Rebel Lounge opens in Phoenix's former Mason Jar

The Atlas Moth headlined the opening night of the Rebel Lounge on Thursday, May 20, with a set of heavy yet hypnotic psychedelic stoner rock. The band followed two other extremely heavy local acts, Take Over and Destroy and Gatecreeper.

Considering the history of the building, which once housed the Mason Jar, Stephen Chilton of Psyko Steve Presents, says, "It felt very appropriate having that kind of show, a metal show, as our first show."

In fact, he says, band members got to do something the were too young to do when the venue on Indian School Road in Phoenix was called the Mason Jar.

"A number of the guys in the bands were saying how they used to go to the Mason Jar and play there but they never got to drink there. So this was there first time drinking there. I had three different band members say that."

This is Chilton's first club after more than a decade of promoting concerts in the Valley.

"Everything went great," he says. "The crowd was great. Everyone was happy. Everything ran as smooth as could be. We had no problems. It was just a really good opening night."

Thursday's show, which also was a record release for a new split 7-inch on President Gator by Take Over and Destroy and Gatecreeper, was never intended to be a grand-opening party.

"It just kind of ended up that that's the way it was," Chilton says. "And it was perfect."

Founded in 1979, the Mason Jar hosted some of the hottest up-and-coming rock acts of the next two decades, including Rage Against the Machine, Tool, Jane's Addiction, Green Day, Guns N' Roses and Nirvana. In the early 2000s, the room was revamped and added shows by the Black Keys, Jimmy Eat World and Fall Out Boy. During that era, Psyko Steve Presents booked a number of shows at the Mason Jar, including Avenged Sevenfold, the Bled and Greeley Estates.

Chilton and his partners took over the building at 23rd Street and Indian School Road, which has a capacity of about 300, in September and renovated it.

"The basic layout is the same as it was in the end," Chilton says. "The bar is in the same place. The entrance is in the same place. The stage is in the same place. The room flow is the same. But other than that, it's been totally gutted. All the fixtures are new. The Mason Jar was definitely that grungy dive-bar kind of vibe. Everything was painted black. So aesthetically, it's dramatically different. And we removed some big pillars in front of the stage, which people who went to the Mason Jar will remember. We've had a lot of people say, 'Thank God you removed those pillars.' "

Chilton and his partners also remodeled the restrooms and the green room.

"It went from two very small bathrooms to three very spacious ones," Chilton says. "So there's been a pretty big jump in amenities. It's amazing how much you can do when you just sort of plan it a little bit better from the ground up. We didn't add more space. We just utilized it better. I think when people compare it to a metal club or a rock club or the Mason Jar, they're going to be really impressed."

Upcoming shows:

Thursday, May 21: Pinata Protest with the Copper Gamins and Catch the Fire.

Friday, May 22: Gospel Claws with Fatigo, the Wavelengths and Strange Lot.

Saturday, May 23: Main Attraktionz.

Tuesday, May 26: GBH with Total Chaos, Scorpion Vs. Tarantula and Rotten Youth.

Saturday, May 30: William Elliott Whitmore with Esme Patterson.

Tuesday, June 2: Royal Thunder with Wild Throne and TOAD.

Wednesday, June 3: Superheaven with Rozwell Kid and Sundressed.

Friday, June 5: Emby Alexander with Snake! Snake! Snakes!, Spiritual Warfare, the Dead Woods and Dent.

Saturday, June 6: Dustin Kensrue with the Rocketboys and Olin & the Moon.

Sunday, June 7: July Talk with Purple, Motobunny and Sunshower.

Thursday, June 11: Agalloch with Helen Money.

Friday, June 12: Blunt Club with DJ Pickster One and Dumperfoo.

Saturday, June 13: This Century with WLFPCK and Julia Lauren.

Sunday, June 14: Ceremony with Tony Molina, Uniform and Body of Light.

Tuesday, June 16: Mandolin Orange.

Friday, June 19: Maudlin Strangers with Lany and IAMWE.

Tuesday, June 23: Bad Cop/Bad Cop with Decent Criminal, Lightspeedgo and Heavy Breather.

Saturday, June 27: Shady Elders.

Monday, June 29: Two Cow Garage.

Sunday, July 5: Mitski with Elvis Depressedly and Eskimeaux.

Saturday, July 11: Jessica Hernandez & the Deltas with Snake! Snake! Snakes! and Decker.