hands Off Cuba are Ryan Norris, Scott Martin, Ben Marcantel, Jonathan Marx, William Tyler, Matt Glassmeyer and Adam Bednarik. As you can imagine, it’s not always easy to get a lineup like that together (schedules and whatnot), which makes any live performance of them pretty special.

This in-store, which starts at 6pm, is to celebrate the release of their new vinyl/digital download-only album Volumes of Sobering Liquids. According to Grimey’s this is for fans of everything from Krautrock to Afrobeat.

-Emily