Travel with Neil does a US Road Trip - Pt.3 Nashville
Old and New. Nashville is a city of two distinct halves.
I’ve never been to Nashville before and it’s not like I’m a huge country music fan, but I am a fan of live music. And that’s fully catered for on Broadway in the centre of the city. From around 10am onwards, the sounds of different performers, on a plethora of stages, in a multitude of bars, waft onto the ever filling sidewalks of lower broadway. I’m going to be honest here, there’s also varying talent levels too. Trust me, I’m all for getting up there and giving it your best shot if that’s what’s calling you. However, a slow drawling version of Achy Breaky Heart, at 11am on a clear and sunny day, is never going to sound great… Not before several numbing alcoholic beverages anyway.
Broadway, aka Honky Tonk Highway, is just one part of the city though, it reminds me of New Orleans. The bars, country-wear stores and gift shops of central Broadway are a party venue, where the party starts early and finishes after the last person crawls or gets kicked out.
It’s definitely the most touristy area of Nashville, but more sights are available if you’re willing and able to walk away from party central for a while.
There’s a good selection of museums in and around central Nashville, many of course devoted to various stars of the country music scene. Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline and Glenn Campbell to name a few. There’s also the Country Music Hall of Fame, which is huge, just huge. Of course, there’s the place that started it all, The Ryman Auditorium, home to the original Grand Ole Opry from 1943 - 1974.
The Grand Ole Opry is now situated on the outskirts of the city, pretty much in a retail park with its own resort, The Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Centre. It all stands shoulder to shoulder with Madam Tussaud’s and the Nike outlet, to give you an idea…
Not to take anything away from the current Grand Ole Opry though, it’s definitely the place to see big country music acts who regularly perform there.
Back on Broadway, but a little way out of the centre is the Frist Museum, which has various historical and artistic displays. I walked past on a Tuesday and it looked quiet… it was closed. There was a theme evolving here…
The Frist museum is open Thursday to Saturday and Monday from 10am with varying closing times. Sunday is from 1pm.
I’m a big fan of the musician and entrepreneur, Jack White. He has one of his record and curiosities stores, Third Man Records, in Nashville at 623 7th Ave S. It’s an amazing little place if you’re a fan of his work and productions. But just a word of warning, drive there if you can. It may be one of the coolest record and memorabilia stores in Nashville, but it’s not currently in the ‘nicest’ areas of the city…
Like any modern metropolis, Nashville isn’t without its problems, and the human result of some of these problems are fully out in sad force in this area. I didn’t have any trouble from these people, but I wouldn’t voluntarily walk through there in the dark.
I mentioned above that the store isn’t currently in one of the nicer areas of Nashville. That’s because like a lot of US cities, Nashville is a hotbed of new construction. Skyscrapers and modern apartment building developments are all in evidence across the skyline amongst a forest of cranes.
One of the best skyline views is definitely from the John Seigenthaler pedestrian bridge, that spans the Cumberland River. If you’re there at the right time, and it’s what takes your fancy, the bridge takes you directly to Nissan Stadium, home of the Tennessee Titans American football team.
One surprising attraction just outside the boundaries of Vanderbilt University, is Centennial Park. A vast public park with grass, pathways and lakes to stroll around. But the big surprise lies smack bang in the middle of the park.
There, unmissable, is a full scale replica of the Athenian Parthenon. Built in 1897 for the Tennessee Centennial Exposition, it was only meant to be a temporary structure. However, natives of Nashville grew to love it so much and how it represented their city (Nashville has also been called the Athens of the South), it was decided to keep it.
In 1920 - 1925 the whole structure had to be rebuilt in lasting materials rather than the plaster that the original temporary structure was largely made from. And there it stands to this day.
The inside isn’t a replica of the original Parthenon, as this version holds art galleries and exhibition spaces. But in the great temple space, the 42ft statue of goddess Athena gazes down upon her visitors. It really is surprising and remarkable. Parking and walking around the grounds is free, general adult admission to the Parthenon is $10
Unfortunately for me, a storm rolled in on my last full day (a proper howler with power cuts and localised flooding), cutting short further excursions. One place I had pencilled in to visit for live music and a little bit of country and pop history, was the Bluebird Cafe. A little drive out of the city centre, this is the venue that launched a certain global superstar. You may have heard of her, Taylor Swift. Yep, she was discovered in this tiny open mic place here in Nashville and it’s one of the more popular venues for spotting potential next big things. Maybe next time.
