The Wood Brothers will return to The Caverns in Pelham, Tennessee, on Sunday, Aug. 23, bringing their blend of roots music, soulful folk, blues, jazz and adventurous Americana to the underground concert venue.
The Nashville-based trio—brothers Oliver Wood and Chris Wood, along with drummer, percussionist and multi-instrumentalist Jano Rix—has spent nearly two decades developing its sound that can be difficult to pin to a single genre. Oliver handles guitar and vocals, Chris—who old jam heads may know from his time with Medeski Martin & Wood—plays bass and contributes vocals, while Rix adds drums, percussion, keyboards and other instruments.
The Caverns appearance comes during the group’s touring cycle surrounding Puff of Smoke, its ninth album of original material. The record’s 11 songs range from Latin-inflected acoustic guitar and New Orleans-style brass to jazz rhythms, gospel and roots music, while retaining the trio’s emphasis on creative, often contemplative, sometimes humorous, songwriting.
“This album is a little bit schizophrenic and eclectic, and it goes in a few different directions,” says Oliver.
With only a general idea of the song structures—often limited to lyrics and basic chords—their improvisational recording process yielded plenty of first-take cuts.
Wood Brothers photo by Laura Partain
“What’s really fun about making a record with this band is that we actually have no idea how we’re going to arrange a song, or what instruments we’re going to play, when we get to a recording session,” says Chris. “First takes are often the best. You don’t have any ideas about the song yet.”
The Wood Brothers have also developed a reputation as a strong live act, where their tightly connected musicianship leaves room for improvisation and unexpected turns. Their Caverns appearance is especially fitting: the trio has played the venue in 2025 and will now get the opportunity to return as a headliner and the group’s organic music should take on another dimension in the underground setting.
The Caverns is located at 555 Charlie Roberts Rd., Pelham, about an hour southeast of Murfreesboro. The Aug. 23 show begins at 5 p.m., with Ric Robertson scheduled as the special guest. General admission tickets are listed at $66 plus taxes and fees, with camping, RV and transportation packages also available.
Find tickets and more information at thecaverns.com.
