Open Lot continues to put on amazing last-minute shows, such as this one organized by Square People’s Chris Murray for the Washington D.C. band Hume. Don’t let Hume’s concert listing of 7pm at Little Hamilton fool you. Lil’ Hammy double booked a dance party, and now the goodness migrates to Open Lot. Here’s the deets:

Open Lot, Friday the 13th, August 2010, 9pm, donations encouraged for touring band
Hume
Square People Jazz Maturity
Charlie Rauh
Hepatitties

Betty’s has quite an amazing August schedule of performances. Highlights include instrument-maker Mr. Natural, Forest Bride’s Amy Marcantel, Hobbledeions, Cherry Blossoms, and much more. I will do everything in my power to make it there tomorrow in time to catch Mr. Natural, directly after attending the 48 Film Festival premiere. (Read about my group’s entry here.)

Here’s the rundown:

weds11 dave phillips(switzerland), mr.natural, god willing, unicorn hard on, michael ryan(atlanta) $5-$7
fri 13 melissa mathes, doctor black, shane tutmarc $3-$5
sat aug 14 bettys summer music fest
featuring:
laundry room squelchers (miami)
skeleton warrior(fl)
boga(fl)
amy marcantel
sugar skulls
malocchio
hands off cuba
lazer slut
unicorn hard on
god willing
high on life
hobbledeions
shleppin
no compassion
cherry blossoms

all sets 15 mins starts at 7pm-2am $3-$5 donations for florida bands

weds 18-superstar karaoke with chris aubrey and jack skeen
thurs 19 levee drivers(phila), 9-11 pilots, lylas, mark macminn $3-$5
fri aug 27- work/death (providence), pharmakon, cowards and more tba $3-$5

I’m very excited about this Open Lot show tonight, featuring improv masters Audrey Chen and Luca Marini and T.I. contributors Cultural Reflex Dance (Charlie Rauh and Ezzie Harrold).

Here’s the Open Lot press release:

Kamama in Cherokee means both elephant and butterfly. There is no overlap in meaning other than the supposed resemblance of the long trunk and flapping ears to the proboscis and wings of that insect. This duo loosely embodies elements of this kind of disparate pairing. Chen and Marini combine the raw energies resultant from and continuously growing out of their respective histories and experiences. Since their first encounter early this year in 2010, they have been forming a new language which steadily deepens, evolves, converges and exposes their inherent similarities and striking differences. It is ecstatic music. it is contrary music. and at times, they depart completely from one another as two distinct creatures, but then are drawn back into the fold of an undeniable tenderness and comprehension.

Using the cello, voice and analog electronics, AUDREY CHEN’s work delves deeply into her own version of narrative and non-linear storytelling. A large component of her music is improvised and her approach to this is extremely personal and visceral. Her playing explores the combination and layering of a homemade analog synthesizer, preparations and traditional and extended techniques in both the voice and cello. She works to join these elements into a singular ecstatic personal language.
Chen has performed in Europe, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan, Taiwan, Canada and the USA. She is currently based in Baltimore, MD USA but primarily maintains an active touring schedule throughout Europe.

LUCA MARINI is a German/Italian drummer who mostly grew up in France and is now based in New York (USA). After studying jazz and improvised music at various conservatories and music colleges in Europe and North America he developed his own language and approach to percussion while living in Berlin (D).
Marini performed and toured in Europe and North America playing improvised music, jazz, rock and electronic music with bands and artists like the GRIPI collective, SONIDO13, INEZEBA, Spyros Manesis trio, Nicolas Masson, Roberto Pianca, Tom Blancarte, and Natalio Sued.
CULTURAL REFLEX DANCE (Charlie Rauh + Megan Harrold)

Cultural Reflex Dance is an ongoing music and dance collaboration between jazz guitarist Charlie Rauh and dancer Megan Harrold. Rauh and Harrold create a dialogue of absolute immediacy. The two performers use preconceived translation systems that define the piece and dictate how they talk to each other onstage.
For video go to http://www.myspace.com/culturalreflex/videos

This event occurs at Open Lot Nashville. Admission is $10 at the door. Beer and wine will be served with ID.

Crooked Yellow Brick House - Wayne Potrafka

T.I. participant Jamson Sevits is unveiling his “conduction” improv ensemble The Yellow House Collective tonight at Little Hamilton.  The YHC features a revolving group of performers, many of which (including Lawrence Crow, Charlie Rauh, Tommy Stangroom, and Craig Schenker) are T.I. participants. Here’s more from Facebook event page:

Under the watchful eyes, ears, and hands of leader Jamison Sevits, this group is an experiment in “conduction”, which involves a completely improvised musical group that is conducted via sign language (you’ll just have to see it to understand). The emphasis will be on groove based music (a la Miles Davis in the 70′s, Fela Kuti, etc.) but there will be utterly free elements that weave in and out as well, as per our mad conductor’s whims. We don’t exactly know who will show up with what instruments, but that is part of the beauty of this project; in today’s world it is too easy to be overly expectant and unimpressed by musical acts, so we hope to challenge those feelings of blasé and ennui by presenting pure improvisation with a purpose… that also makes you shake your booty.

This is the beginning of something special and if you appreciate improvised music, you won’t want to miss this.

Philadelphia improv duo McKenzie will headline the show. T.I. participant Lawrence Crow will open the show at 9pm.  Hope to see you there!

Thursday, July 29th, 9pm
Little Hamilton (near Nolensville Rd/TN State Fairgrounds/Sounds Stadium
1318 Little Hamilton
Nashville, TN

Lots of show options for this lovely Tuesday night.  Here’s the rundown:

Child Bite, tonight at Little Hamilton

Little Hamilton — Get Mature
w/ Square People Jazz Maturity (T.I. participants Chris Murray, Tommy Stangroom, Craig Schenker, and Charlie Rauh)
Child Bite (Detroit)
Sohns (Texas)

Bettys
RJ Remington
Xists (T.I. participant Joe Hudson’s project with his brother)
A band from Madison, WI (This is all Leslie’s press release said about this band.)

Open Lot
The Water Bears (Cool low-fi folk band from St. Lous)

Portland Brew East July 17th
John Westberry Group

Two must-see shows on a Monday night really means the scarcity of non-commercial music in Nashville is coming to an end.  Take tonight for instance.   I’ll be seeing T.I. participants Laurence Crow, Joseph Hudson, and 84001 at Betty’s Bar & Grill.  (More info at this previous post.)   But happening simultaneously will be this kick-ass rock concert at Open Lot: (Open Lot press release)

The Non + Karma Kite + Avid Gardener | 6.28.10 | 8 PM

The Non

The Non is an experimental instrumental rock band hailing from Oklahoma City.  Drawing cues from disparate influences including Radiohead, Octopus Project, and Grizzly Bear, The Non leverages intricate musicianship and high energy levels to craft ethereal soundscapes.  NewsOK describes The Non as “one of the state’s top creative entities of any kind,” while Oklahoma State University’s publication On hails them as “Oklahoma’s most important band.”

Having recently released their sophomore album, “Tadaima,” The Non has been touring the Midwest and west coast this summer; they are dipping down South to play Austin, New Orleans, Memphis.  The group will hit Nashville up for this one night performance at Open Lot.

Listen to The Non’s “Pigeon Force” here: http://www.thenonband.com/media.html

Karma Kite

Nashville’s Karma Kite touts its musical produce as “indie music in its purest form.”  The instrumentation of the band’s songs, driven and decorated by banjo, xylophone, and clarinet among many others, has been compared by buzzgrinder.com to a more aggressive Sufjan Stevens.  Their influences range from Jeff Buckley to Ugly Casanova, and they are signed with indie label Cephalopod Records.

Avid Gardener

Avid Gardener has recently proclaimed, “music is not dead…and to prove it we’re releasing new stuff.”  With instrumentation that reminds us of the Arcade Fire, this Nashville-based foursome produces sound with unique, concise lyrical content, engaging melodies, and sweet drum and bass.  The group kicks off the southern leg of a mini-tour with their performance at Open Lot.

You fine folk are faced with a tough decision, and the answer depends entirely on whether you like a little experimental in your rock (Open Lot) or a little rock in your experimental (Betty’s).

You’ll have an easier decision come July 3rd.  Chris Murray from Square People organized a one-of-a-kind-art-meets-music-exploitation-extravaganza at Open Lot, titled “Diet Blood.”  The art on display will be recreations of paintings by controversial local artist Donny Smutz.  I was over at Diet Blood contributor Drey Maynard’s house the other day as he and a crack team painted recreations of Donny’s work.  Chris explained to me that they couldn’t get Donny Smutz paintings, so they went with the next best thing. . . amateur reproductions of Donny Smutz paintings.  And that’s actually fitting, given the sampled nature of Donny Smutz’s work and the overall theme of the Diet Blood show.

At any rate, it’s a phenomenal lineup, starting with Athens experimental improv band The Killick and the legendary Dave Cloud & The Gospel of Power.  Square People, Deluxin’, and Marj will also play.  Put the firework-buying on hold and check out the show.  Here’s the Open Lot press release:

DIET BLOOD: Meditations on Recent Paintings by Donny Smutz | 7.3.10 | 8 PM

“Happenings,” forms of participatory new media art, emphasize interaction between the performer and the audience. Blurring the line between “performer” and “spectator,” “art” and “art viewer,” “Happenings” are ever-evolving, one-time experiences that depend upon audience response.  DIET BLOOD seeks to revive the Happening of the 1960s, inject it with an unhealthy dose of raw punk, and send it out, unbridled, into the Nashville scene. Featuring Dave Cloud and His Gospel of Power, DIET BLOOD also offers the stage to under-appreciated musicians such as Deluxin’, The Square People Jazz Maturity, and Marj.  Nashville-based visual artists will present new two-dimensional works, all plays on recent paintings by surrealist painter Donny Smutz.  Smutz, now located in Nashville but originally from Pittsburgh, Kansas, has described his stylized work as “a substitute for getting out and seeing the world.”  His website hails his work as surrealist art “that has more in common with the landscape of dreams than the landscape of the Midwest.”  Artists commissioned for DIET BLOOD will present takes on Smutz’s escapist work– homage, critique, or shameless copycatting?