In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, Nashville SC is highlighting the cultural music scene in Music City. Before COVID-19 halted live music in Nashville, staff from Nashville SC were invited to attend a cultural live music experience like no other in town. Musician and Chile native Raul Oyarce founded a must-see event known as Íntimo Nashville. This unique live music experience takes place at Analog at Hutton Hotel, a Nashville SC Pub Partner, off of West End in downtown Nashville.
Originally from Santiago, Chile, Raul moved to Nashville in 2005. Over the years, he says his relationship and appreciation for music has grown and changed with the times. When Raul discovered the art of songwriting and began to incorporate it into his daily life, he recognized that there wasn’t a platform or local scene for Latin talent. So, Raul felt the urgency to take action. He firmly believes that “once we see a need in our community, we are responsible for doing something about it.” Thus, Íntimo Nashville was born.
Íntimo first took place at the popular music venue Basement East on a Monday night. With just one week of promotion for the event, more than 200 people attended the inaugural show. While that created plenty of buzz and excitement, Raul wanted the production to have a more intimate experience and moved the show to a smaller venue, Radio Cafe. After six months, Raul discovered Analog at Hutton Hotel. He immediately felt at home, saying, “the vibe, style, sound, intimacy, and friendly staff at Analog is like no other.”
Íntimo has been at Analog for over two years, and the music experience has no limits, with performers showcasing everything from Selena and Shakira tributes to alternative rock/pop, urban, reggae, salsa, merengue, and bachata shows. The artists are mostly local to Nashville, but boast diverse heritage and backgrounds. Raul is always looking for new and original talent and has been bringing in acts from overseas and other states to keep the show “fresh.” He says that with the lack of Latin music history in Nashville, there is a huge opportunity for those who want to try it out and offers Íntimo’s platform to help.
It’s easy to see the passion of the Hispanic community in Nashville when it comes to soccer. We asked Raul how a local MLS team would bring these cultures together. Raul replied, “It’s the biggest sport in the world. The excitement is real. I believe immigrants, that are soccer fans, feel (or will feel) more connected to the city and involved in the community now. It’s a blessing.”
While Íntimo Nashville live shows are currently suspended due to COVID, you can find live recorded performances along with all announcements for their return on their social media handle, @intimonashville.
