Chattanooga Times Free Press - ChattanoogaNow

Road to Nightfall finalists set

- BY BARRY COURTER STAFF WRITER Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfree press.com or 423-757-6354.

If the f ive Road to Nightfall finalists have anything in common, besides each winning their respective qualifying nights, it’s that “they are all pretty chill, easily accessible” acts, says organizer Barrett Taylor of Gig City Production­s.

Twenty-nine acts competed the last two weekends over f ive nights, and the five winners will compete Saturday night at Miller Plaza for the right to headline one of the free Friday night Nightfall series shows this summer. THE FINALISTS ›

Josh Driver and the Dixieland Playboys — Straight rock ‘n’ roll with a Southern influence. › Monday Night

Social — From up the road in Cleveland, Tenn., the band mixes pop, rock, folk and blues into their vocally rich sound. › Mountain Cove

Bluegrass — The name implies straight up bluegrass, but they also incorporat­e Americana and some gospel.

› Over Easy — Their sound starts with funk, pop, rock and metal and then lets the music go where it wants to go.

› Walrus — The quartet is foremost an indie pop outfit, but they draw from several influences to create a mellow, easy sound.

Taylor says the acts represent the quality and variety of the music being played in the area today.

“I thought it was awe- some. Every night was really good with lots of new bands and lots of new young musicians.”

He also said that the first and final nights drew the biggest crowds.

The event is present- ed for several reasons. While the ultimate goal is to find one act that will get the headlining spot in the Nightfall series, it is also designed to showcase local talent.

It provides an opportunit­y for fans and musicians to see a lot of local acts in one evening or all five.

“Some people came and left when their favorite act was done, but most people who came stayed the entire evening, which is great,” Taylor says.

“We have some really great musicians playing around town, and this is a way to show that off. It gets called a competitio­n, but it’s really about showcasing what we have.”

 ?? CONTRIBUTE­D PHOTO ?? Monday Night Social is Brock McGarity, Janet McGarity, Christian Mann and Josh English.
CONTRIBUTE­D PHOTO Monday Night Social is Brock McGarity, Janet McGarity, Christian Mann and Josh English.

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