Pictured (L-R): Silva, former UT football player Condredge Holloway and Kenny Chesney. Photo: Erin Thacker Goad

Shaun Silva officially opened the doors to Forward, a new post-production facility in Nashville’s Marathon Village, at an event in the space last Friday (11/16). The multi-room facility hopes to compete for ad agency work outside Nashville’s borders from Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, and Austin, which is normally diverted to major markets in New York or LA.

“I believe Forward fills a gap missing in this town,” said Silva. “It doesn’t make sense to me to come here and shoot a commercial about a local company and turn around and take it out of this town. It is time for people to change their perception of what this town is. We’re as competitive, if not more so than anybody when it comes to prices and we’ve got the talent–now we’ve got the facility.”

In the center of the office space lies an impressive glass-enclosed conference room with floating staircase leading to upstairs editing rooms, all designed by Silva and Nashville Designer Chris Gill. Reclaimed wood, refinished floors, and a basket-woven whiskey barrel wall establishes a compelling vibe inside the space. Chic furniture and old film equipment accents, provided in part by Marathon Village neighbors American Pickers, creates an impactful and pleasant aesthetic.

“In 2003, I started Tacklebox Films production company, which is located right down the hall,” said Silva. “About three years ago, we started doing post-production work internally and realized we could make a real business. We will have a staff of 10-11, most of which are from Nashville. It was important to me to offer a facility that showcased their true talents. I feel like Marathon Village is one of the most creative nucleus we have in Nashville. What Music Row is for the music business, this is for the film/TV community.”

Mike Wolfe of American Pickers, Kenny Chesney, former UT football player Condredge Holloway, and Mayor Karl Dean were among guests making appearances at the ribbon-cutting event, which served up beverages and offered a full menu from the Grilled Cheeserie food truck, parked outside.

Producer Anne Popper and Sales Director Marisa Munoz can be reached by email or phone 615-320-3269. Visit Forward’s official website here.

(L-R): Rob Beckham, Co-Head Nashville, WME; Marion Kraft, Owner, ShopKeeper Management; Chris Young; Gary Overton, Chairman & CEO, Sony Music Nashville; Sally Williams, General Mgr., Ryman Auditorium. Photo: Rick Diamond/Getty Images

Chris Young kicked off the first leg of his headlining Liquid Neon Tour last Thursday (11/15), with a sold-out show at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium. The date marked his first headlining concert in his hometown and featured supporting guests on the tour Joanna Smith and Thomas Rhett.

RCA Records label mate Smith started the night with an acoustic set including “Ring To Sell,” “Broken Wishes,” “Girls Are Crazy,” and current single “We Can’t Be Friends.” She captured the audience’s attention and shared that she often dreamed about performing at the Ryman during her many shows at nearby Tootsies. Valory Music Co.’s Thomas Rhett then performed songs from his self-titled EP including, “Whatcha Got In That Cup,” “Make Me Wanna,” “Beer With Jesus,” “Front Porch Junkies” and “Something To Do With My Hands.” Rhett’s onstage charisma kept fans engaged with every note and every move.

Centered between four LED video towers, Chris Young opened with “Gonna Find It Tonight” and then led into his first No. 1 song, “Getting You Home.” Singing every word, the enthusiastic crowd stood for most of the show, giving the Nashville artist a sincere hometown reception. Young gave a shout out to his parents, sister and grandparents who were in attendance. And perhaps the most endearing part of the concert was watching his proud mom Becky Harris enjoy every moment of the show, standing front and center.

After performing “Lost,” Young expressed heartfelt gratitude to the audience “for giving me a life I love.” He thanked them for spending their hard earned money to support not just him, but all artists. He then followed up with “The Man I Want To Be,” “Save Water, Drink Beer,” “When She’s On,” and “Neon.”

Before the Nov. 15th show, Chris Young tweeted this photo, "This= epic #Ryman"

Young gave a special thanks to his label Sony Music Nashville (RCA Records) for sticking with him when his first singles fell short on the charts. He then performed a few songs from his first album, Chris Young, that were not hits but had often been requested by fans.

Following the performance of his No. 1, “You,” Young shifted into an acoustic set, offering the energetic crowd “Text Me, Texas,” “Beer Or Gasoline,” and “The Dashboard.” The latter song was dedicated to members of the military. Young also highlighted his involvement in the Stars and Stripes Program.

After singing a crowd favorite, “Voices,” Young confessed that the next song, “She’s Got This Thing About Her” was the first time he had ever performed the song live. The audience loved it. Young ended the show with ZZ Top‘s “Sharp Dressed Man,” and followed with his hits “I Can Take It From There,” and “Tomorrow.”

The encore included “Who’s Gonna Take Me Home” and “Ain’t Livin’ Long Like This” and brought Joanna Smith and Thomas Rhett back to the stage for the finale.