A NIGHT OUT IN PHOENIX CAN TURN YOU INTO A PARTY ANIMAL
By Najmia Pack
02.??.26
If you’re lucky enough in one of your hundreds of nights of going out, a few of them will start surrounded by your best friends, specifically a girls bedroom. Within a girl’s bedroom, especially one you're close to, is the ultimate retreat - an island of self expression, taste and interest are wildly placed around you as you take turns in the mirror. It's a time where you realize you chose the wrong skirt so you try on three of your friends instead. Your lip liner couldn’t be more dull so you sharpen it. You try on your best friend's signature scent instead of your own and then your friends give you confidence to wear the first skirt you brought all along.
Throughout this experience that can last from 10 minutes to several hours long, pictures are being taken from every angle, sometimes even documented on different devices from iPhone, to digital cameras, a polaroid, and Fujifilm that might take months to develop. As you go from lip mask to lipstick then lip liners to lip gloss each product moves you closer to the main event.
In Phoenix, the main events typically concern Gracie's Tax Bar, Club Contact, and Bikini Lounge.
In a recent shoot held by some of Phoenix's most frequent downtown goers, several models characterize the experience of going out in an animalistic fashion story.
Chiarra Palacios, the Tiger, describes the tone on set describing the frenzy of makeup, wardrobe, and hair as organized chaos. This shoot was an all day affair, from 11 to 11. The most important thing is going out on nights like birthdays, Halloween, New Years Eve prepping from 11 to 11 can be the norm. These girls were able to embrace the story because they’ve lived it on and off set.
ARRIVAL:
A nice cold drink in hand, tea, from the previous weekend while you wait in line. Walking up to the line the Tiger and Panther use their night vision while the other half of the pack depends on the shadow or backside of their friends to find someone to cut in line with.
Clusters of friend groups on each sidewalk are entirely too close to the street, while cars race by giving wind to every mini skirt, and hair out of place. The smell of the thrill that the hours 10 to 2 hold, competes for the smell of the hot dog cart, the group not knowing if they wanted to start or end their night with a juicy bite. Their IDs are checked, the Gracie’s door creaks open, well seasoned with stickers, and invisible handprints from all who have visited. The security guard looks over the bag of oats from the deer, and sugarwater the peacock smuggled in. The music and streetlights from outside the venue are flickering, beginning to blend in with the moody and colorful club orbs just at different paces.
Finally you're in the bar slightly moving your eyes around the room searching for friend or foe.
This friend group has one intention for the night - to have a good time. But like any night in your twenties, you're hoping it will be one to remember. Having a night to remember sends each of these party animals on a different mission. The Cheetah is the first to leave the pack. Off to get the Panther - her on again off again boyfriend - to buy her a drink and engage in their first fight of the night.
The Panther has some redeeming moments like reluctantly giving the crew a ride to the bar. He is reluctantly invited to the girls nights out as his presence is the common denominator for a bad or typical night out. His main prerogative is to be an unsuspecting predator, stealthy, melanistic, and two mesmerizing green eyes soulless at second glance. The bar becomes more of a hunting ground rather than a hangout spot. His edgy persona while at first was a disguise for his hollow truth. Panther always finds his way back routinely, through gifts and the guise of love. His latest token of affection being a locket featuring his headshot. This was left behind in their predictable brawl later in the night.
The one area of pure harmony and fun is the photobooth. Everyone crams in at once insisting that no one's face will be getting cut off, if they just sit “this way”. Five dollars, and four flashes later this memory and memento lives on one of their walls and everyone's camera roll.
The Hummingbirds night is made with any flutter of attention. A wink from across the room, a curiosity about every stitch she owns, this is the bird that never finds herself perched without a compliment. Her style is tasteful and trim, but there’s an effortlessly whisk to her body making it seem like she just flew out the nest. Dress up is Hummingbirds favorite time of day, as she’s a collector at heart, adorning herself with things she found as the early bird. Moonlight twirls with her pieces, a display of her treasures and feathers.
The Tiger pounces from the dancefloor, to the leather booth and every friend group, with the Cheetah close by.
The Doe enjoys this space saying it provides balance in her life: at 9pm a joint and a beer, at 9 am a green juice and protein bar. However she would rather have her mouth fueled by conversation rather than substance. This Doe can serve in headlights, and certainly on the dance floor. Although the stage lights seem to dwindle from left to right, her friends move around her like an anchor in a twirling sea.
Doe is always near by, familiar with everyone she is, lingering in conversations as if time expands around her. The Doe sweet in nature has the rare preference for listening. She locks in with the first person meets, and is likely to grab a coffee with them later that week, the questions and conversation happening just as easily as the dusty corner on Friday night. As the night goes on they set a bar table with half empty and half full cups of liquor, beer, wine, cocktails, and cigarettes they smoked, or forgotten.
The Tiger who seems to be everywhere at once is the friend, and lives up to the persona of: the woman compulsively overshares but people somehow still don't know anything about her. She is too much of an anomaly, random flights, and flings, which makes her a hot commodity at the same time.
Each member of the group seems to be well on their wait on a night to remember, at least for the month. The Cheetah oscillates back and forth between roaring laughs with her boyfriend Panther and fits of jealousy as other four legged creatures gather near by. The Panther's silky fur exterior is merely coating his quick wit and quick to predatory instincts. The couple's true animal of prey is one another, they fight for attention, dominance, and fierceness. It is usually the drama of the night, friends versus Panther pawing for a fun time and the attention of Cheetah. One thing always gets the Cheetah back,
"Dance first. Think later. It's the natural order.” - Samuel Beckett
Getting the night back on track usually happens when a few bangles are lost to the dance floor, a drink gets left behind too close to the DJ’s decks, and your hands are lifted towards the moon.
One minute the music couldn't be louder, drinks are to the brim spilling over your fingertips, smoke forms halos above everyone's heads the patio, and the next the lights turn on! You're being ushered to leave. 90% of you are already imagining a cool fluffed pillow and the other 10% sees the potential of an after party. Do you take the leap of faith potentially missing out on free drinks and meeting the love of your life or choose the safe option which is a confirmed good night's sleep? If you're anything like the mysterious Cheetah or introverted Doe, you might head home, but if you're more like the restless hummingbird and flirty Cheetah you'll squeeze the night for all of its potential, windswept!