Each week, the team at We Are Memphis Music brings you our picks for the best upcoming concerts. Here are our picks for the week beginning June 26th!
Jenny and the Mexicats
7:30 PM, Thursday, June 29th
Overton Park Shell
No Cover
Jenny and the Mexicats don’t seem very interested in rules, which is very lucky for us as show-goers. With their lineup a multinational affair, these folks stir up all manner of sonic dust that touches merrily on jazz, flamenco, cumbia, and folk, with lyrics in both Spanish and English. Such a breezy concoction is tailor-made for the Orion free concert series at the Overton Park Shell, as this music practically breathes picnic blankets laid out in the grass, watching stars flicker into view overhead. A proudly-independent affair, the Mexicats are a textbook example of playing with your influences but never swearing allegiance to them, choosing all manner of brilliant colors before splashing the paint dramatically all over the wall. It’s life-affirming music for sure so heck, just go get your life affirmed.
Thelma and the Sleaze
11PM, Friday, June 30th
Bar DKDC
$10
In addition to having one of the greatest band names around, Nashville’s Thelma and the Sleaze prove that not all of the music coming out of the capitol city is edgeless corporate schlock. The all-female queer trio is reminiscent of classic riot grrrl bands such as Bikini Kill and Sleater-Kinney, bringing all of the righteous anger and attitude to their live shows. I first discovered the band at DKDC and have tried to catch them at every opportunity since. While hard-nosed rock n roll may be in a slump at the current moment, Thelma and the Sleaze are carrying the torch
PreauXX w/Unapologetic
7:30pm, Saturday July 1
Overton Park Shell
Free
If you’ve been lucky enough to see any Unapologetic show, you know their live events are anything but ordinary. The collective goes above and beyond, constantly pushing the boundaries for each of their performances. I mean, AWFM performed on top of the box cars at Railgarten with a microphone taped to an ax for Goner Fest – Unapologetic is not fucking around. This Saturday PreauXX, alongside the rest of the team, will bring this exciting, unpredictable energy to the Shell for a free show. And if one thing’s for sure, it’s guaranteed to be next level. Make sure you’ve got your blankets, chairs, and coolers ready for this one.
