Monday worth cheering at pub's wine night

Finally, someone gave us a reason to go out on Monday nights.

OK, I’m not really the kind of person to need an excuse to go out on any night of the week. Whether or not anything’s going on, I’ll go grab a drink with some friends. Or even by myself.

But Preservation Pub may have monopolized Monday night festivities.

Jared, one of the bartenders, told me weeks ago he thought a Monday night half-price wine night would go over well. Others (Sunspot and Stir Fry-Turkey Creek, to name a couple) have wine night on Wednesday, which Jared and I agreed doesn’t make as much sense: Why not give people a reason to go out on Monday nights? There’s nothing else going on. Go ahead and start enjoying yourself early in the week.

I’m glad Preservation Pub followed through.

And whereas half-price wine is an incredible excuse to go out any night, the Pub gives a second Monday night bonus: the Jason Day Band.

Weeks ago my friend, Nicole, and I headed to the Pub on a Monday night to catch the ubiquitous Grandpa’s Stash. We paid the $3 cover (it’s never more than that at the Pub) and walked in the front door only to find a jazz trio on stage, not five pseudo-hippies. We were confused, but decided to stick around. If nothing else, the Pub still has a plethora of beer, we figured.

We weren’t disappointed. The Jason Day Band, featuring an organist, a bassist and a drummer, played instrumental jazz pieces — most of which went unrecognized by us but were intricate and tight. We did recognize a cover of Radiohead’s “Knives Out” that blew me away. My eyes bounced back and forth between the keyboardist’s right hand soloing away and the bassist’s left hand soaring up and down the bass’s neck. It’s been ages since I’ve been so impressed with a band.

Fortunately, the Jason Day Band performs each wine night.

I’ve been to at least 55 bars in this city (yes, there are at least 55 bars here), and no matter how much fun I have somewhere, no matter how impressed I am with a bar, I keep coming back to Preservation Pub. A year ago I said it was my favorite bar in an article I wrote about Tuesday’s singer/songwriter night. My opinion stands true today.

In the bar-reviewing business, the concept of “Cheers” comes up frequently. It’s important to have that place you always go — that place where everybody knows your name (and they’re always glad you came).

Somewhere along those lines, the Pub became my Cheers. I don’t specifically recall how or when, but I’m sure that it has a lot to do with Jill, the greatest bartender in all of Knoxville. Usually (even on busy nights) Jill will have a Miller High Life draft waiting for me before I can even get to the bar. On Friday and Saturday nights, when the place is packed, Jill always checks up on my friends and me.

“Jill makes me feel special,” my friend, Rachel, once said. I’d be surprised if anyone ever disagreed with this statement. I go to the Pub alone sometimes because I know Jill will make sure I’m taken care of.

And with the Pub’s addition of wine night, it’s great to see that the place is actually improving.

Preservation Pub
Address: 28 Market Square
Phone: 865-524-2224
Hours: opens daily at 4 p.m.
Full bar

By Greg Wood
Friday, July 20, 2007

© 2007, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.