Yucca Tap Room – Page 2 – Every Show Joe

Artist Spotlight: Snailmate

January 7, 2019January 7, 2019 Every Show JoeArizona, Hip Hop, Nerdcore, Punk, Snailmate, Synth, Tempe, Yucca Tap Room

Continuing on with the artist spotlight feature brings a local Nerdcore duo into the light. This is one you may not see as often locally because they have been doing a lot of trekking around the country since they started. My history with them goes back to when April was drumming in this fantastic blues and soul style band, Sister Lip. When that band ended up calling it quits, a few members went onto new projects with April joining Kalen for Snailmate. In the more than a decade since I…

Concerts

Didn’t Feel Like A Monday

January 5, 2019January 5, 2019 Every Show JoeArizona, Grade 2, Hardcore Punk, Lower Class Brats, Old Firm Casuals, Punk, Tempe, Thug Riot, Yucca Tap Room

There are older bands I have not caught in a non-festival setting. These are excellent ones that either they haven’t visited in the time since discovering or I had one of my regular overlaps of music I want to go see in the same night. The Lower Class Brats and Old Firm Casuals are both bands that until recently fit underneath this. A show additionally bringing a Tucson favorite, Thug Riot, and I got introduced to a band I had never heard before, Grade 2. Opening up are the Tucson…

Artist Spotlight

Artist Spotlight: The Bombpops

December 31, 2018December 31, 2018 Every Show JoeArizona, Punk, Tempe, The Bombpops, Yucca Tap Room

For the third band in my most recent feature, the Artist Spotlight, I am shining it on the Bombpops. This is a band I discovered the first time at Last Exit Live on a tour with the Swingin’ Utters in April 2015. This unknown was upbeat and the right kind of pop punk I love. A little Ramones blended with Joan Jett with their unique take on it. Lyrics I could relate to, with a few specifically because I had just come out of one of the worst relationship of…

Concerts

That PHX Ska Punk Bowling!

October 8, 2018November 20, 2019 Every Show JoeCreepsville 666, Death By Stereo, Don Bolles, Epic 18, First or Last, FoL, JFA, Madd Dog Tannen, PCP, People Corrupting People, PHX Ska Punk Bowling, Psychobilly, Punk, Reason Unknown, Rockabilly, Ska, Ska Punk, The Dead Beat Hymns, The Devillains, The Germs, TV Tragedy, Yucca Tap Room

Twenty years ago there was a small festival that started up in Las Vegas as a couple of club shows. That festival gradually grew to become what everyone knows as Punk Rock Bowling. Five years ago, in a similar idea for the Phoenix scene, Andy Jones put on the first ever Phoenix Ska Punk Bowling. The goal was to bring together our local punk, ska, and rockabilly at an affordable price for a couple days. Each year brings a couple national headliners too, that first one included Teenage Bottlerocket, The…

Concerts

The Up and Comers

August 20, 2018May 21, 2020 Every Show JoeAcoustic, Arizona, Birth of Monsters, Hardcore, Not Confined, Punk, Shamehole, Tempe, Yucca Tap Room

Sometimes shows are going to be quieter and smaller. They tend to be the ones sitting on a Sunday, although a few big bands buck that trend. You find the gems at these shows. One such occasion is a week ago at the Yucca Tap Room, where we found our punk regulars, Birth of Monsters, joined by the up and coming young punks of Not Confined and the latest acoustic duo of Shamehole. Up first were the familiar faces of Shamehole. This two piece band is made up of Evan,…

Concerts

The Allure Of the Small Venue

July 5, 2018July 5, 2018 Every Show JoeArizona, Heavy Breather, Punk, Tempe, TSOL, Venomous Pinks, Yucca Tap Room

There is a special feeling to watching bands in a smaller venue. That special feeling grows larger when it ends up a band that has been performing punk rock for the last three decades. In this case, it was my second time capturing that feeling of watching TSOL at the Yucca Tap Room. This night they were accompanied by two spotlights of the Phoenix punk bands, Heavy Breather and the Venomous Pinks. Opening up is a band I haven’t had a chance to tell you about on this site, Heavy…

Concerts

Bringing The Party

July 2, 2018July 2, 2018 Every Show JoeAcousta Noir, Arizona, Bluegrass, Haymarket Squares, Larry and His Flask, Punk, Some Dark Hollow, Tempe, Yucca Tap Room

As the last national Warped Tour goes on, it continues a last run at introducing music fans to bands they may never have crossed paths with. In this same vein, at Warped Tour 2011, I was introduced to an entirely new genre to me from a band that just killed it in 110 degrees. That genre was Bluegrass and that band was Larry and His Flask. I’ve supported their album fundraising since and made it a goal to catch them anytime they are in Phoenix. Of course, that meant their…

Concerts

The Open Mic Night Surprise

February 20, 2018 Every Show Joe1967, Arizona, Indie Rock, Jaime Reynolds, Jason Messer, Rock, Tempe, The Struts, Yucca Tap Room

I’ve attended open mics time to time over the years. They bring out great and growing musicians. There were a few I became a regular for a while, including the one that gave me my first nickname of “Homemade Shaker Joe.” This was a night that my friend Jaime, of 1967, returned to Phoenix to visit and perform. I was going to relax after his little set, but a surprise showed itself later into the night. First, let us talk Jaime and 1967. He was once a resident of Phoenix…

Concerts

Punk Rock Duo

February 2, 2018May 21, 2020 Every Show JoeAlex Squared, Arizona, Mobina Galore, Punk, Skull Drug, Tempe, Time Out Lounge, Yucca Tap Room

Everyone has an opinion. You don’t have to agree with them, but you can listen to their take on it. It is a common discussion that comes up about two piece bands. There are people out there that aren’t fans. They aren’t open to the idea two members can make great music. However, over the past three years I’ve seen a couple now that I feel make the convincing argument for the amazingness that is a two piece band. In this smaller show, we had the two piece of Mobina…

Concerts

Punk Pals

September 25, 2017May 21, 2020 Every Show JoeAlex Squared, Arizona, First or Last, LightSpeedGo, Punk, Rundown Roommates, Tempe, Yucca Tap Room

Personality is the word I would use to describe the night. This will be repeated throughout below. Personality is the most common trait of every band that played the First or Last album release. A unique acoustic set from Rundown to the hard rockers of Alex Squared. Opening up was Rundown Roommates in a more unplugged form. Elliot and Tyler sat adorned stools on the Yucca stage. They both had acoustic instruments, guitar and bass. Like their full band sets they kept the charm you find in a regular set.…