BIG GOOD NEWS:

As they say in Mongolia, “Fame, like the wind, spreads quickly.” They might

have been talking about folks like Superdrag, Knoxville’s newest

major label rock band. This fab foursome, who signed to Elektra last week,

will headline Saturday, April 15, at the Mercury Theatre. Read all

about it in the interview in today’s Beacon. Also on the bill

are Atom Bomb Pocket Knife and Dinky Doo (featuring

ex-members of Pegclimber).

The show starts at 10 p.m.

SUNDAY IS SHARKEY’S NIGHT:

Renowned musician and performance artist Laurie Anderson brings her

Nerve Bible tour to the Bijou Theatre at 8 p.m. Sunday, April

16. Much more than just a concert, this multimedia event features

multi-screen images and computer animations designed by Anderson. Anderson

most recently published The Nerve Bible in print. Combined with

music featured on Bright Red, a collaboration with Brian Eno, the

resulting theatre piece is Anderson’s first multimedia work in three

years.

Anderson’s history of art and performance spans over two decades, from her

early-’70s roots in Soho group projects to her 1981 song “O Superman”

(which reached #2 on the British charts). Her 1985 concert film Home of

the Brave shows what she is capable of producing. A simple, undetailed

list of her awards, productions and projects is pages long. The show is

sure to be visually stunning and thematically thought-provoking.

ROCK-A-FIRE EXPLOSION TUESDAY:

The Mercury Theatre hosts a quadruple bill of great live bands

Tuesday, April 18, with a late afternoon matinee and a monster evening

show.

The 5 p.m. show features those rambunctious fellows called Cletus

and the local favorites known as Torture Kitty. This all ages show

is $4.

The evening show offers the incredible Jon Spencer Blues

Explosion, along with the Mississippi blues of R.L.

Burnside, and local rock-n-soul trio The Idle Hands. Anyone who

witnessed the Blues Explosion show at the Library two years ago (with the

Jesus Lizard) knows what an intense live act this is. Jon Spencer wrought

sound from the very air around him (via the theramin) and finished the show

covered in blood and sweat. It was a religious experience for most.

R.L. Burnside is a new name on the blues scene, recording on the Fat Possum

label. The Idle Hands weave riffs and melodies to form moving guitar

grooves.

The evening show starts at 10 p.m. Admission is $10 in advance and $12 at

the door.

A RED-HEADED GUY WITH A BIG TRUNK:

Award-winning comedian Carrot Top will unpack his adjectives at

8 p.m. Wednesday, April 19, in the Alumni Memorial Building. Rumor has it

he is “wild.” Admission is $7.50 for students with activities card and $10

for the general public.

ART:

MFA THESIS EXHIBITIONS:

Karen Rich Beall and Michael Pittari will present their MFA

Thesis show in the Ewing Gallery of the Art Building. The opening

reception will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 16, in Ewing Gallery.

The exhibit runs until April 19. The Ewing Gallery is open free to the

public from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Monday-Thursday, and from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday.

Hanson Artsource features the art of Texas painter Bunny Oliver at its

main gallery through Sunday, April 23. The gallery is located at 5607

Kingston Pike. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10

a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.

The Candy Factory features several exhibits of regional arts and

crafts. Among these is Tapestry and Weaving by Nancy

Roberson. This show runs through April 29 in the Knoxville Arts and

Fine Crafts Center, on the second floor of the Candy Factory.

The Knoxville Museum of Art also features a variety of exhibits.

Western Artists, African Arts runs through May 21. East Tennessee

Art Currents I continues through May 28. Primal Impulse: German

Expressionist Art from the Fischer continues through June 4.

FILM:

Next Wednesday, April 19, the UT Film Committee will present A

Child Is Waiting. Showtimes are at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.

THEATRE:

ROCK OPERA CONCLUDES PREMIER RUN:

UT Theatres and the Clarence Brown Theatre Company are currently

presenting the rock opera Dracula: Prince of the Dark. Based

on Bram Stoker’s novel, the opera version was conceived and adapted for the

musical stage by John R. Briggs, with music by Briggs and Dennis West.

The play is presented nightly at 8 p.m., with a 2 p.m. matinee Saturday,

April 8. The play runs through Saturday, April 15.

Dracula, Prince of the Dark should not be confused with the West

Side Dinner Theatre’s production of Dracula, the Musical, presented

this past Halloween.

The Carousel Theatre hosts a play created by the UTK Department

of Romance Languages French Theatre Workshop. Entitled Don Juan

et Cyrano: la passion dmasque, the play will be presented at 10:30

a.m. Tuesday, April 18; at 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 19 and at 4:30 p.m.

Thursday, April 20.

Admission is $2.

Theatre Central, located at 141 S. Gay St., presents One Flew

Over the Cuckoo’s Nest through April 22. Shows are at 8 p.m.

Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Admission is $5 on Thursdays, $8 on

Fridays and Saturdays. Students pay $5 for any showtimes.

The West Side Dinner Theatre, located at 12801 Kingston Pike in

Farragut, currently features Seance Fiction, an original

comedy by Knoxville playwright Mark Hatmaker. The play is about Lou,

who disappeared seven years earlier in a bizarre sledding accident. He’s

been declared legally dead, and his wife is besieged by ill-suited suitors.

As these things go, Lou turns up alive and none too happy about the

situation. UT student Michael Dubov plays Lou. The play runs

Thursdays through Saturdays until April 29.

The buffet starts at 6:45, the play at 8:15. For reservations call

966-8768. Cost is $18 per person for both dinner and the play, but “liberal

discounts” are available for groups of 10 or more.

The Cumberland County Playhouse, located in Crossville, Tenn.,

currently features Fiddler on the Roof. Tickets are $16, $15

for seniors and $8 for children and students. Future show dates and times

are 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Saturdays and 2:30 p.m.

on Sundays. A Thursday matinee is scheduled for 2 p.m. on April 13. The

play runs through April 15.

The Cumberland County Playhouse also continues to present Smoke On

the Mountain on selected dates, running through May 7.

MUSIC IN THE AIR:

KNOXVILLE MUSEUM OF ART– on 10th Street:

This week’s Alive After Five, at 5:30 p.m. Friday, April 14,

features Steve Brown and Mark Tucker. Admission is $5, or $2.50 for

students.

LAUREL THEATRE– at 16th and Laurel:

The Brother Boys will bring their mix of bluegrass, country and popular

styles to town this Friday, April 14. Call it New Hillbilly. The show

starts at 8 p.m. Admission is $7 for Jubilee Community Arts members and

students, $8 for the general audience in advance, $9 for general audience

at the door and $2 for children.

Beppe Gambetta and Steve Kaufman will perform at 8 p.m.

Saturday, April 15. Gambetta is a gifted guitarist in a broad range of

traditional styles. Kaufman is our regional flatpicking hero. Admission is

$7 for Jubilee Community Arts members and students, $8 for the general

audience in advance, $9 for general audience at the door and $3 for

children.

ELECTRIC BALLROOM–at Blackstock Street and Old Western Avenue:

Evolution 1995– the State of Techno, House & Trance, an apparent rave,

will be held at 10 p.m. Saturday, April 15. DJs from across the country

will perform, a Super Smart Bar will be provided and “killer lights and

sound” are promised.

Admission is $10 in advance and $12 at the door.

FLAMINGO’S–on Cumberland Avenue:

Slamgrass favorite Leftover Salmon performs at 10 p.m.

Wednesday, April 19.

GRYPHON’S– 2003 Highland Ave.:

Ramblin’ Roy and the National Inbreeding Finalists appear at 10

p.m.

LUCILLE’S– in the Old City:

The Marcus Shirley Group performs at 10 p.m. Friday, April 14.

Admission is $2.

Donald Brown and Early Bird perform at 10 p.m. Saturday, April 15.

Admission is $2.

Werner and Schmidt perform at 7 p.m. Sunday, April 16. Admission is

free.

The Rocky Wynder Quartet performs at 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 18.

Admission is $2.

Nancy Brennan Strange performs at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 19.

Admission is $2.

MANHATTAN’S– in the Old City:

Hector Qirko performs at 10 p.m. Friday, April 14. Admission is

$5.

Crawdaddy will perform at 10 p.m. Saturday, April 15. Admission is

$4.

Plug and the Crop Circles will perform Monday, April 17, as

part of Club Eclectic’s new series, Modern Music Mondays.

The show starts at 10 p.m. Admission is $3. All ages will be admitted.

MERCURY THEATRE– Market Square:

Besides the above mentioned shows, the Mercury features the

following.

Stuck Mojo and Son of Slam perform at 10 p.m. Friday, April

14. Admission is $5. This is an all ages show.

SASSY ANN’S– 820 N. 4th Ave. at Gill Street:

Crawdaddy performs at 10 p.m. Saturday, April 15. Admission is $3.

“Hot Gonzo Bluegrass” band Deep Fried Possum makes its Knoxville

debut at 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 18. The band performs traditional

bluegrass mixed with originals, classic rock, honkytonk and boogie-woogie

blues. Admission is $2.

SMOKY MOUNTAIN BREWING COMPANY:

The Jazz Liberation Quartet performs at 10 p.m. Saturday, April

15. Admission is free.

TOMATO HEAD:

Cynically-trained folk singer Mike West performs at 7 p.m.

tonight.

Everyone’s favorite “whatever-it-is-they-do” band, The Ray-O-Vacs,

will perform at 10 p.m. Saturday, April 15.

OPEN MIC READINGS:

Where the untalented say too much and the talented say too

little.

The Torch Coffee House: Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. Admission $1.

Ivory’s: Mondays at 9 p.m. Call 588-6023 for sign-up.

Gryphon’s — Rus’ Romper Room: Tuesdays at 9 p.m. Free.

Java, a Coffee House: Tuesdays at 8 p.m. Free

Manhattan’s: Tuesdays at 8 p.m. (7 p.m. sign-up). Free.

“If you’ve begun– finish. If you’ve sought– find.” If you have an event

you’d like mentioned in The Daily Beacon Entertainment Calendar,

send the info to Room 5 of the Communications Building, or call 974-0646.

We’ll see what we can do (wink, wink).