No Barley, No Hops

You've probably already noticed the darkened, sadly quiet state of Cumberland Avenue's erstwhile live music haven B&H Performance Hall. Former club owner Sean Phillips confirms that indeed the little hovel that for nearly two years hosted everyone from Jesus Lizard to Yo La Tengo (not to mention countless local bands) has probably seen its last show.

"It was just taking too much money," Phillips says, adding that the building owner has apparently seen little interest in reopening the venue from other investors.

Phillips will continue in the service of local entertainment, however, as bar manager and booking agent for the newly revamped Manhattan's in the Old City. For now, the club is relegating its live music to small jazz combos and "unplugged" sets from local bands. Phillips says the entertainment menu will expand, though, as the bar picks up steam and a new stage is rebuilt in the music room.

The Best $6 We'll Ever Spend

In a summer full of great concerts, last Friday's "Save Fort Sanders" show was the undisputed highlight. The combination of good music, a good cause, and a good crowd produced a freewheeling hootenanny with political bite. As Knoxville's music royalty took the stage in the forms of Todd Steed, Scott Miller, and R.B. Morris (respectively the clown prince, crown prince, and lizard king of the local scene), the sell-out crowd at the Laurel Theatre hollered and clapped and finally got up to boogie. Morris dueted with both Miller and Steed, and all three told stories (or, in Morris' case, read poems) about their years in the fort. Miller played stuff old and new—including a breathtaking song about a father and son that he said he "just wrote last night"—and talked sardonically about waiting six months for the new V-Roys album to come out. Morris also debuted some new material and closed his well-earned encore with a fiery rendition of "Thunder Road" (Bob Mitchum's, not Bruce Springsteen's). And leave it to Toddzilla to give the nascent anti-developer movement its own theme song: "The Night They Tore Fort Sanders Down." After the show, much of the crowd trailed Steed to the Longbranch for an Opposable Thumbs set. Well into the early morning, an energized Steed looked up from beneath his fetching fez and declared, "I think Knoxville's in renaissance mode. And it's about time!"

Get in the Van

Week before last we received a lovely missive from Knoxville's own hard-core punk-rockers The Malignmen, informing all far and wide that they were on a month and a half long tour. Said tour started Aug. 21 in Memphis and will wend its way around the Southeast and jaunt into Yankee country as well. The 'men will play such notable clubs as The Continental in NYC, Old Miami in Detroit, and Vincent's Ear in Asheville. Ultimately, this road trip, in which many new fans will be won over to these volatile rockers, will end with their last gig on Oct. 6 in Sarasota. According to the release, the band is "prepared to tour for 'as long as it takes to get where we want to be.'" I guess where they want to be is Florida.

This Just In

Boy Genius is racing up the college radio charts, a tip given to us by Boy Scott West. Last week the bands' Last Grand Experiment was #172, this week the record has raced up to #137. It is expected that, by next week, they will break the Top 100. And, now, back to the column.

It's Like a Bullshit Detector... But Different

Lately, there has been a strange string of calls and letters (okay, letter) across the desk of Zippy, seeking advice on the appropriateness of a new name for a club, song, or band. Somehow, Knox-ites seem to have gotten it into their heads that I am the arbiter of all that is cool, and can recognize this cool-ness when I hear it.

And they would be right. So have at it. Let me use my talent for good instead of evil. Send your would-be song titles, band or club names to [email protected] and I'll throw them against my groove-detector to see which ones stick. I take no responsibility, however, for those that the proposers decide to use despite a negative response.

—Zippy "Key Lime Jesus" McDuff