Featured Photo by Cadee Havard
Story by Cadee Havard
Many may remember the rehearsal studio and venue known as Ridenour located off of Middle Tennessee Boulevard. Ridenour Rehearsal Studios closed down last spring. However, the space has been rebranded under new management, open under the name R&R. Since reopening they hosted the Action Cat Issue 1 Release Show in August and recently hosted a show featuring Safety Cat, Buzie and Juliet’s Apartment.
Safety Cat, Buzie and Juliet’s Apartment are all made up of current Middle Tennessee State University students and alumni. Safety Cat is the solo project of Jen Wheeler, featuring a variety of genres including hyperpop. Wheeler performed all of her vocals live and was accompanied by backing tracks she also created. Songwriting, electronic composition and singing are not Wheeler’s only talents, though. Later that night, she appeared with Juliet’s Apartment on the drum set.
Following Safety Cat was Buzie, a singer-songwriter who sometimes incorporates other artists into her live performances. The singer-songwriter teased the crowd with her first song, where she had just a cajón drum and acoustic guitar. After she finished the first song, she had the band switch to a drum kit and an electric bass. The unique combination, which left out the traditional electric guitar, made space for fun and creative bass lines.
In a proper finale, Parker Milley of Juliet’s Apartment joined the group on electric guitar for the last song of the set. Her electric vocals alone brought an undeniable energy to the room. The inclusion of her band made the performance absolutely stellar.
Juliet’s Apartment, an indie rock band that has been playing in Murfreesboro for around five years now, finished out the night. They are comprised of Ethan Concors, a current MTSU student, and MTSU alumni Parker Milley, Casey Allison, Seth Crumley and Jen Wheeler.
Performing songs like “Nothin’ New,” “Scream at the Moon” and “Let Down,” the indie rock group’s energy was reflected in the crowd, which even initiated the occasional soft mosh pit. The group has an expansive performance record, and it is evident by the energy of each band member. Juliet’s Apartment is not afraid to move around on stage; Milley has made a ritual out of falling to the ground, guitar in hand, at the end of every set.
While there is no guarantee that every performance at R&R will have the same energy that these artists brought to the table, the venue holds a lot of potential for MTSU artists to put on energetic, high-quality performances. Between the lighting setup and the fully-fledged sound system, there’s no beating R&R’s accommodation in Murfreesboro. The venue and rehearsal space are sure to contribute to the thriving music scene here at MTSU.
To contact Lifestyles Editor Destiny Mizell, email lifestyles@mtsusidelines.com. For more news, visit www.mtsusidelines.com, or follow us on Facebook at MTSU Sidelines or on X at @MTSUSidelines.
