Plenty of music venues that have reopened in recent months have done so with the caveat, “Masks are required.” But when Bar DKDC opens its doors again tomorrow night, they’ve added another condition: “Dancing is a must.” And that’s a given with their musical curator of the evening, DJ Matty from New Orleans, famous for his Mod Dance Parties in the Crescent City.
DJ Matty is especially appropriate to get the tiny venue hopping again, now that dancing is allowed, as owner Karen Carrier explains: “It’s funny, because Matty opened up DKDC’s first night in January of 2013. And now he’s reopening us after the pandemic.”
But there will be some precautionary measures, above and beyond the official mandates. “Our thing is, you have to be masked up to be in there, but you can dance your ass off,” says Carrier. “Even when the mandate changes, when the City of Memphis lifts everything, I’m not going to lift the mask mandate. I just believe people need to be masked. ‘Cos I don’t know if you’re vaccinated. We’re still going to take temperatures to enter. We’re going to have security outside. So we’re going to try to do our own thing, even as we reopen DKDC.”
With the cozy club having been used as an annex of sorts for Carrier’s Beauty Shop restaurant through the months of quarantine, when more spread-out seating was required, this is a big moment for Carrier and the many music fans who hold her club dear. But it’s not exactly going full blast just yet. “We’re going to do this Saturday night as a one-off, then we’ll close down, and then we’re going to figure this whole thing out,” she says. “So we’re getting ready to blow open pretty soon. Probably by the first of June.”
There are already shows planned for next month, notably a two night residence on June 23 and 24 by a group that includes Memphis’ swamp soul queen, Marcella Simien. Known as Gumbo, Grits & Gravy, the trio also includes guitarist Guy Davis, son of civil rights activists/actors Ruby Dee & Ossie Davis, and violinist Anne Harris.
They have been gaining fans and acclaim internationally, with several European appearances planned for later this year.
Meanwhile, Bar DKDC staff and regulars are eagerly anticipating this weekend’s event, starting at 10:30 p.m. on Saturday. Carrier sees it as a therapeutic necessity. “We can only let so many people in,” she says, “but we’re going to shake your ass off for a while. I think people need to get out there and dance. And when Matty’s in the house, you can’t sit down, you know?”
