Superdrag at Barley’s (tonight and tomorrow)

So, who is going and what night?

Johnia Berry

I am so pleased with the work of the law enforcement agencies responsible for the investigation and arrest of Johnia Berry’s murderer after THREE years. It was a DNA match from a sample he had to submit having been recently convicted of a felony, I think. DNA matches aren’t likely to be mistaken, thankfully.

Composite vs. Suspect
vs

 

This case has always bothered me, if not for the obvious reasons, because I couldn’t get the thought of her crawling to her neighbors’ doors for help and no one helping her. Its just tragic on so many levels. I hope her family can find some peace and I know I will sleep better knowing this guy isn’t on the streets anymore.

 

Edit:
Joan and Mike Berry lobbied successfully for the creation of a state DNA database with samples from all suspects arrested on violent crime charges in Tennessee.  The state Legislature passed the “Johnia Berry Act of 2007“ in their latest session that requires anyone arrested for a violent crime to give a DNA sample to authorities. Previously, state law only required DNA samples from convicted violent offenders.

Market Square Web Cam

There’s a new webcam on Market Square. (My friend and local cool guy, Ian has had one for YEARS now, but whatever.) Its located near the Chamber. Pretty cool!

http://web.knoxnews.com/chamber/

Although I do find it a bit odd, that when I posted this, there wasn’t a single person visible on the Square!?!

From the Knoxblab.

Train update

He was a bartender at the ThInQ Tank, and I was a “manager” (don’t judge, please, I had nothing to do with all THAT!). One night he came to my apartment after work. We were drunk and both, to this day, argue about whether or not we made out. (Whether or not we did, we both decided it was not somewhere we needed to go.) For about 5 years, every time we saw each other we hugged but quickly moved on. Last summer one of my best friends walked up to me at Sundown and said, “Wanna see a picture of the guy I’m gonna marry?” I took one look and said, “No you aren’t, that’s B.” They dated a month or so, and he dated another friend after that. (He wasn’t really known for being a good boyfriend!)

I saw him the night before I left for Vegoose at Manhattan’s and tried my best, in my drunken stupor, to hit on him. I was with a guy friend, so of course he thought I was with him. I thought he was blowing me off. I saw him the next week at Nama, and he was excited to see me, but being a brat, I ignored him for spite.

The next Monday, I specifically didn’t want to go to Grill with my friends. I don’t (didn’t) know why. I decided to just go home. (Which isn’t at all like me). When I got to the Old City, there was a train stuck on the tracks. I look to my right and saw Barleys and immediately thought of $2 pints. I walked in with the paper to do the crossword and a book so I wouldn’t look like a lonely loser. As soon as I sat down, he walked in and asked if he could join me. We drank, laughed, and played hangman on napkins for about 4 hours. We talked about music. I asked if he wanted to come to my house and listen to records. He did. We slow danced to the Jayhawks “All the Right Reasons” and he played my guitar for hours.

He left his cell phone at my house and I met him the next night (again at Barleys) to give it to him. He brought me a book. I knew at that moment I was done.

Here’s a nice article on Knoxville

I love my town. I moved here for college and never left, it just fits me. Its hard to explain to people, like my brother, that don’t really like Knoxville, but here’s a nice article from Frommer’s travel people. It was referenced in this week’s Metro Pulse but here is the full article. It makes me proud of what Knoxville has become and where its going. It makes me proud to have AC Entertainment, the KMA, Gregg White, Scott Schimmell (sp?), etc. in and supporting Knoxville.

“After the time I spent in Knoxville theater, festival, and museum-hopping, what struck me most was Knoxville’s dedication to promoting and encouraging music and arts. And then there’s that cheeriness: At Alive After Five, I found myself chatting with friendly locals whenever I was away from my table or at the cash bar. Upbeat Americana music filled the museum space, and the dance floor was packed with people, equally at home whether in jeans or dressed to the nines. They danced the two-step, laughing and grinning as they spun to the fiddle playing. After a few days in Knoxville, this jaded New Yorker found herself thawed out and renewed — it was impossible to feel like an outsider in this charming, dynamic city, and to not start smiling too. “

It reminds me of seeing Scott Miller at a live Blue Plate show at WDVX this past year. They have a video running on a plasma TV that is basically a commercial for Knoxville, showcasing festivals, fountains with kids, concerts, mountains, lakes, musicians, and all that makes Knoxville great. After about half of his set, he paused, looked up and said “That video there is distracting me. I just keep thinkin’, man, I wanna live there!”

Help a friend out!

My good friend’s brother auditioned for a new reality t.v. contest, Tontine, hosted by Boston Rob. He got a call back(!) and they asked him to post a video on youtube. 20% of his overall score to determine if he should be a cast member will be based on # of hits and ratings for his video. PLEASE check out this link, tell all your friends, spread the word far and wide! Help a “good ole boy from Tennessee” for a chance at winning the (highest ever) $10 million Grand Prize.

Walk it off, dude…

This guy is walking across the United States from Myrtle Beach to San Francisco to celebrate a life change.  He’s already lost 100 lbs and it still trekking.  I wish I had known about it when he was at the Preservation Pub, I would’ve bought him a beer.  Good on him!

Superdrag Reunion!

I just got this in a myspace bulletin!

Please visit www.superdrag.com for all the details.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

THE RUMORS CAN BE PUT TO REST…
ORIGINAL SUPERDRAG LINE-UP REUNITES FOR SELECT U.S. DATES

Knoxville, TN – Superdrag will be back on tour this Fall, with all four original members. Last seen onstage together more than 8 years ago, the original line-up of John Davis (guitar, vocals), Don Coffey Jr (drums), Brandon Fisher (guitar) and Tom Pappas (bass) have 6 performances scheduled for 2007.

Though Superdrag may be best-known for their 1996 major-label debut Regretfully Yours and the hit single “Sucked Out” that helped launch the band towards international success, the follow-up Head Trip In Every Key, issued in 1998, was widely regarded as the band’s creative peak. Amidst label woes and line-up changes, namely the departures of founding members Pappas and Fisher, the band would issue their third and fourth full-lengths In The Valley Of Dying Stars and Last Call For Vitriol to universal critical accolades, and expand their hard-won fanbase through incessant touring, with the help of bassist Sam Powers and guitarist Mic Harrison. Many of Superdrag’s latter-day fans have never had an opportunity to see the original line-up onstage together…until now!

Tickets will be on sale through (???) beginning July (??) for the following dates:

10.05.07 Nashville, TN City Hall
10.13.07 Chicago, IL Metro
10. 20.07 Knoxville, TN Barley’s Taproom
11.02.07 New York, NY The Fillmore @ Irving Plaza
11.03.07 Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club
11.08.07 Washington, D.C. 9:30 Club

Superdrag formed in 1993. The band issued 3 acclaimed 7”s and one EP, The Fabulous 8-Track Sound Of Superdrag, before the release of their first proper full-length in 1996. Changin’ Tires On The Road To Ruin, a collection of b-sides, alternate versions and rarities, was released in April 2007.

Sunsphere Redux

So to make up for not taking us up before the masses were allowed back up in the Sunsphere, my old boss has promised something special. I will say it involves the Sunsphere, but I can’t really say exactly what it is. I promise to post pics, though because it will be spectacular!

Sunsphere Re-opens

So they are finally re-opening the Sunsphere to the public. I think its a great idea and something that should have been done a long time ago. Its been hard to explain why we have this odd structure right in the center of downtown and you couldn’t even go in it to enjoy the view.

For me, its a little bittersweet, though. See, until Monday, I worked for the guy who’s company has control of the Sunsphere. I had promised B. that I would take him up in it. He’s been here in Knoxville for nine years and it was something he had wanted to do for about nine years! I got permission from my boss and had all but made the appropriate arrangements to take him up. The last conversation I had with my boss about it, he insisted it was really hot up there so we decided to wait. Maybe the old boss man didn’t want me to go up, I don’t know. He never acted like it. He acted like it was no big deal for me to go. But I had NO idea they were re-opening it so soon.

So I’m glad it open, I really am. I just wish I had acted a little sooner because seeing my boyfriend’s friends bragging about going up in it before he had was such a bummer! (Especially the one that just moved here a couple of years ago!)