Three weeks ago, DJ Bloom Phase captivated Walter Studios with his funk-house sounds and earned a spot on the M3F Music Festival main stage. Then, a week later, Hyperbella’s neo-soul-infused set and powerful vocals won them a headlining spot on the fest’s Valley stage.
Now, with less than a month until M3F hits Phoenix, veteran band The Hourglass Cats took the winning spot in the final Battle of the Bands event at Crescent Ballroom (Feb. 8). The band beat out four other acts to secure their victory.
Founded in 2011, The Hourglass Cats are best known for their blend of “Sonoran Desert” reggae and classic rock ‘n’ roll. The band’s name comes from a De La Soul lyric in the track “Ego Trippin,” where guest rapper Shortie No Mass refers to herself as an hourglass cat.
“When I heard it, I was like, ‘That’s it,'” says lead vocalist Cori Rios. “And, years later, we got to open for De La Soul, and I got to ask each one of them what it meant. One said, 'Being in the right place at the right time.' So that’s what it is.”
Throughout their set, you could hear Hourglass Cats' influence of multiple genres in a way that became one seamless sound: jazz, salsa, reggaeton, country and rock. Their tracks ranged from emotional to danceable to soulful, all in one compact, 20-minute set.
“If we’re not having fun on stage, no one else is,” says Rios. “Our performances are chaotic, high energy, just dancing and partying.”
With the band’s roots in the music scene, it wasn’t long after the competition was announced that someone sent the band’s saxophone player, Chaz Fertal, an email with the information to register. (Fertal was also a featured participant at this year’s Phoenix Rock Lottery.)
With their win, Fertal vows to make every performance a proper reflection of the band’s party-centric approach to music.
“It doesn’t matter if we are on a big or little stage, we’re just gonna go have fun,” says Fertal.
One of the sets that gained a noticeable amount of traction among the crowd was Practically People, an alternative/indie rock group. Their set marked their first show with a new lead singer as well as the debut performance of three new singles.
Among the crowd were several people sporting “I <3 PP (Practically People)” shirts. Much of the crowd, both those in and out of the band’s catchy shirt, were ferociously headbanging, jumping and screaming along to the lyrics.
“We’ve played just over 125 shows in our three years, and seeing the same faces continue to show up means more and more every time,” says guitarist Wills Brinton. “It made performing these new songs extremely fun!” (Brinton was also a participant at this year's Rock Lottery.)
Meanwhile, indie pop act Lo Wren got the crowd engaged through direct interaction. Wren spent much of her set chatting and joking with the crowd and even passing out heart-shaped glasses to the crowd at one point.
Some of the other sets had a more mellow energy — though in these cases, the vocals and instrumentals are what fully captivated the crowd.
Cameron Jeong, who took the stage first, brought a dreamy, melodic sound to the competition, exploring a wide range of styles from R&B to jazz to country.
“We hadn’t performed since November, so it felt amazing to lock in as a band and feel the vibes and energy from the crowd,” says Jeong.
A friend of hers in the audience, Vee Brown, spent the night hyping up Jeong’s skills. Vee says the two knew each other from studying together at the Tucson Jazz Institute.
“It isn’t easy to still make jazz today the way she does, so I’m just so proud of her,” says Brown.
Diego Summers, another solo artist, delivered a dreamy, summer-adjacent sound similar to the likes of Dominic Fike and Wallows. A proud Texas native, with an upside-down Dallas adorned on his hat, Summers spent his 20 minutes embodying the carefree and bold attitude of a young person experiencing love and life.
Last, but certainly not least, Taylor Anderson took to the stage on Saturday night. Though the crowd’s energy had dwindled by the end of the four-hour event, Anderson’s soulful, powerhouse vocals, danceable beats and on-stage moves generated a spike in activity among the crowd.
Attendee Natasha Dewitt spent all night dancing to each set, but really showed her energy for The Hourglass Cats.
“I know one of them, but I’m also just a fan," says Dewitt. "I’m their biggest fan."
While not all of the artists walked away with an official win, many of the artists were excited for the opportunity to play at the Battle of the Bands. That, and to meaningfully interact with and see their fellow artists up on stage.
“Everyone truly gave such a good show, and I can’t imagine it being an easy decision,” says Jeong. “We felt so grateful to have this opportunity to play the stage with such awesome local artists.”
M3F 2025 is slated for March 7 and 8 at Steele Indian School Park, and features performances by LCD Soundsystem, Justice, Sylvan Esso and Alvvays, among others. For tickets and more info, head to M3FFest.com
