Mike Nash is coming back to Carson City, this time he brings a different vibe with him as he performs Saturday with his band at the Levitt AMP Concert Series hosted by the Brewery Arts Center. Nash has a good relationship with Carson City after coming here several times with Southern Drawl Band, and he had a solo show at the BAC Performance Center in November 2019. Nash remembers coming here for the first Levitt AMP series, where they played on a flatbed to a decent-sized crowd. That was the band’s first tour out West and it felt great to have the reception they received, he said. He saw the Levitt AMP shows grow to a larger stage with much bigger crowds and he’s happy to be a part of that. “For me, the biggest thing (coming to Carson City) is the people,” he said. I’ll never forget how much they took to our music and how cool and down to Earth everyone was.” CHANGES TO SOUTHERN DRAWL BAND Nash said this show will be different from previous shows in Carson City. Southern Drawl Band is no longer touring together. Although they’re all still great friends, the band broke up and went their separate ways, Nash said. This concert will be Mike Nash’s music. It’s music to have a drink to and pretend you’re at the beach. He describes it as if Bob Seger and George Strait had a baby that grew up on an island with Jimmy Buffet. “It’s a little country, it’s a little southern rock, but there’s definitely beachy overtones,” he said. “It’s summertime music.” THE BAND Nash said this is the first gig with a band after playing many solo shows. On bass and drums will be brothers John and David Doolittle. Nash said he’s played hundreds of shows with them over the years. “That’s a solid rhythm section,” he said. He was working with the guitar player for Hank Williams Jr., but the guitar player came down with COVID and is unavailable. Nash found local musician Dale Poune to fill the void. Otherwise, they’d have to cancel the show, he said. Nash chatted with Poune over the phone and sent him charts for the songs they’ll be playing. “He’s a pro, so it should be great,” Nash said. “It won’t be ideal, but nothing in this post-COVID world seems to be ideal nowadays. At least we were able to pull something off and do the show.” ‘Stay Thirsty’ Mike Nash released his first solo album “Stay Thirsty” in 2019. The 11-track album was recorded in Nashville with many professionals, he said, including Kenny Chesney’s guitar player. He’s working on his second solo album currently and hopes for that to come out in September this year. Look for news of the release on his website www.nashmike.com. HAPPY TO KEEP DOING IT Nash said he’s happy to have found his niche and to still be performing for people. He said COVID changed how things are done, and he’s doing more house concerts nowadays instead of playing in venues. He said it took a few years to form an identity, but he put his heart into it, taking into account the bands who influenced him, and he’s taking his music in a direction he enjoys. He’s performing many solo shows now and he’ll fly in a full band for the bigger gigs, like Saturday’s. He is excited for his first time playing with a full band in a while. “We’re just going to have fun,” he said. “We don’t take ourselves too seriously, we’re not big rock stars. We’re just average, every-day guys.”
IF YOU GO WHAT: Mike Nash with opener Keith Alan Barnett and the Lonesome Polecat Band at Brewery Art Center’s Levitt AMP Concert Series WHERE: The Change Companies Stage, 449 W. King St. at the Brewery Arts Center WHEN: 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 14 MORE INFO: nashmike.com; breweryarts.org
