Tucson has never appealed much to me. The peculiar absence of green grass and parks, along with the lack of a grid system, does not bode favorably.
In the past, I have automatically grown suspicious of friends who relocate there for school or work. Obviously, combating the residual effects of heatstroke was the only explanation for anyone who declared Tucson as something other than the dirt-covered wasteland of a city that I saw it for.
Over the years, acquaintances and friends, one by one, made Tucson their new home as I racked my brain to try and understand why — to understand what the allure was.
Recent encounters with musicians led me to a new realization about Arizona’s second largest city. For one, it has a sense of community that is unparalleled in Phoenix.
Fred Huang grew up in Phoenix and has since spent time involved in the music scenes of both places. He currently performs in the local duo Of the Painted Choir, and when comparing the two, he says, “It’s more difficult to make connections (in Phoenix).”
That isn’t to say Tempe, Phoenix and surrounding cities don’t foster communities of artists, but it’s harder to find acceptance into pockets of friends who support one another, essentially making the music scene here more cliquey and exclusive.
Huang says, “It’s harder for a venue to give you a chance,” admitting it’s been more of a challenge to find places that will give his band, which played their first show only a few months ago, the opportunity to get on a line-up.
In Tucson, “Even if it’s a (bad) time slot, they’ll at least give you a chance. Unlike here, where they just flat out say no.”
This portrait of the Tucson music scene is representative of the city’s atmosphere in general. It’s easy to attribute a more cohesive community to the fact that Tucson’s population is three times smaller than that of Phoenix, but that overlooks other important factors.
Despite the belief that large metropolitan areas tend to be more liberal, Tucson is undoubtedly more progressive than its counterpart to the north. Pima County was the only county in 2008 to oppose a state constitutional amendment that bans same-sex marriage.
Last year, lawyers and activists even began a process of circulating a petition for Pima County to become it’s own state, seceding from the rest of Arizona. Although largely symbolic, these efforts of secession reflect the county’s frustration with legislation in the state capitol.
My opinion of Tucson has since come to a new conclusion. I see now that its welcoming communities, along with how socially — and politically — minded its residents are, make it an attractive alternative.
As far as Tucson’s local music scene goes, which was what originally tipped me off to its pleasant nuances, Phoenix can learn a lot.
Huang makes one final note, adding, “Tempe and Phoenix are moving in the right direction, but it’s definitely not as cohesive as Tucson has been … yet.”
Reach the columnist at damills3@asu.edu
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