Memphis Flyer 1/11/2024 by Contemporary Media

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ANDREA FENISE

ROARING BACK INTO THE ’20S

Avery Cunningham’s debut novel explores the seldom explored yet vibrant history of the Black elite.

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CONTENTS

SHARA CLARK Editor-in-Chief SAMUEL X. CICCI Managing Editor JACKSON BAKER, BRUCE VANWYNGARDEN Senior Editors TOBY SELLS Associate Editor KAILYNN JOHNSON News Reporter CHRIS MCCOY Film and TV Editor ALEX GREENE Music Editor MICHAEL DONAHUE, JON W. SPARKS Staff Writers ABIGAIL MORICI Arts and Culture Editor GENE GARD, EMILY GUENTHER, COCO JUNE, FRANK MURTAUGH Contributing Columnists SHARON BROWN, AIMEE STIEGEMEYER Grizzlies Reporters KENNETH NEILL Founding Publisher

Highway 64 runs straight as a Pentecostal preacher, aimed at the shadowy Ozark hills far across the flat belly of Arkansas. I hardly have to turn the steering wheel to stay in my lane. Cruise control is set on 65. It’s early morning and I can hear Olive softly snorting in her sleep on the passenger seat, legs restless and scritchy as she dreams of squirrels, just out of reach. Good dog. Driving is a great time to think. I think about age a lot. I’m still learning how to be old. There’s all the usual stuff people talk about that happens to you: You walk into a room and forget why you were going there. You suddenly can’t remember the name of the drummer for Genesis or that ridiculously famous actor who starred in Pretty Woman. It drives you crazy and you refuse to google. Then you wake up to pee at 2:37 a.m. and it comes to you. Richard Gere, what a jerk. But he’s just another old guy now. Probably peeing somewhere in Bel Air. You begin to notice how age is an invisibility cloak, unless maybe you’re Richard Gere. No one cares what clothes you wear or what kind of car you drive or how your hair looks. Store clerks and waitresses call you “sweetie,” like you’re 6. They offer to carry your wine out to the car at the liquor store. Punks. It strikes you how blithely younger people assume the years ahead are guaranteed. My young neighbor says of her toddlers: “I can’t wait to see what they’ll be like as teenagers.” A TV analyst discusses possibilities for the 2028 presidential election — five years away — like it’s tomorrow. Yeah, well, you think, I might not be around for that stuff. It’s entirely unavoidable, and no one does it meaning to be cruel but, you know, age rings some new bells. You might think twice about getting a pet that could outlive you. PHOTO: BRUCE VANWYNGARDEN And lots of things have a potential to Olive, a good dog become a “lifetime supply” — a box of 100 plastic 30-gallon trash bags, a 24-roll package of jumbo paper towels. Shopping at Costco is for optimists, I say to my wife. She laughs. Or she used to. Even my jokes are old. I have a friend in his early 80s. He’s bought three cool cars in the past 10 years, each on the excuse that it would be his “last car.” That’s the way to game the system. Also, shout-out to the admissions guy at the Children’s Museum last Saturday for questioning whether I was eligible for the senior discount. You rock. When do we move from “late middle-age” to “early old”? When do we stop being surprised by our reflection in a store window? Is that wrinkly face really mine? I can’t tell you. It’s a surprise every time, so far. One thing I do know is that how you may feel at 70 can be a lot different than how someone else may feel. The number of years we’ve lived is an odometer, not a watch. Some of us are Volvos, some of us are Kias. Your mileage may vary. As will your number of trips to the repair shop. The writer Penelope Lively wrote, “chronology bores me,” as well it should. Burn the days. They’ll spill into years soon enough. People give you books: Better With Age: The Psychology of Successful Aging; The End of Old Age: Living a Longer, More Purposeful Life; Women Rowing North: Navigating Life’s Currents and Flourishing as We Age. They can’t hurt, I suppose, though reading the subtitles NEWS & OPINION can eat up valuable days. THE FLY-BY - 4 You can also get lots of books on POLITICS - 6 how to stay healthy. Don’t buy them. SPIRITS - 8 They all say the same thing: Exercise, FINANCE - 9 eat a balanced diet, stay mentally active, COVER STORY “ROARING BACK INTO THE ’20s” socialize often. Good advice. It also BY ABIGAIL MORICI - 10 helps if you have longevity in your WE RECOMMEND - 13 genes. Just ask my 99-year-old mother. MUSIC - 14 And I think driving with your dog AFTER DARK - 15 to a trout stream in Arkansas is a great CALENDAR - 16 way to stay young. You wade in, you NY TIMES CROSSWORD - 16 ASTROLOGY - 17 think and you don’t think, you’re in NEWS OF THE WEIRD - 18 the mist, in the moment. Alive. And FOOD - 19 tonight, I’ll softly snort in my sleep, my FILM - 20 legs restless and scritchy as I dream of CL ASSIFIEDS - 22 trout, just out of reach. Good boy. LAST WORD - 23 Bruce VanWyngarden brucev@memphisflyer.com

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OUR 1820TH ISSUE 01.11.24 Editor’s note: Flyer writers will occasionally share this space.

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S TAT E WAT C H B y To b y S e l l s

Gun Violence Debate to Return

FINAL UPDATE

Advocacy groups plan to keep the issue top of mind for lawmakers as legislature returns.

Former Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland used his final email blast last week for a victory lap backed up by data. In his eight years in office, the city spent $200 million on parks and community centers, he said. About $40 million is typically spent over the same period. THE CRUD

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Questions, Answers + Attitude

Guy Fieri, the Mayor of Flavortown, rolled into Memphis recently for visits with two restaurants. Good Fortune Co.’s segment aired last Friday. Little Bettie’s will air this Friday at 8 p.m.

Gun violence is still top of mind for a number of organizations as lawmakers from across the state convened in Nashville Tuesday for a regular session of the Tennessee General Assembly. In March 2023, a shooter killed three children and three adults at Nashville’s Covenant School. Among the victims was a friend of Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee. Thousands began to show up at the Tennessee State Capitol building to demand action on gun violence from lawmakers. Lee later proposed PHOTO: RISE & SHINE TENNESSEE a series of laws to keep While gun violence dominated headlines and discussion last year, the GOP guns out of the hands supermajority in Tennessee did little to address the issue. of those who could be a threat to themselves or others. None of his Republican colleagues picked up the a teacher, and more. bills. Instead, they quickly passed the state budget and “Gun violence is like a yarn ball — and not the kind fled back to their home districts. that comes all rolled up and pretty — but the kind that is However, Lee brought them all back to Nashville in just everywhere,” reads a statement from Jaila Hampton, August for a special session. The meeting was to yield a group member who is a Memphis college student and some sort of meaningful regulations to curb gun violence activist. “It’s so complex. There’s no overnight solution, here. None came, really. Though one bill did cut the tax and every day that we’re doing nothing, somebody is for gun locks and safes. Republicans, it seemed, had losing their life.” sidestepped the issue with no political damage done to This group used the online Citizens Solutions platform to their Second-Amendment stances. help solve the divisive gun violence issue. Over the past few However, at least two groups are not yet ready to let the months, the group’s list of eight proposals on the matter were gun-violence debate fade as the GOP would like. whittled down to five from more than 30,000 Tennesseans Rise & Shine Tennessee, a nonprofit group created during from all 95 counties. The group will present those proposals last year’s rallies against gun violence, planned to bring to lawmakers Tuesday. The proposals include: children aged 5 through 10 to Nashville to tell their stories • Temporary removal of firearms based on risk of to the media. violence “It’s time to hear from the youth themselves about their • Tools to support responsible gun ownership desires and needs,” reads a statement from the group. “These • Expansion of the roles of school resource officers youth are not pawns in a political game, but individuals • Community investment to reduce trauma impacted the most by inaction on gun safety.” • Gun issue literacy resources for schools, communities, The group will return to Nashville Thursday with a group and media of high school students who have met with lawmakers, Another group likely to continue to speak out against attended rallies, and sat in meetings of the legislature. gun violence here is Moms Demand Action Tennessee Another group planned to convene at Legislative (MDAT). The group posted a new ranking just last week Plaza Tuesday to “address gun violence and safety while from the national Everytown for Gun Safety organization. upholding gun rights.” The TN11 group is comprised of 11 In it, Tennessee ranked 29th in the nation for gun law Tennesseans “from all sides of the ideological and political strength, with some of the weakest gun laws in the country aisle,” including a firearms instructor, a former state trooper, and some of the highest rates of gun violence.

Litter Buggies {

CITY REPORTER By Kailynn Johnson

A Memphis engineer innovates a newfangled solution for an oldfangled problem.

lenn Morris, originally from Texas, is a fulltime engineer who has shared his Litter Buggies project across platforms to show users how easy picking up trash can be. For example, Morris shared that on January 1st alone he picked up 30 gallons of trash near Beale Street. Litter Buggies are remote-controlled (RC) cars that Morris designed and built. They carry trash bags as he walks, which makes picking up litter more efficient.

In one day, he picked up more than 30 gallons of litter near Beale Street. The idea originally came as a way to knock down sandcastles, which he did as a pastime. Finding none sometimes, he and his wife decided to add trailers to the back of the cars and pick up trash on the beach.

The Flyer spoke with Morris to learn more about Litter Buggies and how they have positively impacted the community. This interview has been edited for clarity and length. Memphis Flyer: How did the idea of picking up trash around Memphis come to mind? Glenn Morris: [When] you’re working from home all day, you’re indoors all day. It’s good exercise. It’s miles and miles. You mentioned that you don’t get paid for this, so what motivates you to dedicate your time and effort to this? For me it’s the design challenges involved with it. Every time I go out I look for issues with them to try to make the systems better. Then I make the videos to show people how much easier this thing makes it, even though the rigs are expensive. There’s no way to make them cheaply where they last. They’re decently expensive, and 90 percent of that cost is in the RC car itself. I make all those videos, one because,

turns out, people seem to like it for some reason. I don’t know, they find it relaxing. But, more importantly, it shows how easy being able to pick this stuff up and putting it in there is. You’re not carrying [litter] around with you. Because carrying a bucket for three or four miles, people aren’t going to do that. Community organized pickups are always a lot of people, in a small, defined area picking up everything they can. Whereas the stuff I’m doing is a single individual, or sometimes multiples (depending if the wife wants to go with me or other people have the systems), it’s a few people covering a lot of distance picking up primarily the plastics, the Styrofoams, and stuff like that. The cardboard is more or less biodegradable. That’s not as big of a concern as picking up the plastics and whatnot. How have Memphians responded to the Litter Buggies and what type of impact have you observed so far?

PHOTO: GLENN MORRIS

A Litter Buggy on the move [I’ve seen] a lot of positive feedback from the Reddit page. I’m getting ready to build the next version of these systems here this week. The only way I can do that is through donations from Redditors who have said, “Thanks for what you’re doing. I’d like to donate a little bit of money to help do it.” I took that money and I was able to buy the next RC car to build the next version of it. The better version than what you normally see in those videos.

General Adoption Requirements Be safe! Keep debris away from your adopted storm drain. Pick up litter and yard waste before it enters the drain. Don’t forget to log your activity on CleanMemphisStormWater.com! Call Memphis Drain Maintenance at 901-357-0100 or call Memphis 3-1-1 to open a service request if your storm drain is damaged or clogged. Call Memphis Storm Water at 901-636-4349 if you observe improper disposal of yard waste or other debris into your adopted drain.

NEWS & OPINION

As you know, removing litter and yard waste that may otherwise enter the storm drain prevents pollution from entering our receiving waterways and reduces flooding: improving neighborhoods and our City. We call this ‘adopting a storm drain’ and now the City of Memphis Storm Water Department has partnered with Clean Memphis to bring you a new way to adopt a storm drain. You can visit CleanMemphisStormWater.com and use an interactive map to select and name a storm drain near you! Once your adoption request is approved, a staff member will go to your adopted drain and label it with a personalized name marker. A password will be emailed for you to view your adopted drain(s) and quickly enter your cleaning data. You will also be able to see how all of your actions add up; CleanMemphisStormWater.com shows how much trash has been removed and how many drains are adopted throughout the entire City.

m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m

This New Year, Resolve to Clean Memphis Storm Water!

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It isn’t necessarily last year and the MPD’s status under momentous that a Department of Justice investigation, Mayor Paul Young is enough to have flagged Davis’ will face a delay reappointment for special attention. in having his It was clear when Davis spoke to the newly announced Rotary Club in November that she — appointments and her mayoral sponsor — wanted to approved by the regard her appointment as a certainty. city council. But it isn’t incidental or She prescribed a year’s worth of policy meaningless, either. points with the air of one who could As the week began, it had become speak to their achievement. Yet there was common knowledge that, upon their something vague, tentative, and not quite formal presentation to the council last jelled about her presentation — as there Tuesday, the courtesy of “same-night was when she recapped her intentions minutes” was likely to be denied to again last week at a crime summit called some — if not all — of by Young. the appointees. Meanwhile, there “Same-night minutes” was head-scratching is the shorthand for a at City Hall as to parliamentary process Young’s inability — or whereby actions taken indecision — regarding by the council in a given his naming of a COO session are approved by and a CFO, though he an immediate second had reportedly scoured vote by the council the city governments to become instantly of Nashville and effective and to avoid Chattanooga for follow-up action at the prospects. group’s next regular The resultant meeting, when the highlighting of Davis’ minutes of the preceding appointment against a meeting would normally backdrop of Stricklandget formal approval. It’s era retainees left his a “hurry-up” process, cabinet-level choices as a means of hastening looking somehow the effective date of a incomplete and council action, making it, provisional. in effect, instantaneous. Pointedly, council It is employed when chairman JB Smiley, the avoidance of any determined, it would delay is considered a seem, to assert council paramount factor. prerogatives, began The process is also running a poll on invoked, as previously X to gauge public suggested, as a courtesy acceptability of Davis’ of sorts — as in the appointment, and no PHOTO (TOP): CITY OF MEMPHIS case of most mayoral council members have CJ Davis appointments. seemed anything but PHOTO (MIDDLE): PAUL YOUNG As it happens, the resolute when sounding FOR MEMPHIS Young appointees were out on the issue. Paul Young to be presented to the None of this council almost a year to PHOTO (ABOVE): CITY OF MEMPHIS augurs well for a new JB Smiley the day from that awful administration which moment in January is still seen — at best 2023 when Tyre Nichols was beaten to — as enveloped with an aura of the death by an out-of-control unit of the unknown and untested. SCORPION task force, which had been It remains to be seen whether the created by Memphis Police Chief CJ situation reflects more of a sense of Davis as a would-be elite enforcement unreadiness on the part of the new element of the Memphis Police regime or an aroused determination Department. on the council’s part to assert its own That fact, along with the well-known authority. circumstance of an increased rate of Either way, it certainly amounts to a violent crime in Memphis during the rough start.

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SPIRITS By Michael Donahue

Buster’s East The longtime Memphis spirits store will open a new location.

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uster’s Liquors will open its second location February 1st at 5851 Poplar Avenue in the Ridgeway Trace Shopping Center. Their location at 191 South Highland Street will now be known as Buster’s Liquors University. The new store will be known as Buster’s Liquors East. The new store is 18,000 square feet, as opposed to 16,000 square feet at their Highland store, says Josh Hammond, one of the owners of the Buster’s stores along with his brother, Morgan Hammond, and their mother, Gay Hammond. The location of the new space, which once housed a Staples store, has three times the amount of car traffic, Josh says. “From, basically, the Clark Tower on down to Kirby is a huge retail corridor. We feel like we’re finally over here in this major retail core of the city.” The new location will feature a “tasting kiosk” — a “four-sided tasting area where we can host events,” Josh says. Buster’s Liquors East also will include “a walk-in cigar humidor and a walk-in climate-control room for fine wine. And then we’ll have two conference rooms where we can conduct private and intimate tastings.” According to a release, Buster’s Liquors was founded by R. M. “Buster” Hammond Jr. in 1954 on South Bellevue. “In 1968, Buster and his son, Rommy, moved the store to the corner of Poplar and Highland,” the release states. “And they finally reached their current location in 1970 with the completion of a new adjacent retail center, Dillard Square, that’s since been renamed ‘The University Center.’” As for opening a new store at this time, Josh says, “The timing was just right. Everything seemed to come together.” And, he adds, “This part of town is definitely in need of a larger retail wine and spirits shop that can literally carry everything. So, the industry is trending that way to larger stores. I think everything just came together quite nicely for us to get this place. “A lot of our dear customers and friends have moved further out east,” he says, “and just don’t venture back in town as much as they used to. So, it will be nice to come out to East Memphis and see our old customers again.” They gave their store on Highland a facelift almost 10 years ago. “We

renovated the store entirely in 2015 on Highland.” Last August, they opened Buster’s Butcher next to the Highland location. According to the release, Buster’s Butcher is “a full-service meat and cheese butcher shop” that “features professionally skilled butchers and stocks a curated assortment of meats, beef, pork, and international cheeses along with a number of made-in-house sausages, prepared sides, spices, and more.” For now, the new location will be a “specialty liquor store,” Josh says. As for putting in a butcher shop at the new location, he says, “There is a space next to it. The landlord knows we’re interested. But first things first: We have to make sure these two new ventures — Buster’s Butcher and the new Buster’s East — are ‘ginning.’” Grinder, Taber & Grinder was the contractor on the new location. Designshop was the architect and interior designer. Old City Millwork did the millwork. Datacomm Services Corporation and Pomeroy IT Solutions Inc. handled all the computer and network needs. “As far as colors and finishes, I would say a lot of what you see at the butcher shop is a little bit of what you’ll see at the new store.” Would the Hammond family consider opening more locations down the road? “I’ll never say never. First of all, it’s taken us 70 years to get here.” Asked how he felt about his family opening another location, Josh says, “My dad and my grandfather, all the effort they put into establishing a brand name for themselves in this city, and the legacy my brother and I get to carry on is a tremendous honor.” He and his family have the opportunity to “serve the Memphis area” and “do it with a friendly nature and provide great customer value with our selection, pricing, and expertise. And it allows us to give back, which is also important to do in our family. “We know the old adage: ‘The first generation creates it, the second generation grows it, and the third generation destroys it.’ We’re the third generation and we’re growing it. So, I think we’re doing something right. “And we’re welcoming our fourth generation with my nephew, Morgan’s son, Bear Hammond, who is coming into the business.” They currently are in the process of hiring about 25 employees to work at either location, Josh says.

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NEWS & OPINION

large perturbations) in the markets. You’re in it for the long run. You’ll miss the big upside if you’re in cash waiting for the next big downside.” We get a lot of questions about how to buy Them: “That all completely makes and sell to take advantage of short-term sense and I understand. I’m on board volatility in the stock market. with the plan. But seriously, can you just These questions usually come up please call me if the market looks like it’s when … about to go down?” • There has been a sustained period of Selling at the top is hard, but there is a good performance. (It can’t last, right?) way to buy lower consistently, and that’s • There has been a sustained period through the magic of a bond allocation of bad performance. (Is this going to get and a rebalancing process. The purpose of worse?) bonds is not just to produce income. They • The markets have moved up and tend to perform well when stocks stumble down a lot. (Don’t choppy markets signal (or at least they don’t fall as quickly), so danger?) they can provide a source of cash to buy Some people are always convinced that stocks when they’re on sale. a big downturn is just around the corner. Let’s look at a hypothetical example. Say you have $100,000 with 80 percent PHOTO: KELLY SIKKEMA | UNSPLASH in stocks and 20 percent in bonds. Your stocks decline 10 percent and the bond market is unchanged. Now your portfolio is $72,000 in stocks and $20,000 in bonds, or about 78 percent stocks and 22 percent bonds. If you rebalance back to target, you will sell There’s an old joke about gold miners about $1,600 of your bonds and use the who have an accident and are waiting proceeds to buy stocks. outside St. Peter’s gate in a long line. An This small transaction might not impatient miner in the back shouts, “Gold seem like much, but it adds up in the struck in hell!” and all the miners eagerly long term. It’s a real way to buy stocks run away. Then the impatient miner low(er) without having to worry about starts to follow them, much to St. Peter’s timing things perfectly. surprise. The miner explains, “Well, I Market timing is exhausting and guess I’ll go with the gang — there might simply doesn’t work, in our experience. be some truth to that rumor.” Rather than looking for a better marIn the same way, completely rational ket signal, committed market timers people — even investment professionals probably should look for more bonds to — will try to time markets even though dampen the downside of a market corthey know better. It’s just too tempting. rection and take advantage of that opporI have many conversations like this: tunity to buy lower. Even in a world of Them: “Will you call me when the low expected bond returns, they perform market looks like it’s about to go down, so a very important function for risk-averse I can sell first?” investors. The time to sell high is in reMe: “That’s not something we can do. tirement, after a lifetime of compounding Nobody in the world has ever demonthrough good markets and bad! Gene Gard, CFA, CFP®, CFT-I™, is a strated a sustained ability to sell at the Private Wealth Manager and Partner with top and buy at the bottom. There’s always Creative Planning. Creative Planning is one bad news out there, but markets climb a of the nation’s largest registered investment wall of worry. If you do call a top, it’s even advisory firms providing comprehensive harder to buy back just at the right time wealth management services to ensure because the market bottom will be at the all elements of a client’s financial life are moment of maximum pessimism and you working together, including investments, won’t want to get back in. taxes, estate planning, and risk manage“You should focus on investing your ment. For more information or to request money consistently over time, believe in a free, no-obligation consultation, visit the rebalancing process, and not worry CreativePlanning.com. about the small perturbations (or even

m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m

We’re reprinting this column from October 2021 because it’s always time to resist temptation.

COV E R STORY B y A bi gai l M or i ci

PHOTO: ANDREA FENISE

Memphian Avery Cunningham debuts her novel at the end of January.

ROARING BACK INTO THE ’20S

Avery Cunningham’s debut novel explores the seldom explored yet vibrant history of the Black elite.

January 11-17, 2024

very Cunningham was destined to be a storyteller. Even at a young age, she would stand on a stepping stool in her childhood kitchen in Jackson, Tennessee, and just orate what she now calls “stream of consciousness tales.” People would filter in and out, and Cunningham would keep telling her stories. “I would do this for hours,” she says. “And I guess that’s the clearest representation of the type of person I am and how I’ve always been this person who wanted to tell stories even if no one was listening.” Except people are ready to listen to Cunningham’s stories. At the beginning of 2022, she sold her debut novel to Hyperion Avenue

on proposal, a rare feat for a debut author but, as Cunningham assures, more common than one might think. “I honestly wish that more people talked openly about it, so writers don’t feel this incredible pressure to have written the perfect book right out of the gate,” she says. She didn’t have years to sit and ponder. She had a deadline, and a full-time job at Southern College of Optometry’s student services. There were late nights with “big dead eyes” stretched open to the glare of the computer screen. There were twohour-long walks with her Bernese mountain dog, Grizzly, while she devised her story’s structure. And there were visits to Memphis coffee

shops and hotel lobbies where she wrote and wrote and wrote, and occasionally looked up to watch those around her, the way they moved, the sound of their voice, could they fit a character’s description? “They don’t tell you when you’re in a writing program where you have all of this time built in to discover your craft that the challenge is working on this incredible craft and art — these really soul- and time-eating pursuits — while also trying to be a constructive member of society,” Cunningham says. “And that’s a challenge but also that’s part of what it means to be a

ON MAXWELL STREET Avery Cunningham’s book doesn’t open with the glitz and glamor you’d expect from a 1920s drama — that comes later. Instead, a prologue settles the reader in a dilapidated plantation in Alabama, a sign of the Old South, where a white woman falsely and maliciously accuses a Black man of rape, a tragedy that history is all too familiar with. Yet, this is not the story at the center of Cunningham’s novel, though it’ll reveal its relevance as the plot unravels. The prologue, ultimately, serves as context, a contrast for the unfamiliar yet vibrant aspect of American history that has seldom been honored or explored in media. Within The Mayor of Maxwell Street, the daughter of the “wealthiest Negro in America,” Nelly Sawyer, finds herself the premier debutante of Black society after the sudden death of her only brother, and immediately, she is whisked off to a number of social engagements as part of her coming-out, much to her chagrin. She has her secrets, though — for the past year, she’s written as an undercover investigative journalist, reporting “the achievements and tribulations of everyday Black people living in the shadow of Jim Crow.” Nelly’s latest assignment: to identify the head of an underground crime syndicate, the so-called Mayor of Maxwell Street. Soon, she enlists the help of the mysterious low-level speakeasy manager, Jay Shorey. So, yes, there’s glitz and glamor, guns and gangsters, speakeasies and soirees in this novel that seeks out life’s contradictions and doesn’t shy away from its harsh realities. At once Cunningham’s Chicago is alluring, dazzling even, yet its underbelly is foreboding, her characters under the pressure of “the monolith of Jim Crow, the inflexible world of the Black upper class, and the violence of

Prohibition-era Chicago.” “I wanted to honor that era,” Cunningham says. “And I tried to be as historically accurate or representative of the place and the time and the people as I could. But of course, I also didn’t want to attempt to match Fitzgerald’s style or [Nella] Larsen’s style or any writers that were really prevalent during the ’20s. Because it was a different time, a different place, and different readers. So I just hope that my own voice kind of came through but also still managed to honor as much of the historical accuracy as possible.”

stranger than what we think reality might be. And there are already so many amazing stories nestled in the past. And through historical fiction writers can really bring all of that to light and expose new readers and new people to the stories and kind of really honor the lives of the past.” In 2020 and 2021, mainstream media began to incorporate people of color in historical settings that traditionally excluded them, Cunningham says. The Netflix series Bridgerton, for instance, cast Black men and women in roles of British aristocracy during a

PHOTO: ANDREA FENISE

Cunningham frequented coffee shops and hotel lobbies to write and observe passersby.

THE MAKING OF THE BOOK “I’ve called myself a writer for pretty much as long as I’ve been aware of written language,” Cunningham says. “And historical fiction has always been what I’ve enjoyed. … One of my first novels ever, or technically a novel — it’s buried somewhere in a box from when I was 13 years old — but even that first experience of novel writing was set in medieval France. And so I love the research aspect of historical fiction. I love how history is so often stranger than fiction or

period when slavery was central to Britain’s economy. “I think that there was a hunger with stories like Bridgerton — that yes, thank you for the representation, but also let’s not pretend that this didn’t already exist in its own community,” Cunningham says. “Instead of trying to rewrite a history that never tried to include us in the first place, maybe acknowledge the history that really did exist at the time and all of its seriousness and all of its wealth and joy and happiness. … I was really hungry for a story that made Black Americans the

primary narrative.” Through books like The Original Black Elite by Elizabeth Dowling Taylor, The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson, and Our Kind of People by Lawrence Otis Graham, Cunningham says she was awakened to the truth of Black wealth and all the facets of Black history in this country. Some of the historical figures she read about during her research even make appearances in her novel. “I wanted to make sure that people could read this book and know that these people could exist,” Cunningham says. “This is not is not a fantasy. This is not someone trying to create some kind of alternate history. These individuals, even though they may have not gone through the specific trials or the experiences, existed in this world. And my hope is that people might [look up] Robert Pelham [a journalist] or The Chicago Defender [the African-American paper Nelly writes for] … and learn about this whole different side of life they may not have realized existed in the first place.” At the time of her research, Cunningham also happened to be reading The Great Gatsby. “It really is such a fascinating tale of wealth and intrigue and kind of the corruption and the artifice of the American dream. And I thought that was a narrative that was really prime to the Black experience, one never really seen through any kind of diverse perspective.” Cunningham’s novel was almost a Gatsby retelling, she admits, but as her story took shape, it became less and less like it. “Over the course of the writing process, it became … [about], more than anything, the kind of the sacrifices that people were forced to make when challenging the status quo in this country, especially during times when that status quo is changing,” she says. “And we’re living in a very similar time where the status quo not only in this country but truly across the world is shifting dramatically, and still to this day people who seek to challenge that status quo … are facing terrible backlash. So I felt like it was truly reflective of the times that we’re living in now and that we might be living in future years.” “Everything informs everything else,” Cunningham adds. “That’s one of the fascinating things about historical fiction, that you continued on page 12

COVER STORY m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m

working novelist right now. … I love that part. I didn’t love it at the time when I was up at one o’clock in the morning, but I love that part of the writing experience and it helps it feel a bit more real.” This was, after all, what Cunningham had been working towards, what she’d gone to undergraduate and graduate school for at DePaul University in Chicago, and on January 30th, she will celebrate the launch of her novel The Mayor of Maxwell Street, a historical drama about the Black elite in 1920s Chicago.

continued from page 11

January 11-17, 2024

may be researching a certain time or certain place, but everything that you’ve learned or absorbed from every time period or past experience is informing that time or that place because people change, people move around, people who represent different communities relocate and change that community.” In fact, prior to working on The Mayor of Maxwell Street, Cunningham had been working on a novel centered around Memphis hoodoo. “So this city was very much still in the back of my mind because of all that research and work I’ve done on Memphis during the 1920s,” she says. “And it did feel like, as I did more research, there were so many similarities between the two cities and the experiences of the two cities that just rounded it out in a way that I really hadn’t anticipated. … So, I think living here and writing this story really informed the entire process and gave the

entire soul of the book something more rich and meaningful.” TO DEBUT Today, Cunningham revels in “all of the emotions, every emotion that one could ever possibly feel” as the launch of her debut approaches. “It’s strange,” she says. “And I talked to a lot of writers who go through a similar feeling that even though you’ve put so much work and time into a story or a book — it’s something that you really love and believe in and are passionate about — there’s still this sense of almost like an impostor syndrome. Like, how am I worthy of being the one to tell this story? Am I the appropriate person to tell this? Should someone else who’s more educated, who’s more experienced, who has more talent — should they be the ones to honor these characters? “It is super exciting, and I’m so honored that this story gets to be kind of my start in this career professionally. And I think it was a professor of mine who I was talking

PHOTO: AVERY CUNNINGHAM VIA INSTAGRAM

Cunningham called Grizzly a “great writing partner.” to and they said that every person’s individual experience is important and that every story that is told is important. Even if someone else tells a similar story to The Mayor of Maxwell Street, it’s still incredibly valid because it would be derived from their experience. So it does kind of uplift you to think that because of who I am, who my parents are, who my family is going back 300 years, that makes this book particular and specific and unique. So it’s not a question of am

I worthy to tell this story? It’s bigger than just me.” Cunningham continues, “The wonderful thing also about art is that you will find your audience that really sees themselves in your stories and you eventually learn and accept and really revel in the fact that you’re writing for them. You’re not writing for the world. You’re writing for the people who maybe need this more than even you do.” But two readers’ opinions have mattered more than others’: those of her parents. “They both were very supportive and they said they really liked it. That’s it. As long as they think it’s good, then it doesn’t matter.” The Mayor of Maxwell Street is available in hardcover and paperback for preorder wherever you buy your books. Avery Cunningham will celebrate the launch of her novel with a “Meet the Author” event at Novel in conversation with Tara Stringfellow, author of Memphis, on Tuesday, January 30th, 6 p.m.

steppin’ out

We Recommend: Culture, News + Reviews By Abigail Morici

PHOTO: COURTESY MOSH

MoSH’s Science of Beer is always a hoppy time.

If you stutter or know someone who does, visit us online or call toll-free for help and information.

SCIENCE OF BEER, MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & HISTORY, 3050 CENTRAL AVE., FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 6:30-9 P.M., $35-$75.

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STUTTERING FOUNDATION

VARIOUS DAYS & TIMES January 11th - 17th MLK Days of Service Memphis, Thursday-Monday, January 11-15 Volunteer Memphis MLK Days of Service is a weeklong service event encouraging the city of Memphis to care like King. This year’s MLK Days of Service will take place between January 11th and January 15th. Find out more at volunteermemphis.org/mlk-days-of-service. Movable Collection Exhibition Urban Art Commission, 422 N. Cleveland, Friday, January 12, 6-8 p.m. This collection features the exceptional works of 33 talented artists from our vibrant community. The Movable Collection is the city of Memphis’ collection of local art displayed on a rotating basis in libraries, universities, park facilities, City Hall, and the airport.

Set Your Vision: Vision Board Party with Kifani Press Arrow Creative, 653 Philadelphia St., Saturday, January 13, 1-4 p.m., $35 Combining words, pictures, and textures, vision boards can not only express your intentions for 2024 but also your creativity. Join Arrow Creative and Kifani Press for a vision boarding session where you will use collage techniques to create personal works of art. Also, enjoy some yummy refreshments. A Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday National Civil Rights Museum, 450 Mulberry, Monday, January 15, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. In honor of the national holiday, the National Civil Rights Museum will host a daylong celebration dedicated to the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., with a special emphasis on

A Nonprofit Organization Since 1947—Helping Those Who Stutter

community service. The public is invited to join this celebration, taking advantage of extended hours from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thanks to FedEx, admission to the museum on King Day will be free for all guests. In partnership with Vitalant’s MLK Spirit of Service blood drive, donors at Vitalant local centers from December 15th to January 15th and on-site at the museum on the MLK holiday will receive free admission for two people in 2024. Guests are encouraged to give back to the community by bringing canned goods and nonperishables to support the Mid-South Food Bank. The day’s schedule includes Main Stage performances by local artists such as vocalist Gerald Richardson, Overton High School choir, and more. The day will also feature local organizations, children’s activities, and entertainment.

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Ah, beer. The great connector of people. One of the oldest drinks in the world. The third most popular beverage after water and tea. It’s no wonder that the Museum of Science & History’s annual Science of Beer event is so popular. This year’s event, happening on January 12th, is likely to sell out, says John Milliken, the event’s coordinator. As in years past, the Science of Beer is an opportunity to taste some of Memphis’ beer, enjoy snacks, and participate in interactive beer-themed activities. All of the proceeds go to MoSH’s education department, with the breweries and food vendors donating drinks and food. “People don’t realize that pre-pandemic we reached out to over 141,000 kids,” says Milliken. “We’re just now rebuilding our education and community engagement. We’re not where we were at before, but that’s our goal.” Eighteen beer vendors, local and regional, will join the event as will several local eateries. “When you come to the Science of Beer, you’ll get a commemorative glass and then you’ll make a personal necklace and put around it your neck, and when you go and see the different beer stations, in between them you can clean your palate with a pretzel,” Milliken says. But, wait, there’s more! There’ll be trivia about Memphis, science, and beer, with prizes. The University of Memphis’ Center for Applied Earth Sciences and Engineering Research (CAESER), Protect Our Aquifer, and Wolf River Conservancy will offer demonstrations, and Rhodes College’s physics department will create beer-flavored ice cream with liquid nitrogen. Board to Beers will have four stations of games for guests to play and enjoy, and attendees can play Giant Jenga and mini golf while wearing beer goggles. VIP tickets are available and include early access and special food vendors in a VIP lounge. Tickets are $75/VIP, $55/general admission, and $40/designated driver. Tickets for members are offered at a discounted rate. Find out more at moshmemphis.com/event/science-of-beer-2.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Cheers to Beer

Fear of speaking keeps many people from being heard.

MUSIC By Alex Greene

A Memphis-Asheville Connection The Asheville-based Hypos, with Memphis roots, debut their earthy pop perfection.

January 11-17, 2024

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eople often speak of Memphis’ close connection to other music scenes in terms of the MemphisMuscle Shoals axis, the MemphisMississippi axis, or the MemphisNashville axis, highlighting our city’s cross-fertilization and impact. Few speak of the Memphis-Asheville axis, however. That may soon change with the release of a stunning new album by an Asheville band, The Hypos, that has deep roots in Memphis. Greg Cartwright now splits his time between the two cities, but even as a resident of Asheville for two decades he’s rightly been identified with his hometown of Memphis, where he first made a name for himself as a songwriter, singer, and guitarist for the Oblivians, the Compulsive Gamblers, and Reigning Sound. Having worked with and produced many other bands throughout his years in Asheville, he now meets and even attracts a lot of fellow musos there, and one such meeting led to a collaboration from which The Hypos were born.

The Hypos may be both the greatest MemphisAsheville album ever made and the year’s most fruitful songwriting partnership. Like Cartwright, guitarist and singer Scott McMicken already had an established musical backlog before The Hypos. His first major band, Dr. Dog, was founded in his native Philadelphia and celebrated to the point of making several late-night network television appearances in the mid-2000s. By the pandemic he and his wife, Leann Cornelius, were living in Arizona, but hoping to expand their horizons. Then, as Cartwright recalls, “around the end of ’21 or so, they came up to Asheville, looking to move from Tucson. Scott and I started getting together to write some songs, and just kind of organically, the band became a thing. First with just a bass player, Kevin Williams, and then Evan Martin came along to play drums. Both of those guys are in other bands in Asheville. And it just seemed to gel pretty well.”

McMicken’s relocation came right as both songwriters were looking to collaborate more. “It’s interesting,” says Cartwright, “I think he’s been in Dr. Dog for most of his life at this point. And I was in Reigning Sound for a very long time. So we’re both coming out of an identity, and bringing all of our favorite parts of that bag with us. But it’s also a totally open place where I’m not beholden to any of it. I don’t have to make anything that sounds like Reigning Sound. I’m not even thinking about Reigning Sound, to be honest. I’ve just done that.” The talents of Cartwright and McMicken, who share writing credit on most Hypos songs, are perfectly complementary. If the Reigning Sound typically embodied a folkrock/garage-soul approach, Dr. Dog reveled in the rich vocal harmonies and colorful arrangements more associated with Brian Wilson. Yet both admired the other’s qualities. “I always saw Greg as the guy who seemed to be still shooting from the hip and was actually soulful,” McMicken recently told Asheville Stages. “No filters, no decorations — just plug your guitar into the amp and do something amazing.” And, while Cartwright admits that during Reigning Sound, “there was something about power pop that I was trying to avoid because it seemed more commercial than I wanted it to be,” he hastens to add that “of course I love pop music. I mean, I grew up

PHOTO: LEANN CORNELIUS

The Hypos on the Beatles and Harry Nilsson!” Now, with The Hypos’ debut having arrived on January 5th, the strength of combining those two approaches is revealed. But the more colorful palette of The Hypos, ranging from doo-wop harmonies to gonzo organ (courtesy of bassist Williams) to Caribbean rhythms, doesn’t mean it’s so much sonic cotton candy. Case in point: the chilling portrait of violence in “Heartbroke Town,” a song by Cartwright and The Hypos’ latest member, Memphis violinist Krista Wroten. “Everybody’s gotta cry some/I gotta heart, it weighs two tons/I said a prayer for my own son/And the curse of a loaded gun,” goes the chorus, and it may be one of this era’s most powerful howls of pain, albeit wrapped in a chugging reggae-tinged rhythm. Wroten’s voice and violin add an earthiness to the song — and the whole album — that brings The Hypos’ sound into focus. With Wroten and Cartwright’s deep involvement, and the album being mixed by the Bluff City’s own Matt Ross-Spang, The Hypos may be both the greatest Memphis-Asheville album ever made and the year’s most fruitful songwriting partnership. As Cartwright says, “That’s the best part of collaboration. You get to have a lot of fun and be playful, but you also get to learn.”

AFTER DARK: Live Music Schedule January 11 - 17 PHOTO: COURTESY BPACC

Mule Man

ABBA Revisited

Friday, Jan. 12, 12:30-3:30 p.m. RUM BOOGIE CAFE

RUM BOOGIE CAFE

Blues Players Club

Thursday, Jan. 11, 7 p.m. BLUES CITY CAFE

Buddy Albert Nemenz

Thursday, Jan. 11, 1-5 p.m.; Friday, Jan. 12, 1-5 p.m.; Saturday, Jan. 13, 1-5 p.m.; Sunday, Jan. 14, 1-5 p.m.; Tuesday, Jan. 16, 7-11 p.m.; Wednesday, Jan. 17, 1-5 p.m. SILKY O’SULLIVAN’S

Chris Gales

Red Thomas

Saturday, Jan. 13, 12:30-3:30 p.m.; Sunday, Jan. 14, noon-3 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 14, 3-6 p.m.

Monday, Jan. 15, 7 p.m.

Vince Johnson

Monday, Jan. 15, 7-11 p.m. RUM BOOGIE CAFE

Elmo & the Shades, Eddie Harrison

Friday, Jan. 12, 7 p.m.; Wednesday, Jan. 17, 7 p.m.

DJ Marcjayy

John Williams & the A440 Band

TIN ROOF

$10. Thursday, Jan. 11, 8 p.m.

DJ Ooouuuweeee

NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM

TIN ROOF

Sunday, Jan. 14, 3-6 p.m.

DJ Stringbean

HUEY’S POPLAR

Wyly & the Coyotes

Thursday, Jan. 11, 10 p.m.; Saturday, Jan. 13, 8 p.m.

5 for the Kill

5 for the Kill is a rock band out of the North Mississippi/ Memphis area. Thursday, Jan. 11, 7 p.m. LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Earl “The Pearl” Banks

Above Jupiter EP Release Party

Eric Hughes

Thursday, Jan. 11, 7-11 p.m. RUM BOOGIE CAFE

FreeWorld

Friday, Jan. 12, 8 p.m.-midnight; Saturday, Jan. 13, 8 p.m. RUM BOOGIE CAFE

FreeWorld

Sunday, Jan. 14, 8 p.m. BLUES CITY CAFE

Heavy Meddle Fest

All hail the return of Heavy Meddle Fest. The lineup is stacked, the beer is fresh, and the event is free. Lineup includes Vermin Fate, Autolith, Epoch of Unlight, Ritual Fog, Anaphylactic Shock, Chora, and Seeing Hell. Saturday, Jan. 13, 4 p.m. MEDDLESOME BREWING COMPANY

International Blues Challenge

The world’s largest gathering of blues musicians will take place on Beale Street, with over 20 clubs hosting the challengers and fans. Tuesday, Jan. 16-Jan. 20. BEALE STREET

The four-piece Memphis, Tennessee act consists of lead vocalist/musician Zack Mack, bassist Kelly McDonald, drummer Rodd Bland, and organist/vocalist Joe Boogie. Sunday, Jan. 14, 3 p.m.

Featuring Shorty and the Grooves, The Contradictions. $10. Friday, Jan. 12, 7:30 p.m. HI TONE

Alienated Tour

With Tom Skeemask, Grey Matter, Direct Music, Sweetz, Colt Montgomery, Rob Dee, Kapable, and Dixie Trix. 21+. $10. Saturday, Jan. 13, 9 p.m. HI TONE

Back to the ’80s Dance Night Dance under the lights to a decade of legendary music, including new wave, pop, dance, rock, hair metal, and hip-hop. 18+. $10. Saturday, Jan. 13, 8 p.m. BLACK LODGE

Bonginator, Frog Mallet, Mudshow $12-$15. Sunday, Jan. 14, 8 p.m. GROWLERS

Bonginator with Frog Mallet

Bonginator, Frog Mallet, Mudshow. $12-$15. Sunday, Jan. 14, 8 p.m. GROWLERS

Jamalama

Sunday, Jan. 14, 7:30 p.m. B-SIDE

Jay Jones Band

Saturday, Jan. 13, 5 p.m. LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

JD Westmoreland Band

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Monday, Jan. 15, 10:30 p.m.

Candlelight: A Tribute to Adele

B-SIDE

Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to aweinspiring locations like never seen before in Memphis. $30. Thursday, Jan. 11, 5:30-7:30 p.m.; Thursday, Jan. 11, 7:459:45 p.m.

Joe Restivo 4

With over 25 years of professional experience in music, Joe Restivo’s guitar playing strongly reflects his Memphis roots. Joe Restivo 4 is influenced and inspired by soul and jazz musicians. Sunday, Jan. 14, 11 a.m.

OVERTON CHAPEL

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Circle Birds

Jordan Occasionally “Say Less” Single Release Show

WISEACRE BREWERY

SILKY O’SULLIVAN’S

BLUES CITY CAFE

Brimstone Jones

Saturday, Jan. 13, 7 p.m.

TIN ROOF

Friday, Jan. 12, 4:30 p.m.; Tuesday, Jan. 16, 7 p.m.

Delta Ondine’s Sunday Blues Brunch Featuring Ethan Baker

The Rockin’ 88s

NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM

Thursday, Jan. 11, 7 p.m.; Friday, Jan. 12, 7 p.m.; Saturday, Jan. 13, 7 p.m.; Monday, Jan. 15, 7 p.m.; Tuesday, Jan. 16, 7 p.m.; Wednesday, Jan. 17, 7 p.m.

MEMPHIS LISTENING LAB

The Pretty Boys

SILKY O’SULLIVAN’S

Dueling Pianos

With special guest DJs. Friday, Jan. 12, 3-5 p.m.

TIN ROOF

Friday, Jan. 12, 10 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 13, 10 p.m.

Vinyl Happy Hour

Friday, Jan. 12, 7 p.m.; Saturday, Jan. 13, 7 p.m.

Computermane

Tuesday, Jan. 16, 8 p.m.

BAR DKDC

Runaway Rhonda

TIN ROOF

Sunday, Jan. 14, 6 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 12, 9 p.m.

TIN ROOF

BLUES CITY CAFE

David Ingle One Man Piano Show

Turnstyles, Owlbear

Sunday, Jan. 14, 7 p.m.; Wednesday, Jan. 17, 8 p.m.

RUM BOOGIE CAFE

TIN ROOF

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Rodell McCord

HUEY’S DOWNTOWN

Thursday, Jan. 11, 6 p.m.; Friday, Jan. 12, 10:30 p.m.; Saturday, Jan. 13, 10:30 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 12, 6 p.m.

RUM BOOGIE CAFE

Friday, Jan. 12, 4-7 p.m.; Saturday, Jan. 13, 4-7 p.m.; Sunday, Jan. 14, 3:30-6:30 p.m.

Cody Clark

Trouble No More

Club Night Top 40 with DJ Dudecalledrob Friday, Jan. 12, 10 p.m. LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Coast2Coast

Jordan Occasionally, Lina Beach, Celest. $10-$12. Thursday, Jan. 11, 7 p.m. GROWLERS

Kevin & Bethany Paige

Saturday, Jan. 13, 7 p.m.

Kevin and Bethany Paige are a dynamic musical duo. They have entertained as regulars on Beale Street for more than 20 years, performing for generations of visitors. Saturday, Jan. 13, 1 p.m.

B-SIDE

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Death Party, Moonly Tour, Alicja n Friends, Little Baby Tendencies

Lafayette’s All-Stars Band

Hosted by DJ Cube. Music by DJ Sc4recrow. Thursday, Jan. 11, 9 p.m. HI TONE

Dan Montgomery

Saturday, Jan. 13, 8 p.m. BAR DKDC

Detective Bureau

Friday, Jan. 12, 9:30 p.m. B-SIDE

Devil Train

Thursday, Jan. 11, 9:30 p.m. B-SIDE

DMVU x Toadface

DMVU, Toadface, Toro, Andy Chance. $18-$22. Friday, Jan. 12, 9 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 14, 7 p.m.

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

Mahogany Chamber Music Series: MLK Freedom Celebration

In January, encounter MLK Freedom Celebration, which aims to pay homage to capturing the beauty, struggle, and resilience of the Memphis community through music. $5$20. Sunday, Jan. 14, 2:30 p.m. CROSSTOWN THEATER

GROWLERS

Medium Walter

Earl “The Pearl” Banks

HUEY’S MIDTOWN

Saturday, Jan. 13, 4:30 p.m. BLUES CITY CAFE

Guardrail, The Writer the Signal, Risky Whispers

$7-$10. Sunday, Jan. 14, 8 p.m. HI TONE

Sunday, Jan. 14, 3-6 p.m.

Modern Masters Jazz Series: Wes “Warmdaddy” Anderson and The Ted Ludwig Trio $10/student tickets, $25/ at the door, $20/in advance. Wednesday, Jan. 17, 7:30 p.m. THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS

Roxi Love

Roxi Love is a four-piece band playing a variety of music including pop, country, classic rock, oldies, R&B, funk, reggae, hip-hop, and rap. Wednesday, Jan. 17, 6 p.m.

$5. Sunday, Jan. 14, 1 p.m. HERNANDO’S HIDE-A-WAY

Duane Cleveland Band Sunday, Jan. 14, 6-9 p.m. HUEY’S SOUTHAVEN

High Point

Sunday, Jan. 14, 6-9 p.m.

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

HUEY’S OLIVE BRANCH

Seeing Red

Ken Houston Duo

Seeing Red has become a fan favorite selling out the biggest events throughout the Mid-South. Saturday, Jan. 13, 9 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 14, 6-9 p.m. HUEY’S SOUTHWIND

LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM

SoundBath in the SoundRoom with Keri Lee

A unique sound experience intended to clear the mind and inspire the soul. Feel free bring a yoga mat or blanket to lay on the floor, or you can pick a spot on the couch. Free. Sunday, Jan. 14, 3 p.m.

ABBA Revisited

Kick off 2024 with the music of ABBA, one of the most popular bands of all time. $40. Saturday, Jan. 13, 3 p.m.; Saturday, Jan. 13, 7 p.m. BARTLETT PERFORMING ARTS AND CONFERENCE CENTER

“One Night in Memphis”

A classic hip-hop celebration. $10-$15. Sunday, Jan. 14, 8 p.m.

“One Night in Memphis” is an exciting tribute to Sun Records legends Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Elvis Presley. The production was created by acclaimed show director John Mueller and delivers over 90 minutes of rockabilly, country, gospel and 1950s rock-and-roll, performed live by a dynamic rockabilly backup band. $19.50. Friday, Jan. 12, 8 p.m.

HI TONE

GOLD STRIKE CASINO

Thundergun with Voodoo Rose

Peanut Butter & Jam: Rachel Rodriguez

MEMPHIS LISTENING LAB

Thalamus with Fearless Dave and the Tsunamis, Minimal Disturbance $6. Friday, Jan. 12, 7 p.m. LAMPLIGHTER LOUNGE

The Jam Pack: Alpha Whiskey Birthday Bash

$10. Saturday, Jan. 13, 8 p.m. GROWLERS

Tokyo Takeover: Anime/ Cyberpunk Rave

Brace yourself for a night filled with pulsating beats, anime-inspired thrills, and cutting-edge cyberpunk vibes. DJ sets by Lost Cypher, Jay Tokio, Kenshi, Dznvtz, DJ Dett. 18+. $10. Friday, Jan. 12, 9 p.m.-3 a.m. BLACK LODGE

Tommy Prine with CJ Starnes

$15-$18. Tuesday, Jan. 16, 8 p.m. GROWLERS

Torsion, Anti-Sapein, Congested

$12. Monday, Jan. 15, 8 p.m. HI TONE

Children and parents are invited to move and groove in this interactive performance. Saturday, Jan. 13, 10:30-11:15 a.m. GERMANTOWN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

Richard Wilson

Smooth and soulful. Friday, Jan. 12, 12:30 p.m. JACKIE MAE’S PLACE

Tommy Prine

The son of late songwriting legend John Prine, Tommy Prine brings together a colorful patchwork of musical influences and lyrically explores existential questions and emotional experiences. Saturday, Jan. 13, 8 p.m. GERMANTOWN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m

Sunday, Jan. 14, 7-11 p.m.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Baunie & Soul

CALENDAR of EVENTS: January 11 - 17

A R T A N D S P E C IA L E X H I B ITS

Rachelle Thiewes employs repetition, architectural forms, and vibrant auto paint in her work on display at the Metal Museum.

“Everyday People: A Snapshot of the Black Experience” A showcase of Memphis artist Eric Echols’ photo collection. Friday, Jan. 12-July 14. MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & HISTORY

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. Monday, Jan. 15, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

“Hued”

El Paso-based artist Rachelle Thiewes creates jewelry that empowers its wearer. Through Jan. 28. Send the date, time, place, cost, info, phone number, a brief description, and photos — two weeks in advance — to calendar@memphisﬂyer.com. DUE TO SPACE LIMITATIONS, ONGOING WEEKLY EVENTS WILL APPEAR IN THE FLYER’S ONLINE CALENDAR ONLY. FOR COMPREHENSIVE EVENT LISTINGS, SCAN OUR QR CODE BELOW OR VISIT EVENTS.MEMPHISFLYER.COM/CAL.

NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM

MLK Day of Service

METAL MUSEUM

ART HAPPE N I NGS

Volunteers will positively impact our local Memphis community. Saturday, Jan. 13, 10 a.m.-noon.

11, 6-8 p.m.

“January Blues” Opening Reception

WOLF RIVER CONSERVANCY

COSSITT LIBRARY

MLK Day of Service

Beat the post-holiday blues with this new gallery celebrating all things Memphis. Thursday, Jan. 11, 5:30-8 p.m.

C O M E DY

Jo Koy World Tour

ARROW CREATIVE

Jo’s uniquely relatable comedy pulls inspiration from his colorful family that has reached all kinds of people. Saturday, Jan. 13, 8 p.m.

Movable Collection Exhibition

This collection features the exceptional works of 33 talented artists. Friday, Jan. 12, 6-8 p.m.

ORPHEUM THEATRE

URBAN ART COMMISSION

Liars’ Matinee - Dry Humor January

“New Works by Jose Valverde” Opening Reception

The Liars try to keep the humor dry for anyone participating in Dry January ’cause that’s probably what that means? 18+. $10. Sunday, Jan. 14, 3 p.m.

Valverde will kick off the 2024 art schedule at Church Health with his vibrant and bold paintings. Sunday, Jan. 14, 3-5 p.m.

BLACK LODGE

King Day visualTimes testament to discovering Sales beauty amid The New aYork Syndication Corporation A daylong celebration dedicated to the legacy of the challenges of mental health. Thursday, Jan. 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Wednesday, March 6, 2019

Crossword ACROSS 1 “Aladdin” prince 4 Sandal feature 10 Flat-bottomed boat 14 Scoundrel 15 Beekeeper’s locale 16 Sharpen, as one’s skills 17 N.Y. engineering sch. 18 *They get stuffed at Greek restaurants 20 Enemies from way back 22 Consider carefully

January 11-17, 2024

23 *With 50-Across, classic ice cream treats

28 Stand for a speaker 30 *With 44-Across, sour candies 32 Body image, briefly

52 ___ Beanies (bygone toys)

54 Super conductor?

33 Ages and ages

55 *Garnishes for old-fashioneds

34 Tribal emblems

57 Subway unit

35 Unproductive … or, literally, a hint to the answers to this puzzle’s starred clues

58 Cargo’s place

37 Not yet bankrupt 40 Goal for an actor 41 Maidenform garment 44 *See 30-Across 45 Noted 1970s-’80s Gang leader?

Edited by Will Shortz

50 *See 23-Across

59 Keep tabs on tabbies, say 60 Breast Cancer Awareness mo.

62 Carves

63 French possessive

25 Louis, par exemple

47 Dallas hoopster, for short

2 Seaport near Buenos Aires

PUZZLE BY EMILY CARROLL

27 Something divided in W.W. II

48 Wedding gown designer Di Santo

3 Emphatic denial

19 Wall off

4 Add, as an extra

21 Relatives, casually

12 Like quaint schoolhouses 13 Anderson who directed “Isle of Dogs”

Kid Inventors’ Day

Embark on an adventure with young innovators for a packed day. Saturday, Jan. 13, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

A fan club for fans of classic monsters, horror, and science fiction. Saturday, Jan. 13, 1 p.m.

Spend the afternoon with the Brooks for one (or all) of these classic film screenings. Free with general admission. Wednesday, Jan. 17, 5:30-8 p.m.

Laser Tag Night + Screening of Tron Legacy & Starship Troopers

11 Soldier’s request before entering a firefight

OVERTON PARK

Screenings while laser tag is happening simultaneously. 16+. Wednesday, Jan. 17, 7:30 p.m. BLACK LODGE

1 One going head over heels?

10 Roe source

9 Air race marker

Take a guided nature scavenger hunt with Ranger Heather to seek out signs of life in the winter forest. Sunday, Jan. 14, 1:30 p.m.

MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART

8 South American corn cakes

7 Kendrick Lamar’s genre

Children’s Ranger Program – Winter Walk

A. SCHWAB

DOWN

6 Madres’ sisters

FAM I LY

MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & HISTORY

OVERTON PARK

F I LM

5 Dispersed

MEMPHIS MADE BREWING COMPANY

Black Lodge Film Series: Citizen Kane & Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

How about an easy little act of service in exchange for a beer from Cooper-Young’s best craft brewery, Memphis Made? Saturday, Jan. 13, noon-2 p.m.

Beale Street Monster Club 30

61 Murder : crows :: parliament : ___

46 Revolutions can divide them

D Q E D M A C R O O D D S O U Z O A D L E R R E E L L I P S E R V I C E A G E E A N A S L I M B L A R E P O S C O L B E R T B U M P S A S H A R O W L E O O P E R A N T A L A N T E L E V I S I O N S E T H A N D I N H E R I T I T S B A G C O U P E G O L D E N S P I K E M A X H O A R D A N E T L E I L I V E V O L L E Y B A L L O N E G I D E A L Y U L E W E D S M E O W S E T A S

No. 0130 16

24 Judge’s seat

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE

Pick Up for a Pint

Join Ranger Heather in a volunteer project at Overton Park. Saturday, Jan. 13, 9-11 a.m.

COM M U N ITY

“Peace by Piece” by Tangela Mathis serves as

SHELBY FARMS PARK

Volunteer Day

CHURCH HEALTH

“Peace by Piece” Opening

Groups will be mulching trees, clearing privet, picking up limbs on the Shelby Farms Greenline, and filling potholes in the Outback Off-Leash Dog Park. Monday, Jan. 15, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

24 Paris eateries 26 Connections 29 Indie artist DiFranco 31 U.F.O. occupants 33 Blackboard chore 34 Emulates Pinocchio 35 One dressed to impress 36 British bathroom

The Plot Thickens: The Writers and Raconteurs of Elmwood Cemetery

37 Naval bigwig: Abbr.

49 One crying “Uncle!,” perhaps

38 Home to many Greeks, informally

51 Raid targets

39 Score at the start 53 Partner of odds of a set 41 The original “The Office,” e.g.

54 Fit together well

42 Wearying routine

55 “What have we here?!”

43 Puts in order 45 Not give up on 46 They loop the Loop

LECT U R E

56 Abbr. sometimes written twice in a row

Online subscriptions: Today’s puzzle and more than 7,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($39.95 a year). Read about and comment on each puzzle: nytimes.com/wordplay.

Meet the novelists, journalists, broadcasters, and poets of Elmwood Cemetery. $12.51. Sunday, Jan. 14, 2 p.m. ELMWOOD CEMETARY

P E R FO R M I N G ARTS

Mid-South Pride Pageant Review Show

This event is a vibrant celebration, featuring an array of former pageant winners. Witness a unique lineup of past winners and favorites, each bringing their own flair and charisma to the stage. $5. Friday, Jan. 12, 9 p.m. DRU’S PLACE

T H EAT E R

Greater Illinois

Greater Illinois tackles themes of intersectionality and who benefits from an oppressive regime. Friday, Jan. 12-Jan. 28. THEATERWORKS

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Which zodiac sign is most likely to have a green thumb? Who would most astrologers regard as the best gardener? Who would I call on if I wanted advice on when to harvest peaches, how to love and care for roses as they grow, or how to discern which weeds might be helpful and useful? The answer, according to my survey, is Taurus. And I believe you Bulls will be even more fecund than usual around plants in 2024. Even further, I expect you to be extra fertile and creative in every area of your life. I hereby dub you Maestro of the Magic of Germination and Growth. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Research I’ve found suggests that 70 percent of us have experienced at least one traumatic event in our lives. But I suspect the percentage is higher. For starters, everyone has experienced the dicey expulsion from the warm, nurturing womb. That’s usually not a low-stress event. The good news, Gemini, is that now and then there come phases when we have more power than usual to heal from our traumas. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, the coming months will be one of those curative times for you. CANCER (June 21-July 22): At their best, Libras foster vibrant harmony that energizes social situations. At their best, Scorpios stimulate the talents and beauty of those they engage with. Generous Leos and Sagittarians inspire enthusiasm in others by expressing their innate radiance. Many of us may get contact highs from visionary, deepfeeling Pisceans. In 2024, Cancerian, I believe you can call on all these modes as you brighten and nurture the people in your sphere — even if you have no Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Leo, or Pisces influences in your astrological chart. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Here are my wishes for you in 2024. 1. I hope you will rigorously study historical patterns in your life story. I hope you will gather robust insights into the rhythms and themes of your amazing journey. 2. You will see clearly what parts of your past are worth

keeping and which are better outgrown and left behind. 3. You will come to a new appreciation of the heroic quest you have been on. You will feel excited about how much further your quest can go. 4. You will feel gratitude for the deep inner sources that have been guiding you all these years. 5. You will be pleased to realize how much you have grown and ripened. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Virgo author Eduardo Galeano mourned how our institutions condition us to divorce our minds from our hearts and our bodies from our souls. Even sadder, many of us deal with these daunting schisms by becoming numb to them. The good news, Virgo, is that I expect 2024 to be one of the best times ever for you to foster reconciliation between the split-off parts of yourself. Let’s call this the Year of Unification. May you be inspired to create both subtle and spectacular fusions of your fragmented parts. Visualize your thoughts and feelings weaving together in elegant harmony. Imagine your material and spiritual needs finding common sources of nourishment. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): According to ancient Greek myth, the half-divine hero Heracles consulted the Oracle of Delphi for guidance. He was assigned to perform 12 daunting feats, most of which modern people would regard as unethical, like killing and stealing. There was one labor that encouraged integrity, though. Heracles had to clean the stables where over a thousand divine cattle lived. The place hadn’t been scrubbed in 30 years! As I meditated on your hero’s journey in the coming months, Libra, I concluded that you’d be wise to begin with a less grandiose version of Heracles’ work in the stables. Have fun as you cheerfully tidy up everything in your life! By doing so, you will earn the power to experience many deep and colorful adventures in the coming months. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): I will name two taboos I think you should break in 2024. The first is the theory that you must hurt or suppress yourself to help others. The second is that you must hurt or suppress others to benefit yourself. Please scour away any delusion you might have that those two strategies could genuinely serve you. In their place, substitute these hypotheses: 1. Being good to yourself is the best way to prepare for helping others. 2. Being good to others is the best way to benefit yourself. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): “Doubt has killed more dreams than failure ever will,” says Sagittarian author Suzy Kassem. Many of us have had the experience of avoiding a quest for success because we are too afraid of being defeated or demoralized. “Loss aversion” is a well-known psychological concept that

applies when we are so anxious about potential loss that we don’t pursue the possible gain. In my astrological estimation, you Centaurs should be especially on guard against this inhibiting factor in 2024. I am confident you can rise above it, but to do so, you must be alert for its temptation — and eager to summon new reserves of courage. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Some people feel that “wealth” refers primarily to financial resources. If you’re wealthy, it means you have a lot of money, luxurious possessions, and lavish opportunities to travel. But wealth can also be measured in other ways. Do you have an abundance of love in your life? Have you enjoyed many soulful adventures? Does your emotional intelligence provide rich support for your heady intelligence? I bring this up, Aquarius, because I believe 2024 will be a time when your wealth will increase. The question for you to ruminate on: How do you define wealth? PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): “No one can build you the bridge on which you, and only you, must cross the river of life,” said philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. Here’s my response to that bold declaration: It’s utterly WRONG! No one in the history of the world has ever built anything solely by their own efforts, let alone a bridge to cross the river of life. Even if you are holed up in your studio working on a novel, painting, or invention, you are absolutely dependent on the efforts of many people to provide you with food, water, electricity, clothes, furniture, and all the other goodies that keep you functioning. It’s also unlikely that anyone could create anything of value without having received a whole lot of love and support from other humans. Sorry for the rant, Pisces. It’s a preface for my very positive prediction: In 2024, you will have substantial help in building your bridge across the river of life.

m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Why do birds sing? They must be expressing their joy at being alive, right? And in some cases, they are trying to impress and attract potential mates. Ornithologists tell us that birds are also staking out their turf by chirping their melodies. Flaunting their vigor is a sign to other birds of how strong and commanding they are. In accordance with astrological omens, I invite you Aries humans to sing more than ever before in 2024. Like birds, you have a mandate to boost your joie de vivre and wield more authority. Here are 10 reasons why singing is good for your health: tinyurl.com/ HealthySinging.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In 2024, I predict you will be blessed with elegant and educational expansion — but also challenged by the possibility of excessive, messy expansion. Soulful magnificence could vie for your attention with exorbitant extravagance. Even as you are offered valuable novelties that enhance your sacred and practical quests, you may be tempted with lesser inducements you don’t really need. For optimal results, Capricorn, I urge you to avoid getting distracted by irrelevant goodies. Usher your fate away from pretty baubles and towards felicitous beauty.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY By Rob Brezsny

NEWS OF THE WEIRD By the editors at Andrews McMeel Syndication Police Report Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman accompanied the mayor on Nov. 6 at a news conference where they presented a resolution to help curb reckless driving in the city, The Washington Post reported, saying the city needs to “change the daily behavior” of dangerous drivers. But after the event, as soon as Norman hit the road in his SUV, a dump truck rear-ended him, injuring both Norman and another officer. “We did not need this type of reminder that all drivers need to slow down and increase caution on our roadways,” Mayor Cavalier Johnson said. [Washington Post, 11/7/2023] Surprise, Surprise! When antique dealer Beth Meyer bought the contents of a storage unit in September 2022, she was disappointed that there were no rocks inside; rocks are her specialty. However, The Washington Post reported, she did find a human skull among the items. This October, she put a $4,000 price tag on the skull and used it in a Halloween display in the store she helps run in North Fort Myers, Florida — until an anthropologist walked through and saw it. While Meyer already knew the skull was real, the scientist thought it was very old and possibly from a Native American person, making it subject to certain federal laws. So they contacted the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies deposited the skull with the medical examiner’s office, and while Florida law prohibits selling human remains, they don’t believe Meyer did anything wrong. She said she was “unaware of the skull being a Native American. I put such a high price on it that I figured no one would buy it.” [Washington Post, 11/6/2023]

MUSIC FRIDAY JANUARY 19

January 11-17, 2024

THE GREEN ROOM

AU T E U R :

M U S I C I N S P I R E D BY T H E F I L M S O F W ES A N D E R S O N

CROSSTOWN ARTS DOORS 7:00PM / SHOW 7:30PM 1350 CONCOURSE AVE $20 ADV | $25 DOORS

C R O S S T O W N A R T S .ORG

The Tech Revolution The BBC reported on Nov. 8 that a man in South Korea lost his life after a robot he was working on in a factory grabbed him and crushed his face and chest onto a conveyor belt. The employee of the robotics company, in his 40s, was working late on the robotic arm when it mistook him for a box of vegetables, which it was supposed to lift and transfer onto a pallet. The man was taken to the hospital but later died of his injuries. [BBC, 11/8/2023] The Entrepreneurial Spirit In the Chinese province of Hunan, the Shiniuzhai Scenic Area offers stunning landscapes of sheer cliffs — perfect for

climbers. And who doesn’t get a little thirsty on the way up a grueling vertical mountain face? CNN reported that perched at 394 feet above the ground, a 2-square-meter “convenience store” offers free water bottles and other sustenance to hungry and parched climbers. The general manager of Shiniuzhai, Song Huizhou, said staff members are tasked with hauling goods up to the store every day in their backpacks. And you thought your commute was brutal. [CNN, 11/5/2023] Meanwhile, at the Mall … A man who had been living in a Shanghai shopping center stairwell for about six months was finally evicted on Oct. 30, the Daily Star reported. One security guard discovered his cozy setup, which included a tent, an ergonomic chair, a desk, and a computer, but allowed him to stay while he studied for exams — until a second guard found the makeshift home. The unnamed man used the mall’s electrical outlets to charge his devices. [Daily Star, 11/7/2023] Great Art Washington native Ben Miller is a painter of landscapes, focusing on river scenes to raise awareness about conservation. Oddity Central reported that it’s his painting method that makes him stand alone: He applies paint to fishing flies that he makes himself, then flings them at a piece of plexiglass positioned several feet away. Having learned fly fishing from his dad, Miller hits the precise mark he’s aiming for every time. He said he sometimes gets approached by police because people assume he’s fishing out of season, but they’ve always been understanding. [Oddity Central, 11/8/2023] Wait, What? Fashion icon Dior has launched a new scent made for babies, the Mirror reported. Bonne Etoile, priced at 230 British pounds (about $281), will provide a “gentle reminder of sweet memories of early childhood,” the brand gushed, with its “light notes of fruit, pillowy cotton and velvety petals.” (Do I detect a hint of spit-up?) It contains 98 percent naturaloriginal ingredients. Parents can also indulge in hydrating body milks and bath cleansing foams. But everybody knows that babies smell amazing without the pricey perfumes! [Mirror, 11/9/2023]

FOOD By Michael Donahue

Food Fit for Royalty Nostalgic Tea Rooms features a little bit of English in Memphis.

Pete taught himself to cook. “I think it’s one of those things. You can either cook or you can’t cook.” He made salads, lasagnas, and curries, which he also makes at Nostalgic Tea Rooms. Pete dresses up his dishes. “I think you also eat food with your eyes and not just your taste buds.” Pete and Sara moved to Memphis seven years ago after Sara got a job at St. Francis Hospital. “I just had a feeling,” Sara says. “I had to come here. My dad would have adored Memphis. He loved music. He loved Elvis.” She enjoyed going to Sheffield’s. “When I moved to Collierville, it was always one of my places to walk around.” When she learned the space for a

BEST RIBS

FEBruaRy 9-MaY 12

IN TOWN

SUE: The T. rex Experience was organized by the Field Museum and is part of the Griffin Dinosaur Experience, made possible by the generous support from Kenneth C.Griffin Charitable Fund.

MID-SOUTH HEART BALL CELEBRATING THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION’S CENTENNIAL

Saturday, February 24th Renasant Convention Center 6pm ENTERTAINMENT BY G3:THE GARRY GOIN GROUP BLACK TIE OPTIONAL Visit heart.org/midsouthhb for additional event details.

JOHN & LESLIE DANIEL LIVING HEART AWARD HONORING:

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS SECOND CENTURY SUPPORTER

SIGNATURE SUPPORTER

DIAMOND SUPPORTERS

Michael & Marian Burns GOLD SUPPORTERS

SILVER SUPPORTERS

Mr. & Mrs. Charles Burkett

Peter & Judy Felsenthal

Mark & Melinda George

Johnny & Kim Pitts

Chuck & Susan Smith

The Martin Family Foundation

m e m p h i s f l y e r. c o m

PHOTO: MICHAEL DONAHUE

Sara, Charlotte, and Pete Norris

restaurant was for lease, Sara and her husband talked about opening a tea shop. Pete said, “Let’s give it a bash. Come on. Let’s give it a go.” “Pete owns it, but it’s my concept to have high teas,” Sara says. “I wanted somewhere people could come sit down and have high tea.” And, she says, “I just love baking. And I’ve always wanted my own tea rooms.” They wanted Nostalgic Tea Rooms to be a quiet, simple place where people can relax — as long as they want. “It’s your table. It’s up to you if you want to sit here for five hours. No time limit on your table. You can stay there all day or stay there for 20 minutes.” The menu includes chicken salad, tuna, ham, or egg mayonnaise sandwiches on croissants and lasagnas, which are “more layered” than the Italian version, with grated English or Irish cheddar cheese on top. Their high teas are popular, Sara says. They did eight on a recent Saturday. “The high teas start off with a selection of sandwiches from cream cheese and cucumber to ham with apricot relish and mayonnaise. Next layer is English scones with jam and Chantilly cream. On top is a selection of cakes.” It’s best to book the high teas, which feed two people, in advance. People also can order a high tea when they arrive, but they take about 20 minutes to put together. “Children love it. It’s sort of a fairy-tale thing, isn’t it?” Their “cream teas” consist of two scones, French Chantilly cream, and jam with hot tea. And, of course, they serve crumpets. “You put butter on it and it comes in two pieces. It’s quite unusual to describe. It’s got its own taste. But people like that. We buy them. They’re not easy to make.” They also buy the croissants and crumb cakes. Sara bakes the English scones and carrot cakes and helps out at the restaurant in the mornings. She then works at night at St. Francis Hospital — Memphis on Park Avenue. “It’s one of the best hospitals in the world I’ve ever worked at. I adore working there.” Nostalgic Tea Rooms is where Peter wants to be: “It’s my happy place, I must say. I do enjoy it.” Nostalgic Tea Rooms is open 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. It’s located in Sheffield Antiques Mall at 684 West Poplar Avenue.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

rits enjoy high tea in the afternoon. But anybody who visits the Nostalgic Tea Rooms can enjoy high tea just about whenever they like. Pete and Sara Norris, who are both from England, feature high tea along with other items at the restaurant in Sheffield Antiques Mall in Collierville, Tennessee. They both grew up eating typical English fare. Pete, who is from Oxfordshire, says his mom used to make Toad in the Hole. “It’s Yorkshire pudding, but you cook it with sausage inside,” he says. “It’s made from a batter.” They haven’t yet made Toad in the Hole at their restaurant, but Pete says, “We should give it a go.” Not all the fare is from home, but there is enough at Nostalgic Tea Rooms to give diners the feel of merry old England. Thirty years ago, Pete began working at The Old Kitchen at Magdalen College in Oxford, England. “It’s a big pub in the university. I cooked there. And also worked in the bar there. It was great fun.”

FILM By Chris McCoy

The Real Thing Jeffrey Wright skewers our racial stereotypes in American Fiction.

helonious “Monk” Ellison (Jeffrey Wright) has a big problem in American Fiction. He’s a writer and English professor, but his latest book is not going over well with publishers. It’s long and complicated, full of mythological symbols and classical references. Not exactly a recipe for a bestseller, but he’s got an audience, and it’s enough for Monk to get by in the publish-or-perish world of academia. That’s not enough anymore, says Monk’s agent Arthur (John Ortiz). It’s got to be bold, direct, honest, from the street. That’s what readers want from Black authors these days — realness. But the trouble is, Monk’s book is honest and from the heart. His family is all well-to-do professionals. His sister Lisa (Tracee Ellis Ross) and brother Cliff (Sterling K. Brown) are both doctors, and his retired mother Agnes (Leslie Uggams) lives on Cape Cod. His “real life” isn’t what people expect from a Black writer.

At what point does “satire” end and “realistically absurd” begin?

appearances. Stagg R. Leigh’s book advance is staggering — which is good because Monk needs the money to pay for his increasingly frail mother’s care. Monk’s bitter kiss-off has become the biggest success of his career — and a publishing sensation. But Monk soon realizes that he can’t tell anybody he’s Stagg R. Leigh, or the whole bubble will burst. Even worse, isn’t he now just perpetuating and profiting from the same harmful stereotypes he was raging against in his satire? At what point does “satire” end and “realistically absurd” begin? It’s that last question that American Fiction ultimately applies to itself. Monk gets cold feet and tries to sabotage his fictional career with increasingly outlandish pronouncements and behavior. But each escalation is met not with condemnation but rapturous applause. Writer/director Cord Jefferson, who won an Emmy for his writing on the 2019 HBO series Watchmen, adapted Percival Everett’s 2001 novel Erasure into American Fiction, which just

Jeffrey Wright’s virtuoso performance complements the virtuosic writing in American Fiction. goes to show you that the complex questions of representation and stereotyping have been knocking around long before the moral panics of the 2020s. Jefferson keeps it balanced between the outlandish and the real by going back and forth between Monk’s personal travails — a deteriorating family life and a fraught new romance — and the increasingly outrageous, yet plausible, arc of his meteoric writing career. Then finally, like his protagonist, the movie tries to sabotage itself to see how far you’ll go along. It’s a virtuosic writing job which wouldn’t have worked without a virtuoso performance by Jeffrey Wright. American Fiction is at its funniest when it’s all too real. American Fiction opens in theaters this Friday.

January 11-17, 2024

He is painfully reminded of what they do expect when Arthur suggests he attend a reading of the latest bestseller by Sintara Golden (Issa Rae), We’s Lives In Da Ghetto. The narrative is wall-to-wall Black trauma porn. The almost impenetrable dialect Sintara writes in is nothing like her reserved urbane speaking voice. It’s all a put-on by someone trying

to fake authenticity by giving the predominantly white audience’s own preconceptions back to them. Monk is jolted out of his professional bubble when Lisa dies unexpectedly from a heart attack, and he is forced to help arrange her funeral with his cokehead brother and Agnes, who is showing the first signs of Alzheimer’s. He takes a little comfort with Coraline (Erika Alexander), the lawyer who lives on the beach next to his mom. To vent his frustrations, Monk bangs out a sloppy potboiler filled with stories of urban poverty, crime, and social dysfunction told in transparently fake street slang. He submits it to his agent as a final raised middle finger to the publishing industry. But to his surprise, Arthur loves it. When he shops My Pafology around to publishers under the name Stagg R. Leigh, a bidding war erupts. Since Monk’s terminally square appearance would undermine the “authenticity” of the product, he claims to be a gangsta on the run from the law and refuses to make public

JANUARY JANUARY 12 12

JANUARY JANUARY 13 13

FEBRUARY FEBRUARY 17 17

Be there to watch Jaren Jackson Jr. and your Memphis Travel Travel Nurses. Nurses. Grizzlies take on the LA Clippers at 7PM, presented by Travel Nurses.

Marcus Smart and your Memphis Grizzlies take on the New York Knicks at 7PM on Social Media Night.

PENDLETON WHISKY VELOCITY TOUR Whisky Whisky Velocity Velocity Tour Tour for for PBRPBR Memphis. Memphis.

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What’s ordinary about life suddenly becomes sacred. This is my definition of poetry — my deepest plunge into being alive. It seems more relevant than ever, as innocent blood flows in the wars being waged by military-political bureaucracies across the planet. How many more stunned facial expressions will I see on YouTube, of parents who have just lost their children, their spouse, their siblings? I have recently released an album of spoken-word poetry. Many of the poems go back to an earlier period of my life, shortly after the death of my wife from pancreatic cancer. At the time, my daughter was not quite 12 years old. Dad and teenage daughter — those were the days! (We both survived, I’m happy to say.) Losing myself in these poems so many years later is a mind-blow not merely because of the memories they unleash. They also have a relevance to today’s news … the ongoing abstraction of human life, the dismissal of the value of every living soul. Poetry is the opposite of that — not in simplistic but, rather, paradoxical ways. Its essential purpose is to break through the shallowness of normalcy, quite likely in surprising ways. … God bless every finite movement of your heart’s laughter, the rich earth of your love, the milk of your breasts, the tremor of your flesh. And God bless diapers and tricycles and “Make Way for Ducklings” … This is a passage from “Letting Her Go,” one of the poems I wrote in the aftermath of my wife’s death. The poem is awash in the small details of family life, so easily overlooked in the moment. The day simply pushes on. But when the normalcy is shattered into fragments — soul fragments, you might say … God bless tantrums, ice cream, swimming pools, bugs and curiosity. God bless every dropped pearl, every birthday cake, all the soft inner matter of family life, felt, lived, and pushed along with too much hurry. The value, the depth of each moment, starts pulsating. As the poem pushes on, as I describe — relive — the last months of her life, I even write: “God bless cancer …” Those may be three of the strangest words I’ve ever written. They bled forth from my pen almost as a Zen koan. Do I know what I meant? Not really, but not knowing can be deeper than knowing. Indeed, “not knowing” is the human condition, and it includes knowing. For instance: The city’s streets are alive with the eyes of beggars. … This is the beginning of another poem, called “Open Souls.” Here again, “normalcy” conceals the PHOTO: MAREK ULIASZ | DREAMSTIME.COM troubling reality in which we live. Poetry is one of humanity’s windows into the … They poke through the glass skin of prosperity, unknown. too large and too human. I am disturbed anew each time I step around them, but I seldom break stride. Not to look would be to ignore open souls … Ordinary guys, homeless, asking for spare change. They’re just collateral damage of the system. But the poem isn’t political — it’s pre-political, just like every poem is, or should be. It’s about feeling the pain, the love that hovers beyond the codified world. Poetry is one of humanity’s windows into the raw unknown — which happens to be both beyond our wildest dreams and deep within our inner being. In the world of poetry, there is no separation between church and state. The homeless guy at the subway station helped me grasp this. The northbound train arrives; shoes clatter faster around us. From the wracking depths he moans “Pray for me.” I did my best to gather together the pieces of this moment in my words. Yes, I prayed for him, in contradiction of my own beliefs (because what do I know?). … Let him have a room tonight and breakfast in the morning and a lucky break, oh Lord, if thou art merciful. Let him not be the one to die for our sins. Robert Koehler (koehlercw@gmail.com), syndicated by PeaceVoice, is a Chicago award-winning journalist and editor. He is the author of Courage Grows Strong at the Wound.

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