Tell Me About the Memphis Music Scene (Lafayette: 2013, home)

[KC_Sleuth]

Memphis - the home of the Blues, Sun Studios, Stax, BB King. Does the city currently live up to it's history?

I've never been, but really want to visit. I was supposed to go a few years ago and had to cancel for personal reasons. I am trying to convince my wife that Memphis is to Blues what New Orleans is to Jazz, and that the music scene & culture is like NOLO, just geared more towards Blues music, civil rights history, and a bigtime Mississippi river town (steamboats and all).

Is there lots of good live music every night - especially blues music? And not just on Beale - but off Beale as well (i.e. places locals go to, not tourists).

[knucklehead_vol]

Yes great music every night.

[knucklehead_vol]

Check out the Buc, the Hi Tone, Laffayettes, Young Ave. Deli, and Bar DKDC just off the top of my head. These are within a mile or two from each other.

Add Murphys too.

[CristenS]

None of these are really blues places....the Bucaneer, Murphy's, and Hi Tone are more like hard rock/punk rock places, Lafayettes may have some blues sometimes but it's in Overton Square so I'm guessing most of their acts are more mainstream, Young Ave and DKDC are younger, hipper places too. Definitely good places for music, but not so much if you are interested in old style blues.


Maybe travel down to Clarksdale, MS and go to some of the famous blues places there.


Beale St is touristy and gets to be over run with young people late at night, but is still a solid place if you want to browse a handful of acts in one night without having to drive around.




This article is a few years old, but mentions all of these same places:
https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2...e-to-the-blues

Originally Posted by knucklehead_vol

Check out the Buc, the Hi Tone, Laffayettes, Young Ave. Deli, and Bar DKDC just off the top of my head. These are within a mile or two from each other.

Add Murphys too.

[knucklehead_vol]

Originally Posted by CristenS

None of these are really blues places....the Bucaneer, Murphy's, and Hi Tone are more like hard rock/punk rock places, Lafayettes may have some blues sometimes but it's in Overton Square so I'm guessing most of their acts are more mainstream, Young Ave and DKDC are younger, hipper places too. Definitely good places for music, but not so much if you are interested in old style blues.


Maybe travel down to Clarksdale, MS and go to some of the famous blues places there.


Beale St is touristy and gets to be over run with young people late at night, but is still a solid place if you want to browse a handful of acts in one night without having to drive around.




This article is a few years old, but mentions all of these same places:
https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2...e-to-the-blues

He asked if there was live music-especially blues. I gave him those options. Try Wild Willie's and the other hundreds of other bars for blues.

[knucklehead_vol]

Check out Eric Hughes Band, Ghost town Blues Band. Any of the bars mentioned above normally have a variety of music. But honestly if you just focus on the blues you will miss so much more.

When are you coming?

[catherine turner]

I've. Lived in Memphis entire life. Anyone that comes to our town is completely covered by the sounds of all kinds. We are sad to say Ruby Wilson recently joined BBKing. She will truly be missed. Beale Street is just one location for music. Overton Square and Cooper Young is also high on music to be heard list. The casinos pretty close by featuring super bands and headliners. Dr. Zar & Funkmonsters are really keeping up with the needs of a music fix. Elvis week is coming to an end but I can't say the same for the tourist
No one can put into words the truth about Memphismusic. Get your bags packed and come on down and I promise you will get some good BBQ and you might catch Blake Shelton and Qwen gnawing on a bone. Then you will have a bone. To pick all the way home.