This weekend, music lovers united in West Tennessee for the third annual Mempho Music Festival. The weekend-long Memphis event featured top-notch artist performances delivered under clear October skies.
Guests were greeted on Saturday with a spirited set from Memphis' own
Summer Avenue before welcoming the cajun-influenced Marcella & Her Lovers to the stage. Across the field, alumni of Sun Studio including Jason D. Williams, Amy Lavere, David Brookings, John Paul Keith, and more joined together in tribute to the legendary downtown
Memphis recording studio, hosted by
Jerry Phillips (son of the late music producer Sam Phillips, who is responsible for developing the careers of iconic
Memphis acts Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Carl Perkins).
Following a foot stomping performance from outlaw country queen Margo Price, and an electrifying hour of garage rock from Reignwolf, Mempho attendees fell into a raucous chant in anticipation of Wu-Tang Clan. The hip-hop staples brought their high-energy live show to the main stage as the sun set over Shelby Farms Park.
Between performances, guests had the opportunity to enjoy unique culinary creations and hand-crafted libations, whilst relaxing on rolling green hills, and/or showcasing their dance moves inside the Orion FCU Incendia Dome, a mesmeric fire-laden interactive environment which shot massive flames into the sky. To top off the night, headliners
The Raconteurs brought their explosive brand of rock n' roll, sharing old favorites and fresh hits in celebration of their ten-year revival and new album Help Us Stranger.
On Day Two,
Memphis hip-hop duo Lord T & Eloise brought a set full of shenanigans backed by The Aristocrunk Sound System. Their "Sunday Brunch" performance included an on-stage live-meal cooked by Chef Brown Burch for special guests FreeSoland Al Kapone - with audience participation. The mood shifted to a comfortable groove when singer-pianist
PJ Morton performed his soulful tunes, and later,
Valerie Junefloated on stage to enchant the crowd with her undefinable Delta-drenched sound and ethereal voice.
Soaked in a glorious sunset, The Revivalists offered up a satisfying helping of New Orleans funk and hair-whipping energy to Tennessee fans before Americana star Brandi Carlile and her band closed out the weekend. The three-time Grammy winner delighted festival-goers with a heavy dose of nostalgic ballads, sweet harmonies, and sing-a-longs.
Photo credit: Keith Griner
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