HONOR THE DEAD ... AND THE MUSIC
It says a lot about our community that one of the most culturally unifying events each year is an organically grown parade that celebrates our family and friends who are no longer with us in this mortal coil. Or maybe we just like dressing up in costumes twice in one week.
Either way, the 23rd Annual All Souls Procession will take place downtown on Sunday, Nov. 4. For more info on that, head to manymouths.org. For the purposes of this music column, I'm more interested in what follows the parade. Which is an awful lot.
You know the drill: After the urn is burned, a lot of us are looking for a way to continue the good vibes; and what better way to celebrate than with some live music. Which explains why Sunday is easily the busiest music night this week.
The Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St., has become a sort of home base for the last however-many years, with Calexico typically performing in full Dia de los Muertos finery for the Dance of the Dead. But since the band is currently on tour, their routing brought them to the theater a week early, leaving the Rialto to find a suitable replacement.
Los Angeles' multi-culti Ozomatli is exactly that. Blending rock, jazz, funk, hip-hop and Latin vibes, the band certainly needs no introduction to Tucson music fans. It's been a favorite here for the past 15 years.
Dance of the Dead: Ozomatli begins at 8 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 4. Sergio Mendoza y la Orkesta opens the show. Advance tickets for the all-ages show are $31.50 for general admission on the floor or reserved seats in the balcony. For more info, head to rialtotheatre.com or call 740-1000.
Club Congress, 311 E. Congress St., has a hell of a lineup planned for its own All Souls After-Party. Fresh off an excellent showing on Letterman last week, Toronto's Diamond Rings (né John O'Regan) will demonstrate what all the hype is about as he pulls from Bowie-era glam, modern rock a la the Killers, and new-wavey electro-pop.
Also on the bill: Australia's Gold Fields, the Mission Creeps and Verbobala.
The All Souls After-Party begins at 8 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $10, or $6 if you're in costume. Check out hotelcongress.com/club or call 622-8848 for more info.
If you're looking for something a little more grown-up and away from the action downtown, look no further than Boondocks Lounge, 3306 N. First Ave., which is where L.A.'s brassy Candye Kane will be belting out her trademark brand of soul and blues.
To be sure, her back story is riveting (teenage mother, pinup girl, champion of large-sized women and the rights of sex workers and the LGBT community, cancer survivor), but none of that would matter to concert ticket-buyers if she wasn't such an incredible performer, which she is.
Kane performs at Boondocks on Sunday, Nov. 4. The show begins at 6 p.m. with an opening set by Heather Hardy and the Li'l Mama Band. Kane will take the stage around 7:30 p.m. Advance tickets are $12. They'll be $15 at the door. For further details, go to boondockslounge.com or call 690-0991.
Back in the downtown fray, the Donkeys, whose brand of slightly twangy, laid-back, classic-sounding rock has been compared to everyone from Gram Parsons to Pavement, the Grateful Dead to Joy Division, will perform an all-ages show at Solar Culture Gallery, 31 E. Toole Ave. The San Diego band's latest album is 2011's Born With Stripes (Dead Oceans), so don't be surprised if they slip a few new tunes into the mix.
The Donkeys perform at Solar Culture on Sunday, Nov. 4. Houston's Buxton opens the show at 9 p.m. Admission is $7. For more info check out solarculture.org or call 884-0874.
Another fine all-ages option will be going down at Tucson Live Music Space, 125 W. Ventura St., where five acts—two touring bands, three locals—will be playing for five bucks. The touring bands are Ames, Iowa's Mumford's, whose oddball, horn-infused tunes will remind of everyone from Primus (whom I hate) to Oingo Boingo and dEUS (both of whom I love); and Japan's similarly quirky the Depaysement, who, alongside the Ramones, Tom Waits, and the Stooges, list Charlie Chaplin's heart-tugging song "Smile" as influences. The locals on the bill are Run-On Sunshine, Algae and Tentacles, and Donut Shop Death.
TLMS's All Ages All Souls After-Party begins at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 4. Admission is a minimum donation of $5. For more info, look for the event's Facebook page.
The Eeries, who describe themselves as "Philadelphia basement beat rock 'n' roll," combine garage rock with the attitude of '70s-era Brit punk on one song, and British Invasion pop smarts on the next five. They've released material on Evil Weevil and Burger Records, and they'll be at The District, 260 E. Congress St., on Sunday. Orca Team opens around 8 p.m. and admission is free, but donations are welcome. Call 791-0082 for more info.
Over at The Rock, 136 N. Park Ave., soulful electro-dance-pop duo Timeflies will headline an all-ages show with opening acts to be announced. Don't be surprised if these guys are playing at the Rialto in a year or two. The show starts at 8 p.m. on Sunday and advance tickets are $20. Head to rocktucson.com or call 629-9211 for more info.
RYANHOOD BACK IN THE 'HOOD
If you've been wondering what ever happened to Ryanhood, who haven't played a local show in what seems like ages, focusing on other projects instead, the answer comes this week.
In an email to Soundbites, Cameron Hood—one half of the duo, along with Ryan Green—confirms that the group will, indeed, be "powering down the Ryanhood touring engine for the foreseeable future" and pursuing other projects—namely Green's new band the Great Collision, who have an album in the works, and Hood's Cameron and Carlie, who have a Christmas album on the way. But he also confirms that rumors of a Ryanhood breakup are just that—rumors.
On Saturday, Nov. 3, Ryanhood will headline a Rialto show that will also include opening sets by Cameron and Carlie and the Great Collision. UA a cappella group CatCall will be providing backup vocals for Ryanhood's set as well. The all-ages show starts at 8 p.m. and tickets are $14 in advance, $16 day of the show. For more info, check out rialtotheatre.com or call 740-1000.
MONTEREY COURT'S COOKIN'
If you haven't had a chance to check out Monterey Court, the recently renovated cluster of galleries and retail shops, a café and courtyard stage at 505 W. Miracle Mile, here's a great show to pop that cherry: At 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 2, a killer, all-acoustic country 'n' rockabilly show billed as the Hardhearted Hootenanny will feature sets by Phoenix's Kevin Daly (Grave Danger, Chicken and Waffles), Hank Topless, Al Perry, and Justin Valdez (Last Call Brawlers). Admission is free and the show will, of course, be fantastic. For more info about this show and a slew of others at the venue, head to montereycourtaz.com. You can call 207-2429 with questions.
CHICANO BATMAN AT LA COCINA
Prior to this week's installment of DJ Herm's always-excellent dance party, which happens every Saturday night around 10 p.m. at La Cocina, 201 N. Court Ave., catch a special appearance by L.A.'s Chicano Batman (who will keep that name until someone at DC Comics finds out), who will serve up a heaping dose of smooth 'n' funky Latin lounge-soul grooves starting at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 3. Admission is free and more info is available at lacocinatucson.com or by calling 622-0351.
ELECTION? WHAT ELECTION?
I certainly hope you're not hearing this for the first time, but election night is Tuesday, Nov. 6 (despite what Maricopa County might lead Spanish-speakers to believe). Sure, you could stay home and watch the results roll in, or attend one of the many election-night-results parties; but when there are three excellent shows going down, why not settle for getting your updates from your smartphone while you take in some live music?
Hotel Congress, 311 E. Congress St., which will also be the site of an election-night party, will feature an early show by singer-songwriter-cellist Ben Sollee, whose output veers from Appalachian mountain music to classical-influenced pop. The 18-and-older show starts at 7 p.m. and tickets are $12 in advance. 622-8848.
Plush, 340 E. Sixth St., will be hosting a show by Austin's amazing instrumental dance-party combo the Octopus Project that same night. That one gets started at 10 p.m. and tickets are $8 in advance, $12 at the door. 798-1298.
And, finally, Topaz, 657 W. St. Mary's Road, No. C1A, will host an incredible bill featuring the Intelligence, Lenguas Largas, Acorn Bcorn (who will be releasing a new 7-inch at the show), and Dream Sick. The show starts at 7 p.m. and admission is only $5. More info at topaz-tundra.com.
THERE'S MORE!
Tons more great shows are happening this week, so please check out our listings section, and our music blog, We Got Cactus.
