Metro Pulse/Music/Eye on the Scene

Sharp Stick in the 'eye

Nearly two decades—19 years, to be exact—is a pretty significant slice of nightclub tradition, especially in Knoxville, where the names and faces at local night spots change more often than a herd of nervous chameleons. But that's how long Hawkeye's on White Avenue had been running its nightly Animal Hour drink specials when the tradition was brought to an end with a final blow-out on Oct. 17. The restaurant/club was sold last week, turned over to new owners who have since re-dubbed it the End Zone.

In fitting form, the last Animal Hour was sent out by Michael Crawley and the Mac Daddies, the nucleus of which has played Thursday night A.H.'s in some incarnation for the last seven years or so. The final evening saw the band (a Metro Pulse poll-winner for favorite blues band in its former guise, Crawdaddy) joined at various points on stage by a veritable Who's Who of local music favorites, including Superdrag singer John Davis, blues bandleader Hector Qirko, and former V-roys Scott Miller and Mic Harrison.

But as old traditions end, so new ones begin. Crawley, a Hawkeye's bartender, says the new owners have pledged to keep with the spirit of the old establishment's more successful promotions, with nightly "Zone Hour" specials and the continuation of Thursday nights with the Mac Daddies.

Local CD Review

The French Broads
My Friend Speed (Disgraceland)

Say what you will about the local music scene—it might not be everything that any of us want it to be, and may in fact just be a pleasant depository of perfect-for-a-Saturday-night-at-the-Longbranch-but-not-quite-ready-for-the-Big-Time pop rock. But is that such a bad thing? Not when a band as tasteful and fun as the French Broads are representative of what's going on.

The songs on My Friend Speed are basic upbeat power pop—melodic power chord riffing, delicate lead guitar lines, a swinging and supple rhythm section—that spans Todd Steed-inspired joke-rock ("Sunzabitches," "My Bottle"), surf instrumentals ("Serf"), mournful psychedelic meandering ("New Year's Day"), and, of course, melancholy summer's-end nostalgia ("On Saturdays," "Summer's Over").

John Baker's vocal talents aren't expansive, but they do all that the songs ask of them. It's the guitar work of Baker and, especially, Jim Rivers that carries My Friend Speed. Neat, precise, economical solos pop up exactly where they should, and understated lead lines support Baker's voice when they're needed. Rivers' tone is always perfect—guitar-nerd tweedly on "My Bottle," fuzzy on the droning "New Year's Day," full-on rock-out-loud on "Sunzabitches."

The whole band, in fact, has good ears. They're not exactly laughing at themselves on My Friend Speed, but they're definitely grinning at the crowd.

Go.

Thursday: System and Station with Passport Again and Matt Suggs at Pilot Light. Suggs is making something of an indie name for himself and plays one heck of a good song.

Friday: The Hangdogs at Manhattan's. Think Southern rawk.

Saturday: Clyde Davenport at Laurel Theatre. Fiddle and banjo player who collects songs from the Cumberland Plateau.

Sunday: Roberta Peters at Tennessee Theatre. Peters is an opera diva whose voice will give you chills—the good kind.

Monday: Egg something.

Tuesday: Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Bijou Theatre. It's a tradition, much like turkey at Thanksgiving —but with transsexuals.

Wednesday: Octuba-fest at UT Music Hall. They'll be attempting the world's loudest low A. Makes my bowels loosen just thinking about it.

—Emma "The management at Metro Pulse would like to encourage 'Eye on the Scene' users to egg responsibly and not sue us if something goes horribly wrong" Poptart