Octoberfest is taking over this weekend in Germantown, but, for many, steins of beer and obligatory seasonal polkas are not going to cut it for your two festive days. Don’t worry though, if you are looking for some solid musical options, there are a lot to chose from this weekend. We have a few record release shows from local stand outs, some legacy acts, and another stellar weekend run at Ascend. That doesn’t even include all the cool stuff happening at your favorite local clubs. Head below for all of our staff picks in this week’s edition of TWiN!
FRIDAY
AARON LEE TASJAN
@ Soulshine Pizza Factory | 7pm | FREE | All Ages
Aaron Lee Tasjan is Lightning 100’s Artist of the Week, and it is well deserved. He’s currently promoting the release of his stellar new record, In The Blazes, which dropped this week. We’ve already brought you a few singles from that effort, so you should already be in the know. Now, head out to Soulshine Pizza for happy hour drinks, some grub, and great FREE music! [MH]
THE DEAR HUNTER w/ CHON, GATES
@ Exit/In | 8pm | $17-20 | 18+
Celebrating the release of a new album, Act IV: Rebirth in Reprise, the return to a series of concept albums that the group began nearly a decade ago, progressive/experimental rockers The Dear Hunter return to Nashville for a performance at Exit/In with Chon and Gates. The Casey Crescenzo-led band definitely have deep roots in the punk scene, but their epic scope and eclectic style give them broader appeal for music nerds and rock fans of all flavors. Listen to a new cut below. [PO]
NOAH GUNDERSEN w/ FIELD REPORT
@ Cannery Ballroom | 8pm | $17.50 | 18+
Indie-folk favorite Noah Gunderson returns to Nashville for a night of music that’s sure to get you sniffly. He’s likely to play a big chunk of the track listing from his newly-released album, Carry the Ghost, which is filled to the brim with heartfelt tear-jerkers and soulful ballads. Add in a few of the hits from his 2014 breakthrough Ledges, and you’re sure to get a memorable night of music from this talented singer-
BRIAN RITCHEY, LUELLA, SERATONES
@ The Basement | 9pm | $5 | All Ages
Brian Ritchey is celebrating the release of his stellar new record, Bordeaux, on Friday night at The Basement. Based on our advance listen, this is sure to be a well received release in Nashville. You can dig back into the premiere we did for “I’m Not There,” and you can check out the other single “Rest My Head” below to get you in the mood for the Friday night release show. Blog fave Luella and the buzzy Shreveport, LA outfit Seratones open up what should be solid night of music, that will leave enough left in your wallet to snag a vinyl. [MH]
KATE TUCKER, THE MANN SISTERS, BENJAMIN DOUGLAS, & MISS CHRISTINE
@ Mercy Lounge | 9pm | FREE | 21+
Long time blog fave, Kate Tucker, headlines a cool last minute event at Mercy Lounge on Friday night. She will be joined by the songwriters including The Mann Sisters, Benjamin Douglas, & Miss Christine. This was sprung on us last minute, so we don’t have much more information. But, as with most things helmed by Ms. Tucker, this should be worth your while, and, at the price of FREE, you can’t really go wrong. [MH]
THEM VIBES (EP RELEASE), FEEDBACK REVIVAL, HOTEL WAR, BLOODDRUNK SHENANIGANS
@ The Basement East | 9pm | $10 | 21+
Sometimes the best cure to let out all the built up frustration from the work week is a good old fashioned rock and roll show. Guitars and drums layered with reverb and distortion can do a lot of good sometimes. Them Vibes are a local band that give you that much needed dose of psychedelic/americana/bad-assery that will kick your weekend into overdrive. They are celebrating the release of their new EP entitled TV. Joining them will be a well-rounded lineup of locals and out-of-towners featuring Feedback Revival, Hotel War, and Blooddrunk Shenanigans. Stream the new EP from Them Vibes below. [JC]
FLORENCE + THE MACHINE w/ RAURY
@ Ascend Amphitheater | 8pm | Sold Out | All Ages
Indie pop/art rock group Florence + The Machine, fronted by ethereal songstress Florence Welch, are set to dazzle the sold out crowd at Ascend Amphitheater this Friday night. The talented Brits are out on tour in support of their latest album, How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, which came out in May after what felt like 10 years, though it was really only three and a half. Those who managed to snag tickets in time will be lucky to hear their anthemic tunes with Florence’s magical vocals. [MG]
SATURDAY
DESTROYER w/ JENNIFER CASTLE
@ Mercy Lounge | 9pm | $15 | 18+
Acclaimed singer-songwriter (and New Pornographer) Dan Bejar founded his home-recording project Destroyer back in the early 1990s, and while critical and commercial success came steadily through the years, it was not until 2011’s Kaputt, with its wistful lyrics and unapologetic soft-rock sound, that Destroyer garnered universal high praise (and more than a few comparisons to Steely Dan and Bryan Ferry). Bejar and his band come to Mercy Lounge to support their latest full-length, Poison Season, which dropped last month. Fellow Canadian singer-songwriter Jennifer Castle opens. [CC]
POP. 1280, HSY, DEATH DOMAIN, SEX HOTEL, ESSENTIAL TREMORS
@ DRKMTTR | 8pm | $8 | 18+
Cyberpunk may not sound like a real genre, but one listen of a Pop. 1280 song and it just makes sense. They have proved to be equal parts synthy, goth, post-punk and noise over the course of two albums and an EP. Hailing from Brooklyn, NY, they are part of the stellar roster at Sacred Bones Records. Opening for this show at DIY venue drkmttr are HSY, Death Domain, Sex Hotel and Essential Tremors. It’s a huge bill that might just be the coolest show all weekend. [COS]
GRACE POTTER w/ LAKE STREET DIVE
@ Ascend Amphitheater | 7:30pm | $25-60 | All Ages
Grace Potter’s first solo album, Midnight, has more consistent energy than any of her albums with The Nocturnals (her band). Midnight feels more Tina Turner than Susan Tedeschi, more pop than soul-influenced (with an electronic sound to the single “Alive Tonight” that has a hint of Florence and the Machine). See her lauded live show at Ascend Amphitheater on Saturday night with Lake Street Dive, one of the best new up-and-comers from Brooklyn. The quartet met during their conservatory days in Boston. Singer Rachel Price is from the Nashville area, so it will be a homecoming of sorts. Their 2014 album Bad Self Portraits received national acclaim from just about every news source and is a personal favorite that captures soul, jazz, pop, and so many more sounds to create something familiar, yet excitingly new. [MOB]
JOHN MCCAULEY w/ AARON LEE TASJAN, ADAM CLAYTON-HOLLAND
@ Fond Object | 7pm | $5 | All Ages
Fond Object has really been killing it with the outdoor events as we creep into fall. Deer Tick and Diamond Rugs front man John McCauley, who recently did a headlining set with Caitlin Rose at City Winery, will be performing a solo set. The backyard BYOB party will also be your second chance to celebrate In The Blazes with Aaron Lee Tasjan, and you’ll get to check out some comedy from Adam Clayton-Holland. That’s not enough for your post East Side Art Stumble? A stamp from the $5 show will get you 2 for 1’s at Rudie’s Seafood and Sausage. Be seein’ you… [MH]
GREEN RIVER ORDINANCE, LUCIE SILVAS, JOSEPH LEMAY
@ Exit/In | 9pm | $15-$18 | 18+
Pop tinged Dallas-based rockers Green River Ordinance bring their high energy live set through Exit/In on Saturday. Lucie Silvas, who spent a considerable amount of time in town working on her 2015 release, Letters To Ghosts, caught our attention with that release cycle, and you should certainly make it a point to take in her set as well. Local stand out songwriter, Joseph LeMay gets thing started. [MH]
SUNDAY
HONEYHONEY w/ KELSEY WALDON
@ 3rd & Lindsley | 8pm | $12 | All Ages
Americana-tinged rock duo honeyhoney were just in town for AmericanaFest a few weeks ago, so if you missed out on it, be sure to catch them when they return to 3rd & Lindsley this Sunday night. The two multi-instumentalists are no strangers to the road and tend to stay on tour almost constantly, but this time they’re out in support of their latest record, 3, which was produced here in Nashville by recording wizard Dave Cobb. Local country artist Kelsey Waldon will open. [MG]
BRAND NEW w/ MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA, KEVIN DEVINE
@ Ryman Auditorium | 7:30pm | Sold Out | All Ages
While it’s still totally unclear if, when, or how their long-overdue new album will ever arrive (save for single “Mene,” which you can hear below), Brand New remain one of most beloved artists in the punk/alternative/indie world. Not exactly widely known on the mainstream level, the band still command one of the most rabid and loyal fanbases around, and regularly sell out nearly every show when they intermittently tour. Manchester Orchestra and Kevin Devine‘s are the group’s two most frequent tour mates and collaborators, so not only is this a road-worn match, but one that couldn’t be better suited for the magical backdrop of The Ryman. Hope you got tickets early! [PO]
KYLESA w/ INTER ARMA, INDIAN HANDCRAFTS, IRATA
@ The Basement East | 8pm | $13-17 | 21+
Kylesa are one of the few sludge metal bands with a female lead singer, but they aren’t only notable because of that. They’re more notable for the consistent, kick-ass music they’ve been playing for the last 13+ years. Always loud and heavy, they take influence from across the metal scope – speed metal, stoner rock, hardcore, and psych-rock flourishes can all be heard throughout thier career. This show comes fresh of the heels of the release of their latest album Exhausting Fire, so be ready for plenty of new material to go along with their hits. Inter Arma, Indian Handcrafts and Irata all open the show at The Basement East. If you’re looking for loud, look no further – this is the best you can get this weekend. [COS]
JACKSON BROWNE
@ Ascend Amphitheater | 7:30pm | $35-85 | All Ages
Jackson Browne has been a household name for decades now. A member of both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame, he’s an artist that’s worth hearing live just for the bragging rights it will afford you throughout life. Browne has a new album out, his 14th overall, Standing in the Breach, but he’s best known for hits like “Running on Empty” on “Somebody’s Baby.” He’ll be playing at Ascend Sunday with no opening act, so be sure to get there on time to catch Browne’s whole performance. [MW]
WAR w/ THE FAMILY STONE , THE BAR-KAYS
@ TPAC: James K Polk Theater | 7pm | $28-48 | All Ages
The nostalgia is flowing through Music City this Sunday! We just told you about Jackson Browne, but if funk and soul are more your thing then you need to be at TPAC’s James K Polk Theatre for War, with help from The Family Stone and The Bar-kays. Any thee of these acts could headline, and the sheer number of hit songs created by them all is sure to make your head spin! It’s a bargain lineup at any price, and you should probably be there Sunday night, if you want to shake your groove thing and keep the party going into Monday morning. [JR]
BOYTOY w/ BIG SURR, DIRTY DIGGIN’
@ The End | 9pm | $5 | 18+
Head out to The End for an intimate night of lo-fi fun. Locals Dirty Diggin’ will kick the night off. Infinity Cat babes Big Surr will serve up beachy psychedelic tunes just before New York stoner rockers BOYTOY take the stage. Their album, Grackle, was released last week, and this is your chance to hear it live. Be sure to get to The End to all three of these bands. [OL]
VALLEY MAKER w/ IVORY COAST, MATEJA
@ The Stone Fox | 9pm | $7 | 18+
Washington, via South Carolina, songwriter Austin Crane, performs as Valley Maker, and this chilled out folk-rock outfit will bring their Bon Iver like ambiance to The Stone Fox on Sunday in support of their most recent release, When I Was Out A Child. Local rockers Mateja and relatively new locals Ivory Coast round out this sweet weekend wind down. [MH]
[COS] Carson O’Shoney
[CC] Chris Clancy
[JR] Jacob Ryan
[JC] Julian Ciany
[LL] Lorie Liebig
[MOB] M. Olivia Burd
[MH] Matt Hall
[MG] Meredith Galyon
[PO] Philip Obenschain
[OL] Olivia Ladd