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It’s not their fault they are trapped here. The more I drink the more out of touch I become with the spirits who live here. I say hello to the spirits.I pray for you. After 30 minutes dude buys me a drink, 3 in 2 hours, too many. Santana plays -black magic woman- amazing. Ordering next drink, staff is busy so I come to the bar. The bar is full, comforting chatter changes the mood and raises the energy in the room.
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This is the perfect place to dry out and warm up. More guests arrive- 4 wet, soggy patrons. one per hour because I have to drive later. I’m back on the sofa ready for another drink. Sounds like an 80’s rapper with middle eastern music. Maybe the juke box is on a loop, but the next song is new, I’m unfamiliar with it. As I reach bottom step the juke box plays the same song it was playing when I first came in and sat at the bar, Aretha Franklin’s Respect. I walk to the end to the bar then suddenly feel like I want to head back downstairs. I’m very uncomfortable so I sit on the bench and pray for the troubled spirits who live here. a long bench along a wall where men once waited when it was a brothel up here. Guests come back downstairs chatting casually and sit at the bar. Juke box begins playing “ love and happiness”. 3 new customers arrive who comment they love the place. The burger arrives with mustard, pickles, cheese and sautéed onions. Right now there are 4 customers and 2 are leaving. I no longer feel comfortable sitting at the bar with my back to the sitting area so I take my drink to a sofa against a wall. Billy Jean begins playing on the juke box. The only thing on the menu is the soul burger so I ordered one. Then Elvis’s “you ain’t nothing but a hound dog” began playing.
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I played a song and the juke box just stopped it mid song. One gentleman who’s worked here for many years says he has been hit, pinched and hugged upstairs. I asked if she’s bothered by the ghosts and she responded “I don’t like being here by myself”. I think I’ll stay and visit up there later. The bartender says that a bar upstairs (where it’s haunted) opens at 7. I’m at the bar downstairs and I began the evening with an old fashioned. It was truly a fun and exhilarating time. Sunday's is a Jam Session and at least one visitor came with his guitar and played with the band. The music was a great mix of blues and rock n' roll. There is smoking inside - I don't know when I have last been someplace where people smoked - but just be prepared if you are sensitive to that. There's no cover, but they pass the hat and it feels good to support the musicians generously. It's a small place, but the band truly makes everyone feel welcome.
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I would say that the crowd was 3/4 tourists and maybe 1/4 local but it still felt like a very "real" vibe. The musicians were really friendly and seemed to walk the line between authenticity and a nod to tourism. We didn't have time or energy to rustle up alternatives, but the beer was really cold and also inexpensive. It feels like a long way from Beale Street - in the very best sense! It is BYOB, but they do sell beer. And of course the place doesn't look like much on the outside. It's a bit of an Uber ride from downtown - maybe 15 minutes - it was a dark rainy night but from what I could see it didn't look like there was a lot of other things around. Many music places aren't open on those nights, but Wild Bill's was definitely wide open on Sunday night with their house band. We were in Memphis for only 2 nights, Sunday and Monday.