Following a particularly notable July, August is looking to be another strong month for live music in the M-Town as superstars such as Drake and Chris Stapleton are slated to visit. But with all due respect to those fellas, we’ve decided to highlight some shows that may have flown under your radar. Here are our picks for the 5 must-see live music events in August.
Curren$y & Starlito
Minglewood Hall
7PM on Saturday, August 5
Since 2010, when he climbed out of the wreckage of No Limit Records to launch a lauded solo career, Curren$y has been New Orlean’s most successful rapper not named Lil Wayne. With his smart lyrics and chilled-out stoner vibes, “the hot spitta” has become a fan favorite and a master of the mixtape. He’ll be joined on his Memphis date by Nashville’s Starlito, an underrated talent whose series of “Step Brother” mixtapes with Memphis rapper Don Trip have become underground classics.
Elvis Week 2023
Graceland (and other locations)
August 9-17
Ready or not, here they come! The “they,” of course, referring to the throngs of tourists and Elvis fanatics who annually descend on the city to celebrate the life of the late King of Rock n Roll. As always, the week is chocked full of events around the city. Elvis Week 2023 highlights include the “Aloha from Hawaii” 50th Anniversary Concert featuring Elvis on the big screen backed by a live band; the annual Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest and performances by many of EPE’s past Ultimate winners; and, as always, the annual Candlelight Vigil on August 15 where fans gather in quiet remembrance of the king.
The F.O.R.C.E. Live
FedEx Forum
8PM on Tuesday, August 22
I’ll be honest…I’m generally a bit luke-warm on large-scale nostalgia tours, but the line-up to L.L. Cool J’s the F.O.R.C.E. Live tour is simply too good to overlook. Backed by the legendary Roots crew, the tour features a list of all-time greats including Salt-N-Pepa, Queen Latifah, Rakim, Common, MC Lyte, Method Man & Redman, Big Boi, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Ice T, Juvenile, Doug E. Fresh, Slick Rick, De La Soul, Goodie Mob, Jadakiss, Rick Ross and more. While nothing’s ever guaranteed, it’s hard to imagine a show with this much star power not delivering.
The PRVLG
The Green Room at Crosstown Arts
7:30PM on Friday, August 25
At this point, you’re almost certainly familiar with the retro-modern sound of Memphis’ The PRVLG, the funky duo composed of twin brothers Christian and Christopher Underwood. Having recently relocated to Los Angeles, this upcoming show at the Green Room will be a bit of a homecoming of sorts, which is always a good sign for a high-energy show. The duo have apparently been working on a new album, so expect some new tunes alongside older favorites.
Sweatfest
Shangri-La Records
1PM on Saturday, August 26
During the dog days of summer, outdoor live music events in Memphis tend to dry up like an neglected, unwatered plant. However, every August, the sadists at Shangri-La records laugh in the face of the sweltering sun at their annual Sweatfest, an all-day festival and sale that brings some of the city’s most exciting bands together for a fun-filled (and sweaty) day of music, vinyl, and beer. While the line-up for this year’s fest has yet to be released, I can guarantee that you won’t want to miss out…just be sure to wear your sunscreen!
