For its second year, the Music at the Intersection festival is going big, with headliners Erykah Badu and Gary Clark Jr.
Neo-soul singer Badu and rocker Clark will join more than 50 acts performing Sept. 10-11 on four outdoor Grand Center stages, including the Big Top circus tent. A small fourth stage was recently added to plans for the festival.
Other highlights from the lineup include blues legends Buddy Guy and Joe Louis Walker; jazz hipsters Kamasi Washington and Robert Glasper featuring Terrace Martin; soul-funk darling Hiatus Kaiyote; R&B singer BJ the Chicago Kid; Southern rock band JJ Grey & Mofro; Booker T. Jones of Booker T. & the M.G.’s; jazz guitarist John Scofield; old-school R&B act Rose Royce; and rising blues-soul band Southern Avenue.
Among the St. Louis acts on the bill are the Urge, Murphy Lee and Kyjuan, Ptah Williams, Lamar Harris’ Georgia Mae, NandoSTL, the Bosman Twins, Foxing, Reggie Son, Adam Maness and Emily Wallace, the Kasimu-tet, Dylan Triplett, Saint Boogie Brass Band, Soulard Blues Band and Lydia Caesar.
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The festival will also feature tributes to St. Louis legends Tina Turner, Albert King and Henry Townsend, along with a celebration of Montez Coleman, the East St. Louis jazz musician who died in January.
Music at the Intersection made its debut over three days in 2021 with headliners Roy Ayers, Gregory Porter and Lalah Hathaway. Performances were held indoors because of the pandemic, but programming this year moves outdoors.
The new footprint will allow for up to 10,000 attendees each day.
Hiatus Kaiyote
Saint Boogie Brass Band trumpet player Keith Clair performs Feb. 12, 2022, as part of the Brass Band Blowout at the Golden Record.
“Every year our aim is to make this festival more accessible, diverse and multidimensional,” says Chris Hansen, executive director of the Kranzberg Arts Foundation, which produces Music at the Intersection. “In addition to the blues, jazz and heritage genre, which was the core of our lineup last year, we have national to local acts across everything from hip-hop and R&B to indie rock, soul and funk.
“An attendee may buy a ticket with a favorite like Erykah Badu, Buddy Guy or the Urge in mind, but that ticket gets them access to an incredible, dynamic urban music experience — and we hope they explore it all.”
Official ticketed pre-party and after-party concerts will take place inside Grand Center performance venues.
Festival grounds will open at 11 a.m. daily. The event will also include the debut of a Mural Market with live art demonstrations, artist talks, mural walls, high-definition projection mapping and immersive video art; amusements and attractions such as pop-up circus performances, dunking booths and a flying trapeze; and a selection of food trucks.
The Midwest Music Summit, Sept. 9 at .Zack, will connect musicians with the music industry. Five speaker panels will focus on professional development and mentorship, featuring representatives from various pockets of the industry. The event is presented by TuneSpeak and the Recording Academy.
Music at the Intersection tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. March 11 at metrotix.com and at musicattheintersection.org/tickets.
Music at the Intersection 2022
General admission early-bird tickets are $69 for one day and $129 for both days.
“General admission plus” tickets ($175 and $325) include a private bar, indoor restrooms and access to exclusive programming at Sophie’s Artist Lounge. VIP tickets ($350 and $650) include those perks, plus access to VIP Village, dedicated viewing areas and a festival poster.
Presale tickets are available now through select venue partner e-blasts. Get more information at musicattheintersection.org.