Tho generally reserved for weddings, Emerson Hall (2512 Gallatin Rd) will be hosting the first Nashville Drone on May 18th, 2024th. Here’s the event description – confirming your assumptions!

The evening will feature 12+ local artists performing interlocking sets to create an unbroken wave of sustained sound and music. Attendees are free to come and go, but we hope you will join until the last note rings out to experience the meditative effects of extended, uninterrupted sound.

The doors open at 5:30 and the drone begins at 6pm; continuing uninterrupted until midnight. The experience is meant to be meditative, as comfy floor mats are suggested for you to lay about and let the sounds wash over you.

The evening will feature Andie Billheimer, Chatterbird, Disaster Trees, Dry Wall, Eve Maret, Infanta Silhouette, Infinite Limb, Jayve Montgomery, Jen starsinic, KCMR Rhthym Group, Loaner, Missymiss, Tyler Blankenship, Sari Hoke, Spencer Grady, McKay House, Phylicia Roybal and Kristen Carrara. That’s a lot of names but, remember, it’s a six hour performance! There will also be liquid lights from Flooded Sun. All and all, an immersive and very unique evening.

Hit up @_nashvilledrone_ on Instagram for more details and lineup features. Head over to Eventbrite to get your tickets – tho it should be noted that the entry fee is Sliding scale. If you can pay more to support the endeavor – great! – if you need to pay less – also great. If you’re unsure what to pay, they suggest whatever hourly rate you make. As a suggestion!

In case you missed the excellent Scene article, you should be aware that DRKMTTR is making moves to convert themselves into a non-profit entity.

Why would they do this? Why should you care? Well, you should care because Nashville’s independent venue scene is a rare beast and extremely crucial ingredient to a thriving music scene. Even more importantly, DRKMTTR has been laser focused on being an all ages venue with a DIY spirit (tho, honestly, more of a “Do It Together” spirit). That said, running a venue is a difficult undertaking to be profitable. Extremely difficult. So, by converting themselves to a non-profit, they will become eligible for grant opportunities that are currently not available.

In the meantime, they need some assistance bridging the gap. They have started a crowdfunding campaign to raise $15k – a small goal that started off with a third of it being contributed by the Music Venue Alliance Nashville (MVAN). They are making great strides in reaching their goal but, at press time, aren’t there yet. Consider donating if you can and let’s keep DRKMTTR around for as long as possible!

In 2016, the band unveiled a 16-minute short film and music video for “Light Up the Night“, the tenth track from Act II. The album had been released in 2009, seven years prior. In our modern times, it seems like a mis-step to wait so long to release some marketing content for your album but I would argue this is one of the strengths of The Protomen. While seven years is an awfully long time between events, it’s a testament that the band is invested in making art that they are proud of, regardless of the timing. To further this point, they also released an ultra deluxe vinyl version of Act II nine years after its release. That’s an absurdly long time but the vinyl is also a pop-up book, not exactly a common piece of merchandise.

In 2020, the band released a 94-minute live album simply titled Live in Nashville. The performance was actually captured in 2011 at 12th and Porter but not released for nine years (again, the band is not interested in speed – to their testament). The setlist includes all songs from Act I and the majority of songs from Act II – many of which have new arrangements thanks to the years of being played live. It’s an excellent testament to their performance prowess and theatricality – even without being able to see the band, you can absolutely appreciate the energy they put forth. It’s also quite amusing to hear Panther thank the audience for “making this possible for seven years.” That’s certainly an accomplishment but hearing that sentiment from 20 years out is worth a smirk.

As the twenty year anniversary of Act I is on the horizon, fans clamor for the next installment in the bands original storyline – sensibly referred to as Act III. Over the years, The Protomen have released three songs from the forthcoming finale of their story – “This City Made Us“, “Hold Back the Night” and, as recently as 2022, “The Fight.” It’s not unlike the band to release singles and previews of larger bodies of work but Act III will presumably be a narrative piece of work – so these nuggets are as mysterious of the band members real names.

If you were to describe The Protomen to someone – an operatic rock band writing songs about the downfall of mankind at the hands of battling mechanoid mega men that are also brothers – they may feel bewildered that such a band could possibly exist, much less exist successfully for two decades. However, simply listening to any song across their twenty years, it’s clear that their longevity is due to their commitment to the craft. They are writing an original sci-fi story, setting that to music, making it memorable and somehow keeping the internal message poignant and meaningful. The real people behind the band are clearly enormous fans of cinema and world building. They’re also keenly aware of the traps that both can fall into (see: unnecessary sequels, shallow relationships, bad plotlines) and doing their damndest to avoid those pitfalls. Their body of work is literally remarkable – “worthy of attention; striking.” Conceptually they may be shocking but the reality is, they’re an incredibly talented group of people approaching music from an admirably unique angle.

Even if the band never released Act III and simply played a few shows here and there for the remainder of our days, what they have created would be worth a chapter in the History of Nashville Music.™ Personally, I don’t think that will be the case. If I were a betting man, I’d wager that the band has a lengthy list of creations still to come. Chips all on the table, I’m hoping for at least another twenty years.

Published Apr 26, 2024
Authored & Edited by Michael Eades