Keepin’ it real is integral for a folk artist, so big ups to Phoenix (by way of Las Vegas) singer-songwriter Jacob Smigel for realizing that nothin’s realer than the messages on an old answering machine. His new album, Hope This Passes the Secretary, weaves Smigel’s lo-fi, often minimalist indie folk…
With the recent resurgence of “classic” drinks, it’s nice to see a relative newbie that combines tradition with innovation like St-Germain, an artisanal French liqueur made from handpicked elderflower blossoms found in the foothills of the Alps…
Everyone loves a birthdays party, especially when the guest of honor it is part of a kickass crew with tons of friends and fans. Thursday night’s Bombshelter DJ birthday bash (for DJ Emile) blew up Tempe’s Cherry Lounge & Pit, a venue that has recently gained some street cred thanks…
Lets be honest: we’ve all done the ‘ol “vodka in the water bottle” or “beer in the cargo pocket” routine from time to time (because the real crime is charging $10 for a watered down cocktail, or (gasp!) not allowing alcohol on the premises at all, right?). Turns out drinking…
Unless you were dubbed the designated driver last night, there’s a good chance your New Year’s Day consists of a 20-count box of Alka-Seltzer tablets and a Snuggy. But as the old adage goes, there’s nothing like a 19th-century prostitute to liven up a still-hungover-from-Thursday Friday night. For that reason,…
When throwing oneself a birthday party, you can’t go wrong with a Hulkster theme (of course, having 20-ish DJs, live art, a bike expo and a secret downtown location don’t hurt either). Ali Karim and crew put their party planning skills to the test this Saturday, and passed with flying…
With the holidays come a strong sense of nostalgia, and there’s nothing more nostalgic for us than sipping Hot chocolate (with a shot of Bailey’s, of course) bundled up near a heat lamp on the Casey Moore’s patio…
When informing a potential love interest of your plans to hit Casey Moore’s this weekend, there’s no romantic deal-breaker quite like the “Who’s Casey?” response. The neighborhood bar housed in a historical property built in 1910 is as much a Tempe landmark as the old flour mill, but pulls a…
Looks like the corner of 32nd Street and Indian School is finally getting the love it has so desperately missed since the demise of Glam. If its maiden voyage Friday night was any indication, Club Vibe maybe the new spot to kick off the weekend with its anything-goes dance night…
One of the most crucial tenets of bartending (after knowing how to make drinks and faking interest in customers’ sob stories) is to never stop learning, whether it’s a new drink recipe or a lesson in human behavior. After a decade of slinging drinks at Phoenix dive/neighborhood bars, “Evil” Jeannie…
Being a Phoenician ain’t easy; you have to know about every under-the-radar spot in the Valley, remember the names of everyone you meet, financially support every new local business that springs up, mourn the loss of every local business that goes under, and try not to pick up a bad…
With its recent rise in popularity, it sometimes feels like psychobilly has become more of a look than a music genre. Overabundance of skulls, bats, and other accessories readily available at Hot Topic aside, the psychobilly scene has some of the most loyal, supportive fans around. Nor-Cal’s Stellar Corpses has…
We’re assuming Skinny Puppy doesn’t really get into the “holiday spirit.” However, the band has something akin to an early Christmas gift for its Phoenix-area fans this weekend: the chance to hear its latest album, In Solvent See, for the very first time (unless, of course, they’ve already peeped bootlegs…
For the last four years, Homme Lounge has hosted dance nights for every music scene from hip hip to industrial to indie rock; but its most consistently crowded affair for the last year and a half has been its Party Foul Friday nights. Now that Homme is closing down for…
Julia “Momma Judy” Walker may have three grandchildren, but she’s nothing like your cheek-pinching, Bible-quoting grammy. At the (somewhat ironic) age of 69, Momma Judy manages a gay dive bar in Central Phoenix known for its sexually explicit nightly entertainment (strippers and drag shows), working class clientele, and for being…
Officially, Julia Walker is a mother of three, but through her 25 years serving drinks and providing comfort to Phoenix’s often ignored or disparaged underbelly, she has become “Momma Judy” to thousands. After her 21-year marriage ended, Judy moved to Arizona to be with her two sons. One of her…
Most musicians incorporate the things they love most into their art. This may include significant others, cherished family members, or “big-booty hos” if you’re 2 Live Crew. Since becoming a DJ is the new “starting a band,” we’re guessing it works the same way with electronic music. If so, we’ll…
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…
The plush leather booths, dim lighting and retro jukebox tunes give Shady’s somewhat of an old fashioned vibe, but with Ted Grossman is behind the bar, you’ll swear you’re in a Brooklyn speakeasy circa the 1960s. He specializes in making classic cocktails, and even brings his own ingredients if the…
Whether it’s booze, music, film or food, Ted Grossman admits he’s a bit of a snob. In this case, however, knowing that he’d think your favorite films are garbage and that you couldn’t even smell his favorite drink without gagging doesn’t make Grossman unlikeable; it’s actually quite the opposite. His…
Making fun of home-schooled kids used to be funny. They’re incredibly awkward around people their own ages, they’ve never done drugs, and they don’t even get references to trashy reality-TV shows. But while you were busy “sexting” some kid you met on MySpace, the home-schoolers had graduated at 16 and…
After five long years of indie/rock/electro/etc. dance tunes, celebrity guest DJs and stylish drunks gyrating on the dance floor, Shake! finally let out its death rattle. Fortunately the old dame went out with a bang and not a whimper Saturday night, yielding an army of creatively-costumed partygoers intent on drinking,…
