TWiN | This Weekend in Nashville | Dec. 15-17

It’s the last full weekend for holiday preparation, but we’re sure that you well heeled readers are already ahead of the game. If you’re looking for music to carry you through the pre-holiday weekend, there is a moderately full slate of mostly local music that you can sink your teeth into, including a Bully homecoming, some shimmering pop, underground hip hop, progressives metal, indie punk, and more, plus a smattering of great holiday shows.  Head below to see our staff picks in this week’s edition of TWiN!

FRIDAY

BULLY w/ DADDY ISSUES, BUTTHOLE
@ Mercy Lounge | 8:30pm (8pm doors) | Sold Out | 18+

On the heels of the release of their highly-anticipated and unsurprisingly stellar sophomore LP, Losing, breakout local grunge pop group Bully are celebrating with not one, not two, but three nights of homecoming shows at Mercy Lounge. Following Thursday’s kick off, Friday sees support from local favorites Daddy Issues and Butthole, and was the first of the three to sell out. No surprising since, although the band have remained active, appearing at Live on the Green and a plethora of major regional fests over the last year, these shows will be Bully’s first formal, hometown headlining dates in nearly two years (22 months to be exact). Act fast and grab Saturday tickets, or risk missing out! [PO]

SHEL
@ Soulshine Pizza | 7pm | FREE | All Ages

The story behind SHEL is an interesting one.  The four sisters (Sarah, Hannah, Eva, and Liza), homeschooled by their musical father and artist mother, have essentially been training to be a band from a very young age, and over time have honed their sound into one of the more unique acts that you’ll find today.  Their classical training along with a love of theatrics and appreciation of pop and folk creates a harmonic explosion of happiness that will appeal to most any music fan, as we saw first hand last weekend when they popped in to perform at our Christmas Carol show.  If you haven’t gotten hip to the Nashville transplants yet, head below for a primer, and then don’t miss the chance to see them for free at Soulshine to start your weekend off right. [MH]

PUDDLES PITY PARTY
@ Marathon Music Works | 8:30pm (7pm doors) | $25-35 | All Ages

The site of Puddles Pity Party is one to behold.  A sad clown standing nearly 7 feet tall is not something that goes unnoticed, regardless of your thoughts on the creepiness of clowns in general.  Though not a millennial, Puddles, and his golden voice, first found success on YouTube with unique covers of hits, like Lorde’s “Royals” and unique mashups, before finding national acclaim on America’s Got Talent.  While Puddles didn’t win the national award, it has propelled him to a nationwide tour that is seeing him play some impressively sized venues, including Marathon Music Works on Friday night.  That’s a pretty big accomplishment, given the last time we saw him perform in Nashville, he was busking in front of Fond Object in Riverside Village at rush hour. [MH]

GLASS HOUSE POINT, C2 & THE BROTHERS REED, JET BLACK ALLEY CAT, THE BAND CAMINO, HARDCASTLE
@ Little Harpeth Brewing | 7pm | $5 | 21+

Little Harpeth Brewing has been making waves in recent months with their recently expanded show space inside their brewery.  Not only does it provide some of the freshest craft lagers in town, they are also hosting some solid rock acts.  This weekend they host Florida based indie rockers Glass House Point, along with alt garage rockers C2 & The Brothers Reed, local rockers Jet Black Alley Cat and Hardcastle, and Memphis based rockers The Band Camino.  You get all of this rock (and a buncha beers) for only $5?  No brainer. [MH]

YGTUT, SHOEY, BBYMUTHA, MICHAEL DA VINCI, BRIAN BROWN,  CHRIS P, SWERZIE, UZI BOYS
@ The End | 9pm (8pm doors) | $5 | 18+

Hip hop fans definitely want to head to The End this weekend for a stacked slate of underground and rising MCs, dubbed the Bakesale 2. Headed up by Chattanooga’s YGTUT, whose neo soul infused sound is infectious, you get eight great regional performers for just $5, including buzzy rising rapper BbyMutha, the talented Michael da Vinci, and many more! [PO]

FOREST FIRE GOSPEL CHOIR w/ CHARGE THE ATLANTIC, PONCÉ
@ The High Watt | 9pm (8pm doors) | $5-10 | 18+

Local roots rockers Forest Fire Gospel Choir have been building a strong rep since their inception circa 2014, and are more then ready for top billing at The High Watt this weekend. With help from funky reggae rock outfit Charge The Atlantic, indie pop twin brother pop duo Poncé, you’re getting more than your money’s worth. Don’t let winter weather win, get out there and enjoy your weekend with help from some live music. [JR]

REPLACIRE, DEAPSCUFA, WHILE YOU WERE ASLEEP, WITCHFANE, AEDEAGUS
@ The East Room | 9pm (8pm doors) | $10 | 18+

Hey metal fans, this weekend has a great outing for you too. Boston proggy/melodic death metal outfit Replacire head up a show at The East Room, joined by Louisville black/thrash metal band Deapscufa, and rounded up by local support from likeminded groups While You Were Asleep, Witchfane, and Aedeagus. If heavy, thrash, proggy, and black metal sensibilities are your bag, this is your best bet. [PO]

SATURDAY

BULLY w/ PUJOL, SAD BAXTER
@ Mercy Lounge | 8:30pm (8pm doors) | $15 | 18+

Bully finish an impressive three-night run at Mercy Lounge on Saturday night with support from local intellectual/garage punks Pujol and grungy, sludge pop duo Sad Baxter. With Friday night sold out (see above), this is the best and only move if you slept on tickets, so don’t miss out on the most exciting show of the weekend! [PO]

KAPTAN w/ LADYSSE, SECRET CLUB
@ The High Watt | 9pm (8pm doors) | $10 | 18+

The orchestral, shimmering indie pop solo outfit of local artist and producer Andrew de Torres, Kaptan has been a site favorite since first making a splash in the scene a few years back. While we eagerly await a followup to buzzy 2015 EP Sprinter (some great singles have dropped in the interim), Kaptan hosts a headlining hometown show this weekend, featuring some great support from indie pop singer Ladysse and local faves Secret Club. This is definitely a weekend gem for some quality local tunes. [PO]

PLANT PARENTHOOD, FLORAL PRINT, NATHAN K, B|_ANK
@ Drkmttr | 9pm (8:30pm doors) | $7 | All Ages

We can always count on beloved all ages DIY space Drkttr to host some stellar, under the radar weekend options, and once again they’ve come through. Local indie faves Plant Parenthood are celebrating the release of their new tape, and are joined by eclectic Atlanta group Floral Print, local folky, lo-fi singer-songwriter Nathan K, and ambient noise project B|_ank for a very cool, very stacked show. [PO]

STAY HERE, BANANA FREQUENCY, BAZOOKATOOTH, LITTLE GHOST
@ Sunnyvale | 7pm | $5 | All Ages

Hosted at DIY house space Sunnyvale (ask a punk for the address), fans of emo, pop punk, indie, and hardcore will dig this cheap, all ages, inclusive offering. Hailing from Atlanta, emo/pop punk outfit Stay Here head things up, along with local fuzz punks Banana Frequency, hardcore punks Bazookatooth, and acoustic indie singer Little Ghost. If you’re a DIY fan looking to sample the best of what’s next, this is the spot. [PO]

COUPLER, SCALE MODEL, FINANCIER, SUGAR SKULLS
@ Little Harpeth Brewing | 8pm (7:30pm doors) | $10 | 21+

Ambient instrumentalist, and Third Man Records collaborators Coupler will bring their avant garde sounds to Little Harpeth Brewing this weekend to blow some minds. Blog favorites Scale Model, stoner pop Financier, and dream wave performer Sugar Skulls will give the night an overall super groovy, spaced out feel. Plus you can drink tasty local brews at optimal freshness. One show, support two always growing Music City indie scenes, for just $10 at the door. Be there! [JR]

SMART OBJECTS, DANIMAL PLANET, BROTHER MAN
@ The 5 Spot | 9pm (8pm doors) | $5 | 21+

We’ve been closely following Benjamin A. Harper’s new project Smart Objects for a while now, and even premiered their incredibly fun debut “The Autumn Man” earlier this year.  They are closing out the year with a fun bill at The 5 Spot, which also features Chattanooga based psych-tinged rockers Danimal Planet, and local blues rockers Brother Man.  [MH]

THE MINKS w/ THE MEDIUM, PETER STRINGER-HYE + PAN
@ Fond Object (Downtown) | 8:30pm (8pm doors) | $7-10 | All Ages

Underground favorites in the local psych/blues pantheon, The Minks are back with a new EP, entitled Blue, and you can help them celebrate at the record release show at Fond Object’s downtown location. No Country presents alum The Medium, Nashville based multi-instrumentalist, and Trouble In Mind recording artist Peter Stringer-Hye and more will make the all ages evening of music well worth your time and hard earned money. Pick up a vinyl flavored present for that special someone while you’re at it, and mark another person of your holiday shopping list. [JR]

7 MINUTES IN HEAVEN w/ STORY UNTOLD, PLANS, CARVERTON, FINALLY GRAVY
@ The End | 7:30pm (6:30pm doors) | $10-12 | 18+

Pop punk fans have another solid Saturday option, when Chicago’s 7 Minutes in Heaven roll through The End. The buzzy, emo-tinged rising group are out with Canadian pop punks Story Untold and Indianapolis earnest indie/emo outfit Plans, and the show gets even better with local support from Carverton and Finally Gravy.  [PO]

FUTURE THIEVES w/ GUTHRIE BROWN, THE JOSEPHINES
@ The Basement East | 9pm (8pm doors) | FREE | 21+

Local rockers Future Thieves have been on the rise in Nashville and beyond for a few years now, since the release of their 2016 debut Horizon Line, and we experienced the power of their live show first hand when we hosted them at one of our Acme showcases soon after.  They released a new single, “Sucker,” early this year, and are now hosting a free “Not So Silent Night” show at The Basement East to give back to everyone this holiday season.  Resident (and road-tested) rocker Guthrie Brown is set to release new music at the show, and Bowling Green base rockers The Josephines are set to open.  If that’s not enough to get you to the show on time, perhaps the $1 beer specials will make you rethink your decision.  [MH]

SUNDAY

JOHN WATERS
Album Signing @ Third Man Records | 6pm | FREE | All Ages
A John Waters Christmas
@ City Winery | 8pm (6pm doors) | $50-125 | All Ages

Cult filmmaker, author, screenwriter, actor, standup comedian, and journalist John Waters is bringing his holiday themed one man show, A John Waters Christmas, to City Winery this weekend, for those looking for a holiday escape in the form of edgy adult humor. If you’re a Waters fan, you already know exactly what to expect, but if not, fair warning- might want to leave the kids at home for this one. Or, if you’re on a tight holiday budget or happen to be a big fan, Third Man Records is hosting a free in-store signing immediately beforehand, celebrating Waters’ spoken word release through the label, Make Trouble– just be sure to get your spot in line early, as John will be departing exactly at 7 p.m. for his evening performance. [PO]

SHOOTER JENNINGS, JASON BOLAND w/ JULIE ROBERTS
@ 3rd and Lindsley | 8pm (6pm doors) | $20 | All Ages

Outlaw country and southern rock ‘n’ roll singer songwriter Shooter Jennings is back in Music City and ready to share his gospel with the masses. The son of legendary performer Waylon Jennings, Shooter has more than proven he’s up to the task of carrying on his father’s legacy, as he also continues to forge his own unique path in the process. Look for tourmate Jason Boland and local Julie Roberts to fill out one of the year’s best installments of Lightning 100’s Nashville Sunday night. Go in person, but if you can’t swing it, be sure to tune in to hear it all live on the FM airwaves.  [JR]

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