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Four performers, one unforgettable night of music and fun !
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An air-conditioned tent is ready for you to catch these stars under the stars at Southland Casino Hotel!
Welcome to our annual Staycation issue! is year our team chose to revisit (or visit for the rst time) some Memphis mainstays — the Peabody, Stax, Beale, and more — places that consistently draw tourists, and, to some degree, mark (to outsiders, at least) the major beats of our city’s pulse. In years past, we’ve highlighted lesser-known locales to encourage deeper exploration of what makes the Blu City tick. is edition, though, serves as a reminder of just a few of the landmarks that can’t be missed — even if you drive by them every day on your work commute without a second thought — if for no other reason than to knock them o your Memphis bucket list. Maybe this is the summer to leave the “I’ve never been to Graceland” choir and join the “I’ve been there — I loved it!” crew. (I have been to Graceland once, thank you very much.)
SHARA CLARK
Editor-in-Chief
ABIGAIL MORICI
Managing Editor
JACKSON BAKER, BRUCE VANWYNGARDEN
Senior Editors
TOBY SELLS
Associate Editor
KAILYNN JOHNSON News Reporter
CHRIS MCCOY Film and TV Editor
ALEX GREENE Music Editor
MICHAEL DONAHUE, JON W. SPARKS Staff Writers
ALICE FAYE DUNCAN, GENE GARD, EMILY GUENTHER, COCO JUNE, FRANK MURTAUGH
Contributing Columnists
SHARON BROWN, AIMEE STIEGEMEYER Grizzlies Reporters
CARRIE BEASLEY
Senior Art Director
CHRISTOPHER MYERS
Advertising Art Director
NEIL WILLIAMS Graphic Designer
KELLI DEWITT, CHIP GOOGE, SHAUNE MCGHEE, PATRICK PACHECO Senior Account Executives
CHET HASTINGS
Warehouse and Delivery Manager
JANICE GRISSOM ELLISON, KAREN MILAM, DON MYNATT, TAMMY NASH, RANDY ROTZ, LEWIS TAYLOR, WILLIAM WIDEMAN Distribution
KENNETH NEILL Founding Publisher
JERRY D. SWIFT Advertising Director Emeritus
THE MEMPHIS FLYER is published weekly by Contemporary Media, Inc., P.O. Box 1738, Memphis, TN 38101 Phone: (901) 521-9000 Fax: (901) 521-0129 memphisflyer.com
CONTEMPORARY MEDIA, INC.
ANNA TRAVERSE FOGLE Chief Executive O cer
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JEFFREY GOLDBERG Chief Revenue Officer
MARGIE NEAL Chief Operating Officer
KRISTIN PAWLOWSKI Digital Services Director
bloom; Halladay visits.
Although my healing bones aren’t quite ready to go on any museum tours or Downtown jaunts, I’ve had a lot of daydreams about future excursions. A er three months of limited mobility — wheelchairs and walkers and orthopedic boots — I’ve never looked more forward to venturing out beyond the doctor’s o ce or grocery store. Scanning the Flyer’s weekly calendar of upcoming events, there’s always a handful of things that catch my eye. Speaking of which, while some weeks — such as this one — our calendar is cut short due to available print space, there is always an extensive list of local happenings on our website. Scan the QR code on the calendar page or bookmark events.memphis yer.com and plan your next adventure! e rst thing on my “once I can walk again” to-do list is just that — walking. I so miss my beloved neighborhood walks, even this time of year. Hot or not, I love admiring the saturated summer colors, the well-kept ower beds, the squirrels busy doing squirrel things. e sun beating down, forcing sweat from my brow and body. It just feels good (but damn the humidity!) — alive with heat and light and movement. Bonus points if I’m able to cool o in a neighbors’ sprinkler on my path. In the meantime, I’m staycationing, literally, at home. But I’ve made some new backyard friends to keep me company. anks to my boyfriend Chris, who picked up a giant bag of birdseed a few weeks back on a whim, I now have daily visitors: blue jays, cardinals, robins, nches, doves, the occasional hummingbird, and a curious crow we’re trying to attract that hasn’t done more than circle overhead thus far. e birds are familiar with his morning routine now — rst a scoop of seed, then a st full of peanuts in the shell. e blue jays come out en masse to beat the squirrels to the nuts. e smaller birds swoop in throughout the day to peck at the feed or soak under the spinning sprinkler (cut on just for the wildlife), sometimes o ering a low yover or a long, cocked-head look and a song from the power line above, what we take as a “thank you.” I watch from my little side-yard stoop as (the regulars have been given names) Roberto, Gibson, Rudy, Halladay, and friends make their rounds, cawing and apping at one another or patiently taking turns at the food pile.
Oh, and my lilies have bloomed! ey shot up, thick-stalked and tall, within the last few days. e lush pink blossoms are always a welcomed return. Originally uprooted from my previous home and replanted here, they come back every year, somehow each time more beautiful, hardy and requiring no work on my part. Like those lilies in the o season, I lie dormant for now, but will burst forth soon, stronger and more resilient. Bending toward the light and looking forward to experiencing all the city has to o er once more.
Shara Clark shara@memphis yer.com
PHOTOS: SHARA CLARK Lilies
THE fly-by
MEM ernet
Memphis on the internet.
“BIG **** DEAL”
“We just secured $393+ MILLION through the [Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act] to fully replace the I-55 bridge connecting America through #Memphis,” Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Memphis) posted late last week. “As @POTUS would say, it’s a ‘Big **** Deal’! And it sure is — it’s likely the largest single investment the federal government has ever made in Memphis.”
COHEN AND IPHONE
In a new political ad, Corey Strong looked back to 2007 when the iPhone was introduced and Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Memphis) was rst elected to Congress, noting that Cohen had been around “longer than the iPhone.”
“What have we seen?” Strong asks. “Do we have the infrastructure we need to succeed? Have we seen the growth that neighboring areas have seen? No.”
THE ZOO
Juicy J’s new album Memphis Zoo (released last week) features amazing cover art (right).
Sharks swim in a glass Pyramid aquarium. A grizzly bear plays basketball. A masked-up gira e holds a ring of keys, promising escape.
Questions, Answers + Attitude
Edited by Toby Sells
{WEEK THAT WAS
By Flyer staff
MPD, Kelsey, & AnyCreek
Assistant chief leaves a er “conversation,” Brian Kelsey gets 21 months, and an outdoor startup rises.
JONES LEAVES MPD
e Memphis Police Department (MPD) parted ways with Shawn Jones, former assistant chief of police services, last week.
In a news conference, interim Chief Cerelyn “C.J.” Davis and Mayor Paul Young said Jones had been the “subject of conversation” over the previous week a er e Daily Memphian reported Jones’ primary residence was in Georgia. Last week, they said he had been let go.
“It was not due to any issues or concerns around residency,” Young said. “It’s really just overall just looking at the broader direction of the department, and we believe that he’s done great work for the city, but it’s time for him to move on.”
MPD’s Shawn Jones’ primary residency was revealed to be in Georgia; Kelsey’s prison sentence is upheld; AnyCreek gets another round of funding.
KELSEY PLEA DENIED
e U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals denied former state Sen. Brian Kelsey’s (R-Germantown) request to rescind his guilty plea for campaign nance violations, upholding his 21-month prison sentence.
Two years ago, Kelsey pleaded guilty to directing a secret plan to funnel over $100,000 from his state campaign account to boost his failed bid for a U.S. congressional seat in 2016. Kelsey tried to rescind his decision, claiming he wasn’t of sound mind because his wife had recently given birth to twins, and his father, who later died, was sick. Kelsey was allowed to remain out of prison during his appeal.
LOST COVID VACCINE DOSES
e former leader of Shelby County’s Covid vaccine rollout lost a legal bid last week to declare she was wrongly blamed for allowing hundreds of doses to expire during the pandemic.
Judy Martin, Shelby County’s former chief of nursing and immunizations, lost her job amid public fallout over the lost doses in early 2022.
Martin had reported 1,000 expired doses she discovered during an inventory. With even more doses set to go bad, she loaded hundreds of vaccines into her car to take to a local prison. But a snowstorm in Memphis scuttled those plans. She le 700 doses in the car and told nobody, legal lings said.
When news broke that Shelby County had allowed even more doses to expire than initially reported, Martin retired in order to avoid being red. Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris tweeted about the situation. Martin then sued the county alleging the tweet was defamatory and asserted her right to a “name-clearing hearing.”
ANYCREEK RISES
A Memphis company is bringing outdoor guide services to the digital age and just got a huge infusion of cash to do it. AnyCreek connects outdoor enthusiasts with guides and out tters for experiences such as hunting and shing. e platform has already reached thousands of adventurers in 183 markets to discover, book, and pay for shing and hunting experiences.
e company completed a $1.8 million round of seed funding last month. e money brings AnyCreek’s total funding to $3.3 million since its launch in 2022. With its new round of funding, AnyCreek says it will continue to enhance its technology and expand its services into new markets.
PODIATRIST CONVICTED
Nathan Lucas, a Memphis podiatrist convicted of healthcare fraud involving foot baths, was sentenced to four years in prison last week. Tennessee Lookout contributed to this report. Visit the News Blog at memphis yer.com for fuller versions of these stories and more local news.
By Toby Sells
Open Secret
Some cannabis products at risk of removal likely because they “get you high.”
S
mokable THCA and CBD products are wildly popular in Tennessee, according to industry advocates, but they remain at risk of disappearing from store shelves under new state rules.
State lawmakers passed new laws last year to regulate the growing cannabis industry in Tennessee. For example, cannabis products were moved behind shelves of stores that aren’t 21 and up. A new 6-percent tax on cannabis products was levied, too. A single serving of a cannabis product cannot exceed a dosage of 25 milligrams in the state.
e new law also made the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) responsible for regulating the cannabis industry here. Late last year, the department issued new rules for cannabis producers and products.
said, “two di erent things when it should just be delta 9, and delta 9 only. ey’re trying to put a limit on [THCA] but the limit would, basically, ban a lot of it.”
Hess said these products are probably the most popular products on the market right now. Many small businesses have built their business around sales of these products, she said. Removing them could prove fatal to them.
TGC and Cultivate Tennessee have promised to ght.
“We will ght to keep smokable hemp products, such as THCA ower, concentrates, and vapes legal in Tennessee,” Cultivate Tennessee says on its website. “We will defend against the TDA attempting to rewrite laws through the rules. We assert that the TDA rules are potentially illegal and unconstitutional.”
e new rules, though, are considered “emergency rules,” meaning they are not the nal rules.
So, they’re not set in stone. Hess said she hopes agency o cials will reconsider the new rules for cannabis ower. If they don’t, TGC will le a lawsuit for legal clari cation, she said.
ese particular products were likely targeted by the agency, Hess said, for one big open secret.
“ ese products get you high,” she said.
e department updated those rules at the beginning of this month a er a public comment period. Tennessee Growers Coalition (TGC) executive director Kelley Mathis Hess said nearly 19,000 comments were submitted to the agency. But o cials must not have listened, she said.
e new rules still include new THC standards for THCA and CBD ower. New limits could see those products removed completely. e new rules would also allow police to arrest manufacturers, retailers, and consumers for selling or possessing these smokable products, according to Cultivate Tennessee, another hemp advocacy group.
e new state rules rede ne THC to include a product’s total THC. is includes a lot of THCA — the cannabinoid that produces a “high” — smokable products.
“ ey’re trying to rede ne it by combining two di erent cannabinoids,” Hess
“ at’s not a secret anymore. at’s the whole reason [Rep. William Lamberth (RPortland)] and [Sen. Richard Briggs (RKnoxville)] brought a bill, because it gets you high and they wanted it regulated.”
e new rules won’t a ect edible products, like gummies, Hess said. ose products are made with cannabis oils that can be measured, ne-tuned all along the production process, and remain stable on the shelf. Cannabinoid pro les in ower products, however, can change.
No state o cial has made any public comment on the new rules. However, when the Biden administration announced new rules not approved by Congress in a di erent matter, Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti led a multi-state revolt against them (and temporarily won). e U.S. Department of Education added “gender identity” to Title IX. Skrmetti said only Congress could change rules and that the government agency “has no authority to let boys into girls’ locker rooms.”
PHOTO: BUDDING | UNSPLASH
New regulations put “legal high” products at risk in Tennessee.
POLITICS By Jackson Baker
GOP Convention Begins
Are MAGA and Trump engaged in some astonishing shape-shi ing?
MILWAUKEE — ere was something very strange about Monday’s opening night of the 2024 Republication National Convention.
Several strange things, in fact. Oh, there was the usual bashing of Joe Biden, the condemnation of what in reality is now a diminishing in ation, and the traditional GOP homage to private enterprise.
But who coulda thunk that the most vigorous moment of the evening would be a Teamster o cial extolling unions and the working class and denouncing, in vivid detail, “greedy employers” and the evils of unbridled capitalism. Shocking as this lengthy speech was, it was clearly not aimed at the arena crowd, which gave it ever more tepid applause, but to a presumably largish TV audience containing Democratic and independent voters as well as faithful Republicans.
at speech had come not long a er remarks from one Amber Rose, a “model and TV celebrity” and a self-proclaimed former “le ist” who could simultaneously praise Donald J. Trump and proclaim that Trump and his supporters “don’t care about Black or white or gay and straight. It’s all love.”
Another surprise was the culminating appearance of the hero/martyr himself, Donald J. Trump, ear heavily bandaged from a ri eman’s attempt on his life last week, sung onto the stage by Lee Greenwood.
Equally interesting was the creation of an ad hoc presidential box containing Trump, his new vice-presidential choice J.D. Vance, Speaker of the House Michael Johnson, Black Florida congressman Byron Donalds (one of several GOP African-American o ceholders put on display Monday night), and — wonder of wonders — the exiled Fox News host Tucker Carlson.
It seemed to symbolize a new merging would-be GOP hierarchy.
All of the climactic events were an unexpected attempt at blending MAGA attitudes and Republicanism at large with a new approach to traditional Democratic voting blocs.
Can such a realignment hold behind a gurehead whose successful bout with potential death may have redeemed the image of a mad hatter given to reckless self-indulgence, who had clearly tried to sabotage the previous presidential election and endorsed violence, both verbal and
physical, in the process?
e week and the convention were still young, and the Democrats have yet to have their own convention. We shall see what we shall see.
Consistent with this overarching effort at self-recreation was the Tennessee delegation’s Monday-morning breakfast, which featured its own e orts toward achieving an image of “unity,” though the mechanics of the process, at least as spoken to by Senator Bill Hagerty, the main breakfast speaker, were essentially limited to the idea of making nice to Nikki Haley.
A quote from the prominent Millington Republican Terry Roland, not a UT-Knoxville enthusiast, on being handed one of the conspicuously orange-hued MAGA hats passed out to all delegates: “I’d rather kiss a donkey on the ass than put this orange thing on my head.”
State Chairman Scott Golden of Jackson, on the other hand, as well as Senator Hagerty, in separate remarks to the state delegation, made a point of glorifying the color orange. It was, in fact, Orange Day for the delegation.
• Meanwhile, next week: a preview of the forthcoming local election and more, much more about the GOP’s dramatic week of refurbished public appeals.
PHOTOS: CHRIS DAVIS (above) Representative David Kusto
When an emergency changes your plans, plan to get great care. Our experienced teams are ready for emergencies at any time. With online check-in, you can let us know that you’re on your way. For life-threatening emergencies, call 911
By Bruce VanWyngarden
Haunted by Waters
Droughts and oods are causing havoc on the Mississippi.
The Mississippi River has long de ned the city of Memphis, literally marking its border on the west, and shaping its commerce and its soul throughout its history. But for a city framed by one of the world’s largest rivers, Memphis is woefully underserved when it comes to vehicular bridges.
We have two: e Memphis and Arkansas Bridge, which is traversed by I-55 and perennially under repair. It was constructed in 1949 and is locally known as the “old bridge.” And then there is the Hernando DeSoto Bridge (aka the “new bridge”; aka the “M bridge”), which opened in 1973 and carries vehicular tra c for I-40. It was closed for months a couple years back because of a large crack that developed in one of its I-beams.
e Memphis and Arkansas Bridge is not built to withstand earthquakes, and I wouldn’t put house money on the “new bridge” surviving one either. If we’re being candid, Memphis is one earthquake away from being without a Mississippi River crossing, which would absolutely decimate the city’s economy by diverting 100,000 vehicles a day to other bridges north or south of here. For comparison’s sake, the city of St. Louis, also on the Mississippi River, has 11 bridges.
River cruises, long a nancial boon for Memphis and other river cities, have taken a major hit due to drastic riverow uctuations caused by climate change. Flooding and drought have led to the cancellation of millions of dollars worth of cruises, according to a New York Times article:
“While operators are building new ships, and towns and cities are investing in infrastructure to welcome boat tra c, cruises on the Mississippi face mounting challenges from an increasing number of droughts and oods. … Memphis made its $40 million Beale Street Landing the centerpiece of a larger redevelopment of parks and trails snaking along six miles of Mississippi shoreline. Last year, more than half of the 128 scheduled cruise ship landings there were canceled, mostly because of low water levels that made it impossible for the boats to reach the dock.”
But Memphis got some good news last week. It was overshadowed by another minor news event involving a presidential candidate’s ear, but, hey, we’re getting a new bridge! A $393.7 million federal grant for a replacement span over the big river was announced for the states of Tennessee and Arkansas. e new “new bridge” will replace the old “old bridge,” and will be designed to meet current seismic standards.
e news was greeted with great rejoicing by GOP Governor Bill Lee: “ is unprecedented investment in Memphis marks the single-largest transportation investment in Tennessee state history and will be transformative for our infrastructure.” It goes without saying that almost all Republicans, including Tennessee’s congressional delegation, voted against the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law which is funding the construction. Memphis Congressman Steve Cohen was the only Tennessee representative to vote for the act. It will take a few years for Memphis’ newest bridge to be completed, but at least we’re making progress.
Our river was in the news for other reasons last week, as well. Mississippi
Forest and wetland destruction, new dams, and dredging have exacerbated the Mississippi’s natural ow uctuations. And climate change has caused even more dramatic shi s in water levels. It was only two Octobers ago that you could basically walk across the Mississippi at Memphis. River tra c was down to one lane, with barges stacked up single le for miles and miles, awaiting their turn. And it was only last month that the Mississippi River at St. Paul had the eighth-highest crest ever recorded.
No one knows what the future holds, a situation for which the novelist Norman Maclean had wise words: “Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. e river was cut by the world’s great ood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of those rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs. I am haunted by waters.”
PHOTO: BRUCE VANWYNGARDEN
A view of the Mississippi from Loosahatchie Bar in October 2022
July 9-31, 2024
Join the City of Memphis' Office of Youth Services for our Supplies for Success Back to School Drive. We are collecting donations for the items that Memphis Shelby County School students will need when they return to class this fall.
Donations can be dropped off at any City of Memphis Community Center during regular business hours.
For a complete list of needed items and drop off locations: Memphistn.gov/supplydrive
Love
The staff at Twin Oaks Memorial Gardens & Funeral Home takes great pride in caring for our families, and has made a commitment to provide you with a beautiful, lasting tribute to your loved one. Honoring your loved one is our top priority, and part of that is assisting you deal with grief during this difficult time.
Everyone’s needs are different, and for that reason, families can entrust their loved one’s wishes to our staff. We have a wide range of resources to support you not only today, but in the weeks and months to come. Here, everyone is welcome.
Hunka Hunka Memphis Love ♥
Are you one of those Memphians who proudly says, “I’ve lived in Memphis my whole life and I’ve never been to Graceland”? Hmmm? Or, maybe, you’re more of the “been there, done that” type — the type who says, “MoSH? No, I haven’t been there since it was the Pink Palace.” But why? Why be so pessimistic when your city has so much to offer and there’s so much to do? No matter how long you’ve lived in Memphis, you haven’t seen everything; you haven’t been everywhere.
So, this summer, we encourage you to throw away your curmudgeonly attitudes, and discover or rediscover those spots that have put Memphis on the map. Sure, sometimes, they’re a bit touristy, but, hey, be a tourist. Lace up your brightest white sneakers and fasten your fanny pack around your hips. Affix your visor on your head and lather on that SPF. It’s time to staycation, baby.
COVER STORY By Flyer staff
Go Back to Beale Street
Beale Street’s magic lies in mystery and discovery.
is mystique has drawn millions to its sidewalk shores for decades. Visitors know it’s a party place with music, probably. Curiosity magnetizes desire. Before they know it, they’re walking with their feet 10 feet o of Beale. (I said what I said.)
Maybe the mystique is gone for locals. Maybe that’s why they proudly shun Beale, on par with cocktailparty protestations about never going to Graceland.
But Beale Street deserves another look, locals. Here are a couple of assignments to help you get back to Beale.
1. Shop local — No, you don’t need another “Memphis” shot glass. But you need local beer (and music).
Assign yourself to go drink one beer at the Ghost River Brewing Co. taproom on Beale’s east end. e beer is fresh, local, and the taps are always changing. If nothing else, go for the beer garden. It’s beautiful, spacious, and one-of-a-kind. It’s a local’s oasis on Beale with a big stage for live music and a second-story patio built for great people-watching.
Stroll to Beale’s west end for a look inside Walking Pants Curiosities. Housed in the former Tater Red’s space, the shop o ers elevated tourist fare,
some of it appropriate for a Midtown cookout. (Consider the “South Mane” T-shirt.) Much of it is made by local makers like apparel from God Forbid & Co. and Cosgrove & Lewis Handmade Luxury Soaps.
2. Just go — row pride (and maybe prejudice?) to the wind. Consider all of Beale local. It is. Eat a bowl of gumbo at King’s Palace Cafe. Play pool at People’s. Catch a live band in one of those open-air bars. Take your kids for ice cream at A. Schwab. It’s all in the 38103. at means it’s Memphis. Just go. Let Beale’s mystery fuel your local discovery.
— Toby Sells
Indulge in Ching’s Hot Wings
A staycation is the perfect opportunity to knock something o of your food bucket list. As I scrolled through my cluttered saved posts on Instagram and TikTok of places that had been stowed away as the result of “camera eats rst” posts and stories, I decided to knock something o my list that had sat there since my college days. As a Mississippi girl I thought the best wings that the South had to o er came from the Dixie Queen locations in DeSoto County. However, when I was a student at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, I would always hear my Memphis friends longing for the taste of honey hot wings from Ching’s Hot Wings located at 1264 Getwell Road. My friend Jessica Davis let me know, a er months of settling for franchises like Zaxby’s and Bu alo Wild Wings, that Ching’s was the spot to truly get a taste of what di erentiates Memphis wing culture from others.
my rst bite into my chicken tender, I realized Jessica was right: is wasn’t the same as the dipped tenders we’d eat during late-night outings in Knoxville. I can see why she’d be in such a hurry to get back home. — Kailynn Johnson
Journey to the Pyramid
e Great American Pyramid opened in Downtown Memphis in 1991. Originally envisioned as a 20,000-seat arena for sporting events and concerts, the Pyramid was home court for the University of Memphis basketball team for several years and hosted performances by the Grateful Dead, Bruce Springsteen, Prince, R.E.M., Fleetwood Mac, and other major artists. In 2001, the Pyramid became the home of the newly transplanted (from Vancouver) Memphis Grizzlies. In 2004, when the FedExForum was completed, the Pyramid was closed and sat empty until 2015, when it reopened as the Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid. And if you haven’t experienced the current incarnation of the building, you need to head Downtown and take it in, at least once.
It’s an immersive experience. You walk into a life-size cypress swamp lled with sh of many varieties, live
continued on page 12
I decided to reward myself with a well-deserved cheat meal of honey hot chicken tenders, honey hot drizzled fries, ranch on the side, and an Orange Mound punch. As I went to pick up my order, it felt like walking into Memphis’ own Sardi’s as pictures of famous celebrities, both locally and nationally known, lled the walls, adding to the cozy vibe accompanied by the mouthwatering smell of wing sauce. As I took
PHOTO (RIGHT): BASS PRO PYRAMID | FACEBOOK Bass Pro Pyramid
PHOTOS (LEFT): TOBY SELLS A. Schwab on Beale Street
PHOTO: ABIGAIL MORICI Woodru -Fontaine House Museum
PHOTO: KAILYNN JOHNSON Ching’s Hot Wings
ducks, and even a couple of alligators. In the center of it all, there’s a 300-foot freestanding elevator that takes you to a restaurant at the top of the building with a breathtaking balcony view of the Mississippi River and Downtown.
ere’s an archery range, a pistol range, a Wahlburgers restaurant, and even a river-themed bowling alley, where “alligator eyes” and other creature features decorate the bowling balls and shimmering lights make you feel like you’re under the river’s surface. ere are boats and ATVs and all manner of shing and hunting equipment for sale, plus clothes, boots, ammo, outdoor grills, a fudge shop, and so much more. And, here’s the best part: If you decide you can’t just leave until you see it all … you don’t have to! You can just book a room at the in-house wildernessthemed Big Cypress Lodge and spend the night enjoying the comforts of the “big pointy bait shop,” as Memphians lovingly call it. It’s a one-of-a-kind experience. — Bruce VanWyngarden
Return to Chucalissa
e blu s overlooking the Mississippi River where Memphis now stands have been inhabited by humans on and o for thousands of years. When Hernando de Soto’s expedition reached the river in 1541, they found a group of abandoned mounds in the area. e Chickasaw called the place “Chucalissa,” which means “abandoned house.” In the 1930s, Civilian Conservation Corps workers who were building T.O. Fuller State park rediscovered the mound complex. Archeological excavations revealed that the site had been occupied for at least 500 years. It is now a National Historic Landmark, and the site of the C.H. Nash Museum at Chucalissa.
Most native Memphians know Chucalissa from elementary school eld trips. But it’s de nitely worth a visit with fresh eyes. e museum itself is built in the shape of a mound. It has an extensive collection of Native American artifacts recovered over 40 years of excavations. e “abandoned houses” belonged to a community associated with the Mississippian culture. From approximately 800 to 1600 C.E., the Mississippians spread from their capital in Cahokia, near what is now East St. Louis, Illinois, north to the Great Lakes, south to the Gulf Coast, and as far east as Charleston, South Carolina. Little is known about the Mississippians, who had no written language, except for what was written down by de Soto’s scribes and a handful of other sources from early European colonizers. But the pottery and other artifacts they le behind speak to a highly sophisticated culture.
Behind the museum is the mound where the village chief had his home,
and the plaza where the Chucalissians gathered for communal events, including games of stickball. ere’s even a replica Mississippian house, based on archeological studies of the community which once stood here. It all makes for a fascinating a ernoon learning how the rst Memphians lived. — Chris McCoy
Stay at the Peabody
Part of a great trip for me is to stay at a grand old hotel. Something outstanding and beautiful that’s stood the test of time. A place with great restaurants. A hotel that reeks of elegance and stature. You know. Like the Peabody Hotel. People take staycations at the Peabody, says Kelly Brock, the hotel’s director of marketing and communications. “We promote ourselves locally, too,” she says.
In March, the hotel nished “a complete renovation of the lobby and the lobby bar.”
Brock suggests arriving at 4 p.m.
Check in, and then hang out and have a cocktail at the lobby bar. Watch the live duck march at 5 p.m. Or take your drink upstairs and watch the sunset from the Peabody roof.
Have dinner at Chez Philippe, the hotel’s ne dining restaurant with a French presentation, or Capriccio Grill, the Italian steak house.
Start the next day with co ee or a Bloody Mary or mimosa when the bar opens at 10 a.m. Watch the duck march at 11 a.m. en have brunch between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. in Capriccio Grill. Pick out something like Elvis or Priscilla would wear at one of the Lansky shops and get a massage or facial at Feathers Spa.
Pretend you’re in London with “A ernoon Tea,” which begins at 3:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays in Chez Philippe. Indulge yourself with tea sandwiches, warm scones with clotted cream and raspberry jam, petit fours, and cakes.
Guests who check in ursday get free admission until 7 p.m. to the
↑Peabody Roo op Party, which features live music on ursdays through August 15th.
Note: No duck is served on any menu. But toy ducks are for sale at the South’s Grand Hotel.
— Michael Donahue
Choose Your Own Adventure at Stax
e beauty of the Stax Museum of American Soul Music is that the relatively modest building on McLemore, built to the specs of the original theater’s blueprints, is a bit of a labyrinth. Not only can you wind through the pleasingly meandering exhibit space, music echoing around you, but you can imagine the demo studios and o ces in the back, a hive of activity in its heyday. at’s where a lot of the action documented in last year’s CD set, Written in eir Soul: e Stax Songwriter Demos, went down. Now you can see Deanie Parker’s Grammy for it on display.
Similarly, you can imagine the sparkling, thumping sound of the label’s classic records as you look over the reconstructed control room, with its one huge, mono playback speaker, or pace the gently sloping oor of the space where the instruments of Booker T. and the M.G.’s sit out, ready to resume their labors. It’s a vintage recording studio geek’s dream.
ere are many paths to choose, all ripe for rediscovery. Another favorite is the Isaac Hayes express, hopscotching between all exhibits pertinent to Black Moses, including his eye-popping desk and o ce décor, his growing activism with e Invaders empowerment group, and, of course, that Cadillac, still gleaming like a starship.
On some days, I can barely get past the opening exhibit, so powerful and rich are its details. Welcoming
visitors is a small country church from Duncan, Mississippi (home of Deanie Parker’s people), exuding history’s vibes like some lost Rosetta Stone. You can imagine hands passing over its wooden pews in the so light of a thousand Sundays. As outgoing executive director Je Kollath said of the museum, “ is is a people-driven endeavor, and this is a Memphis-people-driven endeavor.”
— Alex Greene
Meet the Woodruffs and Fontaines
I had only ever stood outside the Woodru -Fontaine House Museum on a ghost tour with Historical Haunts (a bonus staycation suggestion for you). So on a Wednesday, and on assignment for this staycation issue, I took myself there. Did I go in the hopes of seeing the spirit of Mollie Woodru myself? Maybe. Did I succeed in that endeavor? No. Did I enjoy myself? Very much.
Built in 1871, the house was home to two prominent families in Memphis history: rst the Woodru s and later the Fontaines. e building withstood yellow fever, had a stint as an art school, and outlasted other Victorian houses in the area which were knocked down in favor of urban renewal. Only a handful remain in the city.
e Woodru -Fontaine opened as a museum in the 1960s, thanks to the work of the Memphis Chapter of the Association for the Preservation of Tennessee Antiquities, and today it is furnished with period-appropriate artifacts and heirlooms that have been donated by Memphis and MidSouth families. (Don’t touch any of the antiques, though, because, as the signs will warn you, anyone who has ever touched them is now dead. Yikes.)
Notably, the organization has also amassed an impressive collection of textiles, which they display on rotation. Currently, there’s the “Southern Summers” exhibition, where you can learn how early Memphians kept their cool during those hot, hot days of summer, including how they dressed. (Ooh la la!)
Tours are self-guided, but the everknowledgeable sta are always around to answer any questions you may have. Seriously, the Woodru -Fontaine has some delightful people (and an outdoor cat)! (Don’t know about the ghosts, though. ey’re a little stando sh.)
You’ll be able to see all three oors, and if you aren’t afraid of heights, head up to the tower and get a view of the Memphis skyline. It’s worth it.
Tours are available Wednesday to Sunday, noon to 4 p.m., with the last admission at 3:30 p.m. Oh, and the museum is o en putting on events like Twilight Tours and magic shows, so check out their website at woodru -fontaine.org for more information. — Abigail Morici
PHOTO: COURTESY STAX MUSEUM OF AMERICAN SOUL MUSIC
Deanie Parker’s Grammy
steppin’ out
We Recommend: Culture, News + Reviews
Asian Night Market
By Abigail Morici
For Memphis’ rst-ever Asian Night Market last summer, organizers thought 2,000 people would show up, maybe 4,000. Within 30 minutes of opening, they quickly learned that wasn’t going to be the case. An estimated 8,000 attended. ey packed Crosstown Concourse, the site of the event, pushing tra c all the way back to the Memphis Zoo.
To say the organizers were a bit underprepared for such a turnout would be an understatement, but the sense of community was overwhelming, says Quynh Tran, one of the market’s founders and president of the Vietnamese American Community. ere was really no question of whether there’d be a year two. ey just needed a bigger venue, so this year’s will be held at Tiger Lane and the Pipkin Building.
“ e idea was to bring back the night market in Asia to the people in my community, which is the Vietnamese community,” Tran says of the market’s origins. “And so when we were brainstorming it, we realized that the night market doesn’t just happen in Vietnam; it happens in almost all of the Asian countries, in di erent ways. So we created an Asian Night Market and recruited all of the Asian communities to participate. …
“And when I speak with other communities, leaders from other Asian countries, they’re really excited. Some communities are very small here, so they really appreciate this kind of event because they need to showcase their food, their culture, and participate in something like this to have some visibility in Memphis.”
Last year’s market had about 30 food vendors, with some vendors and attendees traveling from Mississippi, Arkansas, and Nashville. is year’s will have about 60 food vendors, plus 20 non-food vendors. e food vendors will be from restaurants, food trucks, and “mom and pops, which means all of their food is homemade, things that you won’t be able to nd at a restaurant and you can only really nd at the night market once a year.” Tran also says that some restaurants and food trucks will create dishes to try out at the night market, too.
e event will also have a full schedule of cultural performances including a Vietnamese lion dance, Chinese martial arts demonstration, and a performance by the Filipino band 1-900. Kids can enjoy face-painting, in atables, and a balloon twister.
“I want this to become a memorable experience and something that people are longing for and looking forward to every year,” Tran adds. “I hope that they can experience what the night market in Asia would be like. We try to bring that experience here the best that we can.”
Tickets can be purchased in advance at tinyurl.com/446mt 8. Kids 12 and under get in free.
ASIAN NIGHT MARKET, TIGER LANE, 450 EARLY MAXWELL, SATURDAY, JULY 20, 3-11 P.M., $10/ADVANCE, $15/AT THE GATE.
VARIOUS DAYS & TIMES July 18th - 24th
Meet the Author: Lawrence Wells Novel, 387 Perkins Ext., Saturday, July 20, 2 p.m.
Novel welcomes Lawrence Wells as he celebrates the release of his new books, Ghostwriter: Shakespeare, Literary Landmines, and an Eccentric Patron’s Royal Obsession and Fair Youth
Part literary mystery, part an examination of what constitutes ction versus reality, Ghostwriter is based on the true story of author Lawrence Wells, 45, hired in 1987 to ghostwrite a novel for a wealthy, eccentric donor (“Mrs. F,” 75), who was convinced that Edward de Vere, 17th earl of Oxford, was William Shakespeare. Believing herself to be the reincarnation of Queen Elizabeth I, Mrs. F treated ghostwriter Wells as a “captive” Edward de Vere. Fair Youth, the novel, is the product of that collaboration.
Movies & Brews: Close Encounters of the ird Kind
Museum of Science & History, 3050 Central, Saturday, July 20, 5:30 p.m., $23
MoSH brings back its Movies and Brews series, where you can enjoy brews and socializing before the screening of the feature lm, plus a pre-show lm showcasing the career of master Hollywood special e ects artist Greg Jein.
You Look Like
Hi Tone, 286 North Cleveland, Saturday, July 20, 9-11 p.m., $10/ advance, $15/at the door, 21+
You Look Like is back and hotter than ever, not just because the Memphis heat is out here but because You Look Like is turning 9 years old this month. e show will be hosted by Katrina Coleman with special guest host Tylon Monger.
Memphis Music & Elmwood Cemetery
Elmwood Cemetery, 824 South Dudley, Sunday, July 21, 2-3 p.m., $20 Learn about Memphis musicians buried in Elmwood Cemetery with musician, historian, lmmaker, and author Willy Bearden.
Library Love Is Permanent
Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library, 3030
Poplar, Monday, July 22, noon-8 p.m. Like tattoos? Like libraries? Hit two birds with one literary/book-theme tat. Tattoos will be $100 (unless otherwise speci ed), and tips are encouraged. Tattoos will be given on a rst come, rst served basis. ere will also be henna, temporary tattoos, live music, food trucks, an open-mic time for sharing tattoo stories, and so much more. Proceeds go to the Memphis Public Libraries.
PHOTO: TIN NGUYEN Last year’s lion dance
Elvis at the Shell
e singer’s breakthrough performance will be celebrated with live music and a tour.
t seems like this should be national news — international, even. We’re talking about Elvis Presley, a er all.
And the 70th anniversary of his rst great triumph as a live performer is fast approaching, although anyone who saw it advertised in the paper beforehand might have gotten his name wrong. Promoting the eighth annual Country Music Jamboree scheduled for July 30, 1954, an ad in the Memphis Press-Scimitar read, “In person, the SENSATIONAL radio-recording star, Slim Whitman, with Billy Walker, Ellis Presley and many others … Tonight at Shell, $1.25 reserved.”
Whoever this “Ellis” Presley was, he shared the Overton Park Shell stage with some mighty respected company amongst country music fans. Pretty good for only the second public performance of his life.
As it happened, it was more than pretty good: It was earthshattering. In Sam Phillips: e Man Who Invented Rock ‘n’ Roll, Peter Guralnick quotes Presley’s guitarist Scotty Moore as saying, “With those old loose britches that we wore, it made it look like all hell was going on under there. During the instrumental parts he would back o from the mic and be playing and shaking, and the crowd would just go wild, but he thought they were actually making fun of him.” ey weren’t. A er the show, dozens of teens rushed backstage for autographs from this new singer.
night just saw this ashy kid wearing pink, and this was like a dive bar, a honky-tonk place.” en came his appearance at the Country Music Jamboree.
Knowing that the Shell bore witness to one of rock-and-roll’s great moments, Early wanted to celebrate the memory of Elvis’ performance in style. Since the Shell already o ers the Backstage Experience tour of the Connie Abston Archive, it was easy to imagine the Shell stage as the culmination of an even greater tour. What Elvis fan could resist seeing various key locations in e King’s ascension, working east from Downtown, then ending up at the very stage on which Elvis rst made his mark, with music by a live band?
at validation was exactly what the young Presley needed, only 11 days after the release of his rst single, “ at’s All Right.”
It’s a story that Cole Early knows well, being the content and archives manager of the Overton Park Shell, not to mention curator of the Shell’s excellent Connie Abston Archive & History Exhibition.
at short set, Presley’s rst live show with his recording band of Moore and Bill Black, was akin to a big bang of pop music, in stark contrast to Presley’s one earlier attempt to sit in with a band unfamiliar with his style.
“His rst public performance ever was in a honky-tonk on Southern Avenue, and he wasn’t received well,” says Early of Presley’s previous experience. “ e country music audience there at the club that
Done in partnership with Backbeat Tours and the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum, the whole package, billed as e 70th Anniversary of Live Rock ‘n’ Roll, will be available one day only, on Saturday, July 27th. Early says the tour will “originate Downtown at the Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum. Of course, they have amazing exhibits down there. en it’s going to do an Elvis-centric tour of Memphis, though not Graceland.” Expect stops at Sun Studio, the Presley’s Lauderdale Courts apartment, Elvis’ high school, the original Lansky Bros. clothing store, and the like. “And then they’ll come here to the Shell for a custom Backstage History Experience tour with mostly the Elvis points, and then at the end, a live re-creation of that rst show, right where it happened.”
Finley Watkins & His Blue Moon (of Missouri) Boys will be playing, and Early says they’re a perfect t. “You know, Elvis was a teenager when he played at the Shell, he was 19,” he says. “So it’s great having Finley, who’s also a teenager. And yes, he will have a Scotty and a Bill with him as well. at will be super exciting because they’ll have an upright bass, like Bill Black played during the original show. e Shell’s acoustics pick up that slap back really well. So we’re really proud that the Shell is the one venue where that can be realistic, in such a way that it couldn’t be in any other room or venue.” For more details and tickets, see the “special events” at backbeattours.com.
PHOTO: BY ROBERT DYE SR. / COURTESY OVERTON PARK SHELL ARCHIVES
Elvis backstage at the Shell in 1955
Buddy Albert Nemenz
Monday, July 22, 7 p.m.
SILKY O’SULLIVAN’S
David Ingle
David Ingle’s one-man piano
show. Sunday, July 21, 6 p.m.
SILKY O’SULLIVAN’S
Divercity
Wednesday, July 24, 8 p.m.
B.B. KING’S BLUES CLUB
Earl “The Pearl” Banks
Tuesday, July 23, 7 p.m.
BLUES CITY CAFE
Eric Hughes
ursday, July 18, 7 p.m.
RUM BOOGIE CAFE
Flic’s Pics Band
Led by the legendary Leroy “Flic” Hodges of Hi Rhythm.
Saturday, July 20, 4 p.m. |
Sunday, July 21, 4 p.m.
B.B. KING’S BLUES CLUB
FreeWorld
Sunday, July 21, 8 p.m.
BLUES CITY CAFE
Indigo Avenue
Saturday, July 20, 7 p.m.
TIN ROOF
Reba Russell Band
Friday, July 19, 8 p.m. |
Saturday, July 20, 8 p.m.
RUM BOOGIE CAFE
Soul St. Mojo
Wednesday, July 24, 7 p.m.
RUM BOOGIE CAFE
The B.B. King’s Blues Club Allstar Band
Friday, July 19, 8 p.m. |
Saturday, July 20, 8 p.m. |
Monday, July 22, 8 p.m.
B.B. KING’S BLUES CLUB
The Rockin’ 88s
Monday, July 22, 7 p.m.
BLUES CITY CAFE
Vince Johnson
Monday, July 22, 7 p.m. |
Tuesday, July 23, 7 p.m.
RUM BOOGIE CAFE
Elevation Memphis
Saturday, July 20, 6-8:30 p.m. CENTRAL BBQ
Ethan Smith Trio
Sunday, July 21, 3 p.m.
HUEY’S DOWNTOWN
Live & Local Music
Live and local music, every Wednesday night on the all-weather patio. Wednesday, July 24, 7-10 p.m.
MOMMA’S
Wendell Wells & The Big Americans Honky-tonk, cow jazz, barn burnin blues. Saturday, July 20, 5 p.m.
MARGARITAS MEXICAN RESTAURANT
Wyly Bigger Vinyl Release Party
Celebrating the release of Broken Telephone on vinyl LP. Bigger will be signing albums and spinning his new record and more on the turntable as guest DJ. Free. Wednesday, July 24, 7-9 p.m.
EIGHT & SAND
AFTER DARK: Live Music Schedule July 18 - 24
Elizabeth Wise & Her Guys
Sunday, July 21, 3 p.m.
HUEY’S POPLAR
Elmo and the Shades
Elmo and the Shades with the great Eddie Harrison vocals and keys. Free. Wednesday, July 24, 7 p.m.
NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM
John Williams & the A440 Band
ursday, July 18, 8 p.m.
NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM
Pete Mendillo: Celebration of Life
Many musicians will pay tribute to Mendillo. Free. Sunday, July 21, 5 p.m.
NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM
The Deb Jam Band e Deb Jam Band featuring Deb Jamison. Free. Tuesday, July 23, 6 p.m.
NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM
Van Duren e singer/songwriter, a pioneer of indie pop in Memphis, performs solo. ursday, July 18, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
MORTIMER’S
Almost Famous Saturday, July 20, 9 p.m.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
Bodywerk
Saturday, July 20, 9 p.m.
BAR DKDC
Dave Evans at the Lamplighter
A lovely night of blues at Lamplighter. Saturday, July 20, 7-9 p.m.
LAMPLIGHTER LOUNGE
Devil’s Cut With Taken By Tides, Dependant, Grandma’s Chandelier. Sunday, July 21, 7:30 p.m.
GROWLERS
Devil Train
Bluegrass, roots, country, Delta, and ski e. ursday, July 18, 10 p.m.
B-SIDE
Grayscale
Saturday, July 20, 5:30 p.m.
GROWLERS
HEELS
Vs. Jay Chanoine [Big RoomUpstairs]. Saturday, July 20, 7 p.m.
HI TONE
Highly SuspectSummertime Voodoo Tour
Performing their new album in full from start to nish. $50, $55/DOS. Wednesday, July 24, 8 p.m.
GROWLERS
Illusions of Grandeur
With Murderachi [Small Room-Downstairs]. Wednesday, July 24, 8:30 p.m.
HI TONE
J.D. Westmoreland Band
Monday, July 22, 10 p.m.
B-SIDE
Joe Restivo 4
Sunday, July 21, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
Joybomb
With Massey Lane. Friday, July 19, 9 p.m.
BAR DKDC
Kenn Lynn & McCheyne
Post
Monday, July 22, 6 p.m.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
Kirk Smithhart Band
Friday, July 19, 9 p.m. B-SIDE
Landslide (Fleetwood Mac Tribute)
Sunday, July 21, 7 p.m.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
Livid
With Incineration, Skinwraith [Small Room-Downstairs]. Friday, July 19, 8 p.m.
HI TONE
Memphis Songwriter Night
With Benjamin Reese, Ty Barretta, Jake Smith [Small Room-Downstairs]. Free.
Monday, July 22, 8 p.m.
HI TONE
Mustache the Band’90s Country Party e ’90s country party band that’ll grow on you. $25/ general admission. Friday, July 19, 10 p.m.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
Neighborhood Texture
Jam
Saturday, July 20, 8 p.m.
RAILGARTEN
Rock the Boat
ursday, July 18, 7 p.m.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
School of Rock Friday, July 19, 4:30 p.m. B-SIDE
Shane Told (Silverstein) With acoustic sets by Fear the Sparrow, Honore and e Storyline. 18+. Bene ting the Living e Dream Foundation. Saturday, July 20, 9 p.m.
GROWLERS
Shara’s Songwriter Showcase
Wednesday, July 24, 6 p.m.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM Stabbing
With Nuclear Remains, Defense Wound, Feral God, FUBAR. [Small RoomDownstairs]. Tuesday, July 23, 8 p.m.
HI TONE
Sunny Side Jazz Band, with Victoria Doutón
A full New Orleans-style jazz band experience with three-part harmonies, a solid rhythm section, and an energetic vocalist and dancer. Wednesday, July 24, 7:30 p.m.
THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS
Symptoms With Pinkys, Sweet Darlin’ [Small Room-Downstairs]. Saturday, July 20, 8 p.m.
HI TONE
The Chaulkies Sunday, July 21, 3 p.m.
HUEY’S MIDTOWN
The Heavy Pour With Charm School (KY), Livid Noise. Saturday, July 20, 9 p.m.
B-SIDE
The Last Monarchs of Fall
With R.E.C., Ben Ricketts, Kathy Zhou. Saturday, July 20, 9:30 p.m.
LAMPLIGHTER LOUNGE
Tylor & the Train
Robbers
Tuesday, July 23, 8 p.m.
GROWLERS
Vinyl Happy Hour
With Guest DJs every ursday. ursday, July 18, 3-5 p.m.
MEMPHIS LISTENING LAB
Monica
With K. Michelle, Raheem DeVaughn. Friday, July 19, 8 p.m.
BANKPLUS AMPHITHEATER
Shake the Monday Blues with Yella P Your Monday reset has arrived. $10/general admission. Monday, July 22, 6-8 p.m.
SMOOTH LIVING RESTAURANT
Andrew Jobin & The Crispy Boys
With Rose Vaughn and Her Band. Saturday, July 20, 3 p.m.
HERNANDO’S HIDE-A-WAY
Duane Cleveland Band Sunday, July 21, 6 p.m.
HUEY’S SOUTHWIND
El Ced & Groove Nation Sunday, July 21, 6 p.m.
HUEY’S SOUTHAVEN
Erik Stucky
Saturday, July 20, 8 p.m.
HERNANDO’S HIDE-A-WAY
Fifth Annual Hootenanny
With the Hooten Hallers. Tuesday, July 23, 8:30 p.m.
HERNANDO’S HIDE-A-WAY
Jad Tariq Band
Sunday, July 21, 6 p.m.
HUEY’S OLIVE BRANCH
Live In Studio A: Summer Series with 926
Stax Music Academy Alumni Band
Join the Stax Museum of American Soul Music for live music from 926, the Stax Music Academy Alumni Band.
Tuesday, July 23, 2-4 p.m.
STAX MUSEUM OF AMERICAN SOUL MUSIC
The Afternoon Delights featuring Will Sexton & Amy LaVere
Free. ursday, July 18, 4 p.m.
HERNANDO’S HIDE-A-WAY
The Guess Who e band, with hits like “American Woman,” “ ese Eyes,” and “No Time,” released 11 studio albums and charted 14 Top 40 hit singles. $37.50/ reserved seating. Saturday, July 20, 8-10:30 p.m.
GRACELAND SOUNDSTAGE
Josh Threlkeld, Alexis Jade, and D Monet
Happy Hour in e Grove: Ladies Night. Friday, July 19, 5 p.m.
THE GROVE AT GPAC
Memphis Blues Society Weekly Jam
Hosted by Jackie Flora & Friends. ursday, July 18, 7:30 p.m.
ROCKHOUSE LIVE Singer Songwriter Sundays
Enjoy some of the area’s best local musicians every Sunday. Sunday, July 21, 4-6 p.m.
MEDDLESOME BREWING COMPANY
PHOTO: COURTESY CROSSTOWN ARTS Sunny Side Jazz Band
CALENDAR of EVENTS:
July 18 - 24
Send the date, time, place, cost, info, phone number, a brief description, and photos — two weeks in advance — to calendar@memphisflyer.com.
DUE TO SPACE LIMITATIONS, ONGOING WEEKLY EVENTS WILL APPEAR IN THE FLYER’S ONLINE CALENDAR ONLY. FOR COMPREHENSIVE EVENT LISTINGS, SCAN OUR QR CODE BELOW OR VISIT EVENTS.MEMPHISFLYER.COM/CAL
ART AND SPECIAL EXHIBITS
“2023 Wilson Fellowship Artists”
e Dixon’s partnership with the town of Wilson, Arkansas, awarded residencies to artists Danny Broadway, Claire Hardy, ad Lee, and John Ruskey. rough Sept. 29.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
“Health in Enamel” emes of health, healing, and spirituality crystallize with a survey of current enamel holdings in the Metal Museum’s permanent collection. rough Sept. 29.
METAL MUSEUM
Works by John Roberts
Shaped by his family history, John Roberts paints to express the extraordinary within everyday environments. rough Aug. 22.
DAVID LUSK GALLERY
ART HAPPENINGS
Artist Talks for “MANE” and “Hidden Gems”
Moderated by Shahidah Jones and francis, the Truman. ere will also be a performance by spoken-word artist Matt Esteis. Saturday, July 20, 2 p.m.
CROSSTOWN CONCOURSE
Summer Soiree en Violette: New Works by Chere Labbe Doiron
e opening reception featuring Chere Labbe Doiron’s wonderfully unique landscapes using
vivid colors and diverse materials. Friday, July 19, 5-7 p.m.
ANF ARCHITECTS
CLASS / WORKSHOP
Memphis Rose Society Meeting
Horticulturist Joey Mayes will discuss planting, watering, feeding, and pruning. Attendees will also enjoy a guided tour of the Rose Garden. Sunday, July 21, 2-4 p.m.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
COMEDY
Gerald Kelly and Son Gerald Kelly is a father, producer, and screenwriter who’s known as the “NY King of Comedy.” $20-$68. Friday, July 19, 7:30 p.m. | Friday, July 19, 10 p.m. | Saturday, July 20, 7:30 p.m. | Saturday, July 20, 10 p.m. | Sunday, July 21, 5 p.m. | Sunday, July 21, 8 p.m.
CHUCKLES COMEDY HOUSE
Marcus Smith
e Los Angeles resident/Arkansas native is in uenced by his Southern country roots. $20$60. ursday, July 18, 8 p.m.
CHUCKLES COMEDY HOUSE
You Look Like
A comedy competition. Saturday, July 20, 10 p.m.
HI TONE
ACROSS
1 Newport, R.I., estate that’s a National Historic Landmark, with “the”
5 Bore
10 Slant
14 Herbicide’s target
15 Metaphorical entryway into the unknown
17 Draw in an outlet
18 Piquant bakery offerings
19 End of a flight, maybe
21 Davis of Hollywood
22 On point
23 Senators’ org.
25 A few
Learn about beginner rose care with the Memphis Rose Society and tour the Memphis Botanic Garden’s Rose Garden.
FILM
Film Screening - The Lady Eve
See e Lady Eve (1941). $10/members, $15/general admission. Sunday, July 21, 2-4 p.m.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
Scary Melodies: Horror Film Musicals
Featuring e Rocky Horror Picture Show, Repo: e Genetic Opera, and Cannibal: e Musical With retro vintage intermission clips between each lm! 18+. $25/car. Saturday, July 20, 7 p.m.
MALCO SUMMER 4 DRIVE-IN
FOOD AND DRINK
Sundae Funday
Did you know July 21st is National Ice Cream Day? Kaye’s Pints & Scoops invites you to celebrate at the Sundae Fundae — an a ernoon lled with ice cream, games, and food. Sunday, July 21, 3-7 p.m.
KAYE’S PINTS & SCOOPS
Taproom Grand Opening
Memphis Made is opening its Downtown taprom, with live music, food, Mempops, and the debut of Wonderbeer. Free. Saturday, July 20, 1-11 p.m.
MEMPHIS MADE BREWING (DOWNTOWN - THE RAVINE)
LECTURE
by Will Shortz No. 0302 Crossword
27 Discipline of some masters
28 Byzantine emperor known as “the Armenian”
31 Amend
32 Get two feet apart?
34 Radio D.J., e.g.
35 Big hassle for an agency
36 “Brighton Rock” novelist
37 :
38 Temple spot, say?
41 ___ Salander, protagonist in “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”
43 Food processor 45 Brief exchanges?
46 Ends
49 City in NE France that shares its name with a car type
50 Beast slain by Hercules
53 Fitting toy for a child?
54 Ephemerality
55 One who writes sweet words?
56 I.R.S. figs.
57 Takes a hike
58 Olympians, e.g.
1 Fake
2 Not fancy at all
3 Like metal before die casting
4 Draft holder
5 Like some hotels, for short
6 Piquancy
7 Stage achievement
8 They’re found
Edited
Memphis Music at Elmwood Cemetery
Learn about Memphis musicians buried in Elmwood Cemetery with musician, historian, lmmaker, and author Willy Bearden. $20. Sunday, July 21, 2-3 p.m.
ELMWOOD CEMETERY
PERFORMING ARTS
Live Interview: Russell Butler, “The Dancing UPS Man,” and Bill Courtney Russell Butler, “ e Dancing UPS Man” with 1.6 million followers on TikTok, will share his powerful redemption story and viral dance with Oscar-winner coach Bill Courtney (Undefeated). Free. Saturday, July 20, 10:30 a.m.-noon. GRIND CITY BREWING CO.
SPORTS
Memphis Redbirds vs. the Iowa Cubs Friday, July 19, 7 p.m. | Saturday, July 20, 6:30 p.m. | Sunday, July 21, 1 p.m.
AUTOZONE PARK
THEATER
All Eyes on Memphis e Young Actors Guild presents a soulful tribute to Memphis music, artists, and culture. Saturday, July 20, 6 p.m.
CANNON CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
Antigone, or And Still She Must Rise Up
Director Jamie Boller-Raup and a cast of formidable young adults take on this compelling adaptation of Antigone. Friday, July 19, 7:30-9:30 p.m. | Saturday, July 20, 7:30-9:30 p.m. | Sunday, July 21, 2:30-4:30 p.m.
GERMANTOWN COMMUNITY THEATRE
Coco Queens
Set in the 1970s, this play delves into the lives of four women as they navigate the complexities of love, forgiveness, and the nuances of Black womanhood. rough July 28.
THEATREWORKS @ THE SQUARE
Mamma Mia!
A tale of love, friendship, and identity is beautifully told through the timeless hits of ABBA. Tuesday, July 23, 7:30 p.m. | Wednesday, July 24, 7:30 p.m.
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PHOTO: COURTESY MBG
What’s for Dinner?
Even as high-pro le restaurants close, others have announced openings.
When one door closes, another one opens.
Lately, these doors have the name of a restaurant on them.
Since April, several high-pro le Memphis restaurants have closed. Reasons include sta ng, crime, leases running out, and so on.
But announcements for more brand-new restaurants have also popped up in recent months.
One of those slated to open is the eagerly-awaited, new restaurant from Felicia Willett-Schuchardt, owner of the old Felicia Suzanne’s on North Main. I ran into Willett-Schuchardt at a couple of tasting fundraisers. She told me she planned to open her new restaurant in the fall. at’s in the old Spindini restaurant space at 383 South Main Street.
at’s great news. en I began hearing about closings.
Announcements for more brand-new restaurants have also popped up.
Edge Alley at 600 Monroe Avenue was the harbinger when Tim Barker announced his restaurant would close December 10, 2023. He told me he decided to close “for a number of reasons.” Number one? “I feel it had started to become unsustainable,” he said.
Closing Edge Alley “makes the most sense. I don’t want to lower the quality of the product, change our service standard, cut sta . Now is kind of the time for me. Also, my lease is up. So, everything is all at once. Rising costs, lease is up, and then maybe the concept has run its course.”
en came Bounty on Broad, which announced its closing on April 3rd on Facebook. “Today, with a heavy yet grateful heart, Bounty on Broad announces its closure, e ective immediately …”
Not long a er that, more and more restaurants began following suit.
Dory, a ne dining restaurant at 716 West Brookhaven Circle, closed June 29th. e restaurant, owned by executive chef David Krog and his wife, Amanda, opened in 2021 during the pandemic.
David told me in an interview, “It’s been coming since the day we opened.
We were brand-new and unestablished and not on anybody’s radar, either. We didn’t get the honeymoon. ese aren’t excuses. ese are just what happened. ere is no excuse. It was sad. e restaurant business is tough. For us, we didn’t make it.”
I wrote about Maximo’s when it announced it was going to close the same day Dory closed. Amy Zuniga, who owned the restaurant at 2617 Broad Avenue with her husband, Julio, told me, “ ere’s not enough business to sustain us. And we’ve been shortsta ed and can’t nd anyone. We can’t keep going, unfortunately.”
And, she said, “We’ve been trying to hang in there for awhile, but it’s just gotten to this point where there’s only so much hanging on we can do.”
Fino’s From the Hill at 7781 Farmington Boulevard, Suite 101, is now closed. But the other location at 1853 Madison Avenue is still open. Owner Kelly English says, “ e lease was up and it made sense for us to close and focus on one location rather than to sign on again. ere is nothing else to it.”
A shocker was the recent announcement of the closing of Bishop, the elegant Downtown restaurant owned by Andrew Ticer and Michael Hudman in Central Station Hotel.
e hotel’s Facebook page says it “will be opening a brand-new restaurant this fall.”
I was stunned when I heard Je Fioranelli announced his restaurant, Buckley’s Grill, was closing in June a er 30 years.
“Our lease was up at the end of August regardless,” Fioranelli says. “And, frankly, I had made a commitment ve years ago to sign on for one more ve-year term. Regardless of what my partner wanted to do a er that, it was time. I gure 30 years in the trenches was enough for me. If he wanted to go on, so be it.
“The climate has gotten so difficult for so many reasons,” Fioranelli says. “The restaurant industry is getting hammered from all sides. Especially in Memphis.”
He saw customers who live outside of Memphis “less frequently. A lot did not want to risk driving to Memphis from outlying areas. Collierville. Bartlett.”
Because of crime or the perception of it, they now feel it’s “a lot safer if you go out of the city limits. Asking someone to leave Collierville to come to
PHOTOS: MICHAEL DONAHUE
(above) Tim Barker a er Edge Alley closed; (below) Harrison Downing, Schuyler O’Brien, Cole Jeanes with their sons in 2023; (bottom) Andrew Ticer, Michael Donahue, Michael Hudman at Bishop in 2023
continued from page 17
town when you’ve got so many options is not something we can bank on.”
Will Fioranelli open another restaurant? “I have a passion for the business. But when you step out of this business and look in, you realize there are forces beyond your control at this point that you just can’t fight. A business in another area? Possibly. But right now I think I’m just going to grow my hair out like you did.”
The good news is more restaurants are opening.
ness began happening in August of last year, Westmoreland says. “And it has not let up.”
Sales at their restaurants, mostly Downtown, have been lower this year than last year. “May kicked everybody Downtown in the teeth. We didn’t even beat a normal month with all the events and stuff.”
The group’s Carolina Watershed at 141 East Carolina Avenue closed in January. “We put it on the market. We have a couple of people looking at it. We felt like we were going to get it sold before summer is over, but it hasn’t happened yet.”
Hard Times Deli at 655 Marshall Avenue in the Edge District has a planned fall opening. “We’re directly across the street from Sun Studio,” says Harrison Downing, one of the chef/owners along with Schuyler O’Brien and Cole Jeanes. “It’s the building next door to the Edge Motor Museum.”
The famous hamburger-making “Patty Daddy” members of the “Secret Smash Society” will serve “elevated deli sandwiches.” It’s similar to how Kinfolk, which is owned by Jeanes, does its elevated breakfasts, Downing says. “We’ll take all our fine dining training and make it an elevated sandwich shop.”
With the “cost of food now” and “places closing,” opening a new restaurant is daunting. But, as for their concept, Downing says, “Everybody seems excited about us bringing this to Memphis.”
A news release says Cocozza American Italian owners Patrick and Deni Reilly, who also own the Majestic Grill, are slated to open a second location of the restaurant this winter at 919 South Yates. It states, “The Reillys look to fill the same niche for busy East Memphis families as they do at their original location in Harbor Town, by providing family-friendly, classic American Italian fare in a casual full-service restaurant with a fun, funky dining room that evokes memories of eating in your favorite grandmother’s kitchen.”
But, Westmoreland says, they might put in a pop-up for their new Memphis Original Gangsta Fried Chicken restaurant at the old Carolina Watershed until the new restaurant opens at 786 Echols Street. Chef Duncan Aiken will be serving his “gangsta fried chicken” with his special sauce at the pop-up as well as the new restaurant. And he’ll serve soul food, including corn bread, mac and cheese, greens, and smashed potatoes. “It’s going to be like a chicken spot with some sides. That will probably be September before we get that one rolling.”
Uncle Red’s, which was going to open at the Echols address, is now going to open in August at 2583 Broad Avenue, the original site of Salt|Soy, which has now combined with Alchemy Memphis at 940 Cooper Street. Uncle Red’s will serve smoked turkey legs based on family recipes from FreeSol, lead singer of the alternative band also called FreeSol. FreeSol, aka Christopher Anderson, will be the operating partner at the restaurant, which will serve lunch and dinner. “It’ll be a fun menu. But the majority of it will be based around turkey and smoked products.”
Meanwhile, the Tandem Restaurant Group is moving and shaking things up around town.
Ben Yay’s at 51 South Main Street is closing “probably at the end of this month,” says Tony Westmoreland with the group which owns Ben Yay’s.
Why? “There’s just absolutely no traffic down there.”
But, he adds, “We’re not going to lose the concept. We’re going to move the concept to Sugar Grits.”
That will make Sugar Grits at 150 Peabody Place, Suite 111, a combination of “North Carolina and Creoleinspired cuisines.”
Tandem, which owns several restaurants, has been busy. “We’re trying to pivot and use spaces we have commitments in. We’re not looking for anything brand-new.”
The “pinch” in the restaurant busi-
Front Street Deli, also owned by Tandem, is slated to be open by July 18th. The restaurant at 77 South Front Street will be run by Westmoreland, Aiken, Stephanie Westmoreland, Julien Salley, and Nick Scott. “Duncan is doing the sandwich portion and part of the pasta portion. And Nick is finishing up the pasta portion.”
The pasta portion will feature their new brand, “Pasta Cosa Nostra,” which will be pasta served in small containers so people can walk up and down the street and eat it.
Another Tandem business, Old Zinnie’s, which has been closed since May, will be back. The bar/restaurant at 1688 Madison Avenue will be called “Zinnie’s,” but they will primarily serve authentic-style Phillys — Philadelphia shaved steak. The real Phillys. And Cheese Whiz.”
They plan to reopen Zinnie’s in August, if not sooner. “We’re doing a little bit of remodeling right now ’cause it just needs a cleanup. We will be reopening as non-smoking. So, that’s going to be your game changer.”
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Have you ever been given a Starbucks gift card but then neglected to use it? Many people fail to cash in such freebies. Believe it or not, there are also folks who buy lottery tickets that turn out to have the winning number — but they never actually claim their rewards. Don’t be like them in the coming weeks, Aries. Be aggressive about cashing in on the offers you receive, even subtle and shy offers. Don’t let invitations and opportunities go to waste. Be alert for good luck, and seize it.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The coming weeks will be a favorable time to enhance your relationship with food. In every way you can imagine, be smart and discerning as you plan and eat your meals. Here are ideas to ponder: 1. Do you know exactly which foods are best for your unique body? 2. Are you sufficiently relaxed and emotionally present when you eat? 3. Could you upgrade your willpower to ensure you joyfully gravitate toward what’s healthiest? 4. Do you have any bad habits you could outgrow? 5. Is your approach to eating affected by problematic emotions that you could heal? 6. Are you willing to try improving things incrementally without insisting on being perfect?
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Hybridization could be a fun theme for you in the coming weeks. You’re likely to align yourself with cosmic rhythms if you explore the joys and challenges of creating amalgamations, medleys, and mash-ups. Your spirit creatures will be the liger, which is a cross between a lion and a tiger, and a mule, a cross between a horse and a donkey. But please note that your spirit creatures will not be impossible hybrids like a giroose (a cross between a giraffe and a moose) or a coyadger (a cross between a coyote and a badger). It’s good to be experimental and audacious in your mixing and matching, but not lunatic delusional.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In the biblical allegory of Noah and the Ark, God warns Noah about an impending flood and commands him to build a giant lifeboat to save living things from extinction. Noah obeys. When the heavy rains come, he, his family, and many creatures board the boat to weather the storm. After 40 days and nights of inundation, they are all safe but stranded in a newly created sea. Hoping for a sign of where they might seek sanctuary, Noah sends out a dove to reconnoiter for dry land. But it returns with no clues. A week later, Noah dispatches a second dove. It returns with an olive leaf, showing that the Earth is drying out and land is nearby. Dear Leo, your adventure isn’t as dire and dramatic as Noah’s, but I’m happy to tell you it’s time for you to do the equivalent of sending two doves out to explore.
Rob Brezsny
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): According to an ancient Chinese proverb, “An ant on the move does more than a dozing ox.” I will add a corollary: An ant may be able to accomplish feats an ox can’t. For instance, I have observed an ant carrying a potato chip back to its nest, and I doubt that an ox could tote a potato chip without mangling it. Anyway, Virgo, this is my way of telling you that if you must choose between your inspiration being an ant or an ox in the coming days, choose the ant. Be meticulous, persistent, and industrious rather than big, strong, and rugged.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): “If it sounds too good to be true, it always is,” said stage magician Ricky Jay. I only partially agree with him. While I think it’s usually wise to use his formula as a fundamental principle, I suspect it won’t entirely apply to you in the coming weeks. At least one thing and possibly as many as three may sound too good to be true — but will in fact be true. So if you’re tempted to be hyperskeptical, tamp down that attitude a bit. Open yourself to the possibilities of amazing grace and minor miracles.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): What is the largest thing ever sold in human history? It was a 530-million-acre chunk of land in North America. In 1803, the French government sold it to the American government for $15 million. It stretched from what’s now Louisiana to Montana. Here’s the twist to the story: The land peddled by France and acquired by the U.S. actually belonged to the Indigenous people who had lived there for many generations. The two nations pretended they had the right to make the transaction. I bring this to your attention, Scorpio, because the coming weeks will be an excellent time for you to make a big, important purchase or sale — as long as you have the authentic rights to do so. Make sure there are no hidden agendas or strings attached. Be thorough in your vetting.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): An antiques dealer named Laura Young bought a marble bust of a distinguished man at a thrift store in Austin, Texas. Later she discovered that it was over 2,000 years old and worth far more than the $35 she had paid for it. It depicted a Roman military leader named Drusus the Elder. I foresee similar themes unfolding in your life, Sagittarius. Possible variations: 1. You come into possession of something that’s more valuable than it initially appears. 2. You connect with an influence that’s weightier than it initially appears. 3. A lucky accident unfolds, bringing unexpected goodies. 4. A seemingly ordinary thing turns out to be an interesting thing in disguise.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): In 1986, Cancerian singersongwriter George Michael released his song “A Different Corner.” It was a big hit. Never before in British pop music had an artist done what Michael accomplished: wrote, sang, arranged, and produced the tune, and played all the instruments. I foresee the possibility of a similar proficiency in your near future, Cancerian — if you want it. Maybe you would prefer to collaborate with others in your big projects, but if you choose, you could perform minor miracles all by yourself.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): My childhood friend Jeanine used to say, “The best proof of friendship is when someone gives you half their candy bar. The best proof of fantastic friendship is when they give you even more than half.” And then she would hand me more than half of her Snickers bar, Milky Way, or Butterfinger. In accordance with astrological omens, I invite you to give away at least half your candy to those you care for in the coming days. It’s a phase of your astrological cycle when you will benefit from offering extra special affection and rewards to the allies who provide you with so much love and support.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): If you’re a teacher, it’s a favorable time to enjoy a stint as a student — and vice versa. If you’re a healthcare worker trained in Western medicine, it’s an excellent phase to explore alternative healing practices. If you’re a scientist, I suggest you read some holy and outrageous poetry, and if you’re a sensitive, introverted mystic, get better informed about messy political issues. In other words, dear Aquarius, open a channel to parts of reality you normally ignore or neglect. Fill in the gaps in your education. Seek out surprise and awakening.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Jane Brunette, a writer I admire, uses the made-up work “plurk” to refer to her favorite activity: a blend of play and work. I have always aspired to make that my core approach, too. I play at my work and work at my play. As much as possible, I have fun while I’m doing the labor-intensive tasks that earn me a living and fulfill my creative urges. And I invoke a disciplined, diligent attitude as I pursue the tasks and projects that bring me pleasure and amusement. I highly recommend you expand and refine your own ability as a plurker in the coming weeks, Pisces. (Jane Brunette is here: flamingseed.com)
FILM By Chris McCoy
Panic Attack
Nicolas Cage is terrifying as a serial killer in Longlegs
The Silence of the Lambs is frequently credited as the lm that made horror respectable. Jonathan Demme’s 1991 Best Picture winner was not the rst horror lm recognized by the Academy — e Exorcist was the rst horror movie to be nominated for Best Picture, and ultimately took home two Oscars in 1973. But when Silence won the Best Picture/Best Director/Best Actor/ Best Actress/Best Adapted Screenplay combo, the genie was out of the bottle for good.
Silence’s in uence has reverberated through the decades. “Serial killer stories” have become their own subgenre. Without Jodie Foster’s indelible turn as Clarice Starling, there would be no Dana Scully on e X-Files, for example. Maika Monroe’s character Lee Harker in Longlegs also owes her existence to Foster’s genius. Her foil, a serial killer who calls himself Longlegs, has Hannibal Lecter’s eerily insane genius about him. But where
Longlegs isn’t bad. Really. It’s got Nicolas Cage, who plays a pretty convincing creepy serial killer.
Anthony Hopkins brought an eerie stillness to Lecter, Nicolas Cage brings … well, Nicolas Cage.
A er an opening ashback to her childhood in the 1970s, we see Agent Harker on assignment for the FBI, going door to door searching for a killer in a normal-looking suburb circa 1995. She somehow knows exactly which house the suspect is hiding in, which turns out to have disastrous consequences. In the rst of several striking psychedelic sequences director Osgood Perkins drops throughout the lm, she is called to take a test to see if she has psychic powers. When she scores high on the test, she is assigned to assist Agent Carter (Blair Underwood) on the Longlegs case. It’s
Where Anthony Hopkins brought an eerie stillness to Hannibal Lecter, Nicolas Cage brings … well, Nicolas Cage.
a ba ing situation: a series of murdersuicides covering decades. But these seemingly unrelated cases are all united by the presence of mysterious letters
written in code and signed “Longlegs.” How is the killer persuading fathers to murder their whole families, then leaving without any physical trace?
e answer will require cryptography, a little telepathy, and a deep dive into Harker’s past.
Perkins has a knack for deeply unsettling visual compositions. e rst time we see Cage as Longlegs, his eyes are cropped out of the shot, emphasizing his creepy psychopath grin. Longlegs, with a modest budget of $10 million, lacks ashy CGI or
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gratuitous gore. Instead, Perkins relies on character work, impeccable staging, creative camera moves, and, when he is finally revealed as the villain, an all-out sensory assault by Cage. Everybody needs to stop pretending Nic isn’t a genius. He’s one of the greatest actors of our time. Everything about Longlegs, from his unnatural paleness to his obsession with glam rock mystic band T. Rex, screams “dangerously insane.”
Monroe is compelling, if a little one-note, as the deeply damaged investigator whose life intrudes on her investigation. She has great chemistry with Alicia Witt, who plays her mother, a homebody hoarder and religious fanatic who is both the traumatizer and the traumatized.
Blair Underwood’s dark humor as Harker’s boss provides a welcome counterpoint to Monroe’s twitchy neuroses, until Perkins turns the relationship on its head.
I’ll admit to having pretty low expectations for Longlegs, and I was a little surprised when my Friday night screening was sold out. Not everything Perkins tries works (and while his experimental streak appeals to me, it might put some folks off), but most of what he’s throwing against the wall sticks. It’s once again proof that when you hire Nicolas Cage, you always get your money’s worth.
Longlegs
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SELL, TRADE
THE LAST WORD By
Alice Faye Duncan
The Making of Willye White
From the Mississippi Delta to the Olympic Games.
I made a great discovery during the summer of 2015. While driving through the Mississippi Delta, a sign welcomed me to Greenwood, “Home of 5-Time Olympian, Willye B. White.” Who? I did a Google search. Willye B. White was a Black girl born with fast feet like Hermes. Running from work in cotton elds, she raced in international track competitions from 1956 to 1972.
I was teaching school. ere was no time to research Willye’s life. But in 2020, the pandemic shuttered school, and in the quietness, I remembered Willye White and that welcome sign. e pandemic made space for me to document the achievements of this U.S. Olympian — Black, female, poor, and signi cant to Tennessee history. My research began on the phone. Former Olympic swimmer Donna de Varona encouraged me to contact Pat Connolly. Connolly and White called themselves “soul sisters.” Connolly is a retired pentathlete and coach who trained U.S. Olympians Evelyn Ashford and Allyson Felix. She put me in contact with former Olympian and Tennessee State University (TSU) track star, Ralph Boston. My uncle, Hugh Strong, connected me with former Olympian, TSU Tigerbelle, and Memphis educator Margaret Wilburn.
Boston and Wilburn ran with White at TSU. ey remembered her to be a resilient athlete and charismatic talker who was called “Mississippi Red” because of her ginger hair. Interviews served me a three-dimensional view of Willye. She was a runner, world traveler, and wise woman, quick with sage observations. For instance, when it came to brutal challenges on the track and in the crucible of the Jim Crow South, she said, “People are always trying to take away my smile, but it’s mine, and they can’t have it.”
A er speaking with Willye’s friends, I wrote the rst biography about one of the greatest U.S. Olympians to go uncelebrated in the history books. With palpable excitement, as we approach the 2024 Summer Olympics, the ampli cation of Willye’s valor begins with me.
Willye White was the rst American to compete for 20 consecutive years during ve Olympic Games in track and eld. She sprinted and jumped as a member of 39 U.S. international teams, including the rst team to visit the Soviet Union in 1958 and rst team to visit China in 1975. She set seven world records. And for nearly two decades, Willye was the best female long jumper in the nation with a career high of 21 feet, 6 inches. White’s maternal grandparents, Louis and Edna Brown, were unskilled laborers who raised her up in Greenwood. ey inspired her love for learning. Despite Willye’s reading challenges, she graduated high school in 1959. She graduated Chicago State University in 1976. When she was in h grade, her older cousin Vee invited Willye to try out for her high school track team. Willye made the team and sports fueled her self-con dence. She said, “Athletics were my freedom. Freedom from ignorance, freedom from segregation.”
Olympians trained without corporate sponsorship in Willye’s day. So she supported herself working full-time in a Chicago hospital, while training before and a er work. Her passion for track was a free ticket to see the world. At 16 years old, in 1956, she participated in her rst Olympic Games and won a silver medal in the women’s long jump. She was the rst American woman to medal in this event. Willye lived in Greenwood but trained during the summers in Nashville, Tennessee, with Ed Temple, the women’s track coach at TSU. Training in Nashville was her escape from picking cotton. And upon high school graduation in 1959, Willye joined Ed Temple’s TSU Tigerbelles as a freshman. Olympic gold medalist Wilma Rudolph was her Tigerbelle teammate and friend. It was Coach Temple who nicknamed Willye White “Mississippi Red.” When Red started socializing o campus and missing curfew, Temple canceled her scholarship. She withdrew from TSU in 1960 and moved to Chicago. Temple met Willye again in the summer of 1960 and 1964 when he coached the U.S. Women’s Olympic track teams in Rome and Tokyo. e two mended their di erences, and during the 1964 Games, he added her to the 4x100-meter relay race. With Wyomia Tyus, Edith McGuire, and Marilyn White, she won her second silver medal for the USA. Willye established her track career during the turbulent years of the Civil Rights Movement. While Dr. King marched in street protests, Willye contributed to Black progress on the track with muscle and might. At the end of her track career in 1972, she served as a Chicago city administrator. She also coached student athletes. Willye’s winning mantra was, “If it is to be, it is up to me, because I believe in me!”
Mississippi Red died in 2007 from pancreatic cancer. e city of Chicago named an athletic complex in her honor. You can visit the Willye B. White Park at 1610 W. Howard Street, Chicago, Illinois. Alice Faye Duncan is the o cial biographer for U.S. Olympian and TSU Tigerbelle, Willye B. White. Traveling Shoes is the story of Willye’s grace and grit. You can nd more books from the author at alicefayeduncan.com.
fueled
PHOTO: ERICA DUNLAP Alice Faye Duncan
