Nashville Pride: Who to Know

50 years ago, the Stonewall Riots served as fuel in what turned into the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. The first Pride march was held a year later on the anniversary of the riots. Starting out as a march for freedom, the fight for not just toleration but acceptance was shot into the mainstream.

Now not only a parade and protest for rights and equality, Pride has become a festival of love and acceptance throughout the world. With activities that span entire weekends and performances from some of the biggest names in Music, Pride is the place to be if you need a little dose of love.

June 22nd-23rd, Nashville will hold its Pride Festival in Downtown Nashville. They will also hold a march down Broadway. This year the event will honor the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots that started it all.

We are very excited for the festival and more so, the LGBTQ+ artists who are performing. With so many incredible artists playing this year at Nashville Pride, how can we choose the ones we are most excited about? Well, we did it anyway!

Neon Trees

Neon Trees is an American rock band from Utah that sky-rocketed to fame in 2008 with the release of their hit single “Animal.” With multiple top ten singles and their last album reaching the top ten on the Billboard 200 albums chart, Neon Trees are bonafide stars. With hits after hits in their holster and a lead singer filled with energy and who identifies as a proud gay man, Neon Trees are sure to put on an amazing performance as they headline day one of Pride weekend.

Shelly Fairchild

Shelly Fairchild is an American country singer from Mississippi. With representation being rare in country music, Fairchild stands as one of the few openly LGBTQ+ the artists in country. Hitting hard with classic songwriting and rock ’n’ roll undertones in her music, Fairchild is an artist we can’t wait to see performance on this weekend.

Spazz Cardigan

Spazz Cardigan is an American indie-pop artist originally from a small town in Kentucky. Moving to Nashville only days after graduating high school, Spazz Cardigan has been making a name for himself ever since. He released 5 singles throughout 2018, all of which debuted on Spotify’s New Music Friday. Spazz Cardigan is gearing up for an exciting career and an even more exciting show at Pride.

Brody Ray

Brody Ray is an up and coming singer from Nebraska who is ready to make a name for himself. Rising to recognition after auditioning for America’s Got Talent in 2018, Ray inspired America by revealing he is a transgender man. With a story full of resilience and self-discovery, Brody Ray is sure to put on an amazing show.

TLC

What can we say about TLC that the world doesn’t already know? Dominating the charts in the 1990s, with multiple number one singles and the best selling album released by a girl group in the United States, TLC is a force to be reckoned with. Losing group member Lisa ‘Left Eye’ Lopes in 2001 in a tragic accident, they decided to take a hiatus. The remaining members Tionne ‘T-Boz’ Watkins and Rozanda ‘Chilli’ Thomas are back with their recent album appropriately titled “TLC.” The duo is stopping by Pride to not only bring down the house on Sunday but to support the LGBTQ+ community here in Nashville.

With so many more acts taking the stage this weekend, we are excited to see what they have in store for us at Nashville Pride.

In anticipation, Team Lightning is throwing a preparation party for the pride community at Fat Bottom Brewery on June 18th. All you need to bring is your smiling faces and creative minds as we make signs and tie-dye shirts for the Pride March. Participation in the party and the parade is open to all ages!

Join us as we march in the Parade on Saturday, June 22nd. Come out and support the fantastic LGBTQ+ community and artists here in Nashville this weekend, June 22nd-23rd. More info about Nashville Pride can be found here: https://www.nashvillepride.org/

We hope to see you there!

Written by Ruben Franco