[from
Memphis TN] The normalness of the girls in this band was what struck me. But it
makes sense – their sound pays homage to Lost Sounds, and their look pays homage
to Alijca Trout. Trout produces essential synth/garage punk under the guise of
a banal look. Substance over surface? Not to mention, this was the show when I actually ran into Alijca in the outside patio and genuflected
at her feet, for the reward of some Lost Sound stickers.
My heart was also
folding all over itself because this festival of white-y man-y music was not
only making space for black Memphis rappers, but also for young unedgy female
rockers. My loyal body quakes when I say this, but SXSW has potentially met its
match in Gonerfest. One of the best parts of the festival was taking short Lyft
rides to the different locations. It may be Lyft was my cultural
tour guide, providing me with the opportunity to interact with people I never
would have otherwise. And all the people, God Bless Them, wanted to talk about
race. I swear I wasn’t instigating. I went to see the ducks walk down the red
carpet at the posh Peabody Hotel, where all the white southern men are bedecked
in salmon-colored shorts & polo shirts. My Lyft driver to the hotel was a
former cop with a lot of opinions. Here they come. Memphis has had three
notable mayors of late. The first got elected because “there was segregation”- he
said this with a resigned annoyed attitude, which annoyed me… but let’s be
real, the vast majority of people never even utter the word ‘segregation’ so I
reigned myself in and prepared myself to learn his perspective. “So the black people
and the poor people elected the first black mayor.” According to the former
cop, this mayor destroyed the city but still got re-elected. The mayor told
people if they didn’t like what was happening they could leave… and so they
did. And the people who left were the professionals (white flight?). But then,
the former-cop told me, the FBI came in and told the black mayor he was going
to have to leave, for an assortment of misdeeds. But this first black mayor was
not the only one to fail in my driver’s eyes, because the next one was also an “asshole,”
who took away the police pension. This led to around 500 cops quitting, such
that the Memphis police force remains understaffed and I have a Lyft driver who
was a cop. The whole story was sad. Memphis felt poor and bedraggled and none
of the perspectives I heard provided easy answers. But my driver said the third
mayor is turning things around: just look at the new construction all over the
city. My hope's not high. My next Lyft drive was to the airport with an old black grandma, three
kids. Her one son just ‘got back.’ She’s lactose intolerant and prefers cashew
to almond milk. She and I just talked.
Ultimately, Memphis reminded me that I enjoy the views of people in diverse areas because it's really easy to be liberal in white enclaves. And then I arrived, and at the Memphis
airport. At the Memphis airport, there’s always Presley or Cash in the air.
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