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The Big Ticket

North Mississippi Allstars with Tift Merritt
Bluesy rockers joined by a country crooner. Thursday, Aug. 21, 6-9 p.m. Sundown in the City. Donations requested.

Pleuroma with Agent Zarkov
Buy a copy of The Bleeding Days and be amazed. Thursday, Aug. 21, 10 p.m. Pilot Light. $5.

Lasting Laurel: Benefit for the Laurel Theater
Two days of dance workshops and live music. Friday, Aug. 22, 7 p.m.-10 a.m., and Saturday, Aug. 23, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Laurel Theater. Donations requested.

Sertoma Center's Garage Sale-A-Bration
Bring $20. Leave with lots of stuff. Saturday, Aug. 23, 8 a.m. - noon, Knoxville Coliseum Garage. $3 admission includes parking.

Off the Wall Art Sale
New and used art work to dress your naked walls. Saturday, Aug. 23, 5:30 - 8 p.m. Knoxville Museum of Art. Free.

Mark Lemhouse
Acclaimed blues guitarist. Thursday, Aug. 28, 8:30 p.m. Brackins Blues Club.

Always...Patsy Cline
Go "Crazy" over Patsy. Thursday, Aug. 28 thru Sept. 13. Clarence Brown Theatre. $21-$35.

Sevendust
Sevendust sucks way less than any of the other execrable nu-metal numbnuts out there in radioland nowadays; and if that sounds like a left-handed and half-assed compliment, well shit, bubba, anymore, folks just hasta takes what they gets. 'Dust frontman Lajun Witherspoon deserves props for not belching dunder-headed white-boy hip-hop banalities at every turn (Maybe because he's not actually a white boy. Oh the irony.), choosing instead to belt out lyrics to new FM staples like "Denial" and "Bitch" and "Praise" (Is there a pattern here?) in a rich, ballsy guttural. And the band's heavy-groove, groove-heavy approach is far less affected than that of other contemporary hard rockers mining the same oft-plundered territory. Attend without fear of embarrassment or reprisal. (Mike Gibson)
SEVENDUST WITH ELEMENT EIGHTY AND PRESENCE * TUESDAY, AUG. 26, 7 P.M. * BLUE CATS * $20 IN ADVANCE, $22 AT THE DOOR.

A Night For Chris
A career as a musician ain't an easy path in life. Sure you get to do something you love, stay up late and sleep in most mornings. But for most, it's not a path to financial security. And few professional musicians have health insurance. Such is the case for Chris McMahon, the phenomenal bassist who slipped in his bathroom this spring, putting his arm through a glass shower door. He cut his arm to the bone in the accident, which left him with control of only two fingers in his left hand. He cannot play the acoustic bass he was a master of and he has a $60,000 medical bill. A jazz and old timey musician and a guitar teacher, McMahon fortunately has some good friends who have organized this benefit. The show will feature a reunion of the Atomic City Rhythm Rascals, the band McMahon played bass in for five years. The show also marks the debut of Maggie's Farm, a new vehicle for Maggie Longmire (of the Lonesome Coyotes), who has also played with McMahon. If that weren't enough incentive, well, this might be your last chance to see the Jodie Manross Band, which is separating to focus on other projects. Rounding out the bill are the Mac Daddies, Hector Qirko Band, and a rare appearance of Strange Company. The show is free, but given the talent and the cause, the requested $25 donation is well worth it and will guarantee admission should the show reach capacity ($100 will get you a free CD; $500 a CD and an invitation to a gourmet dinner the night before). Buy advanced tickets at Disc Exchange and Pick 'n' Grin. Please give what you can. If you can't make it but still want to help, send donations to PO Box 10182, Knoxville, TN 37939-0182; call 691-0744 to volunteer. (Joe Tarr)
A NIGHT FOR CHRIS * FEATURING THE MAC DADDIES, STRANGE COMPANY, ATOMIC CITY RHYTHM RASCALS, HECTOR QIRKO BAND, MAGGIE'S FARM, AND JODIE MANROSS BAND * SUNDAY, AUG. 24, 4 P.M. * PATRICK SULLIVAN'S * FREE, BUT DONATIONS ARE REQUESTED.

Bluegrass in the Smokies
Bluegrass fans, this is the summer festival you've been waiting for. In fact, you've probably had your tent and folding chairs packed for a month. What I know about bluegrass you could fit in a tablespoon, but I've listened to enough WDVX to know that the acts playing the Third Annual Bluegrass in the Smokies are major players in their field. The Chapmans, a family of musicians that has won the hearts of bluegrass fans nationwide, are the stars of Thursday's line-up, which also includes Downhill, a band from Sweden. Rhonda Vincent, chosen for three years in a row as the IBMA Female Vocalist of the Year, threatens to steal the show on Friday. Her new disc, One Step Ahead, has moments of rock and gospel, plus a guest spot by Alison Krauss and a 25-second Martha White flour jingle. Joining Vincent in Friday's line-up are IIIrd Tyme Out, Gary Brewer & the Kentucky Ramblers and James Monroe & the Midnight Ramblers. The festival culminates on Saturday with Blue Highway, J.D. Crowe & the New South, Chris Jones and the Night Drivers, Larry Sparks & the Lonesome Ramblers and the VW Boys. Most bands will play two sets per day, so you have a chance to catch them between 1 and 4:45 p.m. or between 5:40 and 11 p.m. Depending on your saturation limit, you can camp for three days or just pop over for a few hours to get your fill of some of the industry's most awarded bluegrass artists. (Paige M. Travis)
BLUEGRASS IN THE SMOKIES * THURSDAY, AUG. 21 TO SATURDAY, AUG. 23 * SMOKY MOUNTAIN CAMPGROUND, SEVIERVILLE * THREE-DAY PASS FOR $41 ADV. OR $18 AT GATE. DAILY TICKETS ARE $12 THURSDAY OR $19 FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.