Recap: Americana Night at the Tennessee Theatre

John Oates, SteelDrivers, Sierra Hull team for concert benefiting historic venue

Amid the myriad festivals and special events that make the spring season such an exceptional time to live in or visit Knoxville, this year witnessed one such event stand out in terms of its purpose, planning and execution.  Americana Night at the Tennessee Theatre brought together three big names in modern American music for the singular goal of raising money to benefit the foundation that oversees Knoxville’s oldest and most storied performance hall.

Presented by the Scarecrow Foundation, a group of local civic leaders committed to ending hunger within the community, the concert was the signature event of Downtown Derby Week.  This second-annual, four-day celebration leading up to the Kentucky Derby consisted of several activities and events, the proceeds from which went to Second Harvest’s Food for Kids Backpack Program.  Producing the excellent show were Attack Monkey Productions, the burgeoning company helmed by Chyna Brackeen, and BLANK Newspaper, published by man-about-town Rusty Odom.

The stellar lineup featured venerable Nashville songsmiths The SteelDrivers and up-and-coming starlet Sierra Hull.  Headlining the show, though, was John Oates, one-half of the legendary rock and soul duo Hall & Oates and an emerging name in Americana.  Dr. Bill Snyder warmed up the audience by displaying his mastery of The Mighty Wurlitzer, the theatre’s massive pipe organ.

Hull wowed the crowd first with her expert mandolin pickings and golden voice.  Drawing hushed reverence from the rapt audience members, the Berklee grad exhibited grace and maturity far beyond her 21 years.  Her equally adept backing band, Highway 111, imbued her songs with more body while still letting her weave her magic.  The SteelDrivers never disappoint, and their folksy blend of bluegrass and Americana was similarly well received.  They also livened things up a bit, eliciting a few hoots and catcalls from the attendees and causing more than a few heads to nod.

For anyone who is familiar only with Oates’ earlier material, his addition to the bill might seem strange.  However, his solo work in recent years has trended more toward the heartland than the mainstream.  Often topical, his songs explore themes concerning the human condition, an unexpected detour, perhaps, for the man partially responsible for unleashing “Maneater” upon the world.  This particular performance saw Oates deliver his brand of heartfelt tunes to a large and appreciative audience.  The setlist fluctuated between new originals and old favorites, all of which sounded beautiful in the cavernous confines of the Tennessee.

Although the grand state theatre played host to the main event and was its sole beneficiary, the evening’s proceedings actually kicked off across Gay St. in the Krutch Park extension with the Party in the Park for those who purchased VIP tickets to the concert.  Additionally, a post-party held at Sapphire awaited anyone who felt like burning the midnight oil.  Ultimately, Americana Night went off without a hitch and will serve as a glowing example of how to properly organize an event in downtown Knoxville in the future.

The Bad Dudes continue their rock and roll odyssey

For such a congenial group of guys, The Bad Dudes sure are some hardcore bad-asses once they hit the stage.  This is just one of many contradictions that define the band.  Their stage presence commands respect, but their lyrics are intentionally littered with goofy rock and roll clichés.  They overtly lampoon the stereotypical lifestyle of a rock star while simultaneously embracing the aesthetic.  Both tongue-in-cheek funny and deadly serious about their craft, it is difficult to gauge just where the joke ends and the music begins.  Fortunately, though, said music is churned out with earnestness, passion and clarity of vision.

Just prior to the band’s blistering performance at the Pilot Light in March, I had the pleasure of sitting down with its members to discuss a variety of topics, ranging from the pertinent to the absurd.  Over the course of the lengthy, lively and very entertaining conversation, it became abundantly clear that they are fine with the uncertainty that surrounds what they do.  In fact, if their sly smiles and furtive glances at one another were any indication, they downright welcome it.

For the uninitiated, The Bad Dudes play a brand of music that fuses together equal parts hard rock, glam and ‘80s-era hair-metal excess.  The finished product is wonderfully obnoxious, surprisingly catchy and, of course, extremely loud.  So loud, in fact, that the scorching set affected my hearing for a full two days after the show.  But what else could be expected from a band whose front man boasts ‘Precious Robinson’ as his pseudonym?

The Bad Dudes originally were conceived as a side project when they formed in 2006.  The band members already had other commitments in place, but they enjoyed playing together so much that they decided to pour their efforts into making it a full-time venture.  As bassist Hollywood Tate explains, “When it started out, we were doing it for fun.  I don’t know anyone who hates music and still plays it.  Unless you’re Santana.”  Guitarist Vivian Knight chimes in, “Playing the same riff for twenty years…”

Describing the band’s early days, Knight says, “Back then, it was a whole lot easier to write songs about how good-looking you are because, you know, that’s life – we’re really good-looking.”  It’s this sort of immodest statement that best characterizes The Bad Dudes; their songs practically drip with confidence and swagger.  The group credits artists like The Rolling Stones and Ted Nugent, people who exhibited a fun-first attitude, for influencing its style.

“If you listen to the old bands, listen to the content.  It’s pretty ridiculous,” says Knight.  “It’s really hard to write meaningful, poetic songs that are deep and connect with the crowd.  The way we connect is, ‘Hey, you like to have a good time? So do we. Let’s do this!’”  Echoing this sentiment is drummer Mikki Magnum, who adds, “And you try to connect with every lady in the crowd.”

Whether or not such commentary is only posturing is indeterminable.  What is apparent, however, is the fact that The Bad Dudes truly love to perform.  At last month’s Exam Jam at the CiderHouse, the band kicked out a set that nearly brought the house down.  “The entire show was pretty high-energy and more of a party than a show,” says Knight.  “Our set was pretty damn rowdy because we didn’t go on till midnight and everyone was good and lit.  There was beer flying everywhere and bottles thrown on stage.”

Of course, this kind of atmosphere isn’t for everybody.  But, as Knight proudly offers, “A lot of people will tell us after our shows, even if it’s not their cup of tea, you’ll see this weird-ass grin on their faces and they’ll say, ‘You guys are the most fun band I’ve ever seen!’”  And if such an experience does sound like your cup of tea, you can catch the group’s next performance, an opening slot for Buckcherry at the Valarium on May 23^rd.

Sadly, the Exam Jam marked the last time Magnum played with band, but they have found a fill-in to man the sticks at the Valarium gig, as well as a permanent drummer for the future.  Though they’re always looking ahead to what’s next, The Bad Dudes maintain the same basic philosophy that has guided them from the beginning.  As Tate puts it simply, “At the end of the day, we just want to have a good time and make sure that everyone who’s listening to our music is having a good time, too.”

Live Review: Sharon Van Etten @ The Square Room, 4/24/12

Singer-songwriter wows Knoxville with intimate performance

On a rainy, unseasonably cool night in late April, the appropriately cozy environs of The Square Room played host to a diverse set of beautifully crafted songs by Sharon Van Etten.  Touring in support of her excellent third album, Tramp, the NPR darling and emerging star delivered a performance of hushed intensity to a small but reverent audience at the Market Square listening room.

Kicking off the evening’s events, though, was Flock of Dimes, a Baltimore three-piece culled together by Wye Oak’s Jenn Wasner to explore her solo material.  Although Wasner joked in between songs that she formed the band expressly to take part in the tour, in actuality the group already had released a seven-inch vinyl and has plans to record a full-length album.

While the band exhibited good stage presence and had plenty of energy, the reverb-heavy melodies unfortunately were not conducive to the venue.  Perhaps it was the funky dimensions of the space or the sheer volume of the music, but the songs came across as murky and the vocals were unclear, marring what otherwise would have been an enjoyable set.  The lack of a live drummer, too, prevented the group from sounding fully realized; the one song on which Van Etten’s drummer sat in was better than anything else the band presented.

Van Etten’s set was preceded by a selection of tracks performed mostly by New York-based bands, fitting for a musician who now resides in Brooklyn.  A scan of the crowd revealed that this concert, while intimate, was far better attended than the singer-songwriter’s last stop in Knoxville, a captivating but pitifully small show nearly two years ago at the Pilot Light in the Old City.  Most disappointing about the poor turnout that night was the fact that the opener was Marissa Nadler, another talented Baltimore songstress whose enchanting and unique style of nouveau goth-folk is as gorgeous as it is spooky.

Taking the stage to respectful if not rapturous applause, Van Etten and her ace backing band began with the slow burn of “All I Can,” a deep cut from the new record.  As the power of the song unfolded, it became clear that everyone in attendance would be treated to a very special night.  The group was tight, the sound was right and Van Etten’s voice floated delightfully over the stunned audience.

“Warsaw,” the ethereal opening track to Tramp, came next.  Amazing to behold in a live setting, a haunting guitar squall punctuated the desperation in Van Etten’s confessional lyrics.  Following that was “Peace Signs,” a standout from Epic, her 2010 sophomore release.  Buoyed by thumping bass and rolling percussion, the song heaved with emotion before crashing to an abrupt conclusion.

For someone who exudes such concentrated fury while performing, Van Etten’s stage banter was unexpectedly and shockingly light.  Giggling awkwardly at bad jokes she cracked and shyly engaging with audience members, she tempered the gut-wrenching content of her songs with refreshing ease.  But considering the affecting nature of tracks like “Give Out,” “Heart in the Ground” and “Joke or a Lie,” such inanity was a welcome reprieve from the heaviness.

Highlights of the fifteen-song performance included “I’m Wrong,” which positively shimmered with splendor, and “Serpents,” the first single from Tramp.  The latter track, which features a surging, propulsive rhythm and artful embellishments of noise, was especially well-received by the crowd, who roared their approval.  However, traditional set closer “Love More” was truly awe-inspiring.  Building on a droning keyboard riff, the waltz-y song progressed steadily, with both Van Etten and the audience locked into a trance-like state.

The folks at both AC Entertainment and The Square Room deserve a tremendous amount of praise for booking such a gifted and compelling artist as Van Etten.  She graced our scruffy little city with what can be best described as ear candy, and everyone who was unable to attend the show certainly missed out on a wonderful experience.  If only every Tuesday resulted in such elation… 

Special thanks to Knoxville’s resident Beer Hat Guy, Larry Crowell, for providing all of the photos that you see here.

Sharon Van Etten - Epic