Steve Wildsmith

The East Tennessee live music scene, like just about every other with a vibrant collection of artists and venues, is constantly changing. For those of us who write about it, keeping track isn’t always easy. For those who don’t keep up with the news, it can be even more baffling — showing up to see a band at your favorite venue only to discover the doors are locked and the shutters are drawn.

That said, here’s some info for you about several familiar and not-so-familiar venues in the East Tennessee area:

First up, Barley’s Taproom, located at 200 E. Jackson Ave. in Knoxville’s Old City: Owned by Randy Burleson of Aubrey’s/Sunspot/Bistro by the Tracks/etc., it’s always boasted one of the best live music scenes in town. Now, according to my sources, Randy and co. are upping the ante. Renovations to Barley’s will improve access to the bar, and after all is said and done, they hope to squeeze 750 people into the downstairs area for big shows — like the one scheduled for Dec. 2, featuring seminal SST artist/Nirvana collaborators the Meat Puppets.

The second involves a space that’s owned/being renovated by Daniel Schuh, who also owns Knoxville Preservation & Development. From what I understand, it’s being called Relix — but I haven’t gathered, yet, whether it’s the same business as the Relix Variety Store, which opened in the spring at 1208 N. Central St. (the historic White Store building) in Knoxville’s Downtown North district. Schuh’s venue — and mind you, I’ve only spoken to others in the know and not the man himself (yet) — will feature a bar next door that, sources tell me, will likely be called The Hollow, in honor of the Downtown North area, which goes by the nickname “Happy Holler.”

In downtown proper, the venue formerly known as World Grotto is undergoing a radical transformation. I blogged about its closing here, and apparently the new owners — which, sources confirm, include Justin Nicholas and Jim Buckner, as originally reported by N-S business writer Carly Harrington — have been hard at work. The upstairs of the old Grotto has been completely gutted, my source tells me, to make way for the “upscale-vibe sports bar” the new owners want to install.

“They want to keep the prices low, but they want to make it look a little classier than the typical sports bar,” my man tells me. “They’ll have cocktail waitresses and lots of TVs.”

Downstairs, I’m being told, the new owners are still debating whether to keep the Grotto’s geode bar, set up behind the stairs. All seating areas are being refinished in leather, and the pass-through at the back of the downstairs area, from the side of the stage to the “chill-out” room, is being walled off to make room for a downstairs kitchen; a dumbwaiter will be installed to send food upstairs, and from what my guy tells me, the upstairs kitchen may be done away with.

As far as live music goes, there won’t be a lot of it. The new owners want to do a Sunday jazz night, but other evenings will feature deejays — dance nights, ’80s nights, etc. High- and low-top tables will be set up in the performance area to accommodate a “supper-club” type of feel on certain nights, and video/audio system improvements will stream special performances throughout the building.

And, get ready for a name change — the owners are leaning toward calling it Meridian, I’ve been told, although that may change as well: They were originally considering calling it Chameleon. From what I can tell, they’re aiming for a mid-November opening.

Finally, a little closer to home, I’m being told the new Clayton Performing Arts Center on the Maryville College campus — scheduled to open early next year — may find room for someone with a rock ‘n’ roll background on the payroll to help book shows. Since the center will be primarily a rental facility, the right connections may bring some big-name acts right here to Maryville, a win-win situation that lets the college capitalize on concession sales and the public to get some big-name entertainment without traveling all the way to Knoxville.

I’ll post more as things develop.