Memphis Funk/Soul Group to Kick Off Solid Month Of Free Concerts for 2023 Bridge Street LIVE Series
HOT SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK, Arkansas — The Mighty Souls Brass Band, a funk/soul group from Memphis, will kick off a solid month of free public concerts on June 1 as the 2023 edition of the Bridge Street LIVE series opens in the Bridge Street Entertainment District in downtown Hot Springs.
Bridge Street LIVE will deliver live music, food, drinks, games and family fun every Thursday in June.
“Since 2021, Bridge Street LIVE has quickly become one of my favorite Hot Springs events,” Visit Hot Springs Special Events Manager Alexis Hampo said. “I love to see everyone get together and literally dance in the streets.
“We have a great lineup this year, featuring music spanning an array of genres that are fun for the whole family.
“We luck out this year because there are five Thursdays in the month. Even more fun.”
The 2023 entertainment lineup features:
- June 1 — Mighty Souls Brass Band (Memphis Funk/Soul)
- June 8 — Manhattan (Pop/Dance)
- June 15 — Cliff & Susan's Pink Piano Show (Blues/Rock)
- June 22 — Brian Martin's Mess (Americana/Roots)
- June 29 — Big Piph (Hip Hop), Sean Fresh opens
DJ Couries will spin music each night from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Each Thursday the entertainment district will open at 5 p.m., and the free concert will begin at 7.
There is no admission charge, and lawn chairs are welcome. Pets are allowed if on a leash. There will be games, sprinklers, music and food.
“Sounds like a perfect Hot Springs' block party to me,” Hampo said.
Founder and tuba player/composer Sean Murphy and a group of crack‐shot co‐conspirators are brewing a strong, soulful pot under the moniker Mighty Souls Brass Band, comprising some of Memphis’ most sought‐after musicians, putting a uniquely Memphis spin on a tradition that’s as global in its scope as it is root‐deep in American popular music.
Mighty Souls Brass Band, a rotating collective of composer‐players versed in a multitude of musical traditions, isn’t a soul band, nor is it a funk band, a marching band or a swing band. And yet, depending on where you catch them live, you’ll hear all of those influences, as well as more from around the globe, in the group’s music.
“We’re not interested in just being a bunch of Memphis musicians playing New Orleans‐style brass band music,” Murphy says. “We love that music, and we honor it. But we love Memphis music too, and world music, and we want to pay tribute to that history. And it’s a deep one.”
On any given night the talent represented onstage at a MSBB show can run from five to 14 members deep, showcasing some of the best and most esteemed players in Memphis’ rich performance pool. That elasticity—of personnel, and of the music—allows MSBB to enjoy a lot of flexibility in its arrangements and live performances.
For more information call Alexis Hampo at 501-321-2027.