5th & Broadway | 501 Commerce | NMAAM | 34 story apt, 26 story office, + 183,000 sq. ft. of Retail

[titanhog]

^^I really think this will be a museum that will receive attention all over the world.  This could take our tourism up another notch.

[e-dub]

I really hope there will be some sort of nod to the Black roots of dance music: namely House, Techno, and (to a lesser extent, Disco). Were it not for the black kids in Detroit and Chicago, Techno and House wouldn't exist at all. 

 

And as I was typing this post, I shot an email to the contact email on the website. Let's see if they answer!

[BnaBreaker]

19 minutes ago, e-dub said:

I really hope there will be some sort of nod to the Black roots of dance music: namely House, Techno, and (to a lesser extent, Disco). Were it not for the black kids in Detroit and Chicago, Techno and House wouldn't exist at all. 

 

And as I was typing this post, I shot an email to the contact email on the website. Let's see if they answer!

 

Amen brother.... kids like Chicago's own, the legendary Frankie Knuckles, may he rest in peace... who spun his mashups down at a club called the WAREHOUSE in Chicago down on Jefferson... the unique beats eventually just became known as HOUSE, after the club of course.  I could listen to this track indefinitely... so far ahead of it's time:

 

[BnaBreaker]

Actually, my ultimate dream for the museum is for them to offer free shuttle bus tours over to the Jefferson St. corridor AFTER it gets revitalized.

[e-dub]

Your Love is a beauty.  I've always felt Jamie Principle didn't get his due on that one. On that particular pressing, notice Frankie Knuckles' stage name - the one that everyone is familiar with - appears twice on that label. Jamie Principle's given last name appears once and in smaller typeface (side note, I have to wonder how much of that has to do with Larry Sherman? ). Check this out if you haven't, @BnaBreaker. All these "History of Dance Music" documentaries miss a lot, but I've always felt this one hit the big, big, big ones. It gets a little... "Euro-centric" in the second half, but the point is really driven home that the American Black kids in the city need to be recognized as pioneers:

 

I'm a dance music history pervert and only recently had the good idea of keeping a playlist of these videos:

 

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLptQ9jrSe89ebIsj8J7QhlQLdnOa1xOp6

[BnaBreaker]

^^ I couldn't agree more @e-dub and I am so grateful to you for posting that documentary... I'm excited to check it out... perhaps I'll save it for the weekend and settle in to watch it with a bottle of Crown.  

[MLBrumby]

I hope you guys are able to get in touch with the folks putting together exhibits at the NMAAM. 

[e-dub]

I'm definitely going to put a HUGE effort in. If I can get a small amount of their time, I've got a hell of a story and some fantastic contacts

[titanhog]

Surely there will be a section about the Fisk Jubilee singers...right?  Their story about starting right after the Civil War and getting to sing for Queen Victoria (who actually many believe is the person who first called Nashville a "Music City")...it pretty amazing.

[Flatrock]

16 hours ago, e-dub said:

I'm a dance music history pervert

Hey man, did you mean to say "I'm a dance music history 'nerd'.??

[e-dub]

1 minute ago, Flatrock said:

Hey man, did you mean to say "I'm a dance music history 'nerd'.??

I'm obsessed with learning about the histories of House and Techno both to such a degree, I decided it was full on perversion years ago  

[Flatrock]

Just now, e-dub said:

I'm obsessed with learning about the histories of House and Techno both to such a degree, I decided it was full on perversion years ago  

Hahahaha!! Got it!  I respect your authenticity!

[ariesjow]

We need a lot more than just the NMAAM to make downtown Nashville more welcoming to a broader swath of people especially those with absolutely no interest in country music. I've said this for years to mostly deaf ears here, but Nashville needs an increased variety musical and other entertainment offerings around downtown to make it more appealing to people of all walks of life for its long-term future. 

As Nashville's popularity has increased, the hyper-focus on making downtown Nashville a tourist mecca on the  back of the city's country music legacy has worked, but I feel it has reached a point of diminishing returns and become a somewhat homogenized experience.  One of the biggest complaints I hear from people I know that visit Nashville is how off-putting downtown can seem to those who only have short stays without time to explore and no interest in the type of scene and culture that Lower Broadway offers. Guys, it's just not a particularly welcoming environment to people of color, LGBT people, and others who hear great things about Nashville but expect a more varied and worldly experience out of our vibrant downtown. 

Downtown Nashville doesn't need to be everything to everyone, but we must be conscious of not putting too many of our eggs into one basket and making it a cooler experience and a more inclusive environment for Nashvillians and visitors alike.  I don't see us achieving that by opening new Ole Red's and Redneck Riviera's every other month. 

Edited June 20, 2018 by ariesjow

[titanhog]

17 minutes ago, ariesjow said:

We need a lot more than just the NMAAM to make downtown Nashville more welcoming to a broader swath of people especially those with absolutely not interest in country music. I've said this for years to mostly deaf ears here, but Nashville needs an increased variety musical and other entertainment offerings around downtown to make it more appealing to people of all walks of life for its long-term future. 

As Nashville's popularity has increased, the hyper-focus on making downtown Nashville a tourist mecca on the  back of the city's country music legacy has worked, but I feel it has reached a point of diminishing returns and become a somewhat homogenized experience.  One of the biggest complaints I hear from people I know that visit Nashville is how off-putting downtown can seem to those who only have short stays without time to explore and no interest in the type of scene and culture that Lower Broadway offers. Guys, it's just not a particularly welcoming environment to people of color, LGBT people, and others who hear great things about Nashville but expect a more varied and worldly experience out of our vibrant downtown. 

Downtown Nashville doesn't need to be everything to everyone, but we must be conscious of not putting too many of our eggs into one basket and making it a cooler experience and a more inclusive environment for Nashvillians and visitors alike.  I don't see us achieving that by opening new Ole Red's and Redneck Riviera's every other month. 

But that IS lower Broadway's "thing"...the honky tonks.  I don't personally care for honky tonks...but it's best not to "water down" that small segment of the city.  You'll soon have 5th & Broadway (which isn't honky tonks)...Nashville Yards will have entertainment...and IF there is something that some investor believes will make money that non-country music related, you can bet they will do it.  However...the lower Broadway honky tonks need to be left alone and allowed to thrive until the market decides otherwise.

[MLBrumby]

Just kicking around an idea... a virtual Disneyland of Music... maybe they'd even buy naming rights and call it Disney's Music City. 

Demonbreun Street = Classical  

Broadway = Country/Honky Tonks

Commerce Street = African American Music

Church Street = Gospel

Union Street = Top 40/Pop

Deaderick Street = Stage Musicals

James Robertson = Americana

Jefferson Street = Underground/Grunge

Only half-joking. But I seriously doubt the Country labels would support anything that dilutes their dominance in town. 

[PruneTracy]

2 minutes ago, MLBrumby said:

Just kicking around an idea... a virtual Disneyland of Music... maybe they'd even buy naming rights and call it Disney's Music City. 

You could even add a few roller coasters and log rides, and move it to somewhere off Briley Parkway.

[MLBrumby]

Shedding a tear for Opryland, and I only went a couple of times. 

[CenterHill]

Don't forget Printers' Alley, which could be the jazz destination.  

 

[ariesjow]

7 minutes ago, titanhog said:

But that IS lower Broadway's "thing"...the honky tonks.  I don't personally care for honky tonks...but it's best not to "water down" that small segment of the city.  You'll soon have 5th & Broadway (which isn't honky tonks)...Nashville Yards will have entertainment...and IF there is something that some investor believes will make money that non-country music related, you can bet they will do it.  However...the lower Broadway honky tonks need to be left alone and allowed to thrive until the market decides otherwise.

Please note that I was referring to downtown at-large in most of my post rather than Lower Broadway specifically. I understand and appreciate the importance of keeping Lower Broadway honky-tonk-oriented, but does that type of vibe have to continue to engulf 2nd Avenue and increasingly 3rd Avenue as well?  It has limited appeal.

I'm curious to see whether the entertainment offering in the upcoming developments will actually be more varied or just lazily cater to the same type of tourist.  I have my fingers crossed for the former, but I'm expecting the latter. 

[bnacincy]

1 hour ago, CenterHill said:

Don't forget Printers' Alley, which could be the jazz destination.  

 

Printers Alley is very underutilized...now with the hotels finishing up it's time to see more development going on there.

[BnaBreaker]

2 hours ago, PruneTracy said:

You could even add a few roller coasters and log rides, and move it to somewhere off Briley Parkway.

Hahahah yes!... OR yet another option is you could connect all these neighborho.... err uhm I mean.... AMUSEMENT FUN ZONES.... with some sort of choo-choo, just like at Opryland... only you could make it modern looking and open to the public!  Why hasn't any city thought of this before?  

Perhaps we have accidentally backed into the winning strategy for getting Nashvillians to sign onto mass transit... make them think it's part of an amusement park and lean heavily on Opryland nostalgia!  

[titanhog]

3 hours ago, ariesjow said:

Please note that I was referring to downtown at-large in most of my post rather than Lower Broadway specifically. I understand and appreciate the importance of keeping Lower Broadway honky-tonk-oriented, but does that type of vibe have to continue to engulf 2nd Avenue and increasingly 3rd Avenue as well?  It has limited appeal.

I'm curious to see whether the entertainment offering in the upcoming developments will actually be more varied or just lazily cater to the same type of tourist.  I have my fingers crossed for the former, but I'm expecting the latter. 

Again...I think you let the market decide.   For the city of Nashville and tourists, it obviously doesn't have limited appeal.  Now...does that mean it caters to ever ethnic or social group?  No.  But nothing really does that.  That is why the market should decide what works.  Heck...do you think bachelorettes only like honky tonks?  Nope.  They are coming here for the overall vibe...and the market is catering to them now with bachelorette themed businesses, including male dance shows.  If someone thinks they can make money off of LGBT / gay / etc businesses...you bet they'll open that business and love having the money roll in...whether that's lower Broad or somewhere else in the downtown area.

[CityHeart]

48 minutes ago, titanhog said:

Again...I think you let the market decide.   For the city of Nashville and tourists, it obviously doesn't have limited appeal.  Now...does that mean it caters to ever ethnic or social group?  No.  But nothing really does that.  That is why the market should decide what works.  Heck...do you think bachelorettes only like honky tonks?  Nope.  They are coming here for the overall vibe...and the market is catering to them now with bachelorette themed businesses, including male dance shows.  If someone thinks they can make money off of LGBT / gay / etc businesses...you bet they'll open that business and love having the money roll in...whether that's lower Broad or somewhere else in the downtown area.

Doesn't have a limited appeal according to which Nashvillians ?  What type of tourists ? Do you not think markets have weaknesses and blind spots ?  I think industries can be slow to realize there is money to be made because of blind spots when appealing to undeserved groups.  It seems Hollywood is just starting to learn this.. See Black Panther or Ocean's 8 as an example.  There is enough room in the core of downtown to diversify the entertainment/venue offerings which makes me wonder what Strategic Hospitality is going to do with Paradise Park.  Anyhoo, I am looking forward to the 5th & Broadway development  adding to the downtown experience. 

[Guest]

There is logic to similar businesses locating in close proximity called the Nash equilibrium.  You see it everywhere including Lower Broadway and the LGBT grouping of business on Church Street and more obvious, the Green Hills Mall. I am all for more diverse offerings downtown, but I am confident that investor money will always seek the greatest return.

Edited June 21, 2018 by Guest

[titanhog]

1 hour ago, CityHeart said:

Doesn't have a limited appeal according to which Nashvillians ?  What type of tourists ? Do you not think markets have weaknesses and blind spots ?  I think industries can be slow to realize there is money to be made because of blind spots when appealing to undeserved groups.  It seems Hollywood is just starting to learn this.. See Black Panther or Ocean's 8 as an example.  There is enough room in the core of downtown to diversify the entertainment/venue offerings which makes me wonder what Strategic Hospitality is going to do with Paradise Park.  Anyhoo, I am looking forward to the 5th & Broadway development  adding to the downtown experience. 

If it had limited appeal, it wouldn't be packed every single night.  And as far as the "core of downtown"....the small area where the honky tonks are is not the only section of Nashville to be considered "the core."  There is a lot of room leftover for whatever entertainment venue you want to open for your idea of whatever is missing.  No one is stopping you or anyone else from creating a business model that caters to a different crowd.  You may not be able to place it on Lower Broadway...but LoBro is not the only place in town where an entertainment venue can be located.  Once again...if the market demands new and diversified entertainment options...someone will create it and make a buck.

If you're saying we should put a moratorium on honky tonks and the government should put up some type of quota system for more "diversified" entertainment down there...well...go for it.