Vol. 2, Issue 5 - Feb. 4, 2016

BE MINE: A Uniquely Knoxvillian Valentine’s Day Gift Guide FEB. 4, 2016 KNOXMERCURY.COM

DOING IT ALL FOR LOVE V.

NEWS

UT Campus Groups Form Pro-Diversity Collective to Fight “Hostile Climate”

JACK NEELY

The Mystery of the Birthplace of Tennessee’s Missing Plaque

2 / N.5

ART

Painter Heather Hartman’s Evocative Mental Landscapes

DONNA JOHNSON

Okay, Cupid—So What’s the Big Deal About Love, Anyway?

Happy Birthday, Tennessee The State Constitutional Convention was completed in downtown Knoxville, 220 years ago this Saturday.

Feb. 6, 1796, was once considered Tennessee’s birthdate. It was the final day of the Constitutional Convention, a month-long meeting in downtown Knoxville. At that convention, 55 delegates from across the Southwestern Territory gathered here to draw up the new state’s first Constitution, including the basic laws that would govern the new American settlements from the Appalachians to the Mississippi River.

William Cocke, Joseph Anderson, Archibald Roane, John Rhea, and Landon Carter.

On Feb. 6, 220 years ago Saturday, those founders of Tennessee signed that finished document.

Unlike some constitutions, like that of North Carolina, it did not demand that office holders be Protestant Christians. “No preference shall ever be given by law to any religious establishments or modes of worship… No religious test shall ever be requied as a qualification to any office or public trust under this State.”

The main convention was held in the office of Col. David Henley, who was an agent from the George Washington administration, at the southwest corner of Gay Street and Church Avenue. That corner was once honored as the Birthplace of Tennessee.

It was one of the most esteemed gatherings in Knoxville history. The territory was divided into only 11 counties, and each county sent five delegates to the convention. Some were from nearby Virginia or North Carolina, but several of Tennessee’s leading founders were originally from Pennsylvania. A few delegates were immigrants from Ireland, including Knox County’s John Adair.

The original Great Seal of the State of Tennessee, included, at the bottom, a specific date: “FEB 6 1796.” It was the day the first Tennessee Constitution was completed and signed in downtown Knoxville. The site of that event is now a parking lot. The “FEB 6” was removed from the official seal in the 1840s. A commemorative event will be held this Saturday, Feb. 6, at Blount Mansion.

However, it added that “No person who denies the being of god, or a future state of rewards and punishments, shall hold any office in the civil department of the State.”

The Knoxville constitution did not differentiate between the rights of blacks and whites, and permitted free black men to vote and to bear arms. Most blacks in Tennessee during that era were slaves, but free black men voted during Tennessee’s first Among the attendees were James Image courtesy of wikipedia 38 years as a state. However, a second constituRobertson, founder of Nashville, and future tion written in Nashville in 1834 restricted president Andrew Jackson, both representing fast-growing Davidson County. blacks’ right to vote–and guaranteed the right to bear arms only for whites.

According to an old unproven tradition, it was Jackson who suggested the Cherokee word “Tennessee” for the new state.

The constitution was broad-reaching in some respects. Although the mouth of the Mississippi River was controlled by King Charles IV of Spain, and would The youngest delegate–he may have been no older than 20–was William soon be controlled by Napoleon’s France, the delegates gathered in Knoxville–400 C.C. Claiborne, who later became the first English-speaking governor of miles away from the river–declared that “the free navigation of the Mississippi Louisiana. Claiborne County, Tenn. is named for him, but so is Claiborne is one of the inherent rights of the citizens of this State; it cannot, therefore, be County, Miss.; Claiborne Parish, La.; and Claiborne Avenue, the longest conceded to any prince, potentate, power, person or persons whatever.” street in New Orleans.

Knox County’s delegation included Knoxville founder James White, his son-in-law, Charles McClung, and territorial Gov. William Blount, who had signed the U.S. Constitution in Philadelphia about eight years before.

Thomas Jefferson reportedly remarked that it was “the least imperfect and most republican” of the 16 state constitutions up to that time.

Among the delegates were several future governors and U.S. senators.

Several delegates were so prominent in Tennessee history that they have counties named for them. They included John McNairy, Joseph McMinn,

A celebration of the 220th anniversary of the signing will be held at Blount Mansion this Saturday, Feb. 6, at 2:00, with Jack Rentfro and his band reading parts of the original constitution to improvisational musical accompaniment.

Source: The Calvin M. McClung Historical Collection

The Knoxville History Project, a new nonprofit organization devoted to the promotion of and education about the history of Knoxville, presents this page each week to raise awareness of the themes, personalities, and stories of our unique city.

Learn more on www.facebook.com/knoxvillehistoryproject • email jack@knoxhistoryproject.org 2

KNOXVILLE MERCURY February 4, 2016

Feb. 4, 2016 Volume 02 / Issue 05 knoxmercury.com

CONTENTS

“Remembrance of things past is not necessarily the remembrance of things as they were.” —Marcel Proust

10 Familiar Strangers COVER STORY

“Vernacular photographs” are shot by amateurs rather than artful professionals—they’re family snapshots, studio portraits, street photos. Most of them were meant to be seen by just a small group of people: friends and family. And they often end up abandoned to the trash collector. After all, why would anyone want someone else’s family photos? The Tennessee Archive of Moving Image and Sound, for one. Coury Turczyn peruses their growing collection of rescued orphan photos for clues to Knoxville life in the early 20th century.

NEWS

8 United Front Since August 2015, the University of Tennessee has found itself on the front pages of the Huffington Post and Fox News websites over issues such as advisories on the use of gender-neutral pronouns and how to host a nondenominational holiday party. And now, amid an effort by state legislators to conduct a full-blown investigation of UT’s diversity efforts, pro-diversity student groups are uniting to make their own voices heard in the ongoing brouhaha.

McCord Pagan reports.

Inside: Be Mine Gift Guide Hey, it’s going to be Valentine’s Day soon! What are you going to get your beloved? We’ve got some ideas from Knoxville merchants!

DEPARTMENTS

OPINION

A&E

4 5

6

16

36

Letters Howdy Start Here: Roadside Sketches

by Andrew Gresham, By the Numbers, Public Affairs, Quote Factory ’Bye Finish There: Sacred & Profane by Donna Johnson, Crooked Street Crossword by Ian Blackburn and Jack Neely, Spirit of the Staircase by Matthew Foltz-Gray

7

Scruffy Citizen Jack Neely goes in search of a missing plaque that once marked the Birthplace of Tennessee.

Possum City Eleanor Scott appreciates the wildlife revelations afforded by a heavy snowfall.

17 18 23 24 25

CALENDAR Program Notes: An update on the Black Lillies.

26

Spotlights: René Marie, Hitchcock/ Truffaut

Shelf Life: Chris Barrett offers some new Blu-ray additions to the Knox County Public Library.

Art: S. Heather Duncan takes in painter Heather Hartman’s mental landscapes.

Classical Music: Alan Sherrod reviews some recent performances by the UT music department.

Movies: April Snellings rides the wave with Disney’s The Finest Hours.

Home Video: Lee Gardner recalls the true-crime documentary that started it all, The Thin Blue Line.

February 4, 2016

KNOXVILLE MERCURY 3

LETTERS Delivering Fine Journalism Since 2015

OUR NEW FAVORITE READER OF ALL TIME

I have composed several letters after reading my weekly editions of the Knoxville Mercury—some in my head, and some actually made it to the computer.

You published one a few months ago, so subsequent attempts on my part have been tossed as too much expression of ego. I just want to say that you guys are doing an amazing job in every way.

I noticed several other rags popped up after the demise of Metro Pulse, but they are all and only about entertainment, most of which doesn’t interest me. There is one environmental tabloid, which is good but irregular, it seems.

But the Mercury has consistently excellent writing—not mere journalism, but passionate, highly literate journalism. Not only can I find important, interesting, and well-written pieces on history, music, the environment, and politics, I can often also identify who wrote each article without looking at the byline. Your writers, paid and unpaid, are all fantastic, readable, and talented. It did take me a few passes to fully appreciate George Dodds academic style, but I think he has toned down, and as an architecture buff by family tradition, I now eagerly look forward to what he has to say next.

I read every single article in the Mercury (except the ones on rock music) from beginning to end.

And the marriage to the Knox History Project is a fucking brilliant stroke, brilliantly executed.

I know you have lots of support, but there will never be enough. I know you have received many kudos from many corners, but too much can’t be said for what you are doing. I still don’t like Knoxville as much as you guys do, but it’s where I’m from and where I am, even though I escaped for a long time a few years back.

Keep up the good work, and may The Force continue to be with you!

Charles “Chaz” Barber Knoxville

RANDOM REVELATIONS

Yes, the article that had to do with ads was somewhat of an eye-opener. [“Be Immortal. Advertise,” Scruffy Citizen 4

KNOXVILLE MERCURY February 4, 2016

by Jack Neely, Jan. 7, 2016] Maybe a revelation.

Yes, its true that so much of our memories have to do with products, and business locations.

And that a lot of the things we value are founded on money—and if money doesn’t appear, then the people, products, tidbits, and fun are gone.

Memories can be commercial.

Since the Ledger put an old Coke ad on its cover, I now drink Coke (Zero, of course).

Joe Sullivan’s article “Unexpected Developments” [Perspectives, Oct. 1, 2015] seemed to embrace your ideas, that preservation can be commercial—with the reassessment of the Andrew Johnson Hotel.

But he blew it with his embrace of Midway development.

He even mentioned that the people wanted to say something about their community culture—and then he left them behind to praise Burchett.

Tax base as the only real priority.

Life will be hard for Mercury’s preservation efforts.

I do value trees and would like to see preservation values used to save fields of flowers.

I’m shocked that is not a value that Knoxville embraces.

So… Want to know what people in 2116 will know about Knoxville of 2016?

That there were continuous secret negotiations with Knox County government.

That the secret negotiations happened because the companies would soon reveal they lied about deals made with the politicians “back home”; the companies lied about being a job-maker—and left their former employees behind.

Larry Pennington Knoxville

DIGITIZING THE FIRST DRAFT OF HISTORY

Thanks to Paul James, executive director of Ijams Nature Center, for his letter [ Jan. 21, 2016] that applauds the Library Foundation’s project, “From Papers to Pixels,” to digitize the Knoxville News Sentinel from

1922 to 1990. It’s gratifying to hear stories such as his, where his research of the Ijams family was furthered as he looked at one of the two years, 1940 and 1982, that are already digitized. Imagine the doors to the past that will open when we have all the years completed.

We are within striking distance of our $600,000 target with $100,000 to go. Help us reach that goal by sending in a check to Knox County Library Foundation, 500 W. Church Ave., Knoxville, 37902, attention Casey Fox, or going to knoxlib.org/foundation for the option of paying online.

Ginna Mashburn, President Knox County Library Foundation

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR GUIDELINES

• Letter submissions should include a verifiable name, address, and phone number.

We do not print anonymous letters.

• We much prefer letters that address issues that pertain specifically to Knoxville or to stories we’ve published.

• We don’t publish letters about personal disputes or how you didn’t like your waiter at that restaurant.

• Letters are usually published in the order that we receive them.

Send your letters to: Our Dear Editor Knoxville Mercury 706 Walnut St., Suite 404 Knoxville, TN 37920 Send an email to: editor@knoxmercury.com Or message us at: facebook.com/knoxmercury

BACK ISSUES: ORDER NOW!

That’s right—our online store now offers you the ability to order physical copies of back issues and engage a human being to deliver them to your home. It’s just that easy! Meanwhile, you can also shop for all of our Knoxville Mercury goods and services. We’ve got merchandise, League of Supporter memberships, and amazingly enough, classified ads! And remember, all proceeds go to a worthy cause: keeping your favorite weekly paper in business.

Go to: store.knoxmercury.com.

EDITORIAL EDITOR Coury Turczyn coury@knoxmercury.com SENIOR EDITOR Matthew Everett matthew@knoxmercury.com CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Jack Neely jack@knoxhistoryproject.org STAFF WRITERS S. Heather Duncan heather@knoxmercury.com Clay Duda clay@knoxmercury.com CONTRIBUTORS

Chris Barrett Ian Blackburn Patrice Cole Eric Dawson George Dodds Lee Gardner Mike Gibson Carey Hodges Nick Huinker Donna Johnson

Rose Kennedy Dennis Perkins Stephanie Piper Ryan Reed Eleanor Scott Alan Sherrod April Snellings Joe Sullivan Kim Trevathan 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 ILLUSTRATORS

Ben Adams Matthew Foltz-Gray

ADVERTISING PUBLISHER & DIRECTOR OF SALES Charlie Vogel charlie@knoxmercury.com SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Scott Hamstead scott@knoxmercury.com Stacey Pastor stacey@knoxmercury.com

BUSINESS BUSINESS MANAGER Scott Dickey scott.dickey@knoxmercury.com

KNOXVILLE MERCURY 706 Walnut St., Suite 404, Knoxville, Tenn. 37902 knoxmercury.com • 865-313-2059 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR & PRESS RELEASES editor@knoxmercury.com CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS calendar@knoxmercury.com SALES QUERIES sales@knoxmercury.com DISTRIBUTION distribution@knoxmercury.com

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Terry Hummel Joe Sullivan Jack Neely Coury Turczyn Charlie Vogel 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. © 2016 The Knoxville Mercury

HOWDY

thinkstock.com

BY THE NUMBERS

Point and Click

1,824 87 5,839

Federally-licensed firearm dealers in the state of Tennessee as of January.

Gun retailers in Knoxville.

Guns confiscated by police and tied to criminal activity in Tennessee in 2014. Of those, 2,559 were purchased in-state.

1,360 114

Guns purchased in Tennessee tied to criminal activity in other states in 2014.

More people killed by gunshots than car accidents in Tennessee in 2014, the second year shooting fatalities outpaced automobile deaths in the state, according to statistics from the CDC and Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security.

Roadside Sketches by Andrew Gresham (agreshamphoto.com)

QUOTE FACTORY

—Clay Duda

“ A new branding effort and a combined athletics department, however, will never erase history and tradition.”

Sources: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Center for Disease Control (CDC); Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security.

—University of Tennessee Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek in a statement released on Monday announcing a commemorative patch “honoring the legacy of the Lady Vols.” The patches will be worn by women’s athletics teams during the 2016–2017 season as a sort of farewell to their previous branding. The basketball team, however, will continue to use the name Lady Vols.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS

2/4 HEALTH FAIR: ‘HERE FOR HER HEART’ 2/5 CITY OF KNOXVILLE BUDGET RETREAT 2/8 KM’S HISTORIC HAPPY HOUR THURSDAY

5-8 p.m., Lindsay Young Downtown YMCA (605 Clinch Ave.). Free.

Heart disease is actually a leading cause of death not only for stressed-out editors of weekly papers, but also women as a whole. The Downtown Y is hosting this Girls’ Night Out featuring health screenings, massages, vendors, and Dr. Christen Fleming from UT Medical Center with tips on women’s health and heart disease (6 p.m.).

FRIDAY

9:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Knoxville Convention Center, Room 200 ABC. Free.

Watch—LIVE!—as Mayor Madeline Rogero and her staff present a mid-year budget review to City Council. PLUS: status reports on major initiatives! Although this budget-planning session is billed as a “retreat,” don’t expect things to get too kray-kray.

MONDAY

5:30-7:30 p.m., Tupelo Honey Cafe (1 Market Square).

Free.

We’re starting up a new series of public meetups, and this time we’re bringing out the big guns: drinks with Jack Neely as he tells spicy tales of historic buildings.

This month: the Kerns Building, currently home to the Oliver, Oliver Royale, and Tupelo Honey Cafe. We’ll be going on a mini tour, and Tupelo Honey will be dishing out some hors d’oeuvres.

2/10 BROWN BAG LECTURE: APPALACHIAN VIOLENCE WEDNESDAY

11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., East Tennessee History Center (601 South Gay St.). Free.

Post-Civil War Breathitt County, Ky. became known as feud central. But UT prof T. R. C. Hutton argues that “feud” became a loaded term that sometimes disguises the more complex nature of the violence, as he details in his book Bloody Breathitt: Politics and Violence in the Appalachian South.

February 4, 2016

KNOXVILLE MERCURY 5

SCRUFFY CITIZEN

The Birthplace of Tennessee A missing plaque, and a mystery

BY JACK NEELY

W

e have what I think should be a big anniversary coming up this weekend. The Great Seal of the State of Tennessee has always included 1796, the year of the state’s birth. Until the 1840s, it had a precise date on it: Feb. 6, 1796. That day’s momentous event happened on Gay Street, in what’s now a blank surface parking lot.

Most cities don’t get to witness the founding of a state. The Constitutional Convention was the biggest thing that happened in Knoxville in the 18th century. Fifty-five early frontier leaders, most of them Revolutionary War veterans, several of them legends in Tennessee history, met on Gay Street for a month to decide how they would govern themselves. They finished Tennessee’s first constitution on Feb. 6, 1796.

The fact a state was born here is unknown even to most Knoxvillians.

I’m not the first to bring that up.

Back in the 1940s, as the state’s sesquicentennial approached, librarians, historians, and heritage groups prioritized anchoring Knoxville’s place in Tennessee history. In 1940, young librarian Lucile Deaderick wrote a feature article about it in the Knoxville Journal. She thought the site of the constitutional convention should be permanently commemorated. “A marker would perpetuate Knoxville’s leading position in the state’s early history,” she wrote.

Then her older colleague, Mary Utopia Rothrock, a legend in the

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KNOXVILLE MERCURY February 4, 2016

library arts, wrote a book called The French Broad Holston Country.

Published in 1946, the year of the state sesquicentennial, her book remains the only comprehensive history of Knox County. In it, she identified the site of that dramatic convention as the headquarters of federal agent David Henley, “at the southwest corner of what is today the intersection of Gay Street and Church Avenue.”

By then, Henley’s office was already long gone, probably torn down before the Civil War. What was there in 1946 was the Knaffl Building, the ca. 1900 brick commercial building that housed the well-known Knaffl & Bro. photographic studio.

The state Legislature and heritage groups led by the Daughters of the American Revolution spearheaded a vigorous effort to install four plaques denoting Knoxville’s role in the founding of Tennessee. The first and most important was unveiled in 1947, declaring that corner spot “The Birthplace of the State of Tennessee.”

The unveiling, which included a church service, drew dignitaries from Chattanooga and Nashville, including William Eagle, the clerk of the Tennessee Supreme Court. The dark, significant-looking bronze plaque remained there on the Knaffl Building for almost half a century.

Other plaques, denoting other spots where the early state legislatures met, were placed on buildings on Main Street and State. A small marble obelisk appeared on the

courthouse lawn. For a few years, Knoxville was all about being the Birthplace of Tennessee.

But things happened. The plaques were applied to buildings, and in those days, buildings tended to get torn down.

One plaque, citing the first courthouse, was on the old Bell House School. One was on the old streetcar barn. Three of the four disappeared.

The first one, the Birthplace one, lasted the longest, though it was partly obscured by one of those applied riverstone facades that were all the rage in the 1960s. They left a rectangle that would allow you to see the plaque. Thereafter it was recessed and shadowed, but still legible for those who knew to look, a curiosity I used to like to point out to folks. It was like a secret distinction.

Around 1994, a fire in the Knaffl Building caused extensive damage. It was finally torn down in late 1995, just weeks before the bicentennial of the Feb. 6, 1796 convention. The multi-million-dollar Nashville-based bicentennial celebration didn’t pay much attention to either the date or the place.

On a day when snow was still clinging to the demolition rubble, I was there on that date with a small group of about four guys, including the late Tom Henley, local attorney and a direct descendant of David Henley, who used to do business on that corner. Tom was anxious to commemorate the bicentennial of the Constitution, and we did so, standing amongst the broken bricks frosted with snow, with some commemorative words and a flask of Jack Daniel’s to anoint the spot.

By then, of course, the plaque was gone. I’ve often wondered what happened to it.

Several years ago, County Commissioner Mike Brown contacted the city, said that he’d had custody of a

plaque that was on that building, and rightly thought it should be returned to its proper site. Back in the ’90s Brown was working with his dad, who was property manager for the Dulin/Folger estate, who owned the building. When it was clear the Knaffl Building was going to be torn down, Brown, unscrewed the plaque and stored it in his dad’s shed.

He didn’t think about it again until after his dad’s death, when he found the old plaque and duly turned it over to city government in the City County Building. That was eight or nine years ago, sometime during Mayor Haslam’s administration. In recent years, Brown says he’s been bugging Rick Emmett, downtown coordinator for the Rogero administration, to put it back up, even though there’s no longer a building there, and a parking-lot landscaping project seemed the opportunity to do that.

They did some rummaging around in the City County Building, and did find an old sesquicentennial-era plaque. But here’s the thing.

The one they found, and the one Brown says is the one he remembers removing in 1995, is not the Birthplace of Tennessee plaque. It’s one of the missing sesquicentennial plaques, but it’s the one that marked where the state legislature met in the early 1800s. According to contemporary newspaper accounts, it was originally mounted in 1951 on the old streetcar barn on Main Street. That building was torn down not long afterward.

I’ve checked with the Knox County historian and the East Tennessee Historical Society. Several folks remember the Birthplace plaque on the Knaffl building. Nobody knows what became of it.

Emmett wants to put the plaques back in their proper places. Clues are welcome. ◆

It was recessed and shadowed, but still legible for those who knew to look, a curiosity I used to like to point out to folks.

It was like a secret distinction.

POSSUM CITY

Fresh Tracks Living with wild animals

BY ELEANOR SCOTT

F

by the Ninja Turtles, or, their own Parkridge Boo Radley: a Turtles-themed beach ball, and a sprig of azalea. On another day, they found hanging below the sewer grate an Eastern spiritual decoration made of wood and rope that they used as nunchucks.

Another time they brought me a “vet thing” they found in the ditch next to the grate, a hypodermic needle and syringe, full of muddy rainwater.

Here’s a thing that fascinates me: the proximity of disparate worlds. The bubbles that rarely burst. The crust of asphalt between my feet and the subterranean world of wild animals is thin. An old street needle is held by a child who remembers the time her cat got a vaccine at the vet’s office. A token from a world of craving and loss made its way into a world of innocence and trust. It’s a clue. Still, the bubble didn’t burst. Things slip

Eleanor Scott is a freelance writer and columnist living in East Knoxville. Possum City tells small stories of wildlife and people thriving on the edges of the city.

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resh snow lays bare the secret wanderings of the wild urban animals that live among us. Taking out the trash during our last snowfall, I spotted rabbit tracks in the clean, undisturbed snow in the alley. A few minutes before, I had dumped the compost in the bin beside the trash can, and I saw no rabbit then. She must have dodged around a corner as I approached. She must have sat so still I passed by unaware.

The rabbit had loped down the entire block, I saw. The tracks ran past the backyard with the always-barking dogs, got lost in the lee of the shed where no snow had fallen, and picked back up at the corner, before disappearing for good into the stormwater culvert. It was a strange picture, the wholesome country rabbit living in the city sewer.

I wonder what-all wild animals are using the culverts and sewers as underground highways. I’ve seen raccoons slink head-fi rst into the small sewer drain at the curb, like the Foot Clan ninjas do in the fi rst Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie, a scene that caught my imagination as a kid and that I always wanted to try.

During the height of my own kids’ Ninja Turtles phase, they pushed letters and birthday party invitations down the sewer grate at the corner of our yard, addressed to Leo, Donny, Mikey, and Raff. Ninja Turtles live in the sewer, you know, with their rat sensei: wise, kind Master Splinter, who got the most fan mail. He got so much mail, the slots of the sewer-grate mailbox were crammed full.

Some notes drifted into the street for passers-by to pick up.

One day, my kids found gifts left

through the rainbow soap and the walls bounce back unscarred.

What a lot of effort it takes for signs and portents to sink in. The last summer of my marriage, I happened upon both a four-leaf clover and a snake nearly every day. They were visitations of sorts, small mascots of a personal apocalypse. My dreaming eyes tried all summer to zero in on some slippery something that was not right, and focused instead on primal, symbolic shapes in the grass: leaves arranged in a lovely crisp pinwheel, and a lunging white-bellied streak.

Some people have never found a four-leaf clover and don’t encounter snakes that often, but I know they can always be found right there at the edge of the sidewalk. When one wanders around myopically staring at the fascinating ground, all is invisible but four-leaf clovers and small snakes saying, “You are charmed. Beware.”

Us humans have the forward-facing eyes of chasers, not prey. We don’t see the ambush coming.

With gloved hands, the children turn over the Snake Rock, a flat piece of marble under which they can often fi nd a tiny brown snake coiled. Not today. The snow has driven the snakes farther underground.

More wild animals live in this densely populated inner-city neighborhood than I expected, navigating the in-between spaces of city life. And I know I also live in a little patch of weeds that is my whole world. ◆

February 4, 2016

KNOXVILLE MERCURY 7

Photo by McCord Pagan

United Front UT campus groups combine to form a pro-diversity collective fighting a “hostile climate”

BY MCCORD PAGAN

S

tudent protests in the heart of the administration building. Threats to cut funding by state legislators.

Calls for resignations of top university officials by politicians. Possible loss of university accreditation.

Since August 2015, all these disputes and more have assailed the University of Tennessee, pushing a school once primarily known as an SEC football powerhouse onto the front pages of the Huffington Post and Fox News websites over issues such as advisories on the use of gender-neutral pronouns and how to host a non-denominational holiday party.

And now, amid an effort by state legislators to conduct a full-blown investigation of UT’s diversity efforts, pro-diversity student groups are uniting to make their own voices heard in the ongoing brouhaha.

If you somehow managed to avoid the controversies, here’s the short version: In August, a post written by Donna Braquet, the director of the Pride Center, a resource center for LGBT+ students at UT, asked that professors and students consider using gender-neutral pronouns for anyone who requests it. In early December, a blog post from the Office for Diversity and Inclusion

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KNOXVILLE MERCURY February 4, 2016

asked that any office holiday parties that month be inclusive of all employees by making sure the party is “not a Christmas party in disguise.” After a severe backlash from Tennessee politicians— local, state, and national—both posts were taken down by the university.

Removing them made many students, in particular non-Christian and members of the LGBT+ community, feel that their views and issues do not matter, says Elizabeth Stanfield, a senior at UT double majoring in anthropology and geography. Stanfield represents Sexual Empowerment and Awareness at Tennessee, the student organization that promotes Sex Week.

“They’re not rules anyone has to follow, they’re not dramatic.… Seeing that kind of backlash over baby steps really says to them that people are so reluctant to make anyone feel included here,” she says. “How would the (legislature) feel about bigger things?”

In response to the deletion of the posts, the perceived lack of support by the administration for Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Inclusion Rickey Hall, and what activists call a hostile climate on campus for minorities, Stanfield and leaders of other campus groups have formed UT Diversity Matters this

semester to organize for marginalized students. It is a coalition of 16 faculty and student organizations, including the Black Student Union, Sexual Empowerment and Awareness at Tennessee, and the UT College Democrats, united in calling for the UT administration to better promote and protect marginalized students.

The coalition is demanding that the administration publicly apologize for taking down the posts, that it openly support diversity initiatives, and that it puts in place mandatory LGBT+ training for all new students, faculty, and staff. Despite the political climate and backlash by conservative state politicians, the demands are not so unrealistic, Stanfield says, as the coalition is asking for policies that already exist at other universities.

UCLA, for example, has a mandatory diversity class credit.

But getting their demands heard might be another issue. Under the current climate, Stanfield says many students feel alienated and ignored during these conversations.

“Legislators are part of this conversation,” Stanfield says, “The administration is part of this conversation. But students just aren’t mentioned.”

A scheduled Jan. 29 meeting between coalition leaders and UT Chancellor Jimmy Cheek fell through due to what administrators said was a scheduling error. Though planned weeks in advance, some last-minute confusion and miscommunication over the location of the meeting resulted in Cheek failing to show up and leaving campus by early afternoon, leaving many students upset over what they saw as the chancellor avoiding students.

A new meeting between Cheek and the coalition has been scheduled for early February. Colleen Ryan, a junior in global studies and a member of the coalition from SEAT, says the group is optimistic this one will turn out better than the last.

“We’re approaching these talks in good faith and we’re hoping the administration is doing the same,” Ryan says.

Beyond being ignored, some students—in particular members of the LGBT+ community at UT—say they feel threatened and uncomfortable by the climate. In mid-January, the Pride Center was broken into by an unknown trespasser and glass strewn across the floor.

While the University of Tennessee

Police Department is not investigating the act as a hate crime, Braquet says the break-in is not an isolated incident.

Over the past two years, the center has lost three flags, a plastic sidewalk sign, and a banner to vandals.

While she admits the possibility that the acts were not done out of hate, students at the resource center feel threatened all the same, she says.

“When you start to add them up [you] see that it’s a pattern,” Braquet says, “And then it’s leading up to an actual attack on the building and space itself, that is actually frightening to students that [should] feel like this is one of the safest places on campus.

“They feel like they are being targeted. That LGBT people are being targeted.”

The Princeton Review ranked UT-Knoxville as the 5th most LGBT unfriendly campus in the country for 2015, a list including both public and private schools in the U.S. While pressure is building against diversity initiatives from Tennessee politicians, UT has outwardly been trying to improve its approach to minorities, one method of which was establishing the vice chancellor for diversity position in 2013.

Last September, a campus task force recommended UT add diversity and inclusion as a new, sixth metric on its long-term goal of becoming a top 25 public research university.

The task force recommended UT work to recruit and retain more students of racial and socioeconomically diverse backgrounds, have a more diverse faculty and staff with an emphasis on equal gender representation, and improve the campus climate to make the school welcoming to all.

“Our aspiration to prepare students to lead on national and global levels requires that they be exposed to different cultures and backgrounds during their experience at UT,” according to the document.

In 2014, 23 percent of all UT Knoxville students identified as nonwhite. About 19 percent of the entering freshman class that year were minority students, the largest being African Americans at 8 percent, according to statistics from the university.

The overall percentage of black undergraduate students at UT has fallen over the past several years, from 8.6 percent in 2006 to 6.9 percent in 2015.

Following the holiday post in December, Rep. Eddie Smith and

other Republican Knoxville legislators asked for a joint hearing into the UT-Knoxville Office for Diversity and Inclusion. The hearing has been approved by House Speaker Beth Harwell but must still be approved by Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey. (In response to the holiday post in December, Ramsey called for “heads to roll” at the Office for Diversity and Inclusion, saying Hall should step down.)

“It’s concerns a lot of the constituents have, which is, ‘What exactly is the purpose of the Office for Diversity and Inclusion?’” Smith says. “There’s an understanding out there that it really is just for one section of our society, and I think the reality of it is that it actually helps a broader scope of our society.”

He continues: “We may find some areas that it [the Office for Diversity and Inclusion] is inefficient and we need to tighten those up,” Smith says.

“And we may find some areas that we need to double down on and put some more emphasis on.”

According to UT’s own numbers, diversity spending rounds out to $5.5 million, or about 0.25 percent of the UT System’s $2.1 billion budget.

Smith says the committee is not trying to micromanage the university’s budget, rather is just asking for the office to report to the General Assembly.

However, there has been some question about whether legislative action could impact the school’s accreditation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, which mandates that universities be able to operate without political interference. But Smith says that because UT operates partly from taxpayer money from the General Assembly, the state Legislature is not an outside influence.

If approved, the committee will also be investigating diversity offices at Tennessee’s other public universities, Smith says.

“This is not meant to be a ‘gotcha’ kind of hearing,” Smith says. “I understand the UT students’ concerns that there may not be enough diversity, but that will come out in the hearing if we’re able to have it.”

On Jan. 20, state Rep. Martin Daniel, R-Knoxville, and state Sen. Frank Niceley, R-Strawberry Plains, also filed a bill with the General Assembly to limit UT’s total spending on diversity, multicultural, and sustainability to $1.5 million per year at UT-K, and only $2.5 million for the entire UT System.

A separate bill filed by state Sen. Todd Gardenhire, R-Chattanooga, and state Rep. James Van Huss, R-Jonesborough, would end all state funds from going to the Office for Diversity and Inclusion and instead direct the money to place decals of the national motto “In God We Trust” on local and state law enforcement vehicles.

What does Rickey Hall—who, as the Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Inclusion, has been at the center of the dispute—think of all this? It’s difficult to find out. Since the controversy blew up in December, he has lost the ability to independently schedule meetings with the media; UT announced that he would be “counseled.” (The student coalition also demands that Hall regain his ability to post independently on the website.)

However, in a pre-media-lockdown interview with Hall in September about his role on campus and how he wants to facilitate diversity education, he tied his efforts to making the university more economically competitive.

“We have a responsibility as an institution for every student we admit here to try and make sure that this space is welcoming,” Hall says. “Now people are talking about [diversity] as an economic imperative, wow it helps bring business and creates a healthier state.”

For UT to be successful and adapt to the nation’s shifting demographics, the school must better recruit students from families that have not traditionally attended college so that the country can replace its aging, educated, and mostly white professionals, Hall says.

By 2060, non-Hispanic whites are projected to no longer make up the majority population of the U.S. as other minorities, in particular Hispanics, grow in number. Many large corporations already emphasize diversity, and if UT’s graduates already understand inclusiveness, they will be more attractive to future employers, Hall says.

“Go look at the Fortune 500 companies, look at what they’re doing,” Hall says. “How many of them have diversity councils? How many employ resource groups around specific identify groups? Why are they doing that?”

At least one academic paper by the National Bureau of Economic Research has found that workforces that are more culturally diverse stimulate and enhance economies, while societies with a more homogeneous population lag behind. ◆

Can an old bakery have a romantic past?

Find out in the first of our Historic Happy Hour series with Knoxville’s resident historian and Knoxville Mercury columnist, Jack Neely.

He’ll tell us all about the surprisingly romantic past of one of the oldest buildings on Market Square.

The historic Kerns Building today houses Tupelo Honey Cafe, the Oliver Hotel, and Oliver Royale, which will also be stops on the tour.

Monday, Feb. 8 5:30-7:30 pm Tupelo Honey Cafe (in the historic Kerns Building on Market Square) Scratch-made, delicious Southern food provided by Tupelo Honey Cafe.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

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KNOXVILLE MERCURY February 4, 2016

Photos courtesy of of the Tennessee Archive of Moving Image and Sound

S

he stands in front of the American Beauty Parlor like a blue-collar Mona Lisa, wearing a crisp white uniform that looks more appropriate for a wartime nurse than a small-town beautician. Her gaze is drawn away from the camera just as her smile begins to rise, as if the shutter was tripped at the very same moment someone had arrived to distract her.

Was it a boyfriend? Her parents? Was this her first day on the job—or was this her very own salon?

Why was this particular moment at a local storefront being memorialized?

We may never know.

But it’s just the sort of photograph that reveals a more intimate side to history—one that is starting to gain value among both historians and collectors of ephemera.

When we view historical images, it is traditionally through the lens of someone who was consciously trying to record history: the war correspondent, the news photographer, the portrait artist, or even the paparazzi.

“Vernacular photographs,” on the other hand, are shot by amateurs rather than artful professionals— they’re family snapshots, studio portraits, street photos. Most of them were meant to be seen by just a small group of people: friends and family.

Eventually, they were stored away in boxes and closets, saved over the decades for sentimental reasons, until they were ultimately abandoned to the trash collector. After all, why would anyone want someone else’s family photos?

“For one thing, I think they’re beautiful,” says Bradley Reeves of the Tennessee Archive of Moving Image and Sound, a small department of the Knox County Public Library’s Calvin M. McClung Historical Collection tasked with collecting the Knoxville area’s cultural history via film, vinyl, and tape. “There’s a story in every picture, whether you can imagine it or if it’s clear from the content of the picture. There’s something there.”

Over the past year, Reeves and fellow audio-visual archivist Eric Dawson (also a Knoxville Mercury columnist) have become increasingly intrigued by that “something.” While TAMIS’ warren of climate-controlled archives in the basement of the East Tennessee History Center contains a sizable collection of local music recordings, radio and TV broadcasts, and historical photos and films,

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there’s a new (and growing) subset of vernacular photographs. They document a side to Knoxville that previously would have been lost and forgotten: the small details of daily life, generations ago.

“I think this is the unofficial record of history,” Dawson says of the growing interest in saving and sharing vernacular photos. “It’s not mediated through any sort of corporate interest or network or magazine. It’s just people sharing all this stuff without an editor or filter, so it gives a sense of how people might have lived.”

The photograph of the American Beauty Parlor is filed in a folder named the “Dan Cooley Collection.”

Reeves and Dawson are not even sure who Dan Cooley was—but it was at his estate sale in Harriman that they acquired it last year, along with several other evocative shots that remain mysteriously disparate: a 1920s roadhouse, identically dressed girls attentively studying an early television set, some men in their underwear (and one in a bra) mock 12

KNOXVILLE MERCURY February 4, 2016

fighting on the front lawn.

“They’re the most fascinating pictures,” Reeves says with an enthusiasm he usually reserves for a newly discovered cache of jazz shellacs. “There were hundreds, if not a thousand, of them just shoved in boxes. They were selling off everything. So we grabbed the most interesting ones that we could find.

Most of our things are related to music and television, but it’s hard to leave these behind to go to the trash.”

Along with personal donations, estate sales have become a significant source of items for the TAMIS collection. Reeves and Dawson scan Craigslist each week, looking for the code words that might translate into rich strikes of local history: 78s, old photos, reel-to-reel tapes. When they arrive at a sale, they do a quick triage, looking for recordings of local musicians or broadcasters, anything that might fill in the gaps of Knoxville’s cultural history. Their mission is to assess what they can afford to purchase, and to do so quickly, before

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other collectors acquire the items.

But amid the rare 45s by local record labels and radio transcription discs, they kept noticing compelling photos of things outside of their usual purview. And they could not resist them.

“I’m attracted to a certain style of photo—there has to be something unusual about it, some mystery to it, something a little bit odd that really draws you in,” Reeves says. “We have to be selective here, especially if we buy these things at 50 cents or a dollar apiece, because it quickly adds up. But if we don’t look out for them, I think they’re going to go in the trash—we’re like the last stopping place for a lot of these photos at estate sales.”

While some estate-sale photo collections may offer seemingly unrelated subjects, such as the Dan Cooley Collection, others contain the history of a family’s existence—adding a measure of poignancy to TAMIS’ search-and-rescue missions.

“That’s what’s amazing to me: You’ll come to these estate sales, and either the family has died off—like this is it, the trail has ended for these folks—or the kids have moved away and they don’t want to deal with it, just sell everything in the house,” Reeves says. “So generations of family photographs, they’re right there for anybody.

“A lot times when you buy large collections or stumble across them, you’ll see a family develop over the years. You’ll watch them progress— watch new folks being added, old folks going away. It’s kind of fascinating, a story within itself.”

But TAMIS’ days of being a “last stop” for such photos may be waning— they have growing competition. Reeves and Dawson say they are noticing more and more collectors and resellers at estate sales. While vernacular photos have long been recognized in the art world as worthy of gallery shows and scholarly essays, they have more recently become a commodity in auctions. They’re being sold at traditional outlets (Swann Galleries in New York City, for instance, touts a long list of vernacular auctions, including the works of a nudist couple in New Jersey that went for $13,740 in 2014) as well as on eBay (a recent search for “vernacular photos” returns 235 results, ranging in price from $2.20 to $300 for a photo of two women clowning it up on the beach).

Meanwhile, blogs like Shorpy or 14

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Tattered and Lost have popularized the concept of collecting and sharing vernacular photos online; so have groups on Flickr and Facebook.

Once considered corny and valueless, old family photos of Christmas celebrations, back-porch haircuts, and not-quite-exotic vacations have become vital artifacts. Why now?

“I think a lot of folks like them because they represent a time gone by,” Reeves says. “You see a lot of these pictures and the hairstyles, the clothes, the cars, the attitudes—all of it is like a mirror into a different world that’s long past.”

There can also be reminders of our commonalities over the generations—a comforting sense that life’s essentials are perhaps not as different as our lifestyles have become. For Reeves, when he sees a photo of ma and pa posing in front of their house, he sees his own family: “It reminds me of my great-grandparents in Edwardsville, Ala.—how the house was always dark, the black-and-white TV, the smell of coal and fried eggs and bacon. It reminds me of that world, which is mostly gone. You get a sense of how people lived, what they were like, and the mood of a place.”

Today, of course, most everyone is a smartphone-equipped documentarian of our age. But that wealth of data is mostly locked away on personal hard drives or in proprietary server clouds. While trawling publicly accessible Facebook accounts may be one option for forward-thinking archivists, it lacks context—we don’t yet know what sort of images we’ll value in the future. Meanwhile, the likelihood of being able to sift through and collect physical photos of the 21st century from personal collections grows dim. And most of those images may well turn out to be selfies.

“Folks were less self-conscious [back then],” Reeves notes. “Now, everybody’s posing all the time.

Everybody seems like a professional model. Here, there’s a real innocence that I think has vanished, in a lot of respects.

“I wonder, in 50 years with all this digital photography, are they going to have the same kind of archive to leave behind? Will there be this kind of situation for future archivists?” ◆ You can see a small portion of what TAMIS collects on its Facebook page at facebook.com/tamisarchive.

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A&E

P rogram Notes

Photo by Joseph Llanes

Back in Black The Black Lillies bounce back from Texas robbery with regional love fest and a working vacation

S

ometimes the best thing to do after something bad happens is to go on a cruise. The Black Lillies, who had a trailer full of thousands of dollars worth of mostly irreplaceable gear stolen in Texas last month, are right now in the middle of an ocean-liner music festival alongside John Prine, John Hiatt, Jason Isbell, Lucinda Williams, Chris Stapleton, and more than three dozen other big-name Americana/roots/folk/country acts.

The cruise started just after the band’s sold-out show at the Willow Tree in Johnson City, which Lillies’ manager Chyna Brackeen called “a total love fest.”

“We borrowed a bunch of instru-

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ments for both the Johnson City show and the Cayamo Music Festival at Sea, which we’re on right now,” Brackeen writes from somewhere in the Caribbean. “Jim Avett (father of the Avett Brothers) lent us a beautiful guitar, and musicians from all over have stepped up to lend other instruments (both Knoxville artists and national acts). The Johnson City show had been sold out for a couple of weeks and it was a total love fest. Everyone in the audience was so thrilled that the band didn’t cancel, and the band was so excited to play. Great energy, positive vibes, I think it was exactly what the band needed.”

On Jan. 25, at 2:30 a.m., the band’s van and trailer—full of instru-

Art: Heather Hartman

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ments and gear, T-shirts, CDs, vinyl, and other merch, and some personal items—was stolen from the parking lot of a motel outside Houston. The band had just completed a run of tour dates and was headed back to Knoxville that morning. Brackeen estimated the loss at up to $70,000. The van was recovered, minus the trailer and all the missing gear. (It’s still in a garage in Houston.)

The band’s insurance policy will cover some of the loss, but as Brackeen pointed out last week, the actual value of the gear, much of it vintage, will be hard to replace. Brackeen started an online fundraising campaign at rally.org to cover the expected difference; fans and supporters met the initial goal of $40,000 in just a few days, and the goal has been expanded to $50,000. (As of press time, the campaign has raised more than $45,000 from 842 donors.)

In an update at rally.org, Brackeen offers tips on how fans can help out: • Attend an upcoming show.

Now more than ever, it will do this band tremendous good to see people enjoying this music. And we promise you’ll have a great time. You can find the tour schedule at theblacklillies.com/tour.

• Buy our music. If you already have the music, turn a friend onto it (we don’t mind if you

burn CDs and share them).

The most direct way to get it is through our website at theblacklillies.com (where you will also find the last few shirts that weren’t stolen because we were selling a few online!) but you can also visit your local independent record store, go to Amazon. com or iTunes, or your retailer of choice.

• Continue to spread the word about the instruments and help us track them down.

Let’s make it impossible for these guys to sell them without getting caught.

• I f there’s a touring musician in your life, maybe buy them a GPS tracker or anti-theft device in our honor. We don’t want to see this happen to other people. If you do that, please let us know via a Tweet or Facebook status and tag it with the hastag #theblacklillies.

• Call your local radio stations and request music by the Black Lillies. It’s a great way to show support and hopefully help us gain a few new fans along the way.

—Matthew Everett

“Everyone in the audience was so thrilled that the band didn’t cancel, and the band was so excited to play. Great energy, positive vibes, I think it was exactly what the band needed.”

Classical Music: UT Music Program

—CHYNA BRAKEEN

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Movies: The Finest Hours

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Video: The Thin Blue Line

Shelf Life

A&E

Something Borrowed, Something Blu Some classics new to the Knox County library collection on Blu-ray

BY CHRIS BARRETT

R

eaders of a certain age can probably remember the anguish involved in converting their music collections from vinyl to CD. Every digital reissue of a title that you already owned set off an internal debate—whether the manufacturer deserved more of your money, and whether you required this remastered version plus bonus tracks.

But well-chosen Blu-ray discs contain so much new detailed information, and look so fantastic, that adding them to a collection that already contains a DVD of the same title doesn’t seem the least bit redundant.

BACK TO THE FUTURE: TRILOGY (2010)

This set commemorates the 30th anniversary of the original film, which holds up impressively well. Back to the Future has been duly embraced as an original teen-hero flick and as above-average comic-book sci-fi. Writer/director Robert Zemeckis borrowed heavily from resources much more familiar and beloved yet less immediately obvious. A lot of the action and physical comedy is right out of Looney Toons—a fact most revealed in Back to the Future Part III, set in the wild west, where we see Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) skidding sideways into the frame in clouds of dust, a la Wile E. Coyote.

And all of the philosophical attention to how one’s choice of action or inaction impacts the future originates, for many of us, in golden-age Frank Capra and It’s a Wonderful Life.

MY FAIR LADY (1964) AND THE SOUND OF MUSIC (1965) The costumes, sets, and overall art direction for My Fair Lady are stunning in high defi nition. Audrey

Hepburn is eye candy, whether cockney or cultured. And pompous Rex Harrison intimidates from the grave. The so-called singing is interesting if not great: Hepburn’s singing voice belongs to Marni Nixon, while Harrison’s musical mumbling style belongs as much to Bob Dylan as it does musical theater. The best musical numbers—“I Could Have Danced All Night” and “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face”—sounded better after they were adopted by bebop. The Sound of Music, released a year later, is superior in nearly every regard, from the luscious location scenery to the Rodgers and Hammerstein songbook. Julie Andrews nails the singing plus the role of unsinkable governess via convent. (Tit-for-tat granted: Christopher Plummer’s singing voice was mostly overdubbed.)

THE DECLINE OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION

This trio of Los Angeles music documentaries by Penelope Spheeris is a conundrum. It owes a bunch of its reputation to the fact that the individual fi lms have so often been unavailable. The fi lmmaker, bless her heart, was a terrible interviewer. (“Why are you on the floor?” she asks Exene Cervenka in Decline I.) But no matter how many superficial flaws you care to list, the fact remains that these fi lms capture numerous fleeting moments in music that affected almost all pop music that followed them. And some of these Spheeris interviews are the only recorded conversations with too many of these musicians, who died before they even figured out what it was they were trying to communicate. ◆ February 4, 2016

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A&E

Ar t

Sublime Meditations Heather Hartman paints shifting light to evoke mental landscapes

BY S. HEATHER DUNCAN

W

hen I look at one of Heather Hartman’s paintings, I think of sun filtering through summer-green leaves, or rippling through the eddies of a stream. Hartman thinks of them as landscapes, although none of them show land—or leaves, for that matter. Or a stream.

They are paintings of light, evocative “mental landscapes” that seek to take the viewer to the edge of recognizing something that is just out of focus. Her novel painting method makes the works appear to glow with wobbles of color, both obvious and almost invisible.

Hartman invented a two-layer

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painting process that starts with a drawing or painting on paper, usually a graphic image in black and white or strong colors. Over this is placed a top layer painted on polyester mesh—the fabric used in silk-screening—that is first treated with a gesso paint mixture to make it translucent. She uses unusual water-soluble oil paints in very thin glazes for the top layer.

Hartman removes the fabric at least three times to alternate working on the bottom and top paintings, seeing how the two interplay. The slightly separated images meld in the viewer’s eye, so it’s hard to tell which is on the closer surface.

“Typically I’m looking for the painting to do something unexpected,” Hartman says.

She says she tries to draw attention to the fact that there is always a filter between us and what our eyes perceive, whether that filter is a pane of glass or the moisture in the air itself.

“I like to make people more aware of how they see. … Seeing something immediate and brief, yet sublime— mundane meditations,” Hartman says.

It took Hartman years, however, to achieve the effect she was seeking.

First she tried different methods of painting on wood. Eventually she tried wrapping silk-screen material around a wood panel, then carving parts of the panel for the silkscreen to sit on, and finally stretching the material itself over paper.

An adjunct art professor for Carson-Newman University, Walters State Community College, and Roane State Community College, Hartman is a Los Angeles native who grew up mostly in Nashville. While she was earning her master’s degree in art at the University of Tennessee, her professors encouraged her to simplify her work to its essence, which is when she began painting light. After grad school, she moved to Lancaster, Pa., for less than a year, but found that the light was wrong.

“I’ve always lived in valleys that had a lot of pollution, which makes colors in the sky very vivid,” she says. “The colors and light just weren’t the same.”

So she returned to Knoxville, where she creates her work in the Vacuum Shop Studios on North Broadway. It’s a small space that just barely fits an easel and a rolling cart, which is packed with cans of spray paint and brushes. She often works on paintings directly on the wall, wheeling the cart to the right spot across an uneven floor of damaged concrete and crumbling black-andwhite tile. The sound of laughter and music pulse through the wall from K Brew next door. A finished painting on one wall reflects dappled shadows in pastel hues, with what appear to be drops of rain or condensation in the foreground, as if viewed through a window.

Above a countertop on the back wall, Hartman has taped up some of the photographs she uses as inspiration for the paintings. Usually these are no more representational than the final product: rainbows refracted through a window onto a textured surface, the reflection of a sunset in water, a streak of distant lightning. The paintings aren’t named after these “subjects,” however.

Hartman prefers ambiguous names that could be a noun or a verb, like “Drip” and “Surface,” encouraging the viewer to an independent interpretation.

Her snapshots (which she emphasizes are not art) are reminiscent of the one or two “mistake” photos that used to get printed out with every roll of film a dad shot in the days before digital cameras. (Hartman says sometimes when she takes her photos to be developed at a drugstore photo center, the employees think the pictures haven’t developed properly.)

Hartman currently has a solo show at the Channel to Channel contemporary art gallery in Nashville.

But Knoxvillians can get a closer look at her work starting Feb. 12, when she and artist Jessica Payne will have an opening at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church. The exhibit will run until March 30. ◆

WHAT

Artwork by Heather Hartman and Jessica Payne

WHERE

Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church (2931 Kingston Pike)

WHEN

Feb. 12-March 30, with an opening reception and artist talk on Friday, Feb. 12, from 6-7:30 p.m.

HOW MUCH Free

INFO

tvuuc.org

a valentine’s day gift guide Let the romance of Knoxville inspire your Valentine’s Day celebrations! Here are some uniquely Knoxvillian gifts available at local shops to endear your beloved.

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CLOTHING

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FOOD & DRINK

His & Hers TN Pride

Perk Up

Make it easy on yourself this Valentine’s Day! Guys and girls both love soft T-shirts and sweatshirts and Nothing Too Fancy’s tri-blend vintage styles are just the ticket. Show your sweetheart and the state of Tennessee some love with these Tri-Star tees and hoodies—or with one of their many designs and styles of T-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, socks, jewelry, artwork, koozies, and other one-of-akind items! Working with local artists inspired by Knoxville’s vibrant and varied culture, Nothing Too Fancy has something everyone will want.

Stay up late and cozy up to your sweetie this Valentine’s Day with a Chemex brewer full of Vienna Coffee House’s rich single-origin coffees from around the world, including select Fair Trade and Organic certified coffees.

Do you like flavored coffees instead?

Grab a bag of their white chocolate kisses and use online coupon code SPMFEB16 to get $3 off. (Coupon expires March 1.) Chemex brewers and bags of coffee are available for purchase on their website or at the Vienna Coffee House, located just a short drive from Knoxville.

NOTHING TOO FANCY 435 Union Ave. 865-951-2916 nothingtoofancy.com

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HEALTH

Downtown Massage & Wellness Runner Up for the 2015 Top Knox’s Massage Therapy, Meadowsweet’s approach to massage is holistic, thoughtful, and personalized to your needs. Located in the heart of downtown, give the gift of well being and relaxation to that special someone. Gift certificates available online and in-store.

MEADOWSWEET MASSAGE & WELLNESS 117 S. Gay St. 865-221-0334 meadowsweetwellness.com

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FOOD & DRINK

Local Spirits Give your beloved the gift of whiskey— the one they really want! Knox Whiskey Works, your downtown Knoxville distillery, will put your special someone in a very special spirit. Especially if you wake them up on Valentine’s Day with special coffee!

Tours and tastings are available, too.

KNOX WHISKEY WORKS 516 W. Jackson Avenue 865-525-2372 knoxwhiskeyworks.com

VIENNA COFFEE HOUSE 212 College St., Maryville 865-681-0517 viennacoffeehouse.net

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ACCESSORIES

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ACCESSORIES

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HEALTH

He Deserves the Very Best

Show Your Love with the Perfect Bag

Couples’ (Massage) Therapy

Your Valentine has always spoiled you, now it’s time to treat him to the very best. Knoxville’s own Nash for Men will take that ordinary gift up a notch with a handcrafted Italian leather backpack. Designed for the rugged guy on the go with modern function and old school details, the Nash Tuscan Backpack in black or chocolate exudes effortless cool for casual styling, perfect for the gym, work, and weekend. Looking for something more classic? Nash for Men has leather messenger bags, briefcases, wallets, and weekenders. Shop until Feb. 14 and get a 15%-off coupon to use in March.

Be a hero this Valentine’s Day by giving her luxurious Italian leather from Knoxville’s own designer, Patricia Nash. While you can find Patricia Nash at Dillard’s, there’s something special about shopping at her flagship store in downtown Knoxville, where you’ll find something to fit every woman. A variety of stylish shapes, sizes, and colors is available, from crossbodies, to satchels, totes, weekenders and backpacks—all priced from about $100 to $300. Designed and handcrafted with great attention to style, detail, and function—whatever you choose, she will love it… and you!

Shop until Feb. 14 and get a 15%-off coupon to use in March.

Let this Valentine’s Day be an especially soothing one for you and the one you love—share a couples’ massage at Longevity Massage Specialists, a Top Knox 2015 runner-up. Purchase a special Valentine’s Day gift card for $125; it can be redeemed starting Feb. 8 and never expires. Couples’ massages booked after the 14th will be full price unless you have the Valentine’s Day special gift card. Good timing: Longevity will be open Sunday, Feb. 14th 12-6 p.m.

NASH FOR MEN 109 S. Gay St. 865.524.2626 nashformen.com

PATRICIA NASH DESIGNS 109 S. Gay St. 865-524-2626 patricianashdesigns.com

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JEWELRY

Charming Jewelry Charm her with our pendant collection from Waxing Poetic. Each charm easily slides on Bliss’ ornate silver or gold chains, to create a personalized gift for her. From antique-inspired initials to their swelling heart collection, Bliss is sure to have the gift she will love. Prices start at $26.

LONGEVITY MASSAGE SPECIALISTS 9307 S. Northshore Dr. 865-253-7902 longevityknoxville.com

BLISS 24 Market Square 865-329-8868 shopinbliss.com

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FOR THE LITTLE ONES

Hand-painted, one-ofa-kind Easter baskets 9

JEWELRY

Jewelry and Candy!

Simple, sweet gestures of love are often the most fondly remembered gifts. Folly Boutique has a gift that fits perfectly: a simple heart bar necklace paired with a sweet three-pack of truffles for $25, including tax. While supplies last.

FOLLY BOUTIQUE 1211 N. Central St., Happy Holler 104 Hotel St., Fountain City 865-742-0906 Facebook.com/shopfolly

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KNOXVILLE MERCURY February 4, 2016

Surprise your favorite girl or boy on Easter morning with a personalized basket of goodies. These beautiful, keepsake baskets will last for years to come. Each basket has the child’s name and a bunny (with either flowers for girls or eggs for boys). Two sizes available, but quantities are limited.

Order now.

ME & CO. 7240 Kingston Pike, 865-705-4620 meandcostudios.com

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FLOWERS

Flowers to Remember Imagine a Valentine’s Day beyond roses! Locally owned and operated in Knoxville for over 100 years, The Flower Pot can give you plenty of creative options: beautiful arrangements of colorful, fresh garden flowers; gift baskets with a variety of fruit and gourmet treats; and long-lasting European-style dish gardens. Of course, if you do prefer roses, they’ve got you covered, too; order them before Feb. 8 and pay regular rates! If you want to save on delivery, make your order before Feb. 11. And for those who like to make last-minute decisions, the Flower Pot will be open on Valentine’s Day—Sunday, Feb. 14.

THE FLOWER POT 8205 Chapman Hwy., 865-573-0137 bettysknoxflowers.com 700 S. Gay St., 865-522-4825 2314 N. Broadway, 865-523-5121 knoxvilleflowerpot.com

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FOOD & DRINK

Dinner with a View Celebrate Valentine’s Day Weekend at Holiday Inn World’s Fair Park.

Romantic overnight package with three-course dinner at Windows on the Park starts at $189 per couple per night. Available February 12-14.

For more information or reservations, call (865) 522-2800.

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SUPPORT

Share the Love Limited-edition totes and letterpressed posters make great gifts for lovers of our paper, too.

store.knoxmercury.com

Classical

Class Act UT’s music program offers an eclectic and accomplished lineup of musical experiences

BY ALAN SHERROD

L

ike clockwork, on most evenings from September through April, musicians under the auspices of the University of Tennessee School of Music step onto the stage of the Powell Recital Hall or the Cox Auditorium on campus and do what they are there to do—make music. Those musicians run the gamut from nervous undergrads in their first recital to longtime music faculty members to notable visiting guest artists. Groupings range in size from a single soloist to string quartets and contemporary music ensembles to large choral groups and the UT Symphony Orchestra. Although the performances carry an underlying academic raison d’etre, they are all open to the public, offering Knoxville audiences music experiences that are not only diverse and eclectic but inarguably a great value—most are free.

Although the school publishes its schedule on its website and sends printed and email reminders to those who subscribe to their lists, the burden for matching performances to one’s interests inevitably falls on the potential audience. As a result, attendances at performances can and do vary wildly, and often mysteriously, without regard for the reputation of the performer or the appeal of the program. Of course, sometimes the reasons for limited attendance are painfully obvious, such as a parking conflict with a UT basketball game, something the school attempts to avoid.

Three faculty/guest artist recitals last week in the Powell Recital Hall highlighted the wide appeal of the school’s programs and performers, but they also revealed how attendance can mysteriously vary. On Wednesday evening, for a relatively sparse crowd, faculty pianist Kevin Class began a new series of recitals featuring the complete piano sonatas of Mozart,

continuing Class’ effort to educate and entertain listeners with overviews of a complete segment of a specific composer’s work. This series now overlaps with Class’ previous—and still ongoing—undertaking, that of the complete ensemble piano chamber music of Johannes Brahms.

In this recital, Class took on the first six of Mozart’s 18 solo sonatas.

The compositions date to 1774-75, while the composer was in Munich for the production of his opera La finta giardineria. Over the roughly two hours of music, Class displayed the performance stamina and remarkable consistent accuracy that makes him an enviable and in-demand collaborative pianist. Although he shows little visible emotion while playing, Class draws life from the music by careful attention to dynamics and nuance, painting a picture with clean lines and details rather than with a broad tonal brush.

On Friday evening, faculty pianist David Brunell offered a contrasting take on the solo piano literature with a Romantic-period journey through works by Beethoven, Schumann, Chopin, Brahms, and Rachmaninoff.

Brunell opened with an attention-grabbing performance of one of Beethoven’s fi nal sonatas, the Sonata in A-flat Major, Op. 110. He followed the Beethoven with Schumann’s

A&E

charming Blumenstück and Chopin’s entrancing Scherzo No. 2. After intermission, Brunell moved to the complications and drama of the late Romantic period with Brahms’ Intermezzo in A Major and Rachmaninoff ’s Sonata No. 2.

Eclecticism in all its endearing glory reared its head on Sunday afternoon at the Powell Recital Hall with a recital by bassoonist Keith McClelland, who retired from the School of Music faculty in December after a 43-year career at UT. McClelland was joined by two other bassoonists—James Lotz from Tennessee Tech University and Aaron Apaza, the principal bassoon with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. The trio was also joined by two cellists, UT faculty member Wesley Baldwin and guest cellist Lee Richey, formerly a principal cello with the KSO. McClelland and Lotz opened with the Sonata No. 4 for Two Bassoons by Romantic-period cellist Carl Jacobi.

Apaza then joined them for Gilbert Vinter’s Scherzo for Three Bassoons.

Baldwin, Richey, and McClelland fi nished off the fi rst half with a Baroque piece, Marcello’s Sonata for Two Celli and Continuo.

A world premiere by composer Timothy Miller, a work for three bassoons and two cellos called The Callithumpian Duck, opened the second half. Thankfully, Miller was on hand to explain the background of this humorous and engaging piece.

McClelland has been known throughout his UT career for his uncanny ability to unearth and program rarely performed and unusual works, particularly for woodwinds. His eclecticism will be missed. ◆

The performances are all open to the public,

CLASSICAL TICKETS start at just $15

FEBRUARY

PREU

Music Director candidate

MOZART PIANO CONCERTO NO. 20 Thursday, Feb. 18 • 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 19 • 7:30 p.m.

Tennessee Theatre Eckart Preu, conductor Alon Goldstein, piano R. STRAUSS: Don Juan MOZART: Piano Concerto No. 20 HIGDON: Blue Cathedral PROKOFIEV: Selections from “Romeo and Juliet” Sponsored by Thermal Label Warehouse

MARCH

BAIROS

Music Director candidate

PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION

Thursday, March 17 • 7:30 p.m.

Friday, March 18 • 7:30 p.m.

Tennessee Theatre Jacomo Rafael Bairos, conductor Elena Urioste, violin ADAMS: “The Chairman Dances” BARBER: Violin Concerto MUSSORGSKY/RAVEL: Pictures at an Exhibition Sponsored by Bass Berry + Sims & Dalen Products

offering Knoxville audiences music experiences that are not only diverse and eclectic but inarguably a great value—most are free.

CALL: (865) 291-3310 CLICK: knoxvillesymphony.com VISIT: Monday-Friday, 9-5 February 4, 2016

KNOXVILLE MERCURY 23

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Movies

Weather or Not Throwback action pic The Finest Hours rides out the storm

BY APRIL SNELLINGS

I

f you get the feeling that Disney’s The Finest Hours is the sort of movie where plucky women scan the horizon for their seafaring beaus and men say things like “not on my watch,” you’re spot on. Disney’s extravagantly budgeted dramatization of a daring 1952 Coast Guard rescue is as old-fashioned as they come, full of stoic, square-jawed guys who persevere in the face of unthinkable odds because, well, that’s what stoic, square-jawed guys do. Sure, it’s hokey and predictable. But it’s executed so skillfully, from its winning casting to its exceptional visual and sound effects, that it lands in a sweet spot between nostalgic throwback and high-tech blockbuster.

In the case of its two unlikely heroes, the squareness extends beyond their mandibles, and they’re all the more endearing for it.

First there’s Bernie Webber

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KNOXVILLE MERCURY February 4, 2016

(Chris Pine), a mild-mannered Coast Guard coxswain who accidentally made history in February 1952 when he led a four-man crew in a maritime rescue that fell just shy of impossible.

When we first meet Bernie, he’s worked himself into a fit of nervousness over the prospect of his first face-to-face meeting with Miriam (Holliday Grainger), a switchboard operator he’s been chatting up on the telephone. She likes him just fine, of course, and in a few months she proposes—the movie lobs us a little curve every now and then—and Bernie eventually accepts.

The Finest Hours spends a surprisingly long time on their courtship, which might be unwelcome if it weren’t handled so charmingly by director Craig Gillespie (Lars and the Real Girl). Pine plays against type, ditching his usual frat-guy swagger in favor of stammers, awkward pauses,

and a chin that seems magnetically attracted to his chest.

But even as the first act dotes on ’50s small-town dating rituals, we know what’s coming: A brutal nor’easter is bearing down on Bernie’s hometown of Chatham, Mass., and it seems to have a personal beef with oil tankers. In short order it snaps two of them in half, leaving 32 men stranded in the engine room of the SS Pendleton. Their greatest asset is ship engineer Ray Sybert (Casey Affleck, who steals the movie from Pine), a surly introvert who’s bad with people but exceptionally good with machines.

The movie settles into a comfortable rhythm as it cuts between Webber’s insane rescue plan—to steer a 36-foot wooden boat through a storm that has already chewed up a pair of oil tankers—and Sybert’s efforts to keep the sinking tanker afloat long enough for someone to miraculously find them.

It may be a Disney movie through and through, but that’s not to say The Finest Hours doesn’t offer some truly unsettling thrills. From its first moments on screen, the Pendleton is the stuff of nightmares. The ship’s captain is dead before he can even make an appearance, leaving us to spend most of our time with Sybert in the cavernous engine room, where he

reads the storm through the monstrous groaning of the ship’s seams and welds.

As Sybert tangles with the storm from the grimy bowels of the tanker, Webber attacks it from the surface, driving his tiny boat and even tinier crew through the enormous waves and deadly, gale-force winds. The unnecessary 3D conversion dims the film enough to render some of the nighttime scenes murky and confusing, but the daylight stuff is stunning and even frightening. There’s never any real doubt about the outcome of Webber’s rescue mission, so it’s saying a lot that The Finest Hours still conjures so much tension during its grueling action sequences.

Cynics will sprain their eyeballs at some of the movie’s schmaltzier components, but that’s an acceptable casualty for a film that’s so committed to recreating the squeaky-clean, can-do positivity of a certain type of classic Hollywood adventure. It’s also an underestimation of the movie’s coolest aspect: It’s a big-budget disaster flick about two dorky introverts who’d probably lose their nipples to frostbite if they even thought about baring their chests. In other words, it’s an action movie without action heroes, focusing instead on blue-collar joes who, in the end, are just trying to get through a day on the job. ◆

Video

A&E

Making a Murder Documentary Errol Morris’ classic The Thin Blue Line revolutionized true-crime tale-telling

BY LEE GARDNER

Y

ou’ve seen that thing on Netfl ix, right? The one where there’s a murder and it really seems like the guy who ended up getting prison time for it got railroaded? Totally unbelievable, totally fascinating. And the guy was actually exonerated because of the fi lmmaker’s work. Wait, which one are you talking about? I’m talking about The Thin Blue Line.

If you Making a Murderer fans haven’t seen it, then you really should stop reading this right now and go watch it on Netfl ix streaming, or at least add it to your queue. Making a Murderer would be nearly inconceivable without it.

Documentarian Errol Morris already had a couple of fi lms to his credit, including the equally great, completely different Gates of Heaven, when he got interested in the case of Randall Adams. Adams had been sentenced to die in Texas for the murder of Dallas police officer Robert Wood during a traffic stop in 1976,

and like most Death Row inmates, he protested his innocence. As Morris looked deeper, he believed Adams’ story, and suspected that David Harris, the man who had fi ngered Adams, was the one responsible.

Morris had already adopted one of the techniques which has defined his work: Sit people down in front of a camera, get them talking, and they’ll tell you everything. His interviews with Dallas police and the judge in Adams’ trial capture their smug certainty that the long-haired “drifter” with no criminal record was a callous cop killer, while interviews with Adams’ defense team capture their well-meaning inability to get anyone to consider Harris, a teenage criminal prodigy who stole both the car and the gun used in the crime. Adams tells his own story with a wealth of convincing detail, simmering with barely concealed anger and frustration. A string of dubious eyewitnesses undermine their own trial testimony in front of

Morris’ lens. Meanwhile Harris, interviewed in prison orange due to a subsequent murder conviction, subverts his boyish looks with his dead eyes and his blasé, fuzzy account. In the end, Morris leads him to all but admit on tape that he murdered Wood.

But more than offering mere talking heads, The Thin Blue Line revolutionized true-crime tale-telling and the documentary film itself. Morris used artful re-enactments to depict the crime and the differing accounts of it, including the most beautiful shot of a chocolate milkshake spilling on a gravel shoulder that you’ve ever seen.

Morris’s cinematic approach establishes chilling atmosphere and an apt visual representation of the fungible nature of The Truth, and it’s just one of a series of inventive storytelling techniques deployed that are now so common as to be invisible. He not only created a masterpiece, he eventually cleared an innocent man. Essential viewing. ◆ February 4, 2016

KNOXVILLE MERCURY 25

CALENDAR MUSIC

Thursday, Feb. 4 THE JONNY MONSTER BAND • Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria • 10PM • Originally from the Hudson Valley in New York but now based out of Knoxville, TN, Jonny Monster’s original mix of acoustic blues and hard dynamic electric guitar are not to be missed.

CALEN PERKINS WITH THE SOCIAL ANIMALS • WDVX • 12PM • Part of WDVX’s Blue Plate Special, a six-days-aweek lunchtime concert series featuring local, regional, and national Americana, folk, pop, rock, and everything else. • FREE CHAD VOLKERS • Bourbon Street Whiskey Bar • 6PM JORDAN HULL • Scruffy City Hall • 6PM WARREN PINEDA AND JON MASON • Red Piano Lounge • 6PM THE DARRELL WEBB BAND • Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria (Maryville) • 8PM BOB MARLEY BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION • Scruffy City Hall • 9PM MAMABEAR • Pilot Light • 10PM • 18 and up. • $5 THE FRITZ • Preservation Pub • 10PM • 21 and up.

Friday, Feb. 5 VANESSA CARLTON • The Concourse • 8PM • An unusual light shines through Liberman, Vanessa Carlton’s fifth album. Its ten songs, built on ethereal melodies and lush orchestration, seem to climb out of the shadows, each resonating with a sense of haunting positivity. 18 and up.

• $25 CYPHER: A HIP-HOP SHOW • The Birdhouse • 9PM • Open mic for the first half of the night, then two featured artists to close out the night. 18 and up. • $5 DIRTY POOL • Two Doors Down (Maryville) • 10PM FROG AND TOAD’S DIXIE QUARTET • The Crown and Goose • 8PM • Live jazz featuring a mix of original music, early jazz and more. • FREE KIRK AND MEREDITH • Twisted Mike’s • 8PM • Acoustic duo.

BRISTON MARONEY WITH THE VALLEY OPERA AND MAYFEST • Open Chord Brewhouse and Stage • 8PM • Local singer/songwriter Briston Maroney released his album Reason to Shake in November. All ages. • $7 MISERY AND GIN • Boyd’s Jig and Reel • 10PM • FREE R.B. MORRIS • Laurel Theater • 8PM • Knoxville’s own poet, songwriter, and sometimes playwright and actor R.B. Morris returns to the stage of the Laurel Theater with some of Knoxville’s finest musicians, Greg Horne and Daniel Kimbro, to play songs new and old. Lucinda Williams called him “the greatest unknown songwriter in the country.” • $11 PROJECT WOLFPACK • Just 1 More Bar and Grille • 7PM ALIVE AFTER FIVE: ROUX DU BAYOU • Knoxville Museum of Art • 6PM • Led by Paul Gregoire from Dulac, Louisiana, Roux du Bayou plays authentic cajun, zydeco, swamp pop, mardi gras music, and more. • $10 YARN • Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria • 10PM • Brooklyn-based Americana/Alt-Country band Yarn’s sound owes as much to Gram Parsons and Earl Scruggs as to Jerry Garcia and Exile On Main Street-era Rolling Stones. • $5 ERICA BLINN • Sugarlands Distilling Co. (Gatlinburg) • 4PM • Erica Blinn constructs American rock songs one earnest melody at a time. She forces Midwestern air through beat-up harmonicas and hammers out honest words that stretch and twist through her tunes. She bends the rules of the blues and knocks down the walls of pop music to create a blue collar “whiskey rock” sound that everyone can stand up for and be proud of. • FREE 26

KNOXVILLE MERCURY February 4, 2016

Thursday, Feb. 4 - Sunday, Feb. 14

TUNE JUNKIES WITH SUSAN ROSE • WDVX • 12PM • 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 WENDEL WERNER • Red Piano Lounge • 6PM KIRK AND MEREDITH • Twisted Mike’s • 8PM • Acoustic duo.

JORDAN HULL • Preservation Pub • 8PM • 21 and up. • FREE KUKULY AND THE GYPSY FUEGO • The Bistro at the Bijou • 9PM • Kukuly Uriarte sings in multiple languages, plays guitar in many styles, and, since 2011, leads the multifaceted jazz ensemble Kukuly and the Gypsy Fuego.

Numerous titles from the Fuego’s long and varied set list are associated with—or performed in the style of—the late Gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt. • FREE BADLANDS • Scruffy City Hall • 9PM WILL BOYD • Red Piano Lounge • 9PM • $5 SPACETRAIN AND AUTOMAGIK • Preservation Pub • 10PM • 21 and up.

MAC DRALLE • Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria (Maryville) • 10PM Saturday, Feb. 6 WALLACE COLEMAN • Laurel Theater • 8PM • Growing up in East Tennessee, Wallace Coleman was captivated by the sounds he heard late at night from Nashville’s WLAC. It was on WLAC that Coleman first heard his greatest musical influences: Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson, Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters. Coleman left Tennessee in 1956 to find work in Cleveland. He began playing professionally with Cleveland’s Guitar Slim and caught the ear of audience member Robert “Jr.” Lockwood, joining his band in 1987. Still based in Cleveland, Wallace has been leading his own band since 1997. • $13 HAIR OF THE DOG • Paul’s Oasis • 10PM • Classic rock. 21 and up. • FREE KELSEY’S WOODS • Boyd’s Jig and Reel • 10PM • The new album from Kelsey’s Woods, When the Morning Comes Around, has the full complement of roots-rock signifiers, from pedal-steel guitar, Hammond organ, and mandolin to songs about the open highway and references to Merle Haggard. And, of course, there’s more than one drinking song. Its country roots are evident, but there’s plenty of heartland rock—think Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, and John Mellencamp—in the mix, too, as well as echoes of everything from Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones to the Black Crowes. • FREE CHRIS LONG WITH SOUTHERN CITIES • WDVX • 12PM • 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 MIDDLEFINGER • Two Doors Down (Maryville) • 10PM WHITEY MORGAN AND THE 78S WITH TONY MARTINEZ • Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria • 10PM • Whitey Morgan is an American Honky Tonk artist from Flint, Michigan. • $5 LAUREL WRIGHT • The Shed at Smoky Mountain Harley-Davidson (Maryville) • 8PM • At the age of 19 East Tennessee native Laurel has single handedly written more than 100 songs, of which several air on the nation’s largest radio broadcast, country giant WIVK.FM and Renegade Radio Nashville. She has also performed at numerous venues with such artists as Kix Brooks, Sara Evans, Leanne Rimes, The Band Perry, Josh Thompson, Frankie Ballard, James Wesley, Blaine Larson, Troy Olsen and Katie Armiger, to name a few. • FREE KATY FREE • Red Piano Lounge • 6PM SOUL MECHANIC WITH URBAN SOIL AND OH GRANDPA • Preservation Pub • 8PM • 21 and up.

AARON TRACY • Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria (Maryville) • 8PM RICKY MITCHELL • Open Chord Brewhouse and Stage •

KNOXVILLE JAZZ ORCHESTRA: JAZZ IS FOR LOVERS WITH RENÉ MARIE Bijou Theatre (803 S. Gay St.) • Tuesday, Feb. 9 • 8 p.m. • $33.50 • knoxjazz.org

René Marie didn’t start performing professionally until she was 42. But she’s packed a full career into the last 18 years, with an impressive discography that includes original songs, covers of jazz and gospel standards, an incendiary album of American folk and patriotic songs, and, most recently, a collection of songs made famous by Eartha Kitt, one of Marie’s great influences.

Marie’s virtuosity is smooth, classic, and approachable, but the accessibility of her sound belies a strong will and a refusal to draw a line between art and politics.

In 2008, when she was invited to sing the national anthem at a civic event in her home town of Denver, Marie sang the lyrics to the old spiritual “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” (frequently referred to as the Black National Anthem) to the tune of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The response was predictably withering—criticism that Marie was disrespectful, a showboat, a racial provocateur.

(How anyone can object to lyrics like “Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us/Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us” remains a mystery.)

Marie will be performing classic romantic songs and her original compositions with the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra. Just expect more than a pretty voice. (Matthew Everett)

29

Spotlight: The Public Cinema: Hitchcock/Truffaut

Thursday, Feb. 4 - Sunday, Feb. 14

8PM • All ages. • FREE THE WILL YAGER TRIO • The Bistro at the Bijou • 9PM • Live jazz. • FREE LADY D AND SOULJAM • Scruffy City Hall • 9PM THE MATT NELSON TRIO • Red Piano Lounge • 9PM • $5 Sunday, Feb. 7 SHIFFLETT AND HANNAH • The Bistro at the Bijou • 12PM • Live jazz. • FREE SUNDAY JAZZ BRUNCH • Downtown Grill and Brewery • 12:45PM • Knoxville’s coolest jazz artists perform every Sunday. • FREE SUPERB OWL • Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria • 8PM THOSE MANIC SEAS WITH KERCHIEF AND WELCOME TO HOONAH • Preservation Pub • 9PM • 21 and up.

Monday, Feb. 8 THE SWAMP BROTHERS WITH ADRIEN REJU AND ELIJAH WOLF • WDVX • 12PM • 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 BUTCHER BABIES • The Concourse • 8PM • Hailing from the City Of Angels, the Butcher Babies offer redemption from the overplayed underground, exorcising demons with a visceral sound matched only in scope by their explosive stage show. Frontwomen Carla Harvey and Heidi Shepherd, guitarist Henry Flury [Amen], bassist Jason Klein [Azdachao] and drummer Chris Warner [Scars of Tomorrow] juxtapose brutal, aggressive riffs with beautiful melodies that wail with anguish and hope for redemption. All ages. • $15-$18 MARBIN • Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria • 10PM • An all instrumental jazz-rock band that plays fast and hits hard.

ALBATROSS • Preservation Pub • 10PM • 21 and up.

Tuesday, Feb. 9 NATHAN FOX • WDVX • 12PM • 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 KNOXVILLE JAZZ ORCHESTRA: JAZZ IS FOR LOVERS • Bijou Theatre • 8PM • Making her professional debut at the age of 42, vocalist René Marie has made up for lost time, releasing nine CDs, earning several awards including a 2014 Grammy nomination and performing at major festivals around the globe with her own band. Her performance with the KJO will feature well-known songs such as “My Heart Belongs to Daddy,” “Let’s Do It,” and “Peel Me a Grape,” as well as some of René’s acclaimed original material. Sure to be the perfect Valentine’s treat for your special someone. • $15-$33.30 • See Spotlight on page 26.

HADLEY KENNARY • Preservation Pub • 8PM • 21 and up.

JEANINE FULLER • Red Piano Lounge • 8PM THE HOWLIN’ BROTHERS • Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria • 10PM KUKULY AND THE GYPSY FUEGO • Preservation Pub • 10PM • Kukuly Uriarte sings in multiple languages, plays guitar in many styles, and, since 2011, leads the multifaceted jazz ensemble Kukuly and the Gypsy Fuego.

Wednesday, Feb. 10 LUTHER DICKINSON WITH FIRESIDE COLLECTIVE • WDVX • 12PM • Part of WDVX’s Blue Plate Special, a six-days-aweek lunchtime concert series featuring local, regional, and national Americana, folk, pop, rock, and everything else. • FREE MATT COKER • Bourbon Street Whiskey Bar • 6PM STEVE HORTON AND DANA PAUL • Fourth United Presbyterian Church • 6PM • The Folk @ Fourth music

CALENDAR

series continues with Steve Horton and Dana Paul.

FROG AND TOAD’S DIXIE QUARTET • The Crown and Goose • 6:30PM • Live jazz featuring a mix of original music, early jazz and more. • FREE TENNESSEE SHINES: BLUE MOTHER TUPELO • Boyd’s Jig and Reel • 7PM • Ricky and Micol began their musical life together as (The) Blue Mother Tupelo at an open mic night at Sassy Ann’s in Knoxville in the Spring of 1995.

That’s why every local performance is a homecoming for this married duo fueled by Southern soul. They’ll perform songs from the latest release, Only Sunshine. • FREE THE MATT NELSON SOUND • The Bistro at the Bijou • 7PM • Live jazz. • FREE ANDY WOOD • Bijou Theatre • 8PM • Andy Wood is recognized as part of the forefront of this generation’s top influential guitarists. Currently touring as the guitarist and mandolinist for country super group, Rascal Flatts, Andy is also performing live with his own band promoting Caught Between the Truth and a Lie, the new double album which showcases Andy’s vast musical influences and abilities. • $16.50-$18.50 KEITH BROWN • Red Piano Lounge • 8PM TURKUAZ WITH GHOST NOTE • The Concourse • 9PM • Credible bios are supposed to be objective and not full of superlatives and hyperbole, but it’s hard to avoid gushing when the subject is a funk army of multi-instrumentals and singers that is part freight train and part tyrannosaurus rex, who—even on an off night—can blow away a room on the basis of sheer physics alone. That’s one way to describe Turkuaz, but it doesn’t address the music. In this regard, as with any band, influences are everything. One cannot escape them as one seeks to carve out a unique sound for themselves. Still, there are so many benefits to having Sly & The Family Stone, Rick James, Parliament and Bohannon in your record collection. With this as the basis for a recipe, Turkuaz adds healthy doses of jittery, world-pop-power groove—reminiscent of Remain In Light era Talking Heads—and a passion for Motown and R&B, resulting in a refreshing twist on the funk idiom. 18 and up. • $12-$15 FIRESIDE COLLECTIVE • Preservation Pub • 10PM • 21 and up.

Thursday, Feb. 11 BRANDON FULSON • WDVX • 12PM • 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 NANCY STRANGE • Bourbon Street Whiskey Bar • 6PM HEISKELL • Scruffy City Hall • 6PM WARREN PINEDA AND JON MASON • Red Piano Lounge • 6PM DALLAS BRASS • Niswonger Performing Arts Center (Greeneville) • 7:30PM • Founded in Dallas, Texas in 1983

by Michael Levine, Dallas Brass has become one of America’s foremost musical ensembles. The group has established a unique blend of traditional brass instruments with a full complement of drums and percussion, which creates a performing entity of extraordinary range and musical challenges. • $20-$30 THE LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN DEVILS WITH GENKI GENKI PANIC AND TRASHBIN SOUVENIR • Open Chord Brewhouse and Stage • 8PM • $5 EMI SUNSHINE • Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria (Maryville) • 8PM FAMILY AND FRIENDS • Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria • 10PM • Inspired by a life worth living, the Fam and Pals remained rooted with three ambitions in heart, mind, and soul: the people, the music, the memories.

THE ORANGE CONSTANT • Preservation Pub • 10PM Friday, Feb. 12

THE WAR AND TREATY • WDVX • 12PM • 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 SONGS OF THE FALL • Sugarlands Distilling Co. (Gatlinburg) • 5PM • In the digital age we live in, music is still the one thing that can grip and infect us with raw energy and emotional passion that we can’t easily find in our modern, static society. Songs of the Fall, comprised of Stetson Adkisson and Cia Cherryholmes, is a Nashville based Americana duo with a love of music and communicating it to people on a very personal, relatable level. • FREE ALIVE AFTER FIVE: THE BLAIR XPERIENCE • Knoxville Museum of Art • 6PM • Born and raised in Knoxville, Tennessee, Larry Blair’s wide range of vocals has been described by many as” velvety and sultry”. • $10 WENDEL WERNER • Red Piano Lounge • 6PM ERICK BAKER • Bijou Theatre • 8PM • $25 FROG AND TOAD’S DIXIE QUARTET • The Crown and Goose • 8PM • Live jazz featuring a mix of original music, early jazz and more. • FREE THE BLACKFOOT GYPSIES WITH STRUNG LIKE A HORSE • Scruffy City Hall • 8PM • The Blackfoot Gypsies’ new album, Handle It, isn’t perfect, or close to it. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. For starters, the Gypsies—a Nashville four-piece inspired by Exile on Main St., the first three Led Zeppelin albums, Canned Heat, and ZZ Top, among others—don’t play the kind of music that gets described as “perfect.” This is exuberant, rough-hewn, ragged folk-rock and trippy-dippy, foot-stomping country blues, boozy and belligerent and backwoods-bred, closer in spirit to the Flat Duo Jets and Hasil Adkins than Imagine Dragons.Handle.

LAWRENCE TRAILER • Preservation Pub • 8PM HELLAPHANT WITH ADRENALINE KID, THE ENIGMATIC FOE, AND GHOSTS OF THE KODIAK • Open Chord Brewhouse and Stage • 8PM • Hellaphant’s self-titled debut, from 2014, was a promising belt of short-fuse basement punk, a thrashy, noisy little collection that made room for both ’90s pop-punk hooks and rifftastic guitar grooves. The brand-new Family Man, released late last year, lives up to the promise of its predecessor—the production, by bassist Henry Pack, is a big step up from Hellaphant’s bedroom-recording quality without sacrificing immediacy or urgency, and singer/guitarist Alex Ferguson sings more than he yells. The songs are still mostly ragers—there’s even one 32-second nugget called “Rage!!!”—but there’s more going on than just full-speed abandon; “Distance,” “Under Current,” and the title track reveal classic power-pop charm to go along with the punk attitude and volume. All ages. • $5 FAIRVIEW UNION • Cotton Eyed Joe • 9PM • 18 and up. • $10 WILL BOYD • The Bistro at the Bijou • 9PM • Live jazz. • FREE BETHANY AND THE SWING SERENADE • Red Piano Lounge • 9PM • $5 DALE T. SHARP • Two Doors Down (Maryville) • 10PM DIXIEGHOST • Boyd’s Jig and Reel • 10PM • Knoxville band Dixieghost is pushing back against what it means to be a folk band. The band’s lead singer, songwriter, and guitarist, Jason Hanna, a Knoxville native, is trying to distance his band from mainstream radio-friendly folk groups like Mumford and Sons while staying true to his and his bandmates’ traditional folk and Appalachian roots. • FREE THE WILD THINGS • Preservation Pub • 10PM THE BIG WOOLY • Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria • 10PM THE YOUNG FABLES • Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria

February 4, 2016

KNOXVILLE MERCURY 27

CALENDAR (Maryville) • 10PM Saturday, Feb. 13 CARSON MCHONE WITH JORDY SEARCY • WDVX • 12PM • 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 HARP ENSEMBLE VALENTINE’S CONCERT • Blount County Public Library • 2PM • FREE JUSTIN FEDOR • Sugarlands Distilling Co. (Gatlinburg) • 4PM • NC’s Justin Fedor has been singing songs and traveling the US both solo and with Alt-Country Rockers, The New Familiars, for nearly a decade. The band’s founding member, he’s worn many hats both as a singer-songwriter and also as a multi-instrumentalist; playing guitar, mandolin, and banjo in the studio. A lover of The South, his songs dangle between Appalachian Roots and Texas Outlaw Country, while his vocals carry the grit that only growing up southern can teach. • FREE WINTER JAM 2016 • Thompson-Boling Arena • 5PM • Founded and hosted by Grammy-nominated NewSong and promoted by Premier Productions, the blockbuster Winter Jam Tour Spectacular annually ranks among the top first-quarter tours in the world and has helped provide a powerful platform for the Gospel in major arenas around the country since 1995. Making history earlier this year, Winter Jam 2015 played to more than 600,000 people at a total of 47 shows across the country, shattering the tour’s previous attendance records. Artists scheduled to perform include for King & Country, Matthew West, Crowder, RED, Sidewalk Prophets, Lauren

Thursday, Feb. 4 - Sunday, Feb. 14

Daigle, NewSong, Trip Lee, KB, Stars Go Dim, We Are Messengers, and guest speaker Tony Nolan. • $10 KIRK AND MEREDITH • Meksiko Cantina of Farragut • 6PM • Acoustic Americana.

JAZZSPIRATIONS • Red Piano Lounge • 7PM ERICK BAKER • Bijou Theatre • 8PM • $25 JORDY SEARCY WITH CHELSEA STEPP • Open Chord Brewhouse and Stage • 8PM • All ages. • $5 HAROLD NAGGE AND ALAN WYATT • The Bistro at the Bijou • 9PM • Live jazz. • FREE THE BURNIN’ HERMANS • Scruffy City Hall • 9PM FOUR LEAF PEAT • Boyd’s Jig and Reel • 10PM • Knoxville’s finest purveyors of traditional Irish music. • FREE K-TOWN MUSIC • Two Doors Down (Maryville) • 10PM BACKUP PLANET WITH CBDB • The Concourse • 10PM • A high energy, experimental rock/funk band from Nashville, Tennessee. 18 and up. • $10-$12 NICK KANE AND THE GOOD ROUTES • Preservation Pub • 10PM COL. BRUCE HAMPTON • Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria • 10PM • Bruce Hampton (born Gustav Valentine Berglund III, April 30, 1947 in Knoxville, TN) is a surrealist American musician. In the late 1960s he was a founding member of Atlanta, Georgia’s avant-garde Hampton Grease Band.

Adopting the moniker Colonel Bruce Hampton, Retired, and sometimes playing a sort of dwarf guitar called a “chazoid”, he later formed several other bands. Some of those band names include The Late Bronze Age, The Aquarium Rescue Unit, The Fiji Mariners, The Codetalkers, The Quark Alliance, Pharaoh Gummitt, and Madrid Express. • $5 HAYDEN GARBER AND WHISKEY ROAD • Barley’s Taproom

and Pizzeria (Maryville) • 10PM

OPEN MIC AND SONGWRITER NIGHTS

Thursday, Feb. 4 IRISH MUSIC SESSION • Boyd’s Jig and Reel • 7:15PM • Held on the first and third Thursdays of each month. • FREE BREWHOUSE BLUES JAM • Open Chord Brewhouse and Stage • 8PM • Join Robert Higginbotham & the Smoking Section at the Open Chord for the Brewhouse Blues Jam. Bring your instrument, sign up, and join the jammers. We supply drums and a full backline of amps. Sign-ups begin at 7pm before the show. Held the first Thursday of every month.

Tuesday, Feb. 9 OLD-TIME JAM SESSION • Boyd’s Jig and Reel • 7:15PM • Hosted by Sarah Pickle. • FREE PRESERVATION PUB SINGER/SONGWRITER NIGHT • Preservation Pub • 7 p.m. • 21 and up. • FREE Wednesday, Feb. 10 TIME WARP TEA ROOM OLD-TIME JAM • Time Warp Tea Room • 7PM • Regular speed old-time/fiddle jam every Wednesday from 7-9 p.m. at the Time Warp Tea Room. All instruments and skill levels welcome.

BRACKINS BLUES JAM • Brackins Blues Club (Maryville) • 9PM • A weekly open session hosted by Tommie John. • FREE

Thursday, Feb. 11 SCOTTISH MUSIC SESSION • Boyd’s Jig and Reel • 7:15PM • Held on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month.

• FREE

DJ AND DANCE NIGHTS

Saturday, Feb. 6 OLD CITY MARDI GRAS PUB CRAWL • The Old City • 8PM • Dancing in the streets, feathers, beads, and masks… what more do we need to have a blast? Knoxville may not have a Bourbon Street, but that doesn’t mean we can’t laissez les bon temps rouler (let the good times roll) like the French do. One wristband gets you into all seven participating venues for only $7 in advance. Advance wristbands can be purchased online at carleoentertainment.com and picked up the night of the pub crawl starting at 8pm at either Davincis Pizzeria or NV Nightclub.The pub crawl is a 21 and up event. VIP sections are available. Call (865)414-6050 to reserve your section now. Participating venues: Southbound Knoxville, NV Nightclub, Carleo’s Lounge & Nightclub, Hanna’s Old City, Wagon Wheel, The Bowery, and 90 Proof.

CLASSICAL MUSIC Tuesday, Feb. 9

“…speaks across the centuries to the horrors of our own troubled times…”

The Daily Telegraph

For mature audiences.

28

KNOXVILLE MERCURY February 4, 2016

Thursday, Feb. 4 - Sunday, Feb. 14

UT CHORAL ARTS CONCERT • University of Tennessee Alumni Memorial Building • 8PM • FREE Friday, Feb. 12 CANTUS: THE FOUR LOVES • Clayton Center for the Arts (Maryville) • 7:30PM • In time for Valentines Day, Cantus, one of the nation’s few full-time vocal ensembles, brings their distinctive approach to a new show, The Four Loves.

CHRISTOPHER HOULIHAN • Westminster Presbyterian Church • 8PM • The acclaimed organist Christopher Houlihan performs a as part of Westminster Presbyterian Church’s annual series of organ recitals, Musica Organi. Critics have applauded Christopher Houlihan for his “world class chops” and “marvelous ear, “ and The Los Angeles Times proclaimed him dazzling and seductive. • FREE

CALENDAR

Ulster to the hills of Appalachia. Blending Irish and Scottish dance into both classical and contemporary dance, GO! intertwines generations with visually stunning Irish and Scottish scenes in act one and life in Appalachia after the Scots-Irish exodus in act two.

Learn more by visiting gocontemporarydance.com and follow on Facebook. • $22-$27 Sunday, Feb. 7

KNOXVILLE CHILDREN’S THEATRE: ‘SARA CREWE: A LITTLE PRINCESS’ • Knoxville Children’s Theatre • 3PM • Jan. 22-Feb. 7. Visit knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com. • $12 PRIMARY PLAYERS CHILDREN’S THEATRE GROUP: ‘THE LITTLE MERMAID’ • Clayton Center for the Arts (Maryville) • 2PM • Forty young actors sing and dance their way through this Disney classic. Feb. 5-7. Visit primaryplayers. com. • $16

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THEATER AND DANCE

Thursday, Feb. 4 KNOXVILLE CHILDREN’S THEATRE: ‘SARA CREWE: A LITTLE PRINCESS’ • Knoxville Children’s Theatre • 7PM • Frances Hodgson Burnett’s story remains one of the world’s most popular books for children, despite being written over 100 years ago. It is a timeless tale of rags-to-riches, and Sara Crewe has become a role model for grace-under-pressure and undefeatable hope. Jan. 22-Feb. 7. Visit knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com.

• $12 OAK RIDGE PLAYHOUSE: BORN YESTERDAY • Oak Ridge Playhouse • 8PM • In this classic comedy, vulgar, egotistical “junkman” Harry Brock, along with his “dumb” but charming girlfriend, Billie Dawn, arrives in Washington to make a few “deals” with powerful political big-wigs. Increasingly embarrassed by Billie’s lack of knowledge and social graces, Harry hires an idealistic young magazine reporter to educate the former showgirl. Billie not only learns to appreciate history and politics, but along the way, discovers the depths of Harry’s crooked activities. Jan. 29-Feb. 7. Visit www.orplayhouse.com.

Friday, Feb. 5 PRIMARY PLAYERS CHILDREN’S THEATRE GROUP: ‘THE LITTLE MERMAID’ • Clayton Center for the Arts (Maryville) • 7PM • Forty young actors sing and dance their way through this Disney classic. Feb. 5-7. Visit primaryplayers. com. • $16 KNOXVILLE CHILDREN’S THEATRE: ‘SARA CREWE: A LITTLE PRINCESS’ • Knoxville Children’s Theatre • 7PM • Jan. 22-Feb. 7. Visit knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com. • $12 OAK RIDGE PLAYHOUSE: BORN YESTERDAY • Oak Ridge Playhouse • 8PM • Jan. 29-Feb. 7. Visit www.orplayhouse.com.

Saturday, Feb. 6 KNOXVILLE CHILDREN’S THEATRE: ‘SARA CREWE: A LITTLE PRINCESS’ • Knoxville Children’s Theatre • 1PM and 5PM • Jan. 22-Feb. 7. Visit knoxvillechildrenstheatre.com. • $12 PRIMARY PLAYERS CHILDREN’S THEATRE GROUP: ‘THE LITTLE MERMAID’ • Clayton Center for the Arts (Maryville) • 2PM and 7PM • Forty young actors sing and dance their way through this Disney classic. Feb. 5-7. Visit primaryplayers.com. • $16 OAK RIDGE PLAYHOUSE: BORN YESTERDAY • Oak Ridge Playhouse • 8PM • Jan. 29-Feb. 7. Visit www.orplayhouse.com.

GO! CONTEMPORARY DANCE WORKS: ‘IN THE SHADOWS OF PINE MOUNTAIN’ • Bijou Theatre • 8PM • GO! Contemporary Dance Works’ 14th season continues with its newest full length contemporary ballet, In the Shadows of Pine Mountain: the Scots-Irish exodus from

THE PUBLIC CINEMA: HITCHCOCK/TRUFFAUT Scruffy City Hall (32 Market Square) • Wednesday, Feb. 10 • 8 p.m. • Free • publiccinema.org In 1962, the French director and film writer François Truffaut (The 400 Blows, Jules and Jim) spent a week at Universal Studios with Alfred Hitchcock. They talked about movies—Hitchcock’s movies, mostly, and how Hitchcock made them, but also why he made them, what inspired him, and what he loved about movies.

Four years later, Truffaut published a book based on their conversations. Consisting mostly of transcribed interviews, Hitchcock/Truffaut is a joy of film criticism, a thoughtful and probing celebration of one of the most astounding bodies of work assembled on celluloid, from the early silent pictures and classic English thrillers (The 39 Steps, The Lady Vanishes) to the Hollywood breakthrough in the 1940s (Rebecca, Notorious), the paranoid, bewildering, magisterial triumphs of the ’50s and early ’60s (Rear Window, Vertigo, Psycho, The Birds), and the increasingly weird movies of the ’60s and ’70s (Topaz, Frenzy, Family Plot). Hitchcock/Truffaut is a key text of the French New Wave and was essential to elevating Hitchcock’s critical reputation. It’s hard to believe that the creator of Vertigo was dismissed for much of his career as a hack; thanks to the enthusiasm of Truffaut and his New Wave colleagues, Hitchcock has been a fixture atop best-directors-of-all-time lists for decades now.

Now Hitchcock/Truffaut is a documentary about the book and its influence. Directed by Kent Jones, the movie combines archival photos, interviews with Hitchcock, footage from his movies, and new interviews with contemporary directors—Martin Scorsese, Wes Anderson, David Fincher, Olivier Assayas, Peter Bogdanovich, and several others—talking about their experience with the book, and with Hitchcock. (Matthew Everett)

February 4, 2016

KNOXVILLE MERCURY 29

CALENDAR OAK RIDGE PLAYHOUSE: BORN YESTERDAY • Oak Ridge Playhouse • 2PM • Jan. 29-Feb. 7. Visit www.orplayhouse. com.

GO! CONTEMPORARY DANCE WORKS: ‘IN THE SHADOWS OF PINE MOUNTAIN’ • Bijou Theatre • 3PM • GO! Contemporary Dance Works’ 14th season continues with its newest full length contemporary ballet, In the Shadows of Pine Mountain: the Scots-Irish exodus from Ulster to the hills of Appalachia. Blending Irish and Scottish dance into both classical and contemporary dance, GO! intertwines generations with visually stunning Irish and Scottish scenes in act one and life in Appalachia after the Scots-Irish exodus in act two.

Learn more by visiting gocontemporarydance.com and follow on Facebook. • $22-$27 Wednesday, Feb. 10 CLARENCE BROWN THEATRE: ‘TITUS ANDRONICUS’ • Clarence Brown Theatre • 7PM • Is revenge justice? A victorious general returns home, having already lost many sons in the war, only to find political chaos and the emperor marrying his enemy. This sets into motion a cycle of violent and bloody revenge in which the general and his foe lose more than either one could ever imagine. For mature audiences. Feb. 10-28.

Thursday, Feb. 11 CLARENCE BROWN THEATRE: ‘TITUS ANDRONICUS’ • Clarence Brown Theatre • 7PM • Feb. 10-28. • Visit clarencebrowntheatre.com.

Thursday, Feb. 4 - Sunday, Feb. 14

COMEDY AND SPOKEN WORD

Friday, Feb. 5 FIRST FRIDAY COMEDY • Saw Works Brewing Company • 7PM • Atlanta comedians Mo Arora and Brian Emond headline the February lineup of this free monthly comedy showcase. Local comedians Angela Garrone, Sean Simoneau, and Matt Chadourne will also perform. • FREE Sunday, Feb. 7 UPSTAIRS UNDERGROUND COMEDY • Preservation Pub • 8PM • A weekly comedy open mic.

Monday, Feb. 8 QED COMEDY LABORATORY • Pilot Light • 7:30PM • QED ComedyLaboratory is a weekly show with different theme every week that combines stand-up, improv, sketch, music and other types of performance and features some of the funniest people in Knoxville and parts unknown.

It’s weird and experimental. There is no comedy experience in town that is anything like this and it’s also a ton of fun. Pay what you want. Free, but donations are accepted. • FREE Tuesday, Feb. 9 OPEN MIC STAND-UP COMEDY • Longbranch Saloon • 8PM • Come laugh until you cry at the Longbranch every Tuesday night. Doors open at 8:30, first comic at 9. No cover charge, all are welcome. Aspiring or experienced

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

comics interested in joining in the fun email us at longbranch.info@gmail.com to learn more, or simply come to the show a few minutes early. • FREE EINSTEIN SIMPLIFIED • Scruffy City Hall • 8PM • Einstein Simplified Comedy performs live comedy improv at Scruffy City Hall. It’s just like Whose Line Is It Anyway, but you get to make the suggestions. Show starts at 8:15, get there early for the best seats. No cover. • FREE KNOXVILLE POETRY SLAM • Open Chord Brewhouse and Stage • 8PM • All ages. • $5 Wednesday, Feb. 10 FULL DISCLOSURE COMEDY • Open Chord Brewhouse and Stage • 8:15PM • You know the drill. Wait, you don’t? Oh man, you have to come! We are doing a free long-form improv show. Grab a beer, coffee or glass of wine and laugh.

Friday, Feb. 5 TUNE JUNKIE WEEKEND • The Grove Theater (Oak Ridge) • 6:30PM • Tune Junkie Weekend is a weekend of Irish music and fun featuring sessions, workshops and a concert. Visit us on the web at www.tradknox.com or join us on Facebook. • $14-$35

Thursday, Feb. 11 COMEDY AND SPOKEN WORD • February 11 • PechaKucha 20X20 • Bijou Theatre • 6:30PM • PechaKucha 20x20 is a presentation format where Knoxville creatives show 20 images, each for 20 seconds, telling the stories of what they do in Knoxville. Visit pechakucha.org/cities/ knoxville. • FREE

FESTIVALS

and lectures. Keynote speaker Dr. Christen Fleming of UT Medical Center will present tips on women’s health and heart disease at 6 p.m. Knox County health professionals Amy Rowling, Kerri Thompson and Khrysta Baig will address violence prevention, tobacco prevention and nutrition. Pampering includes free manicures, bang cuts and more from Paul Mitchell School, 10-minute chair massages by Sandra Corbitt and others for $5 and Nail Art by Andrea for $5. Health screening services are planned for bone density and blood pressure. About 40 vendors will be on hand. Y class demonstrations will include MOSSA Fight and yoga. Join the Y that night and the $30 joining fee will be waived.Contact Information: Community Wellness Director Sara Prinzi, sprinzi@ ymcaknoxville.org, 865.522.9622. • FREE

Thursday, Feb. 4 YMCA GIRLS’ NIGHT OUT • Lindsay Young Downtown YMCA • 5PM • A girls’ night out of pampering, health screenings

Saturday, Feb. 6 MARDI GRAS NIGHT: OPTIMIST CLUB OF KNOXVILLE 10TH ANNUAL BENEFIT DINNER AND AUCTION • University of Tennessee • 6PM • On the UT campus, Neyland Stadium, in the Tennessee Terrace (at Gate 19). Food provided by Rothchild Catering. Cash Bar. Proceeds (from the event auctions/online auction, ticket sales receipts above food costs and donations), go toward financing the opportunities that the club offers to hundreds of children

Win Tickets to the

Clarence Brown Theatre!

TITUS ANDRONICUS TICKET GIVEAWAY 2 pair of tickets available for the Feb. 17th performance.

Who wrote Titus Andronicus?

Send your answer to: contests@knoxmercury.com 2 winners chosen at random will be notified on Feb. 8th.

Brought to you by:

Look for details next week!

30

KNOXVILLE MERCURY February 4, 2016

*Disclaimer: Winners will be chosen at random by the Knoxville Mercury from weekly submissions. Winners will be notified in advance. (1 pair of tickets per winner.) NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Void where prohibited.

Must be a legal U.S. resident, 18 years of age or older, and not be a sponsor or an employee, family member, or household member of a sponsor. Once notified, winner has 24 hours to respond. Odds of winning depend on number of entries received. Sponsor: Knoxville Mercury, 706 Walnut Ave., Suite 404, Knoxville, TN 37902.

Thursday, Feb. 4 - Sunday, Feb. 14

in our local community. Questions: brstaton@coca-cola. com or 865-789-6181.

CASA OF EAST TENNESSEE RED SHOE GALA • Lighthouse Knoxville • 7PM • CASA of East Tennessee’s annual Red Shoe Gala fundraiser will be February 6, 2016 at Lighthouse Knoxville (6800 Baum Drive, Knoxville, TN 37919). The evening will start at 7pm and includes exceptional food, signature cocktails, and a silent auction, all while enjoying live music from local band The Pop Rox. All proceeds will go to CASA of East Tennessee’s mission to advocate for children in abused and neglect cases at Knox County Juvenile Court. $100 for single tickets, $180 for couples. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.casaofeasttn.org or call 865-329-3399. • $100 TUNE JUNKIE WEEKEND • The Grove Theater (Oak Ridge) • 12PM • Tune Junkie Weekend is a weekend of Irish music and fun featuring sessions, workshops and a concert.

Visit us on the web at www.tradknox.com or join us on Facebook. • $14-$35 VALENTINE’S EXPO AND MINIPSYCHICFAIR • Illuminations Alternative and Holistic Health • 10AM • Featuring psychic readers, aura readings and drawings, massage therapist, and cranial sacral therapy. We will have jewelry vendors and special gifts for Valentine’s Day. • FREE CAPPE CHILIFEST • Stovall Family Life Center (Maryville) • 4PM • New contestants and previous winners will meet at CAPPE’s 14th annual ChiliFest on Saturday, February 6. • $7 Sunday, Feb. 7 TUNE JUNKIE WEEKEND • Boyd’s Jig and Reel • 1PM • Tune

Junkie Weekend is a weekend of Irish music and fun featuring sessions, workshops and a concert. Visit us on the web at www.tradknox.com or join us on Facebook. • FREE

FILM SCREENINGS

Monday, Feb. 8 THE BIRDHOUSE WALK-IN THEATER • The Birdhouse • 8:15PM • A weekly free movie screening. • FREE Wednesday, Feb. 10 PUBLIC CINEMA: ‘HITCHCOCK/TRUFFAUT’ • Scruffy City Hall • 8PM • In 1962 Hitchcock and Truffaut locked themselves away in Hollywood for a week to excavate the secrets behind the mise-en-scène in cinema. Based on the original recordings of this meeting—used to produce the mythical book Hitchcock/Truffaut—this film illustrates the greatest cinema lesson of all time and plummets us into the world of the creator of Psycho, The Birds, and Vertigo.

Hitchcock’s incredibly modern art is explained by today’s leading filmmakers: Martin Scorsese, David Fincher, Arnaud Desplechin, Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Wes Anderson, James Gray, Olivier Assayas, Richard Linklater, Peter Bogdanovich and Paul Schrader. Visit publiccinema.org. • FREE • See Spotlight on page 29.

SPORTS AND RECREATION

CALENDAR

Thursday, Feb. 4 CYCOLOGY BICYCLES THURSDAY MORNING RIDE • Cycology Bicycles • 10AM • FREE FLEET FEET GROUP RUN/WALK • Fleet Feet Sports Knoxville • 6PM • All levels welcome. • FREE NORTH KNOXVILLE BEER RUNNERS • Central Flats and Taps • 6PM • Meet us at Central Flats and Taps every Thursday night for a fun and easy run leading us right through Saw Works for a midway beer! • FREE RIVER SPORTS THURSDAY EVENING GREENWAY BIKE RIDE • River Sports Outfitters • 6PM • FREE WHOLE FOODS GAME NIGHT • Whole Foods • 6PM • Join us for everything from Candy Land to chess, and feel free to add a pint and a pizza. • FREE KNOXVILLE BICYCLE COMPANY THURSDAY GRAVEL GRINDER • North Boundary Trails • 6:30PM CEDAR BLUFF CYCLES THURSDAY GREENWAY RIDE • Cedar Bluff Cycles • 6:30PM • FREE Friday, Feb. 5 RIVER SPORTS FRIDAY NIGHT GREENWAY RUN • River Sports Outfitters • 6PM • Greenway run from the store every Friday evening from 6-7:30 pm. Work up a thirst then join us for $2 Pints in the store afterwards. http:// www.riversportsoutfitters.com/events/ • FREE Saturday, Feb. 6 SMOKY MOUNTAIN HIKING CLUB: VIRGIN FALLS STATE PARK • Smoky Mountain Hiking Club • 8:30AM • This lollipop hike offers three impressive waterfalls and the usual karst landscape common to the Cumberland Plateau. This could

be a wet, or even possibly an icy, hike, so plan accordingly.

Hiking poles are recommended. Rated moderate to difficult depending on weather conditions. Meet at Lenoir City Cracker Barrel, at 8:30 AM or at the trailhead at 10:00 AM. Drive: 160 miles RT. Leader: Brad Reese, bradktn@gmail. com • FREE Sunday, Feb. 7 KNOXVILLE HARDCOURT BIKE POLO • Sam Duff Memorial Park • 1PM • Don’t know how to play? Just bring your bike — we have mallets to share and will teach you the game.

• FREE Monday, Feb. 8 KTC GROUP RUN • Mellow Mushroom • 6PM • Visit ktc.org.

• FREE BEARDEN BEER MARKET FUN RUN • Bearden Beer Market • 6:30PM • Visit beardenbeermarket.com. • FREE CEDAR BLUFF CYCLES TUESDAY GREENWAY RIDE • Cedar Bluff Cycles • 6:30PM • cedarbluffcycles.net. • FREE Tuesday, Feb. 9 CYTOLOGY BICYCLES TUESDAY MORNING RIDE • Cycology Bicycles • 10:30AM • cycologybicycles.com. • FREE WHOLE FOODS GAME NIGHT • Whole Foods • 6PM • Join us for everything from Candy Land to chess, and feel free to add a pint and a pizza. • FREE HARD KNOX TUESDAY FUN RUN • Hard Knox Pizzeria • 6:30PM • Join Hard Knox Pizzeria every Tuesday evening (rain or shine) for a 2-3 mile fun run. Burn calories. Devour pizza.

Quench thirst. Follow us on Facebook. • FREE Wednesday, Feb. 10

h ? s a c y a d i l o h a r t x e e m o s Got e n joy

VALENTINE’S DAY al l weekend

RESERVATIONS AVAILABLE FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY NIGHT BEGINNING AT 5:00 PM

Check out Chef Brandon’s incredible weekend specials SEARED TUNA, CHICKEN FRIED QUAIL TENNESSEE CHEESE PLATE GRILLED WILD MUSHROOM ENCHILADAS MITCHELL FARMS STRIP LOIN,

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KNOXVILLE MERCURY 31

CALENDAR KTC GROUP RUN • Runner’s Market • 5:30PM • Visit ktc.org.

• FREE FOUNTAIN CITY PEDALERS SHARPS RIDGE MOUNTAIN BIKE RIDE • Fountain City Pedaler • 6PM • Visit fcpedaler.com. • FREE CLIMBING FUNDAMENTALS • River Sports Outfitters • 6PM • Come learn the basics of climbing every second and fourth Wednesday of the month. Space is limited so call 865-673-4687 to reserve your spot now. Class fee $20.

Visit riversportsoutfitters.com/events. • $20

ART

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts 556 Parkway (Gatlinburg) JAN. 16-MARCH 11: Touch: Interactive Craft, Arrowmont’s biannual national juried exhibition.

Art Market Gallery 422 S. Gay St. FEB. 2-28: heART 2 heART, a Valentine’s exhibit. An opening reception will be held on Friday, Feb. 5, at 5:30 p.m.

Bliss Home 24 Market Square JAN. 1-FEB. 29: Artwork by Ocean Starr Cline. A reception will be held on Friday, Feb. 5, from 6-9 p.m.

Broadway Studios and Gallery 1127 Broadway

Thursday, Feb. 4 - Sunday, Feb. 14

FEB. 5-MARCH 1: Alley Cat by Marianne Ziegler. An opening reception will be held on Friday, Feb. 5, from 5-9 p.m.

Natural History and Culture 1327 Circle Park Drive JAN. 23-MAY 22: Maya: Lords of Time. ONGOING: The Flora and Fauna of Catesby, Mason, and Audubon and Life on the Roman Frontier.

Downtown Gallery 106 S. Gay St. FEB. 5-27: Artwork by Larry Brown. An opening reception will be held on Friday, Feb. 5, from 5-9 p.m.

Westminster Presbyterian Church Schiller Gallery 6500 S. Northshore Drive JAN. 12-FEB. 28: Paintings by Jennifer Brickey.

Emporium Center for Arts and Culture 100 S. Gay St. FEB. 5-26: Knoxville Photography Collective exhibit and National Juried Exhibition 2016. An opening reception will be held on Friday, Feb. 5, from 5-9 p.m.

LECTURES, READINGS, AND BOOK SIGNINGS

Ewing Gallery 1715 Volunteer Blvd.

JAN. 14-FEB. 18: UT Artist-in-Residence Biennial, featuring work by Molly Zuckerman-Hartung, Aliza Nisenbaum, Caitlin Keogh, and Dominic Terlizzi.

Knoxville Museum of Art 1050 World’s Fair Park Drive JAN. 29-APRIL 17: Knoxville Seven, an exhibit of artwork by an influential group of Knoxville artists from the 1950s and ’60s, including Buck Ewing, Carl Sublett, and more. 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

Thursday, Feb. 4 LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS CANDIDATE FORUM • Lincoln Memorial University Duncan School of Law • 6:30PM • Candidates for Knox County Law Director and Property Assessor will participate. Matt Shafer Powell of WUOT will moderate. Visit lwvknoxville.org. • FREE Friday, Feb. 5 UT SCIENCE FORUM • Thompson-Boling Arena • 12PM • The Science Forum is a weekly brown-bag lunch series that allows professors and area scientists to discuss their research with the general public in a conversational presentation.Free and open to the public, each Science Forum consists of a 40-minute presentation followed by a Q-and-A session. Attendees are encouraged to bring

Business

their own lunch or purchase it at the cafe in Thompson-Boling Arena.The Science Forum, sponsored by the UT Office of Research and Quest magazine, is an initiative to raise awareness of the research, scholarship and creative activity happening on campus. • FREE Monday, Feb. 8 WRITERS IN THE LIBRARY: KENNETH POBO • University of Tennessee • 7PM • Kenneth Pobo is professor of English and Creative Writing at Widener University. He has published more than 25 books or chapbooks of poetry and fiction. His new poetry book is Bend of Quiet, Blue Light Press, 2015. Pobo is the winner of the 2009 Main Street Rag Poetry Chapbook Contest, the 2011 Qarrtsiluni Poetry Chapbook Contest, and the 2013 Eastern Point Press Chapbook Award.Visit library.utk.edu/writers for a complete schedule of Writers in the Library readings for the 2016 spring semester. • FREE Tuesday, Feb. 9 “NOT JUST LIVING FOSSILS: CROCODYLIAN EVOLUTION AND DIVERSITY FROM THE AGE OF DINOSAURS TO THE PRESENT” • University of Tennessee Alumni Memorial Building • 7PM • Dr. Drumheller-Horton is a dynamic speaker whose research focuses on vertebrate taphonomy, ichnology, paleopathology, and paleoecology. She explores the surfaces of bones to determine modifications that can be generated under modern and experimental conditions to understand the processes which left similar traces on bone in the fossil record. She is currently a lecturer in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences. This event is free and open to the public. For more information visit

Product awareness

Company goodwill

There’s never been a better time to “go public.”

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KNOXVILLE MERCURY February 4, 2016 WUOT_Ad_5.5x4.25_WhyWUOT_KnoxMerc.indd 1

9/7/15 9:52 AM

Thursday, Feb. 4 - Sunday, Feb. 14

DarwinDayTN.org. • FREE Wednesday, Feb. 10 T.R.C. HUTTON: “BLOODY BREATHITT: POLITICS AND VIOLENCE IN THE APPALACHIAN SOUTH” • East Tennessee History Center • 12PM • Following the Civil War, the rugged upcountry of Breathitt County, Kentucky, developed the reputation as “the darkest and bloodiest of all the dark and bloody feud counties.” In a Brown Bag Lecture on February 10, Dr. T. R. C. Hutton will discuss his book Bloody Breathitt: Politics and Violence in the Appalachian South and argue that “feud” became a loaded term that was sometimes used to disguise the more complex nature of the violence. For more information on the lecture, exhibitions, or museum hours, call 865-215-8824 or visit the website at www.

EastTNHistory.org. • FREE “FROM RHINOS TO MASTODONTS: THE GRAY FOSSIL SITE OF TENNESSEE” • University of Tennessee Alumni Memorial Building • 7PM • Dr. Schubert’s research focuses on the paleobiology of short-faced bear and Neogene vertebrate paleoecology in the Southern Appalachians and Ozarks.

He has also been working toward developing a Cave Paleontology Program at East Tennessee State University.

This event is free and open to the public. For more information visit DarwinDayTN.org. • FREE

FAMILY AND KIDS’ EVENTS

Thursday, Feb. 4 BABY BOOKWORMS • Lawson McGee Public Library • 11AM • For infants to age 2, must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. • FREE Friday, Feb. 5 S.T.E.A.M. KIDS • Blount County Public Library • 4PM • Every week will be a different adventure, from science experiments to art projects and everything in between.

Materials will be limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. For grades K-5. • FREE Saturday, Feb. 6 SATURDAY STORIES AND SONGS • Lawson McGee Public Library • 11AM • A weekly music and storytelling session for kids. • FREE SUPERHERO MEET AND GREET • Open Chord Brewhouse and Stage • 2AM • Meet all your favorite superheroes and characters like Batman, Superman, Starlord, Green Lantern, and more. The characters will be signing autographs and taking photos and there will be prize drawings throughout the event. This event is to promote the upcoming fundraiser For Jake’s Sake - The Ultimate Nerf Battle. The fundraiser is in support of the Benvenuto family. All ages. • FREE Monday, Feb. 8 MCCLUNG MUSEUM STROLLER TOUR • McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture • 10AM • Join us for a morning out as our museum educator leads engaging gallery tours for parents and caregivers and their young ones.

Crying and wiggly babies welcome. This month we

CALENDAR

explore love around the world in celebration of Valentine’s Day. The event is free, but limited, and all attendees must register to attend online. Registration opens a month in advance and closes the day before the tour. eventbrite.com. • FREE Tuesday, Feb. 9 PRE-K READ AND PLAY • Lawson McGee Public Library • 11AM • Pre-K Read and Play is a pilot program specifically designed to prepare children to enter kindergarten. While the format of the program will still feel like a traditional storytime with books, music, and other educational activities, each weekly session will focus on a different standard from the Tennessee Department of Education’s Early Childhood/Early Learning Developmental Standards.

• FREE BLOUNT COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY LEGO CLUB • Blount County Public Library • 4PM • LEGO Club will take place in the children’s library. Kids will complete different themed and timed LEGO Challenges, as well as have some time for free building. The library will provide the LEGOs, so all you have to bring is your imagination • FREE EVENING STORYTIME • Lawson McGee Public Library • 6:30PM • An evening storytime at Lawson McGhee Children’s Room to include stories, music, and crafts. For toddlers and up. • FREE CANCER SUPPORT COMMUNITY KID TO KID: FUN WITH A PURPOSE • Cancer Support Community • 3:30PM • Your children will gain coping skills and have opportunities to talk about a loved one’s cancer diagnosis while also having fun. Please call before your first visit and RSVP.

865-546-4661 for more info. All Cancer Support Community programs are offered at no cost to individuals affected by cancer.

Wednesday, Feb. 10 BABY BOOKWORMS • Lawson McGee Public Library • 10:20AM • For infants to age 2, must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. • FREE PRESCHOOL STORYTIME • Lawson McGee Public Library • 11AM • For ages 3 to 5, must be accompanied by an adult.

• FREE

CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS

Thursday, Feb. 4 PLANET MOTION WORLD DANCE FITNESS • Champion Ballroom Center • 10AM • All levels fun dance workout incorporating dance and music styles from around the world.

GENTLE YOGA AND MEDITATION • Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church • 12PM • Call 865-577-2021 or email yogaway249@gmail.com. Donations accepted.

BLOUNT COUNTY LIBRARY BASIC COMPUTER CLASSES • Blount County Public Library • 2PM • Basic computer classes are offered, free, at the library Jan. 6-March 10. • FREE BELLY DANCE LEVELS 1 AND 2 • Knox Dance Worx • 8PM • Call (865) 898-2126 or email alexia@alexia-dance.com. •

February 4, 2016

KNOXVILLE MERCURY 33

CALENDAR $12 AARP DRIVER SAFETY CLASS • Oak Ridge Senior Center • 9:30AM • For registration and information, call (865) 382-5822.

SEYMOUR FARMER’S MARKET FREE GARDENING WORKSHOPS • Seymour Branch Library • 7PM • This program is part of the library’s quarterly special interest series. • FREE

Thursday, Feb. 4 - Sunday, Feb. 14

Kabat- Zinn from the University of Massachusetts Medical School, is a systematic practice that involves focusing attention, relaxing the body and integrating the mind and body to reduce stress. Evidence shows that this program can be effective for controlling anxiety, depression and stress. Must attend the January 10 orientation in order to participate in the series, which runs from January 17-March 6 from 4:30-6:30pm. RSVP. Call 865-546-4661 for more info. All Cancer Support Community programs are offered at no cost to individuals affected by cancer.

Saturday, Feb. 6 IMPROV COMEDY CLASS • The Birdhouse • 10AM • A weekly improv comedy class. • FREE INDIGENOUS VIBES STUDIOS AFRICAN DRUM AND DANCE CLASS • Indigenous Vibes Studios • 1:30PM • Our drum and dance classes are specifically designed toward making the drum and dance experience as easy and fun as possible to those with little to no background in drumming and dancing. We focus on keeping students engaged while learning West African drum and dance and culture in a fun and safe environment. Drum classes are held on Mondays and Wednesdays from 5:45 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 1:30 to 2:15 p.m. Dancing classes are held on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6:45 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. and Saturdays from 2:30 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. • $10 INDIGENOUS VIBES STUDIOS AFRICAN DRUM AND DANCE CLASS • Indigenous Vibes Studios • 2:30PM • $10 Sunday, Feb. 7 CANCER SUPPORT COMMUNITY MINDFULNESS BASED STRESS REDUCTION • Cancer Support Community • 4:30PM • This 8-week training program, developed by Dr. Jon

Monday, Feb. 8 NIA CARDIO-DANCE WORKOUT TECHNIQUE CLASS • Broadway Academy of Performing Arts • 10AM • Email emilybryant24@yahoo.com. Blending dance arts, martial arts, yoga and healing arts in a 55-minute mindful fitness fusion.

GENTLE YOGA AND MEDITATION • Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church • 5:30PM • Call 865-5772021 or email yogaway249@gmail.com. Donations accepted.

DIVORCE RECOVERY WORKSHOP • Cokesbury Center • 6:30PM • Divorce can be a life-shattering experience.

Whether it was sudden or was years in the making, we all need to heal our hearts, rebuild trust and get on with the rest of our lives. You have a choice: you can either go through divorce or you can grow through divorce. The format includes both a large and small group presentations by trained leaders. Attend Divorce Recovery to begin reframing and moving on with your life. Cost for the 14-week course is $75, which includes a book and

workbook. • $75 INDIGENOUS VIBES STUDIOS AFRICAN DRUM AND DANCE CLASS • Indigenous Vibes Studios • 5:45PM • $10 INDIGENOUS VIBES STUDIOS AFRICAN DRUM AND DANCE CLASS • Indigenous Vibes Studios • 6:45PM • $10 KMA WINTER ADULT WORKSHOPS • Knoxville Museum of Art • 10AM • All classes are held at the KMA with easy access and plenty of free parking. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Classes and workshops are taught by professional artists, living and working in the East Tennessee area. For a full description of classes and registration information, visit www.knoxart.org.

Tuesday, Feb. 9 GENTLE YOGA AND MEDITATION • Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church • 12PM • Call 865-577-2021 or email yogaway249@gmail.com. Donations accepted.

BLOUNT COUNTY LIBRARY BASIC COMPUTER CLASSES • Blount County Public Library • 2PM • Basic computer classes are offered, free, at the library Jan. 6-March 10. • FREE OMNI VISIONS FOSTER CARE TRAINING • Omni Visions Inc. • 6PM • Omni Visions is in need of foster and adoptive families as well as families that will provide respite care.

Omni Visions Treatment Parents receive financial reimbursement for each day a child lives in your home, as well as 24/7 support from our staff. Join us for our free PATH (Parents As Tender Healers) Training and open your heart and home to a child in need. For more information and to RSVP, please contact Rebecca Horton at (865) 524-4393 ext 1204 or rhorton@omnivisions.com. • FREE

KMA WINTER ADULT WORKSHOPS • Knoxville Museum of Art • 8AM • All classes are held at the KMA with easy access and plenty of free parking. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Classes and workshops are taught by professional artists, living and working in the East Tennessee area. For a full description of classes and registration information, visit www.knoxart.org.

CANCER SUPPORT COMMUNITY NUTRITION AMMUNITION • Cancer Support Community • 12PM • Call (865) 546-4611.

All Cancer Support Community programs are offered at no cost to individuals affected by cancer.

Wednesday, Feb. 10 NIA CARDIO-DANCE WORKOUT TECHNIQUE CLASS • Broadway Academy of Performing Arts • 6PM • Email emilybryant24@yahoo.com. Blending dance arts, martial arts, yoga and healing arts in a 55-minute mindful fitness fusion.

INDIGENOUS VIBES STUDIOS AFRICAN DRUM AND DANCE CLASS • Indigenous Vibes Studios • 5:45PM • $10 INDIGENOUS VIBES STUDIOS AFRICAN DRUM AND DANCE CLASS • Indigenous Vibes Studios • 6:45PM • $10

MEETINGS

Thursday, Feb. 4 SCRUFFY CITY ORCHESTRA • First Baptist Church • 7PM • A new venue for musicians from the greater Knoxville metropolitan area, Scruffy City Orchestra, kicks off with regular rehearsals on Thursdays beginning January 28th from 7:00 until 9:00 at First Baptist Church on Main Street.

Celebrate & Save!

In Honor of Sunset Bar’s 1st Birthday!

Any gourmet burger & fries plus a draft beer $12 Pantone 2622 Pantone 716

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KNOXVILLE MERCURY February 4, 2016

Feb. 5th-7 th

A weekend of Irish music and fun featuring sessions, workshops & a concert!

GROVE THEATER - OAK RIDGE Friday 2/5: 6:30pm Open House, Potluck & Session Saturday 2/6: 12-1:30pm Workshops in Fiddle, Guitar, Song & More 2-4pm Slow Session / Song Session 7-9:30pm Celtic Music Concert 9:30pm Session

BOYD’S JIG & REEL - KNOXVILLE Sunday 2/7: 1-4pm Afternoon Session Info / Register online at: www.tunejunkie.org

Workshops $25 / Concert $15 / Both $35 *Burger Special valid through 2/14/16*

13 Market Square • 865-246-2270 • trio-cafe.net 34

8th Annual Tune Junkie Weekend

tradknox@gmail.com 865-947-4514

Sponsored by Traditional Irish Arts of Knoxville

www.tradknox.com

CALENDAR Conductors are Matt Wilkinson and Ace Edewards.

Prospective members, especially string players, are encouraged to contact Alicia Meryweather at ScruffyCityOrchestra@gmail.com for more information. • FREE CANCER SUPPORT COMMUNITY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT GROUP • Cancer Support Community • 6PM • CSC is committed to providing bereavement services to those who have lost a loved one to cancer. Please contact our clinical staff before attending. Call 865-546-4661 for more info. All Cancer Support Community programs are offered at no cost to individuals affected by cancer.

CANCER SUPPORT COMMUNITY BREAST CANCER NETWORKER • Thompson Cancer Survivor Center West • 6PM • This drop-in group is an opportunity for women who have or have had breast cancer to come together to exchange information, offer support, education and encouragement. Bring your favorite seasonal snack to share. Call 865-546-4661 for more info. All Cancer Support Community programs are offered at no cost to individuals affected by cancer.

KNOXVILLE WRITERS’ GUILD • Central United Methodist Church • 7PM • Hip-hop spoken word artist and six-time nationally ranked slam poet Black Atticus will present, “The Art of Flow” - a spoken word presentation smoothed out on the R&B tip with hip hop-appeal to it.

Saturday, Feb. 6 AL-ANON • Faith Lutheran Church • 11AM • Al-Anon’s purpose is to help families and friends of alcoholics recover from the effects of living with the problem drinking of a relative or friend. Visit our local website at farragutalanon.org or email us at FindHope@ Farragutalanon.org. • FREE SEEKERS OF SILENCE • Church of the Savior United Church of Christ • 9AM • Knoxvillian Jim Harb, long-time promoter of peace in the Middle East, will speak on “The Crisis in Religion in Our Time: The Historic Transformation of the Three Great Monotheistic Religions.” SOS is an ecumenical and interfaith group seeking closer communion with God through silent prayer. The meetings are free and all are invited. Website: sosknoxville.org. • FREE Monday, Feb. 8 GAY MEN’S DISCUSSION GROUP • Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church • 7:30PM • We hold facilitated discussions on topics and issues relevant to local gay men in a safe and open environment. Visit gaygroupknoxville.org.

ETC.

Friday, Feb. 5 FIRST FRIDAY AT THE 1400 • The 1400 • 6PM • The 1400 is in one of Knoxville’s most exciting up-and-coming areas.

Four artists will be showcasing their work at First Friday in various mediums. Amherst, a musician out of Ohio who has grabbed the attention of Fact Mag and Thump – a subsect of Vice – will be performing a near two hour dj set. Colleen Alley, a UTK art student, will be screening her film “Tit Ache” a Petra Collins inspired looped piece. Two of the four artists showing their collections are UTK art students, Ryan McCown and Grant Barbour.

Saturday, Feb. 6 NOURISH KNOXVILLE WINTER FARMERS’ MARKET • Central United Methodist Church • 10AM-2PM • The Winter Farmers’ Market, held in the Historic 4th and Gill neighborhood, will host farm & food vendors selling pasture-raised meats, eggs, winter produce, honey, baked goods, artisan foods, and more. Outside, food trucks will be serving up lunch from locally sourced ingredients.

Visit nourishknoxville.org. • FREE

Send your events to calendar@knoxmercury.com

ADVERTISING EQUALS SUPPORT. Thanks to our advertisers for their help in keeping our presses running. Let’s return the favor by supporting them.

Tuesday, Feb. 9 ATHEISTS SOCIETY OF KNOXVILLE • Barley’s Taproom and Pizzeria • 5:30PM • Weekly atheists meetup and happy hour. Come join us for food, drink and great conversation.

Everyone welcome. • FREE KNOXVILLE CIVIL WAR ROUNDTABLE • Bearden Banquet Hall • 8PM • Norman Shaw, founder of the Knoxville Civil War Roundtable will lecture on The Loss of the Sultana :: America’s Worst Maritime Disaster. The lecture will begin at 8 PM Tuesday, Feb.9th, 2016, Bearden Banquet Hall, 5806 Kingston Pike. Lecture only cost $5, students free.

Dinner at 7PM, $17 including lecture. RSVP BY NOON Monday Feb.8th, 865-671-9001. • $5-$17 Wednesday, Feb. 10 COMITE POPULAR DE KNOXVILLE • The Birdhouse • 7PM • A weekly meeting of the local immigrant advocacy organization.

February 4, 2016

KNOXVILLE MERCURY 35

’BYE

Sacred & P rofane

Unexpected Places Okay, Cupid—what’s the big deal about love anyway?

BY DONNA JOHNSON

A

fter yet another fight with my alleged husband, and at the urging of a friend, I reluctantly signed up for a free dating site called OkCupid. With the impending doom of Valentine’s Day approaching and Market Square being swathed in red and pink to a sickening degree, I didn’t want to experience another Valentine’s Day like last year’s.

As I stalked the Square in my customary black clothing, a woman carrying a dozen red roses had whispered to her companion: “Look at that poor woman.

She’s alone. Alone!” I had bowed my head in shame and soldiered on.

So it was with great reluctance I logged into OkCupid. The choices were many and varied: men looking for women, women looking for men.

People who had 16 photographs of themselves—surely anyone that narcissistic didn’t need anyone else—and people who didn’t have any.

People who had three pages about themselves and people whose profile stated only: “I’m just me!”

After my friend, Magdalena, took pictures of me that looked far better than I actually could in real life, I put myself on display. (It’s a bit like cattle being scrutinized for their worth right before they go to be slaughtered.) I got a few bites: a man who told me I was “the pure essence of beauty,” and some people who sent messages that said only “hi”—as if anyone could be lured into a relationship like that.

There are romance candidates who write two-page, florid letters about how wonderful they are, and pathetic, woebegone types who pretty much say in their listless way that they have nothing at all to offer, either to themselves or another, and seem to indicate that they don’t think life is worth living and that this is their last shot at happiness. And then there are a few profiles where a blank face is shown and nothing at all is disclosed.

36

KNOXVILLE MERCURY February 4, 2016

Just a faceless name in a crowd.

Fascinating. Big turn on. Click, reject.

After one or two pitiful dates, which I paid for, sitting at Sassy Annie’s with both of us wishing we could escape, I did. Escape, I mean.

Out the door, through the parking lot, into the alley, and home. Home.

“I’ll be right back,” I had told my relieved date, and really intended to at the time, but instead crawled inside my blankets and wrapped my arms around my sleeping dog, Mallory, who just growled and turned over. A few minutes later Magdalena walked into my open door and said: “Get up, Donna. Get up! Your date is over there waiting for you.”

“Go away!” I screamed, then turned over and fell into a deep sleep where I dreamed of cows being judged, tagged, and sent to the slaughterhouse.

OkCupid, you are not doing a very good job. Here it is, almost Valentine’s Day, and I’m pretty sure it’s going to be another dismal one.

I recall my childhood in the ’50s— now those were magical Valentine’s Day celebrations. At school, all the children would take boxes of little valentines in bright red, perhaps a valentine candy or two, and leave them on each other’s desks. “Be Mine.”“I’m Yours,” or perhaps, “We Belong Together.” When I got home, my father would offer a large box of Valentine’s candy in sickening colors like magenta, maroon, or Pepto-Bismol pink (plus a larger, redder box of chocolates for my mother), after which we would fall upon our beds in a near-comatose state.

I walk into the bathroom and look at my reflection: disheveled hair, circles under my eyes, an altogether unsavory mess. Michael Jackson’s

song “Man in the Mirror” comes on and I think to myself, well why don’t you quit mourning things from the past and improbabilities of the future and do something for someone else?

Putting a hasty dash of blush and lipstick on, I go to the dollar store and buy a box of valentines. Is it my imagination that when I open them, the colors are just a little less vivid? I then march on to the Goodwill and buy a bright coat, red shoes that glitter in the dark, and a white scarf with pink hearts on it. I proceed to Raddy’s liquor store on Broadway and purchase a bottle of Black Velvet whiskey. Three or four packs of Pall Malls and I am ready to do my job.

When I arrive at the mission, people are outside rolling cigarettes and selling them, a couple of people are making a drug deal, and clusters of people stand around in jackets that cannot be very warm. I hold up the bottle of whiskey. On my arm is a basket with three cigarette packs wrapped in pink velvet ribbons.

“Anybody want a shot?” I ask.

“Excuse me?” a man asks.

“Want some whiskey?” I ask, and hand him the bottle. He takes a swig and passes it on. Everyone is surprisingly considerate and takes only a moderate shot so that there is enough to go around. Each gets a shot or two.

Thank you, thank you, and my efforts are rewarded by radiant smiles all around. Let’s face it, all you well-intentioned do-gooders: What most of them want is not a stale baloney sandwich— they want something to lift their spirits.

Their lives are hard and they want to forget that, if only for a little while.

“Happy Valentine’s Day,” I yell, and soon they are all screaming it out.

There is joy and hilarity all around.

All puffed up, I am a goddess, the premature Valentine Fairy. All I need is a wand and a velvet gown. I drink a shot myself, as it is getting very cold and the residents are getting ready to go in. As I trudge home, head down against the wind, a pretty young woman with perfect skin pulls over in an ostentatious, white SUV. “Here, honey,” she says, handing me a small plastic bag. “Just take it, sweetie.”

When I open the bag there is a plastic comb, two peppermint candies, and a small bottle of lotion.

“What I really need is a ride,” I say and she speeds off, as though I might pull out a switchblade and stab her any moment.

Inside my house is a note from my estranged husband written in his Hungarian hand, with mostly misspelled words. It’s hard to be mad at someone who spells like that, for there is an innocence and purity in it. “I’m here to say, Donna do not want anithing to do with me animore. Karl B. sincerely 01-29-16.” We have said so many times that we are through with each other, but there are people as close to you as your own skin, as necessary as the air you breathe, so you must keep them around, for good or ill.

Just then there is a knock at the door and there he stands with a box of chocolates. They are not expensive, nor even very good. But as we lay down in the darkness with the two cats, our hands touching, my favorite valentine—Mallory—rolls over and kicks her legs together for joy that we are together again. I hum “My Funny Valentine” as we fall asleep huddled in the darkness, our midget family, as Karl likes to call us. ◆

“Go away!” I screamed, then turned over and fell into a deep sleep where I dreamed of cows being judged, tagged, and sent to the slaughterhouse.

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’BYE

Spir it of the Staircase

BY MATTHEW FOLTZ-GRAY

38

KNOXVILLE MERCURY February 4, 2016

www.thespiritofthestaircase.com

’BYE

BY IAN BLACKBURN AND JACK NEELY

CLASSIFIEDS

Support the Knoxville Mercury and sell your stuff by purchasing an ad in our classifieds section.

FOR SALE BLUE VINTAGE NORTHFACE HIKING BACKPACK, aluminum external frame.

Early 1980's or so, about 90 liters. Great condition for its age, but some wear. $100 OBO. 678-313-7077

$5 NEW YEAR’S SALE, local and handmade, unique and modern, repurposed vintage beads, hand-painted geometric necklaces, and more. etsy.com/shop/triciabee

HOUSING 1BR APARTMENT IN PARKRIDGE - $425. 2BR $465. Take half off rent for first month, for December or January leasing. 865-438-4870

WANT TO FIND A COPY OF THE KNOXVILLE MERCURY?

We’ve got a map for that!

It’ll be updated as we add more locations.

If you’ve got suggestions, let us know. knoxmercury.com/find-us

Place your ad at store.knoxmercury.com

HOUSE FOR RENT IN GREAT NW KNOXVILLE LOCATION, - 3 bedroom, 2 bath,close to Cumberland Estates, minutes to UT & downtown, convenient to Oak Ridge.

Great roommate set up, 2 living areas, office, 1 car garage, 2 carports, acre lot, dishwasher, W/D hookups in separate utility room.

NO PETS, NO SMOKING, 12 month lease. $40 non refundable application fee (credit & rental history check), $925 deposit, $925/ month with an early payment reward available.

Call for appt 865-588-2963 FREE RENT THRU FEBRUARY! Move in NOW and enjoy Valentine’s Day in your 1BR furn. apt. near UT/hospitals/ downtown. $500/mo inc. utilities. Free wi/fi, cable, W/D, fitness center, hot tub. Underground parking avail. Looking for female renter, but you don’t have to be a student!

865-640-3018.

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COMMUNITY MARYVILLE’S FAIR TRADE SHOP. U nique gifts from around the globe. Hours: Wednesdays 2-8 pm and Sundays 8:30-9:15 am and 11:30 am-12:15 pm. Monte Vista Baptist Church 1735 Old Niles Ferry Road. For more information call 865-982-6070.

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February 4, 2016

KNOXVILLE MERCURY 39

LMU Professors Selected for International Workshop When Dr. Paul Nader and Dr. Bob Henry were contacted to work on preserving the world’s largest heart from a 76.5-foot blue whale, they knew this would be no ordinary whale tale. The Lincoln Memorial University-College of Veterinary Medicine (LMU-CVM) anatomy professors are working with international partners from Canada’s Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) including Interim Director and CEO, Dr. Mark Engstrom and Jacqueline Miller along with Dr. Gunther von Hagens of Gubener Plastinate GmbH in Germany to preserve the blue whale’s heart using a process called plastination. The process involves

preserving biological tissue by replacing water or fat with a polymer like silicone to produce a preserved specimen for anatomical study.

“Dr. Henry and Dr. von Hagens (inventor of the plastination process) are the leading experts on animal plastination in the world,” said Nader. “I explicitly wanted to come teach at LMU to work with Dr. Henry because he is a specialist in plastination.”

The biggest discovery during the project has been the size of the blue whale heart. It has always been believed that the

approximate size of a blue whale heart, was that of a car. However, when they removed the heart, they found it to be much smaller than common literature suggests. The heart measured five feet wide and five and a half feet tall, and its collapsed state fit into a household chest deep freezer. Though not as large as what was expected, it is still the largest heart Dr. Nader and Dr. Henry have ever worked on.

Once the plastination process is complete, the blue whale heart with the skeleton of the animal is scheduled to be on display at the ROM in Summer 2017.

vetmed.LMUnet.edu

Photo by Samantha Phillips, ROM Biodiversity