On April 28, I had the opportunity to do press at Phoneboy’s show at 191 Toole in Tucson. I had been wanting to see them live for quite some time, especially since I missed their last performance in Arizona since I was out of town. This ended up being my first concert ever, and honestly, it couldn’t have been a better experience. It felt surreal in a way that’s hard to fully put into words.
Phoneboy is an indie rock band made up of four members: Wyn Barnum, Ricky Dana , Jordan Torres and James Fusco. Formed in 2018, they’ve released three albums since then, building a sound that blends catchy melodies with emotional lyrics. Their music is kind of between indie pop and alternative rock, drawing inspiration from bands like Arctic Monkeys, The Strokes, and Rex Orange County. At this show, they mainly performed songs from their most recent album heartbreak designer, which sounded amazing live.
I wasn’t really sure what to expect when I first arrived at the venue. In my head, concerts were always these huge, packed arenas because that’s what I normally saw people post on social media. I was aware that phoneboy was a smaller band. Getting into the venue was smooth and easy, and right when you walked in, there were merch booth set up for Phoneboy and the other bands playing that night. As you moved further in, you reach the stage area, which was already set up with instruments and lighting for the openers. What stood out to me was that there were no barricades separating the crowd from the stage, which made everything feel closer.
Even though I wasn’t right at the front, I still had a really great view. The atmosphere felt very immersive. When Phoneboy came on, it felt like there was a shift in energy. The music felt louder, more alive, and overall amazing. This was defenitky a very different than just being able to listen in the car. There was something about hearing the songs in person that feels almost unreal to me.
For my first concert, it set the bar really high. It’s definitely an experience I won’t forget.
