The Rabbit Room

Son of a Gun: A Musical

Just a few posts below this one, you'll find Waterdeep (Don and Lori Chaffer) covering Paul Simon. And that's not all they've been up to. In the last couple of years, Don and Lori have been collaborating with Chris Cragin and Steve Day of the New York City theater company Firebone Theatre to develop a musical called Son of a Gun. They hope to premiere the first fully-stage production in New York City later this year and are trying to raise the money to do so on IndieGoGo. Here's the hilariously awesome synopsis: Son of a Gun is a quirky, darkly comic, folk/rock musical that tells the story of Danderhauler Agamemnon Khrusty, the eldest of three sons of Winston and Elmadora Khrusty, and the heir apparent to the throne of the Khrusty family Appalachian band. Danderhauler’s life is dominated by the charismatic personality of his father, a highly- functioning, highly-entertaining alcoholic. When Danderhauler meets the love of his life, Lucy Sunshine, they conspire to free him of the burden of his father’s addiction, but the surprising news of Winston’s tongue cancer thwarts their plans. In exchange for Winston agreeing to have his tongue surgically removed, Danderhauler steps up as the new band leader. As the events that follow spiral out of control, Danderhauler clings to his love for Lucy to keep him upright. When even that window of hope is shattered, Danderhauler realizes that to save his own life another sort of surgical removal is required. He must find a way to confront both his dead father and his own demons. He does both by means of an old fashioned cowboy duel. If you can help support the project, here's the link.

An Unforgettable Evening with N. T. Wright

I want to say thanks to all the folks who came out and helped us welcome Bishop Wright to Nashville. As the Square Pegs sang their songs last night, I couldn't help but get a little misty-eyed. It was as if each of the songs was an offering, a gift given to a guest in welcome; a gift given to one who's given to many. I was proud of my friends, proud of my community, proud of my church. And after Bishop Wright gave us his address, I was inspired to awe when he responded to the gifts of the community with songs of his own. He sang three songs: "Friday Morning" by Sydney Carter; a rewrite of the Beatles "Yesterday" titled "Genesis" that he co-wrote with Francis Collins (leader of the Human Genome Project); and a rousing, passionate, show-stopping rendition of Bob Dylan's "When the Ship Comes In." The evening's joyful exchange of music and humor and knowledge was nothing less, in the end, than the Kingdom come, the Kingdom made plainly visible in the present. It was present in the brother next to me, in the sister laughing across the room, in the theologian imagining the universe into order, in the musician creating aural spaces for the Spirit to move, in the brownies and chips offered on the table, in all of it the the presence of a King and a Kingdom was apparent and palpable. It was a blessing, in the most real and literal sense. I'm grateful to have been a part of it, and I'll venture to guess that Bishop Wright is grateful for it as well. In fact, he told Thomas on the way back to the hotel that he had had "the most fun in a long time." And really, what could be better than that?

CD Release: Birds of Relocation

Eric Peters' Birds of Relocation CDs are now shipping. Head into the store and pick up one of the best records you'll hear this year. Here's a brief glimpse of what people are saying about the album. And don't miss this great interview at The Sound Opinion (Part I here and Part II here). "Mature but not morose. Fun but hardly frivolous. Honest yet optimistic Self-assured but no where near self-absorbed. Eric's newest album is a toe-tapping, sometimes tear-jerking, joy to listen to." --Thomas McKenzie, pastor "Eric has written a really beautiful collection of songs here. I’m proud of him. I would say that the theme of this record is a movement from darkness to light–which might also be the theme of Eric’s soul at the moment. We tried to capture that in the recordings. There are definitely some dark moments (fittingly so), but the songs always seem to step into the light. Anyway, I think you’re really going to like Birds of Relocation. I do." --Ben Shive, producer, singer-songwriter "Eric Peters is a chronicler of his journey; he's been a faithful steward of the story God is telling through him, and this newest chapter, Birds of Relocation, is Eric's testimony that along the way there are moments of deep joy and gratitude--they may seem brief, but they're bright, and they're worth singing about. The joy I hear on this record heralds a long and welcome peace." --Andrew Peterson, author, singer-songwriter "I have been a huge fan of Eric's music for a long time. The beautifully personal and revealing songs on this new record not only make me love Eric's art even more, they make me love Eric more. Birds of Relocation is an open window into the heart of a brilliantly broken man." --Andy Gullahorn, singer-songwriter, producer "Birds of Relocation is a soul-awakening, triumphant, honest survey of a year of life and loss. Eric's tell-it-like-it-is voice combined with these aching melodies come together to pronounce both heartache and hope, bringing these two opposite sides of the same coin into view simultaneously. This musical offering is a needed spark of inspiration in a cultural moment heavy with cynicism. These songs speak. They lift. They comfort. Eric skillfully blends melancholy with sunshine. And the end result is magnetic." --Sandra McCracken, singer-songwriter "In painting, chiaroscuro is the effect of depth and luminosity created by sharp contrasts between light and shadow.  I kept thinking of this word as I listened to Birds of Relocation. I heard a portrait there--a canvas swathed in bleak tones of past troubles, out of which emerges a brilliant face illumined by thankfulness. A searingly honest songwriter, Eric has earned the right to sing of light and hope because he knows how deep the darkness can be." --Jennifer Trafton, author "Eric has been writing great songs for a more than a decade, but his newest album, Birds of Relocation, feels like a much-anticipated arrival. It feels like the culmination of a life-long journey through the highs and lows of the human heart. Each time the last notes of the record fade, I feel like I've stepped back from a window, having been, for a short time, a voyeur peering into the epic and ultimately victorious struggle of another soul." --A. S. "Pete" Peterson, author "I've come to expect this sort of thing from Eric Peters--yet another amazing collection of songs, each one it's own journey. It's whimsical in ways but in an instant becomes the cry of every man's heart to be loved with songs like "Soul and Flesh." I can pretty much bank on the fact that every two years or so another Eric Peters record will wind up among my top choices for the year. But this one might well be his best ever." --Bebo Norman, singer-songwriter "Birds of Relocation is an inspiring album for so many reasons. The inspiration that sticks with me between listens is that intangible feeling that comes after listening to a great collection of well-crafted, well-produced songs. Makes me wanna relocate back into my studio and create, think, ponder, and worship the God of ALL creation. The sonic landscape that accompanies Eric's earnest and honest vocal performance is rich and tasteful. The sounds on this album not only affirm Eric's creativity, but also Ben Shive's instinct as a producer." --David Spencer, producer "Eric Peters' music is at the top of what gets played around my house, in my car, and while I'm running. I am a big fan. He writes incredibly honest and poetic lyrics coupled with memorable pop melodies, and I can think of no better combination." --Jill Phillips, singer-songwriter "The bright, summery nature of Birds of Relocation gives Eric Peters' incredible vulnerability a new level upon which to fly. A beautiful, soaring record that deserves to be heard by many." --Matt Conner, pastor, writer "This is Eric's best record, and I've been a fan of the earlier records. Birds of Relocation has a brightness to it, not a false naivete, but a fresh-breeze-after-a-storm kind of clarity. He gets bits of truth stuck in my head all day. Can't ask for more than that." --Andrew Osenga, singer-songwriter, producer “Eric Peters doesn’t write songs so much as he opens up a vein and bleeds them. That’s why his songs feel more like a transfusion than anything else. His music is most meaningful, I think, to others who have lost some blood of their own. To them his songs are life-giving and life-saving. I think we live in a culture that by and large refuses to bleed or otherwise enter into the gift of pain. But the slow death of denial keeps us from finding our hearts and ultimately from truly coming alive. Into this world, then, comes the gift of Eric Peters’ music--a gift that wounds while it heals. Eric’s audience is likely to be that brave but small group of people who aren’t afraid of the sight of blood because they recognize it as the life-giving force that it is. It falls upon the living to care for the dying. Most of the hymns of our pop culture are broken anthems to self-indulgence and escapism, and they lead to a literal dead end. In a culture that sends Katy Perry’s 'I Kissed A Girl’ to the top of the charts, the humanity of Eric Peters’ ‘Voices’ is especially meaningful. The more I hear Eric’s music, the more I'm aware of how generous he is, always giving away every bit of hope for the journey as he finds it. When I buy an Eric Peter’s record, I’m not just adding to my music library, I’m participating in his artistry and making space in the world for songs that bleed life, truth, hope, and beauty.” --Jason Gray, singer-songwriter Birds of Relocation is now available in the Rabbit Room store. You may have missed our listening party a few weeks ago, but here's a recap: Track 1: "The Old Year (of Denial)" [audio:1_birdsofrelocation_clips.mp3]

Rabbit Room Exclusive: Leonard, the Lonely Astronaut

Today's the day -- launch day for a much anticipated (and lonely) astronaut. If you pre-ordered Leonard, the Lonely Astronaut in either CD or digital format, you can now log in to your account and download the album in its entirety. Simply redownload your pre-order purchase to receive the new files. CDs will ship the week of May 7th. If you ordered the Deluxe Download or the Custom Flash Drive Package, you can also log in to download the record, but check your email throughout the day for instructions on claiming the special features included in your purchase. If you've been on the fence about all this outer space madness, it might move you to know that Andrew Osenga's Leonard, the Lonely Astronaut is an exclusive Rabbit Room release that will only be available for one week. That's right, it will only be available until midnight on April 24th. After that cut off date, the album will no longer be available to the public and Andy will go into promotional mode in preparation for the album's wide release in the fall. So if you're interested, get it now, or settle in for the long wait. Enjoy the record, folks. We'll have a full review in a few days. In the meantime, be sure to leave your own review in the Rabbit Room store. 3 -- 2 -- 1 -- ignition.

The Rabbit Room Presents: An Evening with N. T. Wright

Sold out!

Our task as image-bearing, God-loving, Christ-shaped, Spirit-filled Christians, following Christ and shaping our world, is to announce redemption to a world that has discovered its fallenness, to announce healing to a world that has discovered its brokenness, to proclaim love and trust to a world that knows only exploitation, fear and suspicion...The gospel of Jesus points us and indeed urges us to be at the leading edge of the whole culture, articulating in story and music and art and philosophy and education and poetry and politics and theology and even--heaven help us--Biblical studies, a worldview that will mount the historically-rooted Christian challenge to both modernity and postmodernity, leading the way...with joy and humor and gentleness and good judgment and true wisdom. I believe if we face the question, "if not now, then when?" if we are grasped by this vision we may also hear the question, "if not us, then who?" And if the gospel of Jesus is not the key to this task, then what is?” --N. T. Wright

Hold onto your seats. This is going to be awesome. On the evening of Monday, May 7th, the Rabbit Room will host something of a micro-Hutchmoot. Will there be music? Yes. We'll have as many of the Square Pegs as we can round up. Will there be food? Yes. Everyone is encouraged to bring an appetizer dish of your favorite sort. Will there be free popcorn and coffee? Of course. Will there be a world-renowned British theologian. Yes, there will be. Is he the author of books like Surprised by Hope and Simply Christian, and will he be addressing the crowd, answering questions, and signing books? Yes, he is, and yes, he will be. Is his name N. T. Wright? Yes indeed. This is going to be a fun evening, folks. Bishop Wright will read from and discuss his new book, How God Became King, and he's graciously agreed to answer questions and sign books afterward. And on top of that, you'll be treated to live music from members of the Square Peg Alliance. If you'd like to join us for this intimate evening, all we're asking is that you purchase his book from the Rabbit Room store (book still available, event sold out). We'll be holding the event in the living room at Church of the Redeemer in Nashville so attendance is strictly limited to 50 guests. If you'd like to have your name added to the guest list, click here to buy the book from the store (EVENT SOLD OUT). Your books will be waiting for you at the church when you arrive (or, if you're local, you can stop by the Rabbit Room office to pick yours up ahead of time). Note that for couples, we've provided the option of buying a combination of two different books so that you won't need to buy two copies of the same title for admission. These seats will not last long. Get your orders in while you can.

Record Executives Unite!

[(Warning: Bad puns incoming) Launch is imminent for our faithful astronaut and his new record -- sort of. What follows is Andy Osenga's explanation of a new twist in the album's trajectory. Read on, and get the record while you can.] Years ago, making a record and actually getting people to hear about it took one thing: a record label. These days, the labels are mostly gone, and in many ways they're not missed. However, when you make a record that you feel has a ton of potential beyond your group of supporters, well, that's when it gets tricky. Artists in my orbit, making a living but not selling out huge tours or getting on the radio, have a hard time getting their music heard outside of their normal spheres. You see, what record labels did wrong (took more than their fair share, tried to water down great artists, held records under lock and key) were the unfortunate side effects of the good that they did, mainly fronting the money for records to be made and then doing the work of getting the music out there. Well, I believe in this record. More than anything I've ever done before. And I want people to hear it, and I want to be able to get enough people to shows to do some really fun stuff with production and band. So I'm trying to figure out ways to get there. And I've realized something.

Rabbit Room Live: Eric Peters

This Saturday evening we're filming a live show with Eric Peters, and you're all invited. We've joined forces with our friends at the Edgehill Cafe in Lenox Village (Nashville) to give the community a unique coffee house and bookstore, and Eric's show will be the first Rabbit Room Live event to take place there. The music starts at 7pm and Eric will be playing songs off his just released Birds of Relocation. The show is free but we hope everyone will buy a drink to support the cafe or a CD to support Eric. We'll see you there. Click here for directions and information.

Listening Party: Birds of Relocation

Eric Peters' Birds of Relocation was released on Tuesday and a brief scan of Twitter and Facebook reveals a snap shot of what people are already saying about it:

". . . one of the most beautiful records I've heard in a long while." --@Nickliao "Another amazing album . . ." --@FMcButter "I've been thru the new @ericpetersmusic album 4 times this morning already. Love it!" --@andycheely "Listened straight through the new @ericpetersmusic record. My soul is soaring." --@danielchristian "One of my favorites of all time by anyone." --@sdsmith_ "We are loving these songs . . ." --@EnCorpsMusic ". . .this is great music." --@AndrewPeterson "It will bless you abundantly!" --@lightenupgear "All I can say is WOW!" --@Cam__ "@ericpetersmusic's new album, BiRDS OF RELOCATiON is amazing!" --@bgum728 ". . . just awesome: full of hope, gratitude, and beauty." Bret Welstead via Facebook "It's seriously all kinds of good." Andrew MacKay via Facebook "This is a fabulous album." Rebecca MacKay via Facebook

But if you're still on the fence, you've come to the right place. For the next eleven hours we're going to premiere Birds of Relocation song by song, one song in its entirety each hour between 9am and 8pm CST. For each song, Eric will give some insight into the writing process, and answer any questions you might have. Enjoy the record, folks. You're in for a real treat.

Release Day: Birds of Relocation

Eric Peters' Birds of Relocation is now available! If you pre-ordered a download, log into your account to download it and start listening. If you haven't already, read this interview with Eric and listen to a preview of one of the new tracks. I hope you guys are ready to hear some great new music.

Hutchmoot 2012: Registration is Sold Out!

SOLD OUT! (For the record, it took 7 minutes.) It's time, folks. There are now 100 spots open for Hutchmoot 2012. Let the games begin! We're lining up a great weekend, and we'll see you on September 23. Send us an email to be added to the waiting list.