Summer heat was in full force last weekend but that didn’t stop the parties.  There were so many things to do that I decided to skip everything I had heard about and go find new places for fun.  I didn’t have to look far.  From an innovative art show to authentic Memphis blues, there’s always something new to see in downtown Memphis.  Oddly, the weekend appeared to have an R-rated theme and yet stay PG the entire time.

On Friday I grabbed a ride downtown for the (non) Trolley Night on Main Street.  During my time near Madison and Main I discovered an anomaly.  When people say South Main they are referring to anything south of Madison.  This throws me for a loop because in my head South Main is the arts district south of Beale.  Anything between Beale and Madison is just called downtown to me.  I realize the name of the street in that area is literally  South Main, but from a conceptual standpoint I can’t agree with that characterization.  To me, it’s a bizarre delineation.

Linguistics aside, I headed to KOART at 10 S. Main for a live art exhibit.  All I knew was the approximate location and that the show involved artists creating pieces in real time.  I must have glossed over that some of the painting involved people.  So imagine my amazement when I got there and was greeted by a statuesque model wearing a vivid geometric pattern.  This was just the first of many stunning works of art

on display as I moved through the gallery.  The avant-garde experiment with body paint drew in many curiously onlookers.  No doubt the promise of nudity enticed many, but I think anyone seeking that type of titillation was disappointed.  Something happens once a body is covered in paint.  It’s a covering that masks any traditional lasciviousness and enhances the natural beauty of the female form.

The artists utilizing these gracious models did not hold back with their expression.  The design and color choices they made married well with the art hanging on the wall.  It was almost uncanny how one model resembled the painted fox-woman hanging on the wall behind her.  Until the artist confessed that it was intentional.  The overall result was a dynamic look into the process of creation and how our surroundings can affect an artists inclinations.

Aside from the walking art there was a multitude of fun and creative pieces on display from an assortment of local artists.  Two artists working on 2 dimensional pieces flanked the front door to the gallery.  One was a unique take on the Memphis skyline while the other was described as a “continuous field piece”.  I think that’s a technical name for flicking paint with a string however the result is certainly worth of a fancy turn of phrase.  Throughout the gallery there were paper and sculpture pieces around every corner.  It was only my lack of cash that kept me from walking away with something new for my walls.  I did happen to grab the names of a few artists so I could come back and look into expanding my collection.

The two sculptures on the front table were a couple of my favorite additions to the exhibit.  The clock-monster created from a what appears to be a huge bike chain and prehistoric fish skull reminds me of a video game monster I used to hunt down.  Next to that was a many legged (armed?) abstract piece that could look you in the eye from one angle.  I was also fortunate enough to run into a gentleman with a captivating tattoo.  Still shiny from its freshness, I did my best to capture each angle of the sleeve, though it serves a pale comparison to the real thing.  He said the artist is Ivy from Underground Art in Cooper-Young.  She also had some pieces on display in the show.  I put her on my mental list of artists I need to visit in the future.  I hope to have a good collection of Memphis art to take with me when I move to a new place.

After the show I strolled down Main Street until my feet started to hurt.  There was a little bit happening everywhere but nothing else to really speak of.  People came out in droves to enjoy the shady Friday evening downtown.  It was a wonderful way to start the weekend.  I ended up in Cooper-Young later that night, looking for trouble but not finding all that much.  I did happen upon some great art outside First Congo.  It’s probably been there for a good while, but I just noticed it last weekend.  That’s how things go sometimes.

Saturday rolled in like a hurricane.  From the moment I woke up things went a little sideways.  I misplaced belongings I usually don’t lose and whenever I started something I ended up working on a different project entirely.  Fortunately, being easy as a Sunday morning, I just relaxed so I could bend with the wind and go with the flow.  I’m just lucky there was nothing pressing to complete that day.  It’s also what inspired me to abandon my previous plans.  It was time for something completely different.

I had planned to have a two part evening between the show at the Hi Tone and the Time Warp at the Drive-In.  Both of these worthy events promised good company, fun, and excitement.  However, my intention with this blog is to find the things that I haven’t done before – so I headed downtown.  I’d heard a rumor of happenings on South Main.  I jumped into Alchemy for a Kahlua-flavored recharge and set my sights toward the river.

Thanks to lyft, one of the great new people I’ve met in Memphis is a fellow blogger.  Her take on things over at purplehairandconverse.com gives me a great resource for finding things to do on short notice.  One text and I had a location for my first stop – 479 S. Main.  I didn’t get any more info than that, but I know that area is full of places I’ve never been so it had to be something new.  Hiking up the hill from Ernestine & Hazel’s, I counted down the street numbers looking for my destination.  Approaching the area, I didn’t see any evidence of a bar or club.  I almost missed the door, nestled into a nondescript bay of buildings.

I double-checked the text to make sure I had the right place.  It clearly said 479, even though there was no one to be seen outside that door.  Not doubting my source’s information, I pushed on the door to reveal a carpeted stairwell.  Climbing up revealed a massive apartment, decked out in a great mix of bachelor-chic furniture and eclectic decor.  I didn’t know a soul in there so I mutely made my way around, getting the lay of the land.  It was a diverse and friendly crowd up front.  I was clearly in someone’s home and I just wish I had known whose.  I would have thanked him for such a kickass place to hang out.

Drawn toward the back room by an impressive light show accompanied by compelling music,  I found the atmosphere a little intimidating.  Fortunately, I was Memphis as &*!# that night so I had the city on my side.  Of course, my trepidation was completely unfounded.  The music, lights, and dancing created an intoxicating rush of energy that everyone there was willing to share.  I discovered that I was in Scotty B‘s loft and, just like that, I opened the door to a whole new category of Memphis art.  It appeared to be a BYOB affair, so I left after a short while to find somewhere my credit card would be useful.  I’m going to have a pow-wow with Malaika soon and find out more on this party and how I can get to another one.

I trekked back to Ernestine & Hazel’s around 2300 looking for a party I’d seen on a flyer that week.  Everything on this promo appeals to me and I was looking forward to the event.  Unfortunately, it seems that the curse plaguing my sense of direction that day wasn’t finished with me.  I went looking for the lezzie shindig and could not seem to find it.  In my go-with-the-flow mindset I didn’t look extremely hard.  I figured I would find what I was meant to that night.  So my internal compass directed me to Nate’s bar upstairs.  The 12 Mellow Fellows Blues Lounge is a hidden gem in Memphis.  It’s a place you only find if you look for it and, even then, only at certain times.  If you happen upon it at the right place and the right time, you might witness magic.

The magic of air conditioning was in full effect when I got there on Saturday.  A talented young man named Evan Farris was tickling the ivories as I slipped in.  The night owl patrons were content with the music, including Sam “Black Smoke” Wiggins, a legendary Memphis blues artist.  It was just past midnight at this point and the party was about to get started.  The soulful serenading of the piano suited the shabby, dimly-lit dive.  Shortly, a stately gentleman came in carrying a pair of shoes.  It wasn’t the strangest thing I’ve seen in downtown Memphis, but my curiosity was piqued.

A few minutes later, Sam sat down to play with Evan and the music drew a crowd of ghost hunters to the end of the hallway.  Once the crowd got going the man with spare shoes decided to share his talent with us.  Dancing George unleashed a tap spectacle unlike anything I’ve seen this century.  It was a vibrant display that got everyone in the room smiling and clapping.  My only regret is that the light was too low to capture his happy feet.  I learned that he used to dance on Beale Street back in the day and then left town for a little while.  Coming back to take part in the recent arts revival, George is arranging to offer tap lessons to young and old so the art can live on in the Bluff City.  He also let me know that he shows up at the Ernestine & Hazel’s jazz night on Sundays, so you can catch him there if you’re lucky.

From there, I didn’t expect to find anything to top the evening’s events.  While I missed some things I wanted to see, I’m completely satisfied with the way my time was spent.  I like to gamble with my time on the weekends.  It’s too easy to go somewhere I’ve been before and enjoy comfortable fun.  I could just sense that this past weekend was time for new things.  I think the summer heat had something to do with it.  I might have to stop making plans altogether, but there’s no fun in that either.  So far, going with the flow seems to be the happy medium.  What did you do last weekend?