Best Place to Catch EDM Stars Under the Stars 2012 | Bar Smith's Rooftop Lounge | Bars & Clubs | Phoenix
Navigation
Support Us
Search

Best Place to Catch EDM Stars Under the Stars

Bar Smith's Rooftop Lounge

When Steve Aoki and his cohorts from Dim Mak Records kicked off their DeadMeat tour at Comerica Theatre this past January, this all-star ensemble of EDM talent was backed by a massive stage setup rivaling that of major rock concerts. Millions of LED bulbs illuminated a towering backdrop and six-foot-tall DJ riser, as well as glow panels spelling out Aoki's name in bright lights during his headlining set. As flashy as this eye-catching orgy was, it wasn't as fun as when Dim Mak brought its previous tour to the open-air setting of Bar Smith's rooftop a few months earlier. Same goes for any other electronica artist who passes through the Valley. Flashy multimillion-dollar stage displays can't hold a candle to the more lo-fi thrills of watching EDM stars like electro fiends Blatta and Inesha perform against a backdrop of downtown Phoenix skyscrapers while stars twinkle overhead, warm breezes blow through, and abstract movie clips are projected on the wall over the rooftop bar. With all due respect to Bar Smith's next-door neighbor, this is the true sky lounge.

Best Place to Be Seen

Dollhouse Cocktail Lounge

It seems everyone wants to spend a night at the Dollhouse, but there's never enough room. Hence the lengthy line of would-be clubgoers that seems to be a permanent fixture outside the front entrance. One of the reasons why people are desperate for a golden ticket into the glitzy Indian Plaza drink parlor is the desire to be seen by the many pairs of eyes that are about. Glamorous-looking gals debut their newest ensembles, accessorizing with a high-end cocktail or two created by the Dollhouse's resident mixologists. Pulsing light panels on the walls provide flattering illumination, permitting one to look their best should any celebs or pro athletes drop by the Dollhouse, which has been known to happen. Good thing the VIP section has a clear view of the dance floor, allowing the chance for you to strut your stuff whenever a member of the glitterati is in the house.

Best Place to People-Watch

The Mint

Of its many upscale amenities — resort-like cabanas, delicious Asian fusion small plates, the Swarovski crystal chandelier, and the always-mesmerizing LED cube — The Mint's best perk isn't one you'd find touted on its website: the attention-grabbing clientele. Scope out the danceteria's typical Friday and Saturday mix and you're guaranteed to spy practically every niche of the Scottsdale crowd parading through. High-octane eye candy and hot bods are everywhere out on the patio, not to mention such clubgoing curiosities as dudes sporting Stunna shades like they're Jay-Z, hipsters in bowties and porkpies, and a few roaming bachelorette parties armed with squirtguns and feather boas. The ebb and flow of the dancing and romancing scene underneath glowing crossbeams usually features girls grinding on one another and at least three human trainwrecks in Forever 21 attempting to go-go dance atop VIP couches. While the cover charges at The Mint vary, the floor show's always free.

Best Place to Find a One-Night Stand

American Junkie

The art of seduction is a tricky one to master, which is probably why there've been enough books written about picking up the opposite sex to fill an entire library. One thing is certain: It helps to have the odds stacked in your favor, which is why we recommend marshaling the wingmen and testing out your game at American Junkie. There's a distinct libidinous atmosphere to the place, which is where dudes and dames in the 'Dale go to get down and hook up. Everyone's inhibitions seem to get checked at the door, fleeting glances and flirtatious behavior are the norm, and the bartenders constantly cajole girls to spin the wheel of booze for free shots. The small dance floor offers the excuse to get close to that certain someone and conduct a vertical expression of a horizontal desire. And if you do get lucky, there are fleets of cabs waiting outside for a quick getaway to either your place or theirs. A few even offer free rides back to your car the next day, which should make the dreaded morning escape a bit easier.

Best Place to Document Your Drunken Shenanigans

HotBoxx video booth at Smashboxx

Ever wonder why your head is filled with fuzzy recollections on the morning after a big-time bender? To paraphrase Jamie Foxx, you can blame it on the alcohol. See, the neurons populating the hippocampus region of your brain — specifically, the ones responsible for memory formation — don't take kindly to last night's orgy of alcohol. (They don't call 'em "mind erasers" for nothing, yo.) Good thing the folks over at Smashboxx offer the opportunity to remember what sort of intoxicated (and potentially embarrassing) antics you engaged in during the previous evening. Tucked away in the corner of the Scottsdale danceteria is the closet-size HotBoxx video booth, which allows patrons to record all manner of memorably bad drunken high jinks. The club's proprietors post monthly compilations of the best (and worst) of the HotBoxx, on both YouTube and its website, which is filled with human trainwrecks, off-key singing, sloppy makeout sessions, and a variety of naughty bits being exposed. Smashboxx even offers prizes for the most memorable videos, which might help soothe the sting of embarrassment from watching yourself acting the fool on the Internet.

Best After-Hours

The Firehouse Bar & Grill

It's apropos that this Scottsdale hot spot resides in a former fire station, considering the fact that four-alarm fiestas happen in the joint practically every single evening it's open for business. Its interior typically contains a throng of stylishly dressed revelers who flock here during Old Town's peak partying hours, from 11 p.m. onward on weekend nights. Things get even more packed, however, after last call, as the Firehouse is a popular after-hours destination for the nightlife crowd that migrates here after other clubs have locked their doors. And even though the bartenders have to cease serving firewater at 2 a.m., there's still plenty to do besides tying one on. Patrons eager to stay up late can play games of giant Jenga and cornhole, engage in people-watching and flirtatious behavior, and get bodies rocking to killer dance tracks laid down by some of the best DJs in the local club scene (including the ultra-talented Death to the Throne and house music guru Jon Amaral) until 4 a.m. Screw the Sandman; there's dancing and debauchery to be had.

Best Secret After-Hours

Quincy Ross

Although he's way too cool to ever sport an elf hat, photographer Quincy Ross is pretty much the Peter Pan of the downtown Phoenix art scene. It's partially because the enigmatic artist and bon vivant seems perpetually young at heart despite pushing 40. Mostly, though, it's because of his habit of leading local hipsters, creative types, and party fiends on jaunts into a nighttime Neverland via his arty after-hours parties. Every six weeks or so, Ross will announce on either Facebook or Twitter that he and his "Q-Squad" will be staging a clandestine craic at an unspecified venue sometime in the next 48 hours. Though details often are scant — usually requiring sending a text to Ross to get a password and other pertinent info — and admission is selective, one thing is certain: It's going to be an affair to remember, likely involving imbibing and all manner of immoral behavior lasting into the next day. Last New Year's Eve, for example, they took over the top two floors of the now-defunct Lexington Hotel and partied hard for more than 24 hours straight. No joke. It was a fete and feat that isn't likely to be topped anytime soon.

Best Way to Get Everything from Pizza to Condoms to Toilet Paper Delivered to Your Doorstep in the Middle of the Night

Nighttime Nosh

So you made it home from the clubs (we won’t ask how) and you’re safe in your living room — but you’re starving. Or thirsty. Out of cigarettes, low on toilet paper and in desperate need of a condom. And it’s 2 a.m. No worries — that’s why God invented Nighttime Nosh. Described by its owners as a “convenience store on wheels,” this brand-new business will roll up with just about whatever you need, almost any time of the night. It’ll cost you, but, hey, what wouldn’t you pay for Pop-Tarts or Twizzlers during your darkest hour? Nighttime Nosh is serving only Tempe, Scottsdale, Gilbert, Chandler, and Mesa (its epicenter, understandly, is ASU’s Tempe campus) but if business is good, maybe they’ll expand. Just don’t try phoning ’em for frozen White Castles on a Monday or Tuesday. They’re closed. Wednesday and Thursday they deliver ’til 3 a.m., and ’til 4 Friday through Sunday.

Best Quixotic Endeavor

Pavle Milic's Wine-Making Adventure

Scottsdale restaurateur Pavle Milic is on a mission to make Arizona wine. He's teamed up with Todd and Kelly Bostock of Dos Cabezas Winery to collaborate on a special blend of tempranillo, primitivo, and syrah grapes. He invited us down to Elgin for the first harvest of 2012. At 4 a.m. So don't take that bottle of wine for granted, people, because Milic, Bostock, and a handful of others were, indeed, up before the crack of dawn to pick these grapes. Not only that, they tested the acid and sugar levels of each grape variety, separated the grapes, and loaded them into the press to start the fermentation process. And that's just the beginning. Milic's wine will be ready in the fall of 2013. He's been documenting the process for New Times' food blog, Chow Bella (www.phxfood.com) and you can catch our conversation with him at www.phoenixnewtimes.com/bestof2012

Best Place to Learn the Science of Guitar-Making

Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery

Don't get us wrong; we applaud anyone who knows how to play a mean guitar. But we must say, we're even more impressed by someone who knows how to build one. Chances are good that if they do, they learned it at the Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery. Since 1975, Roberto Venn has been attracting students of all makes and models: high school graduates, aspiring musicians, retired guitar enthusiasts, and even those who already know a thing or two about being a luthier. They come from all over the globe to commit to an intensive 10-hour-a-day, five-day-a-week, five-month semester of certified higher learning in the art of luthiery.

Graduates of the Roberto-Venn School go on to develop their own guitar brands or are scoped out by big-name companies like Fender and Gibson. Classes are capped at 40 students and often require waitlists in both the spring and the fall sessions. So if you're ready to quit that desk job and pursue your musical dream, you'd better sign up fast. See a slideshow here.

Best Of Phoenix®

Best Of

Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our terms of use, our cookies policy, and our privacy policy The Phoenix New Times may earn a portion of sales from products & services purchased through links on our site from our affiliate partners. ©2024 Phoenix New Times, LLC. All rights reserved.
Do Not Sell or Share My Information
Powered By Foundation