Spotlight Event:

Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Galway Kinnell will read at the Laurel

Theatre on Oct. 18 at 8 p.m. Kinnell is the State Poet of Vermont and a

professor at New York University. His books include Mortal Words,

Mortal Acts and Selected Poems, for which he won the

Pulitzer. The reading is free and open to the public. Kinnell will hold an

informal discussion from 4 to 5 p.m. Tuesday in 1210 McClung Tower.

Hot Stuff Tonight:

The Dogwood Arts Festival’s Chili Bowl Cookoff is tonight at the

World’s Fair Park. The competition is expected to be “fierce,” with

over 30 cooking teams vying for a variety of prizes. The Cookoff is in

conjunction with the Beat Bama Bonfire Pep Rally, which will

also be at the Park. Jason D. Williams performs at 7 p.m., followed

by Pam Tillis at 9 p.m. Gates to the festival open at 6 p.m. and

admission is $5.

On the live music tip tonight, Idle Hands are scheduled to

perform tonight at Gryphon’s, 2003 Highland Avenue. These guys are

in a league of their own. Their music is brash, intense and a far sight

more fun than the jazz-rock rehash you hear from most groups these days.

Showtime is around 10 p.m.

There’s only one movie to see this weekend as Pulp Fiction

opens at theatres across town. Quentin Tarantino’s sophomore

directorial effort has received nothing but raves since its victorious

debut at Cannes. But don’t settle for hype- go see the movie.

Alan Jackson and Faith Hill are appearing at the

Thompson/Boling Arena tonight at 8 p.m.

The Mercury Theatre hosts Big Ass Truck and D.D.T.

tonight at 10 p.m. Admission is $5.

The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, with guest harpist Shuen

Chieh, performs tonight at 8 p.m. at the Tennessee Theatre.

Kirk Trevor is conducting.

Jubilee Community Arts presents Kiya Heartwood and her band

tonight at the Laurel Theatre. Admission is $3 for children, $7 for J.C.A.

members and students, $9 for general audience. The show starts at 8

p.m.

The UT Symphonic Band will perform tonight at 8 p.m. in the UT Music

Hall. Featured soloists are Elizabeth Radock on percussion and

Wendy Picton on euphonium. The concert is open to the public and

free of charge.

Free Fourmula are performing at tonight’s Alive After Five

concert at the Knoxville Museum of Art. The music starts at 5:30

p.m.

Hot Stuff for Saturday:

You heard it here first, folks: Knoxville’s favorite band The

Dirtclods will present a “special surprise show” Saturday night

at Flamingo’s. The show starts at 10 p.m. Admission is $5.

If you’re in the mood for a drive this weekend, Velocity Girl is

playing Oct. 15, at Be Here Now, 5 Biltmore Avenue, in downtown

Asheville, North Carolina. This is as close as this mega-star indie band is

coming to Knoxville, so it may be worth the trek over the mountains.

Admission is $7. For more information and tickets, call (704)

258-2071.

There’s a free three-band bill Saturday night at Gryphon’s,

with Chug-a-lug Donna, Torture Kitty and Or.

Chug-a-lug Donna plays acrobatics with the sonic noise thing and always

puts on an intense performance. Torture Kitty (whose songs “Teen Idol” and

“Nothing Can Bring Me Down” can be heard on WUTK) offer a straight-on, fun

punk, rock and roll show. Or is a new act on the scene, but band members

Scott Key and John Talbird are local music veterans.

Every Little Flower is playing at the Mercury Theatre

Saturday at 10 p.m.

The Creeps play at Manhattan’s Saturday at 10 p.m. Admission

is $3.

Sunday and Beyond:

Raven Records West presents a special early Sunday evening show this

weekend. Smoking Popes and The Slackers perform at this all

ages event. The new Raven Records location is on Downtown West Boulevard

next door to Rob Payne’s Music Center. The show starts at 7 p.m. and

admission is $3.

Tenor James Daniel Frost and pianist Stephen Dubberly will

perform Schubert’s Die schöne Mullerin Oct. 16 at 4 p.m. in

the UT Music Hall. This performance is free and open to the public.

Radio-I-Ching (pronounced “E-ching”) will perform at

Manhattan’s on Oct. 17 at 10 p.m. This band is coming to Knoxville

straight from a gig at the Cutting Edge Music Festival in New Orleans. The

band’s sound ranges from classic country to “punkish” psychedelia. They

have received rave reviews from Relix magazine, if that tells you

anything. The show is $3.

Leslie Ann Hill presents her senior piano recital Oct. 17 at 8 p.m.

in the UT Music Hall. Accompanying her will be soprano Emily Parker

and euphonium player Spence Milligan. The recital is free. I wonder

why Spence isn’t called a “euphoniumist.”

The UT Chamber Singers and Concert Choir and the Women’s

Chorale will present a concert saluting ut’s 200th anniversary on Oct.

18 at 8 p.m. at Church Street United Methodist Church. This concert

is also free.

Live Poetry:

After Kinnell’s reading on Tuesday, Leroy’s Open Mic Poetry Night

presents featured readers Jennifer Vasil and Daniel Roop.

Leroy’s show starts at 9:15 or so, so there is plenty of time to make both

big readings.

Theatre:

This Sunday’s Radio Free Theatre presentation is

Quartet, an original play by Lee Papa. This play won first

place in the AIDS Response Knoxville Playwriting Competition. The

cast includes TV talk show host Bob Deck, film actor Mark

Cabus, Mark Creter, and Derek Whitaker. After the play,

ARK representative Richard Opp will take calls and discuss AIDS in

Knoxville and the nation.