The list of artists from Arizona who have gained national attention is all over the place, genre-wise. Rumor has it that they're working on some original material and planning one more show before the end of the year. The group laid dormant for a few months, then did a dramatic pivot for their next show in June at Tempe nonprofit venue Unity for Community: a four-song set of Beyoncé covers. The original mission was to bring to life forgotten soul songs, a plan which came to fruition during the band's first show, a wall-of-sound, bring-the-house-down set opening for Phoenix Afrobeat Orchestra at Crescent Ballroom in March.
Formed by Phoenix music scene veterans Ryan Probst and Pete Gonzales, Goldwax Revival was named after an obscure 1960s Memphis record label that released soul music by underappreciated artists, and includes a horn section and a trio of backup singers in addition to keys, drums, guitars, bass, and vocals. In the case of Goldwax Revival, it's definitely the former. So come for all the gimmicks and the razzle-dazzle, but stay for a band that knows the real joy is making music that moves you.Ī band composed of 12 people is either going to be a musical triumph or an unholy mess. It's all of that together that makes Chrome Rhino important, and a real shot in the arm for Phoenix bands who want to make having fun seem deeply essential and transcendent. But they're not just about having a great time on their records or during one of their many jovial live sets - there's a depth and deliberateness to the band that rounds out those silly sentiments into music that proudly wears its heart on its jean jacket. Whether that's dressing in animal onesies for a music video calling themselves bright and shiny or embracing '80s pop and ELO as influences, Chrome Rhino are a source of joy in a scene that often favors intensity. The band's entire existence (all three years of it) has been marked by a willingness to embrace the silly and the joyous across the board. But that's not the style of Chrome Rhino. We live in an era where irony is almost second nature, as if the only way to live in this world is under a protective layer of detachment.
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