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Post by sweetmelissa on Jan 18, 2011 16:18:49 GMT -5
Bumpy bump for an update.
Line up will be announced March 3rd
The Memphis in May and Beale St Music Fest Facebook Pages just posted that they added some new band pages to their site. I've never heard of them dropping hints before but these bands sound possible for the lineup. www.facebook.com/#!/bealestreetmusicfestival
Gregg Allman Cee Lo Green Mumford and Sons FLAMING LIPS (they were scheduled to appear last year but cancelled due to the illness) Wilco Sublime with Rome Jerry Lee Louis (the Killer is there every year) Slightly Stoopid
memphisinmay.org is claiming that this will be the biggest Beale Street Music Festival lineup ever. Question for those who have gone in the past (I have only been a few times, never had to buy tickets), is there a VIP parking pass you can buy?
Post by sweetmelissa on Jan 27, 2011 18:17:44 GMT -5
I'm not sure about VIP parking. We park for free on the South end of Front St. and it's just a short walk and easy to get out because most folks park on the North end of Front in the parking garages or down on Riverside Dr. near the tourist information center.
Post by sweetmelissa on Jan 28, 2011 16:10:12 GMT -5
The lineup usually is hit or miss at this festie. Example on stage had Lynyrd Skynyrd playing while Triple 6 Mafia was playing on the other stage. They tend to book some douchie bands that bring out douchie people at times.
The weather usually sucks. There was a tornado warning and we had to evacuate last year. It always rains and the festie grounds turn into one huge mud puddle.
The positives: they usually book some artists that are worth seeing . (Last year: North Mississippi Allstars, Drive-by Truckers, Gov't Mule, and Derek Trucks band were all back to back on Saturday... A few years ago on Saturday: Derek Trucks Band, Jerry Lee Louis, Gov't Mule, and The Allman Brothers played.
Beale Street is fun if you've never been! Memphis has some touristie type things to do (Sun Studios, Graceland, The Zoo, Stax Museum, Civil Rights Museum, ect.)
The tickets are inexpensive, but you do have to find a place to stay. Watching the barges move along while the sun sets over the river with a beer and a band playing is pretty awesome too.
They had Booker T. & The MGs last year, which is enough to get me to go to almost anything. Anybody go last year? I know some bands got rained out. Did they get rained out, or did they end up playing?
I live in Memphis and have been going to this festival for 15 years now. I've seen the gamut of musicians from DMB to WSP to MMW to Trey Anastasio to George Clinton to Ratdog to three six mafia to social distortion to the B-52s, plus dozens and doEns More. While I would love to say all those shows have been awesome, most of them rank at the bottom of my list of shows for one reason or another, which I will elaborate on later.
I first started attending the festival as an impressionable seventeen year old. Back then I thought it was the greatest thing ever. Great music, friends, party favors, 3 days. It is a 17 year olds dream.
I'm 32 years old now, have been to 8 Bonnaroos, 2 Phosh festivals, All Points West, Vegoose, Carribean Holidaze, Langerado, Austin City Limits just to name a few. What I've learned from experience is that BSMF is a poorly run, poorly executed festival, with a number of logistical nightmares.
Everything that Bonnaroo does well, BSMF does poorly. People trafficking, proper vendor placement, proper stage placement, not allowing the sound to overlap on a level that is distracting. All of these points BSMF could learn a lesson from Bonnaroo. And that doesn't even mention the fact that in the 15 years, I've been attending, I cannot remember a year where it didn't rain. Sometimes it is a deluge, sometimes it is a starst drizzle. Sometimes it lasts all 3 days, sometimes it lasts only 1. The end result is always the same, the festival turns to mud, and becomes a chore to navigate.
The fact that it is a city fest is also a problem for me. They generally bring music right up my alley, but they also cater heavily to the high school crowd with mainstream fluff that I care nothing about. Furthermore they also cater too the plus-50 crowd with acts from the 60s-70s-80s. The end result is a strange mix of rowdy high schoolers, old geezers, hippies and hipsters. Not that there is anything wrong with these groups, they just don't gel well, and any sense if vibe you might get at Roo, is missing at BSMF.
All that said, Wilco just confirmed a show in Montgomery, AL the day after the fest, and they seemto be a lock. Throw in the Lips who had to cancel last year and I'll buy a presale 3 day pass in February. I'll be checking for that poncho and mud boots when I do, because I know I'm gonna get wet and muddy.
Post by easymorningrebel on Jan 28, 2011 22:34:03 GMT -5
Thanks for the info!! My friend lived in Memphis for a while so he has a better idea than me about the layout and potential problems, I might try to convince him to come down to FL for Wanee instead...
your most affordable options if you are willing to drive will be in East Memphis off the 1-240 Loop. Downtown is about a 20-25 minute drive from this area and it is traditionally suburban area of town. Memphis is almost entirely ghetto outside of a few really small places. IF you are not going to drop the coin to stay downtown, you are most likely going to end up in a not-so-great part of town, unless you do drive all the way out east. Accross the river in West Memphis is probably the closest/most affordable options, but if looking in W. Memphis, you are looking primarily for a place to sleep and nothing more. There is little to do in W. Memphis, but it is very close to the festival.
I would probably suggest spending a little bit extra and staying downtown, or trying to find something affordable in Midtown or East Memphis and just plan to have a DD and a lot of driving.
Last time we went - we stayed in Southhaven - only took 15 min to get down to Tom Lee Park
Gougeaway is right tho - they should rename this Memphis in Mud - last time I went - my BFF and I took my daughter and her BFF - it poured - but we still had fun and the bands still played.
Post by easymorningrebel on Feb 8, 2011 9:23:50 GMT -5
from the Memphis in May International Festival FB page:
It's coming this week..an incredible deal on three day passes to the Beale Street Music Festival..be sure to spread the word...and stay tuned so you don't miss it!
