Memphis Tigers Release 2009-10 Men's Basketball Schedule

The University of Memphis has announced its 2009-10 basketball schedule. Josh Pastner's first season as a head coach includes home games against Tennessee-Knoxville and Gonzaga and a road contest at Syracuse. The Tigers first real contest will be in a neutral site game against Kansas.

The 2010 Conference USA Tournament is scheduled for March 10-13 at the BOK Center in downtown Tulsa.

The following is the complete 2009-10 Memphis basketball schedule:

2009-10 Memphis Basketball Schedule

Nov. 3 - LeMoyne-Owen (exhibition)
Nov. 9 - Christian Brothers (exhibition)
Nov. 13 - Jackson State
Nov. 17 - vs. Kansas (St. Louis, Mo.; Hall of Fame Showcase)
Nov. 20 - Tennessee Tech (Hall of Fame Showcase)
Nov. 24 - Central Arkansas (Hall of Fame Showcase)
Nov. 30 - Oakland (Hall of Fame Showcase)
Dec. 5 - Arkansas State
Dec. 9 - Montana State
Dec. 12 - vs. Arkansas-Little Rock (North Little Rock, Ark.)
Dec. 19 - vs. UMass (Boston, Mass.)
Dec. 22 - Southeast Missouri State
Dec. 28 - IUPUI
Dec. 31 - Tennessee-Knoxville
Jan. 3 - Houston Baptist
Jan. 6 - at Syracuse
Jan. 9 - at Southern Miss
Jan. 13 - East Carolina
Jan. 16 - at Rice
Jan. 20 - UTEP
Jan. 23 - Houston
Jan. 27 - at Marshall
Jan. 30 - at SMU
Feb. 3 - UAB
Feb. 6 - Gonzaga
Feb. 10 - UCF
Feb. 13 - at Tulsa
Feb. 17 - at Tulane
Feb. 20 - SMU
Feb. 24 - at Houston
Feb. 27 - Southern Miss
Mar. 3 - at UAB
Mar. 6 - Tulsa
Mar. 10-13 - Conference USA Tournament (Tulsa)

Halloween Is Right Around The Corner

It's scary to think that Halloween is right around the corner. Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, so one could expect a large amount of trick-or-treaters and costume parties around town. Stonewall should be a good time this year. Don't wait until the last minute, get your costume and decorations today.

AI to Grizzlies, Trouble At Backstreet, Liberty Bowl Beer Sales

The Memphis Grizzlies and Allen Iverson have come to terms on a one-year agreement. Iverson is probably the biggest name the Grizzlies have ever signed, but he is on the downside of his career. Via Twitter, Iverson wrote "I feel that they are committed to developing a winner and I know that I can help them to accomplish that. I feel that I can trust them." Let's hope he can be a solid contributor.

Over the weekend, Midtown's Backstreet was raided by police and resulting in temporary closure. Undercover Memphis Police officers say they witnessed illegal drug sales, illegal alcohol sales, and gambling inside the club on at least six occasions. Based on rumors that have been floating around for a few years, this is not surprising.

Does it surprise anyone that beer sales at the Memphis vs Ole Miss game at the Liberty Bowl exceeded expectations? Sales from the game achieved 40% of the budgeted sales for the season. Needless to say, city officials are very happy. Many people have complained about the price being $7. Stop the whining. Its the same price you would pay (if not cheaper) at any professional sporting event in the city.

Redbirds Ready For Postseason Play

The Memphis Redbirds have clinched a playoff birth and kick off a best of five playoff series against the Albuquerque Isotopes tonight in New Mexico. The Redbirds return to Memphis on Friday for game three of the series. Games four and five will be played Saturday and Sunday in Memphis, if necessary. Tickets for Friday's game are still available.

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions Week Of 9/7/2009

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions are published weekly to show a possible college football playoff format. Similar to the NCAA basketball tournament, 11 conference champions receive automatic bids. 5 additional spots are available for at-large bids.

Round 1 games would be hosted by the higher ranked seeds. Rounds 2 - 4 would incorporate the bowl system with host cities/bowls bidding to host the games. The "Big 4" BCS bowls would be permanent playoff hosts on a round-rotating basis (Championship, semi-finals and 1 round 2 game).

For the week of September 7, 2009:

1. Florida (SEC Champion)
2. Texas (Big 12 Champion)
3. Alabama (At Large SEC)
4. USC (Pac 10 Champion)
5. Ohio State (Big 10 Champion)
6. Oklahoma State (At Large Big 12)
7. BYU (MWC Champion)
8. Penn State (At Large Big 10)
9. Mississippi (At Large SEC)
10. Boise State (WAC Champion)
11. LSU (At Large SEC)
12. Georgia Tech (ACC Champion)
13. Houston (CUSA Champion)
14. West Virginia (Big East Champion)
15. Central Michigan (MAC Champion)
16. Troy (Sunbelt Champion)

Dropped out: Oklahoma (#3, At Large Big 12), Virginia Tech (#7, ACC Champion), California (#9, At Large Pac 10), Utah (#12, MWC Champion), East Carolina (#14, CUSA Champion)

Number Of Teams by Conference:
SEC (4), ACC (1), Big 10 (2), Big 12 (2) Big East (1), CUSA (1), MAC (1), MWC (1), Pac 10 (1), Sunbelt (1), WAC (1), Independent (0)

Match ups round by round assuming higher seeds win.

Round 1
(16) Troy at (1) Florida
(9) Mississippi at (8) Penn State
(12) Georgia Tech at (5) Ohio State
(13) Houston at (4) USC
(11) LSU at (6) Oklahoma State
(14) West Virginia at (3) Alabama
(10) Boise State at (7) BYU
(15) Central Michigan at (2) Texas

Round 2
(8) Penn State vs (1) Florida
(5) Ohio State vs (4) USC
(6) Oklahoma State vs (3) Alabama
(7) BYU vs (2) Texas

Round 3
(4) USC vs (1) Florida
(3) Alabama vs (2) Texas

Championship Game
(2) Texas vs (1) Florida

Quick Hits: Fighting Ducks, Free Chicken, Mayor's Race, Football

Agree with University of Oregon 100% for suspending running back LeGarrette Blount for the rest of the season. His reaction to the taunt of a low class Boise player (Byron Hout) was extreme, but taking a swing at teammates and then having to be restrained after attempting to take his bad-self to the stands was egregious. For future incidents, Oregon players only need to remember, what would Daffy, Donald, Howard or the Aflac duck do?

To Byron Hout, act like you've been there before. Hout would most likely have received some type of discipline for his bush league antics, but getting jacked on Sportscenter over and over again for his embarrassing actions is punishment enough.

Who doesn't like free stuff? Chik-fil-a is giving away free chicken sandwiches on Monday to guests wearing college logo t-shirts. Memphis-area locations are already slammed everyday, so get there early. Heck, you might want to tailgate while you are waiting in line.

The special election for the mayor of Memphis is now officially a cluster. Ten candidates would be too many, but Memphians are blessed with 28. At this rate, the winner may only get 20% of the vote. Hopefully, some of the candidates will drop out.

The first weekend of college football continues to roll today. Week 1 is known for blowouts against lesser competition, but Virginia Tech/Alabama and Georgia/Oklahoma State will be two top-notch early season match ups.

Week 1 picks
Rhodes over Westminster (MO)
Tennessee-Knoxville over Western Kentucky
Oklahoma State over Georgia
Virginia Tech over Alabama
Southern Miss over Alcorn State
Ole Miss over Memphis

Lots Of Music In Memphis This Weekend

If you are a music fan, this is a good weekend to be in Memphis. Two festivals headline a variety of music options.

The Memphis Music and Heritage Festival will have five stages Downtown (near Main Street and Peabody Place) from 11am-11pm on Saturday and Sunday. Headliners included Al Kapone, Bobby Rush, Amy LaVere, Blind Mississippi Morris and Susan Marshall. A wild card recommendation may be the Memphis Klezmer All-Stars. In addition to music, there will be cooking demonstrations, crafts and artists for your enjoyment. Admission is free.

The Delta Fair and Music Festival kicks off on Friday and continues through September 13. There is a variety of music this weekend, including an appearance by Eddie Money. Don't forget to check out the animal (ostrich and pig) races and mid-evil jousting while you are there.

On a more laid back level, The Moody Blues will be at the Memphis Botanic Garden on Friday and there will be free music all weekend at the Levitt Shell.

The Other Memphis College Football Team

Many Memphians seem to forget their are two NCAA football teams in the city. Everyone is well aware of Saturdays (and sometimes weeknights) at the Liberty Bowl with the Tigers, but the same cannot be said of the Lynx. Rhodes College opens up their 2009 campaign this weekend against Westminster (MO) College at Fargason Field located on the Rhodes campus.

Head Coach Joe White, entering his 13th season with the Rhodes, is regrouping his squad after a disappointing 4-6 season. This was the first losing season for the Lynx since 2005. White will be counting on junior linebacker Andrew Meier to lead the defense and senior running back Tom McMurray to guide the offense.

If you are looking for a low-cost, fun football afternoon, head to Midtown and checkout a game. Kickoff this weekend is set for 1pm.

County Comission Takes A Pay Cut, Consolidation Committee Approved

The Shelby County Commissioners voted today to take a 5% pay cut. Citing tough economic times, you have to be impressed with this vote. The Commission also voted to reduced the salaries of the Shelby County Mayor and Sheriff. Good job guys. Funny to see Joe Ford, who asked for a 33% pay increase two weeks ago, voted for the cut. Looks like he realized that angry voters aren't a good thing.

On a separate note, Commissioners took an additional step to get the ball rolling in the consolidation of county and city governments by creating a consolidation committee. If the city follows suit, the committees can start the process later this year. The final plan will be on the November 2010 ballot.

College Football...Finally, Drinking For A Cause

College football season kicks off this week. For fans in the Memphis Metro, the biggest game will be Sunday's Liberty Bowl contest featuring Ole Miss and Memphis. Rated in the Top 10 by some pre-season polls, it will be interesting to see how the Rebels respond to having a huge target on their backs. The Tigers will be looking to play the roll of spoiler and upset the Rebels. Tickets are still available.

This will be the last game in the existing Memphis-Ole Miss football contract and Memphis' contract with Tennessee-Knoxville expires after the 2010 season. Over the next few years the Tigers are locked into games with Arkansas State, Duke, Louisville, Middle Tennessee State and Mississippi State.

Drinking has its benefits. Locally-brewed Ghost River Brewing has announced a fundraising initiative to benefit the Wolf River Conservancy, a Memphis-based nonprofit land trust that protects and promotes the Wolf River corridor and its watershed.

The brewery’s “Drink a Beer – Save a River” campaign will begin Thursday and runs through September. 20, giving patrons of participating restaurants the chance to make a contribution to the conservancy.

Participating establishments include Central BBQ, Memphis Pizza Cafe, Booya’s, Young Avenue Deli and the Bayou Bar & Grill.

Ghost River Brewing donates a portion of the proceeds from the sale of every barrel of beer to the Wolf River Conservancy.

Restaurant Updates: Arrivederci Club G, South Of Beale

The Grisanti family announced today that Ronnie Grisanti's on Poplar will close its doors on Saturday. Many Memphians are upset by this, but there shouldn't be a reason to be concerned. The quality of the establishment has always been overrated, but only due to the fact that Memphis lacks good Italian food in general. At its best (since 2001) the food has been average at best. A special thanks goes out to the staff that has always done a fantastic job. Thursday nights at Club G will always be missed, but there is hope that new and better cuisine will make its presence in the Memphis market in the near future.

Managed to stop by South Of Beale tonight. Only open less than a month, this new bistro on South Main will be a wonderful spot once the kinks are knocked out. The menu looks great and is reasonably priced. Combined with a great bar staff, there is potential for this new eatery to do well. Only negative is that the owners need to be more outgoing and friendly. A customer ass kissing is not required, but common courtesy and a "hello" will pay off major dividends, especially when things are slow. Work out this customer service flaw and things will be good.

Iverson On Twitter, Downtown Alley Jams

Allen Inverson is reporting that the Grizzlies have extended him an offer. The Grizzlies could use some excitement and a big name player, but Iverson in his later years isn't the best choice. The only good thing out of this is the potential of using Iverson for trade bait later in the season.

Downtown Alley Jams kickoff on September 16. There will be free music and food/drink will be available for purchase. Refreshments start at 4:30pm and music starts at 6pm. Admission is free. Check out the lineup.

Wednesday, September 16: Court Square Karaoke and Cocktails, Court Square Park.
If interesting in competing for the $500 grand prize and $200 crowd favorite, email Stephanie at livinitup@downtownmemphis.com.

Wednesday, September 23: NeoSoulville Alley Party, Gayoso Alley.
Pure Memphis soul with The City Champs, Candace Ashir, Tim Terry, Tonya Dyson, and Cassie Bonner.

Wednesday, September 30: REG Alley Party, Rendezvous Alley.
High octane rockabilly with The Dempseys and Stax and disco soul with The Soul Shockers.

Wednesday, October 7: Makeshift Records Alley Party, Gayoso Alley.
Memphis alt-pop and punk with Two Way Radio, Paul Taylor, and Pezz.

Wednesday, October 14: Goner Records Alley Party, Barboro Alley.
Memphis Indie Rock with Harlan T. Bobo and Quintron and Miss Pussycat.

Friday, October 30: Memphis Pops! presented by Shangri-La, Lot next to Earnestine & Hazels.
Featuring Mitch Easter, The New Mary Jane, and the return of The Simple Ones.

Fall Levitt Shell Concert Series Announced

Overton Park's Levitt Shell has announced its 25 concert fall lineup. Shows will be Thursday-Sunday with each night dedicated to a single musical theme:

Thursday - Americana
Friday - R&B, gospel, and/or blues
Saturday - afternoon kids show & Latin-themed evening
Sunday - World Rhythms

All performances start at 7 p.m., except Saturday children’s show, 5 p.m., and Saturday evening concert, 7:30 p.m. As usual, all shows are free.

Here is the lineup:

Sept. 4: Kinsey Report

Sept. 5: (children’s show) Billy Jonas Cienfuegos

Sept. 6: Mystical Arts of Tibet with Lily Afshar

Sept. 10: Sun Studios Revue

Sept. 11: Charlie Wood

Sept. 12: Rattletree Marimba Marcel

Sept. 13: Ohana Maui

Sept. 17: Pronto

Sept. 18: Joyce Cobb

Sept. 19: Farmer Jason, Marta Gomez

Sept. 20: Toubab Krewe

Sept. 24: Carrie Rodriguez

Sept. 25: The Lee Boys

Sept. 26: Memphis Symphony Orchestra presents “How I Became A Pirate,” Fandanguero

Sept. 27: The Prodigals

Oct. 1: The Duhks

Oct. 2: Blues Revue

Oct. 3: Mammoth Follies, Los Texas Wranglers

Oct. 4: Nagata Shachu

Memphis Probation, Beer At Football Games, WWH Say No

What seems to be missed in the hoopla associated with the NCAA announcement last week is the three years of probation facing all University of Memphis sports. The basketball allegations coupled with the gross negligence of the women's golf program have the NCAA closely watching Tigers sports. All of this happened under the leadership of R.C. Johnson. Maybe its time for Johnson to step down and let new blood add some much need energy to the program.

The City of Memphis announced that beginning this season beer will be sold at Memphis Tigers football games at the Liberty Bowl. This is fantastic news. It will be interesting to see how well Memphis fans handle their alcohol intake. City officials are estimating that beer sales at Tigers games will add close to $250,000 to city revenues for 2009.

On a local radio show today, Willie Herenton said that he will not run for mayor in the upcoming special election. Let's hope he keeps his word.

Social Media Ban, A Little Grace In Midtown

Today, the SEC announced a ban on social media at sporting events. The purpose is to keep all eyes on ESPN and CBS broadcasts. How will this be enforced? No cell phones allowed in stadiums? This is going to be fun to watch. What's next...all SEC games to only be on PPV?

Grace, a new bistro with French influences, is opening soon in the Cooper Young area. The planned location is the space formerly used by Sweet. French techniques combined with fresh local ingredients should make for a fun experience.

Memphis To Become A Bigger Joke?, Vick To Eagles

Just as Memphis is starting to gain more respect, Willie Herenton has knocked the city several steps back. Herenton picked up an application today to run for the same position that he resigned from just two weeks ago. He doesn't feel that the acting mayor and the candidates for the special election are good for Memphis. Is Herenton good enough for Memphis? He seems to forget he will be remembered for controversy, federal investigations, bad hires and racism more than his handful of accomplishments. His greatest accomplishment came as superintendent of schools, where he "dumbed down" the voting base enough to continuously re-elect him. Even a voting base with an average education would not have voted him in over and over again. If he does run for office, he should be forced to pay some of the costs associated with the special election. After all, the only reason there is a special election is because he stepped down from his position as mayor.

Michael Vick signed with the Philadelphia Eagles today. Donovan McNabb isn't getting any younger and Kevin Kolb will most likely be a bust, so this is a good move by the Eagles. Vick's signing ends our hopes that he would sign with the Cleveland Browns. It would have been hilarious to see the Dawg Pound fans cheering for Vick.

Lofty Expectations For Local College Football

Mississippi and Memphis football squads are now in camp prepping for the 2009 college football season. Both teams have high expectations and their opening game at the Liberty Bowl should set the tone for the rest of the year.

Mississippi is riding high off of Houston Nutt's first season and strong Cotton Bowl win over Texas Tech. Ranked in the top 10 in some pre-season polls, Ole Miss will be lead by QB Jevan Snead and defensive leaders like Greg Hardy.

The scheduling gods were very kind to the Rebels with key SEC games against Alabama, LSU and Tennessee all being in Oxford. Aside from injuries, the only thing that could throw a wrench into Ole Miss' dream season are two games again FCS schools.

With a talent-rich teams and a favorable schedule, look for Mississippi to finish up the season 10-2 or 9-3.

For the first time in a good while, Memphis fans are talking about quality talent on Tigers football team. Veterans like Carlos Singleton and Duke Calhoun both return along with several transfers from SEC schools. The big question mark will remain at quarterback. Memphis QB's were often injured last season and more of the same could doom the Tigers in 2009.

The schedule will not do much to help the Tigers. Home games against Mississippi and ECU are helpful, but key conference road games against Houston, Tulsa and USM are going to be tough. And lets not forget a road trip to Knoxville in November.

An interesting out of conference game will be against UT-Martin. Martin is a pre-season FCS top 25 team that will be a tough early season test for the Tigers. Memphis should win, but Martin will bring their A game.

This seems to come up every year, but this could be a make or break season for Tommy West. Expectations are high and fans are hungry for a conference championship and bigger bowls. Is West on the hot seat? It remains to be seen. Wins over rivals make everything better.

Factoring in the schedule, 7-5 seems to be a realistic expectation for this year.

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Pre-Season Playoff Predictions

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions will return for another college football season. Now its fourth published season, click here to see last season's final mock playoff field.

Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions are published weekly on Monday afternoons to show a possible college football playoff format. Similar to the NCAA basketball tournament, 11 conference champions receive automatic bids. 5 additional spots are available for at large bids.

Round 1 games would be hosted by the higher ranked seeds. Rounds 2 - 4 would incorporate the bowl system with host cities/bowls bidding to host the games. The "Big 4" BCS bowls would be permanent playoff hosts on a round-rotating basis (Championship, semi-finals and 1 round 2 game).

The pre-season playoff field for the 2009 season is:

1. Florida (SEC Champion)
2. Texas (Big 12 Champion)
3. Oklahoma (At Large Big 12)
4. USC (PAC 10 Champion)
5. Alabama (At Large SEC)
6. Ohio State (Big 10 Champion)
7. Virginia Tech (ACC Champion)
8. Penn State (At Large Big 10)
9. California (At Large PAC 10)
10. Oklahoma State (At Large Big 12)
11. Boise State (WAC Champion)
12. Utah (MWC Champion)
13. West Virginia (Big East Champion)
14. East Carolina (CUSA Champion)
15. Central Michigan (MAC Champion)
16. Troy (Sunbelt Champion)


Number Of Teams by Conference:
Big 12 (3), Big 10 (2), Pac 10 (2), SEC (2), ACC (1), Big East (1), CUSA (1), MAC (1), MWC (1), Sunbelt (1), WAC (1), Independent (0)

Match ups round by round assuming higher seeds win.

Round 1
(16) Troy at (1) Florida
(9) California at (8) Penn State
(12) Utah at (5) Alabama
(13) West Virginia at (4) USC
(11) Boise State at (6) Ohio State
(14) East Carolina at (3) Oklahoma
(10) Oklahoma State at (7) Virginia Tech
(15) Central Michigan at (2) Texas

Round 2
(8) Penn State vs (1) Florida
(5) Alabama vs (4) USC
(6) Ohio State vs (3) Oklahoma
(7) Virginia Tech vs (2) Texas

Round 3
(4) USC vs (1) Florida
(3) Oklahoma vs (2) Texas

Championship Game
(2) Texas vs (1) Florida

Village Door On Beale, Grizzlies, Football

The Superior Restaurant and Bar on Beale Street is changing ownership. The restaurant and bar has been purchased by a group of investors and John Wehner. The new spot will be known as John Wehner's Village Door Beale Street. Wehner is known for his prior developments, including The Famous Door on Bourbon Street and The Village Door in Florida. The Memphis Village Door will have top notch entertainment including high level music and djs. The new concept should be open in 45 days.

The Grizzlies continued to make fans scratch their heads. Their latest move was to fire the entire college scouting department. Screw college talent, just draft Europeans and sign veterans who are in the decline of their careers.

College and pro football camps have kicked off across the nation. That means Memphis Lagniappe's Fabled College Football Playoff Predictions are coming soon. Look for the pre-season predictions by the end of the weekend.

Pinch Bar Closing, Mirimichi, Rap Cooking Show

The High Point Pinch has been declared a public nuisance and was shut down over the weekend by MPD. Looks like drugs were being sold out of this location. Good riddance!!!

The Pinch District had a ton of potential to be a quality entertainment district, but the "moth-balling" of the Pyramid brought an end to quality foot traffic to local businesses. Maybe an addition of quality restaurants (not just pub grub)and bars will entice Downtowners and Island residents to visit the area more often.

Mirimichi opens this Saturday in Millington. Under Justin Timberlake's ownership, the golf course has undergone major renovations and it is expected to one the top golf facilities in the region. Can't wait to get out there.

Memphis based rappers Three 6 Mafia are in negotiations to have a nationally televised cooking show starting this fall. This should be quite entertaining to watch.

Mayor's Race, Grizzlies Moves, Republic

The list of candidates continues to grow for the anticipated special election for Memphis Mayor. The latest addition is professional wrestler Jerry Lawler. One big piece that everyone is waiting for is to see if the current mayor will actually resign. Last year, he changed his mind and this year he has already pushed back the initial date to July 30.

It looks like the Memphis Grizzlies are trying to be active in the free agent market this year. The biggest name mentioned has been Allen Iverson. Big name, but what will he really add? Solid leadership? Probably not. Bench scoring? Maybe. Combined will Zach Randolph, it looks like a new bad boy's club is being formed. Unfortunately, Memphians will be jacked up at the thought of having both.

The Grizzlies also acquired Jerry Stackhouse in a multi-team trade with Dallas, Orlando and Toronto. In addition to receiving Stackhouse from Dallas, the Grizzlies also picked up a future second round pick and cash considerations from Toronto. The cash was used to cover Stackhouse's contract buyout (he has already been released). The Grizzlies also sent Greg Buckner to Toronto.

A new club will be opening on Beale Street. Republic will soon be opening its doors in the space that was last used by EP's.

Ladies and gentlemen, Boston.

Grizzlies Trade Rumors, Boscos Closed?

Looks like the Grizzlies are looking to trade newly acquired Quentin Richardson for Zach Rudolph. Rudolph is a solid scorer, but has never been on a winning club and probably isn't the player the Grizzlies need to get to the next level. What about focusing efforts on snagging Hedo Turkoglu from the free agent pool?

Drove by Boscos tonight and noticed they were closed. No reason to worry though, they are only closed for the week as they go through renovations. They are set to re-open on Monday.

Ladies and gentlemen, B.B. King.

Blue Devil Picks Tigers, Global Leadership Series, New Laws

Memphis native Elliot Williams will leave the Duke Blue Devils and transfer to Memphis for the 2009-2010 academic year. Citing family health concerns, Williams will ask the NCAA for a transfer waiver that will allow him to play immediately. This is great pick up for Josh Pastner's club and it will be a nice upgrade for next year's squad.

Condoleezza Rice will be one of the featured speakers at the Global Leadership Series hosted by Greater Memphis Chamber. Rice will visit Memphis Cook Convention Center on September 15. This will be a black tie optional event that includes a reception prior to dinner at 7pm. Tickets are available for $500.

Several new laws will go into effect in Tennessee tomorrow. Finally, we can have wine shipped to our homes direct from wineries. One of the less publicized new laws is a ban on texting and driving. Offenders will be fined $50.

Ladies and gentlemen, Better Than Ezra.

Another Dive Bar, Mays, More Bad Politics

Continuing the search for Memphis dive bars, we stopped in Barbie's Place over the weekend. Located on Summer Avenue, Barbie has taken what looks like a former Pizza Hut and converted it to a watering hole. Cheap suds, nice people, pool tables and shuffle board are just a few of the features. And for those who like to start early, they open at 9am on Saturday's. Check it out when you get a chance.

Direct response TV hocker Billy Mays passed away today at the age of 50. This was bad week for celebrities.

Can't understand why our political system is crumbling? This is one of many reasons. I'm all for giving props to local kids and recognizing their accomplishments (good job Hurrican Chris), but rapping during a legislative session should not be allowed. To quote Florida Evans..."Damn! Damn! Damn!"



Ladies and gentlemen, the Zac Brown Band.

NASCAR, Free Music, Aquanet, Cap & Trade

The NASCAR truck series will be the Memphis Motorsports Park on Saturday. Not as fun as watching the Sprint Cup or Nationwide Series, but still good, loud racing. 100 degree temps will not make this event fun.

More free concerts at the Levitt Shell all weekend. Your best bet will be Free World Sunday night at 7pm.

Another fun show will be at the Red Rooster on Saturday. 80s hair cover band Aquanet will brings their entertaining act Downtown. This is always a good time.

The U.S. House passed the Cap & Trade bill today. This will be the highest tax increase in American history. Your paychecks may not be touched via income tax, but you will see increases in your energy bills as soon as this bill becomes law. There is a ton b.s. spin coming from the White House and House Democrats, especially on the job front. Both are claiming this bill will create thousands of new jobs. Will the new jobs be more or less than all of the jobs that will be lost as a result of the bill? Yes, many jobs will be lost. This is confirmed by the three years of unemployment assistance that has been added to the bill to make sure those who lose their jobs are taken care of. But there is no talk in the mainstream media about this. Lets hope the Senate has more sense than the California-whack job led House. Shame on Steve Cohen. We thought you were better than this.

Ladies and gentlemen, Louis Armstrong.

NBA Draft, So Long Farrah & MJ

The Grizzlies took UCONN's Hasheem Thabeet with the second overall pick in the NBA draft. Many are surprised that the pick wasn't traded, but for once the Grizzlies will have size down low in the paint. Later in the first round, the Grizzlies continued to beef up the paint with with Missouri power forward DeMarre Carroll. With their second round pick they added Sam Young, a small forward from Pittsburgh.

Amazingly the Grizzlies, didn't take a guard. Later in the night they managed to get their guard fix via a trade. The Grizzlies agreed to send Darko Milicic to the New York Knicks for Quentin Richardson and cash considerations.

Former Memphis Tiger guard Tyreke Evans was selected by the Sacramento Kings with the fourth overall selection and Robert Dozier was the last pick in the draft, going to Miami. Memphis native Lester Hudson of Tennessee-Martin was taken in the second round by Boston.


Today the world in remembering the losses of Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson. May they both rest in piece.

Ladies and gentlemen, Michael Jackson.

Willie's Gone, Trolley Tour, Canada Day

What was that loud roar heard in Memphis earlier today? Did the Grizzlies trade for Blake Griffin? Did the Tigers land a top recruit? The answers to both questions is no. What you did hear were cheers of joy from Memphis residents as they heard the news that Mayor Herenton has announced his retirement effective July 10. Unlike last year, let's hope he sticks with it. He is retiring to focus on his Congressional campaign against Steve Cohen. Here's to hoping Cohen can win again. Now to the bad news. Myron Lowery will be running the show until the special election.

The South Main Trolley Tour is tomorrow night. As usual, businesses on South Main will open their doors and offer free cocktails and goodies. Its going to be hot, so remember to dress cool.

Canada Day is coming early to Memphis again this year. Kooky Canuck will have Canada Day special all day on Sunday. Specials include:

$3.00 34oz Molson Canadian Draft
$2.00 Black Velvet 'Canadian Whiskey' Shots
$3.00 Bloody Caesars
$12.99 Canadian Burger w/Poutine and a Nanaimo Bar
$4.99 Montreal Steamie All Dressed (mustard, onion, cabbage & cayenne over the top) & french fries

Ladies and gentlemen, Kasey Chambers.

Free Chick-fil-A, McMahon, NBA Draft

On July 10, Chick-fil-A will give free meals to customers who dress like cows. For more information, visit cowappreciationday.com.

Late night TV legend Ed McMahon passed away today. Many will remember McMahon as Johnny Carson's sidekick and his many appearances on TV blooper specials. Here is one of his greater moments.



The 2009 NBA Draft is tomorrow. The big question is who the Grizzlies will pick with second overall selection. We have a hunch that the Grizzlies will draft a player and then trade him for players or future picks or trade the pick to Minnesota. Keeping the trade option in mind, here's how we see the 2009 Grizzlies draft going down.

Round (Overall Pick) Player/Position/School

1.(2) James Harden/SG/Arizona State
1.(27) Nick Calathes/PG/Florida
2.(36) Jermaine Taylor/SG/Central Florida


Ladies and gentlemen, Dig.

Free Shows At The Shell, Feldman, Lauren Conrad

Lots of free music this weekend at the Levitt Shell, including Todd Snider tonight at 7pm.

Michael Feldman will bring his quirky quiz/comedy show to Harding Academy on June 20 at 9:30am. Visit WKNO for more information.

Lauren Conrad, of MTV's The Hills, will be at Davis-Kidd on Wednesday, July 24 at 6pm for a book signing and discussion. Not sure how much there will be to discuss, but the view will be very pleasant.



Ladies and gentlemen, Collective Soul.

Main Street Block Party, Concert Updates, iPhone 3.0

The third Main Street/Peabody Place block party is slated for tomorrow. All of the businesses near the corner of Main and Peabody are participating with various food and drink specials in addition to discounts/sales at stores like Shelton Clothiers. Be sure stop by Shelton's and congratulate them on their fourth anniversary.

While we are giving out anniversary props, lets not forget the Kooky Canuck (fomerly Big Foot Lodge). Shawn and his crew celebrated their fourth birthday last night with a kick-butt party.

Here are a few quick concert updates.

Gov't Mule is coming to Minglewood Hall on July 21. Tickets are on sale now.



Summer Nights at Snowden Grove has announced its summer line-up. All shows are at Snowden Grove park in Southaven, MS and tickets are $10 for each show. Here is the line up:

- Friday, June 26 - Blues Traveler with Young Guns
- Thursday, July 9 - Gavin DeGraw, Collective Soul with Green River Ordinance
- Friday, July 17 - Better Than Ezra with Sterling Y and Tyler Hilton



Mud Island has announced another show for their summer series. The latest addition is Journey. The legendary rockers will be in Memphis on August 8. Tickets go on sale this Saturday.



For iPhone owners, don't forget that the 3.0 software update is available today.

Ladies and gentlemen, Journey.

Grove Beer Dinner, Joe Buck Live, Fun Fest

The Grove Grill will host a beer dinner featuring Ghost River Brewery. The menu is looking great, check it out.

Roasted Mississippi Hen of the Woods Mushrooms, Ripley Tomatoes, Beemster Goat Gouda Cheese and Champagne Vinaigrette - Ghost River Golden

Hot Smoked Wild Sockeye Salmon with crisp roasted pepper polenta, baby lola rosa and kalamata olive tapanade - Ghost River Glacial Pale Ale

Wood Grilled Quail and Rib Eye Cap Steak with summer vegetable stir fry basmati,
mole rojo and avocado pico de gallo - Ghost River Brown Ale

Lemon Chiffon Pie with Strawberry Coulis - Ghost River Hefeweizen

You get all the above for $45 plus tax and gratuity. Contact The Grove Grill for reservations and more information.

If you get a chance, check out Joe Buck Live on HBO. He has some great guests this week, including Brett Farve, Chad Johnson, Paul Rudd and some great stuff from Artie Lange.

TN Fun Fest is this weekend at the Agri-center. Not sure about all the festivities, but Fun Fest has a great bbq competition.

Ladies and gentlemen, Kenny Rogers and a few Muppet friends.

Downtown Crime, Ole Miss Getting Props, Oops...Kiffin Did It Again, River Racing

Just a quick reminder to keep your guard up when going out Downtown. So-called panhandlers struck again this weekend right outside of Hollywood Disco. After not receiving cash, they decided to take what they wanted. They made of with a purse and a few bucks before disappearing into the Memphis night. Police are always visible in the core entertainment area (as they should be), but it wouldn't hurt to step up patrols near South Main, etc. Hollywood Disco also needs to beef up its outside security. The crooks were hanging out on blue turf. A firm "get the hell out of here" may have prevented the situation.

Ole Miss is getting some new props these days and its not from Mike Bianco's Super Regional winning percentage. It appears that some Oxford locals want to put "O'town" on the map with a classy tune featuring Mississippi-Oxford co-eds (FWIW, we love the song). Their parents must be proud.



ESPN is reporting that Lane Kiffin has committed another secondary violation, bringing the grand total for 2009 to six. One per month..that's strong. The NCAA should add a rule that x number of secondary violations equals a major. Since Kiffin wants to make headlines and put Tennessee back on the map, we recommend branding this new regulation the "Kiffin Rule." Maybe he picks up his shady behavior from his father-in-law, John Reaves.

The Powerboat Superleague has announced it will hold the Memphis Riverfront International Championship Regatta on the banks of the Mississippi River, near Tom Lee Park. This will be a free event to the public. Dates are set for July 31 - August 2.

Ladies and gentleman, Counting Crows.

Free Music, O.A.R.

There will be free music all weekend at the Levitt Shell at Overton Park. Visitors are encouraged to bring picnic baskets, coolers, etc. This weekend's line up looks like this.

Thursday - Hoots & Hellmouth, 7pm
Friday - Big Sam's Funky Nation, 7pm
Saturday - Dent May and His Magnificent Ukulele, 5pm
Saturday - Del Castillo, 7pm
Sunday - Chic Gamine, 7pm

Mud Island Amphitheater is looking like it will have a busy schedule this summer. Tickets go on sale this Saturday for O.A.R. The show will be August 20th.


Ladies and gentlemen, O.A.R.

Lefty Coming To Memphis, Free Root Beer Floats.

Phil Mickelson has announced that he will come back to the PGA Tour and his first stop will be at the St. Jude Classic. Great news for the tournament as well as good news for his wife Amy. Mrs. Mickelson's breast cancer is in early stages and her treatments will start later than originally thought. We still think its a good idea for Classic officials to encourage a pink day to support Mickelson and breast cancer awareness.

Sonic is giving a away free root beer floats on Wednesday from 8pm to midnight. Your local Sonic may be crowded, so get there early.

Blondie & Benatar, New Downtown Spot, Jazz

70's-80's favorites Blondie and Pat Benatar are coming to Mud Island on August 1st. Tickets go on sale Saturday.

There is a new restaurant and bar opening on Monroe next McEwan's in the space that used to be Lolo's Table. The concept seems to be unclear, but the name appears to be Off Beale. More info as we receive it.

Also hearing good things about Memphis Sounds, a Downtown jazz club located in a basement adjacent to A&R BBQ near Third and Court. A&R and jazz sound like a great combination.

Ladies and gentlemen, Blondie.

Probation For The Tigers?, Italian Fest

The Commercial Appeal is reporting that the University of Memphis men's basketball program is under investigation for major violations associated with the recruitment of a player. According to the NCAA, the unnamed player cheated on his SAT and his entourage was provided cash throughout the 2007-8 season. The player in question is believed to be Derrick Rose.

Does this really surprise anyone? After Calipari left for the NBA, UMASS was hit with NCAA sanctions. Why would Memphis be any different? If found to be true, the Final Four appearance will be wiped away and the record for most wins for a senior class (Anderson and Dozier) will be gone as well. Scholarship reductions and possible post season bans are well within the realm of penalties.

Lately, the NCAA has allowed sanctions to follow the coach as well has the institution. If this should be the case, Kentucky will be under the close watch of the NCAA during Calipari's tenure. And lets not forget that Kentucky has had problems with the NCAA in the past. For the record, at this time, Calipari is not named in the allegations.

On a brighter note, Memphis Italian Festival kicks off Thursday in East Memphis. Always a good time, this somewhat family oriented festival includes great Italian food, bocce and live music from several acts including Starship.

Ladies and gentlemen, Starship.

Wine Shipping Law Change, Two New East Memphis Restaurants, Pastner Finally Gets One, Golf News

Tennessee legislators have passed a bill that will allow limited amounts of wine to be shipped directly from wineries to homes of Tennessee residents. If approved by the governor, this new law will be in place on July 1.

Two new restaurants will be opening in East Memphis over the next few months. The Happy Mexican will open its second Memphis location on Primacy Parkway in the space formerly occupied by the Cock-eyed Camel and Grady's. A local investor has announced plans to open Sharky's Gulf Grill in the building that used to be the home of Steak & Ale.

Memphis Tigers basketball coach Josh Pastner has landed his first commitment. Latavious Williams committed today at his Houston, TX high school. There are already eligibility concerns associated with Williams, but he is a much needed commitment for Pastner. Williams isn't a Top 5 recruit, but Top 20 is a good start.

The St. Jude Classic received additional player commitments from well known names like Sergio Garcia and Memphis favorite John Daly. Hopefully Daly will be sporting some Loudmouth Golf gear.



Maybe Classic officials and Memphians will follow Daly's lead and wear pink (shirts, pants, Pink Day, whatever) during the tournament. Daly pulled out the pink pants to over the weekend to support Amy Mickelson and her fight with breast cancer. Mickelson is the wife of Phil Mickelson, who has put his golf game on hold (including dropping out of the St. Jude Classic) to be with Amy. Good job John!

Gold Strike Casino has announced that it will sponsor a Hooters Professional Golf Tour event. It will be played June 8-14 at Tunica National Golf Course. Will Hooter's girls be on the course? It seems like the only way they will be able to compete with the St. Jude Classic being held the same week.

Ladies and gentlemen, John Daly and friends.

ESPN Radio Goes FM, Cheap Beer, Brewer's Feast

ESPN radio is now available at 92.9 on your FM dial. The all-sports radio format has replaced the 93x rock format. In addition to the standard sports programming, ESPN 92.9 will include Tennessee Volunteer broadcasts.

Another three day weekend means cheap suds at a Downtown eatery. Kooky Canuck will have $2 34oz ice cold Coors Lights all day Sunday.

Young At Art is throwing a Brewer’s Feast gathering on June 5 at the Hughes Pavillion. Tickets are $50 for members and $60 for non-members. Enjoy five different beer styles handcrafted by local brewers in tiny 10-gallon batches using the freshest and highest quality grains, yeast, and hops available. Beers will be paired with foods that accentuate and compliment the beer flavors. Might be a good option if you aren't going to Live at Garden on the same night.

Ladies and gentlemen, Ambrosia.

Mickelson Out At St. Jude?, Downtown Block Party,

Golfer Phil Mickelson announced today that he is leaving the PGA tour indefinitely to support his wife, who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Mickelson announced earlier this year that he committed to play in June's St. Jude Classic. What does this mean for the tournament? It's probably to early to tell. At this point, its safe to say that he will not make it to Memphis. If his wife shows a positive response to the initial treatments, things could change.

Peabody Place merchants will host their second block party on Main Street tomorrow. There will be live music, food and drink specials from Circa, Blue Fin and Majestic to name a few. The fun starts at 5:30. This was a fun event in April and hopefully something that will continue on a monthly basis.

In honor of the birthday of blue jeans, ladies and gentlemen, Neil Diamond.

Belgian Drug Testing, Grizzlies Win The 2nd Overall Pick

Beautiful weather in Memphis so far this week. Perfect for lawn work, boat drinks by a pool or celebrating Frog Jumping Jubilee Day.

Has anyone heard about the drug testing story out of Belgium? At a recent body building championship, contestants (all of them) literally ran away when drug testers arrived at the event. There must have been a misunderstanding. How funny is that? It sounds like something you would see on Family Guy.

The Grizzlies moved into the Top 3 picks in this evenings NBA draft. Odds had the Memphis taking the 6th overall pick, but the draft gods were on the Grizzlies side awarding them the 2nd overall pick in tonight's NBA Draft Lottery. Draft experts are thinking the Grizzlies will take the best player available at the time, so look for them to select from Ricky Rubio (PG/Spain), Hasheem Thabeet (C/UCONN) or James Hardin (G/Arizona State). This is assuming that Blake Griffin goes to the Clippers as the #1 overall pick. The draft will be held in June. Let's not screw this one up Grizz management.


Ladies and gentlemen, Clarence "Frogman" Henry.

More Panera In Memphis, Memphis Most Voting

The second Memphis area Panera Bread Co. will open on Tuesday, May 19 in Laurelwood Shopping Center. Long lines will be awaiting the 9 am opening. There are plans to open ten new Memphis area locations over the next five years.

The Commercial Appeal has kicked of Memphis Most voting for 2009. Let your voice be heard here.

Ladies and gentlemen, Al Green.

NBA Lottery, Beer + Zoo=Big Fun, Sunset Symphony

BBQ Fest 2009 is over. Congrats to the winners. Its time to give up bbq pork products for a little while along with cheap beer.

The lottery for the NBA Draft is Tuesday night. Based on the number entries in the "hopper," the Grizzlies are currently projected to receive the 6th pick. Maybe the Grizz will get lucky and get a higher pull.

A fun way to kick off your Memorial Day weekend and pass time at the Memphis Zoo? Drinking beer. Zoo Brew will be held on Friday, May 22. There will be live music and 100 beers to sample. For beer haters or someone with the gout, wine and hors d'oeuvers will be available for purchase. Tickets are $20 for members and $25 for non-members. Get your tickets here or by calling 901-333-6572. Festivities begin at 7pm.

After sampling all 100 beers and running with the animals at the zoo, relaxing at Sunset Symphony on Saturday afternoon/evening on the banks of the Mississippi River might be a good plan. Bring blankets, lawn furniture and coolers filled with your favorite snacks and adult beverages (don't forget stuff for the kids). There will be live music throughout the day, an air show at 6pm, more music from the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and Three Dog Night and fireworks. That's a lot of entertainment for $8.

Ladies and gentlemen, Three Dog Night.

BBQ, Symphony, Redbirds, Bad Grizzlies Owner

Its BBQ Fest time. Friends and family night is tonight and the festival opens to the general public on Thursday. Thursday night tends to be one of the biggest nights at BBQ with many smart locals taking Friday off.

Other fun stuff this weekend.

The Symphony at the Garden will go on rain or shine on Saturday night at the Dixon Gallery and Gardens. There will be an armed forces tribute, so be sure to show of your patriotism in your picnic gear.

Catching a Redbirds game might be a good change of pace from BBQ Fest. Best bet - Pre-game cocktails and Preakness viewing at a Downtown watering hole followed by ice cold beverages and baseball with the first pitch at 6:05pm.

Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley has been named the third worst NBA owner. No kidding. Memphians have realized this since the team moved here several years ago. In an effort to drive down attendance and move the team to a hungry city like Seattle, look for the Grizzlies to make the usual less than spectacular moves in the off season.

Ladies and gentlemen, George Jones.

Grocery Store Commit At Overton Square & ManRam

It appears that Overton Square finally has a grocery store commitment. AWG has signed a agreement to acquire the southern portion of the square. It will be interesting to see which concept AWG brings to the Square. Most of AWG-owned concepts are low-cost retailers. Let's hope they bring in Sun Fresh, a premium brand focused on fresh items similar to Fresh Market.

Not Memphis related, but what the hell was Manny Ramirez thinking? A growth hormone for women? Nice. Seeing that he will be a distraction for the remainder of the season, the Dodgers should void his contract and focus on a kid from Slidell, LA - Xavier Paul.

Ladies and Gentlemen, King Curtis & The Kingpins.

Lots Of Stuff This Weekend & Farewell Captain Chaos

Looks like the rain has finally stopped for a day. Looks like another wet weekend is on the way.

Lots of good music options this weekend.

The 30th Blues Music Awards are tonight. For ticket info, visit the Blues Foundation. This should be a good time.

The best bet of the weekend will be Walrus at Automatic Slim's on Friday night. 80's indy rock will be plentiful and they usually bring a nice crowd.

Let's not forget the Memphis Greek Festival at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church. $15 admission allows you to see all of the Greek festivities and includes a full Greek meal.

The Memphis Flyer has a great article this week about some of the secrets of the city. Looks like a fun day of sites and activities that would basically be free.

On a shaky note, it looks like New Kids on the Block is coming to Mud Island this summer. Umm...why? Shouldn't these guys be sent to the casino circuit?

On a sad note, Dom DeLuise passed away earlier this week. Here are some funny outtakes from Cannonball Run.

Cinco de Mayo, Fiddler on the Roof

Happy Cinco De Mayo!!! Cafe Ole, Los Compadres and the rest of the usual Mexican hot spots will have drink specials and good people watching. Another option that you may not have thought about is the Kooky Canuck. You can't go wrong with $2 34oz Margaritas.

Fiddler on the roof is opening tonight at the Orpheum. Fiddler fans will enjoy Topol's return as Tevye. Sci-fi and comic book fans may remember Topol best as Dr. Zarkov in Flash Gordon.



Ladies and gentlemen, a random mariachi band.

Orange Peels, Another Bangkok Alley, Drought Problems? Call Music Fest

Happy National Candied Orange Peel Day!!! Not sure how to celebrate this day? You are not alone.

It has to be better than celebrating Star Wars Day. May the 4th be with you...are you serious? That's almost as bad as playing golf with Vader.




Bangkok Alley is adding another Memphis-area location, taking over the former Sawaddii Thai Cuisine space in Downtown Memphis. Bangkok management has indicated the new location will take on more of a lounge area. One manager said, “We want more of a bar atmosphere, but not to take away from our food.” Bangkok Alley also has locations in Collierville, Cordova and Southaven.

Should the Beale Street Music Festival change its name to the Memphis Rain Festival? Is there anyone who can recall the last time this festival wasn't blessed by rain? Memphis Lagniappe is claiming dibs on official music fest rain gear. Future investors will be guaranteed a huge ROI.

Ladies and Gentleman, Mr. Charlie Pride

Oyster & Wine Dinner At The Grove

The Grove Grill will be preparing a 5 course menu featuring fresh Louisiana oysters. Each course will include a wine pairing. This special dinner will be on May 7 at 7pm. Cost is $65.00 plus tax and gratuity. Please call for reservations, 901-818-9951.


Louisiana Oyster Dinner

First Course

Baked Oysters Sampler: BBQ-Bleu Cheese, Rockefeller and Tchoupitoulas

Wine Pairing: Emmolo Sryah Rose, Napa, California

Second Course

Fried Oyster and Roasted Mississippi Mushroom Salad with fennel remoulade

Wine Pairing: Loimer "Lois" Gruener Veltiner, Kamptal, Austria

Third Course

Roast Quail, with Oyster-Andouille sausage stuffing on gumbo sauce and pickled Spring vegetables

Wine Pairing: Kris Pinot Noir, Trentino Alto Adige, Italy

Fourth Course

Drunken Beef Tenderloin with smoked oysters, fingerling potato hash, Allan Benton's smoked bacon and hot-sweet tomato coulis

Wine Pairing: Don Miguel Gascon Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina

Fifth Course

Strawberry-Pound Cake Torte with Chambord cream

Wine Pairing: Villa Giada Moscato D'Asti, Piedmont, Italy

---------

A little music from Louisiana courtesy of Bonerama.

Talladega Craziness, Arthur Dies

None of this is Memphis related...no problem.

NASCAR's annual spring visit to Talladega was as exciting as it gets. Great races with incredible finishes. The amazing thing about the clips below is that the drivers came out unscratched. Unfortunately, there were a few fan injuries as a result of the Edwards flip (not talking about his trademarked victory back flip).

Saturday Talladega Excitement


Sunday's Incredible Finish


Bea Arthur passed away yesterday at the age of 86. Most will remember her from her roles as Maude and as one of the Golden Girls. This is one of our favorite clips of Arthur in action.

This Weekend: Southaven Springfest

The Southaven Springfest kicks off on April 23 at Snowden Grove Amphitheater. The festival includes a championship bbq competition, a carnival midway and live music from local and national acts including Rodney Atkins, Gin Blossoms and Tonic.




A little goodie from Tonic and a Wayans brother.

Live At The Garden & Leavitt Shell Lineups Announced

The Memphis Botanic Garden and Leavitt Shell have announced their spring/summer concert lineups.

Live at the Garden

General admission lawn tickets cost $39 each. Season lawn passes are $150 and are on sale now until June 5.

June 5: Train

June 18: Doobie Brothers

July 18: Joe Cocker

August 15: Heart

September 4: Moody Blues


Spring 2009 Levitt Shell at Overton Park Schedule

The free concerts begin at 7 p.m., except Saturdays, when the children's show starts at 5 p.m. followed by the evening bill at 7:30 p.m. For more information, go to levittshell.org.

May 28: Cowboy Jack Clement, Jimmie Davis

May 29: Brown Singers

May 30 (children's show): Carabali

May 30: New Ballet

May 31: Occidental Brothers Dance Band Intl. (tentative)

June 4: Hoots and Hellmouth

June 5: Big Sam's Funky Nation

June 6 (children's show): Dent May and his Magnificent Ukulele

June 6: Del Castillo

June 7: Chic Gamine

June 11: David Troy Francis

June 12: Betty Harris and the Believers

June 13 (children's show): Roger Day and the Mosquito Burrito Brothers

June 13: Alex Cuba

June 14: WhuDost

June 18: Todd Snider

June 19: Reba Russell Band, with Susan Marshall

June 20 (children's show): Conductor Jack and the Zing Hoppers

June 20: Los Cantadores

June 21: Andes Manta

June 25: Shannon McNally

June 26: Juke Joint Duo featuring Cedric Burnside and Lightnin' Malcolm

June 27 (children's show): Watoto de Afrika Presents: The Funsies

June 27: Cordero

June 28: Freeworld (tentative)

To get you in the mood, a little Doobie Brothers.

Cooper Young Restaurant Closing...Will Others Follow?

Cooper-Young's Sweet Bistro has become the latest victim of the economy. Known for its tasty desserts and trendy adult beverages, Sweet closed its doors on Sunday. The bistro has been open since 2007.

Many people are saying that other Cooper-Young restaurants are thriving, but there are rumors floating that Blue Fish could be closing in the near future.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Gary Wright and a little cowbell...

Best Crawfish In Memphis

The best crawfish in Memphis couldn't be found at yesterday's Rajun Cajun Crawfish Festival, but they were nearby. If you are looking for spicy mudbugs, potatoes, corn and mushrooms, checkout Orleans on Front. Clint and his team have crawfish boils on Sunday afternoons and the best place to eat them at Orleans' basement bar, Voodoo. Don't forget to grab some $2 PBR while you are there.

Ahhh...the power of crawfish.

Memphis Hires New Coach, Raiford Is Back, Rhodes Welcomes Wallace

The University of Memphis has reached an agreement with assistant Josh Pastner to be the next men's basketball coach for the Tigers. This is not the splash everyone was expecting from a coaching standpoint, but Pastner does bring solid recruiting background. He will have to hire very good assistants to make up for his lack of head coaching experience.

Paula Raiford's new Downtown club opened over the weekend. Early reports indicate that the fog machine is working triple-time and everyone had a great time. The new club also brings new closing times. The new Raiford's will close at 6am on Friday and Saturday nights.

Chris Wallace, host of “FOX News Sunday,” will discuss “Obama’s First 100 Days” on April 20 at Rhodes College. The event is free and open to the public. It will begin at 7 p.m. in Hardie Auditorium on Rhodes campus.

For your viewing enjoyment...Chuck Mangione

Coaching Search Continues, More Free Denny's, Cardinals In Town This Weekend

The Memphis Tigers are continuing their search to replace John Calipari. Memphis administrators and boosters are looking to make a "splash" with a big name, but have not had luck as of yet. The hot name on the list now is Bruce Pearl. It will be fun to see how Memphis fans treat Pearl if he gets the job. Not a big name, but a long shot...East Tennessee's Murray Bartow.

Coming off of their successful free Grandslam promotion, Denny's will once again be giving away free food. On Wednesday, April 8 from 6am to 2pm, participating Denny's locations will be giving away free Grandslamwiches with the purchase of a Grandslam breakfast.

A hidden gem that has been lost in the coaching change media frenzy is the St. Louis Cardinals exhibition games against the Memphis Redbirds this season. Tickets are still available for both games. First pitch is 7:05pm on Friday and 1:05pm on Saturday. Side note - the weather looks great for both games.

To get you in the spirit...John Fogerty with Keith Urban.

And The Memphis Coaching Search Begins

John Calipari confirmed today that he is taking the basketball position at Kentucky. He did a great job while he was here and while no one wants to see him go, we should all wish him the best at his next stop.

The ripple effect associated with his departure has already begun. It appears that he is taking his entire staff with him to Lexington and Tyreke Evans has told several media outlets that he is going pro. The next announcements will most likely be player transfers and de-commitments from key recruits.

So, what's next? Memphis needs to quickly find a top-notch coach that can stop the bleeding. Missouri has re-signed Mike Anderson, so he is out. Who does that leave? Early lists include USC's Tim Floyd, Mississippi's Andy Kennedy and possibly UTEP's Tony Barbee. This may be R.C. Johnson's most important hire at Memphis. It will be interesting to see who gets the job.

Ladies and gentlemen, Matthew Wilder

Memphis Coaching Change?

As expected, John Calipari's has become the leading candidate for the Kentucky basketball job. Most national and some local media outlets are reporting that Cal will accept the job with the Wildcats.

So that leaves a big question - who will be the next Memphis basketball coach? A popular name that keeps coming up is Missouri's Mike Anderson. Anderson has a good thing going in Columbia, so he will most likely stay his Tigers. Memphis does have the cash to steal Anderson, so this will be interesting to watch.

Another good fit would be UTEP's Tony Barbee. Before heading to El Paso, Barbee was an assistant under Calipari and he is very familiar with Memphis, its boosters, players and fans. Barbee hiring may also prevent key players from leaving the program.

One also has to think that the longer that Calipari draws this out, the chance that he leaves for Lexington will decrease.

To keep your mind off of the looming decision, the Soul Train dancers.

Basketball; Regional Update

Memphis did great job hosting the South Regional. Visiting teams brought lots of fans, especially North Carolina. The city beefed up security throughout Downtown as well as Beale Street. Overall, local clubs and restaurants hosts and everyone seemed to have fun.

Only one disappointment on the weekend. One establishment named after a legendary blues guitarist marked up their cover charge by 100%. Sure, they had a lot of people, but several people (locals and tourists) walked away when they heard the charge. Other clubs on Beale that kept normal cover charges in place had larger crowds and probably made more cash.

With the Memphis loss on Thursday night, many locals have completely tuned out of basketball for the remainder of the season. This could be the perfect time to focus on baseball. The Memphis Redbirds will bring exhibition play to Autozone Field this weekend against the St. Louis Cardinals and tickets are still available. Opening day for the Redbirds in April 9.

Grizzlies All-You-Can-Eat Extravaganza, Redbirds Like Fans, Waste Of An Hourd

For those of you that forgot that Memphis has a NBA team (based on attendance numbers, there is an awful lot of you), the Grizzlies are trying to lure in fans with new promotions. Per an email that was blasted out today, on Friday, April 3, you can satisfy your craving for great b-ball and great food--for one low price! For only $30 through this online-only promotion, get a Terrace Level ticket and unlimited hot dogs, nachos, popcorn, and 16 oz. Pepsi fountain drinks! If they would add all you can drink beer for another $10-15 a ticket, the game would be a guaranteed sell out.

The Memphis Redbirds will kick off the 2009 Season with a free Fan Appreciation Lunch, Wednesday March 25th from 11:30 to 1pm at AutoZone Park. This your chance to get some of your favorite ballpark snacks...free hotdogs, nachos and Coca-Cola products. This will also be a chance to hang with Rockey and, more importantly, the RedHots, win Redbirds prizes, and choose your seats for the upcoming Cardinals exhibition games and Redbirds regular season.

Many Americans tuned in to watch the President's prime time presser. What a waste of time. This will act as a formal request to ask Congress to create a stimulus package to get this hour back for all Americans. For future reference, if you are going to take time from the busy network schedules and our lives, be sure to have something important to say, be more prepared and do not dodge questions from big publications like the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post. Are there Vegas odds on when the United States will be a truly socialist nation?

Random Stuff: Basketball and Crawfish

The first two rounds of the NCAA tournament are complete and the Memphis Tigers have made it to the Sweet 16. The Tigers will travel to Arizona play Mizzou on Thursday night.

Tickets are still available for the South region final being held in Memphis. This region lucked out with the top four seeds surviving the first two rounds. The matchups include UNC-Chapel Hill vs Gonzaga and Syracuse vs Oklahoma with the winners of each game meeting later in the weekend. Be sure to be nice to the visiting media and fans.

Speaking of visiting media, what are the odds that Gus Johnson starts another bar room brawl on Beale Street? In the spirit of Bill Rafferty....MAN TO MAN.

Crawfish season is fully underway in Memphis. Several establishments, including Newby's and Orleans on Front are having crawfish boils. This also means that two of the better festivals in Memphis are coming soon. The Overton Square crawfish festival (not sure of the official name) will be held on Saturday, April 11. It has been rumored that the location has been moved to the Bayou's new parking lot on the other side of Madison.

The Rajun Cajun Crawfish Festival will be held the following weekend (Sunday, April 19) and its usual Donwtown location. Can someone start a petition to move this festival to Saturday? It's always a great time, but it would be even better if it was held on a Saturday or all weekend.

Baseball, Primetime Sports, Free Arby's

Baseball season has finally arrived. If you are looking for some local action before the Redbirds start in April, check out one the local college teams. They all have competitive teams and the games are usually entertaining.

The World Baseball Classic kicked off this week. The U.S. beat Canada today in a play-off type game. Hopefully, the U.S. can step up and win some of these international tournaments. Memphis baseball fans will be excited to see that Stubby Clapp is on the Canadian roster. Is he still doing back flips?

It appears that Primetime Sports has opened its Downtown location in the space formerly used by Jillian's. For a while now, Calhoun's has been the only true sports bar in the Downtown area. Primetime may give them a run for the money, being closer to other Downtown attractions and having a much larger location.

Arby's is giving away free Roast Burger sandwiches. Use this coupon to get your free sandwich with a soft drink purchase.

Tigers Rolling, Downtown Flight, Donuts...

The Memphis Tigers continue to impress poll voters. This week they are ranked 3 and 5 in the big polls. If they keep this up, along with key losses by the rest of the top 5, the Tigers may sneak in to the big dance as a #1 seed. As we get deeper into March Madness, its going to be interesting to see which teams make it Memphis for the South regional.

A new restaurant will open in the space formerly occupied by Stella this April. Flight will focus on flights of wine, liquor and cuisines from across the U.S. and the world. This is another great addition to Downtown Memphis.

Dunkin’ Donuts will open its first Memphis location next week. Their doors will open at 5am on March 11 at the 1674 Whitten Road location. Sure, the donuts are good, but DD has very good and affordable coffee. There are 17 planned locations for the Memphis area, including a Downtown location at the Radio Center Flats building on the corner of Main and Union.

Lots of Stuff: Restaurant Updates, Tigers Moving Up, Silly Goose Revisited, the New Corner Bar, Minglewood Hall and Tennis

Benihana has reopened their East Memphis location almost a year after the restaurant was destroyed by a fire. No longer will you find the older “tea room” style, instead the new building features a modern style only found at a few Benihana locations.

The Kitchen will open in East Memphis in April. This new European-style restaurant will be in the space formerly occupied by Caspian.

The Memphis Tigers are ranked as high as #5 in the latest college basketball polls. Early bracket predictions have the Tigers as a #2 seed, playing their first round games in Minneapolis. Even with the success of the Tigers, Conference USA Tournament tickets are moving at a slow pace. The economy probably has a lot to do with it, but the initial lack of excitement for the team could also be a contributor. If the Tigers keep winning, tickets will sell.

After another visit to the Silly Goose, it is looking like that it may turn into a hotspot. The bar was packed over the weekend and the long list of liquor options is something that Downtown has needed for a long time.

Another stop over the weekend was the Corner Bar at the Peabody Hotel. They have revamped their menu and adjusted their drink prices in an effort to attract more people. It was good to see a steep reduction in price on some of the beverages. One request to the management…live music.

Minglewood Hall has finally opened its doors. This new Midtown music venue has a nice selection of bands scheduled in the upcoming weeks. Its good to have another venue like this in Memphis, especially in Midtown.

The Regions Morgan Keegan Championships and Cellular South Cup are being held this week at The Racquet Club of Memphis. There are a few big name players in town including Pete Sampras, who made an appearance in an exhibition match on Monday night, Andy Roddick and James Blake. Unfortunately, none of the popular “hot” female players are part of the draw. Then again, there may be some hidden gems in this year’s field.

Cheaps Suds Downtown This Weekend

On Sunday February 15th, Kooky Canuck will be serving $2 Coors Light all day long from 11am until 2:30am. This can be good for post-Valentine's Day recovery or to celebrate a three day weekend.

Amy LaVere On Conan & A Free Grand Slam

Memphis-based Amy LaVere will perform on The Late Show With Conan O'Brien tonight. You can check it out on Channel 5 at 11:30pm.

For those of you looking for a free breakfast, participating Denny's locations will be giving away free Grand Slams on Tuesday, Feb 3 from 6a-2pm. The Downtown Memphis Denny's location on Union should be festive.

Great Super Bowl, Horrible Ads

Wow, what a great game. Even though the Cardinals lost, the game was fun to watch with a fantastic finish. Congrats Steelers!

On the other hand the ads were horrible. There were a few good moments, but overall clients and ad agencies need to look deep inside themselves and wonder why they wasted so much money on these spots.

This year's top 3:

1. Careerbuilder
2. Cash4Gold.com
3. Coke Zero

Honorable mention: Miller High Life

AC/DC=Ringing Ears, Tigers Win, Grizzlies Winning?, Death Cab Tix

AC/DC performed in front of packed house last night at the FedEx Forum. They played all of their classics as well as a few songs off of their new album. My ears are still ringing, but I'm not complaining.

As expected, the Tigers managed to get a win over Houston today. Lets see if there can be two wins for Memphis teams in the Forum today. It may happen, the Grizzlies are winning at halftime over the Lakers.

Tickets went on sale Friday for Death Cab For Cutie's April 11 show at the Orpheum. Death Cab is a great live show and one of their opening acts (Cold War Kids) is also worth seeing.

Fun Stuff This Weekend: AC/DC, Basketball Saturday and the Super Bowl

There's a good bit of things going on this weekend in Memphis. Here are just a few of the highlights.

Legendary rock band AC/DC is playing at the FedEx Forum tonight. Reports from other cities indicate that these guys still put on a great show. There should be a nice crowd out Downtown after the show.

For basketball fans, there are two games at the Forum tomorrow. The first is a Conference USA contest between Memphis and Houston. Houston is a decent team that should be a tough contest for the Tigers. After looking at the Cougars performance against Arizona, Memphis may want to consider wearing helmets for this one.




Later in the day, the hapless Grizzlies will host Kobe Bryant, the other Gasol and the rest of the Lakers. This should be an easy win for the Lakers.

As everyone knows, the Super Bowl is Sunday evening. The Steelers are taking on the the Arizona Cardinals. There hasn't been much chatter about the game this week, but this should be a great game. Cardinals win by 4. For those watching the game, remember to pick up some 3D glasses for some of the commercials.

Another Downtown Restaurant Says Good Bye, MPACT Outlet, Lingerie Bowl

The Blues City Pastry shop has shut its doors. Located on the corner of Main Street and Peabody, the restaurant had been open since 2007.

MPACT Memphis will host MPACT Outlet on Thursday evening at the Red Rooster. This will be an opportunity for professionals to network and learn more about opportunities in the Memphis non-profit community. Festivities start at 6pm.

The Lingerie Bowl has announced that they have cancelled this weekend's event. Unlike the Playboy big game party, the economy is not the culprit. Instead, the event venue was demanding less clothing. What can you expect from an nudist camp?

Quick Hits: Tigers Win, Rio Loco, So Long Stella? and a Walrus Update

Coach Cal and the Memphis Tigers edged out a victory against UT-Knoxville over the weekend. There's nothing more satisfying than seeing Bruce Pearl lose.

I went to Downtown's Rio Loco for the first time over the weekend. The service and food were both great. The food portions were very large and the prices were very reasonable. Definitely recommended for anyone looking for a good meal.

There were rumors floating around Saturday night that Stella had shut its doors. The MBJ confirmed that story today. Hopefully they can find a new location in Midtown or East Memphis.

Local band Walrus is having a "working rehearsal" at Alex's Tavern on Thursday night. They will be practicing for their much anticipated 80's Prom Party on Valentine's Day night. Audience participation will be encouraged and expected.

As mentioned above, Walrus will be playing at an 80's Prom Party on Valentine's Day night at The Vine in Midtown. More details to come.

Saturday Fun: Tigers-Vols, Chicks On Skates, Charlie Mars...

Here are some recommendations for those looking to enjoy another cold day in Memphis.

Coach Cal and his Tigers take on UT-Knoxville today in men's basketball action. The game is on the road, so local watering holes should be crowded with fans from both schools for the 2:30 tipoff. Tigers by 5 in a competitive contest.

The ladies from Memphis Roller Derby will kick off another season tonight at the Mid-South Fairgrounds. Tickets are reasonably priced and festivities start at 7pm.

Charlie Mars is playing at the Hi-Tone tonight. Many may remember Mr. Mars from their college days in the mid-to-late 90's. His shows are usually pretty good.

The Grizzlies lost their first game with new coach Lionel Hollins...not a surprise. The CA is also reporting that Heisley made the call to hire Hollins...of course.

Saliva Playing In Memphis

Memphis-based band Saliva will play live at Minglewood Hall on Saturday February, 21. Pop Evil and Aranda will be the opening acts. Tickets are on sale now.

Changes At The Grizzlies

Various media outlets are reporting that the Memphis Grizzlies have fired head coach Marc Iavaroni. Not a big surprise with the team record standing at 11-30. In Iavaroni's defense, the Grizzlies are a young team that lacks ownership/management support to bring in high caliber free agents. A new owner that is willing to invest in the team would be nice.

An interim coach will announced for tomorrow night's game.

Tigers, Grizzlies, a Silly Goose and a Kooky Canuck?

What the heck is this? A zoo?

In the sports world, its the usual update...Tigers win. Grizzlies lose.

Downtown's Silly Goose opened last night. Tonight, the bar had an "electic" crowd. They have several beers on tap, a well stocked bar and an okay menu that features flatbreads. Oh yeah, they also have several hot waitresses. Overall, its seems like a nice place. Give it a few weeks to see what kind of crowd hangs out there on a regular basis.

FM100 is featuring 2 for 1 dining certificates for Kooky Canuck. Certificates go on sale Thursday morning starting at 7am. Cash in on this special deal here.