In an unassuming street in the middle of Tempe last week, mere minutes away from Arizona State University, the walls of a usually quiet home vibrated when a packed lineup of local bands swooped in and brought the Valley’s local music scene back to life.

Five local bands shared the spotlight at a house show with a standing room only crowd. 

Cigzero, Canyon Avenue, Loose Threads, Marcy’s Letter, and Twisted Overall—five bands all came together to crank up the tunes and perform for fans. 

The lineup included a mix of indie, alternative, original music, and covers of some iconic hits. 

Each band brought their own fans and even though space was tight the energy wasn’t contained. 

“It’s super raw,” Vib Khare, the guitarist for Cigzero said when asked about the environment. 

“It’s intimate.”

“I like the connection that it provides with an actual music community,” said Dom Butcher from Cigzero, “It feels like we’re doing something real.” 

The five bands continue to look toward the future—each band at different stages in their respective music career—but all in full support of one another’s hopes and dreams. 

Many stayed for the entire setlist, cheering each performance on. 

Loose Threads met throughout high school and officially came together in the summer of 2022 with the final decision of just wanting to make music. 

Jorge Chavez (guitarist) told Northeast Valley News “I really like house shows, they’re really small and intimate.” 

Addressing the vibe of the tightly-spaced gig he said, “It’s cool to be so connected with the audience.” 

“My favorite part of playing live shows is meeting the other bands,” James Lee (drums) said “We’re in the same boat, we compliment each other’s chops.” 

Unlike traditional venues, house gigs offer a closeness that nothing else can live up to. 

But most of the bands are excited to transition to bigger events for the future. 

Canyon Avenue “Boys in a Band” they all said, not a boy band – let’s be clear, met through “random connections” and officially came together in November. 

“We love the small venues, but we definitely want to get out there, share our music with as many people as we can.” Mason Lindsey (drums) told Northeast Valley News. “There’s definitely a surge of music in Phoenix and the entire Valley.” 

Whether they’re performing house gigs, shredding big stages, or touring locally. 

Marcy’s Letter is available on all streaming platforms and have been together for three years. 

Lots of inspiration from Mom Jeans, Origami Angel, Modern Baseball, and Peach Pit. 

Unfortunately, missing the drummer for the night, the band continued on. 

“We all want to continue making music,” said Elijah Escobar (lead guitar).

“The end goal, speaking for me, is to make enough money to just do this.” 

Bryce Bennett the rhythm guitarist and vocalist said “Bands are coming back…it’s super awesome.” 

Twisted Overall a group that came together through the rock band class provided at Arizona State University. 

“The great merge” as they say when talking about coming together and sharing their love for music.

“It’s a creative outlet.” Julia Lane (lead singer) said. Adding they have no idea what their plans are for the future “Be happy, have fun, get twisted, and live a fulfilled life.” 

“Whatever we end up doing, I think we’ll end up doing it through music,” said Ryan Higgins the lead guitarist. “It’s a huge part of all of our lives.” 

“We’re gonna get the whole world twisted,” said Caden Scharlotta (bass).

As the last set ended, the crowd slowly filtered out and one thing was clear – the Valley’s music scene didn’t need a big stage or an audience of millions to make a comeback, nor to be relevant.

All it takes is a house, five local bands and a space with people ready to take the music in.