Dani's Local Dish: The Year of Local

Start with some homemade rock in 2020.

January 2, 2020

Rainy Days release their new EP this Saturday. Matt Cardinal

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Welcome to a new decade. Start the new you right now by burning off those extra holiday calories and dancing at a local show. Here are a few things on my radar this weekend.

The Rhythm Room is having a First Friday show filled with local music and art. Lo-fi legends The Necronauts are headlining. There will also be music from No Volcano (who were mentioned in Phoenix New Times' Best Things We Heard in 2019 list), Paper Foxes, Snailmate, and DJ Gila Man to delight your ears. Art from nearly a dozen local artists will charm your eyes. This no-cover show starts at 8 p.m.

If you are looking for something more on the east side of town, Pho Cao has you covered with its Pho & Friends Friday Night Live music event. Noah DeRule, Two Seven Kilo, Tempe Sour, and Kings for the People will get you dancing in Scottsdale. I'm excited to see rockers Kings for the People back together. They dropped a live album and left the scene for a spell. The fun begins at 8 p.m., and there is no cover.

After you have recovered from all the Friday fun, you can head over to The Rebel Lounge on Saturday, January 3, to celebrate the release of Rainy Days' new EP, Downtime. I'm captivated by singer Echo’s haunting vocals and their alt-rock grunge sound. It takes me back to the ’90s, but at the same time I love the newer sound the 2-year-old band brings. Joining them on the lineup are American Standards, Model Homes, and Foxhound. This show begins a bit earlier at 6 p.m., and tickets are $10 to $12 via Eventbrite.

I hope everyone will make 2020 “The Year of Local” and attend local shows this year, and support local music and venues. You won’t be disappointed.

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Dani Cutler is the morning show host on independent radio station KWSS 93.9 FM, which supports local independent artists as part of its regular alternative music rotation. She has been volunteering for the station since 2007. You'll often find her out at a show or walking around with her headphones on because she forgot she was wearing them.