Here's what's happening.

The Nightfall Concert Series is held each Friday night from May 11th to September 7th - rain or shine - in Miller Plaza, downtown Chattanooga. Headlining acts begin at 8pm with local opening acts starting at 7pm. Bring your kids, lawn chairs, pets and friends to enjoy great live music, food and an ice cold beer at the corner of Market St & Martin Luther King Blvd starting at 7pm - 10pm. There's motorcycle parking on the closed portion of Market St alongside the plaza and plenty of parking close by for everyone. 

2012 Nightfall Line-Up

MAY 11

Alexis P. Suter Band  /  Ashley & The X’s

Recently nominated as Best Soul Blues Female Artist, Alexis P. Suter is a true vocal phenomenon, with a deep baritone voice that catches some folks off guard at first. Among her biggest fans are music giants B.B. King and Levon Helm, with Suter regularly playing at Helm’s Ramble shows in Woodstock, NY.

MAY 18

Seven Handle Circus  /  Dismembered Tennesseans

Formed in 2010, the Seven Handle Circus are a six-piece Georgia band, drawing from their love of traditional bluegrass and folk and distilling those influences into a modern sound. With themes ranging from partying to the complexities of life, the 7HC pushes the limits of human endurance to send each crowd into a dancing frenzy.

MAY 25

Elliott BROOD  /  Land Camera

This three-piece band hailing from Toronto gives a dark edge to bluegrass and folk rock with lyrical storytelling and sandpaper voices. Elliott BROOD promises an energetic and hauntingly authentic show with instruments ranging from banjos to ukuleles that will fit right in with a Chattanooga summer night.

JUNE 1

Honey Island Swamp Band  /  Rick Bowers & The Saints of Main Street

This New Orleans band mixes blues, southern rock boogie, Appalachian music and swamp funk to create a sound that is all their own. Described by some as “Americana on the Bayou”, they are rapidly becoming one of the most sought after acts from the Crescent City with crowds across the country flocking to see what the buzz is all about.

JUNE 22

Shannon McNally  /  Ryan Oyer Band

McNally is a singer/songwriter who gives an earthy feel to blues rock with her Mississippi-based band, Hot Sauce. Claiming influences like Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young, you’ll see why this soulful singer has gained notice from Rolling Stone, The New York Times, Leno and Letterman.

JUNE 29

Young Dubliners  /  More Like Me

Known for bringing Celtic rock to life in Los Angeles, Young Dubliners has been perfecting a mix of American and Irish rock influences since 1988. Well seasoned and known for their high-energy gigs, this group has shared stages with greats like Jethro Tull and performed at the 2002 Olympics ceremony in Salt Lake City, Utah.

JULY 6

Dirty Bourbon River Show  /  The Snake Doctors

In true New Orleans style, Dirty Bourbon River Show boasts an eclectic style of folk gypsy circus rock. Their soulful sound serves as “entrance music for a magical mystery tour of whiskey-soaked French Quarter back alleys,” says one critic. The five members of this high-energy group frequently rotate instruments, giving a Bourbon Street feel to their spirited, full-bodied sound.

JULY 13

Deer Tick  /  Behold The Brave

Indie-folk outfit Deer Tick’s music has been described as a combination of folk, blues and country. Hailing from Providence, Rhode Island, Deer Tick is on tour to promote their latest, critically acclaimed album  Divine Providence and a new EP entitled Tim.

JULY 20

Chuck Prophet  /  Endelouz

Part Dwight Twilley, Iggy Pop, Thin Lizzy and the Knack, Chuck Prophet’s songs are about heartbreak and everyman heroism, a vivid parade of razor-edged one-liners camouflaged in a slack-jawed drawl and drenched in twisted lines of rude Telecaster.

JULY 27

Van Hunt  /  Rick Rushing & The Blues Strangers

Drawing comparisons to Prince, Sly Stone and Lenny Kravitz, Hunt is hitting the road hard to herald the release of his new album with featured performances this spring on Leno and Letterman. He is a charismatic live performer who has toured both as headliner and alongside such diverse acts as Kanye West, The Roots, Coldplay, Mary J. Blige and Dave Matthews Band.

AUGUST 3

“McKay’s Road to Nightfall” winner: Strung Like a Horse  /  Jordan Hallquist & The Outfit

This year’s winner of McKay’s Road to Nightfall, Strung Like A Horse combines a unique “garage grass” sound with an even more distinct stage presence that has gathered quite a local following. Combining traditional instruments with a not-so-traditional style of playing has set them apart as a group to keep your eye on. Their first video for the song Byrd Dog has received almost 3,000 views in a matter of two months!

AUGUST 10

Hayes Carll  /  Amber Fults & The Ambivalent Lovers

Fiery rock with twangy country, pensive folk and even a touch of gospel, Hayes Carll has been topping critics’ polls and winning awards since his 2008 album, Trouble in Mind. A self-proclaimed master of what he calls “degenerate love songs,” Carll’s songs take a tender approach to the bittersweet.

AUGUST 17

Eilen Jewell  /  Long Gone Darlings

Eilen Jewell is a Boston-based singer songwriter with a unique style that ranges from Western swing to rock to honkytonk to jazzed-up country music. A young rising star with a voice of distinction, Jewell has been influenced by the grace of Billie Holiday and the directness of Hank Williams.

AUGUST 24

Apache Relay (UTC Night)  /  Glowing Bordis

With equal parts acoustic and electric, Michael Ford Jr., and The Apache Relay are gaining an ardent following on the road for their jumping-up-and-down energetic shows. Paste Magazine named their first studio effort 1988 as one of “The Eight Most Auspicious Musical Debuts of 2009” and the band as the “Best of What’s Next.”

AUGUST 31

 Tizer  /  Milele Roots

Pianist Lao Tizer and his band are the “new generation of contemporary jazz.”  Nominated as Jazz Group of the Year in 2011, Lao Tizer has been described as “refreshing and unique,” and is sure to appeal to all ages with his original jazz sound.

SEPTEMBER 7

Quiet Company  /  Telemonster

This Austin-based indie-rock band broke the record for most wins in a single year at this year’s Austin Music Awards, pulling in 10 top honors. Melodic piano-based pop is the hallmark of this band, whose music has been making ripples in the mainstream by being featured on recent TV shows including MTV’s The Real World.