The Doobie Brothers – Memphis Flyer

Memphis is swinging into summer, and that means plenty of live music on the horizon. The Memphis Botanic Garden announced its 2023 Live at the Garden lineup Wednesday, including familiar faces such as Lady A, alongside acts appearing for the first time such as Matchbox Twenty who will take the Radians Amphitheater stage.

“Summers in Memphis wouldn’t be the same without Live at the Garden” said Sherry May, co-director of Live at the Garden. “We have a lot of great music planned, including a couple of newcomers to Live at the Garden, as well as some all-time fan favorites.”

The schedule is as follows:

June 3: Lady A
June 24: Matchbox Twenty
July 14: Brothers Osborne
August 25: Doobie Brothers with Michael McDonald
September 8: Train

“The Memphis Botanic Garden provides Mid-South music fans with an engaging entertainment experience unlike any other,” said David May, Memphis market executive for Regions Bank, which continues its support as title sponsor. “In addition to the enjoyment this concert series brings to thousands each season, we’re especially proud that our investment supports educational and outreach programs that connect students with nature and elevates awareness and appreciation of our environment.”

Tickets go on sale starting April 24. Season Lawn Passes are available for $325, while Season Pit Passes run $400. Individual TruGreen lawn tickets start at $65. Food trucks, bars, and pre-order catering are available on-site. This year, free shuttles will run from Hilton Memphis Headquarters at 755 Crossover Lane to the venue from 5 p.m. to midnight for each performance.

Visit liveatthegarden.com for more information.

One hardly needs to add luster to the idea of “Live at the Garden,” as the very prospect of hearing world class music under the moonlit trees of the Memphis Botanic Garden is inherently delightful. Yet this year stands out with an impressive roster of A-list stars. Musical stars, that is.

It’s an astonishing distillation of pop radio icons, creators of the earworm melodies of our lives. Consider: The Live at the Garden series kicks off June 11 with jazz-pop fusion band Steely Dan, followed by country superstar Darius Rucker on July 15, country vocal trio Lady A on August 20, The Doobie Brothers 50th Anniversary Tour with Michael McDonald on September 3, and American pop-rock band Chicago on October 20.

It’s a bit awe-inspiring, imagining the collective memories mingling among the audiences for these shows, so enmeshed are those artists’ hits with our lived experience. That takes on a special meaning in the shadow of the pandemic, after which every new concert season is a gift, not to be taken for granted.

“We are excited to announce this year’s lineup and finally get back to what feels like a normal concert season, post-Covid,” Sherry May, Co-Director of Live at the Garden, said in a statement. “We have a lot of star power and fan favorites on this lineup. Collectively, these artists have sold over 175 million albums. This is the kind of lineup where you
know every word to every song.”

With all that musical power, it’s easy to forget that these concerts actually help maintain the very site where they’re held, which has repercussions in the entire community. David May, Memphis market executive for title sponsor Regions Bank, notes that “In addition to the enjoyment this concert series brings to thousands each season, we’re especially proud that our investment supports educational and outreach programs that connect students with nature and elevate awareness and appreciation of our environment.”

Speaking of the environment, attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, blankets, and coolers as they gather around the Radians Amphitheater. Food trucks and bars will also be onsite, as well as pre-ordered catering. Free shuttles will run from Laurelwood to the venue from 5 p.m. to midnight for each concert.

There are a number of ways to buy tickets to the concerts. Season Lawn Passes are $255 for a regular-season lawn pass and $300 for a Premium Season Lawn Pass, which allows patrons in 15 minutes prior to general gates opening. Also new this year is a Season Pit Pass, which is a general admission lawn ticket with access to the standing-room-only Pit (directly in front of the stage). Season Pit Passes are $375 per person. Individual TruGreen lawn tickets start at $60 plus fees. All Season Lawn Passes and individual show tickets go on sale Monday, May 2, at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster.

Season passes can be purchased here; individual show tickets can be purchased here.