Memphis, TN was my next stop on my goal to conquer all Emergenza shows… and I was not disappointed. Renowned for its blues and rock history, the new seeds are sown and the future of Memphis music is ready! Friday night’s show started off with massive energy from The Avenue. Their emo-new alternative sound fired up the crowd, with strong vocals and a solid rhythm section. The drummer for The Avenue is awesome! Hey Heidi-Rae rocked the house with a set of new alternative rock. The rosy-cheeked lead singer held the crowd in the palm of his hand, and the guitars and keys blended perfectly over solid bass and drums. Thanks for the dedication! The Tim Terry Experience set it off with a party atmosphere. They even threw in the P-Funk into the mix! Outstanding vocals and one of the tightest rhythm sections that we saw this night put the smile on the crowd’s faces and even gave a couple of girls an orgasm. I swear. Glutton For Punishment hit the stage next, and brought an onslaught of Memphis metal to the Hi Tone Café. The guitars ripped, the rhythm section shredded, and the vocals tore through the crowd leaving none untouched. Our final band of the night, Cornerstone, brought the force with strong vocals over a fat-ass three-piece sound unmatched on the night! Great stage presence and original material! Something interesting that I discovered today is that the building that hosts the Hi Tone Café was once the home to Elvis Presley’s Karate studio. So there’s that… and now it’s host to our rockin’. Saturday fired off with the grassroots American rock of Potential’s Burden. The jam rock style put us in a mellow mood and the tempo changes rolled along like waves of warm feelings. Ah… I’m so relaxed now. Couchfire woke me up, though, with their mix of experimental, punk, and dark-southern rock. This three piece rocked the house! The American Radio took the stage next. They have a new rock meets indie sound that is killer. The vocal harmonies were really good, and the band put on a stellar set. Cayerio put the crowd on its feet with the big sound of “rock-hop,” to coin the phrase. The stage energy was inevitably intoxicating, and the keys and dj work accented an already outstanding set! With vocals reflecting an influence of Incubus, South of Nowhere set it off right. This three piece threw out energetic songs on a set full of modern rock future hits! Pengea ended the night on a rock-solid note with an alternative rock set with a vocal inspiration from Evanescence. Their sound was solid and the crowd at the Hi Tone Café really enjoyed it! Memphis has great potential, and is growing every day. The final will happen back at The Hi Tone Café on April 7th, and if you’re smart you’ll get their early for a good seat! One Love,