The Listening Room Cafe - Franklin, Tennessee
July 6

Picture and text credit: Suzanne Gaedtka

Denise and I had a safe and enjoyable trip and rolled into Franklin a little before 6pm. Luckily we got there before the rain. Had time to eat before the show and just take in the eclectic atmosphere. The Listening Room Cafe is a sub shop/coffee house/internet cafe/music venue with an informal decor that included a guitar clock and guitar paintings, vinyl records and a Sun Studios sign, old movie theater seats, church pews and metal beer signs, but the vibe it all creates works.

The performance and seating area was smaller than some people's living rooms, and by show time the place was pretty much full. The temperature inside was on the warm side, but of course things got hotter when Wade walked in! :)

The show started around 7 pm, and they referred to it as Writer's in the Round, which turned out to be exactly the way the artists were seated, in the center of the room facing inward in a circle. Unfortunately, we were seated on the wrong side of the ring for the best view of Wade's performance, and I only got a few decent pictures. I wasn't able to capture that fantastic smile much. Wade began the set with "The Devil Song" and was followed by Joe Nash and Christian music writer/physical trainer at Wade's health club Nathan Brumley. Wade was very complimentary to the other guys during the evening, and although I doubt that they had practiced together before, Wade jumped right in after a verse or so of their songs and added some phenomenal acoustic guitar to the mix.

The guys went around the ring clockwise for the next hour and thirty minutes or so offering their lyrics, their music, and a bit of themselves in the process. Wade's songs took somewhat of a melancholy turn that matched the rain pouring outside. His second selection was "She Knows Me," followed intermittently with "The Best Part," and "A Place to Turn Around," (not sure if that's the right title). He picked up the pace again with "Good Day to Go Crazy" and acknowledged that he does like cutoffs.

My favorite song of the evening was one I had never heard before, and I asked him about it after the show -- "As If I Didn't Know.” He said it was the first demo he cut when he came to Nashville and was "just a kid.” His good friend Chick Rains had written it. I think it's time to dust it off and re-record it. The words strike a very emotional chord that I'm sure a lot of people can relate to.

He finished with two very recognizable hits, "Old Enough to Know Better" and "I'm Still Dancing With You.” An added highlight near the end of the set was a guest appearance by season three Nashville Star contestant, Jayron Weaver.

The intimate setting, the music and the weather made for a memorable mix that even enhanced the familiar songs from the past. What a way to spend a rainy night in Tennessee!