Listen Up: 10 Bands to See in Memphis This June
Listen Up: 10 Bands to See in Memphis This June
Ed. Note: The nice thing about living in a music city is that we get a ton of great live shows every single month. The tough thing, however, is deciding which bands to see. With that in mind, here are 10 recommendations for shows you won't want to miss in the coming month.
These are by no means the only great bands playing in Memphis this month. For more complete listings, check the blog's calendar.
1. Gogol Bordello, Minglewood Hall, June 5, 8 p.m., $25 advance / $27 door, all ages
Head to Minglewood on Wednesday, June 5 for a night of gypsy-punk cabaret rock'n'roll with Gogol Bordello. I can't tell if lead singer Eugene Hütz is faking his accent, but I don't really care because the music is a lot of fun. Bombino will open.
2. Yo Gotti and Friends, Orpheum Theatre, June 6, 8 p.m., $27.50, 18+
North Memphis rapper Yo Gotti is bringing the dirty south to Orpheum Theatre stage on Thursday, June 6. The listing says that he's bringing friends, but as of press time, there's no official word as to who those friends might be.
3. Marcella and Her Lovers, Bar DKDC, June 8, 10 p.m., free, 21+
There are few people in Memphis as mesmerizing as Marcella Simien. She sort of reminds me of a Creole snake charmer, only with an accordion instead of a flute. She's playing DKDC on June 8 with her band, the Lovers. The venue is tiny, so if you're planning to go, get there a little early.
4. Local Natives, Minglewood Hall, June 12, 8 p.m., $20, all ages
If dreamy, 1960s-inspired indie pop is your thing, Local Natives can provide. They'll be at Minglewood Hall on June 12, with Ex-Cops opening.
5. Crowlord, the Buccaneer Lounge, June 14, 10 p.m. free, 21+
Celebrate the release of Memphis metal band Crowlord's new record, "Naked Chicks, Goats and Wolves" at the Buccaneer on June 14th. The Devil's Right Hand will open.
6. Sid Selvidge Memorial Concert, Levitt Shell, June 25, 6:30 p.m., Price TBA, All ages
Normally, I wouldn't add a show to this list that didn't have complete information, but I'm making an exception for this one. There's going to be a tribute show for the late, great Sid Selvidge at the Levitt Shell on June 25th. The show isn't part of the free concert series, so there may be an admission cost, and it's not clear who's playing yet, but it's going to be an excellent way to celebrate the life of a Memphis music legend.
7. Mikal Cronin w/ Shannon and the Clams, Hi-Tone Cafe, June 25, $10, 18+
I appreciate any press release that describes an artist as a "punk Harry Nilsson". It's accurate, too - Mikal Cronin sound is equal parts west coast sunshine and fuzzy guitars. Shannon and the Clams, Destruction Unit and Milk Music will open.
8. Son Volt, Levitt Shell, June 27, 6:30 p.m., free, all ages
This is why I love the Levitt Shell free concert series: for every few bands that you've never heard of, there's one that's kind of a big deal. Son Volt, Jay Farrar's post-Uncle Tupelo band, is bringing their reimagined country music to the Shell late this month for a free, all-ages show.
9. The Memphis Dawls, Levitt Shell, June 29, 6:30 p.m., free, all ages
The Memphis Dawls are a romantic, folkly all-girl trio fronted by Holly Cole. Don't let the sweetness fool you: there's a lot of depth under those pretty harmonies.
10. Stax Music Academy, Levitt Shell, June 30, 6:30 p.m., free, all ages
I know I'm including a lot of shows from the Levitt Shell series on the list this month, but it's only because there are so many great ones to choose from. If you've never seen the super talented students from the Stax Music Academy perform, you'll want to on June 30th, when they play a show tracing the blues' transition into rock'n'roll.
What bands are you excited about seeing this month?
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