No Country For New Nashville

With a few notable exceptions, this is the weekend every year that our Nashville music scene shutters its doors and heads for the great state of Texas.  We already set you up a ton of live video stream links for the weekend, but I’m sure that’s not going to totally fulfill you.  We’ve run through some of the shows going on this weekend, but it’s also important to note that Nashville is a hot spot in tour routing after SXSW.  I mean, just take a look at the decisions you have on Monday.  Regardless, dust off those green St. Patrick’s Day tights, and get out to see some live music (or theatre featuring music – because there’s actually a great deal of that happening and you should give it a try!)

Friday

Since there is a decided dearth of live music options this weekend as a result of SXSW, Jessika feels no shame in plugging the production she has recently directed, the Nashville premiere of Sarah Ruhl’s Pulitzer Prize finalist piece, In The Next Room (or the vibrator play).  And, hey – it actually DOES feature live music, performed by the lovely Kara McLeland, and you can check out the promo video for the show below which features Kara’s original rumination on one of the play’s major themes, “Hysteria.”

When Jessika’s not collecting bits of trivia on the internet, she directs plays and makes festivals. This particular production has been lauded by the local press and is at once sexy and surprisingly sweet. You can check out reviews here, here, and here. Tickets are just $15 and there are two final performances on Friday and Saturday night only – both at 7:30pm at The Darkhorse Theatre.

If you’re not the theatre going type, or if you’re just more in the mood for a good old fashioned show, Philip thinks your best bet is Deftones at Marathon Music Works. Unfortunately, tickets for the alt-metal rockers are already sold out (that’s what happens when there’s not much else going on), so if you didn’t already snag one, you’ll have to search on Craigslist. The show’s at 8 and you can find all the info here. If you haven’t heard the group’s latest, Koi No Yokan, give it a listen! It’s one of their strongest records in years. Check out their single “Tempest” below:

Saturday

If you’re feeling a classical inclination on Saturday, you might be in the mood for a little Mozart, and you’re in luck! Blackbird Theatre is producing the rarely staged Amadeus to local acclaim. The show performs on Lipscomb’s campus in the Shamblin, starts at 7pm and has online sales available here. More on the production via the NPT Arts Break below…

Philip’s Saturday night suggestion is, unfortunately, another sold out show. Those of us who didn’t make the trek to Austin seem to all have the same idea. If you’re among the fortunate group who already got tickets, you should be looking forward to Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds with Sharon Von Etten at The Ryman Auditorium. I’m sure we don’t need to tell you how legendary or influential the U.K. by way of Australia alt-rockers are, or how exciting it is to have them grace the Ryman stage! Nick Cave is also doing an afternoon meet and greet at Grimey’s, but it too is being marked as sold out.

Sunday

If you’re looking to reminiscence a bit with old friends from your childhood on a lovely Sunday afternoon, Jess suggests you check in with Badger and Mr. Toad over at the Nashville Children’s Theatre. Their current production of Wind In The Willows is a very clever musical adaptation that features reworkings of classics from the Gilbert and Sullivan catalog. Sunday’s matinee is at 2pm and you can get tickets in advance here. And if you need a little more convincing (or your daily dose of adorable), just check out the spokes kids from NCT below to get the low-down.