Chasing the music in Phoenix Arizona
A trip to see a concert is the best weekend getaway. And let me tell ya, watching Macklemore in concert did not disappoint. His gemini tour only stopped in Los Angeles and Phoenix so if we wanted to see him in concert, we had to choose. Los Angeles is a 2 hour drive from San Diego but the concert was on a Thursday night. Or we could make a weekend out of it and road trip to Phoenix which takes about 5 hours but the concert was on a Saturday night!
So you know what that means? ROAD TRIP!!
We left San Diego on Friday afternoon and hit the road. Phoenix is almost due east from us and after leaving the San Diego area there are no major cities between here and Yuma, Arizona. It is a pretty uneventful 2.5 hour drive to Yuma, which is just across the California/Arizona state border. We stopped off for lunch and then were back on our way. The drive from Yuma to Phoenix while uneventful was beautiful, the sun was setting over the desert landscape and day was turning to dusk.
Like most other cities, Phoenix is experiencing a craft brewery boom. We like to check out the local beer scene in any new city we visit. After a recommendation from a few people we decided to go to Arizona Wilderness Brewing Company. They have a bunch of beers on tap but my favorite was the Babouivari which is Belgium Blonde, it was delicious. It had a really great atmosphere too, there were two different bar areas. There fry selection was pretty top notch.
Unfortunately we couldn't do much hiking, one of our friends had injured his leg earlier in the week so the next day we went on a scenic drive instead. We headed to Dobbins Lookout in South Mountain Park which also has a small structure that was built in the 30's. The views from the lookout point are pretty amazing and you are able to see all of the Phoenix and the surrounding areas.
After an early dinner we went to the Marquee Theater for the Macklemore concert which was a sold out show. My friend who was on crutches was concerned since it is a standing room only, he wasn't sure how he was going to be able to stand the whole time. However, the Marquee Theater was very accommodating and all of the security personnel were very kind. When we got through security, they got my friend a chair and set us up near the wall of the main concert room. The main concert area is a large room set at an incline.
The two opening acts were good, but I think everyone was just amped and ready for Macklemore. He opened with one my favorite songs on his Gemini album, "Ain't Gonna Die Tonight". It is an amazing song and got everyone so pumped! It was perfect!
Through the next hour or so Macklemore performed songs from his new album and few older songs from previous albums. All in all, it was great concert. Music was terrific but the reason I enjoyed it so much was the energy of the crowd and feeling of being in such an intimate venue. It was the highlight of the trip for sure and really the reason we collectively drove for 10 hours to another state. And it was totally worth it.
"I feel glorious, glorious." - Macklemore
