Free Times photographer Jonathan Sharpe captured Melt Banana's face-melting gig at the New Brookland Tavern on Wednesday. Check out what he caught here.

Congrats to Darius Rucker: The former Hootie frontman picked up a much deserved Best New Artist prize at the Country Music Awards. Music industry insider and commentator Bob Lefsetz had this to say about Mr. Rucker's wild ride:

"He may have only won Best New Artist, but he won the evening, he was the only award winner to get a spontaneous standing ovation, for not only his achievement, but the sincerity and honesty of his acceptance speech.

"Darius was the anti-Kanye.  Without going all Uncle Tom, he spoke of acceptance by the community.  Like Nashville and country radio are really going to embrace a faded black rocker from South Carolina?  And he thanked his wife and three kids.  For being understanding while he was gone, on the road, trying to earn a living.  And believe me, that's what it takes.  Show me a divorced country singer and you might find evidence of infidelity, but the true breaking point was the absence, the lack of contact, as the performer traipsed around the country, in much less glamorous circumstances than the public believes, hawking himself and his music, just to stay in the game.  And Darius thanked Doc McGhee.  Isn't it fascinating that Bon Jovi's old manager had Nashville success with a rocker with one tenth the footprint of his old client and Bon Jovi failed miserably in the country sphere?  Maybe because Darius Rucker seemed to play by Nashville's rules.  Rather than just add a banjo, he focused on songwriting, telling stories, not looking to crash the party so much as gain entrance.

"And for all the flash on the VMAs, isn't it honesty and human emotion that truly sells music?  Whilst the rappers are beating us over the head, telling us how great they are, in Nashville you lead with your music.  Mr. Rucker played by the rules and won.  A heartwarming story."

Indeed.

Have you checked out the latest video from local emcee extraordinaire (and, full disclosure, frequent Free Times contributor) Preach? The video for "Falling," one of the hottest joints from his outstanding Maple Street Sessions EP, is awesome, so you should. Double-plus bonus points for the excellent camera and editing work of Ryan Cockrell and Dorian Warneck, both local studs. Check out the video below:

Speaking of videos, Hot Lava Monster releases and screens a new video at Rosso in Forest Acres at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday. The project, curated by Jennifer Baxley (wife of HLM frontman Patrick Baxley), was done by students from Ridgeview, Blythewood, AC Flora and Lakewood high schools; Baxley says the video is Twilight-themed.

If you've perused the magazine racks in your local book dispensary this month, you've undoubtedly seen a copy of Vintage Guitar lying somewhere on the racks. The cover story, on some of Jerry Garcia's oddly shaped Cripe Guitars, was written by local author Don McCallister with some help from local guitar guru Steve Armato. Neat. Kudos, gents.

The Mill, the proposed band rehearsal facility The Playlist wrote about a few weeks back, has apparently found a home. According to Mill head honcho Jack Beasley, The Mill is set to move into its new home at 160 Commercial Dr.

A quick Google Maps search places the address near the intersection of Saint Andrews Road and Bush River Road,near the Seven Oaks Shopping Center and Zorba's Greek Restaurant.

Beasley now anticipates that The Mill will open for business on Dec. 1.