Our Critics' Picks

MusicCLAIRE LYNCH BAND Recent Nashville transplant Claire Lynch is one of the classiest acts in bluegrass today, capable of turning bona fide classics like Jimmy Martin’s “Hey Lonesome” and the Osborne Brothers’ “Up This Hill And Down” into her own even as she pays homage to the brilliance of the originals. Her infinitely expressive voice has earned her guest appearances with the likes of Dolly Parton, but it’s best heard in front of her own band—anchored by senior member and award-winning guitarist Jim Hurst, it has recently incorporated underrated fiddle and mandolin player Jason Thomas and redoubtable bassist Mark Schatz, most recently of Nickel Creek. That’s a formidable lineup, and Lynch wisely gives them plenty of room to shine, but in the end, it’s her sensibilities—and talents—that shape the sound into one delicious whole. 9 p.m. at Station Inn —JON WEISBERGER

Feets of AthleticismJEFF FISHER & FRIENDS CHARITY SOFTBALL GAME Slow-pitch softball is like the arena football version of baseball: It’s all about the long ball. Add to the equation some pro-football muscle, a lineup of good causes and a postgame fireworks show, and you’ve got yourself a veritable spectacle. Titans head coach Jeff Fisher once again leads the charge in this event, which will feature the likes of Vince Young and Keith Bulluck swinging for the fences. Beneficiaries include Mercy Ministries, Second Harvest Food Bank and Soles4Souls, who will be collecting “gently used” shoes (soles) for distribution to those in need (souls). 7 p.m. at Greer Stadium (gates open at 5 p.m.) —STEVE HARUCH

Rock Block ReduxRETURN TO ELLISTON SQUARE: THE ROYAL COURT OF CHINA/WALK THE WEST/CLOVERBOTTOM The new Spat! Records comp Return to Elliston Square 1979-1989 is a single disc many nostalgic Nashvillians will wish was a box set: a 22-track Wayback Machine that sets the dial for the formative years of next-wave Nashville rock, from Music City punk pioneers Cloverbottom to the White Animals all the way to the late-’80s onslaught of F.U.C.T. and The Grinning Plowman. (Raise your hand if you haven’t heard The Enemy’s “Jesus Rides a U.F.O.” since Bill Boner was mayor.) Return this weekend to those days when The End was Elliston Square and Adam Dread was a 91 Rock deejay, as folkie metalheads The Royal Court of China and cowpunks Walk the West reclaim their stake in the Rock Block with reunion sets—along with The Bunnies and (perhaps most impressive) the resurrected 30-year-old Cloverbottom. Cover is $10—a cheap price for time travel. 9 p.m. at the Exit/In —JIM RIDLEY

The End of a Beautiful FiendshipMY BEST FIEND Few directors made more than one movie with Klaus Kinski, the legendarily trying thespian who needed no Method for his onscreen madness. Werner Herzog made five—and in this fascinating 1999 documentary, made after Kinski’s 1991 death, Herzog details the fruitful exasperation of tangling with the volatile leading man of Aguirre, the Wrath of God, Fitzcarraldo and Cobra Verde in hellhole locations under the most trying circumstances imaginable. The film closes the Belcourt’s well-attended month of Kinski-Herzog collaborations. Noon June 28-29, 7 p.m. June 30 at The Belcourt —JIM RIDLEY

Vacation Bible SchoolCHRISTIAN SCHOLARS CONFERENCE The 2008 election cycle has been a Halloween grab bag of outrageous religious trumpeting, and the confections ranged from Rev. Wright’s Sugar-Coated America-Damners to Pastor Hagee’s Choco-pocalyptic Catholic-Bashers. But if you’re getting a tummy ache from all the grandstanding, David Lipscomb University’s Christian Scholars Conference may offer just the thing: nourishing dialogue between religious intellectuals who actually have their dignity to consider. This week’s discussion between Barack Obama’s faith advisor Shaun Casey and author/theologian Stephen Monsma promises a thoughtful exploration of the boundaries between religion and government. The two come from opposite ends of the political spectrum, but their areas of expertise in politics and theology intersect nicely—Casey is also a Christian ethics professor at Wesley Theological Seminary and Monsma was once a state senator. Neither of them are running for office or trying to fill the coffers, so the odds that Bibles will be thumped or thrown are almost nil. 10:30 a.m. at Lipscomb’s Ezell Center —CODY DE VOS

ArtA CENTURY ON PAPER is ostensibly a retrospective of 20th century art, but the real interest here lies in the depth of the museum’s paper collection, some of which hasn’t been on view for years. The Cheekwood Mansion’s galleries make an impressive setting for this kind of retrospective, and it is the exhibit’s dedication to icons like Robert Motherwell, as well as lesser known artists, that makes this an important summer show, and not just a repeat of popular favorites. June 28-Sept. 1 at Cheekwood Botanical Gardens & Museum of Art —JOE NOLAN