Pilot Light the

First off, I don't drink so going to bars are only an option if they have a band I REALLY want to see, and The Pilot Light has had more then their share over the years (TRAILER BRIDE is still the best I've seen there, when they were around).

The stage is small, the bar is small. No, think smaller. Everytime I've been there everybody has been pretty cool but I don't go to mingle, I go to watch and listen to the bands play.

Of course in that part of town, you'll run into people on the sidewalk or parking lot that had cars run out of gas on the interstate and need change. If you go often enough you'll figure out it's a lot of the same folks that can't seen to put gas in their cars...

I liked it when they had the same old couch in there forever, the stories that thing must have told.

I know I'm rapidly aging when I still think of the Pilot Light as the "new" small live music venue in Knoxville.  It's a cozy little ramshackle dive bar with a stage, a surprisingly good sound system, and an incredibly devoted staff who opened it years ago simply because they had nowhere in town to see their favorite music.  

It's small, but not tiny (you'd be surprised to see a truly packed out show with 100 or so patrons - it's impressive!), and playfully lit with random knick-knacks and posters adorning the walls and ceiling.  It may be rough, but it's comfortable, and a very pleasant place to hang out and hear some music.  Beer is simple, cheap, and includes a reasonable variety for such a small bar and small budget.  Plus, anywhere with cheap Schlitz gets approval from me.  The bands range from acts literally thrown together earlier that week to nationally-touring talents sometimes on the verge of exploding into the realm of car commercials and David Letterman appearances.  

The staff are basically volunteers, and the entire establishment is non-profit, if not by legal designation, then certainly by practical default.  It's a testament to their efforts at keeping a great atmosphere and maintaining word-of-mouth interest that the venue has lasted as long as it has.  Keep it up and it'll be there for many more generations of E TN music lovers, broke dive-bar-crawlers, and the occasional riff-raff passing through UT.    ; )

The best place for unusual bands coming into Knoxville. The best music/dive bar in town.