Hey Nashville, Get Off Your Ass and Go See Some Live Music in August

August 1 // Fantastic Negrito // The High Watt

Yeah, yeah. NPR. Tiny Desk Concert. That may have been the boost Fantastic Negrito needed to get going, but now he's cruising along on his own, incredibly powerful momentum.

August 2 // Traveller // The Basement East

Supergroups are all relative, in the end. The latest one to crop up in Nashville is this little trio of Robert Ellis, Cory Chisel, and Jonny Fritz. Go see for yourself if the whole is greater than the sum of its artists.

August 4 // Kasey Chambers // City Winery

The Aussie singer/songwriter makes a rare appearance in Nashville to show off her shiny, award-winning new album.

August 7 // Amanda Shires // City Winery

Eight months pregnant, Amanda Shires is a living testament to "leaving it all on the field" … or stage, as the case may be. (And, no. Mr. Shires won't be there. He'll be in Seattle.)

August 20 // The Farewell Drifters // Station Inn

There's no better play in town to hear some pickin' and some sangin'. And, really, not that many better bands in town to do said pickin' and sangin'.

August 21-22 // Langhorne Slim // Mercy Lounge

For everyone who couldn't get into Langhorne Slim's recent album release performance, this two-night stand is for you. Go get your sweat on!

August 26 // Steep Canyon Rangers // City Winery

Like good wine? Like good bluegrass? Here you go.

August 28 // Keb' Mo' // Schermerhorn Symphony Center

It seems fitting that a gentleman of the blues such as Keb' Mo' would do his thing at the Symphony Center. And what a thing he does.

August 29 // Ruby Amanfu // The High Watt

As she gears up to release a solo record, Jack White's "Love Interruption" sidekick is doing three special performances. Luckily for us, she's from Nashville. Hometown crowd better represent!

August 30 // Rayland Baxter // 3rd & Lindsley

This guy. Rayland Baxter and his band will, no doubt, play the crap out of his super-solid new record, Imaginary Man. So, like, you should go enjoy it. 

TEN QUESTIONS FOR… The Farewell Drifters

The Farewell Drifters have finally made it to the land of their musical roots.  This Nashville-based quartet have as much Beach Boys coursing through their music as they do Bill Monroe.  And it’s that unique and totally fresh sound that has made people take notice.  The group, led by frontman and guitarist Zach Bevill, have spent the last few weeks driving from the Pacific Northwest down to sunny Southern California for their first West Coast tour, and will make a stop at McCabes in Santa Monica this Friday.  Prior to their arrival in our fair city, Zach and I talked about what makes the band so unique…..

How did you get started in music?

Zach:  I grew up listening to the Beach Boys –some of my earliest memories are of my dad putting his old records on and medancing around.  So my earliest performingroots mostly stem from growing up in Peoria,Illinois and being influenced by the sounds around the house.

What was the genesis of the band?

Zach:  Josh [Britt] and I met six years ago in Nashville andimmediately bonded over our love of sixties music and folk music.  Josh was playing the mando and we both got introduced to bluegrass around the same time and started incorporating it into our sound.  Josh’s brother Clayton joined us immediately on lead guitar and the band just grew from there.

What are the band’s biggest influences?

Zach:  Definitely a sixties element in there: the Beach Boys, Simon and Garfunkel, Bob Dylan obviously.  Butonce you work your way back from those artists and see who they were inspired by, you start discovering deeper roots.  John Hartford is a big influence too.  He was always artistically true to himself, andnever let anyone paint him in to a corner just because he played banjo orfiddle.

What’s your first west coast tour been like so far?

Zach:  We’ve mostly been around Portland over thepast few days.  There’s been such awarm reception out here, I’m kind of wondering why we didn’t do thisearlier.  We have a strong fanbasein the southeast, but in general people out here are just excited about this music.

We are so thrilled about playing California forthe first time — almost feels like it did the first time we played NewYork City.  We learned [Simon and Garfunkel’s] The Only Living Boy in New York for that trip, so for this one we decided we would learn California Stars — the lyrics are by Woody Guthrie but we’re doing the coverby Billy Bragg & Wilco and it’s great.  But being in Califeels like a major milestone for us as a band.

If you could go back to any decade, when would it be?

Zach:  It would have to be the Sixties.  Between the Beatles and the Beach Boysand the folk revival, it’s all about the Sixties. 

What is your drink of choice?

Zach:  I am a big fan of any microbrewedporters.  Really in to portersright now.  St Charles Porter by Nashville’s Blackstone Brewery is my favorite.

If you didn’t live in Nashville, where would you be based?

Zach:  I really like Virginia and North Carolina, butit’s hard to imagine being anywhere other than Nashville.  Though just today I was saying thatif Portland was closer to our families, I could totally see myself living here.

What are you most looking forward to in Los Angeles?

Zach:  I want to see what the coolest thing is inLA right now.  Like, what is it that I can’t miss at this moment?  Also, I’m a coffee nut, so I’m looking forward to checking out some great coffee places.

Have to ask, who had the idea for the Members Only jackets on the album cover?

Zach:  That was Josh’s idea — we were definitelyinspired by him because he collects those jackets.  He has a whole closet full of them.  We ended up going through his collection and found all thecolors we needed…. they seemed to fit who we are as a band.

The Farewell Drifters play with Blame Sally at McCabes Guitar Shop (3101 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica) on Friday, March 2 at 8pm.  Tickets are available through the McCabes website.