Memphis PowerPop Festival
THE SMITHEREENS
with special guests
The Sonny Wilsons
Your Academy
Joybomb
Saturday, September 5, 2026
5pm - 9pm
Overton Park Shell
What’s the big deal?
Growing up in Memphis, you were constantly reminded of the musical heritage of our city. Rhythm and blues, soul, gospel, funk, rockabilly, rap, and of course that guy with the swivel hips and sneer.
Incredibly, there was more. Go back in time and get your hands on your college cassette collection and you’ll probably find a healthy dose of R.E.M., The Replacements, and Let’s Active. Fast forward another decade or two, and thumb through those scratched up Matthew Sweet, Posies, Teenage Fanclub and Lemonheads compact discs. What do these bands have to do with Memphis? They all cite Memphis’ own Big Star, as a defining influence in their development.
‘Power Pop’ music is rooted in the harmonic structure of the Beatles and Beach Boys with the harder edge of The Who at its core. Memphis' own Big Star soaked it in and added their own spin, drawing upon the melting pot that is the local music scene. The result was a three album catalog from the 1970’s that to this day is in Rolling Stones 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
It’s that legacy, and really Memphis’ musical legacy, we are celebrating through the festival.
SPONSORS
The Memphis PowerPop Festival has a dual mission: Bring the best power pop acts back to the town that played such an influential role in shaping the genre while keeping the show free for the fans. We are very grateful for the support of the Overton Park Shell and Orion Financial for making us part of their free concert series, but we can’t do that without the help of some friends.
We’d like to take to thank our generous sponsors for helping us realize this goal. You can thank them too through your patronage. Visit them on the web (or in person!)
Welcome to Our World
We believe in creating meaningful experiences that inspire and connect. Let us help you bring your vision to life.
Quality First
We deliver exceptional results in everything we do, ensuring your satisfaction at every step.
Expert Care
Our experienced team brings skill and passion to every project, no matter the size.
Real Results
Proven outcomes that speak for themselves and make a meaningful difference for your business.
Welcome to Our World
We believe in creating meaningful experiences that inspire and connect. Let us help you bring your vision to life.
Quality First
We deliver exceptional results in everything we do, ensuring your satisfaction at every step.
Expert Care
Our experienced team brings skill and passion to every project, no matter the size.
Real Results
Proven outcomes that speak for themselves and make a meaningful difference for your business.
Welcome to Our World
We believe in creating meaningful experiences that inspire and connect. Let us help you bring your vision to life.
Quality First
We deliver exceptional results in everything we do, ensuring your satisfaction at every step.
Expert Care
Our experienced team brings skill and passion to every project, no matter the size.
Real Results
Proven outcomes that speak for themselves and make a meaningful difference for your business.
Welcome to Our World
We believe in creating meaningful experiences that inspire and connect. Let us help you bring your vision to life.
Quality First
We deliver exceptional results in everything we do, ensuring your satisfaction at every step.
Expert Care
Our experienced team brings skill and passion to every project, no matter the size.
Real Results
Proven outcomes that speak for themselves and make a meaningful difference for your business.
Past events
September 6, 2025- The Connells with The Sonny Wilsons and Your Academy
August 31, 2024 - Matthew Sweet with The Sonny Wilsons and Abe Partridge.
September 2, 2023 - The Baseball Project with The Sonny Wilsons
September 2022 - A Tribute to Chris Bell, featuring Jody Stephens, Jon Auer, Van Duren, Your Academy and The Sonny Wilsons.
Venue Information
Please visit https://overtonparkshell.org/visitor-experience for information relating to parking, seating, food and beverage options as well as venue rules.