Once Beale Street had been cleared of nearby residents and had its traditional ambience removed so that it could become a tourist mecca, those who used to party there had to find other places to kick it, and the place they seemed to choose was North Thomas Street in North Memphis. The area is off the tourist maps, and probably with some reason, since it’s a fairly rough area, although the historic American Sound Studios once held forth at the corner of Thomas and Chelsea, and the original store, warehouse and studio of Select-O-Hits was literally a stone’s throw away at 605 Chelsea. But what keeps Thomas Street jumping these days is a strip of classic juke joints that routinely fill to overflowing and occasionally get out of hand, particularly if the police come to shut down the party because there’s just too many people in the joint. CC’s Blues Club, painted in the Packers-loving owner’s favorite colors is the most well-known and venerable of the spots. It’s a virtual monster of a club, a whole city block long, and worlds of fun, particularly when there is a live band. And despite the large size, the club often fills to standing room only on weekends. Not all the establishments on Thomas feature live bands, but Mack City (the former Hughes Uptown) occasionally has been known to. One Block North, just off of Thomas on Marble Avenue has been misrepresented on the internet as a place where live music goes on. It isn’t that, but it is a neighborhood bar with incredible blues and soul records playing on weekends. If you’re ever in Memphis looking for a more authentic blues experience, forget Beale Street and head to North Thomas Street. You’ll spend less, meet some authentic Memphians and enjoy better music.
Related
