Mempho Music Festival day two brought more variety and more great artists to go with the amazing weather at the Radians Amphitheater.
Jerry Joseph & The Jackmormons got the music started on day two with three short sets from the Shell on Wheels stage. Joseph’s prolific release history (with the Jackmormons and otherwise) provided plenty of content to get the job done. The power trio brought pure sonic energy to the early arriving crowd, with intense lyrics to go with the strong backing groove. Jerry Joseph’s most recent solo release, Baby, You’re The Man Who Would Be King, is available now.
Things got going at the Bud Light stage where Karina Rykman put on one of the best performances of the weekend. Across “45 minutes of glory,” as Rykman put it, the band put together an amazingly fun set. Accompanied by excellent guitar work and solid drumming, Rykman’s gold-sparkle bass provided the main instrumental force of the songs. She was constantly connecting with her band members as well as that audience, and has unbound charisma that is infectious to anyone watching her perform. Memphis fans no doubt enjoyed Karina Rykman’s first-ever stop in the Bluff City, and she no doubt left with more fans than she had when she arrived. The variety of artists expanded at Mempho Fest day two as Digable Planets took to the Adams Keegan stage. The pioneering hip-hop group provided a great change of pace to what had been heard at the festival so far. Most of the set highlights came courtesy of their 1993 debut, Reachin’ (A New Refutation of Time and Space). “Pacifics” got the crowd involved with the “New York is red hot” chorus and “What Cool Breezes Do” topped off a great set. It’s no wonder people are still coming out to see this group, now 30 years removed from their debut. The Bud Light stage welcomed rock royalty as Warren Haynes hit the first note on his Les Paul. Haynes is well known for his work with the Allman Brothers, Gov’t Mule, and his own Warren Haynes Band. Haynes’ guitar work usually steals the show, but his voice is drastically underrated as he showed throughout a set that included old Gov’t Mule favorites as well cuts from the current Warren Haynes Band. Crowd favorites included “Banks of The Deep End,” “Tear Me Down,” and “Sick of My Shadow.” For good measure, the band tossed in one Allman Brothers cover in the form of “Soulshine.” The Warren Haynes Band’s new album, Million Voices Whisper, is available November 1st. Charles Wesley Godwin & The Allegheny High put a charge of energy through the crowd in a jam-packed hour and fifteen-minute set. Godwin has gone through a meteoric rise in the world of country music in the last few years, and it’s easy to see why people are drawn to his music, especially his live performances. The Allegheny High is a well-oiled machine of musicians that has no problem laying back on Godwin’s more intimate songs but can also go right to the edge when the tempo rises. Godwin’s setlist was a perfect mixture of those slower numbers, countered by full-on rockers. A particular crowd favorite moment was Godwin playing “Jamie”, which he collaborated with Zach Bryan on. Showing his true West Virginia roots, Godwin closed the show with a cover of John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads.” You can see Charles Wesley Godwin & The Allegheny High touring the U.S. through December. Building on a great showing from Digable Planets earlier in the day, hip-hop took center stage again as The Roots brought the Mempho crowd to full frenzy. A packed Bud Light stage was fully engaged as the Philadelphia ensemble provided a fully interactive music experience.Until you see it in person, it’s hard to grasp just how big The Roots are, and how big they sound. With the normal instruments you’d think of in a band, they also employ multiple keys and a full brass section (including a tuba). Their unique take on hip-hop makes for a great listening experience, especially with all that sound. The Roots also provide a great experience visually, as members are constantly moving about the stage keeping the crowd engaged in what’s being played. There was not much time for small talk as the band moved from one song to another quickly, keeping an almost constant groove through the entire set.
As the Bud Light stage closed down with a roar of applause from the crowd, Memphis showed The Roots they’re ready to see them back there soon.
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