nicoleshariat PCD caught up with Briston Maroney’s fourth annual Paradise Festival at The Blue Room in Nashville, Tennessee on November 7, 2025. The lineup on the festival’s final day featured Briston Maroney, Michigander, and Bridey Costello. Although the venue was different from last year, I was looking forward to seeing how this change fit into Maroney’s evolving shows. After experiencing Paradise Festival in 2024, I was eager to return and see how this 2025 installment would compare to my first visit.
Bridey Costello
Bridey Costello opened up the final evening with a heartfelt acoustic set. The Belmont University alum showed out with beautiful and raw lyrics and perfectly angelic vocals. Costello’s lyrics filled The Blue Room with the sarcastic prose that set up the night well. As an up-and-coming artist in Nashville, Costello’s naturally authentic sound resonated with the crowd. The personal narrative, delivered with flawless lyrics, grabbed my attention the most.
Photos by Nicole Shariatmadari. All images © 2025 Copyright Nicole Shariatmadari. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Michigander
Michigander was the last performance before Maroney’s headlining set. Michigander, created and led by Jason Singer, gave an exhilarating second set of the day. The rock-infused performance had a powerful presence on stage that wired up the crowd. Singer’s lyrics in Misery wrestle with dissatisfaction and ambition for growth as he finds his way through a relationship that throws his heart around. Singer’s ability to punch up his romantic agony is a master of narrative melody.
Photos by Nicole Shariatmadari. All images © 2025 Copyright Nicole Shariatmadari. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Briston Maroney
Finally, Maroney’s entrance cued the crowd’s explosion of excitement. Maroney and his full band basked in the opening screams while handing out free snacks to the screaming crowd. He opened the night with guitar riffs that flowed into his song Sinkin’, an energetic kickoff for the festival’s final evening. Maroney performed songs from his latest album, JIMMY, only a couple of months old, but fans still sang along to every word.
As the set progressed, the energy kept climbing, and the band’s snacks flew through the crowd. Maroney’s chaotic, charismatic energy shone in every moment. His music feels like the ultimate fusion of folk, punk, and rock that melts together to make the most versatile singer. Maroney’s lyricism has multitudes of acceptance, pain, depression, exploding joy, and absurdness.
The set list showcased the dynamic range of his discography, with fresh twists on familiar songs that quickly became a favorite of mine. Notably, he performed a new arrangement of his classic Caroline, traditionally a slower fan favorite. The new arrangement of some of his heartfelt tear-jerkers was upbeat with upbeat guitar riffs to balance the somber themes. As a devoted fan myself, the new sound gave me a sort of fan whiplash, but an artist’s edge to try new styles to old songs tests the waters, and should always be encouraged. The fans dove in headfirst to these new renditions. They moshed, danced, and marveled in the band’s insane energy.
Photos by Nicole Shariatmadari. All images © 2025 Copyright Nicole Shariatmadari. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Overall, this year’s Paradise Festival was held in a different space and with new activities, but Maroney’s fans followed him without a blink. With the change of certain semantics and logistics, it still created an outrageously special evening with die-hard fans, of course, dancing the night away with each set. Even in a smaller, more intimate venue, Maroney’s words rang true: “love makes you feel at home.” His powerful artistry is a constant truth in the machine of the music industry. When next year’s festival is announced, the fans will be excited to see what direction he goes next; something new is sure to come. While Maroney’s new musical direction seems to be changing courses, after all, his fans are Real Good Swimmer (2025 EP). Thanks for having us.
If any information in this coverage is incorrect or needs to be fixed, please email PCD Editor at jessica@postconcertdepression.com. Thank you!
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