Nashville for Free

There are quite a few different trivia nights in Nashville, and everyone has a favorite. What you may not know, however, is that a lot of these trivia events are hosted by the same company at different bars. To the best of my knowledge the big three are Trivia Time, Geeks Who Drink, and Better Trivia. All of these companies run the trivia at several different bars in Nashville. If you’ve been to a trivia night in the past year, chances are one of them ran it.

I’ve been to trivia hosted by all of them (my trivia nerdom started with Academic Team in high school), and while I think I prefer Geeks Who Drink my friends and I are far more likely to hit up a game by Better Trivia. The games are shorter than Geeks Who Drink (while you still get in a lot of questions) and there’s one in closer proximity to some of us, so there ya go.

The questions are usually pretty good, minus the always excruciating final wager. There are tons of opportunities to win free beer via an “impossible question” where the best you’ll ever be able to do is offer up an educated guess, and if you win the whole shebang you’ll get a $30 gift card. Second place gets $20, third gets $10. Just make sure you keep track of your points, because I’ve caught them on a few mistakes.

Last night, for the first time ever, our team actually won. We surprisingly won by a lot, too. Thanks in a large part to one member’s love of rap and the fact that I for some weird reason know that Neil Diamond used to fence at NYU. Oh yeah, and if you ever plan on attending make sure you follow them on Facebook because they always give a pretty big clue to one of their questions, and since most games are won by a matter of a few points you should really take what you can get.

Better Trivia is held on Tuesdays at 7:30pm at the following locations:
Cross Corner in Brentwood
Sportsman’s Grille in Hillsboro Village (upstairs)

-Emily

I don’t really know what happened to Rock’n'Roll Trivia. It used to be a weekly occurrence, then not exactly weekly, and now it only seems to come out for special occasions. I understand; keeping a trivia game going is a TON of work, but it gave music geeks a place to show off their incredible knowledge of musical minutia. So if you’ve had a hole in your heart shaped like a trivia score sheet then you’re in luck, because Rock’n'Roll Trivia is coming back for a whole month!

It’s been moved to Tuesdays and will now be held at the back bar, but it’s still the same nerd-fest you remember. Some questions are insanely difficult, but nothing worth winning is easy. And yes, you do win stuff at Rock’n'Roll Trivia. First place gets $50 bar tab, second place gets $25, and third place gets $10. There are usually other prizes as well, including something for best wrong answer.

As always, trivia itself is free, parking is free, and there will be drink specials. So gather up your music nerd friends (and a few people who listen to Top 40 because they WILL help you at one point), follow Rock’n'Roll Trivia on Twitter, and head on over to the Mercy Lounge at 6:30 every Tuesday this month.

-Emily

Monday

Rock’n'Roll Trivia and 8 off 8th at the Mercy Lounge – 6:30 & 9pm
The Mercy Lounge sort of owns Monday Nights when it comes to free stuff. Rock’n'Roll trivia offers prizes that involve gift cards and bar money, so grab your music nerd friends and come on down. After the trivia it’s time for 8 off 8th at 9pm, which features Luna Halo, Mother Father, Nite Nite, Will Holland, Tesla Rossa, and The Hollywood Ten this week.

Leticia Wolf in-store at Grimey’s – 6pm
Here’s what Grimey’s has to say about her:

Celebrating the release of her brand new album The Fire And The Flood, Leticia Wolf will offer a full-band performance here in the record store, with strings! Having grown up heavily influenced by punk and grunge, Wolf’s songwriting jones eventually led her to the singer-songwriters of the ’70s and The Beatles. She’s fronted rock bands, punk bands and all-girl metal bands but was always ready to throw down with a solo acoustic show at a moment’s notice. Of her new album she says, “The album is dark, but it’s soft and delicate, even hopeful at times. The stories explore a meandering path that is green with acoustic guitar, piano, rhodes, organ, strings and even a few euphoniums. The production is dry, warm and at times playful, but never over-done.”
Leticia Wolf myspace

Michael Webb’s Monday Night Jam at Douglas Corner Cafe – 8:30pm
This is a weekly event that I don’t really cover, but I thought I’d let you guys know about it. Michael Webb hosts the Monday Night Jam w/appearances by Bruce Wallace, Ward Stout, Craig Wright, Jolene Kay, Dave Webb, John Carroll, Dave Roe, and more.

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Monday

Rock’n'Roll Trivia and 8 Off 8th at the Mercy Lounge – 7 & 9pm
It’s the second week of Rock’n'Roll Trivia being back, so get ready for a drop in your self-esteem. Who knows, you might even see a N4F team! Also, the Groove is now a sponsor so winners will get some sweet Groove prizes too. Anyway, after trivia finished up around 9 o’clock 8 Off 8th will begin. This week’s performers are Julia The Menace, Defense Wins Championships, Oblio, Jordan Hull, Telecommunicators, Rae Hering, What Bird.., and Theif.

Commercial Music Showcase at Belmont University’s MPAC – 5pm
Do you want to see the best in commercial music Belmont has to offer? Then come and check out this event, which will feature Noel Barefoot, John Flanagan, Joshua Eric Wright, and Aashely Morgan. It’s only an hour long, so don’t be late!

Eclectic Chamber Players Explores the String Quartet at First Presbyterian Church – 7:30pm
Eclectic Chamber Players explores the String Quartet featuring works by Arensky, Barber, Mackey, and Mozart. Eclectic Chamber Players is an ever-evolving group of artists whose main connection is their passion for interesting, innovative, and irreplaceable chamber music.

Various Storytime Events
So today is apparently storytime day. Here are places and times for three of those events

• The Frist, book TBA – 10:30am
• Barnes & Nobel in Cool Springs, Thomas the Tank Engine – 11am
• Barnes & Nobel in Hendersonville, book TBA, but there will be snacks and stuff – 11am

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Monday

8 off 8th at the Mercy Lounge – 9pm

This week’s 8 off 8th is brought to you by 91.1 FMWRVU’s “The Surface Underground” and will feature The Coolin’ System, Fly Golden Eagle,
Biscuits and Gravy, Thunderbear, Cosmic America, The Fireman’s Daughter, Grace Askew (Memphis), and The Calamity Cubes (Kansas). Also there will be drink specials. Yay for consistency!

On Writing: Featuring Robert Scherrer at 117 Alumni Hall at Vanderbilt – 4:10pm (I don’t make the times, I just tell them)

Are you a writer? Have you always wanted to write a story about baseball in space? Well, Robert Scherrer beat you to that one. This guy has actually researched the dynamics of dark energy and the moderately early universe. I may or may not know what dark energy is. Come and listen to him talk about the “joys and challenges” of writing in different genres. Space baseball, eh?

Slide Show with Quang Ho at Montgomery Bell Academy, Paschall Theater – 7pm

Quang Ho, acclaimed Master Artist, teacher and author will be speaking about his life and the art process. Born in 1963, in Vietnam, he emigrated with his mother and 5 younger siblings to the United States in 1975 and is now a U.S. citizen. He presented his first solo show at age 16 at the prestigious Saks Gallery in Denver, Colorado. At 19, he became the guardian for his siblings when his mother was tragically killed in an automobile accident. Currently, he teaches at the Denver Art League. An avid scholar of philosophy and religion, he will present his thoughts on art and creativity in a fascinating discussion not to be missed. The lecture is open to the public and free of charge.

Bullfrog at 12 South Taproom – 9pm

How does 12 South Taproom find bands with these names? Zydeco Jazz is their genre, if you were wondering. I really don’t think that Bullfrog is a good band name. I the people from  Bullfrog ever want me to rename their band I’d be glad to tell them how to pick an awesome band name. Totally.

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Monday

8 off 8th at the Mercy Lounge – 9pm
This week’s 8 off 8th isn’t themed, but it’s hosted by Ryan Zumwalt. It features Jim Stapley (London rocker), Ben Deignan (soul rocker), Sage (gypsy rocker),  Jordan Hull (Dayton folker), Tesla Rossa (Anthem-y vintage Brit throwback, may or may not be experts in alternating current), Mike Manigone (you may have heard his stuff on Road Rules, Human Giant, My Super Sweet 16, and The Hills), Brother Young & Shotgun (cow punkers), Lee Harvey (high-octane country). What an…eclectic mix.

Film Screening: The Way We Get By at Vanderbilt’s Sarratt Cinema – 7pm
Presented as part of The Southern Circuit Film Tour of Independent Filmmakers.  Beginning as a seemingly idiosyncratic story about troop greeters, a group of senior citizens who gather daily at a small airport to thank American soldiers departing to and returning from Iraq, the film quickly turns into a moving, unsettling, and compassionate story about aging, loneliness, war and mortality. Reception and Q&A with filmmakers following screening.

Garth Stein reads and signs The Art of Racing in the Rain at the Green Hills Public Library – 1pm
A heart-wrenching but deeply funny and ultimately uplifting story of family, love, loyalty, and hope, The Art of Racing in the Rain is a beautifully crafted and captivating look at the wonders and absurdities of human life…as only a dog could tell it.

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Monday

Indelible Grace CD Release Party at the Mercy Lounge – 6pm
Don’t worry, this doesn’t mean that there will be no 8 off 8th, this simply comes before it, which means more bang for your invisible bucks! Rock on. This event will feature Emily Deloach, Jeremy Casella, Chelsey Scott, Jason Feller, and othersIndelible Grace Music is made up of a group of local indie artists, under the leadership of Kevin Twit, who are dedicated to preserving old hymn texts by setting them to new music. By Thy Mercy: Indelible Grace Acoustic is their 6th release.

8 off 8th at the Mercy Lounge – 9pm
You know the drill, 8 bands will play 3 song sets. There will be beer specials, etc. This week it’s hosted by Matt Urmy, and along with him you’ll see Sweet Eastern Saint, Peter Barbee, The Nim Nims, Moonlight Bride, Jonathan Sexton and the Big Love Choir, Taylor Bates, and Leticia Wolf.

Stephen Mansfield discusses and signs The Search for God and Guinness at Davis-Kidd Books – 7pm
Bestselling Author Stephen Mansfield discusses and signs The Search for God and Guinness. In the 1700s, Christians like Arthur Guinness brewed beer to offer a healthier alternative to the poisonous waters and liquors of the times. Mansfield examines the generational drama, business adventure, industrial and social reforms, deep-felt faith and the beer itself.

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Monday

Local Author Robert Blake reads and signs Little Devils at Davis-Kidd Books – 7pm
Burnie, Winnie, and Big Stanley are three Tasmanian devil pups growing up in the wild. Along with their mother, they make one happy family. With lifelike illustrations, Blake shines a light on a little-known animal in a heartwarming tale of adventure.

Belmont University Faculty Woodwind Quintet at the Belmont Mansion – 7:30pm
Say what you will about Belmont, but the bottom line is it’s a music school, and a good one. All of the professors in the Faculty Woodwind Quintet are current or former members of the Nashville Symphony, so they know what they’re doing. Come on down and check them out.

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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.

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