We’ll make a few more detailed mp3 posts on a few of these artists later in the week, but here’s what we’re looking forward to as our work week wears on.

Thursday:

- Of course we’ll be listening to Josh Kear tomorrow night at the early Bluebird show. Cake Bake Betty will make an appearance at the 9 PM Bluebird show, too. We were thinking about staying for both, but don’t think that we can handle the table minimums for both shows.

- If you’re in the mood for in-your-face hip gyrations, and happy, somewhat twangy pop, the Rhett Miller show at the Mercy Lounge is the place to be.

- The Spiritual Family Reunion, a band that I’ve just begun to listen to, is doing a show at The 5 Spot, over on the East side. If you have to miss them this time around, they’re playing a Monday evening show at the Basement, which is where we’ll probably catch them. They have a hazy, dreamy beautiful country sound, and the lead singer, Patty LeMay, has a beautiful voice that reminds us of Lucinda.

- Tomorrow is also the date of the RAINN benefit concert at 3rd and Lindsley, featuring performances from Garrison Starr, The Gabe Dixon Band, Sandra McCracken, Tyler James, and Rachel Sage.

Friday:

- The Gypsy Hombres take the stage on Friday night at The Family Wash, which, as we say again and again, is one of our favorite hangouts in Nashville. The Hombres are straight up Django-inspired gypsy swing, and are a very fun show to see. The Hombres show is free, as usual, just eat a bite (honey baked brie!) and save a few dollars for the tip hat. The Hombres play at 7 and 9 PM.

- Pretty much everyone has heard about this by now, but The Hotpipes are playing The Basement on Friday with super-secret-don’t-tell-anyone guests The Features. Okay, not so secret anymore, right? The show is $7 and starts at 9 PM.

- Venus Hum plays a CD release show at the Mercy Lounge. Show starts at 9:30, you can buy tickets in advance, too. They’re $10 if you’re over 21 ($13 if you’re 18-20).

- Troupe 93 makes a debut performance at 12th South Arts Venue - you can keep scrolling down this page if you’d like a few details, or visit Improv Nashville’s website.. We will definitely be there to support our friends Erin and Blake. PS: Bill Fondren!! I hope he will talk in his radio voice.

- After we leave Improv Nashville’s show, we’re hopefully going to hop over the The 5 Spot to see Kelley McRae (her site wasn’t quite working for us today, but you could hear her over at her myspace, too. Kelley’s music was passed on to us a few days ago and I just can’t stop listening to her sing. Her voice is serene and elegant, the music has a bit of twang and it’s altogether very graceful and inviting. Show starts at 9 PM.

Saturday:
There’s a ton going on Saturday night, but we’ve narrowed it down to two notable events.

- First, there is an Eef Barzelay (Clem Snide) acoustic show at the Basement, starting at 9 PM. Tickets are $8. I picked up Bitter Honey, Barzelay’s solo album, a few months ago had have enjoyed it, although I do prefer the band’s sound to his solo stuff. I saw them open for Ben Folds, once upon a time, and think that they’re a fantastic live show. We’ll hopefully get some Clem Snide/Eef tracks up later in the week. You can also check out a profile of the newly-relocated Barzelay in this week’s Nashville Scene.

- I do like Eef, but there’s a good chance that we’ll end up out in Woodbury, Tennessee, for the Minton Sparks show at the Arts Center of Cannon County. I’ve missed Minton Sparks at TPAC simply because tickets are much too expensive for my little wallet to handle, but if you’re willing to make the drive to Woodbury (out 24, a little ways past Murfreesboro), you can catch Minton for about half the price, although you might make up the difference in gas dollars. Tickets are $8 for students and $12 for general admission, and you can purchase them online through the Arts Center website. This is where we’ll be, most likely, this Saturday evening. We’ll do a more detailed post on Minton later in the week, but her work is phenomenal. Check out her website for a few audio samples.

Fluid Ounces, one of my favorite bands (YES, OKAY, I say that a lot, but today is a good day for music) and local ex-spongebath sweethearts, have a new demo available for listening on Myspace. Click over to their page to listen: Fluid Ounces - How To Be Happy. A blurb from one of their more recent blog entries says that a new album should be around in September. Depending on how chat-happy Seth is, you can also sometimes keep up with their progress through a forum run through their official site. Mmm, new Fluid Ounces. I can’t wait.

We spent a good chunk of time yesterday out in Murfreesboro at Uncle Dave Macon Days, a festival celebrating old time music and the life of Uncle Dave Macon, one of the early stars of country music. There’s something about old-time music that just fills me up inside, it fills up my heart until I can barely breathe. I love it. I’m not sure why. I grew up in Mississippi, in the Delta, but was raised on the Beatles and sugary 50’s pop music from my mother’s favorite radio station. No blues, no country, although it was certainly in my periphery. It wasn’t until just a few years ago that I began to realize what an amazing effect this kind of music had on me. It was like coming home. The festival itself is amazing. You make your way through Cannonsburgh Village, finding small pockets of musicians at every turn. Music everywhere. It was quite an experience. I just wish that they’d added a second stage to showcase more old-time music. As it is, there’s a single stage, and it’s devoted almost entirely to instrumental and dancing competitions, with concerts only in the evening. If you missed it this year, definitely check it out next year.

So, here’s to you, Uncle Dave.

Uncle Dave Macon: Wreck of the Tennessee Gravy Train

Uncle Dave Macon: I’ll Keep My Skillet Good and Greasy

As far as music goes, I’m a sucker for anything old. Country, bluegrass, old-time, blues, jazz, etc. That’s what you’ll probably see the most of here, along with a healthy smattering of “revivalists” like the Asylum Street Spankers and the Red Stick Ramblers. Plus new music of all sorts, just to keep it balanced. I wanted a blog where I could share the music that I love the most; I keep up with a couple of mp3 blogs pretty regularly and it’s very rare that I see music that’s particularly interesting to me. Maybe I’m not looking hard enough? (edit: I’m finally beginning to find a few - check the right sidebar for links!) If you know of any really wonderful blogs, please pass them along. I’d love you forever.

I’ll end with a few different versions of one of my favorite classic country songs.

Clarence Ashley and Doc Watson: Will the Circle Be Unbroken, from Original Folkways Recordings of Doc Watson and Clarence Ashley, 1960-1962.

Johnny Cash, Roy Acuff, and Ricky Skaggs: Will the Circle Be Unbroken, from Will the Circle Be Unbroken, Vol. 2

Mother Maybelle Carter, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Earl Scruggs, Vassar Clements, Doc Watson, et al: Will the Circle Be Unbroken, from Will the Circle Be Unbroken.. This version is my absolute favorite.