Press

Memphis alt-rock and University of Memphis student band Degenerate Breakfast is turning a concert into a cause. They’re hosting “A Degenerate Food Drive” on December 5th at HavenHaus, where a canned good gets you in the door, all to support the Mid-South Food Bank.

Members of the band, Bridger Whittier and Liam Wilde, joined the Digital Desk to talk about the show and the effort to help local families.

University of Memphis student band Degenerate Breakfast headlined the Cabana Calamity concert Friday night at the Java Cabana coffee shop in Cooper-Young. 

The free outdoor show also featured local acts Blunt Force, Speaker Girl, and The Narrows, drawing a large crowd of students and Midtown residents for a night of live music and community. The event also featured a vintage market where people in attendance could browse merchandise from the bands in between sets. 

Degenerate Breakfast, made up of lead vocalist Liam Wilde, lead guitarist James Alberts, rhythm guitarist Bridger Whittier, bassist Brandon Kelly, and drummer Marshall Rambin, has garnered a loyal following since the release of their self-titled debut album earlier this summer. The band blends elements of their alternative rock, jazz, and hip-hop backgrounds into their music. 

The group is already recording their second album in the University of Memphis music studio. Their music can be streamed on Spotify, Apple Music, Soundcloud, and other streaming platforms.

Also in June, five-piece band Degenerate Breakfast released its self-titled debut album. University of Memphis students comprise the band: Four are Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music majors, while one is a philosophy major. The alternative/punk band includes blues, jazz and folk influences. 

In addition to the band’s own milestone, the album represents a milestone for the U of M. It is the first full-length album that was recorded in the U of M’s Scheidt Family Performing Arts Center. 

The band’s past concerts have included the 2024 Mempho Music Festival and the 2025 Cooper-Young Porch Fest, in addition to dates at Havenhaus and Growlers.

Memphis has always been a city that makes space for musicians who don’t quite fit the mold, and Degenerate Breakfast is proof that the local music scene is alive, experimental, and a little unpredictable (in the best way).

The Scheidt Family Performing Arts Center (SFPAC) at the University of Memphis has made history for itself. In mid-June, the center’s first full-length LP was released. The group who released the album is a band of five UofM students, known as Degenerate Breakfast. Together, they recorded, mixed and mastered the album.

Set three saw rockers Degenerate Breakfast showcase their extremely varied musical tastes. One song was straight from the Ramones’ handbook but followed by a Texas blues number. They even threw in a saxophone solo to keep everyone on their toes.