Hooray. It’s a holiday week! That means everyone’s got all kinds of time off work and special plans for the week. How fun. For those of us not in that category, here’s a quick glance at some things to do while the masses sleep off turkey dinner. Continue reading The Running of the Birds
In case you haven’t heard, Marcella & Her Lovers are in the midst of an IndieGoGo campaign. Thanks to overwhelming support from fans in the Memphis community they have raised 75% of the $5000 needed to release their debut EP The Bronze Age. Response from fans has been overwhelming and with 15 days left in the crowd-funding push I feel confident they will reach the goal. Marcella emailed me a sneak peek of the music last week and I can assure you this release is well worth your support. Continue reading The Bronze Age Is Upon Us
They say laughter is good medicine. After a heavy September, I decided to test the theory. Luckily, it wasn’t hard to find a hook up for the funny. Once a month there’s a showcase at the Hi Tone called Don’t Be Afraid of The Comedy. The event was on my radar after some ostentatious advertising at the P&H open mic night. Josh McLane and Benny Elbows sparked a seemingly unprovoked feud that escalated to physical violence at an alarming rate. Despite a somewhat affected delivery, the resolution to the local feud between Josh McLane and Benny Elbows promised an entertaining climax. As I guessed in my earlier post, I paid $3 to get a healthy dose of laughter therapy. Continue reading Don’t Be Afraid Memphis
I think I’m a groupie. I went to see Marcella Simien perform three times in a row and I was fully entertained the entire time. Generally, my attention span for any type of show is limited to once a week at best. Rarely do I want to follow any particular group or artist from one venue to another, let alone record the experience each time. The last time I did that was the Yojimbo double feature earlier this summer. That pair of shows was entertaining not only because Yojimbo has amazing stage presence, but also because of the contrast in the venues. From a Midtown Memphis pirate bar to a Tupelo highway honky-tonk shack. Yojimbo performed with gusto each time and it’s encouraging to see people from all walks of life enjoy the same music, even if they don’t all do it in the same place. The places where Marcella performs aren’t quite so disparate, but it wouldn’t matter because her stage presence could make a TJ Mulligan’s swanky. Continue reading Best 3-way Ever.
Wow. Memphis was rocking and everyone came knocking this weekend. Saturday, I hit five parties and only 3 of them were intentional. You couldn’t swing a black cat without hitting a good time last night. The effects were felt as far away as Spain. Unfortunately, I left my camera at home. It wasn’t entirely intentional but I’ll admit I took it as an omen to go off script. Continue reading Le Fil (The Thread) ~ Camille
After a long week of chaotic events and whiskey, I decided to go for a low-key option last night. At least that’s what I thought I was doing. One of the things that comes along with relaxing is the potential to end up somewhere unexpected. It’s where the whole “go with the flow” concept comes from I think. Anyway, there were definitely some currents flowing last night and I got ride along in the slipstream. Continue reading Pirate Bar Hustle
This is a great place to live because Memphis almost always has something going on during the weekends. But sometimes it’s a regular weeknight and you don’t feel like dealing with the bells and whistles, right? I’ve compiled a list of the things I like to do (or want to do) on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. This list is far from complete. I have many more corners of the city to explore in the coming months. These are just some the pit stops I find most interesting.
After Blues on the Bluff last weekend I walked away more “Memphis” than ever before. The love I’ve developed for this city has surprised me more than anyone. However, I was still carrying my own musical badge of shame – I’d never been to a Dead Soldiers show. Honestly, their brand of Rockabilly (emphasis on the Rock) is not something I ever thought would appeal to me. I’m the first to admit I was close-minded to the potential. So when they scheduled a Monday night show, I was out of excuses. Fate is great like that sometimes.
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*ahem*
Picture this.
Empty stage.
Matte black floor dotted with the remains of old tape.
A single light bulb dangles from an unseen chain above the stage.
Dusty curtains hang limply, neither open nor shut, simply there.
A woman emerges into the unflattering light carrying a wooden box.
She places the box on the black floor with a thump.
Reaching in her back pocket, she pulls out a container of hand soap.
Using a small caddy, she hooks it over the edge of the box.
Stepping up to stand on top of the box, spreading her arms for balance, the woman turns toward you and folds her hands demurely.
Holding a steady gaze, she smiles and begins to speak…