—D.B.
“I’m a taildragger from Greenville, Mississippi,” T-Model Ford cheerily describes himself at the beginning of Bad Man, his latest CD. “I’m the boss of the blues,” he continues, “can’t read, can’t write, ain’t never been to school a day in my life,” and then launches into the droning, hypnotically sexual rhythms of “Ask Her for Water.” This week, Nashvillians will have the chance to experience both Ford’s affable charisma and the genuine aura of danger he brings to songs like the title track and “Backdoor Man.” (Not only has he been shot, stabbed and poisoned, but his ankles still bear the scars of chain gang shackles.) Fat Possum will be taping Ford’s performance at Slow Bar in hopes of putting together a CD of live tracks. He shares the bill with Robert Belfour, who, at 63, is a good 15 years younger and didn’t record his first album, What’s Wrong With You, till 2000. Self-taught, Belfour grew up as steeped in the northern hill country’s variety of blues as Fred McDowell and Junior Kimbrough. What distinguishes Belfour is the lyricism and subtlety of his work, which often sounds more suited to solitary settings than to crowded, electrified juke joints. Perhaps a little louder than his debut, the singer’s new album, Pushin’ My Luck, features drums on more than one track but continues to favor the solo acoustic guitar. Thus his characteristic sound remains difficult to distinguish, in a blindfold test, from vintage blues records of the ’20s and ’30s.
This week’s picks by Todd Anderson, Diann Blakely, Martin Brady, Chris Davis, Steve Erickson, Jonathan Flax, Bill Friskics-Warren, Paul Griffith, Heather Johnson, Bill Levine, Steve Morley, Jim Ridley, Joshua H. Rothkopf, Jack Silverman, Jason Shawhan, Jon Weisberger, Angela Wibking and Ron Wynn.
Music
Thursday, 8th
Tony Trischka/Bela Fleck When Fleck reunites with his sometime mentor Trischka, the usual genre-bending, quirky time signatures, layered melodic lines and improvisational madness that either of these jazzgrass banjo players works up with his main group should be running at double speed. Far from the spirit or style of an Earl Scruggs-type breakdown, the two East Coast-born banjoists won’t be dueling with each other so much as interweaving and stretching the jazz-, rock-, folk- and blues-inflected voices of their instrument.
—B.L.
Dierks Bentley Given the O Brother phenomenon’s apparent transience, the signing of Bentley to Capitol Nashville looks like a cynical attempt to cash in on the roots music craze—one that’s too little, too late. Still, the mega-label deserves credit for including The Del McCoury Band and steel guitarist John Hughey in its plan for world domination. Bentley and his band play at The Station Inn.
—P.G.
Shanti Groove Like heavy metal, bluegrass can be a showcase for extended displays of speed and virtuosity—and for pointless wanking. Though they’re a jam band, Shanti Groove do more than ape the acoustic side of the Grateful Dead; their rock-inflected version of bluegrass is concise and well-structured, avoiding the perils of aimless jamming, even if it doesn’t quite live up to the second part of their name. They play at Windows on the Cumberland with The Volunteer String Band.
—S.E.
Dodd Ferrelle & The Tinfoil Stars Ferrelle and company play country-tinged rock that might lean toward Southern rock were it not for their penchant for simplicity and directness. Witness a song like “Too Bad You,” which evokes the swooning country of Chris Isaak with a genuine Southern accent. The Athens, Ga., band play The Family Wash.
—T.A.
Friday, 9th
Jammin’ to Beat the Blues Benefit The annual fundraiser for the Mental Health Association of Middle Tennessee just seems to get bigger and better. Headlining this year’s show, which takes place at the Ryman Auditorium, is country singer Lee Ann Womack, whose “I Hope You Dance” was arguably country music’s finest evocation of the proverbial dark and sunny sides of life since The Carter Family recorded “Keep On the Sunny Side” in 1928. The proceedings also include perennial supporter John Cowan and his band, as well as the kindhearted likes of The Wilkinsons, Bruce Channel, Jilla Roberts, Amy Chappell, The Coal Men, and Danny Flowers & The House Band. Tickets for the show, which begins at 6 p.m., are $29.50.
—B.F-W.
Venus Hum Those cynical about the Nashville pop scene’s ability to produce a bona fide hit are overlooking this local trio, whose thumping club track, “Montana,” is huge in the UK and currently at No. 7 on the Billboard Dance Singles chart. Venus Hum appear at the Exit/In, with an in-store performance 5:30 p.m. at Tower Records on West End. See the story on page 39.
—P.G.
The Trouble With Sweeney A writer for Philadelphia Weekly and a former member of The Barnabys, frontman Joey Sweeney unloads his problems—and those of museum shop clerks, identical twins and other hetero and bisexual lovers—on I Know You Destroy, his band’s second full length. The album has the personality of the Violent Femmes, the punch of Pavement and the retro jubilance of The Plimsouls. The Trouble With Sweeney work out their issues at Springwater.
—H.J.
Lost Generation/Mattoid Lost Generation are an unstoppable live act, due in large part to Yugoslavian vocalist R. Curic’s refusal to tone down the dramatic intensity of stage moves he perfected in arenas across Eastern Europe. The ankle-deep introspection revealed in crowd sing-alongs like “We are Fucked Up” guarantees a good time. Lost Generation are aptly matched at Guido’s NY Pizzeria with Mattoid, who play unhinged Velvets-inspired pop.
—C.D.
Nashville Underground Nashville Underground, the label founded by country-turned-soul singer Lari White and her husband, songwriter Chuck Cannon, celebrates the release of its third sampler, which features an all-female cast of chart-topping songwriters performing their breadwinners (“I Hope You Dance,” “Independence Day,” “This Kiss”) and a few obscure numbers. Several of the artists from Vol. 3 take to the Bluebird Cafe as part of a monthlong series.
—H.J.
Puckett’s After Hours Andy and Jan Marshall’s cozy Leiper’s Fork dining spot features gourmet food and a relaxed atmosphere in which to hear first-rate Nashville talent. Friday’s interesting lineup includes singer-songwriter Michael Peterson; his co-writing pal Gene Pistilli (formerly of Manhattan Transfer), who showcases his passion for Western swing on his new CD The Hoboken Saddletramp; and D. Vincent Williams, who has written songs performed by Diamond Rio and others. The entertainment begins after the tables have been cleared at 8 p.m. For reservations, phone 791-6484.
—M.B.
Jim Ferguson A prodigious bassist, equally gifted at accompaniment or soloing, Ferguson is also a warm, inviting vocalist whose delivery and phrasing reflect the intimate approach of Chet Baker and the natural swing of Frank Sinatra. Unfortunately, he’s another gifted player unable to interest domestic labels in recording his music, so he’s known largely overseas and to hardcore stateside jazz fans. Ferguson plays The Loft at Princeton’s Grille in Franklin.
—R.W.
Heather Lawson Band A repeat performer at the prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival, Lawson is a little-known local treasure whose powerhouse vocals are among the most moving you’ll find anywhere. Written by her husband Kevin, Lawson’s material is adult-oriented rock with fist-in-your-face hooks and lyrics that search for answers to thorny questions about life, love and spirituality. Lawson and her band play at the LightHouse.
—S.M.
Apollo Up/Blue Epic Blue Epic’s airy vocals and delicate but overdriven guitars pitch the listener back to the halcyon days of early ’90s Britpop. Although their Americanness shines through and occasionally interrupts the fantasy, it’s still easy to get caught up in their dramatic, soaring choruses. Apollo Up, by contrast, play technical rock that pretends to be dumb; their complex, interwoven guitar and bass riffs ride over massive drums and deliver math rock without the usual headaches and dissatisfaction. Good People and Andy Bodean & The Bottom Boys round out the bill at the Slow Bar.
—T.A.
Saturday, 10th
Varla Jean Merman Trained operatically and a veteran of several national performances and one-person shows, Merman—known to fans of All My Children as Rosemary Chicken—brings her inimitable style and powerful voice to Tribe for shows at 8 and 10 p.m. Merman’s monologues and songs are smart, saucy and a reliable cure for depression and malaise; for over a decade, she’s been keeping the transgression, glam and immediacy of classic drag alive and well. Tickets are $10 and available at Tribe; expect some hearty laughs and a deft blend of highbrow and lowbrow humor.
—J.S.
Andrea Zonn Though she can be sassy, fiddler and vocalist Zonn—one of Music City’s most engaging and talented musicians—goes mostly for sweet and thoughtful on her new solo CD, Love Goes On, made with a long list of equally talented friends. She’ll premiere the lovely “In My Own Backyard,” a duet with longtime employer Vince Gill, when the latter hosts the Opry’s televised portion at 7 p.m.
—J.W.
Sunday, 11th
Johnny Marr + The Healers Perhaps unparalleled in his influence over the last two decades of Brit-pop, former Smiths guitarist Marr hasn’t lost his distinctive jangle, his rhythmic prowess or his propensity to reinvent himself. To wit: He sings now. After post-Smiths outings with The The, Electronic and others, Marr has finally released a solo album, Boomslang, which features his detached, no-frills vocals in swirls of guitar. He appears at 3rd & Lindsley with his band The Healers, who include Ringo Starr’s son Zak Starkey on drums and Kula Shaker’s Alonza Bevan on bass.
—J.F.
Nothingface/Hotwire An outrage-metal quartet from D.C., Nothingface combine shifting, frantic melodies with unflinching cultural commentary. Whether taking on abusive priests, corporate greed or U.S. policies in the Middle East, singer Matt Holt’s vitriolic growl can make even the most complacent of us fear for our souls. Less political, but just as ferociously melodic, Hotwire draw much of their angst from the vaguely hostile blandness of their suburban L.A. home base. 12v Negative Earth and Legion round out this fierce bill at Exit/In.
—P.G.
Monday, 12th
Nashville Jazz Orchestra Though they do more campus gigs than outside dates, this all-star aggregation includes several of the area’s best improvisers, among them MTSU jazz professor and tenor titan Don Aliquo and bassist Jim Ferguson. Presented by the Tennessee Jazz & Blues Society, the show takes place at Café 123, one of the few local clubs that regularly provides a venue for live jazz.
—R.W.
Wednesday, 14th
Daniel Lanois The sonic architect for albums by U2, Bob Dylan, Peter Gabriel and others, Lanois is a master of atmospherics whose solo work is an exercise in subtlety. In addition to being an arresting and understated vocalist, he’s a virtuoso pedal steel guitarist who applies the instrument to uncharacteristic but gorgeous settings. Because he tours so infrequently, his show at the Exit/In is a no-brainer for seekers of left-field yet honest artistry. See the item on p. 39.
—S.M.
Vic Chesnutt As Grant Alden noted in these pages a few weeks ago, there’s a reason people are interested in what this Southern miniaturist has to say some 10 albums into his career: His voice—compassionate, droll, cranky and life-affirming—still has the power to touch us. Chesnutt’s latest, Silver Lake, finds his meliorism and self-deprecating humor not just intact, but bolstered by the muscular pop-rock sheen of producer Mark Howard, who also worked on Lucinda Williams’ World Without Tears. One of the few active singer-songwriters with a voice as indelible as Williams’, Chesnutt plays 12th & Porter with Andrew Bird’s Bowl of Fire (see below).
—B.F-W.
Andrew Bird’s Bowl Of Fire Previewed on 2002’s live Fingerlings, as well as at a spate of solo stops in Nashville over the past year, the material on singer-violinist Bird’s latest collection, Weather Systems, moves further down the avant-pop road and away from his roots in the music of Kurt Weill and others. This is a good thing, seeing as how Bird’s haunting voice and worldview are so affecting on the new LP, especially under the light-handed production of Lambchop’s Mark Nevers. Bird appears at 12th & Porter, along with his collaborators in Bowl of Fire.
—J.F.
The Larry Keel Experience A champion flatpicker with a taste for extended jams, Keel has been cultivating a growing audience in his home state of Virginia and beyond. The Experience’s lineup typically includes his wife Jenny on bass and vocals, but otherwise draws from a broad circle of friends ranging from traditional mandolinist David Long to New Grass Revival founder Curtis Burch. Joining Keel and company at Jackson’s are the Guy Smiley Blues Exchange; the music starts 6 p.m., and it’s free.
—J.W.
Theater
Evita Many years before Madonna flopped in the 1996 movie version, this Tim Rice/Andrew Lloyd Webber musicalization of the life of Eva Peron won seven Tony Awards, toured nationally and spawned a hit song, “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina.” Tennessee Repertory Theatre concludes what has been a notable season with this big-cast blockbuster that features Kerri Jill Garbis as the Argentine First Lady, Johnny Fredo as Juan Peron and Bob Bartley as Che Guevara. David Grapes directs, Lynne Kurdziel-Formato choreographs, Gary C. Hoff supplies the set and Lane Fragomeli has designed what promises to be a spectacular array of costumes. Performances are May 14-25 at TPAC’s Polk Theater.
—M.B.
Bring in ’Da Noise, Bring in ’Da Funk Seven years ago, this exciting blend of dance, music, African history and poetry took Broadway by storm, earning four Tony Awards and eventually embarking on a lengthy national tour. It’s on the road again, and this restaging reunites its co-creators, director George C. Wolfe and tap dancer par excellence Savion Glover. Besides handling many choreographer gigs for theater and TV, Glover has since branched out into acting in feature films, most notably Spike Lee’s controversial Bamboozled. Bring in ’da Noise will have eight performances in TPAC’s Jackson Hall, May 13-18.
—M.B.
Chicago With the big Oscar-winning film still in circulation, Boiler Room Theatre musters up the courage to invite comparisons with this staging of the Kander-Ebb musical. Some familiar performing talent is on hand, including J. Dietz Osborne, Lauri Bright and Erin Parker, and musical director Jamey Green will try to work his magic at the keyboard with the jazzy score. The show opens May 9 in the Factory at Franklin and runs through June 7. For tickets, phone 794-7744.
—M.B.
Crazy for You This old-fashioned boy-meets-girl Gershwin musical features some of the great songwriting team’s best material, including “I Got Rhythm,” “Embraceable You” and “Someone to Watch Over Me.” Veteran director Terry McLemore puts a Circle Players cast through its singing and tap-dancing paces for a production that opens at TPAC’s Johnson Theater on May 9 and runs through June 1. The company is offering a Mother’s Day special too: Mom gets in free this Sunday.
—M.B.
Lo and Behold John Patrick writes light comedies that entertain dinner-theater audiences. Chaffin’s Barn Dinner Theatre has had success with previous Patrick efforts—e.g., A Bad Year for Tomatoes—and this dotty tale of a famous writer who can’t find the solitude he craves even in the afterlife should prove amusing to the fun- and family-oriented theater’s patrons. Marianne Clark directs a cast including Hank Gibson as the curmudgeonly Miles Alcott and the always effervescent Martha Wilkinson as his daffy housekeeper Daisy Durdle. Running May 13 to June 14 on the Barn’s mainstage.
—M.B.
Art
“Art Across America: Nashville” Fireman’s Fund, which insures a lot of art, has sponsored a special advertising section in this month’s Architectural Digest highlighting five Nashville galleries. Join the folks from Stanford Fine Art, Finer Things, Lyzon Gallery, Cumberland Gallery and Zeitgeist Gallery for a reception celebrating the magazine spread, 6-8 p.m. May 15 at Cumberland Gallery in Green Hills. Some of the artists featured in the section will be on hand to talk about their work. The event is free, but space is limited; RSVP by May 9 at (866) 689-2107.
—A.W.
Nashville Cultural Arts Project Shawne Brown spent a year hanging out at a decrepit industrial site in downtown Nashville, documenting it with his camera as it was transformed into the emerging cultural center known as Neuhoff. Brown’s richly colored, large-format prints of every corner of the vast complex are featured in a new show at Neuhoff presented by the center’s programming arm, the Nashville Cultural Arts Project. Join the photographer for the opening reception, 7-9 p.m. May 10.
—A.W.
Ruby Green Contemporary Art Center Welcome to the “Freak Show,” the latest exhibit at this always adventurous art space. The macabre, yet often arresting, visuals are from Atlanta artist Cecelia Kane, who incorporates video, installation, painting, photography, costuming, puppetry, sculpture and performance art into her shows. Ritual, humor, storytelling and obsession with record keeping are some of her other methods for self-discovery, and you’ll get a sense of that not only in the art, but also in her “Bus to Paradise,” a spoken-word performance with video that the artist presents as part of the opening reception, 7-9 p.m. May 9.
—A.W.
Centennial Park Art Center Most of us have never heard of the artists featured in Centennial Art Center’s “International Art Exhibition,” but many of them were established, respected artists in Iraq and other parts of the Middle East—until they fled oppression there to settle in Middle Tennessee. Get to know the art and the artists at the opening reception, 4-6 p.m. May 9.
—A.W.
Watkins College of Art & Design Creative Artists of Tennessee presents its first Muralystic Gala, a fundraising event for the nonprofit group’s Dare to Dream mentoring program, which uses art to reach and enrich at-risk kids. The inspirational mural painted by artist John T. Moore and kids in the Dare to Dream program will be unveiled at the event, which will also feature live entertainment from jazz musician John Birdsong. The gala is 6-8 p.m. May 8. For tickets, which are $25, call 292-2151.
—A.W.
Books & Lectures
Rob Trucks Cup of Coffee: The Very Short Careers of Eighteen Major League Pitchers, Rob Trucks’ collection of conversations with hurlers whose time in The Bigs lasted 50 innings or less, says as much about the nature of hard work, ambition and disappointment as it does about baseball. Surprisingly, this Coffee’s not bitter; most of these also-rans are extremely proud of their brief accomplishment, and the book’s recollections offer a lot more insight into life and the game than such heavily touted star treatments as A Hero’s Life, Ben Cramer’s biography of the miserable Joe DiMaggio. Rob Trucks signs his book before the Nashville Sounds game at Greer Stadium, 7 p.m. May 8.
—P.G.
John TeSelle As well as being active in Nashville’s historic preservationist movement, functionalist architect TeSelle is responsible for several of Middle Tennessee’s most efficient and elegant new structures. It’s appropriate, then, that the designer of both White House, Tenn.’s new Police Facility building and the Montgomery Bell State Park Inn should title his Parthenon Symposium Series lecture “Historic Buildings of the Future: Nashville’s Monuments to the 20th Century.” The lecture begins at 7 p.m., May 8 at the Parthenon in Centennial Park. It’s free, but reservations are required; call 862-8431.
—P.G.
Gregg Steinberg Austin Peay professor Steinberg’s MentalRules for Golf possesses everything one would expect to find in a self-help sports psychology book: “keep it simple” advice for players trying to clear their minds of distracting, negative or overly analytical baggage; an accessible mixture of anecdote, pep talks and hands-on instruction; and pearls of wisdom from Einstein, Gandhi, Thoreau, Ben Hogan and a host of other authorities on golf, self-knowledge, overcoming adversity and the pursuit of challenging goals. Steinberg will sign copies of his book, 6 p.m. May 8 at Davis Kidd and 7 p.m. May 9 at Borders on West End.
—B.L.
Events
Old House Fair Sponsored by Historic Nashville Inc., this one-day event focuses on all aspects of the purchase and rehabilitation of a historic home, no matter the size, shape or age. Exhibitors and workshop speakers will cover everything from finding a historic home and financing it, to locating the right designer, architect, contractor, craftspeople and materials to make your old house a home. Special presentations will address designing the historic modern kitchen and bath, converting attic spaces, repairing rope and sash windows and more. The fair is May 10 at Marathon Village, and admission is $5.
—A.W.
Eat Drink Shop at the Family Wash Hip yet unpretentious East Nashville eatery The Family Wash hosts a sale of original artwork, handmade jewelry, vintage clothing and more, 6 p.m. till close on Tuesday, May 13. Alluring roots-rocker Amelia White & her Blue Souvenirs provide entertainment, and the Wash turns out some of the best under-$10 meals you’ll find in these parts.
—J.S.
2003 Awear Fashion Show Forget about what the fashion designers are showing on the runways in Paris. No one we know can wear those things anyway. If, on the other hand, you’re interested in what the talented seniors at O’More College of Design think is haute couture this year, head to The Factory at Franklin on May 8 for this show of their latest designs. The models start strutting their stuff at 6:30 p.m., and proceeds benefit the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. For tickets, call 794-4254, ext. 47.
—A.W.
29th Annual Preservation Awards This is still a town where beautiful historic buildings are demolished to make way for parking, but thank heavens, some folks still want to exalt rather than deface old architecture. Find out who they are at this annual ceremony honoring excellence in renovation and preservation, 4:30 p.m. May 9 at the Main Public Library. A reception follows across the street at Nashville Civic Design Center.
—A.W.
An Evening Underwater View the stunning work of underwater photographers Rick Heydel, John Munro and Fred Garth at this event at Cool Springs Scuba Club. You can also bid on some of it and then hear the trio discuss their work, 7-9 p.m. May 9 at the Brentwood Library. A portion of proceeds benefit Tennessee Baptist Children’s Homes & the Comprehensive Care Center’s Women’s & Children’s Program.
—A.W.
Film
A Mighty Wind More lampooning of the painfully earnest from director Christopher Guest (Best in Show, Waiting for Guffman). This time, his subject is folk music—of the chipper, sweater-vested variety—and while it may be his easiest target to date, the satire is redeemed by Guest’s immensely talented troupe of regulars, including Spinal Tap’s Harry Shearer and Michael McKean reimagined as gentle balladeers with bald spots. Top honors go to Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara, supplying unexpected tenderness as a folk duo reunified after years of romantic estrangement. A Mighty Wind opens Friday at Green Hills.
—J.H.R.
All the Real Girls David Gordon Green’s odd, lyrical George Washington was among the most striking debut features of recent years. His second film again examines life in a sleepy South pitched between industrial decay and rural reclamation. Here he focuses on a small-town stud (GW’s Paul Schneider) who falls hard for a friend’s virginal sister (Zooey Deschanel). The movie opens Friday at Green Hills, along with Lawless Heart and He Love Me...He Loves Me Not. J.R.
Gerry As close as you’ll get to imbibing peyote at your movie-theater concession stand, Gus Van Sant’s heatstroke of a movie collapses character, incident and time itself as it follows two coddled slackers (Matt Damon and Casey Affleck) who get lost in the Arizona desert and succumb to the void. It’s likely to strike a lot of viewers as the most infuriating movie they’ve ever seen (if a movie at all). If you’ve ever wandered off a hiking trail, however, and discovered how terrifyingly thin our tethers to civilization are, this hypnotic, maddening movie won’t stay out of your head. The controversial film opens Friday at the Belcourt.
—J.R.
City of God As riveting a movie as you’re likely to see this year, Fernando Meirelles and Katia Lund’s arthouse blockbuster charts three decades of life in the notorious Rio de Janeiro favela known as the Cidade de Deus. Its cinematic kin are GoodFellas, Pulp Fiction and Boogie Nights—bad news, perhaps, for those who hold foreign films to some imagined standard of cultural purity, but a godsend to viewers who enjoy complex stories told with cinematic verve and structural ingenuity. Not to be missed, the movie returns to town Friday for a run at the Belcourt.
—J.R.
