TWiN | This Weekend in Nashville | Dec. 8-10

The holiday season is in full swing, and we’re part of the action this week with our free, 6th annual Christmas Carol Show at Dee’s on Friday night.  Fear not if carols just aren’t your thing, there are a bunch of non-holiday themed shows going on as well, including a long-awaited return of a hardcore legend, a magical evening with one of the indie-sphere’s most talented musicians, the exciting new face in the jazz scene, a special afternoon with one of Nashville’s biggest rock stars, and tons more.  Head below to make your weekend plans in this edition of TWiN.

FRIDAY

NO COUNTRY CHRISTMAS CAROL SHOW ft. ELEL, ALANNA ROYALE, SHEL, DANIEL ELLSWORTH & THE GREAT LAKES, LAUREN STRANGE, BRASKO, SKYWAY MAN, WHISSELL, MY POLITIC, PET ENVY, TAYLS, LONELY BENSON, SPAZZ CARDIGAN, THE BEECH BENDERS, SUP.,  HOT TUB CLUB
@ Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge | 7:30pm | FREE | 21+

For the 6th straight year, we’ve joined forces with some of the top talent in the local scene to bring you a festive evening of holiday tunes and general camaraderie.  This year blog faves like ELEL, Alanna Royale, Skyway Man, The Beech Benders, and Lauren Strange will all be performing, and, thanks to our co-curating pals at P∅PSQUAD, this one is going to feature some fresh faces like Tayls, Pet Envy, SUP., Brasko, Whissell, Lonely Benson, and more.  You can find out more about the show here, and RSVP on Facebook.  If this little blurb alone has convinced you to come, please note that we’ll be accepting non-perishable food items for the Second Harvest Food Bank at the door. If you are looking to get in the holiday spirit, or just want a fun-filled free party, this is where you need to be. [MH]

THE JESUS LIZARD w/ DEAD RIDER
@ Cannary Ballroom | 9pm (8pm doors) | Sold Out | 18+

Heralded as one of the greatest (and wildest) live bands of all time, Chicago (by way of Austin) noise/alt/post-hardcore pioneers The Jesus Lizard recently announced a reunion outing at Day For Night Festival in Houston, which led to the annoucnement their first tour in more than eight years, set to kick it off right here in Nashville, with an appearance at Cannery Ballroom, before hitting Chicago, New York, LA, and San Francisco ahead of their festival spot in Texas. Formed in 1987, the group released six seminal LPs between their 1990 debut, Head, and 1998’s Blue, earning critical acclaim and underground success, but never quite achieving the commercial breakthrough of some of their peers of the ’90s alt rock explosion. They’ve since become iconic, and we’re hoping this reunion, following an attempt almost a decade ago, could lead to new music and more shows- especially since this one’s sold out. [PO]

ANDREW BIRD’S GEZELLIGHEID
@ Downtown Presbyterian Church | 8pm | $50 | All Ages

Renowned songwriter and prodigious violinist Andrew Bird returns to Nashville on both Friday and Saturday night, but with a slightly different setup than you are used to seeing.  He’ll be performing his beloved Gezelligheid (dutch for “cozy) show for the first time outside of his native Chicago, and will be gracing the Downtown Presbyterian Church in Nashville for two nights this weekend.  If you aren’t in the know on what the Gezelligheid is all about, you can get a taste in the video below to see how Bird transforms hits and instrumental pieces solo, with only the help of his signature Victrola horns.  Needless to say, his music filling a room like the Presbyterian church is something you won’t want to miss. [MH]

YØUTH, CHASE HUGLIN, PALE LUNGS, WEST MEANS HOME, EARLY HUMANS, THE TOUCH
@ The End | 7pm (6pm doors) | $10 | 18+

Hosted by local live video showcase series the Sanctuary Sessions, some our favorite local bands in the indie, punk, emo, and alt rock scene are banding together for a showcase set to benefit families affected by cancer. For just $10, you get the earnest indie/emo stylings of YØUTH, indie folk singer-songwriter Chase Huglin, ambient, raw post-rockers Please Lungs, and more, and you get to help out a great cause. If you can’t make it to our Christmas show and still want to support the local scene, this is sure to be stellar. [PO]

BLACK PISTOL FIRE w/ COBI
@ The Basement East | 9pm (8pm doors) | $15 | 18+

Out on the road in support of their excellent new album Deadbeat Graffiti, beloved blues rock duo Black Pistol Fire return to town on Friday for a Basement East show along with soulful pop standout Cobi. An electrifying and celebrated live force, if you haven’t yet seen what BPF can do in person, you should remedy that immediately, whether you’re familiar with their recorded catalogue or not. [PO]

DAVID RAMIREZ w/ MOLLY PARDEN
@ Mercy Lounge | 9pm (8pm doors) | $18 | 18+

Austin, TX, based indie Americana rocker David Ramirez recently released a stellar new record entitled We’re Not Going Anywhere, and has been touring in support. Lucky for us, he’ll be dropping in on Music City, and with help from neo-folk local performer Molly Parden in the warm up spot, it’s sure to be a very entertaining night of tunes. Take a break from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, have a disappear into a great show! [JR]

TURKUAZ w/ THE SUFFERS
@ Exit/In | 9pm (8pm doors) | $18 | 18+

Brooklyn based dance funk outfit Turkuaz, who are well known for their high energy live show, are gearing up for a big 2018 with the upcoming release of their Jerry Harrison (Modern Lovers/Talking Heads) produced record. You’ll likely get a chance to see hear a few of those new tracks on Friday night at Exit/In, assuming you aren’t whipped into too much of a full frenzied dance machine. [MH]

REPUBLICAN HAIR, MADI DIAZ
@ The 5 Spot | 9pm (8pm doors) | $10 | 21+

Republican Hair have been steadily pinging our radar for a couple of years, and we were enamored with the playful, funky The Prince & the Duke, which dropped earlier this year. The group will be joined by former Nashville (and now Los Angeles based) singer-songwriter Madi Diaz, who recently teamed up with another local, K.S. Rhoads, to release a killer cover of The Postal Service’s “Such Great Heights”. [MH]

SATURDAY

KAMASI WASHINGTON w/ MOONCHILD
@ Marathon Music Works | 8pm (7pm doors) | $29.50-60 | All Ages

Jazz music has been in desperate need of a fresh new face to bring the seminal American genre back into the public spotlight, and Kamasi Washington appears to be the artist to carry the torch.  The renowned saxophonist first caught fans’ attention with his work on Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly, but it was his solo debut, The Epic, in 2015 that really made him a mainstay.  Clocking in at around three hours, there is not a single boring moment on that record, and he proved it translates live during his incendiary Bonnaroo set in 2016. Washington has since followed that up with this year’s far more concise Harmony Of Difference, which takes a dip into a slightly more soul-drenched, but equally pleasing, route.  It’s not every day that we would place a jazz musician as a top show for a weekend night, but Kamasi is not your everyday musician. [MH]

KACEY MUSGRAVES
@ Grimey’s | 7pm | Sold Out | All Ages

Last year, resident local country starlet Kacey Musgraves released her debut Christmas album, A Very Kacey Christmas, and celebrated the timeless holiday effort with a small run of shows, including a couple of local appearances. Chock full of quirky and spirited original holiday tunes, the record features guests like Willie Nelson and Leon Bridges, and racked up praise for its nostalgic, throwback vibe to cheerful and positive Christmas music of eras past, cementing its place as a sure-to-be modern classic. As Christmas comes but once a year, it’s no surprise that Kacey, currently hard at work on her latest non-holiday themed full-length, is taking the time to revisit A Very Kacey Christmas once more, including a free holiday in-store performance and record signing at Grimey’s. As with the more high-profile in-stores, wristbands were distributed in advance, so if you don’t already have one, you’re unfortunately out of luck. [PO]

ANDREW BIRD’S GEZELLIGHEID
@ Downtown Presbyterian Church | 8pm | $50 | All Ages

Night two of Andrew Bird‘s acclaimed Gezelligheid wraps his first time bringing the unique show to Nashville. If you are a fan of Bird or just want to mix things up a bit, seeing this accomplished musician perform in the sonically different space of the Downtown Presbyterian Church should be an essential part of your weekend plans. [MH]

STRIKING MATCHES
@ Analog (at The Hutton) | 9pm (6pm doors) | FREE | All Ages

The Hutton Hotel is getting into the live music game with the grand opening of a swanky new venue, dubbed Analog, this weekend. While “hotel venue” might not immediately instill confidence, their bookings so far have been pretty solid and the space looks great. We’d recommend Striking Matches‘ free performance Saturday night if you’re curious to scope it out, especially since the celebrated local duo recently released an excellent new EP, Shameless, that we can’t get enough of. [PO]

LIDO BEACH w/ TCHR, WILD LOVE, VLTS
@ Rocketown (White Building) | 7pm (6pm doors) | $10 | All Ages

It’s been two years since LA alt rock outfit Lido Beach played a pair of farewell shows in New York and LA, ending a run that kicked off with an excellent 2008 debut Fake Hellos, Real Goodbyes, and saw the group forge a buzzy following through relentless touring and a tireless DIY attitude. Now, the band are back, reemerging in honor of their 10th anniversary to once again play New York and LA, with a third, bonus outing sandwiched between right here in Nashville, for an acoustic performance this weekend at Rocketown, along with local support from Tchr, Wild Love, and vlts. For now, these are the only shows announced and seem to be the entirety of the anniversary run, but with new music said to be on the horizon, 2018 could see more activity- we still wouldn’t snooze on this one. [PO]

SPORTS w/ KEEPS, SPAZZ CARDIGAN
@ The Basement | 9pm (8:30pm doors) | $8-10 | 21+

Groovy retro synth rockers Sports made waves with their 2016 release People Can’t Stop Chillin’, and also released a new single over the summer, which gives thought that we’ll have more new music soon. The group are currently in the midst of a winter tour that will bring them to The Basement this weekend, where they’ll be joined by a pair of indie popsters, Keeps and Spazz Cardigan, both of whom are riding high in the local scene with recent releases of their own. If you are looking for some fresh vibey fun, this show is a solid low dough choice. [MH]

SONS OF OLD TOWN CHRISTMAS ft. CORY TAYLOR COX, WATERFALL WASH, PEYTON RODEFFER, ROCK EUPORA, HARD.
@ Little Harpeth Brewing | 7pm (6pm doors) | $7 | 21+

Another cool Christmas themed local happening, which doubles as a benefit for the Nashville Rescue Mission, the Sons of Old Town Christmas party at Little Harpeth boasts a ton of sites faves: Cory Taylor Cox, Waterfall Wash, Peyton Rodeffer, Rock Europa, and Hard. Keep the Christmas cheer going all weekend and benefit another great cause! [PO]

TYLER CHILDERS
@ Grimey’s | 5pm | FREE | All Ages
w/ BLANK RANGE
@ The Basement East | 8pm (7pm doors) | Sold Out | 21+

If you were hoping to catch breakout alt country performer Tyler Childers with blog favorites Blank Range this weekend and you don’t already have tickets, I’m afraid we have some bad news: tickets have sold out. Never fear though! There is still a chance you can squeeze into his free Grimey’s in-store performance beforehand. You’ll have to be punctual though, because after the release of his breakout record Purgatory earlier this year (which peaked at #1 on Billboard’s Heatseekers Chart), shows have been filling up early, and we have a hunch Grimey’s will hit capacity in no time. [JR]

12th ANNUAL GET BEHIND THE MULE: TOM WAITS TRIBUTE
@ The 5 Spot | 8pm | $10+ suggested donation | 21+

For the 12th straight year, Nashville musicians are joining forces to pay tribute to Tom Waits on Saturday night, but the real tribute is to Second Harvest Food Bank, whom will receive all proceeds from the show. This year’s event will feature performances from Angel Snow, David Olney, Solar Twin, Ballhog!, Furious Primates, and tons more. There will also be live paintings by Jeff Bertrand and David Noel that will be auctioned off at the end of the night for charity as well.  If you are a fan of Waits, looking to find some great local musicians, or are just feeling charitable, this is a tried and true event that is a guaranteed good time. More info is available here. [MH]

SUNDAY

THIRD MAN RECORDS HOLIDAY BAZAAR ft. JACK WHITE
@ Third Man Records | 10am | FREE (w/ purchase or donation) | All Ages

Third Man Records is getting into the holiday spirit this weekend with an all day holiday bazaar on Sunday.  The event will feature plenty for the kiddos in the way of bounce houses and music from Mr. Steve, face painting, and holiday crafts, but the reason it makes our list is that the founder and resident Nashville rocker Jack White is set to make an appearance to promote his new children’s book based on The White Stripes song “We’re Going To Be Friends.”  White will doing a reading and book signing in the Blue Room on Sunday afternoon, but space for that portion of the event is limited.  Tickets are first come, first served beginning at 10 a.m. to those that purchase the book or bring a new unwrapped toy to donate to Toys For Tots.  If you are want to increase your chances, bring your kid with you, as half of the available tickets are reserved for those with children. [MH]

RUBY AMANFU & FRIENDS
@ 3rd and Lindsley | 8pm (6pm doors) | SOLD OUT | All Ages

On an absolutely stacked weekend of shows, it appears yet another seriously impressive bill has sold out. Locally based alt pop, soul songstress Ruby Amanfu is hosting a very, very special engagement at 3rd and Lindsley and a bunch of her talented friends will be in attendance to perform as well. Big names like Lee Ann Womack, Leon Bridges (with Brittni Jessie), The Lone Bellow, Brendan Benson, Who Is Fancy, The Sisterhood, Daniel Ellsworth and many more! Considering Ruby’s far-reaching musical ties, who knows what other surprises might be in store. If you’ve got tickets, rejoice! If not, maybe next year. [JR]

CAM’RON
@ The Basement East | 9pm (8pm doors) | $25-30 | 21+

While best known for his string of mainstream hits in the late ’90s and early ’00s, New York rapper Cam’ron has been active and beloved force in hip hop for two decades. The de facto leader of Dipset/The Diplomats, ‘ron has slowed down a little on the new music in recent years, but has quite a bit of music finally coming down the pipeline, which should make his stop at the fairly intimate Basement East this weekend an exciting time to see him. [PO]

[JR] Jacob Ryan
[MH] Matt Hall
[PO] Philip Obenschain