While this was not the first place to host the Grand Ol' Opry (America's longest running radio show), it did house it from the demise of Hank Williams to the rise of Dolly Parton. Undergoing a renovation in the 90s before reopening as a concert venue/museum, the new management began booking non-Country acts. Concerts by Ryan Adams, Beck, Elvis Costello, John Fogerty, The Pixies, Sigur Ros, Sujan Stephens, Tom Waits, The White Stripes, Wilco and others reflect the new management's appreciation for melodies crafted beyond Nashville's Music Row. The building was constructed as a church (hence it's nickname "The First Church of County Music") and boasts legendary acoustics ranking in the top 2 or 3 acoustical performance halls in the nation - to put that in perspective, the Ryman's resonance competes with or surpasses Los Angeles's Symphony Center, Salt Lake City's Mormon Tabernacle, and New York's Carnegie Hall. Because of the incredible resonance of the auditorium, many acts playing the Ryman will play an encore song (or encore set) with their instruments unplugged and without the amplification of a microphone. Some artists play one of there own songs, but many cover a song by one of the County artists who made the Ryman famous as the crowd listens in hushed reverence. It's these moments, where the musicians strip away the volume and trade it for venerability, that make Nashville's Ryman Auditorium my favorite place to see a concert.