NO EXIT: Chris Cobb, former owner of Nashville’s Exit/In, has grown his new venture, Bona Fide Live, since launching in 2019. (Courtesy BFL)
New Partners Include Taos Mesa Brewing Mothership in New Mexico
Chris Cobb’s Bona Fide Live, a talent buying agency, finds itself on firm footing heading into 2024 with new venue partners Taos Mesa Brewing Mothership in New Mexico and the Overton Park Shell in Memphis, Tennessee.
Other partners are Nashville’s 3rd & Lindsley and The Factory at Franklin (Tennessee).
“At the core of what we do and what I’ve done for a long time is booking shows,” Cobb said. “I’ve been booking shows in and around Nashville for over 20 years now. There’s a handful of long-term clients who have worked with for many years, some north of 10 and closer to 15 years, at this point.”
Cobb seeks to extend 3rd & Lindsley’s reputation as a showcase for up-and-coming talent like Lady A and Little Big Town, who played the club regularly before big-time success. He feels that his deep understanding of the venue and its history gives him good insight into the kinds of acts that fit the space.
The Taos Mesa Brewing Mothership is a 2,100-capacity amphitheater built from recycled items on a five-acre complex that includes the brewery.
“I came to know (CEO Jason Wylie) through NIVA. We met on zoom in 2020,” Cobb said.
Cobb and Wylie were precinct captains leading the Save Our Stages initiative in 2021.
“I have a lot of respect for for his work and they’ve created a beautiful venue out there in Taos, so it made sense,” Cobb said. “We’ve been talking for over a year about trying to figure out how to work together and finally put it together late last year. We just announced our first show together. Chicano Batman presale went up today (Jan. 24), and it’s selling well.”
The largest of the venues Cobb and company are booking is the 3,600-capacity Overton Park Shell.
“The company is in a good spot for 2024,” Cobb said. “We have a good amount of work. We’re threading the needle right now; not too much, not too little. There are some goals to grow, but I think that’ll be slow and strategic. We may announce some new partnerships in the third or fourth quarter of this year.”
