Mempho Music Festival has now detailed the daily lineups for its 2021 event, set to take place at the Radians Amphitheater at Memphis Botanic Garden in Memphis, TN on October 1st–3rd, 2021.
On Friday, October 1st, Athens, GA jam-rock giants Widespread Panic will headline the festivities alongside bluegrass firebrand Billy Strings, country superstar Lucinda Williams, and homegrown Memphis outfits Southern Avenue, The City Champs, and Lucky 7 Brass Band.
Fans will surely be quick to notice the pairing of Widespread Panic and Billy Strings on the Friday lineup. The respect between Panic and young Billy and company runs deep. In addition to regularly covering Widespread Panic songs during his live shows, Billy Strings sat in with the band during an acoustic performance at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville in 2019.
As Widespread Panic guitarist Jimmy Herring told Live For Live Music about the Billy Strings sit-in during a late-2019 interview, “Billy is a wonderful kid. He is brilliant, he’s got great musical sensibilities. And, of course, he has technique for days. He can pretty much clobber anybody; he’s got flatpicking chops galore and he’s a true acoustic man. To me, acoustic is like a different world. I’m out of my wheelhouse a bit but I really love it because it’s a learning experience. To get to play with someone as good as him, I was knocked out. All of us absolutely loved playing with him.”
While nothing is ever certain, the Friday lineup is bound to spark speculation about a possible Panic/Strings collab and Mempho.
On Saturday, October 2nd, Widespread Panic will once again lead the pack alongside performances by Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Moon Taxi, Julien Baker, Andy Frasco & The U.N., and Dirty Streets.
Finally, Mempho Music Festival will wrap up on Sunday, October 3rd with a headlining performance by folk-rock favorites The Avett Brothers. Also set to perform on Saturday are Black Pumas, Waxahatchee, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Will Hoge, Liz Brasher, and The Wilkins Sisters.
Festival organizers are also keeping a close eye on the ever-developing COVID-19 picture as the festival draws closer. As they noted in a press release, “The festival is working closely with local and state health officials to ensure a safe and unparalleled experience for all attendees. Keep track of any updates via the Mempho Festival website.
3-Day and Single-Day VIP and GA tickets for Mempho Music Festival 2021 are available now. VIP ticket packages include access to a dedicated VIP area presented by Orion, access to a viewing area in front of the main stage, complimentary VIP parking, $100 in Mempho Bucks to be used on food and beverages or Mempho merch, catered hors d’oeuvres, access to a private bar serving premium craft beer, wine, and cocktails; air-conditioned restrooms, WiFi and charging stations, and a dedicated VIP entrance.
For full ticketing details, head here.
While you wait, check out a gallery of photos from the last edition of Mempho Music Festival in 2019 here.
