BOBBY RUSHMONDAY, 4TH

The Martin Scorsese PBS miniseries The Blues was a perfect vehicle to introduce Bobby Rush to a new audience: in director Richard Pearce’s episode The Road to Memphis, the trim 67-year-old bluesman held the camera in a vise with his sweaty triple-X charisma, making the ladies rock their rumps like a paint-can shaker. On the 1960s Chicago blues scene, Rush sang with guitarists such as Freddie King and Luther Allison before moving on to rascally risqué funk singles along the lines of “Chicken Heads” and “Hen Pecked.” But their slick polish is less engaging than the bare-bones acoustic blues of his new CD Raw, where he puts the gristle and sinew back into warhorses such as “Boney Moroney” and “Good Morning Little Schoolgirl.” This rare 7 p.m. solo show—which includes a career-spanning Q&A with Living Blues editor Scott Barretta—is a must-see. The Basement —JIM RIDLEY

 

 

MUSIC

THURSDAY, 31ST

CHRIS CORNELL While it’s assured that his name will always come up in retrospective top-100 lists in magazines and VH1 programs, being taken for granted as a grunge icon has not been kind to Chris Cornell’s true artistic legacy. At his wailing best leading Soundgarden’s Sherman-tank lurch toward mass appeal, Cornell’s lyrics not only constituted poetry of the highest order, but reached heights of intellectual abstraction virtually unheard of in heavy music. Unfortunately, he’s etched in rock history as a muscle-bound beefcake baring his chest amid fire and chains in the 1991 video for “Outshined.” And Cornell hasn’t exactly done himself any favors since then, succumbing to bluntly maudlin lyricism with Audioslave and now, on his own, repackaging himself as the meticulously coiffed matinee idol crooning the latest James Bond theme. At the very least, Cornell’s new solo material betrays his love of vintage soul, so maybe he’s in good company with Shirley Bassey after all. He’s also delving into his back catalog onstage and with a capable backing band to boot, but let’s hope he digs a little deeper than the obvious hits. City Hall —SABY REYES-KULKARNI

FRIDAY, 1ST

BOTTLE ROCKETS W/TOMMY WOMACK The patron saint of vehicular misfortune (“1000 Dollar Car,” “Indianapolis”), singer and guitarist Brian Henneman has led the Bottle Rockets for 15 years, forging countrified rawk with a bit of Southern bar-band boogie. It’s a homey sound that blends Exile-era Stonesy twang, Crazy Horse’s squall and a blue-collar attitude with enough swing for people to dance. They’re like an American answer to Rockpile—old-fashioned, unpretentious rock ’n’ roll delivered with ferocity, and featuring some wicked licks. Also on the bill is Tommy Womack, who posits a pretty good everyman companion to Henneman. There’s a wry self-awareness to Womack’s songs that deflates any self-pity (“I’m Never Going to Be a Rock Star,” “Too Much Month at the End of the Xanax”), while his guitar cops a rootsy strut. He’s got no airs (“A Cockroach After the Bomb”), and it makes his ambling observations disarmingly hilarious (“BarelyLegal.com”). Also appearing is Stacie Collins with guitarist Warren Hodges (Jason & the Scorchers). Collins’ gruff, gutsy wail is complemented by Hodges chugging guitar theatrics. Proceeds from the show go to benefit Perry Baggs, the Scorchers’ drummer, who is suffering from diabetes and kidney failure. The benefit continues Saturday night with a Scorchers’ show at Exit/In, but don’t even bother trying to get in—it’s been sold out for months. Exit/In —CHRIS PARKER

A.J. CROCE Croce was only 2 when his father, singer-songwriter Jim Croce, was killed in a plane crash. Music became even more important in Croce’s life when a brain tumor left him blinded for much of his pre-adolescence (he regained sight in his left eye), during which he came to appreciate the music of Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder. Embarking on a solo career in his 20s, Croce drew on jazz and blues, singing with a bluesy drawl reminiscent of Randy Newman, who also influenced his piano playing. Finally, after a decade of making music, Croce changed direction for his 2004 self-titled self-release, and his subsequent two albums have continued to move away from those earlier influences. His latest, Cantos, is a nicely realized effort that includes a standout cover of “Maybe I’m Amazed” that lets you know where his head’s at. Indeed, Croce has moved onto more traditional songwriter fare, singing in a higher pop-style register and penning songs that lean heavily on the melodic lessons of the Beatles, Byrds and even British new wave artists such as Squeeze and Elvis Costello. Playing guitar as well as piano, he’s developed a very pleasant, if less distinctive style that fortunately highlights increasingly sophisticated songwriting. 12th & Porter —CHRIS PARKER

CHATHAM COUNTY LINE It’s no longer enough to just sound old-timey or play unamplified—these days you have to actually write songs. This is good news for North Carolina quartet Chatham County Line, whose crisp, bustling bluegrass and country sound is fueled by more than nostalgia. Across three albums, they’ve certainly written their share of traditional numbers, from the obligatory train songs (“Engine No. 709,” “The Legend of Old 99”) to gospel-inflected woe songs (“Dark Clouds,” “Nowhere to Sleep”), but what separates CCL from the pack is singer and guitarist Dave Wilson’s sharp songwriting. Whether discussing his Dad’s old country store (on the title track to their second album, Route 23) or playing hooky (“Down by the Riverside”), Wilson has a sense of those universal truths whose gears—love, hope, longing and wanderlust—drive us, and a lighthearted way of bringing them home. The anxious narrator of “Make Some Pay” even promises to hitchhike if necessary, while the exultant “Coming Home” comically notes “My pa will be there too / Giving me the latest of what you’ve made him do.” This is what is really meant by Americana, and in truth it has nothing to do with the instruments you play. Station Inn —CHRIS PARKER

FRENCHIE DAVIS Before LaKisha, before Mandisa or before Jennifer, there was Frenchie, the full-figured, big-voiced powerhouse who stormed into the season 2 American Idol auditions and earned a standing ovation from the judges for her rendition of “And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going.” It forced the competition to rethink its attitude toward what being a “pop star” meant—but then it all went away. When it came out that the young Howard student had posed topless for some extra cash, she was exiled from the show and erased from its memory—all mention of her was even removed from the show’s website. But with a voice that big, this young lady’s career was far from over. She may not be the next Beyoncé, but she enjoyed a successful run in the Broadway production of Rent and is about to embark on a West Coast tour of Dreamgirls. It seems appropriate that she would be appearing at Play. The gay community loves a little strife in their icons—and they love some fight even more. Play —LEE STABERT

OTTO In his other instrumental side project, Aqua Velvet, multi-instrumentalist Jim Hoke turns ’60s pop/rock standards into a (mostly) wordless psychedelic love pad. This group is even more unusual: a chamber quartet for wind instruments, marimba, cello and steel guitar rounded out by woodwind player Robbie Shankle, veteran percussionist Kirby Shelstad and Hoke’s son Austin. The repertoire ranges from Prokofiev and Erik Satie to Frank Zappa and David Crosby; a performance captured on DVD at the Bluebird shows off the group’s rapt but unpretentious interplay, with the steel-marimba axis adding an almost macabre dreaminess to the sound. If Tim Burton were to remake The Third Man in Nashville, this would make a suitable soundtrack. Edgehill Studios —JIM RIDLEY

WEEDEATER Hailing from North Carolina and reeking of a certain illicit herb, Weedeater carry the torch that stoner metal legends Sleep passed to the left-hand side after disbanding in the late ’90s. Employing the same bone- crushing, thunderous dirge that Sleep once called riffs, Weedeater’s grit gets even dirtier when laced with Southern rock’s swagger. Vocalist/bassist Dixie Dave Collins’ blood-chilling howls guarantee that no listener finds comfort in the pummeling. They’ve garnered the attention of underground metal juggernaut Southern Lord Records—the imprint will release the band’s third full length, God Luck and Good Speed, later this summer. Springwater —MATT SULLIVAN

SATURDAY, 2ND

LEFT CAN DANCE W/LE TIGRE DJ SET DJ crew Left Can Dance celebrate their one-year anniversary June 23, but when they heard about a chance to jump on a Le Tigre DJ bill, they didn’t mind upping the date to correspond with the roller skate jam-queens’ schedule. Nashville hasn’t had the best luck sustaining a regular dance party for fans of the electro-pop, new wave, indie and punk the trio of Vanderbilt DJs favors, but miraculously they’ve kept the beat steady this long. Le Tigre’s offshoot DJ collective Men consists of Johanna Fateman and JD Samson, but Riot Grrl ringleader Kathleen Hanna’s absence on this bill is no reason to assume the duo won’t rock the same kind of danceable, everybody-friendly feminist anthems Le Tigre are known for. DJs Justin Kase and Oliver Dodd open. Mercy Lounge —TRACY MOORE

SUNDAY, 3RD

THE BRAVERY It’s sure hard to be an “it” band in an age when the blogs keep climbing on top of each other to find the next great flavor. The ecstatic hype that greeted New York City’s The Bravery’s 2005 self-titled release didn’t quite add up to international stardom. Now comes The Sun and the Moon, which finds the band setting aside the synthesizers (in most cases) and sounding like a regular indie rock act—albeit one with a nice handle on melodies and song structure. (The “ba ba ba” heavy single “Time Won’t Let Me Go” is impossible to resist.) The surprises are in the slower songs, like the lovely, string-heavy “The Ocean.” Maybe stardom just decided to wait until this go-round for The Bravery. Exit/In —WERNER TRIESCHMANN

TUESDAY, 5TH

SUGARLAND Woe be unto any unsuspecting country superstar who puts Sugarland in the middle of the bill as Kenny Chesney has done on his current Flip Flop Country tour. Chesney’s thin voice sounds even thinner when compared to frontwoman Jennifer Nettles’ elastic, high-powered twang. Though it’s easy to see and hear the bar-band past in Sugarland’s act, it’s also easy to see why they’re currently under no threat to go back to the bar—that is, unless they need a drink. Sugarland has found several anthems (“Everyday America” in particular) that work perfectly well in large arenas, not to mention on country radio. And they’ll even bust out a Dreamgirls tune and give it a country twist that’s not only appropriate but great fun. Grand Ole Opry —WERNER TRIESCHMANN

RUSS BARENBERG CD RELEASE PARTY It’s been way too long since guitarist Russ Barenberg made a solo album—too long, even, since he teamed up with resophonic guitarist Jerry Douglas and bassist Edgar Meyer on the memorable Skip, Hop & Wobble. But while his schedule’s been constrained by a demanding day job, the longtime Nashville resident has been quietly building up a stock of great original tunes, polishing his skills and deepening his musicality. When At Last offers up the results in a sweet, satisfying collection that pushes melody, lyricism and groove over gee-whiz licks. Barenberg will celebrate the release with most of the musicians who appear on the disc—Douglas, Viktor Krauss, Stuart Duncan and Kenny Malone among them. Anyone wanting a hefty dose of musical good taste that doesn’t come at the expense of vitality won’t find a better way to get it. The Station Inn —JON WEISBERGER

CHELY WRIGHT’S 7TH ANNUAL READING, WRITING & RHYTHM BENEFIT CONCERT The CMA Music Festival doesn’t officially kick off until June 7, but the action really starts a few days beforehand with satellite events like Wright’s annual all-star fundraiser. Wright herself seems to be evolving out of commercial country—her 1990s hits are chronicled on the recent Definitive Collection CD—and into Americana, but her Reading, Writing & Rhythm benefit remains a who’s-who of who’s hot on mainstream country radio. This year’s bill emphasizes rising stars like Kellie Pickler, Keith Anderson, Danielle Peck, Taylor Swift, Trent Tomlinson and Chris Young, but the mix also includes a couple of more established radio acts (Clay Walker and Emerson Drive), as well as Americana ringer Mindy Smith. Even if nothing on that packed-out bill rings your bell, the attendant silent auction always has some nifty items, and it’s all for a good cause: founded by Wright herself, the Reading, Writing & Rhythm Foundation has raised almost $1 million for public-school music education programs since 1999. (rwandr.org) Wildhorse Saloon —CHRIS NEAL

WEDNESDAY, 6TH

MARTY STUART’S LATE NIGHT JAM Since its 2002 inception, Marty Stuart’s Late Night Jam has brought together rising stars such as Dierks Bentley and legends on the order of Jerry Lee Lewis. This year’s lineup promises to be another reminder of how the best artists ignore genre, and this is a rich moment for Stuart as producer, musician and country-music historian. (See the story on Stuart on p. 41.) In addition to Porter Wagoner, whose new Wagonmaster features Stuart’s production, guests will include up-and-comer Eric Church and the newly resurgent Pam Tillis. Charley Pride will lend his mellow baritone to the proceedings, while all-purpose icon Neko Case should keep things lively. Also on the bill are John Rich and Ashley Monroe, and there might be some unscheduled appearances. Stuart’s band, The Fabulous Superlatives, will be along for the ride, which ought to afford an unmatched overview of country 2007. Ryman Auditorium —EDD HURT

THEATER

DELIRIUM Since 1984, the Cirque du Soleil franchise has changed the face of live theater with its crowd-pleasing amalgam of high-tech settings, space-age lighting, atmospheric music and acrobatic performances. Now comes Delirium, the latest creation from the French Canadian team of Michel Lemieux and Victor Pilon. In this scenario, a lead character named Bill lives inside a bubble, reclusively dealing with a virtual modern world of computers and video screens. The show features classic soundscapes from Cirque shows of the past, all presented with new, never-before-heard lyrics (in four languages) and remixed with a driving, percussion-rich urban sensibility. Prerecorded visuals meld with live interactive feeds designed to keep audiences agog. The cast of 36 includes funk, soul and “electro-jazz” musicians, some hailing from Senegal, Italy and Brazil. There are two performances, 8 p.m. June 1-2 at the Nashville Arena, where the high-intensity world rhythms and eye-popping visuals might threaten to blow off the roof. Tickets range from $39.50 to $110, available through Ticketmaster. —MARTIN BRADY

OUT OF THE BOX ACT I has offered Nashville a wide variety of theatricals in its time—classics, musicals, contemporary and even progressive and provocative fare—and has well established its presence as a community theater leader. The company is sponsoring a weeklong series of events at the Darkhorse Theater in order to raise awareness of—and funds for—its diverse program. Included are staged readings of Craig Lucas’ 1990 AIDS-related drama Longtime Companion (June 1-3); ACT I director Melissa Bedinger-Hade’s original work-in-progress Motherland (June 7-8); and an “An Evening With Dionysus” (June 9), featuring Jimmy Collins opining on a dozen different wines. For more information on dates, times and tickets, phone 726-2281. —MARTIN BRADY

RADIO POE Edgar Allan Poe may not have written for the theater, but that hasn’t prevented his stories and poetry from receiving dramatic treatment. This new stage presentation of some of Poe’s typically dark, evocative pieces—“Annabel Lee,” “Conqueror Worm,” “The Bells,” “Spirits of the Dead” and “The Raven”—is the product of a collaboration between Jaz Dorsey’s Southern Writers Theatre and Rich Armentrout’s Third Coast Broadcast. The performers—David Kinnard, Denice Hicks and Carla Christina Contreras–recite the poetry before a dinner-theater audience at Monell’s in Franklin (108 Bridge St.). A live webcast of the performance will be available at thirdcoastmusic.net. (The show will be archived at the site for future access.) Definitely a forward-thinking idea, and the actors involved have the chops to make the Poe come alive. Both dinner and the simulcast begin at 6 p.m. May 31, with the Poe commencing at 7 p.m. For reservations, phone 837-8777. —MARTIN BRADY

ART

SOOTHSAYER Michael L. Walker is a prolific Nashville playwright who gives voice to the African American experience. His latest work is set in a boardinghouse in 1965, where wise man Baltimore Cotton proves to have an uncanny knack for predicting the future. The cast includes some experienced players on the local community theater scene, including Rodrikus Springfield, Shawn Whitsell and Candy Robins. Performances are May 11-12 at the Darkhorse Theater. For tickets and information, call 474-0161. —MARTIN BRADY

KRISTINA ARNOLD, “TWINS” A familiar face in the Nashville arts scene, Kristina Arnold returns to Music City with a new installation at the Twist Gallery in the Arcade. “Twins” is inspired by Arnold’s marriage and her new role as a suburban mother. The artist’s conceit is to juxtapose natural items with their artificial counterparts. One exhibit, for instance, features potted wildflowers growing toward plastic imitation flowers. “We continue to corral, manipulate, pave over and remove our landscape,” Arnold writes. “How long can we ignore the warning signs of disappearing, lost or genetically mutated species?” “Twins” opens with an artist reception 6 to 9 p.m. June 2. The exhibit will run through July 28. —JOE NOLAN

CONNIE NOYES, “RE-FUSE/REF-USE” Over the years, Noyes has worked with a variety of materials—asphalt, sludge, graphite, beeswax—to create elegant works that are often concerned with the psychological struggles of a troubled world. For this show, Noyes uses various recycled materials to make larger points about the disposability of human life. A portion of the proceeds will go to a charity supporting African AIDS orphans. The show opens with a reception 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, June 2 and runs through July 7. Estel Gallery —DAVID MADDOX

EVENTS

NASHVILLE PRIDE FESTIVAL Nashville’s 19th annual celebration of GLBT pride and culture, themed “Free to be ME,” has been going on all week, though it kicks into high gear Friday night with sponsored events at Tribe and Play, as well as the P3–Pride Party, 7 to 10 p.m. at Centennial Park. Saturday, the festivities resume at the park with the 11 a.m. Pride Parade, including this year’s Grand Marshall, Gene Floyd. Unlike previous years, the entire parade will take place in the park instead of traveling down Elliston Place. Following the parade will be performances by Dawn Freeman, the Eric Dennis Band, Tommy Keenum, Wall of Jules and Jane Dupree. The party continues into the night with events at several locations around town, followed by the Nashville Family Pride Picnic, 2 p.m. Sunday in Centennial Park. For a complete schedule, see nashvillepride.org. —BRENT ROLEN

FILM

NASHVILLE SCREENWRITERS CONFERENCE Writing is lonely, mostly thankless work, but for at least one weekend a year in Music City, the undervalued screenwriter gets his kingly due. In its ninth year, the city’s annual meet-greet-and-retreat with veteran film and TV writers boasts a pair of premieres (the season openers of HBO’s Big Love, with co-star Mary Kay Place scheduled to attend, and TNT’s Saving Grace), several panels and lots of parties. This year’s guests include screenwriters Emily Cook & Kathy Greenberg (Pixar’s upcoming Ratatouille), Will Scheffer & Mark Olsen (Big Love), Glenn Ficarra & John Requa (Bad Santa), Chad & Carey Hayes (The Reaping), Leslie Bohem (Taken) and David Hudgins (NBC’s Friday Night Lights); producers Richard Barton Lewis (the upcoming August Rush) and Karen Murphy (Christopher Guest’s longtime collaborator) and TNT senior VP of original programing Michael Wright. The event kicks off 3 p.m. Friday with a high-powered symposium on film packaging and distribution, moderated by Variety’s Steven Gaydos (who collaborated with cult auteur Monte Hellman on several films) and featuring veteran film financier Irene Romero (Babel, Braveheart) and producer/financier/producer’s rep John Hadity, whose 20-year career with Miramax, Orion and other distributors spans films ranging from Wings of Desire and Kurosawa’s Ran to The English Patient. The symposium is $20 for the public or free with registration; walk-up registration for the entire weekend is $180 or $125 for students. For more information, see nashscreen.com and the article on the music supervisors’ panel on p. 6. —JIM RIDLEY

HITCHCOCK IN THE ’50S: STRANGERS ON A TRAIN June at the Belcourt belongs to the Master of Suspense, represented by four kinky masterpieces (plus Dial M for Murder). We started to say they don’t come any kinkier than Hitchcock’s brilliant Patricia Highsmith adaptation, with Robert Walker as the suave, effete sociopath who consummates his attraction to tennis pro Farley Granger with a mutually advantageous murder—but coming up soon are Vertigo and Psycho, essentials in any survey of perverted cinema. For more information, see belcourt.org or call 383-9140. —JIM RIDLEY

NASHVILLE PRIDE GAY FILM NIGHT Two furtive boys in a Scottish bog, a black woman snubbed by her family, and a gender-bending sea monster are among the subjects of these nine short films 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Belcourt, sponsored by the Nashville Film Festival as part of Pride Week festivities. The material ranges from wrenching drama to lots of comedy and high camp: watch for David Jahn’s “Pro-Choice,” featuring some familiar comic faces (and voices). Everybody knows you choose to be gay; Jahn’s short examines some of those other arbitrary moves—like whether to be right-handed, or black. The full lineup is available at belcourt.org. —JIM RIDLEY

TELEVISION

MEMORIES OF SULPHUR DELL The latest in WNPT’s wonderful Memories series is a fresh, fun look at Nashville’s legendary Sulphur Dell ballpark. Fans and former players reminisce about the unique qualities of the park, including the infamous right-field, “Sulphur Dell stroke” mastered by left-handed hitters, and the time a player racked up three errors on one ball. The park hosted not only hometown heroes the Nashville Vols, but also national stars like Ruth, Gehrig, Robinson and Paige, not to mention Negro League games and lucky high school players. Crisp black-and-white photographs illustrate the park’s heyday—Nashville Vols announcer Larry Munson describes one photo from 1949 as “a picture of sheer joy.” Memories of Sulphur Dell airs on WNPT-Channel 8 at 7 p.m. June 3, with an encore presentation 7 p.m. June 7.—MICHELLE JONES

BOOKS AL GORE He’s all but said he won’t run. Still, Al Gore is hoping to shape the political scene this election season with The Assault on Reason, a passionate argument—in that wonky version of passion he’s perfected on his slide-show tours about global warming—for the desperate need for a return to reason in American public discourse. For Gore, the beginning of the end of rational political debate can be traced to the advent of television and its manipulations and stupefying oversimplifications. But George Bush naturally comes in for a hefty share of responsibility for the unprecedented impoverishment of discourse we now endure. The current occupant’s shameless employment of “the language and politics of fear” has led to everything from the quagmire in Iraq to the gutting of constitutional protections in this country, just for starters. The book isn’t strictly an election-cycle polemic, but, as Gore says, “reason, logic and truth seem to play a sharply diminished role in the way America now makes important decisions,” and it’s surely impossible for even Republicans not to see the need for smarter, more articulate and unequivocally honest leaders. Gore will sign his new book at Davis-Kidd Booksellers at noon June 1. If enough people show up, maybe we can launch a hometown draft—for the presidency, that is, not the war. —Margaret RenklCHARLES AND DANIEL FREW For travel buffs with limited time or funds, the father-son team of Charles and Daniel Frew have a solution: spend some weekends exploring Nashville’s backyard. In 52 Weekends in the Tennessee Valley, the Frews have assembled a guide to every major attraction in the region, and many minor ones. From the obvious (Fall Creek Falls) to the obscure (Falls Mill in Belvidere, Tenn.), this colorful book should provide plenty of inspiration to the weekend road warrior. Starting with thumbnail portraits of the geography and history of the Tennessee Valley, the authors follow with brief descriptions of the attractions and, for good measure, the festivals and events of central and southeastern Tennessee and northern Alabama. Though the guide lacks details like admission prices and hours, the Frews have included a table with all the phone numbers and web addresses needed to plan that little getaway. And if you’re ever passing through Colbert County, Ala., don’t miss the Coon Dog Cemetery. Daniel Frew will appear at the Cool Springs Barnes & Noble at 1 p.m. June 2. —Chris Scott