Labor Day weekend in Nashville is getting a full-on country pregame. Lee Brice, Gabby Barrett and rising artist Payton Smith are set to headline the first-ever Music City Kickoff Concert at Ascend Federal Credit Union Amphitheater on Saturday night, Sept. 5. Organizers say the show will officially open a weekend stacked with college sports, capped by the Liberty Mutual Music City Kickoff between Ole Miss and Louisville at Nissan Stadium on Sunday. Tickets for the concert go on sale Friday, July 10, at 10 a.m. local time, and officials are already warning that downtown will be busier than usual as events stretch from the riverfront to Bridgestone Arena.
Country Acts Set For Ascend Amphitheater
According to WSMV, the concert is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 5 and will feature Lee Brice, Gabby Barrett and Payton Smith. The Nashville Sports Council and Opry Entertainment Group announced the event as a way to tie Music City’s live-music identity to its growing status as a sports destination. Scott Ramsey, president and CEO of the Nashville Sports Council, said the concert is designed to pair the city’s music reputation with its rising sports profile, according to the announcement.
Big Game Details
The inaugural Liberty Mutual Music City Kickoff, matching Ole Miss against Louisville, will be played at Nissan Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 6, with kickoff set for 6:30 p.m. CT and a national telecast on ABC, per the Nashville Sports Council. Nissan Stadium lists ticketing and fan information for the neutral-site opener on its event page. The Music City Kickoff is expected to bring sizable visiting fan contingents downtown for the weekend.
Downtown Volleyball And The Broadway Block Party
Across the river, Bridgestone Arena will host the second annual Sprouts Farmers Market Broadway Block Party on Sept. 6, a women’s college volleyball doubleheader featuring Louisville vs. Texas and Tennessee vs. Indiana, according to the Texas and Indiana athletics sites. The Longhorns announcement notes that last year’s Broadway Block Party drew more than 11,200 fans to Bridgestone, giving visitors another downtown draw during the day. The event adds a daytime sports and music flavor to a weekend that is already packed.
Ascend Amphitheater Is Ready For It
Opry Entertainment Group’s recent season-opener materials and the venue’s operator overview outline upgrades at Ascend Amphitheater, including new seating, enhanced VIP spaces and a greenway connector, improvements that organizers say make the riverfront a stronger site for major events, as reported by Visit Music City. The amphitheater’s 2026 programming plans and capital projects help explain why Ascend was tapped to host a high-profile kickoff show. Organizers also note that a portion of ticket proceeds for some performances will benefit local parks and community programming.
Fans planning to attend are being urged to circle both Sept. 5 and 6 on their calendars and sort out transportation early, with parking and travel guidance for the Music City Kickoff available on the Nissan Stadium event page. Tickets for the concert go on sale Friday, July 10 at 10 a.m. local time, and organizers say purchase links will be posted through official venue and sports council channels. For full event details and ticket links for the game and the rest of the weekend programming, visit the Nashville Sports Council and Nissan Stadium event pages.
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