Bad Copy

My Summer of Hoge continued with the second and final day of the Eastside Ramble in Nashville. I strutted into the Eastside Bowl with the confidence of someone who knew the lay of the land, the lighting on each stage, where the bathrooms where located, and the fact that I would need to eventually walk across the parking lot to the Circle K to get a large coffee for energy today instead of crushing three Red Bulls so I could hopefully get some decent sleep tonight. You live and you learn.

Will opened the second day up with a song and a quick introduction of the first band. “They’ve been practicing in my garage all month long.” Darling is a six piece DIY band that straddles the line between punk and rock. The fact that there was not one but instead two female singers fronting the band instantaneously made me fall in love. Then there was Dylan, the lead guitarist, who just shredded every solo. Will’s song Liam Hoge held down the drums at the back of the lounge stage. Rhythm guitarist Mateo along with the band’s bassist (sorry I could only track down so many of you on IG to find your names!!) held down the right side of the stage as they played through their set. The band celebrated the release of their debut EP, Wings, by playing through the album. It was fast, fun, and they ended the set with Lit’s “My Own Worst Enemy.” 10/10.

I made my way over to where Chris Griffiths was taking the stage. Like so many on today’s roster, he pulling double duty as a member of Will’s band (the bassist in this case) but also had his own set to showcase his own material. He opened with a song that he candidly said was not his best work, nor his worst. It was written after he tried out for a band he knowingly didn’t want to be a part of. He was making the long drive home, feeling down, and wrote the song that sarcastically retorts “I’m 44 and looking for a record deal.”

I wandered back out to the lounge where I caught up with some friendly faces. Tall Paul, a very tall man in a bandana and a shirt that read “I <3 Dominant Women” who I’ve seen and chatted with at Sing Us Home two years running, was there along with a few other Will fans. We were discussing how next up was a magician named CASEYMAGIC who had not one but two sets. I was in the middle of telling the group about my neighbor in Chicago who does magic and invites us neighbors over to try tricks out on us and how I am the perfect participant… when I noticed a man in a blue suit style jacket standing near us. Moments later, CASEYMAGIC AKA Magic Mike took the stage and pulled me, along with two other crowd members, up to be part of the show. IT WAS SO FUN! I’m going to try to explain magic tricks to you here, as I barely have the capability to attempt to relay the feelings and tones of bands’ sets. But just know, like all magic, it fucking ruled and I couldn’t stop smiling.

After the magic act, Chrysalis took to the lounge stage. The audience was instantly held captive by the fragile yet raw emotional songs. The performance made me feel like I was floating, equal parts vulnerable and resilient. I ran into Will as I was walked around trying to get different angles for my shots and we both gushed at how talented they are. Another 10/10 on the lounge stage! Scott Terry was someone that Tall Paul told me that I should not miss. Terry cut his teeth and gained recognition with his band Red Wanting Blue, but announced onstage that he would soon be releasing a solo album. He blended heartfelt lyrics with an easygoing stage presence, keeping the audience hanging on every note.

Jon Tyler Wiley and His Virginia Choir took the stage and instantly had the whole room toe-tapping. The band offers up the kind of rugged, soul-stirring Americana that feels equally at home in the hills of Appalachia or on a stage in Nashville. Jon, like Chris earlier, would be pulling double duty today, as he is the lead guitarist in Will’s band. But that did not stop him and his band from giving it their all during their set. Back out in the lounge, for Patrick Armould and his band. Patrick showcased his knack for honest songwriting and understated musicianship through his warm, strong vocals and reflective lyrics.

I followed the crowd to the main room for Tim Barry. As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, if you’re in the punk scene, you know Tim Barry. If you’ve every been to Fest in Gainesville, FL, then you know Tim Barry. And if you’ve ever met someone from Richmond, it’s likely they know Tim Barry too. While I’ve seen countless sets of Tim’s throughout the years, today was special. Today, he brought his daughter out on stage with him. Her accompanying vocals added an especially touching dimension to the set. His performance was as raw, honest, and emotionally gripping.

I wandered back into the front room, the ex-K-mart Cafe room, to catch the final pre-Will set. Originally from Columbia, MO, The Burney Sisters shared that they recently relocated to Huntsville, AL but make trips up to Nashville whenever they can to revel in the music scene. I get it; if I learned nothing else this weekend, it is the power of the Nashville music scene. The duo blended harmonies and heartfelt storytelling with an infectious energy. As they played, I kept thinking about how they sounded like the Indie Folk version of Phoebe Bridgers, albeit more upbeat, brighter, and something that I would actually want to listen to. No shade to any Phoebe fans, but I just don’t want to feel THAT sad all the time.

One more trip over to the main room, one more band before the night and festival weekend came to a close. It went too fast. I was trying to grip on to the moment when Will Hoge and his band took the stage. Chris Griffiths, Jon Tyler Wiley, and Mark Masefield were all there. And with the time we had spent together during their sets throughout the weekend, it felt like welcoming old friends back again. While I thought last night was remarkable and memorable, it had nothing on tonight’s performance. Everything happened, and I mean everything. The tried and true fans were in the front row singing along to every lyric. I moved out of the way to let two very small kids get right up next to the stage, both of them beaming ear to ear. At one point, Will and the band grabbed their acoustic instruments, hopped off the stage, and walked into the center of the room and set up shop. They played smack-dab in the middle of the crowd, to everyone’s delight.

I walked to the back of the room, passing Will’s family and friends, ready to make my ascension up to the balcony for a few quick shots. That’s when I saw an older couple swing dancing together. They were singing along and cracking each other up. That’s when it hit me; everyone was here – kids, parents, and everyone in between, decades-long fans of  Will, weirdos like me who recently got swept into a strange new world and are still finding their footing. All weekend long, I never once felt like I was an outsider despite showing up solo. In what seemed like a repeat of last night, Alex Fang came out again with a birthday cake. Tonight, Will announced that is was his father’s birthday and asked him to come forward. A man that I had noticed snapping photos along side me throughout the day stepped forward to blow out the candles as everyone sang. Will then invited any and all of the musicians who were still the building to take the stage. Scott Terry, Amy Speace, and Kiely Connell hopped up along with Liam Hoge and Will’s father. The band launched into a cover of Neil Young’s “Rocking in the Free World” as everyone grouped together around microphones and sang the chorus together. At one point, Liam took over on drums. Will jumped up onto the kit with his guitar and soloed before the song crescendoed and ended. The musicians all lined up together arm-over-shoulder, as you would see at the end of a play, and took one final bow before the house lights came up. I made my way around the room saying goodbye to my new friends, wishing them all safe travels and hoping that we’d run into each other again somewhere down the road, possible in Tennessee, or Illinois, or Michigan, or Wisconsin. If there’s good music and gas isn’t $7.00 per gallon, I will be there.

The last few years have been hard on me, I’ve been hard on me. I’ve all but given up on bands and on music, over and over. I’ve been so disappointed by people that I respected, that I spent money and time and effort to support and platform. Earlier this year, I honestly considered the idea of no longer going to shows; I could still enjoy some music from the safety of my apartment, right? What the fuck was I thinking? Every band’s and artist’s set this weekend helped to chip away some of the walls that I’ve erected. Every kind smile and quick conversation with a complete stranger helped to remind me why I wanted to immerse myself in music in any way – in all ways – in the first place. As I headed back to my hotel and packed up my bag preparing for my long drive back to the Midwest the next morning, I kept singing a Neil Young lyric over and over:

Got a man of the people says keep hope alive / Got fuel to burn, got roads to drive.

Thank you, Mr. Hoge, for reminding me to keep hope alive. I’ll see you at the next one.

Check out my Day 2 coverage below and make sure to check out Day 1 if you missed it!