It’s springtime in Memphis, which means that we’re gearing up for our much celebrated free annual day party honoring the memory of former owner and fearless leader, Jared McStay. Each year we aim to include a number of bands and musicians who were contemporaries of Jared (aka Jughead), as well as bands and artists he enjoyed. There’s never any shortage of those, but we’re excited about the lineup for this year and know he would be as well. Here’s a quick overview of who’s gonna be rocking the Shangri-La parking lot stadium from 2-6 pm the afternoon of Saturday, April 25th for Jugfest III:
Impala – grimey R&B and surf driven garage jams that will be sure to get your feet moving. From slow burners to reverb-laden fuzzy sprints, Impala tunes are always the soundtrack to a cult classic movie you really need to see. They were ’90s scene stalwarts, with a number of great albums to their credit, all the way back when bassist Scott Bomar was a Shangri-La employee in the time before he became a sought after record producer. If you haven’t heard their most recent LP and 45 releases, we got you covered.
Laundry Bats – a punked out midtown Memphis rock and roll band if ever there was one. Founded by Greg Cartwright (The Oblivions, Reigning Sound, Hypos), Jack Yarber (Oblivions, Compulsive Gamblers, Jack Oblivion), and Abe White (Manateees, True Sons of Thunder), these guys have been there, seen it all, and done it – twice each! They dropped their debut record last year that you probably need in your life sooner than later as Hozac has sold out of copies and this gig may be your only chance.
Toby Vest – one half of the High/Low Recording team, one half of the Vest brothers unit that powered innumerable acts over the last couple decades, and one half the glue that holds the cosmos together, Toby is one of our absolute favorites and we don’t get to hear him enough. The mastermind behind so many great locally produced albums, it’s always a thrill when Toby steps out from behind the mixing console and gets behind a mic to share his own sonic creations. He’s got a fresh album, Minutes or Millenia, dropping the day before Jugfest, so strap in and get ready to discover some new favorites.
We Live on the New Madrid – we’re extra excited to be hosting the debut live performance from this new project from Justin Fox Burks (Halfacre Gunroom, Perfect Vessels) and Justin Thompson (Impala!), as well as Grifters fave, Tripp Lamkins. The group’s songs are instrumental, featuring dramatic and cinematic soundscapes that follow their many muses into places you might not expect. A limited edition debut EP has been released on cassette just this past month and is available at the shop for those who act quickly.
So Gung Ho – in the first public performance by the band since Jared’s passing, his multi-talented, multi-instrumentalist better half Lori McStay will be joining the band in Jared’s place. We absolutely can’t wait to hear material from their lone album reimagined with Lori guiding them into new territory. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to catch a band so hip that they have their own theme song(s)!
In addition to the bands playing from 2-6 pm, we’ll have TONS of LPs, 45s, CDs, DVDs, and more at bargain basement prices! Discount records will be available outside starting at 11 am, but we’ll be adding to the stockpile throughout the day for those arriving later. Either way, you should be able to fill up a bag on the cheap with $1-$5 discounts all day. We’ll also have cold beverages available from our friends at Soul & Spirits, so plan accordingly. You’ve got the info now so it’s up to you to mark your calendar, and we’ll look forward to seeing you at the shop on Saturday, April 25, for Jugfest III!
