Summer School: Class in Session AZ

Walking into the Marquee Theatre on that sweltering July 27, 2025 evening, air‑conditioned refuge met the first thrum of guitars — this was no choreographed festival, this was Summer School: a carefully curated crew of rising alt‑music voices hand‑picked to ignite the night. The lineup featured seven independent artists: Huddy, If Not For Me, Arrows in Action, Beauty School Dropout, Taylor Acorn, Charlotte Sands, and Rain City Drive, rotating into headline status across the tour.

Huddy kicked off the night with tight production and high-gloss emo flair. He ripped through six tracks — including his crowd-please hits like “Vendetta,” “All the Things I Hate About You,” and “The Eulogy of You and Me.” Even fans unfamiliar with his influencer past (he co‑founded the Hype House) were pulled in by energy and sincerity. The set ranged from punchy “Partycrasher” to the more introspective “Fragile,” immediately setting the tone for a night of raw emotion.

Then If Not For Me stormed the stage with a metalcore punch. The Harrisburg quartet delivered brutal, cathartic power in songs like “Demons,” “No Thanks to You,” “Blameless,” and “Say It to My Face.” By the end of their set, the pit boiled, heads banged in sync, and a loyal fanbase was undoubtedly born in Tempe.

Next, Arrows in Action brought a sunshine-laced alt‑pop vibe to soften the night’s intensity in the best way. Despite a missing guitarist, frontman Victor thrived, tossing wise cracks (“He’s sick in the hotel, not dead”) that got laughs and applause. Their set—featuring “Feel It Again,” “Cheekbones,” “Uncomfortably Numb,” “Wide Eyes”—felt intimate yet buoyant, as a beachball bounced through the crowd and lightness spread through the room.

Beauty School Dropout blasted on next—pure punk‑pop energy with swagger and chaos. The L.A. trio whipped the crowd into a playful frenzy with “Fever,” “SEX APPEAL,” “FIGHT MODE,” and “WE MADE PLANS & GOD LAUGHED.” It was one of the most family-friendly pits of the night, with young fans (even on parents’ shoulders) moshing alongside seasoned punks. The set ended fittingly to the tune from Grease—a cheeky nod that left grins wide on sweaty faces.

What followed was Taylor Acorn, unleashing raw emotional pop-punk fire. With multilayered visuals—skeleton hands, butterflies, hearts—she brought tracks like “Hell of a Show,” “Burning House,” “Shapeshifting,” and the viral anthem “Psycho.” The high point: Charlotte Sands joined her onstage for “Final Nail.” Their chemistry was electric, turning a crowd‑pleasing duet into a highlight of the night.

Then Charlotte Sands took over, hair glowing electric blue under stage lights. Her set was visceral, swinging from heartbreak (“Tantrum,” “Bad Day”) to defiance (“pity,” “use me,” “spite”). She paused before performing “Alright” to reflect on lockdown‑born isolation—then asked everyone to light phones across the venue. It was raw. It was fleeting. It was unforgettable. She closed with the explosive “Dress” and haunting “Hush,” leaving the room glowing through and through.

Finally, Rain City Drive closed with undeniable intensity. Fronted by Matt McAndrew (The Voice runner‑up), the band reinvented themselves from their former name (Slaves) into anthemic alt‑rock brutes. They opened strong with “Lose My Composure” and “Over Me,” then thundered through “Concrete Closure,” “Ride or Die,” and emotional rocket “Medicate Me.” McAndrew rallied the crowd: “Let me hear you, Tempe. Make some noise!” And noise there was—it wrapped with fans drenched in sweat, satisfied and screaming for more.

This show wasn’t just stacking names; it was layering vibe, heartbreak, catharsis, energy—the school we want to attend. From Huddy’s theatrical intro to Rain City Drive’s epic closer, every set felt worth the ticket. As the lights rose and the night ended, it was clear: Summer School in Tempe was more than a concert—it was a communal moment, a loud lesson in why we keep showing up.