Phoenix Music Blog

Adriane Goetz

Jojo Flores (left) makes a rare Phoenix appearance at SideBar Sunday night.

​Who says there's nothing to do on a Sunday night? Well, to be fair, there wasn't a whole lot going on. Thankfully the folks behind Retro Hi-Fi at Sidebar pulled out the big guns, in this case Montreal's Jojo Flores. An internationally revered garage, deep house and Afro-Latin DJ, Flores has been a driving force in the scene for over two decades. Fans from all over the Valley packed Sidebar on Sunday night to shake it up and take advantage of industry night deals (20% off everything!); we've got the photos to prove it.

See? This guy gets it.

​We were inspired by our Food Critic's blog about Oysters and Bloody Marys a couple weeks ago so we scraped together some fellow boozers and headed down to Casey Moore's on Sunday, November 8th to absorb a little sun (and a little alcohol).

Of course, we weren't alone (just look at the slideshow). The patio was alive with a healthy buzz of jolly daytime drinkers trying distract the impending stress of facing another work week by, well, catching a healthy buzz.

With cooler temps, good food and a heavy pour, we were in heaven.

Casey Moore's Oyster House, 850 S. Ash Ave in Tempe, 480-968-9935,  www.caseymoores.com.

​Can we ever get enough of Halloween?

We obviously don't think so. And while New Times has certainly posted our fair share of Halloween slideshows, we can't deny Club Candids the right.

Yucca Tap Room has long proven to be one of our favorite places to hit on Halloween night and we weren't disappointed this year. The party proved to be one of their best with plenty of festive folks donning some stellar get-ups (check the slideshow for proof). The booze was flowing, face make-up was smudging and Local bands The Necronauts, The Fuck You Ups, Fatigo, Let's go to Fucking Hawaii and Lost in the Sun kept our ears buzzing well into the wee hours of the morning.

Yucca Tap Room, 29 W. Southern Ave in Tempe, 480-967-4777, www.yuccatap.com.

Adriane Goetz

Embracing the "Desert Bender" at Blackforest Mill in Phoenix.

​If you've never read VICE MAGAZINE, you get an "F" on your Hipster 101 exam (it's gonna take a ton of coke and American Apparel merchandise if you want to pass now).

Starting as a punk zine in 1994, the New York City based highly-offensive-to-the-general-public magazine now publishes its print edition in 22 countries.

Clearly, the best specimens were found at The Great Escape.

​We've got some fantastic slideshows up this week, we really do. So while our co-workers were watching the clock all weekend, making sure to show up on time for the big events, we decided to just take it easy and bar hop on our own schedule. Yes, we're the lucky ones.

We happened to be in the Arcadia neighborhood on Saturday night (October 17th) so we hit the new-ish neighborhood spot, Arcadia Tavern and then wandered over to the neighboring mainstay, JT's Bar & Grill. Then it was just a scoot down Indian School for The Great Escape (arguably the next Valley dive to hit it big).

Here's the breakdown: Arcadia Tavern is like the Vig but with a little more sports and a little less class (sorry, but we saw a tall blonde woman wearing leggings and a fur shawl and it sort of freaked us out). JT's is a lovable hole in the wall with greasy food, friendly bartenders and Christmas lights hanging from the ceiling. Both bars are across the street from Black Forest Mill and could be great pre-drinking spots next time you want to hit up Cheap Thrills.

 And then there's the Great Escape.

This place used to be a scary slum-hole filled with toothless regulars. Now it's packed with young, attractive locals who want to shoot some pool, throw darts and impress a first date with their knowledge of the lesser-known, indie-chic drinking spots.

All in all, it's a healthy mix for Arcadia (see for yourself on our slideshow).

Sidenote: our companion for the evening suggested we call this blog, "Barcadia". Sigh.

Adriane Goetz

Wanda Jackson at the Rhythm Room.

​It's not often you get to see a rock n roll legend perform, period; so the fact that Wanda Jackson, the "Queen of Rockabilly" and 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, played an intimate venue like the Rhythm Room last night is nothing short of amazing (you can read the show review here).

Thankfully the crowd was aware of this, and--with the exception of one belligerent drunk who kept trying to touch her--showed Jackson the reverence she deserves by singing along to every song, dressing to the nines (which you can see in our slide show) and dancing up a storm to music that, for many, was from their parents' era.

The Rhythm Room, 1019 E. Indian School Rd. in Phoenix, (602) 265-4842, www.rhythmroom.com

​So we were a little worried that SMoCA Nights might suffer on a Saturday night. Even though the event was filled with fine art, boozy cocktails, good music and an incredible fashion show, we feared it would get lost in the overwhelming shuffle of so many partying opportunities on that most sacred of weekend evenings.

But there was no need for concern. SMoCA Nights on Saturday, October 3rd was way more packed than we ever saw it on a Thursday night. And since no one was rushing to get there after a long day at work, everyone looked amazing (check the slideshow). By the end of the event, everyone was buzzing with what to do next, proving that SMoCA Nights made the perfect first stop for a packed Saturday night.

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, 7374 East 2nd St. in Scottsdale, 480-874-4666, www.smoca.org.

Adriane Goetz

Owner Steve Wiley at Hoodlums' birthday party. See more shots in our Club Candids slide show.

​In case you missed it, the re-established Hoodlums Music store in Tempe turned one year old this weekend, proving you can't keep a good store down (the store even managed to win a Best Of award before it re-opened for business). Owners Steve Wiley and Kristian Luce celebrated their success by throwing the store a birthday party on Saturday night.

The soiree included snacks and various libations consumed to the lo-fi musical selection of DJ Babynose. The store walls were lined with pieces from artist Mike Maas, creator of the original Hoodlums logo. But party or not, most of the folks in attendance looked hellbent on buying some new tunes.

See more photos from the Hoodlums party in our Club Candids slide show.

Hoodlums Music, 6434 S. McClintock in Tempe, (480) 775-2722, www.hoodlumsmusic.com

The loveliest ladies in the land.

​You may think of this whole Club Candids thing as a cheap excuse to run around town and get loaded but you're quite mistaken, my friend. When we need to class it up a bit, we know how. And we felt like the Night of Fashion at Rowdy Boutique last Thursday (September 17th) was a perfect opportunity.

The night benefited local non-profit, AZ Visionaries and while we thought this was a great cause, we couldn't help but relish in the 20% discount on all items in the store as well as the aesthetics of the ridiculously attractive women who attended (just check the slideshow). Wine was sipped, a raffle was drawn, and the sale rack was picked over by night's end.

No doubt about it, this boutique has permanently blipped itself on our radar for the next time we can drop a little cash for some quality clothes.

If you make crazy faces, club candids will find you.

​If yesterday's blog comments about the mayhem on Roosevelt Row are any indication, folks are looking for a quieter place to view art on First Friday.

Of course, there's always Grand Avenue. But this past Friday, we checked out a brand spankin' new art walk at Heritage Square Park.

We rolled in around 9 p.m., just when some of the run off from Roosevelt and Grand were cruising through to catch a last glimpse of art and hit the Rose & Crown for some booze. The twelve participating artists showcased their works along the beautiful walkway and while this past event was certainly calm, we think this art walk may have some legs (check the slideshow).

The Heritage Square art walk will take place every First Friday of the month on the northwest corner of Washington and 7th St. in Phoenix.

​It's sort of our job to attend any theme party in town so when we heard about the Sail Inn's Toga Party, we figured it would be a slideshow-worthy night.

And it was...if you're into hippies and male nipples, that is (click here for the goods).

The Tempe bar is tucked away on Farmer, North of University and it's the kind of place that all the experienced party people in the Valley know about. Judging by the turn-out, Tempe is taking the place in with open arms this school year as students and residents alike threw on their bedsheets and threw down for a debaucherous time.

The Sail Inn, 26 S. Farmer in Tempe, 480-966-9565, www.thesailinn.com.

Some men get really excited for disco.

​We're guessing there's a specific breed of people who would enjoy rare, quality disco with a cosmic, space-aged feel to it. And, if you happen to have this strange bloodline, NOVA at the Yucca Tap Room is the night for you.

We visited the every-other-Sunday night event this past weekend. Now, we're not going to lie. The theme is a little out there. Which is probably why the Yucca Tap Room wasn't super packed this last Sunday. But we said, "Eff it!" and still managed some stellar photos of the night (check our slideshow).

We dug the relaxed vibe as DJ Mig50 spun his unique sounds. And we think we heard an obscure disco version of a Blondie song...always a winner in our books.

NOVA at the Yucca Tap Room is every other Sunday at the Yucca Tap Room, 29 W. Southern in Tempe, 480-967-4777, www.yuccatap.com.

See? These guys like The Rose and Crown. And they're cool.

​There are some weekends when we just want to hit a favorite spot in town and see how photo-worthy it can be.

Last Friday, July 31st, was one such night. We rolled down to The Rose & Crown Pub which is fast becoming one of our favorite drinking holes in Central Phoenix (check our slideshow). They've got a great selection of booze and a steady stream of patrons - just enough to keep things interesting but never too many people to keep you from getting a drink at the bar. The outside patio rivals some of the best in town with plenty of benches, a mister shower that will keep you cool and a game of corn-hole at the ready on the side lawn.

It's like the quieter, less slutty Central Phoenix version of Casey Moore's without the super drunk guy at the bar who gets all "grabby" when you walk by. Hmmm...okay, so maybe it's not that much like Casey Moore's...but it has a damn good patio.

The Rose & Crown Pub, 628 E. Adams St. in Phoenix, 602-256-0223, www.myspace.com/roseandcrownpub.

See more shots of fake mustaches in our club candids slide show.

​The power of a good party never ceases to amaze us. Not even triple-digit heat can stop the droves of drinkers from spending Friday night on the patio at Dos Gringos in Scottsdale. While it was tough to tell whether it was sweat or just an over-active misting system, but there wasn't a dry shirt in the house. No one seemed to mind it one bit.

The crowd at Dos is generally more diverse than one would expect in Old Town. On this particular occasion there were more fake mustaches than fake breasts and at least one senior citizen (who spent most of the night grinding his date on the dance floor).

Dos Gringos, 4209 N. Craftsman Ct. in Scottsdale, (480) 423-3800, www.dosgringosaz.com

Adriane Goetz

See more shots in our Club Candids slide show.

There are "bars in Scottsdale," and then there's Pranksters Too, the younger, yet significantly more sizable brother of Prankster's in Tempe. With its spacious rooms (we counted four) plus a giant patio, Pranksters Too draws a crowd that includes everyone from middle-aged truck drivers to sorority girls to skateboarders.

Of course some of this diversity was, no doubt, in light of Snakeburner, the live talent for the evening. The group of white twentysomethings got the crowd jumpin,' jivin' and even slow dancing to a rowdy set of predominately old soul covers including Ray Charles, Sam and Dave, and (naturally) the Jackson Five.

See how all the action went down in our Club Candids slide show.

Pranksters Too, 7919 E. Thomas Rd. #101 in Scottsdale, (480) 990-1114, www.prankstersgarandbrill.com

You know, we've been hearing some mumblings about Sunday nights at Sidebar so this past weekend, we decided to hold off our picture-snapping until then, hoping to catch the roll-off from Adult Swim.

And indeed we did just that (take a look at our slideshow). It was a bit of a sleepy evening (we blame the heat) but things started picking up around 11 p.m. when a slightly soggy crowd emerged. The attire was pool party casual and we spied some soggy threads with running mascara. But that's the perk of the Sunday nightlife: messy-pretty is totally embraced.

The Sidebar, 1514 E. 7th St. in Phoenix, 602-254-1646, www.sidebarphoenix.com.

They're happy and that makes us happy.

The Golden Rule Tattoo certainly does "do unto others..." and one look at the employees' heavily tatted sleeves tells you they're ready to return the favor. The new tattoo spot opened July 3rd and Club Candids decided to check out their Grand Opening shindig during the monsoon-y First Friday.

Golden Rule sits along Roosevelt Row, in the same building at Carly's Bistro. We chatted with the heavily inked owners and employees as friends and tattoo enthusiasts stopped by to check the place out (take a look for yourself in the slideshow).

We really have to hand it to Golden Rule, they took 400 square feet and organized a cozy (yet sterile, very sterile!) place of business. And this new addition on Roosevelt, along with Revolver Records, makes us feel like the strip is that much more urban.

Golden Rule Tattoo, 120 E. Roosevelt St. in Phoenix, 480-440-3828, www.myspace.com/thegoldenruletattoo.

We're clearly all about pushing family values with our Club Candids slideshows so it's only natural for us to attend something wholesome like Sadisco's Orgy of Baccus & Venus at Homme Lounge on Saturday, June 27th.

They called it an orgy and while there were some pretty smokin' make-outs happening in the club corners, we didn't witness much else. Of course, we dared not venture into the side room so we can't speak for what kind of crotch-grabbing may have gone on there. Either way, the theme was a great excuse for local gothy/industrial types to shed some layers and show a little more flesh than usual (check our slideshow).

Homme Lounge, 138 W. Camelback in Phoenix, www.myspace.com/sadistic_disco.

Fake girl-on-girl action...HOT, HOT, HOT!

We've been to Star Swim and we've been to Cheap Thrills. So our Saturday nights seemed pretty packed with options already. But now, we've got one more to add to the list. It's called Tune in Tokyo, it's at the Hotel San Carlos' Copper Door Bar and it's the latest incarnation by local promoter Jen Devereaux (look, look it's the slideshow!).

We hit it this past Saturday, June 20th, and while the night wasn't super-duper packed, we think this little DJ dance evening has some legs (or, at the very least, the sexy hipster chicks were showing theirs on Saturday). Tune in Tokyo is just down the street from the Wyndham and could be the most perfect after party for Star Swim. Take into consideration that come July, the lightrail will run past 2 a.m. and...

...oh boy, we've got ourselves a winner.

Tune In Tokyo runs every Saturday at the Hotel San Carlos' Copper Door Bar from 9 p.m.-2 a.m. 202 N. Central Ave in downtown Phoenix, 602-253-4121.

Hey, someone tell these guys to calm down.

Sometimes, we just like to pay a little attention to the regular folks in town. So rather than heading to a big event with all the scenester kids wearing their flashiest crap, we decided to check out a relatively new spot in the downtown Phoenix drinking rotation.

The Turf is just about what you'd want from a neighborhood pub, minus the d-baggy patrons you might find at Rula Bula or Rosie McCaffrey's. Here, it's downtown enough that the major mainstreamers are weeded out so you get a mix of hipster kids taking a night off from the super cool party scene and other relaxed locals looking for a good beer (aaaaand here's your slideshow).

Now, isn't that nice?

The Turf, 705 N. 1st Street (1st Street, between Filmore and Roosevelt), 602-296-5043, www.theturfpub.com.

Are you relevant?

If you're in the arts, good luck trying to make a dollar. With any experience, you'll learn the real currency of the creative world is relevancy. But without dollars or bank accounts, how can one tell their net worth?

One indicator is having enough demand for your goods (whatever that may be) to stay alive. Another sign is to be a direct influence on other people's art.

Red Hot Robot, Central Phoenix's ever popular independently owned designer toy gallery and all around "cultureshop" can boast both these merits and did just that at their "Double Happiness" 2nd Anniversary Party. On Saturday, June 6th, the little shop birthday-partied their brains out and announced the release of hip-hop collective, Obey the Altar Native's album RED HOT ROBOT - a project directly influenced by the store.

With a slew of culture enthusiasts mingling to the beats by DJ Anthony Hart (here's your slideshow), the night was a sure indicator of more good things to come.

Red Hot Robot, 14 W. Camelback Rd in Phoenix, 602-264-8560, www.redhotrobot.net.

Just when we thought our weekend was going to be boring, we got a last minute text from DJ Anthony Hart about an art show downtown. God bless technology. And what a relief it was to see an open gallery on a night other that a First or Third Friday when you have to dodge a massive crowd to get anywhere.

The group show featured photography, painting, a stellar food spread, DJ's and an open bar that lasted all night. A healthy crew showed up (you can see them on our slideshow) on the otherwise quiet 4th Street and McKinley certainly pumped, just like we were, to have something interesting to do on a Saturday night.

718 gallery at .anti space, 718 N. 4th St. in Phoenix, www.myspace.com/antispace

Adriane Goetz

Chillin' pool side. See more shots in our Club Candids slide show.

Star Swim and Adult Swim, two of the most popular pool parties from last summer have really amped up their game. Walk into the lobby of the Wyndham Hotel where they are both booked for the rest of the summer and prepare to be shocked as the posh interior lets you know this place is legit. No more green pool or capacity violations. The folks at the Wyndham, along with local promoter extraodinare, Psyko Steve and DJ Jared Alan, have put together two weekly events that keep all the revel from last year without any worry of being shut down.

The kick off party on Saturday night for Star Swim showcased a great local line-up of live bands led by indie sensation, Dear And the Headlights. Psyko Steve, as usual, hit the ball out of the park and pulled in jam-packed crowd who drank booze at the noodle bar, took a dip in the pool and rocked out to the bands.

As for Adult Swim, last year's poolside bash at the Hotel San Carlos has moved to the Wyndham, where droves of otherwise night-owl types let their tattoos and piercings glisten in the sun while slinging back cocktails and Pabst (much like they did at the bar 12 hours ago, chances are).

DJs William Fucking Reed, Jared Alan, Sean Watson and a slew of special guests pumped electro, indie, house, hip hop and every variation within while folks danced, swam and occasionally ogled each others' bods.

Check out the parties for yourself in our Club Candids slide show.

This is what life is all about.

Well, it happened. Cheap Thrills is going weekly.

Much to the rejoice of Valley scenesters, there's now a weekly spot to head to for strong drinks, dancing, loud music and general debauchery. Black Forest Mill restaurant-turned-dance club is the prefect venue for this kind of night. They've got a big dance floor, multiple bars, a back patio for smoking, bathrooms that have toilet seats and tons of booths perfect for drunken gropings.

Not to mention, it's an event brought to you by DJ Jared Alan so you can count on a crowd every damn week (see for yourself in the slideshow).

Cheap Thrills at Black Forest Mill every Saturday night, 4900 E. Indian School Rd in Phoenix, 602-840-4000, www.bfmrestaurant.com.

Phoenix is certainly known for it's hot chicks...case in point.

We've always been big believers in this town. Even when our friends moved away and all the stragglers constantly proclaimed that "Phoenix sucks, man!", we've always loved it here.

And, on Friday, May 8th, as we laid on the grassy hill at the Downtown Civic Space Park, listening to local bands play, looking up at the new public art piece, hearing the light rail cruise by and greeting friends as they rolled in on their bikes, we felt assured that Phoenix is really coming together (see the slideshow).

Not to mention, two of our favorite local bands, Kinch and What Laura Says, provided the soundtrack. ASU kids, downtown hipsters and central city professionals shared the lawn for a couple hours at dusk and admired the setting...and the dancing homeless man.

Downtown Civic Space Park, 424 N. Central Ave (North of Van Buren Street, between Central and First Avenues), check their facebook account for updates.

We want to have this much fun every weekend.

We almost hesitate to tell you what we did this past Saturday night.

And this time, it's not because we happened to drink too much or stumble in our heels or run our mouths to people we hardly know (even though those things did, indeed happen).

No, we hesitate because we found a really cool bar and we want to keep it secret. But that's selfish and, therefore, makes for bad karma...so we will share this little gem.

It's called the Icehouse Tavern, it's on 40th St. and Thomas, it's been there forever and it's where we went on Saturday night for theshizz.org's prom. First off, the prom was a blast. Lots of folks showed up, dressed in outdated attire and danced to decade defining hits spun by DJ Mig50 (look at the slideshow to get the whole picture).

Second, The Icehouse Tavern is pretty damn rad. It's just a divey little bar that happens to be connected to the ice skating rink at Arcadia Ice Arena. And when we say connected, that means when you're belly up to the bar, you can see the entire ice skating rink through windows beyond the rows of bottles. It's vouyerism at it's best.

Icehouse Tavern, 3855 E. Thomas Rd. in Phoenix, 602-244-1179, www.myspace.com/icehousetavernphx.

Hooray for pretty people getting married!

Good causes always hold a special place in our hearts. That's why we figured we'd check out the third annual Band Wagon Benefit Show on Saturday, April 25th at Modified Arts.

The roster was packed with bands Courtney Marie Andrews, Underscore Orkestra, Dry River Yacht Club, Gospel Claws, In Symmetry, Sister Cities, Towncraft and So and So. Yep, with that many people playing, the gig started at 4:30 p.m. and lasted all night, bringing in funds for the Phoenix Elementary School District music departments.

Not to mention, Carly's Bistro and The Lost Leaf provided drink and food deals. Roosevelt Row was quite a sight that Saturday night. Just take a look at our slideshow and see for yourself.

Modified Arts, 407 E. Roosevelt in Phoenix, www.modified.org. Visit www.bandwagonphoenix.com for more info about the event.

Pretty blondes...

Wanna play?

Face it, we never want to stop playing with our toys.

Jason Kiningham, owner of Red Hot Robot, knows this well. And it was apparent at the opening of "The Resin Collective", an art show featuring over 100 original small toys and figurines made of resin by 37 artists.

On Saturday, April 11th, we gave in to our juvenile desires to see the toys along with a decent handful of downtown folks (see for yourself in the slideshow). We sipped our beers, chatted it up and listened to the very event-appropriate mellow-ish spins by DJ Anthony Hart.

Red Hot Robot, 14 W. Camelback Rd in Phoenix, 602-264-8560, www.redhotrobot.net.

Hipper than you.

We were a little hesitant about shooting at Saturday's debut of the returning Hip Joint DJ night at the Paisley Violin. Not that we don't adore the little eatery/coffee shop/art gallery/anything venue down on Grand Avenue...we just weren't sure it could wrangle a real party crowd.

But, holy crap, were we wrong to be worried. We were pleasantly surprised to find the usually-quiet space up and bumpin' with a packed house of downtown folks ready to drink and dance (just check the slideshow for proof). Every table was filled and the floor space was crammed with drinkers and dancers, having a great time to spins by DJ's Pari, Finess, Meaty Ogre, Earwig, STLB3 and Essential.

So, there you go. See? We can admit when we're wrong.

http://www.myspace.com/hipjointaz