Nightlife: Rock/Acoustic/Dance Clubs

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Boogies
1836 W. Cumberland Ave. * 540-3999
Boogies features diverse bands such as Dave Landeo, Tall Paul, Hip Twangers, and Gran Torino.

Campus Pub
1801 Lake Ave * 525-3268
Campus Pub is one of the places to be if you're a UT student. Live rock 'n' roll is featured three or four nights a week, with regular appearances made by bands like lumberin' Curt Rode's Willis and semi-local favorites Nug-Jug for a $2 to $5 cover. The Pub also doubles as a restaurant, and Wednesday and Saturdays are currently Swing Dance nights, which, depending on the night, are coordinated by either a DJ or a live band.

End Zone
1717 White Ave. * 524-5326
In the heart of the always pulsating Fort Sanders neighborhood to the north of Cumberland Avenue, End Zone is a downstairs restaurant/ upstairs bar. An old campus favorite under new ownership, End Zone offers free local entertainment, and Sunday brunch on the porch.

Laurel Theatre
1538 Laurel Ave. * 522-5851
Frequent live folk music performances and weekly dancing. Sunday: English country dancing, 8pm; Monday: Contra dance, 8 p.m.; Tuesday: Scandinavian couple dance, 7:30 p.m.

Lava Lounge
7211 Kingston Pike * 558-0099
Behind the West Knoxville Stefano's Pizza restaurant, Lava Lounge offers various forms of entertainment, some of it on the bizarre side, every night of the week.

Longbranch Saloon
1848 Cumberland Ave. * 546-9914
One of the cozier night spots on Cumberland Avenue, the Longbranch is a great place to go if you want to experience a real bar that isn't too far off the beaten path. While the college crowd is present, the mood is eclectic and all different kinds of people seem to enjoy themselves. The performance calendar is centered around rock bands, but acoustic artists have also been found here.

Lord Lindsey
615 W Hill Ave. * 522-2178
A very large old mansion that looks almost surreal on the fringes of Knoxville's downtown landscape, The Lord Lindsey is the nightclub to be at on Thursdays and Saturdays if you're college-age and want to meet about every element on Knoxville's periodic table. Yes, the Lord Lindsey, especially when it is transformed into The Closet on Thursdays, might just be one of the most diverse places in town; one of your only chances to bump into a crabby sorority sister, walk five paces, and accidentally jar the drink of a sassy drag queen.

Manhattan's
101 S. Central St. * 525-2333
Manhattan's is one of Knoxville's longer-standing venues and features a wide array of folk and rock performers. On the corner of Central and Jackson in the Old City, Manhattan's is usually comfortably inhabited—not overflowing—by folks who are either congregating with their friends at the bar or by music-lovers waiting to see a performer in the adjoining room. The club also serves excellent food.

Michael's
7049 Kingston Pike * 588-2455
A place known for catering to an older demographic, Michael's looks more like a restaurant than a nightclub, but features lots of dancing. Carolina Beach Shag Music is featured beginning at 6 p.m, Tuesdays through Fridays, and Top 40 Dance Music kicks off a wild night at 9 p.m.

Moose's Music Hall
1910 Cumberland Ave. * 971-4441
Probably the largest venue on Knoxville's Cumberland Avenue strip, Moose's regularly hosts major acts and packs in several hundred on a given night. Rock bands usually dominate the performance calendar, with a few novelty acts dotting the date chart as well. Moose's also hosts a dance night on Wednesdays (doors open at 9).

Spicy's
109 Central Ave. * 523-4723
Perhaps one of the few clubs on the Strip catering to the college set that does not have a dance night, Spicy's offers everything from 15 different drafts, to the best wings in Knoxville, to performers two nights a week. Just a couple doors down from O'Charley's, Spicy's also has an outdoor patio and doesn't close its doors until 1:30 in the morning.

The Spot
6915 Kingston Pike * 588-8138
Occupying part of a large brick mansion in what is otherwise a fast food dominated area of Kingston Pike, The Spot houses blues and rock acts on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays beginning at 10 p.m. with no cover. The Spot is also distinctive in that it has the freedom to put bands on its outdoor patio in the summer.

Union Jack's
124 Northshore Dr. * 584-5161
On an otherwise quiet stretch of Northshore Drive just east of Kingston Pike, Union Jack's is Knoxville's only British Pub. Featuring the always stellar Robinella and the CC String Band on Thursday nights, the pub offers stimulation for your competitive juices on Wednesdays and Thursdays, with a dart tournament and a foosball tournament respectively. Staying true to form—those Brits like their brews—Union Jack's offers 160 bottled beers and 11 drafts.

Varsity Pub
1713 Cumberland Ave. * 637-4679
Serving up the perfect pour of Guinness seven days a week, the Varsity boasts an air of Irish authenticity mixed with traditional campus nightlife. Live local bands frequent the stage of this diverse bar. Mondays are a particularly hoppin' night with $2 dollar imports. The Pub opens daily around 6 p.m., serving dinner and late night breakfast in addition to great draft beers.