Along with Bourbon St in New Orleans, Beale Street would have to be one
of the most famous music streets in the USA. No trip to Memphis would be
complete without a visit here.

My impressions?

First up, the similarities between Bourbon and Beale Streets cannot be
overlooked: They are both blocked off to traffic which permits
pedestrian traffic to wander the streets unhindered. Bourbon St is
longer but narrower, but is also, in my humble opinion, sleazier.

Last time I was on Bourbon St, there were also a lot of karaoke bars,
which I found both offensive and distasteful; Bourbon St should be alive
with live music: jazz, blues, Zydeco, and Cajun, and I feel that there’s
no place for the karaoke bars and strip clubs that pervade the area.

By way of contrast, Beale St feels like it’s the real thing. I think
there may have been just the one karaoke bar, but otherwise, there was
live blues and jazz aplenty, and plenty of places serving BBQ as well.

Good food, great music, a little history … what more does a blues fan
need?