Sunflower Bean at 3rd and Lindsley in Nashville July 1st

New York trio Sunflower Bean wrapped up their headlining tour at 3rd and Lindsley in Nashville on Sunday July 1st. The band had been on the road for 5 weeks, it actually seems like they've been on the road the entire past 3 years, and yet, they still sounded fresh and not road weary. Their electric set started with an Aimless Skylarking favorite, 'Burn It', and didn't let up, heavy on cuts from their latest LP, Twentytwo in Blue, but also sprinkling in a few from their debut LP Human Ceremony. A fantastic night for live music. Opening the night was another New York based band, Public Access TV. Their short opening set was full of unbridled energy, and was nothing short of fantastic. Nashville's Lightning 100 radio station live streamed the show, and I was there to document the night. Check out my photos from the show below.

For more photos from the show, follow these links to my Flickr page: 

Sunflower Bean photos

Public Access TV photos

Young Valley at Secret Stages Music Festival

Every year at Secret Stages I'm blown away by at least one or two performances. Mostly from bands I've never heard of and I just happen across them because I am in between shows. And that's what happened when I stepped outside to check out the main stage at Secret Stages, Mississippi alt-country rockers Young Valley caught my ear. Raucous and fun, the band made a new fan that evening. Give them a listen below as you check out my photos from their performance. 

Early James and the Latest at Secret Stages Music Festival

In between shows at the Secret Stages Festival, I popped into Rogue Tavern to use the bathroom and grab a beer. I'd never heard of Early James and the Latest, but glad I stuck around for their set. A spectacular live act, the band mashed up folk, blues, and country into what amounted to a barn burning set of originals and covers. And discovering an artist you'd never heard before is exactly what Secret Stages is all about. Listen in to one of their tracks below and you check out my photos from their performance.  

Snail Mail at Secret Stages Music Festival

When I made my list of bands I planned to check out at this year's Secret Stages Festival in Birmingham, Baltimore rock trio Snail Mail was top of the list. Playing at Rogue Tavern on the 2nd night of the festival, the band drew the largest crowd I'd seen at any venue. Even a few bands who had played earlier stuck around for the show. All the hype and anticipation was well worth it too. Fantastic performance, and I walked away satisfied and also a bigger fan. Listen in to a few Snail Mail tracks below and check out my photos from the show. 

Molly Parden at Secret Stages Music Festival

Another must see artist on my Secret Stages list this year was Nashville based Molly Parden. She was the 1st act at Rogue Tavern on the 2nd day of the festival, and set the tone for another day of fantastic music. She and her band played a compelling brand of country folk with a few pop elements sprinkled throughout, but it was her stunningly beautiful voice that kept the audience entranced. Listen in to a few of Molly's tracks below as you check out my photos from her performance.