After late nights with Next Big Nashville’s SoundLand on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, I spent the rest of the weekend dragging. I guess there’s always a price for pursuing good times.
But you know what? Totally worth it.
On Saturday (9/24), BMI sponsored a brunch gathering for SoundLand VIPs at the über-hip Imogene + Willie boutique on 12th Ave. S., thanks to BMI (picture included below). Riff’s and Taste of Belgium food trucks were on site to provide eats. Thank festival organizers Jason Moon Wilkins and Kevin Brown, along with “Party Czar” Emilee Warner, for putting these happenings together.
Later SoundLand turned up the volume at the Neuhoff Factory, a former meat-packing plant overlooking the Cumberland River that is being re-purposed as a mixed-use arts facility. The imposing five-stories high brick exterior enveloped festival attendees in the outdoor performance area and made for a strangely beautiful setting.
The Black Belles
Performers on the bill included Knoxville’s Royal Bangs, Ohio native Jessica Lea Mayfield, followed by Nashville’s Apache Relay and Tristen. The buzz was big for The Black Belles, an all female group discovered by Jack White who looked bewitching in black dresses and hats while concocting a strange brew of surf rock, punk, and rockabilly. Three-quarters female local faves Those Darlins were next, and raced through an energetic set of garage rock rave-ups including “Be Your Bro.” Final slot of the Neuhoff stage went to Jake and Jamin Orrall in JEFF the Brotherhood.
Over at The Basement, twin sister act The Watson Twins were on the bill, to be followed by Nashville’s Caitlin Rose, whose debut Own Side Now is out Sept. 27 via ATO Records. To finish the festivities with a bang, late night revelers got to be nostalgic and rock the night away as My So-Called Band performed all of Nirvana’s Nevermind in tribute to the legendary album’s 20th anniversary.
