NACA Nationals in Nashville
The Nashville Palace
We're back from the NACA Convention in Nashville! We had a great time playing for college kids and we hung out in possibly the biggest hotel I've ever seen.
The Gaylord Opryland (yes, thats its name) is like 3 or 4 hotels in one, connected by a series of atrium's, so you never have to leave the climate controlled faux-paradise. It has a riverboat, sky walk and restaurants lining the banks of the river running through the atrium's. Think like Bio-Dome...if it were owned by a casino and filled with honeymooning couples and college kids. It was CRAZY and very hard to navigate, especially at 3am...not sober.
The convention was an interesting experience...saw some friends we haven't seen in a while, got to hang out with Hank, our booking agent and met some college kids!
Our showcase was more of a pre-party than anything and we got to play with Gogol Bordello...who is quite possibly the most insane/loud show I've ever seen! Wearing yellow and black spandex pants and no shirt, their front man Eugene Hutz, who I later learned played opposite Elijah Wood in Everything is Illuminated, started the show by shouting at the crowd, "We are your new fucking friends, Gogol Bordello!" in a heavy Eastern European accent.
He was like Borat on crack...or speed or something, and the band was intense! They had an old gypsy man playing violin, an accordion player and an Asian girl wearing spandex and a mask carrying around the Hungarian flag while smashing marching cymbals. Almost even funnier than the band itself was watching the sober (and underage) college kids try and make sense of the performance.
The other band "Bang Bang Bang!" was also rockin! They're from Nashville and sound a little like the Kings of Leon to me...but harder. In the middle of their set I hopped on the lighting rig and helped em out a little. That was fun, and from what I remember, I did a pretty damn good job! Anyway, check em out.
The Gaylord Opryland (yes, thats its name) is like 3 or 4 hotels in one, connected by a series of atrium's, so you never have to leave the climate controlled faux-paradise. It has a riverboat, sky walk and restaurants lining the banks of the river running through the atrium's. Think like Bio-Dome...if it were owned by a casino and filled with honeymooning couples and college kids. It was CRAZY and very hard to navigate, especially at 3am...not sober.
The convention was an interesting experience...saw some friends we haven't seen in a while, got to hang out with Hank, our booking agent and met some college kids!
Our showcase was more of a pre-party than anything and we got to play with Gogol Bordello...who is quite possibly the most insane/loud show I've ever seen! Wearing yellow and black spandex pants and no shirt, their front man Eugene Hutz, who I later learned played opposite Elijah Wood in Everything is Illuminated, started the show by shouting at the crowd, "We are your new fucking friends, Gogol Bordello!" in a heavy Eastern European accent.
He was like Borat on crack...or speed or something, and the band was intense! They had an old gypsy man playing violin, an accordion player and an Asian girl wearing spandex and a mask carrying around the Hungarian flag while smashing marching cymbals. Almost even funnier than the band itself was watching the sober (and underage) college kids try and make sense of the performance.
Gogol Bordello
The Brakes, now all 21+ wasted no time...making use of the bar. One song that we all particularly liked from their set was "Start Wearing Purple (for me now!)" in which, they all shouted the phrase while jumping up in the air and then proceeded to all leap offstage into the crowd, scaring the shit out of the kids in the front.The other band "Bang Bang Bang!" was also rockin! They're from Nashville and sound a little like the Kings of Leon to me...but harder. In the middle of their set I hopped on the lighting rig and helped em out a little. That was fun, and from what I remember, I did a pretty damn good job! Anyway, check em out.
This Guy, Robert - Proposed during "Boat Trip"
The night ended as we migrated to the front bar to watch some genuine Nashville music. The band was led by a skinny, bald guy named Matt Roy who was an incredible guitarist. I have to say, it's pretty intimidating going down to Nashville for me because it seems like everyone and their mother is just a ripping player...oh well, back to the practicing room.
The bass player took the drum kit for a song, leaving his bass on the stand and seizing the opportunity, a more than slightly intoxicated Zach Djanikian ripped through "Crossroads" and "Sultans of Swing" with the band. Meanwhile, the rest of us were leaning on the pool table in the back, wasted and yelling out cover tunes like "China Grove" and Sultans. I think Jamie got it on video... It was hilarious.
The bass player took the drum kit for a song, leaving his bass on the stand and seizing the opportunity, a more than slightly intoxicated Zach Djanikian ripped through "Crossroads" and "Sultans of Swing" with the band. Meanwhile, the rest of us were leaning on the pool table in the back, wasted and yelling out cover tunes like "China Grove" and Sultans. I think Jamie got it on video... It was hilarious.
Zach on Bass playing "Crossroads"'
That was the weekend. Hangover's and Hungarian gypsy punks...Nashville is crazy. We have a couple days off before we go back into the studio.
1 comment:
START WEARING PURPLE, WEARING PURPLE
START WEARING PURPLE FOR ME NOW
ALL YOUR SANITY AND WITS THEY WILL ALL VANISH, I PROMISE
ITS JUST A MATTER OF TIME
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