There’s magic in Melanie MacLaren’s stories; her songwriting is full of tales of endless feelings, the inevitability of death and her idea of the heaven that might follow. MacLaren’s writing is precise and fierce, with lyrics like “’Cause every time I write a song / It lives, but it don’t live long / Just hangs around forever / Even though the life I gave it is all gone” painting a feeling that sticks with listeners long after the song is over. The songsmith is a hidden gem in the songwriting scene in Nashville, and dare I say one of my favorite writers out there. MacLaren’s sharp word choices and lived-in storytelling intertwine almost cosmically with her soft yet commanding vocals. Co-headlining the night is Nic Fair, an artist whose hushed voice delivers narratives of gardens, groceries and growing as life gets tough and harder to navigate. He uses imaginative imagery to his advantage, like in his newly released track “Rearview” that breathes moments of first-love nostalgia. Lyrics like “Friday night in the GA pit / With your Liquid Death / And your neon wrist in the spotlight” offer a sentimental feeling of distinct memories that fade alongside old love. Both artists are phenomenal lyricists, writing songs full of emotional truth.
7 p.m. at The Underdog
3208 Gallatin Pike
