BOWLING GREEN INVASION - Thank you Cage the Elephant

Just got back from this event:
Cage the Elephant Presents: BOWLING GREEN INVASION
with:
Sleeper Agent
The Merlins
Downtown Handshake
Japanese School Girls
Canago
The Karmadons
Natty Bumpoe w/ DJ WICK-IT
Lee Harvey

Mc'D by Big Fella, and Dirty D

DJ Sets by Cage the Elephant and Autovaughn


Having moved to Nashville from Los Angeles about two years ago, I NEVER thought in my life I would be even talking about some town called Bowling Green, in a state called Kentucky that once when I traveled to New Orleans someone said to me "you want to see some COUNTRY people? Go to Kentucky!" But since living here in this time, I have grown to love this little town and all the people in it, they're some of my dearest friends, and moreover, the incredible MUSIC community from there. Unlike Nashville, (and I can say this since I've been here for a while now so chill out) there are some effing rock bands with some real balls... that blow you out of the water when you listen and watch them perform. We're just lucky to be an hour from the there. Bands and artists from Bowling Green seem to not give a F with a capital F about how they sound or how they mold....they're not trying to sound country, singer/songwriter, indie, hip, folky or anything.. they're just rocking and f*cking shit up with their music. Below are a few... and stand by, because I'm not letting this town go... it's too good!

Some interesting facts about Bowling Green, KY

Bowling Green is the fourth-most populous city in the US State of Kentucky after Louisville, Lexington, and Owensboro. The population was 55,097 in 2008. Bowling Green was founded in 1798 after Robert and George Moore donated an additional 30 acres to the Warren County trustees. General Motors has an assembly plant in BG in which all Chevrolet Corvettes have been constructed since 1981 and Cadillac XLRs are being built there until production ends in the spring of 2009. Other significant businesses in Bowing Green include Fruit of the Loom, Houchen's Industries, Holley Performance Products and Camping World. In addition to all all of the other media, the town has been used in music videos, movies and television shows throughout the years. In Halloween and The Fog mention of locations and streets are very apparent to residents of Bowling Green. Director John Carpenter grew up in Bowling Green and has placed many references to the city within his motion pictures. There was a spoof of Halloween titled Hauntedween that was filmed on location in Bowling Green. BG also has one of the largest college radio towers in the country.

Exhibit A: CAAAAAAAAAGGGEEEE THEEE EEELLLLLLEPHANNNNNT!!!!

©nicoletaher SXSW Showcase @ the Thirsty Nickel, 2009

Need I say more?! Well I don't have to say more now, but shit the minute I arrived in Nashville (August '07) I was ranting and raving about them. I had the pleasure of watching this EARLY promo video:

Beautiful and dirty at the same time. Beautiful catchy melodies with grimey (*note typo on "grimy" ode to my favorite record shop in Nashville, TN) guitar riffs and leads and nasty/pretty vocals... just as most all my favorite bowling green bands are....Downtown Handshake is a band you can hear every member's contribution.. listen close, there's a lot going on in each song, the group singing together gives you a feel as if they're a punk band -but they're far from it. Think Spoon with balls and dirty hair that rip through your ears in sub-subterranean melody.

They are currently recording their debut EP in East Nashville for a Fall, 2009 release. They will have a few digital singles available in August, and will be playing some shows locally until the release date which will be followed by a small regional tour in the fall.

LA-