Jer Cole

Time waits for no man, and neither does Knoxville rock act Ebony Eyes. The trio, while fun-loving, is designed for efficiency and does not waste time, neither its own or that of its listeners.

Rock quintet Far Far Away is the product of five Morristown music instructors, each with former ties to prominent though now-defunct performing acts, growing fed up with life on the sidelines. The band marks the return of these diverse players ...

Although GRITS From Dumplin Valley has been a hardworking regional act for the past seven years, the band only recently unveiled its debut recording effort, “TN Weather.” The band, which averages more than 100 shows a year, at long last ...

To the delight of rock fans who miss the egos and depraved personalities of rock bands past, Knoxville quintet The Bad Dudes continue their assault on subtlety and good taste through exaggerated ’80s glam/hair band decadence. Championed by its forefathers, ...

For two years The Mutations have brought the coast to the landlocked, picking up some well-deserved acclaim along the way. Having performed in nearly every venue in Knoxville, the act looks to increase its emphasis on out-of-town romps and unveil ...

Less a band than a performance troupe, Sidecar Symposium’s music is only the beginning of its offerings.

Without a release, merchandise or even a strong web presence, local indie rock outfit Crumbsnatchers has developed a staggering buzz, when taking into account only a single year of activity. Playing one show per week on average, a quick glance ...

For the debut of its second full-length album, Knoxville groove metal act Scent of Remains is celebrating in grand fashion. On Sunday, Knoxville’s iconic Sunsphere will host a unique metal experience, emanating the band’s music from roughly 260 feet in ...

New Knoxville rock quintet Tree Tops is a good bet to instantly enter contention for one of the area’s top acts.

For more than a decade, Deconbrio has been the industrial rock act of Danny Rendo, and though during that time, the project has had bases on both the East and West coasts, it has only really taken shape upon Rendo’s ...

Almost one year ago, Zach Gilleran and Dakota Smith (both also of Lipliplip Hands) performed their first show as Zach and Kota’s Sweet Life. After assembling a set of material in the music room of a house Smith shares with ...

Over its eight years performing in Knoxville, Grandpa’s Stash has seen numerous breakups and lineup changes. Releasing its first album in November 2012, the band’s turbulent times appear to be behind them as the current iteration maintains focus on the ...

Upon the decision to indefinitely shelve the Wolf at the Door project prior to its still-to-come EP release, remaining members founded the three-man band Echoes to capitalize on chemistry developed not only through W@tD, but also Cold Hands, Henry Gibson ...

Formed with the strategy of getting its foot in the door with fans and venues across the Southeast through cover tunes, Knoxville act Homemade Wine has reached the second phase of its plan. In the past year, the quintet has ...

Begun in 2010 as the bedroom project of longtime drummer Zach Gilleran, Lipliplip Hands has been through a number of lineup adjustments in its short lifetime but is now a solidified quartet. On the verge of its debut release, Gilleran's ...

Born near Memphis (just south of the Mississippi state line), singer/songwriter Cory Branan currently resides in Nashville, but he is rarely home. Spending half his year on the road, touring solo or opening for major national acts, his diligence and ...

Decked out in cowboy hats, boots, belt buckles and shades, the members of Texas Tony and the Tornado Ramblers are committed to their exaggerated stage personas and back story, but there is nothing disingenuous about the act's growing acclaim or ...

Locals who believe mainstream country music has lost its soul need look no further for an example than the story of legendary East Tennessee crooner and "Smoky Mountain blue-eyed darlin' " Con Hunley.

Indie Brit-pop trio The Royal Buzz formed more than five years ago, but in many ways is only recently beginning in earnest. Despite a couple of EPs to its credit and international airplay, the band has occasionally suffered periods of ...

Together and evolving for a little more than a year, local blues band Leftfoot Dave and the Magic Hats' strategic formation has culminated in a group of top-tier musicians. The act will record its debut release in a live setting ...

Enigmatic Foe may be one of the Knoxville music scene's best-kept secrets, but what is most "enigmatic" about the act has been its composition.

While the world didn't end on Dec. 21, hell might have frozen over as Knoxville will see a rare Magpie Suite reunion show.

Knoxville-based metal quartet Wampus Cat serves up family-style doom, but the band's foreboding, mystical fixations belie the sense of humor and friendship that keep the group tightly knit despite its long-distance correspondence.

Knoxville heavy rock outfit Horns of the Headless has been in the works for four years but only recently solidified its roster. After revamping its lineup, the reinvigorated act looks to record its first official release on Dec. 22.

Genre-bouncing act Oversat has provided Knoxville with punk and surfwave releases in the past, and has often mentioned its occasional hip-hop work. This Friday the band's urban side will be unveiled through the release of its "Verge Culture" mix tape.

Centered around husband-and-wife duo Adam and Sarrenna McNulty and the more recent addition Eric Griffin, Americana act Guy Marshall is a tribute to a man and a simpler time. Designed as a means to improve the songwriting ability of its ...

While many band reunions are ill-fated, Pegasi 51 is going strong in its fourth year together following an eight-year hiatus. In its initial four-year stint, lasting 1997-2001, the act purveyed a sound heavily influenced by Goth and glam sounds of ...

For 10 years Steve Schecter has performed as Ghostwriter, a solo act making use of guitar, harmonica, foot percussion and vocals. The Portland, Ore., based Schecter/Ghostwriter loathes the "one-man band" description, opting instead for "the original punk-folk troubadour."

Hailing from both sides of Tennessee, the members of Vagabond Philosophy are moving quickly to establish themselves locally. Publicly active for just more than two months, the sextet has already drummed up a complete catalog, performed twice a month on ...

Following the demise of their former acts, prolific Knoxville musicians Russell Garner and Tony Johnson began collaborating in May of this year. The duo began performing as Ebony Eyes only one month after beginning work on the project. With the ...

Knoxville's music scene is notorious for its seasonal and longer-term fluctuations, but presently it seems to be in an upswing. Venues like The Well, with shows seven days a week, have provided an outlet for local bands beyond the confines ...

While Americana act Miss Tess and the Talk Backs currently call New York home, Miss Tess has grown up on the roots music of the Northeast, having previously lived in Boston and Maryland. As Knoxville lauds itself a major hub ...

Fun-loving Nashville act Turbo Fruits has gained national attention for its raucous, straightforward rock sounds and energetic stage presence. The rock 'n' roll lifestyle is ingrained in front man Jonas Stein, who had reached enviable heights at an early age ...

Yak Strangler, a duo of Chris Newman (guitar) and Rylan Bledsoe (drums), is an ideal outlet for its members' technical abilities. Newman and Bledsoe, who studied under teachers Kevin Abernathy and Keith Brown, respectively, were brought together by Abernathy. Now ...

Murfreesboro's long-running, soulful, Southern indie-rock act Glossary is no stranger to Knoxville or many other Southeastern cities. The perpetually working act tours as often as it releases, which is saying a lot. This year the band played Bonnaroo and continues ...

After losing the cellist from its original lineup, hard-to-place act Shortwave Society has spent the past year rebooting itself. The rearrangement accounts for a scarcity of recent live shows, but upon the release of "Songs for Orphans" around the end ...

Knoxville pop punks On My Honor are no slouches, and not since Mad Max have there been fiercer road warriors. Revving up for a nonstop, self-booked nationwide tour, the band's previous outings and friends made along the way have lent ...

Sidelined for about a month, Villains return to the Knoxville circuit with renewed zeal. After taking time off following the birth of vocalist Ben Miller's son and auditioning new drummers, the act plans to hit the town hard before releasing ...

Despite having been around for about seven years and having been on as many as 37 tours, Denver rock outfit Holley 750 is just getting started. With its latest and greatest lineup firmly cemented, the band is touring the East ...

In the wake of its debut EP release from December 2011, Sevierville quartet Fifth Street Saints are establishing themselves as one of the area's most recognized modern rock acts. The quality of the release "Reasons to Run" has put the ...

For resilient Knoxville punk legends The Dirty Works, the future still feels bright. Despite disappointment with its documentary's failure to launch and being at odds with its longtime base venue, the group has never been more optimistic. And after eight ...

Approaching its second year under its current roster, nothing has come easily for Knoxville/Maryville progressive act Color of Fate.

2012 has been a pivotal year for Knoxville punk outfit Casey's Trunk. Having moved from a trio to a quartet, adding a guitarist and replacing a drummer, the band seems to have developed its sound and diversified its portfolio of ...

Asheville folk trio Now You See Them are masters of storytelling. Spinning compelling yarns comes naturally for the band whose own backstory is as interesting as they come.

The Criswell Collective is the pet project of Brad "Brtaddy" Fowler. Like many of his other projects and those of his associates, the act is virtually unknown to those outside Knoxville because widespread recognition is of little interest. Beyond that, ...

Perhaps there is something to be learned from our Southern neighbors in Columbia, S.C. Residents describe a music scene with a true sense of community, built on camaraderie, that is widely supported by its public. This is at least the ...

GRITS from Dumplin Valley is a band that ranks among East Tennessee's hardest working. In addition to being central to the formation of the Dumplin Valley Farms Concert Series, GRITS has averaged 100 shows per year in its five-year existence. ...

Composed of brothers Elliott, Gabriel and Judah White and longtime friend Will Farner, Knoxville act Yung Life is easily among the city's best live bands. Having performed in this lineup for little more than a year, the group plays with ...

A little more than a year since the release of its debut EP, rock trio LoveWar now unveils its first full-length album, "Singing Summer." Still a young act, guitarist/vocalist Elijah Newman recently completed his first year at Belmont University in ...

Community boosters are quick to laud Knoxville's music and arts community as an undiscovered gem, often to an excessive degree. However, bringing credence to this praise was the 24-hour Film Festival held June 16 at the Bijou Theatre. Expecting the ...