Mule-tide Greetings

Tom Waits isn’t from around here; he was born in California, where he still resides. But it wouldn’t be surprising if his version of ramshackle, scratchy-voiced blues—suffused as it is with such Southern topics as drinkin’, heartbreak and mules—resonated with heartbroken drunks in the Music City. And it must be so, because The Basement’s “Get Behind a Mule” tribute night has been raising money for the Second Harvest Food Bank three years in a row. This year, you’ll have a chance to see local acts like Korean is Asian and Afton Wolfe offer their take on the great man’s songs, both classic and obscure. Waits buffs will enjoy guessing which tunes they’ll select: Will someone finally have the courage to cover “What’s He Building in There?”
Sun., Dec. 7, 8 p.m., 2008