Fox Vag Fest III. It is exactly what it sounds like. Femme angst riddled with a raucous energetic musical undertone. As a three night event filled with free music, womanly absoluteness and fun local bands, Fox Vag is the ultimate local femme fest. Bored with nothing to do, I happened upon this festival of vag angst when I stopped in at the Palo Verde Lounge. There is still one more night tonight at the Yucca, so if you are in the Valley check out Fox Vag!! Palo Verde was suggested to me by an associate of mine, and it is a stage-less venue. Tucked in an untoward area of Tempe, Palo Verde proves to be one of the last local dives standing here in the Valley. With cheap beer (I paid $3 for my kilters), a packed floor space and introducing underground femme fronted bands, Palo Verde is the ultimate warehouse experience smack dab in the city, without the warehouse, and without the threat of punk busting coppers.
Though the crowd behaved themselves, the bands and patrons unequivocally provided a peacefully caustic musical experience. Which is a good thing. An all but ambiguous set of punk, garage rock and more punk, even if you are a woman hating, wife beating man you still will like the fierce vocals, thrashing strings and pounding beats. Just don’t reveal yourself, for hell hath no fury… Oh… and we cannot forget the organist… more about her later. I myself am an independent and in a way man caustic woman, however for these ladies… to them, I am sure I hold no candle.
I actually got there a bit later, after an apparently all high school girl band whose fathers supported and doted over their daughters, playing camera man, roadie and all around protective mainstays. This I regret missing. However, the first band to play after I got there made my boring night and catapulted me into a thankful energy that pulled me from my funk. The French Girls. With a pink and black clad femme at the helm, her knee high boots and poof hairdo emulated the image that their name and genre hinted. Speed and consistency were their game. Fairly new to the scene as a band, though the members are several year veterans, they bring a prodigious presence to our talented valley. If you have not heard or seen this amazing group of capable individuals, I challenge you to look them up. Click here to visit their Facebook page.
Usually the talent at the shows Ive been to get better and better.as the night goes on. In this case, however, it simply maintained an animated and creative event. The next band to charm the audience was called JJCnV. I am still today unsure as to what this stands for, however they have a website you can visit to figure it out for yourself. So click there and check out their digs. Another femme lead vox, this girl was full of a charm and fierceness that if I were a guy, I wouldn’t even question. Typical garage punk fashion, vox was angry and loud. Strings, I have to make special mention to the bassist, as he definitely knew how to play a punk bass, and the same ferocious talent that expressed the band’s vocals played a great punk guitar. Now, the drummer… an interesting individual. Dressed in shorts, a cheesesteak t and donning a gigantic cheesesteak hat, flung the sticks with vehemence and passion. Check out JJCnV!
The last band to take the stage was The Rebel Set. Now, I mentioned earlier an organist… This band has one. With a surf-rock versus synth garage attitude, The Rebel Set plays a fun set that gets the interpretive dancers on floor. I am not sure if this guy was channeling Bullwinkle or a goat on acid, but he was all over the floor and outside the front door with hipster attitude. Now, I do have to say that the hipsters tend to make me balk, but I have to give this guy props for sharing his love for the music as much as anyone else. Back to The Rebel Set, whose music I was not entirely digging. Talented and clean nonetheless you can tell their fanbase and others enjoy them thoroughly. Tis simply my taste in music differing from that of others… if you dig this type of tunes, definitely check them out. They are on Facebook.
This experience for me at Palo Verde was definitely a positive one. With a bouncer named Wookie, a tall and social individual, as well as a bartender with a friendly face and even more so attitude I raise my glass to you, my small yet fierce and mighty pit in the middle of a parent funded college town. Surviving the rash of a downturned economy and a largely competing corporate venue clash, Palo Verde is a thriving underground venue that operates mainly by word of mouth. Popularity at its purest they remain an old and true entity for local music.
I know this month to date has been slow with bands and chronicles… the reading material that remains at your toilet’s side I am sure has been getting use more so than last. I just want to say keep supporting local music and let’s keep this ship sailing! Off into the night, without fright… push into the future and build this scene into an epic adventure! Cheers to you, Palo Verde, and all those local bands who play for the sake of sharing their musical souls.
Enjoy the music, check out the bands and happy music making!
where can i get tunes from vag?
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