Communion Artist Spotlight: Shelly Colvin

Cause A Scene —  November 13, 2013 — Leave a comment

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On November 14th, Nashville based singer/songwriter Shelly Colvin will take the stage at the High Watt to play alongside artists like Tennis and On An On for Nashville’s Communion show.

Though Colvin’s debut album, Up the Hickory Down the Pine, came out just last year, she’s been playing music almost her whole life. Before she was even old enough to go to school Colvin joined her family to sing in a Baptist church in Alabama, where her father was the minister of music.

While you can hear the years of experience in Colvin’s voice, her music today has more of a rootsy, folk sound with a heavy country influence. Colvin’s musical inspirations are in the same vein; she listens to The Byrds and Emmylou Harris, Neil Young and the Flying Burrito Brothers.

Recently, Colvin’s enchanting vocals and straightforward songwriting have landed her a spot performing on Music City Roots and seen her featured in Nashville Arts Magazine and on Daytrotter. She’s also performed with a wide range of artists, including Jackson Browne, Dierks Bentley and Old Crow Medicine Show.

After she takes the stage for November’s Communion show, you won’t have another chance to hear Colvin in Nashville until December, when she plays alongside Brendan Benson and friends at the Ryman. On Thursday, Colvin will take the stage at the High Watt first; doors open at 7:00 P.M.

– Meagan Lawson

Shelly Colvin- ‘Shady Grove’

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Communion Artist Spotlight: VITEK

Cause A Scene —  November 13, 2013 — Leave a comment

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Joining the likes of Tennis, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats and On An On at Nashville’s Communion showcase this Thursday at Mercy Lounge is VITEK, a local Nashville band who has begun to drum up significant buzz, both within the confines of the Music City scene and far beyond. Possessing a fun and upbeat electro-pop sound, VITEK infuses saxophones, rock ‘ roll riffs and hints of funk that give the band a unique musical identity that is truly their own.

VITEK are also great friends of ours here at Cause A Scene. We were fortunate enough to present the release show for their single “Sunbird” at The Basement this past May, which drew a packed house and also assisted in presenting the first Party 2 Provide, an annual benefit concert at the East Centric Pavilion that they founded and headlined. The proceeds of the first P2P this year went to Mental Health America of Tennessee, featured four other talented bands and was vastly successful The band has also recently been featured as Lightning 100’s “Local Artist of the Week.”

VITEK is currently in the studio, working on a new full-length album that is scheduled to release in 2014. With a live presence that emits a hypnotic and entrancing energy that will get you groovin’, VITEK will certainly set a precedent at Mercy Lounge tomorrow night.

– Christian Lerchenfeld

VITEK- ‘Sunbird’

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Show Preview: Cassino, Darlingside & Heather Maloney – 11/13

Cause A Scene —  November 12, 2013 — Leave a comment

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This Wednesday we head back to one of our favorite venues to see live music in this fair city, The Basement, and we’d love for you to take a short breather from your busy week and join us. The lead act of the evening is Nashville-based Americana folk outfit, Cassino. Originally formed in 2005 by childhood friends and former members of the Alabama-based rock band, Northstar, Nick Torres and Tyler Odom, Cassino is a project that has morphed and transitioned through several different stages and identities. In 2006 the duo began recording their first album, Sounds of Salvation, with producer Craig Krampf in Nashville. Cassino spent the following couple years touring heavily in support of their debut record, until 2008 when they began the process of writing a follow-up album in 2008. It was during this process that Odom left the project and Torres began to seek out a new creative direction for Cassino. He found what he was searching for in longtime friend Edward Puckett, who often played bass on earlier Cassino tours.

The two musicians spent much of the following year writing and recording the new album, again in Nashville, but this time primarily out of a small apartment. The album would come to be titled, Kingprince, and was released in 2009. In 2011 they put out an EP entitled, The Weight of Bother, which contained several unreleased versions of songs from Kingprince. Cassino has spent much of their time the last couple of years touring the country, and is now currently working on a new album comprised of songs based from of wealth of new inspiration.

Sharing The Basement stage with Cassino Wednesday night is the indie folk quartet, Darlingside. Hailing from Cambridge, MA, this foursome, delivers a distinct and colorful live performance that has captivated audiences across the country, in which they belt harmonies huddled around a single microphone and swap and series of instruments which include guitars, mandolins, fiddles and a plethora of percussion instruments from song to song. The band released their first full-length record, Pilot Machines, on which they were successful in encompassing the same spirit and energy that they bring to all their live shows.

Opening up the show for the evening is another Massachusetts-based musician, singer songwriter Heather Maloney. Although she only began writing songs a few years ago, Maloney has put her career and reputation on the fast track towards success releasing three albums, and quickly developing a devout fan base. Her most recent album, which was self-titled and released this last spring, perfectly displays her soulful, folk influenced sound and has received critical praise from the likes of The Huffington Post.

Don’t miss out on another night of good tunes with the CAS crew at The Basement on 8th Avenue South. Tickets will be $5 at the doors. Music starts at 9:00 PM.

– Christian Lerchenfeld

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Communion Artist Spotlight: The 4onthefloor

Cause A Scene —  November 12, 2013 — Leave a comment
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About four seconds into the first The 4onthefloor video I ever watched, I was greeted with Black Keys-esque guitar riffs, impressive beards, and kick drums, so naturally, I was very pleased.  American rock and roll band The 4onthefloor comes from Minneapolis, Minnesota and was initially born back in 2009 with the plan to make some kick ass bluesy rock and to have loads of fun in the process.  Taking their name from the fact that each of the 4 members is equipped with his own bass drum and their set list of songs are all written in 4×4 time, 4OTH’s debut album was deemed, “one of the best rock and roll albums of 2011, by far,” by Indie Magazine.
 
Band members Gabriel Douglas and James Gould first bonded over their shared love of Led Zepplin and whiskey.  With the basis of a partnership formed on classic rock and Jack Daniels, something exciting and real was to be expected.  Using their interests of “stompin’, singin’, and clappin’,” according to the band’s website, 4OTH is attempting to “break down modern music’s barriers” and get back to the basics.  James Gould describes their efforts as “purely meat-and-potatoes rock.”  Gould also shared that by choosing to write all their songs in their signature 4×4 style, they sort of limit themselves “in a way that really forces you to be more creative.” Hey guys, it’s working.
 
If I were to channel my inner 4onthefloor, I would tell you to take another look at the lineup for Thursday’s Communion show, put on some of 40TH’s music, and buy your freaking ticket. This show is not one you’re going to want to miss.
 
– Bailey Basham

Spirit of Minneapolis by the4onthefloor

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Communion Artist Spotlight: Savoir Adore

Cause A Scene —  November 11, 2013 — Leave a comment

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Duet, Savoir Adore, has shaped a whimsy world all its own, one absent of its fast-paced, Brooklyn roots. In 2007, discouraged by lack of musical success, Paul Hammer and Deidre Muro withdrew into the woods, leaving the gray, daunting city in their wake. Over the course of only two days, the duo managed to produce a concept album, The Adventures of Mr. Pumpernickel and The Girl with Animals in Her Throat, which was met with more success than any of Hammer or Muro’s previous projects.

This EP motivated the pair to aggressively pursue their musical passions, under the official moniker, Savoir Adore. Savoir Adore’s sophomore effort, The Wooded Forest (2009), launched the duet even further into indie music fame, allowing it to take the underground by storm. The group’s charming sound blended with perfectly placed rhythmic layering and understated lyricism created a warm synth-pop that has grown irresistible.

Savoir Adore’s charm flowed flawlessly into its most recent record, Our Nature (2013). Muro’s vocals are gently draped over the infectious pop pulse that courses through the record. This, coupled with Hammer’s unflinching, Morrissey-esque voice, is enough to have the most callous, flannel-toting, beard-sporting indie rocker swinging his hips and seeing the world through rose-tinted glasses.

It’s this bright, electronic instrumentation paired with woodsy words that make Savoir Adore musically interesting. Glued to their “No acoustic guitars” rule, Hammer and Muro have an electronic musical style. A style then infused with lyrics that might best serve as words to a hit folk ballad. “Loveliest Creature” is the best example of this nature driven, syth-pop marriage.

This marriage has sparked Savoir Adore’s success. Hammer and Muro have truly contrived an airy, imaginative world of harmony. Through their fun instrumental style and earthy lyrics, Savoir Adore has produced impeccable tunes that are bound to put a smile on any unsuspecting listener’s face. Savoir Adore will be rocking Mercy Lounge with Tennis, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats and many more on Thursday, November 14th at Mercy Lounge.

– Caitlyn Grabentein

Savoir Adore- ‘Dreamers’

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