If you’re looking for a city getaway where live music features prominently, then Nashville, Tennessee, should be one of your first stops. On the downside, the number of music venues in Nashville can be overwhelming. If you crack open the local music weekly, you’re smacked with so many options you could easily get lost trying to make a decision on where to go.
Save time and enjoy yourself with this simplified run-down of some of the best venues in Nashville, according to genre.
Honky Tonk Country
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When you think of Nashville as the Music City, you probably think of cowboy hats and boots, country music and honky-tonk bars – and you’d be right. There is plenty of that to go around. If that’s what you’re looking for, you’ll find them on Broadway – the main street through downtown.
Take your pick – every bar/restaurant on both sides of the street has a stage and a revolving daily schedule of performers making their mark in Music City. To get the full effect, wander up the sidewalk and see several in one night. Since 1960, Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge has been turning out the tunes and several movies have been filmed there as well.
At Robert’s Western World, a few doors down; you can shop for boots or practice your two-step while you listen to the pickers on the platform. For edgier, rock-country walk down another couple of doors to The Stage – make sure you look around for famous faces, as celebrities are known to pop in from time to time.
Classical and Jazz
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If you’d rather trade the hat and boots for a dressed up night on the town, walk a few blocks off Broadway to the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. The Symphony is a big part of culture in Nashville. The ongoing schedule includes classical, pops, jazz, and pied piper performances. Another way to enjoy the Symphony is to catch their performance of the patriotic musical selections during the city’s fireworks show on the 4th of July.
Singer / Songwriter
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Some of the best live music is often from musicians who aren’t yet well-known. Additionally, many times, hit songs are written by someone other than the person who makes them famous. The Bluebird Café has long been the place to see up and coming singers and hit-making songwriters in an intimate, cafe setting. Taylor Swift is just one of many who got their start at the Bluebird. You never know if the person you sit down to watch will be the next big star.
Throughout the year, you can catch free concerts during some of Nashville’s biggest festivals and events including CMA Fan Fest, the City 4th of July Fest, Concerts in Centennial Park and Riverfront Park. Keep an eye out or ask your hotel concierge for suggestions.
Iconic
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Chances are, you’ve heard of the Grand Ole Opry. It is, without question, an icon in Music City and remains the longest running live radio show in the world. Shows at the Opry combine new country artists, current stars and legends on the same stage for performances you won’t likely see anywhere else. The Opry started in 1925 and its first home was downtown but it has since moved to its larger location on the Opryland complex a few miles away.
The Ryman Auditorium was the Grand Ole Opry’s first home but it’s now a music venue of its own. It’s the historic center of music in Nashville and continues to be a prestigious venue. Formerly a church, the Ryman Auditorium maintains the look and feel of an old, southern cathedral. You will sit on wooden pews and admire stained glass windows and you will hear some of the most popular artists and bands of the past and present. Unlike the Opry, the Ryman draws many other genres in addition to country music.
Rock / Alternative
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For the fan of grittier music, The Rutledge – a few blocks from downtown – brings in Rock’n’Roll and Alternative bands on a regular basis. A two-tiered set up provides tables to sit and listen from the back – unless you want to stand down front. Luckily, The Rutledge isn’t huge so you will see and hear the whole show without any problem regardless of which spot you claim.
Where to Stay
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After a day of sightseeing and an evening of music, put your feet up at any of these fantastic value luxury hotels:
Opryland Hotel – The nation’s largest non-casino hotel outside of Las Vegas – located a quick drive or riverboat cruise from downtown.
Union Station Hotel – An old railroad station that has become a swanky and charming hotel reminiscent of the 19th century, a few blocks from downtown.
The Hermitage Hotel – An elegant 5-star / 5-diamond hotel in downtown since 1910.