The Relix (pronounced like the word “relics”) Theater is an unassuming storefront in Happy Holler – which is an area about  a mile and half out Central Avenue from downtown proper. It’s across the street from the Time Warp...

If you are like me, you hear about great local bands, but you never seem to be able to catch some of them with the greatest buzz. I probably do catch more than my share, but...

What if that liberal prefers to refer to himself as a socialist? What if he is comfortable with the label “anarchist” and questions the legitimacy of the power of any government, including our own? How would...

Black Lillies sold out Bijou debut of “100 Miles of Wreckage” Excitement built for months among local music lovers for the sold out Black Lillies CD release concert at the Bijou. I first heard about it...

How could you improve the live radio concerts hosted weekdays at noon on WDVX for several years now? Add a weekend show, that’s how. Many of us can’t be downtown at noon, but judging from the crowd in...

Marshall Chapman, R.B. Morris, Laurel Theater, Knoxville, January 21, 2011 Suddenly Knoxville is doing what it often does: offering so many wonderful (or even amazing) concerts that a person can’t make them all. I’ve always thought it...

In a way, the city recedes just a bit in winter. It’s cold out and fewer people walk the streets. Lazy strolls disappear in favor of rapid-fire paces with the destination more in focus than the...

 Hilary Hawke and band, Knoxville Visitor’s Center, January 2010 The second artist I heard recently at the Blue Plate Special was Hilary Hawke. She and her band are from upstate New York and their sound is...

Thanks to the snow, I was able to catch a couple of Blue Plate Specials recently. Both featured young bands fronted by talented, personable singers. They also featured very retro-music. I talked about this a bit...

Knoxville has an amazing creative community and no where is this more in evidence than at the monthly meetings of the Knoxville Writer’s Guild. Writers from both the city and the surrounding area read from their works...