They don't call it the Music City for nothing.
Nashville SC is going all-out for their first-ever MLS match against Atlanta United at Nissan Stadium on Feb. 29, announcing a star-studded cast on Tuesday that will perform in the lead-up to the match.
The proceedings will start with Nashville-based rock band Judah & the Lion, which will play a 20-minute set that will feature Nashville SC's official club anthem "Never Give Up on You."
That will be followed up by a performance from actor/singer Chip Esten, who will perform the national anthem, before Halestorm singer and guitarist Lzzy Hale will close it off.
Hale will be introducing the Gibson Guitar Riff — a pregame ritual that will see different performers throughout the season get the home fans pumped up by shredding a customized Gibson guitar right before kickoff.
Judah & the Lion are staples of the Nashville music scene, with the members of the band forming while attending Nashville's Belmont University before becoming critically acclaimed for their blend of rock, folk and bluegrass. Esten became known as an actor for his work on the ABC drama Nashville and improv comedy show Whose Line Is it Anyway? before becoming an acclaimed musician in his own right. Hale has fronted rock band Halestorm since 1997.
The club is encouraging fans to get to the stadium early to catch the pregame performances before the club kicks off its MLS existence at 8 pm ET.
