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Touring Guide: Phoenix, AZ
So, supposedly the name comes from a mythical bird, which rose from the fire of its own ashes. Maybe it's me, but what the heck does that have to do with this city. Drop me an email if you know. The first correct response wins a complimentary CD, because I can't find the answer.
Since we haven't touched on this area of the country much yet, I figured it would be good to hit a Southwest market in this issue. Phoenix and its surrounding areas (Tempe, Mesa, Scottsdale) have a great deal to offer for artists and music fans alike. These areas draw hundreds of thousands of people alone each New Year's for the Fiesta Bowl and the colleges cater to nearly 100,000 screaming students. But, before we dive into the music mumbo-jumbo, let's familiarize ourselves with Phoenix.
The first thing that bands always tell me they need to know about is where to eat. "It has to be cheap, and we better be able to smoke," they say. So, I have a short list of restaurants, each with a little something different to offer.
1. Sack's Art of Sandwicherie (604-9661) weird name. This little spot has good, fancy sandwiches. They aren't too pricey. Sack's is known for its lively crowd and great jazz station playing in the background.
2. NY Bagels & Bialys (991-3034) I'll always be a New Yorker, so this one caught my attention right away. For the other New Yorkers out there, this little spot has some great lox, I hear. But, what made me put this restaurant on the list was something that all artists must be born with a need for an "all day breakfast". That's right, this joint serves a cheap all day breakfast. The only glitch no alcohol.
3. Café Nikos (423-8977) Nikos is a cozy little spot that serves beer. It's located right on the edge of a popular stip mall, making it convenient for all of you shoppers (?) out there. The food critics say that the "San Francisco Pita" is the hot meal choice. It's full of pastrami and bacon, and comes topped with an avocado sauce.
4. Cold Stone a chain of ice cream shops found all over the area. Good for a late night treat.
I'm sure you're asking what is there to do in Phoenix. Lucky for you, I found something called the Points of Pride. These are 26 favorite points picked by over 10,000 people in the area. And I quote, "The Points of Pride locations are placed you'd be proud to tell your friends and visitors not to miss when they're in town." I didn't want to clutter this whole article, so I just picked a couple. Here are the top five, and then one that I thought was cool.
* America West Arena always time to catch a Phoenix Suns basketball game (not this season)
* Arizona Biltmore a gorgeous resort to visit
* Arizona Center the marketplace
* Blockbuster Desert Sky Pavilion a 20,000 seat music arena for major acts in town
* Camelback Mountain see the beautiful red cliffs
* Mystery Castle listed as #11, but with 18 rooms, 13 fireplaces, and other hidden stuff, how couldn't this one be in the top 5?
Cheap hotels are normally a necessity if the bar doesn't comp them. Here are two to check on
1. Motel 6 (602 995-7592)
2. Travelodge (602 995-9500)
Venues
Balboa Café 404 S. Mill, Tempe (602 966 1300) this may have recently closed, I can't get an answer at the number, but it used to be a key venue!
The Balboa has a fantastic location, as it sits right along side of the Hayden Ampitheater. Hayden traditionally draws a lot of the national acts into town, so playing next door on the same night may elicit some good traffic. Capacity at the Balboa Cafι is just over 200, and they feature live music 5-6 nights a week.
The Mason Jar 2303 E. Indian School Rd., Phoenix (602 265 5268)
This venue is considered a true live music spot devoting every night of the week to live shows. They have a good PA, and a capacity over 300. The club books most styles of music.
Long Wong's 701 E. University, Tempe (602 966 8789)
College bar with a catchy name. Sara Cina does the booking at this venue, which lists a capacity at about 150. They feature bands just about every day of the week, especially during the school year.
Toolies Country 4231 W. Thomas, Phoenix (602 272 3100)
Toolies is a country music spot. They have a good PA and can fit a heck of a lot of people there 800+. Toolies also features some Latino music one night of the week.
Blue Note 8708 E. McDowell, Scottsdale (602 946 6227)
One of the great live blues clubs in town.
Gibson's 410 S. Mill Ave., Tempe (602 829 0008)
Gibson's has been drawing some bigger-named, touring acts. They have a large capacity at around 700. The feature music almost every night, and focus mostly on alternative.
Big Fish Pub 1954 E. University, Tempe
This venue is known as a "fun place" to be. They feature live music quite often, and many of the people come to the Big Fish Pub intending on dancing. The club has all ages shows with I.D. about three days a week. Remaining nights are 21 and up at this casual club. They also feature some good pool tables.
Hollywood Alley 2610 W. Baseline Road, Mesa (602 820 7117)
This club books local and touring acts. The music there is mainly alternative, punk, or rock. Speak with Ross or Rob there for bookings.
Rockin Horse 7316 E. Stetson, Scottsdale (602 949 0992)
This is another good country music venue.
The Bash on Ash 5th & Ash, Tempe (602 966 8200)
Don't know much but maybe that means something?
Rhythm Room 1019 E. Indian School Rd., Phoenix (602 265 4842)
A club focused on roots and blues music. They boast a capacity of 250 and have an in-house PA. The room is booked by Bob Corritore who has booking hours from 11-5 weekdays.
Edsel's Attic 414 S Mill Ave., Tempe (602 336 9630)
This club is located right in one of the town's hot bar spots (right by Gibson's). It is located close to the stadium (the one hosting the Fiesta Bowl, the college championship game). They also have food, which helps for a more built-in crowd.
Melody Lounge 1126 N. Scottsdale Road, Tempe (602 967 9065)
A spot with spirits, live music, and billiards. The Melody Lounge features a lot of local talent. It may be a shot to open for a local draw's crowd.
Press & Radio
State Press Magazine, Tempe - 602 965 1695 - AZ State College paper
New Times, Phoenix - 602 271 0040 - Weekly; has show listings
ie music in flux, Mesa - 602 668 8433 - Good music mag
Phoenix Gazette, Phoenix - 602 271 8679 - Phoenix's big daily paper
KNIX Magazine, Tempe - 602 966 6236 - Sticks to country music
KASR 1260 AM, Tempe - 602 965 4160
KJAG, Phoenix - 602 271 2874
KZON 101.5, Phoenix - 602 229 1015
KEDJ 106.3, Phoenix - 602 266 1360
KDKB 93.3, Mesa - 602 897 9300
KUPD 97.9, Tempe - 602 838 0400
Local AZ Based Record Labels
Haydens - 602 831 7233
Independent Project - 602 204 1332
McMahon Music Group - 602 949 8495
Knot Known Records - 602 394 0343
Meistersinger Musik - 520 733 9382
I, of course, must lay out my disclaimer out that this review does not include everything going on in the Phoenix area. So, if there's anything else that you would like to see added, please don't hesitate to drop a line. Remember to check other cities that have been reviewed from past months. If you have a city you'd like to see covered right away, drop us an email, and we'll bump it up on the list.
Keep Gigging and See You Next Month
Related MusicDish e-Journal Articles:
» Touring Guide: Kansas City, MO (2000-08-02)
» Touring Guide: Raleigh, NC (2000-07-12)
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