Local Stuff You Should Know #7

Venue changes, radio shows & some cool videos, oh my!

With the recent demise of The Sets, and the creation of a much needed all ages venue 23 West to take its place, I think it's safe to assume that big changes are happening for local music out here. Case in point, Kimber Lanning of Stinkweeds and Modified Arts fame took some time from her incredibly busy schedule working with Local First Arizona and SilverPlatter.info, to talk about some big upcoming changes with Modified Arts.
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Because I Wasn't There

Anti-Snob.com documents Phoenix punk 1976-1980

T.S.O.L. @ Mad Gardens '83
I have been obsessed all year long. Obsessed with a history I was never a part of... and one that I am barely qualified to write. It all started after the Super Bowl party in early February. My best gal-pal Denise from The Cosmeticators invited a few of us over to her pad to watch the video she shot during The Lustkillers show at Jamie Monistat's WokStar Bar the night before. The video was part performance/part shenanigans, starring yours truly as a liquored-up volunteered fool being decorated with toilet paper by some of my friends.

After we watched the Lustkillers vid, Denise told us of a DVD that she received a few copies of from an old friend. She gave me one of the copies. It was an early 1983 show at the famous Mad Gardens in Phoenix featuring TSOL, Grant & The Geezers, and JFA. By now, I reckon more people around town have this bootleg.
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23 West: New All Ages Venue

Shows blow through here like the monsoon rain we wish we could get

Two independent companies are joining forces to open an all ages, alcohol free venue in Tempe. 23 West is set to open in late December or early January.

After months of planning and red tape 23 West was approved for its special use permit this past Tuesday. Over 25 members or the music and media communities showed up in support of the new venue and only a handful of detractors spoke against the venue. Now that the city has signed off on the venue, the remodel of the building located at 23 West Southern Ave in Tempe is scheduled to begin in the next few weeks. "I'm really excited about having an opportunity to have an all ages venue in the east valley. It really gives us a chance to bring art/music culture to the area. Especially, when there isn't anything like this currently around her," commented Rodney Hu of the Yucca Taproom.
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When In AZ Music Compilation

Local bands + local bands = BFFs

When we first started the AZPunk comps in '02, we had an idea to have local punk bands cover their favorite local punk bands. Unfortunately for AZPunk, that idea never really got off the ground (although we never say never...), so when I heard about the new When In AZ Music Compilation, which features 55 local artists paying musical homage to their fellow local artists, I was ready and willing to drop $8.66 for three-and-a-half hours of local music. The album wouldn't necessarily be classified in the "punk" genre, but it does include The Liar's Handshake, an artist who was featured on our Volume 5 Comp, as well as longtime local Indy rockers, The Necronauts covering local punk favorites, Bolt!. Way I see it, regardless of the albums lack of "punk music", organizer Nick Kizer and all the local bands involved get a big thumbs up from this AZPunker.
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