JANICE GRISSOM ELLISON, KAREN MILAM, DON MYNATT, TAMMY NASH, RANDY ROTZ, LEWIS TAYLOR, WILLIAM WIDEMAN Distribution
KENNETH NEILL Founding Publisher
THE MEMPHIS FLYER is published weekly by Contemporary Media, Inc., P.O. Box 1738, Memphis, TN 38101 Phone: (901) 521-9000 Fax: (901) 521-0129 memphisflyer.com
CONTEMPORARY MEDIA, INC.
ANNA TRAVERSE FOGLE Chief Executive Officer
LYNN SPARAGOWSKI Controller/Circulation Manager
JEFFREY GOLDBERG Chief Revenue Officer
MARGIE NEAL Chief Operating Officer
KRISTIN PAWLOWSKI
Positively ‘UnAmerikan’
A dozen songs of resistance by the city’s most antifascist bands.
PHOTO: @AM.PHOTO901
Little Baby Tendencies
Fourth of July in Central Gardens
The neighborhood celebrates the holiday with its annual parade.
PHOTO: CHRIS MCCOY
A Bronx Tale
A seamless performance and socially relevant themes make this musical a must-see. p24
PHOTO: @ITSJUSTHALO
THE fly-by
MEM ernet
Memphis on the internet.
FRED SMITH
Memphis paused for the passing of critical citizen and FedEx founder Fred Smith last week with praise, personal testaments to his character, and listing his many contributions to the city.
{WEEK THAT WAS
By Flyer staff
Questions, Answers + Attitude
Edited by Toby Sells
Colossus, MATA, & This Heat
e public debates an xAI project, o cials ask for $45M, and thermostats down, please.
COLOSSUS WATER PLANT
e public weighed pros and cons of xAI’s Colossus Water Recycling Plant in hearings that preceded a state permit decision for the project.
His nephew, Joseph Davis, offered an inside look at the man in a Facebook post with several intriguing details. In his car, Smith “literally jammed out to college marching band ght songs.” He co-founded Ardent Studios when he was 15. And Smith only ever really bragged about his kids and grandkids.
Davis also pointed to a 2021 interview with Arthur Smith, Fred Smith’s son and former head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, on the Bussin’ with the Boys podcast. In it, Arthur calls his dad live to tell (and con rm) the famous and true story of how he once took FedEx’s last $5,000 to Las Vegas to save the company. He won $27,000 on blackjack, enough to cover the company’s $24,000 fuel bill at the time.
HELL
“If you want to experience what hell feels like, come to Memphis — 100 and rising,” tweeted @TrumpIsBack7 last week. e account’s location is Memphis and the user identi es as a member of the Memphis Police Department. “Heat index 110. Unlike places with dry heat like Arizona, we have really high humidity, which is way worse.”
CELTIC
Details of the car that crashed through Celtic Crossing Irish Pub’s patio were few as of press time. We’re hoping for a speedy rehab for the pub and any injured.
e Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) now mulls the plan for the plant to treat millions of gallons of wastewater from the T.E. Maxson Wastewater Treatment Facility for industrial uses. xAI, Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) Allen Combined Cycle Plant, and Nucor Steel will all use cooling water from the facility.
Many continued to voice concerns that xAI is here to exploit the community and asked why the public was not consulted on inviting the company here. Some supporters of the project called it a “game changer” that could save billions of gallons of drinking water. Still others wondered if the plant would come with a smell. State o cials said any odor could be chemically masked but that decision rested with the plant owners.
THERMOSTATS DOWN
Memphis residents were asked to reduce their use of electricity last week. High temperatures led to high electricity demand, and both the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and Memphis Light, Gas & Water (MLGW) asked customers to voluntarily limit electrical use.
“ is situation is not unique to Memphis — local power companies throughout the TVA region are responding to the same challenges,” MLGW said. “Our shared goal is to help lighten the load on the system so that power disruptions can be avoided.”
e utility service asked customers to turn o unnecessary lights and electronics, raise thermostats if possible, delay usage of large appliances until night time, and to charge electric vehicles during “o -peak hours.”
MATA MONEY
e Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) said the city’s current funding of $30 million dollars will not allow the agency to provide reliable and sustainable service for its customers.
Board chair Emily Greer and interim CEO and TransPro
consultant John Lewis delivered the news in a presentation to the Memphis City Council last week. ey asked that the city’s funding be increased to $45 million.
Greer said the current funding allotment would hinder the agency from o ering baseline services, additional frequency on main xed routes, extra MATAplus services, and more. Increased funding would allow the agency to have more buses and operators. e money would also allow them to return to steel-wheeled trolleys.
“[$30 million] is at best a Band-Aid on a system that needs emergency surgery,” Greer said.
She said her primary goal is to advocate for the agency, and part of that is making the authority’s needs known. She said current funding would not only put MATA at a disadvantage for the services they provide but would plummet the agency further in debt. She said this could also deter candidates from applying for the permanent CEO position.
Lewis said the current budget was made on a number of assumptions, such as minimal increases to the maintenance team, the same service hours and main route schedules, and more. MATA expects to have a total revenue of $56 million, with the city being the agency’s primary funding source.
Council member Dr. Je Warren said the presentation was the most thorough presentation from the agency that the council has had, noting it was important to see the data.
“I heard your plea and I agree with what you’re saying,” Warren said. “Right now we’re looking at a budget where we don’t have the additional $15 million we would want you to have.” Visit the News Blog at memphis yer.com for fuller versions of these stories and more local news.
POSTED TO YOUTUBE BY BUSSIN’ WITH THE BOYS
PHOTO: JUSTIN FOX BURKS
MATA says current funding is not enough to provide reliable service and failure to increase the budget would send the agency further into debt.
3X entries on Tu esd a ys an d T h u rsdays , plu s 5X e n tr i es on F r i d a ys an d S a turd a ys !
Cleared the Air? { CITY
REPORTER
By Kailynn Johnson
e city’s air got a clean(ish) bill of health, but some call test results “ awed.”
Independent testing found no dangerous air pollutants in Boxtown, Whitehaven, or Downtown, city o cials announced last week.
ey said the tests were conducted because of community concerns regarding environmental conditions, especially in light of xAI’s presence here. “ e city doesn’t control air quality regulations, but we stepped up to nd answers,” Memphis Mayor Paul Young said. “ e initial results showed no dangerous levels of air pollutants at any of the tested sites.”
Testing was conducted by thirdparty vendor and lab EnSafe Inc./SGS Galson on June 13th and 16th. Testers were tasked with targeting pollutants benzene, toluene, formaldehyde, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter.
e lab’s results, which the city called “de nitive and reassuring,” found levels to be either “too low to detect” or “well below established safety thresholds.”
Memphis’ air quality and its e ects on its citizens have long been a topic
of controversy. ose issues have been further emphasized due to the xAI supercomputer facility now located in South Memphis, an area many advocates say is disproportionately impacted by environmental racism.
Groups such as the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) have condemned xAI’s use of gas turbines. In a letter sent to xAI two weeks ago, the SELC noti ed the company of their intent to sue over the turbines on behalf of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
e letter noted the environmental impact of the data center, saying the turbines emit formaldehyde and other chemicals linked to respiratory diseases.
xAI issued a rare public response to the city’s air quality testing results.
“xAI welcomes the independent third-party data showing no dangerous pollutant levels at test sites near our Memphis data center,” read the company’s statement. “We have built a world-class data center in Memphis
and we couldn’t have done it without the support of the local community and its leaders.”
While xAI said the data is reassuring, SELC called the analysis “ awed.”
“ e city failed to measure ozone pollution — better known as smog — which we already know is a major problem in the Memphis area,” SELC senior attorney Patrick Anderson said. “It’s unclear why the city would not test for this harmful pollutant. To say that Memphians face ‘no dangerous pollutant levels’ ignores existing data and is irresponsible.”
Anderson’s comments come weeks a er the SELC urged the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to intervene regarding the city’s air quality standards. Memphis was recently named an “asthma capital of the world.”
e American Lung Association also gave Shelby County an “F” for ozone pollution.
SELC attorneys said the petition was led a er noticing a lack of urgency
Environmental advocates say the third-party testing results don’t tell the full story.
from local governing authorities. e ling also mentioned that the operation of xAI’s gas turbines further complicates the issue.
e center stated that the city’s ozone concentration violates federal standards and that the problem is getting worse. It said that community members have voiced their concerns about xAI and how its turbines could be linked to “smog-forming pollution.”
Other environmental advocates such as state Representative Justin J. Pearson criticized the city’s omission of ozone testing, which he called a “considerable factor in air pollution problems in Memphis.”
“We have an air pollution problem that is indisputable,” Pearson said. “We do not have time for political stunts and propaganda.” Pearson added that the city’s ndings are an extension of Young’s “unwavering support of xAI.”
PHOTO: ANNE NYGÅRD | UNSPLASH
By
Jackson Baker
Brother Act
NC Senator Tillis’ de ance of Trump mirrored his brother’s actions in Tennessee.
e free world, a term which covers a signi cant portion — varying from time to time in its dimensions — of these United States, has taken note of the bold stand pursued by U.S. Senator om Tillis (RNC), who this week rebelled against the sheepish instincts of his fellow Republicans in their support of Donald Trump’s “big beautiful bill.”
Declaring that, among other things, the bill would drastically undercut the protections extended to the populations of his and other states with severe cuts in Medicaid funding, Tillis publicly declared his opposition to the bill. Knowing that this would land him on Trump’s burgeoning enemies list and ensure that he would face a primary challenge from a Trump acolyte in his reelection bid next year, Tillis went further and, even before the president called for such a thing, said he wouldn’t be running.
which mercilessly satirized the speaker’s repressive tactics, including Casada’s clandestine snooping measures against the chamber’s members.
So heavy-handed was Casada’s regime that he was ousted as speaker by his fellow Republicans in the immediate a ermath of that 2019 session, and Tillis’ Twitter barbs had
It remains to be seen what degrees of vengeance might end up being leveled at Thom Tillis.
An independent streak apparently runs in the Tillis family. e senator’s brother, Rick Tillis, a Lewisburg jeweler and a political moderate like the senator, was for two terms a Republican state representative from District 92 in the Tennessee legislature and ascended to the o ce of majority whip. But he had di culty suppressing his sense of anguish at the authoritarian instincts evinced by Glen Casada, the GOP’s house speaker in the 2019 legislative term.
Representative Tillis began operating an anonymous Twitter account entitled “ e C.H.B. Blog” (for “Cordell Hull Building Blog”),
been instrumental in that outcome. ere was payback. A pool of urine was subsequently discovered in one of Tillis’ o ce chairs, and it was alleged, but never proved, that the donor had been a Casada loyalist.
And Representative Tillis was defeated for reelection in 2020, thanks largely to unusually well-funded support for his primary opponent, largely channeled via a mystery consulting rm called Phoenix Solutions.
In a recent postscript of sorts to the a air, Casada and various others were recently convicted of illegal activities related to the rm, where the former speaker had been a silent partner.
It remains to be seen what degrees of vengeance might end up being leveled at om Tillis for his act of apostasy toward Donald Trump, especially since the senator is no longer a candidate for reelection. But the president has long since demonstrated that he is without peer in his zeal for exacting retribution.
Like his brother in Tennessee, however, the senator from North Carolina is clearly unafraid of bullies. It would seem to be a family thing.
PHOTO: UNITED STATES CONGRESS | PUBLIC DOMAIN, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS om Tillis
By Katie Stephenson
Optimizing Tax Liability
Using tax-advantaged accounts can help maximize retirement income.
As you’re planning for your financial future, you’re likely making decisions about where to live, how much to save, and what type of investments meets your needs. But have you considered the tax treatment within your various accounts?
A great way to optimize the investment return within your savings and brokerage account is to utilize tax-advantaged accounts. Tax-advantaged accounts can provide tax benefits for investors no matter their current investment time horizon and typically fall into one of three categories:
Tax-deferred accounts: These accounts provide an opportunity to make pre-tax contributions that lower your taxable income during the year in which the contributions are made. Assets held within the account grow tax-deferred for your retirement, which, thanks to the power of compounding interest, can provide a significant boost to your longterm savings goals.
Tax-advantaged accounts can provide tax benefits for investors.
It’s important to note that tax-deferred assets become taxable as ordinary income when they’re withdrawn from the account. In addition, if you take a withdrawal before reaching age 59.5, you may be subject to a 10 percent early withdrawal penalty in addition to your ordinary income tax liability.
Another consideration for tax-deferred accounts is required minimum distributions (RMDs). Per current IRS law, investors with assets in tax-deferred accounts are subject to RMDs, which means you must withdraw a portion of your assets each year once reaching age 72 (73 if you reached age 72 after December 31, 2022). As a result of the passage of the SECURE 2.0 Act, the age at which RMDs must begin will be pushed to age 75 for investors born in 1960 or later.
Tax-deferred account types include:
• Traditional IRAs — Traditional IRAs are individual retirement accounts that allow you to make pre-tax contributions that grow tax-deferred for retirement.
• 401(k)s, 403(b)s, and other qualified retirement plans — These are employersponsored plans that offer employees an opportunity to set aside pre-tax savings for retirement. Many employer-sponsored
plans offer the added benefit of matching a percentage of employees’ contributions to the plan. For example, an employer may offer to match 50 percent on the first 6 percent employees contribute to the plan.
Tax-exempt accounts: Contributions to tax-exempt accounts are made with after-tax funds, which means you pay ordinary income taxes on the amount you contribute. The growth that occurs in these accounts, along with withdrawals from the account after age 59.5, are exempt from taxes if the account has been open for at least five tax years. Paying tax on some of your assets now can be a great benefit to investors who expect to fall into a higher tax bracket or expect the government to increase ordinary income taxes rates in the future. In 2026, unless Congress takes action to preserve the lower marginal income tax rates implemented as a result of the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, tax rates will revert back to pre-2017 levels.
Unlike tax-deferred accounts, taxexempt accounts aren’t subject to RMDs, which means these assets can remain in the tax-advantaged account longer and potentially experience more growth. Some examples of tax-exempt accounts include Roth IRAs, Roth 401(k)s, Roth 403(b)s, and other after-tax retirement plans.
Accounts with tax-exempt withdraw als: These accounts are typically designed to help you save for a particular expense, such as healthcare or education costs. Withdrawals from these accounts are tax-exempt as long as the assets are used to pay for the intended qualifying expenses. These account types include health savings accounts (HSAs), flexible spending accounts (FSAs), and 529 education savings plans.
Saving in accounts with different tax treatments gives you the flexibility to draw retirement income from different types of accounts in order to optimize your overall tax liability. Ultimately, this practice can help maximize your retirement income while reducing your tax bill.
Katie Stephenson, JD, CFP, is a Private Wealth Manager and Partner with Creative Planning. Creative Planning is one of the nation’s largest registered investment advisory firms providing comprehensive wealth management services to ensure all elements of a client’s financial life are working together, including investments, taxes, estate planning, and risk management. For more information or to request a free, no-obligation consultation, visit CreativePlanning.com.
Home Sweet Home
AT LARGE By Bruce VanWyngarden
Right On, Elon!
Even a blind squirrel nds a nut, etc.
lon Musk is right. As I typed those words, I literally shook my head because there is very little I like when it comes to the bizarro bazillionaire from South Africa. I don’t like that he wormed his way into Donald Trump’s inner circle by spending $200 million to help get him elected. I don’t like that a er the election Musk was given a pseudo title to run a pseudo government organization called DOGE, under the auspices of which he managed to disassemble critical federal agencies and capriciously re thousands of federal workers.
solar production facilities, wind energy projects, factories to build energy saving appliances, and, yes, electric cars. On the strength of those incentives, billions of dollars in clean energy production investments had been made and construction had moved forward on thousands of projects, large and small. Under the latest incarnation of the BB Bill, that funding would be summarily eliminated, stranding production and construction, and ending what Musk called “millions of jobs.”
WITH YOU EVERY MILE
I don’t like that while “down-sizing” those federal agencies, including the Internal Revenue Service, Musk enabled his team of hackers to access the personal information of every American. Nor do I like that what Musk and his fellow tech bros — and the Trump White House — will do with that information is yet to be determined. (I’m willing to bet it will be nancially and politically pro table for a precious few at the top, and will expose the rest of us to data mining of our nances, political views, shopping habits, travel, social media posts, and sexual preferences, to name just a few possibilities.)
e new bill also eliminates consumer subsidies for roo op solar, electric vehicles, heat pumps, and other energy-e cient technologies. And it gets worse. Not content to merely claw back promised investment incentives in clean energy projects, the bill also imposes new taxes on existing wind and solar projects and farms, and penalizes them further if they utilize materials from China, which supplies many of the materials used in the production of renewable energy.
And I don’t trust Musk. I don’t trust that his xAI facilities in Memphis will follow environmental regulations if the regulations don’t suit their mercurial CEO. Musk has never played by the rules, and frankly, Memphis lacks the clout to make him do so, should he choose not to.
But Elon Musk is dead right about one thing: e “big beautiful bill” currently bouncing around the halls of Congress is an absolute environmental disaster. Here’s what Musk posted on his X account: “ e latest Senate dra bill will destroy millions of jobs in America and cause immense strategic harm to our country! It’s utterly insane and destructive. It gives handouts to industries of the past while severely damaging industries of the future.”
He is exactly right (and yes, I’m aware he owns an electric car company).
e bill proposes to basically reverse what has been U.S. energy policy for years by eliminating billions of dollars in incentives that were slated to go to
“ ey’re proposing an outright massacre with punishing new taxes on these industries,” said Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon. “It’s a death penalty.” So why would Republicans cut the legs out from under all the country’s investments in green energy, even the ones bene ting their own states? Here’s a hint: Donald Trump thinks the United States should get its energy from oil drilling and coal mining, as God intended. He campaigned vociferously against green energy because, well, … heavy batteries will sink boats and sharks will eat you? Who knows? It’s Trump. It doesn’t have to make sense. It’s been made abundantly clear over the past eight years that Republicans will do whatever Trump wants them to do. e stupid is a feature, not a bug. And besides, global climate change doesn’t exist because windmills will kill bald eagles. So there.
Let’s give the last word on the bill to my new pal, Elon: “ is massive, outrageous, pork- lled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination,” he said. “Shame on those who voted for it.” Musk added that if the bill is passed, “It would be political suicide for the Republican Party.” Right on, Elon! Let’s hope you’re right again.
e century-old music shop is a Best of Memphis mainstay.
For nearly 20 years, Amro Music has won the Flyer’s Best Music Equipment Store in Memphis. Regarding the long-standing honor, vice president and co-owner Nick Averwater says it’s as simple as customer and employee satisfaction: “ is is our people telling us that we’re doing a good job.”
You’ve certainly driven by Amro. Located on Poplar Avenue next to the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library, its iconic piano sign displays the weather or phrases like “Music Makes You Smarter.” “Most people know us as that music store with windows,” says Averwater. Inside is an abstract arrangement of stringed instruments and pianos. e historical Piano Gallery is housed in the lot next door. is dates back to Averwater’s greatgrandfather, Sil Averwater, who founded Amro in 1921. “He was on his way to L.A., seeking fame and fortune, and made a stop in Memphis. Nobody was teaching piano, so he opened his windows and played for passersby. at was marketing back then.”
the blues or clichéd Memphis music, but it’s a vibrant cornerstone.”
Averwater asks if I want a tour. I expect a walk around the oor and a couple of employee greetings. Instead, we walk through the repair shop upstairs. He shows me speci c tools, cleaning methods, lighting xtures, and mechanical approaches to repair. e brass section is ush with bright overhead lights. One mechanic, Jason, solders a brace back onto a trumpet. “Without the light, I wouldn’t be able to see this,” he says, pointing to a minute dent near the mouthpiece. He learned how to repair instruments at Amro, where he’s been working for the past three years. He got his rst trumpet at Amro in h grade and went on to march in the University of Memphis band.
Nearby are the woodwind mechanics, who work in a much darker space. “ ey utilize the shadows to better analyze their instruments,” says Averwater. One technician feeds an illuminated u y tube through a saxophone while uttering the valves. I’m not sure what he’s doing, but it looks very professional. Yet the extent of their work goes beyond examinations and soldering. “We’ve seen ’em run over by cars, dropped o buses. … ere’s not much that would surprise us anymore,” says Averwater. “We’ve seen it all, and then some,” says Nico, another repair technician.
e century-old shop eventually grew to serve school orchestras in rural farm communities outside of Memphis. It continues that practice today, repairing and providing instruments for students in Kentucky, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Mississippi.
Walking into Amro, an array of shining saxophones, trumpets, and trombones rests above a re-engine red keyboard. Dozens of stringed instruments hang on the north wall, with hundreds of music education books (for all skill levels) in accompaniment.
Music has been part of Averwater’s life since childhood, he says. “I’m a product of music education … and Memphis should have a music culture. It makes our schools and communities a better place.” As they reach their 104th year, their mission of nourishing students has remained unchanged. “School orchestras might not be
I also see a mountain of instrument cases. Averwater says it’s the line of instruments waiting to be repaired. ere were two rooms full of French horns, tubas, trumpets, trombones, oboes, saxophones, and more. “ ose instruments represent a kid who doesn’t have an instrument … and they need their instrument to learn.”
e shop churns out nearly 300 instruments a week for students all across the Mid-South.
e tour ends with a framed, original copy of Sil Averwater’s rst piano instructional book, titled Amro System of Popular Music. As fourth-generation co-owners, Averwater and his cousin, CJ Averwater, both consider family to be an incredible foundation behind Amro’s success.
To Averwater, it was never a question whether to join the family business. To contribute to such an integral part of Memphis’ youth is nothing but a privilege, he says. “We could sell something else, but we get to sell musical instruments.”
FLYER!
PHOTO: ANDY MANNIS
Amro’s distinctive wall of windows, graced by a white grand piano
Positively ‘UnAmerikan’
A dozen songs of resistance by the city’s most antifascist bands.
This Fourth of July hits di erently. Maybe it’s the ongoing warrantless abductions of minorities by unidenti ed agents of the state, purportedly ofcers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), but who knows? On the surface, they’re sadistic acts of human tra cking, yet they’re draped in the American ag. So are the massive unlawful cuts to academic research, including the medical sciences, the current threats to Medicaid, and even the assassination of elected representatives by a MAGA zealot: All bedecked in the ol’ red, white, and blue. But not everyone’s buying it. And many of us with a little punk deep down inside, or just a penchant for critical thinking, are speaking out — on the microphone. So on this Independence Day, the Memphis Flyer
celebrates a dozen songs broadcasting from the heart of the rebel alliance, right here in the Blu City, by those of us who “do not go gentle into that good night” of sheer kleptocracy, but are instead raging against the dying of democracy.
“UnAmerikan” — FAKE
In keeping with the minimalist songwriting style he perfected in the band Fuck, Tim Prudhomme hits the nail on the head with brevity and wit in this unreleased song from his latest group. FAKE is a very real quartet, and this song has been a popular favorite in their live sets.
As Prudhomme notes, the devil’s in the details. “I played it for a friend the other day and she mistakenly thought I was singing ‘UnAmerican,’” he explains. But no, this is aimed squarely at a particular slice of our society, branded with a “k,”
Mighty Souls Brass Band at one of the regular Monday protests against the Trump agenda
that’s obsessed with alpha male fantasies of power and performative patriarchy. Bro culture? Prudhomme ain’t having it: “I don’t like sports bars/I don’t like endless war,” he sings. And, happily, he o ers an alternative. “I am a socialist/I am limp of wrist.” He’s hit upon the secret to being 100 percent Proud Boy-free. And so can you.
“People Over Profits” — Mighty Souls Brass Band e No Kings demonstration on June 14th was full of progressive, devoted citizens waving the stars and stripes, even as they rejected the punitive patriotism of the most Trump-loving cultists. Instead, the diverse, decent, compassionate America championed
by the marchers was a country red by joy and community. And that’s where the Mighty Souls Brass Band came in, as the rattling rhythm of a snare drum and the fat bottom of group founder Sean Murphy’s sousaphone kicked in and sent a jolt of electricity through the crowd, reportedly 4,000-strong. at was in part due to the power of the street parade tradition. New Orleansstyle brass bands have always involved the joy of movement, the power of the groove to bring us together. on full display at the No Kings event, especially in a tune Murphy recorded with Paul Taylor, written “right around the rst time that Trump was elected,” Murphy says, simply titled “People Over Prof-
PHOTO: @AM.PHOTO901 Little Baby Tendencies
its.” Even a slower number, “St. James In rmary Blues,” had a visceral impact derived from its deep history, evoking both the topic of healthcare, including the inequities of archaic medical systems that we thought we’d moved beyond, as well as the historical roots of the protest.
Yet one piece, played in the nest brass band street parade style, was even more on point. “Another song that is really important to me on a bunch of different levels, and that we always try to play at all the protests, is ‘ is Land Is Your Land,’” Murphy says. “It’s such an amazing song. It’s sort of an alternative national anthem. And you know, it does help that Woody Guthrie could not stand the current president’s family.”
As Murphy points out, his group is especially well-suited to mass gatherings. “A brass band in particular is a great ensemble for protesting. We’re mobile, obviously, and we don’t require any sort of electri cation. And, you know, we are loud! At one of the Monday protests that we did, we had a Trump supporter show up who tried opening the doors to their car and pumping out whatever music they were playing. We didn’t even know they were there until we took a break because they could not be heard over our playing! It was like the viral video from the No Kings march in Atlanta, where a brass band drowned out the Proud Boys.”
“Flight of the Fascist” — Little Baby Tendencies Of course, as all punks know, there’s more than one way to drown out the fascists. Haley Ivey, the singersongwriter behind the band Little Baby Tendencies, is a utist by training but makes up for that instrument’s delicacy when she straps on an electric guitar. Lately, she’s been singing the lead tune from the band’s Inauguration Day release, Burn Down the State, where she screams at breakneck pace, “Let’s show up with a torch and burn down all their mansions/Rising up to their height and taking charge of all our freedoms … We’ll nd out how fast it burns, you fascist piece of shit!” It pairs well with Ivey’s more performative side, which led her in 2023 to ’24 to stage ag burnings in honor of Independence Day. Not one to mince words, Ivey’s up front about the song’s practical value for rabble-rousing, which gives her mixed feelings. “It’s a little too allencompassing and a little too shallow,” she says. “I feel like other songs on the album discuss very speci c facets of what’s going on, you know, like the complicity of all of us human beings. ‘Sun Song’ on there, I really like because I am, honestly, at the end of the day, very, very passionate about the climate crisis, which I feel like is probably our number one most like the biggest peril that we face.”
“Knighted (Not Deputized)” — Red Squad
While we’re on the subject of heavy guitars recruited to the antifa cause, we can’t sleep on one of the city’s most outspokenly political bands, Red Squad. eir latest, released just before the election last year, brings the ri s and the power chord crunch to spin a somewhat tongue-in-cheek fantasy about tracking down fascists to deliver death metal justice. While presumably not to be taken literally, the scenario is one all lovers of democracy can embrace: “1/6/21, this dipshit storms the Capitol/Bear sprays a cop and fucks o on the lam/ ey want the best, and we’re deputized by Kamala/ We say fuck that, knight us or we walk!”
It’s a unique spin on activism in the video game era, but what matters most are the ri s and the hammering rhythm. And, for all the song’s neovigilante romanticism, it now works as a resounding cry of frustration in an era when Trump’s insurrectionists walk free. is had an immediate impact on Memphis’ No Kings march, as activist Hunter Demster pointed out on social media when he noted that “ e guy who showed up yesterday to troll the No Kings protest and did a Nazi salute was Joshua Lee Hernandez. He was a J6er who was convicted of assaulting a police o cer. Trump pardoned him.”
Red Squad could have been singing about that very convicted criminal: “We swore to catch him/We’ll put his ass on ice/Oath keeping fascist!” But instead of calling modern day knights and screeching eagles, the protesters just swiped his oversized MAGA hat and let him look like a fool.
“Nanoplastique” — Joybomb
As Joybomb’s founder and singer-songwriter Grant Beatty told the Flyer recently, “When I was a kid, I got into punk rock and went to the Warped Tour, and there was Rock against Bush. ‘Political punk’ sounds so cheesy, but at the time, you know, there was a war going on. Being a kid, I was super inspired by a lot of that stu and those bands, even going back to the Clash, you know? Protest music through the power of good lyricism and clever writing and rock-and-roll.”
He brings that energy in full to this tune, an ironic take on the omnipresence of microplastics in our environment, our food, and our bodies. “We’ll call it human progress,” he sings. “And forever we’ll ow/Adapting to your new home/Wash it down your sore throat,” goes the chorus, before a spoken word interlude makes clear that we’re living in dark times indeed. “ e land mourns and all who live in it languish/Together with the wild animals and the birds of the air/Even the sh are perishing.” It’s a perfect wake up call for an age when the president aims to defund the Environmental Protection Agency research and sta until we’re blue in the face.
PHOTO (ABOVE): MARIANA MONDRAGÓN Los Psychosis, the city’s only “Latinx psychobilly band”
PHOTO (RIGHT): MICHAEL PERTL Haley Ivey burns Old Glory in 2023.
“El Último Lago de China” — Los Psychosis
In a similar vein, Los Psychosis, a self-described “Memphis-based Latinx psychobilly band,” takes a hard look at the big picture of the environment. Translated as “ e Last Lake in China,” the song mourns the disappearance of clean environments where humans can thrive.
As the band’s singer, Javi Arcega, notes, “On NPR, they were talking about the last lake in China that is clean enough to drink water from, and what locals were doing to save it. And at the end of the story, the narrator said that it is no longer the last clean lake in China. It made me think about how great the nation of China is, how huge and powerful it is, and yet there are no clean lakes there. I didn’t even know I was intentionally writing a political environmental song. I had this conscious feeling of like, ‘Hey, we’re destroying the Earth!’ And you can think, ‘I’m so glad that’s not happening in my town,’ but if you’ve heard about Flint, Michigan, you’ll realize it is happening in your town.”
Beyond that, thanks to the current administration, Arcega feels as though, being a Latino, his very existence is a political act. “I feel like it’s so important
to be a voice for the people because there’s only a handful of us Latin musicians in town that are very active in the music scene. At the same time, it’s easy to be a target. So I’ve just got to play it cool and [try to] not be a target. But it’s very hard because you just want to sing about what’s going on.”
“Ferguson to Palestine” — Aktion Kat
If you’re wondering where Aktion Kat is coming from, look no further than the title of his 2023 album, It’s Fun to Transgress! e subtitle puts a ner point on it: Rock ‘n’ Roll for the Revolution. And, like Los Psychosis, Aktion Kat is ready and willing to embrace a more international perspective, especially on the hard-hitting, yet surprisingly folksy, “Ferguson to Palestine,” where he sings: “Riot police and ash grenades/Tear gas canisters Amerikkkan made/All funded by the taxes we pay/Occupation is a crime/Ferguson to Palestine. It’s about class, it’s about race/It’s about fuckin’ time that we smash the state and we all participate/Revolution in our time. Ferguson to Palestine/ We oughta know, we all should know, this is for real/It’s not a show. ere’s blood in
continued on page 14
the streets wherever you go/Hands up, don’t shoot. I’m young and Black/I wanna live and not get shot in the back.”
It’s an un inching embrace of radical chic, and if some feel it’s merely a fashion statement, note that Aktion Kat has played a supportive role in nuts-and-bolts politics, as with last December’s Community Distro event that passed out harmreduction gear and collected contributions for a food pantry. Also note that the group’s allies are legion, and, as they write, “ eir myriad komrades are molotov kocktail-slinging kittens from the 9th dimension.” Moreover, they’re armed with a comic strip and action gures. Who said smashing the state couldn’t be fun?
“Original Man” — Iron Mic Coalition
While many of the aforementioned artists are on the new side, the Iron Mic Coalition (IMC) is a 20-year-old Memphis institution. And, although one of their most outspokenly political members, Fathom 9, has passed away, this local hip-hop collective is more relevant than ever. Case in point, their release from this March, IMC 4th Edition: Still Iron, keeps the politics front and center. But, as founding member Quinn McGowan puts it, their politics are woven into a whole way of life, built on the four pillars of hip-hop: DJ’ing, emceeing, break dancing, and gra ti. e way McGowan sees it, all four of
those elements are inherently political. “Hip-hop has never been designed to be passive, right? It is an active culture.”
to relax, too. It can’t be marching and chanting and ghting all the time.”
Having said that, one can hear McGowan mulling over that tension in the lead cut, “Original Man,” when he raps, “ e navigator relapsed to a state of inattentiveness/Which in a last-moment scenario requires the sort of inventiveness/ at suggests that I was meant for this!” He’s grappling with the need to be awake to the world’s injustices, even as he feeds his needs as a complete human. Ultimately, he’s down with the resistance. “In the ’90s ran with the mujahedin/Over dunes like Muad’Dib,” referencing the native rebels in Dune. It’s a balancing act that McGowan has maintained for decades; it’s now carried on by his son Eillo, who also raps on the track. e way he sees it, IMC is playing the long game. “ e funny thing about this fourth project, is that, you know, without being contrived or manufactured in any way at all, the album speaks to the moment, not because we as a group are particularly prescient, but more because we’re literally doing what we have always been doing. We’re not doing anything di erent. We’re trying to speak to the moment that we’re living in and trying to stay with the truth that formed us.”
“Stay Focused”
— Chinese Connection Dub Embassy (CCDE) “KKKaren Anthem” — Negro Terror
ese twin groups are familiar voices of protest in Memphis, both having the Higgins family at their core. e late, great Omar Higgins helped jumpstart both CCDE, a roots reggae group, and Negro Terror, a hardcore band, before his death in 2019, and his brothers Joseph and David now carry the torch. e CCDE single “Stay Focused” was written by Joseph and Jasira Olatunji and released just before the election last year. Much like IMC’s “Original Man,” it conjures up the personal work one needs to attend to in order to stay active politically over the long haul, this time with an eerily prescient line about neo-fascists actually pursuing those who resist. “You got to stay focused alright cause ya know they coming for ya/Babylon a try to come for you/Wanna distract I and the ghetto youth/But we stand rm on our square/We not goin’ anywhere for this ght, yes we are prepared.”
and singer of Negro Terror. eir latest release, “KKKaren Anthem,” features these lines, chanted over some very metal chords of doom: “Karen you just won’t quit/You say I t the description when I ain’t did shit/ en you say you wanna stand your ground, telling me to go to my side of town/Back o trick we just wanna be free because the ugly side of me you don’t wanna see/All you can do is hope and pray because the real street justice is on its way.” If it reads like a threat, it’s also a forceful act of self-defense in the face of white privilege — another side of the personal, interior work one needs to carry on.
“Stand for Something” — Seize and Desist
Meanwhile, a er Omar’s death, two original Negro Terror members, guitarist Rico a Akronym and drummer Ra’id Khursheed, went their own way to carry on the hardcore activist spirit. And their 2022 debut EP, e Cease and Desist Letter, is full of hard-hitting ri s paired with trenchant political lyrics. e kicko track, like the tracks by IMC and CCDE, is not only a call to action, but an exhortation to adopt an activist’s state of mind. It’s something that many of us need to be reminded of. “No longer asking why/At this point it’s do or die/Stand for something, fall for nothing! Betrayed! Enslaved! Led history astray! e lies! Replies/No matter what we try.” It bears repeating, especially when, as Rico observes, “I’ve watched a lot of people stand on one thing, but then when it was gonna ruin their fun, or when it was gonna be uncomfortable, all of a sudden, no one’s talking anymore.”
“Hitler Lives”
— Reba Russell Band
“Is your memory so numb/You’ve forgotten ’41/When the world was all a ame from shore to shore?/You can count on this my friend/You let Hitler live again/If you should ever turn a hero from your door … Hitler lives ... if we hurt our fellow man/Hitler lives ... if you forget.” continued from page 13
Yet at the same time, he emphasizes that rapping is meant to convey the totality of human experience. “I try to be careful about the idea that hip-hop has to adhere to a singular identity, right? People who are rapping are doing activist type stu , or they are doing poetry, or they are sampling. Activists need
As Joseph observes, “If you see what’s going on the news and TV and everything, like obviously they’re trying to take our focus o some things that are going on in the world right now. We’re seeing tra cking even in our own backyard, in Memphis! is song is really a call to action. Like people, y’all need to stay focused because Babylon is out here!”
Meanwhile, on more punk note, his brother David carries on as the guitarist
As a nal note, a look backward. e great supergroup Mud Boy and the Neutrons had more than a few songs that conjured up the rebellious spirit of the ’60s, but one of their most e ective was “Hitler Lives,” written by Red River Dave and Bill Crouch and rst released by Rosalie Allen and the Black River Riders in 1947. Far from being a rallying cry for neo-Nazis (all too imaginable in this day and age), it’s actually a warning. It was revived in powerful fashion in 2010 by the Reba Russell Band, great colleagues of Jim Dickinson and the Mud Boy crew, who slowed it down into an aggrieved country soul ballad. And while it was originally meant to decry the plight of homeless World War II veterans, it rings ever more true for all of us today, on this very twisted Fourth of July:
PHOTO (TOP LEFT): COURTESY QUINN MCGOWAN Iron Mic Coalition
PHOTO (TOP RIGHT): JAMIE HARMON Joseph and David Higgins of Chinese Connection Dub Embassy and Negro Terror
PHOTO (ABOVE): H.N. JAMES Seize and Desist
FRIDAY OCT 10
FedEx Event Center at Shelby Farms
Join us for a fantastic evening of great tastes and great fun, bringing together bourbon and whiskey distillers from around the region PLUS great bites from some of your favorite local restaurants! VIP Admission starts at 5pm, GA at 6pm.
TICKETS AND MORE INFO GA
steppin’ out
We Recommend: Culture, News + Reviews
Fourth of July in Central Gardens
By Morgan Thomas
e Fourth of July is always an anticipated time of the year and Central Gardens is the place to spend it. Its celebration will be on Belvedere Boulevard and will have food and beverages available for purchase, entertainment, contests, activities, and a parade for everyone to enjoy.
e Central Gardens Association’s (CGA) event committee has planned contests such as best costume for adults, children and pets, best oat design, and most patriotic house. Spay Memphis will be in attendance to show their good work in Memphis while keeping pets hydrated with water bowls. Food and beverage options will include the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile, TopDawgz, and Byway Co ee Company. Residents of Belvedere Boulevard will also be serving watermelon slices, lemonade, and water to enjoy. For entertainment, the Memphis Second Line Jazz Band will be leading the parade, and local bluegrass band Grass re will be participating as well. ey will be joined by the Westwood High School cheerleaders and the Boy Scouts in the parade. Representatives from the Memphis Police Department and the Memphis Fire Department are expected at the parade as well.
is parade has been a tradition since the ’70s and was held on Carr Avenue until the CGA got neighbors involved to volunteer and put on the parade. So, in recent years, it has been relocated to di erent streets so everyone can make the parade special in di erent ways.
“ is is an event for everyone to come together and celebrate America’s birthday. It’s the perfect opportunity for neighbors to come together and be reminded of what unites us and to spend time with friends old and new,” says Stephanie Bennett, leader of the Community Building and Events committee at CGA. e parade will be on Friday, July 4th, from 9:00 a.m. to noon.
VARIOUS DAYS & TIMES July 3rd - 9th
Memphis’ Largest Fireworks Festival
Liberty Park Memphis, ursday, July 3, 5-9 p.m., free
from Mempops, music, face-painting, and a special appearance by the Memphis Fire Department.
encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets to enjoy a dazzling display over the Mississippi.
Join Memphis Parks and the city of Memphis — in collaboration with Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium and Oak View Group — for an Independence Day festival and the o cial city reworks show in Liberty Park. is event is free for all and includes free parking. Expect familyfriendly live music and entertainment, local food trucks, and the biggest reworks show in town.
Cooper-Young 4th of July Block Party
Peabody Elementary, 2086 Young Avenue, Friday, July 4, 10 a.m., free
Join the Cooper-Young Community Association for a Fourth of July block party. Bring the kiddos, their little wheels, and enjoy frozen treats
Downtown Memphis July 4th Celebration
River Garden Park at Mississippi River Park, Friday, July 4, 6-9 p.m., free e Downtown Memphis Commission is thrilled to bring the reworks back to the riverfront a er several years away from the water. is free event spans three scenic locations: River Garden Park, Fourth Blu Park, and a portion of Riverside Drive — all activated with live entertainment, food trucks, games, vendors, and festive activities for all ages.
e night will conclude with a reworks spectacular at 9 p.m., launching from the edge of Mud Island River Park and visible from across Downtown. Guests are
“Earnest Withers: I AM A MAN” Pink Palace Museum & Mansion, 3050 Central Avenue, through October 12
Ernest Withers’ famous photographs of the 1968 Memphis Sanitation Workers strike illustrate the dignity of workers’ activism, which still feels inspirational decades later. is summer, the Pink Palace is re-exhibiting these powerful and important images that speak to the African-American history of Memphis. Last shown at the museum in 2010, the photographs are a reminder of why Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. came to Memphis and tragically lost his life, as he supported striking workers in their pursuit of equality and economic justice.
JULY 4TH PARADE, CENTRAL GARDENS, BELVEDERE BOULEVARD NORTH OF PEABODY, FRIDAY, JULY 4, 9 A.M.-NOON.
PHOTO: CHRIS MCCOY Central Gardens July 4th Parade
Ashton Riker & The
Memphis Royals
ursday, July 3, 8 p.m.
B.B. KING’S BLUES CLUB
Baunie and Soul
Tuesday, July 8, 7-11 p.m.
RUM BOOGIE CAFE BLUES HALL
Blues Trio
Saturday, July 5, noon | Sunday, July 6, noon | Wednesday, July 9, 4 p.m.
B.B. KING’S BLUES CLUB
Brad Birkedahl
Wednesday, July 9, 7 p.m.
BLUES CITY CAFE
Brimstone Jones
Saturday, July 5, 8 p.m.
BLUES CITY CAFE
Broseph Tucker Band
Saturday, July 5, 10:30 p.m.
TIN ROOF
Carlos Ecos Band
Friday, July 4, 8 p.m.
BLUES CITY CAFE
Craig Veltri
Friday, July 4, 10:30 p.m. |
Saturday, July 5, 3 p.m.
TIN ROOF
Deep Roots
Friday, July 4, 7 p.m.
TIN ROOF
Earl “The Pearl” Banks
Tuesday, July 8, 7 p.m.
BLUES CITY CAFE
Eric Hughes
ursday, July 3, 7-11 p.m.
RUM BOOGIE CAFE
Flic’s Pics Band
Led by the legendary Leroy “Flic” Hodges of Hi Rhythm.
Saturday, July 5, 4 p.m. | Sunday, July 6, 2 p.m.
B.B. KING’S BLUES CLUB
FreeWorld
Friday, July 4, 7-11 p.m. |
Saturday, July 5, 7-11 p.m.
RUM BOOGIE CAFE
FreeWorld
Sunday, July 6, 8 p.m.
BLUES CITY CAFE
Ghost Town Blues Band
“With a shoot-from-the-hip Memphis attitude, and a Staxbusting explosion of modern blues vision, GTBB represents a welcome changing of the guard.” — Living Blues Magazine. ursday, July 3, 2 p.m.
BLUES CITY CAFE
Jason Foree
Monday, July 7, noon | Tuesday, July 8, 4 p.m.
B.B. KING’S BLUES CLUB
Memphis Jones
Friday, July 4, 4 p.m. | Monday, July 7, 4 p.m.
B.B. KING’S BLUES CLUB
Memphis Soul Factory
ursday, July 3, 4 p.m. |
Sunday, July 6, 8 p.m.
B.B. KING’S BLUES CLUB
Soul Street
Wednesday, July 9, 7-11 p.m.
RUM BOOGIE CAFE
Stephen Stone
Saturday, July 5, 7 p.m.
TIN ROOF
AFTER DARK: Live Music Schedule July 3 - 9
Sunday Evenings with Baunie and Soul Music spanning a wide range of genres, including soul, blues, R&B, and party music.
Sunday, July 6, 7-11 p.m.
RUM BOOGIE CAFE
The B.B. King’s Blues Club Allstar Band Friday, July 4, 8 p.m. | Saturday, July 5, 8 p.m. | Monday, July 7, 8 p.m. | Tuesday, July 8, 8 p.m.
B.B. KING’S BLUES CLUB
Vince Johnson Monday, July 7, 6:30 p.m. | Tuesday, July 8, 6:30 p.m.
RUM BOOGIE CAFE
Rooftop Party Featuring Grit & Grind Music
Machine and DJ A.D. is band is a powerhouse of electrifying energy, composed of seasoned professional Memphis musicians who know how to keep the crowd moving all night long. ursday, July 3, 6 p.m.
THE PEABODY HOTEL
Elmo & the Shades Wednesday, July 9, 7 p.m.
NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM
John Williams & the A440 Band
$10. ursday, July 3, 8 p.m.
NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM
The Deb Jam Band
Tuesday, July 8, 6 p.m.
NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM
Van Duren
e singer-songwriter, a pioneer of indie pop in Memphis, performs solo. ursday, July 3, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
MORTIMER’S
Zazerac Soul Jazz Trio
Saturday, July 5, 8:30 p.m.
BOG & BARLEY
Amy LaVere & Will Sexton
Saturday, July 5, 5 p.m.
BAR DKDC
Baunie and Soul
Sunday, July 6, 5 p.m.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
Bruce Kee Band
A combination of country, rock, and a little soul. Saturday, July 5, 5 p.m.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
Deborah Swiney Duo ursday, July 3, 7-10 p.m.
THE COVE
Devil Train
Bluegrass, roots, country, Delta, and ski e. ursday, July 3, 9 p.m.
B-SIDE
Doter Sweetly & the Pauses e Florida favorites will celebrate their new single and video. Friday, July 4, 8 p.m.
BAR DKDC
Hillbilly Mojo Duo
ursday, July 3, 6 p.m.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
Jazz Jam with the Cove Quartet
Jazz musicians are welcome to sit in. Sunday, July 6, 6-9 p.m.
THE COVE
Joe Restivo 4
Guitarist Restivo leads one of the city’s nest jazz quartets. Sunday, July 6, noon.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
Level Three
Wednesday, July 9, 10 p.m.
LOUIS CONNELLY’S BAR
Morta Skuld
With Metaphobic, Writhing Shadows, Axcromancer [Small Room-Downstairs]. Sunday, July 6, 8 p.m.
HI TONE
Peacocking in Memphis
Featuring a 7” listening party and performances by Musclegoose, Opossums, Godmilk. $10. Saturday, July 5, 7 p.m.
LAMPLIGHTER LOUNGE
Roxy Blue
ey released an album on Ge en Records back in 1992, then disbanded. Now, they’re picking up where they le o . All ages. Saturday, July 5, 7 p.m.
MINGLEWOOD HALL
Sister Paul (Japan)
With the Ramone, Jake Symptom, Chris O’Brien [Small Room-Downstairs]. Wednesday, July 9, 8 p.m.
HI TONE
Sparrow Blue
With the Hypocrites, Friendstore [Small Room-Downstairs]. Monday, July 7, 8 p.m.
HI TONE
The Lori Willis Band Blending contemporary hits with beloved classics, Willis’ voice captivates audiences with her soulful renditions. Friday, July 4, 5 p.m.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
The Pinch
ese seasoned performers have played with groups such as e Super 5, Red Letter Day and Circus. Friday, July 4, 9 p.m.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
All-American Elvis Tribute
An unforgettable evening as two of the world’s top Elvis tribute artists — Emilio Santoro, the 2024 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Champion, and
Shawn Klush, the rst-ever winner of the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest in 2007 — come together for a show that’s sure to be a fan favorite. $35.25/reserved seating (all-in pricing). Saturday, July 5, 7-9:30 p.m.
GRACELAND SOUNDSTAGE
Reverend Horton Heat with Special Guest Jason D. Williams is will be a true rockabilly and rock-and-roll revival, as Reverend Horton Heat, a veteran of the rock scene since the ’80s, is joined by special guest Jason D. Williams, the El Dorado, Arkansas, native who is the reigning king of boogie piano. ursday, July 3, 8 p.m.
HERNANDO’S HIDE-A-WAY
PHOTO: COURTESY PEABODY HOTEL Grit and Grind Music Machine Party Band
PHOTO: COURTESY HERNANDO’S HIDE-A-WAY
Jason D. Williams
CALENDAR of EVENTS: June 26 - July 2
CALENDAR of EVENTS: July 3 - 9
ART AND SPECIAL EXHIBITS
ART AND SPECIAL EXHIBITS
“Earnest Withers: I AM A MAN”
e
“2024 Accessions to the Permanent Collection” is series honors the new additions to the museum’s permanent collection. rough Nov. 2.
METAL MUSEUM
“2024 Accessions to the Permanent Collection” is series honors the new additions to the museum’s permanent collection throughout each calendar year. rough Nov. 2.
METAL MUSEUM
Ernest Withers’s famous photographs of the 1968 Memphis Sanitation Workers strike illustrate the dignity of workers’ activism, which still feels inspirational decades later. rough Oct. 12.
PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION
Art by Carol Sams
Alaina NJ: “Bird Sanctuary”
“[Fe]ATURED AR[Ti]STS”
An artist working with oil on panel, watercolors, and fabric collage, including three-dimensional crocheted and woven works. rough July 23.
CHURCH HEALTH
Notes NJ, “ is series aims to bring together vivid gardens and happy birds, in layers of bold color and texture. Each piece intends to capture a moment where nature feels abundant and intimate.” rough June 30.
Works created and curated by sta members of the Metal Museum. Just as elements are the building blocks of artists’ materials, the museum is built on creativity, collaboration, and tradition. rough Sept. 14.
CROSSTOWN ARTS AT THE CONCOURSE
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
Art by Carol Sams
ARTSmemphis: “GRANTEDTime Exhibition”
“Horizon Lines”:
An artist working with oil on panel, watercolors, and fabric collage, including three-dimensional crocheted and woven works. rough July 23.
An exhibit curated by Brittney Boyd Bullock, a visual artist working ber, mixed media, and abstraction. rough Aug. 5.
ARTSMEMPHIS
CHURCH HEALTH
“Bleeding Together – A Correspondence”
ARTSmemphis: “GRANTEDTime Exhibition”
Anthony Lee, Matthew Lee, and Sowgand Sheikholeslami
Carroll Todd: “New Sculpture”
Working independently west of Memphis in Arkansas, along the corridor of US Highway 61, these artists have each created bodies of work showcasing the unique characteristics of the region. rough Sept. 21.
An exhibit curated by Brittney Boyd Bullock, a visual artist working ber, mixed media, and abstraction. rough Aug. 5.
A collaboration between Andres Arauz, who specializes in photo collage, design, and photography, and Abby Meyers, a visual artist, poet, and award-winning lmmaker. rough Sept. 14.
ARTSMEMPHIS
CROSSTOWN ARTS AT THE CONCOURSE
Bartlett Art Association Exhibition: “Summer Arts Fest”
“Building a Bright Future: Black Communities and Rosenwald Schools in Tennessee”
Works by members of this non-pro t organization chartered in 1988 to encourage, educate, improve, exhibit, and support ne art. rough June 29.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
e Tennessee State Museum brings the award winning temporary exhibit into every part of Tennessee. Davies Manor is thrilled to host this exhibit the farthest west it has ever been. rough July 31.
DAVIES MANOR HISTORIC SITE
Carroll Todd: “New Sculpture”
Becky Ross McRae: “All About Color” McRae’s high-resolution photos are printed on metallic paper, mounted on aluminum, and covered with a thick layer of acrylic, giving them a threedimensional e ect. rough June 29.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Incognito Art Auction and Party
Todd is celebrated for whimsical bronze sculptures that are formally sophisticated but never solemn. His practice explores form and movement with an e ortlessness and grace. rough July 26.
DAVID LUSK GALLERY
by Smith, and highlights recent collaborations between the two. rough June 29.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
“[Fe]ATURED
AR[Ti]STS”
Leigh Sandlin Solo Exhibition
e works include vibrant abstract paintings in cold wax, linoleum, and mono prints, as well as encaustic collages. rough June 26. GALLERY 1091
Send the date, time, place, cost, info, phone number, a brief description, and photos — two weeks in advance — to calendar@memphisflyer.com.
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.
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” Exhibition
“Speaking Truth to Power: The Life of Bayard Rustin Exhibition”
The Art of the MidSouth Cartoonists Association
See the artwork collection of the Mid-South Cartoonists Association members. Free. rough July 11.
PLAYHOUSE ON THE SQUARE
“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
Tributaries: Leah Gerrard’s “Longline” Seattle-based fabrication artist Leah Gerrard, the museum’s newest Tributaries artist, shapes ethereal steel forms, blending basketry, jewelry, and large-scale pieces. Free. rough Sept. 14.
METAL MUSEUM
ART HAPPENINGS
“Summer Art Garden: A Flash of Sun” Immerse yourself in the radiant spirit of summer with these geometric sculptures that cast vibrant hues in the shi ing sunlight. rough Oct. 20.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
“Summer Break”
Reception: “Summer Opener” Art Exhibit Reception with artists Jane Brakin, Anna Carr, Randy Parker, Pat Patterson, Jeanne Seagle, Angela Stevens and Lance David White. Saturday, June 28, 4-6 p.m.
ST. GEORGE’S ART GALLERY AT ST.
GEORGE’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
A new group exhibition featuring work from Justin Tyler Bryant, Sai Clayton, Coulter Fussell, Carl E. Moore, and Melissa Wilkinson. rough July 26.
SHEET CAKE
“Summer Opener” Art Exhibit
Explore a one-of-a-kind collection where mystery meets creativity; the artist behind each piece remains a secret until a er the auction closes. Saturday, July 5-Aug. 1
CBU Spring 2025 BFA Exhibition
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
“Landshaping: The Origins of the Black Belt Prairie”
Christian Brothers University is proud to present the 2025 Spring BFA Exhibition, featuring works by graduating seniors in the department of visual arts. Free. rough July 11.
BEVERLY + SAM ROSS GALLERY
Colleen Couch and Dolph Smith: “Walk in the Light”
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
“Walk in the Light” traces the arc of Smith’s work, presents new pieces by Couch inspired
“Bleeding Together – A Correspondence”
A collaboration between Andres Arauz, who specializes in photo collage, design, and photography, and Abby Meyers, a visual artist, poet, and award-winning lmmaker. rough Sept. 14.
Todd is celebrated for whimsical bronze sculptures that are formally sophisticated but never solemn. Drawing in uence from modernist design, his representations of animals and natural elements range from quite literal to total abstraction, and at times fall somewhere in between. His practice explores form and movement with an e ortlessness and grace. rough July 26.
DAVID LUSK GALLERY
CROSSTOWN ARTS AT THE CONCOURSE
CBU Spring 2025 BFA
Exhibition
“Building a Bright Future: Black Communities and Rosenwald Schools in Tennessee”
Christian Brothers University is proud to present the 2025 Spring BFA Exhibition, featuring works by graduating seniors in the department of visual arts. including Presley Broughton, Camryn Jernigan, Justin Olige, Darlyn Vicente, and Paulina Vidal.. Free. rough July 11.
e Tennessee State Museum brings the award winning temporary exhibit into every part of Tennessee. Davies Manor is thrilled to host this exhibit the farthest west it has ever been. rough July 31.
BEVERLY + SAM ROSS GALLERY
DAVIES MANOR HISTORIC SITE
Works created and curated by sta members of the Metal Museum. Just as elements are the building blocks of artists’ materials, the museum is built on creativity, collaboration, and tradition. rough Sept. 14.
“Light as Air”
PHOTO:
e Pink Palace is re-exhibiting Ernest Withers’ powerful and important images that speak to the African American history of Memphis.
CROSSTOWN ARTS AT THE CONCOURSE
“Light as Air”
“Landshaping: The Origins of the Black Belt Prairie”
Explore the beauty in tension: a balance of forms, the contrast between heavy and light, and the signi cance of negative space. is exhibit illustrates ways in which artists use metal forms to defy gravity, reframe light, and buoy the body. rough Sept. 7.
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.
METAL MUSEUM
PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION
Carroll Todd’s whimsical bronze sculptures, like (below), are formally sophisticated but never solemn.
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
“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
“Memphis Skies: What’s That in Our Night Sky?” Hop through constellations, learn cool star names, and groove to space music during this full-dome audiovisual experience in the Pink Palace’s extraordinairy planetarium. rough Aug. 31.
“Memphis Skies: What’s That in Our Night Sky?” Hop through constellations and groove to planetarium space music in this full dome audiovisual experience. rough Aug. 31.
PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION
PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION
“Overcoming Hateful Things”
ART
Students will create collage landscapes, inspired by the Brooks’ American art gallery and the spirit of summer, at the museum’s Super Saturday this weekend.
e exhibition contains over 150 items from the late 19th century to the present, including items from popular culture and images of violence against African American activists. rough Oct. 19.
MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND HISTORY
AT THE PINK PALACE
Roseanne Wilson Exhibit
“I love to work in vibrant colors, capturing nature at its best,” says Wilson. “I have also begun working in a di erent medium, creating 3D shadow box art.” Tuesday, July 1-July 31.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
Sean Nash: “Cosmic Produce”
Nash’s sculptural paintings from this series are hybrids that take their shaped forms from marine organisms, painted in vivid splashy and dappled colors, orders of magnitude larger than reality. rough Sept. 14. TOPS
Summer Art Garden: “A Flash of Sun”
Immerse yourself in the radiant spirit of summer with these geometric sculptures that cast vibrant hues in the shi ing sunlight. rough Oct. 20.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
“Summer Break”
“Overcoming Hateful Things” is exhibition explores the Jim Crow system, the African American experience through the Jim Crow era, and the legacies of this system in modern society, with over 150 items from the late 19th century to the present, including items from popular culture and images of violence against African American activists. rough Oct. 19.
PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION
Roseanne Wilson Exhibit
A new group exhibition featuring work from Justin Tyler Bryant, Sai Clayton, Coulter Fussell, Carl E. Moore, and Melissa Wilkinson. rough July 26.
SHEET CAKE
Tad Lauritzen Wright: “Zen on the Installment Plan”
“I love to work in vibrant colors, capturing nature at its best,” says Wilson. “I have also begun working in a di erent medium, creating 3-D shadow box art. Painting allows me an opportunity to be creative with no boundaries.” rough July 31.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
Contemplating humanity, nature, and repeated histories through photo abstractions and sculptural works constructed from salvaged wood. rough Sept. 14.
CROSSTOWN ARTS AT THE CONCOURSE
Tennessee Craft
Southwest’s Fine Craft Showcase
Sean Nash: “Cosmic Produce” Nash’s sculptural paintings from this series are hybrids that take their shaped forms from marine organisms, painted in vivid splashy and dappled colors, orders of magnitude larger than reality. rough Sept. 14.
TOPS AT MADISON AVENUE PARK
Featuring work a wide range of media, including weaving, wood turning, clay, glass work, jewelry, quilting, painting, sculptures, and much more.
Monday, June 30-July 25.
GALLERY 1091
Scrollathon at the Dixon e National Scrollathon will bring together the creativity of over 250,000 people from all over the country in a collaborative, multidimensional display of American unity. You can keep your scroll. ursday, June 26, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Exhibit by Jane Brakin, Anna Carr, Randy Parker, Pat Patterson, Jeanne Seagle, Angela Stevens, and Lance David White. rough July 15.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
ST. GEORGE’S ART GALLERY AT ST. GEORGE’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
The Art of the MidSouth Cartoonists Association Reception
Tad Lauritzen Wright: “Zen on the Installment Plan”
A reception for the exhibit featuring work by the MidSouth Cartoonists Association members at Playhouse on the Square. Free. Friday, June 27, 5-7 p.m.
Contemplating humanity, nature, and repeated histories through photo abstractions and sculptural works constructed from salvaged wood. rough Sept. 14.
PLAYHOUSE ON THE SQUARE
CROSSTOWN ARTS AT THE CONCOURSE
BOOK EVENTS
Tennessee Craft
Chris McClain Johnson: Three Guesses e author will read from his debut work. ursday, June 26, 5:30-7 p.m.
Southwest’s Fine Craft Showcase is exhibition of 78 pieces by over 20 artists encompasses a wide range of media, including weaving, wood turning, clay, glass work, jewelry, quilting, painting, sculptures, and much more. rough July 25.
GALLERY 1091
BURKE’S BOOK STORE Club de lectura (Spanish Book Club) is month: Brenda Navarro’s Ceniza en la boca. Tuesday, July 1, 6-7 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
The Art of the MidSouth Cartoonists Association
Dixon Book Club: James is month: James by Percival Everett. Tuesday, July 1, 6-7 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
See the artwork collection of the Mid-South Cartoonists Association members at Playhouse on the Square. Free. rough July 11.
PLAYHOUSE ON THE SQUARE
Novel Manga Club: Shadows of Kyoto Vol. 1
Written and illustrated by Yumeya, follow Kotone, a simple tour guide, through four stories where she introduces some less than savory tourists. ursday, June 26, 7 p.m.
striking replace at the historical Mallory-Neely House in the Victorian Village Historic District
PHOTO: COURTESY DAVID LUSK GALLERY
continued from page 19
“Tyre Nichols: A Photographic Legacy”
A rare and intimate view of Nichols’ passion for capturing nature, urban landscapes, and quiet moments of everyday life. His images speak to his keen artistic eye and humanity. Through Aug. 31.
JAY ETKIN GALLERY
BOOK EVENTS
Susie Dumond: Bed and Breakup
Two exes reunite to fix up and sell the bed-andbreakfast that destroyed their marriage. Their love story is a bit of a fixer-upper.
Tuesday, July 8, 6 p.m.
NOVEL
CLASS / WORKSHOP
Country Swing Dance Lessons
It’s never too late to start and a partner is not required to join the class. Friday, July 4, 7:30 p.m.
WHISKEY JILL’S
Rings Three Ways by Brandy Boyd
Create three unique sterling silver rings, each offering a chance to explore different techniques while allowing plenty of room for creativity.
$80. Sunday, July 6, 10 a.m.-
5 p.m.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
Super SaturdayCollage Landscapes
Inspired by the museum’s American art gallery and the spirit of summer, students use torn paper, fabric, and collage techniques to create vibrant landscapes. Saturday, July 5, 10 a.m.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
COMEDY
Bluff City Liars Improv
One of the city’s best comedy troupes. $10. Thursday, July 3, 7:30 p.m.
HI TONE
Comedy Night with Ben Pierce
Freewheeling hilarity on the open mic. Thursday, July 3, 7 p.m.
BAR DKDC
Open Mic Comedy Night
A hilarious Midtown tradition. Tuesday, July 8, 8 p.m.
HI TONE
Small Room Improv
It’s improv comedy in the small room of the Hi Tone.
$10/general admission.
Thursday, July 3, 7:30-9 p.m.
HI TONE
EXPO/SALES
Punk & Pride Market
Featuring all-queer vendors and creators offering clothes, jewelry, body care, original art, and more. All ages.
CALENDAR: JULY 3 - 9
PHOTO: COURTESY DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
“Horizon Lines” brings together landscapes and landscape-influenced artworks by three Memphis painters: Anthony Lee, Matthew Lee (no relation), and Sowgand Sheikholeslami, whose work is pictured above.
Friday, July 4, 5 p.m.
HI TONE
FAMILY
Family Fun Friday
Carnival rides and games, DJ Zoom plus live music by the Groove Factor Band and local up-and-coming teen artists, free food for the first 500 guests. Free. Thursday, July 3
FAIRGROUNDS - LIBERTY PARK
Get Outside Fitness: KidoKinetics Through age-appropriate games and activities, young children build confidence, coordination, and a love for active play through a variety of sports in an encouraging, noncompetitive environment. Thursday, July 3, 5 p.m.
SHELBY FARMS PARK
Get Outside Fitness: Kids Yoga
Kids yoga is designed to be fun and engaging, teaching basic yoga poses with playful names that build strength, flexibility, balance, and mindfulness. Parents are welcome to join, too. Wednesday, July 9, 5-6 p.m.
SHELBY FARMS PARK
Pre-School Story Time
Enjoy stories, songs, art activities, and creative play that connect with Collierville history. Friday, July 4, 10:30-
11:30 a.m.
MORTON MUSEUM OF COLLIERVILLE HISTORY
Project Pop-up
Participants explore a new part of the Dixon with an inspiring project for all ages. Supplies are provided. Free. Saturday, July 5, 1-3 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Story Time at Novel
Recommended for children up to 5 years, Story Time at Novel includes songs and stories, featuring brand-new books in addition to wellloved favorites. Saturday, July 5, 10:30 a.m. | Wednesday, July 9, 10:30 a.m.
NOVEL
FILM
A Minecraft Movie
From Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures comes A Minecraft Movie, the first-ever live-action adaptation of the bestselling video game of all time. Thursday, July 3, 3 p.m. | Friday, July 4, 3 p.m. | Saturday, July 5, 3 p.m. | Sunday, July 6, 3 p.m. | Monday, July 7, 3 p.m. | Tuesday, July 8, 3 p.m. | Wednesday, July 9, 3 p.m.
PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION
This Is Spinal Tap 41st Anniversary “One of England’s loudest bands” is chronicled by film
director Marty DiBergi on what proves to be a fateful tour in this classic spoof. Monday, July 7, 7 p.m.
A guided sunset paddle on the lake followed by specialty cocktails provided by Old Dominick, snacks from Cheffie’s, yard games, and music. A “cocktails only” ticket omits the paddling part. $35-$80. Friday, July 4, 6 p.m.
SHELBY FARMS PARK
Dinner & Music Cruise
Enjoy a two-hour cruise on Ol’ Man River featuring live entertainment (blues and jazz) and a meal. If you are celebrating a birthday, anniversary or want to make your night special, check out the celebration package add-ons. Thursday, July 3, 7 p.m. | Saturday, July 5, 7 p.m. | Sunday, July 6, 7 p.m.
MEMPHIS RIVERBOATS
Happy Hour At the Brooks Come ready to dance, mingle, and groove the night away with DJ Jah Sims. Thursday, July 3, 6 p.m.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
is designed inclusively for everybody. Friday, July 4, 4:30 p.m. | Saturday, July 5, 8 a.m.
SHELBY FARMS PARK
Get Outside Fitness: Mental Fitness
Learn to relax your mind and prepare it to enter a meditative state by balancing the right and left hemispheres of the brain. Please bring a yoga mat and water. Saturday, July 5, 10:30 a.m.
SHELBY FARMS PARK
Taijiquan with Milan
Vigil
This Chinese martial art promotes relaxation, improves balance, and provides no-impact aerobic benefits. Ages 16 and older. Free. Saturday, July 5, 10:3011:30 a.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Wednesday Walks
Take a casual stroll around the Old Forest paved road! Wednesday, July 9, 4-5 p.m. OVERTON PARK
Yoga
Strengthen your yoga practice and enjoy the health benefits of light exercise with yoga instructor Laura Gray McCann. All levels welcome. Free. Thursday, July 3, 6 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
INDEPENDENCE DAY
All-American Weekend at Graceland
Rodney Strong Wine Dinner
An evening with boutique winery, Rodney Strong Vineyards, and regional sales manager Liz Hammer. $125.
Wednesday, July 9, 6-8 p.m.
BOG & BARLEY
HEALTH AND FITNESS
Get Outside Fitness: Body Combat
A YMCA-led mix of martial arts moves that will get you fit, fast and strong – and leave you feeling fierce and empowered. Class is entirely non-contact; no martial arts experience required.
Wednesday, July 9, 9 a.m.
SHELBY FARMS PARK
Get Outside Fitness: Line Dancing
Learn a variety of dance routines while enjoying the outdoors. This class is beginner-friendly, focusing on basic steps and choreography for popular songs, and can improve coordination and balance.
Monday, July 7, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
SHELBY FARMS PARK
Get Outside Fitness: Mat Pilates
A full-body, low-impact workout that emphasizes dynamic core work to enhance strength, balance, and flexibility. The session
Graceland Mansion will be lit up red, white, and blue, with concerts, special “hidden” tours of Graceland, a gospel brunch, and a party with Elvis-themed fireworks on July 5th. $35.25/Elvis Tribute Concert (All-In Pricing), $86.50/Great American Gospel Brunch (All-In Pricing). Friday, July 4-July 6
GRACELAND
Bartlett Fireworks
Extravaganza
Featuring live music, food trucks, a classic car show, and a 20-minute fireworks finale at 9:10 p.m. With the Bartlett Community Concert Band and Kevin & Bethany Paige. Thursday, July 3, 6-9:30 p.m.
BOBBY K. FLAHERTY MUNICIPAL PARK
Central Gardens Association July 4th
Parade
Gather on Belvedere Blvd. to enjoy live bluegrass and Second Line bands, free hot dogs and popsicles, coffee from Byway Coffee, and the return of festive floats and fun contests. Parade at 10:30 a.m. Friday, July 4, 9 a.m.-noon
CENTRAL GARDENS
Collierville Independence Day
Celebration
H.W. Cox Park will be bustling with live music, food vendors, and one of the Mid-South’s largest fireworks shows. Enjoy performances
by American Blonde and the Soul Shockers. Thursday, July 3, 6-10 p.m.
H.W. COX COMMUNITY CENTER
Cooper-Young 4th of July Block Party
Bring your kiddos, their little wheels, and enjoy frozen treats from Mempops, music, face-painting, and a special appearance by the Memphis Fire Department. Friday, July 4, 10 a.m.
PEABODY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Fourth of July at The Peabody Downtown fireworks and AutoZone Park postgame fireworks shows are both visible from Peabody Rooftop. With DJ Bizzle Bluebland. $20, $10/Children 12 and under. Friday, July 4, 7-10 p.m.
THE PEABODY HOTEL
Fourth of July Celebration
Fireworks are back on the river. Head Downtown for a family-friendly Fourth of July celebration with live music, DJs, food trucks, games, and a stunning fireworks show over the Mississippi. Free. Friday, July 4, 6-9 p.m.
FOURTH BLUFF PARK
Fourth of July Fireworks & Dinner Cruise
Memphis Riverboats invites you on a special holiday cruise featuring the Independence Day Spectacular Fireworks Show. $74.13/General admission. Friday, July 4, 7:30-10 p.m.
MEMPHIS RIVERBOATS
Fourth of July South Memphis Block Party
A family-friendly 4th of July celebration hosted by Owen Army, Flanders Fields, and We Fight Monsters, with fireworks, music, food and drinks, and real community vibes. Free. Friday, July 4, 6-9 p.m.
MELROSE STREET, SOUTH MEMPHIS
Germantown Fireworks Extravaganza
Featuring live music, crafts, refreshments, and a spectacular fireworks show at 9:10 p.m. Friday, July 4, 5-10 p.m.
GERMANTOWN MUNICIPAL PARK
Horn Lake Grand Fireworks Display
For something different, try this fireworks display away from the big city. Thursday, July 3, 5-10 p.m.
LATIMER LAKE PARK
Independence Day Celebration
Where America’s pastime, the great game of baseball, meets the most patriotic night of the year. With live music, cookout, pre-game autographs, and post-game fireworks. Friday, July 4, 5:30 p.m.
AUTOZONE PARK
Liberty for All Fireworks With DJ Zoom, the Groove Factor Band and local teen artists, kids’ inflatables, face painting, and games. The biggest fireworks show in the city starts at 9 p.m. Free. Thursday, July 3, 5-10 p.m.
FAIRGROUNDS - LIBERTY PARK
LECTURE
Munch and Learn: Collecting the Work of Women Artists at the Dixon
Enjoy lunch with Kevin Sharp, Linda W. and S. Herbert Rhea Director, Dixon Gallery and Gardens. With expertise in nineteenth-century French and American art, Sharp has organized or co-organized more than fifty exhibitions during his long career, including international retrospectives, thematic shows, and collectionbased projects. He is a contributing essayist or the sole author of more than twenty-five books and exhibition catalogues. Wednesday, July 9, noon-1 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
SPECIAL EVENTS
Morrighan’s Bluff, Amtgard of Memphis Medieval/fantasy live action roleplay game that includes padded weapon combat, quests and adventure, arts and crafts, and tournaments and competitions. Family friendly and LGBTQfriendly. Saturday, July 5, noon.
W. J. FREEMAN PARK
Sip and Stroll (21+)
An after-hours, 21+ walking tour of a highlighted specialty garden featuring themed cocktails. This fun, casual program will lead you from station to station to learn from staff and featured community partners about garden and its ties within the Memphis community. $35.
Thursday, July 3, 6-7:30 p.m.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
SPORTS
901 Wrestling presents: Into the Bizarre | Brought to you by Mississippi Ale House
Experience the 901 for yourself in the 662.
Saturday, July 5, 7-9 p.m.
MISSISSIPPI ALE HOUSE
Memphis Redbirds vs. Charlotte Knights
$13-$86. Tuesday, July 8, 7 p.m. | Wednesday, July 9, 7 p.m.
AUTOZONE PARK
Memphis Redbirds vs. Nashville Sounds
$13-$86. Friday, July 4, 7 p.m. | Saturday, July 5, 6:30 p.m. | Sunday, July 6, 1 p.m.
AUTOZONE PARK
THEATER
A Bronx Tale Step into the vibrant streets of 1960s Bronx with this captivating musical adaptation of a beloved play and film. Journey alongside a young man torn between admiration for his father and the allure of becoming a mob boss. Crafted with a compelling narrative by Academy Award nominee Chazz Palminteri, enriched with music by the illustrious Alan Menken, and brought to life with heartfelt lyrics by Grammy Award winner Glenn Slater. Thursday, July 3, 8 p.m. | Saturday, July 5, 8 p.m. | Sunday, July 6, 2 p.m.
PLAYHOUSE ON THE SQUARE
TOURS
Backbeat Tours: Memphis Mojo Tour The Home of the Blues comes alive on this city tour aboard the nation’s only music bus. All of the guides on this tour are professional Beale Street musicians who play and sing selections from the city’s rich musical heritage, while entertaining you with comedy, history, and behind-the-scenes stories of your favorite Memphis personalities. Along the way, you will see: Sun Studio, Beale Street, Stax Studio, The Lorraine Motel, Cotton Row, Peabody Hotel, Overton Park, Historic Central Gardens, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, and the early homes of Elvis, B. B. King, and Johnny Cash. $35/adults, $33/seniors, $20/ children 5-12. Through Oct. 31.
BACKBEAT TOURS
ACROSS
1 Kind of case in grammar: Abbr.
4 Pandora and others
8 “Autumn frosts have ___ July”: Lewis Carroll
13 Vichyssoise ingredient
15 ___ cheese
16 Summer camp sight
17 Famous Alan whose last name shares three of the four letters of ALAN
18 Greenhouse gas mitigators
20 Events with booths
22 Big Four bank, informally
23 Contraction at the start of a sentence
24 Olympics event since 1964
26 Children’s author Lowry
28 Third in a horror series
34 Where you might go for a spell?
35 Abbr. on some natural gas bills
36 Betting game
37 Some S.&L. offerings
39 Intermittently
42 City west of Florence
43 ___ Railway, backdrop of “The Bridge on the River Kwai”
45 Fix, as a price
46 Speaker’s place
47 Administerer of citizenship tests
52 Lummox
53 What’s packed in a backpack
54 Fill
57 Small bite, say
59 Dunk alternative
63 Churchgoer, e.g.
66 Frostbite site
67 Popular sansserif font
68 ___-eyed
69 It can be bounced off someone
70 Like chimneys
71 Uptown, so to speak
72 Notoriously hard thing to define
DOWN
1 “Frozen” character
2 First name in 28-Across
3 “The Last ___”
4 Start of a kindergarten song
5 One end of an umbilical cord
6 Prefix with -scope
7 Hard to get
8 Say “Yeah, right!,” say
9 Conductor’s announcement
10 Over
11 Speck
12 Suffix with bald or bold
14 Co-star of 28-Across
19 Tearjerker?
21 Big ___
25 Country straddling the Equator
Blues Tuesdays Backstage Experience Tour
Go behind the scenes of the historical site that’s not only played host to hundreds of legendary Blues acts but launched the infamous Memphis Country Blues Festival of the late 1960s. From Furry Lewis and Jesse Mae Hemphill, to Albert King, Sharde Thomas, Booker White, ZZ Top, Gary Clark Jr. and more, the stars who’ve stood on the Overton Park Shell stage are pioneers and protectors of an art form that’s built the foundation for the music city that is Memphis. $16. Tuesday, July 8, 11 a.m. | Tuesday, July 8, 2 p.m. | Tuesday, July 8, 4 p.m. OVERTON PARK SHELL
Tour: Beauty Standards and Fashion Evolution
Docent Lola Johnson leads this insightful tour exploring how changing ideals of beauty and fashion have been reflected — and reinforced — through centuries of art. Moving from medieval portraiture to modern representation, this tour examines how clothes, cosmetics, body image, and social expectations are encoded into artistic depictions, and what they reveal about their time. Engaging for art lovers interested in culture, gender, and the stories our appearances tell. Thursday, July 3, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
27 Foundational
Kind of push-up
German for
“Giant Brain” of
Answer from behind a door
Israel’s Netanyahu, informally
Flirts with, in a way
“The Ipcress File” novelist
Dissonant
Back
Election after an election
Rial spender
Springs for a vacation?
55 Flying start?
56 Athos, Porthos and Aramis, e.g.
58 It may be next to an elevator
60 Sci-fi
BY JULIE BÉRUBÉ
We Saw You.
with MICHAEL DONAHUE
Think barbecued bologna when you think Hole in One Charity Festival at St. Louis Catholic Church. e annual St. Louis fundraiser began June 15th, Father’s Day, and ended on June 21st, the rst day of summer. e St. Louis Men’s Club Culinary Institute prepares the food, which includes classic bologna sandwiches, barbecue, and pizza.
But also think about making a hole in one with your trusty golf club and vying for the chance to make a cool million dollars.
As Wes Kraker, who’s been involved with Hole in One for more than 25 years, explains: “We transform the campus at St. Louis Church into a 41-tee-box range. And we give out cash and prizes for good golfers for getting holes in one or close to the hole. Certain qualiers shoot out for a car from City Auto. And we accumulate points for performers all week. And those top 10 performers shoot out for a million dollars on Saturday.”
To date, nobody has won that million dollars. is year’s event drew 15,000 to 20,000 people, Kraker says. “It was a record-breaking year for donations ahead of the event. We had nearly $150,000 in corporate and family donations before the event.” Proceeds go to St. Louis’ sports, scouting, and youth ministry programs.
above: Chris Murray, Brian Quinn, Caroline Quinn, Jackson Quinn, eresa Murray, and Hudson Murray circle: Connor Saig
below: (le to right) Mimi Lamey, Christine Lamey, Hudson Dunham, Chip Dunham, Tracey Dunham, Maddison Dunham, and Je Dunham; Rainey Wallace and Wesley Kramer; Harmon and Lesley Colette bottom row: (le to right) Mia Disalvo, Elizabeth Brown, Chloe Pratt, and Eleanor Jagoe; Patrick Gatti, Hayes Carr, and Grey Collard; Kerri and Andrew Ticer
PHOTOS: MICHAEL DONAHUE
above: Amanda Shivers-Sewell and Donna, Ray, Patrick, and Jon Shivers circle: Allese and Julian Johnson
below: (le to right) Tony Bounds, Mike D’Addabbo, and Wes Kraker; Charlie and Phillip Buring; Rachel, Wesley, and Logan Abrahams; Lacey, Logan, Hazel, and Richard Hudman
right row: (top and below) Madelyn Beaty, Sara Style, Hayes Ansley, Hooper Jones, and Hudson Ansley; Paul Gould, Brian Abraham, and Ryan Trimm
bottom le : Ari Bichelman, Trey Signaigo, and William Jamison
A Bronx Tale
A seamless performance and socially relevant themes make this musical a must-see.
The regional premiere of A Bronx Tale at Playhouse on the Square delivers on one of the show’s key messages: ere’s nothing worse than wasted talent. No talent was wasted here, as the seamless performance le nothing to be desired. is musical feels like a mash-up of Goodfellas and West Side Story, although I’d make a case that it also proves one of my own favorite maxims: patriarchal society really screws up everyone involved. Look up the lyrics to “Hurt Someone” and you might see my point.
A Bronx Tale experienced quite a journey before being brought to the stage in the musical format. First performed as an autobiographical one-man show by playwright Chazz Palminteri in 1989, the story then appeared on the silver screen in 1993 as the directorial debut of Robert De Niro. It nally came to Broadway as a musical in 2016. I note its many successful formats because its adaptability supports my opinion that the truly special thing about this show wasn’t the music or choreography — enjoyable though they both were — but rather the thematic elements and emotional depth of the story.
characters that made their emotional turmoil feel all the more urgent and compelling. Aden Pettet was captivating in his Playhouse debut as Calogero, managing as if by magic to evoke charm without appearing arrogant and earnestness without appearing saccharine. e audience roots for Calogero, when we could just as easily wish for his comeuppance.
Kent Fleshman as the manipulative but charismatic Sunny was so believable I can’t begin to conceive of what the actor’s personality could be o the stage, as he so utterly became Sunny on it. Stephen Garrett’s quieter presentation of Lorenzo, Colgero’s father, was a perfect foil for Sunny, representing a much sweeter father/ son relationship than one would expect
e musical follows the early life of Calogero Anello, who witnesses a shooting at a young age and, when he makes the decision not to rat on the shooter, gets taken under the wing of Sunny LoSpecchio, a mob boss. It doesn’t take long before Calogero is completely embroiled in the dealings of the underbelly of his neighborhood, an involvement that his father, a local bus driver, is vehemently against. us we have some major elements of the play laid out immediately. e weight of decisions, the mistakes our choices can lead us to, the push and pull of conscience, and the in uence our heroes can have on who we become.
e characters in A Bronx Tale are wonderfully three-dimensional, with almost every person making at least one horrible decision, a theme that comes up again and again in the show, right along with the choice to forgive and the choice to try to do better. Choice seems to be a major part of what drives the musical, and the actors all brought an honesty to their
perfect. e people in this play are messy and are all the more realistic for their complications. ese characters are confronted with classism, sexism, and racism, among other complex social issues, and while I sincerely wish those themes weren’t acutely relevant 60 years a er this story takes place, the fact is that they are more pertinent now than ever.
for a show set in the 1960s. It makes the moment when Lorenzo shows his prejudice all the more devastating.
What makes this show so engrossing is the continual set up for the audience to hope that the characters will grow.
e way the framework of optimism is constructed throughout this musical is genius, and honestly, in June of 2025, it’s a message we all need to see and hear as much as possible.
In this play, as in life, no one is
Art is a mirror, and this play re ects so many of the biases and struggles we grapple with today. Hopefully, what will ring true is the message that there are those who are willing to spearhead the changes they want to see in the world. is musical is entertainment, of course, but it is also a reminder to be true to your heart and make room there for all people, no matter their background.
A Bronx Tale runs at Playhouse on the Square through July 13th.
PHOTOS: @ITSJUSTHALO e people in this play are messy and are all the more realistic for their complications.
FOOD By Michael Donahue
The Return of Rumble Fish
Legendary Midtown restaurant returns as a pop-up.
Those of a certain age remember Rumble Fish restaurant. And they remember it fondly. It was a little Midtown establishment that adjoined the Hi Tone Cafe on Poplar Avenue about 25 years ago.
A little bowl with one betta sh in it was placed on each of the 12 tables covered with white cloth. White Japanese lanterns hung from the ceiling. Black-and-white photographs were attached to sh wire with clothes pins. And the French bistro-inspired cuisine was critically acclaimed.
Rumble Fish only lasted 18 months. But it’s returning. At least for a night. It’s going to be a pop-up at 6:30 p.m. August 20th at Erling Jensen e Restaurant at 1044 South Yates Road.
“I’ve had people for years say, ‘I love Rumble Fish. You should do that again,’” says the restaurant’s owner David Lorrison, who opened Rumble Fish at 1909 Poplar Avenue about a year and a half a er he opened Hi Tone Cafe at 1911 Poplar Avenue.
Lorrison knew Jensen does a weekly tasting menu at his restaurant, so he asked if he could do a Rumble Fish tasting menu. “He thought it was a great idea. If it works out, I may do it more often. I would just like to be a guest chef.”
Jensen likes the idea. “David, he worked for me years ago,” Jensen says. “And then when he shows up at my back door and came up with that idea, I thought, ‘Hey. ere might be something there.’”
He describes Lorrison’s food as “very innovative.”
Lorrison currently is working on the menu, which will include a soup and salad, two appetizers, and two entrees. He’s bringing back Rumble Fish favorites, which will probably include his sweetbread and langostino appetizer, smoked scallops ceviche, and veal tenderloin with morels. “Basically French bistro cuisine with my own interpretation.”
A native of Lexington, Kentucky, Lorrison, who later moved to Fort Smith and Little Rock, Arkansas, got his start doing prep work and washing dishes in Little Rock restaurants. But he kept an eye on what the chefs were doing in the kitchen.
He also was a fan of punk and new wave music. In an interview I did with Lorrison in 2005 in e Commercial Appeal, Lorrison said, “ at was completely opposite of anything anybody was listening to in Fort Smith. I had like Billy Idol hair, combat boots, and jeans and Army jackets.”
David Lorrison and Erling Jensen
He moved to Memphis in the early ’90s and got a job working with José Gutierrez at Chez Philippe. en he worked at the old La Tourelle restaurant under Jensen. And, later, Automatic Slim’s and Café Samovar. He also worked as executive chef at Jackson-Madison County General Hospital in Jackson, Tennessee. He used to drive from Memphis to Jackson in his 1963 blue Cadillac.
Lorrison opened Hi Tone Cafe when e Edge Co eehouse became available in Khang Ree’s old karate studio on Poplar. Chef/restaurateur Karen Carrier encouraged him to start cooking, so he turned a section of the club into the 28-seat Rumble Fish, which he wanted, according to the 2005 interview, “to be modern and cool.”
He named it a er the 1983 movie, Rumble Fish, which starred Matt Dillon. He was a huge fan of the movie based on the book by S.E. Hinton. Lorrison, in my previous story, described the movie as “a modern version of James Dean rebelliousness. It was as if you took the ’50s and modern hipness and sort of put it together.”
It was his idea to place little sh bowls with one betta sh in it on each table. “I thought having those little sh on the table would be charming. e whole blue, silver, reddish walls in Rumble Fish were a mixture of the colors of what a betta sh would be. Silvery, red, and lavender. When it was dark in there,
it came o absolutely beautiful.”
He adds, “I wanted the place to glow at night with the least amount of distraction. As far as the lavender, silver, and red walls with the sh on the table, it almost felt like you were walking into a hip Buddhist temple. A Zen place.” e “simplicity” described Rumble Fish. “Clean lines, clean colors, and sh on the table. It was almost like someone wearing a white T-shirt and old indigo jeans, but they’re wearing a real good pair of shoes. Fine Italian shoes and a fabulous watch. A good watch and good shoes. Everything else is classic, basic, and timeless.”
He kept only one sh in a bowl because more would mean the bettas would “go at each other.”
Lorrison, who previously booked bands at Young Avenue Deli, says, “A lot of bands, Lucero and Cory Branan, cut their teeth at the Hi-Tone.”
He also featured legendary performers, including Link Wray, Iris Dement, and Jonathan Richman.
But the music section of the club hurt the restaurant section. People complained about the “big ugly band bus” parked in front while they were eating, Lorrison said in his 2005 interview. And the music people complained about not being able to set up until a er the restaurant closed.
A er closing Rumble Fish and selling Hi Tone Cafe in 2002, Lorrison
went to work as chef for Carrier at her old Cielo restaurant in Victorian Village.
Now with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Taliesyn Realty, Lorrison is selling real estate. “I get excited when there’s something deeper about it than just selling a house.”
He likes to sell houses “that have a history” to people. He’s like “Sherlock Holmes trying to nd a house for them.”
One of his notable sales was the “Je Buckley house,” where the late entertainer lived in Memphis. It’s now an Airbnb.
Lorrison didn’t stop cooking a er he le Cielo. “I have cooked intermittently for di erent people on private occasions.”
He also cooks for himself. “I make my own pho at home, but I make it with my co ee maker.”
Lorrison is excited about the popups. “ is whole Rumble Fish thing might lead into something else.”
He might do more pop-ups at Jensen’s or somewhere else.
Opening another restaurant could be on the horizon, Lorrison says. “If I found a small place, a place I could maybe open ursday through Sunday or Wednesday through Saturday 5 to 9, I would do it.”
Would he call it “Rumble Fish”? “Of course.”
PHOTO: MICHAEL DONAHUE (INSET)
PHOTO: COURTESY DAVID LORRISON Rumble Fish in 2001
MAKE YOUR CLOSET HAPPY, MANE. MANE.
NEWS OF THE WEIRD
By the editors at Andrews McMeel Syndication
Florida
No Longer Weird: alligators in Florida. BUT this story caught our eye: Not one but two motorcyclists were injured on May 31 in Volusia County, Florida, after they hit an alligator crossing I-4, WFOL-TV reported. Cameron Gilmore, 67, said he and Brandi Goss, 25, were riding with a larger group when he saw a “big blob in the road.” Goss elaborated: “I just seen something and … it was too late,” she said. Goss sustained a concussion and cracked wrist bone; Gilmore had a broken foot and toes. The alligator’s fate is unknown.
that she “made the critical error of only reading the first paragraph before including it.” The PTA will offer refunds for the yearbook to families. The historian said she will pass the baton to another volunteer for next year. [ABC7, 6/2/2025]
Bright Idea
[WFOL, 6/2/2025]
Animal Antics
A 30-year-old elephant named Plai Biang Lek escaped Khao Yai National Park and went shopping on June 2 in Bangkok, Thailand, the Associated Press reported. The enormous male pachyderm ducked through the door of a grocery store and helped himself to snacks while park workers tried to shoo him out. When he was ready to go, he backed out the door, still holding a bag of treats with his trunk. The only damage to the shop was mud tracks on the floor and ceiling. Kamploy Kakaew, the owner, said he ate nine bags of sweet rice crackers, a sandwich, and some dried bananas. This isn’t his first offense: He’s been known to enter homes in search of food. [AP, 6/4/2025]
Here’s one way to disrupt government: At a Mecklenburg County (North Carolina) commission meeting on June 3, a protester released an “unknown” number of crickets, WBTV reported. “She dropped something from the balcony,” one commissioner said. Crickets were “everywhere on the walls, on the stairs,” and “in the balcony,” commissioners said. Board Chair Mark Jerrell stopped the meeting, saying, “It’s shameful. Shameful. You can leave, thank you very much, we appreciate it.” After protesters were removed, the meeting continued, but commissioners were forced to take a 10-minute recess so the environmental services staff could come in and vacuum up the critters. Jerrell said the commission was familiar with the protesters but that they lost all credibility with the stunt. [WBTV, 6/4/2025]
Weird in the Wild
The Continuing Crisis
The Montclair Elementary School in Oakland, California, is celebrating 100 years, and as such, the school’s PTA historian dug back into the archives to find historical items for the 2025 yearbook. But, as ABC7-TV reported, she might have been a little lax in her editing. One photo in the yearbook distributed to kindergartners through fifth graders shows a picture from the 1940 carnival, held annually at the school. “Boy and Girl Scouts will have charge of booths and many attractions,” read the caption, before providing one example: a game named after a racial slur. What?! Principal David Kloker sent an apology to families and suggested parents remove that page or put a sticker, supplied by the school, over the photo. The historian explained
On May 29 at Wekiva Island, Florida, one man was transported to the hospital after suffering a bite from … nope, not an alligator, but rather an “aggressive” otter. WSVN-TV reported that after biting the victim, the otter ran off, and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers couldn’t find it. Megan Stolen, a senior scientist at the Blue World Research Institute, advised area residents to keep their distance. She said the otter may have felt the person was too close or it could be suffering from rabies, which makes them more aggressive. [WSVN, 6/4/2025]
Send your weird news items with subject line WEIRD NEWS to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Greek philosopher Socrates declared, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” That extreme statement is a foundational idea of Western philosophy. It’s hard to do! To be ceaselessly devoted to questioning yourself is a demanding assignment. But here’s the good news: I think you will find it extra liberating in the coming weeks. Blessings and luck will flow your way as you challenge your dogmas and expand your worldview. Your humble curiosity will attract just the influences you need.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Recently, I brought an amazing Taurus to your attention: the German polymath Athanasius Kircher, who lived from 1601 to 1680. Once again, I will draw on his life to provide guidance for you. Though he’s relatively unknown today, he was the Leonardo da Vinci of his age — a person with a vast range of interests. His many admirers called him “Master of a Hundred Arts.” He traveled extensively and wrote 40 books that covered a wide array of subjects. For years, he curated a “cabinet of curiosities” or “wonderroom” filled with interesting and mysterious objects. In the coming weeks, I invite you to be inspired by his way of being, Taurus. Be richly miscellaneous and wildly versatile.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): How does a person become a creative genius in their field? What must they do to become the best? In his book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell said that one way to accomplish these goals is to devote 10,000 hours to practicing and mastering your skill set. There’s some value in that theory, though the full truth is more nuanced. Determined, focused effort that’s guided by mentors and bolstered by good feedback is more crucial than simply logging hours. Having access to essential resources is another necessity. I bring these thoughts to your attention, Gemini, because I believe the coming months will be a favorable time to summon a high level of disciplined devotion as you expedite your journey toward mastery.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Here’s my odd but ultimately rewarding invitation: Tune in to the nagging aches and itches that chafe at the bottom of your heart and in the back of your mind. For now, don’t try to scratch them or rub them. Simply observe them and feel them, with curiosity and reverence. Allow them to air their grievances and tell you their truths. Immerse yourself in the feelings they arouse. It may take 10 minutes, or it might take longer, but if you maintain this vigil, your aches and itches will ultimately provide you with smart guidance. They will teach you what questions you need to ask and how to go in quest for the healing answers.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Wise gardeners may plan their planting by the moon’s phases. Through study of the natural world, they understand that seeds sown at the ripe moment will flourish, while those planted at random times may be less hardy. In this spirit, I offer you the following counsel for the coming weeks: Your attention to timing will be a great asset. Before tinkering with projects or making commitments, assess the cycles at play in everything: the level of your life energy, the moods of others, and the tenor of the wider world. By aligning your moves with subtle rhythms, you will optimize your ability to get exactly what you want.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In parts of Italy, grapevines were once trained not on wires or trellises, but on living trees, usually maples or poplars. The vines spiraled upward, drawing strength and structure from their tall allies. The practice kept grapes off the ground, improved air circulation, and allowed for mixed land use, such as growing cereals between the rows of trees and vines. In the coming weeks, Libra, I advise you to be inspired by this phenomenon. Climb while in relationship. Who or what is your living trellis? Rather than pushing forward on your own, align with influences that offer height, grounding, and steady companionship. When you spiral upward together, your fruits will be sweeter and more robust.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Migratory monarch butterflies travel thousands of miles, guided by instincts and cues invisible to humans. They trust they will find what they need along the way. Like them, you may soon feel called to venture beyond your comfort zone — intellectually, socially, or geographically. I advise you to rely on your curiosity and adaptability. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, the journey will lead you to resources and help you hadn’t anticipated. The path may be crooked. The detours could be enigmatic. But if you are committed to enjoying the expansive exploration, you’ll get what you didn’t even know you needed.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Your assignment is to uncover hidden treasures. Use the metaphorical version of your peripheral vision to become aware of valuable stuff you are missing and resources you are neglecting. Here’s another way to imagine your task: There may be situations, relationships, or opportunities that have not yet revealed their full power and glory. Now is a perfect moment to discern their pregnant potential. So dig deeper, Sagittarius — through reflection, research or conversation. Trust that your open-hearted, open-minded probing will guide you to unexpected gems.
CANCER (June 21July 22): There’s a story from West African tradition in which a potter listens to the raw material she has gathered from the earth. She waits for it to tell her what it wants to become. In this view, the potter is not a dictator but a midwife. I believe this is an excellent metaphor for you, Cancerian. Let’s imagine that you are both the potter and the clay. A new form is ready to emerge, but it won’t respond to force. You must attune to what wants to be born through you. Are you trying to shape your destiny too insistently, when it’s already confiding in you about its preferred shape? Surrender to the conversation.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The legendary jazz musician Louis Armstrong said, “If you have to ask what jazz is, you’ll never know.” What did he mean by that? That we shouldn’t try to use words to describe and understand this complex music? Countless jazz critics, scholars, and musicians might disagree with that statement. They have written millions of words analyzing the nature of jazz. In that spirit, I am urging you to devote extra energy in the coming weeks to articulating clear ideas about your best mysteries. Relish the prospect of defining what is hard to define. You can still enjoy the raw experience even as you try to get closer to explaining it.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In the Andean highlands, there’s a concept called ayni, a venerated principle of reciprocity. “Today for you, tomorrow for me,” it says. This isn’t a transactional deal. It’s a relational expansiveness. People help and support others not because they expect an immediate return. Rather, they trust that life will ultimately find ways to repay them. I suggest you explore this approach in the coming weeks, Aquarius. Experiment with giving freely, without expectation. Conversely, have blithe faith that you will receive what you need. Now is prime time to enhance and fine-tune your web of mutual nourishment.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): How often do I, your calm, sensible counselor, provide you with a carte blanche to indulge in exuberant gratification, a free pass for exciting adventures, and a divine authorization to indulge in luxurious abundance and lavish pleasure? Not often, dear Pisces. So I advise you not to spend another minute wondering what to do next. As soon as possible, start claiming full possession of your extra blessings from the gods of joy and celebration and revelry. Here’s your meditation question: What are the best ways to express your lust for life?
FILM By Chris McCoy
28 Years Later
Danny Boyle and Alex Garland zombie like it’s 2003.
G
eorge Romero invented the modern zombie lm starting in 1968 with Night of the Living Dead. ere had been zombie-themed horror lms in the 1930s and ’40s, like White Zombie and I Walked with a Zombie, but they had been focused on the Haitian Vodou roots of the zombie myth, ltered through the era’s ubiquitous racism.
Night of the Living Dead is not about a witch doctor using magic to control a white woman. In Romero’s vision, an unknown cosmic force reanimates “the unburied dead” who kill and eat the living. e word “zombie” is never uttered in the lm; Romero and co-writer John Russo called them “ghouls.” But by the time Romero lmed the sequel, 1978’s Dawn of the Dead, they were zombies, and his vision had replaced the original meaning of the word.
e 21st century has seen a huge surge in zombie media. (How many seasons did e Walking Dead and its spino s run? Too many!) e zombie renaissance started in 2002 with 28 Days Later. Written by Alex Garland and directed by Danny Boyle, it captured the imagination with its opening sequence where Jim (Cillian Murphy) awakens from a coma and wanders through an empty London. While Romero’s zombies were shambling corpses who were easy to avoid but hard to escape, Boyle and Garland’s zombies were very fast and very mean — and not, technically speaking, dead. e highly infectious rage virus destroyed the thinking parts of the brain while amping up the victim’s fear and violence.
Shot in the early days of digital, 28 Days Later was an early example of chaos cinema. Liberated from
the cost of lm stock, Boyle shot his action sequences handheld with lots of coverage, then jammed the whole thing together in the editing room, creating excitement out of the combination of shaky cam and quick cuts. It was a big factor in the lm’s success and, along with e Bourne Identity, inspired a decade’s worth of disorienting and o en sloppy action.
e 2007 sequel, 28 Weeks Later, was produced by an entirely di erent team. Now, a er a decade in development hell, Garland and Boyle have returned to zombieland with 28 Years Later. At the end of the last lm, the rage virus had spread to Paris. But apparently, the Europeans had more luck combatting the zombies than the British did. Now, Britannia is a total quarantine zone. Anything that gets out is shot on sight by EU patrols, and if you go in, you’re on your own.
at’s not only EU policy; it’s also how they do things at Lindisfarne, an island o the Scottish coast connected to the mainland by a causeway which is only passable at low tide. at’s where 12-year-old Spike (Al e Williams) lives with his father Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and mother Isla (Jodie Comer). e survivors’ commune is pretty well protected by forti cations both natural and manmade, but they have virtually zero connection to the outside world. Isla is sick with an unknown ailment which leaves her confused and weak. When Jamie decides it’s time for 12-year-old Spike to come of age by killing his rst zombie with a bow and arrow, Isla is terri ed she’ll never see her son again. But she quickly forgets, and Spike reassures her he’s just going to school. e townsfolk give them a big sendo , but not before the commune’s
28 Years Later starring Al e Williams, Jodie Comer, and Ralph Fiennes
matriarch (Stella Gonet) reminds them, “No rescues. No exceptions.”
Once on the mainland, Spike and Jamie loot houses that have been already picked over. In the forest, Jamie nds an obese rage zombie crawling on the ground eating worms. He goads a shaking Spike into putting an arrow in its jugular — and almost misses the second zombie sneaking up behind them. As they traipse through the ruined uplands, they attract the attention of an Alpha zombie (Chi Lewis-Parry). It seems that when some people are infected by the virus, their pituitary gland goes into overdrive, and they grow much larger and smarter than normal zombies. Since the ragers are mostly naked, we see that ALL of the Alpha’s bodily appendages have grown much larger than normal.
While hiding in an attic from the Alpha and his minions, Spike sees
a re on the horizon. Jamie believes it belongs to Dr. Ian Kelson (Ralph Fiennes), another survivor whom the Lindisfarne folks believe has gone stark raving mad. But what Spike hears is “doctor.” e commune hasn’t had a physician in years, and he’s hopeful that a real MD could cure his mother’s mysterious disease. When they nally make it back to their island, Spike makes a plan to escape to Dr. Kelson’s with Isla in tow. But what chance does a 12-year-old and a sickly dementia patient have in a Scotland swarming with zombies?
e most surprising thing about 28 Years Later is how retro it is. Boyle and cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle shot the bulk of the movie on an iPhone 15 Pro Max — a much more advanced camera than the Canon XL1 they used on 28 Days Later. e edit is a blast of full frontal chaos cinema,
circa 2003. The inhabitants of the British Isles have been reduced to a medieval state, while their European neighbors across the channel enjoy iPhones and cosmetic surgery. Editor Jon Harris gets the point across by intercutting Spike’s longbow practice sessions with scenes from Laurence Olivier’s wartime masterpiece Henry V If you liked Natural Born Killers for the editing, this film is for you.
But if you’re not into being pummeled by a W-era digital image flood, you might come away from 28 Years Later with a headache. Let’s just say the post-screening conversation in the Malco Studio on the Square men’s room grew quite heated.
I was on the “pro” side of the argument. Boyle and Garland are all
out of fucks to give, and I found their big swings exhilarating. At age 14, Alfie Williams is already a breakout talent; he and Jodi Corner are grounding presences amidst the chaos. Then Ralph Fiennes shows up painted red from head to toe, looking like things have gotten out of hand at the Grand Budapest Hotel. The British Isles isolated from the European Union, crawling with infected people who are too stupefied to help themselves, feels eerily familiar in our post-Brexit, postCovid world, and that’s no coincidence. As George Romero taught us, the real villains are always the humans.
28 Years Later
Now playing Multiple locations
Qualifying Agencies are:
•Health Organizations
•Treatment Centers
•Churches
•Schools
•Local Businesses
•Non Profits
•Restaurants/Bars/Clubs
•Hotels etc...
memphisprevention.org
in office presence. Provides technical leadership across enterprise platform to ensure effective design, development, integration, and deployment of ALSAC web applications. Requires MS degree in Comp Sci, Info Sys, or a related field and 3 years of technical, analytical, systems and programming experience
- or - BS degree in Comp Sci, Info Sys, or a related field followed by 5 years of technical, analytical, systems and programming experience. To review the full job description and apply, go to https://www.stjude.org/jobs/alsac. html (Job ID R0009855).
HOMES FOR RENT
LAKEVIEW GARDENS AREA
For rent is a house with three bedrooms and one bathroom. Included are some furniture pieces, appliances, and a w/d connection. Large backyard, central heating and cooling. $1,200 deposit and $1,200 monthly rent. Call 901-233-1790.
BUY, SELL, TRADE
WANTED: OLD WINDUP Victrolas & old 45 & 78 records. Call Paul 901-734-6111.
PET SERVICES
FREE GOLDEN RETRIEVER PUPPIES
To Forever Homes due to relocating: 1 male, 1 female. Preferably email me first at stephaniechristensen59@ gmail.com before texting (541) 6559477.
AUTO
AUTO AUCTION
Auction at Wanda C’s Towing, 3614 Jackson Avenue, Memphis, TN 38108 on July 7, 2025.
2020 Nissan Pathfinder
VIN 5N1DR2CN6LC647415
NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE
Automotive Unlimited, located at 892 Little Weaver Ln., Memphis, TN 38109, will sell the following abandoned vehicles on July 19, 2025.
1997 Chevrolet Silverado
VIN:1GCFC29R0WE134226
2001 Chevrolet
VIN:2GCEC19W411363269
2007 Ford
VIN:1FTWW32P47EA28983
2007 Buick
VIN:1G4HE57Y07U126953
NOTICE OF SALE
THESE ABANDONED VEHICLES WILL BE SOLD ON 07/03/2025 at Null’s Towing, 992 Stage Ave., Memphis, TN 38127.
2005 Chevy Monte Carlo
VIN: 2G1WX12K959338495
1997 TOYOTA CAMRY
VIN: 4T1BQ22K8VU815038
2001 FORD TAURUS
VIN: 1FAFP55U01A106206
2009 HONDA ACCORD
VIN: 1HGCP26759A026532
2013 CHEVROLET IMPALA
VIN: 2G1WF5E36D1155566
2008 CADILLAC CTS
VIN: 1G6DV57VX80155476
2011 Cadillac CTS
VIN: 1G6DG5EY5B0156968
By Patricia Lockhart
A Summer of Teening
Growth also comes with doing “nothing.”
is summer is ying by fast! Before you know it, it’ll be time to buy school supplies and uniforms for these kids. But until then, we’re staying cool and doing a whole lot of “teening.” I’ve got an 11-year-old girl, twin 13-year-old boys, and a 17-year-old boy. Watching them this summer, I’ve learned that doing “nothing” is something too. And o entimes, it’s the best kind of something to do.
When I think of “doing something,” I picture going out, socializing, creating a new experience. But that’s my 40-year-old brain talking. For teenagers, “doing something” looks completely di erent. And honestly? My teens don’t want to do a lot of the things I want to do with them.
Ever since Nintendo dropped the Switch 2, our house has been buzzing with talk about the system’s perks, new games, and updates. I’m not going to lie — I’m not sure I can compete with the hype. My husband and I have made it very clear: We will NOT be spending $450 on a new gaming system. So what did the kids do? ey put their heads together and started brainstorming a business plan. ey’ve even talked about selling candy and o ering odd-end chores around the neighborhood. I’ve got to respect the hustle.
As for the Summer Bingo — well, it’s de nitely opping in the Lockhart household. Only one teen is truly taking it seriously. At least three to four times a week, he comes to me to verify that his activity ts the criteria and safely marks it o . He tells me his plans and even encourages his siblings to participate. He really wants to get a “Yes” from his parental units. As I write this, I can’t help but hope he doesn’t use his “Yes” on the Nintendo Switch 2 … that would be diabolical. Here’s where we stand on Summer Bingo:
Out of the 25 Bingo squares, they have roughly completed nine. When I asked the kids about their intentions to nish the challenge, they said, “Yeah, we will … but it’s too hot outside.” Here’s what they’ve completed so far:
• Play a new video game: Of course. Completed on Day 1.
• Host a summer party: Done. Aiden celebrated his 17th birthday.
• Attend a music concert: Yes! Axis at Life Church.
• Try a new food: ey made and tried spinach artichoke dip. It got a thumbs-up.
• Enjoy a fun indoor activity: Built forts that were Dad-approved.
• Cra something new (IRL!): Music, makeup, paintings — check!
• Go swimming: Lots of pool time on vacation.
• Eat pizza for breakfast: Happened more than once.
• Learn a TikTok dance and teach it: Yes, and it was hilarious.
Some readers may wonder, “If they’re not doing a lot of things on the list, what exactly are teenagers doing during the summer?” Well … a whole lot of “teening.”
• Sleeping in ( ey usually don’t rise before 11 a.m.)
• Playing video games
• Hanging out with friends (online or IRL)
• Listening to music, watching shows, exploring trends
• Daydreaming or doing “nothing” while still growing and processing life
• Ful lling basic chores and study expectations
• Playing bass guitar, doing makeup, or other creative outlets
So when someone says teens are “teening,” it means they’re just being teens — guring out who they are, o en in quiet, messy, or aimless ways that don’t show up on to-do lists … or, in my case, Summer Bingo. But they matter all the same.
My daughter is all-in on makeup. She watches endless YouTube tutorials and recently recreated the look of Camilla Cream from A Bad Case of Stripes. My eldest is into bass guitars. He writes his own music and puts on mini concerts for us. He even assigned me piano music to accompany his bass solos — now I just need to practice so I don’t embarrass him. As for the twins? ey’re embracing the freedom of doing nothing. I’ve actually gotten more hugs from them this summer just by letting them be.
Was my Summer Bingo a great idea? Absolutely. Was it what they needed this summer? Apparently not. Each day, my teens do something. It might not be a bingo square, but it’s something they need. And maybe, in this season, what they need most is space — to rest, to explore, to be.
As parents, we come up with great plans. But they may not always align with where our kids are developmentally or emotionally. I’m not too proud to admit defeat or acknowledge when what I envisioned isn’t what they needed. And that’s okay.
Because sometimes, the best parenting move is simply stepping back and giving them the space to grow into themselves.
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.
PHOTO: PATRICIA LOCKHART Teens may gure out who they are in quiet or aimless ways.
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
