Nashville: Destination City, USA (Gallatin, Athens: neighborhoods, rooftop, live)

[JMT]

The web site Progrss.com, an "online go-to hub for innovation, trends and best practices in the transformation of cities all over the world," is doing a three-part series on Nashville, called Nashville: Destination City, USA. Some excerpts from the first installment:

Nashville has been successful in creating a cool and appealing brand that has attracted the attention of people around the globe, resulting in more than 80 people per day moving there. Travel and business magazines often include it on their Top 10 lists to travel or start a business, and shows like “Nashville” have given it more global exposure in the last 5 years.

Dubbed “Music City USA,” it serves as a hub for the music industry and is just one of an array of nicknames: “Athens of the South”, “Nash-Vegas”, “Little Kurdistan” (reference to its large Kurdish community) and even “Cashville”, popularized by rapper Young Buck on his 2004 album. The abundance and variety of bottom-up nicknames show nothing but the richness and diversity of the city’s social fabric.

...

A walk along Nashville Broadway, on a regular weekday, was a bit surprising for us. Not only was it packed with live shows on both sides of the street, but the audiences were so diverse in terms of age and demographic, with a remarkable attendance of local Nashvillians that gave it an authentic touch.

It really is a utopia of live music, 365 days a year. What was also surprising was the fact that it’s comprised mainly of local music venues with almost no franchises or chains. We couldn’t find any Starbucks, H&M, MacDonald’s or boutiques selling “Nashville magnets and mugs,” which is the norm along similar famous streets around the world.

The rest of this installment:

https://progrss.com/culture/20170112...tion-city-usa/

[abc2330]

I don't even know where to start laughing at their synopsis of Broadway.

[sucrose]

Not to mention that "Nash-Vegas" was originally intended as derogatory.

[DonCorleone]

A walk along Nashville Broadway, on a regular weekday, was a bit surprising for us. Not only was it packed with live shows on both sides of the street, but the audiences were so diverse in terms of age and demographic, with a remarkable attendance of local Nashvillians that gave it an authentic touch.

If there was more than one "local Nashvillian" in a honky tonk on Broadway during a weekday, it was remarkable indeed.

"Little Kurdistan"... Sure, we have a truly significant Kurdish population here but I don't think that's something the visitor's bureau or Chamber of Commerce is working to brand.

[N.Cal]

Originally Posted by DonCorleone

If there was more than one "local Nashvillian" in a honky tonk on Broadway during a weekday, it was remarkable indeed.

Obviously a Preds game day.

[DonCorleone]

Ha...just reread this:

We couldn’t find any Starbucks, H&M, MacDonald’s or boutiques selling “Nashville magnets and mugs,” which is the norm along similar famous streets around the world

First: misspelled McDonald's. Second: lots of Nashville magnet and mugs on Broad and 2nd...see Cotton-Eyed Joes and Legend's Gift Shop. Third: We don't have an H&M or Starbucks but there is an oddly located American Apparel there and chain restaurants Margaritaville and a Hard Rock around the corner.

Yes, there's a bit of a point there especially in light of the recent dustup when Walgreens was looking to place a location on Broadway. Broad has largely avoided franchise-ation. But it's hardly authentic. I'm extremely happy that we have a Broadway to share with the world, don't get me wrong. But I'm a little tired of hearing about it as if that's the only thing to do here. Then again, I'd probably be complaining if Travel and Leisure highlighted all the restaurants I enjoy in East Nashville, or the hidden gem that is Gallatin's square, and tourists descended on those areas.

I just find myself from being very excited about my hometown getting all of this positive press originally, to being kind of over it all now. And isn't that a great music city response...it's like being an original fan of a band gigging it in clubs with one poor quality EP that suddenly becomes arena rock gods on the cover of Rolling Stone over the course of a couple of years. I hate feeling that way, but that's sort of where I'm at along with many other locals I know.

[nashvols]

Originally Posted by DonCorleone

Ha...just reread this:



First: misspelled McDonald's. Second: lots of Nashville magnet and mugs on Broad and 2nd...see Cotton-Eyed Joes and Legend's Gift Shop. Third: We don't have an H&M or Starbucks but there is an oddly located American Apparel there and chain restaurants Margaritaville and a Hard Rock around the corner.

Yes, there's a bit of a point there especially in light of the recent dustup when Walgreens was looking to place a location on Broadway. Broad has largely avoided franchise-ation. But it's hardly authentic. I'm extremely happy that we have a Broadway to share with the world, don't get me wrong. But I'm a little tired of hearing about it as if that's the only thing to do here. Then again, I'd probably be complaining if Travel and Leisure highlighted all the restaurants I enjoy in East Nashville, or the hidden gem that is Gallatin's square, and tourists descended on those areas.

I just find myself from being very excited about my hometown getting all of this positive press originally, to being kind of over it all now. And isn't that a great music city response...it's like being an original fan of a band gigging it in clubs with one poor quality EP that suddenly becomes arena rock gods on the cover of Rolling Stone over the course of a couple of years. I hate feeling that way, but that's sort of where I'm at along with many other locals I know.

Well put. I was trying to think of how to say all of this myself, but was struggling...so I'm glad someone else could state it so well. You pretty well covered all the bases.

Lower Broad has its appeal....but it is hardly "authentic Nashville". Aside from a few chains, it's mostly independent joints that have learned how to capitalize on tourism -- there's very little for a local (outside of what N.Cal mentioned -- which I will expand to event days/nights). It's very much a "follow the money" game with the honkytonks. Generic bands, rooftop bars, and plenty of booze. Sure....there might be some exceptions....but the owners of the clubs know what they are doing (for the most part). They are preying on the mass of idiots (tourists) that don't know any better than to think Lower Broad is what Nashville is all about. In that sense, it's really no different than any other popular strip or street in America.

The press we were getting was at first confusing (why us?), then exciting (yay, finally our time to shine!), to now annoying (they said whatttt?).

[BirdieBelle]

Originally Posted by DonCorleone

And isn't that a great music city response...it's like being an original fan of a band gigging it in clubs with one poor quality EP that suddenly becomes arena rock gods on the cover of Rolling Stone over the course of a couple of years. I hate feeling that way, but that's sort of where I'm at along with many other locals I know.

What a perfect analogy!!

[abc2330]

Is there a single Hot Chicken place down there? It seems odd that a supposed staple of the city is represented by a major fast food chain, but not on the strip which is supposed to represent the city. I'd have a hard time imagining a Hattie B's or place of similar quality not being constantly bombarded by tourists, and it seems to be an easy way to incorporate an actual aspect of the city and increase the relevance to residents of the city.

[BirdieBelle]

Originally Posted by abc2330

Is there a single Hot Chicken place down there? It seems odd that a supposed staple of the city is represented by a major fast food chain, but not on the strip which is supposed to represent the city. I'd have a hard time imagining a Hattie B's or place of similar quality not being constantly bombarded by tourists, and it seems to be an easy way to incorporate an actual aspect of the city and increase the relevance to residents of the city.

There's not a strictly hot chicken place ON Broadway, but there are restaurants that have incorporated it into their menus, like Acme Feed & Seed.

The most authentic hot chicken restaurant is in the neighborhood where it was created, which is not Broadway.

http://princeshotchicken.com/

The newer restaurants that have since capitalized on the hot chicken trend (such as Hattie B's and Pepperfire) are in the trendier neighborhoods.

There is a Jack's BBQ on Broadway.