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Let Us Now Praise Blue Cats
It’s hard to believe that Blue Cats has been around for three years, but this week the club is marking that anniversary. People like to grumble about how all the great shows end up at Asheville’s Orange Peel, but Blue Cats has done an amazing job of booking diverse entertainment. Bands that have played within the club’s cozy confines include Will Oldham, Jurassic 5, Andrew W.K., Guy Clark, John Scofield, Man or Astroman?, Michelle Shocked, Tony Furtado, Yellowman, Jonatha Brooke, Saffire, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, Cracker, Josh Rouse, Jump Little Children, Vandermark 5, Superchunk, Fred Eaglesmith, Freedy Johnston, Tim O’Brien, Charlie Hunter, Drivin’ N Cryin’, Pernice Brothers, Adrian Belew, Victor Wooten, Over the Rhine, Southern Culture on the Skids, Norah Jones, the Bottle Rockets, Acoustic Syndicate, Mike Watt, Dave Douglas, Nashville Pussy, Keller Williams, Dar Williams, Hayseed Dixie, Drive-By Truckers, Impotent Sea Snakes, Chuck Prophet, Yonder Mountain String Band, Umphrey’s McGee, the Wailers, Afroman, Guided By Voices, David Allan Coe, Science of Life, North Mississippi Allstars, Edwin McCain, Lucero, Robert Bradley, the Gourds, Rev. Horton Heat, Prophetix, Ingram Hill, Superjoint Ritual, Bindlestiff Family Cirkus, Zion I, G Love... You get the idea. The club has also been supportive of local acts—like Mikel Grubb Band, Senryu, the Rockwells, the American Plague, Brandy Robinson, Jodie Manross—by booking many of them as openers for national acts. And it’s continued the tradition of the old Underground, holding Fiction dance nights every Saturday, and the Sanctus Goth nights. There’s been a seemingly endless spate of cover bands on the calendar lately, which some supporters of diverse and original live music scoff at. But, from a business standpoint, these popular, feel-good nostalgia trips—which pack the club to capacity with paying (and drinking) customers for Breakfast Club and Appetite for Destruction—help pay the bills and allow the club to bring in original bands that appeal to smaller audiences.
To celebrate the anniversary, the club is holding special events and drink specials all week. “Bar revenue pretty much pays our bills,” says the club’s Lenore Kinder. “We’re lowering that to say, ‘Thank you, have a cheap cold one on us.’ We’re really appreciative of people supporting what we’ve been trying to do here for the last three years.”
Door prizes will be awarded, including a vacation package on Thursday night. And you can check out the club’s recent snazzy facelift.
On Saturday night, the club will host “A Night at the Casbah” with the Gypsy Hands Belly Dance Troupe, which will perform and give Tarot and palm readings.
Baking At West Town
On June 16, local Phish fans were treated to a live performance by the band broadcast live to Regal West Town 9. The show was simulcast from Brooklyn in high-definition video and Dolby surround sound in 47 cities, including Knoxville, and the audience took every opportunity to celebrate during the two sets. Glow sticks and balloons bounced around the theater with the scents and subtle sounds of contraband beer and marijuana in the air. Phish is in the midst of its final tour before disbanding in August.
Go.
Thursday: Two of Knoxville’s best bands, Dixie Dirt and Divorce, are playing a benefit for one of the city’s best clubs, The Pilot Light. Go support all three. After Sundown, of course.
Friday: Hector Qirko might be this city’s best guitar player. He’s certainly an underappreciated talent (as most of this town’s talent is). Tonight he pulls a doubleheader, playing at the KMA’s Alive After Five and then 4620.
Saturday: Head to Oak Ridge for the Secret City Film Festival at the American Museum of Science and Energy. Later in the evening, head back to Knoxville for Saturday Night on the Town with Deccatree, Dexter Freebish, Donavon Frankenreiter, Chely Wright, Billy Dean and a number of hip-hop artists.
Sunday: Check out some great jazz in the afternoon with Josh Marcum Trio at the Downtown Grill & Brewery; later that evening enjoy the Luminescent Orchestrii, a NYC string ensemble, at the Pilot Light.
Monday: Even though my mind is hazy an’ my thoughts they might be narrow,/ Where you been don’t bother me nor bring me down in sorrow./ It don’t even matter to me where you’re wakin’ up tomorrow,/ But mama, you’re just on my mind.
Tuesday: Rest.
Wednesday: Check out the grand opening of the One Vision Plaza, which despite the awful name will be a damn cool place where WDVX will be headquartered and we’ll be able to regularly hear live music. Today catch free performances by Robinella, R.B., Blue Moon Rising and Todd Steed.
—Joe Tarr, Clint Casey
June 24, 2004 • Vol. 14, No. 26
© 2004 Metro Pulse
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