Author: Julia Baker

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Lucero Family Christmas Rocks Minglewood this Friday

CREDIT: Dan Ball

Memphis-based Americana band Lucero hosts its annual Family Christmas show at Minglewood this Friday.

With two decades of hits like “Nights Like These” and “For the Lonely Ones” under their belts, the band has developed a strong fan base in Memphis and around the country — so much so that they’ve spent as many as 250 days a year touring, playing venues like Red Rocks in Denver. But the band continues to stay true to their local fanbase and their hometown with annual Family Christmas and Block Party events, like the 2018 Block Party, where Mayor Jim Strickland declared that day “Lucero Day.”

Dan Ball

Lucero

“We’ve got a piece of paper to prove it and everything,” says guitarist Brian Venable. “It was pretty awesome.”

Two years later, Venable says he still can’t believe the band has been together for more than two decades.

“When we first got together, we were just punk rock kids, and we started this kind of weird band,” he says. “And then we started touring, and people came to see us. Then we started touring for a living. So the fact that we actually made it to 20 years or more is still kind of outlandish. We’ve seen a lot of history.”

Now, they celebrate Christmas with their annual Family Christmas, which comes with the tradition of supporting and featuring a fellow local artist.

“Hash Redactor, a local band from Goner Records, is opening,” says Venable. “So that’s pretty exciting for me. I like getting to play with local bands. At this point, it’s just tradition. It’s a nice tradition.”

Lucero Family Christmas, Minglewood Hall, Friday, December 13th, 7-11:30 p.m., $21.

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Shop Local: East Memphis

This holiday season, we’re encouraging our readers to support local businesses and consider these and others for their gift-giving needs.

Babcock Gifts

Mom always said, “Don’t play with your food!” We disagree. This cutting board, handmade by MoDiggs Workings ($50) from high-quality end-grain wood, is the perfect justification to have a little fun. Anyone hosting a holiday party can turn their sausage and cheese platter into a game of checkers. Available at Babcock Gifts (4538 Poplar) or online at babcockgifts.com.

Ugly Mug Coffee

Got a family member or friend who can’t function well in the mornings without a healthy dose of caffeine? Ugly Mug’s First Cup ($9.95), an easy light roast, will be sure to please even the most finicky coffee drinkers. Plus, these coffee beans are ethically sourced and fair trade. It’s a win-win for everyone. Available online at uglymugcoffee.com or at Ugly Mug Coffee (4610 Poplar).

Dixon Gallery & Gardens

Artist David Quarles IV exhibits his pride in his family’s African history and heritage through a collection of handmade, one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces. This pair of earrings, called Musa “rescued from the waters” (pictured), is made with Swahili Kenyan glass, bone, and raw glass. This set and others like it are available at Dixon Gallery & Gardens (4339 Park).

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Do You Believe in Magic? See Magician Jeffrey Day at Woodruff-Fontaine Saturday

CREDIT: Kathy Kalagias

Just in time for the holidays, local magician Jeffrey Day presents his take on Christmas magic with his one-man-show magic routine, based on magicians and mesmerists of the 19th century, at Woodruff-Fontaine House Museum this Saturday.

Day knew that the Victorian-era house, which was built in 1871, would be the perfect setting to present the routine he’s been honing for years.

“Magic is older than dance or music,” he says. “It goes back much before then. And in the 19th century, it became very elegant. That’s when magic really, really changed. And I wanted to perform my show in a place that would be suitable for it. The Fontaine House is like no other stage I’ve ever been on, and it’s a beautiful place to perform this kind of magic.”

Kathy Kalagias

Oh, oh, oh, it’s magic!

Day will perform mesmerist and mentalist tricks developed around hidden magic found in books and manuscripts of the 19th century and the works of magicians like Ehrich Weiss (otherwise known as Harry Houdini), Harry Kellar, and Howard Thurston.

During one trick, Day will show his mind-reading talents using the 19th century book A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens as a medium to determine what word a volunteer from the audience is thinking. Between this and other illusions involving more mind-reading tricks and Chinese linking rings, Day says the audience may be able to step back in time, not only to the Golden Age of Magic, but perhaps to their days of innocence, as well.

“I think the audience wants that sense of wonder,” he says. “And magic takes them back to their childhoods.”

The Mesmerist by Jeffrey Day, Woodruff-Fontaine House Museum, Saturday, December 14th, 7-8:30 p.m., $50.

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Memphis Pets of the Week (12/10/19-12/16/19)

Each week, the Flyer will feature adoptable dogs and cats from Memphis Animal Services. All photos are credited to Memphis Pets Alive. More pictures and more information can be found on the Memphis Pets Alive Facebook page.

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Take a Memphis Brewery Bike Tour this Sunday

Curious about bike tours? So were Ana Duran and Will Hanlon. The power couple wanted to combine their love for beer, business, bikes, and the city, so they came up with the idea of Curious Bike Tours.

“Bikes and beer go really well together,” says Hanlon. “We had participated in Tour de Brewer, and we were impressed by the turnout. But it only happened once or twice a year at most. So we just wanted to do that more often.”

Beer, bikes, and Bluff City history buffs

So, this spring, the pair struck up partnerships with various breweries in the city, so they could start hosting their own brewery bike tours. Every Sunday, Hanlon guides riders throughout the city, alternating between the Midtown and Downtown areas each week to explore landmarks and breweries key to those areas.

This weekend, the group will cruise around Downtown Memphis, stopping in at Crosstown Brewing Company, High Cotton Brewing Company, and Ghost River Brewery & Taproom to sample some beer. In between these stops, riders will learn about significant Memphis landmarks, like Crosstown Concourse, the Pyramid, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

“I was actually a patient at St. Jude,” Duran says. “That’s what brought me to Memphis. So we always like to add personal touches to the places we go by. And this place saved my life.”

Duran and Hanlon say that locals and visitors alike can reap the benefits of this tour.

“It’s about the camaraderie — meeting people, sharing stories, and learning from others,” says Duran. “And also, I’m sure we can feature a fact or two along the way.”

Downtown Memphis Brewery Bike Tour, Crosstown Brewing Company, Sunday, December 8th, 12:30 p.m., $45.

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Shop Local: Midtown

This holiday season, we’re encouraging our readers to support local businesses and consider these and others for their gift-giving needs.

Falling Into Place

Got a proud Memphian in your circle who also likes to keep their tables in pristine condition? These Memphis 901 Coasters ($25) may be just the perfect gift. Crafted by Shayne McCarter in Olive Branch, these clay coasters absorb liquid, so the coaster won’t stick to drinks, and cork feet will keep furniture protected. Visit Falling Into Place (2614 Broad) or fallingintoplace.net.

Buff City Soap

One doesn’t have to be a narcissist to reap the benefits of this Narcissist Gift Set ($50). Features five essential bath items: soap, bath bomb, choice of foot and body scrub or whipped body butter, shower oil, and lotion bar. The products are all free of harsh chemicals, artificial detergents, or preservatives, so users can lather up with no regrets. Available at Buff City locations (944 S. Cooper, and others) or at buffcitysoap.com.

Archer Records

Joe Restivo, a local jazz musician who has worked with the The Bo-Keys, Love Light Orchestra, and others, released his first solo album, Where’s Joe? ($9.99), this year. The album features jazz renditions of “House of the Rising Sun” by The Animals and “People Make the World Go ‘Round” by The Stylistics, as well as originals, like “Starlight Motel” and “Thelma.” Available at archer-records.com.

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Bluff City Liars Hosts Improv Underground VI this Weekend

CREDIT: Moriah Drinkard Loya

Bluff City Liars, an improv comedy troupe in Memphis, returns to the Brass Door this Friday to improvise an entertaining mix of short-form and long-form scenes at its sixth Improv Underground (iU).

The group will start the evening off with a few games of short-form scenes similar to what can be seen on Whose Line Is It Anyway?

“We always open the show with a game called Change,” says Brandon McAninch, director of Bluff City Liars and producer of Improv Underground. In this game, two comedians will play out a scenario, and at any point McAninch can call for one of the players to change the last thing they did or said.

Moriah Drinkard Loya

“Yes, and …”

“That’s always fun because I think that kind of encapsulates the idea of improv,” he says. “The players say something, and then the rug is pulled out from under them, and they have to improvise something new off the cuff.”

After that and other short-form games like Freeze Tag and line games, the troupe will move on to their specialty: long-form.

“A common joke is that long-form is for improvisers,” McAninch says. “It’s kind of like improvising a pilot episode of a TV show.”

One of the group’s favorite scenes involves asking an audience member to tell them something amusing about the town they grew up in, whether that’s an interesting person or town lore. “Then, we’ll try to show the audience what we think a typical day in that small town looks like,” says McAninch. “Of course, it’s always far from typical.”

And, in true holiday spirit, the troupe is changing it up for this show with a new format and a new holiday twist.

Improv Underground VI, The Brass Door, Friday, December 6th, 8-10 p.m., $5.

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Memphis Pets of the Week (12/3/19-12/9/19)

Each week, the Flyer will feature adoptable dogs and cats from Memphis Animal Services. All photos are credited to Memphis Pets Alive. More pictures and more information can be found on the Memphis Pets Alive Facebook page.

[slideshow-1]

Categories
News News Feature

Shop Local: Downtown

This holiday season, we’re encouraging our readers to support local businesses and consider these and others for their gift-giving needs.

Lansky Bros.

Since the 1940s, Lansky Bros. has attracted attention from greats like B.B. King and Elvis Presley. Presley loved the clothing so much he told Bernard Lansky he’d wind up buying the store. He never did, but he faithfully acquired his wardrobe from the shop, which now offers a Clothier to the King line. Although these On Running Cloud shoes ($129.99) aren’t part of the line, the lucky recipient of this gift could say, “Don’t step on my blue running shoes.” Available at Lansky (126 Beale, 149 Union) or online at lanskybros.com.

National Civil Rights Museum

The civil rights movement during the 1960s in Memphis brought on tumultuous times with riots, fires, protests, and the assassination of the great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Today, the Museum celebrates how far we’ve come with this Celebrate Diversity mug ($12.99). Available at the National Civil Rights Museum Gift Shop (450 Mulberry).

Stock & Belle

It’s about to be a new decade, and what better way to mark the occasion than to hang up a Memphis-themed calendar? Each page in the Memphis Magic 2020 calendar ($40) features well-known local landmarks, painted in watercolor by Erika Roberts, and lists of events and famous Memphians’ birthdays. Available at Stock & Belle (387 S. Main).

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Celebrate the Arts at Blackout Black Friday

CREDIT: Memetics

Art is the spice of life, and Memetics, a nonprofit organization that’s dedicated to fostering art in the community, wants to show off this idea on Friday at their artist showcase event Blackout Black Friday.

“Art challenges perception and sparks ideas, and creativity cultivates invention,” says Jamie Carpenter, founder and executive director of Memetics Memphis. “It’s only through a diverse lens that a community can prosper and grow.”

Memetics

Memetics

Multiple mediums of art will be included, with a musical lineup that features EDM DJ Brandon Thornburg and instrumentalist, composer, producer, and DJ Odd Wilson, along with visual artists like Jacob Platania, Ex Ossium, Brandon Hodges, and Phvntm Fuego displaying live, installation, and interactive arts. There will also be tarot card readings and a youth activities station.

While it’s an eclectic mix of arts, Carpenter says it’s important for the community to showcase their talents.

“Art brings us together,” she says. “It’s the human connection. It’s about community — finding a purpose beyond our individual selves.”

Memetics is hosting this event, along with bake sales and other similar events, to fund their 501(c) filing and to help them throw their next event.

“Our next production, in spring 2020, will focus on arts in local schools and will feature only area youths,” says Carpenter. “A school will be chosen at that show for our artists to create a mural.”

So as traditional holiday markets swamp your social media feeds, let Memetics show off what Memphis’ local arts community has to offer.

Blackout Black Friday, Hi Tone, Friday, November 29th, 7 p.m.-3 a.m., free.