Soundbites

GOT YOUR WRISTBANDS YET?

A quick note: The Tucson Weekly's Fall Club Crawl® is happening next week, on Saturday, Oct. 6, and you'd be well advised to pick up your wristbands, like, now; they're $8 at Zia Record Exchange or Hotel Congress.

We've got some killer headliners lined up for the event, so things are a little bit different this time around. For example, you want to see DeVotchKa, right? Well, you can be guaranteed a spot either in front of the stage or in the balcony by buying a ticket via the Rialto Theatre: $15 ensures you'll have just that, and a Crawl wristband is thrown into the deal, so you can check out whatever you'd like before and after their set.

Tons more info will be in the issue next week!


MUSEUM, MENTORING, AMAZING MUSIC

The Tucson Musicians Museum presents its annual induction ceremony this week. This year's inductees are Brian Bromberg, David Bromberg, Black Man Clay, Rosemary Koshmider, Ned Sutton, Bobby Kimmel, the Rev. Amos Lewis, Sidney George, Carlos Saldivar, David Rife and Domingo DeGrazia, all of whom will perform. Howard Bromberg and Norm Sholin will be inducted posthumously.

The event will take place at 4 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 30, at the Tucson Convention Center's Leo Rich Theatre, 260 S. Church Ave. Admission is $40, and the event is a fundraiser for the TMM's Mentorship Program. Additional info is available at tucsonmusiciansmuseum.org.


THE RIALTO'S ROCKIN' WEEK

It's officially fall, and that means that the fall touring season is upon us. To figure that out, one needs to look no further than the Rialto Theatre: The venue has three killer shows back-to-back-to-back this week.

First up, on Monday, Oct. 1, is Dr. Dog, whose latest album, Be the Void, has been in heavy rotation at the Soundbites desk. (This will be the group's first local appearance since Golden Boots' Dimitri Manos joined the band.)

The following night, Tuesday, Oct. 2, The Head and the Heart, a Seattle-based band who have rocketed to popularity based on their self-titled debut album, headline the venue. On that album, which was originally self-released two years ago and later re-released by Sub Pop, the band mixes acoustic folk-rock with a British Invasion-influenced sense of melody and hooks.

Their fantastic label mates Blitzen Trapper, as well as Bryan John Appleby, open the show at 8 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 2. Advance tickets are $20 for general-admission floor, and $25 for reserved seats in the balcony. They'll be $2 more the day of show.

Then, on Wednesday, Oct. 3, Tucson gets its first look at the new version of The Shins. Frontman James Mercer famously gutted his entire band and hired a new one following the 2007 release Wincing the Night Away, the group's final album for Sub Pop. Their latest, Port of Morrow, was released earlier this year on Mercer's own Aural Apothecary imprint, a subsidiary of Columbia.

Check out our feature on Page 47 on Washed Out, who are opening the show, for full details about tickets and stuff.

Prior to that string of shows, the theater will host the launch party for State Out of the Union: Arizona and the Final Showdown Over the American Dream, a new book by Jeff Biggers (brother of Tucson Weekly founder Doug Biggers) that focuses on how Arizona became the bellwether state in terms of setting the conservative agenda for the rest of the country. (You can read an excerpt on Page 15.) Biggers, who has written about Arizona for Salon.com, The Huffington Post and The Nation, will be there, and the night will also include musical performances by Salvador Duran, The Jons and Mariachi Nueva Melodia.

Things begin at 8 p.m., Friday, Sept. 28, at the Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St. Admission is a suggested donation of $5, which will be donated to the Raza Defense Fund.

Check out rialtotheatre.com, or call 740-1000 for tickets and more info about these all-ages shows.


GETTING THE BANDS BACK TOGETHER

Two Arizona bands are playing locally for the first time in an awfully long while this week.

Led by Jacob Cooper, who is currently based in Los Angeles and has played drums for Wavves and The Mae Shi, Bark Bark Bark is an inventive electro-punk outfit that was largely put on hold to give Cooper time to play with those other bands. Their show here this week will be their first since 2008.

Headlining will be Kyds vs. Columbus, a Phoenix-based band reuniting for the first time since 2004. Fronted by Connor Woods, the hardcore punk/metal outfit has been called "possibly one of the most extreme musical projects ever to come out of the desert wasteland of Arizona."

Rounding out the bill are Womb Tomb, Young Hunter, and an O/W/L/S DJ set.

The action begins at 7 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 29, at Topaz, 657 W. St. Mary's Road, Unit C1A. Admission is a paltry $3. For more info, check out the event's Facebook page.


HAVE A BALL FOR 'JUST' $39

KFMA FM 92.1/101.3's annual Fall Ball hits town at noon, Sunday, Sept. 30, at Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium.

This year's lineup is headlined by SoCal punks The Offspring and also includes Corey Taylor of Slipknot, Hollywood Undead, Everlast, Switchfoot, All That Remains, Kottonmouth Kings and The Wombats. (My mantra regarding this entry: If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. Have fun, kids!)

Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium is located at 2500 E. Ajo Way. Advance tickets are available for $39 at www.kfma.com and Domino's Pizza. Check out that website for details.


RAP AT SKY BAR

The award for the weirdest booking of the week goes to Sky Bar, which will host a show headlined by political rap duo Dead Prez. Also on the bill are locals Shaun Harris and Full Release and Big Meridox. I'm pretty sure this is one of those shows that people will be talking about for months, if not years, to come.

Don't miss out when Dead Prez hits Sky Bar, 536 N. Fourth Ave., on Saturday, Sept. 29. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Advance tickets are available for $15 at skybartucson.com, but a note on the website warns that ticket prices will increase as the date approaches (that is, if they last that long; this is pretty much a guaranteed sellout). Questions will be answered by calling 622-4300.


SHORT TAKES

Mary Chapin Carpenter, who helped kick off the modern-day folk revival way back in the late-'80s, will perform at the Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress St., on Sunday, Sept. 30. The show starts at 7:30 p.m., and tickets range from $25 to $75.

The following night, the Fox will host a show by jazz-fusion legend Pat Metheny, who will be fronting his Unity Band. The show starts at 8 p.m., Monday, Oct. 1, and tickets are $40 and $50.

Advance tickets for both shows are available at foxtucsontheatre.org, or by calling 547-3040.

The Rhythm and Roots concert series will present two shows this week as well.

First up, at 8 p.m., Friday, Sept. 28, is the masterful blues-harmonica player Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers. Tickets are $20 in advance, or $23 at the door.

The following night, at 8 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 29, literary singer-songwriter John Gorka brings his trusty baritone to town. Tickets are $22 in advance, or $25 at the door.

Both shows take place at Suite 147 in Plaza Palomino, 2970 N. Swan Road. Advance tickets and more info are available at rhythmandroots.org, or by calling 319-9966.


ON THE BANDWAGON

There are tons of other great shows happening, so check out our listings section. Here are but a few: Some of Them Are Old CD-release show with Blind Divine and HAIRSPRAYFIREANDGIRLS at Plush on Saturday, Sept. 29; Avi Buffalo, Young Buffalo and Dream Sick at Club Congress next Thursday, Oct. 4; Ohioan, Kaia Chesney and Freddy Parish at La Cocina on Wednesday, Oct. 3; Rich Aucoin, Stepdad and Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt at Solar Culture Gallery next Thursday, Oct. 4; Hatebreed, Whitechapel, All Shall Perish and Deez Nuts at The Rock on Monday, Oct. 1; War and the Average White Band at AVA at Casino del Sol on Friday, Sept. 28.


SAFE TRAVELS, JASON

Finally, I'd like to bid local musician and all-around great guy Jason Steed the best of luck as he departs Tucson for the (literally) greener pastures of Brooklyn. Even if you don't know Jason, you've likely seen him perform at some point. He's a 30-year veteran of the local-music scene who has performed with, among others, Naked Prey, The Host, Dog and Pony Show, Creosote, The Zsa Zsas and Silverbell. We're gonna miss you, buddy.