Mid-South Coliseum
Encyclopedia
The Mid-South Coliseum, also known as "The Entertainment Capital of the Mid-South", was a multi-purpose arena, that seated 10,085 people, in Memphis
, Tennessee
. It was built in 1963.
The arena was one of the few stops on The Beatles
' final American
tour. The group played two concerts there on August 19, 1966. The evening performance is infamously known as "the firecracker
concert", due to a crowd member exploding a firecracker (which some thought was a gunshot) during the show. Prior to the concert, a remote television news feed, with the arena in the background, shows a Ku Klux Klan
sman promising "a few surprises" for the group. This interview was in response to John Lennon
's statement that The Beatles had become more popular than Jesus Christ.
Former Beatle George Harrison
performed at the arena in 1974, the only member of The Beatles to return to the arena.
Elvis Presley
also performed at the arena. His first show was on March 16, 1974, which was his first Memphis concert since 1961. The album Recorded Live In Stage In Memphis was the concert from March 20, 1974. Elvis' last concert at the arena was on July 5, 1976. The album Recorded Live on Elvis Presley Blvd, Memphis Tennessee featured for the front cover a photo of Elvis' show in 1975. Elvis In Concert 1997 — The 20th Anniversary Concert was held at the arena and mark the first concert for the Elvis, The Concert.
Legendary British heavy metal band Judas Priest
's performance at the arena during their Screaming Tour, was released on DVD in 2006, as Live Vengeance '82
.
Whitney Houston
was scheduled to perform during her My Love Is Your Love World Tour
on July 23, 1999, but the show was cancelled.
On November 15–16 of 2002, rock group Widespread Panic
performed a pair of face melting performances featuring Mavis Staples
and Count Mtubu.
The band 311
held its 311 Day 2006 concert at the Mid-South Coliseum on March 11, 2006, rescheduled from the original site in New Orleans due to Hurricane Katrina
.
Even with The Pyramid and FedExForum
being opened, the arena continued to host shows, until its closure in 2006.
as the home base for the United States Wrestling Association
and its predecessors; Jerry Lawler
headlined hundreds of shows at the facility. Among many notable events, Lawler faced Terry Funk
in a now-legendary "empty arena fight" at the Coliseum in 1981.
, of a re-formed Central Hockey League began playing in 1992, the piping had become too rotten for use, and an above-floor system was used.
teams: the Memphis Pros
(1971–1972), the Memphis Tams
(1972–1974) and the Memphis Sounds
(1974–1975). As an ABA arena the Coliseum, with the Pros and Sounds, hosted the Indiana Pacers
during the 1971 Western Division Semifinals
and the Kentucky Colonels
during the 1975 Eastern Division Finals
; the Pacers went on to win the 1971 ABA Championship and the Colonels went on to win the 1975 ABA Championship.
It was home to the University of Memphis
Tigers basketball
team
(then known as Memphis State University) before the Pyramid
opened in 1991 and the Memphis RiverKings
before the DeSoto Civic Center
opened in 2000. The Coliseum also hosted five Metro Conference
men's basketball tournaments.
used the Mid-South Coliseum to film the live audience portion of his Tornado of Fire TV special.
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. It was built in 1963.
Rock concerts
Much like many other coliseums and arenas built in the 1950s and 1960s in America, it is a treasure trove of memories and great concerts.The arena was one of the few stops on The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
' final American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
tour. The group played two concerts there on August 19, 1966. The evening performance is infamously known as "the firecracker
Firecracker
A firecracker is a small explosive device primarily designed to produce a large amount of noise, especially in the form of a loud bang; any visual effect is incidental to this goal. They have fuses, and are wrapped in a heavy paper casing to contain the explosive compound...
concert", due to a crowd member exploding a firecracker (which some thought was a gunshot) during the show. Prior to the concert, a remote television news feed, with the arena in the background, shows a Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
sman promising "a few surprises" for the group. This interview was in response to John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
's statement that The Beatles had become more popular than Jesus Christ.
Former Beatle George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
performed at the arena in 1974, the only member of The Beatles to return to the arena.
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
also performed at the arena. His first show was on March 16, 1974, which was his first Memphis concert since 1961. The album Recorded Live In Stage In Memphis was the concert from March 20, 1974. Elvis' last concert at the arena was on July 5, 1976. The album Recorded Live on Elvis Presley Blvd, Memphis Tennessee featured for the front cover a photo of Elvis' show in 1975. Elvis In Concert 1997 — The 20th Anniversary Concert was held at the arena and mark the first concert for the Elvis, The Concert.
Legendary British heavy metal band Judas Priest
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
's performance at the arena during their Screaming Tour, was released on DVD in 2006, as Live Vengeance '82
Live Vengeance '82
Live Vengeance '82 is a live DVD and UMD of a Judas Priest concert. It was released in 2006 in both an Amaray case and a limited edition digipak. The first releases on DVD was in 2005, as Disc 5 of the Metalogy box-set: this came in a simple card-sleeve...
.
Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
was scheduled to perform during her My Love Is Your Love World Tour
My Love Is Your Love World Tour
-Additional notes:*During opening night, June 22nd in Chicago, IL; after Houston performed "I Will Always Love You" she closed the show with two encore's, "My Love Is Your Love" and "Step by Step"...
on July 23, 1999, but the show was cancelled.
On November 15–16 of 2002, rock group Widespread Panic
Widespread Panic
Widespread Panic is an American rock band from Athens, Georgia. The current lineup includes guitarist/singer John Bell, bassist Dave Schools, drummer Todd Nance, percussionist Domingo "Sunny" Ortiz, keyboardist John "JoJo" Hermann, and guitarist Jimmy Herring...
performed a pair of face melting performances featuring Mavis Staples
Mavis Staples
Mavis Staples is an American rhythm and blues and gospel singer, actress and civil rights activist who recorded with The Staple Singers, her family's band.-Biography:...
and Count Mtubu.
The band 311
311 (band)
311 is an American rock band from Omaha, Nebraska. The band was formed in 1988 by vocalist/rhythm guitarist Nick Hexum, lead guitarist Jim Watson , bassist Aaron "P-Nut" Wills and drummer Chad Sexton...
held its 311 Day 2006 concert at the Mid-South Coliseum on March 11, 2006, rescheduled from the original site in New Orleans due to Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
.
Even with The Pyramid and FedExForum
FedExForum
The FedEx Forum is an arena located in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. It is the home of the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA and the NCAA Division I men's basketball program of the University of Memphis, both of whom previously played home games at the Pyramid Arena...
being opened, the arena continued to host shows, until its closure in 2006.
Professional wrestling
The Mid-South Coliseum was also well-known in professional wrestlingProfessional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
as the home base for the United States Wrestling Association
United States Wrestling Association
The United States Wrestling Association or USWA was a professional wrestling promotion based in Memphis, Tennessee. It was founded by former CWA owner Jerry Jarrett.-Foundation:...
and its predecessors; Jerry Lawler
Jerry Lawler
Jerry O'Neil Lawler is an American professional wrestler, wrestling commentator, musician, businessman, commercial artist and film actor, known throughout the wrestling world as Jerry "The King" Lawler. He is currently signed to WWE, working on its Raw brand as the color commentator and occasional...
headlined hundreds of shows at the facility. Among many notable events, Lawler faced Terry Funk
Terry Funk
Terrence "Terry" Funk is an American professional wrestler and actor known chiefly for the hardcore wrestling style he adopted in the latter part of his career that inspired many younger wrestlers, including Mick Foley...
in a now-legendary "empty arena fight" at the Coliseum in 1981.
Hockey
The Coliseum was built as a hockey arena, and served as the home of the 'old' Central Hockey League team called the Memphis Wings (later the Memphis South Stars) from 1964 through 1969. To accommodate Hockey, the floor had piping installed which allowed the circulation of brine. The floor was often left frozen between games, allowing Memphis Residents to skate. By the time the Memphis RiverKingsMemphis RiverKings
The Mississippi RiverKings are a professional minor league ice hockey team. The RiverKings are a member of the Southern Professional Hockey League, playing their first nineteen seasons from the 1992–93 season to the 2010–11 season in the Central Hockey League The Mississippi RiverKings...
, of a re-formed Central Hockey League began playing in 1992, the piping had become too rotten for use, and an above-floor system was used.
Basketball
It was also home to three American Basketball AssociationAmerican Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
teams: the Memphis Pros
Memphis Pros
Memphis Pros were an American Basketball Association team during the 1970-1971 and 1971-1972 seasons.-Origins:The New Orleans Buccaneers were a charter member of the ABA and played for three seasons, 1967-1970, winning the Western Division championship in 1969...
(1971–1972), the Memphis Tams
Memphis Tams
The Memphis Tams were an American Basketball Association team during the 1972-1973 and 1973-1974 seasons. The team had previously been the New Orleans Buccaneers for three seasons before moving to Memphis, Tennessee where it became the Memphis Pros from 1970 through 1972. The team later became...
(1972–1974) and the Memphis Sounds
Memphis Sounds
Memphis Sounds was the final name of a franchise in the American Basketball Association. The team had begun as the New Orleans Buccaneers, and after three seasons in New Orleans, Louisiana moved to Memphis, Tennessee, where it had occasionally played some home games in the past to reasonable crowds...
(1974–1975). As an ABA arena the Coliseum, with the Pros and Sounds, hosted the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
during the 1971 Western Division Semifinals
1971 ABA Playoffs
The 1971 ABA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the American Basketball Association's 1970-1971 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Division champion Utah Stars defeating the Eastern Division champion Kentucky Colonels, four games to three in the ABA finals.-Notable...
and the Kentucky Colonels
Kentucky Colonels
The Kentucky Colonels were a member of the American Basketball Association for all of the league's nine years. The name is derived from the historic Kentucky colonels. The Colonels won the most games and had the highest winning percentage of any franchise in the league's history, but the team did...
during the 1975 Eastern Division Finals
1975 ABA Playoffs
The 1975 ABA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the American Basketball Association's 1974-1975 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Kentucky Colonels defeating the Western Division champion Indiana Pacers, four games to one in the ABA Finals.The Kentucky...
; the Pacers went on to win the 1971 ABA Championship and the Colonels went on to win the 1975 ABA Championship.
It was home to the University of Memphis
University of Memphis
The University of Memphis is an American public research university located in the Normal Station neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee and is the flagship public research university of the Tennessee Board of Regents system....
Tigers basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team
Team
A team comprises a group of people or animals linked in a common purpose. Teams are especially appropriate for conducting tasks that are high in complexity and have many interdependent subtasks.A group in itself does not necessarily constitute a team...
(then known as Memphis State University) before the Pyramid
Pyramid Arena
The Pyramid Arena is a 20,142-seat arena located in downtown Memphis at the banks of the Mississippi River. The facility was built in 1991 and was originally owned and operated jointly by the city of Memphis and Shelby County. Its unique structure plays on the city's namesake in Egypt, known for...
opened in 1991 and the Memphis RiverKings
Memphis RiverKings
The Mississippi RiverKings are a professional minor league ice hockey team. The RiverKings are a member of the Southern Professional Hockey League, playing their first nineteen seasons from the 1992–93 season to the 2010–11 season in the Central Hockey League The Mississippi RiverKings...
before the DeSoto Civic Center
DeSoto Civic Center
The DeSoto Civic Center is an 8,400-seat multi-purpose arena in Southaven, Mississippi. It was built in 2000. It is home to the Mississippi RiverKings, a team in the Southern Professional Hockey League....
opened in 2000. The Coliseum also hosted five Metro Conference
Metro Conference
The Metropolitan Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, popularly known as the Metro Conference, was an NCAA Division I athletics conference, so named because all of its charter members were in urban metropolitan areas in, or at least on the fringes of, the Southern United States...
men's basketball tournaments.
TV specials
In 2001, illusionist David CopperfieldDavid Copperfield (illusionist)
David Copperfield is an Emmy Award-winning American illusionist, and was described by Forbes as the most commercially successful magician in history. Copperfield's network specials have been nominated for 38 Emmy Awards and won a total of 21 Emmys...
used the Mid-South Coliseum to film the live audience portion of his Tornado of Fire TV special.