Picks for this weekend’s Memphis Music and Hertiage Festival

The Center for Southern Folklore’s Memphis Music and Heritage Festival is this weekend, on the Main Street Mall between Peabody Place and Gayoso. Below are some acts I personally recommend. Complete schedule here.

Saturday

  • 12 noon – Jimmy Crosthwait, puppeteer, Peabody Place Trolley Stop stage. This one’s for the kids but he cracks me up too. I look forward to hearing the saber-tooth cat puppet sing its song every year.
  • 1:45 PM – Michael Patrick, food demo, Peabody Place Trolley Stop stage. Michael is the executive chef at EP’s. Don’t pass up a chance to try his food and pick up a few cooking tips!
  • 2:00 PM – Greg Hisky and his Dixie Whisky Flyers, country, Verizon Wireless stage. I remember these guys from last year and they were really good.
  • 3:00 PM – Ella Kizzie, food demo, Peabody Place Trolley Stop stage. She’ll teach you how to make greens and hot water cornbread, which are usually available for purchase at the Center for Southern Folklore store.
  • 3:25 PM – Desert Rose, belly dancing, Peabody Place Trolley Stop stage.
  • 5:15 PM – Charlie Wood, blues and jazz, Folklore Store. If you miss Charlie at the festival, you’ll be able to catch him at “Bands, Beer and Bums in Court Square” on September 5, and on the Madison rooftop September 13.
  • 5:30 PM – Alicja Trout and Mouserocket, rock, Gayoso Stage. Really looking forward to this one. I went to college with Alicja and always thought she was an awesome person, but have never heard her band. Have heard great things about Mouserocket from friends in Midtown.
  • 8:30 PM – Papa Top’s West Coast Turnaround, classic country, Gayoso Stage.
  • 10:00 PM – Nathaniel Kent and Exodus, reggae, Verizon Wireless Stage.

Sunday

  • 12:00 PM – Jimmy Crosthwait, puppeteer, Peabody Place Trolley Stop stage. Just in case you missed him Saturday.
  • 12:45 PM – Beauty from Western China, GMUCA dancers, Peabody Place Trolley Stop stage. Chinese girls are hot. How come the great country of Romania is not represented in this year’s acts? Come on, we need some diversity here!
  • 3:25 PM – Pyramid Dance Company, belly dancing, Peabody Place Trolley Stop stage.
  • 4:25 PM – Ella Kizzie, food demo, Peabody Place Trolley Stop stage. This time her peach cobbler will be featured.
  • 4:30 PM – FreeWorld, jam band funk, Gayoso Stage. If you miss them here, they’ll be playing Blues City at 10:30.
  • 7:00 PM – Sonny Burgess and the Pacers, rockabilly, Verizon Wireless Stage.
  • 8:30 PM – Barbara Blue, blues, Gayoso Stage. You can catch Barbara several days a week at Silky’s in the late afternoon. Glad they’ve got her on an outdoor stage this year, rather than inside the Folklore Store which only seats a handful of people.
  • 10:00 PM – Jason D. Williams, rockabilly/boogie, Verizon Wireless Stage. This is one you don’t want to miss – the insane genius of the rockabilly world. Last year his crew of backup musicians included Bradley D. Birkendahl of the Dempseys.
  • 10:15 PM – Blind Mississippi Morris and Brad Webb, blues, Center for Southern Folklore Store stage. Morris is one of the true legends of Memphis blues.

Latest weather forecast for the festival, according to the Weather Channel: Saturday, sunny, 92/68. Sunday, 30% chance of rain, 88/68. If that forecast turns out to be correct, it will be the first day since July 22 that we’ve had a high below 90.

I love September. The Memphis Music and Heritage Fest this weekend, Art on Tap next weekend, and Cooper-Young the weekend after that. Three of the best events of the year.

But, right now it’s time to build some websites so I’ll have money to spend at those events! Outta here for now!