A Brief Description of the New Daisy Theatre
By: JD Meredith / Memphisboxing.com
There are few venus in the south that are more synonymous with boxing than the New Daisy Theatre on Beale Street in downtown Memphis, TN.
Step off Beale, beneath a marque of chasing lights, there a cockpit-like ticket booth splits two sets of double doors, and walk through the right into a historic, classic and in no stretch of the imagination, quintessential boxing venue.
Once inside you will face concessions, where chili-topped hot dogs and freshly popped corn are served. To the left and right are restrooms. Look to the right and there is a winding stair case that leads up.
Enter the auditorium style hall. Dark black walls close the space in tight. To the left the bar, were lines assemble and the thirsts of patrons are quickly quenched with frosty libations. The low-ceiling overhead presses down, the balcony above sits roughly 200. Looking further forward the space opens up. There, encased with seats sits the ring which, on a typical evening of fights, is lit by four halogen lights mounted to each corner of a welded steel square and suspended awkwardly on cables from above.
Just feet from the far side of the ring is a stage where fans sit at ring level. Behind the rows of seats rises facade of store fronts complete with second story windows from which those backstage, in this case fighters, can watch from above as they wait their turn below in the spotlight under wisps of smoke, surrounded by cheers and sneers from an always boisterous crowd.
Tight, yes. Loud, yes Classic, yes… and that’s for an non-televised event.
