Waiting in the purgatory Ticketmaster queue with 10,000 people ahead of me, I knew my luck in getting Mitski tickets in any of her four shows at the Auditorium Theatre was nearly impossible. As fate would have it, all four shows sold out within seconds. I seriously underestimated the draw that Mitski has with her audience, and though she doesn’t command stadium-level audiences that Taylor Swift or Beyonce brings in, Mitski holds her own with an ever-growing and younger fanbase. With most of her national tour stops sold out, I came across a ticket (in the limited viewing section) at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. I hadn’t been to Nashville since 2019 and didn’t have a good experience during my last time out, and I was annoyed that I would travel to a show where my view of the show was partially blocked. However, I had never seen Mitski live before, and I thought, it would be nice to give Nashville another try. So, I decided to go for it and make it a trip.
I left for Nashville on Wed, 4/9 in the morning. After arriving, I got in a Lyft car, and my driver asked me where I was headed for lunch. I gleefully replied, “Hattie B’s”. To which my Lyft driver gave me this disapproving nod. He said, “Hattie B’s?!?! Are you serious? You need to go to Prince’s Hot Chicken. They are the real OG’s of hot chicken. Hattie B’s just stole from them.” He grinned and added, “Hattie B’s is for white people that can’t handle the spice of Prince’s.” So I took his advice. He dropped me off at the Assembly Food Hall where Prince’s is located in downtown Nashville. The food hall was bustling during lunchtime. There were many diverse choices from sushi to boba tea to Thai food in this crowded marketplace. I went to Prince’s and put an order for the chicken hot tenders at the “Hot” level with fries.
I took my first few bites of the chicken, and my goodness, did it pack some serious heat. I started to break out in sweats and sneezed a few times. I was sitting next to a tourist couple that also got the same meal as I did. They too were struggling and asking me how I was holding up. To which I replied, “Barely hanging in there.” The chicken was a little dryer than I expected and the “hot” level absorbed most of the juiciness. It was a tough eat for me, but my Lyft driver was not wrong when he said it packed a lot of heat. As for Hattie B’s, stay tuned….there’s more.
Holston House Nashville Hotel
I stayed at the Holston House Nashville Hotel right off Broadway Street. It’s a boutique 4-star hotel with a small but picturesque lobby that you can see here above. My room was nicely made with a beautiful walk-in shower and spacious bathroom.
Jack’s BBQ & Broadway Street
On a slightly wet day, I walked through Broadway Street as the country bands were blaring from each bar. Tourists alike were busting out their cameras. It was already lively on a Wednesday afternoon. I decided to check out Jack’s BBQ, an old-school bbq house along the way. It was served cafeteria-style with a no-frills approach. Service was very kind and upbeat. I was craving for some rib tips, and grabbed the jalapeno mac n’ cheese and corn, and cornbread to go along with my meal. The bbq sauce station is available separately to use. I sat upstairs and started digging into my meal, and the rib tips were an absolute delight. The mix of light seasoning and tenderness made it a joyful experience for me. The side entrees were also complimentary to an already tasty meal.
Mitski at the Ryman Auditorium
(Ryman Auditorium)
The Ryman Auditorium opened in 1892 as the Union Gospel Tabernacle. It later became known as the original Grand Ole Opry. The auditorium has been known as “The Mother Church of Country Music”, “The Birthplace of Bluegrass”, and “The Carnegie Hall of the South”. The line outside wrapped around the venue into Broadway Street. Scores of teenage girls were there for Mitski which in recent years due to her popularity on Tik-Tok has attracted a much younger fanbase. I found this fascinating especially as Mitski is approaching her mid-30s and has a special way of connecting to such a young audience as her music takes on adult themes of heartbreak, isolation, and other introspective feelings. The venue has a modernized vibe walking in but entering into the auditorium, there was a special rustic feeling to it. The intimacy in that space can be felt especially given all the historical nostalgia surrounding this venue. The ushers were extra welcoming as one graciously escorted me to my seat. I was seated several rows away from the front but the column blocked my view and I was not able to see the full stage. This made for a sometimes frustrating experience trying to capture the stage experience.
Sarah Kinsley opened up with a beautiful 40-minute set and the audience quickly warmed up to her. Mitski came on at 9:05 pm and opened with “Everyone” from her Laurel Hell album quickly followed by “Buffalo Replaced” from her new album. Classic Mitski favorites were peppered throughout the show such as “First Love, Late Spring”, “I Bet on Losing Dogs”, the folk version of “Happy”. The setlist mostly pulled from her latest critically acclaimed album, “The Land is Inhospitable, and So Are We” with beautiful standouts, “Heaven”, and “Bug Like an Angel”. Mitski’s stage presence is not your typical acoustic-guitar-playing show. She takes on interpretative dancing throughout her show. Mitski’s ability to interpret her songs into physical movement makes her stand out from many of her peers and brings a critical element to her stage presence. Despite being famously media shy, she demonstrated her relatability to her audience as she spoke to them about her love of cats, and seeing Monkey Man while in Nashville. Her teen audience in awe of her song selections, were remarkably restrained to their seats and weren’t as hysterical which is typical at most K-pop concerts. I joked with several of my friends on my Instagram that I’m a dad at a Mitski show but in observing the experience, it was refreshing to see their joy and respect for her. Mitski ended the night with two of her fan favorites, “Nobody” and “Washing Machine Heart” after a 90 minute show.
Johnny Cash BBQ & Bar
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The next morning, I checked out of my hotel and walked further along Broadway Street. I got some pralines at Savannah’s Candy Kitchen and decided to take a quick peek at the Johnny Cash Museum on 3rd street. For those who don’t know, Johnny Cash is a folk country music legend whose hits spanned decades from “Walk The Line”, “Jackson” with wife June Carter, “Ring of Fire” to his final song and cover of Nine Inch Nails, “Hurt”. For The Simpsons fans, he may be best remembered for his cameo appearance as Homer’s spirit coyote seen here. I didn’t spend time going through the exhibit as it was already packed but did check out his gift shop that has a variety of t-shirts including “Cash for President”. I decided to visit his next-door BBQ & Bar. I ordered the full BBQ platter (rib tips, pulled pork, and beef brisket) with mac n cheese and potato salad. It came out fresh and massively delicious specifically the beef brisket. The potato salad was tangy and had a kick to it. I was immediately full and couldn’t finish my mac n cheese.
Gaylord Opryland Convention & Hotel
I visited The Gaylord Opryland Hotel for the first time since 2019 when I was there for the Redfin conference. Located 20 minutes outside of downtown Nashville, this massively opulent hotel holds nearly 3,000 rooms, over 20 restaurants, a large-scale waterpark, and a botanical garden. Visiting in 2019 for a conference was a workout and a half as I had to trek through the labyrinth maze to find the right conference room. This time, I wanted to simply absorb the experience. The sound of the waterfalls was comforting as I was struggling to find my way around the maze surrounded by shops and trees. It was a good problem to have especially as it was raining outside. The Opryland offers a unique experience to visitors alike who are looking for a staycation-type of lodging.
Hattie B’s or Prince’s Hot Chicken?
On my way to the airport, I asked my Lyft driver his thoughts on Hattie B’s and Prince’s. He quickly answered, “Prince is not just the OG of hot chicken. They are the innovator of it. Hattie B’s is just a ripoff and they got lucky because of the bachelorettes and good marketing.” The passionate debate continues to stoke fires in good ol’ Nashville. I’ve had Hattie B’s back in my last visit to Nashville, then to Atlanta and Dallas but I knew that I needed to fulfill my craving and determine my official judgment of which hot chicken I prefer. Luckily, Hattie B’s has a location in the airport (ironically Prince’s is also there about several feet away). I ordered the medium-flavored tenders with the pimento mac n’ cheese (my personal favorite). The chicken tenders, though not as packed with heat (I prefer medium) have a very tangy taste to them. The tenders came in very juicy and tender and freshly prepared which surpassed my expectations of airport restaurants. At the end of the day, if I have to choose, I’m going to have to go with Hattie B’s which I’m sure will elicit a lot of very strong backlash from Prince fans. What do you think?