If you’re like me, you’ll be headed out of town over this Fall Break to

have Thai food in Atlanta. But if you’re sticking around to enjoy a few

quiet hometown days, here are a few things you might amuse yourself

with.

Hot Punk Rock:

A busy young promoter named Chad Negendank is currently bringing

independent label bands to town. This Saturday at the Mercury

Theatre, Negendank presents punk legends The Queers. Also

playing are Skinny Tim and the Hellions, Knoxville legends Free

Barabbas and American Trust. It’s an all ages afternoon show,

starting at 2 p.m. Admission is $5.

Negendank has many shows coming up, including The Bouncing Souls on

Oct. 29 at Raven West, Cletus and the Rude Street Peters on

Nov. 5 at Gryphon’s, a spoken word performance by Maximum Rock and Roll

magazine columnist Mykel Board on Nov. 12 at the Printer’s Mark,

and Fun Girls From Mt. Pilot with Torture Kitty on Nov. 18 at

Gryphon’s.

Sunday at Raven Records West, Freemartin will perform an all

ages show at 8 p.m. “Freemartin,” it has been noted, is a term used to

refer to a hermaphrodite calf. We can only wonder what this means in a

musical context. The show is free. An interesting new local duo known as

Or will open the show.

Hot Rap:

Next Thursday, Oct. 27, at the Thompson/Boling Arena, rap

superstars Warren G and the Twins and Coolio

will headline a show that also features Heavy D and the Boys and

R. Kelly. Rap acts of this magnitude don’t come around Knoxville

often, so experience it while you can. Warren G’s album Regulate. . .

the G-Funk Era has received raves from critics in a variety of

magazines. The show starts at 8 p.m. For ticket information, call

656-4444.

Hot Stuff Tonight:

Lump will appear at Manhattan’s tonight at 10 p.m. Admission is $5.

MetroPulse magazine’s Shelly Ridenour describes Lump in a variety of

hyphenated phrases, with the key words being “kinetic energy.” From her

description, they don’t sound half-bad.

The Jazz Liberation Quartet are playing at Zarbo’s tonight, along

with open mic poetry fun hosted by Rus Harper. The JLQ will also be

at Bullfrog’s on Thursday night.

Thursday and Beyond:

Jubilee Community Arts presents An Evening of Classical Indian Dance

with Mala Pasupathi Thursday, Oct. 20, at 8 p.m. This should be an

enthralling and enriching performance by a master of Indian dance.

Pasupathi began studying dance at age 8 and has performed around the world.

Tickets are $6 for JCA members and students, $7 for general audience in

advance, $8 for general audience on the day of the show, and $2 for

children ages 6 to 12.

Jubilee will also present a concert on Friday, Oct. 21, by folk artist

Rosalie Sorrels. Sorrels has received accolades from a variety of

respected sources. Author Hunter S. Thompson calls her “One king-hell of a

songwriter.” Other compliments come from Nanci Griffith, Rolling

Stone, and Playgirl. Tickets are $7 for JCA members and

students, $8 for general audience in advance, $9 on the day of the show, $3

for kids.

Friday, Oct. 21, at the Mercury Theatre, Poor Trio and Slumber

Jack will perform. Showtime is 10 p.m.

Black Velvet Dogs will perform at Zarbo’s on Friday at 10 p.m. The

show is free.