In Insights, Joe Sullivan presents Bill Haslam with the challenges he faces in the Knoxville mayoralty; Brian Conley posts an open letter to the mayor-elect in A Note from the Publisher; And Jack Neely gives the notion of facadectomy the double take in Secret History.
Citybeat
Just what those recent pickets from out of Texas had in mind downtown is revealed by Mike Gibson, and the right-to-die as the reason-for-a-club here is described by Jack Neely.
Cover Southern Lit. 401
The literary community pays homage to author/teacher/mentor George Garrett as part of the University of Tennessee's Southern Literature Festival this week, and to mark the occasion, Metro Pulse publishes works from some of Knoxville's Southern writers and poets whom you're bound to read more about and more of as time goes regionally by.
Gamut Blue Who?
Sarah Van Arsdale snagged the 2002 Peter Taylor Prize for her subtly wrought novel of a woman with amnesia. Paige M. Travis gets inside her thoughts.
Music
Leslie Wylie finds out what drives the Mitch Rutman Group, one of the hardest working bands in K-town. And Jonathan Frey talks with jazz collaborator Mulgrew Miller about his upcoming concert with the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra. In Eye on the Scene, Madame Georgie gets the ax.
Artbeat
Where does Knoxville think it is—Portland? Heck, we can have an art parade of Illustrious Ladies from Skin City if we want. Heather Joyner gets the scoop from artist Jessica Meyer.
Pulp
French author Michel Houellebecq writes about some really unlikeable people. But, says John Sewell, that won't stop you from reading Platform.
Movie
For all its potential—vampires, werewolves, black leather, special effects—Underworld fails to give Joey Cody much of a reason to leave the comfort of her NetFlix.
Spotlights
The final Sundown in the City presents modern blues from Susan Tedeschi. Get your art on during the First Fridays art walk in the downtown area. Quintron & Miss Pussycat help us remember how weird music can be, even at the Pilot Light. The Hispanic Heritage Festival puts some fiesta in your Saturday. And East Tennessee's newest tradition, "A Taste of East Tennessee Food Festival," will tickle your taste buds.
Click & Clack by Tom & Ray Magliozzi
Through the Grapevine by Dennis Perkins
Midpoint by Stephanie Piper
Sports by Tony Basilio
News of the Weird
Urban Renewal by Matt Edens
Classifieds
Free Will Astrology by Rob Brezsny
Crossword by Montford Manassas
Life in Hell by Matt Groening.