Josh Hoge at 3rd & Lindsley

Josh Hoge's career crossroads is this: He lives in Nashville, the better to further a certain part of his career—he's written or co-written for Blake Lewis, Lupe Fiasco, Backstreet Boys and Jesse McCartney—but in terms of his solo career as a serious musician, well, this sponge of a city might have reached its saturation level in mannered, Mayer-esque pop rockers a few years ago. What to do? How to best deliver this gushing take on "pop, R&B, rock and Southern soul" to the masses? Why, take to the streets for a tiny tour, and be back in time to collect the royalty checks. To celebrate his new CD This Holiday, a blend of ’90s-style blue-eyed Christmas soul, Hoge's taking pal Tony Lucca out on a 22-date tour through Dec. 22, the first show of which is tonight. Two questions: Does it count as a tour date if you never had to leave town? And what's Lupe Fiasco's name doing up there?
Sat., Nov. 28, 8 p.m., 2009