5.07.2007

Beale Street Musicfest 2007

Memphis in May…Beale St. Music Festival…World Championship BBQ Contest…The Sunset Symphony. All the events intended to salute and highlight a country recognized by the city of Memphis. All being highlighted in hottest, stickiest and rainiest month in the mid-south! This year we are saluting Spain, but the reality this event usually only captures 3 things key concepts:

1. Music
2. Food/Drink
3. Mud


I mean Memphis in Mud is always an exciting spectacle. The people watching alone could send you into a sensory overload. Yesterday I ventured downtown in a slight drizzle for the last day of musicfest. Besides seeing the likes of Guster, The Barenaked Ladies and Corinne Bailey Rae. I was treated to some wonders to surely behold.

I saw a nice fellow who was shirtless. He was kind enough to not just tidy his chest hair by waxing it away. No, no he really wanted to make a statement, so he shaped his chest hair like a yellow smiley sticker. Enough said – the site was branded in my brain.

Then there was the little girl who was cleansing herself in the mud, yards away from her mother. Now I know lots of folks who pay good money to get covered in mud at the spa. But this was no ordinary mud – it was mud created, by rain, spit, spilled beverages and who knows what. I fear that kid might now be toxic. My suggestion would be to quickly get her some shots or at least a flea dip – stat!
I also ran into or saw countless kids that I’ve known since they were small children, who are now running around by themselves enjoying the festivities. And then we had our close encounter to Ed Robertson (lead singer of The Barenaked Ladies) who brushed past us not just once but twice!

Truly it’s just a surreal event where people of all ages converge to listening to music, gorge themselves on fair food or become entwined in the exhibition. Let’s just be grateful it’s an event where gawking, dancing in the mud and singing at the top of your lungs is approved and recommended!

Top Nine Live Songs from Beale St. Music Festival I heard yesterday:
1. Fa Fa – Guster
2. C’mon – Guster
3. Brazil – Guster
4. Satellite - Guster
5. Brain Wilson – The Barenaked Ladies
6. Break Your Heart – The Barenaked Ladies
7. Straw Hat And Old Dirty Hank – The Barenaked Ladies
8. Pinch Me – The Barenaked Ladies
9. Put Your Records On - Corinne Bailey Rae

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