MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Friday night, music fans will be rocking out to live tunes at Memphis in May’s Beale Street Musical Festival in the newly renovated Tom Lee Park. but none of it would be possible without the people working behind the scenes.
WREG’s Quametra Wilborn gives us a sneak peek into all the work that goes into the show — and it’s a lot of work. From audio to lighting to visuals, everything must be perfect.
Randy Blevins, Vice President of Marketing for Memphis in May, says the experience has been like orchestrating a ballet. It’s a tough job that takes months to plan but only a week to set up.
“Just one of these stages for three days, I’d like to say, is considered a festival in itself. That’s a lot of music,” Blevins said.
The festival will be held in the newly renovated and redesigned Tom Lee Park for the first time since 2019.
Three stages are set up throughout the park to accommodate the long list of artists and their excited fans.
“You end up with a festival site with production that’s ready to receive A-list artists that are expecting, you know, spot-on technical equipment, top-of-the-line technical gear, professional sound and lighting,” Blevins said.
Blevins says every detail right down to where the vendors, portable bathrooms, and emergency exits was strategically planned to fit the new layout of the park.
He says their focus was to create the most entertaining and safe as possible for festival-goers.
“We’re selling tickets to people from all across the country and from around the world coming to Memphis, Tennessee this weekend just to come to this festival. That’s something we take pride in,” he said.
Jay Waller and his production company Stage Pro have spent months working alongside Memphis in May organizers to make this year’s Beale Street Music Festival one to remember.
“To me, when it’s all done to sit there and go, yea we did that,” Waller said.
Tickets can still be bought online but you can also buy them at the gate.
