Concert Reviews

This Thursday, October 8th, you have the opportunity to see an incredible live performance. Glass Animals will be playing at Marathon Music Works. I can assure you this is a show you don’t want to miss.

I saw Glass Animals this summer, back home in DC at the 9:30 club. It was the night before my 21st birthday and I look back fondly, knowing that was the last time I ever had to wear unsightly X-es on the back of my hands. Glass Animals really brought their A-game that night. I often use the term “high-energy” to describe exciting concerts, but that doesn’t even begin to cover it. This British band relies heavily on synthesizers, creating a dream-like atmosphere at their shows. Dave Bayley, the lead singer, is the stand-out member of the group. He gets so into the music, the intensity and passion are just infectious.

Pilgrimage Festival Sets High Bar in its Inaugural Year

October 2, 2015 Meredith Mattlin

Cage the Elephant's Matt Shultz showing off his acrobatics at Pilgrimage — Cage the Elephant’s Matt Shultz showing off his acrobatics at Pilgrimage

The forecast for Saturday in Franklin was rainy and bleak, hardly the weather thousands of eager Tennesseans wanted for the inaugural Pilgrimage Festival in Franklin. Big names like Cage the Elephant, Iron & Wine, and Wilco dominated Saturday.

The two-day event likely seemed quite cozy to seasoned veterans of the summer festival circuit, with only two main stages (and two smaller ones) and a schedule that frustratingly overlapped nearly every performer with another. Yet, the lineup itself made up for it.

Celebrating an R.I.P. 2 My Youth at the Ryman

October 1, 2015 Sara Keller

The Neighbourhood's black and white color scheme and beachy light display — The Neighbourhood’s black and white color scheme worked well with the beachy light display

Last Friday, September 25, while most of my fellow Nashville concertgoers were headed to the first night of Taylor Swift’s 1989 stop at Bridgestone Arena, a friend and I were on our way to the Ryman to see West Coast indie pop/rock group, The Neighbourhood. My friend had never been to the Ryman, so this summer when tickets went on sale at a fairly low price we decided to just go for it (little did we know that Sufjan Stevens would be announcing a show there merely 2 months later…sigh). The Neighbourhood seemed like a strange choice for the Ryman, as they had certainly lost a good deal of relevance (and not to mention, airplay) since the release of their first album in 2013. Despite that, I was excited mostly to see if they could pull off their unique experimental tracks live.

Turbo Fruits’ Intimate House Show with The Gills and JAWWS

September 25, 2015 Meredith Mattlin

“I remember when you couldn’t walk a block here alone at night, if you know what I mean,” Jonas Stein said into the mic at Turbo Fruits’ house show appearance Wednesday night. They played with The Gills—it was their album release party—and JAWWS, two enthusiastically chaotic, too-loud-for-the-living-room acts. The show, as Stein hinted, was in an up-and-coming neighborhood in a house that you’d expect to be a tad too small for the Nashville group (who have played for crowds both locally and around the national festival circuit), but the location was good for the modest hump day crowd.

Best Coast Brings California Vibes to Exit/In

September 17, 2015 Sara Keller

Bethany Consentino, Bobb Bruno (far right) and band members — Bethany Cosentino (center), Bobb Bruno (far right) and band members bringing California to Nashville

Although I had heard of Best Coast prior to coming to college, ironically, it wasn’t until I left the west coast that I started to listen to them. Whether it was an actual appreciation for their music or just the nostalgia I felt about my Southern California hometown that piqued my interest, I do not know. Best Coast is technically a duo between lead singer/guitarist Bethany Cosentino and guitarist Bobb Bruno with a few other band members brought in seemingly just for touring. Formed in Los Angeles in 2009, almost every other song they make is an ode to the stereotypical Southern California lifestyle.

ZZ Ward Brings Love and War to Marathon

September 9, 2015 Layla Shahmohammadi

My appreciation for ZZ is something that has flourished for a couple years now.

During the winter of my junior year of high school, I had the unique opportunity to meet and be mentored by Isaac Slade, the lead singer of The Fray. After talking with Slade about music production and the beautiful madness of it all, I was given tickets to his show that same evening. I was stoked to see The Fray perform and to sing-scream along to “How to Save a Life”, but later found that it wasn’t Slade who would be the most memorable performer of the night but instead ZZ Ward. I’d never seen or heard of her before then but ZZ was opening for the Fray and had a set of about 45 minutes. During that time, she sang the soulful and fiery songs on her then newly released album, Til the Casket Drops. It could’ve been her jazzy style or her actual mink coat and gold chain that appealed to me – of which I’m not sure I loved more – but I was a fan immediately.

Death Cab For Cutie Finds Beauty In Sadness At The Ryman

April 30, 2015 Zach Blumenfeld

It’s almost like Death Cab For Cutie was born to play the Ryman Auditorium. Ben Gibbard’s lapsed Catholicism resonated just as powerfully as his band’s driving, atmospheric music within the…

Celebrating the End of Classes with Smallpools, Grizfolk, and Vinyl Theatre at Exit/In

April 22, 2015 Zach Blumenfeld

Last night Smallpools played Exit/In for the second time in the past six months, this time promoting their new album LOVETAP!

At 3pm yesterday, I turned in the final assignment of my college career. Partially to celebrate and partially to distract myself from the terror of facing the adult world, I headed over to Exit/In with my friend Sparling to see Smallpools rock the joint. My sister loves the band and had turned me on to their music, so making her jealous was another great reason to go to the show.

We arrived at 7:30 to find the half-full floor dominated by people without the over-21 hand stamps. Any illusion I had of being able to escape feeling old vanished immediately. Pitying the venue for what promised to be a slow night of alcohol sales, I grabbed a Shiner Bock and snagged a spot in the crowd just behind a couple of girls taking selfies. Naturally, Sparling and I photobombed as many as we could.

The Decemberists Nail their Set at the Ryman

April 16, 2015 Jamie Stoike

IMG_20150413_203624644 — The Decemberists tear into opening song “A Singer Addresses His Audience”

Let it be known that when I last saw the Decemberists back in 2011, I successfully predicted that their first song would be “Apology Song” off their debut EP 5 Songs. Thus, when I predicted that they’d begin this show with the very appropriate “A Singer Addresses His Audience,” the Decemberists didn’t let me down and I am now two-for-two on my predictions. The Decemberists have never let me down: they’ve pumped out quality album after quality album, excellent live show after excellent live show. And Monday night, led by charismatic frontman Colin Meloy, was no different, even if Meloy and Co. had to struggle against an at times apathetic crowd at Ryman Auditorium.

I Hope I Age Like Stevie Wonder

April 8, 2015 Zach Blumenfeld

Stevie Wonder kept Bridgestone rocking past midnight last night.

When my mom found out Stevie Wonder was coming to Nashville, she wanted me to go so badly that she helped me pay for the tickets. Not that I wouldn’t have tried to go anyways. Stevie is 64 years old, so who knows how long he’ll be touring? And word was that he would be playing his seminal 1976 album Songs in the Key of Life in full.

From the moment I found my seat at Bridgestone Arena I knew the show was going to be an extravagant production. On the stage sat two drum kits, two percussion arrays, seats for a ten-piece string ensemble and six-piece brass section, risers for a horde of backing vocalists, several keyboards and guitars waiting to be played, and of course Stevie’s setup front and center: his signature Hohner Clavinet and a Yamaha electric grand piano.

Years & Years is Electrifying Britain. Next Stop, America.

March 12, 2015 Zach Blumenfeld

Like my colleague Brandon Bout, I made sure to catch a live show over Spring Break. For me, the destination was London and the band was electro-pop trio Years & Years.

I had heard of the group from a fellow Lightning 100 intern in December. She had spent time working in Britain and assured me that they were on the verge of blowing up across the pond. Her promise was confirmed when I learned that Years & Years had won the BBC’s prestigious Sound of 2015 poll–an award won in previous years by such acts as Sam Smith, Adele, and Ellie Goulding. So when I saw that the band would be playing in the British capital during my stay there, I convinced my traveling companions that we needed to go to the concert.

Spending Spring Break with Viet Cong at The Echoplex

March 10, 2015 Brandon Bout

Recently, a friend of mine has gotten me into Viet Cong, the Canadian post-punk band that just released their self-titled debut album in January. So when I stayed with that same friend in Los Angeles over Spring Break, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see the band while they were in town at one of LA’s fine venues, The Echoplex, last Friday night. And what a show it was. I decided to spontaneously purchase my ticket the same day as the show, and I couldn’t have made a better decision on how to spend my last night in LA.

Cold War Kids: A Solid Performance at Marathon Music Works

February 11, 2015 Rachel Sapp

By a stroke of luck, I ended up winning a pair of tickets to the Cold War Kids’ concert in Nashville this past week through a WRVU giveaway. So, on Friday night, I ventured out to Marathon Music Works to watch their Hold My Home tour. I entered the venue to a surprisingly packed audience. Per usual, I weaseled my way as close as possible to the opening act, Elliot Moss.

Though I missed part of the act, what I did see was exciting. Before the show, I only knew Elliot Moss from his song “Slip,” but I was tingling with anticipation at the thought of seeing the life performance. Marathon Music Works has a tendency to be a loud crowd, and I was worried about his voice fading out amongst the chatter. Instead, Moss set the mood for the rest of the concert. By easing into the concert with his quiet energy, Moss outdid my expectations. My personal favorite of his ended up being “I Can’t Swim.” Definitely be on the look out for more of Elliot Moss in the future — he’s yet to release his upcoming debut album, but Highspeeds is definitely one to watch out for.

Maybe Jack White is Justified in Being a D*ck

February 1, 2015 Travis Villatoro

If you’re a fan of Jack White or The Black Keys, then you’re probably well aware of their little rivalry. In the last couple of years White has made a real ass out of himself over The Black Keys. Not only did he bash on the band in a Rolling Stone interview and accuse them of riding on his coattails and being unoriginal, he also pulled his kid out of school to avoid association with Dan Auerbach’s child. Sure he went on to post an apology to The Keys and other artists on his website but come on, he said some pretty shitty stuff about a band that shares much of the same audience as his own, with nothing to provoke him other than his ego.

Like a lot of folks my age, I went through a pretty intense garage-rock phase the first few years of High School and was super into both Jack White’s work as well as that of The Black Keys, for I, unlike Mr. White felt as if I shouldn’t have to choose a side.So when I was given the opportunity to see Jack White play at Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, I had a couple of thoughts racing through my brain. Firstly, the 15-year-old version of myself trapped inside my head started peeing his pants with excitement. But simultaneously I was thinking back to The Black Keys arena show I witnessed a couple years ago on their El Camino tour and how it left such an awful taste in my mouth. Could Jack White, the man that truly believes he is a head above bands like The Black Keys, really outshine them? Did this guy actually have something to back up his claims? Was Jack White Justified in being a dick?

Turn on the Brightest Lights

November 22, 2014 Julia Anderson

Before the out-of-nowhere snowstorm that caused Interpol to be stranded for 50 hours, I had the pleasure of seeing Interpol at Marathon Music Works on the unusually chilly night of November 11. I went over to the venue and was immediately greeted by a large, excited crowd. What came after definitely did not disappoint and made my Tuesday night go from ordinary to extraordinary.

A Tale of Two Whales: Mastodon and Gojira Melt Faces at Marathon Music Works

November 10, 2014 Brandon Bout

The great metal band Mastodon finally return to Nashville after recording and releasing their sixth studio album, Once More ‘Round the Sun, in nearby Franklin, Tennessee, and this time around they’ve brought some friends, Norwegian metal band Kvelertak and, a band that I’ve really been getting into in the past several months, the French band Gojira. When I was looking at going to the concert, I actually hadn’t heard of Kvelertak, but a friend of mine described them to me as “blackened hard rock” before the show started. However, I was excited just to see Mastodon and Gojira on the same bill, and I was not disappointed in the least.

Atlanta-based proggy-sluddgy-gritty metal band Mastodon

Concert Review: GIVERS Showcase New Work at Exit/In

October 25, 2014 Roshan Poudel

There was a palpable curiosity concerning GIVERS’ new material at the Exit/In this past Tuesday, October 21st . GIVERS have not released anything since their exuberant debut album, In Light, came on the scene in 2011. After years of waiting, concert-goers were finally treated with what GIVERS have been tinkering away on these past few years.

The War on Drugs Rocks Marathon Music Works

October 17, 2014 Zach Shealy

Despite severe weather warnings, on Monday I and a healthy crowd of Nashvillians head over to Marathon Music Works for The War on Drugs’ exclusive brand of heartland rock. Attendees…

Merrill Garbus, Entertainer Extraordinaire: She Was Born To Do It

October 10, 2014 Gracie Gonzalez

Her daddy had enough so she put her back into it. She’s is a powerhouse. She’s an unending geyser of consistency. Merrill Garbus knows how to put on a fantastic show. On Thursday the 9th at Marathon Music Works, music fans got their money’s worth.

Quake Performers Shine Despite Poor Acoustics, AC in Memorial Gym

October 10, 2014 Brett Tregoning

The first thing that I noticed walking in to Memorial Gym last night for Commodore Quake was the oppressive heat. The second thing that I noticed once I found a seat was the atrocious, garbled acoustics of our re-purposed basketball court. I wish I didn’t feel like I have to include these sour notes as the very first thing in this recap. I wish I hadn’t noticed these things about Quake at all. But most of all, I sincerely wish that these weren’t the most memorable aspects of my entire night at Quake.

This year’s Quake logo

Local Acts Shine at Exit/In–Monday, October 6, 2014

October 8, 2014 Zach Blumenfeld

Joel Levi headlined Soundstamp's local music showcase at Exit/In on Monday night. — Joel Levi headlined Soundstamp’s local music showcase at Exit/In on Monday night.

Exit/In is one of Nashville’s most famous and beloved venues. One look above the bar at the wall of artists who have performed on its stage is enough to send the tingles of history down your spine. Monday night, though, Exit/In’s legendary stage was devoted to three local acts: Joel Levi, James and the Wild Spirit, and Vanderbilt’s own Kid Freud. The trio of bands, though quite different in genre and style, combined to put on one hell of a show.

Concert of the Week: Glass Animals