- Nick Hall
Local metal act Nights Like These play their third show since 2008 this Saturday, with all the proceeds going to local animal shelters. The band released two well received albums on Victory Records, then called it quits in 2008 after crisscrossing the United States on tours where they opened for some of the biggest underground metal acts in the Country. We caught up with Matt Qualls (who has also produced local acts like Cities Aviv and The Dirty Streets) to ask him about the latest chapter in the Nights Like These story.
So this is one of your first shows since the group disbanded. What made you guys decide to get back together?
We decided to get back together after I was about to graduate college in 2013. It was just the perfect time to get back together to do a reunion show. Originally the idea was to do a one time performance, but after we started having a weekly practice we ended up writing a new song, which is featured on the split called “Ox Plow.” We thought the song was one of the strongest songs we have ever written and just said “Screw it, let’s do another record, for ourselves at least.”
The show on Saturday is a release show for your new split EP with The Lions Daughter. How did you link up with those guys? Is there more new material coming?
We know The Lions Daughter through touring with two of the members previous band, Calico System. They have always kept in touch with us and we’ve remained good friends through the years. This whole concept of the split going to no-kill animal shelters was all their idea. Rick, the guitar player from The Lions Daughter pretty much facilitated the entire record being pressed and all the details that go into it. To answer your second question; Yes, we do plan to release one more album. We have no idea when it will be ready but we know that fans will not be disappointed.
All of the proceeds from the show are going to the Streetdog Foundation, Blue Sky Animal Rescue, and the Bailey Arms Animal Rescue. How did you work that out? Did the band approach these animal shelters or did they approach you guys?
Like I said before, the entire concept was pitched to me by Rick. We just handled the Memphis side of things. We played last Saturday in St. Louis and the show raised around $1600 for their shelters. I pretty much had to contact all of the shelters in Memphis myself, with the recommendation and help of friends Shawn Mullins and Brittney Legens. All of the shelters were more than excited to be apart of the benefit and record release.
Do you hope to turn more of your shows into charitable events, or is this more of a one-time thing?
We don’t have any more benefit shows lined up at the moment, but we certainly aren’t opposed to idea. But as far as organizing an event like this, I would say no, we do not plan to do it again.
You guys used to be one of the hardest touring bands in Memphis, do you have any plans to take your music out of town again? Any other upcoming shows you’d like to announce?
We currently have no plans of any shows either in Memphis or elsewhere. We would certainly like to play out of town more often and have many friends in regional areas, but the act of getting us all together to go out of town for a whole weekend is pretty difficult as we all have other things going on in our lives.
- Zach Joe
Nights Like These with The Lions Daughter and Chaos Order this Saturday at the Hi-Tone Cafe, $5, 7 p.m. doors.
