Nashville’s famous Bluebird Cafe has been closed for most of January, forcing the cancelation of several high-profile shows.
- The Bluebird Cafe has been open on Hillsboro Pike in Nashville since 1982.
- Writers’ nights and in-the-round performances became a staple several years later, with artists like Garth Brooks and Taylor Swift attending before they were famous.
- The single-story venue in a strip mall seats less than 100 people, but became especially famous when it was recreated during important scenes of the ABC drama Nashville.
Craig Wiseman and Special Guest Taylor Swift at Bluebird Cafe
Why Is the Bluebird Cafe Closed?
The Bluebird Cafe is closed due to a string of bad weather events in Nashville in January. On Jan. 8, storms forced the next day’s events to be canceled. Three days later, heavy rains caused leaks in the back of the restaurant.
“We will need to close until we get things dried and cleaned up,” a note on Instagram reads.
Three days after that, this happened:
The venue shared they’d remain closed through Jan. 17, but would later extend that to Jan. 21, citing weather-related damages.
“Please know, the Bluebird is not at risk but we do require some time to assess our current state and devise a plan so that we can reopen safely.”
On Monday, the Bluebird extended the time they’d remain closed through Jan. 28, but a look at the website shows events canceled beyond that.
When Will the Bluebird Cafe Re-Open?
All shows listed at the Bluebird Cafe website through Jan. 31 have been canceled (ticket-holders should have been contacted via email). So far, at least 17 events have been cut, including a Wednesday night (Jan. 24) benefit for Alive Hospice with Trisha Yearwood and a Jan. 28 writers’ night with hitmaker JT Harding.
RIAA sponsored open-mic nights slated for this weekend were also canceled, as was a Jan. 30 in-the-round with Darrell Scott. Right now, the next show on sale is on Feb. 1 when Sara Potenza and friends will be at the Bluebird for an in-the-round.
Through the closure, the venue has been actively promoting on-sale dates for shows in February and March. That’s a good sign for country music fans.
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Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes