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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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Return of the Memphis Rap OGz
Onstage at RiverBeat Music Fest, these pioneers of crunk are playing the long game.
PHOTO: JAMIE HARMON
Whole Lotta Shakin’
PHOTO: WIRESTOCK | DREAMSTIME.COM
Punching Up Flavors at Graceland
Chef/boxer Mario Torres now oversees seven restaurants. p24
PHOTO: MARIO TORRES
fly-by
MEM ernet
Memphis on the internet.
ASHLEY
Ste sthechef, a former Ashley Furniture store employee, went viral on TikTok over the last week, racking up millions of views.
Stef rapped to draw customers to the store. But Ashley apparently did not like lines like “come get a motherfucking couch.” He was red, but later revealed he was “straight” and took his talents to Royal Furniture.
SATIN
Cli Messer lit up the MEMernet last weekend with a Facebook post that read: “Breaking: Memphis narrowly avoids being terrorized by… highthread-count evil. O cials are investigating a daring act of vandalism at the railway bridge in the Cooper-Young area, where someone boldly spraypainted ‘Satin’ across the structure.” [No sign of Satin when we checked.]
BOMB THREAT
Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid was evacuated last week a er a bomb threat. Law enforcement found nothing and the building was re-opened the same day. A similar threat evacuated the Memphis Zoo earlier this month.
{WEEK THAT WAS
By Flyer staff
Questions, Answers + Attitude
Edited by Toby Sells
OUTMemphis, Takeover, & Trans Targeted
New headquarters and services, GOP takes over Memphis schools, lawmakers pass “dangerous” bill.
OUTMEMPHIS
OUTMemphis looks to expand services across the Mid-South with a new community center, increased capacity and services at their Youth Empowerment Center, and more resources for advocacy across the region.
e oldest and largest LGBTQ service organization in the Mid-South launched a $12 million campaign for the projects a er tripling in size over the past ve years. O cials said key programs are near capacity and they are unable to meet all requests.
Molly Quinn, CEO of OUTMemphis, said they’ve spent years in basements, bungalows, and borrowed spaces in hopes of serving the community. However, she said, the need has outgrown the organization’s current capacity.
To address the growth, OUTMemphis announced the launch of its “state-of-the-art” regional headquarters on Cleveland Street, between Poplar Avenue and Crosstown Concourse. OUTMemphis called the placement “strategic,” as it anchors their work “where its earliest e orts” began in 1989.
“ is new home will allow us to expand services, increase safety, and ensure LGBTQ people across the Mid-South always have a place where they belong,” Quinn said.
e advocacy group said the expansion will allow them to bring all services into “two high-e ciency hubs.” ose services include community gatherings, counseling and case management, HIV care and prevention, support groups, and housing and nancial navigation.
STATE SCHOOL TAKEOVER
Sen. Raumesh Akbari (D-Memphis) said legislation that allowed the Tennessee General Assembly to take over Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) was “surgically written” to apply to only that district.
A new politically appointed board will take control of MSCS a er a long-threatened GOP takeover became reality last week. Republicans argued that the legislation would allow intervention broadly at any school system not meeting certain guidelines.
Akbari said while many of the state’s local education agencies (LEAs) have pro ciency failures, the bill’s concern
with audit ndings and leadership turnover apply directly to MSCS.
TRANS COMMUNITY TARGETED
Legislation that would impact how trans people are housed in shelters, dorms, and detention facilities passed the Tennessee Senate.
e “Riley Gaines Women’s Safety and Protection Act” was cra ed to protect women from “acts of abuse committed by biological men.” e Tennessee Equality Project (TEP) called it “one of the most dangerous anti-transgender bills to come out of the Tennessee legislature,” and said they are “alarmed” by its passage.
e bill rede nes the meaning and understanding of gender and identity by using “visible genital anatomy” to categorize individuals. Lawmakers said this is to protect women from “acts of abuse committed by biological men in spaces such as correctional facilities, juvenile detention facilities, dormitories, restrooms, and more.”
Under the bill, females are de ned as those whose “biological reproductive system is developed to produce ova,” and males as those whose “biological reproductive system is developed to fertilize the ova of a female.”
“‘Sex’ means an individual’s biological sex, either male or female, as observed or clinically veri ed at birth and does not include gender identity and other subjective terms, which do not apply to this bill, and must not be used as synonyms or substitutes for sex,” the bill’s summary said.
Visit the News Blog at memphis yer.com for fuller versions of these stories and more local news.
PHOTO: OUTMEMPHIS
OUTMemphis launched a $12 million campaign a er tripling in size over the past ve years.
{CANNABEAT
By Toby Sells
All Talk, No Toke
Lots of smoke but no heat in Nashville this year as looming bans keep industry in limbo.
No sweeping cannabis legislation — good or bad — came out of the current session of the Tennessee General Assembly, which is now winding down in Nashville.
But cannabis in Tennessee was still very much on the minds of Tennessee lawmakers this session. e session o ered no glimmer of hope for the cannabis industry here as a July 1st deadline will strip some of the most popular products from store shelves.
State legislators swung the ban hammer on hemp-derived THC products last year. en, federal lawmakers did the same thing. Tennessee stores now have until the end of June to pull smokeable ower, vapes, or any other “intoxicating” product o the market.
Cool, right? ey wanted the report this year but were told state experts could not have it ready in that timeframe.
So, they used an amendment on the bill to make sure the legislature controlled marijuana decisions even further. e bill on Gov. Bill Lee’s desk right now says if marijuana is rescheduled on the federal level, the state Commissioner of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services can’t just remove it from state law. e legislature does that, thank you very much.
Estimates say these products account for more than half of retail cannabis sales in Tennessee. Industry insiders say this move could e ectively kill the cannabis market here. No moves by lawmakers sought to reverse this notion this year, even a er Congress changed the federal Farm Bill legislation. ( e 2018 version of that bill gave rise to the hemp-derived product market.)
Still, cannabis remained a topic of debate in Nashville this year. Here are some of those bills:
Ballot initiatives — Both Memphis state Sens. London Lamar and Raumesh Akbari wanted to give citizens the right to formally voice their opinions on cannabis laws. Both led bills that would put the question on local election ballots, but they di ered slightly.
Lamar’s bill would have put three questions on ballots:
• Should the state of Tennessee legalize medical marijuana?
• Should the state of Tennessee decriminalize possession of less than one ounce of marijuana?
• Should the state of Tennessee legalize and regulate commercial sales of recreational use marijuana?
Akbari’s bill would have simply asked voters one question: Should “this state legalize the sale, possession, and use of medical cannabis?”
Tennessee does not have ballot initiatives, meaning voters cannot enact laws from voting booths. However, results from ballot questions can provide formal proof to lawmakers.
Medical marijuana readiness — A GOP-led bill would have tried to gure out whether or not Tennessee is even ready for a medical marijuana program.
“Small amount of marijuana” — Akbari tried to increase the amount of marijuana “considered a small amount of marijuana” for criminal sentencing matters. at limit is now a half ounce. Akbari wanted it raised to ve ounces. But the bill failed in a late March committee.
Pot for Potholes — Taxes from recreational marijuana sales in Tennessee would have funded millions of dollars worth of road work. Pot for potholes, get it?
e idea from state Rep. A yn Behn (D-Nashville) promised more than $18 million to the general fund in four years. But it got no love from Republicans who shot it down in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Special cannabis session — As lawmakers prepared to wrap up, state Rep. Jason Powell (D-Nashville) wanted to bring them back sometime soon to have a real, thorough discussion on medical cannabis.
“For years, Tennesseans have been told to wait,” Powell said. “We created a commission. We studied the issue. We have heard from patients, doctors, and families across this state. At some point, we have to be willing to act.”
e Tennessee Medical Cannabis Commission has been meeting and cranking out reports and suggestions for state lawmakers since it was established in 2021. ousands of hours of debate and testimonials have yielded little if anything lawmakers have actually acted upon.
Powell said Tennessee should not continue to delay while other states move forward and federal policy shi s.
PHOTO: TOBY SELLS THCA will be pulled from stores this summer.
The National Civil Rights Museum’s Legacy Experience reopens May 16 with deeper investigations into King’s assassination, the Poor People’s Campaign, and the movements still shaping justice today. From the Lorraine to the Legacy, through four centuries, hope and resilience are constant.
A Memphis Light, Gas and Water alternative to traditional monthly billing, allowing you to purchase utilities in advance and monitor your usage in real time.
No deposits No late fees No reconnection fees
LARGE By Bruce VanWyngarden
Whole Lotta Shakin’
“Missouri’s Cooter Rattled by Earthquake.”
Now there’s a headline you don’t see every day, but it sat atop the London Daily Mail’s reporting on the magnitude 4.0 earthquake that jiggled parts of the MidSouth last week. Of course, it’s possible the Brits weren’t aware that Americans had long ago taken an 18th-century West African word for “turtle” and turned it into a euphemism for certain nether parts, but I suspect the Fleet Streeters knew exactly what they were doing with that bit of wordplay.
Another report began, “Solid shaking reported in the Cooter region …” And yet another headline read, “Earthquake Shakes Tiny Cooter.” But really, when the internet gives journalists such rich material to work with, you can hardly blame them for taking advantage of it. Humor — what a concept! We are grateful, believe me. And we’re also grateful that there was no damage from the mild Cooter quake. It could have been much worse, as history — and current earth science — make clear.
First, the history: A little more than 200 years ago, between December 1811 and February 1812, three earthquakes of around 8.0 magnitude originated near the little Mississippi River town of New Madrid, Missouri. e quakes caused building damage in St. Louis and Cincinnati, the nearest cities to the area at the time, and tremors were detected in numerous central, southern, and eastern states, even as far away as Connecticut. Miles of river blu s collapsed into the Mississippi; Reelfoot Lake was formed, along with thousands of acres of new swamp; 19,000 acres of land were literally liqui ed. Observers in southern Missouri said the Mississippi River ran backwards for a time.
e good news is that back then the Bootheel and most of the land surrounding it for hundreds of miles was sparsely populated, so structural damage and the human death toll was minimal. Memphis — now the closest major city to the New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ) — wasn’t founded until 1819.
Now for the not-so-good news: Scientists with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) say a large earthquake centered on the New Madrid fault occurs every 200 to 800 years, and they put the odds of at least a 6.0 quake occurring in the next 40 years at 25 to 40 percent.
zone, with the most signi cant destruction predicted to occur in St. Louis and Memphis. Potentially damaging shockwaves from the simulated quake also reached Kansas City, Indianapolis, Louisville, and Birmingham. e study predicted 86,000 deaths, 715,000 damaged or destroyed buildings, and power outages to 2.6 million homes. Damages were estimated to be $300 billion in direct costs and up to $600 billion in economic costs via job losses, manufacturing shut-downs, transportation disruptions, and other impacts.
In 2023, USGS updated its predictions for major seismic events throughout the country, and gave the Missouri Bootheel a 75 to 95 percent chance of experiencing a “damaging earthquake” within the next century. I know math percentages are hard, but 95 percent seems pretty daunting, unless Donald Trump can reduce it by 600 percent or so.
But, unfortunately, thanks to Trump, Elon Musk, and DOGE, it’s unlikely we’ll be getting any more of those scienti c predictions from USGS. Millions of dollars in funding for research into seismology, water and ooding issues, and other national environmental concerns were slashed. Hundreds of USGS scientists lost their jobs. Hundreds of ongoing studies and research projects were summarily ended.
Meanwhile, there’s a fourth of the country trying not to think about it, mainly because it’s di cult to wrap your brain around a level of destruction so potentially vast. New buildings and bridges can be built to earthquake-resistant standards, but old buildings and homes? Not so much. And there’s literally nothing that can be done to stop an earthquake.
I know most of us got a few giggles from Cooter’s moment in the sun last week, and I don’t want to be Debbie Downer, but it seems to me that the billions of dollars a day being poured into a chaotic and senseless “war” would be better spent on upgrading our bridges, highways, nuclear plants, and other infrastructure. And while I’m at it, we need to re the FBI director, who apparently spends his days drunker than Cooter Brown. Cooter gets its moment in the sun.
How bad could it get? In 2019, the USGS ran a simulation of the e ects of a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in the NMSZ and, ironically enough, centered it in Cooter. e report estimated that 11 million Americans live within the danger
PHOTO: WIRESTOCK | DREAMSTIME.COM
COVER STORY By Alex Greene
RETURN OF THE
OGz Memphis Rap
(below) Frayser Boy with Gangsta Blac
(opposite top) Frayser Boy; Al Kapone
(opposite center) Kia Shine; Tom Skeemask; DJ Zirk
(opposite bottom) Jared “Jay B” Boyd
(not pictured) Tela and DJ Superman
RONSTAGE AT RIVERBEAT MUSIC FEST, THESE PIONEERS OF CRUNK ARE PLAYING THE LONG GAME.
emember the wild, wooly ’90s in Memphis? e city felt like the nation’s forgotten stepchild, but creativity was bursting from every corner. is was especially true in the world of rap. Mixtapes — actual cassettes — were being cranked out at an astounding rate. Around 1993, a friend who counseled “underprivileged youth” at the time wowed us all by pulling one such cassette from her purse, given to her by a client whose name has been lost to time. e sound was murky, bleak, reverberating with pounding beats, and unlike anything we had heard before. Everywhere you turned, it seemed, someone was handing you a mixtape loaded with inventive sounds. At the time, we thought, “Of course it’s original. at’s what Memphians do.”
e sense that you’re living in a cultural backwater can be liberating. No one is watching or documenting your e orts, so you can let your creativity run wild. is was the Blu City’s milieu then. Even as city planners touted the importance of attracting “creatives” to the city, few of them guessed the local hip-hop world was already ush with them, red with DGAF, anything-goes energy and laying the groundwork for the trap music of the 21st century. Now, as Al Kapone observes, “a lot of young artists today are using the sound that was created back then.”
ELDER STATESMEN
With one quarter of the century behind us, it’s easier to see how prescient those mixtapes of the ’90s were, as the Memphis bounce has come to rule the airwaves (sometimes with Atlanta taking the credit). Locally, that’s nally being acknowledged thanks to a tradition that began with last year’s RiverBeat Music Festival, when the spotlight was thrown on a loose assemblage of hip-hop artists — La Chat, Crunchy Black, Al Kapone, Skinny Pimp, DJ Zirk, Gangsta Pat, and DJ Spanish Fly — known collectively as the Memphis Rap OGz. is year, that concept lives again. Hosted by Kapone & DJ Zirk, hip-hop pioneers Tela, Gangsta Blac, Frayser Boy, Kia Shine, and Tom Skeemask will take to the Orion Financial Stage on Saturday, May 2nd, at 5:45 p.m. to once again a rm
continued on page 12
UPCOMING EVENTS
THURSDAY, APRIL 30 4:30-6:30 PM
continued from page 11
May 3rd
S. WHITE STATION ROAD
Memphis’ place at the cutting edge of rap — then and now. Setting up the beats for them will be DJ Bizzle Bluebland, aka Jared “Jay B” Boyd, a mainstay of the local DJ scene and program manager at WYXR, and DJ Superman, aka Chris McNeil, the longtime radio jock at KXHT Hot 107.1 FM who’s been pivotal to the local hip-hop scene practically this whole time.
Al Kapone, who, with logistical assistance from Bram Bors-Koefoed, has been instrumental in bringing these artists together, says they’re all eager to drop their rhymes at RiverBeat. “A lot of these artists don’t get the recognition that they should on a big platform like this, so reaching out to them is not hard at all. ey want to be a part of it. I guess the only hard part is making sure the other ones who didn’t get a chance to be on this particular show understand that their time is coming.”
Boyd, whose 2023 Flyer story, “Gettin’ Real Buck,” o ered a thorough history of early Memphis rap, is delighted to see so many voices from the past brought together, especially one who was a bit di erent from the others. “Tela is the artist that I’m most excited about,” he says of the solitary artist who could not make the cover photo shoot. “His pen game is crazy, and he’s got so many songs from when he was rapping a lot, like with Scarface, where he and Scarface are going back and forth. He’s got this wise kind of attitude, like an elder statesman.”
at holds true for all the performers, and Kapone, for his part, is enthusiastic about getting all these elder statesmen onstage. While he has o en invited his rap peers to join him when appearing at
Memphis in May festivals since the early 2000s, he was inspired to take it to another level by a 2018 Legends of Memphis Rap show he participated in. “Peppa Williams was able to bring out so many of the OGs for that,” says Kapone. “I think it was the rst time that was done, and I saw how he was able to make that happen on a bigger scale. Because it was, I don’t know, maybe 10 to 12 di erent artists from then, all coming together.”
REELIN’ IN THE YEARS
As Kapone emphasizes, it may be easier to get so many rappers together now than it was in the early days, when egos and beefs were more hot-headed. “In those younger days,” he says, “they were being true to the art. Whereas now, when you become older, you get to show that you’ve grown. Now you can just express the artistic part of it and not get too caught up in the lifestyle.”
“You have to keep your knives sharp, doing creative things, and that’s not just limited to using your voice.”
- Kia Shine
at sentiment is seconded by Frayser Boy, who, sharing an Oscar with ree 6 Ma a for “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp” from Hustle & Flow, may be the most celebrated of the OGs. He feels change is inevitable. As we all sit in the group photo shoot, he explains further: “I’m not doing the same things. So of course I talk about my kids more. I talk about God more.
continued on page 15
(left to right) Tom Skeemask, Frayser Boy, Al Kapone, DJ Zirk, Gangsta Blac, Kia Shine
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Prepare for musical revolution The Rite of Spring changed ever ything Music Director Robert Moody dives into the primal rhythms and bold sonic landscape that shocked audiences in 1913 and still electrifies listeners today After the show, join Maestro Moody and members of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra in the lobby of the Halloran Centre to finish your evening with a coda of cocktails!
Great Hall 1900 S. Germantown Rd May 19, 2026
11:30 a.m.- 1:00 p.m.
Join us May 19 for a luncheon featuring keynote Bonnie Carroll. After the 1992 loss of her husband, Brig Gen Tom Carroll, Bonnie founded TAPS to ensure no military survivor grieves alone Join us to hear how she turned a tragic Army plane crash into a global mission of hope
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.
She currently accepts Aetna, Cigna, Quest Behavioral
I just talk about better things. And, you know, there’s more substance in my work. Like when Gone on that Bay came out in 2003, it was straight robbing, stealing, killing, mobbing. I ain’t doing that no more.”
To this, Gangsta Blac offers a quick rejoinder: “Well, I’m still a gang banger. I can’t change.”
“You’ve changed. You just don’t know you changed,” Frayser Boy replies, inspiring Gangsta Blac to declare, “I ain’t never promoted no killin’ and robbin’!” This in turn causes all the OGs to collapse in uproarious laughter.
Regarding life changes over the years, Kia Shine, who’s worked in films, as a voice artist for video games, and as a host for BET’s Rap City, appreciates the chance to rap precisely because he’s done so much other work outside of the genre. “It’s great that we have opportunities like this, to bring back nostalgic moments with these artists. But at the same time it’s like, as a creative, sometimes you don’t want to get stuck in that same thing all the time. You want to take on other things, to be able to do other stuff, just to keep yourself sharp. So then when you come back to rap, you still keep that same zeal and zest that you had about it. When I do other stuff, it makes me appreciate rap. But you have to keep your knives sharp, doing creative things, and that’s not just limited to using your voice. When you’re creative, it doesn’t always have to just be rap, you know?”
REBELS WITHOUT A PAUSE
Shine should know. Yet at the same time, these artists know the power of what they created 20 to 30 years ago, and they’re ready for their city to recognize it. Tom Skeemask, in particular, is primed for the spotlight. “2 Wild for the World is about to turn 28 years old now,” he notes, then turns to the others and adds, “It’s a blessing to be around all of y’all, because I get an opportunity to do exactly what you all did. I’m probably the only person in this room that ain’t never been on the radio station, though. They might play some of my new songs, but my older music has never been in rotation. I’m dead serious. But I’ve been honored to stay underground.”
This in turn prompts a conversation about radio play in Memphis, as many sing the praises of DJ Superman, who has been focusing on local rap since at least 2001, when he started with Hot 107.1. “The beauty of having DJ Superman there,” says Kapone, “is he was there in the early days as well, as a club and on-air personality, and he’s been singlehandedly keeping it up through the years, from the ’90s till now, where he does a special mix on 107.1 every Friday at noon, dedicated to OG Memphis rap. So just having him being one of our DJs is only fitting.”
Yet savvy DJs alone aren’t enough, according to longtime Atlanta resident Kia Shine. “It has to happen from a programming level, not on a DJ level. Atlanta radio
is pro-Atlanta right now, so they don’t let the older music not be in rotation, right? If you listen to a mix, you’re gonna hear it go from new Atlanta all the way back to the older shit.” This was taken as proof positive that Atlanta has been better able to promote itself as a hip-hop originator than Memphis, despite our city’s key role in pioneering crunk, trap, and other styles.
In any case, when these mavericks were getting started, they were intentionally rebelling against the status quo, and a slick radio-friendly presentation was not their goal. As DJ Zirk told the Flyer’s Andria Lisle in 2018, the ’90s were “an era of just trying: What can we invent that’s different from what’s happening up north and out west? We were working on limited equipment, doing what we had to do, because we didn’t have the technology. With songs like ‘Lock’m N Da Trunk’ and Skinny’s ‘Lookin’ For Da Chewin,’ we were trying to see which one of us could be the wildest and have the most aggressive beats.”
What’s more, these artists were determined to build something that would last, despite locals’ relative ignorance of what they were doing. “It was looked at as a fad,” Kapone says, noting that he himself didn’t think he’d rap for more than four years. “It’s not gonna last long, was what people thought. But now, the fact that it has grown to the level it’s grown to is because hip-hop was able to embrace other genres. That’s why you had like the rap-rock fusion, and you had like country-rap fusion. Rap, soul, blues — every genre of music, hip-hop was able to incorporate those sounds and styles into itself, which gave it, I think, a longer lifespan.”
And for Kapone, hip-hop’s staying power is one of the messages of any performance by the Memphis Rap OGz. “Hopefully, this shows the younger artists that there is longevity in the business, especially as an independent artist. The goal is to move the right way to be able to survive and have the longevity to prove it.”
Underscoring that point, Boyd points to the interest all of these artists show in younger performers. Whenever he sees Skeemask, Boyd says, “he’s always helping out a younger musician. He’s always got one or two guys with him. He looks out for all the people around him, and he cares a lot about bringing other people along. He doesn’t do anything by himself.
DJ Squeeky [who has his own RiverBeat set just before the OGz this year] has got The Family, and helped to discover Young Dolph and elevate him. Zirk’s the same way.”
All of that, from the timelessness of their raw beats to their support of younger talent, adds up to one thing: Staying power. That’s what Kapone most wants to convey to the artists of today. “When we were younger in the rap game, we didn’t have anyone who could say, ‘You know what, there’s guys who have been able to do this and do that in the music industry for 20 to 30 years.’ But that’s who we are. It’s possible.”
steppin’ out
We Recommend: Culture, News + Reviews
Regency Garden
Party Blooms
By Kimberly Ham
Spring in Memphis gets a storybook twist on May 3, when Memphis Botanic Garden hosts Petals & Parasols, a Regency era-inspired garden party designed for leisurely wandering and full sensory immersion. e event transforms the Garden into a living tableau of orals, fashion, and music — an a ernoon that feels equal parts Southern spring and period drama. e inspiration, says director of audience engagement Gina Harris, came naturally. “Spring in the Garden feels like stepping into a storybook,” she explains, noting that the Regency theme o ered a way to frame that seasonal magic with romance and elegance. e result is an experience that invites guests to momentarily slip into another era — while dressed for the occasion.
Included with regular admission, the event unfolds across the Garden’s most picturesque spaces, from the Rose and Iris Gardens to the Herb Garden and Four Seasons Court. Along the way, visitors encounter oral couture — one-of-a-kind gowns cra ed by local orists — as well as imaginative tablescapes designed by area garden clubs. e emphasis on local collaboration gives the event a distinctly Memphis avor while showcasing the depth of creative talent in the city.
Harris recommends a relaxed approach: arrive, take it all in, and let curiosity guide you. “Each garden space o ers a new visual and sensory experience,” she says. at might mean pausing for a photo among the installations, enjoying bites from food trucks, or catching a set by the Renecia Michelle Trio, whose live music adds a layer of elegance that ties the atmosphere together. e self-paced format is intentional. Rather than a tightly scheduled program, Petals & Parasols encourages guests to linger where they please — whether that’s voting for a favorite oral gown, watching children engage in hands-on activities, or simply strolling beneath the spring canopy.
For those looking to elevate the experience, the 21+ “Rose of the Ball” VIP package o ers cocktails, small bites, and a reserved seating area suited for relaxing between garden explorations. It’s designed, Harris says, for guests who want to “fully indulge in the day and lean into the garden party spirit.”
Ultimately, Petals & Parasols re ects the Garden’s broader mission: connecting people to nature through creativity and beauty. Or, as Harris puts it, the goal is simple — guests leave “delighted, inspired, and just a bit transported,” carrying a sense of springtime joy long a er the last bloom fades.
VARIOUS DAYS & TIMES April 30th - May 6th
Ellen Morris Prewitt: When We Were Murderous Time-Traveling Women
Novel, Saturday, May 2, 2 p.m.
Enjoy this lively celebration of the new novel, When We Were Murderous Time-Traveling Women Blending surrealism, Southern storytelling, and a touch of magical mischief, Prewitt’s latest follows a young woman and her ancestral grannies on a time-bending quest through New Orleans. Signed copies available for those who can’t attend.
Legends of Laughter
Landers Center, Friday, May 1, 8 p.m.
Enjoy a night of nonstop laughs when the Legends of Laughter tour hits the Landers Center. is all-star comedy lineup features Sommore, Earthquake, Lavell Crawford, and
Don “DC” Curry, each bringing their own sharp wit and unforgettable stories for an evening you won’t want to miss.
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom Hattiloo eatre, rough May 10, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Set in 1927, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom nds the legendary “Mother of the Blues” in a rundown Chicago studio, determined to maintain control over her music as she records new versions of her hits. As tensions simmer between Rainey and her ambitious trumpeter, Levee, August Wilson’s powerful play explores ambition, race, and the cost of carving out a voice in a world built to silence it.
Stars, Stripes, and Stories Tour Elmwood Cemetery, Friday, May 1, 10-11:30 a.m.
Mark America’s 250th anniversary
with a guided walking tour through historic Elmwood Cemetery, where early American and Memphis history comes to life. is unique experience highlights a Revolutionary War veteran, the Avenue of Flags, veterans of major U.S. con icts, in uential Memphis politicians, su ragists, and Civil Rights leaders. Wear comfortable shoes and explore Elmwood’s newest tour.
Opening Reception: “Garden Beds & Community Roots” Morton Museum of Collierville History, ursday, April 30, 5:30 p.m. is exhibition honors decades of environmental stewardship and oral artistry, featuring archival photos and stories that highlight the garden club’s lasting impact on the community.
e MSO plays Charles Ives’ “Variations on America” and more. Saturday, May 2, 7:30 p.m.
CANNON CENTER FOR THE PERFORM-
ING ARTS
Caitlin Cannon
With Stacy Antonel. ursday, April 30, 7 p.m.
SOUTH MAIN SOUNDS
RiverBeat Music Fest
Visit riverbeat.com for details.
Friday, May 1-May 3.
TOM LEE PARK
Riverbeat EDM
Afterparty
Keep the party going! Saturday, May 2, 10 p.m.-2 a.m.
WISEACRE HQ
Thumpdaddy & DJ A.D.
ursday, April 30, 6 p.m.
THE PEABODY MEMPHIS
Debbie Jamison Band
Tuesday, May 5, 6-10 p.m.
NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM
John Williams & the A440 Band
ursday, April 30, 8 p.m.
NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM
Landslide (Fleetwood Mac Tribute)
Friday, May 1, 8 p.m.
NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM
Van Duren
ursday, April 30, 6:30-8:30
p.m.
MORTIMER’S
Wendell Wells
With music trivia. Sunday, May 3, 9 p.m.-midnight.
NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM
ECHO Party
Bob Boccia Duo ursday, April 30, 6 p.m.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
Brenn!
With Hudson Ingram. Saturday, May 2, 8 p.m. GROWLERS
Bryan Raymond
With Kitty Dearing, Joshua Songs. ursday, April 30, 8 p.m.
HI TONE
Deborah Swiney Duo ursday, April 30, 6-9 p.m.
THE COVE
Devil Train
ursday, April 30, 10 p.m.
B-SIDE
DJ Funn
With music trivia. Sunday, May 3, 6 p.m.
CELTIC CROSSING
A fearless improv quintet with sax, ute, keys, bass, and drums. ursday, April 30, 7:30 p.m.
THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS
Jerome Chism
Listening Session
Wednesday, May 6, 6 p.m.
MEMPHIS LISTENING LAB
Level Three
Wednesday, May 6, 10 p.m.
LOUIS CONNELLY’S BAR
Mosh Maddness
With Sleepy Knockz, SPC Lil Hot, Tavis Trenoin, and Luh Mirin. Friday, May 1, 8 p.m.
GROWLERS
Nu Metal Sucks Tour
With p.e., Primer 55, Kissing Candice. Tuesday, May 5, 7 p.m.
GROWLERS
7-9:30 p.m.
CROSSTOWN THEATER
Princess Baker
With Kashjimer. Sunday, May 3, 8 p.m.
LAMPLIGHTER LOUNGE
Skidmark Skavengers
ursday, April 30, 7 p.m.
HI TONE
The Heartstrings
With the Jay Jones Band. Sunday, May 3, 8 p.m.
HI TONE
The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza
With Drop the Blade, Circuit Circuit, and Blood Channel. ursday, April 30, 7 p.m.
GROWLERS
One Night Only
Sounds by Rosami, DJ Knova, and Father Dad. Friday, May 1, 8 p.m.
HI TONE
Paper Wings + Savannah Brister
Warm, pastoral folk songs.
Saturday, May 2, 7:30 p.m.
THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS
Power of Music Honors
Presented by Soulsville Foundation
Wu-Tang Clan will receive this year’s Global Impact Award. Celebrate artists, leaders, and changemakers who use music as a force for innovation, advocacy, and community impact. $100/VIP, $50/general admission. ursday, April 30,
Blues Traveler
Over an illustrious career, Blues Traveler has played over 2,000 live shows in front of more than 30 million people.
$56.50. Tuesday, May 5, 7:3010 p.m.
GRACELAND SOUNDSTAGE
Dale Watson
Big band night is back with Dale Watson & the Honky Tonk Horn Section. ursday, April 30, 8 p.m.
HERNANDO’S HIDE-A-WAY
David Lee Roth e voice of Van Halen has
still got it! $75.25. Friday, May 1, 8-10:30 p.m.
GRACELAND SOUNDSTAGE
Lorna Shore
$59.75. Wednesday, May 6, 7-10:30 p.m.
GRACELAND SOUNDSTAGE
Louis Berry Liverpool, England’s everyman. Saturday, May 2, 8 p.m.
HERNANDO’S HIDE-A-WAY
Marcus King Band: Waltz Across Texas Friday, May 1, 8 p.m.
HORSESHOE CASINO TUNICA
Jefferson Starship Friday, May 1, 8 p.m.
GOLD STRIKE CASINO
Creative Arts
Ensemble: Music
Conversations with Iris Collective
Featuring violinist and music professor, Marcin Arendt, and singer and music professor, Rebecca Arendt. Friday, May 1, 6 p.m.
GERMANTOWN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
Richard Wilson Smooth, soulful, and relaxing jazz guitar and singing. Saturday, May 2, 9 a.m.-noon.
CARRINGTON OAKS COFFEEHOUSE AND BISTRO-LAKELAND
PHOTO: COURTESY HERNANDO’S HIDE-A-WAY
Dale Watson
CALENDAR of EVENTS: April 30 - May 6, 2026
ART AND SPECIAL EXHIBITS
Dorothy Gunther Pugh: “Nature Yearns”
ese contemplative drawings and watercolors of closely observed trees and their twisted branches, fallen limbs, and rotting stumps covered in lichen may come as a surprise to viewers. rough June 7.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Heather Parker Jones: “Introvert navigates an extrovert world”
Includes both paintings and prose inspired by the artist’s travels. rough May 28.
WKNO DIGITAL MEDIA CENTER
Jerry Ehrlich: “Colors & Light”
Jerry Ehrlich is a Colliervillebased artist whose painting career began unexpectedly at age 74. rough May 9.
MORTON MUSEUM OF COLLIERVILLE
HISTORY
Mary Sims: “A Retrospective” is is the rst museum survey of Sims’s extraordinary career and is something of a revelation even to those who knew the artist and her work. rough June 7.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Meghean Warner Art Exhibition
Warner is inspired by Memphis, God’s glorious creation, and the wonderful people in her city. rough May 30.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
“Memphis College of Art, 1936-2020: An Enduring Legacy”
It’s tting that the nal exhibition mounted by the Brooks Museum in its original home in Overton Park is a celebration of the Memphis College of Art, its sister organization. rough Sept. 30.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
Memphis Originals Art Exhibition
Featuring art and photography by Ron Olson, David Lynch, and Michael Donahue. rough April 30.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
“Navigating Knowledge” is show explores vessels and navigation as metaphors for the containment and transmission of knowledge. rough Oct. 31.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
“Portraits of Black Memphians 2026”
Featuring artwork created by K–12 students from Memphis and Shelby County as part of the museum’s annual Student Art Contest. rough April 30.
PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION
“Redemption of a Delta Bluesman”
A series of 29 paintings
reimagining the story of the mythical crossroads where the bluesman purportedly made a deal. rough June 30.
GALLERY ALBERTINE
Savannah Jewell Art Exhibition
Savannah Jewell’s artistic expression has gone through many phases over the years resulting in a highly personal approach and perspective. Free. rough May 30.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
Shelley Bolton Art Exhibition
Shelley Bolton is in uenced by the Cubist style, and her art is a re ection of the textures and rich, organic layers of the landscapes in which she is surrounded. Free. rough May 29.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
Spring Exhibitions
Bringing together three distinct artistic practices that explore themes of heritage, perception, identity, and humanity’s relationship with the wider world. rough June 7.
THE GALLERIES AT CROSSTOWN ARTS
“The Four O’Clocks” Art by Bill Killebrew. rough May 30.
DAVID LUSK GALLERY
“The Mystery of Cave Island”
Her rst solo exhibition, Los Angeles-based artist Eileen Havant Townsend presents nine dioramas of rocky landscapes alongside graphite drawings. rough June 20.
TOPS GALLERY
“Welcome to the McPromise” is art show by atKatieJones is a retelling of biblical literature by the child of a catholic priest who grew up eating too much fast food. rough May 1.
PLAYHOUSE ON THE SQUARE
“What We Surround Ourselves With” is exhibition serves as a love letter to the evolution of the cra , work, and stories shared through the museum’s community. rough July 31.
METAL MUSEUM
“Where the Veil is Thin”
Art by John Roberts. rough May 30.
DAVID LUSK GALLERY
ART HAPPENINGS
Opening Reception:
“Garden Beds & Community Roots”
Enjoy the opening reception for this exhibition celebrating decades of local environmental stewardship and oral artistry. ursday, April 30, 5:30 p.m.
MORTON MUSEUM OF COLLIERVILLE HISTORY
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 EVENTS LISTING, VISIT EVENTS.MEMPHISFLYER.COM/CAL.
BOOK EVENTS
Bookstock 2026
Memphis area authors’ festival. Saturday, May 2, 11 a.m.
BENJAMIN L. HOOKS CENTRAL LIBRARY - MEMPHIS PUBLIC LIBRARY
Book Talk with R. Scott Williams: Townmania: Marcus Winchester and the Making of Memphis
Join historian R. Scott Williams for a book reading and discussion centered on his newest work. Free. Friday, May 1, 2-3 p.m.
ELMWOOD CEMETERY
Club de lectura
(Spanish Book Club)
Este club de lectura del Dixon les invita a compartir sus experiencias de lectura en español a través del título seleccionado del mes: Las voladoras por Mónica Ojeda. Tuesday, May 5, 6 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Comic Book Day
Ryan Ladner from rill Comics will be in store signing copies of Memphis vs. Zombies. Saturday, May 2, 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
901 COMICS
Ellen Morris Prewitt: When We Were Murderous TimeTraveling Women
When Etoile moves to New Orleans, she leaves behind
in Mississippi a childhood of loss, a host of con icting memories, and a lot of dead people. Only one of whom died under suspicious circumstances. Saturday, May 2, 2 p.m.
NOVEL
Jordan Ritter Conn with Tara Stringfellow: American Men
A deeply intimate portrait of the lives of four men that examines, in profound and comprehensive ways, what it means to be a man in America. Friday, May 1, 6 p.m. NOVEL
CLASS / WORKSHOP
Adult Workshop: Fabric, Foil, and Fiber Artist Johana Moscoso leads a day of color, texture, and slow cra ing. 16+. Saturday, May 2, 10 a.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Country Swing Dance Lessons
It’s never too late to start, and a partner is not required to join the class. New moves taught weekly. Friday, May 1, 7:30 p.m.
WHISKEY JILL’S
Intermediate Watercolor Florals
Ready to advance your
Rhythm & Roots
PHOTO: COURTESY CROSSTOWN ARTS
Open Mic, hosted by Kenny Morningstar, highlights a diverse range of talent.
Presented by Memphis Youth Arts Initiative, this is a free community program o ering high-energy music and dance lessons for youth ages 6–17. Wednesday, May 6, 6 p.m.
MEMPHIS YOUTH ARTS INITIATIVE CENTER
COMEDY
Legends of Laughter
Enjoy a night of nonstop laughs with an all-star cast of comedy greats including Sommore, Earthquake, Lavell Crawford, and Don “DC” Curry. Friday, May 1, 8 p.m.
LANDERS CENTER
Therapy in Real Time
Moe Mitch has made a career out of telling the truth the funny way. Now he’s taking it to the stage with the tour erapy In Real Time. Saturday, May 2, 8 p.m. HI TONE
COMMUNITY
Art of Pride
Step into a space where creativity and community collide at this joyful, welcoming evening designed to celebrate LGBTQ expression and connection. Free. ursday, April 30, 6-8 p.m.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
Chakra Balancing Experience
watercolor practice? Join local artist Stacey Meredith for a deeper dive into the world of watercolors. $55. Sunday, May 3, 1:30-3:30 p.m.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
Intro to Outdoor Watercolors with Barrie Foster
Learn to create beautiful works of art while outside with watercolor paints in this introductory class with local Memphis artist and instructor Barrie Foster. $60. Sunday, May 3, 1-3 p.m.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
Music Production Programs
Music production programs for kids and adults. Access to professional gear and tech, knowledgeable instructors, who are actively and successfully producing music. rough Tuesday, May 5.
MUSIC BOX INC.
OUT OF YOUR MIND: An Intuitive Play Workshop with Alex Russell
Join Alex Russell, improv coach and performer, for an intuitive play workshop designed to get you out of your mind. Wednesday, May 6, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
CURIO COMMONS
Enjoy a restorative Chakra Balancing Experience where you’ll have the opportunity to experience the bene ts of balanced energy centers while learning how to care for your chakras.
Saturday, May 2, 2 p.m.
THE BROOM CLOSET
Community Day Health Fair
Getting Families Together presents Community Day Health Fair, with a Vitalant blood drive, Baptist mobile mammography, and activities for kids, including music. Free. Saturday, May 2, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
INSTITUTE FOR SUCCESS
Free Haircuts
Come get a line up, connect with the community, and step into 2026 looking and feeling your best. Children 18 and under will be prioritized. ursday, April 30, 5-7 p.m.
ORANGE MOUND COMMUNITY GARDEN
Hike-a-Thon
Hike-a- on is a month-long fundraising and adventure competition in April where participants can hike, bike, paddle, climb, and trail run to protect Tennessee’s lands and waters. Free. rough ursday, April 30. ONLINE EVENT
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continued from page 19
Met Gala Watch Party Fashion’s biggest night meets Memphis’ most stylish crowd. $35/general admission. Monday, May 4, 6-9 p.m.
THE MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
Mother’s Day Floating Sound Healing Experience
Enjoy a free healing experience in the water. Bring a bathing suit, swim cap, and beach towel. Friday, May 1, 5-8 p.m.
HICKORY HILL COMMUNITY CENTER
Spring Tram Tours
Enjoy a 20-minute tram tour of the 96-acre garden. New this year, each month will have a special theme centered around the new exhibition
“BLOOM: A Million Shades of Spring.” Thursday, April 30, 10 a.m. | Friday, May 1, 10 a.m. | Saturday, May 2, 10 a.m. | Wednesday, May 6, 10 a.m.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
Stories of Stone
Amanda Zorn explains the symbolism, artistry, and traditions behind these striking memorials and reveal what they can tell us about faith, hope, love, and remembrance. Saturday, May 2, 10 a.m.
ELMWOOD CEMETERY
The 2026 Memphis Bridal Show Games, music, prizes, bridal
Tuesday, May 5, 10:30 a.m.
& GARDENS
Orange Mound Maker Space
vendors, samples, and seminars. Sunday, May 3, 1-5 p.m. AVON ACRES
FAMILY
Kaleidoscope Club
Each week, participants aged 5-9 will enjoy an art or horticulture project that sparks creativity and critical thinking. $8. Wednesday, May 6, 4-5 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Mini Masters
Introduce your little ones to the arts and nature with crafts, movement, and more. $8.
Children and Tweens will have the ability to utilize the Maker Space. STEM equipment includes a 3D printer, Bee-Bots, Makey Makey’s, Sphero Indi’s, Snap Circuits, and Sphero Bolt+’s. Thursday, April 30, 4 p.m.
ORANGE MOUND LIBRARY
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 well-loved favorites. Saturday, May 2, 10:30 a.m.
NOVEL
Story Time: The News
Have the kiddos enjoy a morning dedicated to “The
News”, sharing stories that travel from the printing press to our front doors. Friday, May 1, 10:30 a.m.
MORTON MUSEUM OF COLLIERVILLE
HISTORY
FILM
Cemetery Cinema: Hamilton
This event takes place inside Elmwood Cemetery’s gates. Buy a ticket, bring a lawn chair, and join us in front of the historic 1866 cottage for an outdoor movie night unlike any other. Saturday, May 2, 8:30 p.m.
ELMWOOD CEMETERY
Movie Night - Avengers: End Game
Bring your picnic blankets and folding chairs to enjoy this free and fun evening watching the Avengers: End Game under the stars. Thursday, April 30, 7 p.m.
OVERTON SQUARE
Movie Night in the Park: Superman
Bring the whole family for Movie Night in the Park hosted by Play Your Park. Saturday, May 2, 5:30 p.m.
BINGHAMPTON PARK
Seasonal Stargazing: Memphis Skies
Hop through constellations, learn cool star names, and groove to planetarium space music in this full dome audiovisual experience. Thursday, April 30, 4 p.m. | Friday, May 1, 4 p.m. | Saturday, May 2, 4 p.m. | Sunday, May 3, 4 p.m. .
AUTOZONE DOME PLANETARIUM
Walking with Dinosaurs: Prehistoric Planet
The film follows Pachyrhinosaurus youngsters through the seasons and the challenges of growing up and establishing themselves in this prehistoric world. Thursday, April 30, 1 p.m. | Friday, May 1, 1 p.m. | Saturday, May 2, 1 p.m. |
PHOTO: COURTESY ELLI MORRIS
Author Ellen Morris
Prewitt reads from When We Were Murderous TimeTraveling Women at Novel.
Sunday, May 3, 1 p.m. | Monday, May 4, 1 p.m. | Tuesday, May 5, 1 p.m. | Wednesday, May 6, 1 p.m.
CTI 3D GIANT THEATER
FOOD AND DRINK
Canoes + Cocktails
Enjoy a guided sunset paddle on the lake - followed by specialty cocktails provided by Old Dominick, snacks from Feast & Graze, yard games, and music. 21+. Friday, May 1, 6 p.m.
SHELBY FARMS
Derby Dinner on Stage A night with a lively cocktail reception featuring Derbyinspired touches and classic drinks, along with plenty of opportunities to show off your best hats and bowties before watching the Derby. Saturday, May 2, 5 p.m.
ORPHEUM THEATRE
Dinner & Music Cruise
Come enjoy a two-hour cruise on Ol’ Man River featuring live entertainment (blues & jazz) and a meal. $57.26/general admission. Thursday, April 30, 7-May 3, 7-9:30 p.m. | Wednesday, May 6, 7-9:30 p.m.
MEMPHIS RIVERBOATS
Fashion High Tea
Refined, intimate, and impeccably styled, this high tea is a highlight of Memphis Art and Fashion Week. $125. Wednesday, May 6, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
THE MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
THE DIXON GALLERY
PHOTO: COURTESY NEECOLE GREGORY Children play and have fun during Story Time at the Morton Museum.
Gift of Life Crawfish Boil
Live music by Grassfire Bluegrass Band along with all you can eat crawfish and fixins. All proceeds will be donated to Methodist LeBonheur and its doctors to support their mission.
Friday, May 1, 6 p.m.
LANDERS CENTER
Maeve’s Tavern Four Roses Barrel
Release Rooftop Party
Maeve’s Tavern is getting in on the Four Roses fun. Thursday, April 30, 4:30-7:30 p.m.
MAEVE’S TAVERN
“Papa Bear Trivia” with Shawn Bring your brainpower and your crew for a night of free trivia, testing your knowledge across a variety of topics and competing for bragging rights. Thursday, April 30, 7 p.m.
DRU’S BAR
Sightseeing Cruise
The sightseeing cruise is a 90-minute tour that takes you down the Mighty Mississippi with a live historical commentary. $29.13. Thursday, April 30, 2:30-4 p.m.
MEMPHIS RIVERBOATS
HEALTH AND FITNESS
Bird Walk
Come along with the Memphis Tennessee Ornithological Society for a spring migration walk in the Old Forest. Bring your own binoculars or cameras. Participants are encouraged to download the free birding app Merlin. Thursday, April 30, 7:30-9:30 a.m.
OVERTON PARK
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Great Strides Walk
Course route includes the event stage and lawn, and Hyde Lake Baptist Promenade. Saturday, May 2, 9 a.m.
SHELBY FARMS
Greenway Arboretum Stroll
Activities coordinator Jim Gafford leads a guided hike through the Wolf River Greenway Arboretum. Gather at the Shady Grove trailhead for introductions and instructions regarding the walk. Sunday, May 3, 3 p.m.
WOLF RIVER CONSERVANCY
Mindfulness Walk
This calming forest walk invites you to pause from daily life and reconnect with the natural world around you. Saturday, May 2, 11 a.m.
OVERTON PARK
Taijiquan with Milan Vigil
This Chinese martial art promotes relaxation, improves balance, and provides no-impact aerobic benefits. 16+. Free. Saturday, May 2, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Wednesday Walks
A pleasant stroll through the park can work wonders. Dogs are welcome. Free. Wednesday, May 6, 4 p.m.
OVERTON PARK
Yoga
Enjoy the health benefits of light exercise with instructor Laura Gray McCann. Yoga style adapts to the needs of each group. Free. Thursday, April 30, 6-7 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
LECTURE
Exhibition Lecture: Mary Sims’s Multiplicity
This talk will present an overview of Mary Sim’s life and her artistic practice. Sunday, May 3, 2-3 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Munch and Learn: Motherhood in Art and Music Through the Ages
Dr. Ewelina Boczkowska serves as Assistant Professor of Musicology at U of M. Her research focuses on the intersection of music, trauma, and the fluidity of memory. Wednesday, May 6, noon.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Science Cafe at Overton Park
Talking turtles at this monthly science happy hour. $5/suggested donation. Tuesday, May 5, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
OVERTON PARK GOLF CLUBHOUSE
PERFORMING ARTS
Open Mic: Hosted by Kenny Morningstar
This is a two-hour curated open mic seeking to highlight a diverse range of talent including poets, singers, rappers, beat makers, spoken word artists, and acoustic performers.
Wednesday, May 6, 7:30 p.m.
THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS
Summer Heat
Turn up the temperature at Summer Heat: a sizzling drag show bringing high-energy performances, fierce looks, and all the vibes you need to kick off the season right. Saturday, May 2, 9:30 p.m.
DRU’S BAR
SPECIAL EVENTS
4th Annual S.O. What! Awards and Scholarship Soiree
Join an evening dedicated to honoring resilience, achievement, and meaningful community impact. Saturday, May 2, 5:30 p.m.
RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER
Chalkfest
Step outside and into a world of color at Chalkfest 2026, where sidewalks become masterpieces and creativity knows no bounds. Free. Saturday, May 2, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
THE MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
Petals & Parasols
Celebrate spring in full bloom at a delightful afternoon garden party inspired by the romance and elegance of the Regency era. Free. Sunday, May 3, 1-5 p.m.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
Stars, Stripes, and Stories Tour
Celebrate America’s 250th anniversary and enjoy this guided cemetery walking tour exploring early American and Memphis history. $10. Friday, May 1, 10-11:30 a.m.
ELMWOOD CEMETERY
THEATER
Annie Jr.
St. Mary’s Middle School presents this upbeat musical about resilience, optimism, and finding family. Friday, May 1, 4 p.m. | Friday, May 1, 7 p.m. | Saturday, May 2, 2 p.m.
BUCKMAN ARTS CENTER AT ST. MARY’S SCHOOL
Jesus Christ Superstar
Jesus Christ Superstar tells the story of the last week of Jesus’ life from a different perspective by focusing on the imaginative view of Judas
Iscariot. Saturday, May 2, 8 p.m. | Sunday, May 3, 2 p.m.
PLAYHOUSE ON THE SQUARE
Julius Caesar A true classic from the mind of William Shakespeare with a new twist and an all female cast. Friday, April 17-May 3
GERMANTOWN COMMUNITY THEATRE
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom It’s 1927, and Ma Rainey, the “Mother of the Blues,” is in a rundown Chicago studio recording new versions of her classic hits. Thursday, April 30, 7:30 p.m. | Friday, May 1, 7:30 p.m. | Saturday, May 2, 2 p.m. | Saturday, May 2, 7:30 p.m. | Sunday, May 3, 2 p.m.
HATTILOO THEATRE
Noises Off
Absurd and Comical. A crew of B-list actors rehearses a British bedroom farce to tour small towns across Britain. Thursday, April 30, 7:30 p.m. | Friday, May 1, 7:30 p.m. | Saturday, May 2, 7:30 p.m. | Sunday, May 3, 2 p.m.
THEATRE MEMPHIS
The Fabulous Mrs. Rae
This new drama invites audiences into a world where one forbidden name threatens to expose deception and unravel an entire criminal empire. Friday, May 1, 7:30 p.m. | Saturday, May 2, 2:30 p.m. | Saturday, May 2, 6:30 p.m. | Sunday, May 3, 3 p.m.
THE EVERGREEN THEATRE
ACROSS
1 Series seen on many a planner or pill container
8 “S.N.L.” network
13 Computer security measure
15 Food for some fauna
16 Single-celled organism
18 Simon ___, lead singer of Duran Duran
19 Place to play a board game
20 Decisively indicative questions
22 Nightmares on opening night
23 Caught up to, say
24 Crowd
27 Seasoned smoked beef brisket or pork ribs, e.g.
31 Music festival street in Memphis
32 “The Crucible” locale
33 Pasture
34 Hypotenuse, e.g.
35 Deals in
36 Good name for a wrestler?
37 Penultimate letter
38 Friend for un muchacho
39 Cracker brand
40 Kind of liabilitylimiting stock order
42 Like some antique tableware
43 Go far and wide
44 Binary
45 Popular product of Bremen, Germany, not sold in Germany
49 Hosts, in brief
52 Pyramid, e.g.
53 Something each of this puzzle’s answers begins with
55 Symptom for a car mechanic
56 Like a fishing line after a bite
57 Knight’s need
58 Doesn’t take well
1 “Dirty Harry” org.
2 Bog down
3 Sci-fi film recognized with an Oscar for Technical Achievement 15 years after it was released
4 Painter’s sign
5 Kind of highway
6 Disconcerting
7 Casino draws
8 Cowboys, for example
9 Runs
10 Cookout discards
Bring (out)
They have sliding doors
Hasty getaway
Chocolaty spread since 1964
Big roll
Flag holder
Recipe amts.
“Safe” kind of film?
Rush job?
Powders, in a way
Terrific time
Davis of
Pirouette
PUZZLE BY TRENTON CHARLSON
“WWe Saw You.
hat the Cluck 3” has a lot to crow about. The hot wing team was the $25,000 winner at this year’s World Championship Hot Wing Contest & Festival, which was held April 18th on Riverside Drive.
According to the press release, “Since 2022 there has been an on-going competition called the World Wing Cup Series (WWCS), with participants vying to accumulate the highest total points over a five-year period. This year concluded the final round (5th year) of the WWCS.”
As they say in the henhouse, “Cock-a-doodle-doo!”
Paul Gagliano is the event founder.
PHOTOS: MICHAEL DONAHUE
top row: (left to right) David Binkowitz and Julia Coggins; Keyarash Hatamzadeh and Val Smith
middle left: Ryan, Kates, and Asher Parish below: (left to right) Allie Trotter and Zach Joe; Sarah Jordan and Steven Briggs bottom row: (left to right) James Hanrahan and Cole Forrest; Irfan Sattar; Rochelle Stevens and Paul Gagliano
with michael donahue
Memphis Tattoo Festival moved to a new home this year. Elvis would have been proud. It was held April 10th through 12th at the Graceland Exhibition Center. Previously, the festival was at the Renasant Convention Center. is year’s event featured 200 tattoo artists, says Quinn Hurley, director of operations for the three-day event presented by Tattoo Fest and the Explore Tattoo Conference. “In terms of artists, we had the most artists at this one than we did the past two years,” he says.
PHOTOS: MICHAEL DONAHUE
top row: (le to right) Cam England and Austin Rojas; Reign and Lexie Geeslin
right: (le to right) Abby Reeves and Michael Sizemore; Skyler Jordan and Jaime Ortiz below: (le to right) Bree Hudson and Hailey Holder; Reekhoe Genie; Skyline Johnson bottom le : Tucker Ramey and Christian Hood
FOOD By Michael Donahue
Punching Up Flavors at Graceland
Chef/boxer Mario Torres now oversees seven restaurants.
lvis played a boxer in the 1962 feature lm, Kid Galahad. But Mario Torres, chef and food and beverage director at Elvis Presley Enterprises, is a boxer in real life.
Boxing, like cooking, is a passion, Torres says. He boxes every day when he gets home from work. “It’s my therapy,” he says, adding, “I hit a heavy bag.” And a er a day of preparing his culinary creations, which include “Presley Salad,” “ e King’s Cut” tomahawk steak, and pork belly pork chop, he says boxing “gives me peace.”
Torres wrestles pots and pans in seven Graceland restaurants, including the newest, “ e Showroom at Graceland,” which is in the Guest House at Graceland.
“We have always had a theater at the Guest House. And we continue to show a movie at 7 p.m. every day. If you stay at the Guest House, you watch a movie of Elvis.”
But they repurposed part of the theater for special events, he says. “We removed the rst 20 rows of theater seating and added tables. We’re doing a dinner and a stage show.”
“I see a big culinary movement in Memphis. And it’s going to evolve even more.”
ey launched e Showroom with a so opening on January 1st. “We did a few events for birthday week. And then we did a moonshine dinner with the moonshine partner we have.”
“Moonshine Over Memphis” featured Master Distiller Big Nick Calo’s “Hunka Hunka Burning Love” peanut butter banana moonshine. e six-course menu featured “Elvis-inspired avors,” Torres says.
On April 24th, Torres prepared a bourbon dinner, created around four Old Forrester bourbons: “1870 Original Batch,” “1897 Bottled in Bond,” “1920 Prohibition Style,” and “1910 Old Fine Whiskey.” e menu included bourbon-poached shrimp
with sweet corn puree, peach chimichurri, Tasso ham, and pickled vegetables; buttermilk-fried Muscovy duck with maple biscuit, macaroni and cheese, and bourbon sorghum gastrique; and beef Wellington pot stickers with duxelles and chanterelle mushrooms, demi-glace, and béarnaise sauce.
“I always like to use local ingredients,” Torres says, adding, “I wanted to do something local. We are in Memphis and we are in the South. Nothing says that more to me than a traditional fried chicken dish. I did a twist on that: buttermilk fried duck.”
Instead of a traditional beef tenderloin, Torres used “braised short rib with a nice gravy and mushrooms and demi-glace. Very thick so it (makes it) a comfort dish.”
Dessert was a “deep-fried PB and J.” It was inspired by “Elvis’s favorite” sandwich. “A miniature version of it. It’s a breaded and deep fried chocolate bourbon ganache.”
He’s already preparing for the next special event, which will be a “spirits dinner” on May 23rd. ey’ll partner with Old Dominick Distillery.
Restaurants at Graceland include EP’s Bar & Grill, a “gastro pub;” Minnie Mae’s Sweets, which is an “ice cream parlor;” Vernon’s Smokehouse, a “barbecue restaurant;” and Gladys’ Diner, which features pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken tenders, and fries. “When you walk in there, it’s like you’re walking back to 1959,” Torres says.
Delta’s Kitchen is “upscale Southern cuisine.” Menu items include shrimp and grits, braised short ribs, and a range of steaks, including e King’s Cut — a “32-ounce Tomahawk steak.”
ey change the Delta’s Kitchen menu every year, Torres says. ey keep the popular entrees, but “play with the ingredients to give them a fresher look.” Shrimp and grits, for example, “has probably been transformed three times.”
Torres adds,“I think seven restaurant outlets can be a challenge, but I think I have managed 12 restaurants at once. To me, it’s something I am familiar with. But
it’s still a challenge.” It’s all about developing a strong team, Torres says. “I have built a tremendous team I can count on.”
His hours each day depend on what’s going on. It could be “8 a.m. to 6 p.m. or 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.” On his o days, Torres and his family check out Memphis restaurants. “I love to explore new places,” he says, adding he’s “constantly reading the Memphis Flyer” and other papers “to see what’s new out there, what’s trending, who’s proposing something di erent. I think the culinary landscape in Memphis has evolved into what we see now. And it’s going to evolve even more. I see a big culinary movement in Memphis.”
Torres prefers a taco stand to a ne dining restaurant. “I think some of the street food in Memphis is amazing. I think the food truck landscape in Memphis is amazing.” And, he says, “I am shocked and amazed right now by the Venezuelan street food. I’ve been eating a lot of arepas lately.”
But, Torres says, “If I have to pick my favorite restaurant in the city of Memphis, it would be Amelia Gene’s.” He loves the food. e restaurant, under executive chef
Nat Henssler, features “an adventurous menu” and o ers “the best service,” Torres says, adding that Amelia Gene’s chef de cuisine, Jonathan Lazorov, “used to be my sous chef when I opened Southern Social. It’s amazing to see what he has become.” And then there’s boxing. “I am a boxing enthusiast. I used to actively box when I was younger. I am part of the Central Texas Boxing Commission. I like to travel back to Texas. I sometimes judge a match that’s part of the training camp.”
He still boxes “at times,” but at his age “the energy level is not the same.” But, he says, “I spar with my son every week.” On March 5th, Torres was not behind a range, but in the ring at a competition in Dallas, Texas. “It was a draw,” he says of his match, adding, “I was happy.”
PHOTO: (ABOVE) MICHAEL DONAHUE Mario Torres;
PHOTOS: (BELOW) MARIO TORRES (le to right) crab cake, deviled eggs, pan seared salmon, and shrimp and grits
Symbols of Spring
Light, possibility, and clarity bloom this season.
Spring arrives not with a single moment of transformation, but with a slow unfurling — buds swelling on branches, birdsong returning to the mornings, sunlight stretching a little farther into the evening. Long before calendars and clocks, people understood the world through these signs. Spring’s symbols became a language of renewal, hope, and possibility, and even today, they speak to something deep in us.
You don’t have to follow any particular spiritual path to feel the shi . Spring invites re ection simply by being itself. Its symbols are reminders of how life begins again.
e rst green shoots pushing through cold soil are perhaps the most iconic symbol of spring. ey represent resilience, yes, but also trust. A seed doesn’t know if the frost will return. It grows anyway. Metaphysically, this new growth symbolizes a re-emergence a er rest, the courage to begin again, and the return of our creative energies. In many traditions, early spring is considered a time for setting intentions — not the bold resolutions of January, but gentler, more organic ones. What do you want to grow in your life? What small, tender idea is ready to break the surface like a shoot?
Eggs appear in nearly every spring celebration around the world, and it’s easy to see why. ey are perfect metaphors for potential — life contained, protected, and waiting. e eggs of spring represent possibility, the fertility of ideas, and the fact that transformation happens out of sight. Even the act of decorating eggs, a tradition found in many cultures, can be seen as a way of honoring the beauty of beginnings. We don’t always know what will hatch from our e orts, but spring encourages us to nurture the possibilities anyway.
Rabbits, with their well-known enthusiasm for multiplying, have long been symbols of abundance. Beyond fertility, they also represent quick thinking, adaptability, and the ability to sense subtle shi s in the environment. In a spiritual sense, rabbits remind us to stay alert to opportunity, to move with intuition, and embrace abundance without guilt. Spring isn’t just about starting fresh, it’s about recognizing the richness already present in our lives and allowing it to expand.
When the rst owers appear, such as da odils and cherry blossoms, they do more than brighten the landscape. Flowers embody the idea that beauty is a natural part of growth, not an a erthought. ey embody the energy of
awakening, of self-expression, and the reminder that each season or cycle of our life is eeting. e brief bloom is a reminder that not everything is meant to last. Some things are meant to be appreciated in the moment.
Spring rain has a reputation for being inconvenient, but symbolically, it’s one of the most powerful forces of the season. Rain clears away what’s stagnant and nourishes what’s new. It is o en thought of us as being cleansing, helping to release emotions we don’t need to hang on to and giving us opportunity for renewal. ere’s a reason so many feel the urge to clean, declutter, or reorganize this time of year. Spring invites us to wash away what no longer serves us.
As birds return and begin their morning chorus, they bring with them a symbol of communication and clarity. ey mark territory, attract mates, and celebrate survival a er winter’s hardships. Symbolically, birdsong encourages us to nd our voice, speak our truth, and call in our desires.
Spring’s symbols are everywhere.
Perhaps the most subtle yet powerful symbol of spring is the lengthening of daylight. Light has always been associated with clarity, hope, and awakening. As the days grow longer, many people feel their energy returning, feel more motivated, more inspired, and more connected. Spring’s light doesn’t just brighten the world, it brightens us.
Spring’s symbols are everywhere, woven into the natural world and into our own rhythms. ey remind us that growth is possible, change is natural, and renewal is always within reach. Whether you see these signs as spiritual messages, psychological cues, or simply the poetry of nature, their meaning remains the same: Life is returning, and so are you.
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: TOMOKO UJI | UNSPLASH
May 15 – 17 Suggs Park Collierville
NEWS
OF
THE WEIRD
By
the editors at Andrews McMeel Syndication
Oops
• Australian TV reporter Danika Mason offered an on-air apology on Feb. 19 after her coverage from the Winter Olympics got a little sloppy, CTV News reported. On Feb. 18, Mason reportedly stumbled over several words and wandered off topic (the price of coffee in Italy and iguanas in the United States) before one of her colleagues in the studio blamed the cold climate for her slurring. The next day, Mason said she “totally misjudged a situation. I shouldn’t have had a drink, and especially in these conditions — it’s cold, we’ve got altitude, and not having had dinner probably didn’t help as well. It’s not the standard that I set for myself.”
REGISTER NOW & SAVE!
[CTV, 2/19/2026]
• In Sherman, Texas, pediatric dentist Kelly Buck, 36, was arrested on Feb. 16 after someone contacted police about her practicing dentistry and appearing to be intoxicated, WCAX-TV reported. Buck failed a field sobriety test and was charged with a felony. If convicted, she faces up to two years in prison. [WCAX, 2/17/2026]
The Perks of Being a Dogg
NBC Olympics correspondent Snoop Dogg, 54, visited a gastropub called Cronox in Livigno, Italy, on Feb. 13, indulging in a cheeseburger, chicken wings, nuggets New York Post reported. When it came time to tab out, however, his card was declined. Sofia Valmadre, the restaurant owner’s daughter, said her mother “told him that it was OK [to take the food] without paying,” which Snoop did. But the rapper and Team USA honorary coach paid his debt in spades … or stomps. He gifted the restaurant five tickets to the men’s snowboard halfpipe finals. “Grazie, Snoop!” Valmadre posted , 2/18/2026]
The Tech Revolution
Kaiya Reel of East Hollywood, California, ordered food for delivery, KTLA-TV reported on Feb. 22, but the Coco robot device that brought her dinner ran into some problems (literally). Reel said she was inside her home when she heard a commotion outside; “I came out here and found the Coco in my garden. It had got my fence caught up in its wheel … then just drove away with the fence attached to it,” Reel said. “I chased after it and looked like a total crazy person.” The company that runs the Coco robots is going to reimburse Reel for the damage to her garden; apparently, it’s not Coco’s
first rodeo with deliveries going amok. One ran into an ambulance, and another knocked over a parked motorcycle.
[KTLA, 2/22/2026]
Questionable Judgment
Gregory Saxton, 35, of New Virginia, Iowa, interviewed for a deputy position with the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, which included a pre-employment polygraph screening, KCRG-TV reported on Feb. 23. During the screening, Saxton admitted that he had viewed child pornography on the dark web. On Feb. 19, investigators executed a search warrant for Saxton’s phone, and he was arrested at his home and charged with 13 counts of possessing child pornography. [KCRG, 2/23/2026]
Hero
Reuters reported on Feb. 24 that during the first half of a football match in Zeytinburnu, Turkey, a ball kicked high into the air struck a seagull that happened to be flying by, knocking it to the ground. Istanbul Yurdum Spor team captain Gani Catan rushed to the fallen bird and began CPR on its little chest — which worked! The gull began to move, and Catan took it to the medical staff on the sideline for further care. While his team lost the match, Catan had no regrets. “Helping save a life is a good thing,” he said. “This was more important than the championship.” [Reuters, 2/24/2026]
Mystery Unsolved
The Rockingham (North Carolina) County Sheriff’s Department announced on Feb. 20 that it had located a woman who went missing in Virginia on Dec. 9, 2001, Cleveland19-TV reported. Michele Hundley Smith, now 62, kissed her kids goodnight and left her home to do some Christmas shopping around 8:30 p.m. She was not seen again. Detectives said they had “received new information” about her and made contact with her, but Smith requested that her whereabouts remain a secret. Netflix, are you getting this? [Cleveland19, 2/22/2026]
Send your weird news items with subject line WEIRD NEWS to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): In the 19th century, Aries photographer Eadweard Muybridge (1830–1904) resolved to settle a debate about whether galloping horses ever have all four hooves off the ground. He developed a system to capture rapid sequential images, which ultimately helped lead to the invention of motion pictures. His answer to a narrow technical question opened up an entirely new art form. Moral of the story: Solving a specific problem may create unforeseen revolutions. In the coming weeks, Aries, I invite you to stay alert for how your focused efforts to address one challenge might birth even more significant breakthroughs. Don’t get so fixated on your immediate goal that you miss larger innovations emerging from your work.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): The Navajo practice hózhó means “walking in beauty”: living in balance and harmony with life. But hózhó isn’t a static state you achieve once and possess forever. You must continually restore and reinvent it. I suspect you’re in a phase like that now, Gemini. Too much thinking and not enough feeling? Too much future and not enough present? I recommend you take corrective measures. Start by taking one physical action that grounds you. Have a conversation from the heart instead of the head. Spend an hour not planning the story to come, but simply loving what’s here right now. Refresh your hózhó!
CANCER (June 21-July 22): If a honeybee colony becomes too crowded, scout bees search for potential new hive sites. When they return, they perform waggle dances for their colleagues to convey specific information about different locations. Negotiations ensue. Various possibilities are offered and considered through more dancing. Eventually, the swarm collectively makes a choice and heads out to its new home. Your challenge right now, Cancerian, is to be like a scout bee who facilitates your group’s decision-making process. I invite you to carry out a reconnaissance mission and then perform your waggle dances for your people. Make your case with vigor and precision. Trust the group’s emergent wisdom to make the best decision.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Like all of us, Leo, you have persistent aches from old losses, absences, and wounds. They may seem like permanent burdens you will never be able to shake or transcend. But here’s some very good news: In the coming months, there’s a greater chance than usual that you’ll discover new approaches to healing them. The remedies won’t necessarily be logical or obvious. They may involve you conducting rituals, taking symbolic actions, or ambushing the pain from unexpected angles. Be alert for interventions that may seem too simple or unexpected to work.
By Rob Brezsny
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Your restlessness is building. How much longer will you pretend you don’t sense the pull of bright temptations and appealing sanctuaries? At what moment will you finally stop resisting your urge to slip past the usual boundaries and roam? The astrological omens hint that this pivot is close at hand. In the borderlands of your imagination, a daring journey is already taking shape. Where might it carry you? Here’s my guess: down into the raw, unfiltered depths of the future you secretly dream about.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In fairy tales, when heroes are rewarded for their help and kindness, their gifts are often tools of protection: a cloak that renders them invisible, a magic club that chases off foes, or enchanted shoes that enable them to outrun any threat. In other stories, the reward is meant to deepen the hero’s delight in living: a genie’s lamp, a cauldron that cooks up exquisite food, or a horn that calls forth marvelous companions from the fairy world. I mention this, Libra, because I believe rewards for your past and recent generosity are on their way. If you have any say in what form they take, I suggest you request something from this second, pleasure-giving category.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Poet Marie Howe wrote, “I don’t think we can love anything more intensely than we love a secret.” Many Scorpios feel this way. You understand that mystery is often a joy to be savored. Some truths reveal themselves only to those who summon the patient intelligence to be at peace amidst the confounding riddles. Non-Scorpios may be desperate to leave nothing hidden, but you like to learn from the teasing prickles. You know that some transformations need darkness to carry on their work. Your next assignment: Decide what truth needs more time in the deep before it’s ready to surface.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Diamond is the hardest natural substance, while graphite is soft and slippery. Yet they’re both made of pure carbon. The difference is in their structure. Let’s extrapolate from this fact as we ruminate on your life, Sagittarius. I’m 97-percent certain that you already have everything you need. Maybe you imagine you lack key resources and powers, but from what I can tell, you are well set-up. So I propose that you simply reorganize what’s available to you now. Take the “carbon” of your life and arrange it in new patterns. Your task isn’t further accumulation but reconfiguration.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): My Capricorn grandfather was a master artisan. He told me that the best furniture is built twice: first in the imagination, then
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): May is Free Thinking Month for you Tauruses. It’s also Free Feeling, Free Wheeling, and Free Healing Month. Wow! To observe this festive grace period, indulge in any of the following jubilant acts: 1. Declare your independence from anyone who tries to tell you how you should live your life or who you are. 2. Declare independence from your history, especially recollections that dampen your sense of possibility and old selfimages that impede your yearning to explore. 3. Declare independence from groupthink and conventional wisdom. 4. Declare independence from your former conceptions of freedom so you’ll be free to arrive at fresh understandings of it.
with wood. Let’s apply that theme to you. I believe you have mostly finished the first step of visualizing what you want. Now you’re almost ready to launch the actual work. I’m eager to see the practical effects that will bloom from your detailed fantasies. The rest of the world is excited, too. These days, we all especially need your talent for turning beautiful dreams into vivid realities. You have extra power to inspire us to convert our idealistic notions into dynamic actions.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): I invite you to imagine a time in the past when you were almost perfectly content. Visualize that magical confluence of satisfying feelings. Where were you? Who was or wasn’t there? What could you see, hear, smell, and feel in your body? What made that moment so right? Next step: Make a vow to rebuild as many of those conditions as you realistically can over the next three weeks. Maybe you can’t recreate the exact scene, but you can approximate its essence.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): The astrological factors now in effect are tending to generate useful and valuable cosmic jokes. I believe they may be disruptive and catalytic in helpful ways. In this spirit, I offer you the following affirmations, borrowed from internet memes: 1. “You may call me ‘melodramatic.’ I describe myself as a ‘creative problemsolver with flair and panache.’” 2. “I’m not overthinking; I’m overriding simplistic answers that hide the real truths.” 3. “You shouldn’t think of me as chaotic; the fact is that I’m generously non-linear.” 4. “I have a solid plan, but it’s always evolving to keep up with reality’s crazy insistence on ceaseless change.” 5. “Please dismantle your low expectations; I need ample room to exceed them.” 6. “I trust my instincts; they have often been wrong in interesting ways.”
FILM By Chris McCoy
At What Cost Fame?
Anne Hathaway is a diva possessed by demons in Mother Mary
On the second weekend of this year’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, headliner Sabrina Carpenter brought out a special guest, Madonna, who performed her 1990 dance oor anthem “Vogue.” Released in 1990, at the height of both Madonna’s fame and her artistic powers, the song’s video by future super-director David Fincher was inescapable on MTV. In the crowd at Coachella, people who weren’t even born until the 21st century knew how to vogue, largely because Madonna had elevated the dance form from the drag and gay clubs of Downtown New York into the pop culture spotlight. Carpenter and Madonna then duetted on their new song “Bring Your Love,” which will appear on Madonna’s upcoming album, her rst in 20 years.
From Beyoncé to Lady Gaga to Taylor Swi , we live in a pop music era that Madonna built. Her vision of the total pop star, who controlled not only her music but also her ever-changing visual aesthetic and borderline scandalous public image, has become a template for those who came a er her. Carpenter sharing her shot on the world’s biggest stage with the Material Girl is meant to be her coronation as the next great female pop idol. But where does that ruthless Blonde Ambition to be the most-known and most-loved woman in the world ultimately lead?
Madonna, who has lived her life in public since she was a teenager, seems well-suited to nonstop scrutiny. Even when harrowingly personal details about her ill-fated relationship with Sean Penn were revealed in the ravenous tabloid press, you didn’t see a crack in her well-cra ed facade. Lady Gaga, on the other hand, has been open about her mental health struggles with the alienation and demonization that happens when you get everything you’ve ever wanted.
at’s what David Lowery’s new lm Mother Mary is about, albeit in a roundabout way. We rst meet the titular pop star, played by Anne Hathaway, doing what she does best onstage in front of 18,000 rapturous fans who wave their cellphone lights in the darkness beyond the oodlights. “ is song is cursed,” she says, before stepping backwards o a raised platform and falling into her audience. Years later, a er recovering from her injuries, Mother Mary is plotting a comeback. at means a whole new wardrobe. But while she’s being tted for the dress to wear when it’s time to sing the greatest song of all time, she has a bit of a meltdown. She throws o the bold new take on her trademark halo and runs screaming from the building, straight to the airport
Anne
where she ies to London. ere, in the mossy British countryside, she barges into a farmhouse which is now the headquarters and home of fashion designer Sam Anselm (Michaela Coel). She brushes past Sam’s harried assistant (Hunter Schafer) and demands to see the boss. ey’re good friends — or at least they used to be.
Sam, it turns out, was the creative force behind Mary’s meteoric rise to fame. Mary’s ever-present halo headdress was her idea. But a er years of erotically charged collaboration, Mary ghosted Sam without even having the guts to re/break up with her in person. Now, the halos Mary wears make her head hurt, because, Sam says, they’re too heavy.
Sam recovered from her heartbreak, and built her own fashion empire. She remains in erce control of every detail of her life. Mary went on to untold heights of fame, but she wears a harried, haunted look. A er much begging, Sam agrees to make Mary a dress. When she asks what it should look like, Mary says “me.” All of the shows and adulation, being everything to everybody, have taken their toll. Now, the diva has forgotten who she was, and what about her made her so irresistible.
But it’s much weirder than that. When Sam relates a dream about a red oating ghost, Mary is taken aback. She has seen the same ghost many times — in fact, she believes it possesses her. It all began when
she and her loyal crew of backup dancers got involved in a drug-fueled a er-show seance with a super-fan named Imogen (FKA Twigs), who stabbed Mary in the hand with shears and invited the red ghost in. Mary holes up in Sam’s private studio, a dusty, converted barn, to try and literally exorcise her demons.
e pleasures of Mother Mary are all sensual and visceral. It carries the same visual air as some of David Lowery’s best work, such as the longingly eerie A Ghost Story and the impressionistic Arthurian tale e Green Knight. e ghost’s rst appearance in Sam’s dream landscape is particularly striking. Lowery’s inventive, noir-tinged lighting highlights every graceful curve of Coel’s face. Hathaway is fully committed to the role of the aging pop star who no longer knows the person
she sees in the mirror. e cra smanship is impeccable, but I came away from Mother Mary feeling cold. e supernatural confrontation between two former soulmates zzles out, as the movie spins its wheels. Sure, there’s lots of impressively staged eye candy, and the couture is pretty stunning, but a er yet another close-up of billowing fabric, you start to think maybe this isn’t going anywhere. e drastic tonal shi s make it seem like the director lost interest in making a psychological portrait of fame and decided to make it a ghost story. Lowery was shooting for alchemy, but what he ended up with is a sprawling mess.
Mother Mary
Now playing
Multiple locations
PHOTO: COURTESY A24
Hathaway and Michaela Coel star in David Lowery’s Mother Mary
Our critic picks the best films in theaters.
The Devil Wears Prada 2
Twenty years after the original was a runaway hit, and made Anne Hathaway a household name, the cast of Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci returns to wreak havoc on both the fashion industry and their mental health. Hathaway’s Andy Sachs has graduated from the beleaguered assistant to Streep’s Miranda and is now a beleaguered journalist for Runway magazine assigned to cover her old boss.
Michael
The life of Michael Jackson has been adapted into what may become the most popular musical biopic of all time. Michael’s cousin Jaafar Jackson portrays the King of Pop through childhood, where he
was groomed by his father Joe (Colman Domingo) to be the adorable lead singer of the Jackson 5 through his meteoric solo career, which made him the biggest star in the world in the 1980s. Don’t go looking for mentions of the child sexual abuse allegations that dogged his final years, though. The Jackson estate had them removed.
That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime: Tears of the Azure Sea Demon lord Rimura Tempest (voiced by Miho Okasaki) is on a beach vacation when he meets Yura (Saori Ōnishi), the high priestess of an undersea kingdom being destroyed by pollution from the human world above. I know nothing about the anime series that spawned this feature film, but how could I not recommend it based on the all-time great title alone?
Thursday, June 11, 2026 at 7:30 a.m. at Memphis Botanic Garden Hardin Hall
750 Cherry Road • Memphis, TN 38117
Memphis is home to an incredible community of talented and inspiring executives. These exceptional leaders are setting new standards of success across industries.
Join us on Thursday, June 11, 2026, as we honor the following distinguished leaders:
• Kevin Sharp of Dixon Gallery & Gardens
• Lindsey D. Rhea of Alia Wealth Partners
• Matt Thompson of Memphis Zoo
• Osi Imomoh of Southland Casino
Celebrate their impact, leadership, and commitment to excellence.
The presenting sponsors of CEO of the Year is Enaiblr Engineering Intelligence.
Tickets are available for purchase for $30 per person and include breakfast.
Tables of 10 are available for $300. Doors open at 7:30 a.m., and the program will begin promptly at 8 a.m.
Purchase your tickets today at bit.ly/4vDlRAl
EMPLOYMENT
MANAGER LABORATORY, VALERO REFINING COMPANY-TENNESSEE L.L.C., Memphis, TN - Manage laboratory resources to assure the quality, integrity, continuity, and proper dispersion of analytical data generated by the laboratory personnel. Must have a Bachelor’s degree (or higher) or foreign degree equivalent in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering, and a minimum of ten (10) years of laboratory testing experience, including hands-on experience with instrumentation, test material, wet test methods, and ASTM testing processes. Mail resumes to Jessica Leyva (BA), One Valero Way, San Antonio, Texas 78249, or apply online at www.valero.com.
SENIOR ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER, VALERO REFINING COMPANYTENNESSEE L.L.C., MEMPHIS, TN - Ensures the refinery complies with the Environmental Protection Agency’s rules and regulations.
Must have a Bachelor’s degree (or higher) or foreign degree equivalent in Chemical Engineering, or a related science field, and a minimum of five (5) years of Environmental Chemistry/Engineering experience. Master’s or higher-level degree in Engineering or a related science field preferred. Mail resumes to Jessica Leyva (KY), One Valero
THE LAST WORD By Gracie Driver
A Perfect Memphis Saturday
How would you introduce the city to an out-of-towner?
It all started in Ireland. A band of community college students from all over Tennessee signed up to study abroad for three weeks. We were all complete strangers when we le America, and by the time we had touched back down, I had made my best friend. ankfully, she lived only a couple of hours away from Memphis. With half the summer still up for grabs, we knew we wanted to see each other’s towns at least once.
A er we settled on a Saturday for her to visit, it got me thinking: What is my perfect Saturday? I could write a book about all the places to visit in Memphis, but eventually I focused on the places I keep coming back to as a local. She fell in love with Memphis so hard that a couple of years later, she became a resident. Here are all my top spots to prepare you for the next time a friend or family member stops by.
e Cooper-Young Farmers Market is the only way to start now that the weather is warming up. On the side of First Congregational Church, you’ll nd rows and rows of vendors making everything from hand-painted mugs to creamsicle- lled cru ns. O en, I’ll nd an ingredient I’m not familiar with and challenge myself to create something. is week was bright-green lemon balm. Farmers are always eager to help explain what something is and even o er ideas for how to prepare it. ey recommended tea, and I instantly envisioned it iced with lime juice and homemade strawberry syrup. A halfcarton of strawberries in the back of my fridge was relieved to nally have a purpose, combined with sugar.
Summer is a popular time to be part of the farmers market culture. Who can deny a juicy heirloom tomato? But please don’t skip out on the spring season produce either. Along with the lemon balm, I also got fresh chives with purple owers still on the tops, a big bag of fresh spinach, pecans, carrots, and beeswax candles. e bouquets of poppies alone are enough reason to go, but seeing the community get together on a warm day can’t be beat.
If you turn the corner at the front of the church and walk straight for about three minutes down Cooper Street, you’ll nd Burke’s Book Store. is charming family-owned business has a massive selection of books and a whimsical atmosphere. What makes this place truly unique is what you’ll nd while ipping through the pages. Each book has been lovingly owned by another, and you’d be surprised how creative people will get with bookmarks. I’ve found notes, letters, business cards, photos, and once I even discovered a recipe for salted chocolate shortbread in a Jane Austen book that turned out to be some of the best cookies I’ve made in a while.
Somehow, I always nd myself at Lulu’s Café a er lling my tote bag full of goodies. Although I’m not vegan, I am a fan of homemade chili crisp, sourdough bread, and amazing co ee. Everything is made from scratch, and it’s only about ve minutes from the market. Get a sweet treat and ca einated bevvy and enjoy the creative space with your company. I recommend either a brown sugar maple cappuccino or the Aquarius latte, which is scented with lavender, orange, and sage. is unique syrup combination became so popular they started selling it by the bottle.
e Dixon Gallery is next. Free admission is reason enough to stop by, but it’s hard not to fall in love with the beautiful gardens full of spring-blooming plants and a full art gallery at the heart of the garden. ey organize up to 10 exhibitions every year and even host art programs for seniors and kids.
By this point, you’ll be more than ready for lunch.
Grey’s Fine Cheeses has ve handcra ed sandwiches, each with a careful blend of cheese (this is the one time a grilled cheese won’t be the boring choice). eir cheesemongers always have a recommendation for you to bring home and incorporate into your own cooking. If you walk in knowing little about cheese or you want to try something new, they can pair what you like with a cheese worth trying. I got a jar of feta marinated in thyme, peppercorns, and garlic olive oil. e intense salty taste and velvety smooth texture was like nothing I’ve ever had. is could easily be crushed with a loaf of crusty bread, but I ended up roasting carrots for dinner with honey and topping them with the cheese and pecans. I also can’t promise this, but if you sit by the bar, you may nd yourself eating free cheese samples while the sta crack open new wheels.
Memphis is home to some of the most creative souls I’ve seen. One of the great joys of writing for this city is getting to speak with them about their businesses and dreams for this town, and you can see the passion transforming Memphis. I hope this guide is your gateway to exploring all that it has to o er.
Gracie Driver is a Flyer editorial intern and incoming senior at University of Memphis.
PHOTOS: GRACIE DRIVER (above) Browse the shelves at Burke’s Book Store; (le ) a farmers market haul
