I was up early a year ago today, having heard the “ding” of Facebook Messenger from the other room. I made plans to meet someone for a drink at Blind Bear (“BB” as she abbreviated it) two days later on the 14th, then decided there was no point in going back to bed, having to be up in another 45 minutes anyway. I got on my MacBook and checked Twitter to see what was going on.
2016 has seen many musicians die, but in early 2015 we lost some as well. Steve Strange, frontman of the band Visage and leading figure of the New Romantic movement, passed away a year ago today. I had heard of Visage but never really listened to them much when Steve Strange was alive, but I pulled up the band’s most well-known song, “Fade to Grey.”
“This came out in nineteen EIGHTY?” I thought. “I would’ve guessed 1987, and surely no less than 1985. They were YEARS ahead of their time!” It’s too bad artists have to die before people discover their music.
Steve Strange lived a colorful life, operating a nightclub for “the weird and wonderful” for several years. Suffice to say that if you showed up wearing a polo and khakis, you probably weren’t getting past the velvet rope.
But, enough about dead musicians; let’s get on to the news. Michael Donahue of the CA has named Agave Maria’s Cubano sandwich a Best Bet. Manager Jeremy Malone said the Cubano is their most popular lunch item, and beginning March 1 it will be available for dinner as well.
Only in Memphis: A string of deadly shootings involving hair extensions
Monster truck show Monster Jam kicks off a weekend of shows at FedExForum tonight at 7.
Slavehaven Underground Railroad Museum on North Second celebrates its 160th anniversary tomorrow with “In Their Own Words,” a spoken word/poetry event with first-hand accounts of former slaves.
Yikes: 92.9 ESPN tweeted that the University of Memphis gets $0 from FedExForum if Tiger game attendance drops below 6000. Yesterday radio host Gary Parrish, in an appearance on the Chris Vernon Show, said that the Tigers are headed toward $0. And the only solution may be to spend $10+ million dollars to buy out Josh Pastner, followed by more spending on the salary of a new head coach.
In other basketball news/job news, the Grizzlies are seeking a Director of Development.
Thanks to Christ Community Health Services, thousands of people in Memphis get care they could not otherwise afford. The organization is having a fundraiser brunch Saturday, February 20 in the Peabody Skyway at 10:30 AM. This week CCHS demonstrated a recipe for veggie pasta on WREG Live at 9 recently.
Good High Ground News article on Signal Flow PR, an agency in the South Main neighborhood that does marketing for musicians and music businesses. The agency started out in the Emerge Memphis incubator before moving to its current location in 2014.
Washington Avenue will be blocked between 6 AM and 6 PM tomorrow between B.B. King Blvd. and Fourth. The reason is to repair A/C equipment on the roof of 201 Poplar.
Interesting read: Is the competition circuit turning BBQ into the WWE of meat?
More embarrassment for our state: The University of Tennessee football team sexual assault scandal/Title IX gender discrimination lawsuit has made People magazine’s website.
The CA reports that vice president Joe Biden will visit Memphis next Wednesday.
Science has proved that smart people are the most distracted at work. YES!!!!!!!! So true!
Possibly a second post about 5:30, so check back.