Events

Inspired by militant leaders like Malcom X and Stokely Carmichael, a new radicalized generation of civil rights activists made up of young college students, Vietnam vets, musicians, and intellectuals emerged in Memphis in 1967. The Invaders uncovers the history and significance of the often-overlooked group, detailing their direct involvement with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the pivotal hours leading up to his assassination. The Invaders touches on themes of race, government surveillance and economic injustice. The film offers a unique perspective on the 1968 Memphis Sanitation Strike by emphasizing the role of resident youth in the movement, as well as focusing on the function of poverty and economic disparity in Memphis.

Presented in collaboration with the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. Q&A following the screening!

College friends Kelsey Taylor and Shafer Green reunite for a night of original and eclectic music, collaboration, and good times. They’re bringing an intimate, one-night-only performance to The Green Room. 

In the masterful sequel to the 1931 classic, the mad scientist is persuaded by a creepy doctor to create a mate for his creature to help fabricate a new race, but all doesn’t go as planned. Elsa Lanchester has dual roles as novelist Mary Shelley and the frightful wig-wearing bride. Directed by James Whale.

A research team in Antarctica is hunted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of its victims. Directed by John Carpenter. 

With the unique concept of gradually introducing performers to the stage, artists Ross Salvosa, Artina McCain, and the Joshua David trio will take the audience on a journey from classical solo piano, to the amused tenderness of Samuel Barber's Souvenirs, and end the night with a riveting set of jazz featuring world-renowned jazz trombonist Mike Dease.

The Mahogany Chamber Performances is a series of three chamber music concerts curated by Dr. Artina McCain and presented by Crosstown Arts, spotlighting Black and other underrepresented composers and performers.

Newly restored in 4K to coincide with its 40th anniversary, the 1984 film was directed by renowned filmmaker Jonathan Demme and is considered by critics as the greatest concert film of all time. Stop Making Sense stars core band members David Byrne, Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz, and Jerry Harrison along with Bernie Worrell, Alex Weir, Steve Scales, Lynn Mabry, and Edna Holt. The live performance was shot over the course of three nights at Hollywood’s Pantages Theater in December of 1983 and features Talking Heads’ most memorable songs.

Step into a facet of your own personal dreamscape with the Grammy award-winning chanteuse, Rizo. Using the portal of glamor, seduction and powerhouse vocals, Rizo welcomes you into her prismatic world where the femme divine reigns.

A joyful, sensorial, combustible mix of rock-and-roll bravado, vintage pop diva and comedic antics, Rizo has won a cult following worldwide. Come join the fun for an evening of radical optimism as she holds the beauty and sorrow of life in her tiny hands.

The original hip-hop movie, Wild Style was the first feature film to document the scene’s music, break dancing, and street art at its inception. Through the eyes of a subway tagger named Zoro (played by graffiti legend Lee Quinones) and his encounters with assorted B-boys and g-girs, rappers, and fellow artists, we see the vibrant street culture of the Bronx in the early 1980s. Filmed with vivid, semi-documentary authenticity, this extraordinary time capsule boasts appearances by groundbreaking artists like Grandmaster Flash, the Cold Crush Brothers, Lady Pink, Fab 5 Freddy, Busy Bee, and others.

Sparks Quartet is an ensemble composed of Eri Yamamoto, Chad Fowler, William Parker, and Steve Hirsh. This group of free jazz improvisers came together in New York in 2021 with a plan to spontaneously compose new folk music, a task made richer by the diverse cultural backgrounds each member brings to the table. Yamamoto originates from Kyoto, Japan; Fowler from Arkansas; Hirsh is a New York native currently living in the Minnesota wilderness; and Parker is a key figure in the New York avant-garde movement.

This concert is the first stop on a national tour that will take the group along the Mississippi River to Iowa and Minnesota. It is a special occasion for the quartet, celebrating the release of their second album, “Live at Vision Festival XXVI,” and launching a national tour. Attendees can look forward to an evening that subtly blends jazz and folk elements with collaborative improvisation and the varied influences each member adds to the quartet’s collective sound.

Marcella Simien founded and serves as bandleader in Marcella & Her Lovers — a hybrid of classic Memphis soul with the freewheeling swagger of New Orleans funk. Featuring an ensemble cast of Memphis musicians, Simien emerges as an undeniably powerful frontwoman. With each angelic holler and pump of the Creole accordion, she reinvents the mold of Memphis music while giving a wink and a nod to her ancestors. In addition to Marcella & Her Lovers, Simien performs with Marcella & Les Vagues, Magnolias, and Terrance Simien's Krewe De Monifique. 

Join us for a beautiful day at Crosstown Concourse and enjoy delicious local craft beers at this family-friendly weekend event — featuring 160+ of the best curated local and regional crafters, makers and artists! 

Ellisa Sun cuts her heart out and leaves it on the stage, which is why she never wears white. Inspired primarily by R&B, soul, jazz, and bossa nova, Ellisa’s music is a unique blend of genres that creates a textured sound with authentic, heartfelt lyricism.