Billy Strings Reopens Chattanooga's Restored Tivoli Theatre
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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(00:00) Intro
(03:07) Interview: Nick Wilkinson, Tivoli Foundation
(04:12) 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
CaveFest 2026 Recap: Live From The Caverns
Saving Moon River: How the Festival Overcame a Sunday Rainout
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