The Beale Street Blues Festival: Memphis in May
This weekend marks the 35th annual Beal Street Blues Festival in Memphis, hosting some of the biggest names in Music. John Mellencamp, Cee-lo Green, and Ke$ha headline the many acts of this year’s festival.
Starting at 6 p.m. on Friday, April 29 and ending sometime after 8:50 p.m. on Sunday, May 1, the weekend’s festivities will be spread across five stages. The Lineup includes over 60 bands of all genres, eras and styles. “Memphis in May,” as it has grown to be called, has been a revolving door for big name acts over the years, and this year is no different.
After what some people called a disappointing year in 2010, speculation and rumors started brewing on who would be in this year’s lineup. Making a bold move, the committee running the festival let the tickets go on sale in advance of the lineup ever being called out. Jim Holt, president and CEO of Memphis in May claimed the early tickets were to accommodate the out of state festival attendees. "We get people from all 50 states and from around the world. People travel to see their music festivals, and we decided to go up early to accommodate them," said Holt.
One thing that has kept this festival popular over the years is its diversity. Meagan Torrence, of Crystal Springs, MS has been to Memphis in May 2 years consecutively, and plans on attending this year’s festival for a third. “Memphis in May is like a box of chocolates,” said Torrence, “you never know what you’re gonna get.” The lineups for the past few years have brought in some of the best acts in pop, rock, hip-hop, jazz and country from around the world. Quite a “box of chocolates,” indeed.
Each year during the festival, there is a country that is chosen to be represented throughout the weekend. The country that was chosen for this year’s Beale Street Blues Festival is Belgium. In honor of Belgium, Belgian rockers, the Experimental Tropic Blues Band has been added to the lineup.
As far and wide as some of the acts from the lineup are, many bands and artists such as rock ‘n roll hall of famer Jerry Lee Lewis, upstart pop-rockers MGMT, and rapper Al Kapone have roots in Memphis.
The 35th edition of the Beale Street Blues Festival should be one to remember. Audiences and Artists from around the nation will gather at the end of Beale Street this weekend to make Memphis the Mecca for music.
-Houston Brock, 10340194
For the link to the full text go to www.jour102.blogspot.com
For the full line up to this year’s Memphis in May http://memphisinmay.org/lineup
For stages and show times http://memphisinmay2011.sched.org/
A stage from last year’s Memphis in May
Limp Bizkit during last years performance
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