Knoxville Night Spots

[hatvol96]

Another classic: Breakfast at the Varsity Inn.

 

[rockydoc]

I remember this Nightclub on Cumberland Av. just west of the Orange and white bookstore (neon or psychedelic something other) that was popular in the late 60's early 70's. AA linebacker Jamie Rotella and his fat brother and Jack Reynold's brother came in there one night and starting beating the crap out of everone for no good reason. I weighed about 150# then and was smart enough to avoid getting my face rearranged like my friend. That was never in the paper.

 

[rockytopscott]

Great thread.

Anyone ever eat a Killer Pizza?

Pretty sure I never ate anything other than Big Ed's. It was a drive to Oak Ridge, but couldn't be beat. :bow:

 

[Jasongivm6]

Pretty sure I never ate anything other than Big Ed's. It was a drive to Oak Ridge, but couldn't be beat. :bow:

We used to get a keg and take a bus to Big Ed's.


Great stuff

 

[hatvol96]

We used to get a keg and take a bus to Big Ed's.
Great stuff

My favorite thing about Big Ed's is watching the uinitiated come in and ask for fru fru beers and specialty pizzas. The look on their face when they see it's just real pizza and American, By God, draft beer is classic.

 

[hatvol96]

Another couple of places that I hung out at were The Spot (a little further west than Toddies) and Union Jacks. Not sure if they still exist or not.

The Spot, no. Union Jacks, yes. I remember going in there at 6:00 AM to with a friend of mine from law school to watch a World Cup match. Every Brit in Knox and the surrounding counties must have been there. I could care less about soccer, but it was a really neat atmosphere.

 

[Jasongivm6]

Remember the place behind the Strip (school side) behind Gus's, McDonald's and Holiday Inn?
That place changed names so many times, I can't remember what to call it. It used to be a San Antonio Taco, then it had several different names.


There was also a bar on 17th Ave. above Salvador Deli's that had a $5 all you can drink night on Thursday nights.

 

[hatvol96]

Remember the place behind the Strip (school side) behind Gus's, McDonald's and Holiday Inn?
That place changed names so many times, I can't remember what to call it. It used to be a San Antonio Taco, then it had several different names.
There was also a bar on 17th Ave. above Salvador Deli's that had a $5 all you can drink night on Thursday nights.

The place behind the strip was Rio's at one point. The place above Salvador Deli's was Quarters, then the Living Room.

 

[Jasongivm6]

The place behind the strip was Rio's at one point. The place above Salvador Deli's was Quarters, then the Living Room.

Hatvol, I'm sorry for having you remind me of all these things. I just can't remember the names of some places. It's weird. I remember names of people. But bars and restraunts?...............


BTW, would you happen to remember Scotty Felts, Joseph Kitt, or Zach Woodall ever bartending at Quarters when you went there?

 

[Jasongivm6]

The place behind the strip was Rio's at one point. The place above Salvador Deli's was Quarters, then the Living Room.

The place called Rio's was also a Dante's at one time.

 

[hatvol96]

Hatvol, I'm sorry for having you remind me of all these things. I just can't remember the names of some places. It's weird. I remember names of people. But bars and restraunts?...............
BTW, would you happen to remember Scotty Felts, Joseph Kitt, or Zach Woodall ever bartending at Quarters when you went there?

Woodall sounds familiar to me. 1989-91 was when I spent most of my time at Quarters. Former UT LB and Certifiable Madman Bryan Kimbro was friends with some girls I had gone to high school with. Thursday night was the big night that the crowd I ran with would be there.

 

[Jasongivm6]

Woodall sounds familiar to me. 1989-91 was when I spent most of my time at Quarters. Former UT LB and Certifiable Madman Bryan Kimbro was friends with some girls I had gone to high school with. Thursday night was the big night that the crowd I ran with would be there.

Woodall got there in 1990. I don't know if he worked there then. I didn't get to UT until 93. Was Jason Julian as small as he looked?

 

[hatvol96]

Woodall got there in 1990. I don't know if he worked there then. I didn't get to UT until 93. Was Jason Julian as small as he looked?

Smaller.

 

[Jasongivm6]

I saw some bands at Flamingo's/Arnold's that grew to have pretty big followings. Most notably Widespread Panic, Dave Matthews, Beanland, Phish, and MOE. Also saw little bitty Derrick Trucks when he was 12 or 13.

 

[utvolpj]

Woodall got there in 1990. I don't know if he worked there then. I didn't get to UT until 93. Was Jason Julian as small as he looked?

Zach worked there for a while, knew him in HS.

Someone mentioned Rio's too. That was about the most violent place in Knox on $1 PBR night. Also was lacking facilities so everything became a urinal.

 

[utvolpj]

I saw some bands at Flamingo's/Arnold's that grew to have pretty big followings. Most notably Widespread Panic, Dave Matthews, Beanland, Phish, and MOE. Also saw little bitty Derrick Trucks when he was 12 or 13.

I mentioned that one earlier. No one believes me that I saw WP and DMB in such a small place. Drivin & cryin used to play there alot too.

 

[hatvol96]

I mentioned that one earlier. No one believes me that I saw WP and DMB in such a small place. Drivin & cryin used to play there alot too.

Drivin seemed to play there once a month.

 

[Jasongivm6]

Zach worked there for a while, knew him in HS.

Someone mentioned Rio's too. That was about the most violent place in Knox on $1 PBR night. Also was lacking facilities so everything became a urinal.

You're right about that. The wall outside in the alley behind the McDonald's and Rio's was my urinal. Remember seeing a band called "Caution" that always played there?

 

[utvolpj]

You're right about that. The wall outside in the alley behind the McDonald's and Rio's was my urinal. Remember seeing a band called "Caution" that always played there?

I always chose the sink. I saw too many people arrested for doing it outside.

I remember Caution. Don't remember if I saw them or not but my sister was a big fan.

 

[hatvol96]

Anyone remember Thumper and the Paid Rabbits?

 

[utvolpj]

Anyone remember Thumper and the Plaid Rabbits? fixed

Yeah they played at our frat house a couple of times, good stuff.

 

[9296potsguy]

Great thread.

Anyone ever eat a Killer Pizza?

I think it was about 3.99 delivered. It was so bad so I switched to Roadrunner's instead

 

[hatvol96]

I think it was about 3.99 delivered. It was so bad so I switched to Roadrunner's instead

That's like going from driving a Gremlin to a Pinto.

 

[Jasongivm6]

Haven't seen the recent stuff but I still play their old CD every now and again. Fav k-town band was Freeway. They were great until the drummer went to med school. Played @ Elec Ballroom alot.

The Lap- I think you had to be underage to drink there. Quarters was great, a friend from HS was the bartender! Hawkeye's could get downright evil after a while (I forgot about that one). The underground closed? Also loved going to the Boiler Room next door when it was BYOB. I tried to get my name on the wall @ Spicy's "Around the world" but never finished. Lucilles in the Old City was another fav.

I lived next door to 2 Freeway members on Deery St., Chris Ford and Todd Overstreet. They later formed Gran Torino when Jason (Chocolate), Dexter and the horn players got kicked out of UT's Marching Band.

 

[Jasongivm6]

Just Add Ice