The Memphis Music and Heritage Festival also celebrates the visual arts as well, with exhibits both indoors and out on the Main Street Mall, 9/1/12
Bands
The Booker T. Washington Drumline Performs at BTW Stadium
#011 BTW Drumline (by jdoggtn7)
The Booker T. Washington High School drumline performs in the stands at their game against Westwood at Booker T. Washington Stadium in South Memphis, 8/31/12
(Source: http://www.youtube.com/)
Westwood High School Drumline Plays a Cadence at BTW
#010 Westwood Drumline (by jdoggtn7)
The Westwood High School drumline performs at Booker T. Washington Stadium, Memphis TN, 8/31/12
(Source: http://www.youtube.com/)
Booker T. Washington Drumline Marches Into BTW Stadium, South Memphis
#008 BTW Drumline (by jdoggtn7)
The Booker T. Washington High School band marches into BTW Stadium to the cadence of their drumline, South Memphis, 8/31/12
(Source: http://www.youtube.com/)
Westwood High School Drumline at BTW
#007 Westwood Drumline (by jdoggtn7)
The Westwood High School drumlines plays a cadence toward the BTW stands at Booker T. Washington Stadium in South Memphis, 8/31/12
(Source: http://www.youtube.com/)
The Westwood High School Longhorn Band Marches Into BTW Stadium
#004 Westwood Drumline (by jdoggtn7)
The Westwood High School drumline leads the band into Booker T. Washington stadium in South Memphis, 8/31/12
(Source: http://www.youtube.com/)
MIAA Football: Westwood at BTW, Memphis
Memphis’ Booker T. Washington Stadium is arguably the second-oldest in the city after Crump Stadium, behind Central High School, although the latter has had a complete renovation in recent years. Much has changed in the surrounding neighborhood, including the demolition of Cleaborn Homes and Foote Homes, but crowds still turn out to support the Booker T. Washington Warriors, the oldest Black high school in Memphis. This year, BTW seems to have a decent marching band, with a first-rate drumline. Westwood, on the other hand, is a pathetic shadow of its former life, when, in the 80’s and early 90’s, it used to march over a hundred band members. Open enrollment, and outmigration from the neighborhood have devastated it. Still, the Longhorns have a small marching band that seems well-trained and which might become the foundation of a rebuilding. Only time will tell.Â
The New (Elite) Sunflower River Blues and Gospel Festival
Despite almost perfect weather, this year’s Sunflower River Blues and Gospel Festival seemed extremely small compared to previous years, with only one stage of performances, and that blocked by a new fenced-in compound with tables and chairs presumably reserved for wealthy donors or paying ticket-holders. Since the compound was nearly-empty, performers got the dubious pleasure of performing to the empty tables in front of the stage, since the crowd was in the free area to the east closer to the Blues Museum.Â
Nancy Apple and special guest Redd Velvet Live at Central BBQ
Last Sunday, the blues singer Redd Velvet and I headed down to Central Bar-B-Que in Midtown Memphis to check out an outdoor performance by Memphis folk/rock artist Nancy Apple and her band. It was great food, great fun and great music. 7/8/12