Rock and Roll in East Nashville
The Leilani Kilgore, Catchfire and Cordell Winter showcase at The Cobra was stunning
If you are looking for some good old rock and roll music in Nashville, then The Cobra on the east side of town is definitely a spot that you’re going to want to check out. The Cobra is a great venue to hear anything from punk to country and everything in between. They have a kick ass staff, and the smaller space creates great sound and a stellar vibe. The show we are talking about now fell right into that classic sound with three artists lending something, each a little different. The bill on Thursday, April 30th, 2026, was Leilani Kilgore, Catchfire and Cordell Winter.
Leilani Kilgore came out blazing with an onslaught of heavy licks that shredded notes directly into the walls. Leilani rips rock riffs that also incorporate sexy bluesy rhythms across her arsenal. She is a wrecking ball of fiery knowhow that works the room into a frenzy. Strapped with her axe and leathers that matched, Kilgore showed us why the industry is paying attention to the Nashville singer/songwriter. She was recently featured in Guitar Thrills Magazine and rightfully so, after dropping her first full-length album last year. Tonight, for those that ventured out on a school night, she offered up a set that was packed full of incredible numbers. Not only is her playing incendiary, but her voice is also a violent weapon loaded with beautiful lyrics that put her writing skills on full display.
Kilgore and her band, which included guitarist Jon Wisecarver, who regularly joins her side, played hard and fast and with smiles on their faces that were genuinely authentic. The music flared out from the amps and into the faces of those who were lucky enough to bear witness. Kilgore was playing one of her last shows on U.S. soil before heading off to Europe for an extensive tour. She certainly wasn’tphoning anything in before heading out to show the rest of the world her immense talent. Her music resonates with those who are fans of anything from 1960’s psychedelia to modern metal. Her guitar playing speaks volumes and is a cohesive blend of many well-rehearsed styles. If you are within 100 miles of this virtuoso, go check her out live. Hell, make it 1,000 miles.
Catchfire has their intended trajectory built into the name. This five-piece army of players includes -at its core- Mady Ferri (vocals), Travis Fairley (lead guitar) and Chancellor Ruster (bass guitar). Their playability is matched equally by their stage presence, which makes sure everyone in attendance is engaged. Maddy Ferri pierces deep rock and roll cuts that summon the demons of heavy music past and present. There are influences of Led Zeppelin and AC/DC that coarse through the veins of this powerful ensemble. However, Maddy and her mates can also slow it down as Ferri grabs and acoustic guitar to prove to the fans that they can be very diverse as well.
Tonight they put that ferocity front and center, like they do at every show they play. Their live act is really a site to see and is just missing the pyro to tie the whole room together, but I imagine it will be here soon enough. More boisterous picks came from the fingers of Travis Fairley who grant heightened solos that compliment that intertwined feeling of a complete band. There are many impressive facetsembedded into the soul of this group that highlight their hardworking and dedication. Go follow them on those social medias and more importantly go see them crush these independent venues like The Cobra.
Cordell Winter is a charismatic creature who was the only one of the three that I had not seen before. He has now found himself in Nashville to further build on his already impressive repertoire. He has shared the stage with Lita Ford, Billy Gibbons, Skid Row, Warrant and Quiet Riot to name just a scattered few. Winter looks the part of a frontman, with flowing blonde hair and the command of Robert Plant, Roger Daltrey or Jim Morrison, but don’t think that is his defining quality, because it is not. It is truly his heart and his soul that are poured into his music that are the highlight of this crooner.
His voice classification is hard to nail down because he has so much in his toolbox. Winter can sonically harness deep melodies of the delta blues that hook in the listener and then rise high above normal octaves to create a guttural tonality that matches those heartfelt screams of Janis Joplin. He moves on stage too; in a primal fashion he dances and spins to make his body another available instrument. All of it is important in order to create a total package to deliver to ticket holders. Check out his upcoming tour dates and get yourself that spot at his next show.
We, at Rock Oracle, hope that you continue to support music journalism, live shows, independent venues and whatever else that you can do to keep the music going. Thank you so much for your support.
Photos:
It was an awesome experience all bands had unique sounds and energies that can only be felt “Live”…so much talent with this group and I can confidently say that if you’re not seeing independent artists in a live venue you’re missing out!