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The Big Ticket

John Wilkes Booze
White boys inspired by booze and gospel. July 3, 10 p.m. Pilot Light. $5.

Red House Project
"Musically polygamous." July 3, 9 p.m. Blue Cats. Free.

Fourth of July Parade in Gatlinburg
Lighted floats, marching bands, giant helium balloons. Starts at the stroke of midnight July 4. Free.

Solid Earth Collective with H. Brycon, DJ Equal, Simple Mathematics, Mad Rabbi and G. Cutty
Hip-hop extravaganza. July 5, 9 p.m. Pilot Light. $5.

Melt Banana with the Pink Sexies
Intense Japanese noise rock. July 6, 9 p.m. Pilot Light. $10.

Knoxville Jazz Orchestra
Big-time players play Big Band tunes. July 7, 7 p.m. 4620. $5.

Randy McAllister
This bluesman's 2002 release, Givers and Takers, was nominated for a Grammy. Brackins Blues Bar in Maryville. July 10, 8 p.m. $4 advance, $5 at the door.

On Golden Pond
Heartwarming drama from the Actors Co-op. Opening July 11, Black Box Theatre. $5 Thurs., $12 adults, $18 students/seniors.

Summer Ska Weekend with Perfect Orange, Distorted Penguins, The Spitvalves, Neptune 66, Taj Motel Trio, Too Short Notice and more.
The biggest ska event this side of Ska Summit in Las Vegas. July 11 & 12, Brickyard Blues in Powell. $6 per show or $10 for weekend pass.

Circle Modern Dance presents "Bare Necessities: A Fundraiser of Circle solos."
Inspiring artistic movement from some of this area's best dancers. July 12, 8 p.m. Candy Factory, Studio 1. $10 general admission, $5 students/seniors.

I Need Sleep
Quirky, low-fi rock from Chicago. July 12, 10 p.m. Tomato Head. Free.

Blue Highway with Robinella and the CCstringband
If Blue Highway's songs of sin and salvation don't rescue any souls among the Sundown in the City crowd, the catchy fiddle, banjo and dobro tunes might convert a few listeners to the holy path of bluegrass music. The award-winning band has made five discs of secular material in nine years but, considering the timeless connection between mountain music and worship, perhaps it was inevitable that the Highway turned to gospel this time around. Their 2003 disc, Wondrous Love, is by turns spirited and solemn, featuring stirring harmonies and the work of Rob Ickes, who has won the IBMA's Dobro Player of the Year award five years in a row. The disc includes original songs and classics written by Bill Monroe ("Wicked Path of Sin") and A.P. Carter ("Live on Down the Line"). Count on Blue Highway to add some secular classics (like "Man of Constant Sorrow") to their set for the beer-drinkers assembled. And if they've never heard of openers Robinella & the CCstringband, they're sure to be impressed. (Paige Travis)
SUNDOWN IN THE CITY * FEATURING BLUE HIGHWAY WITH ROBINELLA & THE CCSTRINGBAND * THURSDAY, JULY 3, 6-10 P.M. * OLD CITY COURTYARD * FREE (BUT BE A SPORT AND THROW A FEW BUCKS IN THE BUCKET)

Independence Day Weekend
Fourth of July celebrations used to turn me off because I saw them as pompous celebrations of might makes right or a kinder, gentler form of tribalism. Well, I've come to realize that the holiday doesn't have to be that. The United States sure isn't a perfect place, but the ideals its founders and citizens have helped advance—you know democracy, free speech, civil rights—are certainly worth reflecting on one day out of the year. Get together with friends and family this weekend to celebrate the way you want to. Two free things you can celebrate on the 4th are a free concert and the freedom to walk on the new World's Fair Park. The first event held at the renovated park will feature the R.B. Morris Band, the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, and Michael Crawley and the Macdaddies, sponsored in part by 100.3 the River. Woefully underappreciated, Morris knows how to get a crowd fired up with an artful civics lesson or two. If that weren't enough, you can check out another free concert at Sea Ray's Rockin' on the River featuring great American songwriter and Knoxville transplant Scott Miller with his band the Commonwealth, along with the Natti Love Joys. (Joe Tarr)
FREE JULY 4TH CONCERT FEATURING R.B. MORRIS, THE KNOXVILLE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, AND MIKE CRAWLEY AND THE MACDADDIES * FRIDAY, JULY 4, 4 P.M. * WORLD'S FAIR PARK *
FREE SEA RAY'S ROCKIN' ON THE RIVER FEATURING SCOTT MILLER AND THE COMMONWEALTH, THE NATTI LOVE JOYS, FIREWORKS * SATURDAY, JULY 5, 2 P.M. * THE COVER AT LENOIR CITY PARK * FREE

Love Scene with Stateside
Of all the bands currently copping the Rolling Stones' best licks, the Love Scene is my favorite so far. I mean, who can blame any band for slipping into that sweet delirium of slightly crunchy, semi-country guitars and harmonious choruses? As found on the band's first release on Fenway Recordings, a four-song EP called Blood is the New Black, the sounds are too intoxicating for musician or listener to resist. Back when Ryan Adams was doing his thing with the Pinkhearts, this is the kind of punchy guitar rock he was shooting for, but he had too big an attitude problem and not enough talent to pull it off. The Love Scene is currently on a nationwide tour opening for Jets to Brazil, Lucero and American Minor, pairings that give you a good idea of what to expect from this Boston band. Pull on your tight pants, tease up your '70s hair and get ready for a full night of rock when the Love Scene opens for Stateside (featuring former Knoxvillian, former Nashvillian, current Alabamian John Paul Keith) at the Pilot Light. (Paige Travis)
STATESIDE WITH THE LOVE SCENE * WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 9 P.M. * PILOT LIGHT. 9 P.M. * $5