GUILTY PLEASURES!!!

“I know when to go out…and when to stay in…get things done.” David Bowie When I hear this week’s East Nasty of the Week utter those lines, I know it is about to get crazy, or at least I am. Of course I am talking about Nashville’s own, and perhaps the best 80’s “cover band” of all time, the unstoppable Guilty Pleasures!

Guilty-Pleasures

What can I say about the magical experience that is a Guilty Pleasures show? Well like a fine piece of art, perhaps words are not enough. I can tell you that they play the songs in the same key as the originals, and their goal is to play an array of 80’s hits. Some of the songs you may remember, and hopefully they will also play a couple you forgot. You might hear a phenomenal version of “Love Shack” by the B-52s, and have it followed by the song “Big County” by the group Big Country.

The group was formed by Mike Grimes and a couple of his friends at his music venue, Slow Bar. You might know the place now as 3 Crow Bar. Anyway, what Mike has done with Guilty Pleasures is assemble a massive group of talented local musicians such as Daniel Tashian,  Kat Martin, David Mead, Trisha Brantley and Tommy Keenum, just to name a few. Tommy actually lives two doors down from where East Nasty starts each Wednesday night. The band also brings up legendary music veterans, such as Dez Dickerson (who played guitar for Prince), Randy Flowers (who played guitar for Meatloaf), and tons of others, so expect a surprise!

If you are going this Saturday night to the Mercy Lounge to catch their show, all I can say is it is in your best interest to take your vitamins and be sure to hydrate yourself beforehand because their shows can turn out to be a 4-hour-long workout of dancing and gyration! Another word of advice, pace yourself! I have seen too many near and dear friends lose their voice early on while belting out the chorus to “Living on a Prayer.” If you did not get tickets, unfortunately they are sold out. But not to fret, they will be around again sometime this summer, and I can promise you that it will be just as great a performance.

Still not convinced? How about this performance of the epic Phil Collins song, “Easy Lover.”

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmAzriveqzk]

-and if that is not enough…how about this medley of tracks and an interview with some of the groups key players.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsLrSNh89oI&NR=1]

See you there on Saturday night. I will be the one on the dance floor dripping sweat and doing a massive amount of spin moves.