Next weekend my band will be in Memphis to record. We've got an eight hour session booked for Saturday evening, but I plan on getting there Friday during the day. I'll at least have Friday evening and Saturday day to explore. Anything that I HAVE to see, eat, or drink?
I lived in Memphis for a bit when I was young. Honestly the thing I miss most is tamales and chili at Blues City Cafe on Beale St.
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Try to fit in Graceland, if you haven't been there already. It's not at all what folks expect it to be. As far as "eats", there are several good Bar B Que restaurants, if you aren't in the mood for "que" other types of restaurants are here (yeah, I live in Memphis) but are a little harder to find.
I STRONGLY suggest looking at the website for our alternative newspaper as it has, among other things, restaurant reviews.
www.memphisflyer.com
First Church of the Elvis Impersonator, a.k.a. Java Cabana.
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/1228
d'oh! It's gone! Well, the Java Cabana probably still makes a terrific cup of Joe.
The Memphis Redbirds are in town. I had a plate of hot chicken nacho's six years ago and I can still remember how awesome the food was at that place. $10.
If you haven't done Elvis - you have to go. Kinda like people watching at the airport.
You also have to find a spot and check out the Mississippi River and whatever is floating by.
If I am in town on Wednesday night I hit the prayer meeting at Bellevue Baptist in Cordova. If you have never attended a megachurch before you will be amazed........Of course I was a big Adrian Rogers Fan.
Hueys is a pretty good place to eat if you don't want BBQ.
Corey:
Knowing you, it would ABSOLUTELY make sense to take the 3 hour trip to Nashville and spend the day at the Lane Motor Museum.
A true journey to Mecca.
16vCorey wrote: Next weekend my band will be in Memphis to record. We've got an eight hour session booked for Saturday evening, but I plan on getting there Friday during the day. I'll at least have Friday evening and Saturday day to explore. Anything that I HAVE to see, eat, or drink?
If you're into punk, the nightclub once known as The Antenna Club is now called "Nocturnal". Lotz of ex-Ants hang out there (including a friend of mine and her husband, who are making a documentary about the place). Unfortunately, the reunion shows were last week.
http://www.memphisflyer.com/memphis/the-antenna-club-redux/Content?oid=1590578
If you're not into punk, go see it anyway and understand how FGC ended up the way he is. 
Sun Records.
Museum of Civil Rights is a good one - it's also where MLK was assassinated. http://www.civilrightsmuseum.org/home.htm
If you're into metal working, the National Ornamental Metal Museum is small, but pretty interesting. It's downtown, close to the river. http://www.metalmuseum.org/
The Zoo in Overland Park is good if you have kids and stuff.
The Rum Boogie Cafe on Beale has a lot of music memorabilia - hundreds of signed guitars on the walls - Stevie Ray Vaughn etc - pretty good BBQ too.
Walk through the lobby of the Peabody for drinks and maybe watch the ducks. Walk down the alley to the Rendezvous and gnaw on some ribs.
Please keep in mind that Memphis is a very mean city and going on block the wrong direction is deadly. I dont know if Overton Square is still a place to go but in my day, it was the weekend hot spot. Silky's to try to pick up Old Miss girls and Overton Square Playhouse to watch the bands(I got to see amongst other acts, Billy Joel, Dan Fogelberg and Henry Gross) in a very intimate setting. I got kicked out of bar at the Square by Larry Gatlin for not paying enough attention to his music(in my defense, the girl I was chatting with was HOT).
You didnt say where you were staying which may determine where you are can hang out. I still have contacts that live in Germantown if you are going to be out east.
JFX001 wrote: Sun Records.
That's where we're recording.
fastmiata wrote: Walk through the lobby of the Peabody for drinks and maybe watch the ducks.
That works out nicely, because we're staying at a Doubletree right next to the Peabody.
fastmiata wrote: You didnt say where you were staying which may determine where you are can hang out.
Sorry, we're staying downtown, about 3 blocks from Beale St.
Thanks for the suggestions everyone! Keep them coming!
SVreX wrote: Corey: Knowing you, it would ABSOLUTELY make sense to take the 3 hour trip to Nashville and spend the day at the Lane Motor Museum. A true journey to Mecca.
I won't have time for that this trip, but I only live 2.5 hours from Nashville, so thanks for reminding me about that place! I really need to check it out sometime soon.
Basically, Rendezvous for ribs, and King's Cafe for Gumbo... Beyond that, I always go to see the Memphis Belle, and do the wandering tour thru the Gibson plant.
Also, go to Tater Red's and get yourself an alligator head.
grafmiata wrote: Basically, Rendezvous for ribs,
After reading this thread, I went looking for their website. Discovered that Charlie had died. Damn.
grafmiata wrote: Also, go to Tater Red's and get yourself an alligator head.
ROFL! Git yer mojo workin'!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hEYwk0bypY
Thanks for all the suggestions, we had a great trip! Friday night, checked into the hotel, walked to Rendezvous for some ribs, walked down to Beale for music and drinks, then stopped at the Blues City Cafe on the way back to the hotel for chili and tamales. Saturday, woke up and walked to Cockadoo's for breakfast, then walked to the Civil Rights Museum. WOW, that was intense. I really wish I had more time to read everything, but damn, it was pretty amazing. From there we walked to Beale to grab a bite to eat, stopped into the Peabody, but just missed the ducks. Quick shower at the hotel and off to Sun Studio! We were at Sun from 6pm to 5am, recorded 23 songs, and worked with two of the most bad ass and down to earth sound engineers I've ever met. Seriously the most fun I've had in a really long time. It's pretty surreal to look up while you're playing and see a picture of Elvis occupying the exact space you are in. There were a few things I would have liked to see and didn't have time, but I'm sure I'll be back.
16vCorey wrote:SVreX wrote: Corey: Knowing you, it would ABSOLUTELY make sense to take the 3 hour trip to Nashville and spend the day at the Lane Motor Museum. A true journey to Mecca.I won't have time for that this trip, but I only live 2.5 hours from Nashville, so thanks for reminding me about that place! I really need to check it out sometime soon.
Lane is astonishing! You.Must.Go. !!
Share the links to your band's pages, man! Shameless self promotion is the name of the game - at least as far as I'm concerned.
-Alex
Trigger5.com
facebook.com/trigger5
16vCorey wrote: Thanks for all the suggestions, we had a great trip! Friday night, checked into the hotel, walked to Rendezvous for some ribs, walked down to Beale for music and drinks, then stopped at the Blues City Cafe on the way back to the hotel for chili and tamales. Saturday, woke up and walked to Cockadoo's for breakfast, then walked to the Civil Rights Museum. WOW, that was intense. I really wish I had more time to read everything, but damn, it was pretty amazing. From there we walked to Beale to grab a bite to eat, stopped into the Peabody, but just missed the ducks. Quick shower at the hotel and off to Sun Studio! We were at Sun from 6pm to 5am, recorded 23 songs, and worked with two of the most bad ass and down to earth sound engineers I've ever met. Seriously the most fun I've had in a really long time. It's pretty surreal to look up while you're playing and see a picture of Elvis occupying the exact space you are in. There were a few things I would have liked to see and didn't have time, but I'm sure I'll be back.
Dang, Corey..meant to tell you last week..if you're actually recording (well, now "recorded") at Sun, that's the best Memphis experience of all! No surrealism required, dude..you really were there! Those of us who don't play anymore still pay 12 bux just to go look at that room. 
http://www.sunstudio.com/plan-your-tour/
Memphis is an underrated destination. One of the few friends I made when I lived in Mississippi still lives there (if you saw that old pic of my GT6 that I linked on one of the other threads, she's the blonde in the sweater).
So happy to hear you enjoyed the trip! If you're a native Southerner, it's your birthright, and if you're not..well, I hope you understand why so many folks try so hard to stay down here. Yeah, we got some problems, but the best things we have to offer the world are marvelous.
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