250 NIGHTLIFE SEPTEMBER 25, 2025 | WWW.BESTOFPHOENIX2025.C0M | BEST OF PHOENIX 2025 B E S T S H OW O F C O M M U N I T Y S U P P O R T CARVIN JONES Legendary Phoenix blues guitar player Carvin Jones, known for his passionate riffing and cool swagger, has been a fixture in the Valley’s music scene for years. When he announced in April that he’d been diagnosed with cancer, fans offered an outpouring of love and support. Like many artists, he has no health insurance. He faced massive bills and was enduring a “huge blow emotionally, physically and financially” since he couldn’t continue performing. In a blink, a GoFundMe benefit raised $35,000 for his treatment. And more than 300 people turned out to a benefit concert in Fountain Hills at the end of that month, with admiring musi- cians and fans gushing about Jones’ special place as an artist and mentor in the Valley’s musical community. The action was a silver lining and a reminder that music knits us together as people. e e e B E S T C A M E O POST MALONE Post Malone is a juggernaut, with hits like “Rockstar,” “Circles” and “Sunflower” that blend an eclectic mix of genres like rap, country and pop. The man truly defies cate- gory — no wonder he found his way to Gracie’s Tax Bar. After rocking State Farm Stadium on June 21, Malone ventured to the popular downtown Phoenix bar, which is known for its egalitarian-bohemian vibes, cheap drinks and long lines on weekend nights. Malone hung out until the bar closed at 2 a.m., buying rounds, taking pictures with anyone who wanted one and splashing a huge tip for the staff. Malone was “very kind,” said Grace Perry, who owns the bar. His appearance was the wish-you’d-been- there coolest celebrity cameo in Phoenix this year. And he couldn’t have picked a more apropos spot. e e e B E S T S C E N E V E T E R A N KEVIN DALY Few Phoenix area musicians have a resumé as iconic as Kevin Daly. From the early days of his protopunk band, the Hoods, to his stint with rockabilly upstarts Grant and the Geezers in the early 1980s, Daly has set the (unmistakably awesome guitar) tone for a music scene that would be a whole lot less interesting without his often-stoic presence. Daly’s nimble fingers and explosive song- writing were the backbone of the aforemen- tioned bands as well as Hellfire, the Trophy Husbands, Grave Danger and, more recently, Kevin Daly’s Chicken & Waffles. As cool as they come, Daly has not only been in some of the best bands this town has ever produced, he has staunchly supported of his Phoenix peers, as well. It was not uncommon to see Daly in the crowd at shows dating to the ’80s. Fans and musicians alike can learn from his irreplaceable presence. e e e B E S T L A S T - M I N U T E S AV E SWIZZLE INN 5835 N. 16TH ST., SUITE A 602-277-7775 THESWIZZLEINNPHOENIX.COM Dive bars are a dying breed in Phoenix. When they change hands, they often get a new veneer that sanitizes well-earned grime and higher prices that piss off longtime customers. In March, when the nearly 30-year-old Swizzle Inn went up for sale, we wondered if the Phoenix institution would succumb to the same fate. By June, the Swizz had a new owner: POV Foods, the hospitality team behind such stalwarts as Old Town Scottsdale’s Rusty Spur Saloon and Phoe- nix’s twee drive-thru 32Shea. Yet once the group announced it had bought the bar from founder Beth Johnson, its owners said they aren’t going to rebrand or even remodel. They prefer to preserve the Swizz and its beachy holiday vibe that’s best enjoyed over a game of pool or browsing the jukebox. A dive that gets to remain a dive is worth cele- brating — Shark Fart shots for everyone! e e e B E S T O U T D O O R H A N G O U T THE PEMBERTON 1121 N. SECOND ST. 602-830-3797 THEPEMBERTON.COM Even when it’s 115 degrees out, The Pemberton is the coolest outdoor spot in town. Its internationally themed bars, a fine- dining restaurant, party-ready pool and splashy murals featuring icons like Prince and Freddie Mercury make The Pemberton a polychromatic wonderland unlike any other place in Phoenix. Reimagined from an earlier iteration and reopened earlier this year, The Pemberton defies easy description. Picture a labyrinth of pop art and visual plea- sures where you can wander around with a cocktail, take a bachata dance lesson, stumble onto a Zumba class, catch a killer live band, dip your toes in the pool or have dinner in a hexagonal cell of a giant honey- comb structure. The reverence for detail — the murals, the lighting, the decor, the design — make this sprawling property a few steps from Roosevelt Row feel like a delirious pocket multiverse, especially once the sun sets and the beautiful people arrive. e e e B E S T WA Y T O P A R T Y I N O L D T O W N S C O T T S D A L E ARIZONA PARTY BIKE 7034 E. OSBORN ROAD, SCOTTSDALE 844-654-5544 ARIZONAPARTYBIKE.COM The first time we showed up at Arizona Party Bike headquarters for a ride, we were unconvinced. We’d seen the open-air vehi- cles ringed with barstools puttering through Old Town Scottsdale — a cheesy if cheerful novelty that only tourists would pay for. Turns out, if riding around in the fresh air, cocktail in hand, laughing with our friends makes us cheesy, then so be it. Your Arizona Party Bike experience begins at its on-site beverage shop. You’ll buy two to four drinks to enjoy on the ride — options include cans or plastic containers of beer, seltzers and Beatboxes. Then, you ride. Your tour hits multiple bars around Old Town; on any given day, you may stop at Rockbar, 50 Shades of Rosé or Giligin’s, soaking up drink specials. Arizona Party Bike does plenty of business with visitors, yes, fine, sure. It’s also a hell of a lot of fun for anyone looking to conquer Old Town with your buds. e e e B E S T S O C I A L M E D I A G U I L T Y P L E A S U R E NIGHTCART CONFESSIONS INSTAGRAM.COM/NIGHTCARTCONFESSIONS Depending on your point of view, the folks featured on Nightcart Confessions are either the dregs of society or the most hilarious people you’ve ever seen. Either way, keep watching. The account, run by Ryan O’Connor, shows him driving around Old Town Scottsdale (and occasionally South Florida) in one of those annoying and ubiqui- tous golf carts. Nothing is off-limits in the cart. Passengers talk about queefing, STDs and cocaine with a frankness that makes us wonder: Why on earth are you letting your- self be recorded right now? Most of the account’s videos are the standard cart inter- views. Every once in a while, you get footage of a bro fight or a drunk person being carried down the street. Nightcart Confessions is wild, a little bit trashy and a whole lot of fun — just like Old Town itself. e e e B E S T B A R M A K E O V E R COBRA ARCADE BAR 801 N. SECOND ST., #100 602-595-5873 COBRAARCADEBAR.COM Downtown nightlife mainstay Cobra Arcade Bar just got a facelift. It was time. While the inside remains mostly the same, many of the vintage games were swapped out for fresh titles that your 0.15 BAL button-mashing will no doubt wreck in no time. Outside, the roof has been extended to provide more shade across the three businesses on the corner of Second and McKinley streets. An upgraded red neon sign hanging from that extension and paints passersby in a warm glow, and visitors stroll along new geometrical brick flooring as they make their way inside for a scene that’s equal parts game room, dance floor and neighborhood bar. Catch resident DJs Aja Cruz on Wednesday nights, Who the DJ and Tony Trips on Tuesdays, and a bevy of other events on their weekend calendar.
