It’s time again for the annual country music meet-and-greet in which many of Music Row’s biggest stars sign autographs, mug for snapshots and perform for their biggest admirers—the 15,000 to 20,000 genial out-of-towners who’ll be converging on the city this week. Billed as the “World’s Biggest Country Music Festival,” Fan Fair will once again be held downtown, making not just the major label showcases at the Gaylord Entertainment Center and the Adelphia Coliseum more accessible to locals, but the rough-cut country played in the honky-tonks on Lower Broad more inviting to tourists. The Country Music Association and the record labels on the Row do a bang-up job of promoting official events. But among the worthy, lesser-known shows this weekend are free matinee performances at the Country Music Hall of Fame, notably the good-time honky-tonk of Trent Summar and the New Row Mob on Friday at 5:30 p.m., and the Dolly-inspired twang of Opry sweetheart Elizabeth Cook on Saturday at 3:15 p.m. Also not to be missed is the Webb Pierce Tribute Concert from 2-4 p.m. at Opry Mills on Saturday. The incredible, alt-leaning lineup that organizer Gail Davies has pulled together for the event includes Dale Watson, Chuck Mead, Rosie Flores, Kevin Welch, Robbie Fulks, Joy Lynn White, Mandy Barnett, Daryle Singletary, Opry star Billy Walker and a handful of others. One final show that isn’t likely to get hyped as much as Kenny Chesney’s or SheDaisy’s this week is the 5th Annual Urban Country Music Showcase, sponsored by Frankie Staton and the Black Country Music Association. This year’s event, which takes place 6 p.m. June 12 at Douglas Corner Cafe, features Valierie Ellis, a radiant, bell-toned singer à la Suzy Bogguss, and Dwight Quick, an Outlaw-inspired singer-songwriter who’s drawn comparisons to firebrand Billy Joe Shaver. Fork over the $10 cover charge, and you’ll be doing more to support African Americans in country music than anyone on Music Row.
Picks by Todd Anderson, Martin Brady, Chris Davis, Jonathan Flax, Bill Friskics-Warren, Paul Griffith, Jonathan Marx, Margaret Renkl, Jim Ridley, Jack Silverman, Angela Wibking and Ron Wynn.
Thursday, 13th
The Melvins The Melvins have spent nearly two decades creating a subgenre of aggressive stoner rock that ranges from short, melodic, KISS-influenced songs to expansive, ambient, bass-heavy dirges framed by the lockstep brutality of Dale Crover’s drumming, King Buzzo’s ridiculously sustained guitar and, since 1998, bassist Kevin Rutmanis’ dissonant punctuality. The group’s longevity is surpassed only by the level of invention they invest in what may seem to some a tired genre. Head to Exit/In early; this show will likely sell out.
—C.D.
Sandman, “Montana’s Rappin’ Cowboy” It’s been a while since the Sandman’s been seen around these parts. He was one-third of The Workhorses of Yesteryear, a group with Southern roots who moved here from Olympia, Wash. The Workhorses blended old-school rap (think parachute pants) with laid-back country-tinged music. The result was organic and loose and went perfectly with the trio’s warm-hearted vocals. Solo, Sandman is more rap than country, but there’s still a twang in his relaxed flow. His humorous songs touch on the important things in life, such as trucks, break dancing and tornadoes. When Sandman moved back to Olympia, the other Workhorses joined Rebecca Stout’s group Baby Stout. We wouldn’t be surprised if they joined Sandman onstage at Bongo After Hours Theatre.
—T.A.
Freedy Johnston The last time Johnston was in town, his midweek acoustic performance at 12th & Porter was pitted against fellow critics’ darlings Grant Lee Phillips (at the Belcourt) and former Pavement front man Steven Malkmus (at 328 Performance Hall). Whether due to the poor turnout or not, Johnston had a minor meltdown, verbally sparring with his audience, stopping mid-song for a five-minute time-out and staring down an overly cacophonous cash register as though it were out to get him. Was it weird. Still, Johnston is without question one of the most literate American songwriters to emerge in the last 10 years, and his latest stop in Nashville, once again acoustic and once again at 12th & Porter, should be worth seeing. The equally evocative and yearning Matthew Ryan opens.
—J.F.
Friday, 14th
The Sways This duo of Nashville transplants—singer Carey Kotsionis and guitarist Adam Landry—make rootsy, melodic pop that’ll put you in mind of what Marti Jones and Don Dixon were doing around the time Jones’ luminous Unsophisticated Time came out. The main difference is that The Sways draw on ragtime music and the blues as well, resulting in a sound that’s also akin to that of Bonnie Raitt circa Give It Up, or any number of tracks Lucinda Williams has recorded over the years. The Sways are more than just the sum of their influences, though. Produced by John Keaney and Michael Corbett, the duo’s debut, Hard Candy, is an unassuming little wonder consisting entirely of smart, deeply felt originals, most of which Kotsionis and Landry no doubt will perform when they play an 8 p.m. in-store at Turtle’s Music on West End.
—B.F.W.
Lee Roy Parnell Parnell’s sometimes defiant, sometimes understated mix of soul, blues, country and rock has never been more convincing than on his latest album, Tell the Truth. While having guests like Delbert McClinton, Keb’ Mo’ and Bonnie Bramlett doesn’t hurt either, Parnell’s earnest vocals and outstanding guitar work also punctuate the songs, making it both his finest all-around date and the first one to show his full range as a performer. Parnell’s eclecticism is even more evident in live performance. He’ll be appearing 2-4 p.m. at Tower Records in the Nashville Convention Center. Also appearing are country singers Steve Azar (10-11:30 a.m.) and Cyndi Thomson (noon-1:30 p.m.).
—R.W.
Queen of Hearts On last year’s eponymous album, April Amick, Ellen Britton, BethAnne Clayton and Helen Lewis Moore attempted that most daunting musical feat—a four-way, singer-songwriter democracy. Each woman contributes lead vocals, harmony vocals and writes an equal share of the record’s material. Their voices blend seamlessly, and it’s evident they take pleasure in contributing to the greater sum of the parts. If you’re a fan of pop- and blues-inflected country laced with four-part harmonies, check out their 6:30 p.m. set at the Bluebird Cafe.
—J.S.
Friday, 14th-Saturday, 15th
Rosie Flores Rockabilly maven Flores’ latest record, Speed of Sound, exposed the Texas-born, SoCal-bred Nashvillian’s introspective side. Long famous for amped-up traditional grooves and a glorious guitar tone, Flores’ vulnerable performance on the album’s title track put the focus squarely on her gifts as a songwriter. Flores will further indulge this intimate side when she sheds her backing band to record a solo acoustic album during a two-night stand at Douglas Corner. P.G.
Saturday, 15th
The Glorious Return of the Fucks/Spike and Mallets Performing with the F Particles and Rev. Collin Wade Monk’s Bongo Fury as a Murfreesboro teen during the late ’80s, drummer Sam Baker amazed musicians twice his age. Now playing atmospheric chamber country with Lambchop and jazz with Roland Gresham, Baker remains a link between the rival Murfreesboro and Nashville music scenes. Baker is all over the new CD by the ’Boro’s Spike and Mallets, Peep Jr., a collection of frequently sinister pop stompers and ballads held together by Seth Timbs’ rollicking piano and Jeff Keeran’s artlessly growled vocals. Baker plays with the group at Guido’s New York Pizzeria and corrals some of his bandmates for The Glorious Return, which features photographer and ’Boro scene chronicler Rick Hawkins on an instrumental switch-off à la the Replacements’ “Hootenanny”—only without the drunken sloppiness.
—J.R.
Robert Bradley’s BlackWater Surprise Bradley’s soaring, anguished voice is always inspiring, no matter the musical setting. He grew up in Alabama listening to late-night R&B on WLAC and hard-core country during the day, and these are the two strains of music that can most often be heard in his delivery. Bradley’s band know not only how to follow his lead, but also how to nudge, cajole and spur him on to new heights with their playing. They play at 3rd & Lindsley Bar & Grill.
—R.W.
Dirt Bike Annie This charming foursome from Jersey City trade in visceral bliss-pop with a decidedly indie bent. With a keen sense of melody, driving post-punk grooves and an intermittently choreographed live show (kicks, sways and knee drops are the band’s “visual hooks”), these NYU alums recall both Blue Album-era Weezer and mid-career Pixies. Sugary, two-part harmonies and requisite walls of guitar, courtesy of Adam Rabuck and the infectious Jeanie Lee, spark high-energy songs like “What’s Happening, Hot Stuff?” and “Tango Tangle.” Definitely not for the jaded, the feel-good indie band of the summer play at The End.
—J.F.
Kid Rock He was brilliant in Joe Dirt, and Tennessean music writer Peter Cooper says he’s like half the kids he grew up with in rural South Carolina—which means he’s the real deal. Plus, he’s married to Pamela Anderson, the fashion equivalent of Pro Tools. And wasn’t his performance of “The F Word’” with Hank Jr. on the ACM Awards the only reason to watch that xenophobia fest? OK, so he’s not so talented, but he’s got balls like church bells and he’s obviously not taking himself too seriously. So c’mon y’all, let’s turn out for the guy when he plays AmSouth Amphitheatre. P.G.
Peaceful Knievel We’re still going to have to wait a while for the much anticipated grand opening of The Mercy Lounge, but this week, owners Chark Kinsolving, Brent Woodard and David Gehrke are planning on taking their Cannery Row club for a little test drive. As a special event, the Manhattan-based rock ’n’ soul super-group Peaceful Knievel will be christening The Mercy’s newly remodeled stage. PK consist of vocalist Mike Ferris of the Screaming Cheetah Wheelies, along with an eclectic group of New York session pros including drummer Charley Drayton (Keith Richards, Bob Dylan), bassist Andy Hess (Government Mule, Black Crowes), keyboardist George Laks (Lenny Kravitz, Prince) and guitarist Audley Freed (Black Crowes, Lions). Local faves Highwater will open. The Mercy Lounge is located at 1 Cannery Row, which is just off Eighth Avenue South, one block north of Division St.
—P.G.
Sunday, 16th
The Strugglers Slap on a copy of Done By the Strugglers, the debut disc from Randy Bickford’s bedroom recording project, and comparisons to Palace’s Will Oldham are likely to come to mind. But keep listening, and Bickford’s music gets more interesting as the CD progresses; sure, he turns out his share of bare-bones, down-tempo, lo-fi songs, but woven throughout are some pleasingly jangly guitar riffs and a weary late-night vibe that recalls Syd Barrett’s more stripped-down moments. Better production would surely make The Strugglers’ songs stand out more—and help distinguish them from the likes of Oldham and The Mountain Goats’ John Darnielle—but failing that, the live setting of Springwater on a sad, smoky Sunday night will do.
—J.M.
April Barrows Singer April Barrows once played bass in a country band, so she’s got both extensive musical knowledge and a highly distinctive vocal style. Barrows sings jazz, pop, folk and country with equal passion, and her band includes a new face in the splendid bassist-vocalist Jim Ferguson, as well as excellent saxophonist Denis Solee and first-rate drummer Tommy Giampietro. Barrows returns to F. Scott’s for a Sunday night engagement.
—R.W.
Moe Denham Quartet & Annie Sellick/The Dan Dowling Quartet Here’s a summit meeting of highly popular area jazz and blues regulars. Organist Moe Denham once backed the great Ray Charles, but in recent years has become known as Nashville’s hottest soloist on the Hammond B-3. No singer in any genre works harder or puts on a more energetic show than Annie Sellick, who will be the night’s featured vocalist. Guitarist Dan Dowling and his quartet will open. This is the third installment in this year’s Tennessee Jazz & Blues Society summer concert series. Things begin at 6 p.m. at the Belle Meade Plantation. (Vocalist Sellick will also perform a set Saturday night at Cafe 123.)
—R.W.
Monday, 17th
Richard Thompson His delivery can be downright gloomy, but at its best, Thompson’s voice betrays a richness and confidence that complements his more obvious strengths: virtuoso guitar multi-tasking, droll wit and the ironic distance of a short story writer. With a career that spans five decades, it’s last year’s Action Packed: The Best of the Capitol Years that offers the best introduction to the wistful Brit, featuring a wealth of ’90s-era signposts like the finger-picked “1952 Vincent Black Lightning,” the rollicking “I Feel So Good” and that rare radio staple for Thompson, “I Misunderstood.” Expect these and more at what will likely be a sold-out show at 12th & Porter.
—J.F.
Rockin’ Jake Wailing, blazing harmonica licks are usually associated with Chicago or West Coast blues, but Rockin’ Jake has been propelling Crescent City ensembles since the ’80s, when he relocated to New Orleans from the East Coast. His list of associates includes Maria Muldaur, Mem Shannon and Coco Robichaux, while his sprawling harp lines have been heard in projects ranging from The Big Easy television show on the USA network to a Miller beer commercial. The winner of this year’s Best Harmonica Player award at Offbeat magazine’s Music Industry Ceremonies, Jake brings his fiery act to Bourbon Street Blues & Boogie Bar.
—R.W.
Monday, 17th-Tuesday, 18th
The Junedogs On their self-titled debut, The Junedogs display a knack for thoughtful, no-frills, cynicism-free rock ’n’ roll. Lead singer, guitarist and primary songwriter Simon Elsworth has a heart-on-sleeve vulnerability that suggests what Rick Danko might have sounded like fronting a new-millennium roots-rock trio. Drummer Steve Emahiser and bassist Will Mandell keep the proceedings on solid ground, and Mandell adds a couple of soulful, laid-back vocal contributions. Check out the ’Dogs on Monday as they participate in the “Bands on Ice” competition at 3rd & Lindsley, and then see them Tuesday when they do a full set at Springwater.
—J.S.
Tuesday, 18th
The Scorpions/Dio/Deep Purple This amazing package tour is a metalhead’s wet dream without the muss and fuss. Dio opens the show in support of his latest album, Killing the Dragon, and will likely unsheath his sword to flay a terrible lizard onstage. The Scorpions have been together nearly 40 years and during that time their sound has changed from Seeds-inspired beat rock to prog rock to the commercial hard rock and Glasnost-era activism for which they are best known today. There’s no one like them. Co-headlining the metallic Renaissance Fest will be Deep Purple, one of the most underrated hard rock bands around. If you have doubts, check out Fireball and Made in Japan. And since members of Dio’s band and Deep Purple played together in both Rainbow and Black Sabbath, impromptu reunions could very well take place. Don’t be last in line at AmSouth Amphitheatre.
—C.D.
Mem Shannon Until 1995, singer-guitarist Mem Shannon had never ventured outside New Orleans; he was also just as famous for driving a taxi as for playing dates on Bourbon Street. Since then, however, Shannon’s cascading voice, penchant for militant social statements and exciting playing have earned him a sizable and still growing audience in the blues world. Shannon once was part of Rockin’ Jake’s band (see separate Monday listing, above), but is now heading his own group and getting widespread raves for his latest album, Memphis in the Morning. He’ll be appearing at Bourbon Street Blues & Boogie Bar.
—R.W.
Wednesday, 19th
The Naysayer The duo of Anna Padgett and Cynthia Nelson began as something of a lark. Padgett’s guitar skills were rudimentary, and Nelson, formerly a guitarist in Ruby Falls and Retsin, decided to play drums even though she’d never really played them before. Listen to The Naysayer’s second CD, Heaven, Hell, or Houston, and it’s apparent they know how to play just fine. But their music has an honesty and warmth that can only come from people playing for the sheer joy of expression. So even though Padgett’s songs are frequently downbeat and full of melancholy urgency, they’re given sweetness and delicate life by the duo’s lovely harmonies and the spare, evocative instrumentation. At times, The Naysayer’s hypnotically repetitive guitar lines recall Unrest, while a dusky country feel settles in toward the end. But Heaven, Hell, or Houston is a lovely thing very much of their own making. They play Guido’s with Ole Mossy Face and Spiritual Family Reunion, two local acts who should complement them well.
—J.M.
Anson Funderburgh & The Rockets w/Sam Myers They’ve won so many Handy awards and become such an established part of the contemporary blues scene that many fans aren’t aware of how much Funderburgh & the Rockets have had to do with keeping the blues alive among younger audiences. Indeed, modern blues history was made in 1982, when Funderburgh, a dazzling guitarist, met Myers at a little club in Jackson, Miss. Myers, an explosive, often incredible vocalist who once sang alongside Elmore James, gave the Rockets a vocal front-liner to match the musical energy Funderburgh’s band had always generated. Two decades later, the Rockets, featuring both Funderburgh and Myers, remain a band who are not to be missed. They’ll return to Bourbon Street Blues & Boogie Bar.
—R.W.
Evening of Botanical Jazz Cheekwood’s not normally a place one would associate with intimate jazz, but that all changes this week, thanks to the vibrant music of Laurie Wheeler and Nash d’Ville. They’ll be the inaugural performers for what should be an interesting new series of musical events at Cheekwood Botanical Garden & Museum of Art. The show starts at 7 p.m.
—R.W.
Film
California Split If you’ve skipped the Belcourt’s retrospective of Robert Altman’s astounding early-1970s peak, you’ve missed the best movies in town for two weeks running—and in sterling 35 mm prints, no less. Make up for lost time with this 1974 comedy-drama, considered Altman’s lost masterpiece and unavailable on video. George Segal and Elliott Gould play gambling junkies who drift into the seamy subculture of compulsive poker players; the movie is heavy on lingo, atmosphere, character and Altman’s customarily dense comic dialogue. It opens Friday for a week’s run; see the review in our Movie Guide, along with reviews of Bad Company, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood and more.
—J.R.
Wendigo The wild trailer for Larry Fessenden’s hallucinatory horror movie has been knocking people out for weeks. Erik Per Sullivan (Malcolm in the Middle’s Dewey) plays a boy whose family encounters terrors both human and inhuman after striking a deer in wintry wilderness. (If nothing else, the movie should cure your hankering for venison.) The cast includes the underappreciated Patricia Clarkson (Six Feet Under)—and damn if the trailer doesn’t stiffen the hairs on the back of your neck. Described as equal parts Blair Witch and Deliverance, the movie starts Friday.
—J.R.
Windtalkers John Woo’s World War II epic addresses a once suppressed chapter of military history: the use of Navajo soldiers as code carriers, made possible by their oral tradition and mnemonic capacity. Nicolas Cage and Christian Slater play sergeants dispatched to protect the Navajo “windtalkers”—and to kill them if they fall into enemy hands. The movie starts Friday, along with Matt Damon in The Bourne Identity and Scooby-Doo.
—J.R.
Dogtown and Z-Boys Champion skateboarder Stacy Peralta directed this documentary about the legendary Zephyr Team of the 1970s, who turned skate-surfing in drained swimming pools into a cultural phenomenon. The acclaimed documentary opens Friday at Green Hills.
—J.R.
Theater
Torch Song Trilogy Boy meets boy. Boy gets boy. Boy loses boy. Boy meets another boy. So it goes in Harvey Fierstein’s very original story about a drag queen who strives to find his/her own form of white-picket-fence happiness in an otherwise rather alien world. (Rita Kempley of The Washington Post called it “La Cage aux Folles with mood swings.”) Fierstein, Anne Bancroft and Matthew Broderick starred in the acclaimed 1988 film version of the play, which is due for a local mounting by Joel Meriwether’s newly energized Razors Edge Productions, June 14-30 at the Darkhorse Theater. In the lead role of Arnold Beckoff is actor Mark Middleton, who is better known as Bianca Paige, Nashville’s premier professional female impersonator. Others in the cast include Sher Bach, Jeff Strickland, Michael Papaleo, Michael Hughes and Christi Goins. Jaz Dorsey directs the proceedings, with an assist from co-directors Daniel Warner and Goins. The production also features three original songs by New York cabaret and theater composer/lyricist Francesca Blumenthal. Show sponsors include PFLAG and Nashville CARES.
—M.B.
Comedy
The Patron Saints/Tri-Color Shag Bongo After Hours Theatre is going comedy-side big-time for the next three weeks. June 14, 21 and 28, Nashville’s newest improv group, The Patron Saints, take to Ken Bernstein’s intimate coffeehouse stage. The cast of Jeremy Payne, Zhubin Parang, Chris Provan and Sara Moore offer traditional short-form improv games and utilize audience suggestions to craft scenes chock-full of passion and biting wit. Relatively new to the Nashville theater community, all four performers have had extensive experience in comedy, and have been collaborating with one another for the past three years. The Patron Saints proudly sport a PG rating, and families are encouraged to attend. Show time is 10 p.m. On June 18 and July 2, at 7:30 p.m., Tri-Color Shag will bring their unique blend of sketch comedy, multimedia effects and improv to the Bongo venue. Led by the unequivocally gifted Dana Fischer, Tri-Color Shag have been a legit comic force in Nashville for a few years, and are now back in harness after a somewhat lengthy hiatus. Fischer’s character work alone is worth the price of admission.
—M.B.
Art
Frist Center Get intimate with Indian art as a Frist Center educator leads a gallery discussion on the exhibition “Intimate Worlds: Masterpieces of Indian Painting,” 6 p.m. June 13. A guided tour with an expert should enhance appreciation and understanding of the show, which features exquisite but obscure (to most Westerners) depictions of ancient religious traditions and 16th to 18th century royal court life.
—A.W.
Cheekwood Mark Hosford is the newest addition to Vanderbilt’s Fine Arts Department, teaching courses in drawing, printmaking and digital art. But Hosford doesn’t just teach art; he creates it too. His works have been shown throughout the U.S. and were featured in the faculty show at Vanderbilt Fine Arts Gallery in the spring, but this is his first solo exhibition in Nashville. Hosford creates a cast of offbeat cartoonish characters and places them in strange, often macabre situations in his drawings, prints and animated short films. Meet the artist at the opening reception for “Sugar Boy and Other Delights,” the latest installment in Cheekwood’s “Temporary Contemporary” series, 6-8 p.m. June 14.
—A.W.
Reading & Writing
Kyle Spencer “An exaggerated memoir,” She’s Gone Country: Dispatches From a Lost Soul in the Heart of Dixie is partly a dry-witted account of Spencer’s bizarre assignments as a cub reporter for the Raleigh News and Observer, partly a thoughtful look back at her totally dysfunctional upbringing among the liberal avant-garde in lower Manhattan, and partly an unabashed memoir of her attempts to hook up with some version of a Southern hunk, preferably a cop, forest ranger or tobacco farmer. Spencer’s Nashville reading will emphasize the man-hunting aspects of her light-but-not-to-be-dismissed-as-only-light-reading book: Female readers are invited to bring their worst breakup stories (the one that garners the most groans will win a prize), pig out on chocolate and listen as Spencer reads the juiciest tidbits from her own failed efforts at romance. Shared heartbreak (in its humorous form only), lots of chocolate and Spencer’s memoir can be had at Davis-Kidd Booksellers, 6:30 p.m. June 14.
—M.R.
Karla Drenner An unusual combination of spiritual testimony and gay memoir, Karla Drenner’s One: A True Story of Politics, Prayer, and the Power of One (co-written with Nashvillian Paul D. Clere) is also a political rags-to-riches story about how a young, openly gay woman in Atlanta managed to get elected to the Georgia General Assembly from a historically conservative district. Despite hostility from the good ol’ boys and outright discrimination by her fellow Christians in the state house, Drenner persists, and her book is an argument for why ordinary citizens really ought to bother with local politics. Drenner reads at Davis-Kidd Booksellers on June 17 at 6 p.m.
—M.R.
Events
American Artisan Festival Each year for more than three decades, Nancy Saturn, owner of American Artisan gallery on Harding Road, has handpicked the best craft artists from around the country to take up residence in Centennial Park for one weekend in June. This year is no different, as 160 of Saturn’s favorite artists converge on the park June 14-16. Expect to see a mind-boggling array of custom-made furniture, blown-glass vases, forged metal garden bells, raku pottery, sweetgrass baskets, quilted jackets, hand-painted silk scarves, silver and semiprecious stone jewelry and more. Besides shopping the weekend away (Father’s Day is coming, after all), you can also have fun with the kids at the free art activities tent, listen to live music and dine on everything from gelato to barbecue.
—A.W.
