Today's Top Picks
Click a day to view events
Search for things to do
- Events
- Movies
- Dining
- Venues
Music
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Revamped Mardi Gras gets a rock 'n' roll face-lift | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By Chris Hansen Orf, Get Out | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| February 8, 2007 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
“I’ve been here quite a bit actually and I like it,” says the 23-year-old Tempe resident, who turned out on this Thursday for a happy-hour set by Marc Norman and Thomas Laufenberg of Ghetto Cowgirl. “It’s turning into a great place for gigs.” Cress has become a regular at the club, recently checking out Steve Larson (profile), a solo artist and guitarist of Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers, and country rock quartet Shurman, who passed through on a national tour. The 300-person-capacity club began hosting live music seven nights a week in December, and Cress believes there’s a need for another live music bar in the Valley, especially since a rash of club closings in recent years that have limited the opportunities for local bands. “I would really love to see this place make it as a music venue,” Cress says. “We need places that will continue to support our local musicians without costing you an arm and a leg, like a few of the other venues around the Valley.” The impetus behind the change at Mardi Gras is Jeff Chazen, a 51-year-old Chicago transplant who bought the club last June. Although “semi-retired,” Chazen has found himself often working 18-hour days, seven days a week, at the former karaoke and punk rock venue. “Club Mardi Gras was a dump (when we bought it), and we are changing it one customer at a time,” says Chazen, who owned a piano bar in the Windy City. “I have done several businesses that were in trouble, and I have been able to turn them around.” It has taken Chazen and his wife, Liz, who redecorated the club in the purple, yellow and green hues of a New Orleans Mardi Gras party, more than six months to get the club running the way they envisioned.
Running a rock club “I believe I’m very good at the business side — meeting and greeting the customers and the artists,” says the affable, enthusiastic Chazen. “But it takes an artist/musician to really have the pulse of the music scene.” When Chazen, who grew up on classic rock ’n’ roll, decided to begin booking live music two months ago, one of the first customers to walk in the bar to see the show was Larson. Seeing Mardi Gras’ potential, the guitarist began introducing Chazen to local musicians and now plays his own solo shows every Monday night while not on tour. “My first thought was I bet I could get a good sound here solo acoustic,” Larson says. “Turns out it did sound real good on stage, and I liked the vibe, the people, and it’s close to home. South Scottsdale has its own crowd also, so I don’t see it affecting (Tempe live-music venues) Last Exit or Yucca (Tap Room) much.” With Larson hooking him up with the Valley’s top talent, Chazen’s next move was to buy a new sound and lighting system. He then hired two of the Valley’s best sound men, Chris Gebhart and Jack Maverik, to run the equipment, which features two huge mains for the PA and four monitors, each with a different mix for the musicians on stage. “Steve Larson and Chris Gebhart really know the Valley music scene and what bands bring people out to see a show,” Chazen says. “I’m very honored to have their help.” Creating a scene With a large stage and state-of-the-art sound system, it hasn’t been hard to lure musicians to the club. The Gin Blossoms had a party at Mardi Gras after their Jan. 14 concert at Tempe Beach Park. (Blossoms guitarist Jesse Valenzuela was quoted from the Beach Park stage as saying Mardi Gras was “the new Long Wongs,” referencing the now-defunct Tempe club that kick-started the band’s career).
“The stage was loud, the room was smoky, and the club was rockin’, ” says Aaron Beavers of Shurman, who have played many of the Valley’s best live-music clubs during national tours. “What else do you need?” Gin Blossoms guitarist Scotty Johnson, who plays happy-hour solo sets every Wednesday, says the gig and the new club are going strong. “My liver definitely has a new friend,” Johnson laughs. And Larson, who has played nearly every live-music venue in the Valley over his two-decade career, says he feels the Mardi Gras is a welcome addition to the local scene. “I would say there’s a cool new place in town to play!” Larson exudes. “Every show we do, people come up and introduce themselves to me and tell me they would have never come back here but they heard there was a new owner and they heard there was a great vibe here now and they would come back again.” So much for Chazen’s semi-retirement. “Sometimes I get to go home and sleep for four hours,” Chazen laughs. “But I love it.” >> Mardi Gras Bar & Grill is located at 8040 E. McDowell Road, Scottsdale. (480) 970-5707. Weekly shows Steve Larson plays every Monday at 10 p.m.  Scotty Johnson plays every Wednesday during happy hour at 5:30 p.m. Upcoming shows Friday, Feb. 9: What Laura Says Thinks and Feels, 8th Street Circus, A Few Random Drunks & Friends. 9 p.m. Saturday, Feb 10: Dane’s Birthday Bash with Steve Larson Performing, 9 p.m. Tuesday, Feb 13: The Lovemakers, 9:30 p.m. Contact Chris Hansen Orf by email, or phone (480) 898-5684 |
Rate this article
© 2008 East Valley Tribune. All rights reserved.
Reader comments (1)
This site does not necessarily agree with comments posted below. Responsibility lies solely with the comment author.
steve larson
you F'n Rule Chris Hanson!!! Suggest removal of this commentFebruary 8, 2007