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Check out Bisbee’s 14 best hometown bands at these 12 local venues
Why this town is the ‘creative backbone of the Southwest’ and a must-visit for music lovers.
by Stepfanie Romine, for Discover Bisbee
Bisbee is quickly gaining a reputation as the “creative backbone of the Southwest.”
Thanks to the Bisbee Arts & Culture District, the town is a mecca for live music – both homegrown talent and performers who seek out the Cochise County town as a destination for prime gigs.
On almost any given night, Bisbee is humming with music and culture. Listen to street musicians busking throughout the District, or head to any of the town’s venues to hear the best local and traveling bands.
Now’s the time to plan your next visit to Bisbee. Browse the upcoming events – and check out this guide to local musicians and venues.
14 of Bisbee’s best-known musicians
Auld Lang Syne: The duo of Timothy and Kathy Dick form Auld Lang Syne, and they share music daily online and in Bisbee.
Cat Daddy & 12 Barz Blues Band: Like the blues? Then you’ll love Cat Daddy and his band.
The Exbats: This local band offers a diverse range of sounds, “incorporating blue-eyed soul, tongue-in-cheek country, Brit-pop, psych and R&B.”
Fatigo: A collaboration of well-known local musicians that have released two albums as a group.
Frank Tornoe and One Ghost: Frank Tornoe is a local bassist known for “hypnotic and ethereal ditties.”
Juniper Djinn: Multi-instrumentalist Bill Stoller and singer-instrumentalist Jessica Fleet blend traditional jazz with renaissance waltzes and Eastern European folk.
Little Sugar Blues Band: Little Sugar plays acoustic and electric blues with a touch of jazz and rock.
Los Amigos: Find this fun and lively troupe of locals playing together with a full band across some of the best-known venues in town.
MahaVia: A collaboration between flamenco dancer and singer Julianna “La Patita” Thomas and flamenco guitarist Derren Davidavich Crosby.
Mike Montoya: A legendary local singer-songwriter whose work crosses genres.
The Panther Band: This family band describes themselves as “female-fronted folk, blues and rock with a dead-on rhythm section and a blazing lead player.”
Pat Gahn: With folk- and country-inspired songs for travelers, workers and “for folks like you,” Pat Gahn is a fixture on the Bisbee scene, both with and without his band.
Robert Earl Longley: Longley is a world-class level guitarist and symphonic composer.
The Rooks: Cado Daily, James Mahoney, Darrell Thompson and Jamie Wahl are the Rooks, a group that shares a love for Celtic music and history.
Where can you hear these musicians?
One of the best things about Bisbee is that there’s music, arts and culture pretty much everywhere you turn. Restaurant patios, bars, street corners, clubs, hotel lobbies – if people can gather together in a space, chances are you’ll catch a show there.
Where to hear live music in Bisbee
Here are a few of the most popular music venues in and around Bisbee.
The Bisbee Courtyard: This event space boasts an ever-changing schedule of shows.
The Bisbee Grand: This hotel hosts live music and entertainment most nights of the week.
Bisbee Social Club: A speakeasy-inspired cocktail lounge that hosts live entertainment.
Chuckleheads: For those looking for a laugh, this is Bisbee’s premier comedy club.
Copper Queen Hotel: An “Old West charmer” of a venue that’s also rumored to be haunted.
Hitching Post Saloon: A place to go for friends, music, food and fun!
The Jonquil Motel: Check out the BYOB and snacks events in their one-acre “backyard.”
Kafka House: Come for the coffee, stay for the music.
Oldfield Oasis: This live music venue is opening soon!
The Quarry: A farm-to-table restaurant that also hosts live music.
Room 4 Bar: Arizona’s smallest bar, with a “chill and charming patio.”
St. Elmo Bar: The longest continually run bar in the state of Arizona.
The Bisbee Arts & Culture District connects the city’s vibrant cultural heritage with its renewed economic vitality. It aims to attract visitors and creatives to live and work while protecting and growing the arts and culture scene. Learn more and plan your next visit at Discoverbisbee.com.