Steve Wildsmith

Good news for fans of electronic-rock outfit The Crystal Method — the show that was originally scheduled for Club Catalyst, which shut down abruptly a couple of weeks ago, has been relocated.

It’s still on Saturday night; still at 9 p.m.; still limited to those 18 and older; and admission is still $20. But the new venue is Sobu Lounge, 6213 Kingston Pike in Knoxville.

More from former Club Catalyst publicist Andrea Kerns, who went to work at Southbound Bar and Grill in the Old City doing the same thing but worked her ass off to get this show a new home:

“SOBU LOUNGE is about the size of World Grotto and conveniently located off the Interstate at Papermill Road exit, right on Kingston Pike, next to Crispy Creme Dounut. It features 3 different lounge areas decorated in Miami – Asian-esque chic which makes one believe one is ‘not in Knoxville anymore’ upon entering.  It also features a great covered patio which will be utilized and heated.  An outside bar will make it easier to get a drink on the patio as well. Plenty of parking is conveniently located next to the venue and across the street. The owners Annie and Simon Ho were gracious enough to let us use the space and we are working with promoters to ensure the venue will do the sound of TCM justice.  As some of you know, we have been working on finding an alternate venue for this event non stop since Tuesday, Oct. 14 and with Halloween being such a big night of the year and most venues already booked, it has been no easy task. William Morris and Three Artist Management have been very gracious in understanding the circumstances and encouraged us to keep the show in Knoxville since it has been promoted here (and TCM loves college football I heard). All tickets purchased on line at the Catalyst site will be honored at SOBU Lounge.  Once we set up a ticketing system for SOBU in the next day or two, tickets should also be available at www.brownpapartickets.com. Tickets at the door will be $20 and we will offer limited table service VIP. Please call 865-805-2011 for further info. Remember, SOBU is not huge, so get there early if you plan to attend this event.

The band — which we interviewed about a year ago — does the theme for “Bones,” the hit Fox show. The group has also started a pumpkin-carving contest on its website: Click here. Kerns adds, “So, in the spirit of Halloween, carve a pumpkin, send them a picture and bring your pumpkin to the show to show it off and maybe get it signed!”

So I’m back from a week off after extensive coverage of the Foothills Fall Festival, and rather than post a bunch of blog entries to catch you up on everything, here’s what’s been shaking of late …

• Remember when I told you about Club Catalyst in the Old City (the short-lived club located where Blue Cats used to be) closing its doors? Several upcoming shows originally scheduled to take place there have been relocated to other venues. (And, more importantly, kick-ass PR girl and all-around great music scene supporter Andrea Kerns has found work at Southbound Bar and Grill, also in the Old City, essentially doing the same PR gig.) On the shuffled schedule: Unknown Hinson with Jocephus and the George Jonestown Massacre will take place at 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, at Southbound, 106 S. Central St. in the Old City. Tickets are $15 in advance/$18 at the door, and you can read all about our past coverage of Mr. Hinson here. He’s quite the showman. A show headlined by local rockers Crome Molly (along with Swing Shot, Corpse Wax Dollies, Numb and Headstone) will take place at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, on the outside stage behind Southbound; tickets to that show are $5. The show by Hank III and Assjack, featuring openers Those Poor Bastards, will also take place at Southbound at 7 p.m. Nov. 2; tickets are also $15 and 18. Finally, Satisfaction: A Tribute to the Rolling Stones will take place at 8 p.m. Nov. 5 at Southbound; tickets are $10 in advance/$12 at the door.
• Speaking of Southbound, the venue is not hosting a new dance-oriented bar: 90 Proof Nightclub is located at 104 S. Central St., over Southbound proper. On its website, the venue bills itself as “a nightclub dedicated to playing nothing but the ’90s. At 90 Proof, you can request any songs that helped shape the music of this great time. Every Friday and Saturday night, you can come here the DJ playing songs by Will Smith, N Sync, Puff Daddy, Mase, Tupac, etc. … We have Knoxville’s only New Orleans-style balcony overlooking the Old City. We are a 21 and up club and proper dress is required.”
• Remember our cover story on local honky-tonk heroes The Drunk Uncles from back in August? Well, the boys — three of whom call Blount County home — finally have a new CD, “Smashed Hits,” ready for public consumption. (No word if it comes with a warning sticker.) Here’s more from “Uncle” Jeff Barbra: “Howdy all. Here’s the special: If you are one of the first 100 people to pre-order ‘Smashed Hits,’ here’s what you get — a special $12 price, FREE SHIPPING, The Drunk Uncles autograph it for you and you get your name in the credits on the CD. Remember folks, these make GREAT stocking stuffers for Christmas, too!” Here’s the link to pre-order.
• From my buddy Randall Brown, calendar/music guru extraordinaire over at the Sentinel and long-time local musician currently fronting the band Quartjar: “Live at The Bistro at the Bijou (807 S. Gay St., downtown Knoxville), it’s the 2009 Quartjar Halloween Special! Our second annual gig of spookiness. This year’s show will feature Quartjar, Knoxville’s premier blues-rock-with-original-lyrics-jam-punk-trio; frighteningly fun new songs; crazy classic hits; terrifyingly impromptu instrumentals; The Phantom Drummer; hauntingly historic atmosphere; eerily amiable banter; fine cuisine and the mystery: Will Scary Santa frighten the crowds again this year? No one knows!” When: 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31. Admission cost: free. (Please note that this is a full-band Quartjar performance, as opposed to a solo Randall Brown performance.) Check out Quartjar on Myspace.
• News from Christina Horn, the lovely frontwoman of melodic pop-rock outfit Hudson K: “We have a new member. His name is Jeff Christmas and he plays the guitar and bass. Not at the same time of course! We are honored and thrilled to have him on board. You can hear him on November 7th The Pilot Light (106 S. Central St. in Knoxville’s Old City) show. (Local singer-songwriter) Erick Baker has asked Nate (Barrett) and I to join him on his next string of shows. If you live in Chattanooga we will be playing Rhythm and Brews on October 28th. Please come out to that show if you live in Chattanooga as it will be a good one. We will also have the experience of playing on the same stage as Kiss, Eminem, the Flaming Lips and P-Funk….WHOA! Hold on to your Halloween costumes. I hope I can make it and not FREAK out! This means our Pres Pub show on October 29th has been cancelled. HOWEVER, the Stereofidelics will be playing. They are awesome and we consider them one of our favorite bands. So if you live in Knoxville, check out that show starting at 10pm. We will make our hometown show up by playing the PILOT LIGHT on November 7th! Please come out, it will be a special show! Hudson K was also chosen to compete in Sound Off! Our scheduled date is December 2nd at The Square Room (4 Market Square, downtown Knoxville). The show starts at 8 p.m. and there will be music industry judges there to pick a winner! We need your help. Audience applause is a big part of the scoring!”
• One of our favorite local rock/country/musical chicks, Kata Hay (of Kata and The Blaze and The Grassabillies), has paired with Daisy Rock Guitars, Elixir Strings and Lakota Leathers for a special YouTube contest. Those who enter must cover one of Kata’s original songs, and the winner (chosen by Kata herself) will receive a Daisy Rock acoustic guitar and accessory pack, including some Elixir strings and a Lakota Leathers hand-made bison guitar strap. It’s just one of many good things happening with the fiery-haired goddess of Sevier County — she and the band just played to a packed house at Nashville’s fabled Bluebird Cafe, and on Nov. 3, they’ll headline “Billy Block’s Western Beats,” live from 12th and Porter in Nashville. Those interested in entering the YouTube contest should check out details on Kata’s website.