Old 97’s frontman Rhett Miller has fond memories of Arizona: performing with Bloodshot Records labelmates Grievous Angels, meeting longtime friend and Gin Blossoms guitarist Jesse Valenzuela, and serving as a guest professor in ASU’s popular music program in 2024.

“There have been a lot of good memories and a lot of good times,” Miller said. “This will be special.”

“This” refers to the return of Old 97’s to Phoenix, where it will play a Sunday, Aug. 9, gig at the Crescent Ballroom. The concert is the final night of the tour. 

The setlist will be slightly different than other Old 97’s gigs this year. Miller changes the songs Old 97’s plays each gig but acknowledges the must-play tracks like “Big Brown Eyes,” “Timebomb” and “Question.” The rest is fair game. 

“I do agonize every night over the set list,” Miller said. “I think about the people who are coming to the show and what they might want to hear. I try to make sure I hit every era of the band, with particular emphasis on the records that are best known and loved, like the three Elektra [label] records.” 

“[The song] ‘Jesus Loves You’ is one of those. ‘Won’t Be Home’ is on a record, ‘Drag It Up,’ that isn’t one of our best-loved albums. ‘Drag It Up’ was tricky to make — especially for me. The song is a crowd favorite, so I try to make sure we get that in. Otherwise, I try to mix it up so that we’re not playing the same set every night.”

Documentary on the way

Jason Sklaver (“Vice Versa: Fear of a Black Quarterback,” “Escaping the Prophet”) is making a documentary about Old 97’s. doesn’t consider itself a nostalgia act, as the band tends to look forward. 

“It’s been pretty sweet,” he admitted. “There’s a lot more to our story than I ever really think about because I’m only ever concerned about what’s the next song, what’s the next record.”

Even after 34 years, the Old 97’s aren’t coasting. The documentary crew’s presence pushed them harder than usual.

“Everybody showed up on day one of pre‑production and really, really made sure we had everything together,” Miller said. “When I listen to the rough mixes now, it sounds like there’s a really strong band chemistry.”

The process hasn’t been easy. The cameras got into his head. Miller had nightmares that Old 97’s broke up this year, before the documentary and its new album could be finished. Old 97’s did not, in fact, break up, and both projects are on track. Miller is grateful for that. 

“All these years there were so many exit ramps that could have been taken — me or any individual member of the band,” Miller said. 

“It would have been such a mistake to give up on the band. The fact that we didn’t is so unlikely. I’m so grateful that we didn’t; maybe that sounds sappy.” 

After the Phoenix show, Old 97’s hope to have a good jump on the record within three weeks. The artwork is coming along nicely as well, he said. 

Later this year, Old 97’s has shows in the Midwest and in Texas. In between, Miller will play solo dates.

“That’s how I feed the kids,” he said with a laugh. “At this point, it’s mostly college tuition that I’m trying to pay for.”

The upcoming album — due late winter or early spring — isn’t the Americana‑leaning project one might expect after the band received a lifetime achievement award from the Americana Music Awards. Miller laughed at the idea.

“We made a record that is closer to Cheap Trick probably than anything the Americana Music Awards is going to be highlighting,” he said.