With the breeze of Ella Fitzgerald at her back, this Mexican singer/actress' debut album Mediocre (Warner Music, 2008) was anything but; It garnered a Grammy nomination, critical acclaim and a cult following. Her latest release ¿Dónde Bailarán Las Niñas? (translation: Where Will the Girls Dance?) is a deeply personal collection of songs that embrace themes of femininity and independence. "It's why I chose the title, because there's still a stigma attached to girls." Ximena Sariñana expands, "I want this record to be a soundtrack to that expression of freedom—which I also feel extends to the mystery of the nocturnal—when women can become goddesses of the night." Ximena Sariñana steps into the penumbra at the Rialto Theatre. EDM "bangerz" Mylko kick things off... "The Dirty Old One Man Band," aka Scott H. Biram, is a blues-punk, country-metal musician, record producer, and ordained minister among other things. He shares a bill with punk-metal/bluegrass outfit Urban Pioneers and hillbilly swing act The Goddamn Gallows. At The Rock... Raconteur Billy Sedlmayr accompanied by slide guitarist Joe Novelli bring stories to life. At Tap + Bottle-Downtown... Americana singer-songwriter Nancy McCallion & The Scarlet Lettermen play the House of Bards...
Friday, Sept. 27
A pioneer in the bass movement, this Brooklyn DJ/producer weaves together the common sonic threads that run through global dance music culture to form a tapestry. El Tambó presents Uproot Andy. On the Hotel Congress Plaza. Residents DJs Sonido Tambó lend support... "The Only Dying Girl in New York," Brooklyn-based experimental pop/performance artist Holly Overton demonstrates that "Art is The Fire." With Weekend Lovers and Vasectomy. At The Ervice. DJ Jaime J Soto mans the turntables... Coinciding with this year's annual Pride festival, like a party-goer gripping a sparkler in hand and running with abandon, Vamp: Neon Pride illumes the night. At 191 Toole... Led by vocalist Amy Virnelson, Soul Essentials perform classic and modern R&B and soul. With special guest Gary Love on saxophone. On the plaza at Hotel Congress...
Saturday, Sept. 28
Heavily emphasizing the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots—and the five decades of progress for the LGBTQ community thereafter—this year's theme, Rise Up, draws inspiration from the past to continue the movement towards true and enduring equality. The 42nd Annual Tucson Pride Parade & Festival takes place at the Demeester Outdoor Performance Center at Reid Park. See this week's cover story and tucsonpride.org for more details... Since the 1970s, this Italian film composer has specialized in scoring horror films: Suspiria, Tenebrae, Dawn of the Dead and many more. Claudio Simonetti's Goblin performs the live score to Dario Argento's classic, Deep Red (Profondo Rosso). At the Rialto Theatre... From the painted desert skies of her native Tucson, Rhythm and Roots presents Latin-tinged country/Americana songstress Lisa Morales and her band. On the plaza at Hotel Congress... When hip-hop artist Benjamin Laub—better known as Grieves—was asked if he always knew he'd be a rapper, the question is met with laughter. "Oh no. I was in bands and stuff, but I grew up listening mainly to punk stuff." That is until he first heard his dad playing Mobb Deep and Wu-Tang Clan. His latest EP, The Collections of Mr. Nice Guy, brings Grieves to the Club Congress stage. With Phoenix hip-hopper Mouse Powell... Fluxx presents Over It: An evening of queer escapism. Engage in the sweat-soaked ritual of dance. BOI will perform. DJs Atlantis Moreupset, Robertitx, Daddy Slmbr Prty and Sissy Peniston spin into the early morning. At 191 Toole... Reggae sensation vocalist Lukie D, backed by locals Rockers Uptown, performs a set of pop, R&B, country and reggae, alongside country singer Jennie Johnson. At Dunbar Pavillion... Tucson cumbiancheros Vox Urbana continue to explore the plight of the immigrant. The lead single from their forthcoming new album is about a local hero, Karolina Lopez, a trans woman who was held in the Eloy Detention Center for three years before activist group Mariposas Sin Fronteras helped her regain her freedom. They are shooting a music video for "Karolina" at Exo Bar... The Welty-Wilson Trio will be joined by saxophonist Autumn Dominguez to perform a mix of "originals, non-standard standards and non-ironic takes on modern pop tunes." At Saint Charles Tavern... This Pakistani-American rapper/impresario recently posted to Twitter, "Trump is the face of racism. Undercover he takes money over humanity. Anyone that supports him is pure evil..." Real is rare. Mr. Capone-E. is set to perform at The Dive-Bar & Kitchen... This Puerto Rican singer-songwriter/actor and true believer was quoted saying, "Just when you think we're living in a divided world, music brings us together." Four time Latin Grammy winner, Luis Fonsi spreads his message of unity veiled in a wash of pop and reggaeton. At AVA Amphitheater...
Sunday, Sept. 29
Only Love Can Bring You Peace. In a world that moves too fast to catch a breath and listen, this acclaimed Omaha, Nebraska singer-songwriter has been flying under the radar since 1991. Simon Joyner brings his downcast, yet painfully beautiful, loner folk to Exo Bar. With Lonna Kelly and Adam Ostrar... This Western blues singer-songwriter plays an amplified acoustic guitar and harmonica in a neck rack—which has brought him acclaim as one of the best "harp-in-a-rack" players in the world. Hans Olson performs at the first-ever Sunday Blues & BBQ. At Hotel Congress. Tucson's own Tom Walbank is first at bat... The Tucson Pops Orchestra performs Music Under the Stars. At Demeester Outdoor Performance Center... Spanish language radio station La Caliente 92.1/95.7 FM celebrate its 17 anniversary with a fiesta that features Banda Los Recoditos y mucho más. At AVA Amphitheater... Colorado singer/guitarist Jim Dalton (of Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers) raises cane, along with Tucson favs The Jons. At The Maverick, King of Clubs...
Monday, Sept. 30
These Seattleites' sophomore full-length Berryland—an album preoccupied with the state of the world—serves as an unabashed love letter to decades of guitar music that came before: "Americana sway and Brit rock swagger." Jangly alt-country rockers The Berries are at Club Congress. Locals N.C.N.S. and Annie Jump Cannon share the stage...
This blues guitarist has rocked a juke joint with nothing more than his stratocaster, the stomp of his foot and his voice—a bourbon soaked voice that has taken far beyond the Magnolia state. The percussive rhythms of Mississippi hill country bluesman Bill "Howl-N-Madd" Perry & Shy Perry will hypnotize. On the plaza at Hotel Congress. Blues wunderkind Roman Barten-Sherman opens...
Tuesday, Oct. 1
The release of "Bitch I Love You"—the standout track to this soul revivalist's 2007 self-titled debut, on Shake Yo Ass Records, with The Cold Breeze—gained him critical acclaim and opening slots touring with Spoon and Okkervil River. His voice slurs like James Brown. And, the backbeat? Pure Stax Record's Southern soul. "Sugarfoot," Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears narrows The Difference Between Me & You at Club Congress... From an early age, vocalist Paul Janeway realized that his worldview was a little different from those around him. He traded in a career in ministry to start a band. "I've always been the artsy weirdo in the family," Janeway says. "I'm liberal. A blue dot in a very red part of the world." From Birmingham, Alabama, eight-piece rockin' soul band St. Paul & The Broken Bones attempt to slip into their "Sugar Dyed Honey Pants." At the Rialto Theatre. Country-blues troubadour Jeremie Albino opens... "Jesus And Elvis," from What It Is (Dualtone, 2019), is the story of a bar, the memories we carry, and the things that give us comfort. Country folkster Hayes Carll says, "It reminded me of a bar I knew where it was always Christmas. There was nothing on the jukebox past 1968. True or not, it was a poignant story I thought needed to be told." Hayes Carll bring his sarcastic, plainspoken poetry to 191 Toole. With Southern Gothic Rod Melancon... Debatably, "known as the fastest band in the world," Grammy-nominated extreme power metallists DragonForce travel "Through The Fire and Flames" to EncoreTucson. With Dance of the Dead in tow... It's free jazz! Presented by Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance the Plaza Live! Tuesday Night Concert Series continues. This week sees the dynamic configuration of pianist Chris Peña, upright bassist Thøger Lund and Josh Carruthers on drums. At St. Philip's Plaza...
Wednesday, Oct. 2
Songs like "Sooey Pig" and "Monkey Chow Mein," feedback drenched and relentless, rumble with low-end. Kevin Whitley's shrill, "life-of-the-LSD-party" vocals emote transgressively for a jaded world. Austin noise rockers the Cherubs behave, not so angelically, at Club Congress... Once again, it is rumored that "The Sandman" Howe Gelb may show up and play the piano. At The Coronet... Caveat: Metallists Obituary will do the "Redneck Stomp." At EncoreTucson. With Abbath and others... "The Greek-American god of sweeping, symphonic-ish musical light syrup" is back. Pure Yanni: Piano & Intimate Conversation takes place at the Fox Theatre...
Thursday, Oct 3
The title track to their 2019 release, Terms of Surrender, "is a song that considers what we as humans are willing to sacrifice in order to live the lives we think we want," says MC Taylor. "It's about the ways we stretch our truths to accommodate our realities. And really, it's mostly about love." Indie folksters Hiss Golden Messenger perform at 191 Toole. With Dawnbreaker, Daughter of Swords... L.A. acoustic rock/soul singer Megan Betley performs music for "gypsy hearts & beautiful souls." At Monterey Court... This Bay Area rocker has opened for KISS, Mötley Crüe, Slash and Bon Jovi. His sophomore release, Silver Inside (Spectra Music Group, 2018), pulses with slashing guitars and rock 'n' roll swagger. "It's A Sure Thing," Thadeus Gonzalez is at Irene's Holy Donuts...
Shout Out
"How could you think you're right/When I think you're wrong/We can argue 'til the end of time/While the piper strings us along/There's a silver lining/In a perfect storm/It goes on and on..." —Silver Cloud Express, from "Silver Lining." Rising above division and strife, psychedelic pop rockers Silver Cloud Express celebrate the release of their sophomore EP Postcards From Outer Space on Friday, Sept. 27, at Sky Bar. Nelene DeGuzman (of The Rifle) joins in the revelry...
On The Horizon
Futuristic does the "Happy Dance" on Friday, Oct. 4, at 191 Toole. The I Am Tour also showcases young artists Ray Vans, ScribeCash, Dylan Reese and Demrick... On Saturday, Oct 5, rapper Berner rolls into the Rialto Theatre with the "Top Down..." Quik Is The Name. Born in Compton, David Marvin Blake chose his stage name because of his ability to write and produce records on the fly. On Sunday, Oct. 6, rap icon DJ Quik creeps into the Rialto Theatre... Referencing Incubus and the Red Hot Chili Peppers as heroes, these alt-rockers released their 2013 major label debut EP Love Songs Drug Songs. Earlier this summer, the band released "Optimistic." A stand-alone single that speaks out against endemic gun violence in the United States. Now, out on the road to promoting Orion (Interscope, 2019) X Ambassadors make a stop at the Rialto Theatre, on Tuesday, Oct. 8. Flanked by indie rockers Bear Hands and LPX...
Until next week, XOXO...
