P and H Cafe - Memphis, TN

Hi All,

I'm still wrestling with the lung issue and the cough, but it is much better now. I'm Finally able to sing a whole show again.

Last night I was in Memphis,TN at a funky place on the East side, called the "P&H Cafe". It was a short 3 hour trip over to Memphis. I had made that trip hundreds of times when I was playing with the old "Culley & Elliott"duo (we were constantly headed to Texas to play), but it has been awhile since I have been in Memphis. I forgot how pretty the drive was, especially the first half with dozens of state parks and reserves. Being a big outdoor guy I'm always wide eyed for any wilderness area.

The P&H starts music real late - 10pm. Their regulars come in about 7 or 8 and leave and then return around 10pm - kinda' weird, but so goes different joints. It's a funky little place, half artsy coffeehouse and half old burger and beer joint. The front of the room has a lot of posters, pictures and art on the walls. The ceiling was made up of big 4x8 painted portraits - caricatures of people - one unique ceiling! The back of the place started with a long bar and darts and pool tables - the dividing line between coffeehouse and beer joint.

On a side note, across the street there was a large tour bus (made my Matrix "tour bus" seem ever smaller) pulled up to a big performance hall. I later found out that it was the Indigo Girls. I had hoped they would end before me and that I might pick up some of their audience, but it wasn't to be!

I was suppossed to share the night with a local singer named Jo Jo Jeffries, but somehow wires got crossed and she never showed. I waited around until about 10:45pm. and then decided to go ahead with my set.

I began the set by promptly launching a big glass of water off the stool as I stepped up to the mic with my guitar (a trick I would repeat one more time toward the end of the set with a whole new glass of water). Sometimes things happen early on at a gig, that you are sure are harbingers of things to come. Luckily, these were just random events of a cluts and nothing more.

The set went great. I met some folks there who were really into the music and sold enough CD's to calm both the financial and the fragile ego needs of a singer-songwriter. It was enjoyable as ever to make new friends and fans with my music and then hit the road late (midnight) for a 3 hour trip back to Nashville. All and all - a nice trip!

Thanks so much for following along with the UK blog and now my efforts back home - much appreciated!

Peace,

Mark Elliott