Out the Other

Oh Oh It's Magic

2009-07-14T16:47:09-05:00

Yup, so the new Harry Potter movie - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince comes out tomorrow, and it's safe to say I'm psyched. While I'm not going to see it at midnight, I AM skipping out on work tomorrow afternoon so I can catch a matinee (and also so I can participate in a day-long b-day celebration, but I'm the one who added wizardy fun to the day's festivities).

To get myself in the mood, I decided to listen to a few magical tunes, which turned into me throwing together a mix to share via twitter. (Are you following me on twitter yet, by the way? You should be - http://twitter.com/outtheother. I do awesome things like tweet Harry Potter mixes. And you know, let you know about shiz going on around town.) The mix is pretty random and haphazard, but the tunes pretty much rock and I think it works.

1. Harry and the Potters - "Voldemort Can't Stop the Rock!"
2. Pilot - "Magic"
3. Architecture in Helsinki - "The Owls Go"
4. Paul McCartney - "My Brave Face"
5. Double Dragon - "To Be a Hero!"
6. The Cars - "Magic"
7. Nina Simone - "I Put a Spell On You"
8. Nick Drake - "Magic"
9. Bat For Lashes - "The Wizard"
10. Steve Miller Band - "Cool Magic"
11. Bay City Rollers - "Yesterday's Hero"
12. Draco and the Malfoys - "Voldemort Is Awesome"

Next Big Nashville application deadline - THIS FRIDAY, JULY 17

2009-07-13T16:14:38-05:00

Are you in a band? Do you want to play this year's Next Big Nashville, which is going down October 7-11? Well, you have until Friday to apply over on American SongSpace. All it'll take is two songs and a small submission fee, and you'll be officially under consideration (and FYI, I'm helping out with the considering again this year as a part of the programming committee, so if you apply and know I already love your music, let me know so I can campaign appropriately).

And an FYI - despite the name, Next Big Nashville isn't just restricted to Nashville acts. The fest is branching out a bit more this year, and while acts with ties to Nashville are preferred, absolutely anyone can apply. This is a celebration of the Nashville music scene, after all, and part of that music scene is all of the phenomenal touring acts that love to play in Nashville.

This week will fly by, so why don't you go ahead and apply right now?

Playlistarama (June 29 and July 6)

2009-07-13T15:47:05-05:00

I'm behind on posting playlists (surprise surprise) so I thought I'd hit you with two in one post, along with oodles of mp3s. The June 29 show was guest DJ-ed by Jon Rogers (it was a Harry Nilsson-ish show to promote the Harry Nilsson tribute at Mercy Lounge) and the July 6 show was hosted by D. Patrick Rodgers of the Nashville Cream, who curated last Monday's 8 off 8th. You have until tonight to listen to an archive of last week's show, and remember you can always click the icon at the top of the right-hand column to listen to an archive of the most recent show.

On TONIGHT's show, I'll be joined by Adam Gold, who is curating tonight's Nashville Cream 8 off 8th. The decade is the '70s and the tunes will be awesome, so tune in from 7-9 p.m.

June 29th playlist:

1. Brendan Benson - Tiny Spark (Lapalco)
2. The Features - 33 1/3 (Features EP)
3. Kool & The Gang - Jungle Jazz (Spirit of the Boogie) (mp3)
4. Emitt Rhodes - Birthday Lady (Mirror) (mp3)
5. The Soft Boys - I Wanna Destroy You (Underwater Moonlight)
6. Candi Staton - Stand By Your Man (Candi Staton) (mp3)
7. Harry Nilsson - The Beehive State (Nilsson Sings Newman)
8. Townes Van Zandt - Flyin' Shoes (Townes Van Zandt)
9. Harry Nilsson - 1941 (Pandemonium Shadow Show)
10. Harry Nilsson - Me and My Arrow (The Point!)
11. Harry Nilsson - Cuddly Toy (Pandemonium Shadow Show)
12. Ralph Robles - Happy (Taking Over/Conquistando)
13. Cougars - I Wish It Would Rain (Jamaica To Toronto, Soul Funk & Reggae 1967-1974) (mp3)
14. Jimmy Cliff - Many Rivers To Cross (The Harder They Come)
15. Harry Nilsson - Many Rivers To Cross (Pussy Cats)
16. Esquivel and His Orchestra - Frenesi (Infinity in Sound)
17. Guided By Voices - A Crick Uphill (Hold On Hope EP)
18. Can - Vitamin C (Ege Bamyasi) (mp3)
19. Television - See No Evil (Marquee Moon)
20. Harry Nilsson - Everybody's Talkin (Aerial Ballet)
21. Harry Nilsson - One (Aerial Pandemonium Ballet) (mp3)
22. Paul and Linda McCartney - Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey (Ram) (mp3)
23. Neil Diamond - Kentucky Woman (Shilo)
24. King Tubby - Stop Them Jah (King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown)
25. Chet Baker - She Was Too Good To Me (She Was Too Good To Me)
26. The Sun - Must Be You (Blame It On the Youth)
27. Harry Nilsson - Dayton, Ohio 1903 (Nilsson Sings Newman)

July 6th playlist:

1. The Velvet Underground - I'm Waiting For the Man (Velvet Underground and Nico) (mp3)
2. Roman Candle - Early Aubade (Oh, Tall Tree in the Ear)
3. Marianne Faithfull - As Tears Go By (Marianne Faithfull) (mp3)
4. The Sonics - Strychnine (Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era)
5. Millionaire Magicians - Snap Out of It (Millionaire Magicians)
6. The Kinks - Starstruck (The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society)
7. Otis Redding - Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song)
8. Tommy James and the Shondells - Crimson and Clover (Crimson and Clover)
9. Eureka Gold - Animal Farm (unreleased)
10. Crosby, Stills & Nash - Marrakesh Express (Crosby, Stills & Nash) (mp3)
11. Kindergarten Circus - Wu (Kindergarten Circus)
12. The Standells - Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White (Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era) (mp3)
13. Ole Mossy Face - Elephant Song (Elephant Song)
14. The Hollies - Bus Stop (Bus Stop)
15. Rolling Stones - 2000 Light Years From Home (Their Satanic Majesty's Request)
16. The Tornadoes - Telstar (The Sounds of the Tornadoes)
17. The Ronettes - Be My Baby (Be My Baby)
18. The Beach Boys - Help Me Rhonda (Help Me Rhonda) (mp3)
19. The Zombies - She's Not There (Bein Here)
20. The Mamas and the Papas - Glad to Be Unhappy (California Dreamin)
21. Herman's Hermits - Silhouettes (Their Second Album! Herman's Hermits on Tour)
22. The Mothers of Invention - Anywhere the Wind Blows (Freak Out)
23. Left Banke - Walk Away Renee (Walk Away Renee) (mp3)
24. The Dixie Cups - Iko Iko (The Chapel of Love)
25. Creedence Clearwater Revival - Born on the Bayou (Bayou Country)
26. The Equals - Baby Come Back (Baby Come Back) (mp3)
27. 1910 Fruitgum Company - Mr. Cupid (Goody Goody Gum Drops)
28. The Beatles - Please Please Me (Please Please Me)

Me and My Arrow: Harry Nilsson night @ Mercy Lounge TONIGHT!

2009-07-02T11:12:55-05:00

If you caught this Monday's show (I'll be posting the playlist later today with some mp3s), you already know about the fantastic event going on over at the Mercy Lounge tonight, which I fully expect all of you to attend. Me and My Arrow is both a tribute and a benefit show - a crazy number of fantastic musicians coming together to celebrate the music of Harry Nilsson, all to benefit Terry Price (from Nashville's own Oblio), who was recently diagnosed with Bell's Palsy and hit with some serious medical bills (if you didn't already know, Oblio may be the biggest Nilsson fans in town, seeing as how they're named after the boy from The Point).

So who's on this amazing bill? The Features, Brendan Benson, Heypenny, Pico vs. Island Trees, Eureka Gold, Oblio, Jon Rogers, David Mead, James Wallace and the Naked Light, Daniel Tashian, Carl Broemel, and Marc Pisapia. Things will kick off at 9 p.m. with James Wallace, and the cover is a $10 donation that will benefit Terry Price.

See you there?

And a mini-mix of Harry Nilsson tunes, of course:

"Everybody's Talkin"
"Jesus Christ You're Tall"
"Coconut"
"Let The Good Times Roll"
"What's Your Sign"

Playlist - June 22 - Aaron Hartley of Theory 8

2009-06-29T13:18:52-05:00

Have you listened to last week's show with Aaron Hartley from Theory 8 yet? The stream is up until tonight's show airs, so get on it:

Stream the June 22 edition of Out the Other

We played all kinds of awesomeness, including a bunch of Theory 8 artists - even some new stuff from The Nobility (which is not in the playlist - oops - I'll have to update that later) and Eliza the Arrow. Check it out, and tune in tonight from 7-9 p.m.; I'll have Jon Rogers in the studio guest DJing for the two hours.

1. The Privates - I'll Be Honest (Motion EP)
2. Pink Mountaintops - Execution (Outside Love)
3. Cortney Tidwell - Seventeen Horses (Boys)
4. Dinosaur Jr. - Over It (Farm)
5. De Novo Dahl - Make Some Sense (Move Every Muscle, Make Every Sound)
6. Phosphorescent - Walkin (To Willie)
7. The Carter Administration - Air Guitar Force One (Air Guitar Force One)
8. Champion and His Burning Flame - Redemption 3 (Time Closet)
9. Caitlin Rose - Answer In One of These Bottles (Dead Flowers)
10. The Clash - White Riot (The Clash)
11. And the Relatives - Cowboy Jazz (Animals)
12. Jay Reatard - Always Wanting More (Matador Singles 08)
13. Apollo Up - No Song (Chariots of Fire)
14. Japandroids - The Boys are Leaving Town (Post Nothing)
15. Eliza the Arrow - Toast the Tiger (Eliza the Arrow)
16. The Non-Commissioned Officers - You Don't Even Know Her (Make-Out With Violence)
17. The Winter Sounds - O'Fear (Church of the Haunted South)
18. Ladyhawke - Back of the Van (Ladyhawke)
19. Shoot the Mountain - The Zoo (Shoot the Mountain EP)
20. Elvis Perkins in Dearland - Shampoo (Elvis Perkins in Dearland)
21. Caitlin Rose - Shotgun Wedding (Dead Flowers EP)

I survived my first Bonnaroo

2009-06-18T10:54:50-05:00

Well... kinda. As I write this, I'm pausing every thirty seconds or so to cough or blow my nose - because of course the nasty cold that flattened me two weeks prior to the festival made a reappearance after the beatdown I gave my immune system this past weekend. But I count myself lucky to have made it out with just a cold, a few scratches, one giant blister and a huge and mysterious bruise on my right knee. I haven't abused myself like this since college (or at least since SXSW - though that isn't quite on par with the endurance challenge that is four days of bands and booze and sunshine and heat and rain and mud plus three nights in a tent), and I think I did admirably well for a Bonnaroo virgin. I even succeeded in taking a shower every day - in general camping, no less. So there, Father Time. 27 isn't too old for Bonnaroo after all.

So here's a rundown of my adventures and misadventures, highlights and lowlights, 'Roo-rocking tips and favorite moments of the fest. But no regrets - there's no room for regrets in rock and roll.

The Bands

First thing's first - the music. I felt like I was going into Bonnaroo under the best circumstances possible, and by that, I mean that I had seen a good chunk of the bands on the lineup before. I know that sounds a little weird, but let me explain - I haven't been to a big festival (other than SXSW, which is another beast entirely) since ACL in 2006. I had given up a little on the huge outdoor thing - the big crowds, the running from stage to stage, the pressure to catch any and every band you have any desire to see, and then the occasional crushing disappointment when the show doesn't live up to your expectations (whether it's because of the performance, or an apathetic crowd, or the baking heat, or you being too exhausted, etc etc). But with Bonnaroo, there were a few bands I was dying to see, and the rest of the time I was pretty free to go where the wind blew me. Of course that means I didn't get to see every band I would have liked to see, but I also didn't die in the attempt, and I had a ton of fun in the process. Here were the highlights:

Beastie Boys - probably the band I was most psyched about seeing. They were the first act I caught on the What Stage - the massively massive stage that accommodates the headliners and all 80,000 of their fans, and I've gotta say I was a little overwhelmed by the crowd and underwhelmed by the show at first. But then we worked our way all the way around the field to the left side of the stage, where there was a ton more breathing room, and got close enough to be surrounded by a bunch of excited fans (instead of the idly chatting and mildly interested festival-goers in the back). And DAMN can the Beasties still put on a great show - all wise-cracking gray hair and hip-replacement jokes aside, they can sure jump around a stage. I was a huge fan for a good span in high school, and this is a band I've been waiting patiently to cross off my "must-see" list.
Girl Talk - hands down, the most fun I had at Bonnaroo and the biggest dance party I've ever been a part of in my life (and will ever be a part of, most likely). Ridiculous. Take all the highlights of your drunken college dancing days, mix them with the freak-out frenetic energy of a Girl Talk samplefest, and throw in a few thousand people singing along to every familiar hook and chorus that gets dropped on the crowd. Plus, you know, a few trillion glow sticks, some massive inflatables and two balloon drops. My head is still spinning.
Bruce Springsteen - I mean, it's Bruce Springsteen. Bruce. Springsteen. Sure, his show reminded me that there are a shitload of Springsteen songs I've never heard (or probably only heard once), but it also reminded me that I've been listening to that one-of-a-kind voice since I was a little girl, giggling at the denim-clad butt on Born in the U.S.A. And I can honestly say that I never in my life expected to hear "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" live. Ever, let alone in the middle of June. "It's too fucking hot for Santa," indeed.
Grizzly Bear - of course a midday set in a massive tent at Bonnaroo could never come close to touching the intimacy and borderline religious experience feeling of seeing them at a church in Austin earlier this year, but it was an amazingly great show nonetheless, one that has me hoping I get the chance to see them at least a third time this year. It was absolutely sweltering side-stage without a breeze and I was pretty much dripping with sweat, but they still gave me goosebumps.
Phoenix - this was only the third time I've seen the band live, but it's safe to say they are consistently SOLID live - and it was amazing to see all the new fans they've snagged with the new album. I really wish they could have played longer, but it was a great lead-in to the Friday night dance party.
Dirty Projectors - sounded GREAT and it was amazing to see David Byrne hop on stage with them. Here's hoping I get to see them play a proper club show soon.
Animal Collective - ditto. Sounded amazing, but I really wish they could have scored a night-time slot - something about seeing them in the blazing sunshine just wasn't the right aesthetic. Regardless, it was great to finally hear them live.
Gomez - I will always and forever love Gomez, and they will always and forever repay me for that love by playing older tunes. This was an excellent kick-off to Friday's run of shows.
A.A. Bondy/Elvis Perkins/Andrew Bird/Merle Haggard - my run of shows on Sunday was 100% laid-back and amazing. Personally, I think the perfect festival experience is a careful balance - about 25% running around, getting up close to the stage, completely rocking out and dancing your ass off, and about 75% chilling on the edges, laying back and just enjoying the fact that you're watching some kick-ass bands in a field. A.A. Bondy sounded sublime, Elvis Perkins is always a treat, Andrew Bird was like a whistling dream, and Merle Haggard was... Merle Haggard. Throw in a ferris wheel ride and the perfect combo of shade and sunshine and you have the makings of one of the best Sundays ever.
MURS/The Knux - saw part of both these sets on Friday, and both acts totally bowled me over. I hear the Knux are looking to make a stop in Nashville later this year, so I'm going to cross my fingers that it happens.

I also caught White Rabbits, Hockey, Passion Pit, The Features and Crystal Castles, along with parts of sets including Al Green, David Byrne, Paul Oakenfold, Pretty Lights, Those Darlins, and enough others to make my head explode. All in all, an amazing weekend, and well worth the rain, the mud, the sun, and this vicious little cold.

Surviving

Leading up to Bonnaroo, everyone was all "pack this" and "remember to bring that" and "here's how you do it." I heeded the advice of a few veterans, read a few run-downs, and remembered a few of my own personal camping and festival-going tips. Here are the things that helped me survive the weekend:

Showers - I'm not even kidding, taking a shower every day was one of the few things that kept me alive and feeling like myself. At $7 a pop, the showers in general camping certainly aren't cheap, but they're hot, they're relatively clean and private, and there is absolutely no time limit. Plus, I didn't have to wait in line once (and only saw a line form on Sunday morning). Drink at your tent one day and set aside the $21 you're saving and you'll have clean hair and a relieved smile every morning of the festival.
Rain boots - BEST. IDEA. EVER. Granted, they gave me a blister after wearing them for 24 hours, but they were the greatest thing I thought to buy before this year's festival. 30 minutes of sliding around in muddy flip flops during Thursday night's downpour was absolutely miserable, but once I slipped into those bright green boots, I was solid. Because even after the rain stopped, the mud remained. And not only did my rain boots let me walk absolutely everywhere, they also let me stand in those wide-open perfect-view-of-the-band mud puddles right in front of the stage that everyone else was avoiding.
BYOB - beer is expensive at Centeroo. Silly expensive. Best to get tipsy at your tent and take a to-go drink to quickly sip as you walk over to see the bands. And you can't bring anything but water into Centeroo, but doing it up high school style with vodka in water bottles is a GREAT plan that will help you save a ton of money (which we finally realized on Sunday). Just buy some juice from Whole Foods, save a plastic cup from your $4 iced tea, and hit up the beer tent for a some ice (just bring a few bucks for a tip).
Battery-powered fan and some shade - sleeping in and napping ARE possible, under the right circumstances. A fan is a MUST. And even throwing a dark-colored blanket over your tent and unzipping the sides can make it a more pleasant daytime napping environment.
Bring a pillow - yeah, I remembered pretty much everything imaginable EXCEPT for my pillow. Which means I got stuck in Thursday's torrential downpour carrying a loaner from a friend in a plastic trash bag while I myself got as drenched as I would have by jumping into a swimming pool. Simultaneously the best/worst moment of the festival - walking from guest camping to my own tent with flip-flops in hand, as everyone cheered on the lightning and all I could think was "holy shit, I'm really at Bonnaroo."
Bring a camera you don't care about - Otherwise you won't have any pictures. That's why I don't have any pictures. I was too worried about rain, and then too worried about losing it, and then too worried about being drunk and accidentally damaging it/leaving it behind myself. Next year I might go the single use/waterproof route.

Press vs Plebs

I scored a pair of media wristbands for the festival, which not only meant I got access to the press area during the event, but also meant I a few other big perks - access to the side-stage "media area" during many of the performances, an air-conditioned press trailer to use as blogging HQ, free bottled water and a means of sneaking into the guest camping area, where there were free showers to be had. But to be honest, the greatest things about having that red and blue piece of fabric around my wrist were the little things - being able to come through the Centeroo exit instead of having to wait in line at the proper entrance, and the ability to charge my cell phone in the press trailer. Other than that I didn't take much advantage - in fact I paid for the more conveniently located showers near my campsite (which had more abundant quantities of hot water anyway) and more than a few times I skipped watching a show from side-stage in favor of standing shoulder-to-shoulder in the crowd. Privilege is a plus, but sometimes festivals are all about being a part of the crowd instead of watching that crowd from backstage. That's why I'm glad I got to experience general camping for my first Bonnaroo (granted we got lucky and ended up a five minute walk from Centeroo, and under different circumstances I might be bitching about being two miles away), because the only thing that would have sucked was not being able to shower. And that part of things was a piece of cake.

Overall observations

Bonnaroo was a blast. Part of me is sad that I've been missing out for the past five years, and part of me is glad that I waited until I was at an age where I wouldn't try to kill myself trying to see everything at the festival. From what I witnessed, everything was pretty calm and incident-free - yup, I saw my fair share of naked people and zonked people and vomiting, but everyone was nice, and friendly, and polite, and really only unintentionally rude when under the influence of various substances. Plus, everyone was really INTO IT. I don't think I saw one set all weekend where the audience didn't clap along at one point - crowd participation was at an all-time high, the fans were always singing along (even at indie-indie stuff like Passion Pit, which really surprised me), and everyone was pretty high-spirited and enthusiastic - something I'd love to see trickle over into Nashville's music scene a lot of the time. The big crowds got overwhelming and old pretty quick, but sticking to tent shows for most of the festival and avoiding the crush immediately in front of the stage kept things from getting too annoying. And the thing that made Bonnaroo one of the best festivals I've ever attended is actually the thing I expected to make it the worst - being immersed in the whole thing for four days (camping, not leaving, etc) is exactly what makes it so fun and so tolerable. At an ACL, a Lollapalooza or a Pitchfork, you don't really have a home base - you're just there at the festival until you call it quits at the end of the day. At Bonnaroo, things never really stop at the end of the day, but you can step out of Centeroo and take a breather whenever you want - morning, noon, or night.

So will I be back in 2010? You bet.

Day 1

2009-06-12T12:34:56-05:00

So I'm starting to think that most of the recapping is actually going to happen after I'm safe and dry and in my own house - so far Bonnaroo is awesome but mostly rainy and muddy and ridiculous. Rain boots = the greatest idea I have ever had in my entire life.

Highlights thus far: MURS, The Knux, and the Passion Pit I had patience for. Remind me not to show up to a music festival on about four hours sleep - doesn't make the first day as exciting as you would hope it would be. Fortunately, I rocked almost eight hours of sleep last night, and despite the fact that I just heard that Phoenix's flight just got cancelled (!!! at least they have ten more hours to get here), I think today is pretty much going to be the best.