Williamson County might be "too snobby" for
alleged Hip Donelsonian Brian "Head" Welch, but when beloved weekly variety show
Music City Rootsbegan to outgrow its home at The Loveless Cafe Barn, The Factory at Franklin seemed like the right fit, according to MCR executive producer John Walker. "We’re excited about these wonderful facilities that allow us to retain the intimate local vibe of our show,” Walker says in
a release.
An intimate experience has been key to the show's expanding audience, which celebrates its sixth anniversary this October. The Factory's Jamison Hall and Liberty Hall seat 800 and 2,000 patrons, respectively, compared to the Barn's 600-person capacity. The facility, once home to a stove manufacturer and later a bedding firm, now houses an array of boutiques and restaurants as well as the two performance spaces, and will also afford MCR room to build a permanent broadcast booth for its Roots Radio streaming service.
There are no hard feelings between the Roots and Loveless staff, and both parties look forward to possibly working together in the future. The show's spring season kicks off at the Barn on Wednesday at 7 p.m. with sets from Appalachian songbird Nikki Talley and more (tickets are $10 and available here, as well as at Grimey's, The Groove and the Loveless market), and runs through June 18. The summer season, starting July 9, will be the first at The Factory. Live broadcast will continue via Hippie Radio 94.5 FM, as well as the Music City Roots website.
