The Rebel Lounge

Rebel Lounge ~ 2303 E Indian School Rd

The Mason Jar (Rebel Lounge) opened in 1979. That’s the year I first went to see Billy Clone and the Same. This local bar/music venue is sentinel in the success of many rock bands. Personally, I believe the story of the Mason Jar is one that is far greater than the hype it hasn’t received. I’ve had drinks with both owners in the bar and have played pool with the original owner while on a fishing trip in Mexico. Rock bands as big as they come have played the Jar (Rebel Lounge) and tonight I was personally invited to attend a gig. I asked to be put on the list as “media” so I could gain access with my camera. I photographed my son’s music teacher’s band, the Maxwells. I’ve been to a couple of their gigs and I really enjoy their music.

From Wikipedia

Many bands came to the venue on their way to the Sunset Strip in Hollywood, California. Some ran out of money, never making it to Los Angeles, while others simply liked Phoenix and decided to stay. Tool, Los Lobos, Green Day, Kid Rock, Rage Against the Machine, Jane's Addiction, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Guns N' Roses, and dozens of other bands played at the Mason Jar before they achieved commercial success. Local bands including Billy Clone and the Same, The Beat Angels, Burning Flamingos, The Jetzons, Surgical Steel, Flotsam and Jetsam, Icon, The Results, and Sacred Reich also played there. Jason Newsted of Flotsam and Jetsam, who later became the bass player for Metallica, was a regular at the Mason Jar.

Many of my friends are musicians and to see the Maxwells play here is super cool. They recently played at the Viper Room in Hollywood, but that’s a different story.

The Mason Jar is an iconic spot in Phoenix for live music. The history of this building speaks for itself. To have gained entry with my camera was HUGE. Thank you Richard Maxwell. You guys rip.

Millennial Summer - a Phoenix, AZ based band

The Maxwells