Nashville for Free

Here are some awesome Tomato Art Festival pictures from our friend Karen Alisa. Check out more of her stuff at her site, www.karenalisa.net

Thanks Karen!

Again, all images are © Karen Alisa Photography, 2009

He's so excited

This is a story about a birthday surprise. My friend Stephen (pictured) is a vinyl nut, so I decided to help him celebrate his birthday by taking him to United Record Pressing, which is here in Nashville near the baseball park. URP is the largest record pressing facility in the country, and I’d been told by someone that they did tours, so I called and found out that yes, if we called ahead and came down someone would be glad to show us around…for FREE!

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Question: is the hot dog really in love?

Is it really?

[polldaddy poll=1865778]

This is how I feel about missing out on free stuff in Nashville for four months

Alright, first of all, what I’m about to tell you isn’t really a big deal, but I just thought I’d share in case mid-way through October you were all like, “bleh, Emily is slacking, she doesn’t do scene reports anymore and never talks about going to free events.”

Well, here’s the reason I won’t be doing scene reports for awhile. I’m making a temporary move away from Nashville.

That’s right, starting this Friday I will no longer be a Nashvillian, for awhile anyway. I’ll be back in early 2010, but until then you’re going to have to rely on wonderful reporting from Michelle and Lance.

I’ll still update the Twitter and I’ll do weekly highlights for the blog, just like I’ve done other times when I’ve been out of town. If I start to slack send me a message or something and complain, and that’ll probably be enough to get my butt back into shape. I’m gonna have to rely even more on you guys to send me events, so, as always, don’t hesitate to send me an email or @reply on Twitter (it’s always best to send those the day of the events or on Sunday when I can include them in Weekly Highlights)

In other words, this announcement announces that, despite my departure from Nashville, nothing will change on your side.

-Emily

In-stores, book signings, learnin’ stuff, it’s gonna be a busy week.

Monday

8 off 8th at the Mercy Lounge: Heypenny’s COP CAR EP Release – 9pm
Come on down and buy Heypenny’s new EP, the packaging of which is pages from a coloring book. Live performances by Matthew P. Jones, Cheer Up Charlie Daniels, The Biv, Madi Diaz, Coral Castles, Mikky Ekko, Natalie Prass, Heypenny, & Coach DJ’ing between sets!

Sam & Ruby In-Store at Grimey’s – 6pm
Sam & Ruby blend folk, R&B, and pop and are just awesome. They’re doing pretty well for themselves, and are playing this in-store they day before their album drops, but because Grimey’s is wonderful, you’ll get to pick it up a day early at the in-store

Local Mystery Writer Jennie Bentley discusses and signs Spackled and Spooked at Davis-Kidd Books – 7pm
From Now Playing Nashville:

A mystery surfaces behind the walls in the new Do-It-Yourself series! Avery Baker and her boyfriend, Derek Ellis, are flipping a seriously stigmatized house rumored to have ghosts. Soon, they’ll have even bigger problems, and this renovation project might haunt them forever. (Includes original DIY bathroom remodeling tips in the back!)

Tuesday

Darryl Worley autograph signing at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum – 4pm
If you head down to the Country Music Hall of Fame’s store starting at 9:30 and buy Darryl Worley’s new album, you’ll get a voucher to show up at 4pm and get him to sign the record.

ASCAP Rocks the Basement – 8pm
Free show featuring The Elms, Chris Nathan, Gabriel Kelly, Lee Anna James and Mike Willis

Rock the Block at Exit/In – 8pm
Performers include Lazar Lazar, Ikaik, Joshua Armstrong, and Steve Satre. Haven’t heard of them? Go check them out anyway, it’s free.

Wednesday

Arby’s free food
Free Roast Chicken Club with soft drink purchase

LYLAS in-store at Grimeys – 6pm
Come down and see LYLAS, our artist of the week, play a free show at Grimey’s. More on them later.

Thursday

Shakespeare in the Park at Centennial Park – pre-show at 6:30pm, curtains at 7:30pm
Shakespeare in the park presents Taming of the Shrew every Thursday-Sunday in Centennial Park through September 13th. Tonight will be the first presentation of the year. Free, but a $5 donation is suggested.

Bear House Lecture at the Belmont Mansion – 7pm
Belmont’s history is weird. Really weird. Come by and hear about how freaking weird it is. $5 suggested donation.

Friday

Fall Home and Garden Show at Cool Springs Galleria (through Sunday) – 10am til
Vendors throughout the mall will have tips and ideas for home improvement. Food, fun, shopping, and education.

Dyer Open House Telescope Night at Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory 8-10pm
Come for a great view of the stars. If it’s cloudy the event will still be on, but will involve tours and such.

The Big Rock Show with Aubrey Collins and Anthony Corder at 12th & Porter – 8pm
Free rock show. ‘Nuff said

Saturday

Big Band Dances in Centennial Park featuring Debbie Bailes Band – 7:30-10pm
Participate in one of the amateur dance competitions, take a ballroom dancing lesson (7-7:30, 8:30-8:50), or just bring a lawn chair or blanket and enjoy the tunes.

• Today at 2pm there’s a free wine tasting at Corrieri’s Formaggeria behind Mafiaoza’s. Apparently they have some great stuff today. Be early.
• RT @Grimeys: Last minute Addition TODAY! Drakkar Sauna Live instore performance 4pm Free All Ages! Free Fat Tire Beer (21+ for beer) YAY
• The Second Saturday Summer Drive-In: W.W. AND THE DIXIE DANCEKINGS at The Belcourt Theatre. Starts at sundown (7:45ish). Donations accepted
• Gretchen Peters CD Release at The Rutledge 2-4pm 18+ http://bit.ly/Y9bo6
• James Dickerson discusses and signs Devil’s Sanctuary: An Eyewitness History of Mississippi Hate Crimes @daviskiddbooks 2pm
• Frist Center Kids Club: Magnificent Monoprints at 10:30am, 1pm, or 3pm http://bit.ly/aaHG1
• Beachaven Winery: Jazz on the Lawn featuring Hypertension 6:30-930 http://bit.ly/17tL5x
• Big band dances tonight at Centennial Park featuring Radio Daze. 7:30-10pm

Some ideas for your day that won’t break bank.

• Film Loop: Brenda Lee In Concert with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra at the Country Music HoF 10am-4pm http://bit.ly/HJI42
• First Friday Sacred Soul Space with Ruth McGinnis and Friends at Christ Church Cathedral 6pm http://bit.ly/1QCdbs
• Bellevue Red Caboose Park Amphitheatre Concerts: Bill McCallie & In Cahoots Band 7-9pm  http://bit.ly/J5x8X
• Films at the Frist presents Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts. 7pm http://bit.ly/an5RZ
• Architecture tour at the Frist. Learn all about the unique building. 6:30pm http://bit.ly/mz18C
• In the 12th & Porter Lounge: Fred Shafer and Autumn McEntire 6pm  http://bit.ly/4diZdb
• Live music: Dom Wier at Edgehill Studios Cafe 6pm http://www.myspace.com/domwier
• RT @rwitherell: just a reminder – TODAY they are giving out $250 every 1/2 hour between 11 to 1 @ British Woods apt -dropindriveoff.com
• RT @Dewveall NASHVILLE: @uglymugs 1st B-day. Drop by tonight for live music, door prizes and birthday cake. 6 p.m. http://bit.ly/14U8hP

-Emily

Twitter, you are making me ANGRY right now

Since  Twitter is down I’ll just post my daily tweets here.

TONIGHT free live music: Minnie Murphy at Sambuca 7pm http://snipr.com/oucxs

TODAY: Daisy King (TN’s first lady of cooking) Cooking Demo and Book Signing at Sherlock’s Book Emporium 11am-2pmhttp://snipr.com/oud1d

Writing a screenplay? TONIGHT: Screenwriting Workshop with Rich Reichman @daviskiddbooks 7pm http://snipr.com/oud3k

TONIGHT: NAAD presents Art After Hours at local art galleries. Good art, good people, free wine. 5-8pm Locations here:http://short.to/ly8s

TONIGHT: Tunesmithing on Music Row at Edgehill Studios Cafe 7-9pm. Kimberly Maiers Shaw and Chuck Whiting will emceehttp://is.gd/24Uti

RT: @nashvillesymph Tax Free Weekend Sale – We don’t even charge sales tax and we’re still giving you a 9.25% discount! http://bit.ly/wEVOQ