New Year’s Eve in the City of Music
Article via C.L. Wages ★ @see_doubleuu ★ January 6th, 2025
For this New Years Eve in East Nashville, me and my group were looking for something cheap and fun. We hopped around a few bars before landing on one that truly fit the vibe we were looking for. Which to be honest, wasn’t decided until we settled on our last destination
We started off the night on Gallatin with Nicoletto’s Pasta Co, which cheap, tasty carbs before a night of drinking? Say less. If you’re planning on going on New Year’s Eve, just make sure to double check the opening hours. To keep it cheap, we walked to our first destination, which was a short 12 minutes down the road. The walk itself was pretty uneventful and there’s power in numbers, so don’t be afraid to walk. This of course comes with using your better judgment and doing what you need to do to keep yourself safe and secure.
Our first destination was Martha My Dear, which promised champagne and a cookie at midnight, with no cover charge. Walking in, it was very crowded and had kind of a speakeasy vibe. If you're looking for something on the verge of dive-y, with country music, a pool table, and nashville-priced drinks, this might be the place for you! In all honesty, had this place had seating available and a different playlist, I could’ve hung out a lot longer. Unfortunately, it wasn’t for us, so we walked right next door to our next destination. Post Note: You only get a free cookie if you stay until midnight. I did not, so I cannot speak on the cookies however, the promise of it was quite appealing.
The Cobra is the local Gallatin Street goth/emo/punk vibe. With no cover charge unless you wanted to watch the goth techno show (which was only $20, and for nash, not that bad) we thought this might be the place. The drinks were cheap and they went down easy, especially since the crowd wasn’t present in the building. We played a couple of games of pool, but the music wasn’t quite our vibe, (and we got a little bored), so we decided to find somewhere else. If you’re heavy into the alternative scene and even the kink-scene in Nashville, or anywhere, for that matter, this might be your spot.
Once we decided that The Cobra and Martha’s weren’t for us, we started expanding our horizons beyond Gallatin street. We ventured over to Vinyl Tap. To be transparent, it was a 25 minute walk from Martha’s, but the wind chill making it feel like 42 degrees was more than enough to convince us to grab a ride. Though, if you’re feeling strong, I guess it technically was walking distance from Martha’s, another selling point for my group.
Vinyl Tap is a curious beast, taking second-hand record shopping and tasty drinks, and throwing them into a combination that works better than you think. This kitschy record shop/bar combo was perfect for me and my friends that were looking for a lower-key spot off of Broadway to hang out until the countdown. The vibes were that of an old record shop with a bit of a classy dive bar charm. For New Year’s Eve they welcomed patrons with no cover charge and a free shot of champagne. (Not to mention the classic movies that were being played on the TV throughout the night, like Fast Times at Ridgemont High, and the original Hairspray). Throughout the night, me and my friends had a wonderful time, and felt at ease there. Through playing games, talking to others, and dancing to the tunes, we rang in the new year there. The DJ that was onsight had a certain talent for reading the vibe and continued to play songs that got the crowd fired up. Being in a less-touristy area, Vinyl Tap seemed like the place to be for the local musicians in east Nash, most of which were more than happy to become your friend, especially if it meant getting a free drink and some more audience members for their upcoming gigs.
Some advice from one (slightly inexperienced) Nashville New Year traveler to another, be prepared to explore and dip out if things aren't feeling right. Most days when we went out, we bounced to a couple of different places before finding the right spot, or at least the one that felt right at the time. If you don’t want a huge crowd, the best advice would be to stay home. Even our “hidden gems” were packed to the brim with party go-ers. if you’re feeling super crazy, you can head out to centennial park for Nashville’s free new years eve bash, though be warned, 200,00-300,00 people are expecting to grab a spot here. Look for local spots and ask the locals around you where their favorite places to go are, that’s how you’ll find the spots you don’t want to miss.
Here’s to the New Year, and here's to counting down in Nashville. Happy 2025!
