Last Memorial Day weekend, fans showed up in a big way for the inaugural Nashville Helping Nashvile concert in East Nashville’s East Park. A shedload of musicians joined in, too, specifically in support of Chris and Telisha Cobb’s effort to buy the property home to Exit/In, the historic club they’ve operated for years. Now word has come that a follow-up benefit — with a broader focus that includes music venues, radio stations and record stores — is headed for East Park this year.
On Saturday, May 28, a slew of artists are set to join in on a massive tribute to Neil Young. The timing is appropriate, as 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of Harvest, the career-highlight LP he made in Nashville. So far, confirmed participants are The Joey Fletcher Band, Creature Comfort and DeeOhGee, and early-bird tickets, starting at $25, are available now. The lineup of special guests is slated to be announced April 1. A broad slate of local radio stations are expected to be represented at the event, and a Record Store Row area is planned, with booths from Grimey’s, Third Man and more.
As to the cause being supported, proceeds are being allocated to support independent venues through indie venue trade group Music Venue Alliance Nashville. It’s a response to an uptick in not-great news for the local music ecosystem. The owners of the three venues in the Mercy Lounge complex are moving out of Cannery Row after their lease ends in May, the week before the concert, and hoping to set up shop elsewhere. Proprietors of East Side record store The Groove were given the opportunity to purchase their building, but couldn’t secure financing before the deadline.
And per the release announcing the show, Exit/In is not currently booking shows after Thanksgiving 2022, citing the expiration of their lease at the end of the year. AJ Capital Partners, the current owner of the E/I and Hurry Back property, has filed for some historic protections for the building (which have been referred to Metro Council for approval). There’s nothing, however, that prevents the firm from choosing not to offer the Cobbs a new lease or raising the rent to an untenable rate — situations that have played out all too often for small businesses like independent music venues.
To address this issue, Metro Councilmember Jeff Syracuse has proposed a study of the conditions faced by Music City’s array of independent venues and what might be done to help them out. The main sticking point seems to be funding. While the benefit show is not intended to directly raise money for the study, it is meant to raise awareness and perhaps elicit some contributions.
“Metro’s Financial Oversight Committee is considering an allocation of American Rescue Plan Funds after generous commitments from both The Nashville Chamber of Commerce and the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp.,” Chris Cobb, who is also president of MVAN, notes in the release. "This public/private partnership underscores the critical importance of independent venues to our creative economy. We hope everyone realizes the importance of funding this study and invite all corporations who call Music City home to consider contributing funds.”
