In addition to your standard fireworks fare, such as the Festival on the Fourth, East Tennessee offers up some more unique ways to honor the tenacity of our rebel forefathers. Come on! Show your independence and try one of these activities this weekend:

July 1: Hispanic Rodeo at Chilhowee Park, 3:00-9:00pm (info @ 770.861.8830)
July 1-2: The Three Rivers Rambler train rides, 2:00pm and 5:00pm
July 3: WDVX Blue Plate Special featuring Lewis Rikeman and Katy Wolfe Zahn , 12:00pm
July 4: Museum of Appalachia Annual Anvil Shoot, various times between 8:00am-8:00pm

For additional ideas, check out Randall Brown's suggestions or Steve Wildsmith's blog.

Get out and enjoy the weekend!

Posted by the 520 gang at 10:43 AM | Permalink

The Hector Qirko Band, “Favorite Local Music Group� for 2000, and also multi-winner for Knoxville’s “Best Local Blues Band� by Metro Pulse will take the stage again this Saturday at the Corner Lounge. Although the band members are seasoned music-veterans, you could say the band is now officially of legal drinking age. Formed in 1985, The Hector Qirko Band celebrates its 21 years of rocking and blues-churning in not only Knoxville, but this year’s Bonnaroo, Nashville and even venues abroad.

Qirko explained how the band formed the same year that he began teaching music at Pick ‘n’ Grin in Knoxville. The music store put on a show and Hector invited several well-respected local musicians to play with him. Thus, the Hector Qirko band was born.

The band has since produced four albums,one with a fusion of Latin American inspired beats and blues electricity, as well as their latest unreleased album that is “more of a return to blues and old styles that we don’t hear very much on the radio."

“Whatever period or phrase we’re in, we try to capture that with songs that more or less go together,� Qirko adds.

Qirko, a self-proclaimed “Knoxvillian�, who has also lived in various countries in Latin America, said he looks forward to playing at the Corner Lounge again, hoping to refresh the air with the band's new music in what is this time a non-smoking show.

“Many years ago, [The Corner Lounge] used to be a wild, rowdy place,� he says. “Ed Corts, also a Knoxville veteran musician, turned it into a great listening room. Knoxville is a town with a lot of good music and a good musical community. It is a great place to be from with a good network of musicians.�

Hector Qirko’s fundamental sound is “electric, Chicago-style blues,� with each of the band members incorporating different sounds. “Over time we’ve become more comfortable with combing all of those influences, and not worrying so much about labels,� he says.

Qirko says the Latin roots found in the music helps define the band as “world blues� with a “rather liberal interpretation of the blues", as he calls it. He even covers Latin-American bands, such as the legendary Cuban group, Buena Vista Social Club. “When we play songs by other artists we put a spin to it,� Qirko says. He even translates Spanish songs into English to change it up a bit. Although the band is always open to experimenting with world sounds, this blues band has no plans to leave Knoxville.

“Knoxville has been really great to us...a very supportive community in terms of our music,� Qirko says. “We love playing here and people seem to like listening to us. It doesn’t seem to matter what direction we explore. People are interested in checking it out and that’s all we can ask for as musicians—that people are willing to listen…�

The Hector Qirko Band features Dirk Weddington on sax, Jim Williams on bass and drummer Steve Brown. For more information visit www.hqband.com or www.cornerlounge.com.

Posted by the 520 gang at 10:37 AM | Permalink

I realized something at Bonnaroo. The revelation had been arriving for a while, but it really hit me in the 90-degree heat of midsummer while sharing personal space with 80,000-plus people in a 700-acre cow pasture. My epiphany? I dance. I can’t not dance. Stand me in front of live music, and I move instinctively, uncontrollably, even sometimes to music I don’t even like. (Dancing while seated is more difficult but not impossible.)

The dance process starts in my brain: “Mmmm, I hear that funky beat.� Then my cerebral sensors can’t handle all the input, so they have to throw the ball to the core muscles located in the perimeter of my hips and spine. “Ah, now I really feel the rhythm. Aw, yeah.� (Right now, for instance, I might have to turn off Mike Doughty from my iTunes in order to keep writing. Dancing and typing are incompatible; see above.)

I know people who enjoy live music without dancing. One of my best friends, bless his heart, can appear to be sleeping—eyes open, face slack—in front of even his favorite bands. It used to bother me that he didn't nod his head or tap a foot, but I got used to his cadaver-like stillness. I know he’s got soul; it’s just buried way deep down somewhere.

My boogie mojo, however, is located in my ears with a direct party line to my feet. And my arms and my hips. Perhaps my groove revelation occurred at Bonnaroo because I was surrounded by hippies, a people particularly known for their uninhibited flailing. Whether through subliminal suggestion or sheer osmosis, I adopted some of their moves, a certain posture of the back and outstretch of the arms that’s somewhere between a gypsy summoning the spirits and a hip-hop MC raising the roof. The position felt right, so I kept going (a good rule in general, I think). I can’t say I’d ever danced like that before, but dancing is like inventing something with every new beat.

I also can’t say I consider myself a good dancer. I’ve received no professional training. I dread to imagine what someone with actual booty control would say about my amateur gyrations. My only defense for such flagrant motion is that I can’t help it. It’s what my body tells me to do. And I'm happy to listen.

Paige Travis, publicist for A.C. Entertainment, seeks out thrilling
experiences as long as they don't involve actual danger.

Posted by Paige Travis at 5:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

520 is looking for local folks to share experiences, observations, photos and insights about the Knoxville entertainment scene.

The subject is up to you--maybe you've got a band going on tour this summer or you're about to record your first CD or you're just damned excited about Alice Cooper coming to town--people wanna hear what you have to say. Seriously.

Send us an email at knoxville520@gmail.com and we'll get you started!

The 520 Gang

Posted by the 520 gang at 5:02 PM | Permalink

The Hard Knox Roller Girls are looking for something new and want you to give it to 'em!

Design a logo for the HKRG and become the darling of the toughest babes in Knoxville.

Plus, you'll get all this neato stuff:
*Your logo placed on all HKRG stuff and on their website
*Free passes to the first season of the roller derby
*A t-shirt featuring your logo
*A 1/8 - page ad in the official program for the debut bout
*Fame, fortune and the admiration of the HKRG
(sorry...handcuffs and fishnets are reserved for another contest.)

Design requirements and rules: Must include "Hard Knox Roller Girls" text. Logo design should be submitted in black & white but should have a color option. All entries must be received at tattoojay@hotmail.com by June 27th. Enter as often as you like.

Winner will be announced at the June 30th HKRG "Skate the Casbah" Fundraiser @ Blue Cats.

Design requirements and rules: Must include "Hard Knox Roller Girls" text. Logo design should be submitted in black & white but should have a color option. All entries must be received at tattoojay@hotmail.com by June 27th. Enter as often as you like.

Winner will be announced at the June 30th HKRG "Skate the Casbah" Fundraiser @ Blue Cats.

Posted by the 520 gang at 11:23 AM | Permalink

Whether you wanna join in the rough, noisy fun of the Honda Hoot activities or you'd rather avoid the 16,000-plus visiting bikers, here are our picks for area Honda/Hog-friendly activities:

Wednesday, June 21
-Fire in the Sky: fireworks at World's Fair Park, 9:30pm
-Medford's Black Record Collection: Backroom BBQ, 10:00pm

Thursday, June 22
-Jenna & the Joneses: Coyote Joe's, 9:00pm
-Stewart Pack & the Royal Treatment: Barley's Taproom, 9:00pm

Friday, June 23
-Zoso (Led Zepplin Tribute): Blue Cats, 9:00pm
-The Natti Lovejoys: The World Grotto, 10:00pm

Saturday, June 24
-Saturday Night on the Town: Gay Street
-Americana Night: The Corner Lounge, 9:00pm

Drive carefully, y'all!

Posted by the 520 gang at 3:08 PM | Permalink

I wanted to personally (and publicly) thank Phil Pollard for his live updates from Bonnaroo, which many of you read over the past weekend. I also wanted to congratulate him on his performance at the festival with the Band of Humans, which has already caused a stir on KnoxBlab and other local sites.

As many of you know, Phil and I play together--along with Geol Greenlee, Chris Zuhr & Barry Reilly--in the Yankee Jass Band. Phil's one of my dearest friends and one of the hardest working musicians I know. I'm so happy that his visionary Band of Humans has been embraced by Knoxvillians, as well as the cats at Bonnaroo.

Kudos to Phil Pollard and the Band of Humans! See you soon!

Sara Schwabe

Posted by the 520 gang at 12:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The shantytown (Knoxvilla) came down Sunday morning in a slight drizzle. It was enough rain to make us thankful for the beautiful weather we did have over the weekend.

Everybody is home, and I even made it home in time for Father's Day.

I think it will take a few days to really process all that happened at Bonnaroo 2006: the musical acts; the great people who were there, especially the event staff and safety folks who were in a good mood the whole festival; the good food; and so much else to do.

No regrets - just good feelings as I wash my clothes and contemplate the vibes that were at Bonnaroo.

Phil

Posted by Phil Pollard at 6:45 PM | Permalink

Last night was amazing--so amazing it lasted until about 7:00 this morning.

The Band of Humans played to a great audience. We were all feeling high on life following the performance, so we decided to prolong the sweetness of the moment as long as possible. For several of our troupe, our sweet moment lasted until sunrise. The festival is a very different place in the wee small hours of the morning. Still. Magical.

Once the other campsites began stirring with the first rays of light, we decided to catch a few winks before we had to get ready to leave Bonnaroo. We slept for a (very) short while and got up to eat a good breakfast.

We have quite a job ahead of us with breaking down Hooverville. Our plan is to load out and then try to see the remaining Knoxville bands. With all the Humans' equipment, it will take us a number of trips to get all our stuff together. Hopefully we'll be able to make some other shows before it's time to leave.

The past few days have been an incredible experience and I'm a little sad to leave.

I'm also looking forward to being back in Knoxville.

Later,
Phil

Posted by the 520 gang at 4:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Countdown to the Human Show

It's about 4:30pm CBT (Central Bonnaroo Time) and VERY hot! Had many people stop by the shantytown to pat our backs and wish us a good show. The Knoxvillians here (and there) are totally supportive and giving of their good vibes.

The band is getting pumped up to play. We've started collecting our stuff to head over to the stage and set up. We should be able to watch Beck from our stage while we're loading in. Very cool.

It's almost time to get ourselves got up in our costumes, but first we're going to shower and cool off. Ol' Abe Lincoln's gonna be hot tonight!

Phil

Posted by the 520 gang at 5:36 PM | Permalink

Mornin', everybody.

We've got a nice breeze this morning in middle Tennessee and not quite as hot as yesterday. Even though the weather was steamy, we spent yesterday stirring up some Knoxville pride at the Robinella and the Hector Qirko shows. Both bands had great crowds who seemed to dig what they were a-playin'.

Last night, all the Knoxville folks were hanging out at eachother's camps. The mood was good everyone agreed that it was another great day at the Bonnaroo.

Today the mood in Hooverville is anxious since it's our day to play. Since hearing about all the "fun" people have while at the festival, we've decided to be on our best behavior, let's just say that. The only thing we're in search of now is coffee and better cell phone connection.

Tally-ho!

Phil

Posted by the 520 gang at 11:44 AM | Permalink

OK, Knoxvillians...it's late and I've been remiss in my blogging duties this evening. The line at the Internet Tent is obscene. Must be the air conditioning inside.

Pretty much all I have to say at this point is that the next time The Band of Humans plays Bonnaroo, we're getting a banner to hang at our campsite like Garage Deluxe. They're our heroes, to be sure. Marketing geniuses.

Events are unfolding exactly as they should: discovery of much new and wonderful music, encounters with bizarre and beautiful people, some experimentation with adult libations, maybe a shower in the near future.

Tomorrow is our big day. No partying--that's our rule and we're sticking to it.

Phil

Posted by the 520 gang at 2:45 AM | Permalink

Good Mornin' Knoxville!

Here's the latest installment of the Life and Times of Phil Pollard at Bonnaroo:

We've now spent our first night in our festival shantytown. The whole thing managed to stay put together pretty well, as did the people who slept there. We all got up just fine this morning ready for another day of music and whatever else comes along.

I've decided that this whole event can be summed up in one word: fun.

I know, I know. That's not a very inspired way to describe the biggest music festival in the country, but hear me out. Most adults never get a chance to just play. Everything at Bonnaroo is set up for play and fun, everyone you encounter is happy and doing fun things (someone told me people do drugs here, but I don't believe them). Everyone gets along with fun people doing fun things.

Last night we watched some other Knoxville performers. Both Nug Jug and Gypsy Hands Tribal Belly Dancers played to good crowds. The eventide was cool--even in the crowd of hot people. I have no way to express how many people are here. It's just amazing.

Now we're waiting for Robinella to start. She's got herself on a right nice stage. Oh--they're walking out right now. More later!

Phil

Posted by the 520 gang at 1:15 PM | Permalink

The caravan made it to Bonnaroo Country in one piece--8 pieces, actually--which is what we had to begin with. It's about 5:51pm and we're finally out here. Geol and I just shared a beautiful moment: our first ever Bonnaroo outhouse experience. And by "shared", I mean...um...

Anyway...all told, we were both very surprised and delighted at how neat and tidy the outhouses (a.k.a. Spot-a-Pot, Port-a-Potty, etc.) were. Not so delighted at how close they are to where we were told to set up camp. Also, in case you don't know (and we didn't), bring your own toilet paper.

After that first piece of "business" was taken care of, Geol and I joined the rest of our group in assembling our little Bonnaroo Hooverville--8 tents joined together by various cars, vans and tarps.

Now we're about to kick back in our shantytown, relax, (maybe) drink a beer and all sing a round of "Happy Days Are Here Again".

See y'uns tomorrow!

Phil

Posted by the 520 gang at 6:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Perhaps the most mind-blowing occurance thusfar is the fact that the Bonnaroo Caravan of performers from Band of Humans, Mitch Rutman Group and artvandalay left exactly when we said we would. Not a moment sooner, nor later, than 11:00am. We also left from exactly where we said we would. Not a block closer, nor further, from Pick 'n' Grin. Very promising.

Very promising, indeed, until the I-40/I-75 split. Of the 8 cars in our caravan, 7 made the right turn. Robert and Chris did not.

Thanks to cell phones and traffic signs, all members of the caravan were reunited at a gas station somewhere not too far off I-40--about 45 minutes from Bonnaroo Country. Some veins were filled, others emptied. Some legs were stretched and some eyes rubbed as we prepared to move forward down the line.

Catch you on the flipside.

Phil

Posted by the 520 gang at 5:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

It’s about time we all just get over the unfortunate reality of first impressions. Admit it – nobody’s listening – you may very well have hated your first experience with acid. It didn’t melt right on your tongue and it didn’t sooth you the way you wanted. Probably, you’re used to something mellower, less jarring, and more immediately enjoyable. Nevertheless, if you plan on enjoying the delights of downtown, and many other parts of our urb, you’ll have to get over it and do some acid. Trust me – you’ll like it, especially when you try it with food. After all, most of the interesting food in our town needs a little acid – in the wine.

Wines that feature high acidity can impress the palate with as much success as unsweetened (and, horror, un-spiked) lemonade: brash, bracing, and bewildering – how can anybody like this shit [crap]? However, if you’re sitting down to some sushi, spicy food, fatty food (be it salmon or sow) or anything with tomato sauce, wines that push acid take on a whole new, and reformed, character. Such wines impact food in different ways that mollify the intrinsic acidity and complement the meal. Usually wines that are high on acid don’t have a lot of oak flavors. Now when we’re just drinking, we like a little oak because its mellow, soft and essentially melting vanilla and coconut, etc flavors make the wine easy on the tongue. But that same oak can ruin a good trip at table.

With sushi, a little acid in the form of Champagne or New Zealand sauvignon blanc acts a complement to the freshness of the food where oak would dampen it. In fact, the slight vinegar cast of sushi rice can clash with oak-laced wine in a way that ruins the harmony of the whole Japanese balance thing. With spice, acid acts as both refresher and enhancer – think about how nice the lime-ladened margarita works with a Mexican feast. When we get to fatty food – that’s a no brainer. Every time you squeeze a little lemon on fried calamari, eat sauerkraut with corned beef, or add a pickle to your cheeseburger, you’re doing acid. The Portuguese know this well – they do acid in the form of the spritzy white Vinho Verde with pork: pork fat and acid? I must be in heaven.

As far as tomato sauce goes, let’s forgive the Godfather [Sopranos] and trust the Italians – they’ve been matching up acidic reds like sangiovese (think young Chianti) and barbera with tomato-based food since I don’t know when. An acidic wine mollifies the natural acidity of the tomato – so both come out of the match tasting mellower and sweeter. And by Jove, if I’m gonna do acid I want to be mellow.

If you want a classic example of this principle, get a log of young goat cheese (Chevre) and a bottle of Sancerre: separately, they’re both way too high on acid; together, wow, do they mellow out.

So take a memo: try acid soon – the food police approve.

Posted by the 520 gang at 2:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Ye gods! It's finally here! This is the weekend we've all been waiting for. Bonnaroo 2006. (I'm just glad that knoxville520 made it out into the world in time for the event of the year! Whew!)

We're celebrating our arrival on the entertainment scene by providing live updates from Bonnaroo. Knoxville520 is offering an exciting new twist on the live blogging concept we're calling, "Philaroo: Bonnaroo through the eyes of a Human."

The Band of Humans, that is.

Local Ambassasor to Bizarro World, Phil Pollard, will be providing those of us stuck at home during this legendary event a glimpse of what he experiences as a Bonnaroo Virgin. (Nice visual, right?)

As he and The Band of Humans prepare for their much-anticipated debut performance at the festival, Phil will be posting daily updates and observations of things that are sure to astound and amaze! As many of you already know, even the most mundane becomes astounding when filtered through Phil.

Rest assured, you homebodies -- seeing Bonnaroo through the eyes of Phil Pollard will be just as trippy as being there yourselves!

Coverage begins this evening as the merry Band of Humans sets their course for Middle Tennessee. (Imagine that scene from "The Meaning of Life" where the accountants-turned-pirates sail off into the sunset toward certain fortune.)

Philaroo!!!

Posted by Sara Schwabe at 2:30 PM | Permalink

I realize that the focus of this Web site is to inform all you hep-cats and -kittens about what's cool on the ever-swinging Knoxville entertainment scene. However, if you've had the chance to observe the synchronous fireflies at Elkmont, you'll understand why I'm stretching the rules and including them as "nighttime entertainment."

The annual mating ritual and subsequent lightshow is a phenomenon unique to the Smoky Mountains, as well as just a couple other spots in the world. So unique that the Park Service has organized special parking and even a trolley schedule to accommodate the growing number of visitors during the two-week span of this special natural event.

I wasn't really sure what to expect as we exited the trolley last Sunday night and headed into the dark woods, armed only with Deet and a red-cellophane covered flashlight. Hoping for a more private experience, we walked further down the trail than the rest of the visitors (insert "Blair Witch" music here). As their voices faded behind us and the pathway ahead became more difficult to see, that bit from Dante's Inferno kept run through my head--something about the woods being tangled, rough and savage.

Then it started.

Almost as if being cued by an invisible conductor, the fireflies began their
now-famous lightshow against the darkness of the forest. The silvery flashes flowed in a magical cascade from the tops of the trees, down the hill, through the underbrush and across the gravel path before stopping at the river. There was a moment or two of darkness, then the wave of light would start again. As the night went on, the twinkling lights grew denser with more and more fireflies joining the performance.

Time flew (pun intended), and soon it was time to catch the trolley back to our car and head to Knoxville. It felt great to enjoy a fantastic night out with friends for the price of a quarter tank of gas and $1 admission charge. (Now I can spend what I saved on extra cocktails next weekend!)

Posted by Sara Schwabe at 1:42 PM | Permalink

As you can plainly see, not only are our wristbands the ultimate in smart fashion accessories, they in no way whatsoever impede the consumption of liquid refreshments of your choice.

But please, don't use the 520 T-shirts as bar napkins!

Posted by the 520 gang at 9:39 PM | Permalink

Downtown Knoxville's in that hour between the end of dinnertime and the start of Saturday night live music. Here at the 520 Pub Crawl LiveBlogger Desk, we're starting to see some new arrivals, and making sure they don't get past without pub crawl wristbands and 520 swag.

PrideFest started winding down out on the square about an hour ago, though a singer/guitarist is still holding court on stage. Tables here at Preservation Pub emptied for a few minutes but the club's filling up again. The crawl's just getting warmed up, so get down here!

Posted by the 520 gang at 8:36 PM | Permalink

The bride wore white -- Knoxville520 white, that is -- at this bachelorette party at Barley's in Old City, one of our Pub Crawl hotspots.

Posted by the 520 gang at 8:24 PM | Permalink

Sara "Site Supreme Sultaness/Sultry Singer" Schwabe assumes the position -- the position from which wristbands and 520 site demos are properly delivered.

Note the perky, sincere smile. Observe the alert, upright posture. And pay close attention to the accessorizing of the staff-exclusive red 520 shirt. Not just anyone can pull off that head wrap and sunglasses thing. Trust your friendly 520 Pub Crawl LiveBlogger on this.

Finally, focus on the Emily Post-proper handling of the wristbands, such as to make recipients feel confident they're getting the real deal.

And yes, Schwabe's the one who's going to make this site fly. Go, Sara, go!

Posted by the 520 gang at 7:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Knoxville520 would like to thank the folks at First Bank for donating their "B" to help with the Downtown Club and Pub Crawl.

Posted by the 520 gang at 7:20 PM | Permalink

At several of the Pub Crawl locations, we're showing off Knoxville520 live. You, too, can learn how to find the best nightlife events in town every night of the week!

Posted by the 520 gang at 7:07 PM | Permalink

A patron who stopped by for 520 goodies at one of our Gay Street stations got a funny look on his face when we invited him to put his e-mail address on our sign-up sheet.

"You're not gonna bombard me, are you?" he asked, contorting his face with a look of bemused concern. Or, possibly, concerned bemusement. Your 520 Pub Crawl LiveBlogger frankly isn't sure how to tell the diff.

The answer, for him and all y'all: nope. We plan to start an e-newsletter one of these days Real Soon Now, with our picks for the best things to do and places to go each week in Knoxville. That's what the sign-up is for.

Rest assured Knoxville520 is completely unarmed, politically neutral and unable to sustain any form of bombardment, even spam. We just want you to have fun out there, and we're here to help!

Our future newsletter will be weekly, at most, and if you get tired of us (impossible!) you can drop us like a sack of flour. We're resilient. Really.

Posted by the 520 gang at 6:49 PM | Permalink

Michael Lowe shows off newly acquired 100-percent cotton swag at Preservation Pub.

Posted by the 520 gang at 6:06 PM | Permalink

Knoxville520 launches for real on Saturday, June 10 with the Downtown Club and Pub Crawl.

After all, what's a nightlife site launch without a little nightlife of its own?

Come to Downtown Knoxville starting at 5:20 p.m. (of course!) for drink specials and free cover offers at nine hot spots: Barley's, World Grotto, Preservation Pub, Oodles/Uncorked, Sapphire, Manhattan's, Patrick Sullivan's, Urban Bar and Cafe and Backroom BBQ.

Look for 520 folks to get your wristbands for free cover (age 21 and up, natch). Once inside any of these establishments, ask your friendly bartender to pour you a 520 Cocktail. And be sure to get your Tic-Tac-T-Shirt play card. Get it stamped across, down or diagonally at three of the nine hangouts and you can get your own Knoxville520 T-shirt.

Listen up: Supplies of wristbands, T-shirts and other 520 swag are limited -- first come, first serve, so get yourself there and don't get caught napping!

And through the miracle of Internet technology, we will be live-blogging from the pub crawl right here on Knoxville520 Blogs. Who knows? Show up at the right place at the right time, and you might see your lovely mug here.

Posted by the 520 gang at 5:38 PM | Permalink

I'm a singer, an actor and a director. I feel at home behind a mic, on a stage and in a director's chair. Computers scare me.

One of the incredible aspects of producing theater is that even though multibillion-dollar budgets produce spectacular Spectaculars with holographic helicopters, falling chandeliers or mountains that rise up out of the floor, the process is pretty much the same as in Ancient Greece. You can produce great art on no budget and with very little technology. After all, Aeschylus and Euripides didn't use HTML code to write and produce great works. Therefore, I'm going to blame my supreme lack of "techiness" on my years in the theater.

When I was approached about heading up the new knoxville520.com entertainment Web site, my first thought was, "How could I possibly be in charge of something so computer-y?"

Hell, I can barely manage the call-waiting function on my circa 2002 cell phone! (And forget about text messages!)

I'm the most technologically unaware person I know. Even my 78-year old grandfather has more computer savvy than me. In fact, he used his tech-sense to pimp out the new video iPod he gave me for Christmas last year. It's 6 months later and I'm still figuring out how to use the thing! Needless to say, I found the prospect of moving into the world of geeks, codes and dark offices more than a bit daunting.

However, with each step in the development of Knoxville520, the more the process began to resemble staging a theatrical production. In theater, you first decide on the story you want to tell. In this case, our "story" is sort of a Vaudeville revue of Knoxville nightlife -- a little bit of everything you need to know about what's going on.

Then you cast the show using the best (and hopefully the cutest) talent around. The knoxville520 cast consists of brilliant folks in my office, who have patiently guided me to the edge of geekdom, as well as gifted supporting characters -- dear friends who have agreed to lend their distinctive personalities to the Web site in the form of recurring blogs.

Finally once you've rehearsed, streamlined and polished your show -- worked out all the bugs and made sure your story is interesting, useful and enjoyable -- you throw a totally fantastic opening night party and hope that everyone and their brother (and sister, cousin, etc.) comes and loves what they see.

Not to blow our own horn, but I think that a pub crawl spanning the whole of downtown and the Old City is a pretty kick-ass opening night party, don't you?

So now we move into the extended run of this show called knoxville520. We don't have a cast of thousands, but we do have at least that much energy and excitement for what we can do for Knoxville entertainment. If we can provide you with a reliable place to get the low-down on what's happening in K-town, this show could be huge, baby. Vegas-huge!

Knox Vegas, of course.

Posted by Sara Schwabe at 5:30 PM | Permalink

Maybe we're naive (don't say it!), but we're hoping Knoxville520 is easy enough to figure out that you won't need long, boring "Help!" pages. Still, it's a new site, and it's probably best to give you the 411 on how to use 520.

We will update this article from time to time as the site evolves.

What's here

This site is all about nightlife and live entertainment in Knoxville, Tennessee. It has listings of nightlife events, the places where those events happen, drink specials around town, bands that play in this area, music from those bands that you can listen to online, and stuff our bloggers write to help stitch it all together.

How to search

The large search box on top of any site page, including this one, is the fastest way. Enter keywords in that box and click "SEARCH." You will be searching all the events, places, bands, music and blog posts we have in our Big Honkin' Database.

If you just want to find nightlife events for a particular day, we suggest you use the calendar in the upper right corner of any site page. Click on a day, see events for that day. Simple, yes? Want to look ahead? Click the right arrow beside the month to see the next month, then pick a day from the month you want.

Other cool things about searching here

When you search Knoxville520, you are also searching a bunch of other local Web sites with information about local nightlife. That's why, when you click to see details about an event or band, you will often also see links to information "from the rest of the Web."

Click those links to visit the other fine sites in East Tennessee that are for or about local entertainment. We will be refining our list of searched sites often, so if you have suggestions, let us know by clicking the e-mail link at the bottom of any site page.

For most places listed on Knoxville520, you will be able to see a map and get driving directions. Click the "Map It!" link on those pages to see full-sized maps and enter starting addresses for directions.

Even cooler: Find a place you want to go, but want to know what else is close by? Below the maps you'll usually see a "What's nearby" link -- click it to see other local places within two miles of that one.

How to browse

Have a fear of keywords? Search buttons terrify you? Relax, Hoss. We're here to help.

If you just want to browse through an alphabetical list of all the bars, clubs and other places where nightlife happens, just click the "PLACES" link in the upper right corner of site pages. Ditto for bands and music. (For that matter, the same links are in the first paragraph of this article.)

How to reach us

This site is, and will always be, a work in progress. We just know you have ideas to make it better, or suggestions for new features, events or places that need to be listed, or just see something wrong that we need to fix.

Or maybe you just feel the need for a little digital venting.

No matter. Let us know. The best way is to send us e-mail at knoxville520@gmail.com.

Our known bugs and wish list

These are the things we know don't quite work right, and new things we plan to add:

-- When you click "next" and "previous" links to page through Events results, funny things happen. Not funny ha-ha, but funny weird, as in you get many more results that don't necessarily match what you originally looked for. Our vendors' armies of engineers are attacking this problem with due speed.

-- Search results from drink specials and from other local sites do not yet appear on the main search results pages (the ones you see when you use the search box at the top of the page).

-- MySpace does not allow direct links to music files on band pages there. So for MySpace music files, we simply link to the page from which you can click to listen. In most other cases, we try to link directly to the file and provide you enough file details (play time, file size and format) to decide if it's what you want.

-- We have adjusted search match quality for external Web sites and directory listings. It's better but we will keep working to improve things, so you get the matches you expect.

-- We want to offer a weekly e-newsletter and text messaging service to keep you up to speed on top events. They're both in the works.

-- For people interested in advertising on Knoxville520: we will soon have a variety of ad options available. Contact us by e-mail at knoxville520@gmail.com for details and pricing.

If you see bugs or glitches, contact us by e-mail at knoxville520@gmail.com or post them in the comments below.

Posted by the 520 gang at 2:10 PM | Permalink

Let's get the formalities out of the way! Following are the Terms of Service and Privacy for Knoxville520.

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Using this site means you agree with these terms. Knoxville520 reserves the right to modify these terms at any time. You may be asked to register for access to some site features or content.

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Copyrights on materials contributed by Knoxville520 users is held by the individual creators. If you contribute content to Knoxville520, you are responsible for it.

By uploading or otherwise posting content to Knoxville520, you affirm that: (i) you have all necessary rights, including copyrights, to the content you provide and the rights to use it; (ii) all information you provide is accurate, complete, and complies with these Terms of Service; and (iii) the content will not cause harm to anyone.

You may not upload to Knoxville520 anything which is:

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Use Knoxville520 at your own risk, knowing you may find some content offensive, indecent, inaccurate, misleading or otherwise objectionable.

Knoxville520 is not liable in any way for site content or loss or damage from your use of it. We reserve rights, but have no obligation, to refuse, delete or move any site content that violates the letter or spirit of these terms, or for any other reason.

We may decide, at our sole discretion, to terminate or suspend your access to all or part of the site for any reason. If so, restrictions regarding site content and all other terms of this agreement remain in effect.

This site is controlled and operated by Knoxville520 in Knoxville, Tenn. Site content may not be appropriate or available for use in other locations. If you choose to access this site from other locations, you do so at your own risk and are responsible for compliance with any and all local laws.

This agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Tennessee, as it is applied to agreements entered into and performed within that state. Any action brought to enforce this agreement or matters related to the site shall be brought in either the State or Federal Courts of Tennessee. If any provision of this agreement is deemed void, unlawful or otherwise unenforceable for any reason, that provision shall be severed from this agreement and the remaining provisions of this agreement shall remain in force. This contains the entire agreement between you and the Company concerning your use of the site.

Privacy

Knoxville520 believes strongly in protecting your privacy online.

This site may contain links to other Web sites, including Web sites directed to children. We have no control over the privacy practices or the content of any of our business partners, advertisers, sponsors or other sites to which we link. Please check the privacy policies of sites you visit.

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We do not share personally identifiable information with any third party without your permission. We disclose only in aggregate form our traffic statistical analyses to third parties, such as advertisers or other business partners. In some instances, we operate shared Web sites with businesses affiliated with us. Our privacy policy will apply to these sites.

Please note that when you voluntarily disclose personal information (such as your name or e-mail address) in any site's chat areas or bulletin boards, that information may be collected by others outside our control and may result in unsolicited messages from others.

We make every effort to ensure the security of personal information submitted by users. When collecting credit card information for online purchases, we offer secured-server transactions that encrypt your information in transit to thwart someone from intercepting it and misusing it. When we collect other information from our users, it is stored in an area where the general public does not have access to it.

Posted by the 520 gang at 5:46 PM | Permalink

I wish that I could say that I eat at all the restaurants that I love whenever I feel the call for indulgence. Lamentably, that ain’t necessarily so: I feel the call for indulgence about 8 days out of every 7. If I could manage a weekly meal at both the Orangery and at the Northshore Brasserie, I would be a happy man – but if I tried that on my current budget, I’d be a very poor man indeed. Still, what I’ve come to understand as I approach my nth decade on this planet, it’s not always important to get the $20 car wash, sometimes, a $4 fix will do – and it’s the same for fine dining.

Both the Orangery and the Brasserie offer a bar. There’s a big difference between the two and that difference bears consideration. While the Brasserie has a noisy, lively polished zinc bar that doesn’t demand much of a dress code, the Orangery, in my mind, has a subdued atmosphere that invites a quiet glass of wine in decent duds. As such it’s a perfect introit for a classy date. Don’t even think about shooters.

Now the Orangery might faint to hear it, but when I want to taste a little elegance and some mighty fine wine early in the week, I’ve been known to slip into their bar. It’s not a big place, thank the gods, but it does offer utter elegance and the thrill of being able to say, “meet me at the Orangery for a drink�. I don’t recommend this venue for any kind of carousing, but if you’re of a mind to dress up and to feel really special then consider a Monday night glass of wine.

The Brasserie is a lively, noisy adventure in continental communion. The bar area is sizable but fills up pretty quickly after 7:00. Still if you can find a spot or two, you have the glory of sipping dry rose, pastis, or almost anything that strikes your fancy while munching on an excellent array of first courses from Frog Legs to Foie Gras. It’s pretty easy to spend a dime or two, but a couple of appetizers and a glass of wine is an affordable way to enjoy the talent of the place without missing the mortgage payment.

Posted by Dennis Perkins at 12:44 PM | Permalink

As the Yard Dogs Road Show’s magician lifted the bundle of knotted
handkerchiefs he’d just pulled from his mouth to reveal an exotic
chicken, my mouth fell open in utter disbelief, and I felt compelled to
consider the meaning of the word “entertainment.�

As we’ve come to understand the word’s implications, entertainment is
frivolous and ultimately unnecessary, like unlike dessert. Dessert is
delightful, but it doesn’t nourish like a plate of rice ‘n’ beans. What
a hot fudge sundae is to a nutritious meal, entertainment is to, say,
education: secondary, not requisite. And however much I think I’d die
without dessert, it’s simply not that important diet-wise. (Important
to my mental health, yes, but we’ll not go there.)

But after witnessing the Yard Dogs Road Show, I’m rethinking my idea
about entertainment and its role in our lives.

The Yard Dogs Road Show, a dozen or so young entertainers hailing from
the West Coast, took to the stage with pure zeal. Dressed in crazy
costumes that evoked Tim Burton characters stuck in the Wild West, they
held the audience rapt with story songs and sideshow stunts like
fire-eating, sword-swallowing and the aforementioned appearing chicken
trickery. They capered and frolicked and walked right up to the border
of hambone and toed it with a devilish gleam in their eyes. Without a
smidgen of irony, they were funny. To boot, the burlesque dancers were
endearingly sexy. As this description hopefully reflects, they were
fantastically entertaining.

But as our cheers faded and the lights came up, I wasn’t filled with
empty calories and an aftertaste that might require a mint. I felt
full, satisfied, tingly, somewhat dazed—the cerebral equivalent of
having consumed a healthy meal selected from the wide end of the food
triangle. What I felt was the sensation of experience! What was
presumably mere entertainment (with its forgettability implied) had
satiated my desire for knowledge! I had seen things I’d never seen
before: A chicken appear out of thin air! A man stick a sword down his
throat! A woman tap dance and play the accordion! A trio of curvaceous
dancers strip down to panties and tassels and do high kicks with
enormous feather fans! Zowee!

A part of my inner-self, my inner life, had been fed, not just
tantalized or distracted. It was saying, “Wow!� on so many levels.
Which leads me to the conclusion that entertainment isn’t frivolous; it
can't be waved away in favor of something supposedly more nutritious.
Entertainment is part of the meal. Entertainment is experience.

Paige Travis, publicist for A.C. Entertainment, seeks out thrilling
experiences as long as they don't involve actual danger.

Posted by Paige Travis at 12:39 PM | Permalink

To the die-hard cinema buff, there are few pleasures that can compare to that of seeing one of the great classic movies as the director intended.

The big screen experience of old movies can be hard to come by even in booming arts-friendly cities, but fortunately for us, we are lucky enough to live in Knoxville.
Yep! Wonderful old Knoxville: Home of the beautiful Tennessee Theatre.

Ever mindful of the Tennessee Theatre's origins as a glamorous 1920s movie palace, those wonderful folks at AC Entertainment are once again offering the Summer Movie Magic series.

Classics like "Some Like it Hot", "Rear Window", and "West Side Story" are on the bill for this summer, and I can't overemphasize how truly magical it is to see these on the big screen.

Whether you're die-hard, or just really like to go to the movies to get away from the summer heat, don't miss out on a unique Knoxville experience!

Check out the events schedule.

Posted by Ellen Robinson at 2:57 PM | Permalink

You can find something going on any evening of the week on Market Square, but let's focus on the weekend. How about Friday nights, when there's food to be found all along the square-- pasta or pizza, veggie fare, maybe something exotic.

Music abounds as well. Look into the Preservation Pub, or sit out on the square, have a nice beer while you listen to the best of the singer-songwriter night (first Fridays), or rock, or progressive, or blues.

Move along the stores, window shopping, and you'll happen upon another indoor/outdoor café: Oodles Uncorked is for the wine types. Sultry Appalachian swing music; sexy cabaret jazz; some provocative conversation; no smoking inside. The music inside is the music outside, and the conversation travels from out to in and back out again.

Out the door, down one more, turn between the fire pits and descend into the World Grotto. It’s cool under the waterfall and surrounded by jewels in the walls, jewels in the bar. Exotic music underscores the captivating ambiance: didjeridoo, drums, dj all become one with the melting wall and the many levels of pillows.

Three music markets on one side of the Market. Thus begins our tour of Knoxville music-- with the three live venues on Market Square. Plus, you can find plenty of free parking in the evenings in the close-by garage.

Posted by Phil Pollard at 2:44 PM | Permalink