All roads lead to Memphis for the RiverBeat Music Festival.
PHOTO: LAURA CARBONE
Papa Knows Best And Willie Robertson is endorsing Papa’s Pimento Cheese.
PHOTO: COURTESY TREY JORDAN This Year’s Numerology
PHOTO: IRINAYERYOMINA | DREAMSTIME.COM
THE fly-by
MEM ernet
Memphis on the internet.
CLAYBORN TEMPLE
Clayborn Temple was lost to ames Sunday. e church was a civil rights landmark undergoing a multi-milliondollar renovation. e cause of the re was not yet shared with the public as of press time.
HE DID IT
Comedian Benny Elbows broke the world record for longest stand-up comedy show at the Hi Tone last weekend. He started close to 6 a.m. last Friday and told jokes for 40-plus hours, ending his show a er 10 p.m. last Saturday. Sunday night, Elbows said on Facebook, “I’m awake and I went to Costco.”
ZOOM OVER THE ZOO
e Memphis Zoo’s new Zoomaz-
ing Race: Predator vs. Predator, a thrilling dual zip line ride, opened last weekend.
“Like many leading zoos across the country, we are evolving to o er dynamic experiences that appeal to all types of guests, from wildlife enthusiasts to thrill seekers,” the zoo said in an Instagram post.
A single ride is $10 but rides are also available in certain ticket and membership packages.
{WEEK THAT WAS
By Flyer staff
Questions, Answers + Attitude
Edited by Toby Sells
Wetlands, School Board, & Parking
Lawmakers remove protections, “takeover” on hold, and some Downtown garages are now $5.
WETLANDS BILL
A bill that would remove 80 percent of Tennessee’s non-federally protected wetlands was headed to Governor Bill Lee’s desk Monday a er approval from the Tennessee General Assembly.
e bill’s West Tennessee Republican sponsors — Representative Kevin Vaughan (R-Memphis) and Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) — said the legislation removes onerous and seemingly subjective mitigation requirements for landowners and developers.
Environmental advocates and scientists said the legislation paves the way for the destruction of Tennessee’s natural resources.
Representative Mark White, a Shelby County Republican, said he will pursue a measure enabling the state to take over administration of Memphis-Shelby County Schools in 2026.
CITY SCAMMERS GUILTY
Two Texas men were found guilty last week of scamming the city of Memphis out of nearly $774,000 in 2022.
A federal jury found Stanley Anyanwu, 41, and Vitalis Anyanwu, 42, guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
e city fell victim to a business email compromise scam causing a legitimate payment of $773,695.45 to go not to the intended contractor recipient but to a bank account controlled by a sophisticated fraud conspiracy.
SCHOOL BOARD TAKEOVER ON HOLD
e sponsor of legislation criticized as a “takeover” of Memphis-Shelby County Schools said last week the bill is on hold until 2026.
Representative Mark White (R-Memphis), chairman of the House Finance Committee, said House and Senate versions approved earlier in the day were too far apart for passage.
e Tennessee General Assembly adjourned for the year last week without taking further action on the bills.
One of the key sticking points was that the Senate bill was amended to enable an advisory board to select replacements for elected Memphis board members removed by the state, a provision considered unconstitutional. It di ered from the House version.
White said he wants a “strong oversight board” and that
a compromise would weaken the measure. He declined to have competing House and Senate measures sent to a conference committee to work out a compromise.
TRUMP TEARS LAW FIRM FROM TBA
A Memphis law rm le the Tennessee Bar Association (TBA) last week a er the rm said the group had “voted to remain silent” on President Donald Trump’s actions to erode the rule of law and an independent judiciary.
Donati Law ended more than 40 years of membership with TBA last Tuesday in a letter made public on Facebook last Wednesday. e Midtown law rm focuses on employment law, personal injury, and criminal defense, according to its website.
CHEAPER PARKING DOWNTOWN
Parking rates were cut at 10 Downtown parking garage last week for certain times and days.
rough a partnership with Premium Parking the Downtown Memphis Commission (DMC) is o ering a $5 rate available Sunday through ursday for three hours. According to the DMC, this promotion will be available throughout the spring and summer. From now until May 31st, the rate is applicable from 5 to 9 p.m. From June 1st through August 31st, visitors can access the rate from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the same days.
Tennessee Lookout contributed to this report.
Visit the News Blog at memphis yer.com for fuller versions of these stories and more local news.
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THEIR SHARE OF OVER $750,000
Fired Up { CITY
REPORTER
By Kailynn Johnson
Shelby County Health Department hosts public meeting on Elon Musk’s polluting supercomputer.
Memphis residents and elected o cials gathered to voice their opinions on xAI during last Friday’s public hearing hosted by the Shelby County Health Department (SCHD). e hearing, held at Fairley High School, was to discuss xAI’s gas turbine permit.
In early April, the Shelby County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution for the department to host a public hearing prior to the approval or denial of the permit submitted by CTC Property LLC, an a liate of xAI.
e permit is for the 15 permanent turbines for the South Memphis facility, which has drawn criticism from environmental groups and citizens alike. An April 9th letter from the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) to Michelle Taylor, director and health o cer for the Shelby County Health Department, said the organization obtained aerial images in March that showed xAI had 35 gas turbines.
“Our analysis shows these turbines together have a power generating capacity of 421 megawatts — comparable to an entire TVA [Tennessee Valley Authority]
power plant — all constructed and operating unlawfully without any air permit in Southwest Memphis, a community that is profoundly overburdened with industrial pollution,” SELC said. e turbines have been linked to emitting an estimated 16.7 tons of formaldehyde.
Prior to the hearing, Representative Justin J. Pearson held a press conference urging citizens to be “ red up against the richest man in the room. … is is how we change the course of history,” he said.
“ is is how we ght those who say we don’t have power. We show up as Black folk and white folk, as folks from South Memphis and North Memphis, and East Memphis, Downtown, and Midtown, saying what is happening to those in 38109 is happening to all of us.”
Aside from environmental and community activists, representatives of the Greater Memphis Chamber were present at last Friday’s meeting. e o cials had hosted a webinar days before to address concerns about transparency, water usage, and the turbines.
SCHD’s Taylor told Friday’s audience the purpose of the hearing was to record
and hear concerns and comments about the air permit. “What we’re seeking to do today, in addition to getting your comments, is educate the public on the environmental impacts to our communities and encourage all of our elected o cials to involve the public in decision making every single time,” Taylor said. “Our community deserves to be educated from a place of truth.”
Prior to opening the comment period, xAI representative Brent Mayo gave a statement but could not be heard over the audience’s booing. “We don’t want you here!” an audience member said.
Commenters, such as KeShaun Pearson, executive director of Memphis Community Against Pollution, criticized o cials for not doing enough to protect citizens and praised SELC for their work in providing information.
“It’s time we tell the truth about what political abandonment looks like,” Pearson said. “ e truth is there is no support coming from our public institutions who are here to protect us.”
Kelsey Huse, a master’s student
Last Friday’s public hearing was to discuss xAI’s gas turbine permit.
studying city planning at the University of Memphis, noted she’d been told she shouldn’t care about pollution in South Memphis but rather crime.
“I’m here to tell you how caring about air pollution is caring about crime,” Huse said. “ ere are many reasons to be against these turbines, but on the subject of air quality it cannot be disconnected from crime.” Huse cited a study from the University of California-Davis that found wind direction could a ect irritability and potentially lead to “poor decision-making.”
Glenda Hicks noted South Memphis communities like Boxtown have consistently been disenfranchised. “We care about lives,” Hicks said. “I care about my people, and if you, the representatives, care about the people of Memphis, do the right thing: Deny this permit. Elon Musk — we do not want him in Memphis.”
EACH OTHER
There’s incredible power when we come together. More than one-third of our community is at higher risk of life-threatening conditions due to obesity. Whether you want to lose some extra weight, try healthier recipes or live a more active lifestyle, Healthier 901 is here to help. Join us in the 1,000,000-pound challenge and help build a healthier Mid-South. Download our free wellness app to track your progress, find events, access discounts and more – all at no cost.
PHOTO: WARD ARCHER
The Hot Tamale Capital of the World invites you to enjoy an eclectic collection of events and entertaining stops.
» MAY « Mississippi Wildlife Heritage Festival, including Frog Fest and Leland Craw sh Festival LelandChamber.com
Future Tour Golf Championship
» JUNE « Delta Soul & Celebrity Golf Event facebook.com/DeltaSoulGolf
Lake Washington’s “Straight O The Lake” Music Festival
» AUGUST « MS Delta Duck Boat Races at Lake Washington
» SEPTEMBER « Delta Blues & Heritage Festival deltabluesms.org
Gumbo Nationals greenvillespeedway.net
Sam Chatmon Blues Fest facebook.com/SamChatmonBlues
Stephone Hughes Old Time Gospel Fest
» OCTOBER « Delta Hot Tamale Fest facebook.com/ DeltaHotTamaleFestival
Highway 61 Blues Festival highway61blues.com
Monuments on Main Street Historic Greenville Cemetery Tour facebook.com/Monuments-on-Main-Street
YMCA Cotton Classic 10K/5K Run racesonline.com/ymca-cotton-classic
» NOVEMBER « Roll’n on the River Car Show facebook.com/redwinecarshow
» DECEMBER « Christmas on Deer Creek LelandChamber.com
POLITICS By Jackson Baker
A Tragic Loss
Clayborn Temple, a landmark site of dreams and holy missions, is destroyed.
As I do every morning, I checked my phone on Monday for early-morning messages and overnight news. To say I was shocked by one piece of news would be an understatement. e venerable Clayborn Temple, where we then-serving members of the Rotary Club of Memphis shi ed our weekly meetings for the run-up year to the 2018 MLK commemoration, was gone, consumed by re. e sense of devastation and irredeemable loss was widely shared. One of those reacting was Anasa Troutman, the founder and executive director of Historic Clayborn Temple and founder and CEO of e Big We. Here is an excerpt from a statement she issued: “Early this morning, our beloved Historic Clayborn Temple — a sacred landmark in our city and our nation — su ered a devastating loss due to a re. Our hearts are heavy with grief. For decades, Clayborn and the iconic I AM A MAN signs born in its basement have stood as an international beacon of resilience, faith, and the work to build beloved communities. It is a living testament of our past sacri ces and our future hope.
local architectural treasure on the National Register of Historic Places. Earlier this year [again, in 2017], the temple received additional national recognition from the National Park Service for its historical importance as the central meeting place for the sanitation workers during their strike that took place in February through April of 1968.
“Located at the northeast corner of Hernando and Pontotoc, the temple sits just south of the FedExForum. Second Presbyterian Church constructed the building in 1893. ‘When it rst opened, it was the largest church building in America south of the Ohio River,’ explained Rob ompson, with Clayborn Reborn, a nonpro t group then working on Clayborn Temple’s restoration.
“As the Memphis city limits moved eastward in the 1930s and 1940s, so did the church’s congregation. When Second
“Clayborn’s true spirit was never in the walls alone. It lives in us. Even as we mourn, we must remember: Resilience is our birthright, but so is the space to grieve. Our ancestors endured, grieved, rebuilt, and transcended unimaginable losses. We will do the same.”
Troutman’s statement is followed here by another, recovered from a time of hope, this one including excerpts from a press release written by me in 2017 for the Rotary Club’s imminent venture to inhabit the church, then undergoing restoration, for a season of remembrance and resolve. It explains much about both the club’s purpose and the importance, bordering on sacred, of the venue:
Presbyterian decided to move to its present location in east Memphis, it sold the building in 1949 to the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church. e new congregation then renamed the building a er their bishop, Jim Clayborn.
With the MLK commemoration then only months away, Arthur Oliver, Rotary’s then-president, explained: “Our move is meant to help bring attention to the historical importance that Clayborn Temple played in the Civil Rights Movement as our city approaches the 50th anniversary of the sanitation workers’ strike in April.” at vintage press release continues: “At 124 years old [now 131 years old], Clayborn Temple is already listed as a
“During the 1960s, Clayborn Temple continued as a house of worship for its congregation but it also began to serve as an important central meeting place for the Civil Rights Movement. But it was during the Memphis sanitation workers’ strike that Clayborn earned its recognition as a place of national signi cance for the part it played as the headquarters for the striking sanitation workers and their supporters and as a starting point for the strikers to assemble before their solidarity marches. Dr. Martin Luther King visited the temple on multiple occasions during the strike, and it was at Clayborn that the ‘I AM A MAN’ signs were indeed rst distributed.” is week’s catastrophe may have gutted the structure, but the spirit housed within survives and the work continues.
PHOTO: JACK BOUCHER, PUBLIC DOMAIN, VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Clayborn Temple in 1974
By Bruce VanWyngarden
A Toenail Is Better
Learning
“‘Stink for a dime’ is an idiom that means to be extremely bad, unpleasant, or worthless. It’s o en used to describe something that is so poor in quality or value that it’s not even worth the low cost of a dime.”
Who among us has not fallen back on that popular saying, “stink for a dime”? It comes in handy now and then, right? What? You’ve never heard anyone say that? Well … okay, you got me. No one ever says that. My friend and former Flyer colleague Chris Davis made it up, along with several other original “idioms,” including “A toenail is better,” “Too foggy to fart,” and “All nines and 14s.”
Davis decided to challenge Google’s AI capabilities by typing random phrases in the search bar and asking what they meant. Like an unprepared seventh-grader called out in class by his teacher, Google’s AI just started, well, making up total crap.
Take AI’s response to another of Davis’ invented idioms — “All nines and 14s” — which according to Google’s AI, is “a common expression used to describe a situation where all the digits or a percentage are either 9 or 14. It’s most commonly used in the context of high availability and reliability.” What? A toenail is better!
Imagine relying on this resource to do research or to write a term paper. Unfortunately, it’s being done all the time. Recently, I had a conversation with an Ole Miss professor who told me it’s an endemic practice among students, most of whom soon find out that their professors are easily able to catch them at it. There’s too much “AI slop.”
What’s AI slop? Funny you should ask. I typed that phrase into Google’s search bar and got this: “AI slop is essentially mass-produced, low-quality content that oods online spaces like social media, blogs, and search results. It o en lacks substance, is generic or repetitive, and may not be harmful but is of little value. In essence, ‘AI slop’ highlights the potential downsides of relying on AI for content creation, particularly when speed and quantity are prioritized over quality and purpose.” In other words, it’s too foggy to fart. Even so, it’s projected that $644 billion will be spent globally in 2025 to further develop arti cial intelligence technologies. Companies such Meta,
Amazon, Alphabet, Microso , Google, and xAI are in a frantic race to build and expand AI data centers and infrastructure.
Here in Memphis, Elon Musk’s Colossus AI development is using unpermitted gas turbines with little to no pushback from local authorities. And it’s not just in Memphis. Similar construction projects from other AI developers are stressing water resources and power grids all around the planet.
So what is the ultimate prize in this expensive and environmentally destructive contest? Why are companies spending such enormous amounts of money on AI development? AI systems are designed to analyze data, identify patterns, and automate processes, the aim being to create intelligence that can adapt and learn from its environment, much like humans. But where’s the pro t going to come from? None of these companies are developing AI for altruistic reasons.
As AI currently exists, it can automate certain tasks and processes and automate customer service (whether the latter is “progress” is debatable), manage inventory, and even drive vehicles. Google says AI has also been useful in the elds of medicine, engineering, and materials science. But costs still far outweigh pro ts for AI developers.
Some analysts say the big payo could potentially come from AGI (arti cial general intelligence), a still-hypothetical evolution of AI that would have human-level cognitive abilities, allowing it to solve problems in a wide range of domains without speci c training and adapt to new situations and contexts — presumably without making up crap, which is what happens now when AI encounters a problem for which it hasn’t been “trained.”
Musk calls his xAI chatbot “Grok,” a term coined by Robert Heinlein in his 1961 novel, Stranger in a Strange Land It’s from a mythical Martian language and means to “empathize or communicate sympathetically.” Which is ironic, since Musk recently said that “the fundamental weakness of Western civilization is empathy,” while likening Social Security to a “Ponzi scheme.” at’s also a term some critics have used to describe the burgeoning investments in AI. If you ask me, it all sounds like it might stink for a dime.
PHOTO: SPIROVIEW INC. | DREAMSTIME.COM
Rhythm River on the
ALL ROADS LEAD TO MEMPHIS FOR THE RIVERBEAT MUSIC FESTIVAL.
COVER STORY
By Alex Greene
There are music festivals, and then there are Memphis music festivals. When artists big or small hear that the Blu City is calling, it hits di erently: e history here calls them as much as the prospect of playing to huge Mid-South crowds. And it’s striking just how many global artists have ties to this little corner of Tennessee, either through family or the city’s champion musicians playing in their bands — or simply a love of (sampling?) the city’s music. at’s especially true for the RiverBeat Music Festival, happening from this Friday, May 2nd, through Sunday, May 4th, at Tom Lee Park. While it’s featuring headliners Missy Elliott, e Killers, and Anderson .Paak & the Free Nationals, the fest always starts with record numbers of local acts right out of the gate, built on a foundation of Memphis musicianship regardless of the marquee names. at’s
especially true in the festival’s second year. Nearly 30 of the scheduled artists are local (and that’s not even counting all the students at the School of Rock).
But some of RiverBeat’s national touring acts not normally associated with the Blu City also have strong ties here — none of them bigger than the hip-hop legends who rst called on us to “Fight the Power,” who’ll be playing the prime time slot on Saturday night some 40 years a er they started.
Public Enemy
It may seem absurd to associate the quintessential New York rappers of righteousness with Memphis, but it’s a deep connection that Public Enemy’s cofounder, Chuck D, is quick to point out. “I got roots in Memphis,” he says. “You know — with Stax. And I got roots in Memphis with Sun. I’m very knowledgeable about it, and Memphis has been great to me back in my past. You know, it’s like I had another lifetime in the Mid-South. Every time I step on that blu , I mean, I feel like I’m like a cousin.”
He goes on to explain the city’s unique evolution as a distribution center and hub. “I’m a historian, and whenever you take geography and history away from a people, then you’ve got slavery all over again. So when I went into Memphis, I knew where I was going. I knew the history. I knew the history of the music, and I ended up learning even more. e music changed the world, from Beale Street down to Stax on McLemore, Sun Records with Sam Phillips and Elvis. My knowledge and appreciation and research is thorough and just doesn’t talk out of the side of my face, o the top of my head. It’s always with all due respect of my time in Memphis. My heroes are in Memphis.”
Astute readers will note that even Elvis Presley gets some respect, though Chuck D brought the King down a notch when he rapped that “he didn’t mean shit to me” in 1988’s “Fight the Power” — one of that era’s boldest lyrical moments.
“‘Fight the Power’ was a record that was made for the movie Do the Right ing, which talked about the disparity of heroes. So therefore, in a half-joking type of way,
in the third verse, I knock out American heroes like Elvis Presley and John Wayne, to say, like, ‘Hey, what the fuck? Move over,’ you know? I say, if you want to battle me on that, let’s battle. Once you’re going to rap and battle, make sure your words mean something.
“ ese were moving battles related to the lm. How come there ain’t no brothers on the wall? If you never saw the movie, then you’re gonna miss the point of the third verse, where I talk about Elvis. One of the things that the song talks about is like, ‘Okay, no more than Elvis. No more than John Wayne.’ We’ve had other heroes, especially in Memphis. Sun Records starts out with a Black roster with Sam Phillips. What? I mean, what does the average person know until they learn some of these things? ey need to teach the culture in the school systems. And that’s a beautiful thing about going over to the Stax [Music] Academy, which I intend to visit. ose are my people over there, and a big up and salute to Ms. Deanie Parker, as always. And my people over at Sun. I was over at Sun one time with some
PHOTO: SANJAY SUCHAK Public Enemy
engineers — and Rufus omas. Also a big up to Boo Mitchell over at Royal.” e rapper celebrates some of these Memphis icons in his latest “naphic grovel” (a play on “graphic novel”), Inter cial ARTelligence: e Moments at Met Me on Akashic Books, in which he illustrates his encounter with several Stax legends during a panel discussion of the Wattstax lm. “I’m part of the newer generation speaking up for them,” he writes.
It turns out that Chuck D admires some lesser-known hometown luminaries as well, including the rapper/producer Memphis Jelks, who’s announced that he’ll be making a cameo with the group this Saturday, and local bassist/guitarist Khari Wynn, who’s worked with Public Enemy since 2001. “ ere’s nothing like Khari Wynn,” says Chuck D. “He was our band leader for 20 years! And he still works on sessions. He plays on Public Enemy records when he’s called up and plays guitar on many songs, and has written a few songs.
“We moved away from the band concept when DJ Lord went to Cypress Hill and Khari went back home to
continued on page 12
PHOTO (ABOVE): CASSILYN ANDERSON Cage the Elephant
PHOTO (BELOW): LAURA CARBONE Bobby Rush
continued from page 11
Memphis,” Chuck D explains, “and now we have a more DJ-oriented sort of combination, but Khari’s been doing great things with his band in Memphis.”
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When I speak to Wynn, who typically plays bass in (full disclosure) a band we’re both in, I ask him about his guitar work. “I kind of bounce back and forth between bass and guitar,” he says. “Most of the time I play bass, but I did do a lot of guitar work with Energy Disciples [another band Wynn founded]. And there’s actually an Energy Disciples record that Chuck added spoken word to, a track called ‘Eternity’s Promise.’”
Asked if Wynn might join Public Enemy at RiverBeat this weekend, Chuck D offers that it’s a distinct possibility. “We don’t have an open- or a closed-door policy,” he says. “We have a no-door policy. So if Khari wants to get up there with his guitar and play, you know we’re gonna be there.”
Bobby Rush
One RiverBeat appearance that’s guaranteed to have plenty of guitars will be the “Royal Studios Blues Experience” showcase on Friday night, which will bring together different generations of players who bear the blues deep in their bones: Duwayne, Garry, and Kent Burnside of the late R.L. Burnside’s extended family; Kinney Kimbrough, the late Junior Kimbrough’s son; and elder statesman of the blues Bobby Rush.
Originally from Arkansas, Rush now resides in Jackson, Mississippi, yet vividly recalls how all blues players were drawn to Memphis as he was getting started, including R.L. Burnside. “R.L., I knew him well from way back, the first time in 1954, I believe,” he says. “We were all just out there, eating what we could, when we could make $2 or $3 here and there, just playing music, man. He was a farmer, a country boy like myself. We both were young at the time, and I don’t know who was the oldest, me or him, but we were around the same age.
“I was from Arkansas, but we were all music players, looking for a place to eat, drink, and stay with some lady because you couldn’t go into a hotel. That’s when I first started coming through that area, even coming to Memphis, Tennessee. Now, you could go on Beale Street, but you couldn’t go on Peabody Street as a Black man. It just wouldn’t happen, man. Me and Rufus Thomas were working on Beale Street. I was doing what I had to do.
Me and B.B. King were down in Helena, Arkansas, and I thought to come to Beale Street because of him and Rufus Thomas.”
Rush, for his part, is delighted to be playing with the “youngsters,” all middleaged men themselves, and all hailing from North Mississippi. “I relate to them through the father and grandfather, and we’ve made good friends. I did a few things with them in the past. I make it
happen, man. They’ve got everything to gain from being with me. I don’t have that much to gain with them, rather than being a friend with their parents. And I want to do something with them because it makes them look good. I’m like the grandfather now.”
Though all these bluesmen hail from Mississippi, their respective approaches to the blues actually contrast sharply. The showcase will be mashing up two different flavors of blues. Rush, rooted in an Arkansas Delta style, yet heavily influenced by his many decades on the electrified Chicago scene, notes the differences between his take on the blues and what’s found in the North Mississippi hill country. “They know about what they were taught in the area because most of them don’t play with changes. It’s just one straight beat. But they got a good beat, and it’s a style. That’s what they know. And it’s an old Mississippi style. I don’t think too many people know about this style, but it’s a good thing to keep it going, you know. It’s a good thing they’re doing it because not many guys around are still doing it.”
“We were all just out there, eating what we could, when we could make two or three dollars here and there, just playing music, man.”
- Bobby Rush
Cage the Elephant
At first glance, the ties between the indie rock hitmakers Cage the Elephant and Memphis may not be obvious. Some have compared their sound, justifiably, to the Pixies or other bands of that era, but really their approach has always been to break out from any one style. As guitarist and producer Brad Shultz notes, “We will always go into a record trying to really come to the table with a mindset of genreblending, pulling different things from different genres that don’t necessarily go together. When you smash them together, something special happens.”
Aside from the band’s reverence for the eclecticism of both the first and second “British Invasions,” from the Beatles to Blur, Shultz says, “We attribute that to our ADHD, which I think is more of a blessing than a curse. It’s always suited us well to have our minds go in five different directions.”
Speaking of the British, that culture has always figured heavily into the band’s evolution, especially when all the members moved en masse from their hometown of Bowling Green, Kentucky, to London, England, around 2008. “It was a big eyeopening and learning experience for us,”
continued on page 14
• 5/10 – Clarksdale Caravan Music Fest
• 5/17 – Women In Blues
Live Blues every night In clarksdale, ms
Experience over a dozen festivals every year
UPCOMING EVENTS 2025
• 5/23-24 – Ground Zero Blues Club Anniversary Weekend
• 5/25 – Bad Apple Blues Festival
• 5/29-31 – Son House Tribute Festival
• 6/12-15 – B.A.M. Fest (Birthplace of American Music)
• 8/8-10 – Sunflower River Blues & Gospel Festival
• 8/8-10 – Cat Head 23rd Anniversary Weekend
• 8/30 – Red’s Old-Timers Blues Fest
• 10/3-4 – Mighty Roots Music Festival
• 10/8-11 – King Biscuit Blues Festival (Helena, Arkansas)
• 10/11 – Hopson Pumpkin Pickin’ Festival
• 10/12 – Clarksdale Super Blues Sunday: Bluesberry October Fest, Cat Head Mini Blues Fest, Ground Zero, Pinetop Perkins Homecoming, Red’s, and more!
• 10/16-18 – Mississippi Delta Tennessee Williams Festival
• 10/17-18 – Special Blues Event TBA
• 10/23-26 – Hambone Festival
• 10/25 – Cruz’n The Crossroads Car & Truck Show
• 12/31 – Celebrate New Year’s at the Crossroads!
ARPA-1032 awarded to the Coahoma County Tourism Commission by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
PHOTO BY RORY DOYLE
continued from page 12
Shultz says. But before that, Memphis loomed large in their world.
“Memphis definitely had a big kind of blues influence on us, especially very early in our career,” he notes. “And Memphis was in our regional tours. We would play a show in Nashville, one in our hometown of Bowling Green, one in Memphis, one in Chattanooga, one in Knoxville, and in Louisville as well. We would pick a week out and just hit every one of those spots. So, you know, it’s another full-circle moment to go back to Memphis, where we played tiny, tiny clubs and come back and do these festivals.”
The sounds of the Bluff City also impacted the band, Shultz says. “We were always big fans of Otis Redding — our father kind of raised us on that. And Bill Withers [produced by Booker T. Jones], who I don’t think was a Stax artist but definitely had a huge impact on us.”
This will be a watershed year for the band, as they’ll be connecting with their influences from both sides of the Atlantic, playing RiverBeat and then opening on the American leg of the Oasis reunion tour this summer. “It’s such an incredible honor,” says Shultz. “You know, they’re a band that had a huge influence on us, so it’s just kind of crazy that we’re opening up for them. A real full-circle moment.”
DJ Zirk
Perhaps RiverBeat’s ultimate full-circle moment will come when seven rap innovators from the 1990s will take to the stage Friday evening as the “Memphis Rap OGz,” featuring La Chat, Crunchy Black, Al Kapone, Skinny Pimp, DJ Zirk, Gangsta Pat, and DJ Spanish Fly. While Al Kapone has kept up a steady supply of releases in over the years, lately melding his unique rap style with a heavy dose of blues, others on the bill have not been as prolific. DJ Zirk, for one, bowed out of the spotlight in favor of doing production work for years, before resuming his release of new material around 2018.
“I was very honored that I was one of the ones that was picked,” says Zirk. “I mean, I would have done it for free. I really want to do it for my city, my hometown, and, you know, just let them experience the Memphis sound.”
Yo Gotti to the late Young Dolph. It all began with the mixtapes created by the OGs back in the ’90s, a Southern alternative to the dominant West Coast or East Coast hip-hop of the time.
“When me and DJ Squeeky came out,” says Zirk, speaking of the pioneering producer of 8Ball & MJG and Young Dolph, “we had a totally different, unique sound. You know what I’m saying? We were driven by bass, you know? It’s Boom Boom in the trunk! All our stuff had that bass in it. But people loved it! And we came up in the age of hip-hop, where hiphop wasn’t about bass. So we got so much criticism, you know, because Memphis was hip-hop at a certain point in time.”
Zirk’s enthusiasm is contagious as he recalls those years. “We were like, ‘We’ve gotta invent ourselves,’ and that’s when we started producing and doing more records together. And since then, our music has never stopped. The only time we had it on hold was somewhere in the late ’90s, really, or maybe 2000, because it was like everybody was taking a piece of our sound. When we were starting it, nobody was really doing what we were doing.”
In Zirk’s reckoning, the South’s challenges to hip-hop’s status quo weren’t uniform by any means. But the power of the Memphis sound was undeniable. “When we went to places like Mississippi, Texas, or Georgia, people would look at us and be like, ‘Who are they?’” he says. “Nobody had that sound. And think about it: It was dark; it was funk; it was bass-y. It wasn’t like Miami or people in Atlanta. And in Texas, they would take somebody else’s record and slow it down, right? With the Squeeky thing, we were producing our own stuff. And our style was deep and slow. So when people heard us, it was like, ‘Wow, that’s it!’ Because you can DJ, you can play it in the club, and people will dance off it. It’s like people that got a whiff
That would be the new Memphis sound, the sound of crunk and trap that’s been ruling the airwaves for the past 20 years, from Three 6 Mafia to
was like,
copied, copied, copied, and re-copied. Now it’ll turn into funk; it’ll turn into trap; it’ll turn into a lot of different stuff. And that’s the thing: Now it means we can sit and talk and say, ‘Wow, what we did transformed so many styles.’”
steppin’ out
We Recommend: Culture, News + Reviews
Get in (Land)Shape
Did you know that Memphis and the Mid-Southern region of the U.S. was once covered by a prehistoric ocean? at’s how the term “Black Belt Prairie” originated, and it’s connected to the phrase “Bible Belt,” the Southern region of the U.S. where Christianity is mostly practiced. If you are curious to learn more about how both phrases are connected, then the “Landshaping: e Origins of Black Belt Prairie” exhibit at the Pink Palace Museum & Mansion will teach you all about the Black Belt Prairie phenomenon, the history behind both terms including their connection, and much more.
By Sarai Bennett
So, what is the best and easiest way to describe the Black Belt Prairie? “ e Black Belt Prairie is a geographic location on the map,” says Raka Nandi, the Pink Palace’s director of exhibits and collections. “And it’s an area of a country where the soil is very, very rich. e soil is rich because of a geologic phenomenon that happened about 75 million years ago [which] is called the Mississippi Embayment. And what happened millions of years ago, there was actually an inland sea.”
“Landshaping” will display fossils from the marine life that existed in these inland waters, plus photographs taken by Memphis photographer Houston Co eld. Co eld has taken images of farms, prairies, and individuals to help audiences visualize the beauty and the impact of the Black Belt Prairie on the South.
“In the exhibition, we juxtaposed these ancient fossils [and] farm tools that were used in the past to till the soil with these beautiful photographs taken by Houston,” says Nandi. “So it’s a real sort of narrowing of art with science if I can put it that way.”
e exhibition is open to the public through October 12th, so you have some time to check it out before it leaves. It’s also worth mentioning that the exhibit is included if you purchase a general admission ticket. For more information about the new exhibition and where to purchase tickets, visit moshmemphis.com/landshaping-the-origins-of-the-blackbelt-prairie.
“LANDSHAPING: THE
VARIOUS DAYS & TIMES May 1st - 7th
AAPI Heritage Month Memphis Various locations, ursday, May 1-31 is May, Memphis honors Asian American & Paci c Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month with a dynamic calendar of citywide events designed to celebrate the richness, diversity, and resilience of AAPI communities. From vibrant art installations to hands-on cultural workshops — and an exciting culinary exploration through the city’s Asian food scene — AAPI Heritage Month Memphis invites Memphians of all backgrounds to come together in learning, celebration, and community.
AAPI Heritage Month kicks o on ursday, May 1st, with Island Vibes & Happy Hour at Caption by Hyatt’s Beer Garden & Talk Shop — a ticketed event featuring Paci c Island cuisine and handcra ed cocktails.
For more info, visit aapiheritagemonthmemphis.com/2025.
Chalkfest
Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, 1934 Poplar Avenue, Saturday, May 3, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., free
Join local artists and transform the Brooks’ plaza into the most colorful work of art.
Create your own chalk masterpiece, explore the galleries and exhibitions for inspiration, dance to music from the Soul Shockers and DJ Siphne, and enjoy art activities and face painting with Nicole Dorsey. Plus, watch local artists Kaylyn Webster, Carl E. Moore, Craig ompson, and Mikaela Colina recreate favorites from the Brooks’ art collection.
Before the dog days of summer arrive, Crosstown Concourse is rolling out the red carpet for everyone’s canine companions. e South Plaza will be packed with dog-friendly activities, entertainment, and treats that will make tails wag and hearts soar. From adorable dog costume contests to on-site adoptions and pet pampering services, Puppy Palooza is the ulti-mutt celebration of all things canine.
ere will also be yard games for all ages, a magic show by Mr. Nick with Cranberry the Chihuahua, training demonstrations, blessing of the animals, dog portraits, Pupsicles by MemPops, and balloon pups and bacon bubbles.
ORIGINS OF THE BLACK BELT PRAIRIE,” PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION, THROUGH OCTOBER 12.
PHOTO: COURTESY PINK PALACE
e “Landshaping” exhibit pairs ancient history and geology with contemporary photography.
Earl “The Pearl” Banks
Tuesday, May 6, 7 p.m.
BLUES CITY CAFE
Eric Hughes
ursday, May 1, 7-11 p.m.
RUM BOOGIE CAFE
Flic’s Pics Band
Saturday, May 3, 4 p.m. |
Sunday, May 4, 2 p.m.
B.B. KING’S BLUES CLUB
FreeWorld
Saturday, May 3, 7-11 p.m.
RUM BOOGIE CAFE
Soul Street
Wednesday, May 7, 7-11 p.m.
RUM BOOGIE CAFE
Vince Johnson
Monday, May 5, 6:30 p.m. |
Tuesday, May 6, 6:30 p.m.
RUM BOOGIE CAFE
The Orchestra Unplugged: Peter and the Wolf - More Than a Children’s Story Halloran Centre presents in partnership with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra $50.75. ursday, May 1, 7:30-9 p.m.
HALLORAN CENTRE FOR PERFORM-
ING ARTS & EDUCATION
AFTER DARK: Live Music Schedule May 1 - 7
Van Duren
ursday, May 1, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
MORTIMER’S
Zazerac Soul Jazz Trio
Derek Gripper Guitar Concert
Saturday, May 3, 7:30 p.m.
SCHEIDT FAMILY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
John Williams & the A440 Band
$10. ursday, May 1, 8 p.m.
NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM
Murder, She Wrote: Ballads of Love and Death
Jim Cornfoot, pianist, and Patrick Jones, baritone, present a concert of folk songs, arias, and art songs all about true crime. Saturday, May 3, 2 p.m.
AMRO MUSIC STORES, INC.
The Chaulkies
Sunday, May 4, 3 p.m.
HUEY’S POPLAR
The Deb Jam Band
Tuesday, May 6, 6 p.m.
NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM
The Drop That Contained the Sea e Memphis Symphony Chorus, White Station High School Choir, and St. George’s Independent School Choir
will perform the epic work by Christopher Tin. Sunday, May 4, 2:30-5 p.m.
SCHEIDT FAMILY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
Saturday, May 3, 8 p.m.
BOG & BARLEY
Alice Hasen – Music
Video Screening
Wednesday, May 7, 6 p.m.
MEMPHIS LISTENING LAB
Blue Tom Revue
ursday, May 1, 7 p.m.
THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS
Deborah Swiney Duo
ursday, May 1, 6-9 p.m.
THE COVE
Devil Train
Bluegrass, roots, country, Delta, and ski e. ursday, May 1, 9 p.m.
B-SIDE
Jad Tariq Band
Sunday, May 4, 3 p.m.
HUEY’S MIDTOWN
Jazz Jam with the Cove Quartet
Jazz musicians are welcome to sit in. Sunday, May 4, 6-9 p.m.
THE COVE
Jazz Saturdays
An experience the whole family will enjoy. $15. Saturday, May 3, noon-2 p.m.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
Joe Restivo 4
Sunday, May 4, noon.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
Level Three Wednesday, May 7, 10 p.m.
LOUIS CONNELLY’S BAR
Lips Speak Louder
With Anna Rose Baker, Radar Blips. Wednesday, May 7, 8 p.m.
GROWLERS
Shorty and the Grooves With Anna Rose Baker. Friday, May 2, 8 p.m.
GROWLERS
The Blue Tom Records Revue
A showcase for student performers from the University of Memphis. $10. ursday, May 1, 7:30 p.m.
THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS
Total Chaos With Anemoia, Documented Abuse. Monday, May 5, 8 p.m.
GROWLERS
Upon a Burning Body With Le To Su er, King 810, Half Me & Bury My Demons. $31.15. Tuesday, May 6, 6-7:30 p.m.
MINGLEWOOD HALL 1884 LOUNGE
Urban Heat With Night Ritualz. ursday, May 1, 8 p.m.
GROWLERS
PHOTO: COURTESY GRACELAND
Chris Isaak
Chris Isaak
Over the course of his 40-year career, Platinum-selling and Grammy-nominated singer and actor Chris Isaak has performed to sold-out crowds across the globe with his longtime band Silvertone. $39.50. ursday, May 1, 7:30 p.m.
GRACELAND SOUNDSTAGE
Fox N’ Vead Saturday, May 3, 8 p.m.
HERNANDO’S HIDE-A-WAY
John Pay Check
$10. ursday, May 1, 8 p.m.
HERNANDO’S HIDE-A-WAY
The Delta Dukes Sunday, May 4, 6 p.m.
HUEY’S SOUTHAVEN
The Great American Songbook: Oxford Civic Chorus Spring Concert
Timeless songs that you know and love from Rodgers and Hammerstein, Cole Porter, Leonard Bernstein, Irving Berlin, and George Gershwin. Free. Saturday, May 3, 3 p.m.
DAVID H. NUTT AUDITORIUM
Victoria Pride Friday, May 2, 7-11 p.m.
HERNANDO’S HIDE-A-WAY
GPAC Youth Symphony Program Spring Concert: Just Dance Sunday, May 4, 4-6 p.m.
GERMANTOWN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
The Bugaloos Sunday, May 4, 6 p.m.
HUEY’S MILLINGTON
Tribute to Roy Orbison, Buddy Holly, John & June Cash, and Patsy Cline
David K. and Alison Keller have traveled the nation playing tributes to the likes of Roy Orbison, Buddy Holly, John and June Cash, and Patsy Cline. Free. Sunday, May 4, 2-4 p.m.
THE RUFFIN THEATER
Twin Soul Duo Sunday, May 4, 6 p.m.
HUEY’S OLIVE BRANCH
CALENDAR of EVENTS: May 1 - 7
ART AND SPECIAL EXHIBITS
“2024 Accessions to the Permanent Collection” is Accessions series honors the new additions to the museum’s permanent collection throughout each calendar year. rough Nov. 2.
METAL MUSEUM
“A Journey into the Shadows”: Nelson Gutierrez Colombian-born artist Gutierrez confronts the realities of migration and displacement through a striking visual language of shadow and movement, using threedimensional cutout drawings. rough May 11.
CROSSTOWN ARTS AT THE CONCOURSE
“Artists’ Link Exhibition: Spring 2025”
Featuring works in oil, acrylic, watercolor, mixed media, woodcut, ber, weaving, ceramic materials, stained glass, and metals. rough May 30.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
ARTSmemphis: “GRANTEDTime
Exhibition”
An exhibit curated by Brittney Boyd Bullock, a visual artist working ber, mixed media, and abstraction. rough Aug. 5.
ARTSMEMPHIS
“Art Speaks: Visual Poetry Exhibition & Art Inspired by Words” is dynamic showcase explores the powerful intersection of language and visual expression, bringing together artists who draw inspiration from literature, poetry, music, and spoken word. rough May 31.
MEMPHIS ART SALON AT MINGLEWOOD HALL
“Celebrate AAPI Stories, Traditions, and Identity”
A student art exhibition celebrating Asian American & Paci c Islander Heritage Month. is exhibit showcases the creativity of K to 12 students from Memphis and Shelby County. rough May 16.
COSSITT LIBRARY
Colleen Couch and Dolph Smith: “Walk in the Light”
“Walk in the Light” traces the arc of Smith’s work, presents new pieces by Couch inspired by Smith, and highlights recent collaborations between the two. rough June 29.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
“Dialogues”: New Works by Rivertown Artists
Nine artists engaged in a dynamic conversation through their work. rough May 2.
ANF ARCHITECTS
“Earth Matters: Rethink the Future”
Learn more about biodiversity and climate change. $18. rough May 18.
PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION
“From the Ashes”:
Maritza Davila-Irizarry
Featuring both new and salvaged works, “From the Ashes” integrates printmaking, mixed media, photography, video, and remnants from the re that destroyed the artist’s studio. rough May 11.
CROSSTOWN ARTS AT THE CONCOURSE
“Fur and Feathers, The Art of Gari Parisi”
Gary Parisi works in a variety of mediums such as graphite, watercolor, acrylics, ballpoint pen, and oils. His primary focus is creating animal portraiture, achieved with extraordinary detail. Monday, May 5-29.
WKNO DIGITAL MEDIA CENTER
Kit Reuther: “Many Moons”
Anchored by an intuitive awareness of spatial order, Reuther employs her own brand of architectural abstraction to deconstruct representational forms in paintings and sculptures. rough May 10.
DAVID LUSK GALLERY
“Landshaping: The Origins of the Black Belt Prairie”
Learn about the geologic event known as the Mississippi Embayment and its e ect on this region. Fossils and farm tools will be displayed alongside photographs by Houston Co eld. rough Oct. 12.
PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION
“Light as Air”
Explore the beauty in tension: a balance of forms, the contrast between heavy and light, and the signi cance of negative space. rough Sept. 7.
METAL MUSEUM
“Opposites Abstract: A Mo Willems Exhibit”
“Opposites Abstract: A Mo Willems Exhibit” gives children the opportunity to “make some silliness and take art seriously at the same time.” –Mo Willems. rough May 18.
CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF MEMPHIS
Owen Westberg:
“Thicket”
On ve-by-seven slices of aluminum ashing, and larger slabs of sanded birch, Westberg paints still lifes, views through a window, and landscapes captured in and around Pittsburgh. rough May 17.
TOPS GALLERY
Send the date, time, place, cost, info, phone number, a brief description, and photos — two weeks in advance — to calendar@memphisflyer.com.
DUE TO SPACE LIMITATIONS, ONGOING WEEKLY EVENTS WILL APPEAR IN THE FLYER’S ONLINE CALENDAR ONLY. FOR COMPREHENSIVE EVENT LISTINGS, SCAN THE QR CODE OR VISIT EVENTS.MEMPHISFLYER.COM/CAL.
“Speaking Truth to Power: The Life of Bayard Rustin”
“Speaking Truth to Power” explores Bayard Rustin’s innovative use of the “medium” to communicate powerful messages of nonviolence, activism, and authenticity. $20/adult, $18/ senior, college student, $17/ children 5-17. rough Dec. 31.
NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM
“Supernatural
Telescope”: Danielle Sierra
A deeply personal and poetic re ection on memory, love, and spirituality, inspired by the passing of the artist’s father. rough May 11.
CROSSTOWN ARTS AT THE CONCOURSE
“The Colors of the Caribbean”: Juan Roberto Murat Salas Murat Salas, a Cuban-born painter trained at the San Alejandro Academy of Arts in Havana, brings the rich visual traditions of his homeland to life through bold colors and dynamic compositions. rough May 11.
CROSSTOWN ARTS AT THE CONCOURSE
“The Golden Age of Paper Dolls”
A private collection of paper dolls displayed throughout the historic house, including an area to try out paper dolls and make your own. rough May 28.
DAVIES MANOR HISTORIC SITE
Thomas Dambo’s
“Trolls: Save the Humans”
International Paper presents this larger-than-life fairy tale, in which art and nature intertwine. rough May 21.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
Tributaries: Rachel David | “Engorging Eden”
A solo exhibition by Rachel David that transforms everyday furniture into fragmented expressions of life’s chaos, joy, and loss. rough May 11.
METAL MUSEUM
ART HAPPENINGS
“Artists’ Link Exhibition: Spring 2025” Opening Reception
Opening reception for the Artists’ Link Exhibition. Award presentation at 4 p.m. Sunday, May 4, 3-5 p.m.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
“Fur and Feathers, The Art of Gary Parisi”
Opening Reception
Gary Parisi works in a variety of mediums such as graphite, watercolor, acrylics, ballpoint pen, and oils. His primary focus is creating animal portraiture, achieved with extraordinary detail. Free. Sunday, May 4, 1-3 p.m.
WKNO DIGITAL MEDIA CENTER
Documentary Showcase is event celebrates the work of CSSC’s documentary students and brings the mediums we use to tell stories — audio, photo, lm — together for moments of re ection and connection. Friday, May 2, 6-8:30 p.m.
BARNARD OBSERVATORY, UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI
Met Gala Watch Party
Get ready to experience the glitz and glamour of fashion’s biggest night with the Couture Collective at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art. $20. Monday, May 5, 6-8 p.m.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
Opening Reception: “Celebrate AAPI Stories, Traditions, and Identity”
A student art exhibition celebrating Asian American & Paci c Islander Heritage Month. Congratulate these K
to 12 students from Memphis and Shelby County. Refreshments will be served. Wednesday, May 7, 6 p.m.
COSSITT LIBRARY
“The Art of Fred Rawlinson” Opening Reception
An opening reception featuring work by Fred Rawlinson, who holds a BFA from the Memphis Academy of Art and an MFA from Syracuse University. Sunday, May 4, 3-5 p.m.
LOISE ESTES RULEMAN GALLERY AT CHURCH HEALTH
CLASS / WORKSHOP
Theatre Movement: Beginning Viewpoints
A perfect way for creatives of all levels to explore their bodies in motion. Tuesday, May 6, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
THE EVERGREEN THEATRE
Theatre of Dreams
Ever wondered what your dreams are trying to tell you? Explore their hidden meanings through theater! Wednesday, May 7, 6:30-8 p.m.
THE EVERGREEN THEATRE
COMEDY
Desi Banks e former footballer is bringing the laughs with e Elevation Tour. 18+. $51.15/ general admission. Friday, May 2, 7-8:30 p.m.
MINGLEWOOD HALL
Open Mic Comedy Night
A hilarious Midtown tradition. Tuesday, May 6, 8 p.m.
HI TONE
Open Mic Comedy with Ben Pierce
A freewheeling fun-fest with one of Midtown’s funniest guys. ursday, May 1, 7-9 p.m.
BAR DKDC
Small Room Improv
It’s improv comedy in the small room of the Hi Tone. $10. ursday, May 1, 7:30-9 p.m.
HI TONE
COMMUNITY
AAPI Heritage Month
Kickoff: Island Vibes & Happy Hour
Celebrate Asian American & Paci c Islander Heritage Month on Beale Street. $40.
ursday, May 1, 5-7:30 p.m.
HYATT CENTRIC
Blue Suede Vintage After Hours Shopping
A special a er-hours event at Blue Suede Vintage, where you can discover stunning art and fashion week looks. Free. Friday, May 2, 5-7 p.m.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
Experience Memphis West Tennessee Iris Garden
Experience Memphis Gardens is a month-long showcase of Mid-South gardens. e West Tennessee Iris Society is introducing its newly-planted garden with over 300 di erent iris varieties. Saturday, May 3, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
EMMANUEL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
GFT Community Day is event will include a health fair, Vitalant blood drive, Baptist mobile mammography, activities for the kids and food. Free. Saturday, May 3, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
GREATER FAITH TABERNACLE
Memphis Great Strides - One Step Closer to a Cure for Cystic Fibrosis Great Strides, the CF Foundation’s largest national fundraising event, o ers hope to those living with CF. Saturday, May 3, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
SHELBY FARMS PARK
Weed Wrangle Help remove invasive species in the Woodland. Free. Friday, May 2, 9 a.m.-noon.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
FAMILY
Pre-School Story Time Enjoy stories, songs, art activities, and creative play that
PHOTO: COURTESY MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN Troll Fest celebrates the trolls’ mission to help us live more mindfully.
connect with Collierville history. Friday, May 2, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
MORTON MUSEUM OF COLLIERVILLE HISTORY
Story Time at Novel
Recommended for children up to 5 years, Story Time at Novel includes songs and stories, featuring brand-new books in addition to well-loved favorites. Saturday, May 3, 10:30 a.m. | Wednesday, May 7, 10:30 a.m.
NOVEL
FESTIVAL
2nd Annual Mane Mindscape: Your Mental Health Festival
Pull up to the free second annual festival, where mental wellness is a vibe. Saturday, May 3, noon-5 p.m.
ORANGE MOUND COMMUNITY CENTER
Bookstock
Bookstock is the largest annual local authors festival in Memphis. Saturday, May 3, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
BENJAMIN L. HOOKS CENTRAL LIBRARY MEMPHIS PUBLIC LIBRARY
Chalkfest 2025
Join local artists and transform the Brooks’ plaza into the most colorful work of art. Free. Saturday, May 3, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
Memphis Margarita Festival 2025
Your ticket gets you entry to the event and 12 margarita samples from your favorite restaurants, with awesome entertainment. Saturday, May 3, 3-6 p.m.
OVERTON SQUARE
Overton Square Crawfish Festival
A a day full of mouthwatering crawfish, live music, and local artists. Saturday, May 3, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
OVERTON SQUARE
Troll Fest
A fun and whimsical day out inspired by Thomas Dambo’s “Trolls: Save the Humans” exhibit, this event celebrates the trolls’ mission to help us live more mindfully and better care for our environment. Free. Saturday, May 3, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
FILM
I Know Catherine, the Log Lady
A 2025 film about the extraordinary death and big, big life of Catherine Coulson. Director David Lynch and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Robert Schenkan both created new works for her. Thursday, May 1, 7 p.m.
CROSSTOWN THEATER
May the Fourth Be With You Lightsabers, costumes, galactic snacks, and A New Hope on the big screen — it’s the ultimate Star Wars celebration for fans of all ages. Sunday, May 4, 3 p.m.
CROSSTOWN BREWING COMPANY
FOOD AND DRINK
Canoes + Cocktails
A guided sunset paddle on the lake followed by specialty cocktails provided by Old Dominick, snacks from Cheffie’s, yard games, and music. $35-$80. Friday, May 2, 6 p.m.
SHELBY FARMS PARK
Cinco de Mayo Celebration
A celebration bursting with flavor and fun, with margaritas and tacos galore. Jaguar Tequila will be in the house with tastings and three fantastic cocktails to try. Monday, May 5, 5 p.m.
CROSSTOWN BREWING CO.
Culinary Couture: Dinner by Karen Carrier
An evening where fashion meets flavor. Culinary Couture is a seated dining experience by celebrated chef Karen Carrier, inspired by the artistry and boldness of high fashion. $175. Wednesday, May 7, 6-8 p.m.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
Dinner & Music Cruise
A two-hour cruise on Ol’ Man River featuring live entertainment and a meal. $50. Thursday, May 1, 7-9:30 p.m.
MEMPHIS RIVERBOATS
Food Truck Fridays at Dixon Gallery & Gardens
Grab a bite from a local food truck and enjoy lunch in the beautiful Dixon gardens. Friday, May 2, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Mother’s Day English Tea
Tea time treats made by volunteers, plus Chef Rev’s famous scones. $40. For reservations and payment call 327-5681. Tuesday, May 6, 2:30-4 p.m.
WOMAN’S EXCHANGE OF MEMPHIS
Trolls Garden Party (21+)
This adults-only event invites you to explore the garden after hours alongside towering trolls.
$35. Friday, May 2, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
HEALTH AND
FITNESS
Breathe & Be - A Women’s Wellness Event
Gather as women for Yoga Nidra and refreshments. Limited to eight women and free to register. A reminder to take a moment for yourself since May is Mental Health Awareness month. Free. Tuesday, May 6, 6-7:30 p.m.
FORREST SPENCE FUND
PERFORMING ARTS
Alton Brown Live: Last Bite
The famed foodist will reflect on his decades in food media, present several of his favorite culinary mega-hacks, sing some of his funny food songs, and offer a culinary variety show. $44-$84. Saturday, May 3, 4-6:30 p.m.
ORPHEUM THEATRE
SPECIAL EVENTS
Memphis International Auto Show
The show will feature the latest cars, trucks, crossovers, SUVs, EVs, pre-production models, and more, from 24 brands. Free. Friday, May 2-4.
RENASANT CONVENTION CENTER
SPORTS
DoNot Stop Half Marathon - Memphis
A donut-themed event that is perfect for the whole family. $18.83. Saturday, May 3, 8-11 a.m.
GREENBELT PARK- BOAT RAMP
Girls on the Run Memphis Spring 2025 5K & Celebration
A GOTR 5K is a community event where all our GOTR teams come together to celebrate the completion of their program. $10/early bird, $15/standard. Sunday, May 4, 12:30-3:30 p.m.
UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS ALUMNI MALL LAWN
THEATER
Caroline, or Change
In 1963, a Black maid for a Jewish family, is trying to take care of her own family as the world around her is taking steps towards progress and equality. Friday, May 2, 8 p.m. | Saturday, May 3, 2 p.m. | Saturday, May 3, 8 p.m. | Sunday, May 4, 2 p.m.
PLAYHOUSE ON THE SQUARE
Guys and Dolls
An oddball romantic comedy that takes us from the heart of Times Square to the cafes of Havana, Cuba, and even the sewers of New York City. Presented by New Day Children’s Theatre. Thursday, May 1, 7-9:30 p.m. | Friday, May 2, 7-9:30 p.m. | Saturday, May 3, 7-9:30 p.m. | Sunday, May 4, 7-9:30 p.m.
HARRELL THEATRE
Raising Ilana’s Mother
Bring your mother, therapist, or both. $23.02. Thursday, May 1, 8-9:30 p.m. | Friday, May 2, 8-9:30 p.m. | Saturday, May 3, 8-9:30 p.m. | Sunday, May 4, 2-3:30 p.m. THEATRESOUTH
Rumors
Neil Simon’s farce about a 10th anniversary wedding celebration that turns into chaos as the host, Deputy Mayor of New York, has a self-inflicted flesh wound, and his wife is nowhere to be found. Friday, May 2, 7:30-9:30 p.m. | Saturday, May 3, 7:30-9:30 p.m. | Sunday, May 4, 2-4 p.m.
LOHREY THEATRE
Crossword
Edited by Will Shortz No.
ACROSS
1 Turn away, as one’s gaze
6 Bird’s beak
10 Varieties
14 “Toy Story” studio
15 “Point taken”
16 Ne, on the periodic table
17 Tennis with dad?
19 With 8-Down, dessert brand that “nobody doesn’t like”
20 Messy meal for pigs
21 Motorists’ org.
22 “Not in a million years!”
23 Losing tennis player’s prayer?
26 In a trite way
30 Exam for a future atty.
31 Wonderland girl
32 “___ making myself clear?”
33 Guzzle down
37 Dislike for tennis?
41 Sharp as a tack
42 ExxonMobil business
43 Jargon
44 Famous ___ (cookie brand)
46 Things for cleaning dishes
48 “Wow, no wonder you’re playing such great tennis!”?
52 Overdo, as a stage role
53 Assistance
54 “Good heavens!”
58 Letter-shaped beam
59 Lose every set of a tennis match 6-0?
62 Ship of 1492
63 “___ be over soon”
64 Take home from the shelter, say
65 And others: Abbr.
66 “Porgy and ___”
67 Soda in an old blind taste test
DOWN
1 Smartphone downloads
2 Relative of a cello
3 Big fair
4 Speak with a gravelly voice
5 First “T” in TNT
6 Problem with more than one marriage?
7 Ayatollah’s faith
8 See 19-Across
9 “___ Miz”
10 Arcade game instruction before playing
11 Depart
12 Locale for Pyongyang and Seoul
13 Snide remarks
18 Hammer’s target
22 Org. for the Suns and the Heat
23 Tickled-pink feeling
24 Ticklish Muppet
25 “You wish!”
26 With 28-Down, part of a golf course
27 ___ vera
28 See 26-Down
29 “Pretend nothing just happened”
32 Home to the world’s busiest airport: Abbr.
34 Like Christmas decorations and some juries
35 Egg on 36 Sporty Pontiacs introduced in the ’60s
38 Boggy wasteland
39 Italian city you might be “leaning” toward visiting?
Congeal, as blood
Something with a “You are here”
Listings on a résumé
Mani-___ (spa offering) 48 Complain annoyingly
Nun’s wear 50 Kitchen appliance brand 51 “Let”
PUZZLE
We Saw You.
with MICHAEL DONAHUE
People helped the environment by attending Love Food Hate Waste, which was held Friday, April 11th, at Memphis Made Brewing Co. at e Ravine. e event, hosted by Project Green Fork during Food Waste Week, included food trivia, prizes, and two food trucks, Flipside Asia and Good Groceries. Project Green Fork notes on their website that “we waste up to 40 percent of food grown for human consumption. Most of this food ends up in land lls where it gives o methane gas that is driving climate change. Additionally, in Memphis nearly one in ve residents is food insecure. We’re throwing away the solution to two problems and creating new ones.”
According to information sent by Project Green Fork program consultant Ali Manning, Love Food Hate Waste is “a free, interactive event designed to engage the community in fun, educational activities focused on reducing food waste. e event will feature three rounds of food waste trivia, a culinary demo using surplus ingredients, and a volunteer recognition.”
PHOTOS: MICHAEL DONAHUE
above: Marie Dennan, Mike Larrivee, and Cristina McCarter circle: Natasha Mayton
below: (le to right) Dreisy Aguilera, Lindsey Jenkins, Lance Willinger, and Alex Smith; Brian and Ali Manning; George Abbott and Shaleen Ragha bottom row: (le to right) Steph Rollan, Kathleen Quinlan, and Caroline Norris; Kimberly Bolan and Kurt Kaiser
above: Marie Dennan and Patrick Gridley below: (le to right) Danielle and Jordan Trask; Chad, Albert, Oscar, and Leah Getchel; Winston, Will Smith, and Ilaria Pisoni; Gary and Barbara Sysaka
right row: (top and below) Amber Lipford; Lance and Traci Denton bottom: Gerald Jarrett
FOOD
By
Michael Donahue
Papa Knows Best
And Willie Robertson is endorsing Papa’s Pimento Cheese.
If you don’t know already, Papa’s pimento cheese is one of your old friends. And it’s also a friend of Duck Dynasty star Willie Robertson, who just announced his endorsement.
It’s the old Holiday Deli & Ham Co. — “Holiday Ham” for short — pimento cheese, says Trey Jordan, founder, president, and CEO of Pimentos Brands, which makes the cheese.
“Papa” is his dad, Don Jordan, his Holiday Ham co-founder. “Dad and I started it together in 1993. … We had four sandwiches on the menu to start with: mom’s tuna sh salad, dad’s pimento cheese, a ham sandwich, and a turkey sandwich. And we sold spiral sliced hams.”
eir rst store was located at Poplar Avenue and Perkins Road, but the business quickly grew. “At one time I had as many as 10 stores.” at included the since-closed Pimento Burgers Bar & Grill.
ey chose the name “Holiday” because they celebrated a lot “around the Jordan house,” Trey says. “We used to say, ‘Make everyday be a holiday.’”
Holiday Ham became a Memphis institution. It was “around for a long time and had good success and a great run until Covid hit.”
eir customer base had been “people going to the o ce and going to lunch. Moms would come by, back in the day. We were the rst fast-casual restaurant in Memphis.”
Customers still came by a er they locked their doors during the pandemic. “We had people banging on our doors [for pimento cheese]. So we gured it out and slid it through the window.”
Everything changed a er Covid. “Ofce workers didn’t return,” he says. “We had to close all our stores down and close the business a er a 30-year run.”
But they soon discovered Holiday Ham pimento cheese wasn’t going down without a ght. A group of local business people told him, “You’re a Memphis legacy we don’t want to
see stopped.”
Papa’s pimento cheese evolved
from the simple type of pimento cheese his dad knew as a child. “My dad grew up in rural Kosciusko, Mississippi. He grew up with pimento cheese, but he was born in 1929. Pimento cheese back then was a poor man’s food.”
People made it out of “some cheese in the fridge, some mayonnaise.” e idea back then was, “Let’s extend the food we had on the shelves.” But he and his dad thought, “ ere might be a better way to make pimento cheese.”
ey now use two premier aged cheddar cheeses along with their secret spices. Kroger added Papa’s pimento cheese in 2020. ey’re now in about 100 Krogers as well as other grocery store chains, including Albertsons, Tom umb, and Central Market. “We’re in eight states and growing. We’ve had some huge meetings. People are really excited about us.”
ey currently sell three types of pimento cheese: Original, Jalapeño, Fiesta, and the soon-to-be released Smokehouse.
Jordan wanted Robertson to endorse Papa’s pimento cheese. “I think Willie has a tongue-in-cheek way about him. But Willie is all about family, all about his faith. And they’re always sitting around eating together. … When he tasted our product, he loved it.”
In a press release, Robertson is quoted as saying, “I tasted their pimento cheese, and I was sold on it immediately. is has that perfect Southern kick with every bite.”
Trey’s dad is 95 years old. “Still doing great. But, of course, he’s not in the business anymore.”
As for branching out into other products, Trey says, “We’re going to go in the ‘Dips, Spreads, and Sauces’ category, so a chicken salad spread potentially is down the road. Anything that ts in that bucket as we expand.”
Trey has no intention of opening a Papa’s pimento cheese restaurant. But he might partner with an existing chain. “I’ll sell it to Chick- l-A and let them put it on their sandwich.”
For now, Trey really wants everyone to try Papa’s pimento cheese. “I think it’s the best cheese out there,” he says. “Most people say, ‘What do you put in this stu ? It’s an addiction.’ … People just love it. A er you eat it the rst time, you generally stick with us.”
COURTESY TREY JORDAN
Trey Jordan with his Papa’s pimento cheese
PHOTO:
Saturday, May 31st, 2025
3-6pm at Overton Square
Sample from the city’s best margarita-makers, vote on your favorite, and we’ll crown an audience winner at the end of this best ‘rita fest!
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ARTS By Abigail Morici
‘From the Ashes’
Maritza Dávila-Irizarry salvages her art from studio re for Crosstown Arts show.
In 2024, a small space heater sparked a re that would set Maritza DávilaIrizarry’s backyard studio ablaze. Her printing press, her tools, her collection of art books, and several artworks, both her own and those she collected — all amassed over her decades-long career — were damaged or destroyed entirely; the studio itself had to be brought to the foundation. “Between the re and the re department, everything was either burned or wet, or both,” she says.
have shaped us, we do exercise choice in how we regard our essential selves.”
One of these pieces calls back to Dávila’s own ancestry — Don Moncho portfolio, a collection of screen prints, now with smoke markings, made in honor of the artist’s father. “My mother taught me about being a strong woman,” she says, “but my father taught me about discipline, being committed to being a creative person.”
Her father was a teacher, like her, and a musician. e prints contain photographs of him with his guitar, typed-up poems he wrote, a slip of his handwriting, and sheets of music — each element telling a facet of his story. Now, though, the edges of the prints are marked with smoke, his daughter’s own story coming into view.
Yet, amid the ruin, the printmaker found salvageable pieces, in drawers and stacks, covered by glassine, a smooth and glossy paper, resistant to the elements, it turned out. Edges were smoked on some pieces; water warped the papers’ surface on others. Neighbors, friends, colleagues, family, all picked through the rubble the next day. ey donated to a GoFundMe. ey helped Dávila and her husband, Jon Sparks, a Flyer writer, move what they could save into their home and later, when the lingering smoke in their home got too much for her asthma, into a Pod.
“One of the ladies helping me, a neighbor, told me, ‘I wanna buy a burned print,’” Dávila says of that rst day. “I said, ‘Yeah, go ahead.’”
It wasn’t an act of pity for her loss, the artist knew. e woman even rushed to have it framed the next day. “It has become another piece,” Dávila says. “It’s survival, but it has become unique. So I’m willing to take it. It’s perfectly all right for me. It shows experience.”
And that’s the mindset she’s taken for her show at Crosstown Arts, “From the Ashes,” on display through May 11th. “It’s work that survived the re and work that was inspired by the re and the surviving nature in me. I’m a survivor. …
“It’s not the rst time that I have been in a very tight spot, and my reactions have been focused: What is your goal? Let’s make it happen. … And being a teacher, that’s the kind of approach I make to the students. When they are feeling low, I say, ‘Okay, let’s look at this. What if we do this and this with this?’ — thinking about what we have in front of us.”
She encourages her students — and viewers — to embrace the inescapable realities, to work with, not against, them. Her work itself explores those inescapable and “inseparable” qualities of ancestry “that through blood and culture and beyond our ability to control help make us who we are. And while we may not be able to consent to the qualities of the past that
ese water- and smoke-marks carry throughout the show that inescapable reality Dávila has recognized as “just change” — a new visual element to take in. Some pieces hang on a clothesline in the gallery, a nod to when those pieces hung to dry in the a ermath of the re. An unused printing plate is on display, burned so badly it never had a chance to print, while a stack of burned books sits in the back to remind viewers of what was lost. “I lost hundreds of books and I was so proud of my library,” she says, noting that she’d lend out art books to whoever asked.
And the studio, she says, was another place for community. “I like to share my space and whatever I have with others. I’m a great believer that people carry their energy into places, and that when you have people in your place, that’s good energy.”
Dávila’s space has since been rebuilt. It’s better than before, with higher ceilings and better ventilation, but she still hasn’t replaced all her tools and supplies. Yet she says, “I’m very blessed by all the support from the community, my friends, my family. … And [‘From the Ashes’ is] almost a thank you for the hundreds of people that showed up at my door.”
PHOTO: ABIGAIL MORICI Prints hang like clothes set out to dry in Puerto Rico, where Dávila grew up.
This Year’s Numerology
Understanding the number with the most in uence in 2025.
This year — 2025 — is a nine year. In January, I wrote a column that touched on some of the astrological and numerical predictions for 2025. One of the things I do to help me “get a read” on the year is to nd out what the tarot card for the year is and learn about the Chinese astrology for the year ahead. I’ve been thinking about this year’s tarot card and numerology for a long time — long before 2025 was here. And like most things in life, it is a mixed bag.
is year marches to a di erent tarot beat than 2024 did. e tarot card for 2024 was Strength, but 2025 will be ruled by e Hermit card. e Hermit is card number nine in tarot. is card invites introspection. Instead of pushing forward, it advocates for a strategic withdrawal, a pause for self-re ection and understanding.
where we see the consequences of all the energies that were set into motion. Nine is typically seen as a trinity of threes: the rst stage of creation was established in three, then consciousness was harmonized in six, and nally we see the realization in the nine.
Nine is three times three, thrice the power of creation, bringing the process of creation to its result. It is a number that brings the beginning and the end together. Nine is actually where the journey of numbers in tarot wraps up.
e four nines of the minor arcana represent the nal stage of action, re ection, thoughts, and deeds of the four suits. It heralds the end of a cycle and the natural winding down or closing stages of a period of your life. is does not mean that the situation is over and done with or gone forever. It means that it has run its natural course and is the peak of all you have done.
e energy of the number nine represents completion, but not necessarily nality. ink of it more in a cyclical sense; it’s about the ending of one cycle and the potential it creates for another cycle to begin. e nine in numerology acts as an usher in this process of transition or transformation, guiding and empowering us with its wisdom. is number is humanitarian at heart. It is compassionate, kind, and intent on putting its e orts toward creating the greatest good. In numerology, nine has gone through its fair share of hardship and is wiser, stronger, and more aware as a result. ese rst-hand experiences make it especially understanding of others who are struggling and willing to provide valuable support. e number nine in tarot brings all of the energies of the previous numbers to a culmination. e transformation from the spiritual to the tangible that took place in the number eight nally settles itself into something real. is is
e four minor arcana suits enter a spring cleaning mode when you get to the number nine. is is a time to carefully si through all that they have accumulated on their journey or cycle. You must be quite ruthless about certain things because not everything can be taken forward into their new cycle. You should only take what you discovered to be useful and valuable, and of course what has extreme sentimental or emotional attachment. ere must be a thorough cleansing of the mind, body, emotions, and spirit before moving into the next cycle.
Many people do not like change. As humans, we have a tendency to fear the unknown and we never know what is on the other side of change. I hate it as much as the next person, but change is necessary. Change is the only constant. Without change, without endings, life would be very stagnant. Even when we don’t like change, even when we ght it, it can be good for us. Perhaps now is the time to let go of the things you’ve been ghting to hold on to. If we can let go, and embrace the change, something good will come of it. Easier said than done, I know. But it’s going to happen anyway, so we might as well make it easy on ourselves. 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: IRINAYERYOMINA | DREAMSTIME.COM e number nine is humanitarian at heart.
ROSES FOR MOTHER’S DAY
FERTILOME PLANT FOODS
NEWS OF THE WEIRD
By the editors at Andrews McMeel Syndication
It’s Good to Have a Hobby? After authorities in Keene, New Hampshire, arrested Kelli Tedford, 23, on Feb. 21 for urinating on a variety of grocery products at the Monadnock Food Co-op, they discovered that her odd hobby goes back at least four years. NBC News reported that Tedford tainted produce and other items to the tune of $1,500 for the groceries and cleanup. Then police found online videos dating back to 2021 depicting Tedford in multiple locations, relieving herself on produce, surfaces, and other objects. She was charged with felony criminal mischief and released on her own recognizance — so she was able to piddle in public until her April 7, court date. [NBC News, 2/25/2025]
Alarming Headline
Mitchell Ring and his wife Jennifer Colin were flying from Melbourne, Australia, to Doha, Qatar, in midFebruary when another passenger on their flight collapsed and died, The New York Times reported. The crew tried to revive the woman, but eventually opted to put her body in a wheelchair and tried to move it to business class, Ring said — but the chair wouldn’t fit up the aisle. That’s when Ring, who was sharing a four-seat row with Colin, was asked to move over so they could place the deceased woman in the seat next to him. Colin ended up moving to a different row: “I’m not a great flyer at the best of times,” she said. Ring endured the four remaining hours of the flight sitting next to the corpse, which was covered by a blanket. The International Air Transport Association confirmed that the flight attendants did the right thing; the deceased should be covered and strapped in with a seatbelt. [New York Times, 2/26/2025]
Least Competent Criminals
• Some people just can’t shut up. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced on Feb. 25 that it had settled a case of illegal possession of remains of an endangered species, KCRA-TV reported. The investigation began in late 2023 when two plainclothes CDFW officers were on a flight and struck up a conversation with a couple seated near them. The couple admitted to having a green sea turtle skull in their luggage — a species that is endangered and illegal to possess
and transport in the U.S. The couple went on to brag about having taken a mountain lion, protected in California, and a family member’s possession of multiple taxidermied mountain lions, a wolverine, and wolves. After landing, the officers filed search warrants on the couple’s home in Chico, as well as the family member’s home in Napa. The searches turned up more illegal species. All three defendants reached plea deals and were convicted of various violations. [KCRA, 2/26/2025]
• Evelina Fabianski, 18, was looking for revenge (and the return of $700 she said she was owed) on Feb. 26 when she “decided to spray-paint and throw eggs at what she thought was [her exboyfriend’s] car,” said Volusia County (Florida) Sheriff’s deputies. Unfortunately, ClickOrlando.com reported, the car she and a minor friend covered with bright yellow paint belonged to a neighbor. Damage to the car amounted to about $5,000; Fabianski was charged with criminal mischief, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, possession of alcohol under age 21, and DUI. [ClickOrlando.com, 2/26/2025]
Crème de la Weird
In early February, the BBC reported on Feb. 26, doctors at the AIIMS hospital in Delhi, India, removed a 15kg parasitic twin from the abdomen of a 17-year-old boy. Parasitic twins form when one fetus partially develops while attached to the other. The young man had two fully formed legs, a pelvis, buttocks, and external genitalia protruding from his abdomen. Because of his condition, he had not been able to travel or do any physical activity, and he dropped out of school at the eighth grade. “A new world has opened up to me,” he said. The parasitic limbs were able to feel pain and changes in temperature. It took a team of doctors just two and a half hours to complete the surgery, and the patient has not experienced any complications. Dr. Asuri Krishna, who led the surgery, said, “Only 40 to 50 cases of parasitic twins have been documented in world medical literature.” [BBC, 2/26/2025]
ARIES (March 21-April 19): To create microgardens, you plant vegetables and herbs in small containers placed on your porch, balcony, window sills, and kitchen counter. Lettuce, peas, spinach, and basil might be among your small bounties. I encourage you to use this practice as a main metaphor in the coming weeks. In other words, gravitate away from huge, expansive visions, and instead work creatively within existing constraints. For now, at least, “less is more” should be your operative motto. Meditate on how apparent limitations might lead to inviting innovations. Seek out abundance in unlikely places.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Gemini painter Henri Rousseau (1844–1910) never saw a jungle in person. In fact, he never left his native country of France. But he painted some of modern art’s most vivid jungle scenes. How did that happen? Well, he visited zoos and botanical gardens, perused images of tropical forests in books, and heard stories from soldiers who had visited jungles abroad. But mostly, he had a flourishing imagination that he treated with reverent respect. I urge you to follow his lead, Gemini. Through the joyful, extravagant power of your imagination, get the inspiration and education you need. The next three weeks will be prime time to do so.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): No, ruby-throated hummingbirds don’t hitch rides on airplanes or the backs of geese. They make their epic migrations completely under their own power. To get to their wintering grounds, many fly alone from the southern United States to the Yucatan Peninsula, crossing the 500mile expanse of the Gulf of Mexico in 20 hours. I don’t recommend you attempt heroic feats like theirs in the coming weeks, Cancerian. More than usual, you need and deserve to call on support and help. Don’t be shy about getting the exact boosts you require. It’s time to harvest the favors you are owed and to be specific in articulating your wishes.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The golden pheasant is dazzling. Among the bright colors that appear in its plumage are gold, red, orange, yellow, blue, black, green, cinnamon, and chestnut. In accordance with astrological omens, I name this charismatic bird to be your spirit creature for the coming weeks. Feel free to embrace your inner golden pheasant and express it vividly wherever you go. This is a perfect time to boldly showcase your beauty and magnificence, even as you fully display your talents and assets. I brazenly predict that your enthusiastic expression of selflove will be a good influence on almost everyone you encounter.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Virgo poet and visual artist Dorothea Tanning
(1910–2012) had a few mottoes that endlessly nurtured her abundant creative output. Here’s one: “Keep your eye on your inner world and keep away from ads, idiots, and movie stars.” As excellent as that advice is, it’s a challenge to follow it all the time. If we want to function effectively, we can’t always be focused on our inner worlds. However, I do believe you are now in a phase when you’re wise to heed her counsel more than usual. Your soul’s depths have a lot to teach you. Your deep intuition is full of useful revelations. Don’t get distracted from them by listening too much to ads, idiots, and celebrities.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is essential for the functioning of your body and every other animal’s. It carries instructions about how to build proteins, and your cells are full of it. We humans can’t edit this magic substance, but octopuses can. They do it on the fly, enabling them to adapt quickly to changing environmental conditions. Even though you Libras can’t match their amazing power with RNA, you do have a substantial capacity to rewrite your plans and adjust your mindset. And this talent of yours will be especially available to you in the coming weeks. Your flexibility and adaptability will not only help you navigate surprises but may also open up exciting new opportunities.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Is there a sanctuary you can retreat to? A relaxing oasis where you can slip away from the world’s colorful madness? I would love for you to be bold enough to seek the precise healing you need. You have every right to escape the rotting status quo and give yourself full permission to hide from pressure, demands, and expectations. Is there music that brings you deep consolation? Are there books and teachers that activate your profound soul wisdom? Keep that good stuff nearby. It’s time for focused relief and regeneration.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): The chemical element known as arsenic is notoriously toxic for humans, but has long been useful in small amounts. Ancient Chinese metallurgists discovered that blending it with copper and tin made the finest, strongest bronze. In modern times, arsenic fortifies the lead in car batteries. People in the 19th century sometimes ingested tiny doses as a stimulant. In this spirit, Sagittarius, I invite you to transform potentially challenging elements in your life into sources of strength. Can you find ways to incorporate iffy factors instead of eliminating them? I assure you that you have the power to recognize value in things others may neglect or reject.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Renowned Capricorn author Henry Miller (1891–1980) had to wait far too long
TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
Taurus author Nellie Bly (1864–1922) was a daring trailblazer. It was almost impossible for a woman to be a journalist in the 19th century, but she did it anyway. One of her sensational groundbreaking stories came when she did an undercover assignment in New York’s Women’s Lunatic Asylum. Her reporting on the neglect and brutality there prompted major reforms. I nominate Bly as your role model for the foreseeable future. You are, I believe, poised for epic, even heroic adventures, in service to a greater good. (PS: Bly also made a solo trip around the world and wrote 15 books.)
before getting readers in his home country, the United States. American censors regarded his explosive texts as too racy and sexy. They forbade the publication of his books until he was 69 years old! His spirit was forever resolute and uncrushable, though. In accordance with astrological omens, Capricorn, I recommend you adopt his counsel on the subject of wonders and marvels. Miller wrote, “The miracle is that the honey is always there, right under your nose, only you were too busy searching elsewhere to realize it.” Here’s another gem from Miller: He advised us “to make the miracle more and more miraculous, to swear allegiance to nothing, but live only miraculously, think only miraculously, die miraculously.”
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): For now, everything depends on your foundation, your roots, and your support system. If I were you, I would devote myself to nurturing them. Please note that you’re not in any jeopardy. I don’t foresee strains or tremors. But your graduation to your next set of interesting challenges will require you to be snugly stable, secure, and steady. This is one time when being thoroughly ensconced in your comfort zone is a beautiful asset, not a detriment to be transcended.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): The coming weeks are a favorable time for you to build symbolic bridges. I hope you will link resources that aren’t yet linked. I hope you will work to connect people whose merger would help you, and I hope you will begin planning to move from where you are now to the next chapter of your life. I advise you to not model your metaphorical bridges after modern steel suspension bridges, though. Instead, be inspired by the flexible, natural, and intimate bridges made by the ancient Incas. Woven from ichu grass via community efforts, they were strong enough to span rivers and canyons in the Andes mountains.
TV By Chris McCoy
Revolution Road
Star Wars gets serious in Andor’s second season.
Irecently attended a lecture by Timothy Snyder, professor of history at Yale University. Snyder’s specialty is the study of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe in the 20th century. His 2017 book, On Tyranny, was essential reading during the rst Trump administration, and earlier this year, it topped the New York Times Bestseller list. If you’ve recently heard the phrase “don’t obey in advance,” that’s Snyder’s work.
His new book, On Freedom, asks hard questions about the way we use the word “freedom” in America. Too o en, we think of freedom only as the absence of anyone telling us what to do. But it’s much more than that. Freedom is not merely individualistic in nature. ere are times when banding together with other people will make both us and them more free. e American Revolution is one example. People with diverse interests from diverse places banded together to throw o the chains of monarchy and prevent any one person from ever having that much power over them again.
The most chilling sequence in these first three episodes is a boardroom meeting.
George Lucas called the good guys in 1977’s Star Wars the Rebel Alliance. e bad guys were the Galactic Empire. e names weren’t important. He just needed an excuse for lasers to go pew pew. Sure, Obi-Wan Kenobi was ghting to restore the Old Republic, but his number-one ally was Princess Leia, who was royalty. And where did
DINNER
this plucky group of rebels get a eet of expensive-looking spaceships? Who cares? It’s a story about space wizards trying to get their mojo back.
Lucas himself was the rst to realize he had half-accidentally created a political story, and the prequel trilogy is really about how democracies die. In the Disney era, Rogue One stood apart for its glimpse into what everyday life was like under the rule of Emperor Palpatine. When Tony Gilroy, who was on Rogue One’s creative team, continued the story with Alliance operative Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) on Disney+, it was as much about how revolutions begin in authoritarian regimes as it was about a street hustler who nds a purpose in life.
Season 2, which premiered last week on Disney+, leans into the ensemble cast Gilroy created and adapted. is season is unique, in that its twelve 30-minute episodes are being released three at a time, with each batch telling a complete story and then skipping ahead one year. From the very rst scene, Gilroy and his crew show they’re taking Star Wars to an emotional place it has never been before. Cassian has in ltrated Sienar Fleet Systems to steal an advanced TIE ghter prototype. As she is handing him the keys to the ship, the young tech who has helped him (Rachelle Diedericks) asks, “If I die today, will it be worth it?”
Yes, Cassian assures her; no matter what happens, she’s made a decision to be free in the face of oppression. en he leaves her to her fate. It’s a brilliant bit of writing, revealing Cassian’s moral calculus. Many more people will be faced with the same bad set of choices.
On the prosperous world Chandrila, Senator Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly) is facing the consequences
of the deals she made to nance the Alliance to restore the Republic. She’s giving her daughter Leida (Bronte Carmichael) away in a loveless arranged marriage to the son of a shady oligarch. It’s the social event of the season, which means Luthen (Stellan Skarsgård), the deep-cover Rebel leader, can use it as an excuse for a visit. Meanwhile, Mothma’s own marriage is falling apart, her daughter hates her, and her banker Tay (Ben Miles) is considering ratting her out to the Empire. e most chilling sequence in these rst three episodes is a boardroom meeting. Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn) has assembled a secret team of Imperial brass, including ISB investigator Dedra Meero (Denise Gough). Under the guise of “energy independence,” Krennic plans to mine the peaceful planet Ghorman, famous
Season 2 of Andor premiered last week on Disney+.
for its ne silk exports, for the enormous quantities of minerals it will take to build the Death Star. e problem is, how to remove the population without causing too much of a stir. e bureaucrats calmly pitching genocidal ideas is a reference to the Wannsee Conference, where the Nazis planned the Final Solution. By taking the question “Where did the Rebellion come from?” seriously, Gilroy has elevated this space fantasy into a work that’s sadly relevant to our moment. What is freedom? When push comes to shove, how hard will you ght, how far will you go, for freedom?
New episodes of Andor premiere Tuesday nights on Disney+.
By Chris McCoy
Our critic picks the best films in theaters.
Thunderbolts
Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, Wyatt Russell as U.S. Agent, Olga Kurylenko as Taskmaster, Lewis Pullman as the Void, Hannah JohnKamen as Ghost, and David Harbour as Red Guardian will answer the call of CIA director Julia Louis-Dreyfus to protect the world against an extreme menace whose nature I’m not too clear on, but whatever.
Sinners
Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan’s folk horror is the surprise blockbuster we didn’t know we needed. When the Smokestack twins (both played by Jordan) return home with a briefcase of cash and a truckload of booze stolen from Al
Capone, they plan to open the juke joint of their dreams. But when a supernaturally talented bluesman (Miles Caton) tears the veil between worlds, vampires attack.
The Surfer
Nicolas Cage is an aging surfer who wants to introduce his son Scally (Julian McMahon) to the beach where he grew up. But a group of locals who may or may not be in some kind of cult have other ideas. You don’t live here, you don’t surf here.
Bonjour Tristesse
Chloe Sevigny stars as the long-lost lover of a widowed father (Claes Bang) who resurfaces when he takes his daughter (Lily McInerny) and new flame (Nailia Harzoune) on a French Riviera vacation. Based on the 1954 novel by Françoise Sagan.
1997
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2015 HYUNDAI SONATA
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2007 JEEP WRANGLER
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2001 FORD TAURUS
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2012 FORD ESCAPE
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2013 HYUNDAI VELOSTER
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CAFE FOR LEASE
By Patricia Lockhart
Clubbing in Memphis
No, not that kind of clubbing. But joining these clubs can be just as entertaining for us grown-ups.
I am deviating from our regularly scheduled program to tell you all about some fantastic clubs I’m involved in. As an adult, I feel it is extremely important to not give up on the concept of play. Our daily lives can be bombarded with responsibilities and adulting, even to the point of forgetting that we are grown and don’t have to ask our mommies for permission to play with our friends. I refuse to settle for a life that keeps me so busy that I cannot enjoy thriving. So here are a few clubs I’m involved in and a short list of clubs that I wish existed!
Memphis Rum Club
Yes, you read that right and it is NOT a typo. I am a member of the Memphis RUM Club. We do not run, whatsoever! I was in the middle of a hypnotic scroll on Instagram when I came across one of their posts and was immediately intrigued. I clicked on their pro le and soon found myself signing up to join. My rst meeting was at Mary’s B.O.T.E. in Midtown. I had an opportunity to sample the highlighted rum of the night, ask a ton of questions (because I knew next to nothing about rum), and even got some really nice swag. Ever since, I have not missed a meeting! And why would I? I get to learn about new rums and sample them. I’ve also made two new friends, Kelly and Michael. Hi, y’all!
e 901 Readers’ Collective, aka Silent Book Club, and the Raleigh Library Book Club
From tasting rum to sewing, these clubs o er fun for everyone.
I am a member of several book clubs in Memphis, and I read all of their books. I do not, however, actually attend many book club meetings. I’m easily irked when I attend a book club meeting and we spend less than 15 minutes discussing the book. I’m also easily irked when I’m at a book club meeting and end up reading another book or searching for my next book because no one is talking about the book we gathered to discuss. (Oh, and leaving once the book discussion is completed is also frowned upon.) So, yeah, I only actually attend two book clubs: 901 Silent Book Club and the Raleigh Library Book Club.
At the Raleigh Library Book Club, we actually talk about the book the entire time! A full hour of book discussion! Each member gets a chance to take the lead on selecting our next book and leading the discussion. Recently, we’ve read e Troop by Nick Cutter, Whiskey When We’re Dry by John Larison, Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, and Our Hideous Progeny by C.E. McGill. We even had a Book Bachelor event and added 3D-printed roses to our books! is club is awesome. Our next meeting is May 20th. For more information, check out the Memphis Public Libraries website.
Sometimes, I want to be in the presence of people, but not “peopling” with them. I know I’m not alone in feeling like this. e 901 Readers’ Collective, aka Silent Book Club, is the perfect club. is group meets at di erent locations around the city, and there is no assigned reading. You simply show up with your book, sign in, and begin reading. ere’s a brief break where you can share what you’re reading with those around you, but it’s not necessary. It’s the perfect opportunity to be social while quietly reading your book. Heaven.
Sidenote: I also enjoy the Fit4Mom Book Club, but I haven’t been able to attend a meetup due to scheduling.
Other clubs I’m a part of:
• Sewing and Crochet Club: I love to sew, knit, and crochet. My kids sometimes call them my old lady cra s. We meet on Saturdays at the Raleigh Library. All information can be found on their website. I’m also thinking about hosting a Summer Beginner’s Sewing Club class. oughts?
• Supper Club Memphis: I’ve recently joined them and can’t wait until my rst meetup. I love a well-dressed, good time with food!
Clubs I wish existed:
• Tea and Biscuits Club: We meet and drink a variety of teas paired with cookies.
• Cozy Video Game Club: We meet and discuss the current cozy video games we’re playing. We also share any tips and tricks we might have. ose with portable gaming devices are welcome to bring them and play, too.
• Nature Walk Club: We take nature walks through the woods. But the walks shouldn’t be too long; otherwise, it’ll become a hiking club and I’ll be tempted to quit.
• Painters’ Club: We bring our painting supplies to a location and paint whatever we want. We can also share techniques with each other.
• Kickball Club: Let’s be clear, I am not good at kickball. But I will be a freaking delight to have on your team!
Patricia Lockhart is a native Memphian who loves to read, write, cook, and eat. By day, she’s an assistant principal and writer, but by night … she’s asleep.
