Update

Five must-see Memphis concerts for November (including Justin Timberlake)

By , Daily Memphian Updated: November 18, 2024 7:42 AM CT | Published: November 04, 2024 4:00 AM CT

Editor’s note: On Tuesday, Nov. 12, it was announced that “An Evening with Judy Collins,” originally scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 13 at the Orpheum Theatre has been rescheduled for Tuesday, March 18, 2025. Tickets will be valid for the new date. The original concert listing is below.

Valerie June recalled her daily routine after she moved to Memphis in 2000 from Humboldt.

She would start cleaning houses at six in the morning. 

After that, she would work at Maggie’s Pharm in Overton Square.


Valerie June appears in PSA for health care pricing transparency


After that, she would perform at the now closed-Fresh Slices restaurant or at other Memphis bars. 

She would go to bed at midnight and wake up the next day to do it all over again.

June is now 42.

“I feel lucky because I wake up in the morning and I get to be creative,” she said. “And that was what I thought about as I swept people’s floors and I dusted and I cleaned a lot of places in Memphis. As I was doing that, I was like, ‘You know, what I want to be when I’m 30, 40, 50, and what I dreamed about and what I envisioned, is that I would be learning to play music, and that I would just have my days to paint or draw or dance or be creative.’ And I got that, and I’m grateful.”

Valerie June’s concert on Saturday, Nov. 9, at the Germantown Performing Arts Center is one of the five shows that The Daily Memphian is highlighting this month.


Meet Memphis ‘goth-folk’ singer Rachel Maxann


Also this month, a classic rap group comes to Minglewood Hall, a rap star with a meteoric rise hits the FedExForum stage, a 7-decade musician comes to the Orpheum Theatre and a a pop star returns home.

June released her third solo studio album in 2021. It features Memphis soul legend Carla Thomas. Their collaboration was Grammy-nominated for Best American Roots Song.

She’s also released three books: a children’s book, a collection of poems and illustrations, and the latest — “Light Beams: A Workbook for Being Your Badass Self” — an interactive journal.

In addition to being an multi-disciplinary artist, June is an actor and a yoga and meditation instructor.

“I think it’s really important to be an activist for positivity in this dark world,” June said. “But besides that, the thing that motivates me is that I receive these poems, I receive these songs. I see visions of what I want to draw into with life. Instead of saying, ‘I’ll get around to that one day,’ I stop what I’m doing and I just start working on that art. I think everybody gets some sense of creative inspiration. They want to learn to sew or that they want to paint … but it’s just a matter of you telling yourself, ‘I’m actually going to spend some years doing it.’ And it could just be 10 minutes a day or whatever, but the artist is the one who actually sits down and says, ‘OK, I’m gonna buy that camera and take those pictures and be the photographer today.’”

Bone Thugs-n-Harmony at Minglewood Hall on Thursday, Nov. 7:

Yes, it is probably somewhat ironic for a Memphis music writer to endorse a Bone Thugs-n-Harmony show given the Cleveland rap group’s long-standing beef with Memphis’ Three 6 Mafia. Interviews with members from both groups over the years reveal that the conflict may have started from a misunderstanding.


Rappers 8Ball and MJG get honorary sign in ‘the Mound’


The 2021 Verzuz webcast performance battle between the two groups culminated in a physical altercation.

However, city allegiances should not stop fans of Bone Thugs’ hits from seeing this show. If one gets a chance to (hopefully) see “Thuggish Ruggish Bone,” “Foe tha Love of $,” “1st Of Tha Month” and “Tha Crossroads” performed live, one should indisputably take that opportunity. 

Valerie June at Germantown Performing Arts Center on Saturday, Nov. 9:

June described the upcoming GPAC show as a “bucket-list moment.”

“When I lived in Memphis I really wanted to play there and I just feel I lived to grow to be able to be invited,” she said. “I feel grateful to be invited to GPAC.”


GPAC’s new season includes Lyle Lovett, The War and Treaty, Meshell Ndegeocello


Nowadays June lives between New York and West Tennessee. 

At GPAC, June said she will perform with a full band. 

“We might have a surprise guest, you never know,” she said. “... I’ll play a lot from my records and then I’ll also play some songs which you’ve never heard.”

GPAC. 8-9:15 p.m. $23-$66.

Rod Wave at FedExForum on Saturday, Nov. 9:

After Rod Wave’s “Heart on Ice” single went viral in 2019, the cathartic singer/rapper’s single has since gone four times platinum. 


GloRilla conquers self-doubt on her path to becoming one of hip-hop’s most promising voices


The St. Petersburg, Florida-native’s success has been extremely strong and steady. Of six albums released since late 2019, three have reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 albums list. Five of the six albums are RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America)-certified platinum. 

The “Last Lap” tour is named after Rod Wave’s latest album, released in October.

The tour date includes Memphis rapper Moneybagg Yo, Toosii, as well as Lil Poppa, Dess Dior and Eelmatic.

FedExForum. 7 p.m. Ticket prices vary.

Judy Collins at the Halloran Centre for Performing Arts on Wednesday, Nov. 13:

Over her nearly 70-year career, multi-genre singer-songwriter and activist Judy Collins has released 50 albums and had works entered into the Grammy Hall of Fame and the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress. 

Among the platinum-selling artist’s best-known songs are “Both Sides Now,” “Send in the Clowns” and “Someday Soon.”

In addition to being a musician, Collins is an author, filmmaker and speaker for mental health awareness and suicide prevention.

Halloran Centre. 203 S. Main St. Ticket prices vary.

Justin Timberlake at FedExForum on Saturday, Nov. 23:

“Memphis” is the first track of Justin Timberlake’s album “Everything I Thought It Was,” released in March. 


The 21 best ‘Memphis’ songs of the 21st century (so far)


Also of note on the Millington native’s sixth studio album is a feature by his boy band NSYNC.

Concerts by the 1o-Grammy winner singer and actor roughly bookend 2024 shows in Memphis. In January, Timberlake announced a free, only-night-only concert at the Orpheum Theatre, with a week’s notice. 

In November, his “The Forget Tomorrow” world tour is slated for the FedExForum — his first tour in five years. According to Live Nation, fans can expect to hear songs from the newest album as well as “everyone’s favorite hits.”

FedExForum. 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices vary.

Topics

Valerie June Justin Timberlake Free with sign-up
Elle Perry

Elle Perry

A native Memphian, Elle Perry has earned graduate degrees from the University of Memphis and Maryland Institute College of Art. She’s written for publications including the Memphis Business Journal, Memphis Flyer and High Ground News, and previously served as coordinator of The Teen Appeal.


Comments

Want to comment on our stories or respond to others? Join the conversation by subscribing now. Only paid subscribers can add their thoughts or upvote/downvote comments. Our commenting policy can be viewed here

Sign up for the To-Do List

Manage Your Email Subscriptions