Going to School in a City: Enjoy All Memphis Has to Offer This Spring

When I was picking a college, I looked for a small school in a city. As important as that was to me, after 3 years in Memphis the only part of the city that I have taken advantage of is the food. I may have eaten more barbeque in the past 3 years than in the first 18 years of my life, but Memphis has so much more to offer. As a city, Memphis has plenty to do in terms of entertainment. There are concerts, sports games, movies, and theatre productions to see every weekend, and Rhodes has some great opportunities for discount tickets. With so many things to do, it can be hard to choose what to do and what to skip. I looked into all of them and narrowed it down to the three can’t-miss events of each category, so you can take advantage of the best Memphis and Rhodes has to offer!
 
Music
 
Snoop Dogg, Feb 7, Minglewood Hall
If you missed California rapper and Dr. Dre protégé Snoop Dog (real name Cordozar Calvin Broadus) when he came to the Beale Street Music Festival in 2009, well then here’s your chance! The 12-time Grammy nominated artist has been recently acclaimed for his collaboration with Katy Perry, for which he won Best Video at the 2010 MTV European Music Awards and gained two more Grammy nominations (Album of the Year for his work as a featured artist on Teenage Dream, and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for California Girls-tune in February 13th for the results). Even if you’ve seen him before, don’t miss this chance to see him perform at Minglewood
Listen to:Latest single Wet, released last month
 
James Taylor, Feb 27, the Orpheum
Another Beale St. Music Festival Veteran returning to Memphis is James Taylor. A member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame since 2000, Taylor definitely makes my top three favorite concerts (the others being Interpol and yes, I admit it, the Spice Girls Reunion Tour). James Taylor’s talent and timeless appeal can be seen through his many awards and achievements. Taylor earned Grammy nominations from 1970-2008, winning 5 Grammys and earning 40 gold, platinum, and multiplatinum awards during that time. His critical acclaim isn’t the reason to go see Taylor in concert, go see him because his music has the power to make you feel good. Listening to “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” will bring back your childhood as images of Buzz Lightyear and Woody replay in your head, and “Carolina in My Mind” will take you to warm beaches and make you forget about the blistering cold outside.
Listen to:Fire and Rain and How Sweet it is (To Be Loved By You)
 
Interpol, April 25, Minglewood Hall
Interpol is an alternative rock band associated with the NYC indie music scene. Formed in 1997, the band emerged out of the post-punk revival of the 2000s. Interpol gained international fame after their first album “Turn on the Bright Lights” was named the 10th best album of 2002 by NME. Their subsequent records, Antics (2004) and Our Love to Admire (2007) confirmed the success of their first album and attracted more fans. In late 2010, the band released their fourth, self-titled, album land amazon.com quickly added it to their compilation of the Best Music of 2010. The band can be characterized by a heavy British-influence, as seen by their darkly atmospheric sound, intricate guitars, and somber baritone. All you need is to do is add the band’s fondness for suits and you have one amazing concert.
Listen to:PDA from their first album and Barricade from their most recent
 
 
Sports
Grizzlies vs. Lakers, Feb 7, Fed Ex Forum
Come watch the Grizzlies take on the defending NBA champions, the LA Lakers! The Memphis Grizzlies were originally the Vancouver Grizzlies from when they were developed in 1995 until 2001 when they made the move to Memphis. The game will be a family event as former-Grizzley All Star Pau Gasol faces his younger brother Marc Gasol who was the brother originally meant for the Lakers. In 2007, when the Lakers drafted the 7’1″ Marc Gasol in the second round, his draft rights were traded by the Lakers to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for his shorter (by an inch) older brother. Despite playing on two different NBA teams, the brothers play together on the Spanish national team, encountering great success. Together, the Gasol brothers took home the silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the gold at the 2006 FIBA Championship, and two FIBA European Championship medals- the silver in 2007 and the gold in 2009.
 
Other players to watch are the Grizzlies’ All-Star power forward from Michigan State, Zach Randolf, and 2010 gold medalist and Grizzlies’ captain, Rudy Gay from UConn
 
On the Lakers, watch All-Star and hot-head/rapper/activist, forward Ron Artest from St. John’s University, and 2x NBA Finals MVP and 12x NBA All-Star, Captain Kobe Bryant (also the 6th player in NBA history to go prep-to-pro)
 
If you can’t make this game, the Big Diehl will be selling discount tickets to students throughout the semester!
 
Regions Morgan Keegan Tennis Championships, Feb 11-20*, Racquet Club ofMemphis (near Muddy’s)
The Regions Morgan Keegan Event is a Men’s ATP Tour event that has been held since 1971, and moved in Memphis in 1976. The championship partners with the Cellular South Cup, a WTA Tour event held since 1986 and held in Memphis since 2002, to support St. Jude Children’s Hospital. The headliners of the event are 2003 US Open winner and two time Regions Morgan Keegan Championships winner,#8-ranked Andy Roddick (USA), and #9-ranked Fernando Verdasco (ESP).
 
Verdasco will not be the only player traveling from abroad. He will be joined by  #12-ranked, and the highest ranked Frenchmen, Gael Monfils (FRA). 2009 US Open Champion Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG), Former world #1, and past Wimbledon, US Open, and ATP World Finals Champion Lleyton Hewitt (AUS), and 3-time Regions Morgan Keegan Champion (1999, 2006, 2007), 2000 silver medalist, Tommy Haas (GER- but recently became an American citizen)
 
The United States will be well represented as the 4 highest ranked USA tennis players will attend. Joining Roddick (#1), is USA #2, World #17, and 2004 Silver Medalist Mardy Fish, and nationally ranked #4, and #20-globally John Isner. Isner is most recently known as the winner of the longest professional match in history at the 2010 Wimbledon. He is also the 2010 Regions Morgan Keegan Runner-Up, losing to his doubles partner Sam Querrey (USA #3, World #18), with whom he went on to become the 2010 Regions Morgan Keegan Doubles Champion. Querrey is sure to play some great matches as he returns to defend his singles and doubles titles!
The Big Diehl will be selling discounted tickets to students for the February 20^th matches!
 
 
Rhodes Track and Field, SCAC Conference Meet, April 22-23
Nothing clears students off campus like a few days off classes, and Easter Break is no exception. Except this year when Rhodes students are racing to the airports and packing their cars to drive home, hundreds of students will be pulling on to University Street ready to compete in the huge 2-Day SCAC Track and Field meet, the only conference championship Rhodes will host this semester. At the 2010 Track and Field SCAC Championship at Hendrix, our Lynx and Lynxettes dominated the competition. The women won with a 39 point lead over the 2nd-place DePauw and the men rose to victory with a 22 point lead over, once again settling for second place, Depauw. The Rhodes Track and Field Team was so strong that several Lynxes and Lynxettes scored more points individually than some entire teams.
 
I know most students go home for Easter Break, but for those of you who are staying in Memphis, come and see the Rhodes men and women teams defend their SCAC Champion titles and cheer on your lynx(ettes)!
 
 
MOVIES
Dates to remember, courtesy of The Big Diehl:
Feb 12– Free Movie at the Malco Paradiso and YoLo
Opening that week: Just Go With It, Gnomeo and Juliet, The Eagle, Justin Beiber: Never say Never
 
March 20– Free Movie tickets for the Malco Pardiso
Opening that week: Limitless, Paul, The Lincoln Lawyer
 
Remember: You can pick up a free ticket and save it for a later date, here are my picks for the three best movies (and okay, I know technically the third one is multiple movies) of the upcoming semester-
 
Water for Elephants
Release Date: April 22
Water for Elephantsis an upcoming cinematic drama based on the historical-romance novel written by Sara Gruen. It centers on Jacob Jankowski (Robert Pattinson, Twilight) a young man studying to be a veterinarian. After the sudden death of his parents, leaves school and jumps on a train- which happens to be home to a traveling circus. After the head of the circus learns of Jacob’s medical training, he hires the young runaway as the new circus vet. Here he meets Marlena (Reese Witherspoon, Legally Blond), the beautiful equestrian, her husband Arthur (Christopher Waltz, Inglorious Bastards), the abusive-yet charismatic, animal trainer, and Rosie (Tai, the 43 year-old, 8,800 pound staring lady) an elephant recently bought from another circus that is thought to be un-trainable. The film tells the story of the tragic, loving, and dangerous bond these characters form as they travel the country with the circus during the Great Depression.
 
 
The Hangover: Part II
Release Date: May 26
In the summer of 2009, The Hangover proved that you didn’t need an all-star cast to make a hilarious movie. In Part II, the fantastic foursome is back. This time Doug Billings (Justin Bartha, National Treasure), Stu Price (Ed Helms, “The Office”), Phil Wenneck (Bradley Cooper, The A-Team), and Alan Garner (Zach Galifianakis, Due Date) are traveling to Bangkok, Thailand for Stu’s wedding to his so-far unnamed fiancé (Jamie Chung, Dragonball: Evolution). The rumor is that the guys have learned their lessons about bachelor parties as the pre-wedding ritual will have no part in this movie. Instead, the sequel has them dealing with a kidnapping, presumably of Doug (Bartha is not seen in many of the released stills).
 
If anyone is worried that these four actors may not be able to gain as many laughs as the first time around, fret not! Many other member of the original cast will make appearances in the second part, including Mike Tyson, Ken Jeong, and Bryand. This side-splitting cast will be joined by Liam Neeson, Paul Giamatti, and former President. Very little information regarding the film has been released, but from what the studio has confirmed, I know that I’ll be lining up to see what crazy adventure Phil, Stu, and Alan get into this time!
 
The Avengers Super Heroes: Thor and Captain America
Iron Man 2 first teased moviegoers with the prospect of an Avengers movie when Nick Fury (Samuel L Jackson) appears to see if Iron Man is right for a special project, bringing along the Black Widow (Scarlett Johanson). Iron Man 2 paved the way for the first film about the remaining members of the Avengers by closing the film with the discovery of Thor’s hammer.
 
1) Thor
Release Date: May 6
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, and Anthony Hopkins
Thor (Hemworth, Star Trek) is a powerful warrior god banished from the fantastic realm of Asgard by his father due to his arrogance. He is erased of all memory of godhood and is sent to live on Earth in the body and with the memories of partially disabled medical student Donald Blake. One fateful day, the now Dr. Blake witness the arrival of aliens who chase him into a cave, where he finds Mjoinor- Thor’s hammer. Blake picks it up to defend himself and transforms into Thor-the thunder god, soon to be human’s greatest protector.
 
2) Captain America
Release Date: July 22
Starring: Chris Evans, Hugo Weaving, and Tommy Lee Jones
Steve Rogers (Evans, Fantastic Four) is a sickly young man who wishes to join the army. When he is declared unfit for service, he volunteers for a military project- top secret, of course. The experimental project aims to create super-soldiers, and is successful in turning the frail Rogers into the strong, quick, and brave Captain America, a superhero dedicated to protect America and her ideals.
 
3)The Avengers
Release Date: May 4, 2012
The Avengers will bring together the heroes, villains, and S.H.I.E.L.D agents of The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, and Nick Fury (2012) as well as introducing a few new characters.
 
 
Theatre
 
Young Frankenstein, March 11, Orpheum
“The classic Mel Brooks movie is ALIVE…You’ll have a monstrously good time at this spectacular new production,…[which] follows bright young Dr. Frankenstein (that’s Fronkensteen) as he attempts to create a monster – but not without scary and hilarious complications.”
 
Discounted tickets will be available through The Big Diehl, keep an eye out for posters around campus and the Thursday Announcements for information on buying tickets.
 
Romeo and Juliet, April 16 at 2 pm, Memphis Ballet at Playhouse on the Square
“Reuniting Choreographic Associate Steven McMahon with another famous Prokofiev score, our star-crossed lovers are given new life on the intimate Playhouse stage.” Everyone knows the tale, but few have seen in performed as a ballet. Here is your chance to see Shakespeare’s most famous tale in a new and beautiful way.
 
CODAwill be selling $5 tickets to the ballet starting on Thursday, April 7 in Hassell Hall 111 from 8:30 am to 4 pm daily.
 
 
Romeo and Juliet, April 28 at 7 pm, Tennessee Shakespeare Company at The Dixon Gallery and Gardens
“As environmental theatre, audiences will tread the play’s action from Verona’s gardens where two houses are both alike in dignity into the water-flowing crypt of the star-cross’d lovers.” Another opportunity to see Romeo and Juliet, but performed in a different way, if the ballet isn’t for you, than this interpretation of the classic love story is for you.
 
CODAwill be selling $5 tickets starting on April 21 in Hassell Hall 111 from 8:30 am to 4 pm daily.
 
 
Sources
iTunes
Wikipedia
IMDB.com
Ticketmaster.com
MinglewoodHall.com
MemphisTennis.com
NBA.com/Grizzlies
JamesTaylor.com
http://www.rhodes.edu/academics/19534.asp
http://www.orpheum-memphis.com/