Words and the things John Mayer does with them have earned him a place in the hearts of countless teenage girls over the past decade or so. They’ve also gotten him into trouble along the way, as introspective, imagery-laden lyrics turn into uncomfortable, sometimes offensive ramblings from a musician...

The Nashville Shakespeare Festival took the Troutt Theater by storm January 15 with their rendition of “The Tempest.”  Blue, violet and sea green pieces of cloth dangled from the rafters. Two “rock” formations took up most of the stage. When the lights dimmed, the audience was taken on a fun...

The historic Ryman Auditorium in the heart of Nashville is accustomed to housing some of the biggest names in country music. Previously the home of the Grand Ole Opry, it serves to let an artist know they have both made it and officially arrived. But on Sunday night, Franklin-based group Paramore brought...

On the walls of the Leu Gallery hang a selection of works by the local contemporary artist Christie Nuell. The exhibition, titled Odyssey, is a fascinating display of unique pieces guaranteed to intrigue the curious who wander inside. Neull’s complex assemblages of paint, stains and inks on mounted...

Nashville has a tenuous relationship with free shows and outdoor concert series, especially when the two are combined. Live on the Green is only the latest in a series of events dating back years which has included the good (Uptown Mix), the decent (Dancin in the District) and the ugly (the incredibly...

Day two on the Alumni Lawn was a decidedly different atmosphere– fewer hippies, fewer frats, a slightly upward shift in the age demographic.  The Vision braved mosh pits, crowd surfing and rain in the hopes of seeing The Flaming Lips’ Wayne Coyne climb in that giant inflatable hamster ball...

The 2009 Rites of Spring Music Festival officially kicked off around 3:20 p.m. Friday. The Vision arrived around 6 p.m. to document the ensuing 6 hours of thundering bass, bright lights, diminishing elbow room, and collective catharsis. K’NAAN K’NAAN took the stage opening  with “In...

Less than a week after Next Big Nashville’s grand finale, Nashville played host to another music festival sprawled across a handful of local venues. The Americana Music Festival and Conference kicked off on Wednesday Sept. 17 and ran until Sept. 20 in five venues—Mercy Lounge, Cannery Ballroom, The...

Brooke Waggoner (9:30 p.m., Cannery Ballroom) In last month’s issues of Paste Magazine, an article declared that, along with fellow Nashville singer/songwriter Katie Herzig, Brooke Waggoner was one of 25 artists to watch. Waggoner, a classically trained pianist, has the incredible ability to pull apart...

The Kindergarten Circus (8:45 p.m., The End) It’s been a year since I first saw the youthful dynamo that is Kindergarten Circus at last year’s Next Big Nashville and, if anything, the band has only gotten louder and more impressive. Kindergarten Circus funnels a clear influence from blues rock bands...