Ahead of Miranda Lambert's concert for the grand opening of Live Nation's new venue, The Truth, unidentified protesters projected messages onto the building criticizing the entertainment giant's dominance of the live entertainment industry.
Lambert took the stage on Oct. 1 for the inaugural concert at the 4,400-person venue in Nashville's Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood.
The opening of The Truth comes amid a turbulent legal battle involving Live Nation, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and a coalition of state attorneys generals who filed an antitrust lawsuit against the company and its subsidiary, Ticketmaster, alleging they created an illegal monopoly in the live entertainment business.
In addition to criticizing Live Nation, the projected messages
also targeted AJ Capital, one of the Nashville-based real estate development companies behind the booming development of Wedgewood-Houston.
What did protesters project onto The Truth?
"The Truth? Profit over art. Respect music. People power. Art over profit. Art against private equity," were among the messages projected onto the building, according to a post by the Instagram page, Music Sh**ty.
"Keep Nashville independent. AJ Capital. Respect music. What's the future of indie music," another post showed the projections saying.
"Live Nation. Illegal monopoly. The Truth," it continued. Local music fans praised the act of protest on social media.
"Someone's projecting a pretty dope message directly on The Truth during opening night," one Reddit user wrote in a post with an attached video of the scene.
What happened with the lawsuit against Live Nation?
In March 2026, the DOJ reached a settlement in its antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation and Ticketmaster, requiring Live Nation to allow venues to work with competing ticket sellers and divest from several amphitheaters. At the time of the settlement, Live Nation was estimated to also pay a $280 million civil fine, according to USA TODAY.
Tennessee and 32 other states rejected the settlement and pursued further litigation, arguing it did not go far enough because it allowed Live Nation to retain Ticketmaster.
On April 15, a New York jury found that Live Nation and Ticketmaster had operated an illegal monopoly. Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti said the ruling could lead to a breakup of the company and potential restitution for fans who were overcharged. The latter would be in response to the jury's finding that Live Nation had been overcharging fans $1.72 per ticket.
"Tennessee has more skin in this game than any other state. We’re home to the best artists, the best venues, the best fans, and all the people behind the scenes who make live music happen," Skrmetti told The Tennessean after the April ruling.
The next step for AG Skrmetti and the rest of the 33-state coalition will be arguing for actions and financial penalties at a separate bench trial.
There has not been a major court ruling since the April 15 verdict.
Which Nashville venues are owned by Live Nation?
Skrmetti's refusal to sign the settlement holds a lot of weight in Music City, where Live Nation owns The Truth and also has partnerships with a multitude of different concert promoters.
The company also has a controlling interest in the beloved Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, which is expected to return in 2028.
Peter Burditt covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact him at PBurditt@nashvill.gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Protesters target new Live Nation venue with 'illegal monopoly' messages
