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Clay Duda Earlier today, AC Entertainment announced the first five concerts scheduled for the Mill and Mine, a new 1,200-capacity music venue on Depot Avenue. The venue premiered during the Big Ears festival, in late March and early April, with performances by Yo La Tengo, Kamasi Washington, the Sun Ra Arkestra, and more. Starting in June, the space will be in full operation as a concert venue and event space, with shows by L.A. psychedelic dream-pop sister trio Haim (June 10); California alt-pop veterans Silversun Pickups (June 21); ’90s post-grunge comeback kids Garbage (July 19); indie/electro-folk newcomers Sylvan Esso (Sept. 9); and synth-rock romantics M83 (Oct. 11).
This afternoon, AC Entertainment founder and president Ashley Capps answered some questions about the Mill and Mine via email.
Any idea when further announcements will be made? Will there be another big blitz of announcements, or will they just be part of the weekly updates?
No big blitz planned … we’ll be announcing future shows as they get booked and everyone’s ready to announce to them.
There’s already some crossover between the Mill and Mine and the Orange Peel calendars, which I think a lot of people expected. Is it safe to assume that some more artists booked at the Orange Peel might end up on the M&M schedule?
Definitely. The Mill and Mine will fill a real void in the Knoxville music scene. We’ve been booking great venues like the Orange Peel in Asheville, Marathon Music Works in Nashville, Track 29 in Chattanooga, Minglewood Hall in Memphis, the Music Farm in Charleston and Columbia, S.C., for years now … but many of the acts have been skipping Knoxville because we didn’t really have the type of venue that the artists wanted to play. So, the Mill and Mine will be a real game changer in that regard.
How representative are the acts in this first round of announcements? Can we expect metal/EDM/jam bands/country shows at Mill and Mine, too?
Sure. Hip hop and r&b and beyond too. We plan to book great shows spanning all genres of music.
How many shows do you plan to book there in an average month?
We’ll see. At this point, we plan to let it grow and not to force anything. We want to focus first and foremost on quality.
Any hints about any particular big shows or surprises that might be in the works?
No hints. It’s a work in progress. With the outdoor courtyard and other spaces, there are many creative opportunities to explore at the Mlll and Mine. It’s going to be fun exploring the possibilities.
Senior Editor Matthew Everett manages the Knoxville Mercury's arts & entertainment section, including the comprehensive calendar section—Knoxville’s go-to guide for everything worth doing in the area. You can reach Matthew at matthew@knoxmercury.com.
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