47 years on the road—and a new stage in Carson City
By Mason Brito
For nearly half a century, John Procaccini’s workplace was wherever the next concert happened to be. His career unfolded on tour buses, backstage loading docks, and concert stages across the country as he worked behind the scenes with some of the biggest names in music. While many dream of standing in the spotlight, John built a life making sure the spotlight turned on at exactly the right moment.
John’s journey began with a bass guitar and a bold decision. Convinced his future was in music, he dropped out of high school in the 10th grade to chase the dream. He started a garage band, but some of his most important lessons came from an unlikely classroom: his parents’ deli.
It was there that he met a technician who would become his mentor—a man whose Rolodex read like a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame guest list.
Through that connection, John found his real opportunity—not on stage, but behind it. He started at the very bottom as a roadie, hauling gear, setting up equipment, and doing whatever needed to be done to keep the show running. It was demanding work that required long hours, problem-solving under pressure, and absolute reliability.
Over time, John earned the trust of the artists and crews he worked with. His dedication and skill allowed him to steadily work his way up the ladder, eventually becoming a tour production manager—the person responsible for coordinating the complex logistics that keep major concert tours moving from city to city.
By 1978, John was living a life most people only glimpse in documentaries. As a production manager, he helped orchestrate concerts on the road, across the globe, for legendary performers including Sammy Hagar, Boston, Peter Frampton, The Doobie Brothers and Frank Sinatra, to name just a few.
For decades, his world revolved around tour buses, sound checks, equipment trucks, and the electric energy of live performance. Behind every successful concert was a small army of people making sure everything ran perfectly—and John was often the one leading the charge.
But even the longest tours eventually reach a pause. For John, that moment came during the COVID-19 pandemic. As concerts shut down and the music industry temporarily went quiet, the relentless pace of touring slowed to a stop.
During that unexpected break, John realized he was ready for something different—a place to put down deeper roots after nearly half a century on the road.
Having called Northern Nevada home-base since 1985, John and his wife, Kitty McKay, decided to build upon their history of love for the community and character of Nevada’s capital city. An example of which the town experienced back in 1994.
Hearing that Carson High School faced a last-minute crisis when fire officials deemed the prom decorations a safety hazard and the event was in jeopardy, John stepped in. He called his crew, secured flame-retardant drapes, and made sure the dance could go on.
It was a classic, John-style, roadie solution: solve the problem, keep the show moving, and make it look easy.
That same spirit of love for community and hospitality—rooted in the family values John learned from his parents and grandparents and from years living and working in Nashville—became the foundation for his next venture.
Together with Kitty, they opened the Nashville Social Club in Carson City.
More than just a restaurant, Nashville Social is built around a passion for welcoming guests like old friends, the atmosphere is warm and relaxed, and the focus is just as much on community as it is on food. The menu features what John describes as “Hip Southern” cuisine—scratch-made comfort food with a modern twist—along with a wide range of gluten-free options that make the restaurant accessible to everyone.
The venue also reflects the life John spent decades building. A stage sits at the heart of the restaurant and in the adjacent music hall, continuing his lifelong connection to world class live music. In addition to coordinating arena tours, John has also created a space where talented musicians can perform for a local audience, keeping the spirit of live performance alive in Northern Nevada.
The skills that made John successful on the road prove just as valuable in business. Years of managing tours taught him how to build relationships, coordinate moving parts, manage finances, and keep operations running smoothly under pressure. In many ways, running a busy restaurant and music venue isn’t all that different from managing a concert tour.
Today, after 47 years traveling with some of the biggest names in music, John Procaccini still works as a tour manager while also running a venue of his own. The man who still orchestrates arena and stadium shows, also curates a stage for local and nationally renowned musicians while serving Southern comfort food to the community he feels blessed to call “family”.
The setting may have changed, but his mission hasn’t. Whether backstage at a concert or welcoming guests into his restaurant, John Procaccini has always been focused on the same thing: bringing people together to celebrate life. A sign inside the Nashville Social Club sums up that philosophy perfectly: “Love all y’all.”