With multiple independent, stacked local fests happening this weekend, there’s no shortage of great live music or easy ways to catch a bunch of it. Whether you’re in the mood for epic rock shows, r&b legends, local punk, folk, indie, and everything in between, you’re sure to find something that fits your taste- and that’s even counting the various outdoor movie screenings, La La Land Live, and the comic book-filled Hero & Villains con also going on around town. Start planning out your weekend below with This Weekend in Nashville!
FRIDAY
MY MORNING JACKET w/ MARGO PRICE
@ Ascend Amphitheater | 7pm | Sold Out | All Ages
Louisville natives My Morning Jacket are headed back to Nashville for their second headlining set at Ascend Amphitheater. Although they likely won’t release a followup to 2015’s The Waterfall any time soon, it will be a great night full of cuts from their past seven studio LPs, and their live show, something we’ve caught numerous times in headlining spots and atop festival bills, is absolutely unrivaled and always unique- a must-see for newcomers and seasoned fans alike. Plus, beloved Nashville alt-country breakthrough Margo Price is opening things up, so you have another great reason to get there early- that is, if you snagged a ticket before it sold out, otherwise you’ll have to turn to the resell market. [LL]
NAMELESS FEST III: LIL’ BABY JESUS, SHADRAQ, CHAFF, REID MAGETTE, DONORS, JOCK GANG, SOCCER MOMMY, SOFT OPTION, BIDET, WATCHER
@ Drkmttr | 6pm | $10 | All Ages
The second night of this weekend’s three-day long Nameless Fest III, DIY space Drkmttr will be hosting a BBQ starting mid afternoon, then a stacked mix of local and touring acts are set to perform through the night, all for a reasonable $10 (weekend passes are sold out). Florida’s Chaff, Atlanta’s Jock Gang, and Baltimore’s Bidet making up the touring talent, and local faves like Shadraq, Soccer Mommy, Soft Option, and Watcher bring a mix of indie, pop, punk, experimental, and more! [PO]
PRUDE BOYS
@ Third Man Records | 5pm | FREE | All Ages
Garage pop trio Prude Boys will be bringing their unique sounds to the storefront of Third Man Records for a free, all ages performance. After just few spectacular releases, Prude Boys have been generating buzz everywhere they go, and now you can get a taste of the action without spending a dime! But you be punctual, because space is very limited, and it will fill up fast. Don’t be late, or risk missing out. [JR]
BLANK RANGE, PETER STRINGER-HYE, FOX FUN
@ Two Boots | 8pm | $5 | All Ages
Music and pizza are a match made in heaven, so it’s always great when local haunt Two Boots- active sponsors of some great happenings in the DIY scene- host bands in the restaurant. Local rockers Blank Range have long been a site favorite, and for just $5 (which also includes a raffle entry for pizza for life) you can catch them with man about town Peter Stringer-Hye, and jangly psych popsters Fox Fun. [PO]
FAUX FURRS, THAT’S MY KID, THE MEDIUM, BROTHER MAN
@ Fond Object 4th Ave | 7:30pm (7pm doors) | $5 | All Ages
Chicago based garage dream/psych rock practitioners Faux Furrs have found themselves in Music City this weekend, topping a very tasty bill also featuring local blog favorites That’s My Kid, psych rockers The Medium, and blues duo Brother Man. You get all this eclectically flavored indie rock for just five beans, which makes this one of the best low dough shows of the entire weekend! It’s also an all ages affair, so bring whoever you want, so long as they’re down to rock. [JR]
WATERFALL WASH
@ Soulshine Pizza | 7pm | FREE | All Ages
Lightning 100’s Artist of the Week, Waterfall Wash, also happen to be friends of the site from their earliest days, so we’re extra excited to see the folky, poppy, punky, synthy, indie outfit get some extra radio play this week. You can catch ’em for free at Soulshine to get your weekend started right! [PO]
BEHOLD THE BRAVE
@ Grimey’s | 6pm | FREE | All Ages
Local garage/psych rockers Behold The Brave are cranking up the hype machine for their self-titled record (on Withyn Records), which drops Friday! Best part of all? You can catch them performing a couple songs off of the new LP, free of charge, at Grimey’s during a very special in-store performance. You should probably jump at this opportunity too, because the fellas of BTB will be on the road for the rest of the summer, spreading their gospel one town at time, and won’t be back in Music City for a while. [JR]
RENO BO, CREAMER, JOEL KING (of The Wild Feathers)
@ The Basement | 9pm (8:30pm doors) | $6-8 | 21+
Here’s another wallet friendly option in one of the most stacked weekends for local indie rock that we’ve seen in a while. A New York transplant, neo soul singer-songwriter Reno Bo gets top billing at The Basement, with help from Austin transplants Creamer and Joel King, of the immensely popular band The Wild Feathers, doing his solo thing. At under ten bucks, this show is also worth every penny. Don’t sleep on local music! [JR]
THE VERVE PIPE (Acoustic)
@ City Winery | 8pm (6pm doors) | $18-28 | All Ages
A big part of alternative rock’s massive second wave (after the birth of the Seattle sound), The Verve Pipe released their first major label record, Villains, in 1996. It contained their first hit single “Photograph,” as well as the cult classic “The Freshman,” which has one of the most memorable hooks of the entire decade (see below). To celebrate, just over twenty years since the record’s release, members of the band will be performing very special, intimate acoustic renditions of the songs that made them famous at City Winery this Friday. Get nostalgic for a simpler time in alt rock. [JR]
SATURDAY
NAMELESS FEST III: THE TOURETTES, SHELL OF A SHELL, MOM AND DAD, CHOIR, SHILL, DREAMWAVE, MOUTH READER
@ Drkmttr | 2pm | FREE (Donations) | All Ages
As Namelss Fest III wraps up, its third and final day is the most stacked and epic of all, beginning with a more informal, day show/party at Drkmttr, moving to a more formal event at The End, and wrapping with a late night house show. An unrivaled DIY sampling of local and national DIY talent, boasting punk, indie, experimental music, and more, you can catch lots of familiar faves like Shell of a Shell, Mom and Dad, Dreamwave, and more, all for free at the day show (though donations are encouraged). [PO]
NAMELESS FEST III: HUSBAND STITCH, PANDEMIX, IDLE BLOOM, ANWAR SADAT, MUTILATION RITES
@ The End | 9pm (8pm doors) | $10
The official last showcase of Nameless Fest III, The End will play host to Kentucky’s Anwar Sadat as well as northeastern acts Pandemix and Mutilation Rites, both with local ties. Lots of great Nashville talent perform as well, notably grunge pop group Idle Bloom, as well as Husband Stich, for a showcase skewing heavier and more punk, but still full of great variety and DIY talent. [PO]
NAMELESS FEST III (AFTER PARTY): BOY HARSHER, HOLD, ERIKA GLÜCK, SERRATION PULSE
@ 1015 W Kirkland Ave | 11pm (10pm doors) | $10 | All Ages
If you want to keep the Nameless Fest III fun going even later, there’s a great late night house show with a synthy, ambient, and electronic leaning lineup of MA’s Boy Harsher and Chicago’s Hold, plus locals Erika Glück and Serration Pule. In a lot of ways Nameless Fest feels like what Freakin’ Weekend, which collapsed under fatigue and controversy, used to be, and is as testament to how strong and unique Nashville’s DIY scene truly is if you look past the surface. Don’t miss it! [PO]
FUZZ FEST: WESTERN MEDICATION, THE NUDE PARTY, IAN FERGUSON, T. HARDY MORRIS, ORNAMENT, PARKER GISPERT, LIZ COOPER & THE STAMPEDE, CHROME PONY, ERIN RAE & THE MEANWHILES, JOEY KNEISER & THE LIVING FLAME, COCO REILLY, BILLY BENNETT’S MIDDLE TENNESSEE POST-MODERN EXPERIMENTAL POP BAND, THE MIKS, NADIR BLISS
@ The Hill (2100 Dunn Ave) | 2pm | $7 | All Ages
We already gave you a pretty full rundown on the stellar inaugural Fuzz Fest line-up, but here are the most important things to consider. There will be fourteen, mostly local, bands. They will be spread across two stages, and performers include Western Medication, North Carolina ’60s throwback rock outfit The Nude Party, blog favorite Ian Ferguson, T. Hardy Morris, Liz Cooper & The Stampede and many more! There will also be DJs, food, libations, and vendors (more details on the FB flyer). So be there in the flesh, when a new, local underground fest is born, and help it get off to a great start, ensuring we’ll be talking about Fuzz Fest II one year from now. [JR]
MUSIC CITY MAYHEM: J. MARCO, PONCÉ, THE VOODOO FIX, FOXKEEPER, FOREST FIRE GOSPEL CHOIR
@ Marathon Music Works | 7:30pm (7pm doors) | FREE | All Ages
As this year’s Music City Mayhem competition winds to a close, the final four local acts- J. Marco, Ponce, The Voodoo Fix, Foxkeeper and wild card pick Forest Fire Gospel Fire– selected after bracket style voting rounds, will compete in a free, fan voted event at Marathon Music Works, where fans vote for the grand prize winner, who will receive a spot at this year’s Live on the Green and more! [PO]
DWEEZIL ZAPPA: WHAT’S IN A NAME? STORYTELLING AND Q&A WITH GUITAR ACCOMPANIMENT
@ City Winery | 8pm (6pm doors) | $20-25 | All Ages
One of many City Winery stops across the country, accomplished musician and no stranger to Music City Dweezil Zappa, son of the late, great Frank, is hosting a personal and unique performance that includes storytelling, audience Q&A, and, of course, some music. Given his family and personal history, it’s guaranteed to be a memorable night. [PO]
POKÉMON: SYMPHONIC EVOLUTIONS w/ THE NASHVILLE SYMPHONY
@ Ascend Amphitheater | 7:30pm | $20-45 | All Ages
Though without a doubt a particularly niche event, the insane fervor surrounding last year’s Pokemon Go craze leaves us guessing that there are more than a few huge Pokemon fans around. Now more than 20 years in, the video game franchise has become one of the most successful and famous of all time, and its music, despite being limited to the capabilities of handhelds and children’s cartoons for many years, is surprisingly rich and memorable. With backing from the Nashville Symphony, Pokemon: Symphonic Evolutions combines decades of music with video and immersion, for a unique, modern presentation with a classical bent. [PO]
THE BUMBS, PET ENVY, BORN ANIMAL, GORILLA BABY
@ Exit/In | 9pm (8pm doors) | $5-7 | 18+
Another low-key, wallet friendly, local show option, retro rockers The Bumbs are a band you should definitely be keeping an eye on. Along with electro pop outfit Pet Envy, rockers Born Animal, and Gorilla Baby, this makes for a great (and unintentionally animal themed?) local sampling. [PO]
TERRY PRINCE & THE PRINCIPLES
@ Grimey’s | 5pm | FREE | All Ages
Hailing themselves as “psychedelic prom rock band,” Memphis outfit Terry Prince & The Principles (the name of the group, there’s no Terry), pass through Grimey’s this Saturday for a free in-store set! Can’t beat the price tag. [PO]
SUNDAY
TTOTALS, TAPE DECK MOUNTAIN, TELEFONES, DAVE BROWN
@ The East Room| 9pm | $5
At this point we’re practically broken record, but here’s yet another awesome, DIY, affordable, local weekend option. Topped by bluesy, experimental, standout local psych rock outfit Ttotals, along with shoegaze-y San Diego transplants Tape Deck Mountain, eclectic and experimental garage rockers Telefones, and Dave Brown, The East Room sounds like the spot to be on Sunday night. [PO]
JILL SCOTT
@ The Ryman Auditorium | 7:30pm (6:30pm doors) | Sold Out | All Ages
Beloved, Grammy winning r&b/soul modern legend, poet, and actress Jill Scott is an unrivaled talent and unbelievable live force, so it’s no shock that her first Ryman show in nearly a decade is sold out. If you managed to snag a ticket, you’re in for an incredible show. [PO]
MARK FREDSON, ERIN RAE, HARI, BILLY CRESCENDO
@ The Basement | 8pm (7:30pm doors) | $5 | 21+
Best known for fronting indie group (and local transplants) The Lonely H, Mark Fredson is also a skilled songwriter and solo artist, having worked with many of our favorite local artists. Along with Erin Rae, Hari, and Billy Crescendo, this is yet another solid, local, intimate show option that won’t break the bank. [PO]
BEN MILLER BAND w/ SAVANNAH CONLEY
@ 3rd and Lindsley| 8pm (6pm doors) | $10 | All Ages
Formed in Joplin, Missouri in 2005, the Ben Miller Band are a folk and blues outfit, adopting a new-grass bent. Their uptempo tunes are often referred to as mudstomp music, as opposed to more traditional incarnations of bluegrass. Enjoy pop performer Savannah Conley in the warm-up spot, and as always with Lightning 100’s Nashville Sunday Night showcases, the entire show will be broadcast live on the radio for free! Of course, in person is always better, and we hope to see you there, packing the most music possible into your weekend. [JR]
[JR] Jacob Ryan
[LL] Lorie Liebig
[PO] Philip Obenschain