Metro Pulse/Music/Eye on the Scene

Atlanta Cops: Rock Music Bad

Local shock-rockers Evil Twin were about halfway through their set—they'd reached the point where the band's auxiliary dominatrix performs an onstage mock flagellation of two other women—at Dottie's, a small club in Atlanta, on Saturday night, when The Man stormed in and put his boot down.

According to head Twin Rus Harper and club promoter Jack Cowart (who issued a press release titled "Atlanta PD Declare War on Rock 'n' Roll"), a handful of Atlanta Police Department officers shut down the show and threatened to charge the band members and their performance troupe with lewd and lascivious behavior. "The girls came out and were doing their thing, and all of a sudden the show's stopped and we're hauled back into the office," says Harper. "I'm so proud. This has been a dream of Evil Twin's."

A copy of the police report on the incident won't be available until later this week, but Cowart says the club was cited for operating an adult establishment without a license. A court date is set for Feb. 6.

"It was crazy," Cowart says. "I got in a huge argument with a cop in there. I was telling him it wasn't like there were naked people running around in there, nobody was touching each other where they shouldn't. He was screaming at me, saying, 'It doesn't matter what you think lewd means, it's what the law says it means.'"

Cowart says he listened to an Evil Twin CD and checked out the band's web site before booking the band. He had reservations about the band's over-the-top production—but he was worried about public safety, not the potential corruption of innocent hearts. "My biggest concern was the fire-breathing, because the club is old and has low-ceilings," he says.

A benefit for the club's legal defense is scheduled for this weekend, and Cowart says he's already planning to bring Evil Twin back to Dottie's. As for Harper, he says the entire incident is great, ahem, exposure for Evil Twin. "When you can either chase people out or get shut down by the cops—yeaaahhh!"

A Trip to the Continent

The Knoxville Jazz Orchestra is going to Europe this summer, and they'd be glad if you could join them, even gladder if you could help them. They've raised a good deal of the money necessary to send the entire band on the two-week, three-festival journey, but could still use some support.

At this point, revenue from their CD release and ticket sales for their concerts have generated about a quarter of the cash, while trumpeter and bandleader Vance Thompson expects more help from upcoming concerts and events. Thompson has applied for two things that also may help send the band in style: a grant from the Fund for U.S. Artists that supports traveling performers and certification for KJO as a non-profit organization, which would offer even more incentive for the public to contribute or join the tour. Presently there are about 31 people signed on, and the ideal base-number is 40 (whichwould allow the musicians to travel just a bit cheaper). The package costs around $2,500, including airfare, hotel accommodations and festival tickets. A minimum payment is due by March 30.

Upcoming shows include a Feb. 11 Valentine's Day lovefest at the Fairbanks, featuring singers Theresa Crowe and Scat Springs, and a March 11 show that the KJO hopes will feature accomplished trumpeter Bill Mobley. There is also a Mother's Day collaboration with the Actor's Co-Op at the Black Box Theatre in Homberg Place. For information on shows, the summer tour, or booking engagements, call Thompson at 329-3063.

Winning is Good

Local film director and UT prof Paul Harrill's trip to Utah turned out to be well worth his time. Sure, sure, the Sundance wing-ding gave him a chance to screen his short Gina, An Actress, Age 29 to an industry-savvy audience, which, in theory, might help him finance the rest of the story of which Gina is a part. But, beyond showing his work, Harrill also caught the short-subjects jury's collective eye, which awarded Gina its award. According to the New York Times, at the awards ceremony, Harrill "reminded the assembled that Los Angeles and New York weren't the only places to make films; he is content to work and live in Knoxville, Tenn."

And those in Knoxville will also get a chance to check out this award-winning short at Valleyfest, our (slightly smaller) version of Sundance. Melinda Wolfe, Valleyfest PR person and all-around swell gal, warns that this news may make this screening, which will happen during East Tennessee Filmmakers Night on Thursday, March 15 at Regal's Downtown West, a rather tight fit given the numbers of folks who'll want in. So here's the scoop: All Pass holders will be given first priority on a first come/first served basis. The Day Pass and Individual Screening Pass holders will take a back seat—which is how it is with every screening in the fest but may be more of an issue with this particular block of films. For more information, check out www.valleyfest.com or call 577-7711.

Go.

Thursday: The Chinese Golden Dragon Acrobats at Carson-Newman's Gentry Auditorium. Lithe performers doing circus tricks.

Friday: Henry Butler at KMA Alive After Five. We're lucky this jazz mainstay is swinging through K-town.

Saturday: Jeff White with John Pennell, Jeff Barbra and Sarah Pirkle at Palace Theatre. Pennell helped one Alison Krauss get on her feet in the entertainment industry and White is a Rounder Records artist and also writes for one Del McCoury. It'll be some good stuff.

Sunday: KICCUP Choir Festival at St. John's Episcopal. For just $5, you can catch some of the snazziest choirs in town and know that 100 percent of your hard-earned cover charge will benefit the Crutcher Memorial Youth Enrichment Center.

Monday: Treasures of the Chinese Scholarat McClung Museum. Another fine collection opens at this UT institution.

Tuesday: Watch Buffy.

Wednesday: Mike Crawley and the MacDaddies at Charlie Pepper's (UT). They're baaaa-ack.

—Emma "A Writer, Age 29" Poptart