The Nashville Feed

Usually people take the last days of a previous year to reflect and make predictions for the coming year. I prefer to make my predictions a few days into the New Year after all the commotion has settled. So here are my predictions for 2009 when it comes to Music technology and New/Social Media:

Social Networks/New Media

MySpace Will Finally Become Irrelevant:
The downward slide of MySpace began at the beginning of 2008 and some would say even earlier. People have social network overload or burn out and keeping up with the next greatest trend will end. Accounts will be abandoned in record numbers but News Corp (MySpace owner) will not report that slide. They will either sell it or try merging content from other properties in order to keep users engaged. MySpace will become the next Friendster.com ever trying to gain back it's glory.

Facebook Will Cement Itself as the Standard Social Network:
Facebook has made all the right moves barring a stumble here and there but overall it will be the main social networking site that everybody has an account. Kind of like Yahoo! back in the day. Will Facebook become profitable? The direction the economy is going I'd say no in 2009 but the pressure to generate revenue will be emence with the tight credit market. Will Facebook become the next Friendster MySpace I can't predict either but the trend looks like someday it will.

Twitter Will Go Mainstream but with Problems
2008 was the year of the tweet but 2009 is where businesses want in on the action. Many will try but few will get it right. They don't understand the way it works and how to utilize the site to it's fullest potential. See my previous post: Twitter is Not Like Any Other Social Network

What about the rest? Other websites will pop up and hit like at cat 5 hurricane while others will fizzle due to the economy and credit market. 2009 will be the year of creating revenue and trying to attain profitibility. All the VC firms are getting impatent and are wanting to see the end in the long tunnel of funding startups. Also 2009 will be the year of many adverstising based sites will go black or sold while many are going to try the "Freemium" model some will work but many will fail.

Music Industry

This is pretty easy almost to easy. The Music Industry still won't get it and revenue will continue to drop. The CD plastic disc model is dead and been that way for a long time. The revenue from downloads doesn't match and won't. They've tried download cards of albums (only place I've seen them is Target) but the fact is people are not going to pay what they used to for physical media plain and simple. I get buy a Blu-ray music with hours of extras for $14.99 why would I pay for 40 minutes of music for $12.99. I won't. So the big 3 labels have built this huge infrastructure the plastic disc which now can't be supported with the changing enviroment. Feels like this is the same as last year because it is. The industry won't collapse but that would be the best thing for it. The prediction for 2009 is down again but in all areas music sales, touring, merch basically everywhere. It's going to be a gloomy year for the industry.

That's it for my predictions. Hope everybody has a great 2009!

Last weekend to get your holiday shopping out of the way...good luck if you still have to do that...anyway, speaking of the holiday season...my all time favorite Christmas movie, It's a Wonderful Life starts its annual Belcourt run Saturday.

Friday!

• Untitled Nashville presents the Abominable Art Show at Gallery East. 6 - 10pm
• The Greencards at Station Inn. 9pm
• Winter of Dreamz Nashville Cream Party featuring JEFF the Brotherhood, Ghostfinger, Chris Crofton & A Carl Sagan Christmas at MercyLounge. 9pm
• 2nd Annual Beatles VS Stones Christmas Bowl for Charity featuring Heypenny, Oblio, The Daylight Brigade, Red White Blue & more at the Basement. 9pm
• Stephen Belin and the Minor Keys, Big Jim Slade & Sam Stone at the 5 Spot. 9pm

Saturday!

• Marc Broussard w/ Sons of William & Josh Hoge at Cannery Ballroom.
• Winter of Dreamz Holly House Winter Formal featuring Eureka Gold, Shoot the Mountain, And the Relatives, Caitlin Rose, Tristen, The Tits & The Glib at Mercy Lounge. 9pm

Sunday!

Might be a good day to brave the crowds, oh procrastinator!

Have a great weekend and best wishes for a wonderful holiday! Cheers, j.

Happy weekending, all! If you can get away from the Christmas party madness, there are some pretty great things going on in town this weekend...

Friday!

• An art show at Crema featuring the works of Stacie Berry, Thomas Petillo, Arron Grayum, Janet K. Lee and Taunia Rice. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Safe Haven Family Shelter of Nashville. 6pm - 10pm
• Stateliner w/ Hurricane Doyle, Branded Sons & The Last Straw at the Rutledge. 8pm
• Happy Birthday Amy w/ The Vermicious K'nids at the End. 9pm
• Those Darlins w/ Deertick & Meemaw at the 5 Spot. 9pm

Saturday!

• Halcyon Bike Shop Grand Opening featuring JEFF, The Privates and Diarama. 4pm
• The Loft w/ The Steepwater Band & Black Honey at 12th & Porter. 9pm
• Winter of Dreamz featuring How I Became the Bomb w/ The Protomen & Jensen Sportag at Mercy Lounge. 9pm

Sunday!

• Harry Connick Jr. and His Big Band at the Ryman. 7:30pm

Get out and have fun this weekend! Cheers, j.

Last weekend to rest before the holiday insanity begins...what are you going to do with it? If you've been thinking of a visiting our fair neighbor city, Murfreesboro, Saturday is the night to do it...I'm just saying.

Friday!

• Ricky Young w/ Keegan Dewitt & Korean is Asian at The Basement. 9pm ($7)
• Ghostland Observatory w/ Jensen Sportag at Cannery Ballroom. 10pm ($16)

Saturday!

• Stephen Simmons at the Family Wash. 9pm
• The Features at Main Street in Murfreesboro. 8pm
• Hotpipes w/ the Carter Administration & the Ladybirds at Mercy Lounge. 9pm ($5 - $8)
• Centro-Matic w/ Glossary & Baptist Generals at Wall Street in Murfreesboro. 9pm ($7)

Sunday!

• Iron & Wine w/ Blitzen Trapper at the Ryman. 7:30pm ($32)

Bundle up and have a great time this weekend! Cheers, j.

Many apologies for the delayed list. I hope you had a fantastic Friday! Soooo, there is a lot of good stuff going on tonight and tomorrow, so let's get to the Weekend Saturday & Sunday It List!

Saturday:

• Oz with Orchestra at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. 8pm
• Ned Van Go w/ Hurrican Doyle, Nathan Spears & Dave Smith at the 5 Spot. 9pm
• Rock for a Cause: HIV/AIDS Benefit Show feat. Damien Horne, Kink Ador, Justin Caldwell, Denitia Odigie, Max Beizer & Rabbit Ears Radio at the Rutledge.
• Umphrey's McGee at the Cannery Ballroom. 9pm

Sunday:

• The Black Crowes w/ Buffalo Killers at the Ryman. 7:30pm
• Edwin McCain at 3rd & Lindsley. 9pm

 

I hope your weekend rocks!

What a great week this has been! What a fantastic follow up with a great weekend of live music. Seriously, Saturday is a complete toss up. Deciding between De Novo Dahl, the Protomen and Pat Buchanan??? Good luck. Anyway, bring a jacket, it's going to be chilly out!

Friday!

• Royal Bangs w/ Willem Maker & Jim Mize at The Basement. 9pm
• The Lonely Hearts, Danger Bear, How Far West & Cartright at the 5 Spot. 9pm
• Tommy Womack at Family Wash. 9pm

Saturday!

• De Novo Dahl w/ Ricky Young at Exit/In. 9pm
• The Protomen EP Release Show featuring Eureka Gold & Shoot the Mountain at 12th & Porter. 9pm
• Pat Buchanan at 3rd & Lindsley. 10pm

Sunday!

• Matthew Sweet w/ The Bridges at 3rd & Lindsley. 8pm
• Brian Wilson in-store meet and greet at Grimey's. 1pm

Get out, have fun! 

j.

Happy Halloween!!! So much going on this weekend...it's really not easy to narrow it down, but I'll do my best.

This weekend, the Shining kicks off Stanley Kubrick Retrospective: Celebrating 80 Years at the Belcourt with a special screening of Fear and Desire at the Frist Center for the Visual Arts on Sunday. See the Belcourt's website for more details. Also happening Friday and Saturday at midnight, The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Thankfully, it looks like things will warm up for the tricks and treats...

Friday!

• The Legendary Shack Shakers w/ Joshua Black Wilkins & Gone City at Exit/In. 9pm
• Nine Inch Nails at Sommet Center. 8pm
• The Hold Steady w/Drive-By Truckers & Bobby Bare Jr. at the Ryman. 9pm
• Halloween Bash featuring Guilty Pleasures & The Devonshires at the Wildhorse Saloon.
• Movement Nashville Halloween Bash featuring Kyle Andrews, Jeremy Lister & The Lonely Hearts at 12th & Porter. 9pm

Saturday!

• Here Come the Mummies at the Mercy Lounge. 9pm
• Leon Russell w/ Old Union at 3rd & Lindsley. 8pm

Sunday!

• Jeffrey Lewis and the Jackals w/ The Mattoid & Lylas at the End. 9pm
• MAC AIDS Fund Benefit featuring Bodhcitta Belly Dance Troupe & Music City Burlesque at Exit/In. 7pm

Get out and have fun this Halloween weekend! Be safe! Don't take candy from strangers!

Boo,
j.