On an unassuming, muggy September afternoon in Nashville, PASTE Magazine and Illegal Mezcal transformed Love and Exile Winery into the PASTE Americana Party. The event featured punchy 30-minute sets, rotating between an indoor and outdoor stage, spotlighting fresh voices and seasoned veterans from across the Americana music scene.
The afternoon opened with Case Oats, an alt-country outfit based out of Chicago, whose debut album Last Missouri Exit dropped in August on Merge Records. Frontwoman Casey Walker delivered earwormy choruses on “Bitter Root Lake,” while showcasing storytelling depth on “Seventeen,” a slow-burner that swelled into a raw, angsty reflection on her teenage self.
Next came Fust, a southern-rock group from Durham, North Carolina, playing tracks off their recent record Big Ugly (Dear Life Records). Led by singer-songwriter Aaron Dowdy, the set moved seamlessly between slower, folkier tunes and full-throttle southern rock. “Jody” showcased tender vocal harmonies between Libby “Mipso” Rodenbough (fiddle & vocals) and Dowdy, while “Spangled” roared with a thumping chorus that had the crowd up on their feet, miming the lyrics with their hands, “three, O, five”.
Closing out the stage was Florry, an alt-country band from Philadelphia. Frontwoman Francie Medosch kept the crowd engaged with her raw passion and unrestrained vocals. Their live debut of a new track, “Breaking Down My Amigo (Fast Version),” ripped through the crowd with distorted, overdriven guitar riffs, while “First it was a movie, then it was a book” brought the set to a close with chaotic, twangy guitar solos. It was a fitting cap to a run of performances that were all unpredictable and electric.
Listen to Florry, Fust, and Case Oats here: