Nikki Lane
Nikki Lane will be headlining this Friday at Nightfall, the free concert series produced by Chattanooga Presents at Miller Plaza. Her twangy, nostalgic spin on country music will be preceded by local opening band TJG & the 423’s.
This week is also Rock the Block, when Nightfall partners with the Bessie Smith Cultural Center on the first Friday of each month for a block party that includes music on the lawn of the Bessie at 5 p.m. by Jimmy Allgood and at 6 p.m. by Sound Advice before Nightfall kicks in with its regular 7 p.m. schedule. This week the River City Corvette Club will have cars on display between Georgia Avenue and Lindsey Street, providing connection between the BSCC and Miller Plaza. The River City Corvette Club is a 501(c)3 which donates to local charities through its programs. Come out early and celebrate music and collaboration in the community.
Review for Nikki Lane:
Nightfall’s headliner Nikki Lane has been referred to by critics as the modern “First Lady of Outlaw Country.” She has a voice of yesteryear and a no-nonsense approach to her songs heartache, about friends that betray you, and about misbehaving and moving on. When Lane moved to Los Angeles and New York before Nashville, it was for fashion, not music. She had wanted to be the Jean Queen, with a retail empire that was built around her love of denim. But then she made a record.
Nikki released the 2011 album “Walk of Shame” to rave reviews. Her 2014 album “Right Time” was produced by Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys), who also helps out with guitars and even vocals on a couple of tracks. She had met Auerbach at her vintage clothing stall at a flea market in Nashville, when he literally bought the leather jacket off her back. Lane's sound has been compared to that of Wanda Jackson as well as the sound of Neko Case's early albums, but she cites Neil Young and Waylon Jennings as two of her biggest inspirations. A lot of people are making a big fuss about Nikki Lane. Come out Friday to Nightfall and see why.
Nikki Lane’s 8 p.m. performance at Nightfall will be preceded at 7 p.m. with a performance by local band TJG & the 423’s. The brainchild of T.J. Greever, made its official debut during this year’s Road to Nightfall competition, although T.J. has been making great music in Chattanooga for years. In this case, T.J. and this talented collective of Chattanooga musicians play what they describe as “everything and some twang.”
Nightfall 2016 represents a series of 15 free Friday-night concerts held at Miller Plaza in downtown Chattanooga. Each Friday through Aug. 26 Nightfall will showcase a broad spectrum of musical genres featuring a Chattanooga band at 7 p.m., followed by a headline show by a national artist at 8 p.m., many of whom are performing for the first time in the city.
Nightfall bulk discount beer and wine tickets are available at each show, offering a 20 percent savings on a packet of 20 drink tickets (typically $6 per individual ticket, but sold in a bulk packet for $96). Food trucks and non-alcoholic drink concessions are also available on site. No outside food or beverages are allowed to be brought in to Nightfall.
Known for its family-friendly environment as well as being recognized nationally for the quality of its musical programming and locally as “Best of the Best” for Chattanooga Events, Nightfall is a family-friendly concert series with an average attendance of between 2,500-3,000 each night.
Nightfall is made possible this year thanks to sponsorships from Shock Top, Fletcher Bright Company, Kelly Cars, EPB Fiber Optics, Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Puckett’s Chattanooga, Big River Grille, Southern Honda Powersports, Track 29 and Revelry Room, Gold’s Gym, UTC and Douglas Heights. Media support comes from NPR/Music 88.1 and ChattanoogaNow.
For more information on this free community concert series, call 265-0771 or visit NightfallChattanooga.com for an interactive website that includes music samples by each headliner, as well as other information for first-time attendees.