Hear the Songwriters Behind Nashville's Hits at The Bluebird Cafe
Songwriters trade verses and stories in a 90-seat strip-mall room in Green Hills, playing the hits they wrote for other voices.
🎟️ Getting In
Three or four songwriters sit in the center of a 90-seat room, taking turns on their own songs and the stories behind them. That is In the Round, the format the Bluebird calls its signature, and most rounds run Tuesday to Saturday; some shows are played In the Row, from the small stage. Either way the front row is an arm's length from the guitar.
Reservations open at 8 am Central on bluebirdcafe.com: the 9 pm Blue Monday and Tuesday to Thursday shows a week ahead, Friday to Sunday shows on the Monday of that week. Up to six seats per order, and random ID checks at the door mean the name has to match.
A 15 dollar food and drink minimum applies to every seat on top of the cover charge and tax, waived at the 6 pm Monday Open Mic, which takes no reservations and runs entirely first come, first served.
Walk-up seats are limited and never guaranteed: 10 to 12 at most Tuesday to Sunday shows, 20 to 30 for the 9 pm Blue Monday, released first come, first served when the doors open. Once a show has started, any reserved seats still unclaimed are filled from the walk-up line. No holding spots in line, and everyone in the party has to be there.
Doors open at 5:00 pm for the early show and 8:30 pm for the late show, except the 5:30 pm Monday open mic and Sunday's Writers' Night at 7:30. Most shows run about 90 minutes; the Sunday Spotlight runs 60.
This is a listening room, so the Shhh policy keeps voices low during songs, with time to talk before, between and after sets. By the Bluebird's own history, Scott Borchetta saw a teenage Taylor Swift play here. Park in the small front lot or the larger gravel lot behind the cafe, entered by the alley next to United Community Bank; check in at the main Hillsboro Pike door.
