3rd and Lindsley ponders relocation

3rd and Lindsley, the 30-year old live music institution, is looking for a new location as the property owner ponders redevelopment.

Why it matters: Nashville's live music industry is in a state of upheaval, with independently owned venues facing a precarious future.

• In the last year, the Exit/In property sold and its longtime operators are likely to be forced out.
• The operator of the Mercy Lounge music venue complex also announced he is looking for a new location and would be winding down his Cannery Row clubs.

Driving the news: A redevelopment concept submitted recently to the Metro Planning Department proposes to replace the club and other current tenants in the mixed-use development with a massive apartment complex.

The intrigue: 3rd and Lindsley owner Ron Brice confirms to Axios that he is hunting for a new space but has a couple of years left on his lease to "time out a move."

• Unlike recent instances of music venues being displaced, the situation between 3rd and Lindsley and the property owner does not appear to be contentious.
• "I currently have a deal working for a killer space in WeHo, also in planning, that is supposed to time out for us," Brice tells Axios.

Between the lines: 3rd and Lindsley serves a vital role in Nashville's music ecosystem because it books artists from a diverse array of genres. The club also gives up-and-coming artists a dependable venue to hone their craft.

What they're saying: Metro Councilmember Freddie O'Connell, who represents the area south of Broadway where 3rd and Lindsley is located, tells Axios he hopes the club finds "a new home, and I'll be interested to see what's proposed for the site."

• "As someone who's seen a lot of shows at 3rd and Lindsley, I'm always anxious when I hear about another independent venue put at risk," O'Connell says. "In this case, while some of the romance is the space inside, the overall strip it's a part of is such an unusual little footprint of a growing downtown and isn't quite a Ryman Auditorium or a Station Inn."