Painting, photography, cinematography, music, fashion, dance; name your creative outlet, and chances are Raw Artists brought it. The Mercy Lounge hosted a fantastic display of art this past Thursday night, showcasing some of Nashville’s most intriguing and captivating art forms. Raw Artists: Nashville compiled a host of talented artists for an evening of schmoozing and entertainment.

The venue morphed into an art exhibit for the night, its walls and walkways displaying photographs and acrylic paintings. One exhibit featured Tim Burton-esque figurines with grimacing faces dressed up in contrastingly bright materials. The showcase began with a satirical short film about the stages of depression after a breakup. It was the only film of the evening and was shortly followed by an interpretive dance performance. After another intermission, the musical performances started with Brandon Jazz & His Armed Forces. Although I enjoyed watching Brandon Jazz parade across the stage, the power-pop melodies and catchy hooks never really landed with me. They put on an entertaining show, but the fact that Brandon is only singing to backing tracks makes me feel like I’m watching a karaoke show instead of a live performance.

The evening progressed with a performance by one of my favorite local bands, The Black Shades. They brought a revitalizing energy to the showcase and unleashed a new song. Evan P. Donohue performed afterward with a set that fit the scene like a velvet glove. Raw Artists: Nashville had a successful inauguration, and my hopes are they take it to a new height for next month’s event. – Marc Chirico