Coast to Coast 2026 Part 2 Nashville 1

 

Coast to Coast 2026

Part 2 Nashville 1

Up at some unearthly hour to finish packing and check out and the taxi arrives at 04:00. I am in a bit of a state as I have received reports from JetBlue that there is road works around the terminal causing long traffic delays. We are on the edge for times and as we approach the airport we join a slow moving column of traffic. Inching forward I see our departure  creeping closer. Then the traffic was gone and we are at the building entrance. Still with a good margin of time we are helped with the check in  and a kind representative printed everything for us including the baggage tags. The last ones I did I destroyed and had to get them reprinted. Bags handed over and then security. So quick there was time for breakfast and I could relax a bit. The flight was only a couple of hours but there was a time zone change adding an hour.  It was a comfortable flight and we collected the baggage with no problems. I had been afflicted with stories of lost luggage watching too many American soaps. We called taxi and within a few minutes we were at the hotel. Had we been able to use our phones we could have called the hotel for a shuttle. We had Nomad our E-sim so as long as we had that connection we could contact each other. We were at the Raddison far too early to check in but were instantly offered an early check in, for a price which we took and after about an hour we were in a taxi heading for the venue to get Joon’s electronic ticket sorted. That was no mean fete. We were delivered to the back of the Stadium near gate 1. It was not yet open. Gate 11 was directly opposite. The Nissan Stadium holds 300,000. It is big. We headed for the city from that point walking across the main bridge following the music.

 Performances filled the free spaces. We found the broad street where every establishment had acts performing. We found some space in one bar, Posty’s, for a cool beer and a bite to eat. We walk up and down the street  and stop at the Hard Rock Cafe for tee shirts and gifts. We then head back to the stadium for when it opens at six. We find the ticket office at Gate 3 and they resolve Joon’s problems of no internet on his phone. He gets proper tickets but he has to do to Gate 1 to collect them. Back towards Gate 11 and find Gate 8 and hidden next to it Gate 7 the entrance we need to get to our seats. Gita can’t go in as bags are not permitted. She has to leave it in a secure locker in a tent in the car park across the road. Finally we get through electronic check in and are directed to a lift that takes us to a our block of seats. High and at the back. We climb to the top of the Stadium and find our seats.

It was amazing to see so many people and have so many big screens to see the artists and a sound system that acted as one. Our first night at the CMA opening with Charles Esten, Special appearances by Marcus King with Brooks and Dunn. Followed by Main Acts Jason Aldean, Brooks and Dunn, Darius Rucker, Ella Langley and Riley Green.

 Too much for our first day and we left early grabbing a taxi for $55 moving as the police demanded all the taxi’s to move on. W were quickly back to the hotel but too late to get something to eat. We survived on crisps and brandy and talked late into the night.