Phils won.

These things are living in my house:

Everything sucks.

-Nate

As of today, I'm registered with BMI. We'll soon know exactly what that means, if anything.

More to come...

-Nate

on porous plaster
i sketched in charcoal the inner walls of a drafty chamber
built over centuries to house the souls
of great men

by the half-light that grayed the room
i outlined the final brick
then fell back to earth
smothered in a silent scream still ringing in my ears

He also had me sign a CD and poster so he could say he "knew me when." Oh, and I got a free T-shirt.

Thanks, Oz Music! It was a pleasure.

-Nate

Also, should I apologize for the joke I made yesterday?

I performed last night in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Did you guys know there's a major university there?

Though only six people were there to hear it, I played a two-hour set at The Upstairs Bar. Had some free food and drinks, though, and received a new stage name -- "Nathan 'F*cking' Beaver" -- a name that had apparently been an inside joke all week among the bartenders (thanks to Jeremy, Sarah, and Shane for taking good care of me).

Special thanks to Cortney and Dr. P for 1) making the drive from Birmingham to check out the show, and 2) the dental advice.

Things I've seen so far in my first 22 hours in Tuscaloosa:

1) A girl with pierced dimples

2) A family of four (three of which were shirtless, the youngest no older than ten) chain smoking outside my hotel room

3) A one-armed woman cussing out her elderly mother for leaving her walking cane at Popeye's Chicken and Biscuits

Anyway… now I'm waiting at place called "Bottomfeeders" (a catfish restaurant I initially thought to be a gay porn depot) until it's time to play the Oz Music in-store show just a few doors down.

Please excuse my negativity -- I'd probably be in a better mood if I hadn't shot so poorly this morning at Ol' Colony.

Until tomorrow,

-Nate

Also, on a not totally unrelated note, I think I could afford to gain some weight.

Talk to you tomorrow from Alabama,

-Nate

August 26, 2010
The Upstairs Bar (part of Mellow Mushroom)
Tuscaloosa, AL
10pm
$5 cover

August  27, 2010
Oz Music (in-store concert)
Tuscaloosa, AL
5:30 pm
no cover

I don't know if I have any friends/fans in the area, but if I do, 1) I'd love to see you at the shows, and 2) do you have an extra bed I could use on Thursday night? I'd prefer crashing with a friend over catching hepatitis the Tuscaloosa HoJo.

Thanks!

-Nate

]]> http://www.nathanbeaver.com/?feed=rss2&p=2191 0 http://www.nathanbeaver.com/?p=2187 http://www.nathanbeaver.com/?p=2187#comments Thu, 19 Aug 2010 18:45:38 +0000 Nathan http://www.nathanbeaver.com/?p=2187

Go HERE to purchase your official t-shirts, which feature a yellow "Nathan Beaver" cassette and unwound tape made up of handpicked lyrics (women's shirt pictured above).

Thanks to Scott Sanders for the artwork and Jess for the bustline (geez!).

-Nate

Feels good to be in such company...

And thanks for the pic, Paula Gould.

-Nate

You have to admire Nathan Beaver’s tenacity. The Atlanta-bred singer/songwriter (now living in Nashville) began recording the follow-up to his 2004 debut CD in 2005 and due to a studio mishap, the 80 percent complete recording was lost. Understandably emotionally distraught and financially strapped, Beaver was forced to shelve his musical plans indefinitely. Fortunately he overcame this tragedy and has finally emerged five years later with his second effort, the likable if unremarkable Universal You, released this past June.

The CD starts out with the near-dirge-like “Piecing Together the World,” an unusual choice for an album opener due to its slow pace. Though the song has a palpable earnestness and features some tasty pedal steel guitar from Mark Van Allen (who adds wonderful touches to many of the songs on the CD), it probably would have worked better buried somewhere in the middle of the record. Fortunately, Beaver picks up the pace on the second cut, the standout “Clever,” a Jackson Browne-ian song that should have opened the CD and would fit in well on most adult contemporary playlists. The other notable track is “Shame On Me,” one of the only other upbeat numbers on the disc and another showcasing the instrumental prowess of Van Allen, along with Beaver’s clear, easy-going voice.

Universal You’s production (by Will Robertson) is often a little too slick and polished for its own good, as are Beaver’s often overly serious lyrics and attitude (an affliction suffered at times by many singer/songwriters), but when he lets go a little, the results are quite pleasing and satisfying.  Next time he goes to the studio, Nathan Beaver will hopefully not be hit with any unforeseen disasters and will try to have a bit more fun.

To see the original atlantamusicguide.com article, go HERE.

Thanks, Scott!

-Nate