What concerts are planned in Memphis?
More than a year after the sudden stoppage of live entertainment due to COVID-19, and following a few false starts and a long waiting game, concerts are beginning to return to the Midsouth.
Although promoters and bigger name artists are still moving cautiously in terms of scheduling major shows — especially of the indoor variety — there is an expectation that summer will bring a deluge of tour announcements and the first big wave of events.
Locally, Levitt Shell recently announced it would stage a trio of Shell Yeah! ticketed benefit concerts featuring North Mississippi Allstars on May 6 (which sold out almost instantly), Tank and the Bangas on May 20 and Langhorne Slim on June 3. Officials with Memphis Botanic Garden’s Live at the Garden have confirmed their intention to stage their usual five-show summer series (albeit starting a bit later than normal) and will announce the lineup in early May — though at least one of the acts, The Wallflowers, has already noted their plans to play the Garden on Aug. 20. And while Beale Street Music Festival won’t return until 2022, Mempho Music Festival appears on track for a multi-day event in early October.
In the meantime, the number of events — both in Memphis and in Mississippi (where COVID-19 restrictions were lifted earlier this spring) — is set to increase over the coming weeks. Here’s a look at a few venues that have shows coming up or going on for sale in the near future.
The Orpheum/halloran Centre
Downtown’s Orpheum is ramping music and events back up. The venue will host a June 5 show by Pink Floyd tribute band, Brit Floyd, and has announced a Sept. 10 date from country combo The Osborne Brothers, as well as a concert by Black Violin on Nov. 5, and several other rescheduled touring musical shows.
Meantime, the Halloran will stage a series of shows outside the venue this spring and summer, billing it as the Candlelight Concert Series. The shows kick off April 23 with a performance by singer-songwriter Nick Black and Strings in the City on April 30. Al
though those first two shows are sold out, tickets for later events in the program — including Amy Lavere (May 14), Symphony Sounds: Made for Brass (May 21), Keia Johnson and the Experience (June 4) — are available. The Halloran will also host a handful of limited indoor events, including Robert Moody’s The Orchestra Unplugged on May 27-28 and soul singer Bird Williams on July 10.
For more information or to purchase tickets, go to Orpheum-memphis.com.
Lafayette’s Music Room
Although Midtown music venue Lafayette’s has been regularly staging concerts featuring local artists, a few shows by nationally recognized acts are beginning to pop up on the club’s calendar. Following blues guitarist Samantha Fish’s two concerts on April 28, Lafayette’s will host performances by acclaimed Americana artist Charley Crockett on May 18-19 and Texas songwriter Ray Wylie Hubbard on May 20. Unfortunately, given the demand, all those shows have already sold out. However, Lafayette’s still has tickets available for concerts by Mississippi jam band favorites Kudzu Kings on April 29, the Kentucky Headhunters on June 3, and Lynyrd Skynyrd veteran Artimus Pyle on June 13. The venue also recently put November shows on sale for Edwin Mccain (Nov. 11) and The Bodeans (Nov. 16).
For more information or to purchase tickets, go to lafayettes.com/memphis.
Landers Center
With Mississippi having loosened COVID-19 restrictions in March, Southaven’s Landers Center will bring the first wave of bigger concerts to the Midsouth,
starting with the Winter Jam Christian music package on April 24. The In Real Life Comedy Tour, featuring funnyman Mike Epps, will follow on May 1, with the Royal Comedy Tour stopping at the venue on June 11. Rockers Styx and Collective Soul will play on June 19. Also, on May 9, the Landers Center will host a drive-in concert event for Mother’s Day, emceed by Bar-kays veteran Larry Dodson, and featuring music by Lattimore, Sir Charles Jones and the Temprees. The venue has also rescheduled or added fall shows featuring classic rockers Foreigner for Nov. 6 and the No Limit Reuniontour for Nov. 20.
For more information or to purchase tickets, go to Landerscenter.com.
Germantown Performing Arts Center
While GPAC’S outdoor space The Grove has been hosting a series of concerts by local artists, family events and movie screenings this spring, the venue has also begun adding special shows and rescheduling its postposed annual season events from 2020. Among those slated to appear this fall are Bruce
Hornsby & the Noisemakers (Sept. 16), Victor Wooten (Oct. 20), the Kurt Elling Quartet (Oct. 30), Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn (Nov. 6) and Maceo Parker (Nov. 13), among others.
For more information or to purchase tickets, go to gpacweb.com.
Graceland
In addition to confirming it would return to a normal in-person schedule of events for the annual Elvis Week festivities in August, Graceland has a handful of concerts set for its Soundstage facility. The first will be an acoustic performance from Scarypoolparty on June 14. A show by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band has been rescheduled for Sept. 24, while an appearance by Fox News host and humorist Greg Gutfeld is set for Oct. 9. Internet famous funnyman Trey Kennedy will appear on Oct. 22. The 2020 King Crimson show at the venue has not been given a new date.
For more information or to purchase tickets, go to Gracelandlive.com.
Fedexforum
By this fall, major indoor venues like
Fedexforum are expected have a mass of concert announcements for late 2021 and throughout 2022. In the meantime, Downtown’s Fedexforum has updated its calendar to include rescheduled events and several new shows. The first will be a new date for the James Taylor/ Jackson Browne concert, now set for Aug. 14. The Martin Lawrence-led comedy package, The Lit AF Tour, will play on Oct. 15, while The Dude Perfect Tour will now take place on Oct. 16. Country star Kane Brown will bring his show — featuring Jordan Davis and Restless Road — to the Forum on Oct. 23. Latin music superstars Banda MS have confirmed a Nov. 5 date, while Luke Combs’ delayed “What You See Is What You Get” tour stop — with Ashley Mcbryde and Ray Fulcher — will take place on Nov. 20.
For more information or to purchase tickets, go to fedexforum.com.