Broadway vs. Writers’ Rounds: The Real Nashville Experience

If you're going to Nashville for the first time, chances are you're thinking about Broadway—the neon lights, the multi-story bars, and the sound of live music pouring out of every open door. It's an experience, no doubt. But if you want to get to the heart of Nashville—the songs, the stories, and the people who make them—you've got to go beyond Broadway and step into a writers' round.

The Broadway Experience

Broadway is electric. The energy is high, the drinks are flowing, and the bands are playing everything from Garth Brooks to Guns N' Roses. It's where you let loose, sing along, and soak up the party atmosphere. The musicians on Broadway are some of the most talented players you'll ever hear, covering the songs you know and love with precision and power.

But here's the thing—it's all about performance on Broadway. The goal is to entertain, to keep the crowd engaged, and to play what people want to hear. There's nothing wrong with that. It's a blast; for many artists, it's a great way to hone their chops. But if you want to hear the music that hasn't been made famous yet, the songs that could be tomorrow's hits—or the songs that might never make it to the radio but will still stop you in your tracks—then you need to find a writers' round.

The Magic of a Writers Round

A writer's round is where the real magic happens in Nashville. Instead of a full band covering radio hits, you'll find a handful of songwriters sitting on stools, guitars in hand, taking turns playing the songs they wrote: no fancy production, no distractions—just raw, unfiltered storytelling.

Here, you get to hear songs in their purest form. It could be a song already cut by a major artist, or it's still waiting for its moment. Either way, it's an entirely different experience from Broadway. You're not just hearing music; you're hearing the heart and soul of the songwriter who created it. You get to listen to the stories behind the lyrics and the emotions that fueled them; sometimes, you even get a glimpse into the writing process.

The True Heart of Nashville

Broadway and writer's rounds are part of Nashville's identity but serve different purposes. Broadway is where you go to have a good time. Writers rounds are where you go to feel something more profound. It's the difference between listening to a polished radio single and hearing a song's first raw voice memo just after it was written.

If you're going to Music City, experience both. Belt out your favorite songs on Broadway, but sit in a quiet room and listen to a songwriter bare their soul. That's where the heart of Nashville truly beats.

This is why The Fire Round brings writers to Utah—so that people can experience that feeling in Nashville right here in Utah.