When the Furious Brewing Company debuts in the former home of Joe’s Grotto this fall, it will have a bit of DNA from the now-defunct rock bar and music hall in north Phoenix. Steve Goodman, co-owner of the new brewery slated to open at 13831 North 32nd Street, # 32, tells Phoenix New Times that they repurposed several elements from Joe’s Grotto’s 25-year history when they renovated the property this summer . Operated by owner Joe Grotto from 1994 to 2019, the venue has hosted hundreds of metal and hard rock gigs during its quarter century, including local and touring acts and artists such as Alice Cooper, Flotsam and Jetsam, St. Madness, Otep, N17 and LA Guns. “Joe’s Grotto was an epic part of Phoenix [music history] for years, ”says Goodman, a former lead guitarist for the local metal band Dominion of Pain in the late 1990s / early 2000s. “As a musician, it was important to me as a musician to make sure we were preserving some of that legacy while bringing something new to the neighborhood.” Related Stories I Support Local Community Journalism Support and help make the independent voice of Phoenix the future of the New Times remains free. This includes rescuing two large mirrors covered in stickers from local hard rock and metal bands that have adorned the north-west wall of Joe’s Grotto for years. Goodman says the mirrors are still in their original location and framed by a section of black wall with a drinks railing built in front of it. “It was a big deal for us to keep. These mirrors are a story of the music in the Valley and all of the bands that have played [at Joe’s Grotto]. My band played there once and our sticker is buried there somewhere, ”says Goodman. “We left them out so that all of these bands can still be talked about and remembered. People can sit at the drinks bar and Where’s Waldo? with their favorite metal bands. ”Goodman says various guitar picks (and even a drum stick or two) they found while renovating the property are painted onto the top of the drinks rail in front of the mirrors. click to enlarge The sticker-covered mirrors from Joe’s Grotto at the Furious Brewing Company. Steve Goodman The brewery’s co-owners, which includes Chef Lindsay Gordon (formerly Helluva Brewing Company in Chandler and Tempe’s Cotton & Copper), also use wood carved from the huge stage in Joe’s Grotto main room to create various two- and Four-person tables all over the place. Goodman says it was another way to take off our hats to the history of the venue and “wasn’t because we couldn’t afford new tables”. “As a metal fan, I saw Avatar, Static X, Motograter and all these great bands playing on this stage, and we wanted that mojo to be in everything,” he says. “So the beer table is where Wayne Static stood when he played here, which seemed like a cool idea.” Goodman says the stage wood was also used to make the bar the Furious Brewing Company and a huge Arizona State wooden artwork on the wall. Despite the property’s long history as a venue, Goodman says live music will not be a significant part of the future of the Furious Brewing Company unless there is an occasional acoustic set hosted by local musicians. “We’ve been asked about it many times, but we’re not going to be a music venue,” he says. “If time and space allow, we have no problem with small ones [performances]but we don’t want to go to another place that brings full bands and gets super loud. The nearby neighborhood has had enough of the noise after having been into the wee hours of the morning concerts for more than 20 years, so we try to respect that. ”Click to enlarge Dash Cooper (left) from CO-OP steps up 2016 with his father Alice Cooper in Joe’s Grotto. Jim Louvau It’s not the only departure from the history of the property as Joe’s Grotto. The owners of the Furious Brewing Company have completely rebuilt the 5,000 square meter space since signing a lease in early June. Black painted walls were avoided for exposed concrete blocks. The adjoining room with a second stage becomes a lounge with sofas and coffee tables. And most of the walls facing 32nd Street have been replaced with large windows that overlook the nearby Phoenix Mountain Reservation. “If you open it all up again and put all those huge windows back in, it gives you a perfect view of the sunset over the mountains,” says Goodman. They also built a small in-house brewing system to initially create two or three signature designs – including a West Coast IPA, a cloudy IPA, and a Californian common – with plans for a future addition to the Tap lineup. (“It was difficult to get a large brewing system because of the pandemic,” Goodman says.) There will also be a kitchen that will eventually serve Gordon-created and smoked version of the Furious Brewing Company’s “Arizona-centric Barbecue” white oak from the region. Goodman says he hasn’t spoken to Grotto, who has been booking rock and metal concerts at The 44 Sports Grill & Nightlife in Glendale since July, about all of the changes they’ve made. (Phoenix New Times was unable to reach Grotto for comment.) “Joe’s Grotto was kept very dark for the most part, and I can understand why [Joe] did this because they wanted to make it as dark as possible for shows, ”says Goodman. “We had to undo all of that because we wanted our brewery to be inviting, airy and light, visually the opposite of Joe’s Grotto. At the same time, we’re trying to keep some of the more recognizable parts of its predecessors [identity] part of his legacy will therefore live on. ”
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