The Nashville Boogie

When the weather gets cooler, most of the time my thoughts turn to the upcoming event that I've attended every year since 2006, the Rockabilly Weekender (also known as Viva Las Vegas) in Las Vegas Nevada. The cold and humidity of Tennessee pales into insignificance when I anticipate the rousing music, warm sunshine, and delicious scent of exhaust that permeates that enormous car show. However, due to scheduling conflicts in the coming year I wouldn't be able to attend until Saturday, which makes the trip impractical in many respects. I was appalled by this initially, especially since 2015 will be the 20th wedding anniversary year for my husband and I. The idea of NOT going to Viva for the first time in 9 years was unfathomable to me and I really did do as much figuring as possible to organize a way for us to make it. After all, The Sonics will be there (one of my favorite bands) as will our friends Hillbilly Casino, whom I've been trying to get on the Viva schedule for years...I am certain their inclusion this time is solely due to their own merit as a band but hey, I'm still sneaking part of the credit.

Sadly, figuring and researching was to no avail. VLV 2015 is not in our future. But I'm learning to deal with it and I'll tell you why:

The Nashville Boogie has arrived! (For a complete list of bands and scheduled events, be sure to click that link!)

I first learned about The Boogie early in the year, when I was still planning for this year's VLV. The idea of a Nashville Based vintage-style weekender celebrating some of the best music rooted in Tennessee as well as the culture surrounding it, was thrilling, but seemed too far in the distance to be a reality to me. However Jason Galaz, the brain behind this whole scheme, has proven himself to be a formidable and ambitious talent in the world of event planning, so it shouldn't have surprised me when the venue, band list, dates, and website popped up suddenly with cheeky confidence that couldn't fail to impress. Jason's first festival, Muddy Roots, has joined Bonaroo in being one of the world's best received events, with attendees from all over the globe and an extraordinarily loyal following. I try never to miss it myself, no matter how dirty and grungy I might be by the end. Americana music needed a celebratory occasion like this, and I suspect this was the driving motivation behind this newly conceived event as well. The Boogie is bent on paying tribute to the signature sounds of the 40's and 50's that Nashville was built upon, and will showcase talent from around the country that represents those sounds today. I'm sure an invitation to this event has proven to be a breath of fresh air for many of them, and I'm certain it will prove to be one that lays the groundwork for future success in the years to come.

The venue, The Gaylord Opryland Hotel, is legendary in these parts.

One of the south's grand hotels,with seemingly infinite square footage, there will undoubtedly be ample space to host a event of this size, even considering its entirely indoor status. Hosting an outdoor festival of this type in Tennessee is simply not practical considering the unpredictable weather, so a luxury locale like this one will definitely help soften that reality. Discounted rates on the beautiful rooms, enormous meeting spaces to accommodate the fashion and car shows, as well as 17 acclaimed restaurants will also provide plenty of impetus to book and book quickly. In addition, the adjoining Opry Mills Mall contains a huge multi-screen movie theater, more restaurants, and plenty of outlet priced shopping. Music Valley Drive is walking distance from the resort as well, and boasts a few of the area's principal music-related attractions. The General Jackson showboat is docked close by and hosts a nightly dinner cruise, if that idea holds appeal for you. (If gambling is your thing, there's no casino around, but there IS the Grand Ol' Opry House where full price weekend show tickets could yield either a great pay-off of a performance or something akin to a total bust. No matter, the Boogie will have plenty of quality music to enjoy, regardless. ;-)

For those of you hankering for a great photo op, you could'nt really do much better than the Opryland Hotel. The heart of the resort features several grandiose conservatories, showcasing lush and gorgeously maintained plant life all year round. There are indoor canals with guided boat tours, elaborate fountains, and full-on waterfalls to provide a refreshing backdrop to your selfies.

I, for one, am excited to see how the event plays out and how the hotel staff responds to the vintage enthusiasts and rockabilly fans who will likely dominate the resort for a few days. There is so much promise, so much potential, so few drawbacks to the total prospect! I look forward to attending, helping promote in any way I can, enjoying the festivities so close to home, and generally helping The Nashville Boogie be all it can be.

Here's hoping that all of you will get your tickets quickly and join me in May!

Til Then,
So Long, Dearies!

XXOO,
Ashley

This post and others like it are made possible due to the kindess of my loyal sponsors, such as Glory Days Magazine. Glory Days is a vintage

lifestyle magazine heralding from New Zealand, where classic glamour and love for Rockabilly culture is still alive and well. Please click the link on the right and support Glory Days and all magazines like it, without whose readers events like The Boogie could slip past us all. We are a community and we need YOU in order to grow!