LISA DENTON: Barry, never mind the weather. The Chattanooga music scene is so hot right now
BARRY COURTER: How hot is it?
LISA: Thanks for asking. I like the way it sounds when you speak into my extra-long Gene Rayburn replica microphone.
BARRY: Should I be channeling Charles Nelson Reilly or Richard Dawson?
LISA: Both maybe. And I can be Fannie Flagg and Brett Somers. Gosh, we're old.
Anyway, it's so hot that you can see three great bands this week - six counting the opening acts - without leaving downtown. And here's the best part: All for free.
On Thursday, you can sit on the lawn at the Bessie Smith Cultural Center for the first concert in this year's Levitt Amp Music Series. On Friday, you can go to Miller Plaza for the next-to-last installment of Nightfall. And Saturday, you can show up at Ross's Landing for the last Riverfront Nights show. I could get used to this.
BARRY: We have more than our fair share of free music opportunities, and these are all not only great shows, but they take place in some pretty nice places. I started to write cool places, but we haven't been on this side of cool in awhile.
LISA: No, we have not. They say when it gets this hot you should carry a bottle of water around with you at all times. I think it's so you can beat yourself to death with it when you can't take the heat any longer.
BARRY: The Hamiltones will open the Levitt series. If you are into soulful harmonies, this is for you. Check this out: https://youtu.be/yTNSCgmLoD. The Happy Fits, who sound just like you would expect with that name (https://youtu.be/ml9nOWpLCU4), close out Nightfall, and Brownout is the Riverfront Nights act. Here is their song "Brown Sabbath": https://youtu.be/au1kBj_-Zno.
LISA: The Happy Fits should do a show with Fitz and The Tantrums. Spin the emotional wheel.
BARRY: Seems fitting.
LISA: If you want to stay outside, the Lookouts start the last home stand of the season Friday against the Montgomery Biscuits, and Chattanooga Football Club plays the Michigan Stars FC Saturday at Finley Stadium.
For something really different, a World War II ship that took part in the D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944, will dock at Ross's Landing for seven days starting Wednesday. There's an opening ceremony scheduled at 3 p.m.
BARRY: That's a lot of time outdoors. Can we go inside now?
LISA: Yep. Right behind you.
Get event information every Thursday in ChattanoogaNow or online anytime at www.ChattanoogaNow.com.
Contact Lisa Denton at ldenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6281. Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354.