THURSDAY 1/24

Music

THAD COCKRELL As a solo recording artist, Thad Cockrell’s been flying under the radar for about five years now, but he hasn’t been inactive. Since Stack of Dreams and Warmth and Beauty, he’s been testing the waters of collaboration, first on his 2005 Begonias duets album with Caitlin Cary and more recently by playing shows with Chapel Hill roots-rock band Roman Candle. Cockrell’s been writing too, but he’s moved away from sad and tender love songs steeped in traditional country. On his new EP To Be Loved—released on his own and not through Yep Roc—he’s working with a different sort of fusion: themes and images from the Southern gospel tradition set to free-floating melodies and supplemented by lush, acoustic accompaniment bearing a far subtler resemblance to country. It’s a natural fit considering Cockrell’s pedigree as a preacher’s son and former seminary student. Tyler James and Matthew Perryman Jones open. 9 p.m. at Mercy Lounge —JEWLY HIGHT

Dance Music

NEW RAVE THURSDAYS If the recent surge in hipster dance parties says anything about young Nashvillians, it’s that they’ll take any excuse to cut a rug—be it in a club, a basement, or a dive bar. But unless grinding against hoochie mamas in short skirts to the latest booty jams down on Second Avenue is your thing, the occasion to get down remains sporadic and easy to miss if you’re out of the loop. Stepping into the void is New Rave Thursdays at Bar Twenty3. The weekly event begins this week, featuring DJs Telemitry and Keyboard Guy and hosted by local electro rockers Luna Halo. Modeled after similar club nights in the hipper parts of NYC, New Rave Thursdays promises new rave, new disco and electro music along with video projections and live synthesizer and vocoder action on top of the music. 10:30 p.m. at Bar Twenty3 —SETH GRAVES

Music

BLUE HIGHWAY The five members of Blue Highway are hardly one-trick ponies. It’s easy to veer off into listing the myriad achievements of Rob Ickes, Tim Stafford, Wayne Taylor, Shawn Lane and Jason Burleson as sidemen, songwriters and solo artists. But the band is no back-burner effort either. Through the Window of a Train is the group’s eighth album, and its crisp, precise playing and even vocals are the collective results of the members’ formidable skills. At the heart of the 12 tracks are mature themes such as the personal toll for soldiers during wartime (“Homeless Man” and “Two Soldiers”) and reassessing life in old age (“Where Did the Morning Go?” and “My Ropin’ Days are Done”). Bluesy murder-and-marriage ballad “Sycamore Hollow” is another nice moment, showcasing Ickes’ fluid, nimble Dobro touch and the band’s well-executed unison licks. 9 p.m. at Station Inn —JEWLY HIGHT

Theater at the Borders

COFFEE WITH THE CAST As a part of the Tennessee REPartee Live program, members of the cast of the Rep’s forthcoming The Goat or, Who Is Sylvia? (opening Jan. 31) will discuss the Tony Award-winning Edward Albee work and present a scene from the play. The coffee klatch is suggested for an age-appropriate audience (18+), due to Albee’s potentially controversial material revolving around family life, standards of morality and social taboos. This gathering is free and open to the public. 11 a.m. at Borders West End —MARTIN BRADY

FRIDAY 1/25

Music

TERRI CLARK With a voice that conjures images of the great outdoors, Terri Clark is something of an enigma. The Canadian country singer can sound tomboyish and earthy, and she’s made some great singles: 2004’s “Girls Lie Too” remains a stellar example of Music Row’s ability to construct a compelling power-pop pastiche. On her last couple of singles, Clark has wavered between being a dirty girl—meaning a sexy woman—and just one of the guys. “Dirty Girl” casts her as a female who knows her way around a set of socket wrenches, while “In My Next Life” rings changes on the idea of human imperfection. “I wanna live fast, kick ass / Hard as anybody has,” Clark sings, but one could argue that she needs more subtle material to do so. She has a new collection, My Next Life, slated for spring release, which might make something out of her contradictions. 8 p.m. at Ryman Auditorium; also playing the Chuck Fields Benefit at 3rd & Lindsley on Thursday, 24th —EDD HURT

See-Worthy

H.M.S. PINAFORE After gaily mounting Gilbert & Sullivan productions in the recent past—Iolanthe (2006), The Pirates of Penzance (2004)—the Nashville Opera returns to the famed duo’s light opera canon. This beloved maritime classic from 1878, which mixes some serious moments in with the usual comedy, features music encompassing the familiar G&S patter songs as well as more fully voiced numbers. Among the favorites are crowd-pleasers “When I Was a Lad” and “I’m Called Little Buttercup.” The artists in charge, director William Florescu and conductor Jerome Shannon (helming the Nashville Symphony), both have considerable experience with G&S. Florescu, general director of Florentine Opera in Milwaukee, has even performed two of the Pinafore roles. The cast includes tenor Chad Johnson, baritone Mark Walters and mezzo-soprano Melissa Parks, who distinguished herself in Iolanthe two years ago. Jan. 25, 27, 31 & Feb. 2 at Tennessee Performing Arts Center —MARTIN BRADY

Flappers and Feminism

THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE George Roy Hill’s 1967 feature film starring Julie Andrews and Mary Tyler Moore was a bit of a flop. Thirty-five years later, the team of composer Jeanine Tesori and librettist-lyricists Dick Scanlan and Richard Morris rewrote the tale for the Broadway stage, scoring six Tony Awards. The time is 1922, and a young woman comes to New York City seeking a wealthy husband. Somehow, the Jazz Age world of flappers mixes with a subplot involving the slave trade, ultimately offering both a feminist message and a focus on romance. The new Boiler Room Theatre production is guided by Chicago-based guest director Brandy Austin. The stars include Chelsea Brannon, Laura Thomas, Lisa Gillespie, Steve Boysen, Alan Stevenson and Corrie Miller, with an exceptionally strong supporting cast featuring Lauri Bright, Nancy Whitehead, Laura Marsh and Douglas Goodman. Jamey Green provides the musical direction and Pam Atha handles the choreography. Jan. 25-Feb. 23 in Boiler Room Theatre at the Factory at Franklin —MARTIN BRADY

Winter Wonderland

FROSTY FAMILY NIGHT HIKE The weather outside may be frightful, but that’s no reason to stay inside—as long as you bundle. Warner Park Nature Center is offering a chance to take your family out in the cold and enjoy a short hike among the trees. To register, call 352-6299. 6:30-8 pm Jan. 25 in Warner Park —LEE STABERT

Avant-soul jokesters

ALTERED STATESMAN Nashville’s Altered Statesman work within the recognizable idiom of soul music but recast it as a vehicle for songs combining dread and affection. Singer Steve Poulton has a knack for hooks that sound familiar but prove elusive, while the group makes jazzy, sideways noises with guitars, organ and horns. They have a new self-titled work in the can, and it promises to be one of the year’s delights, with plenty of trailer-park skronk guitar from Poulton and co-producer Joe McMahan. At their weirdest, Altered Statesman combine the disaffection of Mer-Da’s 1972 late-soul masterpiece Long Burn the Fire with the sincerity of some sophisticated crooner—Boz Scaggs maybe. At their warmest, as on Altered Statesman’s “Bobby Rose,” they achieve a casual avant-pop sound that’s allusive and capacious. Expect the record later this year, and in the meantime, these soulful jokesters should be ready with plenty of new material. 9 p.m. at Springwater —EDD HURT

Music

NICKY CLICK On her album I’m on My Cell Phone, Nicky Click makes a recruiting pitch you probably haven’t heard before: “I am a fuck machine—you can join my team.” Uncle Sam was never so forthcoming. Speaking of teams, Click is a kindred spirit of the duo Team Gina (her label mates on Crunk’s Not Dead), who graced the Café at Outloud stage a while back—employing a similarly wry and decidedly queer-friendly take on crunk and electro pop while delivering songs that are campy, playful and unapologetically fun: Click has a song about a chocolate eclair that may or may not be about a chocolate eclair. 8 p.m. at The Café at Outloud. —STEVE HARUCH

Music

WRVU BENEFIT FEAT. HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMY & MAKEUP & VANITY SET In a world where so many of our airwaves rest in the greedy hands of a few monopolizing conglomerates, it’s comforting to know that there are still a few media avenues left unscathed by corporate control. College radio is one of the few, if only, places we can still keep it real on the dial. But this privilege doesn’t come free, and that is where you, dear reader, come into play. Vanderbilt’s WRVU rounds up some funding this weekend with a benefit show featuring the sweet and sultry theatrical pop of Happy Birthday Amy. Joining them is Makeup & Vanity Set, whose aggressive and fiercely futuristic club beats are better suited for a rock club than a DJ booth. Rounding out the bill are the whispery, delicate indie folk stylings of Another Side of Bob Jasmin, the moniker for singer-songwriter Jasmin Kasset’s showcase of solo acoustic sweetness. 9 p.m. at The End —SETH GRAVES

Theater

BOOK OF DAYS This recent Lanford Wilson play is set in a small fictional town in Missouri, the author’s birthplace and frequent setting for many of his highly regarded works. There’s a general Our Town ambience here, but Wilson’s story adds mystery overtones and a strong sociopolitical critique. Pendulum 3 Theatre presents the Middle Tennessee premiere under the direction of Bob Roberts. The cast of 12 includes Olivia Lovell, Marc Mazzone, Bob Fish and Lynda Cameron-Bayer. Jan. 25-27 at Old Log Cabin Playhouse, Murfreesboro —MARTIN BRADY

SATURDAY 1/26

Music

JEFF WHITE & FRIENDS A perennial sideman for the likes of Lyle Lovett, The Chieftains and Vince Gill, singer-songwriter/guitarist Jeff White is more than capable of fronting a bluegrass band all on his own. Indeed, when he and Gill switched roles on White’s last solo album, The Broken Road, the move was utterly believable. But White’s frontman appearances are rare, and therefore not to be missed—especially given the band that he’s put together for this one. Banjo ace Charlie Cushman, lately of Gill’s touring band, will be on hand, as will the ever-reliable Dennis Crouch (bass) and singer-songwriter/drummer Billy Thomas, along with special treat mandolin/fiddle players Michael Cleveland and Jeff Guernsey, promising at least a few tasty twin fiddle numbers. But while these sideman’s sidemen will doubtless have their featured turns, the ultimate draw here is White, who’s as soulful a singer—and as hot a flatpicker—as anyone might wish for. 9 p.m. at Station Inn —JON WEISBERGER

Art

OUT OF HERE The name of this Plowhaus show suggests a farewell, but it’s really more of a transition—Plowhaus director Franne Lee is joining forces with The Art House’s Whitney Ferre and Christy Shuff to create what Lee says will be “a gallery and cooperative like no other in Nashville or the Southeast.” The group is currently scouring East Nashville for a space large enough to host the new entity, which will feature the names of both galleries and might include a performing arts organization. The goal is to create a sort of art ground zero—and they say they’ve got several potential locations in their sights, somewhere near the Five Points area. To bid farewell to its current home, Plowhaus presents this cash-and-carry show featuring works by Lee, Julie Sola, John Holland, Robert Bruce Scott, Andee Rudloff, Stacey Klinger, Nathan Sharkey, DJ Justice, Ben Vitualla, Tiffany Denton, Heather Day and over a dozen more artists. Opening reception, featuring food, wine and music, 7-11 p.m.; show runs through March 2. —JACK SILVERMAN

Music

LEGAL LIMITS W/SAD APARTMENT & OLE MOSSY FACE Some people never got over Wilco’s Judas-esque defection from the alt-country ranks. Nashville’s Southern rock-lovin’ Ole Mossy Face sound like they could fall into that category, and since the other bands on the bill share members with them, as well as each other, they might share the sentiment too. Whereas Ole Mossy Face evoke A.M.’s Stones-ier moments, both Sad Apartment and the Legal Limits take their cue from Being There’s more pastoral arrangements. The east side should be rockin’ nonetheless, as all three bands know how to harness a loose, good-time rock ’n’ roll spirit with no pretense. Five bucks will get you in the door and put two new CDs in your hands: the Legal Limits’ first release, Hot Pursuit, and a new Sad Apartment EP. 9 p.m. at The 5 Spot. —ANDREW J. SMITHSON

Beatle Mania

KEN MANSFIELD Former Apple Records staffer Ken Mansfield is but the latest Beatle insider to chronicle his years with the band. If previous works by confidants such as Peter Brown and Tony Bramwell seem starry-eyed at best, and self-serving at worst, Mansfield’s The White Book benefits from its author’s unique perspective. As Apple’s U.S. manager and promotions director for Capitol Records, he sees the group only periodically, but those meetings are both significant and intimate. In short, Mansfield’s workload doesn’t allow for idol worship. Part-time insider status distances Mansfield from the heady mix of fame and ego that surrounds the Fab Four. In addition to his work with the Beatles, Mansfield also worked with a who’s-who of popular artists, including Roy Orbison, James Taylor and Waylon Jennings. 1 p.m. at Barnes & Noble Cool Springs —PAUL V. GRIFFITH

Music

AGAINST ME! Have Against Me! been hanging out with Mary J. Blige lately? ’Cause those boys are getting’ HUGE! Seriously though, steroid jokes aside, the Gainesville punk quartet have come a long way since blowing out the P.A. at the Red Rose in ’02. Back then, they were touring behind their debut Reinventing Axl Rose, an album brimming with fist-pumping anthems and righteous indignation. Six years later, the anthems are still there, but the edges have smoothed as wisdom and cynicism replace youthful exuberance. Basically, they’ve reinvented Bob Seger—not necessarily a bad thing. Every generation needs a road-weary poet blaring through their radio, every generation needs a band that will call “bullshit” when they see it and every generation needs badass arena rock, no matter what the punk kids say. 7:30 p.m. at Municipal Auditorium —SEAN L. MALONEY

Children’s Theater

THREE LITTLE PIGS Olde Worlde Theatre Co. has a delightful way with traditional fairy tales. The troupe’s latest follows Phineas, Pierre and Pamela Swine as they negotiate the housing market. The Big Bad Wolf—owner of the Huff ‘N Puff Loan Co.—and his sidekick the Weasel attempt to scam their unsuspecting porcine clients, but the little porkers eventually learn their lessons: Always respect mom’s advice and be a team player. Richard Stein and Vivian Slade play the bad guys, and there are two sets of little pigs, played by three children (Hannah Burr, Sophie Burr and Haley Morrill) and three adults (Bobby Boucher, Lisa Larson and Dave Harrison). The company mixes pantomime, masks and music into its typically madcap adaptation. Gerri Findley narrates the tale. Jan 26 & Feb. 2-3 at the Belcourt Theatre —MARTIN BRADY

Dance Music

TREASURE FINGERS In case you missed the memo: Blog-House is the new Nu Rave. Laptop-funk for the Pitchfork set is the order of the day—pacifiers and Vicks VapoRub are totally 2006. The kids want a heavy groove and a vodka tonic, they want pop hooks and big, thick bass tones, they want Hotlanta’s web-enabled disco-futurist Treasure Fingers. His single “Cross The Dance floor” is just the kind of slinky late-night jam that Sunday mornings were made for—soaked in echo and synthesizer, oozing liquor and lust. 40 Minutes in the Champagne Room, Fingers’ latest DJ mix, is a raucous romp through the DMZ where R&B, dance and rap cultures collide, a rapid-fire collage of contemporary urban styles that makes the booties bounce. Justin Kase (of Buddytown/rad-as-hell-moustache fame) and Hands Off Sam open the party. 9 p.m. at The Trace —SEAN L. MALONEY

Bone Heads

MARROW DONOR DRIVE This is one list there’s always room on. The National Marrow Donor Program Registry is a list of volunteer marrow and blood stem cell donors, people willing to undergo a bit of bodily discomfort to save lives. Thousands of leukemia patients are currently in need of a transplant and all it takes is a consent form and a painless cheek cell sample. Donors with diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds are especially needed. For information about the drive, call (866) 680-0137 or visit marrow.org. 10 a.m.-3 pm at Abundant Life Church, Mt. Juliet —LEE STABERT

SUNDAY 1/27

Music

HIGH ON FIRE W/RWAKE Soon after the dissolution of legendary stoner metal sultans Sleep, guitarist Matt Pike sped up his strum, grabbed a microphone and formed the even more aggressive High on Fire. The dense, heavy wall of riffage that results sounds like Motorhead after downing a bottle of Robitussin. With an already unimpeachable catalog, the trio released one of 2007’s best, Death Is This Communion, which blends Pike’s trademark guitarwork and his best songwriting to date. Sharing the bill is Little Rock, Ark.’s Rwake (pronounced “wake”), whose Voices of Omens found itself garnering a number of its own best-of-2007 nods. Eschewing the oversimplification and homogeny that plagues many corners of doom metal’s resurgence, Rwake’s tasteful prog-rock tendencies color their brute heaviness. 8 p.m. at Exit/In —MATT SULLIVAN

Have I Got a Deal for You!

BAGELS & BUSINESS It may come as a surprise, but Jewish entrepreneurial spirit in Tennessee goes back much further than the opening of Noshville, as this event, presented in conjunction with the Bagels & Barbecue exhibit, will attest. Radio personality Teddy Bart will host a roundtable discussion featuring representatives from The Chattanooga Times Free Press, Levy’s clothing, Werthan Packaging of Nashville and A. Schwab of Memphis—all Jewish-founded companies established before 1880. Guided tours of the Bagels & Barbecue exhibit will be offered after the discussion. The event is free, but seating is limited; to make a reservation, call 741-9255 or email Beth.Lekander@state.tn.us. 1:30-4 p.m. at Tennessee State Museum —JACK SILVERMAN

MONDAY 1/28

Film Fellowship

Beatle Mania

KEN MANSFIELD Former Apple Records staffer Ken Mansfield is but the latest Beatle insider to chronicle his years with the band. If previous works by confidants such as Peter Brown and Tony Bramwell seem starry-eyed at best, and self-serving at worst, Mansfield’s The White Book benefits from its author’s unique perspective. As Apple’s U.S. manager and promotions director for Capitol Records, he sees the group only periodically, but those meetings are both significant and intimate. In short, Mansfield’s workload doesn’t allow for idol worship. Part-time insider status distances Mansfield from the heady mix of fame and ego that surrounds the Fab Four. In addition to his work with the Beatles, Mansfield also worked with a who’s-who of popular artists, including Roy Orbison, James Taylor and Waylon Jennings. 1 p.m. at Barnes & Noble Cool Springs —PAUL V. GRIFFITH

Music

AGAINST ME! Have Against Me! been hanging out with Mary J. Blige lately? ’Cause those boys are getting’ HUGE! Seriously though, steroid jokes aside, the Gainesville punk quartet have come a long way since blowing out the P.A. at the Red Rose in ’02. Back then, they were touring behind their debut Reinventing Axl Rose, an album brimming with fist-pumping anthems and righteous indignation. Six years later, the anthems are still there, but the edges have smoothed as wisdom and cynicism replace youthful exuberance. Basically, they’ve reinvented Bob Seger—not necessarily a bad thing. Every generation needs a road-weary poet blaring through their radio, every generation needs a band that will call “bullshit” when they see it and every generation needs badass arena rock, no matter what the punk kids say. 7:30 p.m. at Municipal Auditorium —SEAN L. MALONEY

Children’s Theater

THREE LITTLE PIGS Olde Worlde Theatre Co. has a delightful way with traditional fairy tales. The troupe’s latest follows Phineas, Pierre and Pamela Swine as they negotiate the housing market. The Big Bad Wolf—owner of the Huff ‘N Puff Loan Co.—and his sidekick the Weasel attempt to scam their unsuspecting porcine clients, but the little porkers eventually learn their lessons: Always respect mom’s advice and be a team player. Richard Stein and Vivian Slade play the bad guys, and there are two sets of little pigs, played by three children (Hannah Burr, Sophie Burr and Haley Morrill) and three adults (Bobby Boucher, Lisa Larson and Dave Harrison). The company mixes pantomime, masks and music into its typically madcap adaptation. Gerri Findley narrates the tale. Jan 26 & Feb. 2-3 at the Belcourt Theatre —MARTIN BRADY

Dance Music

TREASURE FINGERS In case you missed the memo: Blog-House is the new Nu Rave. Laptop-funk for the Pitchfork set is the order of the day—pacifiers and Vicks VapoRub are totally 2006. The kids want a heavy groove and a vodka tonic, they want pop hooks and big, thick bass tones, they want Hotlanta’s web-enabled disco-futurist Treasure Fingers. His single “Cross The Dance floor” is just the kind of slinky late-night jam that Sunday mornings were made for—soaked in echo and synthesizer, oozing liquor and lust. 40 Minutes in the Champagne Room, Fingers’ latest DJ mix, is a raucous romp through the DMZ where R&B, dance and rap cultures collide, a rapid-fire collage of contemporary urban styles that makes the booties bounce. Justin Kase (of Buddytown/rad-as-hell-moustache fame) and Hands Off Sam open the party. 9 p.m. at The Trace —SEAN L. MALONEY

Bone Heads

MARROW DONOR DRIVE This is one list there’s always room on. The National Marrow Donor Program Registry is a list of volunteer marrow and blood stem cell donors, people willing to undergo a bit of bodily discomfort to save lives. Thousands of leukemia patients are currently in need of a transplant and all it takes is a consent form and a painless cheek cell sample. Donors with diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds are especially needed. For information about the drive, call (866) 680-0137 or visit marrow.org. 10 a.m.-3 pm at Abundant Life Church, Mt. Juliet —LEE STABERT

SUNDAY 1/27

Music

HIGH ON FIRE W/RWAKE Soon after the dissolution of legendary stoner metal sultans Sleep, guitarist Matt Pike sped up his strum, grabbed a microphone and formed the even more aggressive High on Fire. The dense, heavy wall of riffage that results sounds like Motorhead after downing a bottle of Robitussin. With an already unimpeachable catalog, the trio released one of 2007’s best, Death Is This Communion, which blends Pike’s trademark guitarwork and his best songwriting to date. Sharing the bill is Little Rock, Ark.’s Rwake (pronounced “wake”), whose Voices of Omens found itself garnering a number of its own best-of-2007 nods. Eschewing the oversimplification and homogeny that plagues many corners of doom metal’s resurgence, Rwake’s tasteful prog-rock tendencies color their brute heaviness. 8 p.m. at Exit/In —MATT SULLIVAN

Have I Got a Deal for You!

BAGELS & BUSINESS It may come as a surprise, but Jewish entrepreneurial spirit in Tennessee goes back much further than the opening of Noshville, as this event, presented in conjunction with the Bagels & Barbecue exhibit, will attest. Radio personality Teddy Bart will host a roundtable discussion featuring representatives from The Chattanooga Times Free Press, Levy’s clothing, Werthan Packaging of Nashville and A. Schwab of Memphis—all Jewish-founded companies established before 1880. Guided tours of the Bagels & Barbecue exhibit will be offered after the discussion. The event is free, but seating is limited; to make a reservation, call 741-9255 or email Beth.Lekander@state.tn.us. 1:30-4 p.m. at Tennessee State Museum —JACK SILVERMAN

MONDAY 1/28

Film Fellowship

THE IMAM AND THE PASTOR In an era filled with strife and conflict, it is productive to take a moment to appreciate reconciliation. This documentary tells the story of Imam Muhammed Ashafa and Pastor James Wuye, who worked together to foster grassroots peace-making initiatives in Nigeria. Presented by Lipscomb’s Institute of Law Justice and Society, this free screening will be hosted by Steven Watts, senior research fellow at the Global Institute for the Study of Culture, Economics and Strategic Resource Management, who will discuss the current situation in Nigeria and the myriad of cultural challenges facing African nations. 6 p.m. in Lipscomb University’s Ezell Center —LEE STABERT

TUESDAY 1/29

Music

STEPHEN SIMMONS Last we heard from Stephen Simmons, he had one thing on his mind (or two, really)—Jesus and the Devil. On 2006’s Drink Ring Jesus, he was wrestling with religion of the thorn-in-your-side, beer-in-your-hand variety, armed only with his coarse, raw-edged baritone—which bears a resemblance to Steve Earle’s in its texture and range—and acoustic guitar. Before that, Simmons worked a tug of war between carnality and spirituality on 2004’s Last Call, interspersing acoustic tracks with a country-rooted full-band sound. His brand new album Something In Between—released last year in Europe—represents a shift: It’s a different sort of heartache (the kind lovers inflict on each other) and a different sound (more firmly planted in heartland rock territory). But Simmons has his constants: The songs are still thoroughly down-to-earth and, as the opening track, “Don’t Mind Me,” establishes, he’s still got a beer in hand. With the Wrights and Jason Eady. 9 p.m. at Mercy Lounge —JEWLY HIGHT

Music

TYLER RAMSEY The calm, assured and surpassingly sweet nature of North Carolina guitarist Tyler Ramsey’s solo work contrasts starkly with that of Band of Horses, the group Ramsey is opening for and the one he’ll join when his set is over. Band of Horses live for the huge crescendo, while Ramsey is often content to let his acoustic guitar amble on down the road. There are a lot of striking moments on Ramsey’s recently released A Long Dream About Swimming Across the Sea, including the warm shuffle “These Days” and the slow burning ballad “Night Time.” Every year it seems that a million or so records are said to sound like Neil Young, but Ramsey’s really does—it can stand up to a classic like Comes a Time and not flinch an inch. 8 p.m. at Exit/In; SOLD OUT. —WERNER TRIESCHMANN

Music

CAROLINA PIANO TRIO This free performance—part concert, part lecture—brings together the talents of renowned chamber music group the Carolina Piano Trio and Blair School of Music professor Michael Alec Rose (who composed Arguing With God: A Concerto for Klezmer and Orchestra, premiered by Nashville Chamber Orchestra last spring) for a look at how a piece of chamber music is born. The CPT (violinist Jacqui Carrasco, cellist Elizabeth Anderson and pianist Barbara McKenzie) will perform Rose’s Grace’s Furies along with other works, interspersed with discussion of the creative process, the particulars of finding a commissioning organization, seeking out patrons, working with performers and more. It’s an opportunity for the audience to better comprehend the long and arduous path required to make contemporary chamber music in today’s challenging classical music environment. 8 p.m. at the Blair School’s Turner Recital Hall; free and open to the public. —JACK SILVERMAN

WEDNESDAY 1/30

Pop Goes the Easel

THE IMAM AND THE PASTOR In an era filled with strife and conflict, it is productive to take a moment to appreciate reconciliation. This documentary tells the story of Imam Muhammed Ashafa and Pastor James Wuye, who worked together to foster grassroots peace-making initiatives in Nigeria. Presented by Lipscomb’s Institute of Law Justice and Society, this free screening will be hosted by Steven Watts, senior research fellow at the Global Institute for the Study of Culture, Economics and Strategic Resource Management, who will discuss the current situation in Nigeria and the myriad of cultural challenges facing African nations. 6 p.m. in Lipscomb University’s Ezell Center —LEE STABERT

TUESDAY 1/29

Music

STEPHEN SIMMONS Last we heard from Stephen Simmons, he had one thing on his mind (or two, really)—Jesus and the Devil. On 2006’s Drink Ring Jesus, he was wrestling with religion of the thorn-in-your-side, beer-in-your-hand variety, armed only with his coarse, raw-edged baritone—which bears a resemblance to Steve Earle’s in its texture and range—and acoustic guitar. Before that, Simmons worked a tug of war between carnality and spirituality on 2004’s Last Call, interspersing acoustic tracks with a country-rooted full-band sound. His brand new album Something In Between—released last year in Europe—represents a shift: It’s a different sort of heartache (the kind lovers inflict on each other) and a different sound (more firmly planted in heartland rock territory). But Simmons has his constants: The songs are still thoroughly down-to-earth and, as the opening track, “Don’t Mind Me,” establishes, he’s still got a beer in hand. With the Wrights and Jason Eady. 9 p.m. at Mercy Lounge —JEWLY HIGHT

Music

TYLER RAMSEY The calm, assured and surpassingly sweet nature of North Carolina guitarist Tyler Ramsey’s solo work contrasts starkly with that of Band of Horses, the group Ramsey is opening for and the one he’ll join when his set is over. Band of Horses live for the huge crescendo, while Ramsey is often content to let his acoustic guitar amble on down the road. There are a lot of striking moments on Ramsey’s recently released A Long Dream About Swimming Across the Sea, including the warm shuffle “These Days” and the slow burning ballad “Night Time.” Every year it seems that a million or so records are said to sound like Neil Young, but Ramsey’s really does—it can stand up to a classic like Comes a Time and not flinch an inch. 8 p.m. at Exit/In; SOLD OUT. —WERNER TRIESCHMANN

Music

CAROLINA PIANO TRIO This free performance—part concert, part lecture—brings together the talents of renowned chamber music group the Carolina Piano Trio and Blair School of Music professor Michael Alec Rose (who composed Arguing With God: A Concerto for Klezmer and Orchestra, premiered by Nashville Chamber Orchestra last spring) for a look at how a piece of chamber music is born. The CPT (violinist Jacqui Carrasco, cellist Elizabeth Anderson and pianist Barbara McKenzie) will perform Rose’s Grace’s Furies along with other works, interspersed with discussion of the creative process, the particulars of finding a commissioning organization, seeking out patrons, working with performers and more. It’s an opportunity for the audience to better comprehend the long and arduous path required to make contemporary chamber music in today’s challenging classical music environment. 8 p.m. at the Blair School’s Turner Recital Hall; free and open to the public. —JACK SILVERMAN

WEDNESDAY 1/30

Pop Goes the Easel

POPULAR EXPERIENCE: NEW REALISTS FROM THE 1960S TO PRESENT The latest offering at Cheekwood’s small gallery gives Nashville art-abouts an opportunity to witness half a century of pop art culture in a short, sharp retrospective. Beginning with post-war work examining the influence of television and magazine culture on the post-atomic world, Experience moves from World War II to Warhol and beyond in one of the most intriguing shows to open in Nashville’s nascent ’08 art calendar. Highlights include a—Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band record-cover designer—Peter Blake screen print from his creepy-delightful Alice in Wonderland series, as well as a portrait of a Young Washington by Alex Katz that turns traditional paintings of the founding father on their collective ear. Through April 6 in Cheekwood’s Post-45 Gallery —JOE NOLAN

Film Series

THE INTERNATIONAL LENS: THE TWILIGHT SAMURAI For decades, Vanderbilt’s Sarratt Cinema was Nashville’s arthouse: the one theater in town that could be relied upon to bring in the foreign and indie films the city’s commercial theaters routinely skipped. The campus cinema all but shut down under Chancellor Gordon Gee—so it’s interesting to see this ambitious weekly foreign-film series sprout so soon after his departure, bringing back some of Sarratt’s old luster (and its cultural outreach to the rest of the city). The series starts Wednesday, Jan. 23, with il padre of the Italian cop thriller, 1972’s Milano Calibro 9, introduced by Clemson lecturer and genre scholar Luca Barattoni; it continues each Wednesday through April with guest speakers and post-film discussions, free and open to the public. Tonight’s film, in Japanese with English subtitles, is The Twilight Samurai, Yoji Yamada’s 2002 drama about an aging samurai (Hiroyuki Sanada) pressed into action against another fading practitioner of the Bushido Code. For a full schedule, visit the Scene’s blog Pith in the Wind at nashvillescene.com. 7 p.m at Sarratt Cinema, Vanderbilt —JIM RIDLEY

POPULAR EXPERIENCE: NEW REALISTS FROM THE 1960S TO PRESENT The latest offering at Cheekwood’s small gallery gives Nashville art-abouts an opportunity to witness half a century of pop art culture in a short, sharp retrospective. Beginning with post-war work examining the influence of television and magazine culture on the post-atomic world, Experience moves from World War II to Warhol and beyond in one of the most intriguing shows to open in Nashville’s nascent ’08 art calendar. Highlights include a—Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band record-cover designer—Peter Blake screen print from his creepy-delightful Alice in Wonderland series, as well as a portrait of a Young Washington by Alex Katz that turns traditional paintings of the founding father on their collective ear. Through April 6 in Cheekwood’s Post-45 Gallery —JOE NOLAN

Film Series

THE INTERNATIONAL LENS: THE TWILIGHT SAMURAI For decades, Vanderbilt’s Sarratt Cinema was Nashville’s arthouse: the one theater in town that could be relied upon to bring in the foreign and indie films the city’s commercial theaters routinely skipped. The campus cinema all but shut down under Chancellor Gordon Gee—so it’s interesting to see this ambitious weekly foreign-film series sprout so soon after his departure, bringing back some of Sarratt’s old luster (and its cultural outreach to the rest of the city). The series starts Wednesday, Jan. 23, with il padre of the Italian cop thriller, 1972’s Milano Calibro 9, introduced by Clemson lecturer and genre scholar Luca Barattoni; it continues each Wednesday through April with guest speakers and post-film discussions, free and open to the public. Tonight’s film, in Japanese with English subtitles, is The Twilight Samurai, Yoji Yamada’s 2002 drama about an aging samurai (Hiroyuki Sanada) pressed into action against another fading practitioner of the Bushido Code. For a full schedule, visit the Scene’s blog Pith in the Wind at nashvillescene.com. 7 p.m at Sarratt Cinema, Vanderbilt —JIM RIDLEY