Beale Street Music Festival brought thousands to Liberty Park this weekend for the first time in two years. But Nextdoor user Ben Nelson didn’t know.
“Lots of loud noise near the Liberty Bowl,” he wrote. “I didn’t think there were football games this time of year…. Anyone know what the heck is going on??”
Commenters answered the question many times, complained about the noise, complained they weren’t notified of the event, complained about the complainers, and, of course, complained about the redesign of Tom Lee Park.
Tweet of the Week
Posted to Twitter by @MayorMongo
“I will be announcing my full intentions on buying MySpace tomorrow,” tweeted Mayor Prince Mongo.
Big Bad What?
Posted to Facebook By Mulan
News broke last week that a Nashville company bought Cooper-Young buildings now housing Mulan and Margaritas. Owners plan to install a Big Bad Breakfast restaurant where Mulan is now.
But Mulan responded on Facebook with this: “Big bad nothing but a sad rumor going around. Mulan isn’t going anywhere. Don’t you worry your pretty little heads.”
When, with the flash of a press pass, I breezed through the Will Call checkpoint outside Memphis in May’s Beale Street Music Festival at Liberty Park on Sunday, I heard people checking the score of the Grizzlies’ first matchup against the Warriors. The Griz were down, but it was early in the game, and I couldn’t help but take it as a good omen. This year’s BSMF might be in a different location, but some things never change.
First on my list was genre-bending songsmith Cory Branan, backed by an ace crew of Memphis musicians including drummer Shawn Zorn, bassist Landon Moore, and Flyer music editor Alex Greene on keys. Is it a conflict of interest to say that Branan and band blew me away with their tight 25-minute set? Oh well, journalistic malpractice be damned! Though the band’s set was necessarily truncated by circumstances outside their control, thanks to the kind of behind-the-scenes logistical difficulties endemic to festivals as big as BSMF. One rule to keep in mind for any event with more than three bands on the bill: Embrace the chaos. We concert-goers were miles from the Mississippi River for this year’s MIM, but that wouldn’t stop me from going with the flow.
Cory Branan and band. (Credit: Jesse Davis)
Branan and band were locked in, ripping through a set of originals with precision and energy. The bass, drums, and keys, all high in the mix, evoked shades of Memphis music of yore, both soul and rock-and-roll, while Branan plucked notes from his Telecaster. The songwriter walks a weaving line between rock-and-roll, punk, and country, and his sound fit the tone of the Memphis festival. After a blistering rendition of “Prettiest Waitress in Memphis,” Branan quipped, “We appreciate your low standards.”
Jokes aside, as Flyer film editor Chris McCoy put it in his recap of Saturday’s festivities, “Judging from the reactions our folks have been eliciting from the throngs gathered in the shadow of the Coliseum, increasing the locals’ main stage time is the best decision Memphis in May has made in a long time.” Branan and band were proof positive.
Next up, I made my way to the Terminix Stage to catch a few songs from Indigo Girls. I made it to the stage in time to catch “Least Complicated.” Indigo Girls made use of two acoustic guitars, a violin, and vocal harmonies. It was soft and sweet, like a breeze on a sunny May afternoon.
Leaving the stage I met Flyer reporter Michael Donahue, who was working the crowd and getting photos and quotes for his “We Saw You” column. Not 60 seconds after Donahue and I met, someone approached the wild-haired writer to ask him if he was Brian May, best known as the guitarist for Queen. I laughed, and Donahue and I made our way to the Blues Tent.
Blind Mississippi Morris. (Credit: Jesse Davis)
The crowd at the Coca-Cola Blues Tent spilled out onto the pavement outside the tent. (Note: Asphalt is hot, much hotter than the turf at Tom Lee Park. Of course, asphalt doesn’t get muddy either, so any attempt at a comparison is more or less pointless. Again, I was reminded of the festival-goer’s refrain: Embrace the chaos.)
Without delay, a fan accosted Donahue for a selfie. I left the busiest man in party reporting to his work and wove my way through the crowd and into the shade under the tent. Inside, Blind Mississippi Morris was wailing on a harmonica, backed up by a tight trio of guitar, bass, and drums. The bass rumbled, the guitar jangled, and the harmonica growled and howled. It was a fine display of Delta blues, and I was again glad that the BSMF lineup was packed with local and regional acts.
After a bass solo and a veritable cannonade of drum fills, Blind Mississippi Morris’ set drew applause and cheers from an appreciative audience. “It’s time for us to go,” Morris said. “Thank you for coming out for us.”
By that point, I had settled on a loose plan to follow the natural path of the stages — they were arranged like the vertices of a giant “M” — so my next stop was the Bud Light Stage to see Ghanaian band Stonebwoy. I glanced at my phone to make sure I was more or less on time, and saw a text from the Flyer’s film editor: “I decided to come to the festival. Where you at?”
So, having just parted ways with Donahue, I met Chris McCoy and waited for Stonebwoy to finish their sound check. I heard someone in the crowd call out the score of the Grizzlies game. “Grizzlies are down 99 to 90,” he said. “It’s a game! It’s a game!” A few minutes later, the score sat at 99 to 93, with the Warriors leading.
Stonebwoy. (Credit: Chris McCoy)
A gentle breeze wafted across the audience, seeming to carry clean guitar notes and the sounds of saxophone. The bass and drums invited the audience to dance. Stonebwoy’s band wove Afropop and reggae grooves while the singer led the crowd in a call and response. “Say ‘Stonebwoy,’” he called. “Say ‘Memphis.’”
Next, McCoy and I made our way to the Zyn stage for the last half of Grace Potter’s set. When we arrived, the concert was in full swing, with the audience sprawling across the parking lot. With a Flying V guitar slung over her shoulder, Potter led her band in a riff on “Proud Mary.” Whether she was turning up for Memphis, or because her band is just that good, Potter and company suffused their set with samples of rock-and-roll, country, soul, and gospel. She’s a rock artist, but her sound is rife with elements of all the musical milieu that forms the bones of American music.
Grace Potter. (Credit: Chris McCoy)
“That was a dirty little carousing we just had,” the singer said. So, with the Liberty Bowl behind her and facing the Coliseum, Potter switched from guitar to what looked like a Fender Rhodes piano to tambourine, leading her band through high-energy song after song.
Potter sang a bit of Tom T. Hall’s “That’s How I Got to Memphis” before praising the Bluff City. “This place is so full of culture,” she said. Later in her set, someone from the audience called out for “Apologies,” one of the singer’s quieter numbers. “I’m a rock-and-roll musician!” Potter responded. “Don’t you want to hear some rock?”
Bryan Cox as Michael Donahue. (Credit: Jesse Davis)
On the way back to the Terminix Stage, I saw someone in a flowing wig who appeared to be cosplaying as Michael Donahue. When I asked him if that was true, Memphian Bryan Cox confirmed that and said, “People keep asking me that.”
Modest Mouse. (Credit: Chris McCoy)
Then Modest Mouse took to the Terminix stage, opening with “Dramamine” from 1996’s This is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About. The screen behind the band showed a shimmering rainbow seeming to cascade into an open cartoon casket.
The band worked their way through several songs spanning multiple albums. They played newer tracks, as well as hits like “Ocean Breathes Salty,” “3rd Planet,” and “Float On.” It was a solid set of layered songs from a band of indie rockers who have been at it for years.
The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band. (Credit: Jesse Davis)
At some point in the day, I caught some more groups in the Blues Tent, but nine hours of nonstop music has a way of making a jumble of my interior clock. I think I stopped by the Blues Tent on the way back to the Bud Light stage to catch Memphis rapper Moneybagg Yo.
As the sun set, bringing blessedly cooler temperatures, music fans packed the area in front of — and anywhere near — the stage. Moneybagg Yo pulled in a huge crowd, and the energy was high as people danced, drank, and waved their phones in the air.
Moneybagg Yo. (Credit: Jesse Davis)
“If you from Memphis, what side of town you from?” Moneybagg Yo called out, proving he has his finger on the pulse of his city. The bass on “Pistol by Da Bed” had heads nodding along as jets of smoke shot into the air in front of a giant stylishly glitched-out screen behind the performers.
“Every lighter up,” he said later in the set. “This shit’s special. You know why? ’Cause I’m from Memphis. We dream big.”
And it was special, as his set turned into the de facto headlining concert to close out that stage, as news made its way around that Lil Wayne had been forced to cancel, allegedly because of mechanical problems with his jet. No matter, Moneybagg Yo made the most of it, name-checking Memphis neighborhoods to a crowd of dancing, cheering fans.
To close out the night, Weezer took to the Terminix Stage. They ripped into “Hash Pipe” from 2001’s green-hued self-titled album. (The band has something of a penchant for releasing color-coded self-titled albums. At this point, it’s kind of a thing.) Bandleader Rivers Cuomo sang in a falsetto over crunchy guitar riffs and a gut-rattling bass line.
The band played a set that spanned their 15-abum discography, delivering hooks and crowd-pleasers aplenty. They offered up “Beverly Hills,” “My Name Is Jonas,” “El Scorcho,” and “Undone (The Sweater Song).” After a cover of “Enter Sandman,” Cuomo joked “Hey, Memphis! We’re Metallica.”
With the “exit night” refrain rattling around in my thoroughly rocked head, I made my way back to my car. After two years of a pandemic-induced pause, BSMF was back and, chaos aside, a definite success. As I drove home, I heard celebratory fireworks explode in the air above the city.
Stone Temple Pilots singer Jeff Gutt performs at Beale Street Music Festival 2022. (Photo by Chris McCoy).
The second day of the 2022 Beale Street Music Festival began without the logistical headaches of the first day, but under ominous clouds. Nevertheless, for as long as the weather held, the vibes were good, while the music ranged from the passable to the sublime.
This time, it was my personal logistical problems that led me to miss opener Blvck Hippie, one of Memphis’ coolest current rock acts. As Alex Greene reported in his Flyer cover story, this year featured more Memphis artists than ever before. Judging from the reactions our folks have been eliciting from the throngs gathered in the shadow of the Coliseum, increasing the locals’ main stage time is the best decision Memphis in May has made in a long time.
Lil Wyte whooping it with Al Kapone in the shadow of the Liberty Bowl.
The weekend has been a Memphis hip-hop homecoming. Friday night’s Three 6 Mafia set was literally the boom heard round the town. Lil Wyte’s show became a bone-shaking Frayser reunion, with Al Kapone joining the show to whip the crowd into a frenzy with the weekend’s umpteenth “Whoop That Trick.”
Ayron Jones in action on the Bud Light stage.
Across the former fairgrounds, Ayron Jones’s guitar heroics made ’70s-derived hard rock feel fresh. The razor sharp band’s music is made for the wide open spaces of the outdoor music festival. When they closed with a searing cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Chile,” I was reminded that I heard that song at my very first Beale Street Music Festival, when headliner Stevie Ray Vaughn tore it up three months before his death in 1990.
John Németh guests on harp with Mitch Wood and His Rocket 88s in the Blues Tent.
Here’s a tip from a seasoned BSMF rat: It’s always a good idea to pop into the Blues Tent for a minute to sit down and cool off. That’s how I caught Love Light Orchestra’s John Németh blowing some harp with boogie woogie piano player Mitch Wood and his Rocket 88s.
Project Pat and his posse packing ’em in.
The biggest crowd of the day so far was Project Pat — and I’m talking about the crowd on the stage, too. The Memphis rap idol brought his entire posse onstage with him, including some young dancers from LYE Academy who threatened to steal the show. “Chickenhead” and “Slob on My Knob” had the entire fairgrounds getting buck.
Grouplove’s Christian Zucconi and Hannah Hooper.
The festival circuit, which was bigger than ever before the pandemic, can be quite lucrative for bands who can crack into it. Grouplove, originally from Seattle, is one of the groups who optimized itself for summer fun. Singer Hannah Hooper has mastered the tricky art of communicating with a huge, easily distracted audience, with colorful wardrobe and big personality. Stone Temple Pilots new front man Jeff Gutt was another skilled practitioner of the carefully considered sweeping gesture.
Britt Daniel of Spoon
After impatient chants of “We want to spoon!”, Britt Daniel’s band Spoon took the stage to give the indie rock. “Five minutes ago, we thought we weren’t going to play, because of the storm,” said Daniel. After an ominous sunset, lightning was flashing in the west.
Don Bryant lifting souls in the Blues Tent, backed by Scott Bomar and Archie “Hubie” Taylor of the Bo-Keys.
As rain began to fall in the park, I was treated to the best performance of the weekend. With the Bo-Keys swinging like a barn door behind him, Don Bryant burned down the Blues Tent. The 80-year-old singer delivered deeply impassioned readings of songs from his decades-deep catalog. As squall lines lashed the tent and people danced in the aisles, a tourist turned to me and asked in slack-jawed amazement, “Who is this guy?”
“A genius!” I yelled.
Festival goers seek shelter under the eaves of the Mid-South Coliseum as storms hit the Beale Street Music Festival.
Don was almost done with his set when the announcement came to evacuate the venue. The supercell that we had all been watching on our smartphone radar apps was dumping penny-sized hail perilously close to the park, and the powers that be finally decided to pull the plug. As we scurried for the exits, I heard a passerby say “I guess Megan didn’t want to get electrocuted.”
Figuring the show was over, I called for a ride home. But the storm passed quickly, and two hours later Megan Thee Stallion and Smashing Pumpkins finally did play to the most hardy — and presumably wettest — festivalgoers.
Three 6 Mafia on stage, with Juicy J and Gangsta Boo. (Credit: Craig Brewer)
There was a dreamlike quality to returning to the Beale Street Music Festival (BSMF) after so long. The last one was in 2019, and through the first months of the pandemic some wondered if it would ever return. But yesterday, there it was, under a brilliant, sunny sky and a balmy breeze.
Appropriately, a Memphis act kicked off my BSMF experience, as Amy LaVere and band launched into one of the most eclectic catalogs of any Memphis artist. The band, too, felt dreamy upon this return of the Memphis concert institution, and their enthusiasm was contagious as they tacked between slinky grooves, loping ballads, and full-on rock stomps. LaVere’s elation was clear as she blew the audience kisses.
Amy LaVere (Credit: Chris McCoy)
Just as they finished, the indomitable Al Kapone took to the Bud Light Stage: another hometown hero at bat. He made it clear that his staying power is unchallenged, especially in his bold genre-hopping numbers, deftly combining Memphis trap beats with wailing blues. The combination of the two is something he’s been pursuing of late, in a way that’s uniquely his, and it sounded like Memphis to these ears. When he closed with “Whoop That Trick,” which Kapone penned for Craig Brewer’s Hustle and Flow, and which has become something of an anthem at Grizzlies games, the entire festival crowd — even security guards and patrons lingering away from the stages — stood up and sang along, as he yelled, “Did you want to see us go up in flames?” and the stage erupted with fireworks in the broad daylight.
The Ferris wheel (Credit: Chris McCoy)
From there, I made my way through the huge space. One can always navigate by the huge Ferris wheel in the center of the fairgrounds, and my sense of direction was saved by it more than once. Indeed, it led me to the next act, which I had been greatly anticipating: Van Morrison.
Morrison tends to be a polarizing artist these days, partly because of his irresponsible — and very public — resistance to Covid health measures. But the power of his legacy is undeniable in this writer’s eyes, overshadowing any late-in-life choices he may be making now. And indeed, when he took to the stage in a natty blue suit, playing saxophone, all such controversy was swept away by a crowd eager to see a legend at work.
Van Morrison (Credit: Frank Chin)
The zoot suit seemed to evoke the young Van Morrison more than the controversial modern one, almost a nod to his earliest Beatnik tendencies. And the band, comprising another sax player, two guitarists, two drummers, an elderly Hammond B-3 player, a keyboardist-vibraphonist, and a back up singer, seemed to excel at the classic sounds Morrison must have grown up with, especially the light ska-like lilt of blue beat music that took the U.K. and Ireland by storm in the late ’50s and early ’60s. In fact, they opened with a peppy number in that vein, then ran through a full hour and a half of songs both old and new.
Among his classic works, standouts were “And It Stoned Me,” “Wild Night,” not to mention a blues mash-up that included Morrison singing “Parchman Farm” through his harmonica mic, adding glorious grit to the otherwise very clean band. The big finish was “Brown Eyed Girl” and “Gloria,” but for me the highlight was an extended workout of “Baby Please Don’t Go,” another gem from his time with the band Them.
From there, after a bit of fair food to bolster my energy, it was time to head back to the Bud Light Stage for the ultimate heroic homecoming: Three 6 Mafia. A huge crowd seemed to fill every nook and cranny of the area before the stage, and as the rappers assembled, complete with dozens friends and family crowding around the sides of the stage, the crowd was easily led into the call and response of “Three 6!” — “Mafia!”
Every chorus was echoed deftly by thousands of super-fans, as Juicy J and DJ Paul, joined for most of the set by Gangsta Boo, hammered out a flawless set. As one dreadlocked fan told me, “They’re at their peak! They brought out Gangsta Boo, which they haven’t done in a while, and it’s a hometown crowd. I came here just to see them. They’re so important because they connected orchestrated music with trap, and they are hittin’ it so hard right now!”
Three 6 Mafia (Credit: Joseph Mikos)
And they were, ever on-point and aware of their legacy. At one point, DJ Paul exhorted the crowd to “lift up your lighters, or your cell phones. If you ain’t got a cell phone, get the fuck outta here! Now wave them in the air.” As we all did, he announced “R.I.P. Lord Infamous,” and the crowd reflected on the life of the now deceased founding member.
An air of gratitude permeated their vibe, set off by the entourage that surrounded the performers, standing onstage with them for the entire set. And so it made a great deal of sense to end it with gratitude. “Thank you, Memphis, for listening to Three 6 for 20 years! And thank you to the Grizzlies for being great!”
With that, the night was over, but for one last flourish: fireworks that echoed throughout Midtown as we drove home, until nearly 12:30 a.m. A fitting end to a glorious return to form.
Of all the subgenres of rock-and-roll, “songs about playing music” is in my top three. I love the demystification of it all, the lyrics about jet lag and long bus rides and hoping to scrape a few dollars together. And maybe, when it comes down to it, I just love self-referential art.
When Big Star’s Alex Chilton sings, “I can’t get a license/To drive in my car/But I won’t really need it/If I’m a big star,” on “O My Soul,” casually dropping the band’s name into the lyrics, what can I say? I eat that up.
So, against my natural inclinations, I’ve done my best not to talk too much about the inner workings of the Flyer in these weekly columns. Partly to preserve an aura of mystery, which, I hope, our readers will find alluring. Partly because I’ve realized that the minutiae of what I think is interesting might not always make for the most entertaining or enlightening column. (And no, I don’t want to talk about my all-Batman column from a few weeks back. If you didn’t like it, I’m forced to believe that, ideologically speaking, you fall on the side of anarchy, violence, and mayhem — one of the Joker’s cronies for sure.)
When the news is big enough, though, it warrants spilling a little ink. And speaking of big, if you’re reading this issue of the Memphis Flyer in print, you might have noticed we’ve gone back to our previous larger tabloid size.
It took a lot to get here. Some of our readers might not remember that in the dismal days of 2020 we actually, briefly, went to a biweekly printing schedule. Not only that, but due to our longtime printer in Jackson, Tennessee, shutting down in early 2021, we’ve switched printers twice since the beginning of the pandemic, moves that then necessitated the change in layout size.
So, while our stalwart staff adapted to all the other changes the last two years have brought, they were also forced to adapt to different word counts and deadlines and image restrictions. The folks in our art department weren’t only shifting to work with far fewer opportunities for photos from the field, they had to redo (and redo again) our paper’s templates. Of course, each major change kickstarts a cascade of smaller ones, and that’s before we even begin to consider the rising costs of paper and freight, the dozens of other behind-the-scenes adjustments that would bore all but the most avid aficionados of alt-weekly newspaper production.
My point, though, is not only that it’s been an interesting two or three years. Everyone, the world over, has had to make changes, to adjust their expectations and long-held habits. No, my hope is to lay the groundwork for a well-earned celebration of where we are right now, at this precise moment, as you scan these words on your phone or laptop screen or hold the paper in your hands. I’m proud of and thankful for such a hardworking, creative, and unflappable team — the reporters, writers, editors, copy editors, designers, sales staff, and others who make this paper possible.
Thanks are also due to the businesses who choose to advertise with the Flyer, who recognize the worth of the investment and who keep this paper free and the website without a paywall. I offer my most sincere and heartfelt appreciation of you all, and I hope that our readers will patronize these local businesses (I know I do).
It’s fitting, too, that this return to our pre-pandemic paper size falls on the week of our much-beloved and highly anticipated annual “Music Issue,” absent for two years, in which we celebrate the triumphant return of another Memphis institution, Memphis in May’s Beale Street Music Festival. And that this year’s BSMF boasts the most Memphis bands on the bill in the past 20 years? Well, if that’s not a reason to celebrate, I really don’t know what is.
So let this be a reminder that none of the things we love in Memphis should be taken for granted. I know without asking them that the bands playing Music Fest this weekend worked and dreamed and defied the odds to be on those stages. They kept a candle burning, so to speak, through the long night of uncertainty, when no one could predict when we might come together for something as magical and, at one time anyway, commonplace as a concert. And I, for one, am thankful that they did.
When you think about it, it all seems like nothing short of a minor Memphis miracle. Doesn’t it?
“We’re back!” There ought to be a banner with those words draped over the Hernando DeSoto Bridge this weekend, marking the grand return of the Beale Street Music Festival. After being shuttered for the last two years, making it three years since the last edition, the perennial gathering of music lovers is roaring back to life with more momentum than ever.
The typical BSMF experience always runs the spectrum from your favorite blockbuster artist to that new unheard-of band that blows your mind. And as for the former, concert-goers need little additional information on why Megan Thee Stallion, Weezer, or Van Morrison are phenomenal. But for the typical out-of-town fan, too many artists based in Memphis fall in the latter category. Naturally, given that Memphis still rules the airwaves and charts as in days of yore, plenty of our local artists need no introduction, either. But chances are good that everyone will discover something new about the Bluff City after this weekend.
Randy Blevins, vice president of marketing and programming at the Memphis in May International Festival, thinks this makes BSMF especially valuable to the city. “People talk about going to other places and exploring to learn about new music,” he says. “Most of our ticket-holders come from over 200 miles away. They’re coming from all 50 states and five or six different countries. So most of the people there are not Memphians. There are a lot of people coming here from out of town; exposing them to these Memphis acts that Memphians know and love is part and parcel of helping promote Memphis. You might show up because you bought tickets to see Counting Crows, and out of nowhere you learn about Don Bryant. The average person may or may not know about him. That’s Memphis pumping through the blood. We’re helping to spread the word.”
Sure, we all love songs by Smashing Pumpkins or DaBaby or Sarah McLachlan. Of course the Indigo Girls and Shaggy and Lindsey Buckingham are phenomenal. Toad the Wet Sprocket, Soccer Mommy, and Robert Randolph are worth a special trip. But given that it’s such a point of pride for the festival, and in light of the fact that this year’s BSMF boasts the most local acts ever — “at least over the past two decades for sure,” Blevins says — today we celebrate the native talent that makes Memphis ground zero for so much musical innovation and style. Here, by the day of their appearance, are the hometown heroes that make this music festival a little different from most.
Al Kapone (Photo: SP Stylistic Photography)
FRIDAY
Three 6 Mafia Bud Light Stage, 10:35 p.m. No group represents the staying power of Memphis hip-hop like Three 6 Mafia, who’ve parlayed their relatively obscure, ’90s cult status into global celebrity through the staying power of their game-changing beats and attitude. Now their horror-movie soundtrack to life on the Memphis streets, which won them an Oscar, has morphed into the crunk and trap genres. See where it all began.
Al Kapone Bud Light Stage, 6:15 p.m. Kapone came up alongside Three 6 Mafia back in the day, and also contributed to the award-winning Hustle & Flow soundtrack. His “Whoop That Trick” from the film lives on as an anthem for the Memphis Grizzlies. Lately, he’s become more eclectic but always grounded, telling the Memphis Flyer’s Michael Donahue: “At some point I’m still just a songwriter, a guy from the projects and the hood.”
Amy LaVere (Photo: Todd V Wolfson)
Amy LaVere Zyn Stage, 5:45 p.m. This singer, songwriter, and bassist extraordinaire is such a fixture on the local scene that it’s easy to forget that she’s a Louisiana native. It was in Memphis that she really found her voice, and she even lured her husband Will Sexton here from his native Texas. We dubbed LaVere’s most recent album, 2020’s Painting Blue, “dark and beautiful.”
Kenny Brown Coca-Cola Blues Tent, 9:05 p.m. Hailing from North Mississippi, Michael Donahue calls Brown a “Hill Country Hero.” Given the way the blues ebbs and flows, only to be reinvented by stalwart artists like Brown, that’s not an exaggeration. He learned well from the likes of R.L. Burnside and Junior Kimbrough. No wonder his latest album, with The Black Keys and Eric Deaton, snagged a 2022 Grammy nomination.
Earl the Pearl Coca-Cola Blues Tent, 6 p.m. Born in 1936, Earl Banks is a living link to the blues in its rawest, earliest expression. Having first played with Joe Hill Louis, he went on to define the Memphis blues style for decades and can still be seen on Beale Street nearly every week. From Jimmy Reed to Howlin’ Wolf and B.B. King, Earl the Pearl makes every blues his own, with a guitar tone like quicksilver.
NLE Choppa (Photo: @damnjohnnie)
SATURDAY
NLE Choppa Zyn Stage, 7:30 p.m. With “one of the greatest flows in current hip-hop,” as M.T. Richards wrote in 2020, NLE Choppa brings a unique angle to trap music. This “creature of Memphis’ strobe-lit skating rinks” honors his Jamaican heritage by “sprinkling patois in rap’s everyday vocabulary.” He’s created a unique sound and credits his hometown: “So many good artists are in Memphis,” he says.
Project Pat Zyn Stage, 6:15 p.m. Few artists are as close to the Three 6 Mafia orbit as Project Pat, self-described brother of Juicy J, whose biggest hits were on the Hypnotize Minds label owned by J and DJ Paul. Yet Project Pat has crafted his own identity with Dirty South classics like “Chickenhead,” “Ballers,” “Don’t Save Her,” and the ever-relevant “Ghetty Green.”
Duke Deuce Zyn Stage, 4:50 p.m. With his hit single “Crunk Ain’t Dead,” Duke Deuce has let it be known where he’s coming from. Son of Duke Nitty, a producer for Gangsta Blac and Nasty Nardo, the rapper’s name-checked his hometown in debut tracks, “Memphis Massacre” and “Memphis Massacre 2.” Last year, his debut album Duke Nukem debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart.
Lil Wyte Zyn Stage, 3:25 p.m. It’s no accident that Lil Wyte is a natural ally of rapper Frayser Boy. Growing up in Frayser helped Lil Wyte transcend any racial barriers, as he proved himself in the world of Three 6 Mafia enough to release his debut on the Hypnotize Minds label, with hits like “Oxy Cotton” and “My Smokin’ Song.”
White $osa Zyn Stage, 3:25 p.m. Kicking off the Zyn Stage string of Memphis rappers, White $osa is unique in that his name inspired his rapping, rather than vice versa. Originally gaining fame through an Instagram account that’s now up to 129,000 followers, it turned out he had a flair for flowing rhymes as well. Since turning to music, his collaboration with NLE Choppa has garnered 21 million streams on Spotify.
Blvck Hippie Bud Light Stage, 2 p.m. As Jesse Davis wrote in the Memphis Flyer, this group’s 2019 track “Hotel Lobby” is “one of the catchiest Memphis-made songs in recent memory.” With indie-pop songs marked by “excellent arrangements” and group founder Josh Shaw’s “open and honest lyrics,” and fresh off a series of concerts at South by Southwest, Treefort Music Fest, and Audiotree promoting their new LP, If You Feel Alone at Parties, Blvck Hippie is one gem to keep an eye on at this year’s festival.
Tora Tora Terminix Stage, 2:15 p.m. If you thought that Memphis was all about blues, soul, and hip-hop, think again. These metal masters have been honing a distinctly Mid-South variant of their chosen genre since the ’80s, when a trio of hits like “Walkin’ Shoes,” “Guilty,” and “Dancing with a Gypsy” (the latter featured in the film Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure) powered a career that includes 2019’s Bastards of Beale.
Don Bryant & the Bo-Keys Coca-Cola Blues Tent, 9:25 p.m. Don Bryant has lost none of the power of his voice since he began performing over half a century ago. Indeed, his delivery has matured as if aged in an oak barrel, and now that he has ace neo-soul group the Bo-Keys backing him up, we dubbed his latest LP, YouMake Me Feel, an “instant classic” of pure, down-home soul.
Ghost Town Blues Band Coca-Cola Blues Tent, 7:55 p.m. This group is proof positive that the blues still offers plenty of room for innovation. Not your typical bar combo, Ghost Town Blues Band blends traditional blues with Stax-era soul and even includes novel instruments like cigar box guitars and electric push brooms in their arrangements. Expect the unexpected.
Barbara Blue Coca-Cola Blues Tent, 2:10 p.m. Blue is a queen of Beale Street, a regular performer at Silky O’Sullivan’s who has worked with some serious contenders in the past (including three albums with Taj Mahal’s Phantom Blues Band in the 1990s). Her latest album even features the legendary Bernard “Pretty” Purdie on drums. World-class blues, soul, and jazz live on with Barbara Blue.
Moneybagg Yo
SUNDAY
Moneybagg Yo Bud Light Stage, 7:40 p.m. It was only five years ago that Zandria Robinson reported on Moneybagg Yo’s album release party for his debut, Federal 3X, and now he’s a leading star in the trap music universe. His 2020 album, A Gangsta’s Pain, debuted at No. 1 on the charts. Yet he continues to appreciate his hometown, gifting Covid-related supplies to local schools after that album conquered the charts.
Jucee Froot Bud Light Stage, 2:10 p.m. If Memphis hip-hop is dominated by male stars, Jucee Froot is bucking that trend with her meteoric climb to fame. Since 2020, when she released her debut Black Sheep on Atlantic, she’s had tracks featured in soundtracks for the film Birds of Prey and the series P-Valley and Insecure.
Cory Branan
Cory Branan Zyn Stage, 2 p.m. Rolling Stone got it right when they dubbed this consummate singer/songwriter “a country boy with a punk-rock heart.” Since the late ’90s, when he found his voice in the Memphis indie scene, he’s been perfecting the combination of those elements in his music and lyrics. He’s also a phenomenal guitarist. Watch for a new album later this year.
Blind Mississippi Morris Coca-Cola Blues Tent, 3:25 p.m. Blind Mississippi Morris is Beale Street royalty, and no festival named for the famed blues district would be complete without his uniquely powerful harmonica playing and singing. The recipient of the Mississippi Music Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award and a two-time winner of the Premier Player Grammy Award for Harmonica Player of the Year, Morris combines the grit and grind of the blues like no other.
Melvia “Chick” Rodgers Coca-Cola Blues Tent, 3:25 p.m. A vocal powerhouse, Melvia “Chick” Rodgers-Williams grew up in the historic Black neighborhood of Orange Mound, singing in her father’s church. Being steeped in the passions of gospel music stuck with her, as she followed her musical star on USO tours and a successful career in Chicago. With BSMF, she’s bringing it all back home.
BSMF 2022: Liberty Park Logistics
The Beale Street Music Festival is such an institution in Memphis, and so closely associated with Tom Lee Park, that any change to the winning formula is hard to fathom. Yet fathom it we must, as the BSMF situates itself on new grounds this year so that work may continue apace on the riverfront space where it typically lives. And if Tom Lee Park, once given its remake, promises to be better than ever, the 2022 iteration of the festival will have a glory all its own, nestled in the shadow of the Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. To get a sense of what has changed and what has remained, Memphis Flyer asked BSMF’s Randy Blevins to give us the lay of the land.
Memphis Flyer:It must have caused quite a shake-up to relocate away from your usual home. How will the experience be different for festival-goers? Randy Blevins: We’re going to be at the fairgrounds at Liberty Park just for this year while Tom Lee Park is under construction. As far as the festival is concerned, the layout is a different shape. Where everything at Tom Lee Park is kind of lined up north to south, the fairgrounds at Liberty Park are in a big rectangle. It’s still a big site. Two of the main stages will have the Liberty Bowl in the background, and the other main stage will have East Parkway in the background. There’ll be two main entrances on the north and on the south. And in the middle is Tiger Lane.
It actually surprises people who may have only driven on Tiger Lane or to the Coliseum. Once you’re there, you realize that’s a really big space. The fairgrounds had the Mid-South Fair for such a long time, and there’s plenty of room for the experience. So it’ll include all the things you’re used to seeing, just placed a little differently. All three stages will be triangulated with plenty of space between them. From the fountain at Tiger Lane, you’ll be able to see one stage to the south and another to the north. So it’ll create a really electric atmosphere.
How will parking be handled this year? We’re trying the best we can to make things easy and nice for everybody. There is on-site parking, and that area is accustomed to holding big events. And there are all these other locations, like CBU and other places that turn their surface lots into parking. We’ve also arranged with MATA to have a free rapid shuttle coming from Downtown. Most of our fans are coming from 100, 200 miles away, spending on average two to three nights at a hotel in Memphis. And most of our hotels are Downtown. That’s why Tom Lee Park works so well. So this year we’ll have a rapid shuttle, which will pick up at two locations: B.B. King and Union, and on Second Street by the [Renasant] Convention Center. Ticket-holders will be able to hop on the rapid shuttle and get dropped off at two locations, then take the shuttle back Downtown to continue to hang out on Beale Street and enjoy all the nightlife down there. If you’ve ever been Downtown after the festival, it’s packed. So we want that to continue. And if people want to use that, it’s free, but they have to register online first. They just show their ticket and they can hop the shuttle and ride about every 10 minutes or so, depending on traffic.
We’re also coordinating to set up a couple hundred spaces at the University of Memphis, and you’ll be able to buy access to a parking spot next to the Holiday Inn there, and then ride a shuttle from the U of M to the site and back. That’s just for Memphians who might not want to go Downtown and don’t want to deal with congestion around Liberty Park. It might be a nice option if you’re coming in from Cordova or Germantown.
The festival’s been delayed for years because of the pandemic. What procedures are in place to address Covid? We have a disclaimer on everything and we have a plan ready to go if anything happens, as we did last year when we had a half festival with the barbecue cooking contest at limited capacity. Whatever comes down from the Shelby County Health Department, we’ll comply and do what needs to be done. The world’s used to this now.
Have artists made different requests as far as vaccinations and the like? There have been different requirements from artists, but that’s become less and less part of the conversation as the months and weeks have come along. Currently we’re not asking for proof of vaccination from the public. But currently, anything is possible. Some of the artists have different requirements for ground transportation that’s picking them up or in the backstage areas. They might request masks. The vendors and backstage crews will meet each specific artist’s requirements.
After the 2020 festival was canceled, did many ticket holders opt to just redeem their tickets when the festival resumed? We have a decent number of deferrals. We did not get a lot of refund requests. Many folks just decided, “Whenever you come back, we’re in.” It shows the staying power of the story. It’s a great deal of trust, if you’ve paid hundreds of dollars for tickets, in some cases, and you’re flying blind because you don’t know who we’re going to book. So we felt pretty good that 90 percent of the people weren’t just saying, “Give me my money back.” It could have happened. We were prepared for whatever.
Has it been difficult to gear up for this after such a long hiatus? Just a short time ago, we were at a skeleton staff of only five people and the future of everything was a giant question mark. A festival depends on bringing people together in big groups. We don’t receive money from the city or the state or anything to cover overhead. And we had a reserve saved up for a rainy day, but a rainy day is a bad year, not a year with literally nothing. Who would have ever predicted that, right? So it was really tough. To be in the situation we’re in now, back to doing a big, full-on festival, is really good. There were no guarantees just a short time ago, when everything was shut down and there were just five of us, basically, living month to month. We just started hiring people and getting back up to full staff this fall. And we’re glad to be back, and glad that we’re getting such a good reception to this.
Beale Street Music Festival Schedule 2022
Friday, April 29, 2022 Gates at 5 p.m.
Bud Light Stage Three 6 Mafia 10:35-11:50 p.m. DaBaby 9:15-10:05 p.m. Waka Flocka Flame 7:45-8:45 p.m. Al Kapone (Memphis) 6:15-7:15 p.m.
Zyn Stage Sarah McLachlan 10:15-11:45 p.m. Van Morrison 8:15-9:45 p.m. Kurt Vile & The Violators 6:35-7:40 p.m. Amy LaVere (Memphis) 5:45-6:20 p.m.
Terminix Stage Sammy Hagar & The Circle 10:30-midnight Dirty Honey 9-10 p.m. Glorious Sons 7:30-8:30 p.m. Black Pistol Fire 6-6:55 p.m.
Blues Tent JJ Grey & Mofro 10:45-12:15 p.m. Kenny Brown (Memphis) 9:05-10:15 p.m. Janiva Magness 7:30-8:35 p.m. Earl the Pearl (Memphis) 6-7 p.m.
Saturday, April 30, 2022 Gates at 1 p.m.
Bud Light Stage Death Cab for Cutie 9:35-11:05 p.m. Spoon 7:55-9:05 p.m. Grouplove 6:20-7:25 p.m. Toad the Wet Sprocket 4:45-5:50 p.m. Soccer Mommy 3:15-4:15 p.m. Blvck Hippie (Memphis) 2-2:50 p.m.
Zyn Stage Megan Thee Stallion 10:45-11:35 p.m. Sarkodie (Ghana) 9-10:15 p.m. NLE Choppa (Memphis) 7:30-8:30 p.m. Project Pat (Memphis) 6:15-7:05 p.m. Duke Deuce (Memphis) 4:50-5:45 p.m. Lil Wyte (Memphis) 3:25-4:25 p.m. White $osa (Memphis) 2:15-3 p.m.
Terminix Stage Smashing Pumpkins 10:15-11:45 p.m. Stone Temple Pilots 8:30-9:45 p.m. Chevelle 6:50-8 p.m. Rival Sons 5:15-6:20 p.m. Ayron Jones 3:45-4:45 p.m. Tora Tora (Memphis) 2:15-3:15 p.m.
Blues Tent Robert Randolph & the Family Band 11-12:15 p.m. Don Bryant & the Bo-Keys (Memphis) 9:25-10:30 p.m. Ghost Town Blues Band (Memphis) 7:55-9 p.m. Hurricane Ruth 6:25-7:30 p.m. Mitch Woods & His Rocket 88’s 5-6 p.m. Brandon Santini 3:35-4:35 p.m. Barbara Blue (Memphis) 2:10-3:10 p.m.
Sunday, May 1, 2022 Gates at 1 p.m.
Bud Light Stage Lil Wayne 9-9:50 p.m. MoneyBagg Yo (Memphis) 7:40-8:30 p.m. Shaggy 6:10-7:10 p.m. Stonebwoy (Ghana) 4:45-5:45 p.m. Third World 3:20-4:20 p.m. Jucee Froot (Memphis) 2:10-2:50 p.m.
Little Willie Farmer plays at the Juke Joint Festival. (Photo: Courtesy Juke Joint Festival)
For the past two years or so, our calendars have been a bit bare. But things are looking up as Memphis is going full-throttle with events once again. With food, fashion, art, music, and more, it’s time to celebrate the return of the fair and festival season!
APRIL
Bluff City Blues Crawfish Festival
Where crawfish are red and the music is blues, this festival is perfect for a rendezvous. Benefiting A Betor Way, the festival will have arts and crafts vendors, food, and music by Memphissippi Sounds, Mick Kolassa and the Endless Blues Band, the Eric Hughes Band, and more.
Carolina Watershed, April 16, tinyurl.com/bluffcityblues
Farm to Tap Festival
As part of an initiative to have more Tennessee brewers use more local farm products, the festival will showcase more than 20 guild member breweries, with tickets including unlimited samples, tasting cups, and great times with farmers, food trucks, vendors, and more.
Wiseacre Brewing, April 16, farmtotap.org
Shelby Forest Spring Fest
Shelby Forest Spring Fest is going to be a hoot — at least that’s what the owl there tells me. With live music, shopping, kids zone, food trucks, and wildlife exhibits and lectures throughout the day, you won’t want to miss out.
Shelby Farms, April 16, shelbyforestspringfest.com
Africa in April
Saluting the Republic of Malawi for its 35th festival, the family-friendly Africa in April event will be filled with live performances, food and merchandise vendors, and the International Diversity Parade.
Robert R. Church Park, April 20-24, africainapril.org
Double Decker Festival Oxford
In 1994, Oxford, Mississippi, made the bold decision to import a double-decker bus from England. A momentous occasion for the history books if you ask the Double Decker Festival, which speaks to the momentous-ness, with 100+ art and 20+ local food vendors, an impressive slew of musical performances, art demonstrations, and a Best Dressed Pet Contest.
Oxford Courthouse Square, April 22-23, doubledeckerfestival.com
Sashay! Memphis Fashion Week walks the runway. (Photo: Courtesy Sierra Hotel Images)
Memphis Fashion Week
Walk, walk, fashion, baby. You’re gonna want to work Memphis Fashion Week into your schedule. The live runway show will feature emerging designers and a special headlining designer guest, Amanda Uprichard.
Arrow Creative, April 22, memphisfashionweek.org
Juke Joint Festival
The Juke Joint Festival celebrates the Delta’s past and living history. Kicking off at 10 a.m., the day will include blues music, racing pigs, arts and crafts, food, and a dozen free outdoor stages of blues and roots music.
Clarksdale, MS, April 23, jukejointfestival.com
Taste the Rarity: Invitational Beer Festival
The best and weirdest beers from breweries all over the country are coming to Memphis to celebrate the seventh Taste the Rarity with unlimited drinking, plus live music, food trucks, and other nonsense.
Wiseacre Brewing, April 23, tastetherarity.com
Rajun Cajun Crawfish Festival has crawfish galore. (Photo: Courtesy Porter-Leath)
Rajun Cajun Crawfish Festival
Too few occasions present themselves when you can bob for crawfish, race crawfish, and eat crawfish, but you’ll have the chance at Porter-Leath’s festival.
Downtown Memphis, April 24, porterleath.org/rajun-cajun-home
Art in the Loop (Photo: Courtesy Greg Belz)
Art in the Loop
Some of the region’s most talented artists will set up shop at this festival celebrating the arts, where you can also enjoy live music and food trucks.
Ridgeway Loop Road, April 29-May 1, artintheloop.org
Storyfest
Forty Memphians, ranging in ages from 9 to 93, will share their stories through live performances at the Halloran Centre. Engagement activities and community reflections will follow at the free fest.
Halloran Centre, April 29-30, orpheum-memphis.com/event/storyfest
May Day Festival and Memphis Children’s Theatre Festival
Theatre Memphis celebrates a century of entertaining with live entertainment, an array of artists’ and artisans’ booths, food trucks, and more. On the same day, Theatre Memphis will host the Children’s Theatre Festival as a pay-what-you-can event.
Theatre Memphis, April 30, theatrememphis.org
MAY
Beale Street Music Festival
Megan Thee Stallion, Weezer, Van Morrison, Lil Wayne, and many more (60+ artists) are coming for the city’s legendary springtime music festival.
Fairgrounds in Liberty Park, April 29-May 1, memphisinmay.org/BSMF
Memphis in May International Festival
For the month of May, this annual festival brings the world to Memphis and Memphis to the world, and this year, it is saluting Ghana through cultural events and performances, museum and gallery exhibits, films, luncheons, and a gala.
Various locations, May 1-31, memphisinmay.org
Bookstock: Memphis Area Authors’ Festival
You’re gonna want to book it to Memphis Public Libraries for this festival of author talks, activities for teens and children, and 60 local authors’ exhibits.
Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library, May 7, memphislibrary.org/bookstock
World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest
When May rolls in, Memphis knows that’s the cue to start getting our tummies ready for what USAToday calls the “Most Prestigious Barbecue Contest.” For four days, the best of the best barbecue buffs will compete in such categories as Ribs, Shoulder, and Whole Hog, as well as Hot Wings, Sauce, and “Anything But Pork.”
Fairgrounds in Liberty Park, May 11-14, memphisinmay.org/WCBCCtickets
Bluff City Fair
This fair isn’t bluffing when it comes to fun and excitement. You’ll be entertained with a majestic thrill show, rides galore, fair food, and an all-day petting zoo.
Liberty Bowl Stadium, May 20-30, bluffcityfair.com
DreamFest Weekend
A dream is a wish your heart makes, but this festival is doing more than just wishing for its dream of unity, collaboration, and community. For this three-day event, an impressive array of artists will come together to promote Memphis music and artist collaboration.
Overton Park Shell, May 20-22, dreamfestweekend.com
Memphis Greek Festival
Cue the groans from children as parents inevitably evoke the phrase “It’s all Greek to me” at this family-friendly festival with scrumptious Greek food, tours of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, live music, artisan booths, and activities for kids.
Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, May 20-21, memphisgreekfestival.com
Beale Street Artcrawl Festival
Before the barcrawlers creep onto the street we call Beale, artcrawlers can go amuck at this pop-up market of art and merchandise.
Beale Street, May 21, bealestreetartcrawlfestival.com
Memphis Mushroom Festival
All fungi, fungals, and funpals are invited to this five-day, four-night camping festival that celebrates the foods and fungi grown in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas. With speakers, workshops, forays through the forest, yoga, dancing, cooking classes, and tastings — let’s just say this festival covers a lot of ground.
Shelby Forest Park, May 26-30, memphismushroomfest.com
JUNE
Memphis Italian Festival
Is it sauce or gravy? Well, the folks at this fest have taken a side, seeing that the festival boasts a Spaghetti Gravy Contest. In addition to their food-related competitions, the event will have live music, along with art vendors and, of course, tons of great food.
Marquette Park, June 2-4, memphisitalianfestival.org
Memphis Pride Fest Weekend
Spanning four days, the celebration includes a Drag N Drive, dance party, parade, and full festival with two stages, more than 150 vendors, food trucks, and so much more.
Various locations, June 2-5, midsouthpride.org/pridefest
Memphis Margarita Festival
Sometimes all life gives you is limes, and all you can do is make margaritas. Thankfully, the city’s best margarita-makers are ready to inspire you at this festival where you can sample margaritas from your favorite restaurants alongside awesome entertainment.
Overton Square, June 4, memphismargaritafestival.com
Craft Food & Wine Festival
Showcasing scrumptious, locally-produced breads, cheeses, fruit preserves, cured meats, and more, this event will raise funds for Church Health.
The Columns, June 5, craftfoodandwinefest.com
MidSouth Nostalgia Festival
Veteran actors from your favorite classic movies and TV shows — from the likes of Leave It To Beaver and Laramie — are appearing in person to talk about their careers and give out autographs at this fest.
Whispering Woods Hotel and Conference Center, Olive Branch, MS, June 9-11, midsouthnostalgiafestival.com
Memphis Vegan Festival
If you’re living on the veg, you’ll want to check out this day full of vegan food, live entertainment, and a marketplace featuring local businesses, plant-based health and beauty products, and clothing.
Pipkin Building,, June 18, facebook.com/901veganfestival
Tri-State Black Pride Weekend
Tri-State Black Pride presents workshops, lectures, a drag show, stand-up comedy, and a Sunday Funday of live music.
Various locations, June 16-19, tristateblackpride.com
Bluff City Balloon Jamboree
Scheduled for Father’s Day weekend, the Bluff City Balloon Jamboree will delight its attendees with hot air balloon rides, a balloon glow event, carnival attractions, arts and crafts, and live music.
Shelby Farms Park, June 17-19, bluffcityballoonjamboree.com
With Juneteenth being declared a federal holiday in the U.S. last year, the 29th Annual Memphis Juneteenth Festival promises to celebrate African-American culture, food, entertainment, and the overall significance of the holiday. Along with food, music, and entertainment, festival-goers can look forward to the annual Juneteenth Career and Health Fair Expo, the Memphis Juneteenth Lifetime Achievement Awards, the Juneteenth Ultimate Dance Showdown, Food Truck Sunday, and Praise Fest at Juneteenth.
Health Sciences Park, June 18-19, juneteenthfreedommemphis.com
Mid-South Air Show
It’s a bird. It’s a plane. No, it’s … yeah, it’s a plane. While Superman might not be in the sky for the Mid-South Airshow, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels are just as impressive, featuring military demonstrations, aerobatic performances, static display aircraft, and local emergency response helicopters.
Millington-Memphis Airport, June 18-19, midsouthairshow.com
Memphis Crafts & Drafts
Shopping is exercise. Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. So if you don’t want summertime happiness to be smothered by rising temperatures, you’ll want to head over to this market of local makers and artists. It’s called the transitive property, right?
Crosstown Concourse Plaza and Atrium, June 25, memphiscraftsanddrafts.com
July
Summer Cocktail Festival
Shake it up a bit this July with this epic dance party with summer-inspired cocktails, fresh local food, photobooth ops, and fun activities.
Overton Square, July 29, memphisfestivals.com/summercocktailfestival
AUGUST
Memphis Chicken & Beer Fest
If, like the Zac Brown Band, you appreciate your chicken fried, a cold beer on a Saturday night, a pair of jeans that fit just right, and the radio up, you’ll appreciate the Memphis Chicken & Beer Fest where you can get all that — except the jeans. With live music, interactive games, a bungee run, and more, tickets include more than 90 beverage samples, and a portion will benefit the Dorothy Day House.
Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, August 6, memphischickenandbeer.com
Elvis Week 2022
This August marks the 45th anniversary of Elvis’ death and the 44th anniversary of the first Elvis Week. What began as a small group of fans gathering at Graceland’s gates has turned into the multi-day phenomenon we know today. Highlights from the week include personal tours of Graceland led by Priscilla Presley and Jerry Schilling, the Candlelight Vigil, the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest, and nightly parties.
Graceland, August 9-17, graceland.com/elvis-week
SEPTEMBER
Delta Fair & Music Festival
Carnival rides, live music, attractions, livestock shows, oh boy, there’s so much going on every day at the Delta Fair.
Agricenter International, September 2-11, deltafest.com
Germantown Festival
This festival is one of the few places in town where you’re guaranteed to see a weenie and say, “Aww, look how cute.” In addition to its Running of the Weenies race, this festival of arts has children’s activities, rides and games, entertainment, a car exhibit, community displays, and more.
Germantown Civic Club Complex, September 10-11, germantownfest.com
Cooper-Young Festival
There’s no need to stay cooped up in your house when you can join in on the fun at the Cooper-Young Festival, where art, music, and crafts come together to celebrate Memphis’ culture and heritage.
Cooper-Young, September 17, cooperyoungfestival.com
Gonerfest 19
Music enthusiasts won’t be able to resist Goner Records’ siren call, and yes, somehow, this siren call reaches all the way to Australia. Be on the lookout for the lineup.
Railgarten, September 22-25, goner-records.com/pages/gonerfest
Mid-South Fair
At this must-do event since 1856, fair-goers can enjoy more than 50 rides, an array of ground acts, and of course favorite fair fare — funnel cakes, turkey legs, candied apples; you name it, they’ve perfected it.
Landers Center, September 22-October 2, landerscenter.com/mid-south-fair
Mighty Roots Music
Whatta fest, whatta fest, whatta mighty good fest. Mhhm, this event is back for year two, taking place at the same spot the famous blues singer-songwriter Muddy Waters began his love of blues music. The lineup will be announced April 11th, so keep an eye out.
Stovall, MS, September 23-24, mightrootsmusicfestival.com
Latin Fest
We may not be talking about Bruno once September rolls around, but we should be talking about Latinx representation year-round. Though this fest takes place for just a day, it captures that spirit of appreciation with live Latin music, Latin food and drinks, crafts, and fun for everyone.
Overton Square, Saturday, September 24, overtonsquare.com
Pink Palace Crafts Fair
The Pink Palace Crafts Fair is back to celebrate its Big 5-O with 150 artists from around the country, ready for you to explore their works.
Museum of Science & History, September 24-26, moshmemphis.com
Mempho Music Festival
Mempho never disappoints, and you know it. Three days of music’s biggest names playing amid the natural beauty of Memphis Botanic Garden. The lineup will be released next week and tickets are already selling fast.
Radians Amphitheater at Memphis Botanic Garden, September 30-October 2, memphofest.com
OCTOBER
King Biscuit Blues Festival
Founded in 1986, this fest celebrates blues music with the highest regard across five stages; plus you’ll see a variety of buskers. Of course the three-day event wouldn’t be complete without the Flour Power 5K, the Tour da Delta bicycle race, and a Kansas City-sanctioned barbecue contest, all in historic Downtown Helena.
Helena, AR, October 5-8, kingbiscuitfestival.com
Memphis Bacon & Bourbon Festival
You might ask, what’s shakin’ over at this festival? Well, bacon, that’s what’s shaking — bacon and bacon-inspired dishes to sample. Oh, and bourbon, lots of bourbon.
Metal Museum, October 7, memphisbaconandbourbon.com
Edge Motorfest
Start your engines and gear up for this day of more than 150 cars, food trucks, vendor booths, and more in the Edge District. Trust us when we say, this’ll be more than a pit stop in your weekend activities.
Edge Motor Museum, October 8, edgemotormuseum.com
Soulsville USA Festival
We all know Memphis wouldn’t be Memphis without its roots in soul music, and this festival aims to remind us of that fact. In addition to educational and interactive activities, the festival will include live music, food trucks, vendors, games for kids, and free admission to the Stax Museum of American Soul Music.
Soulsville USA District, October 14-16, soulsvilleusafestival.com
Memphis Food & Wine Festival
Benefiting FedExFamilyHouse, the Memphis Food & Wine Festival, which showcases local chefs alongside acclaimed national chefs and top global vineyards, will leave your tummy so full and happy that you’ll miss the festival dearly until its return.
Memphis Botanic Garden, October 15, memphisfoodwinefestival.org
Indie Memphis Film Festival
If you’re a bit more introverted, a lot of the events on this list will probably leave you needing a day to recover from the social exhaustion. And while it’s worth it in exchange for all the fun you’ll have, what if I told you there was a festival where you can have fun while being your introverted self? Yep, at this one, you get to be a semi-couch potato and watch indie film after indie film to your heart’s content while in the company of your fellow movie-lovers. Plus, enjoy behind-the-scenes panels and discussions.
Midtown, October 19-24, indiememphis.org
World Championship Hot Wing Fest
A championship that is everything we wish it to be — dare I say, it’s the wind beneath our wings, there to bestow the glory upon the best chicken wings, content to let the winners shine and the festival-goers sample the fare, all the while supporting The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Memphis.
Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, October 22, worldwingfest.com
RiverArtsFest
The largest juried artist market and urban festival in the Mid-South, the RiverArtsFest brings more than 180 artists from around the country to show off and sell their fine arts. As an added bonus, the festival features artist demonstrations, hands-on art activities for all ages, and local music.
Downtown Memphis, October 22-23, riverartsmemphis.org
Dia de Los Muertos Parade and Festival celebrates the Day of the Dead. (Photo: Angel Ortez)
Dia de Los Muertos Parade and Festival
If you think Dia de Los Muertos is Mexico’s version of Halloween, you’re dead wrong. The Brooks Museum and Cazateatro Bilingual Theatre will show you what the day is all about: honoring ancestors and celebrating the cycle of life and death. A parade begins in Overton Square with floats and performers making their way to the plaza at the Brooks Museum, where you can enjoy art-making activities, face painting, music, costumed performers, and more.
Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, October 29, brooksmuseum.com
Juicy J and DJ Paul of Three 6 Mafia (Photo courtesy Beale Street Music Festival)
When the quarantine era struck in 2020, one major piece of collateral damage was the Beale Street Music Festival (BSMF) that May, which was first postponed until that fall, then pushed into 2021. Those contingency plans didn’t pan out either, but now at long last the Memphis in May concert event is back. Today, the final lineup was released for the 44th edition of the festival, scheduled for April 29-May 1, 2022.
For the first time, the gathering will take place at the Fairgrounds in Liberty Park, to make way for the construction of the redesigned Tom Lee Park. The 2023 Beale Street Music Festival will return to Tom Lee Park and the Memphis riverfront after park construction is completed in April 2023.
The lineup is appropriately packed with blockbuster acts, including the Foo Fighters, Weezer, The Smashing Pumpkins, Counting Crows, Sarah McLachlan, Three 6 Mafia, Death Cab for Cutie, Stone Temple Pilots, and Modest Mouse.
Sarah McLachlan (Photo courtesy Beale Street Music Festival)
Two notable headliners include Lil Wayne, making his BSMF headline debut, and Van Morrison, who last performed in the city at BSMF in 1996. The latter is sure to face a rocky reception, due to the anti-vaccine and pro-white nationalist leanings of his recent interviews and songs, but those may be irrelevant to many, amidst a back catalog as venerable as his.
Local luminaries will be well represented, including Cory Branan, Kenny Brown, and Blvck Hippie. There will be an especially strong contingent from Memphis’ hip-hop community, including MoneyBagg Yo, NLE Choppa, Project Pat, Al Kapone, Lil Wyte, Jucee Froot and White $osa. This year will also mark the first BSMF appearance for Memphis legends Three 6 Mafia in a decade.
Lil Wayne (Photo courtesy Beale Street Music Festival)
As part of the festival’s month-long salute to Ghana, the organization’s honored country for 2022, two of that country’s hottest artists join the lineup: Sarkodie and Stonebwoy.
As in previous iterations, the BSMF is but one of several events planned for the 2022 Memphis in May celebrations. Other dates associated with the month-long event include: the Honored Country Salute to Ghana, May 1-31, 2022; the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, May 11-14, 2022; and the Great American River Run,May 28, 2022.
The Beale Street Music Festival takes place at the Fairgrounds in Liberty Park, April 29 – May 1, 2022.Information about single-day tickets will be released next week. Three-day passes are $175. VIP passes start at $809. Visit www.memphisinmay.org/bsmftickets for details.
BSMF 2022 headliners Three 6 Mafia (Courtesy Memphis in May/Beale Street Music Festival)
Memphis in May’s Beale Street Music Festival (BSMF) headliners for 2022 will be Foo Fighters, Lil Wayne, The Smashing Pumpkins, and Three 6 Mafia.
On Monday, the region’s biggest music festival added several more musical acts in the “Round One” lineup announcement. DaBaby, Modest Mouse, former Fleetwood Mac guitarist Lindsey Buckingham, Moneybagg Yo, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Soccer Mommy, Sarkodie, Dirty Honey, The Glorious Sons, Trigger Hippy, Sue Foley, and Kenny Brown will perform at the three-day festival. More artists will be announced in February.
BSMF will return in 2022 after a two-year, pandemic-induced pause in 2020 and 2021. The 2022 edition of BSMF will take place at Liberty Park (MidSouth Fairgrounds) while construction is still underway at the redesigned Tom Lee Park. In 2023, the festival will return to Tom Lee Park, after construction is projected to be completed in April.
A limited number of three-day passes are on sale at a discounted price of $155. Prices will increase once these are sold out. VIP passes, offering a number of bonuses for music fans, are also available for $809. Tickets are available at memphisinmay.org/bsmftickets through Front Gate Tickets.
(Courtesy Memphis in May/Beale Street Music Festival)
Beale Street Music Festival and the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest will call Liberty Park home next year.
Memphis in May’s (MIM) usual home, Tom Lee Park, is under construction for a $60-million makeover. The project is slated to wrap before the MIM events in 2023.
Music Fest is now planned for April 29th-May 1st. Barbecue Fest is planned for May 11th-14th.
Liberty Park was selected “because of its unique size, uninterrupted layout, existing infrastructure, and the public’s familiarity as a long-time entertainment location.” Barbecue Fest was moved to the site in 2011 during the flood on the Mississippi River.
