Events

The Molasses Man & Other Delta Tales serves as an anthology of stories based off of Ahmad George’s life and experiences with people they’ve encountered here and not. These works feature scenes with existing and non-existing figures from folklore and mythology sourced from the American South, elsewhere, and created.

“Days” follows the everyday observations of the structures we interact with. The houses become more than just a residence, but become individuals themselves. The shadows start to blur the line of where the walls stop and where a presence might begin.

“But Then, Suddenly, I Was Looking From the Inside Out” is about “no compartments.” Everything is mashing together in life all the time — and while Lapossy longs for stability and order — it's all happening at once and they love how that feels — what that allows for. Not to be confused with multitasking, this is a kind of nurtured chaos.

John Fullbright’s debut album was called “preternaturally self-assured,” while NPR said “it’s not every day a new artist earns comparisons to great songwriters like Townes Van Zandt and Randy Newman, but Fullbright’s music makes sense in such lofty company.” The Wall Street Journal crowned him as giving one of the year’s 10 best live performances, and the album also earned him a GRAMMY nomination for Best Americana Album and the ASCAP Foundation’s Harold Adamson Lyric Award.

In the attempt to pioneer a new sound while exploring his Eritrean origins, trumpeter Hermon Mehari composed an album entirely influenced by the harmonies, rhythms, and melodies of Eritrean music. However this work, "Asmara" (Komos), doesn't only come from his musical side — the songs have an emotional bent and express the different aspects of his perspectives towards his relationship with family and the culture.

The story of the album art design studio, Hipgnosis, who created some of the most iconic album covers of all time. Whether you’re a fan of Pink Floyd or not, chances are you know exactly what the album covers of The Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here look like. But you might not be familiar with the creative duo behind those iconic images: Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey “Po” Powell, aka the innovative design studio Hipgnosis. 

For this performance, Ben Ricketts (piano/vocals/electronics) will be joined by the Vanishing Imaginary Orchestra, a small ensemble featuring Julia Rice (guitar), Dylan Van Zile (bass), and Kole Oakes (tapes/synthesizer/samples). This performance ensemble recreates and reimagines songs from Ricketts’ wide-ranging catalogue, bringing them to life with a mix of tight arrangements, adventurous improvisation, and expansive audio exploration. Local songwriter Rachel Maxann will be opening the show.

The Vietnamese  American Community of West Tennessee, Crosstown Arts, and Crosstown Concourse are partnering to present the Mid-Autumn Festival! There will be a lion dance, a youth performance, a soccer game, a magic show, arts, crafts, and more. 

The collective vision of trumpeter Marc Franklin, guitarist Joe Restivo, and vocalist John Németh has earned the ensemble favorable responses from the public and press alike. The Memphis Commercial Appeal noted the band’s immersive qualities, transporting listeners to a pivotal scene in which jazz and blues maintained influence over Memphis’ soul burgeoning sound. Writer Bob Mehr lauded the band for “re-conjuring a sound and style that was dominant in Memphis, and that would have a formative influence on the young artists who would come to stock the rosters of Stax Records and Hi Records in the decades to come.”

Join Grammy-winning saxophonist Kirk Whalum for Kafé Kirk, an ongoing jazz series in Crosstown Theater featuring musical and spiritual collaborations with special guest artists. This iteration’s performance will feature jazz pianist Keiko Matsui.

Shain Shapiro launches his new book, This Must Be the Place: How Music Can Make Your City Better, in conversation with Music Export Memphis’ Elizabeth Cawein. 

Crosstown Arts presents Sierra Hull on the Kemmons Wilson Family Stage at Crosstown Theater. Crosstown Theater Thursday, October 5, 2023...