Memphis Flyer 9/7/2023

Fall Fairs & Festivals

PHOTO: DISCIPLE PHOTOS Sunset Symphony at the Orion Free Concert Series

CICCI

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

ABIGAIL MORICI

Arts and Culture Editor

GENE GARD, EMILY GUENTHER, COCO JUNE, FRANK MURTAUGH

Contributing Columnists

SHARON BROWN, AIMEE STIEGEMEYER

Grizzlies Reporters

ANDREA FENISE

Fashion Editor

KENNETH NEILL

Founding Publisher

CARRIE BEASLEY

Senior Art Director

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Advertising Art Director

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Graphic Designer

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Advertising Director Emeritus

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Warehouse and Delivery Manager

JANICE GRISSOM ELLISON, KAREN MILAM, DON MYNATT, TAMMY NASH, RANDY ROTZ, LEWIS TAYLOR, WILLIAM WIDEMAN

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OUR 1802ND ISSUE 09.07.23

Bank accounts, investment funds, appointments, bill pay, concert tickets, emails, streaming entertainment, home security systems, Uber rides, air travel — these are just a handful of things much of society manages today via the internet. So what happens if a site crashes, an app malfunctions, or the net goes down?

Some of you may have noticed that in our little corner of the World Wide Web, the Flyer site went kaput for a couple of days last week. On the backend, where we upload stories for online publishing, our team was welcomed with a “critical error” message, alternated with a “502 Bad Gateway.” Visitors to memphisflyer.com — or anyone clicking previously active links shared out on social media — found a mostly blank white screen with “internal error” in small letters across the top. For our editorial staff, not being information technology specialists in the least, these error messages were quite alarming. While we do produce a print product, we rely on the web to get fresh content — not found in the weekly hard copies — out to our readers throughout the week between the printed issues. Attempts to log on were fruitless, and we sat with hands tied, plugging away at interviews and stories in the meantime, until our IT gurus worked their troubleshooting magic behind the scenes to sort out the problem. It did get sorted, and all is well. But what was merely a blip in the big picture left me with lingering concerns — and not just about memphisflyer.com.

The world has been digitized. We can — and do — purchase just about everything we need online. Our savings accounts are simply numbers on a screen when we sign in to our banking institutions’ websites or apps. Many businesses — from fast food to music venues to transit and much in between — have gone (or are going) cashless, meaning you need a card, connected to an account managed almost solely online. We read books online via electronic devices. Scan QR codes to gain entry into events. Navigate trips with pleasant automated voices telling us which way to turn. Post happy birthdays to Facebook. Order food and grocery deliveries. We effectively make entire transactions with the little black rectangles in our hands, via the internet. No check books, no paper tickets, no maps. We only need the invisible, inexplicable (to most) connection to the World Wide Web to complete a myriad of tasks.

While researching for this column, I had no fewer than 10 tabs open to various pages — our work Slack channel, my Gmail account, the Google document in which I originally typed this text, the Flyer site, our website management hub, and several pages linked to stories that appeared with a search on this topic. This will age me, but I’m sure some of you can relate: I remember when researching for a school paper or college essay required a visit to the library or the scouring of a physical Encyclopedia Britannica set. (Did you know the final 32-volume printed edition was published in 2010? It now exclusively exists as an online encyclopedia.) Working on a short deadline with the Labor Day holiday, I’d have had to start my research much sooner, digging for relevant magazine articles, academic journals, and the like if I wanted to include any concrete stats or legitimate references.

So, yes, the internet has allowed us the convenience of unlimited information — and access to literally anything — at our fingertips. But with some cost. We no longer have to retain information (or work very hard to get it). What film do I recognize that actor from? Google it. How long does it take to drive from Memphis to Fargo, North Dakota? Google it. Do turtles have a sense of smell? Hey, Google … And we’d be pretty screwed if our work disappeared into the internet ether or the numbers in our bank accounts were no longer accessible. According to statista.com, “As of April 2023, there were 5.18 billion internet users worldwide, which amounted to 64.6 percent of the global population.”

NEWS & OPINION

THE FLY-BY - 4

A March 2021 Pew Research Center story, “About three-in-ten U.S. adults say they are ‘almost constantly’ online,” dives into our inadvertent reliance, noting two years ago that 85 percent of Americans “say they go online on a daily basis.”

POLITICS - 8

FINANCE - 9

AT LARGE - 10

COVER STORY

“FALL FAIRS & FESTIVALS”

BY ABIGAIL MORICI - 12

WE RECOMMEND - 18

MUSIC - 19

AFTER DARK - 20

CALENDAR - 22

NY TIMES CROSSWORD - 22

FOOD - 23

METAPHYSICAL CONNECTION - 25

NEWS OF THE WEIRD - 26

ASTROLOGY - 27

FILM - 28

CLASSIFIEDS - 30

LAST WORD - 31

And people were skeptical about this many years before it took such a firm hold. A Kalamazoo Gazette staffer explored the topic on mlive.com in 2010 with “Are people too dependent on the Internet?” A Teen Ink contributor answered (sort of) in 2013 with “WE ARE TOO DEPENDENT ON THE INTERNET.”

While I’m not a fan of all-caps, I think the then-teen writer wanted to make their stance clear. And, for better or worse, they weren’t wrong.

Shara Clark shara@memphisflyer.com

SHARA

7-13, 2023

Questions, Answers + Attitude

Edited by Toby Sells

{CITY REPORTER

By Flyer Staff

Memphis on the internet.

THEFTS ON NEXTDOOR

Cathy Allen’s security cameras caught the person on the right brazenly walk to her Midtown porch last week, steal a wreath hanging from her door, and calmly walk away. Mary Helen Randall reported on Nextdoor that someone stole an “enormous potted plant” from her porch in a the that seemed planned.

Jordan Stallings said someone busted their car window to “destroy my car and steal my half-empty bottles of Bath & Body Works perfume.” Rachel Harrison said her car window was busted for “a work backpack with chargers, umbrella, and deodorant.”

“I don’t even know what to do,” she wrote on Nextdoor. “It’s almost pointless to report to the police because they cannot do anything.”

STARFIELD LEAKER

A Memphis man was arrested last week for allegedly stealing and trying to resell copies of Bethesda’s openworld, sci- epic Star eld video game before its o cial launch, according to gaming site Kotaku.

Darin Harris allegedly uploaded videos of gameplay and of himself shipping copies of the game at a local FedEx store. (H/t to u/THE_YoStabbaStabba on Reddit.)

TIGER TIME

Breathing Easier

Sterilization Services of Tennessee will shutter its “toxic” South Memphis facility next year.

Sterilization Services of Tennessee (SST) will close its Memphis facility by April 30, 2024, according to the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC).

The company uses ethylene oxide (EtO) in its South Memphis facility to sterilize medical equipment. The gas is odorless, colorless, and a known carcinogen.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found levels of the chemical around SST were 20 times above standards for acceptable risk.

A class action lawsuit led last month claims a group of South Memphis residents have su ered cancer, miscarriages, spinal disorders, and more from the toxic emissions.

SELC and Memphis Community Against Pollution (MCAP) said last Wednesday the company told U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Memphis) in a letter that it planned to shutter the facility.

e move comes less than a year a er the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rst rung warning bells about the emissions in a public meeting with residents. Since then, the company, its EtO emissions, and its inaction to reduce them have come under increasing public scrutiny and criticism.

e Shelby County Health Department (SCHD) has said the facility is now operating within the law and the agency can’t act against them. New rules on those emissions from the EPA have been promised but could take years to actually reduce them in South Memphis.

KeShaun Pearson, president of MCAP, said the closing is a result of “people power.”

Tennessee plant have been exposed to toxic ethylene oxide pollution for far too long, and we are pleased that they may soon be able to breathe easier,” Garcia said in a statement. “But there is an air pollution emergency right now in South Memphis, and Sterilization Services of Tennessee should close and relocate as quickly as they can.”

A er the EPA’s initial warning about EtO around the SST facility, the SCHD and the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) reviewed areas around the company’s facility. Speci cally, they were looking for heightened cases of leukemia, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, stomach cancer, and breast cancer. e study found no major clusters of the cancers compared to a group of residents away from the facility. But the good news came with a caveat.

“Just because we cannot nd evidence of increased rates of cancer that are associated with EtO does not mean there may not be increased risk,” the report reads.

e Memphis Zoo’s

into their exhibit last week. e YouTube video is worth a look.

“When we band together, speak truth to power, and ght back against industrial polluters in our communities, justice is realized,” Pearson said in a statement. “But eight months is a long time, and neighborhoods in South Memphis shouldn’t be forced to continue to live with cancercausing pollution. We urge local leaders to better protect communities near the Sterilization Services of Tennessee plant until its long-overdue closure.”

SELC senior attorney Amanda Garcia urged the company to move more quickly to reduce risk and possible harm.

“Families living near the Sterilization Services of

e company has used EtO here since the 1970s. e SCHD has permitted the facility since 1985. e EPA did not begin regulating emissions of EtO until 1994.

Many local leaders, including the Memphis City Council, have publicly asked the company to voluntarily reduce the EtO emissions from the facility. But SST has been publicly silent on the matter.

e Memphis lawsuit against the company seeks awards for damages, a jury trial, awards for legal fees and litigation costs, and more. It lays out charges on four counts — ultra hazardous activity, gross negligence, negligence, and charges that label the facility a public and private nuisance.

two new tiger cubs, Nakal and Suci, took their rst steps

POSTED TO NEXTDOOR BY CATHY ALLEN

POSTED TO YOUTUBE BY MEMPHIS ZOO

POSTED TO FACEBOOK BY ASHENSLINKY

PHOTO: GOOGLE MAPS

Sterilization Services of Tennessee has used toxic ethylene oxide to sterilize medical equipment at its Memphis facility since the 1970s.

Defaced {

CITY REPORTER

By Kailynn Johnson

Accusations swirl a er Bonner’s campaign headquarters covered in signs.

Decarcerate Memphis said last week it was not responsible for the “vandalization” of Memphis mayoral candidate Shelby County Sheri Floyd Bonner’s campaign headquarters.

Early last week, Bonner’s campaign headquarters was reportedly defaced with signs saying “52 Dead” and “Bodybag Bonner,” as well as the names of people who had died at the Shelby County Jail.

“Decarcerate Memphis is not responsible for the action that took place Sunday evening at Sheri Bonner’s campaign headquarters,” said the group in a statement.

According to their website, Decarcerate Memphis is an organization that exists to “apply common sense strategies and a community-oriented approach to the problematic system of policing. We do this by demanding funds are equitably allocated and resisting the criminalization of the poor.” ey are a group comprised of community leaders, activists, attorneys, strategists, and clergy.

e organization shared a video to their social media pages last week show-

ing protesters and organizers defacing Bonner’s campaign headquarters with the caption “#bodybagBonner is on the lam. He’s bad for 201 and bad for the 901.”

While the organization shared the video, in their statement they said they “are a part of a broad coalition and shared the video to stand in solidarity with those who performed the action.”

In a post, shared early last week, which has now been deleted, KWAM news anchor Ben Deeter shared a statement from Bonner, in which he named Decarcerate Memphis in association with the vandalization of his headquarters.

“Last night a group of radical activists who support my opponent vandalized our headquarters and are burning our yards.

e group ‘Decarcerate Memphis’ wants to defund the police and free dangerous prisoners from jail and we can’t let them win,” the statement said.

Bonner went on to say that while his campaign believes in “the power of free expression and peaceful protest,” the protests do not represent the values of the city.

Decarcerate Memphis responded to this claim on social media, saying that

HealthCare is B etter Together.

Bonner had made “false criminal accusations of ‘vandalism.’”

“Sheri Bonner has accused Decarcerate of vandalizing his headquarters when no evidence exists of this. Vandalism is the deliberate destruction of or damage to public or private property, neither of which happened as a result of this action,” the organization said in its statement. ey also said that Bonner’s broadcasting of “outright lies” is a “gross misuse of power.”

e group said it was “targeted” because of the work they do. ey said Bonner has ignored requests to meet with the group.

“He is a danger to the community as a sheri and if we do not pass transparency and accountability measures, there will be more cataclysmic outcomes for Black and

brown neighbors,” Decarcerate said. “We demand justice and accountability for the 50+ people who have died under his leadership and for Jarveon Hudspeth, who was killed by a sheri ’s deputy on June 24th.”

Prior to these claims, the group has made several public posts demanding answers for “the 50+ people who have died under his [Bonner’s] leadership.”

e Shelby County Jail, as well as Bonner, has been under scrutiny by many groups, such as Decarcerate Memphis. Under Bonner’s leadership as sheri , 40 people have died in the county jail, with at least 52 deaths occurring since 2016.

It was announced last week that the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation was investigating the death of 70-year-old omas Earl Williams, who died at the jail.

Care in the Mid-South

PHOTO: DECARCERATE MEMPHIS VIA INSTAGRAM Protesters criticize Floyd Bonner.

POLITICS By Jackson Baker

The Herenton Theory

Attentive veterans of Memphis politics — and of the city’s mayoral contests, in particular — tend to remember very few of the mayor’s races that have occurred since the pivotal year of 1991 as having been especially meaningful.

ere was the 1991 election itself, a genuine watershed event, which saw the election of former school superintendent Willie Herenton as the rst elected Black mayor in Memphis history.

ere was the 1999 showdown involving Herenton, running for his third term, and a crowded eld of challengers, the most signi cant of whom was undoubtedly local government veteran Joe Ford, who bore the hopes of his powerful and entrenched innercity political clan for taking over the reins of city government.

ere was the 2007 three-way contest between incumbent Herenton and two wellsupported challengers, Councilwoman Carol Chumney and former MLGW president Herman Morris.

It almost goes without saying that Herenton, the victor in all of these races, was the key player in each of them. It is even possible to speak of a generational slice of Memphis politics as having been e Herenton Era.

It might seem outwardly that such an era passed away, along with Herenton’s post-election wa ing a er 2007 and his decision ultimately to abandon his mayoral seat. As we know, it was won in a 2009 special election by then County Mayor AC Wharton, who won again in 2011 over Councilman Edmund Ford Sr.

Wharton was in his turn unseated by Councilman Jim Strickland, who won again in 2019.

But wait, here we go in one more mayoral election year, and who do we see again but Willie Herenton, who has literally won or been at the top of every poll so far conducted about the race?

For reasons of his own, the former mayor has chosen not to exploit his position in the polls to gain further traction in any of the season’s several concluded and still pending mayoral forums.

But he is aware of his standing, and he knows the in uence polling results have on elections. In the aforementioned 2007 mayoral race, the incumbent, then running for a h term, was under re from the electorate and knew it.

An expectant public, then and now, was all too well attuned to such polls as were made public. ere were two in the last weeks of the race when the main question on voters’ minds was who — Chumney or Morris — had the best chance to defeat Herenton. Interestingly, that may be the crucial question in this year’s race as well. And the answer came, in two successive polls, one of which showed Chumney as being closest to unseating Herenton, the other of which concluded for Morris.

e baseball term “Tie goes to the runner” can be invoked. Herenton outpolled both of his opponents.

e Herenton eory of the 2023 election is that whichever other candidate proves to be a true runner-up, poll-wise, to the venerable former mayor will inherit a ock of last-minute votes and go on to win.

e much-vaunted Emerson College poll, recently published by WREG, is of less help than it originally seemed. True, candidate Paul Young nished strongly behind Herenton in rstchoice votes for mayor. But opponent Floyd Bonner’s people point out that when strongly leaning uncommitteds are added to the total, the sheri and the Downtown Memphis Commission CEO are all tied up.

ey note further that the poll seems to over-sample, at 20 percent, millennials, a hotbed of Young’s support and a demographic group that normally votes in the 5-percent range.

Two points: (1) ere will be other polls between now and October 5th, and (2) is it possible that Herenton himself will win, as in 2007?

PHOTO: JACKSON BAKER Willie Herenton

Is the former mayor the Rosetta Stone of the 2023 race?

Early Retirement?

Looking to retire early? Here are seven things to consider.

Preparing for retirement takes deliberate, consistent planning and attention to detail. One important detail is timing, or the age at which you plan to retire. Having an anticipated retirement date allows you to align your savings and investing goals with the year you’ll need to begin withdrawing money. However, many workers discover they must retire earlier than expected. In fact, according to a retirement confidence survey from the Employee Benefit Research Institute, the median American’s retirement age is 62 years old, while workers’ median expected retirement age is 65.

Whether you’re forced to retire early due to health concerns, a job loss, caregiving responsibilities, or just the desire to leave the workforce, leaving your career sooner than expected can significantly impact your retirement plan. Below are seven tips to help you navigate an early retirement.

1. Understand your financial situation.

The first step in retiring earlier than expected is to check in on your financial situation. Evaluate your current savings, investments, and assets. Assess your monthly expenses and budget to gain a clear understanding of your current financial obligations. Determine how much you can reasonably spend each month while still preserving your retirement savings. Your wealth manager can help you assess and understand your current financial situation and any potential challenges you should be aware of.

2. Set clear retirement goals.

The next step is to define your retirement goals. What do you hope your retirement will look like? How will you spend your time? Whom do you wish to support? What will bring you fulfillment? Having a clear vision of your desired retirement lifestyle can help guide your decision-making process and allow you to prioritize your spending. Return to these goals often as you navigate the various aspects of your finances.

3. Develop a savings strategy.

Because you’re retiring early, your savings will need to stretch over a longer period of time. If you’re still in the workforce, maximize your savings potential by cutting unnecessary expenses and increasing your contributions to your employer-sponsored retirement account. Depending on your modified adjusted gross income for the year, you may also consider contributing to IRAs or Roth IRAs. Make a goal to save

as aggressively as possible during your final years in the workforce. Your wealth manager can help you identify the best account vehicles for your additional savings.

4. Plan for healthcare expenses. Healthcare costs are often one of the biggest expenses faced by retirees. If you need to retire earlier than expected, it’s important to have a plan in place for paying for healthcare. Explore your options for health insurance coverage, including COBRA, Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans, or private insurance.

5. Evaluate alternative income sources. Retiring early doesn’t necessarily mean you need to give up all sources of income. Explore opportunities to generate income in retirement, such as freelancing, consulting, part-time work, or starting a side business. Also consider more passive income sources, such as investing in real estate, if the circumstances are right.

6. Adjust your retirement lifestyle. Retiring earlier than expected may require you to make some adjustments to your lifestyle and spending habits. Carefully review your expenses to identify areas where you can cut back without compromising your mental and physical well-being. Consider downsizing your home or reducing your travel and entertainment expenses.

Before making any major changes, revisit your retirement priorities (see #2 above) to ensure your decisions align with your goals. By making conscious choices, you may be able to better stretch your savings without significantly impacting your long-term goals.

7. Continuously monitor and adjust accordingly.

Once you retire, it’s important to remain financially vigilant. Regularly review your overall financial situation, including your investments, budget, and progress toward your goals. Make adjustments as necessary based on market conditions and your ever-evolving financial life. Stay informed and engaged with your finances to help ensure your continued financial security.

Gene Gard, CFA, CFP, CFT-I, is a Partner and Private Wealth Manager with Creative Planning. Creative Planning is one of the nation’s largest Registered Investment Advisory firms providing comprehensive wealth management services to ensure all elements of a client’s financial life are working together, including investments, taxes, estate planning, and risk management. For more information, visit CreativePlanning.com.

ROLL ON DOWN!

AT LARGE By Bruce VanWyngarden

Age Before Duty

Did you see the latest Mitch McConnell moment last week? For the second time in recent weeks, the minority leader of the Senate just “froze,” seemingly unable to move or speak for almost 30 seconds a er hearing a reporter’s question. An aide came forward, grasped his arm, and asked if he heard the question. McConnell mumbled, “Yes,” but continued to stand motionless for a bit longer.

e 81-year-old McConnell fell and su ered a concussion in March, and was subsequently away from his job for several weeks. e reoccurrence of a freeze moment renewed questions about his ability to continue to lead the Republicans in the Senate.

e New York Times interviewed two neurologists who viewed video of the incident and said it could have been a “mini-stroke” or “partial seizure.” A spokesperson for McConnell’s o ce did not share any further details about the incident, including whether or not the senator had seen a doctor. McConnell has continued to insist that he will run for reelection. Ironically, that was the very question that sent the senator into his second freeze.

ere have been similarly troubling incidents with Senator Dianne Feinstein of California. Now 89, the senator missed 91 votes over the course of several months last winter and spring due to medical issues with shingles, facial paralysis, and encephalitis. She returned to the Senate in April, but appeared confused when questioned by reporters. “I haven’t been gone,” she said. “I’ve been here and voting.” Nope, sorry, Dianne. You’ve been gone. Feinstein, like McConnell, is insistent that she will nish her term, which ends in 2025.

If you watched or read any right-wing media, you’d quickly get the impression that President Joe Biden is in worse shape than either McConnell or Feinstein. ere are countless memes and deceptively edited videos on social media and conservative cable channels that show the 80-yearold Biden as a gibbering, dementia-ridden geezer. Fox News hosts ride this horse on a daily basis: Biden is too mentally incompetent to be president. We can expect this drumbeat to only get louder as we enter the election year of 2024.

Judging from the unedited videos I’ve watched of Biden speaking in impromptu situations in recent weeks, he does not appear to be mentally impaired. He talks in complete sentences and seems to have a grasp on the issues he’s discussing. He

misspeaks occasionally, but the man does have a lifelong stuttering problem. His probable opponent for the presidency, Donald Trump, is only two-and-a-half years younger and is himself no stranger to verbal ga es.

For the record, I don’t think we’re sending our best people for this job. It’s like we have two old guys climbing rickety ladders to a third-story window and voters are hoping their guy doesn’t fall o rst. I think the Democrats’ old guy is by far the saner choice, but making long-term plans with people at these candidates’ ages is fraught with peril. Just ask Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Oops. Sorry. Maybe ask Feinstein or McConnell? Oh, wait, never mind.

And don’t talk to me about the supposed third-party candidates. Robert Kennedy Jr.? Loon. Cornel West? Loon. Who else you got? Tulsi Gabbard? Loon. None of them have a chance to do anything other than possibly throw the election into chaos. And we already have a pretty good shot at that happening with just two candidates.

Trump polls as the most-disliked politician in America, blathers like a narcissistic fool, and is built like a pierogi — not exactly the picture of mental or physical health. But his base doesn’t care what he says or does or looks like. Trump could freeze in the middle of Fi h Avenue for an hour and it wouldn’t matter.

Biden has good cases to make on the economy, unemployment, prescription drugs, infrastructure, abortion rights, LGBTQ issues, and the environment. His policies are in line with the majority of voters, according to most polls. But even so, all it will take is one McConnelllike moment for the president and the hounds of hell will be unleashed, the news lled with “Is Joe Biden too old?” stories. At that point, the Democrats can release all the Bikin’ Biden videos in the world and it won’t dispel the fact that he’s 80 and looks his age. It’s going to be an interesting year, I’m afraid.

PHOTO: BAROL16 | DREAMSTIME.COM

A striking resemblance

Here’s hoping Biden keeps his wits about him.

2023-2024 SEASON 25TH ANNIVERSARY

NEIL DIAMOND

Legacy

OCT.

MORGAN MYLES & JAY ALLEN

Hot New Country

OCT. 28 / 7:30P.M.

Enjoy two acts in one night with country musicians Morgan Myles & Jay Allen from Season 2022 of The Voice, performing their own songs, & ending the show together.

Folk Icon CRYSTAL GAYLE

NOV. 3 / 7:30P.M.

Here’s your chance to experience Crystal Gayle! Savor Cyrstal’s hits like DON’T IT MAKE MY BROWN EYES BLUE –TOO MANY LOVERS – TALKING IN YOUR SLEEP – & more.

An Evening With HENRY CHO

NOV.

Henry Cho’s clean comedy about southern living leaves crowds in stitches! Heard on SiriusXM Radio, seen in Vince Gill & Amy Grant’s SAVING FAITH, & a Grand Ole Opry member, Cho will tickle your funny bone!

THE DILLARDS Launched Country Rock

NOV. 17 / 7:30P.M.

From The Darlings on the Andy Griffi th Show to the pioneers of Country Rock. The Dillards inspired bands like The Byrds & Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Glenn Frey credits the Eagles iconic sound to The Dillards!

ABBA REVISITED

JAN. 13 / 3:00 & 7:30P.M.

Great Family Fun MARK NIZER 4-D THEATER

NOV. 18 / 2:00P.M.

Nizer combines jugging, comedy & technology to create an unbelievable 4-D experience! Audiences will be given their own 4-D Glasses making the laser show pop.

Up & Coming Country CHAPEL HART

DEC.

PETER PAN

Broadway’s

MAR. 8, 9 / 7:30P.M. & MAR. 10 / 2:00P.M.

Fly with Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, & the Darling children to Neverland for a timeless adventure. With songs like I’M FLYING – I’VE GOTTA CROW –NEVER NEVER LAND…Make memories with Peter Pan!

Abba was one of the most popular bands of all time! Their music inspired the Broadway musical & hit fi lm Mamma Mia. Enjoy songs like DANCING QUEEN – TAKE A CHANCE ON ME – FERNANDO.

JAN. 26 / 7:30P.M.

From small town Mississippi, Chapel Hart grabs your heart! Got a Golden Buzzer on America’s Got Talent, & played Grand Ol’ Opry. You’ll love their clever lyrics, playful energy, & beautiful three-part harmony.

Not to be Missed LEIGH NASH

APR. 6 / 7:30P.M.

Lead singer of the alternative Christian band Sixpence None the Richer, with hit songs like GOOD TROUBLE. Solo career includes mega hits KISS ME –THERE SHE GOES. For a memorable concert, experience Leigh Nash!

OTHER OUTSTANDING SHOWS

TOM WOPAT Dukes of Hazzard & Broadway

APR. 19 / 7:30P.M.

From his breakout role as Luke Duke in The Dukes of Hazzard to his Tony-nominated portrayal of Frank Butler in the Broadway revival of Annie Get Your Gun, join Tom Wopat for this one-of-a-kind concert.

EVERLY BROTHERS HOLIDAY SHOW – DINOSAUR QUEST – HOTEL CALIFORNIA – THE NUTCRACKER BARTLETT COMMUNITY CONCERT BAND – THE TEMPEST – MUSIC BY THE LAKE BUY 5 OR MORESAVESHOWS 25%

By Abigail Morici

Fall Fairs & Festivals

Yet another season has come and gone, and it’s once again time for the Flyer’s Fall Fairs & Festivals guide. You won’t want to miss any of the events written about here, so get your calendars and sparkly gel pens out and start planning.

SEPTEMBER

Orion Free Concert Series

You’re free to do what you want any old time, and one of the best ways to spend your free time is doing something that’s free. So why not attend one or many of Overton Park Shell’s concerts this fall — all a part of the Orion Free Concert Series?

Overton Park Shell, various dates in September and October

Delta Fair & Music Festival

Carnival rides, live music, attractions, livestock shows, oh boy, there’s so much going on every day at the Delta Fair. Agricenter International, through September 10

Southern Heritage Classic Cultural Celebration

Kick o the season with the Southern Heritage Classic Cultural Celebration. Sure, there’s the rivalry football game between Arkansas-Pine Blu and Tennessee State, but there’s also a ton of non-

football events to check out, from the parade to a concert starring the “empress of soul” Gladys Knight. Various locations, September 7-9

Germantown Festival

e weens are coming! e weens are coming! ey’re here to compete in the best Running of the Weenies dachshund race around. And that, of course, would be at the Germantown Festival, which happens to be celebrating its 50th anniversary. is year’s festival will be complete with arts and cra s, children’s activities, rides and games, entertainment, and more.

Germantown Civic Club Complex, September 9-10

International Goat Days Festival

If loving goats is baaaaad, I don’t want to be good. And I’d bet that the Goat Days Festival would agree — the day is all for the love of the goat, with goat yoga, a goat beauty pageant, and a goat show, plus some non-goat activities.

Millington Sports Complex, September 9

Collierville Balloon Festival

Take the scenic route at the Collierville Balloon Festival, where you can get a view of (and take a ride on) more than 20 stunning hot air balloons, enjoy live entertainment, peruse arts and cra s vendors, and more.

Maynard Way, Collierville, September 16-17

Cooper-Young Festival

At last year’s Cooper-Young Festival, I saw a pink parrot in an orange diaper and I haven’t seen one since. Who knows if I’ll see him again this year, but of course, there’s the usual art, music, and cra s that make the Cooper-Young Festival a hallmark tradition to look forward to.

Cooper-Young Historic District, September 16

Medical District Wellness Festival

Are you a health nut or a wannabe health nut? Well, you’re gonna go nuts when you hear about the inaugural Medical Wellness Festival, a free event with services and resources from healthcare professionals, live music, and a full schedule of wellness activities and fun for all ages. Morris Park, September 16

Memphis Brewfest

Fun is brewing over at the Memphis Brewfest, which will entice attendees with unlimited samples of 100+ beers, seltzers, and spiked ciders. e day will also have a Jameson Irish Whiskey activation experience, vendor shopping, music, and games.

Memphis Sports & Events Center, September 16

Memphis Dance Festival

Even if you can’t dance and you can’t jive, you’ll have the time of your life at the Memphis Dance Festival. e free event will have performances by hometown fa-

This season brings festivities all across the 901.

PHOTO (ABOVE): DISCIPLE PHOTOS Orion Free Concert Series

PHOTO: COURTESY EWING MARKETING Collierville Balloon Festival

vorite dance companies and national acts. Collage Dance Center, September 16

Shop Black Fest

Shop from 150+ local Black-owned businesses, and enjoy music and a Greek step show.

Downtown Memphis, September 16

Mid-South Fair

Life isn’t fair, but life is better when there’s a fair

rides, entertainment, and the best fair fare — funnel cakes, candied apples, turkey legs, and more.

Landers Center, September 21October 1

Mighty Roots Music Festival

Might I interest you in a mighty good time? Moon Taxi, e Vegabonds, e Stews, Hans Williams, and more are all a part of Mighty Roots Musical Festival’s lineup, and that, my friend, is the de nition of a mighty good time.

Stovall, MS, September 22-24

51st Annual Pink Palace Cra s Fair anks to the Barbie movie, pink is in this season, which means the Pink Palace Cra s Fair is looking even more stylish this year as it celebrates its 51st anniversary with 150 artists from around the country selling their works.

Audubon Park, September 22-23

Aquatseli Bluegrass Festival

“Aquatseli” is Cherokee for “our,” so make this bluegrass extravaganza yours and check out the instrument workshops, open jams, square dancing, clogging, vendors, and more.

Meeman-Shelby Forest Millington State Park, September 23

Latin Fest

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at Cazateatro Bilingual eatre Group’s Latin Fest, where friends and families can listen to and dance to live Latin music, taste Latin food and drinks, enjoy activities for kids, and shop from vendors. Overton Square, September 23

Memphis Comic Expo

BOOM! BAM! POP! What’s all that ruckus? It’s the Memphis Comic Expo coming back to town, this year with Kevin Eastman, co-creator of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, as a special guest. As always, the expo shines a spotlight on artists and writers in the world of comics, bringing the best local and regional talent.

Agricenter International, September 23-24

Wiseacre Oktoberfest

Zicke zacke, zicke zacke, hoi hoi hoi! Oktoberfest is back, boy oh boy. So dust o your steins and snap on your lederhosen for a day with food trucks, Mighty Souls Brass Band, a stein-holding competition, and more.

Wiseacre Brewing Company, September 23

Gonerfest 20

Going, going, gone o to Gonerfest 20 for four days of rocking music, courtesy of

continued on page 14

ample. It’s

PHOTO: COURTESY LIL

BUCK/COLLAGE DANCE

Lil Buck at Memphis Dance Festival

PHOTO: AUSTIN FRIEDLINE Mempho Music Festival

Goner Records. e lineup is exquisite, and tickets are selling out already. Railgarten, September 28-October 1

Bartlett Festival

With the Judge Freeman Marr Panther Pride 5k to kick things o , this festival boasts local music, arts and cra s, a car show, children’s activities, a barbecue cooking contest, concessions, and so much more.

W.J. Freeman Park, September 29-30

Mempho Music Festival

I know I’m preaching to the choir when I say that the Mempho Music Festival always hits the right note when it comes to composing a nely tuned experience.

is year’s headliners are e Black Crowes, My Morning Jacket, and Turnpike Troubadours.

Radians Amphitheater, Memphis Botanic Garden, September 29-October 1

OCTOBER

Wine on the River Memphis

Put a cork in it, they say. Stop whining about your love of wine. Well, this event wants you to pour out your passion as they serve wine from all around the world.

Tom Lee Park, October 7

King Biscuit Blues Festival

Hear ye, hear ye, King Biscuit Blues Festival is back for its annual three-day event, complete with the Flour Power 5K, the Tour da Delta bicycle race, and a Kansas City-sanctioned BBQ Contest, all in historic Downtown Helena. Oh, and of course, there’ll be blues music — lots of blues music — on six stages.

Helena, AR, October 4-7

Crown Me Royal Film Fest is noncompetitive lm festival boasts panels, workshops, and independent lm screenings from BIPOC behind-thescenes lmmakers and creatives from all media platforms.

Visible Music College, October 6-8

Soul of the City

Spies, outlaws, political bosses, religious gures, ne’er-do-wells, gallants — no, we’re not talking about a period drama; we’re talking about Elmwood Cemetery’s 20th annual Soul of the City, the reenactment tour that keeps the dead coming back year a er year. (And the living enjoy it, too.)

Elmwood Cemetery, October 13-14

Barktober Fest

Lie down with the dogs, and you wake up with the best sleep ever. So support the cute pups at Streetdog Foundation’s Barktober Fest, where you can sample

brews created just for this event by local homebrewers, as well as your faves from local breweries.

e Shops of Saddle Creek, October 7

Oktoberfest

Oh what a brewtiful day it will be for Grind City’s Oktoberfest, where there will be beer and live music and games all day long, including a bratwurst toss, keg carry competition, beer sliding competition, and a stein-holding contest.

Grind City Brewing Company, October 7

Memphis Bacon & Bourbon Festival

Bacon + bourbon = good times for all. It’s simple math, really.

Metal Museum, October 7

Memphis miniFEST

Everything’s cuter when it has a mini version, and this miniFEST is no exception. An evening of music, arts, and community in a festival-style atmosphere — what could be more charming than that?

Hi Tone, October 7

Paint Memphis

Paint the town red … and green … and pink … and blue … and, like, all the colors at Paint Memphis, the festival that features around 100 artists from all over the world who will create murals in the Edge District.

e Edge District, October 7

Deep Blues Festival

Navy, indigo, cobalt, azure, sapphire — those are just some of my favorite shades of deep blue. But, let’s be frank here, the Deep Blues Festival has the best deep blues out there with a lineup that hits the right shade of outsider and alternative blues.

Clarksdale, MS, October 12-15

Mississippi Delta Tennessee Williams Festival

Are you a streetcar? ’Cause you look like your name should be Desire. I promise I’m not a player, just a play lover, and if you are too, meet me at the Tennessee Williams Festival, where we can enjoy

PRESENTED BY FRIENDS OF THE PINK PALACE MOBILE MINI JUNIOR LEAGUE

PHOTO: COURTESY PAINT MEMPHIS Paint Memphis

screenings, lectures, and performances. Clarksdale, MS, October 12-14

Tambourine Bash

The tambourine has been around since antiquity, and while the Tambourine Bash hasn’t been around nearly as long, it’s become a mainstay here in the 901, known for its Memphis music collaborations.

Overton Park Shell, October 12

Memphis Tequila Festival

If you like tequila, you’ll want to give this festival a shot, with 50+ types of tequila and mezcal available for tasting and a full-on party.

Shelby Farms Event Center, October 13

Edge Motorfest

Call me car-azy, but the Edge Motor Museum has an engine-ous event, complete with over 150 cool cars, food trucks, vendor booths, and more. Edge Motor Museum, October 14

Memphis Food & Wine Festival

It’s wine o’clock somewhere. Sorry. I know what you’re thinking — that’s so cheesy, borderline o ensive. But this festival will never o end your culinary senses as it showcases local chefs alongside acclaimed national chefs and top global vineyards.

Memphis Botanic Garden, October 14

Outlaw Music Festival

Wanted: You at the Outlaw Music Festival. Reward: An incredible lineup featuring Willie Nelson & Family, e Avett Brothers, Mike Campbell & e Dirty Knobs, Elizabeth Cook, and Particle Kid.

BankPlus Amphitheater at Snowden Grove, October 14

Ska-Tober Fest 2023

Meddlesome is making ska cool with its Ska-Tober Fest, featuring e Big News, Boss Battle, e Hotrails, Runaway Ricochet, e Taj Motel Trio, e Skalors, and e Lung Darts.

Meddlesome Brewing Company, October 14

Presented by Alston Construction 2023

Fall Fest at the Nest

No need to y the nest just yet — not when the Fall Fest at the Nest has rides, attractions, vendors, live music, a barbecue contest, a car show, ra e, food trucks, and more.

St. Benedict at Auburndale High School, October 19-21

Art on Fire

This fest is fire (as in it’s super fun and awesome, not as in Fyre Fest). With live music, tastings from local restaurants, drinks, an art sale, and a roaring bonfire, this night will set

your heart aflame.

Dixon Gallery & Gardens, October 21

BAM! Wiseacre Beer and Music Festival

Just like Emeril, this inaugural festival of beer and music will bring out the spice in life, with a side of BAM!

Wiseacre Brewing Company, October 21

Cooper-Young Beerfest

Hoppy times are in store at this festival bringing all your favorite regional breweries to town.

Midtown Autowerks, October 21

RiverArtsFest

And we’re rolling, rolling, rolling down the river. Big wheel keep on turning, the arts keep on burning — every year at the RiverArtsFest, where more than 150 artists from around the country gather in Memphis to exhibit and sell their latest works of art.

Downtown Memphis, October 21-22

Honey Music Festival

Honey, I shrunk my taste in music — if only there was a way to magnify my exposure to great music. Oh wait, there is! e second-ever Honey Music Festival, where attendees will enjoy a wide range of musical genres and styles. From

continued on page 16

PHOTO: COURTESY FALL FEST AT THE NEST Fall Fest at the Nest

classical compositions to contemporary jazz, there’s something for everyone, no matter how small their taste in music. Scheidt Family Performing Arts Center at the University of Memphis, October 22

Indie Memphis Film Festival

Let’s go to the movies. Let’s go see the stars at the Indie Memphis Film Festival, a six-day celebration of lm — independent features, documentaries, and short lms from all of the world. Various locations, October 24-29

Dia de Los Muertos Parade and Festival

Dia de Los Muertos is — dare I say — deadicated to celebrating and honoring ancestors who lived before us. On this day, enjoy a parade beginning in Overton Square with oats and performers making their way to the plaza at the Brooks Museum, where you can enjoy art-making activities, face painting, music, costumed performers, dance performances, and more.

Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, October 28

Hambone Festival

Presented by artist and musician Stan Street, this music festival features a stellar lineup, a jam night, street parties, and Cruisin’ the Crossroads Car & Truck Show.

Hambone Art Gallery & the Shack Up Inn, Clarksdale, MS, October 27-30

NOVEMBER

Mushroom Festival

ere might not be mushroom in this paper to talk about this festival, but our hearts have mushroom for this threeday fungi extravaganza with music, food, art, forays, workshops, demonstrations, and more.

Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park, November 3-5

Memphis Japan Festival

Enjoy a family-friendly, interactive, and hands-on experience of Japanese

culture featuring food, entertainment, games, cra s, and more!

Memphis Botanic Garden, November 5

Memphis Grilled Cheese Fest is festival will have you cheesing ear to ear as you sample grilled cheese a er grilled cheese, made by local chefs, restaurants, natural-born cheese lovers, and maybe even you if you sign up to compete in the cook-o .

Hi Tone, November 5

Memphis Cra s & Dra s Festival: Holiday Market

Holiday … celebrate … if you can’t tell I have a certain Madonna song in my head, but it puts me in a good mood, almost as much as Memphis Cra s & Dra s, the best cra s market around. e day will be … it will be so nice. Crosstown Concourse, November 11-12

M-Town Funk & Blues Fest

Won’t you take me to Funkytown? And by that I, of course, mean the M-Town Funk & Blues Fest, where Midnight Star, Original Lakeside, Larry Dodson and Band, and Bobby Rush will keep you moving, keep you grooving with some energy.

Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, November 25

DECEMBER

Holiday Spirits: A Christmas Cocktail Festival

Put the rum in pa-rum pa pum pum and the spirits back in Christmas because it’s the most wonderful time to say cheers with this festival of cocktails, music, and the big man in red.

e Kent, December 1

AutoZone Liberty Bowl

Liberty, liberty, liberty — no, this isn’t an insurance commercial with an emu. is is THE Liberty Bowl, where football, parties, and more happen. Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, December 29

continued from page 15

PHOTO: MEMPHIS JAPAN FESTIVAL Memphis Japan Festival

september

steppin’ out

We Recommend: Culture, News + Reviews

“To See with New Eyes”

In 1989, Richard Carr took his rst metalsmithing class at the Metal Museum. He’d always been interested in working with metals, he says, ever since he was a kid visiting his grandfather’s metal fabrication shop. At the time, though, he was working as a pipe tter and welder, traveling around the country building processing and fossil fuel plants, and he had come to Memphis to work on a project for the Navy.

september

“ e Metal Museum was the rst place I came across that actually provided a place where I could learn blacksmithing,” Carr says. Blacksmithing, he found, allowed him to be creative with the same materials he used during work hours. Soon, he was taking class a er class, making pieces “only a mother could love,” he says. A er a while, he began volunteering at the museum, his rst project being to fabricate steel for the back of the Smithy, now the Metal Museum’s Repair Lab.

september

By Abigail Morici

“By volunteering, I learned the trade, and then I was able to get into the public utility company as an industrial blacksmith,” Carr says. Still, he kept up his creative endeavors, looking to natural motifs and art nouveau and art deco architecture for inspiration. He forged organic shapes, a relief from the linear industrial monotony of his job. And his pieces got better and better — to the point where he could comfortably call them art, not something “only a mother could love.”

Carr also began to incorporate materials salvaged from sites throughout Memphis, such as steel from the old Ellis Auditorium, iron from Baptist Memorial Hospital, a bolt from the railroad that once ran the Green Line, and parts from the Zippin Pippin. “It sort of gives a piece a soul,” Carr says of the salvaged material’s history that brings the old in conversation with the new. is summer, Carr is celebrating his rst solo show at the Metal Museum, and he’s titled it “To See With New Eyes,” a nod to his love of repurposing materials. “ e Japanese have a word for it,” he says. “Mitate. It means to repurpose or to see with new eyes.”

For the rst time, Carr is also able to see the works spanning his career, side by side, most of them on loan from the pieces’ current owners. “ ere’s a lot of pieces that have gotten lost because they were sold,” he says. “I’d never kept track of them.” Over the years, Carr has gi ed his art to the Metal Museum, MIFA, Hope House, e Child Advocacy Center, Playhouse on the Square, and Memphis Heritage, among others.

“It’s my way of giving back,” he says. “I’ve got a job that pays the bills. ere’s a lot of people out there that are struggling to get customers. And when you’re working for a customer, you’re worried about what their likes are — I’ve never taken direction. I like to make what I want to make, and I guess that’s the fun part about what I do.”

“TO SEE WITH NEW EYES,” METAL MUSEUM, ON DISPLAY THROUGH SEPTEMBER 24.

VARIOUS DAYS & TIMES September 7th - 13th

Open on Main “Shop & Stroll”

GRAND Opening Event

Intersection of Main and Monroe, ursday, September 7, 4:30-7 p.m.

is summer the Women’s Business Center (WBC) South partnered with the Downtown Memphis Commission (DMC) to place women-owned businesses into retail shops. e businesses — ARCHd, Oh Sweets Skincare, and e Podcast Center — are o cially opening and are celebrating this weekend with a “Shop & Stroll,” where you can enjoy shopping, entertainment, product demos, and giveaways. e rst 200 guests will receive a free treat to keep them cool.

Art on the Rocks

e Dixon Gallery & Gardens, Friday, September 8, 6-9 p.m., $45-$55, 21+ Presented by Orion Federal Credit Union, Art on the Rocks brings bo-

tanical cocktails, cra beer, wine, and more together for a fun evening in the gardens. Guests will enjoy a variety of drink tastings and bites from local restaurants along with live music.

Black & White Art Show Opening Reception

O the Walls Arts, Friday, September 8, 6-9 p.m.

In conjunction with the Memphis Film Revival Club, this show features black-and-white art from local artists, including Jimmy Ball, Aaron Brame, Leanna Hicks Carey, Alexandra Eastburn, Hope Hudson, Zack Orsborn, Erica Qualy, Valerie Walker, and more. e show will be on display through December 6.

e opening will include a blackand-white Polaroid booth ($10), an interactive art-making station, and refreshments provided. Guests are encouraged to wear black and white.

Best in Show: Dog Show Community Event

Overton Park, Sunday, September 10, 3 p.m.

Celebrate the upcoming Hattiloo Theatre production, Father Comes Home From the Wars , with the Best in Show community event. Indulge in delectable treats from food trucks, pamper your pups with delightful goodies, and watch as canine companions strut their stuff in the dog show of the year. Esteemed judges from Glamour Grooming & Boarding, Dawg Team Apparel USA, and Dr. Brown from Banfield Pet Hospital will have the pawsome task of selecting the cream of the canine crop. Don’t miss this opportunity to enjoy a day of furry fun and theater magic. Register to show your dog at bit.ly/hatdogshow.

Untitled, c. 2014. Salvaged iron from Ellis Auditorium.

MUSIC

Collage & Rebirth

Rebirth Brass Band tops the bill at Collage’s Memphis Dance Festival.

When Collage Dance started planning their third annual Memphis Dance Festival, set for Saturday, September 16th, they were thinking so big that planning began back before the second annual festival even commenced. e payo ? Having Collage’s professional touring company perform side by side with the renowned Rebirth Brass Band. While most touring companies, including the Alvin Ailey American Dance eater, typically dance to prerecorded tracks, this special celebration — it’s also National Dance Day — calls for a unique collaboration where both music and dance can unfold in the moment. In bringing a group of such stature to Memphis for a free festival, Collage is signaling a commitment to both its art and the community in a major way.

As executive director Marcellus Harper explains, not just any live band would do. “We de nitely sought them out. is has been two years in the making. Last year, we had the Hot 8 Brass Band, also from New Orleans, but I’m personally a big fan of Rebirth.

[Artistic Director]

Kevin [ omas] and I love New Orleans: the culture, the food, the music. And I remember seeing Rebirth at the Maple Leaf Bar. It was packed with the most diverse group of people I’ve ever seen and they were all vibing along. It’s such an emotionally evocative music that it really makes you feel something.”

at’s especially true for the upcoming Memphis Dance Festival appearance, which will culminate with the band and the Collage Dance Collective performing New Second Line, choreographer Camille A. Brown’s response to the a ermath of Hurricane Katrina. Dance fans may know the piece from a 2018 TED Conference performance available online (Brown was a TED Fellow), but even that relied partly on a

prerecorded track. e Memphis staging will be all the more galvanizing for being completely live, and for being so familiar to the dancers.

“We’ve been performing this piece for almost eight years,” says Harper. “It comes in and out of the repertoire, though the work was not created for our company. Camille is a pretty famous choreographer in the dance world. It’s a piece I saw many years ago, and I just loved the combination of the music and the high-energy dancing. It really connected with the audience. And that’s what we really are all about: nding ways to connect with audiences who might feel like dance is not for them, and really getting them excited about it.”

industry’s lack of racial diversity on stage.” As Harper points out, “So o en in dance — and ballet, in particular — the themes, the stories, and the narratives have le many people out. I think that’s part of the reason that dance audiences aren’t diverse. People want to connect to what they see. And so with New Second Line, you have this great music and this really powerful story of resilience and navigating grief. It’s especially relevant for African-American cultures and cultures of the African diaspora, and particularly in New Orleans. And even though the piece is inspired by the a ermath of Hurricane Katrina, you’ll see a lot of celebration in it. e piece is actually very jubilant and very joyous. And it really complements that beautiful brass band sound.”

e Rebirth Brass Band’s command of nearly all eras and styles of AfricanAmerican musical heritage, from New Orleans music to hip-hop, jazz, soul, and funk, dovetails neatly with Collage Dance’s origin “in response to the ballet

Ultimately, hosting a festival with a free concert by one of the nation’s premier jazz and funk groups is indicative of how far Collage has come since moving to Memphis in 2007. Lately, their years of work have paid o in the form of the new dance center, completed in 2020, being named a “Southern Cultural Treasure” by South Arts and the Ford Foundation, and, just last month, receiving a $2 million dollar grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. All of the above will give plenty of cause for celebration at the festival, and not just by Collage dancers and students: Many dance groups will take the stage on September 16th, including Lil Buck. Noting the diverse lineup, Harper says that through the Memphis Dance Festival, “the community gets an opportunity to witness our city as both a music town and a dance town. With two of the largest dance companies in the nation right here in Memphis, it’s outstanding to say dance has also created its home here.”

e Memphis Dance Festival is at Collage Dance Center, Saturday, September 16th, noon-4

p.m.

PHOTO (TOP): PATRICK MAY Rebirth Brass Band

PHOTO (BOTTOM): BRITTNEY SCALES Collage Dance Collective

By Alex Greene

AFTER DARK: Live Music Schedule

September 7 - 13

A Celebration of Chicano Soul with Thee Sinseers

Kick o Hispanic Heritage Month with the Stax Museum’s rst examination of Chicano Soul featuring Penrose Records artists, ee Sinseers! Free.

ursday, Sept. 7, 6 p.m.

STAX MUSEUM OF AMERICAN SOUL

MUSIC

Alice Reasons

Friday, Sept. 8, 8 p.m.

KING’S PALACE CAFE

Ashton Riker & the Memphis Royals

ursday, Sept. 7, 8 p.m.

B.B. KING’S BLUES CLUB

Bark Record Release Show

With special guests Ibex Clone and FAKE. $15/suggested donation. Sunday, Sept. 10, 6-9 p.m.

OFF THE WALLS ARTS

Blind Mississippi Morris

Friday, Sept. 8, 8 p.m.

BLUES CITY CAFE

Brad Birkedahl Band

Wednesday, Sept. 13, 8 p.m.

RUM BOOGIE CAFE

Brimstone Jones

Sunday, Sept. 10, noon-3 p.m.

LOFLIN YARD

Buddy Albert Nemenz

ursday, Sept. 7, 1-5 p.m.;

Friday, Sept. 8, 1-5 p.m.;

Saturday, Sept. 9, 1-5 p.m.;

Sunday, Sept. 10, 1-5 p.m.;

Wednesday, Sept. 13, 1-5 p.m.

SILKY O’SULLIVAN’S

Divercity

ursday, Sept. 7, 4:30 p.m.;

Sunday, Sept. 10, 8 p.m.;

Wednesday, Sept. 13, 8 p.m.

B.B. KING’S BLUES CLUB

Donna Padgett Bowers Presents

Variety show of Memphis talent. Free. Friday, Sept. 8, 9 p.m.

WESTY’S

Dueling Pianos

ursday, Sept. 7, 7-11 p.m.;

Friday, Sept. 8, 7-11 p.m.;

Saturday, Sept. 9, 7-11 p.m.;

Tuesday, Sept. 12, 7-11 p.m.;

Wednesday, Sept. 13, 7-11 p.m.

SILKY O’SULLIVAN’S

Earl “The Pearl” Banks

Tuesday, Sept. 12, 8 p.m.

RUM BOOGIE CAFE

Eric Hughes

ursday, Sept. 7, 7-11 p.m.

RUM BOOGIE CAFE

Flic’s Pic’s Band

Saturday, Sept. 9, 4:30 p.m.;

Sunday, Sept. 10, 3:30 p.m.

B.B. KING’S BLUES CLUB

FreeWorld

Sunday, Sept. 10, 8 p.m.

BLUES CITY CAFE

Future-Everything presents: HeartWerk (OK) with Strooly x

TEHKAL

No cover. Saturday, Sept. 9, 9 p.m.-1 a.m.

CENTRAL STATION HOTEL

Gladys Knight

Grammy-winning R&B singer, Rock-and-Roll Hall of Famer, and soul music legend

Gladys Knight will headline the Southern Heritage Classic Concert. $68-$128. ursday, Sept. 7, 8 p.m.

ORPHEUM THEATRE

Jason Foree Band

Friday, Sept. 8, noon; Monday, Sept. 11, 4:30 p.m.

B.B. KING’S BLUES CLUB

Lil Baby: It’s Only Us Tour With GloRilla, GLOSS UP, Rylo Rodriguez, and Hunxho.

ursday, Sept. 7, 7 p.m.

FEDEXFORUM

Live at The Tracks:

Jesse and Noah Bellamy

ursday, Sept. 7, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

CENTRAL STATION HOTEL

Robbie Bletscher on Piano

Wednesday, Sept. 13, 5-8 p.m.

WESTY’S Soul St. Mojo

Wednesday, Sept. 13, 7-11 p.m.

RUM BOOGIE CAFE

Sunset Jazz @ Court Square featuring Cequita Monique

Sunday, Sept. 10, 5-7 p.m.

COURT SQUARE

The BB King’s Blues Club All-Star Band

Friday, Sept. 8, 8 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 9, 8 p.m.; Monday, Sept. 11, 8 p.m.; Tuesday, Sept. 12, 8 p.m.

B.B. KING’S BLUES CLUB

The Blues Trio

Saturday, Sept. 9, noon; Sunday, Sept. 10, 11:30 a.m.; Wednesday, Sept. 13, 4:30 p.m.

B.B. KING’S BLUES CLUB

Thee Sinseers

A special, vinyl-only DJ set. Free. ursday, Sept. 7, 12:30 a.m.

CENTRAL STATION HOTEL

The Rockin’ 88s

Monday, Sept. 11, 8 p.m.

RUM BOOGIE CAFE

Vince Johnson

Monday, Sept. 11, 7-11 p.m.;

Tuesday, Sept. 12, 7-11 p.m.

RUM BOOGIE CAFE

Wendell Wells & The Big Americans

Saturday, Sept. 9, 9 p.m.1 a.m.

WESTY’S

A Night with Zakeya

All black is the requested attire, so get your best black (casual or dressy) and have a good time! Wednesday, Sept. 13, 7 p.m.

MEMPHIS MUSIC ROOM

Elmo & the Shades, Eddie Harrison

Wednesday, Sept. 13, 7-11 p.m.

NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM

Heartbreak Hill

Sunday, Sept. 10, 3-9 p.m.

HUEY’S POPLAR

Keepin It Memphis

Highlighting the works of the Memphis underground arts scene. $20/general admission, $10/admission with a local I.D. Wednesday, Sept. 13, 7:30-10:30 p.m.

MEMPHIS MUSIC ROOM

PHOTO: COURTESY GRACELAND LIVE Cheap Trick

AFTER DARK: SEPTEMBER 7 - 13

The Amber McCain Band

Friday, Sept. 8, 8 p.m.midnight.

NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM

Lucky 7 Brass Band

Friday, Sept. 8, 6 p.m.

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Memphis Knights Big Band

Monday, Sept. 11, 6 p.m.

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Memphis Mojo

Saturday, Sept. 9, 6 p.m.

Alexis Jade

Thursday, Sept. 7, 7-10 p.m.

THE SLIDER INN

Black Joe Lewis (Orion Free Concert Series)

Saturday, Sept. 9, 7:30 p.m.

OVERTON PARK SHELL

Bongzilla, Kadabra, Seeing Hell

$15-$20. Saturday, Sept. 9, 9 p.m.

HI TONE

Brat with Anemoia, Mutilation Barbecue, Feral God, Flesher, Kill Command

$12-$15. Sunday, Sept. 10, 7 p.m.

GROWLERS

Creed Worm, Dryer Fire, Breaking/Entering

$10. Wednesday, Sept. 13, 8 p.m.

HI TONE

Crys Matthews presented by Folk All Y’all + Crosstown Arts

Award-winning folk singersongwriter. $20. Saturday, Sept. 9, 7:30 p.m.

THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS

Debbie Jamison Band

Sunday, Sept. 10, 3:30 p.m.

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Durand Bernarr: The Wanderlust Tour Continues …

Sunday, Sept. 10, 8 p.m.

MINGLEWOOD HALL

FERB

FERB will be spinning your favorite party jams ranging from hip-hop, house, funk, and throwbacks. No cover.

Friday, Sept. 8, 7-11 p.m.

THE SLIDER INN

Jad Tariq Band

Sunday, Sept. 10, 3-6 p.m.

HUEY’S MIDTOWN

Jon Auer with special guest The Sonny Wilsons

Jon Auer (ex-Posies, Big Star) returns to Memphis to perform songs from every era of his career. $25-$100. Sunday, Sept. 10, 7 p.m.

B-SIDE

Lance & Madison

Saturday, Sept. 9, 2 p.m.

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Landslide: A Tribute to the Music of Fleetwood

Mac

Sunday, Sept. 10, 8 p.m.

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Life, Explicit; The Smokin’ Jays; Screamer $10. Sunday, Sept. 10, 8 p.m.

LAMPLIGHTER LOUNGE

Lucky 7 Brass Band

Thursday, Sept. 7, 8 p.m.

RAILGARTEN

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Modern Masters Jazz

Series: Lynn Seaton

$20-$25. Tuesday, Sept. 12, 7:30 p.m.

THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS

Mudflap King

Thursday, Sept. 7, 7 p.m.

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Old 97’s

With special guest John Hollier. $27-$32. Wednesday, Sept. 13, 8 p.m.

MINGLEWOOD HALL

One Strange Bird

$5. Saturday, Sept. 9, 9 p.m. HI TONE

Optic Sink – Album Release & Listening

Event

Thursday, Sept. 7, 6:30 p.m.

MEMPHIS LISTENING LAB

Roosevelt Collier

$20-$25. Thursday, Sept. 7, 7:30 p.m.

THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS

Royal Blues Band Jam

Tuesday, Sept. 12, 6 p.m.

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Seeing Red

Saturday, Sept. 9, 10 p.m.

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Sister Dynamite

Friday, Sept. 8, 8 p.m.

RAILGARTEN

Skiff Album Release Party with Deaf Revival, Heels

Saturday, Sept. 9, 7 p.m.

GROWLERS

Soul in the City

Featuring Brian Hamilton, Alexander the Average, FreeWill, and Selector Jack.

Saturday, Sept. 9, 10 p.m.

CANVAS

Spirit Ritual, Late Night Cardigan, Louise Page

Friday, Sept. 8, 9 p.m.

BAR DKDC

Stay Fashionable Music by Stay Fashionable, Oakwalker, Kathy Zhour, and Burning Brigids. $10. Saturday, Sept. 9, 7:30 p.m.

LAMPLIGHTER LOUNGE

Steve Hopper

Thursday, Sept. 7, 6 p.m.

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Steve Selvidge

Saturday, Sept. 9, 9 p.m.

BAR DKDC

The Boombox Tour: Memphis Performances by DXPE, Rikcy Davaine, and Jyou & Ron. $10. Sunday, Sept. 10, 8 p.m.

HI TONE

The Butts with Stay Fashionable, Hormonal Imbalance

$10. Thursday, Sept. 7, 8 p.m.

GROWLERS

Thee Sinseers (Orion Free Concert Series)

Friday, Sept. 8, 7 p.m.

OVERTON PARK SHELL

The Smokin Jays, Chris Hamlett, The Smokin’ Reasons (The Stupid Reasons x The Jays)

$10. Friday, Sept. 8, 8 p.m.

HI TONE

TiLt

Saturday, Sept. 9, 9 p.m.

TJ MULLIGAN’S, MIDTOWN

Virghost The Red Experience

Friday, Sept. 8, 7 p.m.

GROWLERS

WALRUS

Friday, Sept. 8, 10 p.m.

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Wyly Bigger

Saturday, Sept. 9, 2-3 p.m.

LAMPLIGHTER LOUNGE

WYXR Wednesday

WYXR DJ night with David Swider and DJ Rhinestonee.

Wednesday, Sept. 13, 5 p.m.

BAR DKDC

Cheap Trick

Friday, Sept. 8, 8 p.m.

GRACELAND SOUNDSTAGE

Classic Friday Night

Featuring Charlie Wilson, with special guests Morris Day and The Time and Jammin’ Jay Lamont. Friday, Sept. 8, 8 p.m.

LANDERS CENTER

Earl “The Pearl” Banks

$10. Friday, Sept. 8, 8 p.m.

HERNANDO’S HIDEAWAY

Hannah Aldrige with special guest The Pleasures

Wednesday, Sept. 13, 8-11 p.m.

HERNANDO’S HIDE-A-WAY

Java

Sunday, Sept. 10, 6-9 p.m.

HUEY’S SOUTHWIND

Ken Houston Duo

Sunday, Sept. 10, 6-9 p.m.

HUEY’S OLIVE BRANCH

Laney Lou and the Bird Dogs

Thursday, Sept. 7, 7 p.m.

HERNANDO’S HIDEAWAY

The Bugaloos

Sunday, Sept. 10, 6-9 p.m.

HUEY’S SOUTHAVEN

W.A.S.P.

Thursday, Sept. 7, 8 p.m.

GRACELAND SOUNDSTAGE

Bluegrass on the Collierville Square

Bring a chair and have a picnic. Free family fun open to all spectators. Musicians welcome. Acoustic only.

Friday, Sept. 8, 7-10 p.m.

COLLIERVILLE TOWN SQUARE

Jazz in the Box: Tamir Hendelman Trio

The hottest little jazz club around is GPAC’s Jazz in the Box. Friday, Sept. 8, 7-8:30 p.m.

GERMANTOWN PERFORMING ARTS

CENTER

CALENDAR of EVENTS:

ART HAPPENINGS

Dia de los Muertos Community

Workshop

Learn about the elements of a traditional ofrenda (altar) and make some of those elements. Free. Saturday, Sept. 9, 2-4 p.m.

MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART

“Liminal Spaces” Opening

A significant portion of Mars McKay’s artwork will be available for purchase, allowing attendees to own a piece of their remarkable portfolio. Sunday, Sept. 10, 2-7 p.m.

BLACK LODGE

“On Being Human” Opening David Mah has a new body of work that connects viewers with passion and compassion, empathy, and experience. Friday, Sept. 8, 6-8 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 9, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

MEDICINE FACTORY

“Young, Gifted and Black” Opening Championing an emerging generation of artists of African descent who are exploring identity, politics, and art history. Friday, Sept. 8, 5-7:30 p.m.

CLOUGH-HANSON GALLERY

FESTIVAL

Delta Fair & Music Festival

Enjoy exciting rides, fair food, competitions, performances, great concerts, and more! Through Sept. 10.

Theatre Memphis performs the musical comedy, Sister Act, through September 20th.

FILM

Movies & Mixers - Star Trek: The Motion Picture Special guest speakers will include Star Trek TMP Remastered VFX artist and designer, Daren Dochterman, and the original 1978 VFX animator, Bob Friedstand. $20. Saturday, Sept. 9, 6-8:30 p.m.

FOOD AND DRINK

Zoo Rendezvous

Join the zoo for a night of food, drinks, music, and totally ’90s fun! $175-$200.

Saturday, Sept. 9, 7-10:30 p.m.

MEMPHIS ZOO

HEALTH AND FITNESS

Memphis Fitness Expo

There will be four hours of fitness fun, performances, and opportunities to network with health and wellness experts.

Saturday, Sept. 9, 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

1348 STUDIOS

Public Art Yoga

Support art, artists, and UAC by attending this free 45-minute outdoor public art yoga session. Free. Saturday, Sept. 9, 11 a.m.-noon.

I AM A MAN PLAZA

PERFORMING ARTS

Sapphic Sunday: ’90s Night

Featuring Tink, Imogene Azengrabber, Fizzy Pop, Onyx Davenport, and Zoloft. Market and karaoke before the variety show. $10.

Sunday, Sept. 10, 6 p.m.

DRU’S PLACE

The Ultimate Greek Show

The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For

AGRICENTER MEMPHIS

Sip N Slurp: The Ultimate Ramen Party Indulge in all-you-can-eat ramen and signature drinks at this flavorful ramen party. $35, $55. Sunday, Sept. 10, 6-10 p.m. THE

Wednesday, February 13, 2019

Crossword

Edited by Will Shortz No. 0109

Get ready for the Ultimate Greek Stroll Off. Food, drinks, shopping, and good vibes! Cash prize for dopest frat/sorority and stroll off winner. Friday, Sept. 8, 7 p.m.

MEMPHIS SPORTS & EVENTS CENTER

SPECIAL EVENTS

Miss Gay Tennessee 2023

Join The Miss Gay Tennessee America Family to celebrate the battle that will be Miss Gay Tennessee America 2023. This is an all-ages event. $25-$30. Sunday, Sept. 10, 6 p.m.

THE EVERGREEN THEATRE

SPORTS

Memphis 901 FC vs. Monterey Bay FC

Saturday, Sept. 9, 7 p.m.

AUTOZONE PARK

THEATER

A Raisin in the Sun

Lorraine Hansberry’s celebrated play concerns the divergent dreams and conflicts in three generations of the Younger family. Through Sept. 24.

HATTILOO THEATRE

Annual 10 Minute Play Festival

Experience seven different stories about the seven deadly sins from seven playwrights. $20. Friday, Sept. 8, 8-10 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 9, 8-10 p.m.; Sunday, Sept. 10, 8-10 p.m.

THEATREWORKS

Sister Act

When a disco nightclub singer witnesses a crime, she becomes fearful of being discovered by the criminals. Her confession to police lands her in a convent that seems to be the perfect hiding shelter. Through Sept. 20.

THEATRE MEMPHIS

The Prom

A group of Broadway stars, lamenting their days of fame, come to the rescue when a student is refused the opportunity to bring her girlfriend to the prom. Through Sept. 17.

PLAYHOUSE ON THE SQUARE

TOURS

47th Annual Central Gardens

Association Home & Garden Tour

The tour includes a variety of unique and exquisite homes throughout walkable blocks of historic Central Gardens. $20-$30. Sunday, Sept. 10, 1-5 p.m.

CENTRAL GARDENS

Online subscriptions: Today’s puzzle and more than 7,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($39.95 a year).

Yellow Fever: A Tour of the Plague

The history of the Yellow Fever epidemics of 1873, 1878, and 1879 can be found at Elmwood Cemetery. $20. Saturday, Sept. 9, 10-11:30 a.m.

ELMWOOD CEMETERY

MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & HISTORY

PHOTO: CARLA MCDONALD

FOOD By Michael Donahue

Mexico Meets Memphis

Ysaac Ramirez brings his unique take on dining to the Etowah Dinner Series.

Ysaac Ramirez will be the featured chef at the upcoming Etowah dinner, which will be held September 16th at e Commonwealth.

Etowah, hosted by Josh Conley and Cole Jeanes, features dinners four times a year and brings top chefs from around the country.

A former Memphian, Ramirez, 43, now lives in Palm Springs, California, where he is corporate chef for Dri Hotels. His Etowah dinner will include ve courses. “ is menu I created is going to be blending a lot of Latin avors and Southern cuisine,” Ramirez says.

Coloradito, one of the main entrees, is “a dish my mom used to make when we were kids.”

eat faster, I guess. Also, I didn’t nd it a chore or anything. I did nd it interesting, but I didn’t think at that age it would be my career.”

Ramirez expressed his creativity through art. “It was painting. Surrealism. A lot of abstract painting. Landscapes as well. I mixed in mostly surreal and abstract.”

His plan was to go to Memphis College of Art. “I thought about it and I was like, ‘I don’t want to be a starving artist the rest of my life.’ Pretty ironic. en I was a struggling cook for a long time.”

Before he got into cooking at age 26, Ramirez was a property accountant at Trammell Crow Co., which later was bought by CB Richard Ellis. But a er being an accountant for six years, Ramirez thought, “I do not want to do this the rest of my life.”

He decided to trade his “slacks and button downs” for a chef’s jacket.

Ramirez began working at Interim while he was studying at L’Ecole Culinaire.

“I le a pretty good job for making $8 an hour making salads. at’s a hard pill to swallow. But it was something that I really wanted to do at that time. Everything was piquing my interest in culinary.”

His restaurant jobs included working at Hog & Hominy, the old Gray Canary, and other restaurants owned by Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman.

But everywhere he worked was a place Ramirez knew would further his career.

But Ramirez, who describes his ongoing kitchen style as being “in the kitchen of Mexican and Latin cuisine,” likes to add a Southern touch. He’s incorporating grits in the pork, tomato, and chili sauce dish. “You get this creamy tortilla-like avor.”

Born in Colorado, Ramirez spent most of his childhood in California before moving to Memphis at 13.

Ramirez, whose dad is Mexican, says his mother learned to cook Mexican food from his grandmother. “My parents got married at a young age. [My dad] was dra ed to Vietnam. And my mom lived with my grandmother for two years while he was in Vietnam. She’s learning how to cook everything Mexican. Everything that my grandmother used to do.”

Ramirez and his family ate “fresh our homemade tortillas” every day. “My mom, every Christmas, would make tamales. A process that takes forever.”

Ramirez didn’t initially want to be a chef. “I did spend some time in the kitchen with my mom, but it wasn’t really an aspiration of mine at that young of an age. I’d help my mom. More just so we can

“Everything had to make sense and serve a purpose for me growing and excelling as a chef. I think it speaks volumes to where I am right now. A lot of kids now are thinking, ‘Who’s going to get paid the highest,’ but not looking toward the future and seeing how that job will bene t them. I toughed it out for a long time. e choices I was going to make were going to pay o down the road.”

A er moving to various restaurants around the country and even opening his own “barbecue Latin-infused concept” pop-up called “porc” out of his house, Ramirez began working as executive chef at Maleza at a Dri Hotel in Palm Springs.

“I recently moved into a corporate chef role overseeing di erent operations for projects for Dri Hotels.”

He agreed to be the chef at the upcoming Etowah dinner a er Conley reached out to him. “I was like, ‘Yeah. It makes sense. I haven’t been to Memphis in quite some time.’ And I can sort of bring a different element to dining that Memphians aren’t quite used to yet.”

Go to etowahdinnerseries.com to sign up for the upcoming Etowah dinner.

PHOTO: PHYLLIS LANGLEY Ysaac Ramirez

Retrograde Again

Expect frustration and perspective while Mercury retrogrades.

August was a time of adjusting to new cycles. If you are a teacher, parent of a student, or a student, last month focused on getting prepared for the new school year. For those of us who do not have anyone in our household going back to school, we readjusted and are still readjusting to the new tra c and social patterns of our communities. All in all, it can be a di cult time without any added astrological phenomena. However, this year we have to balance our busy lives against the fact that the planet Mercury has gone retrograde. Again.

and important documents, and leave some wiggle room for any major projects.

Mercury retrograde gets blamed for many things, and it can be a frustrating period, but it can bring us some muchneeded perspective. It’s advised to not start any endeavors during the retrograde, but it is a great time to nish things up. If you have any lingering chores or projects, use the energy to get them nished and o your plate. You can also use the time to re ect and slow down, to review where you are putting your time and energy.

We are already in the throes of the third Mercury retrograde for the year, and it’s going to last until September 15th. Every Mercury retrograde this year will fall in an earth sign with our current retrograde hitting us in Virgo.

e astrological sign of Virgo is ruled by the planet Mercury, which might help so en this retrograde’s e ects. Virgo’s attention to detail could be enhanced by this retrograde, meaning we are more likely to pay attention to the ne print and speci cs, which is what usually trips us up during a Mercury retrograde. If we can be meticulous and set clear intentions for the next few weeks, we should be able to navigate this and come out of the other side relatively unscathed.

Mercury retrograde happens three to four times every year, and usually lasts for four weeks. It is an astronomical phenomenon that makes the planet look like it is moving backwards in its orbit around the sun. It’s an optical illusion that occurs because it takes Mercury only 88 days to orbit the sun, compared to the 365 days it takes the Earth to do the same.

e planet Mercury is named for the Roman god Mercury, the messenger of the gods, delivering news and goods but also acting as a translator or interpreter. Mercury rules over wealth, communication, commerce, and good fortune. When Mercury appears to move backwards in its orbit, these qualities may struggle to move forward or have more glitches than usual.

Generally, retrograde is a period of frustration, with delays, miscommunication, and technological mishaps. It is commonly advised that people should not travel, sign contracts, or make any major life decisions during a Mercury retrograde. Instead, try to be exible as plans may end up changing o en, be patient and understanding, back up your work

Virgo, symbolizing purity and perfection, directs our attention toward re ning our lives. is retrograde sheds light on areas where we’ve cluttered our days with conversations or activities that don’t add value or support. Look at your calendar and see who or what you’ve been spending time and energy on. Are these people or activities really serving you?

On August 30th, the Pisces super blue moon occurred, almost opposite Mercury. is alignment shone a light on what we need to let go of and what we should ease the pressure on, allowing a smoother daily rhythm to emerge. Virgo energy is all about the practical aspects of life, while Pisces energy, where the moon is situated, delves into the spiritual and ethereal. is cosmic dance prompts us to re ect on the balance between material and spiritual focus and to shed what’s unnecessary.

Astrologists claim that this retrograde will be easier than others, but with Mercury and six other planets in retrograde, the rest of this year will be interesting no matter what. Read the ne print, think carefully, and pay attention, as this too shall pass. Eventually.

Emily Guenther is a co-owner of e Broom Closet metaphysical shop. She is a Memphis native, professional tarot reader, ordained Pagan clergy, and dog mom.

PHOTO: NASA/JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY APPLIED PHYSICS LABORATORY/CARNEGIE INSTITUTION OF WASHINGTON, PUBLIC DOMAIN, VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

It’s happening again: at pesky Mercury simply will not stop going retrograde.

NEWS OF THE WEIRD

By the editors at Andrews McMeel Syndication

3 SALES PEOPLE NEEDED

Smith Imports has immediate openings for 3 sales positions for luxury European car enthusiasts.

• Must have a valid driver’s license

• We o er health insurance, dental and vision insurance, 401k, paid vacation

• Apply in person only with Andy Smith

Additional positions available include:

• Automotive clean up person (wash and vacuum)

• Inventory Recon Manager

• Mercedes-Benz Service Technician

• General Service Technician

• Service Department

Administrative Assistant

Smith Imports is a full-service independent dealer o ering:

• Mercedes-Benz and other luxury imports

• Most with factory warranty

• Full-service automotive repair facility

• Body shop paint repair facility

Smith Imports has been family owned and in the same location since 1985 providing Low Prices and High-Quality automobiles. We have competitive rate financing (WAC) as well as extended service contracts available for most vehicles.

Low Price, High Quality ~ Since 1985

Specializing in Mercedes-Benz & Other Fine Imports

2965 S. Third Street, Memphis, TN 38109

Sales: 901-332-2130

Service: 901-260-8254

Bright Idea

Pinecrest, Florida, has a peculiar problem: peacocks. The New York Times reported on Aug. 9 that the city has been overrun with the large, loud, destructive birds, which peck at roofs and cars and relieve themselves all over driveways. The solution? Peacock vasectomies. Dr. Don J. Harris, the veterinarian who will snip the feisty birds, said they’re “bona fide polygamists. We’re going to catch one peacock and probably stop seven females from reproducing. It’s going to have an exponential benefit.” County commissioners approved the plan, and city officials designated $7,500 a month to cover trapping and surgery. [NY Times, 8/9/2023]

Nature Gone Wild

Peggy Jones, 64, of Silsbee, Texas, got a little too close to nature for comfort on July 25 as she and her husband did yard work on their property. The New York Times reported that out of the blue, a snake fell from the sky, wrapped itself around Jones’ forearm and started to squeeze. “I immediately screamed and started swinging my arm to shake the snake off,” she said. “I was screaming, ‘Jesus, help me, please, Jesus, help me!’” But the snake hissed and struck at her face, sometimes hitting her glasses. Then, as Jones struggled, a hawk swooped down and tried to grab the snake, which it had dropped from on high, from her arm. As it wrestled with the snake, its talons slashed into Jones’ arm. Finally, the hawk got hold of the snake and flew off. She said the whole incident probably took only 15 or 20 seconds, but afterward, “I looked down at my arm and it was totally covered in blood.” Jones’ husband, Wendell, saw his wife screaming and running in a zigzag pattern: “By the time I got to her, she was pretty hysterical,” he said. Doctors said most of her wounds were caused by the hawk rather than the snake. Jones says that she is healing physically but is still having nightmares about the incident. [NY Times, 8/9/2023]

Irony

An instructor at a driving school in Lakewood, Colorado, won’t be getting a passing grade after crashing a car into the school’s front window on Aug. 8 — just under a sign that says “Learn To Drive.” KDFW-TV reported that the driver, who was trying to park a Hyun-

dai Tucson in front of the Community Driving School, was cited for a traffic violation. Police said there was only one minor injury. [KDFW, 8/9/2023]

Field Report

Divers Ken Fleming and Doug Bishop were searching for clues in missing persons cold cases on Aug. 6 in Doral, Florida, when they stumbled upon an investigatory treasure chest, WSVN-TV reported. “We realized we had 32 cars underwater,” Fleming said. The divers work as volunteers and have a huge database of missing persons. “We have 40 that we’re targeting right now of folks that disappeared, anywhere from two or three months ago to 30, 40 years ago,” he said. Statewide, Fleming said they have found 60 submerged cars that may be linked to crimes. They’ll work with the county to get the vehicles removed and collect and deliver any pertinent information from them. [WSVN, 8/6/2023]

But, Why?

A mysterious man is taking pacifiers out of the mouths of babes in Harlow, England, Sky News reported. The incidents started in February, with the most recent one taking place on Aug. 7. One of the children was also assaulted. The suspect is a young, slim white man with brown eyes and yellow teeth, police said; they are soliciting information from anyone who has any knowledge of the cagey Dummy Bandit (our moniker, not theirs). “As a parent myself, I understand the level of concern,” said chief inspector Paul Austin. [Sky News, 8/9/2023]

Americans Abroad

Sigh. Security guards at the Eiffel Tower in Paris discovered two American tourists sleeping near the top of the structure on Aug. 14 as they prepared to open to visitors, Yahoo! News reported. Paris prosecutors said the two dodged security the night before and “appear to have got stuck because of how drunk they were.” Firefighters were dispatched to collect the men, who were questioned by police; Eiffel Tower management company Sete said it would file a criminal complaint, although the pair didn’t “pose any apparent threat.” [Yahoo! News, 8/15/2023]

NEWS OF THE WEIRD

© 2023 Andrews McMeel Syndication. Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Aries chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov says war is “more like a game of poker than chess. On a chess board, the pieces are face up, but poker is essentially a game of incomplete information, a game where you have to guess and act on those guesses.” I suspect that’s helpful information for you these days, Aries. You may not be ensconced in an out-and-out conflict, but the complex situation you’re managing has resemblances to a game of poker. For best results, practice maintaining a poker face. Try to reduce your tells to near zero. Here’s the definition of “tell” as I am using the term: Reflexive or unconscious behavior that reveals information you would rather withhold.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Raised in poverty, Taurus-born Eva Perón became a charismatic politician and actor who served as first lady of Argentina for six years. The Argentine Congress ultimately gave her the title of “Spiritual Leader of the Nation.” How did she accomplish such a meteoric ascent? “Without fanaticism,” she testified, “one cannot accomplish anything.” But I don’t think her strategy has to be yours in the coming months, Taurus. It will make sense for you to be highly devoted, intensely focused, and strongly motivated — even a bit obsessed in a healthy way. But you won’t need to be fanatical.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Gemini author Ben H. Winters has useful counsel. “Every choice forecloses on other choices,” he says. “Each step forward leaves a thousand dead possible universes behind you.” I don’t think there are a thousand dead universes after each choice; the number’s more like two or three. But the point is, you must be fully committed to leaving the past behind. Making decisions requires resolve. Second-guessing your brave actions rarely yields constructive results. So are you ready to have fun being firm and determined, Gemini? The cosmic rhythms will be on your side if you do.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Journalist Alexandra Robbins was addressing young people when she gave the following advice, but you will benefit from it regardless of your age: “There is nothing wrong with you just because you haven’t yet met people who share your interests or outlook on life. Know that you will eventually meet people who will appreciate you for being you.” I offer this to you now, Cancerian, because the coming months will bring you into connection with an abundance of like-minded people who are working to create the same kind of world you are. Are you ready to enjoy the richest social life ever?

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Author Kevin

Kelly is a maverick visionary who has thought a lot about how to create the best possible future. He advocates that we give up hoping for the unrealistic concept of utopia. Instead, he suggests we empower our practical efforts with the term “protopia.” In this model, we “crawl toward betterment,” trying to improve the world by 1 percent each year. You would be wise to apply a variation on this approach to your personal life in the coming months, Leo. A mere 1-percent enhancement is too modest a goal, though. By your birthday in 2024, a 6-percent upgrade is realistic, and you could reach as high as 10 percent.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Do you sometimes wish your life was different from what it actually is? Do you criticize yourself for not being a perfect manifestation of your ideal self? Most of us indulge in these fruitless energy drains. One of the chief causes of unhappiness is the fantasy that we are not who we are supposed to be. In accordance with cosmic rhythms, I authorize you to be totally free of these feelings for the next four weeks. As an experiment, I invite you to treasure yourself exactly as you are right now. Congratulate yourself for all the heroic work you have done to be pretty damn good. Use your ingenuity to figure out how to give yourself big doses of sweet and festive love.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Scorpio novelist Kurt Vonnegut testified, “I want to stay as close on the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge, you see all kinds of things you can’t see from the center. Big, undreamed-of-things — the people on the edge see them first.” I’m not definitively telling you that you should live like Vonnegut, dear Scorpio. To do so, you would have to summon extra courage and alertness. But if you are inclined to explore such a state, the coming weeks will offer you a chance to live on the edge with as much safety, reward, and enjoyment as possible.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): “Where there is great love, there are always miracles,” wrote Sagittarian novelist Willa Cather (1873–1947). In accordance with upcoming astrological aspects, I encourage you to prepare the way for such miracles. If you don’t have as much love as you would like, be imaginative as you offer more of the best love you have to give. If there is good but not great love in your life, figure out how you can make it even better. If you are blessed with great love, see if you can transform it into being even more extraordinary. For you Sagittarians, it is the season of generating miracles through the intimate power of marvelous love.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Capricorn author Alexander Woollcott (1187–1943) could be rude and vulgar. He sometimes greeted cohorts by say-

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): In honor of the Virgo birthday season, I invite you to be excep tionally distinctive and singular in the coming weeks, even idiosyncratic and downright incomparable. That’s not always a comfortable state for you Virgos to inhabit, but right now it’s healthy to experiment with. Here’s counsel from writer Christopher Morley: “Read, every day, something no one else is reading. Think, every day, something no one else is thinking. Do, every day, something no one else would be silly enough to do. It is bad for the mind to continually be part of unanimity.” Here’s a bonus quote from Virgo poet Edith Sitwell: “I am not eccentric! It’s just that I am more alive than most people.”

ing, “Hello, Repulsive.” After he read the refined novelist Marcel Proust, he described the experience as “like lying in someone else’s dirty bath water.” But according to Woollcott’s many close and enduring friends, he was often warm, generous, and humble. I bring this to your attention in the hope that you will address any discrepancies between your public persona and your authentic soul. Now is a good time to get your outer and inner selves into greater harmony.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In 1963, Aquarian author Betty Friedan published The Feminine Mystique, a groundbreaking book that became a bestseller crucial in launching the feminist movement. She brought to wide cultural awareness “the problem that has no name”: millions of women’s sense of invisibility, powerlessness, and depression. In a later book, Friedan reported on those early days of the awakening: “We couldn’t possibly know where it would lead, but we knew it had to be done.” I encourage you to identify an equivalent quest in your personal life, Aquarius: a project that feels necessary to your future, even if you don’t yet know what that future will turn out to be.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): “Among those whom I like or admire, I can find no common denominator, but among those whom I love, I can: All of them make me laugh.” Piscean poet W. H. Auden said that. After analyzing the astrological omens, I conclude that laughing with those you love is an experience you should especially seek right now. It will be the medicine for anything that’s bothering you. It will loosen obstructions that might be interfering with the arrival of your next valuable teachings. Use your imagination to dream up ways you can place yourself in situations where this magic will unfold.

High School Confidential

Instant comedy classic Bottoms takes on all comers.

The best thing about Emma Seligman’s 2020 lm Shiva Baby is the intimate connection between director and lead actor. Rachel Sennott’s Danielle is a college senior facing adult life by making a bunch of questionable choices, like the secret sugar daddy whom she uses for nancial support instead of getting a job. Shiva Baby is one of those rare lms that earns the “dramedy” moniker. Yes, it’s an extraordinarily well-done cringe comedy, but you actually end up caring about what happens to these (admittedly obnoxious) people.

Seligman and Sennott re-teamed for Bottoms, a completely di erent kind of comedy that hints at a deep well of potential for this duo. is time, Sennott stars as PJ, a would-be Ferris Bueller at Rockbridge Falls High School. e problem, as she and her best friend Josie (Ayo Edebiri) express it, is that they’re not the talented, charming kind of gay kids, but rather the sarcastic and abrasive kind. Sure, the Gen Z high schoolers are not nearly as uptight about sexual orientation as they were when John Hughes was making his teenage dramedies, but that doesn’t help PJ or Josie get laid. Nor does it help that they set their sights impossibly high. No matter what gender they are, losers of PJ and Josie’s caliber have no shot with the pair of cheerleaders as radiantly perfect as Isabel (Havana Rose Liu) and Brittany (Kaia Gerber). Josie’s plan is to patiently wait until their 20th high school reunion and hope Isabel has been ground down enough by life to settle for her.

PJ convinces her that the long game is not viable, so they go to the school’s opening weekend carnival determined to shoot their shot. It’s an unmitigated,

but incredibly funny, disaster. Josie’s opening lines include “I like all the holes in your pants” and “Oh look, you’re skinny, too!”

As they’re leaving in humiliated defeat, they witness a parking lot ght between Isabel and her quarterback boyfriend Je (Nicholas Galitzine). When they o er Isabel a safe ride home, Je tries to stop them from driving away, and ops at the slightest contact between the bumper and his precious QB knee. His teammates (who always dress in full football pads and uniform) rush to his aid. e approaching homecoming game against arch rival school Huntington High means this delicate ower must be protected at all cost. As

rumors spread that PJ and Josie spent the summer in juvie, they are called into the principal’s o ce (Wayne Péré, deliciously slimy). Frantically BS-ing to keep from getting expelled, Josie claims their altercation with Je was part of a women’s self-defense club. As their infamy spreads, PJ sees an opportunity. ey’ll start a ght club, get the cheerleaders involved, then, hopefully, nature will take its course.

It is, of course, a terrible plan, but that doesn’t stop their burly coachturned-social studies teacher Mr. G (NFL legend Marshawn Lynch) from signing on as faculty sponsor. PJ’s attempt to become high school Tyler Durden are hilariously pathetic — and made

even more hilarious by the fact that they actually work in attracting not only their fellow losers like Hazel (Ruby Cruz), but also Isabel and Brittany.

Sennott and Edebiri are on re in Bottoms. Josie is the mistress of the rapid, spiraling meltdown. Sennott slowly reveals the desperation lurking below the surface of PJ’s cynical bravado. Fight Club, David Fincher’s classic of male n de siècle ennui, has long been ripe for a good skewering. Seligman and Sennott gleefully subvert Brad Pitt’s famous speech to the new recruits; the rst rule of this ght club is “be punctual.” But the camaraderie of violence works just the same for awkward high school girls as it does for disa ected o ce workers. As PJ and Josie get lost in “body contact exercises” with the cheerleaders, the group dri s into low-level terrorism. In true Heathers fashion, the adults are so clueless and self-involved that they paper over every new, absurd event.

Seligman’s direction is razor-sharp. Even as she’s hanging Fincher’s pretensions out to dry, she learns from his strengths. ere’s no lazy, at comedy lighting here, and her image composition belie a Kubrickian precision. She honed her lead duo to perfection but didn’t neglect her supporting characters — who knew Marshawn Lynch had such great comic timing? Bottoms is the best high school comedy since Booksmart, and, for my money, an instant classic.

FILM By Chris McCoy

Bottoms stars Shiva Baby’s Rachel Sennott and e Bear’s Ayo Edebiri as teenage ght club leaders looking to get laid. What could go wrong?

Our critic picks the best films in theaters.

The Nun II

Ask The Blues Brothers, or anyone who’s ever done time in a Catholic school, and they’ll tell you nuns can be scary. The sequel to the prequel of the second of nine films in James Wan’s The Conjuring Universe pits Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga) against the demon Valak (Bonnie Aarons) possessing her sister in Christ. The Curse of La Llorona’s Michael Chaves directs.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 Bigger. Fatter. Greek-er. That’s the pitch for Nia Vardalos’ third film, which actually takes the extended comedic family to Greece this time. Vardalos stars as Toula, the eye of the

familial hurricane who tries to keep her sanity while attending a family reunion in the mother country. The sprawling cast includes John Corbett, returning as hubby Ian, and NSYNC’s own Joey Fatone.

Jawan

The title Jawan translates to “soldier.” Director Atlee Kumar’s action thriller stars the legend Shah Rukh Khan in a dual role as father and son. At $37 million, this is one of the most expensive Bollywood movies ever made. Yes, this generational story will have pathos and violence, but will there be music and dancing? You’d better believe it!

Visit malco.com for more info and local theater showtimes.

Support

Qualified blood donors may be compensated up to $500 per donation for their time and effort participating in important research. We are currently seeking blood donors with the following conditions in the Memphis area:

• Multiple Sclerosis

• Type 1 Diabetes

• Lupus

• Celiac Disease

• IBD - Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis

Patients diagnosed with certain medical conditions are needed for preclinical research.

NOW PLAYING By Chris McCoy

2020 CHEVY

VIN # 2G1105SA2G9156847 -

2016 CHEVY

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2001 ACURA

All parties holding claims on the following vehicles should contact Bobo’s Towing & Services at 901-3798379 within (10) days of this notice.

AUTO AUCTION

Kingz Auto and Custom Paint LLC, 2811 Beverly Hills Rd., Memphis, TN 38128. 9/01/2023, between 12 and 3pm.

2013 Dodge JourneyVIN # 3C4PDCAB9DT5841672.

2010 Dodge Charger -V IN # 2B3CA3CVXAH2508023.

1972 GMC TruckVIN # TCE142A504228

EMPLOYMENT

ADVISOR - OPERATIONS RESEARCH

with FedEx Freight Inc. in Memphis,TN that is responsible for formulating and applying sophisticated modeling and other advanced analytic methods using a computer to develop and interpret information that assists management with decision making, policy formulation, or other managerial functions. Requires a Master’s in Industrial Engineering, Math/Statistics or related field.

Experience required: 5 years of engineering, statistics, forecasting, or data analysis. Go to www.fedex. com/careers, enter Job ID RC654887 under Keywords and follow prompts to apply. EOE M/F/D/V.

INNOVATION DIRECTOR

International Paper is currently looking for an Innovation Director in Memphis, TN. Lead and coordinate

Disruptive Innovation activities for the company, collaborating with internal and external resources.

Requires a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering or related field followed by 8 years of senior management experience in packaging and paper manufacturing industry or a capital-intensive manufacturing industry. To review the full job description and apply, please visit the company website at https://jobs. internationalpaper.com/

OPERATIONS RESEARCH

SCIENTIST III

with FedEx Freight Inc. in Memphis, TN that is responsible fo Identify business opportunities or expand ideas obtained from management in order to conceptualize and define and model operational problems to assess feasibility and impact.

Requires a Doctorate or Master’s in Industrial Engineering, Math/ Statistics, or related quantitative discipline Experience in engineering, statistics, forecasting, or data analysis required (2 years with Doctorate, or 5 years with Masters). Go to www.fedex. com/careers, enter Job ID RC654941 under Keywords and follow prompts to apply. EOE M/F/D/V.

By Frank Murtaugh

Chasing Secretariat

A trip to a champion’s resting place, 50 years in the making.

Spectator sports rarely traumatize us. If they did, they wouldn’t last long as spectator sports. But I was indeed traumatized on August 5th when Maple Leaf Mel fell less than two strides from victory in the Test Stakes, a thoroughbred race in Saratoga Springs, New York. Witnessing the beauty, strength, and speed of a racehorse in full ight has been a joy for most of my 54 years, but to see a 3-year-old lly collapse — crash is the better word — rips every ounce of joy from the experience. And the trauma lingers. (Maple Leaf Mel, having shattered her right foreleg, was euthanized shortly a er her fall.) is year being the 50th anniversary of Secretariat’s Triple Crown — the greatest season any American thoroughbred has ever had — I made plans last spring to visit the resting place of “Big Red” at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky. In the a ermath of Maple Leaf Mel’s tragic demise, my wife and I plotted the course for the heart of thoroughbred country. e trip would become not just a tribute to the greatest champion “the sport of kings” will ever know, but a tribute to the far too many who leave us way too soon. Champions like Maple Leaf Mel.

With apologies to Babe Ruth, Wayne Gretzky, and Michael Jordan, I believe Secretariat’s 31-length victory in the 1973 Belmont Stakes was the single most dominant athletic performance of the 20th century. He was expected to win. A $100 bet would have earned you 10 bucks. Only four other horses raced for second place. Yet when I watch replays of the race, my eyes get damp as Big Red pulls away … ve lengths, 10 lengths, 20. ere’s something about seeing unequivocal greatness on the largest of stages that makes you feel part of something beyond human (or equine) reach. is is why Claiborne Farm called to me, why Secretariat — gone for more than three decades — inspires me, somehow, in an active sense.

For those who love horses, the 15-mile drive from Lexington to Paris delivers a distinctive form of oxygen. One farm a er another, pastures of a green best appreciated in impressionist art. And a safe distance from the road … barns and stables. Claiborne Farm has been breeding thoroughbreds for more than a century and today occupies 3,000 acres. For merely $100,000, your favorite mare can cozy up to Claiborne’s current star, a 21-year-old stallion named War Front, son of Danzig and grandson of 1964 Kentucky Derby champion Northern Dancer.

Ignore the neigh-sayers: Secretariat might just be one of the greatest athletes of the 20th century.

13) to have been conceived at Claiborne Farm. His former stall is not much more than 100 square feet, one of 10 in a nondescript white stable a short walk from Claiborne’s visitors center. To stand in that space — with precisely two bales of hay awaiting its current occupant — and consider the giant who once slept there is a mind-leap and somewhat of a statement on the way we humans tend to consider only bigger accommodations better.

Secretariat is one of an astounding six Triple Crown winners (there have only been

Secretariat died on October 14, 1989, victimized by a painful hoof condition called laminitis. He was only 19; not young, but not that old for a horse. A necropsy revealed that Secretariat’s heart weighed more than 20 pounds, twice the size of a typical thoroughbred’s ticker. I love this part of Secretariat’s story, not so much for the physical blessing he utilized in becoming a champion, but for the metaphor it provides all of us humans. A big heart matters, more so than Hollywood looks or a Wall Street bank account.

The great horse was buried in full, and embalmed, royal treatment above the standard (and space-saving) head/ heart/hooves of a deceased champion. People leave coins on Secretariat’s tombstone, as you might see at the resting place of a fallen soldier, a human soldier. Me, I waited until those in our tour group left the cemetery, took a picture of the posthumous symbol, and touched the engraved name of the greatest racehorse we’ll ever know. And yes, I thought of Maple Leaf Mel. Sport of kings? Maybe. Sport of heart? Absolutely.

People around the world travel to Memphis every August to salute an icon whose legend has only grown across generations since his death. is is precisely what I did last month in paying my semicentennial respects to Secretariat. I don’t think I’ll ever go back to Claiborne Farm. But I’ll watch the 1973 Belmont Stakes many more times. And I’ll feel a long stride closer to greatness.

Frank Murtaugh is the managing editor of Memphis magazine. He writes the columns “From My Seat” and “Tiger Blue” for the Flyer

PHOTO: FRANK MURTAUGH