Just a few miles over the river and down the road from honky-tonkin’ Lower Broadway, the laid-back neighborhoods of East Nashville rejoice in a comfortable balance between lively night life and a calm residential community of families, artists, musicians and hipsters. The epicenter of the East Side music scene is Five Points, the area centered on the intersection of Woodland and 11th streets, where many a weekend club crawl begins—and ends. For weekend warriors seeking live entertainment without big crowds and obnoxious drunks, 3 Crow Bar is a good place to start. Every Saturday, 3 Crow hosts music by some of Nashville’s best resident talent, with acts from the indie posters LYLAS to the Norah Jones-esque folk-rocker Audrey Spillman, as well as bands from the East Side cadre that includes Hands Down Eugene, Ole Mossy Face and The Clutters.A block away, the aptly named 5 Spot offers music in a smoke-free environment with a generally younger crowd. “The Spot” rocks virtually seven nights a week with acts from across the country. Meanwhile, down the road at Alley Cat, DJs serve up ’70s vinyl on Fridays and ’80s pop on Saturdays. Unfortunately, the neighborhood’s nonchalance can extend to the dance floor, where the rug is often left uncut. The area is also home to more than its share of recording studios, from the legendary Woodland Studios, now owned by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, to venerable rooms like The Fiddle House and Le Garage. And it wasn’t far from Five Points that Jack White recorded Loretta Lynn’s Van Lear Rose in an old Victorian.As East Nashville continues to grow, so do its musical culture and nightlife. It may be only a matter of time before the boot-scootin’ tourist crowd from across the river starts wanting in on the action, but until then, the diverse, offbeat East Side will revel in its native scene, centered on Five Points.If you choose to seek out what else the East Side has to offer, click here.If you choose to continue your adventure back on the other side of the river, click here.Music & ClubsTHE 5 SPOT1006 Forrest Ave. 650-9333Five Points music venue booking rock, jazz and some avant-garde performers. 3 CROW BAR1027 Woodland St. 262-3345Bustling East Nashville bar/restaurant hosting local and regional rock acts from the Hotpipes to The Carter Administration on Saturday nights.3RD & LINDSLEY BAR AND GRILL818 Third Ave. S. 259-9891Hosts local, regional and national acts as well as the Sunday night WRLT-100.1 FM broadcast, a first-rate live radio show from the club featuring national touring acts.12TH & PORTER114 12th Ave. S. 254-7250Located behind The Tennessean, this Gulch club/restaurant dishes up almost as much local music as it does huevos plates.ALLEY CAT LOUNGE & TEX MEX GRILL1008 B Woodland St. 262-5888DJs spin vinyl Friday and Saturday nights, with live music in the courtyard during the summer months.THE BARCAR10th Ave. S. 259-4875In addition to housing the weekly Lovenoise spoken word, poetry and music event on Sundays, this Cummins Station venue also showcases DJs several nights a week.THE BASEMENT1604 Eighth Ave. S. 254-1604 The Basement books an interesting mix of touring acts, local rock/pop bands, singer-songwriters and more, thanks to the participation of Grimey’s partners Mike Grimes and Doyle Davis. Below Grimey’s New & Preloved Music lies a small, dark cave, where the music flows like Yazoo brew and the audience sits within spitting distance of performers on the low-rising stage. Run by Geoff Donovan—one of Nashville’s best bartenders—and Grimey’s owner (and Guilty Pleasures guitarist) Mike Grimes, The Basement books everything from indie blog darlings like Clap Your Hands Say Yeah to the Altar Call Old Time Gospel Hour. The Basement’s 100-person capacity and no-smoking rule make it a great venue to relax and listen rather than jockey for space and a view of the performers. 1604 Eighth Ave. S. 254-8006.B.B. KING’S BLUES CLUB152 Second Ave. N. 256-2727The regular playground for resident bluesmen Waldo Weathers, Clarence Dobbins and The Soul Searchers.BELCOURT THEATRE2102 Belcourt Ave. 383-9140A Hillsboro Village stalwart featuring foreign, indie and classic films as well as expertly booked live music such as Jenny Lewis, M. Ward and the Sierra Leone Refugee All-Stars.BEYOND THE EDGE112 S. 11th St. 226-3343A bar/restaurant in East Nashville’s Five Points that offers drinks and pool tables, plus music every Sunday.BLUEBIRD CAFE4104 Hillsboro Road 383-1461Nashville’s world-famous songwriter hangout, where the tunes you hear on country radio almost always get their dry run.BLUESBORO RHYTHM & BLUES CO.114 N. Church St., Murfreesboro 907-1115An intimate music venue featuring live blues.BONGO AFTER HOURS THEATRE2007 Belmont Blvd. 385-1188An intimate space above Bongo Java coffeehouse booking singer-songwriter, local theater events and other offbeat offerings.THE BORO1211 Greenland Drive, Murfreesboro 895-4800This staple on the Murfreesboro scene is a self-acknowledged dive that hosts everything from jam bands to metal to indie rock.BOURBON ST. BLUES & BOOGIE BAR220 Printers Alley 24-BLUES (242-5837)Stacey Mitchhart & Blues-U-Can-Use is the house band at this Printers Alley favorite, but the club has also brought in blues greats Watermelon Slim and Ronnie Baker Brooks.BUNGANUT PIG1143 Columbia Ave., Franklin 794-47771602 W. Northfield Blvd., Murfreesboro 893-7860Although these two restaurants are now separately owned, they showcase many of the same performers from the TLP Band to Clarence Dobbins.CAFE COCO210 Louise Ave. 321- 262624-hour coffeehouse and restaurant off Elliston Place featuring karaoke, hip-hop, rock and jazz.CAFFEINE1516 Demonbreun St. 259-4993A coffeehouse that regularly showcases area singer/songwriters.THE CANNERY BALLROOMOne Cannery Row 248-9494Along Nashville’s historic Cannery Row, off Eighth Avenue South in an old converted warehouse, lie the Mercy Lounge and the Cannery Ballroom, two of Nashville’s premier music venues. The second-story Mercy Lounge offers standing room for 500 people and features pool tables, a large bar and pinball machines. Downstairs sits the renovated Cannery Ballroom, a massive venue with standing room for 1,000. Since the ’80s, The Lounge/Ballroom has welcomed some of the nation’s top touring acts, including Jane’s Addiction, Gregg Allman and Iggy Pop. 1 Cannery Row 251-3020.CARIBBEAN HUT1316 Antioch Pike 832-3547In addition to West Indian Cuisine, this restaurant serves up reggae, calypso and R&B on Saturdays. THE CHUTE COMPLEX2535 Franklin Road 297-4571The Chute Complex, one of Nashville’s oldest and most popular gay nightspots, hosts weekly karaoke nights and talent contests.CITY HALL405 12th Ave. S. 255-9600Large-capacity venue in the Gulch booking a wide range of touring acts, from Beck to Kings of Leon to Broken Social Scene.COMMODORE SPORTS BAR AND GRILLHoliday Inn, 2613 West End Ave. 327-4707This West End hub is home to Debi Champion’s songwriter nights three days a week.COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME & MUSEUM222 Fifth Ave. S. 416-2092In addition to all of the informative exhibits, visitors can also learn much about country music from visiting songwriters every Saturday.DAN MCGUINESS’ IRISH PUB1538 Demonbreun St. 252-1991A Vanderbilt University hot spot that offers live music nightly.DECADES207 Broadway 254-7420One of the best spots in Nashville to dance unabashedly to ’80s music.THE DOUBLE E BAR & GRILL4957 Lebanon Road 885-3400Country bar featuring live music Friday and Saturday nights starting at 9:30.DOUGLAS CORNER CAFE2106-A Eighth Ave. S. 298-1688One of the city’s friendliest neighborhood listening rooms, this popular venue is located across the street from Zanies comedy club.EDGEHILL STUDIOS1201 Villa Place 301-8539This coffeehouse/restaurant regularly showcases local singer/songwriters and is home to the weekly “Café Forte Writers Night.”THE END2219 Elliston Place 321-4457A 200-capacity venue on the “Rock Block” specializing in the best local, regional and national indie rock.EXIT/IN2208 Elliston Place 321-3340This renowned venue’s quarter-century history includes everyone from Steve Martin to The Police.F. SCOTT’S RESTAURANT & JAZZ BAR2210 Crestmoor Dr. 269-5861An upscale restaurant in Green Hills that offers live jazz seven nights a week.FAMILY WASH2038 Greenwood Ave. 226-6070This East Nashville bar/restaurant has the friendly, low-key vibe of a neighborhood hangout and a live music schedule that features local singer-songwriters and offbeat bands.FRENCH QUARTER CAFE823 Woodland St. 227-3100An East Nashville favorite that is home to Jack Scott’s Writer/Artist showcase twice a week.FUEL114 Second Ave. S. 379-2120A new club in downtown Nashville that features eclectic party music and live performances.GIBSON SHOWCASEOpry Mills, 433 Opry Mills Drive 514-2200This Opry Mills venue, home to the PG-13 vocal/dance ensemble The Elle Revue, also hosts a variety of acts ranging from Gary Nichols to Howard Tate.GRAND OLE OPRY2840 Opryland Drive 889-3060One of the city’s defining cultural institutions, still going strong after more than 75 years.GRAND PALACE128 1⁄2 N. Church St., Murfreesboro 890-3221A catch-all loft space—music venue, record store, recording studio, screen-printing shop—on the Square in the ’Boro that has developed a reputation for hosting some of the most exciting local and national indie rock shows in the area.HALL OF FAME LOUNGEBest Western, 1407 Division St. 554-9933Davidlee Slate hosts writers’ nights several evenings a week at this comfortable hotel bar.IBIZA NIGHTCLUB15128 Old Hickory Blvd. 331-0382A popular nightspot for those who like to dance, Ibiza’s resident DJ Bryant spins bachata, reggaeton & hip-hop five nights a week.JAKE’S BAR & GRILL330 Welch Road 837-7411Brand new bar regularly featuring local talent ranging from Some Assembly Required to Honky Tonk Heroes.JUDGE BEAN’S BAR-B-QUE123 12th Ave. N. 244-8884Fans of Texas Barbeque and Texas sports regularly patronize the Judge’s establishment on weekend nights to hear live country & western music as amplified as the Shrimp Diablos are spicy.KIJIJI COFFEE HOUSE1207 Jefferson St. 321-0403An intimate venue featuring weekend jazz, poetry, R&B and Jazzy Mondays. LAYLA’S BLUEGRASS INN418 Broadway 726-2799A country dive bar on Lower Broad where hardcore honky-tonkers, hipsters and scruffy downtown denizens are all likely to feel right at home.LIPSTICK LOUNGE1400 Woodland St. 226-6343A gay-friendly club in East Nashville with weekly karaoke nights and the occasional live act.LOBBIES BARRenaissance Hotel, 611 Commerce St. 255-8400Diane & Frank Marino’s jazz is a staple at the Renaissance Hotel’s bar.LOSERS1911 Division St. 327-3115A new bar in midtown that features live country music four nights a week, one of the best, old-school country jukeboxes in town and free popcorn.MAGGIANO’S LITTLE ITALY3106 West End Ave. 514-0270Maggiano’s regular jazzman Jeff Alfiero performs six nights a week.THE MERCY LOUNGE1 Cannery Row 251-3020Along Nashville’s historic Cannery Row, off Eighth Avenue South in an old converted warehouse, lie the Mercy Lounge and the Cannery Ballroom, two of Nashville’s premier music venues. The second-story Mercy Lounge offers standing room for 500 people and features pool tables, a large bar and pinball machines. Downstairs sits the renovated Cannery Ballroom, a massive venue with standing room for 1,000. Since the ’80s, The Lounge/Ballroom has welcomed some of the nation’s top touring acts, including Jane’s Addiction, Gregg Allman and Iggy Pop. 1 Cannery Row 251-3020.MULLIGAN’S PUB & RESTAURANT117 Second Ave. N. 242-8010Erin go bragh! Hoist a Guinness and sing along lustily with Irish drinking songs at this downtown slice of the Auld Sod.MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM417 Fourth Ave. N. 862-6390Beloved old downtown domed concert hall, home to the circus, Bullnanza and a curious assortment of concerts.THE MUSE835 Fourth Ave. S. 251-0190One of the hubs of Nashville’s underground rap/punk/political scene, this space also houses indie-retailer Spat! Records and Kung Fu Coffee House.NASHVILLE JAZZ WORKSHOP1312 Adams St. 242-5299Hosts live jazz events and the weekly Snap on 2 & 4 jazz show in the NJW Jazz Cave in the Neuhoff Building.NASHVILLE NIGHTLIFE THEATER2620 Music Valley Drive 885-5201Home to the nightly “Best of Country Music,” whose past guests have included Jeannie Seely, Brenda Best and Steve Hall. PLAY1519 Church St. 322-9627A gay/lesbian hot spot that offers weekly entertainment ranging from DJs spinning records to live performances from eclectic performs such as Micky Avalon and Boy George.THE POND595 Hillsboro Rd., Franklin 790-1491This relaxed venue holds a weekly open mic for local singer/songwriters in addition to regularly showcasing local pop and rock acts.RADIO CAFE1313 Woodland St. 228-6045Charming East Nashville bar that offers audiences everything from live country to rock ’n’ roll.RCKTWN401 Sixth Ave. S. 843-4000Home to skate punks, emo kids and local rock bands, this Christian-oriented venue has brought in acts ranging from Young Buck to Norma Jean.ROBERT’S WESTERN WORLD416 Broadway 244-9552A lower-Broad favorite for classic country and honky-tonk music, this Nashville classic hosts Monday Nights with John England and The Western Swingers.THE RUTLEDGE410 Fourth Ave. S. 782-6858New venue just south of downtown featuring live music from local bands, singer/songwriters and aspiring country artists.RYMAN AUDITORIUM116 Fifth Ave. N. 889-3060The “Mother Church of Country Music,” hosting some of the city’s best concerts in all genres.SAMBUCA601 12th Ave. S. 248-2888A new hot spot in The Gulch featuring live performances from local jazz, rock and R&B artists.SPRINGWATER115 27th Ave. N. 320-0345Don’t let Springwater’s hardscrabble atmosphere intimidate you; the dive bar is known for its adventurous bookings and its tolerant, attentive crowd of folkies, hippies and punks.THE STAGE ON BROADWAY412 Broadway 726-0504One of lower Broadway’s most popular late night honky-tonks, The Stage is also home to Randy Nation’s Twang-Free Mondays.STARWOOD AMPHITHEATER3839 Murfreesboro Road, Antioch 641-5800Live Nation-owned venue hosting large acts like The Black Crowes, Def Leppard and Aerosmith.THE STATION INN402 12th Ave. S. 255-3307The place in Nashville to hear bluegrass in a homey, family-friendly environment—it’s easily one of the city’s best and longest-running venues. Across 12th Avenue from some of Nashville’s newest and trendiest hotspots sits the humble Station Inn, the city’s premiere venue for bluegrass music. For over 30 years, the Station Inn has hosted bluegrass legends from the late, great Bill Monroe to Blue Highway, Cherryholmes and The Grascals. Admission to all the shows is on a first-come-first-serve basis, with no reservations and no advance ticket sales. The Station Inn is open seven nights a week, with The Time Jumpers regularly playing Monday evenings. 402 12th Ave. S. 255-3307.TOOTSIE’S ORCHID LOUNGE422 Broadway 726-0463Hank Williams and Patsy Cline hung out here, so did U2 and The Clash—this legendary honky-tonk has survived both feast and famine as a constant reminder of Nashville’s roots.WALL STREET121 N. Maple St. Murfreesboro 867-9090Murfreesboro dive regularly showcasing local rock bands from The Features to Strut and Corleone.WAR MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM301 Sixth Ave. N. 783-1212Housed within the Tennessee Performing Arts Center, War Memorial regularly attracts big name performers like Death Cab for Cutie and Yeah Yeah Yeahs.WILDHORSE SALOON120 Second Ave. N. 902-8200Gaylord’s multimillion-dollar country-dance club boasts a gigantic dance floor, wall-sized video screens and frequent live sets by new country stars.
