Luke Combs‘ Category 10 bar is officially open in downtown Nashville. The four-story, 67,000-square-foot venue, located at 120 Second Avenue North, at the space where the Wildhorse Saloon once existed, is opened by Combs in partnership with Opry Entertainment Group.
“This is a dream come true, and I am excited to share it with y’all,” Combs said when Category 10 opened on November 1. “This a fan-first venue with a little something for everybody.”
Indeed, Category 10 has a total of five different entertainment experiences: The Honky-Tonk, Hurricane Hall, The Still, 5 Leaf Clover and The Eye. In a city full of celebrity-owned bars and restaurants, Combs is making sure his stands out above the rest, with both the largest stage and dance floor in downtown Nashville, and the largest outdoor deck when The Eye opens in 2025, featuring a 7,000-square-foot rooftop and unobstructed views of the Cumberland River and Nissan Stadium.
When announcing Category 10, the father of two said he wanted it to be a place where everyone from aspiring singer-songwriters to established superstars come to perform.
“Cat 10 is going to be a place that artists of all levels want to play downtown,” said Combs. “We are building a spot where we can put on a high-level touring act show one night and a songwriter showcase the next. There isn’t anything like this venue, and I can’t wait for everyone to experience it.”
Combs drew inspiration for the name of the bar from one of his early hits, “Hurricane,” his debut single, released in 2016.
“Obviously, as you guys know, the strongest a hurricane can be is Category 5, so we figured we’d double it, and make it Category 10,” Combs said at the time. “It’s going to be an awesome honky-tonk in downtown Nashville. Food, spirits, you name it. Whatever you want, we’re gonna have it. It’s gonna be so much fun. I can’t wait for this thing to open. I can’t wait to see you guys there.”
The North Carolina native also said it was important to him that Category 10 had a dedicated space that honored songwriters.
“It’s important for me, I think, to have opportunities as a songwriter to showcase your ability,” Combs said. “I remember just being able to play for other songwriters was a huge thing for me. So I think having a very, very, very high-end songwriters night would be something that I would love, for new artists to come and be able to play their favorite song, or the best song that they have in front of other songwriters.”
The opening of Category 10 came shortly after Combs, along with Eric Church, organized and co-headlined the Concert for Carolina. Joined by James Taylor, Billy Strings, Keith Urban, Bailey Zimmerman, Sheryl Crow, Scotty McCreery, Chase Rice and Parmalee, the event raised more than $24.5 million for recovery efforts in North Carolina after Hurricane Helene.
. “This will undoubtedly go down as the night I am most proud of in my career,” said after the event. “Being able to give back to the place that gave me so much. There are so many people to thank for helping making this night possible on such short notice. My team, band and crew worked so hard to pull this off and I seriously can’t thank them enough.”
Find more information on Category 10 at Category10.com. All of Combs’ music and upcoming shows is available at LukeCombs.com.
Photo Credits: Opry Entertainment Group and Catherine Powell