Nashville for Free

Living in Nashville, a town without a baseball team, I’ve found that people kind of get to pick who they root for. You get some Cincinnati Reds fans (represent!), St. Louis Cardinals fans (they’re probably the happiest), and, as they might be the closest geographically speaking, you get some fans of the Atlanta Braves.

Atlanta fans, let me give you something to cheer about. Members of your team will be IN Nashville today, signing autographs at Academy Sports + Outdoors from 1:30-3pm in Cool Springs. You’ll have the opportunity to get autographs and chat with Mike Minor, Cory Gearrin, and Zane Smith.

-Emily

Ford must be in the spirit of giving (or selling cars, whatever). Today they are sponsoring a free day at the Country Music Hall of Fame. What does that mean? Exactly what you think it means. Yep, today you can visit the Country Music Hall of Fame for exactly zero dollars.

While there I highly recommend you check out, in addition to the exhibits, the two programs running today. There be a musical petting zoo from 11am-3pm and a songwriting session with Erin Enderlin and Jim “Moose” Brown at 11:30am. You know how I feel about musical petting zoos right? Hint – they’re awesome.

The songwriting session at 11:30am sounds pretty cool too. You might know Erin Enderlin from the Lee Ann Womack song “Last Call,” which Erin co-wrote. Jim “Moose” Brown has some even more famous songs under his belt, including “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere,” which is now stuck in my head and will remain there all day. You too? You’re welcome/I’m sorry.

The Country Music Hall of Fame is open today from 9am-5pm.

-Emily

To the person or highly intelligent ape reading this,

The Springwater beckons to you.  Its smokey rooms are normally home to loud rock and roll but on the first Wednesday of every month some of Nashville’s funniest comedians (and most fascinating crazy old men) invade the stage for Dive Laughing, a comedy Open Mic where anyone with the ability to write their name can go up (sounds exciting, doesn’t it?)   As the host I’ve seen hilarious observations about bubble baths, fun puns, and the occasional drunken ramblings of a real, live madman.  It’s the best Zero Bucks you’ll ever spend!

So, whether you’ve always wanted to tell jokes and were looking for a place to do it or you just want to enjoy a fun show at one of Nashville’s great underground landmarks, Dive Laughing at The Springwater is a great time for the whole family.  (As long as everyone in your family is over 21 and not easily offended.) Sign-up is at 9pm and the jokes start at 9:30.

heart,

Sean Parrott

Editor’s note: this was a guest blog post by Sean Parrott, a cool dude who hosts several comedy events around Nashville. If you’d like to guest blog about your event email tips@nashvilleforfree.com and we’ll see what we can work out.

Darrell has been nominated for 3 Grammys, plays with Robert Plant’s Band of Joy, and has collaborated with Steve Earle, Sam Bush, Emmylou Harris, John Cowan, Guy Clark, Tim O’Brien, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Mary Gauthier, and more. With a resume like that I don’t even need to tell you how good he is. His new album Long Ride Home is being released today and he’s celebrating by playing an in-store at Grimey’s.

The in-store gets started at 6, and there will likely be free beer.

As a woman I am all about anything that can help women become healthier. Let’s face it, sometimes we don’t take the best care of ourselves. It’s a stereotype that we’re always taking care of others and thus forget about ourselves, but seriously, a lot of us are just so busy with our lives on our own.

It doesn’t matter why we’re too busy to be healthy and get to the doctor. What matters is that we change.

On Saturday there will be an event called All About Women: Free Health Resources held from 10am-2pm at Kipp Academy. More than a dozen organizations will be there providing things like pap smears provided by the Tennessee Breast and Cervical Screening Program, bone density, blood pressure and blood sugar screenings performed by the
Vanderbilt Coalition for Healthy Aging, stress reduction techniques led by the Exchange Club, Zumba classes, ways to reduce electric bills demonstrated by the Kilowatt Hour, and more.

Kipp Academy is located at located at 123 Douglas Avenue.

Stay healthy. Tell your friends. Rock.

-Emily

Most of the free movies at colleges that I write about involve Vanderbilt University, but not this one! Tonight Watkins College will be screening El Velador in their theater.

But it’s not just a normal screening - Director Natalia Almada, whose award-winning documentary films address the history and politics of Mexico from the perspective of ordinary people and everyday life, will be speaking as part of the school’s Visiting Artist Series.

A reception will begin at 5:30 p.m., with a screening of her latest film, El Velador (The Night Watchman), at 6 p.m. in the Watkins Theater; a discussion and Q&A will immediately follow. Here’s a synopsis of the film:

From dusk to dawn EL VELADOR accompanies Martin, the guardian angel whom, night after night, watches over the extravagant mausoleums of Mexico’s most notorious Drug Lords. In the labyrinth of the cemetery, this film about violence without violence reminds us how, in the turmoil of Mexico’s bloodiest conflict since the Revolution, ordinary life persists and quietly defies the dead.

Here’s a link to the full website for El Velador for those of you who like to dig deeper.

-Emily

Sexual orientation isn’t just an issue in America. Life for the gay community can be difficult all over the world; it can be a struggle. One place where you don’t really think about the issue is the Middle East, especially Jerusalem. It’s something strangely unexpected. City of Borders is a documentary that surrounds that very culture in the Holy Land.

Here’s the synopsis:

In the heart of Jerusalem stands an unusual symbol of unity that defies generations of segregation, violence, and prejudice: a gay bar called Shushan. This documentary follows the lives of five Israeli and Palestinian patrons as they navigate the minefield of politics, religion, and discrimination in order to live and love openly in a world of conflict.

City of Borders is tonight’s International Lens film. Like usual, it’s being shown at Vanderbilt’s Sarratt Cinema at 7:30pm.

The Mercy Lounge‘s birthday parties are always great because THEY give US stuff. Dolly Parton giving us a water park on her birthday is hard to beat, but Mercy Lounge has an awesome lineup of free shows tonight and Saturday night that’ll rock your proverbial socks off.

Tonight’s lineup will feature How I Became the Bomb, Cheer Up Charlie Daniels, Kyle Andrews, Ponychase, Wild Cub featuring Keegan Dewitt and members of Pico vs. Island Trees, ReLapse, and more. Sorry youngin’s, but it’s 21+.

However, it’s Saturday’s lineup that holds a special place in my heart. Heypenny, Evan P. Donohue, The Nobility, Escondido featuring Tyler James, and ReLapse will all be there, but in my humble opinion the fact that Mayhem will be performing Elvis Costello’s excellent This Year’s Model more than makes the lineup perfect. It will be epic.

Happy birthday Mercy Lounge! We love you dearly over here at N4F and wish you many more excellent birthdays to come.

-Emily

The Frist Center continues its movie series related to their exhibit (AKA the Femme Fatale movie series) with Body Heat, a 1981 thriller starring William Hurt, Kathleen Turner and Richard Crenna. Here’s a synopsis:

In the midst of a soaring Florida heat wave, Matty, a classy, seductive, unhappily married socialite, begins a steamy affair with Ned, a small-town lawyer. After several weeks of electrifying encounters and confessions of love, Matty makes it clear that she wants to leave her husband, but that she also wants his money. In order to live a life of luxury and eschew the secrecy of their relationship, Matty convinces Ned to kill her husband. This study of complicity, sexual obsession, and double crosses, which is told through masterful dialogue and a feeling for character, is a fascinating and powerful drama.

The film starts at 7pm at the Frist Center auditorium. It’s first-come-first-served, so get there early for a good seat (and popcorn). Also, you might want to bring a seat cushion.

-Emily

This is a one-man play by Jeffrey Combs, who you might know him from episodes of various Star Trek franchises and from the Re-Animator, which is probably coming to the Belcourt because it looks awesome.

But I digress – Combs will be performing as Poe for the bicentennial of Poe’s birth. He’ll recite “The Raven” and other selections including The Tell-Tale Heart and Annabel Lee. This is going to be serious. No, really! Combs performed Nevermore at the Lincoln Center in NYC on Halloween, and they don’t just let any schmuck do that sort of thing. Combs even looks like Poe. He’s gotten good reviews from this, so it’s a must-see for Poe fans.

This event will take place in the main public library (the one downtown). There will be a reception with light refreshments beginning at 6:15.

-Emily