MCC’s secret: The Phantom Party
Jennifer Capati
Mesa Legend
There’s a Mesa Community College (MCC) hidden gem and it’s called the Phantom Party. It’s a band that has been gaining recognition across the country. Phantom Party brings a nostalgic beach and pop-punk sound through the airwaves. This year they made it on the online ticket sales company Good Deed Seat’s national list of up-and-coming bands.The surf rock sounds of the Phantom Party has been crafted by a trio of MCC students. Joshua Capati, 22, is the lead vocal and guitarist, Matthew Slusser, 25, on bass guitar and Austin Cooper, 21, is on the drums.
The group has been performing together for two years but individually honing their craft for 10 years. Phantom Party describes their music as one that empowers true individuality and honesty. “The one constant in our lyrics specifically is emotional entropy, psychological turmoil and the circus act of dealing with it while also attempting to maintain a useful and productive life,” Slusser said. Their song “Catholic School” on their “Stellar” extended player (EP) album is about the inner struggle of finding spiritual peace by breaking away from mainstream Christianity.
The song “Twenty” is about staying true to oneself, not forgetting what is most important and the pressure to remember that in a world where having to try to fit into the all-American ideal is the only option. “It’s about being honest,” Capati added. “People go out of their way these days to have to be edgy or you have to be sad, you have to be angry, you have to be a druggy and no you don’t. You just have to be good. And that’s all that matters you have to be honest,” he added.
The band has fought through the flood of competition in the Phoenix music scene while facing the inevitable, growing up. Outside of music the trio are average young-adults trying to contemplate their future. That fear of growing up almost tore the band apart but as relentless as their sound, they kept playing and they grew closer“One of the greatest thing about Phantom Party is that we’re all best friends with similar ideals, so when faced with spite or competition, we’ve always been able to get each other through it and be supportive,” Slusser said. “I guess we have a good way of naturally tuning the spiteful people out,” Cooper adds.
They fought through the local music game, girls and growing up. With their brutally honest desert surf sound and their authentic, relatable lyrics, Phantom Party is the voice of today’s youth. Making them this year’s 2017 top up-and-coming bands by Good Deed’s Seats. Phantom Party will have an album release show on March 4 at the 51 West Venue in Tempe which will also be the start of their weeklong tour to Colorado.
