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Map design: Mike Gushock

This walking tour of Downtown Phoenix is free, self-guided, and takes about an hour, depending on pace. For more details about the locations listed, other historic buildings downtown, or cool public art worth checking out, call the Downtown Information Center at 602-495-1500.

1. Cityscape Phoenix

Photo: Lauren Potter / Downtown Phoenix Inc.

Originally a public park, it was redeveloped into a mixed-use complex in 2008. On the second floor of the east building above Charming Charlie, you’ll find the Downtown Information Center with everything from restaurant menus and coupons to maps and business directories. In addition to a host of visitor resources, there’s always an Ambassador at the welcome desk to answer questions.

2. Luhrs Building & Tower

Photo: Fara Illich / Downtown Phoenix Inc.

Built in the 1920s, the L-shaped Beaux-Arts building (1924) and the attached 14-story Art Deco tower (1929) represent beautiful examples of historic Phoenix architecture. On the ground floor, be sure to check out Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour — named one of  America’s best bars by the Food Network in 2016 — Monroe’s Hot Chicken or la Madeleine French Bakery & Café.

3. Maricopa County Courthouse / Historic City Hall

This building served as Phoenix’s City Hall from 1929 until 1994, and is now home to the Phoenix Police Museum (first floor) and the Maricopa County Justice Museum and Learning Center (sixth floor). Admission to both are free. The justice museum is open for self-guided tours Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. A docent is on hand to give tours and answer questions Monday-Thursday from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. Operating hours for the police museum are Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

4. Phoenix City Hall

Photo: Nader Abushhab / NBMA Photography

Completed in 1994, the Employee Memorial fountain, Gallery @ City Hall and a shady outdoor courtyard make this a nice stop along the tour.

5. The Orpheum Theatre

In 1984, the City of Phoenix purchased this historic theater after it fell into disrepair, beginning a 12-year restoration project. Built in 1929, free tours take place on alternating Tuesdays. The Wells Fargo History Museum (also free) is located just steps away on Second Avenue and Adams Street.

6. Orpheum Lofts

Built in 1931, Alfred Hitchcock filmed the opening sequence in “Psycho” from the rooftop of this historic office building. It’s now home to urban lofts.

7. Hotel San Carlos

In 1874, the first Phoenix schoolhouse stood in this location and it later became a luxury hotel in 1928. In addition to great ground-floor bars and restaurants, be sure to the check out the Hollywood-style “Star Walk,” which wraps around the hotel. It was created in 1993 to commemorate the hotel’s 65th birthday and memorialize the celebrities who stayed here over the years. There are also some great ground-floor bars and restaurants including Centrico Cocina Mexicana and Seamus McCaffrey’s Irish Pub and Restaurant.

8. Heard Building

Built in 1920, it was the tallest structure in Arizona upon completion. Remodeled in 2015, it’s now a hotspot for small tech companies and startups, offering some great ground-floor restaurants. You can’t miss the large bear mural on the south side of the building completed by the Swiss art duo Nevercrew, but be sure to check out the murals in the alley and the lobby too, also by the same artists.

9. Hilton Garden Inn Phoenix Downtown Hotel

Formerly known as the Professional Building, it was built in 1932 to house the growing Valley National Bank. It was carefully restored in 2015 featuring the original Art Deco design, a grand lobby, columns and marble touches. Before you leave, be sure to ride the elevator up to the Floor 13 rooftop bar, which features breathtaking views of the Phoenix skyline.

10. Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel

The historic Adams Hotel was built on this site in 1896, rebuilt after a fire in 1910, razed in 1973, and reconstructed as a modern hotel in 1975. In 2016, the Renaissance embarked on a $10 million renovation and beautification project, totally transforming the façade and improving the streetscape. In the alley behind the Renaissance, you’ll find a colorful 70-foot mural based on the hotel’s storied past.

11. Hanny’s

Now a bar and restaurant, this clothing store was the ultimate place to go for men’s fashion between 1947 to 1986. Located just down the street, the Arizona Latino Arts and Cultural Center (ALAC) offers free admission and a great gift shop.

12. Phoenix Convention Center

Photo: City of Phoenix

This was the site of the original 1972 Phoenix Civic Plaza and reopened as a state-of-the-art convention center in 2008. “Art is a Guaranty of Sanity” by Louise Bourgeois — located in the West Building — is one of downtown’s largest art pieces and is open to the public.

13. Herberger Theater Center

Three stages and an acclaimed resident dance ensemble and theater troupe make the Herberger (built in 1989) an excellent place to catch a live performance. The outdoor sculpture series, “Dance” by John Waddell, also adds beauty and interest to the exterior.

14. St. Mary’s Basilica

The oldest Catholic Parish in Phoenix was built here in 1881. The Spanish Colonial-style church you see today was built in 1914, complete with golden altars, Roman columns and the largest collection of stained glass windows in the state.

15. Heritage Square

In 1895, the Rosson family built a two-story Victorian home here, which is now a museum. Admission is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors, military, students and AAA members, and $5 for children 5-12 years old.

16. Arizona Science Center

The center offers 40,000 square feet of exhibition space, an IMAX theater and planetarium. Admission is $18 for adults, $13 for children and free for kids under two.

17. Chase Field

Built in 1998, this is the first stadium in the U.S. with a retractable roof over natural grass, since the average temperature during baseball season is 100 degrees. Tours are available year-round.

18. Footprint Center

Built in 1992, the Footprint Center is a major sports and entertainment venue, home to the Phoenix Suns (NBA), the Phoenix Mercury (WNBA) and the Arizona Rattlers (arena football).

WM Phoenix Open

TPC Scottsdale (Stadium Course)

Scottsdale, Arizona • USA

Feb 8 - 11, 2024

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Phoenix Announce Global Tour with Los Angeles Concert Date at YouTube Theater

French indie pop kings, Phoenix are back with a global tour run including a Los Angeles concert date at the YouTube Theater for Oct. 6, 2022. In addition to Phoenix’s L.A. tour stop, the band will also perform at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, CA on Oct. 7, as well as a few more U.S. […]

French indie pop kings, Phoenix are back with a global tour run including a Los Angeles concert date at the YouTube Theater for Oct. 6, 2022 . In addition to Phoenix’s L.A. tour stop, the band will also perform at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, CA on Oct. 7 , as well as a few more U.S. tour dates. Porches will be opening for all North American shows.

This post may contain affiliate links. Ads and affiliate links are how independent blogs like Grimy Goods can operate and pay our staff. Thank you for supporting our work and being a part of our music community.

Get Presale Ticket to Phoenix at YouTube Theater

Tickets to Phoenix at the YouTube Theater in Los Angeles will go on sale to the general public this Friday, June 10 at 10am. There is a Live Nation presale taking place on Wednesday, June 8 at 10am. Fans can access the Phoenix presale by using the following ticket link and presale password: DAZZLE .

Most recently, Phoenix dropped their new song “Alpha Zulu ,” their first new track in two years. To celebrate their tour announcement, the band have shared has shared the video for “Alpha Zulu .” The visual was conceptualized by Phoenix and directed by longtime collaborator Pascal Teixeira, as well as Emma Besson and Louis Bes. Watch the new video below!

Phoenix Tour Dates

Show picks of the month.

June 8 – Barcelona, ES – Primavera In The City – SOLD OUT June 10 – Lyon, FR – Nuits de Fourviere – SOLD OUT June 11 – Barcelona, ES – Primavera Sound – SOLD OUT September 6 – St. Paul, MN –Palace Theatre * September 7 – Chicago, IL – Aragon Ballroom * September 9 – New York, NY – Radio City Music Hall * September 10 – New Haven, CT – Westville Music Bowl * September 13 – Boston, MA – Roadrunner * September 15 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore * September 16 – Washington, DC – Anthem * September 17-18 – Atlanta, GA – Music Midtown September 19 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium * September 20 – Indianapolis, IN – Egyptian Room * September 22 – St. Louis, MO – The Pageant * September 23 – Bentonville, AR – FOR_MAT Festival October 6 – Los Angeles, CA – YouTube Theater *

October 7 – Berkeley, CA – Greek Theatre * October 10 – Denver, CO – Mission Ballroom * October 12 – Kansas City, MO – Arvest Bank Theatre * October 14-16 – Austin, TX – ACL October 18 – Mexico City – Pepsi Center November 16 – London, UK – Brixton Academy November 18 – Milan, IT – Alcatraz Club November 20 – Berlin, DE – Columbiahalle November 23 – Brussels, BE – Ancienne Belgique November 26 – Amsterdam, NL – Paradiso November 29 – Paris, FR – Olympia

*Porches supporting

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Beck and Phoenix are splitting the bill on the newly-announced Summer Odyssey tour . The 20-date shows will make stops across North America with support from Sir Chloe on most nights and additional appearances from Japanese Breakfast, Jenny Lewis, and Weyes Blood.

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Tucker Carlson's 2024 arena tour is launching in Phoenix. Here's how to get tickets

Tucker Carlson will launch his first arena tour, Tucker Carlson Live 2024, at Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, with special guest Russell Brand.

A Tucker Carlson Network production, the tour is presented by Sambrosa.com and brought to you by Swan Bitcoin.

As the presidential election unfolds this fall, Carlson will react live to the latest developments, joined on stage by what the tour announcement calls “some of the smartest, most interesting people in America.”

Carlson issued a statement saying, “I can’t wait to take our show on the road in cities across America. We’re going to be talking about real issues with real people. You’d better believe the Establishment will be losing their minds.”

In a statement, Jeffrey Van Hierden, president of Sambrosa.com, called the tour "an extraordinary opportunity for Sambrosa to present one of the most important talks across the country at a time that couldn’t be more impactful," calling Carlson "one of the most respected voices in media today.”

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In that same release, Cory Klippsten, founder and CEO of Swan.com, called this "a massive opportunity for Swan to discuss how Bitcoin can help fix some of the world's most pressing problems with hundreds of thousands of people across the country.”

The New Yorker has called Carlson "the most influential voice in right-wing media , without a close second” while Politico has described him as “perhaps the highest-profile proponent of Trumpism.”

Carlson hosted the nightly political talk show  "Tucker Carlson Tonight" on Fox News from 2016 until he was fired in 2023 . It was the most watched cable news show of all time. He publishes episodes of the Tucker Carlson Show, a long-form podcast, each week. 

How to get Tucker Carlson tickets in Phoenix

Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, June 14, at ticketmaster.com .

Tucker Carlson VIP tickets in Phoenix

VIP meet-and-greet tickets will be available at momsforamerica.us .

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Megan Thee Stallion's Hot Girl Summer tour in Austin was the ultimate hip-hop bounce back

As a wise woman once said, “The booty don’t lie,” and thousands of derrières spilling from the scantest of booty shorts, clapped truth to power as Megan Thee Stallion’s Hot Girl Summer tour scorched the Moody Center on Thursday. 

The H-Town Hottie’s first Austin appearance since a 2021 Austin City Limits Music Festival set was a sexually charged twerkathon, an ecstatic journey into a temple of self-love and also, one of the realest rap shows of the year. Oh yeah, and Paul Wall showed up. 

Megan’s Hotties (as she calls her fans) skewed young, brown, female and gay male, and scantily clad. They let their freak flags fly as the reigning queen of rap polished her crown. 

Here are things five that happened at the show. 

Like a phoenix, she burst from the flames

Megan is in her snake era, but even as she emerged through the floor of the Moody Center in a curve-hugging, serpentine bodysuit with big “Eat the apple, Eve” energy, other metaphors were at play. 

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To herald her entrance, red lights danced on three massive screens behind the stage. They morphed from floating embers to a flow of molten lava down the center. Plumes of fire shot from both sides of the stage, which was constructed as two circles, a large inner section ringed by an arching catwalk. The most hardcore (and deepest pocketed) Hotties, were in a pit between the two.    

Megan came to slay. She took the stage solo, spraying verbal bullets at her haters on “Hiss” while flames shot skyward around her. She emerged as a phoenix from the flames, which is fitting, considering the journey she’s been on over the past few years. 

A brief recap: Megan was shot in the foot by rapper Tory Lanez as the two former friends were leaving a party in 2020. In the wake of the shooting, she endured public mockery and rejection from a male-dominated rap community, a drum beat that grew louder as the case went to trial in 2022. Her brilliant 2022 album “Traumazine” grapples with her depression following her mother’s death in 2019 as well as the incident. In addition, Megan spent the last few years fighting to get out of a record deal with 1501 Certified Entertainment that she described in court documents as “unconscionable.”  

At the Moody Center, she seemed jubilant. This woman came through on the other side. She took her abuser to court and won. ( Lanez was sentenced to 10 years in prison last August .) Her album “Megan,” the first released on her brand new indie label, Hot Girl Productions, drops in two weeks. What a bounce back.

When her Hot Girl dance crew stormed the stage to put the “fake-ass, snake-ass, backstabbin', hatin'-ass,” opps on notice on “Ungrateful,” the sense of victory was palpable. 

She flexed her rappity rap cred 

The afore-mentioned booty is a central feature of a Megan Thee Stallion concert, and it was an evening of astonishing gluteal gymnastics. There were multiple dance breaks and sections where Megan pranced and posed and worked her angles. Her dance team was phenomenal.

But don’t get it twisted: Megan is a brutal rhyme slinger. One of the best in the game. She brings stories to life with her words. She’s hilarious and she’s hard. When she wasn’t breaking down steamy moves, she was in a battle rap stance. 

She skewered haters on tracks such as “Megan’s Piano” and “What’s New,” and her raw anger on “NDA” cut through the arena. She threw a fist in the air for a prolonged pause as she shouted “my body my choice” on “Gift and a Curse.”

Trapped in a coil of red lights, she took us deep into her battle with depression on “Cobra,” the emotion bringing her to her knees while somewhere a guitar quietly wept. It's been an emotional time, she said, as an intro to a song from her new album. “You are loved and somebody does give a damn,” she said. 

She celebrated her Texas roots with the People’s Champ

“I’m happy to be home in Texas,” she told the crowd. She shouted out her OG hotties and reminisced about her first Austin performances at the South by Southwest Music Festival in 2018.  

And then she brought out H-Town rap legend Paul Wall. Much of the crowd went wild as the 43-year-old baller spit the Dirty South classics “Still Tippin’” and “Grillz.” Some people around me took the opportunity to sit down.  

She reveled in radical power of female sexuality

Like Little Kim before her, Megan Thee Stallion is a sexy rapper who loves to rap about sex. Graphic sex. Obscene sex. When she bent over in a wide straddle and made a suggestive gesture on “WAP” the crowd squealed. 

Rocking a blue Josephine Baker-style beaded fringe with blue butterfly wings at her back, she rapped about popping morning-after pills lest she get stuck with a fool on “Plan B.” 

“Ladies, love yourself 'cause this (expletive) could get ugly,” she rapped. And I thought about how far we’ve come from the early ‘00s when mainstream hip-hop reduced women to unnamed bitches and ho’s. What a time it is to be alive. 

The love was in the room

Megan is clearly having a blast on this tour and the camaraderie she feels with her dance team was on full display on bangers like “Girls in the Hood” and “Don’t Stop.”

Megan also loves her Hotties and they love her too. She took multiple breaks (arguably too many, a whole song or two) to sign autographs for the VIP fans in the front section. She turned the house lights on to look at the crowd and spotlighted a few particularly impressive twerkers. She pulled a couple dozen fans on the stage to shake what their mamas gave them. Megan has created a space where women (and gay men) can safely revel in raucous sexuality and it was a wonder to behold. 

One of the women she pulled on stage, an academic type with chunky glasses and braids to her waist, wore a T-shirt that succinctly summed up the vibe.

“I support women’s rights AND women's wrongs,” it said.