Tonight’s Pick: Silver Jews and Monotonix @ the Black Cat
While big name contributors like Stephen Malkmus, Bob Nastanovich, and Will Oldham have come and gone, David Berman has remained the lone constant of Silver Jews. Geography is one big reason for that—he opts to hide out in Nashville, which isn’t much of an indie-rock magnet. Since the early ’90s, his outfit has been erroneously misconstrued as a Pavement side project, and Berman’s rare touring and erratic behavior (including a suicide attempt) didn’t make things much clearer. Now that he’s recording and performing more often, Berman’s better shown his solitary and unyielding artistic vision, which on the new Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea incorporates breezy country meanderings and sardonic lyrics that are practically literary achievements in their own right. SILVER JEWS PERFORM WITH MONOTONIX AT 8 P.M. AT THE BLACK CAT, 1811 14TH ST. NW. $13. (202) 667-4490. —Maggie Serota
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3:08 pm
“he opts to hide out in Nashville, which isn’t much of an indie-rock magnet”
Sorry, you got that wrong. Hell, there are about 4219 members of Lambchop alone. Nashville has been completely overrun with indie bands, and East Nashville is so indie it looks like freakin’ Portland, what with those squirrelly dudes with beards and plastic glasses riding Huffy bikes and tables full of tattooed girls drinking at local bars while KNITTING. At like 1AM.
If you know how to make them go away, let me know. I wish it were as simple an issue as not letting Berman back in town.
5:09 pm
i have to agree with the previous poster to an extent… nashville is a total hot bed of indie music in every genre imaginable because the cost of living is so cheap and the industry is so prevalent. the city is centrally located between a lot of major cities with only a half day’s drive at most. most people just assume it’s still overalls and pedal steels because that’s what it is historically known for. as far as the hipster influx goes, the previous poster failed to mention it is tempered by families, young professionals and new business owners looking to make good on a rapidly developing area. i live here and i approve of this post. also… monotonix rule. silver joos in ‘08!