Spotlight
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You are hereby summoned to appear at The Basement on FRIDAY, August 13, for a totally kickass show with 4 bands that are fronted by awesome female bass player/lead singers, including Blue Heart Hour, fronted by Team Illuminati bassist Jessie F. CLICK HERE FOR FULL DETAILS ON THE FACE-BOOK
GIRLS Rock Out For Charity; Kink Ador, Blue Heart Hour, Linear Downfall, Vicious Guns to go to Facebook Event, CLICK HERE or HERE.
Halloween in July is coming! Horror/Sci-Fi films at the Belcourt (Friday) and a Halloween Bash at The Rutledge (Saturday) headlined by local rock band Telecommunicators, who share members Ernest Aloysius Chapman The Third, Bobby Holland, and Noah Hungate of Team Illuminati.
If you are in Nashville this weekend, you absolutely have to dress up in a Halloween Costume and come check this out! CLICK HERE FOR FULL INFORMATION AND TICKETING
Ernest {∆}: How did this start last year?
Libby (Organizer): We thought about how fun it is to have a halloween party and, since there’s really not a lot going on in the middle of summer, we made Halloween In July so people could go to a costume party, get professional makeup artists to mess them up in our Murder Makeover booths, see sci-fi and horror films and listen to some great bands. It turned out really great and, afterward, local filmmaker Miranda Megill approached us about turning it into an actual film festival, so we’ve grown from a single day event to a two-day event with a jury and prizes…
{∆}: What’s the inspiration for all of this?
L: Well, a good story can exist in sci-fi and horror and there is a real depth of emotion in these genres when it’s done well. So we wanted to create a place where people who are creating stories that really engage the audience emotionally can show off what they’ve done with the films in these genres…. There’s definitely a connection between film and music and all of the arts because they’re all a way to express, to absorb and react to emotional storytelling.
{∆}: But it’s more than just a film festival….
By combining the film festival with a concert and a costume contest, there’s an opportunity to watch films that have been created on their own budgets, and then go to a place where you’ve already re-created yourself as something else. You can feel the vibration from the bands (Telecommunicators, Kingston Springs and Run With Bulls), you can see art being created both at the makeup booth, on people, and by the performance painters on canvas. The whole time your’e there you’re interacting with art all around you.
{∆}: So audience members become walking peices of art….
L: And they are a part of a larger peice of art. It’s like a huge art organism and you’re just a little cell!
{∆}: The Murder Makeovers were awesome… you’re bringing those back, right? I remember last year when Team Illuminati played, we were the dead music industry…
L: Jessie Baker will be doing Murder Makeovers, he works with Performance Studios and does the makeup for Nashville’s “Repo! The Genetic Opera” production.
{∆}: Tell me about some of the films on Friday July 30 at the Belcourt.
Noah: Friday, at 5pm we’re showing “Special Dead” … imagine…. a world…. in which a zombie uprising….. began…. right on the borders of a…… camp for…. children….. with various ……. handicaps…..
{∆}: OH NO!!!!! (gasping)
N: and…
{∆}: YOU DIDN’T JUST SAY THAT!!
N: That’s what the [unintelligable]
L: [unintelligable, laughing]
{∆}: Oh my god.
N: Special Dead is the film most likely to offend….
{∆}: So you decided to just come out of the gates firing on all pistons.
N: Pretty much… the film’s tagline is “Sometimes heroes ride the short bus”….
{∆}: DOH!!
N: And the film’s director will be in attendance to do a question and answer session, so if you come to the film you can interview the directror.
L: I think Special Dead is a wonderful story about how people who are differently abled react to situations differently.
{∆}: So then at 7pm on Friday there’s some short films?
N: There are 7 films ranging from steampunk sci-fi to Lovecraftian horror to Bollywood zombies; it’s a great mix. These 7, along with our 9pm feature “Make-out With Violence,” are competing for the $500 Newcastle Brown Ale award, judged by a celebrity panel including Writer/Director/Producer/Singer Colleen Curtis of the Firepit Friday Podcast, Mitch Galin, a film and TV producer who was the Executive Producer of Pet Semetary, and last but not least best-selling sci-fi author Kevin J. Anderson…
{∆}: He worked on Dune, didn’t he?
N: After the death of Frank Herbert, the original author, all of the Dune books have been co-authored by Kevin J. Anderson. He also has written a lot for the Star Wars universe, including the Jedi Academy Trilogy.
{∆}: Then there’s Make Out With Violence
N: At 9pm, our final show is a feature length film made right here in Nashville. It’s an adolescent coming of age story that involves someone that has risen from the dead. One of the writers describes it as “a John Hughes movie with zombies”, and then alternately describes it as “Tarkofsky meets Weekend at Bernie’s”. It’s the tale of a high school student whose great crush who he never really connected with tragically dies and then mysteriously un-dies, and rises from the dead in zombie-like form, and antics ensue.
{∆}: Wow!
N: It’s very moving and emotional and just an amazing looking film.
{∆}: So then the next day there’s an after party at The Rutledge, tell me about that.
L: Local bands Telecommunicators, Run With Bulls, and The Kingston Springs will be playing, and Colleen Curtis will present our Best Film Award.
N: And it’s a costume party, anybody who shows up in a Halloween costume gets entered into a raffle for door prizes, and there’s also a costume contest with a prize for the winner. Don’t forget to bring your ticket stub from the day before, to get in for half-off.
{∆}: So basically you’re turning the Rutledge into a huge Halloween Party, on Saturday night….
N: It’ll be decorated, there will be performance painters, music playing, and a Murder Makeover booth. If you want to be a zombie, if you want an extra eyeball, if you need a hole in your head….
{∆}: What are some of your favorite murder makeover fantasies?
N: Was it you last year that had a weird worm thing coming out of your forehead?
{∆}: Yeah
N: I LOVED That!
{∆}: The Murder Makeover Booth really made the difference for my Dead Music Industry costume.
N: It’s all on the website, so check it out for tickets. http://www.halloweeninjuly.com. There’s tickets for individual movies, and we also sell day passes for all the movies, which saves you money.
L: Also, we’re donating a portion of our proceeds to a charity, Auctions for The Animals, that raises money for local no-kill animal shelters, so there will be a silent auction on the 31st.
{∆}: Thanks for being in the Spotlight!
April 17, at The Basement,
Emceed by Team Illuminati frontman Ernest {∆}loysius:
Heypenney, Kink Ador and Natalie Prass
Light One Up For Kenya from Team Illuminati on Vimeo.
Welcome to the Spotlight!
This week we are interviewing Josh Jackson,
the producer and creator of Light One Up For Kenya:
{∆}loysius: What are you doing right now that inspires you?
Josh: Currently, I am producer and conceptual director for a benefit concert series called Light One Up For Kenya. {Facebook event page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=106850002677676&ref=ts}
Its a show that is part kick-ass rock, part cigar social, all to raise funds/support for victims of last year’s drought crisis in Kenya.
{∆}: What would you NEVER ever do even for a million bucks?
Very tricky. It might be cliche’, but I would never denounce my faith or source of values. Oddly enough, there isn’t much else I WOULDN’T do for a million bucks. #hint hint#
{∆}: What’s the funniest thing that has ever happened to you?
Once lost my pants doing a relay race at a church picnic. To add to the humiliation, my mom ran onto the track to help me put them back on.
{∆}: Who else is doing something that we should Spotlight?
Marcia Masula is the sleek and shiny adhesive holding together Naked Without Us, and their week long fashion/rock bonanza kicking off a week after L1UFK. Check ‘em out!
{∆}: Tell us about your dreams:
The literal ones involve spiders, dog crap, and stressful, near-true-to-life workplace scenarios. The figurative ones involving essentially reflecting truth, beauty and a timeless quality into the music/arts scene, whether producing or performing. Love your art!
{∆}: Facebook and/or Twitter?
Josh Jackson and/or Lightoneup Forkenya
{∆}: Website:
Josh: http://www.lightoneup.org
{∆}: Thanks for being in the Spotlight!
This week in the Spotlight: Absinthe Junk! Led by rocker chick extraordinaire Blair Bretreiter Smart, a multi-talented muse who also happens to be the creator/author/illustrator of the online graphic novel Star Cross’d Destiny, available at http://starcrossd.net/comic.html
Team Illuminati {∆}: Tell us about your band, Absinthe Junk!
Blair: I have been very lucky to be involved with a local alternative rock group called Absinthe Junk which fuses world, symphonic, progressive and classic rock influences. In addition to being a musician and fronting a band I’m constantly involved in art in some form or another. Because of getting re-involved in music I’ve been able to meet a wealth of ridiculously talented people, all who inspire me, who are all doing their own amazing things.
{∆}: Do you do anything else on the side?
Blair: I’ve had the honor to do session work and packaging design for several regional bands thanks to my friend and bandmate’s studio, Reel Love Recording Company, and each project I’ve been involved with has been not only incredible but just fresh and unique. It’s charged my own fire to become a part of such a vibrant, talented and wonderfully eclectic scene.
{∆}: What would you NEVER ever do even for a million bucks?
Blair: Eat one hundred cucumbers. What can I say? I’m against it. They’re the devil vegetable if you ask me. So crisp. You know they’re hiding something.
{∆}: What’s the funniest thing that has ever happened to you?
Blair: Being in a band of four incredibly dry-witted boys it’s honestly impossible to pick out a single funniest moment. We have such a good time on our adventures we end up filming them to try and capture some of the insane things that just fly off our tongues. The wit is simply unmatched. If nothing else, we’d make a great sitcom.
{∆}: Who else is doing something that we should Spotlight?
Blair: I mentioned Reel Love and I think they are doing something really cool over there. It’s a small studio and the people you can meet, work with, create with, etc are all so immensely talented. It’s like a close-knit family of rad cats – basically an artist co-op – that you could see yourself hanging out with on a weekly basis.
{∆}: Tell us about your dreams:
Blair: Obviously sharing my music, visions, art and the like with the world on a more intense scale and being able to buy groceries and fuel my car is on the top of my dream list. For me there wouldn’t be a better life. Ultimately if I can just perform and interact with an audience who digs it on a regular basis I’m set – that’s what I live for.
{∆}: Where can people find you?
Blair: Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Absinthe-Junk/40651593831
Website: http://www.mypieceofjunk.com
{∆}: Thanks for being in the Spotlight!
Welcome to Spotlight! This is a regular feature where we Spotlight someone who is creative, interesting, successful or awesome in some way. This week, it’s Rae Hering, a new artist worth keeping an eye on…..
… as she has not only managed to infiltrate Team Illuminati and co-opt Ernest Chapman into playing bass, Team Illuminati drummer Jerry Roe into playing Drums, and Team Illuminati guitar player Bobby Holland into Producing/Engineering on her latest EP, released in February 2010; she has also invented an addictive musical universe that sounds totally different than anything else on the planet. CLICK HERE to listen to a song.
The following interview is based on the questions Rae answered, which you can see RIGHT HERE. Be warned: they change every week.
Team Illuminati {∆}: How would you describe your music?
Theatrical, whimsical, story-like adventures, a little bit jazzy, a little bombastic.
{∆}: Where can people hear the music and connect with you?
Facebook and/or Twitter: http://www.facebook.com/raeheringfans
Or my website: http://www.raehering.com
Or iTunes: http://www.itunes.com/raehering
{∆}: What are you up to now that Spring has sprung?
Learning how to solo on the accordion. I recently visited the Long Hungry Creek Farm just outside Nashville for a Spring Equinox festival.
{∆}: If we weren’t so busy with the whole world domination thing, that would be fun……
There was a bon fire, a log cabin and some good old timey jammin’ going on…and I was the accordion player. It was AWESOME.
{∆}: So is there anything you WOULDN’T do for $1,000,000?
Sell my soul…too obvious of an answer?
{∆}: No, but it’s too bad, we’d love to buy your soul. What’s the funniest thing that’s ever happened to you?
Probably being born.
{∆}: Anyone you think we should spotlight?
Hmm, I’ll have to give it some thought.
{∆}: Tell us about your dreams.
Taking that question in a literal sense, I’ve lately been paying attention to my dreams during the sleep realm more than I ever have in my life. I always thought of myself as a person who doesn’t remember my dreams, but then I figured out that that’s only because I didn’t care about them enough. They’ve been telling me a lot about myself. I love it.
Welcome to Spotlight! This is a regular feature where we Spotlight someone who is creative, interesting, successful or awesome in some way. This week, it’s DJ Joe, who has a radio show …called Nashville Sugar Pill on WRVU, 91.1 FM. The following interview is based on a conversation that started with DJ Joe filling out THIS FORM, and will continue on his show on Wed. March 17, between 5pm and 6pm.
Be sure to tune in! We’ll be giving DJ Joe a sneak peek at a new Team Illuminati Remix, sharing some tracks off our album, and talking about the St. Patrick’s Day Variety Show at the Music Row Bar and Grille, behind SATCO on 21st Ave.
Team Illuminati (TI): DJ Joe, what’s happening?
DJ Joe: I have a radio show, NASHVILLE SUGAR PILL playing Wednesdays from 5-6 PM on 91.1 WRVU. It provides the Nashville community of WRVU listeners with a broad range of music that is rarely heard by mainstream airwaves.
TIi: What are you up to at Vanderbilt?
DJ Joe: My studies at Vanderbilt University have always been partially focused on an appreciation of music history, literature, performance, and the broad philosophy of aesthetics in general. Music is a driving force that wipes away the mold of everyday, robotic existence, and its ability to inspire is what makes it important and timeless.
TI: So what have you been doing for this show in particular?
DJ Joe: Just basic training at the radio station… I also try to listen to 24870983 new artists every day, which tends to wear me down often. I love feedback from listeners as they often praise the show or just want to chat about tunes for a bit.
TI: Are there other people that are inspiring you right now?
DJ Joe: Other DJ’s at WRVU, lots of great talent here at Vanderbilt–especially Blair kids…
TI: Let’s say someone just handed you a million dollars…. what would you do with it?
DJ Joe: I would hand it back. Possibly pocket a few 20’s if I was feeling needy 
TI: Where can people find out more about what you’re doing, aside from listening to WRVU (91.1) between 5 and 6pm on Wednesdays?
DJ Joe: Go to http://www.wrvu.org, and check out my Facebook Page (CLICK HERE)
TI: Tell us about the picture up there!
DJ Joe: This is me with an old band a couple of years ago….
TI: Thanks for being in the Spotlight, and we’ll be listening to your show!
Fill out THIS FORM RIGHT HERE and you can be in a future Spotlight.
