 |
 |
Finding the Nightlife
Knoxville’s scene is indefinable, and that’s a good thing
by Paige M. Travis
Even at its heights of energy and enthusiasm, Knoxville’s music scene never seems to be good enough. It gets slammed by detractors for general lameness or more specific charges that compare it unfavorably to Athens, Ga., the small college town that in the early ‘80s managed to birth R.E.M., the B-52’s, Pylon and various other acts, and in the ‘90s created the Elephant 6 phenomenon.
But if a music scene is defined by a handful of bands from one town gaining regional or national attention at once, that’s not giving credit to the other parts of a city’s less visible, but equally valuable, pockets of talent. Where Knoxville’s music scene thrives is in its various communities and how they are at once tight-knit and overlapping. Perhaps because no one has high expectations of Knoxville’s overwhelming scene, like they do Athens’ or Austin’s, we can do what we want without a sense of competition or limited resources.
Geographically, the music scene is focused in the Old City, where there are the most music venues. Some scenes with central locations seem like they can’t be cracked, open only to people with certain haircuts and fashion statements. While a lot of shows at The Pilot Light are indie rock bands with small or non-existent followings, the club has a cozy-by-grungy feel that welcomes everyone (regardless of the skeptical looks you might get from the barkeeps). Sassy Ann’s, with its long-running blues jam nights, is an unofficial blues headquarters. Barley’s Taproom draws from the hippie set with frequent jam band appearances, but it also hosts singer-songwriters like Malcolm Holcombe and Knoxville’s own Jodie Manross.
Blue Cats, Knoxville’s largest rock club, splits its time between hosting scads of popular cover/tribute bands and booking in-demand national acts like Drive-By Truckers, The Rev. Horton Heat, Old 97’s and the like.
Java Old City has a strong under-age clientele; their shows start at 7 p.m. to accommodate teens with school the next day. (If only other rock venues were as reasonable with their start-times and recognition of the working hack’s lifestyle.)
Patrick Sullivan’s, Manhattan’s, and Hanna’s hold down the corners of Old City central, and they buzz on the weekends with patrons bellying up to the bar and enjoying music from live bands and DJs. Sullivan’s third-floor Great Room is one of the city’s best rooms for acoustics—although crowds can create quite a ruckus to drown out performers. Its music calendar features national touring acts of Americana origin (like Fred Eaglesmith, Rhett Miller, Lucero) as well as up-and-coming regional popsters like De Novo Dahl, Feable Weiner and International Orange. Manhattan’s, recently remodeled with two bars and a ‘50s flair, focuses on local and touring rock bands. Dancing co-eds dominate Hanna’s.
Traditional, folk and old-time music scenes are less visible in Knoxville, perhaps because we lack multiple venues to showcase such performers, either local or touring. The Laurel Theater is a great place to find well-established old-time performers; plus, the bands that play their dances feature a laundry list of our area’s best pickers and fiddlers. Singer-songwriters have a night of their own at New City Café, a venue mostly dedicated to the Christian music scene, but its open-minded nature welcomes all sorts of performers and audience members.
Variety is the name of the Preservation Pub’s game. This downtown watering hole has jazz on Sundays, blues on Mondays, a reputable radio-sponsored open-mic night on Tuesdays, and the rest of the week is filled with touring and local bands whose brands of rock are as varied as the international section of the grocery store.
Out in the suburban stretch of west Knoxville, the nightlife is surprisingly varied. Union Jack’s in Bearden is an authentic English pub with pool tables and some bands tucked into the corner window. Further down Kingston Pike, the Spot has a dive-y warmth that’s comparable to the venerable Longbranch Saloon on the UT campus; both bars have superb jukeboxes and outdoor patios that are perfect for pitcher-sipping in the summer months.
Bearden is also home to 4620, a swanky jazz club whose stage is frequented by local players from the prestigious jazz community at the UT Music School, plus the occasional touring star. A weekly line-up of regulars play jazz favorites at Baker-Peters Jazz Club, located in a historic home (albeit one nearly obscured by a gas station). Further afield in Farragut, Prince Deli and Sports Bar hosts a curious melange of rock bands, ranging from melodic rock to hardcore.
Even in areas detached from the urban center, musicians find venues. The Palace Theater in Maryville, started by world-famous flat-picker Steve Kaufman as a venue for his pals and beloved old movies, has helped revitalize Maryville’s downtown.
These are just the highlights, of course, a selection of major players in a town that’s always changing. Every scene has its feuds and rivalries, but the general atmosphere in Knoxville is supportive. Musicians know they’re all tackling this town together, trying to figure out why too few people come to shows and the other mysteries that boggle our minds. But as long as they are willing to play well with others, we’ll have a scene that’s brilliantly alive and always changing. As it ebbs and flows and changes from year to year, it’s great to behold, and even better to hear. Forget Athens. This is Knoxville, beholden to none.
December 30, 2004 • Vol. 14, No. 53
© 2004 Metro Pulse
|
|
Finding the Nightlife