Gonerfest 21 happened September 26-29, and by all accounts it was the biggest one yet. This year, the Memphis Flyer co-sponsored the live stream, and I handled the between-set interview segments. You can see the best interviews, featuring myself and Ryan Haley of Ryan’s Shorts fame in this supercut video.
One of the highlights of the interview reel is Annie-Claude Deschênes from PyPy. They tore up the stage on Friday, as the remnants of Hurricane Helene drove the festival indoors at Railgarten, and then did it again at the afterparty. The Montreal band’s new album Sacred Times was just released on Goner Records, so we’re bringing you a sample of their barn-burning performance. Here’s the album opener “Lonely Striped Sock” live at Railgarten, as captured by the Goner TV Stream Team.
You can see PyPy’s entire Gonerfest set at this link.
If you’d like to see your music video on Music Video Monday, email cmccoy@memphisflyer.com.
While Gonerfest is known for bringing cutting-edge bands to Memphis, one can’t forget the keen sense of history that also informs their bookings. This week’s Gonerfest 21 is a good reminder of that, with the opening night’s headliner being Oakland’s So What fronted by Derv Gordon, the original lead singer of The Equals, a band founded in 1965. They could have hit it big in America like so many during the British Invasion, had they ever bothered to invade. But, being one of the first multiracial beat combos ever, they had mixed feelings about that.
“We didn’t want to tour the U.S. because we wouldn’t have been able to cope with this ‘no Blacks’ business and not being able to stay in certain hotels or whatever,” Gordon recalls today, speaking from his home in England. “Still, ‘Baby, Come Back’ made the Top 40.” But with no U.S. touring, they never made it big here.
Though The Equals’ blend of freakbeat, soul, ska, and bubblegum rock was plenty cutting-edge (and plenty infectious) at the time, having a group with both Black and white players pushed the envelope even further. Booker T. and the MG’s may have been the only such small combo to precede them. But The Equals were more of a rock band, paving the way for later groups like The Foundations, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, and Love. And while they did find greater success in Europe and Asia, race still factored into everyday London life. Harassment by the cops was a regular feature of life for Black Londoners, and that in turn led to the creation of one of The Equals’ most enduring songs, “Police on My Back.”
“I left the guys at rehearsal and went to a main railway station to get some cans of drinks,” Gordon recalls, “and as I walked into the station, two huge men, one on each side, picked me up, lifted me off the floor, and said, ‘You’re nicked.’ I said, ‘I’m what? Why am I nicked?’ They just said, ‘You’ll find out,’ and they took me across the street to the police station. I was there for what seemed like forever. I gave them all my information, then said, ‘Excuse me, can you tell me why this is happening to me?’ A policeman says, ‘You resemble someone who murdered his girlfriend.’”
Gordon cleared things up only after requesting that his band be brought in to vouch for him. As they entered, “I could see them coming in with big grins on their face,” Gordon recalls. “Bastards!” Humor aside, the incident was a wake-up call for them. Soon Eddy Grant, The Equals’ lead guitarist and main songwriter (who later gained worldwide fame with his solo hit, “Electric Avenue”), would pen arguably the best song about being on the lam, later made famous via a cover version by The Clash, with its heartfelt cry, “What have I done?” And Gordon’s voice brought the phrase to life.
The band had other politically charged songs, including 1970’s anti-war “Black Skin Blue-Eyed Boys,” but their primary focus was on fun and groove, with charging rock riffs paired with infectious beats and Gordon’s fiery, soulful vocals, often portraying whimsical characters: “Soul Brother Clifford,” “Michael and His Slipper Tree,” “Viva Bobby Joe.” And while their sound got heavier and funkier by the late ’60s and ’70s, The Equals always kept things short and sweet. “I don’t think Eddy enjoyed doing long guitar solos,” quips Gordon now.
That makes The Equals’ music perfectly suited to the D.I.Y., short-and-sharp vibe of so many Gonerfest bands. And that’s an aesthetic shared by retro-stomp rockers So What, with whom Gordon first played in 2017, including an incendiary performance at Gonerfest 14 that year. Gordon feels they’re the perfect group to play Equals songs: true to that original stripped-down spirit, but with their own self-described “junkshop glam/bubblegum/proto-punk insanity.” Gordon notes that So What’s bassist, Sean M. Lennon (not the son of a Beatle), “is the only bass player I’ve ever heard actually do all the bass runs in ‘Police on My Back.’ And Jason [Duncan, singer and guitarist] actually knows more about Equals songs than I do!”
Gonerfest 21 runs from Thursday, Sept. 26th, through Sunday, Sept. 29th, at Railgarten, featuring dozens of bands. Visit goner-records.com for more information. So What takes the stage at 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, and Derv Gordon joins them at 10 p.m.
The Mummies work the crowd at Gonerfest 20. (Photo: Live From Memphis/Christopher Reyes)
When Shalita Dietrich, vocalist and bassist for Lewsberg, left the stage after entrancing a full house at Gonerfest 20, I asked her, “Did you have fun?”
“No!” she said, her shoulders slumping. “It’s hot up there! We’re from the Netherlands. We get maybe five days like this a year. I’ve never been so hot!”
“We get about 200,” I said. “Stay hydrated!”
Marrit Meinema and Shalita Dietrich of Lewsberg onstage at Gonerfest 20 (Photo: Chris McCoy)
Lewsberg’s Velvet Underground-inspired grooves went over like a cool drink of water on Saturday afternoon. Traditionally, this has been the outdoor portion of Gonerfest, with bands playing all afternoon in the back parking lot at Murphy’s. But since the pandemic forced the festivities to move to Railgarten, it’s always the outdoor portion. The new venue also has the advantage of a larger capacity, and this year, Gonerfest hit it. On Thursday night, I remarked to Goner co-owner Zac Ives that it was the largest opening night crowd I had ever seen, and he replied that more than 200 people had yet to pick up their passes. By the time the Gories tore the house down on Friday night, the sprawling nightclub compound was bulging at the seams.
The Gories rip it up on Friday night at Gonerfest 20. (Photo: Live From Memphis/Christopher Reyes)
Dietrich was not wrong. It was hot as blazes Saturday afternoon, and the sun was shining mercilessly on the converted shipping containers that make up the Railgarten stage. After Osaka’s The Smog sent people scrambling for their smartphones to figure out which of the many bands with that name they should add to their playlists, Dippers from Melbourne, Australia (where at least they have some experience with heat), doled out the catchy hooks. Then ’90s Memphis punk supergroup Cool Jerks proved they can still get nasty with the lowest of ’em.
Jack Oblivian sings with the Cool Jerks at Gonerfest 20. (Photo: Live From Memphis/Christopher Reyes)
I was doing double duty with the Gonerfest Stream Team and as Flyer correspondent, so I was happy to see Christopher Reyes of the revived Live From Memphis running around with his giant lens, so we could get some good pics for this post. We’ve been livestreaming Gonerfest since before it was either practical or cool to send live music over the intertubes, and this year, under the direction of Geoffrey Brent Shrewsbury, it was better than ever. HD cams! Wireless setups! B-roll! Is Gonerfest finally growing up?
Vital equipment for the Gonerfest 20 Stream Team (Photo: Chris McCoy)
Maybe. Much of the audience was looking a little grayer in this twentieth year of the gathering of the garage punk tribes. But there was a lot of new blood, too. On Thursday, the first night of the fest, I asked randos if they’d ever been to Gonerfest before. Five people in a row said it was their first time in Memphis. The newbies were treated to a lineup that combined stalwarts with new, wider ranging sounds. In the case of Bill Oreuett & Chris Corsano, they were assaulted with sounds. The guitar/drum duo went free jazz with squalls of lashing distortion and thundering rolls. Railgarten’s stage is right in front of the railroad tracks that run through Midtown, and a freight train rumbled through about halfway through their set — a dream come true for an abrasive noise band!
OG Gonerfest was represented by the sundown set. King Louie Memorial Family Band gathered players from the many bands of the late, great Louie Bankston to play his songs one more time. It was a primal scream of grief and love, with each perfect rock song hitting harder than the last.
Bennett Bartley of Missing Monuments sings to Abe White during the King Louie Memorial Family Band set at Gonerfest 20. (Photo: Live From Memphis/Christopher Reyes)
As the day’s heat dissipated, Philadelphia’s Poison Ruin laid down some sludge. Courettes got the swelling crowd dancing by exposing the thick vein of girl group melodies that flow through garage rock. Singer Flavia Couri had everyone in the palm of her hand from the opening beat.
Flavia Couri of The Courettes works the crowd at Gonerfest 20. (Photo: Live From Memphis/Christopher Reyes)
Gonerfest vets Marked Men took some poppy melodies and rolling around in the dirt with them as a warmup to the night’s main event. If you hear there’s band called Mummies, your first question is probably, “What, are they guys who play punk rock dressed as mummies?” The answer is yes, that is what they are, and they are the best at what they do. The cult San Francisco band caused the capacity crowd to erupt in mayhem. High energy doesn’t begin to cover it.
Crowd surfing with the Mummies at Gonerfest 20 (Photo: Live From Memphis/Christopher Reyes)
On Sunday afternoon, I was marveling at the Mummies’ performance with Meredith Lones, who played Friday with Ibex Clone. “How many organs has that guy broken, I wonder?” she said.
Turnt, the Lamplighter house band led by the high priest of Memphis punk, Ross Johnson, gave one of the most memorable performances of this or any other Gonerfest. Johnson was the drummer for the chaos-billy godfathers Panther Burns, and this current ensemble, which meets every two weeks at 2 p.m. at the Lamp, delivers the full, disorienting noise experience. Guitarist Jimi Inc. directed the band through what I can only describe as song-like sonic sculptures. Little Baby Tendencies’ Haley Ivey stole the show going full Yoko, interjected with punishing jazz flute runs, while dressed as Snow White. The band was dressed in T-shirts specifying which of the seven dwarves they were, and burlesque artist Felicity Fox appeared as the Evil Queen to feed Snow White a poisoned apple. Then, Monsieur Jeffrey Evans joined the band to help things make even less sense.
Turnt’s Haley Ivey as Snow White swoons from a bite of Felicity Fox’s poisoned apple at Gonerfest 20. (Photo: Chris McCoy)
Olympia, Washington’s Morgan and the Organ Donors made a rare appearance outside the PacNor, with some garage rock that harkens back to the ’60s origins of the form.
Olivia Ness plays bass with Morgan and the Organ Donors at Gonerfest 20. (Photo: Live From Memphis/Christopher Reyes)
Gonerfest loves to close out Sunday afternoon with a nod to North Mississippi roots music. Sharde Thomas of the Rising Star Fife and Drum is the granddaughter of the late Othar Turner. She carries her handmade bamboo fifes in her boots after losing one of the irreplacable instruments when she checked her luggage on a European trip. The banging “Switzerland” came from a jam that appeared on the first day of the tour, when she was forced to make do with a standard flute. The deeply charismatic Thomas swept up the audience with “Minnie the Moocher” and closed with the oddly appropriate “May The Circle Be Unbroken” before she and drummer Andre Turner Evans descended into the crowd for a final up-close-and-personal drum jam.
Andre Turner Evans and Sharde Thomas of the Rising Star Fife and Drum Band closing out Gonerfest 20 (Photo: Live From Memphis/Christopher Reyes)
As he thanked the crowd for making the biggest Gonerfest ever so great, Eric Friedl said, “Don’t tell anyone else about it. We can’t fit any more people in here!”
As Gonerfest heats up this week, and fans, bands, and friends catch up throughout the city, there’s another universe unfolding as well, a zone where musicians hear other musicians and some kind of alchemy occurs. Any resulting collaborations can cause great new works of art to blossom. Case in point: the new LP by Optic Sink, Glass Blocks.
The group’s 2020 debut took the bold step, not often heard in Memphis, of pairing Natalie Hoffmann’s dry, disaffected vocals (more restrained than her work in Nots) with her ingenious old-school synth lines and drum machine beats from Ben Bauermeister (Magic Kids, Toxie). “I really like the tension of a more human voice that is sounding pretty machine-like, but mixed with these actual machines,” Hoffmann told the Memphis Flyer at the time. Meanwhile, it turned out a band in faraway Boston was simultaneously treading adjacent territory.
“Sweeping Promises are amazing!” says Hoffman today. “When that first album came out in the middle of lockdown, I heard it on WYXR and thought, ‘What is this? This is phenomenal.’” As it turned out, Sweeping Promises were also a duo of sorts (bringing in a drummer for live sets), its principal members being Lira Mondal and Caufield Schnug, both focused on their own variety of post-punk minimalism. Their debut, Hunger for a Way Out, was “written and recorded with a patented ‘single mic technique’ just before quarantine,” as their Bandcamp page states.
Hoffman wasn’t alone in her love of the band’s debut. Jenn Pelly of TheNew Yorker recently wrote, “Though written before the pandemic, the record’s anthemic title song became a timely underground hit last year, bursting at its own taut edges.” Finally, at Gonerfest 18 in 2021, Hoffman was able to see Sweeping Promises live only hours after Optic Sink played. That, in turn, led to the two bands sharing a bill a year later.
“We played a show together last August at Growlers and they stayed at my house,” Hoffman recalls. “We had a really fun time and all became friends immediately. And then they asked if they could record the next Optic Sink album, which we hadn’t even started writing! Of course I said yes.”
By then Mondal and Schnug had resettled in Lawrence, Kansas, and after some time well spent cooking up new material, Optic Sink made their way north in the heart of winter. By then, the Memphis group was a trio, with Keith Cooper (Sheiks, Tennessee Screamers) on bass. He leapt into his new role as the group readied material. Unlike many synth artists who construct beats and skronks “in the box” of a computer screen, Optic Sink composes and performs on actual hardware in the moment, as three humans, and record their basic tracks live as such. That makes preparation crucial.
“We were working so hard to get all the songs on the record almost finished before we went to record it,” says Bauermeister. “Yeah, but we didn’t,” he laughs. “There were still one or two that were not fully fleshed out. But those might have been the best ones in the end. That’s a good strategy. Going into a studio to record something, and having only 70 percent of the material ready. If you only have some of it done, that leaves more room for magic.”
Being in Mondal and Schnug’s new space encouraged that magic, not only due to the choice gear of the studio, but also via the charms of the Upper Midwest in January. “We knew it was freezing cold up there. So we knew we were up there just to record. It was snowing and we were away from home. And the room we recorded in was previously a painting studio, a beautiful window-filled room that had this amazing energy.”
On the end result, with Schnug producing, engineering, and adding the odd part here and there, Optic Sink seems to have achieved a new level of cohesion and richness in their sound with Glass Blocks. With the new LP out since last week, and a new Sweeping Promises album, Good Living is Coming for You, out as well, this year’s Gonerfest sees both groups coming full circle when they each take the stage at Railgarten this Friday. And who knows what other alchemy this festival may yet conjure up?
Gonerfest 20 runs from Thursday, September 28th, through Sunday, October 1st, at Railgarten. For details, visit gonerfest.com.
Joey Reyes, age 5, reads the Gonerfest 19 program. (Photo by Sarah Fleming)
“It’s rock and roll Christmas!” cried Gally as she greeted friends in line at Railgarten for the 19th edition of Gonerfest.
She’s worked at every Gonerfest since number 4, but for opening night, she’s just here as a fan. “That’s why I’m wearing a dress tonight,” she says.
This is the second year the underground rock festival has been held at Railgarten, a COVID safety precaution that has also allowed the festival to expand ticket sales. This year, fans of the classic late-night sweat fests have plenty of options with afterparties at DKDC, the Hi-Tone, and B Side. And since noise ordinances mean the main shows have to wrap up by 11 p.m., those afterparties are getting started earlier — I heard a fellow Goner reminisce about the time she booked an afterparty that started at 3 a.m.
The hours may be slightly more civilized, but the music remains untamed. I arrived just in time to see the much-anticipated comeback set from Bennett Foster. As one of the Barbaras (and later the Magic Kids), Foster was the catalyst for some of the most gloriously chaotic sets in Gonerfest history. His new music, which he recorded under his first name after almost ten years of “retirement” when he devoted his time to political organizing, has the pop sensibilities and decadent atmosphere of early Roxy Music. Tall and lanky, with a keen sense of stage presence, Foster cut an imposing figure on the Railgarten stage.
Bennett stages a comeback at Gonerfest 19. (photo by Chris McCoy)
Philadelphia-based Rosali, who just returned from a European tour, brought out the big guns for her first Gonerfest set. Her roaring guitar sound echoed off the metal walls of the stage, which is built from shipping containers.
Next up was another highly anticipated set, the return of The King Khan & BBQ Show. The duo of Mark Sultan and King Khan (aka Arish Amad Khan) were the core of the very first Gonerfest, which took place at the now-disappeared Buccaneer, and now have a huge Tik Tok hit with “Love You So.” Things didn’t exactly go as planned, though, when Sultan tested positive for COVID earlier in the day. But King Khan couldn’t have asked for a better backup plan, when two-thirds of the Oblivians joined him for a one-time-only performance as King Khan and the Bolivians.
King Khan and the Bolivians asking the musical question “Which song is this?” (photo by Chris McCoy)
Resplendent in gold sequined hot pants, raccoon cap, leather mask, and what appeared to this reporter to be a fox head covering his crotch, Khan received a hero’s welcome of hurled beer cans from the rowdy crowd. Out-of-towners from as far away as Seattle and Melbourne got a lesson in Memphis musical superiority, as Greg Cartwright and Jack O, never ones to stoop to such gauche measures as “learning songs” or “rehearsing,” picked up the tunes on the fly, and led the crowd in a stomping version of Rufus Thomas’ “Walking The Dog.”
This was the third Gonerfest appearance by Shannon and the Clams, and the first as a headliner. “I always think it’s a prank,” said bassist and vocalist Shannon Shaw. “I’m not cool enough to play Gonerfest!”
Shannon and the Clams’ Cody Blanchard and Shannon Shaw at Gonerfest 19. (Photo by Chris McCoy)
Yes, you are Shannon. After tackling some early sound issues, the band delivered the evening’s tightest and best-received set. Shaw’s voice, a mixture of sweet alto and gravel which brings to mind Memphis legend Wanda Jackson, was in top form. Many of the women in the crowd appeared to be there just to hear her, and the crowd surfers who appeared during the band’s encore were all female. Between harmonized lines with co-founder Cody Blanchard, Shaw admonished the frenzied crowd, “Don’t you drop her!”
A crowd surfer during Shannon and the Clams set at Gonerfest 19. (photo by Chris McCoy
2021 Mempho Music Festival (Photo courtesy Mempho Music Festival)
While many have been celebrating the return of indoor concerts for some time now, open-air concerts haven’t gone anywhere. They have an inherent appeal with or without the pandemic, especially from spring to fall in Memphis. In recent days and weeks, many of the key venues for outdoor concert series have released their planned line-ups. Here’s a roundup of all the acts to expect under the sun, moon and stars, from this weekend until October. Be sure to watch for our in-depth guide to the Beale Street Music Festival in next week’s issue of the Memphis Flyer.
Click the link for each concert series to learn more.
Cooper-Young Porchfest This Saturday, April 23rd, from noon til 6 p.m., the Cooper-Young neighborhood will run riot with live music as the Cooper-Young Community Association revives its annual Porchfest. This all-volunteer event will feature an eclectic mix of bands playing on residents’ front porches and at the Cooper-Young gazebo, not to mention a community yard sale that morning.
Cooper-Young Porchfest (Photo courtesy of CYCA).
Please see the Cooper-Young Porchfest website for a full listing of names, times and locations, but some of the highlights include Greg Cartwright, J.D. Reager, Bailey Bigger, Jeff Hulett, the Church Brothers, Los Psychosis, Alice Hasen, San Salida, Flamenco Memphis, the Turnstyles,and Model Zero.
The River Series With an amphitheater boasting an incredible view of the Memphis skyline, as well as naturally superior acoustics, Harbor Town’s Maria Montessori School has made its bi-annual fundraising series a touchstone of musical happenings. Curated by Goner honcho Zac Ives, the artists are always intriguing, even as they depart from typical Goner fare.
Motel Mirrors at the River Series (Photo courtesy of Maria Montessori School)
This spring’s line-up features: Greg Cartwright’s Whelk Stall with Aquarian Blood (Saturday, April 30th), Jeremy and the Drip Edges with Tm. Prudhomme’s FAKE (Saturday, May 14th), and Mouserocket with Ibex Clone (Saturday, June 4th). All shows begin at 4 p.m.
Overton Park Shell The newly rechristened Shell has not missed a beat as it moves into its next chapter, a fully Memphis-based nonprofit once more. Just as in the Levitt Shell years, the stage will host the Orion Free Music Concert Series through the summer and fall, along with a few ticketed Shell Yeah! events to serve as fundraisers.
The latter will include Durand Jones & The Indications (June 16th), St. Paul & The Broken Bones (July 16th), Almost Elton John Masquerade (September 15th), and an as-yet undisclosed fourth artist on September 23rd. As Overton Park Shell executive director Natalie Wilson notes in a statement, “In order to provide accessibility to our free concerts and events, we rely on revenue raised from Shell Yeah! Benefit Shows and generous donations from the Memphis community.”
1972 album cover by Trapeze, featuring an Overton Park Shell audience (courtesy of Overton Park Shell Archives).
As usual, the Shell will bring national and international artists to Overton Park, alongside many notable local acts. Memphis-related groups include the Memphis Symphony Orchestra’s Sunset Symphony (May 29th), which opens the season, followed by the Sensational Barnes Brothers (June 9th), Reigning Sound (June 10th), the Stax Music Academy (June 25th), Cameron Bethany (July 2nd), Don Lifted (September 16th) and the North Mississippi Allstars (October 14th). See the Overton Park Shell website for the full line-up.
Gonerfest With Gonerfest 18 taking place entirely at Railgarten last year — a first for the festival — Goner Records is taking the same approach in 2022. Gonerfest will once again be centered on Covid safety, and while many slots still need to be filled, the marquee names have been announced and tickets are now on sale for the event, which takes place September 22nd through 25th.
Headliners will include Bay Area garage/soul weirdo masters Shannon & the Clams, wild lo-fi R&B rockers King Khan & BBQ Show, pre-Oblivians/Reigning Sound Memphis legends Compulsive Gamblers, lo-fi punks Gee Tee and garage rocker Michael Beach, both from Australia, and Nashville’s own Snooper. The complete festival will be live-streamed for those unable to attend.
Mempho Music Festival Just as we are about to enjoy one major event, the Beale Street Music Festival, we’re also hearing about the finalized line-up for another, the Mempho Music Festival, scheduled for September 30th through October 2nd. Different ticket packages can already be found here, and, given the quality of the performers slated for the event, early ticket purchases might be prudent.
The Memphis Botanic Garden will thrill to the sounds of The Black Keys, alternative rock mainstays Wilco, and decorated Americana outfit Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, as well as a double-dose of Athens-based ensemble Widespread Panic returning to the lineup by popular demand. Appearances by Portugal. The Man, Fantastic Negrito, Tank and the Bangas, Allison Russell, and Celisse will also be a highlight. Local favorites Bobby Rush, Big Ass Truck, Amy LaVere and Elizabeth King will also share the spotlight’s glow.
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
Sara Nelson and Poni Silver of Kings of the Fucking Sea on stage at Gonerfest 18.
“I feel like tonight, we’re all Henry Rollins,” said MC Joel Parsons from the stage on Friday night of Gonerfest 18.
Rollins, the legendary Black Flag frontman, was scheduled to travel to Memphis to be the MC for the show, but canceled because of Covid’s Delta wave. So Parsons, his replacement, simply claimed to be the punk icon all night. The pandemic hovered over the event, which was 100 percent virtual last year, but moved to Railgarten for a vax-only, hybrid event this year.
Joel Parsons
Masking compliance was generally very good in the crowd, which swelled steadily as afternoon aged into evening, except when they were drinking Gonerbrau, the Memphis Made craft beer brewed specially for the fest. (“Chuggable!” brags the official program.)
Total Hell
The festival’s move to the open-air Railgarten has definitely changed the vibe. Gonerfest is usually something that happens late at night, hidden in cramped clubs, defiantly underground. But these are times that call for change. Goner Records’ Zac Ives said he and co-owner Eric Friedl were skeptical at first, “… but we got in, started looking around, and thinking about our crowd here, and thought, ‘This can work.’”
Thursday night had started off tentatively, but it ended up being a rousing success. I spent most of Thursday with a camera in my hand as a part of the newly minted Goner Stream Team. The live-stream, under the direction of Geoffrey Brent Shrewsbury, is bringing the music to the far-flung masses with an ingenious kluge of 20-year-old Sony Handycams, analog hand switchers, and a cluster of mixing boards and dangerously overheating laptops. Gonerfest was actually a pioneer of online streaming, but this year, with the international bands from Australia, Japan, and Europe kept at bay by the pandemic, it’s more important than ever.
Miss Pussycat and Model Zero’s Frank McLallen.
By the time Model Zero took the stage on Friday afternoon, it was clear Ives was right. The crowd had adapted to the space, which Parsons joked was a “beach volleyball and trash-themed bar.” Model Zero locked into their dance punk groove instantly, and got the afternoon crowd moving with their cover of Buffalo Springfield’s “Mister Soul” and their banging original “Modern Life.”
Total Hell ably represented the New Orleans trash-metal contingent that has been a Gonerfest staple for years. Nashville’s Kings of the Fucking Sea started their set off by providing noise accompaniment to Memphis’ Sheree Renée Thomas, poet laureate of the New Weird South, before heading off into a set of Can-infused psych jams.
Nick Allison
Usually there’s several hours after the afternoon sets to change venues, but noise ordinances have forced this outdoor Gonerfest to start and end earlier, so afternoon spilled into evening as Austinite singer/songwriter Nick Allison took the stage with a set that was, dare I say it, kinda Springsteen-y.
Optic Sink
Another sign that Gonerfest’s audience’s taste has broadened from the old days of all caveman beats, all the time, is Optic Sink. NOTS Natalie Hoffman and Magic Kids’ Ben Bauermeister’s electronic project never sounded better, with the big sound system bringing out their nuances. They, too, debuted a new song that embraced their inner Kraftwerk.
Sick Thoughts
Gonerfest frequent flyer Drew Owens returned with his long-running project Sick Thoughts. Their set was loud, offensive, and confrontational, and sent beer cans flying across the venue. As Ben Rednour, who was working the Stream Team camera at the edge of the stage, said afterward “When they started sword fighting with mic stands, I knew it was anything goes.”
Violet Archaea
The Archeas’ album has been a big pandemic discovery for me, and the Louisville band’s Gonerfest debut was hotly anticipated. Violent Archaea was the charismatic center of attention as the band ripped through a ragged set that reminded us all of why we like this music in the first place.
Sweeping Promises
The greenest band on the bill was Sweeping Promises. Arkansans Lira Mondal and Caufield Schung have gone from Boston to Austin recording their debut album Hunger for a Way Out, but they haven’t played out much. “I think this is like their fourth show,” said Ives in the streaming control room (which was a tiki bar in the Before Time) as they set up. They’re going to get spoiled by all the attention their Gang of Four-esque, bass-driven New Wave brought from the rapt crowd.
Reigning Sound’s Greg Cartwright duets with Marcella Simien as John Whittemore and Alex Greene rock along.
The climax of Friday night was Greg Cartwright’s Reigning Sound. After a successful return to the stage with the original Memphis lineup of Greg Roberson, Jeremy Scott, and Memphis Flyer music editor Alex Greene at Crosstown Theater earlier this summer, the “original lineup” has expanded into a Bluff City A-Team with the addition of Graham Winchester, string sisters Krista and Ellen Wroten, and multi-instrumentalist (and dentist) John Whittmore. The Crosstown show had been a careful reading of the new songs from the new album A Little More Time With Reigning Sound. This set transformed the big band into a raucous rave-up machine. (With Cartwright as band leader, set lists are more suggestions of possible futures than concrete plans for how the show will go.) Cartwright invited Marcella Simien onstage for washboard and vocals, duetting with the singer on two songs from A Little More Time, transforming the evening into something between a family reunion and a reaffirmation of Memphis music after a long, scary era.
Quintron and
Miss Pussycat (Photo: Courtesy Goner Fest)
Looking over the schedule for Gonerfest 18, taking place September 23-26, I was flabbergasted to see all of the performers will be from the continental U.S. The festival known for sounding a clarion call to every punk, skunk, lunk, and hunk (and lovers of innovative music) across the world had gone nationalistic on us! Then I realized, no, it’s just a Covid thing (sigh). Still, this Gonerfest will be like no other, so I hit the speed dial to Goner HQ to get the skinny. Who should answer but Eric the Erstwhile Oblivian?
Memphis Flyer:It’s odd that the international aspect of Gonerfest is missing. I didn’t realize that until I dove into the schedule.
Eric Friedl: Yeah, we didn’t really either. We thought, “Okay, the bands are going to be local or driving in,” but we quickly realized that our international fans were going to miss out on this one. Hopefully they’ll be there on the livestream. We’ve sold a bunch of tickets to the stream. And there’s a handful of Canadians determined to come. I think they have to go through mandatory quarantine afterwards, but they’re willing to do that. Very impressive, their dedication to do this. So it’s all American bands and all American fans! [laughs] Which is a little bit different. And the response has been really overwhelming.
All the performances are at the Railgarten outside stage. Did using only one venue limit the possible attendance at all?
Well, we actually have a bigger capacity. We looked at the space and said, “How many people can you get in there?” They told us, and we were like, “Well that’s more than we’ve ever had at any Gonerfest!” We capped it at half capacity, but it’s still bigger than any ticket sales we’ve ever had. So it’s kind of the best of both worlds. People are going to have space to hang out, and everybody that wants to come gets to come.
Have you had to refund some tickets as Covid has changed the situation for some people?
Yeah, we’ve refunded. We sold out and stopped selling tickets, but then we refunded tickets and made those available again. So right now there are tickets available. We are going to do some walk-up sales for each night, like 50 tickets. So if people do want to get a ticket, there are golden passes at gonerfest.com. If we have them, we’ll sell them at the gate.
What are some of the highlights this year?
Wreckless Eric’s playing — he loves coming down here! Kings of the Fucking Sea has members of the Quadrajets,
The Ettes, and The Little Killers. They’re a full-on, heavy duty rock band. So that’s one extreme. Then we’ve got The Exbats from Tucson, who are a father/daughter team, and that’s more ’60s jangly stuff. The drummer, Inez, sings. We’ve got Sweeping Promises from Boston, who are like the new wave of new wave. Their new record has gone bananas in our underground underground.
And then you’ve got the Memphis folks that people come to see. Jack Oblivian and the Sheiks, Alicja [Trout], and the Reigning Sound Memphis lineup, along with Nots, Model Zero, Ibex Clone, Big Clown, and Aquarian Blood. They’re something special for people from out of town. Quintron and Miss Pussycat recorded their last record with less Quintron and organ and more full-on rock band, with lead guitar and all this kind of jazz. So they’ve been itching to play with this lineup. And we’re ending it with the Wilkins Sisters, the late Rev. John Wilkins’ daughters, who backed him up when he would perform. They’re going to be the last act on Sunday.
We have so many bands playing a short, sweet little set. All of them should be featured more than they are at Gonerfest. If anyone came upon them in a club show or something, they could spend more time with them and really get into their thing.
Visit gonerfest.com for more information on Gonerfest 18.
If the upcoming festival season was a road sign, it would read “Road Work Ahead.” After the year we’ve all endured, reconstruction of public events is underway. Some annual fairs and festivals are putting the brakes on events until 2022. Others are proceeding with caution by announcing a TBA festival date. Still, others that were to be inaugural 2020 events are pulling out of the parking lot in 2021.
This list of those that gave the green light should help with planning. Buckle up, you’re now in the fairs and festivals carpool lane. Full speed ahead!
If you like that new car smell, you won’t want to miss a couple of breakout festivals this year. The Mighty Roots Music Festival in unincorporated Stovall, Mississippi, near Clarksdale, is one of them. Though the festival is just sprouting, the roots are deep, according to festival producer Howard Stovall.
And not just the roots of the Delta region’s music, but the roots in the soil, too. That’s one of the unique features of this festival: It’s agri-centric. In fact, the festival is taking place at a long-defunct cotton gin.
“We’ve spent a year and a half converting an old cotton gin on 18 acres of land for this festival,” says Stovall. “There hasn’t been power in that gin for 40 years.”
Stovall has invited 150 young farmers from the Delta Council’s Future Delta group. They’ll meet near the main stage before the first act performs and stay for the entertainment.
It’s also the only festival that has a reading list. Check out the website, mightyrootsmusicfestival.com, and you’ll find not only a suggested reading list highlighting the music, art, and culture of the Delta, but also the history of the Stovall Cotton Gin, the Stovall Store, and former tenant Muddy Waters.
Waters lived on the property for nearly 30 years. The house, in which he lived with his grandmother, is where his music was first recorded in 1941 by Alan Lomax for the Library of Congress. Long after Waters moved, the house was restored and resides at the Delta Blues Museum to this day.
The festival is not just blues music; it’s roots music: reggae, bluegrass, country, and Americana, as well blues. In fact, when Stovall calls his production partner the “ambassador of music in Mississippi,” he’s not kidding. Co-producer Steve Azar was appointed by Governor Phil Bryant as Music and Culture Ambassador of Mississippi in 2017. Azar is a country-music singer and songwriter with a dozen albums under his belt. He also founded the Mighty Mississippi Music Festival in his hometown of Greenville in 2013.
According to Stovall, Azar’s festival had all the right components except for the location. It was just too far from Clarksdale, and way too far from Memphis. Once that fact sunk in, Stovall and Azar worked together to produce a similar concept for Mighty Roots. This time they think they’ve hit the right note with timing and location. It’s sure to be a hit. Check them out.
$30-$65. Friday-Saturday, October 1-2. Stovall Gin Company, mightyrootsmusicfestival.com.
Another breakout fest that should be on your radar: the Carnival of Creativity.
Organizer and founder Yvonne Bobo refers to it as an “innovative art experience.” She promises “big and crazy” events from some of the most creative minds in Memphis. In addition, the carnival is a community builder. Off the Walls Arts has partnered with some familiar South Memphis neighbors — Girls Inc., Vance Youth Development Center, and Streets Ministries.
The artist incubator and exhibition space already hosts workshops from STEAM projects with Dunbar Elementary and Girls Inc. to continuing education and creativity classes for all ages. The carnival is just another way for the collaborating artists to showcase their talents. One of the most interesting features will be a parade of puppets — Second Line-style. Lucky 7 Brass Band will perform. There will be dancing, art exhibits, and classes. The carnival is a free, family-friendly event.
Saturday, October 2, noon-5 p.m. Off the Walls Arts, offthewallsarts.org
While some festivals are just getting started, others are well into their journey. It’s time to set the cruise control and let those drive themselves.
Gonerfest is a fun festival if you like music on the edgy side. The music lineup describes every dude in the ’80s at the Antenna Club — Spits, Nots, Cool Jerks. Fans of punk, garage rock, the bizarre, and unconventional should find their way to this music festival that is old enough to join the armed forces but not old enough to drink.
30 bands in four days, streaming or in-person. $30, $100 for four-day festival pass. Thursday-Sunday, September 23-September 26. Railgarten, goner-records.com
River Arts Fest (Photo: Mike Baber)
Did you know that River Arts Fest began under another name in 1984? At its inception, River Arts Fest was called Arts in the Park and held in Overton Park. I happened to be a vendor in one of the last years the festival operated under the old name. I even won an award for the best decorated booth. I also got a slap on the wrist from code enforcement because part of my winning decorations were hay bales. Something about how someone could drop a cigarette and catch the whole park on fire. Arts in the Park made its way to South Main with a new name in 2006.
A street celebration of the visual, performing, and culinary arts with attractions and activities for all ages. Saturday-Sunday, October 23-24. Riverside Drive along the bluffs, riverartsmemphis.org
The Pink Palace Crafts Fair is the largest fundraising event for the Museum of Science & History and one of the largest volunteer-run events in Memphis. Funds from the fair support museum exhibits, planetarium shows, Mallory-Neely tours, and the Lichterman Nature Center. The crafts fair started nearly 50 years ago in 1973. It’s grown from about 30 craftsmen to more than 200.
Shop for arts and crafts including woodwork, leatherwork, pottery, jewelry, paintings, sculpture, woven goods, and more. $10, $20 for weekend pass. Friday-Sunday, September 24-26, 10 a.m. Audubon Park, memphismuseums.org
Mid-South Fair (Photo: Courtesy of Obsidian Public Relations)
A lot of fairs and festivals in Memphis have staying power, though most haven’t exceeded the 50-year mark. Two come to mind: the Memphis Greek Festival, in its 62nd year; and the longest-running celebration by a mile — the Mid-South Fair.
In its 165th year, it might not surprise you that the Mid-South Fair was created for business networking purposes. Long before the internet or even phones, farmers and merchants struggled to find ways to communicate and meet one another. The first fair in 1856 was held so that the best in agricultural produce and the latest in machinery and inventions could be showcased to the public.
Shortly after the success of the first fair, fun and games were added for more appeal. The event weathered the Civil War, the yellow fever epidemic, the Depression, and two world wars. At the Centennial Fair celebration in 1956, Elvis made a surprise appearance. A time capsule was buried, to be opened in 2056.
Featuring a petting zoo, fair food, rides, attractions, contests, and more. $10. September 23-October 3. Landers Center, midsouthfair.com
Though it’s been a rough road this past year for festivals, it’s in our rearview mirror. Let’s take the rest of the year to celebrate the things that matter most — art, culture, music, heritage, history, and each other.
AUGUST
Memphis Film Prize
A film festival and contest featuring 10 short films made by filmmakers in and around Memphis. Audience votes for the winner of the $5K cash prize. Friday-Saturday, August 6-7. $30.
Malco Studio on the Square, memphisfilmprize.com
Elvis Week 2021
A lineup of events to celebrate the music, movies, and legacy of the King of Rock-and-Roll. August 11-17.
Graceland, graceland.com
Memphis Summer Cocktail Festival
Enjoy summer-inspired cocktails from more than 30 of your favorite spirits, local food, an epic dance party, and more. $39. Friday, August 13, 6-9 p.m.
Overton Square, memphisfestivals.com
Sunflower River Blues & Gospel Festival
A celebration of blues and gospel music in the Delta. Headliner James “Super Chikan” Johnson opens the festival. VIP tickets include food and beverages. Free. Friday-Sunday, August 13-15.
Clarksdale, Mississippi, sunflowerfest.org
Live at the Garden (Photo: Mike Baber)
Live at the Garden
• Brad Paisley, Friday, August 13, 7:30 p.m.
• REO Speedwagon, Friday, August 27, 8 p.m.
• Sheryl Crow, Friday, September 17, 8 p.m.
• Earth, Wind & Fire, Thursday, October 21, 7:30 p.m.
Summer music series featuring country, rock, pop, and soul-funk superstars. $55-$131.
Memphis Botanic Garden, radiansamp.com
Memphis Chicken & Beer Festival
Chicken, beer, yard games, live entertainment, and more. Benefiting Dorothy Day House. $40. Saturday, August 14, 6-10 p.m.
Liberty Bowl Stadium, memphischickenandbeer.com
Beale Street Artcrawl Festival
Family-friendly event featuring artists on Beale Street. Free. Saturday, August 21, 1-7 p.m.
Beale Street, dearmusicnonprofit.org
Memphis Fashion Week
Take a tour of Arrow Creative’s new Midtown space, join a class for fashionistas, meet designers and local makers, and watch a runway show. $50-$150. Wednesday-Saturday, August 25-28.
Sample wings from more than 70 competition teams vying for the hot wing world championship title. Benefiting Ronald McDonald House Charities of Memphis. $15. Saturday, August 28, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
Liberty Bowl Stadium, worldwingfest.com
SEPTEMBER
901 Day: Exposure
City-wide celebration featuring live entertainment, giveaways, local bites, and several organizations representing the Memphis landscape of social, civic, recreational, and entertainment offerings. Wednesday, September 1, 5-6:30 p.m.
FedExForum, newmemphis.org
Delta Fair & Music Festival
Features carnival rides, fair food, live music, attractions, vendors, livestock shows, cooking contests, and more. $10. Friday, September 3-12.
Agricenter International, deltafest.com
River City Jazz & Music Festival
Features Damien Escobar, Karyn White, Con Funk Shun, Kenny Lattimore, and Julian Vaughn. $60. Sunday, September 5, 6:30 p.m.
Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, thecannoncenter.com
Memphis Chevy Show (Photo: Mike Baber)
Memphis Chevy Show
The largest car show in the Mid-South region and a thrilling Pro Show featuring Larry Dixon’s Top Fuel Experience, fire-breathing Jet Funny Cars, and Open Outlaw Racing. $20. Friday-Saturday, September 10-11, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Memphis International Raceway, racemir.com
Memphis Rox Yoga Festival
Features a variety of local and regional studios and vendors, lectures, workshops, film screenings, yoga classes, live music, food trucks, and kids activities. $35-$55. Saturday, September 11, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Featuring bacon-inspired dishes from Memphis restaurants, plus an array of distilled spirits. $39. Friday, September 24, 6-9 p.m.
Metal Museum, memphisbaconandbourbon.com
Latin Fest
Kicks off Hispanic Heritage Month with a family-oriented festival featuring live Latin music, Latin food and drinks, crafts for kids, and vendors. Free. Saturday, September 25, noon-6 p.m.
Overton Square, cazateatro.org
Soulful Food Truck Festival
Featuring more than 100 vendors, 35 food trucks, game zone, and music by J. Buck, Keia Johnson, Courtney Little, DJ Zoom, and DJ Alpha Whiskey. $5. Sunday, September 26, noon-6 p.m.
Tiger Lane, cdcoevents.com
OCTOBER
Mempho Music Festival
Three days of performances, Pronto Pups, art pop-ups, and tunes. $80, $185 for three-day pass. Friday-Sunday, October 1-3.
Memphis Botanic Garden, memphofest.com
King Biscuit Blues Festival
Featuring blues legends and up-and-coming acts to preserve and promote the music of the Delta. $45, $85 for three-day pass. Thursday-Saturday, October 6-9.
Featuring the 2021 Beerfest mug, unlimited samples of beer, and local food trucks. Saturday, October 9, 1-5 p.m.
Midtown Autowerks Inc., cybeerfest.org
Harvest Festival (Photo: Courtesy of Agricenter)
Harvest Festival
Pumpkin-painting, kid’s activities, arts and crafts, hayrides, and educational stations. Saturday, October 9, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Agricenter International, agricenter.org
The Tambourine Bash
Featuring 30+ musicians performing for the benefit of Music Export Memphis. Funds go directly to the artists. $25. Thursday, October 14, 7 p.m.
Levitt Shell, musicexportmemphis.org
Mississippi Delta Tennessee Williams Festival
Highlights stories of the people, music, and history along the Mississippi River through discussion, performances, and presentations. Thursday-Saturday, October 14-16.
Various locations and online from Clarksdale, Mississippi,deltawilliamsfestival.com
Brewfest and Brunchfest
Local food trucks, live music, games, vendors, and unlimited beer samples from 40+ breweries from around the world. $45. Saturday-Sunday, October 16-17.
Liberty Bowl Stadium, facebook.com/memphisbrewfest
Indie Memphis Film Festival
Brings a range of independent features, documentaries, and short films to Memphis from all corners of the world. Wednesday, October 20-25.
Playhouse on the Square, indiememphis.org
Mushroom Festival
Camping festival dedicated to mushrooms. Features classes and demonstrations, live music, tastings, wild food forays and dinners, identification tents, guided hikes, and more. Thursday-Sunday, October 21-24.
Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park, memphismushroomfest.com
Dia de los Muertos Parade and Festival
Enjoy a reverse parade where families are invited to honor ancestors and celebrate the cycle of life and death. Free. Saturday, October 23, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Memphis Brooks Museum, cazateatro.org
Vegan BBQ Cook-off & Festival
This Halloween edition will feature a cooking contest, food samples, fitness information, and costume contest, plus candy for the kids. Free-$20. Saturday, October 30, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
Tiger Lane, missfitnessdiva.com
Crafts & Drafts Holiday Market
Showcases independent local artists, makers, and crafters. Enjoy shopping, family activities, and local brews. Thursday, November 11, 10 a.m.
Crosstown Concourse, memphiscraftsanddrafts.com
Whiskey Warmer
Features 40 labels of whiskey, bourbon, and Scotch, plus local food trucks, a cigar lounge, and bluegrass music. Benefiting Volunteer Memphis. $39. Friday, November 12, 6-9 p.m.
Overton Square, whiskeywarmer.com
Craft Food & Wine Festival
Celebrate culinary magic, benefiting Church Health. $65. Sunday, November 21, 3 p.m.
The Columns, craftfoodandwinefest.com
DECEMBER
Memphis Israel Festival
Enjoy all things Israel, including food, culture, market goods, and activities. Sunday, December 5.
Agricenter International, memphisfoi.org
Holiday Spirits Cocktail Festival
Sip cocktails, listen to music, and wave to the big man in red himself. Each ticket includes 12 sample-sized yuletide cocktails. Food and full-sized drinks will be available for purchase. $39. Friday, December 10, 6-9 p.m.
