Free South Africa, you dumb son of a bitch

Invoked a little Murtaugh there. Weird.

Anyhoo, these sumbitches shut down. I remember going there as a punk ass kid with the rents shortly after the abortive World's Fair. Fun note: I did go there two years ago with Mackey's brother. He won't own a red...nothing!

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2010/sep/30/butcher-shop-closes-doors/

Tag, the former author/brewer here, can grill a steak on par with anyone. I'll be damned if I grill it myself someplace. Still, I am somewhat saddened since I am a huge fan of the old WFP sites. With both this property and the L&N vacant, I worry that some urban traitor will fuck us and sell them to the Russkies or the Frogs. Fuck that noise. That shit's for the birds.

Quick Shots!

The Tin Roof is making progress. I snapped these photos using my cell phone during lunch.

Just the other day there was a banner with their name but I guess they took it down during construction/demolition. From what I saw it looks like they’re gutting that mofo. On the front you can see the new “shingle” panels – no word on the actual roof yet.

I think I read somewhere that their target opening date is in September and hope they make it in time for game days. We’re long overdue for a good UT victory spot on the strip following football games, but of course we haven’t had a whole lot of victories to celebrate the past few years either.

Big Surprise Tour at World’s Fair Park is happening Friday, 8/14. Gates open at 5:30 show begins at 7:00, cost is $35. Headliners are Old Crow Medicine Show with 3-4 supporting acts so it should be a full night of music. I’m not sure what the concert name means but it couldn’t be more appropriate because I didn’t hear about this until last week. However the security guard who stopped me at the gate where this picture was taken could actually be protecting the big surprise that concert goers will witness tomorrow night. Now I’m dying to know.

And I almost forgot, the Tin Roof staff needs to be prepared to face off against the homeless ranks for one of the most coveted drinking nooks off the strip. It’s not another bar. The stairwell from their lower parking lot to the upper lots has lots of history in this regard – many bars and restaurants have come and gone on the strip, yet the bums remain.

Great Drunks of the Silver Screen 8.0

I present to you: The McKenzie Brothers from Strange Brew

Technically, these two misfits were long-standing fixtures on SCTV and other assorted small screen stuff before the early 80's saw fit to give them a bawdy movie.

Strengths: Immune to tainted Canadian beers, bizarre amalgam of invulnerability and stupidity, Hosehead the Dog

Weaknesses: The criminal justice system, Canada, mortal foes of Max Von Sydow

Ah yes, these two lunatics...get a good look at them. Every generalization of Canadian misfits wrapped up in a brotherly package. These two are consummate beer-swillers, knocking them back like water at the end of their SCTV sketches and somehow parlaying that into a modest film cult following. Said film documents their borderline retarded rise from unemployed scam artists to duped employees of Elsinore Brewery, and the inevitable result of criminally insane incarceration.

Along the way, these assholes drink everything not nailed down. Without revealing too much of the 'plot' let's just say that Max Von Sydow's nefarious plans to contaminate beer with a potent suggestive chemical get tripped up by the heroic livers of the siblings. With the help of the equally insane dog, Hosehead, they topple the nefarious plans of Sydow and his henchmen.

Sweet Jesus, look at that prick. I would say this dog is well-trained and a cinematic jewel. In reality, he's probably just goddamn mean. Hosehead is equally immune to the contaminated beer and gains the ability to fly along the way.
Crude, crude editing. To make matters worse, could Toronto not be dropped from that scene? I'd be drunk and borderline insane having to live in that opaque neighborhood.

(a meeting of the minds and its a three-way tie)

Hell, the damn dog is more likable than either of these Great White Gumps. Still, I honor their powerful thirst and clearly inhuman livers.

City Improvements

Months ago we pointed out the city of Knoxville’s absurd signage at World’s Fair Park fountains. You remember the one about poop. Well, the city sure wasn’t about to let that snafu happen again. Future Knoxville parks will NOT be shat upon just because they didn’t post the specific rule forbidding it. I saw this sign at Volunteer Landing last weekend. Check out bullet point # 5

I like how it’s casually tucked in the middle of the rules: “no skateboarding, no vending, no shitting in the fountain, no grills…” Ok, thanks Knoxville. I’m glad we got that rule implemented for all of our parks just so unknowing parents and visitors know that we have standards. Some other rules they should consider:

• No murder (during park hours)


• No pan handling regardless of your missed bus, out of state job, booze, etc


• No Pan flutes - ever!


• No shirts/tops if you weigh over 300 lbs. (men only)


• Do not use the FREE doggie bags stationed around the park. Seriously, just leave all the dog crap where it falls. BUT DO NOT GO IN OUR FOUNTAINS WITH DIARRHEA - WE MEAN IT!