I attended a glorious celebration last night. It was disguised as a Halloween party, but I know in my heart it was a wake for Black Lodge Video. After the Incredible Hook party tonight, the Black Lodge that Memphis has known for over 13 years will metamorphose into something new. Development plans are finalized and Lodge co-founder Matt Martin has announced the impending release of Black Lodge 2.0. But before that can happen, we must say goodbye to an icon of Memphis past.
If you have no idea what Black Lodge is you’re in luck. Noted director and producer Craig Brewer immortalized its origins, so you can get the Cliff’s Notes version. What started as a haven for film nerds and cinema geeks is now bastion to a myriad of counter-culture misfits. Gatherings at the Lodge have a reputation for unique entertainment whether it’s movie night or a roof-raising live show. Everyone is welcome and oddities are encouraged at 831 South Cooper.
Don’t worry, the legendary cinema collection that made Black Lodge famous will remain available for rentals. The Lodge itself, however, is expanding into a full-scale party venue. Personally, I will mourn the passing of the old Lodge. The people I met there in the early 2000s are still friends that influence me daily. A sanctuary of self-expression, I’ve always known the Lodge as a place for warmth and inspiriation from a like-minded group of individuals. I believe that tradition will continue but it will never be quite the same again. I embrace the changes to come and will never forget the community that was forged in the ramshackle house of our past.
The party last night, held at Ernestine & Hazel’s, was appropriately themed Heaven and Hell. As a semi-exclusive event, costumes were mandatory at this Halloween party and you had to grab an invitation from Black Lodge to gain entrance. Live music downstairs, a photo booth by Jamie Harmon upstairs, and free soul food around every turn – E&H was transformed into a perverse funhouse of debauchery. Elaborate costumery donned by every strata of the Memphis social scene elevated the crowd to the lowest common denominator. Somewhat starstruck, I’ll admit that this Halloween Ball was the most adult party I’ve ever attended. When I left around 1am there was a line of people waiting to get in. Very bourgeois.
The party tonight promises to be full of mischief and shenanigans. Festivities of epic proportions await, sure to satisfy the curiosity of every cat in the neighborhood. Live music starts at 10pm. Once the party gets rolling, the Hookers fire it up with eerily beautiful flesh suspension by Corn Tryb Rituals. This is certainly one you don’t want to miss.
Come out and give Black Lodge Video one point oh the sendoff it deserves. New things are on the horizon, so seize the moment and regret nothing!