Tucson, AZ

When the temperature soars to the triple digits in Tucson, I am rarely convinced that life exists in the Old Pueblo. I, like many desert inhabitants, was in the throes of my reverse seasonal hibernation when my friend Susan invited me see her friend’s band play at Frog and Firkin. I hadn’t been out much due to the heat, so I agreed to meet her and some of her friends at the University-area bar and restaurant for some live music and lounging on the patio. Now that the college students have filtered out of town for the summer, I can be more easily talked into hanging out in the University Main Gate area. Parking also was no problem as the parking garage on Tyndall and 4th Street was free after normal business hours and had ample spaces just a short jaunt away.

I was surprised when I walked onto the outdoor patio, as I was expecting a moderate crowd and instead was greeted with a full-house. At 8:30 on Friday summer night, the place was packed with plenty of folks hovering around looking to grab a seat anywhere. My friend had reserved a table, expecting half a dozen of us to show. The table was reserved for us but that didn’t keep another party from sitting there. Fortunately, they were finishing up as our party was congregating and we were able to get the table next.

The water misters were on this evening which makes the patio inhabitable during the heat of the day. However, they were shut off shortly after we arrived, as the night was cool and windy, with the scent of an impending monsoon storm in the air. In fact, we all felt a light rain sprinkle from time to time and wondered if the storm would blow over or drench us in a heartbeat, as summer rains do. Fortunately, we experienced no more than the intermittent sprinkle and both the band and patrons went about their night without interruption.

Local band, Nobody Et Al, was set up on the west side of the patio, and consisted of a cellist, lead singer on acoustic guitar, drummer and saxophone player. Their music reminded me of a more folky version of Dave Matthews. The band played for a few hours, as folks ordered food and drinks and shouted their conversations over the speakers or in-between songs.

Firkin is probably best known for their pizza, of which I usually order a slice with fresh tomatoes and feta cheese. But their salads and appetizers are some of the best, with the Green Fries of pesto and melted brie being my favorite. As the band played, I watched the activity on University and the crowd thin out and fill up again at Firkin. Couples, families, people walking their dogs, and the trolley car making its trek downtown several times made this area more alive than I could have imagined.

Listening to the music and people-watching, all under a cool cloudy sky, turned out to be one of the best remedies for my heatstroke blues and reminded me that just because it is hot, doesn’t mean we have to stop living during the summer in Tucson! Surviving summer just means getting creative and a little more nocturnal when venturing outside the air conditioning!

For more information about the band Nobody Et Al and show listings around town, visit them at http://www.nobodyetal.com. For more information about Frog and Firkin, visit them at http://www.frogandfirkin.com.