Nashville Scene 11-24-22

BY KELSEY BEYELER

AMANDA HAGGARD, CHAPTER16.ORG

BY STEPHEN TRAGESER

BY STEPHEN ELLIOTT

BY DARYL SANDERS

BY MICHAEL GALLAGHER

BY SCENE STAFF

BY CHRIS CROFTON

BY JASON SHAWHAN

MEET JINXX. Oh, this affectionate 5-year-old Husky is the best of both worlds!

Indoors, she’s a snuggle bug who wants to be right by your side. Outdoors, she’s fun-loving, curious, and energetic. She’s also smart, house trained and eager to please. Jinxx is the type of dog who instantly falls in love with every human she meets plus she’s been introduced to many dogs and gets along with them all. Her forever home goal is to get adopted with a 4-legged sibling who enjoys playing her most favorite game: CHASE! She sounds like fun, right? Jinxx is currently in a foster home. Please email adoption@ nashvillehumane.org to meet!”

Call 615.352.1010 or visit nashvillehumane.org Located at 213 Oceola Ave., Nashville, TN 37209

Adopt. Bark. Meow. Microchip. Neuter. Spay.

BILL LEE GETS A C ON INFRASTRUCTURE, AND

OTHER

MISSTEPS. THINGS COULDN’T GET MUCH WORSE.

The responsibilities of a governor are numerous, but there are four main priorities that every state’s top executive must work toward improving. Looking at Gov. Bill Lee’s results, does he deserve a passing grade? You be the judge.

One priority is to ensure that our infrastructure is sound. Are roads safe? Are bridges in good condition? Are our transportation systems adequate for population growth? A recent report from the American Society of Civil Engineers gives our state a C. You might think, “Well, a C is a passing grade — there’s room for improvement, but OK.” Well, a C is just one step above trouble, and it raises a good question: What’s happened with the money earmarked for infrastructure improvements from Gov. Bill Haslam’s IMPROVE Act? Remember that? It’s been more than five years since Haslam signed that legislation into effect, and Tennessee receives a C grade today? After last year’s worrisome news that the Hernando De Soto Bridge in Memphis — a bridge that sees tens of thousands of vehicles every day — had a crack so massive that the Mississippi River could be seen through it? Gracious. Gov. Lee certainly needs to bring us up from this C grade. Who wants infrastructure that is only barely adequate? Anything below an A is reason for concern.

A second responsibility of a governor is to increase employment and encourage economic growth. Has Gov. Lee championed the efforts of the White House to do just that in the past two years? No. Instead of crediting President Joe Biden for a plan that created 500 jobs from Tritium — a company that manufactures electric vehicle chargers — Lee announced the growth with no acknowledgement of Biden’s invaluable input. The company itself credited Biden’s legislation as its reason for choosing Tennessee. Not very statesmanlike, I’d say. What’s more, critics have noted that Lee’s efforts to cram a right-to-work law into the state constitution are unnecessary and dangerous, because the newly passed amendment could alienate some of our most vital industries — namely, auto manufacturers and the businesses dependent upon them. Businesses, labor unions and manufacturing have coexisted relatively peacefully in Tennessee for decades. The state’s numerous preexisting statutes preserving right-to-work were sufficient and not under attack. Lee’s push for Amendment 1 seemed like a whole lot of bother over nothing — just a good chance of messing with the delicate balance between labor unions, the state and the massive industries that impact employment opportunities.

Point three: A governor is responsible for overseeing the health and welfare of a state’s residents. How has Lee accomplished this during his first term? For years, our state has been among those leading the nation in gun violence. According to a compelling 2020 op-ed by Beth Joslin Roth — policy director of The Safe Tennessee Project, a gun violence prevention organization — Tennessee was at the time 11th in the nation for firearm mortality. We were seventh in the nation for firearm homicide, and fourth — FOURTH — for young gun deaths and

gun homicides. These stats were compiled both before and during Lee’s first administration, so what policies and decisions has he enacted to increase our public safety? He shoved through legislation eliminating handgun permits and appointed to our state board of education a man whose company sold ammunition to the 17-year-old El Paso, Texas, school shooter who killed 10 people! What in the world is Lee thinking? He promised us on the campaign trail that he was sensitive to the problems of crime and gun violence, after working with the prisonoutreach group Men of Valor for decades. He said he would bring real improvements to the challenges facing our inner cities and our minorities, and deal with the crime and gun violence that affects all of us — but our underserved are worse off. His actions have spoken louder than his words.

A governor is also responsible for overseeing our public education system. Where to begin there? Lee’s former henchman Glen Casada twisted arms in the state legislature so strongly in order to pass the governor’s school voucher legislation that it was embroiled in federal court for years. Casada’s strong-arm tactics also helped bring about a federal investigation into the former state House speaker’s many suspected dealings. Lee has ignored the outcry of public educators over the risks involved in diverting funds away from public schools into school vouchers and charter schools. Has he listened? No. He has doubled down on dismantling our traditional public schools. The Hillsdale debacle will go down in history as a mark of shame. The school voucher program has emerged from its mothballed condition in federal court and been fast-tracked to be implemented quite soon — with public schools in Memphis and Nashville bracing for impact.

Tennesseans should have concerns about how Gov. Bill Lee has performed in regard to these four most basic priorities. We expect better. But more importantly, Tennessee deserves better!

Bill Freeman

Bill Freeman is the owner of FW Publishing, the publishing company that produces the Nashville Scene, Nfocus, the Nashville Post and The News.

Editor-in-Chief D. Patrick Rodgers

Managing Editor Alejandro Ramirez

Senior Editor Dana Kopp Franklin

Arts Editor Laura Hutson Hunter

Music and Listings Editor Stephen Trageser

Digital Editor Kim Baldwin

Associate Editor Cole Villena

Contributing Editors Erica Ciccarone, Jack Silverman

Staff Writers Kelsey Beyeler, Stephen Elliott, Hannah Herner, J.R. Lind, Eli Motycka, William Williams, KateLynn White

Contributing Writers Sadaf Ahsan, Radley Balko, Ashley Brantley, Maria Browning, Steve Cavendish, Chris Chamberlain, Lance Conzett, Steve Erickson, Nancy Floyd, Randy Fox, Adam Gold, Kashif Andrew Graham, Seth Graves, Kim Green, Steven Hale, Steve Haruch, Edd Hurt, Jennifer Justus, Christine Kreyling, Craig D. Lindsey, Margaret Littman, Brittney McKenna, Marissa R. Moss, Noel Murray, Joe Nolan, Betsy Phillips, John Pitcher, Margaret Renkl, Daryl Sanders, Megan Seling, Jason Shawhan, Michael Sicinski, Nadine Smith, Ashley Spurgeon, Amy Stumpfl, Kay West, Abby White, Andrea Williams, Ron Wynn, Charlie Zaillian

Editorial Intern Connor Daryani

Art Director Elizabeth Jones

Photographers Eric England, Matt Masters, Daniel Meigs

Graphic Designers Mary Louise Meadors, Tracey Starck

Graphic Design Intern Hanna Milosevich

Production Coordinator Christie Passarello

Festival Director Olivia Britton

Marketing and Promotions Manager Robin Fomusa

Publisher Mike Smith

Director of Digital Advertising | Key Account Manager Michael Jezewski

Senior Advertising Solutions Managers Sue Falls, Carla Mathis, Heather Cantrell Mullins, Jennifer Trsinar, Keith Wright

Advertising Solutions Managers Richard Jacques, Deborah Laufer, Niki Tyree, Alissa Wetzel

Sales Operations Manager Chelon Hill Hasty

Advertising Solutions Associates

Jada Goggins, Audry Houle, Jack Stejskal

Special Projects Coordinator Susan Torregrossa

President Mike Smith Chief Financial Officer Todd Patton

Corporate Creative Director Elizabeth Jones

IT Director John Schaeffer Circulation and Distribution Director Gary Minnis For

615-844-9238

615-244-7989. The Nashville

is

one per reader. Removal of

than one paper from any distribution point constitutes theft, and violators are subject to prosecution. Back issues are available at our office. Email: All email addresses consist of the employee’s first initial and last name (no space between) followed by @nashvillescene.com; to reach contributing writers, email editor@nashvillescene.com.

Editorial Policy: The Nashville Scene covers news, art and entertainment. In our pages appear divergent views from across the community. Those views do not necessarily represent those of the publishers. Subscriptions: Subscriptions are available at $150 per year for 52 issues.

Subscriptions will be posted every Thursday and delivered by third-class mail in usually five to seven days. Please note: Due to the nature of third-class mail and postal regulations, any issue(s) could be delayed by as much as two or three weeks. There will be no refunds issued. Please allow four to six weeks for processing new subscriptions and address changes. Send your check or Visa/MC/AmEx number with expiration date to the above address.

In memory of Jim Ridley, editor 2009-2016

PHOTO: TN.GOV

GOV. BILL LEE

UNSUNG HERO

MNPS’ HERO program serves students experiencing homelessness and transitional housing situations

BY KELSEY BEYELER

The old Buena Vista Elementary School building no longer hosts students and teachers in the capacity that it used to, but it’s still serving Metro Nashville Public Schools students and their families. In March, MNPS’ Homeless Education Resource Office — often referred to as the Homeless Education Resource and Outreach Program for Families in Transition, or the HERO program — started moving into the unused building. These days, it holds countless clothing items, food products, hygiene supplies and more.

“Prior to this space, we had half a portable at central office, we had a portable at Percy Priest [Elementary, and] we had things stashed in the garages of my friends and families scattered all throughout Nashville,” says HERO program coordinator Catherine Knowles. “Being able to unite all that stuff in Buena Vista is a great benefit to us.”

So far this school year the program has served more than 2,000 students, and Knowles expects that number to surpass 3,000 by the time classes end in May. In the past five years, the office has served nearly 18,500 students and their families. During that time, the number of students who qualify for its assistance has ranged from 3,145 to 3,964 — except for the 20202021 school year. That year, 2,659 students received related services from MNPS, but the drop wasn’t necessarily due to a decreased need. (In fact, as families were affected by the pandemic, it’s very likely that more could have benefited from the HERO program’s services.) But rather, without in-person interactions as a result of

the virtual learning, MNPS staff could not as easily identify students who qualified for assistance.

This phenomenon reflects a nationwide trend that’s explored in the recent report “Lost in the Masked Shuffle & Virtual Void” from nonprofit organization SchoolHouse Connection and the University of Michigan initiative Poverty Solutions. It also speaks to the crucial role and responsibility that schools serve in identifying and serving students experiencing homelessness — and there are more than folks might think.

The HERO program was created as a result of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, which requires that students experiencing homlessness receive equal access to education. The federal law defines students experiencing homelessness relatively broadly, as “individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.” This includes students who are sleeping in shelters, vehicles, public spaces, hotels, or friends’ or relatives’ houses, which differs from the more narrow definition provided by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. While MNPS can serve a wider range of houseless students and families through the McKinney-Vento Act, it can’t actually provide housing. It can, however, distribute school supplies, food, transportation, assistance with enrollment information and connections to other community resources.

Transportation is a particularly signficant aspect of the HERO program, as it allows students to remain enrolled in the same school even if they’re moving around a lot. Research like that of the Society for Research in Child Development links

frequent residential moves to impaired academic performance and social skills. Though recent bus driver shortages have affected many MNPS students, the HERO program’s federal obligations and funding mean its transportation capabilities aren’t entirely contingent on MNPS’ bus availability. It can, for example, outsource transportation when needed and provide mileage reimbursements for families who have their own vehicles.

Knowles hopes the HERO program’s new location in Buena Vista Elementary can become “a center where families can come and kind of have a one-stop shop and get a lot of their needs met all in that one space.” HERO staff has already started hosting evening events, and Knowles hopes to eventually provide child care, beforeand after-school programming and medical services.

The program has also been able to expand its offerings by forming community partnerships. Volunteers provide vital contributions, and the HERO program shares its building with UniCycle, a local nonprofit that collects and distributes gently used standard school attire. UniCycle can also accept donations to cover costs the HERO program isn’t allowed to because of federal regulations. Other organizations like Soles4Souls and the Community Resource Center also provide materials for families, and Knowles says HERO is looking to partner with even more.

The community support is impressive, but the need for it stems from a larger systemic issue — Nashville’s affordable housing crisis and a lack of adequate resources for people experiencing homelessness. “The critical shortage of affordable housing really is something that we see impacting students and families every day,” says Knowles. That’s why the HERO staff makes a point to emphasize that the program serves those who may not consider themselves homeless, but in transition. “We don’t come in [saying] we need to judge you or we need to make all these determinations or put you on some big list. We’re really just trying to engage with you around this issue about your housing instability, so that we can offer services and supports so that your child can stay connected and be successful in school.”

Those looking to support students experiencing homelessness and those in transitional housing situations can do so by volunteering with the HERO program, donating items like clothing, groceries and home goods, or making financial donations to organizations like UniCycle. The HERO page on MNPS’ website has more information on how and what to donate. Folks can also educate themselves and others on the many factors that lead to homlessness so they can better understand how to identify and support people who could benefit from programs like HERO.

“More than anything,” says Knowles, “it’s just really taking a look around at what’s happening in our community and really deciding what you are OK with and what you’re not OK with, and then engaging to make sure that Nashville is a community that’s working for all.”

Vice Mayor Jim Shulman is on temporary leave from homelessness nonprofit Safe Haven, where he recently took over as CEO. The board has launched a review of workplace concerns shared by staff around Shulman’s leadership. Shulman says it’s personal, blaming internal divisions on employees who disapproved of the transition in leadership. “I’ve had some employees who, from the very start, have challenged my ability to direct the agency,” he told the Scene last week. … Me harry Medical School’s medical degree program is on probation, joining its graduate medical edu cation program, which went on probation earlier this year. The school has six months to come up with a corrective plan to address areas identified by the Liaison Committee on Medical Educa tion, which issues medical school accreditation, after which Meharry can be reevaluated. … A Metro Nashville Police Department officer shot and killed Drandon Brown, a 64-year-old unhoused man, on Nov. 12. Local homelessness nonprofit Open Table responded to the incident with renewed calls for nonviolence when law en forcement responds to calls involving unhoused individuals. Earlier that same day, MNPD officers shot and killed Senquarius Demonta Williams, 26, in Madison. … Columnist @startleseasily marked a full year of recapping messy Tuesday nights at the Metro Council for the Scene, fil ing a rundown of absent councilmembers and wonky land-use drama. Councilmember Freddie O’Connell stepped in to handle some bills for Jonathan Hall, who was conspicuously missing in the chamber. Nashville will no longer require parking minimums in the city’s urban zoning overlay, freeing up space for things other than cars. Plus, having received council approval, the city can now solicit a “development partner” for Metro parcels near Nissan Stadium, the first piece of legislation related to the East Bank overhaul and the first step on the steady march toward a new, domed, $2.1 billion Titans arena. … Ticket sales crashed Ticketmaster and left a legion of pissed-off Swifties waiting for hours in an online queue. Many had purchased apparel and merchandise or opened new credit cards in search of exclusive presale access codes.

Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour will play three nights at Nissan Stadium in May. … Nashville Living Wage has launched a campaign certifying local businesses that pay at least a $17.40 hourly wage (or $15.40 with health benefits), part of a larger effort to draw attention to the rapidly increasing cost of living in Nashville. … North Nashville Councilmember Brandon Taylor filed a bill to introduce an overlay allowing homeown ers to more easily build detached accessory dwelling units (DADUs). These separate build ings, common in other parts of the city, resemble self-contained apartments and are often utilized for short-term rentals, which the bill prohibits. … Earlier this month, leaked audio of a strategy session between state lawmakers and an anti-abortion group reveals the group telling legislators to wait a year or two before going after in vitro fertilization and contraception. Contributor Betsy Phillips weighs in.

TEACHER

VALERIE SWEATT PICKS UP WINTER COATS FOR GOODLETTSVILLE ELEMENTARY

TO REDUCE TRASH, SOME STATES CHARGE THE COMPANIES PRODUCING IT

Landfills around the country — including the biggest one in Middle Tennessee — are filling up quickly

BY STEPHEN ELLIOTT

This article was first published by Stateline, an initiative of The Pew Charitable Trusts.

Nashville is growing, and so are its piles of trash.

The Middle Point Landfill in Murfreesboro collects most of the solid waste in Middle Tennessee, but it could be full by the end of the decade, send ing Nashville and other communities scram bling for a place to put their garbage.

Republic Services, one of the larg est waste management companies in the country, owns the Murfreesboro landfill and wants to expand it by nearly 100 acres, extending its life by decades. But neighbors and local elected officials are almost uni formly opposed to the expansion, and the city is suing the company over claims that the landfill is contaminating air and water.

This is not an unusual challenge. The num ber of active landfills in the United States has decreased steadily in recent decades, and those that remain are not being expanded.

An increasing number of states see an an swer in an innovative regulation that tackles trash on the front end, incentivizing manu facturers to make their product packaging more easily recyclable or else pay to recycle it on the back end. The laws — known collec tively as extended producer responsibility, or EPR — could, some experts say, be a par tial solution to the problem of diminishing landfill capacity.

The main target is plastics pollution. A study released last month by Greenpeace USA, an environmental advocacy group, found that the United States recycled only 5 to 6 percent of its plastic waste last year, down from a high of 9.5 percent in 2014 and 8.7 percent in 2018.

In the past two years, four states — Cali fornia, Colorado, Maine and Oregon — have enacted EPR laws, and at least a dozen other states, including Tennessee, have consid ered EPR bills.

Scott Cassel, founder and CEO of the Product Stewardship Institute, a nonprofit that has pushed extended producer respon sibility legislation around the country, says fast-filling landfills such as Middle Point are driving the effort, along with the overall en vironmental benefits of reducing the emis sions and waste that come from producing plastic packaging.

EPR laws are increasingly common in Europe and Canada, and Cassel hopes recent state legislative action will bring a signifi cant change to waste management in the United States.

Maine Democratic Gov. Janet Mills signed

the nation’s first EPR law in July 2021. The Maine measure, which takes effect in 2026, doesn’t ban any type of packaging. Instead, it levies a fee on producers based on their pack aging choices and the net amount of packag ing they sell in the state. The law defines a producer as the brand owner of a packaged product or, if the brand is from overseas, the importer of the product into Maine.

Producers will pay a higher fee for pack aging that is toxic and a lower fee for pack aging that is readily recyclable. The money will be funneled into a fund, operated by an outside “stewardship organization” selected by the state, to be distributed to local govern ments for waste management and recycling.

Oregon’s law, enacted a month after Maine’s, will require most producers to join a so-called producer responsibility organi zation. Starting no later than 2025, Oregon municipal governments will use fees paid by the producers to upgrade recycling facili ties, expand collection services and pay for contamination reduction programs.

The Colorado law requires companies that sell packaged products, paper products or foodware to cover the cost of a statewide system to recycle those materials. Like Ore gon, Colorado will require producers to join an organization that will pay for and oversee the recycling program.

The California law also creates a manda tory producer responsibility organization and levies a fee on all single-use plastic packaging and plastic foodware. The money collected would go to the California Natural Resources Agency, CalRecycle and local governments. In the next decade, California expects to raise $5 billion from industry sources to help address plastics pollution. Ultimately, the state hopes to make all single-use packaging and foodware recy clable, reusable, refillable or compostable. Currently, about 85 percent of plastic waste in California ends up in landfills.

“Our kids deserve a future free of plastic waste and all its dangerous impacts, every thing from clogging our oceans to killing an imals — contaminating the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat,” California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom said in signing the bill.

Numerous environmental groups, includ ing Californians Against Waste, the Nature Conservancy, Environment California, EnviroVoters and the Ocean Conservancy, praised the new law. But not all environmen talists were pleased.

Judith Enck, president of the nonprofit Beyond Plastics and a former U.S. Environ mental Protection Agency regional adminis trator, criticized the California law because it “hands over almost total responsibility to

the packaging industry — the very compa nies that have created the problem,” says Enck via email.

In general, environmental groups, waste management companies and municipalities supported the proposals in those four states, while producer groups such as the Ameri can Forest and Paper Association and the Flexible Packaging Association offered at least qualified opposition.

Abigail Sztein, director of government affairs for the American Forest and Paper Association, says variation is expected from state to state and that her organization “is most concerned about getting the policy right.” Specifically, she says, extended producer responsibility policies should not disrupt existing paper recycling programs, should provide credit for earlier invest ments made in recycling and should not re quire the paper industry “to subsidize other less-recycled materials.”

Even before California approved its broad EPR law, it applied similar rules to mattresses, mercury thermostats and car pet fibers.

Other states have also used EPR princi ples for some products. In Connecticut, for example, EPR policies apply to mattresses, electronics and a few other products. Cassel of the Product Stewardship Institute points to Connecticut as one of a handful of states where the prospects for a broad EPR law are brightest this year.

“A lot of what I do is important, but it’s small potatoes,” says Kim O’Rourke, who’s been the recycling coordinator in Middle town, Conn., for three decades. “I want to do something impactful, and EPR for packag ing would be.

“Our municipal governments are scram bling to try to handle waste and recycling,” O’Rourke continues. “It’s more expensive, more complicated and harder to manage. Producers need to come in and take responsi bility for the waste that they’re generating.”

Earlier this year, Tennessee state Sen. Heidi Campbell, a Democrat, worked with the state chapter of the Sierra Club on an extended producer responsibility bill, which they plan to refine before she reintroduces it next year. The proposal likely will require every Ten nessee producer who uses packaging to join a producer responsibility organization.

The Tennessee Department of Environ ment and Conservation would oversee it, and a board of waste management industry representatives, environmental justice ad vocates or other stakeholders would serve as advisers.

The powerful Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry will closely watch the legislative push. Chamber president and CEO Bradley Jackson says his organiza tion has been watching extended producer responsibility proposals in other states and recognizes that fast-filling landfills are a problem for his members.

“Tennessee really needs to look at the is sue overall as a state to figure out how we work to address this,” Jackson says.

Dan Firth of the Sierra Club, who is work ing with Campbell on the bill, says the goal was to take “a less regulatory approach than some other states might take,” in part to as suage pro-business legislators in the Repub lican-dominated Tennessee legislature.

The producers would pay into the pro gram, with their payments reduced if they prove they are using less packaging or more easily recycled packaging. The funds would then be disbursed to municipal governments and other entities that handle waste so they can buy advanced recycling technology and improve their procedures.

“We have no dreams at this point that this is going to happen overnight,” says Scott Banbury, a lobbyist and conservation pro gram coordinator for the Tennessee chapter of the Sierra Club. “It’s going to be a multi year process.”

PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND

STATE OF THE TITANS

BY MICHAEL GALLAGHER

After leaving Lambeau Field with a convincing 27-17 win over the Green Bay Packers in Week 11, the Tennessee Titans presumably feel good about their current standing in the AFC playoff picture. Last week’s win follows an 0-2 start — that second loss a complete undressing at the hands of the Buffalo Bills back in September.

But since that embarrassing 41-7 loss on Monday Night Football, the Titans have won seven of eight, and they were one Patrick Mahomes 2-point conversion away from an eight-game win streak. Tennessee’s five straight wins from Week 3 to Week 9 constitute the third-longest streak in the NFL this season, behind only the Philadelphia Eagles (eight) and Minnesota Vikings (seven).

Though the Titans are still one of the worst offensive units in the NFL, they’re also one of the more sound defensive teams around. Tennessee has one of if not the best front seven in the NFL, boasting the topranked run defense, which allows just 82.2 rushing yards per game, and a league-high 224 quarterback pressures.

Here’s how Tennessee ranks offensively and defensively compared to the rest of the league: Total offense 30th; passing offense 29th; rushing offense 11th; scoring offense 24th. Total defense 17th; passing defense 31st; run defense first; scoring defense seventh.

As we cross the 10-game mark, let’s take a further look at a few things to keep an eye on over the final seven regular-season games.

PLAYER TO WATCH: RYAN TANNEHILL

Derrick Henry could very easily earn this title. But I’d argue that how Tannehill performs over the final seven games will determine how Henry plays.

Let me explain.

Henry leads the league with 230 carries — 32 more than the next-closest running back — and if the Titans want to keep him fresh come playoff time, it would be wise to run him a little less than 23 times per game. If Tannehill can extend the momentum he found the past two weeks in wins over the Broncos and Packers — the first- and third-ranked pass defenses, mind you — it might incentivize the Titans to throw it a little more and run a little less. Throw in a few Dontrell Hilliard receptions out of the backfield and a couple of carries here and there, and Henry could have mostly fresh legs when the playoffs roll around.

While Tannehill was almost a nonfactor in four of his previous six starts, he’s really come on strong since returning from a high ankle sprain. He turned the ball over just once and threw for a combined 588 passing yards and four touchdowns against two of the top three passing defenses, and he excels at spreading the ball around.

Against Denver, seven different players

had at least one reception, and that number jumped to eight against Green Bay. Tannehill uses his running backs and tight ends as well as anyone, and his twogame run of strong performances should at least give defensive coordinators something to think about when planning to face the Titans.

GAME TO WATCH: WEEK 13 AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

This story basically wrote itself on draft night when the Titans traded disgruntled receiver A.J. Brown to the Eagles and promptly drafted his replacement, Treylon Burks. The Week 13 matchup in Philly will already be a high-stakes affair with both the Titans and the Eagles jockeying for playoff seeding at the top of their respective conferences, but throw in the Brown drama and this is a can’t-miss game.

As of this writing, Brown ranks fifth in the NFL in touchdown catches (six) and ninth in receiving yards (725), and he ranks in the top 25 in both receptions (44) and targets (73). His 16.5 yards per reception are his best since his rookie season, and he’s a big reason why the Eagles rank in the top 10 in passing yards per game.

While Burks isn’t having quite the remarkable season Brown is, he did just have a breakout game against the Packers, logging seven receptions on eight targets for his first 100-yard game. After being a target just four times per game in his first four starts, Burks has been targeted an average of seven times over his past two outings.

“Anytime you can make some plays, it gives you a lot of confidence as a player,” Tannehill recently said of Burks. “I felt like that was coming early on in the year, before Indy when he went out. Now he’s getting back into it. Definitely happy [with] the way he played the game. Made some big plays for us. He’s obviously a talented player, and I want to keep him going.”

PLAYOFF OUTLOOK: STRONG

According to ESPN, the Titans’ playoff chances shot up to 90 percent following their win over Green Bay. They’re one of just three teams in the AFC with at least seven wins, and they hold a three-game lead in the AFC South over the Indianapolis Colts — a team Tennessee has beaten twice this year.

The Titans (7-3) currently occupy the No. 3 seed in the AFC behind the Kansas City Chiefs (7-2 at press time) and Miami Dolphins (7-3), and they currently have the 12th-easiest remaining schedule in the league. Tennessee’s remaining seven opponents have a combined 31-33-1 record (47.6 winning percentage).

“We have a group of fighters,” Titans safety Kevin Byard recently said. “As long as we continue to keep going up, we’ll be playing football in January and February.”

Where does Tennessee rank among the elite of the AFC midway through the season?

Hey, Thanks

Our thank-you letters to the workers, activists, educators and friends who make Nashville unique

We never exactly meant for it to, but “Hey, Thanks” has become a bit of a Thanksgiving tradition here at the Nashville Scene. Each year, our staff and contributors whip up a collection of thank-you letters to the organizations and people who make Nashville a better place to live.

In this year’s issue you’ll find our messages to librarians, public school teachers, photojournalists, culinarians, booksellers, community leaders, nonprofits and more — selfless folks whose tireless efforts all too often go underappreciated. Read along with us as we at the Scene look at our city and say, “Hey, thanks.”

Illustrations by Hanna Milosevich

Hey Thanks, Southern Festival of Books Going IRL Again

On making friends after being on Zoom for two years

Like many people, I got used to attending events on Zoom. I even went so far as to convince myself it was better because I didn’t have to change out of my soft pants or drive across town. For two years I filled my social calendar with online author events and watched from the comfort of my couch. But then the Southern Festival of Books announced that its 34th annual event would take place in person for the first time since 2019. I immediately went to their festival app and started adding events to my calendar with reckless abandon. Two author events at the same time in two different locations? That was a problem for future-me. Onto the calendar they went!

So many authors traveled to Nashville for this festival. Hundreds, in fact. And I was lucky enough to meet and talk with many of them. I got to hug Margaret Renkl. I got to show Mary Laura Philpott my gold turtle bolo tie. I befriended Maud Newton with promises to show her around the weird parts of Nashville on her next visit. I attended panels with Tara M. Stringfellow and Imani Perry. I got the chance to ask Isaac Fitzgerald how he writes such great first sentences. (Reader, it’s by having a poet for a best friend.) I introduced myself to Malaka Gharib and we made loose plans to meet up for coffee soon.

I left the festival with tired feet, a full heart and a lot of new pals. To everyone who makes the Southern Festival of Books happen — staff, planners, volunteers, booksellers, panel moderators, authors — thank you for bringing us all together in real life again.

Kim Baldwin Digital Editor, Nashville Scene

Hey Thanks, Teachers

Public school teachers continue to do an important yet very difficult job

Hey Thanks, MACC’s Bow Wow Breakouts

The Metro Animal Care and Control shortterm fostering program is just what folks considering dog ownership need

I took space in last year’s special “Hey, Thanks” issue to thank public school employees for all they do for Nashville’s students. I’d be remiss not to thank them again this year, because let’s be honest — the local education landscape hasn’t improved all that much.

Sure, MNPS employees received a much-needed pay increase, but with rising inflation and a rising cost of living in Nashville, they’re still not getting the compensation they deserve. Thankfully, COVID-19 infection rates aren’t as big of an issue in schools as they were last year, but the virus is still present, along with concerns about spikes in other respiratory diseases. That’s not to mention an increased police presence to deter school shootings — a reality that has become too common in this country. National wedge politics have continued to play out in Tennessee schools, resulting in increased censorship and unfounded criticism toward educators. The fact Gov. Bill Lee refused to defend public school teachers after disparaging comments from an adviser didn’t help much, either.

Educators carry all of this with them every time they walk into a school building, and they help students work through these realities and more — for that, I am eternally grateful. Today’s students are tomorrow’s leaders, and they need support now so they can run our city in the future. Teaching is a difficult job, and an important one, so thanks again to those who continue to show up and do it.

Kelsey Beyeler Education Reporter, Nashville Scene

Some people just know they’re ready for a dog and all the joy that comes with a four-legged friend — all the responsibilities, walks and vet bills be damned. But my partner and I are still unsure, looking around our apartment and gauging its size (Will the dog get restless?), assessing our cat’s demeanor (Is he lonely or is he a jerk?) and repeatedly talking ourselves into and out of the decision.

OK, we’re not quite that indecisive, but we take the idea of dog ownership seriously. And I have to thank Metro Animal Care and Control for offering us a way to ease into the decision with its Bow Wow Breakouts program. The program lets you take a dog out of the shelter for up to 24 hours, giving the staff a bit of a break and letting you take a dog out for a short adventure. While we’ve only taken part twice, we’ve already had some reality checks (like scrambling to make sure we had enough plastic bags for the walk) and some absolutely heartwarming moments (shout-out to Freddy, a pitbull who walked right by our side while on the leash).

Are we ready for a dog after all that? Maybe. I think we learned we’re more capable than we thought — and we like the special kind of companionship and friendly energy that only a dog can bring. What we know for certain is we’ll do another breakout. It’s fun to take a dog out for an afternoon, and the pups seem to appreciate the break from the shelter too.

—Alejandro Ramirez Managing Editor, Nashville Scene

Hey Thanks, Nashville Booksellers

To the people and places that make us one of the South’s most bookish cities

If hosting the bustling Southern Festival of Books for more than 30 years wasn’t enough to convince you, let this be a reminder: Nashville is a city that loves its books. But Nashville’s long-standing dedication to the written word isn’t solely based on an annual festival and some prestigious universities — it’s just as much centered on the city’s homegrown booksellers, from upstarts to longtime institutions.

There’s something for everybody in Nashville, whether that’s an antiquarian masterpiece from Elder’s Bookstore (not too far from beloved chain Half Price Books), a collection of classics and new favorites curated by the soft-spoken experts at Rhino Booksellers, or an afternoon among world-renowned authors at Parnassus Books, the Green Hills outpost of bestselling author Ann Patchett. East Nashville has a wealth of gems, from Defunct Books and Novelette to the wonderful Bookshop, while securing a towering stack of books for the cost of breakfast at McKay’s is a veritable Nashville rite of passage.

An alarming amount of people simply don’t read, and the dangerous recent forays into censorship remind us that even the very institutions of fact, fiction and poetry are on shaky ground. I applaud Nashville’s bookstores and booksellers, who are keeping this essential activity alive and well.

—Alijah Poindexter Contributor, Nashville Scene

Hey Thanks, Please Vote Nashville

PVN is a true service, a labor of love and a valuable resource for local voters

Putting together breakdowns of local, state and federal elections is no easy task — trust me, I’ve done it plenty. But putting together a comprehensive ballot breakdown that includes bios and illustrations of virtually every candidate in the field? That’s something else altogether, but it’s a challenge the good folks at Please Vote Nashville have risen to.

Top-notch Nashville musicians Tristen Gaspadarek and Ellen Angelico and the rest of the all-volunteer team at PVN have issued their nonpartisan ballot breakdowns for a number of local elections now, including great context and background information for every candidate and issue in the field — not to mention sharp illustrations by talented artists Kami Baergen and Rachel Briggs. Their breakdowns are free to download via pleasevotenashville.org, and for recent election cycles, the nonprofit has teamed with local street paper The Contributor to put them in print.

Please Vote Nashville is a true service, a labor of love and a resource that’s helpful for first-time voters and longtime election watchers alike. With the midterms now in the rearview, it’ll be a while before those of us in local media have to fire up the old election-coverage machine again. (We’re bracing ourselves for next year’s mayoral election, God help us.) But when the time comes, PVN and The Contributor will surely be there for Nashville voters once again. And for that, we say thank you.

—D. Patrick Rodgers Editor-in-Chief, Nashville Scene

Hey Thanks, Live True Vintage

To my favorite affordable, dependable neighborhood shop

Old Hickory has a lot going for it; being cool is not one of them. You wouldn’t know that from a visit to Live True Vintage, though. Step inside the spacious but jampacked space off Old Hickory Boulevard, with its penny-tiled floors and tin ceilings, and you might feel like you’re in the heart of a proper city. There are fur coats, feathered hats and flannel shirts. There are big brass belt buckles and perfectly worn leather jackets and an entire section of kids’ stuff — everything from Bart Simpson sweatshirts to handknit sweaters to Garfield pajamas.

The shop’s Instagram account (@livetruevintage) is golden — it’s a mustfollow for last-minute Halloween costume ideas and the occasional funny T-shirt design. (A recent post featuring shop owner Tammy posing in her favorite sweatshirt solidified this entry — the sweatshirt says, “If You Don’t Like My Attitude, Dial 1-800-EAT-SHIT.”) On my last visit, I bought a pristine denim chore coat that looks like it might be Ganni or Black Crane, but is really from the Cheryl Tiegs line for Sears.

And when my 6-year-old daughter wanted a Halloween costume, Live True had just the right thing — Tammy hand-picked a spangly long-sleeved dance costume with a high majorette’s collar and a tacked-on ruffle tail. On Halloween, my kid was the coolest princess unicorn in a sea of other 6-yearolds who were also dressed up as princess unicorns — none of them looked like they’d raided Tonya Harding’s closet in 1986.

So, thanks.

—Laura Hutson Hunter Arts Editor, Mom and Old Hickory Correspondent, Nashville Scene

Hey Thanks, Indie Bookers and Promoters

To the folks who keep a key part of the local music ecosystem vital

There’s been plenty of unsettling news in local music this year — especially in the independent venue realm, in which both the Mercy Lounge complex and Exit/In will no longer be run by the folks who’ve been cultivating those places for nearly 20 years. There’s not much more to do than hope that the management and staff hired by the new property owners will do their best to make the forthcoming iterations of those venues play important roles in local music.

However those situations evolve, there are still many, many people who book and promote shows on a mom-and-pop scale all around town. To shout out just a few by name: Tyler Martinez & Co. keep the Housequake pop showcase series going at Eastside Bowl, Ryan Sweeney is a big booster in the local rock scene through Sweet Time, and Chris Davis at FMRL has been steadfast in presenting music that’s experiential, experimental or just plain excellent for decades. For one tiny example: If you enjoy desert blues guitarist Mdou Moctar, it’s advocates like Davis who put in their own time to get clued in and put in the work to set up shows for these artists, years before they get well-deserved gigs opening for big acts like Tame Impala.

Many people across the Nashville hip-hop scene book and promote their own shows; I owe a debt to everyone involved in making sure that hip-hop shows in town aren’t rare these days. There’s also the crew booking house shows at The Mouthhole and the crew at Soft Junk; the teams keeping the calendars full at spots like The East Room, The 5 Spot, Vinyl Tap, Betty’s, Springwater, Bobby’s Idle Hour and all-ages venue Drkmttr; and the folks at To-Go Records who throw shows at Two Boots Pizza and sometimes at Third Man Records.

This is exceptionally hard work, and it’s about the furthest thing from lucrative, but it’s critical work to perpetuate our ecosystem of music scenes. In return, about all they ask is that you buy a ticket or pay the cover and come to the show. For that, I’ll always be grateful.

—Stephen Trageser Music Editor, Nashville Scene

Hey Thanks, Protest Photographers

To the people who help us remember what it’s like in the heat of the moment

Over the past few years, Nashvillian protesters have shown up in support of Black Lives Matter, the People’s Plaza, abortion rights and the rights of unhoused people — not to mention the protesters and counter-protesters who showed up to demonstrate over health care for transgender kids. Through all of it, protest photographers keep me informed. And since it’s been a busy few years for activists, the same is true for our city’s photojournalists.

The photos are perhaps the most important part of any protest. We see how many people are there, the aesthetics of those involved, their expressions, the tone of the event. The cardboard signs they hold can live on for years. Those are the things I remember thinking back on a protest event, even if I was there to write a story about it. Photos make a protester a part of history.

We rely on some great photographers here at the Nashville Scene. Independent protest photographers and those at other news outlets put themselves in harm’s way, and some don’t even get paid to be there — they do it because they have a pure commitment to the cause.

We have to document these conflicts well, in the hopes that we’ll be able to look back and see that things have improved. Thanks to protest photographers, who make sure we don’t forget what things are like in the heat of the moment.

—Hannah Herner Health Care Reporter, Nashville Scene and Nashville Post

Hall of Fame Rotunda

Hey Thanks, Sean Brock

To the acclaimed chef who remained dedicated to his employees through the worst of the pandemic

Hey thanks, Chef Sean Brock. While your obsessive culinary exploits — which delve into your favorite fast-food at Joyland, midcentury cuisine at The Continental and your Appalachian roots at Audrey and June — may be polarizing to some folks who don’t particularly cotton to food created in an R&D lab and plated with tweezers, there is one other obsession we really appreciate: your dedication to your employees.

During the two years of the pandemic when the only major restaurant investment in town took place on the ground floors of hotel projects that weren’t going to let some little virus stop them, you actually opened four restaurants — including three that could definitely be called “neighborhood-centric” investments in the community. You made the difficult choice to delay the opening of Audrey for months, leaving the place settings on the table ready to greet guests until you felt it was safe and responsible. You hired local staff and offered them safe places in your restaurant to practice mindfulness and concentrate on mental health, dedicating valuable restaurant square footage to areas that customers will never see. You built a culinary laboratory to explore the native ingredients of Appalachia in ways that no one had ever considered, building a new library of flavors, textures and recipes that are truly innovative. You granted access to your voluminous cookbook library so others could take advantage of your decades of research.

Despite reservation books that filled up weeks in advance, you intentionally limited your hours and encouraged staff to take time off to mitigate burnout. You also kept many Nashvillians employed when layoffs and furloughs were the norm, so that you could cook and distribute more than 100,000 meals to residents of your adopted hometown who were affected by the pandemic.

Considering all you’ve done, chef, it seems silly for anyone to argue that your food is too fancy to be approachable. We’ll tolerate a little extra molecular gastronomy in return for your extreme civic magnanimity.

—Chris Chamberlain Contributor, Nashville Scene

Hey Thanks, Librarians

Public libraries and school libraries are valuable community resources

So many things make libraries magical, from the books they hold to the community they create and, of course, the people who work at them. Whether they’re curating displays, recommending reads or connecting folks with community resources, librarians do so much — and they don’t always get sufficient credit for it.

In fact, Tennessee’s librarians have had a particularly rough year. Public school librarians, for example, have been criticized and scrutinized following allegations that they promote obscene material to minors. (They don’t.) While school librarians have taken heat, the folks at the Nashville Public Library have responded to calls for censorship in the best possible way — with the Freedom to Read campaign, which included library cards boldly proclaiming “I read banned books.” As the NPL celebrated its annual Banned Books Week, which has been around for decades, it received a bomb threat that forced all its branches to temporarily close. (A Canadian man was ultimately arrested in connection with the threat.)

Despite all this, public libraries remain a community stalwart. They provide so much more than books and media. Take a glance at NPL’s events page and you’ll see programming that includes exercise, games, informational workshops and more. Don’t sleep on this amazing resource, and be sure to show the folks working there the appreciation they deserve.

Kelsey Beyeler Education Reporter, Nashville Scene

Hey Thanks, Dentists at Meharry’s

Oral Health Day

To the 40 dentists and 140 students who offered care to those in need

Meharry Medical College’s School of Dentistry has a reputation for producing exceptional dentists for decades. Talking to dentists at the school’s Oral Health Day this fall showed just how committed they are to the greater good of the community. For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Meharry dentists and dental students offered free dental care to members of the community — 40 dentists, 140 students and 310 patients. It’s only the beginning, since from now on the school will offer two events per year.

Dental care is often inaccessible due to some patients’ lack of insurance coverage and procedures’ prohibitive cost. As a result, untreated tooth decay is quite common, especially among people who have low income. When dentists perform extractions, fillings and cleanings, they’re doing more than providing services. They’re also often counseling patients and trying to reverse trauma. This year — the first Oral Health Day that kids could join in — was surely an extra heavy lift.

While it’s sad that people find themselves getting in line at 6 a.m. for an 8 a.m. event just to get care they need, we have to extend a thank-you to the School of Dentistry students and professionals who make it possible. These saints donated their time to be reassuring faces, offering comfort to folks in a chair that nobody particularly wants to sit in.

—Hannah Herner Health Care Reporter, Nashville Scene and Nashville Post

Hey Thanks, Bellevue Restaurant Robot

A novel dining experience awaits you at 615Chutney

I remember hearing early in the pandemic that novelty would help combat monotony and depression. To me, this meant getting takeout from a new restaurant, taking a walk through a new neighborhood, or going to a drive-in movie at the Belcourt. But as the pandemic has worn on, novelty has become harder to find. Like many things in my life, the answer was hiding in plain sight in Bellevue.

Tucked inside a strip mall on Highway 70 South is 615Chutney, a South Indian restaurant open for lunch and dinner six days a week. While you should definitely try it for the authentic South Indian cuisine, the real reason to visit — the novel reason — is to see the robot. Oh, you haven’t been to a restaurant where your meal was delivered by a robot? Well, now you can. When you dine in at 615Chutney, there are friendly human servers, but if you’re lucky, a 4-foottall robot delivers your food.

The first time I saw it, I squealed with delight. If there are kids in the restaurant, prepare to witness a Pied Piper-like scenario in which they get up and try to follow the robot back to its docking station. The more shy kids stay at their tables and gleefully wave to it every time it passes.

This meal-delivering robot has warmed my heart in a way I did not expect. To 615Chutney, thank you for reminding me that there’s still fun to be had in this world. Fun — what a novel idea.

Kim Baldwin Digital Editor, Nashville Scene

Hey Thanks, People Who Edit the State Legislature Videos

These folks make it much easier for reporters and citizens to keep an eye on the government

Watching the Tennessee state legislature is an extremely dry task. Our leaders are not blessed with brevity or straightforwardness. But if there’s a bill you’re especially interested in, capitol.tn.gov keeps a log of each one — and each time it’s discussed — with a time-stamped video clip.

Thank you to the people who sit through these meetings and make these clips. It saves so much time, and makes it clear and easy to trace the path of a bill. It’s especially useful to reporters, but is accessible enough that anyone can benefit, even if it’s not your job to keep an eye on these things.

The AV team gets the videos up relatively quickly, and includes a date, a time, a location and the length of each clip. What a gift. As the legislature starts back up in January, it’ll be their time to shine again.

The part of democracy where the people are supposed to be one check on the government? These video clips make that more doable.

—Hannah Herner Health Care Reporter, Nashville Scene and Nashville Post

Hey Thanks, Big Bike Energy

Thanks to local bike advocates, Nashville is beginning to feel a little safer on two wheels

Aggressive drivers, poorly paved roads and inconsistent bike lanes are just a few of the many reasons one might hesitate to bike to work. It’s challenging to feel safe on a bike in a city built for cars, especially when any movement toward alternate forms of transit seems to receive impassioned backlash — even drawing, during the 2018 transit referendum campaign, the Koch brothers’ eye of Sauron to Nashville.

While the issue once caused many Nashvillians to simply throw their hands up in dejection, succumbing to a life of single-passenger car trips and road rage, this year a passionate community of cycling enthusiasts has worked hard to make Nashville a more bike-friendly city. Through grassroots Twitter campaigns and great work from nonprofits like Walk Bike Nashville, bike advocates are waging all-out guerrilla warfare on the gasguzzling behemoths we have become so dependent on, and while we still have a long way to go, their efforts are already making a lasting impact.

Driving down 12th Avenue South, I can’t help but feel a sense of excitement observing the progress on the concrete-protected bike lanes being installed there, spearheaded by alternative-transit advocate and District 17 Councilmember Colby Sledge. E-bike share programs have become increasingly popular, and with the introduction of a dockless e-bike pilot program, that doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon. With this increased attention to Nashville’s lack of bike-centric infrastructure, Nashville is beginning to feel a little safer on two wheels.

—Connor Daryani Editorial Intern, Nashville Scene

Hey Thanks, Sweet 16th Bakery

Farewell to Dan and Ellen Einstein’s dearly departed East Nashville institution

The East Nashville community suffered a heartbreaking loss in January when Sweet 16th Bakery co-owner Dan Einstein died in hospice care at age 61. Dan’s wife and business partner Ellen Einstein soldiered on, keeping the Lockeland Springs business running and serving up Sweet 16th’s legendary breakfast sandwiches to customers from far and wide. But in October, Ellen decided it was time for a new chapter. “Now, after time has passed, Dan is not by my side anymore and it has gotten very hard to continue on,” she wrote in a message to her customers and friends. “So as of October 29th, I will be closing Sweet 16th Bakery.”

But there was a silver lining to come. Soon the team behind fellow beloved East Side institution Bill’s Sandwich Palace announced that they’ll be taking over the building at the corner of 16th and Ordway in 2023, with Ellen Einstein serving as landlord and inspiration. That news is certainly a balm to East Siders who for nearly two decades turned to the Einsteins not only for delectable sweets, sandwiches, salads and even dog treats, but also for a sense of belonging. For 18-anda-half years, Sweet 16th was a true community hub, frequently offering up portions of proceeds to good causes and performing selfless acts — like handing out those unbeatable breakfast sandwiches to volunteers in the wake of Nashville’s devastating March 2020 tornado. Dan and Ellen would also consistently offer good advice and good conversation, and sometimes, they’d throw an additional treat onto a loyal customer’s order at no cost — my girlfriend and I were the beneficiaries of the Einsteins’ deep kindness on many occasions.

The outpouring of support that arrived after Sweet 16th’s closing announcement proves that I’m just one of many grateful Nashvillians who’ll remember Dan and Ellen’s generosity for many years to come. Even so, let me say it clearly: To the Einsteins and their staff, thank you. To Ellen, here’s to a long, peaceful and rewarding retirement. Even more than we’ll miss ordering “one to go,” we’ll miss seeing you and Dan behind the counter.

—D. Patrick Rodgers Editor-in-Chief, Nashville Scene

1 2 3

PREMIUM CIGARS AND ACCESSORIES

Rd,

This cutaway of Bran Castle by local artist Holly Carden illustrates Stoker’s novel Dracula. The accompanying guide identifies each scene along with an excerpt.

FLICKER 4 5 6

Another hand-drawn cutaway, this puzzle illustrates Nashville’s renowned Fable Lounge. It’s packed with strange and colorful anthropomorphic characters inspired by Aesop fables.

HANDMADE ORNAMENTS

THE CLAY LADY’S CAMPUS | 1416 Lebanon Pike, Nashville TN 37210 | theclcgallery.com | theclaylady.com @clayladycampus

GIFT BOXED CANDLE FLIGHT CLIFTON + LEOPOLD | Nashville | cliftonandleopold.com Our boxed candle flight includes one of each of our four scent profiles, One, THROWING AXES BAD AXE NASHVILLE | 648 Fogg St, Nashville, TN 37203 badaxethrowing.com | 629.203.6158 | @badaxenash 2-Hour Axe Throwing Session for a guest and a friend. #1 Axe Throwing venue in the US. 9000 square feet of space, full restaurant and bar, outdoor patio

FORMAL WESTERN TIE

CLIFTON + LEOPOLD

HAIR GOODIES = BEST GAL GIFTS

GREENPEA SALON | 4 City Blvd- One City and 1113 12th Ave South | Nashville TN | greenpeasalon.com

Great for stocking stuffers and pal gifts by themselves, or pair with a gift card and candle for their favorite goodies of the season. Stylish and unique hair accessories from LoveLina, Nat+Noor and more.

GIFT GUIDEShop local

NEST CANDLES

GREENPEA SALON | 4 City Blvd- One City and 1113 12th Ave South | Nashville TN | greenpeasalon.com

With a cult-like following, these beloved and beautifully fragranced candles crafted with a premium wax that burns cleanly and evenly. Shop our best-selling holiday collections or perennial faves such as wild mint & eucalyptus, Moroccan amber & more.

HONEYTREE MEADERY | 918 Woodland St, 37206 honeytreemeadery.com

BASIC BATCH, SIGNATURE SERIES, AND BOUQUET TOSS MEAD

HONEYTREE MEADERY | 918 Woodland St, 37206 honeytreemeadery.com

First and Only Meadery in Nashville! Dry to Semi-Sweet, no syrupy texture. Honeytree is changing the game on what Mead is capable of!

DREAMGIRL SATIN BOW TEDDY WITH CUFFS

HUSTLER HOLLYWOOD | 1400 Church St | hustlerhollywood.com

If you’re the best gift, put a bow on it! This daring one-piece can be untied to reveal your best assets. (available in curvy)

Get Directions: hustlerhollywood.com/pages/store-nashville-tennessee

HOLLYWOOD GLAM LUXURY ROBE

HUSTLER HOLLYWOOD | 1400 Church St | hustlerhollywood.com

Tease your beloved with layers of soft tulle trimmed with marabou feathers. Satin sash doubles as a luxe bondage tie. (available in more colors)

Get Directions: hustlerhollywood.com/pages/store-nashville-tennessee

12 DAYS OF SEXXXMAS

HUSTLER HOLLYWOOD | 1400 Church St | hustlerhollywood.com

Best for curious couples, this gift set provides multiple days of fun with toys and enhancers. Try something new each day to heat up the nights.

Get Directions: hustlerhollywood.com/pages/store-nashville-tennessee

GEMSTONE PIERCING JEWELRY

ICON TATTOO & BODY PIERCING | 1925 Church St. Nashville, TN 37203 | icontattoo.com

14k yellow gold Tiny Athena by BVLA with Genuine Amethyst stones.

GEMSTONE

PIERCING JEWELRY

ICON TATTOO & BODY PIERCING | 1925 Church St. Nashville, TN 37203 | icontattoo.com

Rook piercing with 14k yellow gold Sunshine by BVLA with Cubic Zirconia stones.

14K GOLD PIERCING JEWELRY

ICON TATTOO & BODY PIERCING | 1925 Church St. Nashville, TN 37203 | icontattoo.com

Daith

DREAMERS COFFEE

NASH.TN | 3820 Charlotte Ave | nash.tn | 615.200.7455 @thenash.tn

We collaborated with Frothy Monkey to bring you “Dreamers Hate To Sleep” the perfect companion {bag of coffee + 15oz Mug} for fueling your late-night muse. Shop in-store at L&L Market.

GEMSTONE PIERCING JEWELRY

ICON TATTOO & BODY PIERCING | 1925 Church St. Nashville, TN 37203 | icontattoo.com

Septum

TN GUITAR PICKS

NASH.TN | 3820 Charlotte Ave | nash.tn | 615.200.7455 @thenash.tn

Our custom assortment of quality {medium & heavy} Nashville guitar picks are a great gift for guitar players and a cool keepsake for music lovers! Shop in-store at L&L Market.

GEMSTONE PIERCING JEWELRY

ICON TATTOO & BODY PIERCING | 1925 Church St. Nashville, TN 37203 | icontattoo.com

14k yellow gold Pear Kolo by BVLA with alternating faceted and sandblasted lavender cubic zirconias.

NASHVILLE SWEATSHIRT

NASH.TN | 3820 Charlotte Ave | nash.tn | 615.200.7455 @thenash.tn

Our Nashville Looks Good On You?? murals celebrate the artist within each of us. Now, you can inspire those around you wherever you go. Shop in-store at L&L Market.

LINGERIE SET AND SLEEPSHIRT

NASHVILLE DARLIN’ | 438 Houston St #165 nashvilledarlin.com | 615.724.2248 | @nashvilledarlin

A good fitting bra is the gift that keeps on giving! As a Best of Intima North American finalist 2020, 2021, and 2022, we pride ourselves on a lingerie experience unlike any other. With a limited collections from coveted sustainable brands Fleur Du Mal, Only Hearts, Else, and many others, you’ll be sure to find a one of a kind gift that lasts.

Gift certificates are available to ensure a perfect fit.

BAKED NASHVILLE COOKBOOK

NASHVILLE SCENE MERCH STORE |nashvillesceneshop.com

“Baked Nashville” features more than 30 bake-at-home recipes, adapted for home cooks from the professional kitchens of some of Nashville’s favorite pastry and restaurant chefs.

10% of proceeds from the inaugural book launch will benefit the Nashville Farmers’ Market’s Fresh Bucks Program.

NASHVILLE SCENE BASEBALL CAP

NASHVILLE SCENE MERCH STORE |nashvillesceneshop.com

Rep your favorite news, arts and culture pub with a distressed baseball cat featuring the classic Nashville Scene logo. Please note that hat size runs small. It has an adjustable width strap.

VINTAGE LOGO NASHVILLE SCENE T-SHIRT

NASHVILLE SCENE MERCH STORE |nashvillesceneshop.com

This kick ass vintage design revisits 1989 when the Nashville Scene became the city’s news, arts and culture pub. This essential unisex heathered T shirt fits like a well-loved favorite, featuring a crew neck and short sleeves made from a poly/cotton blend.

17OZ CERAMIC NASHVILLE SCENE MUG

NASHVILLE SCENE MERCH STORE |nashvillesceneshop.com

Drink your coffee in our Nashville Scene mug! It reads “It is a Newspaper’s duty to Print the New & Raise Hell.” on one side. The interior is white.

RIP OLD NASHVILLE T-SHIRT

NASHVILLE SCENE MERCH STORE |nashvillesceneshop.com

Prove you’re Old Nashville by remembering some classic Nashville spots with this tshirt. This essential unisex T shirt fits like a well-loved favorite, featuring a crew neck and short sleeves made from a poly/ cotton blend.

BAR CART ESSENTIALS

SINKERS WINE & SPIRITS | 3308 Gallatin Pike sinkersbeverages.com | 615.262.2300 | @sinkers.nashville

Pick from an array of gift items from red blend wines and rich cigars to wine aerators, jiggers, bottle openers and sterling silver flasks or the perfect mixers to top off the holiday celebration!

GIFT GUIDEShop local

HANDMADE EARRINGS BY IVORY AND OAK

$16 TURQUOISE, $22 WOODED

TN STATE MUSEUM GIFT SHOP | 1000 Rosa L. Parks Blvd., Nashville, TN 37208 | TNMmuseum.org |615.741.2692 @tnstatemuseum

Chattanooga-based Ivory and Oak makes jewelry uniquely handcrafted by Rebekah Jean Gouger. Featured: Bohemian-style turquoise-beaded, brass hoop earrings and non-toxic wood-stained earrings.

KRUG CHAMPAGNE

SINKERS WINE & SPIRITS | 3308 Gallatin Pike sinkersbeverages.com | 615.262.2300 | @sinkers.nashville

Known as the master of Champagne with its rich, complex, and long-aging sparkling tastes! Pop a bubbly glass of Krug to toast this holiday season!

HEAVEN’S DOOR

SINKERS WINE & SPIRITS | 3308 Gallatin Pike sinkersbeverages.com | 615.262.2300 | @sinkers.nashville

Introducing our Heaven’s Door barrel pick! Sweet warm caramel with above average complexity. Available only through Sinkers!

TSM VOTES FOR WOMEN MUG, 14 OZ - $14

TN STATE MUSEUM GIFT SHOP | 1000 Rosa L. Parks Blvd., Nashville, TN 37208 | TNMmuseum.org |615.741.2692 @tnstatemuseum

Two-toned honeycomb ceramic mug. Made exclusively for the Museum to celebrate the centennial of Tennessee’s ratification of the 19th amendment and the Museum’s Ratified! Exhibition.

CUSTOM APPAREL

TWEAK NASHVILLE | 3 City Ave Suite 400, Nashville, TN 37209 | tweaknashville.com | @tweaknashville

TWEAK is Nashville’s only fully custom apparel shop, featuring sweaters, tees, hats, totes, & more! Browse their in house designs or bring in your own.

Justice Industries is a local non-profit organization that creates social enterprises to put people to work. We employ people with barriers to employment such as precious incarceration, homelessness, addiction recovery, mental health, generational poverty and more.

Just. Glass, a curbside glass recycling service, is our largest social enterprise keeping over 250 tons of glass out of area landfills and providing almost 11,000 hours of work for our team last year. Give an annual glass recycling subscription for $225.

ADVENTURE

SCIENCE

CENTER ADVENTURESCI.ORG/ JOIN-GIVE

This holiday season, send your family and friends on a year-long safari. Nashville Zoo offers a host of exotic animals in beautiful habitats as well as educational programs and events. Save 15% on membership gift certificates by visiting nashvillezoo.org/gift.

“Cohousing is about living the good life while using less of the earth’s resources, and having a good time doing it.”

Katie McCamant

NASHVILLE ZOO

NASHVILLEZOO.ORG/GIFT

Nashville Zoo offers holiday gift certificates for year-long enjoyment of animals, event and fun. For more information and to easily order gift certificates, visit www.nashvillezoo.org.

JUSTICE

INDUSTRIES

JUST GLASS

JUSTICEINDUSTRIES.ORG

Just.Glass is a social enterprise of local non-profit Justice Industries, providing curbside glass recycling services that keeps glass out of area landfills, while also employing our neighbors in need.

NASHVILLE SCENE MEMBERSHIP

SUPPORT.NASHVILLESCENE.COM

The Nashville Scene has been serving our city for three decades and counting.A strong, independent voice, the Scene covers news, music, film, food, art, culture, and state and local politics in a way that only we can — with hard news, creative feature writing, long-form reporting, analysis and criticism that serves a diverse readership, and does so with a voice. Give the Gift of a membership today!

NFOCUS MEMBERSHIP

MEMBERSHIP.

NFOCUSNASHVILLE.COM

Give the gift of an Nfocus membership! Created by society insiders in 1993, Nfocus is the most trusted source for coverage of Nashville’s vibrant philanthropic and social scene. Throughout our 29-year history, we have covered thousands of charitable events and the nonprofits they support, in addition to highlighting the city’s culinary, retail and cultural offerings. We showcase the very best that Nashville has to offer in every single issue.a membership today!

PHOTO BY ALAN MESSER

CRITICS’ PICKS

THURSDAY / 11.24

VOLUNTEER AROUND TOWN

On Thanksgiving Day, many folks have some time off to spend eating, visiting with family and friends and/or arguing with relatives and acquaintances. If you’re feeling the urge to put a little something different on your plate in 2022, consider donating your time to a local cause this odd November holiday. The Hands On Nashville volunteer calendar brings up several offerings. There are a few choices for food packing and delivery for organizations helping with food insecurity: Nashville CARES, an organization providing support for people with HIV/AIDS, needs help packaging and getting meals to clients, as does FiftyForward, a nonprofit that works with seniors. Dismas House of Nashville, a nonprofit serving formerly incarcerated men, is looking for hosts for their community dinners, one of which is on Thanksgiving evening. At Mill Ridge Park, folks are invited to volunteer to help with trail maintenance, invasive species removal, farmhouse repairs and various gardening tasks. Register for all of these volunteer opportunities and more online at hon.org. Your family could hardly argue against your charitable nature. Nov. 24 at various locations AMANDA

HAGGARD

FRIDAY / 11.25

SNOWFEST

If you’re looking to get out of the house on Friday, Jackalope Brewing Company has the perfect solution with Snowfest. Guests can kick off stout season in style, celebrating the brewery’s first hand-bottled, large-format bottle release in three years. Dubbed “Snow Demon,” this bourbonbarrel-aged imperial stout is brewed with Bongo Java coffee and Olive and Sinclair cocoa nibs, offering “notes of chocolate, brown sugar, toffee and bourbon with aromatic notes of dried fruit and oak.” Beer lovers can place online orders for bottles, which will be available for local pickup at Jackalope on Friday. You also can enter for a chance to win Bottle No. 1 of Snow Demon. And while you’re at it, be sure to stop by the Houston Street Holiday Market, featuring tons of food trucks and local vendors to help you get a jump on your shopping list. For complete details, visit jackalopebrew. com. Noon-10 p.m. at Jackalope Brewing Company, 429 Houston St. AMY STUMPFL

MARISA ANDERSON AND WILLIAM TYLER

There’s a definite nod to New Age dynamics on Marisa Anderson and William Tyler’s 2021 album Lost Futures. Tyler made his bones as a member of Nashville

rock band Lambchop before settling into a career as a solo guitarist who also gets into the compositional side of music. Meanwhile, Anderson, who lives in Portland, Ore., is another acoustic guitarist whose work updates the usages of New Age instrumental music. Lost Futures finds the duo recasting familiar chord changes as a melancholy commentary on the state of the world. There’s barely a hint of rock or jazz throughout Lost Futures, which works best when the melodies are at their most striking. As the liner notes point out, the album has a “sober tone reflective of the troubled state of the world,” and it’s a record suited for late-fall listening. “Haunted by Water” sports the album’s most attractive — and evocative — melody, and elsewhere Tyler and Anderson prove themselves masters of programmatic music that takes a bigger bite out of reality than the typical New Age offering. 8 p.m. at The Blue Room at Third Man Records, 623 Seventh Ave. S. EDD HURT

FILM [PAGEANT SCENES]

MIDNIGHT MOVIES: DROP DEAD GORGEOUS

Now might be a good time to watch this 1999 black-comic mockumentary, especially since you can’t find it anywhere online. (It had a short-lived 20th-anniversary run on Hulu a few years back.) Drop Dead Gorgeous is the debut comedy from The State alumnus Michael Patrick Jann

(written by former Simpsons scribe Lona Williams, based on her experiences as a competitor in a Junior Miss pageant), a satirical look at a teen beauty pageant in a small Minnesota town. The very young Kirsten Dunst, Denise Richards, the late Brittany Murphy and Amy Adams (in her film debut) duke it out for the crown, while stage moms Ellen Barkin and Kirstie Alley coach from the sidelines. (Allison Janney is also around, stealing every scene as a whitetrash gal pal.) Head over to this midnight

MARISA ANDERSON AND WILLIAM TYLER

The Blue Room at Third Man Records

screening — in glorious 35 mm! — and watch what my colleague Michael Sragow once said taps “into the primal ruthlessness and hysteria of grass-roots American competition.” Midnight at the Belcourt, 2102 Belcourt Ave. CRAIG D. LINDSEY

SPORTS [BLACK FRIDAY AT BRIDGESTONE]

MUSIC CITY HOCKEY CLASSIC

After gorging yourself on turkey, taters and turnovers, you can feast on a hockey doubleheader the following day as the No.

[DO NOT TRUST THE PILGRIMS]

FOOD & DRINK

[A TOAST TO THE SEASON]

MUSIC

[TROUBLED TIMES]

DROP DEAD GORGEOUS

14 Western Michigan University Broncos

face the No. 18 Northeastern University Huskies in the inaugural Music City Hockey Classic at Bridgestone Arena. The game follows the 1 p.m. Nashville Predators vs. Colorado Avalanche matchup and features, as of press time, four of the NCAA’s top 10 leading scorers — Western Michigan’s Ryan McAllister (22 points), Max Sasson (18 points) and Jason Polin (17 points), and Northeastern’s Aidan McDonough (16 points). Northeastern also boasts one of, if not the, top goaltenders in college hockey — Devon Levi, an elite NHL goalie prospect. These two teams met in the East Regional of the NCAA Tournament last year, with Western Michigan pulling out a 2-1 victory in overtime. 6:30 p.m. at Bridgestone Arena, 501 Broadway MICHAEL GALLAGHER

[AN ENCHANTING EVENING]

HOLIDAYS

ENCHANT

Since its launch in Vancouver in 2016, Enchant has dazzled more than 3 million people with its magical outdoor light displays and other interactive holiday fun. Beginning this Friday, you can experience

the event for yourself as Enchant arrives at First Horizon Park, making Nashville one of only nine host cities in 2022. Sponsored by Hallmark, the family-friendly celebration is touted as “the world’s largest holidaythemed light event,” covering 10 acres and boasting more than 4 million lights. Guests can explore the Great Search immersive

walk-through maze adventure, or perhaps lace up some skates and glide through the glittering ice-skating trail. Grab a festive cocktail and stroll the Christmas Village — featuring plenty of crafts, gifts and tasty treats. Check out some live entertainment, stop by Santa’s Landing for a quick visit, or snap a picture in front of the 100-foot-tall Christmas tree. It’s enough to warm the heart of even the biggest Scrooge. Nov. 25-Dec. 30 at First Horizon Park, 19 Junior Gilliam Way AMY STUMPFL

[SUPREME VOCALIST]

MUSIC

MUSIQ SOULCHILD

Few singers in any idiom have more range, technical flair or authority in multiple idioms than Taalib Hassan Johnson, aka Musiq Soulchild or Musiq. His evocative, alternately soothing and searing vocals have earned him 13 Grammy nominations over the years, as well as BET and Soul Train Music Awards. Since his 1998 debut on Def Soul, he’s proven equally popular among fans of traditional R&B and neo-soul audiences and shown equal skill with conventional soul vocals, scatting in jazz numbers or freestyling in a hip-hop setting. He found chart and radio success in the early 2000s and booked collaborations with a wide range of artists including Santana, Ice Cube, Skillz and Lloyd Banks. Since 2017 he’s been a champion of independent music and has issued both singles and LPs without any label affiliation. His most recent notable projects were appearances on Kehlani’s 2019 track “Footsteps” and Smif-N-Wessun’s “Ocean Drive.” Nov. 25-26 at City Winery, 609 Lafayette St. RON WYNN

DeWayne rounds out the fight card. These four Middle Tennessean rhymesmiths will come together to forge a night the whole city can be proud of. It’s only $10 and promises to be free of obnoxious uncles and the cousins you secretly loathe. 8 p.m. at The East Room, 2412 Gallatin Ave. P.J. KINZER

NEGRO JUSTICE & MORE

Just when you’re going to gnaw off your leg like a trapped coyote to get away from holiday relatives, The East Room has a loaded showcase of local MCs. Foundation’s The Great Tape is one of the most creative hip-hop albums Music City has offered over the past decade. Negro Justice is capping off a Herculean year during which he released a solo album and the debut fulllength of the Six One Trïbe collective. Itz Jaleel is fresh off his fifth single of 2022, “Overtime.” And longtime MC Malcolm

MUSIC [HIGH-PROFILE LOFI]

DOMINIC FIKE

Dominic Fike is just old enough to be a millennial at 26 years old, but it’s hard to imagine an artist with more Gen Z bona fides. After releasing his 2017 debut Don’t Forget About Me, Demos on SoundCloud, he scored a deal with Columbia Records and started recording with everyone from Justin Bieber to Brockhampton to Paul McCartney. When the pandemic shuttered live music in 2020, he became the first artist to perform a virtual concert on the video game Fortnite And he’s a cast member on HBO teen drama Euphoria, in which he performed a lengthy acoustic guitar serenade for Zendaya’s character. Most of his music, though, is a blend of feel-good indie pop with lofi-tinged guitar. His first full-length album What Could Possibly Go Wrong treads the wellworn path of a budding songwriter musing about the difficulties of mainstream fame. On “Cancel Me,” he raps: “I hope I never, ever have to go on TV / Mothafucka, Jimmy Kimmel does not wanna meet me.” (Jimmy Fallon, on the other hand, hosted Fike on his show in February.) Fike is joined on the road by Baird, a Baltimore songwriter with similarly laid-back vibes. 8 p.m. at Brooklyn Bowl, 925 Third Ave. N. COLE VILLENA

FILM [AS IF] MIDNIGHT MOVIES: CLUELESS

When Clueless was released in 1995, I went to see it at Lions Head Theater (RIP) with my dad after he let me roam the shoe aisle at Stein Mart. Everything about the movie landed perfectly on my 13-year-old heart and half-formed brain: the cast, the setting, the clothes (my gosh, the clothes), the soundtrack, the slang and, of course, the plot. Here was a girl just a couple years older than I was, fluttering around as a matchmaker, wearing brands I’d never heard of — they weren’t available at Stein Mart, anyway. And she was so likable. In my wildest dreams, the midnight showing of Clueless will be full of fellow oat milk sippers who share a mutual adoration for the film. Or even better, it’ll be host to a whole new generation of Bettys. Midnight at the Belcourt, 2102 Belcourt Ave. TOBY LOWENFELS

SUNDAY / 11.27

MUSIC [SOUL SURVIVORS]

SUNDAY NIGHT SOUL

For the past eight years, superb songsmith Jason Eskridge’s Sunday Night Soul series has been the premiere gathering of R&B and soul musicians in Music City. As Eskridge explained to contributor Radley Balko in 2020, neither the talent nor an audience of people who love the music has ever been in short supply. Finding a venue was more of a challenge, a testament to how systemic racism — which led to the redlining and interstate

MUSIQ SOULCHILD

ENCHANT

construction in the 1960s, which in turn devastated North Nashville and its thriving R&B scene — has lingered. The 5 Spot jumped on board with Eskridge’s plan, and his show has been a continued draw for a huge range of musicians and fans and has rekindled that vital communal feel, even when he had to move it to a virtual gathering during pandemic quarantine. The lineup of guests for Sunday’s installment hadn’t been announced at press time, but there’s always a top-notch band and a collection of stellar singers and/or players joining in. 6 p.m. at The 5 Spot, 1106 Forrest Ave. STEPHEN TRAGESER

MUSIC

[WIMPLY THE BEST] DRUGDEALER

It’s easy to forget just how wimpy a lot of the music of the early ’70s was, even given how indebted many artists were to soul music back then. In fact, even soul could be wimpy — The Stylistics existed in a universe where everyone wore cardigans and spoke very softly, and even the strings on Al Green’s albums could seem rarified. What Michael Collins, the leader of Drugdealer, references on the band’s new album Hiding in Plain Sight is what I guess we now call yacht rock, and the album is a good one. Hiding in Plain Sight is a great title for a record devoted to the most obvious aspects of a genre that wasn’t all that subtle to begin with. The electric pianos and slick Steely Dan chord changes add up to music that puts you in mind of secondtier yacht rockers like Ace and Player, and danged if I can work up much interest in the ostensible content of Hiding songs like “New Fascination” and “Madison.” Meanwhile, Collins sounds convincing singing one titled “Hard Dreaming Man,” which is about a super-wimp who triumphs over his own antisocial tendencies. The track is fake country at its most evolved — Gram Parsons as a sailor on a yacht-rock yacht. Elsewhere on Hiding, the fake funk often sounds mighty real, which may mean that content isn’t always that important. 8 p.m. at The Blue Room at Third Man Records, 623 Seventh Ave. S. EDD HURT

MONDAY / 11.28

MUSIC [SPECTRAL ANALYSIS] HOUSEQUAKE FEAT. CECILIA CASTLEMAN, CHRISTINA SIKORA, MELINA KB & JOANNA BORNE

Defining “pop music” is always tricky, and about the best answer you can come up with to describe pop in the present is that it’s a spectrum. The folks who put on the Housequake showcase series — among the foremost celebrants of homegrown Music City pop — celebrate the spectrum’s breadth. That’s especially apparent from the lineup for Monday’s installment.

Joanna Borne, whose social media notes that she also has a career as a nurse, leans toward the dancey, R&B-schooled side of things on singles like “Carousel,” a hypnotic meditation on persistent negative thoughts. Meanwhile Cecilia Castleman’s “It’s Alright,” a tune about not holding on too tightly to those you care about, is driven by roots-rock electric guitar.

Melina KB brings a flamboyant theatrical presence to singles like “I’ve Had Enough,” a declaration of personal independence.

Belmont songwriting major Christina Sikora, who rounds out the bill, builds songs like the biting single “I’d Hate Me Too” on a foundation of piano and electronic dance rhythms. There’s no cover for the show (but a reservation is required), so there’s one less excuse not to check them out for yourself. 7 p.m. at Eastside Bowl, 1508 Gallatin Pike S., Madison STEPHEN TRAGESER

[YOU’RE GLOWING]

HOLIDAYS

ZOOLUMINATION: CHINESE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS

The best way to elicit oohs and ahhs from your crew is by heading to Zoolumination: Chinese Festival of Lights. The massive Chinese lantern festival, featuring more than 1,000 handmade silk lanterns, takes place at Nashville’s very own zoo. Artists with the Zigong Lantern Group traveled from China to install their custom-made lighting displays across 60 acres of the zoo, culminating in lanterns the size of four-story buildings and a 200-footlong Chinese dragon covered in a glowing rainbow of neon colors. Festivalgoers can also dine on Chinese cuisine, tour select animal exhibits, and watch gravity-defying

CRITICS’ PICKS

acrobats. It’s going to be wild. Through Feb. 4 at the Nashville Zoo, 3777 Nolensville Pike TOBY LOWENFELS

[8-BIT BEATS]

MUSIC

BIT BRIGADE

Nostalgia is powerful stuff. For instance, sophomore year of high school, I embarked on a months-long sentimental journey, replaying the late-1980s Nintendo games of my childhood. Nintendo games’ graphics are generally pixelated, and the games’ sounds possess a similarly narrow timbre, yet some of the games’ music is hypnotic, mesmerizing and unforgettable. Generated by an 8-bit sound processor, the 8-bit sound (characterized by metallic drums, garishly modulated synths and extremely fast arpeggios) has long been invoked by the mainstream — from Beck (“Girl”) to Kesha (“TiK ToK”). Bit Brigade, a rock band that replicates classic Nintendo music with supreme attention to detail, is on a similar dig. While effects pedals retrofit their instruments to sound more like their 8-bit source material, the band also plays its repertoire of video game scores (most notably Mega Man 2 and The Legend of Zelda) note for note. Simultaneously, Bit Brigade transforms the hitherto harmlesssounding melodies into stentorian rock songs. Openers Super Guitar Brothers (a duo), cover classic video game music as well, using acoustic guitars instead. 8 p.m. at The End, 2219 Elliston Place WILLIAM HOOKER

TUESDAY / 11.29

MUSIC

[STAR TRUMPETER] CHRIS BOTTI

Trumpeter

world’s most popular instrumentalists. Though not particularly loved by jazz purists, even they acknowledge the beauty of his sound and the impressive range he’s shown over the past three decades, whether performing with symphony orchestras or playing with a host of pop artists.

Collaborations include Rod Stewart, Josh Groban, Barbra Streisand, Sting and Lady Gaga as well as more jazz-oriented vocalists Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra. Botti’s 2004 When I Fall in Love was his breakout work, and he subsequently had four charttopping jazz records and earned a Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Album. He’s also been featured in several PBS specials and fundraisers, another thing that’s earned him global exposure and popularity. Prior to the pandemic, he was one of the world’s busiest touring artists, some years playing as many as 300 dates. In Nashville, he’ll partner with the Nashville Symphony at the Schermerhorn. Nov. 29-30 at the Schermerhorn, 1 Symphony Place RON WYNN

FILM [WILL MY LOVE GROW?]

CONCERT FOR GEORGE

It’s been 21 years since the world lost The Quiet Beatle, and 20 years since some of the most acclaimed rock ’n’ rollers of the 21st century came together to celebrate his legacy. After a tough struggle with cancer, George Harrison died on Nov. 29, 2001, and exactly one year later, his widow Olivia and his close pal Eric Clapton brought together a murderers’ row of friends, family and collaborators to cover the iconic guitarist’s catalog. Along with George’s surviving fellow Beatles Paul and Ringo and fellow Traveling Wilburys Jeff Lynne and Tom Petty, Concert for George — filmed in London’s storied Royal Albert Hall

Chris Botti is among the

CRITICS’ PICKS

— features performances by Billy Preston, Ravi and Anoushka Shankar, Joe Brown, George’s son Dhani and others. Recently remastered, Concert for George is an absolute hit parade that will sound gorgeous in the Belcourt’s 1925 Hall, so good luck fighting back the tears when “Something” hits. 2:40, 5:20 and 8 p.m. at the Belcourt, 2102 Belcourt Ave. D. PATRICK RODGERS

WEDNESDAY / 11.30

MUSIC

CURSIVE

One of the best things early-Aughts kings Cursive did to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Cursive’s Domestica has nothing to do with the music itself. For the reissue of their seminal 2000 album, the band reshot the cover photograph with the same couple, only now in present day. It’s a smart move — the ongoing deluge of pop-cultural anniversaries makes us all feel old, but this new shot of Sweetie and Pretty Baby (the archetypal subjects of the concept album’s songs) still looks familiar. If anything, it points to how young (“... so naive / but it comes off so cute”) everyone involved was at the outset — including the fans. Besides, Domestica still holds up, somehow escaping the cringe-trap that so many of Cursive’s contemporaries fell into. “The Martyr” might have the best opening riff of the Aughts, and “The Lament of Pretty Baby” is a math-y, emotive tearjerker — frontman Tim Kasher’s desperate begging (“Oh please, mister, can’t you fix me? Can’t you fix me?“) makes me feel like a heartbroken college kid again. Join me and our fellow aging cool kids at The Basement East, where Cursive will play Domestica in full. Opening is Cincinnati band Leggy. 8 p.m. at The Basement East, 917 Woodland St. LAURA HUTSON HUNTER

BOOKS

PETER GURALNICK WITH MICHAEL GRAY

Some music writers, like Richard Meltzer and Lester Bangs, aspire to compete with popular music on its own terms. If Meltzer’s 1970 examination of ’60s rock, The Aesthetics of Rock, takes the influence of The Beatles as a first principle,

Like Going Home: Portraits in Blues and Rock ’n’ Roll stands as an example of quiet radicalism and sympathetic humanism. The Boston-born writer’s portraits of insurgents like guitarists Robert Pete Williams and Skip James examine the lives of those artists from the inside. Guralnick is a savvy listener, but his work takes the rough-and-tumble world of musicians into account when he’s describing the work of a great artist like James or Charlie Rich. I’m also a fan of his biography of Sun Records founder Sam Phillips, 2015’s Sam Phillips: The Man Who Invented Rock ’n’ Roll, a book that justifies its subtitle on every page. Guralnick has ties to Nashville, having taught at Vanderbilt University for several years, and on Wednesday he joins the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Michael Gray to discuss his latest book, The Birth of Rock ’n’ Roll: The Illustrated Story of Sun Records, written with Colin Escott. Rock ’n’ roll may have many antecedents, but the achievements of pioneers like Sam Phillips and Cowboy Jack Clement at Sun remain fundamental to the genre. Guralnick is a master — don’t miss him. 6:30 p.m. at Parnassus Books, 3900 Hillsboro Pike

EDD HURT

[TRAMPLED BY CIRCUS PONY DREAMS]

[SUN KINGS]

Peter Guralnick’s 1971 essay collection Feel

- Ask Chris Crofton -

BY CHRIS CROFTON

Comedian, musician, host of the Cold Brew Got Me Like podcast and Nashvillian Chris Crofton asked the Scene for an advice column, so we gave him one. Crowning himself the “Advice King,” Crofton will share his hard-won wisdom with whosoever seeks it. Follow Crofton on Facebook and Twitter, and to submit a question for the Advice King, email bestofbread@gmail.com or editor@ nashvillescene.com.

Dear Advice King, Why is everyone flipping out about the Exit/In closing — including you? I follow you on social media, and I’ve seen you posting about it. That venue sucks! The dressing room sucks, the sound isn’t great, they don’t pay well, etc. Have you considered that you are just upset for nostalgic reasons? Am I wrong about this? If so, explain why, please.

—Future Man in Nashville

This is a great question, “Future Man” — and it’s complicated. Here are the things I thought of after reading about this: It has definitely occurred to me that I might simply be feeling nostalgic. I certainly don’t want to be the “old guy” who hates new things just because they are new. But this is a very specific case — and a very specific venue. Exit/In has a major history. A musical history. “Music City” ... get it?

Billy Joel performed at Exit/In Jan. 16 to 19, 1974. Tickets cost less than $10. Billy Joel is playing Nissan Stadium in May, and as of this writing, seats in front of the stage are going for $2,862 on Ticketmaster. (Adjusting for inflation, that’s about $475 in 1974 bucks.)

Who is this “New Nashville” for? These giant glass hotels aren’t for the 17.2 percent of Nashvillians who live in poverty, that’s for sure. SEVENTEEN PERCENT.

Are visitors to Nashville eventually going to be looking out the windows of their luxury hotels at ... other luxury hotels? Are they

already? Is this culture, or commerce? It’s definitely not music. Who gets the money?

LET THEM EAT STADIUMS.

AJ Capital paid $6.45 million for Exit/In’s half-acre plot, so keep your eyes on the sky. Is a legendary music venue being dwarfed by a giant hotel a metaphor? If it isn’t, why isn’t it?

FUN FACT: Nashville’s Big Machine Records is wholly owned by a South Korean entertainment company called Hybe Corporation.

From 2005 through 2009, I hosted a radio show on the Vanderbilt University radio station, WRVU. One semester, the DJ of the show after mine was a Vanderbilt student who dressed like a golf pro. His show was called The Cocktail Hour, but it was scheduled at 11 a.m., which upset him. He played stuff like “Honky Tonk Women” and the Aerosmith song “Pink.” This is 100 percent true. It was the year Nashville’s Tower Records was closing. I remember this guy said, on air, “It’s too bad Tower Records is closing, but hey — maybe they’ll put in a sweet restaurant!”

Call me crazy, but I think “New Nashville” is intended to be a playground for the rich. There’s not a damn thing musical about that. And finally, here’s a poem about Exit/In:

“Exit/In”

I didn’t choose class warfare, it came to me and I’m not gonna call class warfare something else just because you don’t wanna hear it and music is not a luxury item or a background noise it is a fucking miracle and it hates hotels.

PHOTO: EMMA DELEVANTE

BY AMANDA HAGGARD

have that they did not:

I should be grateful that the world changed in time for Sunny. If I were his mother, my feeling would be pure. But as it is, I wish the shift hadn’t happened too late for me to ever be beautiful in my right body but too soon for me to die in the peace of never having known another way.

finding connection but also failing to find connection, either through or surrounding their queerness.”

RAINBOW:

BY LYDIA CONKLIN

In Rainbow Rainbow, a collection of 10 stories depicting trans and queer experiences, writer Lydia Conklin deftly portrays people and relationships, revealing how both survive the despair and joy of change, whether that’s figuring out exactly what it means to transition or the difficulties of coming out to a partner.

The collection is the debut book from Conklin, who is currently an assistant professor of English at Vanderbilt University. Their fiction has appeared in Tin House, American Short Fiction, The Paris Review, One Story and VQR, and they have drawn graphic fiction for Lenny Letter and Drunken Boat. The rainbow, a symbol that’s come to represent queer communities, appears at least fleetingly in each story. In an interview with Shondaland, Conklin talked about the way it emerges in “Ooh, the Suburbs.”

“A young person is talking about this band she had and how the rainbow is a symbol of togetherness and loneliness at the same time,” Conklin said. “The way she says it is kind of funny, but it also felt to me like that was the key to the book — people

It’s easy to see how these stories work as an assemblage, but the range of connections and experiences here is wide. Conklin gives us characters like Carla, who is recovering from sex addiction in part by caring for a small pack of ferrets, and young teenagers Hazel and Kit and Melissa, who are tumbling together through the machinations of horny teen life and New Year’s Eve plans gone slightly awry.

Each story has an element of withholding — characters make choices not to reveal parts of themselves to the people they love, in much the same way folks in all relationships do. We get glimpses into these painful decisions and see that Conklin’s people have various valid reasons for not always revealing everything about themselves. The stories explore what’s not said. For example, in “Sunny Talks,” a closeted elder queer takes their trans nephew Sunny to a convention for trans influencers, and opportunities keep slipping by for the elder to reveal they are nonbinary. The story touches on jealousy and hope and the complex feelings aroused by seeing the options young trans and nonbinary people

The stories are overtly sexual in portions, at times veering into some taboos. There’s a fair amount of desperate pining, fantasizing, discovery and enough awkward flirting to make anyone laugh and blush. Conklin strays from neatly packaged characters and narratives. These folks represent the full spectrum of humanity, good and bad and complicated amalgams of both. It’s refreshing to see trans and queer characters given the room to make mistakes or to have confusing thoughts about their gender or sexuality.

Throughout the collection, Conklin plays with the idea that people tend to see things in restrictively binary terms even within the queer community.

Many of the stories lack a major or explicit epiphany, though there are certainly many instances of characters questioning their first perceptions. Conklin tends to let characters’ thoughts remain malleable and soft around the edges, giving you a taste of their personality but not enough to make a definitive judgment — suggesting, perhaps, that anyone is capable of change at any given moment.

For more local book coverage, please visit Chapter16.org Humanities Tennessee.

MUSIC THE VINYL LEG OF YOUR JOURNEY

BY STEPHEN TRAGESER

As the holiday season shifts into high gear, Record Store Day’s Black Friday returns on Nov. 25 with exclusive titles to entice you to shop at the independent record stores that are here for you throughout the year. Vinyl records remain exceptionally popular — music-industry data firm Luminate’s midyear report tracked some 19.4 million vinyl LPs sold, out of 36.5 million physical album sales. That’s despite ongoing bottlenecks in the vinyl supply chain that have pushed LP release timelines out by months, especially for independent artists, and have even hampered some of RSD’s major specialrelease efforts. On RSD proper in April this year, big titles like Prince’s The Gold Experience were delayed. That trend continues with several RSD Black Friday releases on the initial announcement that have been pushed back to Record Store Day 2023.

But when you hop in line at your favorite stores on Friday, you can expect to find titles like a split 7-inch of Neil Young covers from Juliana Hatfield and Nashville’s own Emma Swift. Hatfield is on the A side with “Lotta Love,” while Swift is on the flip doing “Give Me Strength.” One dollar of each sale goes to Casting for Recovery, a nonprofit benefiting women with breast cancer.

Other intriguing titles include a deluxe two-LP edition of late Memphis rap legend Young Dolph’s Rich Slave, with 3,000 copies available at indie retailers on Friday as an “RSD First” release. Another “RSD First” to look out for is The Jesus Lizard’s major-label debut Shot; Real Gone Music’s first-time vinyl edition is limited to 2,500 copies, 2,000 of which will be on stands Friday.

Shifting gears a bit, superb U.K. saxophonist and bandleader Shabaka Hutchings, who’s known for groups like The Comet Is Coming, Sons of Kemet, and Shabaka and the Ancestors, released his first solo record simply as Shabaka in May. Afrikan Culture gets its vinyl debut as an exclusive title. As usual, special reissues abound, running the gamut from girl-group icons Martha and the Vandellas’ outstanding Dance Party to Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers’ Jonathan Sings! and beyond.

As far as where to find said titles, not every independent shop in our vicinity is going to have them — Alison’s Record Shop (994A Davidson Drive), McKay’s (636 Old Hickory Blvd.) and Phonoluxe (2609 Nolensville Pike) don’t typically have exclusives but often have special sales and hours. The details hadn’t been posted

at press time, but keep an eye on their websites and social media.

The flagship Nashville storefront of Jack White’s Third Man Records (623 Seventh Ave. S.) doesn’t carry exclusives but has heaps of the label’s own great releases. You can get 15 percent off your entire purchase (with exclusions) in person and online from Nov. 24 through 28. The first 50 customers at the store on Friday who make a $25 purchase will get some special limited-edition goodies too. Third Man also has a Cyber Monday sale on Nov. 28 in which you can get 15 percent off your order plus free domestic shipping. A “vinyl supersale” is in effect from Nov. 29 to Dec. 2, in which 2022 vinyl titles — like White’s two new LPs Fear of the Dawn and Entering Heaven Alive, Rich Ruth’s fascinating instrumental record I Survived, It’s Over and L.A. punks The Paranoyds’ Talk Talk Talk — will be 25 percent off.

Venerable records-and-collectibles shop The Great Escape has three stores nearby — 5400 Charlotte Ave., 105 Gallatin Pike N. in Madison and 810 N.W. Broad St. #202 in Murfreesboro. Each will open early at 8 a.m. with a selection of exclusive titles for your perusal and a 20 percent discount on non-RSD merchandise.

Heading over the Cumberland, The Groove (1103 Calvin Ave.) will open up early at 10 a.m. for access to exclusive releases. An announcement notes multiple sales on non-RSD merch will be in effect; watch their social media for more. Up the road a bit, Vinyl Tap (2038 Greenwood Ave.) celebrates both RSD Black Friday and the bar, club and record shop’s sixth anniversary in the former home of The Family Wash. When they open up at 11 a.m., find your RSD exclusives plus a 15 percent discount, though it doesn’t apply to RSD titles or others being released that day. All draft beers will be $6, all of the shop’s holiday beers will be making their appearance on the menu, and owner Todd Hedrick will man the turntables.

Last but very much not least, Grimey’s New and Preloved Music (1060 E. Trinity Lane) will open up for “controlled browsing” of their RSD titles at 10 a.m.

If you’d like to pick up exclusives, join the line around the back of the store near Anaconda Vintage, where a few shoppers will be let in at a time. This also marks the start of the store’s annual toy and gift drive; donations of new, unwrapped gifts suitable for kids up to age 18 are being accepted.

Events like these tend to have lots of moving parts, and details can change quickly. As always, the smart play is to check stores’ social media for updates before you head over.

EMAIL MUSIC@NASHVILLESCENE.COM

Your quick-reference guide to Record Store Day Black Friday 2022 in Nashville

HAPPY RETURNS

The National Museum of African American Music honors rap legend Lil Wayne

BY DARYL SANDERS

Having a museum honor you with an exhibit on your 40th birthday would be a dream-come-true kind of gift. So Lil Wayne was understandably thrilled when he learned in early September the National Museum of African American Music in Nashville wanted to do just that.

“Obviously, I was beyond humbled for them to even consider me to be a part of it,” the rap superstar says, speaking by phone recently from his home in Southern California. “Also, they did it around my birthday, so it was awesome.”

The exhibit, which debuted on the actual anniversary of his birth (Sept. 27), covers the breadth of Lil Wayne’s career, from his beginnings in the late ’90s with the Hot Boy$ through his 2018 I Am Hip Hop award from BET.

“The main thing was showing the arc of his career from his youth, when he was 14 or 15 years old being signed, and then going to the end where he achieved the icon award with BET,” says the exhibit’s primary curator, Dr. Bryan Pierce, speaking to a visitor on a recent tour.

The show runs through Dec. 27 and features more than 25 pieces from Wayne’s professional life, including his wardrobe from the first Hot Boy$ press shoot, his 2009 Best Rap Album Grammy for Tha Carter III, a letter he wrote to his fans during his eight-month incarceration at Rikers Island and a pair of his red Tunechi Beats headphones, a limitededition collaboration with Beats by Dre. In addition, two platinum singles from Tha Carter III — “A Milli” and “Lollipop” — are featured in the museum’s interactive rap studio.

“I’ve had so many amazing moments — thank God — throughout my career, which has never been work for me anyway,” the artist born Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. says. “So we were able to narrow it down to a bunch of specific moments.”

The jailhouse letter included in the exhibit has particular special meaning for Lil Wayne. It was one of several he wrote to his fans during his confinement and posted to a special website, Weezy Thanx You.

“It was the first letter I ever wrote to my fans, and it was just letting them know I’m OK and updating them on the situation,” he explains. “It was kind of my version of social media. So it was me locked up knowing that I had fans worrying about if I’m OK — how it’s going? So the letters actually helped me get through that time being able to connect with my fans on a

deep and personal level.”

The idea for the exhibit came together after visual marketing maven Richelle Cross paid a visit to the museum in August.

“One of the board members who lives in Nashville, Phil Thornton, invited me to come see the museum,” Cross recalls by phone from her offices in Atlanta. “I went there towards the end of August and was just really impressed. I made mention of how much I would like to do something with some of the artists I promote, and obviously, Lil Wayne, you know, was one.”

Cross, who has worked with Lil Wayne for 25 years and whom he calls a second mom, sent an email to his team that same weekend.

“I said, ‘You’ll have to see this museum,’ ” she says. “ ‘We need to do something because this is such a great place, especially with the 50th anniversary of hip-hop coming up next year.’ The general manager of Young Money Entertainment, Karen Civil, wrote me back and said, ‘What a great idea. Let’s do it. Is it possible for us to do something to commemorate Wayne’s 40th birthday?’ And I said, ‘That would be awesome, but it’s only three weeks away.’ ”

Despite the short lead time, the museum gave the exhibit the green light. “Shout-out to Dr. Pierce, because he was the curator I worked with daily for those three weeks,” Cross says.

“But also the chief marketing officer Deon Brown, and obviously, the CEO Henry Hicks. Their whole team did an amazing job to pull everything together in three weeks.”

“It was a lot of work — and sleepless nights,” Pierce acknowledges. “We would be on the phone sometimes at like 1 o’clock in the morning, tightening up the information, making adjustments to the narrative. I was just trying to do the best I could to do justice to the subject because he deserves it.”

Students from area colleges and universities were invited to attend the exhibit’s opening night festivities. The evening included a presentation in the museum’s Roots Theater that featured a video from Lil Wayne and remarks from Cross as his representative, plus a livestreamed discussion of the rapper’s career and influence by a pair of Vanderbilt University professors: Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, Centennial Chair and university distinguished professor of African American and Diaspora Studies, and Dr. Gillum Sharpley, associate chair of African American & Diaspora Studies.

Lil Wayne is the first rapper to have an exhibit at the museum, and the significance of that is not lost on him.

“It’s more than an honor just to be included,” says Lil Wayne. “When you get a call that the National Museum of African American Music wants to honor you — that they even noticed me — that’s something you tell your mom about and make her proud.”

EMAIL MUSIC@NASHVILLESCENE.COM

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LIL WAYNE ON VIEW THROUGH DEC. 27

PHOTOS: ERIC ENGLAND

FILM

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS

The Fabelmans stands tall as one of Spielberg’s best films

BY CORY WOODROOF

You might find the key to unlocking the filmography of Steven Spielberg in John Ford’s The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. Remember the final gut-punch of that film, and one of the most quoted lines in film history?

“When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.”

Spielberg considers Ford a major influence, and has lovingly recounted a time he met the iconic director when he was just a movie-loving 15-year-old. With The Fabelmans, Spielberg finally prints his own legend, and finds a lot of beautiful truth doing it. The Fabelmans could only come from a director who is so connected with the art of moviemaking that he can tell an intimate story and have it reverberate across generations. The memories of his childhood ultimately influenced the childhoods of millions, with the trauma of his parents’ divorce serving as the foundation of masterpieces like Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, among others.

As divorce became more commonplace in the 1970s, Spielberg’s films gave the

children of broken homes a band of heroes who shared in their grief and desire for understanding. The director also conjured a sort of optimistic magic that won over the masses but turned off some New Hollywood disciples who rued Spielberg’s blatantly happy endings. To them, the world wasn’t all friendly spaceships and swashbuckling adventurers — cinema should be more honest, reflect real life. To them, giving audiences sentimental finales counted as manipulation, not inspiration.

And sure, Spielberg certainly manipulates us with his stories, but in a way that shows deep care for his audience. With The Fabelmans, he proves how he reckoned at an early age that life cannot be controlled by cameras and props and fantasy, but movies can. He saw his family crumble under the weight of a struggling marriage, after all — you can’t fix that in post. Spielberg shows us the hard way throughout the course of this semiautobiographical story that the only place you can make the happy ending you want is on the big screen. As a character points out, life ain’t like the movies.

Featuring Gabriel LaBelle as Spielberg’s adolescent avatar Sammy Fabelman, the film is a midcentury family portrait, with Sammy’s parents (played by Paul Dano and

Michelle Williams) at odds over their son’s love of movies. Spielberg packs in plenty of vibrancy, showing glimpses of the hilarious home movies he made with his sisters and recounting dating a devout Christian who had the hots for him because of his Jewish heritage. But when it’s time to bring the emotion, he doesn’t hold back. You feel it in a gregarious uncle (Judd Hirsch) who shares the ugly truth of loving art more than your family. You feel the sting of Sammy discovering his mother’s secret. You feel it in the painful memories of antisemitic bullies and parents calling it quits.

The beauty of aging is being able to look back on your past with added wisdom. The love Spielberg has for his parents is apparent in every frame of The Fabelmans, even in its toughest moments. He dedicates the film to their memory, and it’s clear that this effort is as much therapy for the director as it is entertainment for his audience. But The Fabelmans is unlike most Spielberg films — while the filmmaker has never shied away from darkness, here he doesn’t try to insert that optimistic magic where it didn’t organically appear while he was growing up.

Spielberg made it his mission once he got his big break to fix in his movies what he couldn’t fix in real life. His happy endings are gifts to the people like him, who need to feel that gentle control when life seems so uncertain. The Fabelmans is one of Spielberg’s best movies because of how devastatingly honest the director is with the printing of his legend.

EMAIL ARTS@NASHVILLESCENE.COM

FREERANGE DINING

Bones and All is just the young-romance cannibal road movie we’ve been waiting for

BY JASON SHAWHAN

Though it is at times a YA version of Claire Denis’ Trouble Every Day, it’s safe to say there’s nothing exactly like Bones and All out there. It’s a violent, deeply romantic road movie for a sub culture that doesn’t exist, and it’s going to be very interesting to see how Timothée Cha lamet’s rather eclectic fan base responds to this gloriously grotesque film (and seeing him diving into KISS Army swag, which is truly something I thought I’d never see in a movie).

BONES AND ALL R, 130 MINUTES OPENING WIDE WEDNESDAY, NOV. 23

When it gets into a cruising gear, Bones and All is like a shark — graceful, lithe and only swinging out of its lane to rend some flesh and spill some blood. It is absolutely correct to speak of it alongside beloved fucked-up trav elogues like Bonnie and Clyde, Badlands, Near Dark and Freeway 2: Confessions of a Trickbaby (Real talk: If this film were just a little bit trashier, it could be a Freeway film, and that is one of the highest compliments I can give.) And regardless of how it fares at the box office, it will find its place in that pantheon, mapping the highways and byways of the U.S. with blood and sweat.

Maren (Taylor Russell) and Lee (Chalamet) are teen cannibals on the run. We never really understand why they’re cannibals — whether it’s something genetic or supernatural or religious, it’s just something they have to adapt with and adjust to, this aspect in them that becomes the driving force in their lives. It’s entirely possible Camille DeAngelis’ novel sheds some light on the specifics of their situation, but it works as one of those teenage metaphors for the operatic cascade of emotions happening on a daily basis. Once you get past Mark Rylance’s Sully sounding far too reminiscent of Family Guy’s Mr. Herbert, you can dig into the specifics of his performance. It’s a great turn of an entity left behind by time, where the way they’ve found to conduct them selves for years doesn’t quite suffice anymore, and their relationship to the next generation is an unfortunate fusion of resentment and entitle ment. Sully haunts the film, a source of neces sary knowledge, a haunting (in both senses of the word) symbol, and an undefused landmine of where all that societal rejection goes. He’s also the closest thing to a traditional villain in the piece, being that his competition for that honor is ignorance, toxic masculinity, the tyranny of the majority and unfocused horniness.

As far as icky transcendence, there’s a great carnival-adjacent seduction that lets Chalamet and director Luca Guadagnino do a threeminute callback to their previous collaboration, Call Me by Your Name, that is as charged as one could imagine. It delivers a real grindhouse fris son in a film that is very conscious about having too much fun with the situation. Despite the film being freed from so many of the workaday institutions of Reagan-era America, there’s never a moment that feels like Maren and Lee are en joying themselves or having any fun at all. Which

is very reflective of that period in the ’80s (and, well, today). They are trying so hard to be respectable and responsible, and the real world keeps slashing at their ankles. Thankfully, the right New Order song can level up just about any scene in any film, and it defines the motif with which Guadagnino and screenwriter David Kajganich (Suspiria ’18, The Invasion) build the film, sturdily, around: Pleasure is brief and transitory, and there are countless people who would rather see you hurt than allow a moment’s respite. At times, someone new shows up and it’s a previous Guadagnino favorite, giving the vibe of getting the band back together. As before, no one excels more at popping up to deliver a monologue that reshapes everything you thought you knew like Michael Stuhlbarg, here all greasy and stringy and haunting the woods with David Gordon Green in a Dokken shirt. Or Jessica Harper trying to ar ticulate an impossible situation. Or Chloë Sevigny just gargoyling things up. It’s reassuring to see Guadagnino assembling his own repertory players for the dark, sensual world of films he’s been crafting. It reinforces community, built from the outside in.

Respect is due to the critic Jason Adams, from Pajiba and My New Plaid Pants, for completely shift ing my perspective on this film. My initial impressions went along the pathway of the Freeway movies — tak ing known archetypes and exploring them without censoring the more gutbucket instincts that humanity takes part in, letting the messiness of American hu

manity shift the continuum of these narratives we’ve been carrying around in the subconscious for as long as we’ve been hearing stories. But Adams’ thoughts on the film made me approach it from another perspective — that of queer youth, navigating the obstacle course that is modern life when dealing with the contempt of the straight mainstream as well as the aftermath of how that mentality has shaped previ ous generations of queer people. (See also: Carter Smith’s forthcoming film Swallowed, which gives Mark Patton his best role in almost 40 years, exploring similar thematic and archetypal spaces as Rylance does here, but in a much more effective and straight forward fashion.) So much is rooted in the indetermi nate late-mid-’80s timeframe that we forget how little access to information the average person had at that time (unless you were a librarian), and our informa tion was resolutely analog — books, tapes, sheafs of paper. This is something Bones and All leans into, both the tactile absoluteness of these things and the way we looked upon it. It wasn’t something we could take for granted.

It’s all there in the opening sequence — high school fluttering to a secret sleepover, scored to Duran Duran, slipping from painting nails to puddles of blood in a matter that just fits into this heightened world of horror and hormones effortlessly. It’s a whole other world.

EMAIL ARTS@NASHVILLESCENE.COM

Read about and comment on each puzzle: nytimes.com/wordplay.

Crosswords for young solvers: nytimes.com/ studentcrosswords.

a nonresident of the State of Tennessee, therefore the ordinary process of law cannot be served upon KERVENS TOUSSAINT. It is ordered that said Defendant enter

appearance herein with thirty (30) days after NOVEMBER 24, same

being the date of the last publication of this notice to be held at the Met ropolitan Circuit Court located at 1 Public Square, Room 302, Nashville, Tennessee, and defend or default will be taken on DECEMBER 26, 2022. It is therefore ordered that a copy of this Order be published for four (4) weeks succession in the Nashville Scene, a newspaper published in Nashville.

M.

H. Marshall Attorney for Plaintiff NSC 11/10, 11/17, 11/24, 12/1/22

documentation, testing, deployment, and support of application for a major retailer. Employer: Tractor Supply Company. Location: Headquarters in Brentwood, TN. May telecommute from any location in the U.S. Multiple openings. To apply, mail resume (no calls/e mails) to S. Case, 5401 Virginia Way, Brentwood, TN 37027 and reference job code 21 0334.

Date: October 26, 2022

Roland T. Hairston II Attorney for Plaintiff NSC 11/3, 11/10, 11/17, 11/24/22

Non-Resident Notice

Third Circuit Docket No. 22D1167

HARVEY STANLEY BURNS vs. ELIZABETH SHARONDA BURNS

In this cause it appearing to the satisfaction of the Court that the de fendant is a nonresident of the State of Tennessee, therefore the ordinary process of law cannot be served upon HARVEY STANLEY BURNS. It is ordered that said Defendant enter HIS appearance herein with thirty (30) days after DECEMBER 1, same being the date of the last publication of this notice to be held at the Met ropolitan Circuit Court located at 1 Public Square, Room 302, Nashville, Tennessee, and defend or default will be taken on JANUARY 2, 2022.

It is therefore ordered that a copy of this Order be published for four (4) weeks succession in the Nashville Scene, a newspaper published in Nashville.

Joseph P. Day, Clerk

L. Chappell, Deputy Clerk Date: November 3, 2022

Senior Developers, IT MDM. Write code, analyze data, and contribute to the design and implementation of software to support systems that help master data and store operations for a major retailer. Employer: Tractor Supply Company. Location: Headquarters in Brentwood, TN. May telecommute from any location in the U.S. Multiple openings. To apply, mail resume (no calls/e mails) to S. Case, 5401 Virginia Way, Brentwood, TN 37027 and reference job code 21 0305.

Sr. Manager, IT Retail Systems. Execute the development and deployment of all store facing and store supporting systems and applications for a major retailer. Employer: Tractor Supply Company. Location: Headquarters in Brentwood, TN. May telecommute from any location in the U.S. To apply, mail resume (no calls/e mails) to S. Case, 5401 Virginia Way, Brentwood, TN 37027 and reference job code 14 0169.

Senior Developer, IT Front End. Participate in all aspects of the software development lifecycle, including estimating, technical design, implementation, documentation, testing, deployment, and support of application for a major retailer. Employer: Tractor Supply Company. Location: Headquarters in Brentwood, TN. May telecommute from any location in the U.S. Multiple openings. To apply, mail resume (no calls/e mails) to S. Case, 5401 Virginia Way, Brentwood, TN 37027 and reference job code 21 0334.

Architects, Site Reliability. Review and drive Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) process maturity, DevOps technology advancements, and operating efficiency for a large scale distributed application portfolio across on premises and cloud platforms for a major retailer. Employer: Tractor Supply Company. Location: Headquarters in Brentwood, TN. May telecommute from any location in the U.S. Multiple openings. To apply, mail resume (no calls/emails) to S. Case, 5401 Virginia Way, Brentwood, TN 37027 and reference job code 15 0275.

Lead Developers, IT OMS. Design, configure, code, unit test, deploy, maintain, and support order management systems for a major retailer using Sterling Order Management technologies.

Employer: Tractor Supply Company. Location: Headquarters in Brentwood, TN. May telecommute from any location in the U.S. Multiple openings. To apply, mail resume (no calls/e mails) to S. Case, 5401 Virginia Way, Brentwood, TN 37027 and reference job code 21 0296.

Architect, IT Solution. Drive cross domain technology plans to align with enterprise goals, business plans, and business processes for a major retailer. Employer: Tractor Supply Company. Location: Headquarters in Brentwood, TN. May telecommute from any location in the U.S. Multiple openings. To apply, mail resume (no calls/e mails) to S. Case, 5401 Virginia Way, Brentwood, TN 37027 and reference job code 17 0263.

Architect, IT Solution. Drive cross domain technology plans to align with enterprise goals, business plans, and business processes for a major retailer. Employer: Tractor Supply Company. Location: Headquarters in Brentwood, TN. May telecommute from any location in the U.S. Multiple openings. To apply, mail resume (no calls/e mails) to S. Case, 5401 Virginia Way, Brentwood, TN 37027 and reference job code 17 0263.

Sr. Developers, IT Adobe. Play a vital role in developing reusable components, assets, and integration with the Adobe suite of products and services for a major retailer. Employer: Tractor Supply Company. Location: Headquarters in Brentwood, TN. May telecommute from any location in the U.S. Multiple openings. To apply, mail resume (no calls/e mails) to S. Case, 5401 Virginia Way, Brentwood, TN 37027 and reference job code 21 0346.

Don’t Pay For Covered Home Repairs Again!

American Residential Warranty covers ALL MAJOR SYSTEMS AND APPLIANCES. 30 DAY RISK FREE/ $100 OFF POPULAR PLANS. Call 855-731-4403 (AAN CAN)

BathWraps is looking for calls from homeowners with older home who are looking for a quick safety update.

They do not remodel entire bathrooms but update bathtubs with new liners for safe bathing and showering. They specialize in grab bars, non-slip surfaces and shower seats. All updates are completed in one day. Call 866-531-2432 (AAN CAN)

DONATE YOUR VEHICLE to fund the SEARCH FOR MISSING CHILDREN.

FAST FREE PICKUP. 24 hour response. Running or not. Maximum Tax Deduction and No Emission Test Required!

Call 24/7: 999-999-9999 Call 855-504-1540 (AAN CAN)

Spectrum Internet as low as $29.99, call to see if you qualify for ACP and free internet. No Credit Check. Call Now! 833-955-0905 (AAN CAN)

BCI Walk In Tubs are now on SALE!

Be one of the first 50 callers and save $1,500!

CALL 844-514-0123 for a free in-home consultation. (AAN CAN)

Joseph P. Day, Clerk

De Jesus, Deputy Clerk

Ellis