While I’m convinced that every Lake Fever Session that comes out into the world is a special piece of work worthy of time being invested into and enjoyed for days there is, occasionally, a special vibe that accompanies a handful of them that is undeniable. Such is the case with the just released session from Elvis Perkins in Dearland. Frankly, I have not counted myself among the large number of established fans of Mr. Perkins and his Dearland but after watching this session, I can see the appeal. The session is the perfect mix of a stripped down performance, unique instrumentation and (the magic ingredient) a noticeable aura of the performers enjoying themselves. Please watch them all and tell your friends about it.. they’ll appreciate it.

• Stay Zombie Stay
• Weeping Mary
• Sweet Roseanne
• Gypsy Davy

Now that the dust has settled from the Great WRVU Community DJ Shakeup of 2009 we have a chance to find out where the shows we will be missing this semester have found themselves. Fortunately Tony Youngblood runs a blog that has covered this exact topic. So if you’re wondering where Cat Beast Party or Nashville Mixtapes (among others) have wound up – please head over here and check out the full listing of new homes.

It’s also worth noting that Mr. Youngblood has posted a rather long Open Letter to WRVU that does a pretty elaborate job of showing the flaws in thought behind the DJ Cap. Granted, it’s a moot point at this time but still a fairly entertaining read.

You may not know him personally, but if you listen to local independent music on a regular basis, you have most definitely heard the work of engineer/producer Jeremy Ferguson. Working out of his studio, Battle Tapes Recording, he has manned the boards for Be Your Own PET, The Privates, Turbo Fruits, Apollo Up!, Hands Down Eugene, De Novo Dahl…. we could go on for a while, but surely you get the picture. In a city where recording studios are as plentiful as churches and liquor stores, Battle Tapes has become an important place for young, creative artists who want to make a record that doesn’t cost as much as a small SUV. We recently caught up Mr. Ferguson after a very busy year.
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Time to start your new year off properly – by attending the first 8 Off 8th of the year, which just so happens to be sponsored by We Own This Town. Joe Colvert put together a lineup of some of Nashville’s finest and they’ll all be playing short sets tonight at Mercy Lounge starting at 9pm. As usual, it’s free and it’s a good way to get familiar with a lot of our cities new offerings. Check the event details for the full lineup.

After a much needed regrouping over the holiday season we are back to our regular blogging schedule. The calendar, which is why most of you come here anyway, has been a tiny bit neglected as of late but that’s where you come in. If you know of a show that you think is WOTT worthy – please let us know. The same thinking goes for our podcasts; if you know of a band that you think is doing great things and might be a good fit – let us know. The We in We Own This Town doesn’t just apply to the handful of us that run the site; it should be everyone reading it as well.

And on that note – please welcome Ryan Evrin (The Carter Administration, Millionaire Magicians) to our fine ranks. He will be tackling a new series of interviews called 5 Questions With… in which he asks five questions of a random someone around town. Look for the first one to debut this week.