Metro Pulse/Music/Eye on the Scene

21st Century Bob Hopes
(Or, Geetars in Qatar)

Jag Star has been having a meteoric rise of late, getting some national attention (and a wad of cash) for winning the USA Songwriting Competition.

But, next month, they'll be doing something even cooler: touring the Middle East as they play several gigs for the U.S.O. armed forces. They leave the United States on Feb. 17 and will be gone for a month, as they play at bases in Oman, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, says lead singer/songwriter Sarah Lewis.

At the suggestion of an agent, the group applied to play military gigs before the Sept. 11 terrorist attack and had no idea where they'd be sent if chosen. "I didn't really know much about it. I was just given an address to send the application off to," Lewis says. "Then Sept. 11th happened and we didn't really think about it."

But a couple of weeks ago, Jag Star was notified it had been selected. "When I read the email, I was sort of stunned imagining going to Afghanistan. But I want to go. I hope it brings out the patriotic part in me. It'll be cool to hang out with the troops and talk to them."

The band will play about 15 shows, Lewis says. They'll play some of their original material, but they're also planning on doing lots of covers, because "most of them aren't going to know who we are." Some possible material includes Aerosmith and R.E.M., she says.

The band will stay on bases and in hotels, but she wasn't sure just how much sightseeing they'd get to do.

"We get emails from people in the military saying, 'This is going to change you, you're going to love Bahrain, you're going to love Qatar.' I've never even been out of the country before," Lewis says. "I'm nervous because I know in a lot of the countries girls have a dress code and you could get arrested if you don't wear the right thing. It's scary thinking about it. I hope we get it all figured out before we go."

Lewis wouldn't say how she feels about the possibility of a war with Iraq. They've gotten some nasty emails from people against the war. "Some people have said to me, 'I don't believe in war, I don't believe what they're doing,'" Lewis says. "I don't think it's fair to say that because I don't think those people want to be over there to kill someone. I think they want to be home with their families. I hate talking about politics because I know how angry people get. I think our job is to go over there and give them something positive."

Lewis says she's looking forward to talking with many of the troops while she's there.

"I want to know what they do. It is so out of my life that it'll be cool to sit down with someone and find out what they do, where they're from, who their family is, and tell them that we care about what they're doing," she says. "It almost feels guilty to go over there and be treated like royalty, like they say we will be. I just have so many mixed emotions about it."

They're Not Ours But We Love 'Em Anyway

As noted in this paper a few weeks ago, Sassy Ann's teamed up with the Knoxville Blues Society to choose an entrant for the International Blues Challenge in Memphis. Three bands played for fans and judges Dec. 27, competing for $400 and a chance to win still more on Beale Street. The winner: Sammy Blue Band, an Atlanta-based trio.

According to Sassy Ann's owner Vicki Vinson, this situation isn't unusual. While the International Blues Challenge is supposed to feature one band from each of the Blues Foundation's regional chapters, the Charlotte Blues Society and even Memphis itself have entered Atlanta groups into the contest, which features $20,000 in cash and prizes. Vinson says the last-minute nature of the contest, together with the distraction of the holidays, conspired to keep local acts away—Nan Citty and the Blues Voice and Bad Weather Blues were the only ones to show up. Plus, "really, there aren't that many blues bands in Knoxville," she says.

Our fair city last sent a rep to the 19-year-old competition three years ago, in the form of Sarah Jordan and the Leftovers.

Go.

Thursday: Check out the former Windbreaker guitarist/singer Tim Lee at his CD release party at the Preservation Pub.

Friday: There's too much to choose from. You're going to have to make up your own mind.

Saturday: Say goodbye to Gran Torino at Blue Cats. We'll miss you guys, but thanks for everything.

Sunday: Write an angry letter to your Congressman, president or local newspaper. There must be something you want to bitch about.

Monday: Rainy days and Mondays always get me down.

Tuesday: But I do like puppet shows! There's a free one at Cup-a-Joe in the Old City. At least, I think it's a puppet show. I'll be really angry if it's a stupid band using the name See Monkey Sea Mask and Puppet Show.

Wednesday: Only one choice and it ain't a bad one—Colorfield at the Pilot Light.

—Madame "If I Had You Back Again" Georgie with Joe Tarr and Tamar Wilner