Mill Avenue: A place for those of age, catering to a younger crowd
Leslie Philp
Local music and art venue, The Fixx, has just opened up for public display with members of the Tempe Starving Artists (a local magazine) community as well as a music line up to bring an urban twist to the Tempe music scene.”I run the Tempe Starving Artists. So, that’s kind of how I got into this gig,” said Robbie Pfeffer, manager of The Fixx. “I have thrown shows and worked at coffee shops, and basically all of the other things but managing.is brand new to me.”
Pfeffer feels that a local mix of art, music, and culture will contribute to the growing population of youth in Tempe.
“I think (the) location is a big thing.there is no other all ages music or art based venue in Tempe at all. They’ve got places that are bars that are all ages but, you know, not art based. I think the fact that Tempe is a young city, Tempe is a city of kids, kids who are looking for something to do.it will provide a separate avenue for entertainment and meeting people” Pfeffer said.
The venue is also a culture exposure for the music line-up featuring Kid Sampson, The Muddy Moneys, Stellacutta, and Lawnchair.
The four members of Kid Sampson-Andrew Waterhouse, Barry Hazen, Steven Totten, and Cory Gassner-have been playing together for over a year and a half, using all of their musical talents to create an alternative/rock sound.
“Our music is like moon rock. It’s like space rock with a bit more gravity,” said Waterhouse of Kid Sampson’s sound. “.it started with me and Barry, we were roommates in the dorms. (We) started jamming together and met Cory and (he) started playing drums with us and Steven came along with bass.then we developed all of the other instruments.”
“I think one thing that separates us is the fact that we exchange instruments a lot, which people seem to enjoy and we incorporate sounds that.people wouldn’t expect to hear” Totten said.
The band found their name in the book Catch 22 by Joseph Heller, stating that one of the characters in the novel reflected their image well.
“Personally as a band, I think, we just like to play as loud as we can with it still sounding good, trying to make people feel good,” Waterhouse said.
Not only does this venue accommodate an all age crowd, local painters can often be seen doing their craft.
“.I have been doing stuff with Tempe Starving Artists for a long time, doing live shows and just kind of helping out with the magazine,” said Chet Lawton, a fine arts major at ASU. “So the second Robbie Pfeffer told me he was opening up a shop and he wanted artists to hang around and be painting at his grand opening.I immediately was down.”
Lawton has been painting for over two years and is currently working on a mural with another local artist for The Fixx. He also hopes to contribute artwork and spreading the word through his work at Wet Paint Artists Supply.
“We’re doing it for the betterment of the Tempe arts community and Tempe Starving Artists and The Fixx.just trying to support the local scene.I just want people to know there is a scene blossoming in Tempe.,” Lawton said.
“I think it’s awesome and it’s an authentic community, local style of place for once where people can get together and just enjoy themselves and others.,” said Lauren Vogt, a student at Chandler-Gilbert Community College, of the new venue.
For more information on the band Kid Sampson, check out www.myspace.com/kstempe as wells as www.facebook.com/tempestarvingartist.
