So October has been a pretty busy month for us as a group getting everything together, but in the past four weeks I have had some pretty spectacular opportunities (along with some of my group members) to begin to experience what living in Nashville and understanding country music really looks like.
The first opportunity came when Live on the Green, a free, Nashville-sponsored concert series, brought Band of Horses downtown to play a concert outside on October 7. Being one of my favorite bands even before I got to Nashville, it was really exciting for me to see them live, and to understand a little bit more about them stylistically. Having just released a brand new album this May, Band of Horses now identifies themselves as a completely "folk" inspired ensemble, a movement that grew out of country music in America in the last century.
Alex, me, and Evyn at Band of Horses
The next concert that I was fortunate enough to experience was a name that all fans of country music will recognize: Carrie Underwood. Emerging onto the country music scene only five years ago after she won American Idol, Carrie has taken Nashville and the world by storm with her powerful voice, winning several CMA's and celebrating an induction into the renowned Grand Ole Opry in 2009. Not to mention the fact that Carrie is an INCREDIBLE entertainer. Her take on pop-country style is fresh and engaging, but she knew how to make all of her fans happy, performing a duet of one of her singles with Randy Travis in a tribute to her Opry membership during the show. Four words to describe the show: glitter, glamour, and steel guitar. It was such a fun experience!
A view of the stage from our seats
Liesel and I enjoying the show!
And while this last concert technically happened on November 1st, I had to include it in this blog post, because it blew me away. Last night at TPAC I got to go see Mumford & Sons, with openers King Charles and Cadillac Sky. Wow. Just wow. Their musicianship was unparalleled, their grasp on Americana style and folk influences in spite of their London roots was inspiring. In fact, the lead singer, Marcus Mumford, mentioned during their set that he bought his very first guitar that he ever played in Nashville three and a half years ago, and described how significant it felt to be back in this city performing where, in a sense, he got his first shot. Besides the use of steel guitar, which was an obvious country instrument, the technique of the upright bassist, the plucking of the back-up guitarist's banjo and the brief appearance of a mandolin during "Winter Winds" all signaled to the audience that Mumford & Sons were country at their core, and the crowd response confirmed that they will be on the music scene to stay for some time to come. I'm so excited to see what new directions they will take and understand their music more in the context of their history (they brought out one of their biggest influences, Old Crow Medicine Show, during their encore to play a cover of 'Wagon Wheel'!)
Only a month into the project, and we're learning so much! We hope you're having fun learning with us as we continue to explore this great city that we're living in.
Y'all come back now, you hear!
Abby
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