I am going to the big ears festival too!
― Neotropical pygmy squirrel, Wednesday, 17 December 2008 16:43 (fifteen years ago) link
Of course I'm going to that, as much of it as possible.
JW in Knox? Crazy!
― rox qua rox (roxymuzak), Friday, 19 December 2008 05:20 (fifteen years ago) link
:D
― Whiney G. Weingarten, Friday, 19 December 2008 05:24 (fifteen years ago) link
I am going too! You should tell us where all the most deliciousest places to eat are, so I can be loaded down with sticky BBQ when I watch Fennesz.
― Whiney G. Weingarten, Friday, 19 December 2008 05:29 (fifteen years ago) link
Also, did you see the news about the Ampy Ant Cafes?!
the Ampy Ant Cafes • 12/18/2008Discussion stations will be located throughout the Big Ears festival where festival goers can take a break, relax and meet each other. Live and evolving ambient music will be provided by musicians at each location. As part of this process, the musicians will interview willing festival attendees and may include portions of the shared conversation into special musical pieces. The newly created pieces will be provided online and often on-site throughout the festival. Be sure to bring a jump drive. Special high quality green and black teas and herbal infusions will be served at these venues, sometimes by the musicians themselves.
i love that ashley's doing that fest. no idea how it'll go over in kxville, but it's cool that he's bringing it there.
― tipsy mothra, Friday, 19 December 2008 05:35 (fifteen years ago) link
That sounds pretty nice!
I'd like to add that this is a really great thing for the Pilot Light (I just left there! <3 the place, <3 Jason. Have had some of the best, worst and most important nights of my life there [including 3 birthdays, haw]), which has seen better days financially. Hopefully this will give it the kick it needs to carry on...forever!
― rox qua rox (roxymuzak), Friday, 19 December 2008 05:36 (fifteen years ago) link
xpost, yeah it's awesome of ac
― rox qua rox (roxymuzak), Friday, 19 December 2008 05:37 (fifteen years ago) link
in other knoxville-related things, for reasons i can't totally explain i got dan lacey to do a pancake painting of the sunsphere.
http://funhouserock.com/funhouse/blab/picture.php?albumid=33&pictureid=394
― tipsy mothra, Friday, 19 December 2008 05:37 (fifteen years ago) link
LMFAO
― Whiney G. Weingarten, Friday, 19 December 2008 05:42 (fifteen years ago) link
that...
...is incredible
― rox qua rox (roxymuzak), Friday, 19 December 2008 05:46 (fifteen years ago) link
should we start a Big Ears Festival thread or is it OK to clutter up this one?
― Whiney G. Weingarten, Friday, 19 December 2008 05:47 (fifteen years ago) link
start one!
― rox qua rox (roxymuzak), Friday, 19 December 2008 05:47 (fifteen years ago) link
and now Ken C will sing "Mr. Jones" by Counting Crows― Gear! (can Jung shill it, Mu?) (Gear!), Tuesday, April 12, 2005 11:30 AM Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink
he's gone through a phD, gear.― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, April 12, 2005 11:38 AM Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink
i now only sing "Dr. Jones" by Aqua, in karaokes― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, April 12, 2005 11:38 AM Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink
^^^ took me until the second read
― Doctor Casino, Friday, 26 December 2008 15:40 (fifteen years ago) link
okay, i'm here til the 30th. Now what?
― Vault Boy Bobblehead - Drinking (kingfish), Friday, 26 December 2008 17:01 (fifteen years ago) link
you could do worse than to start at the longbranch
― Tracer Hand, Friday, 26 December 2008 17:19 (fifteen years ago) link
I'm going to be in KX w/girlfriend in a few days. What should I not miss?
― amateurist, Friday, 26 December 2008 17:23 (fifteen years ago) link
your girlfriend
― expletive for lady parts (Granny Dainger), Friday, 26 December 2008 17:29 (fifteen years ago) link
probably gonna be there in the Spring. Any good bbq or other cheap eats? Does Grady's still do that awesome Sunday buffet? Does Grady's even exist now??
― expletive for lady parts (Granny Dainger), Friday, 26 December 2008 17:32 (fifteen years ago) link
Is there anything nice to do here besides shows and food? My brother is on the Atkins diet and isn't much of a rocker. The art museum's website makes it look kinda dull honestly, although the Thorne rooms appeal to me.
― Doctor Casino, Friday, 26 December 2008 17:58 (fifteen years ago) link
Yeah, Grady's is still around -- on North Peters Road?
Try Big Fatty's on Kingston Pk for good cheap eats; I'm pretty sure someone told me they do a good BBQ too. For the best BBQ you need to go to Chandler's on Magnolia, though. Magnolia Ave. is a goldmine anyway.
― rox qua rox (roxymuzak), Friday, 26 December 2008 21:13 (fifteen years ago) link
I was going to refer you to COPYSHOP for art, but it appears they JUST closed. I guess I knew this deep down, 'cause the thing I went to at KMA where Mark from Negativland showed his movies was their closing ceremony, or something. Hm. I'm at work, I'll compile a list while I'm here of some non-food non-show things to do.
Don't despair, Knoxville is secretly awesome.
― rox qua rox (roxymuzak), Friday, 26 December 2008 21:21 (fifteen years ago) link
i always just tell people to track down one of the jacks (neely or rentfro), buy them beers and get them to tell stories about knoxville.
― tipsy mothra, Friday, 26 December 2008 21:41 (fifteen years ago) link
^Wayne Bledsoe also good for this.
― rox qua rox (roxymuzak), Friday, 26 December 2008 21:44 (fifteen years ago) link
So here are a few things to do:
Go for a walk at O_O at weird animals at beautiful Ijams Nature Center (love this place). Maybe I am a nerd, but your best sources for awesome/weird/awesomely weird Civil War houses are Armstrong-Lockett House, Bleak House and Ramsey House. It's corny as hell, but you gotta go up in the Sunsphere and look out at World's Fair Park (and indeed all of Knoxville). Walking through Knoxville Botanical Gardens & Arboretum!? OMG. Lol @ Red Pandas at the Knoxville Zoo, which is in my 2nd favorite part of town: East Knoxville. The Book Eddy (Chapman Hwy) is one of my favorite bookstores in the world; a huge selection of books from the (18)80s, 90s and today, and now selling records, too (pretty good selection, to boot. Not your typical in-bookstore record sale). Combine a trip to Knoxville institution Lost & Found Records with lunch at Knoxville institution Vic & Bill's and you have my typical Sunday afternoon. Ride the Three Rivers Rambler (it's a train that takes off from the Waterfront, which is also nice) and they might let you drive. Take the Knoxville Star Riverboat!!! I strenuously recommend karaoke at dive bars the Dixie (East Knox) or Toot's Little Honky Tonk (North Knox). More to come.
― rox qua rox (roxymuzak), Friday, 26 December 2008 22:40 (fifteen years ago) link
true. knoxville's well stocked with raconteurs.
― tipsy mothra, Friday, 26 December 2008 23:14 (fifteen years ago) link
and: definitely go to book eddy and spend some money. it's a good store and john, becky et al are great peeps.
― tipsy mothra, Friday, 26 December 2008 23:16 (fifteen years ago) link
Break for food talk: trio in market square has these things called "breakfast lunas." HAW @ THIS!
I realized this afternoon while eating at Shono in Mkt. Sq. that the square is completely full of businesses for the first time that I can ever remember.
― rox qua rox (roxymuzak), Friday, 26 December 2008 23:32 (fifteen years ago) link
and they're not even subsidized by pot smuggling anymore.
― tipsy mothra, Saturday, 27 December 2008 00:38 (fifteen years ago) link
although there's one that a friend runs that i think is closing. :(
― tipsy mothra, Saturday, 27 December 2008 00:39 (fifteen years ago) link
Which one is it?
― rox qua rox (roxymuzak), Saturday, 27 December 2008 00:45 (fifteen years ago) link
i don't wanna say, in case she manages to keep it open. but last week she said she's planning to close. (NOT tomato head, don't worry.)
― tipsy mothra, Saturday, 27 December 2008 01:28 (fifteen years ago) link
its not "cherries internet cafe" is it, cause that woman is insane
― rox qua rox (roxymuzak), Saturday, 27 December 2008 01:44 (fifteen years ago) link
haha no, but i heard some stories about that place and her. yipes.
― tipsy mothra, Saturday, 27 December 2008 01:52 (fifteen years ago) link
used to produce her "radio show." she's trouble.
― rox qua rox (roxymuzak), Saturday, 27 December 2008 01:54 (fifteen years ago) link
yeah i know some people who are really pissed off at her. i think there's legal action under way.
― tipsy mothra, Saturday, 27 December 2008 01:57 (fifteen years ago) link
hahaha, that's very satisfying
― rox qua rox (roxymuzak), Saturday, 27 December 2008 02:01 (fifteen years ago) link
Ooh, we are going to Toot's Little Honky Tonk tonight per invitation from my cousin Lark. Thanks for the tips Roxy, we'll see if I get to anything before I skip town again. Really need to have a car next time I'm here...
― Doctor Casino, Saturday, 27 December 2008 02:30 (fifteen years ago) link
Oh man, I'd tell you all where I'm going tomorrow but I'm not going to ruin the surprise. You'll just have to wait for the photos.
― Vault Boy Bobblehead - Drinking (kingfish), Saturday, 27 December 2008 02:32 (fifteen years ago) link
We're currently driving around randomly in pigeon forge. Man, this place is a trip. And we just left the Bass Pro hanger; the huge christmas tree decorated with stuffed animal heads was a bit disconcerting.
― Vault Boy Bobblehead - Drinking (kingfish), Saturday, 27 December 2008 16:57 (fifteen years ago) link
yeah pigeon forge is a special place...
― tipsy mothra, Saturday, 27 December 2008 17:26 (fifteen years ago) link
thanks for all the great tips, y'all!
― amateurist, Saturday, 27 December 2008 17:56 (fifteen years ago) link
The extraordinary weather mean that we have to reached the big special trip today, as the joint is way too crowded.
― Vault Boy Bobblehead - Drinking (kingfish), Saturday, 27 December 2008 18:08 (fifteen years ago) link
eating chandler's RIGHT NOW
― rox qua rox (roxymuzak), Saturday, 27 December 2008 21:14 (fifteen years ago) link
how's the pilot light club? was thinking of doing the new year's eve show there w/jack rose and some local band. what's the scene there?
― amateurist, Sunday, 28 December 2008 00:13 (fifteen years ago) link
just say pilot light. i think the "some local band" is my good friends the royal bangs, who will pack the place. the scene there is that its the best club in knoxville. little hole in the wall, treats bands great.
― rox qua rox (roxymuzak), Sunday, 28 December 2008 00:15 (fifteen years ago) link
don't try and not pay for beer
― o_O (ken c), Sunday, 28 December 2008 00:19 (fifteen years ago) link
bartender guide:
http://static.flickr.com/54/164948987_29850b6d94.jpg
(on the far left, ha cha CHAAAA)bill warden: known as "hot bill" by the entire (female) staff of java (and me), this guy has a flowing red mane and beard and looks like a cross between a viking, a fantasy novel giant, and some kind of fleetwood mac. only dude i know who can wear a gauntlet without making it look try-hard. <3 this guy
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/137/341158942_b613eb327b.jpg
will fist: talked about elsewhere on this thread, but this dude is pretty much an institution at this point. generally works the door and always has a smile for everyone. has catchphrases like 'DO IT THE WAY" and is in probably 50 bands, seriously. a nut. a drunk nut. here is his guitar:
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/60/167930102_3a38ccb048.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/62/164953938_c89972b028.jpg
(on the left)eric lee: a tiny guy, we used to have a game based on him called "eric lee or homeless?" cause his style is exactly that of 90% of homeless men, though it doesn't show in this pic. pretty much a musical genius. you win if you can understand word one that comes out of his mouth.
― rox qua rox (roxymuzak), Sunday, 28 December 2008 00:40 (fifteen years ago) link
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/61/164953941_d05c453a1f.jpg?v=0
^Jason Boardman is the owner of the Pilot Light and is a Knoxville music scene hero and one of the A+ best men I have ever met. He barely keeps the club alive year after year, and does it simply because he cares about bands. He is one of the sub-curators of Big Ears, and part of that festival will occur @ Pilot Light. He drove me to see Shellac when I was a kid!
Also, all but one of those photos^ were taken at the Pilot Light.
― rox qua rox (roxymuzak), Sunday, 28 December 2008 00:44 (fifteen years ago) link
ok it's actually the jan. 1 show w/damn creeps (who are they?) and jack rose.
oh man that big ears festival looks amazing!!! won't be able to make that, sadly.
― amateurist, Sunday, 28 December 2008 01:07 (fifteen years ago) link