Alright, I know that you all are focused on the sweet image to the left of this text, but I want to draw your attention away from it for one second to discuss the super cool event at hand.

I don’t know if any of you are familiar with the Metropolis Symphony off the top of your head, so I’ll just tell you what it is. The Metropolis Symphony is a five-movement piece written by Michael Daugherty. Well, a new recording has been made by our own Nashville Symphony, and NAXOS has decided to throw a party to celebrate it!

The party will be (as the flyer suggests) at the Flying Saucer this Wednesday, and it should be a blast. You’ll even get the chance to meet and talk to Daugherty and Nashville Symphony musical director Giancarlo Gerrero.

Anyway, this event is a must for Superman and comic book fans, so don’t miss it. Also, if you can’t stand to be in bars like the Flying Saucer because you have a gluten intolerance and it makes you sad to be around beer that you can’t drink, I’ve heard that the Flying Saucer has gluten-free beer (but that they cost something like $12 a bottle).

Enjoy the event and all of its super-human glory!

-Emily

Monday

Belmont Camerata Musicale at the Belmont Mansion – 7:30pm

Belmont faculty, guest artists and artistic director, Elisabeth Small present the 21st season of Belmont Camerata Musicale’s chamber music series in the historic Belmont Mansion. On September 28, they will present a program of Bach and Mendelssohn works featuring Erbarme dich from Bach’s St. Matthew Passion and Mendelssohn’s String Quartet Op. 80 and Concertpiece No.2 in D minor for piano, clarinet and bassoon.

8 off 8^th at the Mercy Lounge – 9pm

This week everyone’s favorite weekly showcase with 8 bands is hosted by Brenn, and the lineup includes Brenn, The Worsties, RT Gentlemen, Kink Ador,The Effects, Mona, Bravo Max and Daniel Ellsworth.

(more…)

I’m sure you’ve noticed that in the past every once in awhile I’ll tweet about an event called Art After Hours, where many of the art galleries in Nashville keep their doors open later than usual. This occurs on the first Thursday of every month, and it’s always a blast. It’s a great event full of wonderful art, free wine, and good company, and this month our friend Tinnin though that Nashville for Free should write a little feature on it, so here we go.

Art After Hours is brought to you by The Nashville Association of Art Dealers (or NAAD, as we so lovingly call them), and boy oh wow do they have some great things planned for you this Thursday. Here’s a list of some of the highlights straight from the press release…

• LeQuire Gallery, near Sylvan Park, celebrates its annual New Figurative Artists show and the Grey Gardens series of paintings by Marti Jones-Dixon.  LeQuire will host a fun Grey Gardens Trick or Treat, featuring seven different Big and Little Edie’s handing out treats throughout the gallery spaces. Guests are encouraged to dress in their favorite Edie costume, from a headscarf and white shoes to your best 40′s bathing suit!
• Local Color on Broadway presents “Nashville, Artistically Speaking,” featuring the painterly perspectives of Nashville through the eyes of the gallery’s celebrated local artists.
• Midtown Gallery on Broadway continues Susan Graves’ “Naked Chefs,” a series of pottery sculptures of male and female chefs with bare backsides peeping out from their aprons!
• Zeitgeist in Hillsboro Village continues its discussion series Oblique Strategies with nuclear physicist Victoria Greene, Ph.D.
• The Arts Company, downtown, previews “Nashville’s Architectural Treasures,” large-scale photographs by Bob Schatz, selected from a new book soon-to-be-released.  Schatz will be available to discuss the locations and the photographs with guests throughout the event.
• Cumberland Gallery, in Green Hills, presents paintings by Michael Greenspan and James Lavadour.  Special speaker will be Jochen Wierich, PhD, Curator of Art, Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art. He will be discussing Northwest art, American Indian Art and landscape painting, as well as the work of James Lavadour at 7pm.
• Finer Things Gallery, near the Fairgrounds, continues its exhibit of Bell Buckle artist Sherri Warner Hunter.  The artist will be discussing her recently completed large-scale work for the Governor’s Mansion.
• Gallery One in Belle Meade presents “Intersections:  Between Dreams and Memories,” a collaborative exhibition featuring the mixed media works of Laura Schiff and imaginative photo-encaustic images by Maggie Hasbrouck

As you can see, this event isn’t just about looking at art, it’s about learning about it too. I’d recommend checking out at least one of the speakers while you’re out.

Other participating galleries include Bennett Galleries, Estel Gallery, HA Gallery at Hanging Around, Hiram Van Gordon Memorial Gallery at Tennessee State University, The Parthenon, Richland Fine Art, Rymer Gallery, and Tinney Contemporary, among others.

You won’t be able to get into the Frist or the Parthenon for free if you aren’t a member, but the Frist Center will be participating by setting up some free music in the lobby.

This event is set for Thursday, Oct. 1st from 5-8pm. Don’t miss it. For even more info check out their site at www.ArtAfterHours.net Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure.

Written under the influence of Guided by Voices and Drakkar Sauna.

Monday

8 off 8th at the Mercy Lounge – 9pm
While there might not be any special name for this particular 8 off 8th it’s still gonna be pretty awesome. Just look at these names: Re-Up Band, Greg Bates
Stephanie Lambring, Marie Hines, Clark Richard, Lindsey Highlander, Honey Honey, Westbound Rangers, The Hollywood Ten. Those last two are especially awesome, so don’t miss them!

(more…)

Hey, do all of you remember Mr. Paul Burch? I hope you do, because I just wrote a big ‘ol article about how he’s our artist of the week here at Nashville for Free and I probably mentioned that he’s playing a free show at everyone’s favorite place to get shepherd’s pie in Nashville: The Family Wash tomorrow at 7pm.

Well, to keep you all entertained I thought I’d post this little video of his song “Life of a Fool.”

Enjoy.

This one’s called “Bad Girl She Used To Be”

-Emily

For the week of 9/13/09

Monday

Matt Friction and the Cheap Shots debut at 8 Off 8th at the Mercy Lounge – 9pm
Once again, just like every other week, the Mercy Lounge brings us 8 off 8th, so you know the drill by now. What you might not know is the lineup, which is as follows: American Bang (who you might have seen at Live on the Green two weeks ago), the Privates, the Comfies, Mean Tambourines, Powerbrrrd, Jonesin’, and Xpia. Expect drink specials, but don’t expect the Kings of Leon. Seriously. 21+.

(more…)

Friends, today I’m excited to tell you about our artist of the week: Paul Burch. I’ve been a fan of Paul since I was 16 and heard his song “Railroad Steel” on a Bloodshot Records sampler that I got from a magazine that probably doesn’t exist anymore (RIP music mags of the world).

I was instantly drawn to the song, which is still one of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever heard. It impressed me with its simplicity and it’s emotion, and Paul’s clean vocals brought something to the song that any other singer would have been lacking.

After hearing Paul for the first time I immediately bought a few of his records and found that “Railroad Steel” wasn’t his only masterpiece, in fact, his records are full of great songs. I was still in Ohio at the time, and I was saddened to see that he doesn’t do those big ‘ol tours that so many people embark on, and when I moved to Nashville I finally got a chance to see him at the wonderful Family Wash in East Nashville. For free. It was awesome. Some fella bought me dinner and Paul was fantastic.

I’m sure by now a lot of you have heard that The Family Wash is in trouble. I’ll admit that I haven’t been there much, though it is frequently on my mind (as is their baked mac’n'cheese and baked potato pie). It’s an awesome little place that has a pretty big selection of beer that would please any connoisseur, but, in my opinion, the best part about the Family Wash is the live entertainment. They’re open from Tuesday to Saturday from 6pm until midnight, and almost every night they have live music with no cover charge (though they do pass around the hat).

I bring all of this up because Paul and the WPA Ballclub are playing at the Family Wash this Wednesday, the 16th at 7pm, and I think that you should go out and see him. If you miss what country used to be then Paul is your man. I’ve seen the man twice so I can tell you firsthand that he doesn’t disappoint (and neither does the venue). Don’t just take my word on it. Check out his website, where you can hear songs from his new album, and if you like what you hear, which I’m sure you will, head down to the Family Wash, catch his set for free, and enjoy a beer and a shepherd’s pie.

Paul’s site

The Family Wash

-Emily

Monday

Fruit Bats Instore Performance and Labor Day Cookout at Grimey’s – 4pm

Come on buy and get some free food, free beer, and enjoy some free tunes by indie rockers Fruit Bats. Be sure to say hey to Michelle. Also, 15% pre-loved CDs and LPs (excluding super sale ones). Too awesome. (more…)

By now I’m sure that many of you have heard about Live On the Green, but you might not know exactly what’s up, which is what I’m here to tell you.

Live on the Green will be held every Thursday from September 3rd to October 8th in Public Square Plaza, which is adjacent to the courthouse. If you’re the type who needs an address, that’s 408 2nd Ave N.

There will be some rules at this event, which is to be expected. You can bring things like blankets, folding chairs, water bottles and a “Live on the Green Mug,” whatever the hell that is, but don’t bring glass, outside beverages, large chains/spiked jewelry (sorry mall punks), coolers, professional camera gear, and things like handbills to pass out. Also, there’s no video taping and no moshing or crowd surfing, which makes me happy, because crowd surfing is just dangerous for everyone involved and I will never forgive N.E.R.D. for telling people to crowd surf at Rites of Spring, but I digress…

Parking is always available around Nashville. Street parking is free after 6pm, but if you don’t luck out and don’t mind a big of hike, the downtown public library has a parking garage that only costs $4 for the night, which is what I almost always do for shows, but sometimes it fills up. You’re also encouraged to ride your bike, and there will be a place for you to dock.

Now, I know what’s on your mind. You want to know who’s playing when. Well, here’s the schedule. The business starts at 5pm. Awww yeah!

September 3rd:

• The Toadies (I come from the water, yeeeeeah)
• American Bang
• Ten out of Tenn

September 10th:

• Here Come the Mummies
• Space Capone
• H-Beam

September 17th:

• The Derek Trucks Band
• Jack Pearson
• Homemade Water
• Rhythmystik

September 24th:

• Dave Barnes
• Matthew Perryman Jones
• Thad Cockrell

October 1st:

• Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings (another one I’ve seen live. It was simply amazing)
• The Dynamites feat. Charles Walker
• Maureen Murphey

October 8th:

• Citizen Cope
• Ricky Young
• Next Big Nashville?

It seems that most of the shows start at 5pm or 6pm.  I hope you all enjoy the shows, I wish I could partake. I guess someone’s just gonna have to email some pics to nashvilleforfree at gmail dot com…