This past weekend I ventured into the deep south, New Orleans to be exact.

While there, I explored its culture and saw its sights. I was shocked and amazed at the amount of music there, and how much art was part of everyday life in the city.

Nashville, which is affectionately called “music city,” is comparatively a dead scene. New Orleans “has it,” and has it everywhere. Sure, all the one-way streets might make it hard to get around, but the entertainment is worth it.

Friday, I went with my friends to a lounge called Allways in the Bywater section of town to see Soriah, a Tuvan throat singer.

I would never see something like this in Nashville. We have rock music, country music, indie rock, noise pop, but never anything like this.

We hung out with Soriah and the people he was staying with for a few more venues. One venue after that, we went to an up-scale place called Mimi’s where there was 50s bop music and young adults dancing together like you’d see in Mad Men.

All the colors, all the freedom, was sensational to me. I could barely wrap my head around it. Everything was just so alive!

The next day, I went to another event at the local O.T.O oasis to see Soriah and a few others perform. The first show was an interesting shadow puppet play, and the second was an experimental violist, Paul Mercer.

His performance was entirely improvisational, but you’d never know it. It was like he was using the violin to tell a story.

Soriah, again, was amazing. However, there were tons of candles and his tunic caught on fire. This actually added to the performance and the stage presence of the singer.

We hit the streets again after that. This time, we hit Frenchman street and ventured to a place called Cafe Negril. We were looking for a taco truck. We came back with tacos, but also a venue that primarily plays reggae. I’d never been into a full-blown reggae bar before.

It was really interesting seeing white people attempting to dance to reggae. All I really cared about were the tacos. They were probably the best tacos I’ve ever had.

There’s so many tiny details of New Orleans that allows for it to be such a creative place. I rarely see street performers or busking. I even saw a marriage parade in the middle of the French Quarter.

What makes New Orleans different from Nashville, where I live? Both cities are supposed to be high culture. I feel that Nashville is sterile; only certain things are allowed to boil in that pot. New Orleans? Expression is king. The key to culture, to growth, to freedom is expression. The diverse colored housing, the streets filled with people, the bars never closing, being allowed to walk around the streets with open containers, and the musical diversity isn’t just because of history. It continues to be this way, and continues to grow because expression isn’t curb stomped by apathy like in Nashville.

Perhaps I’m being a little harsh on my own city. We are making progress. Change doesn’t just happen over night. Not that I think Nashville should be exactly like New Orleans. We’re music city, we’re the Athens of the south. I’d like the place to live up to that name, and after visiting a place like New Orleans I think I may have spoiled myself.