Photos & Videos: 2016 Beale Street Music Festival

Images by: Paul Giunta

Beale Street Music Festival :: 4.29 – 5.1.16 :: Memphis, TN

This weekend Tom Lee Park in Downtown Memphis, Tennessee hosted the 2016 Beale Street Music Festival. On Friday, April 29 the long running annual event got underway with sets by The Struts and Young The Giant. Multi-instrumentalist Grace Potter also appeared with her solo band as did legendary vocalist Mavis Staples. Headlining Friday night was Train, Weezer and Neil Young + Promise Of The Real. Young and the Nelson boys treated festivals goers to a 40+ minute rendition of his classic “Down By The River” to open the their set (see video below).

The action on Saturday, April 30 was highlighted by performance from hip-hop icons Cypress Hill and veteran rock band Los Lobos. There was plenty of electric guitar on display as Luther Dickinson’s set was followed by six-string specialist Ana Popovic. Saturday also featured local rapper Yo Gotti and a headlining set from rockers Modest Mouse.

Sunday’s May Day performances included a set by folk-rock duo Indigo Girls as well as from up-and-coming roots-rockers Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats. Keyboardist Marco Benevento was on hand to fill-in with Dan Auerbach’s current project The Arcs. Others filling the stages on Sunday included rockers Blackberry Smoke and Courtney Barnett. Among the last day headlining sets were appearances by acclaimed singer-songwriter Paul Simon and alternative stalwart Beck who paid tribute to Prince with a cover of “Raspberry Beret.” Photographer Paul Giunta was in Memphis this weekend, view his gallery and audience-shot videos from the festival below:

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”253″ gal_title=”20160501 Beale Street Giunta”]

Videos

[Down By The River – Neil Young + Promise Of The Real | Captured by Wolfstar69]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RI2ey2g8pcM

[50 Ways To Leave Your Lover – Paul Simon | Captured by Ekaterina Valuiskaya]

[Raspberry Beret – Beck | Captured by Goseelivemusic]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JJw9xwdjW4