Here comes the weekend! It’s time for you to do the two cleanse of the week’s stresses, and what’s a better way to do that than with some live music? Per usual, we’ve run down our staff picks for this weekend. Some of the highlights include the otherworldly music of Tinariwen at Mercy Lounge, Old Crow Medicine Show at Ascend, Social Distortion at The Ryman, and a Sunday night featuring two of Nashville’s fast rising stars, Nikki Lane and Rayland Baxter. Dig into those and more with this week’s edition of TWiN!
FRIDAY
ANDREW LEAHEY & THE HOMESTEAD
@ Soulshine Pizza Factory | 7pm | FREE | All Ages
Heartland rock ’n’ rollers Andrew Leahey & The Homestead will be your Soulshine Pizza hosted, Lightning 100 local artist of the week. After taking a break from music because of pretty serious health issues, Andrew has hopped back in the saddle and is ready to show everyone that’s he’s got more than enough left in the tank to navigate a successful second act. [JR]
WESTERN MEDICATION w/ FABLE CRY, GIRLS AND MONEY, CHALAXY
@ Exit/In | 9pm | FREE | 18+
If you’re looking for an event to remember to attend this weekend, and not just another show to go to, you can’t miss Eclipse at Exit/In. The event aims to immerse people in local culture and foster an environment ripe for networking. Playing are local bands Chalaxy, Girls and Money, Western Medication, and Fable Cry, but that’s only the beginning. The event will also feature poetry readings, aerial dancing, lightshow projections, a local fashion show, burlesque performances, body painting, and more. This free event is your chance to get to hear some of the most fun bands in town and check out all kinds of local artistic talent. [MW]
TINARIWEN
@ Mercy Lounge | 8pm | $26 | 18+
Poet-guitarists and soul rebels from the Southern Sahara desert, Tinariwen‘s music expresses the aspirations of their people; the Kel Tamashek or ‘Touareg’ of the southern Sahara desert. The Grammy award winning performers (best World Music Album for Tassili in 2011) will definitely be the most unique bill of the weekend, and if you’re a fan of stepping out the box, this is the show for you. Get feel for their vibe below, and be there live when Sahara rhythms visit Music City. [JR]
OLD CROW MEDICINE SHOW w/ THE DEVIL MAKES THREE
@ Ascend Amphitheater | 7:30pm | $30-40 | All Ages
This is going to be one amazing show! Two time Grammy winners Old Crow Medicine Show are known for their classic Americana/Folk music and high energy live shows. Having toured with such artists as Mumford & Sons, The Lumineers, Willie Nelson, John Prine, and The Avett Brothers, theirfan base has grown to where they are headlining at Ascend in support of their latest EP Brushy Mountain Conjugal Trailer. And opening the show is none other than The Devil Makes Three whose latest album I’m a Stranger Here was produced by Nashville’s own Buddy Miller. Their style has been described as “garage-y ragtime, punkified blues,” among other things, and you can expect joyous music, profoundly deep lyrics, and a dynamic performance. [IS]
CRAIG ROBINSON
@ Zanies | 7:30 & 9:45pm | $30 | 18+
Whether you know him as Darryl from The Office, for his roles in Pineapple Express, Hot Tub Time Machine, This Is The End, or any number of other films or television shows, if you know him at all, you’re well-aware that that comedian Craig Robinson is hilarious. Though he’s not as well-known for his standup (which frequently pulls heavily from Craig’s passion for music and performance), it’s just as fantastic as you would expect, so if you’re looking for a break from concerts this weekend and want to dabble in Nashville’s underrated comedy scene, he’s doing a ton of back to back performances all weekend long at Zanies. [PO]
MELK, BUMMRCITY, PUMPKINSEED
@ 1622 Porter Ave | 8pm | FREE
Sweet ass house party alert! Local rockers and blog faves MELK are hosting a night of rock jams. Along with the psycho proto-punk headliners, this bill also features the experimental psych soounds of BUMMRcity, and Smyrna based Pumpkinseed, who describe themselves as “experimental creepy greaser doo wop punk swamp vibes”. Not really sure what the fuck that means, but definitely digging their jams. Check out the recently released split 7″ from MELK and BUMMRcity below to get you in the mood. [MH]
ROB THOMAS w/ PLAIN WHITE T’S
@ The Ryman | 7:30pm | $60-$125 | All Ages
Grammy winning singer songwriter, and former Matchbox Twenty frontman Rob Thomas is back in town after having to postpone his July 22nd show (all tickets from that show will be honored Friday) due to his wife suffering a pretty serious health scare. She seems to be alright, and now Rob is ready to rock the Mother Church with pop punks Plain White T’s. Tickets are still available. [JR]
CAPPA, LEVI RAY, KAPTAN
@ Nashville Nightmare Haunted Hause | 9pm | $5
Here’s something cool we stumbled upon. Billed as “CLOVER,” an underground dance party with the tagline “Dance. Rave. Grind,” three local pop artists, CAPPA, Levi Ray, and Kaptan along with DJ Jared Foldy are playing a $5 party at a warehouse/haunted house space, with free beer! Count me in! [PO]
SATURDAY
RUBY AMANFU
@ The High Watt | 8pm | $10 | 18+
Soul-Americana singer Ruby Amanfu is best known for singing on Jack White’s first solo single “Love Interruption” and performing with him in support of his debut solo effort Blunderbuss, but she’s been doing music and theater around her native Nashville for awhile in various projects, including the duo Sam & Ruby. Now she’s releasing her first solo album, Standing Still, which is a collection of covers of deep cuts by artists Amanfu admires plus one original song. Check out her sweet, melodic take on Kanye West’s “Streetlights” below. [JS]
SOCIAL DISTORTION w/ NIKKI LANE, DRAG THE RIVER
@ Ryman Auditorium | 8pm | $32-38 | All Ages
Over thirty years ago, Social Distortion came up with a trademark sound, a mix of punk and rockabilly that was completely different in the punk world at the time. Today, it’s a sound that’s influenced countless bands and cemented the importance of Social Distortion. The band recently released their first album in over a decade, Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes. Their show at the Ryman will also feature hometown favorite Nikki Lane and country/mid-western band Drag the River. [MW]
PONY BOY w/ JUSTIN & THE COSMICS, LILLY HIATT
@ The Basement | 9pm | $5 | 21+
Pony Boy is a fascinating new face on the alt-country scene who is celebrating the release of her first record, Blue Gold, on Saturday night at the Basement. Melding noir and punk aesthetics into her country and western that’s sung with a classically trained, low voice, she manages not to sound like anyone else in a city full of alt-country singers. Much of the record sees Pony Boy looking back on the time she spent living in southern California and the video for the moody slow-burner “Metal Dreams” was shot in L.A.’s Chinatown neighborhood. Justin & the Cosmics, which had one of the most promising EPs of last year, are opening with singer-songwriter Lilly Hiatt. [JS]
CRAIG ROBINSON
@ Zanies | 7 & 9:15pm | $30 | 18+
Comedian, actor, and musician Craig Robinson continues his weekend residency at Zanies. See our Friday writeup for more info. [PO]
JAMES AND THE WILD SPIRIT w/ JUSTIN WEATHERBEE
@ The Sutler| 8:30pm | Free | 21+
James and the Wild Spirit serves up spacey indie rock with a Western feel. Fresh off the release of their new album, Hearts + Knives earlier this week, the band is playing a free show at The Sutler Saloon. To top it off, Justin Weatherbee will bring his emotional indie rock into the mix. If you want to check out some local singer-songwriters, this is the show for you. [OL]
SUGAR RAY, UNCLE KRACKER, BETTER THAN EZRA, AND EVE 6
@ Ascend Amphitheater | 7:30pm | $10-35 | All Ages
Dust off your old CD collection, because some icons of ‘90s pop rock are ready to blow some minds at the wonderfully awesome Ascend Amphitheater. Apparently Mark McGrath is taking a break from TV to get his band back together, as Sugar Ray are set to headline a pretty impressive bill, by 1999s standards AND todays. Filling out the line-up are the country-tinged Uncle Kracker, stand-out alt rockers Better Than Ezra, and Eve 6. Rock fans of a certain age, myself included, will be flashing back without the help of narcotics. [JR]
SUNDAY
RAYLAND BAXTER w/ RUBY THE RABBITFOOT
@ 3rd & Lindsley | 8pm | $10 | All Ages
Unlike many musicians, who start writing as teenagers, Rayland Baxter didn’t have anything to write about until he was 25. Though he was immersed in music growing up in a musical household in Nashville, music was just one of many interests he had as a kid. After traveling, going through a breakup, and doing some growing up, Baxter headed back to Nashville with a cache of emotionally charged songs which would find their way onto his first album. His second album, Imaginary Man, has been out for a week and is poised to be one of our favorites of the year. Joining him for Lightning 100’s Sunday Night Live will be Ruby the Rabbitfoot, a Georgia-based singer and songwriter. [MW]
NIKKI LANE w/ KRISTIN DIABLE, FRANKIE LEE
@ Mercy Lounge | 8pm | $12/14 | 18+
The day after opening for Social Distortion at the Ryman, outlaw country spitfire Nikki Lane added her own headlining show at Mercy Lounge. Lane’s Dan Auerbach-produced album from last year All or Nothin’ was consistently voted one of the best records to come out of Nashville in 2014. The new material she’s been unveiling on tour has been even better, and she’s proof there’s still great, authentic, exciting country music happening in this town. Soul-Americana singer and Louisiana native Kristin Diable will open with singer-songwriter Frankie Lee. [JS]
CRAIG ROBINSON
@ Zanies | 7:30pm | $30 | 18+
In case you missed out on numerous chances to catch comedian Craig Robinson all weekend, you have one more opportunity Sunday evening- you won’t regret it! [PO]
[IS] Ione Singletary
[JR] Jacob Ryan
[JS] Jacqui Sahagian
[MH] Matt Hall
[MW] Meagan Whitney
[MG] Meredith Galyon
[OL] Olivia Ladd
[PO] Philip Obenschain