3 Best Performing Arts in Nashville, Tennessee

Five Points favorite the 5 Spot is a great place to grab a quick drink and an even better spot to catch a show or cut a rug. The venue/bar hosts a bevy of local musical talent as well as a number of weekly dance nights, including the wildly popular Motown Mondays, which features, you guessed it, a danceable selection of soul and R&B classics. Keep an eye out for Two Dollar Tuesdays, too, a regular concert series hosted by local musician Derek Hoke.

Affectionately known as "the Beast," the Basement East is an East Nashville offshoot of the long-popular Basement venue located across the river. The midsize venue draws an eclectic array of local bands and nationally touring acts and hosts shows in an intimate environment convenient to Five Points. If you're hungry before or after a show, head around back to the Pub, which serves a full menu of entrées and snacks and a wide variety of booze.

While the Cobra is open on non-show nights, too, the East Nashville bar/venue is especially known for its live music. If your tastes venture outside country and Americana, you'll be pleased with the variety of music represented in the Cobra's nightly lineups, which often include local and national rock acts. The Cobra is also lively spot for a drink or a quick bite, so stop in early to enjoy the divey atmosphere.