Get Off The Couch: Giveaways, concerts highlight this week

LISA DENTON: Barry, I'm thinking about heading out to McKay's today for Customer Appreciation Day. The bookstore/music emporium/film vault at 7734 Lee Highway will be giving away free food, T-shirts and posters from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., but what I'm really hoping to win is a chance to get into the cash cube to grab some store trade credits.

I don't have claustrophobia, except when I see one of these tiny Smart cars surrounded by semis on the interstate. But if I did, having prizes whirling around a small, enclosed space sounds like a good way to cure it. I don't even mind that it's a cashless cash cube since store credits spend like money.

BARRY COURTER: I've been looking for a home version of one of those cash cubes. All that stuff sounds like fun, but the best thing about going to McKay's, besides coming home with an armful of books for little money, is people watching. There are some interesting folks that go there that you don't see out in public anywhere else.

LISA: Maybe so, but the "show" still doesn't rate its own website of shopper photos, like some places we know.

BARRY: True. On another note, it seems hard to believe that there are only four Nightfall concerts left for the year. This Friday, it's Aaron and the Spell. Aaron has a big voice and an old-school blues/rock/funk sound.

LISA: And there's another Riverfront Nights concert Saturday. The second in this series at Ross's Landing has The New Orleans Suspects. These five musicians have played with the Neville Brothers, The Radiators, Dirty Dozen Brass Band and James Brown, among others. That's some impressive stage cred.

BARRY: This month's Scenic City Roots concert is Thursday at Track 29 OVERSET FOLLOWS:with The Cleverlys (love the name), The Tennessee Mafia Jug Band, SharkWeek and Humming House. People from around the region are taking notice of the show, and the crowds are getting bigger.

LISA: You know I love the guys in the Jug Band because they wear overalls.

That reminds me, if you want to see someone "dressed" for the stage, "Ring of Fire," the musical story of Johnny Cash, opens Thursday at the Cumberland County Playhouse.

BARRY: Also, one of my favorite Chattanooga Market events is Sunday with the FiveStar Food Fight. It's amazing to see what the professional chefs that participate come up with.

LISA: That's a cool competition, but I'd still like to see what they could come up with if, oh, I don't know, Cheez Whiz or some other Southern delicacy was the secret ingredient.

BARRY: Fry it and put it on a cracker and I'll eat it.

Get event details every Thursday in Chattanooga Now or online anytime at www.ChattanoogaNow.com.

Contact staff writer Lisa Denton at ldenton@times freepress.com or 423-757-6281. Contact staff writer Barry Courter at bcourter @timesfreepress.com.

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