I’ve always wanted to belong to a commune. As I creep steadily through my twenties, spending more and more time ignoring my pronounced obligations to society and social constructs, it seems like the most apt life would be one inside a house of creatives, where heaps of pasta are served over record-collections, rooms are never empty, and someone always shares the need for a percussively repetitive conversation on millennial crises. This is what I imagine life to be inside the house of Kansas Bible Company, our favorite eleven-piece band. While I’m waiting for such a commune to adopt me, I’ve got their music on repeat, to keep me company while I write off the impending doom of death and taxes.
Kansas Bible Company features a five-man horn line, two percussionists, and an amplified, jazzy sound that easily permeates any venue with their kinetic, upbeat energy. Borne out of the small city of Goshen, Indiana, the band members moved down to Nashville about three years ago, and have since then been gracing audiences with the infectious sounds of a largely communal chemistry.
Hotel Chimacauga was released in 2012, and epitomizes the amalgamation of a big-band sound with a sense for ska and baritone rock. The album is both dynamically effective and instrumentally tight, and creating an atmosphere of optimistic energy that succeeds in amplifying the day-to-day vibrations of the average listener. Kansas Bible Company’s music is wildly anthemic, having created a cult-like following across both across our city and nationally. They are not interested in holding back; instead, the group unleashes tons of miasmatic verse, seamlessly shifting between those surreal spaces of musical space and time. Their compositions are the children of eleven fiercely musical minds, conducted by the passion for powerhouse rock.
Below is the group’s Nashville Five, written by Michael Ruth and Luke Yoder.
By Kansas Bible Company :::
These days the city of Nashville is an exciting place to call home. Upon moving here some three years ago, we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into and are still figuring that out. The twelve of us could all individually write about what makes this place special to each of us. One of the few things in this life that we can all agree upon (aside from Gorillaz) is food. While several members of the band earn their livings growing food at a local farm, others have spent days and nights working in restaurants. We take our eating seriously. Here are Kansas Bible Company’s five favorite Nashville restaurants in order of proximity to our house on Chicamauga Ave.
1) King Solomon’s Gyros – Old faithful. When the groceries run dry, a Sunday morning’s coming down, or you’re just too lazy to do anything else, King Solomon’s is there for us. Hardly a day goes by without at least one of our roommates paying a visit. The guys that run the place are super friendly and always on point. A few weeks ago one of the guys left his salad at the window and the manager brought it to our house. Suck on that Burger King. KBC Recommendation: Gyro or chicken sandwich combo with spicy fries and a Mountain Dew.
2) Drifter’s BBQ – We will always hold a special place in our hearts for this place. Kansas Bible Company played its first Nashville show on the Drifter’s patio. We knew very few people and very little about the city upon moving here and Drifter’s quickly became a great refuge for day drinking, corn dogs, 2 for 1’s, and brisket nachos. KBC Recommendation: Large brisket nachos with added avocado and black beans and a tall Coor’s Light.
3) El Jaliciense (East Nashville) – The band all went to college in a town called Goshen, Indiana. Goshen has a high latino population and more great authentic Mexican restaurants than you can count. It was a priority after moving to find some seriously great tacos. It wasn’t long before we started frequenting El Jaliciense on a weekly, sometimes daily basis. The food comes quick, cheap, and consistent. It’s also nice to see the restaurant thriving and expanding over the last few years, while maintaining everything that is great about it. Some of their meats are imported from Mexico, the tortillas are the best around, and the green sauce is money (thought its spiciness can fluctuate immensely). KBC Recommendation: Four tacos (two chorizo, one al pastor, one barbacoa), a side of guacamole, and a 32 oz. Corona Familiar.
4) Bailey & Cato Family Restaurant – If we’re in the mood for something a little heavier and more soulful, we hit up Bailey & Cato’s. The cornbread nuggets are otherworldly and we’ve yet to sample any item that isn’t done just right. The portions are huge and keep you full for a significant amount of hours. The fried chicken and barbecued ribs are immaculate and always reasonably priced. For extra soul tune into 1470 AM on your drive home. 1470 is another one of the few things all twelve of us each love. The station plays an incredible mix of blues, funk, soul, and r&b with very minimal commercial interruption. It also boasts the most comprehensive mix of euphemistic food related songs we have ever come across. These songs include: “Everything that I love to Eat Starts with a P” and “She Gives Me Good Booty and Barbecue.” KBC Recommendation: Rib plate w/ hot barbecue sauce, mac n’ cheese, turnip greens, cornbread, and sweet tea.
5) King Market – Six members of the band have spent significant time in Southeast Asia. Nashville has no shortage of excellent Vietnamese and Thai food. The King Market in Antioch towers above the others. They serve fresh homemade Laotian cuisine that rivals what you get sitting on a plastic stool on a sweaty street corner with scooters flying past. If aSaturday morning just isn’t feeling right yet, treat yourself to a fresh green coconut with a straw in it and anything on the menu. You’ll be back up to speed in no time. They also have an enticing selection of well priced produce and imported groceries. It is always worth the drive. KBC Recommendation: Literally anything on the menu. Then go shop for some bizarre vegetables, bean popsicles, and fish sauce.
Lockeland Springsteen 