THURSDAY 8/16

Shakespeare in the Park

NASHVILLE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL Nashvillians are about to experience the 20th year of the NSF, and it’s still going strong. This year’s mounting offers a comedy twofer—The Merry Wives of Windsor (set in New Orleans and featuring a cash-strapped Fat Jack Falstaff) and The Two Gentlemen of Verona (high jinks among young lovers, who, in this adaptation, are clowns in the circus). The former features a strong cast of pros, among them Thomas Ward, Nan Gurley, Rona Carter and NSF artistic director Denice Hicks. The second offering, with an ensemble comprised mostly of actors from the festival’s Apprentice Company, will likely demand a more patient viewership. (But you never know, kids can do anything these days.) Regular rules apply: bring blankets, folding chairs, munchies—even the pet pooch—and soak up the culture. For a complete schedule, visit nashvilleshakes.org. Aug. 16-Sept. 9 in Centennial Park —MARTIN BRADY

Music

JENNY OWEN YOUNGS/JEREMY FISHER Like other smart, tough-minded female artists who precede her, Jenny Owen Youngs realizes the power of a well-placed sexual expletive. The most attention-grabbing song on the 25-year-old’s debut, Batten the Hatches, was “Fuck Was I,” in which the nervy New Jersey resident balances details of a devastating relationship by drolly muttering on the chorus, “What the fuck was I thinking?” Featured on the Showtime series Weeds, the track got Youngs’ 2005 album picked up by Nettwerk Records and re-released in April. In the studio, she blends acoustic guitar, gentle electronics and chamber strings to support cuttingly observational tunes—and she’s as wickedly funny in person as on record. Opening act Jeremy Fisher, a Canadian whose U.S. debut arrives in September, is already a YouTube phenom thanks to clever, homemade videos for tuneful songs that deserve their frequent comparisons to Paul Simon’s early solo work. 9 p.m. at The Basement —MICHAEL McCALL

Music

THE GOLDEN SOUNDS “Introspective” doesn’t begin to describe the deeply personal nature of Lo-Fi Sounds for a Hi-Fi Heart, the latest release from The Golden Sounds. The creation of frontman Todd Evans, Lo-Fi must be the byproduct of a painful breakup—there’s no ambiguity in lines such as “Am I the one that’s fucking up / You said my action’s not enough.” But despite the frequently bitter or crestfallen lyrics, the music is more dreamy than sad. A few tracks feature phone messages to the dejected protagonist from concerned friends—a hopeful, if eerie, shout-out to the power of moral support. This show will be a sing-along, complete with printed choruses for the crowd and maybe even a few tambourines—think of it as group therapy. 8:30 p.m. at Family Wash —JACK SILVERMAN

Music

THE PEASALL SISTERS On this year’s Anchored in Love: A Tribute to June Carter Cash, The Peasall Sisters match Billy Bob Thornton’s deadpan narration of “Road to Kaintuck” with their tart three-part harmonies. “Every Injun in them hills has gone berserk / And you’re never going to make it to Kaintuck,” they sing, and their austerity enhances Cash and Helen Carter Jones’ tale of life, death and westward expansion. The sisters first got noticed when they lent their voices to two exquisite songs for 2000’s O Brother, Where Are Thou?, a movie that refracted traditionalism in much the same way their music does. They can write and they’re maturing: lately they’ve been performing songs such as “Not That Kind of Girl,” a Christian-country statement of belief that’s gratifyingly tough-edged. 8 p.m. at Station Inn —EDD HURT

FRIDAY 8/17

Music

DESPISED ICON This Montreal death-metal outfit have the ingenuity, technical prowess and lyrical craft to rank among the genre’s current crop of front-runners, and they’ve gotten so good at songwriting that they now make entire albums listenable and engaging, despite a sound that’s essentially a busy, atonal flurry. As some of their peers push the envelope with music that’s eye-poppingly technical or harsh, Despised Icon use a more discreet approach that works to their advantage. Obvious traces of Suffocation, Dillinger and fellow French Canadians Cryptopsy and Gorguts lie unhidden in the band’s grooves, and newfound touches of New Wave of British Heavy Metal-style riffing add power to, rather than water down, the sound, which sidesteps clichés entirely. This sense of balance consecrates the band’s mark on death metal’s burgeoning renaissance. 7 p.m. at Rcktwn —SABY REYES-KULKARNI

Music

BROTHER HENRY For most groups, playing live is an ad for their latest record, like those old medicine shows that made their nut hawking snakebite cure-alls in the 19th century version of a merch booth. But for Nashville’s Brother Henry, the band’s new CD is an enticement to their live dates—and unlike the tonics of old, their product is actually good for what ails you. Their third studio album, Love Survives, showcases all the jangly pop smarts, reedy harmonies and winsome instrumental brushstrokes that have made twin musicians David (cello) and Ned (guitar) Henry session men of choice on either side of the board for Ben Folds, R.E.M., Yo La Tengo, the Indigo Girls, Josh Rouse, Mindy Smith and the Silver Jews, among dozens of others. (Dig their spot-on cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” for a sample.) The Henrys are so confident that they’re making the album available for free download on their website (brotherhenry.com). “All you have to do is spread the word to five friends,” says David Henry. First, though, they’ll alert the faithful with a full-band hometown show, featuring brother Jeff on bass and non-sibling Park Ellis on drums. David Spencer opens. 8 p.m. at the Belcourt —JIM RIDLEY

Music

HOW I BECAME THE BOMB W/THE TURF, STORIES THAT LIVE & THE SLEEP STUDY Before embarking upon an eight-week world assault, How I Became The Bomb will grace us once more locally, bringing along a choice selection of the new Nashville acts that they leave in charge. The Turf are extremely promising, but so young that their scope of inspiration seems to span from The Strokes to post-Strokes no-hopers The Libertines. Even so, theirs is a very likable take on that chugging guitar and driving beat formula, and fortunately you don’t have to be underage to dance along. Stories That Live are yet to play a show locally, but the songs posted on their MySpace page deliver big on psychedelic, nostalgic rock ’n’ roll—and they even manage to evoke retro-futurist underachievers Brian Jonestown Massacre with their panache. The Sleep Study, Lake Fever’s new pet project, continue to grow ever so slowly. Songwriter Chad McWherter was first joined by Features drummer Rollum Haas, and now Glossary’s Bingham Barnes has signed on to play bass. 9 p.m. at Mercy Lounge —ANDREW J. SMITHSON

Liquor Among the Lantana

HIGHBALLS & HYDRANGEAS Oh, so we’ve got a horticultural wiseguy here who says it’s pretty much the end of hydrangea season, and if we show up for this Cheekwood gala we can expect mostly to see some brown balls that were once globes of blooms. Pipe down, jerkwad, and turn your crack-baby attention span to the glories of Cheekwood’s Robertson Ellis Color Garden, where blazing salvia, Orange King coleus, ornamental peppers, brilliant sprays of milkweed and palm frond-sized castor-bean leaves will sate anyone’s hunger for gorgeous hues. This biannual event aimed at Nashville’s cosmopolitan club-hoppers focuses on art in the spring, but in late summer it’s all about Cheekwood’s lavish hillside gardens—transformed, for the night, into nature’s own Rainbow Room, where patrons can sip cocktails, listen to the San Rafael Band and enjoy hors d’oeuvres from Nashville Originals restaurants, including Zola, Tin Angel, Noshville, Mirror, Mambu, The Yellow Porch and Wild Iris. The event is free to Cheekwood members and $10 for everyone else, making this a must-attend—unless you’re a hydrangea. 6:30-9 p.m. at Cheekwood, 1200 Forrest Park Drive —JIM RIDLEY

Theater

SHADES OF BLACK THEATER FESTIVAL The fastest-growing segment of the Nashville theater landscape is in the black community, from which a handful of fresh, locally-engaged companies have sprung. Last year’s inaugural Shades of Black Theater Festival was a bit haphazard. But it nevertheless broke new ground by bringing African American grassroots efforts together for the first time in one place. The 2007 version looks new and improved. It will feature six plays plus workshops on voice, acting, movement and directing. Familiar groups represented include Sista Style, Dream 7 and Collards & Caviar. The productions kick off with JaVon Johnson’s Cryin’ Shame, presented by the newly formed Nairobi Café Theatre and starring Kenneth Dozier. For a full schedule, visit shadesofblackfestival.com. Through Sept. 29 at Darkhorse Theater; kickoff mixer, 6:30 p.m. Aug. 17. —MARTIN BRADY

Theater

OLEANNA Tennessee Repertory Theatre drew a lot of attention in early 2006 with this incendiary David Mamet exploration of contemporary sexual politics. A college professor and a (presumably) naive female student square off in the halls of academia with provocative results—the master playwright’s manipulations only serving to confirm the immediate entertainment value of his gnarly thesis. Marc Mazzone, one of Middle Tennessee’s more potent actors, co-stars with Sara Hoyal in this new production of the two-character drama. Aug. 17-26 at Murfreesboro Little Theatre —MARTIN BRADY

Music

TCASK BENEFIT FEAT. JON LANGFORD Mekons frontman Jon Langford always keeps busy, whether making art, music or performing with side projects such as the Three Johns and Pine Valley Cosmonauts. Originally a punk rock act, the Mekons were inspired by the famous ‘77 Leeds, England, Sex Pistols/Clash concert which also spawned Gang of Four, but continued to broaden their tastes (and learn their instruments), eventually producing the seminal ’85 pre-Tupelo alt-country disc Fear and Whiskey. Since then, they’ve continued to refine their blend of country, reggae, punk and folk in engaging ways, fused with rigorous political and social commentary. Langford arrives just days in advance of the Mekons first release of new material in five years. His appearance benefits the Tennessee Coalition to Abolish State Killing, who are seeking a death penalty moratorium, a subject dear to Langford’s heart. He and the Cosmonauts recorded three discs of death-themed covers a few years ago, entitled The Executioner’s Last Songs, whose proceeds went to a similar group in Illinois. 8 p.m. at 3rd & Lindsley —CHRIS PARKER

SATURDAY 8/18

Music

BRADLEY WALKER When it comes to the reactions of critics and fans, the year since the release of country/bluegrass singer Bradley Walker’s terrific debut Highway of Dreams has been a great one. Still, his touring schedule isn’t what it ought to be, and while that’s a likely source of frustration to a guy who possesses a “once in a generation” voice, it means that he’s available for a mid-season date here in town. Sporting several new band members, including underappreciated guitarist Dustin Benson and promising mandolin newcomer Jenny Lynn Gardner, Walker’s got a set list filled with top-notch material by the likes of Harley Allen, Shawn Camp and producer Carl Jackson, and a rich voice that commands the attention usually reserved for superstars. With a return appearance on Jerry Lewis’ annual Labor Day MDA Telethon just ahead, he’s bound to be pumped up and ready to turn it loose. 9 p.m. at Station Inn —JON WEISBERGER

Not Easy Bein’ Green

GREEN SCIENCE The last time Nashville got this hot, Al Gore was firing up his swimming pool. Hard to say whether global warming has anything to do with our recent heat wave, but Nashville’s Adventure Science Center isn’t taking chances. It’s hosting Green Science, a children’s event that promises to turn even the most obnoxious little litterbugs into eco-friendly citizens. Chef Pete Prosser, owner of Chef Tested, will be on hand to cook tasty organic goodies. There will also be a showing of the documentary Kilowatt Ours, an exhibit of green building products and discussions of global climate change. The one inconvenient truth is you have to pay to get in: $9 adults, $7 kids and seniors. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at Adventure Science Center —JOHN PITCHER

Music

SPRINGWATER SOUND SYSTEM For several years now, the Springwater Supper Club has been the primary stomping grounds for some of the dirtiest rock ’n’ roll to pass through Nashville. Proceeds from this weekend’s shows go toward a swanky new sound system that should help the countless punk, garage, metal and noise bands that grace the venue’s stage sound a little clearer. Friday night features gritty garage rock courtesy of Hans Condor and the Vivs plus electro-rockers Ever-Loving Army and lo-fi artisans Bad Friend. Part two of the fundraiser highlights some of the bar’s most prominent regulars: the pastoral country-rock of Lone Official, the Mattoid’s irreverent romp, Altered Statesman’s sultry soul, and, of course, Dave Cloud. 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday at Springwater —MATT SULLIVAN

Puppetry

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM Shakespeare won’t be confined to Centennial Park this month, as Wishing Chair Productions debuts this puppet theater adaptation featuring a cast of voices as good as the Bard could hope for, including Mark Cabus, Brian Russell, Tia Shearer and Denice Hicks (who’s also appearing in both of the Nashville Shakespeare Festival’s 2007 productions). This program, under the supervision of Brian Hull, is no mere highfalutin sock puppet exercise: there are more than 20 handmade marionettes, plus hand-and-rod puppets created in consultation with noted sculptor Alan LeQuire, custom costumes designed by Rhonda Keaton, a colorful set based on van Gogh’s “Starry Night” and an original score by Dan Landes. Recommended for ages 6 and up, and all jaded adults ready to groove on the creativity and variety of presentation. Aug. 17-Oct. 20 in the Children’s Theater at the Downtown Library —MARTIN BRADY

Art

PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS In a town where visual art is fighting to survive, Carol Stein at Cumberland Gallery persists and prevails. She has worked hard to promote Nashville’s veterans and up-and-coming artists alike. Now, she brings something of an altogether different ilk: Bhutanese thangka paintings by Phurba Namgay. The Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan maintains a pristine record and practice of its ancient culture, and because of this, we are graced with the beautiful tradition of thangka painting. The story and history of this tradition begins with traveling Buddhist monks who, in order to spread the stories of Buddha, painted on flat scrolls (“flat” and “painting” roughly translating into “than” and “ka”) and carried them along in their traveling ministries and studies. It is therefore fitting that they are still traveling, and have made their way to us—not so much to spread Buddha’s word, but to open our eyes to a world so far away and different from our own. 5-8 p.m. at Cumberland Gallery —LISA DONOVAN

SUNDAY 8/19

Film

OUSMANE SEMBENE TRIBUTE: CEDDO Without making a fuss about it—enough of a fuss, anyway—the Belcourt has been providing Nashville with the kind of adventurous, topical film programming that once belonged exclusively to cities several times our size. A shining example is the Hillsboro Village theater’s current tribute to the late Senegalese filmmaker Ousmane Sembène, whose relative obscurity in the U.S. is vastly disproportionate to his influence elsewhere in the world. (The Belcourt series even appears on the cultural calendar of the French consulate—in Atlanta.) This weekend’s feature, Ceddo (pronounced “ched-doe”), an intimately scaled but sweeping 1977 drama that hinges on the kidnapping of a princess, was initially banned in Sembène’s homeland, where it reportedly angered the government with its depiction of the forcible conversion of tribesmen to Islam. Not only is the film unavailable on DVD, but it has seldom, if ever, been shown in the area, making its appearance a treat for local movie lovers who’d rather experience a film for themselves than rely on borrowed opinions. Noon Aug. 18, noon & 4:30 p.m. Aug. 19 at the Belcourt —JIM RIDLEY

Cheesesteaks With a Side of Sandler

STARDUST DRIVE-IN You know the summer months are waning and the kids are back in school when Watertown’s Stardust Drive-In cuts back its schedule to weekends only. That means you only have a little more time to savor movies under the stars, accompanied by the croaking of frogs and the whirring scree of crickets and cicadas from the nearby fields. Sundays are the least crowded of the weekend nights, meaning better parking slots and a shorter wait for pizza, funnel cakes, Alien Glow Pops, crinkle-cut fries and Philly cheesesteaks at the Stardust’s awesome concession stand. This week’s double features on the Stardust’s two screens: Rush Hour 3 and I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry, and Underdog and Hairspray. Tickets are $7 for adults and $3 for kids ages 6-11, with 5 and under admitted free. The lot opens at 6:30 p.m. and an FM radio is required for sound. Arrive early, as nothing beats the crackling of “The Star-Spangled Banner” over a hundred car radios for heart-swelling Americana. Dusk at Purple Tiger Drive off Highway 70, Watertown —JIM RIDLEY

Fried Fun

WILSON COUNTY FAIR Lebanon’s annual blockbuster event has a history that predates the Civil War—the town held its Third Division Fair in 1853—but it has attempted to keep pace with the times without losing its ties to tradition. Where else are you going to see clogging and grist milling on the same schedule with a text-messaging contest? Perhaps that mix explains why the fair is one of the state’s biggest, drawing more than 250,000 visitors in 1999. Sunday is God and Country Day, honoring veterans and offering half-price admission with a church bulletin (one per person, you heathens). It’s also the day of the Hog-A-Rama and the Ms. Tenn. Senior Wilson County Pageant, along with cat, feeder pig and dairy goat shows and performances by the Cripple Creek Cloggers, the Monument Quartet and more. Backsliders can repent for Saturday night’s misdeeds at the 10 a.m. church service in Fiddler’s Grove. Add a carnival midway ($14 unlimited rides Sunday only), baking contests and lots of food-on-a-stick, and you’ve got a great excuse to stand in the sun gulping 64-oz. lemonades. The fair runs Aug. 17-25. For a complete schedule, visit wilsoncountyfair.net. Noon at James E. Ward Agricultural Center, Lebanon —JIM RIDLEY

MONDAY 8/20

Art

PARISH/DISPARATE RELATIONS Ruby Green puts together yet another combination of artists who, while standing strongly alone, help each other to shine. Jean Flint’s installation Disparate Relations and Judy Rushin’s Parish create a collective energy that works on many levels. While both bodies of work are bold in their own right, Rushin’s paintings scoop you up and don’t let go. Her move from Atlanta to post-Katrina Louisiana serves as the framework for her self-described romance with “detritus” and exploration of time, place and memory. The beauty of destruction, memories (both lapsed and crystal clear) and the newly formed landscape serve as landmarks on Rushin’s tour through her new Louisiana digs. Through Sept. 22 at Ruby Green —LISA DONOVAN

Music

FIREWORKS OVER LONDON If you’re going to be unabashed about playing commercial power pop, audacity alone isn’t going to ensure that your act is convincing. From the first gigantic crash of drums, this Memphis quartet’s arena-sized, modern-rock-radio aspirations seem explicitly clear. Ditto for the catchy vocal melodies and somber piano work. But, in addition to their top-notch hooks, Fireworks Over London have a verve and a shine where others following a similar path either fall flat or succumb to base pandering. The band waits patiently before unveiling electronic beats and chamber touches—shopworn devices that work here, thanks to their finesse. Those elements give the music texture without pretense—and did I mention the hooks? 9 p.m. at Exit/In —SABY REYES-KULKARNI

TUESDAY 8/21

Redneck Riot

THE DOYLE AND DEBBIE SHOW If parodying country music is like shooting ducks in a barrel, Bruce Arntson and Jenny Littleton could drown those downy little suckers just by looking at ’em. The flesh and blood behind the long-running Doyle and Debbie Show, Arntson and Littleton play a washed-up country duo with enough side-splitting gusto to purdy much guaran-damn-tee it’ll be the funniest thing you done seen in months (if not years). With lyrics such as “I ain’t no homo, but man you sure look good to me” or (from the aptly titled “ABC’s of Love”) “I M GOP to your DNC / That’s NFL not PBS on my HDTV,” the twosome pack more chortles, guffaws, snickers and cackles into a couple hours than you woulda thought possible. Jeff Foxworthy best take his tired redneck shtick and hit the road—Doyle and Debby’ll whoop his ass from here to Grundy County. Aug. 21-Sept. 5 at Bongo After Hours Theatre —JACK SILVERMAN

Music