The Counter-Counter Culture

Good afternoon, everyone.

I’ve never thought of Nashville as a city that could accommodate a “scene” on the fringes similar to those found in larger Metropoles such as New York City or Los Angeles, but over this past week, it became clear that it has become large enough and relevant enough to support a sort of burgeoning counter-counter culture. The energy and type of person attracted by the Bitcoin Conference typify this, but the four events we hosted on the outskirts of the conference made it clear.

Despite the fact that BTC, Inc. is based here in Nashville and was able to draw 25,000 people to the city, the company still exists on the fringes. It doesn’t have purchase at the Metro Courthouse, nor does it seem to want any. And, based on the guests it courted, it is completely at odds with our political establishment. For the past two years, the conference has been in Miami. Next year, it will be in Las Vegas.

Local media ignored the organization’s presence for almost a decade until a few weeks ago, when the organizers announced that Donald Trump would speak at the conference. Aside from Vivian Jones at the Tennessean, coverage of the event ignored the broader cultural momentum building behind cryptocurrencies, electing to hone in on the Big Bad Orange Man (though in a surprisingly level manner).

In any case, Donald Trump’s declaration that he will make the US the crypto capital of the planet, ensure the security and presence of a strategic Bitcoin Reserve, and remove the anti-crypto regulators from their posts—SEC Chairman Gary Gensler, in particular—is noteworthy. A former president and current presidential candidate taking up the cause earnestly isn’t just legitimizing the industry but a sign of its growing cultural and political influence. Former libertarian presidential candidate Ron Paul was in attendance, as were Senators Bill Hagerty and Marsha Blackburn.

Shuttling between the conference and our collection of events, I began to see how Nashville has slowly grown large enough to accommodate a parallel set of institutions that can exert some pressure on the city government. This growth has occurred despite the actions of Metro government and behind the backs of those who have long steered the city forward, but it’s impossible to ignore now.

As Ella Castronuovo put it for the Nashville Business Journal in a charming piece on the conference, “After spending two days immersed in the bitcoin community….I was exposed to a brand new community — a new environment of new people who have been living under my nose this whole time.”

The size and draw of this community is only going one direction, and that is up.

Onward.

🏘️ Crowded Housing Over the last month, Metro Housing began their “robust engagement campaign,” beginning with four listening sessions to collect community feedback for their new Unified Housing Strategy. 

The July 18th meeting, held at the Bordeaux Library, was reminiscent of the eleventh-hour NEST gatherings held this spring. It began with an extensive introduction outlining some of the current data collected by the department, before progressing to a rundown of two recently established programs. One was The Catalyst Fund, launched this June and chaired by businessman and former mayoral candidate Jim Gingrich; the other was a home sharing program, set to launch in the next few months, that will connect home owners with prospective tenants.

As expected, attendees spent much of the session lamenting the mid-market housing gap in Nashville. Though there’s an estimated thirty-four thousand units available for rent, many spoke of their difficulties finding viable, affordable options without risking a hellish commute to work or eviction if they can’t make ends meet. Also mentioned time and time again was the struggle for renters to become homeowners. 

To both of those points, many empty-nesters—including a Metro council member—shared how their grown children are moving back home in order to pad their savings. But most surprising was the staggering number of older, retired constituents on fixed income who felt both trapped in their circumstance by the market and squeezed by rising property taxes. 

The meeting concluded after an hour of community input. Will Metro’s latest effort to address affordable housing turn out to be a repackaged version of NEST? That is yet to be seen. The Metro Housing Division plans to have a draft of the Unified Housing Strategy this fall and intends to roll out their policy recommendations next April. MEGAN PODSIEDLIK

🌾 Kash-Kountry Koalition Last night, former Trump administration chief of staff to the US Secretary of Defense Kash Patel held a fundraising event for his eponymous foundation at John Rich’s Redneck Riviera. The Kash Foundation grew out of Patel’s concerns about the lack of federal transparency and the subsequently strained relationship between US citizens and their government. According to its website, the 501c3 “raises money for legal defense matters, education programs, tuition assistance, and financial assistance for all Americans, with an emphasis on our active-duty military/veterans/law enforcement communities.” 

Rich, for his part, has been a tireless advocate for active service members, veterans, police, and first responders throughout his career as a singer-songwriter and entrepreneur. But, in today’s climate, such an act has become a “dog whistle” synonymous with the types of right wing views the Muzik Mafia mogul has become known for. 

It wasn’t always like this. The once expected pro-American lilt of the genre has soured in recent years, and the difference between the lineup of hit makers who donated their time to play at Kash’s event and the antics of their fellow country music colleagues is stark.

Flanked by the likes of Madison Cawthorn, FBI whistleblower Garrett O'Boyle, and other right wing figures, Aaron Lewis, Ira Dean, Jeffrey Steele, and Alexis Wilkins sang hit songs about appreciating your roots, raising up families, loving America, and honoring those who defend it. When you compare this with the recent headlines and narratives shared by the seemingly revolving door of female artists who tend to use the genre as a launching pad before bashing it on their way to pop stardom, there may just be a growing vacuum in country music begging to be filled. MEGAN PODSIEDLIK

DEVELOPMENT

• Out-of-town firms drop $72M on Nashville apartment complexes (NBJ)
• Nominal defense-technology company expanding to Nashville (NBJ)
• Green Hills site on which library once sat sells (Post)
• Investor pays $1.9M for Germantown building (Post)
• Planning commission approves Global Mall plan (Post)

THINGS TO DO

View our calendar for the week here and our weekly film rundown here.

📅 Visit our On The Radar list to find upcoming events around Nashville.

🎧 On Spotify: Pamphleteer's Picks, a playlist of our favorite bands in town this week.

👨🏻‍🌾 Check out our Nashville farmer's market guide and yearly festival guide.

TONIGHT

🎸 Celebrating Toby Keith @ Bridgestone Arena, 7:30, $59+, Info
+ feat. Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Jelly Roll, Darius Rucker, Carrie Underwood, Lainey Wilson and more

🎸 Donny Osmond @ Ryman Auditorium, 7:30p, $64+, Info

🥁 Analog Jazz with Sofia Goodman @ Analog Hutton Hotel, 7p, $15, Info

🎸 Open Mic Mondays @ Tennessee Brew Works, 6p, Free, Info

🪕 Val Storey, Carl Jackson, Larry Cordle & New Monday @ Station Inn, 8p, $20, Info

💀 Grateful Monday @ Acme Feed & Seed, 8p, Free, Info

🕺 Motown Monday @ The 5 Spot, 9p, $5, Info