2017 is in the rearview, and we’re all trying to get back into the swing of things to kick 2018 off in the right direction. It appears after a few slow weeks in the venues around town, we have some pretty stellar shows to sink our collective teeth into. Head below to plan your first full weekend of 2018 with our latest edition of TWiN.
FRIDAY
SUBSTANCE, WAXED, BARRICADED SUSPECTS, SHADRAQ
@ Drkmttr | 9pm (8pm doors) | $7 | All Ages
While 2017 might have been a disappointment in most regards (and that’s an understatement), the year did bring a lot of great live music, and the first proper weekend of the new year, though still technically in the slow season for touring, seems to indicate a similar trend for 2018. Our love for local inclusive, all ages, DIY space Drkmttr is no secret, and we’re stoked to see them diving into the year on a high note. Friday night, the venue will host Texas hardcore outfit Substance, returning as part of a run of the east coast. Joining them are some local punk favorites- Barricaded Suspects, Waxed, and Shadraq– making this perhaps the first essential, local, underground punk show of the year. [PO]
OL’ SPORT, PROPERSLEEP, YEARLØVE, RUSTY SHIPP, ANTLER HOPKINS
@ Café Coco | 8pm (7:30pm doors) | $5 | All Ages
2018 is looking promising for fans of underground punk and indie of all flavors, and Friday night Cafe Coco, which really became an indispensable all ages space last year, you have another fantastic option. On tour from North Carolina, Ol’ Sport adopt an earnest, folky, emo-laced flavor of post-rock, and fellow Tar Heels Propersleep similar channel emo and indie, with an infusion of pop punk and alt rock. Sweeting the deal and rounding out the bill are local indie rockers Antler Hopkins, “nautical rockers” Rusty Shipp, and prog popster Yearløve. [PO]
VID NELSON, STARBENDERS, THE MINKS, THE MUMZEES, Z
@ The Cobra | 9pm | $5 | 21+
Provo, Utah transplant Vid Nelson is bringing his unique blend of funk-hop and rock to headline a tasty bill at The Cobra’s back room venue area this weekend with the help of some other very talented performers. Atlanta based alternative glam rockers Starbenders, plus three local favorites- The Minks, The Mumzees and Z– will fill out the undercard of what promises to be a kickass night of tunes. You get all this amazing music for just a five spot, making this a frontrunner for our low dough show of the weekend; don’t miss it! [JR]
COMMANDER KEEN, MOUTH READER, SUPERMELT, KNIFEY
@ The East Room | 9pm (8pm doors) | $5 | 18+
Get your weekend off to a good start with an explosion of rock at The East Room. This one features performances from Nashville garage punk heroes Supermelt, local psychedelic surf rockers Mouth Reader, Toronto based punks KNIFEY, and Cookeville based stoner pop outfit Commander Keen. The latter released an EP, Killer Cop, last summer that is 16 minutes of sheer fun. Check it out below, and head out on Friday to catch the stacked bill live. [MH]
ZACH SCHMIDT w/ LITTLE BANDIT, JEREMY PINNELL, KASHENA SAMPSON
@ The Basement | 8pm (7:30pm doors) | $8-10 | 21+
We’ve stated it numerous times in the past, but in case you’re joining us for the new year- the “No Country” in our name isn’t a mission statement or creed, but rather an assertion that our aim is to clue you in to all of the exciting music and events the city has to offer beyond just its biggest, most widely followed mainstream country scene. Plenty of fantastic country music exists below the radar too, and we frequently cover artists we feel are doing something engaging and refreshing in the sphere. This show fits the bill perfect, heading up by Pittsburgh transplant and folky, Americana tinged, alt-country singer Zach Schmidt along with Little Bandit, whose latest, Breakfast Alone, was without a doubt one of last year’s best records. Jeremy Pinnell and Kashena Sampson round out the bill. [PO]
TUCKER RIGGLEMAN, CHRIS OBERHOLTZER, JOEY PLUNKETT
@ The Cobra | 8pm | FREE | 21+
A veteran of the West Virginia and now Harrisonburg, Virginia garage and indie rock scene, singer-songwriter Tucker Riggleman adopts a folky, lo-fi, alt-country bent with his earnest solo output. On the road with Chris Oberholtzer, best known from buzzy up and coming Harrisonburg post-rock outfit Bloom, the pair will play a free show in the front bar at The Cobra this weekend, joined by Joey Plunket of JP5. [PO]
DAMNED RIVERS, MORGAN CLARK, VEDRA, MEG WILLIAMS
@ The Crying Wolf | 9pm (8pm doors) | $5 | 21+
Another great low-key, wallet friendly option, The Crying Wolf is hosting a cool local Friday night bill, topped by folk rockers Damned Rivers. Joining the group are singer-songwriter Morgan Clark, indie rockers Vedra, and singer-songwriter Meg Williams. [PO]
SATURDAY
NASHVILLE IS THE REASON PRESENTS: EMO NIGHT BROOKLYN ft. ANTHONY RANERI, RYAN KEY
@ Exit/In | 9:15pm (8:30pm doors) | $12-15 | 18+
Emo nights have become all the rage the past few years, capturing on the early to mid ’00s nostalgia of the MySpace generation, and finding equal attention form a renewed interest in both new and classic bands making emo music. While the term has been broadly stretched to include anything in the sphere of pop punk, post-hardcore, and even punk-laden indie (basically anything you might see at Warped Tour; we’ll leave the “real emo” discussion for another time), emo nights typically feature a houses DJ or guests from any number of bands from the scene, spinning tunes in a pseudo-concert type setting, ripe for mingling and reminiscing of the genre’s heyday. Some city-specific, ongoing emo nights have even become so popular that they bring their unique spin on the concept on the road, throwing parties at various other cities around the country, and New York’s Emo Night Brooklyn will be doing just that this weekend at Exit/In. Presented by Nashville Is the Reason, one of our local emo night type presenters (though their parties certainly transcend the “emo” label and feel a little more low-key and social), the outing will feature guest DJ sets from Bayside’s Anthony Raneri and Yellowcard’s Ryan Key, both local transplants. Not a bad choice to get 2018 going right! [PO]
RESOLUTE FEST ft. ZOBRODOME, HR_LEXY, REGDAR AND THE FIGHTERS, CHOP CHOP CHANG, G Y P S Y CANYON SUNRISE, VIRGHOST, TERRIBLE, TOM VIOLENCE, THE CHEWERS, VLADOPUS9
@ The Cobra | 7pm | FREE | 21+
“Coming to you live from the planet V9,” Saturday’s free Resolute Fest at The Cobra boasts a stacked lineup of some of the most experimental, avant-garde, and weird fixtures in the local scene. For the price of nothing, you get Zobrodome, HR_Lexy, Redgar and the Fighters, Chop Chop Chang, G y p s y Canyon Sunrise, Virghost, Terrible, Tom Violence, The Chewers, and of course, Vladopus9. You really can’t go wrong with this one. [PO]
STEVE EARLE w/ MIKE MATTISON
@ City Winery | 8pm (6pm doors) | $45-65 | All Ages
Legendary outlaw country troubadour Steve Earle is taking up his annual winter residency at City Winery, and if your thinking about checking him out, act now, because he’s been known to sell out the room. Made famous from his rock, folk, and outlaw country flavored tunes, plus his production for other artists, as well as writing four books, Earle truly is a jack of many trades. With Mike Mattison of Tedeschi Trucks Band fame opening up, it’s sure to be one of the hottest tickets of the week, and for the truly diehard fans out there, there are also meet and greet options available, if you’re willing to cough up some extra dough. Enjoy one of Music City’s cherished residents in this super intimate setting, and find out why theres so much more to this singer songwriter than just “Copper Head Road.” [JR]
BUMMR CITY, THE BUMBS, ALBERT BAGMAN, HEXGIRLFRIENDS
@ The Move | 9pm | $5 | All Ages
Hosted by our pals at Cold Lunch, here’s another cool, under the radar DIY house show that’ll get your year started right. Psych rock faves Bummr City top the lineup, along with buzzy rockers The Bumbs, plus Baltimore avant-garde folksters Albert Bagman and electrofemme punks HexGirlfriends, who also hail from Baltimore. This astounding array of bands will only set you back five bucks. [PO]
ROCK EUPORA w/ THE PILLS, THE INSCAPE
@ The High Watt | 9pm (8pm doors) | $5-7 | 18+
It’s a night of fuzzy grooves at The High Watt when Jackson, MS transplant Clayton Waller brings his shimmering fuzz infused pop project Rock Eupora to headline a sweet bill. They’ll be joined by the The Pills who are celebrating the release of a very enjoyable new album, Lost Tape, which dropped on Dec. 28, and you can check that out below. Blog faves The Inscape open things up, making this a show that fans of fuzzy indie rock will not want to miss out on. [MH]
STONE JACK JONES w/ CEMETERY, THE KYLE HAMMLETT DUO, GYASI, BECCA RICHARDSON, & MORE
@ The East Room | 9pm | $5 | 18+
Celebrating its 11th year, Stone Jack Jones’ annual celebration of Joan of Arc’s Birthday Celebration is taking place this weekend at The East Room. It may seem like a strange thing for an alt-folk stud in town to host, but the event was reportedly due to a migraine-induced vision of the French heroine and Roman Catholic saint. Jones has been hosting this celebration, as a somewhat private affair, since 2008, but he is opening it up this year with a more public event. Expect performances from the host, glam rockers Gyasi, songwriter Becca Richardson, Lylas front man side-project Kyle Hamlett Duo, and a number of special guests. There will also be performance and visual art along with crafts to make this one of the more interesting events of the weekend. [MH]
REPUBLICAN HAIR
@ Grimey’s | 5pm | FREE | All Ages
Songwriter Luke Dick has been turning heads with his Republican Hair project for the past year, but really picked up steam after the release of their most recent EP, The Prince and the Duke, which dropped back in September. This show will be a little warmup for their slot opening for Luthi at 3rd & Lindsley on Sunday. With all the hype that these guys have been getting from their particularly upbeat dance rock, like their breakout single “Miss Prince,” this one has the chance to get pretty crowded, so get there early to catch one of Nashville’s next breakout acts. [MH]
KORBY LENKER
@ The Basement | 7pm (6:30pm doors) | $6-8 | 21+
Local (via Twin Falls, ID) folk-pop singer songwriter Korby Lenker will be playing a very affordable gig this weekend at the OG Basement with an added bonus. Giving a little bit extra incentive for people to come, Lenker will be recording the show live, to be released as a live record at some future date. So be there in person to see him put it down, and live in infamy for all of history, as your hooting and hollering will forever be commemorated. All this for under ten bucks, who said becoming vicariously “famous” had to be expensive. [JR]
SUNDAY
MY APOLOGIES, ON BETTER TERMS, SUPERSTAR FAMUS1DAY, RUN TOBIAS
@ Chris Rock’s Manson | 7:30pm (7pm doors) | $5 | All Ages
Small shows certainly seem to be ruling the weekend, and you won’t catch us complaining- take the opportunity to explore some bands and spaces you might not otherwise check out during the busier concert seasons. House venue Chris Rock’s Mansion (you’ll want to ask a punk for that address) is hosting two great bands from Texas Sunday night: melodic post-hardcore outfit My Apologies and emo/post-hardcore rockers On Better Terms. Both bands are worth checking out on thier own, but with local support from lo-fi rocker Superstar Famus1day and alt emo project Run Tobias, it’s looking extra enticing. [PO]
LUTHI w/ REPUBLICAN HAIR
@ 3rd and Lindsley | 8pm (6pm doors) | $10 | All Ages
We’ve enjoyed watching friend of the blog Luthi, and his always stellar backing band of local players, gain some much deserved acclaim over the last two years, and they just released a new live recording dubbed Live at The Basement East, which will be available for free to all advanced ticket holders. Also celebrating the recent release of their stellar record, The Prince & The Duke, local party rock outfit Republican Hair will be kicking things off at 3rd and Lindsley for Lightning 100’s first Nashville Sunday Night showcase of the year. As always, if you can’t be there in person, be sure to tune in on your FM dials 100% for free! [JR]
INFERNAL COIL, ULULATUM TOLLUNT, PULSATILE TINNITUS, JUDY AND THE JERKS
@ The East Room | 9pm | $7-10 | 18+
Even mental fans have a strong weekend choice to start the year right, thanks to the fine folks at The East Room. Boise, Idaho’s grinding death metal outfit Infernal Coil top the lineup, joined by semi-local black metal band Ululatum Tollunt, harsh, experimental, electro noise band Pulsatile Tinnitus, and Mississippi punks Judy and the Jerks, making for a very cool range of excellent acts at a low cover price. [PO]
SOUTH FOR WINTER w/ THE BIRD AND THE BEAR, KIRA HOOKS, ZACK JOSEPH
@ The Crying Wolf | 9pm (8pm doors) | FREE | 21+
Local folks blues outfit South For Winter are celebrating their self-titled debut EP this weekend with a release show at The Crying Wolf. The band’s founding members, American singer-songwriter Dani Cichon and Kiwi musician Nick Stone met on a rooftop in Peru, and started their musical journey of jazz and blues influenced, harmony laden, gypsy folk that ultimately landed them in Music City. They’ll be joined for this event by like-minded projects The Bird and the Bear, Kira Hooks, and Zack Joseph. This show is free, with a “pay as you want” option for a physical copy of the new record. If you are looking for a chill end to your weekend, this is a good bet. [MH]
[JR] Jacob Ryan
[MH] Matt Hall
[PO] Philip Obenschain