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| - If I didn't live so far away, Crescent would probably be my regular hangout for just about anything - eating, drinking, live music, whatever.
Sure, it's pretty hipsteriffic - but that's to be expected. The venue caters largely to local and indie music, but it's nothing like several other cheap, run-down shack "venues" in the valley (cough). It's new, clean, and fairly organized; a little small, but I prefer it that way, because I hate being in huge crowds at shows. I haven't heard of half the bands who come here, because I'm not that cool, but they'll have a bigger act once in a while, and the concerts I HAVE seen here are fantastic. Great sound, great views, and great atmosphere.
What has bothered me, unfortunately, is the service at the bar and patio. Both times I've been here and ordered food and drinks, I've been pretty frustrated with how inattentive the servers are. Yes, we get it, you're busy - but I've worked in the restaurant biz, and all I can say is that if you can't handle it, don't be a server. Being busy is not a good excuse to forget to bring items, make us wait 15 minutes for checks after asking, and then screw up said checks. Something along these lines has happened on each visit. Might just be bad luck. I'd really love to come here sometime when it's not packed before a show, because the food and drinks are surprisingly good. It looks like they have some great specials throughout the week, too.
But negatives aside, Crescent is fun, reasonably priced, and refreshingly different. I like the set-up (the venue being separate from the dining area/bar/patio, plus both standing and sitting areas for shows) and the relaxed environment. Overall it's a chill place to hear some good tunes and hang out with friends. It's like a breath of fresh air amongst a sea of dark, dingy, overpriced venues in the Phoenix area.
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