Bars & Clubs

Trust the well-toned, denim-clad cowboys behind the rustic bar at Charlie’s — there are more than a handful of reasons to get there early and stay late. Beyond afternoon volleyball, evening dance classes and nightly drink specials, this downtown staple is home to regular entertainment from a cast of characters, after-hours parties and drink specials including “undie Mondays” and “half off with your pants off.” Drink to your line-dancing heart’s desire and soak it up with a plate of tacos and quesadillas from the regular taco truck, Taqueria Los Yaquis (with a very convenient service window into Charlie’s back patio). You’ll thank the cowboys in the morning.

Sean Watson owes his DJ career to having a whole lotta talent and a little bit of luck. Chance encounters with certain movers and shakers at The Vig shortly after his debut in 2007, for instance, led to a breakthrough residency at the trendy Arcadia spot that launched him into local prominence. It’s entirely possible that Watson’s late-night Saturday dance party, Kismet, has become as popular as it has over the past two years due to, well, kismet. His substantial music knowledge and talents at building an epic set probably helped, too, as does the fact there’s no DJ-style posturing, no attitude, and no cover involved. Just him having a blast slinging whatever sort of nu-disco, electro, and ’80s remixes that suit the moment while visual artist Matt Castleberry conjures up an ever-evolving mural of video art projections. Both creatives attract the weekend party crowd and entice Crescent concertgoers to stick around after a show with promises of a great time. “Something good might happen when you walk through the door,” Watson says. Sounds like kismet to us.

During the day, KJZZ broadcasts NPR content and exclusive news and culture reporting about Phoenix, but at night, the controls are handed over to jazz DJ Blaise Lantana. On Saturday night, the station broadcasts American Routes out of New Orleans, one of the best roots programs in the country. On Sunday night, the station devotes five hours to Those Lowdown Blues, blues musician and club owner Bob Corritore’s 30-years-running blues program, which features the disc jockey spinning dirty Delta blues, gritty R&B, and gospel. Last year, the station took its commitment to the blues even further, launching a 24-hours-a-day online component, Jazz Phoenix, playing a stream classic jazz for HD listeners. From hard bop to smooth progressive tunes, KJZZ remains the standard for jazz and blues in the Valley.

Tongue Tied promoter Michele Roya Chinichian says she is a “big goofball at heart” with a soft spot for anything corny. And that’s readily apparent at the monthly “crazy fun” dance parties she throws every first Saturday at Apollo’s with DJ Funkfinger. To wit: Playthings like lightsabers, a stuffed unicorn, and superhero masks are the norm, cinematic cheese like Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo is on every TV, and Ace of Base and Montell Jordan pepper the indie-heavy playlist. There’s a different theme each month (one party lampooned the Olympics while another was inspired by the Technicolor world of Lisa Frank) and free Otter Pops, to boot. Plus, writhing alongside the DJ booth is the neon spandex-clad spazzoid and resident interpretive dancer The Dave Driscoll Dance Machine. It all adds up to one of the most memorable club nights around, one that’s more dippy fun than hipster irony. “Tongue Tied’s more about having fun than being cool, which I think is lacking at a lot of hipster parties,” Chinichian says. Well, that, and a dude in an electric pink bodysuit thrusting his crotch at you.

More than just a legacy hip-hop station playing classics, the Beat includes select new songs, afternoons with Ramses Ja, and edgy programming featuring Pokafase, Mattlocks, Roknowledge, DJ Element, and Madd Rich. On-air mixing and a solid catalog of hip-hop classics from Jay Z, Notorious BIG, and even left field acts like Digable Planets, and new cuts by Schoolboy Q and Rick Ross. The Beat manages the difficult task of incorporating new songs into a playlist of legends, showing off a commitment to furthering hip-hop’s cultural legacy while staying relevant to a new crop of fans.

Okay, so maybe when you hear the name “Monarch Theatre,” spelled with the very regal-looking “-re” instead of the pedestrian “-er,” you think of a grand, historic venue. While Monarch Theatre has history, a stiff, traditional theater it is not. Rather, it’s downtown Phoenix’s best and most happening dance floor on any given weekend, featuring everything from touring electronic dance music producers to fashion shows. The dance floor is central to the experience here, and the warehouse-like feel to the room invokes a rave-type dance mania, making you feel so anonymous that you have no fear cutting loose to whatever music happens to be playing that night. Occasionally, it’ll open its spooky basement and put on events down there, like the infamous Fight Club Sadisco*, which saw the already eerie underground adorned with stark, spray-painted cardboard bearing intimidating phrases from the movie. Whatever the event, the Monarch Theatre is just classy enough to make you want to dress up, while mysterious and exciting enough to make you want to get down.

There’s no one playing sexier jams than this locally owned station, which features programs like the syndicated Art Laboe Show, the sensual Quiet Storm, and a block of programming by the Manic Hispanic, whose knowledge and selection runs deep, incorporating lowrider oldies from doo-wop acts and smooth electro from Zapp and Roger. The vibe is mellow but hardly boring, and Mega 104.3 takes it to the streets, too, hosting events at clubs like Casablanca Lounge.

When it comes to saying which stereotype can shake it more, we tango back and forth between the gay and Latin communities. Conveniently enough, however, there’s one place in town where these two troops turn the dance floor into a tour de force. Karamba Night Club in Phoenix is a cultural fusion of fabulous, fast-paced flamenco and Latin sounds, featuring drinking and dancing specials throughout the week, including Salsa Tuesdays and Top 40 Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. On any given night inside this colorful club, LGBT locals party to the beat of Latin pop and pulsating lights while they pick up cocktails and dance partners at either one of the club’s full bars or generous patio. Novice high-heel wearers, beware: Your fancy feet may not be able to keep up with all this Latin flair.

KCDX recently started boasting that it’s “like pirate radio, minus the pirates,” and the catchphrase is utterly accurate. It’s aural anarchy on the station, which broadcasts across most of the Valley. You’re as likely to hear a noisy Velvet Underground tune as you are prog rock from 10cc. There are no DJs to clue you in on what’s what, but the station updates its website in real time, a handy trick when it’s spinning a song by underground Texas psych bands like Bubble Puppy or British folk rockers Fairport Convention. Sometimes the station airs silence for hours — making it all the more mysterious when the tunes come roaring back to life. No one does freeform AOR like KCDX — and while other classic rock stations do a good job with the standard formula, it’s awesome to hear the rulebook thrown out the window while cruising across the desert.

The two Valley radio stations for popular country music have some pretty short-term memories. That is, you’re not likely to hear music that’s more than a few years old. That’s certainly not the case on KSWG, “Arizona’s Real Country,” where Johnny Cash and even Brooks & Dunn make the station’s list of most-played songs. The station still mixes in modern country hits from the likes of Luke Bryan or the Zac Brown Band, but it probably is the only local radio station that will give you the opportunity to belt out Alan Jackson’s “Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow” in the middle of the afternoon — and don’t pretend you still don’t remember that words.

It’s funny how one brewery can come into the craft beer scene in Phoenix and completely blow it up. Sure, there was plenty of great local beer in town before Arizona Wilderness Brewing, but in just about a year, it’s already been named best new brewery in the world by beer geeks in the know and has put our fair state on the map in ways it hadn’t been before. Maybe it’s the focus on using as much local grain as possible. Maybe it’s the unique ingredient list, from cacao nibs to spruce tips. But once you get your first sip, you know it’s something new. The almost daily changing list of experimental microbrews has us coming back for more and, with its being a Kickstarter-funded endeavor, we’re just glad these artful brewers got the opportunity to open in the first place.

KWSS stepped up in a big way this year, sponsoring the star-studded Summer Ends festival at Tempe Town Lake, where rising locals Black Carl, The Senators, Playboy Manbaby, and Mouse Powell headlined the KWSS Stage alongside mainstage acts like the Replacements, Foster the People, and Switchfoot. The station’s local-centric program, especially morning crew TMI, helped break Phoenix act Kongos locally, before the family band broke into the Top 40. Programs like TMI, Erratic Radio!, and Danny Zelisko’s Presents are some of the most spontaneous and exciting in the Valley, and the station’s commitment to new acts as well as established alt icons make it a rarity not just in Phoenix, but nationally.

As confusing as KWSS’ existence is (yes, it’s independent and nonprofit, despite the underwriting announcements that occasionally sound like actual commercials, the entirely mainstream style of station identification, and the fact that the lefty news programs associated with these types of stations air on KWSS at ungodly hours on weekdays), it’s the only radio show we’ll even consider listening to in the morning. That’s because Beef Vegan, host of The Morning Infidelity, which runs from 6 to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday, clearly cares about his community, and he frequently gives airtime to local musicians, both on recorded tracks and via live on-air performances. He strikes a perfect balance between bemused guide and flashy showman as he discusses the happenings of the world, both locally and elsewhere. Add the great playlists he curates during his show and you get a great idea why The Morning Infidelity is the best option on Phoenix radio in the morning.

Prepare to see and be seen when you walk through the unassuming doors of what regulars call “The Cash,” a longtime favorite of local gays and lesbians. At the Western-themed bar, line dancing, dart-throwing, pool-shooting, and karaoke-ing are queen — and can all be the center of attention from the barstools that line the dimly lit bar and dance floor. The Cash is home to regular (and free!) dance lessons and an eclectic playlist, which make for an entertaining view.

Nothing says chilling by the pool on a relaxing Saturday afternoon quite like an ice-cold can of Mr. Pineapple. Yes, this San Tan brew now is available for purchase in cans at most local liquor stores and even area Trader Joe’s. Though it’s not the most complex brew crafted in town, drinkability is the name of the game here, and we’ve found few who can resist this beer’s charm, even after just one sip. With a nice, light wheat beer base and a strong, acidic, and fruity kick of pineapple flavor, Mr. Pineapple definitely isn’t a misnomer, although the name is kind of creepy. Don’t worry, though, this tasty brew plays nice.

When Bill “Wallace” Thompson, creator and co-star of Arizona’s favorite madcap children’s program The Wallace and Ladmo Show, passed away in July 2014, Facebook and Twitter feeds across the city were flooded with a familiar tune, “Ho Ho Ha Ha Hee Hee Ha Ha,” the show’s theme. It was penned by Mike Condello, who was responsible for much of the show’s iconic music. Under Condello’s watchful eye from 1962 to 1972, the show incorporated Beatles spoofs by fictional acts like Hubb Kapp and the Wheels and Commodore Condello’s Salt River Navy Band, alongside Condello originals. Condello was busy with his own songs, too. His 1968 album Phase 1 features Phoenix’s finest psychedelic pop moments, melding fuzzy guitars to Condello’s sighing schoolboy vocals. The album was re-issued by the folks at hip label Sundazed this year, offering a chance for fans to own a shining nugget of Sonoran pop. Like Thompson and Ladimir “Ladmo” Kwiatkowski (who passed away in 1994), Condello left too soon. The songwriter lost a long battle with severe depression in 1995. Though a treasure unknown by many outside a circle of record collectors and psychedelic enthusiasts, Condello’s songs still ring in the heads of Phoenix children of all ages.  

Mountain views and resort bars go together like gin and tonic, but BLT Steak is more than just a pretty face. Classy digs and a comfy lounge area make you feel right at home — you know, if your home were a pricey resort. Add to that those cheesy, warm, and gooey popovers, some herbaceous escargot, and bright, citrusy hamachi and you have some fancy eats to match the atmosphere. Local and national craft brews on draft are available, but chances are you won’t be able to pass up cocktail creations like the fig-infused Old Fashioned, apricot pie sidecar, or the mango Moscow Mule. For those looking for a romantic spot that’s sure to woo, BLT Steak is the place.

You’ve probably heard about this Scottsdale spot and wondered about how to spell — let alone pronounce — the complicated name. And even if you’ve never stepped foot inside, chances are you’ve walked by it a million times without ever knowing it. The unmarked entrance — which, by the way, predates the new speakeasy trend — leads into a dark, ancient-looking space built to remind patrons of an underground wine cellar. The interior is cool enough to make us want to go back, but it’s the extensive wine list that really does the trick. To call Kaz Bar’s menu a “list” isn’t really fair. It’s really a veritable book, with more than 3,200 wine selections if you’re going for a whole bottle. The by-the-glass options are far less numerous but still give you plenty of choices in different styles from around the world.

Local bands aspire to perform at Crescent Ballroom, and when they get there, it makes drinking the Honey Badger (Crescent’s signature cocktail) all the sweeter. After coming up through the bottom rungs of the Phoenix music scene, playing house parties and bar gigs with no PA, playing the Crescent is like playing Madison Square Garden, and only the crème de la crème of local bands headline the venue’s stage. The Crescent opened in 2011 and in just three short years has become synonymous with the local music scene. With killer burritos and other culinary options created by chef Chris Bianco by day, and a salivating mix of local and national acts by night, the Crescent is the place you’ll find yourself more often than not if you’re a fan of live local music.

Bob Corritore’s venue gets the nod for best blues club not just because it consistently hosts the best blues shows in town, which it does. It’s the whole package that the owner brings to the table. Corritore is more than just a venue owner. He’s a musician and a tireless promoter of jazz and blues. From his weekly five-hour radio show on KJZZ to his nonprofit Southwest Musical Arts Foundation to his weekly jam sessions with his cast of Phoenix blues regulars, Corritore and the Rhythm Room are synonymous with Phoenix blues. When longtime Rhythm Room general manager and barmaid Mona Lisa Watkins hung up her apron this past April, the Rhythm Room threw a huge blues party in her honor — a testament to the community Corritore, with the Rhythm Room, has enabled.

It didn’t take long for The Nash to establish itself as the preeminent spot in Phoenix for jazz. The venue opened in April 2012, and before you could say “Louis Armstrong’s cigar-sized joints,” it was offering a full slate of top-notch jazz performances and educational classes. The venue feels like an old-timey New York City jazz club (minus the cigarette smoke), and the Nash’s BYOB policy only serves to augment the speakeasy feel of the place. Take a seat anywhere within the cozy confines and you’ll get crisp, near-perfect sound in a picturesque setting for a jazz show, and catch any genre, from Dixieland to traditional to free.

Punk (and its many subgenres) is one of the few types of music in which top-tier acts get up close and personal with their fans. Barriers are pretty much the least punk rock thing ever. A punk show without at least three crowd-surfers is considered a dull affair. The Nile offers intimacy in the best ways possible — from the cavernous yet cozy, 800-capacity main room, which hosts bands like Against Me! — to The Underground, the Nile’s 300-capacity basement, home to local shows and touring acts like Circle Takes the Square. Go to a show here and rub shoulders with punk scenesters of all ages, and if it’s a particularly good performance, watch the kiddos rock out on stage and dive back into the crowd. The Nile’s two-fisted approach to music easily takes the cake for best place to see punk rock shows in the Valley.

Don’t let the location fool you — tucked in the corner of an unassuming strip mall in North Phoenix lies Joe’s Grotto, a bar and music venue that hosts some of the best rock and metal shows in the Valley. The place has a killer stage (lights included!) and a screaming sound system capable of doing justice to everyone from your friendly local alternative band to the distorted chaos of a touring death metal band. Two nights a week, you’ll find open mics on the smaller of the venue’s two stages, where amateurs get a chance to strut their stuff and perhaps be broadcast live on KWSS 93.9 FM. And the owner, Joe Grotto (yes, that’s his real name), is always ready with a grin and easy conversation. What more could you want in a rock club?

Maya Day & Nightclub has existed for less than two years, but it has sailed to the top of the short list of places where you want to be seen when you go clubbing in Scottsdale. Boasting A-list DJs on any given weekend, with a smattering of great lesser-known talent filling in the gaps between headliners, Maya makes running a great nightclub look easy. Inside, the place is like a twisted circus, with a pounding electronic dance music soundtrack. We’ve seen fire-breathers, go-go dancers, and a metal-clad, spark-shooting electric saw dancer we had never seen before (and haven’t since). And that’s just on the inside. Atop the building is one of the Valley’s best pools, where you can kick back, enjoy a Valley sunset, and revel in the closest thing to a Las Vegas nightclub experience that Scottsdale has to offer.

Every new nightspot in Scottsdale gets long lines out the door — for the first couple of months, at any rate. The real test is whether people are still willing to come out and line up long after most everyone’s gotten a look at what’s inside. In the case of Cake, which opened in January, its staff is still dealing with big crowds and no signs of slowing down, so we’d have to dub it a success. What’s the draw? The staff of comely, lingerie-wearing CakeDolls might have something to do with it, as might the aerialists and burlesque performers who strut their stuff amid the club’s stylish chateau-meets-bordello décor. When most of its neighbors surrounding Saddlebag Trail club zone are geared toward flat-out partying, Cake offers panache in addition to a staff of highly selective doormen who allow young and hot females to cut to the head of the line. Cake, in essence, takes the cake.

Once home to a printing press in Phoenix’s warehouse district, the Pressroom formerly was the site of Madison Event Center, which hosted raves and underground events. Relaunching in 2013 as the Pressroom, the 1,000-person venue came in with a bang, hosting occult rockers Ghost BC, the PHX AM afterparty with Death, the Allah-Las, and Dam-Funk, and Caliente Summer Jamz. With a massive sound system, the Pressroom features an indoor and outdoor bar and has the potential to become one of the premier venues in downtown Phoenix.

The Orpheum Theater is, quite frankly, gorgeous. Originally opened in 1929, the theater boasts 85 years of Phoenix history, including time as a Vaudeville house and a Spanish-language cinema. In 1984, the theater joined the National Register of Historic Places, and when the city of Phoenix finished renovating the place in 1997, it was clear why. With gargantuan Spanish Colonial murals adorning the walls, it’s easy to feel dwarfed by the larger-than-life décor, which is the perfect setting for a concert. Unfortunately, the Orpheum is criminally underused as a music venue, but when the rare opportunity to see a national act — like St. Vincent in May — arises, it is a treasure.

Nestled among the carnicerías and bodegas of 16th Street, the Royale Lounge is a dive in the classic sense of the word. Low lit and adorned by the humming red neon of its classy sign, the Royale is big on cheap drinks and low on pretension. Eighty-something bartender “Miss Lil” knows the regulars, and she’s so sweet you’ll feel like one in no time. Hip bars love to aim for the dive bar feel, but there are some things that can’t be faked, and the lowdown warmth of the Royale Lounge is as real as it gets.

The Lost Leaf doesn’t have a giant stage or a killer sound system, but it’s still the perfect place to catch a loose set from locals like Wooden Indian, Kevin Daly’s Chicken and Waffles, Sunorous, or DJentrification. The historic downtown bungalow feels appropriately homey, with art by bartender and musical proprietor Tato Caraveo on the walls, and the bar is stocked with a killer selection of microbrews. The Lost Leaf is refreshingly chill, mellow, and classy; it’s easy to sneak in for a few, catch a great set, and wander out to explore downtown.

Late summer, Four Peaks employees hear the same question from local beer lovers: “When can I get my hands on a pint of that pumpkin beer?” It might be because this brew’s arrival is synonymous with the end of a long, hard heatwave. But there’s definitely more to it than that. After all, there’s a reason the pumpkin taps (and now even cans) run dry earlier and earlier every year, though the brewery makes more and more every year. The dark, coffee-colored beer is like drinking liquid pumpkin pie. Now that you know about its roasted malt, baking spice, and, of course, pumpkin flavors, make sure to get your stash of this autumn mainstay before it’s gone. Because it will be gone. Soon.

As much as we love our two-stepping and country tunes, we don’t always want the full honky-tonk experience on a night out. Sometimes we want a place that splits the difference between being a regular nightclub and a spot where you can let our inner cowboy show. That’s when we head to Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row. Nestled in the heart of Old Town Scottsdale’s nightlife district, this bar keeps you in the middle of the action but embraces boots, hats, and other Western apparel. The dance floor isn’t the biggest, but it’s always crowded with guys and gals who know how to bust a country move. Best of all, there’s live music nearly every Thursday and Friday night.

Local promoter Steve “Psyko Steve” Chilton may have borrowed the idea of assembling a bunch of local musicians and randomly assigning them bandmates, a “rock lottery,” from bigger cities like New York City, Seattle, and Dallas, but the resulting show was all Phoenix. In February, members of Captain Squeegee, Jimmy Eat World, the Whisperlights, The Stereo, Avery, Source Victoria, Ladylike, Where Dead Voices Gather, Snake! Snake! Snakes! Wooden Indian, and other Valley luminaries took the stage at Crescent Ballroom, with only an afternoon’s worth of time to prep, and performed brand new material.

The ensemble names tended toward the silly — Beer Barbacoa and the Ballroom Burros, Bitch Choir, DCKSPLT, Auto-Tune-Workout — but the resulting music was surprisingly, okay, astonishingly cohesive. The idea was likely a goof, but it ended up being yielding goods that had Phoenix feeling pretty damn great about its music scene.

Sure, Gilbert-born Lindsey Stirling’s shtick — virtuosic violin shredding over booming EDM beats — sounds like there’s no way it would translate on a live stage. But the 27-year-old Stirling doesn’t just pull it off, she makes the whole thing seem remarkably natural. Commanding a sold-out crowd at the Marquee Theatre in Tempe in May, Stirling sprinted across the stage, performed intricate interpretive dance routines, and cracked jokes all night, never missing a beat or note on her fiddle. Songs like “Swag,” “Crystallize,” and “Shatter Me” blended her Celtic-inspired melodies with throbbing electronic music; at times it felt like a rave, other times it felt like Stirling was imagining the perfect soundtrack to Phoenix Comicon (like when she performed a medley of themes from Nintendo’s Legend of Zelda series). Stirling may not have won as a contestant on America’s Got Talent, but her performance at the Marquee proved that the local girl’s done good and has a career of genre-defying ahead of her.

Blunt Club is a proud gem of Phoenix’s hip-hop scene. Since 2002, Blunt Club has showcased local and touring rappers every week at various venues around Phoenix. Though the location has changed over the years (the Yucca Tap Room recently has become its permanent host), the founders’ vision of an open showcase for underground hip-hop has not. Throughout the years, organizers have brought in marquee talent, like (jaw-dropping) Public Enemy at Hollywood Alley, a secret Z-Trip show at Yucca Tap Room, and Afrika Bambaata and Digable Planets, and for the 12th anniversary celebration this year, world-champion DJ Chris Karns brought his mind-melting turntablism. Hip-hop is strong in Phoenix, thanks in large part to the DJs and rappers behind Blunt Club. 

It would have been enough for many in the crowd just to see a real live Beatle, but Paul McCartney is a showman and a gentleman, and at 72, he worked hard to please the crowd at his August show in Phoenix. The fans sat politely and quietly for a few new songs, but they were obviously there to hear old hits, and McCartney delivered. Both Beatles and Wings fans left pleased as the songs — and accompanying anecdotes and touching moments — rolled out. From “8 Days a Week” to the end of “Abbey Road,” McCartney and his band played on. Highlights included “Maybe I’m Amazed” — dedicated to Linda — and “Live and Let Die,” which was accompanied by some incredible fireworks. He told the story behind “Blackbird,” played “Something” on the ukulele and actually married a couple from the audience onstage — with the caveat that he’s not really ordained to do it. Either way, it was a night to remember, and not just for the newlyweds.

In terms of being on the cutting edge of cocktail trends, The Clever Koi’s back bar stock is as hip as the bar itself looks. With an ever-changing rotation of en vogue herbal liqueurs like Ancho Reyes, Suze, and Génépi, mixologist Joshua James crafts drinks that are crisp, clean, dry, and balanced. You can say goodbye to syrupy drinks forever because James’ increasingly simplistic take on cocktails makes all those Coke highballs and juiced-up mocktails look like kids’ stuff. Though the drink menu is updated seasonally at The Clever Koi, you usually can rely on a Pimm Jung Ill (an amaro-spiked Pimm’s Cup) or Bee’s Knees during happy hour and a Sloe Burn made with bourbon, sloe gin, shiso, and Thai bird honey for dinner.

Destruction Unit started its life in the mid-2000s as a synth-crushing side project of Arizonan Ryan “Elvis Wong” Rousseau and Memphis punks Alicja Trout and the late great Jay Reatard, but it since has morphed into an entirely different beast. Modern-era Destruction Unit is a three-guitar cult of noise and feedback, and the band gained such national notoriety for volume that the band posted its tour rider online, with non-negotiable statements like “If there is a decibel limit in your city, we can’t play your city unless you are willing to risk it or pay the fine” and “Please provide one competent sound engineer that is not afraid of death or excessively loud noise, or both,” noting the most apt candidates already have lost most of their hearing. It would come across as punk posturing if the band’s songs didn’t powerfully demonstrate the transcendent qualities of sonic overload. The band’s albums can’t quite capture it; it needs to be heard (and felt) live.

Nerd alert! We like to take our laptop to a coffee shop and call it a night on the town. And that’s what it is at Lux, where you can start your day with a shot of espresso and end it with a craft cocktail. We’re nerds but we’re not alone — just about any time, you’ll have trouble finding a spot at a table or the bar at this CenPho hangout. The DJ’s always playing something interesting, the eavesdropping is top-notch (as long as you don’t happen to sit next to some church mice — unless that’s your thing) and the drinks are delicious. Just be careful not to spill that gin and tonic on your keyboard.

To be honest, we can’t think of a bad time to drink at AZ88. But we particularly love heading over to the bar/restaurant after a show at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts or Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, in part because this is the hangout for artists, musicians, and other performers. Long the home to the revolving designs of Janis Leonard, who passed away this year, AZ88 has set the stage for drinks, dinner, and conversation on many an evening. We recommend the lavosh and a martini — our favorite is the espresso, strong and sweet with a bean floating on top — and a seat on the patio, when the weather is nice. Late in the night the music gets loud and the crowd a little crazy, and that’s all part of the fun.

While plenty of restaurants offer 20 percent off for fellow restaurant and bar workers either all the time or at certain times of day, Lustre Bar kicks the whole concept of industry perks up a notch by hosting pool parties with a great view of downtown Phoenix every Monday from 6 until 10 p.m. The fun doesn’t stop at the pool, though, because Lustre also offers happy hour pricing all day with great, refreshing, and innovative cocktails dreamed up by Stephanie Teslar. While non-industry types also can weasel their way poolside with a discounted drink, it’s supposed to be an opportunity for those who serve to get pampered a little — so buzz off if you plan on being high maintenance. Sadly, this only goes from Memorial Day to Labor Day, while the weather is right for lounging by the pool.

You might go to Crescent for the concerts, considering that the Phoenix venue usually gets some of the best local and national acts around. You might go there for the beloved bean and cheese burritos wrapped in La Sonorense tortillas or for $2 tacos on Wednesday during lunch. Whatever the reason, you might want to consider setting down that can of Hamm’s or PBR and ordering a glass of house sangria instead. The flavorful blend of red wine, liqueurs, San Pellegrino Aranciata soda, and citrus juice is a great base, but the real secret to this refreshing, fruity drink is the healthy dose of cinnamon added to each batch. Garnished with a cherry and an orange slice and sold for just $5 for a pint, the worst thing about Crescent’s sangria is you won’t be able to stop at one.

The patio at House of Tricks isn’t the largest in town, or the fanciest. The drink menu isn’t super-remarkable (though the wine list is good). But time and again, as soon as the temperature dips, you’ll find us on the patio of this downtown Tempe mainstay enjoying a fireside cocktail. The bricked-in, tree-covered patio is simple, comfortable and typically packed, making us wonder why there aren’t more spots like this around town. Long known as the place ASU students take their parents, this restaurant is more than that — it’s an oasis just off Mill Avenue, a sophisticated but laid back little spot with killer cuisine and a sweet vibe teetering on the verge of tea party but still edgy enough that your boyfriend won’t mind going. Particularly if he can cuddle up to you next to that fireplace.

If any bar menu typifies both reverence to the classics and a new Arizona cocktail outlook, it’s Travis Nass’ menu at Last Drop Bar. That’s because while he keeps old favorites in the repertoire, the cocktails he creates almost always are well-balanced and light — even when they’re liquor-forward. Bringing the cocktail scene away from the over-juiced attempts at refreshment that plague many local watering holes, Nass presents grown-up drinks for a more developed palate. If you’ve ever wondered what Phoenix cocktails should be like, know that they should be something like the smooth, clean, and simple craft concoctions at the Hermosa Inn’s bar. For the less adventurous, he’ll surely whip up any of the old favorites from memory, too.

When we wake up hungover, our go-to remedy is the classic hair of the dog, usually in the form of a tall and extra spicy Bloody Mary. For this treatment, our favorite spot is RnR in Scottsdale. Sunday Funday at this hopping bar and restaurant means bottomless mimosas and Bloody Marys. And we’re not just talking about a glass of tomato juice with a touch of vodka. This place does it right. It pours never-ending glasses of perfectly made Bloody Marys made with tomato juice, spices, vodka, and bacon. That’s right. Bacon. You can imagine how popular such a morning-after beverage might be with the party-loving Old Town Scottsdale crowd, so if you want to avoid a long wait, best to get there early.

There are a lot of great mixology classes in town if you have cash to shell out, or you can just take a seat at the bar at Barrelhouse and listen to Geoffrey Wilson tell you pretty much everything you need to know. Though his specialty is New Orleans cocktail history (like Henry Ramos’ Gin Fizz or the origins of the Sazerac), he’s an encyclopedia of booze know-how. On a personal level, he’s witty, jovial, and entirely professional — everything you could want from a bartender. His warm personality is so inviting and his cocktails are so well-executed that you just might find it impossible to leave your barstool once you’ve taken a seat. Any doubts about whether bartender is a respectable profession go out the window in his presence.

Second Story Liquor Bar might be a new spot on the Scottsdale dining scene, but bartender John Christie has been around. Originally a Bostonian, Christie made an indelible imprint on Valley cocktail bars during his time at the now-defunct Old Town Whiskey. Back in action behind the stick, he still loves his whiskey, even teaching whiskey classes at the bar from time to time. However, his menu, which features the granddaddy of the modern cocktail, the Philadelphia Fish House Punch, is more than just great Old Fashioneds. Bubbly types should go for the French 75. If you’re feeling a little worse for the wear, maybe a Corpse Reviver is in order. Even gin lovers have something to look forward to with the Gin Fizz. Anyway, you get the point — Christie does classics right at his Mad Men-era-inspired bar in Scottsdale.

This ain’t your grandpa’s whiskey bar. Well, actually, this is probably exactly the kind of spot your grandfather would’ve hung out in (and probably still does hang out in). But there’s room for you, too. The North Phoenix bar is unmistakably a cigar bar first, based on aroma alone. However, even if you aren’t a smoker, the ventilation system makes it so there’s only a cigar aroma without the giant cloud of smoke. Plus, the whiskey list, which reads like a book and is set up on shelves like a library, is killer. With whiskey and cigar pairings courtesy of Jason Asher, this spot really is about the spirits and stogies. Even the cocktails are mostly whiskey-based, with Sazerac, Old Fashioned, and even a peaty Laphroaig cocktail on the menu for $12 to $15.

If you think moonshine is a drink for hillbillies and country bumpkins, we’ve got three words for you: apple pie moonshine. Specifically, the apple pie moonshine at Bootleggers will forever change your mind about the un-aged distilled corn liquor. First, just think of it as bourbon without the barrel. Then, get a dirt-cheap $5 housemade apple pie moonshine, which, not surprisingly, tastes like apples and cinnamon. More surprisingly, the concoction has a warmth and smoothness to it that makes it as dangerous as it is delicious. If you’re feeling noncommittal, you can opt for a moonshine flight and taste the housemade apple pie variety alongside other varieties that incorporate peach, blueberry, blackberry, and other fruity flavors.

We love a good story with our cocktail, and the sea-salt-infused Negroni at Citizen R+D has an interesting one, for sure. You see, when booze was being shipped in the olden days (across the sea, that is), the story is that the transported liquor usually would get soaked in ocean water in the hull en route, thus changing the flavor. At Citizen, the concept is simulated and here’s how: First, the mixologists combine the necessary Negroni components — gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari — in a barrel. Then, they take that barrel and dunk it in a saltwater solution before letting the barrel dry. After repeating the curing process several times until the cocktail has reached both an optimum smoothness from the barrel and light funkiness from the salt, it’s ready to serve. Just like sailors used to drink, right?

Just about everybody likes a Pimm’s Cup. That’s because the gin liqueur-based drink is light and fresh with either lemonade or ginger beer, citrus slices, and cucumber. During brunch at Windsor, you can get all that cocktail goodness super-sized to pitcher quantity for just $5 — pretty much the most outrageously good deal on cocktails in town. Garnished with fresh mint, the drink is totally refreshing. Unfortunately, it’s only on the menu weekends from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., but you can’t really expect a deal that good to be available all the time. Plus, Pimm’s Cup is a great brunch drink, and a whole pitcher of it means there’s maybe even enough to share with your brunch companions.

Ordinarily, nightlife activity dries up once the liquor stops flowing at 2 a.m., turning most bar and club employees into party-poopers eager to pull the plug, turn off the taps, and lock the doors. Except at Karamba, where the staff entices insomniacs, party monsters, and members of the 18-and-over crowd with promises of after-hours thrills at ungodly hours of the weekend. The place is alive with movement up until 4 a.m. as DJ Jesus Vega spins high-energy tracks, pulsating beats, and Top 40 remixes while clubgoers work up a sweat, work off all the alcohol, or just plain work it. And while there’s nary any booze being served, the mix of light, color, sound, and close-quarters contact proves to be intoxicating enough.

Let’s be honest: Bar Crudo could’ve pulled a win in several cocktail categories. However, none of the others really put forth everything this Arcadia spot has to offer quite like the happy hour category. From a long list of classic cocktails made to the rigorous and historically accurate standards co-owner and master mixologist Micah Olson enforces in his bar to the phenomenal bar bites with Italian flair, everything you could order is dirt cheap (cocktails are $7 and dishes range from $5 to $12) for the quality you’re getting. After all, well liquor pretty much means nothing at this bar and those crispy pig ears are the stuff dreams are made of. Take a seat in the beautiful lounge and bar area Tuesday through Saturday from 5 to 7 p.m. and get the full Crudo experience.

Looking to impress a visiting tourist or just yearning for a great place to kick up your feet after work? Head to the patio at the Four Seasons resort, where a tangy Copper City Mule awaits you — not to mention some of the most stunning, sweeping views of the desert to be had. Those vistas, combined with a daily happy hour from 3 to 5:30 p.m., make for an unbeatable twilight drink. A killer list of tap wine, tap beer, and by-the-bottle vino choices will have you staying well past sunset (and what a sunset it is!), then heading into the Four Seasons’ Proof, an upscale, homestyle diner where you can add a little dinner to the perfect dusk-hour cocktail.

A lot has changed in the 10 years since Andrew Jackson Jihad formed. Downtown Phoenix has a radically different look, and the music scene certainly has matured. As for the group, Andrew Jackson Jihad has grown from an acoustic folk-punk duo to a full-fledged rock band, and this year, the band released its fifth full-length album, Christmas Island. Undoubtedly the slickest-sounding album in AJJ’s catalog, the album is worlds apart, sonically, from the low-fi aesthetic of 2007’s People Who Eat People Are the Luckiest People in the World.

But Christmas Island retains the piercing lyrics and buoyant sound that has defined Andrew Jackson’s Jihad musical identity. The group still proudly represents Phoenix, but its appeal extends well beyond the Valley — Andrew Jackson Jihad’s IAMA session on Reddit attracted more than 1,200 comments, and on YouTube, their albums have garnered hundreds of thousands of listens. With sharp lyrics like “It’s harder to define love / I’ve gotta drink more if I wanna catch a buzz / The older I get, the more articulate I am at whining,” it’s easy to understand why.

When we get to missing Jolly Old England, we head over to Rose & Crown, where we can tip back one (or two!) of 50 local and imported beers. Belhaven Scottish Ale, anyone? How about an Old Speckled Hen? The Ploughman’s Plate — an assortment of cheese, crackers, seasonal fruit, vegetables and a dollop of Scotch Egg — is London-perfect, as are the fish cakes and pub wings, just like we remember them from the Cotswalds. We love the cheeky yanks who work there, and the always-friendly crowd gathered round to watch the game or chew the rag. Cheerio, old bean — see you at the laid-back and veddy veddy British Rose & Crown.

Every Monday at 8 p.m., Jade Bar bartender Eddie Garcia takes to the airwaves of KFNX 1100 AM, but he isn’t alone. The self-described “old guard” bartender is a master of classic cocktails, but he’s always ready to learn something new from his guests. From other bartenders, like Crudo’s Clint Spotleson, to beverage writers, like Christina Barrueta, and even spirituous beverage producers, such as the teams behind Arizona Distilling Company and AZ Bitters Lab, booze nerds from around the Valley come into the studio to talk shop for an hour. If you’re not convinced, you can give an archived episode a spin on the show’s website before you commit your precious Monday evenings to the show.

When we were young, we ditched this cowtown and tried to get as far away from Phoenix as we could. A few years later, we returned home with significant credit card debt, a new appreciation for desert sunsets, and a wish list of things we wanted for our hometown. At the top of that list: a bookstore with a bar, as we’d spent an embarrassing number of late-night hours in a spot called Kramerbooks and Afterwords on Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C. Well, it took more than 20 years, but this year, Changing Hands Bookstore made our dream come true, opening First Draft Book Bar in its new Phoenix location. Now we can sip sparkling wine or a Four Peaks Kiltlifter, then browse the latest fiction titles in the beautiful new store. Cheers!

We’ll admit we’ve never been to Ireland, but from what we can tell, Rosie McCaffrey’s is everything that a good Irish pub should be. Everything from the dark and cozy wooden booths to the top-notch fish and chips makes us feel like we’ve left the Valley of the Sun for greener — and we mean that literally — pastures. At Rosie’s, there’s always plenty of whiskey to be had and a seemingly endless supply of dark Irish beers, whether your brew of choice be Guinness or something else. The food, though nothing particularly gourmet, is just the type of hearty bar food to keep you going through a particularly whiskey-soaked day of drinking. We’re big fans of the Irish Reuben egg rolls, which combine corned beef and sauerkraut in handy egg roll form. A perfect drinking snack that still leaves a hand free for your beer.

Since 1951, Phoenix-based Canyon Records has been documenting the music of Native Americans and First Nations peoples. The label’s biggest star, R. Carlos Nakai, continues to rack up accolades, earning a Grammy nomination for Best New Age album in 2014 for Awakening the Fire, his album with longtime collaborator Will Clipman. In addition to collections of powwow songs and percussion, the label features releases like Gypsy Bells by folk singer Brianna Lea Pruett. The album was a contemporary indie folk record, and Canyon Records embraced both the past and current musical landscape by pressing it on vinyl, making it the label’s first vinyl release in decades.

Coffee and cigarettes may claim to be the classic combination of the starving artist — the peanut butter and jelly of hipsters, if you will — but Shady’s begs to differ. This neighborhood hub has established itself as the go-to nightlife designation for nicotine lovers. While Shady’s keeps the interior interesting with a full bar, pool table, lounge chairs, and a jukebox, the outdoor patio is the place that truly packs in the people. Whether you’re blowing smoke literally or figuratively, Shady’s patio is the perfect spot for conversation, cocktails, and a cold hard cigarette or 10.

Rubber Brother Records is one of the Valley’s more unique record labels to come along in years. Run by local artists Gage Olesen and Robbie Pfeffer, its roster is overflowing with oddball outsiders (Hug of War), wailing garage rockers (Petty Things), self-effacing indie pop groups (Diners), and other weird music from the desert. It completely eschews CDs and vinyl, issuing all its releases on cassette tapes. Everything’s done DIY-style (from hand-printed T-shirts to liner notes) and Olesen and Pfeffer also ran the short-lived underground art space/music venue Parliament.

We really do try to get to other sports bars around town, but for some reason, we always seem to end up at Duke’s.

Aside from the fact that this standby Scottsdale bar boasts more television screens than a Best Buy, we love that it’s got several separate spaces for multiple games’ audio to be on at once. Plus, this place covers all the basics: The staff is always friendly, the food is always greasy and good, and there’s always plenty of cold beer on tap. Duke’s Sports Bar’s icing on the cake includes the Sunday morning Bloody Mary bar and the dog-friendly patio that’s conveniently located next to a large park.

Dan Hull deals in yarn-spinning. The master storyteller is arguably the architect of downtown Phoenix’s storytelling scene. And he has told tales across the country — including at The Moth in New York. Lucky for Valley dwellers, Hull’s easy to find around town. He hosts the aptly named Yarnball, a recurring open mic night at literary hotspot Lawn Gnome, and organizes Storyline, a series at Space 55 in which he occasionally takes the stage. Each event series is a platform for both established and emerging storytellers. Further bolstering Phoenix’s storytelling scene, Hull occasionally hosts workshops for start-up raconteurs. And we’ve gotta give him snaps for that. 

One More Time does a spot-on imitation of Daft Punk in concert and does it well. Phenomenally well, even, from the identical version of the iconic helmets and jumpsuits of the Grammy-winning and quasi-robotic French electronica duo (including neon versions inspired by Tron: Legacy) to the pyramid-like staging that’s straight outta the act’s landmark Alive 1997 tour. One More Time has Daft Punk down so well that it even mimics its flair for anonymity, asking that New Times keep the duo’s real names on the down-low.

In recent years, the Phoenix-based tribute act went from performing at local hip club nights in 2010 to wowing crowds in L.A. and San Diego with its hour-long set of mixing, editing, and playing Daft Punk tracks. “That’s when we realized we were onto something that could potentially be big, bigger than a bunch of guys in helmets playing hipster parties,” they told us. They ain’t lying, as they’ve been going harder, faster, stronger while touring venues across the United States in the wake of Daft Punk’s success with Random Access Memories and multiple Grammy wins. So there’s at least one way One More Time differs from its source material, since Daft Punk still hasn’t announced when it’s gonna tour again.

The Q & Brew is not about the bells and whistles of billiards. It’s a straight-ahead place, but its charms are simple and palpable. You go here for cheap drinks, a solid jukebox, and pool tables. There are bonuses, too, like the excellent pinball machine near the entrance and a top-notch smoking patio, but at the end of the day, it’s really all about those great pool tables. On a Friday night, the place can get pretty popping, and a couple of local pool leagues meet there throughout the week. The Q & Brew is as legit as it gets, with a plush leather bar and snacks if you’re hungry, and it’s stood proud in its current location for 27 years. Here’s to another couple decades in Tempe.

When the kids are away, the adults will play — most likely, at CityScape’s Gypsy Bar in downtown. This recess from responsibility is the go-to spot for grownups looking to get down. At Gypsy bar, the dating game gets literal with arcade favorites Pac-Man, Guitar Hero, NBA Hoops, skee ball, air hockey, and more than 30 others in the Gypsy Game Lounge.

Sure, pimping may not be easy, but playing sure is, thanks to Gypsy’s full bar, club dance floor, and weekend nightlife events like Socialite Fridays, Peep Me Saturdays, and Gypsy Moon Sundays in the summer. With the always-flowing drinks and distractions, it’s easy to see why this downtown barcade scores serious points.

If you build it, they will come. Sorry to get all Field of Dreams, but in the case of Stand Up Live, all you needed to do downtown was build a comedy venue, and the comedians (and audiences) would fill it. The CityScape club has attracted in just a few short years a who’s who of comedy, bringing in Adam Carolla, Chelsea Peretti, Dave Attell, Doug Stanhope, Al Madrigal, Hannibal Burress, and Marc Maron, just to name a few. With sister restaurant/bar Copper Blues next door, there are plenty of good options available to meet your two-drink minimum.

Don’t get us wrong: Phoenix’s Jon Rauhouse is a killer bandleader in his own right — as evidenced by his Jon Rauhouse Orchestra — but when he teams up with songwriter Neko Case, he proves himself to be a killer ace in the hole. Case’s latest, The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You, features killer guitar and steel work by Rauhouse, and he’s a powerful presence on stage. He’s not exclusive to Case — his work enhanced recent records by Tucson’s Howe Gelb, alt-country stalwarts Old 97s, and KT Tunstall. Rauhouse has an impeccable touch, adding to Americana albums his graceful touches of banjo, dobro, and guitar that feel perfectly Western.

For hipsters, vinyl hoarders, or even your dad, a turntable is either a contraption meant for cueing up one’s favorite platters or it’s merely a conversation piece. But when David Dimmick starts sticking needles in grooves and performs as Fact135, it becomes a finely tuned instrument on which he works hip-hop wax into a symphony of scratching, cutting, chopping, and chirping between laying down the boom-bap. And the NYC native’s been doin’ it and doin’ it and doin’ it well since the late ’90s, when he tag-teamed decks on both coasts and opened for rap legends like Pharoahe Monch and Biz Markie alongside fellow local turntablist legend Megadef.

Fast-forward to the present day and Dimmick, widely considered a DJ’s DJ by those in the know, is still in demand, whether it’s taking over the airwaves of 101.1 FM’s Friday night/Saturday morning Rhyme & Reason radio show, judging local DJ competitions (including the DMC World Championship regionals whenever it swings through Phoenix), or backing up rappers at club nights like the Hip Hop House. And that’s a fact.

Even if you were somehow able to match Smite for his turntable skills — and fat chance of that — the Phoenix DJ still would boast a collection that puts most DJs to shame. Rare funk, soul, cumbia, reggae, psych, and world beat selections make each performance by Smite at clubs like Crescent Ballroom (where he hosts his weekly “Buttermilk and Biscuits” evening), the Lost Leaf, Bitter & Twisted, the Pressroom, or other downtown haunts a special event. Smite’s taste is all-encompassing, and his technical skill is incredible. Phoenix is a great town for DJs, but Smite maintains an air of dedication that few get close to emulating.