This Week in a Letter

Hello Nashville!

This is another informal letter to creative people and fans of creativity around the area to take note of several fun people and events to be seen this week.  I’ll get going right away.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, August 27th, at 7-10pm, at Logue’s Black Raven Emporium (2915 Gallatin Pike) for another round of poetry, prose, rants, and manifestos.  Hosted by writer Honest Lewis, the night is a full spectrum mix of styles and subject matter.  Everyone is welcome to get up and share their ideas.  There are beers, snacks, and a lot of chances to be heard.  It is another night of free speech, and you should get there early, around 6:30pm, to get your spot (on a couch, at the bar, and on the setlist).

Wednesday, oh Wednesday, is going to be a heck of a hump day.  First , from 5-8pm, you can head over to the Nashville Public Library (615 Church Street) to join The Tennessean for a reception commemorating Nashville’s Civil Rights Movement with art and literature. The art will feature Larry McCormack’s photography, and the literature will be shared by Edwidge Danticat, with a book signing afterwards.  Secondly, from 6-10pm, at the East-Centric Pavilion (1006 Fatherland Street), you can be a part of another great round of Native: Sunset Sessions.  With great music, free bits, and cheap beer (for all legal attendees) without a cover, you can hear the likes of Pageant, Kiernan McMullan, and Waterfall Wash all at the same spot!  Third, at 7:30pm, at Fido (1812 21st Avenue South), you can witness another fabulous round of the comedic storytelling show called Pictures of Fireworks.  It is a monthly night of storytelling that showcases a combo of Nashville’s best comedians and authors, its most interesting residents and characters, and YOU.  Half of the tales are told by performers and locals curated in advance and the other half comes from audience members who drop their names in a hat from the start o the show.  It’s non-fiction and a blast to hear.  It is hosted by Heather LeRoy on behalf of Corporate Juggernaut, and is not to be missed if you haven’t seen it before.  If you have, don’t miss it then either!  

Thursday, at Belcourt Theatre (2102 Belcourt Avenue), at 7pm, you too can witness the world premiere of “Hear Our Voices.”  It is the inspiring stories of nine children and young adults who are fighting to overcome their mental health issues.  It was made by David & Patricia Earnhardt, in association with Tennessee Voices for Children, and makes the case that all children need access to affordable treatments and supports to help them in their lives.

Friday, at 6pm, at Rocketown (601 4th Avenue South), you can buy an eight dollar ticket presage or $10 the day of the show to be a part of a wonderful event.  With the likes of Poema & Bashly, Cardboard Kids, and THE Levi Weaver, it will be quite the gathering of talent and show.  Side note, the next day, at 1pm, at the same bat location, there will be an awesome Anti-Bullying Rally going on in case you or anyone you know what to come out for that.  See more about both events at Rocketown at www.rocketown.org.

On Saturday, you have two very cool things to choose from, if you don’t go to both.  First, from 9:30 AM until 10pm, at Phat Bites Deli (940 Allen Road), there will be the 2nd and last Wash Yard Paint Jam of the year at the Wash Yard.  The event is FREE and open to the public.  If you are an artist and interested in getting a spot, email mag4ack@gmail.com NOW while space is still available.  Secondly, you can be there for the epic  book release reading and party for Ben Burr’s latest work titled “jesus christ for now maybe satan later.”  All you need to know is that it will be great, it will go down at 808 Fatherland Street, and it will start at 8pm.  Be there!

And now that I’ve called you out for that event, I think I’m just about finished for this week.  Oh, before I forget, I’m moving East Side Storytellin’ over to Mad donna’s next Tuesday, September 3rd, at 7pm.  Be there too!  See more info here- http://eastsidestorytn.com/east-side-storytellin-20-when-the-coal-men-didnt-miss-the-bus-people/

Now, have a great day and week ahead.  Thanks for reading and sharing.  Be nice to one another too.

much love,

chUck

www.eastsidestorytn.com

www.nashvillesheart.com

 

A week for Music City’s sake

Hello again, my friends. I’m here today to let you know about some momentous events and people in our dear village of Nashville. I’ll just get right to it and save you some time.

Without a doubt, the place you need to be tomorrow night is Fat Bottom Brewing Co. (900 Main Street). You need to be there just before 7pm so you can get a seat for the best show in town. At 7pm, another round of East Side Storytellin’ will go down and you want to be there. The local author Mike Pentecost will be on site reading from his cool book called Bus People, and there will be a music set like none other from Dave & Dave of The Coal Men (http://thecoalmen.com). There will be food, drinks, merch, readings, music, art prints, BEER, and good people all around. It is FREE to attend. So like I said, get there early and prepare yourself for awesomeness.

Side note, also tomorrow, Tuesday, August 20th, if you go to www.youtube.com/thesmokingflowers, you can check out the video release/premiere of The Smoking Flowers’ latest hit “Something I Said” from their recent album called 2 Guns. It’s a must listen and have … trust me.

And keeping with the theme of good people and good music, The Smoking Flowers will be the main headliner at Music City Roots at The Loveless Barn and will probably tear down the roof of the place. At 7pm, Scott and Kim will be the featured artist and celebrate their official world wide release of their tremendous album called 2 Guns. If you can’t make it in person, listen to the airwaves and/or broadcast at http://musiccityroots.com/live-stream. Seriously, you can see from the above paragraph with their new video and this here epic performance, The Smoking Flowers are a band you really should and want to know. So get with them starting today! Also if you can’t make it to Music City Roots and have to stay closer to the East side of town, by all means check out Jacob Thomas Jr., Kim Logan, and The Lonely H performing from 6-10:10pm at the Native: Sunset Sessions at the East-Centric Pavilion. There is NO Cover, free bits from The Pavillion and cheap drinks from Fat Bottom (if legal of course). It’s a great way to be close to cool on a hot afternoon.

Fast forward to Saturday, and aside from visiting all of the amazing art galleries around town, you might want to see an amazing art show out of town if you find yourself close to Memphis. With 5 artists selected by Nashville’s very own & guest curator Wallace Joiner, the closing reception for Street Art at Gallery 363 will be an event filled with tons of fun. It is from 2-4pm, and gives you just enough time to hit the interstate and come back home to hear some good poetry before going to bed. What poetry do I speak of? Well, I’m glad you asked. It be the poetry at 8pm at Dino’s Bar at 411 Gallatin Road. With the likes of Dale Ray Phillips, TJ Jarrett, Will Miller, and the hands down best poet in the land Ben Burr (in my humbled opinion), it will be quite the party. For real, get your butt over to Dino’s and listen to some people drop some proper knowledge and language all over the place. It sounds dirty, but it’s not. It’s a good, old-fashioned time for one and all of legal age to get in.

Sunday, it’s kinda more of the same in the literary scene. Over at Fannie Mae Dees, Blakemore Avenue at 24th Avenue South, there will be a Poetry Pot-luck and Cook-out with Honest Lewis and DNR. Any time from 3-11pm, Dragon Park will be the place to bring a snack and some words to contribute (an instrument or two if you have that too), and everyone can have a great family friendly time. I’ll let you dive on into the discussion and RSVP for yourself at the following: https://www.facebook.com/events/147110028824182/?ref=2.

But saying all that has made me tired. I need to prepare myself to take full advantage of the week ahead. I hope you do the same. Have fun and remember to be nice to one another … and listen to The Smoking Flowers, why don’t ya!?

much love,
chUck

www.eastsidestorytn.com
www.nashvillesheart.com

 

 

Ketchup/Catch up after mater day 2013

Happy days after the Tomato Art Fest!  We had a very fun night and the fun looks to never end.  That said, East Side Story and I could use your help (daily).  I entered into another contest (the last one I entered last year chose us as the winner and started this East Side Story thing) and I need you and all of your friends to vote as much as you can (you can once per day).

Please read the following and cut and paste it to everyone and your mom:

There are 167 million Super Bowl viewers, and they could all be watching our small business commercial on the 2014 Big Game. How will I get an ad on the Big Game, you ask? Easy! With your help, East Side Story is going to win it from Intuit. 🙂

Intuit is giving one small business a TV commercial on the Big Game. We, of course want that ad to belong to our small business, and you can help make it happen. Just click here to vote for East Side Story:

https://www.smallbusinessbiggame.com/tn/East-Side-Story/373841

 It only takes one quick second and you don’t have to sign up for anything to vote.

Thank you, as ever, for your support! (Keep your fingers crossed for us.)

THANKS for all of your help for letting us make dreams happen this past year, and heres to many many more!

Back to this week at hand.  Tuesday, August 13th, at Logue’s Black Raven Emporium (2915 Gallatin Road), from 7-10, it is another “A Night of Free Speech: Spoken word open mic night.  This event marks the 1 year anniversary!  This night also marks the first time they have changed the schedule to the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at the same location.  Hosted by author Honest Lewis, it is a huge mix of styles and subject matter.  You get to hear tons of great prose, meet a lot of great people, and there are plenty of snacks and cold beverages to partake in as well at the same time.  It’s a good time.

Wednesday, August 14th, looks like it will be one heck of a creative Ladie’s Night.  At Un Bound Arts, 729 Porter Road, from 8-10pm, if you are a creative female then you have plans on the table now.  It is as Un Bound Arts where you can have an informal evening of women and wine discussing process and exchanging ideas.  That’s all there is to know before coming out.  Needless to say, I won’t be there, but I encourage you ladies to do so for sure!

And forget 2 for Tuesday, how about THREE for Thursday!?  Here are the things you should know about for this Thursday, August 15th.  First, from 6-9pm, at Platetone Printmaking, Paper, and Book Arts (535 Fourth Avenue South), you should visit the monthly Open Studio to see artist Annie Herlocker demonstrating handmade paper techniques.  Second, at 6pm, at Atmalogy (2320 West End Avenue), you can come be a part of the poetry experience for an evening o imminent creativity with some of Nashville’s finest bards (just show up and find out for yourself!).  Third, this Thursday marks another great round of musician Tommy Keenum at The Basement.  This time around, at 7pm, Tommy is singing alongside Kevin Madill and Andy Reiss as The Double A plays The Basement.  It will be amazing … just like East Side Storytellin’ 19 (read and listen to that here- http://eastsidestorytn.com/east-side-storytellin-19-when-the-black-chokeberry-met-its-match-in-tommy-and-the-tomato-fest-that-is/

Friday night is another chance for you to meet great people and see a very talented Nashville musician making a big night extra special.  Friday, August 16th, from 6-7:30pm, at Douglass Corner Cafe (2106 A 8th Avenue South), the New England Conservatory graduate in that of the talented Jonah Kraut is releasing his album “Boppin’ the Blues”.  It is a debut album that serves as a tribute to the worlds of Sun Studios, rockabilly, and early rock n’ roll.  Admission is $5 and CDs will be available for a discounted price.  It will be a special night for a special musician at a special time and location.  You should come and be special too!

There are a few things, more than a few, going on on Friday and Saturday, but I think I’ll just give you the above and below to stress how cool both will be.  For Saturday, August 17th, from 7-11:45pm, at Cult Fiction Underground (2915 Gallatin Pike), it will be the 2nd annual Cthulhu Calling art show!  Haunting the basement of Logue’s Black Raven Emporium, there will be more than a handful works of original art inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft.  There will be a cash bar, more snacks to enjoy than you can handle, and you can buy your ticket early if you want because it will sell out … again!  With participating artists such as Adam Baker, Anjeanette Illustration, Bishop Delaney, Bob Ho, Chip Boles, Christopher Harvey, Ethan Black, Dave Dorman, Gerald Seiberling, Grant Cooley, Holly Garden, Jeff Bertrand, Jerry Winnett, Melissa Gay, Mike Bielaczyc, Rachael Edge, The Art Bastard, The Artist Jon Wollack, and Willam Petty, you’ll have more amazing art than anywhere else you can drive to and be happy for a one-night show.  Get your tickets NOW here- https://thinkbaker.ticketbud.com/hplartshow

NOW, go enjoy this week, rain and all.  Don’t just sit at home.  Enjoy the week and each other.  Be nice.

much love,

chUck

http://www.eastsidestorytn.com

http://www.nashvillesheart.com

Tomato me, this is HERE!

This week, this day, I will keep it short, sweet, and to the point.  There are plenty of activities, probably enough activities to fill up a normal person’s calendar for an entire year, but there are only a few times and places to truly be at this week to really enjoy it to the fullest.

First, tomorrow, Tuesday, August 6th, you REALLY need to be in the crowd at Fat Bottom Brewing Co. (900 Main Street), before 7pm to get a seat and witness awesome.  What is awesome, you say?  Awesome this day will be another East Side Storytellin’ like nothing else going on around town.  You can get a comfy seat, for FREE, enjoy some good food and cold beverages, listen to local author Martha Nelson read from her book Black Chokeberry (www.blackchokeberrythebook.com), and take in the most recent songs by the amazing Tommy Keenum (playing new songs from his latest album that he hasn’t even played yet … playing alongside the talented likes of James Haggerty and Park Chisolm- http://tommykeenum.com).  The show starts at 7pm, and will be finished by 8:30pm.  It will be awesome!  Did I mention that yet?  It will be awesome!  Hope to see you there.

Before I get to the red elephant in the post and week, I’d like to give a little note to you about a cool night of art and fun over at No Egrets Art Gallery (1128 College Street, Clarksville, TN).  This Thursday, August 8th, Denver Colorado’s artist Berk Visual’s new show “The Smallest King” will have its opening night.  From 7-10pm, there will be art, food, and a live dj to keep the good times rolling for all who partake in this FREE event.

Then Friday, before the red madness gets going in full effect, you can beat the tomato art crowd by paying to attend the Tomato Art Fest Pre-View Party at Art & Invention Gallery.  You can click here- http://tomatoartfest.com/tomato-art-pre-view-party/ and save the date NOW!  It will be going on from 6:30-9pm and the cost is $25. Meg promises that the art this year is to be the best crop of tomato art to date.  The walls are already filled up to the ceiling and ready for the picking.  You don’t want to kick yourself on Saturday to find a piece that you absolutely want at your house and see a small tomato-like dot beside it because someone beat you to it.  Don’t just ketchup … own it!  Then go home and get some rest for Saturday!

Saturday, from 10am (7 if you run the 5k, I’m sure) until 10pm and beyond, here is the link to plan your 2013 Tomato Art Fest schedule accordingly.  There will be music, food, art, and BOOKS galore (you will find me, all day and night long, at East Side Story selling the best books in town … please drop by and say hello).  Here is the link to check out- http://tomatoartfest.com/

Also, on Saturday, August 10th, if you need a short break from 5 Points to get your mind right before coming back into the fun by nightfall, a good place to get some culture, prose, and meet some nice people is at Poetry in the Brew.  From 5:30-8:30pm, Lj Ratliff will host and Dana Malone will be featured at Portland Brew East, 1921 Eastland Avenue.  It will be fun and air-conditioned so you know it will be a cool place to be.

If you are still alive and awake on Sunday, you might want to check out That Time of The Month’s next show called “Growing Pains.”  At 5pm, at Café Coco, 210 Louise Avenue, Melanie Vare will be on stage alongside her funny friends (Rachel Gaither, Jane Gullett, Charlotte Jean Munoz, Amanda Elend, and Mike Pentecost) making all who buy tickets laugh.  Tickets are $10 at the door or $7 here- http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/436285.

That said, the above should give you a good picture of what fun can be had in our city this week.  I hope to see you at least twice … tomorrow night and Saturday whenever.  I hope you have a great week and enjoy your day.  Oh, and be nice to one another too, don’t forget!

much love,
chUck
www.eastsidestorytn.com
www.nashvillesheart.com