Bummer Girl
Opening the show was psychedelic West Coast alt-rock locals Bummer Girl. Talk about a band of friends! Every time I’ve seen this band perform, they’ve shown an incredible friendship. Even with Waylon Hjerpe, whom they borrowed from fellow local band Slug Bug, they have an energy that is so fun and they just really enjoy playing music together. And the crowd was living for it! At one point in the show, Walter (guitarist / vocalist) shared a smooch with Devin (usual drummer) after talking about how they’re each other’s best friend. Borrowed drummer Waylon was also seen rocking a “Bummer Girl Sucks.” tee, flipping off the rest of the band as he unveiled it. This band is here for a good time with good music, and that’s what they always provide.
Bethany Home
Your mom’s favorite band showed up and showed out for Crescent Ballroom fans. Bethany Home band are always a crowd favorite. The cheering, the dancing, the smiles – it fills the crowd of all of their shows. And for good reason, they’re talented! They’ve mastered the classic indie ‘Front Bottoms’ sound, but add a Phoenix rock twist. They had a special treat for this show, with bassist Alton taking to the mic. On top of that, he performed the entire song on a guitar with a broken strap. To no surprise of the audience, Bethany Home rocked the house and brought their electrifying energy to the stage.
Practically People
If you ever wondered how Phoenix rides for local bands, go to a Practically People show. Between the screaming along to the lyrics, and the plethora of “I ❤️ PP” shirts in the sea of bodies, the city adores this band. Celebrating the release of their newest album Origins the band started the show with the cutest video compilation of clips of them rehearsing, performing, and just hanging out. Then, the screen turned off and Crescent Ballroom filled with Pharoahe Monch’s “Simon Says”. The band ran out, throwing out glow bracelets into the crowd and hyping them up. Despite the outright burst of energy, the show never lost that momentum. There were a couple surprise moments, like guitarist and vocalist Dmitri Bell taking to the piano to perform “Angels”. Or guitarist Wills Brinton switching to the microphone for one of the songs. There was never a dull moment. It was obvious that this show was special to the band, and you could feel that in their performances.
