The Underground

Punk and hardcore shows have returned to downtown Mesa, as local indie concert promoter Mantooth Group has resurrected the old Nile Basement and transformed it into The Underground. There's an old school spirit to the place, as dozens of posters and fliers from Phoenix shows from the last two decades have been pasted up around the subterranean venue. Huge graf art-style murals painted by Valley tattoo artists also adorn the walls and behind the stage. Just like it did back during its glory days -- when bands such as Rise Against, AFI, and Tsunami Bomb performed here -- the spot hosts a killer mix of both nationally known and locally grown bands.