Music is everywhere on Broadway, musicians play in bars, even in the day time, it is played from lamppost and every street corner is like a stage with incredible talents plying their trade to passers by.
It was then off for a tour of Studio B on Music Row. 45,000 songs have been recorded there, 1000 made the Billboard Top 10, many by Elvis and Dolly. The tour guide was great, really informative. It's still intact but rarely used. Music Row doesn't feel like one of the worlds most important places for the industry as, instead of knocking down the neighbourhood to build office blocks they turned the houses into label HQs.
I then went to the Johnny Cash museum which was pretty excellent, Nashville lives up to its name, they do music exhibits properly.
Round the corner I did a tour of the Ryman Auditorium, the original home of the Grand Ole Opry, christened the Church of Country Music, the stage has a rich history and it is still going strong. It's one impressive place. I'd love to go to a gig there.
Then I, unintentionally walked round in circles, Nashville doesn't seem to have any cash machines. Planned on heading to Vaudeville, stopped by back at Third Man, got a couple of 7", stumbled on an amazing chocolate shop, found 12 South and The Gulch but gave up on Vaudeville, a car is really needed to get around this city. I'm finding Nashville to be quite hard work, the miserable weather isn't helping! Probably my fault as I like to walk places as I find that is the best way to get a feel for somewhere and I try to escape tourist traps which tends to mean heading out of town and those places are often far apart. And there is a LOT of begging. I guess that's why I fell for Austin, apart from the main strip it didn't feel gimmicky and everywhere was walkable. It felt like home. I imagine I'll be back in March...
However I did find City & Fire which was on my places to eat, had jerk chicken and mash which was amazing and beer brewed down the round, literally. They were playing Arctic Monkeys, which I find very weird. Not even the hits, album tracks! #0114
Back to Broadway. Mötley Crüe are in town, found a bar that wasn't full of their fans, a country three piece were playing, crazy how many great musicians are in this town! These were probably better than some of those I saw last night and all they ask for is a tip, I have them $1, not being tight, this city has no cash machines, don't wanna run out!
Went for a drink with my new roomie, he's from Korea, seems like a nice guy, cycled 200 miles to get here, just for the LOLzzz. Nutter.
