Maren Morris
Aside from a wave of cancellations and postponements tied to the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in January, it feels like the live-entertainment world has been operating at full tilt this year. In Music City, the trend continues right through the fall. Among the hundreds of concerts and festivals you have to choose from, here are a baker’s dozen that caught our eye.
Sept. 16, 17, 23 and 30: Musicians Corner’s September Sundown at Centennial Park
Three weekends remain in the 2022 run of this excellent free concert series. Friday and Saturday’s installments are programmed in conjunction with AmericanaFest and feature talents like Lilli Lewis and Josh Rouse. Sept. 23, look out for stellar singer-songwriter Erin Rae and popsmith Julia Gomez, among others, and Sept. 30, catch superb R&B girl group The Shindellas, rockers Nordista Freeze, country singer Valerie Ponzio and more. A fall market is planned for Oct. 22 and 23; no word yet on whether there will be music.
Brandi Carlile
Sept. 24 and 25: Pilgrimage Music and Cultural Festival at The Park at Harlinsdale Farm
The family-friendly Franklin fest is back with outstanding singer-songwriters Chris Stapleton and Brandi Carlile topping the bill. Other standouts in the broad country-’grass-Americana spectrum include Brittney Spencer, Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway, and Rosie Flores. There’s plenty more to intrigue you, including New Orleans-born multihyphenate Jon Batiste, blues queen Adia Victoria, fingerstyle guitar master Yasmin Williams and Tex-Mex accordion hero Santiago Jiménez Jr. — among many more.
Oct. 1: Lil Nas X at Municipal Auditorium
It feels like an eternity since “Old Town Road” dominated the world in 2019. COVID lockdown scrapped any chance of 2020 being the year in which Atlanta rapper Lil Nas X — whose country-trap megahit lit a fire under the discourse about Black artists’ vital contributions to country music — put on a triumphant arena tour. Reports suggest he’s making up for it now, with a massive production presented as a three-act play.
Oct. 7-12: You Got Gold — A Celebration of John Prine
The infernal pandemic robbed fans, friends and family of songwriter’s songwriter and singular human John Prine, as well as an opportunity to mourn him together. The You Got Gold event series — organized last year by Prine’s family and his independent label Oh Boy, benefiting the new nonprofit Hello in There Foundation — was postponed thanks to the Delta variant. But finally, there will be five days of picking and singing, at venues ranging from the Ryman to Brown’s Diner. Many in-person events are sold out already, but livestream options are available; see yougotgold.johnprine.com.
Oct. 14: Wolf Eyes at The Blue Room at Third Man Records
If you went to at least a few noise shows at Betty’s or at houses around the Midstate in the Aughts, Wolf Eyes might not seem completely alien to you. Even so, the often-chaotic and ominous sounds of the venerable Detroit experimental rock outfit may still feel a bit confusing or even off-putting; however, it’s all part of the plan. They’ll return to Third Man slimmed down to a duo with all-new methods of sonic mayhem.
Oct. 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 21, 22 and 23: Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit at the Ryman
One of the finest traditions established in Nashville in the past decade returns with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit’s residency at the Mother Church, extended this year to eight nights. Not only does the group make the hallowed hall sorta like their living room, but they also push back against the lack of support that nonwhite people often face in the music business. In addition to superb songsmith Amanda Shires, this year’s opening acts are Black and brown musicians across a broad spectrum of traditions, including Ivory Coast-born and Nashville-residing country-folk songsmith Peter One, New Orleans singer-songwriter-composer Leyla McCalla, Cuban funk maestro Cimafunk (who has his own show at Exit/In on Oct. 22) and more.
Oct. 19: Sudan Archives at The Basement East
NPR listeners have probably heard of Los Angeles singer, songwriter and violinist Sudan Archives. Here’s a great opportunity to see her work her magic in person, with bold, rich songs and sounds inspired by traditions from several different regions of Africa, American R&B and more.
Lizzo
Oct. 23: Lizzo at Bridgestone Arena
Back in 2019, when Lizzo took her rightful place as a household name with her inclusive brand of powerfully danceable pop, the singer-songwriter-rapper-flautist graced Nashville with three shows. She would have been the first woman to headline Bonnaroo, were it not for the pandemic in 2020 and Hurricane Ida in 2021. The tour following her hit LP Special brings her back to Music City to unleash her talent at full arena scale.
Oct. 28: The Judds: The Final Tour Featuring Wynonna at Bridgestone Arena
Fans, friends and family were devastated to learn that Naomi Judd, who was half of one of the best and most influential duos in country music, died by suicide in April. At a jam-packed and star-studded memorial event at the Ryman, Judd’s daughter and longtime singing partner Wynonna announced that she’d perform the farewell tour that was already on the books. Trisha Yearwood will be Wynonna’s partner for this hometown show.
Nov. 5: NNAMDÏ at Drkmttr
Chicago has historically been home to a wide variety of wildly creative musicians like singer-rapper-producer NNAMDÏ, whose work runs the gamut from hip-hop to dance music to jazz — often as not, in the same song. He’s said that his forthcoming LP Please Have a Seat is inspired by making time to take stock of his musical goals. Hear it for yourself when he wraps up his tour with a stop at Drkmttr.
Nov. 16: Robyn Hitchcock and Emma Swift at The Basement
Since 2015, widely loved U.K.-born folk-psych-rock songsmith Robyn Hitchcock has lived at least part time in Nashville with musical and life partner — and excellent singer-songwriter — Emma Swift. In October, the pair’s homegrown label Tiny Ghost will release Hitchcock’s latest LP Shufflemania!, which reflects on embracing chaos and features contributions from heaps of friends. Hitchcock and Swift return to their adopted hometown for individual shows on the same night at The Basement; Swift plays at 7 p.m. and Hitchcock at 9.
JEFF the Brotherhood at Exit/In, November 2021
Nov. 21-23: JEFF the Brotherhood and Diarrhea Planet at Exit/In
Word came in March that revered Elliston Place club Exit/In, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in business last year, was holding off on booking shows after Thanksgiving. Proprietors Chris and Telisha Cobb, who’ve been involved with the venue since the Aughts, cited uncertainty about whether new property owner AJ Capital Partners would renew their lease. Neither party has released a further statement, but the November calendar is packed with outstanding shows, including Government Cheese and Jason Ringenberg’s Nov. 11 date, billed as a farewell to the venue. The final four dates listed are headlined by local rock bands that became internationally renowned after selling out Exit/In multiple times along the way. After this issue went to press, JEFF the Brotherhood announced that they'd play two nights instead of just one; tickets remain for the Nov. 20 show, when they'll play Heavy Days in full, while tickets for the Nov. 21 show, when they'll play We Are the Champions in full, have sold out. Diarrhea Planet’s Nov. 22 and 23 shows — their first headlining appearances since their 2018 series of farewell shows at Exit/In — have sold out.
Dec. 2: Maren Morris at Bridgestone Arena
Country star Maren Morris’ music is reason enough to catch the homecoming show on her tour following her latest LP Humble Quest. If you needed another reason to go, Morris has been in the news recently for saying something that should be a given, but definitely isn’t: Black and brown people and members of the LGBTQ community belong at the big table that country music ought to be — despite transphobic posts from Brittany Aldean, wife of Morris’ fellow country singer Jason Aldean.
From festivals and markets to concerts, theater, films and more, here are some of autumn’s best happenings
