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JULY 2–8, 2026 I VOLUME 45 I NUMBER 23 I NASHVILLESCENE.COM I FREE

NEWS:

BUSINESSES PIVOT AS NEW HEMP REGULATIONS TAKE EFFECT >> PAGE 7

FILM:

TALKING TO NASHVILLE NATIVE JOHN EARLY ABOUT HIS NEW FILM MADDIE’S SECRET

>> PAGE 41

Rounding up some savory cocktails, hunting down drink specials, issuing our first Malört Repört and more

WITNESS HISTORY Willie Nelson wore these blue sneakers in the 1970s—the decade that marked his move back to Texas, the birth of the Outlaw movement, and the start of Willie Nelson’s 4th of July Picnic, now over fifty years old. From the exhibit Sing Me Back Home: Folk Roots to the Present artifact photo: Bob Delevante

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NASHVILLE SCENE • JULY 2 – JULY 8, 2026 • nashvillescene.com

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CONTENTS NEWS

SCENE AND BE SEEN

VODKA YONIC

7 Businesses Pivot as New Hemp Regulations Take Effect

32 Over Collision What I learned from teaching writing at Nashville Auto-Diesel College

The state ban on THCA kicks in this month, eliminating smokable offerings

CHECK BACK HERE WEEKLY TO LEARN ABOUT LOCAL PROMOTIONS, PARTNERSHIPS AND EVENTS EVENTS WE’RE INTO

BY SANDEE GERTZ

BY HANNAH HERNER

MUSIC

8 Neighborhood Lawyers Are Outmaneuvering Metro in a Greenway Dispute

35 The Midyear Report A brief look at Nashville music happenings so far in 2026, plus some exciting things to come

A potential overstep by the city is the latest lawsuit in a Bellevue battle against the 417-unit Ariza complex

BY STEPHEN TRAGESER

BY ELI MOTYCKA

36 Play the Legend

Following community backlash, Metro could take control of South Nashville property for public use

38 The Spin

NASHVILLE SCENE SIPS OF SUMMER Enjoy Sips of Summer featuring special deals from nine local bars through July 5 in conjunction with the Drinking Issue. Visit nashvillescene.com.

Roger Spencer’s Songs You Thought You Knew distinguishes jazz myth from fact

9 Mayor Files Legislation Seeking to Acquire Zoo-Area Property Eyed for Data Center

BY RON WYNN

BY JULIANNE AKERS

The Scene’s live-review column checks out Nashville Pride at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park

This week on the Scene’s news and politics blog

BY ANNIE PARNELL, EMMA PICKETT AND GRACE BRASWELL

9 Pith in the Wind 11 COVER PACKAGE: THE DRINKING ISSUE 11 Medicinal Doses Whether at a Nashville restaurant or a bar or just in your yard, sipping limoncello is good for the soul

RADNOR LAKE ART SHOW Celebrate art and conservation at the Radnor Lake Art Show, July 17-19 at Walter Criley Visitor Center, featuring original plein air works inspired by Radnor Lake Natural Area. Visit radnorlake.org.

LOOKING AHEAD

FILM

41 John Early Feels Like ‘a Bull in the China Shop of the Internet’ The comedian and Nashville native talks Maddie’s Secret, the cult of culinary social media and why he’s drawn to ingénues right now

BY STEPHEN TRAGESER

12 The Malört Repört

BY ANNIE PARNELL

42 Calendar Calenture

Rosie’s Twin Kegs in South Nashville makes the polarizing Chicago-founded wormwood liqueur even weirder

MCFW PRESENTS IRON FORK Music City Food & Wine Festival presents Iron Fork at Harken Hall on Nov. 12. Nashville chefs compete for the win. Tickets at musiccityfoodandwinefest.com/ ironfork.

Rose of Nevada doesn’t give us easy answers BY KEN ARNOLD

BY JULIANNE AKERS

15 An Umami Odyssey Audience editor Annie Parnell searches Nashville for savory cocktails

NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD AND THIS MODERN WORLD

MARKETPLACE

BY ANNIE PARNELL

16 Happy Any Time Here are some shot-and-beer specials (and other specials) that aren’t limited to happy hour

TOMATO ART FEST RETURNS Tomato Art Fest returns Aug. 7-8 at Five Points in East Nashville’s Five Points. Visit tomatoartsfest.com.

FREE STUFF

BY HANNAH HERNER

18 Beating the Heat North Nashville’s Tex-Mex spot Tío Fun is now offering soft-serve margaritas BY ALEJANDRO RAMIREZ

CRITICS’ PICKS

ON THE COVER:

The Four Lives and the Energy Vampire at The Fox; photo: Eric England

21 Let Freedom Sing! Music City July 4th, Wet Hot American Block Party, Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman, Jaws and more

BOOKS

NEWSLETTER: nashvillescene.com/site/forms/subscription_services PRINT: nashvillesceneshop.com

Nashville-based author Caroline Hallemann explores the links between the Windsors and the Kennedys

TO ADVERTISE: msmith@nashvillescene.com EDITOR: prodgers@nashvillescene.com

31 Family Affairs

BURLESQUE BRAWL GIVEAWAY Win two tickets to Burlesque Brawl at Eastside Bowl on July 10. Enter at nashvillescene.com/freestuff.

CONTACT

BY FAYE JONES; CHAPTER16.ORG

SEE DOLLY PARTON’S THREADS PAIRED WITH A BACCO GIFT CARD Dolly Parton’s Threads: My Songs in Symphony runs July 14-31 with the Nashville Symphony. Win two tickets plus a Bacco gift card at nashvillescene.com/freestuff.

STAY UP TO DATE FOLLOW THE SCENE ON ALL SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS @NASHVILLESCENE. CONTACT MIKE SMITH AT MSMITH@FWPUBLISHING.COM TO LEARN MORE ON HOW TO PARTNER WITH THE NASHVILLE SCENE

Loving & Selling Nashville for 35+ Years

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NASHVILLE SCENE • JULY 2 – JULY 8, 2026 • nashvillescene.com

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 ASSOCIATE EDITOR Logan Butts AUDIENCE EDITOR Annie Parnell CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Jack Silverman STAFF WRITERS Julianne Akers, John Glennon, Hannah Herner, Hamilton Matthew Masters, Eli Motycka, Nicolle Praino, William Williams SENIOR FILM CRITIC Jason Shawhan EDITORIAL INTERN Emma Pickett CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Cat Acree, Sadaf Ahsan, Ken Arnold, Ben Arthur, Radley Balko, Bailey Brantingham, Ashley Brantley, Maria Browning, Steve Cavendish, Chris Chamberlain, Rachel Cholst, Lance Conzett, Hannah Cron, Connor Daryani, Tina Dominguez, Stephen Elliott, Steve Erickson, Jayme Foltz, Adam Gold, Kashif Andrew Graham, Seth Graves, Kim Green, Amanda Haggard, Steven Hale, Edd Hurt, Jennifer Justus, P.J. Kinzer, Janet Kurtz, Craig D. Lindsey, Margaret Littman, Sean L. Maloney, Brittney McKenna, Addie Moore, Marissa R. Moss, Noel Murray, Joe Nolan, Katherine Oung, Betsy Phillips, John Pitcher, Margaret Renkl, Daryl Sanders, Bobbie Jean Sawyer, Nadine Smith, Ashley Spurgeon Shamban, Amy Stumpfl, Cole Villena, Kay West, Nicole Williams, Ron Wynn, Kelsey Young, Charlie Zaillian ART DIRECTOR Kayla Stark PHOTOGRAPHERS Angelina Castillo, Eric England, Matt Masters GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Sandi Harrison, Tracey Starck, Mary Louise Meadors GRAPHIC DESIGN INTERN Alex Levin PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Christie Passarello MARKETING AND EVENTS DIRECTOR Robin Fomusa EVENTS MANAGER Tristan Maryanski MARKETING AND PROMOTIONS MANAGER Meredith Grantham PUBLISHER Mike Smith ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Michael Jezewski SENIOR ADVERTISING SOLUTIONS CONSULTANTS Teresa Birdsong, Carla Mathis, Heather Cantrell Mullins, Niki Tyree ADVERTISING SOLUTIONS CONSULTANTS Kailey Idziak, Allie Robbins, Andrea Vasquez SALES OPERATIONS MANAGER Chelon Hill Hasty ADVERTISING SOLUTIONS ASSOCIATE Audry Houle SPECIAL PROJECTS COORDINATOR Susan Torregrossa PRESIDENT Mike Smith CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Todd Patton CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER Olivia Britton CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Elizabeth Jones IT DIRECTOR John Schaeffer DIGITAL DIRECTOR Caroline Prater CIRCULATION AND DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR Gary Minnis FW PUBLISHING LLC

For advertising information please contact: Mike Smith, msmith@nashvillescene.com or 615-844-9238 National Advertising: Ruxton Media Group www.ruxton.com ©2026, Nashville Scene. 615 Main St., Suite 102, Nashville, TN 37206. Phone: 615-244-7989. The Nashville Scene is published weekly by FW Publishing LLC. The publication is free, one per reader. Removal of more than one paper from any distribution point constitutes theft, and violators are subject to prosecution. Back issues are available at our office. Email: All email addresses consist of the employee’s first initial and last name (no space between) followed by @nashvillescene.com; to reach contributing writers, email editor@nashvillescene.com. Editorial Policy: The Nashville Scene covers news, art and entertainment. In our pages appear divergent views from across the community. Those views do not necessarily represent those of the publishers. Subscriptions: Subscriptions are available at $150 per year for 52 issues. Subscriptions will be posted every Thursday and delivered by third-class mail in usually five to seven days. Please note: Due to the nature of third-class mail and postal regulations, any issue(s) could be delayed by as much as two or three weeks. There will be no refunds issued. Please allow four to six weeks for processing new subscriptions and address changes. Send your check or Visa/MC/AmEx number with expiration date to the above address.

In memory of Jim Ridley, editor 2009-2016

NASHVILLE SCENE • JULY 2 – JULY 8, 2026 • nashvillescene.com

FC0089

THROUGH SEPTEMBER 27

Spanning one hundred years of modern and contemporary Indigenous art, An Indigenous Present includes works by artists who use strategies of abstraction to represent personal and collective narratives, describe specific and imagined places, and build upon cultural and aesthetic traditions. Co-organized by artist Jeffrey Gibson (member of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and of Cherokee descent) and independent curator Jenelle Porter, the exhibition offers an expansive consideration of Indigenous art practices, highlighting

919 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203 | FristArtMuseum.org

Organized by the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston

a continuum of elders and emerging makers.

Supported in part by

The Frist Art Museum is supported in part by

The Sandra Schatten Foundation

George Longfish. Take Two Aspirins and Call Me In The Morning, You Are On Target (detail), 1984. Acrylic on canvas; 85 x 117 in. Courtesy The Fine Arts Collection, Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art, University of California, Davis. © George Longfish. Photo: Cleber BonatoSCENE • JULY 2 – JULY 8, 2026 • nashvillescene.com NASHVILLE

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NASHVILLE SCENE • JULY 2 – JULY 8, 2026 • nashvillescene.com

NEWS

BUSINESSES PIVOT AS NEW HEMP REGULATIONS TAKE EFFECT The state ban on THCA kicks in this month, eliminating smokable offerings

PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND

BY HANNAH HERNER

WITH TENNESSEE’S NEW hemp regulations going into effect this month, businesses like Clara Jane say 50 percent of their products — “smokables” — will be eliminated. Under new state regulations, joints, vapes and flower containing THCA will no longer be legal to sell at the East Nashville cannabis store and other similar businesses. THCA is what’s known as a cannabinoid — a chemical compound found in cannabis that can be extracted. The sale of THCA was essentially a loophole in the state, legal under Tennessee’s hemp laws. But when burned, THCA converts to the compound THC — a psychoactive (or “high”-producing) cannabinoid that has not yet been legalized. Tennesseans can still get cannabinoids in small doses through edibles and beverages with 15 milligrams per serving or less. They’re also available only at 21-and-up establishments — leaving out gas stations and similar all-ages establishments. Another big change: The regulation of hemp products has been moved from the Department of Agriculture to the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission, as mandated by the Tennessee General Assembly in 2025. U.S. Congress followed suit, passing a law in November 2025 to close the THCA loophole nationally by November of this year.

The Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission has received 1,980 total applications from hemp product makers, with 1,019 processed and 901 of those approved so far, as of this writing. That leaves 961 applications still open, with an average wait time of 29 days, according to a TABC spokesperson. While the application

“TENNESSEE DOESN’T HAVE A CHOICE. THEY ARE EMBARRASSING THEMSELVES BY PUSHING [THC LEGALIZATION] OFF FOR SO LONG.” —ALI DRUMRIGHT, CLARA JANE FOUNDER window opened on Dec. 20, the spokesperson also notes that an influx of 556 applications arrived on or after June 1. Each application pays a $500 fee. Over the years, Clara Jane founder Ali Drumright has formed trusting relationships with product manufacturers. She says she’d like to buy directly from the owner of Cali Sober, for example, but as of January, manufacturers now

NASHVILLE SCENE • JULY 2 – JULY 8, 2026 • nashvillescene.com

have to sell to wholesalers or distributors — a middle man. While customers stocked up on their smokables before July 1, Clara Jane leaned into selfcare products, including lion’s mane and other mushrooms, in addition to the edibles that are still legal to carry. Consider It Flowers, a delivery service for THCA products, shut down last month, as their business will now be obsolete under the new regulations. Local cannabis store Perfect Plant, like Clara Jane, has vowed to stay open and diversify its offerings. “There’s not a lot of us, and it’s really, really sad to see that small community get just stomped out,” Drumright tells the Scene. “I feel really confident about Clara Jane, and what we are, and what we do for our community, that we’re gonna hang around for sure. We won’t be closing our doors.” Even as a since-dismissed federal lawsuit challenging Tennessee’s hemp regulatory framework made its way through the courts, when Jay Mitchell learned about the proposed changes, he pivoted. He could no longer sell directly to retailers with his contract gummy manufacturing business and instead focused on a new, compliant gummy under his own brand, Mighty Fine. He says his gummies are the first registered in the state under the new rules. Mitchell says he’s among a few business

owners in the industry who are happy that the TABC has taken over regulations. “The hemp space has a history of new rules, new threats that get postponed, or injunctions happen, or something always seems to cancel the threat, ” Mitchell says.“When I saw the ABC get involved last year after last year’s legislative session, I knew it was finally getting handed to an adult agency that was capable of enforcement.” That enforcement will include a class-A misdemeanor for unlicensed manufacturing, distribution and sale. If now-illegal products are sold to a minor, that misdemeanor will include 48 hours of mandatory jail time. Hemp suppliers will also be required to have their products batch-tested, with test results available through a QR code on the product. In addition, the commission will conduct routine inspections and undercover operations to ensure compliance. “We have been in a continued battle with the state since I’ve been in the industry,” Drumright says. “At this point it’s kind of gotten as bad as it’s been. We’ve come to a head.” What Drumright and Mitchell have in common is a desire to see cannabis legalized in the future, including sensible regulations. About half of the nation has made marijuana legal for recreational use, and Tennessee is one of only 10 states that do not allow it for medical purposes. In 2018, the U.S. Farm Bill allowed expanded hemp agriculture in Tennessee, and business owners say some of the regulations added since that time have been positive — like ensuring products aren’t marketed to kids. “I’d love to see our state finally get a grip with what cannabis consumption really looks like,” Mitchell says. “We’re way behind on that. What we’re doing now to try to limit some more of these riskier products and put real products and age-gated retail with real consumer protection is a major stride for our state.” Drumright is confident that it’s only a matter of time before the state legalizes THC. “We’re in a prohibition right now with THC in Tennessee — there is no getting around it going legal or medical at some point,” she says. “Tennessee doesn’t have a choice. They are embarrassing themselves by pushing it off for so long.” ▼

NEWS

NEIGHBORHOOD LAWYERS ARE OUTMANEUVERING METRO IN A GREENWAY DISPUTE A potential overstep by the city is the latest lawsuit in a Bellevue battle against the 417-unit Ariza complex NASHVILLE NEIGHBORHOODS typically welcome new greenways, and homeowners’ associations typically don’t volunteer legal teams suing the city into a corner. A new lawsuit from Devin Schultz — contract attorney by day, Harpeth Crest Homeowners’ Association president all the time — disputes a key condition of Metro’s agreement with Texas real estate developers in an ongoing effort to stop the Ariza, a controversial 417-unit apartment complex on the Harpeth River. In 2023, then-Councilmember Dave Rosenberg of District 35 conditioned the Ariza’s building permits on developers first connecting two portions of the popular Harpeth River greenway, which links Bellevue to the Warner Park system. Schultz lives a few hundred yards from where the Harpeth River greenway currently ends, and a hundred-yard wedge critical for the project’s preferred connection runs through his HOA. In May, he petitioned to block any further greenway construction, alleging that Metro and the Houston, Texas-based Cypressbrook Company negotiated the Ariza deal with land that neither controls. At the time, the deal was a win for Rosenberg, who was helping advance Metro’s vision for better parks and recreation. Now the rezoning plan’s fine print is one of many stumbling blocks impeding Nashville’s piecemeal greenway effort. “Metro has authorized and set in motion an imminent and concrete physical invasion of private property without instituting condemnation proceedings or providing any mechanism for just compensation,” alleges Schultz in his 36page complaint filed May 5 in federal court. The suit makes a constitutional appeal to the Takings Clause, a Fifth Amendment protection against government overreach. Schultz, who declined the Scene’s request for an interview, has a valuable legal resource in Jim Rossi, a professor at Vanderbilt Law School and fellow Ariza opponent. Rossi’s scholarly niche includes gov-

PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND

BY ELI MOTYCKA

ernment agency decision-making, tort law, environmental regulation and the very same Takings Clause on which Schultz has built his greenway defense. Rossi lives in a cul-de-sac across the Harpeth River and has marshaled neighbors’ support against the apartment proposal. “This is a physical invasion — at its simplest, every member of that HOA, pursuant to their covenants, has an enforcement right with respect to common property, and that gives them a property right,” Rossi tells the Scene. “This suit is a formidable barrier to the developer constructing the project as it was originally approved and envisioned and the beginning of potentially a long line of litigation.” Metro could escalate the issue with an eminent domain claim, though the city has historically avoided suits directed squarely at its citizens and would face more tough litigation. A 2024 state law significantly raised the legal standard required for using eminent domain to build a greenway. “Isn’t this why we have a Bill of Rights?” Rossi continues, with no detectable hint

ATTORNEY DEVIN SCHULTZ’S CASE PLAYED OUT OVER FIVE WEEKS IN MAY UNDER JUDGE WAVERLY CRENSHAW, ENDING IN A KIND OF STALEMATE. CRENSHAW APPEARED SYMPATHETIC TO SCHULTZ’S ARGUMENT BUT DISMISSED THE SUIT ON JUNE 2 WITHOUT PREJUDICE, MEANING SCHULTZ CAN FILE AGAIN. 8

NASHVILLE SCENE • JULY 2 – JULY 8, 2026 • nashvillescene.com

of sarcasm. “You can’t take away an individual’s rights just because a majority deems it’s popular.” The city’s defense tells a different story. Metro attorneys call the project a “long-anticipated greenway” and call Schultz’s suit an “11th-hour crisis of his own creation.” “[Schultz] asks this Court for the extraordinary remedy of a preliminary injunction without offering a shred of evidence of imminent, concrete harm and despite years of notice about the project that he now claims is ‘urgent’ to stop,” reads Metro’s response to the lawsuit. “His allegations rest on speculation, his asserted rights do not exist, and the governmental process he seeks to interrupt has not even produced a final decision.” That last part is the only relevant detail for now. Schultz’s case played out over five weeks in May under Judge Waverly Crenshaw, ending in a kind of stalemate. Crenshaw appeared sympathetic to Schultz’s argument but dismissed the suit on June 2 without prejudice, meaning Schultz can file again. (He is likely to.) Crenshaw ruled that Schultz’s Takings Clause claim is not “ripe” until the Metro Stormwater Commission formally rules on a pending variance sought by Cypressbrook. That decision could come as early as July 9, the next scheduled Metro Stormwater Commission meeting. In the meantime, project opponents are winning the

peace. Construction delays are costing the real estate developer $9,000 a day, according to a legal affidavit. The site’s previous owner approached the Metro Planning Department to discuss multifamily development as early as the mid-2010s and sold the parcel to Cypressbrook in 2023. Rosenberg finally passed the legislation in July 2023 after brokering the rezone plan over several years, a win for density and housing advocates. Nearby residents cast the plan as an existential threat. Opponents at the time frequently described a hypothetical scenario in which traffic and flooding could conspire to block ambulance access to Lakeshore Meadows, a neighboring senior community. Like the greenway itself, Schultz’s lawsuit is a piece of a larger puzzle; neighbors have opposed Cypressbrook’s Ariza development since at least 2021, and the greenway suit is part of a multifront effort to delay its arrival. Schultz’s HOA was behind another lawsuit in 2023 over ingress and egress access necessary for Ariza construction; that case ended in Davidson County Chancery Court with a favorable ruling for Cypressbrook. With Schultz poised to sue again, the city has met a determined legal opponent who has made a small greenway connection into a big deal. ▼

NEWS

MAYOR FILES LEGISLATION SEEKING TO ACQUIRE ZOOAREA PROPERTY EYED FOR DATA CENTER Following community backlash, Metro could take control of South Nashville property for public use BY JULIANNE AKERS

METRO NASHVILLE COULD soon take control of a South Nashville property near the Nashville Zoo currently being targeted for a controversial data center by an Atlanta-based tech company. Mayor Freddie O’Connell’s office filed condemnation legislation on Monday seeking to use eminent domain to acquire the property located at 648 Grassmere Park for public use. O’Connell, in an emailed statement to the Scene, says Metro has a “legitimate need for this property.” “I have carefully followed the concerns from the community and the zoo and also remain deeply concerned about the proposed use,” O’Connell says. “With the closure of the Metro Southeast campus and growing needs at [the Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure] and the fire department, we’ve identified a variety of needs for this site,” O’Connell says in a video statement issued Monday afternoon. “Nashville will continue to grow, and that’s a good thing. The growth should reflect our values. We can support economic development while also making smart choices about the highest and best use of our land.” Atlanta-based digital infrastructure company DC BLOX recently filed a building permit with Metro proposing to construct a one-story, 10-megawatt, 69,220-square foot data center at the site. Additional engineering reports indicate that the project could also include a three-story, 40-megawatt data center building, a substation, associated parking lots and a guard house. Metro stormwater permit documents show that the site’s stormwater drainage outfalls flow directly onto degrading stormwater infrastructure located on the Nashville Zoo property.

The proposal has sparked fierce pushback from Nashvillians concerned about the data center’s potential environmental and noise impact on the surrounding neighborhood and animals at the zoo. O’Connell’s office met with DC BLOX earlier this year and declined to offer the company incentives. The mayor’s office suggested the company discuss the proposal with the zoo before the project was announced. DC BLOX failed to do so. In a statement to the Scene, DC BLOX says there is “misinformation” about the data center project. “There continues to be misinformation shared in the public about the DC BLOX project in Nashville and we are proceeding in our efforts to meet with city officials, zoo leaders, and community members to discuss their concerns and to find a favorable resolution,” the statement reads. “This project is not an AI factory, as some fear. No noise will be generated above existing ambient sound levels on the site and we are confident we can design solutions to address all other concerns raised.” The mayor’s condemnation legislation has been late-filed for the Metro Council’s July 7 meeting, where councilmembers can decide whether to consider it. Also on July 7, the council will consider a bill on its second of three readings that would create strict data center regulations. While O’Connell hasn’t expressed explicit support for the regulations, he has pushed for a 90-day data center moratorium temporarily restricting the construction of the facilities. This also comes as a proposed data center on Fisk University’s campus has sparked additional community backlash from students, alumni and the North Nashville community. ▼

PITH IN THE WIND NASHVILLESCENE.COM/NEWS/PITHINTHEWIND

On June 24, state Sen. Janice Bowling (R-Tullahoma) was joined by dozens of legislators and anti-abortion advocacy group Tennessee Right to Life for the erection of a “monument to the unborn” on the grounds of the state Capitol. Also present were protesters led by state Rep. Aftyn Behn (D-Nashville) and Tennessee Advocates for Planned Parenthood. The monument — the first in the nation on the grounds of a state capitol — was dedicated on the fourth anniversary of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, which set into motion a trigger ban on abortion in Tennessee. State Sen. Tom Hatcher (R-Maryville) worked with Maryville Monument Company, which charged half price for the monument and installation — $7,500, which Hatcher raised through his nonprofit, Tom Hatcher Charity. Nearby monuments include one memorializing victims of the Holocaust, and another for victims of slavery. Former state Rep. Bill Dunn (R-Knoxville) compared abortion to those two atrocities.

A big data dump last month from European hackers corroborates Vanderbilt University Chancellor Daniel Diermeier’s role in “Dialog,” a secretive network backed by billionaire Peter Thiel. “Dialog,” Thiel and the emergent sociopolitical climate of Silicon Valley share the cultural, political and philosophical direction that has emerged under Diermeier. In a short statement to the Scene, Vanderbilt did not dispute Diermeier’s involvement in “Dialog.” Instead, the administration characterized Diermeier’s behavior as service to the university. “Chancellor Diermeier regularly engages with a broad range of stakeholders who represent a variety of perspectives — including students, faculty, alumni, donors, civic leaders, industry partners, and community organizations,” reads the statement.

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with ADAM ROSS at PARNASSUS The Shampoo Effect SATURDAY, JULY 11 10:30AM

When the Metro Charter Revision Commission officially certified a petition last week to ban racing at The Fairgrounds Nashville, firing a starting gun might have been appropriate. The long-awaited approval began a 90-day process for NASCAR opponents to gather voters’ signatures behind a referendum that would strike “auto racing” from the Metro Charter in favor of “affordable housing” as a required fairgrounds activity. The anti-racing effort needs a bit more than 40,000 signatures — 10 percent of active county voters — not including extras for insurance. A storied loop, the track has been eyed for renovations by NASCAR operator Speedway Motorsports, which operates the nearby Nashville Superspeedway in Wilson County.

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Rounding up some savory cocktails, hunting down drink specials, issuing our first Malört Repört and more

Medicinal Doses

Whether at a Nashville restaurant or a bar or just in your yard, sipping limoncello is good for the soul BY STEPHEN TRAGESER IF I COULD get away with telling people I came up with something as good as limoncello — a tart, sweet digestivo that tastes like liquid summertime — I sure would. Indeed, both Sicily and Italy’s Amalfi Coast have staked a claim as its birthplace. Limoncello’s medicinal properties have been touted on occasion, though they are probably exaggerated: After all, the liqueur is primarily alcohol and sugar with fragrant, flavorful essential oils extracted from fruit zest suspended in it. But I do believe in the ability of limoncello and its cousins to cement new memories and evoke old ones. And that’s as important to me as the medications prescribed by my doctor. One treasured memory includes three things from the dinner my wife Sarah and I enjoyed on the first anniversary of our first date, at the sadly now-shuttered 404 Kitchen: her warm smile, a phenomenal Korean wing appetizer and my first taste of limoncello, which was house-made. Today in Nashville, you can find limoncello at many wine shops and liquor stores, and fairly often in the form of a limoncello spritz — sometimes called an Amalfi spritz, it’s usually a blend of limoncello, sparkling wine and/or soda water, often with some aromatics — on the cocktail menu at bars or restaurants, usually those with Italian lineage. East Nashville bar Strega has a limoncello spritz, as does Monday Night Brewing’s taproom in Germantown’s Neuhoff complex. Monday Night makes its spritz with housemade limoncello and cava. It’s a perfect patio drink, with a pleasingly light taste that leans into the sweet part of limoncello’s flavor profile without overpowering the invigorating zing. New York restaurateur Anthony Scotto’s Luogo and Pelato

restaurants offer a limoncello margarita. I’m particularly curious to get to one of the periodic feasts at Mangia Nashville and try their sgroppino, a kind of spritz that uses housemade limoncello granita (a frozen, flaky concoction akin to sorbet). My favorite way to enjoy limoncello is on my porch, out of a rocks glass with a generous splash of tonic water. I also love that I made it myself (with a kit Sarah got me that includes nice bottles). You don’t need any special gear though, since recipes are abundant online and the process is straightforward. Pour 750 milliliters of your favorite vodka into a tight-sealing glass jar that will accommodate it with a little room to spare. Thoroughly wash eight big lemons and use the sharpest peeler you can find to zest the skin in big strips — you want to remove the outer peel, or zest, with as little as possible of the white part, or pith, to keep from making the finished product too bitter. (This works great with other citrus fruits including limes and grapefruit; arancello, made with oranges, is my new favorite. There are also intriguing recipes using berries.) Let the zest soak in the vodka in a cool, dark place for at least four weeks, or as many as eight. When it’s time to decant, prepare 2 cups of simple syrup; recipes vary on the proportions, but rather than the standard 1:1 ratio, I like 0.75 cups sugar to each cup of boiling water. Divide the syrup evenly between the new vessel(s) that will house your limoncello — Mason jars are great. Add the liqueur base, which will now be a rich golden color, and then use a big funnel, a spoon and a cheesecloth (or even a couple coffee filters) to squeeze as much liquid as possible out of the zest. Chill and enjoy.

LIMONCELLO SPRITZ AT MONDAY NIGHT BREWING PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND

NASHVILLE SCENE • JULY 2 – JULY 8, 2026 • nashvillescene.com

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

THE MALÖRT REPÖRT Rosie’s Twin Kegs in South Nashville makes the polarizing Chicago-founded wormwood liqueur even weirder

PHOTOS: ANGELINA CASTILLO

BY JULIANNE AKERS

“We will undoubtedly continue to craft the most cursed, shameful Malörts that we can come up with.” 12

— Maxwell Wheeler, bartender NASHVILLE SCENE • JULY 2Rosie’s – JULY 8, 2026 • nashvillescene.com

JEPPSON’S MALÖRT IS controversial. The Chicago-founded brand of liqueur known for its bitter taste and wormwood flavoring is often described in myriad distinct ways — not always in a positive light. Amid my research for this story, a friend described the drink as “tasting like ashtray juice.” One bartender told me his favorite description is “like a grapefruit that’s been left in a men’s locker room for a couple of days.” Needless to say, Malört is an acquired taste — one that many never acquire. But people who like the liqueur don’t just like it. They love it. For the past several years, South Nashville dive bar Rosie’s Twin Kegs has been putting its own bizarre twist on the polarizing drink. Bartenders have been whipping up their own concoctions using Malört — ranging from savory flavors like beef ramen, chicken ramen, ranch dressing and Kraft macaroni-and-cheese to sweeter offerings like chocolate Nesquik, Peeps, root beer, matcha and Earl Grey tea. While these might sound repulsive to some, the outlandish flavors — posted on Rosie’s Instagram account (@rosiestwinkegs) — have gained traction on social media. Rosie’s bartender Maxwell Wheeler tells the Scene the flavors usually sell out quickly, sometimes in just one night. “If they’re especially disgusting, they may last a bit longer, like the KFC Malörts did,” Wheeler says, referencing what taste testers found to be one of Rosie’s most revolting flavor mixtures. “I would say cursed, heavily reviled,” Wheeler says of the Malört blend made from jelly beans in the flavors of Kentucky Fried Chicken, gravy and corn. This is how Rosie’s makes many of the Malört combinations — by letting candies dissolve in the liqueur. Some of the more savory fusions are made by pouring in powdered flavor packets. Wheeler says he wants to experiment with new

flavor methods, like adding habanero peppers and other fresh produce. Back in March, Rosie’s hosted a “Malört Madness” bracket, with the Lemonhead candy flavor coming out on top. Wheeler strongly disagrees, saying “Malört-Lört” (Malört flavored with Malört candy) was his favorite. For decades, Malört was a regional favorite adored almost solely by Chicagoans who embraced the liqueur as a part of the city’s history and culture. But as its production has expanded and its internet popularity soars, Malört is entering a renaissance. Wheeler says he thinks this comes as a part of larger trends in the service industry. “I think that the bar community especially was so on Fernet and Chartreuse for so long, and then Chartreuse became harder to get, and people have kind of grown out of Fernet, and so this is really just kind of filling that hole in the culture,” he says. “And being that it’s something new, and I think so ubiquitously loved within the culture, even if you hate it, you love that it’s a part of the culture now. I think there’s just a lot of excitement around it.” And while some say Malört tastes like a tire fire smells (a description given to me by the Scene’s editor-in-chief), the Rosie’s staff gives the liquor plenty of love. Bartender Morgan Scrivner tells the Scene he loves Malört so dearly that he kept track of how many shots of the drink he took last year. That number: 1,256, he tells the Scene from behind the bar while wearing a Malört T-shirt. Whether you’re intrigued or disgusted, Rosie’s says they’re not stopping the diabolical mixtures anytime soon. “We will undoubtedly continue to craft the most cursed, shameful Malörts that we can come up with,” Wheeler says.

A BREAK THAT HITS ALL THE RIGHT NOTES Electrify your time in Music City with a stop by the Gibson Garage, Nashville’s legendary guitar experience & music venue.

GIBSON.COM/GARAGE

209 10TH AVE S, NASHVILLE, TN | OPEN DAILY

NASHVILLE SCENE • JULY 2 – JULY 8, 2026 • nashvillescene.com

Eat and Drink! Live Music Nightly! Elevated Style! Forever Nashville!

The Countrypolitan • 315 Union Street • Countrypolitannashville.com

Enjoy our Americana Burger during Nashville Scene’s Burger Week July 6-12!

Take Flight to Nashville’s Newest Rooftop Bar Tacos, Tequila y Más from Chef José Andrés

@butterflybyjose | butterflybyjose.com | team.nashville@butterflytacos.com

NASHVILLE SCENE • JULY 2 – JULY 8, 2026 • nashvillescene.com

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

An Umami Odyssey

Audience editor Annie Parnell searches Nashville for savory cocktails BY ANNIE PARNELL

THE PATTERSON HOUSE’S BACON BOURBON OLD FASHIONED

OLD GLORY’S MICHELLE-LADA IN MY EARLY 20s, I once told a guy to “surprise me” when he went to get us a round at a bar — and I turned my nose up at the tequila sunrise he brought back for me. I was being kind of an asshole, and probably doing some tomboy posturing, but I’ve also never done well with fruity drinks. I tend to find them cloyingly sweet, and I inevitably end up regretting the sugar when a headache arrives the next morning. In the past, I’ve defaulted to ordering just a craft beer or a highball — but recently, I’ve started to think there has to be another way. Enter the savory cocktail: a time-honored menu option that’s seeing a new wave of interest due to renewed crazes over martinis, charcuterie and tinned fish. I’ve taken a deep dive into some of Nashville’s most intriguing options for drinkers whose palates prefer the piquant. Local savory drinks range from spicy to salty to crisp, with recipes that go far beyond the dirty martinis you might be used to, and they feature a range of surprising ingredients: bacon, wasabi, even yogurt.

Read on for a few that I’ve found particularly notable — and some that are next on my list to try. My love affair with savory drinks began with Old Glory’s Michelle-lada, a riff on the classic Mexican beer cocktail brainstormed by the bar’s co-owner Michelle Pham. It’s refreshing and spicy, and skips the tomato juice in favor of rich, umami-forward tonkatsu sauce, with a kick from Worcestershire sauce and the salt and sansho pepper on the rim. I think a dressed beer is the perfect summer drink, especially when you have somewhere to be later. It’s a great way to sip on something that feels special, but only packs the ABV punch of a light lager. If you’re missing that tomato juice or just nursing a hangover, Lipstick Lounge’s Bloody Mary menu might be perfect for you. I grew up in the D.C. area, where Old Bay is the Bloody Mary seasoning of choice, and I appreciate that East Nashville’s renowned lesbian bar makes their own mix. They pair it with a variety of flavored spirit concoctions: The Hateful Queen features black pepper vodka, while the B.L.T. is

THE FOX’S FOUR LIVES

THE PATTERSON HOUSE’S PICKLE MARTINI

made with house-infused bacon vodka, and the Hot Tail has sriracha, extra spices and a jalapeño on top. Also in East Nashville, swanky speakeasy The Fox Bar & Cocktail Club has a few savory options to choose from. I’m intrigued by their Tiny ’Tini, which is served with a single oyster, but on a recent visit I opted for a couple of their fullsize signature drinks. The Energy Vampire is a gin-and-tonic with vermouth and lavender, providing layers of earthy, floral flavor that balance beautifully with the full-size capers the drink is paired with. It’s named for Colin Robinson, the soul-sucking What We Do in the Shadows character, and is just as mystifying but far more alluring and delicate. For an ideal dessert round, try the Four Lives, a clarified rum drink with shiso and wasabi gomme. It’s a multifaceted drink that looks like mist in a glass, and it tastes like salted caramel with a subtle hint of mint. If you’re near Music Row, The Late Great, a cocktail lounge in Virgin Hotels Nashville, offers an array of playful country-themed cock-

THE FOX’S ENERGY VAMPIRE

tails. I’m curious about the White Lightning, a Mediterranean riff on a White Russian that combines vodka with Greek yogurt, cucumber, dill and lemon. The Stand by Your Man, meanwhile, is a tequila-based drink with barbecue fig jam, served with homemade jerky. But a savory drink journey would be incomplete without a visit to the alchemists at The Patterson House, where savory drinks are in their DNA. Currently on offer on their Short Menu is their Pickle Martini, their variation on a current trend. Ask for the Long Menu, though, where beloved recipes are enshrined over time, and you’ll find that their Bacon Bourbon Old Fashioned has its own page. Bacon-washed whiskey is one of the ingredients in the Patterson canon known as The Pantry, and it adds a smoky, fatty flavor to this surprisingly light drink. Introduced in 2009, at the height of the bacon craze, this is a Nashville classic for a reason — a combination that feels timeless and innovative all at once.

LIPSTICK LOUNGE’S BLT BLOODY MARY

PHOTOS: ERIC ENGLAND

NASHVILLE SCENE • JULY 2 – JULY 8, 2026 • nashvillescene.com

HAPPY ANY TIME

Here are some shot-and-beer specials (and other specials) that aren’t limited to happy hour

THERE WAS A time in my life when I was really stressed about what to order at the bar. My childhood best friend Tanner gave me instructions: First, ask if there’s a special. If you don’t want the special, say: “Vodka cran, please.” In Nashville, my engrained strategy is all but useless. “Nope, no special, everything full price,” is a likely reply. A solid drink special feels so elusive here that I’m embarrassed to ask. That, or the deals have passed me by once happy hour’s done — which is often, criminally, at 6 or even 5 p.m. But there are still some places to get a buzz on the cheap at any hour of the day. This is a (far from exhaustive) list of some.

BASTION’S PUNCH OF THE DAY

PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND

East Nashville’s Vinyl Tap has perhaps the best range of options, with four shot-and-beer combos at $7 apiece. One of those is a Chicago Handshake — Malört and an Old Style beer. (Read more about the former in our Malört Repört, elsewhere in this issue.) Gramp’s Garage Bar is another top East Side contender, with four shot-and-beer specials, each for $10 or less. Try the Happy Meal — Fernet Branca and a Miller High Life pony — or stay on theme with

a pickle beer and a shot of Old Grand-Dad Bourbon. If you’re a pickle person, it may be mandatory to try the Pickleback (a shot of Four Walls whiskey and a shot of house pickle brine) at Germantown’s Mother’s Ruin for $9. For those looking for something a bit more fruity while flipping through vintage records or perusing second-hand tees, Garage Sale Vintage offers $8 shot-and-beer combos featuring a Budweiser plus a shot of fruit-infused tequila or vodka made in house. An old reliable in East Nashville’s Five Points is Duke’s, which offers a rotating shot-and-beer combo for $7, and — true to its laid-back m.o. — promises “no nonsense, nothing nasty.” Take a small bar crawl at any time of day by going from Vinyl Tap to Schulman’s, and snag the rotating shot du jour for $7. I love daily specials — it feels almost as good as opening a blind box. Wedgewood-Houston mainstay Bastion’s $11 punch of the day scratches the same itch. It’s not quite crawl-able from Bastion, but nearby GoodTimes offers its own “beer and a bump” Coors Banquet and draft cocktail shooter special. Lower Broadway is perhaps the trickiest place to get sauced on a budget, but a few places stand out from the rest. Nudie’s Honky Tonk offers a shot of tequila and a Montucky lager for $10, and there’s always the reliable Recession Special at Robert’s Western World — a bologna sandwich, a PBR and a Moon Pie for $6. Otto’s, which you could say offers East Nashville-y vibes on the West Side, offers a Miller High Life pony alongside a shot for $9. Whoever programmed the “Happy All Day” menu at GreenHouse in Green Hills is a person after my own heart. The menu features a GreenHouse shot with rum and melon for $3, alongside ranch waters, sangria, Jell-O shots and spiked fruit tea, among other deals.

PHOTO: HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS

BY HANNAH HERNER

GRAMP’S GARAGE’S BEER-AND-SHOT SPECIALS

PICKLEBACK AT MOTHER’S RUIN PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND

NASHVILLE SCENE • JULY 2 – JULY 8, 2026 • nashvillescene.com

JULY 7 SPRINGER MOUNTAIN FARMS BLUEGRASS NIGHTS AT THE RYMAN

SIERRA HULL JULY 11

AIR SUPPLY JULY 14 SPRINGER MOUNTAIN FARMS BLUEGRASS NIGHTS AT THE RYMAN

THE INFAMOUS STRINGDUSTERS JULY 19

BILLY BOB THORNTON & THE BOXMASTERS JULY 24 & 25

BLACKBERRY SMOKE WITH JASON NEWSTED

JULY 30-AUGUST 1 & AUGUST 6-8

VINCE GILL NOVEMBER 4 & 5

DWIGHT YOAKAM

THE ROOFTOP DRINK EVERYONE TALKS ABOUT

PEOPLE’S CHOICE LA Jackson’s People’s Choice became such a crowd favorite that guests kept asking for its return year after year. Made with vodka, strawberry, Genepy, cucumber, and lemon, the large format cocktail has become a signature rooftop order built for groups. NASHVILLE SCENE • JULY 2 – JULY 8, 2026 • nashvillescene.com

PHOTO: ANGELINA CASTILLO

Beating the Heat

North Nashville’s Tex-Mex spot Tío Fun is now offering softserve margaritas BY ALEJANDRO RAMIREZ TENNESSEE SUMMERS ARE no joke, which is why the owners of Tío Fun went and got themselves a soft-serve machine and started making cups of margarita-inspired concoctions. But if the thought of lime, Tajín and milk gives you pause, don’t fear: There’s no dairy in the margarita soft-serve, which is based on a pineapple whip, though the lime offering does contain alcohol. Co-owner Mikey Corona says the soft-serve margarita will be offered year-round (or for “as long as the machine works”), and lime will be the mainstay flavor. The nonalcoholic margarita soft-serve flavor will rotate. When the Scene sampled the nonalcoholic option in June, it was mango, but strawberry and pineapple have also filled the slot. Customers can also order a swirl of the two flavors — Corona’s favorite order. The lime certainly feels like a simple margarita, and while it’s not too boozy, the ample serving size means you might want to grab a plate of tacos or a torta before digging in. (Which you should do anyway.) The combo of lime and mango tasted great (sweet and citrus can’t miss), but as a fan of tart flavors, I’d call standalone lime the winner. Whatever flavor you choose, the cup looks great: The bright, mountainous swirl is inviting, garnished with a slice of fruit to add the touch of flair you’d expect from a traditional cocktail. There were a few impressed gasps at the Scene’s table when taste-testing the boozy and nonboozy treats. The soft-serve feels more like a dessert than something to pair with a hearty meal — you might want to stick with Tío Fun’s frozen margarita for that — but I do think it works well when sharing nachos with the table. Plus the size is part of the appeal. The colorful restaurant plays host to happy hours and thematic brunches, so show up, grab a cup and stay awhile.

Tío Fun 1008 Buchanan St. tiofun.com

NASHVILLE SCENE • JULY 2 – JULY 8, 2026 • nashvillescene.com

open daily for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner thebrownsdiner.com 2102 Blair Blvd.

NASHVILLE SCENE • JULY 2 – JULY 8, 2026 • nashvillescene.com

NOW THROUGH JULY 5 CHEERS TO THE TASTE OF SUMMER! Summer has a ﬂavor, and it’s being served all over town! Now through July 5, nine local favorites are pouring exclusive cocktails you won’t ﬁnd any other time of year. SCAN FOR MORE INFO

Walk in, ask for the Sips of Summer menu, and ﬁnd the drink you’ll be ordering all season. Cheers!

BROWN’S DINER

BUTTERFLY

PEACH FUZZ $7 + MORE

MANGO CHAMOY MARGARITA $14 + MORE

Peach moonshine, peachcello, peach schnapps, limón, mint and soda

L.A. JACKSON

Laelia Blanco Tequila, Magdala liqueur, lime, cucumber and habanero

LOCKELAND TABLE

PEOPLE’S CHOICE $14 Vodka, strawberry, génépi, cucumber and lemon

NASHVILLE SCENE • JULY 2 – JULY 8, 2026 • nashvillescene.com

MEXICO HONEY $16

Catón Tequila, yellow chartreuse, guava, lime and Angostura bitters

CHIEF’S ON BROADWAY CHILLIN’ WITH JACK $10 + MORE

Jack Daniel’s, strawberry purée and lemonade

LOU/NA DREAMSICLE $12 + MORE

Crown Royal Vanilla and orangecello in a collins glass with a cherry garnish

BAR MAR PEACH SANGRIA $10 + MORE

Albariño, peach liqueur, manzanilla, peach and Topo Chico

COUNTRYPOLITAN CUMBERLAND GARDEN $15* + MORE

Empress Cucumber & Lemon Gin, ginger honey Syrup, yuzu, buzz button *Enjoy an additional $5 off during happy hour

OTTO’S BAR PEPPERMINT PAT TEA $9 + MORE

Rum cocktail with peppermint tea

CRITICS’ PICKS: WEEKLY ROUNDUP OF THINGS TO DO

PHOTO: NASHVILLE CONVENTION AND VISITORS CORP

Visit calendar.nashvillescene.com for more event listings

LET FREEDOM SING! MUSIC CITY JULY 4TH

As America celebrates its 250th birthday, the city has a huge lineup of semiquincentennial festivities on deck for the Fourth of July weekend. Musical performances will take place over a two-day span on five stages throughout downtown — kind of similar to CMA Fest, but with even more focus on patriotism. The lineup is a bit of a mishmash, with performers including The All-American Rejects, Boyz II Men, Clint Black, Nick Jonas, Lauren Daigle and Sublime, alongside local favorites like Brothers Osborne and Brittney Spencer. Ryan Seacrest will host the live show Saturday (which will air on Hulu), with local country artist Emily Ann Roberts serving as the backstage correspondent. The night will end with the city’s massive annual fireworks display, which this year will include a drone show and will be accompanied by the Nashville Symphony under the direction of conductor Enrico Lopez-Yañez. EMMA PICKETT JULY 3-4 THROUGHOUT DOWNTOWN NASHVILLE

WET HOT AMERICAN BLOCK PARTY PAGE 22

THE MINKS W/ANNIE WILLIAMS & ZOOK PAGE 22

SHOW TUNES AT SID’S PAGE 26

[CULINARY WORLD CUP]

ENJOY FOOD FROM WORLD CUP NATIONS

We’re well into the 2026 FIFA World Cup now, and more than half of the tournament’s 48 teams have already headed home after being eliminated in the group stage and knockout rounds. While these nations’ North American adventures are over, you can always be a winner by treating yourself to dishes from World Cup qualifiers big and small. (We’ll focus on recent Scene features to cast a smaller net.) Uzbekistan, for example, made its World Cup debut this year, but Nashvillians may already be familiar with dishes like plov and jiz-biz thanks to Thompson Lane’s Osh. For fans of Egypt’s Pharaohs, Galilee serves both forward Mo Salah’s beloved koshary and Best of Nashville-winning pita. La Cucharita offers affordable Colombian food that’s a perfect pairing for a James Rodriguez through ball, and The Iberian Pig has desserts so good they might make you feel less bad about the fact that Spain’s Lamine Yamal is much more accomplished than you at just 18

years old. Best of Nashville 2025 is chock-full of recommendations for Japanese (Kase x Noko, Babychan, 888, Sushi | Bar), Mexican (Alebrije, Maíz de la Vida) and Turkish (the always reliable Edessa) food, and you could always just say “I’m doing this in honor of Christian Pulisic” while chowing down on [insert your favorite burger/ barbecue/fried chicken place here]. COLE VILLENA

MUSIC

COMMUNITY

[BIG BASH]

FOOD

THURSDAY / 7.2

JULY 3-4

[TOP DOWN]

SILAS LOWE W/CRISTINA VANE

Although there are exceptions, most mainstream country music exists in a zone where economic pain is overcome by lifestyle choices that can seem fanciful. For the Nashville singer and songwriter Silas Lowe, living in a small town has its charms, but it’s no walk in the park. Lowe writes about surviving on the fringes of North American society on his 2025 album Mirror Behind the Bar. He ends a song called “Trickle Down” with this couplet: “I can’t wait another day / For help from those on top.” Meanwhile, “Brown Gravy Kitchen” describes the day-to-day slog of existing in a town where there’s no library, no interstate and nothing to do. Because Lowe sings in a mild voice that only occasionally reveals the desperation

NASHVILLE SCENE • JULY 2 – JULY 8, 2026 • nashvillescene.com

FOOD

American Block Party, appropriately featuring hot dogs and drink specials. A much-needed reprieve from the Tennessee heat can be found with a waterslide and water gun fights. Plus there will be a dunk tank wherein participants can sink Schulman’s bartenders. If you’re (understandably) pessimistic about the state of the country and don’t want to celebrate the Fourth, but still feel like heading to Schulman’s, I recommend my personal favorite menu item: a 40-ounce bottle of Miller High Life. JULIANNE AKERS NOON AT SCHULMAN’S NEIGHBORHOOD BAR 1201 PORTER ROAD

[SUMMER NIGHTS]

THURSDAY NIGHT OUT FEAT. CHARLES ‘WIGG’ WALKER

Looking for a nice, relaxing way to ease into your holiday weekend? Cheekwood’s popular Thursday Night Out series continues this week, offering a perfect blend of food, music and summertime vibes. You can grab a cocktail and stroll the gardens. Or maybe choose a tasty treat from cafe and bakery Perenn, or one of the fun food trucks available — including HauteWheels Rolling Sandwich Co., Yayo’s OMG, New Berlin Eats and The Pink Truck. Then settle in on the arboretum lawn for a great evening of music from Nashville’s own Charles “Wigg” Walker. A veteran of the local soul and R&B scene, Walker is the real deal, having worked with big names like James Brown and Otis Redding and enjoying a career that spans more than six decades. This is also a great time to explore Cheekwood’s new train installation, America the Beautiful: National Parks & Landmarks by Rail — a terrific

MUSIC

[GAS SAVERS]

THE MINKS W/ANNIE WILLIAMS & ZOOK

Dunno about you, but I’m driving with the windows down a lot lately — for the gas savings, at least — and I’m always looking for music that’ll complement the experience. The three bands playing The 5 Spot on Thursday have me covered. Topping the bill are The Minks, reconvening for the first time in a bit around rock ’n’ soul frontwoman Nikki Barber, who’s been playing a lot of solo gigs this spring and winter. The group’s most recent single, October’s “Love Me Right,” is a slow, groovy rocker about mutual respect, and it continues on the trajectory of higher fidelity and more experimental sounds they embarked on with their 2023 LP Creatures of Culture. Since the 2024 release of her contemplative stunner of an album Visitor, songsmith Annie Williams has continued to be a part of the scene by contributing to great local records and supporting her pals’ shows. If you’re lucky, maybe you’ll hear some new tunes on Thursday. Zach Tittel’s Zook project rounds out the bill. He ended 2025 strong with his YK Records release Evaporating, a collection of thoughtful rocking pop songs whose threads of influence you might trace to artists as divergent as T. Rex and Nick Drake. STEPHEN TRAGESER 9 P.M. AT THE 5 SPOT 1006 FOREST AVE.

NASHVILLE SCENE • JULY 2 – JULY 8, 2026 • nashvillescene.com

FRIDAY / 7.3 FILM

exhibition honoring some of the nation’s most iconic sites. AMY STUMPFL 5 P.M. AT CHEEKWOOD ESTATE & GARDENS 1200 FORREST PARK DRIVE

[THE BEACHES ARE OPEN]

JAWS

There are endless classic movies you can boot up on Christmas and Halloween each year to celebrate. I personally watch Christmas Vacation and Scream, respectively. Thanksgiving, Valentine’s Day and New Year’s don’t have quite as deep a lineup, but there are still plenty of options to choose from. But when it comes to the Fourth of July, there’s only one true option: Jaws. With all due respect to Independence Day, Steven Spielberg’s summer blockbuster prototype is the perfect choice for that midsummer vibe. Even though it came out more than 50 years ago, the movie never feels old thanks to its perfect pacing, enduring themes and killer set pieces. Nashville’s favorite indie horror house is sticking to tradition, giving us a chance to set sail with Brody, Hooper and Quint to rewatch one of cinema’s most influential — and flat-out entertaining — adventures. LOGAN BUTTS 7 P.M. AT FULL MOON CINEPLEX 3445 LEBANON PIKE, HERMITAGE

SATURDAY / 7.4 COMMUNITY

MUSIC

that fuels his songwriting, Mirror might seem conventionally well-turned in the time-honored Americana manner. Don’t be fooled — it’s tough stuff that speaks to the economic depredations of the Trump era. Thursday at Dee’s, Lowe will share the bill with Nashville guitarist and singer Cristina Vane, who collaborated with him on “Do You Want to Lose,” a tune from her 2025 album Hear My Call. Vane is a well-schooled blues guitarist who has a foot in the singersongwriter tradition, and the blues licks don’t overpower the songs. EDD HURT 9 P.M. AT DEE’S COUNTRY COCKTAIL LOUNGE 102 E. PALESTINE AVE., MADISON

[ON THE BLOCK]

WET HOT AMERICAN BLOCK PARTY

If the hustle and bustle of downtown’s Fourth of July celebration isn’t your speed, you can head over to East Nashville for holiday festivities on a smaller scale. Schulman’s Neighborhood Bar will host its Wet Hot

MUSIC CITY HOT CHICKEN FESTIVAL

Nothing screams “Nashville” like stuffing your face with hot chicken in 90-degree weather with humidity north of 60 percent! I’m being totally earnest — seriously, it’s the Nashville way. A popular tradition established two decades ago by former Mayor Bill Purcell, the Music City Hot Chicken Festival will once again go down this Fourth of July in East Park and is set to include an amateur-chef contest judged by a panel of esteemed Nashvillians (including Scene reporter Eli Motycka). It won’t be all amateurs of course, as pros including Bill’s Hot Fish and Chicken, Hattie B’s, Hurt’s Hot Chicken, the originators at Prince’s Hot Chicken and several others will be there selling their fiery fowl. Attendees can cool their palates with a beer from Yazoo Brewing Company or a treat from Retro Sno, and entertainment will be provided by Mount Worcester, Animaleja and Fly2k. Festival proceeds will benefit Nashville’s parks, and the whole shindig kicks off with the annual fire truck parade down Woodland Street. (Expect “antique and modern fire trucks plus unique vehicles, mascots, bands and of course beads!”) Find more details at hot-chicken.com. D. PATRICK RODGERS

PARADE 10:30 A.M. AT WOODLAND AND NINTH STREETS; FESTIVAL 11 A.M.-3 P.M. AT EAST PARK 700 WOODLAND ST.

MUSIC

THE ALTERED STATESMAN

[HOT TOWN, SUMMER IN THE CITY]

[FLIPPIN’ OUT]

FLIPSVILLE FOURTH OF JULY FEAT. THE ALTERED STATESMAN, BLOODSHOT BILL & MORE

Flipsville, the rock ’n’ roll happening held at Springwater the first Friday of each month, is the brainchild of Tyler Davis. “Everything’s based in rock ’n’ roll and rhythm ’n’ blues,” Davis tells the Scene. A typical Flipsville Friday begins with an art and record market in the game room with DJs spinning garage rock, rockabilly and soul records, followed by a couple of burlesque dancers, the Vincent Quinn Combo and two other bands. This year, in addition to Friday’s show, Davis is hosting a special Fourth of July edition of Flipsville at the club on Saturday that begins late afternoon with a cookout and record and art markets. “I just wanted to do something big,” Davis says of the special holiday show. “We’re firing up the grill, and we’re getting burgers and dogs and vegetarian options, too. And it’s all free.” Jerry O. and Mean Dean will get the music started at 5:30 p.m., followed by The

COMING SOON 06.10 06.29 07.19 07.22 07.23 07.31 08.01 08.06 08.07 08.15 08.29 08.31 09.15 09.16 09.21 09.22 09.26 10.15

THE LAST DINNER PARTY LOUIS TOMLINSON KALEO AEW PRESENTS: DYNAMITE & COLLISION MEN AT WORK & TOAD THE WET SPROCKET KETTAMA DIRTY HEADS THE BLACK KEYS THE BLACK KEYS ELLA MAI MAT KEARNEY SOCIAL DISTORTION TOVE LO TAKING BACK SUNDAY JUNGLE MUNA DYLAN GOSSETT & CHARLES WESLEY GODWIN OLE 60

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PHOTO: VON REISCH

UPCOMING SHOWS AT THE MUSEUM’S CMA THEATER

CENTENNIAL PARK WALKING TOUR

JULY 24

OCTOBER 1

PJ MORTON

SARAH JAROSZ

SATURDAY NIGHT SUNDAY MORNING TOUR

10 YEARS OF ‘UNDERCURRENT’

Altered Statesman. Canadian rocker and Goner recording artist Bloodshot Bill will close out a bill that includes Garrett DeVaughn, Stargurl, Cha Cha Heels and Shady Unicorns, as well as burlesque dancers and DJs who will “keep the party going” during the set changes. There’s no cover, but donations to Flipsville are accepted and appreciated. DARYL SANDERS 4 P.M. AT SPRINGWATER SUPPER CLUB & LOUNGE 115 27TH AVE. N.

COMMUNITY

SUNDAY / 7.5

NOVEMBER 1

NOVEMBER 13

BRUCE COCKBURN

THE JAYHAWKS

WITH SPECIAL GUEST LIVINGSTON TAYLOR

SANCTUARY PARK TOUR: CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF THE JAYHAWKS

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

BOOKED BY @NATIONALSHOWS2 • NATIONALSHOWS2.COM

The CMA Theater is a property of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

1 24MKTG_Scene_1:2Page_PrintAd_Rolling_07.02.26.indd NASHVILLE SCENE • JULY 2 – JULY 8, 2026 • nashvillescene.com

224 REP. JOHN LEWIS WAY S • NASHVILLE, TN CMATHEATER.COM • @CMATHEATER

6/26/26 10:24 AM

CENTENNIAL PARK WALKING AUDIO TOUR

The latest offering from Nashville Sites — an organization that offers free self-guided tours created and curated by local experts — is a 12-stop jaunt around Centennial Park that highlights the 132-acre space’s most notable spots as well as some of its hidden history. Everyone knows the tour’s starting location, our replica Parthenon, but the trek delves into some lesser-known facts of the area. One location on the tour is the former public swimming pool complex behind the Centennial Arts Center. Nashville Scene Podcast co-host and Nashville Sites cultural ambassador Jerome Moore narrates this section of the audio tour, which relays the story of activists Kwame Lillard and Matthew Walker Jr. — two college students who, in 1961, staged a “swim-in” to challenge Nashville’s segregated swimming pools. As the park continues its $10 million expansion, Nashville Sites is doing the necessary work to preserve the land’s history. LOGAN BUTTS ONGOING AT CENTENNIAL PARK 2500 WEST END AVE.

FILM

Museum members receive exclusive pre-sale opportunities for CMA Theater concerts. Learn more at CountryMusicHallofFame.org/Membership.

[TAKE A WALK]

[ROSEBUD]

CITIZEN KANE 85TH ANNIVERSARY SCREENINGS

What is the greatest film of all time? While we’ll never have a single consensus pick, over the decades, the default answer has become Citizen Kane. The film has a reputation that’s as oversized as that of its main character, its

iconic status overshadowing just how solid this classic truly is. Orson Welles directed the film when he was 26 years old, and with his youth came innovation. As the movie follows Charles Foster Kane (based on newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst and played by Welles), we come to see how this hardworking American businessman died such a lonely old man, with his mysterious last word haunting the entire narrative. Along the way, Welles uses everything in his cinematic tool kit, from placing the camera below the floor to get the shots he wants, to elongating a table to symbolize a crumbling marriage, to providing one of the earliest uses of a jump scare to keep audiences engaged. It’s one of those films you watch and instantly understand why its legacy still holds today. You can see it for yourself at Regal locations, where it will be celebrating its 85th anniversary. Check regmovies.com for showtimes. IAN MATTHEWS JULY 5 & 8 AT LOCAL REGAL THEATERS

JULY 10, 2026

STAFF PICKS JUN 16 TO JUL 31

4:15 PM | 7:00 PM Tickets at adventuresci.org

DOLLY PARTON’S THREADS: MY SONGS IN SYMPHONY JULY 12

THE FAB FOUR: THE ULTIMATE TRIBUTE Presented without the Nashville Symphony

AUG 14

Make Your Pick. NashvilleSymphony.org

SPIRITS OF SUMMER: MYTHOS & MELODIES

UPCOMING SHOWS

HOUSE PARTY JULY 10 @ THE MIL

OFF CAMPUS NIGHT JULY 10 @ MAINSTAGE

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AVA LIV MABRY LOWWARTNICINKGE!T JULY 13 @ ROW ONE

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Sodown

Aug 21 @ THE MIL

STANLEY SIMMONS SEPT 23 @ ROW ONE

EVAN GIIA

SEPT 26 @ THE MIL GRAB YOUR TICKETS TODAY AT

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SIERRA HULL

TUESDAY / 7.7 [PLUCKIN’]

BLUEGRASS NIGHTS AT THE RYMAN FEAT. SIERRA HULL

When anyone argues who the greatest mandolin player might be, I respond simply, “Sierra Hull is the best,” and there is rarely any pushback. Rather than showcasing the intensity of many at the top of their game, Hull has a level of artistry and skill — as singer, songwriter and instrumentalist — that comes from joy, which shows up in every note of her diverse portfolio. Her most recent EP, the concerto The Movements, blends classical structure with newgrass sensibilities. Her past collaborators range from Sturgill Simpson to Dolly Parton. Her jam-band credentials include work with the Allman Betts Family Revival, Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann’s Billy and the Kids and the Power Station era of Cory Wong. Just for fun, track down the Wong rehearsal video — you’ll be as stunned as the band was with her improvisational brilliance. Hull nonetheless maintains her mastery of traditional bluegrass, as shown by her duet with Billy Strings on a cover of Bill Monroe’s “Midnight on the Stormy Deep” for Austin City Limits’ 50th anniversary

KEVIN BROWN (KEVBRO)

7:30 P.M. AT THE RYMAN 116 REP. JOHN LEWIS WAY N.

FILM

g e t one get one

SHOW TUNES AT SID’S

Once you’ve had your fill of all the standard Fourth of July festivities, you can count on Sid Gold’s Request Room for some real fun and vocal fireworks. As Nashville’s only live piano karaoke bar, Sid’s is serving up craft cocktails and big splashy sing-alongs six nights a week. This week’s lineup includes everything from a delightful Drunken Disney show to a fab burlesque night hosted by Viola Vainglory, and even a BYO Vinyl night with Jude Mason (of WNXP) and Soccer Moses. But my favorite has to be Show Tunes at Sid’s, hosted by Nashville theater favorite Megan Murphy Chambers every Monday. Accompanied by the marvelous Jamey Green on piano, MMC leads a raucous (and often full-house) crowd in a celebration of all things Broadway. Having recently celebrated its fifth anniversary, this dazzling crew shows no signs of slowing down. And whether you’re looking for a way to recuperate from the holiday weekend or just meet up with some Broadwayloving pals, Show Tunes at Sid’s just may be the best two hours you spend all week. AMY STUMPFL ONGOING AT SID GOLD’S REQUEST ROOM 3245 GALLATIN PIKE

MUSIC

Buy one Buy one

[ON BROADWAY]

celebration. Even though much of her work probably isn’t technically bluegrass, as Hull pointed out at a recent Country Music Hall of Fame Musician Spotlight event, it’s a mandolin — it’s always going to sound like bluegrass. Here’s a chance to see what that means.

[YEAH, BABY!]

STAFF PICKS: AUSTIN POWERS: INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MYSTERY

Something tells me Mike Myers is itching to bring the Austin Powers franchise back to the big screen. Along with resurrecting Powers characters for a Verizon commercial, he recently said another movie is happening. Coincidentally, the Belcourt will have a Staff Picks screening of Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, still one of the funniest surprises to come out of the ’90s. People forget how much of an unexpected sleeper hit this 1997 spoof of James Bond movies (and other kitschy secretagent flicks) was, with Myers playing both the titular superspy and Dr. Evil, his Lorne Michaelssounding archnemesis, as they take their rivalry from the swinging ’60s to the grungy ’90s. It amassed enough of a cult rep on video for New Line Cinema to turn it into summer blockbuster IP, with Myers eventually dropping two sequels that were more like nonsensical, dick-jokefilled cash grabs. You’re better off catching the still-inventive, still-hilarious original at the Belcourt, with an introduction from staffer Erin Thompson. CRAIG D. LINDSEY 8 P.M. AT THE BELCOURT 2102 BELCOURT AVE.

WEDNESDAY / 7.8 MUSIC

MUSIC

MONDAY / 7.6

[RED PILL, BLUE PILL]

BLOC PARTY

Back in the early to mid-Aughts, when it came to lasting and influential cultural exports, the U.K. was really cooking — from Ricky Gervais’ The Office (2001-2003) to Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later (2002) and Amy Winehouse’s indelible Back to Black (2006). Right there in the mix, leading the British wave of indie-rocking post-punk revival, was Bloc Party’s 2005 debut Silent Alarm. Described incessantly but not inaccurately by music critics at the time as both “frenetic” and “angular,” Silent Alarm features nervy guitar interplay reminiscent of Gang of Four, Television and Wire — a collection of dancy, upbeat tracks that manages to feel slick but never overproduced. The four-piece has seen some lineup changes in the 21 years (!) since that first album, but frontman Kele Okereke and guitarist Russell Lissack remain, and they’re set to release their seventh studio album — Anatomy of a Brief Romance — later this summer. Catch them July 8 at the Mother Church, where they’re likely to play tunes from all over their frenetic, angular catalog. D. PATRICK RODGERS 7:30 P.M. AT THE RYMAN 116 REP. JOHN LEWIS WAY N.

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MONDAY, JULY 6 5:30-7:30PM

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(Inside Skinny Dennis) 2635 Gallatin Pike

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VotE foR youR faVoriTe!

SP ON SO RE D

There’s no telling what our restaurants are cooking up this year. But one thing is for sure…we need your help to crown the winners! Once you’ve had all the burgers you can handle, vote for your favorite dish in one of three categories:

BEST OVERALL BURGER BEST UNIQUE TOPPINGS BEST TRADITIONAL BURGER

Don’t miss a bite! sceNebuRgerWeek.com

Get the most out of burger week with the Nashville Food Weeks App

FIND PARTICIPATING LOCATIONS

EARN POINTS TOWARD PRIZES

SHARE PHOTOS OF YOUR MEALS

Stay tuned to Instagram (@nashfoodweeks) throughout the week for surprise giveaways, bonus point opportunities, and even more chances to score delicious prizes. NASHVILLE SCENE • JULY 2 – JULY 8, 2026 • nashvillescene.com 27 @nAshfO odwEeks @nAshvIlle.ev eNtS

Try $8 specialty burgers for one week only! icon guide Carry out available Vegetarian available upon request Gluten-free available upon request Outdoor seating available

Emiliano’s Steakhouse

Quarter pound smash burger topped with Colby Jack cheese, blackberry barbecue sauce, Jack Daniel’s glazed onions, crispy onion straws, black pepper bacon, pickled jalapeños and ranch.

Coconut brioche, signature beef patty, honey mayo, roasted peppers, arugula, Muenster cheese, sweet plantain purée, bacon jam with coffee and amaretto, topped with crispy onion chips.

Chief’s on Broadway

Emmy Squared Pizza - Green Hills, Germantown, Gulch, East

The Blackjack

Hungover and Hard Up

Available via Uber Eats

Jack Daniel’s Whiskey glazed smash patties topped with cheddar cheese, sunny side up egg, crispy onion strings and a whiskey bacon aioli. Served with lettuce and tomato.

try it with Graza mayo

City Winery Nashville

51 North Taproom HabaGoat

Hand patted ground beef, famous HabaQ Sauce, herb goat cheese spread, sauteed mushrooms and arugula on a charpier’s bun.

Barrel Proof

Jammy Eat World

What’s in “The Middle” of this burger? Classic ingredients reimagined. Spiced tomato jam, pickled white onion with rice wine vinegar and sumac, dressed spicy cucumber, a slice of gouda cheese, and mayo to balance it all out, all on a Martin’s potato bun.

Beyond The Edge

Spice, Spice Baby

Alright stop, collaborate, and listen. Two smash patties loaded with American cheese, crispy bacon, fried jalapeños and our cilantrojalapeño aioli.

Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer Silverbelly Whiskey BBQ Burger

7 oz. Certified Angus Beef burger, crispy bacon, aged cheddar cheese, a thick crispy onion ring, Silverbelly Whiskey BBQ sauce and mayo.

Bluestone Lane BSL Burger

Juicy beef patty layered with house-made fig jam, fresh arugula, slow-caramelized onions and velvety garlic aioli nestled in a toasted brioche bun.

Brewhouse - 100, West, South The Brewhouse Burger

Our signature burger topped with smoked brisket, grilled onions, American cheese, lettuce, tomato and pickles on a toasted brioche bun. Jalapeño Mayo served on the side with fries and slaw.

Brown’s Diner

Jail House Smash

Crumbled bacon smash burger, American cheese, fried plantains and our house made peanut butter sauce, grape jelly, pickled Jalapeños, chopped toasted peanuts and a touch of Duke’s mayo. Inspired by the King himself!

Cafe Between

Double “O” Burger

An 8oz beef patty topped with cheddar, caramelized onions, onion rings, & bourbon BBQ sauce, on a toasted pretzel bun.

Camburgers

Prosciutto & Pesto Smash Burger

Crispy Prosciutto, basil aioli, peppadew relish and mozzarella cheese on a brioche bun. This burger is Chef Will’s Mediterranean spin on the classic American bacon cheeseburger.

Cledis Burgers & Beer – Elm Hill, Bellevue, Gulch Raspberry Beret

Grilled onions, white American cheese, bacon, fried egg and raspberry brie served on a hot honey croissant.

Common Ground Bar & Eatery The CG Smashburger

Two seasoned patties, American cheese, melted onion, house pickles and CG sauce on a toasted bun.

The Countrypolitan Americana Burger

We designed this burger as an ode to Americana music with its blend of folk, country, bluegrass, blues and R&B. Char broiled house blend steak burger, seared country ham, watermelon onion jam and American cheese on a toasted butter bun.

Crush Yard

The Crush Burger

An 8oz Angus beef patty topped with black forest bacon, house made beer cheese, a sunny-side-up egg, crispy onions, iceberg lettuce and our signature Crush Sauce on a toasted salty brioche bun.

Dog Haus Biergarten East Nashville The Cheeseburger

Smashed 100% all natural Creekstone Farms black Angus beef paired with white American cheese, diced onion, pickle, shredded lettuce and secret sauce! Served on a King’s Hawaiian bun.

Double Dogs

Bacon Cheeseburger

Single hamburger patty topped with one slice of American cheese, two slices of hickory smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato and Duke‘s® Mayonnaise.

Drake’s Come Play - Cool Springs, Murfreesboro Mini Southern Comfort Burgers

Two Old Bay-seasoned Drake’s butcher blend patties with pimento cheese, potato chips, mayo and pickles on warm butter-toasted buns. Served with chips.

Tropical Smoked Burger

Chopped Cheese

Chopped grass fed beef, American cheese, red onion and bell pepper on a pretzel bun with ketchup and pickles.

Fat Bottom Brewing Fever Peach

A hand-crafted burger patty layered with melted smoky Gouda and sweet-and-spicy hot honey peach compote on a toasted potato bun.

Flat Tire Diner

Hayden’s Breakfast Burger

Fresh ground chuck burger patty with thin sliced applewood smoked ham, large fried egg topped with creamy classic Hollandaise (yep! the real sauce made with butter, egg yolks & fresh lemon juice) all stacked on our fresh baked Bakery bun topped with chives & a dash of paprika.

Germantown Cafe GTC Burger

Prime cut beef patty, Boursin cream cheese, onion bacon jam, spring mix, comeback sauce and house-made sweet & spicy pickles on a brioche bun.

GoodTimes Full Service Bar Paradise Burger

Two smash burger patties, spam, sautéed pineapple, American cheese, jeow bong sauce, sesame BBQ sauce and furikake seasoning.

Gray & Dudley G&D Burger

Bobby John Henry Bun, custom blend beef patty, Nueske’s bacon, Tillamook cheddar, heirloom tomato and gem lettuce.

Graze Nashville

Chipotle Green Chili Buger

House made seitan-quinoa patty, vegan cheddar, Tex-Mex marinade tomatoes, guacamole, green chilis and chipotle aioli on a toasted burger bun.

Halls Catch

Seared Tuna Burger

Served rare with Eastern-inspired flavors, local farm vegetables, bacon XO sauce and spicy mayo on Portuguese sweet bread.

Harth Restaurant & Bar

The French Onion Burger

Caramelized onions and mushrooms with crispy Swiss cheese on a toasted butter brioche. Topped with a Kosher dill pickle.

Elliston Place Soda Shop

Jack Brown’s Beer & Burger Joint – Germantown, Edgehill, Green Hills

Start with caramelized onions, add crispy bacon, a spread of goat cheese and finish with a spicy drizzle of our homemade hot honey.

100% Wagyu beef patty, American cheese, Duke’s mayo, thinly sliced onion, shredded lettuce, sliced pickles and locally sourced heirloom tomatoes.

Centennial Burger

One & Done

Don’t forget to vote for your favorite burger of the week at sceneburgerweek.com!

NASHVILLE SCENE • JULY 2 – JULY 8, 2026 • nashvillescene.com

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Th Am

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Do M

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Jasper’s

Park Cafe

Stoke Haus Brewing & Barbecue

Two smashed beef patties topped with melted American cheese, sauteed onions, dill pickles and mustard on a brioche bun.

Prime cut beef patty, Boursin cream cheese, onion bacon jam, spring mix, comeback sauce and house-made sweet & spicy pickles on a brioche bun.

Quarter pound patty smoked and seared to order on a toasted bun with roasted jalapeño cream cheese, fresh jalapeños, cheddar cheese, chopped bacon and coffee BBQ sauce.

Smash Burger

Joyland – East, Charlotte Ave

Hereford Burger

Perfectly Fine

Burrgerito

Created in collaboration with Secret Bodega, this Burger Week special starts with a Joyland beef patty topped with chili crisp beans, melted Chihuahua cheese, passion fruit salsa verde and crispy fried tortilla strips.

Junies

Chorizo Smash Burger

50/50 blend of chorizo and ground beef, pepper jack cheese, roasted poblanos, jalapeño Zippy Sauce and pickled red onion on a brioche bun with a pickled jalapeño skewer.

JWB Grill

The Outlaw Burger

Bold blend of short rib and brisket topped with smoked butcher-cut bacon, aged cheddar, signature burger sauce and cowboy candy. Sweet, spicy, smoky, and packed with unforgettable flavor in every bite.

Karrington Rowe

The Perfect Compadre

Chorizo burger with chile relleno (cheese stuffed poblano pepper), rajas de habanero or rajas de jalapeño (habanero or jalapeño strip with onions, lime juice and spices).

The Pharmacy Burger Parlor & Beer Garden – East, Downtown Pineapple Express

Sliced pineapple, ham, bourbon BBQ sauce, cheddar cheese, smoked jalapeño and red onion.

punk wok

Prime cut beef patty, Boursin cream cheese, onion bacon jam, spring mix, comeback sauce and house-made sweet & spicy pickles on a brioche bun.

Limo Peruvian Eatery

Grilled, pho-spiced beef patty, hoisin/lemongrass glaze, jalapeño mayo, fried shallots, sweet pickles, Vietnamese pickles, shredded lettuce and cheddar on Charpier bun.

Finger Lickin’ Burger

Creek Stone Farms Angus beef patty, pepper jack cheese, house-smoked pulled pork, jalapeño bacon, crispy onions and a tangy BBQ sauce served on a King’s Hawaiian bun.

Diablo Burger

Juicy burger with chorizo, smoked gouda, caramelized onions, chimichurri aioli, spicy golf sauce and crispy potato sticks.

Sandwiched between a toasted bun, our Honky Tonk Grill will be topping our all-beef patty with jalapeños and onions, smoked cheese and spicy BBQ sauce from our good friends and longtime neighbor, Jacks BBQ.

Love and Exile Restaurant & Bar Chopped Cheeseburger

Fresh ground beef patties chopped right on the griddle with sweet caramelized onions and melted American cheese. Served hot on a toasted hero roll with crisp shredded lettuce, fresh tomato slices, mayo and ketchup.

Blistered Tomatillo Smash Burger

One smash patty covered in melty American cheese, grilled bourbon onions, housemade pickles and a fire roasted tomatillo aioli served on a Martin’s potato bun.

Queso Crunch Smash Burger

Two onion-smash patties with white American, smoked jalapeño queso, dill pickles, Flamin’ Hot crunch on a toasted potato bun.

Thistle and Rye Patty’s Melt

The Smashville Crunch

Tres Puntos Food

Flame-grilled burger on a toasted brioche bun with fresh lettuce, tomato and red onion smothered in house buffalo cream cheese dip and finished with a bacon-wrapped jalapeño popper.

A juicy house beef patty topped with slow-cooked crispy pork belly, melted queso de mano, cheddar cheese and crunchy chicharrón. Finished with our signature bacon-papelón glaze. Served on a toasted brioche bun.

Porkbellicious

Urban Dog Bar

Double MOOYAH Cheeseburger with American Cheese, lettuce, tomato and MOOYAH sauce.

A smashburger wrapped in a flour tortilla with American cheese, pickles, shrettuce and comeback sauce. Everything you want in a burger, just without the bun.

4oz signature beef patty seasoned with a Nashville hot blend, sharp cheddar cheese, house made crispy onion rings and blossom sauce on a toasted potato bun.

Sonny’s Patio Pub

A perfectly seasoned American beef patty layered with melted American cheese, fresh lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles and STK’s signature special sauce. Served on a toasted bun.

Otto’s Bar

Nashville Blossom Burger

Crispy smashburger, triple cheese melt, fried bologna, grilled onions and crunchy chili cheese Fritos. Stacked with all the fixings on a toasted brioche bun.

STK Cheeseburger & Fries

MDC

Teddy’s Tavern

Crispy-edged beef patties fried in beef tallow, stacked with melty American cheese and all the classic fixings - shredded lettuce, tomato, minced onion, pickles and 1000 Island sauce - on a sesame seed bun.

STK Steakhouse

MOOYAH Burgers Fries & Shakes – Brentwood, Frankin

Brisket chop chop patty, American cheese, chili relish and Bamba smoke sauce.

Top Note Rooftop

Dry aged beef, American cheese, mustard aioli, special sauce, red onion and pickles.

The legendary double meat on challah bun with double American cheese, stacked iceberg, tomato and pickle.

Taco Bamba

Sidecar Bar

Stateside Burger

The “Rose” Burger

Burger patty with smoked brisket BBQ debris gravy, blackened shrimp, Molli’s remoulade sauce, lettuce, tomato and onion.

Classic griddle burger with a zesty mustard burger sauce.

Stateside Kitchen

Mesero

Sully’s Smoke Shack

The Burger Queen

Showstopper Jalapeno Popper

Makeshift

Two juicy all-beef sliders with cheddar, crispy bacon, pickled red onions, house smoked garlic and chipotle aioli, topped with a crunchy potato chip. Smoky, tangy and packed with flavor.

Perfectly smashed beef patty topped with melted Cooper Sharp cheese, savory XO bacon jam, crispy gochugaru fried onions and bright ginger-scallion slaw. Finished with fermented Fresno aioli and served on shokupan bread.

Rosemry & Beauty Queen

Mack Royale

Love’s Alibi

Chipotle Crunch Slider

Bamba Double Smashburger

Robert’s Western World

Choriburger

Streetcar Taps & Garden – Germantown, Charlotte Ave

Surf and Turf Po-Burger

The Bahn Mi

Red Onion Grill

KR Burger

No Bun Intended

The Texas Twinkie Smoked Burger

Vote for your favorite burgers

Vote in three categories and help us crown the champions!

@nashfoodweeks sceneburgerweek.com

The Bacon Jam Smash

Two smashed patties, smoked gouda, housemade bacon jam and crispy onions on a Martin’s potato bun.

Xül Beer Company

PB&J Re-Mixtape Burger

1/3lb Certified Angus steak burger, grape onion bacon jam, spicy peanut sauce, Jarlsberg cheese and arugula.

Best Overall Burger Best Traditional Burger Most Unique Burger

NASHVILLE SCENE • JULY 2 – JULY 8, 2026 • nashvillescene.com

BurgEr  Week July 6-12

SPONSORED BY

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

Sun’s out, Buns out Burger Week is back!

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BOOKS

FAMILY AFFAIRS

Nashville-based author Caroline Hallemann explores the links between the Windsors and the Kennedys BY FAYE JONES

Philip attended the funeral in place of the queen, who was pregnant. At one point after the service, Jackie became overwhelmed and stepped into a bedroom. There she found Philip playing with John Jr. It’s a touching story for many reasons, not the least being that it sheds a different light on Philip, not necessarily known for his gentle side. Another lesser-known connection is the Kennedy memorial at Runnymede, the site where the barons forced King John to sign the Magna Carta. In 1964, the Kennedy Memorial Trust “was established to oversee a commemoration in two parts.” One established scholarships for British postgraduates to study at Harvard and MIT, with more than 570 students benefiting to this day. The other was an actual memorial, ending with a black stone block inscribed as follows: PROBABLY NO TWO families have captured the public’s attention more than the Kennedys and the Windsors. Older boomers remember where they were when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. The next generation got up early to watch the fairy-tale wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana. There was the public fascination with the sexiest man alive, John F. Kennedy Jr., and those who remembered the tiny boy saluting his father’s coffin rejoiced when he married Carolyn Bessette. Then there was the outpouring of public grief as first Diana and then John Jr. died untimely deaths. And of course, the cycle continues with Harry and Meghan’s separation from the family, Andrew’s scandals and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s controversial tenure as secretary of health and human services. As digital director for Town & Country magazine, Caroline Hallemann has covered both families. In The Kennedys & the Windsors: The Story of Two Dynasties, One Born, One Made, the Nashville-based writer details how their lives have intertwined for the past eight decades. Despite the relentless scrutiny of the press, some stories have been overlooked, and Hallemann brings half-hidden gems to light. For example, after JFK’s assassination, Prince

This acre of English ground was given to the United States of America by the people of Britain in memory of John F. Kennedy, born 29 May 1917, President of the United States 1961-63, died by an assassin’s hand 22 November 1963. In 2023, the Kennedy Library Foundation hosted the Earthshot Prize, an initiative developed by Prince William to sponsor ideas addressing some of our planet’s major ecological problems. Prince William said he was inspired by President Kennedy: “It was the moonshot speech that inspired me to launch the Earthshot Prize with the aim of doing the same for climate change as President Kennedy did for the space race.” Even when Hallemann discusses well-worn topics, by placing the two families together, she comes up with a fuller picture. For example, readers long inundated with photos of Jackie and Princess Diana might think there is nothing new to say about their personal style, but they clearly remain fashion icons. Just recently, a New York Times story about white pants featured a picture of Jackie. According to Hallemann, Diana’s black sheep sweater sold for over a million dollars at auction in 2023, and an authentic re-creation is an annual bestseller. “Diana,

Queen Elizabeth, and Jackie Kennedy regularly serve as easily recognizable inspiration for modern runway collections,” she writes. “One rarely needs to peruse the show notes to spot the references.” No discussion of the two families can be complete without taking on the paparazzi. Jackie was followed by the press wherever she went as first lady. In the 1980s, she sued photographer Ron Galella for assault, emotional distress and invasion of privacy. This attention only escalated for Princess Diana, John Jr., Carolyn Bessette and Meghan Markle. Diana was hounded by the paparazzi, and she also used them to her advantage. John Jr., having grown up with the attention, seemed to take it in stride, while Prince Harry, who blamed the press for his mother’s death, felt angry that his family didn’t do enough to protect Meghan. But perhaps the saddest of all the stories here is that of Carolyn Bessette, who seemed totally unprepared for the nonstop interest in her life. After the death of Princess Diana: Carolyn could not tear herself away from the television coverage, watching and wondering if she, too, would meet a similar fate, given how ruthlessly the paparazzi pursued her and John. “I think it scared her. I think it shocked her, because she was human and she was really empathetic. It scared her about having children,” a friend said. “She was afraid of something happening if she was out with a child and John wasn’t around her.”

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It is hard not to feel sympathy for Carolyn and a little guilt about our own eagerness to see pictures of people who are just trying to get on with their lives. One of the strengths of the book is that, while it’s detailed with all the information a Kennedy or Windsor watcher could want, Hallemann is never voyeuristic. Her approach is always measured, and she never forgets that she is writing about real people. For more local book coverage, please visit Chapter16.org, an online publication of Humanities Tennessee. ▼

The Kennedys & the Windsors: The Story of Two Dynasties, One Born, One Made By Caroline Hallemann G.P. Putnam’s Sons 384 pages, $35

nashvillesceneshop.com NASHVILLE SCENE • JULY 2 – JULY 8, 2026 • nashvillescene.com

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OVER COLLISION

What I learned from teaching writing at Nashville Auto-Diesel College BY SANDEE GERTZ THUR 6PM WHITE ANIMALS FREE 2.1

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Vodka Yonic features a rotating cast of women, nonbinary and gender-diverse writers from around the world sharing stories that are alternately humorous, sobering, intellectual, erotic, religious or painfully personal. You never know what you’ll find in this column, but we hope this potent mix of stories encourages conversation. THE PAY WAS low and my heels were high as I embarked up the steep metal stairs of Nashville Auto-Diesel College, one day in 2014. I paused every few steps to dig a heel out of the stairs as they caught at my feet. H.R. had told me there was a dress code for teachers, so there I was in Easter Sunday attire. Others who hadn’t had time to eat on their way to class bounded past me, names embroidered on their blue shirts, munching on an apple or chips they’d picked up at the convenience store across the street. Even though the campus has now been demolished, I still half-expect to recognize a few faces crossing the street whenever I drive past that particular stretch of Gallatin Pike. I can still imagine the fumes from the spray-painting that went on below us, when I had a three-hour window once a week to teach writing composition for the school’s associate’s degree program. I was assigned a room with a dry-erase board, a projector, and car parts strewn around the perimeter and wedged behind my desk. One time I tripped on a piece of a fender as I drilled my students on grammar lessons, clicking the PowerPoint slides forward only after the group voiced the correct answer in unison. One of the

NASHVILLE SCENE • JULY 2 – JULY 8, 2026 • nashvillescene.com

guys came to pull me up from my less-than-dignified fall — my peach skirt askew and forehead dripping sweat. Some students were military veterans returning to school because the government paid for them to continue their education. “Sure, why not?” they’d say. They chose to take classes at a night school that they felt aligned with their values. Class discussions were sometimes heated, and we had a diverse group. But it was a golden time between 2014 and 2016, and if we didn’t have the same politics back then, it wasn’t a conversation-ender — this was pre-Trump era, and people discussed topics civilly. Some students looked so young that I thought they must be straight out of high school, but they told me they’d already done three tours of duty. Most all of them had been to Afghanistan, and had stories as dark as the grease beneath their fingernails. I found out more through their writing assignments. I found out about explosions. Being in a bunker. Losing a platoon mate. They wrote argument papers that shed light on the damage many said they had sustained simply from the sounds of war — concussion-type injuries that came from noises that shook them so hard their minds felt crushed in the searing heat of the desert. One guy told me he was on eight different medications, and that he wanted to write but had trouble concentrating. After class ended, we turned the empty desks around and sat down together, sounding it out. I read essays by mechanics who were also drummers — it is Nashville, after all — and one by a man whose

father was a famous country artist. His essays were full of gorgeous sensory images of the buses and trailers and music, and he tried his hand at poems. Some were so good that I encouraged him to publish them. Many might think that being in such a masculine environment would be challenging. But most of the men were respectful — and to a degree I didn’t expect. Those guys had my back while teaching at NADC — sometimes after my near-tumbles while lecturing — and administration had been gracious to me. I was a writer with no real classroom teaching experience aside from community workshops. I’m the daughter of a steelworker, and the atmosphere at NADC felt more like the industrial North I was used to than the new South I was just getting to know. As I taught the lessons, we found our equilibrium together. Some of my former students stay in touch. One of them wrote to me on Facebook Messenger to tell me he’d made a million dollars. He said I had something to do with it; I can’t for the life of me figure out how, but I hearted his message. And now, when I drive by the leveled ground where NADC once was — which will soon enough house hip eateries and shops and apartments — I gaze over from the red light and see that version of myself climbing the stairs at dusk. Though the night-school classrooms and the collision building are gone now forever, I can still smell the fumes.▼

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MEXICO HONEY

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Stop by Lowbar located underneath the basement east for drinks, pool, darts, karaoke and more! Open 5pm-late

COMING SOON 7/11 SCREAMIN’ CHEETAH WHEELIES 7/17 SOLD OUT! 7/12 SCREAMIN’ CHEETAH WHEELIES 7/18 (895 ALIVE) 7/14 JASON CARTER 7/19 (BLUEGRASS NASHVILLE PRESENTS) 7/15 WE ARE THE MERLE: CELEBRATING 7/21 THE MUSIC OF MERLE HAGGARD 7/16 GARY NICHOLSON & THE CHANGE 7/22

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jul 2 m.c.d w/ Jaguar On Mars, GINN, Visitor, & Scotty The III jul 29 the dear hunter w/ motherfolk and k sera jul 31 Red Vox w/ Super Guitar Bros Sold out! jul 3 Supernova - A tribute to oasis aug 1 Jerry Garcia’s 84th Birthday Celebration w/ Eddy Gonzo & The Gardeners w/ members of Los Colognes and more to be announced jul 5 Armor for sleep aug 2 Riff Wood w/ Willowake w/ spanish love songs and flycatcher aug 5 diggy graves w/ resentvul & ryan oakes Sold out! jul 7 Amy ray Band w/ Kristy Lee aug 6 king lazy eye w/ Hayden Pattengale jul 9 the music of george harrison aug 7 wetouchgrass presents: anime rave jul 10 Intimo Nashville Presenta: aug 10 clipping. w/ open mike eagle & pedestrian deposit Rock Fest 2.0 Tributos en Vivo aug 12 royal coda jul 11 foxy brown live! w/ dwellings, strawberry milk cult, & amarionette jul 12 Food For All Benefit Concert aug 13 josh tatofi w/ weird pals and special guests aug 14 framing hanley jul 16 hamilton leithauser w/ josh gilligan w/ lowfye50, flip the mule & hollow wake jul 18 feeble little horse w/ computer wife & Baby Wave aug 15 abby holiday x charli adams jul 19 the strike w/ Sum Sun aug 17 helmet w/ spirit in the room jul 22 belmont aug 19 legend zeppelin w/ major league, spite house, & all in ur head aug 20 Adrian Vandenberg w/ Marco Mendoza and Vinnie Moore jul 23 nation of language w/ modern cult aug 23 Rock Steady Nashville jul 24 The emo night tour w/ Echo Pilot, Fatal Affair, Year of October, and Campanula jul 27 From Ashes To New w/ Elijah, Unkl Sham, & Emerge

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Upcoming shows jul 2 finkel w/ oliverance [9pm] jul 11 breakfield [8pm] jul 3 Comfort Beagle - Nashville's Most Cake'd Up jul 12 natalie brooke [7pm] Cover Band w/ Mason Thomas and Wood Acres [9pm] jul 15 drew regan w/ billy! [7pm] jul 6 jack mckeon w/ eva cassel [7pm] jul 15 Gay ole Opry Presents: Lilith feral [9pm] jul 8 Addie Levy [7pm] jul 16 will mann band, playland, jul 9 sierra sikora, cassidy forras, & jack hartman [6pm] happy haugen and the lucky strikes [9pm] jul 9 andy thomas [9pm] jul 17 drip castles w/ Parker Millsap, Jess Nolan, Jillette jul 10 the morning hollow [7pm] Johnson and Will Honaker with Ziona Riley [9pm] Don't miss new faces Night every tuesday at 7pm!

THE MIDYEAR REPORT A brief look at Nashville music happenings so far in 2026, plus some exciting things to come

MASSIE99 hordes to Lower Broad, while Bonnaroo recovered from last year’s rainout with an enjoyable (if muddy and kinda stinky) return to the Farm with The Strokes, Kesha and lots more. While Pilgrimage announced it would skip this year in order to come back stronger in 2027, Nashville Pride Fest put together a powerhouse lineup with Fancy Hagood and many others for just one day (in spite of sponsorship dollars decreasing amid unease over the Trump administration’s anti-DEI stance). But even smaller-scale happenings like Vladopus9 and friends’ Dumpster Fyre Fest benefit shows have been bringing people out in force. Meanwhile, the venue world has kept turning. Indie record store The Groove, which often hosted shows, shuttered (temporarily, one hopes) in December; after the owner demolished the building without proper permits in February, the Metro Historic Zoning Commission ordered him to rebuild it. Ryman Hospitality’s Opry Entertainment Group is amid its first season of operating Ascend Federal Credit Union Amphitheater, having won the Metro contract last year over a much larger rival in international ticketing and touring giant Live Nation. In late June, Ryman CEO Colin Reed confirmed the company is exploring selling a majority stake in OEG, which includes ownership of Ryman Auditorium and the Grand Ole Opry House. Live Nation finally went to trial in its federal antitrust case, and despite many twists and turns the jury ruled against the conglomerate. Live Nation is still on track to open its 4,400-capacity venue The Truth in October and purchased 7,500-cap outdoor venue FirstBank Amphitheater in May. Nashville musicians haven’t been slacking on

MOLLY MARTIN

from Angie K’s Whiskey & Hemingway to the harmony-infused singles by The Cowgays to Kacey Musgraves’ genre-blending master class Middle of Nowhere. Meanwhile, there’s a mind-boggling amount of new local music and new shows to look forward to. Multifaceted singer-songwriter Allison Russell is back July 10 with her album In the Hour of Chaos; rock champion and Third Man Records honcho Jack White’s new one Frozen Charlotte also lands that day. Guitar wizard and rocking songwriter Aaron Lee KESHA Tasjan’s Get Over It,

STARLITO AND BANDPLAY

Underdog lands July 17 (and he’ll be at The Basement East Oct. 21). Rockers and fantastic songsmiths Styrofoam Winos play at Grimey’s July 23 and The Blue Room at Third Man Records July 24 following their new LP Any River. Nashville oddball legends Lambchop are set to release their next album Punching the Clown Aug. 21. Accurately self-described torch singer extraordinaire Nicole Atkins has been gearing up for her Sun Records debut Drama, which lands Sept. 18. (Make plans now to see her Dec. 3 at Skinny Dennis.) And a few “in case you missed it” reminders about big national tours coming our way: Pavement is at the Ryman July 27 and 28, while Chance the Rapper makes his Mother Church debut Aug. 30, and NYC rockstars Geese waddle in Sept. 28 and 29. AmericanaFest is set to spread out across Music City once again for a week in mid-September. Wednesday and Mannequin Pussy’s double headlining Bitch Cabal tour hits The Truth Nov. 2. Brandi Carlile comes to Bridgestone Arena Aug. 29, Sturgill Simpson’s Johnny Blue Skies and the Dark Clouds arrive Oct. 2, Phoebe Bridgers’ sold-out two-nighter is Oct. 10 and 11, and Olivia Rodrigo pulls in Nov. 23 and 24. We could keep at this all day, but it’s time to get out and enjoy some of this abundance. Keep an eye on our pages and our website for much more.▼

PHOTO: HAMILTON MATTHEW MASTERS

AMID THE TIDAL wave of new things that come with having a new tiny human in the house, my family acquired a coffee mug that reads: “The days are long but the years are short.” Without a doubt that also applies to Nashville music, as I’m astonished to report that we’ve passed the midpoint of 2026. Here’s a brief look back at what’s happened already and a few exciting things to come. Live music has been bumping at venues of all sizes. Plenty of national and international tours have come our way: Baroque-pop aces Florence and the Machine and Mexican pop star Carín León have stopped at Bridgestone Arena, synthpop legends The Human League hit the Grand Ole Opry House, and Mdou Moctar played an amazing solo set at Drkmttr. Hayley Williams’ tour behind Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party leveled the Ryman on its homecoming stop. Hip-hop collective Six One Trïbe expanded their 615 Day festivities into a complete 615 Week, hosting shows and other events with members of the crew and lots of friends. The Features and Glossary, two of the finest rock bands to ever call Middle Tennessee home, came out of semi-retirement for a memorable pair of gigs to benefit community and public radio. One-day celebration of indie venues 615 Indie Live had its sophomore run, featuring more than 15 stages jam-packed with simultaneous shows including a strong bunch of local rockers like massie99 and Venus & the Flytraps. Organizers of 615 Indie Live have also announced a showcase series popping up at mom-and-pop spots all over town (which began June 26 at The 5 Spot). Festival activity has been extensive as well. CMA Fest once again brought the galloping

PHOTO: SIERRA SOLLENBERGER

PHOTO: STEVE CROSS

BY STEPHEN TRAGESER

releasing great music either (much of which has been accompanied by kickass live shows). Altpop has been having a powerful moment, with help from multimedia mavens like Vivienne Blue and book NOT brooke. Nashville rap elder statesman Starlito teamed up with stellar producer Bandplay for an oops-all-bangers double LP called Not the Country You Know, and Six One Trïbe’s “first lady” Ronni Raxx had a mind-blowing debut with Bitch Get In, though sadly she died just a few weeks after it dropped. All manner of punks and rockers have offered up great work, running the gamut from literary punks The Sleeveens’ National Anthem to robot rockers’ The Protomen’s long, long-awaited Act III: This City Made Us to Molly Martin’s ripper Accidental Popstar and beyond. Awesome records that are trickier to classify abound as well — see Sean Thompson’s jazz-fusion-y Inner Principles and two records from ever-thoughtful soul-kissed outfit The Altered Statesman, Yestalgia and God’s Own Fool. If you want actual interesting country music, we’ve got that too,

PHOTO: EVAN MATTINGLY

MUSIC

NASHVILLE SCENE • JULY 2 – JULY 8, 2026 • nashvillescene.com

MUSIC

PLAY THE LEGEND

Roger Spencer’s Songs You Thought You Knew distinguishes jazz myth from fact BY RON WYNN OVER HIS EXTREMELY distinguished career of more than five decades, Roger Spencer noticed there were frequently significant differences between the notes jazz composers put on the page and the way instrumentalists or vocalists interpreted them — changes to the fundamentals of a piece, beyond the improvisation that’s often the lifeblood of live performance. Reasons for this have varied, but the active jazz bassist and educator, who’s also a co-founder of the Nashville Jazz Workshop, found that often performers would base their rendition on the way they learned a piece. This brought the influence of musicians across multiple generations to bear on the way a song got passed down. It’s an aspect that has made jazz more like a folk tradition than the rigid adherence to original composition that tends to characterize classical music traditions. Spencer’s incredible array of experiences includes toiling in Los Angeles for 13 years, working with numerous jazz and vocal greats and doing film and television work. He and his wife, pianist Lori Mechem, moved to Nashville in 1998, and their efforts as NJW co-founders have turned the organization into a globally known and highly respected music institution. Besides mentoring generations of young and emerging jazz musicians — at both the workshop and Vanderbilt’s Blair School of Music — the now-retired Spencer has published a book that provides valuable insight into the difference between compositions and their later interpretations. Songs You Thought You Knew: Examining Transmutations in Standard and Jazz Compositions looks at 25 classic tunes, exploring how they were written and how they changed in various performances over the years. The book has been skillfully designed and edited by fellow musician and academic Liz Johnson in a way that lets readers — regardless of how much prior musical knowledge they possess — understand and appreciate it. The selections range from such familiar numbers as “Come Rain or Come Shine,” “All the Things You Are” and “Misty,” to treasured staples like “Song for My Father” and “Caravan,” and even the Yuletide anthem “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” Also included are the Brazilian classic “Desafinado” and others featured in Broadway shows or blockbuster films.

“One of the things that really got me interested in doing this was when I was playing the composition ‘Four’ — which is credited to Miles Davis, but now generally viewed as

written by Eddie ‘Cleanhead’ Vinson,” Spencer says. “I’m playing the song the way I learned it, and all of a sudden the pianist is taking it in another direction. Afterwards when I asked him about it, he said that’s the way he learned

NASHVILLE SCENE • JULY 2 – JULY 8, 2026 • nashvillescene.com

it. This wasn’t the first time that happened, but it really got me interested in how people hear songs, how they then interpret them, and how those interpretations get passed on to the public.”

Spencer’s book cites three major ways that differences can occur between the original composition and the versions that become popular. First, there are errors in lead sheets that get passed on. Then, sometimes instru-

mentalists or vocalists misread what’s on the page, creating something that intrigues other musicians and gets copied. And finally, errors from one of the other two sources enshrined in popular recordings can become a text that players learn from rather than the original notation. Songs includes tips on ways that players can avoid these issues, though he emphasizes no one should make the assumption he’s talking about a “right” or “wrong” approach to a song. It’s more about the intricacies of the music, and understanding the nuances of composition. “When I was working with students, you’d hear just how different what they were playing was from the original, and it came from how they’d really learned and gotten into the material,” he says. “I’ve intended this book as a look into how some of the great compositions have evolved over the years, how different players and vocalists have done them — and also a way to help players sharpen their skills. For those who aren’t musicians, it’s a way into understanding more about composition and improvisation, and what’s involved in playing this music.” Spencer dedicates Songs You Thought You Knew to the late Beegie Adair. He recorded more than 35 projects as a member of her trio, and played everywhere from Carnegie Hall and Birdland to prime clubs in London and Tokyo. “She knew the original compositions to every song imaginable. There wasn’t anything you could name that she didn’t know inside-out. The greatest tribute I could have ever gotten came from her when she told me once I was one of the few people who played the songs the way they were written.”▼

Songs You Thought You Knew: Examining Transmutations in Standard and Jazz Compositions By Roger Spencer Cognito Music/Ingram Spark 78 pages, $19.99

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At Chief’s we understand that great music is born from the heart and soul of it’s creators, which is why our writers’ rounds are dedicated to celebrating the brilliant minds behind some of today’s most iconic songs.

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NASHVILLE SCENE • JULY 2 – JULY 8, 2026 • nashvillescene.com

MUSIC: THE SPIN

THE RAINBOW CONNECTION

“Better” paired perfectly with a grooving cover of Estelle’s “American Boy.” Kyleigh kept the mellow vibes going with vulnerable, shimmering R&B. “Today I’m gonna take you on a journey through my deepest, darkest secrets,” she promised the crowd, before a set that combined covers and originals to take us through the ins and outs of her relationship with love. Performances of Sade’s “No Ordinary Love” and Rihanna’s “Kiss It Better” shone, as did her originals — like “Bad Tattoo,” a heartfelt reckoning with a toxic relationship. Between songs, a fictional radio spot for a drug called “Elsewhere” played over the speakers, while refreshing sunshowers cast rainbows over the park. Gay Ole Opry Nashville brought a rock revue to the party, showcasing the talents of three different acts in one tight, polished set. Laken Campo opened with heartfelt indie rock

CARMEN DIANNE

FANCY HAGOOD

NASHVILLE SCENE • JULY 2 – JULY 8, 2026 • nashvillescene.com

When she emerged, Nashville pop princess Molly Grace’s energy radiated through the crowd as she took command, telling us, “The only rule is to dance.” That was the overall theme of her show, aided by the incredible choreo she shared with her Lover Girls dance crew. Her set

PHOTO: HN JAMES

in shades of Gigi Perez and Phoebe Bridgers, including her recent Heated Rivalry love song “Stuck.” Lauren Horbal brought a rollicking, ’90s-influenced style with what she’s dubbed her “gay ass band,” performing cathartic odes to bad relationships and life in the service industry. Horbal and guitarist Margot Biever stayed onstage to play with Again and Again — whose tonguein-cheek trio of tunes began with a roaring cover of the theme from The L Word and closed with a shredder about scissoring. At 3 p.m., drag crew Glam Squad dazzled the Equality Stage. The five Nashville queens — Perplexity, Kennedy Ann Scott, Donna Sivan, Carmen Triple Cee and Ivy St. James — burst onto the stage in costumes that reimagined Toy Story. Woody, Mrs. Potato Head, Buzz Lightyear, Bo Peep and an Alien hyped up the crowd. They lipsynced to iconic pop songs, wrapping up their performance with — naturally — “You’ve Got a Friend in Me.” A few minutes after Glam Squad sashayed away, singer-songwriter Saaneah took over. The Nashville native blew away the audience with her soulful vocals and high notes. Her six-song set included great covers, but her originals really stood out, including the ferocious “At Your Service.” She slowed things down with “Just Try Me,” an emotional ballad that she introduced saying, “If you love somebody, let them know.”

PHOTO: ERIN FOLK

Nashville Pride returned to Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park on Saturday, with summer showers helping tame the June heat and a kaleidoscopic array of top-notch musicians (and drag stars and DJs) taking the stage. Carmen Dianne brought powerhouse vocals and a smooth country twang to the day’s first set on the main Equality Stage, her first performance leading her own band at Pride. The Nashville native and “local lovergirl” opened with a cover of “Tennessee Whiskey,” which paired poignantly with “Sober,” a song of her own. “No more double visions, seeing other women, I’ll focus on you,” she promised, as a growing crowd gathered around her. Dianne’s bass training and multifaceted influences bring a rich sound to her work: A reggae take on her country ballad

PHOTO: HN JAMES

BY ANNIE PARNELL, EMMA PICKETT AND GRACE BRASWELL

ger,” keeping the crowd hyped even through a downpour. The shower soaked the sun-baked crowd, leaving us with freshly soaked hair and skin glistening like we’d been doused with tiny jewels as we awaited the final act of the festival: Nashville’s own country-queer champion Fancy Hagood. Stepping onstage wearing jeans ripped from the upper thigh down and an armless flannel decorated not-so-sparingly with shiny rhinestones, Hagood greeted Pride with his ’90s country take on Lucie Silvas’ “My Old Habits.” The show was peppered with heartfelt songs from his 2024 record American Spirit and humorous anecdotes involving lake trips and LSD trips here in the South. The set was billed as “Fancy Hagood and Friends,” and with the connections he’s made with so many phenomenal artists in and around the country world, he was in fantastic company. Recent-ish Nashville transplant She Returns From War joined in, as did Joy Oladokun, who performed a hair-raising rendition of “Sweet

featured 15 songs running the gamut from a cover of “Lady Marmalade” to some of her earliest singles, unreleased material and her breakout songs “F.E.M.M.E” and “Heaven Sent.” While this was Grace’s first time onstage at Nashville Pride, her confident presence made it feel like she’s done this a hundred times. In the thick of it all, over at the Rainbow Stage, soul-driven folk singer-songwriter BODHI serenaded passers by. Their raspy voice and haunting narratives were like a siren song amid the happy chaos, drawing in a crowd and offering them a moment to breathe. While vendors sold tie-dye T-shirts and passed out condoms, a sea of fans in rainbow tank tops and face gems gathered at the main stage for the Nashville Drag EXTRAvaganza’s production ’90s Y2GAY. Queens and kings like Chazz Sanders, Ki’Ari and Femnasty 777 dressed to impress in bright, cyber-futuristic athleticwear for a boisterous performance. That included remixes of throwback classics like Brittney Spears’ “Stron-

Symphony.” The Kentucky Gentlemen poured smooth, sultry vocals over the crowd’s clacking fans as they played the slow-dance jam “To the Moon” from last year’s Rhinestone Revolution. Katie Pruitt, who recently announced their next LP Fools for the Fleeting (due in September), joined Hagood for a country-pop-rock rendition of Chappell Roan’s “Casual,” and sisterly duo SistaStrings came out for a wild bluegrass rendition of the Disney classic “Colors of the Wind.” As if on cue, the rain came back to add a layer of drama to Michelle Branch’s duet with Hagood on her driving punky pop hit “Everywhere.” Hagood also took a moment to look out at the steps up to the state Capitol, visible from the stage, and reminded us we’ve still got work to do. “I’m so proud to call this home,” said Hagood. “It’s so good to be here in community with y’all. We’re here, we’re queer — and to that building right there, we’re not freaking going nowhere.” ▼

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FILM

JOHN EARLY FEELS LIKE ‘A BULL IN THE CHINA SHOP OF THE INTERNET’

The comedian and Nashville native talks Maddie’s Secret, the cult of culinary social media and why he’s drawn to ingénues right now BY ANNIE PARNELL

Maddie’s Secret NR, 98 minutes Opening Thursday, July 2, at the Belcourt -------Early will discuss the film at 7 and 8 p.m. Friday, July 3; both screenings are sold out

THERE’S A MOMENT in Maddie’s Secret, the directorial debut from comedian and Nashville native John Early, when a group of eating disorder patients watches a mukbang — a type of online eating video popularized in the 2010s. They giggle between flashes of saucy fingers disappearing into an on-screen mouth, yelling “ew!” like they’re watching something filthy. It’s sweet and strange, and a little sad — and it’s very camp. Maddie’s Secret is a dark dark comedy, following chef Maddie Ralph as her career at a food content company skyrockets while she battles bulimia. As a satire, it makes its targets rich and precise: TV movies, culinary influencers, our psychosexual relationships with social media and food. It’s part of it that Early plays Maddie — but it’s never the punchline. Early caught up with the Scene about the film ahead of its opening at the Belcourt. Our conversation has been edited for length and clarity. The visual language of this movie is so specific. What was on your Maddie’s Secret mood board? We were looking at TV movies from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s. What I really admire about those is that the priority is hooking people immediately, so that they don’t change the channel. There’s a directness in the visual language, and a kind of emotional clarity. Perhaps a little more pretentiously, we were also looking at lush ’50s melodramas. We were looking at Adrian Lyne. ... Brian De Palma, Hitchcock. The camera movement of Paul Verhoeven

and Showgirls was a huge influence. Muriel’s Wedding is always my North Star. You’ve previously mentioned the TV movie Kate’s Secret, which is also about a woman with bulimia. The bingeing shots there are very clinical. But they’re so close-up and gross in Maddie’s Secret, and you really watch the eating in a carnal way. “Carnal” is the word that I would always give the designers. This movie is deliberately trying to make a connection between food and sex. I think that that was part of why we wanted to get up-close. I have noticed a very sexual quality to homemade food Instagram and TikTok videos. There’s just something brazen about the sound effects and the angles. It’s like everything’s becoming porn or something. Who are some of your favorite food influencers — or the ones you’re most fascinated by? Everyone who was and is in the Bon Appetit test kitchen. That’s where it started for me and many other people, I think — this certain kind of food obsession, and a parasocial relationship with the chefs making the food. There’s one [other] woman I’m obsessed with. I genuinely love her recipes. She also formerly was, like, a weapons manufacturer, and there’s something very tragicomic [about it]. Whenever she does an “Ask Me Anything,” people confront her about her past. There’s this very cozy relationship that I feel that I have with her, and then suddenly she’ll be in these arguments with random people

on Instagram. The theater of that has been fun to watch. Walk me through the decision to play Maddie. I just was really chomping at the bit to play a kind of angelic person, who everyone around them is going, “God, you’re perfect, you’re beautiful.” It felt like a character who almost [doesn’t] exist anymore: this optimistic, openhearted ingénue. It required a level of commitment on everyone’s part. I think that endows it with a magical quality, because there’s this illusion at the center of the movie that’s kind of glowing, and it made us all care more about successfully achieving the illusion. And then I also think, because I’m a man playing a woman, there is this potential for it to feel mocking. We’re not making that choice — it’s a razor’s edge, but we’re always choosing to be sincere and tender about it. This movie has a very strange personal quality that I can’t even really explain. This is not my life. I am not a woman. I’ve never had an eating disorder. My mom is an angel, and let’s definitely put that on record in the Nashville Scene. The movie could not be further removed from my life, and yet it has a strange personal quality, and I think that just comes from this meeting between me and this archetype. It’s unlike the characters you’ve played in the past. What’s drawing you to ingénues right now? It’s exactly what you’re saying. I approach all my characters with sincerity, but a

lot of the time I’m playing characters who have a certain contemporary, internet-bred irony. I have to embody these guards that they have up. In both life and in art, I feel hunger for a certain kind of directness. For as long as I’ve been on social media, I’ve felt this vague pressure to be the smartest person in the room, and I’m tired of that. I wanted to make something where I could be dumb and openhearted. I don’t think Maddie is dumb, but the movie itself has a blunt, careening sincerity, which is how I feel. I feel like a bull in the china shop, the china shop of the internet, you know? There’s a hospital in the film called Presbyterian, and you grew up going to Second Presbyterian Church in Nashville. Is there a connection there? It’s kind of my subtle way of acknowledging that I am Maddie. Maddie actually earned her good-girl persona. She rose from the ashes of her childhood to become a beautiful angel. But I grew up among the beautiful angels of Second Presbyterian. And I think [it’s] maybe a way of reassuring Maddie: “Just go. Go to the program, they’ll take care of you.” The last time you spoke with the Scene, you said you felt “allergic to the pressure of queer representation” in your work. What’s your relationship with that pressure now? I guess I’m less cranky. I mean, this movie is a reflection of that. This movie is me yielding to my schmaltzy core. When I started writing it, it actually was a little bit edgier and more angry, and there was more cultural commentary, but the movie just kept wanting to be tender. There is a real algorithmic chokehold on the idea of representation. ... And there is no one queer experience. That is, I think, part of the source of my anger, when people [have] asked me to speak to how my work is addressing the queer experience. I’m like, “What is the queer experience? I don’t even know what my experience is.” This goes back to the social media conversation in the film. There’s that moment where the dishwasher [says] to Maddie: “It’s so great to see an actually healthy person making [culinary] content.” I put that moment in there because I was trying to address, very quickly, the prison of representation. The tone of body positivity, it’s right in the name: It’s positive. It’s a necessary correction for some of our cultural ills, but it’s tonally so limiting. What do you do with your irrational feelings of disgust towards yourself? That’s part of what was so cathartic for me about this movie: I don’t feel like it’s socially acceptable to feel bad about myself. It is very cathartic for me to tap into these older, more archaic modes of expressiveness — to go, “Mother, I’m hideous!” ▼

NASHVILLE SCENE • JULY 2 – JULY 8, 2026 • nashvillescene.com

FILM

D NEW ME

CALENDAR CALENTURE Rose of Nevada doesn’t give us easy answers

BY KEN ARNOLD

SHOP THE SCENE

nashvillesceneshop.com CINEMA IS A medium that opens us up to many different perspectives. It’s a medium that can give us a tailored experience of the joys and horrors of the world and all the experiences within it. Though rare, some films — like Rose of Nevada — teach us more about ourselves simply through our understanding of them. When a ghost ship, the titular Rose of Nevada, returns to a Cornish fishing village 30 years after disappearing, new crew members Nick (George MacKay) and Liam (Callum Turner) take the boat out for a fishing expedition. When they return, they find themselves 30 years in the past, when the Rose of Nevada originally disappeared. Director Mark Jenkin (Bait, Enys Men), who has been asked what the film is about on many occasions, has stayed tight-lipped about his true intentions. Instead he encourages everyone to interpret the film for themselves — a choice that has led to early discussions about the film’s meaning. Is it the externalization of identity and self? Generational atrophy in a small town? The burden of historical memory? I’ve heard all these interpretations during post-screening discussions, and there are no right answers. Nevada is more of an experience than a linear

NASHVILLE SCENE • JULY 2 – JULY 8, 2026 • nashvillescene.com

narrative to be understood. It is loaded with various themes that the viewer can use to piece together their own interpretation. The film’s 16 mm cinematography captures the foggy Cornish fishing village, the visuals drenched in a dreamlike shroud of mystery that leans into the surrealism of the unfolding story. Rose of Nevada has no easy answers. Its impressionistic style doesn’t give you a key to unlock the plot. Instead it gives you a canvas on which your mind can paint its own meaning. The real fun comes after the screening, when you can exchange takes with others, as if leaving an art gallery. It is a unique and welcome experience in a polarizing niche few auteurs can pull off — but a niche Jenkin is finding a home in.▼

Rose of Nevada NR, 114 minutes Opening Friday, July 3, at the Belcourt

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BACK OF THE BOOK

EDITED BY WILL SHORTZ 1

Because Nashville is so much more than honky-tonks and bachelorettes...

ACROSS 1 Surname of two Indian prime ministers 7 Fly-by-night types? 11 Go (for) 14 Drew Carey, Halle Berry or Guy Fieri, originally 15 Baroque instrument 16 Long-handled gardening tool or immoral pleasure seeker, per contestant Ken Jennings on “Jeopardy!” (incorrectly) 17 Walking-around money for Pavarotti? 19 Veto 20 Whistling stickup man on “The Wire” 21 Cry of frustration 22 McGwire’s rival in 1990s M.L.B. 23 Hajj destination 25 Baseball team formerly known as the Colt .45s 27 Preacher’s gift? 29 Fly catcher? 30 Kind of a drag? 31 Parrot 32 Perceptive 35 Icy passage to Antarctica’s McMurdo Station 37 Get ___ (shine scholastically) 38 Muscle exercised with a shoulder press, familiarly 40 Billionaire Musk 41 5 and 8 go into 42, for example? 45 Fan of “I” statements 46 Dissect with a diagram 47 “___, actually ...”

48 Start of many first-year course names 50 Lawman who got out of Dodge 54 60 minuti 55 Local leader is prohibited? 57 Clear 58 Bum around Europe 59 Intentional creases 60 Org. targeting Walter White on “Breaking Bad” 61 Changes the locks? 62 Acted all crabby? DOWN 1 Programming statement that can result in spaghetti code 2 [Excuse me] 3 Totenberg of public radio 4 People who get walked all over 5 Bit of a laugh 6 Not separated 7 Throwing style 8 Bit of a lark 9 Lady-killer 10 Machiavellian, in a way 11 Answer to “Why’s your report card in the trash?” 12 Written with venom 13 Oil, they say 18 Birthplace of Dr Pepper 22 Fremont and Folsom in S.F., for two 24 México’s Tabasco, Jalisco and others 26 Guardians of bushido tradition 27 National drink of Puerto Rico 28 Two, for many a putt-putt hole

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE I T E M N I L E L L A M A O V A L A O D A I T A X I MO N K N O D E S S T A N B A C KWA R D S C A P A M T R A Y L I S B O A P S I A R M D I A D E M M A A C U T O F F T E E O R E E L T O N S K U L K M A L M I N I S K I R T O L D E L S T U X E D O F I R S I B G O O I E R S T R I P E D S O C K S F U R Y B A D E SW I S H F R A U I R I S P I Q U E Y E L P T S K S A N S E L 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.

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14 17

37 41

21 23

NO. 0528

31 35

40 43

Puzzle by John Kugelman 29 It’s a zoo out there 32 Blue stop sign? 33 Third in order 34 Resident of Rivendell, in Tolkien

36 Dark and sultry, like a femme fatale’s gaze 39 Comes on little cat feet 42 “___ death do us part” 43 Comedian Jimmy 44 Opposite of 39-Down

49 Where to look if you’re looking for LUV (i.e., Southwest Airlines) 51 Fussbudgety, say 52 Mindless repetition

53 Affliction for many first responders, in brief 55 “Spy vs. Spy” magazine 56 Who said “I’m so mean I make medicine sick”

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· Roma Pizza & Pasta

· Flamie’s The Hot Chicken Factory ENJOY THE OUTDOORS

· Shelby Bottoms Nature Center

· Centennial Park

· Bicentennial Capital Mall State Park BEST PLACES NEARBY TO SEE A SHOW

· Opryland

FAVORITE LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD BAR

· Inglewood Lounge

· Sid Gold’s Request Room

· Henry James

· The Underdog

BEST LOCAL FAMILY OUTING

· Adventure Science Center

· Tennessee Central Railway Museum

COMMUNITY AMENITIES

Studio 79

3810 Gallatin Pike, Nashville TN 37216 studio79apartments.com | 855.997.1526

NASHVILLE SCENE • JULY 2 - JULY 8, 2026 • nashvillescene.com

· Fitness Center

· Doggie Stations

· Valet Services

· Elevator

· Bike Storage

· Cable/Internet ready

· Package Room

· Washer/Dryer in each unit

· SmartLock technology

Call the Rental Scene property you’re interested in and mention this ad to find out about a special promotion for Scene Readers

141 Neese Dr, Nashville, TN 37211 gazeboapts.com | 844.718.2420

5 floor plans

330 Sq ft $900-$1000 600 Sq ft $950-1150

2999 Smith Springs Road, Nashville, TN 37217

730 Sq ft $930+ 1050-1184 Sq ft $959+ 1225-1315 Sq ft $1482+

chasecoveapartments.com | 844.861.5645

5 floor plans

Studio 79

Studios available

3810 Gallatin Pike, Nashville, TN 37216

492 - 610 sq ft starting at $1409

630 Sq ft $999-1200

sunrisenashville.com | 615.333.7733

3 floor plans

studio79apartments.com | 855.997.1526

4 floor plans

Brighton Valley

800 - 1350 sq ft

The Arcadia

585 Sq ft $1310

500 Brooksboro Terrace, Nashville, TN 37217 brightonvalley.net | 615.366.5552

starting at $1360 3 floor plans

87 Shepherd Hills Dr, Madison, TN 37115

To advertise your property available for lease, contact

189 Wallace Rd, Nashville, TN 37211

starting at $1119

Chase Cove Apartments

Michael Jezewski at 615-557-4788 or mjewzski@fwpublishing.com

Sunrise Apartments

756 - 1201 sq ft

Rental Scene

Gazebo

675 Sq ft $1460-$1480 914 Sq ft $1645-$1680

thearcadianashville.com | 833-983-0956

3 floor plans

NASHVILLE SCENE • JULY 2 - JULY 8, 2026 • nashvillescene.com

MAKING YOUR TRIP TO NASHVILLE A COSMIC EXPERIENCE SINCE 2002

MUSIC CITY

PSYCHIC

Crystals & Jewelry Magical Gifts Intuitive Readings Transformative Energy work

Palm & Tarot Card Readings 615.915.0515 • 107 White Bridge Rd • MusicCityPsychic.com

DELIVERY DRIVER WANTED FOR MURFREESBORO, SMYRNA, LAVERGNE AREA Do you love traversing the city? Want to put a smile on faces when you show up? Sign up to deliver The Nashville Scene magazine! Reach out to Gary Minnis at gminnis@fwpublishing.com or call 615.844.9307

5 minutes from Downtown Nashville 2117 8th Avenue South 615.463.7677 | yourcosmicconnections.com

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Party in Pink!

Let us help you plan your group party 615.254.4600 See more at sedanondemand.com/nashvillepinklimo

48 NASHVILLE SCENE • JULY 2 - JULY 8, 2026 • nashvillescene.com