Get Off the Couch: Two shows get back to roots

LISA DENTON: Barry Courter is taking some time off. If history is any indication, he's consulting manuals with titles like "487 Easy Steps To Painting Your House" or "Fun With Caulk" and calling the Measure Twice Cut Once Emergency Oops Line.

If all that handy-manliness doesn't leave him too stove up, I know there are things he's getting off the couch for this week. Here are three reasons for you to do the same.

• The first Scenic City Roots concert is Thursday at Track 29. Leading off are Johnnyswim, St. Paul & The Broken Bones, The Steeldrivers and WTM Blues Band. Tickets are $10 general admission, $5 for students with ID.

The folks who do the weekly Scenic City Roots concerts in Nashville and the Bluegrass Underground shows at Cumberland Caverns in McMinnville are responsible for this new monthly series, which will be shown on WTCI-TV. One of the sponsors of the local shows is ChattanoogaNow.com.

Cool bit of trivia: Husband and wife Abner Ramirez and Amanda Sudano are Johnnyswim. They took the name for their duo from a scene in the movie "Jaws" when a character named Johnny is attempting to flee from the shark as his friend shouts from the pier, "Swim, Johnny, swim!"

Glad they went that route. Now I can call my band You're Gonna Need a Bigger Boat.

• Also on Thursday is Taste at Stratton Hall. This benefit for the Kidney Foundation will offer unlimited samples of food from more than 20 local restaurants. Buy your ticket before Thursday and it'll cost you $35. The day-of price is $40.

• Finally, the Great Southern Old-Time Fiddlers Convention returns for the fourth year of its revival Saturday in Lindsay Street Hall. Matt Downer does a bang-up job of organizing the daylong event, which features contests for fiddle and banjo players, string bands and dancers, all in old-time style. Admission is $5.

Get event details every Thursday in ChattanoogaNow or online anytime at www.Chatta noogaNow.com.