the somewhat grim naming convention of infamous palaces of gluttony such as the Heart Attack Grill in Las Vegas. But Organ Stop Pizza isn’t that. It is, quite literally, a place you stop in to hear a talented musician play an organ while you enjoy a nice slice. Jack Barz, who began his career at Organ Stop as a S Ivan Martinez Above: Aerial view of Organ Stop Pizza’s Southern Avenue location. Right: Current organists Brett Vallient and Glenn Taller. Opposite: Taller on the organ. dishwasher before working his way up to buying into the restaurant in 2004, co-owns the unique and historic landmark eatery. “In the last 50 years, we have had many ups and downs, especially the last couple of years during the pandemic, but when the world feels unpredictable, coming together and hearing music brings people delight and comfort,” he says. “We are proud to carry on the pizza-and-pipes tradition and provide escapism for our guests night after night.” Walk through the double-door entrance of Organ Stop and you’re immersed in an old-school counter service pizza joint. It’s like the local haunt you visited as a child, complete with a small arcade and a souvenir shop. The mouthwatering aroma of baking dough and fried food fills the space as you follow a steady line of couples, birthday partiers, and families to the register. One side of the counter serves up main courses including pizza, plus garlic bread, mozzarella sticks, fried zucchini, fried mushrooms, and other classic, casual Italian fare. The other side dishes out sodas by the pitcher, beer, wine, and ice cream for dessert. After ordering, you hang a right at the end of the counter, and the building suddenly opens into an expansive dining room and concert hall. The two-tiered room with vaulted ceilings is built like a cathedral to offer the best possible acoustics. Family-style seating is arranged in rows, all centered around a large circular, rotating hydraulic stage. These seats fill up quickly, and the room becomes packed and lively, even at 3:30 p.m. on a Sunday. Occupying the entire wall behind the stage and scattered throughout the room are pipes, cymbals, cajons, and even a stray piano, all of which are connected to the massive, ornate organ in the center of the display. As the lights dim, a hush falls over the chaotic room, and a stage slowly begins to rotate and rise out of the ground. The jaunty, sonorous tones of the organ start up, 14 and the whole room comes alive once again. A cacophony of sounds fill the space as the organist pumps out everything from show tunes to Top 40 hits, taking requests from diners on small slips of paper and throwing in the occasional rendition of the restaurant’s most played song, “The Chattanooga Choo Choo,” complete with a train whistle. Ivan Martinez ituated on the bustling corner of Stapley Drive and Southern Avenue in Mesa is a large building that sports a blue-and- yellow harlequin exterior. A faux-wood sign reads “Organ Stop Pizza.” The name can be a bit confusing. It brings to mind >> p 17 SEPT 15TH–SEPT 21ST, 2022 PHOENIX NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | FEATURE | NEWS | OPINION | FEEDBACK | CONTENTS | phoenixnewtimes.com
