music city: the bluebird cafe

adding to the goodness that was march, my one work trip (although it included back to back cities) would have me spending a few days in one of my all-time favorite cities - nashville.  i can't even express how much i love this town.  so much so, that i keep waiting for it to let me down.  that sounds terrible actually.  really i just mean that every time i visit, my expectations are so high, that i've become convinced that actually being there won't be able to meet them.

and i had really high expectations this time.

my friend melissa who hadn't spent a lot of time in the city had asked for a list of must see sights/activities. i do love to build an itinerary, so i began putting it together for her.  the list looked like this:

-antique archaeology
-bluebird cafe
-grand ole opry
-country music hall of fame
-ryman auditorium

of these, i had only ever been to the ryman.  well, technically, i had been to the opry but i'd never seen, and wanted to see, a performance there.  i've checked off a number of other nashvillian activities, but some of these had managed to escape me on previous visits.

in fact, the bluebird cafe has been on my list for years.  in music city, it has long been known as a place for songwriters to come test out their work.  a LOT of really really well known songs (and singers) debuted here, long before the hit the country music charts.  but, fortunately or unfortunately, since the tv show 'nashville' begain airing, prominently featuring the bluebird, it has become difficult to get in. tickets are sold a week in advance for both the 6pm and 9pm shows, and even though i was online at the right time, i wasn't able to get tickets for our desired show.  i was bummed.  so was melissa.

so, come booth set up day, i had a smooth setup and melissa and i were able to visit the country music hall of fame. interesting, but not mind-blowing.

while there, she mentioned having read that the bluebird had seats that they didn't sell in advance for the early show, she asked if i wanted to try it.  i'll admit that i was on the fence.  i was pretty tired from the time zone transition and i didn't want to pay a fortune for a cab, stand in line for hours, and then not be let in.  ultimately though, i decided it was worth a shot.

$25 later, at about 4:30 the cab dropped us off at the strip mall cafe, and there was already a line.  it didn't look too out of control though, so we took the risk.  the early show would start at 6, and at about 5 staff members came out to tell us that there were 20 guaranteed seats, and any others that became available would only be so as a result of no-shows.  we had probably about 50 people in front of us and a handful behind.  it was interesting in that last hour to watch the line change configuration. the people who decided to wait it out, and the people who didn't.  at this point, my stubbornness kicked in and i was pretty determined.  so much so, that if we didn't get in, i was already planning on just sitting down and being the first in line for no-show seats at the 9pm show.

fortunately, it didn't come to that.  after the guaranteed 20 were let in, we probably still had 15-20 people in front of us.  slowly staff members would come outside and escort small groups in.  eventually, melissa and i were at the front of the line.  i couldn't stomach the idea of being the first people to NOT get in so i was relived when we were invited in and sent to a table at the front of the action. ironically, all of the folks both in front and behind us who had decided not to wait it out, would have made it in.  their loss!

rather than a traditional stage set up, the performers were positioned in chairs on the floor in the center of the room - the three of them facing each other.  though the description of the evening said 'in the round', i wasn't sure what that had meant, and i learned that each singer/songwriter would play one of their songs, and then the next person would play one of theirs.  sometimes they would back each other up or pause to tell stories about the origin of the song or about each other.

it was a really unique experience. first of all, it's extremely intimate.  in fact melissa and i could have wasily given one of the singers a shoulder massage, as he was basically sitting at our table (albeit, with his back to us).  secondly, the bluebird is what they call a 'listening room', and it's meant for just that.  though they appreciate a response to their songs,  talking amongst yourselves is discouraged.  the idea is that you go to listen.

we listened. and we really liked what we heard.

it was also unique because the suit-wearing "i'm walking in like i own the place" guy that had breezed by us while we were still in line outside, turned out to be the actual owner of the place, accompanied by a georgia congressman.

at the end of the performance, we waited our turn for the restroom, bought our tee shirts, and took photos with the singers.  my only trepidation had been not being sure how we were going to get back to the hotel.  the cafe is in kind of a strange location, and i was concerned that even if we called a cab and it came that it would take forever to get there.  my fears were put to rest when we walked outside and there was a taxi waiting, hoping to pick up a fare.

it was a perfect excursion, and, after we returned, we headed out to broadway (or honky tonk row) for more live music.  we met up with the other girls from my company and settled in for awhile at the stage. i was in a goofy mood - still on a bit of a high from the bluebird and just sooooo happy to be in nashville, so i had a blast listening to the band, laughing with the new girls, and making a new friend for the evening.

i never get over just how amazing it is that on a wednesday night (on any night) in nashville, every honky tonk will be packed, there will be two or three live bands, and they will be good.  i had an epiphany that night, realizing that nashville, to me, is like vegas is to a lot of people.  i can stay out all night, work all day, and do it over and over again.  i <3 nashville="" p="">