First the bad news - it's way the heck up in north Scottsdale, even beyond Bell Road, which once upon a time (my college days at ASU) was the northern limit of the greater Phoenix valley.
That's it for the bad news. The good news is that you can get there pretty quickly via the 101 Loop and/or the Squaw Peak Parkway. And if you're going to a concert there, chances are it won't be rush hour.
The theater is small; seating slightly over 300. We were on the back row for Albert, but that was only Row 16 ("Row P"), so we still had fantastic seats, very comfortable, and roomier than the sardine-seating at our other local small venue - Celebrity Theater. And a 300-person concert means getting on and out of the parking lot is a breeze.
The doors opened a bit before 7:30 PM; it didn't take long for everyone to get seated. A MIM official came out and spent about 10 minutes telling us about upcoming shows. Then Albert and his band came on. No waiting for the roadies to set up, no opening act, no intermission, very little chitchat. Just 2+ hours of what you paid for - Albert showing off his talent. And that talent was impressive.
Bottom line - if you're into obscure groups - in almost any genre - you won't find a better venue than MIM. A couple upcoming shows that have me excited - Al Stewart, David Bromberg, and Béla Fleck. And of those three, Mr. Bromberg heads my wish list.
