Hillbilly Casino at The Melody Inn

In a town known more for generating pop country "hat acts" and contemporary Christian music, there is a storm brewing. Small independent bands with no management, booking, record labels (or even local media support) are changing the way people think about Nashville, Tennessee. One of the leaders of this movement is the Hillbilly Casino, the brain child of Nic Roulette, former singer for Indiana rockabilly powerhouse, "The Blue Moon Boys". In 2004 Roulette moved to Nashville, where after about a year he eventually found a solid core of top notch players that were interested in really being a band. With bassist Geoff Firebaugh (BR5-49), guitarist Ronnie Crutcher (Tabasko Kat, Brian Setzer’s Nashvillains) and drummer Andrew Dickson (Brian Setzer's Nashvillains), things really started to come together. What started as nothing more than a revved up rockabilly band playing for tips at Layla's Bluegrass Inn, on Nashville's famed Lower Broadway, has turned into a closet industry doing over 200 shows a year. Though you might still find the Casino playing at Layla's when they're home, they've taken their show on the road as well. Theatres, clubs, and backwater bars from Hollywood, California to Bergen, Norway, have seen the boys roll in, set up, and lay waste to any and all in attendance, Whether they're in some small club on their own, or supporting acts like the Brian Setzer Orchestra, Rancid or The Reverend Horton Heat, these boys can play on any stage, in front of any audience, and own it. In December 2006, the Hillbilly Casino opened several dates for the Brian Setzer Orchestra, and every night this virtually unknown (at the time) band received standing ovations, and had new fans lining up to get their debut CD "Sucker Punched". Now they've got three full length CD's under their belt. "Sucker Punched" (Dec. 2006), "Three Step Windup" (April 2008) and "Hang Your Stockings... Say Your Prayers" the band's Christmas CD (Nov. 2008). Each one totally DIY, produced and engineered by Firebaugh and Dickson and recorded in Andrew Dickson's garage, lovingly known as "Studio D". Each CD blends elements of honkytonk, rockabilly, psychobilly, and straight up rock and roll. Every member of the Hillbilly Casino brings their own special flavor to the band, from Nic's background in hip hop and rockabilly, to Geoff's love of old school punk rock and ska, and you'll find elements of all of this in every Hillbilly Casino record and show. 2008 also saw the release of "Buy-in" a full length documentary by Doug Farrar at Rockstep Creative. Doug followed the band around for over a year, attending dozens of shows, and collecting performance, and interview footage, which he compiled into a revealing look at a band just trying to make a living and have fun. While you'll see alot of bands sitting around waiting to get "signed", the Hillbilly Casino took a cue from bands like Black Flag, Fugazi and Youth Brigade, booking their own tours, and producing and releasing their own CD's and t-shirts, and spending hundreds of hours in their old grey Econoline van getting the rock 'n' roll out to the people. From thirty minute opening slots, to 3 and 4 hour marathon sets, these boys are gonna bring their "A" game and you'll probably get tired before they do.

Forming from the ashes of prominent long-running Louisville Rock & Punk bands, Vice Tricks began as a way to combine our love of melodic 50’s-60’s Rock & Roll with the energy of 70’s punk rock. Along the way have carefully crafted, carved, and botched our sound into something unique. By mixing the deep growl of the Upright Bass with a couple of dirty guitars and a classically trained pianist we’ve developed Vice Tricks into the chaos machine that it is. Featuring: Verity Vice – Double Bass This debonair temptress on the electrified double-bass has been a long time member of the local underground music scene. She spent several years as artistic director and manager of a long running haunted house before transitioning to her true passion as an upright bass player and rock goddess. King – Vox/Guitar Twenty year veteran of the punk, rock, & underground music scene; Mr. King has stumbled his way across the Midwest & Northeast playing in many prominent unknown musical acts and stages of every magnitude. Live, while avoiding hitting any actual notes on his guitar, he’s developed a knack for climbing onto bars, light riggings, bouncers and audience members- often whilst belting out indiscernible lyrics in his retro microphone and badgering the crowd for free libations. Ian – Drums Ian is a monster. After years on the road doing USO tours & playing in various punk bands, this cool-headed genius now spends his time rocking the skins, the egg, & the Cajon with Vice Tricks. In his free time he can also be found cuddling with his Weimaraner, Turkish or bathing in the back yard. Joe - Guitar/Vox A carpenter and jewelry salesman by trade; this six-string samurai brings light to any road trip (mostly with really bad puns, jokes, and songs about bumblebees). Nevertheless he's adapted to the life of a trickster very nicely. More details: www.vicetricks.com