How could Asylum 801 take Knoxville to new heights?

The Scruffy Stuff

Orson Welles has nothing on the far-fetched story inspiring a new out-of-this-world nightclub in the newly established Asylum District that could expand what people consider the boundaries of downtown Knoxville.

The tall tale, from the mind of owner Scott West, goes like this: Rogue doctors from Oak Ridge recently hauled an extraterrestrial artifact they discovered to limestone caves beneath The International property in downtown Knoxville, where radiation technology was used to see what's inside. The experiment came with unexpected consequences, resulting in a rift in space and time that has caused these humans to become aliens, the past to become present, and myth to become reality.

This week's co-hosts, Ryan Wilusz and Keenan Thomas, were at opening weekend of Asylum 801 to document how this nightclub could change Knoxville, from bridging the gap between downtown and the university to serving as an incubator for up-and-coming artists by giving them a state-of-the-art stage to perform on. Not to mention filling a dancing void in downtown, which has been without a regularly programmed nightlife venue of this magnitude.

>> Link: Asylum 801, a new downtown club, is ready to blast off in extraterrestrial fashion

>> Photos: Check out opening night of Asylum 801 club in Knoxville

"The Scruffy Stuff" is presented by knoxnews.com. Want more downtown analysis? Sign up for the free weekly Urban Knoxville newsletter by clicking here, and join the downtown discussion by becoming part of the Urban Knoxville group on Facebook.