BEAUTY SCHOOL DROPOUT brings the “Fever” to Phoenix: A sweat-drenched evening at Valley Bar

Winter is winding down in Phoenix, and on Wednesday night, BEAUTY SCHOOL DROPOUT turned up the heat, setting Valley Bar ablaze with a performance equal parts chaos, charm, and unrelenting energy. Touring in support of their newest record, WHERE DID ALL THE BUTTERFLIES GO?, released last September, the band packed the venue to capacity, as fans danced, moshed, and sang along to tracks new and old, drenched in sweat and swept up in a “Fever” that ignited every corner of the room. Along for the ride was Florida band NIGHTBREAKERS, who kicked off the night and helped set the tone for what would become an unforgettable evening.

NIGHTBREAKERS opened up the night, making a striking first impression in their Arizona debut. A new band to most of the crowd, the audience wasn’t sure what to expect when they took the stage, but by the end of their set, that uncertainty had turned into a room full of people jumping, dancing, and cheering along. Formed in 2019, the band leans into a mix of modern rock and catchy pop, a sound that will appeal to fans of bands like The Maine or 5 Seconds of Summer, and it didn’t take long for that sound to win people over.

Every member of the band worked the stage with charisma and confidence, making tracks like “Fake Smile” and “Call Me Back” feel like instant anthems. Their setlist consisted of tracks from their 2024 Until You Were Gone EP, as well as from their forthcoming debut album, Not Like We Used To, which was released today. As their set wrapped, the audience could be heard proclaiming how much fun their set was, a testament to the band’s ability to make their mark on a new crowd.

BEAUTY SCHOOL DROPOUT took the stage, and from the opening track, it was clear that they had no intention of letting the energy dip for even a second. Touring in celebration of their newest album, WHERE DID ALL THE BUTTERFLIES GO?, the band wasted no time diving straight into the new era, opening with the title track of the album before ripping into “XXX.” The crowd was packed shoulder-to-shoulder, bodies pressed together as fans shouted every lyric back toward the stage. The momentum continued with “TWO OF US,” “FEVER,” and “SEX APPEAL,” setting the tone for a night that would only grow more chaotic and euphoric with each passing song.

If there was one word to describe the atmosphere inside the venue, it was sweaty. Arizona heat paired with the band’s relentless stage presence quickly turned the room into a sauna, something frontman Colie Hutzler was quick to joke about. After mentioning that nearly every stop on the tour leading up to Arizona had been freezing cold, the band laughed about suddenly finding themselves in the desert heat. Bassist Brent “Beepus” Burdett, a Tucson native, didn’t let the moment pass without poking fun at the rest of the band. “This is nothing,” he teased, saying they could talk to him about heat once they’d experienced a seatbelt burn, earning a roar of laughter from the crowd who could relate to that experience before giving a hometown-style shoutout to Tucson staple eegee’s. As the temperature climbed, two members of the band eventually ditched their shirts, matching the drenched, high-energy crowd in front of them.

Beyond the nonstop movement on stage, what really set the performance apart was the band’s connection with their fans. Guitarists frequently leaned over the edge of the stage, playing directly into the faces of fans in the front row, while Beepus took things a step further by hopping offstage and weaving along the side of the room, bass in hand. At one point he even paused to hand a bottle of water to a fan who appeared to be struggling in the heat, making sure she was okay before jumping right back into the set. Moments like that spoke volumes about the band’s genuine appreciation for their audience. Hutzler himself nearly wiped out mid-show, laughing as he caught his balance and admitted, “I almost just fell off the stage, I’m having so much fun!”

The setlist featured every track from the new album, with a few fan favorites from the remainder of their catalog woven in, keeping the crowd engaged from the start. Tracks like “HOW COULD I FORGET” and “LMFTA” had fans screaming along, while older favorites like “WE MADE PLANS & GOD LAUGHED,” “Coming Down,” and “scarlett letter” saw some of the loudest reactions of the night. The band slowed things down briefly for “ADELINE (SAVE SOME FOR THE REST OF US),” which featured Colie Hutlzer on acoustic guitar, the room swaying in unison before the energy surged back through the roof with the final run of songs: “CITY NEVER SLEEPS,” “DADDY DON’T CRY,” and “A$$A$$IN.” The band opted to forgo the typical encore, keeping the momentum going with their closing track, “FIGHT MODE” delivering the explosive finale that a BEAUTY SCHOOL DROPOUT show practically demands.

Having caught the band previously during the “Summer School Tour” stop in Tempe last July, I already knew what they were capable of live, but somehow this performance still managed to top it. The band had also passed through Arizona not long ago supporting letlive. in October, yet the turnout and energy felt bigger than ever this time around. With just two dates left on the tour in San Diego and Los Angeles, it’s clear that BEAUTY SCHOOL DROPOUT is riding a serious wave of momentum. If this show was any indication, the future for this band is only getting louder, and a whole lot bigger.

Not able to catch BEAUTY SCHOOL DROPOUT on one of the remaining tour dates? The band won’t be off the road for long. They’re set to join mgk this May on the “lost americana tour,” bringing their high energy live show to even bigger stages. They’ll also be making a return to Vans Warped Tour, appearing on the lineups for Washington, D.C. and Orlando.