JACK DANIEL'S SURE KNOWS HOW TO THROW A PARTY

By Michael McCrory.

Never one to miss an invite to a birthday party, I found myself in Nashville, Tennessee, on the 18th October 2008 eagerly awaiting the start of the JD Set.

We stayed in the Hilton, just off Broadway, where the main buzz of bars were located, perfect for a flying visit and negating the need for waiting on taxis.

Our late arrival meant a late meal which we had in a bar/bistro called the Merchant, located on Broadway just minutes from our hotel. The food was great but it was the eclectic mix of people that made it a great first nights fun.

Other bars of note are the very famous Wild Horse Saloon, playing host to many a famous Country and Western singer; Tootsies Orchid Lounge which despite the somewhat dubious name is a hangout for famous Country singers, as they say in Tootsies, "...you never know who you're gonna run into!".

Of course you can't visit Nashville without a visit to The Grand Ole Oprey. It's great taking a walk down Music Hall memory lane and we are glad to announce that its not just lovers of Country music who will find it entertaining as neither of us are.

The ultimate ‘must do' though has to be the Jack Daniel's Distillery.

So, as we made our way to BBQ Hill, which overlooks the Jack Daniel's Distillery, the weather was nippy, which took us by surprise, but the setting was so atmospheric and almost other worldly. Expectations were very high!

The Jack Daniel's Set celebrates the Whiskey man's birthday which happened some time in September. But due to a Courthouse fire his birth certificate was lost so no one knows exactly when it is.

The JD Set has been going since 2004 and features the best singing talent from around the globe, bands often on the edges of pop culture or slightly off centre in their appeal. In previous years the Flaming Lips, Maximo Park and the Editors have performed, to name a few.On this occasion though the line-up had a distinctly Irish feel!

The 2008 Birthday JD Set boasted an eclectic mix of vocalists with diverse musical backgrounds making it a totally unique collaboration for Jack's birthday celebration. These artists would never normally appear on the same bill, let alone the same stage. Tim Wheeler (Ash) and Roisín Murphy (born in Dublin) headlined. Tom ‘House of Lords' Dartnell (Young Knives) and Hugh Cornwell (Formerly of The Stranglers) added their own distinctiveness to the proceedings.

Each performer was backed by the Silver Cornet Band brimming with seasoned US session players in a band named after the 1892 combo of the same name.

Memorable performances were a duet with Hugh Cornwell and Roisin Murphy who sang ‘Peaches' a song made famous by Cornwell. Tim Wheeller finished up the set with a lively performance in which he asked were there any Irish people in the audience - more than a few shouts went up!

It was truly magical experience and we were looked after incredibly well by the Jack Daniel's team of helpers and enjoyed a generous amount of the great Whiskey (enjoyed sensibly, of course!).

Our overall view of Nashville though was that it was a pleasant enough place but a long way to go for a Jack Daniels!

Top tip: We got to Gatwick for our connecting flight with www.Flybe.com .  My guest, who would be the first to admit finds airline seats a bit too small for her generous frame, was very pleased with their roomy seats. And the staff were extremely nice, even remembering us on our return leg!