Memphis

ToeFunk

Share your opinions, experiences, or anything you have to say about this city. I've been approached by a college and I'm very interested. Will I dig living there?

mannybolone

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Quote:/font1h, 21b, 21Share your opinions, experiences, or anything you have to say about this city. I've been approached by a college and I'm very interested. Will I dig living there? b, 21b, 21h, 21

b, 21b, 21You should read Craig Werner's short chapter on Memphis in "A Change Gonna Come." b, 21b, 21http://books.google.com/books?id=TRnEdRB...wP0_OihBQ#PPA61,M1b, 21b, 21b, 21 img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/breakface.gif" alt="" 21

holmes

I was told Memphis is on the up, looking forward to a "renaissance" of sorts. I liked it, definitely pick your neighbourhood though. We had a couple of "near incidents" at places we probably shouldn't have been walking around in.

The_Hook_Up

I grew up in Memphis, went away for 10 years and moved back to Memphis 4 years ago.b, 21I obviously like it, but it isnt the easiest place to live. Are you being recruited to work at a college or go to school? If you are going to be a student, a car is absolutely necessary. There are lots of great areas and lots of crappy areas. I've been here since 1978 and there are still areas I have not been to, nor want to go to. There are some very rough areas here, but every city of this size (1 million) has bad areas. Also, the attractiveness of this city depends on what you like to do. There is little to no DJ scene here...the only DJs that gig with any frequency are techno/house folks and keep in mind my definition of frequency is once a month. The live music scene here consits of mainly 2 things...shitty tourist friendly "blueshammer" type bands and (IMO) shitty, lame punk rock bands (the Goner label is based here...folks like Jay Reatard and his ilk dominate the scene here live-show wise), there is no shortage of bar shows by "punk" bands if thats your thing. The hip hop scene is very small also. My DJ partner and I are pretty much the only funk/soul DJs in town (with a couple dudes from Memphix), and we play a few times a year. b, 21b, 21There is good food here and good people, but you have to seek it/them out. There are only a few pedestrian areas of town in which you can go shopping/eat/see shows...the best with mom and pop shops is the Cooper/Young area, the other is South Main, but that is mainly $300,000 condos and places like American Apparel...b, 21b, 21what we have here is LOTS of history, the best(only?) soul music museum in the world, lots of top shelf studios and legends walking around and living their lives...it is/wasnt not a rare occurance to be grocery shopping and see folks like Willie Mitchell, Isaac Hayes(rip), or Al Green trying to pick out some tomatoes next to you in the produce section...b, 21b, 21On the plus side, the cost of living here is dirt cheap. You could make $24,000 a year and live in a nice neighborhood with cable/internet, go out frequently, have a car, and eat well very easily. b, 21b, 21Even with all the bad stuff, what one can say about this city is that it is an extremely unpretentious, no bullshit city. Anything you are into, although it isnt staring you in the face can be found if you look for it...

Rockadelic

The only problem I have with Memphis is it seems their roads/highways have been under construction since 1978.

The_Hook_Up

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Quote:/font1h, 21b, 21The only problem I have with Memphis is it seems their roads/highways have been under construction since 1978. b, 21b, 21h, 21

b, 21b, 21ha! it only took 30 years, but they are almost finished! The only major road construction still taking place is the north loop of 240, but to be fair they only started working on this about 10 years ago..... img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/oof.gif" alt="" 21

The-gaffler

Mr Z's got the brand new beeper watch. Deal.

ToeFunk

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Quote:/font1h, 21b, 21I grew up in Memphis... b, 21b, 21h, 21

b, 21b, 21Yes, I'd be a student. I'm applying to Rhodes College because supposedly they'd like to give me a lot of money and let me play baseball.b, 21b, 21I love gritty blues and funk which Memphis seemed to supply a relatively large amount of. Will I be disappointed if I come expecting that kind of southern, urban atmosphere? Is it all malls and outlet stores, or do those districts you speak of have a good downtown mom and pop store scenery? Records would be a huge plus as well.

coffinjoe

i spend 2 days a year in Memphisb, 21for the last 11 yearsb, 21from sun up to sundownb, 21mostly digging & hangingb, 21b, 21reminds me of St Louis, great river town, b, 21there are very cool neighborhoods & districtsb, 21butb, 21they are spread about with some ruffer stuff betweenb, 21b, 21the area around the park & museum is amazingb, 21i enjoy the downtown in the morningb, 21great food, thrifts, peopleb, 21i dig much on the west side of TNb, 21b, 21& the vinylb, 21b, 21Hook Up is the man with the knowledge

tripledouble

i had a great stay in memphis on the anniversary of MLK's assassination. theres some pockets of things going on and amazing old housing stockb, 21b, 21stax museum is amazing and the river area is gorgeous

holmes

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Quote:/font1h, 21b, 21b, 21b, 21civil rights museum, stax museum & Rock & Soul Museum are amazing and the river area is gorgeous b, 21b, 21h, 21

The_Hook_Up

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Quote:/font1h, 21b, 21/font1Quote:/font1h, 21b, 21I grew up in Memphis... b, 21b, 21h, 21

b, 21b, 21Yes, I'd be a student. I'm applying to Rhodes College because supposedly they'd like to give me a lot of money and let me play baseball.b, 21b, 21I love gritty blues and funk which Memphis seemed to supply a relatively large amount of. Will I be disappointed if I come expecting that kind of southern, urban atmosphere? Is it all malls and outlet stores, or do those districts you speak of have a good downtown mom and pop store scenery? Records would be a huge plus as well. b, 21b, 21h, 21b, 21b, 21rhodes is in a residential neighborhood next to the zoo so it is close to a lot of the good stuff. Definitely Southern and urban, just avoid the burbs. There are records here, but it can be feast or famine. The real stuff is around...real juke joints for example, but a lot of crap like any city

ToeFunk

Thanks for the help everybody. Now I just need someone with a fat wallet and a philanthropic heart. Hook Up you might hear from me again soon, thanks a ton.

onetet

bumping this thread as I'll be in Memphis over the weekend. It's family reunion time and I'm in Friday and out Sunday, so I won't have too much free time. But a handful of record spots where I could kill and hour or two would be appreciated, as well as any advice about grabbing some quality vegetarian food (I remember this being particularly tough on past visits).

I've done Stax, Sun, and Royal already, but will probably take my 9-y-o nephew to Stax.

It's been about 5 yrs since I've been to town -- what's new, what's good?

If there's a better prior thread, pls link me up; this is all the search turned up.

The_Hook_Up

record spots-Shangri La Records
Goner Records
Audio Mania
River Records
Bojo's Antique Mall

vegetarian food-Woodlands(top shelf all Veggie Indian spot out in the burbs, but easy to get to, its at 385 and Hacks Cross)
Pho Hoa Binh
Most soul food places in town do a veggie plate, suprisingly a lot
dont use animal fat in all the veggies, usually there are at least
3 or 4 choices that are animal-free...just ask
Pho Saigon

not much has changed in the past 5 years, change is slow around here...

onetet

thanks!

your nightlife description above is pretty bleak, but on the off chance: any good music friday or saturday night this weekend?

The_Hook_Up

the only thing going on is Jay Reatard on Friday, dont know if thats your thing though

onetet

I don't know if it is, either. I like some In the Red stuff but don't think I've heard any of his.

spivy

(the Goner label is based here...folks like Jay Reatard and his ilk dominate the scene here live-show wise),

goner records was bursting with good records when i went in '06. pulled both of the aka band lps plus some facemelt modern soul gospel joints and a bunch of solid staple soul records including a copy of lee dorsey-yes we can on the very cheap. seemed like that spot didn't really care much for the soul stuff they had. shangi-la was also a great shop to hit up as well. enjoyed memphis wholeheartedly. gus's fried chicken was also mad good. stax museum and the civil rights museum are a must!

holmes

(the Goner label is based here...folks like Jay Reatard and his ilk dominate the scene here live-show wise),

goner records was bursting with good records when i went in '06. pulled both of the aka band lps plus some facemelt modern soul gospel joints and a bunch of solid staple soul records including a copy of lee dorsey-yes we can on the very cheap. seemed like that spot didn't really care much for the soul stuff they had. shangi-la was also a great shop to hit up as well. enjoyed memphis wholeheartedly. gus's fried chicken was also mad good. stax museum and the civil rights museum are a must!

yeah, Memphis was fun last year, got a swag of good 45s from Shangri-La, took one of the Rock & Roll History Tours with Sherman & that was really worthwhile for getting to interesting music related spots, the burger place across the road from Shangri-La is cool, cosign on Stax & Civil Rights Museum (although that ain't the safest area to walk around after dark (as we unfortunately experienced) Gibson Guitar Factory & Memphis Rock & Soul Museum are also worthwhile.

spivy

(the Goner label is based here...folks like Jay Reatard and his ilk dominate the scene here live-show wise),

goner records was bursting with good records when i went in '06. pulled both of the aka band lps plus some facemelt modern soul gospel joints and a bunch of solid staple soul records including a copy of lee dorsey-yes we can on the very cheap. seemed like that spot didn't really care much for the soul stuff they had. shangi-la was also a great shop to hit up as well. enjoyed memphis wholeheartedly. gus's fried chicken was also mad good. stax museum and the civil rights museum are a must!

yeah, Memphis was fun last year, got a swag of good 45s from Shangri-La, took one of the Rock & Roll History Tours with Sherman & that was really worthwhile for getting to interesting music related spots, the burger place across the road from Shangri-La is cool, cosign on Stax & Civil Rights Museum (although that ain't the safest area to walk around after dark (as we unfortunately experienced) Gibson Guitar Factory & Memphis Rock & Soul Museum are also worthwhile.

oh... and at donald's donuts on union i had one of the tastiest donuts i've ever had in my life period!

onetet

any thoughts on a spot called Jasmine Thai -- any good, is it still around?

The_Hook_Up

any thoughts on a spot called Jasmine Thai -- any good, is it still around?

really good but a little pricy considering the portions...

oh I forgot about a new veggie creole soul food joint(even vegan stuff), havent been, but have heard good things...called DejaVu at 936 Florida St

onetet

any thoughts on a spot called Jasmine Thai -- any good, is it still around?

really good but a little pricy considering the portions...

oh I forgot about a new veggie creole soul food joint(even vegan stuff), havent been, but have heard good things...called DejaVu at 936 Florida St

I was hoping something like that had popped up since my last visit.

onetet

re-up on this thread as I'm visiting the same relatives again.

A specific question this time: has anyone stayed at the Peabody? Is it worth shelling out for? Is it walking distance of non-touristy stuff (good food, good coffee, good nightlife, good records)? What's up with those ducks.

Basically on past visits I've stayed in the burbs with family and hated the area. Would love to stay more in the swing of things this visit. I'm hearing that most of the food and records are in midtown -- anywhere recommended to stay there, or is the Peabody in close striking distance?

The_Hook_Up

Peabody is in the heart of touristy stuff...but since you have been here, you know you need a car so its not that big of an issue...but yeah records are in midtown...good food is all over the city, but a lot of nice spots in midtown and U of M area.

That said, the Peabody is a really nice hotel and as far as the ducks...they live in a posh roost on the roof and everyday they come down on the elevator and get in the lobby fountain..then in the evening they get back in the elevator and go back up to their roost.

onetet

The_Hook_Up said:

Peabody is in the heart of touristy stuff...but since you have been here, you know you need a car so its not that big of an issue...but yeah records are in midtown...good food is all over the city, but a lot of nice spots in midtown and U of M area.

That said, the Peabody is a really nice hotel and as far as the ducks...they live in a posh roost on the roof and everyday they come down on the elevator and get in the lobby fountain..then in the evening they get back in the elevator and go back up to their roost.

thanks a lot for those thoughts. Maybe a stupid question -- does Memphis have a functional bus system? Like, if I stayed in or near the Peabody, is it possible to get to Shangri La and veggie food w/o much hassle?

The_Hook_Up

yeah, the buses are pretty reliable...also you can take the trolley to a good veggie spot...Ill post the details later today. The lady is hollering at me as we were supposed to leave to run errands a while ago and Im fartin' around on the internet.

LaserWolf

My mil is a world class decoy carver.
She used to go to Memphis once a year for a wildlife art show or decoy show and stayed at the Peapody.
Always talked about ducks in the elevator.