By Hattan Savage, Rock At Night Nashville
Live Review: Robert Lester Folsom w/ Sun Child and Dillon Watson – The Blue Room, Nashville – June7, 2025
“It’s the perfect summer night,” I thought as I walked into the Blue Room, strolling down the hallway and out onto the open-air patio. Although I had arrived pretty early, a good-sized crowd of fans had already gathered inside, claiming spots close to the stage. I chose to enjoy the weather outside on the patio until the first band started, sipping a Liquid Death sparkling water.
Dillon Watson opened up the show. From the first notes, I felt transported to a parallel universe. It was like being in a barn on a farm, watching a rock & roll band play their hearts out. Watson’s guitar of choice was a beautiful left-handed Goldtop Les Paul with a Bigsby. I could only imagine how heavy it must have been. He performed with four other musicians: a drummer, keyboardist, bassist, and second electric guitarist. Together, they brought a distinctive Tennessee twang to the Blue Room. Towards the end of the set, they played a song called “Orchard Eyes.” The combination of clean, tastefully played electric guitar and bright, expressive harmonica hooked me immediately. Throughout the show, Watson switched between electric and acoustic guitar, and the vibe of each song shifted accordingly.
Sun Child was up next, and I have to say the name couldn’t be more fitting. Hailing from Jacksonville, this group brought sun-soaked Florida energy all the way up to Nashville. With one lead and two background vocalists, Sun Child’s set shimmered with vocals as warm and breezy as summer air. Their lead singer alternated between electric guitar and keyboard, which kept the set fresh and never boring. With their folky-alternative sound, Sun Child quickly won over the audience. After their set, I headed back out to the Blue Room’s patio to visit my friend Sophia, who was working merch for this show. A young woman came up to the merch stand and bought the very last black Sun Child shirt. After striking up a conversation with her, she told me that this performance had turned Sun Child into her new favorite band.
To close out the night, Robert Lester Folsom took the stage as the crowd pushed closer. He released a record in 1976 called “Music and Dreams,” and started releasing archived songs and new material in the 00s. Now, fans young and old are able to see Folsom perform these tunes over 50 years later. Seven musicians, including Folsom, occupied the stage. From house left to right: pedal steel (my favorite), electric guitar (played by Sun Child’s guitarist), drums, Robert Lester Folsom, background vocals and xylophone (played by Sun Child’s lead singer), bass, and keyboard. You might think that this many musicians on stage would be overkill, but each musician contributed something essential, giving each instrument a place to shine. The immersive atmosphere they created fit Folsom’s songs perfectly, making the set feel very psychedelic, while still sticking to the singer-songwriter nature of his music. The collaboration between Folsom and his younger backing band made his set feel both nostalgic and alive.
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