The Platform Podcast Episode seventy-one features the Nashville based DJ, talent buyer and owner of Night We Met, Austin Knight! Watch or listen to The Platform Podcast every week on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
The Platform Podcast 71 features Nashville based DJ, venue owner, and talent buyer, Austin Knight, also known as Knyghts!
Austin is the owner of Night We Met, one of the fastest growing dance music venues in Nashville, and breaks down what it actually takes to build a club, book talent, and grow a scene in a city dominated by free-entry nightlife. From starting as a college DJ in a frat basement to transitioning into marketing, promoting, and eventually opening his own venue, he shares the full journey of how he went from playing shows to running them.
We get into how he took the risk of opening Night We Met, and why the first thing he invested in was the VOID sound system. We also talk about the early struggles and how he learned and adjusted to the market and clientele. Austin discussed how he decides which artists to book, and the real challenge of being “too early” on talent before they blow up.
Austin breaks down the reality of Nashville nightlife, why the city’s free bar culture makes ticketed shows harder, and how he’s built a brand where people trust the experience even if they don’t know the headliner.
Plus, he shares what it was like opening for Chris Lake, the pressure of playing in front of 5,000 people, and how that experience shifted his perspective as a DJ.
Enjoy the episode and leave any comments for myself or the guest!
Follow Austin Knight (Knyghts): https://www.instagram.com/knyghts_/
Follow Night We Met: https://www.instagram.com/nwm.nashville/
Follow The Platform: https://www.instagram.com/theplatformmix
Follow Dex: @TheDJDex
Watch or listen to The Platform Podcast every week on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
Episode Chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:31 Meeting Austin & Nashville Background
2:10 Getting Into DJing in College
5:01 Transitioning Into Marketing, Promoting & Booking
6:32 Why Promoting in Other Venues Doesn’t Work
7:11 Opening Night We Met & Taking the Risk
10:38 Building the Venue Around Sound & Experience
13:41 Starting Too Underground & Pivoting the Concept
16:42 Building a Brand People Trust (Soft Ticket Strategy)
19:15 Booking Strategy & Artist Selection
22:03 Booking Artists Before They Blow Up (Risk vs Timing)
25:35 Rebranding & Why You Can Start Over Anytime
28:19 Nashville’s Free Bar Culture Problem
33:54 Why You Have To Charge for Bigger Artists
37:20 Selling Tickets in a Last-Minute City
40:10 Losing Money on Shows & Playing the Long Game
41:10 Booking Relationships, Agents & Industry Politics
43:14 Opening for Chris Lake (5,000 People)
46:16 Being Comfortable as a Local DJ
49:48 How Owning a Venue Changes How You Judge DJs
53:04 Expanding Night We Met & Future Plans
57:51 Platform Playlist
1:00:03 Put Someone On a Platform
1:02:11 Outro