City Cast Nashville

The Nashville Scene’s 2025 Best of Nashville issue is on stands now, and holy crap, y’all named us the best podcast in town! Scene editor in chief D. Patrick Rodgers joins executive producer Whitney Pastorek and producer Daniel Sumstine to talk about the rest of the winners. Plus we dig into the results in Tuesday’s special primary election for TN’s 7th congressional district, the recall effort against CM Rollin Horton, and the NASCAR ethics complaint that Metro Legal just gave the green light. Get more from City Cast Nashville when you become a City Cast Nashville Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm/nashville   Want some more City Cast Nashville news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Nashville newsletter.  Follow us @citycastnashville You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 615-200-6392 Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

Is pumpkin spice delicious, or are we all victims of a massive marketing conspiracy? Either way, for the nutmeg-avoidant, there are plenty of other fall flavors to enjoy in Nashville right now. City Cast Nashville food and travel contributor Margaret Littman joins host Marie Cecile Anderson to share her seasonal faves.  Get more from City Cast Nashville when you become a City Cast Nashville Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm/nashville   Want some more City Cast Nashville news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Nashville newsletter.  Follow us @citycastnashville You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 615-200-6392 Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

The official seal of Metro Nashville and Davidson County is … strange. Which means our flag is also strange! Can we get a new one? D13 Councilmember and massive flag nerd Russ Bradford joins host Marie Cecile Anderson and executive producer Whitney Pastorek to discuss what the current one means, how it could be better, and what it would take to design a new one! Do you have ideas for a new Nashville seal and flag? Email us! Get more from City Cast Nashville when you become a City Cast Nashville Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm/nashville   Want some more City Cast Nashville news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Nashville newsletter.  Follow us @citycastnashville You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 615-200-6392 Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

Last month, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” disappeared from our Nashville airwaves. Now he’s back. So, who really controls our local TV stations, and what does the First Amendment have to say about this? Matt Gertz, senior research fellow at media watchdog organization Media Matters for America, joins executive producer Whitney Pastorek to explain. Plus, what’s going on with CBS and Tiktok … and why is Nashville at the center of that, too? Today is the primary special election day for the TN-07 Congressional seat.  Here is our guide to the leading candidates. Get more from City Cast Nashville when you become a City Cast Nashville Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm/nashville   Want some more City Cast Nashville news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Nashville newsletter.  Follow us @citycastnashville You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 615-200-6392 Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

As our city wrestles with a housing crisis, what happens when councilmembers and constituents clash over solutions? Host Marie Cecile Anderson is joined by Jamie Agin, a steering committee member for 16th United — a group formed in response to D16 Councilmember Ginny Welsch’s failed attempt to rezone their neighborhood — and D20 Councilmember Rollin Horton, who recently upzoned his district in The Nations. Tomorrow, Oct. 7, is the primary special election day for the TN-07 Congressional seat. Here is our guide to the leading candidates. Get more from City Cast Nashville when you become a City Cast Nashville Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm/nashville   Want some more City Cast Nashville news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Nashville newsletter.  Follow us @citycastnashville You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 615-200-6392 Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

With the federal government shut down, the stress on BNA’s air traffic controllers is growing — and the traffic over there isn’t getting any better. Executive producer Whitney Pastorek and producer Daniel Sumstine are joined by Nashville Banner staff reporter Sarah Grace Taylor to dig deeper into the big stories of the week, including her reporting on new ICE dragnet footage and the 100 Taylor Arts closure. Plus, Nashville SC won big, who just called the Titans “ass,” and WHY AREN’T YOU VOTING??? Primary special election day for the TN-07 Congressional seat is Tuesday, Oct. 7.  Here is our guide to the leading candidates. Get more from City Cast Nashville when you become a City Cast Nashville Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm/nashville   Want some more City Cast Nashville news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Nashville newsletter.  Follow us @citycastnashville You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 615-200-6392 Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

Mark Blankenship, Nashville bureau chief for The Food Section, joins host Marie Cecile Anderson to talk about how immigrant traditions are reshaping the city’s culinary scene. From family recipes carried across borders to restaurants redefining “Southern food,” they reflect on how Nashville has become home to so many cultures and cuisines. **This episode originally aired February 20, 2025. Get more from City Cast Nashville when you become a City Cast Nashville Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm/nashville   Want some more City Cast Nashville news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Nashville newsletter.  Follow us @citycastnashville You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 615-200-6392 Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

From cocktails in blood bags to eyeballs in corn, our city doesn’t snooze on spooky szn. Host Marie Cecile Anderson, producer Daniel Sumstine, and Hey Nashville newsletter editor Margaret Kingsbury have your guide to the best Halloween activities for kids and adults this month. If you’re looking for even MORE options, we’ve featured some great activities and important news stories across the city in recent episodes: We dug into the East Bank development and the current congressional election; told you about the best Latino restaurants and the best speakeasies in town; hosted a debate on downtown’s pedestrian safety problems and learned what it’s like to be a musician on Lower Broad. And if you can’t get enough ghost stories, we went inside the Ryman Auditorium to learn who’s haunting the Mother Church. Early voting is now open in the race for the TN-07 Congressional seat!  Here are the early voting hours and locations. Here is our guide to the leading candidates. Get more from City Cast Nashville when you become a City Cast Nashville Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm/nashville   Want some more City Cast Nashville news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Nashville newsletter.  Follow us @citycastnashville You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 615-200-6392 Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

It’s expensive just to walk out your front door in Nashville these days, but we wanted to put our bargain hunting skills to the test. Host Marie Cecile Anderson, producer Daniel Sumstine, producer of sponsored content Anthony Luciani, and executive producer Whitney Pastorek challenged themselves to plan the perfect day in our city while spending $50 or less. Who will win? Who will forget how comedy clubs work? And who will earn the ultimate title of Cheapy McCheaperson? Get more from City Cast Nashville when you become a City Cast Nashville Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm/nashville   Want some more City Cast Nashville news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Nashville newsletter.  Follow us @citycastnashville You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 615-200-6392 Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

The new Titans Stadium construction on the East Bank is pretty obvious, but what about everything else? Shawn Seaman, chief development officer for the Fallon Company — the development firm that won the bid to create “Nashville’s Next Great Neighborhood” — joins host Marie Cecile Anderson to give us the lowdown on when we’ll see cranes, what they’re building first, and who’s in charge of that pesky East Bank Boulevard. Plus: An exclusive announcement! Check out the East Bank plans to see the parcel numbers Shawn references in this episode. Apply for the Fallon Community Fund here. Get more from City Cast Nashville when you become a City Cast Nashville Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm/nashville   Want some more City Cast Nashville news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Nashville newsletter.  Follow us @citycastnashville You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 615-200-6392 Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

Two massive headlines dropped this week, with the resignation of Metro’s chief development officer Bob Mendes and the ethical complaint filed against Fair Board chair Jasper Hendricks alleging he’s been colluding with Bristol Motor Speedway to bring NASCAR to the Nashville Fairgrounds. Contributor Nicole Williams joins host Marie Cecile Anderson and executive producer Whitney Pastorek to dig deeper into those stories, the weapon detection systems being installed in Metro Nashville public middle schools, and more. Plus, there’s too much going on this weekend!Learn more about the sponsors of this September 26th episode:Babbel - Get up to 55% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST Get more from City Cast Nashville when you become a City Cast Nashville Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm/nashville   Want some more City Cast Nashville news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Nashville newsletter.  Follow us @citycastnashville You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 615-200-6392 Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

The Ryman Auditorium isn’t just the Mother Church of Country Music, it’s also one of the most haunted spots in Nashville. Tour guide Ken Wood takes us inside the Ryman’s Haunted History Tours (September 25th & October 3rd) to share spooky stories of country legends still hanging around backstage, unexplained sightings by late-night security guards, and the creepiest corners of the building. Learn more about the sponsors of this September 25th episode:Babbel - Get up to 55% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST Get more from City Cast Nashville when you become a City Cast Nashville Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm/nashville   Want some more City Cast Nashville news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Nashville newsletter.  Follow us @citycastnashville You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 615-200-6392 Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

With cooler temps rolling in, it’s the perfect season to explore Nashville’s climbing scene! Lark Hodges, General Manager of Climb Gyms, joins producer Daniel Sumstine to share her top tips for getting involved in one of the world’s fastest-growing indoor and outdoor communities. Check out our list of climbing spots mentioned in this episode on Overlook Maps!Learn more about the sponsors of this September 24th episode:Babbel - Get up to 55% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST Get more from City Cast Nashville when you become a City Cast Nashville Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm/nashville   Want some more City Cast Nashville news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Nashville newsletter.  Follow us @citycastnashville You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 615-200-6392 Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

We’re prepared to officially state that most of the “speakeasies” on local lists are … not actually speakeasies! (Don’t @ us.) City Cast Nashville contributor Amelia Edelman joins host Marie Cecile Anderson to help us define the term, shout out some truly hidden spots, and learn who’s got the best Prohibition-era vibes in Music City. Check out our list of the bars mentioned in this episode on Overlook Maps!Learn more about the sponsors of this September 23rd episode:Babbel - Get up to 55% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST Early voting is now open in the race for the TN-07 Congressional seat!  Here are the early voting hours and locations. Here is our guide to the leading candidates. Get more from City Cast Nashville when you become a City Cast Nashville Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm/nashville   Want some more City Cast Nashville news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Nashville newsletter.  Follow us @citycastnashville You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 615-200-6392 Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

With football season underway, we’re digging into the pros and cons of online sports betting in Tennessee — the largest online-only sports betting market in the country. Ryan Nanni, co-host of the Phantom Island podcast, joins executive producer Whitney Pastorek to talk about how these ubiquitous betting platforms work and what makes them so addictive. Plus: Could the new Titans Stadium or Fairgrounds racetrack include a casino someday?Learn more about the sponsors of this September 22nd episode:Babbel - Get up to 55% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST Early voting is now open in the race for the TN-07 Congressional seat!  Here are the early voting hours and locations. Here is our guide to the leading candidates. Get more from City Cast Nashville when you become a City Cast Nashville Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm/nashville   Want some more City Cast Nashville news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Nashville newsletter.  Follow us @citycastnashville You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 615-200-6392 Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

The Nashville International Airport experienced an “unprecedented surge” on Monday evening that left some travelers in gridlock for hours. Radley Balko, the investigative journalist behind The Watch and the author of Rise of the Warrior Cop, was one of those people. He joins host Marie Cecile Anderson and executive producer Whitney Pastorek to give his first-hand account of the BNA nightmare, as well as his views on President Trump’s decision to send the National Guard to Memphis — could they come here next? Plus, lots of GOOD NEWS and weekend activities to help y’all stay sane. Early voting is now open in the race for the TN-07 Congressional seat!  Here are the early voting hours and locations. Here is our guide to the leading candidates. Get more from City Cast Nashville when you become a City Cast Nashville Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm/nashville   Want some more City Cast Nashville news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Nashville newsletter.  Follow us @citycastnashville You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 615-200-6392 Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

Executive producer Whitney Pastorek and Hey Nashville newsletter editor Margaret Kingsbury sit down with Michelle Spiva, author of the book “Music City Musings: Old Nashville Knowledge for Newcomers,” to discuss her list of essential rules for life in our town. Spoiler alert: Leave the boots at home … and the celebrities alone! Read Margaret’s article on the Essential Rules here. Learn what to do in severe weather here. Did we miss an Essential Rule? Let us know — you might be featured on a future episode! ** This episode originally aired on Sept. 24, 2024 Early voting is now open in the race for the TN-07 Congressional seat!  Here are the early voting hours and locations. Here is our guide to the leading candidates. Get more from City Cast Nashville when you become a City Cast Nashville Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm/nashville   Want some more City Cast Nashville news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Nashville newsletter.  Follow us @citycastnashville You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 615-200-6392 Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

Early voting starts today in the special election primary to replace former U.S. Rep. Mark Green, who walked away from his TN-07 Congressional district seat earlier this year. We've got your rundown of the top candidates, as well as interviews with those who responded to our requests. Host Marie Cecile Anderson, executive producer Whitney Pastorek, and producer Daniel Sumstine break down who they are, what they stand for, and what’s at stake. If you’re in Nashville, here are the early voting hours and locations. Get more from City Cast Nashville when you become a City Cast Nashville Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm/nashville   Want some more City Cast Nashville news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Nashville newsletter.  Follow us @citycastnashville You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 615-200-6392 Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

After a summer of serious concerns in the downtown core, we brought in some stakeholders to talk it through. District 19 Councilmember Jacob Kupin and Vision Zero Advisory Committee member Charlie Weingartner join host Marie Cecile Anderson to face off on dangerous crosswalks, disappearing benches, bike lanes, and more. Get more from City Cast Nashville when you become a City Cast Nashville Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm/nashville   Want some more City Cast Nashville news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Nashville newsletter.  Follow us @citycastnashville You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 615-200-6392 Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.

The successful large-scale rezoning of the Nations raised controversy last month, which came as no surprise to District 16 Councilmember Ginny Welsch, who has tried unsuccessfully to apply similar upzonings in the neighborhoods she represents. CM Welsch joins host Marie Cecile Anderson to talk about why she’s not giving up on the density conversation, as well as why she’s pursuing her recent request to audit Metro’s Office of Homeless Services due to financial irregularities. Get more from City Cast Nashville when you become a City Cast Nashville Neighbor. You’ll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm/nashville   Want some more City Cast Nashville news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Nashville newsletter.  Follow us @citycastnashville You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 615-200-6392 Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE.