By Justin Boldenow, Producer of The Solari Report
Three and a half miles north of the Cannery Ballroom and three miles north of the Marathon Music Works building is a small venue that flies a little under the radar. However, it doesn’t fly so low that the artists don’t know that its there.
The Millennium Maxwell House Hotel looms as a peering tower over the flat commercial district of Nashville, composed of greasy fast food restaurants and too-squeaky clean car dealerships. Though the building’s stature seems out of place and the yelp reviews would deter you from ever setting foot inside one of their rooms (which is why we don’t take advice from yelp), hidden on the first floor past the reception desk is a real gem.
It wasn’t our first time investigating the small and intimate space given our weekly excursions to explore the city and breathe in its life, however, on this night, we were greeted with a musical experience that was beyond what we anticipated.
We went during a yearly city-wide celebration known as “Tin Pan South,” which celebrates singer-songwriters by lining them up by the dozens in every bar, dive, brewery, and café within the greater Nashville area. It’s the type of event that I can revel in while wholly regretting in retrospect that I didn’t take full advantage of it.
The evening was something worth taking in. As we walked up to the doors, we could see into the ballroom that there were conventions taking place. It seemed like a real suit and tie event with products to be sold and an audience enthusiastic to buy in. I still have no idea what it was that they were selling, but on the opposite side of the building was the usual cast of the Americana scene meshed with a plethora of young people from all walks of life.
As we sat down near the stage, we took notice that before us were the frail frames of the artists-to-be. On the stage were three girls and a young guy who ranged in age from 17 to 20. Their chit-chat seemed nervous, and their demeanor shy. Their voices though, were strong. The sheer power and emotion that flowed out of them was incredible.
There was a great deal of pain in their music as with a great deal of dirt and grime. As inexperienced as they seemed, I could not fathom where this grit had come from and that only God knew who put it in them. Though their playing was not intricate and their technique less crafted, their songs took hold of us. Their words were familiar and ageless at times. There was a great deal of potential, and a small bit of envy in my shoes as I certainly was not playing to Nashville audiences at the age of 18.
They exchanged songs in a line from one artist to another until their set was through and the next group of artists brought even more to the table to take in.
A group by the name of The Devious Angels took stage left, center was a chuckling good ol’ boy by the name of Aaron Raitiere with a worn and weary man with a deep Jonny Cash voice on his left by the name of Mark Stephen Jones. Stage right held a local legend by the name of Charlie Pate.
The Devious Angels housed a deep southern air with a boot-stomping feel. There was a sense of Gospel influence in their voices while playing around with the standard heartbreak type of country that is known so well. “Steevie” sung with a refined voice that demonstrated how much she had seen and done while managing to come away with a purpose. Jon sings like a young Bob Dylan with a small measure of twang that sits well with the music. The tone of each of their voices balance to give a full and rich harmony.
Aaron’s songs relied a great deal on memories and nostalgia. Whether it came from old relationships or his childhood, he sung with a quirky temperament that had a strange charisma to it. We really couldn’t help but smile when he spoke and laugh when he sang. He was surely no stranger to jokes and laughter. He also didn’t mind playing for us the nursery songs he wrote for his kids. It was all so kindred.
If David Bowie, Bruce Springsteen, and Johnny Cash had found a way to assimilate their vocal chords, then they were embedded in Mark Stephen Jones. A scotch glass at his feet and a work coat over his frame, his singing was hollow and haunting. He was a specter from another age that still seemed so incredibly relevant. Though he too could whip a quip between songs that earned grins from the crowd, his songs burdened the heart with pain; a raw, unrelenting misery. Once his songs began, they were a force that could not be stopped until he wanted them to.
The last man on the right was Charlie. He was a bald fellow with a grin that spread from one end of his face to the other. There was nothing on this earth that would halt his good mood. His playing was precise and trained, taken after centuries of western and bluegrass tradition. Tradition was what Charlie excelled at. It was also what wanted to be heard since he had to leave early to play a show on Broadway.
It wasn’t until later that I learned that each of these artists were regulars at the famous Bluebird Café. Maybe these artists weren’t so new and underground to the area, but we certainly had never heard of them and we earnestly welcomed them.
The last act that we witnessed was a group that has been featured on our blog before. A wholesome southern family with traditional values and stunning impression. The Williamson Branch are more than a standard family act to be filed as a gimmick as they demonstrate grace, bond, and class with their performances. With heartfelt confessions and backstory monologues between songs, they lead their way into a classic sense of bluegrass and country-western in their music. And if that wasn’t enough, they give a great example of showmanship with family tap dancing off of the stage and into the audience.
The artists mentioned in this edition of “Ears to the Ground” can be heard at the links at the bottom of this post. Please go out and support your local music, for music truly does make a city. Send us your findings as you do and show us what you hear when your ears are to the ground.
Devious Angels – Video
Aaron Raitiere – Video
Mark Stephen Jones – Interview
Charlie Pate – Video
Williamson Branch – Video
