RiverBeat Music Festival kicks off in Memphis with Odesza, Yung Gravy, Jai Wolf and more

Music filled Tom Lee Park on Friday as RiverBeat Music Festival officially kicked off.

Things started slowly for Memphis' new music festival. When the gates opened at 4 p.m., only around 100 people entered the park. Opening performances from blues legend Charlie Musselwhite and country guitarist Kenny Brown barely drew a couple dozen people. But as the night went on, Tom Lee Park filled with thousands of music fans.

The three-day festival will bring more than 50 artists of all genres to the Downtown Memphis park — the Fugees, Killer Mike, Jelly Roll and The Band Camino are among some of the bigger names set to take the RiverBeat stage. On Friday, attendees most often said they came to see Yung Gravy, Jai Wolf and especially Odesza, the opening night headliner.

Some enjoyed the scenery that RiverBeat's setup along the Mississippi River offered.

"This is my second time at, I guess it was Beale Street last time, but... it's nicer this time, last time I went it was at the fairgrounds so, I definitely like it," attendee Jamie Guerra said. "I was a little nervous because I didn't know if it was going to be safe, but I feel safe, and it's very pretty [by the river]."

Like many others at RiverBeat, attendee Joshua Reeves primarily came to see Jai Wolf, Odesza and Yung Gravy. Reeves had a unique perspective on RiverBeat, which he described as "the nerdiest answer ever."

"I think the integration of the events into the greenspace, the public space, is awesome," Reeves said. "I'm kind of surprised at the A level talent they got, I'm stoked for that. A lot of places don't get those types of big artists. The Tito's and Red Bull makes me feel like I'm five years younger, so overall I'm having a great time," he said, laughing.

RiverBeat's lineup, which is targeted toward younger crowds, didn't stop people of all ages from attending. The usual bright and glittery festival outfits could be seen everywhere, next to more creative outfits like butterfly wings, suits with blinking lights or a full-body hotdog costume. Many wore boots in anticipation of rain, which thankfully didn't come.

In its first night, RiverBeat attracted festival lovers from outside Memphis, including Little Rock resident Komal Mehara and her husband, Dustin. The parents of two toddlers drove to the Bluff City to see Jai Wolf and Odesza.

"Everything's kind of far apart, so it's a bit of a walk," Mehara said. "But when you think of the music, we loved Jai Wolf, so it's been fun for sure."

Jacob Wilt is a reporter for The Commercial Appeal. You can reach him at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: RiverBeat Music Festival kicks off in Memphis with Odesza, Yung Gravy