nicoleshariat Immerse yourself in the magic of Nashville’s Paradise Music Festival. This is where the soulful strains of indie rock artist, Briston Maroney, created a home away from home. PCD believes this festival should be the ultimate guide to concert community cultivation. Dive into the ecstasy of the weekend below.
Paradise was held in mid-November of 2024 with a jam-packed lineup. This included Bristion Maroney, Yoke Lore, The Moss, and Sun June to name a few. They each brought their unique edge and energy to the stage. While the artistry of the selected performers excites concertgoers, they attest the festival is uniquely special and keeps them wanting more every year. In a world where festivals often get lost in commercialization & branding, Paradise Festival feeds the soul with a sense of community – something that is arguably, intentionally left out in the large-scale music industry. Below are heartfelt testimonies of the people who brought this event to life.
Chatting with Akuai
To understand Paradise, I wanted to get to know the people who made it happen. Discussing the role of music in forming community & happiness, I chatted with Orick Akuai. It was Akuai first year to the fest. She loves Maroney (& the more affordable price tag) so she snagged a three-day pass to check it out. Her service dog, Delilah, was in attendance. Navigating large crowds is tricky because of the overwhelming nature of it all. Luckily, Paradise concertgoers were helping each other out every moment along the way.
Throughout the interview, a few newly made friends brought water for little Delilah to make sure she was comfortable. While asking about what community meant to Akuai, she said it was “a group of people that takes care of each other.” Her family immigrated from South Sudan where life was about how people supported each other. Her experience at the festival reflected those characteristics and kindness throughout the weekend. Later on, while discussing the night, the same group of girls came up to ask Akuai to hang out and appreciate the show together.
Even during the interview, new friends continued making new connections with Akuai; it just encapsulated the presence of community that we saw. As she said, “Everyone was a friend, even though they aren’t familiar.” As the show was about to start, I asked what song got her through a tough time. Akuai shared “Rose” by Briston Maroney. It guided her through the most difficult time in her life and “unleashed her soul.” While fighting the dark moments of life, it’s comforting to hear our favorite artists also experience that agony. The unifying nature of pain and happiness forges a connection between the listener and artist.
Festival Community Veterans
While exiting the tattoo booth at the festival, I saw Cassey Samples and Kaidance Sharp, veterans of the festival, admiring Samples’ new tattoo. Each year they return because of the “cultivation of community and people” as well as how Maroney includes new activities to help form new life-long memories. Sample showed off her frog flash tattoo to represent the goofy and fun nature of the night.
Returning to the music, Sharp said the song “Caroline” always shines through and soothes her in any moment of insecurity. Samples said “Sunshine” because she connects to the lyric: “real love makes you feel at home even when you’re far away.” As someone who recently ventured away from home, she found that Paradise radiated the same welcoming and easy feeling of being at home, even when you’re hundreds of miles away.
The Genius Behind The Ink
After night one, I was intrigued by lead tattoo artist, Skout Smith, who had been the tattoo artist behind the festival for the last three years. This year her designs were etched into concertgoers’ skin as a tribute to their experience and love for the art created by Maroney and Smith. The first year of Paradise, the designs for the tattoos were entirely doodles from Maroney. As for the last two years, Paradise has been blessed with Smith’s creations, which can be described as psychedelic, romantic, and wistful. While balancing creative expression and job deadlines, Smith transforms complex juxtaposition into a beautiful expression of Maroney’s discography.
Photo Credit: Nicole Shariatmadari/Julia Dunagan Photography
Smith and Maroney attended the same high school and furthered their artistic expression and journey years past that. Leading Maroney to enlist Smith’s brilliance to carry out the flash tattoos offered at Paradise festival. Smith believes the use of tattoos in self-expression is a testament of growth and evolution of one’s sense of self. Overall, the impact of giving tattoos and getting them is a testament to the thing that makes us human: self-expression. When discussing the unique opportunity to tattoo at this festival she adds that that is the perfect intersection of creation.
Smith says, “Briston and their community have created the perfect ecosystem for tattooing, and it’s so rewarding to be able to distill those vibrations in skin, in ink and send somebody home from such a fun event with a truly sentimental souvenir. A sticker in their scrapbook. A stamp in their passport.”
As most people leave shows with posters and new merch, many fans have artwork etched on their skin as a tangible memory to recall the festival. This alone is an example of how deep rooted this community is and how monumental it is to the people lucky enough to find themselves there.
Book or explore her vastly gorgeous portfolio find her at Big Fish Tattoo and Instagram at @skoutsmith
After concerts or leaving a community where you feel so cared for, the new friends I talked with recommend taking a day to revel in the beauty of new experiences. They recommended going outdoors and spending time with those who you consider close friends. To reconnect with oneself and remember these moments, the highs of life add to who we are as human beings. Just because these concerts are over doesn’t mean the joy and memories are gone.
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