Our Critics' Picks

THURSDAY 5/29

FassbinderALI: FEAR EATS THE SOUL In just 16 years of manic intensity, German director Rainer Werner Fassbinder completed more than 40 features and the massive 12-hour miniseries Berlin Alexanderplatz. This piercingly simple 1974 melodrama makes a good starting point for anyone wanting to explore Fassbinder’s monumental body of work. A nod to Douglas Sirk’s glorious Technicolor weepie All That Heaven Allows, the movie stars Brigitte Mira as a dumpy, reserved German cleaning woman who strikes up an affair with a much younger, dark-skinned Moroccan (El Hedi ben Salem). Their love brings them great joy, but it brings out the racist resentment in everyone around them, from her children to the neighborhood grocer. Salem, who seems the soul of gentleness here, stabbed three people and killed himself in prison in 1982, the same year his lover Fassbinder died of an overdose. The director himself appears here as the woman’s bigoted son. In German with English subtitles, the film concludes the “Directions” series curated by Nashville filmmaker Harmony Korine, whose Mister Lonely continues its hit run in Hillsboro Village. 7:30 p.m. at The Belcourt —JIM RIDLEY

MusicLAIR OF THE MINOTAUR W/WITHERED Featuring members of Pelican and 7000 Dying Rats, Lair of the Minotaur offer exactly what you’d expect from a band whose latest album is entitled War Metal Battle Master. With epic mythological battles depicted with a zeal that lands somewhere between J.R.R. Tolkien and H.P. Lovecraft, the potential for overboard campiness is ever-present. Luckily LOTM’s no-frills proto-thrash is pretty damn convincing. Withered’s blackened death metal rounds out the darker half of a colossal lineup that also includes rising stars The Ocean and sludge rockers Kylesa. 9 p.m. at The End —MATT SULLIVAN

ComedyJIMMY FALLON Jimmy Fallon took SNL’s goofy guy with a guitar mantle from Adam Sandler and ran with it. He first peaked his head above the late night sketch show’s teeming masses with holiday-themed pop song parodies on “Weekend Update,” which he eventually co-hosted alongside the excellent Tina Fey. Fallon had a boyish charm, but also a tendency to appear exceedingly pleased with himself—and to burst into laughter during sketches. After a stab at being a romantic lead (Fever Pitch anyone?), Fallon heads back behind the desk as Conan O’Brien’s replacement on Late Night in 2009. In the interim, he’s hitting the road with his observational stand-up (boys and girls use different kinds of loofahs) and musical parodies (“Mr. Jones” as a potential troll doll jingle—you guessed it: “Mr. Troll”). Thursday-Sunday at Zanies —LEE STABERT

TheaterA BRIGHT ROOM CALLED DAY After a significant layoff, Actors Bridge Ensemble returns to action with the Nashville premiere of this early Tony Kushner (Angels in America) work examining the sociopolitical landscape of Weimar Germany in 1932 in the months leading up to Nazi control of the government. Kushner utilizes a controversial linking device, flashing forward intermittently to the middle 1980s, where a bookish character rails against the Reagan administration, venturing comparisons between the president and Hitler. Kushner’s portrait of left-wing intelligentsia powerless against the tide of history promises sharp wit and a rigorous point of view, which director Don Griffiths will attempt to bring to life with a cast of eight featuring both reliable veterans and newer faces. The ensemble includes Nettie Kraft, Timothy Orr Fudge, Marc Mazzone, Zack McCann and Jessika Malone. May 29-June 7 in Belmont’s Black Box Theater —MARTIN BRADY

MusicTHE FUNDAMENTAL ELEMENTS W/SCRATCH TRACK The Fundamental Elements are St. Louis’ answer to Maroon 5: another group of white dudes churning out slick, tight funk-pop—only they’re getting paid much less to do it. For their new album, The Cycle We’re Living In, the Elements took a step closer to Maroon 5-dom by adding keyboards to their existing configuration. As The Cycle shows, they’re good at matching up strong hooks and propulsive, seductive grooves. Lead singer Russ Mohr may not quite have the vocal agility of Adam Levine, but—unlike Levine—he can whip out his trumpet and play a few licks. Scratch Track have a new album out too—The Legend of Wild Bill. The acoustic hip-hop duo have steered their no-frills approach (Josh Hamlin on acoustic slide guitar and DJ Lee singing and beat boxing) a bit closer to blues this time. Their sound is unique and refreshingly minimalist for hip-hop, though you might wish for more variation from their syncopated guitar-and-beat-boxing combination. 9:30 p.m. at 3rd & Lindsley —JEWLY HIGHT

FRIDAY 5/30

The Kids Are AlrightPHOTOGRAPHY FROM FATHER RYAN AT TENNESSEE ART LEAGUE You can feel it in the air: School’s out! Soon, all will be sunshine and shenanigans. The prematurely nostalgic among you who just can’t get enough of those good ol’ school days may want to run out and catch this show of work by photography students at Father Ryan. Hurry, before May ends, and another school year completely fades away. Through May 30 in the Tennessee Art League’s Poston Gallery —JOE NOLAN

Theater“RELIGION AND RUBBER DUCKS” AT OVVIO ARTE The industrial area surrounding Greer Stadium has been no stranger to cutting-edge art spaces, dating back to the heyday of the much-missed Fugitive Art Gallery and including assorted venues in and around the Chestnut Building. Now artists Veta Cicolello and Theo Antoniadis have converted a 2,500-square-foot, 1937 garage into Ovvio Arte, a striking new space for art exhibits, installations, live music and theater performances. Ovvio Arte swings into action this week with “Religion and Rubber Ducks,” an evening of three one-act plays written by Joe Giordano and directed by Tennessee Repertory Theatre’s Lauren Shouse. The tragicomic plays deal with the desperate need to love and be loved and include “Simply the Best,” “The Day the Duck Came Back” and “The Plan”—the last of which features one of our favorite teasers in a while: “God has a plan. Another plan. He swears, though, that this one will work. Guaranteed! He means it this time!” For reservations, call 256-8756 or email mail@ovvioarte.com. 8:30 p.m. May 29-31 and June 5-7 at Ovvio Arte (425 Chestnut St.) —JACK SILVERMAN

TheaterJESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR This wasn’t Andrew Lloyd Webber’s first musical, but it was the one that put him on the map. No one of relative consciousness in the early 1970s could avoid awareness of this innovative—to some, blasphemous—two-act blockbuster, which scored seriously on stage and screen but was first released to the world as a double-album vinyl set with Deep Purple lead singer Ian Gillan in the role of Jesus. Tim Rice provided the libretto, faithfully based on Gospel accounts, but the characterizations of a conflicted yet sympathetic Judas and a romantically engaged Mary Magdalene evoked controversy. Ultimately, the rock-flavored music carried the day, notably the dramatic and electric-guitar-laced “Heaven on Their Minds,” the campy, showstopping “King Herod’s Song,” the hipsterish “What’s the Buzz?” and the plain but memorable balladry of “I Don’t Know How to Love Him.” (Not to mention the repetitive but infectious title tune.) Amazingly, Ted Neeley—who portrayed Jesus on Broadway and in the 1973 Norman Jewison film version—headlines this touring production, which also features Corey Glover, former lead singer of Grammy-winning rock band Living Colour, and Smyrna native and Belmont University grad Tiffini Dodson. Dallett Norris directs. May 30-31 at TPAC’s Andrew Jackson Hall —MARTIN BRADY

TheaterSHAKIN’ THE MESS OUTTA MISERY Director Eugenia J. Sweeney first mounted Shay Youngblood’s coming-of-age tale about a young black woman in the 1920s in 2006, as a part of the inaugural Shades of Black Theatre Showcase at the Darkhorse Theater. Sweeney’s Collards & Caviar production company is offering a restaging, and this time around the director joins the cast, which also includes Yolonda Beech, Demetra Granberry, Loretta Huff, Tyese Hunter, Jene India, LaQuita James, Darlene Knight and Christan Riley. (James and Knight are holdovers from the first local production.) All proceeds will go toward the Fine Arts Consortium of Nashville. May 30 & 31 in TSU’s Poag Auditorium —MARTIN BRADY

Take Your CueFRANKLIN FOOD & SPIRITS FESTIVAL Loosen your waistband for a weekend of Southern food—talking about it, making it and eating it—to benefit the Franklin Theatre and the Southern Foodways Alliance. Friday evening kicks off with a screening of food documentaries and dinner at Carnton Plantation prepared by renowned chefs Jason McConnell of Red Pony and Sol, Martha Stamps of Martha’s at the Plantation, Tandy Wilson of City House, Sean Brock of McCrady’s in Charleston, S.C., and John Fleer of Sunburst Trout in Canton, N.C. On Saturday, the action moves to the public square in Franklin. From noon to 7 p.m. taste barbecue from masters including Patrick Martin, watch John Egerton bake biscuits, sample craft beers, wines and whiskeys and enjoy the short films “Hot Chicken,” “Fried Pies,” and “Whole Hog,” paired with appropriate Southern snacks. Access to Friday and Saturday is $150, Saturday only is $25. For a complete schedule, visit franklinfoodandspirits.com. 6:30 p.m. Friday at Carnton Plantation; noon-7 p.m. Saturday at the public square in Franklin —CARRINGTON FOX

MusicOLD RUGGED CROSSDRESSERS Who are these Old Rugged Crossdressers? Why they’re irreverent, fun-loving country-folk with potty mouths and a closet full of frightening frocks. The local quintet display the scatological acumen of the Circle Jerks raised on a steady diet of Hank Sr. It’s hard to suppress a smile at their zany countrified humor—from their libidinous ode to conquest of O.P.P. and the spoils of the refrigerator and liquor cabinet (“Yer Girlfriend”) to their bluegrass-tinged theme song in which they declare, “I know that you think that I’m sexy, as I reach back and tape up my balls.” They may have their minds in the gutter, but the brazenness is amusing. They’re joined on the bill by the rockabilly country swing of locals the Country Misfits, the haunted bluegrass wail of Milwaukee’s Highlonesome and the minimalist acoustic folk of fellow cheeseheads Silentium Amoris. 9 p.m. at Springwater —CHRIS PARKER

MusicLARRY CORDLE & LONESOME STANDARD TIME Sure, Cordle’s known for his songwriting—he’s got a discography of cuts a mile long, and last year’s Took Up and Put Down doesn’t disappoint in the songwriting department either. But he’s also a truly gifted bluegrass and country singer. Against the bluesy picking of Lonesome Standard Time, the urgent, grizzled edged of his voice cuts through and strikes true. Took Up treads a path between reverence for those who’ve passed (no reprisals of his notorious “Murder on Music Row” here—just heartfelt memorials to folks like late country singer Keith Whitley), Southern-style defiance (Travis Tritt trades lines on a version of the boastful “Rough Around the Edges” that’s a little more relaxed than the full-tilt roadhouse boogie Tritt recorded a decade ago) and blues (it’s not for nothing that the word “blues” appears in two song titles). 9 p.m. at Station Inn —JEWLY HIGHT

SATURDAY 5/31

Theater

IN REAL LIFE The ever-active collaboration between Dream 7 Theatre and SistaStyle Productions continues with this staging of another installment in actress/playwright Charlayne Woodard’s trilogy of autobiographical dramatic works, which includes the recently produced Pretty Fire. In Real Life charts Woodard’s struggle to launch a serious acting career in New York City, with insight into the physical and emotional rigors that entails, plus a rundown of the colorful, sometimes ill-fated characters she met along the way. Shawn Whitsell directs, and there’s a very good cast on board, including co-producer Mary McCallum, Rashad Rayford, Tamiko Robinson and Equiano Mosieri. May 30 & 31 at Darkhorse Theater —MARTIN BRADY

Walking for GoldRAINBOW RUN + WALK Come out...doors for this family-friendly inaugural event that helps Pride weekend hit the ground running. The three-mile run along the trails in Centennial Park begins at 8:30 a.m. while the one-mile walk starts at 9 a.m. Registration for each is $25 and all proceeds benefit Nashville Pride and OutCentral, which is in the process of creating a cultural center for a list so inclusive (GLBTQIF) that the pride flag may have to go back to its original eight colors. Visit nashvillepride.org or outcentral.org for information on registering. 8:30 a.m. at Centennial Park —BRENT ROLEN

MusicTERRASTOCK TEA PARTY The migrating four-day festival known as Terrastock will take place not too far from home this year in Louisville, Ky. The festival doesn’t kick off until June 19, but you can tide your thirst for out-there psychedelia with the cream of Nashville’s tripped-out crop. 84001’s pulsing drones ebb and flow into a deep, calming trance, while the Magick Plants’ extended proto-metal freakouts cover the Hawkwind portion of the evening. Hollow Ox and Heathern Haints split the difference with the melodic shoegaze of the former and the Syd Barrett-informed experimentation of the latter. 9 p.m. at Springwater —MATT SULLIVAN

The Art of SummerFREE SUMMER SATURDAYS/SATURDAY A.M. AT CHEEKWOOD This summer, Cheekwood is the place to be a kid. Not only is the Belle Meade institution continuing to offer their free Saturday A.M. art classes for families and youngsters, but until the end of August, Saturday admission will be free for anyone 17 and younger. With its inventive garden programming, multiple art galleries, restaurant and gift shop, Cheekwood may be inaugurating a new family weekend tradition. Free Saturdays run through Aug. 30; Saturday A.M. classes run 10 a.m.-noon (no reservations required) at Cheekwood Botanical Gardens & Museum of Art. —JOE NOLAN

Klaus and Werner: The Adventure BeginsAGUIRRE, THE WRATH OF GOD Did the director really point a pistol at his star and offer to kill them both (as the star claimed) or did he just threaten it and mean it (as the director admitted)? Whichever was true, this must-see 1972 epic launched one of the most fruitfully combative actor-director collaborations in all of cinema: that of blond devil Klaus Kinski, inveterate womanizer and troublemaker, and German filmmaker Werner Herzog, for whom the phrase “obsessive visionary” is an understatement. As legendary for its chaotic production as for its spellbinding aura of hallucinatory madness, Herzog’s account of a 16th century conquistador (Kinski) seeking gold and finding hell in the Amazonian jungle opens a month of weekend matinees of Kinski and Herzog’s fabled collaborations. Visit belcourt.org for a full schedule. Noon May 31-June 1; 7 p.m. June 2 at The Belcourt —JIM RIDLEY

Shoot and ScoreSTEVEN SCOTT SMALLEY SPRING FILM & TV MUSIC ORCHESTRATION COURSE With Nashville looking to grab a chunk of the lucrative film-scoring market, veteran Hollywood orchestrator Smalley (Batman, Mission: Impossible) shares the secrets of getting maximum swoop and sweep from film-music composing and conducting. Enrollment in the intensive two-day study is $345; register at tinyurl.com/6f9585. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. May 31-June 1 at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel (611 Commerce St.) —JIM RIDLEY

ArtSHEILA B: FRESH AND HOT! Few local artists are as distinctly Nashville as Sheila B. She grew up on a Middle Tennessee horse farm, and has been an art director, designer and scene painter on innumerable locally shot movies and music videos. Her art can be found in such Music City institutions such as the Ryman, Loveless Cafe and the Opryland Hotel, and her work is hanging on the walls of hundreds of Nashville homes. She melds her early instruction in religious icon painting (taught by a nun, no less) with her love of music, old pickup trucks and Southern culture, refracted through a passion for old typefaces and posters, not unlike the promotional materials produced by Hatch Show Print. This show highlights the life of that endlessly intriguing American archetype: the pinup girl. May 31-July 6 at Art & Invention Gallery; opening reception featuring an appearance by Music City Burlesque, 6-10 p.m. —JACK SILVERMAN

SUNDAY 6/1

MusicEMERY W/THE ALMOST More prone to swoon and circle than stomp and clamor, Emery have always preferred hooks to hardcore breakdowns. The screaming Cookie Monster vocals are but a dash here and there to heighten tension. Instead, the bobbing, chiming alt-rock guitar mostly drifts through atmospheric melodies that, while pretty, avoid the epic (overwrought?) sweep of acts like Panic at the Disco and My Chemical Romance. Their latest, I’m Only a Man, adds more drama, approaching the operatic hard rock of Queen at times and occasionally offering a taste of the Killers’ retro new wave gloom. The Almost are a side project of Underoath drummer/vocalist Aaron Gillespie and favor a first wave melodic emo sound reminiscent of Jimmy Eat World and Sense Field. Gillespie has a terrific, impassioned voice and showcases an alluring “aw shucks” vocal lope on the pedal-steel-soaked, Jesus-checking “Dirty and Left Out,” off last year’s debut Southern Weather. 7 p.m. at Rocketown —CHRIS PARKER

Sunday OutingNASHVILLE PRIDE 2008: CARNIVALE They’re here, they’re queer—and they’re celebrating their 20th year! Nashville’s GLBT communities come out in force for this annual Mardi Gras of Music City diversity, extending all the way from Church Street to Hillsboro Village and Centennial Park. This year’s out-and-proud festivities include a double feature of Another Gay Movie and Sordid Lives (7 p.m. May 29 at OutLoud), the Southern Classic Drag King Extravaganza (10:30 p.m. and midnight May 31 at the Belcourt) and Sunday brunch at Tribe. The weekend climaxes at Centennial Park with live performances by dance-music diva Kristine W (“The Wonder of It All”), owner of the longest string of consecutive No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, and Ultra Naté, whose newest LP Grime, Silk & Thunder spawned back-to-back No. 1’s on the dance charts. For more information, visit nashvillepride.org. Noon-5 p.m. at Centennial Park —JIM RIDLEY

BenefitKNOW TIBET The situation of Tibetan refugees in India remains a delicate one, fraught with issues of citizenship, civil rights, autonomy and, not least of all, the eventual impact of the Indian government’s desire for cozier relations with the Chinese, from whom Tibetans fear reprisals. This benefit, featuring traditional music, dance, storytelling and educational exhibits, aims to promote Tibetan history, culture and religion, with proceeds earmarked for Tibetan students in exile. Performers include singer/songwriter Shanna Underwood, a former resident of Nepal and Thailand, percussionist Kirby Shelstad, who also expounds on Tibetan Buddhism, and Blue Moves Modern Dance Company, who present “Breaking the Bones: A Plea for Tibet,” a dance piece with audio documentary reliving the oppression suffered by Tibetans at the hands of the Chinese. Tibetan exile Ngawang Losel will also share his personal story of crossing the Himalayas to freedom as a teenager. This event is co-sponsored by Blue Moves, Global Education Center and One Human Race 4 Justice. 1 p.m. at Father Ryan High School Theater (700 Norwood Drive) —MARTIN BRADY

MONDAY 5/2

MusicPALEO With his willowy high-pitched croon, Paleo sounds like Rufus Wainwright if he decided to channel ’60s Greenwich Village coffeeshops instead of shadowy cabarets. This prolific Brooklyn songwriter has a quirky, self-conscious swing that conjures Donovan, while the spare acoustic strum accompanying his vocal quaver suggests an amiable, less severe Palace Brothers-era Will Oldham. The songs blend Haight-tinged folk with often clever poetic circumspection. In an ambitious and ultimately successful publicity stunt, Paleo (a.k.a. David Strackany) wrote, produced and uploaded a song every day for an entire year, ending in April 2007. The feat was not only prodigious, but produced many terrific lo-fi gems abetted by a half-size children’s guitar, which allowed him to compose while driving himself on tour. They’re all available from his online song diary (www.paleo.ws), along with his fine, out-of-print 2005 debut Misery, Missouri. 8 p.m. at Portland Brew (12 South location) —CHRIS PARKER

TUESDAY 5/3

MusicEARL GREYHOUND Our heart skipped a beat when this show popped up on our critical radar, as it was completely unexpected. The last time this New York City trio brought their heavy-as-shit bi-racial, mixed-gender, melodic thunder-psyche to town there were maybe 10 people in attendance, even less if you don’t count the opening band. Somehow their 2006 debut Soft Targets missed Music City’s collective consciousness despite being one of the most dynamic, earthy and rockin’ records the 21st century has seen to date, and we thought they might never forgive us for our transgression. Fortunately the ’Hound are gracing our fair city with another chance at redemption, so turn off your Juno DVD, put on some pants and go get your mind blown. 9 p.m. at Exit/In —SEAN L. MALONEY

Pickin’ and Fishin’PORTER WAGONER MEMORIAL ARTISTS & ANGLERS FISHING TOURNAMENT Porter Wagoner created some of country’s most intense songs, so it’s not surprising that the singer of “The Rubber Room” and “First Mrs. Jones” sought relaxation in the sport of bass fishing. Today’s tournament pairs country stars such as Bobby Bare, Lorrie Morgan and—of course—Vince Gill with big-time bass fishermen on the order of Bill Dance and Big Fred Contaoi. In search of the big one, they’ll cast their lines in the waters of J. Percy Priest Lake. Fans who wish to see what these anglers come up with can catch the day’s weigh-in, which is set for around 5 p.m. at the Opry Mills Bass Pro Shop. Also open to the public is an acoustic concert to be held after the weigh-in. Wagoner, who died last October, will be there in spirit as the participants trade stories about the one that got away. 5 p.m. at Bass Pro Shops, Opry Mills —EDD HURT

MusicTHE BLACK HOLLIES First, melt down your favorite Who, Kinks, Stones, Motown and regular ol’ Hollies records, run them through a blender and toss the goo in your freezer. Wait 30 years to pull it out, then put it in the microwave. Three minutes later, presto: The Black Hollies. Sounding more like London in 1965 than Jersey City in 2008, The Black Hollies take their cues from the power-poppin’ mods of that former era and add a little soul and psychedelia for flavor. The quartet, featuring former members of the Rye Coalition, offered up its second full-length earlier this year, distinguishing itself as a garage band of sophistication. At least that’s what those sport coats and turtlenecks would have us believe. 9 p.m. at Mercy Lounge —MATT SULLIVAN

WEDNESDAY 3/26

ArtCOMMON THREAD: MIXED-MEDIA WORK BY CATHY BRESLAW, VANESSA OPPENHOFF AND TERRI MOORE The latest show at Estel Gallery features three multimedia artists who use sewing techniques, creating art that speaks to—and transcends—feminist dialogue. Breslaw’s graceful geometric designs are the most staid of the group, while Oppenhoff’s diagrammatic renderings evoke oddball narratives full of humor and wonder. Terri Moore’s rough-hewn, cardboard story cards steal the show with their delicate dream-language images, brought to life with hard, awkward, expressionistic force. The gallery will host a reception during the First Saturday Crawl, but this is a show worth an early look. Through June 12 at Estel Gallery; there will be a reception 6-9 p.m. June 7 during the First Saturday Art Crawl. —JOE NOLAN