On Saturday, June 7th, the Mid-South Peace & Justice Center will stage what it hopes will become an annual benefit show, “Bands Not Bombs,“ on the grounds of Galloway United Methodist Church (1015 S. Cooper). The day-long family-friendly outdoor concert will start at 1 p.m. and will feature restaurant vendors, booths from other social-justice organizations, film presentations, and a slew of good local music from the likes of The Warble, Holly Cole, Snowglobe, Pezz, The Harmony Brothers, former Glass frontman Brad Bailey, and several others.
“Everyone in the band believes we can change the world through direct action and through music. The Mid-South Peace & Justice Center focuses on changing the world as its full-time mission, so we were honored when we were asked to play the benefit,” said Marvin Stockwell of Pezz, who also will donate a portion of the proceeds from their forthcoming new album to the center.
“While we hope this is an opportunity to raise people’s consciousness and encourage them to take action on certain issues, we also just want folks to come out, have a good time, and get to know each other,” says Peace & Justice Center director Jacob Flowers. “We’re not going to have a peaceful community until we have a community in the first place.”
Admission to “Bands Not Bombs” is $10, and water bottles, lawn chairs, and blankets will be allowed. For more information about the event or the Mid-South Peace & Justice Center, visit MidSouthPeace.org.
Here’s a full schedule of bands: Andrew Bryant (1 p.m.); Nehl Cloete (1:40 p.m.); Brad Bailey (2:20 p.m.); The Warble (3 p.m.); The Harmony Brothers (4 p.m.); Holly Cole (5 p.m.); Dead Trends (6 p.m.); Jeffrey James & the Haul (7 p.m.); The Yazoo Shakes (8 p.m.); Dragoon (9 p.m.); While I Breathe I Hope (10 p.m.); Pezz (11 p.m.); Snowglobe (midnight). — J.D. Reager
Music Notes: Sometimes-Memphis-based musician Ron Franklin will perform at the Hi-Tone Café Saturday, June 7th. The concert will serve as a local CD-release party for the prolific Franklin’s latest long-player, an eponymous disc on the California-based Alive Records. Doors open at 9 p.m.; admission is $5. … Franklin’s isn’t the only local CD-release show Saturday night. Alt-country band Joecephus and the George Jonestown Massacre will celebrate the release of their new album, Smothered and Covered, at Young Avenue Deli. Doors open at 9 p.m. Admission is $5. … The Cove, a nautical-themed bar at 2559 Broad, is one of the city’s more interesting new hotspots, featuring oysters on the half-shell from the same supplier used by the dearly departed Anderton’s. This weekend, on Friday, June 6th, the bar makes its live-music debut with a triple bill that begins with visual artist/garage-rocker Lamar Sorrento, continues with the burlesque troupe The Memphis Belles, and concludes with the dandy roots-rock duo Deering & 
Holly Cole
Down. Doors open at 9 p.m. with a $5 cover. For more on the Cove, see MySpace.com/TheCoveBar … The introduction of music at the Cove only adds to the burgeoning arts scene on Broad, a semi-industrial stretch previously known for defunct dive extraordinaire the Beer Joint (which was located where the Cove is now) and forever and always the down-home pies at Broadway Pizza. Also helping reinvent Broad is performance space Odessa (2613 Broad), which welcomes experimental Chicago-based indie-rockers Singer on Thursday, June 5th. … The Stax Museum of American Soul Music unveils a new exhibit on Friday, June 6th. “I Shot Ray Charles” is a collection of roughly 50 images of the late, great Brother Ray shot by photographer Howard Morehead. The collection of photos spans 40 years of Charles’ life. The opening reception for the exhibit is from 5 to 7 p.m. Admission is $10 or free to museum members.
— Chris Herrington