Desert Sounds Magazine

07/10/2025

Remember that 420 guide that saved you from another dispensary haul that left you sadly disappointed? We took that energy and concentrated it down for 710 season!

We've been making our way through all the brands that don't make us immediately question our life choices (IYKYK), and the DSM Model 710 Owner's Manual is us passing along the good stuff we've found: the live resin that actually lives up to the hype, the edibles that work AND don't taste like grass, and the vapes that really hit you hard.

Still no bullsh*t, and no sponsored posts; just the brands that earned their spot in our regular personal rotation. Because nobody should have to waste money on rosin that hits like distillate or edibles that might as well be Skittles.

Get lit at https://publications.desertsoundsmag.com/products/dsm-model-710-2025-guide

Created by Alex Gold/5threel

07/03/2025

The more we learn about Rove, the more we absolutely love about them. We were excited that the Best in Grass sample wasn't some throwaway disposable, but a full battery so you could easily get more pods when you realized it was the best thing in the bag. Unfortunately, we put the battery down until recently...and we're so glad we picked it back up.

Read the full review at https://www.desertsoundsmag.com/post/product-review-rove-pod-system

📸 & 📝: Alex Gold/5threel

I've been sleeping on Rove for way too long, and now I'm basically ready to tattoo their logo on my forehead (kidding, but only barely. Upper arm? I'll reach out to their marketing team.)I'm writing about 5 different pods today, Skywalker OG, Watermelon Burst and Blue Dream that I paid for myself, p...

06/19/2025

As a wave of Pride events rolls into Flagstaff this weekend, local artist DJ Quick Kay is turning up the tracks that shape LGBTQIA+ past and present—from pop icons to riot grrrl, ballroom legends to underground QTPOC ground shakers…and beyond. The Sounds Like a Revolution: Pride '25 playlist features powerful picks from local q***r creatives, plus Quick Kay’s dance mix to keep you movin’ and groovin’ through the rest of the month 🌈

Check out the curated playlist and upcoming Flagstaff Pride events at

As Pride Weekend arrives in Flagstaff, DJ Quick Kay reflects on the music that shaped our q***r journeys—from Lady Gaga’s empowering anthem to riot grrrl rage and QTPOC trailblazers who made space for us all. Local LGBTQ+ artists share the songs that move them, heal them, and make them dance. Ce...

06/12/2025

Launching on Friday the 13th with no easily accessible test results? That’s not superstition, that’s just bad business.

Our investigation into Pressure Extracts—a new brand we discovered in April that officially launches in Arizona tomorrow—exposes how easy it is to potentially sidestep Arizona’s cannabis regulations while major dispensaries seemingly look the other way.

Dive deep here: https://www.desertsoundsmag.com/post/pressure-extracts-or-how-i-learned-to-stop-trusting-the-industry-and-love-independent-research

📝: Alex Gold/5threel

An investigation into the cannabis brand "Pressure" reveals glaring regulatory failures in Arizona's legal market. With no visible testing records, questionable branding, and a suspicious online presence, Pressure's launch exposes how easy it is to bypass compliance. Despite lacking verification, ma...

05/20/2025

💥 🎳 ENOUGH, DUDES! 💥 🎳

This year’s Punk Rock Bowling and Music Festival lineup is made up of about 62% all male bands. But 38% aren’t. That’s where this sick guide by DJ Quick Kay comes in: to help you find and support the bands with women and nonbinary folks at .

They’re raw, unapologetic, and more fiery than the Las Vegas heat. Support these rockers today…and maybe someday soon, a band that ISN’T entirely men will finally get to close out a night at .

Check out the full guide and get pumped with DJ Quick Kay's picks from these must-see acts at https://www.desertsoundsmag.com/post/enough-dudes-dj-quick-kay-s-less-bro-more-whoa-guide-to-punk-rock-bowling-2025

Listen along at https://bit.ly/LessBroMoreWhoa25 🎧

Punk Rock Bowling 2025 brings more women, q***r, and nonbinary bands to the stage—but men still headline every main slot. From The Interrupters to Laura Jane Grace, Upchuck, Lambrini Girls, and Bridge City Sinners, this year’s lineup proves the scene is evolving. Dive into this guide by Flagstaf...

05/16/2025

From the moment the lights dim, "Final Destination: Bloodlines" grabs you by the throat and barely loosens its grip. This isn't a film that's interested in giving you comfortable breathing room–it's determined to keep you perched on the edge of your seat, white-knuckling your armrest while anticipating the next elaborate death trap.

Don't waste your time trying to connect the dots prematurely–this film delights in laying out puzzle pieces that only snap together when it's good and ready to reveal its grand design.

Read the full review at https://www.desertsoundsmag.com/post/cheating-death-again-final-destination-returns-with-a-decades-old-vengeance

📝: Alex Gold/5threel

Final Destination: Bloodlines delivers brutal, inventive kills and non-stop tension in a thrilling return to the cult horror franchise. With top-tier CGI, twisted death traps, and unexpected plot twists, it embraces its campy roots while feeling fresh and unpredictable. Fans of macabre horror won’...

04/28/2025

Caviar Gold broke their way onto our radar with their inclusion in the Best in Grass competition, boasting that they're not just w**d, they're "super w**d."

Usually, when brands use words to invoke a feeling of being premium, the product falls short. Caviar Gold blows that stereotype away, delivering easily one of the most premium experiences I've inhaled.

Read the full review of some of their current stand-out infused pre-rolls and Moon Rock flower (review coming soon) at https://www.desertsoundsmag.com/post/product-review-caviar-gold-infused-pre-rolls-and-moon-rock-flower

📝 & 📸: Alex Gold/5threel

Usually, when brands use words to invoke a feeling of being premium, the product falls short. Caviar Gold blows that stereotype away, delivering easily one of the most premium experiences we've inhaled.

04/24/2025

"Cheech and Chong's Last Movie" debuted on 4/20 at 4:20pm, and while it delivered a brief contact high with humorous anecdotes from their eccentric lives, it lacked what we’ve come to know and love from the duo: lots of comedy.

Absolutely see it if you’re curious about the pre-fame lives of these cannabis comedy pioneers and their industry struggles. Just don’t waste good product on the pre-game. This is the rare Cheech and Chong experience that actually benefits from sobriety. Save your stash for afterward when you’ll want to fire up one of their classics.

Read the full review at https://www.desertsoundsmag.com/post/cheech-chong-s-last-movie-delivers-a-brief-contact-high-but-lacks-on-comedy

📝: Alex Gold/5threel

Look, I'll be the first to admit I should've done my homework, but when you hear "Cheech & Chong's LAST MOVIE" premiering at precisely 4:20 PM on 4/20…certain expectations are set faster than that last couple of grams of the bag disappears. Primarily, that you're going to see an actual Cheech and ...

04/20/2025

The Buds-A-Palooza experience can be summed up as controlled chaos where the line between industry showcase and adult playground blurs beautifully. The crowd - while technically chill - operated with the single-minded focus of people who recognized the mathematical equation of [shortest line] × [free cannabis] = victory.

Read the full review while enjoying the rest of your 4/20 at https://www.desertsoundsmag.com/post/budsapalooza-25-turns-up-the-heat-in-phoenix

📝 & 📸: Alex Gold/5threel

Phoenix in April isn't exactly known for its merciful climate, but tell a few hundred cannabis enthusiasts there's free w**d and suddenly nobody seems to mind the scorching temperatures. Budsapalooza 25 descended upon downtown Phoenix on April 11th, transforming a cordoned-off section of concrete ju...

04/11/2025

In a world where most gaming documentaries drone on with sterilized timelines and PR-approved narratives, PlayTest Network's "Going Postal: The Legacy Foretold" hits like a Molotov cocktail thrown into a Sunday school picnic. Premiering at the 2025 Phoenix Film Festival to a crowd sprinkled with die-hard fans, this dive into gaming's most unapologetic franchise manages to be both wildly entertaining and surprisingly nuanced.

Directors Tad Sallee and Jason Sikorsky could have easily pointed the camera at Running With Scissors' provocative catalog and watching the outrage meters explode. Instead, they pulled off something far more productive: a balanced look at creative freedom that doesn't feel like a lecture from either side of the narrative, but leaves you invested in the overall discussion, even after the credits roll.

In the end, there was one message that both Sallee and Sikorsky felt was worth sharing:

"Violence in the media should be taken seriously. Every family has a right to discuss the topic, and hopefully this will help stir the pot and encourage discussion. We’re desensitized to it. Postal 1 would be rated T today, it’s tame in comparison. Engage with your kids. Learn what they’re doing."

Read the full review of "Going Postal: The Legacy Foretold" at https://www.desertsoundsmag.com/post/going-postal-how-two-filmmakers-turned-gaming-s-most-notorious-bad-boy-into-documentary-gold

📝: Alex Gold/5threel

"Going Postal" is a bold, unfiltered gaming doc exploring controversy, creativity & cult fandom. A nuanced and unforgettable must-see film.

04/10/2025

The Best in Grass 2024 Arizona Awards ceremony, co-produced by Best in Grass and Ma*****na Industry Trade Association Arizona, was one of the more unique events held at Corona Ranch and Rodeo Grounds.

New to the local and national cannabis communities, The Best in Grass Awards were founded around 2024 when former High Times competition executives and other cannabis industry veterans brought together their combined 12 years of experience running the world’s largest cannabis competitions to create a special standard and level of recognition for the best licensed cannabis products in each state.

Read the full recap here: https://www.desertsoundsmag.com/post/best-in-grass-holds-first-ever-arizona-awards-ariez-alien-labs-and-mpx-dominate-the-night

📝: Syd Schwartz/Good Eye Media

The first-ever Best in Grass Arizona awards highlighted top brands and products in the Valley, chosen by everyday consumers turned judges.

04/08/2025

Whatever depraved, vile, and degenerate thoughts you’ve ever imagined, there’s a good chance they do not come anywhere close to the deplorable imagery of brutal death metal lyrics.

Unless you’re a fan of the genre yourself.

Bands from California, Texas, and Arizona turned The Nile Underground into an audial torture basement for the second installment of Brutal Bash. NUCLEAR REMAINS and NECROTIC INFIBULATION return from last year’s lineup, while new additions such as DESANGUIGATE, DIVULSIVE, INTESTINAL SO**MY, and REGURGITATED ENTRAILS joined in for a night of gut-wrenching brutal death metal.

Read the full review here: https://www.desertsoundsmag.com/post/guts-gore-and-growls-six-bands-turn-the-nile-underground-into-a-death-metal-hellscape-at-brutal-b

📝 & 📸: Justin de la Cruz

Brutal Bash 2 ravages The Nile Underground with six death metal bands delivering grotesque lyrics and sonic violence to devoted genre fans.