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Calling the Bluff Music

Local Musicians Promote Awareness Of Mental Illness

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  • bristerstreet.com

More than 130,000 adults in Memphis and Shelby County suffer from a mental illness, according to the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.

The Memphis chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) is working to change this statistic by providing resources and support to those suffering from psychiatric disorders. But the organization, with only one full-time employee, one part-time employee, and a handful of volunteers can only do so much.

In support of NAMI Memphis, nearly a dozen bands will jam out this Saturday at a free concert to raise funds for the organization. The event, “Memphians In Support of the Mentally Ill” (MISOMI), will take place November 9th at Newby’s (539 S Highland St). The event will last from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m.

MISOMI’s band lineup includes Clay Otis, Devil Train, Ghost Town Blues Band, Jack Oblivian, Mojo Possum, The Sheiks, and several others.

Local drummer, Graham Winchester, is the brainchild of MISOMI. He thought it was important to promote awareness about mental illness and show support from the local community.

“It seems like mental illness is a facet of human life that’s so misunderstood,” Winchester said. “I’ve known people who have struggled with all different types of mental illnesses, and a lot of people do misunderstand what they’re going through. I wanted to get a bunch of bands together and come up with the ultimate band lineup to try to steer some awareness and do something good for the community and specifically the mentally ill. I didn’t feel like enough was being done for the mentally ill in Memphis. You don’t see a lot of events or fundraisers for mentally ill support groups. [And] it’s heartwarming that so many great musicians said that they would do this for free.”

Admission for the event is $10, but any additional donations are appreciated. All funds raised will go to NAMI Memphis. Representatives of NAMI Memphis are also expected to be at the event passing out brochures, fliers, and educating people about mental illness.

“Just the fact that they’re trying to raise awareness surrounding mental health, I am so grateful for,” said NAMI Memphis’ Veronique Black.

According to NAMI, one in four adults will experience a mental health problem in any given year. And one in five young people ages 13 through 18 will also experience a mental illness. Furthermore, 16 percent of the country’s prison population suffer from severe mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, major depression, and bipolar disorder, according to NAMI.

Post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorders, and eating disorders are other types of mental illnesses.

“Mental illness deserves the same respect that any other illness gets; the same amount of empathy,” Black said. “People didn’t ask for mental illness any more than they asked for cancer.”

Winchester is collaborating with Brister Street Productions for MISOMI. He plans to make MISOMI a semi-annual or annual event.

To find out more information on MISOMI, visit www.bristerstreet.com.
To support NAMI Memphis, visit nami-memphis.org

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Style Sessions We Recommend

Style Session with Sarah Stramel

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Public relations manager Sarah Stramel is battling the cold weather in style with her colorful scarf, wool coat, patterned tights, and ankle boots. But nothing cuts through the dreary air like her warm smile, something Sarah describes as one’s most important accessory, particularly as a professional woman.

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Describing her style as driven by finding quality that lasts, she also broadened that thinking to include her professional pursuits. Speaking as a mentor, she suggests that one’s success takes the act of surrounding yourself with people you admire and simply believing in yourself.

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With the passion to collaborate and build a community that empowers women, Sarah is launching the first event in Memphis for Femfessionals, a community of ambitious professional women, to connect with each other and build relationships that as an end goal strengthens Memphis communities.

The first FemCity Memphis event is tonight, November 7th from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at Alchemy. Open to member and non-members, you can register here.

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Outfit Details
Coat, Calvin Klein. Dress, Isabella. Scarf, gift. Shoes, Aldo. Watch, Michael Kors.

Categories
Intermission Impossible Theater

Dark Night Rises: Playhouse on the Square throws a party

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Playhouse on the Square’s annual “Curtain Up” fund-raiser has always been billed as “five parties under one roof.” How can you improve on that?

“This year, I wanted to do something a little different,” says Courtney Oliver, Playhouse’s multiple-threat performer and resident party planner. Oliver, who directed last season’s production of Debbie Does Dallas and most recently appeared onstage as Madame Thénardier in Les Misérables, thought a Carnival Noir might shake things up a bit.

“I had just read Erin Morgenstern’s novel The Night Circus, and the mystery of a black-and-white circus arriving in town unannounced at midnight really awoke the romantic in me.”

Oliver set out to create an environment similar to “Sleep No More,” an audience-immersive, site-specific retelling of Macbeth set on five floors of an art-directed New York warehouse space.

“People who support Playhouse on the Square enjoy the theatrics we provide, obviously,” Oliver says. “I thought, Why not throw some theatrics back into ours?”

Oliver describes a scene with wandering magicians and carnival treats. Renee Kemper’s bluegrass band Nay-Nay and the Do-Right Boys play in the cafe with Ghost River beer and sliders from Wade and Company Catering. The theatrical band Black Max plays the basement trap room. There will be poker games, penny pitching, and speakeasy-style drinks. Then you can get a henna tattoo, with no regrets. Alexis Grace is playing a set, then the Memphis Knights, an 18-piece big band, will close the show with music from the 1930s.

Black-and-white outfits are encouraged.

“Curtain Up: Carnival Noir” at Playhouse on the Square, Friday, November 8th, 7-11 p.m. playhouseonthesquare.org

Categories
News News Blog

Mid-South Peace and Justice Center Holds Training For Community Organizers

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The Mid-South Peace and Justice Center is hosting an organizer training seminar this Friday, November 8th. Core Organizer Training will begin at 6 p.m. and teach participants the foundational skills to be effective community organizers on a number of important issues specific to the attendee.

The event takes place at Mid South Peace and Justice Center’s office (3573 Southern Avenue) and will cover the step by step actions needed to make a change in one’s community through non-violent, direct action.

A maximum of 20 people will be able to receive training at Friday’s session. Admission to the Core Organizer Training will be determined on a sliding scale based on annual income. The fee includes 15 hours of training and lunch on Saturday.

To register for the event or for more information go here.

Categories
News

Flyer Box Art Contest Winner!

The winner of this year’s Flyer Box Art Contest has been announced.

Categories
Fly On The Wall Blog Opinion

A Picture of Stoners Getting High on Walnut Grove

Two guys named Stoner have started a “soft wash” service and given it the best name in the history of soft wash services.

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This is assuming that there is a history of soft wash services. Either way, I hope these guys charge time-and-a-half after 4:20.

Categories
Art Exhibit M

And the Winner of the Flyer Box Art Contest Is …

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The final tally for the online vote for the 2013 Flyer Box Art contest was very close, with Lindsey Penn pulling out in front for her Burning Man-inspired box she describes as “chaos.”

Congratulations to Penn, who received $500. You can see her box at 665 S. Highland in front of Oasis Hookah Lounge.

Thanks again to the Art Center for their generous support of the contest.

Categories
Sing All Kinds We Recommend

CORRECTION: Praise Explosion Concert is on Saturday!

We’re having Foul-Up Thursday here at the music desk. Please pardon our mayhem. The Praise Explosion Concert is this Saturday. Not this Sunday, as listed in the print edition. We apologize and won’t go for three today. God bless us.

Categories
Sports Tiger Blue

“American” Football Picks: Week 11

LAST WEEK: 3-0
SEASON: 40-18

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FRIDAY
Louisville at UConn

SATURDAY
UT-Martin at Memphis
Houston at UCF
SMU at Cincinnati

Categories
News

867-5309 …

Bruce VanWyngarden riffs on telephones and technology and the semi-good old days.