Before legendary UK rockers Enter Shikari took the stage at the Basement East, one sentiment could be heard throughout the crowd, “I just wish they were bigger in the US.”…
When I think of UPSAHL, the first thing that comes to mind is unapologetic baddass-ery, and lots of fun. Her music is upbeat and catchy–the kind of songs that get…
For Samia Finnerty, Portland Brew is a sacred place. She’s canonized it, notably, namedropping the shop in the opening line of “As You Are.” When we last spoke, in March…
Over the past few years, Sven Eric Gamsky, more commonly known by his moniker Still Woozy, has attracted a significant following for his idyllic bedroom electro-pop without having ever released…
Bizarre, absurd, and magical, the music of Lindsay Olsen a.k.a. Salami Rose Joe Louis is unlike anything else. Her albums are otherworldly collections of short, interweaving, keyboard-heavy tracks which pack…
A few Sundays ago on October 6th, myself and WRVU events coordinator Annie Mullins interviewed Becca Ryskalczyk and Christina Puerto of Bethlehem Steel after their show at DRKMTTR. The band…
On October 19th, 2018, I was given the opportunity to speak with Matt Signore, the Chief Operating Officer of Warner Music Nashville, a sub-label under Warner Music Group. Mr. Signore offered unique insight to the culture and values of the company, as well as answers to questions about the internal operations of Warner Music Nashville and Warner Music Group as a whole.
Gleams of sunlight patterned the back patio of The Basement East as WRVU chatted with Clay Frankel of Chicago-based rock band, Twin Peaks, the evening before their sold-out show. In between wisps of a cigarette, Clay shared his insights on tour life, the writing process, musical influences, his album artwork drawings, along with answers to various questions from WRVU’s DJ-created Question Bucket Hat.
On Valentine’s Day, a few weeks back, I had the privilege of meeting up with one of WRVU’s most articulate (I think you’ll agree) new DJs. Christopher Augustinos, a sophomore student from the Northeast, is rocking the Nashville airwaves with the likes of Kanye West, Hot Chip, and Röyksopp. When we sat down for the interview, I had never met Chris before. The first thing he said to me was “I hope I’ve prepared to answer your questions eloquently.” I knew we’d get along. Who doesn’t love it when DJs take their shows seriously?
They’re rough around the edges and they’re still finding their swing, but they’re uncompromising. Fruit and Flowers and The Ex Girlfriends came through the studio for an interview with us at WRVU.
Kristen sits on a backless bench in the hallway of a classroom building. It’s dark outside and the hallway is barely lit. All you can hear are the handfuls people loudly roaming through the building, filing into classrooms for meetings. She looks completing unfazed by the conversations around us, and looks confidently prepared to discuss her show, Swag Swag Like Caillou.
I had the opportunity to watch my favorite band, Chicago-based Maps & Atlases, for the fourth time on Saturday, October 24th at the Basement East in East Nashville. For the first time, however, I had the honor of interviewing the band after they opened for Bobby Bare Jr.
Maps & Atlases played for almost an hour, revisiting old songs from their second EP “You And Me And the Mountain” to their most recent LP, “Beware And Be Grateful.” Only months after former band member Erin Elders left to pursue other opportunities, this was one of the few shows the former quartet has played as a trio.
Today belongs to the love songs. And with his debut single “Some People,” Nate Banks has made his play to make his way onto your playlist.
The junior from Fairfax, VA has been involved in the Vanderbilt music scene since a brief stint with the Melodores as a freshman, but this is his first foray into the world of solo artistry. And “Some People” makes a strong statement about his potential. The song is driven by a playful, carefree ukulele riff that causes your mind and muscles to relax upon first hearing it. Banks’ smooth, youthful voice beckons to you over the jaunty beat, entreating you to forget worldly troubles and stay by his side, where you’ll inevitably find the most comfort. It’s the perfect message for a song being released on Valentine’s Day, particularly if you have a significant other in whose love you can lose your worries until you fall asleep. And if you are celebrating Singles’ Awareness Day instead, perhaps “Some People” will remind you not to fret, and that as long as you have friends to keep you company, you too can find a way to release the worldly troubles that might be bothering you. Check out the song on Nate’s website, or just listen via Spotify right here!
I had a chance to talk to Nate about the release of his single and his place within the Vanderbilt music scene. Read on for the full interview:
I’m a Chicago kid. Born in the city and raised on the Southside. It’s what I know, it’s what I rep, it’s the place I love and call home. We get a bad rap on the national media for the violence, the public schools and the corruption (at least, in part, rightfully so) but all in all, I’m proud of where I’m from. So when something good comes out of where I’m from, I have to bump it.