3rd and Lindsley

This Sunday, Sarah and I went to our first official venue-specific, paid show in Nashville. (I say "paid" very loosely though, because the show was only $10 a person. We didn't stretch ourselves much, and it was worth way more than that measly cover price.) The venue was 3rd and Lindsley, and the act we paid to see was Valerie June, a semi-local artist who is seemingly at the precipice of making it "big" and who just came into town from Bonnaroo. The opening act was great, too (Laura Reed, but I'll get to that), but Valerie was the true star, a musician you can't help but remember.



3rd and Lindsley, to get the venue description out of the way (so I can talk about Miss June), is a semi-average bar/stage that's just a few blocks from downtown Nashville. It's tucked at the end of what looks like used to be an office structure, or maybe some sort of small distribution plant. It's on the back corner of the building, and the road that it's on (3rd and Lindsley, hence the name) is the first road off of the interstate. The entire area gives it the sense of impermanence: a repurposed structure that seems like it could be claimed by cubicles or forklifts at any time, next to the vein of I40 that brings acts from all over the country into the Music City to try to make something of themselves. The place might not be the first stop in an artist's or band's journey to stardom, but it gives them the view of what they could achieve in the skyline just past the parking lot.

We arrived early, before the doors opened at 6. We were the first in line, and as I mentioned regarding the building, I thought maybe we were in the wrong place. But it had the sign, and there were band stickers all over the glass front door. So, we waited ten minutes for the doors to open, as other couples walked up, some with looks of confusion similar to my own: was this the place?

The bar area of 3rd and Lindsley is nothing spectacular. As bars go, this one doesn't shine more brightly (or dimly, as is typical), but it makes up only about a quarter of the real space. Mostly, this is a venue and the stage is the focus. Being first in line, we sat at a table directly in front and to the right of the stage. Around us was a balcony that wrapped over the bar and gave the space a feeling of a concert hall. If you take that metaphor farther, then we would have been sitting in the music pit, since there was a slightly more raised seating area behind us. Our placement was perfect, though, as we were able to watch unobstructed.

Laura Reed opened, with a pop song laden set that reminded me of Nelly Furtado. She had great energy, and she engaged the audience with her life story and song introductions. From South Africa, she came to Nashville -- where her father was born -- and is trying to turn her voice into a bigger paycheck, as is the modus operandi of at least half of Nashville's population. She was good, not great, with a unique voice that could make it far on televised talent shows. Unfortunately, with quirkiness starting to matter more than music in the broader world of entertainment, she's the kind of person who would need a sleeve-length tattoo and a rough back story to step out of the pack.

Speaking of stepping out of the pack: Valerie June... (To read my review of Valerie June, click here.)

3rd and Lindsley is a place with history in Nashville, a history that follows the pattern of the city: musicians with dreams come along in search of being outstanding. Some succeed, some fail. Whereas musicians come and go, though, the venues that stick become institutions for life, insinuating themselves into their surroundings. This kind of permanence is rare, and stands in opposition to the place's appearance. Somehow, though, it all makes sense once you get inside.

For more information, visit 3rdandlindsley.com