Tag: Hi Tone

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Food & Drink Hungry Memphis

Memphis Grilled Cheese Fest Returns

Memphis Grilled Cheese Fest founder Brian "Skinny" McCabe with "The Big Cheese" created by Josh McLane at South Point Grocery (Credit: Michael Donahue)

Thank goodness. The gooey, tantalizing Memphis Grilled Cheese Fest returns November 5th.

The annual event is back after four years with lots of grilled cheese sandwiches from competing teams as well as live music, cheesy gifts, a cheese-eating competition, and food trucks. It takes place between noon and 4 p.m. in front of and inside the Hi Tone at 282-284 Cleveland Street, which will be blocked off between Larkin Avenue and Peach Avenue. The Hi-Tone will be open with live bands on both floors. Deejays will provide tunes outside.

The event’s creator, Brian “Skinny” McCabe, will be back, too. “I don’t even know when or how I thought of the idea, but it was a really, really long time ago,” he says.

McCabe had just moved his club from Poplar Avenue to its first address on Cleveland Street. “I was sitting around thinking of stuff to do and cool things to bring to the neighborhood,” he said.

He originally thought about holding the event inside the club. “Then I put the Facebook event up and got crazy response and had to figure out how to talk to the city and get the street shut down.”

The festival was a hit. “A couple of thousand people showed up.”

Jack Gould and Claire O’Connell sample grilled cheese at the 2018 Memphis Grilled Cheese Fest (Credit: Michael Donahue)

McCabe chose grilled cheese sandwiches because he likes the sandwich. “It’s one of my favorite comfort foods of all time. So easy. So cheap. Bread, butter, and cheese. It’s so straightforward.”

He also likes them made a certain way. “I personally love Texas toast and Country Crock butter,” he says, adding, “And then you sprinkle some Everything Bagel seasoning on there. Two or three Kraft singles. And then toast it up. Cut it corner to corner — not width wise.”

Memphis Grilled Cheese festival is always held on a Sunday to accommodate restaurant people who can attend on their day off.

McCabe raises money for charities with event proceeds. This year, the festival will benefit Thrive Memphis — “an organization that helps special needs and handicapped children.”

He has his reasons for always holding the event in November. “I don’t want to eat hot food when it’s hot outside. I want it to be the last street festival of the year. And warm people up. And if the grilled cheese doesn’t warm you up, the Hi Tone will be open with lots of whiskey to sell.”

McCabe doesn’t yet know how many teams will participate this year, but the competition is open to everybody. “It can be you and your buddies. It can be restaurants, law offices, Wiffle ball teams.”

Participating teams pass out grilled cheese to those who give donations for the fundraiser. Whichever team raises the most money is the grand champion. 

And some of those teams load on the cheese, McCabe says. “You have so much cheese on there you won’t be able to whistle for days.”

But he has a solution to that problem. “Whisky will get things moving. Because alcohol is the cause and solution of all problems.”

Teams also can compete for “Best Tomato Soup.” Grilled cheese and tomato soup just go together, McCabe says. Growing up, he “always had tomato soup to either dip it in or accompany it. Some people use chicken noodle soup instead. That’s totally fine. I’ve tried it both ways.”

And teams can vie for “Most Ridiculous.” McCabe has seen all types of ingredients, including steak, pork belly, a quail egg, and even stuffed animals, on the grilled cheese sandwiches. “One year I saw a grilled cheese sandwich dipped in funnel cake batter and fried. And that was wild.”

Some of the braver attendees participate in the grilled cheese-eating contest. “We set down a plate of 20 or 30 grilled cheese sandwiches in front of you. Whoever eats the most in a designated amount of time is the winner.”

Winners receive prizes. “We’ve got all kinds of little knick-knacks and stuff.”

Bram Bors-Koefoed, who won the grilled cheese eating contest in 2018, received a pair of socks dotted with images of cheese along with a toaster. “I think my wife and I found those just out and about somewhere,” McCabe says. “We collect stuff all year long. Anything that has grilled cheese on it.”

Bram Bors-Koefoed won a toaster and a pair of socks in the 2018 grilled cheese eating contest at the Memphis Grilled Cheese Fest. With him is Brian “Skinny” McCabe (Credit: Michael Donahue)

For the first time, McCabe had trophies made for the grilled cheese team winners. The metal-and-plastic trophies are topped with grilled cheese and tomato soup statues.

This year’s festival will feature “a whole kids’ activity section” with balloon animals and face painting, McCabe says.

Live music will be provided by Sunweight, The Memphis Winslows, and The Heavy Pour.

Memphis Grilled Cheese Festival sounds like it would be heaven for its creator, but, McCabe says, “I rarely get to eat any grilled cheese. I have to go home and make my own after the festival because I’m just busy.”

For more information or to participate as a team, go to memphisgrilledcheese.com.

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Music Music Features

HEELS Releases Pop Songs for a Dying Planet

Joshua McLane and Brennan Whalen (Photo: Courtesy Joshua McLane)

The new HEELS album, Pop Songs for a Dying Planet, features 15 songs from Joshua McLane and Brennan Whalen.

“Brennan writes all the lyrics,” McLane says. “Except anytime you hear me scream on the record, I write it. When you work with someone like Brennan Whalen, why would you want anybody else to write the lyrics?”

The album, released October 22nd, is “what we’ve been since day one,” McLane says. “Life’s a fucking struggle, man. It’s like we love writing upbeat, fast, very poppy, catchy songs. But once you break down the lyrics, they’re usually pretty sad.”

“This one feels a little more frantic,” Whalen says. “I guess I feel like the overall sound of the record is kind of reflective of where my mind was and where Josh’s mind was when we were writing. Just individually shaken up by the last few years. We both had really bad years. We both had stuff in our families. There was a lot of loss.”

But there also was joy. McLane’s wife Cara gave birth to their son Gideon, who just turned 2.

The album includes “old songs we wanted to give a fair shake to” and “brand-new ones,” McLane says.

“Dread,” one of the new songs, is “trying to face tragedy with a sense of optimism about the future,” Whalen says. “But that’s against the backdrop of kind of wishing for the end of the world.”

“Last Man” is “maybe the heaviest song,” McLane says. “That song was the key to the whole record. When we pieced it together, it was kind of missing something. Brennan said, ‘Hey, check out this song I just pulled out of thin air.’ I sped it up a little bit and it turned out to be a monster.”

McLane wrote “Sad Max” “from neck to nuts. … That song is about how I spent most of my life as a junkie asshole. And plowing through life. And then I grow up.”

As for “Wolf,” McLane says, “Brennan ends the record with a hopefulness we’ve never done before. It’s literally screaming, ‘Let me die.’”

McLane plays his son’s toy piano on “Giddy.” He thought, “What if we put this at the very end? A bookend? Maybe there’s some hope in the future. Which is something we usually don’t do.”

“I didn’t have any hope for the fucking future. I guess I didn’t have anything vested in it. Now, I have to work for it. It sucks. I would love to be just a bump on a log.

“For me, it opens up, for lack of a better word, stylized memories. Like it’s a wonderful kind of a vision where everything is perfect. For some reason, I associate things like the Muppet Babies. Like perfection of childhood that I probably never had much of.”

They say they’re halfway done writing their next record. They usually say the next album is going to be a “big departure” and “super weird,” but, McLane says, “It ends up being more pop songs for a dying planet.”

Whalen sees his writing style changing. “I think I’ve been a little more loose with my writing,” he says. “Kind of leaning a little more into punk and garage rock.”

Previously, he says, “I tried to focus more on narrative lyrics and leaning more into a kind of a folk songwriting style. That translated over to the sound that we have. But, lately, I’ve been leaning more into more aggressive, more enthusiastic music.”

Why? “Need it more. I think everybody needs more fun. The past decade has been a huge drag. So, I don’t like being a part of making anybody sad, even though I do. I don’t mean to.”

Describing Pop Songs for a Dying Planet, McLane says, “This is a playlist for the end of the world kind of thing. Meaning, a bunch of these songs are really sweet pop songs to distract you from everything going to shit. Once you actually figure out the lyrics, it’s about how everything is going to shit. You don’t notice that at first.”

Pop Songs for a Dying Planet can be heard on all musical platforms. The record release party for the album will be at 8 p.m. October 29th at Hi Tone at 282-284 North Cleveland Street. Mo Alexander will open.

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Food & Wine Food & Drink Food Reviews

Josh McLane Brings his Sandwich Skills to South Point Grocery

Josh McLane (Photo: Courtesy Josh McLane)

If John Montagu was the Earl of Sandwich in the 1700s, Josh McLane could be the Sammie King in 2022.

McLane created all except one of the sandwiches at South Point Kitchen in the new South Point Grocery. These include The HEELS, named after the rock band featuring McLane and Brennan Whalen.

The sandwiches are selling like hotcakes. Since the store opened March 10th, they’ve been “slammed,” McLane says. “It’s turning out very well right out of the gate.”

McLane, who describes himself as “the menu-maker and prep guy,” says the current menu features nine sandwiches, as well as garlic bread. “I kept it small and moderately simple, so I knew we could put out a good-quality product every time. … I don’t swing too hard for the fences and set myself up to fail.”

McLane, who opened the Hi Tone kitchen, credits that venue and its owner Brian “Skinny” McCabe “for pulling any of this off.”

Patrick Kickham works with McLane at South Point Kitchen. “I got Patrick from the Hi Tone. That’s how I knew he was good. It’s as close to us going to the same college as I could get.”

In addition to The HEELS, made with spicy peanut butter, jalapeño strawberry jam, bacon, and provolone cheese, the menu includes Me Spinach, which features fresh spinach with garlic butter, provolone, French onions, and tomatoes. “It’s done on a griddle like a grilled cheese sandwich. We’ve been selling those like they’re going out of style.”

The Grinder, McLane’s go-to sandwich, includes salami, banana peppers, pesto, and coppa, which is “like salt-cured ham with a little bit of a bite to it.”

The Club is the sandwich McLane didn’t create. “I totally ripped off Subway,” he says. “They stopped making The Club, so I was like, ‘Well, that was one of my favorite sandwiches, so I’m going to make it.’ Turkey, roast beef, bacon, tomato, and Swiss. I covered it. It’s just a damn cover song.”

Everything except The Grinder and The Club were staples at the Hi Tone.

Asked how he created his sandwiches, McLane says, “I made lunch for me.”

His wife, Cara, a vegetarian, taste-tested his vegetarian sandwiches, and friends tried out the others. “I would make them for wrestling pay-per-views for my buddies.”

The sandwich shop will be doing specials in the future. “The best part about having a talented crew is letting them come up with specials,” McLane says. “If you have people full of creativity, you’d be stupid to not let them show that. My crew is awesome, and they’re all very talented.”

McLane began creating sandwiches as a child. “I made one. I thought I created it, but I was kind of ripping off other people. I did a Thanksgiving leftovers sandwich with dressing and turkey and cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes.”

Describing his sandwich-making process, McLane says, “I open the fridge and see what I have. My sandwich creating is very much like if you’re buzzed at 11 p.m. after you’ve been out and you’re hungry.”

But, “That’s not exactly how I do it.”

As for future items, McLane says. “I want to do a breakfast sandwich and call it Green Eggs and Ham.” That will feature pesto, two fried eggs, and country ham. “And it’s gangbusters, dude.”

A “lot of different specials” are in the works, but, McLane says, “I like paying attention to the present instead of worrying about the future.”

A stand-up comedian, McLane recorded an upcoming comedy album, Even If It’s Nothing. And he and Whalen recorded a new HEELS album, Pop Songs for a Dying Planet, which will be released later this year.

Whalen hasn’t yet visited South Point sandwich shop, McLane says. “Brennan is a good friend and is waiting until we’ve been open a week or two. Until we have our sea legs. He’s being nice.”

South Point Grocery is at 136 Webster Avenue; (901) 672-8225.

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Music Music Blog

Switchblade Kid: Soundtrack for a Scary Saturday Night

Harry Koniditsiotis of Switchblade Kid (Courtesy Harry Koniditsiotis)

October 30th is Devil’s Night, at least according to some traditions. It’s a night for mischief, making it a fitting warmup for Halloween. That also makes it the ideal setting for a rock-and-roll show, such as when The Glory Holes and Switchblade Kid share the bill at the Hi Tone this Saturday. In advance of the concert, I spoke with Harry Koniditsiotis of Switchblade Kid about frightening films, the power of a producer, and how he’s stayed busy (very busy) during the pandemic.

Memphis Flyer: The last time we spoke, it was for a Christmas-themed concert at Two Rivers Bookstore. Do you have a particular fondness for holiday concerts?

Harry Koniditsiotis: I do. I love all the lights, decorations and especially vintage plastic blow molds.  I covered Two Rivers in Christmas lights and blow molds. It was so dreamy. Holidays always seem like a great time to throw a party. This Halloween show will have plenty of spooky decor, gloomy lighting and smoke.

Is this a Switchblade Kid (the band) concert, or will you be flying solo?
This will be the full band. We’ll be playing material from a new album that I hope to have out next year and some old favorites.

We will also be brushing up on a few Angel Sluts tunes in preparation for the upcoming  reunion show for The Angel Sluts Live at the Buccaneer album. That will be in January. And probably throw in a few Turn It Offs songs just to keep things interesting. 

I’ve been working with a new label out of Los Angeles called Thanks I Hate It Records. They will be putting out both albums and rereleasing the first album of my old ’90s New Orleans goth band, Falling Janus, The Trinity Site. The first track “Empty Shoulders” was recently picked up to use in an upcoming New Orleans-based horror movie called Tad Caldwell and the Monster Kid. 

The show is at the newly relocated Hi Tone. What do you think of the new space?
I think it’s a great spot. This will be my first time playing at the new location so I’m looking forward to it. 

What can we expect from this concert — any spooky songs?
I think all my songs have a bit of a spooky vibe. That might be the New Orleans thing. 

Speaking of spookiness, where do you fall on the horror spectrum? Switchblade Kid music has always struck me as somewhat ominous, but I don’t think of the project as really horror-themed.
I think it’s more of a Twilight Zone, Twin Peaks, silent film vibe than anything. Music for flickering 8mm projectors. 

Okay, quick Halloween horror rundown. What’s your favorite scary franchise?
I’ve been on a mummy kick this season and am currently watching 1981’s Dawn of the Mummy. But I did  just finish a Godzilla marathon.

Cabinet of Dr. Caligari might be my favorite horror movie of all time. Two years ago I made a cut with an all Bauhaus soundtrack and showed it at Black Lodge. I love the classic Universal horror monsters and B-movie giant spiders-type stuff. 

You’re from New Orleans and you live in Memphis, two cities that definitely have associations with being haunted. Do you think that’s a factor in your aesthetic?
There’s such a natural death culture in New Orleans. It’s like breathing. You grow up around all these monuments to the dead and somewhat carry on the tradition, knowingly or not. I’ll play a friend something I wrote and they’ll say “Wow, that’s spooky as hell,” and I’m like, “Oh really? I thought it was pretty sunshine happy.” 

How have you kept yourself busy during the pandemic?
I gotta say I stayed busy as hell. I would actually love another shutdown so I could get more done.  I recorded a new Switchblade Kid album, discovered the Live at the Buccaneer recording that Joe Holland did back in 2005 and got that record rolling. I started writing a comic book called Day Labor, so that was a whole new thing for me. The best was cutting a cover of “Memphis Tennessee” with the one and only Ross Johnson, who oddly enough knew my next door neighbor from the house I grew up in. He actually stayed next door for a week back in the ’80s. If only I had met Ross when I was 10! I also did a set for the Shangri-La Records podcast. That was a lot of fun. 

Tell me a little bit about the porch shows you’ve put on. The neighbors don’t mind?
The neighborhood actually loved it! I thought the neighbors would be annoyed but I kept having random people approach me on the street and ask when the next one was. I think the shows brought a lot of joy to people in Cooper-Young who were dealing with the isolation of lockdown. I basically had bands play in the driveway of my studio 5 & Dime Recording. 

Do you like hosting other bands, or working with them in the studio? How is that different from working on your own songs?
I love being a producer. I always liked the George Martin/Martin Hannett aspect of working with bands. I can’t be in a million bands but it’s fun to be a part of so many even if it’s just for a short time period.

Have you got anything else in the works our readers should know about?
I’ll be releasing my New Orleans comic book documentary Who the Hell is Alfred Medley?! in May 2022 so I’m super excited about getting that out there and hitting the film fest and comic con circuit.

Pre-orders are up for The Angel Sluts Live at the Buccaneer on yellow vinyl at ThanksIHateItRecords.com. 

Switchblade Kid, The Gloryholes will perform at Hi Tone on Saturday, October 30th, 9 p.m. $5

In advance of a Saturday-night gig with The Glory Holes, Harry Koniditsiotis of Switchblade Kid talks
Harry Koniditsiotis of Switchblade Kid (Courtesy Harry Koniditsiotis)
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We Recommend

Hi Tone Hosts 901 Poetry Slam Series Finale

Shiloh Grace takes the audience on a phallic journey at the Hi Tone. (Photo: Julie Ray)

On a quiet Monday night, I found a parking spot behind the Hi Tone between two overflowing dumpsters. A sign on the front door facing the street led me there, stating, “Entrance in back, upstairs.” Pink spilled out of the doorway from the stage illuminated by vivid red lights. 

Steve Fox, the host, sat near the stage where a woman read poetry from her phone. She spoke of a young girl with flowers in her hair. Fox pointed to the next to last name on a list of poets who had signed up to read. It said Ce Jay. When she finished, Fox snapped his fingers. Others clapped. 

Along with writing poetry, Ce Jay has been an educator for 16 years. “My background starts with Bridge Builders, where I not only worked but am a product of the program.”

The last name on the list was Shiloh Grace, who recited a poem written in 1993, “Ode to the American Dick,” inspired by Lorena Bobbitt. Ouch.

“I’ve felt like the Hi Tone has been my home base for decades now, across three locations.” Grace extols the virtues of her safe space without mincing words, “It’s the quintessential dive bar sans hipster shit. It’s the kind of place where subcultures collide, where we can all be ourselves. No pretense. It’s easy to lose track of time ’cause the drinks are strong and conversations are long. It feels like an alternate reality where all the rest of life’s crap can just get lost for a while.”

Proceeds benefit the artists.   

901 Poetry Slam Series Finale, Hi Tone, 282 N. Cleveland, Monday, July 19, 8-10 p.m., $9.01.

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Food & Wine Food & Drink

The Heat is On: Hi Tone Has Its Own Hot Sauce

Brian “Skinny” McCabe and Ronnie Lewis with Hi Tone Hot Sauce (Photo: Michael Donahue)

Brian “Skinny” McCabe came up with the idea for the new Hi Tone Hot Sauce when business cooled down at his Midtown nightspot.

“We were shut down for seven months straight last year,” McCabe says. “I was trying to find a way to get money coming in. When we can’t have crowds of people, it has been completely different.”

McCabe had some success with fundraisers selling specially designed Hi Tone T-shirts, but that wasn’t a long-term answer. “We relied so heavily on people coming to us to have a drink and see and hear music,” he says. “Shut down, we couldn’t do that. We needed something we could export year ’round.”

So, last February, McCabe thought about selling hot sauce. “I wouldn’t say everybody loves hot sauce, but the majority of my friends and people I know love hot sauce. We go over to each other’s house and they’ll have four different bottles. They have their favorite sauce they’ll swear by.”

McCabe found a company in Florida that makes and bottles hot sauce. “We just tested 14 different ones and I was like, ‘I would like that, but with a garlic kind of kick to it,’” McCabe remembers. “We just kept tweaking these recipes over a couple of weeks and then finally landed on one we really liked.”

He went with a garlic Habanero hot sauce. “I like the boldness of the garlic and then the kick of the heat of the Habanero at the very end,” McCabe says.

The hot sauce is good on “anything you want to put hot sauce on — fries, nachos, seafood, anything that needs a little more garlic and a little more heat.”

His sauce, which comes in five-ounce bottles that sell for $9 each, has a picture of the Hi Tone’s new building on the label, which was designed by Ronnie Lewis. “It’s bold. Really eye-catching.”

McCabe, who got 144 bottles for his first order, was down to 30 bottles a week and a half later. He’s waiting on his next order.

“Goner Records hit me up. They like hot sauce. They said, ‘We want to carry it,’” McCabe says. “I reached out to Nerd Alert on Cooper. They started carrying it in their store. It snowballed from there. I started making phone calls ’cause people are really excited about it.”

Hi Tone Hot Sauce also is carried at 901 Comics, 901 Games, and Shangri-La Records.

The hot sauce will be on sale at the Hi Tone, which will host a launch party — with samples — from 1 to 5 p.m., May 29th. “It will eventually be available online. Not sure when,” McCabe adds.

For now, he says, “I’m trying to keep everything as local as possible. I haven’t reached out to Kroger yet, but then again I never thought about going this far with it.”

McCabe isn’t a stranger to the kitchen; he cooks “all the time at home. Oh, man, ever since I was a latchkey kid coming up.”

But, he says, “Being able to cook and being a cook are two completely different things. I can cook something and it turns out how I like it, but it might not be edible to everyone else.”

He likes “fat boy foods. Comfort. I like meat and potatoes. I’m a big dude.”

The Hi Tone has evolved from the days when concertgoers bought barbecue cooked in front of the venue. “We have chef Sleepy [Johnson]. It’s a whole new kitchen.”

They offer “classic bar food,” including, McCabe claims, “some of the best mac and cheese in the city of Memphis.”

Hi Tone also offers a “smash burger,” McCabe says, noting that it’s a technique devised by Johnson. “He slaps it down on the grill. Pushes it down. His little blend of seasonings he uses on it is incredible.”

For now, the hot sauce isn’t on the table at Hi Tone due to COVID restrictions. But, McCabe says, “Ask for the hot sauce and we’ll hand you the bottle. Then bring it back and we’ll wipe it down.”

As for future Hi Tone condiments, McCabe says he’s sticking with hot sauce for now. But, he says, “We are going to release a super-duper hot one later on.”

Hi Tone is at 282-284 North Cleveland Street; (901) 490-0335.

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We Recommend We Recommend

Memphis miniFEST Showcases Local and Regional Musicians

CREDIT: Lucky 7 Brass Band

Experiencing festival withdrawals in these not-so-cold winter months? A collection of various up-and-coming local and regional musicians will showcase their talents at this Saturday’s Memphis miniFEST at the Hi Tone.

The mini fest, organized as part of a series of similar events held in cities throughout the country, was put together by Colorado-based company Bridging the Music Productions as a means of providing a platform for exposing local talents’ music to the public.

“We want to give artists the opportunity to be able to play an event where they can get their music out in front of new people, play at a great venue, and where we can create an opportunity for them to expand as an artist,” says Jonah Lipsky, head event producer for Bridging the Music.

Lucky 7 Brass Band

Lucky 7 Brass Band

The production company has presented concerts around the country for artists from the likes of Steve Molitz (Particle/Phil Lesh & Friends), Jason Hann (Eoto), SunSquabi, and more. Now, they’re touring the country, giving local artists in cities across the nation the opportunity to shine. One of those cities is Memphis, and Lipsky says they’re looking forward to bringing the series to the city to highlight some of our local and regional artists like Lucky 7 Brass Band, Jalan Veasley, and Woody & Sunshine.

“This will be our first event in Memphis, and we are excited to branch out into Tennessee,” says Lipsky. “MiniFEST has really great momentum, and people love the idea of a festival and community. And being able to see a ton of different acts throughout the night keeps people very entertained.”

Memphis miniFEST, Hi Tone, Saturday, January 18th, 6 p.m.-2 a.m., $17.99/advance, $20/door (+$5 for persons below 21 years of age).

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News News Feature

Party Like It’s 2020: Our NYE Guide

It’s been 20 years since 1999 — and 37 years since Prince released his end-of-the-world party album 1999 in 1982 — but we’re still going to party like it’s the end of the decade. That’s right, the “new” millennium is out of its difficult teen years and almost old enough to buy itself a drink or rent a car. Hopefully we’ve all gained some wisdom, but now’s not the time for quiet reflection. It’s time to par-tay! Here’s our guide to some of Memphis’ most happening events this New Year’s Eve.

AutoZone Liberty Bowl

The 61st annual bowl game is perfect for those who want to celebrate without staying out too late. Navy vs. Kansas State. Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, Tuesday, December 31st, 2:45 p.m.

Beale Street’s New Year’s Eve Celebration

Say goodbye to 2019 amid Beale’s 188 years of history with a party with live music, dancing, fireworks, food, drinks, and a giant mirror ball. No purchase necessary to attend, but remember, Beale Street is 21+ after dark. Beale Street, Tuesday, December 31st, 5 p.m.

Lord T. & Eloise

Lord T. & Eloise’s New Year’s Eve Ball

A night of decadence, desire, and debauchery promises to descend upon revelers at the newly reopened Black Lodge, with performances by Model Zero, Glorious Abhor, Louise Page, and Memphis’ most aristocratic rappers, Lord T. & Eloise. There will also be aerial and dance performances from Poleuminati and a light show from Queen Bea Arthur. Dance, dance, dance among the DVDs! Black Lodge, Tuesday, December 31st, 9 p.m. $20.

The PRVLG

New Year’s Eve at Hattiloo Theatre

Kortland Whalum, Talibah Safiya, and The PRVLG will perform, and comedian P.A. Bomani will deliver the end-of-year chuckles. Admission includes a flute of champagne and party favors, and the FunkSoul Cafe will be open, as well. Hattiloo Theatre, Tuesday, December 31st, 9 p.m.

New Year’s Eve at Graceland

Party like a king — or at least where the king of rock-and-roll used to party. Experience the “wonder of New” Year’s with this dinner and dance party at Elvis’ old stomping grounds. Roby Haynes and Party Plant perform, and admission includes a buffet dinner and midnight champagne toast. The Guest House at Graceland, Tuesday, December 31st, 7 p.m. $125.

Peabody New Year’s Eve Party

Ring in the new year in style at the South’s grand hotel. With music by Almost Famous, Seeing Red, and DJ Epic and a VIP section that includes party favors, hors d’oeuvres, and unlimited champagne, this party will help revelers set a sophisticated tone for the new year. The Peabody, Tuesday, December 31st, 8 p.m. $40-$175.

Quintron & Miss Pussycat’s New Year’s Eve

A New Year’s tradition. Hash Redactor and Aquarian Blood perform.Admission includes a free champagne toast and the balloon drop at midnight.

Hi Tone, Tuesday, December 31st, 8 p.m. $20.

Dale Watson & his Lone Stars with Honky Tonk Horn Section

This honky tonkin’ hootenanny is the Hernando’s Hide-A-Way way of ringing in the new year and a new decade. With a champagne toast, black-eyed peas, and cornbread to get the year started off on the right cowboy boot. Hernando’s Hide-A-Way, Tuesday, December 31st, 9 p.m.

New Year’s Eve with Spaceface

The Young Avenue Deli has a brand-new sound system, and there’s no better way to test it out than with a rockin’, raucous band. Ring in 2020 with Memphis’ most theatrical psychedelic party band. Champagne toast at midnight.

Young Avenue Deli, Tuesday, December 31st, 9 p.m. $15.

New Year’s Eve with Star & Micey

Railgarten is Midtown’s backyard, so it’s only right that they should invite local legends Star & Micey to help sing in the new year. For those who “Can’t Wait” for 2020, don’t try to Get ‘Em Next Time — get to this party this year. Daykisser opens. Railgarten, Tuesday, December 31st, 9:30 p.m.

New Year’s Eve Lantern Hike

Celebrate the new year in nature. Ranger Gooch leads this lantern-lit, two-mile hike through the woods. S’mores and hot chocolate or hot apple cider await attendees at the end of the hike. Remember to dress for the weather, and please leave flame-lit lanterns at home. Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park, Tuesday, December 31st, 11:30 p.m. $5.

Roaring ’20s New Year’s Eve Party

Giggle water at midnight, eh old chum? Admission includes an open wine and beer bar, a midnight champagne toast, and hors d’oeuvres. All proceeds go to the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Memphis. 616 Marshall, Tuesday, December 31st, 8 p.m. $75-$150.

Spectrum XL Goes to Minglewood

Ain’t no dance party like a Spectrum dance party. The storied club brings its end-of-the-year dance party to Minglewood. Bring your own sequins and glitter. Proceeds benefit Friends for Life. Minglewood Hall, Tuesday, December 31st, 9 p.m. $30-$125.

New Year’s Eve Bash at B.B. King’s

Maybe the best way to ensure you don’t get the blues in 2020 is to ring in the new year by dancing to the blues at B.B. King’s. Tickets include open wine and beer bar, midnight champagne toast, and hors d’oeuvres. B.B. King’s Blues Club, Tuesday, December 31st, 6 p.m. $25 (general admission), $100 (dinner package).

Back to the ’20s

Another early-night option, Crosstown Brewing’s New Year’s shindig includes music by Graham Winchester, dinner catered by Next Door American Eatery, and the debut of I Am Brut — a Brut IPA for those non-champagne drinkers out there. Crosstown Brewing Company, Tuesday, December 31st, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Beauty Shop New Year’s Eve

A four-course dinner with the swinging, sultry sounds of Gary Johns & His Mini Orchestra. Call 272-7111 for reservations. Beauty Shop, Tuesday, December 31st, 5 p.m.

Toast to the ’20s

Tin Roof gets the new year going with music from Chris Ferrara, Bluff City Bandits, The Common Good, DJ Stringbean, and DJ ZewMob. Champagne toast at midnight. Tin Roof, Tuesday, December 31st, 6 p.m., $30.

New Year’s Party at Gold Club

Okay, so the family-friendly holidays are over. The little turkeys and reindeer have all been put to bed before midnight, and the adults will play. It’s time to get down and dirty and let the new year come in hot and heavy. Party with a balloon drop, dance and drink specials, and a complimentary champagne toast at midnight. Gold Club Memphis, Tuesday, December 31st, all night long.

New Year’s Eve on the Terrace

Ring in the new year against the stunning backdrop of the Mississippi River and the colorful Mighty Lights bridge light show. What’s more Memphis than that? Call 260-3366 for reservations. Terrace at the River Inn, Tuesday, December 31st, 4 p.m.

Y2K New Year’s Dance Party

Remember the Y2K panic of 1999? The computers couldn’t understand a new millennium. A nine becoming a zero was going to cause worldwide nuclear meltdown. Anyway, let’s relive that end-of-year mass hysteria — with drinks and dancing! Celebrating the 20th anniversary of Y2K with end-of-the-world drink specials, DJs spinning tunes, and dancing throughout the night. Rec Room, Tuesday, December 31st, 8 p.m.

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The Radio Broadcast Brings its Mario Kart 64 U.S. Tour to Hi Tone

CREDIT: Angel Carrera

Houston-based electronic duo The Radio Broadcast brings its Mario Kart 64 U.S. Tour to the Hi Tone Sunday, December 29th.

The electroclash group, made up of couple Kristin and Michael Heilman, incorporates video game styles into their eclectic sound, sometimes using actual Nintendo Game Boys to do so. They also typically integrate video game play at their local shows, so when they decided to embark on this tour, they thought that hosting a Mario Kart competition seemed like the perfect idea.

“With us doing a tour, we figured, ‘Well, let’s try to do something a little bit bigger,'” says Michael. “A game that everybody definitely enjoys is Mario Kart. We usually do some kind of video game competition, but we’ve never brought a Nintendo 64 out before. So we thought, going from city to city, that this is like a Mario Kart circuit on its own. So we refined everything and came up with the idea to make it a little competition.”

Angel Carrera

Rainbow Road rage across America

During the competition, guests will be invited to play four Mario Kart races per round. The number of rounds that can be played are unlimited, and whoever earns the most points by the end of the show will have the opportunity to receive special prizes, like a 2020 Mario calendar, Nintendo mints and candies, figurines, and more. The event winner will also be put into a list of finalists from the entire tour for a chance to win the grand prize: a Nintendo 64 game console with an original copy of Mario Kart 64.

Michael says there is no prerequisite to join in on the tournament.

“The main requirement to play is to just have fun,” he says. “We want this to be fun for everybody.”

Mario Kart 64 U.S. TOUR, Hi Tone, Sunday December 29th, 9 p.m., $7.

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Merry Christmas, Baby: HEELS Xmas Variety Show

CREDIT: Holly Jee

Holly Jee

Brennan Whalen (left) and Josh McLane of HEELS


“It’s got that ‘we’re putting on a show’ feel,” says Memphis comedian and drummer/vocalist for Memphis band HEELS, Josh McLane, of the Hi Tone’s small room. It’s the site for HEELS’ upcoming Christmas variety show on Saturday, December 21st. “That’s why I like this room so much. The Christmas show is a prime example of that.”

McLane says he owes his wife, Cara McLane, for the inspiration to transform the Hi Tone’s small room into a winter wonderland for a Christmas-themed extravaganza. Earlier this year, Cara threw him a birthday party in the music venue. “She made the entire room up with pink and streamers, and she got a 4-foot, blow-up unicorn,” McLane says.

“I’m a sentimental sucker,” McLane explains. “I’m a fan of old-school television, and with Brennan [Whalen] and I pushing, not so much a comedy gig, but having a lot of banter, I was like, ‘Why don’t we do something that nobody would do in Memphis? The variety show.’”

And a variety show seems an ideal task for the duo of McLane and HEELS guitarist/vocalist Brennan Whalen. The band, with its frequent lyrical nods to Memphis wrasslin’, comedic stage banter, and seemingly uncategorizable performances, is primed to take on such a challenge. But how did McLane and Whalen become, well, HEELS?

“When we started … I think a lot of people took from a lot of the Goner bands that nobody was talking. There was no banter anymore, it was just ‘Let’s get just up there and blow our rock down your face and kick ya in the teeth and be done with it,’ which is a great thing,” McLane says of HEELS’ transformation into a part-band, part-comedy-duo musical amalgamation. “I’ve been doing stand-up forever, and Brennan’s adorable and really funny, and nobody knows about it. So we made a rule that you’re not allowed to talk on stage unless it’s into the microphone. No matter what it is. ‘My string broke.’ ‘Sorry, I fucked that song up.’ anything,” McLane goes on to explain. “The whole rule of the band is we can be funny in between songs all we want; we’d never write funny songs.”

Ronnie Lewis

Okay, fair enough, but why Christmas, one might wonder. What about trucker hats, tattoos, love songs about a box of porn found in the woods, and a bombastic stage persona adds up to spell Christmas variety show?

“We’re both big suckers,” McLane says, explaining that the band’s veneer of sweat and sarcasm hides two tender teddy bear hearts. “So I wanted to bring in a bunch of people we like playing with. We don’t really play with bands a whole lot. When we book our own shows, we usually do stand-up [comedians] because it’s easier for me to pay stand-ups.”

“I love Christmas, so we brought our friends out. I’m using all the characters in our little world,” McLane says of the variety show. “Mitchell Manley shows up as Santa because we wanted to invite Santa to a Christmas party.” McLane excitedly continues, saying, “Ben Ricketts is doing a song. Kitty Dearing is doing a song. Brando from Wailing Banshees is doing a tune,” McLane continues, reeling off a list of names that includes Michaela Caitlin from Rosey, as well as Mitchell Manley and Josh Stevens from Glorious Abhor, a Memphis group for whom specially themed shows are old hat.

Glorious Abhor hosts the Memphis’ Last Waltz events every Thanksgiving — when the psychrock band recruits other Bluff City players to help recreate Martin Scorsese’s famous documentary about The Band’s farewell concert, The Last Waltz. HEELS has joined Glorious Abhor for past Memphis’ Last Waltz shows, and Whalen does a mean version of Neil Young’s “Helpless.”

McLane continues: “Jason Pulley from Tape Deck and a million other bands [including Glorious Abhor] is playing. I’ve been in bands with Jason since Mrs. Fletcher, so he’ll always be my piano player, even though I haven’t been in a band with him for 10 years.”

“You just want to be Johnny Carson who gets to play in the band,” McLane’s wife told him, and the comedian and musician assents that she’s right, asking, “Why just play regular shows if you can bend the rules?”


HEELS Xmas Variety Show at Hi Tone, Saturday, December 21st, 9 p.m.