New York based Sarah Kinsley’s music evokes all the feelings. A schooled but intuitive musician/singer/producer, she explores doubts and dreams in her captivating and sometimes ironic alt-pop songs. Distinctive and atmospheric she delves into the intimate and the expansive, the introspective and the cinematic. Narratively driven, there’s a dreamlike quality to her lyrics, whilst musically it runs the gamut from a hazy, alluring dream-pop to the more adventurous leftfield pop too.

Escaper, Sarah's debut album, was the 2024 follow-up to her introductory EPs ~ The near instantaneous virality of The King (2021), the cinematic Cypress (2022) and the widescreen Ascension (2023). A vibrant collection of songs, Escaper was born from Sarah's boundless desire to escape into portals and other realms. It was a musician rejoicing in holding nothing back and whose love of all things experimental and raw were reflected in her words and melodies.

It was in the spring of 2025, while riding in cabs and walking the streets of New York by night, inspiration struck again. A moment of realisation hit her imagination like a bolt of electricity, a feeling so cathartic it became the foundation for her returning single, Fleeting: a euphoric, pulsating and richly melodic dance-pop track. If Escaper was the sound of an artist getting a feel for where she might fit in, Fleeting is exactly that. A feeling. A freedom. A rush. A dance floor? An introduction to her next world.

The doors open at 7:00pm, and the show begins at 8:00pm! The show is ages 18 and up, and you have valid ID to attend. You can purchase tickets at this link!

Wavy Awakening is where emo punk collides with alt-rap—raw hooks, crashing guitars, and lyrics that hit like 3AM confessions. The event is ages 18 and up, the doors open at 7:00pm, and the show starts at 8:00pm! You can purchase tickets at this link!

For over a decade, John Craigie has made music that brings people in, not with spectacle but with sincerity and songs that feel like conversations.

His new album I Swam Here, out February 6, 2026 on Zabriskie Point Records, was written and produced by Craigie and recorded between New Orleans and Astoria. Seven tracks were cut at Deslonde St Studios with musicians handpicked by Sam Doores of The Deslondes, including Howe Pearson, Max Bien Khan, Jonny Campos, and a guest appearance from Desiree Cannon. Longtime collaborator Anna Moss appears across much of the record. The remaining tracks were finished at the Rope Room in Astoria, carrying over the same spirit and palette. The cover art, painted by Brittany Schall, nods to the design of mid century samba and jazz records.

Craigie remains a tireless live performer, touring throughout the U.S., Europe, and Australia; appearing at festivals like Newport Folk, Pickathon, Edmonton Folk Festival, and High Sierra, and sharing the stage with artists such as Langhorne Slim, Sierra Hull, Gregory Alan Isakov, Brett Dennen, and Jack Johnson. His annual #KeepItWarm Tour donates $1 from every ticket sold to regional nonprofits, and his John Craigie On The River trips on the Tuolumne and Rogue rivers have become cherished gatherings for fans.

I Swam Here is a grounded, collaborative step forward, blending New Orleans grit with Pacific Northwest quiet, and showing a songwriter still widening the world of his music.

The doors open at 7:00pm, and the show begins at 8:00pm. The event is ages 18 and up, and you can purchase tickets at this link!

Each artist will share their story, the meaning behind their songs, and how music helps them with their mental health journeys. During the Mental Health Discussion Panel, all of the music artists come back onstage for a sit down interview and panel discussion led by a licensed therapist from Airo Counseling.

This event is free and begins at 4pm at the East Room on Gallatin Ave.

“One of the best male vocalists in Country music today” (Taste of Country), Tyler Farr is the first artist signed to Jason Aldean’s Night Train Records/BBR Music Group. Known for his love for our military and his passion for the outdoors and recognized as a 2014 CRS New Faces of Country Radio and 2014 Music Row “Breakthrough Artist of the Year” nominee, the opera-trained singer quickly earned coveted slots touring with Jason Aldean, Florida Georgia Line, Luke Combs, Brantley Gilbert and Lee Brice. The Missouri native’s dry wit, silly antics and reputation as “a no-frills musician who pours his drinks as hard as he pours his heart into his songs,” (Rolling Stone), led to the star’s riotous social following of fans eager for his next move. After releasing “true-blue country jam” (Country Swag) “Country As Shit,” featuring multi-genre phenomenon Jelly Roll that Taste of Country declared “a summer-ready ode to windows-down, mud-crusted, beer-soaked fun in the country,” Farr heads back to his rough and rowdy ways with his latest Aldean-produced EP, Rednecks Like Me, out now.

Doors open at 7:00pm, and the event is 18+ and up. All attendees must have valid identification and the you can purchase the tickets at this link!

Gabri Levine is an alternative artist based in Nashville, Tennessee. Her music is as if Yebba and Norah jones went to a late-night jazz club. She writes her own songs and loves to genre-bend, weaving in jazz and pop influences to create a sound that is uniquely her own. Gabri first gained recognition on American Idol, where she earned three yeses from Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan and advanced to Hollywood Week, though her performances were not televised. Now studying Commercial Voice with an emphasis in Music Business, she spends much of her time gigging with her band and developing her artistry on stage. With more than 250,000 TikTok followers and over 10,000 on Instagram, Gabri has built a community drawn to her warm personality and soul-stirring music. Above all, she strives to connect deeply with her audience inviting listeners into honest, emotional spaces where her music feels both personal and universal.

Caroline Bowling is an indie folk singer/songwriter from small-town Mechanicsville, Virginia, now based in Nashville. With roots that blend indie folk with touches of country inspired by her family’s West Virginia heritage, Caroline began writing songs at just seven years old, crafting lyrics on the playground, and has since developed into an eager independent artist with a gift for storytelling. After releasing her self-produced debut album Modern Romance in 2022, she has gone on to release eight singles, four music videos, and complete a self-booked Southeast tour covering 10 shows across seven states. Passionate about connecting with audiences through her heartfelt songwriting and authenticity, she continues to hone her sound, building her artistry in step with her growth as a young adult navigating today’s evolving music industry.

The doors open at 7:30pm, and the show starts at 8:00pm. The event is ages 18 and up, and you can purchase tickets at this link!

Something organic has been blooming from Asbury Park, New Jersey, and is now making its way around the world. Dogs In A Pile, a band of five twenty somethings with old souls and limitless chops, is waking people up to the timeless and ineffable joys of psychedelic-tinged jazz-funk rock n’ roll.

This is one of the busiest touring bands of today, averaging 130 live shows per year since 2022. The road has become their creative engine, generating a rapidly growing catalog of original tunes. Distroid, the band’s newest album, is a 10-song collection featuring long-awaited studio versions of some of the Dogs’ most beloved repertoire.

Dogs In A Pile is guitarist Jimmy Law, guitarist Brian Murray, keyboardist Jeremy Kaplan, bassist Sam Lucid, and drummer Joe Babick. In addition, the Dogs In A Pile community includes the Dog Pound, the group’s extended family of fans across the country.

Besides being a lyric from the Grateful Dead song, “He’s Gone,” the name “Dogs In A Pile” is an apt description of the five-piece band’s stylistic breadth. The sonic image it conjures is a heap of storyteller Americana, bluegrass, jazz improvisation, eccentric instrumental excursions, pop-rock sophistication, and deep-pocket grooves, ranging from funk to Latin to reggae and beyond.

The money from the poster sales will be going toward Rae of Light foundation in honor of Jillian Ludwig. You can purchase tickets at this link! The event is ages 18+.

Hailing from Nashville, it’s murph, alias of producer Garrett Murphy, is making a splash in the dance world with his euphoric melodies, gritty baselines and sonically expansive atmospheres. His production draws in elements of tech, bass, and heavy dance inspired by artists such as Fred Again…, Cloonee, Chris Lake and Flume.

In February, it’s murph released his debut solo single “Food For The Soul.” The track garnered over 4 million streams in a month, landing on editorial playlist such as Spotify’s mint, big on the internet, Housewerk etc. Alongside the track murph created a viral social media moment, landing “Food For The Soul” in the Viral 50 US chart.

Growing up in a musical household, it’s murph was exposed to various types of music from a young age, taking piano lessons and singing in school choir. In high school, he was exposed to electronic music at a Porter Robinson concert where he fell in love with the ambience that electronic music generated. Wanting to provide that same feeling for others while on stage, he began learning to produce as a sophomore in high school. Upon high school graduation, he moved to LA to attend the University of Southern California. it’s murph then fell in love with the never ending energetic groove of house music, making music with his friends in between classes, DJing parties and utilizing social media to share his tracks.

Hear country music’s biggest songs and the stories behind them at DAYTIME hit songwriters show - BACKSTAGE NASHVILLE! 

Featuring:

Mark D. Sanders
- “I Hope You Dance” (Lee Ann Womack)

- "Heads Carolina, Tails California" (Jo Dee Messina) 

- "She Had Me At Heads Carolina" (Cole Swindell)

- "Mirror, Mirror" (Diamond Rio)

- “Blue Clear Sky" (George Strait)

- "It Matters To Me" (Faith Hill)

- "Runnin' Behind" (Tracy Lawrence)

- "Daddy's Money" (Lonestar)

- "Whatcha Gonna Do With A Cowboy" (Chris LeDoux)

- "There You Are" (Martina McBride)

- "(This Ain't) No Thinkin' Thing" (Trace Adkins)

- "The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter" (Reba McEntire)

- "Money In The Bank" (John Anderson)

- "That'd Be Alright" (Alan Jackson)

- "Vidalia" (Sammy Kershaw)

- "They're Playin' Our Song" (Neal McCoy)

- "I'd Rather Ride Around With You" (Reba McEntire)

- "Don't Get Me Started" (Rhett Akins)

Marv Green

- "Amazed" (Lonestar)

- "It Just Comes Natural" (George Strait)

- "Proud of the House We Built" (Brooks & Dunn)

- "Let's Make Love" (Tim McGraw and Faith Hill)

- "True" (George Strait)

- "Creepin'" (Eric Church)

- "Wasted" (Carrie Underwood)

- "I Called Mama" (Tim McGraw)

- "Who I Am With You" (Chris Young)

- "Love Done Gone" (Billy Currington)

- "Farmer's Daughter" (Rodney Atkins)

- "Consider Me Gone" (Reba)

RAY STEPHENSON

- “Hemingway’s Whiskey” (Kenny Chesney, Kris Kristofferson & Guy Clark)
- “Red River Blue” (Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert)
- “Willie’s Guitar” (Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard & John Anderson)
- “Honkytonk Road” (Wade Bowen, Randy Rogers, Cody Canada, Sean McConnell & Walt Wilkins)
- “Magdalene” (Guy Clark, Joe Ely and Kevin Welch)
- “Heroes” (Guy Clark)
- “Leanin’ On A Lonesome Song” (Gord Bamford)
 

BACKSTAGE NASHVILLE DISCOVERY ARTIST: SJ MCDONALD

BACKSTAGE NASHVILLE PRE-SHOW FEATURING: GLORIA ANDERSON (beginning at 12:15 PM)

SPECIAL GUEST HOST: PEYTON KENNEDY

You can purchase tickets at this link!

midsxmmr is the project of 20 year-old Ethan Hedgecock, a Belmont University music business major from a small town in Oregon. Blending indie, alt-rock, post-punk, and hyperpop, midsxmmr creates a raw, and emotional feel in his music which is inspired by artists like glaive, aldn & thxsomch. Each song is a reflection of his intensity, offering listeners a place to connect, escape, and feel understood.

The show 18+ and doors open at 8:30pm

The show starts at 9:00pm

The End Presents Your Biggest Fans:

Emo four piece from Nashville “Your Biggest Fans” writes undeniably boppable bangers.

Creek Beagle: Creek Beagle is an alternative rock trio active in Nashville, TN.

Too Far Forward: Just a little rock band.

Super Puller: 3 Piece Rock Band

If you purchase the tickets in advance: $12.00

If you purchase at the door: $15.00

The Event is ages 18+

Ella Maddux – At just 20 years old, Ella Maddux brings a timeless charm to modern pop, blending jazz-infused melodies with witty, colorful lyrics that perfectly capture her playful spirit. Originally from Southern California and now based in Nashville, Ella is currently crafting her debut project—poised to make her mark as one of 2026’s most exciting new singer-songwriter talents.

Rachel Rivelle unveils The Catalyst—a debut EP where grace meets fury, born from heartbreak and steeped in shadowed opulence. Written entirely by the California native, this collection of songs feels like leafing through a weathered diary in an abandoned estate—haunted, elegant, aristocratic—each song heavy with secrets, weighted with heartache describing a past love that refused to die quietly.

The event is ages 21+, and tickets are $10 at the door.

TennesseeDead is a Nashville-based Grateful Dead cover band performing at the Exit/in on February 28th. The doors open at 6:00pm, and their opening act, Tennessee Woodpile is on at 7:00pm. The event is ages 18+ and up, and the tickets can be purchased at this link.

Music has never felt so much like home. Mario Williams perfectly encapsulates that hometown feeling, with all of its joys and woes, and translates it into country melodies and rhythms that carry a contagious case of homesickness.

Mario Williams, a Pittsburgh native, has been creating music for the past two years. Now in Nashville, Tennessee, Mario has recorded and released three singles with the most popular release being “Nosedive”, which has amassed over 10,000 streams. Drawing from artists like Zach Bryan, Chris Stapleton, and Glenn Campbell, Mario seeks to revive a country sound that is truly for everyone to enjoy. Williams brings a hot fire and cool charm to the stage, which infects audiences and turns any space into a dance floor. For Mario, making music is not about pursuing a dream of grandeur, it's about sharing experiences from his life and creating lasting memories with those who enjoy his stories

Join him on February 26th at Hop Springs. Doors open at 6:30, and the show begins at 7:00pm. The event is all ages and you can purchase tickets at this link.

LIE from Southeast Houston visits Nashville on Feb 19th, alongside Headtrip and Caught Lackin’. LIE has been tearing up the road, and this stop in Nashville is one you shouldn’t miss.

The doors open at 7:00pm, and the show starts at 8:00pm. Tickets are $12 when purchased online, and $16 at the door. The show is 18+.

Nashville-based artist Caleb Hearn crafts indie folk-pop that reflects both personal evolution and the courage to move forward. Blending bright, uplifting melodies with unguarded lyricism, his music resonates like a cinematic snapshot of growth, vulnerability, and hope. Since debuting in 2019, the Mount Airy, North Carolina native has built a devoted audience drawn to his open-hearted storytelling, amassing nearly 1 billion global streams (driven by his 2024 viral hit “Little Bit Better” with ROSIE). In September 2024, Hearn released his debut album Left on McKinney and received praise from outlets such as Atwood Magazine, EUPHORIA., Sweety High, and garnered Spotify editorial support with New Music Friday, Pop Rising, New Pop Picks, Fresh & Chill, Folk Pop, Chill Pop, and more.

Hearn’s sophomore album, LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND, out February 20, 2026 via Nettwerk, is a 13-track coming-of-age album capturing Hearn’s evolution at 25—a moment defined by growth, clarity, and learning to release the past. Written over the past year during a retreat in Gatlinburg, TN with co-producers Colin Foote & Alex Borel (Dean Lewis, Matt Hansen) and Ruslan Odnoralov (The Chainsmokers, Charlotte Sands), and completed through sessions in Nashville and Los Angeles, the album marks his most vulnerable and sonically adventurous work yet, incorporating organic textures and vintage tape recordings.

The event is ages 18+, and the doors open at 7:00pm. Tickets are $15 online at this link.