Memphis Flyer 6/8/2023

SHARA CLARK Editor

SAMUEL X. CICCI

Managing Editor

JACKSON BAKER, BRUCE VANWYNGARDEN

Senior Editors TOBY SELLS

Associate Editor

KAILYNN JOHNSON

News Reporter

CHRIS MCCOY

Film and TV Editor

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Music Editor

MICHAEL DONAHUE, JON W. SPARKS

Staff Writers

ABIGAIL MORICI

Arts and Culture Editor

GENE GARD, EMILY GUENTHER, COCO JUNE, FRANK MURTAUGH

Contributing Columnists

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Grizzlies Reporters

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OUR 1789TH ISSUE 06.08.23

Editor’s note: Flyer writers will occasionally share this space. I have a confession to make. Well, confession might be too strong of a word. at would connote sinning, and I don’t believe I’ve sinned in this case. Maybe, an admission — yeah, that sounds better. I have an admission to make. Although on second thought, admission reminds me of college admissions, which reminds me of college admissions scandals (re: Aunt Becky). And I’m not about to bring on a scandal in this column — that just might cost me this job, and I have a dog named Blobby to support. So scratch that while I go on to thesaurus.com (as any professional would). Okay, okay, I got it. Proclamation. I have a proclamation to make. Now, doesn’t that sound regal? At last, we’ve settled on the perfect word, but before I proclaim what I’m about to proclaim, I must ask that you not judge me. Good? Okay, here goes nothing … if you can’t tell I’m stalling … because … because I have no idea what to write. I know, I know, what you’re thinking. Wow, so novel that a writer is a icted with writer’s block. Boohoo for you. But, yes, boohoo for me. is is supposed to be my thing — writing and all that jazz. Back in the day, I could pull a topic straight out of my ear like a magician pulling out a quarter. I mean, do you see what I’m talking about? I don’t even think that metaphor works, and I sat here at this computer for a full three minutes trying to come up with it. In my youth, which wasn’t that long ago, I could write about anything. Once, I wrote a beautiful essay detailing the strengths and weaknesses of Julius Caesar’s leadership style — with each strength and weakness being compared to a di erent component of a Caesar salad. Anchovies were a weakness; croutons were a strength; lettuce was Caesar meeting the bare minimum for something or the other — I can’t remember, but I remember I got an A (and a note to maybe not compare Julius Caesar to a Caesar salad on my AP Latin exam).

I just know my younger self would be so disappointed in me. My therapist would call it a symptom of my anxiety — this need to be perfect. But look at all this space I have to ll with my words and thoughts. You’d think at this point that surely — surely — I would have thought of something. Anything. So much is going on with the world. So much. Something’s going on with the debt ceiling, but I couldn’t tell you what exactly. en there was the season — or is it series — nale of Succession that happened recently, but I’m only on the second season, so I can’t talk about that. Of course, there’s the fact that Tennessee’s “anti-drag” law has been declared unconstitutional! (Yay!) But our reporter Kailynn Johnson has been doing a great job covering it (see p. 4), and I’m not about to compete (see my failed magician metaphor above).

Ummmm, I suppose I could talk about how Covid has been declared over but not really or about how the U.S. Surgeon General has declared a decline in mental health of kids as an urgent public health crisis or about how gun violence seems to be a permanent mainstay on news headlines or about how it’s been almost a year since Roe v. Wade was overturned or about how the WGA strike is still going on or about how Taylor Swi was dating a sleazebag of a man until like yesterday or about how social media is rotting our brains or about how carbon dioxide is growing at a near-record rate which is very much a bad thing or about how Ring cameras have been used to spy on customers which is also bad or about how capitalism sucks and politicians suck and sleazebag men suck, and this is where we end up with a run-on sentence and what we call a negative thought spiral that my therapist would not approve of (though she might approve of the run-on since that breaks the perfectionist tendencies in me, yay me).

I guess I could mine something from my personal life, but not much is going on there — even though everything seems to be going on all the time everywhere. It’s both overwhelming and underwhelming. All I want to do is crawl under the covers and listen to my dog snore, morning, noon, and night.

NEWS & OPINION

THE FLY-BY - 4

POLITICS - 6

HEALTH - 7

COVER STORY

“LATE-NIGHT EATS”

BY SAMUEL X. CICCI

AND MICHAEL DONAHUE - 8

WE RECOMMEND - 12 MUSIC - 13

CALENDAR - 14

NY TIMES CROSSWORD - 14

NEWS OF THE WEIRD - 16

ASTROLOGY - 17

AFTER DARK - 18

FILM - 20

CLASSIFIEDS - 22

LAST WORD - 23

So I guess I do have something to confess: I have no idea what to write, and the sin of it all is that, if you’ve made it this far, I’ve brought you down with my sinking ship of despair. But I’m not sorry. As I said before, I have to ll this space, so I can keep my job to support my dog, who sleeps by my side as I write this, snoring and wagging his tail as he dreams about who knows what, as if everything is not happening everywhere all the time.

Abigail Morici

abigail@memphis

yer.com

PHOTO: ABIGAIL MORICI Blobby awakes from his nap.

THE fly-by

ernet

Memphis on the internet.

TINA AND AUSSIES

Questions, Answers + Attitude

Edited by Toby Sells

{WEEK THAT WAS

By Flyer staff

Drag, Brooks Museum, & Kit Kat

State law blocked, ground broken Downtown, and candy gets a Memphis wrapper.

DRAG BAN BLOCKED

U.S. District Judge omas Parker ruled last week that Tennessee’s drag ban is unconstitutional.

Tina Turner’s recent death uncovered an amazing connection between the artist and Australia.

Her song “Nutbush City Limits” about her West Tennessee hometown (just between Brownsville and Ripley) is practically embedded in Australian culture, according to a Sky News Australia anchor last week. e song and the line dance that goes with it are staples at Aussie gatherings like parties, weddings, and just about any other festivity.

Big Red Bash, a three-day music festival outside of Broken Hill in New South Wales, Australia, will try to break the record for the largest group dancing to the song next month. Organizers hope to get 5,000 to dance at once, beating the current record of just over 4,700 (above). Each dancer pays $15 to enter. e money goes to the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia, which provides emergency aeromedical evacuations throughout rural and remote Australia.

h/t to Craig Meek, Ashley Jones, and Dark Horse Band Canberra.

MPD PRIDE

In March, Friends of George’s, an LGBTQ theater company at the Evergreen eatre, led a suit against the state of Tennessee for what they called the “reckless anti-drag law,” arguing it violated the group’s First Amendment rights.

e law was temporarily blocked shortly a er, as it was set to go into e ect on April 1st.

Parker had granted a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against District Attorney Steve Mulroy, the state of Tennessee, Governor Bill Lee, and Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti.

“A er considering the briefs and evidence presented at trial, the court nds that — despite Tennessee’s compelling interest in protecting the psychological and physical wellbeing of children — the Adult Entertainment Act is an unconstitutional restriction on the freedom of speech and permanently enjoins defendant Steven Mulroy from enforcing the unconstitutional statute,” said court documents.

OFFICIALS WITHOUT BORDERS

Tennessee state Republican leaders are inserting themselves (and even the Tennessee National Guard) into other states.

Governor Lee announced recently he was sending 100 Guard troops to Texas “to secure the U.S. Southern border amid an ongoing national security crisis and surging drug crisis being fueled by an open border.” Also, Tennessee AG Skrmetti joined the state’s name to a legal fracas in Florida over a gender identity case in a school.

NEW BROOKS GROUND BROKEN

Ground broke last week on the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art’s new home Downtown.

O cials also announced that, so far, they have raised 75 percent of the $180 million fundraising goal for the project.

e new 122,000-square-foot building will feature nearly 50 percent more gallery space than the museum’s current home in Overton Park. e space will be used to exhibit Memphis’ growing permanent art collection, as well as new spaces for education and art-making for all ages. O cials said the new Brooks will include “600 percent more art- lled public spaces than the current facility.”

e new Brooks will have a restaurant and a gi shop highlighting Memphis markers and artists. A community courtyard in the heart of the building will be 10,000 square feet, the size of two full NBA courts. e roo op will provide visitors with an expansive green space: an art park in the sky, o cials said, complete with an event pavilion. Both the courtyard and the roo op will be open to the public without museum admission.

KIT KAT WRAPPED UP IN MEMPHIS

Fans of Kit Kat bars may spy a touch of Memphis style on their candy wrappers this month. e Hershey-owned brand recently partnered with Black illustrators to design wrappers that “depict Black music in six cities across the U.S.” to celebrate June’s Black Music Month.

“Putting the P in MPD,” u/Genhauer posted to Reddit with an image of a convertible(?!) Memphis Police Department cruiser, apparently headed to the Mid-South Pride parade.

O cials turned the ceremonious rst shovels of dirt at the space on Front Street between Monroe and Union. Demolition work has been underway for months at the site, razing a parking garage and the former headquarters for the Memphis Fire Department.

Memphis artist Mia Saine designed wrappers for Memphis, New York City, and New Orleans.

Visit the News Blog at memphisflyer.com for fuller versions of these stories and more local news.

POSTED TO YOUTUBE BY SKY NEWS AUSTRALIA

POSTED TO REDDIT BY U/GENHAUER

PHOTO: KEVIN REED

U.S. District Judge omas Parker ruled that the language of the “anti-drag” law is “unconstitutionally vague” and “overbroad,” just in time for the kick-o of Pride.

PHOTO: @HEYMIASAINE VIA INSTAGRAM

By Toby Sells

Power (S)Trip

Court arguments began here last week in a case that will test a new state law that stripped local control of post-conviction proceedings in capital cases and granted it to the Tennessee Attorney General. A ruling on the case is promised for July.

In capital cases, individuals o en seek a review of their convictions, requesting a di erent judge to assess evidence, determine intellectual disability, competency for execution, and other factors in the hopes of obtaining a reduced sentence. is process is known as collateral review.

Previously, local district attorneys represented the state in these cases. However, a bill passed by the Republican-dominated Tennessee General Assembly and signed by Republican Governor Bill Lee granted this authority to Republican Tennessee Attorney General and Reporter Jonathan Skrmetti.

but it fell largely under the radar. It even began its life as a bill focused on sexual assault kits. However, an amendment removed all of that language and completely rewrote the bill to give the state AG control in these postconviction cases. e legislature passed the bill in mid-April, and the governor signed it into law later that month.

“ is sudden move appears to be a response to the choices of voters in both Davidson County and Shelby County, who elected prosecutors to support more restorative and less punitive policies,” read a statement at the time from Tennesseans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty.

Larry McKay, who received two death sentences for the murders of two store clerks in Shelby County in 1981, has now requested a court review of previously unexamined evidence in his case. Despite the new law, his attorney seeks disquali cation of the “unelected” Tennessee Attorney General from the review.

McKay argues that the new law infringes on the responsibilities of local district attorneys, thereby violating the Tennessee Constitution. Additionally, he contends that the drastic alteration of the legislation violates the state constitution.

In support of McKay’s request, Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy wants to review the new evidence. In a letter this month, Mulroy said, “ e newly enacted statute is an unconstitutional e ort to divest and diminish the authority granted to Tennessee’s District Attorneys General by the Tennessee Constitution. e new statute violates the voting rights of such voters because it strips material discretion from District Attorneys, who are elected by the quali ed voters of the judicial district.”

G&G CPA Services inaugurated their new o ces last week, along with their families and friends. The o ces are located at 5100 Poplar Avenue, Ste. 2216, in the Clark Tower. Zouleth Georgina Gonzalez, better known as “Gina,” is the owner of the CPA firm. She has a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from the University of Memphis. “We are very happy to be able to o er a comfortable and private space for our clients,” Gonzalez said.

They provide bookkeeping, payroll, and tax preparation services. Their current clientele includes businesses like medical clinics, attorneys, construction companies, restaurants, dealerships, and many more.

“I began helping family and friends with their business and then I realized there was a need in the community for a Spanish speaking CPA, I started in a very small o ce and I am very happy to see how the business has grown over the years”

“ e attorney general and reporter will have exclusive control over the state’s defense of the request for collateral review,” stated the bill. “ e attorney general and reporter will not be bound by any stipulations, concessions, or agreements made by a district attorney general regarding a request for collateral review. is amendment prohibits a trial court from issuing a nal order granting relief in a request for collateral review until the attorney general and reporter les a response to the request.”

e House bill was led in January,

State attorneys argue that McKay has sought review of his case multiple times in various courts. ey challenge the arguments put forth by his attorney, asserting that the new statute does not violate the state constitution. ey further note that McKay may not even get the desired outcome if the new evidence is reviewed.

“ e General Assembly was entitled to take that statuary power away from the district attorneys and give it to the Attorney General in capital cases,” reads the court document. “ ey have done just that and their mandate must be followed.”

Gina started the business eight years ago by herself, and she now has six people on her team. Helping small to midsize businesses in Memphis grow adequately is her passion. “The preparation of taxes as well as managing financial statements is very delicate, and we treat it with all the seriousness and responsibility that it deserves. We are proud to be the first fully bilingual CPA firm in Memphis.”

G&G CPA Services is open from Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For more information or to make an appointment, call (901) 833-8839

“The General Assembly was entitled to take that statuary power away from the district attorneys.”

A Memphis court case will test a new state law giving local control of some criminal court cases to the state attorney general.

PHOTO: TINGEY INJURY LAW FIRM | UNSPLASH

A ruling is expected in July.

All-You-Can-Eat Crab Legs

POLITICS By Jackson Baker

The Suspense Holds

Now that Memphis city candidates have begun pulling petitions for various races on the 2023 city ballot, what have we learned? Not so much, not yet. And old questions remain.

When hopefuls began posting their nancial disclosures for the rst quarter of the year, Brian Harris was rst up in Super District 8, Position 3. He declared receipts of $30,166 for the quarter, and the same amount as the gure for his cash on hand. He also listed the selfsame sum of $30,166 as having been raised entirely from contributions of $100 or less.

Only problem was — and still is — that if indeed all those facts are true, Harris is required to list and identify all contributions, no matter the size, over the total amount of $2,000, since unidenti ed contributions are capped at that gure. Any receipts over that amount have to be itemized. In Harris’ case, that means a minimum of $28,166 needs to be accounted for.

Attempts to reach Harris and unravel the mystery of his funding sources have so far proved unavailing — though in the long run the Election Commission, and through it the voters, is sure to nd out what there is to know.

One declared adversary of Harris in Super District 8, Position 3, is Jerred Price. e local activist and entertainer of Almost Elton John fame declared receipts for that rst quarter of $20,465, with cash on hand of $13,998.87. All contributions and payouts are duly listed, as required, including — almost quaintly — a disbursement of $10.50 as a bank service charge.

Several other candidates have pulled petitions so far for Super District 8, Position 3 — Davin D. Clemons, Yolanda Cooper-Sutton, Roderic Sydney Ford, Damon Curry Morris, Paul Randolph Jr., and Robert White Jr. — but none of them have yet released any numbers.

So far, there remains no indication that former Councilman Berlin Boyd has picked up a petition for 8-3 or for any other position, though he has long been rumored to favor a Super District race as his way back to the council. (As the incumbent for District 7 in 2019, Boyd was defeated in a runo by Councilwoman

Michalyn Easter- omas.)

e big race on the city council calendar this year will almost certainly be the contest for District 5. One contender for this seat, which bridges Midtown and East Memphis, is Meggan Wurzburg Kiel, a longtime mainstay for MICAH (Memphis Interfaith Coalition for Action and Hope). As of that rst-quarter disclosure, Kiel was already reporting cash on hand of $104,084.39, and she has continued to raise money since.

Kiel’s principal adversary will be yet another former council member seeking to return: former Super District 9, Position 2 Councilman Philip Spinosa, who, as of the year’s rst disclosure, was reporting cash on hand of $14,721.60. ough that gure isn’t comparable to what Kiel reported at the time, Spinosa, like Kiel, has important connections and will ultimately raise a war chest commensurate with that fact.

Money will be an important indicator of candidate viability this year, but not the only one. One conclusion drawn by almost all observers of this year’s mayoral eld is that one candidate sure to draw beaucoup votes will do so sans bene t of signi cant fundraising.

at would be former ve-time Mayor Willie Herenton, mentioned in this space last week. Herenton nished second to incumbent Mayor Jim Strickland in 2019 without raising any money to speak of, and, especially with his new hard anti-crime platform, he remains an elephant in the room for this election season.

PHOTO: JACKSON BAKER Willie Herenton

So

far the petition list isn’t revealing much.

HEALTH By Kailynn Johnson

Men and Mental Health

Local psychotherapist speaks on mental health amid new study showing six million U.S. men a ected by depression.

Information released by Mental Health America, a national nonpro t “dedicated to the promotion of mental health” through public education, research advocacy, public policy, and direct service, showed that, out of 151,781,326 people in the male population of the U.S., about six million are a ected by depression.

Mental Health America said depression o en goes undiagnosed in men and is one of ve major mental health problems a ecting men. Others include anxiety, bipolar disorder, psychosis and schizophrenia, and eating disorders.

According to Rick Harrell of RH Counseling Services in Memphis, men are less likely to seek out mental health services. A January 2023 report from Statista estimated that 12.1 percent of U.S. men received mental health treatment or counseling in the past year (2021).

more of an emphasis on mental health recently, which has resulted in more men enrolling in counseling services.

A poll issued by East Tennessee State University (ETSU) showed that the mental health of Tennesseans was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. A poll conducted by the Applied Social Research Laboratory at ETSU concluded that “4.6 percent of Tennesseans were symptomatic of anxiety and 27.1 percent were symptomatic of depressive disorder.”

While the pandemic undoubtedly had an e ect on mental health, it also led to more people seeking out counseling and therapy services. e National Library of Medicine reported that as of September 2020, men sought out these services at a higher rate than women.

Harrell has seen this in his own practice, as well. In his 24 years of practice, he’s seen a majority of his male patients coming as a result of being pushed or ordered to attend — as a result of a court order or couple’s counseling. He has recently seen a shi , where more men are coming on their own accord.

“A lot of that comes from the various stigmas that come along with getting help,” said Harrell. “[Like] if you seek out help in some way, you’re crazy, or all the stigmas that come with that. Men also internalize things more than women do, and they try to just deal with it on their own.”

e information compiled by Mental Health America states that some of the reasons men fail to seek help are societal norms, reluctance to talk, and downplaying of symptoms.

While these stigmas have always existed, Harrell said there has been

“I have seen over the last few years, post-pandemic, more men take the initiative to seek out therapy on their own,” said Harrell. “I think we’re becoming more knowledgeable about it, and I think the stigmas that have been associated with getting mental health services, we’re beginning to dispel some of those things.

“It’s okay to not be okay, but it’s not okay to stay not okay,” said Harrell. “Knowing that there’s help out here, and you can heal from the issues. … I think when we keep it in the forefront and we continue to dispel the myths and the stigmas that center around mental health and educate our communities, we begin to make some improvements in that space.”

PHOTO: NIK SHULIAHIN | UNSPLASH

Depression is one of ve major mental health problems a ecting men.

“It’s okay to not be okay, but it’s not okay to stay not okay.”

Late-Night Eats

OUR INTREPID FOOD REPORTERS SPEND ANOTHER NIGHT ON THE TOWN SEARCHING FOR THE BEST MIDNIGHT SNACK.

Breakfast might be the most important meal of the day, but there’s just something special about the midnight snack. It could be a scarfed-down handful of Gold sh or a drunkenly cra ed peanut butter sandwich, but sometimes that late-night munchie hits just right. Of course, there’s no need to restrict yourself to chips or microwavable meals. Memphis restaurants are here to pick up the slack with some inspired menus. It’s not just bacon and eggs or greasy burgers (although we

love those, too). Last year’s late-night dining adventure included visits to old favorites like Alex’s Tavern and RP Tracks, and relative newcomer Pantà. is time around, we found that Memphis’ nocturnal kitchens continue to whip out a wide variety of a erdark cuisine, from tater tot nachos to caviar, with a little bit of traditional Irish cooking in between. is year, our Flyer food writers had themselves another late night to check out three restaurants that cater to the hungry insomniacs and night owls among us.

COVER STORY By Samuel X. Cicci & Michael Donahue

PHOTO: SAMUEL X. CICCI Michael Donahue chows down on caviar at Tiger and Peacock.

PHOTO: MICHAEL DONAHUE

Below: Matt Martin, Zach Miller, and Chad Allen Barton in the Black Lodge kitchen.

EAT at Black Lodge

ere’s a lot of things you can do at Black Lodge. You can watch or rent movies, of course. You can play a wide assortment of board games. You can participate in a medieval combat tournament or hop on to an arcade machine. Or you can just hang out with your friends.

But something else that you can do at Black Lodge is EAT. And there are plenty of fun snacks to be had from the menu the longtime video rental store launched last year. And with a midnight closing during the week and a 3 a.m. cuto on Friday and Saturday, it might be a Midtowner’s best bet for a late food run.

Zach Miller, kitchen manager and chef at Black Lodge, began working at EAT a year ago. As for creating dishes, he says, “I was going o what was created by our guest chef and co-owner James Blair. He’s like our special guest chef. He comes in for dinner and movies and for special things. Or catering, as well, for parties as such.”

Blair and Chad Allen Barton, a Black Lodge owner, came up with the basic menu, Miller says. “And I kind of went o of that and I created my own things.”

Miller has a philosophy about what kind of dishes he creates for Black Lodge. “I don’t want to create something that looks complex on the plate. Something that is complex, for sure, but it looks simple. I don’t want people paying attention to their plate. I want them paying attention to the screen.”

Blair came up with the name EAT for the restaurant, Black Lodge owner Matt Martin previously told the Flyer. He described it as “one part kind of a throwback name” to those “little diners that say things like Eats or Joe’s Eats on Times Square, mostly in older movies.”

e name also was inspired by John Carpenter’s 1988 movie, ey Live “In that movie, subliminal messages are hidden behind everything.” Roddy Piper, who plays the main character, uses special glasses to see through everything, Martin says. “When he looks at a menu he sees the word ‘food.’”

When we looked at the Black Lodge menu, we saw a variety of tasty treats just waiting to be ordered. Breakfast is served all day, including the de-

Top:

Middle

Middle

Below:

lectable chicken and wa es. e breakfast sandwiches, in a fun twist, use wa es instead of bread or biscuits to make for some sweet snacks. e wa e grilled cheese, for example, combines melted Brie with chopped nuts, tamarind sauce, and a drizzle of honey. But the more savory option tosses bacon, ham, or tofu with cheesy scrambled eggs and house sauce.

e most exciting item, perhaps

the crown jewel of Black Lodge’s menu, is the totcho bowl. ink nachos, but with … tater tots? e salty, crispy tots provided the perfect bedrock for helpings of nacho-ey goodness, with slices of bacon and jalapeños decorating our bowl, along with a healthy portion of avocado and sour cream. Our forks ew wildly through the bowl, and we found that we’d demolished the dish before the Lodge’s featured movie, Studio Ghibli’s

Ponyo, even made it through the intro. Black Lodge is located at 405 N. Cleveland.

Tiger and Peacock

Ride the elevator to the top of e Memphian hotel, and prepare to set foot in a bar that our colleague Bruce VanWygarden once described as looking “as if Alice in Wonderland fell down the rabbit hole, met Jerry Garcia at the bottom, and they decided to form an interior design team.” ere’s a full assortment of funky decorations at Tiger and Peacock, from Debra the zebra standing behind the bar to oodles of anthropomorphic portraiture and bright, snazzy colors. It’s the perfect place to throw back a cocktail.

But people do eat, as well as drink, at Tiger and Peacock. Manager Harvey Grillo describes it as “a relaxing and upscale lounge. Almost like a speakeasy.”

“ e tables are smaller,” he continues. “It doesn’t really warrant a full dinner atmosphere. It’s light bite snacking. e plates aren’t full entrees and things like that.”

It’s not a restaurant like the hotel’s Complicated Pilgrim downstairs.

“It takes a little bit of trying to get full upstairs since they are small bites,” says fellow Tiger and Peacock manager Cat Turowski.

And, she adds, “Because the table space is pretty small, usually they’ll get a plate or two. And they’ll get another plate or two. And then get another plate or two.”

But, Turowski says, “Primarily everybody comes up there to enjoy the atmosphere, enjoy the decor, and have a good time.”

Not all Tiger and Peacock dishes are small, though, Grillo says. “ ere are dishes that push more toward the dinner option.”

e sake marinated short rib is one of them, he says. “It’s my personal favorite and it’s everyone else’s personal favorite,” Turowski adds. “ e sake glaze gives it a little bit of a sweet taste and the sriracha aioli gives it a little bit of zing. And it’s very tender and moist. It kind of checks all the boxes.”

Scott Donnelly, executive chef of Complicated Pilgrim at e Memphian, also makes the cuisine for Tiger and Peacock. Asked his inspiration for the

continued on page 10

PHOTOS: SAMUEL X. CICCI / (BELOW) BOG & BARLEY

Tot-chos at Black Lodge accompanied by a Ron Swanson cocktail

le : Let’s Get Layed caviar and chips at Tiger and Peacock

right: Auld Bog stout at Bog & Barley

Fish and chips at Bog & Barley

Tiger and Peacock dishes, Donnelly says he didn’t want the “usual rigmarole of sliders” and other typical items on the menu. He wanted “something different and somewhat quirky. Like the tiger and peacock.”

The blueberry grilled cheese is a good example. “When I got there, they had a patty melt, which I wasn’t too fond of.” He wanted an “elevated version” of a grilled cheese sandwich. “I’m like a grilled cheese junkie.” So, he added the blueberry ginger jam, which they make in house, to green apples and Brie cheese. That jam really “sets it off.”

For a fancier midnight feast, look no further than Let’s Get Layed, Tiger and Peacock’s classy solution to the late-night munchies. The dish matches premium caviar with a bag of good ol’ salty Lay’s potato chips. That might seem like a weird pairing, but the odd couple has long made for a formidable duo in caviar circles, with the salty, almost buttery crunchiness of the chips balancing out caviar’s brinier tendencies. For a couple of sweet hours, it felt as if we occupied a higher tax bracket. While caviar might not be our go-to snack every night, Tiger and Peacock embraces a creative, refined approach to late-night dining that offers something unique to Memphis.

The kitchen is open until midnight at Tiger and Peacock. “I’ve seen folks order food at 11:45 on weekends,” Grillo says. But, he adds, Tiger and Peacock closes at midnight in consideration of the hotel guests beneath them. “We allow folks to wrap up what they’re doing while we start the closing process.”

They have a grace period of about 30 minutes while he starts making his rounds, Grillo says. “Thanking everybody who’s been there. And if they are hotel guests, they’re welcome to take drinks and things back up to their room.”

Non-guests can take their food and drinks to the lobby. “Food is a little bit more messy to transport down the elevator, but I’m here for it. I’m able to help.”

Usually, he says, “They end up taking a cocktail or a bottle of wine downstairs. Especially old friends who haven’t seen each other for a while.” They also can relocate to “late late late bars near us like Zebra Lounge.” Tiger and Peacock is located at 21 Cooper St.

Bog & Barley

If you need a bit more Ireland in your snacks, you’re in luck. D.J. Naylor, co-owner of Celtic Crossing with his wife Jamie, cut the ribbon on his East Memphis venture Bog & Barley several months ago. And the new building is spectacular, an upscale Irish

pub that has soaring wooden ceilings, plenty of Irish art and knickknacks, and a 24-foot-long bar on the ground floor. Everything in the space was sourced from Ireland, with Naylor looking to his roots when creating his new Irish pub.

“It’s an Irish restaurant, but we wanted it to be totally different from Celtic Crossing,” says Naylor. “It’s more upscale, we’ve focused on providing a high-quality experience, but it’s also a really approachable spot to either grab a drink or celebrate a special occasion.”

bistro mentality. I use a lot of French techniques here.” Alfonso’s style can be seen in many of the restaurant’s entrees, from jumbo lump crab cakes to beer cured salmon, and his creations merit multiple revisits to Bog & Barley.

But when in Ireland, they say, do as the Irish do, so we plumped for the bangers and mash, which uses sausages from Newman Farm in Missouri. “I only get pork from Newman Farm,” adds Alfonso. “The quality is amazing.” And he’s right. The sausages pack in a soft freshness, juices sizzling out and dripping into the velvety mashed potatoes they sit atop. A blanket of caramelized onion gravy adds a nice finishing touch to the whole thing, the perfect cherry on top for a meal that could go easily with a couple of beers.

Open until 11 p.m. during the week and midnight on Friday and Saturday, Bog & Barley provides an Irish alternative to late-night diners. Reny Alfonso created the menu and looks to mix traditional Irish staples with his own personal flair. “You’ve got the typical dishes that people might think of: shepherd’s pie, bangers and mash, fish and chips,” says Alfonso. “So I left those alone. So we’ve got those Irish ingredients, but we’ve got a lot of global influences too, harkening back to a kind of

Or one beer, in particular: Soul & Spirits Brewery created a signature beer, the Auld Bog, as the restaurant’s house brew. “I might think of it as a lighter version of Guinness,” says Naylor. And a special print behind the bar can create foam images in the beer’s head, akin to latte art. Mine was served with the Bog & Barley logo, but Naylor said that it can do custom images as well. But sorry, readers, no Michael Donahue beer art just yet. Maybe during our next late-night adventure.

Bog & Barley is located at 6150 Poplar Ave , Suite 124.

Donnelly says he didn’t want “the usual rigmarole” on Tiger and Peacock’s menu.

steppin’ out

We Recommend: Culture, News + Reviews

By Abigail Morici

As of June 2nd, the anti-drag bill that passed in the state legislature this spring has been declared unconsitutional, violating drag performers’ First Amendment right to free speech by barring them from performing in spaces where minors can view them. But even when this decision hung in the balance just a few days ago, the Emerald eatre Company (ETC) was determined to embrace drag and the LGBTQ community, no matter what happened, as it closes its 26th season with Drag Queens on Trial

e semi-dark comedy centers around three drag queens who go from the dressing room to the courtroom to stand trial for the “crime” of being a drag queen. “It’s truly written and played for laughs,” says Hal Harmon, the show’s co-director with Michael Holliday, “but there are some very serious topics and serious dialogue that allows the audience to think about the prejudices that these people face. It showcases their insecurities, how they defy society’s norms, and how they deal with the horrors of the persecution of being who they truly are. Sadly, though the story was written in the 1980s and it takes place in the 1980s, the themes and ideas of persecution, of course, are just as relevant, if not more, today.

“[But] they’re not gonna stop us,” continues Harmon, who also plays one of the drag queens. “We’re still gonna produce a great show.”

is will be the second time ETC performs Drag Queens on Trial, the rst time being in 2006. A er the “Don’t Say Gay” bill was passed in Florida last year and then other states began to “pick on drag queens,” Harmon says, “I decided it’s time to redo this show. … It is my hope that those who see the show will leave it with hope, and if they have a strong enough voice and they have not used it yet, quite possibly, seeing the show will give them the extra push to let them get loud and be supportive.”

To accompany the production and to celebrate the history of drag in Memphis, photographs from local drag performers from the ’80s to the present will be on display in the eatreWorks lobby. Looking back on those earlier days, Harmon says that progress has been made since ETC’s founding when fully eshed-out LGBTQ stories were rarely found on stage. “We knew there were so many stories to tell,” he says. “We worked so hard at that, and we’re ever so happy that now we’re no longer the ‘taboo’ theater company. We’re just another theater company.”

As ETC looks to its 27th season, Harmon hopes to bring in new directors, new voices, new ideas, and new actors. “We’ve already got it planned,” he says. “We’re gonna stay gay.”

Cemetery Cinema Presents Jaws

Elmwood Cemetery, Friday, June 9, 8:15-10:30 p.m., $15

Jaws. You know it, you love it, I’ve never seen it, but there’s a shark and hell breaks loose. Sounds like the perfect lm to kick o Elmwood’s Cemetery Cinema.

Cemetery Cinema o ers visitors a chance to enjoy the beauty of the cemetery while a classic lm is projected onto the roof of the historic cottage. Since the movie is shown outside, use common sense when dressing (i.e. don’t wear a fur coat). Guests should bring lawn chairs, and coolers are welcome. TopDawgz food truck will be there, too.

Kids 10 and up are welcomed only when supervised by an adult. Leave the littler ones at home. Purchase tickets at elmwoodcemetery.org.

Public Art Yoga

Cleaborn Pointe at Heritage Landing, Saturday, June 10, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., free

Do something good for your mind and your body, and join UrbanArt Commission for its summer series yoga events! You’ll have the chance to support artists and communities simply by attending 45-minute outdoor yoga classes around public art. e rst class will be around Rhapsody by Douglass Kornfeld and will be led by Andrea Jacobo. Be sure to bring your own mat, wear comfortable shoes and breathable clothing, and prepare to streeeeeeeetch.

Classes are free, but donations are accepted. Register at tinyurl.com/ccvbsnk2, where you can also nd the full schedule for the summer yoga series.

Juneteenth Memphis Matters

eatreSouth, Saturday, June 10, 7-9 p.m., $20-$40

Playback Memphis presents a special Juneteenth Memphis Matters performance, a celebration and commemoration of the liberation of enslaved Black people in America, and a celebration of the African Diaspora. is very special show will consist of an all-Black performance ensemble, as well as a Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC)only audience.

Playback is spontaneous theater based on stories told by the audience. At a Memphis Matters performance, audience members share re ections, moments, or true stories, and the ensemble performs that story back for the audience. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit playbackmemphis.org.

DRAG QUEENS ON TRIAL, THEATREWORKS, PERFORMANCES RUN FRIDAY, JUNE 9-JUNE 18, FRIDAYS AND SATURDAYS AT 8 P.M., SUNDAYS AT 2 P.M., $20, ETCMEMPHISTHEATER.COM.

PHOTO: COURTESY ETC

(l to r) Smith McWaters, Hal Harmon, and Den-Nickolas Schae er-Smith, ETC founder

MUSIC By Michael Donahue

Better Late Than Never

Aer working in music for 10 years, Ben Callicott scheduled his rst album, Late, for release on June 8th.

And, even though he now lives in New York, Callicott recorded his album in his native Memphis.

e album spans his range of music in uences, including R&B, blues, alternative, singer-songwriter, and sound collage. “I brought it back full circle where it was just me in my room again playing the guitar, guring something out,” Callicott says. “Trying to get back to where it started.”

He thought, “I’m going to make something, but I want it to be with some of the friends that I played with over the years.”

As for the material, he says, “Some of these ideas have been hanging around in the closet for a long time.”

Callicott booked time at Memphis Magnetic Recording Co. “I wanted to put my rst record out on my 27th birthday.”

Friends in New York gave him ack when he said he was recording his album in Memphis instead of New York. “It’s because I was born there. And, historically, there’s an aspect of it where I want to leave my stamp on it. And I want to be included in some of that music lineage conversation. But in another way, it’s been really important for me to tend to the relationship garden.”

Among those on the album are Kyle Neblett on drums; Harrison Neblett on synthesizer, upright bass, and grand piano; and Ali Abu-Khraybeh on piano and vocals — all people he “loves and respects.”

to it on his iPod. He thought, “I know there’s a feeling I get when I listen to it. How can I get the same feeling without having to press the play button?”

When he turned 16, Callicott began traveling to Memphis in search of a music scene. “I knew that there were kids up there that think like this.”

He got to know musicians who were around his age. ese included the Nebletts, Will Tucker, and Drew Erwin. “Everybody was just really red up about being that age and playing music and singing and going to shows.”

A er he graduated high school, Callicott began playing solo gigs, as well as shows with the R&B-infused Blu City Soul Collective.

He went on tour with Ethan Healy less than 100 days later. “I had to sit down with my leg all propped up on a chair. My foot hurt the whole tour.”

Callicott still has steel in his right foot. “Fast forward to today, I run every day. Modern medicine. It’s solid in there. e screws and the plate.”

He played in Old News, The PRVLG, and with Healy before moving to New York in 2020 — right before Covid hit. “Music was out of the question. Just no shows.”

e album is close to Callicott because “there are memories attached to it. It’s not made in a vacuum. It’s not just me on my laptop in my room. We’re doing it with my friends at a Memphis studio.”

Callicott, who grew up in Senatobia, Mississippi, began taking guitar lessons when he was 12. He wanted to make his own music instead of just listening

But things came to a halt March 9, 2018. Callicott, who was at Erwin’s Downtown studio, decided to take a break, go up on the roof, and look around. “I fell three stories down into this alley.

“I shattered my right foot and my right lung collapsed. And my pelvis was broken and three of my ribs were broken.”

Callicott dropped out of school. “I was in a wheelchair for a little bit. And then I was pretty dead set on recovering fast.”

In addition to taking odd jobs, Callicott began revisiting old voice memos from his past. “In that moment of revisiting all these fragments of ideas, I realized I had a record.”

He describes “All Ways (Everyday),” one of the songs on Late , as “weathering the mundane aspects of life. You have to keep waking up and doing it.”

His album is something he “can look back on and just kind of look at with rose-colored glasses.”

And, Callicott adds, “ is is putting my cards on the table. Symbolically.”

“I brought it back full circle where it was just me in my room again playing the guitar ...”

PHOTO: MICHAEL DONAHUE Ben Callicott

Ben Callicott returns home to record his rst album.

CALENDAR of EVENTS:

ART HAPPENINGS

A Black Mosaic Fashion Show:

Musée Noir

A Black Mosaic is a fashion experience produced by and for artists of color, such as socialites, models, designers, and performers. $30/early bird general admission, $50/ early bird VIP, $50/general admission, $75/ VIP. Sunday, June 11, 6 p.m.

SOUTHBROOK TOWN CENTER

COMEDY

Sam Morrill

Morrill’s latest hour stand-up special Same Time Tomorrow is currently streaming on Netflix. He also just premiered a new sports podcast Games with Names. Friday, June 9, 7 p.m.

MINGLEWOOD HALL

COMMUNITY

Bike Night on Beale

Motorcycle enthusiasts descend on Downtown every Wednesday night to be able to park on the most iconic street in America! Come on down to this family-friendly event, and don’t forget your camera! Wednesday, June 14, 6-11 p.m.

BEALE STREET

General Meeting: Meet Your City/ County Reps

Do you live in Cooper-Young? Do you know

Crossword

who your city council member and county commissioners are? If not, the CYCA would love to give you the chance to learn more about your representatives. Tuesday, June 13, 6 p.m.

COOPER-YOUNG COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

Juneteenth Memphis Matters

Playback Memphis presents a special Juneteenth Memphis Matters performance with an all-Black performance ensemble as well as a Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC)-only audience. $20-$40. Saturday, June 10, 7-9 p.m.

THEATRESOUTH

FESTIVAL

International Festival

Attendees will enjoy a day devoted to cultural entertainment, children’s and wellness activities, international food, and ethnic vendors. Saturday, June 10, 10 a.m.

LANDERS CENTER

Memphis Crafts & Drafts Summer Market

Shop local makers and artists, and enjoy delicious local craft beers! Saturday, June 10, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

CROSSTOWN CONCOURSE

Sam Morrill, fresh off releasing his Netflix comedy special Same Time Tomorrow, comes to Minglewood Hall, Friday, June 9th.

Whitehaven Heritage Fest

A family festival celebrating the great African-American heritage of the Mid-South. $5/admission, $25/unlimited ride band. Thursday, June 8-June 18.

SOUTHLAND MALL

FOOD AND DRINK

Conservation and Cocktails

Spend the evening with the zoo’s herd for a beautiful event. There will be a special presentation and all funds raised at this event will support the Memphis Zoo’s elephant conservation program. 21+. $75-$100. Saturday, June 10, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

MEMPHIS ZOO

LECTURE

No Tears Project Civil Rights

Panel: Recognition Before Reconciliation

A panel discussion featuring civil rights heroes and activists. Tuesday, June 13, 6 p.m.

BENJAMIN L. HOOKS CENTRAL LIBRARY

The Best of the Best Hydrangeas for the Home Garden with Andrew Bunting

Edited by Will Shortz No. 1225

Learn more about hydrangeas from Andrew Bunting, the vice president of horticulture for the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. Saturday, June 10, 10-11 a.m.

THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS

Urban Home Garden Speaker Series: Rebuilding Abundance with Innovative and Rich Planting

Claudia West will share the scientific models and hands-on techniques her landscape architecture firm, Phyto Studio, applies to create beautiful, ecologically rich planting. $10-$15. Tuesday, June 13, 5-8 p.m.

MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN

PERFORMING ARTS

901 Poetry Open Mic

Hosted by Sumo the Artist and francis, the Truman with J.Mitch on keys. Monday, June 12, 7:30 p.m.

HI TONE

Black Lodge Open Mic

The best comics in the city come to practice their new material. Drinks and food available. Free. Wednesday, June 14, 7-11 p.m.

BLACK LODGE

SPECIAL EVENTS

Literatini

Swirl your way through an evening of fun and philanthropy as you sip, savor, and vote for your favorite martini creation! Benefiting Literacy Mid-South. Saturday, June 10, 7-10 p.m.

NOVEL

Mad Scientist Ball

An unforgettable evening of science, music, and culture planned to celebrate the opening of MoSH’s newest exhibits, “America at The Crossroads: The GUITAR and A Changing Nation” and “Grind City Picks: The Music That Made Memphis.” $125$150. Friday, June 9, 6-9 p.m.

MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & HISTORY

SPORTS

New Orleans Breakers vs. Memphis Showboats

Saturday, June 10, 2 p.m.

SIMMONS BANK LIBERTY STADIUM

PREVENT OPIOID OVERDOSE CARRY NARCAN Free Individual and Agency

NEWS OF THE WEIRD

(Narcan

To schedule training, please call: David Fuller (901) 484-2852

If you need help, support, or referral to treatment, please call Lincoln Coffman (901) 495-5103

By the editors at Andrews McMeel Syndication

Awesome!

Seventh-grader Dillon Reeves of Warren, Michigan, is being hailed as a hero after he came to the rescue of a wayward school bus on April 26, ABC News reported. Reeves noticed as he was riding the bus home from school that the driver was “in distress.” Superintendent Robert D. Livernois said the student “stepped to the front of the bus and helped bring it to a stop without incident. I could not be prouder of his efforts.” The bus driver had lost consciousness; emergency personnel tended to the driver, and students were delivered home on another bus. [ABC News, 4/27/2023]

Inexplicable

The Madison County (Texas) Sheriff’s Office is investigating the mysterious mutilations and deaths of six cows spread over three counties, Fox News reported on April 22. The cows were found along a highway with their tongues cut out, but strangely, no blood had been spilled and there were no signs of the cattle struggling. Furthermore, investigators said, the carcasses had lain undisturbed by scavengers for several weeks. All the cows were found in the same position: lying on their side, with the face cut along the jawline and the tongue neatly removed. There were no discernible tracks in the area, sheriff’s officers said. They’re working with other law enforcement agencies across the U.S. to identify similar incidents. [Fox News, 4/22/2023]

director general of the Royal Board on Disabilities, put it, with a vote banning “dwarf bullfighting.” HuffPost reported that this traditional “comic” event features people with dwarfism dressed as firefighters or clowns who chase bulls without doing them any harm. The shows go back decades but are decreasing in popularity. “People with dwarfism are subjected to mockery in public squares in our country,” Martin said. However, some of the performers are objecting to the ban. “They take it for granted that people are being denigrated or laughed at, and it’s the opposite: The respect they have for us is impressive,” said Daniel Calderón, one of the bullfighters. [HuffPost, 4/27/2023]

• Not a moment too soon, Oscar Mayer announced on May 17 that it is changing the name of its iconic Wienermobile to the Frankmobile, CNN reported. The company says the name change “pays homage” to its new recipe for hot dogs, which will roll out this summer. Uh-huh. A company spokesperson said the change is a test; they’ll have “to see if it cuts the mustard” with fans. The Wienermobile first appeared in 1936; 23 of the eye-catching vehicles now travel around the country. [CNN, 5/17/2023]

Bright Idea

THEATRE MEMPHIS presents Disney and Cameron Macintosh’s “MARY POPPINS” A musical based on the stories of P.L. Travers and the Walt Disney Film Original Music and Lyrics by RICHARD M. SHERMAN and ROBERT B. SHERMAN

THEATRE MEMPHIS presents Disney and Cameron Macintosh’s “MARY POPPINS” A musical based on the stories of P.L. Travers and the Walt Disney Film n Original Music and Lyrics by RICHARD M. SHERMAN and ROBERT B. SHERMAN

Book by JULIAN FELLOWES New songs and additional music by GEORGE STILES and ANTHONY CREWE

Book by JULIAN FELLOWES n New songs and additional music by GEORGE STILES and ANTHONY

Co-created by CAMERON MACINTOSH Flying effects providedby ZFX

Co-created by CAMERON MACINTOSH n Flying effects providedby ZFX

Directors and Choreographers JORDAN NICHOLS and TRAVIS BRADLEY Music Director JEFFERY BREWER

Directors and Choreographers JORDAN NICHOLS and TRAVIS BRADLEY n Music Director BREWER

Sponsored by McWATERS & ASSOCIATES REALTORS and EDWARD SHARP

Sponsored by McWATERS & ASSOCIATES REALTORS and EDWARD SHARP

Media Sponsors WKNO 91.1FM and MEMPHIS FLYER JUNE 9 -

Media Sponsors WKNO 91.1FM and MEMPHIS FLYER

• The Coniston Tavern in Nuneaton, England, is allegedly haunted by the ghost of a former drinker there, according to the landlord, Andy Gadsby. Fox News reported that on April 24, CCTV video captured an incident where a beer glass suddenly exploded, showering three pals with shards of glass. Earlier, at the same table, a different customer’s glass suddenly slid to the floor. Gadsby said the ghost is Dave, who used to live in an apartment above the pub. “One night he drank a bottle of brandy and had a heart attack and died,” Gadsby said. “Maybe his spirit is around the pub and he’s desperately trying to pinch people’s drinks. The two incidents have spooked people out.” [Fox News, 4/27/2023]

News You Can Use

The Spanish parliament has “overcome the Spain of the past,” as Jesús Martín,

Students will go to just about any lengths to get out of a test — even outer space. So it was in Hemlock, Michigan, on May 16, when an enterprising student reported an alien invasion to avoid a math test, according to KTVZ-TV. The student reported that ETs came from the skies in flying saucers and landed on the playground, and the rumors quickly began circulating among the student body on social media. But Superintendent Don Killingbeck wasn’t having it: “We have thoroughly investigated the situation, and there is no evidence of any alien activity on our school grounds,” he said. The prankster has been disciplined, he added. [KTVZ, 5/17/2023]

News of the Weird is now a podcast on all major platforms! To find out more, visit newsoftheweirdpodcast.com. NEWS OF THE WEIRD

© 2023 Andrews McMeel Syndication. Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): “Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves,” said psychologist Carl Jung. What was he implying? That we may sometimes engage in the same behavior that bothers us about others? And we should examine whether we are similarly annoying? That’s one possible explanation, and I encourage you to meditate on it. Here’s a second theory: When people irritate us, it may signify that we are at risk of being hurt or violated by them — and we should take measures to protect ourselves. Maybe there are other theories you could come up with, as well, Aries. Now here’s your assignment: Identify two people who irritate you. What lessons or blessings could you garner from your relationships with them?

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): In 1886, a wealthy woman named Sarah Winchester moved into a two-story, eightroom farmhouse in San Jose, California. She was an amateur architect. During the next 20 years, she oversaw continuous reconstruction of her property, adding new elements and revising existing structures. At one point, the house had 500 rooms. Her workers built and then tore down a seven-story tower on 16 occasions. When she died at age 83, her beloved domicile had 2,000 doors, 10,000 windows, 47 stairways, and six kitchens. While Sarah Winchester was extreme in her devotion to endless transformation, I do recommend a more measured version of her strategy for you — especially in the coming months. Continual creative growth and rearrangement will be healthy and fun!

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Cancerian author Denis Johnson had a rough life in his twenties. He was addicted to drugs and alcohol. Years later, he wrote a poem expressing gratitude to the people who didn’t abandon him. “You saw me when I was invisible,” he wrote, “you spoke to me when I was deaf, you thanked me when I was a secret.” Now would be an excellent time for you to deliver similar appreciation to those who have steadfastly beheld and supported your beauty when you were going through hard times.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Don’t make a wish upon a star. Instead, make a wish upon a scar. By that I mean, visualize in vivid detail how you might summon dormant reserves of ingenuity to heal one of your wounds. Come up with a brilliant plan to at least partially heal the wound. And then use that same creative energy to launch a new dream or relaunch a stalled old dream. In other words, Leo, figure out how to turn a liability into an asset. Capitalize on a loss to engender a gain. Convert sadness into power and disappointment into joy.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): At age 9, I was distraught when my parents told me we were moving away from the small town in Michigan where I had grown up. I felt devastated to lose the wonderful friends I had made and leave the land I loved. But in retrospect, I am glad I got uprooted. It was the beginning of a new destiny that taught me how to thrive on change. It was my introduction to the pleasures of knowing a wide variety of people from many different backgrounds. I bring this to your attention, Virgo, because I think the next 12 months will be full of comparable opportunities for you. You don’t have to relocate to take advantage, of course. There are numerous ways to expand and diversify your world. Your homework right now is to identify three.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Most of us continuously absorb information that is of little or questionable value. We are awash in an endless tsunami of trivia and babble. But in accordance with current astrological omens, I invite you to remove yourself from this blather as much as possible during the next three weeks. Focus on exposing yourself to fine thinkers, deep feelers, and exquisite art and music. Nurture yourself with the wit and wisdom of compassionate geniuses and brilliant servants of the greater good. Treat yourself to a break from the blahblah-blah and immerse yourself in the smartest joie de vivre you can find.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Over 25 countries have created coats of arms that feature an eagle. Why is that? Maybe it’s because the Roman Empire, the foundation of so much culture in the Western world, regarded the eagle as the ruler of the skies. It’s a symbol of courage, strength, and alertness. When associated with people, it also denotes high spirits, ingenuity, and sharp wits. In astrology, the eagle is the emblem of the ripe Scorpio: someone who bravely transmutes suffering and strives to develop a sublimely soulful perspective. With these thoughts in mind, and in accordance with current astrological omens, I invite you Scorpios to draw extra intense influence from your eagle-like aspects in the coming weeks.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): “When I paint, my goal is to show what I found, not what I was looking for.” So said artist Pablo Picasso. I recommend you adopt some version of that as your motto in the coming weeks. Yours could be, “When I make love, my goal is to rejoice in what I find, not what I am looking for.” Or perhaps, “When I do the work I care about, my goal is to celebrate what I find, not what I am looking for.” Or maybe, “When I decide to transform myself, my goal is to be

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “All the things I wanted to do and didn’t do took so long. It was years of not doing.” So writes Gemini poet Lee Upton in her book Undid in the Land of Undone. Most of us could make a similar statement. But I have good news for you, Gemini. I suspect that during the rest of 2023, you will find the willpower and the means to finally accomplish intentions that have been long postponed or unfeasible. I’m excited for you! To prepare the way, decide which two undone things you would most love to dive into and complete.

alert for what I find, not what I am looking for.”

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Vincent van Gogh painted Wheatfield with a Reaper, showing a man harvesting lush yellow grain under a glowing sun. Van Gogh said the figure was “fighting like the devil in the midst of the heat to get to the end of his task.” And yet, this was also true: “The sun was flooding everything with a light of pure gold.” I see your life in the coming weeks as resonating with this scene, Capricorn. Though you may grapple with challenging tasks, you will be surrounded by beauty and vitality.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): I suspect that your homing signals will be extra strong and clear during the next 12 months. Everywhere you go, in everything you do, you will receive clues about where you truly belong and how to fully inhabit the situations where you truly belong. From all directions, life will offer you revelations about how to love yourself for who you are and be at peace with your destiny. Start tuning in immediately, dear Aquarius. The hints are already trickling in.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): The renowned Mexican painter Diego Rivera (1886–1957) told this story about himself: When he was born, he was so frail and ill that the midwife gave up on him, casting him into a bucket of dung. Rivera’s grandmother would not accept the situation so easily, however. She caught and killed some pigeons and wrapped her newborn grandson in the birds’ guts. The seemingly crazy fix worked. Rivera survived and lived for many decades, creating an epic body of artistic work. I bring this wild tale to your attention, Pisces, with the hope that it will inspire you to keep going and be persistent in the face of a problematic beginning or challenging birth pang. Don’t give up!

Alastair Greene

Monday, June 12, 8 p.m.

RUM BOOGIE CAFE

Eric Hughes

Tuesday, June 13, 6-9 p.m.

CENTRAL STATION HOTEL

Gary Topper

Free. Sunday, June 11, 6-9 p.m.

COURT SQUARE PARK

Gia Welch Trio

Saturday, June 10, 6 p.m.

CENTRAL STATION HOTEL

Grape.

21+. Free. Friday, June 9, 9 p.m.

EARNESTINE & HAZEL’S

Peabody Rooftop Party: DJ Epic

$15. ursday, June 8, 6 p.m.

THE PEABODY HOTEL

The Lizzard Kings Live!

$7. Tuesday, June 13, 7-9:30 p.m.

CAROLINA WATERSHED

The Stax Music Academy

Alumni Band, 926

Free. Tuesday, June 13, 2-4 p.m.

STAX MUSEUM OF AMERICAN SOUL MUSIC

Tink & Friends

$44-$129. Friday, June 9, 8 p.m.

ORPHEUM THEATER

Trippp

Friday, June 9, 6:30 p.m.

TIN ROOF

Women of Soul

Featuring Zsa Davis, Keia

AFTER DARK: Live Music Schedule June 8 - 14

Johnson, Adajyo, and Katrina Anderson. $49. Sunday, June 11, 7:30 p.m.

THE HALLORAN CENTRE

Wyly Bigger

ursday, June 8, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

CENTRAL STATION HOTEL

John Williams and the A440 Band

$10. ursday, June 8, 8 p.m.

NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM

LaserLive featuring Freeworld

Featuring Memphis musicians, accompanied by a full laser light show. $15-$18. Saturday, June 10, 4:30 p.m., 6 p.m.

MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & HISTORY

PRIZM International Chamber Music Festival

Chamber music performed by PRIZM Summer Camp faculty!

$15. Friday, June 9, 7-8 p.m.;

Wednesday, June 14, 7-8 p.m.

SHADY GROVE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

The Mixers

$5. Sunday, June 11, 4-7 p.m.

NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM

Abandoncy, Pressed, Bluff City Vice

$10. Tuesday, June 13, 8 p.m.

HI TONE

Behold the Brutality With Violence System, Subdivision, and Truth to Power.

$10. Friday, June 9, 9 p.m.

HI TONE

Bluff City Bandits

Saturday, June 10, 6 p.m.

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Brick + Mortar

$10. Friday, June 9, 7 p.m.

GROWLERS

Crosstown Counterpoint: Blueshift Ensemble + Evan Williams

A Memphis-based contemporary chamber music ensemble. Free.

Wednesday, June 14, 7:30 p.m.

CROSSTOWN CONCOURSE

Deep Roots

Sunday, June 11, 8 p.m.

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Don Ramon Band

Saturday, June 10, 9:30 p.m.

B-SIDE

Fromjoy, Crooked Life, Rosary, 2 Live and Die

$12. Saturday, June 10, 7 p.m.

LAMPLIGHTER LOUNGE

Gangstagrass

Saturday, June 10, 8-10 p.m.

RAILGARTEN

5 O’Clock Shadow

Saturday, June 10, 2 p.m.

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Lavender Showers

Album Release Show

Featuring Celest, Window, Little

Baby Tendencies, and Suroor.

$10. Saturday, June 10, 8 p.m.

HI TONE

Lucky 7 Brass Band, DJ Tiwana

Friday, June 9, 9 p.m.

BAR DKDC

Memphis Mojo

ursday, June 8, 7 p.m.

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

No Tears Project Memphis

Community Concert

A 90-minute concert from the No Tears Project ensemble led by Christopher Parker and Kelley Hurt. e band will perform the world premiere of new works written by and in collaboration with Memphis artists Sunday, June 11, 2 p.m., 6:30 p.m.

THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS

Paul Carr

$15-$20. Tuesday, June 13, 7:30-10 p.m.

THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS

Optic Sink, Static Static, Naan Violence

Friday, June 9, 10 p.m.

B-SIDE

Orion Free Concert

Series: Anand Wilder

Friday, June 9, 7:30-9 p.m.

OVERTON PARK SHELL

Orion Free Concert Series: Tianna

Esperanza

Saturday, June 10, 7:30-9 p.m.

OVERTON PARK SHELL

Orion Free Concert

Series: Tre Burt

ursday, June 8, 7:30-9

p.m.

OVERTON PARK SHELL

Play Some Skynyrd

Friday, June 9, 6 p.m.

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Proud

As Folk featuring The Black Opry Revue

Featuring Carmen Dianne, Josey, and Julia Cannon. $25.

Saturday, June 10, 7:30-9:30 p.m.

THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS

Rachel Maxann with Cyrena Wages and Joe

Restivo

$15-$20. ursday, June 8, 7:30-9:30 p.m.

THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS

Steel Pulse

ursday, June 8, 8 p.m.

MINGLEWOOD HALL

Switchblade Kid With Hedgecreep. Saturday, June 10, 10 p.m.

BAR DKDC

TPC Presents Ally

Wallace, Michael Graber, Noah G. Fowler, Tyler Beretta

Wednesday, June 14, 8:30 p.m.

B-SIDE

Will Tucker Band

Sunday, June 11, 3:30 p.m.

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Writers in the Round with Greg Cartwright, Haley Ivey, and JB

Tuesday, June 13, 8 p.m.

LAMPLIGHTER LOUNGE

Billy Bob Thornton and the Boxmasters

Saturday, June 10, 7:30 p.m.

HEINDL CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

The 40 Acre Mule $10. Tuesday, June 13, 7 p.m.

HERNANDO’S HIDEAWAY

Brad Birkendahl Band $7. ursday, June 8, 6-8 p.m.

THE GROVE AT GPAC

Sanctifica Wind Ensemble Free. Sunday, June 11, 2-3:30 p.m.

ST. GEORGE’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH

PHOTO: COURTESY TIANNA ESPERANZA Tianna Esperanza

FILM By Chris McCoy

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

e spider-masterpiece is the vanguard of a new era in animation.

Citizen Kane rightly has a reputation as a landmark of lmic innovation. But what Orson Welles did was not so much invent new techniques as push existing technologies to their full potential. Gregg Toland, the cinematographer whose work was so integral to Kane’s aesthetic that Welles insisted their credits appear together on-screen, had been working in Hollywood for a decade; writer Herman Mankiewicz had been punching up scripts since the silent era. Welles’ genius was synthesis. He saw new ways to put the pieces together.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is not Citizen Kane, but producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller have seen a new way to put the pieces together.

ey have a lot of pieces to play with. ere are o cially three directors: Portuguese animator Joaquim Dos Santos, who cut his teeth on Avatar: e Last Airbender; Justin K. ompson, a veteran production designer; and Kemp Powers, the playwright behind One Night in Miami and co-director of Pixar’s Soul. e animation team is by far the largest ever assembled. 2018’s Into the Spider-Verse’s credits boasted a thenunprecedented 140 animators — for the sequel, it’s more than 1,000. Pity the poor payroll people! e battalion of artists takes the audience on a 140-minute tour of everything that is possible with digital animation in 2023. e lm is a nonstop urry of visual styles, all mashed up together. e miracle at the heart of Across the Spider-Verse is that it all meshes, and somehow makes sense.

e rst line spoken in Across the Spider-Verse comes from Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld). “Let’s do things differently this time,” she says, before the lm blasts through your defenses with a thundering drum solo and a visually

dazzling sequence that imparts more plot information than most M. Night Shyamalan movies. I brie y thought, “ ey can’t possibly keep up this pace,” but they hadn’t even oored the gas pedal yet.

Ostensibly, Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) is the lead spider, but this is Gwen Stacy’s movie as much as it is anybody’s. She comes from Earth-65, a reality where she was bitten by the radioactive spider, and her love interest Peter Parker (Jack Quaid) died in her arms. Her father George (Shea Whigham) is a police captain who thinks Spider-Woman killed Peter Parker (which is kind of true, but he had turned into a giant lizard at the time. It’s complicated). Alienated from her family, Gwen is recruited by the Spider-Society. Di erent versions of the same dimensionally disastrous accident at the Alchemax particle collider from Into the Spider-Verse played out in di erent ways over the countless realities of the multiverse. Many of the SpiderMan variants, now alerted to the possibility of multiverse travel, have banded together to address existential threats

to reality. e most pressing of which is e Spot (Jason Schwartzman), a former Alchemax tech who accidentally gained quantum powers in the explosion.

e Spot’s motivation is similar to Jobu Tupaki’s in Everything Everywhere All At Once: ey want to collapse the diverse existences of the multiverse into a singularity contained within themselves. It’s kind of an ultimate, all-encompassing narcissism that stands in contrast to Marvel’s wisecracking, everyman hero. ere’s enough Spidey for everyone to identify with, from Pavitr Prabhakar (Karan Soni), aka SpiderMan India, to Jessica Drew (Issa Rae), a Black, no-nonsense, motorcycle-riding Spider-Woman.

Each Spider-person is drawn in their own style, which they maintain even as they travel from world to world. SpiderPunk (Daniel Kaluuya) is especially striking, with his cut-and-paste aesthetic. e collage e ect isn’t just for show; it helps build emotion. During Gwen’s emotional confrontation with her father, her watercolor world weeps with her.

Across the Spider-Verse will be viewed

as a landmark in animation, and rightfully so. In the future, it may also be seen as a standard bearer for a new artistic movement. Like Rick and Morty and Everything Everywhere All At Once, it is a multiverse story, featuring di erent versions of the same characters interacting over a sprawling variety of settings. But there’s something deeper going on, too; a maximalist reaction to decades of minimalism and primitivism. As seen in Moonage Daydream, Brett Morgen’s experimental biography of David Bowie, it embraces post-modernist remix, while pointedly rejecting PoMo’s nihilist tendencies in favor of an e usive humanism. I’m not sure this nascent movement has a name yet, but it’s awesome, and I want more of it. While I’m waiting, I’ll go watch Across the Spider-Verse again.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Now playing

The best of 1960’s & 1970’s music. Their musical style mixes power pop, AM Gold & soft rock. Guaranteed to bring the party!

brothers under one multicultural groove are an entertaining Memphis music voice. They

Miles Morales’ return in Across the Spider-Verse is a masterpiece in animation.

By Chris McCoy

Our critic picks the best films in theaters.

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts Optimus Prime (voiced by 81-yearold legend of the VO game Peter Cullen) is back for yet another sequel of questionable necessity. This one has him leading his robots in disguise in defense of the Maximals, who are robots disguised as animals, against the Terrorcons, who are also robots in disguise, only bad. Good news: Michael Bay isn’t directing!

The Boogeyman

Adapted from one of the early 1970s Stephen King short stories that earned him the reputation as a master of horror, The Boogeyman stars Sophie Thatcher (of Yellowjackets fame)

as a teenager whose home is invaded by a creature who, hides under the bed, comes out at night, and feeds on fear. If you’re afraid of the dark, this is not the film for you. If you’re into classic horror, check it out.

You Hurt My Feelings

If you’re looking for an escape from summer blockbusters, Julia LouisDreyfus’ new comedy with director Nicole Holofcener is here for you. Beth’s (Louis-Dreyfus) husband Don (Tobias Menzies) is a therapist, so you’d think he would know better than to admit he doesn’t like the new book she’s been writing. Guess not. Surely, that one little slip-up can’t have life-altering consequences? Oops again!

Photo

By Robert C. Koehler

Creating a Cooperative World?

Immigrants are arriving not just with poverty and need, but with skills, wisdom, and value.

“Go back to where you came from.”

is is basic American politics — what I might call spiritual ignorance: a dismissal of refugees eeing war, famine, and poverty as global sludge, clogging up our way of life. So many media stories about the border — our border — begin with an unquestioned presumption. ese aren’t individual humans eeing hell and trying to reclaim their lives. ey exist only en masse — basically, in the millions. And they’re going to be nothing but trouble for us. Either they want to work for a living and, thus, claim American jobs, or they’re simply leeches, utterly without skills, simply in possession of their needs, which of course will drain our resources. Go back to where you came from!

Look what happened last month, when New York City’s mayor bused a bunch of migrants out of town — oh, boohoo, too many for you, Mayor Adams? — to several hotels in Orange County, about 60 miles to the north. It just so happened, according to a bogus claim that made big news for a while, that in order for the migrants to get their living space, a bunch of homeless veterans, aka American heroes, had to be evicted. Yes, this was a lie, fabricated by a small veterans’ assistance organization called the Yerik Israel Toney Foundation, but until actual investigative reporting by the Mid-Hudson News exposed it as such, it was a kick-ass news story for the anti-immigrant right, hitting all the right buttons.

Why is this happening? What can we do about it?

On May 12, the New York Post, for instance, reported: “Nearly two dozen struggling homeless veterans have been booted from upstate hotels to make room for migrants, says a nonpro t group that works with the vets. e ex-military — including a 24-year-old man in desperate need of help a er serving in Afghanistan — were told by the hotels at the beginning of the week that their temporary housing was getting pulled out from under them at the establishments and that they’d have to move on to another spot, according to the group and a sickened local pol.”

Outlets such as Fox News (can you believe it?) and Newsmax ran with the story, then it came out that it was bogus and then some. e foundation had apparently gone to a homeless shelter and recruited a bunch of the men staying there to attend an event pretending they were veterans. Oops. Story retracted, media outlets move on. Nothing, of course, will change.

But what if …?

e essence of U.S. coverage of global immigration is that it’s simply an unexamined nuisance, which is, of course, growing worse under Joe Biden. And it quickly turns into a political “issue.” ey’re coming in by the millions — kind of like rising sea water — totally messing up our wonderful society. We need dams and barriers, not to mention laws and tough guys, to maintain control over this ow, the reasons for which we are clueless.

So not only is there a blatant lack of humanity in such coverage; there’s also a missing question: Why? Why is this happening? What can we do about it? Asking such a question, here in the USA, is, alas, awkward, considering the role this country plays in the surge of global refugees. As Brown University’s Costs of War project points out, for instance, the United States has spent some $8 trillion on its wars in the Middle East over the last 20+ years. Ponder this number as you shudder about migrants’ draining of U.S. resources. ese wars have killed almost a million people and have shattered countries’ social structures, displacing millions more. U.S. policies going back many decades, both military and economic, have also played a major role in the chaos and indebtedness of nations in Central and South America, creating turbulent living conditions for enormous numbers of people. As Azadeh Shahshahani has pointed out: “Nearly 24 people are displaced per minute. About 66 million people around the world have been forced from their homes.”

Note to Ron DeSantis: I’m not writing this to make you feel uncomfortable, simply to start opening the causal question regarding global migration. As well as war, there are plenty of other causes, from climate change to God knows what, and no doubt most people eeing them would prefer not to leave their homes and loved ones.

rowing the question of “why?” into the media’s immigration coverage will help veer the national focus beyond armed paranoia toward nding and participating in global solutions. It might even start making Americans aware that migration, problematic as it may be for the countries of arrival, is a million times more di cult for the migrants themselves.

Norma E. Cantú, writing at Tikkun, asks: “… why not dream on an even greater scale and advocate for a Global Marshall Plan … and for the eradication of all borders? e reimagined ‘world order’ would be one of cooperation and mutual respect.” is is what you would call healing, and it’s naïve beyond belief, right? at’s certainly what those would say who cannot let go of their armed paranoia and hatred of outsiders. A borderless world? All people are citizens of the world?

at’s the future. Perhaps it is not yet the present, but the future has to start now, however minutely. e United States of America, armed and pathologically racist as it may be, is also a nation of immigrants. A good place for us to start creating the future is by recognizing that today’s immigrants are arriving not just with poverty and need, but with skills, with wisdom, with value — with much to o er this bleeding country.

Robert Koehler (koehlercw@gmail.com), syndicated by PeaceVoice, is a Chicago award-winning journalist and editor. He is the author of Courage Grows Strong at the Wound

PHOTO: ROBERT HICKERSON | UNSPLASH