Nashville Fringe Festival

This time last year, we were referring to these local groups as “newcomers” and “fresh faces,” but now it seems like we’re bumping into them every time we turn around. That’s perfectly OK, though, as they leave us with a big ol’ grin every time that happens. Surfy, poppy post-punks Repeat Repeat released their debut full-length Bad Latitude in March, but they’ve been too busy touring the Southwest to have a proper hometown release party. They rectify that tonight with help from their friends, starting with lady rockers Churchyard, who enhance the grungy bounce of ’90s alterna-pop with interlocking guitar parts and unusual vocal harmonies. Next up, Bonnaroo-bound big band El El makes a seamless, infectiously danceable blend of Afrobeat and electro-pop. Rounding out the bill is Blank Range, who flavor their scrappy rock concoction with alt-country and a tastefully applied avant-garde sensibility, and who are also headed for the big field in Manchester this June.
— Stephen Trageser