Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Okay. Okay, settle in. We've got something seriously exciting bubbling up. And honestly, I think we need to map this out for you, for us.
[00:00:08] Speaker B: Yeah, absolutely. The buzz is real on this one.
[00:00:10] Speaker A: It really is. We're doing a deep dive today into the the brand new Riverbeat Music festival. It's hitting Memphis, Tennessee.
[00:00:17] Speaker B: That's right. May 2nd through 4th, 2025. Mark your calendar.
[00:00:21] Speaker A: Seriously. And the location, get this, Tom Lee Park.
[00:00:25] Speaker B: Okay, but this isn't just, you know, any parks. They've just finished this massive 61 million doll.
[00:00:31] Speaker A: 61 million, wow.
[00:00:32] Speaker B: Yeah, it's like 30 acres right there on the Mississippi river waterfront. And the design sounds incredible. They talk about active social, ecological and architectural spaces.
[00:00:44] Speaker A: So really thinking about the whole experience. Not just a patch of grass.
[00:00:47] Speaker B: Exactly. It sounds like they're genuinely trying to like change how Memphis connects with the river. Setting a whole new standard for urban waterfront parks. I'm actually really keen to just see the park itself.
[00:00:59] Speaker A: Me too. It sounds amazing. And what better way to inaugurate a space like that than with a massive music festival, right?
[00:01:05] Speaker B: Couldn't agree more.
[00:01:06] Speaker A: So, yeah, our mission today, get you all the essential details on this inaugural Riverbeat festival at this frankly, spectacular sounding new venue.
[00:01:16] Speaker B: All right, let's lay the groundwork. Venue, Tom Lee Park, Memphis, Tennessee. We covered that. 30 acres. Mississippi river, fresh off that huge redevelopment over opened recently.
[00:01:28] Speaker A: Aiming to be a big deal for the city for years, not just a pop up thing.
[00:01:32] Speaker B: Definitely feels permanent, like a new city landmark.
[00:01:34] Speaker A: Okay, but let's cut to the chase.
The lineup, that's what gets people buzzing. Right?
[00:01:40] Speaker B: Right.
[00:01:40] Speaker A: And Riverbeat, they came out swinging big time. We are talking Missy Elliott.
[00:01:46] Speaker B: Yes, Missy. I mean, a true icon. And like you said, just inducted into the Rock and Roll hall of Fame. Which is fantastic.
[00:01:53] Speaker A: Amazing timing.
[00:01:54] Speaker B: It really is. And what's super interesting, especially for Memphis, is her connection. Right? The rain. Super duper flawed.
[00:02:00] Speaker A: Oh, yeah, classic.
[00:02:01] Speaker B: Famously samples. And Peebles, I Can't Stand the Rain. A Memphis soul classic.
[00:02:05] Speaker A: That's such a direct link. I actually didn't realize that sample was Peebles.
[00:02:08] Speaker B: That's cool. Yeah, it's like this direct nod across generations, you know, from a foundational Memphis voice right into groundbreaking hip hop. It's a perfect example of what seems to be their booking philosophy.
[00:02:20] Speaker A: Definitely feels intentional.
And the energy doesn't stop there. All right, we've also got the Killers.
[00:02:26] Speaker B: Oh, they're live shows. Legendary. That's going to be huge.
[00:02:30] Speaker A: I know. And then Anderson Pac and the Free Nationals.
[00:02:35] Speaker B: Okay. That is a guaranteed party Just pure funk and soul explosion waiting to happen right there. I cannot wait for that set.
[00:02:42] Speaker A: Me neither. That's high on my list.
[00:02:44] Speaker B: And Pac's out his own Memphis connections too, right? Like with Silk, Sonic. But also in his solo stuff, he's been open about sampling Memphis artists. He even shouts them out sometimes.
[00:02:53] Speaker A: See, it keeps coming back to Memphis.
[00:02:55] Speaker B: It really does. It underscores that whole idea the organizers mentioned about booking acts with a, quote, Memphis intrinsic or a connection. It's not just random big names.
[00:03:03] Speaker A: Totally makes sense. And that top tier keeps going. Benson Boone is on there. Cage the Elephant for that rock fix.
[00:03:09] Speaker B: Yeah, Cage the Elephant always brings it.
[00:03:11] Speaker A: And Kayfla too. She's always compelling live. It feels like a really well rounded group of headliners.
[00:03:17] Speaker B: It really is, but okay, moving beyond the absolute top line if you're into hip hop history. Wow.
[00:03:23] Speaker A: Oh, tell me about it. This guy got me really excited.
[00:03:25] Speaker B: We're talking Public Enemy, Public Enemy, Chuck D, Flavor Flav. Actual architects of the genre on the bill.
[00:03:33] Speaker A: Incredible. And what's the Memphis connection there? Because that feels significant.
[00:03:37] Speaker B: Hugely significant. Public Enemy sound, especially early on, was built on sampling, and they sampled Stack's records heavily.
[00:03:45] Speaker A: Ah, okay. Stack Stacks. Makes perfect sense.
[00:03:48] Speaker B: Yeah. The festival organizers were even saying, like, Public Enemy might hold the record for sampling the most Memphis music. Think about that.
[00:03:55] Speaker A: Wow. That's a deep connection. Taking those foundational Memphis sounds and just, boom. Creating something entirely new.
[00:04:02] Speaker B: Exactly. It shows how far that Memphis influence reaches.
[00:04:05] Speaker A: That's awesome. And it doesn't stop there for hip hop. Right?
[00:04:07] Speaker B: Oh, they've also got Ludacris.
[00:04:09] Speaker A: Luda. Okay, that's going to be fun. All those hits.
[00:04:11] Speaker B: Total crowd pleasers. And Busta Rhymes.
[00:04:14] Speaker A: What? Busta the energy. Okay. This hip hop lineup is seriously stacked. Legends.
[00:04:22] Speaker B: It's a really curated, powerful selection. But you know what I think is also really, really cool is how much they're focusing on the local Memphis scene too.
[00:04:31] Speaker A: Yes, I noticed that too. This isn't just about the big touring acts. They're digging into the city's own talent.
[00:04:37] Speaker B: Totally. It feels like they're genuinely celebrating Memphis music past and present. Like, you've got the Memphis All Stars on the lineup, right?
[00:04:43] Speaker A: And Al Capone. And I heard the Gangster Party is like a legendary Memphis thing. We should try and catch that.
[00:04:48] Speaker B: Oh, definitely. Gotta put that on the schedule. Plus, Spanish Fly is playing and then there's this really special blues experience.
[00:04:56] Speaker A: Ooh, tell me more. Where?
[00:04:58] Speaker B: At Royal Studios. The actual legendary Royal Studios.
[00:05:02] Speaker A: No way. That's incredible. Who's playing?
[00:05:04] Speaker B: Get this Bobby Rush.
[00:05:05] Speaker A: Bobby Rush. He just won another Grammy, didn't he? And he's what, in his 90s?
[00:05:09] Speaker B: Yep. Fresh off a Grammy win. The man is unstoppable. A living legend, playing at a legendary studio that is.
[00:05:17] Speaker A: That's history right there. We have to see that.
[00:05:20] Speaker B: Absolutely. And it's not just him. The lineup for that Royal studio set includes Swain, Kenny Brown, Gary Burnside, Kenny Kimbrough.
[00:05:28] Speaker A: Wow. That's like blues royalty and lineage. Seriously impressive.
[00:05:31] Speaker B: It really shows they're committed. You know, the organizers sound really proud of featuring local bands. They've even partnered with local radio like WFXR to get local DJs involved.
[00:05:41] Speaker A: That's great. It makes it feel really rooted. City, not just dropped in from somewhere else.
[00:05:45] Speaker B: Exactly. It feels like a really holistic approach, celebrating the whole Memphis music world.
[00:05:51] Speaker A: It just feels so thoughtful. The whole booking philosophy. We talked about the why behind the artists.
[00:05:57] Speaker B: Yeah. That Memphis intrinsic or connection thing seems to be the thread pulling it all together. Missy Sampling and Peebles.
[00:06:04] Speaker A: Right. Anderson Pink referencing Memphis artists.
[00:06:07] Speaker B: Public enemies. Deep dives into stacks. It connects everything. It gives the festival a real identity.
[00:06:14] Speaker A: I think it does. It feels like more than just a collection of bands. There's a story there. Now, the folks putting this on Memphon Presents, they have experience. Right. This isn't their first rodeo.
[00:06:24] Speaker B: Correct. They've run successful events before, and it sounds like they're really aiming to build on that with Riverbeat. You get the sense they want this to be like a really premium experience.
[00:06:34] Speaker A: Yeah, what makes you say that?
[00:06:36] Speaker B: Well, there have even been comparisons thrown around to, like, the vibe of Coachella. Not necessarily the scale, but the idea of a curated boutique festival, all ages. The kind of place where even local musicians just want to go hang out as fans.
[00:06:51] Speaker A: Okay, that's a cool comparison. Suggests a focus on the overall atmosphere, not just packing people in. Quality over quantity, maybe.
[00:06:58] Speaker B: Seems like it. They sound genuinely excited about creating something unique and building on their past success. Success? Like they want to make Riverbeat the place to be.
[00:07:06] Speaker A: Well, I'm sold. Okay, so for everyone listening who's now thinking, okay, I need to check this out. What are the practical bits? Tickets info.
[00:07:13] Speaker B: Good point. Crucial stuff right now. Three day general admission passes and VIP passes are on sale.
[00:07:19] Speaker A: Okay, three day available now. Where?
[00:07:21] Speaker B: Head to riverbeat.com. that's the official site. Riverbeat.com.
[00:07:26] Speaker A: Got it. And what if someone can only make it for one day?
[00:07:29] Speaker B: They've said single day tickets will be available, but later on. No date announced for those yet.
[00:07:35] Speaker A: Okay. So if you know you want the whole weekend experience, grabbing the three day pass now is probably the move.
[00:07:41] Speaker B: Seems like the safest bet. Yeah.
[00:07:42] Speaker A: And how do we keep track of when those single day tickets drop or get other updates?
[00:07:48] Speaker B: Best way, go to the website riverbeat.com and sign up for their mailing list. That's usually the most direct line for official news and announcements.
[00:07:56] Speaker A: Smart. Always good to be on the list. What about merch? Can people grab a T shirt or something already?
[00:08:03] Speaker B: Yep. They actually have commemorative Riverbeat merchandise up on the website for sale right now, too.
[00:08:08] Speaker A: Nice. Get the gear early.
[00:08:10] Speaker B: Might as well. And you know, we should also give a quick shout out to the sponsors. An event like this needs community support.
[00:08:16] Speaker A: Absolutely. Big thanks to them for helping make it happen. It shows the cities behind it too.
[00:08:21] Speaker B: For sure. Strong local partnerships are key for something this ambitious.
[00:08:25] Speaker A: Man. Okay. After going through all this, I was already excited, but now I am seriously looking forward to experiencing this Riverbeat at the new Tom Lee Park.
It just sounds incredible.
[00:08:39] Speaker B: It really does. That combination, major national acts, you know, the headliners we talked about, combined with that deep, deep Memphis musical history and the current local scene, It's a really compelling mix.
[00:08:51] Speaker A: Yeah, it feels like it's going to be more than just like seeing bands. It's a whole celebration of Memphis culture. It's music. How it connects to everything else. You really feel the intention behind it.
[00:09:02] Speaker B: Makes you think, doesn't it? For you listening, maybe this blend of incredible music, that stunning new park setting.
[00:09:09] Speaker A: Right.
[00:09:10] Speaker B: Maybe this is the festival experience you've been looking for.
[00:09:12] Speaker A: It really could be. I definitely think everyone should head over to riverbeat.com take a good look at that lineup we just broke down and seriously consider making the trip to Memphis next May. I think we might see you there.
[00:09:22] Speaker B: Absolutely. Check it out. It looks like it's shaping up to be something truly special.
