Month: April 2019

Categories
We Recommend We Saw You

Shakespeare, Whiskey, Tennis, Art, and More

CREDIT: Jon W. Sparks

Jon W. Sparks

I dressed in Shakespearean attire from the Tennessee Shakespeare Company’s wardrobe department and got some direction on how to hold the skull by the company’s founder/producing director Dan McCleary, but wasn’t sure if it was to be or not to be fitting to wear it to the company’s 10th annual Broadway Gala.

Jon W. Sparks

Jon W. Sparks

Guests who wanted to get in the act at Tennessee Shakespeare Company’s 10th annual Broadway Gala, got on stage with company actor Nic Picou and read lines with him.

Picou, who was dressed in Shakespearean attire, was part of the event’s Elizabethan Midway of games and fun.

More than 300 people attended the gala, which was held March 30th at the Hilton Memphis. Dinner, open bars, live and silent auctions, and a performance by Alton Fitzgerald White, who played the record-setting “Mufasa” in The Lion King, were featured.

The gala raised $120,000, which, says Dan McCleary, Tennessee Shakespeare Company founder/producing artistic director, “met our goal to increase the number of our trained Memphis teachers to reach 10 percent more Shelby County students, adjudicated youth, and our military veterans next season with our Shakespeare Education and Outreach Program. We currently achieve 35,000 points of contact a year.”

The gala was sponsored by Tennessee Shakespeare Company’s board of directors, which is led by president C. Cato Ealy.

Michael Donahue

Guests read lines with company member Nic Picou at Tennessee Shakespeare Company’s 10th annual Broadway Gala.

Michael Donahue

Huger Foote, Dr. James Calandruccio, Nancy Copp, Ray Walther and Kitty Lammons at the Tennessee Shakespeare Company gala.

Michael Donahue

Dr. Owen and Margaret Tabor posed with family members for a royal portrait at the Tennessee Shakespeare Company gala.

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Michael Donahue

Black Art Experience founder Jennifer Peete.

More than 600 people attended this year’s Black Art Experience, which was held March 23rd at the Agricenter International.

That’s quite a few more than the number of people who attended the first Black Art Experience event in 2016. About 100 attended that year, says event founder Jennifer Peete.

They only had six artists at the first one, she says. This year, including Peete, they featured 19 artists and 23 vendors.

Peete, who was born in Louisville, describes herself as “a Memphian by choice.”

She’s only been painting a few years. “I started in the summer of 2015 after I broke my ankle. I was trying to find something to do and I started painting. I’ve been drawing all my life. I was like, ‘I wonder if I can paint?’ I started and I turned it into a business.”

Peete primarily paints black women and girls. “I try to paint a different narrative of black women in a positive light. For example, I show black women with their natural hair. Sometimes I do darker skin tones to let them know you don’t have to be a certain skin shade to be beautiful. Everyone is beautiful.”

She plans to broaden her subject matter. “I want to start doing boys and men, but I haven’t entered that realm yet.”

Kendra Burchett, one of the artists in Black Art Experience, did some of her painting during the show. But she used people as her canvas.

“A few of them were friends, but they’re all fitness trainers, so they all kind of know each other one way or another,” Burchett says.

Burchett was her first subject when she began painting on people. “I started doing myself about 10 years ago. I put it on Facebook and people started asking me to do it on them. Paying me to do it. I started doing live shows. I do everything from fashion shows to erotic parties to birthday parties. Any event, I do it.”

She only painted the arms of the men and women at the Agricenter show. “Usually, I paint them topless – my male models. I cover the female model in the back and I do designs in the front.”

Burchett paints almost the complete body. “I do everything except the private areas. That’s the only thing I don’t do.”

To date, she’s painted about 100 people, Burchett says.

As for the paint, she says, “I mix my own paint. It’s acrylic based, but I mix my own colors.”

She doesn’t just paint people. “I do canvas, murals. I just built a vanity for my wife for her birthday.”

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Michael Donahue

Tennis player Mason Washington at ‘A Serving for Tennis.’

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“Love” is a tennis term, but it also applied to how guests at “A Serving for Tennis” felt about the party, which was held March 23rd at the Red Barn at Agricenter International.

“It was the most successful event they’ve had in the six years it’s been in existence,” says Murray Lace, accounts executive for Obsidian Public Relations, which handled the event.


“They raised more with the silent auction than ever before. It was $5,700.”

And, she says, “Sponsorship donations were more than ever before.”

Thirteen food vendors, which included restaurants and caterers, provided the food servings.

Melinda Hoehn and Tracy Pope chaired the event.

A Serving for Tennis is the largest fund-raiser each year for Tennis Memphis, a nonprofit that provides sport, mentorship, and education to young people.

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Michael Donahue

Jeremy Bowers performed ‘The Swan’ at the New Ballet Ensemble & School luncheon.

Guests got acquainted with New Ballet Ensemble & School at the school’s “Building Brighter Futures luncheon, which was held March 29th at the Holiday Inn at the University of Memphis.

“Elevating Unity” was this year’s theme.

There was dancing: “African Dancing and Drumming” and “La Derniere Danse,” which featured New Ballet student dancers, and  “The Swan,” which was performed by New Ballet dancer Jeremy Bowers.

There was a student testimonial, which was given by Asya Miles.

And a video: ‘Building Brighter Futures.”

About 360 attended the event, which raised more than $190,000 in gifts and pledges, says Julie Goebl, New Ballet director of administration and philanthropy.

Asked the importance of the luncheon, New Ballet founding CEO/artistic director Katie Smythe says, “It increases our capacity for all that we do. And, for us, the most important capacity is teaching in public schools and the professional development of our teaching artists. It makes us less reliant on grants and balances our contributions income so if one grant goes away that program doesn’t have to end. If we’re balancing grants with individual donations we know, in the instance a grant doesn’t work out or one goes away as they will from time to time, the contributions from individuals help us sustain those programs.”

Among the guests was New Ballet alumnus Charles “Lil Buck” Riley. He and his manager, Jai Armmer, are opening the Memphis Jookin’ Academy at the Cossitt Library. Armmer will be executive director of the academy. “I’m not sure it will be a daily program, but it will be an ongoing program,” Smythe says.

The goal of the school will be “to train dancers in the art of jookin, which is original to Memphis.”

Michael Donahue

Katie Smythe and Charles ‘Lil Buck’ Riley at New Ballet Ensemble luncheon.

Michael Donahue

New Ballet founding CEO/artistic director Katie Smythe with students at the ‘Elevating Unity’ luncheon.

Michael Donahue

Kristen Smith, Drew Carlson and MIchael Shelton at the Launch Pad grand opening party.

Launch Pad held its launch party – so to speak – on March 21st.

“Launch Pad is a collaborative co-working space,” says community manager Michael Shelton. It’s a “shared communal work space for small businesses to work in a cool, innovative but professional environment in kind of a new age format.”

Launch Pad, which is on the third floor of Toyota Plaza next to AutoZone Park, consists of 37 private offices. “A lot of these people who come through our doors don’t have offices and they’re tired of working out of Starbucks. They’re tired of having professional clients at Starbucks or the library.”

Launch Pad held a soft opening on October 1st, but they wanted their grand opening later, when they could showcase people already working in the space. They now have between 22 and 24 offices booked, Shelton says.

Michael Donahue

Bryan Barringer, Chris Schultz and Gwin Scott at the Launch Pad grand opening party.

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Shakespeare, Whiskey, Tennis, Art, and More

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The Memphis Flyer’s second annual Whiskey Warmer was a sell-out with more than 800 people. The event was held March 22nd in Overton Square.

The event, presented by Orion FCU and Crown Royal, featured whiskeys from more than 40 distillers, luxury autos from Mercedes Benz of Memphis, cigars from BeLeaf, and food from Second Line, Cousin’s Maine Lobster, and Laura’s Kitchen.

Graber Grass provided the bluegrass.

Michael Donahue

Jackson Ave. performed at a party celebrating the release of the spring issue of Memphis Current, an arts quarterly. The event was held March 24 at Carolina Watershed.

Michael Donahue

Robert Fairchild exhibited his paintings at the Memphis Currents party.

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Categories
News News Blog

Memphis Zoo Names New President and CEO

Jim Dean

The Memphis Zoo will be under new leadership later this month.

The Memphis Zoological Society Board of Directors voted Tuesday evening to select Memphis native and University of Memphis graduate Jim Dean as the new president and CEO of the zoo.

Dean will begin his tenure at the zoo on April 29th, replacing Chuck Brady, who served as president and CEO for 15 years.

“I am excited to be returning to Memphis after more than 30 years away, and especially excited to be joining a world-renowned tourist attraction like our Memphis Zoo,” Dean said. “It is an honor to be entrusted with the leadership of this outstanding attraction.”

Dean has worked in the tourism and attraction industry for more than 30 years. He’s recognized for his work in conservation, animal welfare and education, and managing world-class attractions, the zoo said.

He’s held leadership positions at attractions such as Busch Gardens, Sea World, Discovery Cove, and Visit St. Pete Clearwater.

Thomas Farnsworth III, chairman of the Memphis Zoological Society board, said Dean is the “ideal candidate” for the position.

“If ever there were an ideal candidate with the right mix of business experience and background to take the Memphis Zoo to the next level, it’s Jim,” Farnsworth said. “The zoo is already Memphis’ highest attended attraction and has been ranked the top zoo in the country by two independent surveys.

“With Jim’s background and vision, and building upon the work done by Chuck Brady in building the quality of animal experience and habitat during his years with the organization, the future of the zoo is very bright.”

Categories
Fly On The Wall Blog Opinion

Giant Tim Urban Hologram Playing Graceland, Nashville; Graceland, Tokyo; and Graceland, Dubai

Fans having fun at authentic Elvis home Graceland, Nashville, Tokyo, and Dubai.

Apr. 9, 2084, DUBAI — You know, it’s just like American idol Elvis Presley said to the people, when asked what he missed about his authentic Graceland home in Nashville, Tokyo, and Dubai. “I am missing everything about my authentic home,” he said. And fans of ElvisHouse Concerts are missing everything too when Giant Tim Urban Hologram isn’t playing the GhostHouse in Nashville, Tokyo, and Dubai.

“We are very excited to have Giant Hologram Tim Urban back in Nashville, Tokyo, and Dubai,” Gracespokesbot-6000 told the Memphis Flyer in a lively Psychlosian mind-link interview last Trumpsday. “Although he only placed seventh in season 9 of American Idol, Tim Prime’s reality TV cover of Jeff Buckley’s cover of Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah,’ had a profound influence on future reality TV covers of Jeff Buckley’s cover of Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah.'”

Giant Tim Urban Hologram Playing Graceland, Nashville; Graceland, Tokyo; and Graceland, Dubai

Performed as the climax of Giant Hologram Tim Urban’s high energy concert, Jeff Buckley’s cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” has been transformed into a powerful duet with the Living Head of Lisa Marie Presley, who performs live via Xenusian magic from her jar in Las Vegas.

“We are excited to have the Living Head of Lisa Marie Presley back at the GhostHouse in Nashville, Tokyo, and Dubai and performing with Giant Hologram Tim Urban,” Gracespokesbot-6000 says. “Although he only placed seventh in season 9 of American Idol, Tim Prime’s reality TV cover of Jeff Buckley’s cover of Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah,’ had a profound influence on future reality TV covers of Jeff Buckley’s cover of Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah.'”

Although he only placed seventh in season 9 of American Idol, Tim Prime’s reality TV cover of Jeff Buckley’s cover of Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah,’ had a profound influence on future reality TV covers of Jeff Buckley’s cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.”
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YES, this is a PARODY POST. Just check the tab up top. 

Categories
Film/TV Film/TV/Etc. Blog

Crosstown Arts Talks, Don Quixote, and Babylon This Week At The Movies

Adam Driver and José Luis Ferrar in The Man Who Killed Don Quixote

Tonight at 5 PM, Crosstown Arts presents a viewing party for three artists currently in residence. Jia Wang, Chen Wang, and Matteo Servante will deliver artist’s talks on the projects they’ve been working on at the Midtown arts institution.

Then, on Wednesday, April 10, Servante and fellow filmmaker and Crosstown resident Pierre Primetens will screen their work at Crosstown Theater.
courtesy Crosstown Arts

Jia Wang and Chen Wang

It’s the busiest film Wednesday in recent memory, which means some hard choices for Memphis cinephiles. Indie Memphis is presenting Babylon, a legendary “lost” film from 1980. Reggae musician Brinsley Ford stars as a struggling DJ on the mean streets of London at the dawn of the Thatcher era. This was the musical melting pot where reggae and punk met for the first time, where dub made inroads with the mainstream and left an indelible mark on electronic music, and where the inclusiveness of the anti-racist skins and Twin-Tone, second wave ska met the racist National Front. Often, those meetings were in the street, with violence. Rated X in England, and never before released in the United States, despite being hailed at Cannes as one of the greatest English films ever made, Babylon is more relevant than ever. Babylon bows at 7 PM at Studio on the Square, and you can get tickets here, on the Indie Memphis website.

Crosstown Arts Talks, Don Quixote, and Babylon This Week At The Movies (2)

Meanwhile at the Paradiso, another “lost” film. When people tell me they want to be a filmmaker, I often tell them to watch two movies: Raiders Of The Lost Ark: The Adaptation, a fan remake of the Spielberg classic made over the course of a decade in Mississippi by a group of teenagers. That film proves what determination and grit can accomplish. Then, watch Lost In La Mancha, the documentary about director Terry Gilliam’s failed attempt to push through with his film The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, while being beset on all sides by failure, bad luck, and bad faith.

Well, twenty years after Lost In La Mancha, Gilliam, now in his 70s, finally finished The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, with Adam Driver in the lead role. The bits of the completed film in Lost in La Mancha are tantalizing, and now we can see if it’s actually any good. I personally have faith in Gilliam, the former Monty Python animator turn visionary auteur. But we’ll see. Hey, the trailer looks good!

Crosstown Arts Talks, Don Quixote, and Babylon This Week At The Movies

Categories
Music Music Blog

For Carlene Carter Where She Comes From Is Where She’s Bound

Carlene Carter

Carlene Carter was sitting on her porch when the call came in. Even if she hadn’t said so, I might have guessed because I could hear the sound of geese and turkeys coming through the phone. She said there were parakeets inside the house too, as more avian sounds intruded, like Martin Denny was producing our interview, or Jerry Byrd.

I knew I was going to enjoy talking to Carter when, first thing, she told me she was touring with Chris Casello on guitar. Casello’s a telecaster wizard and compulsive entertainer. His band The Sabres has been on heavy rotation in my car for the past year, at least. So, like others in her famously musical family, she has a knack for surrounding herself with great players. I’m starting with these images, because it’s all present tense. And when you’re talking to Country music royalty, it’s too easy to get hung up on the past.

Carlene’s the daughter of June Carter and “Mr. Country Music” Carl Smith. Her first recording released was a track on Johnny Cash’s 48th album, The Junkie and the Juicehead Minus Me. She’s been in the family business of telling stories and picking shows alongside the best of the best for as long as she can remember. She’s had hits, on the charts, in the trades and in the tabloids. Her current show mixes original music with stories about growing up in the Carter Family and standards from the family songbook.

We talked about her band, life, and what it means to be part of the First Family of Country Music, as well as the ongoing challenges of being an independent female artist.

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Memphis Flyer: Tell me about the show you’re bringing to The Halloran Centre.   

Carlene Carter: I’m coming as a trio. I’m bringing my keyboard player who also plays harmonica and guitar, Al Hill. And Chris Casello.

I’m going to stop you already to geek out. Casello’s just a tremendous player, I met him at the Ameripolitan Awards a few years back. I know some great surf and rockabilly players and still — if it’s the same guy — he just makes you step back and rethink everything you know.

He was probably at Ameripolitan. He’s kind of a big deal. I met him when I came back from California in 2005. I did a musical based on my mom and the Carter family called Wildwood Flower. And Chris was in the house band and played Faron Young. We’ve been playing together on and off since then and he’s my go-to guy. I met Al Hill through Chris. We have a full band too. But I’d been out doing a lot of these shows by myself, and just wanted to add a little energy. Otherwise, it’s all kinda the same. I tell a lot of stories about life and growing up the way I did and what influenced me. I even tell about my mom saying the first record I listened to was when she danced with me to “Mystery Train.” I try to let people know a little more about what it was like on the inside, being a young Carter girl.

That sounds great. And a good group for playing all the traditional stuff and your own songs.

Obviously, I’ve had a long career and a lot of different kinds of music has come out of me. But I’ve always returned to the music I grew up with and that was Carter Family Music. People can say it’s country music, and yeah it is. But it’s timeless to me. And I have a certain amount of energy that I still have at the age of 63, so I can still rock a little bit. It drives the guys all crazy because I never have a set list until right before a show. Sometimes I go, “You know, I’m just going to wing it.” I think it keeps us on our toes. It keeps me really fresh instead of being where I have just one show that I do.

I’m going to play this recording for my band the next time they’re pressing me for a set list.

It keeps you really fresh. Keeps everybody on their toes. It’s good to have a set list when you’re playing with a full band. But in the situation we have, we can just jam like we want to. I’m really fortunate that I have a good duet partner in Al Hill. You never know what’s going to happen. It’s fun.

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I remember seeing an interview with you when you were just starting out, maybe. People would assume you knew everything about country  music, but you didn’t because you were just inside this musical world. It was just your family and your life. It was a kind of disconnect.

Yeah. I didn’t listen to country radio except for the Grand Ole Opry. And that’s because I want to go see my mom and my aunts and my grandma on there. People I grew up with like Minnie Pearl, who would babysit me on the side of the stage sometime at the Ryman. It was just a conglomeration of all these folks I just knew. So, because of that, I don’t think I really understood the extent of the stardom they had. Even my father Carl Smith. And Johnny Cash. You know, he just did Johnny Cash. That’s one of the things I inherited. I was encouraged to not pay so much attention to a lot of stuff, and to do what makes you feel right and do what’s real.

That seems in the family spirit. Cash always introduced new sounds and artists.  A.P. wandered the countryside asking people about the songs their families sang. Looking back and forward at the same time.

Gathering. Gathering information. Gathering stories. So much of what I do is about my life. A lot of my songs are autobiographical. They’re not necessarily story songs, but I can fill in the blanks.

Exactly.

I’m really looking forward to coming to Memphis because it is a place I’ve always felt connected to. It’s down the road from Nashville and now that I live in Nashville, I’m so happy to be coming there. I can just get my car in the morning and drive on down then play. To me that’s what it’s all about. That’s how I grew up — “Let’s go pick a show!” And you drive and get there and play and get in the car and drive back. That’s just how I roll. Although I’ll probably spend the night, I’m thinking.

Obviously, there are a lot of advantages to growing up in this world where music is woven into everything, but was there also obligation? Sometimes it’s hard to grow in the shade. June Carter, Carl  Smith, Johnny Cash — these are some pretty long shadows.

I know what you’re saying. I get this question quite a lot, really. And I never considered it either until people start asking me about it since, pretty much back at the beginning of my career. When your parents are iconic performers, you don’t really know. They were all four of them — Goldie, Carl, Johnny, and Mom — very down-to-earth people. We had a normal kind of life in a lot of ways. We swam and we fished and we’d work in the garden and we did things that other people did. And then we picked a show. I learned a lot from that. And I’ve got so much respect for my grandma. What I learned from her was a great work ethic, and a great balance between being a person and not a superstar. I never really got to the point where I had to handle that though.

But you’ve had hits, and a career.

And I feel responsibility for a lot of it now particularly since my mom passed away. I was told very early on, “when we’re all gone you’ll have to carry on the music, keep it alive to the best of your ability, and add to it.” I took that very seriously. I always try to tip my hat to my heritage. Also whenever I didn’t know what to do musically, I went back to Carter Family music. I’d sing it, and play it, and get back in touch with what is in my DNA. Because I really do believe there’s DNA involved here. So when I got around to doing Carter Girl in 2014, it’s a record I always knew I was going to make someday.

I don’t know how you pick a record’s worth of songs out of a catalog of so many songs.

The songs would change drastically from week to week. It would change all the time. And I’m trying to write. I kept thinking I could do that for the rest of my life. And that’s kind of what I am doing. And I want to pass it down to my daughter and my granddaughters. I don’t know if the boys want to be Carter boys, but the girls are leaning that way. If I can only get them singing. There’s an age where they don’t really want to sing. They want to play, which is great.

I don’t want to focus too much on the past.

One of the things I accepted a long time ago was anytime anybody wrote about me there was going to be a full paragraph about who I was related to — “And now, Carlene!”

I’m sure. And you get it from all sides having been married to Nick Lowe. 

And the huge influence he had on me. Howie Epstein too. I just had good teachers. I did. And I soaked up everything I could from people who really knew how to make records. Nick would always tell me, just remember to always practice your craft. He’s coming to Nashville in May and I’m going to see him because he still inspires me.

For Carlene Carter Where She Comes Is Where She’s Bound

You talked about how picking shows is just in your DNA. But — and I might be wrong about this. But when Carl Smith finally retired, didn’t he basically give up being Mr. Country Music and decide to just be a regular guy?

He had a long career. It was like 30 years. He burned up the road, and burned up the charts, and everything he touched turned gold. And by that point, he’d done it all. At that point in his life he said, “I want to concentrate on being home and working with horses.” He wanted to focus on horses and he did. A lot of people who had the success my daddy had would never dream of walking away from it, but he did. A lot of people say they’re retiring from the road, but then they come back because they can’t stay away from the action, or the feeling they get when they’re performing, or the music. Daddy was happy on his horse whistling and singing his heart out in a field counting cows. In the last couple years of his life, I spent more one-on-one time with my dad than I ever had. I always saw him, of course, and my stepmother was very much a part of that. She made sure she was the one who would call and say, “Does Carlene want to come out this weekend?” Daddy wasn’t one of those kinds of dads, but he was always glad to see me. And I had my sister and brothers out there and that was really a much more normal life than I had, particularly after Mom married John.

Oh, I’m sure.

After mom married John, things changed for us in terms of being in a fishbowl and being seen, and being on the cover of The National Enquirer, as a kid.

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National  Enquirer — yeah, that’s got to be completely surreal.

Daddy gave it up the year I started making records, 1978. So he never took us on the road like the Carters did or Cash did. That was a traveling family. But Daddy, he went to work. Even so much so that my brother, when he was little, they asked him in school what his dad did for a living, and my brother Carl said, “Oh, he works at the airport.” Because he was always going off to the airport! I never got to see him perform very much. I saw him one time in Las Vegas when I was about 16. So he retired in 1978, and that was the same year my grandmother passed away. So it was the start of something for me, but the end of Daddy’s musical career, and the end of Grandma’s musical career. And her not being there for advice I counted on. I counted on her for a lot of that stuff. She always had time for all of her grandkids. She’d teach about anything, and she loved playing with us no matter what, whether we were good or not. Though, she’d give you the evil eye if you were on stage and messed up. I’ve tried to carry the best of everything with me. Sometimes I show my ass on stage and made big sweeping statements I wish I never said. But I love playing to a live audience and the engagement I have with them. It’s very personal for me. By the end of the show, I think people know me.

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You’ve said some things about how women who wanted to do their own thing and didn’t fit a package got labeled difficult.

I remember going to my label in the nineties, and they said, “You need to realize that you can’t have the kind of record sales men have.” Like 80 percent of the market is women and women don’t buy women’s records.I just thought that was insane. It made no sense to me. I bought women’s records most of my life. I love Etta James. I love Janis Joplin. Linda Ronstadt was a huge influence. It made no sense to me. And that you might get 20% of sales because you’re a woman made no sense to me. So I decided early on, I’m not going to let them get me down. I’m going to be the highest energy female act, and I’m going to make people happy.

I know this is an impossible question, but is there any one image or anecdote that really illustrates what it was like growing up in the Carter Family? 

Probably the biggest thing in my mind that I always go back to, is being a young girl who wants to be a songwriter, and sitting in our music room on the lake in Hendersonville, and looking around the room and seeing Roy Orbison and Paul McCartney sit down at the piano and play “Lady Madonna.” And Kris Kristofferson was there. And Mickey Newbury. And George and Tammy are there. And we have this real thing of having people just eating together. And then sharing together in such an intimate way. It’s such a reminder of why we make music.

Carlene Carter celebrates her family tradition Saturday, April 13th at The Halloran Centre.

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Categories
Sports Sports Feature

An Eventful Road Trip Comes to an End for 901 FC

CREDIT: 901 FC

I remain bitter about the call. My screams after the handball decision against Memphis are still echoing around my apartment. The dog is freaking out and my neighbors have cited me for a noise violation, but I stand firm. When the ball struck Tristan Hodge’s arm, it was drawn in to his chest and not obstructing play. When a bad call goes against you like that, there’s always a creeping sense of dread that you’re about to be punished. Sure enough, North Carolina FC equalized off the resulting free kick in pretty much their only opportunity in the final quarter of the game.

901 FC

Marc Burch celebrates scoring a penalty with Rashawn Dally

And thus, Memphis’ first road adventure came to an end. And you know what? It was a fantastic three games. The franchise picked up its first win, had an excellent performance in a 3-2 loss against New York Red Bulls II, and, but for some bad luck, should have walked away with a victory this weekend.

Memphis started the game on the back foot, North Carolina dominating possession looking to use their quick forwards down the flanks; it wasn’t until after the first 10 minutes that 901 FC strung a decent passing sequence together. During the early onslaught, Memphis’ outside backs struggled. Wes Charpie in particular was lucky to escape a yellow card after a pair of early fouls that stopped the North Carolina attack cold in its tracks. Despite the heavy pressure, the center back pairing of captain Marc Burch and Jacob Hauser-Ramsey held firm. Really, the only chance that Memphis conceded was a deep cross to the back post, which two North Carolina players couldn’t connect with.

Once Memphis started to string more passes together, the game improved immensely. Marc Burch had some decent free kicks into the box, but there wasn’t really a clear chance until the 39th minute. Wes Charpie slipped while trying to cut out a pass, allowing North Carolina to race clear on goal. Manny Perez, who the commentators had been drooling over all game, tried to round goalkeeper Jeff Caldwell, but the Memphis stopper came up with yet another big save and swatted the ball out of play. There’s no overstating a play like that. Having a shot blocker who can pull a rabbit out of the hat every match lets the defense play with confidence and bravery, and provides the foundation for Memphis to keep playing its game.

Memphis almost took the lead right before halftime, with Morgan Hackworth finding space in the box to lob the keeper, but the ball came back off the underside of the crossbar. 901 FC wouldn’t have to wait long, however. In the 62nd minute, it became apparent that North Carolina defender Da Luz hadn’t read my first column. While holding possession for too long outside his box, Memphis midfielder Ewan Grandison roared upfield and dispossessed the Da Luz right outside the 18. While trying to make up for his error, the defender pulled Grandison to the floor, earning himself a red card and awarding Memphis a penalty. After Burch slammed his shot down the middle to give Memphis a 1-0 lead, it should have been cut and dry from there.

Unfortunately, the strange handball call gave North Carolina its only opportunity to equalize, and it seized the chance. Jeff Caldwell edged towards his far post during the run-up, but Marios Lomis took advantage and surprised Memphis by hitting his free kick to the near post instead. All square, and that’s how the game would remain. Memphis cranked up the pressure and came close a few times, but ultimately left the field with a point gained. There is that sense of “what could have been,” but the positives far outweigh the negatives. 901 FC wrapped up its first road trip with four points and some excellent performances. Not bad for a fledgling franchise!

Quick Notes

* After these away games, I maintain that Duane Muckette is one of the most important players for the team. While Adam Najem possesses superior technical ability, Muckette is involved with absolutely everything Memphis do going forward. He’s either there to bring down a long ball to open up space, or presenting himself for a pass when 901 FC is attempting to break through up by the opponent’s box.

* Elliot Collier’s dribbling skills are going to be invaluable to Memphis’ attacking play. Against North Carolina, he always looked to take players on, consistently beating his man to get into the box and create chances for himself. He was unlucky not to score today, but should get off the mark again soon.

*I’d like to see Memphis come out of the blocks quicker. It’s understandable that the team should heed caution on the road, but 901 FC barely had a kick of the ball in the opening 10 minutes. Against top quality opposition, you can pay the price for ceding too much ground, and an early concession changes the game entirely.

*Memphis now has five points, good for 10th place in the Eastern Conference. Up next tomorrow is Atlanta United 2, currently residing at 12th in the standings. You can count on the Bluff City Mafia giving the lads a warm reception when they return to AutoZone Park.


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News News Blog

911 Text Service Officially Launches

You can now text 911 in an emergency, as city officials announced the official launch of the new system on Tuesday.

The Text to 9-1-1 system here is the first in the state, Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland said. The option is meant for times when calling isn’t possible or safe, as the system’s slogan — “Call if you can, text if you can’t” — suggests.

Michael Spencer, emergency communications administrator, said the main drivers of the new system were the deaf, hard of hearing, and speech impaired communities. Spencer said the new system will give them equal access to 911.

Strickland said the service is vital for those communities who “really could not take part in the other system we had. It’s really important to serve all Memphians and I’m proud of that fact.”

The system has been live for a couple of weeks as it underwent testing and operators were trained, Spencer said. It’s currently only available in English, but Spencer said the department is working to expand to other languages.

“The system is already paying dividends,” Spencer said citing a 911 text made last night by someone in a domestic dispute. “We were able to get the information we needed and get first responders there.”

The new text system is “another step in our improved service to Memphis,” Strickland said.

Other efforts to improve the system have included decreasing the 911 wait time from just under a minute to fewer than six seconds. Strickland said the next step is to fill the 23 job vacancies at the emergency communications center.

Categories
Beyond the Arc Sports

I Have a Confession to Convey

I have a confession to convey. I’ll admit it. I’m legit afraid of what lies beyond the Grizzlies’ last two games of the season and the pending 2019 NBA Draft lottery, and that’s because I have real memories of previous pain and disappointment.

Otis Thorpe

I was visiting a family member in the emergency room while watching the 2003 NBA draft lottery. My older brother and I were sitting in the waiting room as the draft order was unveiled, team by team. I can remember the anxiety that I carried that evening. The Grizzlies had been terrible the previous season, and here they stood with a chance to add a player from a draft that included LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, and Chris Bosh. Admittedly, it was a slim chance, because the Grizzlies entered that year’s draft lottery owing a pick to the Detroit Pistons that was only protected if the Grizzlies landed the number-one overall pick. This was a result of a trade that the Grizzlies had made six years earlier with Detroit for the then 35-year-old, 13-year veteran, Otis Thorpe.

I don’t recall the reasoning behind the then-Vancouver Grizzlies trading for Thorpe, since they were never close to being a playoff team, but regardless of what made or didn’t make sense back in 1997, the Grizzlies had to pay their debts on lottery night 2003. The lottery went to commercial break and the number one pick literally came down to two teams — Memphis and Cleveland. The Grizzlies would either win LeBron James or they would go home with nothing but remorse. We all know how history would play out as the Cavaliers would indeed win the lottery and James would play two stints in Cleveland, including an NBA World Championship run.

The feeling I had as a fan of the still-new franchise in town was sickening, but not nearly as bad as it could have been if I had a long-term investment in the team, like I — and many others — do now. I also didn’t know that the 2003 draft class would end up being one of the best ever, with four NBA championships being won by teams led by players from that class. The protection on the Grizzlies pick that they sent out for Thorpe decreased year by year, and by the time that 2003 draft rolled around, the Grizzlies had to pay the ultimate price for the bad decisions of their previous management.

I’ll be honest. I sway back and forth between whether or not I want the Grizzlies to convey or not convey — to pick or not pick — in this year’s draft. I understand all of the benefits of adding another potential star, or even a role player, beside Jaren Jackson Jr. to build for the future and show Jackson, as well as the fanbase, that the organization is headed in the right direction. I am also admittedly crippled by the fear of reliving that 2003 draft, the one that saw the future of the NBA handed over to Cleveland, and saw Detroit use their Grizzlies pick at number two for Darko Milicic.

The Pistons didn’t need Wade, Bosh, or Anthony, to win a championship and could afford to take a risk with Milicic, but the Grizzlies couldn’t afford that luxury. They desperately needed another star on that young team with Pau Gasol and Shane Battier, and they were not able to acquire one. I fear going through that again. I fear the Grizzlies being the laughing-stock of the NBA – giving the Boston Celtics, who are already a contending team, a chance to add a top-three pick to their team, while the Grizzlies remain searching for answers. I can see and hear the local and national backlash if something like that happens, and I’d rather avoid it all at all costs. Is this a gloomy, worst-case scenario way of thinking? Sure, of course it is. But is it that far-fetched to see Jeff Green as the reincarnation of Otis Thorpe?

As not only a journalist, but an actual native Memphian and day-one fan of the team, I can’t always think with a rational mind. I fear the worst. I hear, “Don’t worry about it! With this team, plus a draft pick, we will convey next season!” and that sounds good. But its nowhere close to a given. The draft lottery will be here sooner than we think, and the ping-pong balls will be randomly sorted and sifted through. The Grizzlies will have their name called on that night and I am scared to death that they might be handing over a future star to someone else — again. I watched it, lived it, and endured the ripple effect of not having a pick in the 2003 draft. And I’m not sure that I’m ready to go through that again.

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News News Blog

City Looks to Expand Scooter, Bike Fleet

CREDIT: Facebook

Facebook

Three little Birds

More shareable bikes and scooters could hit the streets here soon, as the city looks to increase shared-mobility options. 

As a part of its new permanent shared mobility program, the city said Monday that it plans to add to the current shared-mobility fleet here and is issuing a call for applications from shared mobility companies that want to operate here.

After conducting a shared mobility pilot phase over the past year with Bird, Lime, and Explore Bike Share (EBS), the city will form a permanent Shared Mobility Program here. The program will instate long term operating regulations that “reflect national best practices within this emerging and rapidly growing field,” the city said. This will replace the interim operating agreement each of the three operators have had since they launched here.

Together Bird, Lime, and EBS maintain around 1,750 scooters and bikes here. The city wants to bring that number up to 3,000 during the first year of the shared mobility program by allowing a total of three to five companies to operate in the city.

Companies will be chosen based on their “demonstrated experience, organizational and technological capacities, and alignment with the goals of the city’s shared mobility program.”

Operators have until the end of April to apply. The city hopes to add the new selected companies by June.


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Food & Wine Food & Drink

Gelato fix from Sweet Magnolia, Dipsticle.

CREDIT: Justin Fox Burks

Hugh Balthrop, the owner of Sweet Magnolia Gelato Company, has a vision for his new production space. He’d like to have a commercial kitchen in the back, with retail up front. A glass wall would separate the front from the back, so customers would be able to see how the gelato gets made.

“It’d be like an interactive experience,” Balthrop says.

Sweet Magnolia has to move from its current production space in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Balthrop has been considering new spaces in Clarksdale, Oxford, and Memphis. A North Mississippi spot would be good for his employees, Balthrop allows, and Oxford has a kitchen that is already FDA-approved.

Justin Fox Burks

Sweet Magnolia Gelato Company

“This has been one of the most challenging decisions I’ve ever made in my life in terms of business,” Balthrop says.

He admits to feeling a pull from Memphis. “We’ve been around for almost eight years, and we made our first retail partner in Memphis. It was Miss Cordelia’s, and they gave us our first opportunity and then we got into Whole Foods and we’re in a lot of restaurants [in Memphis].”

Balthrop likes Downtown and Midtown for options, and he’s particularly keen on the Edge District, though he thinks that it would take two years to get production up and running, and he knows that gelato waits for no man.

Dipsticle, Facebook

The good news is that Sweet Magnolia is opening its first retail location at 409 South Main, the food hall which features City Block Salumeria, Civil Pour, Dee’Lightful Bliss Bakery, and more. He hopes to be open by May 1st. (It has been reported that Sweet Magnolia was taking over the ice cream parlor at Railgarten, but that deal fell through.)

At 409, Sweet Magnolia has secured a spot at the window and there will be a floating bar there, so guests can check out the South Main flow. Balthrop ordered a special display cabinet from Italy that keeps the temperature gelato-appropriate. And, right now, Balthrop is hooking up with local farmers to secure the best, freshest ingredients.

At the new store, Balthrop is planning to collaborate with Dee’Lightful Bliss, which already serves the gelato on its skillet cookie. There will be milkshakes and cookie sandwiches and pints to buy (think classics like strawberry cheesecake, brown sugar and bourbon, and honey vanilla) as well as Affagatos (gelato spiked with espresso). There will be JustWater for sale. (Will Smith’s son Jaden is behind JustWater, which is sold in cartons rather than plastic bottles) and Shotwell and Phillip Ashley candies. There may be something cooking with Civil Pour.

Ultimately, Balthrop hopes to franchise Sweet Magnolia some day. The gelato is currently available at about 100 places from Memphis to the Gulf Coast all the way to Atlanta.

sweetmagnoliagelato.com

Dipsticle Artisan Gelato Cafe is located in Cordova at the Trinity Commons shopping center, near the Kroger and next to Cedars restaurant. It opened in 2017. New ownership took over in December.

The first order of business for the new owner Katrina Younis: marketing. Younis studied business in college and applied what she learned. She took to social media, posting images on Instagram of Dipsticle’s gelato on a stick (some dipped in chocolate, some not), along with some of happy customers. She went on Twitter and Facebook. She began actively pursuing events where her product fit. (One such event was the Grind City Coffee Expo.) Anything to get the Dipsticle brand out there.

One thing Younis never considered was changing the name. “It’s a fun name,” she says, adding that it fits because of the option of having a chocolate-dipped pop. “We recommend dipping,” she says. “It’s absolutely delicious.”

Dipped and drizzled treats from Dipsticle Artisan Gelato Cafe

Dipsticles offers around 25 flavors — cookies and cream, caramel coffee cake, pistachio, orange cream, mango and green apple sorbets. They also have assorted coffee drinks and milkshakes. Then there’s the wafflsticle — a waffle on a stick. The waffles are red velvet, Belgian (regular), chocolate, and cinnamon. And, yep, it can also be dipped in chocolate. They look sort of like corndogs.

Younis says she had yearned to own a business, and the gelato biz seems ideal for her. She loves to experiment in the kitchen, and she has a pretty big sweet tooth. “It’s been crazy busy,” she says, “but so much fun.”

Dipsticle Artisan Gelato Cafe,
694 N. Germantown Pkwy. (614-9622), dipsticle.com