Nashville Scene 4-18-24

STREET VIEW: AN EARLY LOOK AT THE NEW NORTH NASHVILLE TRANSIT CENTER

>> PAGE 9

NEWS: REPUBLICANS’ “ABORTION TRAFFICKING” BILL PASSES IN THE SENATE >> PAGE 12

Looking at the do’s and don’ts of recycling, restoring Tennessee’s waterways, protecting our caves and more

WITNESS HISTORY

Billy Strings penned the lyrics to “California Sober” on this scrap of cardboard, recorded it as a duet with Willie Nelson, and released it as a single one year ago this month.

From the exhibit American Currents: State of the Music

artifact: Courtesy of Billy Strings artifact photo: Bob Delevante

Street View: An Early Look at the Dr. Ernest ‘Rip’ Patton North Nashville Transit Center

WeGo says the transit center — set to open this spring — is currently ‘80 percent finished’

BY LENA MAZEL

Nashville’s Homeless Assessment Raises Questions Around Camp Closures

Social workers share concerns about division of resources

BY HANNAH HERNER

Pith in the Wind

This week on the Scene’s news and politics blog

‘Abortion Trafficking’ Passes Senate, Would Penalize Adults for Helping Minors Get Abortions

As the bill makes its way through the state legislature, Democrat Aftyn Behn calls it ‘a harbinger of even worse things to come’

BY HANNAH HERNER

COVER PACKAGE: THE GREEN ISSUE

The Do’s and Don’ts of Recycling in Nashville

From what can go in your bin to how convenience centers work, here’s what you need to know

BY SOL AYALA

A Prickly Situation

Lawrence & Clarke Cacti Co. wants to recycle its cardboard above board

BY MARGARET LITTMAN

Crash Kennedy, America’s Cave Gater

Checking in with the longtime conservationist as he installs a bat-friendly, vandal-proof cave gate in Nashville

BY MICHAEL RAY TAYLOR

Minding Our Waterways

Litter cleanup is just one way the Cumberland River Compact works to restore streams BY

Gassed Up

The federal government is challenging executives over TVA’s future

BY ELI MOTYCKA

CRITICS’ PICKS

Crafty Bastards, Tyler Childers, Laufey, LeXander Bryant, Novelette Book Club and more

FOOD AND DRINK

Say Cheese

The Chaires family’s legendary quesadilla lives on at Roy Meat Service

BY ELI MOTYCKA

THEATER

Of Puppets and Epic Poetry

Multimedia artist Hamid Rahmanian brings Song of the North to OZ Arts BY

AMY STUMPFL

BOOKS

The Uncanny Valley

Rebecca Makkai’s I Have Some Questions for You alternates between the #MeToo present and a 1990s mystery BY SEAN KINCH; CHAPTER16.ORG

MUSIC

Vinyl-ly, It Happened to Me

Your quick-reference guide to Record Store Day 2024 in Nashville

BY HANNAH CRON

Boo-Tay Call

Bare Jr. reunites to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their rambunctious debut

BY SEAN L. MALONEY

The Spin

The Scene’s live-review column checks out Mitski at the Ryman

FILM

Ain’t Seen Nothing Yeti

If you can get through the grossness, Sasquatch Sunset has a great environmentalist message BY KEN

ARNOLD

The Nature of the Beast

Bertrand Bonello’s sci-fi romance The Beast explores our freedom to make bad choices BY JASON SHAWHAN

NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD AND THIS MODERN WORLD MARKETPLACE

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4/18 Laser 101 4/20 Intro to Knife Forging 4/20 Intro to Wood Turning Workshop 4/23 Create Your Own End-Grain Cutting Board Part 2 4/23 Intro to MIG Welding 4/24 Build Your Own Custom Keepsake Box Part 1 4/25 Beginner’s Intro to Hand Embroidery 4/25 Intro to TIG Welding 4/27 Intro to MIG Welding 4/28 Intro to Oil Painting with the Zorn Pallete CLASSES: LEARN A NEW SKILL!

NICOLLE S. PRAINO

Chris Hornsby cleans a litter trap in Seven Mile Creek • PHOTO BY ERIC ENGLAND

FROM BILL FREEMAN WHO WE ARE

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

Here in Nashville and throughout Middle Tennessee, the political landscape is once again abuzz with anticipation. With the presidential election looming on the horizon, the air is thick with speculation, analysis and the fervent hopes of citizens. As a lifelong resident of Nashville, I can’t help but feel a bit optimistic myself — and maybe even a little excited — as the race between Joe Biden and Donald Trump gains momentum.

Recent polls paint an intriguing picture — one that tilts slightly in favor of Biden. As I wrote last week, local leaders — who also happen to be Democrats — have won their races with ease. I find that encouraging.

As recently reported by Newsweek, “Joe Biden is now beating Donald Trump in the majority of recent polls, just seven months before the presidential election.” This has ignited a spark of optimism among many, including myself, and it’s a promising sign for those who believe in Biden’s vision for the country and his ability to lead us toward a brighter future. As also reported by Newsweek: “According to polling from Morning Consult, the incumbent president is leading with 44 percent of the vote share. Trump … is projected to garner 42 percent of the vote share in the poll. The pair are tied among independents, both receiving 34 percent of the vote share. Cameron Easley, lead analyst of U.S. politics for Morning Consult, said this represents the first time Trump hasn’t led among this group of voters.”

But even amid this glimmer of hope, there’s undeniable tension in the air. The presidential race is shaping up to be a tight one, with commentators cautioning against premature celebration. Despite Biden’s edge in some polls, others suggest Trump may still have a formidable base of support waiting in the wings. The road ahead is one of uncertainty, and the outcome of the election hangs in the balance. Christopher Phelps, a professor of modern American history, aptly sums up the current state of affairs in speaking with Newsweek: “By any measure, the race at this distance from November is far too close to call.”

As we navigate these uncharted waters, it’s crucial to reflect on the stark differences between the two contenders. While Biden strives to unite and heal a divided nation, Trump finds himself embroiled in a whirlwind of legal troubles. His New York criminal trial looms large, casting a shadow over his aspirations for a political comeback — although it’s unlikely he would ever admit feeling any anguish over the matter.

According to USA Today, if convicted, Trump could face a sentence that ranges from probation to several years in prison. His antagonistic behavior toward the judge presiding over his case serves only to exacerbate his predicament.

Is this the kind of person we want running our country? Imagine the chaos and turmoil that will ensue if he is reelected while embroiled in such legal quagmires.

In contrast, Joe Biden has demonstrated steady leadership and a commitment to upholding the values that define us as a nation. Under his guidance, as I wrote last week, the economy is showing signs of improvement, unemployment rates are declining, and America is reclaiming its status as a nation of inclusivity and compassion.

As a resident of Nashville, of Middle Tennessee and of these United States, I take pride in our community’s resilience and what I believe is our country’s desire for unity. We deserve a leader who reflects these values and works tirelessly to uplift every member of our society. Joe Biden and his administration have long proved themselves capable of meeting this challenge, and I have every confidence that they will continue to do so in the years ahead.

As the presidential race heats up, we’ll hear arguments from both sides about why each candidate deserves the presidency. It’s concerning that even if Trump is convicted, he could still serve as president and then face imprisonment afterward. Given his track record, there’s uncertainty about the consequences for our country should he win. But I’m optimistic that the progress achieved during President Biden’s term, coupled with Democratic victories shaping our local landscape, will motivate a majority to prioritize inclusivity and compassion. I believe it behooves us all to remember that our choice affects not just our community, but the future of our nation.

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

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Jack Silverman

STAFF WRITERS Kelsey Beyeler, Logan Butts, John Glennon, Hannah Herner, Hamilton Matthew Masters, Eli Motycka, Nicolle Praino, William Williams

SENIOR FILM CRITIC: Jason Shawhan

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Sadaf Ahsan, Ken Arnold, Ben Arthur, Radley Balko, Ashley Brantley, Maria Browning, Steve Cavendish, Chris Chamberlain, Rachel Cholst, Lance Conzett, Hannah Cron, Connor Daryani, Stephen Elliott, Steve Erickson, Adam Gold, Kashif Andrew Graham, Seth Graves, Kim Green, Amanda Haggard, Steven Hale, Edd Hurt, Jennifer Justus, P.J. Kinzer, Janet Kurtz, Christine Kreyling, J.R. Lind, Craig D. Lindsey, Margaret Littman, Sean L. Maloney, Brittney McKenna, Addie Moore, Marissa R. Moss, Noel Murray, Joe Nolan, Betsy Phillips, John Pitcher, Margaret Renkl, Daryl Sanders, Nadine Smith, Ashley Spurgeon, Amy Stumpfl, Kay West, Andrea Williams, Nicole Williams, Ron Wynn, Charlie Zaillian

EDITORIAL INTERN Sol Ayala

ART DIRECTOR Elizabeth Jones

PHOTOGRAPHERS Angelina Castillo, Eric England, Matt Masters

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Sandi Harrison, Mary Louise Meadors, Tracey Starck

GRAPHIC DESIGN INTERN Haley Durham

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Christie Passarello

FESTIVAL DIRECTOR Olivia Britton

MARKETING AND PROMOTIONS MANAGER Robin Fomusa

BRAND PARTNERSHIPS AND EVENTS MANAGER Alissa Wetzel

PUBLISHER Mike Smith

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Michael Jezewski

SENIOR ADVERTISING SOLUTIONS MANAGERS

Carla Mathis, Heather Cantrell Mullins, Jennifer Trsinar, Niki Tyree

ADVERTISING SOLUTIONS MANAGERS Teresa Birdsong, Maddy

Fraiche, Kailey Idziak, Allie Muirhead, ZaMontreal Rodgers

SALES OPERATIONS MANAGER Chelon Hill Hasty

ADVERTISING SOLUTIONS ASSOCIATES 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

FW PUBLISHING LLC

Owner Bill Freeman

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN PHOTO: ADAM SCHULTZ / WHITEHOUSE.GOV

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LEFTOVER SALMON AND THE INFAMOUS STRINGDUSTERS WITH KITCHEN DWELLERS

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KATHLEEN MADIGAN ON SALE FRIDAY AT 10 AM

AN EARLY LOOK AT THE DR. ERNEST ‘RIP’ PATTON NORTH NASHVILLE TRANSIT CENTER

WeGo says the transit center — set to open this spring — is currently ‘80 percent finished’

BY LENA MAZEL

Street View is a monthly column taking a close look at development-related issues affecting different neighborhoods throughout the city.

NASHVILLE HAS BIG PLANS for transit: A referendum is planned for the November ballot, new multimodal plans are set to be unveiled this week, and millions of dollars in federal funding is slated for improvements on busy corridors.

Among these large-scale efforts is a transit center in an area with the highest rate of public transit use in the city: North Nashville.

Scheduled to finish construction this spring, the Dr. Ernest “Rip” Patton North Nashville Transit Center, named for a Nashville civil rights hero, is located at 26th Avenue North and Clarksville Highway. Although the building is not yet open to the public, there are already routes running to its location as part of WeGo’s March service improvements. These routes include the 22 Bordeaux, the 42 St. Cecilia/ Cumberland, the 75 Midtown, the 77 Thompson/ Wedgewood, and an extended 9 MetroCenter line. There’s also a crosstown bus route from Trinity Lane.

The center has been a nearly six-year project for WeGo, Nashville’s transit authority. WeGo initially considered the site after the 2016 nMotion strategic plan included a proposal for transit centers outside of downtown — designed to reduce people’s need to transfer through WeGo’s downtown hub for bus routes across the city.

WeGo began discussions with the landowner at 26th Avenue North and Clarksville Highway in 2018 and formed a North Nashville Transit Center Advisory Committee in 2020, including attendees from previous community meetings, neighbors, stakeholders and local leaders. Groundbreaking happened in November 2022.

says the transit center is currently “80 percent finished.” Bus lines run to the street outside the center, but Melcher says the buses will park in dedicated bays when crews complete the center’s construction.

The new center is part of a citywide push to make multimodal transportation safer and more accessible. Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s office unveiled draft concepts for the “Choose How You Move” initiative in March, showing bus rapid transit options, improved sidewalks and traffic signals, and new transit routes. The BRT routes are designed to be a flexible alternative to light rail and will run on Dickerson Pike, Gallatin Pike, Murfreesboro Pike and Nolensville Pike.

O’Connell’s plan comes after Nashville has grappled with years of increasing traffic and a previous failed transit referendum in 2018. The “Let’s Move Nashville” transit plan (from thenMayor Megan Barry) included significant light rail infrastructure but failed to gain widespread public support. A report from New York-based think tank TransitCenter partially attributed its failure to lobbying by the Koch network and lack of community input for the $8.9 billion project.

Mayor O’Connell will unveil his finalized transit plan on April 19. It is expected to include earmarked transit funding for Nashville, which is one of just four major metro centers in the United States without dedicated funding for their transit agencies, according to Think Tennessee.

Ernest “Rip” Patton — who died in 2021 — was a Freedom Rider, musician and lifelong educator. He participated in the famed lunchcounter sit-ins and numerous other civil rights protests as part of the Nashville Student Movement, and was known for his advocacy for nonviolence. Patton spoke at events and institutions around the United States about racial justice; he

was also a singer and member of a jazz trio.

The Patton Transit Center will feature work by two local artists — LeXander Bryant and Jamal “Jay” Jenkins (who goes by Woke3) — as well as information about civil rights pioneers. Many of the center’s features resulted from input at early meetings with community groups, a process WeGo plans to continue with other centers going forward. “There will be a lot of hands-on involvement with neighborhood leaders for each transit center that gets built in Nashville,” says Melcher.

The North Nashville Transit Center will also be close to affordable housing, including a development from accessible housing provider Urban Housing Solutions. Placing affordable housing close to transit is an important step in making Nashville more accessible to lower- and middle-income people, as well as other groups like senior citizens who may not have regular access to vehicles.

“It’s much more of a cohesive effort than it’s been in the past,” Melcher says. “It’s really exciting because that’s where Nashville is headed — combining the ideas of transit, sidewalks and affordable housing to get everything to come

together.”

North Nashville has been home to significant historical figures, including March for Freedom organizers, school desegregation leaders, members of the Nashville Student Movement and many others. North Nashville has also been subject to hostile infrastructure: The construction of I-40 in 1958 cut through Jefferson Street, displacing more than a thousand people in the historic Black neighborhood and profoundly affecting local businesses and communities. Even now, debates about infrastructure in North Nashville persist.

Despite discriminatory housing practices like redlining, displacement and gentrification, the North Nashville community has held onto its culture thanks to grassroots efforts and committed local leaders. Better access to transit will hopefully mean that for many North Nashville residents, life will get a little easier.

“It’s not just a question of serving routes that are already there,” says Melcher. “We’re intentionally saying we’re going to put in a new connecting route here because this area has been underserved. It may look like a building, but it’s really a lot more than that.” ▼

WeGo media representative Eric Melcher

PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND

PHOTO: BC MASON GROUP

NASHVILLE’S HOMELESS ASSESSMENT RAISES QUESTIONS AROUND CAMP CLOSURES

Social workers share concerns about division of resources

BY HANNAH HERNER

BEFORE THE METRO OFFICE of Homeless Services’ weekly care coordination meeting, social workers tasked with getting Nashville’s homeless population a place to live receive an email that tells them what is up for grabs that week. It could be a temporary shelter space, a bed at a mobile housing navigation center, a Section 8 voucher or an Urban Housing Solutions unit. The list of available resources varies each week, but it typically includes a handful from each category. Sometimes, however, there’s nothing on the table.

There are meetings specifically for veterans, families and youth as well, but an additional meeting has been introduced solely for encampments. It’s part of a national trend — the U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear a case next week that could allow states to outlaw camping on public property after one such law was blocked in a circuit court, citing the Eighth Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment. Tennessee has one of the country’s most punitive camping laws — which makes unauthorized camping on all public property a felony — but it has gone mostly unenforced.

When a housing resource comes available, the social workers check their collaborative list, also known as a priority pool. At the top are unhoused individuals deemed most vulnerable, according to the Vulnerability Index-Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool (VI-SPDAT). It’s a part of the coordinated entry process, which became a requirement for those receiving funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in 2017. The idea is that services should not be handed out on a first-come, first-serve basis, but instead go to those who need them most.

Nashville’s homeless service providers gather and decide who gets resources — a handful of resources for a list of 3,800 people. That’s an undercount, too. The latest point-in-time count — in which service providers count all of those in shelters and sleeping outside on one night in January — found that only half of those counted were already in the database. That’s according to an estimate by India Pungarcher, an outreach worker for the nonprofit Open Table Nashville. Pungarcher always attends the care coordination meetings. It’s a chance to go to bat for her clients and give updates on any changes since they filed their assessment.

“A lot of times it’s just really helpful to be on those calls if you have a friend’s name that is higher up on the priority pool, so that you can advocate for them and try to get them a referral as soon as possible,” Pungarcher says.

The VI-SPDAT system is something that homeless service providers have had qualms about

for years. It asks about the individual’s history of housing and homelessness, risks (mainly of crime committed against them), socialization and daily functioning and wellness. It’s known to be biased toward white respondents, who are more likely to disclose the information and therefore are bumped up the list.

April Calvin, executive director of Metro’s Office of Homeless Services, says the office is working with HUD to introduce a new vulnerability tool, but does not disclose a timeline.

“I think just the style or the form of questions sometimes can cause people to not feel like they can be their authentic selves,” Calvin says. “I think that sometimes it’s geared toward more of one race than another race, so I’m definitely hoping that it will correct that.”

There’s tension around encampments and the VI-SPDAT. If one camp is chosen to be closed, those living there are assigned resources not based on their VI-SPDAT score, but based on where they live. Some resources are offered at the encampment meetings on Monday, and others are offered on Thursday at the individual meeting. Pungarcher notes that sometimes there are no options left by the time Thursday rolls around.

“In those care coordination meetings with folks from camps, we’re not even talking about VI-SPDAT scores,” Pungarcher says. “It’s just everyone in the camp is at some point going to get referred to something.”

Calvin insists the encampment calls do not affect what’s available, though there is substantial overlap between the demographics of the people discussed on the two care coordination calls.

“Those two can really be added into one, but I know people have wanted to have a very focused interest on what’s going on with the people in the encampment, and that’s the only reason that that care coordination call exists separate from individuals,” Calvin says. “That encampment conversation doesn’t take away from resources or opportunities or even conversations around people that are experiencing homelessness that weren’t a part of that encampment closure.” ▼

The Tennessee General Assembly’s 2024 session is drawing near its conclusion, and things have been … active at the Capitol. Last week, Gov. Bill Lee signed SB2576/HB2124 — legislation that aims to require local police to work with ICE whenever an undocumented person is detained. Also signed into law was the Tennessee Foster and Adoptive Parent Protection Act, which prevents the Department of Children’s Services from requiring foster parents to support LGBTQ rights, and HB1726/SB2359, which prohibits the Department of Children’s Services from requiring an immunization for foster parents. The Senate last week passed SB1325/HB1202 (set to be heard in the House after this issue goes to press), which would allow teachers to carry concealed handguns at school And none of that is to mention franchise tax legislation or the governor’s pet project, education vouchers, both of which have been the subject of much debate in the legislature this month.

“Conservative men are huge on traditional gender roles — for women,” writes Scene opinion columnist Betsy Phillips, who argues that the GOP’s rationale for arming teachers makes no sense. “But doing the hard work of keeping up their end of the bargain? Nope, push that off onto the ladies too.”

Fisk University gymnast Morgan Price became the first athlete from an HBCU to win the all-around title at the USA Gymnastics Women’s Collegiate National Championships. A Lebanon native, Price was also named All-American in four categories.

PHOTO: HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS

MORGAN PRICE

STAR WARS DAY

SATURDAY, MAY 4

May the force be with you! Join us as we look at the science of Star Wars. Activities ready for Jedis of all ages. Costumes encouraged. Please leave weapons (aside from Jedi mind tricks) at home.

ALL AGES

INCLUDED WITH ADMISSION

Happenings

GREEN WEEK

SUN., APRIL 21— SAT., APRIL 27

Enjoy extra-special programming to celebrate Green Week. Community partners will be on site providing hands-on activities that teach guests about recycling and clean energy.

ALL AGES

INCLUDED WITH ADMISSION

LAUNCHING SOON! WONDERS OF THE UNIVERSE

SATURDAY, JUNE 1

Curious what’s been happening on our second floor? Explore the newly renovated gallery, featuring NASA’s Curiosity Rover. ALL AGES GET

‘ABORTION TRAFFICKING’ PASSES

SENATE, WOULD PENALIZE ADULTS FOR HELPING MINORS GET ABORTIONS

As the bill makes its way through the state legislature, Democrat Aftyn Behn calls it ‘a harbinger of even worse things to come’

BY HANNAH HERNER

A BILL THAT passed the state Senate on April 10 would penalize adults who help a minor who is not their child obtain an abortion. If HB1895/ SB1971 passes in the House as well, those adults could also be held liable for “the wrongful death of an unborn child that was aborted.”

The definition of “abortion trafficking,” a term used in the legislation, is unclear. The bill would apply to someone who “recruits, harbors, or transports” a minor to obtain an abortion or conceals or procures that abortion.

The day the bill passed in the Senate, Rep. Aftyn Behn (D-Nashville), along with representatives of pro-abortion-rights group Abortion Care Tennessee, pointed out the vagueness of the legislation. They took to Lower Broadway to share information about out-of-state abortion options, an act Behn says could potentially become illegal under the bill.

“I think people are very curious about the state of things, and when you relay what’s being passed in terms of the abortion trafficking bill, they’re just in shock,” Behn told the Scene.

“Unfortunately, in a country with ever-fluid, changing abortion laws, this bill is a test case, a test piece of legislation so that it can not only be adopted in other states, but nationally, to be taken to the Supreme Court to further erode our rights. I really look at this bill as a harbinger of even worse things to come.”

Behn told the Scene if the bill becomes law, she welcomes arrest for helping minors obtain abortions. It is currently unclear if an organization like Abortion Care Tennessee, which helps pay for and arrange out-of-state abortions, would be criminalized for arranging travel, which is also prohibited under the bill.

The debate could become a moot point, however. A similar law that was passed in Idaho

in 2023 has been blocked from enforcement by a federal judge. Pro-choice advocacy groups have also challenged the law in court, saying it violates the First Amendment (a doctor’s right to discuss abortion with minors) and the Fourth Amendment (a person’s right to travel freely between states).

During the Senate floor session April 10, Sen. Jeff Yarbro (D-Nashville) sought to amend the bill to allow trusted adults to assist a minor in obtaining an abortion, pointing to situations in which parents are not the trusted adult in a child’s life. The amendment failed.

The punishment for “abortion trafficking” is also yet to be decided. The bill that moved forward in the Senate last week would charge the adult in question with a class-A misdemeanor, which would require a nearly one-year prison sentence. The House version would increase the charge to a class-C felony, which can carry up to a 15-year prison sentence and up to $10,000 in fines. (This story went to press before the House version was set to be heard in the Finance, Ways and Means Subcommittee on April 16.)

The “abortion trafficking” bill is one of the few remaining abortion-related bills this session. Legislation that would allow for exceptions for rape and incest was killed earlier in the session, and a bill that would allow an abortion in cases of fatal fetal anomalies was ultimately never introduced.

Tennessee has a nearly total abortion ban in place. A pregnant person cannot get an abortion in the state at any period of gestation unless their life is in danger, or it’s an ectopic or molar pregnancy. Tennessee physicians and patients are currently suing in an effort to gain clarity on when the line of endangerment is crossed.

PHOTO COURTESY OF AFTYN BEHN

REP. AFTYN BEHN

The Green Issue

Looking at the do’s and don’ts of recycling, restoring Tennessee’s waterways, protecting our caves and more

This Monday, April 22, marks the 54th annual Earth Day.

On Saturday, Centennial Park Conservancy will host its Nashville Earth Day celebration at the Centennial Park Bandshell — a free event featuring “75 exhibitors and vendors, live music, Kidsville activities, educational demonstrations, tree giveaway and more.” Attendees can expect performances from The Brummies, Denitia, Karina Daza, Crys Matthews and Hayes Peebles, along with food vendors including Birria Babe, Bondi Bowls, The Grilled Cheeserie and Retro Sno.

Studies have shown that corporations and the ultra-wealthy are far and away

The Do’s and Don’ts of Recycling in Nashville

From what can go in your bin to how convenience centers work, here’s what you need to know

BY SOL AYALA

AS IT TURNS OUT, recycling isn’t always easy. Your local recycling program has some guidelines you may not know about — and that means some items you try to recycle could end up in landfills due to a simple error.

Let’s talk about the do’s and don’ts of recycling in Nashville.

DO CHECK NASHVILLE’S RECYCLING SERVICES

WEBSITE

Nashville.gov’s Waste Wizard feature

explains the details you need to start recycling. Enter your address to find out when your trash (weekly), recycling (biweekly) and brush (monthly) curbside collection days are. You can also sign up for reminders.

DO RECYCLE YOUR (CLEAN) CARDBOARD

Clean cardboard can go in your curbside pickup bin. But what about your pizza box? No! That’s because of contaminants like grease and oil. When it comes to items like milk cartons, just make sure to rinse out any leftover liquids and wait for the containers to dry. You don’t need to remove tape from cardboard boxes, but make sure to break them down and flatten them before they go into the bin.

DON’T ADD STYROFOAM TO YOUR BIN

The recycling center can’t recycle Styrofoam.

Nashville Earth Day

11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, April 20, at the Centennial Park Bandshell nashvilleearthday.org

responsible for the lion’s share of pollution on our planet. But even so, Earth Day, which was born out of the environmental activism movement of the 1960s, is a great reminder of the kinds of individual actions we can take to stay green. You can look back at the Scene’s past Green Issues for extensive directories of ecofriendly organizations, services, businesses and restaurants.

In this week’s issue, we’ve got stories on the do’s and don’ts of recycling in Nashville, the difficulties of recycling as a small business, protecting our caves, restoring our waterways, and the future of the TVA. Read on, and happy Earth Day.

—D. PATRICK RODGERS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

DO RECYCLE (SOME) PLASTIC PRODUCTS

The only acceptable plastics are plastic bottles, jars and jugs, as long as they’re free from food or liquid. You know that last drop of laundry detergent you can never get out? Make sure you rinse it out thoroughly before the jug goes into the recycling bin. These plastic items are off-limits:

• No gift cards

• No Tupperware/Rubbermaid containers

• No plastic clamshells

• No plastic takeout containers

• No prescription bottles

• No plastic bags

• No plastic wrap

• No bubble wrap

• No plastic mailers or shipping envelopes

DON’T REMOVE THE CAPS FROM YOUR BOTTLES

Plastic bottle tops are too small for sorting

machines to catch by themselves, so make sure to leave those attached to any plastic containers.

DO RECYCLE YOUR PAPER AND PAPER CARTONS

All kinds of paper can be recycled — even those old seventh-grade notes you’ve been keeping. You can also recycle your junk mail, like the million credit card offers you get each month.

DON’T SHRED YOUR PAPER

Shredded paper is too small for sorting machines. If you do shred paper, according to Metro’s Waste Wizard, “Please do not place in a curbside recycling cart. This item can be composted or is accepted at Recycling Drop-Off sites only due to its smaller size.”

DO RECYCLE ALUMINUM AND STEEL FOOD AND DRINK CANS

Food and drink cans are eligible for curbside recycling. They’re actually among the most

desirable items for manufacturers — the materials are expensive. Just remember to clean them up before they go into the bin.

DON’T ADD OTHER METALS TO YOUR BIN

Metal hangers, aerosol cans, tinfoil, pots and pans can’t go into your curbside recycling bin.

DON’T ADD GLASS TO YOUR BIN

Don’t place glass in your curbside pickup bin. Shattered glass can contaminate other recyclables.

DO TAKE GLASS TO DROP-OFF SITES AND CONVENIENCE CENTERS

If you want to recycle your glass, it can be taken to drop-off locations, which you can find via Nashville.gov. There are also private services in Nashville that will pick up your glass for you.

ILLUSTRATION: HALEY DURHAM

DON’T BE INTIMIDATED BY DROP-OFF SITES AND CONVENIENCE CENTERS

Metro Nashville offers four convenience centers and 10 recycling drop-off sites across the county. This is mostly free, with a few exceptions for bulk items. Primary household recycling items don’t require a fee.

Before going, gather your recyclables. Again, the basics are cans, plastic containers (not bags), paper, cardboard and glass. Workers will ask for ID and check the contents of your car (to make sure you have recycling and not trash). If it’s a busy day, there could be a line.

DO TAKE BATTERIES AND ELECTRONIC WASTE TO CERTAIN CONVENIENCE CENTERS

Residential electronic waste and batteries go to the East, Ezell Pike and Omohundro convenience centers — acceptable electronics include phones, printers and batteries. Business and commercial electronics or electronics from out-of-county residents are not accepted.

DON’T THROW COMPOSTABLE ITEMS INTO THE TRASH CAN

Leftover food and other compostable materials like eggshells, napkins, paper takeout containers and more can be dropped off at any convenience center. Add them into a compostable bag or paper bag, or dump them loose into the container at the convenience center.

DO RECYCLE BULK ITEMS

Bulk items that don’t fit in your bin — dishwashers, toilets, chairs, tires, mattresses, mirrors and more — can often be taken to any of the convenience centers. Some items can be brought only to select convenience centers, like East, Ezell Pike and Omohundro. Just check the Nashville.gov site before going.

DON’T FORGET TO BRING YOUR TENNESSEE DRIVER’S LICENSE

Now that you’re a recycling expert, make sure to have your license ready before leaving the house. You’ll need to show proof of residency. From one college student to another: If you’re from out of state and go to school here, ask a Tennessee-resident friend to go with you. If you don’t have a friend with a Tennessee license or you are a tourist who wants to recycle wine and whiskey bottles before going home, head to a drop-off site instead. (Read more about this in Margaret Littman’s piece in this week’s issue.)

DO LOOK INTO ALTERNATIVE RECYCLING OPTIONS

Some cosmetics and beauty products use more than one kind of plastic or aluminum and can’t be accepted by Nashville Recycling Services. Instead, take them to Nordstrom or your nearest Sephora. Nordstrom BEAUTYCYCLE will take your empty skin care, hair care and makeup containers. Sephora has a similar recycling policy. Clean cosmetic containers can be deposited for recycling at any Sephora store, even if the product didn’t come from their shelves. ▼

A Prickly Situation

Lawrence & Clarke Cacti Co. wants to recycle its cardboard above board

BY MARGARET LITTMAN

LAWRENCE & CLARKE CACTI CO. is literally a green company. The Old Hickory-based shop sells plants and offers growing workshops, helping folks build their own terrarium, create framed moss art and care for houseplants. But one green thing owner Kim Daft has been struggling to do for months is recycle. A confluence of unusual circumstances, changing enforcement and implementation of different regulations has left her with a weekly pile of cardboard boxes and no above-board way to recycle them.

Plants and pots arrive at Daft’s shop in boxes (and often “boxes inside of boxes,” she says). She saves some for customers to take their purchases home, and she encourages other kinds of reuse. Customers are given a $3 credit to refill bottles of Lawrence & Clarke’s plant-care products. Some bottles have been in rotation for seven years, she says. But even if some folks also take some cardboard to mulch in their gardens, there’s still more left.

A few months ago, Daft loaded up her pickup truck to take the boxes to the Anderson Lane Convenience Center, one of Metro Nashville’s facilities for recycling and trash when curbside receptacles won’t cut it. Daft pulled in and showed her Davidson County ID. She told the attendant she had cardboard recycling to drop off and was waved inside. Once parked by the

dumpster, she says, two attendants ran over and told her to leave immediately. “It’s illegal for you to be here,” she says they shouted. The problem? Her truck has commercial plates — a necessity in order for her to deliver plants around town. And convenience centers are restricted to those with standard plates and Davidson County ID.

While that has long been the convenience center criteria, enforcement has increased since the beginning of the year, with attendants checking IDs and the contents of trunks at the entrance. That’s according to Jenn Harmann, the Zero Waste Program manager at Metro Water Services’ Division of Waste Services.

Most small businesses can pay for recycling services with their trash pickup, but because Lawrence & Clarke Cacti Co. is housed in a historic building, Daft says her landlord has told her there’s no room for a recycling dumpster in the back. Daft’s private trash hauler offered a small recycling bin with monthly pickup, but it isn’t enough space to hold her cardboard. Neither is the residential bin she has at home. (Metro Nashville addresses may request up to two recycling bins for twice-monthly curbside pickup.)

In addition to Metro’s manned convenience centers, there are several Metro recycling dropoff sites. Many of these sites, such as McGavock and Whites Creek high schools, offer 24-hour access through a partnership between Waste Services and various property owners. While there is not staff on site, Metro does check and clean the sites daily. Vehicles with commercial plates are not supposed to use drop-off sites, because they are for residential recycling only, though technically it is possible for someone in Daft’s situation to drop off there. Metro monitors

these sites to curb illegal dumping, not to prevent residents from recycling, according to a department spokesperson.

“We are not trying to be the trash police,” Harmann says.

Daft, who lives in Neely’s Bend, says she has several neighbors who are farmers with commercial plates and similar concerns. While Daft’s strange catch-22 isn’t a common predicament across the board, she wants a solution that doesn’t require her to skirt the law.

“It is unacceptable to be treated like a criminal for wanting to recycle,” she says. “Other cities encourage you to recycle, not punish you.”

The idea is to reduce dumping of construction waste, which Harmann says has increased in recent years (and some folks with residential construction waste have been turned away from the East Nashville convenience center, directed to Omohundro instead). The convenience centers are funded by the city’s general fund for residents. When there’s a lot of commercial waste, then there’s no room for residents to drop off their food waste, boxes, bottles and cans.

Daft is aware that the city has a mounting trash problem. (More people means more waste, which means less landfill space.) And that’s why she wants a solution that isn’t merely a loophole, such as heading to an unmanned drop-off site. She’s concerned that her business may be flagged for recycling illegally there as well.

“I just want to figure this out,” she says, hoping for a pass or a card that would permit businesses like hers to use convenience centers. “Why are we making these ridiculous, arbitrary rules when people are trying to do the right thing?” ▼

PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND

KIM DAFT

Thanks to our residential and commercial partners, Justice Industries celebrates Earth Day Month all year long. Annually, we keep more than 254 tons of glass out of the landfi ll . To learn more about our glass recycling program for homes and businesses, visit www.justiceindustries.org/glass

Crash Kennedy, America’s Cave Gater

Checking in with the longtime conservationist as he installs a bat-friendly, vandal-proof cave gate in Nashville

BY MICHAEL RAY TAYLOR

JIM “CRASH” KENNEDY stands on a forested path, hands on his hips, looking down into a sinkhole at a massive cave entrance perhaps 20 feet tall and 15 feet wide.

“We clearly have a little waterfall,” he says to his assistant, welder/fabricator Lydia Hernandez. He walks down a slope toward the void and points overhead to small cubby holes in the limestone.

“We have these upper-level paths,” he says. “I don’t know if they connect or not. But just to keep the idiots from climbing into those, we have to put the gate outside, which means it has to be attached about right there, where the

wetness meets the dryness.”

Hernandez nods in agreement.

The scene looks like a tropical jungle in an adventure movie but is actually a wilderness area within a Nashville city park. Crash Kennedy, based in Austin, Texas, may have one of the most unusual jobs in America: building bat-friendly, vandal-proof cave gates. He and Hernadez travel the country installing gates for private and public cave owners who find him through conservation groups or his website, cavegators.com. Their Nashville stop began a five-gate installation blitz through Tennessee.

Aided by local volunteers, the two spent five days building a steel gate at the request of the park’s director, who asked that neither the cave name nor the park be identified in this article to prevent more of the kind of “pervasive vandalism” the site has already endured.

As Kennedy explains, the location was in an easily accessible urban area getting increased traffic and therefore abuse. “The park wants to use the cave for educational programs, but when the cave looks like crap, programs are less effective.”

Before Kennedy, the gating team arrived. The director found volunteers to clean out graffiti, trash and broken bottles from the cave, which holds large chambers, two bat species and other

wildlife. For the actual gating, stout volunteers hauled steel beams and grates up a hiking path and then down to the sinkhole. Cables snaked 20 feet below a large generator, enabling Hernadez to weld bars that would allow bats to freely pass while thwarting even the most determined (or drunken) teenager.

Kennedy earned his nickname in 1987 while working as a Pennsylvania wildlife technician, counting endangered bats in a mine that intersected with a natural cave. While he counted a last patch of bats near the top of a complex dome, a boulder shifted and carried Kennedy with it into the pit below, breaking his pelvis. During the lengthy rescue that followed, he spent hours in a stretcher, dangling in air while cavers rigged a complicated pulley system to get him safely out. “Yeah, you crashed,” said one rescuer. The next Kennedy knew, they were all calling him Crash.

entrances, which could affect both biology and mineral formations.

Crash moved to Texas in 1995, spending 18 years as the cave specialist for Bat Conservation International. Through the conservation work, he began learning the highly specialized art of building gates to protect caves without harming cave life or altering the airflow through

By the end of that first day in Nashville, a basic frame for the large gate had taken shape. Four days later, the gate was done. Crash and Hernandez headed to West Tennessee the next day to start a gate to protect archaeological treasures. On the road, Crash posted a photo on Facebook of a running showerhead, with a can of Murphy’s Stout on the soap dish.

His caption: “Few things are finer in life than a shower beer after a long, hard day of work.”

He’s out there now, building one gate at a time. ▼

LYDIA HERNANDEZ WELDS A BAT CAVE GATE IN MIDDLE TENNESSEE

CRASH KENNEDY

PHOTOS: ERIC ENGLAND

Minding Our Waterways

Litter cleanup is just one way the Cumberland River Compact works to restore streams

BY NICOLLE S. PRAINO

EARLIER THIS YEAR, the Metro Council approved an agreement with the Cumberland River Compact to place a litter trap in the North Fork Ewing Creek. The creek is marked as an unhealthy waterway on the compact’s iCreek tool, which maps waterways in the Cumberland River Basin.

This will be the compact’s second litter trap. The first was installed in Seven Mile Creek. The North Fork Ewing Creek trap will be placed on Metro Water Services property along Brick Church Pike. While the agreement allows the compact onto the property, the group also needed approval from the state to place the trap in the creek bed. Now fully approved, the trap is planned for placement on April 19.

“The litter trap is kind of an easy win,” says Chris Hornsby, field operations division manager for the Cumberland River Compact. “It gets people excited because trash is such a

visible issue. And you don’t really need to know anything about stream ecology to know that probably trash shouldn’t be in the streams.”

Metro agreed to permit the compact to install and maintain the trap on the property for two years, though that can be extended. The organization will anchor the trap by either tethering the device to two large trees using steel cable, or tethering it into the bank using metal stakes. According to the ordinance, the trap is made of a lightweight alloy that floats, skimming litter from the stream’s surface. The compact’s field team, led by Hornsby, will clean out the trap on a regular basis.

“Because that litter has been removed, it is better, but the stream restoration is what’s making the long-term change there,” says Meagan Hall, development and communications director for the compact. “The field team, I have to say, is a pretty interesting part of the compact because that’s what really allows us to get such a huge amount of work done — these guys are out in the community every single day.”

Hornsby says Metro Water’s staff is limited, and they can’t always do water cleanup projects themselves. But by partnering with the compact, they are able to issue grants for different operations that the field team can assist in — things like the group’s rain barrel

program and tree-watering.

“Anything they can do to improve the water quality of what’s going into the river, they’re going to help do on the front end, because it’s much less expensive to get clean water going into your stream than it is to clean up polluted water,” Hornsby says. “[Metro is] strongly motivated in terms of long-term well-being of the city’s water supply to help support these types of projects.”

Hornsby says everything his group does is about the Cumberland River watershed, which includes the land surrounding the streams in addition to the waterways feeding the Cumberland across several counties.

“Outside of the streams themselves, what happens on the land affects the quality of the water, so really, everything we do is tied back to that,” he says. “We’re trying in multiple ways to help the water infiltrate where it falls, or closer to where it falls, so that it can get into the ground and help recharge our streams naturally.”

Hornsby says work on the land and the banks helps prevent streams from drying up during periods of drought, and also makes flash floods less disruptive. Stream bank repair work is intended to help stabilize the banks, which Hornsby adds are large sources of sedimentation.

Sediment leads to issues including loss of water quality and loss of species that inhabit the streams. Hornsby explains that sloughing happens when soil gets eaten away, and the banks of waterways continually cave in, creating steep sides rather than gentle drops. Those steep banks can lead to flooding issues. One of the signs of an unhealthy waterway, he says, is a lack of a riparian buffer — forest grasses, trees and shrubs from the edge of the stream up to a distance of 50 feet.

“If the grass is mowed up to either side of the stream, and you see that stream, you should think that’s a maimed person,” Hornsby says. “That is a seriously injured or ill person — that would be like the level of the severity of that.”

Part of the Compact’s work is to open locals’ eyes to the typically unseen issues found in our waterways — not just obvious issues like litter. It has several ways of educating the public about the work it does, but for waterways specifically, the compact has recently started a kayak cleanup series where citizens can learn more about issues like invasive species and the health of streams and banks.

“With just knowing what a few key indicators are of an issue with the stream or with the tree, it can be really powerful in terms of transforming the way [people] see the world around them as they just go through town,” Hornsby says.

PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND

CHRIS HORNSBY CLEANS A LITTER TRAP IN SEVEN MILE CREEK

Gassed Up

The federal government is challenging executives over TVA’s future

BY ELI MOTYCKA

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT has ramped up pressure on the Tennessee Valley Authority following controversial executive decisions to replace two coal-fired power plants with natural gas.

Technically a creature of the White House, the TVA has spent the past 18 months rebuffing repeated attempts by D.C. to regulate its postcoal direction. Members of Congress and Environmental Protection Agency administrators have raised the alarm on TVA CEO Jeff Lyash, who has so far ignored their strongly worded letters and proceeded toward a massive natural gas buildout defining the utility’s future. Critics, including the EPA, say competent leadership could have made the TVA a global leader in renewable energy; instead, 10 million customers will spend the coming decades paying more for a less reliable power grid that defies national carbon-reduction goals due to flawed corporate decision-making.

authority to make decisions related to TVA power generation, what authority the Board members have, and why TVA and the Board continue to ignore EPA’s concerns,” reads a report published April 3 by advocacy group Appalachian Voices. “If the TVA board is unwilling to use its authority and take responsibility to ensure appropriate use of ratepayer funding and to ensure least-cost resource planning, the White House should replace the Board members.”

In January 2023, the TVA issued its “Record of Decision” informing the federal government of its plan to replace Cumberland City coal with natural gas. Throughout the Cumberland City decision-making process, the EPA had raised concerns about flawed analysis, outdated assumptions and unknown methodology that resulted in the TVA’s apparent bias toward gas. The same process played out at Kingston, where regional EPA administrator Jeaneanne Gettle formally requested that the TVA redo its “inadequate” analysis in a March 25 letter. A week later, the TVA announced it would adopt 16 new gas-powered combustion turbines at Kingston. Fossil fuel giants Kinder Morgan and Enbridge have already engaged the TVA to

Carbon-rich coal powered the South for more than two centuries. This decade, its supremacy has begun to end: Kingston Fossil Plant in Roane County and Cumberland Fossil Plant in Cumberland City will retire obsolete coal-fired units in phases over the next four years, forcing the TVA to reassess its energy mix. The inflection point briefly looked like an opening for clean energy expansion. Instead, it became a pathway to natural gas.

“As the country’s largest public power producer, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) should be leading the nation’s transition to a clean, renewable energy future, not dragging its feet,” opens an Aug. 16 letter to Lyash and TVA board chair William Kilbride. “We write to urge you to phase out fossil fuels and immediately chart a path to 100-percent clean energy by 2035 — one that prioritizes safety, affordability, resilience, and justice.”

Five senators and five members of the U.S. House penned the letter to Kilbride and Lyash a week before a tense August board meeting. Buried in budget documents passed by the eight-member board that day lay a critical clause expanding Lyash’s executive power to make final decisions on the future of TVA power plants. Such decision-making power had been reclaimed by the board at its previous meeting three months earlier. Multiple TVA critics have suggested that members were hoodwinked. The budget text wasn’t made public for another three months.

“The public is left wondering who has

expand lucrative gas pipelines across Middle Tennessee and East Tennessee to supply the new units at Cumberland and Kingston.

Environmental advocates and watchdog politicians flagged March as the next possible intervention into the TVA’s path toward gas. The utility’s Integrated Resource Plan — the TVA’s internal guiding document — was due for its five-year update. On March 21, the agency punted with little explanation.

“After thoughtful consideration, TVA leaders have decided to delay publication of the agency’s Draft Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) and accompanying Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) at this time,” reads an email sent by the TVA. “We believe that this additional time will strengthen our Draft IRP by allowing for the potential evaluation of additional strategies, scenarios or sensitivities that may be appropriate to consider.”

With carbon emissions at an existential tipping point, America’s flagship utility doubling down on fossil fuels is not a good look. The sudden delay may signal soul-searching inside the TVA or, finally, effective pressure on an agency that continues to elude public accountability. ▼

GAS TURBINE AT TVA’S GALLATIN PLANT

PHOTO: ELI MOTYCKA

THIS WEEKEND!

KID + PET FRIENDLY

APRIL 20+21

ONEC1TY - 8 CITY BLVD. ONE C1TY 10AM TO 4PM BOTH DAYS

Shop from over 80 curated artisan vendors from all across the country showing off their handmade goods including home decor, clothing, pet products, jewelry, fine art and more! While you shop, enjoy live music, photo opps, craft beer and cocktails and food truck fare from the city’s best food trucks.

PROUDLY SPONSORED BY

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BENEFITTING

$1 from every alcoholic beverage purchase will benefit the Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville in their efforts to leverage and unite the unique resources of the arts and business communities to create a thriving, sustainable creative culture in Nashville.

SCAN

T0 VIEW THE VENDOR LINEUP AND MAP

FREE TO ATTEND FESTIVAL COME HUNGRY

Enjoy food truck fare from

COUSIN’S MAINE LOBSTER

BEN & JERRY’S DADDY’S DOGS

HAUTE WHEELS

SANDBAR

BRING YOUR APPETITE!

MAG MILE PIZZA

MAC SHACK MARIGOLD POPCORN

NEW BERLIN EATS

2024 VENDOR LINEUP

Alex Daley Designs | Andi Aesthetics | Andi Kur Art | Ash + Clay | Ashley Miller Designs | Awesome by Jenna

Black Sheep Goods | Blue Grasshopper Creations | Brazier Moon | Brieck Draw | Burlaep Apparel | Candle with a Handle

Carden Illustration | Carlee Ingersoll Illustrations | Cedar & Howl | Cement 6 | Cheiman Tea | Clearly Pur Naturals

Cloverbrook Candle Co. | Cluster Funk Studio | Dafni Woodworking | De-Lish by Deb | Dog Bandana Co. | Eat Bubbles

Elle & Jo Tea Co | Eloise + Co | EVOrginals | fine yART | Flora + Moon | Forested Way | Friendly Arctic Printing and Design

Garner Blue | gold + ivy | Green Blanky Studio | Hand & Fable | Hempin Shrooms | Hey J Design | h ceramics | Hoop House

Hot Sauce Nashville | ImPeckable Birdhouse | Ironcollective.co | January Moon | Jennie Okon | Khromophilia

Landon Fraker Art | Lara Jean Doodles | Laura K. Murdoch and As the Crow Flies and Co. | Line by Line Macrame

Made in Glass | Mercer & Jayne | Minnow Jewelry Bar | Modern Bent Jewelry | Modern Bronze Jewelry | Music City Creative

Music Valley Archive | My Cluck Hut | Nashville Blanket Project | Natural States Collective | Novilunio Jewelry

O Gallery | One Man, One Garage | Pepper Palm | Pet Musings Philomena + Ruth | Potomac Candle

Qwrkydirt | Rhymes with Cthulhu Designs | Sacred Harvest Co. | Shannon Newlin LLC | Shepards Glass House

Sio Ceramics | Spaghetti Bolognese Press | Strings For Hope | Tasty Treats by Theeps | The Diggingest Girl

The Gilded Poppy | The Longest Thread | The Rabbit Whole Studio | The Self Care Clique | Undercurrent | Valerosa

View the full vendor lineup at craftybastards.com

Nashville Symphony | Brent Havens, conductor and arranger

Justin Sargent, vocals | Dan Clemens, bass | Powell Randolph, drums

George Cintron, guitar | John Hines, background vocals

Eddie Williams, saxophone | Kathryn Key, piano and background vocals | Robert Cross, percussion

JUN 22 | 8 PM Ascend Amphitheater cypress hill with the Nashville Symphony

THROUGH MAY 23

ART [LEVEL UP]

PETIT CARÊME: PORT OF SPAIN, TRINIDAD THROUGH THE LENS OF LEXANDER BRYANT

When the Frist hosted a solo show by Nashville-based artist LeXander Bryant, it was clear that Bryant had both range and focus. His photographs of Nashvillians and their environments were remarkable. It will be similarly remarkable, then, to see what happens when he trains his lens beyond his own backyard. It may be a cliché, but getting outside your comfort zone really can produce outsized results. For his exhibit Petit Carême, Bryant will show works he made while in Trinidad with the support of Vanderbilt’s Engine of Art, Democracy and Justice, which is led by the recent MacArthur Award winner María Magdalena Campos-Pons. While in Trinidad — which was the first place outside the U.S. Bryant has ever visited — he was able to compare American Black culture and its aesthetics to its Caribbean counterparts. The exhibition will include photographs and videos that will be organized into subsections that explore and reflect on specific aspects of visual culture, like marketplace and community gatherings. The gallery will be open from 1 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday for the duration of Bryant’s exhibition, and an opening reception will be held Thursday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. LAURA HUTSON HUNTER THROUGH MAY 23 AT BEGONIA LABS 2805 WEST END AVE.

THURSDAY / 4.18

MUSIC

[YOU SHOULD BE DANCING] MIDNIGHT

VELVET

Thursday night, follow the funky sounds of disco-house to The Office in East Nashville. Local DJ MGR Mike grew tired of mainstream club music and recently launched a monthly party, Midnight Velvet, as a haven for disco lovers to chill and groove. Midnight Velvet is “an event dedicated to feel-good jams,” he said in an Instagram post ahead of the event launch in March. “We’re talking strings, bongos, horns, sexy vocals, four on the floor drums.” The party attracts a crowd of all ages, fans who bask in nostalgia for the era when disco reigned. Expect songs that take cues from ’70s classics like “It’s Raining Men” by Weather Girls, “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)” by Sylvester and “I Feel Love” by Donna Summer. This month’s lineup includes DJ Dame Luz, RUVS, ARHT, Dad’s Drunk and MGR Mike. Midnight Velvet kicks off at 9 p.m., but in true late-night fashion, the party doesn’t really get going until around 11 p.m.

SHAMANI SALAHUDDIN

9 P.M. AT THE OFFICE

604 GALLATIN AVE. CRAFTY BASTARDS

“UNTITLED (MOKO JUMBIES),” LEXANDER BRYANT

I THINK YOU SHOULD LEAVE WITH TIM ROBINSON

Something about the deranged energy of Tim Robinson’s I Think You Should Leave changes people’s brain chemistry. All three seasons of the former Saturday Night Live cast member’s breakout Netflix hit have inspired memes that have outreached the popularity of the show. (Season 1, Episode 5’s hot dog guy, for instance, has become so popular that prominent members of Congress have deployed it to effectively argue a point.) But if you’re the loved one of a person who has watched each episode of the absurdist sketch show multiple times (I’m so sorry), you’ve probably noticed peculiar phrases creeping into our daily lexicon. “Triples is best.” “Cosmic gumbo.” “Slop ’em up!” “It’s simply too good.” Robinson’s comedy often digs into those strange, cringe-inducing moments when an oblivious person simply cannot let something go, then magnifies that feeling by about 1,000. On Thursday night, Robinson will bring his show’s singularly deranged and wonderful energy to the Mother Church of Country Music with ITYSL bits, never-beforeseen sketches and special guests. The Ryman show is part of the ongoing Nashville Comedy Festival, which will also feature performances from Ali Siddiq (April 19 at TPAC’s Polk Theater), Lewis Black (April 20 at TPAC’s Polk) and many others. Visit nashcomedyfest.com to see the rest of the lineup. D. PATRICK RODGERS

7 P.M. AT THE RYMAN

116 REP. JOHN LEWIS WAY N.

MUSIC [RUSTIN’! AT THE ARENA] TYLER CHILDERS

Tyler Childers has held court in front of sold-out Ryman Auditorium audiences. He’s thrown an album-release gig at Eastside Bowl and covered Kris Kristofferson onstage at the Grand Ole Opry. He’s burned down the Which Stage at Bonnaroo and raised funds for noble causes with intimate sets at City Winery. Hell, you might even have caught him playing the brunch gig at Jackalope Brewery. But Childers has never headlined Bridgestone Arena — until this week, when the six-string Kentucky poet brings two nights of his high-flying Mule Pull Tour to downtown Nashville. Childers and his well-oiled band return to Music City in support of Rustin’ in the Rain. An album released by an artist at the top of his game, Rustin’ delivers a can’t-miss collection of sharp country songs highlighted by the foot-stompin’ title track and Grammy-nominated ballad “In Your Love.” And yes, for those wondering — he plays some of the old stuff on this tour too. 49 Winchester opens both nights.

MATTHEW LEIMKUEHLER 7:30 P.M. APRIL 18-19 AT BRIDGESTONE ARENA

501 BROADWAY

THEATER

[THE PLAY’S THE THING]

NASHVILLE SHAKES & LIPSCOMB

UNIVERSITY THEATRE: HAMLET

The Nashville Shakespeare Festival is teaming up with Lipscomb University’s Department of Theatre this weekend to present the Bard’s

greatest tragedy — and perhaps his mostquoted work. Taking on timeless themes of betrayal, revenge and political intrigue, Hamlet follows a young prince grieving the loss of his father even as he plots his revenge against the uncle who murdered him. It’s a fascinating study of the human heart. And at a time when so many of us are contemplating so many dark things currently happening in our world, Hamlet feels more relevant than ever. Nat McIntyre directs a strong student ensemble with David Long III in the title role, plus you can look forward to performances from local pros such as D. Scott Baker, Shannon Hoppe and Nashville Shakes’ own Denice Hicks. The production team is just as strong, with scenic design by Andy Bleiler, costumes by June Kingsbury, lighting by Anne Willingham, sound by Jacob Allen and fight choreography by Carrie Brewer. (Recommended for ages 12 and up.) AMY STUMPFL APRIL 18-28 AT LIPSCOMB’S COLLINS AUDITORIUM

1 UNIVERSITY PARK DRIVE

FRIDAY / 4.19

MUSIC [ALL AGES] J. ROBBINS W/COLD EQUATIONS

J. Robbins appeared on the Washington, D.C., punk scene in 1984, and his first exposure to the Beltway underground was seeing local veterans Government Issue open up for hardcore death-rockers T.S.O.L. Little more than a year after that night, Robbins became the bassist of Government Issue. With his trio Jawbox, Robbins shed the norms of the D.C.

sound to inject his signature swirling melodies into punchy, driving rock riffs. He’s also become a constant fixture on college radio and in indie record store bins by making records for his own projects and serving as a recording engineer and producer for dozens more. Now at the age of 56, and four decades removed from his first all-ages show, Robbins has released his second solo record — Basilisk for his hometown imprint Dischord Records. The album is more abstract and spacious than much of his previous work, having almost entirely severed the sonic umbilical cord to his mid-’80s hardcore roots. Local support Cold Equations, who released an excellent self-titled album in August, have a

distinct feel for the kind of hooks that defined 120 Minutes favorites like Sugar, Dinosaur Jr. and Superchunk. P.J. KINZER

7 P.M. AT DRKMTTR

1111 DICKERSON PIKE

[LET’S

HANG ON THE PORCH]

POETRY

AN EVENING OF POETRY AT THE PORCH

Earlier this month, The Porch celebrated its 10th anniversary — a delightful evening at Green Door Gourmet. The barn was filled with Nashville writers and readers, dressed in their cocktail best. After hors d’oeuvres and mingling, the packed house — which included attendees like Langhorne Slim, Tiana Clark, Ross Gay and Mayor Freddie O’Connell — took their seats and celebrated 10 years of workshops, readings, retreats and community. This year’s fundraiser has come and gone, but The Porch hosts yearround meetups of all sorts, because writing doesn’t need to be solitary. Make your way to The Porch House this weekend for an evening of poetry with C.T. Salazar, Latinx poet and librarian, and Amie Whittemore, Murfreesboro’s 2021 poet laureate and director of mentorship program MTSU Write. Both award-winning poets write about queerness and place. In Salazar’s debut collection, Headless John the Baptist Hitchhiking, a young Latinx Mississippian grapples with Southern tradition, religion and violence. Whittemore’s latest, Nest of Matches, wrestles with understanding that the queer self is lovable, desirable and worthy of life. An Evening of Poetry is a free event (though registration on the site is appreciated!), with drinks and snacks served. RYNE WALKER

6:30 P.M. AT THE PORCH

2811 DOGWOOD PLACE

SATURDAY / 4.20

[CUT N’ PASTE]

SHOPPING

CRAFTY BASTARDS

The Scene’s Crafty Bastards event is so nice, we do it twice (a year). Check out the spring iteration of the event to find more than 80 vendors offering their homemade items. There’s a range of products including home goods, clothes for adults and babies, cards, stickers, candles, dog stuff, tea, loads of trinkets, jewelry, soap, CBD — the list goes on. It’s a place to find gifts and support artisans and their small businesses. If you like the Nashville Scene, you’ll surely also be impressed by the company’s event team. (I promise I’m not too biased!) They know what they’re doing. Admission is free, so it’s a great way to (hopefully) enjoy the April sunshine. Grab a food-truck bite or a drink and meander a bit. If nothing else, you’ll be inspired to get back on your own crafty pursuits.

HANNAH HERNER

APRIL 20-21 AT ONEC1TY

MAY 1

WMOT WIRED IN TOMMY PRINE & MAGGIE ANTONE

MAY 3

CHEST FEVER

THE OFFICIAL REVIVAL OF THE BAND

SEPTEMBER 3

BUG HUNTER & THE NARCISSIST COOKBOOK ON SALE FRIDAY

COMING SOON

5/8 TRALER PARK featuring Dallas Davidson, Jamey Johnson, Jerrod Niemann, Lee Brice, Randy Houser and Rob Hatch

5/9 JB STRAUSS Saints of the South Record Release

5/11

WEBB WILDER 70TH Birthday Bash

FILM [L-I-V-I-N]

STAFF PICKS: DAZED AND CONFUSED

Nothing hits quite like a good hangout movie. Spending time with your favorite actors in a fun environment for two hours can cure just about any sour feelings. It may seem like an easy genre to pull off — just populate an interesting setting or time period with a bunch of charismatic characters and let the rest take care of itself — but when it comes to execution, it’s a hard style to perfect. The king of the hangout movie, Richard Linklater, arguably perfected the formula with 1993’s iconic Dazed and Confused, a star-making, needle-dropping piece of (supposed) anti-nostalgia. The Belcourt is even importing prominent Texas beer Lone Star — a favorite of Linklater’s that became internet famous thanks to Dazed and Confused scene-stealer Matthew McConaughey’s cosmic musings in True Detective — to solidify the hangout vibes. Other then-up-and-coming scene-stealers in this one include Ben Affleck, Parker Posey and Milla Jovovich; Linklater always had an eye for talent. That’s what I love about Dazed and Confused — I get older; it stays perfect. LOGAN BUTTS

9:30 P.M. AT THE BELCOURT 2102 BELCOURT AVE.

DANCE [SPIN YER PARTNER] BELLS BEND SQUARE DANCE

Have you ever enjoyed a Honky-Tonk Tuesday at American Legion Post 82? Does the phrase “boot scootin’ boogie” get your blood up? Or maybe the release of Cowboy Carter has you looking at your boots and Stetson while longing for dancing days gone by? If these things speak to you, I have Saturday night plans for you. Bells Bend Farms, on Old Hickory Boulevard over on the West Side of Davidson County, opens its barn doors from spring to fall for a monthly night of dancing, cheap beer, local food and live music. Beginners, don’t be discouraged! A professional square-dance caller will lead you through the steps before the music starts, and all skill levels and ages are encouraged to participate. Take it as a great excuse to escape the crowded bars for downhome, old-fashioned fun in the country. It’s an experience so magical I’d bet you’ll be back again. M.L. MEADORS

6 P.M. AT BELLS BEND FARMS 5188 OLD HICKORY BLVD.

MUSIC [THE ART OF THE ALBUM] THE LONG PLAYERS’ 20TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW

Nashville’s dean of power pop Bill Lloyd founded the celebrated cover band The Long Players after “watching the album as a work of art diminish in popularity” with the rise of digital streaming, which focused more on individual tracks. “There was something really beautiful about a band or a songwriter spending a lot of time crafting and creating something that holds together as a bigger piece,” Lloyd says. So the guitarist enlisted the help of some of his talented musician friends — drummer Steve

Ebe, guitarist Steve Allen, bassist Garry Tallent and keyboardist John Deaderick — and a slew of Nashville-based rock vocalists, including Jimmy Hall, Dan Baird, Ashley Cleveland, Billy Burnette and Tommy Womack, to re-create The Rolling Stones’ 1969 album Let It Bleed for The Long Players’ debut performance at 12th & Porter on March 26, 2004. Two decades and over 80 classic album re-creations later, Lloyd and the other members of The Long Players’ current lineup (which includes Ebe, Allen, bassist Brad Jones and keyboardist Seth Timbs) will celebrate the group’s 20th anniversary with a lengthy show Saturday night at 3rd and Lindsley. They will be joined by more than 30 vocalists who have sung with them over the years, including Baird, Womack, Walter Egan, John Cowan, Jonell Mosser, Warner E. Hodges, Joe Wooten, Siobhan Kennedy, Tom Littlefield and Bebe Buell, in performances of songs by The Beatles, the Stones, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Carole King, Linda Ronstadt, Elvis Costello, Talking Heads and many other legendary artists. DARYL SANDERS 7:30 P.M. AT 3RD AND LINDSLEY 818 THIRD AVE. S.

MUSIC [ORGAN GRINDERS]

TY

BAILIE: A TRIBUTE TO DR. LONNIE

SMITH AND JOEY DEFRANCESCO

Though Jimmy Smith is the artist who made the granular sound of Hammond tonewheel oscillators into a staple of the soul-jazz arsenal in the early ’60s, keyboard giants Dr. Lonnie Smith and Joey DeFrancesco each left their mark on the instrument. DeFrancesco was something of a prodigy who took to the organ sounds of the 1960s even though he was born in 1971 and played with Hank Mobley, Philly Joe Jones and Miles Davis all before the age of 20. Dr. Lonnie Smith always straddled the line between bebop and soul, often showing off his funky chops on instrumental versions of R&B chart-toppers from the Stax and Atlantic catalogs. After he eventually found a trancelike groove to his sound, Smith continued following his own North Star into new territory until the very end. 2021’s Breathe (where the Doc found himself sharing two tracks with Iggy Pop when both were well into their 70s) was just as contemporary to its day as his pioneering 1968 album Think! Organ wizard Ty Bailie will pay homage to Smith and DeFrancesco — who owned 20 of the most enchanted fingers to ever tickle the keys of a Hammond — in a Saturday night concert at The Nashville Jazz Workshop’s Jazz Cave. Bailie is an expert at blending bop and R&B himself, having worked with Gladys Knight, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram and Kenny Burrell, the soul-jazz guitar master who defined the sound with Jimmy Smith more than 60 years ago. P.J. KINZER

7:30 P.M. AT NASHVILLE JAZZ WORKSHOP’S JAZZ CAVE 1012 BUCHANAN ST.

[UNSUNG HEROISM]

MUSIC

THE SIT-IN MIXTAPE

Nashville as a whole is extremely proud of our music, and justifiably so; if you know nothing else about Music City, you probably

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know that. But you’re likely to know far less about our rich civil rights history and the importance of the nonviolent protests against segregation that took place here in the form of the 1960 lunch counter sit-ins. An extensive crew spanning the wide realm of Nashville hip-hop has banded together to spotlight the work of people like Diane Nash, the Rev. James Lawson and Bernard Lafayette in a music-filled production called The Sit-In Mixtape. Organizers and excellent MCs JusBam and AL-D wrote and produced the piece with support from the Nashville Fringe Festival. Among several others, JusBam plays Nash, Remsteele portrays Lawson, Loso the Great is Lafayette and Foundation appears as Z. Alexander Looby. A film of the program was made at the studio of community arts nonprofit NECAT, and it will premiere there with two screenings on Saturday (timed to avoid conflicting with the dedication of Diane Nash Plaza). There’ll be a DJ interlude with accomplished spinners Rate, Vamp and Quiet Entertainer following the first screening and a conversation following the second. Admission is free, but registration is required — check out the Eventbrite page for details. STEPHEN TRAGESER 3:30 AND 5 P.M. AT NECAT NETWORK 120 WHITE BRIDGE PIKE

to search for them — has the usually apathetic Anderson fully getting his lovey-dovey on. In this darling ensemble piece, kids explore the endless possibilities of love before adulthood knocks that shit right outta them. (Some of the grown-up characters look like they secretly wish they could switch places with those kids.)

Moonrise also has Anderson picking up more stars for his ever-increasing repertory company.

Edward Norton, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton and Bob Balaban all make their first (and definitely not last) appearances in an Anderson film, alongside longtime regulars Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman. Unfortunately, this is the only time Anderson worked with the now-retired Bruce Willis, who gave his last great performance as the lovesick police captain who leads the search party. CRAIG D. LINDSEY

7 P.M. AT W NASHVILLE

300 12TH AVE. S.

MONDAY / 4.22

[LOVED AGAIN]

MUSIC

WALKIN’ AFTER MIDNIGHT: THE MUSIC OF PATSY CLINE

SUNDAY / 4.21

MUSIC [LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE] BLOCK PARTY BEATDOWN IV

The voice of influential singer Patsy Cline lives on this week inside the Mother Church of Country Music, where a who’s-who lineup of entertainers will celebrate her songbook with a one-night tribute concert. Cline, who died six decades ago in a rural Benton County plane crash, remains the gold standard for country balladeering in Nashville, as evident by the lineup booked for this Monday night gig. The bill — which features nearly all women, a rarity for tribute nights in Nashville — includes Grammy-winning troubadour Ashley McBryde, show-stopping singer Mickey Guyton, Christian music favorite Natalie Grant, Tony Award winner Kristin Chenoweth, roots rocker Grace Potter, Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo, 1990s country hitmaker Wynonna Judd, actor-singer Rita Wilson, Grand Ole Opry member Mandy Barnett (who once played Cline in a stage production of the hitmaker’s life) … and the list goes on. As for who called dibs on singing “Crazy”? “I Fall to Pieces”? “Walkin’ After Midnight”? I can’t wait to find out. MATTHEW LEIMKUEHLER

7:30 P.M. AT THE RYMAN

A few weeks ago, No Quarter and Hubba Hubba — the adjoining East Side pinball and tiki bars — proved their thrasher bona fides by being the only stage brave enough to endure the buckets of fake blood spewed by notorious ATX metalheads Tear Dungeon. But then, what’s a little fake blood to a place that hosts Block Party Beatdown, a daylong celebration of punk rock and flying elbow drops? The beatdown returns for its fourth running Sunday, offering a free punk rock and wrestling celebration featuring local punks Say Kids, Yammer Jaw, Whelm and Nightmare Beach on the back stage (now adorned with a lightning bolt that used to belong to Weezer). Meanwhile out front, L.A.-based wrestling squad Circle 6 will face off in a squared circle in full view of Gallatin Road. Come for the figure-four leg locks, stay to watch the confused faces of folks just trying to buy some groceries at Aldi. LANCE CONZETT NOON TO 9 P.M. AT NO QUARTER 922 MAIN ST.

FILM [RETURN TO NEW PENZANCE] SCREENINGS ON THE STEPS: MOONRISE KINGDOM

116 REP. JOHN LEWIS WAY N.

MUSIC [IN DREAMS]

THE WANDERING HEARTS

W Nashville hotel continues its monthlong Wes Anderson edition of Screenings on the Steps with Moonrise Kingdom — in my opinion, the last front-to-back masterpiece the acclaimed filmmaker (and recent Oscar winner) has done. The 2012 tale of preteen pen pals (Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward) who run off to have a romantic wilderness getaway — inciting their parents, the authorities and other locals

The folk-Americana music on English trio The Wandering Hearts’ new album Mother comes out of the timeless continuum of commercial folk, which means the band evokes the work of everyone from Simon & Garfunkel and The Civil Wars to The New Seekers and Fleetwood Mac. The group’s press materials reference so-called Laurel Canyon rock as an influence on the trio of Tara Wilcox, A.J. Dean and Francesca Whiffin, and Mother shows off the kind of post-Crosby, Stills & Nash harmonies and modal melodies that make the album a great example of formalist folk. Still, the

Laurel Canyon comparison isn’t very accurate. Mother is the kind of record a basically straight harmony trio in 1970 might have made as a nod to circa-1965 folk, complete with bits of Beatlesstyle songwriting to keep things interesting. Steve Milbourne’s production gives the group’s harmonies a pleasing sheen, and the best tracks on Mother sport a beguiling intricacy — formalists do have their secrets. I even detect a lurking theme of trying to comprehend the U.S. in songs like “Letter to Myself,” which mentions getting on a train that’s going to Philadelphia. The songwriting fades a little during the second half of Mother. Check out The Wandering Hearts’ great 2021 version of Marty Stuart and Connie Smith’s “Dreams,” which they cut with Stuart at the Cash Cabin recording studio in Hendersonville. EDD HURT

7 P.M. AT THE BASEMENT 1604 EIGHTH AVE. S.

TUESDAY / 4.23

MUSIC [BEWITCHING] LAUFEY

From 2019 to 2023, the average winner for the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album Grammy was about 66 years old. (And that includes the relatively young Lady Gaga, who won the award in 2022 with Tony Bennett.) This year’s winner was Icelandic Chinese crooner Laufey, who became by far the youngest winner in the award’s history at 24. The tracks on winning

WEDNESDAY / 4.24

MUSIC [DANCING TO THE SONG THAT’S NEVER OVER] TY SEGALL

California rocker Ty Segall has been a rock ’n’ roll force of nature for more than 15 years, having released one or more intriguing and outstanding albums almost every year. When he first rose to prominence in the early 2010s, he focused on ideas that hit hard and fast. In a 2012 interview on Sound Opinions, he mentioned The Troggs’ “I Want You” — a two-minute song with barely 10 words in it — as a model, with as little as possible to get in the way of the message. He’s revised that approach over time, exploring the richness of musical complexity while being careful to not make things overly complicated. In January, Segall released his latest LP Three Bells via Drag City, and you’re more likely to hear echoes of space-rock aces like Hawkwind or prog heroes like King Crimson in its sound. Segall has worked with these elements in different capacities for a long time, and his punk instincts are key to keeping them in careful balance for a strikingly effective result. Support for Wednesday’s show, his first in Nashville in a while, comes courtesy of Sharpie Smile, aka the duo of Cole Berliner and Dylan Hadley. Formerly known as Kamikaze Palm Tree, they share their new name with the title of a song from their own 2019 LP Good Boy; the pair makes a variety of off-kilter rock sounds that you’re likely to dig if your record collection includes beloved albums from Thee Oh Sees, Deerhoof and Guerilla Toss.

STEPHEN TRAGESER

8 P.M. AT BROOKLYN BOWL

925 THIRD AVE. N.

BOOKS [TURN THE PAGE] NOVELETTE BOOK CLUB

album Bewitched are almost impossibly nostalgic, enveloping you like a heavy blanket that’s been drenched in the 1940s jazz sounds of Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday. What’s most impressive is that she’s proven these sounds have power among younger listeners, not just wistful old-timers. Many of her fans first heard her music on TikTok, and she’s built a community by reposting fans’ memes about her music, leading a book club and even leaving Taylor Swift-style hints about her upcoming releases. I especially appreciate how she’s using her platform to spotlight other artists of mixed Asian heritage: At the Ryman, she’ll be joined by Wasia Project, a pop duo from British Asian siblings Olivia Hardy and William Gao. COLE VILLENA 7:30 P.M. AT THE RYMAN

116 REP. JOHN LEWIS WAY

Novelette’s April Book Club invites you to immerse yourself in a vibrant and welcoming community of book lovers. Each month, kindred spirits may gather to explore one of two selected works. This month, the club opens with a discussion of Sierra Greer’s Annie Bot, a futuristic romance about the relationship between a female robot and her human owner, on Wednesday, April 24. On Thursday, April 25, they’ll talk through Lottie Hazell’s Piglet, a coming-of-age novel exploring women’s ambitions and appetites. Led by passionate store owners Jordan Tromblee or Deezy Violet, the book clubs foster lively and interactive discussions. When the day arrives, leave the mundane behind as the shop’s doors close to regular shopping and the rainbow-colored space is transformed into a haven exclusively for fellow book enthusiasts. Your online book purchase serves as your golden ticket to the club — and gives you a 15 percent discount on books purchased during the 30 minutes following the event.

IMAGINE THIS - A DELICIOUS BREAKFAST FIT FOR ROYALTY, ALL SET TO THE ENCHANTING TUNES OF DISNEY’S FROZEN, THE HIT BROADWAY MUSICAL.

SATURDAY APRIL 27TH

• PRINCE’S HOT CHICKEN

(Tanger Nashville location only)

* enjoy a magical morning with a special “Frozen” menu

* fun- filled activities- balloon art, face painters

* chance to win fabulous prizes including tickets to the show or a Frozen Gift Pak and $25 Prince’s Gift Card

Let the Magic and Flavor come together at Prince’s Hot Chicken, where every bite is a royal delight!

Disney’s Hit Musical Frozen is coming to TPAC May 7-18 2024 @TPAC For more information and tickets go www.tpac.org

SAY CHEESE

The Chaires family’s legendary quesadilla lives on at Roy Meat Service

BY ELI MOTYCKA

EVERY FEW WEEKS, Victoria Chaires gets the quesadilla call from Jeff Roy of Roy Meat Service. He buys 5 gallons of queso filling at a time (half red chili, half green chili) along with pies and peach squares. When their informal arrangement started a few years ago, Chaires included the homemade baked goods as a sweetener. Now they fill out the regular order that brings a long-lost Nashville staple back to the East Side.

“Cooking has really saved my life,” Chaires tells the Scene on a sunny Friday outside Roy Meat Service. Her two chihuahuas, Buster and Tito, sit close by. “I was on disability, not doing much. My health was going downhill. It gave me something to do, and the more I cooked, the more people wanted them. I have people knocking on my apartment door asking for quesadillas.”

When a post about Es Fernandos — the Mexican restaurant started decades ago by Chaires’

father Vincente — blew up in the popular East Nashville Facebook group, the two connected in the comments section. They quickly struck up an agreement. Victoria brings the queso vats, and Roy’s cooks fold them into gooey pockets of cheese, onions and peppers on the grill, sometimes adding beef or chicken. Chaires buys her ingredients retail and cooks from memory — no measuring — for two days. Roy taps into a nostalgia market familiar to many of the longtime residents who patronize the lunch spot. Chaires continues her father’s legacy as maker of East Nashville’s preferred quesadilla.

“I wanted to buy the recipe,” Roy tells the Scene during the lunch rush. “She wouldn’t sell it. It’s been about three years now. It’s the original Es Fernandos — not a copy. It helps us, it helps her, and it’s been a blessing.”

Bringing back Es Fernandos caters well to the RMS crowd, many of whom grew up in or

around the neighborhood before home prices skyrocketed. Roy’s deep community support grew only stronger when a neighbor sued over the meat smell emanating from his kitchen; for some patrons, it became the perfect symbol of old-versus-new.

Vincente Chaires came to East Nashville with his wife and young family via Fort Campbell and, before that, New Mexico. He opened El Taco, a Tex-Mex franchise, at the corner of Gallatin Pike and Haysboro Avenue on Jan. 16, 1970, after 21 years in the military. Unable to compete with the Chaires cuisine, the area’s two other Mexican restaurants closed within the year, says Victoria. A convenient drive-thru and a loyal customer base — helped by students and faculty at nearby Stratford High School — kept the family in business through the 1970s. Tired of paying franchise royalties, Vincente turned El Taco into Es Fernandos in 1983. Twenty years

later, Vincente sold the business to his son Ernie Chaires for $40,000. Ernie soon shuttered the fast-food outpost to focus on his other business endeavor, Rosepepper Cantina.

Vincente died in 2013, and Ernie — sick with lymphoma — followed six months later. Victoria says health problems tied to contaminated water in New Mexico have followed the Chaires family across generations. Today her niece runs Rosepepper. Five other Chaires siblings are scattered across Middle Tennessee and North Carolina. Pappy’s, a roadside market 25 miles away on Bethel Road in Greenbrier, is the only other purveyor of the quesadillas. Roy arranged for the distribution, consciously keeping any quesadilla competition outside his service area.

“I hope it does stay alive after I’m gone,” Chaires says. “When my health gets worse, when I can’t do it anymore, I’ll teach Jeff. Only on my deathbed.” ▼

PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND

OF PUPPETS AND EPIC POETRY

Multimedia artist Hamid Rahmanian brings Song of the North to OZ Arts

BY AMY STUMPFL

Song of the North April 19-20 at OZ Arts

Rahmanian calls Song of the North “80 minutes like you’ve never seen before.”

“It’s like the audience is watching a movie, while the ensemble is making the movie,” Rahmanian says. “So the location where you shoot the movie, the editing room where you edit the movie, and the theater where you screen the movie are all on one stage. I used to make movies, but always had a very graphic design approach in my storytelling. But shadow theater brings together cinema, graphic design, puppets, all the things I love — they all sort of meet in shadow

For Mark Murphy, executive and artistic director of OZ Arts, this unique blend of forms is just part of the appeal.

“What strikes me about what Hamid is doing is just how magical it feels,” he says. “I mean, I find shadow puppetry fascinating on its own. But through the use of this video animation, he takes it beyond the scope of anything I’ve experienced before. He uses these incredible cinematic techniques — close-ups, cross-fades — so he’s able to create epic battle scenes and landscapes, but also can move in close for more intimate scenes. It’s really quite stunning.”

Murphy says Rahmanian will be on hand to discuss some of these innovative techniques after each performance at OZ, offering audiences a rare glimpse into what’s happening behind the

“The level of choreography going on backstage is just amazing,” Murphy says. “Hamid’s work is so complex, and yet completely accessible. It’s enjoyable for kids of all ages, but the sophistication of the visual imagery and the use of cinematic concepts makes it just as fascinating for adults. We’re always trying to find new ways to tell stories here at OZ, and this project is a great example of that.” ▼

PHOTO: RICHARD TERMINE

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THE UNCANNY VALLEY

Rebecca Makkai’s I Have Some Questions for You alternates between the #MeToo present and a 1990s mystery

BY SEAN KINCH

3900 Hillsboro Pike Suite 14 | Nashville, TN 37215

(615) 953-2243

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BODIE KANE, the narrator of Rebecca Makkai’s I Have Some Questions for You, knows firsthand that media and audiences have insatiable appetites for stories about the deaths of attractive women. When Bodie was a student at the Granby School in New Hampshire, a former roommate drowned in an indoor swimming pool while most of her friends were celebrating a theatrical production. The media circus that followed turned the victim, Thalia Keith, into a tragic heroine and her alleged attacker, the school’s athletic trainer Omar Evans, into a twisted villain. Never mind the unanswered questions about the night’s events or the possibility of other suspects, the media ran with the story — one that, with the help of unscrupulous prosecutors, ended with Evans’ conviction.

That was in 1995, a miserable year for Bodie, who already felt like an outcast. By 2018, when she returns to Granby as a guest teacher, she has become a successful film professor and podcaster in Los Angeles whose show Starlet Fever focuses on the mysterious deaths of gorgeous actresses. She may feel “queasy” that those unfortunate Hollywood stars have “become public property,” but those qualms don’t stop her from capitalizing on lurid crimes. Now she wants her students to reinvestigate the case of Thalia Keith, with the unspoken goal of casting suspicions on the consummate #MeToo bad guy: the predatory older man.

The “you” of the title, as Bodie reveals early, is Dennis Bloch, Granby’s music teacher, who works backstage with Bodie on theater tech and shows a dressing-room interest in Thalia. Mr. Bloch is the type of authority figure who might have seemed cool and playful in the ’90s — he’s gossipy and intimate — but he now seems creepy. Bodie is not alone in reevaluating her youthful contact with male supervisors. “We were, all of us, casting a

sharp eye back on the men who’d hired us, mentored us, pulled us into coat closets,” Bodie says. “I had to consider now that perhaps you were skilled at subtly eroding boundaries, making adolescent girls feel like adults.”

What distinguishes Makkai’s novel is her ambivalent depiction of Bodie. We can’t be sure if she views Denny Bloch fairly or is using him to work through psychological trauma of her own. In high school at Granby, she is withdrawn and insecure, a naïf from Indiana who suffered terrible losses in childhood. Her salvation comes from forming one lasting friendship, with Fran Hoffnung (now head of school at Granby), and from learning how to spy on her classmates. “I collected information about my peers the way some people hoard newspapers,” Bodie confesses. “I hoped this information would help me become more like them, less like myself — less poor, less clueless, less provincial, less vulnerable.”

As in Makkai’s The Great Believers (2018), which looks back at the 1980s from the perspective of 2015, the author alternates between the 2018 time frame and Bodie’s experiences in the ’90s. Bodie and Fran reminisce about drinking Zima and building a shrine to Kurt Cobain. As a freshman, Bodie learns that her Indiana notions of preppy fashion are outdated; she improvises a “goth grunge” look, buying “dark, oversized clothes” at thrift shops and donning “fishnets I carefully ripped, a fake army jacket.” Looking back, she and her friends (and this reviewer) see the early ’90s as enchanted. “Ninety-four was the last good year for pop culture,” one of Bodie’s classmates observes. “We had the Cranberries, we had Bush, we had Veruca Salt and Smashing Pumpkins. The next year, what do you get? Dave Matthews takes over. Oasis and the Gin Blossoms. Straight downhill.”

In 2018, Bodie projects a sexy image of con-

fidence and control, yet the insecure Bodie occasionally peeks through the facade. She takes the teaching gig in part to gauge how far she’s come. “I was ready to measure myself against the girl who’d slouched her way through Granby,” she says. “In LA I knew in theory that I was accomplished … but I didn’t particularly feel, on a daily basis, the distance I’d come.” Back on campus, her old anxiety seeps in, causing her to avoid the dining hall for fear of encountering “my own awkward ghost.”

Makkai tightens the narrative screws with every chapter. As Bodie helps build the case for Omar Evans’ innocence, her life begins to crumble. Her desire to solve the case is amplified by the crises she faces personally and professionally. She needs to solve Thalia’s case to resuscitate herself. This novel demonstrates that our perceptions are colored by our experiences — not that murder and sexual predation are in the eyes of the beholder, but that reality itself shimmers with an aura of the unknown. Like the international student at Granby who mistakes fireflies for UFOs, we struggle to make sense of the world, to bridge the “uncanny valley” between our imaginations and the truth.

For more local book coverage, please visit Chapter16.org, an online publication of Humanities Tennessee. ▼

I Have Some Questions for You

By Rebecca Makkai

Penguin

464 pages, $19

Makkai will discuss her book as part of Vanderbilt’s Visiting Writers Series 7 p.m. Thursday, April 18, at 101 Buttrick Hall

PHOTO: BRETT SIMISON

BACKSTAGE AT 3RD Comedy on 3rdSecret Lineup of Top Local & Touring Coemdians!

Sandra McCracken with Taylor Leondart

WMOT Roots Radio Presents Finally Fridays feat. IBECKY BULLER, DARIN & BROOKE ALDRIDGE & STEVE FOX 12 AGAINST NATURE “A STEELY DAN EXPERIENCE” Celebrating 20 years!

Backstage Nashville Daytime Hit Songwriters Show feat. BRADY SEALS, TIA SILLERS, RAY STEPHENSON & ROB MAYES + KATELYN MYERS

THE LONG PLAYERS Celebrating 20 years performing Classic Rock, Pop and R&B Hits featuring KENT AGEE, ETTA BRITT, JOHN COWAN, JACE EVERETT, JONELL MOSSER, TODD SHARP, JOSEPH WOOTEN & more!

5/28, 6/11

LISSIE with ROBBY HECHT + THE WANDERING HEARTS

Bluebird on 3rd feat. ADAM JAMES, BRINLEY ADDINGTON

BOBBY HAMRICK with KIERSTEN RAE & MADDIE LENHART

THE TIME JUMPERS

SHINYRIBS with DAVID CHILDERS

HIPPIES AND COWBOYS with GARY NICHOLSON as WHITEY JOHNSON + Special Guest IVAN PULLEY

FRI 4/19 12:00 8:00 7:30 FREESHOW oct

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apr 20

apr 22

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apr 24

may 10 may 11 may 13 may 14

FIDDLE FEST FEATURING VINCE GILL, RHONDA VINCENT & MORE!

VIA (SUPPORTING THE CLEVERLYS)

RIVER CHOIR 5/31 JESSE DANIEL WITH ALEX WILLIAMS 6/1 SMOKING SECTION

WILLIAM LEE GOLDEN & THE GOLDENS 6/5 COUNTRY FOR A CAUSE - HOSTED BY TG SHEPPARD &

apr 25

apr 26

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apr 28 apr 29

twrp

muq

rock & roll playhouse: The music of dolly parton for kids (12PM)

Donny Benét w/ otnes (8PM)

Black Country, New Road w/ camera picture

Spanish Love Songs & Oso Oso w/ sydney sprague & worry club

pond w/ 26fix

gloom girl mfg w/ the weird sisters and wilby the emo band live karaoke party

psychedelic porn crumpets w/ spoon benders

holly humberstone nate smith & friends

sim w/ fame on fire, within destruction & crystal lake

adeem the artist w/ Flamy Grant & Brandi Augustus

may 15

may 16

may 18

may 22

may 23

may 24

may 25

may 26

may 30

may 31

jun 1

jun 5

jun 7

jun 9

jun 14

jun 16

jun 19

high fade (9pm)

sierra carson w/ ethan regan (7pm)

rickshaw billie's burger patrol w/ black venus (9pm)

the welters w/ liv & jude (5:30pm)

ballhog! w/ the phoenix lights (8pm)

the tumbleweeds w/ levon (7PM)

gears w/ crocodyle & the 1AM windows (9PM)

the wandering hearts (7pm)

apr 22

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launder (9pm)

cody belew (7pm)

gaby moreno (7pm)

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apr 30

may 1

may 1 may 2

the last revel (9pm)

andrew cushin w/ jacob & the dazey chain (7pm)

the bright light social hour w/ kind hearted strangers (9pm)

rachel cole w/ bobby magyarosi (7Pm)

stephanie lambring w/ adam wright (7pm) the rainbow show (9pm) the young man w/ summerlyn powers junk bunny

the inspector cluzo w/ nate bergman (7PM)

moorea masa & the mood w/

VINYL-LY, IT HAPPENED TO ME

Your quick-reference guide to Record Store Day 2024 in Nashville

BY HANNAH CRON

AUDIOPHILES AND ANALOG enthusiasts rejoice, for 2024’s edition of Record Store Day is right around the corner! Since 2008, RSD has been championing independent record stores and local music communities around the country and beyond. This year’s celebration falls on Saturday, April 20, and we’ve got details on the exclusive releases offered on the day and where around town you can find them.

This year’s RSD ambassadors are our Nashville neighbors, Paramore, who became newly independent after their decades-long contract with Atlantic Records ended late last year. Following tradition, the band has a few RSD exclusives of their own. There’s a vinyl pressing of Re: This Is Why, an LP of remixes of their Grammy-winning album This Is Why; the remixes are available on their own or bundled as a two-disc set with the standard version of This Is Why. Those are Atlantic releases, but a 12-inch single of Paramore’s cover of Talking Heads’ staple “Burning Down the House,” with David Byrne covering “Hard Times” on the flip, is via Fine Print, which may be the band’s own new label.

There are many kinds of record shoppers and even more types of music fans, so we’ve got recommendations to help you narrow down the list of nearly 400 releases and find your new favorite listen. If you’re an antiquarian obsessed

with the classics, or a newbie just starting your collection, check out the exclusive Beatles 3-inch record player and singles, Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours picture disc and the 60th anniversary edition LP of The Rolling Stones’ self-titled album. Crate diggers will take an interest in exclusives like Wiz Khalifa’s five-pack of 7-inch singles titled Loud Pack or Lil Uzi Vert’s Luv Is Rage mixtape. There will also be an RSD First release of De La Soul’s Live at Tramps, NYC 1996, both in LP and CD format.

Indie-pop girlies and people who use TikTok as a music discovery platform may want to snag Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club” 7-inch, Laufey’s A Night at the Symphony double LP, Sabrina Carpenter’s “Feather” 7-inch, or Olivia Rodrigo and Noah Kahan’s BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge singles together on a single 7-inch. That one weird kid from middle school who probably owned a bearded dragon will probably take an

interest in the Snake Eyes 10-inch by 100 Gecs, the Doctor Who: Edge of Destruction picture disc, the two-LP deluxe edition of Gorillaz’s latest album Cracker Island or the Live at KEXP 12-inch EP by Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs, all RSD exclusives. And if you’re shopping with your dad, show him U2’s Atomic City 10-inch, recorded live at The Sphere in Las Vegas. You know it’s what he wants.

If you’re hoping to score some of these sweet finds, you’re in luck. Plenty of independent record stores in the Nashville area are participating in Record Store Day with exclusives, sales and special events to boot. McKay’s (636 Old Hickory Blvd.) will open at their regular 9 a.m. to offer RSD exclusives on top of their standard selection. All area locations of The Great Escape (5400 Charlotte Pike, 105 Gallatin Pike N. in Madison and 810 N.W. Broad St. in Murfreesboro) will have RSD exclusives as well as giveaways and a special deal. Each customer can take up to five items from their 99cent selection for free, no purchase necessary. All locations will have extended hours that Saturday, open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Third Man Records (623 Seventh Ave.) is doing its own thing, as usual. They won’t be stocking RSD exclusives, but they just might have some special in-house releases; watch their social media or visit the store for more. In addition, any customer who presents a receipt from another participating RSD store will receive 10 percent off their purchase. You can also cap off your RSD celebrations with the Lisp queer dance party at The Blue Room at Third Man, or head over to The Vinyl Lounge at The Vinyl Lab (1414 Third Ave. S.) at 7 p.m. for an RSD after-party featuring Luther Dickinson, Teddy and the Rough Riders and more.

On the East Side, The Groove (1103 Calvin

Ave.) is once again going all-out with RSD celebrations, offering exclusives and teaming up with Acme Radio Live to present a stellar lineup of local talent performing in the shop’s backyard throughout the day. The live music kicks off at 11 a.m. with appearances from Nordista Freeze, Tayls, Bre Kennedy, Chuck Indigo and many more. There will also be a silent auction benefiting Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee.

While you’re there, be sure to head over a few blocks and check out the mecca of Nashville record stores, Grimey’s New and Preloved Music (1060 E. Trinity Lane). They’ll open a little early at 10 a.m. and stay open till 7 with RSD titles aplenty. Of special note is a release featuring Grimey himself: Look for the 25th anniversary edition of Boo-Tay by Bare Jr., which includes Grimey’s founder and coowner Mike Grimes on guitar, and read more about it in our feature story.

For a great selection of records and tasty treats, check out the extravaganza at Vinyl Tap (2038 Greenwood Ave.) starting at 9 a.m. They’ll have two stages for live music with performances from Becca Mancari, Emily Nenni, The Watson Twins, Afrokokoroot, Hector Tellez Jr., Rich Ruth with Spencer Cullum and Patrick M’Gonigle, and many more. The store will have a selection of exclusives, plus vendors, food trucks and drink specials. Expect the whole neighborhood to be in on the fun with offerings for the whole family and perhaps even a few surprises.

Some of our other independent record sellers won’t have RSD exclusives, but they’ll have sales and specials to celebrate. Analog Your Life (2546 Lebanon Pike) will offer 10 percent off all new and used vinyl, plus 50 percent off red-tagged items and a curated selection of records with a 4/20 theme. Hi-Fi Frontier (inside Dashwood Vintage and Plants at 2416 Music Valley Drive) will celebrate with live music, food trucks and more, and will be joining in an after-party at No Quarter on the East Side. Elevator Vinyl (500 E. Trinity Lane) will be set up at the Sceneorganized Crafty Bastards arts and crafts fair at OneC1TY, but they might have some specials in-store too. And don’t forget to also check out what’s in the bins at Alison’s Record Shop (994A Davidson Drive), Phonoluxe (2609 Nolensville Pike), Swaggie Records (211 Union St.), Soulfolks (115 E. Old Hickory Blvd. in Madison) and Jimbo’s Records and Tapes (inside Vinterest at 2416 Music Valley Drive) — record stores of all sizes are important for a thriving music ecosystem. ▼

PHOTO: ROB HINKAL

ALLEGEDLY, I’M interviewing two elder statesmen of Nashville’s underground music, revered musicians and businessmen who have had an outsized impact on our music community, artistically and economically. But I’m talking to Bobby Bare Jr. (the son of the country legend who’s also a standout songwriter and a member of Guided by Voices) and Mike “Grimey” Grimes (of Grimey’s New and Preloved Music, The Basement and The Basement East). So the energy is more akin to shooting spitballs across the back row in detention. The belly laughs and boisterousness make it feel like no time has passed since their band Bare Jr. released its debut LP Boo-Tay in September 1998

Listening back to the interview, you might get the impression that the pair on the other end of the line are 20-something pranksters who just pulled one over on the whole damn record industry. And maybe they did. Revisiting the album in advance of a reunion show on Friday — playing between Walk the West and Jason Ringenberg solo at Brooklyn Bowl — and Boo-Tay’s first proper vinyl release as a Record Store Day special edition on Saturday, it’s pretty clear that Bare and his buddies were way ahead of their time.

“[Grimey] kept saying he was going to quit,” Bare says between chortles. “He wouldn’t quit.” “We went to have a meeting, and we were both — he was going to say, he fired me,” replies

MUSIC: THE SPIN

ANOTHER MEMORY THAT GETS STUCK

BY HANNAH CRON

INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED singer-songwriter Mitski moved into the Ryman for a mini-residency of four sold-out shows — an extended adopted-hometown celebration of her latest LP The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We. Each night of the run featured support from a different artist, each of whom complemented a different side of Mitski’s unique artistry.

Sarah Kinsley opened the first night, Sunny War the second and Cowboy Junkies the final night. Night 3, on Friday, featured dazzling Australian songsmith Julia Jacklin. This show (and an appearance the next night at The Blue Room at Third Man Records) fell between strings of residency dates for Jacklin at intimate spaces in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Brooklyn. Those places and the Mother Church are perfectly suited to her songs, which are compellingly thoughtful and prone to intersect with listeners’ personal experiences whether they’re about her own life or not — a quality she shares with the headliner. Jacklin’s set was spare, her enchanting vocal melodies accompanied only by her own electric guitar. There were a couple of ticketing snafus, one of which sadly led to our photographer missing her performance. I was actually hunting for my seat during part of Jacklin’s set, and I

BOO-TAY CALL

Bare Jr. reunites to celebrate the 25th

anniversary of their rambunctious debut

BY SEAN L. MALONEY

Grimey, stifling laughter for a split second. “I said I was going to quit. He said he got the words out first.”

“He wouldn’t quit,” Bare blurts. “So I fired him. And only because I missed being his friend. [He] hated me as the bandleader.”

This is the dynamic at the heart of Boo-Tay — it feels like an album about to double over with laughter, though the songcraft is no joke. Boo-Tay has bubblegum hooks and punk-rock energy, a deeply Southern sense of tradition and an equally Southern sense of irreverence. These characteristics make the whole affair a premonition of what independent Nashville would sound like in the 21st century. Songs like “You Blew Me Off” — which Spin ranked 51st among “The 69 Best Alternative Rock Songs of 1999” in

briefly thought it was Mitski onstage. I could go on, but what higher compliment is there to give?

If Mitski’s set on Friday is anything to go on, this tour should cement her reputation as not just a prolific and consistently great musician but also a stellar performance artist. Her career-spanning set featured her expressive dancing, tailored to each song. Echoes of movement accompanying a given tune appeared in later songs with related themes, generating a cohesive effect — a modern dance piece in which the lone dancer was also the central performer in the live musical accompaniment.

If you haven’t listened to Mitski in a while, or you only know her most popular songs, you might be surprised at the sound she’s cultivating these days. While country music has been an influence on her work going way back, it’s come to the surface in a big way. Mitski’s country sound is more akin to Patsy Cline than anyone who’s made the charts in the past several decades. The evening’s backing band included an upright bassist, multiple acoustic guitar players and Nashville hero Fats Kaplin on fiddle and pedal steel, among other instruments.

The country influence wasn’t confined to Mitski’s newer work — it seems clear that her move to Nashville has been a catalyst for her creativity. New arrangements of longtime fan favorites like “I Bet on Losing Dogs” and “Happy” reflected deep listening to a wide variety of country; even songs from her 2022 ’80s-pop-influenced LP Laurel Hell, like “Love Me More” and “Working for the Knife,” were reimagined with country flair.

I don’t have one negative thing to say about Mitski’s performance. Her singular vocal stylings have never been

its 2019 retrospective, marked with a write-up by yours truly — and “I Hate Myself” convey the big slacker mood endemic to the era, accentuated by Bare’s Southern drawl and unremitting self-effacement.

“I thought I was being something like Flaming Lips,” Bare says, laughing again. “It sounds nothing like that — nowhere near Flaming Lips — but somewhere on the way towards that, something I think is a little bit unique.”

That distinctive flavor took the group (which also included Keith Brogdon on drums, Dean Tomasek on bass and Tracy Hackney on electrified mountain dulcimer) across the country. They weaved between the worlds of alt-rock radio — a landscape that was shifting and consolidating in the wake of Clinton-era deregulation

stronger, her lyrics have never been more emotionally evocative, and her commanding presence has never been more effective. Unfortunately, the overall experience still left a lot to be desired.

I’ve seen a lot of live music, in just about every genre and every size of venue in town, both before and after the pandemic. Yet I have never experienced a crowd anywhere whose behavior was so out-of-sync with the show as it was on Friday. Make no mistake — I support people enjoying a show, whatever that means to them. It makes no difference to me if a fan is sitting or standing, cheering or silent, dancing or just absorbing the moment. As long as you are respectful to the performers and not interfering with others’ ability to enjoy the show, I think you should be able to experience live music however you choose. But I personally dealt with neighbors screaming at ear-splitting volume at regular intervals throughout the entire show, jeering at the performers as though they were objects to be manipulated at their every whim. I heard other patrons complain of drunk neighbors screaming jokes during quiet, intimate moments, being cussed out for asking rowdy attendees to tone down their antics and clocking someone nearby browsing porn on their phone during the show they’d presumably paid to see.

Unfortunately, this tonal mismatch is a well-documented phenomenon at Mitski’s shows. Before COVID, Mitski made plans to quit the music business entirely, worn down by the grind of giving so much of herself on terms dictated by capitalism instead of her needs as an artist and as a human. People watching the whole show through their phones, treating her as a commodity rather

in media ownership — and the jam-adjacent proto-Americana scene. Bare spent his early childhood making records with his dad and his early adulthood running sound and lights at places like Exit/In, so when he plays the part of enfant terrible on Boo-Tay, he does it with the nonchalance of a seasoned pro.

It can come off as wildly unhinged and makes you wonder what kind of lunatics were cutting checks at Immortal Records in the late ’90s. They funded a band whose guitarist, Grimes, wore the same pair of pajamas for every show, for crying out loud. Bare Jr.’s kind of rowdiness is invigorating, adventurous and not harmful in moderation, and it’s hard for a lot of folks to access in an era when many things that demand serious attention always feel close. Based on our chat, it’s clear the flame hasn’t dimmed in the time since the band dissolved in the Aughts.

“It’s awesome — I love it,” says Bare. “It’s strange in that it sounds exactly like Bare Jr. as soon as we start playing together. … It’s like time travel in a really good way.” ▼

Opening for Walk the West 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 19, at Brooklyn Bowl Record Store Day exclusive Boo-Tay anniversary edition out April 20 via Legacy

than a person, is a symptom. When she complained, nothing changed.

Naively, I hoped a show in Nashville would be different. Maybe in all the years we’ve spent on our own, we’ve forgotten that the world doesn’t revolve around us. A wise person once said, “Reading comprehension is in its flop era,” and I’d say this extends to reading a room. What else could explain such blatantly disrespectful audience behavior?

I don’t want anyone else to have the kind of experience I did — finally getting to see a musician they love and leaving with the experience soured. Artists are a vital part of Nashville’s ecosystem, and we have to learn to treat them right. We can’t be Music City without it. ▼

PHOTO: VICTOR J. REED

IDOL HANDS: MITSKI

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AIN’T SEEN NOTHING YETI

If you can get through the grossness, Sasquatch Sunset has a great environmentalist message

BY KEN ARNOLD

DIALOGUE IS ONE of the most overrated aspects of filmmaking.

Even in the Golden Age of silent film — during the reign of masters like Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd — filmmakers were reluctant to add dialogue cards for fear of slowing the pace of the movie. Sometimes, even when a character was speaking, directors would omit dialogue cards because gestures and visual cues told audiences what they needed to know. Directors Nathan and David Zellner have taken this concept to the extreme in their latest, Sasquatch Sunset, in which characters communicate both comedy and tragedy entirely through grunts and gestures.

Deep in the North American wilderness lives a group of four sasquatches — played by Riley Keough, Jesse Eisenberg, Nathan Zellner and Christophe Zajac-Denek, all in heavy prosthetics. Over the course of four seasons, we follow them in their daily life as they search for others of their kind. And as their journey unfolds, we see signs of strange creatures in the woods: humans!

A bit of content warning: This movie is very gross. These mythic creatures produce every

THE NATURE OF THE BEAST

type of organic fluid imaginable throughout the film’s runtime. One scene became infamous during Sasquatch Sunset’s festival run: Our heroes urinate and defecate aggressively, which sent many viewers running toward the exit. That said, many remaining audience members gave the film a standing ovation when the credits rolled. And the gross-out humor is not without purpose. These moments serve to humanize these fantastic beasts and make them more relatable; after all, we humans all have our moments in the filth. There are fun scenes and various visual gags, including oddball scenes of the sasquatches using things found in nature in

Bertrand Bonello’s sci-fi romance The Beast explores our freedom to make bad choices

BY JASON SHAWHAN

BERTRAND BONELLO MAY be the best filmmaker working at the moment, and this is his Mulholland Drive, his 2046 and his Cloud Atlas all at the same time. An all-encompassing work of adaptive unease, The Beast (loosely inspired by a 1903 Henry James novella) flouts traditional categorization and instead exults in blurring edges between genres, between lifetimes. Gabrielle (Léa Seydoux) and Louis (George MacKay) keep running into each other at different points in time, and the fingers of fate grasp all the more tightly. In 1910, desire unmakes a marriage in the slowly drowning streets of Paris. In 2014, an aspiring actress and a sociopath meet in the aftermath of a Los Angeles earthquake. And in 2044, in a futurescape that doesn’t feel like one we’ve seen before, fauna shares deserted streets with askew humans adrift in an uncertain space — and the solution is through aggressive DNA therapy that excises past trauma and bad decisions from the brain. How does it get better? There are a lot of philosophical movements, cults and business schools built on the idea that only by suffering can we improve ourselves, so it’s rather refreshing that this film is built upon a giant, world-deranging technological/psychological development of “How about … not?” There’s a common ancestor here with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, but that film’s forget-technology was rooted in the now, with echoes of how dementia unmakes the past in the mind. Here the technology being used (never fully explained, which is probably for the best) works in the past, using similar principles to Terminator’s “one-way surgery on the past” theory. But instead of threats to existence across potential timelines, what’s being eliminated is the trauma of bad decisions, with the idea that they’re like

Sasquatch Sunset

R, 99 minutes

Opening Friday, April 19, at Regal Green Hills and AMC Thoroughbred 20

wacky ways, or the big-footed apes reacting to human technology for the first time. Some great editing, including comedically timed jump-cuts and long shots, help sell the joke.

While many moments might leave you in stitches, the film might also leave you with a broken heart. Despite being a comedy, Sasquatch Sunset is also very depressing, portraying the negative consequences of human interaction with the natural world. When people go into the forest, they leave it a changed place. From pollution to deforestation, we are disrupting the natural order. As the movie stretches on, the comedy moves into the back seat as

the gloomy environmental message becomes more dreary. These moments come off as a punch to the gut — similar to Studio Ghibli films like Pom Poko and Princess Mononoke. It’s an experience that will likely leave you questioning humans as a species and what we are doing to our world.

Sasquatch Sunset is definitely not a movie for everyone — its intense gross-out humor could lose you, and its dark turn has the potential to ruin your good time at the cinema. But those who can get on the Zellner brothers’ wavelength are in for a treat: one of the most odd and unique movies of the decade so far.

recessive genes hanging around threatening to derail happy development in the future.

It’s a wild approach, and we accept it because Bonello is gifted enough that it never feels impossible. We accept these parameters because the film does, and it frees up some intense possibilities. A good portion of The Beast is built around the dialectic between forgiving and forgetting, but it’s staged with a kind of tension that makes you feel like this film may actually be changing the boundaries of reality.

Bonello has a singular gift: He doesn’t make horror films, and yet he finds a way to make a scene of such unimaginable terror that it casts a tone on the whole rest of the movie. Here it’s a scene we experience at different times, with each refraction adding a new layer of unease. If the film’s central thesis involves a technology that, by altering moments in the past can change both the present and the future, it demonstrates so with this central scene, of Léa Seydoux in a green-screen room, in the foyer of an elegant L.A. mansion, in

The Beast

NR, 146 minutes; in English and French with English subtitles

Opening Friday, April 19, at the Belcourt

a moment of digital transition. And it’s the scariest thing I’ve seen in ages, really engaging with tech fears and human frailty in a way that really works.

Scrawled in my notes for The Beast is the phrase, “The freedom to make bad choices,” which could honestly be a great title for a history of the past 45 years. Romance used to be a force of nature, and now it’s more like a meticulously cultivated algorithm. And the recurrent tendency of humanity is to believe our own hype. We want so passionately, with such strength that it bypasses both our internal safeguards and common sense. And despite its facility with the serrated edges of contemporary digital everything, The Beast is a film conceived with an unfathomable respect for the analog mess of human emotion. Tonally, the viewer is kept at the exact right kind of remove — we see, we evaluate, we judge. It’s not even really about feeling called-out, but much more recognizing a form of empathy completely alien to your own experience, and it is an unexpected turn.

The Beast is one of those films that watches you back. ▼

JUNE 6

JUNE 13

JUNE 20

JUNE 27

Nashville’s longest running outdoor movie series, Movies in the Park, is now in its 30th season! The beloved series will return to Elmington Park in June 2024 for four nights of FREE family fun including vendors, food truck fare, giveaways, themed activations and a feature length film screening under the stars.

#MIP24 NASHVILLEMOVIESINTHEPARK.COM celebrating 30 years of free Family fun!

ACROSS

1 Pair on a schooner

6 Last in a series

9 It may be thrown by a vaquero

14 “Hurry with your dinner!”

15 “Gotcha!”

16 Like an obelisk at night, maybe

17 Origin story in Genesis 11:1-9

20 Colorful language?

21 Radar gun stat, for short

23 Parks carefully

24 Co. that launched the world’s first communications satellite

27 Part of 10-Down

29 Last in a series

30 World capital noted for its French colonial architecture

32 Geocaching necessity, in brief

35 “No ___” (“Unacceptable”)

36 Actor Hawke

37 Headstone heading

38 1979 movie with the line “This is Ripley, last survivor of the Nostromo, signing off”

39 Goes around

40 Legal position in municipal govt.

41 Like lead or gold, notably

42 Mario Kart platform

43 Tuber that can be candied

44 A majority of the characters on TV’s “St. Elsewhere,” in brief

45 Neighbor of India: Abbr.

47 Component in a car’s suspension system

50 “___, ___, it looks like rain!”: Christopher Robin

53 Big movie star, e.g.

55 What professional tennis has been in since 1968

57 Where an important call may be directed

58 System that ended in 1917

59 Purplish red

1 Player at Citi Field

2 “That feels nice!”

60 Weeks in Spain DOWN

3 Scientist who notably passed away on 33-Down (2018)

4 You might go on tiptoe while wearing this

5 Fungus-to-be

6 Celebratory seasons

7 First digit of this puzzle’s subject, whose next four digits are the number of rows and then columns of the grid

8 B-ball

9 Apply, as sunscreen

10 Some craft drafts, for short

11 Scientist who was notably born on 33-Down (1879)

12 Make even

13 Home of the Braves, for short

18 New Deal org.

19 What some thank God for: Abbr.

21 Comedian and political commentator Bill

22 Who said “Courage is knowing what not to fear”

25 Carolina N.H.L.’ers, informally

26 Like the main character in many a horror film ... or so they believe

28 “Same here”

29 Mathematician known for the constant “e” (2.71828)

31 Require

32 Starting point for a slippery slope argument

33 An irrational reason to celebrate?

34 Captcha targets

35 One might center around being unprepared for a test

45 Something read by a chiromancer

46 Actress Shawkat of “Search Party”

48 Took a turn

49 Where the Chair of St. Peter can be found in St. Peter’s Basilica

51 ___ Major

52 Relatives of berets

54 “Get it?”

56 Gun lobby grp.

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE

Online subscriptions: Today’s puzzle and more than 9,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/ crosswords ($39.95 a year).

Read about and comment on each puzzle: nytimes.com/wordplay. Crosswords for young solvers: nytimes.com/studentcrosswords.

The

As

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