‘How one of the worst shows ever turned into a legendary house party’: Psyko Steve Presents turns 25

As of today, I have been promoting shows in Phoenix for 25 years under the moniker Psyko Steve Presents. What started as a DIY side hustle in high school and college has evolved into a company producing over 700 shows a year. Over that time, I have had the opportunity to work with some of my favorite artists and play a small role in their journeys. This is a list of 25 of the most memorable shows, to me, that we have produced over those 25 years. 

December 15, 2000:  Redfield, Kilnemia, The Manhattan Project and Strickland at Modified Arts
This was the first show I ever booked. I had been trying to help my friends from Mountain View High School, The Manhattan Project, get on some shows, and Modified gave me this date, letting me book the show. We asked Redfield, and for some reason, they said yes. It was a pretty rad time for all, so I kept booking shows. 

Circa May 2001: Limbeck & Astoria at Modified Arts
This was the first show I booked with national artists and not just locals. I was trying to work on a show at Modified and had the date, and a friend reached out and said Limbeck was looking for that date. Everyone in Limbeck and Astoria was wearing Op Shorts for no apparent reason. I would go on to work with Limbeck for years. 

February 15, 2002: Rufio at The Nile Basement 
This was the first show I ever did that legitimately sold out. No one had expected it, Rufio most of all. I was selling tickets at the door (there were no online tickets for a show like this back then, just cash). The sound guy from the Nile came up to me and said, “How many people are in here? It’s packed!” I said, “I don’t know,” and he’s like, “How can you not know?” No one had ever explained to me that you had to stop selling tickets at some point because it had never been an issue for me before. We paid Rufio such a big bonus that their bass player, Jon, who we settled with, was confused as to why they were getting so much more than they expected.  

March 26, 2002: Further Seems Forever / Hot Rod Circuit / Thrice at The Muse Tucson 
Behind the scenes, everything went wrong at this show. Every band was incredibly late. Thrice showed up right when the local finished, Hot Rod Circuit showed up right when Thrice finished, and Further Seems Forever showed up right when Hot Rod finished. However, if you attended the show, you probably didn’t notice any of it, and it was a great show. Learned a valuable lesson in just making it work. 

April 9, 2002: Coalesce & The Bled at The Rock in Tucson 
This was one of the worst shows ever, but it ultimately turned into one of the most legendary house parties of all time. It was one of the first times I really lost on a show. The venue was double-booked with a hip-hop night, and our show was cut off a few songs into Coalesce because no one was drinking at the Hardcore show, and a line was forming to get into the Hip-Hop party. Coalesce said, “Where are we playing?” Our friend Kate volunteered at her house, and some kids ran home to get their PA. More hardcore kids showed up to the house party (pre-social media) than had shown up to the show. It was wild in all the best ways. 

December 4, 2002: Avenged Sevenfold and Atreyu at Mason Jar 
I did a number of shows at The Mason Jar, but this was one of the most memorable. The show was $8 advance and $9 at the door. We had just over 200 people there, and both bands were stoked. It was so early for them, and you could feel that something was happening for both of them. 

December 7, 2002: No Knife at original Nita’s Hideaway 
I was so excited for this show. It was a band I had been a big fan of before I started doing shows. And it was one of the last shows at the original Nita’s Hideaway. They would have their last show before moving the following week. I was also able to get Limbeck on it. 

May 5, 2003: Motion City Soundtrack at Modified Arts
One, I got to work with them on one of their first DIY tours; they didn’t have a real album out yet, just a few songs online when that was still rare. Also got Scary Kids Scaring Kids, The Go Reflex, & Limbeck on it. 

January 29, 2005: The Stiletto Formal at Modified Arts 
This show should have been at a much bigger venue. It was the release show for their first EP, “Masochism In The Place Of Romance.” I also designed the CD art for them. I loved this band. 

November 5, 2008: The Revival Tour with Chuck Ragan 
Chuck Ragan of Hot Water Music, Tim Barry of Avail, Ben Nichols of Lucero and Against Me!’s Tom Gabel. I was such a huge fan of all of these guys’ bands. Also, the last time I got drunk at one of my shows, I was working. It was a bit too much fun with those guys, and I learned that lesson the hard way. 

March 19, 2009: “I Heart AZ” at SXSW 
In 2009, I helped set up a day party for all the Phoenix bands going to SXSW that year. Dear and the Headlights, Miniature Tigers, Kinch, The Stiletto Formal, and a few others. It was a great party at a rad bar called the Jackalope. In true SXSW fashion, I spent the whole party running around trying to help all the artists navigate getting in and out in all the chaos of SXSW. 

March 28, 2012: Hot Snakes at Crescent Ballroom 
John Reis is a true legend. I was so excited to get to work on this one. The show was amazing. And we have got to work on a number of his shows ever since.

February 9, 2014: The first Phoenix Rock Lottery at Crescent Ballroom 
I blatantly stole this idea from a poster I saw at another venue and wanted to bring it to Phoenix. The first year, I had no idea what to expect. Everyone I asked was down right away. We had Jimmy Eat World’s Jim Adkins, Henri Benard of Dry River Yacht Club, Illya Riske of The Whisperlights & PAO, Black Carl’s Matt Noaks and Sean Silverman of This Century. It could not have gone better. Twelve years later, I still say this is one of my favorite shows of the year. And it still always benefits local charity Rosie’s House. 

January 21, 2017: First 8123 Fest with The Maine 
The Maine had an idea: they wanted to build their own festival. They thought their fans would travel to it. We built out a boutique festival in the parking lot behind Crescent. They were right. Their fans came from all over the world. One of the elements they had was their first tour van, which fans had written all over, and they allowed fans to write on it more. I spray-painted “Psyko Steve <3 the Maine” on it, and it is still there. This year, we expanded the fourth 8123 Festival to two days at Mesa Amphitheater. 

May 2, 2017: New Found Glory at Nile Theatre 
First time I booked a headlining show with New Found Glory. It was their 20th anniversary tour. I had seen them at the Nile so many times when they were just starting in the late ‘90s. It was rad to bring them back there. 

January 12, 2018: TV Girl at The Rebel Lounge
Jeff on my team booked this with the band directly. They didn’t have a team yet. The show was so great and packed that I sent them around to a number of agents, and that’s how they got the agent they have now. Been really amazing to watch them grow. 

February 14, 2019: Jimmy Eat World at Rebel Lounge
Jim texted me asking if we had Valentine’s Day open. I said, “For you, of course.” He didn’t tell me what he wanted to do. A few weeks out, I still didn’t know what he was planning, and he told me, “It’s going to be Jimmy Eat World’s 25th anniversary show — we don’t want to announce till morning off.” Probably don’t need to explain that the show was pretty magical. 

October 16-18, 2020: #SaveOurStages Fest virtual on YouTube 
Not a Psyko Steve Presents show, but I was one of the main producers of the event. It was a 3-day virtual music festival to benefit NIVA’s Emergency Relief Fund during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thirty-five artists did exclusive live streams from Independent Music Venues, including Miley Cyrus, The Roots, Dave Matthews, Reba McEntire and many others.

I had the privilege of attending the filming of The Foo Fighters at The Troubadour, with only 12 people in the building. Somehow, I ended up in the green room with Dave Grohl, telling me stories about all the different “Saturday Night Live” appearances he has done. 

October 30, 2021: Circle Jerks at The Van Buren 
We had been working on this right when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. I was so stoked to get to work with them when the shows came back. It was going to be the 40th anniversary tour, but unfortunately, it got pushed back a year. True legends. 

December 11, 2021: Weezer at Mesa Amphitheatre 
Alt AZ FM gave me the honor of letting me book their annual Holiday Ugly Sweater show. Not only did I get to book Weezer, but I also got to add The Regrettes and Upsahl to the lineup, two artists we love working with. Man, Weezer and crew were great to work with — so professional and kind. 

February 28, 2022: Mitski at The Van Buren 
We had Mitski at The Rebel Lounge a few times. Because of Covid, even her team was a bit unsure how big we could go for the venue. But she sold out the day it went on sale. Always knew she would be a star. This show really proved she is one.

December 3 & 4, 2022: ZONA Music Festival 
Everyone wishes they could program their own music festival, and I got to do it. Every band on there was a band I loved, and most bands we have worked with and have close relationships with. Unfortunately, Tegan and Sara had to drop off at the last minute due to one of them getting COVID. Musically, the highlight of the festival for me was when Jack Antonoff of Bleachers invited Bartees Strange to cover a Tegan and Sara song. Even in the rain, it was pretty magical. 

December 12, 2022: Charley Crockett at The Van Buren 
We booked Charley Crockett at Rebel Lounge three times before COVID and always loved his shows. I have been so stoked watching him get the credit he deserves. 

March 7 & 8, 2025: M3F
This was not a Psyko Steve Present show, but this year, M3F asked our team to program their festival. We got to work with LCD Soundsystem and Justice. I was really proud of how that lineup came out. 

November 1, 2025: Geese at Crescent Ballroom
We knew a year ago when we booked this show that Geese was great. Their show at Rebel a few years ago was amazing. But, man, did I not realize what an insane year Geese was going to have in 2025. This is going to be one of those shows that people brag about seeing for years. 

More photos and flyers from 25 years of Psyko Steve events: