Overton Park Shell 2022 Concert Lineup Is Here!

For the second straight year and in celebration of their 40th anniversary, the Overton Park Shell is partnering with the Memphis Black Arts Alliance for the MBAA Pre-Show Series.

Pre-shows start at 5:45 pm and will feature 9 acts throughout the season including Hope Clayburn, Michael Townsend, Angelstreet and many more. 

Overton Park Shell's Fall 2022 Concert Lineup

9/2 - Don Ramon Band (pre-show with Tara Barker)

9/3 - Stone Soul Picnic*

9/4 - Occupy The Shell* a festival celebrating Memphis Black artists and creatives
       (Al Kapone & Don Trip to headline)

9/9 - Gone Gone Beyond (pre-show with Ephie Johnso)

9/10 - Lissie (pre-show with Jimmy Kinard & Muziak)

9/15 - Shell Yeah! Almost Elton John Masquerade (costume-contest + theme party, PAID SHOW)

9/16 - Don Lifted (pre-show with c’beyohn Featuring SubRoy)

9/17 - Country Blues Festival*

9/23 - Shell Yeah! An Evening with Dawes & Bahamas (PAID SHOW)

9/24 - Memphis PowerPop Festival

9/30 - Cyrena Wages (pre-show with AngelStreet and Grizzline)

10/1 - John Paul Keith & The Rhythm of the City (pre-show with Michael Townsend and the Grizz Grannies and Grandpas)

10/7 - Arlo McKinley (pre-show with Jerry Braxton )

10/14 - North Mississippi Allstars (pre-show with Hope Clayburn)

10/15 - Tuba Skinny (pre-show with Ladies Edition)

10/23 - Shakespeare at The Shell*

photo courtesy of Overton Park Shell 

Things To Know Before You Go To An Overton Park Shell Show In Memphis

• Bring chairs, blankets, coolers, picnics, any of your own food and drink – or enjoy the beer and food for sale.
• The shows are free, but it’s always great to bring a couple of bucks to throw in the donation buckets.
• Most shows begin at 7:30 p.m. sharp, but I would get there at least a half-hour early to snag a good spot. (Or an hour if a good spot is really important to you!)
• Parking is a challenge. Get there early to find a place to park, carpool, get a ride, take a Lyft, ride a bike, or walk!
• The shows are all ages, but as with anything, parents should look up the entertainment ahead of time to be sure they’re cool with it.
• Pets! Here's exactly what Overton Park Shell says: "Dogs on a leash are allowed at The Shell but must remain in THE PUPPY BAR (outside the main lawn seating area, behind the sidewalk). Please remember to clean up after your pets to avoid any messy accidents."

Ways To Support The Overton Park Shell

While you can always swipe your card for a quick donation during a free show at the Shell (or drop some cash in the donation bucket), there are several other ways to support this awesome free thing to do in Memphis:

• Donate during a free show - Shell volunteers will come around with a card reader and donation bucket
• Join the Shell Circle - yearly membership program that gives you concession and Shell Yeah discounts
• Buy a ticket to a Shell, Yeah! benefit show
• Sign up to volunteer your time
• Sponsor a show 
• Rent the Shell for an event, party, or corporate function

What Is "Shell Yeah!" ?

When you think the Shell, you think "free concerts".

But these free shows don't grow on trees, and neither do the lights, sounds system, groundskeeping, and staffing for the shows. The Overton Park Shell really needs our donations and support in order to keep the music going. That's why they host a couple of paid concerts every year.

If you're a frequent Shell-goer, you can think of it like getting dozens concerts for the price of a few. These concerts are different from usual Shell shows because outside food and drinks aren't allowed, and pets need to stay at home. 

overton park shell: About The Shell's New-Old Name

On March 3, 2022, the Shell formerly known as Levitt announced that they'd be returning to the original name of "Overton Park Shell". 

Here's what they have to say: 

The Shell has survived many eras over the past 86 years, from the original Memphis Open Air Theatre, also known as The Overton Park Shell, founded during the Great Depression through to the Levitt Shell of the past 16 years.

This historic stage has been the site of many pivotal concerts in the history of music from Elvis’s first paid gig, and what historians refer to as the first ever rock n’ roll concert, the seminal Country Blues Festivals of the 1960s and the community driven free programming of The Shell’s more contemporary years.

One thing throughout The Shell’s history is certain, this is a stage meant for Memphians and our local musical heritage.

Go There: 

Overton Park Shell Amphitheater at Overton Park
Memphis, Tennessee
overtonparkshell.org