The Lamplighter Lounge is one of Memphis’s classic dive bars, but it is not a place I had ever been. As a bar and not a restaurant (although it has some food), it would not be a place I would normally go unless they were featuring a band I cared to see. And all too often, their advertised events were for artists I had never heard of. But on Saturday, October 28, things were different, as the Lamplighter featured Hill Country blues musician Duwayne Burnside for the first time.
Like all good dive bars, the Lamplighter has ambiance, a kind of dark moody vibe. But on a Saturday morning, it also has some unexpected things, like coffee, and a breakfast cup filled with hash browns, scrambled eggs, cheese and bacon. It was actually a great start to the day of music.
Duwayne Burnside brought his band, including Pinkie Pulliam on bass and Adrian Massey on drums, and they thrilled the fairly small crowd that was present, some of whom were in town for the Indie Memphis Film Festival. Since that auspicious beginning, The Lamplighter has also started booking David Evans on certain Saturdays.