Best Bets :

Gryphon’s Laundromat and Lounge, Knoxville’s premier live poetry

venue and part-time Rock Palace, hosts Chug-a-lug Donna and

The Idle Hands at 10 p.m. tonight.These are the most

innovative guitar bands in town, bar none. Both bands offer valuable

lessons in sonic dynamics and contrast riff against riff to create fine

Appalachian-punk rhythms. These two ensembles give thought to their music,

leaving the hippy-funk “alternative” crowd struggling in blandness.

Big news Homestead Recording artists Pony will open the show at the

Mercury Theatre on Market Square tonight. Also appearing will be

Ardent Records Recording Artists Neighborhood Texture Jam from

Memphis. The show starts at 10 p.m. and admission is $5.

The Knoxville Writer’s Guild begins its Luminous Word Series,

Sept. 18, at 2 p.m. at the Knoxville Museum of Art. Writer Don

Williams will read his short story The Comforter. Local

actress and author Libba Moore Gray will read the female role in

Williams’ story.

The Artfest ’94 Kickoff Party will be Tuesday, Sept. 20, at the

McClung Museum at 4:30 p.m.

Also, renowned new age icon Kitaro performs Wednesday, Sept. 21, at

8 p.m. at the Bijou Theatre.

Other live music, tonight and Saturday:

The original line-up of The Drifters will perform at a kick-off

rally celebrating UT football. The reception begins at 7 p.m. at the

Foundry On the Fair Site. The band will play at 9 p.m. Admission is

$22.50.

The Knoxville Museum of Art opens this fall’s Alive After Five concert

series with a performance by Bill Scarlett and Associates from 5:30

p.m. to 8 p.m. The Museum’s galleries are open Friday nights until 9 p.m.

Admission is free for KMA members, $5 for non-members, and $2.50 for

students.

Freeway performs at Flamingo’s on Cumberland Avenue at 10

p.m. Admission is $5 at the door.

The Clinically Tested Wicked Wicked Cow People play a free concert

at 10:30 p.m. at the Disc Exchange on Chapman Highway.

Rock and roll originator Carl Perkins plays the Homer Hamilton

Theatre at the Tennessee Valley Fair Saturday night at 7 and 9:30

p.m.

Black Velvet Dogs appear at Zarbo’s for free at 10 p.m.

Hector Qirko plays the blues at Manhattan’s at 10 p.m.

Admission is $5.

Marcus Shirley will be at Lucille’s at 10 p.m. Admission is

$5.

Wazalia plays Bullfrog’s tonight and Saturday at 9:30 p.m.

Flamingo’s hosts Dr. No and Vandalia on Saturday. The

show starts at 10 p.m. and admission is $3.

Upcoming Music:

The UT Music Department will present a recital by concert

pianist Robert Thomas Monday, Sept. 19, at the UT Music Hall

at 8 p.m. The recital is free and open to the public. Thomas has performed

extensively throughout the United States and Europe.

Wednesday, Sept. 21, New Rock 90 Nite features local chanteuse

Jennifer Nicely, performing her farewell show at the Mercury

Theatre at 10 p.m. Nicely is leaving to study in Europe soon. Admission

is $4, or $3 with UT ID.

Theatre:

Radio Free Theatre presents Top of the Tower: A Fractured

Fairy Tale, at 9 p.m. Sunday, September 18, on WUTK 90.3

FM.

You Can’t Take It With You completes its run at the

Clarence Brown Theatre. Shows are at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday

night, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Theatre Central, 141 S. Gay Street, currently features two one act plays:

The Actor’s Nightmare and Sister Mary Ignatius

Explains It All For You. Shows are at 8 p.m. Thursday thru

Saturday. Admission is $5 Thursday, $8 Friday and Saturday, and $5 for

students at all shows.

Film:

The War Room, an exciting documentary on President Clinton’s

1992 campaign, shows at the University Center auditorium tonight and

Saturday at 7 and 9:30 p.m.

Next Wednesday’s film at the University Center will be Bruce Lee’s

Enter the Dragon.. Shows will be at 7 and 9:30 p.m.

Dance:

On Thursday, Sept. 22, the UT Cultural Attractions Committee will

presentthe dance company Philadanco in the Clarence Brown

Theatre at 8 p.m. Tickets are $3 for students, $8 for UT faculty and

staff, and $10 for the general public.

Readings:

On Tuesday, as always, Leroy’s Open Mic Poetry Night happens at

Gryphon’s at 20th Street and Highland Avenue on Tuesday. Readers can

sign up by calling 522-6856, or in person at 8:30 p.m. The mic opens at 9

p.m.

Manhattan’s Open Mic Writer’s Nite happens on Tuesdays also, at

Manhattan’s in the Old City.