New Nashville is a Literal Sci-Fi Dystopia: a conversation with Veronica Kavass

Today’s guest is Veronica Kavass, who is a writer, an educator and a private investigator. We talk with her about the Nashville of her youth and the Nashville of today. Veronica was our “New Nashvillian” in our episode about the Belcourt, but that term really is fluid based on who you ask. Veronica spent her childhood and young adulthood here, so she’s really from and of the city. She talks lovingly of seeing Kids here when she was a teenager and the sense of excitement that came from realizing the film’s writer—Harmony Korine—was a fellow weirdo from right here in Nashville. But, especially in a city that is changing as quickly as this one is, one can be a native and long time resident, go away for a little bit, and come back feeling like a bit of an alien.

As I have with a handful of other folks in the show, we talk about the ways Nashville is changing and the complicated feelings that come with this change. In retrospect I am bummed we didn’t talk about her work as a private investigator but we do touch on her having written for Nashville Scene and her work as a writer. She is presently writing a book about the city that focuses heavily on populations of Nashville that don’t immediately get identified when the city is portrayed. Her parents background is a heavy influence in why this subject is an interesting one for her, and we talk about that quite a lot as well.

Nashville Demystified is brought to you by Knack Factory – a commercial video and content production company with offices here in the city and We Own This Town. Knack Factory is a commercial video and content production firm in Nashville. We Own This Town is a collective of podcasters based in Nashville.

More on Nashville Demystified
Official Site: nashvilledemystified.com
Instagram: @nashvilledemystified
Twitter: @NDemystified

Brought to you by Knack Factory

San Dimas Today presents Bill and Ted Day, June 9th, 2019

We Own This Town and Bonus Room Productions present Bill & Ted Day over at Vinyl Tap on June 9th, 2019. What is Bill & Ted Day? Officially, it’s a celebration of all things Bill S. Preston, Esq., Ted Theodore Logan and the menagerie of cast and crew involved in both films. It also doubles as an childish nod to the mentality of our protagonists as the event takes place on 6/9, dude!

In our specific case, it’s a daytime celebration at our favorite Bar / Record Store that involves a bunch of family-friend, relaxing, activities. Even if you’re not a huge fan of the films (which, really, c’mon), we’re confident you’ll be entertained by the afternoon’s offerings:

  • Original Art show featuring works from the likes of Caroline Bowman, Andy Vastagh, Jeff Wilson and many more!
  • Vinyl giveaways of both soundtracks!
  • Bill & Ted trading card giveaways – collect them all or just scoff at their absurdity.
  • Beer specials all afternoon.
  • Impassioned hangtime with the hosts of San Dimas Today, our illustrious podcast.

Both movies will be projected during the event and we’ve got a massive Bill & Ted inspired playlist to keep your eyes and ears entertained during the duration. RSVP and then come on out on June 9th, 2019 to Vinyl Tap between 2pm and 6pm. We’ll see you there!

Rock Camp Registrations Now Open

Registration is now open for Southern Girls Rock Camp and the TN Teens Rock Camp. Both events are brought to you by YEAH – Youth Empowerment through Arts & Humanity; a non-profit that aims to “provide a safe learning environment for teens that will empower them not only in the arts but in life skills, volunteerism, and community service. “

The Southern Girls Rock Camp takes place in both Murfreesboro on June 24th through 29th at Central Magnet High School and Nashville on July 8th through 13th at Vanderbilt University. The TN Rock Camp takes place July 15th through 20th at Vanderbilt. The former is aimed at female and gender non-confirming attendees while the later is open to all genders.

Each camp culminates in a showcase of newly formed bands and their members performing original songs; often on instruments they’ve just become familiar with. While you might assume that a performance from a new band that’s only been playing for a week would be underwhelming, you’d be wrong. The camps do a great job of educating the attendees on the best way to utilize their instruments and prop them up for success, not failure.

Registrations are open now and can be submitted on the YEAH site. There’s also a program for adults (18+) that occurs in October, so anyone that is interested has the opportunity to be involved.

147: Mothballs, Dreampunk and Self-Sustaining Art with Only

Interview Special! This episode we sit down with Only, a four piece outfit specializing in a unique style of Punky Dreampop that is on the cusp of releasing their full-length debut via Cold Lunch Recordings (due July 12th). The band talks about their history, their relationship with Nashville and their desires to self-sustain themselves through their art.

Follow us or submit your music:
Facebook: /weownthistown
Twitter: @weownthistown
Instagram: @weownthistown

Only – “Why Not”

Only – “Ride Out”

Only – Language

Only – “Cheap Weed”

Only – “Jerk”

Wildfront

“Main Theme” by Upright T-Rex Music

Cover Image: Only.

S3E08: Game of Thrones Rewrite

In this episode, Andrew and Zach do exactly what hosts of a Fan Fiction show should do – rewrite the final season of Game of Thrones. SPOILER ALERT: Somebody has sex with a volcano.

Official Site: http://fanfiction.show/
Twitter: @fanfictionshow
Instagram: @fanfictionshow

Theme song by Jordan Lehning

Bill & Ted Day

Jason T. Meares, Esq* and Kelly Hoyle Bolick drop in before Season 2 begins to remind you that June 9th, 2019 is Bill & Ted Day. If you’re in the Nashville area, come celebrate with San Dimas Today over at Vinyl Tap. There will be vinyl giveaways, beer specials and original art on display from the likes of Caroline Bowman, Andy Vastagh, Tim Cook, Jeff Bertrand, Jeff Wilson and more!

Family Friendly, 2pm to 6pm at 2038 Greenwood Ave. The planets will align and utopia is sure to be achieved!

Official site: www.sandimastoday.show
Instagram: @sandimastoday
Twitter: @sandimastoday
Facebook: /sandimastoday

* actual lawyer

Intro Music: “Walk Away” by Scott Bricklin

Charlie Abbott – “Ugly Little Sunflower” [Premiere]

Last we checked in on the works of Charlie Abbott, he had released an album entitled Nirvana that sounded, quite intentionally, like an ode to the grunge movement’s primary ringleader. Since that release in early 2018, Abbot released two additional records; mise en place, a collection of nine rock songs brimming with restraint and breezy hooks and the Technicolor Dream EP, four songs of feel good pop-rock and one high-energy blast of summertime vibes.

All that catch-up is to give some context that Abbott isn’t afraid to wear his influences on his sleeve but also isn’t lacking in embracing different styles. So, with the premiere of his brand new track “Ugly Little Sunflower” we get a taste of what he has in store for his forthcoming album of the same name set for release this summer.

Somewhat unsurprisingly, this new track continues the trend of keeping things fresh, stylistically. The press release informs us that the recording was produced by Don Bates and that “Almost all of the tracking was single takes, even the vocals.” While that statement would generally sound cautious alarm bells, it gives the bombastic energy of the track a looseness that makes it fun, instead of the presumed train wreck it might be. The video is an equally enjoyable romp, depicting Abbot and a masked thief making their way through various East Nashville landmarks.

There’s no telling what the full Ugly Little Sunflower record has in store but there’s a promise of “baritone and seven-string guitars in a kamikaze approach to bastardize blues guitar” that sounds nothing short of perfectly intriguing.

Nashville’s Other Music Scene feat. Michael Eades

Michael Eades is the creator of the network that hosts us, and the host of a podcast of the same name. Michael’s show serves as an introduction to all sorts of music that touches or has roots in this city. In today’s episode, we talk music, Nashville, podcasts and how this network came to be.

I met Michael through a friend of a friend who had heard I was moving to the city and told me I absolutely had to meet him. I am glad I did, because Michael–who is very clearly interested in the city and devoted to its music–was extraordinarily generous with his time and when I told him on the spot that I had a podcast to pitch he was all ears.

Really, I can’t say enough good about Michael, this network of podcasts, and the crew of folks who make it all a reality. I’ve had the good fortune to hand and spend time with these folks and they have certainly made this new guy feel welcome.

Nashville Demystified, I should tell you, is brought to you by Knack Factory–a commercial video and content production company with offices here in the city and We Own This Town. Knack Factory is a commercial video and content production firm in Nashville. We Own This Town is a collective of podcasters based in Nashville.

More We Own This Town
Official Site: weownthistown.net
Instagram: @weownthistown
Twitter: @weownthistown

More on Michael Eades
Instagram: @yewknee
Twitter: @yewknee

More on Nashville Demystified
Official Site: nashvilledemystified.com
Instagram: @nashvilledemystified
Twitter: @NDemystified

Brought to you by Knack Factory

The Nashville Hotel Boom

After a brief discussion on the raging battle for Nashville’s Greatest Nachos, Mickey shines a light on the all-too-neglected hotel scene. He covers long standing establishments like Union Station, Loews and The Hermitage and their great efforts to update their experiences to marry the modern with the historic, making them spots to consider re-visiting. He also exhaustively covers new entries in the hotel scene – such as the Omni, Noelle, The Bobby, The Dream, Fairlane, Ellington’s and Van Dyke – to prove that Nashville hotels have a lot more to offer than just a place to sleep.

If you have suggestions for spots to check out, please reach out to @thisisthaplace on Twitter or Instagram.

Intro Music by Uncle Skeleton, Outro Music by Jay Leo Phillips.

Jeff Zentner

Jeff Zentner is an award-winning author of young adult fiction whose latest novel, Rayne and Delilah’s Midnite Matinee, follows the friendship of two high school girls who host horror films on their local public access tv station every weekend. Like his characters, Jeff often thinks about the legacy he will leave behind.

On this episode of My Fantasy Funeral, he and host Ryan Breegle discuss the chance television encounter that gave him the idea for the novel, how volunteering with Tennessee Teen Rock Camp led to his becoming an author, and the two fictional characters he would choose to give an inspirational, tear-filled eulogy at his fantasy funeral.

Hear Jeff Zentner Funeral Song Selections on Spotify

Follow My Fantasy Funeral on Instagram & Twitter.

Find host Ryan Breegle on Twitter.

Music by Kindercastle.

146: The Mesmerizing Zone

Many thanks to Lance Conzett for driving the playlist of hip-hop selections on the last episode. This time around, we return to a varietal offering of great local selections from a range of genres; our bread and butter.

We dive into some phenomenal pop with an 80’s bend from Fluorescent Half Dome, new mesmerizing work from Local Cult and Volunteer Department, catchy straight ahead rock from New Threads, quality Nashville Pop Bantug and a return from hibernation courtesy of Bedroom.

Follow us or submit your music:
Facebook: /weownthistown
Twitter: @weownthistown
Instagram: @weownthistown

Fluorescent Half Dome – “Echolalia / Summer Blessing”

Local Cult – “Yr Ego”

Volunteer Department – “Gum too Hard”

New Threads – “Clean”

Bantug – “Shapes”

Bedroom – “Count to Five”

“Main Theme” by Upright T-Rex Music

Cover Image: Fluorescent Half Dome.

Jonie – “Orpheus feat. Bantug” (Official Video)

The latest Jonie single for “Orpheus” (featuring Bantug) is a fine mixture of smooth, dance-y, a bit warbly and a dash of melancholy. While we openly admit to our ignorance of the Nashville Pop scene as a whole, this track is clear evidence that great things are happening.

For a track containing the refrain “Don’t worry about it, you were my favorite possibility, fall back on my own” you’d think there’d be a great deal of lamenting and self-inspection surrounding the track but the official video spices things up a bit by injecting a delightful bit of fun into the mix. Jonie himself finds his way through a dinosaur park, measuring and tabulating the creatures that he finds while, occasionally, hiding inside of an egg. It’s a none-too-subtle reminder that Summer is around the corner and much fun is to be had.

Let this serve as a reminder that Dinosaur World is a scant 90 minutes away and that you’ve got a full world of Jonie and Bantug to explore on the drive.