Once called one of the dirtiest cities in America, Chattanooga is now a tourist hotspot. The New York Times named Chattanooga one of the 45 places to visit in the world. Outer space was also on the list. The unique nightlife is attention grabbing, not because the streets are filled with clubs blasting dance mixes, but instead are packed with bars and coffee shops, showcasing the local emerging talent. Chattanooga is relatively unknown for its local scene, but it’s this scene drawing tourists. The famous attractions, unique restaurants and evolving music scene, show tourists what they’re missing out on. The city of Chattanooga is a community that fully supports the arts, which is portrayed by the various locations that bring local and main-stream artists to the downtown venues. Places like

Track 29 and Rhythm & Brews boast the more famous artists, while places like the Camp House and the Market Street Tavern house more of the

local, emerging flavor. With its ever-growing urban status, Chatta-nooga is beginning to be recognized for its taste in music as it was mentioned in an article in Rolling Stones. The city is making sure it is considered first, before Atlanta and Nashville—two mu-

sic meccas. Why travel two hours and spend more money on gas and food, when you have the same amount of talent much closer for less?

•theLocalTune

Volume 1 April 2012

*anewsletterforthelocalmusicianandloversoflocalmusicjanesmith123universitydrivecollegedale,tn37315

Jthelocaltune455broadstreetchattanooga,tn37315

Inthisissue...

Profile of a local musician page 3Q & A with Kaleb Stock page 6Local musician hotspots page 4-5

Fromthedirtiesttothebest...

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Going Mainstream VS. Going Local

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Chattanooga Music

{ Main•streamadjectivebelonging to or characteristic of a principal, dominant or widely accepted group, movementor style

{{ {Lo•caladjectivebelonging or relating to a particular area or neighborhood

Mainstream:After, cramming in a stale, smelly car with all your friends to make the 150-mile road trip, stopping by to grab a bite to eat and then handing your expensive ticket to the event staff, youʼll be just another sweaty face in a large crowd to see a big named musician perform. You wait for hours just to get the musicians autograph. Worth it? Maybe.

Local:Making the quick trip downtown, you find yourself sitting comfortably with your friends as you casually sip a delicious cupof coffee while listening to a local musicianperform on the small stage. Later, the hourspass as you talk with the musician about his music and what it means to him. Before you leave, youʼre number is in his phone to let you know when his next show is. Worth it? Definitely.

byAndrewVizcarraThecamphouseHidden on Williams Street, which is more or less a glorified alley, the Camp House is wedged among an art studio,

a fine-art gallery, an antique shop, a chocolate factory and a number of old-brick apartments –a far cry from the

busyness of an interstate-exit Starbucks or the artificial European ambiance at Rembrandt’s. It’s refreshingly unique.

Frequenters are ushered in by indie music from

Sufjan Stevens, Feist, Mumford and Sons and

Bon Iver. The peaceful atmosphere is a haven for

stressed out students, overwhelmed mothers and

suited business men. Girls with cat-eye glasses

laugh as they knit. Barista magazine lies on the

table. Orange bulbs dimly reflect from the drum

set on stage, where on most nights you will find

concerts of all genres happening.

Originally Aaron Rauch, manager of

Camp House Espresso, assumed the community

would be made up of college-aged kids who

wore vintage sunglasses, skinny jeans and car-

digans. And while that crowd does exist, Rauch

was surprised to see the Camp House evolve

into a place where blue-collar construction work-

ers talk with graphic art designers, and old cof-

fee enthusiasts consult with young baristas over

a cup of coffee while enjoying the local music in

the background.

Perhaps one the best ways the Camp

House builds its community is through music.

Southside Casual Classics are free chamber

recitals played on random Monday nights. Songs & Stories, feature local artists, like Cody Harris on Tuesday nights

and Open Mic night is on Thursday. One Friday a month, the Camp House features local college bands like UTC’s

Finesse or Covenant College’s Telemonster and Raenbow Station for a College Band night.

The Camp House has brought the local community together though music and coffee. Or perhaps it is the

motley clientele that has made the Camp House wonderful.

The local tune

Photo credit: Matt Busby

2 7

Music has always been a huge part of Cody Harris’ life. At the age

of 10, he began learning the guitar and as he got older, he realized he wanted to play mu-sic. Harris, now 26, has joined the surge of musicians rushing to the doors of local venues in Chattanooga to perform their music. A couple years ago, Harris was on tour with his band when they decided to end the tour because they didn’t feel like what they were doing was working. The last night of the tour, they decided to perform an acoustic set and after the overwhelming response, they started writing acoustically. The band later split up and Harris stopped performing for a while.

About 10 months ago, however, he wanted to make music a part of his life again and began writing. He started performing at open mic nights around Chattanooga. The op-tions of local venues around Chattanooga made it possible for him to perform again. Out of all the places in Chattanooga, the Camp House is his favorite place to play. “It’s the best sounding venue and a good environment,” Har-ris commented. “The laidback vibe of the Camp House helps makes it a great place to per-form.” However, Harris has found that breaking into the music scene has been some-what difficult. “It’s good to know the right people to help you get into those places,”

Harris said. But through these dif-ficulties, Harris has come to realize that some of the best shows are played at small ven-ues. “Sometimes the energy is stronger in front of 40 people instead of 4000 people,” Harris said. “You get to know people a lot more and connect-ing with them is important.” He went on to explain that smaller, local venues have a lot more potential to have that heart-to-heart moment with the crowd. “People go to concerts to feel something, like they’re not alone,” Harris explained. “That’s what music is all about and I want to make that hap-pen.” * Check out Cody on Facebook or look for his name on the “upcom-ing events” list at local venues (see page 4-5 for venues)

Kaleb Stock, twenty-one year old singer/song-writer, is studying piano performance at South-

ern Adventist University, a private university in Collegedale, Tennessee. Kaleb has come to love and find his passion in the freedom of expression in songwriting and playing the piano. The Colo-rado native’s piano-driven melodies are touched with country twang and a hint of classical influ-ence.

In January, he entered a contest to open for country singer, Jake Owen put on by Track29. The

contest had local musicians post content on their Facebook page, then had the musician’s fans like the post. The top four bands with the most Face-book likes, then went on to perform at Track 29 in a Battle of the Bands, where the fans got to vote for the best performer. The winner, Tanner Hillis and the Big Woman Band, opened for Jake Owen on March 24, 2012.

I sat down with Kaleb to talk to him about the performance at Track29.

CodyHarrislocalmusician

{ Harris performing at the Camp HouseBy Lauren Brooks

withKalebStockByLaurenBrooks

Q and A

What was it like playing at Track 29?It was amazing to play at a world-class venue. The sound guys were really helpful and they letus get comfortable on the stage to get ready for the show. I had oneemployee cont-act me after the show, to tell me they had been rooting for me.

What is your style of music?It’s kind of like that complicated girlfriend—you just don’t know.

A lot of people ask me and I really

don’t know. I would rather have people figure it out

for themselves, then try to put

myself into a genre.

What do you think sets you apart from other mu-sicians?I think my ability to care for other musicians sets me apart. With competitions, it seems like it’s taboo to talk to the other bands, but I’m just here to have a good time. I treat everyone the way they want to be treated and I think it’ll go a long ways.

As a local musician, do you feel playing at Track 29 has helped you and why?Yes, every show you play helps you to network. Being in a town like Chattanooga, it’s not a huge city like Nashville, but it’s big enough to still make connections. We put in a good word with our band [at Track29].They know who we are and what we’re capable of.

Whoinfluencesyou? A lot of classical composers like Liszt, Chopin, Bach and Brahms inspire me to make more worthwhile music, but to still be popular with the masses. Billy Joel is an inspiration because of the way he plays the piano and sings. Another inspira-tion is Keith Urban. His talent on the guitar inspires me because I get tired of the typical pop culture songs—they’re so simple, but he adds complex melo-dies. All these people inspire me to get away from the typical four-chord progression and make my music more complex.

The local tuneThe local tune

“People go to concerts to feel something, like they’re

not alone,” Harris explained. “That’s what music is all about

and I want to make that happen.”

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in Chattanoogalocal venue options

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Track29: www.track29.co

Track29 is Chattanooga’s premier entertainment venue, offering national touring acts in an intimate setting. Track29 hosts a wide array of artists, appealing to many different tastes. Along with hosting national touring acts, Track29 is also a fan of hosting local and regional talent at their “Local Showcases.” Tickets are available online and at the door.

Pasha Tea and Coffee: www.pashacoffeehouse.com

Pasha has delicious coffee, good food, and neighborhood-inspired activities. With live music, poetry nights, and special events, Pasha brings the eclectic atmosphere of downtown Chattanooga and St. Elmo all to one place.

Rhythm & Brews: www.ticketbiscuit.com/rhythm-brews

Rhythm & Brews is a bar that offers nightly concerts and shows. They host national touring bands and cover bands, as well as local artists. Events are listed on their website and tickets are available online.

The local tune

The Camp House: www.thecamphouse.com

The Camp House is a multipurpose coffee shop in the heart of the Southside in Chattanooga. The Camp House offers a laid-back venue for local artists through weekly open mic night sessions and other events. Shows are listed on their website. Cover fees paid at the door.

Market Street Tavern: www.facebook.com/MarketStreetTavern

The Market Street Tavern is a bar with great food and great entertainment. Local artists frequent the tavern for shows and events. Market Street Tavern offers all shows FOR FREE. Simply go, eat, and drink great beer while listening to the amazing local musi-cians.

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R and Brews

Pasha Tea and Coffee

The CAmp house

Market Street Tavern

Track 29