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And now for our weekly rankings!

This week's key:

= It's the day after the day after tomorrow and you didn't survive.
= That Donnie Darko bunny is following you.
= Your boyfriend quits you, but you find solace in a Mexican prostitute.
= You identify the Zodiac killer, and make a killing yourself at the bookstore.
= Pup tent love.

The Corner Lounge ()

I spent Friday night - and much of early Saturday morning - at The Corner Lounge (842 N. Central). The occasion was a CD Release Party for Knoxville band Plan A [click here to read 520's Plan A article from last week], who just released their second CD. I've been to The Corner a good few times now, and every time it's the same: cold beer, good music, and lots of fun. The staff are the height of efficiency, something definitely necessary since the place is almost always buzzing with people every time I'm there, and the sound guy is really on the ball. They recently added appetizers and lighter bar food fare to the menu, and there is entertainment of some kind or another almost every night -- check out this Wednesday's show with Greg Horne and Kim Richardson, and Friday's Knox Poetry Slam Fundraiser featuring Tim Lee Band, Matgo Primo, and some of Knoxville's finest djs and slam poets. Alls I'm sayin', see, is when you're looking for somewhere to go that really feels like Knoxville, I highly recommend you check out The Corner Lounge. -B.T.

David Olney with Sergio Webb at WDVX Blue Plate Special

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I attend Blue Plate Specials on a semi-regular basis and I’ve seen some terrific shows, but last Thursday’s concert with David Olney and Sergio Webb was one of the best! Olney’s imaginative songwriting, humor and passionate vocals are a special treat. Sergio Webb’s electric guitar accompaniment is dazzling. (And he looks just like Super Mario.) I could not leave WDVX without an advanced copy of Olney’s soon to be released CD “One Tough Town.� I had to scrape together change to complete my purchase and luckily had enough loose change in my car to pay the parking lot attendant. Not being able to retrieve my car was the chance I was willing to take to own a piece of Olney’s magic. Yes, he really is that good. -D.D.

Downtown Rules & Screwery ()

More and more, bad service laziness are being disguised as the "house rules". I'm not unreasonable to wait on in restaurants and I tip well. I feel like I'm doing my part in the world of dining out, so what gives with all the rules? Case in point: Last week, I phoned a certain brewery on Gay Street. It's bad manners to just drop in on a restaurant with a group of more than a few people, so I wanted to make a reservation. I was informed that they don't take reservations (rule #1), but that I could call back on the day-of for "call ahead seating". When I did, I received a very stern warning that even though I called ahead, my table was not guaranteed (rule #2) - it was still "first come, first served." So what's the point of even taking my call?

On the day of our reser- ....um, call-ahead, we were greeted with another stern warning (rule #3) that they would not seat us until 5 of the 7 people in our party had arrived. This seemed ridiculous to me, as it was becoming increasingly difficult to move in the entry way. Once we were seated, we learned more about the "house rules". At first, I thought that our service was just slow, but was informed by our less-than-happy server that she was not allowed to bring us new drinks until we had sucked our original glasses dry (rule #4), so she stayed away until we were done.

Now, I'm not railing on about all rules. There needs to be some order in the world, for god's sake! It's just that none of the rules to which we were forced to adhere created any logical order at this particular restaurant. It only made for a long wait, a crowded lobby, crabby servers and restless customers. -S.S.

Christabel and the Jons at Sundown in the City

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Last week when I interviewed the very pleasant Christa DeCicco for The Roundup podcast, I asked her just how excited she was about Sundown in the City. She paused for a moment, and then informed me that static had made her unable to hear my question. So I asked her again. This time she heard me, and informed me that she was indeed super excited. Later I listened to the recording of the interview. The first time I asked that question, I had said "Sundance in the City." No wonder she didn't know what the eff I was saying.

By a stroke of fortune, I got to see Christabel and the Jons last week at Sundown. People were concerned that their intimateness wouldn't translate to such a big stage, but their concern was for naught. The acoustics were great, the music was great, and people were being rocked left and right. Oh, and I finally got to hear that Roxanne cover. You don't have to put on the red light, Christa. Your band is destined to make it big. -J.B.

See you next week!