The Kentucky Gentlemen at The 5 Spot for AmericanaFest, 9/21/2024
As this year’s AmericanaFest entered its final hours, Nashville’s own The Kentucky Gentlemen ended their set at The 5 Spot, kicking off a top-notch bill of queer musicians, by dancing off the stage. Twin brothers Brandon and Derek Campbell are members of the Black Opry family and make music that blends the best of pop country with R&B flair. Twisting and twirling through the crowd in their sequined fringe jackets, they exuded welcoming warmth and charisma — the way every party should start.
Lawrence Rothman and Amanda Shires at The 5 Spot for AmericanaFest, 9/21/2024
Lawrence Rothman, sporting an all-black ensemble and a very Jack White haircut, took the stage next, bringing their baritone croon to songs from their latest LP The Plow That Broke the Plains, which they wrote on a retreat near Nashville. Highlights included the slow-burning titular song and “LAX.” That one was a co-write with Amanda Shires, whose Take It Like a Man Rothman produced, and the ace songsmith hopped onstage to perform it with them.
Paisley Fields at The 5 Spot for AmericanaFest, 9/21/2024
Then Paisley Fields took over, playing a keyboard draped in a shimmery cloth and dressed Elton John-style in sequined cowboy duds. Fields’ humor is a picture-perfect pairing with his classic honky-tonk sound. “I Could Be Drinking” laments all the daily sufferings that could be made better with a cold one, from family dinners to grueling 9-to-5s. Fields’ mid-song interjection came with perfect timing: “Enough with that flat-Earth talk, Uncle Larry!” His clever lyricism and contagious enthusiasm can make even the most serious songs fun. Case in point: “Burn This Statehouse Down,” a collaboration with Mya Byrne protesting Gov. Bill Lee and his support of Tennessee Republicans’ anti-LGBTQ legislation.
Crys Matthews at The 5 Spot for AmericanaFest, 9/21/2024
The penultimate set was from Nashville singer-songwriter Crys Matthews, who’d performed Friday evening at the unveiling ceremony for a historical marker honoring Jackie Shane. Matthews described the work she does aptly between songs, saying, “Social-justice music is another type of love song.” This ethos became evident throughout her set, with songs such as “Like Jesus Would” combining love and protest with poise like masters of folk music. Matthews’ partner Heather Mae joined her onstage, providing the perfect harmonic complement to the set.
Secret Emchy Society at The 5 Spot for AmericanaFest, 9/21/2024
Closing out AmericanaFest in country-Western style, Oakland, Calif.’s Secret Emchy Society took the final set of the night. Cindy Emch’s ensemble was complete with fiddle and pedal steel, bringing extra warmth to their boisterous tunes. From the tender waltz “Jagged Edges” to the rambunctious “Queen of Assholes,” which sounds like it could be Annie Oakley’s entrance song, Emch & Co. showcased their mastery of a broad spectrum of country and country-adjacent music. It was a great way to cap a celebration of connecting through music — one of the biggest reasons we keep making it.
The Spin: AmericanaFest — Secret Emchy Society and More at The 5 Spot, 9/21/2024
With Crys Matthews, Paisley Fields, Lawrence Rothman and The Kentucky Gentlemen
Secret Emchy Society at The 5 Spot for AmericanaFest, 9/21/2024
