Issue 1 - March 12, 2015 by Knoxville Mercury

WE’RE BACK!

How’d we do it? Explanations inside.

MARCH 12, 2015

INAUGURAL ISSUE 1 / N.1

NOT BAD, EH?

KNOXVILLE MERCURY March 12, 2015

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KNOXVILLE MERCURY March 12, 2015

March 12, 2015 Volume 01 / Issue 01 knoxmercury.com

CONTENTS

“It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” — Epictetus

43 Welcome to the Knoxville Mercury COVER STORY

Okay, we’re back. It took a while, but after a few hundred meetings, several fundraisers, and a bit of soul-searching over the course of five months, our team of former Metro Pulse editors and new staffers is putting out a brand-spanking-new weekly paper. This inaugural edition is mostly about the Knoxville Mercury itself: who’s doing it, why we’re doing it, and what we hope to accomplish. (We promise not to write about ourselves again for a while.)

NEWS

16 On Deadline

Can daily and weekly papers survive the digital age? S. Heather Duncan looks at how they’re coping, and at the different publishing models being attempted.

22 A Knoxville

History Project

The Knoxville Mercury’s governing body is a new nonprofit organization headed by one Jack Neely. He explains our working relationship and introduces his board of directors.

We’d love your feedback!

After you finish reading this first issue of the Knoxville Mercury, tell us about yourself at: survature.com/s/knoxmercury. We’ll be giving one lucky respondent a pair of tickets to Big Ears!

DEPARTMENTS

OPINION

A&E

4 4 6

Letters Editor’s Note Howdy Start here: Ghost Signs, Believe It or Knox!, Public Affairs, and Words With … ’Bye At This Point by Stephanie Piper, Crooked Street Crossword by Ian Blackburn and Jack Neely, Spirit of the Staircase by Matthew Foltz-gray, Restless Native by Chris Wohlwend

9 10 12

The Scruffy Citizen by Jack Neely Perspectives by Joe Sullivan Possum City by Eleanor Scott Architecture Matters by George Dodds

30 31 32

CALENDAR Program Notes Tim Lee 3 review, Retro Grade by Nick Huinker, Sights and Sounds by Chris Barrett Music Interview Scott Miller by Matthew Everett Classical Music KSO’s final Concertmaster Series concert by Alan Sherrod Movie Review It Follows by April Snellings

Spotlights: Wacka Flocka Flame, CTRL + P: Printmaking in the 21st Century, Dom Flemons

FOOD & DRINK

Home Palate Asia Kitchen by Dennis Perkins

OUTDOORS

Voice in the Wilderness South Loop Trail in the Forks of the River by Kim Trevathan

March 12, 2015

KNOXVILLE MERCURY 3

EDITOR’S NOTE Welcome to Our Startover

Coury Turczyn coury@knoxmercury.com

BY COURY TURCZYN

Matthew Everett matthew@knoxmercury.com

o be honest, I was actually looking forward to taking a vacation. In my last seven years of editing Metro Pulse, I’d managed to not work on only two or three issues. So when I was informed about my impending unemployment last October, my first thought was, Well, that finally happened. And it was soon followed by a subversive glimmer of hope: Now I can finally relax! But idle repose was not on the immediate agenda. Nor was peace of mind, financial security, or a reliable sense of confidence in what I was doing. That’s because Knoxville wouldn’t take no for an answer. While there were certainly a lot of people who were upset at E.W. Scripps for shutting down Metro Pulse without regard for its legacy—or without even considering the idea that someone might think it’s worth buying—there were others who were immediately asking, “How can we start a new paper?” We weren’t sure ourselves. Does publishing stories with ink and paper even make sense any more? Do readers

BY ELIZABETH BRIQUET

Delivering Fine Journalism Since 2015

KNOXVILLE MERCURY March 12, 2015

EDITORIAL EDITOR

SENIOR EDITOR

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

want it? Do businesses still need it? Those are questions I can’t really answer for the media industry at large, but in Knoxville the reply was a firm yes. Most everyone we talked to—community leaders, business experts, advertisers, foundation directors, even media types—was emphatic: It can still work here, and we’ll help you do it. That kind of support cannot be ignored, so we went back to work. A lot of cities have lost daily and weekly papers in the past decade. But I think Knoxville is unique in that its

Over 700 Knoxvillians dipped into their bank accounts based purely on their faith that we know what we’re doing.

citizens, of all different economic backgrounds, have been willing to actually donate their own money to bring one back. Over 700 Knoxvillians dipped into their bank accounts based purely on their faith that we know what we’re doing, and gave us enough funding to create a new, sustainable weekly paper in the digital age. No pressure. But I must point out that my former Metro Pulse co-workers, Jack Neely and Matthew Everett, and I have always been introverted, nervous editors, not world-beating entrepreneurs. How do you start a business? We didn’t know. How do you run a business? We didn’t know. How do you start and run a newspaper business in the 21st century? Nobody knows. So the last five months have been anything but relaxing. We’ve had to ascend a steep learning curve while also trying to form a new business model. Fortunately, Knoxvillians not only gave us their financial support, but also their expertise. The Knoxville Mercury is a true community effort. A lot of people spent a lot of time guiding us to this first issue, from lawyers to accountants, IT experts to human resources pros, readers to writers. Fortunately, we were also able to find extremely overqualified people to join us in our full-time, non-paying quest against the odds: publisher Charlie Vogel, art director Tricia Bateman, operations director Jerry Collins, and sales executive Scott Hamstead. Enlisting with us on a part-time basis are designers Corey McPherson and Charlie Finch, computer guy David Doyle, and reporter S. Heather Duncan. We haven’t figured it all out yet. This inaugural edition is a document of where we are right now in our learning process. We have so much more yet to do, so many avenues yet to explore, so many hurdles yet to clear. But with your support, I think we’re off to a good start. Let’s see where we can go.

Jack Neely jack@knoxhistoryproject.org STAFF WRITER

S. Heather Duncan heather@knoxmercury.com CONTRIBUTORS

Victor Agreda Jr. Chris Barrett Ian Blackburn Patrice Cole Eric Dawson George Dodds Matthew Foltz-Gray Lee Gardner Mike Gibson Carey Hodges Nick Huinker Donna Johnson

Rose Kennedy Dennis Perkins Stephanie Piper Ryan Reed Alan Sherrod April Snellings Heather Joyner Spica Joe Sullivan Kim Trevathan Joe Tarr William Warren Chris Wohlwend

DESIGN ART DIRECTOR

Tricia Bateman tricia@knoxmercury.com GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

Charlie Finch Corey McPherson CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

David Luttrell Shawn Poynter Justin Fee Tyler Oxendine CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATOR

Ben Adams

ADVERTISING PUBLISHER & DIRECTOR OF SALES

Charlie Vogel charlie@knoxmercury.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Scott Hamstead scott@knoxmercury.com L.A. McCrae mcrae@knoxmercury.com

BUSINESS DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Jerry Collins jerry@knoxmercury.com

KNOXVILLE MERCURY 706 Walnut St., Suit 404, Knoxville, Tenn. 37902 knoxmercury.com • 865-313-2059 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR & PRESS RELEASES

editor@knoxmercury.com CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS

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jerry@knoxmercury.com The Knoxville Mercury is an independent weekly news magazine devoted to informing and connecting Knoxville’s many different communities. It is a taxable, not-for-profit company governed by the Knoxville History Project, a non-profit organization devoted to exploring, disseminating, and celebrating Knoxville’s unique cultural heritage. It publishes 25,000 copies per week, available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader. © 2015 The Knoxville Mercury

1974 - 2014 865.974.5161 clarencebrowntheatre.com

1974 - 2014

March 12, 2015

KNOXVILLE MERCURY 5

HOWDY

Believe It or Knox!

GHOST SIGNS BY BUD RIES “QUOTE FACTORY “I’m really flattered that people thought of me for that position, but if I were on City Council I would actually have to go to the meetings. So that’s reason enough not to run.” “—Kim Trent, executive director of Knox Heritage, responding to a rumor dropped by Shopper News writer Victor Ashe in his March 4 column. “Trent is being urged to run for City Council in 2017 when Nick Della Volpe cannot seek a third term,” he wrote.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS

3/13 46TH ANNUAL JUBILEE FESTIVAL FRIDAY

7 p.m., Laurel Theater (1538 Laurel Ave.), $11 Jubilee Community Arts edges one year closer to the big 5-0 with its signature annual celebration of traditional mountain music. This year’s event features the Mockingbirds, the Swill Sippers, Henry Perry and Jaimie Cameron of Slow Blind Hill, the Knox County Jug Stompers, Y’uns, Dan Gammon, Greg Horne, Roy Harper, Leah Gardner, John Alvis, the Hellgrammites and the Mumbillies. Continues on Saturday, March 14, 7 p.m.

KNOXVILLE MERCURY March 12, 2015

3/14 KNOXVILLE SOUP

SATURDAY

6 p.m., Flenniken Landing (115 Flenniken Ave.), $5 donation The South Knoxville Alliance is debuting a new monthly program to help spur creative projects to benefit Knoxville as a whole. It’s a combination potluck dinner, networking get-together, and public forum. Four preselected speakers will have four minutes each to present their ideas for community projects, and then take four minutes of questions. Attendees will vote for their favorite, and the winner will take the door money for micro-grant funding. Info: southknoxvillealliance.org.

3/17CITY COUNCIL MEETING TUESDAY

7 p.m., City County Building, Main Assembly Room Just like old times! Get the agenda on Friday at: cityofknoxville.org/ citycouncil.

BY Z. HERACLITUS KNOX Granville “Stick” McGhee, who was born in Knoxville on March 23, 1917—98 years ago this week—wrote and performed a song called “Drinkin’ Wine, Spo-Dee-O-Dee” in 1946. His later version, in 1949, was an R&B hit. It may be the FIRST ROCK ’N’ ROLL SONG EVER RECORDED! Knoxville had such a large immigrant Irish population that in the 1870s, St. Patrick’s Day was a major holiday, with a BIG PARADE down Gay Street, attended by thousands! It was followed by an all-night ball, usually at the Lamar House—now part of the Bijou Theatre— attended almost entirely by Irish immigrants. Edward Terry Sanford, the only Knoxvillian ever appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court, grew up in the Maplehurst area. After serving for seven years, he died suddenly in Washington on March 8, 1930—THE SAME DAY as the death of his close friend, Chief Justice (and former U.S. President) WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT!

3/19 KNOXVILLE COLLECTS YEE-HAW RECEPTION THURSDAY

6-9 p.m., Emporium Center for Arts and Culture (100 S. Gay St.) Yee-Haw Industries, the letterpress shop owned by Julie Belcher and Kevin Bradley, may be gone but it’s not forgotten. This exhibition, organized by former employee BJ Alumbaugh, celebrates the history of Yee-Haw and its contributions to local culture with a presentation Yee-Haw prints on loan from the local collectors. The show runs through March 29.

HOWDY WORDS WITH ...

Nancy Young owner and caretaker of a Little Free Library in the

ciently ffi e s a g nin . ffice run we do that well o r u o y d ve l is to ha sible. An a s o o g p r s u a O vely t effecti s o c d n a

4th and Gill neighborhood BY ROSE KENNEDY What’s the concept here?

Are the boxes expensive to build?

It’s sort of a birdhouse for books for people. The first Little Free Library box was built by a man honoring his mother in 2009. There are a number of them in Knoxville. I learned of it from a friend of mine who had one built and painted in honor of a friend who had passed away. I fell in love with the idea. My husband Jeff built the box and he and my kids gave it to me as a gift in honor of my father, who died at age 92 about two years ago. Our neighborhood was perfect for it—we have sidewalks and lots of foot traffic, unlike the ’burbs.

No. You can use recycled materials, or buy the wood basically for about $40. Littlefreelibrary.org will send you plans for building. Some people have gotten really creative—my favorite I saw online is one that looks like a miniature 1950 trailer painted pink to match the real thing. Mine has yet to be decorated—but I have ideas!

Was your dad a book lover? He was a voracious reader of great literature, biographies, and a lot of crappy novels. He was a dentist whose office was in walking distance of the public library in Queens. Every week he would bring home a bag of books he checked out—everything you could imagine—go through the bag in a week and get new ones the week after. They would save him the newest titles, so he’d bring home a lot of bestsellers and anything that was on the New York Times list. He had floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and carried whatever he was reading to the dining room, to his bedroom, outside. He was always with a book. I think he was most scared towards the end of his life that, even though his mind was still sharp, he didn’t have the physical well being to stay awake and lift the book. We use to laugh that he could only read short, light books. He was no saint, but he did share with me the love of reading—and I think that I have passed that on to my kids. The book box is just a small way to share this with my neighbors.

Do you have to have official approval? No, typically they are placed on personal, not city, property.

How many books does it hold and how many can people take? I’d say 15 or 20? It depends. Little paperbacks can be stacked. Children’s books typically are thin. It’s been stuffed full on occasion.

How did the kids’ box start? We got so many positive comments about the box, and one dad in the neighborhood suggested to my husband adding a box closer to the ground for the young kids to feel ownership of their books and to learn to share and borrow books.

Has anything funny happened with your little library? The box is actually across the street from my house and it is great fun to watch people from the window or the porch go to the box, look at it, open the door, look at the books and then look around to see if it’s really okay to “take” a book. I have often shouted, “Take one! Enjoy!” If we’re out mowing the lawn, or just outside, it’s a great way to start a conversation. I think that’s the whole idea—it’s about building community.

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KNOXVILLE MERCURY 7

THE SCRUFFY CITIZEN

The Tipping Point A little bit about the urgency of our project, and why we couldn’t leave BY JACK NEELY

do apologize. I’ve been distracted all winter. I owe you all about 23 columns. I don’t have a good excuse, at least not one that makes much sense to me. I’ve been writing bylaws and financial plans and emails to lawyers. Most of what I’ve written lately is not very good reading. It’s been almost five months since that odd Wednesday afternoon when a husky fellow with a little-boy haircut appeared in our office. I’d met him once or twice. Over the last four years, several people had told me that he was our boss, but I’d never heard from him personally, never had a conversation with him. Did he ever read our paper? I don’t have any way of knowing. But he told us our paper was over with. That fact was pretty startling in itself. We used to bleed money, but at length we figured things out. In spite of the Internet and everything else, a few years ago, we started making money. As the husky fellow told us we were no longer employed, he told us we no longer had access to our email or any of the files on our computer. The same afternoon, they changed the locks on our door. I’ve heard of that sort of abrupt end, concerning people facing criminal charges. I lost thousands of files. Most were stories that may never have amounted

KNOXVILLE MERCURY March 12, 2015

to much. Some I was proud of. I had some columns that had been cooking for more than 10 years, waiting for the perfect moment. And I had emails from around the world, some of them from scholars in Ireland, Spain, Oregon, who are working on biographies of Knoxville

way to accomplish their ends. There’s more to it, and I’ll tell you all about it sometime. Today I’m looking on the bright side. The bright side was not the severance package. Some have praised us for rejecting it. But after almost 20 years of full-time work, to get offered three months of salary, never much to begin with, in return for quitting journalism for a year—would you take it? By its terms I would be forbidden from writing for any competing publication in Knoxville until late this year. And I would have been forbidden from disparaging E.W. Scripps forever. That might have been challenging. If I’d accepted it, my severance would have expired more than a month ago. And there I’d be, not just broke, but legally unable to work in the field I’ve cultivated for 23 years. When E.W. Scripps bought Metro Pulse, corporate ownership bothered some staffers more than it did me. I’d known Scripps ever since I was a Scripps-Howard paperboy more than 40 years ago. In the early ’80s, I was a night-shift News Sentinel copy clerk. Later I was a regular freelance writer. I had friends there. I thought of Scripps as a kindly great-uncle. Under corporate ownership, I told many skeptics, we were still Metro Pulse, but now with a family health plan. In the last year or two, though, I couldn’t deny some frustrations with

A local owner would be very proud of a popular, award-winning newspaper that breaks even. No corporation would be. That was my main lesson from October.

figures, some from an NPR producer in Massachusetts contemplating a Knoxville project. Maybe I’ll reconnect with some of them. I can’t remember all the names. Several people have likened the tactic to those of the Gestapo, but that’s not fair. They didn’t actually shoot us. You have to be grateful for that, since it might well have been a more effective

the arrangement, decisions made somewhere on the corporate level that made little sense on Gay Street. For a while, after the shut-down, I considered jobs outside of journalism. One Scripps representative helpfully noted that I was welcome to move to another city to write. As annoying as unexpected unemployment can be on a personal

level, the more serious issue is that all of us were facing a future in a city where almost all of the communications media were controlled by faraway corporations, all operated primarily for profit. They appraise Knoxville and its newspaper readers and radio listeners and television watchers mainly for their profit-generating potential. Profit motivates some industries. It produces the cheapest hamburgers and hair curlers. Its positive effect on journalism is less obvious. Why would executives in Cincinnati, much less Milwaukee—the apparent new home of Knoxville print media’s big bosses—give a poop about anything going on in Knoxville? Their main job is to please their shareholders. I don’t know where their shareholders live, but I don’t think it’s here. The big shots among them, throwing their weight around about the big merger deal, live in New York. They’ve never seen the inside of the Tennessee Theatre or taken a hike at Ijams. They’ve probably never even seen a Vols game. But they’re the ones who ultimately decide how most Knoxvillians learn about Knoxville. A local owner would be very proud of a popular, award-winning newspaper that breaks even. No corporation would be. That was my main lesson from October. Corporate media executives aren’t evil. They’re as innocent as any virus. I’m proud to be part of this nonprofit, permanently local project, which is emerging at what I believe to be a critical moment in the history of my hometown. We want to find out what will happen on West Jackson, and for that matter on East Jackson, and on Depot Street, and in Happy Holler, and on Cumberland Avenue. I want to know whether the South Side development will ever come off as envisioned, and whether we’ll ever see the Bearden Village ideal. When the ax came down, I was working on a story about the Urban Land Institute’s report. I still want to find out more about that. Meanwhile, cultural catalysts like Big Ears change the way the world experiences music, and Knoxville. I’m also fascinated with how Knoxville is using its own history, just lately, to good effect. The city’s past informs and challenges its future. We’ve been following the story of Knoxville for years. We can’t quit now.

PERSPECTIVES

Blast Off Here’s to the launch of Mercury! BY JOE SULLIVAN

hen the News Sentinel (or was it someone at Scripps in Cincinnati?) abruptly shut down Metro Pulse last fall, I feared the demise of quality alternative journalism in Knoxville. So it has been tremendously heartening to me to have witnessed the resolve with which Metro Pulse’s erstwhile editors have pursued the launch of a worthy successor publication. Coury Turczyn, Jack Neely, and Matthew Everett all spurned severance packages from Scripps that included a non-compete agreement. For the past five months they have devoted themselves, uncompensated, to make the Knoxville Mercury the reality that it has become today. Equally heartening has been the way in which Metro Pulse’s loyal readers and community benefactors have rallied to support their efforts. Close to $500,000 has been raised or pledged to get the Mercury started on a firm financial footing. Kim Trent of Knox Heritage also deserves a lot of credit for sponsoring the fundraising on behalf of a newly formed nonprofit entity, the Knoxville History Project. Jack Neely, whose name has become synonymous with Knoxville history, will head the nonprofit as well as contribute to the Mercury, which has been formed as a wholly owned subsidiary. Tax-deductible contributions to the Knoxville History Project are still welcome, and as Metro Pulse’s former owner and publisher, I have been pleased to make a substantial one myself. When I sold Metro Pulse to a third party in 2003, little did I dream it would end up in the hands of Scripps’ News Sentinel, which was never a good fit.

Pedestrian daily newspaper chains just aren’t simpatico with more insightful and colorful alternative weeklies. I’ll have to say, though, that the Scripps bosses allowed Metro Pulse more editorial freedom than I would have supposed—until they decided to pull the plug on it. What was deplorable about the shutdown was the draconian way in which it was effected—with no notice and no opportunity for anyone to preserve it or even use its name. Email accounts were summarily cut off, which in my own case, as a continuing contributor, meant the loss of hundreds of sources of grist for my column mill as well as personal contacts. As someone who is anything but systems-savvy, it’s taken me months to re-establish my

operations director, is an information technology guru who has held senior positions at FedEx and TVA. Matthew Everett, who was in the forefront of the fundraising effort, can now return to being a journalist as senior editor and overseer of an events calendar that will once again be the go-to source for Knoxville happenings of every ilk. Veteran art director Tricia Bateman has experience ranging from agency work to books and multiple magazines. The roster of editorial contributors is too lengthy to recite but will mostly be familiar to Metro Pulse readers. Turczyn is also in the process of bringing a full-time staff reporter on board in addition to a part-time staff writer. There’s no denying that these past several years have not been good ones for print media generally. And it never ceases to amaze me just how much stuff on just about any subject has become instantly accessible online without even delving into the realm of social media, which I don’t. Yet as old-fashioned as I may sound (or be), I believe there’s still a role for insightful local publications to enlighten their communities and contribute to their well being. While the subjects of featured articles will necessarily be selective, you can safely bet that the Mercury’s calendar will provide the most comprehensive guide extant to Knoxville’s arts and entertainment as well as myriad other happenings. This coverage of events will hopefully drive advertising by their sponsors and by the restaurants

I believe there’s still a role for insightful local publications to enlighten their communities and contribute to their well being. connections with the rest of the world. The new scheme of things at Mercury is a welcome return to more hospitable environs. I’m very impressed with the team that Metro Pulse’s longtime editor Coury Turczyn has assembled to complement him in running the publication. Charlie Vogel, as publisher, brings a wealth of experience in sales management that includes a stint as publisher of one of Whittle Communications’ more successful initiatives back in the day. Jerry Collins, as

and other establishments their patrons are likely to frequent. When Metro Pulse came on the scene in the early 1990s, downtown Knoxville seemed headed for extinction, except as a place to work in an office or go to church. Its revitalization over the past two decades as a place to live and enjoy a host of urban amenities is testament to the same forces that I believe will propel the Knoxville Mercury to success as an important contributor to the city’s vitality. March 12, 2015

KNOXVILLE MERCURY 9

POSSUM CITY

Small Stories, Extraordinary People Introducing a possum’s-eye view of Knoxville BY ELEANOR SCOTT

he name for our one-of-a-kind marsupial, the only marsupial in North America, comes from the Algonquin word apasum, which means “white dog” or “white animal,” due to its white face and silvery gray body. I do not know a Southerner who does not shorten it to ’possum. After 3 million years of country living, the possum does well in the city, too. The urban possum takes bumbling joy in the back alley wilds. She thrives on the periphery, babies clinging to her back, scavenging for tasty morsels along the creeks and byways. You may find the possum rooting around down by the edge of the quarry lakes or rummaging through Old City dumpsters. Whole worlds teem in the cracks and borderlands of our mid-size Southern city, whether someone tells their stories or not. That’s what I’m interested in: a possum’s-eye view of the city. From 2011 to 2013 I wrote a column for Metro Pulse about local

people making things happen in the clandestine corners of the city. I believed then—and still believe—the most interesting places are the weedy lots, alleys, abandoned buildings, creeks, quarry lakes, all those places that are not manicured, that have been forgotten or ignored by those in power. These places are available for the use of small folk. Let’s, of course, celebrate people and institutions working to improve Knoxville’s environmental and social health through mainstream channels. I honor people like Knoxville’s first urban forester, Kasey Krouse, hired by Mayor Rogero to carry out a well-researched agenda to grow and maintain the city’s tree canopy. This endeavor is so obviously worthy—trees provide shade and shelter, and improve the quality of our water and air. Less obviously, more urban trees may reduce crime and poverty, according to studies cited in the city’s tree plan.

They were people building and making, without a lot of fanfare, sometimes in secret. These are the stories that keep the poetry of the city alive. They are possum stories.

KNOXVILLE MERCURY March 12, 2015

Urban forests are good for people and possums alike. An institution to celebrate is Tennessee Clean Water Network. In 2013 I wrote a “cute animals” story about goats that brought my attention to a much deeper and more interesting story. TCWN had employed a herd of goats to clear invasive shrubs in the newly acquired (and deeded to the city) Williams Creek Urban Forest. The area had recently been an unofficial garbage dump and the creek was contaminated. Since then, TCWN has acquired even more land in the area, with the aim to deed it to the city as a wildlife corridor/ city park. In a future column I will be exploring Williams Creek Urban Forest and reporting on how it stands today. Buying wild land to save it from development is only trumped in my book by buying ruined land in order to restore it to pristine woodlands. After interviewing Brian Campbell, Knoxville Botanical Gardens horticulturist and mastermind behind the Butterfly Conservation Meadow, I was inspired to buy a vacant lot near my house and plant it with pollen-rich native flowers for pollinators and other wildlife. I also wrote stories about people on the periphery, who seemed to me a little magic. They were small stories about

extraordinary people that—the closer I looked—seemed more and more important to the character of the city. I wrote about a homeless man building a stone house for himself in the woods by Fort Dickerson quarry, a woman gathering wild mulberries for wine and jam from trees in Parkridge, a couple making a starter home in an East Knoxville abandoned house. They were people building and making, without a lot of fanfare, sometimes in secret. These are the stories that keep the poetry of the city alive. They are possum stories. The possum is omnivorous, tenacious, and resourceful, resistant to snakebite, a survivor. The possum is shy and slow, but prone to go all-out redneck in a fight, alarming its opponents. The possum was here long before we were and no doubt she’ll be here long after we’re gone. I’ve thought about it a lot and I can’t think of a better mascot for Knoxville than the possum. Just when you are sure she’s dead, she twitches her ears, shakes the dust off her fur, and continues on her way. It turns out, the possum is just fine. Eleanor Scott is freelance writer and columnist from Skinem, Tenn. She maintains the Parkridge Butterfly Meadow in East Knoxville.

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We believe in the individual’s right to access a safe abortion. We oppose any regulation designed solely to limit access to abortion. As with all other medical procedures, regulations governing abortions should be supported by medical reasons. Only physicians are qualified to make these decisions. Physicians already provide patients with informed consent based on peer-reviewed scientific research. Reading mandated scripts written by politicians is not informed consent. Scientific studies have found no link between abortion and an increased risk of breast cancer, depression, suicide, or future premature births. There is no medical reason for a waiting period to obtain an abortion.

II. All clinics and offices offering abortion services in Tennessee are currently regulated for safety in compliance with laws governing comparable medical facilities. Safety is an issue ONLY when abortion access is impeded or denied. According to the CDC, abortion has a less than 1 percent complication rate. In Knoxville, both Planned Parenthood of Middle and East TN and Knoxville Center for Reproductive Health provide abortion services by local obstetrician/gynecologists who have active hospital privileges as is required by current TN law. Both facilities are in good standing with all medical inspections. Both also offer birth control, pap smears, breast exams, STI testing and treatment for men and women, PMS and menopausal services, testing and treatment for urinary tract infections, HPV testing, HIV screening, and gynecological examinations. III. The individual is the only person who can decide whether to have an abortion or any other medical procedure. We oppose any regulation that prevents individuals from following their own religious and moral values when making decisions about their bodies, lives, and families. IV. Tennessee voters passed Amendment 1 based primarily on a campaign that promised to make our clinics safer. It will be a betrayal to Tennessee women and families to now use this opportunity to make abortion, not safer, but less accessible. While the amendment passed statewide, the majority of Knox County voted no, 54,124 to 50,635. We expect our state legislators to remember their constituents when bills restricting reproductive rights are introduced in the General Assembly.

If you agree, call or write your state legislators. http://www.capitol.tn.gov/legislators/ 1617-1621 N. Central Street • Knoxville, Tennessee 37917 865.337.5575 LIKE us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MidModCollective Instagram @MidModCollective Website: www.MidModCollective.com Have retro furniture to sell? Give us a call.

PAID FOR BY: Gail Anderson, Jerry Anderson, Jack Barlow, PhD, April Burt, Dr. Doug Dodd, Dr. Susan Dodd, Joyce Feld, PhD, Ronald Feld, Joy Fels, Lettie Flores, PhD, Marcia Goldenstein, Catherine Henschen, Tim Hulsey, PhD, Diane Humphreys-Barlow, Ellen Kern, George Kern, Carol Krauss, Dr. Stephen Krauss, Judy Ann Langston, Maureen Dunn McBride, Neil McBride, Doug McKinstry, Amy Neff, Reta Noblett-Feld, Grier Novinger, Pam Osmand, Linda Randolph, Bill Randolph, Whitney Ray-Dawson, Josh Reynolds, John Stewart, Nancy Stewart, Carl Wagner, PhD, Wanda Wagner, Merikay Waldvogel, Sue C. Wright March 12, 2015

KNOXVILLE MERCURY 11

ARCHITECTURE MATTERS

Pro Bono Publico Why does a bank building look like a suburban house? BY GEORGE DODDS

t’s easy to forget that the space that fronts our city’s major buildings, or the zone between curb and building, is no less important than the buildings themselves. So many today grow up in settings absent sidewalks that this significance may fail to register while traversing a city. Yet, this public space is pro bono publico—for the public good. Which raises such nettlesome questions as which public and what good? These are less questions with a single answer than the basis for debate, the sort in which any populace ought to be endlessly engaged. I’d like to suggest for consideration, not the intersection of Union and Market Square, or Gay and Cumberland—both good places to start this series of articles on the built environment—but rather the crossing of two important roadways known to virtually all Knoxvillers, yet little considered: the heterotopia formed by the crossing of Northshore Drive and Kingston Pike. At present, this near-Bearden crossroads is in a sorry state; three of its four corners occupied by vacant, dilapidated, or recently razed buildings. Amidst this not-quite-urbane desolation, there is a single sign of life, the new branch of the Mountain Commerce Bank (MCB) under construction (as I write) on the Northwest corner. Even here, at this most pedestrian of non-pedestrian intersections, a place we all know but never see, is there not an obligation for something to promote the public good, particularly by an institution many consider a public trust?

KNOXVILLE MERCURY March 12, 2015

Following the Glass–Steagall Act of 1932 and up to the Second World War, commercial banks in the United States were highly regulated and largely local affairs, typically sited at the centers of small towns and large cities alike. Following World War II, American banking, and bank architecture changed rapidly. Populations dispersed via the newly invented Eisenhower Interstate Highway System. Banks preceded this centrifugal force with financing and followed with suburban branches, adapting their building type to this new physical setting and pattern of use. We have several fine architectural examples of post-war banking here in Knoxville: the First Tennessee Bank on the 4800 block of Kingston Pike and what is now called the First Tennessee Bank Advisors building at the nearby Western Plaza Shopping Center: both elegant works. Each is made of fine materials, their massing sensitively proportioned, their fenestration demonstrating a more open relation to the exterior permitted by the solid, bulky pre-war model. They are well-detailed and well-crafted, designed to respond to a more open setting along fast-moving roadways. In short, they are built in the language of “the strip.” And Kingston Pike is, if nothing else, the mother of all strips. The new MCB building is the most recent example of this new paradigm, yet has virtually nothing in common with these earlier suburban banks, nor its urban antecedents; it neither invokes collective memories nor provokes a

sense of the new. Yet it is not without its model. Anyone who has visited the houses of the ultra-wealthy in places like Boca Raton and Miami (or West Knoxville for that matter) will recognize that the architectural source for this bank is neither a commercial nor a civic building, but rather the mega-mansions of the uber-rich that line such places as Florida’s Intercostal Waterway or are crowded into gated enclaves on islands in the Miami harbor, or Northshore Drive. But why would a serious and sound institution such as the Mountain Commerce Bank think it a good idea for their much-anticipated new building to look like an oversized nouveau riche Floridian suburban house? Clearly their goal was to make a fine building of which they, their clients, and the community could be proud. And, as a business enterprise and relatively small banking institution, they have much to be proud of, weathering the storm of the 2008 recession that delayed their breaking ground by five years. One possible answer to this question is that it is part of a much larger disturbing trend of using the suburban house as the model for virtually any building type. Oversized suburban houses are homes to state police barracks, interstate rest stops, major local political organizations, places of worship, restaurants, the offices of dentists and physicians. They are so ubiquitous they go without notice.

What do we learn about the values of a place, our place, when many of its most important institutions choose as their architectural model, an image that represents no place at all?

How did this come to be? How did a relatively regressive building type become the ubiquitous image for such a wide array of institutions and uses? Moreover, what does this say about the culture out of which these buildings emerge and, collectively, they serve to represent? What do we learn about the values of a place, our place, when many of its most important institutions choose as their architectural model, an image that represents no place at all? After all, architecture matters. The MCB building, like the Mechanics’ Bank and Trust Company Building at 612 South Gay St, occupies an important urban corner, albeit well outside the urban core. While the Mechanic’s Bank was designed as an important urban marker, constructed of fine materials (such as Tennessee marble and brick masonry) the MCB building is yet another fixed-term building, seemingly intended to depreciate. Curiously, across Kingston Pike sit two buildings that ought to signal portent: the remains of a defunct Regions Bank branch and the scarred surface of the former home of the Bearden Service Center (originally the MCB’s intended site). Not long ago, a bank building and a gas station were fundamentally different in kind—one intended to endure as a multi-functional icon of economic and social stability, the other as a utilitarian and relatively short-lived response to a narrow range of commercial needs. The former’s iconography and materiality was heavy, stable, fixed; the latter’s more ephemeral, lightly tethered to its site. Once different in kind, now they are different only in degree. No public sidewalks connect them to the street. Accessible by motor vehicles alone, like the gas station it was meant to replace, there seems little bono in this new bank’s publico. In his Outline of European Architecture (1943), Sir Nicholas Pevsner made a now-famous comparison, echoing a centuries-old argument. “A bicycle shed is a building; Lincoln Cathedral is a piece of architecture.” Things change. When a utilitarian building is built in the manner of a multivalent work of architecture such as a bank or cathedral, we call that camp (think Las Vegas). When the inverse happens, we despair. George Dodds is the Alvin and Sally Beaman Professor of Architecture at the University of Tennessee.

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RESTORING KNOXVILLE

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KNOXVILLE MERCURY 13 3/9/15 11:10 AM

what is the

? A short explanation by Coury Turczyn, editor

ack in 1991, when we did this the first time, we didn’t put a lot of thought into our “mission.” We just wanted to put out the best paper we could, publishing stories on topics we found interesting or relevant. That philosophy seemed to work pretty well for us. Now, 24 years later, forced to begin anew, we realized that a different approach was required. These days, there is very little room in the media marketplace for print publications that exist just for the heck of it. If you don’t serve a particular purpose or fill a genuine need, then your chances for success are extremely low. And if you’re going to ask an entire community to support your endeavor, you’d better explain it in very clear terms. So, this time we made an effort to justify our existence. First thing we decided was that if we were going to publish a new paper, it needed a different type of ownership. When one person owns a paper, their own particular prejudices (and sacred cows) inevitably come into the editorial mix. When a large corporation owns it, their bizarre bureaucratic policies (and sacred cows) affect the entire publication. And when investors invest in it, well, they want a profitable return on their investment (and their sacred cows to be protected). All of that makes editorial independence rather tricky to achieve.

KNOXVILLE MERCURY March 12, 2015

But what if the owner is a nonprofit community-oriented group with less interest in making gobs of money? That was the rather straightforward-sounding idea we came up with and decided to pursue. While the past several months have been a complicated fact-finding mission, aided by several expert lawyers, we believe the model we finally landed on may be Knoxville’s best chance for a community-funded, locally owned, editorially independent journalistic endeavor: a taxable not-for-profit paper governed by a nonprofit organization, both devoted to educating the public about Knoxville. (We originally considered making the paper a for-profit subsidiary, but in the end, establishing both entities as nonprofits made for a more congruous relationship.) This may be an undertaking as unique as Knoxville itself. So what about that mission? What’s this new paper all about? Here’s what we came up with, much of it assembled after locking ourselves in a room and forcing ourselves to think about what we’ve been doing for the past couple of decades and putting it down on … paper.

MEET! THE! STAFF

Coury Turczyn EDITOR

The Knoxville Mercury is an independent weekly news magazine devoted to informing and connecting Knoxville’s many diﬀerent communities. Our mission is to report stories that wouldn’t otherwise be told, educating readers to have a be"er understanding of Knoxville’s critical issues, vital personalities, and unique cultural heritage.

Likewise, we will identify the problems that may be holding back the city’s progress, and will illuminate paths toward a be"er future. But to see where our city may be heading also requires an understanding of where it’s been. The Knoxville Mercury’s in-depth reporting will include the historical and cultural context required to create and sustain a 21st century city rooted in its noteworthy past. OUR BELIEFS We believe that a lively public dialogue can lead to a be"er city. We believe Knoxville’s history, culture, and arts are vital in creating the city’s unique identity and quality of life.

SENIOR EDITOR

Jack Neely CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

S. Heather Duncan STAFF WRITER

DESIGN

Our news stories aim to provide depth, background, and historical context to the area’s crucial public debates, empowering readers with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions. And by celebrating the people, businesses, and institutions that contribute to its quality of life, we want to help define what makes Knoxville a vibrant and lively city unlike any other.

Matthew Everett

EDITORIAL

OUR MISSION

Tricia Bateman ART DIRECTOR

Charlie Finch

We believe in the power of good ideas to form a more vibrant, successful, and inclusive place to live.

We value fair, accurate, and comprehensive reporting that goes beyond surface details to put community issues into context. We value investigative journalism executed to a high level of professionalism and ability, and delivered to readers with full transparency and accountability.

OUR VISION The greatest purpose media can serve is to bring greater understanding, responsibility, and empathy to our society. We aspire to be a public forum for Knoxville, one that creates new conversations, connections, and endeavors. We seek a higher standard of public accountability for those in positions of power and influence, as well as a more engaged citizenry. We want to see a be"er Knoxville for all who live here, regardless of their social or economic status.

Jerry Collins DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Charlie Vogel PUBLISHER & DIRECTOR OF SALES

Scott Hamstead ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

AD SALES

We value bold, relevant storytelling that engages the reader’s intellect and emotions.

Corey McPherson

Photos by David Luttrell

We value editorial independence—the freedom to report stories without influence of political parties, corporations, or other powerful interests.

BUSINESS

OUR VALUES

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

March 12, 2015

KNOXVILLE MERCURY 15

ou’d have to be crazy to start a new print newspaper—much less an alternative weekly. Nobody’s doing it. On the contrary, alt-weeklies with long, rich histories are shutting down. Big companies are buying up papers and “rightsizing” them with layoffs, consolidations, and closures. The Internet has scattered readers’ dollars and attention. Particularly since the recession of 2008, many a media maven has intoned a witty eulogy over the moribund corpse of Print Journalism. But, as noted journalist Mark Twain might’ve said, perhaps reports of its death have been exaggerated. To start this publication, for example, several Knoxville journalists passionate about investigative journalism, the arts scene, and quality writing have teamed with

KNOXVILLE MERCURY March 12, 2015

local supporters who believe in the same goals. Nationally, media experts say it’s unusual that this is happening at all. But the Knoxville Mercury’s ownership by a nonprofit and its focus on a print product are also rare. “I’ve been sort of surprised I haven’t seen more of your kind of hybrid pop up,” says Tiffany Shackleford, executive director of the Association of Alternative Newsmedia. “To me it’s obvious growth—you use the hyperlocal model, you go lean, and you go nonprofit.” This is by no means the first publication to try aspects of this formula. Across the country, news organizations are kicking around new approaches to revenue and ownership. They have to, because the threats to the old business model are real, and nobody in the industry has figured out the new model yet. “This is a moment that is fraught with opportunity as well as risk,” says

Can dailies and weeklies survive the digital age? Papers around the country are going against the flow in hopes of finding sustainable new publishing models.

Penny Abernathy, Knight chair in journalism and digital-media economics at the University of North Carolina. “The opportunity is, if you can stay in touch with and stay in tune with the market you serve, this is a very dynamic time. If you position yourself as a multi-platform service and not just a print vehicle, you have a chance to survive and thrive in the future.” CIRCLING!THE!DRAIN Newspapers are still trying to figure out how to make money in the age of the Internet, which provides challenges on three fronts: It threatens newspapers’ cost structure, revenue, and customer base. In the past, the money and expertise involved in printing and distribution gave newspapers a monopoly advantage. But that very production process became a liability when competitors could sell ads and post news

online without any production costs. The ads are the key. Even papers with paid delivery make most of their money on ads. Classified-ad income was the first to disappear, mostly thanks to Craigslist. Then other advertisers started to bail, too, as the Internet gave people more ways to find products and services. When the Great Recession approached, one of the first cost-saving measures for many companies was to cut advertising further. It was a vicious circle. As advertising dollars disappeared, newspapers shrank distribution, which in turn meant they could charge less for the remaining ads. (Ad price is partly based on the number of papers sold.) Online ads on newspaper websites made less money. Most papers didn’t charge for online access to their stories, reducing readers’ incentive to

buy the print product—which again meant the paper could charge less for print ads. “There was more hope a few years ago that things would sort of steady off for newspapers and they would be on their way back up,” says Rick Edmonds, media business analyst for the Poynter Institute. “But erosion of advertising continues.” Partly to cushion these blows, media companies consolidated. A few large chains such as Gannett, McClatchy, and E.W. Scripps now own the majority of the nation’s major dailies. With corporations, “The advantage is there are more people, so the risk in one market can be balanced with another,” Abernathy says. “The disadvantage is, in the long run, the obligation to shareholders trumps what may be the journalistic needs in a specific community. Or resources may be

funneled to the community that has the highest needs.” Consolidation is occurring on a smaller scale in the alternative press. It takes two forms. One model is the chain of weekly or niche papers, such as SouthComm, owner of the Nashville Scene, Washington City Paper, CityBeat in Cincinnati, and the Creative Loafing papers in Atlanta and Tampa, among others. A second phenomenon is major daily newspaper chains buying up weeklies, either to diversify their portfolios or to eliminate competition. That’s what happened in Knoxville when E.W. Scripps Co., which owns the News Sentinel, bought Metro Pulse in 2007 and then closed it in 2014. This trend has played out even in much larger cities. The Chicago Reader, one of the country’s leading alternative weeklies, was sold to the parent

March 12, 2015

KNOXVILLE MERCURY 17

“When the local chain dailynewspaper owner buys up the alt-weekly, it’s no longer an alt-weekly. It’s a joke.” —DAN"KENNEDY Northeastern University company of the Chicago Sun-Times in 2012. The Baltimore Sun Media Group, which owns that city’s daily, bought the city’s weekly, the City Paper, in February 2014. Both survive, so far. But some argue such buyouts steal the edge and kill the spirit of the alt-weekly. “When the local chain daily-newspaper owner buys up the alt-weekly, it’s no longer an alt-weekly. It’s a joke,” says Dan Kennedy, who spent 14 years covering media for the weekly Boston Phoenix. He is now a Northeastern University journalism professor and author of the Media Nation blog. READ!LOCAL Alt-weeklies have found some traction in the struggles of big dailies. When those papers cut staff and distribution, alternative weeklies gain readers, Abernathy says. Shackleford says the strongest alternative weeklies in recent years have been in small- to medium-sized markets with less media competition. They are also doing well in conservative states, “often because they are the only beacons of progressive thought,” she says. Layoffs at daily newspapers may squeeze local news coverage, Shackleford says, providing alt-week-

KNOXVILLE MERCURY March 12, 2015

lies an opportunity. “And all things local are hot again,” Shackleford says, adding, “Thank you, hipsters,” referring to young urbanites who’ve driven the nationwide farm-totable and buy-local trends. “We lived and died by local the whole time. I mean, we’re like Barbara Mandrell— country before country was cool.” Yet alt-weeklies have struggled, too. Although these publications were free long before the Internet, the loss of classifieds had a big impact on papers that once cornered the market on apartment-rental listings, Kennedy says. And the once-ubiquitous personal ads were a source of reader entertainment as much as self-help. Kennedy says a second major problem for alt-weeklies has been the demise of a certain type of independent local business. The closure of record stores, book shops, and other outlets that catered to hip, young readers left both fewer advertisers and fewer places to distribute papers. The alt-weekly landscape has shrunk significantly as a result. Last October alone, not only did Metro Pulse close, but so did several major alt-weeklies. The 48-year-old San Francisco Bay Guardian was shut down by its new owner, San Francisco Media (which also owns the daily San Francisco Examiner). The 36-year-old Providence Phoenix became the second alternative weekly to fold within a chain of papers owned by Stephen Mindich, who had shuttered the flagship Boston Phoenix in 2013 after a 47-year run. Kennedy lists the Phoenix, the Bay Guardian, and New York’s Village Voice as the “granddaddies” of the alt-weekly world. Only the Voice survives—but media reports indicate its owner, Voice Media Group, is considering the sale of its publications. Knoxville’s reaction to losing its alt-weekly last fall—a rally at Krutch Park, donations of more than $60,000 to a Kickstarter campaign to replace it—seems to have been be a bit unusual. Kennedy says Bostonians were angry when the Phoenix shut down, but the

city is so “media rich” that residents had lots of other options. And both Boston and San Francisco boasted two alt-weeklies. After the Bay Guardian went dark, some of its former staffers raised $25,000 in a crowdfunding effort to publish a commemorative edition and explore reopening the paper under new ownership. That final paper published in January, but talk of its resurrection has faded. Some argue the time has passed for the alt-weekly, or print publications in general. “Putting a new product out there could be wise, but the notion it should be primarily print probably goes in the face of where it should be heading,” Abernathy says. “You’ve got to start thinking, ‘How are my readers going to be consuming this news in five or 10 years?’ If you don’t bring your readers, you don’t bring your advertisers.” Kennedy said he thinks hyperlocal online publications, like the New Haven Independent, featured in his recent book The Wired City, will fulfill the traditional role of alt-weeklies. “The alt-weeklies have had their day, and it’s over. And at least here, we’re moving on,” he says. SURRENDER!THE!PROFITS The New Haven Independent is among a growing number of nonprofit online journalism startups. Of the 100 publications that are members of the Institute for Nonprofit News, three-quarters are eight years old or younger, says CEO Kevin Davis. Only four produce a print product, and just one, the San Francisco Public Press, is a community newspaper. Historically, nonprofit newspaper ownership was rare. One of the first was The Day newspaper in New London, Conn., whose publisher willed it to a public trust in 1938. The best known nonprofit newspaper owner is the Poynter Institute, whose daily Tampa Bay Times (formerly the St. Petersburg Times) is known for its quality writing and Pulitzer Prizes. Revenue from the Times long fed the

institute, but neither has been performing well financially in recent years. Still, nonprofit ownership does insulate a paper from the demands of shareholders and from being bought by another company, says Poynter’s Edmonds. Davis says nonprofit newsrooms function just like their for-profit counterparts, but with a fundamentally different vision. “A for-profit’s mission is to make money and to return profits to shareholders. And the nonprofit’s mission is to serve a community and invest in their community.” Others point out the downside. “Nonprofit news is an interesting idea, but you’re sometimes more beholden to your funders,” says Shackleford, who used to work for leading nonprofit news site ProPublica. “They don’t have that same understanding of the relationship as the advertiser does—which is strange, but I’ve seen it happen over and over again.” Many point to the nonprofit digital journalism site the Lens, which became important in New Orleans as the city’s daily cut publication to three days a week. Late last year the Lens found itself out on the street after it published a story critical of the president of Loyola University, which had been providing the Lens free office space. It relocated but had to divert most of its reporting budget toward rent. There are ways to avoid inappropriate influence from donors. Davis says the Institute for Nonprofit News recently

The strongest alternative weeklies in recent years have been in smallto medium-sized markets with less media competition.

created a conflict-of-interest and editorial-independence policy it is recommending to all its members. He thinks major foundation funders should be asked to sign it. “It says thank you very much for your money, and no, you get no special access,” he says. Mary Walter-Brown, publisher of the Voice of San Diego website, says transparency also helps relieve fears about donor influence. On its website, the Voice lists all its donors who contributed $5,000 or more, and how much they gave. In addition, the Voice pursues many types of income to prevent it from relying too much on particular donors. Walter-Brown says her goal is for a quarter of the organization’s income to come from each of four buckets: philanthropy, small donations, community partners (like corporate sponsors), and individual memberships. DIVERSIFYING!REVENUE This variety of income sources is the key to nonprofit success, say Shackleford and Davis. Both say a common problem among nonprofits is relying on three-year foundation grants, which are rarely renewed. “You should constantly be exploring at least one new type of revenue, or you’re dead in the water,” Shackleford says. The for-profit alt-weekly the Austin Chronicle, founder of the SXSW music and film festival, is the poster child for making money from events. Some newspapers are also offering business services, such as website design or marketing. Davis says members of the Institute for Nonprofit News diversify their incomes through sponsoring events, offering mobile apps, subscription services, training, or outsourcing. But Davis says he thinks the key to long-term success lies in readers paying for the product somehow. That could be through memberships (like the public broadcasting model), buying podcasts, or paying a monthly fee for access to certain content or for news

emailed directly. “Unfortunately, the fact is the reader hasn’t paid for 200 years,” Abernathy says. “One of the hardest things for editors and journalists to understand is that getting people to pay for what it actually costs to produce the news is really hard. The failure rate is above 90 percent for startups.” But some papers find readers willing to pay. When the alt-weekly Arkansas Times was faced with a huge revenue loss in 2013, it put its popular daily blogs behind a paywall. Many of the Times’ blogs have been dropped, but the paper’s politics and news blog is so popular that traffic has grown despite the $10 monthly fee, says editor Lindsey Millar. The paper’s online revenue now makes up about 20 percent of its income, but the Times is “the only free print paper I know with a paywall,” he says. For a shot in the arm, news organizations are using online sites like Kickstarter to request donations. The Knoxville Mercury used this crowdfunding approach to launch the paper after Metro Pulse closed. “That’s when these kinds of community outpourings are effective,” Davis says. “You’ve got a community that’s like, ‘Wait a minute. We had something good, and now it’s gone, and that’s a hole that needs to be filled.’ What we don’t yet know is how many times you can dip in that well.” Davis sees crowdfunding working best for supporting projects, not ongoing coverage. For example, it might work to pay for measuring pollutants in a local river, but not for a long-term environment reporter. While it remains to be seen whether nonprofit journalism is likely to be a widespread solution to the industry’s economic problems, the nonprofit approach may be the answer for some. “The model appeals greatly to news organizations and journalists that believe in the Fourth Estate and holding the bastards accountable and keeping democracy free,” Davis says.

COALITION OF THE WILLING Here are just some of the Knoxvillians who donated their time, service, and expertise to launch a new weekly paper CHRIS!BARRETT

Senior assistant, Knox County Public Library’s Sights and Sounds

“If Ma!hew and Coury and Jack and Ian were lobbying for a skatepark or bike lanes or community gardens or rainwater collection or an adult-literacy campaign, I would probably have go!en behind that just as quickly. (Presuming it was a historically significant skatepark.)” Barre!, a former Metro Pulse staﬀ writer (and now a Knoxville Mercury contributor—check out his column on the Knox County Library’s A/V collection on page 27) produced a pair of promotional videos for the Mercury and the Knoxville History Project.

IAN!BLACKBURN Data monkey, AC Entertainment

“It seems selfexplanatory why anyone would want to be involved with this. A successful Kickstarter to fund a print weekly? Wow.” Metro Pulse co-founder/long-time IT wizard/ crossword puzzle maestro Ian Blackburn established the Mercury’s infrastructure of computer stuﬀ. And explained it to us. And got the server to say “monkey.”

TASHA!BLAKNEY Partner, Eldridge & Blakney

“The closing of Metro Pulse le" a void in this community, one that needs to be filled. I suspect that the Knoxville Mercury is going to leave a significant imprint on the landscape of this community for a long time to come.” A pro bono legal consultation with Blakney convinced the Mercury’s editorial principles that they might as well shred their severance oﬀers from E.W. Scripps (and the non-compete clauses they contained) and start their own stinking paper.

DAVID! DEWHIRST

Developer, Dewhirst Properties

“I remember reading the first couple of articles where Metro Pulse talked about a li!le building or lo" that I put together. Before, I was just some dude at the bar, and now I had all kinds of conversations that I never would have had otherwise. It made you want to do it more, because you knew it was appreciated. Metro Pulse really told that story and helped me realize that other people appreciated it.” Besides a stirring public testimonial on our behalf at the initial Mercury launch announcement in December, Dewhirst also donated the use of his cool Jackson Avenue event space, the Standard, for a fund-raising dinner.

CONTINUED!"

March 12, 2015

KNOXVILLE MERCURY 19

STEVE!CHIN

Chief product oﬃcer, Survature

“We all need to support the Knoxville Mercury, because it supports us.” Chin’s innovative online survey company allowed us to get valuable feedback from readers before we launched the paper. (There’s a new survey running now—visit survature.com/s/knoxmercury.)

DAVID!DOYLE

Grad student and freelance web designer

I didn’t throw in my lot with the Mercury because I’m nice. I signed on because a lot of good people, friends and mentors and strangers alike, stood to lose out because someone else couldn’t figure out how they do what they do. That didn’t sit well with me. I figured I could either stay up until 4 a.m learning PHP and helping to build out a Web infrastructure or I could stay up until 6 a.m. hating that I hadn’t. Doyle, who used to write award-winning video-game reviews for Metro Pulse (and whom we hope to convince to do the same for the Mercury) has served as our IT/website specialist for the last several months.

MATT!GALLAHER Chef, Knox Mason

“Honestly, Jack Neely’s name a!ached to the Mercury was enough. I just thought it was important to have that voice again.” We suspect it was the food served by Gallaher, not the opportunity to rub shoulders with reclusive and introverted editors and writers, that convinced people to shell out $100 for a fancy Mercury fund-raiser in January.

KNOXVILLE MERCURY March 12, 2015

TERRY! HUMMELL

Media consultant and former Rolling Stone publisher

“As a reader, I loved Metro Pulse. I looked to Metro Pulse for more depth in terms of what was happening, and a perspective on it. From an advertiser’s standpoint, I think it’s the only resource in town for the independent businessman and for the boutiques and the smaller restaurants and the olive-oil store and all those kinds of things that are really cool when you’re introduced to them, but if somebody doesn’t tell you about them, or you don’t read about them, you don’t know. I picked up Metro Pulse as much because of who was advertising.” Hummell, a veteran of Whi!le Communications, gave us sound advice on presenting our plan to potential supporters. He also came up with one of the best lines to describe what we’re trying to do: “Other papers are just in business to make money. We’re in business to make a community.”

MEREDITH!AND! SCOTT!LAYTON Owners, Bu"ermilk Sky Pie

Meredith: “I just happened to be looking at my social media one morning and thought, oh, we could help in that effort. That’s exciting! It’s neat to hear that that spirit is still alive in town. It tells a lot about Knoxville’s spirit.” The Laytons spontaneously offered, via Twi!er, to donate 10 percent of one Saturday’s sales to the Mercury—one of the most unexpected offers of support we received.

DAVID!LUTTRELL Photographer

“I wanted to stick with these guys and see what would happen. I didn’t go running to somebody else or go wave my hand at the News Sentinel or anything like that, because I thought, if there’s any way that this publication can come back, it’s got such a following, I’ll do whatever I can to help it get to where it’s going.” Lu!rell has served as the unoﬃcial staﬀ photographer for the startup phase of Knoxville Mercury.

NADEEM!AND! SHADAB!SIDDIQI Siddiqi Holdings

Nadeem: “I think Metro Pulse is such an institution—part of the fabric and culture of the community. It was a shock to all of us, so we were collectively scrambling to figure out how to preserve this. It was a natural fit—we had some space in the building and we thought it would be fun to have you guys close to us.” The owners of the Walnut Building, one of downtown Knoxville’s few mid-century gems, have provided free oﬃce space for the Mercury startup—another completely unforeseen windfall.

ZAK!WEISFELD President, Lusid Media

“I believe that our town should have at least one actual newspaper.” A former Metro Pulse movie reviewer, Weisfeld sponsored our fundraising dinner party at the Standard.

JACK! SINGLETON

President, AlcoPro Drug and Alcohol Testing Products

“I always loved Metro Pulse. I loved the political news—it was one of the only sources in town for it, for reading about the way things really are.” Singleton’s donation of desks, chairs, bookcases, and a conference table forced the Mercury staff to finally get off the couch, get dressed, and go to the office.

JOE!SULLIVAN Former Owner and Publisher, Metro Pulse

“When I saw the sacrifices that Metro Pulse’s erstwhile editors were making to perpetuate its mission, it was compelling for me to join the many others who have rallied to support their worthy endeavor.” Sullivan guided Metro Pulse from its nascent years through to its establishment as a community fixture, from 1992 to 2003.

KIM!TRENT

Executive director, Knox Heritage

“The type of coverage that Metro Pulse contained is important to the communities that we work with and we want to see that continue and be even stronger than before.” Trent gave us a crash course in fundraising and introduced us to the complexities of nonprofit law. Her unflagging enthusiasm and unwavering confidence convinced us to keep going, even though it’s all been very complicated.

THE!WRITE!STUFF Meet the Knoxville Mercury’s columnists CHRIS!BARRETT is a former Metro Pulse staﬀ writer who’s now a senior assistant at Knox County Public Library. With Shelf Life, he’ll alert readers to new arrivals at the library’s stellar Sights and Sounds collection, along with recommendations and reminders of staples worthy of revisiting. PATRICE!COLE has 25 years of professional experience in environmental science and sustainability. She has also taught biology, ecology, environmental planning, and sustainability at the University of Tennessee and Pellissippi State Community College. She earned a master’s degree in planning and a Ph.D. in ecology and evolutionary biology at UT. Her column, Small Planet, educates readers on local issues pertaining to environmental quality and sustainability. ERIC!DAWSON is a longtime local music journalist and former A&E editor of the Knoxville Voice. Now, as an archivist with the Tennessee Archive of Moving Image and Sound, he will comb the vaults for nuggets of lost Knoxville music history to share with us. GEORGE!DODDS has been teaching and publishing commentaries on the practice and history of architecture, urbanism, and landscape architecture for over 30 years. He has practiced in Detroit, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C., has lectured internationally, and has served on the editorial boards of several journals. Since 2000, he has been on the faculty of architecture at the University of Tennessee. Architecture Ma"ers explores issues concerning the human-made environment, primarily focused on Knoxville and its environs. NICK!HUINKER is fortunate to have spent time in the front row of the near-constant renaissance that defines

Knoxville’s DIY music scene, not only as the frontman for a mid-’00s shriek-rock also-ran but also as a journalist covering music and film in Knoxville newsweeklies for the be"er part of a decade. Retro Grade spotlights lost or nearly forgo"en documents of Knoxville’s storied music scene, featuring background on the recording, artist reminiscences, and testimonials from local notables—plus a full stream of the music, available at knoxmercury.com. DONNA!JOHNSON describes herself as a person who thrives on breaking the rules other people have made while also creating rules for herself that do make sense. “My rules do not necessarily follow the law set out by the government and law-abiding citizens,” she says. “They follow an inner law, one unto myself, and when I a"empt to go outside this, to conform, disaster follows.” Her stories are o#en about people who are not recognized by others, who may even seem invisible, but “they o#en have a great truth to share if one but listens.” ROSE!KENNEDY came to Knoxville to work as an editorial assistant on 13-30’s Retail Appliance Management Series and never saw a reason to leave. Her “so uncool I’m cool” career among the alt weekly newspaper crowd has led to award-winning articles on Dr. Bill Bass and the Body Farm and cyber-bullying at West High School, and treasonous food columns about preferring unsweet tea and feeling ambivalent about biscuits. DENNIS!PERKINS is the artistic director of the Knoxville Children’s Theatre, has directed and performed at the Actor’s Co-op and Black Box Theatre, and is a foodie par excellence. Home Palate is a tasty exploration of local options for eating out and eating well by way of restaurant reviews,

features on fun or unusual food stuﬀs, and interviews with local food purveyors and tastemakers. It’s a candid and personal look at what’s right (and sometimes what’s wrong) with eating in Knoxville and its environs. STEPHANIE!PIPER has been a newspaper reporter, editor, and award-winning columnist for more than 30 years. Her Midpoint column appeared monthly in Metro Pulse from 1997 until 2014. Her new column, At This Point, continues to examine the mystery, absurdity, and persistent beauty of daily life. ELEANOR!SCOTT is freelance writer and columnist from Skinem, Tenn. She maintains the Parkridge Bu"erfly Meadow in East Knoxville. She also likes to explores Knoxville’s untidy corners, which she wrote about for Metro Pulse in A Living World. Her new column, Possum City, is named a#er the urban possum that takes bumbling joy in the back-alley wilds. Whole worlds teem in the cracks and borderlands of our mid-size Southern city, whether someone tells their stories on not. That’s what she’s interested in: a possum’s-eye view of the city. ALAN!SHERROD!covered classical music for Metro Pulse starting in 2007. In 2010, he won a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts—the Arts Journalism Institute in Classical Music and Opera—under the auspices of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. He also operates his own blogs, Classical Journal and Arts Knoxville, and will continue to provide insight on Knoxville’s vibrant classical music scene for the Mercury. JOE!SULLIVAN!is the former owner and publisher of Metro Pulse (1992-2003) as well as a longtime columnist covering local politics, education, development, business,

and tennis. His new column, Perspectives, will cover much of the same terrain. KIM!TREVATHAN!has been teaching writing (journalism, creative nonfiction, and fiction) at Maryville College for 15 years. His books, all published by the University of Tennessee Press, are Paddling the Tennessee River: A Voyage on Easy Water (2001), Coldhearted River: A Canoe Odyssey Down the Cumberland (2006), and Liminal Zones: Where Lakes End and Rivers Begin (2013). He has been on the board of the Li"le River Watershed Association for the past two and a half years. His Voice in the Wilderness feature takes readers on an exploration of the Knoxville area’s outdoors. CHRIS!WOHLWEND spent 35 years working for newspapers and magazines in Miami, Charlo"e, Louisville, Dallas, Kansas City, and Atlanta. As an editor, he was involved in winning several national awards. He returned to Knoxville in the late 1990s and now teaches journalism part-time at the University of Tennessee. Restless Native will address the characters and absurdities of Knoxville, as well as the lessons learned pursuing the newspaper trade during the tumult that was the 1960s. PLUS: Our Own Comic Strip Artist! MATTHEW!FOLTZ-GRAY!was born and raised in Knoxville, a quiet child who loved cartoons. A bit surprised that real people drew them, he decided that’s what he wanted to do. At the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, he focused on storytelling and illustration before returning to Knoxville, this cartoon strip already bubbling in his head. Spirit of the Staircase is about an unlikely friendship between Mumford, an innocent and adorable creature, and Ma", a neurotic, self-deprecating human.

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KNOXVILLE MERCURY 21

A!KNOXVILLE! HISTORY!PROJECT The first of its kind, it will have its own purpose, but will also play a role in jump-starting new journalism BY!JACK!NEELY

key part of the Mercury launch is the formation of a new 501(c)(3) nonprofit, an educational organization known as the Knoxville History Project. It’s surprising, when you think about it, that Knoxville, almost 225 years old, has never had its own historical organization, perhaps not even a full-time staffer, to promote the city’s own story. Knoxville’s the birthplace and first capital of the state of Tennessee. It was the site of Tennessee’s first newspaper, and first published books. It’s been the home, since 1794, of one of America’s oldest state universities. It has significant associations with the evolution of country music, the conservation movement, civil-rights politics, and several interesting industries. Knoxvillians have run for president, made major motion pictures, designed interesting buildings, painted interesting pictures, won Pulitzer Prizes. Educational in purpose, the Knoxville History Project will be a conduit for information about all these things. For the next few years, I’ll be doing a lot of speaking, tour-leading, writing, researching, coordinating. I’ve

KNOXVILLE MERCURY March 12, 2015

resisted it for years, correcting people when they call me a historian. I was a reporter, damn it. Now, okay, I’m a historian. And strange as it may seem, there’s a lot of pent-up demand. We already have a long list of projects, most of them for other nonprofits. Obviously, to say we’re the only Knoxville history organization is not to say we’re the only historical organization in Knoxville. This city is lucky to be the home of the East Tennessee Historical Society, which has funded and organized the best historical museum in the region. They’re in charge of the East Tennessee History Center, which in the last several years has become a successful gathering place for a wide variety of important events. But the ETHS is a 35-county organization, with board leadership and donor funding from as far away as Chattanooga and Bristol. Upstairs in the same building is the Calvin McClung Collection, a historical reference library funded by the county— but it’s regional in focus, too, as you’ll see when you sign in and find the names of visitors from Kentucky, Georgia, and beyond. The best resource of its kind in the region, the McClung is popular with people researching genealogy.

The Knoxville History Project, which won’t be involved much in genealogy, will be stepping on no toes in that regard. McClung’s longtime director, Steve Cotham, sometimes gives learned presentations on the history of Knoxville, but he’s a busy man, involved daily with supervising a staff of librarians collecting, organizing, and preserving huge amounts of historical material for the region’s biggest and best-organized historical library. What I do would be impossible without these other, larger organizations. The focus of the Knoxville History Project, a more modest organization in terms of budget and staffing, will different from theirs—it will be the city of Knoxville itself. Many, perhaps most other cities Knoxville’s size and age, have either a public office of historian or an organization devoted to the history of the city. There’s a handy example downriver. Chattanooga is formally part of the ETHS, and as you enter their museum on Gay Street, you’ll see a large mural of downtown Chattanooga. The museum’s current featured exhibit, Made in Tennessee, is very interesting and worth a visit, even if it has more about Chattanooga than Knoxville. But while Chattanooga is celebrated by the ETHS’ facilities in Knoxville, Chattanooga also has its own historical organizations devoted to the history of Chattanooga itself, and has for many years. The $10.5 million Chattanooga History Center is due to open this year. I don’t count on it to have a whole lot about Knoxville. Perhaps it suggests there’s room for some modest nod to civic history in this larger, older city.

Knoxville’s history is vital and complex enough that it might call for an office with at least one staffer. I don’t expect to be launching any museum projects, nor organizing formal collections, but I’ll be giving talks, leading tours, writing articles and books, and making connections between authors and journalists and visitors and other local historical or cultural resources. I’ll also be writing a weekly column and other features for the Knoxville Mercury. Part of the package we’ve worked out is that the Knoxville History Project will buy a full-page ad in the Mercury, and fill it every week with little stories, timelines, biographies, Knoxville history that’s relevant to the news when possible. To some extent, my new role is similar to my old one. I’ve been guest-speaking to college and highschool classes for 20 years, as well as to retiree groups and professional groups and veterans’ groups and church groups. I’ve given these talks on the perhaps dubious premise that it was useful publicity for the newspaper I wrote for. Regardless of how I’m introduced, more often than not, someone comes up afterward and assumes I’m employed by the city, or the Chamber, or the university, or the tourist bureau. Since the early ’90s, I’ve given more than 1,000 talks about Knoxville and its history, led perhaps 300 walking tours, and on several occasions I’ve been recruited to be the official guide for a notable visitor. But that has never been part of my job description. Now it is. In fact, early indications suggest that I’ll be picking up the pace considerably.

As it turns out, starting a nonprofit or two is no easy task, as we’ve been learning the hard way these last three months.

he Knoxville History Project will also be the governing organization, the “sole member,” of a new not-forprofit newspaper called the Mercury. It’s easy to say that a newspaper can and should work as a nonprofit, or that Knoxville needs a historical organization. As it turns out, starting a nonprofit or two is no easy task, as we’ve been learning the hard way these last three months. Nonprofits often require months or even years of preparatory work, and they don’t usually involve unemployed people hoping for a paycheck, or the urgency of recapturing the momentum and readership of a recently scuttled newspaper. In the early ’90s, it took Metro Pulse almost four years to build up from a slim entertainment biweekly to a substantial and respected weekly. At the time, it seemed a healthy evolution. We don’t have time to rebuild it that way. Also, we don’t currently have an administrative staff that’s good at filling out forms and tracking things like IRS audits. So we found a way to expedite things. The preservationist organization Knox Heritage, which has appreciated Metro Pulse’s in-depth coverage of preservation issues for years, graciously offered to help. To make things work more quickly and certainly, the Knoxville History Project has organized as a supporting organization of Knox Heritage. Although we’ll have a mission of our own, to promote interest in the history of Knoxville, that educational task in itself supports what Knox Heritage does. People aren’t often interested in old buildings unless they’re interested in history to begin with. As several have noted, some nonprofits with strong identities of their own, like the Cornerstone Foundation, are actually supporting organizations of other nonprofits (in Cornerstone’s case, the East Tennessee Foundation). Knox Heritage’s leadership sees our mission as inherently supportive of theirs, and they assure us they just want us to do what we do, knowing that history is always a big part of that.

Education is commonly held to be so important that it deserves public support. Adults get most of their education about the important issues of the day, and about the complexities of their community, from journalism. That’s why the Mercury is germane to the mission of the Knoxville History Project. The Knoxville History Project will be entirely educational in nature. The Knoxville Mercury will be substantially educational in nature. The board of the Knoxville History Project, which is made up of prominent community leaders, journalists, and historical authors, will be charged with watching it. There are firewalls built into the organization. The Knoxville History Project can’t tell the Mercury what to cover and how to cover it, just advise it if the paper’s general course ever veers away from community education and the public good. The educational mandate doesn’t scare us much. Good journalism is always educational. And for all of our reputation for impudence or “sass,” Metro Pulse was mostly educational without anyone telling us to be. I became aware of that fact in recent months when we were trying to locate articles we wrote but no longer had easy access to. At Lawson McGhee Library and at the McClung Collection, the subject files pertaining to Knoxville, its musical heritage, its neighborhoods, its literature, its minority communities, are stuffed with Metro Pulse stories. Published collections of Metro Pulse stories have been used as textbooks in high-school and college classes. Telling the ever-unfolding story of Knoxville is just what we do. The KHP’s board (see list, at right) consists of 10 people of accomplishment. They all miss Metro Pulse, but they all have different points of view about the city and its strengths, and will serve as an able guide for our efforts with the Knoxville History Project and, indirectly, for the Knoxville Mercury. They, and we, serve for the benefit of the people of Knoxville.

A!HISTORIC!BOARD Here is the board of directors of the Knoxville History Project, which oversees the whole organization: JACQUELINE!ARTHUR is executive director of the Three Rivers Market, the fast-growing food cooperative, which recently built its successfully popular state-of-the-art edifice on the edge of Happy Holler. LINDA!BILLMAN was longtime managing producer for WBIR’s famous Heartland Series, and for the last few years she’s been general manager of public-radio station WDVX. She’s a scholar of Americana music. RICK!BLACKBURN is a construction project manager known for his hard work on some preservationist triumphs like the Kern Building and Westwood, and he’s current president of the board of Knox Heritage. ROBERT!BOOKER, former executive director of the Beck Cultural Center, is a former state representative and city councilman, as well as author of books and newspaper columns about the black experience in Knoxville. He was also an eﬀective leader of the local movement to dismantle racial segregation here. ERNEST!FREEBERG, author of multiple books of national consequence—read his fascinating 2013 book, The Age of Edison, about how the electric light changed American culture—is a University of Tennessee professor and chairman of UT’s history department. DUANE!GRIEVE is one of Knoxville’s most important architects and developers, as well as a member of City Council. His astonishing transformation of the historic beaux-arts Miller’s building, currently headquarters of KUB and several other oﬃces, was a landmark in downtown’s resurgence--but his firm

designs modern buildings, too, like UT’s conspicuous new John D. Tickle Engineering Building. NELDA!HILL, longtime reference librarian and manager of the Lawson McGhee Library who has helped me with dozens of Metro Pulse stories over the years, is also organizer of the Knoxville Jazz Festival, as well as producer of a work in progress, a documentary about jazz in Knoxville. WILLIAM!RUKEYSER, former managing editor of Fortune magazine and founding editor of Money magazine, came to Knoxville to be editor in chief of Whi#le Communications, but stayed to be chairman of UT’s University Medical Center, and has in recent years been a key supporter of the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra. MARY!LINDA!SCHWARZBART, a grant-writing adviser and community leader and board member of multiple nonprofits for many years, was recent interim executive director of the Community Design Center. She was founding member of the East Tennessee Civil Rights Working Commi#ee, and has served as president of several charitable organizations, including the Knoxville Jewish Community Family of Funds, of which she was a founding board member. JOE!SULLIVAN, former Wall Street Journal reporter, and co-founder of the Chicago Options Board Exchange, among other things, who owned Metro Pulse from 1992 to 2003, and was the publisher responsible for turning what had been mainly an entertainment biweekly into a respected award-winning news weekly.

March 12, 2015

KNOXVILLE MERCURY 23

Comic by Travis Gray

KNOXVILLE MERCURY March 12, 2015

THANK YOU KNOXVILLE This publication would not exist without your generous support and faith in our ability to pull this oﬀ. Cocktail Supper Attendees

Cash Contributors Cynthia Markert Matha Anderson David & Sandy Martin Victor Ashe Doris Martinson Fredia Berrier Sheena McCall Linda Billman Wanda McMahan Buttermilk Sky Ken & Cindy Moﬀett Marianne Chrystalbridge Wesley Morgan John Craig David Myers Robert Davis John Neely, III Steve Drevik Linzi Page Evans, Rhea & Assoc. Stephanie Piper John & Shirley Everett Claire Poole Alex Falk Patrick Raccey Dan Feller Louisa Trott & Brad Reeves Coral Getino Paul Schaefer Anna Grimes Laura Stephenson Becky Hancock Laura Still Nelda Hill A.R. Viera Richard E. Johnson Melissa Wauford John Jordan Julia Webb Raja Jubran Zak Weisfeld Michael Kaplan Thomas Wheeler Margot Klein Suzanne Wright Judy Loest

Peter Acly Marie Alcorn Annette Anderson Edwin Anderson Barbara Apking Victor Ashe Clarence Beaman Barbara Bernstein Tim Bigelow Jeannette Brown Gerry Caldwell Ellen Capito Ashley Capps Mark Champion Sherry Chobanian Brooks & Karen Clark Elaine Clark Jillian Cohen Patrice Cole Michael Combs

Scott Schimmel David Luttrell Jose Contreras Gay Lyons Mary Linda Schwarzbart John Cotham Andrew Seidler Jeﬀ Mansour Steve Cotham Karen Simsen David & Sandy Linda Cunningham Jack Singleton Martin Marleen Davis Laura Sohn Angela Masini David & Tracey Harvey Sproul Maureen McBride Dewhirst Joe Sullivan Sheena McCall Stephen Dupree Karen Swander Flossie McNabb Steve Drevik Amanda Shell Jennings Sonneland Joyce Feld John Thomas Alice & Charlie Deborah Franklin Wayne Toppins Mercer Scott & Lynne Robyn Ulrich Cynthia Moxley Fugate Nancy Voith Drew Moyers Amy Gibson Becky Wade Mike O'Connell Michael Gill Linda Phillips Donna & Terry Wertz Marsha & Duane Keith Richardson Annette Woodle Grieve Jason Woodle Jim & Margaret Barbara Grobicki Samples Becky Hancock Regina Santore Christine Hawks Roxanne Hovland Finbarr Saunders

And 645 Kickstarter donors (whom we will be contacting soon to fill their rewards)! Plus, all the professionals who’ve donated their time and services. All of you have helped make the Knoxville Mercury a true community paper in every sense! March 12, 2015

KNOXVILLE MERCURY 25

P rogram Notes

LOCAL MUSIC REVIEW

Tim Lee 3, 33 1/3

im and Susan Bauer Lee don’t do anything halfway. Since moving to Knoxville around 2000, they’ve become the local music scene’s most prominent power couple; they’ve played with nearly everybody else in town at one point or another and appeared on dozens of local records. They’ll pitch in at any fundraiser. And they’ve still managed to release four full-lengths in nine years with the Tim Lee 3 (not to mention Tim’s three solo albums before that, plus a bunch of EPs and live recordings). So when they plan an album-release show, it’s never quite as simple as just directing the audience to the merch table. For the new 33 1/3—named after, obviously, the speed at which LPs rotate on a turntable and, not so obviously, the fact that the couple has been married for 33 years and four months—they teamed up earlier this month with local guitarist/songwriter Kevin Abernathy, who also just released his own new disc, for a gig at Scruffy City Hall. And that’s not all—the Lees were also dropping the debut EP from their duo side project, Bark, and a brand-new TL3 live album, recorded in Boston in November.

33 1/3 is, like its predecessors, Raucous Americanus (2010) and Devil’s Rope (2013), full of inventive, melodic guitar rock with pop instincts and bar-band muscle. (Some of the credit for that goes to drummer Chris Bratta, who seems to have settled into his seat permanently. He’s not a showy drummer, but he manages an admirable amount of both power and agility.) There are hints of L.A.’s Paisley Underground, early R.E.M., X, and the Blasters—you’ll occasionally catch a ZZ Top tone from Tim, even. The best development is Susan’s emergence as the band’s main voice—she sings lead on most of the tracks here, after sharing equal time with Tim on the previous two albums. A collection of first-rate songs, performed with confidence and charm. Bark, on the other hand, with Tim on bass and guitar and Susan on drums, sounds like a side project. An interesting one—the mostly bass-anddrums arrangements, embellished with some economical guitar lines, sound sort of like Joy Division playing White Stripes songs. Overall, though, it’s a slight exercise that just highlights how solid 33 1/3 is. —Matthew Everett

RETRO GRADE BY NICK HUINKER

Diacon-Panthers Make It Feel Better (2007) When it came time to choose an inaugural record for this feature—a twice-monthly look at lost gems from Knoxville’s vast music scene—it was tempting to set the “lost” angle immediately aside in favor of a high(ish)-profile release, or at least a well-remembered group deeply rooted in local music before and since. The Diacon-Panthers’ self-released 2007 album Make It Feel Better is neither of those things; by the time they hit the creative stride documented here, college had split the band across the country, and the summer- and winter-break homecomings they continued over the next two or three years made for a limited, if enthusiastic, foothold in their hometown. Visit knoxmercury.com for an expanded interview and a full stream of the album. GUITARIST GREG GIVEN: We recorded [Make It Feel Better] in the basement garage at Natan’s parents’ house with Ryan Schaefer. The garage doubled as Natan’s mom’s art studio and storage area. SINGER/GUITARIST NATAN DIACON-FURTADO: My amp, for example, was precariously placed on the toilet the whole session. PRODUCER RYAN SCHAEFER: I don’t know how exactly I first met them, but I remember seeing them play at Old City Java, back when Java still had shows. It was kind of messy on the outside, but there were really good songs underneath.

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Shelf Life: Black Gold

KNOXVILLE MERCURY March 12, 2015

Classical Music: At the Threshold

Music Profile: Scott Miller

GREG GIVEN: Summer of 2008, we got an offer to record for free at Music Row Studios in Maryville. A super-nice guy named Scott Rader out there liked Make It Feel Better and got in touch. The upshot of these sessions was that the studio was awesome and professional. The downside was that our preparation for the sessions wasn’t great, so we showed up more with ideas for songs than fully fleshed out and articulated pieces. So the result isn’t as great as it could have been. GREG GIVEN: We never formally broke up. We just have never been in the same place all at the same time again since our last show. At the end of that last show we all got together on the stage, before loading our gear off, and agreed that this wouldn’t be the last time. I’m still hoping that it wasn’t. DRUMMER CHARLIE HENSCHEN: Those two recordings together are the best artistic projects I’ve been a part of, by a lot. These songs still have that same emotional resonance for me. Personally, Make It Feel Better represents me coming into my own as a musician. BASSIST/KEYBOARDIST JEREMY LEE GIVEN: I still listen to it and I still feel good when I do. I think my favorite thing is how Ryan made us sound way more badass than we actually were.

Movie Review: It Follows

Shelf Life

Black Gold Prime AV picks from your friendly public library BY CHRIS BARRETT February has come and gone, alas. It remains impressive that Knox County Public Library can herald Black History Month simply by re-arranging precious favorites long on hand. Here are just a few of the thousands of titles in the collection that illuminate and document the black experience in America and beyond. Of course, they are available year-round. Visit knoxmercury.com for even more selections.

MAX ROACH We Insist (Candid) Recorded in 1960, the compositions on this fairly explosive record began as a commemoration of the centennial of the Emancipation Proclamation. It had its course changed by the emerging movement for independence among former colonies in Africa, coupled with the sit-in protests spreading throughout the American South. Vocalist Abbey Lincoln is nothing short of incendiary, and tenor saxophonist Coleman Hawkins plays some of his most expressive lines on record. And Max Roach, thank God, is Max Roach. His instrument was the drum kit, but rather than mere music or rhythm he seemed to radiate the potential for excellence in those around him.

THE LEARNING TREE The creative black polymath Gordon Parks spent a career as a photographer documenting what being black in America looks like. The Learning Tree is Parks’ 1969 adaptation of his own autobiographical novel of the same title. It made him the first black director of a major Hollywood film (he also composed the score), and he followed up with Shaft. Plan to watch The Learning Tree a couple times. The tale is worthwhile coming-of-age Americana, shot in Parks’ hometown of Fort Scott, Kan. Once you know the story, you can watch it again to luxuriate in Parks’

generous lessons in composition.

VARIOUS ARTISTS The Complete Stax/Volt Singles 19591968 and The Complete Stax/Volt Singles Vol. 2 1968-1971 (Atlantic) Let us hopefully presume that everyone reading this is aware of the existence of this bounty. Let’s include it just in case you were unaware that you and your public library own it and share it. There was no precedent for the spirit, talent, and genius that came together in this musical Memphis community. The instrumental brilliance of the house bands, the Bar-Kays and Booker T and the MGs, continues to resonate throughout jazz and popular music. Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, Isaac Hayes, the Staples Singers, Carla Thomas, and scores of their labelmates set lasting standards for stage and studio performance. You can see their aspiring descendants wherever music is being made.

VARIOUS ARTISTS Fire in My Bones: Raw + Rare + Other-Worldly African-American Gospel (1944-2007) (Tompkins Square) Scripture and gospel music provided a vocabulary for nonviolent activism during the Civil Rights movement. Life is hardship and rewards are deferred or denied. This anthology is notable for its stylistic diversity, its departure from the quartet tradition that prevailed following World War II, and its inclusion of some most excellent oddities. Recorded in 1956, Alabama preacher Elder Beck condemns rock ’n’ roll music at length and with great conviction. He also happens to be rebutting/accompanying himself with some smoking electric guitar right out of Aftermath-era Keith Richards. Also present is the near-mythical minstrel Abner Jay. “My Testimony” captures him in a studio with organ, choir, and full ensembles. Here are some righteous sounds, all worth hearing.

Live Music | Dancing | Spirits | Food & Fun! 865-525-6101 • KNOXART.ORG SELECTED FRIDAYS @ 6:00 - 8:30pm SPRING SERIES

March 20th featuring Kelle Jolly & The Will Boyd Project April 10th featuring The Streamliners Swing Orchestra April 17th featuring Leftfoot Dave & The Magic Hats April 24th featuring Soulful Sounds Revue May 1st featuring Robinella May 8th featuring Taboo 865-525-6101 • KNOXART.ORG LIKE US ON c ALIVE AFTER FIVE KNOXVILLE MUSEUM OF ART

March 12, 2015

KNOXVILLE MERCURY 27

ON SALE FRIDAY, 3/13 AT 10AM! Big League Productions, Inc.

PRESENTS

“The show that defines Broadway dazzle!” –The New York Times

FRIDAY, APRIL 3 • 8PM SATURDAY, APRIL 4 • 2PM & 8PM www.guysanddollsontour.com

www.TennesseeTheatre.com 28

KNOXVILLE MERCURY March 12, 2015

Tickets available at the Tennessee Theatre box office, Ticketmaster.com and by phone at 800-745-3000.

THE SING OFF LIVE TOUR

MONDAY, MARCH 16 • 7:30PM

IN THE MOOD A 1940’S MUSICAL REVUE

BRIAN REGAN

THE DOOBIE BROTHERS

SHERYL CROW WITH

SAM OUTLAW

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6 • 8PM

SATURDAY, MAY 23 • 8PM

SATURDAY, MAY 30 • 8PM

DIANA KRALL MONDAY, JULY 27 • 8PM

SUNDAY, APRIL 19 • 8PM

RICK SPRINGFIELD:

LEWIS BLACK SUNDAY, MAY 3 • 7PM

WUOT

BIBLE BELT TOUR

THURSDAY, MARCH 26 • 7:30PM

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29 • 7PM

IRA GLASS SPONSORED BY

BILL BURR THE BILLY

STRIPPED DOWN TUESDAY, MAY 5 • 8PM

BUDDY VALASTRO: THE CAKE BOSS

THURSDAY, MAY 28 • 8PM

ST. VINCENT WITH

KATHY GRIFFIN

SARAH NEUFELD (OF ARCADE FIRE)

SUNDAY, MAY 31 • 8PM

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17 • 8PM

“WEIRD AL” YANKOVIC

YOUNG THEWITH GIANT

THE MANDATORY WORLD TOUR

FRIDAY, AUGUST 7 • 8PM

WILDLING

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1 • 8PM

also upcoming:

ALABAMA SHAKES - SOLD OUT! • 3/21 BROADWAY AT THE TENNESSEE: RAT PACK IS BACK • 5/8 - 5/9

www.TennesseeTheatre.com

Tickets available at the Tennessee Theatre box office, Ticketmaster.com and by phone at 800-745-3000. March 12, 2015

KNOXVILLE MERCURY 29

Classical Music

At the Threshold A new beginning, and the rest of the season BY ALAN SHERROD

I / #SPBEXBZ XXX TBJOUUBUUPP DPN

Renovating the housing where Knoxvilleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mercury is rising! Jeff Talman Sales Manager, NMLS #459775 Jeff.Talman@prospectmortgage.com www.myprospectmortgage.com/JTalman

(865) 406-6170 Prospect Mortgage 200 Prosperity Drive, Suite #118 Knoxville, TN 37923 Loan inquiries and applications in states where I am not licensed will be referred to a Loan Officer who is licensed in the property state. Equal Housing Lender. Prospect Mortgage is located at 15301 Ventura Blvd., Suite D300, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403. Prospect Mortgage, LLC (NMLS Identifier #3296, www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org) is a Delaware limited liability company. This is not an offer for extension of credit or a commitment to lend. Rev 3.10.15 (0315-2004) LR 2015-XXX

KNOXVILLE MERCURY March 12, 2015

was startled by a tweet last week that said something like â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mercury News Re-Assigns Classical Music Critic.â&#x20AC;? After a nanosecond of confusion and a minute of investigation, I realized the reference was to the San Jose Mercury News and the reassignment of their excellent and long-time jazz and classical-music writer, Richard Scheinin, to cover â&#x20AC;&#x153;other, broader topics.â&#x20AC;? Of course, those were merely the usual management code words for a print newspaper cutting arts coverage to save money. That same newspaper, as the pattern often goes, will later scratch its head and wonder why it continues to lose arts readers and advertisers. On the other hand, the Knoxville Mercury launches with the apparent opposite realizationâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;that arts coverage not only explains and documents the work of individual musicians, artists, and arts organizations but also acts as community glue in the complex intermingling of commerce and culture. At no time in Knoxvilleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history has that integration been more important than today, a time when our art and music scene approaches new thresholds and demands its rightful place in our economic future. Quite coincidentally, my final column for Metro Pulse, in October, included a review of the seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first

Knoxville Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster Series chamber-music concert, featuring Gabriel Lefkowitz and colleagues at the Knoxville Museum of Art. How better, then, to begin our new coverage than by mentioning last weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s third and final concert of the season in that seriesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a series that has substantially grown in popularity since its inception. As he has done on some previous occasions, Lefkowitz began with a set of short, encore-like violin pieces, among them selections by Fritz Kreisler, Maurice Ravel, Gabriel FaurĂŠ, and an ear-tingling, finger-cramping Perpetuum Mobile by Franz Ries. KSO audiences have learned, to their joy, that Lefkowitz, in addition to being a brilliant concertmaster and a friendly and charismatic symbol of the orchestra, can knock their socks off as a virtuosic soloist. Suffice it to say that last weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s audience went to intermission sans hosiery. Lefkowitzâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s string friendsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;violinist Gordon Tsai, violist Kathryn Gawne, cellist Andy Bryenton, and bassist Steve Benneâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;joined him on the second half of the program for Dvorakâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s String Quintet in G Major, Op. 77, a work that adds a double bass to the usual string quartet instrumentation. In contrast to the soloist sensibility of the first half, the

Arts coverage not only explains and documents the work of individual musicians, artists, and arts organizations but also acts as community glue in the complex intermingling of commerce and culture.

second half illustrated the essence of solid ensemble playing in a performance that successfully plumbed both the workâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s energetic outbursts and its lush in-motion harmonies, made even more lush by the depth of the double bass. Although the Concertmaster Series still has some staging and illumination issues to address for the sake of its audience, the move of the series to the KMA has been overwhelmingly successfulâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; not just for the performances, but in drawing real links between the visual arts and music.

ne of the thresholds I mentioned earlier is the now active process to select the replacement for KSOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s music director and principal conductor, Lucas Richman. Six candidates have emerged from the list of applicants and will each conduct a pair of concerts in the Masterworks Series at the Tennessee Theatre next season. Richmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finale concert comes in May, with what promises to be an emotion-charged event highlighted by a truly intriguing lineup. Lefkowitz will be the soloist in the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, followed by Gustav Mahlerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s uncompleted 10th Symphony and Ravelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s La Valse. Preceding the seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s final concerts in May, notable guest conductors will have the stage this month and next. The March concert pair next week will feature conductor James Feddeck in a program that will open with Rossiniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s infectious William Tell Overture, follow with Mozartâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Piano Concerto No. 25 in C Major, with pianist Conrad Tao, and conclude with Mendelssohnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Scottish Symphony. Opera, too, plays a huge role in the remainder of the 2014-15 season. Knoxville Opera brings its Rossini Festival back the weekend of April 24-26, featuring two performances of Verdiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Il Trovatore and, of course, the International Street Fair on downtown streets all day Saturday. And the University of Tennessee Opera returns to downtown and the Bijou Theatre the weekend of April 10-12 with a production of Mozartâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Magic Flute, directed by James Marvel, with Kevin Class conducting.

Music P rof ile

Virginia Way Scott Miller finds a new rhythm back home in Virginia BY MATTHEW EVERETT

s much as Scott Miller loves Knoxville, and as much as the city loves him back—and as much as his songs seem tied to this specific place—you could always tell that he never quite gave up the idea of Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley as his real home. Knoxville was his adopted hometown, but in profiles and reviews and press releases, that qualifier seemed to persist, even after 20 years. Then there were the songs, both historical and personal, that referred to Miller’s roots—“Virginia Way/Shenandoah Breakdown,” from the V-Roys All About Town, and “Highland Country Boy,” from Miller’s 2001 solo debut, Thus Always to Tyrants. (More Virginia references: “Sic semper tyrannis” is the state’s official motto, and the backing band Miller put together for that album was called the Commonwealth.) So when Miller announced in 2011 that he was moving back home to take over his family’s farm, it wasn’t that big a surprise. It seemed, in fact, like something he had known was coming all along. But that didn’t make the fact of it any easier. “For anybody who moves home to take care of their folks, the emotional or

psychological baggage there—I knew it was going to be tough, but it was tougher than I thought,” Miller says. “Just going back to where you grew up and dealing with your folks, and those roles are reversing, you’re sort of in charge—that’s been traumatic.” The move back home capped a quick succession of big life events for Miller. In 2008, he severed his relationship with his longtime label, Sugar Hill, and started distributing his music through his own F.A.Y. Recordings. In 2010, he stopped drinking. Basically, this new decade became the third major phase of Miller’s career, with its own rhythms, collaborations, and challenges. “I take January and February off now, because I have to feed and be here [on the farm] every day,” Miller says. “Touring has been picking back up. I’ve been writing. My goal was to have a record written this spring but that didn’t happen. I’ll have it written by the end of summer, I think.” Miller’s last release was Big Big World, in 2013, a collaboration with Patty Griffin guitarist Doug Lancio. He’s supported that disc with short regional tours, but his responsibilities at the farm and his isolation have made

long tours impossible. “Touring has been harder,” Miller says. “I thought I could do what I did from anywhere, but even though I didn’t live in Nashville, there’s still a difference in me being able to go drive three hours and go down there and shuck and jive. But you know how we are in Knoxville—we don’t need that damn city, anyway.” He still plays with the Commonwealth, but his most recent touring partners have been fiddler Rayna Gellert and bassist Bryn Davies, who splits her time between Nashville and Knoxville. “That’s been awesome,” Miller says. “It’s rejuvenating.” It sounds like Miller needed some rejuvenation. The move back to Virginia might not have been the best move for his career, but it might be the best thing for his music. “When I didn’t have the farm, what did I do with my time besides drink and get fucked up?” he says. “Before I got to that point, I worked. I worked on stuff. It’s a little different now—I have to set time aside. But honestly I was sort of doing that the last few years I was in Knoxville. There’s 24 hours in a day and there’s plenty of time to do what I need to do.”

WHAT Bijou Jubilee! 2015 with Scott Miller and the Commonwealth WHERE Bijou Theatre 803 S. Gay St. WHEN Saturday, March 14, at 8 p.m. HOW MUCH $30-$100 MORE INFO knoxbijou.com

Knoxville Acupuncture Welcomes

Knoxville Acupuncture & Healing Arts Trudy Moore, Dipl. Ac., L. Ac. 865.525.1665 1310 Luttrell St. Knoxville, TN 37917 www.knoxvilleacupuncture.com

As Sweet As It’s Going To Get Poems By Dawn Coppock As Sweet As It’s

Going To Get

AS HEARD ON

poems k Dawn Coppoc

Available now at www.saplinggrovepress.com April Readings and Events April 3, 5pm First Friday Book Signing •Mast General Store April 8, 7pm WDVX Tennessee Shines •Boyd’s Jig and Reel April 11, 2pm Book Launch Party Poets in Preservation Series Knox Heritage-Westwood April 19, 2pm Literary Reading •Union Avenue Books

March 12, 2015

KNOXVILLE MERCURY 31

Movie R e view

YOUR BEST SOURCE FOR NEWS & EVENTS GOING

Who’s Next?

ON ALL OVER KNOXVILLE & THE SURROUNDING AREAS.

Romance takes a nasty turn in the smart and stylish horror flick It Follows BY APRIL SNELLINGS

or as long as I can remember, my nightmares have been populated by entities whose only goal is to scare the hell out of me. They never try to harm me physically, but the fear they instill, often from a mere arm’s length away, is just as torturous as any bodily injury they could mete out. I can safely report that no film in recent years has channeled those night terrors as faithfully and effectively as It Follows. Writer/director David Robert Mitchell’s sophomore feature is smart, stylish, and, above all, genuinely frightening; it manipulates familiar horror tropes and twists them into something that feels at once classic and new. It unravels considerably in its final third, but its first hour reaches such lofty heights that its disappointing finale is forgivable. Nineteen-year-old Jay (Maika Monroe) is just trying to navigate the transition from adolescence to adulthood when she falls for Hugh (Jake Weary). The two have sex in Hugh’s car, but the seemingly sweet encounter ends with Jay tied to a chair in an abandoned factory, where Hugh spins a far-fetched story about a sexually transmitted curse

KNOXVILLE MERCURY March 12, 2015

that he’s passed on to her: From now on, Jay will be stalked by a slow-moving but relentless entity that can assume any shape it pleases. He lays out a few ground rules—never enter a room with only one exit, never let it touch you, transfer it to someone else via sexy shenanigans as soon as possible—then offers terrifying proof of the thing’s existence before depositing a traumatized Jay in front of her home and disappearing into the night. The thing soon begins its single-minded pursuit, terrorizing Jay at school, at home, and eventually through the blighted streets and crumbling buildings of nearby Detroit. It’s tempting to view It Follows as a cautionary tale extolling the virtues of teen abstinence, but it’s far more interesting than that. For Jay and her admirers, including nerdy Paul (Keir Gilchrist) and cool guy Greg (Daniel Zovatto), sex is both a death sentence and a reprieve. They’re all caught in a palpable, post-adolescent malaise that might not be all that preferable to being stalked by a sex demon, but that’s probably not why Jay’s friends line up to relieve her of the curse. The only way to

end the torment is to sleep with someone else, thus transferring the curse to a new victim until they, in turn, pass it on to a future partner. If the demon manages to kill its prey, though, the curse reverts to whoever infected the person it’s just murdered. If those sound like the arbitrary rules of a children’s game, that’s probably intentional. Mitchell resists the urge to explain his monster, giving his film the eerie feel of an urban legend. Its timeline is purposely screwy—clunky TVs are always tuned to black-and-white sci-fi shows, one of its teen characters reads Dostoevsky on an e-reader reminiscent of a 1960s makeup compact, and contemporary pop-culture references are all but nonexistent. The nameless, protean menace has no trademark mask or horrific backstory; it seems conjured from the thin air of suburbia and exists only to stalk and murder. We see the gruesome aftermath of its kills, but the onscreen violence is minimal. Mitchell is more concerned with what happens before the monster catches up to its targets, and those stalking sequences are chilling and almost unbearably suspenseful. The characters are likeable if not exceptionally well developed, and they get a big boost from naturalistic performances by a largely unknown cast. The film’s most obvious antecedent might be A Nightmare on Elm Street, but Mitchell takes more cues from John Carpenter’s early output and other ’70s genre films than from Wes Craven’s seminal suburban horror opus and the wave of imitators it inspired. Working with cinematographer Mike Gioulakis, he proves himself to be a gifted widescreen stylist, eschewing quick cuts and shaky, handheld camera work in favor of long takes, prowling tracking shots, and unsettling 360-degree pans. Even the jump scares are measured and well timed. Though it culminates in a baffling third-act set piece that feels like it was spliced in from another, lesser movie, It Follows gets nearly everything else right. It isn’t the scariest film I’ve seen lately—that distinction still belongs to Australia’s The Babadook—but it’s a close second.

( AT THESE AND OTHER FINE LOCATIONS ) Kroger Earth Fare Publix Food City Food Lion

East Tennessee History Center Cru Bistro Amber Restaurant Chesapeake’s Town of Farragut MUNICIPAL CENTER 640 Liquor McKay Used Books Tomato Head Panera Calhoun’s Bobs Package Store Downtown Grill SunSpot Black Horse Grill Pete’s Coﬀee Shop Mast General Store Urban Bar Copper Cellar Calhoun’s Brixx Pizza Longs Drugs Puleos Grille Gourmets Market YMCA Three Rivers Market Central Taps and Flats John T. Oconner center Ashe’s Package Store Stir Fry Cafe Disc Exchange

Mellow Mushroom Bad Daddies Burger Bar Shrimp Dock East End Liquor Sami’s Café Cedar Bluﬀ Discount Wine Nama Farragut Wine and Spirits Smoky Mountain Brewery Vienna Coﬀee house Oak Ridge Public Library Doubletree Hotel Mr. K’s Used Books Boyd’s Jig And Reel Preservation Pub Barleys Taproom Crown And Goose Bistro At The Bijou Soccer Taco Sterchi Lofts Pizza Palace Doc’s The Orangery Naples Dead End BBQ Pet Safe Village Open Chord Brewhouse Big Fatty’s Sitar El Mez Cal The Shrimp Dock Middlebrook Liquors Luttrell’s Eyewear Toddy’s Liquor Store Pet Safe Village Dixie Lee Wine and Liquor Tenn. Supreme Court

Prestige Cleaners Agave Azul Sgt Pepperoni’s Pizza Fuddruckers Calhoun’s Tiki Bar Uncorked Andrew Johnson Building Nixon’s Hard Knox Pizzeria Lincoln Memorial College Club XYZ Savelli’s Barleys Maryville Salsaritas Smokey Mountain Harley Davidson Southland Books And Cafe Hot Bagel Company The Other One Deli Razzberries Billys Time Out Deli On The Rocks Liquor Cork and Bottle Wine Coﬀee and Chocolates The Hill Downtown Wine & Liquor/Sutrees Holly’s 135 Java-Inside Sapphire Public House Retrospect Café 4 Earth To Old City Scruﬀy City Music Hall Union Ave Books Nothing Too Fancy Empire Deli Lawson McGhee Library

Blue Coast Grille Just Ripe Grocery The Oliver Hotel Hops and Hollers Holly’s Corner Asheville Highway Animal Clinic Chandlers Deli Pellissippi State Community College Campuses Scott’s Place Nostalgia Various Knox County Library Branches Laurel Theater 17th Street Deli Mark Nelson Raven Records Mid-Mod Collective K-Brew Saw Works Brewing Whiskey River Wild Holly’s Homberg Rik’s Music Planet Xchange Wrights Cafeteria Bearden Beer Market Bike and Trail Southland Spirits and Wine Movies Seven I Love NY Pizza Hush Puppies K-9 Center Blue Ridge Mountain Sports Salon Barnes & Barnes Knoxville Museum of Art Rita’s Bakery The Market On High Street All Over U.T. Campus Community Boxes Downtown

All Locations Subject To Change • Call us at 865-313-2059 to add your location. March 12, 2015

KNOXVILLE MERCURY 33

CALENDAR MUSIC Thursday, March 12 AND THE KIDS • Preservation Pub • 10 p.m. • 21 and up

E.B. ANDERSON AND THE RESOLUTES WITH LUKE MITCHEM • WDVX • Noon • Part of

WDVX’s Blue Plate Special , a six-daysa-week lunchtime concert series featuring local, regional, and national Americana, folk, pop, rock, and everything else. • Free

DOM FLEMONS • Bijou Theatre • 7 p.m. •

Flemons, of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, will discuss “the history of old-time folk music and its relevance in today’s diverse musical world with commentary and musical examples as appropriate” at this fundraiser for the Friends of the Knox County Public Library. Register for free tickets at knoxfriends.org.

Thursday, March 12 - Sunday, March 22

year’s event features the Mockingbirds, the Swill Sippers, Henry Perry and Jaimie Cameron of Slow Blind Hill, the Knox County Jug Stompers, Y’uns, Dan Gammon, Greg Horne, Roy Harper, Leah Gardner, John Alvis, the Hellgrammites and the Mumbillies. • $11

TRAVIS BOWLIN WITH JAKE LEWIS AND THE CLERGY • WDVX • Noon • Free

TAMARA BROWN • The Bistro at the Bijou •

9 p.m. • Free

FIRESIDE COLLECTIVE • Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria (Maryville) • 10 p.m.

JOHN PAUL KEITH • Barley’s Taproom and

Pizzeria • The former V-Roy heads back to Knoxville from his new hometown of Memphis, where he’s established himself as one of the city’s finest purveyors of classic rock ’n’ soul.

T.J. KONG AND THE ATOMIC BOMB WITH IAN THOMAS AND THE BAND OF DRIFTERS • Scruffy

J.C. AND THE DIRTY SMOKERS • Barley’s

City Hall • 10 p.m.

JANUARY GRAY • Scruffy City Hall • 7 p.m.

MINDELIXIR WITH FAST NASTY, SPOOKY JONES, AND PSYCHONAUT • The International • 9 p.m. •

Taproom and Pizzeria • 10 p.m. • Sevierville Americana.

DAVE KENNEDY • Clancy’s Tavern and Whiskey House • 6 p.m.

KNOX COUNTY JUG STOMPERS • Barley’s

Taproom and Pizzeria (Maryville) • 8 p.m.

WAKA FLOCKA FLAME • The International •

9 p.m. • The Atlanta rapper returns to Knoxville. • $10-$40 • 18 and up

Friday, March 13 46TH JUBILEE FESTIVAL • Laurel Theater • 7

p.m. • Jubilee Community Arts presents its signature celebration of traditional mountain music featuring Tennessee artists recognized as accomplished masters of old styles of fiddle, banjo, string bands, sacred music and early country and historical ballads. This

37 34

Dom Flemons

KNOXVILLE MERCURY March 12, 2015

Brain-bending EDM, presented by Midnight Voyage Productions. • Free

WAKA FLOCKA FLAME

STACY MITCHHART • Relix Variety Theatre • 7 p.m. • “The Blues Doctor” from B.B. King’s Blues Club in Nashville makes a house call to Knoxville. • $15

The International, 940 Blackstock Ave. Thursday, March 12, 9 p.m., $15-$40

THE ANNIE MOSES BAND • Clayton Center for the Arts (Maryville) • 8 p.m. • $19-$36 PENNY AND SPARROW • The Square Room • 8 p.m. • $12-$15

THE PLATE SCRAPERS • Boyd’s Jig and Reel • 10 p.m. • Free

PROGKNOXIS: LINES TAKING SHAPE, ETHOS, THE ART OF, AND WHITE STAG • Open Chord Brew-

house and Stage • 7 p.m. • A night of local prog rock.

SCRATCH RIVER TELEGRAPH CO. • Preservation

CTRL+P

The last few days have been pretty busy for Atlanta rapper Waka Flocka Flame. On Monday, he canceled, via Instagram, an upcoming show at the University of Oklahoma to protest the racist frat video made public over the weekend. (“When I first started doing shows it was all hood spots and all black people. Then I had some mainstream success … and it was all white people at my shows for a while. Now it’s white, black and brown people at my shows. All races partying having a good time and enjoying themselves together peacefully.”) The same day, Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott reportedly got assaulted outside a Waka show in Panama City, Fla. Oh, and yeah, WFF just released a brand-new mixtape, The Turn Up Godz Tour, in advance of his third album, Flockaveli 2, set for release on June 1. Don’t let all the other stuff distract you too much—Waka Flocka Flame’s a bright light of Atlanta hip-hop, and the new album’s set to cement him as a Southern superstar. (Matthew Everett)

St. Patrick’s Day

The Long View

CALENDAR Pub • 10 p.m. • Virginia folk-rock on Preservation Pub’s second-floor stage. • Free • 21 and up

Pizzeria (Maryville) • 10 p.m.

STRANGLED DARLINGS • WDVX • Noon •

Saturday, March 14

Part of WDVX’s Blue Plate Special, a six-days-a-week lunchtime concert series featuring local, regional, and national Americana, folk, pop, rock, and everything else. • Free

46TH JUBILEE FESTIVAL • Laurel Theater • 7

THE WILL YAGER TRIO • The Bistro at the

THE BAD DUDES WITH BELFAST 6 PACK, TINA TARMAC AND THE BURNS, AND MASS DRIVER •

Sunday, March 15

JUDY CARMICHAEL • Clayton Center for the

tional • 6 p.m. • $15-$20

WILD THINGS • Preservation Pub • 10 p.m. • 21 and up

p.m. • $11

The International • 8 p.m. • $5

Arts (Maryville) • 7:30 p.m. • $25

CRUMBSNATCHERS WITH ZACH AND KOTA’S SWEET LIFE • Pilot Light • 10 p.m. • $5 • 18 and up

GUERRILLA SUNS WITH PEOPLE PLACES THINGS AND JOEY ENGLISH • Open Chord Brewhouse and Stage • 8 p.m.

IMPERIAL BLEND • Preservation Pub • 10

Bijou • 9 p.m. • Free

DROWNING POOL WITH ADRENALINE MOB, FULL METAL JACKET, AND VANKALE • The InternaTHE DUPONT BROTHERS • Preservation Pub • 10 p.m. • 21 and up MOUTH READER WITH EBONY EYES AND DAY AND AGE • Pilot Light • 10 p.m. • $5 • 18 and

THE PAPER CROWNS • Barley’s Taproom and

Pizzeria • 8 p.m.

p.m. • South Carolina EDM. • 21 and up

Monday, March 16

KELSEY’S WOODS • Clancy’s Tavern and

Gravity Tavern • 9 p.m.

Whiskey House • 8 p.m.

MARGO AND THE PRICE TAGS • Boyd’s Jig and Reel • 10 p.m. • Free

MARINA ORCHESTRA WITH THE GREAT BARRIER REEFS • Scruffy City Hall • 10 p.m. Local tropical rock.

SCOTT MILLER AND THE COMMONWEALTH • Bijou

Theatre • 8 p.m. • One of Knoxville’s favorite sons returns for the Bijou Theatre’s annual Jubilee! fundraiser. • $30-$100

ALEX BALL AND THE REGINALS • Suttree’s High BOSLEY • Preservation Pub • 10 p.m. •

Funk and soul from Baltimore. • 21 and up

MAT BURKE WITH WHISKEY OF THE DAMNED •

WDVX • Noon • Part of WDVX’s Blue Plate Special, a six-days-a-week lunchtime concert series featuring local, regional, and national Americana, folk, pop, rock, and everything else. • Free

FIRESIDE COLLECTIVE • Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria • 10 p.m.

MOUNTAIN SOUL • Barley’s Taproom and

YONATAN GAT • Pilot Light • 10 p.m. • The

SISTER SPARROW AND THE DIRTY BIRDS WITH CUTTHROAT SHAMROCK • Market Square • 5

THE SING-OFF LIVE TOUR • Tennessee

Pizzeria • 10 p.m.

p.m. • Celebrate St. Paddy’s Day with Sister Sparrow, a folk-rock band from Brooklyn, and Sevier County’s most ferocious Celtic punk band. • Free

CAROLINE SPENCE • Barley’s Taproom and

former Monotonix guitarist has set out on a solo career. • $10 • 18 and up

Theatre • 7:30 p.m. • The Sing-Off Live Tour will feature The Sing-Off fan favorite groups, The Exchange, VoicePlay (season 4), Street Corner Symphony (season 2) and Melodores (winners of season 5). On tour the groups will March 12, 2015

KNOXVILLE MERCURY 35

CALENDAR perform their a cappella versions of this year’s chart topping hits as well as favorite arrangements from the TV show. • $29.50-$125

Tuesday, March 17 3 MILE SMILE WITH SYDNI AND CHAD • Open

Chord Brewhouse and Stage • 8 p.m.

DIXIEGHOST • Boyd’s Jig and Reel • 10 p.m. • $10

FOUR LEAF PEAT WITH THE PLATE SCRAPERS •

WDVX • Noon • Part of WDVX’s Blue Plate Special, a six-days-a-week lunchtime concert series featuring local, regional, and national Americana, folk, pop, rock, and everything else. • Free

FOUR LEAF PEAT • The Square Room • 8

p.m. • One of Knoxville’s favorite Irish-music bands keeps it trad with a set of new songs and old favorites for St. Paddy’s Day. • $15-$20

KNOXVILLE MERCURY March 12, 2015

SAME AS IT EVER WAS • Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria • 10 p.m.

SINGO • Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria (Maryville) • 7 p.m.

Wednesday, March 18 TOM CORDLE WITH LATE DAY SONS • WDVX •

Noon • Part of WDVX’s Blue Plate Special, a six-days-a-week lunchtime concert series featuring local, regional, and national Americana, folk, pop, rock, and everything else. • Free

THE CASEY GREEN TRIO • The Bistro at the Bijou • 7 p.m. • Live jazz. • Free

MIC HARRISON AND THE HIGH SCORE WITH JACK RENTFRO • Boyd’s Jig and Reel • 7 p.m. •

Tennessee Shines, WDVX’s weekly live-broadcast concert series, moves to the Old City this month. • $10

R.A.L.F. • Scruff y City Hall • 8 p.m.

Thursday, March 19 JOSELYN ARNDT • Scruff y City Hall • 7 p.m. EMISUNSHINE • Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria (Maryville) • 8 p.m.

KENOSHA KID • Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria • 10 p.m. • Based in the humid indie-rock haven of Athens, Georgia, Kenosha Kid has supplied the world with their own unique blend of modernjazz-meets-college-radio for over a decade. EVIE LADIN AND KEITH TERRY WITH NATASHA BORZILOVA • WDVX • Noon • Part of

WDVX’s Blue Plate Special, a six-daysa-week lunchtime concert series featuring local, regional, and national Americana, folk, pop, rock, and everything else. • Free

UT GRADUATE CELLO RECITAL • The Bistro at

the Bijou • 6 p.m. • Free

VESSEL • Preservation Pub • 10 p.m. • “Jamgrass” from Louisville, Ky.

Friday, March 20 BLUE MOTHER TUPELO • Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria • 10 p.m. THE MICHAEL BRANNER CONCEPTET • The

Bistro at the Bijou • 9 p.m. • Live jazz. • Free

FLUX PAVILION WITH AN-TEN-NAE • The

International • 9 p.m. • Presented by Midnight Voyage Productions. • $25-$60

THE FREIGHT HOPPERS • Laurel Theater • 8 p.m.

HAUNT THE HOUSE WITH BUFFALO WABS AND THE PRICE HILL HUSTLE • WDVX • Noon • Part

of WDVX’s Blue Plate Special, a six-days-a-week lunchtime concert series featuring local, regional, and national Americana, folk, pop, rock, and

CALENDAR everything else. • Free

KELLE JOLLY AND THE WILL BOYD PROJECT •

MAGNOLIA SONS • Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria (Maryville) • 10 p.m. MARADEEN WITH TREEHOUSE • Preservation

Knoxville Museum of Art • 6 p.m. • The spring series premiere of Alive After Five. • $10

Pub • 10 p.m. • 21 and up

LOST AND FOUND • Central United Method-

Scruff y City Hall • 10 p.m.

ist Church • 7 p.m. • $5

R.B. MORRIS WITH HECTOR QIRKO AND FRIENDS • MARTY RAYBON WITH IRENE KELLEY AND MAE BETH

Photo by Tim Duff y

DOM FLEMONS Bijou Theatre, 803 S. Gay St. Thursday, March 12, 7 p.m., Free, knoxfriends.org Carolina Chocolate Drops frontwoman Rhiannon Giddens is getting most of the attention right now—she just released her first solo album, Tomorrow Is My Turn, a collection of songs made famous by Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton, and Nina Simone, and she’ll appear later this month in Knoxville as part of the Big Ears festival. But multi-instrumentalist Dom Flemons, her former Chocolate Drops partner who left the group at the end of 2013, has his own cool thing going on. Flemons released his own solo debut, Prospect Hill, in 2014, and he’s coming to Knoxville, too, for a fundraiser for the Friends of the Knox County Public Library. Flemons will combine his expertise on American folk music into an unusual lecture/performance—he’ll discuss the music traditions he’s explored as both a solo artist and as part of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, highlighted by musical examples. It promises to be one of the more memorable iterations of the annual Wilma Dykeman Stokely Memorial Lecture. Admission is free, but registration is required; visit knoxfriends.org. (Matthew Everett)

March 12, 2015

KNOXVILLE MERCURY 37

CALENDAR HARRIS • Bijou Theatre • 8 p.m. • Part of WDVX’s World Class Bluegrass series. • $27.50-$32.50

THIRD DAY WITH ELLIE HOLCOMB • Knoxville Civic Coliseum • 7 p.m. • Christian rock. • $19-$74

TRACTOR HEAD WITH THE FRENCH • Open

Chord Brewhouse and Stage • 8 p.m.

UNDERHILL ROSE • Boyd’s Jig and Reel • 10 p.m. • Free

Brittany Howard, burst onto the national scene in 2012 with the single “Hold On.” A new album, Sound and Color, is set for release in April. • $37-$49.50

THE BRUMMY BROTHERS WITH ANNALISE EMERICK •

WDVX • Noon • Part of WDVX’s Blue Plate Special, a six-days-a-week lunchtime concert series featuring local, regional, and national Americana, folk, pop, rock, and everything else. • Free

THE BURNIN’ HERMANS • Scruff y City Hall •

Saturday, March 21

10 p.m.

AFTAH PARTY • Barley’s Taproom and

GET THE LED OUT: THE AMERICAN LED ZEPPELIN •

Pizzeria • 10 p.m. • Local fun, soul, and hip-hop.

ALABAMA SHAKES WITH PROMISED LAND SOUND •

Tennessee Theatre • 8 p.m. • The Alabama roots-punk quartet Alabama Shakes, led by powerhouse frontwoman

The International • 8 p.m. • $20-$25

DAVID AND VALERIE MAYFIELD • Barley’s

Taproom and Pizzeria (Maryville) • 10 p.m.

SARAH MCLACHLAN • Knoxville Civic

Auditorium • 8 p.m. • The Canadian folk icon and Lilith Fair founder released her most recent album, Shine On, in 2014. • $44-$86

HEIGHT • Pilot Light • 10 p.m. • $5 • 18

THE CHUCK MULLICAN JAZZ BONANZA • The Bistro at the Bijou • 9 p.m. • Live jazz. • Free

OPEN MIC AND SONGWRITER NIGHTS

SEMINAL WITH SIMO • Preservation Pub • 10 p.m. • 21 and up CAROLINE SPENCE WITH KLINT KRAZNER • Boyd’s

Jig and Reel • 10 p.m. • Free

Sunday, March 22 BUFFALO WABS AND THE PRICE HILL HUSTLE •

Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria • 8 p.m. • Fun bluegrass from Cincinnati. • Free

DOUG GIBSON • Clancy’s Tavern and

Whiskey House • 6 p.m.

“

Knoxville Mercury stands against the mass media trend towards short, trivial sound bites that generate traffic but leave readers unsatisfied with the depth of content. The paper’s devotion to independent and investigative journalism empowers the Knoxville community to engage in rich discussions, reflect upon its identity, and shape its future. We all need to support the Knoxville Mercury, because it supports us. –Steve Chin, co-founder of Survature.

FIND OUT HOW WE CAN SUPPORT YOUR BUSINESS AskUs@survature.com 38

KNOXVILLE MERCURY March 12, 2015

and up

Thursday, March 12 BREWHOUSE BLUES JAM • Open Chord

Brewhouse and Stage • 8 p.m.• Free

Monday, March 16 BLUEGRASS AND BREWS OPEN JAM • Suttree’s High Gravity Tavern • 7 p.m.-9 p.m. • Free Tuesday, March 17 BARLEY’S OPEN MIC NIGHT • Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria • 8 p.m.

KNOXVILLE

TENNESSEE

In Mid Mod Collective

1621 N. Central St. (865) 573-9959 bookscoutjohn@gmail.com OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK 11-6

magpiescakes.com

CALENDAR Wednesday, March 18 OPEN CHORD OPEN MIC • Open Chord Brewhouse and Stage • 8 p.m.

Thursday, March 19 BREWHOUSE BLUES JAM • Open Chord

Brewhouse and Stage • 8 p.m.• Free

CLASSICAL MUSIC Thursday, March 12 UT WIND ENSEMBLE CONCERT • University of Tennessee Alumni Memorial Building • 8 p.m. • Free Saturday, March 14 KSO POPS SERIES: THE MIDTOWN MEN • Knox-

DJ AND DANCE NIGHTS Friday, March 12 THE ART OF HOUSE WEEKENDER DANCE PARTY •

Southbound Bar and Grill • 11 p.m. • Featuring resident DJs Rick Styles, Mark B, and Kevin Nowell. 21 and up.

Saturday, March 13 THE ART OF HOUSE WEEKENDER DANCE PARTY •

Southbound Bar and Grill • 11 p.m. • Featuring resident DJs Rick Styles, Mark B, and Kevin Nowell. 21 and up.

DJ CHRIS RUSK • Pilot Light • 10 p.m. • 18 and up

Friday, March 20 THE ART OF HOUSE WEEKENDER DANCE PARTY •

Southbound Bar and Grill • 11 p.m. • Featuring resident DJs Rick Styles, Mark B, and Kevin Nowell. 21 and up.

Saturday, March 21 THE ART OF HOUSE WEEKENDER DANCE PARTY •

Southbound Bar and Grill • 11 p.m. • Featuring resident DJs Rick Styles, Mark B, and Kevin Nowell. 21 and up.

TEMPLE DANCE NIGHT • The Concourse • 9

p.m. • A return to splendor, the core of what Temple is. No theme, no special costumes, outfits or contests. Classic Goth, industrial, alternative music and dancing, and maybe a few oddballs thrown in for good measure. Featuring DJs Fallen, Darkness, and Uncle Goth. Visit templeknox.com. • $5 • 18 and up

ville Civic Auditorium • 8 p.m. • Original cast members of the Broadway smash Jersey Boys join the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra for great vocal harmonies of the 1960s. The best of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, the Beach Boys, and more. • $37.75$93.50

Thursday, March 19 KSO MASTERWORKS SERIES: MOZART AND MENDELSSOHN • Tennessee Theatre • 7:30 p.m. • Join the KSO and guest conductor James Feddeck for fun and familiar music by Rossini, Mozart, and Mendelssohn. The concert opens with Rossini’s delightful William Tell Overture. The orchestra will be joined by talented guest artist, Conrad Tao, for Mozart’s grand Piano Concerto No. 25. The second half of the program features Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 3. Nicknamed the ‘Scottish Symphony’, it is a lively and majestic piece that features the entire orchestra. • $13-$83

Friday, March 20 KSO MASTERWORKS SERIES: MOZART AND MENDELSSOHN • Tennessee Theatre • 7:30 p.m. • $13-$83

Sunday, March 22 UT YOUNG PIANIST SERIES: SHEN LU • University of Tennessee Haslam Music Center • 2:30 p.m. • $25

KSO TELLICO VILLAGE COMMUNITY CONCERT •

Tellico Village Community Church • 4 p.m. • Call (423) 884-3098 for tickets.

March 12, 2015

KNOXVILLE MERCURY 39

CALENDAR presents

LEWIS

NASH

COMEDY AND SPOKEN WORD Thursday, March 12 JAKE JOHANNSEN • Pilot Light • 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 13

TENNESSEE STAGE COMPANY NEW PLAY FESTIVAL: I AM THE WAY • Theatre Knoxville Down-

UPTOWN COMEDY JAM II • Bijou Theatre • 8

p.m. • Hosted by Sean Larkins, with Marvin Hunter, Ashima “Skinny Fyne” Franklin, and Marvin Dixon. $32,50$42.50

TENNESSEE STAGE COMPANY NEW PLAY FESTIVAL: I AM THE WAY • Theatre Knoxville Down-

town • 8 p.m. • TSC director Tom Parkhill directs Scott Strahan’s play about a man who ditches his dead-end job to become an Internet evangelist. March 6-22. Visit theatreknoxville.com. • $15

Friday, March 13 TENNESSEE STAGE COMPANY NEW PLAY FESTIVAL: I AM THE WAY • Theatre Knoxville Down-

Lewis Nash embodies the essence of a jazz musician in today’s world. His depth of swing is reminiscent of the old jazz drum masters, yet he’s the go-to drummer for the latest generation of players. He maintains his

town • 8 p.m. • March 6-22. Visit theatreknoxville.com. • $15

FOOTHILLS COMMUNITY PLAYERS: THE MISS FIRECRACKER CONTEST • Clayton Center for the Arts (Maryville) • 7:30 p.m. • $10-$12

TANGO BUENOS AIRES • Clayton Center for the Arts (Maryville) • 7 p.m. • $23-$43 Saturday, March 21 TENNESSEE STAGE COMPANY NEW PLAY FESTIVAL: I AM THE WAY • Theatre Knoxville Down-

town • 8 p.m. • March 6-22. Visit theatreknoxville.com. • $15

FOOTHILLS COMMUNITY PLAYERS: THE MISS FIRECRACKER CONTEST • Clayton Center for the Arts (Maryville) • 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. • $10-$12

Sunday, March 22 TENNESSEE STAGE COMPANY NEW PLAY FESTIVAL: I AM THE WAY • Theatre Knoxville Down-

Saturday, March 14

town • 3 p.m. • March 6-22. Visit theatreknoxville.com. • $15

TENNESSEE STAGE COMPANY NEW PLAY FESTIVAL: I AM THE WAY • Theatre Knoxville Down-

FOOTHILLS COMMUNITY PLAYERS: THE MISS FIRECRACKER CONTEST • Clayton Center for

town • 8 p.m. • March 6-22. Visit theatreknoxville.com. • $15

Sunday, March 15 TENNESSEE STAGE COMPANY NEW PLAY FESTIVAL: I AM THE WAY • Theatre Knoxville Down-

town • 3 p.m. • March 6-22. Visit theatreknoxville.com. • $15

personal sound whatever the band or style of music.

Thursday, March 19

TICKETS: WWW.KNOXJAZZFEST.ORG

TENNESSEE STAGE COMPANY NEW PLAY FESTIVAL: I AM THE WAY • Theatre Knoxville Down-

KNOXVILLE MERCURY March 12, 2015

the Arts (Maryville) • 7:30 p.m. • $10-$12

Friday, March 20

Thursday, March 12

GENERAL ADMISSION $20 ($25 AT DOOR) $15 (STUDENTS)

FOOTHILLS COMMUNITY PLAYERS: THE MISS FIRECRACKER CONTEST • Clayton Center for

and 10:15 p.m. • $20 • 18 and up

THEATRE AND DANCE

TUESDAY, APRIL 7 · 8:00 PM THE SQUARE ROOM

theatreknoxville.com. • $15

town • 8 p.m. • March 6-22. Visit

the Arts (Maryville) • 2 p.m. • $10-$12

FESTIVALS Friday, March 13 46TH JUBILEE FESTIVAL • Laurel Theater • 7

CALENDAR country and historical ballads. This year’s event features the Mockingbirds, the Swill Sippers, Henry Perry and Jaimie Cameron of Slow Blind Hill, the Knox County Jug Stompers, Y’uns, Dan Gammon, Greg Horne, Roy Harper, Leah Gardner, John Alvis, the Hellgrammites and the Mumbillies. • $11

p.m. • $11

Saturday, March 14

Knoxville Museum of Art • 2 p.m. • Julio Bressane’s Sentimental Education, like Gustave Flaubert’s novel of the

46TH JUBILEE FESTIVAL • Laurel Theater • 7

FILM SCREENINGS Sunday, March 22 THE PUBLIC CINEMA: SENTIMENTAL EDUCATION •

WELCOME BACK! Raven is proud to have had the very first ad in the very first Metro Pulse. Now, we're back and VIVA

Find us on Facebook for frequent updates on plans for Raven 30th Anniversary Celebration on April 15-16 at the Relix Theatre, same block as us in Happy Holler. Cheers!

CTRL+P: PRINTMAKING IN THE 21ST CENTURY Ewing Gallery, 1715 Volunteer Blvd. Through March 24, Free, ewing-gallery.utk.edu SGC International, formerly the Southeastern Graphics Council, will hold its annual conference in Knoxville from March 18-21. There will be plenty of events for design nerds and the general public—lectures, cocktail receptions, a dance night at Pilot Light. And plenty of art, like printmaking exhibits at the Knoxville Museum of Art and the University of Tennessee’s Downtown Gallery on Gay Street. One of the most accessible and locally themed shows will be this survey of prints by 21 UT alumni, including Bryan Baker, Wade Guyton, Katie Ries, and Meredyth Sparks. The work ranges from the cerebral and conceptual to decorative, playful, and tactile, offering viewers insight into the landscape of contemporary printmaking and celebrating UT’s influential printmaking legacy. (Matthew Everett)

1200 N Central Street • Knoxville, TN 37917 Mon - Sat, NOON - 7 | Sun 1 -5 865- 525-9016 March 12, 2015

KNOXVILLE MERCURY 41

CALENDAR

10 years of spirited nightlife.

WWW.SAPPHIREKNOXVILLE.COM

Saturday, March 14 DOWNTOWN RAIL JAM AND BLOCK PARTY • Marc

BARLEY’S ST. PATRICK’S DAY 5K • Barley’s

Exit 394: Asheville Hwy. @ I-40 (865) 637 - 6656 5406 Asheville Hwy. Knoxville TN 37914 www.eastendspirits.com

MARCH 11-24: • CTRL+P: Printmaking in the 21st Century by University of Tennessee Alumni

Knoxville Museum of Art (1050 World’s Fair Park Drive) Printmaking in the Third Dimension and Contemporary Focus 2015. Ongoing: Higher Ground: A Century of the Visual Arts in Tennessee; Currents: Recent Art From East Tennessee and Beyond; and Facets of Modern and Contemporary Glass.

McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture (1327 Circle Park Drive) JAN. 22-MAY 24: • Drawn From the

A1 Lab Arts (23 Emory Place) MARCH 6-28: • A Show of Hands: A Print

Pioneer House (413 S. Gay St.)

ART On

Ewing Gallery (1715 Volunteer Blvd.)

McClung Museum, an exhibition of work by 27 artists inspired by the McClung Museum collection. Ongoing: The Flora and Fauna of Catesby, Mason, and Audubon and Life on the Roman Frontier.

Taproom and Pizzeria • 2 p.m.

High Gravity Beer Specials Mon-Thur.

KNOXVILLE MERCURY March 12, 2015

SPORTS AND RECREATION

JAN. 30-APRIL 19: • LIFT: Contemporary

Sunday, March 15

EAST END Liquor & wine

International Member Exhibition; Approximate Exactitude: The Diagram and the Book, a collection of books and diagrams curated by Sarah Smith; and works by the University of Tennessee print faculty.

Nelson Denim • 6 p.m. • A spring showcase for local extreme skiers and snowboarders, with food trucks and music. Free to attend, $15 to compete.

FROM WINE to SHINE

Find Us

same name, is a romance of sorts between a young man and an older woman. Josi Antello plays Áurea, a shy schoolteacher who, like Selene in the myth of Endymion, is overcome by the beauty of a stranger. She takes him in as a student and delivers a series of flirtatious monologues that detail her past, her former loves, and her faded ambitions as a writer. Sentimental Education is a deeply strange and shape-shifting film, and Antello’s performance is something other-worldly. • Free

Exhibition From The Hand Magazine. A reception will be held on Thursday, March 19, from 6-9 p.m.

Downtown Gallery (106 S. Gay St.) MARCH 6-27: • Ruth Weisberg: Time and Again.

Emporium Center for Arts and Culture (100 S. Gay St.) MARCH 6-29: • Knoxville Collects YeeHaw, a selection of Yee-Haw Industries prints collected and owned by Knoxville residents. (A reception will be held on Thursday, March 19, from 6-9 p.m.) Also on display March 6-29: SGC

MARCH 19-31: • Pioneer Monsters, featur-

ing work by “Outlaw printmakerz” Tom Huck and Sean Starwars, and Tease It to Jesus: A Portfolio of Dolly Parton Prints, featuring work by John Hitchcock, Sage Perrott, Erika Adams, Kathryn and Andy Polk and Brett Anderson.

MEETINGS Monday, March 16 GAY MEN’S DISCUSSION GROUP • Tennessee

Valley Unitarian Universalist Church • 7:30 p.m.-9 p.m. • We hold facilitated

CALENDAR discussions on topics and issues relevant to local gay men in a safe and open environment. Visit ggknoxville. org. • Free

ETC. WEARIN’ O’ THE GREEN Here’s a rundown of your best bets for St. Patrick’s Day. Get an early start this weekend! SATURDAY, MARCH 14

Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds with Cutthroat Shamrock Celebrate St. Paddy’s Day with Sister Sparrow, a folk-rock band from Brooklyn, and Sevier County’s most ferocious Celtic punk band. Market Square • 5 p.m. • Free

Thursday, March 12 KNOXVILLE SQUARE DANCE • Laurel Theater • 8 p.m. • Community square dance with live old-time music by the Hellgrammites with local callers Stan Sharp, Leo Collins & Ruth Simmons. All set dances will be taught, come as you are, everyone is welcome. (No taps, please.) • $7 Friday, March 13 SALOME CABARET BURLESQUE REVIEW • The Concourse • 10 p.m. • $10

SUNDAY, MARCH 15

Saturday, March 14

Barley’s St. Patrick’s Day 5K

HOWARD BAKER CLASSIC CAR COLLECTION OPEN HOUSE AND AUCTION • Howard H. Baker Jr.

It’s the runnin’ o’ the green through the Old City to raise money for Emily’s Power for a Cure. Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria (200 E. Jackson Ave.) • 2 p.m. • $35 TUESDAY, MARCH 17

3 Mile Smile with Sydni and Chad Classic rock and pop covers. Open Chord Brewhouse and Stage (8502 Kingston Pike) • 8 p.m. • Free

Four Leaf Peat • The Square Room One of Knoxville’s favorite Irish-music bands keeps it trad with a selection of new songs and old favorites. It’s the seventh year in a row they’ve played the Square Room on St. Patrick’s Day. The Square Room (4 Market Square) • 8 p.m. • $15-$20

Center for Public Policy • 9 a.m. • An open house to view the late senator’s collection of classic cars, followed by an auction at 11 a.m. • Free

Tuesday, March 17 ST. PADDY’S DAY OLD CITY PUB CRAWL • Old City • 7 p.m. • Purchase of a $10 wristband gets you into 11 Old City clubs and bars for St. Patrick’s Day: NV, Southbound, Hanna’s, Carleo’s, the Wagon Wheel, the Bowery, Crown and Goose, Armada, Jig and Reel, Barley’s, and Urban Bar. • $10

St. Patrick’s Day Celebration An all-day celebration of all things Irish, with traditional (and maybe not-so-traditional) Irish music and dancing, a tug of war, and Irish food and drink. The Irish Times Pub and Restaurant (11348 Parkside Dr.) • 11 a.m.-2 a.m. • Free

St. Patrick’s Day Old City Pub Crawl One $10 wristband gets you into 11 Old City clubs, restaurants, and bars—NV, Barley’s, Carleo’s, Southbound, Hanna’s, the Wagon Wheel, Armada, Jig and Reel, Urban Bar, Crown and Goose, and the Bowery. Drink specials, music, and more. The Old City • 7 p.m. • $10

March 12, 2015

KNOXVILLE MERCURY 43

CALENDAR THE LONG VIEW

J. RODDY WALSTON AND THE BUSINESS

A guide to upcoming major concerts. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25 J. RODDY WALSTON AND THE BUSINESS WITH THE WEEKS AND SLEEPWALKERS • Bijou Theatre •

7:30 p.m. • $18

THURSDAY, MARCH 26 SEBADOH WITH QUI • The International •

$12/$15 day of the show • All ages

Photo by Eric Ryan Anderson

FRIDAY, MARCH 27 CHINGY WITH BIG REENO • NV Nightclub • 9 p.m. • $5

FRIDAY, MARCH 27-SUNDAY, MARCH 29 BIG EARS Various venues downtown •

$65-$199.50

TUESDAY, MARCH 31 THE WAR ON DRUGS WITH HOP ALONG • Bijou Theatre • 8 p.m. • $27.50

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1 BILL ORCUTT • Pilot Light • 10 p.m. • $10 • 18 and up

FRIDAY, APRIL 3 EOTO WITH ILL.GATES • The International • 9 p.m. • $10-$20 • 18 and up

FRIDAY, APRIL 10-SUNDAY, APRIL 12 RHYTHM N’ BLOOMS MUSIC FESTIVAL • Various

venues in the Old City and downtown • $60-$125

Open Call for Writers, Designers, Artists: Show Us Your Talent! We’re looking for fresh ideas to share with Knoxville. So we’re making an open call to anyone who thinks they’d like to contribute their talents to the Knoxville Mercury: writers/reporters, artists/illustrators, photographers, designers, audio-visual experts. If you have ideas for stories, columns, features, departments, videos, podcasts, or something so bizarre it doesn’t have a name yet, then email editor@knoxmercury.com for more information!

KNOXVILLE MERCURY March 12, 2015

CALENDAR The International • 7:30 p.m. • $25/$28 day of the show • All ages

SUNDAY, MAY 3 LECRAE WITH ANDY MINEO AND DJ PROMOTE •

Knoxville Civic Coliseum • 7 p.m. • $28-$105 PAPA ROACH WITH WE ARE HARLOT • The International • 7 p.m. • $27.50-$50 • 18 and up

TUESDAY, MAY 5 JASON BONHAM’S LED ZEPPELIN EXPERIENCE •

TUESDAY, APRIL 14 HINDER • The International • 7 p.m. •

ELIZABETH COOK • The Shed at Smoky

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15 ZAPPA PLAYS ZAPPA • Bijou Theatre • 8 p.m.

TUESDAY, APRIL 28 IN THIS MOMENT WITH UPON A BURNING BODY AND BUTCHER BABIES • The International • 6 p.m.

$20/$25 day of the show • All ages

• $29.50-$75

THURSDAY, APRIL 16 SIR RICHARD BISHOP WITH ROBERT MILLIS • Pilot

Light • 10 p.m. • 18 and up LOTUS WITH ZOOGMA • The International • 8 p.m. • $22-$30 • 18 and up

FRIDAY, APRIL 17 THE BLACK CADILLACS WITH SOL CAT AND JOHNNY ASTRO AND THE BIG BANG • 8 p.m. • $15/$17 day of the show

SATURDAY, APRIL 18 ERICK BAKER • Bijou Theatre • 8 p.m. • $25 MONDAY, APRIL 20 AER • Bijou Theatre • 8 p.m. • $15/$18 day of the show

THURSDAY, APRIL 23 HOME FREE • Bijou Theatre • 8 p.m. • $30-$100

FRIDAY, APRIL 24 TESTAMENT WITH EXODUS AND SHATTERED SUN •

The International • 6 p.m. • $22/$25 day of the show • All ages

SATURDAY, APRIL 25

Mountain Harley-Davidson (Maryville) • 8 p.m. • $15-$20

• $20-$50 • All ages

FRIDAY, MAY 1 CRIZZLY WITH ANTISERUM AND LAXX • THE INTERNATIONAL • 9 p.m. • $15-$35 • 18 and

SATURDAY, MAY 2 THE WEIGHT: HONORING THE MUSIC OF THE BAND •

THE BAD PLUS

Photo by Travis Tyler

SEBADOH

Bijou Theatre • 8 p.m. • $39-$101.50 SLIPKNOT WITH HATEBREED • Knoxville Civic Coliseum • 8 p.m. • $63 RICK SPRINGFIELD • Tennessee Theatre • 8 p.m. • $39.50-$225

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6 THE DOOBIE BROTHERS • Tennessee Theatre •

8 p.m. • $69.50-$79.50

THURSDAY, MAY 7 NEEDTOBREATHE WITH BEN RECTOR, DREW HOLCOMB AND THE NEIGHBORS, AND COLONY HOUSE • 7 p.m. • $24-$44

FRIDAY, MAY 8 MARILYN MANSON • THE INTERNATIONAL • 8 P.M. • SOLD OUT • 18 AND UP SATURDAY, MAY 9 BLACK JACKET SYMPHONY: HOTEL CALIFORNIA • Bijou Theatre • 8 p.m. • $27.50

JASON ISBELL • The Shed at Smoky

Mountain Harley-Davidson (Maryville) • 8 p.m. • $20-$25

UP NEXT!

BIJOU JUBILEE! 2015 FEATURING

SCOTT MILLER & THE COMMONWEALTH saturday, march 14 • 8:30pm

J. RODDY WALSTON & THE BUSINESS / THE WEEKS w/ Sleepwalkers wednesday, march 25 • 7:30pm

THE WAR ON DRUGS w/ Hop Along tuesday, march 31 • 8pm

ZAPPA PLAYS ZAPPA

“ONE SIZE FITS ALL” 40TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR

wednesday, april 15 • 8pm

THE BLACK CADILLACS w/ Sol Cat and Johnny Astro & The Big Bang friday, april 17 • 8pm

AER

monday, april 20 • 8pm

JASON BONHAM LED ZEPPELIN EXPERIENCE tuesday, may 5 • 8pm

KNOXBIJOU.COM TICKETS AVAILABLE AT THE TENNESSEE

THEATRE BOX OFFICE, TICKETMASTER.COM, AND BY PHONE AT 800-745-3000

March 12, 2015

KNOXVILLE MERCURY 45

CALENDAR DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS (RHYTHM N’ BLOOMS)

RHIANNON GIDDENS (BIG EARS)

Photo by David McClister

Photo by Dusdin Condren

THE WAR ON DRUGS

TUESDAY, MAY 12 CHELSEA GRIN WITH THE WORD ALIVE, LIKE MOTHS TO FLAMES, AND SYLAR • The International • 6 p.m. • $17/$20 day of the show • All ages

JENNY LEWIS WITH NIKKI LANE • BIJOU THEATRE • 8 P.M. • $25 SATURDAY, MAY 16 SHOOTER JENNINGS • The Shed at Smoky

Mountain Harley-Davidson (Maryville) • 8 p.m. • $20-$25 MY MORNING JACKET • Tennessee Theatre • 8 p.m. • $45.50

TUESDAY, MAY 19 JEFF DANIELS AND THE BEN DANIELS BAND • Bijou

Theatre • 7:30 p.m. • $29.50/$34.50 day of the show

SATURDAY, MAY 23 SHERYL CROW • Tennessee Theatre • 8 p.m. • $70.50-$90.50

SUNDAY, MAY 31 ST. VINCENT WITH SARAH NEUFELD • Tennessee

Theatre • 8 p.m. • $34.50

SATURDAY, JUNE 6 46

KNOXVILLE MERCURY March 12, 2015

LEON RUSSELL • The Shed at Smoky

Mountain Harley-Davidson (Maryville) • 8 p.m. • $20-$25

SATURDAY, JUNE 20 BILLY JOE SHAVER • The Shed at Smoky

Mountain Harley-Davidson (Maryville) • 8 p.m. • $20-$25

SATURDAY, JUNE 27 RAY WYLIE HUBBARD • THE SHED AT SMOKY MOUNTAIN HARLEY-DAVIDSON • 8 P.M. • $15-$20 SATURDAY, JULY 11 UNKNOWN HINSON • The Shed at Smoky

Mountain Harley-Davidson (Maryville) • 8 p.m. • $20-$25

SATURDAY, JULY 18 DRIVIN’ N CRYIN’ • The Shed at Smoky

Mountain Harley-Davidson (Maryville) • 8 p.m. • $15-$20

MONDAY, JULY 27 DIANA KRALL • Tennessee Theatre • 8 p.m. • $64.50-$84.50

SATURDAY, AUG. 1 BLACKBERRY SMOKE • The Shed at Smoky

Mountain Harley-Davidson (Maryville) • 8 p.m. • $30-$35

FRIDAY, AUG. 7 “WEIRD AL” YANKOVIC • Tennessee Theatre • 8 p.m. • $39.50-$59.50

SATURDAY, SEPT. 5 THE KENTUCKY HEADHUNTERS • The Shed at Smoky Mountain Harley-Davidson (Maryville) • 8 p.m. • $15-$20

SATURDAY, SEPT. 12 STURGILL SIMPSON • The Shed at Smoky

Mountain Harley-Davidson (Maryville) • 8 p.m. • $20-$25

SATURDAY, SEPT. 19 CODY CANADA AND THE DEPARTED • The Shed at Smoky Mountain Harley-Davidson (Maryville) • 8 p.m. • $15-$20

SUNDAY, NOV. 1 YOUNG THE GIANT WITH WILDLING • Tennessee

Theatre • 8 p.m. • $28

CALENDAR

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KNOXVILLE MERCURY 47

FOOD

Home Palate

Sichuan Sojourn A local taste of authentic Chinese cuisine BY DENNIS PERKINS

KNOXVILLE MERCURY March 12, 2015

best of Sichuan leaves the mouth a little warm but the lips numb and the pate awash in sweat. When Asia Kitchen gets it right, the food is amazing. On two separate occasions I was taken aback by the sheer eating pleasure offered by Fragrant Eggplant with Ground Meat. Here, the hot pot comes to the table at a deceptive boil, but there’s only a little peppery warmth. Sweet, savory, and redolent of ginger, garlic, green onion and chili, the silky eggplant flesh and skin melts into a comfortable mouthful. You’ll hardly even notice the pork. If heat’s your aim, it doesn’t get any better than Beef Flank and Tripe in Hot Pepper Sauce; this is a high-wire act of

Photo by Justin Fee

here are enough Chinese restaurants in Knoxville to make finding a plate of General Tso’s Chicken an easy effort. But where you won’t find this menu option, and other popular favorites like the fortune cookie or sweet and sour pork, is in China. The truth is there’s not much genuine Chinese food to be found in Knoxville’s restaurant population. Except, that is, at Asia Kitchen. Located right next door to Sunrise Supermarket in Walker Springs Plaza, Asia Kitchen isn’t inviting at first glance—compared to the bright lights of another neighbor, Smoothie King, the place looks drab, even a little shabby. The interior isn’t much better: the space is dimly lit; an open stainless steel cooking station in the far corner stands unused except as storage for restaurant whatnots; and the whole decor seems out of date. There’s no cheery music, no PF Chang’s-like pizazz to be found—there’s almost nothing on the surface to entice the average Knoxville diner. Asia Kitchen isn’t for everybody; but if you crave authentic experiences, make a visit. The full menu, available all day and offered in both Chinese (Mandarin?) and English, presents a slate of unfamiliar dishes: Shredded Pork in Garlic Sauce, Beef with Sour Vegetable, and the like. What you’re seeing are traditional options from one of China’s greatest and most misunderstood cuisines, Sichuan. Some folks mistakenly associate this style of cooking (often spelled Szechuan) with tongue-searing heat, but it’s not defined by chili alone. The food is alluring because of a panoply of flavors that take basic salty, sweet, and sour elements and accent them with grace notes that are pungent, floral, and citrusy. Of course, there’s heat—but the

balance—the dish, beefy and bright with the punchy flavor of whole stalks of cilantro, never left my mouth scorched— my head perspired like mad, and my lips were happily anesthetized, but the flavors soared high and lively above the spice. That said, the tripe wasn’t particularly well cooked—even to an offal-eater like me, it was hard to chew—but it’s a promising omen for other beef, fish, and chicken options in the red-lettered “Hot & Spicy” section of the menu. The menu isn’t forbidding; there are hibachi options, an incongruous pho menu, and even a section called “Well-Known Chinese Food.” But I wouldn’t bother with moo goo gai pan here—branch out or, if that’s all you can imagine eating, head elsewhere. But don’t be scared, the servers will try to dissuade you if they think you’re headed down the wrong track. (I had to fight for my right to tripe.) Instead, try Double Cooked Pork: steamed then stir-fried slabs of pork belly are tucked between thick scallions and whole garlic cloves in a mildly sweet, slightly hoisin-like sauce. There were a few pieces of pork that defied mastication, but mostly it was tender with unctuous bits of fat that

demanded eating. Though listed under the “Hot & Spicy” section, it wasn’t remotely fiery. Most entrees are served with white rice. If you want vegetables, order a separate plate; on my visits, the Seasonal Vegetable with Garlic or Oyster Sauce was a tasty platter of bright green baby bok choy. Admittedly, in the search for authenticity, I’m forgiving about matters of service and atmosphere. Five-star service is noticeably absent from Asia Kitchen, and it’s not uncommon for one dish or another to be unavailable. The staff isn’t apologetic; they’re honest and matter of fact about such matters. By and large, they’re friendly—but on Friday or Saturday nights, service can be spotty, even frustrating. So if these things raise your blood pressure, just stay away. But if you’re jonesing for real Chinese food, take a chance on Asia Kitchen.

ASIA KITCHEN 8511 Kingston Pike, 865-670-9858 Mon.–Sun.: 11 a.m.–10 p.m.

FOOD

KAYA KOREAN

Genuine Asian Options BIDA SAIGON 8078 Kingston Pike, 865-694-5999, bidasaigon.net Mon.–Sun., 10 a.m.–10 p.m. Originally, the place was the most unique eatery/poolhall in town; steaming bowls of Pho— Vietnam’s celebrated noodle soup—were served on one side of the space while pool sharps plied their trade on the other. These days, felt-lined tables are less popular than tables set with big bowls of aromatic broth and plates of add-ins: bean sprouts, basil leaves, and ribs of culantro (an herb that looks like miniature romaine leaves and tastes of cilantro). In addition to the magnificent pho, there are plenty of appetizing and authentic Vietnamese options including banh mi sandwiches, vermicelli noodle dishes, and eggless crepes. No matter what you do, don’t miss trying the spring rolls or one of the specialty (non-alcoholic) drinks. KAYA KOREAN 7818 Montvue Center Way, 865-691-0237, kayakorean.com Sun.: 12 p.m.–9 p.m., Tue.-Sat.: 12 p.m.–10 p.m. This place is like an open secret—everybody seems to know about it but only a few folks have actually eaten here. That’s a shame; it’s a fun place to visit, particularly on a weeknight when you can (often without waiting) grab one of the tables with a grill station for the full experience of grill-your-own Korean BBQ. Even so, the menu offers lots of food that you don’t have to cook yourself—bulgogi, bi-bim-bop (rice, egg, meat and/or vegetables served in a hot stone bowl), and of course banchan. Banchan are the copious little plates of different delicious tidbits of kimchee, marinated or pickled vegetables, and even some sweet glazed tubers. Try starting the meal with a kimchee pancake. Service can be spotty (and moody), so bring patience and a smile. ASIAN HIBACHI 7741 Northshore Rd, Suite 101, 865-539-9888 Sun.–Mon.: 11: a.m.–9:30 p.m., Tue: CLOSED, Wed.-Thu.: 11 a.m.–9:30 p.m., Fri.-Sat.: 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Located in Rocky Hill in the same strip mall where you’ll find Casa Don Gallo, Asian Hibachi has been open under its current ownership for only about six months. While it’s true that you can feast on teppanyaki, hibachi, Mongolian beef, sesame chicken and the like, the real reason to stop here is the option to order authentic Malaysian street food. The hand-written menu of options is taped to the wall and includes noodle dishes like tam tam, chow mee hun (sic), and char koay teow as well as laksa noodle soup. —D.P.

Congratulations

KNOXVILLE MERCURY.

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KNOXVILLE MERCURY 49

Voice in the Wilder ness

Winter Hike Embracing the cold in the heart of Knoxville’s Urban Wilderness BY KIM TREVATHAN

he trick to enduring a long winter is to embrace it, to go out and confront its winds and vapors and crusty frozen surfaces. There are no insects, no serpents, no poison ivy and no sweaty crowds in the beautiful places. Cold weather spurs you forward, makes you feel like moving, and the wild presents its beauty without adornment, revealing its architecture in stark contrasts of shadow and light. You can see a long way through air that seems cleaner, clearer. For these reasons, I picked the coldest day of 2015 to take a hike on the South Loop Trail in the Forks of the River Wildlife Management Area (WMA), into the heart of Knoxville’s

KNOXVILLE MERCURY March 12, 2015

Urban Wilderness. Winter storm Octavia had blown through post-Valentine’s Day, and the Polar Vortex had infiltrated from Siberia, dropping the temperature to three degrees at 7 a.m. I thought the trails would be untracked by humans, the wildlife unsuspecting. I imagined bucks leaping across my path; dodging, sprinting rabbits; maybe a fox or a bobcat too drowsy to dodge my camera lens. At the trailhead for the WMA, somebody had parked a red pickup. Abandoned, I thought, a big fancy truck that could not withstand the cold. Surely, there was no one out there ahead of me. As I approached the frozen swamp

on Wyatt Lane, five big booms shattered the silence. I couldn’t see the hunter, but he couldn’t have been more than 50 yards away in one of the dove fields. It was not dove season, I knew, but as I checked later, there were plenty of other animals in season, including armadillo, beaver, coyote, groundhog, and striped skunk, species you could hunt any time of year, without limits. The season for fox, mink, muskrat, river otter, spotted skunk, bobcat, squirrel, rabbit, grouse, snipe and crow ended on Feb. 28, in just a few days. For some reason, I preferred to think he was shooting at crow; at least he would be aiming in the air, and I imagined crow clever enough to avoid buckshot. (Non-hunters must stay on designated main trails on certain days: See outdoorknoxville.com/urban-wilderness near the bottom of page.) I veered away from the killing ground toward the South Loop Trail that runs along the French Broad River on a steep bluff. I wouldn’t be sneaking up on anything. The snow was a hard crust about an inch thick with a shell of thick ice beneath it. The crunching sound of my steps reverberated across the fields and through the thickets, and pushing the ice-laden cedar and privet

to clear the path sounded like tinkling chandeliers and spirits that shushed me as I shouldered them out of the way. Once I got on a trail called Dozer, I noticed something completely unexpected. Other humans had come this way, not just on foot but on bicycles. What cyclist was hardcore enough to be out here today? I decided it would be my mission to track them down, the two cyclists and the heavy-booted hiker who shadowed them. How dare they hike and bike in single-digit temperatures? The idea that someone had preceded me and spooked the wildlife on such an inhospitable day was galling. There’s something precious about bright sun on such a cold day, and as it rose above the dam-generated current of the French Broad and stirred ghostly vapors, I slowed my pace and imagined that the wildlife, curled up somewhere trying to stay warm, would arise and pose for me. But I was haunted by one species who seemed to be flitting about everywhere, a bird so common I could look out any window at home and spot a dozen: the cursed robin! I started seeing ruins of houses and then occupied houses. At a parking area I consulted a kiosk map and

decided to make a smaller loop back to the killing zone on Groundhog. I walked up Burnett Creek Road past a house which had two or three “No Trespassing” signs and a “Beware of the Dog” sign. Out front I was greeted by a pygmy snowman who had just finished a Mountain Dew. Perhaps this return to civilization disoriented me because instead of Groundhog I turned onto Lost Chromosome, still tracking the twin bike treads, which had continued, without faltering, for the three miles or so I’d hiked. Who were these guys? I determined that I needed to backtrack. Past the forbidden house and snowman sentinel, I walked again back to the actual map at the kiosk. I was aware of looking suspicious in my canvas military surplus parka with fur-rimmed hood. I’d have to walk past the house for a third time to find Groundhog, so I decided not to tempt the slumbering dog and returned to Dozer, the way I had come, and turned away from the river toward Groundhog, and other trails named Timber Doodle, Southside, and Coon. After I crossed a creek or two and blundered down the slippery slopes of these more narrow trails, I began to ponder the term “Urban Wilderness.”

There’s something precious about bright sun on such a cold day … I slowed my pace and imagined that the wildlife, curled up somewhere trying to stay warm, would arise and pose for me.

I hadn’t really seen anything that I’d considered urban except maybe the factory on Pickel Island. Urban implied a concentration of humans, none of which I’d actually seen. Yet I knew I was only a mile or so from a nature center, and a couple of miles as the crow flies from downtown Knoxville, the Sunsphere and TVA’s highrise, not to mention monumental Neyland Stadium. Was this wilderness? Officially designated wilderness areas took over an hour’s drive from my house in Maryville: Gee Creek way down 411 South near the Hiwassee River or Citico through a maze of backroads in Monroe County or over the Tail of the Dragon (Highway 129) to Joyce Kilmer Slickrock above Calderwood Lake. I’d bushwacked these places on- and off-trail and rock-hopped up creeks that poured whitewater from steep ridges, yet with the snow and the ice and the extreme temperatures, this urban nature didn’t seem that different. I hadn’t seen any litter, though it might have been covered up, and as I’d experienced in officially designated wilderness, the wildlife had room enough to make themselves scarce from trails and camera-happy tourists like me. There was much more here than you could hike or bike in a day, and it was big enough, at over 1,000 acres, for plenty of humans to share in activities that had minimal impact. I’d read that places like this in South Knoxville were unattractive to developers because of the rugged terrain, the ravines and steep bluffs and porous karst. That’s great: Do we really need another cluster of condos, a strip mall or a marina? After a few more wrong turns, I found my way back to the swamp. The hunter was still firing away, and the crows were calling—mocking him, I hoped, just out of his range. But I did not begrudge the hunter his use of the wilderness, and I hoped the hardcore bikers had a safe loop journey. I had to admire the fact that people were using these trails even in the least hospitable conditions. This gave me optimism for the possibility of groups like the Legacy Parks Foundation expanding and protecting areas like this, so much more vital for our mental and physical health than another Walmart.

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KNOXVILLE MERCURY 51

’BYE

Spir it of the Staircase

BY MATTHEW FOLTZ-GRAY

TALK TO US 52

KNOXVILLE MERCURY March 12, 2015

Thanks for reading the inaugural issue of the Knoxville Mercury! We still need your help to keep making independent, locally owned journalism for this city— please take our online survey and tell us what kind of stories you want to see in the paper. survature.com/s/knoxmercury BONUS: We’ll be rewarding one lucky respondent with two tickets to the Big Ears music festival!

At This Point

’BYE

Now Appearing Let’s start the presses BY STEPHANIE PIPER

f it’s not appearing, it’s disappearing. I heard that said once about visual art, but I believe it is true of every art form, including the written word. For the past four months, I have been practicing my own vanishing act. Last fall’s abrupt closure of an esteemed weekly, home to my monthly column, did not spur me into action. I did not start a novel. I did not finish a novel. I did not publish a slim volume of essays. What was I waiting for? A muse of fire? The answer is one any recovering journalist will recognize. I was waiting for a deadline. It’s the one essential ingredient of my creative process, and now it’s here. 600 words by Wednesday. I feel like cheering. This is my sixth newspaper. My first was a weekly in suburban Chicago, where I wrote features and society notes and the occasional theater review. I composed these on my old college typewriter at my dining room table at 5 a.m., the only reliably quiet hour of the day. I wrote about brides in fingertip veils and dresses trimmed with Alencon lace. I covered cat shows and town meetings and the Designer Show House. I interviewed newly arrived Vietnamese boat people and experts on teen suicide. I weighed in on the Glenview Theater Guild’s production of Auntie Mame. My deadline was Monday at noon for a Wednesday edition. Most Mondays, I was still typing at 11:45. Then we moved to Knoxville, and I parlayed my weekly experience into a full-time job with a metro daily. When I started at the Knoxville Journal in the fall of 1984, it felt like the last of the old-time newsrooms. Everyone smoked. The walls were stained yellow with nicotine. The police scanner buzzed and crackled three feet from my desk, where I labored to churn out perky copy for the Style section while listening to reports on the latest stabbing or shooting. It was a far cry from the dining-room table and

my battered Smith-Corona, but there was another key difference. The deadlines arrived every single day. I can still recall the stark terror I felt at the sight of the copy editor circling my computer, pointing at his watch. After the Journal closed in 1991, I did short stints at two other local publications. And then, in 1998, I began a 16-year run with my fifth paper, Metro Pulse. It was the longest relationship I ever had with a newspaper, and the happiest. I was back at my dining-room table, this time with a laptop. The deadline was Thursday. The rising tide of panic crested around Wednesday at midnight. It was a columnist’s dream: a smart, hip paper with smart, hip editors and a wide and diverse readership. I had carte blanche to write about anything I wanted, including my life, which was then at its midpoint. It seemed too good to be true. Last fall, the powers that be decided to make Knoxville’s alternative weekly disappear. Print is dead, or so we’re told. Dailies dwindle. Weeklies vanish. Not here. Today, against all odds, you’re reading a brand-new paper named for the Roman god of commerce, eloquence, and communication. Or maybe it’s for the chemical element that measures temperature, literally and figuratively. It might even be a nod to the iconoclastic American Mercury created by H.L. Mencken in 1924 and committed to challenging everything. All three references work. And today, thanks to grit and fearlessness and philanthropy and vision, so do a cadre of local writers, editors, art directors, publishers and sales managers. I slide into my chair at the dining-room table and stare at the blank computer screen, listen to the inexorable ticking of the kitchen clock. I am a fish restored to water. I rest my hands on the keyboard and wait for the words to appear. March 12, 2015

KNOXVILLE MERCURY 53

â&#x20AC;&#x2122;BYE

Crooked Street Crossword

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KNOXVILLE MERCURY March 12, 2015

R estless Nat ive

’BYE

Zoo Story A rather unlikely founding of the Knoxville Zoo BY CHRIS WOHLWEND

wo of my uncles, with assistance from a couple of baby alligators, founded Knoxville’s zoo. At least, that’s the story my mother told me. But I don’t want to mislead—the founding came about not as a noble act aimed at educating the general population. It happened as the result of a prank. My mother and her four brothers grew up in Burlington, on Lakeside Street, the short thoroughfare that forms the eastern boundary of Chilhowee Park. So they had a vast playground, complete with its own body of water, Lake Ottosee. The park had wildlife—songbirds and ducks and fish. So my uncles can be forgiven for thinking that alligators would be a natural, if not altogether welcome, addition. One summer in the late 1930s, as my mother told the story, Uncle Kenneth and Uncle Maynard, then in their late teens, made a trip to Florida. There, they discovered tourist stops that sold live baby alligators. And they decided that alligator mississippiensis would be right at home in Burlington. Their motives, as my mother related them, were completely innocent. She contended that they did not think of introducing them into Lake Ottosee, that they believed that my grandmother would welcome them into the household. Besides, she said, they were not thinking about the gators multiplying—they thought both babies were male, even naming them Kenneth and Maynard. Or maybe it was my grandmother who bestowed the monikers. My mother said she could not remember for sure. But conversations that I had with my uncles when I was a teenager made me think that their intent was more devious, that, from the beginning, they saw the lake as the natural home for the pair. Understandably, my grandmother wasn’t enamored of the horny new arrivals. A dog and a cat were pets enough, she reasoned. (The chickens

that had the run of the backyard were not pets—they were there to supply food.) So, before they had time to make friends with the dog and cat, before they had grown enough to take more than a passing interest in the chickens, the gators were transported to the lake and set free. Initially, it being summer and the water being studded with fuzzy ducklings, Kenneth and Maynard had easy pickings at mealtime. But as the ducklings—and the gators—matured mealtime became noisier, with whipping tails and panicky squawking and feathery splashing. Children fishing from the banks for sunfish took notice. Soon, Kenneth and Maynard were well on their way to becoming the stuff of urban legend. Children and their parents informed park personnel, who were at first skeptical—until they witnessed snack-time themselves. Traps were set and the pair soon imprisoned. But then the park’s overseers faced the problem of what to do with a couple of fast-growing alligators. An idea was hatched, and, on the hill facing the lake from the west side of the park, a pen was constructed, with a small pond and a few rocks. The alligators, at least, could view their former home, with its duck population, from their new digs. Later, they would be joined on the hill by a pair of lions (named Romeo and Juliet), a troop of monkeys, fowl ranging from noisy guineas to showy peacocks to pushy pigeons taking advantage of the park-provided food intended for the official residents. Eventually, Ole Diamond, the elephant generally credited with being the catalyst of today’s first-rate zoological garden, would join them. But, in my family, Kenneth and Maynard, two scaly Florida fugitives named for their rescuers, were the true founders of the zoo.

TALK TO US Thanks for reading the inaugural issue of The Knoxville Mercury! We still need your help to keep making independent, locally owned journalism for this city—please take our online survey and tell us what kind of stories you want to see in the paper. survature.com/s/knoxmercury

BONUS We'll be rewarding one lucky respondent with two tickets to the Big Ears music festival!

March 12, 2015

KNOXVILLE MERCURY 55

Céad Míle Fáilte! Clancy's Tavern Welcomes

The Knoxville Mercury Issue #1!

St. Patrick's Day Party Sat. 3/14 & Tues. 3/17

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Saturday March 14th • 8PM $1 oﬀ select Irish Whiskeys CLANCY'S TAVERN & WHISKEY HOUSE Downtown Knoxville's Irish Pub 602 S Gay St. • Knoxville, TN 37902 • 865-219-1266 www.ClancysTavernKnoxville.com