For those of you who have not braved the tepid waters of the Johnson City night life, you should know that at times there is nothing you should rush to jot down in your newly bought planners.
Now, while there have been strides by frustrated locals to improve upon a seemingly non-existent music scene, I suggest you look to the east and west for entertainment to get excited about.
Across the state line, through the mountains, lies a little town called Asheville. You might have heard of it. Brush aside those pre-conceived notions of hippies greeting you at every street corner, and read on to find out about shows you might actually be interested in.
From big name bands to “secret” indie treasures, The Orange Peel, located at 101 Biltmore Ave., utilizes its downtown location to bring together not only a menagerie of acts but also a wide variety of attendees to the club.
In the month of September some noteworthy bands plan to grace the stage. On Sept. 7, long time pop-punk pundits Relient K plan to play an all ages show starting at 8 p.m.
Known for their witty and ironic lyrics, attending this show just might be the answer to your weekend plans if you want to wax nostalgic about those high school days when you wore wrist bands daily and you thought high socks were cool.
Next up are Queens of the Stone Age, the proprietors of the heavy guitar riff. They are playing on Sept. 24 at 9 p.m. This is an 18 and over show so no worries of the little kiddie posers cramping your style. However, you might want to bring the ear plugs for this one.
You might enjoy the show, but you want to be able hear your friends response the next day when you tell them all about the night before.
Rilo Kiley rounds out the month with their performance on Sept. 28 at 9 p.m. Fresh off their new album release, “Under the Blacklight,” the female fronted band is sure to draw in indie converts with lead singer Jenny Lewis’ cute-girl demeanor, but lo and behold, there is actually some catchy music that drives the band, so check them out if you looking for precious, melodic pop-rock.
Also in Asheville is the not so familiar club, The Grey Eagle, at 185 Clingman Ave.
Post-rock band Do Make Say Think are set to play the venue on Sept. 19 at 9 p.m. A few of the band members are made up of fellow Canadian band, Broken Social Scene, and opened for the band last year at the Orange Peel.
The crowd was entranced by their ethereal soundscapes which include brass instruments and woodwinds. One could even say they outshined Broken Social Scene, the main event.
In the other direction completely, you have Knoxville’s Bijou Theatre. Located at 803 S. Gay St., the venue plays host not only to musical acts but also celebrated film director, John Waters.
The director and writer of such off-beat films likes “Cry Baby” and “Hairspray” is set to entertain on the evening of Sept. 20, 8 p.m.
A week later The Avett Brothers are to perform on Sept. 29 the past year the band’s brand of hyper bluegrass has garnered a great deal of attention with the release of their previous album, “Four Thieves Gone,” and even more so with their newest record, “Emotionalism.” Their catchy choruses just might cause a penchant for dancing in the aisles.
This might be a lot of information to take in, but let me add just one more thing. I’m not here to hate on Johnson City. My goal is just to inform you of my appreciation for surrounding cities and what is going on there.
Heck, maybe next time I’ll let you in on the happenings around town, but for now, I’m urging you to spend loads of money on gas and go out so that you can experience things instead of complaining about having nothing to do.
For more information on any of the club mention you can visit their Web sites: www.theorangepeel.net, www. thegreyeagle.com and www.knoxbijou.com.

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