When the world seems to shine like you've had too much wine

One thing you will most likely never find in any town north of the Ohio River is a flower-man. Knoxville has a flower man, also known as Taylor. Not one night out on the town in either Market Square or Old City will go without the pleasant whiff of Taylor’s bouquet of roses. His roses come in all colors, scents and sizes and wander around prettily throughout the night as romantics and drunks alike purchase them.
Even towns that have a “flower man,” are not experiencing the same special openness, wisdom and essential friendship that can be found by knowing Taylor the flower man. Nights out since I’ve left Knoxville are not the same.

Continue reading "Retrospective Dos" »

Posted by Sara Schwabe at 10:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

A summer spent in a new city is like skinny dipping for the first time. The experience refreshes, liberates, and as in my case, gets your feet wet in the real world of lunch meetings, research, html codes and deadlines. And in the manner that plunging in cold summer waves in your birthday suit makes you feel well, naked - summer internships have a way of exposing strengths, weaknesses and your potential for making it in the deep end of the pool with the big kids.

Sara Schwabe and Julia Marino in Market Square

Continue reading "Knoxville Retrospective" »

Posted by Sara Schwabe at 11:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Come Celebrate Latin Style!

Latin American Festivities:

FiestaRitmo presents Fiesta de Las Americas this Saturday, August 26 from 4 to 10 p.m. in Market Square.

Fiesta de Las Americas will feature:

Ascendencia Musical de Durango

Willie Crespo y Salsarengue
Angel
DJ Fiesta Chiguagua
DJ Milton

Y Hay Mas!
Get your heart racing and your hips swaying at these Latin dance nights hosted by Fiesta Ritmo:

Fiesta Ritmo de Latinoamerica with DJ Milton (el Salvador) at The Fairbanks
Salsa, Merengue, Regge, Bachata, Cumbia and Latin house
10 pm ~ $10 at the door

DJ Milton

Fiesta Reggaeton at The Fairbanks
Every Saturday
11 p.m. ~ $10 at the door.
Ladies free until Midnight

And Theatre Too!
Ballet Folklórico de Mexico de Amelia Hernandez at the Tennessee Theatre 10/05/2006

Ballet Folklórico de Mexico de Amelia Hernandez

Amalia Hernandez

Continue reading "Fiesta de Las Americas" »

Posted by Sara Schwabe at 06:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Ready to experience where many of Knoxville's most successful musicians got their start? If so check out Singer Songwriters Showcase at Preservation Pub in Market Square every Tuesday night and listen to local artists such as nationally recognized Jodie Manross and the innovative Grandpa's Stash.

I (intern Jules) of Knoxville520 and journalist Greg Wood will record the site's first podcast at the event tomorrow, August 15, for all of Knoxville and the Web to hear and enjoy through artist descriptions and individual podcasts. The official podcast will air next Tuesday afternoon so keep tuned!

New and Improved Singer Songwriters

Continue reading "Preservation Pub Podcast of Songwriters Showcase" »

Posted by Sara Schwabe at 03:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Fiona Apple and opener David (pronounced Daveed) Garza made quite an impression last Saturday, August 5 at the dazzling Tennessee Theatre. The beautiful environment within the theatre – tall Technicolor terraces and ceilings and a spacious stage draped in velvet) paired with an intense yet soft set of music made for an unforgettable evening. Garza was like a siren. And Fiona just has this indescribable way about her.

Continue reading "Fiona Gets Us Back" »

Posted by Sara Schwabe at 11:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"I think God is a moonshiner
His skin is gold from the whiskey in his blood
I think in heaven there is a barroom
A place where the men go to forget about their wives…"

The everybodyfields will inspire Knoxville once again on August 24th at Blue Cats.

Continue reading "The Everybodyfields" »

Posted by Sara Schwabe at 01:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This year’s tour, supported and opened by singer David Garza, will be in celebration of Fiona Apple's long-awaited third album – Extraordinary Machine, proving just how "extraordinary" this young artist is. Expect a healthy dose of tracks from Extraordinary Machine and a few surprise covers, as well as the captivating sounds of Garza. Beside being extraordinary, Fiona is also a gutsy gal. A feature in Rolling Stone described Fiona as saying how “being involved in planning a tour is too nerve-racking” and so is now “taking the hands-off approach for her summer trek by not even planning her own set list.”

Continue reading "Extraordinary Machine" »

Posted by Sara Schwabe at 11:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Growing up in the ’90s evokes a unique melange of memories and recollections. For me, it was Madonna and Seattle-based grunge rock bands – Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Candlebox. I was the girl who worshiped Blossom, wore flannel shirts and borrowed the foreign-exchange student’s combat boots. I was a child of the VH1, My So Called Life and scrunch socks-era.

Continue reading "Candlebox Time Warp" »

Posted by Sara Schwabe at 10:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

“Cold hands, warm hearts,” jokes Henry Gibson, singer and bassist for Cold Hands, the local rock-act recently signed to indie label, New Beat Records. Perhaps it's charmingly cliché, but this newly-coined phrase holds quiet true to this dance rock trio. Within all of that guitar-driven edge and frustration, these guys have a lot of heart.

And in the style of New York City’s shimmer-rock scene, their music has a way of heating up the stage and bringing a room alive with waves of dancing and crazy sing-along.

Land, Bowman and Gibson play an edgy sound unique to the Knoxville music scene.

Continue reading "Cold Hands Heats up the Crowd" »

Posted by Sara Schwabe at 10:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"Since 1993, Alive After Five has been Knoxville’s most unique live music experience. Beginning at 5:30 pm on 35 Fridays each year (divided into four seasonal series), Alive After Five provides a great way to wind down at the end of the workweek or jump-start the weekend, or sometimes both!" - Michael Gill, Alive After Five Coordinator

Continue reading "Alive After Five" »

Posted by the 520 gang at 12:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

“Every time you come, you can create your own story," muses bookie and DJ extraordinaire Tara about Sassy Ann’s, a blues house disguised as a haunted Victorian house hidden in a pocket of the Fourth and Gill neighborhood. Tara, a young tall woman sporting oversized sunglasses, has been booking bands for the blues bar for months now, scheduling a number of regional Blues artists, and most recently, rock bands such as Noisufusion, Black Sarah and Cold Hands.

Continue reading "Come On Get Sassy" »

Posted by the 520 gang at 09:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Whether you are a salsa, swing, hip hop, belly or 'anything goes' kind of dancer, Knoxville hosts a number of venues to satisfy anyone’s dance craving. This list of sizzling hot spots will get you hoppin’ and “happy in the feetzies” until the sun comes up. So come on all you movers and shakers, put those dancin’ shoes on and venture out to one or all of Knoxville’s favorite spots to move your hips.

Continue reading "Put Those Dancin' Shoes On!" »

Posted by Sara Schwabe at 09:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Привет!
Ikon (True Russian Vodka) came across my recent blog, "A Bar, a Bed and a $350 Martini --
520's intern Jules discovers a wealth of jewels at Sapphire," which featured Sapphire martinis made with Russian Ikon Vodka. And now the Ikon Vodka is featuring the 520 blog on its own Web site!

"Knoxville, TN really knows how to make a True Russian Ikon Vodka Drink," exclaimed the Ikon site. Thanks to the Sapphire bar, this fact is true.

So thank you Ikon for posting the blog and to Sapphire for serving up a truely strong Russian martini! Tip your Ikon martini glasses and say Приветствия!

Posted by Sara Schwabe at 04:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Versatility. If one word could describe local R&B/funk/soul/hip-hop singer Jaystorm, versatile hits it on the eye of the storm. And he’s landing at the Kingston Alley this Friday for a special performance, a gig that Jaystorm says he landed “through persistence and perseverance.” However, talent, energy and his diverse style may have just as much to do with it.

Continue reading "Jaystorm creates positive energy on stage" »

Posted by Sara Schwabe at 03:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Downtown on Gay Street, a classy, mellow joint named Sapphire serves up strong drinks in a soft, musical atmosphere. Venturing to this bar is a rather unique experience, being the only venue in East Tennessee to serve the Russian-imported Ikon Vodka, as well as furnish a plush, blue bed in the corner.

Continue reading "A bar, a bed and a $350 martini" »

Posted by the 520 gang at 02:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

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.

Continue reading "Hector Qirko at the Corner Lounge" »

Posted by the 520 gang at 10:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)