I paid my first visit to Paula & Raiford’s Disco at 14 S. Second last night, and it was everything I hoped it would be. Here are a couple of pics:
These were taken about 10:45 before the club got super packed. I hoped to take more pics, but the fog machine made it pretty much impossible to get decent images.
Be sure to keep an eye on the Commercial Appeal… Michael Donahue was there last night with a video camera, and he got video of Raiford dancing around as he DJed. Raiford was just unbelievable… he danced all over the place and changed outfits at least 5 times. Raiford is the Mick Jagger of Downtown Memphis, except with better hair and clothes.
Unfortunately I didn’t make it very late into the evening, because I thought it would be a good idea to start at the Saucer with a bottle of North Coast Brother Thelonious. Brother Thelonious comes in a 25.4 ounce bottle and is 9.4% alcohol by volume. Needless to say I was pretty well soused by the time I polished that bad boy off. I made it to Paula & Raiford’s at 10:30, and after a couple of quarts of Bud Light I was near the point of passing out by 12:30.
As for the size of the new club… I wouldn’t say it’s 4 times as big as the old one as I’d heard, at least not the way they have it laid out. I’d say more like two and a half times. It’s still pretty big though. Nevertheless, Paula & Raiford’s was pretty well packed by midnight. I don’t think they’re going to have any problem drawing a crowd there.
Even King Willie showed up and busted a move on the dance floor for a few minutes.
Going back tonight… and this time I’m determined to make it a late night. No pre-club high-alcohol beers. I am, however, going to go on a bar tour of the Downtown core tonight. This is what I’m thinking:
- 8:00: Saucer
- 9:00: Voodoo Room
- 10:00: Bardog
- 11:00: Paula & Raiford’s
Right now, though, I’m hungry for sausage biscuits, so I’m going to walk up the street and do a breakfast tour of Blue Plate Cafe.