Talking with the organizers of the underground punk festival about making space in Music City
“Everyone that talks about old, old Drkmttr is like, ‘There was a magical quality to it,’ because it was like the last of the Wild West,” says Olivia Scibelli, taking a break from directing load-in ahead of a recent show at the all-ages DIY venue. She’s one of the organizers who has kept Drkmttr afloat during a four-year roller-coaster ride of challenges, including two moves and two closures. “I don’t think Nashville can do that anymore.”
The fifth running of Nameless Fest, happening June 27-29, serves as a stress test and an unofficial housewarming for Drkmttr’s third iteration, which opened its doors in January. The space is a squat storefront at 1111 Dickerson Pike, nicely spruced up from its former days as a bar called Music City Lounge. The festival and the venue, run by the same dedicated crew, also paint a picture of what Nashville can do, even in a time marked by gentrification, skyrocketing real estate prices and civic leaders who don’t always seem to be sure how to address the problems.
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