Session directory · East Tennessee
Find a session
A session is not a gig. It’s a circle of musicians playing tunes they hold in common, in a pub or a hall or a kitchen, for the pleasure of it. Listeners are welcome. Players are welcome once they know the etiquette. This page lists the rooms and tells you honestly what each one is like.
Preview listings. The entries below are placeholders showing the format — day, pace, welcome for beginners, whether songs are sung. Real Knoxville-area sessions are being confirmed with their hosts before we publish them. Run one? Tell us.
| Session | When | Tradition & pace | Beginners | Songs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old City pub session sample Knoxville, Old City | Weekly, weeknight, 7–10 pm | Mixed Irish/Scottish, medium-fast | Listen first; slow set at 7 | Occasional |
| Slow session & learners’ circle sample Community hall, North Knoxville | Twice monthly, Sunday afternoon | Irish & old-time, slow, tunes taught by ear | Yes — built for it | No |
| Old-time porch jam sample Blount County, near the Smokies | Monthly, Saturday | Appalachian old-time, medium | Yes, if you can hold a rhythm | Yes, ballads welcome |
| Scottish & Cape Breton night sample Farragut / West Knoxville | Monthly | Strathspeys, reels, marches; medium | Intermediate+ | Gaelic songs some months |
Session etiquette, the short version
- Listen for a whole set before you join. You’ll learn the room’s tempo, its favourite keys, and who leads.
- Ask before you sit in the circle. Most sessions will say yes; asking is the point.
- Play the tune, not over it. If you don’t know it, play quietly or not at all. Nobody minds a musician who sits out; everybody minds one who guesses loudly.
- One bodhrán, one guitar, one banjo at a time is the usual rule. Rhythm and backing instruments are welcome when there is room for them.
- Don’t start a tune you can’t finish, and don’t start a set the leader has just played.
- Buy the host a drink, thank the bar staff, and if you record, ask first.
What the columns mean
Pace is honest: slow means learners can follow; fast means you should already know the tunes. Beginners tells you whether you can sit in with a handful of tunes or should listen for a while. Songs notes whether unaccompanied singing is part of the evening — some sessions stop for a song, some never do.