Bad Cactus Brass Band began in 2009 with a vision of representing the Phoenix metro, just as New Orleans brass bands give voice to neighborhoods. Within a year, we were “on tour at home”, playing second line, funk and jazz at over 100 local events each year. Our original tunes have roots in soul, groove and hip-hop, and our albums can be found on all streaming services. After a six-year hiatus, Bad Cactus Brass Band is back and badder than ever, risen from the ashes to bring joyful street beats and unstoppable grooves to our beloved city, and to replant our New Orleans roots in the desert soil. You’ll find us at nightclubs, festivals, weddings, funerals, and anywhere that music can make a difference. This may not be the brass band Phoenix needs, but it’s the brass band Phoenix deserves.
Always on the lookout for new experiences and able to perform just about anywhere, Bad Cactus Bass Band specializes in bringing a party to unlikely venues. They have performed on street corners, on the light rail, on escalators and in elevators, in hot tubs and cemeteries. Musical guerillas, they have paraded uninvited into countless clubs, stores and breakfast establishments. In 2011 and 2012, they worked with the Downtown Phoenix Partnership to create the Downtown Phoenix Mardi Gras Parade and Festival. In 2012, after winning a music video contest sponsored by Southwest Airlines, they performed on a passenger airplane in flight. In 2015, The Phoenix New Times named them Phoenix’ best N
