The Nash Bash, a Sons of Saturday Takeover in Nashville!

The season opener for the Virginia Tech football team may not have gone as planned, but for the thousands of Hokie fans who were in Nashville for the game, the city certainly did not disappoint.  The focal point of festivities for the Music City is its downtown, particularly lower Broadway.  On this particular weekend, the Honky Tonks were teeming with people clad in orange and maroon who were looking to experience the fun of this adult playground.

Nashville is a bucket-list destination.  It is also a city that begs its visitors to return. And on this Labor Day weekend, the influx of so many Virginia Tech football fans created a bowl-game atmosphere.

For the Sons of Saturday, it was the perfect opportunity to capitalize on the festive spirit of so many Hokies in one location.  Thus, the Nash Bash idea was born. 

A little back-story is necessary here. Over the past few years, the Sons of Saturday have organized several fun events that provided opportunities to bring fans together.

For each of the past three spring game weekends, they have hosted their Spring Jam at McClain’s at First and Main in Blacksburg. The most recent Spring Jam saw approximately 300 guests, including numerous former Hokie football players and coaches

In the fall of 2023, the Sons initiated their first “Takeover” event, and this was in Piscataway, New Jersey at the Virginia Tech-Rutgers football game.  Group tickets and a tailgate spot were secured, and approximately 400 fans gathered prior to the game against the Scarlet Knights.

(Author’s note: this past week was the one year anniversary of the Rutgers Takeover, and Facebook made sure to remind me!  Looking at those photos immediately brightened my day. Seeing the smiles on everyone’s faces made it clear that the joy experienced that day went far beyond just a football game!)

A few month’s later, in December, the second Takeover occurred, also on the Rutgers campus.  Another large group of fans joined the Sons of Saturday to watch the Virginia Tech women’s basketball team play at Jersey Mike’s Arena.  Some met up for a pre-game social at the nearby Brick House Tavern, and 150 fans in total attended the game together. 

With the success of these events combining with the vibrant appeal of Nashville, the decision to host another Takeover was an easy one for the Sons.

“We wanted to do something in a new town - and Nashville is an AMAZING town for fun - especially knowing that Hokies from all over would be making the pilgrimage to the Music City,” said Sons of Saturday co-owner Pat Finn. 

Enter Lauren Hensley, a Tech alum and Nashville resident who helped tremendously in scouting downtown locations and securing the reservation at Tin Roof.  With her help and the aid of a few sponsors, the decision was made, and another Takeover was set into motion.

For months, the anticipation of this weekend grew. I have had this road trip on my own calendar for five years, but when the details of the Nash Bash at Tin Roof were released, my excitement grew exponentially.

It wasn’t just a trip to see the Hokies play. It wasn’t just a trip to Nashville. And it wasn't just a long holiday weekend with family and friends.  It was all that AND a planned bash with hundreds of Hokies - and only Hokies - in the building.

I could not wait.  And apparently, neither could everyone else. 

When I left Jason Aldean’s just before 6 pm Friday evening to head over to the party, I was blown away at the sight of the sea of people on the sidewalk across the street.  Hundreds of Hokies were lined up outside Tin Roof, waiting to get in. 

I knew that the event had sold out, but I just wasn’t prepared for that kind of scene at the door.  With over 700 Nash Bash tickets purchased, the venue was about to host a crowd that met its maximum occupancy, and hundreds of excited Virginia Tech fans were there early, waiting to get inside and mingle.

Guests of the event were treated to about an hour and a half of open bar plus a small buffet line of appetizers.  On the second floor, the Michael Moore Band rocked the house. Not only did they jam to an excited crowd, but they also went at least a half hour beyond their scheduled time. 

Knowing their audience all too well, the band made sure to play “Enter Sandman,” treating the Hokies to a live rendition of their favorite song more than once that night! 

As a guest of the Nash Bash who also happens to write for the Sons of Saturday (and co-host an occasional podcast), I enjoyed interacting with the Hokies that were in the house and meeting new people from our fan base. 

Some travelled across the country, such as Tawab and Jason, two Virginia Tech alumni and podcast listeners who flew in from Hermosa Beach in Southern California.

Others were the faces of well-known Twitter handles such as Treadmill Horse, and others were regular fan contributors to the podcast, such as Pete McGee, who writes a Haiku for seemingly every episode.

And it was an honor to chat with former Tech wide receiver Nick Cullen (1987-1990), whom I watched play when I was a student! In my conversation with Cullen and his friends, I learned that he was once the VT record holder for most receptions in a game with 13, a mark he shared with Donald Snell (1985) but was broken by Cam Phillips in 2017.  Yet Snell and Phillips made their marks on the road, so Cullen is still the record-holder as the Hokie with the most receptions in a single game in Lane Stadium!

That kind of interaction is the stuff I eat up. A Hokie sports junkie, I love meeting fellow Tech fans, and even more so, former players.

Something tells me I’m not the only one of us that is like that!

Regardless of my (our) fanaticism, an event like the Nash Bash was a great opportunity to hang out with Hokie fans who were family, friends, or even folks who had been listening to the podcast for years.  It was a blast interacting with both new and old faces of Hokie Nation in such a fun setting.

Pat Finn agreed.  “Putting on events is the best way for us to meet and engage with our core audience,” he said.  “Some were incredible people that we got to meet for the first time in Nashville.” 

A successful event like this is a result of the collective efforts of many.  Finn and his Sons of Saturday co-host Billy Ray Mitchell led the way, but they also had the help of a small army, making for a great night at the Tin Roof. 

While many pitched in to help the cause, Virginia Tech alum and former All-ACC golfer Bryce Chalkley played a particularly pivotal role in coordinating the party and ensuring a smooth evening for the guests.

Another important part of that army of support was the trio of host sponsors of the Nash Bash, Julie Smart Koob of Fort Gregg-Adams Area homes, the Spaulding Equipment Company, and the Chesapeake Center for Complete Dentistry. Koob was even in the Tin Roof with Hokie swag giveaways to the guests!   

The Nash Bash was an example of Ut Prosim at its best!

Just like the previous Sons of Saturday events, the Nashville Takeover was a great success.  Fresh off the high of the Nash Bash, Finn and Mitchell are already thinking of running it back in Atlanta to open the 2025 season.  The Hokies take on Shane Beamer and his South Carolina Gamecocks over Labor Day weekend next year, and the Sons have every intention of hosting an Atlanta Takeover!

If you plan to be at that game next year, be on the lookout next spring for details of what will be another great fan event. 

And if you have experience in event planning and would like to help out, or if you would like to get involved as a fan or as a business, please contact the Sons of Saturday at admins@sonsofsaturday.com.

Fans can also support the Sons of Saturday through the Section 5 Club.  Membership in the club provides exclusive benefits, and the financial support (of only $5.55 per month) will help the Sons of Saturday to throw more events, expand the team, and to put out the best content possible.  And that content will always be free of charge.  

The football schedule is about to heat up, ACC play starts soon, and all of the team's goals are still in front of them.  Enjoy the rest of the season and we hope to see you in Lane Stadium soon!

Go Hokies!