PUT DOWN YOUR PHONE AND PICK UP
OCTOBER 1, 2026
VOLUME 1 | ISSUE 11
Free
GOOD EATS: PAN & MOJO
WALNUT STREET BRIDGE IS BACK
CELEBRATE WITH THE CHATTANOOGA BALLET
SOUTHSIDE’S OWN FRESH-BREWED CRAFT BEER @ HELLO MONTY’S 306 W MAIN ST
Books, Community, Wine Open Mic Poetry Mondays Guest Lectures and Book Signings 18 Books Clubs
@bookandbarrelringgold 96 Depot St, Ringgold, GA
2 » Livewire | GET OUT THERE AND HAVE FUN
October 1, 2026 | Vol 1 No 11
Letter from the editor Livewire can be a bit slap-dash at times. I did manage to misspell September more than once, even with spellcheck screaming with its little red squiggle line. When there’s a deadline looming, we do the best we can, what can I say. Seeing the local real newspaper lately, I don’t feel so bad. Even the pros can really make a mess of things sometimes. I have yet to put the wrong picture with a story or splice two stories together. But when I do, I will know I’m in good company. October is raging with fun. The Walnut Street Bridge is re-opening! With the relief of season change, plus the added craziness of Halloween, the calendar is pretty packed. JJ’s Bohemia is celebrating 20 years this month and John Shoemaker has stacked a long lineup. Festivals all over the place! So much jazz and bluegrass and comedy and rock music! Shakespeare and Rocky Horror shadow casting all over the place! Fresh art exhibits! Stick with Livewire and you won’t miss any of it.
Monique Clouse Editor-in-Chief
Cover Story……………………………… 4
Art Around Town……………………16
Puzzles…………………………………… 5
Album Releases………………………19
Staff Picks……………………………… 5
Good Eats……………………………… 20
Comedy…………………………………… 6
Life In the ‘Noog………………………21
Live Music Calendar ……………… 8
Puzzle Answers………………………21
Interview ………………………………13
Frivolity………………………………… 23
Events Calendar ……………………14
Poem by lfp…………………………… 23
On the cover: Photo courtesy of Chattanooga Ballet. PUBLISHER & ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Monique Clouse PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Monique Clouse CONSIGLIERE AND CHAUFFEUR Terry Clouse ADVERTISING SALES Monique Clouse, Barbara Autry CALENDAR COORDINATOR Monique Clouse CONTRIBUTORS Marc Michael, Chuck Crowder, Lori Kyle, Jim Tanner, Douglas Bales, Jenn McCormick, Courtenay Cholovich POETRY by lfp, PHOTOS by Cole Duncan aka Bone Wizard Media, Jim Tanner DESIGN CONSULTANTS Eric Jackson, Angela Rich CIRCULATION Monique Clouse, Terry Clouse LIVEWIRE MAGAZINE LLC produces LiveWire Magazine bi-monthly and distributes 2,000 copies free at over 50 locations throughout the city. Printed at Advantage Printing and Mailing Services. © 2026 LiveWire Magazine LLC. All rights reserved. 910 Georgia Ave PO Box 63 Chattanooga, TN 37401 livewire-chatt.com
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Livewire | VOLUME 1 • ISSUE 11 « 3
COVER STORY
ART/BRIDGES
Chattanooga Ballet Celebrates the Connections Between Us Story by Jenn McCormick Photos courtesy Chattanooga Ballet
allegro like sun on rippling water. Even the big jumps seem to lift the dancers straight up rather than carry them forward.
Organized to celebrate the reopening of the Walnut Street Bridge, “Art/ Bridges” promises to be an evening of energy, joy, and community. In addition to choreography by Chattanooga Ballet’s CEO and Artistic Director Brian McSween, the production will feature works by nationally recognized choreographers Kara Wilkes and Jamorris Rivers.
The excitement flows from the ballet’s intention.
“Art/Bridges” continues one of Chattanooga Ballet’s touchpoints — creating ballet that’s specific and meaningful to our city and region. Earlier ballets with a similar impetus include “Curveball,” about a Chattanooga native who struck out Babe Ruth, and “High Lonesome,” which featured music by local bluegrass artists. “Curveball” was a love letter, a way for the people of Chattanooga to take pride in a ballet that shares a story about them,” McSween says. “With this new ballet, I wanted to choose something else that I know the people of Chattanooga are excited about.” “Art/Bridges” also speaks to universal feelings — the joy of being in a shared space, of taking a promenade on a late-summer afternoon, of falling into a flirtation with a friend you haven’t seen for a while. McSween’s choreography for three men and five women flickers between duets and trios as groups find each other and separate into new combinations. The choreography is full of élan and endlessly watchable as the dancers tease audience expectations with rapid changes in facing. Constant eye contact joins groups even as they seem to spiral away from each other. There are a lot of chin-on-shoulder moments as the dancers gaze into the eyes of someone behind them. Their smiles are easy, gay, and perhaps a bit arch — not cheeky, but as if they’re sharing some delightful secret. It’s also brisk. The dancers’ feet sparkle through long sections of petit 4 » Livewire | GET OUT THERE AND HAVE FUN
“We’re excited to be a part of that celebration [of the Walnut Street Bridge reopening],” McSween says. “The ballet is there to elicit the same feeling as walking across the bridge and being in community, seeing the sun set beyond Lookout Mountain, the beauty of the water, all those things.” McSween’s yet-tobe-named piece will be danced to Beethoven’s Serenade for Flute, Violin, and Viola, performed onstage by members of the Chattanooga Symphony. The other pieces in the program will continue the focus on connection. Set to jazz music, Wilkes’ contemporary ballet will explore the effect of technology on human relationships. Rivers’ more experimental work, accompanied by electronic music, will also focus on the challenges of human connection in a digital age. McSween hopes “Art/Bridges” stirs a heightened awareness of beauty in audience members. “As they reflect back on the ballet, or the first chance they have to walk across the Walnut Street Bridge again, I want them to feel the same as they felt during the performance,” he says. “To feel like” — he considers — “‘It just felt great to be in beauty.’” Art/Bridges Roland Hayes Concert Hall, UTC Fine Arts Center Oct. 8–10 factickets.evenue.net/events/community-events
Staff Picks from the Calendar Three Sisters Bluegrass Festival This is free! I have traveled far paid good money to see many of the artists in this lineup. Catch them at Ross's Landing October 2-3. Films Not going to tell you which ones to see, bit just know there's some very cool stuff in the Film section this week. Too many I'm out of space to write anymore. Anyone But You On Saturday, Oct. 3rd, local guitarist, songwriter, and renowned mycophagist Matt Shigekawa will be debuting his new band Anyone But You along with a new musical direction that’s going to turn heads and blow minds. Wellknown and respected for his playing and writing with such bands as Ashley and the X’s, Shiggy, and Mitama, Matt has developed an all-new catalog of songs written directly from his own perspective and experience. An early listen reveals a refined, professional playing style combined with an emotional gut punch unlike anything he’s done before (expect a deep dive in an upcoming issue.) Anyone But You will be joined by Ashley and the X’s and DJ EZ for a solid night of the best local music the scene has to offer. The Phantom A.D Halloween starts early this year as JJ’s Bohemia welcomes national touring act, internet sensation, and all-around ghoulish guy on Sunday, Oct. 4th for the final leg of the Horrorween 2026 tour. Part Elvis, part mad scientist, The Phantom A.D. is ALL entertainment where humor and horror hold equal sway. Tunes like “Haunted Castle,” “The Brain that Wouldn’t Die,” “Spider Baby,” and “MK Ultra Rock” offer a glimpse of the B-movie inspired lunacy the Phantom A.D. brings to the stage. Campy? Absolutely, in the best possible way! Underneath the camp is solid talent that the man and his band have been honing to a razor’s edge for years. Somewhere between raw punk, surf, and early rock ‘n roll, the Phantom A.D. puts on a wildly entertaining show you don’t want to miss!
Phanton AD
Solutions to puzzles on page 21.
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COMEDY
CHATTANOOGA'S BIGGEST COMEDY WEEKEND IS BACK By Courtenay Cholovich
That same spirit is at the center of this year’s festival.
The Lookout Comedy Festival returns for a seventh year to Chattanooga’s Southside, October 14–17, 2026
“Chattanooga’s comedy scene has long punched above its weight, and it’s very easy to get great comics to visit here,” said Lookout Comedy producer, festival founder, and local comedian Donnie Marsh.
Chattanooga may not be the first city that comes to mind when you think about comedy, but for the better part of the last decade, a community of local comics, producers, venues, and audiences has been working to change that. One of the biggest products of that homegrown scene returns this fall. The seventh annual Lookout Comedy Festival takes over Chattanooga’s Southside October 14–17, bringing more than 30 comedians from across the nation together for twelve shows over four days at venues including The Comedy Catch and JJ’s Bohemia. The festival is the flagship event of Lookout Comedy, a Chattanooga-based nonprofit arts organization with a mission to develop and share the creative potential of the community through comedy and the performing arts. What began in 2018 as an effort to create more opportunities for comedy in Chattanooga has grown into year-round programming that includes showcases, competitions, open mics, professional development opportunities, and larger events designed to connect Chattanooga performers with artists and industry professionals from outside the region. The organization officially became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2025, but its roots remain in the DIY spirit of Chattanooga’s comedy scene: find a room, put on a show, pay artists, and give people a reason to come together and laugh.
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This year’s lineup includes nationally touring comedians alongside emerging performers and Chattanooga favorites. Ryan Goodcase and Alex Kumin headline festival shows, while former festival performer Daniel Dellanno (Kevin Hart’s Funny AF) returns to Chattanooga as a headliner. Local comedian and social media sensation Jimmy Sowell (Nerdork) kicks off the festivities at Wednesday night’s opening show. Other locally-rooted favorites, like Improv Chattanooga, Andrew Ledbetter, and Good Cop/Rad Cop (Netflix-Star Search), will appear throughout the week. The weekend will also help celebrate a milestone for a venue that has played an outsized role in Chattanooga’s independent arts scene. JJ’s Bohemia turns 20 this year, and Lookout Comedy is joining the celebrations at two special anniversary shows headlined by Shane Torres and Kyle Kinane. That relationship between comedy and the spaces that make it possible is part of what distinguishes the festival. Rather than concentrating everything in a single theater or convention center, the four-day event moves audiences among multiple Southside venues, with shows located within walking distance of one another. The result is part comedy festival, part neighborhood crawl, and a snapshot of a local arts ecosystem that has developed show by show over the years.
Matt Harris
“The festival is a labor of love for comedy and our local scene,” Marsh said. For Lookout Comedy, that local scene is also part of a larger mission. Becoming a nonprofit has allowed the organization to think beyond simply producing successful shows and toward building infrastructure for comedy as an art form: creating opportunities for performers to develop their work, connecting artists with paid opportunities, expanding access to education and professional development, and bringing comedians from around the country into Chattanooga.
Sophia Garrow
tickets, the complete schedule, performer information, and festival passes are available through the Lookout Comedy website - www.lookoutcomedy.com. The 2026 Lookout Comedy Festival is sponsored in part by ArtsBuild, the Tennessee Arts Commission, the National Endowment for the Arts, Hemp House, Kiss FM, WUTC, Cherry Street Tavern, and the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
The festival is perhaps the most visible expression of that work. For four days, Chattanooga audiences can catch established touring comics on the same weekend (and sometimes the same bill) as performers they may have seen developing material at local shows and open mics. And for visiting comedians, the festival offers something Chattanooga has increasingly become known for: an intimate arts community where performers, audiences, venues, and producers actually have opportunities to interact. Seven years in, the Lookout Comedy Festival is no longer simply trying to prove that Chattanooga can sustain a comedy festival. It is celebrating the comedy community that has grown up around it and the different people, organizations, and spaces that continue to make that community possible. Festival passes, which include admission to all shows October 14–17, are available now in limited quantities. Individual show
Livewire | VOLUME 1 • ISSUE 11 « 7
LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR
# MONDAYS @ Cherry Street Tavern | 7:00 PM. $10. 21+
MONDAY OPEN MIC — Hosted by Mike McDade
@ Barlery Backroom | 6:00 PM OLD TIME JAM — Traditional old time music jam.
# TUESDAYS @ Barrelhouse Ballroom | 6:30: PM. FREE RANDY STEELE'S BLUEGRASS JAM — Every Tuesday, Beginner Jam at 6:30, Intermediate Jam at 7:30
@ Barlery | 6:00 PM TUESDAY CHILL —
@ Cherry Street Tavern | 9:30 PM. 21+ TUESDAY NIGHT OPEN JAM — (After Trivia) Casual jam session for musicians of all levels. Players can sit in with rotating musicians.
@ The Woodshop | 5 PM (doors), 6 PM (show). All
Ages JHETT BLACK'S TUESDAY BLUESDAY — Live Audience Broadcast showcasing the best in regional and touring blues and roots artists with elevated cocktails, award winning blues broadcasting over WUTC. 88.1.
# WEDNESDAYS @ Barking Legs | 7 PM WEDNESDAY NIGHT JAZZ — Every Wednesday in the lounge.
# THURSDAYS @ Back Stage Bar | 8:00: PM DANIMAL & FRIENDS — Every Wednesday
@ Cherry Street Tavern | 6:00 PM. Free
LEW CARD — October artist in residence. All ages & No Cover!
@ The Woodshop | 8 - 10 PM SCENIC CITY SOUL NIGHT
— Classic Soul, R&B, and Funk featuring improvisational sets with a rotating cast of performers and vocalists. Hosted by Bryant "Bass Hitter" Russell. Elevated BBQ and Curated Cocktails.
@ Back Stage Bar | 8:00: PM
@ JJ's Bohemia | 8 PM (doors), 9 PM (show). $10.
Tennesseans, East Nash Grass, Dan Tyminski Band , The Travelin' McCourys
GREMLIN- SLRP — rock / alternative / garage rock
@ The Signal | 7:00 PM. All Ages
@ RedBud | 6 PM (doors), 7 PM (show). $10
LILY ROSE — Country
21+
PHIL FACONTI TRIO — Guitarist, Producer, Arranger, Orch.2x Grammy Nominated
@ Tremont Spot | 7 PM CHATTANOOGA SONG CIRCLE — Braden Wall and Katrina Barclay join Richard Daigle.
JOEY WINSLET — Every Thursday
@ UTC Roland Hayes Con. Hall | 7:30 PM
# FRIDAYS @ Back Stage Bar | 8:00: PM
UTC WIND ENSEMBLE — Join the UTC Wind Ensemble in their first concert of the season.
JESSE JAMES JUNKURTH — Every Friday, Enjoy his acoustical style music on the back porch on Station Street.
@ The Woodshop | 8 - 10 pm FOREVER BLUEGRASS FRIDAYS — Cindy Pinion with Forever Bluegrass curates and brings traditional bluegrass from regional and national talent with different bands each week. Always Real, traditional bluegrass. 8-10pm every Friday
# FRIDAY OCTOBER 2 @ Barlery | 21+ TBA — The stage is booked. The band isn’t. Check back!
$22 ADV / $27 DOS.
CARTER FAITH — Country. Cherry Valley Forever tour
@ Cherry Street Tavern | 9 PM. $10. 21+ BEN STEPHENS - GRAHAM HUNT — Jazz and indie rock from Wisconsin
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# SATURDAY OCT 3 @ Barrelhouse Ballroom | 8:30 PM. $23 ADV | 27 DOS. BRENN- AMATEUR AT BEST TOUR — angling folk-pop sound. With Mor
@ Boneyard | 7 PM (doors), 8 PM (show). $10 TOOTHLESS HAGS- FUTURE CRIB- CONVALESCENT — Indie Rock
@ Barrelhouse Ballroom | 9 PM. $20ADV / $40 DOS. PASS THE AUX — Hip Hop vs. R&B DJ Experience
@ Cherry Street Tavern | 6:00 PM. $10. 21+ SEVENTH STREET BAND —
# THURSDAY OCT 1 @ Barrelhouse Ballroom | 6:30 PM. (doors) 7:30 PM (show)
Lily Rose
@ Hi-Fi Clydes | 8:30 PM (doors). $5. 21+
Toothless Hags
@ Cherry Street Tavern | 9:00 PM. $10. 21+ NOWHERE SQUARES — Punkwave from Alabama
PAUL CHILDERS BAND — Blending Pop, R&B, and Soul
@ Puckett's | 7:30 PM. Free, Tips Encouraged ASHTON LEE TRIO — Americana / Country / Jazz / Roots
@ Ross's Landing | 5:30 PM. Free 3 SISTERS BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL — The New Dismembered
Nowhere Squares
@ JJ's Bohemia | 8 PM (door), 9 PM (show). $10. 21+ ASHLEY AND THE XS - ANYONE BUT YOU - DJ EZ — blues-driven alt-rock and soul
@ Puckett's | 7:30 PM. Free, Tips Encouraged
@ The Reading Room Bar | 7:30 PM Free. 21+
PAN-O-RAM CLUB — Americana
AMBIENT MUSIC NIGHT — Recurring event featuring local and regional musicians, the first Sunday of every month
@ Rosecomb Bar | 2:00 PM DOG DAYS- A PARTY FOR HES
— 5 year anniversary In the Garden with Lillian, Cult Baby, and Husky Barnette, vinyl set by DJ Redhawk
SUNN O — Sunn O))) Drone Metal. With special guests Lisa Belladonna and Timothy Archambault.
@ The Woodshop | 5:00 PM (doors), 6:00 PM (show) JONATHAN PEYTON — His records with wife Abigail include Nothing Here's the Same, produced with Sadler Vaden of Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit. With Hunter Blalock
@ Wanderlinger | 5:30 - 8:30 PM BRAZENLY LAZY — Jam band
# SUNDAY OCT 4 @ JJ's Bohemia | 8 PM (doors), 9 PM (show). $10. 21+ PHANTOM AD - BASIC PRINTER — ghoulish rock, experimental synthpop,
@ The Caverns | 4:00 PM (doors), 5:00 PM (show) BLACK COUNTRY -NEW ROAD — Indie Rock. With Lily Seabird
Rasa, No Name Enemy
MID-SOUTH SYMPHONIC BAND
— Chattanooga's premier community concert band, bringing together over 70 dedicated musicians from across the region.
Pathogenic
@ Walker Theatre | 7:30 PM
@ Memorial Auditorium | 7:30 PM
@ Ross's Landing | 12:00 PM. Free
@ The Caverns | 7:00 PM (doors), 8:00 PM (show)
20 YEARS -METAL NITE
— Pathogenic, Adversed, Tabula
@ UTC Roland Hayes Con. Hall | 3:00 PM
AMIGO THE DEVIL — Modern folk and alternative rock
THREE SISTERS BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL — Randy Steele & High Cold Wind, Bronwyn, Mason Via, Big Richard, Appalachian Road Show, The Last Revel, Rhonda Vincent, Sam Bush
@ JJ's Bohemia | 8 PM (door), 9 PM (show). $10. 21+
WEIRD AL YANKOVIC — Bigger & Weirder 2026 Tour. Special Guest Puddles Pity Party
@ Parlour @ The Signal | 7:00 PM. 18+ Amigo the Devil
CUPCAKKE — Hip-Hop / Rap
@ Wanderlinger | 6 - 9 PM. Free JARED WHITE & FRIENDS — Soul /jazz/ funk jam
# MONDAY OCT 5 @ Barking Legs | 7 PM MONDAY NIGHT BIG BAND — First Monday of the month
@ Cherry Street Tavern | 7:00 PM. $10. 21+ MONDAY OPEN MIC FEAT. ZOE LEMON — Zoe (rhymes with toe!) is a violinist, songwriter
Cupcakke
# WEDNESDAY OCT 7 @ Walker Theatre | 8:00 PM SCOTT BRADLEE'S POSTMODERN JUKEBOX — The Future Is Vintage World Tour
@ The Signal | 7:00 PM. All Ages THE BROOK & THE BLUFF WEREWOLF TOUR — Indie Rock / Rock
# TUESDAY OCT 6 @ Cherry Street Tavern | 9:00 PM. $10. 21+ OSCAR LINDSAY - JACKSON TRAVIS - JARON UTT — Acoustic Folk indie-rock
OcTober ShowS 2 - Gremlin, SLRP, tba 3 - Ashley and the Xs, Anyone but you, DJ 4 - Phantom AD, Basic Printer 6 - Pathogenic, Adversed, Tabula Rasa, No Name Enemy 9 - Milele Roots, Rick Rushing 10 - 5x5, Cardboard Cutout, Clockwise, Dead Justice, Field Hockey, Field of View, I before E, Intension, Phantom Dan, Sangromantics, Spiritless, Tabula Rasa 13 - Joshua Quimby, tba 14 - Lookout Comedy 231 E MLK BLVD
Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox
# THURSDAY OCT 8 @ Barrelhouse Ballroom | 8 PM $22 ADV/ $27 DOS. PYNK BEARD — A multidimensional take on Southern life and reclaiming space in a genre that has historically overlooked voices like his.
Livewire | VOLUME 1 • ISSUE 11 « 9
@ Barlery | 8 PM 21+ CLAIRE AND VANDIVER —
@ Cherry Street Tavern | 9:00 PM. $10. 21+ CHRISTOPHER PAUL STELLING - MAX TWADDLE — Singer-songwriter and guitarist
# FRIDAY OCT 9 @ Barrelhouse Ballroom | 8:00 PM. $20ADV / $25 DOS. BOOT SCOOTIN BOOGIE NIGHTS — 90's Country / Dance Party. Hosted by the supergroup Neon Rainbow
@ Barlery | 21+ 9 PM DANIMAL & FRIENDS —
@ Cherry Street Tavern | 9:00 PM. $10. 21+ Christopher Paul Stelling
@ Memorial Auditorium | 7:30 PM LITTLE BIG TOWN — Country. For the Art of It Tour
@ The Signal | 7:00 PM. All Ages NIKO MOON — Country. Back To My Roots Tour
TBA — The lineup gods haven't spoken yet. Check back.
@ Hi-Fi Clyde's | 8:30 PM (doors). $5. 21+ STACEY BLANTON BAND — Georgia Country Awards Female and Overall Artist Of The Year
@ JJ's Bohemia | 8:00 PM (doors), 9:00 PM (show). $10. 21+
MILELE ROOTS - RICK RUSHING
— raggae & blues
@ Memorial Auditorium | 8:00 PM THE DOOBIE BROTHERS — Walk This Road Tour Niko Moon
@ Walker Theatre | 7:30 PM
@ Puckett's | 7:30 PM. Free, Tips Encouraged
@ Wanderlinger | 5 - 7 PM. Free TRAD CHATTANOOGA IRISH JAM SESSION — Trad players get together for an Irish session of fiddles, whistles, guitars and tunes.
@ Cherry Street Tavern | 9:00 PM. $10. 21+
THE FAMILY — Muscle Shoals Soul Dylan LeBlanc, James LeBlanc, Angela Hacker and Bay Simpson
ROB LEINES — Southern rock
@ Walker Theatre | 8:00 PM AN EVENING WITH CELTIC THUNDER 2026 — The members of Celtic Thunder are each a powerhouse in both their solo and ensemble songs.
JASON LYLES DUO — Powerpop / Alternative / Americana / Roots Rock
# SATURDAY OCT 10 @ Barrelhouse Ballroom | 8:00 PM. $20 ADV/ $25 DOS
TROMBONE SHORTY & ORLEANS AVENUE — Ecstatic live performances and intoxicating blend of rock, funk, soul, jazz, blues, hip-hop, and Caribbean influences.
Trombone Shorty
@ The Woodshop | 5:00 PM (doors), 6:00 PM (show)
BLAKE WHITEN — Country. With Slater Nalley
Jason Lyles Duo
@ Cherry Street Tavern | 6:00 PM. $10. 21+
@ Songbirds | 7:00 PM
JESUS CHRIST IS THE PATH TO HEAVEN — Experimental apocalyptic folk band
NIK PARR & THE SELFLESS LOVERS — Roots Rock / Piano Rock from Austin
@ The Caverns | 6:00 PM (doors) CAVEFEST KICK-OFF PARTY — Lindsay Lou, Slap Dragon
10 » Livewire | GET OUT THERE AND HAVE FUN
@ Barlery
PUNK ROCK NITE — Boomstick, The Sawed Offs, Jonny And The Black Frames, Doedy Koyode
@ Gordon Lee Mansion | 7:00 PM . $20 adv, $25 door CSO & DEPARTURE — Symphony with Journey Tribute band. Bring your lawn chairs.
@ JJ's Bohemia | 8PM (door), 9 PM (show). $10. 21+ 20TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY — 5x5, Cardboard Cutout, Clockwise, Dead Justice, Field Hockey, Field of View, I before E, Intension, Phantom Dan, Sangromantics, Spiritless, Tabula Rasa
@ Puckett's | 7:30 PM. Free, Tips Encouraged LUCIE TIGER — Country / Southern Rock / Soul
@ Songbirds | 7:00 PM MACARTNEY REINHARDT & MARY KATE FARMER — Country. Two-time Georgia Country Female Artist of the Year
Jesus Is the Path to Heaven
In the heart of Downtown Ringgold, GA Handcrafted Coffee & Smoothies Pastries with Keto Options Breakfast and Lunch Event Space Rental
Home of the Zenith Man Collection
The Silos on Marble Top Unique Short Term Airbnb Rental Convenient to: Lookout Mountain Cloudland Canyon Chickamauga Chattanooga Features: Silo Hot Tub
y d a L r u s e O l a m a T
3.com08 2 4 s 1 e mal terr #-sat a t y es ad nd ourl ashla open tu 739 Livewire | VOLUME 1 • ISSUE 11 « 11
@ The Signal | 6:30 PM. All Ages
@ Walker Theatre | 7:30 PM
@ The Caverns | 7:00 PM (doors)
@ The Signal | 6:30 PM. All Ages
ALL THEM WITCHES- 21 SHOWS- 21 DAYS — Psychedelic / Blues / Hard Rock
THE PHIL COLLINS STORY — Sing along, clap along, and feel every beat as this concert experience brings Phil Collins? legendary music to life with stunning visuals, dynamic projections, and powerhouse musical talent.
PARCELS — Australian electropop. LOVED Tour 2026
CANNONS — Indie Pop / Dream Pop. The Everything Glows Tour
@ Wanderlinger | 3:30 - 6:30 PM. Free ELECTRIC BLUE YONDER — They blends space folk with vibrant storytelling. SWAYYVO & BAND — Afternoon sesh of Jazzy sax with a bit of rap.
# MONDAY OCT 12 @ Barking Legs | 7 PM $15
CAVEFEST — Americana / Bluegrass Festival
BARKING STRINGS — Monthly acoustic collaboration every 2nd Monday in the lounge. A rotating bank of local musicians, strings, reeds, keys and percussion will highlight a favorite folk and Americana artist each month.
# SUNDAY OCT 11 @ Barrelhouse Ballroom | 8 PM $32.50 ADV $38 DOOR
# TUESDAY OCT 13 @ JJ's Bohemia | 8 PM (door), 9 PM (show). $10. 21+
# OCTOBER 10-11 @ The Caverns | 11:00 AM
PIGEONS PLAYING PING PONG
— Soaring jams, infectious funk, and the unmatched energy of their devoted fanbase, The Flock.
JOSHUA QUIMBY — alternative country-folk singer/songwriter
Parcels Cannons
# WEDNESDAY OCT 14 @ Cherry Street Tavern | 9:00 PM. 21+
# THURSDAY OCT 15 @ The Woodshop | 5:00 PM (doors), 6:00 PM (show)
AGE AGAINST THE MACHINE VS. 7TH ST BAND —
THE TWO TRACKS — Cello incorporated into bluegrass and Americana, plus four-part harmonies and an improvisational live approach
@ The Reading Room Bar | 7 PM (doors), 7:30 PM (show). 21+ EVAN MCMILLIAN -CAT CAMPBELL - SNOW CLONE — Singer-songwriter Evan McMillian releases his album Dark & Light, supported by local artists Cat Campbell and Snow Clone.
The
WOODSHOP Weekly Programming
ANd Concerts Schedule: thewoodshoplisteningroom.com
JHETT black’s
Tuesday
Bluesday Every Tuesday 6 PM
Live audience blues radio show with Jhett Black & The Big River Blues Band with the best in regional and national guests every week.
Scenic City
Soul Night Every Thursday
8PM Hosted by Bryant ‘Bass Hitter’ Russell Classic Soul & R&B.Sweatiest night at The Woodshop. Rotating cast of vocalists
Forever Bluegrass Every Friday 8PM Real, Traditional Bluegrass. Different bands weekly, Curated by Cindy Pinion & Forever Bluegrass
The Woodshop Listening Room • St. Elmo • Chattanooga 12 » Livewire | GET OUT THERE AND HAVE FUN
INTERVIEW By Jim Tanner
Tommy Stinson In the 20 years that JJ’s Bohemia has been around there have been many highlight acts, but a visit by Tommy Stinson showed that the downtown venue can still bring some of the best artists to the Chattanooga music scene. Stinson, best known as the founding member of the underground Gen X iconic band The Replacements, made a solo visit to JJ’s on Sept. 22 as part of his solo tour promoting a recent vinyl reissue of his 2011 solo album “One Man Mutiny” while also getting a chance to work on live performances of new songs to be released soon. “We wanted to give [“One Man Mutiny”] a refresher because it really didn't get much attention when it came out because of the way we had the deal structured or whatever,” Stinson said in a phone interview prior to his show at JJ’s. “So we're kind of – I'm playing support in that a little bit but also kind of working my way around new songs that I'm going to be putting out in the new year.” In addition to his work with The Replacements, Stinson has also worked with major acts such as Guns N' Roses and Soul Asylum over the years, but in recent years he has focused on playing his own music in smaller venues either as a solo artist or fronting his own bands Bash & Pop, Perfect and through his 2023 Cowboys in the Campfire project with Chip Roberts and Chops La Conte.
Stinson, who will turn 60 in October has been playing professionally since his early teens, but if Tuesday’s show at JJ’s is any indication the Minneapolis rocker still has more in the tank. “I love writing,” he said. “I love all the aspects of what I get to do. I'm grateful I still get to do it. It's been a good life. I'm still having fun in it. “When I stop having fun in it, you probably won't see me around a whole lot.” This was Stinson’s first visit to JJ's but not his first time in Chattanooga following a back-porch show at Lo Main in 2022. JJ’s owner John Shoemaker said that Tuesday’s early set was another highlight to the reputation his venue has built over two decades. “It's kind of cool to get someone who I think is like a legendary performer, obviously, like with the crowd that came out tonight, you know,” Shoemaker said. As he packed up to depart for his next gig on the tour, Stinson said he appreciated the reception from the JJ’s crowd who was engaged and interacted with him during set and cheered each of his songs, old and new. “I had a fun night. JJ's was fun,” he said. “The people were really responsive and like, you know, it was another good night for me. “Another good day above dirt.”
Stinson said before the JJ’s show that these smaller venues help him connect with fans while also fine-tuning his new material before going on the road with a larger band. “It seems to me everyone's focusing on the internet and all that kind of stuff,” he said. And I'm like, no, I've got to go play in front of people. And so I'm kind of taking in all the small places. “But also I have a pretty good time doing these sort of intimate things. So it just gives me a new way to get out and sort of play my tunes and work out my stuff and have a good time at it while also paying the rent.” Stinson’s set at JJ’s was well received by a solid crowd on a Tuesday night for an early set. He played several new songs, while also dipping into his solo work (“Light of Day”) as well as Bash & Pop tunes and Cowboys in the Campfire songs such as “Fall Apart Together.” In addition he also rolled out some new songs for an album that is planned to be released in the near future. “I've got six more shows to go [on the current tour], and then I've got some other stuff to do for the rest of the year,” he said after his JJ’s set. “But I'm working on getting the record out, you know, in the new year. Hopefully there will be a first single by Thanksgiving and then, yeah, hopefully touring again.”
Photo by Jim Tanner
Livewire | VOLUME 1 • ISSUE 11 « 13
EVENT CALENDAR COMEDY # TUESDAYS @ Gate 11 Distillery | 7:30-10:00 PM
JEST IN TIME — Shellyta Chatman hosts Chattanooga's only Comedy Challenge! Come to compete and show your comedy improv chops! or Simply come for the laughs and fun!
@ JJ's Bohemia | 7 PM 21+ OPEN MIC COMEDY — Hosted by Patrick Cuttle
# WEDNESDAYS @ Cherry Street Tavern | 7:00 PM HA-HA HAPPY HOUR — Comedy Open Mic with host Shellyta & friends. Sign-up 6:30
# THURSDAY OCT 1 @ Comedy Catch | Rated R
COLE GARRETT — Cole Garrett is a stand-up comedian and host of "Cooked In The Comments," a fast-growing YouTube show about viral videos and hilarious comment sections, alongside his co-host, Shapel Lacey!
@ Reading Room | $10 DRUNK STORYTELLING — Improv Chattanooga: Improvisers attempt to recreate inebriated recountings of great moments in history. Featuring stories about... Catherine the great, Roots, Ray and Joan Croc
@ The Colonnade | 6:30 PM (doors) LANDON TALKS — Comedian, author, and Southern storyteller Landon Bryant. Author of "Bless Your Heart: A Field Guide to All Things Southern" . With Mary Ryan Brown
@ Comedy Catch | Rated R
SEAN PATTON — Originally from New Orleans, Sean Patton is a comedian, writer, storyteller, and performer based in New York.
# SATURDAY OCT 3 @ Redbud | 7:30 PM (doors), 8 PM (show). $12 HELL YES AND — Improv Chattanooga
@ Barlery | 8 PM OPEN MIC COMEDY —
@ Walker Theatre | 7:30 PM TIG NOTARO — Out of Nowhere Tour
# FRIDAY OCT 2 @ Walker Theatre | 7:30 PM DESI BANKS — Your Favorite Cousin tour
Desi Banks
# OCT 14, 15, 16, 17 @ The Comedy Catch | 18+ LOOKOUT COMEDY FESTIVAL
— The Lookout Comedy Festival returns to Chattanooga October 14 17 for four days of stand-up, improv, and more! Now in its seventh year, the festival brings together local, regional, and national comedians for shows across Chattanooga, celebrating the city's growing comedy scene and the artists who make it thrive. Come discover your new favorite comedian and experience some of the best live comedy in the Southeast!
# WEDNESDAY OCT 14 @ Comedy Catch | Rated R LOOKOUT COMEDY FESTIVAL spired humor -witty, smart, silly, and unapologetically adult.
Tig Notaro
BILLY SORRELLS — Born in Chattanooga, raised in Houston, Billy Sorrells turned a character named "Peaches" into 17 million views - and a two-decade career into a brand.
# OCTOBER 9-10 @ Comedy Catch | Adult
@ JJ's Bohemia | 9 PM (show). $23.44 21+ LOOKOUT COMEDY FEST — Shane Torres, Carey Jones, Misty Hunt, Casey Shearer and host Dave Hannah
# THURSDAY OCT 15 @ Cherry Street Tavern | $10 adv, $15 at the door DRUNK-HIGH-SOBER — Lookout Comedy Festival. Features standups performing their sets in various states of intoxication. Hosted and produced by Arma Benoit
DJ SANDHU — Sandhu decided to break his parents' hearts by sharing his absurd opinions with strangers rather than going to med school like a responsible, well-adjusted adult.
@ Cherry Street Tavern | 11:00 PM. Free. 21+
# SATURDAY OCT 10 @ The Reading Room Bar | 7:00 PM (doors), 8:00 PM (show).
@ Comedy Catch | Rated R
$27, includes taxes and fees. 21+
14 » Livewire | GET OUT THERE AND HAVE FUN
O'Malley
— Jimmy Sowell. Sharp, stoner-in-
# THURSDAY OCT 8 @ Comedy Catch | Rated R Landon Bryant
NEXT STOP COMEDY TOUR
— Andrew Ledbedder & Patrick
LOOKOUT COMEDY FESTIVAL
— One-Minute Lightning Round
LOOKOUT COMEDY FESTIVAL
— Daniel Dellanno. At just 25 years
# OCT 9 -11, 16 & 17 @ Dalton High School Theater
PUFFS — Or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic. Retells the famous boy-wizard saga from the perspective of the Hufflepuff house. Presented by Dalton Little Theater.
# OCTOBER 1, 3, 4 @ Gordon Lee Mansion | 7 PM MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING — Blank Page Theatre Company presents Shakespeare at the Mansion. Follows two main romantic pairings in Messina, Italy, that are nearly ruined by deceit and gossip.
THE REVOLUTIONISTS — A new play about four very real women who lived boldly in France during the French Revolution's Reign of Terror.
# OCTOBER 8 - 10 @ UTC Fine Arts Center
CHATTANOOGA BALLET - ARTBRIDGES — Chattanooga Ballet with live music by CSO. Featuring works by Jamorris Rivers, Kara Wilkes, and Brian McSween, our fall production is titled Art/Bridges, not only because of the inspiration of the reopening of the Walnut St. Bridge, but also because the works on the program defy expectations through classical and contemporary ballet, and are a bridge from the expected to the unexpected, and a bridge to the real - real bodies, real emotions, real connections from diverse experiences.
ART +
# SUNDAY OCTOBER 4 @ Townsend Atelier | 2:00 PM . Free. All Ages BEHIND THE WORK WITH ROBIN MACKILLOP — Join us on Sunday afternoons for Behind the Work. Gain insight into the process, challenges, and inspiration from each artist as they talk about their own work. Q &
# OCTOBER 7, 14, & 21 @ Townsend Atelier | 10 AM. $10. All Ages WEDNESDAY OPEN STUDIO
— Looking for a creative space to grow, connect and be inspired? Join us monthly to work alongside other artists in the studio. Work from a provided still life or bring your own project. Come solo or bring a friend; all mediums are welcome.
# THURSDAYS @ Townsend Atelier | 6-9pm. $15. LIFE DRAWING - OPEN DRAWING- PAINTING STUDIO — Every Thursday. Our open studio is a time where artists of all levels can practice the time-honored tradition of making art from a live model. Participants may work at their own pace and with whatever medium they wish to work with. Easels, drawing boards, sculpture stands, and tables are provided.
BOOK STUFF # SATURDAY 3 @ The Reading Room Bar | 2:00 PM. All Ages
READING AND SIGNING WITH M.D. ROBLYER — Local author M.D. Roblyer will be reading and signing her memoir Strong Glass: A Memoir of Escaping the Dark Mirror of
Call or text (423) 309-7440
chattebikes@gmail.com
Bulls Iconic EVO TR 2 SPEED Was $6299- Now$3499 Velotric Tempo Lightweight $1,499
# OCTOBER 6 -10 @ UTC Fine Arts Center
Velotric Summit 1 $1,699
DEAR EVAN HANSEN — Musical with music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, and a book by Steven Levenson. The musical follows Evan Hansen, a high school senior with social anxiety, "who invents an important role for himself in a tragedy that he did not earn".
MACBETH — New adaptation, reimagined as a 1944 asylum nightmare. "Built for modern audiences, whether you're a die-hard fan of the Bard or have never made it through one of his plays before." Adapted by Hunter Rogers, directed by Jonathan Harris.
Velotric GoMad Utility $1,999
# OCTOBER 2-4 @ Chattanooga State | $15
# OCTOBER 3-4, 10-11 @ Mars Theater, Lafayette
1404 McCallie Ave Unit 102 Chattanooga, TN 37404
SPIT IN YOUR FACE — A Staged Reading by Paul Heller & Alberto Lomnitz. Directed by Joel Sanchez-Avantes. Spit in Your Face is a sharp and provocative comedy developed through the New Threads Writers Group and New Works Program. The staged reading represents the next step in the play's development toward a future full production. A moderated audience talkback following the reading will invite attendees to respond to the work and contribute to the ongoing development process.
LOOSE REALISM- PAINTING THE STILL LIFE IN OILS — Paint looser and more confidently during this three-day workshop with Oregon artist Sarah Sedwick! Take a stepby-step approach to alla prima oil painting, from black-and-white studies to brilliant color. Build a beautiful composition with life and movement, and get a new perspective on the still life. Instead of struggling with overworking your paintings, practice STOPPING SOONER to keep the freshness you crave in your work.
Tuesday - Saturday: 10 am – 4 pm
$12.50
# OCTOBER 9-11 @ Townsend Atelier | 10am-5pm. $650
MAINTENANCE
# FRIDAY OCT 2 @ Barking Legs | 7 PM (doors), 7:30 PM (show).
THE TEMPEST — Scenic City Shakespeare, Every Friday & Saturday in October. Shipwrecks, magic, betrayal and revenge collide on a strange island where the exiled Prospero has one last chance to settle old scores and decide who deserves forgiveness.
A. Robin MacKillop is an oil painter from Chattanooga, working in portrait commissions and figurative painting.
RENTALS
THEATER
# OCTOBER FRI & SAT @ Greenway Farms | 7 PM
SALES
old, based out of Atlanta, Georgia, has already performed and crushed stages across the country.
Livewire | VOLUME 1 • ISSUE 11 « 15
Family History. Called by one reviewer, "A probing, reflective portrait of family and the fierce, fragile bonds that link us to one another," Strong Glass is an unflinching memoir about facing the past to find forgiveness. Roblyer will be joined by Chattanooga Writer's Guild President, Sherry Poff, for a brief discussion of the writing process.
# SUNDAY 4 @ The Reading Room Bar | 3:00 PM. All Ages DRAMATIC READING AND BOOK SIGNING WITH SUE CAROL ELVIN — In local author Sue Carol Elvin's book, characters Boogery Mungo and Umbriago are the keepers of generations of memories from the house on Stone Street, looking forward to adding the memories of the newest inhabitants, a retired Sea Captain and his wife. Join Sue Carol and special guests, Peter Elvin and Eric Kruger, for a dramatic reading from Elvin's novel The Memory Guardians: The House on Stone Street.
# SATURDAY 10 @ The Reading Room Bar | 12:30 PM. FREE but space is limit-
ed. All Ages STORY WRITING WORKSHOP WITH MICKEY DUBROW — Story Writing Workshop with author Mickey Dubrow. In this ninety-minute workshop, we will practice a variety of story writing exercises that explore character development, point of view, dialogue, and story outline. Bring something to write with. You will leave with practical story creation tips. Please reserve your spot on Eventbrite.
# SATURDAY OCT 12 @ Pennington Books | 6:00 PM WRITER'S OPEN MIC — SEMIOPEN MIC Writers are invited to share poetry, fiction and other creative work at this free monthly reading series. Readers must apply in advance with a piece that can be performed in about five minutes; audiences are welcome to drop in,
ART AROUND TOWN AVA Main Gallery: 2025 Best in Show: Danyelle Woods.
Danyelle Woods received “Best in Show” in the 2025 Annual Juried Exhibition for her work Memory Map I. Danyelle’s work is a combination of known and unknown forms, created with organic materials made by the earth. Landis Education Gallery: 2025 Juror’s Choices: Jeweli Eslinger, Meredith Olinger and Andy Brooks Eslinger, Olinger and Brooks were each selected by the Jury of the 2025 Juried Show as recipients of the “Juror’s Choice Award.” Jeweli Eslinger is an abstract artist working in a street art and graffiti aesthetic. Meredith Olinger is a mixed media artist who works with bold patterns through wallpaper that she designs, create, and prints using both digital and hand-printing along with some collage techniques. Brooks is a photographer who creates abstract, filtered images of mundane, household objects printed at a large scale. Exhibit Duration- September 4th-October 30th Pedestrian Wine & Cheese storefront is hosting rotating local artists with Artist in Residence series. "The Northshore Nights" by Kristopher Young, through early November.
Stove Works "Love is strong as death" Works by Adrian
Wood explores love’s power to radically transform us and the political consequences of that transformation. The exhibition features text-based prints made with gunpowder ink, drawing from writers including bell hooks, Khalil Gibran and Sappho; abstract watercolor and ink drawings inspired by the artist’s 16 » Livewire | GET OUT THERE AND HAVE FUN
listen and enjoy a drink or browse for books.
SPOKEN WORD # TUESDAYS @ Wanderlinger | 7:30-9:30 PM
POETRY NIGHT — Open mic poetry hosted by Kelly "The Stormy Poet" Williams with the ALL VOICES HEARD Poetry Group
CLASS
# FRIDAY OCTOBER 9 @ Verre Noir | 4:00 PM. $95 ENTOMOLOGY - TARANTULA SPIDER — Learn the basics of specimen preservation while working with a brown tarantula. Explore anatomy, pinning, positioning and display techniques, and prepare your specimen for long-term preservation. All experience levels welcome.
# SATURDAY OCT 10 @ Verre Noir | 6-8PM. $45 NEW MOON RITUAL - POPPETS
— Create a personalized poppet using herbs, fabrics and symbolic elements chosen around your intentions.
# SUNDAY OCTOBER 11 @ UTC Fine Arts Center | 9 AM General: $275 Group Discount (4 or more): $200 UTC Students: $150. 18+
SCENIC CITY SLAM — A regional stage combat workshop designed to bring the fun of theatrical fight training to Chattanooga. All skills levels are invited from beginner to advanced. Come learn how to swashbuckle like a pirate or how to fight like a knight! We are dedicated to creating a safe and welcoming space where individuals from all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives can come together to fake fight with the community. Stage Combat is for EVERYONE!
own experiences of transformation through love; and images of four martyrs whose love led them out of this world in flames printed with special ink made from guns, transforming the material of a weapon into a creative medium. The exhibition opens Oct. 2 at 6 PM with a public salon exploring what love is, what it demands of us and how it might change the way we live. The exhibition also incorporates donated love letters, which will be read aloud and then burned at a closing vigil Nov. 14 . "The People's Gallery" Our City. Our Resistance. Our History Presented by CALEB. The People’s Gallery is a monthlong exhibition exploring Chattanooga’s grassroots histories of labor, civil rights, racial justice, white supremacy, resistance, and community power. Local artists and creatives uncover, question, and carry forward the stories that have been overlooked, erased, misunderstood, or left unfinished. The People's Gallery Poster Competition winning designs will be unveiled during The People’s Gallery event on October 24, 2026. Fundraiser and night market October 24. October 2–30 "Radical Rage" Curated by Charlie Farrell. Participating Artists - Desmond Lewis, Chayse Sampy, estefanía vallejo santiago, James McKissic, Jordan Matthew, Omolará Williams McCallister. Radical Rage explores rage as a powerful catalyst for creativity and change rather than something to suppress. Through sculpture, painting, installation, textiles, and photography, the artists transform anger and frustration into works that challenge perspectives and imagine new possibilities. August 7th - November 14th, 2026
# WEDNEDAY OCT 14 @ Verre Noir | 5:30 - 7:30 PM. $85
# CALL FOR TIMES @ Red Bank Community Center | 10AM. Free. 55+
# FRIDAY OCTOBER 9 @ The Signal | 8:30 PM. 18+
STAINED GLASS WORKSHOP
ACTIVE OLDER ADULT PROGRAMS — Dedicated to enriching the lives of adults aged 55+ Through fitness classes, creative arts, guest speakers, and community events.
CHATTANOOGA PRIDE- RAINBOW RAVE — NYE-style countdown kicking off Pride celebrations
— Create your own spooky stained glass piece using Halloween-inspired patterns and colorful glass. Learn the basics of foiling, soldering and finishing, and leave with a completed piece to take home. All materials included; beginners welcome.
# CALL FOR TIMES @ Grateful Glassworks | 11:00 AM. $100-ish INTRO TO GLASSBLOWING 101 — Grateful Glassworks is a borosilicate glassblowing studio. Founded by artist Blake Rolfe, the studio was created to make the art of flameworking more accessible to beginners, creatives, and the simply curious. (Ages 14 & up to participate)
DANCE
# FRIDAY OCT 2 @ Barlery | 10 PM UNDERWORLD — EDM DJ
# SATURDAY OCT 3 @ Wanderlinger | 9 PM - 1:30 AM EDM SHOW — EDM DJ
@ Barlery | 10 PM DJ GRAY —
River Gallery River Gallery presents a vibrant exhibition
featuring the oil painter and artist Scott Hill with a variety of ambient and atmospheric paintings, inviting you to step into a memory, or some forgotten place. Scott experiments with the paint application technique referred to as ‘glazing’, resulting in the dreamy, washed hues seen in his creations. Scott paints his artworks on paper, canvases, panels, and repurposed antique objects. Opening reception on October 2nd, lite hors d’oeuvres and libations, courtesy of the Bluff View District, will be provided. October 1 - 31.
UTC ICA Affrilachia: Testimonies by Chris Aluka Berry. Berry documents Black communities across rural Appalachia to expand broader cultural discourse around the region and the American South. Supported by Africana Studies, the Department of English, the Creative Writing Program, and the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. Reception and Public Conversation featuring Kelly Elaine Navies: Thursday, November 5 – 7 PM. Shows October 15 – December 4.
Glass House. Collective Memory brings together six
Chattanoogan artists whose work explores identity, place, history, and the experiences that connect us. Kourtney B Morgan, Nat Stepney, Danita Noble, Jerome Foster, Qimmah Zayn, Omisnksy. Saturday, October 3rd 6-8pm for the opening reception.
109 Gallery Kris Bespalec’s Sacred Bodies: Sanctuary.
Working with salt, plant-based fibers, dye, and illumination, Bespalec creates an environment that asks visitors not only
@ Wanderlinger | 10 PM - 2 AM. Free LADIES NIGHT WITH DJ MINKZ
— From hip hop to throwbacks
# WEDNESDAYS @ Barlery | 9:00: PM OPEN DECKS WITH GIGI.B XOX
— EDM
FESTIVAL
Weekend, come discover additional resources beyond the classroom and connect with local organizations offering camps, tutoring, enrichment programs, mentorship, athletics, arts, leadership opportunities, and more.
# SATURDAY OCT 10 @ Miller Park | 6 PM Free. All Ages SCENIC CITY SENSE CIRCUS
— A free, whimsical community experience built around the 5 senses: sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. Guests will move through playful sensory booths, interactive art moments, community projects, exciting performances, and hands-on experiences designed to help people reconnect, explore, and leave their mark on Chattanooga.
# SATURDAY OCT 3 @ Chatt Public Library | 11- 1 PM. Free. All Ages ON THE HORIZON RESOURCE FAIR — As part of The Gold Horizon's inaugural Youth Empowerment
to look, but to enter, move slowly, and become present within the work. October 17th -December 3rd. Opening Reception Saturday, October 17th, 6 PM - 8 PM
The Arts Center in Athens, TN “American Witches at The
Arts Center.” Adam Romano showcasing 12 original oil & acrylic paintings alongside one preparatory drawing. The collection delivers poignant, posthumous portraits of individuals accused during the Salem witch trials of 1692, giving voice and presence to those targeted in a pivotal moment of American history. This exhibition runs in conjunction with a live stage run of Arthur Miller's The Crucible, also hosted at The Arts Center. Exhibition Dates: September 25 – October 30. Opening Reception: October 2, 5 – 7 PM.
The Southside Loft Giulia Rossi began with film photogra-
phy, honing her craft in the darkroom before working for a New York City photo agency during 9/11. Her Barbies on Rooftops in Brooklyn was selected for the American Photography 19 competition in 2003. Drawn to abstract imagery and darker themes, Rossi creates layered photographs that reward a closer look. Her debut exhibition explores contemporary photography through the creative possibilities of modern technology. October 24
Townsend Atelier Brandi Donan: Art of Spirits Painting
exhibition and book launch of original works by Chattanooga oil painter. Three-year project featuring 50 original oil paintings inspired by cocktails and non-alcoholic creations from restaurants, bars, hotels, and hospitality spaces across the city. Livewire | VOLUME 1 • ISSUE 11 « 17
FILM
# THURSDAY OCT 1 @ Walker Theatre | 2 PM & 7 PM. PG-13
advertising executive is mistaken for a government agent and swept into a cross-country chase involving spies, murder and a mysterious woman.
THE BIRDS — A San Francisco socialite follows a man to a small coastal town, where unexplained bird attacks escalate into a terrifying assault on the community.
# THURSDAY OCT 9 @ Barking Legs | 7:30 and 9:30 (separate tickets) THE SILENT LIGHT PRESENTS LIVE METAL SCORING TO SILENT FILMS — At 7:30 pm will be the showing of Faust. At 9:30 pm there will be a showing of A Page of Madness. Michael Formanski breathes new life into classic silent films through the power of heavy metal.
# SATURDAY OCT 10 @ Walker Theatre | 2 PM & 7 PM. PG REAR WINDOW — Confined to his apartment with a broken leg, a photographer becomes convinced that one of his neighbors has committed murder and begins investigating from his window.
@ BARLERY | 8 PM THE SHINING —
MARKET
# SUNDAY OCT 4 @ First Horizon Pavilion | 11:00am-4:00pm CHATTANOOGA MARKET SCENIC CITY WINGS — Sample wings from local restaurants, each bringing their own flavor, heat level, and secret sauce to the table. New this year, we're turning up the heat even more with In the Hot Seat -our live, hot-wing interview series featuring local celebrities and personalities. Watch as guests answer questions while taking on progressively spicier wings. Benefits the Chattanooga Area Food Bank
# SUNDAY OCT 11 @ First Horizon Pavilion | 11:00am-4:00pm
Rear Window
# OCTOBER 10-11 @ Barking Legs Theater | 12 - 10 PM barkinglegs.org for
ticket tiers NOOGA UNDERGROUND FILM FESTIVAL — NUFF. This one-ofa-kind film fest features flicks you won't see anywhere else. From the mainstream festival outcast to the arthouse exploitation enigmas.
# THURSDAY OCT 15 @ Walker Theatre | 2 PM & 7 PM. Not Rated NORTH BY NORTHWEST — An
CHATTANOOGA MARKET HEALTH FAIR EXPO — This special Market day brings together a variety of health- and wellness-focused organizations and businesses offering resources, information, and services for the whole family.
OUTDOORS
# SATURDAY OCT 10 @ Harrison Bay Rec Hall | 6 PM (setup), 7:04 PM (sunset). NEW MOON STAR PARTY — Barnard Astronomical Society. The public is invited to view the night sky while guided by knowledgeable members of the BAS. Multiple telescope configurations are typically available to offer a variety of different celestial objects to look at.
18 » Livewire | GET OUT THERE AND HAVE FUN
# WEDNESDAYS @ Fiamma Pizza Co. | 6:00 PM. FREE. All Ages
# TUESDAYS @ Barlery backroom | 6 PM
RIVER RUNNERS — Chattanooga's longest continuous run group (circa 2019) meets at Fiamma every Wednesday at 6pm for a 3 mile run. All ages & paces. Dogs & strollers welcome. Rain or shine! @chattriverrunners
MAGIC- THE GATHERING — Bring your deck and settle in for an evening of spells, strategy and friendly competition.
# THURSDAYS @ Wanderlinger | 6 PM (meet) 6:30 PM (wheels
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS — Roll the dice and join a tabletop adventure of monsters, magic and mayhem.
down)
WANDER RIDE — Bring your bike, your friends, and absolutely no expectations of us knowing where we're going.
SPORTS
# SATURDAY OCT 3 @ CHI Memorial Stadium | 3:00 PM. $12+ RED WOLVES SOCCER — Corpus Christi FC
# WEDNESDAYS @ Barlery Backroom | 7:00: PM
TRIVIA
# TUESDAYS @ Cherry Street Tavern | 7:30 PM TAVERN TRIVIA — Host Anne Rushing Cambron. Categories listed on @cherrytrivia weekly.
# WEDNESDAYS @ Broads Lounge | 7:00 PM. 21+ MUSIC TRIVIA WITH RICHARD
#
GAMES
# THURSDAY OCT 1 @ Broads Lounge | 7 PM. Free. 21+ PUZZLE NIGHT — Join in on a 500 piece community puzzle and bring an old puzzle to swap. First Thursday of every month!
# THURSDAY OCT 15 @ The Reading Room Bar | 8:00 PM. Free. 21+ READING ROOM BINGO — Free to play! Supplies included! Fun Prizes!
# MONDAYS @ Barlery Backroom | 6 PM CHESS & BOARD GAMES — Bring your favorite board game or jump into one of ours!
— Every Wednesday 7pm to 9pm
@ Clever Alehouse | 7:00 PM TRIVIA WEDNESDAY — Presented by Clever Donkey, home of the Smart Ass
@ Wanderlinger | About 7:30 PM NOT YOUR AVERAGE TRIVIA — Grab your smartest friends and come make John's night.
Pinch Hitter Escape From California Release Date: October 9, 2026 Album Release show: Oct 16 @ Redbud Venue Featuring the single and video “Coked Up California Businessman,” a tongue-in-cheek folk/country protest song about gentrification, outside money, and watching Southern cities change. While the single draws from folk and country, Escape From California moves Pinch Hitter toward a faster, more stripped-down punk sound. Drawing on influences including The Clash, NOFX, Bob Dylan, and Captain Beefheart, the eight-song album explores labor, automation, immigration, war, economic inequality, gentrification, and political extremism. The Fox and the Flame Who I Was Album Release show: Oct 24 @ The Woodshop The music project of Chattanooga native and singer-songwriter Caleb Lange celebrates the release of Who I Was, a collection of Americana and indie folk shaped by love, loss and transformation. Intimate acoustic songs meet cinematic textures in an album about letting go of who you were and finding your way home. He brings an unusual life story including songs shaped by a near-death experience and, occasionally sung in Chinese.
sunBar ~ Thurs 11a m Kitch en ~ -12a m 11a m11pm Fri Bar ~ -sat 1 1a m-1 Kitch am en ~ 11a m12a m
St ain E M ga, TN 5 1 23 noo 87 7 tta Cha 3-541-8 42
Livewire | VOLUME 1 • ISSUE 11 « 19
GOOD EATS by Lori Kyle
Pan & Mojo: A Little Cuba, a Lot of Heart Some weeks call for dinner, other weeks call for Cuban food, cold coffee, and something sweet before you lose your damn mind. We are still deep in the process of getting our beloved home ready to sell, and by the time we walked into Pan & Mojo, I needed somebody else to feed me, preferably with pork, caffeine, and definitely dessert. We ordered our food to go, but even the short time we spent inside made an impression. Walking in feels like stepping into a colorful little love letter to Cuba. The restaurant is vibrant and saturated with bold colors, striking Cuban artwork, great music, vintage car figurines reminiscent of the classics cruising Cuban streets, and live footage from Cuba playing while we waited. I completely geeked out watching it because Cuba is somewhere I would absolutely love to experience one day. Even the chalkboard wall, covered in messages, drawings, and palm trees, adds to a space that feels playful, personal, and alive. The real heart of Pan & Mojo, though, is the family behind it. Lorena, Ileana, and Yanet were incredibly kind, welcoming, and proud of what they have created, as they absolutely should be. Lorena’s family is from Cuba, and her mother and grandmother prepare the food, bringing their family recipes and culture straight into this little Chattanooga restaurant. We took home the Congrí ($16), Cuban black beans and rice with pork and crispy plantain chips, along with the Cubano ($12.99), piled with pork, ham, cheese, pickles, and mustard and pressed into one glorious, melty sandwich. We also tried the Tamal Cubano ($6.50), made with corn tamale, shredded pork, and red onion. Whatever you do, GET THE MOJO. Mojo is a traditional Cuban sauce or marinade typically made with garlic, citrus, oil, and herbs, creating something bright, tangy, and garlicky that is absolutely fantastic with pork. I wanted to put it on everything. Naturally, our house selling exhaustion required caffeine, so we ordered two Café Frío cold brews ($4.50 each), caramel and 20 » Livewire | GET OUT THERE AND HAVE FUN
mocha. Then came what I had really been waiting for: homemade flan. Freaking delicious. Silky, creamy custard surrounded by beautiful caramel sauce and topped with fresh blueberries that added just enough tartness against all that sweet caramel goodness. I would return for that flan alone. What stayed with me most was how cared for and appreciated these women made us feel, even during a to go visit. We live for supporting small businesses, especially family restaurants that welcome you in and allow you to experience another culture through its food, traditions, and stories. There is something wonderful about knowing a meal comes from recipes tied to someone’s family and home. We arrived exhausted and left with bags full of Cuban comfort food, caffeine, something sweet, and much happier spirits. Friends, when you support these hardworking small businesses, don’t forget to tip, TIP, TIP! Pan & Mojo | 5214 Dayton Blvd., Chattanooga, TN Monday 11–6 | Tuesday Closed | Wednesday–Thursday 11–6 | Friday–Saturday 11–8 | Sunday 11–6 The vibe: “Sally” by the fantastic and badass Bibi Bourelly. Soulful, colorful, and unapologetic. Exactly the energy of Pan & Mojo.
LIFE IN THE ‘NOOG by Chuck Crowder
The Oasis Effect Just recently, I attended the one-night-only IMAX sneak preview of the new Oasis documentary, Don’t Look Back in Anger. Fresh off its darling-of-the-lot Venice Film Festival premiere, which included a lengthy standing ovation for Liam and Noel Gallagher, this part-documentary/part-concert film is a nod to something much bigger.
the tunes are more than just pop songs; they are encouraging self-help mantras penned on the edge of a childhood bed by an unknowing savant. And just when the world needs unity more than ever before, Liam and Noel have matured enough to nonchalantly shrug off their selfish brotherly rivalry and help humanity for a change. As Liam states in the film, “You have to fucking care a lot to not give a fuck.”
As you might expect, the film thoroughly chronicles the preparation, anticipation, and potential trepidation of the two founding brothers who notoriously can’t stand to be in the same room together, as they rehearse with their former bandmates for Oasis’ first live performances in 16 years. Will they get along? Will everyone show up? Will the band sound like shit? Will a little argument about afternoon tea rip the whole thing apart? Are they setting themselves up for once again disappointing their adoring fans? And what if THEY don’t show up for the shows? Seeing how those questions, and every other imaginable “what if” circling this premise, play out would be enough to make for an excellent and much-anticipated documentary. But filmmakers Dylan Southern, Will Lovelace, and Steven Knight took this simple “getting the band back together” trope and dove much, much deeper into the bigger picture. As far as the concert footage goes, it’s worth noting the bandto-fan dynamic. Amazingly, the fans themselves are the insane, going-out-of-their-minds rock stars. They’re dancing, crying, hugging, throwing beers in the air, and singing every single word to every single song at the top of their lungs. The band, dressed for a pint at the pub, simply stands still and plays. Stoic but resonant, and undeniably iconic. Even after all this time, they still confidently hold every stadium full of fans right in the palm of their hands. And rightfully so. In the decade-and-a-half since they last released a record, a whole new generation of fans has grown up listening to mum n’ dad’s music. During last year’s massively attended Live ’25 tour, Oasis brought together countless scores of families and friends of all ages to celebrate a shared, joyous experience—regardless of their views on anything else. The reunion of the Gallagher brothers—who reveal in the film that, ironically, their own children had never even met their cousins—symbolizes the power of putting aside our differences to pursue something bigger than ourselves, even when it seems impossible. The film also highlights several vignettes of people around the world facing their own challenges who were inspired by Noel’s insightful, for-the-common-good lyrics and infectious melodies that are as sing-along-worthy as any Beatles song. To them,
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