Mark your calendars…
Thursday, April 21
“Big Red Arthur,” the anchor track from Bitch, Don’t Let Me Die! (2015), “voids a rock-opera bombast that is reminiscent of Radiohead sodomizing David Bowie.” Be forewarned, Electric Six bring their unctuous, bravado-laden trickery in the form of Streets of Gold (2021), an album of cover songs. At Club Congress…
Commemorating the 100th anniversary of Nogales-born composer/bassist Charles Mingus, Tucson Jazz Institute present Mingus Celebration. At The Century Room…
From San Diego, SYNRG detonate their unique blend of soul/rock/reggae. With Green Buddha. At Chicago Bar… In their final appearance before going on hiatus. Weekend Lovers. With special guest Nelene. At Tap & Bottle (downtown)…
With a guitar in hand, a harmonica around his neck and stomping box under foot, this Mexican gypsy troubadour serenades. Salvador Duran. At Hotel Congress Plaza…
Friday, April 22
Named after the elements found on his astrological chart, Maurice White (former session drummer for Chess Records) brought a lasting musical force into being in 1969. With timeless songs and a message of positivity, Earth, Wind & Fire have bridged the gap between generations and nationalities. In 2019, their contributions to American society were recognized by receiving the Smithsonian Institution’s Portrait of a Nation Prize. At AVA Amphitheater…
“What If I Was Nothing?” New wave of American heavy metalists commemorate The Fall of Ideals (2006), the band’s breakthrough release. All That Remains. At Encore…
Putting her unique spin on pop classics, from Helen Reddy’s “I Am Woman” to Judy Garland’s “Over The Rainbow.” On For the Girls (2019) Kristin Chenoweth pays tribute to the female icons that helped shape her as a performer. At Fox Tucson Theatre…
Despite having worked with the likes of Tina Turner, Peter Gabriel, and Phil Collins, saxophonist Tim Cappello may be best known for his shirtless, oily skinned performance of The Call’s “I Still Believe” in the (1987) vampire epic The Lost Boys. At Surly Wench Pub…
A cornerstone of roots music for more than four decades. Rosie Flores and The Talisman. At Hotel Congress Plaza…
Desert rockers the River Roses perform a slew of cavity causing sugary pop hits. At Crooked Tooth Brewing Co…
The king of mirth pop: Value Select. Kills The Moon Tour. At Club Congress…
The Charles Mingus Centennial Celebration pays homage to the Nogales composer’s significant contributions to jazz. With the Mingus Dynasty. Featuring saxophonist Charles McPherson. At The Century Room…
Nico Barbaren is next to scatter bite sized musical morsels at downtown eatery patios. The Fox Tucson Theatre presents Troubadour Thursdays. See foxtucson.com for details…
Mile high reggae, from Fort Collins. Luna Shade. At Chicago Bar…
Fronted by sisters Dawn and Kee Kopps, Shooda Shook It promise an ass wiggling good time. At Sky Bar…
Tucson’s premiere LGBTQA+ dance party, the Super Gay Party Machine returns. At 191 Toole…
Saturday, April 23
It’s been just over a decade since this fresh-faced country singer won American Idol (2011), at age 17. In an interview with Songwriter Universe, Scotty McCreery talks about Same Truck (2021). “You know, we’re all in the same boat. Let’s build each other up instead of tearing each other down. We [just] countrified it. We put it in a truck, and took the song down some backroads.” At Pima County Fair…
“Bikini Kill meets The Ronettes,” Exclaim! aptly describes The Regrettes. Speaking out on feminism, politics, and women’s empowerment, in an interview with NME, frontwoman Lydia Night explains how Further Joy (2022), differs from previous output. “Sure, it’s the poppiest and danciest album we’ve ever made. But, it’s also the most experimental, the weirdest and most vulnerable.” According to Night, the album’s title “summarized what it meant to be on the hamster wheel of constantly chasing happiness.” At Rialto Theater…
Led by Doug Martsch, indie rock mainstays Built To Spill have flown largely under the radar. “Gonna Lose”—off When The Wind Forgets Your Name (2022), the band’s first LP in seven years—is a heady reintroduction. Attempting to span the gap between perception and reality, the song is about tripping on LSD. Martsch tells Paste, “I thought I was done with that kind of fun.” At 191 Toole…
Somewhere beyond the blue. Fusing together confessional lyrics with an emo-tinged sound, The Amity Affliction’s latest effort, Everyone Loves You...
Once You Leave Them (2020) was released to polarized reviews. Unbothered, bassist Ahren Stringer tells Upset, “I just want to write songs for kids to trash their rooms to.” Letting drop the fuel that continues to propel him nearly two decades after the Aussie band’s inception. At Encore…
Originally from the Mesabi Iron Range of northern Minnesota, and a member of the Anishinabe Nation, this seven-time Native American Music Award winner has been dubbed the “Neil Young of the Native rock world.” Song catcher/recorder of life Keith Secola recites from the “Book of Life.” At Monterey Court…
Lending her voice to issues of social justice, Afro-indigenous songwriter Martha Redbone’s music connects cultures by celebrating the human spirit. Her distinctive olio of folk, blues and foot-stomping mountain gospel broadens the boundaries of American Roots music. At Fox Tucson Theatre…
On a rampage. Over the course of a 20-year career, this Mesa-based independent hip hop artist has worn many hats: Tour manager, promoter, director. He brings his latest, Air Stoner (2021). Stoner Jordan. At Thunder Canyon Brewery (downtown)…
These NorCal post-punks don’t care about bios, profiles, social media status, or anything else. Vocalist Ross Farrar states, “We’re just some hardcore people making loud sounds.” Ceremony. At Club Congress…
Performing note-for-note renditions of Pink Floyd classics. Shine On Floyd. At Berger Performing Arts Center…
Chicago pianist Darwin Noguera’s Afro-Cuban Jazz Trio bring their take on Afro Cuban rhythms. At The Century Room…
Stretching beyond her folk roots, Sophia Rankin & The Sound perform in the beer garden. At MotoSonora…
In support of their forthcoming album, Boilermaker (2022), Barnaby and the Butcher are holding a pre-sale event. At Crooked Tooth Brewing Co…
Sunday, April 24
“She’s Gangsta for My Love.” Latinx rappers MC Magic, Frankie J, Baby Bash work that old school style. With special guest OG Kid Frost. Fiesta Fuego. At Pima County Fair…
From vibey R&B and soft rock to pop-tinged country, Rolling Stone said of these Brooklyn indie poppers, “You don’t know whether to applaud or cry.” Wet. At Hotel Congress…
“Madonna is a woman who is a super important reference for me,” notes Ms Nina, Madrid via Argentina neoperreo superstar. “I consider myself a feminist, not because I consider myself more than a guy, but because I can say the same thing a man says.” At Club Congress…
Continuing their weekly residency. Tucson Jazz Society. Jazz Sunday. At Brother John’s Beer Bourbon & BBQ…
Monday, April 25
Where the boys are. Known for their macho fantasy costumes, hard hats, handlebar mustaches, and suggestive lyrics, this disco vocal group—originally formed by French producers Jacques Morali, Henri Belolo and lead singer Victor Willis—initially targeted Greenwich Village’s sizeable gay dance scene. With the release of Village People (1977) the group quickly entered into the mainstream. In 2020, the Library of Congress described “Y.M.C.A.”—the group’s chart topping international hit—as an American phenomenon. At Pima County Fair… On April 18, 2022, Brooklyn Vegan reported, “The Brian Jonestown Massacre [while] in the midst of their tour with Mercury Rev, unfortunately, had some gear stolen while in Portland.” To which founding member Anton Newcombe tweeted, “And to the motherfuckers that stole my shit that I feed my family with: It will be my hand that greets you when you die.” At Rialto Theater…
Performing his own brand of jazz inspired Americana. Howe Gelb Piano Trio. Just Piano Music. At The Century Room…
Tuesday, April 26
We live on Planeta Kumbia, or so A.B.Quintanilla III (older brother to the late Selena) would have us believe. Kumbia All Starz bring their latest, Elektro Kumbia (2017). At Pima County Fair…
“If Jesus Saves, She’s My Type.” On his debut album, Rx (2022), 24-year-old songwriter/vocalist Tucker Pillsbury’s faded, feel-good sounding pop songs take on darker themes. Role Model. TouRX Tour. At 191 Toole…
These SoCal alternative pop-rockers were Born To Rule. Transviolet. At Club Congress…
Wednesday, April 27
Their music is culture-defining. Following Bob Marley’s untimely passing in 1981, bassist/founder Aston “Familyman” Barrett vowed to hold the band together and to keep Marley’s spirit alive through music. One World (2020), their first album in 25 years, marks the reggae legend’s return. The Wailers. At Rialto Theater…
Their technical wizardry seldom paralleled. Fingerstyle guitarists Andy McKee & Jasmin Williams. At 191 Toole…
Bearing a message of positivity, Florida reggae quartet, Drifting Roots hope to “Change the World.” At Chicago Bar…
Weighted by the gloom of disenchantment, Austin’s Grivo unleash their dire shoegaze. At Club Congress… Her voice is that of a precocious, cigarette smoking sylph, who was sent to whisper secrets into your ear. Little Cat. At Crooked Tooth Brewing Co…
On the horizon: Lila Downs. April 28. At Centennial Hall… Cody Jinks. April 28 & 29. At Encore… Igor And Red Elvises. April 28. At 191 Toole… Keb’ Mo’. April 29. At Fox Tucson Theatre… La Santa Cecilia. April 29. At Rialto Theater… Jon Spencer & The Hitmakers. April 29. At 191 Toole… Bikini Kill. May 2. At Rialto Theater…
Until next week, XOXO…
