MARK YOUR CALENDARS...
Thursday, May 10
UK electro/dubstep artist Rusko at 191 Toole... This New York duo is fronted by Melanie, who sings and plays drums standing up while hammering-out keyboard parts with her drumstick. Rich, the guitarist/bassist provides the melodic groove. Sirsy at Tap & Bottle Downtown... "I wasn't born for digging deep holes.../But I'm pretty good at drinkin' beer." One can only assume that this Nashville chart topper has a little first-hand experience partaking in just that. "God is great/Beer is good/And people are crazy." Amen. Billy Currington at AVA Amphitheater. With LOCASH, and it "Don't Get Better Than That..." The Loudhouse Rock & Roll Bar presents The Acoustic Showcase, featuring Bryan Thomas Parker, Daniel "Dang" Black, The Acoustonists (aka The Distortionists), Jason Graham, Taylor Eason... Tucson favs and beloved purveyors of quirkiness Golden Boots are in the bar at Agustin Kitchen... It's been 33 1/3 years since Giant Sand's Valley of Rain was released. Howe Gelb and cohorts will perform this seminal album in its entirety at Cans Deli. With DJs from Wooden Tooth...
Friday, May 11
DJs Supernova, NoodleBox, Hunter Guerin and Eliogold spin EDM at TRYAD, 3113 E. Columbia St. With afterhours at Galactic Center... A soiree celebrating Diet Pop Records founder Logan Greene is being held at Cans Deli. Featuring Dial Up, Cool Funeral, Treasure Mammal and Cheep Cheep... FORM: A three day micro-festival in the eco-community of Arcosanti, Arizona, features Chance the Rapper, Fleet Foxes, Skrillex, Blood Orange, Courtney Barnett, Beach House, Charli XCX, Daniel Caesar and those are just the headliners. Runs May 11-13. Check out experienceform.com for full details... Sister Solace and friends perform their unique brand of Americana at The Scoundrel & Scamp Theatre... Recapturing the élan of the Miracle Mile of the 1930s, Amo "Chip" Dabney's The Amosphere will fête this repurposed 1938 motel in honor of its sixth anniversary. At the historic Monterey Court... Pop expressionists La Cerca, Emby Alexander ("Phoenix's Talking Heads") and Hannah Yeun hold sway at The Flycatcher... Heartless Bastards' Erika Wennerstrom debuts new solo material at Club Congress. With Crystal Radio... In days of yore, as Odin and Freya willed it, Swedefest came to be. The Pangs, Gardie and Dos Muñoz kick off the tenth installment of the celebration of the birth of Tucson Weekly music contributor Eric Swedlund at Surly Wench Pub. See the Swedfest 10 Facebook page for all the details. Skol...
Saturday, May 12
This Grammy Award-winning producer is known for his work with Migos, Future and Usher. Before his career took off, while enrolled in an Atlanta barber school, he met a young Gucci Mane. Recognizing Mane as a "diamond in the rough," the duo collaborated, scoring big with 2005's "So Icy," featuring Young Jeezy. Check out Zaytoven at Fourth Avenue's Cans Deli, Tucson's newest music venue, bar and Jewish deli. With Positive Satan... A classically trained cello quartet paying homage to the music of Metallica? Yep. For the uninitiated, a live rendition of "Battery" is powerful enough to forever change the definition of what heavy metal music is. Finland's Apocalyptica bring darkness visible to The Rialto Theater... Originally from desolate Alaskan gold-rush country, this alt-country/indie folk troubadour has tall boots to fill, having been compared to Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits. Arlo Hannigan at Exo Roast Co. With Ry Warner (finger-picked country instrumentalist)... Local e Live, a new variety show in a concert setting, is shooting its pilot episode featuring performances by Breaking Glass, Baptista, The Jonestown Band, End Of Swan, Hella Bells. Plus Through The Lens: Tucson music scene photo exhibit, Portlandia actress/comedian/radio personality Kristine Levine and more. At House of Bards... Reuniting for one night, Hipster Daddy-O and the Handgrenades will rage at Club Congress in celebration of their 21st anniversary. With The Endless Pursuit... Phoenix hip-hop MC Black One returns with his annual birthday jam: The Black Party No. 7. With special guests Cuzn' It, Benny Loc, Ono and Epic Norlan at Bar Passe... Afropop, funk, reggae with General Tchefary and Lady Dee at CeeDees Jamaican Kitchen... For over two decades Bad News Blues Band have been purveying the blues not only regionally but internationally. Catch them in this family-friendly event on the plaza at Hotel Congress. With Tom Walbank... Touring in support of "Vengeful Ascension," Metal Blade recording artists Goatwhore bring pestilence and blackened metal apocalypse to The Rock. With Swarm of Serpents, Last Crime and Pain Patterns... Lisa O & The Ocean perform at Saint Charles Tavern... DJQ, Desvelada and Sonario will be pushing buttons at R Bar... Crooked Tooth Brewing is the site for Miss Olivia & the Interlopers... TV Girl ('60s French pop/California soul with a shadow self) and Wished Bone (lo-fi/acoustic/folk) stop into The Flycatcher...
Sunday, May 13
Garage rockers Stuyedeyed have an odd mission statement: "They make music to make you feel uncomfortable with yourself." So, if feeling ill at ease is your thing. Head out to Club Congress... Richard Marx "should've known better" but hasn't quite learned is at AVA Amphitheater...
Monday, May 14
Tech N9NE lands the Planet Tour at The Rialto Theater. With Krizz Kaliko, Just Juice and Joey Cool...
Tuesday, May 15
They spawned from a dorm room in Boone, North Carolina. After choosing just about the worst band name ever, their single "Devil Like Me" was included on Spotify's Viral 50 Chart, in 2015. Not too shabby. Rainbow Kitten Surprise at 191 Toole. With singer-songwriter Brent Cowles... Their latest album is called what people call low self-esteem is really just seeing yourself the way that other people see you. A house show is taking place to host San Jose indie/punkers awakebutstillinbed at 268 E. Jacinto St. With Spank and Jurro...
Wednesday, May 16
He is fondly known as "El Sol de Mexico." Latin icon Luis Miguel shines bright at AVA Amphitheater... In 2010, this singer/dancer/actor rose to fame as a semi-finalist on American Idol. Todrick Hall at The Rialto Theater... Hip hoppers Mac Lethal & Wax are out on a co-headlining tour and are set to pull the tour bus into 191 Toole...
Thursday, May 17
Following the break-up of his acclaimed indie rock band, Smith Westerns, in 2014, Cullen Omori is out facing his separation anxiety and touring on the release of New Misery (Sub Pop), his solo debut. With The Gloomies and Mute Swan... Kyklo bring the music of the Mediterranean to Agustin Kitchen... Natalie Pohanic walks on sunshine at Tap & Bottle Downtown... It's a live music dance party with Funky Bonz at Sky Bar... Scotland's Trashcan Sinatras are out on their One Night, Two Albums Tour performing Cake and I've Seen Everything in their entirety at Club Congress... Bisbee's The Exbats and The Rifle will split the stage in two at Cans Deli...
SHOUT OUT...
On Saturday, April 28, Tucson's saucy new all-girl garage band, Taco Sauce, made their debut with a soiree at Bar Passe. Who's in the band? Gabi Montoya says, "I am the mastermind, singer, guitarist... there's Isabella Rodriguez, she plays bass and Dessa Keys on drums." Their sound, you ask? It's a brash mashup of '60s girl group, garage pop and surf punk. Taco Sauce succeeds in marrying the swingin' swaying groove of Martha and the Vandellas with the ball-busting swagger of Pussy Riot. As piquant as it is intoxicating, these badasses will have you dancin' in the streets. "Taco Sauce started as my idea of a girl-power, all-girl punk band," says Montoya, who also fronts soul-baring folk/soul/blues/rock band Juju Fontaine. There raison d'être? "This is my fun project. This is more like our hell-yeah, say-what-we-really-want-to-say project." On "Swipe Left (Nope)," they satirically explore the vicissitudes of modern dating and hooking up on Tinder. "I swear there are girls out there/Who are really going to love you/But it's not me/Swipe left/Swipe left." So, what's next? "We've only been together about two months," says Montoya. "So were still working on pumping out some more originals. We're trying to raise some money to record. Get some more gigs around town. And, try to do a one-week tour of the Southwest, California maybe." French graffiti artist Blek le Rat once pondered, "Art must serve a cause. Not militant or political. But social." For Taco Sauce having a good time is enough...
IN THE FLESH...
Los Angeles' Teenage Wrist kicked off their spring 2018 tour, on April 30, at 191 Toole. They opened their angsty set with "Chrome Neon Jesus," the title track from their Epitaph debut album. Like most of their emo/shoegaze repertoire, this is a song whose lyrics are entangled in disillusionment. "Chrome neon Jesus/You are the ghost in the machine/Come to receive us/Don't wait for me." These Los Angelenos rocked hard despite a modest Monday night turnout. "This is our first time in Tucson. We've been playing Mondays and Tuesdays for the past seven months," said vocalist/bassist Kamtin Mohager lightheartedly before launching into "Stoned, Alone." The blunted affect in his voice, approximating a shadowy whisper amplified, produces a narcotic-like effect. Mohager sang, "I wanted love/I wanted trust/I wanted something to call my own/You let me down/I guess that's something to bring back home." Acceptance isn't about approval; it's acknowledging that which we cannot change. The down-tuned bass and pleasing tube amp saturated guitars on "Super Machine," synced forcibly with trapsman Alex Salazar's pounding beat, provided resonant truth. Alt-rock heaven? Or, nirvana, perhaps, is more appropriate to say when referring to a band those sound draws heavy from dreamier '90s shoegaze and the melodic side of grunge. Chrome Neon Jesus, produced by Grammy winner Carlos de la Garza (Paramore, Jimmy Eat World), explores emotional terrain that guitarist Marshall Gallagher describes as "realizing the world is bigger, brighter and more terrifying than you ever imagined." Towards the end of their hour-long set, the lyrics to "Swallow" foresee a tipping point. "The voice of wasted youth has never been so loud/Like powder in the barrel pushing deeper down." But, when will outrage become epidemic?
HOT WAX...
Who says a dry river bed can't be fertile? Celebrating the release of their latest album, Kevin Pakulis Band will perform Holliday in its entirety at Borderlands Brewing Company on Sunday, May 13...
The Wanda Junes recently released Today. These 10 tracks of Sonoran desert imbued country will soon have you "drinkin' with the devil on the front porch tonight." Stream it on bandcamp: babytoothtucson.bandcamp.com/album/today.
After years spent touring with Tucson folk darlings Run Boy Run, Rebekah Rolland is releasing her debut solo album. Utilizing Tucson folk and New York jazz musicians along with a Nashville string duo, Seed & Silo weaves a truly rich and exquisite musical tapestry that underscores her prowess as a songwriter. Rolland is celebrating the culmination of her intentions with a special performance on Saturday, May 12 at 191 Toole. With Peter Dalton Ronstadt y Los Tucsonenses...
ON THE HORIZON...
Their rollicking street party sound was heavily influenced by the roots rocking sound of Doug Sahm (Sir Douglas Quintet, Texas Tornados): "I searched my memory for something to say/I had to think quick this could be my last day/Una mas cerveza was all I could say." Billy Bacon & The Forbidden Pigs reunite at 191 Toole on Friday, May 18... Three years in the making, prolific singer-songwriter Jacob Acosta will celebrate the release of Desert Sounds, his ambitious paean to the Sonoran Desert, at Club Congress on Saturday, May 26... And, Thursday, May 31 sees homeboys Calexico returning to downtown's Rialto Theater with Australian singer-songwriter Julia Jacklin...
Until next time, XOXO...
