Dope Lemon gets all kinds of strange in Nashville

The last time I had the pleasure of seeing Dope Lemon live was a few years ago at Eastside Bowl here in Nashville; I distinctly remember it being one of the most fun and memorable shows I had seen that year. Dope Lemon is the type of band I need in my life at all times. Whether I’m working out or winding down before bed, their music somehow fits just about every aspect of my life. I wouldn’t miss an opportunity to see them live, so I was thrilled to hear they would be playing Brooklyn Bowl this time around.

Joining them on the bill was a brand-new band called Sana Sana Musica.

A few weeks earlier, I stumbled across an Instagram clip of the band and immediately fell in love with their sound. I genuinely hadn’t been this excited about a show in quite some time! Sana Sana Musica sings exclusively in Spanish and everything about their sound and energy is built around infectious rhythms and undeniable grooves. Blending elements of EDM and cumbia, they had the crowd moving almost immediately.

Living in Nashville, I was honestly a little worried about how the audience would connect with their music. Not to knock the people or the music scene here, but let’s just say Nashville isn’t exactly known for its diversity, if you know what I mean… Thankfully, I was pleasantly surprised to see the crowd embracing the music — dancing and feeding off the band’s energy. Although they currently have only one song released, I truly believe this Austin-based band is destined for big things.

Dope Lemon was phenomenal, as usual.

Angus Stone seemed to be in top form as he worked his way through a setlist featuring many of Dope Lemon’s most popular tracks on Spotify. While I completely understand why bands tend to lean on their biggest hits, I have a laundry list of deeper cuts I would love to hear live, but I definitely wasn’t disappointed with the song choices this night. I’m still holding out hope that one day the band will tour performing full albums, because seeing Big Smooth Cat and Kimosabe played in their entirety would be an absolute dream!

Overall, it was an incredible night of music and a much-needed change of pace from the usual sounds Nashville has to offer. Between discovering a new band I can’t stop thinking about and getting another chance to experience one of my longtime favorites, it was exactly the kind of show that reminds me why I love live music so much. I already can’t wait for the next opportunity to see Dope Lemon again!

Photography by Anastasia Elliot; recap by Derek Jones

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