Queer AF: Your 2022 AMERICANAFEST Primer
By Christopher Treacy
AMERICANAFEST is upon us this week.. and it’s poised to be epic. Although Country Queer did not organize a showcase this year (we’ll be back!), there’s plenty of LGBTQ+ representation on the schedule, and we have a pair of CQ Correspondents documenting the action for a recap post in the near future.
In the meanwhile, for anyone that’s curious or thinking about buying a festival pass, we’ve compiled a list of showcases, panels, and special events with queer content for your perusal.
Please note: We have included end times only when they’re available. Generally, Showcases (SC) and Panels (P) are an hour or less while Special Events (SE) tend to run longer (2 to 6 hours) with many performers.
For Special Event listings, we have included the names of any LGBTQ+ performers in the lineup, but we have no way of knowing what time they’ll take the stage within the scope of the event. Additionally, Special Events may have separate cover charges. We encourage anyone thinking of attending AMERICANAFEST to download the free festival app to help with navigation, cost, and timing. We checked it out and it’s dang handy!
Tuesday, September 13
SE 6:00-9:00 – WMOT’s Old Fashioned String Band Throwdown w/Jake Blount & Willi Carlisle (Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge)
SE 7:00-10:00 – Concord’s Americana From All Sides w/ Katie Pruitt (The Optomist)
SE 7:00 – 11:00 – Transatlantic Unplugged w/ Aaron Lee Tasjan & S.G. Goodman (Gibson Garage)
SE 8:00-11:00 – Olivia Management Presents: Live from Historic Eastland w/ Madeleine Kelson (Historic Eastland)
Wednesday, September 14
P 10:00 AM – Taking a Long Look at the Indigo Girls (Westin, Vanderbilt III)
SE 11:00-5:00 – Jrodconcerts Americanafest Fiesta w/ Aaron Lee Tasjan & Katie Pruitt (The Space at 100 Taylor)
SE 11:30-2:00 – Hillbillies and Hot Dogs w/ Chastity Brown (Compass Records)
SE 12:00-5:00 – WMOT Wired In w/ Melissa Carper (The Wash at Eastside Bowl)
SE 2:00-4:00 – Tone Tree Music and Matter Present: Women of Folk – Mary Bragg (HOME)
P 2:30 – Building Supportive Communities for Music Creators (Westin, Gulch I & II)
SE 3:00-5:00 – The Bluegrass Station’s 10th Anniversary Happy Hour w/Rainbow Girls (City Winery Lounge)
SE 5:00-9:00 – Anthony da Costa’s FOMO Party, Presented by BED|STÜ – Katie Pruitt, Sunny War, and Rainbow Girls (Brooklyn Bowl)
SE 6:30 – 9:30 – The 21st Annual Americana Honors & Awards (Ryman)
SC 9:00 – Adeem the Artist (EXIT/IN)
SC 9:20 – Dead Horses (Brooklyn Bowl)
SC 10:00-11:00 – Sarah Shook & the Disarmers (EXIT/IN)
SC 10:00 – Autumn Nicholas (The 5 Spot)
SC 11:00-12:00 – Sunny War (City Winery)
SC 11:00-12:00 – Angel Olsen (Riverside Revival)
Thursday, September 15
SE 12:00-6:00 – Americanafest Day Stage w/ Amy Ray (The Wash at Eastside Bowl)
SE 12:00-2:00 – Northern Lights hosted by Brandi Carlile; guitar round w/ Sean McConnell & Ashley Ray Note: Brandi is listed as hosting, not necessarily performing (City Winery)
SE 12:00-5:00 – Madison House Hullabaloo w/Rainbow Girls (The Basement)
SE 12:00-6:00 – Mule Kick & Devious Planet’s R’n’R Brunch w/ Michelle Malone (The Grove)
SE 12:00-4:00 – The Arkansas Extravaganza w/ Willi Carlisle (3rd & Lindsley)
P 12:00 – The Narrators, w/Jake Blount (Westin, Vanderbilt III)
SE 1:00-4:00 – NOLAxNashville w/ Lilli Lewis, Shawn Williams, Loose Cattle, & Ever More Nest (Vinyl Tap)
SE 1:00-4:00 – The 8th Fire Sessions w/ Amanda Rheaume (Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge)
SC 7:00 – Willi Carlisle (3rd & Lindsley)
SC 8:00-8:45 – Melissa Carper (6th & peabody)
SC 8:00- 8:45 – Jake Blount (The Basement)
SC 10:00-10:45 – Lilli Lewis (Analog at Hutton Hotel)
SC 11:00-11:45 – The Accidentals (City Winery)
Friday, September 16
P 11:30 AM – How Americana is Embracing Minority Representation (Westin, Gulch I & II)
SE 11:00-3:00 – Mountain Stage & Missing Piece Shindig w/ Chastity Brown & Mya Byrne (Analong at Hutton Hotel)
SE 11:00-6:00 – Canada House w/ Amanda Rheaume (InDo Nashville)
P 12:00 – Conversation and Performance w/ Black Opry Artists incl. Kentucky Gentlemen (Ford Theater, Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum)
SE 12:00-6:00 – Americanafest Day Stage w/ Rainbow Girls (The Wash at Eastside Bowl)
SE 12:00-4:30 – East Coast Social Club w/ Amelia White (The Bowery Vault)
SE 12:00-5:00 – T for Texas T for Tennessee IV w/ Zoe Cummins (The Local)
SE 12:00-6:00 – California Country Show w/ Garrison Starr (ACME Feed & Seed)
SE 1:00-5:00 – Nettwerk x BGS x Taylor Guitars – Music, Food & Good TImes w/ Brooke Annibale (The Basement)
SE 4:00-5:30 – Hooks, Lines & Singers w/ Garrison Starr (Analog at Hutton Hotel)
SE 4:30-7:00 – Wild Ponies Happy Hour w/ Lilli Lewis (Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge)
SC 5:05-5:30 – Lilli Lewis (Musicians Corner at Centennial Park)
SC 7:00 – Christie Lenee (Koinonia/The Well)
SC 7:00-7:45 – Rainbow Girls (City Winery)
SC 7:00-7:45 – Jobi Riccio (Riverside Revival)
SC 8:00-8:45 – Jaime Wyatt (EXIT/IN)
SE 8:00-8:50 – Songs of 1972: Winter w/ Garrison Starr (The Basement East)
SC 8:00 – Bandits on the Run (The 5 Spot)
SC 8:00 – Michelle Malone (The Basement)
SE 9:00-9:50 – Songs of 1972: Spring w/ Erin Rae (The Basement East)
SC 10:00 – Hannah Juanita (The 5 Spot)
SE 11:00-11:50 – Songs of 1972: Fall w/ Jaime Wyatt (The Basement East)
Saturday, September 17
SE 12:00-6:00 – Musicians Corner at Centennial Park w/ Bandits on the Run (Centennial Park)
SE 12:00-5:00 – Sex, Drugs and Americana w/ Garrison Starr (The Basement East)
SE 2:00-7:00 – Queer Roots w/ Adeem the Artist, Austin Lucas, Chris Housman, Secret Emchy Society, Ever More Nest, Jessye DeSilva, Julie Nolen, Lilli Lewis, Mali Obomsawin, Mercy Bell, Mya Byrne, Nicholas Rich, Paisley Fields, and Wiley Gaby (The Grove)
SC 7:00 – Amanda Rheaume (Riverside Revival)
SC 8:00-9:00 – S.G. Goodman (Riverside Revival)
SC 11:00 – Melissa Carper w/ Brennen Leigh & Kelly Willis (Station Inn)
Sunday, September 18
SE 1:00-5:00 NOLAxNashville w/ Shawn Williams & Mia Borders (Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge)
Christopher Treacy has been writing about music and the music industry for 20 years. He’s contributed to The Boston Phoenix, The Boston Herald, Nashville Scene, and Berklee College of Music’s quarterly journal, as well as myriad LGBTQ+ outlets including the Edge Media Network, Between the Lines/Pride Source, Bay Windows and In Newsweekly. He lives in Waitsfield, VT.