“The Cove” is a popular pop-up nightclub in Nashville, Tennessee. But while other nightlife locations in Nashville are noted mainly for their heavy drinking and debauchery, The Cove aims to give young adults a way to let loose and have some fun without compromising their Christian values.
As a pop-up, discotheque-type nightclub, The Cove is only open for guests occasionally. Its first party was in November, then it had one for New Year, and then that was followed by a February party. During each of those parties, the club, founded by seven young Christian men, maintained its goal of creating “a thriving community and a welcoming space for young Christians outside houses of worship.”
The AP, reporting on The Cove and what differentiates it from most other nightclubs, noted that it has certain rules about what the partiers can do and what music will be played in an effort to keep the venue fun but also in line with Christian moral beliefs. It reported:
The young crowd at a Nashville nightclub was ready to dance under the strobe lights to a throbbing mix of hip-hop, rap and Latin beats. But first they gathered to pray and praise God.
The rules were announced on the dance floor by a mic-carrying emcee to more than 200 clubgoers blanketed by thick smoke machine fog: ”Rule No. 1: No twerking. Second rule: No drinking. And a third rule: No smoking.” The last unspoken rule seemed obvious by then: No secular music — the playlist would be all Christian.
One of the co-founders of the club, Cornell University alumnus Eric Diggs, commented on those Christian values and why he and six others created the Christian club. He said, “We ourselves experienced a pain point of not being able to find community outside of our church, not knowing what to do to have fun without feeling bad for doing stuff that’s conflicting to our values. There wasn’t a space to cultivate that, so we created it ourselves.”
Similarly, a spokesperson for the club told Fox News Digital, “Our mission is to cultivate a welcoming space where young adults can connect, have fun and encounter God through innovative experiences and vibrant community. Recognizing the growing health-conscious movement among Gen Z and young Millennials, we offer a unique, safe and substance-free environment for young adults to enjoy themselves. This is more than a nightclub. It’s a community. It’s a movement.”
That statement continued, “In a generation where so many people have experienced church hurt, we believe many individuals will choose to step foot into The Cove before stepping foot into a church. We embrace the seemingly contrasting ideas of “nightclub” and “Christian,” as we believe Jesus is present everywhere, not just within the four walls of a church building.”
Those values were reflected in the Eventbrite event description for the November of 2023 party. In that description, it highlighted both the fun aspects and Christian values, saying that it was a “Christian nightclub” and that guests should “Come join us for the launch of The Cove Nashville! It’s going to be a night filled with wavy music, good vibes, and lots of fun. Don’t sleep on this opportunity to have a blast with friends, meet new people, and make memories that will last a lifetime. Mark your calendars and get ready for an amazing time at The Cove.”
Watch a TikTok promo for The Cove here:
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video