“Every Thing You Ever Productions” held a New Wave Prom Night at Eastside bowl. Which check this out, it’s a retro bowling alley that’s also a venue! I’ve mentioned this venue before but incase you’re new here I’ll give you the low down. Located in the Madison, Tennessee this 16 lane bowling alley has vintage arcade games, a lounge where you can order beverages and you can also snag a bite to eat. You don’t need to fret about parking because there is plenty. This bowling alley use to be a K-Mart.
There were over 70 people in groups that are also local artist that turned back time bringing the sound and essence of the 80’s. Hits from B52s, soft cell, talking heads, tears for fears and so much more were played live. When you walked into the venue it really felt like you have arrived at prom. Silver fringed streamers were draped all around the balcony section railings, a huge disco ball reflected light as it spun slowly , a photo booth with a balloon arch and don’t forget the themed drinks!
Everyone that attended was dressed to impress. Unfortunately in the midst of making sure my gear was packed and running a few errands before hand I FORGOT MY DRESS! I know I know but that’s pretty on brand for me and I’m not surprised. I thrifted the perfect 80s floral dress that even had shoulder pads! Luckily I had a spare outfit packed and threw that on. I absolutely love attending themed parties so it was a complete bummer that I wasn’t dressed for the theme but there will be a next time and I’m wearing that dress!
I would like to highlight that all proceeds went to benefit MusiCares. MusiCares is a non-profit organization that focuses on providing mental health/recovery services, health services for those in need during a medical crisis and human services that help those in the music industry with basic living expenses. Click the link to find out more and help support those in the music community. MusiCares.
Thanks to all who attended, New Wave Prom raised $2,205 in just one night! Your contributions are supporting those in the music industry all around the United States. Having a great time and also being able to help support others?! Those are the type of events I admire most attending and have a lot of respect for everyone involve to make a positive impact in our community.
“If we, citizens, do not support our artists, then we sacrifice our imagination on the altar of crude reality…“– Yann Martel (Life Of Pi) Whatever your medium is I hope you always find art as an outlet. Keep creating because you never know who you are helping or inspiring.
NASHVILLLE! It has been way too long, how is everyone?! I hope all is well, my apologies for the hiatus. With everything going on in the world it honestly has been very overwhelming. I needed to disconnect for a bit and gather myself back together. If you follow me on Instagram you’ll see that my stories have been active and informative with dustings of humorous memes here and there but not so much posting. I just find it difficult to create when the world feels upside down. However, Art is a form of expression and resistance. Writing on this blog and creating what I perceive as art is a healthy outlet and at times for some reason I tend to think it is selfish when the news in the world is devastating. I really dislike when I become reclusive as I have been lately.
Luckily to help break me out of my shell I came across a post from Fascination Street saying “Fascination Street post-punk/ darkwave traditional goth/ deathrock new/current/ classic.. Goth Prom into the Labyrinth.” A picture of Jareth (David Bowie) and Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) from the Iconic 1986 fantasy film Labyrinth had my mind spinning with creative ideas. Fascination street also added inspo pictures to their slide that included scenes from Legend and what forever gave me nightmares as a child “The Dark Crystal.” Those Skeksis froze me with fear as a child and still scare me till this day. Ugh I miss the craftmanship of animatronics/puppetry and SFX makeup that were used in movies. Watching movies like that growing up had me enthralled. I felt immensely submerged in the creative fantasy world that was being portrayed on screen.
My mind surged with ideas on what to wear/create. At first I thought OOO a fairy that Hoggle sprayed would be fun! Then Legend sparked inspiration then it was Trad Goth that came to mind and then I thought lets hit the thrift and find something vintage! When my mind gets a spark, the creative fire is unstoppable and it was at that moment it was declared I need to invest in a sewing machine. I was on the hunt for that whimsy iridescent material in a dress for recreating Sarah’s Ball gown, that would be fun! I wanted all the poof in the dress and hair, followed by body glittery LOTS OF GLITTER, elf ears and fairy inspired makeup! I couldn’t decide and time was fleeting. I thought maybe that would be too over the top and settled for my black layered tulle skirt paired with my leopard half corset with a long sleeve fishnet top underneath it. I wore fishnet stockings and chunky heel boots. I teased my hair to the moon and kept it somewhat tamed with a headband that had white bows on it and my purse omg I love this purse! It is a bucket purse that is velvet leopard print with black feathers around the rim of the opening! I scored that at the thrift a while back and is one of my FAVORITE treasures! My makeup was my usual smokey eye and for my lips I used black eyeliner and buffed the harsh lines blended in some brown and coated a red lipstick on top and voila makeups done.
Back to Fascination Street…
The Goth prom was held at Eastside Bowl and yes, it is actually a bowling alley! Eastside bowl has three performance areas. 1. The Wash – Full size stage and a smaller intimate stage 2. The ’58- this area holds a 255 capacity 3. Low Volume Lounge- The ” neighborhood stage.” Fun fact Eastside Bowl is built inside of an old K-Mart! tickets were $12 adv and $15 at the door. I highly recommend purchasing tickets in advance this night was packed. Prom started at 9pm and went until 3am with music spun by DJ Ichabod & Baron Von Birk. No need to fret about parking there is tons of it. Me personally when I have a night out I prefer to uber/lyft incase I’d like to have a bit of an adult bubbly beverage. Which I believe Goth Prom was held in the main area The Wash, this was my first time here and it wasn’t till after I found out about the other staging areas. I’ll be seeing Spite perform here in June and can’t wait to be back at this venue for it!
This was exactly what I needed to help break my shell and yoink me out of the funk. EVERYONE was dressed up! I was so intrigued by everyone’s creative and well put together outfits! I regret not taking more photos! I was having a literally ball dancing around and catching glimpses of the Goblins casted up in the booth. lights were wrapped around the top railing which was a nice touch ( this main stage area has 2 levels which include a bar upstairs too). The Main stage had mannequins Of The Goblin King himself and Sarah. There was a scene that looped Labyrinth all night, a fog machine that set a eerie ambiance. There were also themed drinks and a prom photo back drop that you were able to take pictures of have them taken by the photographer they had there! Lets revisit the themed drinks shall we?! I first tried the Poison Peach that’s cocktail base was peach vodka, then I tried Not Just A Worm that had tequila base, and lastly I tried The Magic Dance which had a coconut almond rum base. I should’ve tried Bowies Bulge but I wasn’t daring enough for Bourbon. One of my favorite parts about this night was that I stumbled upon a photo booth. CHEF KISS this is one of my FAVORITE additions any place can have in my opinion. Honestly yeah sure your phone can take a picture BLAH BLAH BLAH SHUT YOUR PIE HOLE AND GET YOUR A** IN THERE AND MAKE SOME GD MEMORIES BY SQUEEZING YOURSELF IN A PHOTO BOOTH WITH YOUR FRIENDS . You’ll have plenty of time wishing you took more photos in a booth WHEN YOURE LIVING IN A VAN DOWN BY THE RIVER! (RIP Chris Farley). Speaking of photos, there are a few that will be posted here and if you haven’t yet, follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/_indecisivegemini/?hl=en and see some of the events/shows I attend from time to time. Stay weird my friends and until next time! Thanks for reading xoxo.
Hello Nashville! I love seeing music and community come together for a good cause! I know the political climate is very appalling right now. I just wanted to share something that will bring a little warmth and help restore some faith in humanity.
On Friday, I was able to leave work early and drive down to Marathon Music Works and help contribute to Second Harvest Food Bank. I found out about this through Marathon Music Works’ Instagram post and was overjoyed about their involvement with the community. When you donate, you can enter a raffle for a chance to win tickets to a show! I had no idea about that until I got down there. Marathon Music Works is still accepting food donations till the end of this month. On Fridays, Marathon Music Works is open from 10 am to 4 pm; I would suggest emailing them for drop-off times because they might be available during the week, but you can always donate to Second Harvest.
Second Harvest Food Bank has been helping people in Middle Tennessee since 1978! They are the largest nonprofit and hunger relief organization in the country. Second Harvest serves 46 counties across the state of Tennessee. This organization was designed to collect food that would otherwise end up in a landfill. Food from grocery stores and even farmers is collected to make sure our community is fed. Non-perishable items are recommended for donation. Any contribution helps those with food insecurity. You can also click this link to find out more and resources near you https://www.secondharvestmidtn.org/find-resources/
Photo by Rose
I am a concert enthusiast; my taste in music is eclectic. Going to concerts is very special because they help me reset and become inspired. Marathon Music Works is the second venue I have attended since moving here. I saw Crosses on 2/25/24 (which is a side project formed by Chino Moreno from Deftones, which is my favorite band). I remember being filled with excitement and waiting in line, anticipating the layout of the venue and fell in love once I walked through the doors. So, seeing a venue I love help out with the community made me have even more respect for Marathon Music Works. Also up until recently I was utilizing food banks to help provide for my family so this really hits home for me.
I was married for 4 years, and during those four years, I was fortunate enough to be a stay-at-home mom. However, the marriage did not work out; I went through my savings spending it on a divorce lawyer and bills I was forced to pay with no income to replenish my finances. I moved from Florida with two children and my dog, Gizmo, to live with a family member here in the beautiful state of Tennessee. Not being employed for four years really put a damper on looking for ways to earn income. I was determined to get back into the workforce no matter what the job was. I really wanted to steer away from the restaurant industry because I was burnt out from it. Ironically enough, that is where an opportunity met me with open arms. However, one job wasn’t enough, so I started working a second job because daycare and living expenses aren’t cheap. Then that job didn’t work out, and I needed to move out. I was delivering food until I could find something that would work with my children’s schedule. I tried applying for assistance, and every time I was denied. Frantically looking for work and hitting every dead end was immensely overwhelming. I couldn’t give up; no matter how hard it was to stay afloat, I always pushed my limits until I pretty much pushed myself to the edge. The last time I was denied assistance, I cried right there in the DHS office. I was only doing Uber Eats and Door Dash and I was not on any type of assistance, so I was perplexed at the fact that my children and I didn’t qualify for food stamps or any type of assistance. That is when a DHS worker handed me a paper with resources from food pantries, hot meals, clothing, and other ways to obtain necessities. That is when I became very aware of the community and the helpful resources they provide for families. I just want you to know that you’ll need to put your pride aside. Something I’ve learned is that it is okay to accept help when you need it. Not being able to do something isn’t a forever thing; it’s only temporary. As long as you keep moving forward, you will be okay. I promise you everything will be okay; you know why? Because you want better for yourself. When you want better for yourself, you’ll strive to do better. It won’t happen overnight; please be kind and patient with yourself. Remember that building a strong foundation takes time. Doors will close, but other doors will open, and when a door closes think of it as you are being redirected to another door that is meant for you. Please try to remain optimistic, especially during tough times. Remaining optimistic and positive has really gotten me through tough times. Especially when you have children because I’m not just responsible for myself; they depend on me; failure isn’t an option.
Photo by Rose Nashville TN
I remember my first time going to a food bank, and honestly, I felt embarrassed, ashamed, and nervous. I guess that was the pride echoing in my head. “Am I going to be judged? How does this work? Was it a bad move to bring my children? Should I have come when they were at school?” All of these questions raced through my head, but once those food pantry doors opened, I was met with a smile and a warm greeting. The only question asked was, “How many people are in your family?” and of course, my eyes welled up with tears as I said thank you. I guess getting over that first interaction and it being a good experience allowed myself to accept the help for my family and me. So please, if you’re reading this and are in need of food or any assistance, do not feel ashamed or embarrassed. Look into your community, call churches, community centers for help, or stop by your local DHS office to help direct you for any type of assistance. There are still good people out there helping others, and that is a beautiful thing. Thank you for reading this, take care and stay weird.
Special Thanks to Marathon Music Works, Second Harvest Food Bank and Drew from Marathon Music Works for communicating drop off times and for a wonderful chat on Friday.
This past weekend at The Belcourt Theatre was a blast from the past! There was a midnight screening of Jackass The Movie in 35mm film. All who attended were in for a special experience while THEE Steve-O came out to introduce the movie! I was beside myself and call me naive but when my friend sent me the post that Steve-O was introducing the film I 100% expected that it was just going to be a video clip of him introducing the movie rather than him actually being there! It really was great to hear Steve-O reminisce about his Jackass days and I know, who am I but it just makes me so proud of him to hear that he over came the obstacles in his life and became the person who he is today. What he said was just so relatable. This isn’t verbatim, in short he said something along the lines of “I don’t know who that person was back then.” Let me tell you the person I am today wouldn’t be friends with the person I was 10 years ago. That’s one of the beauty’s in life, we are able to create a new path for ourselves at any given moment. We could really go down a rabbit hole with this one but I think I will save that for another day.
Getting back to Jackass The Movie, This came out in 2002! THAT’S 24 YEARS AGO! Stop it right now because what do you mean, I was 11 when this came out?! I remember my older brother and his friends trying to reenact some of the Jackass stunts or create their own. I honestly forgot how some of these stunts made me squirm. I always had a strong stomach but I’m second guessing that now. When they were gagging in the movie I was right behind them internally feeling like I was going to upchuck in the theater. I was able to keep my composure though and no upchucking happened. My goodness seeing this at 34 and thinking JFC would you tightrope in a gator pit with nothing but a jockstrap, helmet, and a piece of raw chicken hanging out your backside?! That is absolutely outlandish but it still made me gasp, cringe and laugh. I also read that there will be a Jackass 5 coming to theaters June 26, 2026 will you be attending? I can’t wait to see the chaotic humor and crude stunts they have been working on. With that being said I’m going to go dive in my DVD’s and look for another Jackass movie to watch and swan dive into my CD collection to look for my H.I.M cd to really amplify the nostalgia. Take care and stay weird.
Also I would like to add in this was my first time attending The Belcourt Theatre and most certainly wont be my last! If you haven’t yet I’d suggest that you go on over and take a peak at this non-profit film center that shows independent films, documentary, repertory and classic cinema. There is a parking lot and make sure you arrive early for a spot. You can also obtain a parking voucher to put on your dash board. Of course they have the classic movie theater snacks as well as soft drinks, wine, and beer. To find out more click the link https://www.belcourt.org/
Happy belated New Year! According to Larry David the cutoff is January 7th, if you know you know. However, on January 3rd I had the utmost honor of spending the first weekend of 2026 taking photos of Nashville’s Nu-metal tribute bands at The Basement East. Here was the lineup. The opener was a high energy get your blood flowing tribute band to System of a Down! If you’re asking “did they play Chop-Suey?” oh yeah they did! The crowd got absolutely rowdy the whole room was filled with static as everyone sang along. They were so good that at one point I joined the crowd to submerge myself in the moment and then I was like WHOOP I need to get back to taking photos!
The second set hits home for me. Shake My Tomb pays tribute to my personal favorite Deftones. They covered all the classics which raged my brain with nostalgia. Shake My Tomb performed “Change” which that song will forever have me in a chokehold. Deftones has been such a huge part of my life especially in my adolescence. I was fortunate enough to see Shake My Tomb perform last year and I just knew Deftones fans that were attending that night were in for a special treat.
Then comes the headliner, Karrot! Karrot does a phenomenal job not only performing but bringing the essence of Korn right to you! They didn’t have bagpipes but instead they had a melodica! When they performed “Got the Life” I’m pretty sure everyone in The Basement East was singing along. From the vocals, mannerisms to the lead vocalist even having a wardrobe change from the Adidas tracksuit to a kilt, iconic. I heard someone say “Did he just change into a kilt?!” The crowd was so lively and into everyone’s set! Even mosh pits broke out which warmed my heart. That’s the thing about music/shows is seeing everyone together sharing the same interest and just having fun!
This show had something exceptionally special. Shannon from Serpent and Sage tattoo was there with a unique flash dedicated to all of the nu metal bands. Shannon also had other selections for people to choose from which caught my eye. At one point when I was changing my POV I stopped and looked and was like mmhm YUP I forever need that on my body engraved in ink! Which reminds me I need to book an appointment with her ASAP. I chatted with an attendee who was wearing a Deftones shirt told me it was their first time there and later on I saw them getting inked and popped on over there out of curiosity and they showed me they went with The Ohms album cover and get this, it was their first tattoo! How amazing is that?!
I suggest you go check out and follow the tribute bands’ socials so you don’t miss out the next time they come out to play!
I personally would like to thank John Nicholson for gracing me with the opportunity to take photos for the Happy Nu-Years4 show, to all the bands, The Basement East, Low Bar, all the awesome people I met, and all those involved to make this happen! Take care and stay weird🤘🏻
IG: _indecisivegemini
Daily writing prompt
If you could erase one movie from your memory and watch it again for the first time, which one would it be?
The Eclectic Ear Of Nashville 