The Loft

 

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Kelly W.

Tempe, AZ

The 3,000-square-foot, bilevel nightclub, which is operated by the former owners of Sail Inn, features DJs and live music nightly in a lounge setting. There are cozy sofas, a small dance floor, and a martini and food menu. You'll find a lot of college students hanging out here and local music fans kicking back at this chill Mill Avenue hangout.

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Elite '08

70

334

Mike V.

San Francisco, CA

I guess the first step is to get stuck in Tempe on a layover and use the magical 800 number which gets you a discount hotel when you've suddenly become a "stranded passenger".

(Reason No. 1 NOT to yell at the guy at the counter when you flight gets canceled for the evening.  Those dudes know EVERYTHING. including telling you how to scam the hotel thing whenever you feel like it.)

Seriously, all they ask is, "Which Airline" and you get a room for pennies.  You can use it all the time.  For $30 bucks, I had a private driver who picked me and some pilot up from the airport, and drove us right there.  Plus he's on-call to drive you and pick you up from anywhere in and around Mill Avenue, god bless him.

And that's when, while waiting for your "ride", you befriend four girls from Northeastern who are all sign language interpreters, learn how to pick up on a deaf chick (fyi, Galludett Univ. IS like 15 minutes from my house in DC), get into their friend's ska-punk get-together at Loft, spent pennies for a mountain of drinks, danced and listed to great music (somehow, Loft managed to seamlessly flow from live ska to hip-hop/R&B and back all night) and still somehow make it back to your hotel room in time to clean-out the mini-bar, learn some more sign language (HUGELY helpful in loud clubs btw) and make your 6 AM flight to Reno/Tahoe.

Tempe, and those amazing kids from ASU really have a nice set up on Mill.  Easy to get around, great bars, cheap drinks and un-cheap people. 5-stars.

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93

302

Mr K.

Phoenix, AZ

Going out at night on Mill Ave is always an interesting experience for me. The sidewalks are packed with people, stores and restaurants are open late, and there's a certain vitality going on, even though the main things you hear are "brah", "dude", "like", "ohmygod", "check her/him out", yada yada yada.

Then I realize I'm pretty much a decade older than everyone else on the street and my college days are all but a distant hazy memory (apart from the random Indian grandmas walking around in saris and waiting in line at Cold Stone - you go, grandma!).

I ended up at The Loft on a Thursday night for a monthly event called Afro:Baile, and I'm sure as hell glad I went, even though I was dead tired. The venue itself was decent, a stage for performers, some small tables/stools by the dancefloor, couches to the side, and an upstairs (loft) seating area as well. djSeduce was spinning phat Latin-fusion beats until the Latin-jam band neo-Primitive came on and rocked/salsa'd/mambo'd the house down. The Phoenix metro area really needs more events like this one, because there's only so many venues playing your standard mindless Top 40/hip-hop/reggeton/cheesy techno before you give up in finding something actually different. So I give props to the Loft for agreeing to host this monthly event (http://www.myspace.com...). I just wish it was weekly, because I'd be there each and every time. Oh well. Can't win 'em all.

There was a decent-sized crowd of college kids and what looked like their professors, but I hope it picks up because the live band + dj was definitely worth it.

As for the rest of the bar, I had a drink. Bartender was friendly. And no pretentious feel at all about the place. Most of the overly done up kids outside kept walking past, probably on their way to the Library or Fat Tuesday or the other standard Mill stuff. Too bad. They don't know what they're missing. Then again, maybe they, too, will find themselves in a college town 10 years from now, looking for something "different."

So cheers to you, Loft. 4 stars.

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