Daily Inspiration: Meet The PhilosoRaptors

Today we’d like to introduce you to Isaac Fitzsimmons, the Lead Singer of The PhilosoRaptors.

Hi Isaac, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
We emerged from the primordial ooze of the Phoenix open mic scene in 2021, forming a rock and roll cover band playing groovy hits from the 60s to today, dubbing ourselves The PhilosoRaptors. There have been some variations to the band over the years (different names and members), but the core 5 of us have been together for 2 years. At the bottom of this section are some brief bios of the band members, which you can also read on our website.

There are countless family, friends, fellow musicians, and venues that have supported and influenced us since before we brought the band together as individuals, and afterwards as a band. There are a select few we want to give our thanks to for helping us flourish to where we are today.

The first group and individuals we want to give a special shoutout to is a local groovy indie rock band called Millennial Summer, their lead man Kelvin Hames, and his father and band manager, Ben Hames. We met them in 2021 at an open mic at Pub Rock in South Scottsdale.They were gracious enough to book us for our first gig with them at the Yucca Tap Room in 2022. Since then, they’ve tapped us a couple times a year to do gigs around the valley.

There are a couple venues we also want to thank. We have a special place in our hearts for El Dorado Bar and Grill in South Scottsdale, and the QuartHaus in Downtown Chandler. They were the first 2 bars that booked us in 2022, and we’ve been consistently playing at their establishments 4-8 times a year ever since.

As we grew as a band, we got the privilege of getting with a local booking agency called Paragon. This past year we’ve had the honor of bringing our vibes to additional cities and venues across the valley, small and large, such as Lucky’s Downtown Phoenix, OHSO in Gilbert and the Hilton BLVD Kitchen in Old Town Scottsdale.

We look forward to continuing to share our common love of live music at venues throughout Arizona. Follow us along our journey at our website and instagram.

Isaac

As the lead singer of the PhilosoRaptors, Isaac has the role of producing energy with vocals and dance moves. When he’s not flailing around on stage with his shirt off, he’s spending time with his wife and son, teaching 5th graders, or coaching fitness classes. Isaac prides himself on bringing the party to stages across the valley.

Micah

Micah is a powerhouse behind the kit and glues the band together with his tasty rhythms. But he’s just as impressive off-stage: a certified auto mechanic, self-taught game developer, and self-taught bassist. Micah brings a rare mix of discipline, creativity, and passion that makes him an essential force in the band’s sound and success.

Nate

Nate holds down the low end with style and versatility as the band’s bassist. But his talents don’t stop there. He’s a skilled multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and our go-to sound engineer. Off stage, he works in customer service for Fender, blending his passion for music with his day job at one of the industry’s most iconic brands. He also spends time with his son and takes care of his dog.

Ryan

We appreciate Ryan’s killer guitar solos; gritty, technical riffs; and sick grooves. Most of the time, though, he derails rehearsal by turning it into a funk jam. And shows up late. Like all the time! We can’t bring ourselves to kick him out though. He’s just too darn nice.

When he’s not melting faces across the valley, Ryan enjoys computer programming, playing video games, spending time with his girlfriend, and taking care of his cat.

Thomas

While some people bring the good vibes, Thomas himself is the good vibes. His positive attitude is infectious, while his sensual guitar chords and melodies bring out the soulful side of the band. Outside of the band, Thomas works as a business analyst. Ask him to play some Stevie Ray Vaughan!

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The biggest challenge for the band is getting 5 dudes in their mid 30s with full-time jobs and families together on a consistent basis to rehearse. However, our deep love of rock music and desire to share that with others has allowed us to stay dedicated and motivated. Inevitably this leads to unorthodox hours for rehearsal, not to mention late night weekends for gigs. Our order of prioritization: Families first. Day jobs second (sometimes). Rock and roll third. Sleep fourth.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
What makes the PhilosoRaptors unique is our vivaciousness, our willingness to play any genre, and our ability to make songs our own. We’ve been known to reggaeify songs, punk rockify songs, jazzify songs etc. One that we’re particularly proud of is our reggae version of the early 2000s Three Doors Down banger, Kryptonite.

Additionally, although we are primarily a cover band, something else we are proud of is the few original tracks we’ve written. Follow along on our instagram and website in 2026 for what we have in store!

Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
For anyone out there looking to start a band or get into a band, there are a few things that we can offer in the way of advice from our own experiences.

First: attend open mics! Go to as many as you can. There are a plethora around the valley, and it is a great way to meet fellow musicians, jam with them, and learn from them. One way to find these and collaborate with others is via the Arizona open mic facebook page.

Second: Practice, practice, practice. The PhilosoRaptors know over 130 songs, and we grow our repertoire every month. That came from regular rehearsal and keeping open minds. We like to challenge ourselves by learning unique songs that other bands may not do. Some of them we’ve never even played live, but the act of learning them, practicing them individually, and then rehearsing them as a group has helped us sharpen our skills.

Third: Tell anyone and everyone (ie networking, social media etc.). Some of our best and most regular gigs came from us sharing our story with family, friends, fellow musicians, bar managers etc. The best way to get gigs is meeting the people that book those places face to face. And the best way to do that is going in to meet them at their establishment. Call ahead to find out their slow times and when the booker (usually one of the bar managers) is going to be around.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.philosoraptorsaz.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philosoraptorsaz/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/PhilosoRaptors/100090162215612/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOPNAECChxXCwW_xho3WvwQ