Local Stuff You Should Know #2

Stop thinking the scene is dead or that "punk" is a certain type of sound

MikeyWretch • Monday, April 27, 2009 • 10:03 AM

Featured writer: Mikey Wretch

This city is huge and filled to the brim with great music and all it requires for you to find it is to have an open mind. I have been in bands and around this town since about 1997 and I will never say that those were the good ole days because right now punk music in the valley and in the world is still alive and kicking ass. Here in our city I have been so sad to see so many people that are afraid to let in a new and younger generation of "Punk". This will not sound like the music you grew up on; they will not look like the dudes in that band from you childhood, but the heart is the same. Getting stuck in a rut is something a lot of us do. We get used to one venue and one group of certain bands, and we stay in that little circle. This is not a bad thing, but can only lead you towards not being able to find what else is going on in the rest of the city when it comes to local music. If you really are a person that cares about the local punk scene and not just some one that wants to be seen at the cool hip places, then take a night to go to a show and see some music and people that you have never met or seen. We need to tie this all together. We need to not be separate anymore. We need to realize that there is a lot more going on outside of what we think is going on.

The Trunk Space

The Trunk Space

What an amazing local venue in the heart of downtown Phoenix. The Trunk Space likes to promote unique and avant-garde music, so no matter how weird your project is you're likely to find a supportive audience there. All ages all the time, and for those of you that like to drop your pay checks in bars, there is the equally awesome Bikini lounge right next door.

The Ruby Room

The Ruby Room

The Ruby Room is a nice hidden spot with one of the best atmospheres, as far as bars go. Its right smack in downtown Phoenix. Awesome staff and great owners that are always down to help out any local acts. If you have that band you know from out of town and they need a show then I would definitely hit these folks up!

Muff Mondays

Muff Mondays

Muff Mondays take place at The Ruby Room every third Monday of every month. It's a variety show featuring music, dance, performance, videos, standup, various forms of audience participation, sketches, improv, etc. Local ladies Jacki O. Ronnie D. and Amy Jean Page host it. Lots of weird crazy funny stuff. It's free! No cover ever. There is also the muff exchange which is a table that people put stuff they don't want anymore on and you can take or leave what you want and the rest gets donated to charities and organizations that help women and girls (shelters, rehab centers, etc.). It's very cool.

Bands from here that I have been all about!

• Vanguard Party (Tempe)
• Bangarang (Phoenix)
• Jay Jay Sea Envy (Mesa)
• Bolt! (Queen Creek)
• Rumspringer (Tempe)
• Emperors of Japan (Phoenix)
• Yukon Ho (Tempe)
• Art For Starters (Mesa)
• SaidGun (Phoenix)
• Ds Yancy (Phoenix)
• Earthmen and Strangers (Tempe)

You may not like this addition but to me it's the most important part. If bands from outside of AZ don't come here then we have nothing. Bands from states that touch AZ that are also awesome!

• Turkish Techno (Riverside, California)
• Dan Padilla (San Diego, California)
• Shang A Lang (Las Cruces, New Mexico)
• Sunnyside (San Diego, California)
• Hairdos on fire (Las Cruces, New Mexico)
• Vena Cava (San Diego, California)

If you have a list of local punk shit that you want to share, hit us up in our contact sectionAZPunk needs your participation! and let's talk. We definitely can't cover all these angles alone.

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