Phil Pollard: Market Square 2006
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.