While students have been enjoying their well-deserved summer break, Lighting 100 has been hard at work preparing for the 11th iteration of Nashville’s summer concert series “Live On The Green.” The free festival in Public Square Park attracts locals and visitors alike with a lineup that consistently highlights rock and indie artists, and this year goes above and beyond in providing an experience that celebrates music and food alike. Here’s a preview of some of the stand-out artists and vendors coming to Public Square Park in the next couple of weeks:
Food & Entertainment
This year, Live On The Green is inviting attendees to attend Yoga on The Green by the Main Stage both Saturday and Sunday at 12:30 P.M. and 12:00 P.M. respectively. Both classes will be taught by experienced vinyasa instructors, and are open to yogis of all levels.
But what is a concert without some tasty comfort food? Live On The Green isn’t going to let you go hungry over the next couple of weekends; food trucks will be spread out over the perimeter of the park at Union St. & 3rd, Union St., and Deaderick St. Stand-outs include Shark Tank-featured Cousin’s Maine Lobster, fan-favorite Grilled Cheeserie, Banh Mi Roll, The Mac Shack, and Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream.
Thursday, August 15
While festivals tend to leave their best artists for last, Live On The Green isn’t holding back. They’re kicking off the first day of the concert series at 6 P.M. with Lucie Silvas, followed by Yola, The Strumbellas, and Gary Clark Jr.
The Strumbellas are a crowd favorite and for a reason. The members of the band, all celebrating their respective instruments and music styles, mesh perfectly to create stylistic, upbeat anthems that are enjoyed by all. We can expect highlights from their newest album, “Rattlesnake”, where producer Tim Pagnotta (Walk the Moon, Elle King) worked with band members Simon Ward (lead vocals, acoustic guitar), David Ritter (keys), Jeremy Drury (drums/percussion), Isabel Ritchie (strings), John Hembrie (electric guitar), and Darryl James (bass).
Thursday, August 22
Grammy-nominated artist Will Hoge kicks off the second week of the festival at 5:45 P.M., followed by Amanda Shires and Mat Kearney. The night comes to a close with a personal favorite, JOHNNYSWIM.
Husband-and-wife duo Abner Ramirez and Amanda Sudano find their creativity from their experiences as a couple going through the ups and downs of life, creating inspiring alternative music in the process. Their honest lyrics have garnered attention from Rolling Stone, The Today Show, and The New York Times to name a few. Their third full-length album, Moonlight, was produced by the Grammy award-winning Malay.
Thursday, August 29 – Sunday, September 1
The last week of Live On The Green takes place over the course of four jaw-dropping days. Kicking things off at 5:15 P.M. on Thursday and Friday are respective concert openers Briston Maroney and Illiterate Light. Other artists stepping foot on stage over the weekend include Erin Rae, Grace Potter, O.A.R, Stephen Dae, Creature Comfort, and The Brummies. I’ve highlighted some of my favorites to look forward to below:
Lightning 100 named The Daybreaks “Nashville’s next supergroup,” and not without reason. Band member Bobby Holland (guitars/vocals/keys/co-producer) was nominated for a Grammy for his engineering work on Kesha’s album Rainbow, and Adam Bokesch (drums/co-producer) had his instrumental music featured in the 2016 Summer Olympics, with the rest of the band enjoying prolific solo music careers themselves. Their newest album The Idea of You takes inspiration from late 70’s Fleetwood Mac, which is enough to make the band a must-see for your Thursday.
While not as experienced as other bands performing over the weekend, Wilder Woods takes the stage at 7:00 P.M. on Sunday and is sure to wow with their self-titled debut including favorites “Sure Ain’t” and “Someday Soon.” The album, including a collection of genres like alt-pop and soul, marks a new chapter for Bear Rinehart, who leaves fans with high expectations following his place in Grammy award-nominated band NEEDTOBREATHE.
This band closes out at 8:30 P.M. on Sunday, ensuring that the festival ends with a bang. Lake Street Dive’s work speaks for itself; their 2018 album Free Yourself Up debuted in the top 10 on the Billboard 200 and spent an almost unprecedented 7 and a half months on non-commercial charts. Their effortless blend of R&B and classic rock and roll makes the band’s music timeless, as illustrated in their hit song “Good Kisser.”
See the festival’s full lineup and map of the festival here.
