Lisa Denton and Barry Courter
LISA DENTON: Barry, if you’re feeling particularly disoriented today, it’s because it’s Leap Day, when time bounces ahead four years. Maybe I’ve left out a few steps, but that’s basically how it works.
Anyway, I believe that time warp is the reason I’m feeling such an “Urgent” need to see Foreigner at the Tivoli on Tuesday. “Feels Like the First Time,” “Double Vision,” “That Was Yesterday,” “Say You Will” – I can’t wait to hear all their hits.
BARRY COURTER: It’s hard to imagine the ’80s without Foreigner playing on the car stereo. During my conversation with Tom Gimbel of the band, he said people come to shows all the time with eight-track copies of their albums to get autographs.
We’re kind of hitting the classic-rock radio circuit hard this year when it comes to live shows, aren’t we? Foreigner tomorrow, Elton John and the Moody Blues in March, James Taylor in April, ZZ Top in May, Heart and Ambrosia at Riverbend. And, for good measure, Black Jacket Symphony will be doing Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” in April.
That’s like the Roundhouse lineup in the ’80s.
LISA: Not that you would remember.
BARRY: Yeah, yeah. I addressed that in my column last Thursday.
LISA: Speaking of Elton John, today is the last day for Blood Assurance blood donors to be entered in a drawing to win two tickets to his show at McKenzie Arena. Not a bad perk for a pint.
As long as we’re looking at saving money – and when aren’t we? – Tuesday is the last day to get the cheaper registration for Saturday’s Native Plant Symposium, presented by the Tennessee Valley Chapter of Wild Ones. I don’t have a green thumb, but I always get excited this time of year about all the things I could plant. Are native plants more likely to thrive on neglect?
BARRY: I’ve had really good luck with wisteria, honeysuckle, ivies both poisonous and non, and kudzu, which isn’t native. Oh, and dandelions and crabgrass. Some of those stay green year-round, so that’s a bonus.
Don’t forget also that Million Dollar Quartet the Musical is coming to the Tivoli on Thursday. It’s hard to imagine, but Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash did get together for an impromptu jam session on Dec. 4, 1956, at Sun Records in Memphis. Man, that’s a moment I would have liked to have seen.
LISA: Heart Strings for Hope at the Tivoli on Wednesday will be a big show, too, but it’s already sold out – as most things associated with US101/WUSY-FM do. This one is the fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital that brings in top Nashville songwriter Kelley Lovelace and some of his famous singer/songwriter friends. This year’s lineup is Cole Swindell, Chris Janson, Dustin Lynch and Justin Moore.
You probably don’t know this, but Janson sang one of my favorite songs of last summer: “Buy Me a Boat” – mostly because it managed to rhyme “truck to pull it” with “Yeti 110 iced down with some Silver Bullets.” That’s pure gold.
BARRY: If it’s clever country lyrics you like, Big Smo is at Revelry Room on Friday. He specializes in rural rap or hick-hop. He became a YouTube star in 2010 thanks to his homemade video “Kickin’ It in Tennessee.”
Get event details every Thursday in ChattanoogaNow or online anytime at www.ChattanoogaNow.com.
Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354. Contact Lisa Denton at ldenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6281.