BY CHRIS COPLAN F or Dean Cheney, the night lives in his memory as this half-remem- bered dream. The guitarist for the desert rockabilly band The Joeys was on stage at the Crescent Ballroom in 2023, watching the giant glowing disco ball scatter shards of light across the packed house. It was his debut in this vibrant Phoenix venue., he was playing with four musicians he’d only just met hours prior.. Cheney was wearing a wireless mic that allowed him to wander over to J. Reid, the R&B artist who’d also been tossed into this blind date of a set. Their turn in this huge spotlight wasn’t improv, but it was close. Without rehearsals to fall back on, the musi- cians were calling audibles. Cheney remem- bers Reid urging him on: “Dean! Guitar solo!” Nearby was Katie Mae, a country artist with smokey vocals and a steady guitar style. She reached into the pocket of her black fur coat and pulled out an instrument she’d never before played on stage, let alone to a packed Crescent crowd: a harmonica. Her hands were trembling as she brought it to her mouth and released the faithful first note. Her nerves instantly gave way to the euphoria of surviving a harrowing moment. As she looked out, she says, the crowd was absolutely illuminated. “Everyone was there smiling,” she says, “in a big, happy mood.” This is the promise and the thrill of Rock Lottery, now in its 11th year. The setup is simple enough. Organizers invite 25 musi- cians and, on a hectic Saturday morning, shuffle them up into five never-before-seen bands. The groups spend the day writing three new songs and working up one cover song. That evening they hit the stage to dazzle the eager crowd at Crescent. It all benefits Rosie’s House, an academy in Phoenix that teaches music to kids who otherwise might not be able to afford lessons or even access to musical programming. If you’ve ever dealt a hand of poker, played pick-up hoops at the Y or watched an episode of “Voltron,” you grasp the ephem- eral electricity to this premise of mashing up five disparate pieces into a single entity. As an audience member, you can feel the buzz all evening. Musicians picked for the Rock Lottery this year are stoked to face the chal- lenge. Past participants gush about how the randomness and pressure of it all propelled their creative lives afterward. Rock Lottery organizer Stephen Chilton (of Psyko Steve Presents) has seen how the Lottery reshapes the chemistry of artists’ creative lives and by extension the city’s robust music scene. “We’ve seen bands say, ‘We never would have talked to each other without the Lottery,’” says Chilton. “Different people have joined bands with people they met.” Every year, the event drives growth across the Phoenix music ecosystem, Keep reading to meet a few of this year’s partici- pants, to understand Rosie’s House and their vital work and then delve into the lasting effects of an event that unites five strangers in the rush of writing and performing poignant music — whether they’re truly prepared or not. “Whatever happens, happens,” says Cameron McGregor, the Bethany Home guitarist who’s about to make his Rock Lottery debut. “Things always come together last minute, even if it doesn’t seem like it. So I put all my faith in that.” Betsy Ganz: the rock ‘n’ roll parent You know Ganz, the Sunpunchers’ smoky- voiced singer and guitarist, as a badass desert roots revivalist. But as she prepares for her turn at this year’s Rock Lottery, she’s already thinking ahead to how she’s going to collaborate with her yet-to-be-determined bandmates. “Well, I’m a mom,” Ganz says. “That brings some lather to it.” Whatever challenges her new bandmates have together, she’s going to promote matronly warmth and kindness to see everyone through these songs. Fusing five strangers into a flash community, regardless of personality or musical tastes, is an Phoenix Rock Lottery is local music’s lucky ticket Now in its 11th year, the Lottery tests musicians’ mettle, empowers the local scene. WINNING COMBINATION: The impromptu band Roach Tank perform at Rock Lottery 2018. (Photo by Jim Louvau) More shots from Roach Tank at the Rock Lottery 2018. (Photo by Jim Louvau) A shot of the crowd at the 2018 Rock Lottery. (Photo by Jim Louvau) >> p 14
