photo by @davidrobertfarmerie
Thank YOU, thank YOU, thank YOU. Hello Again! Welcome to another wonderful collaboration between East Side Story and The Post. Let me be the first to officially, whole-heartedly welcome you to the recap and recording of the 124th epic edition of East Side Storytellin’! Like the 123, I repeat … 123, previous shows East Side Story has put together, we all decided to take a break from our busy schedules all over town in order to sit back and relax and get everyone cultured up just right in the form of a Nashville writer reading from original prose, followed by an amazing local musician performing and talking about their original music, and then a round-up creative conversation with all featured guests of this event to talk about their individual journeys and personal ties to Nashville. Without further ado, fulfilling the entertainment portion of your day, this is the recap and recording of East Side Storytellin’ 124. Let us begin, again.
The first featured artist of the night is a local legend who I first met at our mutual friend and East Side Storytellin’ alumnus Chance Chamber’s wedding this past year. I was introduced to him via another friend and poet and before we exchanged names, it was said that I should have him on this show. So, finally, here we are. Pretty much a Nashville native (although he went on to give more personal details in the show than he reveals online), he got his poetic education in the classrooms of Pearl High School and Tennessee State University. He is the CEO/Poet at KHAOTIC VERSE. If you have spent much time in the Nashville poetry scene at all in the past few decades you already know him. On Facebook, he goes by the name Karl Thimas, because they declared his page name of to be offensive. Never too offensive to us, we were honored to welcome this man onto our platform. I’m talking about the legendary local writer who goes by the name K.H.A.O.S. (or KHAOS NOBULLSHIT)!
KHAOS had his KHAOTIC VERSE binder on the podium, his good friend set up with a camera in the crowd to record the experience for other friends who could not witness it in person, and of course he brought his A-game, as always. KHAOS is someone who I’ve learned gives zero f’s about what others think of him or his art. He is someone who is 100% honest to himself, the moment, his personal experiences, and the words that he shares. If you want the truth, the whole truth, then so help you God, KHAOS will show you the damn truth, no if’s and’s or but’s about it.
I was spellbound during the entire set that KHAOS dropped on us. He went darker and deeper into his memories of Vietnam and the after effects than any other reader I’ve ever heard in my life. He lays his life on the line for you to see wide open, and you can’t help but feel every single emotion that he sheds light on. KHAOS makes no qualms with the fact that he has not been a saint, but at the same time I believe he might just be an angel messenger to show others what has really gone on behind our country’s curtains of lies and agendas. KHAOS doesn’t just pull the curtain to the side for others to see, he rips the freakin’ sheet to the ground to expose the entire machine. You really can’t help but jump in the fire with him when you hear KHAOS read his work.
After the war talk, KHAOS dove into the drug talk and life as a black man in a country that doesn’t act like they want them around. Instead of succumbing to the pressures, KHAOS found refuge in his word and writing about himself and his friends back home. KHAOS learned what new happiness meant to him. Not only did he go from war and shooting, he discovered a level of love for himself and others and what it means to say love to others on a whole other level than I’ve ever heard anyone talk about before. KHAOS, in his life and his creative work, shows everyone the lowest lows to the highest of highs. If you take a moment to listen to the reading in the recording below, you will find yourself. You will find your God. You will find the importance of the moment and life itself.
Our featured music of the night is someone who I was first introduced to because of the algorithms of Facebook. I clicked on a live streaming feed from Radio Café while this man was doing his thing, and I instantly messaged him to gauge his interest in this show. Thankfully, he was equally excited. A fellow Kentuckian who was raised West of BG in the town of Paducah, this guy first busted his chops performing in the youth and men’s choir at his hometown Baptist church. His vocal talents led him to being selected for the Kentucky Governor’s School of the Arts. After declining a scholarship to WKU, which led him to attended a community college for a few years before making bigger moves with his original music after a chance opportunity to see BB King play a sold out show. This guy’s music has been described as soulful folk, a sound that returns people to their roots but gives them something their ears haven’t settle on yet. I was more than excited to share the love for a new Nashville sound, the brilliantly talented Bentley Caldwell!
Much like KHAOS, Bentley is a man with a voice that echoes the history of mankind in every syllable. Bentley is dressed in a look that suits him as an artist to be taken noticed of and someone who is comfortable in his own shoes. Strapped with guitar and a list of songs from his heart, you have no other option other than to listen to his stories on the edge of your seat once he starts singing. His voice is deep, resounding, and reverbs like an old church choir singing a cappella from inside a wondrous cave in the forest. It’s earthly, originating from somewhere much deeper than the surface of other things you are used to hearing, and it just feels right.
Bentley, to me, sounded like a beautiful blend of artists and purpose like that of a young Richie Havens and an older Lauryn Hill. He brought the blues and folk stories that you might find on a country front porch and made it all sound new again. Like KHAOS, Bentley has a masterful talent of brutal, clear honesty when it comes to relaying his story as a black man in the USA. Bentley spent a little time talking about some of these matters in between songs, but his songs are pretty profound in their own right. The title track of his latest and debut full-length album, “The Place I Call Home”, is nothing short of amazing. Do yourself a favor and listen to this set in its entirety and then go online and buy the rest of the album (if not going to see him in person the next time you can).
After the music faded, I had the privilege of taking a seat in the middle of Bentley and KHAOS as we passed the microphones to each other and letting these two great artists share more of their thoughts on current events, personal struggles and triumphs, and just an overall view of the real world we all live in. It was refreshing, to say the least. I was all ears, and I could’ve sat there listening to their conversation and talking points for at least a week if they let me. Again, I can’t emphasize the amount of truth that both of these guys give every single moment they have the chance. It’s not every day when any artist shares the honest opinions and experiences to the level that both Bentley and KHAOS do as naturally as breathing. With all of the school shootings and crazy politics going on in 2018, it was really moving for me to be able to sit and listen to some things that I hope the rest of the world will start to hear sooner than later. We need more listening these days. We need more listening and more of the people who need to be heard to be the ones talking. I’m extremely thankful to know KHAOS and Bentley are out there today doing their thing and making this world better for those around them.
So, here is the edited recording of East Side Storytellin’ for you to experience over and over again. We featured KHAOS and Bentley Caldwell at The Post East on Tuesday, February 20, 2018. It was life enlightening and changing, if you let it. Do yourself a favor and listen to this from start to finish.
Before I say goodbye for this round of fun, I’d like to give a big round of thanks for KHAOS & Bentley for sharing their stories, talents, and time with us.
You can read more about K’s work here- www.facebook.com/khaos.nobullshit
You can listen to more of Bentley’s music here – www.bentleycaldwell.com
You can listen to this show, edited, soon, alongside the previous shows too, on our website, www.eastsidestorytn.com, at our In Our Own Words Tab – see here – www.eastsidestorytn.com/in-our-own-words
I’ll keep the gratitude going for Tom Eizonas, my lovely wife and most talented artist in Emily Harper Beard (efharper), and everyone that came out live to support the show … and to everyone who has helped continue to spread the word and support the show online afterwards.
Also, here’s a special shout out to the best photographer I know and call friend in David Robert Farmerie. You can see him in the picture below or follow him and his amazing work at @davidrobertfarmerie
Last, but certainly not least, I’d like to give one last shout out to Tonya and Chris for making The Post so welcoming and positively life-changing for the East Nashville community at large.
Our next show will be
East Side Storytellin’ 125
Tuesday, March 6th
at The Post (1701 Fatherland Street) at 7pm
reading- Ericka Suhl
singing- Anna Joy Harris
That said, that’s all for the recap and recording of East Side Storytellin’ 124 and another fabulous event at The Post with East Side Story at the helm. Thanks for coming out and sharing the good word and giving some love to all of these great Nashville artists and our creative ideas. Please remember to be nice to one another out there. I repeat, please be nice to one another out there.
Much love,
mE