Joe Sullivan points out the necessity of choosing a convention center hotel in Insights; Barry Henderson inspects Tennessee by the numbers in Editor's Corner; and Jack Neely says so long to an old friend in Secret History.
Citybeat
Betty Bean tags along with outgoing Councilman Nick Pavlis on election night, and Joe Tarr recounts the efforts of a local refugee assistance group in challenging Patriot Act provisions and reports on the demise of the city's largest underground skateboard park.
Cover * 150 Years of Market Square
The storied, if checkered, past and the starry-looking future of Knoxville's Market Square are examined by Jack Neely, who laments the loss of farmers' produce from the square but looks forward to the new era that building renovations promise to promote.
Gamut * Obsessed with Hope
Alicia Carroll relives her childhood fascination with horses by paying a visit to the Hope Ranch in East Knox County.
Music
Brad Ridenour reveals the many rock faces of Will Fist; and Paige M. Travis finds out exactly how super the rock from Chapel Hill's International Orange really is.
Backstage
Leslie Wylie determines that black humor hits the spot in the Bijou's production of the bloody farce Little Shop of Horrors.
Platters
With Rock N Roll and Love is Hell Pt.1, Ryan Adams gives us 22 more songs that allude to the rock icons he loves and hint at the artist he's becoming; and Basement Jaxx sticks to its funky, dance-worthy formula on Kish, Kash.
Movie Guru
Although Meg Ryan subverts her angelic image to portray some real sexual chemistry on screen, In the Cut doesn't succeed as feminist film noir. Coury Turczyn tells us why. Movie Blurbs reveal all things wise and wonderful in movieland on pg. 30.
Spotlights
Rob Russell and the Sore Losers bring the rock from Johnson City to the ThInQ Tank; The Foothills Craft Guild presents a wide array of cool crafts at their Fall Show; and Andrew WK tones down his gross image just in time to play Blue Cats with Hoobastank
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Sports by Tony Basilio
Shaken and Stirred by Adrienne Martini
Snarls by Scott McNutt
Grapevine by Dennis Perkins
News of the Weird
Classifieds
Crossword by Montford Manassas.
Free Will Astrology by Rob Brezsny. The Free Will version.
Life in Hell by Matt Groening.