Born & Raised rebirths former pop up venue for long term downtown stay
Nashville may be referred to as the “Music City,” but East Tennessee is also rich in music history and booming with opportunity in the industry. And with news of a former venue returning to town, a new wave of opportunities will join the stable of unique musicians, producers, songwriters, bands, festivals and music venues Knoxville has to offer.
For years people have complained that Knoxville did not have enough music venues and more particularly, venues of a particular size, but as Bob Dylan once famously crooned, “The times, they are a changin.’”
Knoxville possesses a spectrum of venues like the historic Tennessee and Bijou Theatres (which host shows from every genre and have become beacons of Knoxville’s grandeur to both locals and visitors alike), the Mill and Mine (which brings in touring musicians like St. Paul and the Broken Bones and Chris Thile to the upcoming show with Willie Nelson’s son, Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real), Barley’s, Pilot Light, Jig & Reel, Open Chord and Preservation Pub (all known for supporting local artists, songwriters and rising touring bands), and Thompson-Boling Arena (which hosts music monstrosities like Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Wonder and Elton John).
Garrett Thomson and Kent Oglesby of Born and Raised Productions want to add another option to the mix, so they are revisiting a once-temporary music venue they booked here in Knoxville. Yes, it’s the return of The Outpost and this time, the room can hold approximately 450 people.
If you have followed Born and Raised over the years, you may find The Outpost name familiar. The Outpost was created as a pop-up venue a few years ago and was located in Happy Holler in what is now known as The Oak Room owned by Jessie Bowers of Abridged. Bowers knew the space was perfect for his concept, but needed six months to plan, so after he leased the space, he then sub-leased it to Born and Raised Productions until The Oak Room was ready to roll. Born and Raised scooped up the opportunity and thought it would be a great trial run for a future venue. They had no idea how successful it would be. The Outpost hosted many artists and promoted all shows of all sorts, becoming one of Scruffy City’s favorite music destinations in just a few months.
After years of being asked when The Outpost will return, Thomson and Oglesby have finally decided to go all in. Nestled behind the First Horizon building on Cumberland Avenue, The Outpost will be reborn and raised in early 2022. Don’t worry, though, you won’t have to wait that long for the music.
Starting in September, The Outpost will be hosting a series of shows every Friday through October 22nd. These shows, located in the parking lot next to the new venue, will offer vendors, food trucks and beer starting at 5PM. The duo felt it was the perfect opportunity to introduce the venue back to Knoxville while raising money for non-profit organizations that have struggled throughout COVID-19. Each show will support a different charity including Dogwood Arts, Keep Knoxville Beautiful, First Tee of Greater, and Knoxville Botanical Gardens.
The performers range from Aaron Lee Tasjan to Guy Marshall to The Weeks to The Suffers and are a few tribute shows thrown in the mix, as well. The promoters don’t expect you to break the bank in order to attend these shows, either. Tickets are just $15 in advance and $20 at the door. Stay up to date on ticket sales, line up, dates and other details at www.bornandraisedknox.com.
