Memphis Flyer readers couldn’t miss this week’s top entry in the Steppin’ Out pages, featuring the old United Equipment building standing tall in a blue sky, announcing tomorrow’s Juneteenth Family Reunion at the newly rechristened Orange Mound Tower. It will be the inaugural event for the tower and surrounding land, now slated for mixed-use development by a new partnership between Unapologetic, the music, media and fashion collective, and Tone, the Black arts and community-empowering nonprofit formerly known as the CLCTV.
Given the building’s iconic profile over Orange Mound, it’s literally a monumental moment for the neighborhood and the city of Memphis. And such a moment calls for some sonic sanctification. Accordingly, music will echo from the environs surrounding Orange Mound Tower with a tidal force, as the alliance settles in to its new home.
If you love music, click this 2019 track from AWFM, Hannya Cha0$, and PreauXX (produced by Kid Maestro) — which might well be the ultimate anthem for the remade Memphis that’s emerging this weekend — and read on.
Naturally, PreauXX, AWFM and Kid Maestro will all be on hand with beats, rhymes, and sweet musical soundscapes, along with fellow Unapologetic artists Eillo and C Major. IMAKEMADBEATS, the collective’s founder, will also perform.
But this moment is not only Unapologetic’s, and other artists will be there as well, including 91′ Co., BlueBoys and Matt Lucas. Mixed in with the live performances will be DJ sets from notable platter-spinners such as DJ Chandler Blingg, Qemist, DJ Manté and DJ Texas Warehouse.
It will be an unforgettable day to be sure, and, as noted in the Unapologetic press release, “Expect fireworks.” Whether literal or figurative, you know this crew will not fail to light up the night.
Juneteenth Family Reunion, Orange Mound Tower, 2205 Lamar, Saturday, June 19, 5-11 p.m., free.
