Waltz Me To Heaven: Ryman Auditorium

Not being a great writer or a critic, I find it difficult to express my feelings about Jason Isbell's Sunday night show at the Ryman. My first trip to this historic auditorium was memorable in a way that I could never have imagined. I have been obsessed with Southeastern for almost a year and was a little scared to move on to Something More Than Free. I was worried that I would not love it as much as Southeastern. Now I can say the worry was unnecessary.

Isbell opened Sunday night's show with "If It Takes a Lifetime" and played straight through his new album. He said we would probably be the only people to hear it that way. After a break, he came back and played songs from Southeastern including "Stockholm", "Flying Over Water" and "Cover Me Up" when the chemistry on stage between Isbell and his wife Amanda Shires was palpable. He wrote "Cover Me Up" for her, and it is beautiful!

My whole family loves Jason Isbell, and my kids know the words to many of his songs. Hearing him at the Ryman where the acoustics are among the best in the world was a treat like no other. I hope he makes this October show an annual gig! Emily and I will be there!

During Cover Me Up (that is his wife, Amanda Shires, on the fiddle)

I am just as obsessed with Jason Isbell (evidence HERE and HERE) as Traci is, plus I love a chance to go to a show at the Ryman. I was a little worried that after seeing him there last year (which was INCREDIBLE) this show would be a disappointment. Tragedy averted!

Linking up with:

Birdie Shoots

Two Thirty-Five Designs

I love any excuse to go back to Nashville, and it is even better when I get to share my beloved city with friends. So, you can imagine my excitement when Traci said that she and Will wanted to go for the weekend to see Jason Isbell at the Ryman. The weather didn't exactly cooperate (seems to be a running theme in my fall travels), but that didn't slow us down one bit. We waltzed our way through the city. We ate, we shopped, we partied, we visited with friends. It was a perfect weekend!

Things in Nashville have exploded over the last ten years, and every time I'm in town, there are so many new places that I'm dying to try. Two highlights this trip were 5th & Taylor and Rolf and Daughters. Both restaurants are in Germantown, both have delicious food and a cool atmosphere and both are really difficult to get into on the weekend. We visited 5th & Taylor the first night, and we all enjoyed their modern take on classic American cuisine. Our second night in town we went for an early dinner at Rolf and Daughters before the show. This one has been on my list try for some time, but I've never been able to get a reservation when I'm in town. Aside from the hostile hipster hostesses who greeted us at the door, the whole experience was really fun, and the food was as incredible as everyone says. From there we rolled on to the Ryman Auditorium to see Jason Isbell perform (more on that later) before crawling into bed at the Hutton Hotel. This was my second time staying there, and I love it. It conveniently located, and they provide shuttle service to downtown should you need it. Plus, the rooms are really nicely appointed, and they stock the baths with Molton Brown products, which makes me happy. I highly recommend it if you're planning a Nashville getaway.

There are so many cities that I love to visit over and over again - New Orleans, Austin, New York, Paris, to name a few- but Nashville is a part of who I am. It feels like home to me in a way no other place ever has. Don't get me wrong, I love being surrounded by friends and family in Pensacola, but a part of me aches when I have to leave Nashville.