Last night, there was magic in the air. Everywhere I went, people were in good spirits and having a great time. Of course, this means there was so much happening that I couldn’t get to everything I wanted to do. So I’ll just focus on the important part – Memphis creative expression at its best!

I started the evening over at the Rozelle Warehouse for the opening of Unchained II – a DIY art exhibit spearheaded by Mary Jo Karimnia. This exhibit features an eclectic mix of artists working in a broad range of media. That means there is a little something for everyone. The feature photo is an impressive fabric piece by Meghan Vaziri, complete with a custom light box. Other pieces of note are the impressive beadwork art of “Catrina” by Mary Jo – the woman in the black dress will surely catch your eye – and the abstract acrylic work of Chandler Pritchett.

I also gravitated toward the inventive mixed media work of Kerri Dugan, particularly “Allegra”, and the bold colors of “Remember three months from this date. Good things are in store for you.” by Meredith Wilson. This exhibit will be open on Mondays and Wednesdays from 1-3pm for two weeks. The closing night on June 25th will feature an encouraging lesson on how to start your own DIY exhibit. If you are an aspiring artist, don’t miss this!

Also, the Warehouse rents studio space to local artists that want a kooky corner to create in. So as a special bonus to last night’s show, local celebrity Marcella Rene Simien left her studio open to visitors. Displaying her current collection as well as works-in-progress, this was a great chance to see another side of a multi-talented local artist. She even has a basket out that invites you to leave a note, which I took advantage of promptly. Later, I had to fish my note out to add a request – I found a piece in her student portfolio I’d like to purchase. Who knows, maybe it’ll be worth millions one day?

After the art show broke up, I cruised past Black Lodge on Cooper, but the festivities hadn’t really gotten underway yet. So I jumped out east to grab a quiet drink at Lucchesi’s Beer Garden (behind Raffe’s). A relaxing neighborhood haunt off Poplar near Holmes, the Beer Garden offers one of the widest varieties of brews in the Memphis area. I also caught a glimpse of some really “interesting” people.

Refueled and ready, I headed over to the main event for the evening, a dynamite show at the Buccaneer Lounge. Relinquishing $5 to the most adorable door girl in Memphis, I gained access to the exclusive ranks of THE music scene. In a crowd ranging from post-Greek adulthood to hardcore local music devotees, the full moon welcomed everyone out to the party. Despite the peculiar musical styling of openers, The Warble, the crowd seemed to exude a vague impatience. More yawns than smiles on the front patio, I started to wonder if I was in the right place for such an epic night.

My fears were soon allayed as the influx of people steadily increased. Before long, just getting through the building was an action-adventure game. The majority of this crowd knew what they showed up for. All became clear as I witnessed James & the Ultrasounds setting up – the no-nonsense vibe of this foursome bespoke their experience in showmanship.

My intuition was not wrong. Launching into a spirited set that drew stragglers in from their outside socializing, it was shoulder-to-shoulder around the animated performers. Again, I was unable to record a proper video, but I grabbed a slice of music that gives you a good feel for these masters of janglepop. A better sample of their sound can be found in the usual place. James Godwin (Guitars), Luke White (Guitars), John Argroves (Drums), and David Johnson (Bass Guitar) supplied all the pieces of of greatness until the audience had a full set of rock and roll to take home that night. And if the music wasn’t enough – these guys are pretty easy on the eyes to boot. 😉

Once the shirt came off, my evening starts to get a little hazy. I had full intention of staying through the end of that show but the moon, harsh mistress that she is, had other plans for me. I am not one to argue with fate, so when a chance to follow up on some business leads appeared I jumped at the chance. By then it was nearly 1AM and I probably didn’t have much more verve left in me anyway. I’m one of those crazy people that gets up in the morning. Don’t worry, I’m working on beating that bad habit.

So unfortunately, I did not get a chance to see the Sheiks perform and for that I am sad. Clearly, the solution is simply that this lineup will have to repeat itself in the near future. If that event takes place, you have no excuses – be there.

In a perfect world, the Black Lodge album release party would have been on a different night too. That’s one I didn’t want to miss. I guess I need to start working on my super-secret multiverse spacetime project again. It’s just really hard to fundamentally alter abstract concepts without having mass causality incidents to deal with. I don’t have time for both.