Live Nation announced a new music venue in Wedgewood-Houston called The Truth. The name is a reference to the famous Nashville songwriter Harlan Howard’s quip that the essence of country music is “three chords and the truth.”
“That concept is the foundation of Nashville’s music community,” said Sally Williams, Live Nation’s President of Nashville Music and Business Strategy.
The design team worked to create a performance space that will be Nashville-centric, not a black box with a stage. Blueprint Studio met with fans, music industry professionals and historians in the city.
“They went to all the museums and venues to learn. Not just he superficial Nashville, but really what makes the city tick,” Williams said.
Williams hopes that The Truth will represent Nashville’s community. Live Nation has partnered with Nashville Songwriters Association International, the W.O. Smith Music School and United Record Pressing to create “a building that could only exist in Nashville.”
NSAI will hold their annual Songwriter Awards at The Truth, produce special programming there and will receive apprenticeship opportunities for emerging writers.
The closely located W.O. Smith Music School will receive expanded access to music education for children from low-income families and mentorship and performance opportunities.
United Record Pressing will curate the music for the two-story, 300-person listening lounge and their five backstage dressing rooms as well as curate vinyl to be displayed in the venue.
The emphasis on Nashville might lead one to believe that the venue would target country music bookings, but Williams says that the venue will book all styles and genres of music.
Nashville’s booking landscape
The Truth will hold 4,400 people.
Live Nation’s biggest competitor, AEG opened The Pinnacle, a 4,500 capacity venue downtown last year.
After holding a 10 year contract with the city to book Ascend Amphitheater, Live Nation and AEG lost the contract bid on that space to Ryman Hospitality Group. That means all three will be competing for midsize acts to book in Nashville, and it could result in more money for artists who can fill the space. It also could make it more difficult for independent midsized venues to compete with the big three.
