Often overlooked in Memphis’ music history is its electronic music. It started out in the rave days of the 80s, hiding from police in abandoned warehouses and semi-legal house parties, and has grown steadily through the years into a thriving scene led by beat dropping DJs such as Mr. White and Sean OD.
The epicenter of Memphis electro is Dish, a restaurant and lounge located on the corner of Cooper and Young. Dish is a tapas-style restaurant by day, but after 9 it transforms into a dream disco, complete with a bed where tired dancers can lounge while nursing their cocktails. So remember, guitar slingers: your music may get more attention, but you’re still playing in a beer barn. At Dish, Memphis electronica has found a stylish home.
CREDITS
special thanks to
David Nestler
Mr. White
Robert Kalafat
Glenn Althoff
Sean O’Daniels
Chris Garcia
Sarah Bolton
music
“Hot Mess – Musaria (Songleader Remix)”
written by Sean O’Daniels
remix by Chad White
It’s a gathering of the tribes and the day to celebrate the uniqueness of a neighborhood. Cooper-Young is more than just a center of restaurants and shops, it’s an urban oasis of freethinkers, academics, artists and just regular folks of all kinds. Every September, the Cooper-Young Festival (the largest one-day festival in the Memphis area) brings together the artists, musicians, artisans, crafters, community organizers, and freaks that make the Midtown area such a great place to live. The festival was started as a way to build community pride, but it has evolved into a cross between an outdoor music festival, a reunion, and a swap meet. Between the fine fall weather—and fall is the reward you get for living through the Memphis summer—the great food and unbeatable musical lineup, it’s the most fun you can have with your pants on. Be sure to be there this year on September 19.
Where does the Memphis beat come from? The endless procession of great drummers that has powered the city’s sounds had to get their drums somewhere, and the preferred place for drummers in the know is the Memphis Drum Shop. This Midtown institution has more cymbals than you can shake a stick at, and an unbeatable selections of skins for every skill level. From the beginner to the expert to the rock god, anything a drummer wants to hit, they’ve got it. Even more amazing is their collection of vintage drums, many of which are signed souveniers from rock and soul legends.
But it’s more than just a store, it’s a center of education. Countless Memphis drummers got their first lessons here, whether they’re marching in the drum line or seated behind the kit. With a staff who is dedicated to the art of the beat, Memphis Drum Shop truly is “Drum Heaven”.
CREDITS
special thanks to
Jim Pettit
Cedric Keel
Isiah Rowser Jr.
Renardo D. Ward
Clifford Jackson Jr.
Parker Mulherin
Marshall Mulherin
Joe Mulherin
John G. Salazar
Jason F. Hatcher
Bill Frazier
Liberty Bowl Stadium and Fairgrounds
the Memphis Drum Shop
Every city of any size has a coffee shop with an open mic night where local talent can cut their teeth in front of an audience. Memphis’ version is the tiny Java Cabana, where kids from the scene get caffinated and experience a little bit of what their peers have to offer. The hideaway hangout for poets has become minorly famous in its own way, appearing in not only $5 Cover, but also Morgan Jon Fox’s breakout OMG/HaHaHa (Q&A with writer/director). The open-minded crowd and nurturing atmosphere makes open mic night one of the most interesting evenings in Memphis. From a knock-down, throw-out chess game to music you won’t find anywhere else in the city, there’s always something on offer at Java Cabana.
CREDITS
special thanks to
Mary A. Burns
Mallory Stafford
Michael T. Moore Jr.
Michael Downing
Kendall Dowell
the Warble
Alyssa Moore
Valerie Hopkins
Laurel T. Carrito
James C. Danie II
Jookin is “the Memphis flavor, the Memphis style.” It’s a type of hip hop dance that came from out of the clubs and off of the streets of Memphis. What started in the 80s with people bouncing around a crowded club has been honed by countless boombox-powered street battles into a flurry of footwork and slinky body moves. The grace and precision on display at the U-Dig Dance Academy’s studio is even more astounding when you realize that jookin is for the most part an improvisational dance.
But the U-Dig Dance Academy is about more than just promoting and expanding a uniquely Memphis dance form, it’s about enriching the lives of the kids through engaging after-school programs, shows, and community outreach. Many of the young dancers have few other opportunities to experience the performing arts first hand. There is also a documentary in the works about jookin’s past and present. As U-Dig’s mottos says, “This is more than dance.”
CREDITS
special thanks to
Tarrik Moore
Angel Fair
Joshua Weasby
Dara Chan
Marquez Alexander
Sherrie Alexander
Terrance Smith
Trent Dennis
Ladia Y. Yates
Marico Flake
Brandon Franklin
Antiochus McNeil
Brandon Young
Daniel Price
original music by
Alan Hayes
