The 808, a new music venue, opens on Sevier Avenue this weekend
A 420-capacity room built by two longtime Knoxville music people opens in the former Drunk Church space with High Step Society on Friday and Marcy Playground on Saturday. Both shows are all ages.
- Friday
- High Step Society, with Cuddlefish and InnSæi · doors 7 PM, show 8 · all ages
- Saturday
- Marcy Playground · doors 7 PM, show 8 · all ages
- Where
- The 808 · 808 Sevier Ave
- Tickets
- 808knox.com, or at the door
- Under 18
- With a parent or guardian
- Parking
- None in the Borderland Tees lot next door; cars there will be towed. The venue suggests a rideshare
- The room
- 420 capacity
- Coming up
- Paul Oakenfold and The Crystal Method, Thu Oct 8 · a classic-country vinyl night with dance lessons, Sat Oct 17
Sevier Avenue has a music venue as of Friday night. The 808 opens at 808 Sevier Avenue, in the building that used to be Drunk Church, with High Step Society on its first night and Marcy Playground on its second. Doors are at seven and the music starts at eight both nights, both shows are all ages, and anyone under eighteen comes with a parent or guardian. Cuddlefish and InnSæi open on Friday.
Who built it
The owners are Brian Coakley and Scott Campbell, friends of nearly fifteen years who met when Coakley was a talent buyer booking Campbell's bands. They told Blank News their first plan was a 100-person room in a basement down the street at 605 Sevier, and when that fell through the idea grew into this one: 420 people, big enough to bring in touring acts and small enough that the band and the crowd share the room. The venue has also announced Club:808, a local dance night that is ten dollars at the door or free with a ticket to any 808 show.
The practical part
Parking is the thing to plan. The venue has posted a parking guide and is blunt about one point: do not park in the Borderland Tees lot next door, because you will be towed. It suggests a rideshare. The public options for the district are the Riverwalk Garage at the west end and the gravel lot under the James White Parkway bridge at the east end. Tickets are on the venue's site and at the door. The next show after the weekend is Paul Oakenfold with The Crystal Method on Thursday, October 8.
