LUCERO: Kings of the Road
The band’s triumphant return to Mempho Fest signals their staying power.
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Lucero: Kings of the Road
e band’s triumphant return to Mempho Fest signals their staying power.
PHOTO: AUSTIN FRIEDLINE
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MICHAEL DONAHUE, JON W. SPARKS Staff Writers
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THE MEMPHIS FLYER is published weekly by Contemporary Media, Inc., P.O. Box 1738, Memphis, TN 38101 Phone: (901) 521-9000 Fax: (901) 521-0129 memphisflyer.com
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Amateur Hour Time for the gong? p9
PHOTO: HUTCHINSPHOTO | DREAMSTIME.COM Keep on Coffee Truckin’ e Dunhams of Magnolia & May open a co ee truck. p37
PHOTO: MICHAEL DONAHUE
NEWS & OPINION THE FLY-BY - 4 POLITICS - 8 AT LARGE - 9 COVER STORY
“LUCERO: KINGS OF THE ROAD” BY ALEX GREENE - 10 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
BEST OF MEMPHIS PARTY - 14 WE RECOMMEND - 22 AFTER DARK - 24
CALENDAR - 26 NY TIMES CROSSWORD - 33
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Memphis on the internet.
FREE THE 901
POSTED TO INSTAGRAM BY @FREE_THE901 Protesters under the Free the 901 banner marched against President Donald Trump’s Memphis Safe Task Force and the coming deployment of National Guard troops here. e coalition marched Downtown last Saturday, urging leaders to invest in community instead of militarization.
WHO TO FOLLOW
POSTED TO TIKTOK BY @SABARAHEARD
Hair stylist Sabara remembered Memphis clubbing in the ’90s on TikTok in a pinned post from July. In it, she tells of 616 Club, the club on Manassas with a “dungeon,” Denim and Diamonds, e Mine, Empire, (now Paula &) Raiford’s Disco, and more.
POOH FREEMAN
TO
Questions, Answers + Attitude
Edited by Toby Sells
{WEEK THAT WAS By
Flyer staff
SNAP, Guard, & Trans Passports
Cuts loom to food assistance, council rejects resolution, OUTMemphis works to get proper ID.
SNAP CUTS
Looming cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, could place Tennessee taxpayers on the hook for more than $110 million annually as the federal government shi s a portion of the nancial burden for the food assistance program to states.
e he y price tag, highlighted in a newly released report by the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth, comes a er two consecutive years of corporate tax breaks squeezing revenues — and as state leaders head into fall budget planning for the next scal year.
NEW GARDEN ENTRY
e Memphis Botanic Garden (MBG) will get a new front door with a refresh to its entry courtyard, which has remained unchanged for decades. e garden is set to break ground on the project this week, with the new entry slated for completion by late November.
SCHOOLS TO CLOSE
Memphis-Shelby County education leaders recommended closing four schools and transferring one to a neighboring suburban district by the end of the academic year.
e impacted schools are Lucy Elementary (transfer to Millington Municipal School District), Ida B. Wells Academy (closure), Frayser-Corning Elementary (closure), Chickasaw Middle (closure), and Georgian Hills Elementary (closure).
COUNCIL’S GUARD RESOLUTION FAILS
e Memphis City Council voted down a resolution to interrupt the National Guard’s deployment in Memphis. Council member and gubernatorial candidate Jerri Green was one of the move’s original backers. She said the resolution would have allowed the city to le a lawsuit against the guard if they act unconstitutionally during their presence. However, the resolution did not get enough votes to pass.
TRANS PASSPORTS
LGBTQ advocates in Tennessee are once again working to assist transgender residents in obtaining passports that
re ect their gender identity before a window for the opportunity potentially comes to a close. e American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Tennessee and OUTMemphis are holding virtual clinics intended to assist residents across the state through the passport application process, which will address the topic of applying on an expedited basis.
NEW RIVER DISASTER PROGRAM
e Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative launched a new initiative to improve immediate disaster relief, especially within the rst three days a er a disaster. It’s being done in partnership with Convoy of Hope, a Missouri-based nonpro t. e organization provided food and supplies a er the May tornado in St. Louis, and helped respond to more than 50 U.S. disasters in 2024, according to its website.
FREE THE 901
Several Memphis groups joined forces to launch the Free the 901 campaign “to prepare, protect, and upli the people of Memphis in the face of escalating authoritarian attacks — including the proposed deployment of the National Guard to patrol our neighborhoods.” e coalition hosted a news conference and march last weekend.
Tennessee Lookout and Chalkbeat TN contributed to this report.
Visit the News Blog at memphis yer.com for fuller versions of these stories and more local news.
POSTED
FACEBOOK BY MEMPHIS MEMES 901 Fox13 anchor Ernie Freeman got the rap glow-up by Memphis Memes 901 recently, calling him “Pooh Freeman.“
PHOTO: BRENAND BEALE | UNSPLASH A city council resolution to “reject” National Guard deployment failed.
PHOTO: CASSANDRA STEPHENSON | TENNESSEE LOOKOUT Mississippi River basin communities launch disaster relief e ort.
Dance in the Spotlight {
A new coalition ampli es dance in Memphis with a new group, Dance Memphis.
Anew initiative focuses on collaboration to amplify the art of dance in Memphis.
Spearheaded by ARTSmemphis, Dance Memphis joins nine of the city’s art organizations to emphasize access to dance education, performances, and other opportunities. is project includes: Germantown Performing Arts Center (GPAC), Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, Orpheum eatre Group, Collage Dance, New Ballet Ensemble & School, Ballet Memphis, Buckman Performing Arts Center at St. Mary’s Episcopal School, and the University of Memphis eatre and Dance Department.
“ rough collaboration, shared strategy, and community engagement, these organizations aim to create a uni ed platform that celebrates, supports, and expands dance in Memphis,” ARTSmemphis organizers said.
As a partner to arts organizations in Memphis, ARTSmemphis has been able to see how dance is integrated into the city’s cultural fabric. While music has been highlighted as one of Memphis’
biggest contributions, arts enthusiasts believe that dance is also a key element of Memphis’ distinctive character.
“Dance is a growing and evolving discipline in Memphis,” said Elizabeth Rouse, president and CEO of ARTSmemphis. “We’re fortunate to have a lot of di erent dance organizations and dance assets. Dance is one of several key pieces of Memphis culture.”
While some of the arts groups have o erings for all ages, many have a speci c emphasis on youth development, with a presence in Memphis-Shelby County Schools and a er-school programs. Rouse said this “youth-centered” focus is an important thread in Dance Memphis.
Tracy Lauritzen Wright, chief operating o cer for ARTSmemphis, added that while these organizations put on great performances, they are also responsible for training the next generation of performers.
“We have absolute world-class dance companies here in Memphis,” Wright said. “ at’s not an exaggeration. Anyone coming to Memphis interested in dance, you’ve come to the right place.”
Dance Memphis allows for di erent arts organizations to be elevated and to collaborate with each other. As a result, Dance Memphis features a centralized calendar for all of Memphis’ dance events.
Rouse said Dance Memphis is the outcome of data collection and conversations with the groups they nancially support. She noted that a er the pandemic, arts groups were rebuilding programs and inviting audiences back, but noticed that dance audiences were “lagging behind.”
“ at was one piece of it,” Rouse said. “Another was that there’s been a lot of growth in the eld of dance in Memphis, especially in the last 10 years or so.” e growth allowed ARTSmemphis the opportunity to bring numerous dance organizations together to promote collaboration while improving accessibility for residents in the city.
“ e Memphis nonpro t arts sec-
CITY REPORTER
By Kailynn Johnson
A countywide coalition is pushing dance in Memphis.
tor is a very supportive, collaborative, group,” Wright added. “Organizations are always helping one another, supporting one another, sometimes sharing resources, o en partnering in presenting programming.”
Yet Wright said that there was also opportunity for greater teamwork — speci cally in dance.
While the companies put on their own productions, they also bring in di erent entertainers to perform, which results in almost “weekly” opportunities for Memphians to engage in the arts from the city and around the world.
“We hope that Memphians will engage in the great dance o erings that our city has,” Wright said. “We hope they will tell their friends, and through some of our collective e orts, people outside of Memphis will be coming to Memphis to experience the great o erings we have on stage.”
PHOTO: COURTESY DANCE MEMPHIS
FRIDAY OCT 10
FedEx Event Center at Shelby Farms
Join us for a fantastic evening of great tastes and great fun, bringing together bourbon and whiskey distillers from around the region PLUS great bites from some of your favorite local restaurants! VIP Admission starts at 5pm, GA at 6pm.
TICKETS
AND MORE INFO
POLITICS By Jackson Baker
Re-Entry
Here I come again.
is is my third — and, hopefully, nal — week in a hospital or rehab facility. For those who are interested, I have shared some of the details of this unsought con nement on my Facebook page. I’ll spare readers of this column and focus here and henceforth on things of the world — the political world, in particular.
Which is what I’ve endeavored to do in this space for the last 35 years. I’m as keen as anyone to see what comes of the National Guard occupation, which is set to begin more or less in sync with my re-entering the world.
e weather has changed for the better, I know, and from my niche in a dialysis treatment room on Union Avenue last Friday, I caught a nice glimpse out the window of a lush-looking fall world — green trees, blue sky, white clouds — that made me think Edgar Degas was out there painting things up. I didn’t even know that corner of busy Union Avenue was out there.
e Germantown Democrats had their annual picnic over the weekend, and I hated not being there with them. For the record, I’ve enjoyed the social a airs of both parties over the years. A fringe bene t as well as a reminder that people are pretty much identical under the skin. Beyond MAGA and beyond Woke.
public o cial until four years later, when he won a seat on the city council.
From that point on, he was a xture, a solid rock of competence, sometimes a scold (especially to those colleagues who didn’t bother to inform themselves on the details of a council agenda) but always an authority, serving multiple terms as council chair.
In 2009, a er Mayor W.W. Herenton resigned the mayoralty, Lowery ascended from the chairmanship to became the city’s interim mayor. He instituted several measures to further transparency and accountability in city government, but lost a special election for mayor to AC Wharton, who had resigned as Shelby County mayor to seek the city position.
• Meanwhile, it was sad to learn that Memphis has lost another vintage public gure of note — Myron Lowery, whose death was announced over the weekend.
In a way, Lowery’s vision lives on — in the person of his son Mickell Lowery, a former county commission chairman and a leading candidate for the o ce of county mayor in 2026.
In the rst interview I ever had with Myron Lowery — when he was a delegate at the 1988 Democratic Convention in Atlanta — the main thing the doting father wanted to talk about was the future prospects of his son, Mickell, then just a tyke. is was years before Myron’s own political career; he wouldn’t become a
During his services as mayor, it befell Lowery’s duty to play host for a visit to the city by the Dalai Lama. He made national news when he greeted the Buddhist eminence with a st bump and the salutation “Hello Dalai.” ough Lowery would endure a certain amount of local criticism, his gesture, which had been worked out in advance with representatives of the Dalai Lama, was wholly consistent with a playful tradition at the heart of Buddhism ough his public service, which included a post-mayoral term as City Court clerk, eclipsed his earliest career somewhat, it, too, had been highly consequential. Before entering politics, Myron worked several years as a weekend anchor for WMC-TV — this at a time when African-American reporters were not as numerous nor as in uential as they are in today’s Mid-South market. Myron Lowery served as a path nder.
PHOTO: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS Myron Lowery
Amateur Hour
Time for the gong?
hat do Frank Sinatra, José Feliciano, Gladys Knight, Redd Foxx, and Pat Boone have in common? I could sit here twiddling my thumbs and give you a moment to google but nobody’s got time for that. e answer is: ey all were discovered on a radio and (later) a television show called e Original Amateur Hour
e concept for the program was created by a guy named Ted Bowes (who called himself “Major”). In 1935, Bowes inked a deal with NBC for a national radio show called Major Bowes and the Original Amateur Hour. e show opened with Bowes spinning a loudly clacking “wheel of fortune,” as he intoned, “’Round and ’round she goes, where she stops nobody knows!” Sound familiar? Bowes also came up with the concept of having a gong next to him, so he could stop the performance of any act he deemed not worthy of the show.
e Original Amateur Hour soon became the most popular program in the country, with 10,000 applications to perform coming in each week to ll the show’s 16 spots. In 1948, the show moved to television, where it was hosted by Ted Mack and ran until 1970, making it one of the longest-running shows in history.
e Original Amateur Hour spawned numerous other shows, including America’s Got Talent, e Voice, American Idol, and the second administration of Donald Trump, to name a few.
Last week, Brendan Carr, the amateur who Trump appointed to run the Federal Communications Commission, took issue with some remarks made by ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, and suggested he be removed from the air for daring to make jokes that Carr deemed not su ciently respectful of the late Charlie Kirk and Carr’s boss, Donald Trump. “We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” Carr said, using his best mobster voice, adding: “ ese companies can nd ways to change conduct and take action on Kimmel or there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”
e Walt Disney Company, which owns ABC, got the message and caved immediately, pulling Kimmel from its airwaves “inde nitely.” You might say Jimmy got the gong.
But then a funny thing happened: Several Republicans discovered a spine, including senators Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, and Lisa Murkowski, Representative Don Bacon and several other
GOP congressmen, broadcaster Tucker Carlson, and podcaster Joe Rogan, all of whom were critical of the government’s censorship. Lots of people canceled their Disney Channel subscriptions and their family trips to Disneyland. Other performers from all sides of the political spectrum spoke out on the air, online, and in print. And, perhaps most galling for Trump, Jimmy Kimmel replaced Charlie Kirk at the top of the news cycle for several days. Within a week, Kimmel was back on air, a clear victory for the First Amendment and a clear loss for Dear Leader’s hurt fee-fees.
For eight months now, Trump has been throwing the government’s weight around, using its power and in uence to extort concessions (and money) from law rms, universities, medical researchers, automakers, pharmaceutical companies (Tylenol??), tech bros, and media companies. It’s something of an irony that the president’s clumsy attempt to silence a TV comedian was what it took to get most Americans to notice — or care about — his strong-arm tactics.
Kimmel showed grace and courage in his return to the air. He conceded that his remarks could have been misconstrued. He praised Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, for her forgiving attitude. He thanked — humorously but sincerely — Ted Cruz and other conservatives who had stood up for him, but he didn’t back o from criticizing Carr and Trump: “ e president of the United States made it very clear he wants to see me and the hundreds of people who work here red from our jobs. Our leader celebrates Americans losing their livelihoods because he can’t take a joke.”
e real punch line to Kimmel’s monologue was serious and to the point: “ is show is not important. What is important is that we get to live in a country that allows us to have a show like this,” said Kimmel. And, I might add, that sentiment extends to your choice of podcasts, news sources, radio shows, and yes, the local newsweekly that you’re reading right now, which has for 36 years been the only progressive news voice in Memphis. No joke. anks for reading.
PHOTO: HUTCHINSPHOTO | DREAMSTIME.COM
Kings of the Road
It’s that time of year again, when the days shorten and music lls the limpid autumn air, presaging the holidays on the horizon. In choosing a season for their recurring music festival, the good folks at the Mempho Music Festival knocked it out of the park — or into the Memphis Botanic Garden, as the case may be, where the glory of a Blu City fall is at its best. Let the revelry begin!
And yet autumn also predisposes us to contemplation. ere’s a wistfulness in every falling leaf that leads us to glance back and take stock of how we got where we are, for better or worse. Great music can facilitate that, o ering a hand to carry us into the realm of soul, spirit, and song, where our lives oat in suspension.
Somehow, Mempho consistently curates bands that o er both good times and philosophical reveries. Take festival favorites Widespread Panic, o en dubbed a “jam band” but also pro ering songs that feed our heads with a kind of poetry. How can one not take a moment to re ect when hearing their song “Climb to Safety”?
LUCERO:
“You can hear, hear it comin’/Like a train out of control/Surely leaves you wonderin’/Exactly where your ticket goes.”
Fellow Mempho headliner Tyler Childers is also prone to take a backward glance now and then, re ecting on life’s lessons, as in his ode to that common quest for a critter conjured by folks who would lead the naive down roads to nowhere, “Snipe Hunt,” in which he sings from the perspective of one such naïf, “I sat on the hill like a Jeremiah Johnson/And I froze my dumb ass o all night/And that’s the way that I feel when I look at our past/ And the handshakes you gave me, if
The band’s triumphant return to Mempho Fest signals their staying power.
you’re callin’ them that/And the snickers you tried to pass o as laughs/And the way your eyes never met mine.”
A campground prank, the snipe hunt, evokes a dead-end friendship from the past. Such are the painful truths that masters of song cra dare us to consider, not to induce some remorse-riddled paralysis, but to carry on with clarity, or at least make calamity rhyme. irty years ago, the brilliant Pharcyde, also on the Mempho bill this year, spat these words of determination: “Now that I’m older, stress weighs on my shoulders/Heavy as boulders, but I told y’all/Until the day that I die,
I still/Will be a soldier, and that’s all I told ya.” Indeed, a common determination to keep hustling forward through adversity lives in all these bands, none more so than the reigning queen of the proceedings, Mavis Staples, who once sang, “Its a long walk to D.C. but I got my walking shoes on.”
Road Dog Poets Ro� Home
Which brings us to Lucero, who have persisted in their superhighway sojourns to the point of becoming a quarter century-old Memphis tradition. e coast-to-coast fans they’ve won over during that time tend to hold the band dear to their hearts, but none so much as in Memphis, where the group’s distinct, solid-rocking chemistry and Ben Nichols’ hard-truth lyrics touched a nerve in this city’s zeitgeist right out of the gate.
Tapping into the zeitgeist is something songwriters tend to do e ortlessly, if not always consciously. And it’s what many acts on the Mempho rolls this year do best. Nichols, for his part,
COVER STORY By Alex Greene
PHOTO: COURTESY MEMPHO PRESENTS Tyler Childers
PHOTO: AUSTIN FRIEDLINE
Lucero’s Ben Nichols onstage at the 2018 Mempho Fest
considers it a dream booking. “I was very excited when I saw the lineup, and I was very appreciative that they included us in the festival, and especially on that particular day with Tyler Childers headlining, and Charley Crockett playing, and Sierra Ferrell and John R. Miller. If I would have seen that lineup, I would have wanted to play that show. If we weren’t on the show, I would have been like, ‘Why the hell aren’t we included?’ But they got it right, and they were nice enough to invite us, and I’m really glad we’re a part of it.”
Mempho, it turns out, taps into a tight-knit community of songwriters, some solo, some with bands, who are used to seeing each other and even touring together out on the nation’s interstates. As Nichols notes, “We’ve known Tyler Childers for a long time. He played shows with Lucero in the old days, before blowing up and becoming so massively successful. en I got to play a few shows with him, when Tyler invited Cory Branan out to play
some of these stadiums, like the Target Center in Minneapolis, and in Oklahoma City, and in Little Rock. Cory put together a full band for those shows, since they were such big venues, and I got to play bass for him and play these gigantic venues with Tyler. And it was super fun! I hadn’t talked to Tyler in quite a while. It was nice to touch base with him again, and then knowing that this Mempho Fest was coming up, it’s cool to kind of come full circle.”
It’s a full-circle moment in a few ways. Lucero rst played Mempho in 2018, the group’s 20th anniversary. In April of that year, they threw their annual Lucero Family Block Party, by then an institution in their hometown. Pursuing a relentless touring schedule, with already a dozen albums under their belt at the time, they’d built a devoted national following and had become de facto ambassadors of Memphis. So it was only natural that then-Mayor Jim Strickland declared April 14th, 2018, to be Lucero Day, citing them as “a source
of inspiration, encouragement, and strength for listeners all over the world.” Later that year, their hometown would cheer them on again at what was only the second Mempho to be staged.
When I spoke with guitarist Brian Venable on Lucero Day in 2018, he mused about their 20th birthday, and the memorabilia the band were displaying for the occasion. “I’ve been, I guess you would call it hoarding. I have 20 years of notes and papers and art and snapshots and old yers. … We’ll have some old guitars, Roy’s old drums, John’s upright [bass], and two display tables that’ll have things like the notebook where I wrote ‘Lucero’ for the rst time, lyrics, and other memorabilia. ere will be old Memphis Flyer covers, calendars from the ’90s; we did skateboards and I have the original art. Just neat stu . Not very many bands make it 20 years without breaking up, so it’s kind of a milestone for us as individuals and as a band in Memphis.”
An EverMorphing Sound
Now, seven years later, they’re still carrying on, but they haven’t done it the way some imagine it, by pursuing a sure re sonic formula over and over. Rather, they’ve very intentionally morphed their sound from one album to the next, adopting a soul horn section for a time, incorporating ’80s power rock synth textures into one album, then stripping it back down, as with this year’s powerfully intimate release, Lucero Unplugged, featuring Nichols and pianist Rick Ste reinterpreting the band’s catalog as a duet. “You get to really appreciate Rick’s playing, and hopefully a little bit of the songwriting kind of shines through,” says Nichols of the album.
Nichols nds all the stylistic shi s a bit perplexing himself, looking back
continued on page 12
PHOTO: JAMIE HARMON Lucero
on Lucero’s 20-odd albums as a body of work. “I’m always kind of at the mercy of my own whims and whatever has come into my world at the time, like, ‘Ooh, I want to do that!’ For better or for worse. And so with Lucero, I can err sometimes too much in this direction, trying to infuse other genres into what Lucero does, whether it would be synthesizers and kind of ’80s production, or maybe other times a little too raw and not enough production. I kind of go back and forth depending on whatever mood I’m in or whatever has caught my fancy in the moment. I’m trying to get better at that, although I’ve been doing this for 30 years, so I don’t know if I’ll ever actually do Lucero exactly the right way, but each time I’m trying to, and it’s funny how I think I’m in control of what I’m doing.”
Roy Berry, and bassist John C. Stubblefield. As Nichols sees it, it’s “what I think our strengths actually are. Which would be a Southern indie rock band or an indie Southern rock band, one of the two, and just kind of keep it simple, stupid.”
Any of the characters populating their songs, facing rage, love, grief, or indecision, could be us.
At the same time, there has remained a core Lucero sound, built on the instinctive rock that’s hard-wired into the personalities of Nichols, Venable, Steff, drummer
“Keep It Simple, Stupid,” of course, has been a maxim adopted by many great players, including the Stax house band, according to Steve Cropper. In Lucero’s case, they then add doses of cowpunk, country, power ballads, soul, and other flavors to taste. And building their boundarypushing tendencies on a reliably rocking foundation has made them perfect for festivals like Mempho, or Red Rocks Amphitheatre, for that matter (as heard on their 2021 live album recorded there). Yet through the bombast that they’re quite capable of, Lucero delivers some very nuanced storytelling. And that’s what makes the music ring true to so many: Any of the characters populating their songs, facing rage, love, grief, or indecision, could be us. For those of us lucky enough to face the challenges of adulting or parenthood,
Lucero has been right there beside us, also accumulating gray hairs.
In a way, their embrace of the grit and grind of touring parallels the tour of duty we’re all doing, and the ways we’re thrown together and torn apart. “The first word she said to me was goodbye,” Nichols sings on “Among the Ghosts.” “In the west the sky grows darker/Back east the sun will rise/Back home my wife and daughter/Don’t know where I am tonight/But soon I will find a road that leads home.”
“In the old days, we had no reason to necessarily be at home,” Nichols muses today. “Going out on the road constantly seemed like our natural environment. Now we’ve cut back [on touring] a little bit just for personal reasons, but it’s also tricky. With Covid, business took a hit. We had a whole year of shows booked, and those went away, and then the shows the following year went away, and we’re still recovering from that. We’re not back to the ticket sales that we were able to do in 2018 or 2019 yet. And part of it is just, we’re getting older and our crowds are getting older.”
Getting older is a topic Nichols doesn’t mince words about, either in conversation or in his songs. “There’s no avoiding it. I’ve always written very matter-of-factly about whatever is going on in my life at the time, for better or for worse. And over the years, I’ve also tried to step outside of that and write from other people’s
perspectives and other stories. I’m not the best at it. It doesn’t come naturally to me, but I’m working on it and trying to think more about the craft of songwriting. But yeah, just growing older and changing perspectives, changing times, having a wife and a daughter now, all of that — I can’t help but to put into the songs. I tell people that I still write plenty of heartbreak songs, but now it’s usually about being away from my daughter, missing time with her.”
And whether or not the first word she said to him was really “goodbye” doesn’t matter as much as the tragedy it conveys, and the longing. When Lucero takes to the Mempho stage this coming Sunday, they’ll put over a quarter century of that longing, not to mention struggle, growth, hard knocks, and exultation, into every note, and they’ll do it in their own eclectic way.
“I do like that we can open up for Jawbreaker one day and then the next week open up for Steve Earle, and we can get away with both,” says Nichols. “I like this weird Frankenstein genre that Lucero has built for itself. It does keep me on my toes, and it keeps me interested, and it still makes it really fun recording and writing the music.”
Lucero performs on the Bud Light Stage on Sunday, October 5th, at 4:45 p.m. For more information on all of Mempho’s featured artists, visit memphofest.com.
THE PARTY
The public was invited to buy a ticket to this year’s Best of Memphis party, which was held September 24th at Lo in Yard. at meant they got to rub shoulders with this year’s winners. Amy LaVere and Will Sexton and Walrus performed while guests ate and mingled at the party. ank you to our sponsors Orion Financial; Southland Casino Hotel; South Junction Apartments; 1776 Men’s Grooming Parlor; Memphis Light, Gas & Water; Choate’s; e Well by Pavo; Downtown Memphis Commission; and Huey’s.
BACKGROUND PHOTO: TASHECHKA | ABOBE STOCK
PHOTOS BY MICHAEL DONAHUE
steppin’ out
We Recommend: Culture, News + Reviews
Mid-Autumn Festival
By Abigail Morici
Vietnam’s Mid-Autumn Festival, or Tết Trung u, brings together families to celebrate the harvest. Children eat sweet mooncakes and light lanterns as beacons for prosperity and good fortune. “Vietnam being a lot more rural with a lot of agriculture, it’s like, ‘All right, the parents have done their bountiful harvest; now we can kind of give the kids a little bit of time back,’” says Diana Pham-Crain, co-owner of Bao Toan Kitchen & Bar with her mother and sisters.
Pham-Crain speaks of fond memories of celebrating the festival as a child with her family at the Buddhist temple, Chùa Chánh Tâm, which her grandparents founded in Memphis, one of the rst in the city. Now, thanks to Pham-Crain’s mother Karina Pham’s e orts, the festival is much bigger, hosting an annual Mid-Autumn Festival at Crosstown Concourse since 2017. is year’s honors 50 years of the Vietnamese community in the Crosstown neighborhood. “It was really her goal to be able to provide a little bit of insight into the Vietnamese culture [for the Memphis community],” Pham-Crain says. “[ e Mid-Autumn Festival] is particularly special; of all the Vietnamese holidays, it’s most about celebrating family and your kids.”
And for Pham and her daughters, these Mid-Autumn Festivals at Crosstown have also been in homage to Pham’s parents, whose rst date was on Mid-Autumn Festival. “It’s why this festival particularly is special and important to us,” Pham-Crain says. is upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival, a partnership between Crosstown Concourse, Crosstown Arts, and Pham, will extend beyond the typical one-day event — that’ll take place on Saturday, October 4th, with lion dances, folk dances face paintings, a community fashion show, and complimentary mooncakes. is year has a full lineup of events this month, showing o various aspects of Vietnamese culture, from religion to cuisine to lm.
One such event will take Memphians on a tour of Chùa Chánh Tâm, before continuing on to Viet Hoa Market, where guests will learn of the market’s history and ingredients essential to Vietnamese cuisine. e tour concludes with a cooking demonstration and a shared meal in the Church Health Teaching Kitchen at Crosstown Concourse.
Later in the month, the festival closes with a Dharma Talk with ích Pháp Hòa, a world-renowned Buddhist monk and abbot, joined by Reverend Jason Turner, senior pastor of Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church, and Tom Shadyac, lmmaker and Memphis Rox founder. Find a full schedule of events and purchase tickets at crosstownconcourse.com/mid-autumn-at-crosstown.
CROSSTOWN ARTS FILM SERIES PRESENTS INK & LINDA, CROSSTOWN ARTS THEATER, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2, 7-9 P.M., $5.
MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL, CENTRAL ATRIUM, CROSSTOWN CONCOURSE, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4, 6-9 P.M., FREE.
FRIGHTOBER FILM SERIES: THE ANCESTRAL, CROSSTOWN ARTS THEATER, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 7-9 P.M., $5. AN AFTERNOON OF MEDITATION AND VIETNAMESE CULINARY CULTURE, CHÙA CHÁNH TÂM, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18, 3-7 P.M., $60. DHARMA TALK WITH THÍCH PHÁP HÒA, CROSSTOWN ARTS THEATER, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23, 6 P.M., FREE.
VARIOUS DAYS & TIMES October 2nd - 8th
Walk a Mile in Her Shoes
Handy Park, ursday, October 2, 5:30-7 p.m., $10/student, $20/general
Walk together to end domestic violence, sexual assault, harassment, stalking, and all other violence aimed at women and girls.
Men and boys are encouraged to walk in women’s shoes, either bringing their own or borrowing from the walk’s selection.
Grind City’s Oktoberfest & FiveYear Anniversary
Grind City Brewing Company, 76 Waterworks Avenue, Saturday, October 4, 11 a.m.
Celebrate ve years in the making with live music, food trucks, games and festivities, special anniversary beer releases, and stein drops.
Wiseacre Octoberfest
Wiseacre Brewery, 2783 Broad Avenue, Saturday, October 4, noon
Dust o your steins and lederhosen because Oktoberfest is back at Wiseacre Brewery, and this year the brewery celebrates an Oktoberfestwinning bronze at the largest and most prestigious beer competition in the world, World Beer Cup! BYO stein (max 1L) or buy one on site. Expect live music from Mighty Souls Brass Band 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Wine on the River
Tom Lee Park, Saturday, October 4, 5-9 p.m., $70.56-$100.66, 21+
Sample wine and spirits from national and international wineries while local bands play in the background to bene t Door of Hope. For more information visit wineontherivermemphis.com.
Spooky Season Book Fair for Grownups
Novel, 387 Perkins Extended, Sunday, October 5, 9 a.m., 10 a.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m., $15
Novel’s second annual Spooky Season Book Fair for Grownups will have special displays for you to browse, expert booksellers on hand to make individualized recommendations for your fall reading list, and a pop-up from a local bakery. is year’s event will feature special guest Cody Wayne Morris, author of e Ghost Writers Club
Tickets come with a custom tote and 10 percent everything you purchase that day. For 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. tickets, guests will get a cup of co ee and a scone from Honeysuckle Sweets, and 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. tickets come with a cocktail or mocktail by Donelson Bartending.
Purchase tickets at bit.ly/464rETH.
PHOTO: COURTESY CROSSTOWN CONCOURSE
ích Pháp Hòa, monk and abbot
Compassion starts with us! Together, we can make a difference.
Giving is part of our souls. Plus1 rose from that core over 40 years ago, providing assistance for those facing financial hardship like an unexpected death in the family or job loss ever since. Today, with federal funding for utility assistance being threatened, we need your help more than ever. Find it within your soul to donate to Plus1.
Scan the QR code and help those who need it.
AFTER DARK: Live Music Schedule
October 2 - 8
Richard Wilson Smooth, soulful, and original jazz and blues. ursday, Oct. 2, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
BUTTERIFIC BAKERY & CAFE
Steve Lockwood & Old Dogs
Free. Saturday, Oct. 4, noon2 p.m.
SOUTH POINT GROCERY
Elmo & the Shades Wednesday, Oct. 8, 7 p.m.
NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM
John Williams & the A440 Band ursday, Oct. 2, 8 p.m.
NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM
Memphis Symphony Orchestra: Go For Baroque
Under the baton of conductor Anne Harrigan, with pianist Samuel Xu, the program features Respighi’s Ancient Airs and Dances, Suite 1; Bach’s Piano Concerto No. 1; and Stravinsky’s Pulcinella Suite Sunday, Oct. 5, 2:30 p.m.
SCHEIDT FAMILY PERFORMING
ARTS CENTER
Mempho Music Festival e eclectic fest is back! Visit memphofest.com for details. Friday, Oct. 3-Oct. 5.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
Noah Thompson With Rowdy Franks. ursday, Oct. 2, 8 p.m.
ROOSTER’S BLUES HOUSE
The Deb Jam Band Tuesday, Oct. 7, 6 p.m.
NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM
Van Duren
e singer-songwriter performs solo. ursday, Oct. 2, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
MORTIMER’S
Zazerak Soul Jazz Trio Saturday, Oct. 4, 8:30 p.m.
BOG & BARLEY
Memphis Symphony Orchestra: Go For Baroque
e program features Respighi’s Ancient Airs and Dances, Suite 1; Bach’s Piano Concerto No. 1; and Stravinsky’s Pulcinella Suite. Friday, Oct. 3, 6 p.m.
CROSSTOWN THEATER
Deborah Swiney Duo ursday, Oct. 2, 6-9 p.m.
THE COVE
Devil Train
Bluegrass, roots, country, Delta, and ski e. ursday, Oct. 2, 9 p.m.
B-SIDE
Everything Yes
An American jazz fusion band spearheaded by the drummer Zack Graybeal. Sunday, Oct. 5, 6:30 p.m.
THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS
Fox Lake With Kaonashi, Teeth, Surfaced, Amphora. Tuesday, Oct. 7, 6 p.m.
GROWLERS
Jazz Jam with the Cove Quartet
Jazz musicians are welcome to sit in. Sunday, Oct. 5, 6-9 p.m.
THE COVE
Joe Restivo 4 Sunday, Oct. 5, noon.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
John Cleary & the Absolute Monster Gentlemen
Free. Saturday, Oct. 4, 7 p.m.
OVERTON PARK SHELL
Level Three
Wednesday, Oct. 8, 10 p.m.
LOUIS CONNELLY’S BAR
Mark Allen
An accomplished amenco player. Tuesday, Oct. 7, 4 p.m.
CROSSTOWN BREWING CO.
Memphist Fest Tons of hard-hitting bands. Visit hitonecafe.com for details. Friday, Oct. 3-Oct. 4.
HI TONE
Nick Zoulek: “Enter Branch” Zoulek builds worlds out of brass, breath, and reeds. Saturday, Oct. 4, 7:30 p.m.
THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS
One With the Riverbed With Sibyl, Sub-Stance. Monday, Oct. 6, 8 p.m. HI TONE
Rachel is Kozi With Shorty & the Grooves, Wagoneer. ursday, Oct. 2, 8 p.m.
LAMPLIGHTER LOUNGE
Richard Wilson Smooth and relaxing jazz and bossa nova. Tuesday, Oct. 7, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
JUST LOVE COFFEE CAFEMEMPHIS
The Captain Midnight Band
Purveyors of “waterbed rock-and-roll,” with crunchy guitar ri s, R&B grooves, and soaring vocal harmonies. Saturday, Oct. 4, 11 p.m. MINGLEWOOD HALL
The New Respect Free. Friday, Oct. 3, 7 p.m. OVERTON PARK SHELL
Thoughts on Bowling With Dear Cincinatti, Adjust the Sails, Massey Lane. ursday, Oct. 2, 8 p.m. GROWLERS
Volcandra
With Epoch of Unlight, Ruined God. Sunday, Oct. 5, 8 p.m. HI TONE
Your Friend Tyler With Parlor Talk, the Stupid Reasons. Saturday, Oct. 4, 8 p.m.
LAMPLIGHTER LOUNGE
Mark Edgar Stuart & Friends
A mix of old-school charm and modern Memphis mojo. Kids under 8 are free. $9/ general admission. ursday, Oct. 2, 6:30-8 p.m.
THE GROVE AT GERMANTOWN
PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
PHOTO: COURTESY GPAC
Mark Edgar Stuart
Must be 21+. Play responsibly; for help quitting call 800-522-4950. *Regular price $59.99. Swipe your Lucky North® Rewards card at any promotion kiosk to print your buffet voucher. Present voucher and ID to redeem. Must purchase with cash, credit/debit, or points. Cannot be combined with comps, tier discount, or other food coupons or promotions. Tax and gratuity not included. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11 | 11AM – 10PM SUNDAY, OCTOBER 12 | 11AM – 8PM MONDAY, OCTOBER 13 | 11AM – 8PM $29.99* With a Lucky North ® Rewards card. Swipe at any promotion kiosk to print your buffet voucher.
CALENDAR of EVENTS: October 2 - 8
ART AND SPECIAL EXHIBITS
“2024 Accessions to the Permanent Collection” is series honors the new additions to the museum’s permanent collection each calendar year. rough Nov. 2.
ARTober ’25
Members of Artists’ Link are exhibiting over 40 original works in a vast variety of media. Free. Friday, Oct. 3-Oct. 29.
WKNO
“B.B. King in Memphis” Exhibit
Alan Copeland documented King’s 1982 show in these stunning black and white photographs. rough Oct. 19.
Beth Edwards: “Quietude”
Detailed images that convey a sense of silence and calm, in vibrant colors. rough Oct. 11.
DAVID LUSK GALLERY
“Danse Macabre”
A haunting group exhibition, written and curated by Crystal
Ferrari. Explore the visceral beauty of decay, the terror of transformation, and the intimacy of death. ursday, Oct. 2, 11 a.m. | Friday, Oct. 3, 11 a.m. | Saturday, Oct. 4, 11 a.m. | Sunday, Oct. 5, noon | Wednesday, Oct. 8, 11 a.m.
THE UGLY ART COMPANY
David Onri Anderson: “Altar of Earth”
Paintings rooted in an intuitive and deeply personal practice of communing with angels, spirits and the environment. Saturday, Oct. 4-Nov. 8.
SHEET CAKE
Dezmond Gipson: “Generally Digital”
Gipson explores multiple modes of expression through digital media. rough Oct. 10.
BEVERLY + SAM ROSS GALLERY
Ernest Withers: “I AM A MAN”
Withers’ famous photographs of the 1968 Memphis Sanitation Workers Strike illustrate the dignity of workers’ activism. rough Oct. 12.
PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION
Jana Jones Exhibition is self-taught artist works mostly in watercolors, with
PHOTO: COURTESY DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Mary K. VanGieson’s e Fleeting Series-Moments is part of her “Chasing the Ephemeral” exhibition.
some work in other media as well. Free. rough Oct. 31.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
“Landshaping: The Origins of the Black Belt Prairie” Learn about the geologic event known as the Mississippi Em-
bayment. With photographs by Houston Co eld. rough Oct. 12
PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION
“Last Whistle: Steamboat Stories of Memphis” With model boats and original
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.
steamboat artifacts, this exhibit rekindles the steamboat era. rough June 26.
PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION
Mary K. VanGieson: “Chasing the Ephemeral”
VanGieson creates prints, sculptures, and installations using alternative materials such as co ee lters and foraged plants as ways to investigate themes including loss, erosion, and the transitory.
ursday, Oct. 2-Dec. 31.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Memphis Germantown Art League Art Show
A remarkable group exhibition. Free. rough Oct. 31.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
“Navigating Knowledge” is exhibition explores vessels and navigation as metaphors for the containment and transmission of knowledge. rough Oct. 31.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
“Overcoming Hateful Things”
Subtitled “Stories from the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Imagery,” the exhibition contains over 150 items from the late 19th century to the present.
rough Oct. 19.
PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION
“Redemption of a Delta Bluesman: Robert Johnson”
A series of 29 paintings reimagining the mythical crossroads where the bluesman was supposed to have made a deal. rough June 30.
GALLERY ALBERTINE
Sarah Elizabeth Cornejo: “The Scarcity of Sand” ese works explore the living grief of contending with our own mortality. rough Nov. 1.
CLOUGH-HANSON GALLERY
“Speaking Truth to Power: The Life of Bayard Rustin” Exhibition
Focused on Rustin’s use of the “medium” to communicate powerful messages of non-violence, activism, and authenticity. $20/adult, $18/senior, college student, $17/children 5-17. rough Dec. 31.
NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM
continued on page 28
ANNOUNCING ACOUSTIC SUNDAY
continued from page 26
THEATRE BY THE LAKE
Summer Art Garden: “A Flash of Sun” Immerse yourself in the radiant spirit of summer with these geometric sculptures. Through Oct. 20.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
ART HAPPENINGS
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
Opening for David Onri Anderson: “Altar of Earth”
Paintings rooted in an intuitive and deeply personal practice of communing with spirits and the environment. Saturday, Oct. 4, 5-7 p.m.
SHEET CAKE
Tour: Beauty Standards and Fashion Evolution
FREE – One of Shakespeare’s best comedies! Victorious soldiers return thinking they are done with war. They come heart-to-heart with witty Beatrice & her women in the Italian countryside for a
Explore how society’s views shape artistic expression. $10/ general admission. Thursday, Oct. 2, 6:30-7:15 p.m.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
Tour: Spectacular Still Lives
Discover how artists breathe life into ordinary objects, unraveling their hidden narratives. $10. Thursday, Oct. 2, 6:30-7:15 p.m.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
BOOK EVENTS
Clint Smith: How the Word is Passed: Remembering Slavery and How it Shaped America
Charles W. McKinney Jr. will chat with the author about his journey exploring the legacy of slavery. Thursday, Oct. 2, 6 p.m.
NOVEL
Club de lectura
(Spanish Book Club)
Compartir sus experiencias de lectura en español a través del título seleccionado del mes: Mi nombre es Emilia del Valle, de Isabel Allende. Tuesday, Oct. 7, 6 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Dixon Book Club
The club will discuss The Memory Police, by Yoko Ogawa. Tuesday, Oct. 7, 6 p.m. THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Kirsten Miller: The Women of Wild Hill
Mandy Martin and the author discuss this timely tale of modern-day witches waging war on the patriarchy. Tuesday, Oct. 7, 6 p.m. NOVEL
Paul Burch Listening and Reading Event
Burch will present his debut novel, Meridian Rising, inspired by the life of music legend Jimmie Rodgers, and his new album, Cry Love, featuring his band, WPA Ballclub. Wednesday, Oct. 8, 6 p.m.
MEMPHIS LISTENING LAB
Spooky Season Book Fair for Grownups
Featuring displays, recommendations from booksellers, a book signing by Cody Wayne Morris, and a pop-up
from a local bakery. This is a ticketed event. Sunday, Oct. 5 NOVEL
CLASS
/ WORKSHOP
21st Annual College
Prep Tech Session
Have questions about college? Here’s the place to ask them. Free. Saturday, Oct. 4, 10 a.m.-noon.
GREATER FAITH TABERNACLE
Beginners Casting: Fantastic Creatures
Project-specific, affordable, and enjoyable metal casting classes designed for novicelevel students. $450. Saturday, Oct. 4, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. | Sunday, Oct. 5, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
METAL MUSEUM
Blacksmithing I: Curtain Tie-Backs
A two-day workshop on the fundamentals of blacksmithing. $450. Saturday, Oct. 4, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. | Sunday, Oct. 5, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
METAL MUSEUM
Cultivating Presence: A Mindfulness in Nature Workshop
Through guided practices and creative expression, reconnect with yourself and the natural world. 16+. Saturday, Oct. 4, 2-4:30 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Garden Workshop: Fall Floral Design
Ginny Nearn, floral designer, will give participants tips and professional techniques for designing their own fall arrangement. 16+. Saturday, Oct. 4, 10:30 a.m.-noon
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Lunchtime Meditations
Visit the Dixon for free meditation sessions every Friday. Friday, Oct. 3, noon12:30 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Mah Jongg Lessons
Learn the game of Mah Jongg. $65/general admission. Wednesday, Oct. 8, 5-7:30 p.m.
TEA & TISANES
Mah Jongg Tournament Ready
A workshop designed for competitive play. $40/general admission. Saturday, Oct. 4, 12:30-4 p.m.
LOST PIZZA CO. COLLIERVILLE
Super Saturday - Quilts
Learn about the geometry of quilt patterns and make your own paper quilt squares. Free. Saturday, Oct. 4, 10 a.m.-noon.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
Urban Forestry Advisor’s Class 2025
Learn about our urban forest. $120. Wednesday, Oct. 8, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
COMEDY
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN CALENDAR: OCTOBER 2 - 8
Open-Mic Comedy Hosted by John Miller. Free to attend and sign up. Tuesday, Oct. 7, 7 p.m. HI TONE
Rene Vaca - 2025 Tour
Rene Vaca’s ability to connect with fans both online and in person reflects his universal appeal and infectious charisma. Friday, Oct. 3, 8 p.m.
MINGLEWOOD HALL
COMMUNITY
Artist Volunteers: Fall Fun House Decorating Help decorate Aunt Lou’s outside classroom. Free. Saturday, Oct. 4, 11 a.m.
CARPENTER ART GARDEN
Trunk-or-Treat
Grab your candy bucket! Saturday, Oct. 4, 2-4 p.m.
MEMPHIS PUBLIC LIBRARIESEAST SHELBY
Happy Hour at the Brooks: Stitch and Sip Crafting paired with specialty cocktails and live music. Free. Saturday, Oct. 4, 6-8 p.m.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
Homeschool Days Fall 2025
Step outside for a homeschool adventure. $80/general admission. Monday, Oct. 6, 10 a.m.-noon.
continued on page 31
PHOTO: COURTESY MINGLEWOOD HALL Drag stars Violet Chachki and Gottmik make like boxers.
The Only Smoke Free Gentleman’s Club
Mention this ad for Free Admission!
Halloween Costume Contest
Hours of Operation: Mon-Wed 12pm-3am • Thurs 12pm-4am • Friday 12pm-5am Sat 4pm-5am • Sun 4pm-3am Happy Hour: 12pm-7pm (901) 363-3646 • 3918 Winchester Rd, Memphis, TN 38118 National Guard and Military Get in Free!
CALENDAR: OCTOBER 2 - 8
continued from page 28
Sabores de Su Casa
The “sabores” — flavors — that make up Su Casa reflect the various cultures of our community. $50/early bird, $65/GA, $80/late admission. Friday, Oct. 3, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
SU CASA FAMILY MINISTRIES
Spooky Stories
Got a spooky story you’d like to share? Wednesday, Oct. 8, 5:30-6:45 p.m.
RALEIGH LIBRARY
Tram Tours
Take a ride through the Garden! Free. Thursday, Oct. 2-Oct. 8, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
Walk A Mile In Her Shoes
The 14th annual men’s march to stop rape, sexual assault, and gender violence. $20/ general registration, $10/student registration. Thursday, Oct. 2, 5:30-7 p.m.
HANDY PARK
Weed Wrangle
Help remove invasive species in our Woodland! Free. Friday, Oct. 3, 9 a.m.-noon.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
DANCE
With Abundance We Dance: Indian Dance Workshop
Celebrate Suchitra Mattai’s “With Abundance We Meet” by learning about Indian dance and culture. $25/general admission. Sunday, Oct. 5, 1-2 p.m.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
EXPO/SALES
Memphis EuroFest Car Show 2025
European cars and motorcycles galore! Spectators welcome. Free. Saturday, Oct.
4, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.
C.O. FRANKLIN PARK, GERMANTOWN 2025 901Hacks Tech
Fair
Play games. Learn AI and web design. Compete to win $2,500 in prizes. For high school and middle school students. Free. Saturday, Oct.
4, 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. WHITE
FESTIVAL
Mid-Autumn Festival
A family-friendly evening filled with Vietnamese culture, community, traditional activities, festive treats, and the joy of gathering under the autumn moon. Free. Saturday, Oct. 4, 6-9 p.m.
CROSSTOWN CONCOURSE
Mid-South Fair
Enjoy your favorite rides, games, fair food, ground acts, live music and more. Free. Through Oct. 5. LANDERS CENTER
FILM
Frightober Film Series:
Hereditary
PHOTO: COURTESY WOLF RIVER CONSERVANCY
Paddle between Piperton and Rossville on the Wolf River.
Mistletoe Merchants
Unique items from nearly 200 merchants gathered for three days of holiday fun and shopping. Friday, Oct. 3-Oct. 5.
AGRICENTER INTERNATIONAL
FAMILY
Get Outside Fitness: KidoKinetics
Through age-appropriate games and activities, young children build confidence, coordination, and a love for active play through a variety of sports in an encouraging, noncompetitive environment. Thursday, Oct. 2, 5 p.m.
SHELBY FARMS PARK
Get Outside Fitness: Kids Yoga
Kids yoga is designed to be fun and engaging, teaching basic yoga poses with playful names that build strength, flexibility, balance, and mindfulness. Parents are welcome to join, too. Wednesday, Oct. 8, 5-6 p.m.
SHELBY FARMS PARK
National Hispanic Heritage Month at CMOM
From pinatas to castanets, delve into the culture of Mexico, El Salvador, Colombia and Puerto Rico with daily hands-on activities during National Hispanic Heritage Month. Through Oct. 31.
CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF MEMPHIS
Pre-School Story Time
Enjoy stories, songs, art activities, and creative play that connect with Collierville history. Friday, Oct. 3, 10:3011:30 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 wellloved favorites. Saturday, Oct. 4, 10:30 a.m. | Wednesday, Oct. 8, 10:30 a.m.
NOVEL
A grieving family is haunted by tragic and deeply disturbing occurrences in Ari Aster’s modern horror masterpiece. Free. Tuesday, Oct. 7, 7 p.m.
CROSSTOWN THEATER
Ink & Linda
A documentary centered on the collaboration of two creatives, street artist Inksap and modern dancer Linda, as they span disciplines and generations. $5. Thursday, Oct. 2, 7 p.m.
CROSSTOWN THEATER
Hispanic Film Festival:
Historias Lamentables
A screening of the 2020 film by Javier Fesser, an anthology of four stories about miserable people. Thursday, Oct. 2, 6 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Memphis Parks Movie Night with The Wolf River Conservancy: The Wild Robot
Part of the WRC Discover the Greenway 2025 Fall Series, with delicious treats provided by Mempops. Free. Saturday, Oct. 4, 6-9 p.m.
WOLF RIVER GREENWAY - MUD
ISLAND SECTION
Rocky Horror Picture Show 50th Anniversary
Featuring Barry Bostwick
Join the original Brad Majors for a screening of the original unedited movie with a live shadow cast. $41.20-$82.35.
Friday, Oct. 3, 7:30 p.m. THE ORPHEUM
FOOD AND DRINK
Bar Takeover with Waymar Gin House
Mixologists collaborate with seasoned bartenders to create delicious gin-forward cocktails. $60. Saturday, Oct. 4, 1-3 p.m.
MAEVE’S TAVERN
Downtown Beer Run at South Point Grocery
A free group run. Tuesday, Oct. 7, 6:30-8 p.m.
SOUTH POINT GROCERY
Food Truck Garden Party Picnic at the Garden. Free. Wednesday, Oct. 8, 5-8 p.m.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
continued on page 33
SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES
This dynamic, minimalistic, 80-minute world premiere uses contemporary dance to reveal how ambition corrupts and power isolates. Don’t miss the tension, backstabbing and spooky characters of one of the world’s greatest psychological thrillers brought to life in an intimate black box setting for the first time and set to an original score by Brandon Carson. Seating is limited. Visit balletmemphis.org/macbeth for tickets.
continued from page 31
Sip and Stroll
Specialty garden tours with cocktails. 21+. $35. Thursday, Oct. 2, 6-7:30 p.m.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
The Sow Project Fall Harvest Dinner
Six wine-paired courses by chefs Dave Krog and Brad Campbell, with students. Wine included. All proceeds support the Center of Culinary Cultivation. $175. Thursday, Oct. 2, 6:30-9 p.m.
64 SOUTH MAIN
HEALTH AND FITNESS
Get Outside Fitness - Line Dancing
Learn a variety of dance routines while enjoying the outdoors. This class is beginner-friendly, focusing on basic steps and choreography for popular songs, and can improve coordination and balance. Monday, Oct. 6, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
SHELBY FARMS PARK
Get Outside Fitness: Mat Pilates
A full-body, low-impact workout that emphasizes dynamic core work to enhance strength, balance, and flexibility. The session is designed inclusively for everybody. Friday, Oct. 3, 4:30 p.m. | Saturday, Oct. 4, 8 a.m.
SHELBY FARMS PARK
Get Outside Fitness: Mental Fitness
Learn to relax your mind and prepare it to enter a meditative state by balancing the right and left hemispheres of the brain. Please bring a yoga mat and water. Saturday, Oct. 4, 10:30 a.m.
SHELBY FARMS PARK
Taijiquan with Milan Vigil
This Chinese martial art promotes relaxation, improves balance, and provides no-impact aerobic benefits. Ages 16 and older. Free. Saturday, Oct. 4, 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. All levels welcome. Free. Thursday, Oct. 2, 6 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
LECTURE
Munch and Learn | Invisible for 150 Years: History of the Chinese in Memphis, Tennessee
Emmi Dunn, independent researcher, speaks about the history of an oft-neglected Memphis demographic. Wednesday, Oct. 8, noon-1 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Songs My Mama Sang Me: Murder Ballads and Death Songs in American Culture
Bob Barnett’s exploration of the dark and twisted music of our times, through the lens of songs his mother, grandmother, and other relatives sang to him. $15/general admission. Saturday, Oct. 4, 2-4 p.m.
ELMWOOD CEMETERY
PERFORMING ARTS
The Knockout Tour: Violet vs. Gottmik Featuring drag stars Violet Chachki and Gottmik engaging in a boxing-themed performance.
Tuesday, Oct. 7, 8 p.m.
MINGLEWOOD HALL
SPORTS Champion Paws 5K
An event supporting Team Memphis Rescue & Support, dedicated to helping abandoned and neglected pets find homes. Music by Sarah Spain. Saturday, Oct. 4, 8 a.m.
SHELBY FARMS PARK
CALENDAR: OCTOBER 2 - 8
First Saturday Paddle: Rossville to Piperton
A paddle trip down the 6.4-mile stretch between the cities of Rossville and Piperton, Tennessee. Participants will be paddling a wide, unchannelized portion of the river. Saturday, Oct. 4, 9 a.m.
WOLF RIVER CONSERVANCY
Frank Horton “Night” Classic
Taking place on a fully-illuminated course, this provides a great opportunity for athletes, coaches, and parents to experience cross country in a unique way. Elementary/middle school 2Ks. Friday, Oct. 3, 4:30-9:30 p.m. |
Saturday, Oct. 4, 4:30-9:30 p.m.
SHELBY FARMS PARK
THEATER
A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond
Musical
The untold true story of a Brooklyn kid who became a chart-busting, show-stopping, award-winning American icon. $46.70$151.60. Tuesday, Oct. 7, 7:30-9:45 p.m. | Wednesday, Oct. 8, 7:30-9:45 p.m.
ORPHEUM THEATRE
Hamlet
In Shakespeare’s masterpiece, Prince Hamlet attempts to undermine his uncle, Claudius,
who has murdered Hamlet’s father in order to seize the throne and marry Hamlet’s mother. Thursday, Oct. 2, 7:30 p.m. | Friday, Oct. 3, 7:30 p.m. | Saturday, Oct. 4, 7:30 p.m. | Sunday, Oct. 5, 2 p.m.
NEXT STAGE
Jaja’s African Hair Braiding Set in a bustling hair-braiding shop in Harlem, where a lively and eclectic group of West African immigrant hair-braiders create masterpieces on the heads of neighborhood women. During one sweltering summer day, love will blossom, dreams will flourish, and secrets will be revealed. Thursday, Oct. 2, 7:30 p.m. | Friday, Oct. 3, 7:30 p.m. | Saturday, Oct. 4, 2 p.m. | Saturday, Oct. 4, 7:30 p.m. | Sunday, Oct. 5, 2 p.m. | Sunday, Oct. 5, 7:30 p.m.
HATTILOO THEATRE
Murder on the Orient Express
In this adaptation of the fan favorite novel by Agatha Christie, Ken Ludwig showcases the suspense and quickened pace of a classic murder mystery ride. It’s the 1930s as the opulent train, the Orient Express, comes to a steaming halt due to heavy snowfall. In that instant, a murder is discovered! Will detective Hercule Poirot crack the case? Thursday, Oct. 2, 8 p.m. | Friday, Oct. 3, 8 p.m. | Saturday, Oct. 4, 8 p.m. | Sunday, Oct. 5, 2 p.m.
CIRCUIT PLAYHOUSE
Crossword
ACROSS
1 Goddess played by Rene Russo in “Thor”
7 Single-minded pursuits
15 Quit
16 Swimmer off the coast of Greenland
17 Bringing up the rear
18 Having hooves
19 E-4 or E-6, in the Army: Abbr.
20 Stayed close to
22 Kool Moe ___ (first rapper to perform at the Grammys)
23 Shrewdness
26 Brother of the Wild West
27 Laugh hysterically
28 One of the Brady kids
30 Summer broadcast for ESPN
37 What many doctors and lawyers work in
38 It’s sanctioned by a “G”
39 Skipper’s opposite
40 Risks
41 Gobs
43 Things felt at a casino?
48 Start of a cycle?
49 Nascent stage
51 Riled (up)
52 Lavatory
54 On edge
57 Daughter (and granddaughter) of Jocasta
58 Police
59 Good as new
60 Bundle
1 Brief affair
2 Mr. Microphone manufacturer
3 Cool digs?
4 Indian state on the Arabian Sea
5 The Theatre Cat in Broadway’s “Cats”
6 Bad way to be left
7 Slowly moves (along)
8 Shooting location
9 Hankering
10 Bubble and squeak ingredient, slangily
11 Communication that’s seen but not heard, for short
12 1991 Kenneth Branagh film about reincarnation
13 Diner
14 Computer mode
Pull off a spool
Didn’t pull over
Jimmy Dorsey standard with the line “You’re like the fragrance of blossoms fair”
Shout-Out Shakespeare Series: Much Ado About Nothing
Ideal for the outdoors, families, and picnics, Shakespeare’s romantic comedy about love and gossip plays gleefully in 90 minutes without intermission. Bring a chair and picnic. Free. Sunday, Oct. 5, 3-4:30 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
TOURS
Backbeat Tours: Memphis Mojo Tour
The Home of the Blues comes alive on this city tour aboard the nation’s only music bus. All of the guides on this tour are professional Beale Street musicians who play and sing selections from the city’s rich musical heritage, while entertaining you with comedy, history, and behind-the-scenes stories of your favorite Memphis personalities. $35, $33/seniors, $20/children 5-12. Thursday, June 19-Oct. 31
BACKBEAT TOURS
Scandals and Scoundrels Tour
Elmwood Cemetery is the final resting place of governors, senators, teachers, veterans, poets, holy men and women — all of whom have interesting stories. But some of the deep history found at Elmwood comes with a questionable ending. That’s where this tour begins, bringing passion, crime, and the stories of the fall-out. $20/general admission. Friday, Oct. 3, 6-7:30 p.m.
ELMWOOD CEMETERY
Common diagnostic for epileptics
Caribbean land named by Columbus
Rattle off
Efficiency stat
Word whose first letter
PUZZLE BY ADAM FROMM
We Saw You.
with MICHAEL DONAHUE
Rain didn’t stop the annual meatball eating contest at the 17th Bardog Alley Party, which was held September 21st Downtown at Bardog Tavern. e contest kicked o at 6 p.m. and the rain hit at 6:05, says Eric Bourgeois, Packed House hospitality group marketing and events director. ere was “a poor kid eating meatballs in the rain, but he just would not give up,” Bourgeois says. e party, which began at 9 a.m., o cially ended a er the contest, but that was “just the end of the outside space. It moved inside and just kept going through the night.” Rowdy and the Strays, Andy Jones & Austin Varner, and DJ Michael “BLKMR” Blackmer provided the entertainment.
PHOTOS: MICHAEL DONAHUE
above: (le to right) Steve Pannell; Rowdy Franks below: (le to right) Heather Denise Felder, Andrew Felder, and Alex Abdo; John Haley with Spyjoe; Nicholas DuBoise, Kaitlin Caldwell, and Elizabeth Shearon bottom row: (le to right) Eric Bourgeois, Hannah Herring, and Aldo Dean; Avneet Cheema and Laura Pate; Darrell “Night Hawk” Bratcher
CELEBRATE THE CITY ALL YEAR LONG WITH THE GIFT OF MEMPHIS MAGAZINE ! Give a year (12 issues) of Memphis Magazine for just $18, and each of your recipients will receive the special 2026 VANCE LAUDERDALE CALENDAR along with a personalized gift card .
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FOOD By Michael Donahue
Keep on Coffee Truckin’
e Dunhams of Magnolia & May open a co ee truck.
Like the tree in its name, Magnolia & May is branching out.
e restaurant at 718
Mt. Moriah Road now has a food truck on the road. Or, to be more accurate, a co ee truck that serves food items.
“We opened it in August,” says Chip Dunham, who, along with his wife, Amanda, owns the restaurant and coffee truck.
Monkeygrass Mayhem is the co ee truck’s name. “Our son, before he was born, we called him Monkeygrass,” Chip explains.
ey’re doing specialty co ees, Amanda says. “We’ve got mocha on the truck,” she says. “We’ve also got chai tea, house-made lemonade, and stu like that.”
As for the food, she says, “We’re also making bagels and mu ns for the trailer. So, right now, we’ve got a banana bagel and an ‘everything’ bagel.”
e everything bagel includes garlic, dried onion, and a little bit of salt.
She and Chip always wanted to own a co ee shop, Amanda says. “Chip and I wanted to make co ee and bagels.”
“Amanda and I both really enjoy coffee,” Chip adds. “When we were living in New York, we’d always get bagels and bagel sandwiches and enjoy them together. It’s like a comfort food thing for us.”
Chip’s dad, Je rey Dunham, who owned e Grove Grill restaurant, already had the Airstream trailer, but he wasn’t using it, Amanda says. She and Chip thought it would be perfect instead of opening a brick-and-mortar co ee shop.
ey’re using J. Brooks Premium Co ee Roasters and Lavazza Co ee. “J. Brooks is a local roaster,” Amanda says. “We like working with them. We use them at the restaurant as well.”
Lavazza, an Italian brand of co ee, is nostalgic, she says. “My family is Italian. I was always more geared for Italian espresso at home.”
ey originally parked the co ee truck in front of the restaurant. “To kind of get our feet wet and work out the kinks.”
Fall co ees included their Pumpkin Patch PSL made with pumpkin, caramel, and cinnamon; Butter Beer Latte made with hazelnuts, brown butter, to ee, caramel, and cold foam; and Gilmore Girl, which includes apple butter, extra dirty chai, and steamed milk.
Fall is in the air at Magnolia & May restaurant as well. “Right now, we’ve got all our fall avors going on. We’ve got a couple of fun things. For example, Chip’s been doing a lot of stu with apples from Jones Orchard.”
Like Apple Jack Griddle Cakes, which she describes as “frilly, big, chubby pancakes lled with all kinds of good stu . Lots of apples, cinnamon, toasted walnuts — really fun fall avors forward.”
For brunch, Chip is making a sourdough cornmeal johnnycake with a brown butter apple compote and a co ee cake crumble on top.
For lunch and dinner, he’s making a caramelized pear salad. “We poach the pears in allspice and toast it like you would a crème brûlée,” Chip says. “And then toss in some local lettuce in red wine vinaigrette, put in the pear, and toast it with bleu cheese and walnuts.”
A “grilled Home Place Pastures pork chop with potato purée and brown butter apple compote” is one of Chip’s fall dinner items.
e Dunhams are known for going all out for the holidays. ey ushered in Halloween on September 30th with lavish decorations, Halloween movies, and specialty cocktails at their Halloween pop-up at the restaurant. “I’m looking into tarot card reading for one Sunday night,” Amanda says.
ey will feature their over-the-top Christmas pop-up beginning November 28th at Magnolia & May.
e Monkeygrass Mayhem coffee truck will be open Mondays and Fridays at Clark Tower from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., Sundays at Germantown Community Library at 1925 Exeter Road 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturdays at Overton Park 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Wednesdays at Sea Isle Park 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., and at a yet-to-be announced location on ursdays.
ey still might open a brick-andmortar co ee shop one day, Amanda says. “We keep tossing the idea back and forth.”
But, she adds, “Right now, we enjoy having it on the road a little bit. It’s giving us a little bit of exibility.”
PHOTO: MICHAEL DONAHUE
e Dunhams with Danielle Wilcox in the window of Monkeygrass Mayhem
FLASHBACK
To Be or Not to Be
eatre Memphis’ Hamlet has it all.
If you, like me, are rejoicing in what feels like a cultural renaissance of the strange and spooky, then I’m sure you’ll be as eager as I was to see eatre Memphis’ production of Hamlet
It was my rst time seeing the play, and I will confess I was more unfamiliar with it than you might expect from a person who has studied theater and Shakespeare, in particular. I even found myself thinking, “Yes, this will be the perfect way to usher in the Halloween season! Witches!” before realizing more than a day later that I was thinking of Macbeth. Hamlet is ghosts. But, you see, this is exactly why I entered into the experience with such an air of anticipation. I was nally going to understand the hubbub surrounding Hamlet (arguably one of the most famous plays in Western history despite my own ignorance). Now having watched the play, I understand the hype. You’d be hard-pressed to nd someone who hasn’t heard the line “To be or not to be,” but if the rest of the story is hazy, allow me to ll you in. e full name of the play is e Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, but you can see why it’s been shortened over the years. e title is in itself a bit of a spoiler alert. As one of the ushers sitting next to me remarked at show’s end, “Everyone dies. It’s quite a disaster!” Par for the course in a Shakespearean tragedy. Prince Hamlet, a er a spectral visitation from the ghost of his father, learns that his uncle, Claudius, murdered said father and promptly married his widow, Hamlet’s mother Gertrude. Hamlet doesn’t know what to think but eventually schemes to nd out the truth, and in doing so, inadvertently kills Polonis, who just happens to be the father of Ophelia. Yes, that Ophelia. Crises ensue, and, as our friend the usher put it, everyone dies.
is play, tragedy though it may be, has much to o er in the way of entertainment. My friend Kayla Dawson, who was also seeing this show for the rst time, said during intermission, “I didn’t expect to laugh.” Shakespeare is typically funny, and the actors here did a marvelous job reminding us of that. is production was in the Next Stage at eatre Memphis, a slightly smaller space. is allowed the audience to be closer, literally, to the show. It was a more intimate experience, with Hamlet even walking up into the audience during one of many soliloquies. William Shakepeare loved a soliloquy, some-
thing that Hamlet is particularly wellknown for. Such a famous character can seem a bit larger-than-life, adding even more pressure to an already highstakes leading role. Kevar Ma tt, who played the title character, delivered a memorable performance. e Prince of Denmark from his rst lines seemed balanced on a knife’s edge of bitterness and grief. At moments his portrayal of Hamlet was devastatingly human, at others, wildly unstable. e entire cast managed to make their characters feel lived-in, which is no mean feat when it comes to Shakespeare.
I’ve always felt that part of what makes watching a Shakespeare play enjoyable is feeling a connection to history. ousands of people have heard the same words you’re hearing, and it’s a powerful experience being connected to humanity through art, no matter how far from our own era it may initially seem. e same thing that can turn some potential theatergoers away from a Shakespearean production is the very thing that makes it timeless. If the actors and director have taken the time to understand the text, which they absolutely have in this case, any potential half-baked language barrier is overcome. We don’t speak in the same way they did in the 1600s, to be sure, but there are plenty of themes in Hamlet that a 21st-century audience can relate to. I have to wonder if those watching this play for the rst time, hundreds of years ago, would feel something similar watching a soap opera 50 years ago or reality television today. e drama of this play is turned up to 11, so to speak. Murder, lust, revenge — Hamlet has it all. Hamlet runs at eatre Memphis through October 5th.
PHOTO: CARLA MCDONALD Crises ensue; everyone dies.
By Emily Guenther
Autumn as a Portal
Harness the magic of the threshold as you let go and transform this season.
October arrives like a whispered invitation. e air shi s; it is crisper, quieter. Leaves blush and tumble. Shadows stretch longer. It is a season that doesn’t rush but beckons. And if we listen closely, we can hear the rustle of something deeper. Autumn, and October, is a call to pause, re ect, and honor the sacred in-between.
In many spiritual traditions, autumn is considered a liminal time — a threshold between worlds. e veil thins. e harvest is gathered. We stand between warmth and cold, light and dark, life and death. It’s a portal, not just in nature, but in our own lives. And like any good threshold, it asks something of us: to be present, to be reverent, and to be willing to let go. Autumn is also the season of descent — not in a fearful way, but in an intentional one. e trees teach us how to release with grace. eir leaves fall, not in despair, but in dazzling color. ey shed what no longer serves them, trusting the cycle of rest and renewal. What would it mean for us to do the same?
alone in our becoming.
One way to honor this portal is through ritual — not elaborate or esoteric, but intentional. Light a candle at dusk and name what you’re releasing. Write a letter to your past self and bury it beneath fallen leaves. Create a small altar with symbols of transition: acorns, feathers, keys, or photographs. Let your ritual be a mirror of your inner landscape, showing you where you want to go.
Another way to honor this liminal time is through storytelling. Autumn is rich with myth and memory. Share tales of your ancestors or revisit old journals. Learn about your family’s history or traditions. For many, October is like a monthlong Halloween or Samhain. Spend this month honoring yourself and those who paved the way for you. Ask your loved ones about the thresholds they’ve crossed. When we speak of change, we so en its edges. We remind ourselves that transformation is not a solitary act — it’s communal, ancestral, and deeply human.
For those who feel the pull toward spiritual practice, this is a potent time to explore. Samhain, celebrated at the end of October, honors the dead and the unseen. It’s a time to connect with spirit, intuition, and the wisdom of the dark. But even outside of tradition, the energy of October supports introspection. It’s a season that says: go inward, listen deeply, trust the quiet.
Many of us are carrying things — such as roles, routines, relationships, and even identities — that once t but now feel heavy. October invites us to think about these things as we begin to slow down. What are you ready to release? What are you transitioning into? And how can you honor the space between? We are fully into the harvest season on the wheel of the year, making October and fall a good time to re ect on what we have accomplished and what we are still working toward. You don’t need to be a practicing witch to engage with this magic. resholds are universal. We all move through them — birthdays, breakups, new jobs, grief, growth. What makes this season special is its collective rhythm. Nature is modeling transformation all around us. We’re not
And let’s not forget the joy. resholds aren’t only solemn — they’re celebratory. ink of the giddy thrill of Halloween costumes, the comfort of warm cider, the sparkle of bonres. ese are rituals, too. ey remind us that transition can be playful, creative, and full of delight.
As October unfolds, I invite you to walk slowly. Notice the way the light changes. Feel the leaves crunch beneath your feet. Let the season speak to you, not just through its beauty, but through its wisdom. You are standing at a threshold. You are invited to step through.
Whether you mark this time with ceremony or simple re ection, know that you are part of something ancient and ongoing. e wheel turns. e portal opens. And you, dear reader, are exactly where you need to be.
Emily Guenther is a co-owner of e Broom Closet metaphysical shop. She is a Memphis native, professional tarot reader, ordained Pagan clergy, and dog mom.
PHOTO: BARBARA BURGESS | UNSPLASH Use October, and fall, to re ect on the space between.
Mended Therapy
Combining mental health with a love of fashion, creativity, and sustainability, Mended Therapy was born. Ashley wants to show that although things may seem like they cannot get better, there is hope. Just like a mended piece of clothing is brought new life, the same can be said of us. She is here to walk with you through this journey with laughter, creativity, and challenging your beliefs about yourself. She is MENDED (and constantly mending). She hopes you will let her join you as you MEND.
Ashley specializes in working with LGBTQ+ populations and mood disorders.
For more information or to book an appointment, visit mendedtherapypllc.com.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): In Zen Buddhism, satoris are sudden flashes of illumination that are fun and clarifying. I’m happy to tell you that you’re in a phase when these sweet breakthroughs are extra likely to visit you. They may barge in while you’re washing dishes, in the grocery store check-out line, or during your fantasies before sleep. Be on high alert for intimations from the Great Mystery. PS: Some satoris could be gems you already half-knew.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You are eligible to be named “The Most Brilliant and Effective Complainer” for October. If you want to secure this prestigious award, spend time organizing plans for changing what’s amiss or awry. Decide which irritating off-kilter situations are most worthy of your thoughtful attention. Figure out how to express your critiques in ways that will engage the constructive help of others. And then implement a detailed strategy to compassionately achieve the intriguing transformations.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): On certain medieval maps, an island paradise known as Hy-Brasil had a fuzzy presence west of Ireland. Did it truly exist? If so, it was said to be a blessed land that could restore lost youth and offer extravagant happiness. The place was thought to be rarely visible, and only under certain magical or auspicious conditions. I suspect you Geminis are within range of an experience like this. It won’t appear in a specific location but as a state of mind that settles over you. Don’t chase it. Allow it to find you.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): A stalactite is a stony formation that hangs like an icicle from the ceiling of a cave. It forms over long periods as mineral-rich water drips down and incrementally deposits hard calcium carbonate through precipitation. This marvel is an example of Earth’s creativity at its most leisurely. A four-inch-long stalactite might take a thousand years to make. With that as your seed thought, Cancerian, I invite you to attune yourself to the slowest, deepest, most ancient parts of your soul. Important developments are unfolding there. A wound that’s ripening into wisdom? A mysterious yearning that’s finally speaking in your native tongue? Be patient and vigilant with it. Don’t demand clarity all at once. Your transformation is tectonic, not flashy. Your assignment is to listen and be receptive.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): When bilingual speakers engage in the behavior known as “code-switching,” they may begin a sentence in one language and finish it in another. Or they may move back and forth between two different languages as they deliver a discourse. Why do they do it? To enrich their meaning, to dazzle
Rob Brezsny
their audience, to play and experiment. In a larger sense, we could say that codeswitching happens anytime we swivel between different styles of presenting ourselves: from formal to casual, serious to humorous, cheerful to skeptical. I bring this up, Leo, because you are in the heart of the code-switching season. Have fun!
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): In the Arctic, polar bears move through the world not by sight alone, but through scent trails that stretch miles across the ice. Their sense of direction is olfactory, intuitive, and primal. If I’m reading the omens correctly, Virgo, your navigation system will also be more animal than logical in the coming weeks. I advise you to trust subtle cues — like goosebumps, a sweet or sour taste in your mouth, or an uncanny pull toward or away from things. Your rational mind might not be fully helpful, but your body will know the way. Sniff the trail. Access your instincts.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The I Ching is an ancient divinatory book compiled in China over 2,500 years ago, Amazingly, it’s still quite useful. In accordance with astrological omens, I call your attention to one of its oracles: “Work on What Has Been Spoiled.” It tenderly counsels us to be brave as we repair what’s broken. But it’s crucial that we make the correction with patient grace, not blame and anger. The good news, Scorpio, is that you now have an uncanny ability to discern what’s out of tune, what’s crooked, what has been wrongfully abandoned. I hope you will offer your genius for re-weaving. A frayed friendship? A neglected dream? A forgotten promise? You can play the role of restorer: not to make things as they were, but to render them better than they’ve ever been.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In ancient Egypt, the lion-headed goddess Sekhmet wielded both intense heat and nourishing warmth. She had the power to destroy and heal. When outbreaks of chaos threatened, she incinerated them. Once order and balance returned, she served as a physician. I dare you to summon your inner Sekhmet, Sagittarius. Give your bold attention to an obstacle that needs to be crushed or an injustice that needs to be erased. If necessary, invoke sacred rage on behalf of sacred order. But remember that the goal is not merely combustion. It’s transmutation. Once the fire has cleared the way, unleash your gorgeous cure.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In Nepal, there’s a tradition among Sherpa mountaineers. Before ascending Mt. Everest, they perform a ceremony led by a Buddhist monk or Lama. It’s a way to honor the sacredness of the mountain, ask for grace during their climb, and return from the journey in good health. As
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In ancient Egyptian myth, the goddess Maat ruled truth, divine law, harmony, and moral order. After death, each person’s heart was weighed against Maat’s feather of truth on a scale in the Hall of Judgment. If the heart, which embodied the essence of a person’s actions in life, was equal in weight to the feather, the deceased was assessed as virtuous and cleared to continue to the glorious afterlife. If it was heavier … well, I’ll spare you the details. Maat’s scales were not symbols of punishment, but of fairness and justice. That’s also your special power right now, Libra. You have subtle insight into every choice. You understand that your wisdom is best used to bless, not censure. My hope is that you will foster gentle clarity and offer forgiveness to all, including yourself. Lay down the old guilt! Let grace be the law!
you eye the peak ahead of you, Capricorn, consider making similar preparation. Ritualize your intention. Direct it with clarity and care. Bless your journey before you surge forward.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): When people call something “glamorous,” they usually mean it has an elegant, captivating style. Its beauty is sophisticated and luxurious. But the original meaning of “glamour” was different. It referred to a deceptive magical enchantment designed to disguise the truth, whipped up by a conjurer or supernatural being. That’s the sense I want to invoke now, Aquarius. You have been seeing through the glamour lately — of the media, of consensus reality, of false stories. Now it’s time to go even further: to actively tear down illusions and dismantle pretense, preferably with tact. When you see through the spell, don’t just call it out — transmute it into clarity.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Pisces-born Nina Simone (1933–2003) started playing piano when she was 3 years old. At age 12, her debut concert was a classical recital. She developed a yearning to become the first Black female classical concert pianist. But her dream collapsed when the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music refused to let her study there. Then came the plot twist. She redirected her disappointment ingeniously, launching a brilliant career as a singer, composer, and pianist that won her global fame. The rebuff from the Curtis Institute was ultimately a stroke of good luck! It became a catalyst for her greatness. In accordance with astrological omens, I invite you to designate a frustration that you will use to fuel future success.
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FILM By Chris McCoy
A Perpetual Revolution
Paul omas Anderson holds up a funhouse mirror to America in the revolutionary masterpiece One Battle A er Another.
Thomas Pynchon’s 1990 novel Vineland is about the fallout a er the revolutionary fervor of the 1960s exploded. It’s set in 1984, the year that Ronald Reagan crushed the Democratic opposition to win a second term as president. Not coincidentally, it was also the year George Orwell chose for the title of his antiauthoritarian clarion call.
Paul omas Anderson’s new lm One Battle A er Another is ostensibly inspired by Vineland. Having previously gone to Pynchon’s hallucinatory vision of California with 2014’s Inherent Vice, Anderson adapts the author’s satirical wordplay and bonedeep paranoia to spectacular e ect. But Orwell’s vision of the sadomasochistic roots of the fascist will to power looms large over the story. It’s what makes this lm so urgently needed in our horrifying moment in history.
Pynchon himself painted fascism as a manifestation of the death drive in Gravity’s Rainbow. “Rocketman,” as that novel’s main character Slothrop is known as he wanders through postwar Europe, is also one of the many nicknames Leonardo DiCaprio’s character adopts through the course of One Battle A er Another. We rst meet “Ghetto” Pat Calhoun as he is trying to kick o a revolution by freeing Mexican migrants in a Southwestern American detention center. He is a member of the French 75, a revolutionary group named in true Pynchonian fashion a er both an artillery piece and a fancy cocktail. His partner in revolution is Per dia Beverly Hills, played by Teyana Taylor in the most badass screen performance since Charlize eron took the wheel of the War Rig in Mad Max: Fury Road. “Guns are fun,” she says. “ e pussy is for war.”
Leonardo DiCaprio brings the slapstick as a radical gone to seed; Teyana Taylor plays badass mom Per dia Beverly Hills.
Pat is rightly in awe of Per dia, but nothing is enough for her. While busting out of the detention center, she corners and sexually humiliates Col. Steven J. Lockjaw (Sean Penn). Turns out, the rock-ribbed military man loves being humiliated, and the freedom-loving revolutionary thrives on domination.
e two clandestinely meet for a series of kinky trysts, a er which Per dia falls pregnant. is leads to the instantly iconic shot of Per dia bracing a heavy machine gun against her swollen belly while she res torrents of hot lead downrange. “I’m not sure she knows she’s pregnant,” marvels Pat.
e woman her own mother calls the personi cation of revolution isn’t cut out for motherhood. ere’s too much fear, too many enemies. She leaves her new baby Charlene with Pat and her
grandmother. But the freedom ghter’s luck runs out when a bank robbery goes horribly wrong, and she is captured by the FBI. She is facing death until Lockjaw intervenes, o ering her “the embrace of the federal government” if she will name names.
Both Per dia and Pat go underground in their own ways. Per dia’s witness protection includes conjugal visits from Lockjaw, until she ies that coop, too. e underground gives Pat a new name, Bob Ferguson, and a long list of code phrases to memorize as he retreats to the lawless forests of Northern California.
Sixteen years later, Bob is a wakeand-bake burnout. His daughter is
now known as Willa (Chase In niti), a karate star who is looking more like her mother every day. Meanwhile, Lockjaw is trying to gain access to an elite, white supremacist secret society known as the Christmas Adventurers Club. But persistent rumors of a “halfbreed” child imperils his membership bid, so he sets out to tie up that loose end in the guise of an immigration crackdown. Lockjaw rolls up what’s le of the French 75 until he locates Bob and Willa. e two are separated as they ee Lockjaw’s operators, leading
to an epic three-way chase across the achingly beautiful California landscape.
Anderson’s direction is perfection. One startling image after another jumps off the screen. Skateboarders fly through the air, silhouetted by fire and tear gas. Sean Penn, in close-up, physically vibrates with racist rage. Cars bob and weave through the desert hills in hypnotic rhythm.
Anderson does all this while also being stupendously funny. DiCaprio brings the slapstick as a radical gone to seed who understands the revolutionary need to charge your phone, and who foils his own getaway because he needs a beer for the road. He skewers the ridiculousness of white supremacy as a secret society who worship Santa Claus.
As our democracy creaks under the backlash to our most recent revolutionary moment, the 2020 BLM protests, Pynchon couldn’t be more relevant. Thomas Jefferson, whose sweeping visions and profound moral failings embodied the American character, conceived of these United States as a land of perpetual revolution, always changing, always striving for perfection we will never attain. Freedom is not a promised land we get to; it’s a process. It must always be fought for, but war threatens to take our souls. America is One Battle After Another
One Battle After Another Now playing Multiple locations
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26
SHELBY FARMS PARK | MEMPHIS, TN
Starts | 1 p.m.
GI; BC in IM; BE/BC in GI; possess or eligible to apply for TN med license. Email resume: Stephanie.tapp@onegi.com.
THE LAST WORD By
Patricia Lockhart
Let Them Bake
Teens are a lot like cookies.
You won’t really know what type of adult you’re raising until they’ve nished baking.
Parenting is not for the weak. Trust me, I know. I’m a mom of four: a 12-year-old girl, twin 13-year-old boys, and a 17-year-old boy. Kids deal with a lot of di erent emotions. Some emotions they share with you, and some they keep to themselves. But as all parents know, every secret has its day in the sun. ese emotions could be rooted in societal expectations or hormonal causes, or they could just be growing pains of the teens guring out who they are in the world. No matter the source, we as parents are with them on this roller coaster. It’s odd how we can be the bystander in their life but wholly a ected by every decision they make. (And vice versa.) When my kids’ days are good, my days are good. When they’re stressed out about school, friendships, or life, I’m trying to gure out how to ease the burden. And sometimes that’s the hardest part — deciding when to step in with advice and when to let them wrestle with the challenge themselves. Teens don’t always want us to “ x” things. Sometimes they just need a quiet space, a listening ear, or even a laugh to remind them life isn’t all heavy.
At the end of the day, we can only do so much as a parent. Recently, I have had several momfriends chat with me about their teens. eir teens are acting oddly. ey’re listening to their friends more than they heed the advice of their parents. I’m consoling parents who have done “all the right things” and are devastated when their teen chooses a di erent path. And I tell them all the same thing, “Be patient. Your teen is just baking. You’ll know how the nal product turned out a er you take it out of the oven and let it cool for a bit.” I’ve had to remind myself of this, too. ere were times when I thought one of my kids was dri ing completely o course — ignoring chores, slacking in school, shutting me out — but then they surprised me with a burst of maturity, kindness, or creativity that showed me they were absorbing more than I realized. at’s the beauty of patience: It gives space for growth to reveal itself.
Raising kids and teenagers is just like baking. You start o with all the ingredients necessary to make a “good cookie.” You’ll add our, butter, and sugar. is could represent food/water, shelter, and love. en you can add a little razzle-dazzle to the mixture. is would depend on the type of “cookie” you want. Want a more traditional cookie? Just add some vanilla extract and chocolate chips. In the mood for some cookies that are still traditional but not everybody can handle? Add a few nuts or peanut butter. For some pizzazz, you can add anything you want! Dried cranberries, oatmeal, caramel, to ee, raisins, vanilla sugar, espresso, and so much more. And yes, sometimes you overbake the batch, and it feels like all your e orts have burned. Other times the dough is gooey and undercooked, and you realize your teen simply wasn’t ready for that particular challenge yet. Every batch has its lesson.
But no matter the ingredients you decide to add, you’ll never know how the cookie turned out until you’ve taken it out of the oven and let it cool. In other words, you won’t really know what type of adult you’re raising until they’ve nished baking. You can have the perfect ingredients but mix them incorrectly. You can mix them correctly and bake them at the wrong temperature. You can do all the right things for prep but still have the cookie come out too crunchy, too chewy, or a mixture of both. (Let’s be mindful, cookie preferences are subjective. ere’s a type of cookie for everyone.)
I have baked the exact same recipe before, only to have it turn out completely di erently. I’ve used the same ingredients, temperatures, and everything. Still completely di erent. is is absolutely represented in my four children. I’ve instilled in all of them the same ingredients. Yet I have four distinctly di erent kids.
So if you’re worried about what type of cookie your teenager will turn out to be, just take a look at the ingredients you’re pouring in. Be mindful of the temperature you set. And don’t forget, some dough needs to be cooled before baking. (Take that however you want.) But more than anything, know that you’ve done your best and it’s time to just let them cook and cool a bit. Parenting isn’t about having identical outcomes — it’s about giving your kids the foundation, the avor, and the faith to become their own best version of “cookie.”
As an aside, here are my favorite local cookie spots:
• Dvour Desserts — IG: @dvourdessertshop
• Frost Bake Shop — IG: @frostbakeshop
• City & State — IG: @cityandstate
• LuLu’s Cafe & Bakery — IG: @luluscafeandbakery
• La Baguette — IG @labaguette_memphis
Patricia Lockhart is a native Memphian who loves to read, write, cook, and eat. By day, she’s an assistant principal and writer, but by night … she’s asleep.
PHOTOS: (RIGHT) LAUREN WINGATE; (BELOW) PATRICIA LOCKHART
