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Uncategorized

New MSCS Superintendent Gets to Work Early

Credit: Memphis Shelby County Schools

Incoming Superintendent Marie Feagins has started working with Memphis-Shelby County Schools under a per diem agreement, allowing her to begin a transition to the superintendent role while the school board hammers out her contract.

Feagins’ temporary employment took effect March 1, according to a press release from school board Chair Althea Greene. Greene said she expects Feagins, a Detroit public school district administrator, to begin officially as MSCS superintendent on April 1, months ahead of the July 1 start that board members had targeted during the search process.

Greene said it is important for Feagins to begin work soon, especially as Tennessee’s largest school district faces major budget decisions and state lawmakers consider several changes to education policy, including a major expansion of private school vouchers that could affect district revenues.

“Dr. Feagins is excited to be here now to start making Memphis and Shelby County her home,” Greene said.

Since the board selected Feagins on Feb. 9, she has been in Memphis for several meetings, including a lunch Friday co-hosted in part by former Memphis schools Superintendent Carol Johnson-Dean.

“Everybody wants to welcome her, and they want her to be successful,” Johnson-Dean told Chalkbeat, adding that several community leaders attended, including both the city and county mayors. She said school board members did not attend.

Feagins also attended part of the Memphis school board’s February business meeting on Tuesday and received a standing ovation. A separate press release at the time said she was working on a plan for her first 100 days on the job.

But the school board has not otherwise discussed her employment in a public meeting, and board members have taken no votes on a contract.

Board members Mauricio Calvo and Stephanie Love said Friday afternoon that they had not seen the per diem contract.

Board policy allows the district to enter contracts for some services that cost less than $75,000 without seeking a board vote. The press release did not provide details about Feagins’ pay. Chalkbeat has requested public records about the short-term contract.

Chalkbeat’s attempts to reach Feagins for comment Friday were unsuccessful.

Greene said she expects the board to take action on Feagins’ superintendent contract at a meeting scheduled for March 26.

Laura Testino covers Memphis-Shelby County Schools for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Reach Laura at LTestino@chalkbeat.org.

Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.

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Flyer Video Special Sections We Recommend We Saw You

We Saw You with Karen Carrier Ep. 1

We Saw You — a new video series about Memphis and Mid-Southerners hosted by yours truly — continues with a seven-part series about restaurateur Karen Carrier, owner of Beauty Shop Restaurant, DKDC, Mollie Fontaine Lounge, and Another Roadside Attraction Catering.

I visited Carrier in her eclectic, art-filled home, where, in this first installment we talk a bit about food. In future episodes, viewers will learn more about how Carrier’s culinary career, and her life as a visual artist.

And she can play the piano!

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Grizzlies Fall to Trail Blazers 107–101

Memphis Grizzlies forward GG Jackson (45) shoots the ball during the first half against the Portland Trail Blazers at FedEx Forum on March 2, 2024. (Wes Hale Photo)

At least they didn’t get 30-pieced this time.

You aren’t watching Groundhog’s Day, the Memphis Grizzlies and the Portland Trail Blazers just played two consecutive games on two consecutive nights in FedEx Forum. Unfortunately for Grizzlies fans, they lost them both, but how they lost the second game might be more infuriating.

After being up by as many as 18 points, the Grizzlies succumbed to the Blazers in overtime.

Big props to Anfernee Simons, whose 18 points between the fourth quarter and overtime sealed the deal for Portland. In bonus time, Portland outscored Memphis 12 to 7.

The Blazers held the Grizzlies scoreless for the final two minutes of regulation and forced a season-high 24 turnovers that Portland converted into 24 points.

The Grizzlies outshot the Blazers from three-point range (37.5% to 31.4%) but Portland shot better overall than Memphis (42.4% to 36.1%).

Being short key players has been a hallmark of the season for Memphis, but the absence of Jaren Jackson Jr for the second night did the Grizzlies no favors. Once again fielding a roster that looks more at home in the G-League didn’t help matters any.

It is good for player development that these guys are seeing as much time on the court, but not without having more tried-and-true NBA players to balance things out.

Vince Williams Jr finished with a team-high 21 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 3 blocks while shooting 4 of 7 from beyond the arc and 7 of 14 overall.

Santi Aldama also closed out the night with 21 points, adding 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block while shooting 5 of 9 from beyond the arc and 7 of 15 overall.

The only other Grizzlies player to score in double digits was GG Jackson, who put up 17 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals.

Who Got Next?

The Grizzlies are hitting the road for two games. Monday night they will face off against the Brooklyn Nets. Tip-off is at 6:30 p.m. CST.

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Beyond the Arc Sports

Blazers Snap Nine-Game Skid With 30-point Win Over Memphis

Memphis Grizzlies forward Lamar Stevens (24) shoots the ball during the first half against the Portland Trail Blazers at FedEx Forum on March 1, 2024, in Memphis TN. (Wes Hale Photo)

On Friday at FedExForum, the Portland Trail Blazers snapped a nine-game losing streak with a 122-92 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, thanks in large part to a stellar third quarter. The Blazers outscored Memphis 40-27 in the third. 

When asked how the team would bounce back from the 30-point loss at home, Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins seemed visibly upset and uttered, “We have to — this is embarrassing.”

How embarrassing was it, though? Both teams have been impacted by injuries and were missing key players.

For Jenkins, missing key players was not an excuse for the team’s performance against Portland: “They played extremely well, and we didn’t have it. We played poorly.”

Rookie GG Jackson II who finished with 11 points off the bench on Friday night didn’t like the feeling of letting the fans down. 

“You see your fans leaving with like eight minutes left in the game —that really sticks to us as players,” said Jackson II. “They want to come see us play. That’s kind of like them slapping us in our face saying, ‘We don’t want to see you play.’ We got to change that.” 

The Grizzlies have dropped their third straight game and 12th in their last 14. For an organization that finished second in the West the previous two years, it is a huge letdown. 

Jake LaRavia has been mired with injuries most of his tenure with the Grizzlies. As a reserve on Friday, he led the Grizzlies with a career-high 21 points, going 7-for-13 from the field. 

The second-year forward’s play was one bright spot for Jenkins on the night. “It was really encouraging,” Jenkins said of LaRavia’s performance. “I thought he came out aggressive — shooting the 3-ball, getting downhill, getting to the free throw line, [and] a couple assists. I thought he did some good things defensively. Definitely some things that [he] can clean up on the defensive end; playing a little bit more physical on the ball, better one-on-one. I think, as a team, we just got embarrassed one-on-one, but he was a bright spot for sure. Love his movement off the ball, movement with the ball, but being aggressive, that was the biggest takeaway.”

The 22-year-old forward is averaging 9.8 points, 4 boards, 2 assists, and 1 steal in four games since returning from an ankle injury. 

Lamar Stevens had a season-high 19 points off the bench. With no starter scoring more than 10 points for the Grizzlies, Stevens and LaRavia tried their best to carry the load. 

Since joining the Grizzlies prior to the trade deadline, Stevens has been a reliable frontcourt player. In his last seven games for the team, he has shot 56.3% from the field while averaging 12.1 points, 5.1 boards, 1 assist, and 1 block in just 20.7 minutes per game.

Up Next 

Like deja vu, both teams will play again tonight, at FedExForum with a 7 pm tip-off. 

The Grizzlies will look to put up a better performance in front of the home crowd. “Every loss motivates a basketball player, but this one in particular definitely motivates us,” Jackson II said after Friday’s blowout loss. 

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Film Features Film/TV

Dune: Part Two

Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya are star-crossed lovers in Dune: Part Two

When I recently rewatched David Lynch’s 1984 adaptation of Dune with filmmaker Mars McKay, we agreed that Lynch had omitted one of Frank Herbert’s most important themes. In Lynch’s version Paul Atreides, a nobleman from a decimated great house, is in hiding from his enemies on the desert planet of Aarakis. When he’s rescued by the nomadic Fremen, they discover that he is their prophesied messiah, and he leads them to victory over their Harkonnen oppressors, and in the process, they install him as emperor of the galaxy. It’s a standard Chosen One narrative, like King Arthur or Star Wars. 

But in his 1965 novel, Frank Herbert makes it clear that the whole situation is a setup. Paul’s mother Lady Jessica is a Bene Gesserit, an all-female order of space witches who are the power behind the throne on hundreds of worlds. Over the course of centuries, the Bene Gesserit spread a belief in a coming messiah on many worlds, while they secretly manipulated dynasties in order to breed a psychic superbeing called the Kwisatz Haderach. When their demigod is finally born, he will have an army ready to serve him no matter where he goes. 

Paul knows this, and wants no part of it. He has visions of billions of people killing and dying in his name, and tries desperately to avoid his fate. His victorious ascendence to the galactic throne is actually a defeat. 

Denis Villeneuve understands that Paul’s interior conflict is central to the emotional impact of the story. The mounds of burning bodies from Paul’s visions are the most indelible image of Villeneuve’s 2021 Dune, and the creeping dread of jihad hangs over Dune: Part 2 like smoke from the funeral pyres. 

Paul Maud’Dib rallies the Fremen in Dune: Part Two. (Courtesy Warner Brothers)

The first installment ended with Paul and Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) joining the Fremen tribe led by Stilgar (Javier Bardem). Part Two begins light years away in the palace of Emperor Shaddam IV (Christopher Walken), who is starting to think that helping House Harkonnen ambush House Atreides was a mistake. His daughter Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh) writes in her journal of rumors that Paul survived the massacre. 

Meanwhile, on Arrakis, Stilgar’s band fights off Harkonnen attacks as they head for the relative safety of the deep desert. Paul’s guerrilla war in the desert — which Lynch’s version all but omits — provides some of the most thrilling sci-fi action in recent memory, even before Paul becomes Muad’Dib by riding a giant sandworm through the desert. 

Bardem’s magnetic performance proves crucial. Stilgar steps in as a jovial father figure to the grieving Paul. But he’s also a Fremen fundamentalist who takes the prophecies seriously, and Lady Jessica makes sure he sees Paul as the “voice from outside” who will lead them to victory and make Dune green again. Chani (Zendaya), the beautiful warrior who takes a shine to Paul, sees the would-be Mahdi for what he is. “You want to control people? Tell them to wait for the messiah to come,” she spits. 

Paul and Chani’s love story is heartrending. They cling to each other as the currents of history threaten to pull Paul away from his humanity. If they can kick the Harkonnen off the planet without calling millions of Fremen religious fundamentalists to jihad, maybe they could make a life together in the aftermath. But when Baron Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgard) replaces Harkonnen commander “The Beast” Rabban (Dave Bautista) with his more competent cousin Feyd (Austin Butler), the Fremen are backed into a corner, and holy war becomes the only way out. 

Sandworms attack in Dune: Part Two. (Courtesy Warner Brothers)

Dune is the product of Herbert’s very 1960s obsessions with religion, desert ecology, and psychedelic mushrooms. Nevertheless, it has only become more relevant over the 60 years since its first publication. One need not look far to find leaders cynically using religion for political gain, or sparking savage wars of extermination by appealing to ancient scripture. The clarity Villeneuve brings to this multilayered story is its own kind of miracle, and he’s able to do it without sacrificing the visceral action blockbuster cinema requires. 

None of this heady stuff would mean much without the human element. From Dave Bautista’s petulant manchild Rabban to Josh Brolin’s crusty warrior Gurney, everyone in the sprawling cast delivers. Rebecca Ferguson is especially creepy as she whips believers into a frenzy while mumbling conversations with her unborn child. 

But Zendaya and Chalamet are the beating heart of Dune: Part Two. It ain’t easy to draw real human emotions out of such fantastical material, but these two movie stars make it look like it is. Like Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca, they try to carve out a little solace in the midst of war, only to find out the problems of two little people ain’t worth a hill of beans in this crazy galaxy. 

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Music Music Blog

Doyle Schaeffer’s Tragedy Mobilizes Music Community

Doyle Schaeffer with his beloved Mikey (Credit: Doyle Schaeffer)

It’s a nightmare scenario that few have to face: a fire ignites, spreads through a home, and in a heartbeat all the treasures of one’s life are destroyed.

Unfortunately, Doyle Schaeffer, erstwhile guitarist for the Angel Sluts, suffered that very series of events earlier this week when flames engulfed his apartment. Suddenly, his only worldly possessions were the clothes on his back.

Almost immediately, the Memphis music community stepped up to help as K.B. Jones and Becca Smith set up a GoFundMe page to solicit contributions. In a testament to the city’s tight-knit scene, that page has already met its goal of $20,000, yet continues to grow as donations pour in.

As Jones and Smith wrote on the fundraising page, “Now, picture the anguish of also losing a beloved furry companion. Doyle’s cherished cat, Michelangelo (aka Mikey), was unable to escape the fire, leaving a void in his heart that can never be filled. In the aftermath of this harrowing event, Doyle finds himself facing an uphill battle to rebuild his life from scratch.”

Schaeffer is best known as a latter-day member of the no-frills punk band the Angel Sluts, adding his guitar to two EPs, Suesie Was a Nihilist and Love Sweet Love, both dating back to 2011. Though the band has since released an archival album, Live at the Buccaneer, recorded in the mid-2000s, Schaeffer was not part of last year’s record release show, which featured only the original four band members.

Nonetheless, Harry Koniditsiotis, aka Switchblad Kid, founding member of the Angel Sluts, invoked the camaraderie of musicians in support of Schaeffer in a recent social media post addressing the tragedy. “A band is a family,” he wrote. “We fight, we break up, we put BS aside and get together to help each other out when one of us is in trouble. Our brother Doyle is going through a rough time and can use all of our support.”

Koniditsiotis then announced a further fundraising event in which Schaeffer will appear as a full-fledged band member. On April 5th, the Hi Tone Cafe will host a benefit show, For the Love of Doyle, featuring the Angel Sluts’ latter-day lineup. “Come see Doyle and Timmy do their punk rock Bert and Ernie routine!” he wrote. The benefit will also feature Risky Whispers and Heavy Machine Gun. All of which is proof positive of the unshakeable solidarity that Memphis musicians share, especially when one of their own is in need.

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News News Blog News Feature Uncategorized

Listening Sessions Launched for MLGW 2045 Project

Credit: Memphis Light, Gas and Water

Memphis Light, Gas and Water (MLGW) will listen to customers in a series of community workshops planned for March and April to look at opportunities and problems the community might face in the next 20 years.

The workshops are planned from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at locations across Memphis. The utility also launched an online survey for those unable to attend in person. 

Find a workshop here: 

• March 5 

Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library, 3030 Poplar Ave.

• March 7 

Hickory Hill Community Center, 3910 Ridgeway Rd.

• March 18

Bartlett Performing Arts and Conference Center, 3663 Appling Rd.

• March 21

Orange Mound Community Center, 2572 Park Ave.

• March 26

Gaston Community Center, 1048 S. Third St. 

• April 1

Whitehaven Community Center, 4318 Graceland Dr.

• April 2

Ed Rice Community Center, 2907 N. Watkins

• April 11

Raleigh Community Center, 3678 Powers Rd.

• April 16

Gaisman Community Center, 4221 Macon Rd.

• April 25

Bert Ferguson Community Center, 8505 Trinity Rd.

• April 30

Lucius E. & Elsie C. Burch Jr. Library, 501 Poplar View Pkwy.

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News News Blog News Feature

Climate Change Action Moves Ahead Across Tennessee

Credit: Daniel Prado on Unsplash

Climate problems are starting to find solutions, from solar panels at the Memphis Zoo to state officials readying for potential millions of federal dollars to reduce air pollution. 

Memphis:

Zoo officials announced last week it would soon install solar panels on building rooftops, thanks to a $676,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. Memphis Mayor Paul Young said the panels will be the first-ever solar panels installed on any building owned by the city of Memphis. 

The grant will also expand community outreach at the zoo and clean energy education programs. A portion of the grant will fund a waste characterization study and regional solid waste master plan for Memphis and Shelby County. Those programs will be run by city and county officials. 

These programs further the Memphis Area Climate Action Plan. That plan aims to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emission levels here by 71 percent by 2050. The latest figures from 2020 show the plan is mostly on track. It met GHG reduction targets in the transportation and waste sectors, but missed the mark on energy.

Tennessee:  

State officials are working to deliver part of Tennessee’s emissions-reduction plan to the feds by March. That’s the deadline for government agencies to get in line for $5 billion in federal grants to develop and implement “ambitious” plans for reducing GHGs, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The funds come from the Inflation Reduction Act.

Tennessee’s plan is called the Tennessee Volunteer Emission Reduction Strategy (TVERS). It is truly a “volunteer” program. 

”While other states have imposed mandates to reduce emissions, we hope to reach established goals through voluntary measures that may differ throughout the state,” reads the TVERS website.

TVERS will be the state’s first-ever climate plan. Memphis has one, as noted above. So does Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga. 

Late last year, the state took public opinion on taking action on climate change. The vast majority (75 percent) said they were motivated to act out of concern for the environment and future generations. The biggest challenge for them to act, though, was the high cost of efficient or sustainable alternatives. 

Credit: state of Tennessee

To be eligible to get the federal funds, states had to identify low-income communities. State officials found that 54 percent of its census tracts were considered to be low-income/disadvantaged communities (LIDACs) by federal standards. Those applying for the funds must show their projects will bring significant benefits to these communities. 

Tennessee Valley

Last month, a new study from the University of Tennessee (UT) found that carbon emissions throughout the Tennessee Valley fell 30 percent since 2005, a decrease of abut 78 million tonnes. The report said half of the decrease was attributable to a 50 percent reduction in emissions from Tennessee Valley Authority’s electricity generation. Another large chunk of the decrease (39 percent) came from agriculture, thanks to the adoption of no-till farming.

The Tennessee Valley region, which covers parts of seven southeastern states, emits about 200 million tonnes of carbon each year, about 3 percent of the nation’s total. Of that, the state said in 2019 it emitted about 112 million tonnes. The Memphis-area emitted about 17 million tonnes. 

In Tennessee and the Tennessee Valley, transportation emitted the most GHGs. The UT report said electrifying light-duty vehicles was the single largest carbon reduction opportunity for the Valley. In Memphis, the top carbon emitter came from the energy sector. 

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Music We Recommend

Rising Entertainment: Tripp and B

Tripp and B (Photo: Brande Pa’trice)

It all started about a year ago in a studio apartment in Memphis. Two creatives came together to combine their love for music and dance.

Brande Pa’trice and Trippy Tribbitt sat in Pa’trice’s apartment bouncing ideas off each other when they decided to form the entertainment company Toxic Soul Music Group in joint with BrandeWine Entertainment. Together they are known as Tripp and B. 

They’re much more than just a hip-hop duo. 

“We do it all — hip-hop, R&B, pop, act, dance,” says Tribbett. “If you name it, we can do it.” 

The two had already established themselves as successful solo performers before they joined forces. Pa’trice is a dancer, choreographer, and recording artist; Tribbett is a DJ and recording artist as well. 

“He has been a great performer since I’ve known him,” says Pa’trice. “I haven’t known him all my life, but it feels like [I have] and he is a great performer.” 

One day, when they were both solo artists and scheduled interviews for the same day, Tribbett ran into Pa’trice. “I saw her at the interview and knew I wanted to work with her, but she kind of just brushed me off,” Tribbett jokes. 

Now you will never see one without the other. 

Brande Pa’trice and Trippy Tribbett (Photo: Brande Pa’trice)

“We actually never discussed the topic of performing together, it just kind of happened naturally,” Pa’trice says.

In May 2023, the two formally formed a duo when Pa’trice agreed to assist Tribbett in promoting his album, Unscripted Feelings. They started their project “No Munch (Jump)” — a song that has an accompanying dance — after realizing their chemistry.

“It’s at a point now where if my name [Tripp] is on the flyer everybody already knows she’s going to be with me and vice versa,” says Tribbett.

This collaboration has brought them a feeling of peace and comfort. 

“We are sharing everything now and it feels good too because now we both have each other to lean on,” says Pa’trice. 

Sitting across from them, the creative connection is clear. Pa’trice is the partner who likes to keep pushing like a train in route, while Tribbett is there to help pause the train to ensure it doesn’t speed to a crash.

“She definitely knows what she is doing, but sometimes I have to come in and say let’s slow down,” Tribbett says. “It’s the balance that we bring to each other because sometimes when she’s on go I need to be on go.” 

They agree the past year has been rewarding, challenging, and a blessing. Not only have they launched their entertainment company, they have also dropped music, produced music videos, and traveled across the country on their “No Munch” tour, where they sing and dance in front of various crowds. 

They made it their goal to visit college campuses while on tour, not only to increase their visibility but also to demonstrate to their younger fan base the opportunities available to them.

“It was important to us that we went to these colleges and stamped them, just to show what is all out there,” says Pa’trice. 

While they are helping the youth, they are also fulfilling their childhood dreams. The duo performed at a recent Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers halftime show in front of a crowd of 20,000 people. 

Tripp and B perform a halftime show (Photo: Brande Pa’trice)

“It was a fun experience,” Pa’trice says. “I think I was more excited for him because I know it’s something he always wanted to make happen.”

Like any creative person, the two are always trying to figure out what their next project will be. 

“We are always thinking about what can be next, and I think that’s what makes us click because we have that same mindset,” says Tribbett. 

They recently released their song “Step and Move,” along with a music video. 

“We have big goals and dreams that we both want to reach,” says Pa’trice. “We want to sell out arenas.”

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We Recommend We Recommend

On the Fly: Week of 03/01/24

Get into some whiskey business at the Memphis Whiskey Warmer Festival this weekend. (Photo: Courtesy Memphis Whiskey Warmer)

A Bite of Memphis
TheatreWorks at ​The Evergreen
Friday, March 1, 7:30 p.m. | Saturday, March 2, 7:30 p.m. | Sunday, March 3, 2 p.m.
Good enough to eat? Maybe? I guess if you’re the type to eat words. Eat your words? Is that the saying? Uh, doesn’t matter. We’re talking about Lone Tree Live’s  A Bite of Memphis, which you will want to dig into — metaphorically, obviously. This is a theatrical experience dramatizing interviews with chefs, restaurateurs, home cooks, food connoisseurs, and anyone who shares a passion for cooking and eating in Memphis. It’s a “journalistic form of dramatic storytelling,” and we at the Flyer support journalism in all forms and so should you. This weekend is your last chance to see the show, so purchase tickets ($20) here. Performances are Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m.

Memphis Whiskey Warmer Festival
The Kent
Friday, March 1, 6-9 p.m.
Whiskey lovers, bundle up for an evening of live music, good food, and exceptional spirits at Memphis Whiskey Warmer, where you can sample premier whiskey, bourbon, and scotch. This event benefits Volunteer Memphis, so every sip counts. Purchase tickets here. General admission tickets ($59) include 15 whiskey tastings and access to all areas of the event, and VIP tickets get you early access to the event, plus access to premium, rare, and experimental whiskey offerings and complimentary light bites. 

19th Annual Tree Planting 
Wolf River Conservancy
Saturday, March 2, 10 a.m.-noon
I am the Lorax, and I speak for the trees, and the trees want to be planted. Help the Wolf River Conservancy plant over 1,000 native trees along Leath Bayou in New Chicago Park. Sign up to volunteer here.

Painting on the River Series: Women’s History Month
Cossitt Library
Saturday, March 2, noon
You’ve heard of rolling on the river, but painting on the river? Each week in March, Cossitt Library is hosting a painting class on the river with a different artist. First up is Sarai Payne. All materials are provided. Register for the event here.

Grind City’s Fermented Reality Limited-Release Party
Grind City Brewery
Saturday, March 2, noon-10 p.m.
This ain’t a 100 bottles of beer situation. No, this is eight beers. Limited beers. Released at noon and available on Saturday while supplies last. Once the beer is gone, it’s gone foreverrrrrrr. This free, family- and pet-friendly event will be filled with food, live music by Charvey Mac and Walt Phelan Band, games, and much more. (P.S. The next day Grind City is hosting the Grind City Music Festival at South Main Sounds with Raneem Imam performing. More info here.)

Dog Beauty Pageant
Crosstown Brewing Company
Saturday, March 2, 1-3 p.m.
You look like a dog. A very cute dog. A dog who could win the Dog Beauty Pageant this weekend. So bring your good boys and girls and help them get the recognition they deserve. Prizes will be offered for “best dressed,” “cutest puppy,” “best rescue story,” and “best overall dog.” Chi Phi food truck will be slinging dogs (not, like, the puppy dogs we’re assuming; we’re assuming hot dogs, etc.) and Phillies to eat. The Bluff City Backsliders will be playing from 3-6 p.m.

Pete Davidson
Minglewood Hall
Saturday, March 2, 6 p.m. & 8:30 p.m.
Pete Davidson of SNL and celebrity boyfriend fame is bringing his Wellness Check tour to Memphis’ Minglewood Hall for two shows. This event will be a phone-free experience. Purchase tickets ($60-$105) in advance here.

Awadagin Pratt: Piano Prowess
Germantown Performing Arts Center
Saturday, March 2, 7:30 p.m.
Hey! According to Rent, there are 525,600 minutes in a typical calendar year, but on leap years, you get 527,040 minutes. That means an extra 1,440 minutes this year. So what to do, what to do? Well, maybe you could go see Awadagin Pratt in performance at GPAC as he gives the Memphis premiere of Jesse Montogmery’s Grammy-winning Rounds, co-commissioned by Iris Collective and inspired by the epic poem “Four Quartets” by T.S. Eliot. Tickets ($45-$70) for the show can be purchased here. On Sunday at 3 p.m. at University of Memphis’ Harris Hall, Pratt will also screen his film Awadagin Pratt: Black in America, which reveals his climb to fame and is a candid conversation about what it is like to be a person of color in the United States. Pratt will play for the audience, and a panel discussion will follow the film. Tickets for the event are pay-what-you-can and can be purchased here.

Boogie Nights!: A ’70s Disco Funk Dance Party
Black Lodge
Saturday, March 2, 10 p.m.
Throw on your best polyester suit, dance dress, big hair, bellbottoms, or any ’70s digs, and get lost in time to some of the best ’70s disco tracks, club hits, dance soul, and funk beats ever made. Expect videos, commercials, clips, and other ’70s pop culture eye candy on the screens all night by Lodge VJ and co-owner Queen Bea Arthur and lighting by Klamental. $10. 18+.

Science Cafe
Abe Goodman Golf Clubhouse
Tuesday, March 5, 5:30 p.m 
Wind down from the workday by learning something new over drinks. Join Overton Park Conservancy for a happy hour with guest speakers who will share unique perspectives from their corners of the scientific world. This month’s topic is the Hydrogeology of the Memphis Sand Aquifer with Sarah Houston and Scott Schoefernacker of Protect Our Aquifer, as they speak on balancing aging infrastructure, explosive growth, and sustainability. Be ready to learn, ask questions, and celebrate the Memphis Sand Aquifer in honor of World Water Day in 2024. Register here.  $5/recommended donation.

There’s always something happening in Memphis. See a full calendar of events here.

Submit events here or by emailing calendar@memphisflyer.com.