Photos by Benjamin Leatherman

Enjoying the bright lights and big beats of Hollywood Saturdays at EPIQ Nightclub in Scottsdale. See more photos from this week's Club Candids slideshow.

The weekend drinking and dancing action at EPIQ Nightclub in Scottsdale gets so fierce that it appears as though people are climbing the walls while frenetically partying their brains out.

Okay, that ain't literally the case, mind you, but damned if don't look that way, thanks to all the smoke and mirrors inside the Saddlebag Trail nightspot, as well as its small size, tiered VIP areas, and the gigantic mass of clubbers that typically occupy the place during its popular Hollywood Saturdays weekly.

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Photos by Benjamin Leatherman

Partaking in the first Relentless Beach of the season at El Santo in Scottsdale. See more photos via this week's Club Candids slideshow.

Although we're loath to admit it, the full force of summertime's fury is a few weeks hence, if not (gulp) sooner. And thanks to that whole climate-change nightmare that the right-wing nutters seem to be in unapologetic denial over, it's gonna be more uncomfortable than ever 'round these parts.

Some cats aren't waiting around to find someplace cool and wet in which frolic while everyone else bakes, like the cats behind local EDM promoter Relentless Beats, for instance. They kicked off the annual pool party season a bit early this past weekend with their namesake Relentless Beach series at El Santo in Scottsdale with plenty of both beats and bikini-clad lasses in tow.

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Melissa Fossum

Mill Avenue is always busy on the weekends. Just try to find a parking spot among the partying coeds and crazy cab drivers and you'll know what we mean. Luckily, the ladies of Arizona's Roller Derby know how to push through a crowd, like they did when they hosted a fundraiser at Vintage Lounge.

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Photos by Benjamin Leatherman

See more photos from Tempe Art A Gogh-Gogh via this week's Club Candids slideshow.

If there's one thing that The Sail Inn is famous for -- besides its granola-friendly jam-band sessions and ultra-irie reggae fest on Sundays -- its enormous musical repasts featuring local bands and DJs. The venerated Tempe venue is built for the task, given its amphitheatre in the back and a more intimate stage inside for more intimate viewing experiences.

And then there's the monthly Tempe Art A Gogh-Gogh sessions, which also adds a wealth of local crafty and creative types into the mix, as well as their wealth of oft-colorful works. Such a scene developed this past Friday during the least TAAGG shindig, which the Club Candids shutterbugs were in attendance at to catch and earful of music and eyeful of art.

See Also:
- Club Candids: Tempe Art A Gogh-Gogh at Sail Inn (Slideshow)
- Club Candids: "Harlem Shake" Dance Off at School of Rock
- Club Candids: Mint Fridays

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Melissa Fossum

School of Rock's name is a little deceptive--Jack Black doesn't hang out at the Tempe bar and legendary guitarists aren't on hand to teach ASU students how to rock. On Saturday nights, the bar is only "rock" in name, though being located above Fascinations is pretty bangin' (pun intended).

See also:

- Top 10 "Harlem Shake" Videos From Phoenix (Plus One New Times Made)

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Photos by Benjamin Leatherman

Celebrating both opulence and decadence at The Mint in Scottsdale. See more photos from the club via this week's Club Candids slideshow.

The Scottsdale nightlife crowd is a die-hard bunch indeed, fully dedicated to going wild out at their favorite after-dark emporiums of alcoholic fun no matter what weekend it happens to be, or whatever the weather's like outside.

The Old Town entertainment district's raucous repast of bars and clubs are abuzz with bodies whether temps are sky-high in triple digit territory (particularly if there's some sort of pool involved) or during the rare occasions when there's rain. This trend once again proved true this past weekend as Scottsdale's DJ and drinking domains remained busy despite things being windy as hell and damn chilly to boot, especially over at The Mint.

See also:
- Club Candids: Super Bowl Sunday at Zuma
- Club Candids: Saved by the Bell Party at The Turf

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Melissa Fossum

She may be a Niners fan, but she is pretty cute.

The night following Super Bowl is a weird time. A bunch of people are probably passed out at home, or on their new best friend's floor. It's not exactly a busy time for nightlife, believe it or not, a couple folks kept raging. Depending on who you were rooting for, last Sunday was either a depressing or a triumphant time -- we got a little bit of both in this week's installment of Club Candids: Super Bowl Sunday (Post Super Bowl) at Zuma in Tempe.

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Melissa Fossum

Totally radical.

Enough time has finally passed for '90s parties to be acceptable. It couldn't have happened a few years ago -- the decade was still a little too fresh. But like a nostalgia juggernaut, you can't stop it: '90s fashions are making a comeback (have you stepped into a Forever 21 lately?). It's okay in small doses, we guess, and it certainly makes dressing for retro parties like The Turf's Saved by the Bell soiree easier. Can we just agree on keeping shoulder pads out of the equation?

We made it (on time) to The Turf for this week's installment of Club Candids.

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Photos by Benjamin Leatherman

Beauties and beasts turned out in droves at Monsterland in Mesa on Saturday, January 19. See more photos from this week's Club Candids slideshow.

Fetish freaks, goth groupies, and costumed geeks...oh my. All of these types turned out by the hundreds for the Thriller Costume Party at Monsterland in Mesa this past Saturday for one last hurrah before the haunted house-themed nightspot headed for the gallows.

They weren't only party monsters packing into Monsterland for what was officially the final fiesta at the joint, as all manner of fringe types showed up to bid a fond farewell including Burning Man regulars, punker chicks, cosplayers, rivetheads, and plenty of pierced and tattooed alt-fashion models.

See also:
- Monsterland's Final Nights
- Monsterland Closing Its Doors on January 19 While Sanctum Will Remain Open

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Melissa Fossum

West Phoenix gets too much flack.

Really, it's not so bad: housing is cheap, movie theaters are everywhere, and sporting events are actually well planned and executed. Case in point-- think about how much easier it is to leave a Coyotes game than a Suns game.

See also:

Club Candids: School Girl Party at Calico Jack's Cantina [Slideshow]

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