The bouncer marks my hand with an “X” and motions inside. A lady scans our tickets and says, “Past the photo booth, second floor.” The building my friend and I are now in seems to be a repurposed factory that now houses a ballroom and a few live music lounges. Tonight, it will be the home of Real Sword Collective’s biggest release party ever.
A short ride on a questionable elevator takes us to an unmarked hallway. We are beckoned through the corridor by the mysterious call of this urban industrial palace.
At first glance, the High Watt Lounge isn’t that impressive. In fact, it’s not much bigger than Barefoots Joe, Union’s own go-to venue for small scale music performances. The walls are mostly exposed brick, aside from the hundreds of different posters of previous acts, and other than the stage lights only a few bare lightbulbs illuminate the hall.
I look around at the few concertgoers already there. I’m mostly unfamiliar with this indie music scene. Not just the individuals at this specific event, but the genre and its audience as a whole. My Spotify playlists consist mostly of 70s and 80s rock classics and a few folk songs from the late 60s, not obscure (at least to me) independent artists like the ones headlining tonight.
Looking around, I realize I don’t quite fit in with this group of people. I don’t have cuffed pant legs and I don’t have a denim jacket with a collection of band patches and pins, two necessities for this night it would seem. Luckily, I’m with someone who’s a little more familiar and can brief me on the bands that will play.
Up first is Blood Root. Blood Root is a tricky act to describe. I think part of their appeal comes from that fact. Their new song “Teeth” sounds like Steve Miller Band combined with America combined with Heart, but also nothing like any one of those bands. There’s probably a better comparison to be made, but like I said, my repertoire is limited to music from 40 years ago. All in all, a really great way to begin the evening.
Up next is Rock Eupora. Rock Eupora has actually played in Barefoots before, a show, after having seen them live, I wish I hadn’t missed. We were halfway through their set when I realized that all reservations I had about being in this weird place with these weird people were completely gone. Rock Eupora has a great way of interacting with the crowd that immediately puts people at ease. Their music is obviously influenced by rock acts that came before them, but they definitely have a newer sound that’s distinctly their own.
Finally, to wrap up the night came Future Crib. If Blood Root was a great way to open the night, Future Crib was a great way to close it. I think every other song caused some sort of mini mosh pit. There was jumping, there was screaming, there was crowd surfing. It was a very high-energy show to end a very high-energy night.
After the show was done, I sought out Rob and Jay Griffith, two of the organizers of this event and the founders of Real Sword Collective. Unfortunately, my phone was dead at this point. Using a scrap of receipt tape and a pen I borrowed from the bartender, I scrawled down whatever quotes I could. When I asked him about Real Sword Collective’s origin, Rob ended up saying something that really described the whole night.
“Real Sword Collective started as a reason for all my friends to be friends with each other.”
By the end of that night everyone was friends with each other. There’s something happening in Nashville that I was previously unaware of, but now want to be a part of.
If you want to listen to music that, one: is amazing, and, two: supports a community of independent artists that are dedicated to making amazing music, check out Blood Root’s new single “Teeth,” Rock Eupora’s new EP “Twirlin’,” and Future Crib’s new album “Friends.” Also check out Real Sword Collective’s magazine Sister Sinister.
Blood Root: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1U9TMeOT5ChIc3YhlooeZ4?si=Wjzsm37pSu2Q-etMkh9b-A
Rock Eupora: https://open.spotify.com/artist/55gIFk1GnlkERIGfjJQOjO?si=wfcIXC_-Qeed6y4k90f9IA
Future Crib: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2QeQIlUXOsBbZGniOCJweR?si=629wl3kYRfeHSUF8UML7ig
Photo courtesy of Jackson Hall