There’s another act just announced for the Sunset Symphony lineup.

The Four Tops and the Memphis Symphony Orchestra are headlining, of course, but Memphis in May just confirmed that the guy known for last year’s accompaniment of Patti Page on her re-recording of her 1950 hit “Tennessee Waltz” will perform. You may actually know him better as the senior senator from Tennessee, former governor, former U.S. Secretary of Education and guy who likes flannel shirts, Lamar Alexander.

He last tickled the ivories at the sunset event in 1982 when he was governor. He may have been too busy to add much material to his rep since he’s doing an encore of the medley of Memphis music he did back then.

But that’s OK. Any politician who can be associated with the Tennessee Waltz and come out looking good is going to be a crowd pleaser.

He was in fine form and rocked the crowd. Sometimes, though, his songs were just a little sad — poignant even. But he’s still The Killer, so get outta the way.

…working …working …working …

Yes. I do like Umphrey’s McGee.

Because they are confused. I like that. I can relate to that.

Bands like them usually pull a few particular hardcore followers, and it was one of those I sought. (The crowd was actually pretty sparse for the Budweiser Stage, for how nice the weather is.)

I was looking for a tour rat, or at least a college kid writing down the setlist. What I found was my 18-year-old cousin Carter Watson, who confirmed what I had suspected as soon as I walked within earshot.

What was going on was pretty much improvised.

You can tell by the changing key centers, general sense of uncertainty, and causal glances among band members. But it sounded like a song.

Click here and you can see for yourself.

“They have kind of been playing ‘In the Kitchen,’ but it’s been going on for at least 20 minutes,” he said.

The jam heavy segments were interspersed with dynamic tempo changes, more melodic vocal sections and some lounge actish goofiness that, yes, reminds me of Phish. There I said it.

But it wasn’t the same bit, Anymore than George Carlin is the same bit as Lewis Black.
Not really even close.
There are just… similarities.

Most of the show was wound up pretty tightly.

It’s not everyone’s bag, but hey, what is?

I was impressed with both the technical virtuosity and multi-layered cohesiveness of the presentation.

See? I like stuff sometimes!

This might be it for me campers.
I’m thinking about bailing on Fergie and the Black Crows.

No offense intended to either.

I’m just about BSMFed out.

Thanks to everyone who helped this go so smoothly this year.

Cheers.

I just heard Finger Eleven play their ultrasupermegahit “Paralyzer” with bits of Led Zeppelin (“Talk About Love” “Trampled Under Foot”*) and Pink Floyd (”Another Brick in the Wall”) songs stuck in there like the balogna inside a headbanging sandwich.

Can they do that? Is that allowed?

Well, the crowd seemed to enjoy it.

So, okay. I’ll let it slide.
edit, 10:40 p.m. * Wow, enormous brain fart there. And no, you cannot have any of what I’m smoking.

One of the day’s most anticipated acts is onstage at this very moment. Wearing a white gown and wrapped in a blue feather boa, Aretha Franklin took the stage to one of the largest crowds of the day. She also has one of the biggest musical ensembles with her, including a handful of backing singers and a large brass section.

Backstage, the Queen of Soul indeed received royal treatment as fans, volunteers, and local luminaries gathered to watch her make her way to the stage. Mayor Willie Herenton was carrying a bag containing the Key to the City — to be presented shortly. Also backstage: Memphis mafia member and television show host George Klein and Coach Cal of the Memphis Tigers. 

Overheard backstage was the Mayor saying he’d like to reclaim her legacy from Detroit where she grew up and recorded. Franklin is a Memphis native. 

the contest for “who can have most women dance on stage with him.”

Usually that honor goes to a rapper.

I guess it doesn’t hurt if you play 10 or 12 shows.

Whatever, he still wins.

Internet, I’ve discovered why I don’t care so much for jam bands. I was watching Umphreys McGee just a bit ago, and I was really enjoying all the pasty white folks doing their swaying pasty white folk dance (you know the one), when it occurred to me that I had been listening to the same song for at least ten minutes. Except that it sounded nothing like the song that I had begun listening to and in fact could have become three or four different songs but was still the same godforsaken song that it was ten minutes before. And then I began to wonder if the song was ever going to end, or if UM just plays one incredibly long song per show. And then I started to get stressed out. Because don’t they need to take breaks so they can reach up and wipe the sweat from their brows? What if a bee landed on the drummer’s nose? What if they picked a song to play for their one-song set and no one liked it? What if people left before the end of the one and only song? How would they ever know how it ended? WHAT ABOUT CLOSURE?!?

This is why people drink at these festivals: KILL THE BRAIN CELLS, KILL THE STUPID THOUGHTS.

First you get an expert like Tony Thomas who has done it half a dozen times before for Jerry Lee Lewis. Here he reveals a few other tricks to keep on rockin’.

Just a few weeks ago rockabilly pioneer Billy Lee Riley had a hip replacement followed by multiple bypass surgery. If you know him, you’d know that wouldn’t stop him from making yet another BSMF appearance. He gives us the exclusive lowdown here.

Calvin Cooke of Detroit, has been called the “B.B. King of gospel steel guitar.” Well, make up your own label, he is one awesome practitioner of the steel guitar and here’s a sampling from his stint Sunday at the Tennessee Lottery Blues Tent.