The Mempho Music Festival continues to shine as one of the most diverse, fastest rising festivals across the country. The Radians Amphitheater at Memphis Botanic Gardens once again played host to a wide ranging list of musicians from Karina Rykman to Cody Jinks, or Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors to The Roots.
Set between a golf course and lake in the heart of Memphis, the festival is as user friendly as can be. Free parking plus a short walk gets you to the venue. Once inside, the festivalgoer is met with a host of non-musical options. Food, crafts booths, live vinyl pressings, and even a silent disco provide a full buffet of options when you need a break from the music.
The sun shined brightly all three days of the festival. Not a given for an early Memphis October. Mempho has grown tremendously in size and musical talent in a world where other festivals are falling by the wayside. This year’s headliners Cody Jinks, Trey Anastasio, and Jack White are a perfect example of the diversity that courts music fans of all genres.
The music was top notch all weekend. Goose delivered a blazing set night one that gave clear proof why they are getting momentous praise throughout the jam band world. Cory Wong sat in with Goose for a soaring Animal. Wong invited Goose members Ric Mitarotonda and Peter Anspach to sit in during his fast paced Mempho set earlier in the day. Marcus King and Jinks closed out day one with full charged country and rock flavored crowd pleasing performances.
Improvisation was clearly the musical theme for Mempho’s day two. Bassist and uber fast rising musician Karina Rykman dazzled a curious crowd full of first time enthusiasts in her Memphis debut. A fiery 3 p.m. set at “the crack of dawn” according to gregarious Rykman made a bold statement. She, guitarist Adam November, and drummer Chris Corsico are destined for greatness in their musical endeavors. Warren Haynes pulled off an improbable Saturday double header as only he can. After dazzling the Mempho crowd, Haynes and band hopped a private jet to Nashville for another show at the Ryman that night. After sets by Charles Wesley Godwin and the legendary Roots, Phish frontman Trey Anastasio closed out the day with an improv fueled jam session in front of one of the biggest crowds of the weekend.
Mempho 2024’s final day was happily more of the same. Great music mixed with great weather. Diversity was on full display with sets from All Them Witches, Tennessee’s Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors, The Kills, and Sublime with Rome. For many festivalgoers, Mempho saved the best for last. Jack White led a career spanning closing set that zapped whatever energy the crowd had left after three days of dancing, eating, and simply having fun.
Below is a gallery of photos from Mempho 2024.
