My proposal for a World Music Festival in Nashville

[MidTenn1]

 

 

In recent years, there have been occasional discussions regarding Nashville’s potential to host an Olympics and the general consensus has been that there is next to no chance for any number of reasons I will not go into here. However, I have been thinking about an Olympic scale event that Nashville could host that would catapult it onto forefront of world attention and showcase the City as a top tier world City at least from a standpoint of its contribution to world culture. The obvious solution is the hosting of a first ever World Music Fest. While not as big as the Olympics (at least at first) it would certainly become much more important than the ‘World’s Fair’, also held every four years (Yes, they still have them. The next one’s in Milan Italy in 2015).

 

It has to begin somewhere, so Nashville could take the initiative, by providing the infrastructure to host such an event. An oversight committee, much like the committee that runs the Olympics, would have to be formed. But it would have to be under strict control of the City initially. Eventually the committee would have independence and oversee the celebration of the event in different world Cities every four years (such as London, Paris, Moscow, Tokyo, etc). But the first celebration and the birthplace of the event would always be Nashville.

 

 It would not be a competitive event, however at some point in the process, great musical institutions would compete to be invited to the festival. As the festival grows in prestige, orchestras, Operas and other institutions would petition strongly to be included. It could grow into something big.

 

The Festival would be two week celebration with events being continuously held and many of the great performance venues throughout the City. And Music City has an inventory of such facilities that would make most Cities in America envious. However, there would be two important additional event facilities required to properly host the festival: a plaza on the East Bank with a new Opera house, a signature tower, a museum of world music and a plaza. The other would be a performance hall for African-American Music, probably located at Fisk University.

 

 

Possible musical events and showcases:

Symphonic with classical and contemporary (Philharmonics from Berlin, Vienna, NY, LA, Budapest, Leningrad)

Popular Music; Rock, Rap, Techno,

Traditional; Indigenous, aboriginal and native, World Folk Music, Country,

Opera, Broadway

Ballet?

Music of the Continents (Asian, African, Europe, North and South American, Polynesian)

Host City (Country, Blues, Americana, Rock, Hip Hop, Gospel, Mountain and Folk)

 

Venues:

Festival Plaza; located on the East Bank it will be the heart of the Festival with a Music of the Nations Museum, a new Opera House and a signature piece of architecture/art that would significantly impact the skyline and forever represent Nashville to the world. A transportation hub with 1,000+ parking spaces and access to a downtown trolley/circulator would be built. The garage would allow parking lots around LP Field to be developed and landscaped.

 

 

 

The Ryman Auditorium, the ‘Mother Church’ of country music, would be ground zero for musical events. It is holy ground and revered around the world as a top destination by major musical acts who have a great appreciation for the incredible amounts of history made on its stage. It has been recognized as America’s number 1 concert venue, ahead of Radio City, Fillmore West and all others.

 

 

Other venues…..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are a few others including Riverfront Barges, proposed House of Blues, World Barbershop Quartet Society and the Noah Liff Opera Center in West Nashville…

 

Quite impressive isn’t it. Indeed, appropriate for a world class Music City.

 

 

Major Investments: Yes there will be some including…

Transportation Center; including large garage.

Mass Transit (From airport, downtown circulator, security)

Extra Security

Opera House (Calitrava, Ghery?)

Upscale Hotels

Museum of the Nations and park (on the Scrap yard site?)

800 ft. tall Signature structure to commemorate the event 

Transport and housing of performers??

Parks development

 

Income:

Ticket sales

Advertising

TV sales

Products and souvenirs

 

 

I think this is a doable endeavor for the City of Nashville which would put it on the world stage just as the Olympics did for Atlanta. I don’t think this type of event would be an over reach. The venues are available as are the convention center and the hospitality industry.

 

 

 

PS; If some City leaders see this post and make it come to fruition, please at least mention me in a footnote somewhere.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[dmillsphoto]

I am in the process of tweeting this out to all the people with a link. This is seriously one of the most fantastic ideas I have ever seen ever.

[volsfanwill]

positives: It sounds awesome, I would go!  and it looks like you put as much time into that as I did with my transit map (which I still haven't shared  )

notice all of our grand ideas include transit from the airport to downtown.  

this also really points out how many great venues Nashville really has.

Negatives: It kinda sounds like a worlds fair but for music. And I know that the two cities don't compare well but just an FYI Knoxville paid off the 1982 worlds fair in the mid 2000s,  over 30 years!

[dmillsphoto]

Negatives: It kinda sounds like a worlds fair but for music. And I know that the two cities don't compare well but just an FYI Knoxville paid off the 1982 worlds fair in the mid 2000s,  over 30 years!

 

But the World's Fair moves from city to city every four years. Several who I have sent this to responded "Just make it every two years". I think the benefits would far outweigh the negatives.

[nashvillwill]

Love, Love, Love this idea!!!!!!!

I think the only thing I would add is to establish temporary (at first at least) interstate rail to help bring in people from nearby areas of the country. Perhaps it could boost a return of Amtrak to Nashville.

Quick question; what does the logo signify and how did you come up with it?

[nashvillwill]

One other question: Does the "signature tower" have to be a tower? How about something classic similar to the Palace of Fine arts in San Francisco or the Trevi Fountain in Rome.

[MLBrumby]

I like it!!!  Where can you go with this?  

[Jamie Hall]

If the CMA Festival and Bonnaroo are held on back-to-back weekends in the future, a world music festival could be a great bridge to fill the entire week between those events -- or even hold a world music festival like this during a week in which one of the major music awards shows is in town.

[MidTenn1]

Thanks for the great comments, everyone. This is an idea I've had for a while and have been thinking about for some time. I thought I would throw it out there and see what happens. I don't doubt many movers and shakers in the City check out this site from time to time and if this is truly a good idea, someone will jump on it. We'll see.

 

Regardless, it was fun to research and plan. I've lived in the area all my life, but after compiling a list of venues, even I was amazed at how much in the way of musical performance infrastructure there is in this city. And they are not just buildings, the are places that are among the nations best.

[timmay143]

Great job!  I see a lot of work went into this, and very good work I might add!

[MLBrumby]

I recall someone (maybe that was you PH) posted some ideas he had years ago on this forum for a large center for "American Music" on that very site you have with the plaza and tower.  Pretty sure it was never a serious proposal.  It was described as a multi-faceted history/instruction/exhibition/venue center designed around wings for the various genres of music that are distinctly American.  I remember it because I really liked the idea.  Of course, the sticker is always going to be the PSC site.  But something big and modern sitting on that site (a'la the Getty in LA) with many angled vantage points of downtown and the river would be very nice.

 

And here's my two-cents... just like the Olympics, this event should be held every 2-4 years.  By this I mean not every year.  

 

And regarding additional venues... there is the new Musicians Corner in Centennial which will be built and completed next fall, I see you have the park listed.

[BnaBreaker]

Great idea.  Perhaps a potential use for the fairgrounds!

[markhollin]

I think a terrific time to host an event like this would be early October each year.  That's when the weather in town is normally absolute perfection, and the only sporting events that might conflict with it would be Titans and Vandy football.  Perhaps they could work with the schedulers was in advance to make sure that they do not have games that week so that their facilities could potentially be utilized as well.  But certainly the new First Tennessee Ballpark would be open, along with all of the other downtown outdoor parks and venues. Getting the various universities in town involved is a nice touch.  

 

Perhaps it could be annual, but with rotating themes.  For instance:

 

Even years the themes could be Symphonic, Rock, Techno, Broadway, Folk, Progressive, Music of Continents (Asian, Europe, South America)

 

Odd years the themes could be Opera, Jazz, Rap, Bluegrass, Americana, Blues, Dance, Country, Music of Continents (African, North American, Polynesian)

 

I could see this being a 4-6 day event, with similar economic impact to the city that CMA Fest has now. All of the clubs in the inner core and adjoining neighborhoods could be hopping with showcase events of artists seeking visibility during such a conclave of musoids.  It could rival and even exceed SXSW in Austin. 

[rookzie]

You're a real human "Mt. St. Helens", lying dormant all this while with that concept.  You sure still got it in you (to say the very least), I see!

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[Nathan_in_DC]

I remember reading this thread when I first started perusing the forum, and after reviewing it again I'm even more convinced that this needs to happen.

 

Downtown now has, or will soon have, at least nine venues (TPAC, Bridgestone Arena, LP Field, Waterfront Amphitheater, Sulfur Dell, Ryman, CMHoF, MCC, and Schermerhorn) suitable for hosting concerts and events. Nashville has the transportation to get people in and out of the city (three interstate highways and an airport that can get you to almost all major cities in the US directly). It has the local talent able to provide a solid base of performers.

 

And, most importantly, Nashville has the branding.

 

This needs to happen. There's no reason it shouldn't, and no reason it can't. How do we go about getting the ball rolling on this and getting some serious proposals for a pilot festival in front of people who can make it happen?

[markhollin]

I remember reading this thread when I first started perusing the forum, and after reviewing it again I'm even more convinced that this needs to happen.

 

Downtown now has, or will soon have, at least nine venues (TPAC, Bridgestone Arena, LP Field, Waterfront Amphitheater, Sulfur Dell, Ryman, CMHoF, MCC, and Schermerhorn) suitable for hosting concerts and events. Nashville has the transportation to get people in and out of the city (three interstate highways and an airport that can get you to almost all major cities in the US directly). It has the local talent able to provide a solid base of performers.

 

And, most importantly, Nashville has the branding.

 

This needs to happen. There's no reason it shouldn't, and no reason it can't. How do we go about getting the ball rolling on this and getting some serious proposals for a pilot festival in front of people who can make it happen?

I'm up for getting together for a brainstorm session on this.  Pretty flexible all this week for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

[Nathan_in_DC]

I'm up for getting together for a brainstorm session on this.  Pretty flexible all this week for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

 

I'm in DC, but I'd be up for a Skype to take part in this if a group brainstorm session does happen...

[rookzie]

I'm in DC, but I'd be up for a Skype to take part in this if a group brainstorm session does happen...

 

Maybe I can meet you at Glebe Road in Ballston.

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