Nobody's Vault But Mine & Third Man?

Guest Blogger: Susannah Felts
Memorial Day weekend saw the third and final Nobody's Vault but Mine gathering in Nashville—sort of a mini-festival/gathering for aficionados of all things Third Man, with two nights of sets by bands with ties to the record label. While I don't count myself among the fierce devotees of any and all TMR releases and arcana, I'll go on the record as a staunch White Stripes fan who's had, er, something of a middling obsession with Mr. White as of late*, so I was curious to see what the four bands on the lineup—PUJOL, Brian Olive, Boogaloosa Prayer, and The Ultras S/C—might have to offer.

I should point out here, too, that I don't exactly get out to see rock shows all that much. Not anymore, anyway. Once upon a time, dank clubs, loud guitars and cheap beer were pretty much my entertainment default, but...something happened. You know the story. Accretion of age, decrease in stamina, desire for sleep and coherency trumping three hours of rock...oh, and reproduction of the species along the way, too. I've never stopped loving music, but these days I'm usually doing the vigorous head-bob thing in the car, not at the bar.

So, yes: it felt a little bit like a homecoming, a little fish-outta-water to step inside the confines of the aptly named Basement, where, to my delight, Jeepster was playing as The Ultras S/C got ready to take the stage. (I fell in love with that album my senior year of college, a full 30 years after its release, and here it is still, setting the perfect tone; there's a great pleasure to be found in the fact that some really good shit just doesn't age at all.) The Basement's stage, mind you, is a full six inches above the rest of the small, grotto-like room, paved with an ancient, duct tape-riddled Oriental rug, a snarl of Christmas lights clumped onto a desultory candlelabra in the left corner. There are not earplugs for sale, but there should be.

Music City & Big D Memorial Day Weekend

Nashville, this weekend you have a two-a-weekend music event to attend so "it's not our fault" if you miss the 3rd Annual Nobody's Vault But Mine May 26th & 27th at The Basement.
Saturday kicks off with Dex Romweber Duo, The Black Belles, Jane Rose and the Deadend Boys, Jeff Zentner and Elin Palmer followed by Sunday's show featuring PUJOL, Brian Olive, Boogaloosa Prayer and The Ultras S/C [who choose to remain under the interwebs grid].
Billed as a fan based/appreciation event for people who dig Third Man Records this rock fest should serve as a nice follow up to last years slam off Cannery Row.

Dallas & DFW for that matter have a THREE day event starting today May 25th [insert cliche' BIGGER IN TEX...] with the CityArts Festival at Fair Park.
Friday, Saturday & Sunday will feature among other things, art, entertainment and activities for all comers young and old including the annual outdoor ARTFEST showcasing pieces by 150 successful artists.