Nashville for Free

Well folks, right now the weather isn’t looking so great for tomorrow, which is a shame because there are a lot of cool sounding events planned. Even though the skies are supposed to open up and bring a downpour tomorrow, I’m going tell you about how Nashville is celebrating May 1st.

Cheekwood 50th Birthday Celebration – 9:30 am – 4:30 pm
That’s right, Cheekwood is officially over the hill (that’s a thing, right?). Anyway, it’s Cheekwood’s 5oth birthday, and, as you’d expect, they’d like to celebrate it. Because Cheekwood is awesome, they’re letting everyone in for free! Yay! Also, there will be an extended Saturday AM for the kiddies, so they can get their craft on. Yes.

10th Annual Warner Parks Children’s Picnic at Warner Park Nature Center – 11am-2pm
This event is free, but they suggest you donate $5 or $10. Bring your whole family for music and nature-related fun and games. Clowns, hikes, arts and crafts, face painting, and a fabulous silent auction are just a few of the highlights. Families may pack their own picnic or purchase picnic lunches during the event. Unlike most Warner Parks events, you don’t have to register for this one.

Nashville Clean Water Project at Percy Priest Lake – 8am-5pm
The Nashville Clean Water Project returns to Percy Priest Lake where recreationalists, fishermen and residents of the Midstate are leaving (sometimes dumping!) their trash behind. Make a difference, make friends, and make Mother nature proud at the Largest Water Cleanup in Nashville History. Register for a well organized event and free swag at www.CleanPercyPriest.org.

Community BBQ at Benton Hall Academy in Franklin – 3-7pm
I’m pretty sure the BBQ isn’t free, but there will be games, live music, balloon art, and face painting (fun fact: I used to do that as my job). BBQ is fantastic, and I’d go just for the sake of smelling it. Oh man, such good smells….

Bark in the Park in Lebanon, TN – 1-5pm
Celebrating 10 years, New Leash on Life presents Bark in the Park in Downtown Lebanon. Enjoy an afternoon of contests, vendors, food, fun for dogs and their people (apparently your pets own you). The day’s activities will include contests, demonstrations, micro-chipping ID clinic, a silent auction, pet photo booth, Pawcasso Paw Print Portraits and much more. Sounds like fun for people who are absolutely insane about their dogs.

Fiesta Belmont – 12pm-7pm
Fiesta Belmont is probably one of my favorite Belmont events. It’s only related to Belmont in that it’s on their quad. There will be local Latin live music (traditional and salsa), kid’s activities, games, pinatas, cultural displays (history & cultural displays in tent), as well as other awesome-ness, namely the food. Oh man, SO MUCH GOOD FOOD. I can guarantee I’ll be there at noon to get some awesome lunch, and I’ll probably be back for dinner since I’ll be stuck on campus all day. I recommend everything. Absolutely everything.

First Saturday Art Crawl – 6-10pm
Get your art viewing on. Check out all the art galleries in Nashville, which will be open late and will provide refreshments for you and there will be a shuttle bus taking you to different galleries. I recommend starting in the Arcade downtown.

Free Comic Book Day
Lance already told us about this one. Free comics!

Well folks, right now the weather isn’t looking so great for tomorrow, which is a shame because there are a lot of cool sounding events planned. Even though the skies are supposed to open up and bring a downpour tomorrow, I’m going tell you about how Nashville is celebrating May 1st.

Cheekwood 50th Birthday Celebration – 9:30 am – 4:30 pm
That’s right, Cheekwood is officially over the hill (that’s a thing, right?). Anyway, it’s Cheekwood’s 5oth birthday, and, as you’d expect, they’d like to celebrate it. Because Cheekwood is awesome, they’re letting everyone in for free! Yay! Also, there will be an extended Saturday AM for the kiddies, so they can get their craft on. Yes.

10th Annual Warner Parks Children’s Picnic at Warner Park Nature Center – 11am-2pm
This event is free, but they suggest you donate $5 or $10. Bring your whole family for music and nature-related fun and games. Clowns, hikes, arts and crafts, face painting, and a fabulous silent auction are just a few of the highlights. Families may pack their own picnic or purchase picnic lunches during the event. Unlike most Warner Parks events, you don’t have to register for this one.

Nashville Clean Water Project at Percy Priest Lake – 8am-5pm
The Nashville Clean Water Project returns to Percy Priest Lake where recreationalists, fishermen and residents of the Midstate are leaving (sometimes dumping!) their trash behind. Make a difference, make friends, and make Mother nature proud at the Largest Water Cleanup in Nashville History. Register for a well organized event and free swag at www.CleanPercyPriest.org.

Community BBQ at Benton Hall Academy in Franklin – 3-7pm
I’m pretty sure the BBQ isn’t free, but there will be games, live music, balloon art, and face painting (fun fact: I used to do that as my job). BBQ is fantastic, and I’d go just for the sake of smelling it. Oh man, such good smells….

Bark in the Park in Lebanon, TN – 1-5pm
Celebrating 10 years, New Leash on Life presents Bark in the Park in Downtown Lebanon. Enjoy an afternoon of contests, vendors, food, fun for dogs and their people (apparently your pets own you). The day’s activities will include contests, demonstrations, micro-chipping ID clinic, a silent auction, pet photo booth, Pawcasso Paw Print Portraits and much more. Sounds like fun for people who are absolutely insane about their dogs.

Fiesta Belmont – 12pm-7pm
Fiesta Belmont is probably one of my favorite Belmont events. It’s only related to Belmont in that it’s on their quad. There will be local Latin live music (traditional and salsa), kid’s activities, games, pinatas, cultural displays (history & cultural displays in tent), as well as other awesome-ness, namely the food. Oh man, SO MUCH GOOD FOOD. I can guarantee I’ll be there at noon to get some awesome lunch, and I’ll probably be back for dinner since I’ll be stuck on campus all day. I recommend everything. Absolutely everything.

First Saturday Art Crawl – 6-10pm
Get your art viewing on. Check out all the art galleries in Nashville, which will be open late and will provide refreshments for you and there will be a shuttle bus taking you to different galleries. I recommend starting in the Arcade downtown.

Free Comic Book Day
Lance already told us about this one. Free comics!

Josh White Jr. is a Tony Award winning actor, Grammy nominated recording artist, and an educator. “Cultural Heroes,” which opens tomorrow at the LeQuire Gallery is an exhibit that features portrait busts of important, well, cultural heroes from the 20th century civil rights battle like Woody Guthrie, Billie Holiday, Lead Belly, and Bessie Smith. The newest addition to the collection is a bust of Josh White Sr., legendary blues guitarist and the father of the special guest.

I guess you can probably see the connection by now, right? Josh White Jr. is coming to honor his father as well as 35 others who are honored by the collection. But what exactly is Josh doing to honor these people? Well, he’s having a concert. He’ll be performing in the Little Theatre at Fisk University on Sunday, May 2nd at 4pm. The program will consist of Josh dedicating individual thematically connecting segments to each of the Heroes.  He will give a brief highlight bio of each, some personal stories about each, and then a performance of a song identified with that Hero and their struggle in the civil rights movement.  Among the songs heard in the program will be “Freedom Road,” “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out,” “Bourgeois Blues,” “Joe Hill,” “My Country Tis of Thee,” “Strange Fruit,” “Uncle Sam Says,” “The House I Live In,” and “This Land is Your Land.”

It sounds like a great way to pay tribute to some great people. Check it out.

What: Josh White Jr. Performance
Where: Little Theatre at Fisk University
When: Sunday May 2nd at 4pm

What: White Noise Party

When: Friday April 30th

Where: Limelight

COST: $8, free for ladies before 10pm (and possibly free booze)

Now, you know I’m not the biggest fan of writing about events that aren’t exactly free. Actually, that’s not true, I write about them with some frequency. I know the site is called Nashville for FREE, but I’m all about dirt-cheap-big-bang-for-your-buck type things, and that’s where this event comes in.

Here’s the deal: the people at Cohan Braswell Entertainment think that all the things that happen in Nashville are boring (they said something about ADD? I don’t know, they lost me by this part in the press release), and they’re out to change that. The boringness, not the ADD. Maybe the ADD, I actually have no idea. What I DID gather is that Evan P. Donohue, Future the Artist, Dee Goodz, and Clint Wilson of Darla Farmer will be playing and there will be a fashion show, live abstract painting, independent film, and even a burlesque show.

The cost of the event is $8, but if it’s one of those deals where they let the ladies in for free to bring in the fellas. Also, there’s a pregame party at 828 kirkwood ave., and if you pay the $8 cover there (the same as the White Noise Party), then you get FREE ALCOHOL all night, a FREE RIDE to and from Limelight. That’s right, free alcohol. Man, usually I tell you about free events and then you have to buy your own booze. This is the opposite of that. Take what you will from it.

-Emily

Not married? Maybe?

If you read this week’s Weekly Highlights you might have seen an event at 11pm this Tuesday (April 27) called for  “Secret Unannounced Julian Casablancas Afterparty.” Well, it’s obviously not a secret, but it is pretty fantastic sounding.

The party is going to celebrate the birth of Dave Paulson, who you might know from The Privates, who are awesome. Yep, it’s his birthday party, and all of you (who are 21+) are invited. Did I mention he may or may not be a bachelor? (read: he’s not) Yeah, that’s just a head’s up for all you ladies who still wish for a man at 11:11 every day. I mean, you can risk it, but if he is married I won’t take responsibility for any injuries you might obtain from the wife of a married man who has some lady flirting with him.

If you’re wondering what that has to do with a contest, be patient, I’m getting to that! Mr. Brandon Jazz from the Mercy Lounge just sent me an email about some things that they’re giving away through US, Nashville for Free. You could win any of the following things:

• one piece of limited edition birthday cake

• one song request (this will be the ONLY song request of the evening, so make it count)

• a life-size Britney Spears cardboard cutout (“One More Time”-era Britney)

Those are some pretty sweet prizes if you ask me. I’d obviously want to win the cake, but I’d take the song request, but just because I want everyone to know what awesome taste in music I have.

To enter the contest (which you should do) just RSVP to the Secret Unannounced Julian Casablancas Afterparty on Facebook then make a comment mentioning how bad ass Nashville for Free is. You know it’s true. The only thing more bad ass than us is Dave Paulson, but only because his birthday is coming up.

Get on it! If you enter it’ll make us look good!

Also, if you like Imogen Heap don’t forget you have until May 1st to enter that contest. I haven’t been blown away by any of the entries yet, so your chances are still high.

-Emily

Monday

Rock’n’Roll Trivia at the Mercy Lounge – 6:30pm
What, you think you know more rock minutia than I do? Well, you’re probably right, but if you really want a challenge then you should hit up this event. It consists of three rounds of questions, two rounds of “name that tune,” and the rock and roll-est of final wagers where you can bet (and possibly lose) it all. The prizes are $50, $25 or $10 to be spent at Mercy Lounge. Plus, everyone gets free parking and beer specials all night. It’s about teams, so grab some friends, yo.

8 off 8th at the Mercy Lounge – 9pm
This week’s 8 off 8th is hosted by Disappointed by Candy and will feature Canon Blue, The New Whole Usuals, Danelle, Loren Francis, Brooke Waggoner (who rocks), Disappointed byCandy, and more.

The Dean Martin’s at Sambuca – 7pm
It’s gonna be a lip-smacking, hand-clapping, boogie-your-woogie party. At least, that’s according to their bio. Shake it up. Okay. I could probably act more enthusiastic about them.

(more…)

Do you like fresh young talent and/or Vince Gill? Did your Rites of Spring experience get rained out, leaving you in need of something else to do that involves music? Are you a Belmont Student in need of whatsitcalled credit?

Tonight is Belmont’s Best of the Best Showcase, which, as the name implies, features the supposed best of Belmont’s music scene. The people playing tonight won either a songwriter’s night, or one of the showcases (country, pop/urban, Christian, or rock).

The following musicians are playing tonight:

Joshua Eric Wright – Christian
Miss B – Urban/Pop
The Delta Saints - Rock (they won the Rites of Spring Battle of the bands)
Cheryl LuQuire – Country

These songwriters will be playing a few songs as well:
Clare Dunn
Hailey Faith
Hailey Steele
Josh Johnson
Greg Bates
Jordan Kyle Reynolds

Normally, this would have nothing to do with Vince Gill, but tonight it does, because Belmont has chosen to honor him (probably because he’s a big donor and is very famous). You probably won’t hear his music tonight, but I can’t say for sure. Also, he’ll probably be there if he can make it to Belmont through this crazy storm. Have you been outside? It’s madness.

The event is TONIGHT at 7pm in the Curb Event Center at Belmont University. Have fun. Be safe.

-Emily

Porcupine Tree?

Hello fellow concert goers!

I think it’s been pretty well established that I go to a ton of free shows. It’s my number one form of entertainment, but it can get kind of expensive, so I take whatever breaks I can find. I enter to win free tickets, I street team so I can hopefully get into free shows and things like that, but those are all pretty iffy.

Our friend Glen (a reader who emailed me) told me about something that TicketWeb does to get you a free ticket when you buy a ticket to a show. If you don’t know what TicketWeb is, it’s like Ticketmaster, but for smaller venues. It also sucks a lot less.

What Glen did was he bought one ticket for a show at 3rd and Lindlsey, then, at checkout he opted in for CompleteChoice, which offered him a $20 rebate on his next purchase, so he joined. He then bought his other ticket and sent an email to CompleteChoice requesting his $20 rebate.

Be sure to include your Member #, Purchaser (first and last name), Confirmation # and Date of Purchase to get your money back. Also, make sure to call 1-800-826-1885 within 30 days of completing your offer to avoid being charged their $12 monthly fee.

So glen got a check in the mail a few weeks later for $20, just like that. He even testifies that customer service was friendly and helpful (imagine that!).

So, this is a slightly trickier way to save money at live shows, but around here we’ll take what we can get. Thanks for the tip, Glen! If any of you out there reading this have any sort of tip on how to get things for free or cheap feel free to email me at nashvilleforfree at gmail dot com.

Photo: Judith Burrows

After a very successful Record Store Day (it was their best sales day ever), Grimey’s is back in the in-store game already with Devon Sproule. She sounds like a really cool lady, just read what Grimey’s had to say about her:

Virginian by way of Canada singer-songwriter Devon Sproule was born and raised on a commune in Ontario, home-schooled and independent from a very young age, she recorded her first record and began touring internationally before the age of 18… Devon has been favorably compared to Joanna Newsom and Paste magazine called her last album “The sexiest, sultriest southern album since Lucinda’s ‘Car Wheels on a Gravel Road.’”

Wow, those are some pretty big words. A comparison to Lucinda means that this girl HAS to be good, at least worth checking out. Oh yeah, NPR likes her too.

Young Republic, a local favorite of Grimey’s, will also be playing.

The in-store is Friday, April 23rd at 6pm

-Emily

Photo: Judith Burrows

After a very successful Record Store Day (it was their best sales day ever), Grimey’s is back in the in-store game already with Devon Sproule. She sounds like a really cool lady, just read what Grimey’s had to say about her:

Virginian by way of Canada singer-songwriter Devon Sproule was born and raised on a commune in Ontario, home-schooled and independent from a very young age, she recorded her first record and began touring internationally before the age of 18… Devon has been favorably compared to Joanna Newsom and Paste magazine called her last album “The sexiest, sultriest southern album since Lucinda’s ‘Car Wheels on a Gravel Road.’”

Wow, those are some pretty big words. A comparison to Lucinda means that this girl HAS to be good, at least worth checking out. Oh yeah, NPR likes her too.

Young Republic, a local favorite of Grimey’s, will also be playing.

The in-store is Friday, April 23rd at 6pm

-Emily