Photo by Mark Weber, buyitnow // Buy this photo
On a wet second day of Beale St. Music Fest Dan Werling, left, from San Antonio and Jenni Platt, middle, from England thought they'd bring a little sunshine while checking out Jump Back Jake on the Sam's Town Stage Saturday afternoon. The couple found some tropical gear at the dollar store while getting ponchos for the rainy weather.
The name of the rap artist Muck Sticky was not, as his devoted followers know, inspired by the many, many years he came to the Beale Street Music Festival and watched concerts while standing in pools of mud.
“You definitely need the right attitude to be here,” he said backstage in his trailer after delivering a set of stoner-fabulous songs to an audience shrouded in ponchos and parkas. “You look at the forecast two or three days in advance and you just know you’re going to be there regardless.”
Photo by Mark Weber
(for Sale) 2 May 2009 (mwmusic1) Photo by Mark Weber - Muck Sticky, middle, performs with his mother Mama Sticky, left, and Hollywood, right, at the Budweiser Stage on the second day of Beale St. Music Fest.
In a festival renowned for its washouts, Saturday’s Memphis in May Beale Street Music Festival was a particularly gray event, with daylong drizzle after a night of heavy downpours.
“Obviously it hurts us,” Diane Hampton, executive vice president of Memphis in May, said of the expected dip in attendance, though she did not have exact gate tallies. “But this is the best kind of rain you can have. No lightning, no wind. And the mud isn’t half as bad as previous years.”
It was a banner day for the blues, however. Under the big top at the north end of the park, crowds gathered to get in out of the rain and relax on dry chairs.
They were rewarded with Memphis music like it used to be. Bluesman Hubert Sumlin, 77, included on Rolling Stone’s list of 100 greatest guitarists of all time, took the stage with local harmonica virtuoso Billy Gibson. The duo cranked out some moody licks, then brought on their surprise guest.
Elvis Costello, scheduled to play later that evening, leaped onto the stage and got the crowd dancing with a single tune.
“The music that I love comes from down here (in the South),” he said behind the scenes. “It took me a long time to get down here to appreciate it. I thought it might be tactless, you know? Disrespectful. An Englishman coming down here, singing blues.”
For members of the band Chancho en Piedra, visiting from this year’s honored country, Chile, the weather wasn’t as bad as the bone-chilling rain they get back home. In fact, they were excited to be in Memphis, where they’ve been soaking up the local culture and indulging in the barbecue.
“I was not this fat yesterday,” said lead singer Lalo (Eduardo Ibeas), grabbing his belly.
The band name, Chancho en Piedra, is the sauce Chileans use on their barbecued pork.
On Monday, they plan to visit Graceland, the Stax Museum, then record a song at Sun Studio.
“When we get back to Chile and make our ninth album, you will definitely be able to say that Memphis will be on it,” said guitarist Pablo Ilabaca. “Every place you go has its own original style of folk music. But only in Memphis is the folk music rock and roll.”
In the audience, Amdrea Munoz and Carlos Cruces held up Chilean flags and sung all the words to the band’s songs.
“These guys are really famous in my home country,” Munoz said. “ We came out here for this band.”
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