NASHVILLE – GRAMMY-nominated band Midland will headline a free concert on July 18, 2023, as part of SEC Kickoff presented by Regions, the league’s annual football media days event, the SEC and Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp announced today. The SEC’s annual football media event is being hosted for the first time in Nashville. The event on Lower Broadway will activate at 5 p.m. CT and will be part of a special edition of SEC Nation presented by Regions telecast on ESPN2 and SEC Network at 6 p.m. CT. The street concert will follow at approximately 7 p.m.
The concert stage will be located near Fourth and Broadway and is the first time SEC Media Days has incorporated a street party and live music concert into their event. The concert is free and open to the public.
The 2023 Football Kickoff presented by Regions event will bring more than 1,000 credentialed media members to Nashville and the host venue, Grand Hyatt. The annual event previews the upcoming college football season with coaches, athletic directors and players from each SEC school providing overviews of their teams. The gathering was typically held for many years in Hoover, AL and this is just the third time the SEC has taken it to another city.
“We are excited to bring SEC Football Media Days to Nashville as we kick off the 2023 season,” said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey. “When we began moving SEC Media Days to new locations, we wanted to enjoy the experiences uniquely present in each community and we look forward to the Tuesday night concert blending Music City with SEC Football.”
“Partnering with the SEC to host this high-profile event is both an honor and opportunity for our city,” said Butch Spyridon, CEO, Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. “We are adding live music to give the event a Music City touch, and we hope it’s only the beginning of a long-lasting relationship. We want all the SEC fans in Middle Tennessee to come out, represent their teams and enjoy a free show right in their backyard.”
Midland has been nominated for two GRAMMY Awards for Best Country Duo/Group Performance and Best Country Song for “Drinkin’ Problem.” They won New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year at the ACM Awards in 2018. Members are lead singer/guitarist Mark Wystrach, bassist/vocalist Cameron Duddy and lead guitarist/vocalist Jess Carson.
Please note that the Broadway Bridge will be closed for construction in July. Concert attendees should plan extra time to travel downtown with detours on Demonbreun and Church or by entering downtown from the east.
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Midland
Double GRAMMY nominees Midland have sought to reintroduce the Western plains, Laurel Canyon-cum-Bakersfield and Lone Star juke joints to Country music since coming together at a friend’s wedding over common influences and the need for a return to this sort of post-Urban Cowboy Country. For lead singer/guitarist Mark Wystrach, bassist/vocalist Cameron Duddy and lead guitarist/vocalist Jess Carson, the double platinum hit “Drinkin’ Problem” set the stage for their critically acclaimed On The Rocks and No. 1 Billboard Top Country Albums debut Let It Roll to unite classic country fans, hipsters and media, including Entertainment Weekly, GQ, The Washington Post, Vogue, Esquire, Variety, Rolling Stone Country and NPR. The trio of songwriters who developed their sound at Tornillo, Texas’ storied Sonic Ranch have been building a following that’s sold-out the Houston Rodeo and Livestock Show, packed a multiple-night stand at Ft. Worth’s iconic Billy Bob’s and re-opened North Hollywood’s legendary Palomino Club for one night only. Bringing listeners a resurgence of their thick harmonies, sad melodies, tart lyrics, and steel guitar with their latest album The Last Resort: Greetings From (Big Machine Records) the retro-Nuevo trio has grown from bar band to an in-demand headliner who has even put together their own cruise setting sail April 2024 (MidlandCruise.com). MidlandOfficial.com
Southeastern Conference
A pioneer in the integration of higher education and athletic competition, the Southeastern Conference is a leader on the national landscape for intercollegiate athletics in the 21st century. Since its formation in 1933, the SEC has achieved stature and stability by designating governing/voting power to the presidents of the member institutions. These university leaders determine the policies of the conference and through the years this involvement has been the principal source of strength in the evolution of the SEC. Throughout its history, the SEC has provided leadership on the vital issues facing intercollegiate competition. Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Tennessee and Vanderbilt have been in the SEC since its formation in 1933. The league has expanded twice, adding Arkansas and South Carolina in 1991, then Missouri and Texas A&M in 2012 and will expand a third time with the addition of Oklahoma and Texas beginning in July 2024.
The Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp and Visit Music City
The mission of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp and Visit Music City is to maximize the economic contribution of the convention and tourism industry to the community by developing and marketing Nashville as a premier destination. Visit the NCVC’s website at www.visitmusiccity.com and follow us on social media @VisitMusicCity.
