Photo by Tayhlor Stephenson / Lifestyles Editor
Whether it’s the commemoration of a loved-one’s 50th birthday or the notable purchase of one’s 50th concert ticket, the number serves as a milestone in many scenarios, just as it did last night in Lightning 100’s execution of its 50th Live on the Green–a free concert series that invades Nashville’s Public Square Park on recurring Thursday nights in August.
Indie-rock band Minus the Bear was the first to take the stage. They opened with “Give & Take,” a track off their newly released album, “VOIDS.” From there, the band, led by vocalist and guitarist Jake Snider, explored songs off each album, going all the way back to their 2002 debut album, “Highly Refined Pirates,” with “Absinthe Party at the Fly Honey Warehouse.” They endowed a contagious vibe throughout, which the audience ultimately reciprocated.
Minus the Bear continuously expressed their gratitude to both the lively audience and Lightning 100; after all, the night was of Live on the Green prominence.
“You guys have been an incredible crowd,” frontman Jake Snider said before closing the band’s set with “Last Kiss,” a single off their latest album, “VOIDS.”
Real Estate, a rock band which derives from New Jersey, stole the stage from Minus the Bear with an irrefutable connection with the fans present.
The five-man band showcased their most recent album, “In Mind,” with songs like “Stained Glass,” but they also shed light on some of their earlier tracks, including “All the Same,” a single off the band’s second studio album, “Days,” and “Had to Hear,” released on the band’s 2014 album, “Atlas.”
“We just want to thank you for being at this peaceful gathering of love and music and support,” said Alex Bleeker, Real Estate’s bassist.
The band relied heavily on instrumentals rather than hyped-up performances, but the musicality Real Estate delivered seemed to be well-accepted by the audience as fans continued to sing lyrics aloud. Just as the band wrapped up their 75-minute set, the sky started spitting raindrops, which made for an epic farewell.
Indie-rock band Local Natives took the stage at 9:30 p.m. as the headliners of the second week of the 2017 free concert series and 50th overall Live on the Green performance. They performed several tracks off their 2012 debut album, “Gorilla Manor,” including their song “Shape Shifter,” as the band’s lead, Taylor Rice, hopped offstage and into a sea of fans, causing a big wave as everyone fought to reach the indie-rocker’s side.
Towards the middle of their set, which would end at 11 p.m., Local Natives performed a new track titled “I Saw You Close Your Eyes.” They also spent time on their 2013 “Hummingbird” album with “You & I,” “Heavy Feet” and “Columbia” just before encouraging their fans to choose love.
“For all of us to be Americans, it’s been a horrific week this week, and we just wanted to share that everybody has an influence and they have a choice to choose love and to choose unity no matter what your gender is, no matter what your race is,” Rice said before leading his band in “Fountain of Youth,” a single off their 2016 album, “Sunlit Youth.” “Let’s make this into the world we want.”
The second Thursday of the Live on the Green concert series was loaded with indie-rock and vibe-worthy melodies, which already made for an appreciable night. But the addition of Live on the Green marking history with their 50th production is something the bands and fans will take with them.
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