Old City venue returns to fold, boasts special programming
NO FLUKE: Interview with Founder Ashley Capps • Artist Profile: Caroline Williams, author of ‘Lucy Negro Redux’ • Into the Rabbit Hole • BLANK’S BIG EARS ARTIST GUIDE • FILM Guide • Pilot Light • Tickets • Schedule
By Luke Brogden and Matt Rankin
Dank, gritty, cramped yet beloved because of its importance and steadfastness in promoting progressive art in Knoxville and East Tennessee for more than 15 years, the venerable Old City music venue Pilot Light will return to the international spotlight when it resumes hosting duties for a run of alternative festival programming for the sixth year in a row.
Sanctioned by AC Entertainment and curated by Jason Boardman, the club’s equally esteemed founder, this year’s slate features no fewer than 17 local, regional and international acts taking to the stage from Thursday through Sunday. And as was the case last year, at least one surprise set will take place, as well. (The identity of that performer will be announced at some point before the show’s scheduled start at 7:15 on Saturday evening.)
Plenty probably will be written by members of the national media about the more recognizable names on the Pilot Light’s lineup, but as a publication that prides itself on covering local interests, this segment instead will focus only on the artists with ties to Knoxville. Here is a look at some of those top draws this coming weekend, listed in chronological order as in the main music section. – Matt Rankin
Seth Hopper
Fiddler/violinist Seth Hopper played locally and toured for years in the mid-to-late aughts with swing-jazz revivalists Christabel and the Jons, and he currently plays around the region with hot-jazz Django Reinhardt-disciples Kukuly and the Fuego. Hopper assisted Scott Miller on the road last year on the latter’s Ladies Auxiliary tour, and he often sits in with bands both onstage and in the studio. If all that weren’t already enough, he also co-hosts a food podcast of his own, “Cheese and Rice!” – Luke Brogden
Earwig Deluxe
Falling somewhere between gothic spoken-word poetry and bizarre musical theater and eerily evocative of scenes from a David Lynch film, performances by this Oak Ridge native are shocking, visceral and violent, but they also are undeniably electric, grossly captivating and even starkly affecting in parts. Fair warning, though: This material is not for the faint of heart or those who are easily offended. (But how many Big Ears patrons fall into those categories, really?) This singular act goes up against Mercury Rev late Thursday night, but it is recommended viewing for anyone who sometimes prefers their dreams to be more nightmarish than pleasant. – MR
White Gregg
Perhaps no local group better exemplifies the Big Ears ethos than Knoxville’s own White Gregg. Embracing the anxious yet necessary relationship between tension and release, the surly five-piece conjures fleeting moments of staggering beauty amidst squalls of dissonant noise. Frontwoman Maggie Brannon delivers cathartic shrieks as Boardman (drums) and Damion Huntoon (bass) land thunderous rhythms. The partnership between guitarists Eric Lee and Tyler Mucklow is easy and intuitive yet intense, the precise pattern of their crushing notes leaving the air vibrating. Watching the interplay between all of the members is a gratifying and enjoyable experience that should not be missed. – MR
Caps
Each of the four players in this brash punk outfit is either a current or former member of countless other notable Knoxville bands that have called the Pilot Light home at one time or another since the venue’s inception. That level of experience pays dividends on this particular project, however, as the collective exudes raw yet focused energy in a live setting. Expect a fair amount of levity and irreverence between songs, but don’t be surprised at the wit, humor and catchiness inherent in the lyrics and music. – MR
Matt Nelson
Local bassist Matt Nelson has brought a collaborative, investigational Big Ears spirit to Knoxville year-round. When he’s not sturdily holding down electric bass for a variety of the best rock groups in town or holding down a jazz brunch at the Bistro, he’s hosting improvisational nights at the Pilot Light. Last year, Nelson released “Never Shall Return,” a layered, experimental exploration of the double-bass. – LB
NO FLUKE: Interview with Founder Ashley Capps • Artist Profile: Caroline Williams, author of ‘Lucy Negro Redux’ • Into the Rabbit Hole • BLANK’S BIG EARS ARTIST GUIDE • FILM Guide • Pilot Light • Tickets • Schedule
