Can you believe it is almost Thanksgiving? Before you know it you will be stuck at your Grandma’s house, stuffed full of bird and pies, being the good child, but we know that you’ll really be longing to sneak out after the family goes to sleep. Don’t let this final weekend before full on holiday madness hits to fulfill your musical needs. Head below to check out all of our staff picks to make this a weekend to remember in this week’s edition of TWiN.
FRIDAY
JOE GILDER
@ Soulshine Pizza Factory | 7pm | FREE | All Ages
If you are a musician around town, you may know Joe Gilder from his Home Corner Studio, or, if you are a podcast nerd like us, you may know the name from his Simply Recording podcast. If you are Lightning 100 listener, then you most definitely know his track “Lies” that the station has been spinning all week. Joe will officially claim his Artist Of The Week title with his free Soulshine performance on Friday night. This is really the perfect spot to start your musical journey this weekend. [MH]
ADIA VICTORIA w/ MOTHER NATURE, RASHADTHAPOET
@ The East Room | 8pm | $10-12 | 18+
In continued support of her stellar debut album, Beyond The Bloodhounds, Adia Victoria is bringing her gothic blues to The East Room for her final Nashville performance of 2016. This event will also feature silky smooth, Chicago based, hip hop duo Mother Nature and a poetry reading by RashadthaPoet. You can check out the socially conscious, Nashville filmed, video for Victoria’s haunting “Horrible Weather” below. In the spirit of the season, Adia will also be selling merch to support Open Table Nashville. Get out, get in the spirit, and give back. [MH]
OPRY AT THE RYMAN ft. CHRIS JANSON, KIEFER SUTHERLAND, CHASE BRYANT, POST MONROE, BILL ANDERSON, MIKE SNIDER, CONNIE SMITH, & MORE
@ The Ryman Auditorium | 7pm | SOLD OUT | All Ages
Usually when the Grand Ole Opry takes over its former home of The Ryman, it’s not something we cover. However, when beloved actor Kiefer Sutherland and his band are one of the headliners, it’s random enough to grab our attention. Hot on the heels of releasing his debut album, the surprisingly legit country/Americana effort Down in a Hole, Mr. Sutherland is eager to show everyone in Music City that’s he’s handy with more than just a prop gun. He’ll take a go at performing in the Mother Church, alongside an eclectic Opry lineup also featuring Chris Janson, Chase Bryant, Post Monroe, and more! Unfortunately, this one is sold out, so you may just be stuck rewatching (or discovering) The Lost Boys and Flatliners. [JR]
THE LACS w/ HARD TARGET
@ Cannery Ballroom | 8pm | $18-$20 | 18+
Country flavored rap rockers The Lacs are a hard group to pin down. Five albums in, people are still trying to figure out exactly what it is that they do. The duo describe themselves as self-made, loud, hardworking rednecks with a flair for music. If you’re looking for something off the beaten path this weekend, and you dig hip hop, this is probably the best option. Look for like minded collective Hard Target to open what promises to be one hell of a party. [JR]
CASE ARNOLD w/ TIM GENT, T CLARK
@ 12th and Porter | 9pm | $10-$12 | 18+
Celebrating the recent release of his debut LP SO(U)L Theory, Clarksville based rapper Case Arnold heads up 12th and Porter this weekend alongside frequent collaborator Tim Gent and T Clark. Since first hitting the scene with a string of buzzy tracks a few years back, Case has shared the stage with the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Wiz Khalifa, and SchoolBoy Q, and is fast becoming a celebrated force thanks to his self-aware, earnest, and insightful style. If you’re not yet aware of our thriving local underground hip hop scene, this show is sure to get you up to speed. [PO]
BEVERLY “GUITAR” WATKINS
@ The Family Wash | 9pm | FREE | 21+
Legendary Southern blues rock ’n’ roll guitarist and singer Beverly “Guitar” Watkins is performing in Music City this weekend, and if you’re even a little bit into roots music and/or the blues, this is a cannot miss event. She started playing at the age of 12, back in 1951, and went on to work with a literal who’s who of popular musicians of the era, people like Ray Charles, B.B. King, and James Brown. Odds are she’s got a story or two to tell, and she’s still shredding, so if you count yourself a music buff, you already know why you have to be at this performance. [JR]
SATURDAY
DJ HIGH-BRID, TEMPLAR, CREATIVE KINGZ, VANN, PRIESTESS OF PLANET X, OBI WANG, AL-D, SLIM VLLN & EASTSIDE ERRA, KO-RU, BELLA MOON, EDDY NIZ, DARREN B., CAM FERG, RODIE, HOUSE OF WAX, & MORE
@ Bridge Below Space | 8pm | $5 | 18+
It’s going down this Saturday ya’ll, and if you want to be part of Nashville’s first ever philanthropic hip hop art festival, food drive, and potluck this is your chance! Sponsored by Project Unity, the two stage, four room multimedia event will be a feast for your eyes and ears. You can get discounted admission with food, clothing, or shoe donations ($3 instead of $5), and there will also be places to shop at a pop up mall, a potluck, and performances from a diverse variety of hip hop, r&b, and alternative acts beginning at 8 p.m. (gates open at 4:45 for pre-music events, open to all ages). It’s being curated and DJ’d by DJ High-Brid, and curated and hosted by Bulli, with performances from curator Templar, Creative Kingz, Vann, Priestess of Planet X, and SO many more! For further details, check out the event page, and we hope to see you at the fest. [JR]
MARC MARON
@ James K. Polk Theater | 7:30 pm | $32.50-$42.50 | All Ages
Best known now for his wildly popular WTF Podcast and cult favorite IFC show Maron, comedian Marc Maron‘s background is firmly rooted in standup comedy, an area in which he still regularly performs. With a hilarious, self-deprecating, observational style, Maron’s show is a worthwhile treat for even casual fans of standup, and his deep affinity for music should make his Nashville stop even more special. [PO]
KANSAS BIBLE COMPANY w/ THE GO ROUNDS, NICK WOODS
@ The East Room | 8pm | $5
Our prolific pals at Kansas Bible Company are celebrating a split album with Michigan based band The Go Rounds at The East Room on Saturday night, and, if you need a night of dance inducing, horn flavored indie rock, then this is the show for you. Badass, retro tinged singer-songwriter Nick Woods opens things up. [MH]
LOS COLOGNES w/ GREAT PEACOCK, JOSH HEDLEY
@ 3rd & Lindsley | 8pm | $10 | All Ages
We heard Los Colognes describe themselves as the “Kings Of Dad Rock” at this year’s Forecastle Festival, where they also solidified themselves in our minds as one of the most impressive rock bands in Nashville. Their sounds straddles somewhere between J.J. Cale and Dire Straits, and their live show is absolutely intoxicating. This bill gets even more stacked with the guitar driven harmonies of Great Peacock and standout singer-songwriter Josh Hedley. This is worth every penny of $10. [MH]
STEVE VAI
@ Marathon Music Works | 8pm | $30-$40 | 18+
If you are a musician living in Nashville and you don’t know who Steve Vai is, you should probably just pack it up and head on back home. Widely acknowledged as one of the greatest guitarists of our generation, the three time Grammy Award winner began his career with Frank Zappa, and has only seen his importance rise since. He is currently touring in support of the 25th anniversary of his 1990 masterpiece, Passion and Warfare, and, if you are a fan of absolute masters of their instruments, his date at Marathon Music Works is a not to miss show. The live video below isn’t a track from the celebrated record, but you also don’t see three necked guitars very often. [MH]
THE PLASTIC PINKS, MOTE, LINES IN THE SKY, PATRIMONY
@ Meal Ticket | 8pm | $5
If you’re looking for a cheap, rock focused, DIY outing this weekend, art space Meal Ticket has you covered with scuzzy Miami garage rockers The Plastic Pinks, celebrating the release of their new EP El Animal, as well as a solid trio of locals, Mote, Lines in the Sky, and Patrimony. This no-bs, pure rock show is sure to be a blast. [PO]
SAD BAXTER, JACOB DISEDARE, BEAT DRUN JUEL, HEINOUS ORCA
@ The Glass Mènage | 9pm | $5 | All Ages
Brought to you by the good people at local label Cold Lunch Recordings, this tasty bill is perfect for all you garage grunge and alt rock fiends out there. Featuring friends of the blog Sad Baxter in the top spot, as well as another newly featured local talent Jacob Disedare. Throw in the heavier fare of Chicago based outfit Beat Drun Juel, and punk leaning rockers Heinous Orca, and you’ve got a damn fine indie rock ticket, probably the best in the category this weekend. [JR]
RICHARD LLOYD (of TELEVISION) w/ RI¢HIE, LYLAS
@ The Basement | 9pm | $15 | 21+
Best known as the guitarist and founder of seminal New York art punk band Television (he departed nearly a decade ago, after 35 years of intermittent activity), Richard Lloyd has had a celebrated solo career for nearly four decades, beginning with critically beloved 1978 debut Alchemy, released on the heels of Television’s first breakup. Criminally under appreciated for his influence on punk as a whole, Lloyd and his various endeavors helped pave the way for a musical revolution in the ’70s, and he’s continued to make some fantastic music in the decades since, rubbing elbows and receiving praise from some of the most legendary artists in modern history. In an intimate space like The Basement, and with support from locals Ri¢hie and Lylas, this is sure to be a once in a lifetime experience that serious music fans and punk history buffs will never forget. [PO]
THE TOLLESON EXPERIMENT
@ Mad Donnas | 9pm | Donations To Nashville Rescue Mission | 18+
A sextet of middle Tennessee natives with high instrumental acumen, The Tolleson Experiment mixes a good dose of rock with southern flavored ballads. This group doesn’t receive the buzzy billing of a number of the bands that we highlight on this site, but their live show is impressive, which shouldn’t come as a surprise to those that know their ties to the industry. If you are looking for something a little out of your norm, head out to see them, for only a donation to Nashville Rescue Mission, at Mad Donnas. [MH]
SUNDAY
SINCLAIR, MAUREEN MURPHY, JASON ESKRIDGE, ALICIA MICHILLI, ANNA HAAS, MATT LOVELL, KYSHONA, VALERIE MIZE, JONAE, DANIEL ELLSWORTH & THE GREAT LAKES
@ The Basement East | 7pm | $15-$20 | 21+
In a time when the rights of others seems especially paramount, a group of caring musicians have united to shine light on sex slavery. All proceeds from this event, featuring a who’s who of blog faves, will be donated to The Empower Hearts Campaign, which benefit child survivors of sex trafficking and sexual violence currently cared for at AFESIP’s Tom Dy Center in Phnon Pehn, Cambodia. This charity isn’t located in Nashville, but, I think the post-election outcry has shown that, ignoring poverty driven struggles beyond our comfortable borders is an oversight. [MH]
GOOD CHARLOTTE w/ THE STORY SO FAR, HIT THE LIGHTS, BIG JESUS
@ Marathon Music Works | 7pm | $29.50-$32 | 18+
Though they’ll surely best be known for the massive, breakout pop punk success of their earlier work (specifically 2002’s The Young and the Hopeless, which arrived at a time when the “emo” scene managed to engulf pop culture), or, to the celebratory gossip obsessed crowd, as the husbands of some rather famous A-listers, Maryland alt rock outfit Good Charlotte, have, over the years, undergone many musical reinventions, and have settled surprisingly well into their role as pop punk elder statesmen. With a younger, broader range of opening acts (who should be familiar to anyone still dialed into the scene), The Story So Far, Hit the Lights, and Big Jesus, Good Charlotte’s comeback, a re-embrace of the scene that shaped them, feels amazingly authentic, and should be a fun, nostalgic romp down memory lane. [PO]
NIGHT RIOTS w/ THE HUNNA, & KNOX HAMILTON
@ The High Watt | 8pm | $15-$18 | 18+
Embracing a punk ideal with an alt rock base, Night Riots have certainly seen their star rise since forming six years ago, and they are currently celebrating the release of their latest record, Love Gloom, which dropped last month. Rising English rockers The Hunna are celebrating a release of their own with their debut full length, 100, while Arkansas indie dance rockers Knox Hamilton return to Nashville in support of their undeniable new single “Washed Up Together.” [MH]
PAPER ROUTE w/ HALFNOISE, CIVILIAN
@ Exit/In | 8pm | $13-$15 | 18+
One of the weekend’s best curated shows, locals Paper Route, HalfNoise, and Civilian are three bands we love and have raved about often. Longtime friends of the site, synthy/indie/alt rockers Paper Route are celebrating the recent release of their long-awaited third LP, Real Emotion, which we’ve been spinning nonstop all fall. Similarly, HalfNoise, the solo, indie pop outlet of former Paramore drummer Zac Farro, recently dropped a stunning new effort in Sudden Feeling, and Florida indie rock transplants and Acme alumni Civilian crafted an amazing release in their recent You Wouldn’t Believe What Privilege Costs. Sure to be one of the weekend’s best shows, we expect this one to sell out in advance. [PO]
THE WEEKS w/ KID FREUD
@ 3rd & Lindsley | 8pm | $15 | All Ages
It feels like we’ve been waiting an eternity for a new album from local southern garage/alt/indie outfit The Weeks, but with new singles finally trickling in and a steam of new shows ramping up, the buzzy local band’s highly-anticipated followup is finally nearing its debut. Persistently one of the best live acts in town, the group head up this weekend’s Nashville Sunday Night at 3rd & Lindsely, a space that feels just right for their electrifying style. Kid Freud open, and the price is right, given how fast this band seem to be growing. [PO]
LONELY BENSON, TREVOR JAMES TILLERY, JEFF CARL, JAMES DROLL
@ The High Watt | 8pm | $7 | 18+
The solo outfit of former This Providence frontman and Nashville transplant Dan Young, Lonely Benson is a project we’ve been digging since the star of his monthly single series earlier this year. With a laid back, tropical, groovy, and almost lounge-ready style, Young’s breezy, indie sound is a underrated gem in the local pop landscape, and this weekend you can see him for a mere $7 alongside Trevor James Tillery, Jeff Carl, and James Droll. What a steal! [PO]
[JR] Jacob Ryan
[MH] Matt Hall
[PO] Philip Obenschain