Billy Strings is reopening the Tivoli Theatre in Chattanooga, a 105-year-old landmark that just finished a $75 million restoration. We sat down with Nick Wilkinson of the Tivoli Foundation to find out how it happened, why a city spends that kind of money on a theater, and how the live music business really works.

Billy plays two nights at the Tivoli (Oct. 20 and 21) in a room of about 1,600 seats, during IBMA week. Nick explains how the reopening came together, how the ticket lottery works, why tickets can't be transferred, and how the free block party outside works, with the show projected on giant LED screens outside the venue.

Then we get into the bigger picture: why it took so long, who paid for it, why touring is now how artists make a living, the "no runny eggs" rule that keeps big acts coming back, how Live Nation and Ticketmaster fit in, where ticket fees actually go, and what's next for concerts in Chattanooga.

Listen to this week's episode here or watch it on YouTube. As always, subscribe to The What Podcast wherever you get podcasts for weekly updates on Bonnaroo and festival news!

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(0:00) Intro

(3:07) Interview: Nick Wilkinson, Tivoli Foundation

(4:12) Billy Strings and the Tivoli reopening

(11:28) Why the renovation took so long

(23:52) The music industry, no runny eggs and Live Nation

(44:44) Takeaways and festival news

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Tivoli Theatre Foundation

CaveFest 2026 Recap: Live From The Caverns

Saving Moon River: How the Festival Overcame a Sunday Rainout

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Live from The Caverns in Pelham, Tennessee, we recap CaveFest 2026 with our ticket winner, plus the venue, the music, and the camping.

Barry and Russ are joined by Bryan, back on the show after a couple of months, our bicoastal correspondent Elizabeth Thorpe, who flew in from Washington State for her third CaveFest, and Abby, the fan who won our ticket giveaway and is at her very first CaveFest!

Listen to this week's episode here or watch it on YouTube. As always, subscribe to The What Podcast wherever you get podcasts for weekly updates on Bonnaroo and festival news!

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(00:00) Hurricane Weekend at CaveFest

(03:37) Our Ticket Winner's First CaveFest

(06:03) The Caverns: Storm, Grounds & Vibe

(15:21) The Music, the Crowd & Camp Spirit

(23:00) Up Next: IBMA World of Bluegrass & Wrap-Up

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

How The Caverns Became Tennessee's Premier Music Destination

Instagram: @ethorpephoto

The Musician Who Plays Mushrooms

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The What Podcast theme: "Aquarius" by *repeat repeat, used with permission.
Other music provided by Midist and used with permission.

We love to hear from you! Send us an email at comments@thewhatpodcast.com or call (423) 667-7877 and leave us a voicemail. We might just feature it on the show.

Two festival veterans break down Bourbon & Beyond 2026 in Louisville: the crowd, the hotels, the VIP setup, the beer prices, and the weather.

Barry and Russ are joined by our senior and junior correspondents, Trevin Bernarding and David Champion, who go to several festivals every year. They review the festival from the gate to the stage, then compare it with the rest of the circuit and look ahead to 2027.

In this episode:

- What Bourbon & Beyond is like: an older crowd, lots of guitars, no DJ sets

- The hotel rule that surprised them, plus VIP and general admission

- The amusement park, festival beer prices, and "And Beyond" branding

- How cancellations, evacuations, and weather shape their festival plans

- Their best tips for first-timers and how they find new bands

Listen to this week's episode here or watch it on YouTube. As always, subscribe to The What Podcast wherever you get podcasts for weekly updates on Bonnaroo and festival news!

______

(00:00) Intro

(03:12) Bourbon & Beyond 2026 Recap

(18:51) Hotels, VIP & Festival Comforts

(26:48) Planning 2027 & the State of Festivals

(38:20) Best Tips & Festival Discoveries

(46:01) Outro

📱 SOCIAL LINKS
Discord: https://discord.gg/zShHTeCYGn
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewhatpodcast/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thewhatpodcast

The What Podcast theme: "Aquarius" by *repeat repeat, used with permission.
Other music provided by Midist and used with permission.

We love to hear from you! Send us an email at comments@thewhatpodcast.com or call (423) 667-7877 and leave us a voicemail. We might just feature it on the show.