Hello, good evening (or morning if that’s the case whenever you’re reading this), and welcome to East Side Storytellin’ once again. Right now, we have the honor of celebrating our 26th show, and I’m so excited for you to do so here with me. In this round, you are primed to have a one of a kind local poet do some readings from her original work that will allow you to see the world like never before, and then you’ll be graced with a red-headed rocker that will allow you to see music city like never before. After you are amazed by these amazing women, I’ll share a brief moment or two talking about their creative processes and ties with Nashville in general. I hope you’ll enjoy this show half as much as I know I did and continue to do.
Starting off the evening, it was appropriate in more ways than one to feature 1 of 3 people (besides my wife and myself) to ever work at East Side Story. The few … the proud, this lady is awesome. A poet by passion and trade, she does most of her writing via her website and Facebook page titled “Blackbird Can Write.” Flying south to Nashville a bit ago, she decided to hang her hat here and make a home. She loves writing web content and creating engaging reading material for a large spectrum of businesses, and has the track record to show and prove that she is excellent at everything she puts her heart towards. She was included a featured author in the book “Welcome to the Real World: advice for new graduates, job seekers, and all other human beings” (of which she discusses later in the conversation portion of the show), and she wrote everything in her beautiful book that you can find at East Side Story in that of “Stained Glass Mirror, A Collection of Poetry.”
I was thrilled to finally give a big spotlight and and much deserved shout-out introduction and stage to that of the poet, the one and only, Nicole Branigan. Nicole was a tad bit nervous when she first hit the stage, but she quickly adapted to her comfort zone … her prose. She read a handful of short ones, all but one being brand-spanking new, and the crowd instantly felt at home with her take on things. So much so in fact that just when Nicole thought she was going to leave the stage early and sit down for the music, Tom shouted to her that we needed another handful of poems and really wanted to hear more. Tom was not alone in those sentiments, as I can attest, although he was the only one who vocalized such feelings, but we were all glad that Nicole listened and then gave us more before flying off the stage in the end. I’ll let Nicole do all of the reading and not spoil anything here in my words if you decide to take a gander on the recording below, but know ahead of time that it is some pretty fantastic stuff you are about to listen to down below. I’m just saying … she is great! I did mention before that she is awesome, right? This Blackbird can definitely write!
Then, as effortless as Nicole took to the stage, she was off again. It was time for me to introduce the featured music of the evening. She has a cool personal connection with the featured author in that Nicole is married to a founding member of Palaver Records and this musician is signed with them. This young lady is a fourth generation in an old-world entertainment industry family, so you know that entertaining an East Side Storytellin’ crowd was already in her bones. After leaving the swamps and beaches of Florida, spending some time at the Berklee College of Music & then Boston and Brooklyn, she flew South to Nashville and Belmont to call our lovely city home. Not wasting any time, in the brief span she has spent here, she has kept busy by penning a guest editorial for Lockeland Springsteen, consulting on a collection for fashion designer Rachel Hesse, collaborating with filmmaker Trillbee the Hooligan on her music video for “Black Magic Boy,” and created a most spectacular self-titled debut album that was written over the course of her first 2 years living in Nashville. Recorded at Ocean Way Studios on Music Row & at Electric Kite Studios in East Nashville, this red-headed rocker (I say that again because of the obvious- she is red-headed and rocks- but also because it sounds cool and appropriate too) was also ready to belt some powerful words to a crowd awaiting.
Miss Kim Logan jumped on stage with guitar in hand and a set of vocals that was ready with or without speakers on site. Like Nicole, she was ready with some new material, mixed with a little old, but wanted to give a brief expose of talent for the evening. In the time of four short songs, Kim hit notes and places that few have gone to so far in our brief collaborations with Mad Donna’s. All in all, it was fascinating. And just when you thought you were getting to know your next favorite musician in town, she left us wanting more. We asked, but she was content on leaving us with the quality that she gave us and that was just enough until the next time. Kim, knowing this after the fact, had to stay up all night and drive to Florida to support some family doing some very cool things the next day. Bottom line, this will not be the last time we (everyone in the crowd that is) will go see Kim Logan perform live. Her talent was/is so obvious and I for one felt honored that she took the time to share her gifts and passion with us before she hits the big time sooner than later.
After Kim finished playing music, I gathered Nicole back to the stage for some fun talk about each of their personal journeys to Nashville and some insight into their creative processes in general. Before I started with questions, I managed to spit out a line that I scribbled down during their performances that I thought captured the evening just right. I said, “Both of you ladies gave us precise & powerful snapshots of life elaborated into prose & poignant songs.” The giggled a sec in their own way and Nicole said my words were kind, but it was the only way I could give notice and thanks to them both for their small gifts to the East Side Storytellin’ tradition that is building.
Again, I won’t spoil the interview here by revealing more than words so you can click on the following link for the edited version of the entire East Side Storytellin’ 26 show for your enjoyment and share with others. I’ve already listened to it several times and it never gets old.
https://soundcloud.com/eastsidestorytn/sets/east-side-storytellin-26
Well, I’d love to take another second or two to thank everyone that has come together to help make East Side Storytellin’ 26 what it has become. To Tom Eizonas for recording and doing the sound. To Clay Brunton for creating the cool art print for the occasion. To everyone here and listening after the fact to help promote local literature and storytellers in every medium. To Mad Donna’s for allowing us to do this here at all. And thank you so much to Nicole Branigan and Kim Logan for taking time out of their extremely busy creative and extra-ordinary lives to share their artistic gifts with us tonight. Please give them another round of much deserved appreciation for donating their time by visiting and sharing their respected websites. You can visit them both at the following:
Nicole Branigan-http://blackbirdcanwrite.com
Kim Logan-http://kimlogan.net
Just a reminder, you’ll be able to listen to and read more about this event and all others at our website on the “in our own words” tab at www.eastsidestorytn.com. Please don’t forget to drop by our book store at East Side Story just up the street at 1108 Woodland for all of your local literature needs and gifts this holiday season. And speaking of holiday season, we have an amazing line-up for the December East Side Storytellin’ shows upcoming …
The NEXT East Side Storytellin’ event will be …
Date- Tuesday, December 3rd, 2013
Time- 7 pm sharp (Central)
Location- Mad Donna’s (1313 Woodland Street)- http://maddonnas.com
Need information or details about Mad donna’s, call 615-226-1617. Otherwise it is first come, first available seats.
Who will be featured- music by the inspirational and awesome Griffin House (http://griffinhousemusic.com) and a reading by award-winning Lydia Peelle (author of Reasons for and Advanatages of Breathing – www.harpercollins.com/authors/35034/Lydia_Peelle/index.aspx)
