JANICE GRISSOM ELLISON, KAREN MILAM, DON MYNATT, TAMMY NASH, RANDY ROTZ, LEWIS TAYLOR, WILLIAM WIDEMAN Distribution
KENNETH NEILL Founding Publisher
THE MEMPHIS FLYER is published weekly by Contemporary Media, Inc., P.O. Box 1738, Memphis, TN 38101 Phone: (901) 521-9000 Fax: (901) 521-0129 memphisflyer.com
CONTEMPORARY MEDIA, INC.
ANNA TRAVERSE FOGLE Chief Executive O cer
LYNN SPARAGOWSKI Controller/Circulation Manager
JEFFREY GOLDBERG Chief Revenue Officer
MARGIE NEAL Chief Operating Officer
KRISTIN PAWLOWSKI Digital Services Director
Shop ’Til You Drop in the 901 Get ready to shop local.
PHOTO: ABIGAIL MORICI
rare
PHOTO: COURTESY IMC An Elegy for Wiles-Smith On diners, lodges, and other third spaces.
PHOTO: JOAO VIRISSIMO | DREAMSTIME.COM
THE fly-by
MEM ernet
Memphis on the internet.
DAMMIT US!
Right here last week we poked fun at a big typo in e Commercial Appeal with a legacy headline “Dammit Gannett.” We le o a “t” at the end of Gannett in a typo-inside-a-typometa-Inception kind of situation. We regret the error!
THE BUSINESS
Speaking of newspapers, e Daily Memphian launched its online marketplace last week. e rst item listed was an anticircumcision book titled “ is Penis Business.” History, folks.
PREPARE
{ WEEK THAT WAS
By Flyer staff
Questions, Answers + Attitude
Edited by Toby Sells
Crime, Online Safety, & Murder for Hire
Crime is down, a debate about kids online, and a hit plot blocked.
REDESIGN
e United States Department of Transportation allocated $13.1 million to redesign the intersection at Lamar Avenue, Kimball Avenue, and Pendleton Street, one of the most dangerous intersections in the city of Memphis. e Tennessee Department of Transportation said this corridor faces “crippling congestion” a ecting freight facilities, warehouses, and distribution centers.
TITLE IX COMPLAINTS
Speaking of penises, “prepare for penetration,” wrote e Damn Weather of Memphis about last week’s bomb cycle weather event that brought cooler temps here.
IYKYK
e University of Memphis still has the most Title IX complaints of any Tennessee state university, despite the number of complaints dropping by almost half from 2023.
In uencer sentenced for attempted murder for hire, crime down around FedExForum, U of M with most Title IX complaints of any Tennessee state university
Title IX bans discrimination on the basis of sex for “any education program or activity receiving federal nancial assistance.” is includes admission consideration, employment, “treatment of students,” “access to programs and courses,” and more.
For scal year 2024, the university reported 65 Title IX complaints, according to a new report from the Tennessee State Comptroller’s O ce. Last year, the school reported 125. e school refused to answer questions about the report.
ONLINE MURDER FOR HIRE PLOT
A Dallas-based internet personality was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison in late October on charges that she hired a Memphis couple to murder three of her online rivals, including one in Southaven.
Ashley Grayson gained notoriety for her online content related to credit repair. In 2021, Grayson had a falling out with a woman from Southaven who operated an online business similar to hers, according to Reagan Fondren, acting United States attorney for the Western District of Tennessee. Grayson suspected the Southaven woman of creating fake online pro les that criticized Grayson and her business. e pair never met in person.
In August 2022, Grayson asked a Memphis woman, with whom she had worked in the past, to y to Dallas to discuss a “business opportunity.” e Memphis woman and her husband went to Dallas in early September 2022
and met with Grayson and her husband. Grayson o ered to pay the Memphis couple to kill three di erent people: the Southaven woman, Grayson’s former boyfriend, and a Texas woman who had made negative social media posts about Grayson. For each murder, Grayson o ered to pay at least $20,000.
CRIME DOWN DOWNTOWN
Crime was down in the city this year compared to last year, city o cials said in a news conference last week. Crime in Downtown Memphis was down by a total of 26.4 percent, while citywide crime was down by 13.8 percent.
“ e work is working,” o cials said.
KIDS ONLINE SAFETY ACT
Tennessee leaders continue to push legislation they say would protect kids online, but which civil rights groups say promotes censorship.
Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti led a group of 31 attorneys general from red and blue states earlier this week urging Congress to pass the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). e bill is sponsored by Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee).
But civil rights groups like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) argue the bill could lead to censorship of legitimate and educational content, particularly around sensitive topics such as sexual health and mental wellness. Visit the News Blog at memphis yer.com for fuller versions of these stories and more local news.
PHOTO: (LEFT) @ITSASHLEY GRAYSONA VIA INSTAGRAM; (RIGHT TOP) FEDEX FORUM | FACEBOOK; (RIGHT BOTTOM) UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS
{ CANNABEAT
By Toby Sells
Up in Smoke
State lawmakers leave rule that could fatally cut Tennessee’s burgeoning cannabis industry.
Hemp ower is still set to disappear from store shelves on December 26th a er state lawmakers le a new rule in place this week, one that cannabis industry leaders say could decimate their businesses.
Cannabis farmers and retailers already adhere to a state law that limits products to a maximum of .3 percent THC. e new rule, set not by lawmakers but by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDOA), includes new testing for THCA levels, which can rise in products on store shelves or a er purchase by being heated.
e new rule would stop the sale of smokeable hemp ower, those recognizable green nuggets that can be crushed, rolled in a joint, or lit in the bowl of a bong. Pushback on the sale of hemp owers comes largely from GOP members of the Tennessee General Assembly, their objection being, basically, that smoking dry ower can get users high from legal products.
On his way to last week’s joint House and Senate hearing on the TDOA’s new cannabis rules, Soddy-Daisy cannabis farmer and FarmToMed retail owner Chris Sumrell said he passed two groups of people smoking cannabis. Public consumption is a problem, he said, even noting that if “someone that looked like me [with long hair and a beard]” was smoking cannabis next to his family in a park, he’d move away from them. But lawmakers should not take the product away from retailers.
“What do people do with the ower? ey smoke it,” Sumrell testi ed. “We can’t stop them from doing that. If we take this o the counter, and don’t regulate it, and tax it, they’re gonna go to the black market or take their business across state lines.”
Sumrell’s testimony on his own cannabis use was one of the clearest public delineations between smokeable products and edibles given to state lawmakers over years of debate. e new rules would test products at or a er the moment of decarboxylation. is process, usually done with heat, converts THCA into THC, releases psychoactive compounds, and gets users high.
Here’s how Sumrell described the nitty-gritty:
“Anybody that uses cannabis will tell you that eating cannabis and smoking cannabis are two completely di erent things. I don’t eat it at all. I don’t like it because that’s the Delta 9. at’s the psychoactive narcotic. e walls can melt if you take on too much of that stu , okay?
“But smoking it, it’s a di erent property altogether. at’s combustion, not decarboxylation.
“So, that’s where the wall is very confusing because, say we’re talking about decarboxylation to somebody that’s a scientist, they’re gonna say, ‘Well, they’re talking about cooking with it.’ No, they’re talking about using this to take the [hemp ower] o of the table. Well, that’s combusting it. at’s a di erent chemical process. is is science.
“THCA ower does not turn into a psychoactive narcotic until you cook with it through decarboxylation. Decarboxylation’s prime temperature is 200 to 250 degrees, but starts at 98 degrees. So, just leaving that ower in the window can turn it to Delta 9. But if I’m striking a lighter to it, that’s combusting it into a [non-psychoactive] CBN and not a Delta 9.”
House Speaker Representative William Lamberth (R-Portland) sponsored the overarching cannabis regulation bill two years ago. He worked closely with farmers, retailers, and government o cials in draing the bill. e bill put cannabis products behind many store shelves, and issued labeling requirements and THC limits. It also gave control of the state’s cannabis program to the TDOA, which added the rule that would ban THCA ower.
Last Wednesday, Lamberth pushed to keep the department’s rule in place for now so businesses could still operate. But he said he anticipated legislation on the matter in next year’s legislative session, which, perhaps, le the door open to smokeable products in the future.
Je Sullivan, a former Memphian and now vice president of sales with Chattanooga-based Snapdragon Hemp, pushed the debate from science, intoxication, and governance to straight economics.
“Chris [Sumrell] will lose his farm,” Sullivan said. “Chris will lose his retail industry along with many, many other companies in Tennessee if their particular rules stay in place. It eliminates that much of their total business, their bottom line.”
PHOTO: ESTEBAN LÓPEZ | UNSPLASH
Slowdown Coming
The State Funding Board acts to cool down state spending.
With pressure building for potential tax increases in Memphis city government, the outlook for additional aid from state government took a hit Monday, as the State Funding Board acknowledged weaker-thanexpected revenues and set a deliberately slow growth rate.
The board, composed of the state’s three constitutional officers and the state finance commissioner, set a growth rate in general fund revenue of 1 percent to 2 percent and total tax growth at 1.25 percent to 2.15 percent for fiscal 2025-26. That is on the heels of an estimated total growth rate projection for fiscal 2024-25 of -1.68 percent to -1.34 percent.
Economic growth has ground down considerably in Tennessee after a double-digit revenue windfall of two years ago. Among other factors, the state is facing a $1.9 billion business tax reduction stemming from legislative approval of Governor Bill Lee’s proposal to eliminate the property portion of the state’s franchise and excise taxes. That move followed additional tax breaks for businesses the previous year. The Department of Revenue has processed nearly $900 million in rebates this year, and more are expected.
On the eve of the oncoming 2025 legislative session, the weak budget outlook could affect lawmakers’ decisions, leaving in the lurch not only localities’ requests for aid but funding requests from state agencies totaling over $4.2 billion. The revenue forecast isn’t expected to come close to matching that figure, even with anticipated federal funds covering some of the costs.
• Two Memphians are finalists to succeed soon-to-be-retiring state Court of Appeals Judge Arnold Goldin of Memphis: Shelby County Circuit Judge Valerie Smith and interim Memphis Chancellor Jim Newsom. A third candidate is Jackson Chancellor Steve Maroney, a former chair of the Madison County Republican Party.
Smith was a member of a three-judge chancery court panel that dismissed a lawsuit challenging the legality of the state’s school voucher program. The decision was later reversed by the Court of Appeals.
Newsom was named in 2015 to a Chancery Court position by former Governor Bill Haslam but was de-
feated for re-election in 2016 by current Chancellor JoeDae Jenkins. He was reappointed interim chancellor this past summer by Governor Lee to assume the duties of Chancellor Jim Kyle, who has been disabled by illness.
• The three gun-safety measures approved resoundingly by Memphis voters earlier this month via ballot referenda have predictably come under legal challenge. The Tennessee Firearms Association has filed a lawsuit in Shelby County Circuit Court seeking to block city government from activating the measures.
In a sense, the gun-lobby group’s suit is pointless, in that backers of the referenda conceded that voter approval of the measures was conditional on the will and pleasure of state government, which had made clear that state policy at this point would disallow the implementation of the three measures.
State House Speaker Cameron Sexton had angrily opposed the referenda as antithetical to state law and threatened to retaliate by cutting Memphis off from various state-shared revenues if the measures were enacted.
The measures, certified for the ballot by the city council, would re-institute a requirement locally for gun-carry permits, ban the sale of assault weapons, and enable the local judiciary to impose red-flag laws allowing confiscation of weapons from individuals certified as risks to public safety.
Mindful of Sexton’s attitude, backed by Governor Lee, the Shelby County Election Commission originally acted to remove the referendum measures from the November ballot, but they were approved for the ballot by Chancellor Melanie Taylor Jefferson.
• It begins to look as though the beleaguered Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert will survive various ouster attempts and will survive in office until the election of 2026, when she will be term-limited.
Her latest reprieve came from Circuit Court Judge Felicia Corbin-Johnson, who disallowed an ouster petition from attorney Robert Meyers, ruling that such an action had to be pursued by Shelby County Attorney Marlinee Iverson, who had recused herself.
Judge Corbin-Johnson had previously disallowed an ouster attempt from Hamilton County District Attorney Coty Wamp, who was acting as a special prosecutor.
MY HEALTH is our health
Since welcoming little one, life expanded while my world contracted.
More complexity, less time
Every day I advocate for my baby whether it’s at daycare or the doctor’s office.
And every day, I push off one thing my own health.
Cardiovascular disease is the #1 killer of new moms, with risks can last for months post-partum.
So, I’m taking action and starting the conversation, with not just my doctor, but with other moms I know, too.
Because not only do I want to be a great mom — I want to be a mom for a very long time.
Locally supported by
By Bruce VanWyngarden
Driving Mr. A
When life takes an unexpected turn, roll with it.
t was a sunny, mild November Saturday. I was on South Idlewild Street, stopped at the corner where it intersects Madison, waiting for tra c to clear so I could pull out and turn le . I was headed to Home Depot to get a couple of keys made and pick up some paper towels. A big day, no doubt.
Madison was busy, and I’d been idling there a bit before I noticed the man in the red jacket and khaki pants sitting on a low wall by the intersection. It appeared he was trying to pull himself upright using the nearby wrought-iron fence and was
A er watching for a moment, I lowered my window and said, “Do you
“Yes, I do,” he said. ere was no one behind me, so I backed up a little, parked at the curb opposite from him, and crossed the quiet street. He had a stout wooden walking stick in his right hand, and I took his le hand in both of mine and pulled him to a standing position.
“I got to be careful. It’s my knee,” he said. “It gives out a er a while and I have to sit down. But then, getting up
“Where are you going?”
“Walgreens. I need to pick up my
“Well, let me give you a ride.”
“ ank you. I’d appreciate it.”
As we made the short drive to the pharmacy, he told me his name was John A — and spelled it out for me — and that he lived at St. Peter Manor, a few blocks away. He said he’d been to the doctor the day before and had been prescribed some new meds.
As I dropped him o at Walgreens, I said, “I’ve got to run to Home Depot but I’ll swing back by here in 20 minutes or so, and if you’re here I’ll
“ at’s kind of you. I’ll keep an eye
I got to Home Depot, went in, and grabbed a jumbo package of paper towels. ey were was a line and it took
Walgreens and cruised
the lot but saw no sign of Mr. A. On a hunch, I turned o of Union onto South Idlewild, and there he was, slowly limping along by the Goodwill store, not too far from where I’d picked him up earlier. I stopped next to him, lowered the passenger-side window, and said, “You want a li , John?”
“Boy, I sure do,” he said. “Can you come around and open the door for me?”
“No problem. I got you.”
On the short trip back to St. Peter Manor, John asked me if I’d ever been inside the place. “It’s pretty nice,” he said.
I told him I had and that at one point several years ago, I’d looked into getting my mother a place there, but that she’d decided she wanted to stay in New Mexico, where one of my brothers lives.
“Oh, she’s smart. New Mexico is beautiful,” John said. “I remember the sun and the desert … and the mountains and sky. Everything is so big. I loved New Mexico. And I like the West a lot. Plenty of room to move around out there.”
“It really is beautiful,” I said.
“Well, thank you again for the ride,” John said, as we pulled up to his home base. “I really appreciate it.”
“No problem. Glad to do it,” I said. And I was. I got out and went around to the passenger side and helped him get to a standing position.
“Hey,” he said. “Let me give you my phone number, in case you want to get ahold of me.” So he told me his seven digits (I assumed the “901” was a given), and I entered them into my phone as he headed toward the glass doors of St. Peter Manor.
I don’t know that I’ll call him, but I texted him my number, and you never know. We didn’t get into how or why John lived out West, but I suspect he might have some good stories. Meanwhile, happy anksgiving, y’all. Count your blessings.
ANDREBLAIS | DREAMSTIME.COM
PHOTO:
Handing Down a Home
With planning, heirs can have clarity on what it means for them.
Ahome is one of the most valuable and complex assets to hand down. It can be an incredibly emotional experience and may be difficult to find common ground. Thoughtful planning can ensure your home is passed along according to your wishes. A wellconstructed plan can minimize the risk of legal, financial, and tax complexities. If you’re proactive, your heirs can have clarity and a clear course of action for when the time comes.
1. Start planning early. Start early and discuss your intentions with family members and heirs. Understand their wishes and ensure your decisions align with their hopes for the future.
2. Understand the potential tax consequences. Transferring property to an heir can trigger various tax consequences, including estate taxes, gift taxes, and/or capital gains taxes. Work with an estate planning attorney or tax professional to implement a tax-efficient transfer strategy.
3. Explore different transfer options: Joint ownership — If you plan on living in the home until you pass away, you may wish to add your heir’s name to the property’s title as a joint owner. This ensures that the joint owner receives full ownership rights to the home without restrictions after one’s passing.
If a spouse is listed as the co-owner of the home, the value transferred to the spouse is exempt from estate and gift taxes as they benefit from the unlimited marital deduction. The surviving spouse would inherit your ownership interest of the home and become the sole owner.
When a non-spouse co-owner is listed:
• The value transferred is considered a gift and must be reported for gift tax purposes, meaning it counts toward your lifetime exemption amount.
• Lifetime gifts to non-spouse heirs are subject to the carryover of cost basis, which may be equal to the original cost of the home (excluding improvements). This means they may be subject to higher taxes due on the future sale of the property because they’ll likely not be eligible for a step-up in cost basis at the time of your death.
• As a co-owner, your heir assumes ownership of a portion of the home’s value. Should they experience financial difficulties, initiate divorce proceedings, or incur debt issues, this could put your home at risk of a lien or other legal action.
Further, you would need the permission of your co-owner to take out a new mortgage, refinance the existing mortgage or sell the home in the future.
Will — A traditional will allows you to name an heir as the beneficiary of your home. A testamentary trust setup can provide more control over how your home is managed and used. Having a will alone doesn’t prevent your assets from going through probate. And a will is a public document, so anyone can see who inherited assets.
Revocable trust — A revocable trust allows you, as “grantor” or “trustee,” to maintain control over your home while specifying how and when it will pass to your heirs. Following your death, the trust enables your home to be quickly and privately transferred to your heir while bypassing the probate process. This approach allows you to retain full control and use of your home during your lifetime and a seamless transition after you pass away.
Qualified personal residence trust (QPRT) — A QPRT can help you transfer your home’s ownership at a reduced gift tax rate. Here, the home is transferred to a trust, but as the owner, you maintain the right to live there for the QPRT’s duration. At the end of the trust, the house is transferred to the designated beneficiary, and you no longer have an official right to live there (however, it’s common to negotiate a lease with the beneficiary).
For this strategy to be most effective, the original owner must outlive the terms of the trust. If you die before the trust ends, the value of your home will be included in your taxable estate.
4. Evaluate financial readiness. Make sure your heir is financially prepared for homeownership and the commitments associated with the property. Passing down a home can mean additional financial responsibilities, including property taxes, home insurance, maintenance costs, and mortgage payments. 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 or to request a free, no-obligation consultation, visit CreativePlanning.com.
Shop ’Til You Drop in the 901
GET READY TO SHOP LOCAL.
Dear Santa, We, the writers of the Memphis Flyer, promise we’ve been good boys and girls. Really good. We only made fun of e Commercial Appeal once this year — just one time — well, one time this month. Sure, we misspelled Gannett while we were at it. Maybe that was karma; maybe that was you, Santa. But we’ve been good. We started showing up to meetings, occasionally on time. We’ve learned about spell-check — who knew that existed? We even got on Bluesky. We’re keeping up.
Oh, Santa, we only have a few things on our list this year, and we put them all in our gi guide for our readers. We’re sure they’d like some things from our list, too. ey like to support local businesses. So you don’t mind that we put it all in print, do you? And that we tell our readers to also get their gi s for their loved ones from these shops and makers? We can only write so much; being so good these days has made us so tired.
So, yes, Santa, your letter and our gi guide will have to pull double-duty. Take it or leave it. And, readers, please do take it; don’t leave it.
Flashback
Millett and Gene Vance describe their well-known emporium on Central Avenue as a “vintage department store,” and that’s a very good description. ey should know. e couple opened Flashback in 1984, just in time for Christmas that year. Forty years later, they’re still at it. Describing the kaleidoscope of merchandise inside is a challenge because there’s just so much of it. It’s a world-class vault of collectibles — everything you could imagine, and much you couldn’t begin to. You’ll nd clothes from several eras, hats of all kinds, kitchenware and glassware, posters and paintings, groovy new mobiles, funky furniture, fun-house mirrors, and even a giant mounted sword sh. Go in and poke around. ere’s probably something at Flashback for
everyone on your gi list, no matter your budget. Get funky.
— Bruce VanWyngarden 2304 Central Avenue, (901) 272-2304, ashbackmemphis.com
9906 Candle Co.
Candles and fragrances are key to setting the perfect vibes. Whether you’re trying to curate the ultimate homey experience or looking to mimic the ambience of that luxurious getaway you nd yourself slipping back to, scents can help you achieve that goal. is holiday season, instead of setting an alarm to stand in line at a mass-market retailer, consider supporting a local Black-owned business that specializes in handpoured, coconut soy candles and skinsafe room and linen fragrance mists.
9906 Candle Co. is a Memphisbased brand founded by Denise Weary. Weary’s brand is driven by “the philosophy of providing luxurious yet a ordable home fragrance.”
e founder goes on to say that her
PHOTO: COURTESY 9906 CANDLE CO. 9906 Candle Co.
PHOTO: BRUCE VANWYNGARDEN Flashback
products re ect her commitment to simplicity and elegance with her minimalistic and charming packaging.
“Are you ready to treat your nose, treat your space? We’re out here changing atmospheres,” the company asserts.
Some of the “best smellers” include the Coco and Cedar candle with scents of jasmine, vanilla, coconut, and sandalwood, and the Sweet Stones mist with notes of citrus, cranberry, champagne, musk, praline, and caramel. Other scents include Lure, Floral Cacti, and Mandarin Escape.
You can purchase an item directly from the website at 9906candleco.com, or you can shop a local pop-up this holiday season, such as the Lightfoot Farm Market in Millington on Saturday, December 7th, or the Holiday Market at the Memphis Farmers Market on Saturday, December 14th. — Kailynn Johnson 9906candleco.com
River City Records
e vinyl records boom shows no sign of slowing down. is year, the hot records are all by women artists, says Chris Braswell, owner of River City Records. “A lot of the new pop artists are women, like Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swi , Lana Del Rey, Sabrina Carpenter, [Charli XCX] Brat, and Chappell Roan. She was on Saturday Night Live three weeks ago, I believe. I didn’t see it, but I had several people come in Sunday saying, ‘Did you see Chappell Roan last night?’”
Now entering its fourth year of operation at 101 S. Main, River City Records has a huge selection of music, and the equipment to play it on. “Our turntables have been really popular,” says Braswell. “People are still getting turntables for Christmas, and we’ve got
several to choose from.”
If you don’t know what to get, don’t despair. “People sometimes don’t know the right album to buy for somebody, or if they’ve already got that particular album of a certain artist. Gi cards are really popular here, so they can stroll through the store and decide what record they want.”
River City Records’ Dave Anderson says there’s even more to choose from. “We’ve got vintage T-shirts, and then we’ve got our own brand, and other studios. Our T-shirts are really popular.”
Braswell says to be on the lookout for specials this holiday season. “We’re gonna have a big $2 record sale. We’ll have 12 to 14 crates of $2 records. at’s a good way for people to add to their collection on the cheap.”
—
Chris McCoy 101 South Main, (901) 359-5597, rivercityrecordshop.com
perhaps because of a kind built-in camaraderie among members of the Memphis Arts Collective, organizer of the holiday market.
Cat Snyder, a glass sculptor who’s selling her work there, as well as helping to produce the event, was just as enthused about the other members’ handiwork as her own. “Oh, you’ll love Brian Maness’ stained glass over there! And there’s an incredible potter next to him,” she exclaimed. I was drawn in by both the conviviality and the vivid artwork, from objets d’art to paintings to prints to hats to cards, all fresh out of the artists’ studios, looking for the perfect wall, shelf, or wardrobe to call home. — Alex Greene Gattas Plaza, 4998 Summer Avenue, through December 24th, MondaySaturday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. | Sunday, noon-5 p.m. | closed anksgiving Day | Christmas Eve, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. | silent
auction to bene t Miracle League of Memphis
Hound Dog Apparel
You’ve seen someone wearing that bright yellow T-shirt from the old Buccaneer Lounge and thought you’d been out-Memphised.
It must be the best thri store nd of all time, you thought. But it looks so new. How did …? But you push the question away before allowing yourself to truly consider the person might be a time traveler.
While not a traveler, per se, Rachel Ford does have a time machine. Her Hound Dog Apparel can transport Memphians back to an age when lemongrass tofu owed freely from Pho Binh, browsing at Bookstar was an option, and birthdays were made for Celebration Station.
Memphis Arts Collective Holiday Market
Feeling a little disgruntled with the standard corporate online shopping options, I decided to gi locally made art to friends and family this holiday season. And as soon as I stumbled upon their unassuming holiday-only storefront in Gattas Plaza, near the Knowledge Tree, I knew I’d found the right place. rough those double doors, a world of color opened up like I’d landed in Oz, as I surveyed the booths of nearly three dozen cra speople and their wares, with all manner of pottery, glass, jewelry, metal, fabric and ber, mixed media, and photography on display before me. What’s more, the vibe was pleasant and welcoming,
e small, locally owned and operated clothing company specializes in reproductions and reimaginings of some of your favorite bygone Memphis establishments stretching all the way back to the ’70s. If you’ve spent any time in Memphis over the last few decades you’re sure to nd a solid dose of nostalgia browsing through their tees. Hound Dog is not a onetrick pony, though. ( ough, you can nd a design from e Pony, iykyk.) ere’s a Barbie/ barbecue mash-up you never knew you needed. ere’s also plenty of Grizz and Tigers shirts to make you stand out in the crowd. Only the truly enlightened Memphian will grasp the timely nostalgia of Hound Dog’s “Knuc-ee’s” tee. *chef’s kiss* Hound Dog can be found at most major festivals around town — just
continued on page 12
PHOTO (BELOW): CHRIS MCCOY River City Records
PHOTO (ABOVE): MICHAEL DONAHUE Jimmy Crosthwait’s clocks and chimes
PHOTO (BELOW): ALEX GREENE Memphis Arts Collective Holiday Market
YOUR AD COULD
continued from page 11
look for the booth with the giant crowd around it. But if you can’t make it to town, place your order by December 5th to ensure it’s on time for the holidays.
— Toby Sells hounddogapparel.com
Jimmy Crosthwait’s Clocks and Chimes
Give people more time for the holidays. As in a Zen clock made by Jimmy Crosthwait.
e puppeteer, artist, and musician (who co-founded Mudboy and the Neutrons and now plays with Sons of Mudboy) is again o ering his Zen clocks and Zen chimes as well as his candlestick sculptures at WinterArts. He also will be featuring new pieces which he calls “Karmic Wheels.”
“ e Wheel of Karma is a Hindu and Buddhist concept of just life and rebirth and death and rebirth,” Crosthwait says. “How you live this life will determine your status in the next life. … I’m taking a certain artistic license when I design these.”
e wooden pieces are about 21 inches across, he says. “And have, for the most part, ceramic centers with spokes radiating out to the rim.”
e spokes are metal wires onto which Crosthwait threads beads. Some of the pieces, which are stained, have appliqués around them. Others are etched into the wood around the hub with a laser printer. “Some are cut out of a Masonite-like material,” he says. “And I will glue that to the wood and stain it.”
Crosthwait, whose clocks have no hands or moving parts, says the pieces essentially look like clocks. ey’re round and they have a pendulum. But there are no hands.
is year, Crosthwait’s clocks are a little bit di erent. “I was mostly putting them on serving trays, platters. And I would have pendulums hanging down
that were usually some sort of metal or tinsel. is year, I’m doing, essentially, a lot of wooden pieces that have either appliqué on the rims or are etched with the laser printer. Just carved into the wooden circles.”
Some feature spoons containing “a little ceramic orb to complement the ceramic centers of the clock.”
— Michael Donahue WinterArts, e Shops of Saddle Creek, 7509 Poplar Avenue, Germantown, November 30th-December 24th
Five in One Social Club
For those who like to get cra y — whether the gi er or the gi ee — Five in One Social Club is the place to go. For starters, it’s full of stationery, cra ing supplies, embroidery kits, felting kits, and locally made goods from Memphis-y T-shirts to Baby Creep’s creepy baby vases, all of which have great gi ing potential.
But the shop also o ers a whole calendar of cra workshops, including Stained Glass Ornaments on December 10th and Woodburning Ornaments on December 28th. Now, the options with these workshops and gi -giving are endless, kinda. You can a) make something in one of these workshops to give to your recipient (throwback to childhood DIYs you gave to your parents; these will look better though, hopefully,
PHOTO: ABIGAIL MORICI Five in One Social Club
depending on your skill level); b) you can bring your fellow cra y gi ee to a workshop with you (quality time = the gi a lifetime, as long as your presence isn’t god awful); or c) you can get your loved one a Five in One Social Club gi card to choose any workshop they’d like and they can attend it with someone whose company they actually enjoy.
Five in One Social Club is also featured in the Women-Owned Passport, through which shoppers who visit certain women-owned businesses can collect stamps and receive a special o er with purchase between now and December 31st. If you collect stamps from every shop, you’ll be entered for a chance to win one of three prizes valued at over $300. e best part? You’ll be supporting women-owned businesses! ere are 17 businesses participating, but I’ve reached my word limit, so … I can’t list them all. Sorry! I recommend you Google “Women-Owned Passport Memphis.” Happy shopping!
Everyone loves a bit of embroidery to add just the right amount of pizzazz to any garment, and Pile of reads does it best. With recycled, hand-dyed, neon-embroidered totes proclaiming “I Love Memphis Women” and cheeky
“F Around & Find Out” baseball caps, Pile of reads has something for just about anyone. Especially because you can also get customized work. at includes monograms, lettering, pet portraits, pennants, custom patches, small designs, embroidered jeans, wall art — just about anything you can think of. All you have to do is ll out the form provided on pileo hreads.com and allow three to four weeks for owner Whit Washington — the self-proclaimed “Stitch Bitch in Charge” — to work her magic on her 100-year-old embroidery machine.
Washington also has items available for purchase at Stock & Belle and Falling into Place. And she’ll be hosting a pop-up shop during WYXR’s Raised by Sound Fest’s a er-party on December 7th, with vintage goodies on hand for you to get embroidered — or you can bring your own. Items should be 100% cotton, non-stretch material like denim or canvas. Prices begin at $30 for this service. Sounds like the perfect stitchuation. — AM pileofthreads.com, Stock & Belle, 387 South Main | Falling Into Place, 2613 Broad Avenue | Raised by Sound Fest’s After Party, Crosstown Concourse, 1350 Concourse, Saturday, December 7, 9-11 p.m.
PHOTO: COURTESY PILE OF THREADS
Pile of reads
SHELBY FARMS PARK
steppin’ out
We Recommend: Culture, News + Reviews
A Fashion Story
By Abigail Morici
On December 1st, Memphians will be transported to the rainforest as models take to the runway in exotic and elegant looks at Cossitt Library. Some of them will be literarythemed, harkening to genres and books; some will be high-fashion, while others will be streetwear. All will be a part of the third-ever Category Fashion Show, presented by designer Demi Blvck, this year in support of the Memphis Library Foundation (MLF).
Of his choice to partner with MLF, Blvck says, “I felt like I had a di erent story to tell” — one being that, in between designing for Miss Universe, New York Fashion Week, LA Fashion Week, the upcoming Paris Fashion Week, and the like, he also “low-key, I mean, low-key” writes short stories. One of these stories is set in a rainforest, about a panther, the king of the jungle, whose unorthodox romance with a serpent becomes the center of unwanted gossip, hence the rainforest theme. “I felt like this show was the perfect way to introduce to the world that I’ve written stories for years, but I’ve always kept it to myself,” Blvck says. e fashion show will also kick o Cossitt Library’s fashion literacy education program that came about from listening to the needs of patrons, says Brian Lyles, director of Cossitt Library. “It will feature a diverse range of fashion-related events and activities, including sewing classes, T-shirt printing workshops, AI-driven fashion design courses, dedicated areas for merchandise entrepreneurship, nancial literacy in the fashion industry, and more.”
Blvck will lend a hand in the implementation of the program. With so many experiences under his belt, he says he wants other Memphians to know about the possibilities in fashion and to have access to gaining those skills. Having learned his own design skills from his mom and “YouTube University,” he never imagined having the career he has for himself, especially since his rst time “designing” was hand-sewing sleeves on shirts he bought from Walmart to better t trends, he says.
Blvck’s desire to give back is also how the Category Fashion Show got started. “I wanted to bring a show to Memphis that felt something like the Met Gala. I design couture, and a lot of designers in Memphis don’t do that, so it’s just good to show that side of things,” he says. “But I also wanted it to be a platform for new designers. at’s very important to me because when I rst started designing, I really didn’t have those platforms.”
is year’s designers are Maximus Jewels, Fovrce, Unconvent, Brezerk Clothing, and K.O. Designs, with Blvck headlining, of course. Reserve your spot on the wait-list or purchase a VIP ticket at tinyurl.com/433bddpm. VIP tickets include priority seating, a pre-show lounge, a cocktail experience, hors d’oeuvres, a gi bag, meet and greet, and red carpet experience. e attire is high-fashion rainforest.
THE CATEGORY FASHION SHOW: THE LIBRARY COLLECTION, COSSITT LIBRARY, 33 SOUTH FRONT STREET, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1, 6 P.M., FREE/GENERAL ADMISSION, $50/VIP.
VARIOUS DAYS & TIMES November 28th - December 4th
Zoo Lights
Memphis Zoo, 2000 Prentiss Place, Friday, November 29-January 4, select nights, $16/members, $20/ nonmembers e holidays shine brighter at Memphis Zoo with Truist Zoo Lights as the zoo transforms into a sparkling wonderland of festive fun. Stroll through the Truist Courtyard Winter Wonderland, meet Magic Mr. Nick at the Holiday Pavilion, and snap a pic with Santa at his workshop.
Learn wildlife facts at the Arctic Outpost, or glide into fun with ice skating at Memphis Zoo on Ice. For stunning views, hop on the Ferris Wheel (a small fee applies) or enjoy classic rides like the Holiday Express Train and China Carousel — both included with your ticket. Whether it’s your rst visit or a family tradition, Truist Zoo Lights is a must-see this season.
Holiday Wonders
Memphis Botanic Garden, 750 Cherry, Friday, November 29-December 23, select nights, $12/members (weeknights), $15/ nonmembers (weeknights), $15/members (weekends), $17 nonmembers/(weekends) is unique and expansive holiday exhibition is a delight for all ages. Perfect for a date night or a family outing, attendees can enjoy signature cocktails, hot chocolate, and apple cider.
e 20-night run includes everyone’s favorite nights, including the dog-friendly Paw-liday Wonders evenings and Santa Sundays with the big guy himself, plus a new 901 Night.
Opening night (November 29th) will have Santa to kick o the season.
A Day With(out) Art: Film Screening
Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, 1934 Poplar Avenue, Sunday, December 1, 1-4 p.m., free Memphis Brooks Museum of Art partners with Visual AIDS for A Day With(out) Art 2024 by presenting Red Reminds Me …, a program of seven videos re ecting the emotional spectrum of living with HIV today.
Red Reminds Me … will feature newly commissioned videos by Gian Cruz (Philippines), Milko Delgado (Panama), Imani Harrington (USA), David Oscar Harvey (USA), Mariana Iacono and Juan De La Mar (Argentina/ Colombia), Nixie (Belgium), and Vasilios Papapitsios (USA). e event will have tabling and information from 1 to 2 p.m., with the screening starting at 2 p.m.
e hip-hop collective’s rare show on Friday celebrates 20 years of playing the long game.
Memphis is known for its worldclass rappers; trap is the new “Memphis Sound.” But while we might hear BlocBoy JB shout out, “901 Shelby Drive, look alive, look alive,” on the radio, there’s a cohort of lesser known but very active hip-hop artists among us who live and breathe such lyrics, depicting life in our place and time like no others. Does any recent rhyme capture the feeling of living under the weight of this city’s history like: “I rap Memphop, I rap the deep quadrant/I come from the marshes, the shady tree garages/ e torn-down projects, the cotton on the barges”?
Some readers will instantly recognize that as a line from “Maybap Music” by Iron Mic Coalition (IMC), as a devoted following has developed around the group over the past 20 years. If you know, you know. Part of that comes down to IMC’s undeniable grounding in this region. at comes across both lyrically and musically, as on 2014’s “Home,” driven by a minor key soul blues sample, with the lyrics: “A stranger in his own land, a Delta blues homeland … Crossroads demon summit, now the blues man cometh with the truth boom bappin’ hell on ’em.”
Indeed, IMC’s music over the years has been full of Southern soul and blues, (or even the tweaked voice of Billie Holiday singing “Gloomy Sunday” on “Crown”). Case in point: the hard-hitting blues guitar lick on their best-known single, “Memphop,” done many years before Al Kapone began experimenting with his own style of bluesinfused rap. Clearly, IMC is fully rooted down, devoting a whole track (not just one line of a hit single) to the “901 Area Code” on their 2005 debut.
Skipping back and forth across the decades is par for the course with IMC’s music, as the collective of DJs and MCs have been remarkably true to their vision and consistent in their output for 20 years, across three releases whose titles speak to their shared coherence: e 1st Edition (2005), e 2nd Edition (2008), and e 3rd Edition (2014). ese artists have always been playing the long game, as should be clear this Friday, November 29th, at the Stax Mu-
seum of American Soul Music, where the IMC will make a rare appearance to celebrate their 20th anniversary, revisiting their debut album in full and hinting at what a fourth work-in-progress might hold in store.
e Memphis Flyer, it should be noted, has been with IMC for the whole ride, starting with Chris Herrington’s 2004 survey of Memphis hip-hop, but as I speak now with IMC member Quinn McGowan, aka e Mighty Quinn, there’s one thing he’d like to clear up about how the group’s been described here in the past. “ e popular misnomer was always we were like the Wu-Tang [Clan] of the South, but actually a more accurate description would have been the Native Tongues of the South, right? Because we were always a group of groups. Native Tongues was the Jungle Brothers, Black Sheep, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Queen Latifah — all those folks kind of wrapped up in a loose association.” e same a liation of like-minded groups
Members of the Iron Mic Coalition, then and now
coalesced in Memphis “because we were all doing shows together, right? And we were carving out what would become Memphop, throwing our own kind of shows, with b-boys [breakdancers] and the artists out front. We were adhering to the four elements.”
ose would be the four elements of hip-hop — DJing, MCing, breakdancing, and gra ti art — and the IMC members’ adherence to them as a way of life might explain the collective’s longevity, despite having never blown up coast to coast. rough the decades, the core group of groups, including Fyte Club (General MacArthur, e Mighty Quinn), M.O.S. (Duke, Derelick, and Milk [aka Yasin Allah]), Kontrast (Jason Da Hater, EMPEE, and DJ Capital A), and Fathom 9 (aka Avenging Wind), have continued as a tightly knit cohort, despite Fathom 9’s untimely passing in
November of 2014.
“ ere have always been eight MCs and our DJ Capital A,” says McGowan, before noting the involvement of another stealth participant of sorts. “My son was always a secret 10th member. I drew a future projection of him as a silhouette inside of the eye in the Iron Mic borders.” at was back when McGowan was helping cra the visuals for the edgling group. McGowan’s son, then very young, uttered the rst line of the rst IMC release. An upcoming album now in the works will echo that when Eillo, as McGowan’s son is known, now a key player and artist in his own right with the Unapologetic collective, will join the IMC. “Eillo is nishing a verse at the end of the project for the point of the symmetry, right?” says McGowan. “He starts out e 1st Edition. So we wanted to make sure to have him, you know, get his lyricism on to close out e 4th Edition.”
In keeping with the four elements of hip-hop, expect a visual element at Friday’s show as well. McGowan’s other creative outlet is his visual art, including a line of comics called Wild re, published by his own Legends Press. “My approach to comics is very much rooted to my approach to hip-hop. ere’s this lineage of comic books in hip-hop that goes back to Rappin’ Max Robot.” It’s all been part of living the hip-hop life for McGowan, staying true to his vision and o ering commentary on the state of the world. (It’s no accident that IMC opened for knowledge rapper KRS-One back in the day). “My band of brothers are a group of men that I have a great deal of respect for, and we try to live the values that we espouse,” says McGowan. And part of that involves embracing the unabashedly local “Memphop” tag, a term McGowan coined when the group began.
“ ere’s always going to be a culture of hip-hop or Memphop in Memphis. Hiphop has its own very distinct expression here, even in the ways that we execute those four elements. Our gra ti is different. We have not only have b-boys; we’ve got jookin, right? You can still hear a Southern twang, so to speak. Memphop is bigger than us. So we want to do something that’s dedicated to that. And this thing at Stax is about our own placement in that.”
PHOTOS: COURTESY IMC
AFTER DARK: Live Music Schedule November 28 - December 4
A bene t concert for Adam Luchessi. All ages. Friday, Nov. 29, 7:30 p.m.
MINGLEWOOD HALL
Arc of Quasar With Speck Joliet. Friday, Nov. 29, 8 p.m.
BAR DKDC
Bailey Bigger and Friends
Saturday, Nov. 30, 7 p.m.
BAR DKDC
Basketcase
Friday, Nov. 29, 6 p.m.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
Bass & Bars With rappers Like aWater, Starzyk, Trend the World, AMMP, Community Activities. Music by DJ Shai, DJ Dosie, Crisis. 21+. Friday, Nov. 29, 8 p.m.
LAMPLIGHTER LOUNGE
Celebrating Robert Gordon’s Note on Beale e Memphis author and lm producer will be spinning records and drinking. Not to be missed! Friday, Nov. 29, 6 p.m.
BAR DKDC
Chuck Allen Floyd / Chris Skinner
Saturday, Nov. 30, 9 p.m.
HI TONE
Devil Train
Bluegrass, roots, country, Delta, and ski e. ursday, Nov. 28, 10 p.m.
B-SIDE
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17 NUGGETS VS. GRIZZLIES
Don’t
Dirk Kitterlin
With Dinosauria. Saturday, Nov. 30, 10 p.m.
LAMPLIGHTER LOUNGE
Dreamwell
With Homewrecker, A Kiss Before Dying, No One Le [Small Room-Downstairs].
Tuesday, Dec. 3, 8 p.m.
HI TONE
Elevation Memphis:
Tina Turner Tribute
Experience Sunday, Dec. 1, 7 p.m.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
FreeWorld Record Release Show e group will celebrate their new album, More Love, featuring special guests and band alumni who played on it. ursday, Nov. 28, 7-10 p.m.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
Gothique Presents ’80s Night
With DJ Midnight, DJ Plastic Citizen. Friday, Nov. 29, 10 p.m.
GROWLERS
Grit & Grind Music Machine
Saturday, Nov. 30, 9 p.m.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
Joe Restivo 4
Guitarist Joe Restivo leads one of the city’s nest jazz quartets. Sunday, Dec. 1, 11 a.m.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
Jonny West
With Swelles [Big Room-Upstairs]. Sunday, Dec. 1, 9 p.m.
HI TONE
Landslide (Fleetwood Mac Tribute)
Saturday, Nov. 30, 8 p.m.
RAILGARTEN
Louder Than Bombs (Tribute to The Smiths/ Morrissey)
Saturday, Nov. 30, 9 p.m.
HI TONE
Mashburn Music Series Concert
A performance by members of the Memphis Youth Symphony Program, with works by Mendelssohn, Forsyth, Mozart, Bach, Paganini, and Brandon. Free. Wednesday, Dec. 4, 5-6:15 p.m.
Featuring the Messiah Festival Chorus and Soloists, Robert Moody’s devotion to this beloved oratorio is legendary. Tuesday, Dec. 3, 7:30 p.m.
LINDENWOOD CHRISTIAN CHURCH
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23
Negro Terror/Chinese Connection Dub Embassy
With Svmdvde, Sypha. Saturday, Nov. 30, 9 p.m.
B-SIDE
Our Favorite Memphis Turkeys
With Mo Alexander, HEELS, Alison McArthur. ursday, Nov. 28, 8 p.m.
HI TONE
The MDs (Booker T & the M.G.’s Tribute) Friday, Nov. 29, 9 p.m.
B-SIDE
The Surfrajettes “Easy as Pie” Tour
A four-piece Canadian combo with a clever mix of psychedelic rock and reverbdrenched surf music. Wednesday, Dec. 4, 7 p.m.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
The Velvet Dogs - A Tribute to Widespread Panic
Saturday, Nov. 30, 8 p.m. GROWLERS
Twin Soul Friday, Nov. 29, 10 p.m.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
Vinyl Happy Hour
With guest DJs every Friday. Friday, Nov. 29, 3-5 p.m. MEMPHIS LISTENING LAB
SATURDAY,
Driftwood Ramblers
With Grape. Friday, Nov. 29, 8 p.m.
HERNANDO’S HIDE-A-WAY
Duane Cleveland Band
Sunday, Dec. 1, 6 p.m.
HUEY’S SOUTHAVEN
Iron Mic Coalition is will be a historic hip-hop show, celebrating the 20th anniversary of one of the M-Town’s greatest creations — the IMC! Friday, Nov. 29, 7 p.m.
STAX MUSEUM OF AMERICAN SOUL MUSIC
Memphis on the Record: Oxford American City Salute
Hang out with editors and contributors, visit vinyl listening stations, and enjoy cocktails by Old Dominick, food by Bain’s BBQ, and a scavenger hunt to celebrate Oxford American’s Memphis issue. Free. Wednesday, Dec. 4, 6-8 p.m.
STAX MUSEUM OF AMERICAN SOUL MUSIC
Twin Soul Duo Sunday, Dec. 1, 6 p.m.
HUEY’S SOUTHWIND
Angelina David Sunday, Dec. 1, 6 p.m.
HUEY’S OLIVE BRANCH
Doug Macleod Sunday, Dec. 1, 6 p.m.
HUEY’S COLLIERVILLE
High Point Sunday, Dec. 1, 8 p.m.
HUEY’S CORDOVA
John Nemeth & the Blue Dreamers Sunday, Dec. 1, 6 p.m.
Experience Jhene Aiko’s Magic Hour tour when it comes to FedEx Forum on December 14. Find tickets now!
PHOTO: STEVE ROBERTS FreeWorld
CALENDAR of EVENTS: Nov. 28 - Dec. 4
ART AND SPECIAL EXHIBITS
Accessions to the Permanent Collection Objects acquired in the year 2024 highlight the movement between circles in the Metal Museum community. e pieces themselves, as well as the artists and donors, help to tell the ongoing story of cra ing metal in contemporary America. rough Nov. 7, 2025.
METAL MUSEUM
Alexandra Baker: “Healing Through Color”
e St. Mary’s graduate has been celebrated for her visionary, abstract expressionism. rough Dec. 16.
BUCKMAN ARTS CENTER AT ST.
MARY’S SCHOOL
“All Aboard: The Railroad in American Art, 1840 - 1955” is exhibition examines the o en-symbiotic relationship between painters in the United States and the passenger and freight trains that populated cities, towns, and countrysides across the nation. rough Jan. 26.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
“ANA•LOG” – Lester Merriweather e gestural treatment of layered and excavated surfaces here pays homage to the experimental processes of the mid-’60s developer tool works by the late Jack Whitten. rough Jan. 19.
CROSSTOWN ARTS AT THE CONCOURSE
Andrea Morales: “Roll Down Like Water”
Featuring 65 photographs spanning a decade of work by the Memphis-based PeruvianAmerican photographer. rough Jan. 31.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
“A River I Loved”Maysey Craddock Works that examine the dualities and mysteries of nature and relationships to space and time, through saturated earth tones and translucent elemental layers. rough Dec. 21.
DAVID LUSK GALLERY
Bartlett Art Association’s Happy Holiday Winter Exhibit ere will be a wide range of work from local artists at the Bartlett Art Association’s Happy Holiday Winter Exhibit, December 3-27 at the WKNO Studios. Free. Tuesday, Dec. 3, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. | Wednesday, Dec. 4, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. WKNO DIGITAL MEDIA CENTER
Ben Couvillion: “In Plain Sight” is photographer has a eye for the dramatic colors and light present in the most prosaic of scenes, transform-
Send the date, time, place, cost, info, phone number, a brief description, and photos — two weeks in advance — to calendar@memphisflyer.com.
DUE TO SPACE LIMITATIONS, ONGOING WEEKLY EVENTS WILL APPEAR IN THE FLYER’S ONLINE CALENDAR ONLY. FOR COMPREHENSIVE EVENT LISTINGS, SCAN THE QR CODE OR VISIT EVENTS.MEMPHISFLYER.COM/CAL.
“Still” – Michelle Fair Figures and landscapes conjuring ideas of solitude and loneliness, that also explore the meditative aspects of painting. rough Jan. 19.
CROSSTOWN ARTS AT THE CONCOURSE
“The Funny Pages” Art Show with MidSouth Cartoonists Association at GCT
See the shows, buy the art, meet the artists. It’s a great time to shop for art for all your gi -giving needs! Multiple opportunities to engage with MSCA and GCT. rough Jan. 17.
GERMANTOWN COMMUNITY THEATRE
ART HAPPENINGS
Artist Meet & Greet ~ Connect With Other Creatives at The Memphis Art Salon
Learn about upcoming events and opportunities to showcase your work, connect with other creatives, and learn how to get involved at the Memphis Art Salon. Wednesday, Dec. 4, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
ing everyday scenes into little epiphanies. Dec. 4-Jan. 27.
GERMANTOWN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
“Beyond the Surface:”
The Art of Handmade Paper, Part I
Featuring handmade paper creations showcasing a variety of techniques that expand our understanding of the medium, created at Dieu Donne, a leading arts organization in New York. rough Dec. 15.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
Carol Adamec Exhibit: In a Japanese Garden
An exhibit of owers, kimonos, and gardens in oil on canvas and acrylic gouache on rice paper and panel. rough Dec. 30.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
Justin Bowles: “Green Fountain”
An ecstatic rendering of a fantastical garden. Bowles’ garden depicts a pool surrounded by animals and plants and crystal rock formations depicted in three intricate collage works. rough Feb. 16.
TOPS GALLERY: MADISON AVENUE PARK
Kevin A. Williams:
“Native Son” Williams is one of the most celebrated gurative storytellers of this era, with his collection of paintings being the most widely circulated urban ne art series in the world. rough Dec. 15.
HYATT CENTRIC
MadameFraankie: “Intertwine” New mixed-media works that invite the artist’s family into
COURTESY METAL
by Sherri Jaudes is among the recent additions to the Metal Museum’s permanent collection.
her photographic practice. rough Dec. 13.
BEVERLY + SAM ROSS GALLERY
Master Metalsmith
Preston Jackson: “A Hidden Culture”
Honoring the Metal Museum’s 38th Master Metalsmith, this exhibition “reveals history that has been buried, forgotten, or deemed unimportant by society.” Content warning: this exhibition includes imagery and narratives that contain sensitive subject matter. rough Jan. 26.
METAL MUSEUM
“Natural Histories:
400 Years of Scientific Illustration” Showcasing hidden gems and unique masterworks from the American Museum of Natural History’s rare book collection.
rough Jan. 26.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
“Pissarro to Picasso:”
Masterworks from the Kirkland Family Collection
anks to the generosity of the Kirkland family of Los Angeles, visitors to the Dixon will be able to enjoy 18 art treasures from the family’s collection. rough Jan. 26.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
“Pompeii: The Exhibition”
In a media-rich, object-based immersive experience, discover the bustling commercial port and strategic military and trading center that was Pompeii before Mount Vesuvius erupted. rough April 13.
GRACELAND EXHIBITION CENTER
Preston Jackson: Tales of the River Cities
Tales of the River Cities, by artist Preston Jackson, features narrative vignettes that speak to Jackson’s family history near the Mississippi River. rough Jan. 26.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
R.P. Funderburk Birdhouses
R. P. Funderburk has turned building birdhouses into an art form for almost 20 years. He is a member of the Cra smen Guild of Mississippi. Tuesday, Dec. 3-Jan. 2.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
Scott A. Carter: “Energy States” Memphis artist, educator, curator, and musician Scott A. Carter makes objects and environments that exist somewhere in the spaces between sculpture, architecture, design, and sound. rough Jan. 19.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
“Size Matters” – Alex Paulus
A series focused on the juxtaposition of small gures within expansive landscapes, alongside large-scale portraits depicting gures from the artist’s childhood. rough Jan. 19.
CROSSTOWN ARTS AT THE CONCOURSE
Southern Heritage Classic Exhibit
Celebrating 35 years of an HBCU Memphis tradition, the exhibition tells the story of Fred Jones Jr., the founder of the Southern Heritage Classic. rough Feb. 28.
NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM
MINGLEWOOD HALL
Winter Artist Mixer
Memphis Cultural Coalition hosts this opportunity for Memphis arts leaders and fellow creatives to upli and strengthen our city’s vibrant arts and culture community. 21+. Tuesday, Dec. 3, 5 p.m.
CROSSTOWN ART BAR
BOOK EVENTS
Alice Faye Duncan Book
Signing
e beloved local author will be signing her celebrated children’s books and more.
Saturday, Nov. 30, 1-4 p.m.
BUTTERIFIC BAKERY
Club de lectura (Spanish Book Club)
Este nuevo club de lectura del Dixon les invita a compartir sus experiencias de lectura en espanol a traves del titulo seleccionado del mes. El Dixon ofrece en prestamo tres copias de cada libro. Tuesday, Dec. 3, 6 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Dog Man: Big Jim Begins Release Party
Your preorder is your ticket to this event’s games, activities, and silent book club meeting. Dog Man himself will be available for photos. Tuesday, Dec. 3, 3-5 p.m.
NOVEL
Fried Fish and Spaghetti book signing by Author Robert Smith
Author Robert Smith will sign copies of his new book, Fried Fish and Spaghetti, and will
continued on page 20
PHOTO: COURTESY MEMPHIS ZOO Wander through the sparkling magic of Zoo Lights and visit Santa at Santa’s Workshop.
PHOTO:
MUSEUM
continued from page 19
also conduct a Q&A about it. Saturday, Nov. 30, 2 p.m.
GREATER HARVEST COMMUNITY
CHURCH
Zoe Aviya Harris: To Capture a Heart
Two guarded hearts nd unexpected love, only to face the toughest decision of their lives just as they’re ready to let each other in. Monday, Dec. 2, 6 p.m. NOVEL
CLASS / WORKSHOP
Lunchtime Meditations
Free meditation sessions every week. Friday, Nov. 29, noon-12:45 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Open Studio
A er taking a blacksmithing class, continue to practice the skills you have learned. Fee includes one 5-gallon bucket of coal and use of a forge, anvil, and hammer. Sunday, Dec. 1, noon-5 p.m.
METAL MUSEUM
Queer & Allied Theatre
Troupe
An LGBTQ+Allied theater group for young people ages 14-21. ursday, Nov. 28, 5 p.m.
PLAYHOUSE ON THE SQUARE
COMEDY
Cocktails and Comedy
Tootie 2 Times and Preacher Paul take the stage to tickle your funny bone. But that’s not all — a mixologist will be teaching you how to create cocktails. Friday, Nov. 29, 6 p.m.
GROWLERS
Comedian Will Loden headlines a special lineup of Memphis comedy alums at Flyway Brewing Co.
Laugh with a stacked lineup of Memphis comedy alums who are usually doing it big on other cities, but happened to all be in town a er anksgiving! $10/discount online tickets. Saturday, Nov. 30, 8-9:45 p.m.
HIGH COTTON BREWING CO.
Open Mic Comedy Night
Hosted by John Miller [Big Room-Upstairs]. Tuesday, Dec. 3, 8 p.m.
HI TONE
Saturday Night
Showcase is underground comedy show, hosted by Tylon Monger, boasts a diverse and interesting lineup each week that cracks smiles, shakes heads, and causes uproarious laughter. $15. Saturday, Nov. 30, 7 p.m.
MEMPHIS CLOVER CLUB
COMMUNITY
Beale Street Brass
Note Ceremony for Berl Olswanger
A salute to the local bandleader and music store
CALENDAR: NOVEMBER 28 - DECEMBER 4
founder. Wednesday, Dec. 4, 4 p.m.
TREZEVANT MANOR
Beale Street Brass Note Ceremony for Robert Gordon
A ceremony for the notable music author and producer in front of the place he wrote about in his rst published story. Friday, Nov. 29, 3 p.m.
A. SCHWAB
Memphis Turkey Trot
Join Start 2 Finish and Campbell Clinic Foundation in a anksgiving tradition. $34.99/general admission.
ursday, Nov. 28, 9-11 a.m.
SHELBY FARMS PARK
Small Business
Saturday
Support small businesses at Arrow Creative. Free. Saturday, Nov. 30, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
ARROW CREATIVE
The Mystic Live at the Green Room e Mystic is hosted by a rotating panel including Rabbi Micah Greenstein, Dr. Scott Morris, Rev. Joshua Narcisse, Dr. Rev. Lillian Lammers, and Kirk Whalum. Tuesday, Dec. 3, 6-7 p.m.
THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS
DANCE
Line Dancing with Q Line dancing lessons, Tuesdays with “Q.” 21+. Tuesday, Dec. 3, 6-9 p.m.
DRU’S PLACE
EXPO/SALES
A Ho-Ho-Holiday
Market: Holiday Art
Salon Bazaar Series at Minglewood Hall
Kick o your holiday shopping with a two-day market event over Black Friday Weekend. Discover a wide array of handcra ed items and vintage treasures. Saturday, Nov. 30, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. |
Sunday, Dec. 1, 1-9 p.m.
MEMPHIS ART SALON AT MINGLEWOOD HALL
Falling Into Place
Holiday Market
A curated Holiday Market featuring six local artists and makers! Saturday, Nov. 30, 10
a.m.-4 p.m.
FALLING INTO PLACE
Gifts of Green
A seasonal shop open in the visitors center through the end of the year, with tropical and unusual plants, stylish pots, and other botanical novelties to make the perfect gi . rough Dec. 30.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
Global Goods
Christmas Open House
Shop fair trade! Global Goods Fair Trade shop at First Congo will host a Christmas open house in the main sanctuary. Chocolate, wind chimes, jewelry, and more! Saturday, Nov. 30, 10
a.m.-1 p.m.
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
Holiday Bazaar
Shop 100+ local artists and
Starry Nights e spirit of the season comes to life with dazzling displays featuring millions of lights. Festive fun is in store for kids and kids at heart at this drive-through holiday event. $38, $200. Tuesday, Nov. 26-Dec. 29. SHELBY FARMS
The Enchanted Forest Festival of Trees
A bene t for Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital that lls the Pink Palace Mezzanine with beautifully decorated trees as teddy bears beckon, trains chug, elves work, and penguins play in the snow. rough Dec. 29.
MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND HISTORY AT THE PINK PALACE
Winter Wonderland Winter Wonderland hits CMOM with a blast of icy fun. Sock skating, snowball challenges, igloo making, themed art projects, Gingerbread story time, plus all the sights and sounds of winter. Saturday, Nov. 30-Jan. 5.
makers this holiday season rough Dec. 22.
ARROW CREATIVE
Memphis Arts
Collective Holiday Market
Over 30 Memphis artists showcasing their art work in pottery, glass, jewelry, metal, fabric/ ber, mixed media, photography. Silent Auction to bene t Miracle League of Memphis. rough Dec. 24.
GATTAS PLAZA
Small Business Saturday Makers Market
Artisan handcra ed goods: Soaps Honey Jewelry Ceramics Graphic Art Baked Goods Wild Cra ed Teas Curios
e South’s premiere holiday artists’ market presents its 16th annual showcase of exceptional and unique handcra ed works by our region’s nest artists. Mondays - ursdays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Fridays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sundays, noon to 5 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 30-Dec. 24.
SHOPS OF SADDLE CREEK
Mint Cream Holiday Market
With gi s, art, and baked goods. Saturday, Nov. 30, noon-5 p.m.
HI TONE
FAMILY
Cirque Italia Water Circus
Come along for the ride when a 1950s-obsessed adolescent falls asleep and dreams of living in this revolutionary era. is highoctane show is guaranteed to captivate and engage every kiddo. ursday, Nov. 28Nov. 30/
WOLFCHASE GALLERIA
PHOTO: COURTESY GERMANTOWN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
Ben Couvillion’s exhibit, “In Plain Light,” will be featured in GPAC’s Patrick Lawton Lobby.
Homeschool Days
Hands-on learning about pollinators that supplements your homeschool curriculum for ages 6+. Monday, Dec. 2, 10 a.m.-noon
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
Mini Masters (ages 2-4)
Introduce your little ones to the arts and nature with cra s, movement, and more. Free, $8. Tuesday, Dec. 3, 10:30-11:15 a.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Story Time
Enjoy stories, songs, art activities, and creative play that connect with Collierville history. Friday, Nov. 29, 10:30 a.m.
MORTON MUSEUM OF COLLIERVILLE HISTORY
Story Time at Novel
Recommended for children up to 5 years, Story Time at Novel includes songs and stories, featuring brandnew books in addition to well-loved favorites. Saturday, Nov. 30, 10:30 a.m.
| Wednesday, Dec. 4, 10:30 a.m.
NOVEL
Your Chariot Awaits at Carriage Crossing
Carriage Crossing is now o ering FREE carriage rides every Saturday from noon-3 p.m. through December 29.
Your chariot awaits! Saturday, Nov. 30. THE SHOPS AT CARRIAGE CROSSING
HOLIDAY EVENTS
Graceland Christmas Tours
Enjoy the beauty of Elvis Presley’s Graceland decorated for the holidays. rough Dec. 23.
GRACELAND MANSION
Holiday Wonders is unique and expansive holiday exhibition is a delight for all ages. Perfect for a date night or a family outing, attendees can enjoy signature cocktails, hot chocolate, and apple cider. Santa himself will be present at Friday’s opening festivities. Friday, Nov. 29, 5-8:30 p.m. | Saturday, Nov. 30, 5-8:30 p.m. MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF MEMPHIS
Zoo Lights e zoo transforms into a twinkling wonderland full of festive fun for the whole family. Wander through the sparkling Truist Courtyard Winter Wonderland and visit Santa at Santa’s Workshop. $20. Friday, Nov. 29-Jan. 4. MEMPHIS ZOO
FILM
A Day With(out) Art: Film Screening at Your Art Museum
Memphis Brooks Museum of Art is proud to partner with Visual AIDS for Day With(out) Art 2024 by presenting Red Reminds Me …, a program of seven videos re ecting the emotional spectrum of living with HIV today. Free. Sunday, Dec. 1, 1-4 p.m.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
A er snarky youth Kevin McCallister loses track of his father at the airport, he mistakenly gets on a plane headed for New York City — while the rest of the McCallisters y to Florida. Now alone in the Big Apple, Kevin cons his way into a room at the Plaza Hotel and begins his usual antics. But when Kevin discovers that the Sticky Bandits are on the loose, he struggles to stop them from robbing an elderly man’s toy store just before Christmas. Saturday, Nov. 30, 4:30 p.m.
MEMPHIS MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & HISTORY AT THE PINK PALACE
Met Opera 2024: Tosca Soprano Aleksandra Kurzak reprises her riveting portrayal of the title role, starring alongside tenor SeokJong Baek as her revolutionary lover, Cavaradossi. Wednesday, Dec. 4, 6:30 p.m.
MALCO PARADISO CINEMA GRILL & IMAX
PHOTO: COURTESY MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
Santa himself will be present at the opening of the Holiday Wonders outdoor exhibition at the Memphis Botanic Garden.
Space: The New Frontier 2D
From self-assembling habitats, commercial space stations, and rockets without fuel to the Lunar Gateway to deep space. Through May 23, 2025.
MEMPHIS MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & HISTORY
FOOD AND DRINK
Cooper-Young Community Farmers Market
Featuring fresh farm-grown produce and artisanal products, all made by the vendors themselves, with no reselling allowed. Food trucks and live music. Saturday, Nov. 30, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
Dinner & Music Cruise
A two-hour cruise on Ol’ Man River featuring live entertainment and a barbecue dinner. Friday, Nov. 29 and Saturday, Nov. 30, 7 p.m.
MEMPHIS RIVERBOATS
Drag Queen Bingo #attheMOXY (Ft.
Brenda Newport)
If you’re not at Moxy Memphis Downtown for Drag Queen Bingo, then where you aaaaaaattt?
Friday, Nov. 29, 7-9 p.m.
MOXY MEMPHIS DOWNTOWN
Thanksgiving Feast
Enjoy a Thanksgiving feast at Graceland’s Guest House Hotel. Thursday, November 28. $75/Reserved Seating. Thursday, Nov. 28, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
THE GUEST HOUSE AT GRACELAND
HEALTH AND FITNESS
Slow Your Roll | Saturday Morning Meditation
A serene start to your Saturday with some morning mindfulness, led by the experienced mindfulness educator Greg Graber. Free. Saturday, Nov. 30, 8-8:30 a.m.
CHICKASAW GARDENS PARK
Taijiquan with Milan Vigil
Led by Milan Vigil, this Chinese martial art promotes relaxation, improves balance, and provides no-impact aerobic benefits. Ages 16 and older. Free. Saturday, Nov. 30, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Yoga
Strengthen your yoga practice and enjoy the health benefits of light exercise with yoga instructor Laura Gray McCann. Free. Thursday, Nov. 28, 6-6:45 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
LECTURE
Munch and Learn: Perfect in an Empty Room with Scott Carter
Enjoy lunch alongside this weekly lecture series featuring presentations by artists, scholars, and Dixon staff. Carter is the Mallory/Wutzburger Featured Artist. Free. Wednesday, Dec. 4, noon1 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
PERFORMING ARTS
“Sweet Tea Sundays”
Featuring a tea dance and show. Sunday, Dec. 1, 3-6 p.m.
DRU’S PLACE
SPECIAL EVENTS
Friday Night Lasers: Motown
A light and music extravaganza at the AutoZone Dome Sharpe Planetarium. Friday, Nov. 29, 7 p.m.
MEMPHIS MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & HISTORY
Morrighan’s Bluff, Amtgard of Memphis
Medieval/fantasy live action roleplay game. Join the adventure! Saturday, Nov. 30, noon.
W. J. FREEMAN PARK
The Library Collection
Step into a rainforest of high fashion as models emerge from their books to highlight genres, titles, and innovative design at this year’s annual event. Sunday, Dec. 1, 6 p.m.
COSSITT LIBRARY DOWNTOWN MEMPHIS
CALENDAR: NOVEMBER
Record Store Day
Black Friday will see many special RSD releases as well as in-store specials, snacks, and refreshments! Friday, Nov. 29, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.
GONER RECORDS
Wednesday Night Karaoke
Wednesday, Dec. 4, 5 p.m.
DRU’S PLACE
SPORTS
Memphis Grizzlies vs. Indiana Pacers Cheer on the Grizzlies! Sunday, Dec. 1, 2:30 p.m.
FEDEXFORUM
Memphis Hustle vs. Birmingham
Squadron
The G-League Affiliate of the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies calls the Landers Center home. See the next generation of NBA stars! Monday, Dec. 2, 7 p.m.
LANDERS CENTER
NBA Cup: Memphis Grizzlies vs. New Orleans Pelicans Cheer on the Grizzlies! Friday, Nov. 29, 4 p.m.
FEDEXFORUM
THEATER
A Motown Christmas
Patricia Smith directs this regional premiere of Nate Jacobs’ exciting, family-fun Christ-
mas musical with holiday favorites from such celebrities as Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, and The Jackson 5, performed with that dazzling Westcoast signature style coupled with a soulful Motown flair. Through Dec. 22, 7-10:30 p.m.
HATTILOO THEATRE
Peter Pan
This high-flying musical has been thrilling audiences of all ages for close to 70 years and is now being brought back to life in a new adaptation by celebrated playwright Larissa FastHorse, featuring iconic and timeless songs including “I’m Flying,” “I Gotta Crow,” “I Won’t Grow Up” and “Neverland.” $29-$140. Friday, Nov. 29, 2 p.m. | Friday, Nov. 29, 7:30 p.m. | Saturday, Nov. 30, 2 p.m. | Saturday, Nov. 30, 7:30 p.m. | Sunday, Dec. 1, 1 p.m.
ORPHEUM THEATRE
The Wizard of Oz Swept to the enchanting land of Oz by a tornado, Dorothy Gale teams up with a Scarecrow, a Tin Woodsman, and a Cowardly Lion to find the Wizard, while evading the Wicked Witch of the West, who seeks the magical slippers on Dorothy’s feet, until finally discovering the true magic of friendship on her journey back home.. Friday, Nov. 29, 7 p.m. | Saturday, Nov. 30, 2 p.m. | Sunday, Dec. 1, 2 p.m.
PLAYHOUSE ON THE SQUARE
ACROSS
1 Walk in big boots, say
6 Practically
10 Alternative to Venmo
14 A3s, A4s and A8s, in the automotive world
15 Black-and-white item you can consume whole
16 Adjoin
17 Like galoshes weather
18 Ground beef sandwich with Swiss cheese and caramelized onions
20 Success story like Uber or Airbnb
22 “True Detective” and “True Blood” airer
23 Poehler of “Parks and Recreation”
24 Institutions propped up with government support
30 When repeated, start of a cheer
33 Newton who lent his name to three laws of motion
34 “That’s my ___!”
35 Da Vinci’s “___ Lisa”
36 Catherine who married Henry VIII
37 Gives the cold shoulder
39 McGregor of the “Star Wars” prequels
40 “Just joshin’!”
41 Verb whose past tense is formed by moving the first letter to the end 42 Matrimonial path 43 Chinese path
44 One profiting through litigation, not innovation
47 Granola ___
48 Granola bit
49 Misconceptions about money … or a loose hint to 20-, 24- and 44-Across?
57 Discuss one’s toilet habits, for example
58 West African republic
60 Something a complainer might raise
61 Easter basketful
62 404 Not Found, e.g.
63 Lodgings
64 Aussies with deep pockets?
65 Poke DOWN
1 “Wheels”
Ruler of Valhalla
of a 15-Across
“Didn’t bother me at all”
Trips up
Provocative comments on current events
Toyota debut of 1982
Who’s Holiday!
A riotously funny and heartwarming adults-only comedy, where Cindy Lou Who recounts the Christmas Eve she met the Grinch. Through Dec. 22.
CIRCUIT PLAYHOUSE
TOURS
Haunted Pub Crawl
Visit three local bars for ghost stories, dark history, and tales of the paranormal. Named one of the spookiest ghost tours in the country by House Beautiful magazine! Friday, Nov. 29, 7:30-10 p.m.
THE BROOM CLOSET
Memphis Sightseeing Cruise
A 90-minute tour that takes you down the mighty Mississippi with a live historical commentary. Photos taken and sold on board for a memory of your paddleboat ride. Indoor/ outdoor seating according to your preference. The indoor deck has heat/air. Snacks, drinks and alcohol are available. $50. Friday, Nov. 29 and Saturday, Nov. 30, 2:30 p.m.
MEMPHIS RIVERBOTS
The Original Memphis Brew Bus
The Memphis Brew Bus is a Saturday afternoon trip into the amazing Memphis craft brewing scene. Visit three local breweries for tours, talks with the brewers, and of course beer. $59. Saturday, Nov. 30, 2-5:30 p.m.
THE BROOM CLOSET
BY MICHAEL HAWKINS
We Saw You.
with MICHAEL DONAHUE
“Soirée” is French for “evening party,” so the “Orpheum Soirée” was a perfect name for the event, which was held November 15th at the Orpheum eatre.
And to make it more perfect, the theme of the event was the Moulin Rouge, in a nod to the musical of the same name that recently played the Orpheum.
“ is sold-out event, inspired by the legendary Moulin Rouge dance hall in Paris, transformed the entire theater and transported our guests to Paris for the evening,” says Tracy Trotter, Orpheum eatre Group vice president of development.
More than 800 people attended the event, which included 12 live auction items and hundreds of items in the online auction.
e event, originally known as “ e Orpheum Auction,” began in 1980. e name changed to “Soirée in the Spotlight” in 2017. In 2018, it was rebranded to “ e Orpheum Soirée.”
“Tickets, sponsorships, and donations help power the Orpheum’s education and community engagement programs to provide unmatched arts access and top-tier education opportunities for Memphis and communities across the Mid-South,” Trotter says.
MICHAEL DONAHUE above: (le to right) Cindi Younker and Christopher Blank; Kristin Bennett-Banks below: (le to right) Jake and Suzanne Brown; Rod Jones and Lan Bogan; Je Morris and Brett Batterson; Latty Latimer and Nicole Douglas bottom row: (le to right) Pedro, Diana, and Andres Velasquez; Spring and Taurus Bailey
PHOTOS:
above: Tonya Dyson and Chef Eli below: (le to right) Diana and Gabe Velasquez; Morgan Goad and Haley Wilson; Gary Beard and Joe Lackie; Pedro Velasquez Jr. and Esther Calderon
right row: (top and below) Brandon Arrindell, Ebony Arrindell, Dr. Robin Hobbs-Carter, Patrick “Trey” Carter, and Jonathan White; Steve and Lura Turner and Ryan and Catherine Turner bottom le : Carol Casey, Brian and Lauren Kenny
By Michael Donahue
Over the River and Through the Drive-Through
Eliminate the stress of a holiday dinner with these local anksgiving options.
Maybe you don’t want to pull out grandma’s tarnished silver turkey tray and gravy boat this year.
Maybe you don’t want to hold a big frozen turkey under a sink faucet for an hour because you forgot to thaw the bird.
Maybe you really just want a “happy” anksgiving this time.
So, here are a few places that can redress Turkey Day stress.
Tops Bar-B-Q & Burgers
Just in time for the holidays, Tops is o ering its PitSmoked Turkey Club as well as whole turkey breasts. e sandwich comes with pit-smoked turkey breast slices, “barbecue mayonnaise,” applewood bacon, American cheese, lettuce, and tomato. at barbecue mayonnaise — Tops’ original sweet barbecue sauce blended together with some spices — is a special component, says Tops CEO Randy Hough.
“Guests have been asking us for years — around the holidays, especially — ‘What do you have in terms of a turkey for the holidays?’” says Tops exec Hunter Brown. ey ask, “Are you going to have anything like a seasonal ham or turkey this year?” Hough adds. is year, the restaurant chain has obliged. e vepound breasts, which serve up to 10 or 12 people, are “100 percent usable,” Brown says. “You don’t have to carve around any bones.”
Tops will be closed on anksgiving, but customers can preorder the turkeys or just pick them up at a Tops location. “It’s already ready. We’re serving it as a sandwich and are able to get them one.”
And, Brown says, “Where else can you roll through a drive-through on your way home and say, ‘I want to get one of those pit-smoked turkeys,’ and several minutes later have it in your car on your way home as if you’re getting a cheeseburger combo? And we will hand it to you out the window.”
“We’ve got you covered until 9 at night,” Hough adds. “I could have used this a couple of times in my lifetime.”
Another Tops anksgiving option? eir turkey burger, which they o er all year round. “What’s cool about turkey burgers is turkey burger eaters love it, but cheeseburger eaters also love it,” Brown says.
Chez Philippe is might not be the year you want to whip up tru e-
stu ed squab and Chateaubriand for your anksgiving feast. So, let Keith Clinton make it for you from 5:30 to 10 p.m. anksgiving night at Chez Philippe at e Peabody.
Clinton, the restaurant’s chef de cuisine, and Konrad Spitzbart, the hotel’s executive pastry chef, created an elegant four-course prix xe anksgiving dinner.
“At Chez, we are detail-oriented,” Clinton says. “We want to emulate the nostalgia and memory of a family meal by way of taste and service. We have familiar staples of holiday tradition. We just tweak the approach and keep it interesting.
“I’m going to use cranberries, turkey, and sweet potato. But I’m also going to use tru e, squab, and edible gold.” Clinton also is also paying tribute to his own anksgivings past. “My grandmother has a patch of persimmon trees on her land. I’m going to use them in our opening canapé sequence as kind of a memory of those family gatherings of my own.”
at will be his persimmon and merengue, which he is featuring with pear and port gelée.
ere will be sweet potatoes: Clinton’s “sweet potato and chèvre with sauce poivrade,” which he will serve with Heritage Farms turkey. “I have a distinct memory of watching the marshmallow bubble on top of the sweet potato casserole when I was a kid. I’m leaning on that memory to cook a course for our guests this holiday season.”
Spitzbart is o ering pumpkin bavarois along with chocolate brûlée with brown butter and micro sponge crisp honeycomb for the dessert course.
Neil’s Music Room
If you want a more laid-back anksgiving dinner, but still desire traditional turkey and all the trimmings, head over to Neil’s Music Room at 5725 Quince Road. Owner Neil Heins is continuing his more than 30-year tradition of o ering anksgiving dinner on anksgiving day.
Heins began doing the dinners when his club was on Madison Avenue. “I started doing them ’cause I was broke,” he says. “Everything was closed on anksgiving. I said, ‘Shit. I’ll open up.’”
His menu includes smoked turkey, homemade dressing, “real mashed potatoes,” cranberry sauce, green beans, corn, English peas, and rolls. “And then we give them a dessert. And most of the time it’s pumpkin pie.”
Dinner is served until they run out. “We start at 11 in the morning. And we normally close at 1 in the morning. It usually dies down at about 4 or 5. We’ll serve all day as long as we have it.”
John Williams and the A440 Band will perform. Neil’s also is selling its anksgiving meal to-go.
Dale’s
Dale’s is continuing its 20-year-tradition of serving dinner on anksgiving. It’s featured from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the restaurant at 1226 Main Street in Southaven, Mississippi.
Customers get a choice of chicken and dressing or baked ham along with three vegetables, homemade rolls, and cornbread. “And it comes with a piece of sweet potato pie,” says owner Larita Mathis. ey normally serve the same items on their regular ursday and Sunday menus. “So, we thought, ‘Why don’t we open on anksgiving?’” Mathis says. Customers include “regulars that come every year and new people that just heard about it — or that we do everything from scratch.”
Dale’s also o ers to-go orders to feed approximately 10 or 20 people. “All our vegetables and pies are available. So, that’s a big part of our business. People can place orders a few days before anksgiving.” e dressing is made from her grandmother’s recipe, Mathis says. ey boil the chickens to make the broth. And they make the cornbread that goes in it.
“We don’t use turkey because the turkey broth has a wilder avor. If you try to make dressing with that, your dressing has a totally di erent taste. We tried that one year and it’s just not the same.”
Mathis and her family may grab something to eat that day. But, she says, “By the time we feed everybody, we just want to eat a hot dog or something. We don’t want to look at chicken and dressing.”
PHOTO: KAREN PULFER FOCHT
Tops Bar-B-Q & Burgers is o ering its Pit-Smoked Turkey Club.
PHOTO: COURTESY DALE’S Chicken and dressing at Dale’s
PHOTO: COURTESY NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM Turkeys ready to go at Neil’s Music Room
PHOTO: COURTESY CHEZ PHILIPPE
Chef Keith Clinton’s sweet potato and chèvre with sauce poivrade
BRIGHT STAR The Musical
NEWS OF THE WEIRD
BY STEVE MARTIN & EDIE BRICKELL
By the editors at Andrews McMeel Syndication
Awesome!
Inspired by real events, the musical — Bright Star tells the sweeping tale of love & redemption in 1940’s American South. Alice Murphy meets a young soldier home from the War, & awakens her longing for the child she lost. Alice sets out on a vast journey to understand her past. Filled with beautiful melodies & moving performances. Steve Martin’s — Bright Star is as refreshingly genuine — as it is daringly hopeful.
901.385.5588 — Box O ce Hours — 10a.m. to 2p.m.
Michael Bollinger — Artistic Director
Reach for the stars, kids! And by “stars,” we mean “wheelbarrow.” John Loghry of Saylorville, Iowa, made his dream come true when he set a new world record — for the fastest motorized wheelbarrow. WeAreIowa.com reported that Loghry’s vehicle reached 57 mph at an event on Sept. 21, beating the previous Guinness World Record of 47 mph. A local sheriff’s office helped Loghry confirm the speed with a lidar gun, as required per Guinness rules. “He’s been very determined on doing it,” said Loghry’s wife Jeanne. Members of the local community came out to watch the attempt, so Loghry, a veteran, ended up using the event to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project. He said he hopes he can inspire others to pursue their dreams, even the wacky ones: “If you think you can do it, try it,” he said. [WeAreIowa.com, 9/21/24]
Great Art
Residents of Everett, Washington, must be feeling so much better about themselves following the installation of the Affirmation Station, My Everett News reported on Sept. 25. Artist Timothy C. Flood of Colorado installed the sculpture, which looks like a pedestrian crossing sign, but instead delivers audio and text with messages like “Hey, you’re doing a great job” and “You are strong.” On the post is a sign inviting the viewers to press a button, which activates the sign. [My Everett News, 9/25/2024]
Whatever’s Handy
When a British surgeon couldn’t find a scalpel, the BBC reported on Oct. 1, he reached for the next best thing: the Swiss Army knife he normally uses to slice up fruit for his lunch. The news organization has not identified the surgeon, who was operating on a patient at the Royal Sussex Hospital in Brighton. While the surgery was reportedly an emergency — the patient survived, thankfully — internal documents indicate that the surgeon’s colleagues found his behavior “questionable” and that they were “very surprised” he was unable to find a more conventional surgical tool. Dr. Graeme Poston, an expert on clinical negligence and a former consultant surgeon, told the BBC: “It surprises
me and appalls me. Firstly, a penknife is not sterile. Secondly, it is not an operating instrument. And thirdly, “all the kit [must have been] there.” [BBC, 10/1/24]
There Goes the Neighborhood
You can’t take it with you — which means you should be very careful what you leave behind. KSBW-8 reported on Sept. 30 that a real estate agent in Salinas, California, got a real scare when, while preparing the home of a recently deceased man for an estate sale, they discovered a 2.5-foot-long high explosive anti-tank (H.E.A.T.) rocket among the man’s belongings in a closet. As the neighborhood was evacuated to a radius of 500 feet by the Salinas police, a neighbor, Rebecca Rodick, interacted with an officer on scene: “He showed me the Xray of the missile, which is really wild. He said, ‘See how it’s all dark? That means there’s a lot of stuff in it.’” The Monterey County Sheriff’s Explosive Ordinance Unit successfully removed the rocket from the residence without incident. [KSBW-8, 9/30/2024]
Makes Sense
Kody Adams of Oklahoma was due for a court appearance in Pawnee County for a hearing on car theft charges on Sept. 27. So when Adams couldn’t bum a ride from any of the patrons at a gas station in Stillwater, some 30 minutes away, KOCO News 5 reported that he improvised by commandeering an unoccupied LifeNet Emergency Services pickup and driving it to Pawnee. An Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper caught Adams after he had ditched the pickup and was entering the courthouse. “The trooper did make sure he made his court case,” said Preston Cox of the OHP. Adams was then transported to Payne County and booked on new charges. [KOCO News 5, 9/27/2024]
Send your weird news items with subject line WEIRD NEWS to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Renowned composer Mozart had a sister nicknamed Nannerl. During their childhoods, she was as much a musical prodigy as he. They toured Europe doing performances together, playing harpsichord and piano. Some critics regarded her as the superior talent. But her parents ultimately decided it was unseemly for her, as a female, to continue her development as a genius. She was forcibly retired so she could learn housekeeping and prepare for marriage. Is there a part of your destiny, Aries, that resembles Nannerl’s? Has some of your brilliance been suppressed or denied? The coming months will be an excellent time to recover and revive it.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Do you know if you have any doppelgangers, Taurus? I bet you will meet one in the coming weeks. How about soul friends, alter egos, or evil twins? If there’s no one like that in your life right now, they may arrive soon. And if you already know such people, I suspect your relationships will grow richer. Mirror magic and shadow vision are in the works! I’m guessing you will experience the best, most healing kind of double trouble. Substitutes and stand-ins will have useful offers and tempting alternatives. Parallel realities may come leaking through into your reality. Opportunities for symbiosis and synergy will be at an all-time high. Sounds like wild fun!
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Humans have been eating a wide range of oranges since ancient times. Among the most popular type in modern times is the navel orange. It’s large, seedless, sweet, juicy, and easy to peel. But it didn’t exist until the 1820s, when a genetic mutation on a single tree in Brazil spawned this new variety. Eventually, the navel became a revolutionary addition to the orange family. I foresee a metaphorically comparable development in your life during the coming months, Gemini. An odd tweak or interesting glitch could lead to a highly favorable expansion of possibilities. Be alert for it.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Cancerian, you are a finalist for our “Most Resourceful and Successful Survivor of the Year” trophy. And if you take a brief trip to hell in the next two weeks, you could assure your victory. But wait! Let me be more exact: “Hell” is an incorrect terminology; I just used it for shock effect. The fact is that “hell” is a religious invention that mischaracterizes the true nature of the realm of mystery, shadows, and fertile darkness. In reality, the nether regions can be quite entertaining and enriching if you cultivate righteous attitudes. And what are those attitudes? A frisky curiosity to learn truths you have been ignorant about; a brave resolve to unearth
Rob Brezsny
repressed feelings and hidden yearnings; and a drive to rouse spiritual epiphanies that aren’t available when you’re in the trance of everyday consciousness.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In my astrological opinion, you need and deserve big doses of fun, play, pleasure, and love. Amusement and enchantment, too. As well as excitement, hilarity, and delight. I trust you will schedule a series of encounters and adventures that provide you with a surplus of these necessary resources. Can you afford a new toy or two? Or a romantic getaway to a sanctuary of adoration? Or a smart gamble that will attract into your vicinity a stream of rosy luck? I suggest that you be audacious in seeking the sweet, rich feelings you require.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): December will be Home Enhancement Month for you Virgos. Get started immediately! I’ll offer tips for how to proceed and ask you to dream up your own ideas. 1. Phase out décor or accessories that no longer embody the style of who you have become. 2. Add new décor and accessories that will inspire outbreaks of domestic bliss. 3. Encourage everyone in your household to contribute creative ideas to generate mutual enhancement. 4. Do a blessing ritual that will raise the spiritual vibes. 5. Invite your favorite people over and ask them to shower your abode with blessings.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Libran songwriter and producer Kevin MacLeod has composed over 2,000 pieces of music — and given all of them away for free. That’s why his work is so widespread. It has been featured in thousands of films and millions of YouTube videos. His composition “Monkeys Spinning Monkeys” has been played on TikTok over 31 billion times. (PS: He has plenty of money, in part because so many appreciative people give him free-will donations through his Patreon page.) I propose we make him your inspirational role model in the coming weeks and months, Libra. How could you parlay your generosity and gifts into huge benefits for yourself?
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): According to my grandmother, I have such a mellifluous voice I should have pursued a career as a newscaster or DJ on the radio. In eighth grade, my science teacher admired my work and urged me to become a professional biologist. When I attended Duke University, my religious studies professor advised me to follow his path. Over the years, many others have offered their opinions about who I should be. As much as I appreciated their suggestions, I have always trusted one authority: my muses. In the coming weeks and months, Scorpio, you may, too, receive abundant advice about your best possible path. You may be pressured to live up to others’
SAGITTARIUS
(Nov. 22-Dec. 21): I invite you to get a head start on formulating your New Year’s resolutions. January 1st is a good time to instigate robust new approaches to living your life, but the coming weeks will be an even better time for you Sagittarians. To get yourself in the mood, imagine you have arrived at Day Zero, Year One. Simulate the feeling of being empty and open and fertile. Imagine that nothing binds you or inhibits you. Assume that the whole world is eager to know what you want. Act as if you have nothing to prove to anyone and everything to gain by being audacious and adventurous.
expectations. But I encourage you to do as I have done. Trust your inner advisors.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): There was a long period when many popular songs didn’t come to a distinct end. Instead, they faded out. The volume would gradually diminish as a catchy riff repeated over and over again. As you approach a natural climax to one of your cycles, Capricorn, I recommend that you borrow the fade-out as a metaphorical strategy. In my astrological opinion, it’s best not to finish abruptly. See if you can create a slow, artful ebb or a gradual, graceful dissolution.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): When he was young, Aquarian musician and sound engineer Norio Ohga wrote a critical letter to the electronics company now known as Sony. He complained in detail about the failings of their products. Instead of being defensive, executives at the company heeded Ohga’s suggestions for improvement. They even hired him as an employee and ultimately made him president of the company at age 40. He went on to have a stellar career as an innovator. In the spirit of the Sony executives, I recommend that you seek feedback and advice from potential helpers who are the caliber of Norio Ohga. The information you gather in the coming weeks could prove to be highly beneficial.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): What would your paradise look and feel like? If you could remake the world to suit your precise needs for maximum freedom, well-being, and inspiration, what changes would you instigate? Now is an excellent time to ponder these possibilities, Pisces. You have more ability than usual to shape and influence the environments where you hang out. And a good way to rouse this power is to imagine your ideal conditions. Be bold and vivid. Amuse yourself with extravagant and ebullient fantasies as you envision your perfect world.
FILM By Chris McCoy
Roman Decadence
A brilliant Denzel Washington can’t save Gladiator II from its own excesses.
“History repeats itself, rst as tragedy, second as farce.” at’s Karl Marx, who was not, of course, talking about Gladiator II He was talking about real capital-H History, the kind we’re all living in. But like Gladiator II, our era of historical do-overs is rapidly descending into the farcical.
A er decades of excellence, director Ridley Scott won his Best Picture Academy Award for Gladiator in 2000. e lm also earned A Beautiful Mind star Russell Crowe a Best Actor trophy and made him a household name. Yet since the lm ended with Crowe’s character, the unsubtly named Maximus, dying in the Colosseum, the prospects of a sequel were unlikely. But nally, the Hollywood history-repeating machine came calling, and Scott, fresh o telling the story of Napoleon with Gladiator co-star Joaquin Phoenix, strapped on his armor for another bout in the arena.
Like the rst, Gladiator II begins with a battle. is time, it’s in the North Africa province of Numidia, where farmer Hanno (Paul Mescal) and his wife Arishat (Yuval Gonen) are called to defend their home against the invading legions of
General Acacius (Pedro Pascal). A er a spectacular opening sequence, the city falls, and Hanno is thrown into the arena for the rst time. His rst opponents are baboons, which is actually a thing Romans did. But these are obviously CGI creations, which makes it look like the Geonosis arena scenes in Star Wars: Episode 2 –Attack of the Clones. is is not a serious historical epic, like Kubrick’s Spartacus or Scott’s Napoleon. It’s more like a half-remembered, sword-and-sandals melodrama from the 1950s, like Quo Vadis, which Spartacus was a reaction against.
Naturally, there is a Spartacus joke in Gladiator II, when a slave-master asks the assembled gladiators who red an arrow at General Acacius, and they all answer, “I did!” Like Spartacus, Hanno is also destined to lead a gladiator rebellion against his masters. But where Kirk Douglas’ gladiator revolutionary is a common slave who organized a civilization-shaking rebellion while in chains, Hanno turns out to be yet another Hollywood chosen one on a standard-issue Hero’s Journey. His real name is Lucius. His father, we eventu-
ally learn, was Maximus, and his mother is Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), which makes him the rightful heir of Marcus Aurelius, the last “good” emperor of Rome. Not that the Roman Empire really respected such niceties, as Macrinus (Denzel Washington) points out. Macrinus is a scheming upstart power broker who latches on to Hanno/Lucius as a disruptive force to the rule of co-emperors Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger).
Washington’s gleeful wheelings and dealings, as Macrinus whispers poison into the ears of the emperors, are easily the best thing about Gladiator II. He seems to know exactly the level of camp to bring to the proceedings.
Washington’s greatness brings into great relief Gladiator II’s biggest failure: It lacks Russell Crowe. e original’s script wasn’t that great, either, which seems a chronic problem with Scott (I’m looking at you, Prometheus). But an actor with
Paul Mescal on his hero’s journey, looking a little lost
Crowe’s charisma can make the nonsense go down easier. When he bellowed, “Are you not entertained?” to the Colosseum crowd, Crowe lled up the screen. Paul Mescal, on the other hand, always looks a little lost in the arena. When Macrinus opines that he’s betting on Lucius’ allconsuming rage to help him survive the arena, I roll my eyes. Kirk Douglas’ Spartacus would have made mincemeat of him.
Still, there are pleasures to be had in Gladiator II. Scott still knows how to stage a battle scene, and the sweeping vistas of Rome provide some eye candy. If that’s all you’re looking for, it delivers. Otherwise, you can skip this Roman holiday.
Gladiator II
Now playing Multiple locations
Our critic picks the best films in theaters.
Moana 2
Get back in the water with this sequel to the animated hit. Auli‘i Cravalho returns as the voice of Moana, the Pacific Islander who proved her worth as a wayfinder by restoring the demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson) to his former glory. Now, Maui’s back, and the pair go on a journey to the island of Motufetu to break an ancient curse and reunite the peoples of Oceania.
Wicked
Tony and Grammy Award Winner
Cynthia Erivo stars as Elphaba, the greenskinned girl who enrolls in Shiz University to learn magic. There, the outsider befriends Galinda (Ariana Grande), a popular student who has had everything
in life handed to her. The two friends are fated to become enemies, as the Wicked Witch of the West and the Good Witch of the North. Jeff Goldblum co-stars as the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. In a single weekend, this film became the biggest Broadway musical adaptation of all time, and it shows no signs of stopping.
A Real Pain
Jesse Eisenberg wrote, directed, and stars in this comedy. David (Eisenberg) and Benji (Kieran Culkin) go on a trip to Poland to visit their grandmother’s homeland, and tour Holocaust sites guided by James (Will Sharpe). But the two cousins’ bond is sorely tested as Benji’s free-spirited ways clash with David’s domesticity. Can the pair patch up their relationship and face their heritage?
THE LAST WORD By William Smythe
An Elegy for Wiles-Smith
On diners, lodges, and other third spaces.
On Saturdays, my grandfather used to take me and the other grandkids to Wiles-Smith Drugstore for lunch. We would sit, hang out and be kids, drink malted milkshakes, and eat hot dogs or club sandwiches or tuna- sh salads. He would always get the same thing: a bowl of chili with three or so crackers, and he’d bring his own Mississippi-style tamales with him.
I remember there was a vintage copper-plated weighing scale when you rst entered. My cousin Will and I would play with it, feeding it coins, taking turns getting weighed. It spat out a paper card with a fortune on it. What was a meaningless scrawl to an adult had seemed like wisdom to our little-kid-brains, with our wild imaginations. Gumball machines and tchotchkes littered the store.
Above the register were mindless doodles and political cartoons. One of those cartoons I remember fondly: a duck looking calm above the water, but paddling madly below the surface. e joke, I don’t remember. at’s not the important part to me. e cashier was an old man, the owner I believe, who wore tiny halfmoon glasses and knew my grandfather by name. When I went to the bathroom, there was a dingy glow to the bulb and the towel was a recycled cloth roll. I spent half my bathroom breaks just tugging on it, making the Sisyphean object endlessly move, imagining that each rotation was actually a brand-new roll.
Wiles-Smith burned down in 2014, a year before I graduated from college. Recently, another Memphis staple lost its home to rising rent: Black Lodge. When I rst encountered this wonderful establishment, it lived in Cooper-Young, every wall covered in DVDs, each section its own genre. Movies weren’t categorized as just Horror or Comedy. Instead, as Auteurs or Moods. One section, I recall, was Anime Classics. Neon Genesis and Akira rested on the shelves. David Lynch had his own dedicated section. Every single iteration of that man’s genius sat on its own shelf. at’s how I found DumbLand, the greatest “stupidity” I’ve ever enjoyed. It wasn’t just a rental shop, though. Kids of all ages would be there, lounged and perched like cats in an adoption center, just hanging out and shooting the shit. Once, I went on a date there, and all we did was watch a movie on the TV. I think it was Ennio Morricone’s Django. Or maybe the director was Sergio Corbucci. Matt, the proprietor, would know. He knows every movie, and, in fact, a secret of his was to know the movie you wanted before you could even say so.
Black Lodge, a year or so a er I went to college, had to move. When I came back to Memphis a er my six-month stint in Portland, I got a room next door to the old location and watched as the landlord slowly transformed the place into a music venue. A piece of my heart broke with each hammer against board.
When Black Lodge found a new home in the Crosstown area, they put all their money, sweat, tears, and (possibly literally) blood into it. At rst, it was a success. ey drew in old heads and new ones, too. Slowly, they added a bar and kitchen and started having movie nights. A local chef, Jimmy, cra ed ve-course meals for $60 a seat, designed around a certain movie. e event for Everything Everywhere All at Once had hot-dogs, congee, and an everything bagel dessert. It was a perfect experience.
ere were other events, too: drag performances, wrestling shows, and even a few raves. Local musicians got their start on the stage, comedy troupes hosted sketches twice a month, and still, yes, folks rented tons of movies. ere were spots for gamers and board-game enthusiasts. Truly, Black Lodge was the third space to end all third spaces.
But not even they could survive the Covid-19 pandemic and rising rent in Memphis. Alas, they shuttered their doors mid-August 2024.
As I write this, I think of these other third spaces in danger right now: local cafes especially. One place, Java Cabana, is renovating, and I hope they get business when they reopen. Oh, where are those diners? Where are our lodges? How much longer will we even have our green spaces? I can already hear a developer singing out: You can build apartments there, you know …
I may miss my milkshakes and my grandfather. But I hope I don’t add third spaces to that list as well. Cherish what you have while it’s here.
William Smythe is a local writer and poet. He writes for Focus MidSouth, an LGBT+ magazine.
