If you’ve seen a group of people gathered in front of East Side all-ages space Drkmttr recently, it’s not for a punk, metal, hip-hop, dance music or indie-rock show. Since its launch in 2015, Drkmttr has been a creative force in the community — hosting music, movies, art and even game nights. But the COVID-19 shutdown caused co-owners Kathryn Edwards, Chappy Hull and Olivia Scibelli to rethink their role in the community. In a bid to make the world a better place beyond their usual sphere of influence, they’ve hosted meetings for political activist groups like Teens for Equality and an event for progressive congressional candidate Keeda Haynes. Edwards launched a Drkmttr podcast through Michael Eades’ We Own This Town network. And the venue’s team is currently planning a virtual music fest in partnership with Queen Ave Collective. They will soon be renovating the former kitchen into a community classroom and meeting area, providing space for new outreach efforts. Also, Drkmttr is now home of The Nashville Free Store, an organization that provides food, school supplies, toiletries and more to anyone in need, no questions asked.
While these seem like enormous undertakings — and they certainly are — the broader family that surrounds the arts space has supported these efforts via Patreon, GoFundMe, food donations and volunteer work. Even when the needs of Nashvillians change dramatically, as in a pandemic, the do-it-together spirit that powers spaces like Drkmttr rises to the occasion. P.J. KINZER
