The thing about Memphis is that it’s a little like a season of your favorite basketball team—for weeks it’s a barren wasteland punctuated by a few talented standouts, then seven days later—BAM! All kinds of action. This upcoming weekend will give you more fun options than Baskin Robbins has flavors.
With everything from a blues competition dedicated to the on which music our fair city was based, to some futuristic electronica straight from England, there’ll be plenty to go out and see. Get your weekend gear ready; it’s time to look good gettin’ ugly.
This weekend will start a little early with a monumental 4-day event hosted by the The Blues Foundation starting today (2/1)! The International Blues Challenge is a 3-day endeavor covering 20 venues located in the general vicinity of the Beale Street Historic District. Several dozen acts from all over the world are coming to the Bluff City to show that they know the sadder part of life more than anyone else. After three solid days of seeing forlorn finger-talent, the event will culminate in a Finals showdown on Saturday (2/4).
On the rare chance you’ve had your fill of blues before the weekend rears its head, Friday (2/3) will give you a great show with plenty of variety to get down to. The edgy power pop of The Dirty Guv’nahs will be filling out the space at Minglewood Hall. If you show up early enough, you can perfectly satisfy all your Rastafarian needs with The Chinese Connection Dub Embassy.
Saturday (2/4) will also be giving you something incredibly fun to do with a visit from one of the worlds most influential dubstep producers, Rusko. Rusko will be dealing massive bass-based damage to all of the attending ears at Minglewood Hall. Fresh off of their release of Marceaux Mareaux’s Spurrr, Voodoo Village will be adding their tropical rhythm-based swag to the mix. The night will give you some of the best tunes to shake your rump, so make it out if you like looking like a badass on the dance floor.
Just because I love electronica in tandem with the fact that Memphis is more fun when you go out, I’ll be making a strong presence out and about this weekend. So if you’re free, come out and join me to feel mournful with the International Blues Challenge or get down with some dark dank from Voodoo Village!
