Get Off The Couch: Village People coming, corn mazes opening

photo Lisa Denton and Barry Courter

LISA DENTON: Barry, I know $175 is a little more (well, about $170 more) than we usually can afford to spend on concert tickets, but I'm thinking we really must go to Cleveland, Tenn., on Friday for the Museum Center at Five Points' "Friday Night Fever" fundraising gala. After all, how often do we get a chance to see the Village People? I know you know all the moves to "YMCA."

BARRY COURTER: I'm not saying I do or don't know the moves, but now I'll be singing "Macho Man" for the rest of the day. Without looking, I could name four of the six "characters." How about you? There is a cop, a biker in leather and chains, the G.I., a cowboy, an American Indian and a construction worker. The first three -- Alex Briley, Ray Simpson and Ray Evans, respectively -- have been there from the beginning. Those guys have sold more than 100 million records. By the way, for that ticket price, you also get cocktails, dinner and a live auction.

LISA: "Macho Man" is a good theme song for you. Better than that Fiber One commercial I've been associating with you lately. The one where they sing, "Turn around, Baaaarrrryyyy." You know what I always say: When the going gets tough, eat more fiber.

Pardon the unfortunate segue, but I just remembered there are three corn mazes opening this weekend. You can go to Old McDonald's Farm in Sale Creek, The River Maze in Ocoee, Tenn., and Autumn Acres in Crossville, Tenn. And there are more to come. It's a sure sign of fall.

BARRY: Glad to be changing the subject from men in campy costumes and fiber issues. While it doesn't feel like fall, it is nigh. St. Paul & the Broken Bones are booked at Track 29 on Thursday. Love these guys. They did a killer noon-ish set at Bonnaroo that people are still talking about. Lead singer Paul Janeway told me that going to the very first festival directly impacted his desire to pursue music instead of becoming a preacher.

And though the summer concert series are behind us, Camp Jordan continues its new Camp Jordan Jam offering with The Beaters on Saturday. The same night, Count This Penny will play an unplugged show as part of the Patten Performances series. They've been likened to the Everybodyfields and the Civil Wars, with a little Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris thrown in.

LISA: Comparisons can't get much better than that.

Chattanooga Market also has another food theme this Sunday. It's like they're reading my mind. For the Scenic City Wings competition, cooks from The Honest Pint, Keller's Grilled Wings, Diamond Billiard Club, Taco Mac, Alchemy Spice Co. and Chattanooga Wing Factory will battle for people's choice and judges awards. For $10, you get to taste all the wings and vote for your favorite.

BARRY: This is another fan-favorite eating event at the market.

And theater fans have a couple of opportunities to see Closed Door's presentation of "Chicago" at the Tivoli on Friday and Saturday.

Contact Lisa Denton at ldenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6281. Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354.

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