I hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful Christmas day. Mother Earth did her part so feel free to relax and enjoy the splendor. When the day turns to night and you wake up from that day-drinking nap, there are a few options for things to do. Here’s my list of fun, friendly places to grab a seat and let go of another season’s worth of guilt and familial obligations. Continue reading Oh Christ.
Some might have noticed the lack of activity at How To Leave Home. Never fear, I am still here. Just in the middle of a particularly jarring transition – aka moving into a new home. Due to budgetary restraints, I am without internet for the foreseeable future, so my updates may be further apart than usual. Besides, the winter holidays are traditionally for house parties and family gatherings, so I’m sure you’ll be plenty entertained.
Check back with me in a couple weeks when all the dust is settled and you just might find some new things around here. You can keep an eye on the How To Leave Home facebook page for updates. Also the howtoleavehome Instagram has periodic glimpses of my new life. If you’ve enjoyed the first 6 months of the blog I think you’ll be pleased with what happens in 2015.
Stay warm and think positive.
– Ro
Hooray. It’s a holiday week! That means everyone’s got all kinds of time off work and special plans for the week. How fun. For those of us not in that category, here’s a quick glance at some things to do while the masses sleep off turkey dinner. Continue reading The Running of the Birds
It’s cold. No matter how many years I live in Memphis, I will loathe that moment when fall disappears. It’s a devastatingly beautiful day but when you walk outside the temperature has dropped 20 degrees in 24 hours. From then on it’s a battle to find heat wherever you can. This year, I’m going to do more than just dig an old coat out of the closet. I want to help fight the cold by sharing some warmth in my community. Fortunately, Tyler Miller of Memphis Punk Promotions has created the perfect opportunity to help those in need. Continue reading MannaFest 2014
I attended a glorious celebration last night. It was disguised as a Halloween party, but I know in my heart it was a wake for Black Lodge Video. After the Incredible Hook party tonight, the Black Lodge that Memphis has known for over 13 years will metamorphose into something new. Development plans are finalized and Lodge co-founder Matt Martin has announced the impending release of Black Lodge 2.0. But before that can happen, we must say goodbye to an icon of Memphis past. Continue reading R.I.P. Black Lodge Video 1.0
In case you haven’t heard, Marcella & Her Lovers are in the midst of an IndieGoGo campaign. Thanks to overwhelming support from fans in the Memphis community they have raised 75% of the $5000 needed to release their debut EP The Bronze Age. Response from fans has been overwhelming and with 15 days left in the crowd-funding push I feel confident they will reach the goal. Marcella emailed me a sneak peek of the music last week and I can assure you this release is well worth your support. Continue reading The Bronze Age Is Upon Us
The Black Lodge was on fire last weekend. Not literally, though firemen were discussed at one point. There was a massive dance party on Saturday night. Guerilla Stone was cooking, young folks were loitering. I have it on good authority that some of the people inside were dancing too! I was only able to manage a drive-by because Saturday was full of events city-wide. I spent the previous night at Black Lodge enjoying a different show, but I’ll get to that in a minute. Continue reading Let’s Go with Plan B
They say laughter is good medicine. After a heavy September, I decided to test the theory. Luckily, it wasn’t hard to find a hook up for the funny. Once a month there’s a showcase at the Hi Tone called Don’t Be Afraid of The Comedy. The event was on my radar after some ostentatious advertising at the P&H open mic night. Josh McLane and Benny Elbows sparked a seemingly unprovoked feud that escalated to physical violence at an alarming rate. Despite a somewhat affected delivery, the resolution to the local feud between Josh McLane and Benny Elbows promised an entertaining climax. As I guessed in my earlier post, I paid $3 to get a healthy dose of laughter therapy. Continue reading Don’t Be Afraid Memphis
Last weekend was so busy I’m just now recovering from the fallout. Gonerfest had everyone amped up and looking for a good time. You didn’t even have to brave the Crosstown crowds to take advantage of the excitement. The entire city hummed with energy and there were things happening everywhere. Staying true to form, I avoided heavily populated areas and enjoyed some quality time doing something new. Nothing personal Hi Tone, I just find the No Re-Entry policy a bit unsettling. Feels a little too Gulagish to me. Continue reading Let’s Do the Time Warp Again