For years the one thing on my mind was getting out of Arizona. I detested everything about it — the heat, the desert landscape, the public transportation etc. Then one day, I realized how much it had grown on me — the climate, the different places the valley offered for entertainment, and even some of the great food places that can’t be found elsewhere. The valley had become my home; it had integrated itself into my daily life. So naturally in the celebration of my home state, I wanted to showcase some of the best musicians the valley has to offer. There are tons of them! But for the blog’s sake here are three artists that are definitely worth a listen:
This indie quartet of Folk/Funky/and whimsical proportions has slowly been gathering a solid local following. With their smooth transitions and rhythms to pull you through their music, listening to this band is like getting a fresh whiff of musicianship. One of the best things they have to offer is their strong vocal harmonization. Once at a train station, these guys were singing acapella with an acoustic guitar to promote Valley Metro’s public transportation system. These great sounds caught my attention. As I was late for school, I had to go on a mad Google search later on to figure out who they were. Definitely worth the detective work.
The eight plus ensemble is ascetically more reminiscent of a show choir than an indie/folk/bluegrass twinged ensemble, but that’s just a piece of the atmosphere their elaborate storytelling music creates. With instrumentation variances from everything from the bass clarinet to the French horn, the eclectic style of DRYC is always an interesting experience. They strongly remind me of a more diverse instrumentation version of The Decemberists, (which is no easy feat mind you) but they have their own eccentric air that sets them apart.
Steff Koeppen and The Articles
Having just performed on the ASU campus last spring, these Tucson natives are slowly building their repertoire in the valley. With a beautiful piano to set the stage ripe for their delicate indie pop, Steff Koeppen and The Articles are a great way to engage in some piano driven melodic sounds that seem to penetrate and soothe the ears of any listener. With an upcoming performance with Captain Squeegee (another great bunch of local musicians) at the Club Congress in late October, there are new opportunities to add this great band into your portfolio of local music.
