Gigging in Downtown Nashville - Ask Zac 85 

Randy Nations here. I've lived and gigged in Nashville since 1995. I fronted the FIRST all-rock n roll band at The Stage on Broadway. We did it from 2002-2012. Before that club owners would fire bands that played any rock n roll- even 50s rock like Elvis or Jerry Lee. We brought all the Journey, Foreigner, Boston, 38Special, Brian Adams, Eddie Money, Outfield, Kansas, etc. And we were also the first band to play without a break. The club owner said he would pay us extra if we didnt take a break- so we played straight through from 10:30 til 2:15am every monday night for 10 years.

I went to Nashville in June. Got to see Guthrie Trapp, Luke Mcquery, John Bolinger and the Time Jumpers. Billy Gibbons was in the crowd that last night. Also checked out the new Gibson Garage. It was a pretty good trip!

Terrific stories Zac, where have those good days gone? Playing live along with associate musicians is THE best experience available.

This particular video solved a massive problem I was having with my pedal board. I only use over drives and a TC Chorus. I was using a boss TU 3 tuner and thought I would try a polytune for a change. I am using a 64 Blackface Twin with a 212 EV cab. I like it loud but all of a sudden I was getting this huge pop bang sound when stepping on pedals. I also received an overdrive valve pedal so I did not know what the problem was. I asked several experienced people what might be causing this. I pulled everything apart, tried different leads and pedal power options. Then I am watching this ask Zac video and he mentions his polytune having a popping issue. I have the bigger one and when I read the instructions which I don’t usually do it said you can change the true bypass switch to a buffer bypass. I did this and my problem was solved. Thank you Zac.

About 50 years ago I was playing with a country rock band at a dance club in Silver City, NM. I’d noticed a guy sitting on a stool at the bar for about the entire gig. On break I walked over to the bar to get a soda. The guy said to me “Son, you’re the best guitar player I’ve heard in a long time.” I thanked him sincerely. He goes on “No ones ever going to hear you playing places like this, you’ve gotta move to Nashville.” We chatted awhile about Nashville and in the course of the chat he said “I was in Nashville last year and heard this kid playing his tail off one night, next day I stopped for gas and the same kid came out and topped up my tank. You know how to do anything besides play guitar?”

That little black parlour sounds amazing.

Thanks for sharing this story with us Zac

great testimonial on those crunch gigs where you're flyin' by the seat of your pants and just hoping everything works...love the Waterloo.You are an inspiration to us all out here

I would've loved being in Nashville back in the 90s. That's my favorite period for country music.

Lots of music fans in out family one of which is an aspiring musician so we vacationed in Nashville last month - great time even in the tourist trap downtown. We all find music we like there, but you have to be willing to seek it out. Also, old guys can always find a good listen into the evening, but the 6PM "wet blanket" the downtown throws makes it hard on the under 21 family members. Great vid Zac! It's nice to hear about life on the other side of the mic....

Glad the gig turned out great for you. I’ve never been to Nashville but have always wanted to visit there. But I would sure love to.

Man that Waterloo sounds great!

Eastside!!TODD SNIDERRULES!!,nice one zac,we are fans

“There’s less eating at night”…cracked me up.

I lived in Memphis in the 90's but would come to Nashville every week for work and I always stayed at the Hotel (I think it was a Ramada then) next to the Broken Spoke Saloon it was a great place to drink, eat and listen to great music. I was just in Nashville for a Trade show downtown and stayed a block off of Broadway I hadn't been to Nashville in 4 years and could not believe how much it had grown, but now it's pretty much a tourist trap to crowed for this old man, but it was so much fun back in the day when Gruhn's Guitar just had the little shop on Broadway.

Love the stories! It's one of the things I enjoy most about watching your videos. I've played Downtown Memphis for the past decade, and it's trended very similarly to how you describe Nashville. Memphis is a rough, dirty, dangerous place. Make sure you know where you are at all times, and never ever ever park on the street. Pay to park in a parking garage or your vehicle will be stripped clean when you get back to it.

I enjoyed hearing your take on it, Zac. Thanks for sharing! I’ve been in Nashville seven years and Broadway has changed a ton. My wife and I are down there 5-8 shifts a week at this point and that’s scaling it back for me. I was doing 12-15.

Been watching your videos for about a month now, enjoy them quite a lot, thanks for the lessons

I am more impressed that you can talk for 22 straight minutes. No cuts or edits. That Waterloo sounds great.

Having lived in Baltimore I had to chuckle when you described “sketchy” 90’s Nashville!

I went to Nashville in the Spring of 2016 and had a great time. Top class music, all day long in all the bars on Broadway. At night I'd go to the Blues and Boogie Bar in Printers Alley.

Would have LOVED to hear you play acoustic…..pls do another video with acoustic setup etc….

I’m a live performer ! I haven’t done anything since COVID !! I need to get out there so it’s cool to see this video thanks !! 👍😊👏👏👏

I am absolutely in love with my WL-12. It's like my acoustic Tele. Bill Colllins was doin' the Lord's Work with the Waterloo line.

My friends play at Nudie's Honky Tonk from 10a-2p from Wednesday to Sunday almost every week...and yep it gets crazy down there

Nashville is weird now. I sure don’t know it well, but I was there several times in the early 2000’s Once to visit buddy Colin Linden, once to visit buddy Scott Holt and once just to go to see a Buddy Miller show (lol - but true!) It wasn’t as crazy then, at all. I was there in 2019 and it was like Zac described. Just nuts from noon til……! I have a Martin 00-17 in the Black Smoke finish. It’s X braced, Sitka on mahogany, and I just LOVE it. I’ve had it about 4 yrs and I play it all the time - and I have 5 various Martins! It’s my travel guitar, for sure. I haven’t flown with it, but in its gig bag it’ll go in an overhead, and it’s what I stuff in the car when space is at a premium. Cool episode, Zac Peace

The traffic is no joke. Evertime we go to a show the drive there is to say the least exciting. Delays on the interstate

Downtown has changed so much in my lifetime, and changes that you mention are spot-on. As a Nashville native, I have also seen downtown change from a place you wouldn't go to at all, to a fun, safe area where good music was played, to a touristy area that again I don't want to go to. I was fortunate to play at Robert's, Legends and Layla's when I was in a great band. It was a ton of fun other than parking woes. Keep up the great work here on YT!

I worked and played on lower Broadway back in the mid 70's. I worked days at Little Roy Wiggins Music City which was right across the street from Tootsies and filled in on bass at the old Music City Lounge (part of what is Rippy's now) when their regular bass player was on the road. Big learning experience for a young musician being thrown into playing songs I had never heard before and occasionally artists from the Opry (hadn't moved out to Opryland yet) would sit in for a song or two. Busy place on Friday and Saturday night.

I use to play a weekly gig on Broadway in the mid 90’s at a bar that no longer exists. Wow it’s wack a doo down there now, I never go down there much anymore. Kinda sad. Love your channel. Peace!!

Thanks Zac always a treat, you are always entertaining, and love yur playin, and tips. Only wish I could play like you.

I believe that you can open that tuner up and change the switch to turn true bypass off I know on mine you can but it is the regular size device maybe check your manual.

Super impressive playing a show that long Zac! Interesting to hear about the history of the places and vibes too. Your guitar sounds great! Nice that you were able to find a workaround to the tuner click.

Excited for the new channel: Zac Going Wild!!! Love the show man, thanks for all the great stories.

Well, bless your friend Austin for pushing you to do Ask Zac. He was right. 👍

Hi Zac, thanks for your talk about down town Nashville. I've been there a couple of times especially Broadway, and i have had a great time listning to the bands that play there. Never met anyone famous though. Great stories though.

I went to Carter’s several years ago to buy a Waterloo and came home with a Santa Cruz VS intstead… 😳 Don’t regret the decision, but still want a Waterloo. That’s a dangerous place, Carter’s!

Many moons have passed since the the days of Greg Garing with Justin & Kenny @ the upstairs “patio” at Tootsies and the OG lineup of BR-549 (following Roy Root and his wife) at Robert’s…. Lordy I’m old! Saw the clips, you guys sounded great!

New Ask Zac! Great out on the patio in the rain 🌧️ here in St Pete, Fl

I have been using the Petersen Strobe tuner, the kind the clamps on to the headstock. It is super accurate too. Thanks again Zac for these great stories. Keep 'em coming!! .....Russell D.

I like to look at Nashville like the wild wild West LOL. Printer's Alley still scares me

Cool story! Haven’t been to Nashville since mid eighties, sounds like it really has changed! Great sounding guitar!

I'm glad you had some fun with the gig. I watched the video while pitting six cups of ripe cherries. Time for homemade cobbler.

When I played the late shift every Wednesday/Friday night at The Stage from 2002-2010 it was still fun....I'd get there early and go check out Redd Volkaert / Johnny Hiland / JD Simo at Roberts or maybe down to Legend's Corner to see my friends Thompson Square . Now it's just a full-on cacophony of drums bouncing around off the brick walls and batshat crazy people / homeless gawkers checking out the girls/and backwards ballcaps. Totally lost the vibe.

Great story! Broadway sounds like 6th Street in Austin. Used to be a great place to hear good live music. Now it's where people go to get drunk and fight. Only a few good live venues left in Austin. I really enjoy your story telling.

I was in Nashville in June. Went into Roberts Western World and saw this kid Luke Mcqueary playing with Kelley's Hero's. Man can he tear it up on guitar! Know anything about him? I had never heard of him before. If anyone is in Nashville definitely go check him out with Kelley's Hero's, you won't regret it.

I’ve always preferred the sound of a Gibson acoustic, and I think its the mids like you were talking about. I wonder if bracing has anything to do with it. I’ve always sortof disliked the Martins I’ve played and seriously can’t connect with a Taylor. I can’t find any reliable info on how Gibson braces, but some sources say that two j45s in sequential order from the factory could have either ladder bracing or x-bracing respectively. Not sure if that’s true, but I’ve always found it better for the rock and roll/country sound I’m looking for.

I remember that exact thing happening to me the first time I used a Tc tuner live, bloody shit myself when that pop came through the pa lol. Cheers

Very cool story Zac! Brought me back to my playin days when you mentioned 4 hrs straight thru…..lol…..sounded like a cool gig!!

A day in the life of Zac Childs! I’m smiling… good stuff…

Basically, the Waterloo guitars have taken the 1930s Gibson made Kalamazoo guitars and reissued them. The Kalamazoo Gibson guitars were ladder braced whereas Gibson branded versions were X braced. The Waterloo range also covers the Kalamazoo flat top mandolins, If you buy an old Kalamazoo from the 1930s, the chances are it has bellying- whereas the Gibson branded guitars do not suffer from this on such a scale- and that's another long term advantage of the X bracing- it helps prevent bellying.

Good tip on the tuner, I was about to put that very one on on my acoustic board, running into a PA - guess I won't - Going to save a little dough and stick to the soundhole tuner. Thanks

I wish we could see some footage from your gig! I bet y'all were great.

That Waterloo is a cool guitar. I love my Martin 00015M for some of the same reasons.

I played steel guitar in the alley in the early 80 s. Played at Barbara's. Gene O'Neal played at the other end. Met a lot of old timers back then. Grady Martin etc. On and on.

Great story Zac! I enjoy these videos.

Yeah, that Waterloo does sound really great. Very punchy mids and don’t have to fight it. Picked up a Martin OMC 15ME all mahagony w cutaway, darker but also less bottom end. You’re a brave man but at least it was daytime.

Have wondering if you still gigged any more. Glad to hear you are.

I grew up in Cypress Texas. Once I had a girlfriend in Kingsville I met at church! Brooke, ahh yes. Memories. Thank You! I just moved from Nassau Bay/Kemah to Austin,

4 hours Mate .. no breaks. You’re a better man than me Gunga Din! We take a break ( short one) after 1 hr45. My drummer gotta go potty. Lol 😂

Love this video. Thank you so much!!!!

Nashville is about a 6 hour ride from where I am in Ohio. I like going down for Summer NAMM and it is a busy place during that time. Hopefully next year with my grandson to show him around and give him a tour around Belmont so maybe he will choose to go to school there. Zac, I will hit you up when the time comes to give me the must see stuff there!

Yea man, All I do is Acoustic gigs anymore Solo mostly or Duo . I use a pedal board just like I would for Electric. I have the boss Tu 3 on it . And I prefer to use my own LR Baggs DI . The Boss doesn't make any clunking sound thru the PA. Thought your acoustic sounded really good, and different.

Man, I miss the Nashville of the late90's. The players you would see in the dive bars were AMAZING. And BR5-49 at Robert's (before Don Kelly was there)? Amazing.

I love the Loo Loo's. Awesome guitars.

Sounding good brutha! Rock N Roll

Really enjoy the stories!!

Almost afraid to watch :) First time i saw a London Records record was a gift of The Rolling Stones "Tell Me". I was like 7 in '64. Second was another gift, same member of family, Nashville Teens "Tobacco Road" like weeks later. Year later The Lovin' Spoonful release "Nashville Cats". Ok, i knew about Chet Atkins when i was in Kindergarten but didn't know the 'reach' My all time fave Steve Miller album Number 5 gives thanks to this town's area code. Charlie McCoy and the guy who did the lead work for lead track, Good Morning. Name escapes me. Still sounds great. I'd go there maybe to watch,,, that would be it.

Maybe I just don't get out enough, but I have NEVER heard anyone say they prefer ladder bracing. I appreciate your explanation. Mid-rangy? I'd never thought of it and appreciate your professional opinion. Lo-fi? See below. I, too prefer ladder bracing. I had a vintage Martin 0-17 and thought I was all set in the acoustic guitar department. Then I played a vintage LGO in a shop one day and was dazzled by it's gritty blues tone - like Robert Johnson. Bought it! I eventually had to sell the Martin, with not too many regrets. Still have the LGO!

I played in a band for a few years that had 2 sub guitarist and 3 sub drummers. We rarely practiced and we had gigs booked out the wazoo. We always played at least 3 days a week. Practice was we are adding this song to the list in this key. Learn because we will be playing it. I made more money with that band than any serious band that I ever played with. We always ahd a crowd and had fun.

Zac theres a guy that was in Nashville and toured and recorded with alot of big stars back in the day. Ever hear of a guy named Luke Brandon?

You can tell. X bracing. From. Ladder in the sound. I like the 1920. Gibson carved top. Snake head. .June Carters. Mother Had two .

I'm only 11 minutes into the video...but I hope you're about to tell us that this performance was filmed!

Great content man you should break out the R9 and show us some blues licks!

My places were the Palace Gaebes and Real Country when I lived in Hendersonville all but the Palace are gone now except the Palace

My wife of 50 plus years and I have been traveling a lot since back when I was in the army in 1970 and we went from fort to fort with everything we owned in a 66 Mustang ( 66 Mustang, on Burlington Bill you tube). Anyway Nashville has always been one of our favorite destinations. I bought my Martin years ago just down the street from Tootsies at a famous music shop. The town has changed( not for the better) for us older people. For the young it's probably great. One thing that hasn't changed is there still is the best music and music makers there. Kind of like this channel Rock on Zac!

⚓️ Thanks Zac 😎

This is great!

That guitar sounds amazing

Reggie Young on TruTown Lounge is a 💎

It’s interesting to hear a resident of Nashville‘s perspective of downtown. I’ve been going to Nashville once a year for about the last 10 years and have always felt safe going to the clubs downtown. I come from north of Chicago. No matter where I go downtown, the musicianship is always top-notch, which is why I keep going there.What I have always been curious to know is do the musicians receive a wage or do they play strictly for tips?

Love yer videos. Is that a pickup on your acoustic? If it is… it sounds GREAT! Would be curious to know. Always trying different setups for acoustic gigs. Hate not using a mic, but sometimes, you got to. Thanks!

Wow! Broadwy has really changed since I lived in Nashville in the late ‘70s. I would sometimes take a Broadway gig, but I was told that if you got branded as a Broadway picker, you’d never get hired for anything better. Plus, they paid a little bit of nothin’! I did a few gigs at Demon’s Den, and I played The Wheel once-I don’t think either of those places are still there. That area was really rough-a friend of mine named Darrell Chapman; great guitar player, was playing Demon’s Den one night and got into a disagreement with a biker, and the guy waited for Darrell outside the club and when Darell left, the guy pulled out a gun and shot him at point-blank range. Darrell managed to crawl across the street before he died

Would love to hear an example of you playing slide mimicking the string bends. thanks

Cool story 😎🎙🎸✅

Dug the alley!! Shhhhh

Better music on the out skirts of town !

I like the 1930 s Klamazoo .

...plus it sounds great on RU-vid

Yup

Hey zac just moved to Nashville for work , but all I do outside of the job is play music , guitar in specific, any suggestions for finding some people to jam with

So, a bad idea, did the DI have both a 1/4 and an XLR output? Could you have always had your tuner on, fed by the 1/4 out of the DI and just tune as you hear it’s out? Love the channel! Keep it up!

I'm liking the Waterloo ...4 hour gig with basically no breaks ...that's impressive.....we do 3 hour gigs with 2 breaks ...and it's still tuff ...I will say , along with country ...we do Beatles , ELO , Tom Petty , Jayhawks , Cheap Trick , Pure Prairie League ..etc ...i guess my point is there's a lot more acoustic lead work in these tunes , and it's a struggle ....I'm thinking of going Fender Tele Acoustasonic ....your thoughts on that guitar Zac ?...thx

aw man. tricked again by the RU-vid algorithm. And here I had my frog pole all ready to go!

Austin sucks in the same way now imo. (the city, not your friend, Zac! lol)

Zac, is there a video of you playing the Grand Ole Opry?

4 hrs without a break is like slavery.

Are there other venues around the Nashville area, outside the downtown party zone, you recommend for great county music?

0.15 wait a minute that's not a tele!!

Hey Zac, I looked through messages and may have missed it. But what pickup are you using on the Waterloo? Thanks for your knowledge, today!