Visiting Music "Meccas"

[Greg Mein]

I've done a lot of traveling and when I get the chance I really enjoy visiting historical music history/museum locations. I'd be curious about where others have visited and some of your favorites.

I'll list the ones that come to mind for me:

 

1. Sun Studios in Memphis. This is like sacred ground, just amazing to see and tour, the amazing things that happened in a relatively humble little building. I've been here twice.

 

2. Motown in Detroit. This is also akin to sacred ground and a close second to Sun. It's another fascinating tour, the studio is a converted garage and they used the attic for an echo chamber. The second time I visited here they allowed us to take photos in the studio, we were told that was rarely allowed.

 

3. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. From the architecture to the exhibits this place really stands out as a must see. In "The Garage" you can actually jam, which my wife and I were quite eager to do. They had a top notch collection of instruments available to use; new Gibson Les Pauls & acoustic models, Nord keyboards, etc.. I've visited here twice also.

 

4. Graceland in Memphis. This is probably one of the top tourist attractions in the country and very interesting to see. I've visited twice here also.

 

5. The Gibson hollowbody electric factory tour in Memphis. I don't believe it's open for tours anymore but it's amazing to see the guitars as they go from raw materials to finished products. I got to see this twice also.

 

6. Elvis' Birthplace in Tupelo. Actually not a lot to see here, the tiny house where Elvis was born. We dropped in for some lunch at Johnnie's Drive In down the street afterwards.

 

7. The Johnny Cash Museum in Nashville. My wife and I were just there at the end of May on the Friday at the beginning of Memorial Day weekend. It was also an impressive display of artifacts and information that we really enjoyed.

 

8. The Buddy Holly Center in Lubbock. Another fascinating tour back in time, not a huge display but very interesting and worthwhile. My wife and I visited here back in early January this year.

 

9. The Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake. The only reason this place still exists is due to the 1959 plane crash tragedy. Walking in is like stepping back in time. They still have shows here but there weren't any happening on the Sunday afternoon when we were out riding.

 

I may be forgetting a couple but these are the ones that stick out in my mind. Tell me about yours!

 

[Chip McDonald]

I hate to admit I'd love the cliche of visiting Abbey Road, to actually be in that space, to hear the room tone first hand. Or Sunset Sound.

 

I would have liked to have seen Allan Holdsworth at the Baked Potato.

 

The original Gruhn's Guitars was a cool thing at one point, going upstairs when I was young and not so jaded - doing the same at the latest location was still pretty cool, though.

 

The 48th st. music store scene in NY was probably pretty cool. I'm glad I just barely was able to witness the last of the "Mom and Pop" era of music stores in the south east; a major, fundamental aspect of being a musician changed in that while you can still visit lone "vintage" shops and not really know what to expect inside, there was a time when that was the case with *every* music store. It was never clear what lines a store carried, what they would have in stock, what they'd have that was used;

 

*the experience of browsing Reverb is a virtual analogy to that*. Too much mystery has been removed from the experience of being a musician.

 

Seeing McBride's mic locker at Blackbird would probably knock the jaded-ness out of me, or at least reset it.

 

I remember seeing Cafe Wha in front of me; when a place is visceral in front of you, that you know is a (at least from my POV) "historic" landmark, it invokes... something that maybe there is a French or Swedish expression for, "positive ennui" or some such, that is mind expansive.

 

I suppose my Meccas don't exist, save maybe Abbey Road, Sunset Sound, Electric Lady, Muscle Shoals, Sound City, Ardent. Eddie's 5150, Frank's Utility Muffin Research Facility. The visceral walk-in-the-location of Your Historical Figures, hearing the room tone. Venues I'm not so interested in, unless I'm going to be playing there!

[RABid]

Carnegie Hall

Apollo Theater

The Fillmore (Which one is it that so many live albums were recorded?)

[Anderton]

The studio in Clovis, New Mexico, where Buddy Holly recorded. I was fortunate to be able to see it.

Grand Ol' Opry in Nashville.

Ibiza!! The mecca of EDM, although you could add Berlin and probably Moscow to that list.

New Orleans. The New Orleans Jazz Festival is re-scheduled for October...fingers crossed.

[Mike Rivers]

The Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix. All sorts of stuff from all over the world. A huge place, and things are always changing. My first visit there was to write up the Sennheiser museum tour headphone system that they had just installed. My first visit was courtesy of Sennheiser and now whenever I have the opportunity, I become a tourist. Plan to spend the whole day there.

 

The NAMM Museum of Making Music in Carlsbad, CA. You can do this one in an hour or two. The grand re-opening is .... hey! today, June 15. They were doing an extensive makeover (planned before the Covid pandemic) and I'm not sure what it came out like, but the idea is that it represents what NAMM represents - all aspects of making music, from making instruments to marketing them. They have frequent concerts and workshops so if you're going to be around the area with a few hours check it out. They were enthusiast about hiring me as a docent/guide if I ever went through with my plan to move to that area, but I'm afraid that's not going to happen. I left them several of my most interesting instruments in my will.

 

And as far as historic music venues, the old Grand Old Opry (pre Opryland, pre-renovation) was an inspiring visit. Things were much simpler in those days. One mic on stage with the WSM logo, and I could hear everything. A combination of good acoustic design (or just good luck with it), good musicians and singers, and enthusiastic announcers. Made me want to run out to the lobby and buy some Goo Goo Clusters. The current rebuild is quite good, but now you have to listen to someone mix and it's usually too loud.

[David R]

My three musical meccas are New Orleans, Havana, and São Paulo. I have been lucky enough to visit all three. I have not been to Preservation Hall nor Jazz & Heritage Fest yet, but I have been to the New Orleans Jazz Museum at the Old US Mint which is absolutely phenomenal.

 

The Village Vanguard in NYC can be an almost religious experience. I saw Guillermo Klein and Los Guachos years ago, the history was tangible in that room. The sound was phenomenal too.

 

I have not yet been to the National Music Centre in Calgary (now home to TONTO and other incredible synths in their collection), but I definitely want to get out there. I still need to visit Beco das Garrafas (Bottle Alley) in Rio de Janeiro, the longtime home - if not the rumoured birthplace - of bossa nova and samba-jazz.

[KuruPrionz]

It's been renamed but the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle is certainly a must see if you are anywhere close.

 

In the center of the main room is a 3 or 4 story tall structure made entirely of guitars. Many of these guitars are played using robotics and the sound is ever-shifting and hypnotic. Your brain will cave in before you can grasp what is going on there, it's beautiful.

 

Among the things I saw - about a dozen pre WWII Electric Guitar and Amplifier Sets. All in fine condition and gorgeous.

A tribute display to Jimi Hendrix including both the outfit he wore at Woodstock and the Strat he played there.

 

A room with large electronic percussion skins where you could make a record for $10, they would give you a CD. I didn't do it but I thought about the idea of going there 12 times and making an album for $120.

 

Way too much other cool stuff to list. They do change it around often, I haven't been in a while. Paul Allen from Microsoft is the founder, he had deep pockets and invested a LOT of money in making a special place. He succeeded, highly recommended.

[Greg Mein]

The Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix.

 

My aunt recommended this place to me last time I was in Phoenix (2017) and in fact I drove right past it on the way to visit her and my uncle that day. We were in town for a few days while my wife was attending some medical conferences but I didn't get there. It's on my list for when we get settled in out west soon.

 

It's been renamed but the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle is certainly a must see if you are anywhere close.

I forgot to add that to my list, I was there back in '14 or '15 I believe. Impressive displays and a fairly big place. The Jimi Hendrix stuff was amazing to see and there was also a big display of Nirvana/Kurt Cobain stuff as well as other grunge era band memorabilia.

 

The original Gruhn's Guitars was a cool thing at one point, going upstairs when I was young and not so jaded - doing the same at the latest location was still pretty cool, though.

I made it a point to visit Gruhn's on my first visit to Nashville. It seems to me they were at Broadway and 4th Ave at the time? What an amazing collection of guitars, I had to try out a couple of acoustics!

[Chip McDonald]

I made it a point to visit Gruhn's on my first visit to Nashville. It seems to me they were at Broadway and 4th Ave at the time? What an amazing collection of guitars, I had to try out a couple of acoustics!

 

Yeah, not the "original" original location, but the one I think of. Easy enough to tell students, obliquely interested people to go by it when they went to Nashville since they would no doubt be walking down Broadway. The new location is nice and probably weeds out the hassle of tourists wasting time and bumping into things I suppose.

 

There is something to be said for the tourist mentality, though. IMO it's closer to being in an artistic state of mind than not; hopefully everyone can still be a "tourist", somewhere to something.

[Notes_Norton]

The National Music Museum in Vermillion, South Dakota http://nmmusd.org/ -- Although still closed due to COVID and renovations, IMO it's a must-see for any musician who gets close.

 

Mrs. Notes and I were on the way to the Badlands, stopped in a motel, and saw a poster for "America's Shrine To Music" (it's former name). We spent an entire day there. The collection rivals the finest music museums anywhere else in the world, and you can hear recordings of the actual instruments in the museum being played. We didn't know about this museum until we saw the poster, and was so glad we went.

 

Sydney Opera House, - we heard a symphony of mostly Prokofiev works, and the acoustics are grand.

 

The Rudolfinum, home of the Czech Philharmonic, we heard the Asrael Symphony by Josef Suk there.

 

Hungarian State Opera House, where we heard the Budapest Philharmonic play

 

Concertgebouw in Amsterdam to hear The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in their home venue (great acoustics)

 

Musikverein for for a Vienna Philharmonic concert

 

Various concert halls in the USA, Mexico and Canada to hear world-famous symphony orchestras

 

Notes

[Anderton]

I really need to get out more...in addition to what's been mentioned, there are lots of other places in Tennessee.

 

Stax Museum of American Soul Music. Probably worth going just to see the Superfly Cadillac

 

The Memphis Rock 'n Soul Museum. It's an affiliate of the Smithsonian.

 

Musician's Hall of Fam in Nashville. Never been, but I've heard good things about it.

 

Nashville also has the National Museum of African American Music.

[GovernorSilver]

I've had a good time every time I went to Knoxville TN to attend Big Ears Festival. Hologram Electronics is based there.

[hard truth]

NYC

New York City"s 48th Street Music Row was great, but apparently it is over now.

 

The remaining legendary jazz and folk clubs of NYC such as Village Vanguard, Blue Note, Bitter End

 

Washington Square Park often has good buskers

 

 

Tokyo

Shibuya area for music stores. Also check out the huge Tower Record store.

 

 

LA/Hollywood

The area of Sunset Blvd in Hollywood with several music instrument shops which is not far from many well known rock nightclubs

 

Amoeba Records

 

Chicago

The former Chess Records studio is called the Willie Dixon"s Blues Heaven Foundation

 

Buddy Guy's Legends nightclub

 

 

Memphis

The Stax Museum in Memphis.

 

Beale Street In Memphis.

 

 

New Orleans and Louisiana

The best clubs are not in the touristy French Quarter. FQ mostly has cover bands and DJs. Frenchmen Street,and Bywater district are better.

 

Louisiana Music Factory record store in NOLA

 

Mulates Cajun Restaurant and club, Breaux Bridge (Cajun Country)

 

Mississsippi

Clarksdale Miss. is a blues tourist destination with several clubs and the Muddy Waters Museum.

 

 

Seattle

Museum of Pop Culture, formerly called the Experience Music Project in Seattle

 

 

San Francisco

Amoeba Records in SF and Berkeley.

 

Audium-the theater of sound sculptured space in San Francisco https://www.audium.org/

 

Great American Music Hall

 

SF Jazz Center

 

The Fillmore

 

Florida

Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park & Campground

 

Nashville

Broadway has many music clubs and stores

 

Grand Ole Opry

 

Ryman Auditorium

 

If you love the roots music of the USA a road trip including New Orleans, Cajun County, Clarksdale, Memphis and Nashville is recommended.

 

Portland, OR and Austin, TX are also good towns for music lovers.

[Greg Mein]

The Memphis Rock 'n Soul Museum. It's an affiliate of the Smithsonian.

 

I visited that on my first Memphis trip also, it's across the street from the Gibson factory if I'm thinking of the right place.

[MAJUSCULE]

The Stax Museum is an absolute must. I would put it ahead of Graceland, Sun Studios, and just about anything else in Memphis. JMHO.

 

I was lucky enough to spend a couple months in NOLA and checked off several boxes there, including Jazz Fest, Pres Hall, multiple trips to the Maple Leaf and Tip's, plus many, many other amazing things that don't always come up as in the top ten tourist lists for such a richly cultured city. And of course, by all accounts, it's nothing compared to pre-Katrina days.

 

I've also tried a few times to visit the NMC in Calgary, but have been unlucky (couple stories there). I have, however, played a wedding reception on their roof, lol. Popped into the lobby after setup and saw Larnell Lewis setting up for a clinic and said hi. Very nice and approachable guy.

 

Montréal Jazz Fest, as well. Couple times there.

 

That's all that comes to mind for now...

[pinkfloydcramer]

Mississsippi

Clarksdale Miss. is a blues tourist destination with several clubs and the Muddy Waters Museum.

 

I was wondering when someone would mention the MS Delta, thanks. Also don't forget the BB King museum in Indianola, and the Dockery Plantation outside of Cleveland.

 

Maybe it's not thought of as a mecca, but I would love to see Alligator Records in Chicago.

[spokenward]

Mississsippi

Clarksdale Miss. is a blues tourist destination with several clubs and the Muddy Waters Museum.

 

I was wondering when someone would mention the MS Delta, thanks. Also don't forget the BB King museum in Indianola, and the Dockery Plantation outside of Cleveland.

 

Maybe it's not thought of as a mecca, but I would love to see Alligator Records in Chicago.

 

Chicago has had a more fully-fledged Blues Fest as part of the summer entertainment season going back to the Jane Byrne years (everything was a "fest"). This year the schedule is wedged closer to the traditional Jazz fest at the end of Summer. Alligator is featured as part of their 50th anniversary year celebration.

 

https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/in_tune.html

 

Saturday, September 18, 5:30â8:30pm

Chicago In Tune â Blues

A celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Alligator Records with Lil" Ed & The Blues Imperials, Nick Moss Band featuring Dennis Gruenling, Cash Box Kings with special guests, Shemekia Copeland, Billy Branch and Wayne Baker Brooks

[pinkfloydcramer]

Chicago has had a more fully-fledged Blues Fest as part of the summer entertainment season going back to the Jane Byrne years (everything was a "fest"). This year the schedule is wedged closer to the traditional Jazz fest at the end of Summer. Alligator is featured as part of their 50th anniversary year celebration.

 

https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/in_tune.html

 

Saturday, September 18, 5:30â8:30pm

Chicago In Tune â Blues

A celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Alligator Records with Lil" Ed & The Blues Imperials, Nick Moss Band featuring Dennis Gruenling, Cash Box Kings with special guests, Shemekia Copeland, Billy Branch and Wayne Baker Brooks

 

I played at the '93 Chicago Blues Festival with a band from MS, performed at a stage on a side street so we weren't headliners but were still treated royally. Had a great time seeing Johnny Copeland, Elvin Bishop, the Staples, Jimmy McGriff and others. I would really love to be there for that (although not likely this year), thanks for the info!

[Anderton]

I always thought of Chicago as a pretty musical city.

[MAJUSCULE]

Different one:

 

La fête de la musique in France. National holiday with free outdoor performances on almost every street corner in the entire country. Nothing quite like it.

[GovernorSilver]

I always thought of Chicago as a pretty musical city.

 

I went to one of the PRF BBQ events one year. It was a good time. Nobody seems to know what PRF really stands for, but whoever runs PRF seems to have a close relationship with Steve Albini and Electrical Audio.

 

Would like to go back someday to check out the jazz scene. I've seen Ken Vandermark, Fareed Haque, etc. play live, but not in their actual home base.

 

I also enjoyed touring the Art Institute of Chicago and walking around neighborhoods admiring Frank Lloyd Wright designed homes.

[hard truth]

The GuÄa Trumpet Festival looks like a lot of fun.Someday I'll go. It seems like a great opportunity to enjoy and support music from the region's impoverished and oppressed Roma people (AKA Gypsies) and others.

 

"Tons of meat and tens of thousands of hectolitres of beer are shipped in. The streets, restaurants and beer tents are teeming with musicians. Brass bands come from all over Serbia to compete for the "Golden Trumpet', a prize that fetches money and acclaim at home and abroad. (DW)

 

An English party site, ThisIsTheLife.com, has named GuÄa the best festival in the world. "Forget Glastonbury, Reading, Burning Man and Coachella: the wildest music festival on earth is a cacophonic and crazy brass band festival that takes place every summer in the tiny Serbian town of GuÄa in the western region of DragaÄevo.

 

Said Miles Davis,[2] a GuÄa Festival visitor: "I didn't know you could play trumpet that way"" (Wikipedia))

 

Has anyone here ever attended?