Top 10 – Memphis Flyer

Yo Gotti’s Birthday Bash at the Mud Island Amphitheater, June

White Lamborghini? Check. Nicki Minaj appearance? Check. Enough Patron to fill the Mud Island Riverwalk? Check. From Meek Mill to O.T. Genasis, this birthday party had it all and was proof that Memphis isn’t small potatoes when it comes to premier hip-hop shows. The only way to top this experience is to make a weekend out of the annual event, something I think no one would complain about. –CS.

Josh Miller

Yo Gotti

Jessica Pratt at Minglewood Hall, September

Jessica Pratt opened for Beach House on their most recent tour that stopped through Minglewood Hall, but to me the only thing that mattered that night was Pratt and her amazing acoustic folk rock. Her delicate music might be best-suited for a smaller setting, but the show was still excellent. –CS.

Hank Wood and the Hammerheads at the Hi-Tone during Gonerfest 12, September

Widely considered a favorite of this year’s Gonerfest for a reason, these NYC insular punk/hardcore weirdos brought a double-drummer onslaught that was as heavy with nuance as it was … heavy. –AE.

Cities Aviv and PreauXX at the Hi-Tone, August

The battle for the best underground rapper in Memphis is between two MCs who frequently collaborate with each other, and this late-summer show at the Hi-Tone proved that both Cities Aviv and PreauXX are fit to wear the crown. –CS

Jack Oblivian and the Sheiks at the Harbor Town Amphitheater, April

The River Series at the Harbor Town Amphitheater wrapped its second season this year, with each show well-curated and well-attended. Seemingly made for this type of gig, Jack O. and the Sheiks rocked on the river to a packed crowd, and the free hot dogs and Wiseacre beer made this show one of the best of the year. –CS

Torche at the Hi-Tone, March

The reliable deliverers of one of the best marriages of pop hooks and insane heaviness returned after a little while away from their perennial stops in town and didn’t stop short of expectations. –AE.

Evil Army Record Release Show at Murphy’s, December

The kings of Memphis metal recently returned to Murphy’s for a packed show, and all was right in the heavy music realm of Memphis. After everything that Evil Army has been through over the past few years, it was good to see the three-piece back in action, with a killer new EP in tow. –CS.

Destruction Unit, Ex-Cult, and Gimp Teeth at the Hi-Tone Small Room, March

I fancied myself accustomed to extremely loud live bands until Destruction Unit’s brutally intense yet oddly hypnotizing set literally caused something close to vertigo, and a few minutes of fresh air were required to set my head straight. –AE.

House of Lightning, WRONG, and Mayfair at the Hi-Tone, June

I went for the melodic prog-metal guitar acrobatics of the Torche/Floor-related House of Lightning, but got there early enough to be blown away by local heavy post-emo shoegaze outliers Mayfair, who have recorded a full-length (for release next year). Keep an eye on this band. –AE.

Public Image Ltd. at the New Daisy Theater, November

The New Daisy brought the prince of punk back to Memphis, and the band absolutely destroyed the place. John Lydon may be all about peace, love, and understanding these days, but his ability to captivate an audience with his abrasive stage antics and hilarious stage banter is still very much intact. –CS

Coliseum at the Hi-Tone, March

The busy but still unfairly overlooked Louisville trio that’s played Memphis many times put on a fantastically tight show of their heavy and dark post-punk earlier this year in the wake of their first full-length on Jacob Bannon’s unstoppable Deathwish Inc. label. –AE.

Show I wish I went to: Tommy Wright III at Juicy Jim’s, May

Tommy Wright III played at Juicy Jim’s this summer, and I’m still kicking myself for not being at what had to be one of the weirdest and best shows of 2015. Oh well, there’s always next year. -CS

5)
Memphis 1, Sacramento 0 (July 26) — A one-hitter and a game-winning hit with two
outs in the bottom of the ninth. In terms of fan engagement — you know, the
crowd at AutoZone Park actually paying attention to the action on the field, as
opposed to nurturing cellphone relationships — this was the highlight of the
2007 Redbirds season. Starting pitcher Chris Narveson pitched five and
two-thirds hitless innings against the first-place Sacramento River Cats, and
was relieved more than capably by Matt Ginter and Troy Cate. With two outs in
the ninth, Memphis drew three consecutive walks before Nick Stavinoha ripped a
hit into the rightfield corner for a walk-off victory. For a night, at least,
the standings didn’t matter.

4) Jazz
104, Grizzlies 88 (February 28) — In the closest parallel to Jack and Joe Buck
my family is likely to realize, 7-year-old Sofia Murtaugh was part of a media
contingent during a pregame press conference on Kids’ Night at FedExForum. Her
question for Grizzlies coach Tony Barone: “Which NBA player is the toughest to
defend?” (Barone’s answer: Kobe Bryant and Dirk Nowitzki.) Suited up in a mini-Grizz
outfit for the pregame introductions and a dunk contest following the third
quarter, young Murtaugh saw the home team jump out to a 20-4 lead, only to
witness the Northwest Division-leading Jazz chip away and end the Grizzlies’
two-game home winning streak. Pau Gasol’s 28 points and 13 rebounds weren’t
enough to offset Utah’s Carlos Boozer (24 points and 16 boards) and Deron
Williams (14 points, 10 assists). The loss kept Memphis tied with Boston in the
Greg Oden Sweepstakes, with an NBA-worst 15 victories on the season. Ms.
Murtaugh was tucked snuggly in bed by the time Barone opened his postgame
session.

3)
Memphis 25, UAB 9 (November 17) — In terms of probability — or lack thereof —
this was the Game of the Year. The Tiger football team had been handled by the
likes of Arkansas State, Middle Tennessee, UCF, and East Carolina (giving up 56
points to each of the latter two). They had lost a member of the team — reserve
defensive lineman Taylor Bradford — in an on-campus murder not even two months
earlier. They had not beaten the Blazers since 1999, and that was with DeAngelo
Williams carrying the ball four of those years. Yet there in the end zone at
game’s end, hoisting the bronzed rack of ribs that has come to symbolize the
“Battle for the Bones,” was Tiger backup quarterback Will Hudgens. With Joseph
Doss rushing for 168 yards, Duke Calhoun catching four passes for another 159,
and Martin Hankins passing for 298 yards, the U of M earned bowl eligibility for
the fourth time in five seasons. With a win over SMU the following week, Memphis
finished with a conference record of 6-2, its best in 12 years of C-USA play.

2)
Memphis 71, Houston 59 (March 10) — For the second straight year, John
Calipari’s Tigers finished off a sweep of Conference USA’s regular season and
tournament championships with a win at FedExForum. (And for the second straight
year, the victory gave the Tigers 30 wins for the season, on their way to a 33-4
finish.) The Tigers essentially had the Cougars beaten by halftime, up by 11
with a capacity crowd roaring for the national-television audience. Chris
Douglas-Roberts scored 17 points on his way to earning tourney MVP honors.
Fellow sophomore Antonio Anderson matched CDR’s point total and dished out five
assists. This marked the fifth time in Tiger basketball history that Memphis won
both conference titles in the same year.

1)
Dallas 35, St. Louis 7 (September 30) — In the fine tradition of Dean Moriarty
and Sal Paradise, a friend and I packed up the horseless carriage and headed
west, our destination Texas Stadium. Lifelong Cowboy fans, Johnny G and I
counted the RV dealerships and cotton fields over our 450-mile journey, all for
a chance to cast our shadows under that famous hole in the roof where Someone
Else is rumored to keep watch over His favorite football team. We saw the
Cowboys rack up 502 yards (their most in a non-overtime game since 1998) and
improve to 4-0 for the first time in more than a decade. Tom Landry statue
aside, the highlight was seeing Dallas quarterback Tony Romo retrieve a
shotgun-snap over his head, turn upfield, and dodge at least three Ram tacklers
to gain a first down. How ’bout them Cowboys, indeed.