Last week’s New York Times article focusing on the independent music scene in Memphis held special significance for us since several Lokionites are intimately involved in that normally-overlooked part of the musical landscape.
Chloe O’Hearn, a Lokion project manager, and Shiloh Barnat, Director of User Experience, are both board members of Rock-n-Romp, a national group whose local chapters host live music shows for families.
“Everybody knows Memphis is the birthplace of rock and roll. And lots of people move or stay here because it’s a good place to raise kids,” Barnat said. “But you don’t stop rockin’ when you become a parent — it just gets harder to get out late. Rock-n-Romp is one of my favorite things about living in Memphis because it brings the city’s awesome music scene into the daylight hours. It’s like ParentPalooza.”
Lokion’s Director of Project Management, Patrick Miller, and his band The Stand Ins have a regular monthly gig at the Buccaneer Bar (mentioned in the Times piece). Like the juke joints spotlighted in the 2003 film “Last of the Mississippi Jukes,” if musicians want to play at the Bucc, all they have to do is ask – leading to a unique collaborative musical environment.
“Memphis musicians are all about each other. They share in recording, venues, even bands. We share our drummer with another band and our bass player is in two or three different outfits. We’ve played with several different Memphis groups at the Buccaneer, and they’re all incredibly diverse,” Miller said. “It’s a family. I haven’t met anyone yet on this scene I didn’t call a friend within weeks.”
That sense of community extends to the underground dance scene as well. Sean O’Daniels, a Lokion developer, is a popular underground dance DJ who regularly performs throughout the city.
“In the 20 years I have been a DJ in Memphis, I have been a part of a scene whose knowledge and passion rivals those of bigger cities,” he said. “In general, underground dance is not as highlighted in the US as much as it is overseas, yet it thrives here in Memphis. It’s amazing to me that the musical depth which makes this city famous can permeate and fuel the lesser-known genres.”
Miller agrees. He moved to Memphis from the San Francisco Bay Area and didn’t think his stay would be a long one – but his experiences within the local music community made him reconsider.
“I am proud and happy to be a part of this family, and it’s changed my whole perspective on Memphis. It’s one of the best things about living here, and I’m convinced it’s the thing we should talk about the loudest.”
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