The Basement East was the place to be this past Memorial Day weekend as Jax Hollow celebrated her new album release Only The Wild Ones with The Moon City Masters and the Naked Gypsy Queens in an epic Sunday night show at one of Nashville’s favorite venues.
The night opened with The Moon City Masters. Hailing from New York, this band composed of two brothers brought their contemporary rock to Music City. From the time they stepped on stage, you could tell they were there for a good time. You could tell that they were enjoying themselves on stage and that bled through as they moved through their set of melodic rock songs that everyone in the crowd swaying and clapping along. Their songs were classical rock but you couldn’t miss the edge of soul and funk that slid into some of them as well. Their song The Change was one where the soul edge was hard to miss. With a funky groove, this song stood out. They also played one of their new songs for the crowd You’re Not Alone which showcased more of their excellent musicianship and excellent harmonies. They finished out their night with Over Now before heading off the stage. Throughout the entire set, they were all smiles.
The night continued with Nashville’s own Naked Gypsy Queens taking the stage with their brand of pure southern rock and roll. Their sound is fused with everything you expect to hear from a band that was born in the South. They have a hard-driving sound with a background in the bluesy groove and rounded out with dual lead guitars. The band hadn’t played locally since October 2022 so the crowd was ready to party and was singing along with the songs as Will belted them out. Their setlist mixed songs from their debut release Georgiana as well as a couple from their upcoming album titled Hate or Love. Sometime during the set, lead singer Will somehow found himself injured which led to his guitar, microphone, and setlist being splattered with blood, but he rocked on through the night like nothing was wrong. Very rock n roll indeed.
Setlist:
- Under the Gun 2. Down to the Devil 3. Blood On My Hands 4. Georgiana 5. Hate or Love 6. What I Need 7. Black Cat Blues 8. Be My Drug 9. Joyride 10. Before It’s Gone 11. Shepherd of God 12. Take My Hand, Sicily
Jax Hollow is another one of Nashville’s own and is as impressive on stage as on the album. The blues rocker has toured around the around with her blend of revival rock and has made a name for herself as not only a talented vocalist but also a very skilled guitar player. She was recently featured in Rolling Stone France for her new album. When Jax made her way to the stage in front of friends, fans, and industry professionals who helped make this album, it was bathed in a soft smoke that made the image ethereal. Quite appropriate for an artist who has a single off her new album titled Ethereal Emerald. She opened the night with Wolf in Sheepskin and then led the audience on an auditory tour of the new album which is equal parts Americana and impressive guitar licks with some blues weaved in too. You could hear the crowd softly singing along, and in a town like Nashville, you know there are other musicians in the crowd which adds a definitively unique twist to experiencing live music in this city. This night was no different. Between songs, Jax would thank those responsible for the album, and the release show and tell small anecdotes about some of the tracks. Before playing the song, she mentioned Drift Together is her favorite song on her album Underdog Anthems. Before Ride or Die Jax welcomed another Nashville guitar player, Grace Bowers, to join her for a few songs. Grace joining the party added another layer of impressive musicianship to an already spectacular show. The ladies even had a “blues off” to trade guitar licks before Grace exited the stage. After finishing up with Renegade Season, the crowd chanted for one more song- and Jax and the band obliged. They came back out to play the rocking anthem from her previous album (Underdog Anthems) and one of my personal favorites High-Class Bitch which had the entire place singing along and rocking out. What a way to end a great night of music.
Only The Wild Ones was released release May 5, 2023, and can currently be found anywhere that you can stream music!
Setlist: 1. Wolf In Sheepskin 2. Ethereal Emerald 3. Rebound 4. Ventriloquist 5. Runnin’ Like A Gypsy 6. Wallflower Girl In Bloom 7. Wanted Woman 8. Drift Together 9. Stepping Stone 10. Ride Or Die 11. 52 Pick Up 12. Only The Wild Ones 13. Renegade Season Encore: High-Class Bitch
