What better way to pass the time while you wait for your flight than enjoying some live music, listening to old favorites, and discovering new artists? At a growing number of airports around the world, this is now possible! Simple Flying takes a look at three airports that regularly feature live music performances. Have you been to any of them?
Nashville International Airport (BNA)
Art at the Airport
As the home of country music, it comes as little surprise that Nashville International Airport (BNA) features in this list. Art at the Airport is a non-profit organization established in 1988 that showcases cultural diversity and creative talent from the state of Tennessee.
Several of the airport’s dining venues, such as Tootsies Orchid Lounge and Ole Red, regularly host live music performances, in addition to various stages throughout the airport itself. Artists to have featured recently include:
- Jim Hayden
- Rob Harris
- The Hamilton Brothers
- Karlton Taylor.
Nashville International Airport processed more than 22 million passengers in 2023, with routes to destinations across the US, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. This is in addition to an increasing number of international services, including new routes for 2025 from Aer Lingus and Icelandair to their respective hubs in Dublin (DUB) and Reykjavík (KEF).
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS)
The Live Music Capital of the World
The city of Austin bills itself as The Live Music Capital of the World, and this has been displayed at its airport too, with a program ranging from solo acoustic acts to full bands. Since 1999, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) has played host to more than 17,000 live music performances, and now regularly puts on more than 15 shows per week.
There are currently eight stages dotted around the airport, with performances taking place Monday through Friday. Each stage is named after iconic spots throughout Austin, including:
- The Asleep at the Wheel Mainstage
- The Tacodeli Stage
- Annie’s Café
- The Haymaker Stage
- Hut’s Hamburgers
- The Austin City Market Stage.
The airport’s Twitter feed is the best place to find out who will be playing and when:
Just like Nashville, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport processed around 22 million passengers in 2023, providing a large audience for such performances. Southwest Airlines has by far the largest presence at the airport, boasting a 41% market share, followed by American Airlines (18%) and Delta Air Lines (13%). That may change in the future as American Airlines recently dropped several routes from Austin.
The busiest domestic routes from the airport last year were Atlanta (ATL), Dallas (DFW), and Denver (DEN), all of which saw upwards of 500,000 passengers. When it comes to international flying, the three busiest routes were to London (LHR), Cancún (CUN), and San José del Cabo (SJD).
London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
The Heathrow Introducing stage
In the summer of 2024, London Heathrow Airport partnered with Sofar Sounds to launch a music stage called Heathrow Introducing. The stage was located at the airport’s Terminal 5 and featured performances from artists including folk singer-songwriter The Halfway Kid, acoustic rock band China Bears, and RnB artist Olivia Nelson, who was named as Emerging Talent Runner Up at the 2024 Glastonbury Festival.
The performances took place as London Heathrow Airport was gearing up for its busiest day ever – June 30th, 2024, when more than 260,000 passengers passed through. At the time, the airport’s Director of Services, Tonia Fielding, celebrated the initiative, saying,
“Heathrow has long been hailed as the UK’s gateway to the world. We’re proud that we’re providing people from around the globe the chance to experience the best of Britain’s emerging musical talent and a taste of UK culture from the moment they reach the airport, while helping British talent supercharge their careers at the same time.”
Meanwhile, Sofar Sounds, which has previously hosted gigs for the likes of Ed Sheeran and Hozier, said,
“The Heathrow Introducing stage isn’t just about providing entertainment; it’s about propelling careers to new heights. It’s a game-changer for those aiming to break into the industry, especially with festival season at its peak, offering exposure to execs traveling through the hub – you can only get this at Heathrow.”
Source: Simple Flying
