Stay;Fest is a one day, multi-genre festival happening this Saturday (Sept 13) promotes mental health resources in the Middle Tennessee area through music with the goal to help build community and ending the stigma of getting help.
Rebekah Cole, event promoter for RAC Books Nashville, says she’s struggled with mental health since she was a kid and music has always been a safe refuge. She knew she wanted to bring the two together, but it wasn’t a one person thing. As soon as she met Zhaklina Spencer, founder of Mental Health Songwriter Nights in Nashville, it all came together in a perfect marriage.
“All the artists that are going to be performing are passionate about mental health,” Spencer said. “That was something that I’ve always been intentional through my mental health songwriter nights about picking artists that I’m passionate about it. There’s going to be acoustic and full band performers, and all of them have a story to share. The genres are going to be from pop, to soul, and alternative rock. Then it gets a little bit heavier as the night goes on. When you come out, you can get food from Tower Market Deli. We are benefiting Mental Health Initiative through a portion of our ticket sales. They are passionate about not only raising awareness for mental health in our community, but also making it more accessible to people who really need that support, but maybe can’t afford it, which we think is important. I think that mental health is just as important as physical health.”
“One thing we were really focused on is we wanted it to be community,” Cole said. “It’s everybody hanging out, coming together, talking to one another, and creating that space and awareness of you’re not alone. Nashville is a big town, but here’s this community, here are all these artists. Our hope is that this festival can bring people together to create lasting relationships. We don’t want this to be the one and only. We want this continue. We want this to be something that people look forward to every year, that they can grow with these people and grow with this artist.”
Additional event opportunities in the next week:
Americana Fest is happening throughout this week at various locations from Grimey’s, Skinny Dennis, the Blue Room, the Basement East, and Imogene and Willie. Other live music opportunities begin tonight (Sept 10) with Garbage at the Pinnacle. On Saturday night (Sept 13) WNXP Presents Stereolab at Brooklyn Bowl. Sunday night (Sept 14), Bonny Light Horseman performs at The Basement East. Monday night (Sept 15) back at the Pinnacle as Turnstile takes the stage. We wrap up this week’s listings on Tuesday (Sept 16) with Buzzcocks at Cannery Hall’s the Mil and Matt Maltese at Marathon Music Works.