by Micah Kennedy | Apr 2, 2021 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
Planted in Nashville’s honky-tonk district on Lower Broadway, the National Museum of African American Music offers tourists and Nashvillians the chance to easily visit the nation’s musical diversity. Located on Broadway, the museum is in the heart of Music City, right across from the Bridgestone Arena and just a couple of blocks from the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and the Convention Center, where easy parking is available. The new museum is part of the “Fifth + Broadway” development, a business park that features a 31-story luxury high rise, restaurant options, clothing stores and event space. Of course, the main element is the long-awaited exploration of African American Music. When visitors enter the museum to begin their tour, they will first be guided into the Roots Theater. In the theater, an introductory film is shown guiding the visitors through the story of African American history and the musical traditions that were developed over time. Genres such as spirituals, blues, jazz, gospel, R&B and hip-hop are included. The film also emphasizes the different historical periods in America and how they shaped the music made by African Americans. After the presentation in the Roots Theater, visitors can enter into the Rivers of Rhythm Pathways. This central corridor features touch-panel interactives with headphones to listen to music through African American history. Along the walls, there are animated timelines projected and historic moments in African American music displayed as well. From the pathways, visitors can access any one of the five major genre galleries. Museum officials suggest visitors start with the “Wade in The Water” gospel gallery and end with “The...
by Kathryn Farris | Dec 25, 2020 | BREAKING NEWS, News, News Slider
Early Christmas morning, many Nashville residents were awakened by the sound of an “intentional” explosion in the Broadway area. In the moments following, Metro Police and Nashville Fire Department attempted to piece together the source and reason for the explosion, which has since been tied to an RV parked near the AT&T Building. “It is hard to see so much glass, litter, damage and debris,” said Nashville’s Mayor John Cooper in a press conference to reporters. “It looks like a blast site, which is hard to see on one of our historic streets.” Investigations from local law enforcement found a recording, broadcasted from the RV, that warned of a bomb in the vehicle up to 15 minutes prior to the blast. The warning gave time for police to request a bomb squad and evacuate the area, sparing many lives. Three people were eventually hospitalized for non-threatening injuries, and possible human remains have now been discovered at the site, but it remains to be seen if these remains are those of a victim or a suspect. Mayor Cooper declared the city under a state of civil emergency in the areas around James Robertson Parkway, Fourth Avenue North, Broadway and the Cumberland River. This action enacts a curfew in the area that goes into effect 4:30 p.m. Friday and is set to be lifted Sunday, December 27 at 4:30 p.m. I have signed Executive Order 12 to issue a state of civil emergency proclaimed within the area bounded by James Robertson Parkway, 4th Ave north, Broadway and the Cumberland River. A curfew will start at 4:30pm, Friday Dec 25. and be...
by Taylor McKnight | Mar 9, 2020 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
The stars and the sky were the inspiration for The Elevate Dance Show by The Foundation Dance Theatre (FDT). The show reminds audience members to always look up with A Heavenly View. The Elevate Dance show was a 3-day event (March 6-8) held at Bennet Campus Center in Shamblin Auditorium. Dancers, who are part of this company and the theatre department had the chance to share what they have been rehearsing since the fall. There were group dances and duets with styles that varied from ballet, tap, jazz and hip hop. The FDT company is under the direction of Kari Smith & Leigh Anne Ervin who lead all students during the year. During the show, in between dances, a video would be shown of Kari Smith explaining the principles of the FDT. Kari Smith who is an instructor for the company states there are five pillars they want their students to understand. Leaning into these pillars during their time with the company. Storytelling, Education, Endurance, Passion, and Artistry. As one dance ended a video would be shown to explain each pillar, but also show behind the scenes footage of these dancers. “Dance is a big part of musical theatre but, dance is kinda a different world than theatre. They all fall under storytelling but, with dance, it’s very universal,” said sophomore musical theatre major Drew Flickinger. “I auditioned for FDT in the fall of my freshman year and they took a shot at me, so I got to do elevate last year and I really loved it so of course, I did it again.” Flickinger appeared in four out...
by Tyler Harvey | Apr 26, 2019 | Galleries
The NFL Draft is being held in Nashville this week for the first time ever. An estimated crowd of over 200,000 people attended the first round of the draft on Thursday. The NFL has taken over almost every inch of downtown. The main stage where the picks are announced is on lower Broadway, but the NFL is also holding a free festival across the Cumberland river in the parking lot of Nissan Stadium, called the NFL Draft Experience. The festival has photo opportunities with NFL memorabilia and trophies, chances to meet NFL players and free tours of the Titans locker room. On Thursday, the “NFL Draft Experience” had Titans players Marcus Mariota, Derrick Henry and Corey Davis along with several other NFL players. The full list of player appearances for Friday and Saturday’s festival can be found on the Fan Mobile Pass app. Attendees for the festival will need to download the Fan Mobile Pass app to be able to get access to many things. Nashville has become the epicenter for many national media outlets this week including ESPN and the NFL Network. ESPN’s popular show “College Gameday” broadcasted Thursday night from Broadway. Once the draft started on lower Broadway, the Arizona Cardinals selected Kyler Murray as the first overall selection. The hometown Titans picked later in the draft and selected Jeffery Simmons. The following six rounds of the NFL draft along with the NFL Draft Experience festival will continue through Friday and Saturday this week. « ‹ of 3 › »...
by Erin Turner | Feb 10, 2015 | News Slider
Most know Nashville for its rich music history, but a recent report has named this city the second-most vibrant art community in the nation. The National Center for Arts Rresearch report is based off of three things — art supply, demand and the level of government support. “The numbers are only the start of the story, not the end,” NCAR director Zannie Voss said on NCAR’s blog. “Each city in our report is unique in what makes it a vibrant community for the arts. Our intention in developing this report is to stimulate conversation about what makes a city vibrant in the arts and how arts vibrancy varies across cities.” It is because of Nashville’s diverse cultural opportunities that it was ranked ahead of New York, Boston and San Francisco. Stroll down lower Broadway to hear a mixture of country and honky-tonk music. Turn the corner to be just steps away from some of Nashville’s premiere music and performing arts venues, like the Ryman and TPAC. Art galleries and coffee shops are also easy to come by in this culture-rich city. To keep up with Nashville’s growth as an art community, The Frist Center for the Visual Arts hosts camps, family days and educational programs. The Frist also hosts a College Night every Thursday and Friday for students to create or simply do homework in the museum setting. Another event that sets Nashville apart is its monthly art crawl. Art galleries throughout the community host receptions and openings during the first Saturday of every month. The festive event takes place on Fifth Avenue North and admission is free. Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR....
