Skacore is a term not found in the Phoenix scene. I first caught the genre outside of this city, when I went on a short tour in 2014 with the local band Nomada. They opened up for the River Ratts in a venue in Riverside. This was one of the craziest pits I’ve partaken in. Your instinct is to skank during the ska parts, but then the hardcore sections of the songs hit and you have yourself a mosh pit. Our headliners this night harken from that genre, sandwiched in…
Read MoreSpring is a time where the temperatures in Phoenix would be summer time for the rest of the country. Growing up here I’ve become acclimated to it, making it just a great time to get outdoors. With it brings the celebrations and the prom seasons too. This Saturday night was a combination of both for me, with a Spring Fling and taking in another annual Ska Prom. I made my way to the gorgeous Cave Creek for the first time for my friend’s, Jason, Spring Fling. This was my first…
Read MoreA cool thing about these things is I get to bring bands to the forefront of people’s attention. I get to showcase bands I enjoy to see a lot. It creates an exercise in writing too, as I see bands more often trying to put different words into my take for the night. Tonight was a great night to see bands you don’t hear enough about from me that I think are fantastic, along with my usual staples of awesome local punk bands. Right off of the bat, I got…
Read MoreStealing a little lyric from the “Theme from a NOFX Album” and slightly modifying it, Creepy Don is not really so creepy. This was the night to celebrate his birthday though in the most appropriate way, a punk show. The line-up included his band, We Might Be Wasted, amongst a great packet of musicians. Although, Nick, from Jack the Cat, jested that his taste in music hasn’t got better with age if Jack the Cat is playing. On that note, Jack the Cat kicked off the show. I don’t know…
Read MoreTwenty Five years is a long time, and an amazing achievement. Tonight’s show was a celebration of two good friends, Barry and Isabel, celebrating twenty five years married. I did forget to ask what has made it work well for so long, but I have to imagine it is that punk rock spirit in it. Not only are they one of the most punk couples I know going to shows, they had a punk rock show with cake to celebrate those twenty five years instead of just a simple house…
Read MoreIf there’s a hard punk band from L.A. that I don’t miss when they visit, that is the guys in Eken is Dead. I descended onto the Rogue Bar the first time in a couple months for this one, near the Southern border of Scottsdale. The other awesome thing about Eken is Dead shows in Phoenix is that it brings out a lot of friends so a great setting to catch music. My reward for getting there in time for the opening band was I was greeted with the…
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