Well, folks, we’ve made it to the last stretch of 2024. I know my least favorite season of the year is settling in when 4 p.m. is the golden hour and the breeze starts biting. It’s so very cold (unless it’s not; Memphis winters are nicky like that). It’s damp and the fallen leaves lie decomposing on the lawn. You’d think being a January baby I’d enjoy winter, but it’s not just the weather outside that’s frightful.
SHARA CLARK
Editor-in-Chief
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Target is packed! Every sweet grandma within a 20-mile radius has come to my Superlo to gather ingredients for this year’s holiday feasts, jamming the aisles as they stop to socialize. My biweekly food subscription box has been stuck on a FedEx truck for three days! ere are way too many drivers on the streets looking at their phones! Did they even notice they pulled out in front of me? And stay away from Poplar Avenue! As my colleague Toby Sells joked on Slack the other day, “ at right lane needs a surgeon general’s warning.” at goes for all year, but even more so now. e town is full of elves scrambling to nd gi s for everyone on their “nice” lists, and I just want to buy dog food! Bah, humbug!
Would you just look at that?
I think that feeling hits for many of us this time of year. It’s counterintuitive to be out buzzing around when the sun sets at 5 p.m. and the temps dip near freezing. Our bodies want to rest and recover, hunker down and bundle up. But we’ve got to hurry! Christmas is just a few days away and heaven forbid Uncle Dan doesn’t get his gi ed garden shears! If you click “buy now” it might make it to him in time! And then there’s that issue. is pressure to spend more money than you should on presents for people who love you whether you get them that gi card or not. As much as I love to see the holiday spirit alive in little ways — the lights, the yard Grinches and Santas — it pains me to know that these things trigger bad feelings, too. For those missing a spouse, parent, or pet; for those whose paychecks don’t allow the type of gi -giving they’d like to do; or those who will spend New Year’s alone longing for connection. So while you’re out spreading holiday cheer, remember it’s not so cheerful for everyone. Some are simply trying to get through.
Back to my rant above. I know I’m lucky to be able to buy my dogs’ food even if I have to ght through tra c and long lines to get it. I’m blessed to have loved ones to share the holidays with, even if some are spread across the states and all we can do is FaceTime. A phone call can be as good as a hug if it needs to be. I don’t even shop at Target very o en, and my food box will arrive at some point. If it’s spoiled, oh well. e real elves — our USPS, UPS, FedEx, Amazon, and other delivery drivers — are busting their butts to ensure our many, many purchases make it to their destinations. If those gi s are late, guess what? Cousin Sue will still be delighted if her present lands in January.
Speaking of January, this “double issue” of the Memphis Flyer will be on stands for two weeks while our sta enjoys a holiday break. Our writers have shared their thoughts on 2024 — and projections for 2025. On a normal year, I’d have done a recap as well, but as regular readers know, this year was a bit of a op for me, with more than half of it spent recovering from a broken foot and three surgeries. I’m on the other side of that now with minimal lingering discomfort. A er a roller coaster of a year, here’s hoping we can all enter 2025 the same way. May “minimal lingering discomfort” be 2024’s swan song.
In the meantime, be kind, slow down, express gratitude, give yourself grace. We don’t have to do anything, really. We get to. Reminding ourselves of that when things become overwhelming can do wonders. For now, I’ll embrace the early golden hour that colors my chilly neighborhood walks, and the biting breeze that lets me know I’m alive and awake and all is well, however cold. I get to be here, with you and the migrating birds and the carolers and Scrooges. And that’s pretty darn cool. Wishing you all warmth and love this holiday season. See you here next year!
Shara Clark shara@memphis yer.com
PHOTO: SHARA CLARK
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MEM ernet
Memphis on the internet.
BEST OF THE MEMERNET 2024
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Once again, Hitler was ranting about the Memphis food scene, this time about the abrupt closing of Houston’s. Instant classic.
WEIRDEST TWEET OF THE YEAR
Memphis businessman Elon Musk tweeted at Taylor Swi : “Fine Taylor … you win … I will give you a child and guard your cats with my life.”
PHOTO OF THE YEAR
COMMENT OF THE YEAR
@gorgeousbrains said Vice President-elect
JD Vance “looks like he wants to go to Slider Inn but thinks the neighborhood is too violent.”
HIGHEST PROFILE
Easily the biggest celebrity moment of the MEMernet in 2024 was when GloRilla met President Joe Biden at the White House. Go Glo!
Questions, Answers + Attitude
Edited by Toby Sells
{YEAR THAT WAS By
Flyer staff
Cannabis, Schools, & MPD
Hotly debated issues from 2024 will surely continue into 2025.
JANUARY
• A state report found “out of control” inmates, drug overdoses, sta shortages, and more in Tennessee state prisons, especially at Tiptonville’s Northwest Correctional Facility.
• Cannabis industry leaders began working against new state rules that would remove smokeable products from their shelves and damage the industry.
• Memphis Police Chief C.J. Davis kept her job but on an interim basis.
• SmokeSlam BBQ Festival was introduced.
• We got to the bottom of the “Dicc Dash” car that had been seen all over Memphis.
• Winter Storm Heather le ve dead in Shelby County, pushed a record-breaking demand for electricity, and put all residents under a boilwater advisory.
FEBRUARY
• Artis Whitehead was exonerated 21 years a er he was convicted of a 2002 robbery at B.B. King’s Blues Club.
• Governor Bill Lee pushed for more school vouchers and big business tax cuts in his State of the State address.
• e Memphis-Shelby County Schools board picked Marie Feagins as its new superintendent.
• Data showed that Black residents got four times as many tra c tickets than whites.
• A bill was led to mandate gun safety training for every Tennessee school student.
MARCH
• American Queen Voyages closed.
• Eighteen anti-LGBTQ bills were introduced from GOP lawmakers in the state legislature.
• State House members voted to stop the Memphis City Council from a proposed ban on pretextual tra c stops, which came in the wake of the beating death of Tyre Nichols by MPD o cers.
• State leaders introduced a $787.5 million project to replace the Memphis-Arkansas Bridge.
• State GOP lawmakers stopped Memphis leaders from studying Black reparations.
MAY
• e school voucher bill died.
• e Overton Park Conservancy (OPC) gave an early look at new trails on land ceded to the park by the Memphis Zoo.
• Protestors cut short Kyle Rittenhouse’s appearance at University of Memphis.
• e Satanic Temple sued the Shelby County Board of Education over discriminatory practices on club meetings.
• A GOP House member wanted to ban lab-grown meat.
APRIL
• State GOP lawmakers wanted users to submit their ID before watching porn online.
• Bartlett’s American Paper Optics produced nearly 3 billion pairs of paper glasses for the solar eclipse.
• A shoot-out le MPD O cer Joseph McKinney and one suspect dead. McKinney was killed by friendly re.
• A Buc-ee’s was promised for Fayette County.
• Lee signed a bill that granted anti-LGBTQ parents the right to adopt LGBTQ children.
• e Biden administration paused a ban on menthol cigarettes.
• We caught up with Renee Parker Sekander, the city’s rst LGBTQ liaison.
• Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti sued the federal government over rules on pronoun respect in the workplace.
• e zoo announced a 20-year, $250-million campus plan.
• Memphis Shelby County-Schools ruled against teachers carrying guns, despite a new state law allowing it.
• A mysterious investment rm claimed it owned Graceland and would auction it o .
JUNE
• Mr. Lincoln’s Costume Shoppe closed.
• Memphis ranked as most dangerous city for pedestrian deaths.
• Renting a home in Memphis became more a ordable than buying one.
• Elon Musk announced Memphis would be the new home for his supercomputer, Grok.
• New census data said nearly half of Tennesseans could not a ord the basic cost of living in their counties.
• Tina Sullivan announced she would step down from the OPC.
• e Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) asked the city council for $30.5 million a er revealing a $60 million de cit.
• A federal judge blocked some protections of transgender people in Tennessee allowed by new Title IX rules.
JULY
• Planned Parenthood of Tennessee and North Mississippi said more than 10,000 people had le Tennessee for an abortion in the two years a er Roe v. Wade was overturned.
• e U.S. Supreme Court announced it would hear Tennessee’s ban on gender-a rming care for transgender minors.
• e Memphis Brooks Museum of Art’s new Memphis Art Museum project was allowed to move ahead a er a judge denied a challenge from Friends for Our Riverfront.
continued on page 6
PHOTO: DAKARAI TURNER Tyre Nichols
PHOTO: MEMPHISPOLICE.ORG C.J. Davis
continued from page 4
• City council members asked for more transparency from MATA after the announcement of its big budget deficit.
• New state laws went into effect including a death sentence for child rapists, one against “abortion trafficking,” a declaration of the Bible as a state book, one against “chemtrails,” and another for singers’ protection from AI.
• A court denied former state Senator Brian Kelsey’s (R-Germantown) request to rescind his guilty plea for campaign finance violations.
• The former leader of Shelby County’s Covid vaccine rollout lost a bid to declare she was wrongly blamed for allowing hundreds of doses to expire.
• A court ruled transgender Tennesseans cannot change the gender marker on their birth certificates.
• Memphis International Airport was green-lit for a $653 million modernization of its main terminal.
• The school board settled with the Satan Club for $15,000 and a promise to end its discriminatory practices.
• A court ruling allowed a ban on drag shows in public places.
• Tennessee tourism hit a record spend of more than $30 billion in 2023.
AUGUST
• Environmental groups asked Memphis Light, Gas & Water (MLGW) to deny an electricity deal for xAI’s supercomputer.
• The Links at Audubon Park opened.
• Memphis cases of HIV and syphilis spiked 100 percent over the past five years.
• Leaders warned of a tax surge coming after property reappraisals next year.
• Black Lodge closed.
• Serial scammer Lisa Jeanine Findley was arrested in Missouri for her attempt to steal Graceland from the Presley family.
• MATA suspended trolley service.
• Kaci Murley was named OPC’s new executive director.
• The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) raised electricity rates by 5.25 percent.
SEPTEMBER
• Carol Coletta stepped down as CEO of the Memphis River Parks Partnership.
• A state land deal could protect the Memphis Sand Aquifer.
• Cannabis industry leaders sued the state over new rules that would ban smokeable products.
• Tennessee ranked near the top for arresting people for cannabis.
• For the third year in a row, water levels were down in the Mississippi River after Midwest droughts.
• AG Skrmetti proposed warning labels for social media.
• Social media threats made for a turbulent week at local schools with disruptions and some lockdowns.
OCTOBER
• Lawmakers want to replace the nowfallen statue of racist newspaper editor Edward Carmack at the State Capitol Building with David Crockett.
• A court decision mandated schools offer “reasonable accommodation” for transgender students to use bathrooms of their choice.
• Three MPD officers were convicted in the beating death of Nichols.
• Memphis Mayor Paul Young replaced every member of MATA’s board.
• State Democrats pressed for financial reforms to address the state’s “crumbling transportation infrastructure.”
• Judges blocked discipline for doctors who provide emergency abortions.
NOVEMBER
• Atomic Rose closed.
• A new school voucher bill was filed.
• The Memphis-area crime rate fell.
• Tuition at state schools looked likely to rise again next year.
• TVA approved xAI’s request for power.
• Teachers scoffed at Lee’s $2,000 bonus as a “bribe” to go along with school vouchers.
• 901 FC left Memphis for Santa Barbara.
• University of Tennessee Health Science Center began a plan to demolish the “eyesore” former hotel building on Madison.
• Gun Owners of America sued the city of Memphis to block the gun referenda approved by voters from ever becoming law.
• A new $13 million plan will help redesign the intersection of Lamar, Kimball, and Pendleton.
• Crime fell Downtown in 2024 compared to 2023.
• Cannabis industry leaders filed another suit against the smokeables ban after lawmakers left it in the final rules.
DECEMBER
• Buds and Brews, a restaurant featuring cannabis products, opened on Broad.
• Blended sentence laws could usher hundreds of kids into the adult criminal justice system.
• State revenue projections flagged on big business tax breaks.
• A blistering report from the U.S. Department of Justice found that MPD used excessive force, discriminated against Black people, and used “harsh tactics” against children.
• Houston’s abruptly closed.
• The SCOTUS heard Skrmetti’s case against gender-affirming care for transgender minors.
• The former Velsicol facility in North Memphis could enter into a state-run environmental response trust.
• Feagins narrowly survived the board’s ouster move but the situation will be reviewed in 2025.
A Preamble Year
In 2024, the seeds of signi cant things to come may have begun to germinate.
e year that just passed promised at various points to be one of dramatic change in this or that public sphere, but such changes as did occur fell way short of transformative.
A new order was unveiled in the city government of Memphis with the inauguration of Mayor Paul Young, for example, but the dominant issue of Young’s first days in office — that of police authority vis-à-vis the citizenry in a climate of anxiety about crime — remains mired in uncertainty a year later.
Young’s reappointment of MPD Police Chief C.J. Davis was rejected by the city council, for example, and she still lacks that validation, serving in an interim capacity. Her second-in-command, Shawn Jones, turned out to be ineligible as a Georgia resident, and the mayor’s announcement of a new public safety director continues unful lled.
or less unabated.
In the presidential election, Shelby County reasserted its identity as a Democratic enclave, one of two statewide, the other being Nashville. Unlike the capital city, whose electoral districts had been systematically gerrymandered by the General Assembly’s Republican supermajority, Memphis could still boast a Democratic congressman, Steve Cohen, a xture in the 9th Congressional District since 2006. e adjoining, largely rural, 8th District, which takes in much of the Memphis metropolitan area, continued to be represented by Republican David Kusto .
As always, the Memphis area serves as an incubator of individuals with clear potential for further advancement. Among them are Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris, a proli c deviser of developmental projects; state Senator Raumesh Akbari, a shining light both in Nashville and in national Democratic councils; and Justin J. Pearson, a member of the “Tennessee ree” who famously galvanized the case for gun safety legislation in the Tennessee House in 2023 and who added to his laurels with rousing appearances at the 2024 Democratic Convention in Chicago.
e shadow of the Tyre Nichols tragedy lingers on at year’s end, reinforced by harsh judgements levied against the MPD by the U.S. Department of Justice, and state government continues to impose its iron will on local law enforcement, countering the brave stands taken by the city’s voters in referenda intending to assert the city’s own e orts at self-protection.
Those referenda, all essentially meant as rebukes to state policies favoring gun proliferation, were a highlight of the election season, which otherwise saw the status quo reassert itself. Though Democrats held on to their legislative seats in the inner city and fielded plausible candidates in races for the United States Senate and a key legislative district on the city’s suburban edge, the ongoing metamorphosis of Tennessee into redstate Republicanism continued more
Meanwhile, amid rampant speculation as to the identity of contenders for the Tennessee governorship in 2026, two surprising new names were added to the list — those of the state’s two Republican senators, Bill Hagerty and Marsha Blackburn.
An unexpected situation began to simmer late in the year with a virtual mutiny of members of the MemphisShelby County Schools system against rst-year superintendent Marie Feagins, who was threatened with a rescission of her contract with the board. Action on the matter was postponed until January, but, coming on the heels of the ouster of her predecessor Joris Ray due to a personal scandal, it was clear evidence that major things were amiss on the schools front, which had been a highly politicized landscape a decade earlier and could well become once again.
All in all, 2024 seemed destined to go into the history books as a time of preamble, with weighty circumstances likely to follow in its wake.
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PHOTO: ANUCHIT SINGKHAM | DREAMSTIME.COM
AT LARGE By Bruce VanWyngarden
2024 in Review
Idiots, Nazis, the eclipse, and margaritas.
As is customary at this time of year, we Flyer columnists take a look back at the preceding 12 months. And oof, it was hard, especially November, when just under 50 percent of American voters cast their ballots for an idiot, enough to put said idiot back in o ce for four years. Argh.
In early January, having no idea of what was to come, I mused genially about how age was an invisibility cloak because no one cares what clothes you wear, what kind of car you drive, or how your hair looks. Cute. en January dropped the hammer with the Iowa caucuses, ending the brief fantasy that someone — DeSantis? Haley? — in the GOP could derail the Trump train.
We got a brief respite in February with the gorgeous performance of Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs singing Chapman’s “Fast Car” at the Grammys. e lyrics transcend the categories that too o en put Americans in separate silos, unable to see what we have in common with one another. A queer Black woman and a white country boy singing in perfect harmony was maybe the best three minutes 2024 had to give us.
Shortly a er that moment of kumbaya, America was treated to the viral video of 30 white men demonstrating on the grounds of the state capitol in Nashville.
Trump later appointed Noem head of the Department of Homeland Security.
In June, the Greater Memphis Chamber announced a deal with Elon Musk, “the world’s richest man,” to build the “world’s largest supercomputer” in Memphis. Selling points included our city’s ample water supply, cheap land costs, and the chamber’s willingness to “work fast.” Whether this will be the salvation of Memphis or the “world’s biggest boondoggle” is yet to be determined.
In July, the media wrote 47 million stories about President Biden’s senility a er he oundered in a debate with Trump. “Come on, man. I’m the guy who turned this economy around and created 11 million new jobs,” Biden responded. “Sorry, Kamala Harris is now the nominee,” said the Democrat Party hierarchy. As we all know now, that worked out really well. August brought the scandal of the year! I’m speaking, of course, about the Paris Olympics opening ceremony — which wasn’t actually a mockery of da Vinci’s e Last Supper but still provided several days of fodder for the Evangelical outrage machine.
ey carried Nazi ags, wore face masks and red T-shirts proclaiming that they were members of a group called “Blood Tribe.” According to the Anti-Defamation League, Blood Tribe members exalt Hitler as a deity. So yeah.
April brought us the most hyped event of the year, which is really saying something. I’m talking about the eclipse, but you knew that, right? Seriously, I am hard-pressed to remember any news event that generated so much social media content, so much blathering punditry, so many hours of preview television coverage as did the Big E. It was the most ballyhooed three and a half minutes since Donald Trump had sex with Stormy Daniels. en it was over and everybody went, “huh?”
In May, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem revealed that she’d shot and killed her 14-month-old dog, Cricket, because the dog was “untrainable.” As a reward,
My personal 2024 probably peaked in September, when I went to Las Cruces, New Mexico, to help celebrate my mother’s 100th birthday. We all had a wonderful time, including my feisty mom, who is now well on her way to 101, Lord willing.
Climate change paid us a visit in October as Hurricane Helene ravaged parts of six Southern states, including Tennessee. e governors of ve of those states declared states of emergency in advance of the storm and quickly got federal assistance. e governor of the sixth state, our own idiot, Bill Lee, asked Tennesseans to participate in a “day of prayer and fasting.”
Speaking of idiots, I already mentioned what happened in November and I shall not speak of it again. Sorry.
In December, I continued my selfimposed ban on writing about politics and wrote about giving a guy a ride to Walgreens and back, about creating an AI picture of the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus, and about the pleasures of Mexican restaurants and drinking margaritas. Anything to avoid thinking about politics and the coming 2025 hellscape. Oh, and, uh, happy new year.
PHOTO: FABIO DIENA | DREAMSTIME.COM
Tracy Chapman
Giving Season
ings
A
mericans are notoriously generous when it comes to charitable giving. According to Giving USA, Americans gave $484.85 billion to charity in 2021, a 4 percent increase from 2020. e end of the year is the most popular time to give to charity, with 30 percent of annual giving occurring in the month of December, and a full 10 percent of donations made during the last three days of the year. If you’re planning on making a charitable donation before the end of the year, it’s important to be aware of the following.
Cash isn’t always the most e cient option.
If you’re used to writing a check each year to your favorite charity, you may want to reconsider. Contributing appreciated securities, such as stocks, bonds, or mutual funds, can be a great way to both maximize your donation and lower your tax liabilities for the year. Selling stock to make a donation could trigger capital gains taxes, assuming the value of the stock has grown since you acquired it. On the other hand, if you transfer the appreciated stock in kind to the organization, you’d avoid triggering a taxable event, and the charity would receive the entire value of the stock. Because charitable organizations are tax-exempt, the charity could then sell the stock without triggering a taxable event. at’s a win-win for both you and your charity.
You may not want to give every year. Following tax law changes that went into e ect as part of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), fewer taxpayers now have an incentive to itemize. And, because you must itemize in order to claim a charitable deduction, fewer individuals are eligible to receive end-of-year tax bene ts for donating to charity.
So, how can you reap the bene ts of donating to charity if you don’t currently itemize? One option is to use a bunching strategy. Instead of making a charitable donation every year, it may make sense to save up several years’ worth of donations
and contribute them all at once.
For example, if you typically donate $4,000 per year to charities, it may make sense to instead “bunch up” those contributions and donate $20,000 every ve years. e key is to make sure you donate an amount high enough that itemizing your taxes makes sense.
Your RMD can actually lower your tax liability for the year.
Many retirees dread taking required minimum distributions (RMDs) from their tax-deferred retirement accounts each year because RMDs are taxed as ordinary income. is increase in taxable income can cause you to fall into a higher tax bracket, increase your Medicare premiums, and even increase the taxable amount of your Social Security income bene ts.
However, if you’re a charitably minded individual over age 70.5, you may be eligible to contribute up to $100,000 from your retirement account directly to a charity without increasing your taxable income. is type of distribution is called a quali ed charitable distribution (QCD). As with many gi ing strategies, there are speci c requirements you must follow to ensure your RMD donation quali es as a QCD, so consult your wealth manager for assistance.
You can make a charitable gi without designating an organization right away. Ready to make a charitable donation but unsure what organization(s) you’d like to support? No problem. A donor-advised fund (DAF) is a great option for individuals seeking both tax bene ts and control over future donations. A DAF is a 501(c) (3) charitable fund that can receive irrevocable charitable gi s from you (as the donor), and you retain control over both the timing of distributions and the organizations to which donations are made.
As with most nancial planning strategies, the charitable giving strategy that’s right for you depends on multiple factors, including your age, your current nancial situation, your taxable income, your goals for the future, and more.
Gene Gard, CFA, CFP, CFT-I, is a Private Wealth Manager and Partner with Creative Planning. Creative Planning is one of the nation’s largest registered investment advisory rms providing comprehensive wealth management services to ensure all elements of a client’s nancial 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.
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SPORTS By Frank Murtaugh
Game Recap ’24
is year saw star athletes, underwhelming seasons, and the end of an era for 901 FC.
If the Blu City had an Athlete of the Year for 2024, it was University of Memphis quarterback Seth Henigan. e senior piled up records like a greedy 5-year-old under the Christmas tree. Henigan became the rst Tiger signal-caller to toss 100 touchdown passes (104) and climbed to 13th on the FBS career passingyardage chart (14,266). Best of all, he led Memphis to an 11-2 record, a third straight postseason victory (over West Virginia in the Frisco Bowl), and nished his career with 34 wins, a mark no future Tiger quarterback is likely to match. Add the heroics of running back Mario Anderson Jr. — 1,362 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns — and Memphis is all but certain to nish in the AP Top 25 for only the fourth time in program history.
way through their American Athletic Conference schedule, nishing with a mark of 22-10 and missing out on the NCAA tournament. David Jones won the AAC scoring title in his only season in blue and gray, but an 11-7 record in that league doesn’t impress come March.
On the diamond, slugging rst baseman Luken Baker starred for the Redbirds, leading the International League in home runs a second straight season despite a latesummer promotion to the St. Louis Cardinals. Baseball America’s Pitcher of the Year, Quinn Mathews, nished his season with Memphis, tossing his 200th strikeout of the season — a minor-league rarity — in a Redbirds uniform. Look for Mathews to anchor the 2025 rotation (until the Cardinals decide he’s needed in St. Louis).
e Tigers’ gridiron success made for some late-year balance to an otherwise disappointing 12 months in Memphis sports. Ravaged by injuries (and a lengthy suspension for star guard Ja Morant), the Memphis Grizzlies missed the NBA playo s for the rst time in three years. e only silver lining: A miserable record (27-55) earned the Grizz the ninth selection in the dra , a pick they used to acquire towering center Zach Edey, the two-time national college player of the year at Purdue. As 2025 approaches, Memphis is near the top of the Western Conference standings. Let’s call 2024 a hibernation year in Grizzlies history.
Memphis said goodbye to our USL Championship soccer club, 901 FC. Without a soccer-only stadium in the plans, the franchise is moving to Santa Barbara, California, a er six up-anddown seasons at AutoZone Park. For the sports historians, 901 FC put up an overall record of 76 wins, 62 losses, and 45 draws.
College basketball was no less disappointing. Coach Penny Hardaway’s Tigers roared to a 15-2 start, climbing to a ranking of 10th in the country … only to bumble their
Hideki Matsuyama won the 2024 FedEx St. Jude Championship (FESJC) at TPC Southwind, this being the third year Memphis has hosted the opening tournament of the FedEx Cup playo s. Along with the Southern Heritage Classic and the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, the FESJC is an annual reminder that Memphis can put on a show like few other cities in the world of sports. Let the 2025 games begin.
PHOTOS: WES HALE (top) Seth Henigan; (above) Luken Baker
SA Look into 2025
THE FLYER
GLIMPSES INTO THE
FUTURE OF MEMPHIS NEWS, POLITICS, FILM, MUSIC, AND SPORTS.
o, like, apparently, 2025 is around the corner. Around the corner of what? From what? at’s just semantics. And at the Flyer, we’re basically already in 2025. at’s just how our deadlines are — always working a week ahead, or maybe two days ahead. Because of that, we can see into the future. Not really, but here are some of our predictions/expectations/ hopes for the new year in Memphis.
In the Headlines
POLICE REFORMS
It’s easy to predict that reforms for the Memphis Police Department (MPD) will dominate headlines at least in the early part of 2025.
e U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) blistering review of the agency said police here used excessive force (which included tons of Tasers and pepper spray), discriminated against Black residents, and used harsh tactics against children. e review came a er the beating death of Tyre Nichols at the hands of MPD o cers in 2023.
e DOJ wants to enter into a consent decree with the city. is would install federal monitors to watch and make sure reforms are moving ahead. But, so far, local leaders, including Memphis Mayor Paul Young,
have said they don’t want the monitors for various reasons, including the fact that consent decrees cost too much money.
Young has promised to reform MPD in-house. Criminal justice reform advocates say they want the DOJ oversight because the police should not police themselves.
e need for reform comes, too, as the city prepares to pay what could be a $500-million verdict in the civil suit to the family of Nichols’ for his death.
CANNABIS FIGHT
Cannabis will certainly be in Tennessee news in 2025.
Rules that would ban smokeable products containing THCA were issued from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) in January 2024. Industry leaders fought the rules all last year. A lawsuit on the matter was pending as of press time.
that bureaucrats, not elected o cials, made the new rules. So expect legislation from the Tennessee General Assembly when they reconvene in January 2025.
for homeowners. And that means higher taxes.
Add higher assessments to the Memphis City Council’s new 49-cent property tax rate hike approved in 2024, and it could mean outrage when those tax bills hit mailboxes.
PISSED ABOUT REAPPRAISALS
BLUEOVAL CITY
More concern and hand-wringing is likely on deck for Ford’s BlueOval City project next year.
Expectations were high when Ford unveiled the project in 2021. e $5.6 billion manufacturing facility in Tennessee was the largest investment in the state’s history. Since then crews have been hard at work raising the massive plant on six square miles of West Tennessee about an hour from Memphis.
TDA says THCA goes over the legal THC limit when it’s burned or smoked. is gets consumers high, which is why a lot of conservatives don’t want “intoxicating” cannabis products. eir ability to get consumers high is why the industry says these products — allowed by laws passed by the legislature — are so popular and are a major portion of their business.
ose industry leaders complained
Also, expect your property taxes to go up — maybe way up.
January will bring a new property tax appraisal in Shelby County. And Shelby County Property Assessor Melvin Burgess began warning locals about this in 2024, maybe to try to get folks used to the idea.
In an August news release, Burgess said data showed property values increasing. at will likely mean a “signi cant increase in tax assessments”
However, global electric vehicle (EV) demand so ened. While the automaker planned to begin production of its all-electric Ford Lightning truck here next year, it pushed production back to 2027. In that time, the company awaits lowercost battery technology and a higher demand for EVs in general. In that time, too, worries will persist about the future of Ford in West Tennessee. Still, the company did pull Santa behind a Lightning in the recent Brownsville Christmas parade. — Toby Sells
PHOTO: FRANK GAERTNER | DREAMSTIME.COM
MATA
2024 will be remembered as the year in which conversation regarding transit consistently found its way to the forefront. And Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) has faced a tumultuous year — from the revelation of the $60 million de cit that the agency had been operating under, to the route and sta cuts, to the entire board’s dismissal.
e new board decided to pause proposed changes until February 2025. While this temporarily stalled one problem, questions over MATA’s future and leadership prevail.
On Tuesday, December 17th, the MATA board voted to continue negotiating a contract that could lead to temporary leadership changes. If approved, TransPro employees would take over as interim CEO, CFO, and COO for eight months. e proposal prompted several questions from board members, but they voted to form a committee to gain more clarity.
Looking ahead, the board will need to address the February 2025 changes which could lead to service cuts and layo s. e agency will also need to identify more funding sources, while potentially welcoming a new team of leadership.
— Kailynn Johnson
Political Forecast
e coming year happens to be the one year out of every four-year cycle in which there are no major elections scheduled in Memphis/Shelby County. But that is not to suggest that there will not be intense political activity. In fact, potential candidates for the county, state, and federal o ces in the elections of 2026 will be working feverishly during the year to organize and declare their campaigns. At stake will be contests for Shelby County mayor, to succeed the termlimited Mayor Lee Harris, and for the 13 members of the county commission, as well as races for governor, the state legislature, Congress, and the U.S. Senate seat now held by incumbent Republican Bill Hagerty.
Announcements of candidacies for these o ces should be forthcoming early in 2025.
ere will be one more major attempt by Governor Bill Lee and his allies in the Republican legislative supermajority to pass comprehensive school voucher legislation when the Tennessee General Assembly reconvenes in January. Preliminary estimates are that this time the measure to extend taxpayer-funded private school stipends statewide has
good chances for passage. Also to be expected are further e orts by GOP members to impose stricter controls (or more severe usurpations) on the law enforcement infrastructure of Shelby County. It remains to be seen if GOP state Senator Brent Taylor gains any traction in his e ort to seek legislative removal of Shelby County DA Steve Mulroy.
Both major political parties in Shelby County will be selecting new chairs, the Republicans in January, the Democrats in April. State GOP chair Scott Golden of Jackson was reelected in December, but Democrats will be choosing a new leader in January to succeed Hendrell Remus. One of the major candidates is state Representative Gloria Johnson of Knoxville, who ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate in November.
e Shelby County Commission will face the new year not only with some last-minute updates in its funding priorities, but with a stepped-up formula for establishing a budget and meting out allocations. In an e ort to adhere to previous commitments to build two new schools for Memphis-Shelby County Schools, Mayor Harris and the commission will be seeking means to compensate for lower than anticipated revenue aid from the state government. Both local governments may come in for support and new modes for intergovernmental cooperation through the aegis of a newly formed and privately endowed ad hoc organization called More for Memphis. But the mechanics and prospects for such an arrangement remain obscure, for the moment.
— Jackson Baker
On the Roster
One year without playo basketball for our Memphis Grizzlies is quite enough, thank you. A trio of healthy star guards (Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Marcus Smart) and the addition of a towering rookie center (Zach Edey) have the Grizzlies near the top of the NBA’s Western Conference standings. Better yet, the Grizz are among the top scoring teams in the Association, averaging more than 120 points per game. Where might this take a franchise that’s reached the conference nals only once in three decades? Go back to that word: healthy.
Morant only played in nine games a season ago (he served a lengthy suspension before his shoulder injury). Smart only played in 20. Bane barely played half the season (42 games). e end result was a 27-55 campaign. Morant is an All-NBA talent, Smart a former Defensive Player of the Year, and Bane an All-Star-to-be. If they stay on the oor through April, Memphis could well reverse that 2023-24 record and earn a top-four seed for the postseason. Can the West be won? Five di erent teams have gone to the Finals out of the Western Conference the last ve seasons. ere’s no current behemoth that would be considered unbeatable in May. e NBA Finals at FedExForum? Let’s believe.
At the college level, coach Penny Hardaway’s Memphis Tigers captured attention in November with an upset of Connecticut — the two-time defending national champions — at the Maui Invitational, bringing enough attention to climb into the Top 25 (16th) before an upset at home to Arkansas State. Is this another fall tease like the 2023-24 season, the Tigers setting up an immense fan base for a middling conference schedule? e answer is in the hands of two more star guards: transfers PJ Haggerty and Tyrese Hunter. A pair of glass-cleaning rim protectors — Dain Dainja and Moussa Cissé — give Memphis something it didn’t have a year ago, suggesting a repeat of the winter blues may be unlikely. A December upset of Clemson on the road and a less-than-intimidating American Athletic Conference are positive signs for a return to the NCAA tournament. ere will be life a er basketball season for Memphis sports. Baseball America’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year, Quinn Mathews, will likely start the 2025 season with the Memphis Redbirds. Another pair of rising stars — pitcher Tink Hence and in elder JJ Wetherholt — have AutoZone Park in their sights. e Redbirds hope to end a postseason drought that dates back to 2018. e club will open the season with an exhibition against the parent St. Louis Cardinals on March 24th.
On the gridiron, the Memphis Tigers will enter their 2025 season on a pair of impressive streaks. e program has reached bowl eligibility 11 consecutive seasons and has scored at least 20 points in 40 consecutive games, tops in the country. Antwann Hill, the highestranked quarterback ever signed by Memphis, will don blue and gray for the rst time and hope to replicate the success enjoyed by the departed recordsetting Seth Henigan. One nugget Hill could grab that Henigan didn’t: a conference championship.
— Frank Murtaugh
Coming Soon
It’s not so much that 2025 is getting o to a slow start as 2024 nished strong. Christmas week brought a torrent of new
releases beyond the usual awards season crush. So you can spend your rst week of dry January catching up with titles like Disney’s Mufasa: e Lion King, directed by Moonlight’s Barry Jenkins; the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, starring Timothée Chalamet and directed by Walk e Line’s James Mangold; and Babygirl, an erotic thriller starring Nicole Kidman. I will never understand the decision to release Robert Egger’s vampire creepfest Nosferatu on Christmas instead of two weeks before Halloween, but you should probably see it if you’re into that kind of thing.
It’s not until January 10th that we get our rst new releases of the new year, and that’s Den of ieves 2: Pantera starring Gerard Butler and O’Shea Jackson Jr. e next week things start to pick up again with Wolf Man, a Blumhouse horror reboot of the lupine Universal monster. One of em Days is a buddy comedy with Keke Palmer and SZA, which sounds promising. e month closes out with comedy: You’re Cordially Invited starring Will Ferrell, Reese Witherspoon, and an alligator.
In February, somebody learned the lesson about seasonal programming and scheduled Love Hurts for the week before Valentine’s Day. It’s an action comedy starring Ke Huy Quan and Ariana DeBose. On the holiday proper, we’ve got Bridget Jones: Mad About e Boy and Captain America: Brave New World, a combo which is sure to provoke many lovers’ quarrels over Valentine date night viewing. en there’s e Monkey from Osgood Perkins, so that’ll be weird/scary. e Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie is a sciBugs Bunny feature aimed directly at me. Paul W. S. Anderson adapts George R.R. Martin’s In the Lost Lands. March comes in with Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan’s dip into horror, Sinners, and the Zambian black comedy On Becoming a Guinea Fowl. March 14th is a showdown between Steven Soderbergh’s techno thriller Black Bag and Avengers maestros Russo brothers’ e Electric State. Disney’s live action Snow White boasts a screenplay by Greta Gerwig and stars Rachel Zegler as the drowsy protagonist.
In April, many of you will be dragged to A Minecra Movie. I am eagerly awaiting Bong Joon-ho’s Mickey 17, starring Robert Pattinson as a disposable space hero. Blockbuster season starts in May with Marvel’s rst swing of the
continued on page 14
PHOTO: WES HALE Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) dunks the ball.
PHOTO: FORD CO. Mickey 17
year, underbolts. e ever-creative Michel Gondry’s rst musical, Golden, bows on May 9th, and the millennials’ favorite ambient horror franchise Final Destination: Bloodlines follows on the 16th. e 23rd looks to be a showdown between Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible — e Final Reckoning and Disney’s Lilo & Stitch reboot. June’s looking stacked with John Wick spin-o Ballerina, Pixar’s Elio, the How to Train Your Dragon reboot, and the long awaited zombie capper 28 Years Later July’s got James Gunn’s Superman, a new Jurassic World lm for some reason, and e Smurfs Movie. August closes out the summer with Freakier Friday and the Paul omas Anderson crimer One Battle A er Another, starring Leonardo DiCaprio. October brings Tron: Ares, but besides e Black Phone 2, looks pretty slim on horror. In November, we come back a er the intermission with Wicked: For Good, and Edgar Wright’s adaptation of Stephen King’s e Running Man. December will be dominated by Avatar: Fire and Ash Never bet against James Cameron.
— Chris McCoy
Live Music, Ho!
A multitude of ways to ring in the new with live bands await you on New Year’s Eve. Growlers will host Blacklist Union, Line So in, and Josey Scott, erstwhile
lead singer for Saliva who won acclaim as a solo artist with “Hero” from the Tobey Maguire-led Spider-Man. For something completely di erent, crooner Gary Johns will serenade Beauty Shop patrons that night, while Bar DKDC sports another incredible singer, Jesse James Davis, from big beats to ballads, not to mention the dance-inducing bounce of Bodywerk. For some Beale bounce and soul, aside from the street party, Eric Gales tops the Rum Boogie bill and the B.B. King All Stars shine at their namesake club. Or tribute bands can bring yesteryear alive, with Louder an Bombs’ Smiths sounds at B-Side, or Play Some Skynyrd and Aquanet at Lafayette’s Music Room. Prefer freshly spun wax? at’s it’s own kind of live. Try DJ Funktual at Eight & Sand.
Once January is underway, our musical arts institutions resume their 2024-25 seasons. e Iris Collective will present the New York-based Overlook Quartet in e Green Room at Crosstown Arts on January 16th, showcasing music’s healing powers through meditative practice. On the edgier tip, Iris’ March 8th concert at Germantown United Methodist Church, with guest violinist Elena Urioste spotlights works by Max Richter, Astor Piazzolla, and Dmitri Shostakovich. Meanwhile, Germantown Performing Arts Center will present the groovier
side of innovation with bassist-composer Meshell Ndegeocello’s show, No More Water: e Gospel of James Baldwin, on January 11th. And Opera Memphis brings Carmen in late January.
e Memphis Symphony Orchestra comes out swinging with its tribute to the “American Maestro,” Leonard Bernstein, on January 18th and 19th, featuring his Symphonic Dances from West Side Story. Another maestro will be celebrated a month later, when the MSO welcomes guest soloist Yo-Yo Ma February 25th to the Cannon Center.
On the more rocking side of things, early January marks the 90th anniversary of the birth of Elvis
Presley, and Graceland Live will honor it in style with shows spanning January 8th to 11th. Yet the venue has lately embraced some distinctly non-Presley-esque music as well, like the February 6th appearance by 21stcentury rockers eory of a Deadman (an Elvis reference?), experimenting with an unplugged approach to their heavy sound. e unplugged aesthetic will also be celebrated at the Halloran Centre’s Memphis Songwriters Series, with Mark Edgar Stuart welcoming Hannah Blaylock, Rice Drewry, and Raneem Imam on January 6th. Soon a er, Sweet Honey in the Rock will bring the raw power of the human voice to the Halloran on January 24th. And speaking of powerful voices, Mary J. Blige will appear “For My Fans” — like those of us who saw her in 1995— at the FedExForum on February 2nd. But what’s a mere human voice compared to e Man-Machine? Many are laser-focused on Kra werk taking over the Overton Park Shell on March 25th. For the Wo-Man-Machine, see the twin-goddess cyber-hybrid multimedia of Marcella Simien and Talibah Sa ya at Crosstown eater January 25th. For everything in between, scan our weekly A er Dark listings to see the artists making it happen in our thriving smaller clubs every day — Alex Greene
PHOTO: COURTESY MSO Yo-Yo Ma
Full Hitch:
Single Horse: th Wednesday, Januar y 8 at Kroger #483 in Arlington 5270 Airline Rd., Arlington, TN 38002
th Tuesday, Januar y 7 at Kroger #405 in Bar tlett
th Thursday, Januar y 9 at Kroger #481 in Collier ville
th
Januar y 10 at
TUESDAY, DECEMBER
steppin’ out
We Recommend: Culture, News + Reviews
‘Energy States’
By Abigail Morici
Scott A. Carter has worked in art installation for years. He’s worn the nitrile gloves to handle priceless works, like when he worked as a preparator at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Shoboygan, Wisconsin. He’s hung framed photographs not to be touched on the walls of Christian Brothers University’s Beverly + Sam Ross Gallery, which he runs as assistant professor of art. He’s placed pieces in tempered glass display cases at local museums as an occasional art handler. It’s a delicate practice, art installation — a practice that Carter was ready to disrupt.
It started with the display cases. As a sculptor, Carter says, “I was interested in using the surface to add jacks and cut holes, and treat them as a material, not so much like it’s going to preserve something.”
COURTESY SCOTT CARTER Energy States, 2023
So, without much of a plan, he took a display case, laser-cut a hole, inverted a corner, added guitar cables, electronic components with exposed wiring, a silk plant, and topped it with a beer bottle. Now, it works as an ampli er of sorts. “You can plug [your instrument] in, and there’s three di erent modes you can switch between, and it’ll distort [the sound],” Carter says. “I ended up adding a contact mic, too.” Even without an instrument plugged in, the piece will make a loud buzzing sound, disrupting the typically quiet gallery space. is piece, titled Energy States and made in 2023, would become the rst of many semi-functional sculptures by Carter. For the rst time, when he goes in to create a piece, he doesn’t have a plan; he just lets inspiration take over. “It’s a mashup of all the things that I like, furniture-ish design, electronics, engineering,” he says. “For years, I tried to combine my musical interests, interest in electronics with art, but they were always separate things.”
Most of these pieces now make up the Dixon Gallery & Gardens’ “Energy States” exhibition, on display through January 19th. Like the rst, many of the pieces have sound and interactive components built in, with their mechanics exposed to the viewer, wires and tubing looping through grids made by the artist. Carter evokes mid-century modern or art deco styles with clean lines and simple use of materials, like recycled Modelo beer bottles and hardware the artist 3-D printed himself. He wants viewers to get up close to his works to engage with the elements from all sides layered under plexiglass and in display cases.
“I do get joy from looking at them and plugging them in a way that I haven’t gotten from other work I’ve made,” Carter says. “I think with this show, I nally got it to the point where I feel like, oh, everything together, I’m happy. Which is weird.”
VARIOUS DAYS & TIMES December 26th - January 8th
Not-So-Little Orphan Annie’s Holiday Hangover
Germantown Community eatre, 3037 Forest Hill-Irene, Saturday-Sunday, December 2829, 7:30-9 p.m., 21+
Before you say goodbye to 2024, bring family and friends — or those adult cousins in town and tired of toddler time — for a night of laughs, drinks, and incredible singing and dancing talents sprinkled with comedy in a sassy and sauced variety show like no other that will o cially put Christmas to bed for the year.
Featuring Annie Freres, Christina Hernandez, Jacquelyn Cooper, and some surprise guests, this is the perfect chance to put down the le overs and get out of the house to commiserate with top-notch entertainment.
Get tickets at gctcomeplay.org. Call 901-453-7447 with questions.
Ski Freeze
Mud Island River Park, January 1, 10:30 a.m., $30/ski, free/attendance Skiers, barefooters, wakeboarders, and tubers can participate in this unforgettable event, fundraising for The Dream Factory of Memphis, a nonprofit that grants dreams to critically and chronically ill children ages 3 to 18. Even if you’re not a skier, you’re invited to witness the fun.
This year, guests will get the chance to meet NHRA Top Fuel Driver Clay Millican. Since its start over 40 years ago, Ski Freeze has raised over $450,000 for the Dream Factory.
For more information visit skifreeze.com or call 901-4837522.
Elvis’ Birthday Celebration
Graceland, 3734 Elvis Presley Boulevard, Wednesday-Saturday, Jannuary 8-11
In January 2025, Graceland will celebrate the 90th birthday of the King of Rock-and-Roll. .
Graceland puts on a memorable celebration featuring live concerts, panels, special tours, and much more. Performers and special guests include Richard Sterban of the Oak Ridge Boys, who sang backup for Elvis as part of J.D. Sumner & the Stamps Quartet; Terry Blackwood, who sang backup for Elvis as part of e Imperials; Sweet Inspiration Estelle Brown; Bill “Superfoot” Wallace; Terry Mike Je rey; Dean Z; Pat Dunn; Argo; Tom Brown; and more. Go to graceland.com/ elvis-birthday for more information.
“SCOTT A. CARTER: ENERGY STATES,” DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS, 4339 PARK, ON DISPLAY THROUGH JANUARY 19, FREE.
PHOTO:
happy sparkling new year
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One day we’ll remember 2024 as yet another golden era of Memphis music.
Often a meme will circulate listing the hits of bygone times. A roll call of great releases in, say, 1977 will leave one feeling it was a golden age of recorded music, our contemporary sounds paling in comparison. Looking over this year’s best-of list, however, I’m inclined to think that 2024 will be celebrated in much the same way. And if you should beg to differ, I would only refer you to those wise words offered by GloRilla, “Do y’all know what the fuck goin’ on?? (goin’ on … goin’ on … goin’ on …)”
Aquarian Blood – Counting Backwards Again (Black & Wyatt)
This caps off a trilogy of sorts, over which the sometime punk screamers dialed it back into the acoustic realm. Meticulously crafted yet loose, these songs are dark, primitive missives haunted by trauma and desire, as if German sonic artists Can reinterpreted the Incredible String Band.
Cedric Burnside – Hill Country Love (Provogue)
Burnside’s latest album turns the volume up, yes, but not the distortion. Bringing more of a full-band sound, this particular Burnside eschews the hard rock guitar tones that were his grandfather R.L.’s trademark. There are echoes of 2021’s I Be Trying’s quieter soul-imbued originals (“Smile”), but funkier, staccato riffs predominate — at least until he breaks out the acoustic for traditional numbers.
GloRilla – Ehhthang Ehhthang and Glorious (CMG/Interscope)
Rolling Stone ranked October’s Glorious among the year’s best, but we in the city where “everything is everything” tapped into the Ehhthang Ehhthang mixtape way back in April. While the 2024 releases are two peas in a pod, Ehhthang was arguably more
significant, as Glo’s triumphant debut in the full-length format. And tracks like “No Bih” slay in such a stark, Memphis way: “Fuck it, carpe diem/I make ‘em motivated (okay)/Grammynominated (okay), fuck whoever hatin’.”
IMAKEMADBEATS – WANDS (UNAPOLOGETIC.)
While there are mad beats throughout this instrumental journey, there are also orchestral passages both ethereal and bombastic, at times sounding eerily like the ’70s synth-meister Tomita. It’s an interstellar trip in audio form, in which you’re never sure if you’re hearing a sample or an intricate new composition by MAD himself. “I’m Losing My Mind I’m OK” even features lyrics, hauntingly sung by Tiffany Harmon.
Juicy J and Xavier Wulf – Memphis Zoo
While Juicy J co-founded the dark horror-hop of Three 6 Mafia, this collab with fellow Memphian Wulf is, paradoxically, dark, ominous, and … fun. But there’s a gravitas here, too, as on the most popular track, album opener “The Truth,” exhorting us to cut the BS and fronting, to face facts. And a deeper truth about our times comes out in the fantastic “Alley Oop”: “We’re living in the era of the alley oop,” and it’s not a good thing.
NLE Choppa – SLUT SZN (Warner)
One of four releases by Choppa this year, all carry on his raunchy “Slut Me Out” variations, most audaciously with this album’s shuffling, acoustic guitardriven “Slut Me Out 2 (Country Me Out),” featuring J.P., who sings, “If I was a cowgirl/I’d wanna ride me too!” Both versions skew gender in new ways for hiphop, but it’s the stylistic mash-up of the galloping, dancehall-flavored “Catalina” with Latin star Yaisel LM that truly takes Memphis hip-hop into global waters, reflecting Choppa’s family ties to Jamaica.
The Lisa Nobumoto Jazz Masters Orchestra – A Tribute to Jazz Singer Nancy Wilson
Having performed with the great Teddy Edwards for decades, this Memphian knows how to give Wilson’s catalog her own individual stamp. “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” becomes a ballad, worlds away from Frankie Valli’s stomper. “Uptight (Everything’s Alright)” verges into boogaloo territory, yet with a relaxed delivery. Carl Wolfe’s big, brassy arrangements give the album a rare jazz classicism.
Jerry Phillips – For the Universe (Omnivore)
Though this is Phillips’ debut album, his decades of experience recording with great songwriters like John Prine at the studio his father built lend it the feel of a career-topper from the last century. The wry observations and hard-won wisdom of songs like “Specify” (exhorting his lover to say what she wants) or “She Let Me Slip Right Through Her Fingers” are carried by Phillips’ voice, echoing Charlie Rich or Johnny Rivers, and a band of ace Memphis session players.
Talibah Safiya – Black Magic
As artist-in-residence at the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music last year, Safiya tapped into the High Water
Recording Company’s back catalog, working with producer/engineer Ari Morris to weave generous helpings of Mississippi blues and soul into her samples. Erstwhile Memphianturned-international-producer Brandon Deener lends his sonic touch as well, not to mention guitarist MadameFraankie, who brings a simmering soul vibe to underpin Safiya’s powerful-yet-playful voice.
Marcella Simien – To Bend to the Will of a Dream That’s Being Fulfilled
For this most personal of journeys into her family’s past and her own well-being, Simien’s playing nearly all the instruments, crafting a setting in a kind of synthetic world-building, evoking the sweep of generations with the sweep of electronic filters. Rootsier sounds also make an appearance, as the artist conjures a timeless space to commune with her ancestors.
Snowglobe – The Fall
A worthy successor to Snowglobe’s earlier output, this is rich with layers of ear candy. Though grounded by chords on an acoustic guitar or piano, the arrangements fill out with all manner of harmonies, synthesizers, or electric guitar riffs and hooks. Think Badfinger meets “Soul Finger,” with hints of Harry Nilsson’s darker moods and post-‘90s quirks all their own.
Cyrena Wages – Vanity Project
Produced and mixed by Matt RossSpang, this album has some of the rootsy, vintage elements of his previous work with Margo Price, yet with the contemporary pop instincts once championed by one of Wages’ heroes, Amy Winehouse. Most of all, the tracks jump out of the speakers with the grit and glue of a real band, which includes guitarist and songwriting collaborator Joe Restivo. All albums self-released except where noted.
CALENDAR of EVENTS: Dec. 26 - Jan. 8
ART AND SPECIAL EXHIBITS
“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
“Back for Seconds”
Work by Roger Allan Cleaves, Melissa Dunn, Stephanie Howard, and Clare Torina. rough Feb. 1.
SHEET CAKE
Bartlett Art Association’s Happy Holiday Winter Exhibit
A wide range of work from local artists. rough Dec. 27.
WKNO DIGITAL MEDIA CENTER
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
Fall 2024 BFA
Exhibition
Work by CBU graduating seniors Ciridany Genchi Cortez and Piper Grokulsky, both in the department of visual arts. rough Feb. 14.
BEVERLY + SAM ROSS GALLERY
Jana Jones: “Heartfelt Hues: Living in Full Color” Jones’ yearlong journey of transforming ideas and thoughts into visuals. rough Jan. 2.
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
“Loose Ends”: New Work by Brittney Boyd Bullock
Bullock examines the intricate narratives of Black labor, migration, and cultural identity through an interdisciplinary approach that merges textilebased art and collage. rough Feb. 1.
SHEET CAKE
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.” rough Jan. 26.
METAL MUSEUM
MGAL Winter Exhibition
St. George’s Art Gallery hosts the e Memphis/Germantown Art League’s Juried Winter Exhibition by Mid-South artists. rough Jan. 14.
ST. GEORGE’S ART GALLERY AT ST. GEORGE’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
“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” Featuring narrative vignettes that speak to Jackson’s family history near the Mississippi River. rough Jan. 26.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
R.P. Funderburk: “Birdhouses” Funderburk has turned building birdhouses into an art form for almost 20 years. He is a member of the Cra smen Guild of Mississippi. rough 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
“Starry, Starry Winter Garden”
For the museum’s inaugural Winter Art Garden, artist Greely Myatt uses found objects, including scrap metal, neon, and discarded signage, to create an illuminated starscape on the museum’s plaza. rough Jan. 31.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
“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”: MidSouth Cartoonists Association
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 members. rough Jan. 17.
GERMANTOWN COMMUNITY
THEATRE
CLASS / WORKSHOP
Lunchtime Meditations
Looking for something relaxing to do to clear your mind and improve your overall health? Head to the Dixon for our free meditation sessions every Friday. Friday, Dec. 27, noon-12:45 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Munch and Learn: Art Nouveau and Jugendstil Pewter
Explore the Dixon’s Adler Pewter Collection with Ellen Daugherty, Dixon’s assistant curator. Friday, Dec. 27, noon12:45 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
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.
Open Mic
Comedy Night
Bringing the laughs! Tuesday, Dec. 31, 8 p.m. HI TONE
Saturday Night
Showcase is show cracks smiles and causes uproarious laughter. $15. Saturday, Dec. 28, 7 p.m.
MEMPHIS CLOVER CLUB
COMMUNITY
Hollywood Feed’s Annual “Paw it Forward” Donation Drive
Hollywood Feed’s Annual “Paw it Forward” donation drive. rough Dec. 31. ONLINE
DANCE
Line Dancing with Q Line dancing lessons. 21+. Tuesday, Dec. 31, 6 p.m.
DRU’S PLACE
Mrs. Roper Romp
A ’70s-tastic dance party for fans of ree’s Company. Mrs. Roper, Mr. Roper, Mr. Furley, Janet, Jack Tripper, or Krissy. Costume required. $5. Saturday, Dec. 28, 8 p.m. HI TONE
Super SaturdayMemphis Landscapes
Create a tiny Andrea Moralesinspired Memphis landscape out of model magic. Free. Saturday, Dec. 28, 10 a.m.-noon.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
Super SaturdayMemphis Zines
Create your own zine about what you love in Memphis. Free. Saturday, Jan. 4, 10 a.m.noon.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
UrbanArt Commission
Artist Info Session
An information session for interested artists. Artists who have not completed an exhibition space call to artists previously are strongly encouraged to reach out to the UAC team in advance of submitting their application. Free. Tuesday, Jan. 7, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
URBANART COMMISSION
COMEDY
Brian Covington Covington headlines the best underground comedy showcase in the city, hosted by Charlie Vergos and featuring a lineup of the best comics in Memphis. $10. Saturday, Dec. 28, 8 p.m.
HIGH COTTON BREWING CO.
EXPO/SALES
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
FAMILY
Mini Masters (ages 2-4)
Introduce your little ones to the arts and nature with cra s, movement, and more. $8. Tuesday, Dec. 31, 10:30-11:15 a.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
New Year’s at Noon
A family-favorite Memphis tradition! Dress as your favorite superhero and ring in the New Year at CMOM: balloon drop, candy, face painters, and other themed activities. $3/ member price, $23/nonmembers. Tuesday, Dec. 31, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF MEMPHIS
Noon Year’s Eve
A children’s New Year’s Eve celebration! Tuesday, Dec. 31, 11:30 a.m.
BENJAMIN L. HOOKS CENTRAL LIBRARY - MEMPHIS PUBLIC LIBRARY
Story Time
Enjoy stories, songs, art activities, and creative play that connect with Collierville history. Friday, Dec. 27, 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 brand-new books in addition to well-loved favorites. Saturday, Dec. 28, 10:30 a.m.
NOVEL
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. rough Jan. 5.
CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF MEMPHIS
Your Chariot Awaits: Free Carriage Rides Carriage Crossing is now offering free carriage rides every Saturday. Your chariot awaits! Saturday, Dec. 28, noon-3 p.m. THE SHOPS AT CARRIAGE CROSSING
FILM
Ken Burns’ Leonardo da Vinci
As a holiday thank you from WKNO, enjoy a special one-hour presentation of Ken Burns’ latest miniseries on Pink Palace’s Giant Screen eater. Free. Saturday, Dec. 28, 4:30 p.m.
MEMPHIS MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & HISTORY
Olaf’s Frozen Adventure Olaf sets out on a merry mission to bring home the very best traditions and save Christmas. ursday, Dec. 26, 1:30 p.m. | Friday, Dec. 27, 1:30 p.m. | Saturday, Dec. 28, 1:30 p.m. | Sunday, Dec. 29, 1:30 p.m. | Tuesday, Dec. 31, 1:30 p.m.
MEMPHIS MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & HISTORY
Space: The New Frontier 2D
From self-assembling habitats, commercial space stations, and rockets without fuel to the Lunar Gateway to deep space. rough May 2025.
MEMPHIS MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & HISTORY
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, Dec. 28, 8-8:30 a.m.
CHICKASAW GARDENS PARK
PHOTO: COURTESY SHEET CAKE GALLERY , by Melissa Dunn, is featured in Sheet Cake’s “Back for Seconds” exhibit.
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, Dec. 28, 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, Dec. 26, 6-6:45 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
HOLIDAY EVENTS
The Enchanted Forest Festival of Trees
A benefit for Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital that fills the Pink Palace Mezzanine with beautifully decorated trees as teddy bears beckon, trains chug, elves work, and penguins play in the snow. Through Dec. 29.
MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND HISTORY AT THE PINK PALACE
Holiday Wonders
This 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. Closed Dec. 24 and 25. Through Dec. 28.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
Zoo Lights
The 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. Through Jan. 4.
MEMPHIS ZOO
PERFORMING ARTS
Drag Queen Bingo with Imagene Azengraber
Guess who’s back, back again?! Friday, Dec. 27, 7-9 p.m.
MOXY MEMPHIS DOWNTOWN
Not-So-Little Orphan Annie’s Holiday Hangover
A sassy, sauced, irreverent, and entertaining night of song and dance with Annie and her friends! Put Christmas and 2024 to rest, laughing the night away! 21+. $15/reserved seating. Saturday, Dec. 28, 7:30-9 p.m. | Sunday, Dec. 29, 7:30-9 p.m.
GERMANTOWN COMMUNITY THEATRE
“Sweet Tea Sundays”
Featuring a tea dance and show. Sunday, Dec. 29, 3-6 p.m.
DRU’S PLACE
SPECIAL EVENTS
Dazzling NYE Countdown
A sophisticated celebration with stunning views of the Mississippi River, live music, dancing, delicious cocktails for purchase, and more. Semi-formal dress required. 21+. $100. Tuesday, Dec. 31, 9 p.m.
BECK & CALL
Grind City Brewing Tournament Series
Board to Beers is hosting a series of easy to learn and play games at Grind City Brewing Company! Games are free to play. 1st through 3rd place will take home house cash for Grind City. Sunday, Dec. 29, 1:30-5 p.m.
GRIND CITY BREWING CO.
New Queer’s Eve
Featuring drag, burlesque, and music. Hosted by Moxie Macabre. Tuesday, Dec. 31, 8 p.m.
LAMPLIGHTER LOUNGE
New Year’s Eve at Tiger & Peacock
A much-anticipated New Year’s Eve party. $100. Tuesday, Dec. 31, 9 p.m.
THE MEMPHIAN, A TRIBUTE PORTFOLIO HOTEL
New Year’s Eve Countdown
A countdown to wealth and fun with a $1,000,000 New Year’s Eve Cash Giveaway. Live music by Dr. Zarr’s Amazing Funk Monsters. 21+. $10. Tuesday, Dec. 31, 10 p.m.
HORSESHOE CASINO TUNICA
CALENDAR: DECEMBER 26 - JANUARY 1
New Year’s Eve in Overton Square
Celebrate the New Year in Overton Square. Tuesday, Dec. 31. OVERTON SQUARE
Sapphic Memphis Presents New Queer’s Eve With DJ Aviotis. Tuesday, Dec. 31, 10 p.m.
HI TONE
The Alex Chilton Birthday Bash
Celebrating the life of Alex Chilton with noise and stories. Appearances by Van Duren, Sophie Chertow, and Turnt. Saturday, Dec. 28, 9 p.m.
LAMPLIGHTER LOUNGE
SPORTS
8th Annual Polar Wolf Plunge
Join a cadre of river guides and friends at the Bateman Road Bridge at the Wolf River to celebrate the arrival of 2025 in a most unique manner, with a bon fire and an icy plunge!
Bring towels, a change of clothing, lawn chairs, your favorite snack to share, and drinks of your choosing. A changing tent will be available. Free. Wednesday, Jan. 1, noon-3 p.m.
WOLF RIVER CONSERVANCY
901 Wrestling Presents New Year’s Bang
With Tyler “The Lion” LeMasters vs. “The True One of One” Kevin Bless, Walker XIII vs. The Merc Chris Evans, and the 1819 Title Match.
Sunday, Jan. 5, 5 p.m.
MINGLEWOOD HALL
Ashley Brooks Memorial Scholarship Barrel Race
A memorial show that also includes the Betty Leek Futurity and the Harry Blackwell Derby. Wednesday, Jan. 1-Jan. 4.
AGRICENTER INTERNATIONAL
AutoZone Liberty Bowl 2024
See Arkansas vs. Texas Tech at the 66th AutoZone Liberty Bowl. Friday, Dec. 27, 6 p.m.
SIMMONS BANK LIBERTY STADIUM
Liberty Bowl Rodeo
Top performers from around the country competing in events such as bull riding, bareback bronco riding, steer wrestling, and barrel racing. $20. Saturday, Dec. 28, 2 p.m.
AGRICENTER INTERNATIONAL
Memphis Grizzlies vs. Dallas Mavericks Monday, Jan. 6, 7 p.m.
FEDEXFORUM
Memphis Grizzlies vs. Toronto Raptors Thursday, Dec. 26, 7 p.m.
FEDEXFORUM
Morrighan’s Bluff, Amtgard of Memphis
Meet Saturdays at noon for medieval/fantasy live action roleplay game. Saturday, Dec. 28, noon | Saturday, Jan. 4, noon.
W.J. FREEMAN PARK
Crossword
33 Rice or wheat
ACROSS
1 Part of a jacket where a handsfree mic is attached
6 Powder for a gymnast
10 Part of a constellation
14 Michelle with the 2018 hit memoir “Becoming”
15 Gymnast Korbut
16 Columbus’s home
17 The end
18 Unruly crowds
19 Nevada casino city
20 Tea set?
23 ___ Paulo, Brazil
24 Five cards of the same suit, in poker
25 Tune you just can’t get out of your head
29 On fire
30 Suffragist ___ B. Wells
34 Slowly swivel sideways, as a camera
35 Unknown author, for short
36 G-string?
40 French assents
41 Bit of financial planning for old age, in brief
42 “The Little Mermaid” princess
43 Cory Booker or Cory Gardner: Abbr.
44 Spanish article
45 All together, as a crowd
47 Like many people after eating beans
49 Main squeeze, modernly
50 Beeline?
57 Earsplitting
58 Peter Fonda title role of 1997
59 “… and sometimes y” preceder
60 Org. fighting for immigrants’ rights
61 Lack of practice, metaphorically
62 Touches down on the tarmac
63 Corridor
64 Receives
65 Olympic sleds DOWN
1 Apartment in an old warehouse district, say
2 Not much
3 Breathe like a tired runner
4 Give off
5 Band’s closing number
6 Drum with a repetitive name
7 Tons and tons
8 Rainbow symbol of pride
9 Chess move involving the king and rook
10 Out of ___ (discombobulated)
11 “Here’s what you have to realize ...”
12 Slangy negative contraction
13 Tree anchor
21 What cigarette filters are supposed to block
22 Egyptian boy king
25 Certain frozen waffles
26 Squabble
Time Travel Half-Marathon/10K/5K
A time travel-themed adventure like no other. Sunday, Jan. 5, 9 a.m.-noon.
SHELBY FARMS PARK
TOURS
Haunted Pub Crawl
An amazing and entertaining night out full of ghost stories, dark history, and tales of the paranormal. You may have your own experience as we try to make contact with the other side. 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, Dec. 27, 7:30-10 p.m.
THE BROOM CLOSET
Starry Nights
The 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, the largest annual fundraiser for Shelby Farms Park and Shelby Farms Greenline. $38-$200. Through Dec. 29.
SHELBY FARMS
The Original Memphis Brew Bus
The Memphis Brew Bus is a trip into the amazing Memphis craft brewing scene. Visit three local breweries for tours, talks with the brewers, and of course beer. $59. Saturday, Dec. 28, 2-5:30 p.m.
THE BROOM CLOSET
Edited by Will Shortz No.
27 1980 Scorsese/ De Niro classic
28 What many of the founding fathers wore
31 Old Venetian rulers
32 An obtuse one is more than 90°
34 Links org.
Supreme Court justice nicknamed “The Notorious R.B.G.”
Shade similar to
N.B.A. souvenir
Thumb drive port, for short
___ Field, onetime home of the Brooklyn Dodgers
Catch
PUZZLE BY JOEL FAGLIANO
We Saw You.
with MICHAEL DONAHUE
Sipping hot chocolate or hot chocolate with something in it is always a delight at Holiday Wonders at the Garden, which continues to enchant children and adults at the Memphis Botanic Garden.
Olivia Wall, director of marketing and communications, describes the attraction as “an outdoor seasonal exhibition. It includes acres of light displays, photo ops.”
It also includes concessions and re tables, Wall says. “We have costumed characters every night we’re open. Snow queens, gingerbread men, elves.”
Wonders, which closes December 28th, traditionally opens the day a er anksgiving. “We’ve been doing it for 12 or 13 years. It was originally much smaller. In a very small area garden. And it expanded from there.”
Wonders originally was called “Snowy Nights” and took place at Memphis Botanic Garden’s “My Big Backyard,” notes Wall.
Some dates during this season’s event could have been dubbed “Rainy Nights.” But, with the exception of some of the wet stu , Wall says Holiday Wonders at the Garden 2024 will go down as successful.
above: (top le ) CJ Berretta, (top right) Chad Getchel, (bottom le ) Sydney Lewellyn, Albert, Oscar, and Leah Getchel circle: MaryLynn Mack and Olivia Wall below: (le to right) Danny and Amelia Cole; Kristen Taylor and John Boykin; Drew Garrison, Ivy Garrison, Ted Werthmuller, Wayne Parr, and Lily Parr bottom row: (le to right) Sarah Strong, Kole Turner, Cathy Strong, and Anthony Strong; Maurice McGill and Tavist Carter
PHOTOS: MICHAEL DONAHUE
above: Jay relkeld, Joseph relkeld, and Lindsey Garner circle: Hannah Gay and Liretha Walker below: (le to right) Evelyn Torres and Liam Ferguson; Jamie Acor and Angie Jones; Helen Stritzel and Chris Cullum; Lela Garlington, Finn Herrington, and Steve Herrington right row: (top and below) Nada Dryn, Tamara Dryn, Igor Bosim, and Kirill Dryn; Brandi Ray, Denny Stanley, Katherine Johnson, and Jarrod Bivens bottom le : Anna Vo, Gina Harris, Patti Berry, and Peg Parish
FOOD By Michael Donahue
The Belle Meade Social Scene
e East Memphis restaurant is on a roll.
hat’s going on at Belle Meade Social?
A lot. e restaurant at 518 Perkins Extended has a new chef and a new direction, says owner Paul Stephens.
Belle Meade Social, named a er the nearby residential neighborhood where Stephens grew up, opened in May 2023. It had formerly housed two other restaurants, Jim’s Place and Strano by Chef Josh.
Jake Behnke joined as executive chef last January 1st. “He came in and didn’t make a bunch of noise at rst,” Stephens says. “He just wanted to get to know everybody and wanted to know the space.”
But Behnke’s rst menu was “a huge success,” he adds. “Since then, the items coming out of the kitchen have been extremely consistent and extremely good.”
“He basically focuses more on trying to get local food,” adds general manager Chad Weatherly. “Getting locally sourced items.”
“We’ve got a lot more sources for our food products and, I would say, our ingredients, actually,” Stephens says. “We make everything in-house. We prep all day long. And the sourcing of the food was something he was very big on.”
Behnke also made sure “his hands were on every plate before it came out,” Weatherly says. And Behnke doesn’t hesitate to try to improve on a dish to make it better, like his wild mushroom risotto with scallops. “ at’s one of our favorites now. One of our top sellers.”
When they rst opened Belle Meade Social, the vibe was casual, Stephens says. “I opened to compete with Houston’s.”
Weatherly, who previously worked at Colonial Country Club, the Flight restaurant group, Coastal Fish Company, and Ruth’s Chris Steak House in Fayetteville, Arkansas, joined Belle Meade Social in August 2023. “I walked in and I didn’t feel like we had a true identity of who we were and where we’re going,” he says. “I just didn’t feel like we knew where we were.” ey were making “a wider variety of food” than they needed to, he says. He thought they could narrow the menu down to more items people wanted. ey ended up “shrinking it down and doing a more intimate menu.”
Weatherly wanted to cater to everybody with food that “looked good, tasted good” and had a “reasonable price point.”
He and Stephens “picked the brains” of customers and sta to see what items they wanted to see on the menu. Prime rib and crab cakes, both of which they now o er, were two suggestions. One customer “wants a good shrimp
cocktail with the huge shrimp,” Weatherly says. “Jake is working with him on it.”
Behnke is “getting his feedback and rolling with it.”
And, Weatherly says, “Guest interaction is our biggest driver in making sure of the direction we go on food and features.”
Originally, they were looking for a kitchen manager, not an executive chef, when they found Behnke. “He was like, ‘Let me cook for you,’” Stephens says. “Kind of Gordon Ramsay style, he went back there and made a ve-course meal that knocked our socks o .”
While preparing the meal, Behnke called his dad and asked him to bring him a blow torch so he could make crème brûlées.
“I said, ‘Don’t let him leave the building without giving him the job as chef,’” Stephens says.
“We basically all turned to each other and said, ‘We didn’t nd a kitchen manager, but we found an executive chef,’” Weatherly adds.
A lot of the previous menu had to do with the kitchen equipment they already had, says Stephens, noting that it was “what was here in the kitchen that we could salvage and make work.”
ey closed the restaurant for a week last July. “We did a deep clean and recon gured the kitchen. And now it’s run more e ciently.”
Behnke told them what new kitchen equipment he wanted. “We had two large attops. He wanted to get rid of that and bring in a chargrill. He sourced it and brought it in himself.”
ey also added a vacuum sealer to preserve spices sous vide, new mixers, and a new meat grinder “to make our own burger meat and to help with
breaking things down for the Philly cheesesteak and French dip.”
“We knew his background and ability to butcher meat,” Stephens says. “We’ve taken that to the next level.”
As for the new bartenders they’ve brought in, Weatherly says, “ ey’re smiling. And they’re nice to people. And they can make a good cocktail.”
e restaurant now o ers more bar nger food, including “fried honey whipped feta balls.” Behnke “made them originally for the Greek salad and people kept wanting extras,” Weatherly says.
Belle Meade Social o ers a “social hour” from 4 to 6 p.m. every day except Monday when the restaurant is closed. ey’re talking about opening for lunch during the week instead of just Sundays. “Now that Houston’s isn’t there to ll that void,” Stephens says.
And people can now order lunch and dinner items online at
bellemeadesocial.com.
ey also do a lot of catering as well as hosting private parties and events at the restaurant, Stephens says. And they’re “trying to get involved with the local community” by hosting fundraisers such as the one they did for STREETS Ministries.
Live music might be featured one night a week, Stephens says. “I thought about putting a piano where the hightops originally were before we opened.” He adds, “We’re working on something with our patio next year.”
e restaurant is still casual as well as elegant. “ e bar side is the casual and the garden dining room is the more intimate side,” Weatherly says.
Belle Meade Social is still a neighborhood bar, but not just for the immediate neighborhood, Stephens says. “A lot of our regulars live close by, but we have some regulars that come in from Lakeland.”
PHOTO: (ABOVE AND BELOW) CHAD WEATHERLY Wild mushroom risotto with scallops; grilled pan-seared fresh salmon
PHOTO: (LEFT) MICHAEL DONAHUE
Chad Weatherly, Paul Stephens, and Jake Behnke
Memphis Magazine presents the
2024 INNOVATION AWARDS BREAKFAST
Join Memphis Magazine as we celebrate the 12th annual Innovation Award winners. Memphis has become an innovation hub, with representatives in a wide variety of industries that strive to discover new breakthroughs and push our community forward. In 2024, we feature five progress-focused individuals and organizations who showcase Memphis’ continued evolution through innovation.
Join us Wednesday, January 15 at 7:30 a.m. as we honor:
Breanna Boyd of FeedWells
Dr. Evan S. Glazer of UTHSC
Eric Mathews of Start Co
Susan Cooper and Megan Williams of Regional One
Tickets are available for purchase for $25 per person and include breakfast. Tables of 10 are available for $200.
Doors open at 7:30 a.m. and the program will begin around 8:15 a.m.
Visit bit.ly/memphisinnovation to purchase tickets.
NEWS OF THE WEIRD
By the editors at Andrews McMeel Syndication
It’s Come to This Sweden’s minister for gender equality and work life, Paulina Brandberg, has spoken in the past about her extreme phobia of bananas, The Guardian reported on Nov. 14. But recently leaked emails have made clear just how far her staff will go to protect her from the yellow fruits. For instance, staff will specify that “no traces of bananas must be in the room” before she arrives. Brandberg said she was getting professional help with her phobia, but Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson backed her up: “I am disturbed when a hardworking cabinet minister is almost reduced to a phobia and people make fun of it.”
Recent Alarming Headline
Passengers aboard an American Airlines flight from Milwaukee to Dallas on Nov. 19 went full-on MacGyver with an unruly Canadian passenger, ABC7-TV reported. While the plane was in flight, the passenger asked a flight attendant to open the cabin door; when his request was denied, he became agitated. He allegedly rushed toward the door, striking the flight attendant, before other passengers subdued him, eventually duct-taping his wrists and ankles and laying him on his stomach on the floor. Airport police and FBI personnel met him at the gate and took him for a medical evaluation.
Weird Science
20 in New York City, Sotheby’s sold the latest iteration for $6.2 million to Justin Sun, founder of the cryptocurrency platform Tron, WFAA-TV reported. Bidding started at $800,000. Sun said the art “represents a cultural phenomenon that bridges the worlds of art, memes, and the cryptocurrency community. … In the coming days, I will personally eat the banana as part of this unique artistic experience, honoring its place in both art history and popular culture.” Lucky for Sun, he technically bought the rights to duct-tape any other banana to any other wall and call it “Comedian,” as it was dubbed in 2019 by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan.
Who Knew?
Fox News host Jesse Watters has laid down the law regarding man-to-man birthday etiquette, the Independent reported. On his show, Jesse Watters Primetime, on Nov. 20, the host said he would have wished President Joe Biden a happy birthday, but that would break his “rules.” “Men don’t wish men happy birthdays,” he said. He revealed the rule earlier this fall, when he said wishing another Fox host happy birthday “would not be manly.” Watters also apparently has rules about men eating soup and ice cream in public — “It’s not a good look.”
Suspicions Confirmed
University of Richmond professor and neuroscientist Kelly Lambert has been training rats to drive tiny cars since 2019, the New York Post reported. “Unexpectedly, we found that the rats had an intense motivation for their driving training, often jumping into the car and revving the ‘lever engine’ before their vehicle hit the road,” Lambert said. She and her fellow scientists concluded that the rats’ excitement was a Pavlovian response to treats and operating the vehicles — but even when the treats were removed, they were ready to put the pedal to the metal. “They remind us that planning, anticipating, and enjoying the ride may be key to a healthy brain,” Lambert said.
Great Art
The duct-taped banana “artwork” just won’t turn brown and mushy and find its way into the bin. On Nov.
Parents and teachers at Gosho Kodomo-en kindergarten in southwestern Japan thought for sure someone with a footwear fetish was swiping little shoes from cubbies at the school, the Associated Press reported. Police installed three cameras in the school, and on Nov. 11, zeroed in on another culprit: a weasel. “It’s great it turned out not to be a human being,” said Deputy Police Chief Hiroaki Inada. The stolen shoes have not been found, but the school has installed a net over the cubbies to keep the weasel, who is still on the loose, out.
Send your weird news items with subject line WEIRD NEWS to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): In 2025, I would love for you to specialize in making new connections and deepening your existing connections. I hope you will summon extra creativity and panache as you regularly blend your beautiful energies with others’ beautiful energies. I predict you will thrive on linking elements that should be linked but have never been before. What do you think, Aries? Does it sound fun to become a playful master of mixing and combining? Would you enjoy generating splashy unifications that serve your dreams?
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): “Confidence is 10 percent hard work and 90 percent delusion,” declared Taurus comedian Tina Fey. But I believe you will disprove that assessment in the coming months. The work you do will be unusually replete with grace and dynamism. It will be focused and diligent work, yes, but more importantly, it will be smart work that’s largely free of delusion. That’s why I’m inclined to revise Fey’s formula for your sake. In 2025, your brimming levels of confidence will be primarily due to your fine, conscientious, effective work.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In the 1960s, a Swedish journalist tried an experiment. He wanted to see if art critics could distinguish between abstract paintings made by skilled artists and those created by a fouryear-old chimpanzee whose pseudonym was Pierre Brassau. Surprise! Many of the critics treated all the paintings with equal respect. One even gave special praise to Pierre Brassau, describing his strokes of color as having “the delicacy of a ballet dancer.” I’m authorizing you to unleash your inner Pierre Brassau in the coming months, Gemini. Be an innocent rookie, a newcomer with great instincts, an exuberant amateur who specializes in fun experiments. Do you know what beginner’s mind is? You approach every experience with zero assumptions or expectations, as if you were seeing everything for the first time. For more, read this: wikipedia.org/ wiki/Shoshin.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Ohio’s Cuyahoga River used to catch on fire regularly. The cause was pollution. For a hundred years, industries had poured their wastes into the waterway. The surface was often dotted with oil slicks. But after a notorious river fire in 1969, the locals decided to remedy the situation, aided by the newly established Environmental Protection Agency. Today, the Cuyahoga still isn’t 100 percent clean, but it’s far better. It hosts kayaking, fishing, and paddle boarding. I propose we use its rehabilitation as a symbol for you in 2025. You will have welcome opportunities to clean up messes that have lingered for far too long. Please take full advantage of these cosmic invitations to sweep karmic debris out of your life.
By Rob Brezsny
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Steve Jobs, founder of Apple computers, said, “The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.” I propose that you make this one of your mottoes in 2025. More than ever before, you will have exceptional power to transform the environments you share with others. You will have an enhanced ability to revise and reinvigorate the systems and the rules you use. Don’t underestimate your influence during the coming months, Leo. Assume that people will be listening especially closely to your ideas and extra receptive to be affected by you.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): I will give you four related terms to describe your key motif in 2025: 1. Your Soul’s Code. 2. Your Master Plan. 3. Your Destiny’s Blueprint. 4. Your Mission Statement. All four are rooted in this epic question: What is your overarching purpose here on earth, and how are you fulfilling it? The coming months will be a time when you can make dramatic progress in formulating vivid, detailed visions of the life you want to live. You can also undertake robust action steps to make those visions more of a practical reality. I encourage you to write your big-picture, long-range dreams in a special notebook or a file on your tech device. Keep adding to the text throughout the coming months.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): People in India were the first to discover diamonds buried in the Earth. Most historians believe it happened in the 4th century B.C.E. For the next two millennia, India remained the only source of diamonds. Finally, new stashes were found in Brazil in 1725 and in South Africa in the 1870s. Let’s use this 2,000-year gap as a metaphor for your life. I suspect that far too many months have passed since you have located a fresh source of a certain treasure or bounty you crave. That will change in 2025. Here come long-delayed blessings!
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In my vision of your life in 2025, you will dramatically enhance how togetherness works for you. Below are four questions to help guide your explorations and breakthroughs. 1. Is it feasible to change yourself in ways that enable you to have a more satisfying relationship with romantic love? 2. Will you include your intimate relationships as an essential part of your spiritual path — and vice versa? 3. What work on yourself can you do to heal your old wounds and thereby make yourself a better partner and collaborator? 4. Can you help your best allies to heal their wounds and thereby become better partners and collaborators?
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In Japanese, the word for “frog” sounds similar to the word meaning “to return.”
That’s one reason frogs have been lucky
CAPRICORN
(Dec. 22-Jan.
19): Since 1985, musician David Gilmour has led Pink Floyd. The band has sold over 250 million records. He’s in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in both the U.K. and the U.S. But my favorite thing about Gilmour is that he’s a passionate activist who has crusaded for animal rights, environmentalism, poverty, and human rights. A few years ago, he auctioned off 120 of his guitars, raising over $21 million for an environmentalist charity. In accordance with astrological omens, I propose we make him one of your inspirational role models in 2025, Capricorn. May he mobilize you to use your stature and clout to perform an array of good works that are of service to your world.
in some circles of Japanese culture. They symbolize the blessing that occurs when travelers return home safely, or when health is restored, or when spent money is replenished. I bring this to your attention, Sagittarius, because I suspect 2025 will be a time when satisfying and enjoyable returns will be a key theme. Consider keeping the likeness of a lovable frog in your living space.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Aquarian author Virginia Woolf extolled the virtues of cultivating a supple soul that thrives on change. She pledged to be relentless in her commitment to be authentically herself and not succumb to groupthink. I recommend you make these two of your featured themes in 2025. To inspire your efforts, I will quote her radical perspective at length: “Movement and change are the essence of our being; rigidity is death; conformity is death: Let us say what comes into our heads, repeat ourselves, contradict ourselves, fling out the wildest nonsense, and follow the most fantastic fancies without caring what the world does or thinks or says.”
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In 1992, two friends promised each other that if either of them ever won the lottery, they would share it with the other. Twenty-eight years later, that’s exactly what happened. In 2020, Thomas Cook bought a ticket that turned out to be the winner of the Powerhouse jackpot in Wisconsin. He called Joseph Feeney with the good news. After paying taxes, both men were $5.7 million richer. I am not predicting the exact same sequence for your future, Pisces. But like Cook and Feeney, I expect you will glean pleasing rewards generated from seeds planted in the past. These are your horoscopes for the week of December 26th. For the week of January 2nd, visit freewillastrology.com.
The Best Films of 2024
Plus one worst!
In the rst year a er dual writer and actor strikes rattled the Hollywood establishment, there was much fretting about lackluster box o ce returns in the rst half, followed by much celebration in the second half. But there were gems everywhere for those who searched. We celebrate the best with Flyer Film Awards for 2024. But rst, the worst.
Worst Picture Borderlands
2024’s good video game adaptation was Amazon Prime’s Fallout series. e best thing you can say about Eli Roth’s epic op is that everyone got paid in advance.
MVP
Timothée Chalamet, Dune: Part 2, A Complete Unknown
Muad’dib came alive as the cursed savior of Arrakis, torn between his love for Zendaya’s Chani and the imperial destiny he was bred for. en, Chalamet sang 40 Bob Dylan songs, live on set, in A Complete Unknown and slayed every one of them. Give this boy some owers.
Best Performance by a Nonhuman Anxiety, Inside Out 2
Our Age of Anxiety found a mascot in the orange emotion, voiced by Maya Hawke, that invades our tween heroine Riley’s brain when she’s thrown into a competitive situation at hockey camp. I wish I had Inside Out 2 when I was growing up.
Best Interior Spaces
I Saw the TV Glow
Jane Schoenbrun’s ode to fandom is as inexplicable a lm as you’ll see this year. Owen is a shy outsider who nds his people when he discovers a cult TV show called e Pink Opaque. He and his friend Maddy slowly lose their own identities as they tune out the rest of the world. But was it all a dream? Where does the dream end and reality begin?
Grossest Picture e Substance
If Sunset Boulevard were directed by David Cronenberg, it would look something like e Substance. Coralie Fargeat directs Demi Moore as Elisabeth Sparkles,
an aging star who will try anything to stay young, including a dangerous drug pushed by a secret organization. When Margaret Qualley bursts from her body as her younger self, she’s reluctant to get back in. en the real body horror begins.
Best Animated Film Boys Go to Jupiter
It was a banner year for animation, with the triumphal Inside Out 2, e Wild Robot, the plucky Latvian animal eco-fantasy Flow, and the epic Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim. But this tiny team from Pittsburgh, led by Julian Glander, made a joyously subversive story of a delivery boy trying to beat the system, and the alien egg
he nds along the way.
Best Cinematography Nickel Boys
RaMell Ross’ story of two Black boys sent to a brutal reform school in 1960s Florida works its empathetic magic through rst-person camera work, courtesy of cinematographer Jomo Fray. Equal parts gorgeous and brutal, but never banal.
(top) Boys Go to Jupiter; (right) Timothée Chalamet
By Chris McCoy
Biggest Performance
Chris Hemsworth, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Director George Miller’s origin story of his Fury Road protagonist is as epic as it gets, and Hemsworth has the juice as the biker warlord Dementus. Hemsworth’s words and deeds are as big as the Wasteland’s horizon, but he leads us through decades, subtly changing Dementus’ bluster to show his loosening grip on sanity. When he gets his comeuppance from Furiosa, you almost feel sorry for him. Almost.
Best Documentary Union
Against all odds, the warehouse workers at Amazon’s JFK8 warehouse on Staten Island successfully got their union recog-
nized by the NLRB, after years of grinding organizing and union busting goons. You won’t find Brett Story and Stephen Maing’s Sundance-winning documentary on Amazon Prime, and if Jeff Bezos gets his way, you won’t see it anywhere. The filmmakers are self-distributing, so seek it out.
Best Picture
Anora
Sean Baker’s masterpiece follows stripper and sometime prostitute Ani as she falls in love with one of her clients, the wastrel son of a Russian oligarch. But when they marry in Las Vegas, and his parents (and the Russian mafia of New York) get wind of it, the whole fantasy falls apart. Baker and Mikey Madison get my personal Best Director and Best Actor awards. Everything about Anora is perfect.
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Alice Faye Duncan
Remember Love
Honor those who can’t be with us this holiday season.
My mother died from cancer in the spring of 2023 at the age of 86. I was her only child, 55 and heartbroken. While she lived many years with chronic arthritis pain, my mother Earline Duncan was joyful, energetic, and always eager to share with others. I called her “Mama.” But she was more than that to me. Earline Duncan was my good friend.
December 25th will be my second Christmas without Mama. To avoid debilitating woe, I look grief in the face. Nobody will escape. Life is death, and loss is love’s inheritance. I hug my anguish tightly and let tears wash over me like a ood. When I cannot cry another drop, I am refreshed. en I rise from the couch and clean my house.
Mama’s death wounded my soul. I own a scab that Mercurochrome cannot heal. However, in the time since her death, besides crying, cleaning house, and writing for the Memphis Flyer, I have discovered another way to recalibrate. I call on Mama’s circle of octogenarian friends, who traveled this life with her from childhood to womanhood, and nally to the elevation of elder. I ask her lifelong friends to share their personal memories of Mama.
Just like Earline Duncan, Dorothy Rozier, Claudette Lacey, Hollye Shotwell, and Verna Vaughn survived the humiliation of second-class citizenship in Jim Crow Memphis during the 1940s. ey grew up and went to church in North Memphis’ Greenlaw Community. ey graduated from historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and they each served Memphis students as “Negro” schoolteachers until the vernacular changed to “Black” during the 1960s.
Once while I was collecting memories, Dorothy Rozier, who is 86, recalled my mother’s unmitigated boldness. When they were girls in middle school, Mama rode her bicycle to Dorothy’s house. At the time, Dorothy’s granddaddy sat on the porch in need of a shave because he was unable to do it himself. When little Earline arrived, she hopped o her bike and volunteered for the task. As a kid, my mother was given a straightedge razor. And according to Dorothy, “Earline shaved my grandaddy like she was a bona de barber.”
Earline Duncan and daughter Alice Faye Duncan at Christmas (2017) THE LAST WORD By
Claudette Lacey and Hollye Shotwell are daughters of the late Lucille Martin Hinton. e sisters were frequent visitors in my mother’s childhood home on N. ird Street. Hollye is 84. Claudette is 88. As classmates, Claudette and Mama went to school together from rst grade at Grant Elementary until they graduated from Manassas High in 1954. When I ask about Mama’s personality as a teenager, Hollye says, “Earline liked to read books and she loved to talk.”
When we speak on the phone, Claudette tells me, “Alice Faye! You sound just like Earline.” It pleases me very much that some audible part of my mother resides with me.
As for Verna Vaughn’s friendship with Mama, their herstory intersected through girlhood, fellowship at St. James AME Church, and their employment in the Memphis schools. Mama was eight years older than Verna, who recently turned 80. As children, Verna and her sister Carol deemed Mama to be an “authority gure.” Verna says, “Earline was the big girl who walked the little children to Sunday School. She would fuss and make us behave in church.”
When segregation was abolished in the Memphis schools, Mama and Verna joined a cohort of Black teachers who integrated the faculty at Snowden School. Verna was the librarian and Mama taught 6th grade. As her coworker, Verna discovered that my mother’s intolerance for foolishness was unchanged. She tells me o en, “I would walk to her classroom to chitchat and socialize. But Earline would stop me at the door and say, ‘No-no, Verna!’”
Do you miss somebody this holiday season? An old adage says that we live forever if people continue to speak our names. erefore, gather with others and call to mind your special person. Giggle, gush, and luxuriate in the glow of who they were. Raise your voice and speak many names. Remember love. Happy holidays!
Earline Duncan served as a Memphis teacher for 39 years. To hear her speak about the integration experiment in local schools, visit Rhodes College at vimeo.com/279358197. Alice Faye Duncan is a Memphis educator who writes for children. Learn about her books at alicefayeduncan.com.
PHOTO: (TOP) COURTESY ALICE FAYE DUNCAN
Earline Duncan with Snowden School students in the early ’70s
