Weekend 3: The Arts

Looking back on this past weekend (actually week considering it started last Thursday), I'd say the theme this time around was music and art.ThursdayThursday night was one of the last nights of the Bluegrass at the Ryman series that has been going on this summer. I knew I wanted to see a show at the Ryman, and this was a way to see a show that wasn't a) sold out or b) super expensive. It was also really cool to see bluegrass in what has been considered its birthplace. The two groups who played were awesome. The first group did a couple of Grateful Dead songs bluegrass-style, which I loved because I remember listening to Grateful Dead with my dad growing up. Overall it was a really neat experience and I'm glad I got to cross that one off my bucket list!FridayFriday night I almost just declared a night off and stayed on my bed. But I told myself I needed to check out Frist Fridays, which happen the third Friday of every month down at the the Frist Center for the Visual Arts, with live music in their courtyard. It was PACKED - clearly the place to be on a Friday afternoon! I checked out an awesome exhibit inside called "Watch Me Move", about the history of animation, and then stumbled upon another exhibit featuring the illustrations from the illustrated version of "The Elements of Style", which was so cool. Then I found these gems in the gift shop:I checked out the band outside for a little while before calling it quits for the night...I could only stand crowds for so long after my long week.SaturdayI found my new favorite music venue in Nashville: The Listening Room Cafe. In looking for places to go, I discovered that there are two general options of music venues here: places you go and sit down and listen, or bars that have music. I generally prefer places you sit down and enjoy yourself, and The Listening Room did not disappoint. It was a songwriter's night featuring Stephen Salyor and friends, and it was so cool.All four guys were immensely talented, including a fellow Wake grad, a hilarious Australian dude, and a super-talented guitarist/songwriter who backed up Stephen most of the time. Not to mention Stephen himself who has a ridiculous voice. They sang everything from super well-known songs they had written for other artists, to songs that were recorded by artists like One Direction that didn't make the cut for albums, to songs that they wrote as recently as that morning.  So cool, with a table just feet from the stage...what a place. Loved it. I highly recommend stopping by if you are looking for a place to go in Nashville. It's just steps from Broadway if you're looking to start your night there and head out from there, or you could be like me and head straight home at a decent hour afterwards.SundaySince I felt like I had already had a full weekend with everything I'd done by Sunday, I decided to lay low and just went for a walk over at Centennial park. I'm glad I did because this week ended up being another busy week! We're really kicking it into high gear in the office prepping for students to come back to campus, so I can use all the rest I can get on the weekends.