Friday September 13, 2024
Slept soundly from 10.00pm until 4.00am at which point I woke up, went to the AFL app on the iPad to listen to the Hawthorn-Port Adelaide game. Nothing much seemed to happen in the first quarter for a while and I fell back asleep only to wake up about halfway through the third quarter when things got interesting. I switched between the ABC, 3AW and SEN broadcasts but settled on the ABC although Mick Malthouse, on special comments, seemed a bit rattled at times.
Unfortunately, when Sicily’s final kick for goal hit the left hand post, it wasn’t a fairytale ending, as I noted yesterday. The Ken Hinkley reaction at the end was a bit unpleasant but what do you expect when you poke the bear, as Jack Ginnivan managed to do?
In the afternoon, I decided to catch buses over to East Nashville to meet Anne McCue. The hotel is on the 3A bus line which takes you to the downtown interchange in about 15 minutes where you catch the 56 Gallatin Pike bus for a 20 minute trip to Five Points. The 3A arrived just seconds prior to a major downpour. I thought it might have been my lucky day and then I was sure it was when the balance on my bus app seems to be unlimited! I am sure this is only a temporary thing but it doesn’t seem to have diminished in a year. I am big fan of the bus service, although it is not used by as many people as it could be. Maybe that is because of the infrequency of some of the services. It often requires some patience and the timetables seem to be merely a rough guide at times (though nothing as bad as the services in New Orleans).
Five Points is the happening place in East Nashville, an intersection replete with cafes, restaurants, the Five Spot venue, hairdressers and dozens of other hip stores. It is the Brunswick Street of Nashville and many musicians live in the area. I suspect most of the neighbourhood’s population comprises musicians, although I am not sure how long they will be able to afford to live there. Some years ago I stayed over this way with my friend Tony Wood and his partner and son in a house along the main drag. It was a lot cheaper then. If you are coming over here and can find an AirBnB in the area it would be worth staying in this area.
I was an hour and half early to Five Points and discovered the East Nashville Library in an old building right near the bus stop and I spent a pleasant hour, doing some organising and listening to the sound of some music students from the basement. It was then a short walk to Bongo Java for some coffee before meeting Anne who wanted to check out The Vinyl Tap, a record store/bar/venue where she is playing soon. From there we drove back to Cilantro Mexican Grill at Five Points, where I have to say that the meal was exceptional, quite filling and excellent value at US$20 each.
Anne and I will be recording the radio program next Friday from Sound Stage Studios and we had some planning to do. Anne has been in Nashville for more than 20 years and is somewhat of a trailblazer for Australian artists here. Lucinda Williams is a big fan. In fact, Anne and I interviewed Lucinda at her house last year. Like Australia, it seems pretty hard for musicians to make a living here. Anne was recently on a long tour with the Trailblazing Women of Country earlier this year and teaches guitar to some students each week. We had a long talk about Americana ( a vexing subject), some of the projects that Anne will be working on, including a book and some novels, and other aspects of living in Nashville. I am very impressed that she has been able to persevere here for so long. I guess that this is a very nurturing place for musicians and there seem to be a lot of Australians here.
By the time we finished it was too late for a gig (plenty coming up), so Anne drove me back to West End Ave where I promptly collapsed into bed.