Music City Nights LIVE! 5/23 Show
The weather was hot and muggy, the sky was threatening, and the technical difficulties abounded – but it didn’t matter. Music City Nights LIVE!’s chosen talent for Friday night put on such a sweet show that these minor discomforts were easily overlooked. Now that means something!
Chris Nathan, who had succeeded in striking me as outstanding a few days earlier, was kind enough to sit down and talk with us before going on stage as the first act (solo and acoustic, this time). While talking with us, he managed to hint just a little deeper at the hungry passion underneath his laid-back exterior, a passion I had already been able to interpret during his last performance, and was further emphasized during the following one. Stamping his foot like a champ and working his guitar to death (literally, but luckily one of the other acts lent him one for the remainder of his set), you got the feeling that Chris couldn’t have been more comfortable if the Limelight was his living room, but also couldn’t have tried harder if he was performing for a fully packed stadium. He gave the audience a sufficient sample of his album, Words (which is described on his Myspace as “good clean baby making music”) by playing his originals, “I Wouldn’t Change a Thing”, “Girl By the Window”, the lyrically genius “All Four Seasons in a Day” (which he introduced as “one of them ballads…a deep cut with salt on the wounds kind of song”), “I Got Your Back”, and “Bad Habits” (he informed the audience that the day he recorded this song for the album was on one very similar to this very night weather-wise, and so naturally, was recorded while he was in his underwear). He closed it out with “Words”, the single that is currently making its mark on radio stations all across the country.
Adam Fears and his overtly talented band followed. With their hilarious stage presence and audience interaction, and distinctly southern rock style, they made an immediate impact. In fact, they were so great that they knocked out the power on the whole block! Okay not really. In reality, a transformer blew, and dynamic though they were, it had nothing to do with Adam and his band. Nonetheless they were good sports about the situation, even to the point that when it first cut out, they continued to play so diligently for another minute or so that the audience was led to believe they were being treated with a drum solo. Unfortunately this was realized not to be the case, but once the lights got back on, they picked right up where they’d been cut off, in full form, as if nothing had happened at all. We learned quite a bit about Adam through his songs – such as the fact that he’s “The Last One Out” (“A true story, y’all”) comes from a “Long Line of Losers”, that the best advice you can get from him is “Don’t Touch My Women”, and that “The Road Goes on Forever” - at least, that’s what it felt like on stage, like Adam wasn’t just singing, he was talking to you through both original his songs and covers. Despite the whole transformer deal, Adam and his bandmates were natural, fun, and did a great job of getting the crowd going.
The next act, Gold Rush, donned in full black suits, served as heroes for all of us considering the generally sweaty condition of those in attendance. However, it didn’t ruin their ability to get a good part of the audience up and dancing. The entire group consisted of not only some of the friendliest people I’ve had the chance to meet in Nashville but also a lead singer (Stacey Cato) with the most animated knees I’ve ever seen (see them perform and you’ll know what I’m talking about). With tight vocals (single and harmonized), a heaven-sent guitarist (actually he was from London, but you get my point), and a thousand other good qualities, Gold Rush managed to entertain and entrance all throughout a set that went by a little too quickly for my taste. Some of the originals the group shared with us included “Good Gentle Woman”, “Wait”, and “Burnin’ It Down”, on top of covers that were so uniquely redone, I didn’t even recognize were covers until they got to the chorus – notably, Stealers Wheel’s “Stuck in the Middle With You” and Sugar Ray’s “Fly”. Maybe it was Stacey’s legs, maybe it was the groups distinct, classic style, maybe it was a combination of the both – but to be truthful, throughout Gold Rush’s set I couldn’t help but be reminded of those classic outlaw-turned-ultimate-legend artists you hear about on a regular basis, such as (dare I say it?), Elvis Presley.
Chain Reaction topped the night off, so inspiring that even one of the bartenders couldn’t hold back from dancing. On top of that, two of the audience members told Chain Reaction that if they kept playing music like that, they were going to end up making another baby. This time it seemed that the instrumental talent got to share a bigger piece of the spotlight, especially the guitar skills of Greg Vass, which were somewhat stifled due to technical difficulties the last time he was on stage. One audience member turned to me and said, “They’re putting on a concert,” which is actually a fairly accurate statement, considering not only the aesthetic value – we were honored with some pretty captivating light effects while they played – and also the effort put forth by this unique group. We heard the song for which they are named, “Chain Reaction”, which spotlighted the extreme musical talent of all band members – I can safely say that this performance in particular put me in awe! Even though it was late and had been a long night, Chain Reaction managed to put all remaining ounces of energy into the each song, even the very last one of the evening – “Line of Fire”, a personal favorite!
In all, it was a fantastic showcase, one worth telling about and the kind that I’d love to relive if given the option. Thank you for another awesome musical experience, Music City Nights.
Links of Importance:
Music City Nights LIVE! Official Myspace
Chris Nathan’s Myspace
Adam Fear’s Myspace
Adam Fear’s Official Website
Gold Rush’s Myspace
Chain Reaction’s Myspace
