In this week’s issue of the Scene, we explore the impending mayoral election in several parts. We look at the race’s best known candidates, examine those who are vying for Nashville’s conservative vote, explore prominent local figures who are conspicuously absent from the ballot and more. On this week’s Scenecast, we sit down with staffers Steven Hale and Stephen Elliott and contributor Steve Cavendish to talk about the mayoral candidates — and we even take a little quiz to see if we can ID all 13 candidates.

This week's issue of the Scene is our annual Summer Guide, in which we point to the most enticing events going on this summer, and take a look at interesting folks from all over town. That includes artists, a drag queen and a very charismatic chef. But on this week's Scenecast, we talk about the 49th annual Nashville Film Festival, which takes place May 10-19 at Regal Hollywood 27. In the May 3 issue of the Scene, we picked out 25 interesting titles from this year's programming. We spoke to Nashville native Alex O Eaton about the world premiere of her debut feature 'Mountain Rest,' and we had a look at some of the festival's short-film programming. On this week's Scenecast, we speak to Jason Shawhan. If you know film in Nashville, you know Jason. He's a Scene contributor, a Belcourt employee, a Nashville Film Festival programmer and a self-described media prophet. He programs the festival's Graveyard Shift competition category. On this Scenecast, we talk to Jason about this year's Graveyard Shift films and a lot more. Fair warning: If you haven't yet seen 'Avengers: Infinity War,' there's some very lightly spoiler-y content from minute 21 to minute 23.

In this week’s issue of the Scene, contributor Erica Ciccarone explores the art scene in historically black North Nashville. She speaks with members of the artists’ group Norf Art Collective, as well as business owners and community members who participate in the monthly Jefferson Street Art Crawl. Erica’s story focuses on the role of art in creating an inclusive space and a sense of ownership in a culturally rich part of Nashville. On this week’s Scenecast, we sit down to talk with Erica about her cover story and more.

On May 1, Nashville will conclude one of the most significant public referendums it has ever held, on the most expensive municipal project the city has ever proposed: a citywide transit overhaul. The initiative, called Let’s Move Nashville, includes upgrades in the bus system and the building of light rail on the city’s major corridors. The plan also includes a tunnel to be dug beneath downtown, from Charlotte Avenue to SoBro. Part of the plan to pay for Let’s Move Nashville is four tax increases: sales, hotel-occupancy, business and rental-car taxes. In this week’s issue of the Scene, staffers Steven Hale and Stephen Elliott highlight the cases for and against passage of the transit initiative. Also in the cover package, Stephen Elliott runs through some of the primaries on the ballot, among them the offices of sheriff, public defender, register of deeds and county clerk. Today on the Scenecast, Hale and Elliott join me to talk transit.

Songwriter John Prine has been making records for nearly 50 years. He’s won Grammys and Americana Music and Honors Awards, and over the years his avowed fans have included the likes of Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash and modern-day collaborators like Brandy Carlile, Jason Isbell, Amanda Shires and The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach. On Friday, April 13th, Prine will release 'The Tree of Forgiveness,' his first album of new material in 13 years. For this week’s Scene cover story, contributor Marissa R. Moss spoke with Prine about the record, his career, his collaborators and more. On this week’s Scenecast, we invite Marissa in to talk about her story.

A lot of hockey fans probably saw the Predators’ historic run to the 2017 Stanley Cup Finals as a fluke, a lucky break for the goofy catfish-throwin’ Southern town. But Smashvillians knew better. As tens of thousands of fans filled the streets of downtown Nashville to watch the team make history, they knew this was likely the start of something bigger — even if the team didn’t ultimately bring home the Cup. In this week’s issue of the Scene, we examine this season’s Predators as they make another run at the Cup. It's All Your Fault co-host David Boclair takes a look at the team’s six newest additions — among them Ryan Hartman and Scott Harnell — while IAYF co-host and Scene culture editor Megan Seling sits down with Viktor Arvidsson, and also updates us on what some of last year’s breakout postseason stars are up to. On this week’s Scenecast, we talk to Megan about the Preds' quest for the Cup.

This week's issue of the Scene covers a lot of ground, beginning with the eighth annual Nashville Fashion Week. NFW kicks off on April 3 at OZ Arts, and NFocus editor and Scene Contributor Nancy Floyd chatted with all six designers featured in this year’s opening-night designer showcase. Among those designers is Maria “Poni” Silver, the recipient of this year’s Nashville Fashion Forward Fund. In this week’s Scenecast, Floyd sits down with Silver to talk about her inspiration, which is rooted in the experiences of Silver's mother, a Dominican immigrant who lived in New York City in the 1970s. Scene editor D. Patrick Rodgers also talks staff writer Steven Hale about his story on the mock executions that take place at Tennessee’s Riverbend Maximum Security Institution. You can listen below, as well as on iTunes, Stitcher and TuneIn (which is also available through Amazon Echo devices). Rate us on iTunes and leave a comment if you like what you hear.

For the Scene’s second annual food-industry survey, we made a list of chefs, general managers and owners at many of the best restaurants in town and made them a deal — we give you a list of questions, and all we ask is that you respond with honesty. The participants run the gamut from experienced veterans with decades in town to talented newcomers, with a diverse mix of ages, races and genders. We asked more than 60 people to participate, and roughly 40 responded. By agreeing to withhold their identities, we got a look at Nashville’s dining scene through the eyes of those most responsible for its current success. This week, editor D. Patrick Rodgers sits down with contributors Steve Cavendish and Chris Chamberlain to talk about the responses we got — from the best desserts in town to the worst trends, who deserves a Beard Award and more. You can listen below, as well as on iTunes, Stitcher and TuneIn (which is also available through Amazon Echo devices). Rate us on iTunes and leave a comment if you like what you hear.

This week’s Scene cover package features two items — one looking at Nashville’s new mayor, David Briley, and another looking back on the scandal that brought down our former mayor, Megan Barry. For the latter, we spoke to NewsChannel 5’s Phil Williams, who was first on the story and responsible for more than one of its juicier twists and turns. Scene contributor Steve Cavendish and staff writer Amanda Haggard sat down with Williams to digest the news around Barry’s affair and subsequent resignation. You can listen to that conversation here or read an excerpt in this week’s print issue. Due to some technical difficulties, the quality of this week's audio isn't quite as high as usual. Apologies. But it's still a great listen, and we hope you'll bear with us.

This week, we at the Scene present our annual People Issue, in which we talk to some of Nashville’s most interesting folks. You’ll meet mother and future student Seana Arrechaga, a soldier’s widow who doesn’t like how some people have appropriated her family’s grief. You’ll meet Nashville sideman and drummer extraordinaire Jerry Pentecost, and student activist Katherine Ledezma-Soto, along with attorney and advocate Alex Little, fiber artist Kate Madeira, and ballerina-turned-boxer Sarah London. Also in this week’s People Issue you’ll read Steven Hale’s profile of historian and professor Learotha Williams. Williams is an associate professor of African-American and public history at TSU who runs the North Nashville Heritage Project — an initiative to preserve and share stories of black history in North Nashville. This week on the Scenecast, Hale sits down to talk with Williams about some of the stories he’s collected over the years, and why his work is so important.

In this week's cover package, we have a look at the state’s long and complicated relationship with cannabis — both industrial hemp, which can be grown by licensed farmers as part of a state pilot program, and marijuana, the use of which is still illegal both for medical and recreational purposes. Pick up a copy or visit nashvillescene.com to read more about that. But flip to the back of the paper and you'll find our run-down of this year's Academy Award nominees. In our latest Scenecast, Scene editor D. Patrick Rodgers, Nfocus editor Nancy Floyd, Scene and Nashville Post staffer Stephen Elliott, and Scene staffer Steven Hale discuss our picks for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actress in a Leading Role, and more. We cover everything from the cultural impact of 'Get Out' and 'Lady Bird' to the performances in 'I, Tonya,' sound design in 'Dunkirk' and everything that's wrong with 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.' Fair warning: At least one of us did not like 'Three Billboards.' At all.