Are You Ready to Rock? Rock Steady Nashville Sure Is.

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CELEBRATING THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE OF NASHVILLE’S ENDURING ROCK LEGACY
LIVE MUSIC, LOCAL ART, AND COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER
AUGUST 23RD AT THE BASEMENT EAST
NASHVILLE, TENN. —

We are excited to announce a new event that happens this upcoming weekend in Middle Tennessee. Rock Oracle and Rock Steady Nashville have become quite good friends over the last several months. After all, we both rock. Or, at least have “rock” in our respective titles. As we continue to attempt to capture the journalism aspect of what’s happening in Music City, our pals are looking to produce shows around town in order to shine a light on the rock and roll scene. Not only that but this collective is creating a space for artists and have even been making a zine to add to the culture of the indie community.

Rock Steady will be making its debut as a show promoter at The Basement East on Sunday, August 23rd for an evening that celebrates Nashville’s enduring rock scene. That’s right, it is not all country music. This unique event is a new collaborative concept that aims to connect the creative thread between the long-standing legendary rock music scene and its surrounding arts community. This music and art showcase honors Nashville’s past, present, and future local rock scene with live performances, local art features, interactive experiences, and community organizations. Nashville’s rock scene is incredibly rich in history and has long been a launching point for some of the highest rock talents. This legacy continues to influence the scene today, setting the foundation for Nashville’s unique music community. While much has changed in this city, Nashville’s supportive network of impassioned artists remains the same. It has always been a place to see the best of the best, but those who have made a life and career here know that their success didn’t happen in isolation. From the musicians themselves, to their friends making the art, to their neighbors running the venues: Nashville’s rock threads run wide and deep. Rock music is, at its core, a celebration of the alternative and a clarion call to the outsider looking for a home. It invites artistry and movements of all kinds into conversation. It demands space at the table for creativity and change. All these elements blend into a single celebratory night— appreciating everything this city’s rock scene has given to its community and pointing to what is yet in store for Nashville’s bright and steady future.

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The bands on the bill for Sunday are Echo Pilot, Fatal Affair, Year of October, and Campanula. Rock Steady Nashville was started by local rock band Echo Pilot (Ryan Van Abeele, Dan Russell, Aaron Smith and Andrew Stuart Howsmon), Chloe Briz (Art Director) and Dream House Productions (Johnny Boyd, Sarah Boyd and Chris Ammons). Dream House Productions has been handling the event’s art design and production. Dan is the Production Director, Ryan is the Marketing Director, Drew is the Art Assistant, and Aaron is the Marketing Manager. Johnny is the Art Manager, Sarah is the Production Manager and Chris is the Marketing Assistant. So there you have the foundation of a brilliant team working hard to bring you the very best in music and art.

Dan Russell told me that, “Rock Steady Nashville arose from a desire to highlight the amazing, intertwined Nashville rock and arts scenes. You can’t have one without the other and both have done incalculable good by providing a home for musicians, artists, promoters, and above all community for both natives and transients looking for a shared creative outlet. The idea began in Fall 2025 simply as a way to host a cool and different event and has since snowballed.”

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The line up for this show is sure to impress everyone in attendance. Echo Pilot is a dynamic four-piece alternative rock band who are recognized for their explosive sound and electrifying stage presence. They are high-energy and their electric chemistry onstage adds to the ambience. Their shows are a masterclass in musicianship, showcasing the band’s technical prowess and cohesive artistry. With a signature blend of powerful tones over melodic arrangements, Echo Pilot delivers a sound that is both sonically diverse and unmistakably their own. I have seen them three times now and this group gentleman continues to grow and have their third album coming out soon.

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Fatal Affair is an alt rock band out of Murfreesboro, TN and they have a delightfully heavy sound. The band consists of Julia Jayne Watkins (vocals), Elizabeth DeTrana (bass), Alyssa Nicholson (guitar) and Catriona Morcan (drums). Be sure to check out their music video for ‘Love Bomb’ here. Year of October fills any fuzz fueled romance that you are looking for by joining this bill. The trio of Phlecia Sullivan (vocals), Josh Sullivan (guitar) and James Varner (drums) dropped an album in October (of course) of 2025 and you really need to check it out here. Rounding out the festivities is Campanula who rides in on a wave of psychedelic-folk rock. It is Tyler Kuchwara (guitar, keys, vocals), Grady Germain (guitar), Jerry Coyne (bass), Bryan Aldape (guitar), and Reagan Kretz (drums). So basically this gig has everything you could ever want in a rock show and a whole lot more.

The show will also have seven artists on hand showcasing their works (@_indecisivegemini
@zombielampshade, @allcre8ions, @amber_e_rivers, @bpthreebootlegdead, @christinalangone and @visualminds.co) and a Photo Booth. When asking Dan about where this project heads next, he said, “As of now, the future depends entirely on turnout for our inaugural event on Sunday, August 23rd at The Basement East! This is where the hard work of many months comes into focus, determining whether this is a one-off event or if it has the support to become an annual one. Regardless, we will also host our second creative social gathering on Saturday, August 29th from 6-9PM at Tailgate Brewery in East Nashville. All creatives and supporters of the arts are welcome to attend! We held our first one at Smith & Lentz Brewery with a turnout of about 20 folks, and it was a lovely time. We hope to expand on those numbers. This specific creative social gathering will also serve as a post-event celebration.”

Rock Oracle was at that last meet-up and it was a blast. A bunch of likeminded misfits driven to cultivate a scene. If you are about art, music, and culture you should definitely join the crew. There is a ton of work that goes into creating something like this and these dedicated people have put together a mind-blowing event with their own hands. It’s been all personally funded with no big corporate sponsors. Big thanks to The Basement East for letting Rock Steady use their space. So go get your tickets now and we will see you Sunday!

EVENT DETAILS
Rock Steady Nashville (tix here)
Sunday, August 23
The Basement East
Doors: 6:00 p.m.
Start: 7:00 p.m.
18+ event

PERFORMING ARTISTS
Echo Pilot
Year of October
Campanula
Fatal Affair

EXPERIENCE INCLUDES
Live rock music
Local art show
Interactive memory wall
Photo booth
Community partners

PRESENTING PARTNERS
Nashville Is The Reason
Dreamhouse Productions
Dead End Records
Fork’s Drum Closet

FEATURED COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS
Nashville Launch Pad
The Contributor
YEAH!