I absolutely love festival season.
There is fairy dust in the air and magic happening everywhere you look. Getting lost in a crowd at a show by an artist you have never heard anything from and discovering your next musical love affair…ahh, there is nothing quite like it. We are overly excited about all the offerings this year, and there is no better place to begin, than in our home state of Tennessee.
The Beale Street Music Festival has quickly become one of our favorites. Their line up grows more and more diverse every year. The three stages are split into genres, making it easily navigable and far less work to see a solid line up in whatever style pleases you. This year, we learned so many things from the artist. The following will bring you up to date on everything we picked up about festivals and life in general.
Friday
Grouplove taught us that coming out loud, right from the start, is always a sure fire way to draw in the crowd. The largest by far of the sunset shows, Grouplove was on their A game. In a brilliant explosion, they left us with the full measure of their drive. “We do it for love, sweet love.” And with that, the weekend began.
Juicy J is a hometown favorite and he had a lot to say. First, he told us about an amazing job opportunity to work with him. He told us his name is Juicy (Check, we know Juicy) and he wants us to run a train with him. Now, we’re no engineers, but we could toot the heck out of the horn. Who knew that he was so talented? We’re still trying to figure out how riding the rails turned into rapping, but these days, everyone has a side project. It’s ingenuity like this that exemplifies his rise over the last year. Finally, he told us to put our lighters in the air if we loved our family. (AAAAHHHH) We had no idea we would need props. Juicy, you’ve got to text me this stuff. *Note, Mom and Dad, despite our lack of ability to conjure fire, you are still at the top of our list.
Fitz and The Tantrums are always ready to lead us into an all out dance party. First they told us they love to get down. (Got it). Then, they told us to get low. (Position assumed). Just when we thought we were having a good time, they told us to lose our minds. (Done!) I guess our frolicking skip didn’t count as dancing. In the midst of the sweaty madness, they told us that we were making their dreams come true. Aw shucks guys, you’re way too kind.
Foster The People told us that we “partied to hard and crossed the line.” Until now, we have never been reprimanded for such things. We told them it was all just in good fun. They said to “call it what you want.” Then they got all sweet on us. They said that “every day you want to waste, everyday you want to wake up, everyday you want to change, they will help.” They just wanted to be with us. Whoa kids, we like you, we’re just not looking for long term. We still want to see other bands. You’re doing great and you’re talented and heck, you’re good looking. You’ve got songs on the radio and a big light show, but we’re both always on the road… Maybe further on down the line. Then they told us that we better “run fast than their gun, faster than their bullets.” They kept going on about our “pumped up kicks.” Look guys, two things, lets be friends and, when it’s hot out, we’re flip flop fans.
Big Gigantic was far less commitment oriented. They just wanted to party. One of our reporters was ready to throw in the towel and call it a night, but when Big G turned it up, we quickly lost them in the hip hop centric, bass crazed, horn blasting awesomeness. Jeremy and Dominick are long time favorites of ours and we love seeing them throw down. This is one band we will jump at the chance to see.
Saturday
Still no rain and we couldn’t be more happy. Jordan, one of our staff writers, despite his health crazed lifestyle, is addicted to ice cream at festivals. As far as we know, he doesn’t eat all weekend, except for ice cream pit stops twice daily. He swears his nine mile runs and intense heat don’t allow the frozen deliciousness to stick to him. Our scientist are looking into it. We will keep you updated.
St. Paul and The Broken Bones are the best way to start a Saturday. Hearing all the chatter about this band before the show is wonderful. We saw these guys on their first tour out of Alabama, opening for The Whigs in Chattanooga a few years ago. They are only getting better and better. Look for them to be all over the festival circuit this year and make sure you are there to behold history in the making. The entire set was amazing and Paul was his usual bundle of energy. “If you’re from Memphis and you don’t know this song, I’m damn sorry for you” segued into “Try a Little Tenderness,” as the set drew to a close.
Buddy Guy told us he could tell in five seconds if we liked his music. He said if we did, he’d keep playing, and if not, he’d quit. Well, he could obviously tell we we’re picking up what he was putting down, because he came right out into the audience and stood beside us and played a solo. Thanks Buddy, that’s one for the books.
Twenty One Pilots blew us away last year at Bonnaroo and are only picking up momentum. Twice they crowd surfed drums into the audience and played solos. It was amazing. Besides playing every song we wanted to hear, they threw in some amazing covers. Their haunting version of “Mad World” was in our top five for the weekend (*See also, Blues Travelers cover of “Creep” by Radiohead). Then, out came the ukelele for a mash up of several covers that had the crowd singing at the tops of their lungs. “I’m Yours” by Jason Miraz > “All I do is Win” by DJ Khaled > “Remix to Ignition” by R. Kelly > Must Be the Money” by Nelly. These guys never cease to amaze.
Beats Antique is another longtime favorite. Everything they do is somehow laced with magic. We assume it is the gypsy nature of their personalities mixed with the dub influenced Cairo street fair music that makes us dance in wild leaping circles. Zoe has become increasingly renowned for her belly dancing and enhances the vibe continuously with all that she is. The only thing we didn’t like about the set, when the lights came on and they told us the show was over. Darn these people wanting to sleep in their own houses overlooking the festival.
Sunday
We were all up and ready to go this morning. We couldn’t believe that we were going to make it to everything today and early at that. Another beautiful sunny day greeted us and once again, when we went to eat, Jordan was found discussing options for keeping his ice cream colder and longer with his new best friend at the custard stand.
Upon poking, we got him to try the chicken and noodles. The word on this place was it was the best food in the festival and the wait was worth every minute. After two bites, he asked one of us to hold his box o’ noodles for a minute while he dodged through the lines of people to an open bathroom. His 200 ounces of water a day means he is always gone. Upon return, the handoff of his noodles was botched and though they were in a box, he swears anything that touches the ground near a porto potty is dead to him. He told us it was God telling him it was time for more ice cream and like a spirit, he vanished into the crowd to fulfill his frozen fantasies.
Jason Isbell is a consummate story teller. The seemingly limitless success of “Southeastern” has him circling the globe showing off his stuff. As he walked on stage, he commented. “I hate that we are on at the same time as Anthrax. It’s going to be the same show here, just not as much pizzaz.” He went on to talk about his love of Memphis. “I went to college here in Memphis. I used to sit and watch bands here and write, then go to a coffee shop up the street and, (the customers) they weren’t hipsters then, would yell at me and I loved every minute of it. I would go and watch Todd Snider and his dog and I thought those were the good ole days, but these are the good ole days.” His road ready set still holds our attention, even on the fifth time seeing it in the last year.
Bootsy Collins is a wild man. At 62, he has mastered so many things and today, we learned that in all of his funky interplanetary travels, he now has control over gravity. Adorned in the shiniest of shiny, purple sequined suits, he made his way onto the stage. Now, we must note that all of the other singers and band member, even the roadies, were in space suits. We guess you get used to the look and the safety features when in space all of the time. Bootsy told us that there is “going to be a party today, when the players play,” and that “Memphis still has the funk.” That probably explains his stop over on planet Earth.
Alabama Shakes! We felt an exclamation point was necessary. We are so over giddy about the upcoming new album. The warm evening air and the excitement of the constantly growing crowd made for the perfect end to the festival. Just before the start, Jordan made some new friends, and enemies. While stretching, he told us that he felt like he went back to far and bumped his head into someone. As he turned around to apologize, he discovered an attractive girls hand in his hair. According to him, she said “your hair is so beautiful.” Trust us, he does not need anyone telling him he is pretty. Filled with confidence, he barely noticed when her boyfriend stared bullets though him. Jordan says that he cannot be responsible for every time a woman wants to touch him. See what we mean by he doesn’t need compliments? Back to the Shakes. Brittany told us, “I ain’t no hippie, but love sure is food, isn’t it?” She then brought a couple out on to stage and stepped away. The man nervously told of how he had met his girlfriend two years ago at an Alabama Shakes show. He then got on his knee and popped the question. She said yes, by the way. This lead to Brittany and the boys launching into the most soulful swoon yet. The warm evening air and the wind off of the Mississippi, left us momentarily breathless.
These are the moments that remind us of the power of music. We travel as often as possible, chasing these glimpses into what can only be described as the best parts of the best parts. The Beale Street Music Festival has long been in our hearts and once again reminded us of why we always start festival season here.
Don’t miss this festival in 2015. Earlybird tickets are only $65 for all three day. More information can be found at https://www.memphisinmay.org/musicfestival.
