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The Big Ticket

David Grubbs w/ Ibrahim and Mountains of Moss
Grubbs and Jim O’Rourke were Gastr del Sol. Solo, Grubbs layers quiet noises and orchestral sound effects with abstract poetry. Thursday, July 22, 10 p.m. Pilot Light. $6.

Grainger County Tomato Festival
Celebrating that sweet juicy fruit of summer. Friday, July 23 thru Sunday, July 25, Rutledge High School. Free.

Zoso w/ Humble Susan
Led Zep tribute backed by local Southern funk. Friday, June 23, 9 p.m. Blue Cats. $8 door, $7 w/ college ID.

Matt Valentine & Erika Elder w/ This Witch’s Seed and Cat Brock
Here’s a new word for your music vocabulary: “folkische.” Friday, July 23, 10 p.m. Pilot Light. $5.

George Jones
Always a classic. Friday, July 23 and Saturday, July 24, 8 p.m. Country Tonite, Pigeon Forge. $40.

Jason Ricci
Young, award-winning harmonica player and singer. Saturday, July 24, 9 p.m. Brackins. $5.

Starlight Drifters
Get your rockabilly fix. Friday, July 23, 10 p.m. Barley’s. Free.

1964 Beatles Tribute w/ the Throwbacks
Have you got a ticket to ride? Saturday, July 24, 8 p.m. Marble Springs Park. $25, $35.

Classic Rock Film Series
A Hard Day’s Night begins this series which also includes Easy Rider, This is Spinal Tap and King Creole. Sundays, July 25, Aug. 1, 8, 15, 3pm. Knoxville Museum of Art. Free with museum admission.

Sidespin
The thin line between rock, R&B, hip hop, pop and jazz is becoming more obscure every day. Sidespin is firmly rooted in jazz, yet chooses to play footsie with elements commonly associated with other styles of music and occasionally crosses that thin line. Armed with a high-caliber collection of area musicians, Sidespin is the brainchild of pianist Joel Fairstein, who describes the group’s sound as “groove jazz.” This patchwork of different musical genres features Bob Knapp on saxophone, Taylor Coker on bass and David Whitaker on drums. Sidespin’s most recent release, All Square With the Universe, includes a mosaic of area talent with Oteil Burbridge (Aquarium Rescue Unit, The Allman Brothers Band), Jon Steele and Rusty Holloway sharing the duties on bass, Yattie Westfield (The Nattie Love Joys, The Spades) on drums and Steve Kovalcheck on guitar. (Nick Corrigan)
Sidespin • Thursday, July 22, 9:30 p.m. • Downtown Grill and Brewery • Free.

Key Ingredients: America by Food
History is most appealing when it’s edible. On Saturday, July 24, Ramsey House Plantation will open a month-long exhibition from the Smithsonian Institution called “Key Ingredients: America by Food.” The exhibit itself consists of artifacts, photos, and illustrations—in other words, things you look at. But on opening day, Ramsey House, the unusual 1790s stone home that’s one of the oldest buildings in the county, will also host some more interactive (i.e., palatable) events in conjunction with the exhibit—from a demonstration of the preparation of country ham to a watermelon-seed spitting contest.
Other foody events will follow on other Saturdays: a White Lily biscuit-baking contest with cooking demonstrations on Aug. 7; a look at international influences on regional cuisine on Aug. 14; and a sort of corn festival, including a corny-joke contest on Aug. 21. Each Saturday morning over the next month, the old plantation will also host a regional farmers’ market. Education is rarely so delicious. (Jack Neely)
Key Ingredients: America By Food • Smithsonian Exhibit • Saturday, July 24, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. • Continues thru Aug. 22 • Ramsey House Plantation • Free • Call 546-0745 for more information.

Shane Nicholson
Really, it’s uncanny how much Shane Nicholson’s voice sounds like Neil Finn. And that’s a glorious thing. Warm and fluid with charming Australian intonations, Nicholson’s voice wraps around the acoustic guitar like a flannel robe on a chilly night. He’s even a treat in the heat of summer. “Nice to Be Here,” the first single from his debut CD It’s a Movie, is getting plenty of play on a couple of local stations, but it’s not even the best song on the disc. Even more soulful and groovy is “Designed to Fade,” a duet with fellow Aussie and fantastic songwriter in her own right Kasey Chambers, whose brother Nash produced the record. Out of the mere 20 million people living Down Under, how can so many be musical geniuses? Well, ours is not to question—just enjoy. (Paige M. Travis)
Shane Nicholson • Sunday, July 25, 9 p.m. • Barley’s • Free.