Beale Street Music Festival Features WSP, Alice In Chains, Flaming Lips

Music aficionados, ethnomusicologists and even just camera-toting tourists all know Beale Street in Memphis, Tenn. as one of the true epicenters of American blues. But, in recent years, the street has also become famous for hosting top shelf bands from an increasingly eclectic mix of genres during its annual Beale Street Music Festival each May.

This year's Beale Street Music Festival is as varied as ever. The headliners during the three nights of the event will be Widespread Panic (pictured), Alice In Chains and Earth, Wind & Fire, respectively. Above and beyond those anchors, there are a number of other marquee acts and, indeed, there's something for everyone -- the Flaming Lips, Limp Bizkit, Jeff Beck, B-52s, Band of Horses, Bret Michaels, Drive-By Truckers, Hall & Oates, Puddle of Mudd and Jerry Lee Lewis represent just a sampling of the complete lineup.

For those who like irony served with their Memphis BBQ, chew on this: Beale Street Music Festival actually takes place in Tom Lee Park in downtown Memphis and not on Beale Street itself. Also, the event is produced by Memphis In May, which presents several other key events in the city during May. Strictly speaking, though, Beale Street Music Festival actually starts on April 30 (and runs through May 2). We would say "close but no cigar," however, if you take a look at the complete lineup and details, we'd say they pretty much nailed what they were going for.