Music
Press
Chilly weather at Scottsdale’s fifth annual Ultimate Block Party on New Year’s Eve didn’t stop many from showing up underdressed and overexposed. Reveler Aaron Tucker observed how some women braved the cold.
“They’re wearing those little spaghetti strings,” said Tucker, whose band, Unlimited Phlavor, was set to play later for the public. “The weather’s always a little cold. The girls don’t seem to mind it, though.”
The block party, which ran 6 p.m. New Year’s Eve to 2 a.m. the next morning on Craftsman Court in Old Town, brings in about 10,000 people each year, according to the event’s organizers.
As midnight drew closer, more and more people meandered inside the gates. Many were new to the local New Year’s celebration, while others, like Tucker, have come back. He said it’s the first year his band has played the event, though.
Guillermo Ramirez traveled from Lordsburg, N.M., to celebrate in Scottsdale for the first time. Ramirez, like many others, was stoic about the hours-long wait to midnight in the cold.
“So far, it’s kind of early. But the bartenders have been real nice and everything has been really cool,” he said. “I stand outside at night for work, so this is nothing.”
Mesa resident Bethany Ganz came out to support her friend’s band, Pinner, which was set to play during the event. Ganz, originally from Minnesota, said the weather was a nice change of pace from the heat the Valley gets during other times of the year.
“We should be thankful that it’s cold right now,” she said.
Admission tickets ranged from $35 per person to $100 per person for VIP tickets. Ticket holders received access to Acme Bar and Grill, Dos Gringos and the Upper Deck Sports Grill, as well as the outdoor block party. Food and drinks, however, were not included in the general admission price.
A fireworks display and champagne toast took place at the stroke of midnight.
The Scottsdale Police Department stationed additional police officers downtown for the event, while the East Valley DUI task force patrolled the area for drunken drivers. - Ari Cohn, Tribune
Discography
AZ PUNK COMP VOL 1 I DON'T CARE 2002
LP NICHO 2007
Photos
Bio
Unlimited Phlavor is a genre-bending band from Phoenix, Arizona, that incorporates six musicians into a melting pot of sounds from different musical backgrounds. They play a modern mix of upbeat, positive songs. Blending elements of punk rock, hip-hop, and reggae, to create their own worldly mix of music, they balance an underground sound, with deep grooves and memorable lyrics to keep them within reach of many radio formats. Their sound has been compared to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, 311, Beastie Boys, or Sublime.
Formed in 1999, they joined the Phoenix music scene and started playing venues across the valley. With their high energy stage show, they quickly started winning over fans and promoters along the way. They feature a bi-lingual singer, and their bassist and guitarist switch roles throughout the set. “Switching between instruments helps us diversify our sound more,” says Aaron Berns, co-guitarist for the band, “We each have a different style on guitar”. What began at house parties, has now grown to grace the stage with such international acts as the Phunk Junkeez, Authority Zero, Fishbone, Ozomatli, Kingspade, Uzumaki (Osaka, Japan), and Big B. The bands first single “I Don’t Care”, was featured on AZpunk.com’s 2002 release, AZPUNK vol. 1.
Nicho (pronounced knee-cho), Unlimited Phlavor’s new album, was released at the end of 2007. It was produced by “Jumbo” Jim Woodling of the Phunk Junkeez. They recently completed the video for their new single “Oh Oh Oh (You Don’t Have to Go)”, and will be starting 2008 supporting their new album. Upcoming promotions include airing the video on O22 and MTV2 locally in Phoenix. Coming next from the band will be a local distribution deal for their album, and a new EP featuring a Spanish language version of the new single.
Links
