Songwriters and Venues – a great match – sometimes. I have been in Nashville for nearly (12) years and 100’s of songwriter nights. I’ve seen great things happen – such as hearing a great song for the first time and later hearing it on the radio to hearing rounds of ballads after ballads that make people leave the rounds.
As a songwriter I have noticed many times songwriters coming early, ordering food and beverages and supporting the venues – YEA, and sometimes songwriters that show up, play their songs, then leave soon after their round or just order water all night and not tip the staff – NOT GOOD.
Songwriters and venues need to work together to keep the venue open and providing a night of some songwriter rounds, networking, relationship building in our Nashville Music Community.
I recently had the opportunity get to know Dan, the owner of 360 Burger www.360burger.net near the Hickory Hollow Mall – in the plaza across the street on the hill. His goal is to build the best of the Bluebird and Puckett’s – providing good music and food and a place you look forward to playing and hanging out to watch your friends play their songs.
Dan asked me about songwriters, his prices on the menu and how he can work with the songwriter community to provide a great venue for the songwriters and those that support them. The prices for a GREAT hamburger and fries are very in-line with other restaurants. 360 Burgers are made from Fresh and locally produced, grass-fed beef, organic veggies and fresh baked bread.
Dan wants to do something special for the Songwriters who play and those in the music community. After a couple e-mails of ideas, Dan came up with (2) sliders and fries for $2.25. That is a great and affordable deal for all songwriters and not listed on the menu – you have to ask for theSongwriter Special Slide for ANY Songwriter playing or supporting a Songwriter! Those specials are for Tuesday and Wednesday Songwriter Nights at 360 Burger!
THAT is a venue working with and for Songwriters! In return as a music community, we need to support those venues by having our meals at the venues that serve meals. When going out for a meal, how about supporting the venues. If you are playing, eat at the venue – do not stop at another restaurant, have a meal, then go play at a venue that serves food!
If you are a host of songwriter nights, let your songwriters know they are supposed to support the venue – not go, play, sit down and drink water all night and expect the venue to support our community. Order beverages and tip the staff – hey some of them may be the next big artist or songwriter in town and you want them to like you – right?
There are many stories of restaurant workers having success after working in the venue business - Liz Hangber – hit songwriter that worked in TheBluebird, Kathy Mattea was working at Friday’s in the early 80’s, Heidi Newfield and also Josh Jones were people parking cars at venues and others that have had success in our world after working in the restaurant venue industry. Your waiter tonight may be the next great artists or hit songwriter!
WHAT ideas would work for all the songwriters and venues to work together with food, beverages and songs to build our Songwriter Community – keep the venues in business, make the hosts of the Songwriter Nights look good and everyone working together in Nashville?