Why A Nashville Musician Will Play 80 Local Venues in 24 Hours

James Hatem
photo from James Hatem

James Hatem is partnering with The U.S. Bartenders Guild and Music Venue Alliance Nashville on Friday, April 9 in an effort to bring awareness to the struggles faced by Nashville’s local music scene in the last year and the resiliency of artists, crews, and venues. James, in collaboration with some of Nashville’s finest, is doing his part in bringing hope back to the city by attempting to break a Guinness World Record.

The Goal: Perform at 80 venues in 24 hours beating the current standing record of 65, set in 2012 by Norway-based band Helge Toft.

After COVID-19 testing and going to great lengths to make sure his crew has all the necessary PPE to keep them safe, James will travel through Nashville playing venues of all sizes including Bridgestone Arena, Ascend Amphitheater, Exit/In, and many more Nashville favorites for live music. With the help of Two Rivers Ford, James and his small crew will hit hotspots in Downtown, Midtown, and East Nashville neighborhoods in this attempt.

All donations from fans and sponsors will go directly to the U.S. Bartenders Guild and Music Venue Alliance Nashville to help the amazing venues and bars in Nashville who have been affected by the pandemic.

“It’s about helping the venues,” James said. “They’ve gone months without live shows and everyone needs to be reminded that without them, this isn’t Music City. Not only will we be raising money to give back to all the venues, but our goal is to show that live music can be brought to everyone again in both a fun and safe manner.”

James is determined to put on the performance of his life and make history in Nashville. In addition to the live performances, Tune Den, a live-streaming studio and online platform, is hosting a Livestream music festival featuring six Nashville-based bands on April 9th-10th. Tuneden will check in with James as he travels from venue to venue during his 24-hour event and fans are highly encouraged to join virtually for this momentous occasion.

Follow James’ journey virtually on April 9th as he traverses 80 Nashville venues in an attempt to break this record. For more information visit: www.jameshatem.com

About the U.S. Bartenders Guild: Their goal is to empower bartenders to take charge of their careers. We accomplish this through working with our committed partners to enrich the career advancement of our members through peer-to-peer learning, expert instruction, service projects, and competition. Since knowledge is power, our chapters hold cocktail competitions, sponsor intimate seminars with internationally recognized brand representatives, and forge relationships between top bar talent in 50 cities and counting. We offer all our members opportunities to compete, travel around the world, and spread knowledge in the pursuit of elevating our craft. For more information: www.usbg.org