Gonerfest, the annual music festival put on by Cooper-Young music store Goner Records, turns 15 this month with more than 30 indie bands from around the world slated to perform between September 27-30 at various venues around town, including here in Cooper-Young.
Headliners this year include English singer-songwriter Robyn Hitchcock, punk pioneer Lydia Lunch, and Memphis’ own the Oblivians.
The opening ceremony Thursday, Sept. 27 at 5 p.m. will be held at the Cooper-Young gazebo with New Orleans’ Cajun garage rock act DM Bob. The next day, Friday, Sept. 28, there will be a day concert at Memphis Made Brewing, featuring Chicago’ Ethers and a showcase featuring the Oblivians’ Greg Cartwright and Harlan T. Bobo. The festival’s closing ceremonies on Sunday, September 30 will return to the Cooper-Young gazebo with Mississippi bluesman RL Boyce.
Other performances that are part of the festival include a day show Saturday, Sept. 29th at Murphy’s on Madison highlight by Hitchcock and three nights of music (Sept. 27-29) at the Hi-Tone Café, with Lunch on Friday, the Oblivians on Saturday, and the Carbonas on Saturday.
The music will be framed by showings on Wednesday and Sunday at Studio on the Square of Cooper-Young filmmaker Mike McCarthy’s 1997 opus The Sore Losers, starring Jack Yarber of the Oblivians and Japanese group Guitar Wolf.
Passes good for all official events are $75. Hi-Tone shows are $25 per night. The Memphis Made event is $5. And the Murphy’s day show is $15. Opening and closing ceremonies are free.
For a full lineup or to purchase tickets go to https://www.goner-records.com/gonerfest/
• Outflix, the pioneering film festival organized by the Cooper-Young based LGBTQ community center OUTMemphis, turns 21 this year with its run September 7-13.
The festival will be held at the Ridgeway Cinema Grill, 5853 Ridgeway Center Parkway. A complete schedule of the 13 features, 5 documentaries, and 32 short films in this year’s festival is available online at Outflix.org. Advance tickets to all screening are also available online.
• “FINDS”, an exhibit of unique works curated by 2018 Cooper-Young Festival poster artists Kay Etkin will open September 7 at Etkin’s Cooper-Young studio and run through October 6.
“FINDS” features works from around the world, including local artists, paintings from corporate and private collections, vintage art, antique Mexican retablos, and tribal art. The show runs through October 6. Jay Etkin Gallery is located at 942 South Cooper St. Call 901-550-0064 for more information.
