Music City Food + Wine - Nashville's Ultimate Foodie Weekend

Held at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, Music City Food + Wine Festival is my favorite festival of the year.

Y'all. Last weekend was perhaps my favorite weekend of 2016.
...and 2015.
...and 2014.

Notice the trend?

Hanging with mah boos, Maneet Chauhan, Beth Sachan of Eat. Drink. Smile. and Kristin Luna of Camels & Chocolate. 

Music City Food + Wine Festival, one of Nashville's premier foodie events put on by Food and Wine magazine and the Kings of Leon. Mingle and meet with your favorite chefs at the Grand Tasting (unlimited bites and drinks), attend culinary demos, boozy tasting sessions, and listen to the best music in town. Food + Booze + Music = my absolute favorite kind of combination.

Let's get to it the best way I know how to recap: via a photo round-up of the weekend.

CMA Fest 2016 - Relive it Wednesday, August 3!

Sam Hunt @ CMA Fest (photo by Chandler Turner)

One of my fave summertime weeks in Nashville: CMA Fest, a four day celebration in June featuring some of the greatest music to come out of our town. It was SUCH a blast to partake in the festivities this year, and I certainly can't wait to relive it all this Wednesday August 3, during “CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock,” at 7:00 on ABC. 

Hosted by Brett Eldredge and Thomas Rhett, the biggest names in Country Music (Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Chris Stapleton, Maren Morris, Martina McBride, Dierks Bentley <swoon>, Jason Aldean, Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Eldredge, Florida Georgia Line, Rascal Flatts, Thomas Rhett, Blake Shelton, Cole Swindle, Cam, and Keith Urban - whew) join talents with Elle King, Pharrell Williams, Steven Tyler, and more for collabs that you cannot miss. 

The special will feature Bentley performing with Elle King; Bryan with Urban; Eldredge and Thomas Rhett; Lady Antebellum with Cam; Little Big Town with Pharrell Williams; Rascal Flatts with Maren Morris; Tyler with Martina McBride; Hank Williams, Jr. with Chris Janson and Justin Moore; and Chris Young duetting with Cassadee Pope. You can't make this level of epic up.

SO, you should check out a little preview of the show with one Carrie's hottest new singles, and a few shots from the night courtesy of experiencenash.com collaborator Chandler Turner. 

Luke Bryan @ CMA Fest

Chris Stapleton @ CMA Fest

Carrie Underwood @ CMA Fest

Open Mic Night June 27 at the Bluebird Cafe!

Hey Nashville. I have exciting news!

But first, let’s talk about where it's all going down, the historic Bluebird Café: a Nashville institution where legends are born. Perhaps you’ve heard of Garth Brooks, Keith Urban, Kenny Chesney, or maybe Taylor Swift? Yes –- they ALL had their breaks at Bluebird. Who’s next you might ask? Well, I’m SO excited to team up with WHOLLY GUACAMOLE® to host #LiveWhollyTour, an open mic night June 27 at 6:00 PM -- where we just might discover Nashville’s next big name in music.

We all know Snapchat turns us into adorable puppies and gorgeous flower-crowned goddesses, and auto tune turns any of us hairbrush-singers and traffic-harmonizers into Carrie Underwood. Life is best when lived unfiltered and authentic, right? This is why we’re teaming up with Wholly Guacamole, who is making a cross-country journey to find America’s most talented, unfiltered musical talent. The ultimate winner will receive $10,000, and a chance to pursue their music dream opening for a national act -- proving these crazy dreams can and do come true, especially when you stay true to your authentic self. Not making it to the Nashville audition? You've still got a chance! Submit your audition online here.

We all know Nashville is home the most authentic, raw-talented musicians in the world, and what a fabulous opportunity we have to showcase this yet again to the world. You’re not going to want to miss out on the chance to see our next hometown superstar – and I’ve got the scoop on how you can watch it all go down: Follow along the night of with Experience Nashville! Here’s how:

@experiencenash on Instagram

@experiencenash on Twitter

@mattniehoff on Snapchat

livewhollytour.eatwholly.com

See you June 27!

This post was sponsored by WHOLLY GUACAMOLE® -- a brand which knows real life is best lived unfiltered and authentic. Those who truly live, know how to #LiveWholly. With no added preservatives or artificial colors or flavors, but instead made with Hass avocadoes and nutritional ingredients like tomatoes and garlic, WHOLLY GUACAMOLE® is authentically delicious and nutritious, with no compromises.

Free Blake Shelton Concert on Music Row!

Heyyyyyyyyyy Nashville!

Here's your chance to join me at a concert with one of the biggest names in country music (+ with some of the best food trucks in town. Yassss.) Blake Shelton is playing a show next Wednesday, September 23, on iconic Music Row here in Nashville -- and the best part is that it's 100% free.

And here are all the deets:

Date: Wednesday, September 23rd
Time: Gates Open 4:30 PM, Show 5:30 PMLocale: Warner Music Nashville | 20 Music Square East
Rain or shine.

Note - you'll want to prepare for what's likely to be crazy traffic and use alternative transportation - parking is limited. IMO, Uber + Lyft will be your best bet. Music Square East will be closed from Roy Acuff Place to Music Circle North from 3 PM until 8 PM.

Annnnd perhaps my favorite part about this event the FOOD and drank. Here's what trucks are planning on being there: Hoss Loaded Burgers, Smoke Et Al, The Grilled Cheeserie, Crankee’s Pizza. Beer provided by Bud Light.

Finally, it's the day before my birthday, so presents will be accepted. (Kidding. Sort of.) See you there!

It's CMA Fest Bingo Time

Y'all. CMA Fest week brings upon us a TON of crazy to Nashville (but tons of tax dollars, but tons of tax dollars, but tons of tax dollars. keep. reminding. self.) But, thankfully for those who have to leave your house this week to brave the depths of downtown, I am bestowing upon to you CMA Fest Bingo 2015.

Mad props to my friends at Stunt Double Creative for creating the board for 2015 - and - good luck out there!

10 out of Tenn's 10 Favorites in Nashville

I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with a few members of the supremely talented singer-songwriter supergroup, 10 out of Tenn (specifically, members Trent Dabbs, Erin McCarley, Katie Herzig, K.S. Rhodes, Matthew Perryman Jones, & Tyler James.) We chatted about their newly-released collaborative album - an incredible and unique collection of songs sampling sounds from 20 of the group's most talented members (available for purchase here), their upcoming 10th Anniversary Show on 4/24 at the Ryman (tickets still available here), our mutual love for Home Alone and this glorious town where they all got their start over ten years ago. 

Ten out of Tenn Show @ The Ryman

Rarely do I get this excited about a show.

And thankfully for Nashville, one of my favorite groups of musicians is gifting us with their musical fabulous-ness at their upcoming 10th birthday show at the Ryman. The roster of artists involved with this group speaks for itself:

Kyle Andrews, Andrew Belle, Butterfly Boucher, Trent Dabbs, Andy Davis, Madi Daiz, Gabe Dixon, Mikky Ekko, Katie Herzig, Griffin House, Jedd Hughes, Tyler James, Matthew Perryman Jones, Jeremy Lister, Erin McCarley, Ashley Monroe, k.s. Rhoads, Sarah Siskind, Amy Stroup, Joy Williams.

27 artists, 7 tours, 6 compilation albums, over 500 TV/Film placements and hundreds of live shows amongst this group. They have shared the stage with musicians such as Rihanna, Bon Iver, Taylor Swift, John Mayer, Ingrid Michaelson, REM and Sarah McLachlan, to name a few.

Right?

Although at this point I don't feel it's necessary to continue to elaborate, I am going to: this is a show you simply do not want to miss - and a rare chance to see some this town's most talented sharing the stage. That said, if you are anything like me and are often that person in your group of friends who isn't 'in the know' with the 'hip' music and shows happening in Nashville - THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO IMPRESS YOUR FRIENDS. Just causally mention you got tickets to this show and their perception will be forever changed. You're welcome.

Get those tickets here.

Little Big Town, CTD.

Little Big Town Performing Live for Walmart Soundcheck

Fresh off of winning their much-deserved 2014 CMA Award for Vocal Group of the Year, Little Big Town has released the remainder of their interview and live performances from a recent session with Walmart Soundcheck. Ya'll. You must check it out.

Episode 2 features performances of LBT's classic 2005 (and first top ten) hit "Boondocks", and "Quit Breaking Up with Me" from their new record Pain Killer. They candidly share a bit about their love for our city, too, with member Philip Sweet mentioning that "the minute I drove into this town it felt like home... People just embraced me here, and it makes you feel like it's a real community. It's like a small town." Jimi Westbrook adds, "There's so many great things going on right now in town, too. There's new restaurants coming, all these amazing chefs are moving here. I think culturally it's just changing and expanding." 

No doubt an exciting time to be in Nashville. I love this little (big) town. 

Okay, so that was really bad. Continuing on.

LBT dishes even more on the new record in Episode 3, along with performances of last summer's hit "Pontoon" and Pain Killer's "Stay All Night" - the latter being quite possibly my favorite moment of the entire Soundcheck. The group's true, raw talent and brilliant harmonies shine on this number, and whew. Jimi just Breaks. It. Down. And yes, it is incredible.

Check out episodes 2 & 3 of Little Big Town's Walmart Soundcheck here.

Have you taken a listen to Pain Killer yet? What are your thoughts on the new record?

Check out a Live Performance from Little Big Town (and allow me to profess my love for just a moment)

Little Big Town's sixth studio album, Pain Killer, has officially graced us with its presence this week and ya'll - it is fantastic. I recently had the pleasure of sitting in on their Walmart Soundcheck live performance which further reiterated to me why they are one of most talented bands currently in country music. Their soaring harmonies, the quality of songs, the raw emotion: in other words, another level of talent, and the antithesis of 'bro country' - a welcome breath of fresh air and qualities which are increasingly (ridiculously) rare in country radio today.

Chatting with Little Big Town

Pain Killer's first single, Day Drinking, is the featured number on the first of a three-episode series the group recorded for Soundcheck, along with an exclusive interview featuring a little background on the new record. The fabulous Karen Fairchild says it best when she describes Pain Killer as aggressive, bold, and brave and notes they "wrestled it to the ground." Damn girl. I love it (and you. Ps. Remember when you told me I was cute?)

So, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and check out recording - I promise, you won't regret it. Oh, and while you're there, you can also enter to win a signed guitar by Little Big Town. Nbd.

Be sure to stay tuned, as the remainder of LBT's episodes will be released in the upcoming weeks.