September will exit with music, festivals

Betsy PickleOur Town Arts

It’s the last weekend of the month and the first weekend of autumn, which leaves us with at least two questions: What happened to September, and why is it still in the 90s?

I can’t do anything about the weather, but I can steer you toward some cool entertainment to wrap up the ninth month of 2019.

Eagles fans who want to experience “Hotel California” in a live setting can do so tonight and Friday night when the Black Jacket Symphony performs the entirety of the classic album at the Tennessee Theatre. The BJS is a group of musicians handpicked to bring beloved albums to life – as close to the original as possible – in a superior aural environment.

After the album is performed, there’s an intermission, and then the Black Jacket Symphony performs some of the featured band’s greatest hits. Info here.

Efrat Shapira

For a more traditional symphony experience, head to the Bijou Theatre on Sunday, Sept. 29, for the KSO Chamber Orchestra’s program featuring Mozart and Tchaikovsky. KSO Music Director Aram Demirjian will wield the baton for the 2:30 p.m. concert.

Friday’s Alive After Five at the Knoxville Museum of Art will feature Efrat’s Experiment. East Tennessee native Efrat Shapira makes a return visit from New York City to perform with musical partners Nick “Banjo Nickaru” Russo and Betina Hershey. The trio is fond of a wide spectrum of jazz.

 

Don’t forget the play

“All in the Timing” ends its run Sunday at Theatre Knoxville Downtown, 800 S. Central St. Six one-act comedies written by David Ives ponder everything from love to monkey business to Leon Trotsky. Shows are at 8 p.m. today through Saturday, with a 3 p.m. matinee on Sunday.

TCDE recruits talented youth

Kid power will be on display when the Tennessee Children’s Dance Ensemble hosts “Children in the Arts” at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the World’s Fair Park Amphitheater. Young artists will perform everything from dance to singing to instruments to theater.

The showcase is part of the Penny4Arts program, so children/students are admitted for one cent.

Did someone say festival?

You can fill up on international culture this weekend without buying a plane ticket.

Greek Fest is back and ready to engage you with Greek food, dancing and culture from Friday through Sunday, Sept. 27-29. This annual fundraiser at St. George Greek Orthodox Church, 4070 Kingston Pike, has been enticing fans of all ages for nearly four decades. Get the lowdown.

Dancers at a past HoLa Festival.

Just a kid – relatively speaking – at age 20, the HoLa Festival takes place Saturday night and Sunday at Market Square downtown. Saturday will feature a strong lineup of music, plus fireworks at 9 p.m. Sunday will feature delicious food, lively music and a parade of nations. More info.

Old City Oktoberfest will set up on East Jackson Avenue under the James White Parkway overpass from 2 to 8 p.m. Saturday. Historic Old City Knoxville is hosting this event, which offers German-style beer and food, along with crafts and live music.

The 13th annual Louie Bluie Festival is set for Saturday at Cove Lake State Park in Caryville. The festival celebrates the life and music of Howard “Louie Bluie” Armstrong.

Hispanic Film Festival at UT

October will bring the inaugural Hispanic Film Festival at the University of Tennessee, starting at the midpoint of National Hispanic Heritage Month. Each Tuesday at 7 p.m., beginning Oct. 1, a free film will be shown in the Lindsay Young Auditorium of the Hodges Library. First up is “Birds of Passage,” an award-winning film from Colombia about an indigenous family whose traditions and way of life are shattered by the drug trade.

Other films in the series are: Oct. 8 “Everybody Leaves”; Oct. 15 “Wilaya”; Oct. 22 “Mr. Kaplan”; and Oct. 29 “Spain in Crisis: A Collective Response.” More info.

Betsy Pickle is a veteran entertainment, features and news reporter best known as the longtime film critic for the Knoxville News Sentinel.

 

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