264 NIGHTLIFE SEPTEMBER 25, 2025 | WWW.BESTOFPHOENIX2025.C0M | BEST OF PHOENIX 2025 e e e B E S T N E W M U S I C V E N U E THE ROSETTA ROOM 104 E. FIRST AVE., MESA THEROSETTAROOM.COM You gotta hand it to the crew at The Nile Theater. Not content with operating one of Mesa’s best concert spots — plus a second basement-level venue downstairs, an in-house coffee shop and a thriving record store just up the street — they added a stylish new music and event venue, The Rosetta Room, to their growing empire of cool in June. Like their other ventures, the spot keeps music at its core, with a 400-person concert hall that hosts metal, punk, hip-hop and indie acts on an 11-by-20-foot stage. But The Rosetta Room differs from its sister projects and other local venues. For starters, it leans into a midcentury aesthetic with vintage decor and other nods to Mesa’s history. It’s also designed with higher purpose. Owner Michelle Donovan says the goal is something deeper than an ordinary venue: a community hub that’s “accessible by all.” While most venues function as communal gathering places by default, The Rosetta Room fully embraces the concept with community-driven events such as record swaps, DJ workshops, open-format dance parties and nighttime yoga sessions planned. “I want to make sure we’re not regurgitating all the same stuff we have at The Nile and that this space is something unique in itself,” Donovan says. e e e B E S T S M A L L M U S I C V E N U E LAST EXIT LIVE 717 S. CENTRAL AVE. 602-271-7000 LASTEXITLIVE.COM As exciting as it is to watch a band collect enough fans to fill an arena, nothing beats packing into an intimate venue for a live music show. Last Exit Live, in downtown Phoenix’s Historic Warehouse District, is a welcoming respite for just that. It accommo- dates some 300 people and features a regular lineup of local and touring acts playing the spectrum — country, rock, soul, EDM, reggae. No matter the style of music that’s shakin’ the place, the sound quality is, as they say, straight fire. The deep colors and rich lighting contribute to a vibrant experience, as does a patio that, when the weather permits, has a roll-up door that makes the stage visible, so you can have your cake and eat it, too. And by cake, we mean cigarette. e e e B E S T M E D I U M - S I Z E M U S I C V E N U E CRESCENT BALLROOM 308 N. SECOND AVE. CRESCENTPHX.COM This downtown venue is a dream for your typical show. It holds about 500 people, and even when it’s sardined with fans seeing a band they love from any one of a slew of genres, you cannot go wrong. It’s mostly standing room in front of the lengthy stage, with a wall of bleachers in the back that are sometimes sold as premium seats, depending on the night. Fully seated events happen there, too. In either case, there’s generally a nice aisle between people on their feet and people on their butts, allowing a welcome flow from the front entrance to the bar and the bathrooms. The merch is set back from the stage but always in view, so as you’re digging the show, you can also think about what you may take home. Crescent’s lounge and sprawling streetside patio offer other options for hanging out, drinking and stuffing your face with tacos and burritos. The unparalleled booking staff keeps the calendar lit with up-and-coming musical acts, touring heavy-hitters, storytelling, trivia, themed dance parties — the only thing you won’t find in a given week is a bad time. e e e B E S T L A R G E M U S I C V E N U E ARIZONA FINANCIAL THEATRE 400 W. WASHINGTON ST. 602-379-2800 ARIZONAFINANCIALTHEATRE.COM This 5,000-seat venue has been bringing people together in downtown Phoenix since the early 2000s, when the competition for shows was much thinner. But even as Phoe- nix’s events calendar has filled out, this venue hasn’t missed a beat. Year-round, this place assembles a lineup of musicians, come- dians, dancers and holiday shows that breathes life into the shopworn adage “there’s something for everyone.” The setup is in the style of a classic theater, so you’re seated, with limited floor space in front of you. Still, at particularly energetic shows, the close quarters don’t discourage fans from leaning into the spirit. e e e B E S T S TA D I U M V E N U E PHX ARENA 201 E. JEFFERSON ST. 602-379-2000 PHX-ARENA.COM This 17,000-capacity venue is known best as the home of the Suns — but don’t hold that against it. Many of the biggest shows in the country sell out here on the regular: Stevie Nicks, the Jonas Brothers and Shane Gillis are just some of the acts scheduled to perform before we say goodbye to 2025. Whether seated on the floor or in the nosebleed sections, you get a good view of the onstage action and booming sound for a quality show experience. But seemingly every year the arena becomes more attractive for what’s outside, as well. It’s nestled at the base of downtown, easy to access by light rail, flanked by abundant parking garages, and set amid a walkable assortment of restaurants and bars. If you don’t want to pay arena prices for your beer and booze, you have beaucoup choices for where to hang before or after. Hit the side- walks after a big event and you’ll practically have new friends at the ready, humming the same tune you are, heading to a next location to swap stories of the still-young night. e e e B E S T P H O E N I X - C E N T R I C M U S I C V E N U E THE REBEL LOUNGE 2303 E. INDIAN SCHOOL ROAD 602-296-7013 THEREBELLOUNGE.COM The Rebel Lounge occupies a singular place in Phoenix music history. The no-frills, low- slung venue near 24th Street and Indian School Road is the erstwhile home of the Mason Jar, the city’s seminal ’80s/’90s rock club. For the past 10 years, Rebel has carried the torch, giving punk and hard rock bands a home in the Valley and championing acts deserving of attention. Under founder/owner Stephen Chilton (of Psyko Steve Presents), Rebel is a friendly, no-bullshit space where Phoenix’s distinctive music culture is being born nightly. More than a place to visit the past, Chilton’s high-metabolism curation of local and traveling bands make this a venue where you can see the city’s future rising up, mic in hand. e e e B E S T B L U E S C L U B THE RHYTHM ROOM 1019 E. INDIAN SCHOOL ROAD 602-612-4981 RHYTHMROOM.COM If authenticity and longevity are the yardsticks by which a great blues club is measured, then The Rhythm Room is the best joint in town. Since opening in 1991, it’s been a soul-soaked sanctuary of the genre, steeped in history and powered by the passion of owner and harmonica player Bob Corritore. Admittedly, there isn’t much to the place (just a handful of tables and chairs, a dance floor and a stage), but that’s part of its charm. Shows at the Rhythm Room hit differently, thanks to the juke joint vibes not found elsewhere. The sound is crisp, the energy’s raw, and the high- energy grooves run deep when locals and touring artists play. They’re performing on hallowed ground, as giants of the genre — Bo Diddley, R.L. Burnside, George “Mojo” Buford, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown — have graced the place across the decades. Even badass blues queens like Jessie Mae Hemphill and Janiva Magness have gigged here. The Rhythm Room ain’t fancy, but it’s gritty, soulful and unshakably real. In short, it is the blues.
