The finals of the International Blues Challenge happen today at the Orpheum at noon, with doors opening at 11:30. An IBC pass or single finals ticket is required for entry.
If you want the blues to continue once the finals are over, there will be a Generation Blues Benefit Showcase hosted by the Andy T Band at the Hard Rock tonight at 9. A gathering of guest artists will keep the music going. Suggested $10 donation at the door.
Down the street at Rum Boogie Cafe, the VizzTone 10th Anniversary Blues Party on Beale starts at 10:30 tonight and continues into the late hours. Artists who will play the party include VizzTone and BratGirlmedia artists Kenny Neal, Little Boys Blue, Tas Cru, Long Tall Deb & Colin John, Jonn Del Toro Richardson, Amanda Fish Band, Amy Hart, Brad Stivers, Little G Weevil, Erin Harpe & the Delta Swingers, Tim Gartland, Jimmy Carpenter, Timo Arthur, and Richard Rosenblatt.
In other stuff going on today, the Bluff City Fire and Ice Polar Bear Plunge & Chili Cook-off happens today on Mud Island. The event benefits the Special Olympics.
Going to see Garth Brooks today? If you’re going to the 3 PM concert, FedExForum advises you to vacate your parking spaces within 30 minutes of the end of the show to avoid traffic congestion. They are also encouraging those with 7:30 tickets to not come Downtown until 6:30 or later. Of course people won’t actually do this and Downtown traffic will be a freakin’ mess from about 2:00 on.
I’ve learned of another very cool event happening at the Wiseacre brewery in April. On the 15th of that month, the brewery will host the Kaleidoscope Food Festival, a much-needed celebration of diversity in these times. Binghampton, in which Wiseacre is located, is one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the city. There will be storytelling, performance, and also food by these vendors: Indra’s Dumplings (Nepal), Ibti’s Soups (North Sudan), Aroma Kitchen by Flora & CC (South Sudan, Kenya), Raffe’s (Syria) and possibly more to come. Experts will be on hand at the festival to pair Wiseacre beer with your food. This is a family- and dog-friendly event.
Tin Roof is adding a room called The Green Room which will have a “hangout” kind of vibe. The new room will have ping-pong, foosball, and two 70-inch TV screens.
NewMemphis has some jobs open, including a Communication Coordinator position.
High Ground News has a good article on an exhibit by artwork created by the homeless at a gallery at 645 Marshall. The artists create their work as part of a program at St. Mary’s Episcopal. The artworks at the gallery are for sale and the gallery takes a significantly smaller cut of each purchase than most galleries would.
Take this survey and you can influence the future of public transportation in Memphis.
Max’s Sports Bar has announced that they will have a ton of free giveaways at their Super Bowl watch party tomorrow. Watch the game there and the chances are high you will come away with some free stuff. Just last night I was down at my “home away from home on the south side.” As the weather gets warmer I plan to spend more time at Max’s.
Small businesses can apply for one of the micro-retail spots going into Edge Alley at 600 Monroe. As I reported yesterday, there will also be a cafe and coffee roaster in this location.
In a surprise to just about no one, Riverfront Grille, the restaurant inside Beale Street Landing, is bleeding money. The taxpayer-funded restaurant is closed until spring while the RDC “rethinks” the concept. My advice to RDC: Ask Prince Mongo what should be done with the building. It couldn’t be any worse than what the RDC has done.
Whole lotta adulting going on at the Ryburn household this morning. Doing laundry. Flipped the mattress. Poured a bottle of Drano Dual Force Foamer down the tub drain. After discovering recently that there’s a clothing donation box right up the street from where I work, I am bagging up all the clothes that have been sitting on my bedroom floor for a few years to take down there. I found my “COCKAWHAT?” shirt that Cockadoos gave me back when they were open. Does anyone want it? It’s a size XL, white shirt with blue neck, sleeves, and lettering. Email me at paul@paulryburn.com or hit me up on Facebook if you want it. Must arrange to meet me where I am to pick it up (and “where I am” is usually at a bar).
My troll got a new sister this week!
My friend Mark H. found her at OfficeMax and got her for me. I looked it up and learned that her name was Poppy in the movie, but I am going to give her a unique name. I haven’t fully figured it out yet, but her middle initial and last name will probably be T. Ropez because she’s a troll and a PEZ dispenser.
Time to finish bagging clothes, pour water down the drain to flush out the Drano, then I’m off to Bardog and Blind Bear for the usual Saturday festivities. Today should be an interesting people-watching day down here. Back tomorrow with more news.