HAPPY RETURNS

Two shows this week—both at Club Congress—put faces
familiar to Tucsonans back up on stage after a bit of an absence.

WHAT MATTERS MOST IS HOW YOU WALK THROUGH THE FIRE

For three years, from 2001 to 2004, Red Switch (later The Red
Switch) was one of Tucson’s best and most promising bands. Originally
formed by singer-guitarist Josh Levine and guitarist Andrew Skikne, the
group was filled out by drummer Ernie Gardner and a succession of
bassists that ended with Billy Price. The band started playing during
the “rock revival” of 2001, and was somewhat influenced by it. Levine
had formerly led garage rockers the Apocalyptics, and Skikne had played
drums in math-rockers Quadratics, but the new outfit played a brand of
rock ‘n’ roll that had the tightness of the Strokes, the looseness of
the White Stripes, and the swagger of the Stones. Levine could crank
out fantastic new songs at such a prolific rate that a new one seemed
to be debuted at each of the band’s shows.

In the fall of 2002, Skikne and Levine decided to relocate to the
San Francisco Bay area. Skikne knew a couple of guys there he had
become friends with at the UA, who could become Red Switch’s new rhythm
section. But after an exploratory visit, Levine decided he didn’t want
to move after all. Skikne went anyway, and formed Roma 79, which has
toured through Tucson a couple of times, with his UA buddies, drummer
Aaron Bonsall and singer-bassist Jeremy Patfield. Levine soldiered on
with Red Switch, replacing Skikne with keyboardist Justin Miller (now
of … music video?); this altered the sound a bit, so Levine renamed
the band The Red Switch to mark the distinction.

The band’s fans seemed split as to which version they preferred,
which is to say both were potent in their own way. But the group’s
difficulties with alcohol (and less legal substances) were no secret
and soon began getting in the way. To mix a couple of metaphors, Neil
Young once sang, “It’s better to burn out than it is to rust,” but when
you’re burning the candle at both ends, it can’t last forever. By
August 2004, outside influences had gotten the better of The Red
Switch, and the band was done.

For the last five years, Levine, a naturally charismatic frontman,
has kept an extremely low profile. For someone as prolific as he once
was, it’s amazing that he went most of that time without picking up a
guitar. He spent the time doing something far more important: getting
his shit together, and becoming clean and sober.

But a few months ago, Skikne and Gardner reached out to Levine to
gauge his interest in playing a reunion show. After a series of e-mails
and phone calls, Levine agreed. Patfield will handle bass duties next
to the band’s three original members for this week’s reunion show.

I, for one, couldn’t be more pleased that Red Switch will perform at
Club Congress, 311 E. Congress St., on Friday, Sept. 18.
Opening at 9 p.m. are The Static Session and Early Black.
Admission is $7. Call 622-8848 for more information.

YES BUNNY!

The other show this week that brings former Tucsonans back to the
Congress stage is headlined by the fabulous Nobunny, who
currently resides in Oakland, Calif., and splits his time between
drumming for the Okmoniks and performing garage-y bubblegum pop
tunes—while wearing a demonic bunny head, natch.

His 2008 album, Love Visions, has garnered heaps of praise
from just about everyone with an opinion on such matters, including
this publication’s Mark Beef, who described it thusly: “What if GG
Allin had been the Svengali behind a bouffant-ed girl group, having
them out-raunch anybody while maintaining sweetness and light? …
Handclaps, broken pianos, toilet-bowl guitars and whisky bottles full
of piss used as maracas make up just a portion of this irresistible
infection created for the wino in the alley, as well as the kids just
discovering the joys of masturbation and drugs. Songs are about giving
girls what they really want, prostitution, laughing instead of crying
about failed relationships, and fun, fun, fun like the Beach Boys never
knew.”

Touring with Nobunny is another former Tucsonan, Hunx, from
gay-positive disco-party band Gravy Train!!!! His side project, Hunx
and His Punx, trades in a similar territory as Nobunny (no surprise
since Nobunny is one of his collaborators): It’s heavily influenced by
’60s girl-groups and doo-wop, sorta like the Ramones without the
buzzsaw guitars.

Filling out the bill are the experimental punk of Tucson’s
Lenguas Largas and Phoenix’s JJCNV (Janis Joplin Crap
n Vomit). Trust me, that’s one hell of a bill, my lovelies.

This one’s all-ages and starts early, at 8 p.m. on the nose, on
Sunday, Sept. 20. Again, Club Congress is located at 311
E. Congress St. Admission is a paltry five bucks. The number to call
with questions is 622-8848.

MEANWHILE, OVER AT SOLAR CULTURE …

Solar Culture Gallery has largely eschewed big indie-rock
shows recently and returned to showcasing the more experimental-type
acts it started out with. This week, the art-performance space has a
relatively full slate of three such shows. Tonight, Thursday, Sept.
17, sees Prince Rama Ayodhya, who specializes in a
blessed-out take on Eastern-influenced psychedelia, along with opener
Lord Jeff, who has collaborated with Thurston Moore. $7.

On Sunday, Sept. 20, Los Angeles singer-songwriter
Erinn, who should appeal to fans of Beth Orton, Björk, Tori
Amos and all those 4AD acts of the ’80s, headlines a show that also
features locals Kaia and the Nazarenes. $6.

And on Monday, Sept. 21, Brooklyn’s Kelli Rudick, a
virtuosic guitar player in the tradition of Kaki King, performs her
instrumental compositions following an opening set by singer-songwriter
Leila Lopez, the 2009 TAMMIES winner in the folk category.
$7.

All shows are welcome to all ages and begin at 9 p.m. Call
884-0874 for more info.

SEND THESE TRAMPS TO DENVER

The ladies of Tucson Roller Derby are having a Band
Bash to raise funds to send one of their teams, the Saddletramps,
to Denver next month to compete in the WFTDA Western Regional
Tournament, aka Derby on the Rocks. Starting at 9 p.m. on Saturday,
Sept. 19, at the Surly Wench Pub, 424 N. Fourth Ave., the
Pork Torta, Flagrante Delicto and Mr. Free and the
Satellite Freakout will all perform sets to help get asses in the
door. And if that’s not enough to entice you, I’ve got four words for
you: Roller Derby Musical Chairs. You are hereby powerless. $5
donation. Call 882-0009 for more details.

ON THE BANDWAGON

Aaron Watson at the Cactus Moon, tonight, Thursday,
Sept. 17; John Legend at the Tucson Convention Center
Music Hall on Sunday, Sept. 20; Frightened Rabbit,
The Twilight Sad and We Were Promised Jetpacks at
Plush on Tuesday, Sept. 22; Sugar Ray at the
Rialto Theatre on Tuesday, Sept. 22; Larry the Cable
Guy at Desert Diamond Casino’s Diamond Center on
Saturday, Sept. 19; Static X at the Rialto Theatre on Saturday, Sept. 19; Neal McCoy, Lee Ann Womack and others at the Pima County Fairgrounds on Saturday, Sept.
19; Erin McCarley and Landon Pigg at Club
Congress on Saturday, Sept. 19; In Flames and others
at the Rialto Theatre on Wednesday, Sept. 23; Thrift
Store Cowboys at Plush on Sunday, Sept. 20; Nick
Charles at the F.O.P. Lodge (aka The Lodge on Dodge)
on Friday, Sept. 18; The Endless Endeavor and others at
The Rock on Saturday, Sept. 19; Andre Nickatina at
the Rialto Theatre on Friday, Sept. 18; Gabriel
Sullivan, Two Cow Garage and others at The Living
Room next Thursday, Sept. 24.

Also, a quick note: Due to a wrist fracture guitarist Lee Ranaldo
suffered while playing tennis, the Sonic Youth show at the
Rialto Theatre, originally scheduled for Friday, Oct. 2, has
been rescheduled for Monday, Jan. 4, 2010. Tickets already
purchased will be honored. Call 740-1000 with questions.

This article appears in Sep 17-23, 2009.