Melissa Etheridge, Maggie Rose and More Light the Fire at 3rd and Lindsley

AmericanaFest came roaring out of the gate with a heap of enticing shows on Tuesday. We kicked off our festival week at 3rd and Lindsley. This year the venerable venue is celebrating its 35th anniversary, and this gig with a packed house felt like a fitting way to mark the occasion. On the bill were five women who are champions in the amorphous genre, all with new music to share and plenty of familiar favorites up their sleeves.

Folk-schooled rocker Olivia Wolf took the stage first (to say “warmed up” just feels wrong during this heat wave), with slippery grooving songs previewing her album Snake of Diamonds slated for January. She was followed by garage country pioneer Aubrie Sellers, who showcased the fuzzed-out hybrid Americana chops that have been earning her album Attachment Theory widespread acclaim for months (and a special guest appearance from Ashley Monroe). Amy Grant served up the night’s first helping of ’90s nostalgia. She pulled a few songs in her set from her latest album The Me That Remains before pivoting to Joni Mitchell’s “Big Yellow Taxi” and an amped-up rendition of her own 1991 hit (and forever fan favorite) “Baby, Baby.”

Then came rock ’n’ soul powerhouse Maggie Rose, fresh off the release of her album Half Moon, who put her bottomless reserve of vocal firepower on display. She opened with her anthemic “Weekend Lover,” starting on a piercing high note that set the stage for a selection of songs built on soulful melodic runs, fierce belting passages and quieter, lullaby-like moments. Queen of heartland rock Melissa Etheridge joined Rose for a smoky, crooning duet on “Poison in My Well” before Rose closed out her set with one final belt on “No One Gets Out Alive.”

Etheridge returned to the stage to round out the party in her signature charmingly commanding fashion. “We’re gonna get sweaty tonight, we’re gonna have some cute memories tonight,” Etheridge said. “And then remember a couple of poor choices that we made.” 

The roots-rock legend highlighted a slate of songs from her most recent LP Rise, busting out the kazoo during “Tomboy” and working an interlude of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” into her song “Matches.” The audience erupted for catalog classics “Come to My Window” and “I’m the Only One.” Etheridge left the room with one final yowl: “I’m the only — see ya, Nashville — ooooooonnne.”

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