Exit/In owners Chris and Telisha Cobb announced on Monday that they will host their final show in the familiar Elliston Place building, the venue’s home since 1971, on Nov. 23.
“It appears 51 years of local, independent ownership and operation have come to an end,” a statement to their social media accounts read.
The Cobbs waged a highly visible campaign to purchase the structure — involving the public through sidewalk demonstrations, crowdfunding efforts and a photo book — but say that they’ve now exhausted all of their options.
The Exit/In’s marquee once included the tagline “Nashville’s Music Forum,” and for good reason: While the city has no shortage of venues that cater to tourists, the Midtown spot has long been beloved as a place for the city’s residents to see performances by their neighbors and national touring acts alike.
As a reminder of the array of artists that have stepped onto that stage, many of their signatures adorn the walls. A modest-sized room with a capacity of 500 that’s often described as a rock club, Exit/In has hosted bands of all stripes, singer-songwriters on their way to legendary status, virtuosic instrumentalists and, in more recent eras, rappers while they developed their styles and built hometown followings.
That role as a space that nurtures a variety of local music scenes, especially those carving out space outside the city’s industry system, fostered a strong sense of investment in the Exit/In among Nashville show-goers.
It’s hardly been the only independent venue here struggling to survive in the face of pandemic disruptions and accelerating development, but it’s become a symbol of the uncertainty in the independent live music landscape. That’s largely because of its historic reputation and how active Chris Cobb has been in helping forge and lead trade coalitions like Music Venue Alliance Nashville.
The final November shows on the books for Exit/In under its current ownership will feature multiple generations of Nashville performers returning to say goodbye: two architects of country-rock, Carlene Carter and Emmylou Harris; two of their sharpest and most self-directed roots inheritors, Lilly Hiatt and Adia Victoria; and two bands that hearken back to the city’s late 2000s and early 2010s wave of garage rock breakthroughs, JEFF the Brotherhood and Diarrhea Planet.
At this point, the future of the instantly recognizable Midtown building and the well-known Exit/In name are both unclear.
“We don’t have a clear picture of what the future holds for Exit/In,” the Cobbs said, before adding that the building’s historic overlay zoning should prevent it from being torn down.
Thank you most humbly and sincerely for all your support, for all the shows, and all the memories.
The Exit/In family and Chris and Telisha Cobb pic.twitter.com/2Pazy8n53S
— EXIT/IN (@EXIT_IN) November 14, 2022
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