REVIEW: Ben Folds Creates More Beautiful Moments with Tall Heights for Die-Hard Fans in Mesa (8-15-23)

StickyAugust 19, 2023 Ryan Novak 1 Comment

Mesa, AZ — In the moments before the start of Ben Folds’ performance at the Mesa Arts Center with support from Tall Heights, the line for the merch table stretched back through Ikeda Theatre’s lobby and out the door. As the audience poured in for the evening’s show, so many eras of Ben Folds’ career was present across t-shirts, some clearly dating back the 28 years of his career (one attendee was sporting an early Ben Folds Five t-shirt that was surely coveted by many of the long-time fans). Special shoutout to the Ben Folds glasses-cleaning set, the most audience-specific piece of merch sold, this side of Taylor Swift friendship bracelets and Cypress Hill rolling papers. Throughout the entryway, die-hard fans shared memories of their favorite Ben Folds show, detailing their favorite moments.

Tall Heights

Boston’s Tall Heights pulled double duty, serving as both the opener for Folds and also as a part of his backing band. The two-piece group, consisting of guitarist Tim Harrington and cellist Paul Wright, has been building a steady following since their 2009 debut album on the strength of their gorgeous melodies and the duo’s lush harmonies. They opened their set with “Back to Autumn” and “Murmuring State” before introducing themselves to the crowd and making note of the delicious empanadas they’d eaten that day – presumably at downtown Mesa’s gem Republica Empanada less than half a mile away from the venue.

The duo covered Blink-182’s “Dammit” – a captivatingly ethereal rendition that surprised, amused, and delighted the audience. They released their reimagined version of this song in 2022. After playing “Only,” the duo talked about getting to tour with Folds and how they were recruited by him to play on his latest album, which in turn inspired them to get to work on their own new album.

They then debuted a brand-new song “Still Feel the Same,” so new in fact that they had the lyrics printed and out on stage with them. When the crowd immediately embraced the song and gave it a long round of applause after, Harrington laughed and said “you are so sweet. I was shitting my pants the whole time, and it was not because of the empanadas!”

After a haunting rendition of their “Spirit Cold,” Harrington implored the crowd, since “Still Feel the Same” was so new, “If you took a video of the song, don’t post it on social media, and you already have… you know what? Fuck it. We’re not famous enough for anyone to care if something gets leaked early.” They closed their set with a completely unplugged, standing performance of “To Be Young.”

Ben Folds

For being such an incredibly dynamic performer, Folds is so humble and gracious in between. Even his arrival on stage came with a brief pause at the front of the stage for a quick smile and nod before he went to his piano, and opened his show with “Exhausting Lover,” “Winslow Gardens,” and “Clouds With Ellipses” from his new record What Matters Most (his set would feature eight of the album’s ten songs), all of which sounded great. The new album is a must for those who don’t already have it.

After “Losing Lisa” off of Rockin’ the Suburbs, Folds shared with the crowd that during the pandemic he had an online song-writing course he taught and that one assignment involved students in the class using headlines to inspire songs. He himself got two songs out of it: “Fragile” (inspired by a story of a would-be burglar who was caught by the family, started to cry, and then gave them $200 before quickly leaving their home) and “Kristine from the Seventh Grade” (drawn from an article by a woman explaining why she wouldn’t remove her shoes in homes that ask you to remove shoes). “This is funny,” he added before starting the song, “but I put it in a minor key.” Indeed, it was amusing, eliciting laughter throughout, as it told the tale of a former school friend. She had given herself over to online conspiracy theories and near-constant anger at the world.

One of the reasons why Ben Folds’ fans are so loyal is in part because of his incredible song writing. While his songs can be many things: funny and sad, uplifting and sorrowful, heartwarming and heartbreaking, they are all deeply rooted in an unmistakable humanity. Though we may at times laugh at his protagonists, be they him, a surrogate, or a character he’s created, it is in response to something we can all connect to and understand.

“Still Fighting It,” a song written about his son Louis, has been a live-show staple for years and always a highlight. I mean, who of any age can’t relate to the line: “Everybody knows it sucks to grow up”? “What Matters Most,” the title track from the new album, and “Landed” both deal with missing friends, whether from death or confusing estrangement. These songs were performed back-to-back, making for a poignant one-two punch.

“If you know Regina’s parts, go ahead and sing along,” prompted Folds before playing “You Don’t Know Me,” his duet with Regina Spektor from Way To Normal. The audience took Folds’ cue and responded majestically. One of the hallmarks of any Ben Folds show is audience participation. For a time after the release of Rockin’ the Suburbs, his first album away from Ben Folds Five, he embarked on a solo tour that featured only him and a piano each night. He made the audience a part of the show, directing them to add harmonies or, in the case of “Army,” stand in for the trumpet and trombone parts.

As Folds and the band arrived at the first instance of Spektor’s vocals, it clearly surprised and delighted Folds to hear her parts sung so loudly and enthusiastically from all corners of the Mesa Arts Center, even briefly stopping the song at one point to express how much it pleased him. “How cool is that?!” he marveled. Following a spirited run through of Way To Normal’s “Effington,” Folds ran the audience through a quick three-part harmony rehearsal to accompany the performance of “Not the Same” — Folds’ ballad of a high school friend who dropped acid at a party and climbed up into a tree where he stayed all night before climbing down the next morning and promptly becoming a born-again Christian. Throughout the song, Folds stood, playing many of the parts one-handed so he could keep his right hand free to direct the audience through the harmonies. For a song that is somewhat somber in tone, it managed to be one of the evening’s highlights, especially as a scan of the audience revealed universal expressions of glee.

As Folds began to set up “Moments,” the final track on the new album and what would be the pre-encore closer, an audience member called out “Rock This Bitch,” Folds’ long-running live show staple improvised song. Folds obliged the request, playing an Arizona-specific version of the song and once more assigning the audience vocal parts. Folds came back out and performed “Annie Waits” solo (eventually joined by Tall Heights, who added some of their incredible harmonies at the tailend of the song). They followed with full-band runs through “Still” and “Zak and Sara”.

“Moments” was the evening’s pinnacle. It was, after all, a night about living in the moment, being present for life. As the lyrics go “We try to hold these moments as they glow/We’ll breathe them in and then we’ll let them go.”

Ultimately, it is these moments — shared moments with strangers — that are what matter most (yeah, that’s right, I worked in TWO references to Folds’ stellar new album in one sentence). There is something so real, so uplifting, and ultimately something so life affirming about a Ben Folds concert that it should never be missed. Despite arriving as strangers and departing as strangers, a Ben Folds audience in between is a community drawn into the experience, singing along to every word, providing harmonies, laughing, crying, and being present. We held in the moments like one of life’s most precious breaths before letting it go into the night, a community forever but strangers once more.

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Photographer: Katherine Amy Vega

View Separately: Ben Folds | Tall Heights

Ben Folds & Tall Heights – Mesa Arts Center 8-15-23

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Concerts, Photo Galleries, Reviews

REVIEW: Nickelback Ignites Footprint Center with Brantley Gilbert & Josh Ross (7-12-23)

StickyJuly 14, 2023 Brittney Coon Leave a comment

PHOENIX – The “Get Rollin’ Tour” made a tour stop in Arizona last Wednesday night, featuring Nickelback, Brantley Gilbert, and Josh Ross. The music was a mix of country and rock, and fans of all ages came ready to party. The show was held at Footprint Center, which serves as home to the Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Mercury, and the Rattlers. The arena has had many names since opening in 1996. A few previous names that may sound familiar are Talking Stick Resort Arena, US Airways Center, and America West Arena. It was once the home of the Phoenix Coyotes in the late ’90s. It’s also the venue for various events such as professional wrestling, Disney on Ice, and concerts.

Josh Ross

Josh Ross is a Canadian country singer, and he opened the show and warmed up the crowd with his eight-song setlist. His cover of “Iris” by The Goo Goo Dolls had everyone singing along, with their phones’ flashlights waving in the air.

Brantley Gilbert

Brantley Gilbert is a country rock singer from Georgia, and he knows how to put on a show with flair. He opened with “Kick It In The Sticks,” and he brought the heat – pyro and fog continuously blasted on stage.

“We live in a world where we can’t punch anyone in the face anymore. I went to my social media, but I forgot my passwords. So, I decided to write the trolls a song instead,” Gilbert said before playing “Bury Me Upside Down” from the album So Help Me God.

Before singing “Son of the Dirty South,” Gilbert explained how he wrote the song with Jelly Roll, and that they both take pride in being boys from the South. He aimed to transform Phoenix into the dirty South for a few moments – a vision readily embraced by the enthusiastic crowd.

Gilbert played seventeen songs in total, including five covers. The audience cheered and sang along with every song. His energetic performance and ability to connect with the audience were amazing. His voice is a perfect blend of rock-infused country music, and fans loved his raw and authentic stage performance.

Nickelback

The Canadian rock band Nickelback formed in 1995 and is still going strong, despite anything their haters might say. Chad Kroeger is the band’s lead vocalist, Ryan Peake is their rhythm guitarist, keyboardist, and backing vocalist, Daniel Adair is the drummer, and Mike Kroeger is the bass guitarist. The tour is supporting their seventh and newest album, Get Rollin’, which was released in September 2022.

Before the band steps on stage, a yellow CGI van with a red stripe appears on the big screen. It’s the symbol of their current tour. Then posters of each band member flash on the big screen with the words “Wanted Dead or Alive.” The crowd is on their feet and screaming when the video ends, and the CGI van turns onto an exit, and the highway signs read, “Phoenix, 12 parsecs.”

The first song is “San Quentin” from their newest album, and the audience is ready to rock out. After the song, Chad Kroeger addresses the crowd, asking, “Let’s see if you remember the words to this one.” They begin to play “Savin’ Me” from their album All The Right Reasons.

The yellow CGI van returns to the screen, racing down a dark road before they play “Animals.” A guitar riff fills the air as a fiery phoenix lands on the CGI van and transforms it into a sexy muscle car. Blasts of pyro pop, and screams are heard all around the arena in excitement. As the song concludes, Chad Kroeger thanks the audience for their energy and excitement. He says, “It’s crowds like you that make me want to do this for the rest of my fucking life. Cheers.” He then drinks a shot with the crowd and adds, “It’s an honor and a fucking privilege to play for you.“

“I’m going to play a song that would probably get us canceled today. But then again, they’ve been trying to cancel us for twenty years,” Chad Kroeger jokes, and they play “Figured You Out” from their album The Long Road.

Nickelback covers Steve Earle’s “Copperhead Road,” and to surprise the audience, Gilbert and Ross return to the stage to sing along. The crowd eats it up, and the dark arena fills with phones filming the three singing and jamming together.

After playing “High Time,” Chad Kroeger chuckles and says, “We snuck a new one in on you. Has anyone heard it?” The fans respond with cheers, affirming their familiarity with the song. Proving after twenty-eight years that their loyal following still listens to and loves them.

Chad Kroeger picks a lucky lady from the audience to come up and sing a fan favorite, “Rockstar.” The woman is starstruck as she is welcomed to the stage and handed a mic. But she soon gets into the song, sings a bit, and dances as the band plays around her.

When playing “Those Days,” movies, TV shows, bands, and MTV logos from the ’80s appear on the big screen as the band reflects on the simpler times of growing up.

Chad Kroeger smiles at the crowd and says, “You’ve got my vote for the best crowd on tour. Phoenix is fucking amazing.” Just before singing “How You Remind Me” from their album Silver Side Up.

The band thanks the crowd and steps off stage for a few minutes while the crowd cheers and cries for an encore. Nickelback returns to applause and cheers before playing “Gotta Be Somebody” from their album Dark Horse.

Chad Kroeger speaks to the crowd a final time, saying, “I’m going to be honest with you, as I normally am, incredibly honest to a fault. Earlier today, we did an interview with somebody from a foreign country, and they just started asking us all these shitty fucking questions, and it absolutely ruined my fucking day until I got on this stage, and I heard you.” He pauses as fans cheer and fists shoot up into the air. He continues, “And you turned it all around. I want to thank you from the bottom of my fucking heart, Phoenix. Thank you. I want to take you with me to every fucking city so you can give lessons on how a rock ‘n roll crowd is supposed to behave. I’m in such a good fucking mood right now. Phoenix! Let’s have some fun!” They wrap up the night with tons of pyro and the powerful song, “Burn It to the Ground.”

The “Get Rollin’ Tour” was fiery and left the audience with memories they’ll treasure for a long time. This tour is the perfect blend of country and rock and should not be missed.

Photo Gallery

Photography: Kara Blakemore

Nickelback & Brantley Gilbert – Footprint Center 7-12-23

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Photography © Electric Eye Photo AZ
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Concerts, Photo Galleries, Reviews

REVIEW: Music Legends Shaggy, TLC, & En Vogue Epitomize Hot Summer Nights at TSR Amphitheatre (7-7-23)

StickyJuly 10, 2023 Kara Blakemore Leave a comment

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PHOENIX — Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre hosted the aptly-named “Hot Summer Nights Tour” last Friday, featuring Shaggy, TLC, En Vogue, and Sean Kingston. The tour’s July 7th stop in Phoenix was a 90s-infused R&B/reggae/hip-hop flashback enjoyed by a multi-generational and multicultural audience. The sexy and sometimes PG-13 rated gyrations on stage may have bumped that heat index up a notch or two, but the crowd was there for it, and the artists delivered.

Sean Kingston

Miami, Florida-born Sean Kingston took the stage and promised to “take everyone to Jamaica on a first class trip”. Born Kisean Paul Anderson in 1990, he was raised in Kingston, Jamaica and brought not only his professional name but also his reggae-rich upbringing into his career. Kingston was not yet born when the other artists in the lineup were household names, but with his DJ Nyce Hitz driving the music and sharing in the vocals, he primed fans with a brief 17-minute set. Included in the setlist were the 2007 Teen Choice award-winning song “Beautiful Girls”, and his 2010 Justin Bieber collaboration “Eenie Meenie”.

En Vogue

Oakland divas En Vogue opened the set with the classic ladies-empowerment anthem “My Lovin’ (You’re Never Gonna Get It)”, stunning fans with on-point harmonies and forceful solos. Founding members Terry Ellis and Cindy Herron, along with longtime member Rhonda Bennett, looked stunning in short-length tiered floral dresses showcasing long legs, sporting retro-inspired updos and bling. The former foursome, now a trio, thrilled the audience with sultry choreographed dance moves and a fierce presence.

Next up was “You Don’t Have to Worry” from their debut album Born to Sing – a fittingly titled album as these ladies were undeniably born to sing. As if twenty million records sold worldwide is not proof enough, throw in three Soul Train Awards, seven Grammy nominations, and two American Music Awards, and it’s no surprise we are sharing their songs with future generations.

Each En Vogue “funky diva” was given the spotlight on “Give It Up”, allowing them to showcase their individually stylized solos. Herron said, “Ladies with a good man, raise your hands!” as the group jumped into their Salt-N-Pepa collaboration “Whatta Man” while fans joined them in an electric slide dance. “Free Your Mind”, their hit song about racial tolerance, followed next.

Their 40-minute set also included Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy”, complete with air guitar, followed by a dynamic version of Curtis Mayfield’s “Something He Can Feel”. Showing appreciation to fans, Herron said, “It’s been 33 years now. Thank you for all the love and support.”

TLC

Multi-platinum artists TLC brought a dose of nostalgia to the stage. T-Boz (Tionne Watkins) still sports her asymmetrical locks, while Chilli (Rozonda Thomas) seems like she has not changed a bit. Four dancers and a live band provided support for the 90s R&B legends.

T-Boz said, “It’s hotter than h-e-double hockey sticks”, appealing to the compassion of the audience as they slowed things down a bit while she stood in front of a cooling fan. Their set kicked off with their debut hit “Ain’t 2 Proud 2 Beg” off their 1992 album Ooooooohhh, and included previously recorded raps by Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes (the “L” in TLC) who tragically passed away in 2002.

“Baby-Baby-Baby” was next, and T-Boz’s signature gravelly voice transported the fans to the decade when MTV still played music videos and TLC was everywhere. Chilli sang while keeping in step with the four high-energy male dancers, showcasing dance styles from both the 90s and present day, while sporting iconic parachute pants from that era. To lead into the 1999 hit “Unpretty”, T-Boz remarked that social media is full of people trying to make everyone feel bad about themselves, and said the song should be listened to again. “Creep” was next, followed by solos from all of the dancers. While TLC took a cooling break, a DJ provided entertainment, playing mixed versions of Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop ‘til You Get Enough”, Black Eyed Peas’ “I Gotta Feeling”, and the Dirty Dancing soundtrack hit “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life”.

On the stage’s backing screen, a video showed a guy riding as passenger in a car, along with a girl he aims to impress. Clearly leading up to “No Scrubs”, this hyped the crowd for the megahit from 1999’s Fanmail. T-Boz and Chilli turned their microphones to the concertgoers for the line “Can’t get wit’ a deadbeat ass” that they enthusiastically delivered. The screen then segued to footage of a high-contrast waterfall before their set ended with a performance “Waterfalls” from the CrazySexyCool album, which was released in 1994. Hearing the recording of Left Eye’s signature rap during this classic song while her bandmates performed it live was emotionally evocative.

Shaggy

While many expected TLC as the headliner, Shaggy was the final act on this night. His set kicked off with “Mood”, after which he apologized for his obviously hoarse voice in his thick Jamaican accent. The charismatic reggae-rapper, born Orville Richard Burrell, burst onto the music scene in 1992, winning 2 of his 7 Grammy nominations, and is known for collaborations with various artists in multiple genres, including Sting from The Police. Still over 100 degrees at 10 p.m. in Phoenix, Shaggy quipped, “I’ve never had to perform in this much heat in my life,” as he tossed his trademark oversized sunglasses to the side stage.

His set included samples of Bob Marley’s “One Love” and UB40’s “Red Red Wine” before he exclaimed, “We’re going to turn this bitch up” and transitioned to “In The Summertime” from Boombastic. He then grabbed his phone and turned around, taking a selfie with the crowd to “put y’all asses on YouTube”. Shaggy’s dance moves included ample provocative hip grinding, at one point suggestively stroking his microphone.

He delighted the crowd with “Angel” (his reimagining of Juice Newton’s “Angel of the Morning”), along with “Boombastic”, “Strength of a Woman”, and “It Wasn’t Me”. Fans especially loved his reggae version of Frank Sinatra’s “That’s Life” from the Sting-produced album Com Fly Wid Mi released May 2023.

90s music enthusiasts, filled with nostalgic memories of MTV videos, cassette tapes, and oversized baggy clothes, braved the heat in full force while passing on their love for the “old school” to younger generations. This Phoenix stop was, hands-down, the epitome of everything the “Hot Summer Nights” tour represents.

Photo Galleries

Photographer: Katherine Amy Vega

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Shaggy | TLC | En Vogue | Sean Kingston | Nyce Hitz

Shaggy, TLC, En Vogue, & Sean Kingston – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre 7-7-23

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Live Nation, News, Tours

International Superstars Enrique Iglesias, Ricky Martin & Pitbull Join Forces for the Trilogy Tour

StickyMay 31, 2023 Katherine Amy Vega Leave a comment

Multigenerational global powerhouses Enrique Iglesias, Ricky Martin, and Pitbull who are known for their incredible blends and versatility of musical genres, have announced that they are joining forces with a one-of-a-kind arena run across North America this fall. For the first time ever, they will share the stage for The Trilogy Tour featuring three unique headlining sets from each artist.

“It’s a true honor to tour with Enrique and Ricky, 2 music icons, who broke global music barriers for our culture and open doors for someone like myself,” said Armando Christian Perez (Pitbull). “We’re excited to take The Trilogy tour around the world and give our fans the time of their Trilogy lives, Dale!

Enrique Iglesias expressed his enthusiasm, saying. “I am incredibly excited to be going on tour with my friends Pitbull and Ricky. The Trilogy Tour will be an amazing experience for ALL of our fans. It’s going to be a once in a lifetime tour.”

Ricky Martin added, “Going back on the road with not only Enrique, but now with Pitbull it’s very exciting. This tour will be a wild party from beginning to end so get ready, it’s going to be epic!”

Produced by Live Nation, the 19-city tour kicks off on October 14 at Washington, D.C.’s Capital One Arena and makes stops across North America in Toronto, Boston, New York, Chicago, Detroit, Miami, Dallas, Phoenix, Los Angeles and more before wrapping up at Vancouver’s Rogers Arena on December 10. Fans can expect an unforgettable night of music as the megastars deliver an electrifying mix of their biggest career-spanning hits with influences of reggaeton, salsa pop, dance, and electronic music, backed by world-class production and state-of-the-art visuals.

TICKETS: Tickets for this run of shows will be in high demand, therefore Verified Fan will be fans’ best shot at tickets. Fans can register now through Sunday, June 4 at 11:59pm ET for the Verified Fan presale HERE. Fans who are selected to receive an access code will be able to participate in the Verified Fan presale starting Wednesday, June 7. More information on Verified Fan can be found HERE. A limited number of tickets will be sold during a general on sale starting Friday, June 9 at 10am local time at Ticketmaster.com while supplies last.

VIP: The tour will also offer a variety of different VIP packages and experiences for fans to take their concert experience to the next level. Packages vary but include an invitation to the pre-show VIP lounge, exclusive VIP tour poster, specially designed VIP gift item and more. For more information, visit vipnation.com.

The Trilogy Tour Dates

Sat Oct 14 – Washington, DC – Capital One Arena
Tue Oct 17 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
Fri Oct 20 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre
Sat Oct 21 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
Thu Oct 26 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
Sat Oct 28 – Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center
Wed Nov 01 – Chicago, IL – United Center
Fri Nov 03 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
Thu Nov 09 – Orlando, FL – Amway Center
Fri Nov 10 – Miami, FL – Kaseya Center
Fri Nov 17 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center
Sat Nov 18 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center
Sun Nov 19 – San Antonio, TX – AT&T Center
Fri Nov 24 – Las Vegas, NV – T-Mobile Arena
Sat Nov 25 – Phoenix, AZ – Footprint Center
Thu Nov 30 – Los Angeles, CA – Crypto.com Arena
Wed Dec 06 – San Jose, CA – SAP Center
Fri Dec 08 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
Sun Dec 10 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena

Concerts, Media, Photo Galleries, Reviews

REVIEW: AL1CE Enthralls Pub Rock Live, Closing the Shadows and Light Tour (5-13-23)

StickyMay 27, 2023 Nate Wert Leave a comment

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Scottsdale, AZ — On a mild Saturday night – one of the last mild evenings before the Arizona summer heat really sets in – a crowd gathered at Pub Rock Live to watch the final show of LA-based band AL1CE’s “Shadows and Light” tour, with Portland-based Adrian H. and the Wounds and AZ local bands Don’t Panic and Mike and the Molotovs opening the show up.

The venue sits less than half a mile from the border of Tempe and Scottsdale, situated in a low slung strip mall, a victim of the questionable design choices architects tended to make over half a century ago. A quick glance tells the viewer that form and function stopped talking to each other halfway through the design process, and at some point, form was found badly beaten in the alley.

It is a minor miracle that this plaza has survived the development of South Scottsdale, something that could perhaps be attributed to being consistently filled with tenants. Today, one can visit and find an smorgasbord of eclectic tenants: two churches, two gyms, a mattress store, three restaurants – including one that is also one of the best places to buy fresh seafood in all of Arizona – and a barbershop that doubles as a time capsule. The interior appears to have had few upgrades since the early 80s, and the owner – Justin, who the shop is named after – will only charge you $12 for a haircut and a conversation.

Around the corner from the barber shop, one will find the destination for this evening. Above the doors, you will be greeted with a simple sign that says “Pub Rock,” with an old-timey radio microphone dividing the words. Below, to the left of the double doors, there is a warning that you’re about to enter the AZ (Kansas City) Chiefs Kingdom.

Pub Rock started life as Atomic Café in the early 90s. Grey Daze – with Chester Bennington – reportedly played there around 1995. In 1998, the name changed to Chasers, and the clientele and music styles changed as well. In 2012, Chasers was sold, and became Pub Rock, hosting some broadcasts from the very short-lived revival of KUKQ. You will now find an autographed Joe Montana jersey hanging over the bar, surrounded with plenty of other memorabilia. There is a wall of CDs next to the stage, and neighboring that, the merch table. You will also find a security guard who may very well ask you to pet her by the end of the show, as she is a Great Dane named “Gucci,” who is exceedingly well behaved.

Mike and the Molotovs

Mike and the Molotovs (MATM) took the stage first, with frontman Mike Lee saying “Let’s get this shit started! Give it up for AL1CE! Thank you guys for making it out here, we’re gonna close your tour out right.” Lee, for those who are not acquainted with his work, deals in satire. One of his previous bands is Goth Brooks, a Phoenix-based band with a sound that combines the goth metal/industrial and country genres.

Some of the work of MATM is slightly more subtle than other pieces, but the opening number lacked all subtly, and instead reminded you that he is also not the biggest fan of capitalism. The opening line contains the excellent advice of “Don’t let your babies work at Wal-Mart.” The band bills itself as “Spaghetti Punk,” an apt description for the style. There is an undeniable country undertone with a dose of Flogging Molly with the fiddle – played by special guest Tim Sadow – over the guitars. As the first song came to an end, Lee urged the crowd to come a bit closer to the stage, telling them “we don’t bite,” to which guitarist and back-up vocalist Ivan deadpanned, “I bite. Don’t get too close to me.”

After informing the audience that they didn’t have a choice in if they wanted another song, Lee announced that the name of the next song was “If You Want To Be My Lover, The Two Party System Must End.” A glance at the song title may give one the impression that they are about to hear a cover of the well-known song by the Spice Girls named “Wannabe,” but nothing could be further from the truth. There are elements of “American Idiot” hidden in the first few bars of the song, and lyrics that are rather unlike the bubblegum pop that the Spice Girls were known for, save for the line “I’ll tell you what I want, what I really really want!” yelled by Ivan.

There were some surreal moments, including a song about Burger King that involved Ivan slowly ramping up to yelling, “Whopper whopper whopper WHOPPER,” into the microphone, much to the delight of the crowd. This is what makes seeing Mike and the Molotovs a fun event: the band has a message they take seriously, but they don’t turn it into an overly preachy event; instead you’ll have a bunch of fun with listening to a rather fun anti-capitalist band.

Don’t Panic

Don’t Panic took the stage next. Formed back in 2014, the band name is a reference to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. This is reflected in their latest album – 42 – released in August of last year. If you are unfamiliar with “the Guide”, the number 42 is the answer to life, the universe, and everything. Unfortunately, no one knows what the question is. Why? Well, I would tell you, but I think you should read the book.

As the band took the stage, your eye could not help but to be drawn to the bejeweled mesh mask that lead vocalist Dylan Rowe wore. It would catch the light throughout the show, throwing it back into the audience, adding to the enchantment of the performance. Don’t Panic is a mix of genres, sounding a bit like rock some moments, then some dance, and weaving it all together is Rowe and the back-up vocalist Jeffery Robens, who is also the guitarist. Bassist Ryan Obermeit and drummer Jesse Mitchell round out the band.

There is a bit of Evanescence hidden away in the band, with Rowe and Robens sometimes sounding a bit like Amy Lee and Ben Moody from the very early days of the band. One must also recognize those who do not get nearly enough credit as well: whoever programmed the light show. The stage was small, but the production value punched way above its weight class, and it is impossible not to be impressed by the ethereal short set, which leaves you yearning for an encore.

Adrian H. and the Wounds

Adrian H. and the Wounds joined AL1CE on their continent wide tour, marking one of their first tours since the pandemic began. The band has garnered a bit of a cult following locally in Portland, though they haven’t been quite as active as before the pandemic. They have played with AL1CE previously in October of 2020, and at festivals and internationally, but have been a bit quiet when it comes to touring for the last few years.

Their sound – according to their website – is sinfully soulful. It could also be described as darkwave, mixed with a bit of Nine Inch Nails. It was a nearly blackout, smoky set, with the fog machine getting a bit of a warmup for AL1CE. The band was backlit, with Adrian H hunched over the keyboard on stage left, and the rest of the band cracking out the paradoxically pleasant and yet somewhat monotone EDM and goth metal music.

One could not help but – at the very least – sway along to the music, if not join the others in the audience on what was now a dance floor. The final song of the set brought vitality to the performance as the frontman stepped out from behind the keyboard and had a much stronger stage presence than before. The band was enjoyable as it was, but the change in pace and flow elevated the finale. The set ended without much said, and while it was not the most overwhelming set of the night, they had joined AL1CE on a marathon of a tour and undoubtedly felt all of the miles they traveled. Adrian H. and the Wounds kept the dark atmosphere strong and served as a good segue between Don’t Panic and AL1CE.

AL1CE

AL1CE would finish the night off. In spite of a massive 25-day, 10,000-mile, 24-show tour, there was no indication of exhaustion throughout the set. Even though the band is based in the LA area, they have strong ties to the Phoenix area. Jonah Foree – a bandmate of Mike Lee in Goth Brooks, and the goth metal side of the band – was a prolific and well-loved musician who left us entirely too soon in 2022.

Foree, who was also a member of Ikonoklast and HARDWIRE, organized an annual free show called Mustache Massacre which fostered a collective bond of the gothic community for over a decade. It often featured his bands along with the AL1CE members’ previous project Mankind is Obsolete, and strongly supported other local industrial, metal, and punk music groups as well. This tour marked the first time AL1CE returned to Phoenix on tour after his passing, and a song written by Foree himself called “Drown” was played during tonight’s show. Vocalist Natasha “Tash” Cox was close friends with Jonah, and performed at the memorial show for Foree.

AL1CE is an experience. It is not just the music, it is also the feeling of being welcomed, of feeling like you know those on stage, even if you’ve never met them before. While one can eventually learn how to have a stage presence that will capture your attention, making the audience feel at home is not a talent that can be taught. There was nothing forced the entire night, nothing felt awkward or unnatural. Instead, you are welcomed into the venue, and you become a family of sorts with the band, even if you do not realize it at first. The band wears masks, they wear costumes, and it would be easy to think that they may be a bit different off stage, but that could not be further from the truth.

Cox is joined on stage by vocalist Sasha Travis, bassist and keyboardist Gordan Bash, drummer Steve Kefalas, percussionist Carl Garcia, and Scott Landes on the guitar. The band calls the music “dark electronic rock,” which is definitely true, but there is more to the band than just that. Their cover of “Land of Confusion” is nowhere near as abrasive as the Disturbed cover that most as used to, and is instead a heavy and enjoyable listen. Audience participation came halfway through the show, as a high hat was taken from the stage, put into the crowd, and those who wanted were handed a drum stick to hit the cymbal while one of the band members played a tambourine. While that may seem like a bit of a surreal experience, in context it made perfect sense, and was a unique experience.

AL1CE also performed an impressive cover of Bjork’s “Army of Me” in their unique and enthralling way. It takes talent to take a song, leave a major nod to the original artist, and yet add your own sound on top, a musical cake if you will. This is what this unique and lovely group of humans do: make music feel familiar in a show that feels like home. The show ended – this is the tragedy of all shows; they begin, and thus must also end – and the band stepped off the stage to mingle with those in the audience. And so, in that low-slung building that has witnessed history for the last half-century or so, another chapter closed, another show ends, and we all disperse into the night with gratitude for the memories made and the opportunity to remember Jonah Foree once again.

Photo Galleries

Photographer: Katherine Amy Vega

View Separately:

AL1CE | Don’t Panic | Full Lineup

AL1CE, Adrian H and the Wounds, Don’t Panic, & Mike and the Molotovs – Pub Rock 5-13-23

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Photography © Katherine Amy Vega, Kataklizmic Design
All Rights Reserved.

Concerts, Media, Photo Galleries, Reviews

REVIEW: Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band — a Memorable Evening of Rock ‘N’ Roll Intimacy at Celebrity Theatre (5-20-23)

StickyMay 22, 2023 Ryan Novak 1 Comment

PHOENIX — Thinking of the history of popular music, especially rock ‘n’ roll history, I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of people who were “there.” Every legendary artist started small, as even the biggest artists of all time had those early shows before it all blew up, and inexplicably there were people — average everyday people — who were lucky enough to be “there” to see those struggling performers before they turned into superstars.

Still walking around are those who saw Elvis play local shows in Memphis, Bob Dylan play coffee houses in New York or, most mind-blowing of all to me, The Beatles play The Cavern Club in Liverpool. For the rest of us, those artists existed bigger than life, playing the biggest stages in the world. Unless you were one of those lucky individuals in The Cavern Club, or The Star Club in Hamburg, they only existed as mega stars, playing the biggest venues the 60’s had to offer.

We would never get as close or as intimate as those lucky individuals who were there for those early days before they were legends, that is unless you were lucky enough to catch Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band at Celebrity Theatre on one of two nights at their Phoenix stop on the tour. The Celebrity Theatre is a rare wonder that has no such thing as a “bad seat,” with its smaller intimate setting in the round with a rotating stage dead-center. It is certainly the most up-close anyone is likely to get to any of these legends since they first began their careers in bars and small clubs.

Ringo Starr and His All-Star Band

The “All-Starr Band” concept was originally conceived in 1989 by Ringo, with the idea that he would put together a band, not just of professional hired guns to help him perform many of his hits across his storied career from The Beatles to his many incredible solo records, but instead pack the band with fellow legendary performers who also had a bottomless well of hits from which to pull.

Over the years, the Ringo’s All-Starr Band has included members of The Band, Bruce Springsteen’s E-Street Band, The Eagles, The Who, Dr. John, Todd Rundgren, Peter Frampton, and the “fifth Beatle” Mr. Billy Preston. This, the 15th iteration of Ringo’s All-Starr Band, included Edgar Winter, Hamish Staurt from Average White Band, Steve Lukather from Toto, and Colin Hay from Men at Work. The band is rounded out with Warren Ham who has played with Kansas and Toto (nice pairing) on saxophone, flute, and keyboards and Gregg Bissonette, who has played with seemingly everyone (seriously, look him up) on all things percussion.

What of course makes the All-Starr Band so fun is that any given member could step up to the microphone and have enough hits at their disposal to play the show all by themselves. All of this results in a kind of jamboree of fun, as members take turns stepping into the spotlight for a song, only to then pass the spotlight to the next member, as the show rotates around the already rotating stage (if you’ve never been to the Celebrity Theatre, you need to get there for a show).

Ringo opened the show with a raucous cover of Carl Perkins’ “Matchbox,” a staple of The Beatles early live shows and later showing up as a single off of the Long Tall Sally EP. It was followed by “It Don’t Come Easy,” arguably Ringo’s most soulful vocal performance from his solo records. After blazing through “What Goes On” from The Beatles’ Rubber Soul, Ringo seceded the spotlight and moved to the drums.

This began what makes the All-Starr Band concept so much fun every time: each performer taking turns stepping up to the microphone to perform one of their own hits. Leading off was Edgar Winter who played his now 51-year-old hit “Free Ride,” which sounded as fresh and fun that night as it did the first time any of us played it in our cars with the windows down and the volume up.

This was followed by Steve Lukather leading the band through “Roseanna,” with the crowd spiritedly singing along and pumping their fist in time with the chord changes, Hamish Stuart playing a ripping version of Average White Band’s “Pick Up the Pieces,” and Colin Hay taking the band through an extended version of Men At Work’s hit “Down Under” that included a fun call-and-respond with the crowd. “I wrote this song in forty minutes, and it’s sustained me for forty years,” he told the crowd prior to starting the song.

At that time, Ringo returned from behind the drum kit for a run through of “Boys,” his first vocal performance on The Beatles first album Please, Please Me, “I’m the Greatest” from Ringo (a song written for him by John Lennon), and “Yellow Submarine,” which a quick scan of the theatre revealed that every generation of fan in attendance — from those who were there from the start with The Beatles to little kids who have since grown up with the band through their parents and grandparents love for them — was joyfully and exuberantly singing along. Following this, as the crowd was still on their feet, cheering and clapping, Ringo waved to the audience and left the stage. “Don’t worry. He’ll be back,” Edgar Winter playfully reassured the crowd.

With Ringo gone, the band performed Average White Band’s “Cut the Cake,” the title track from their third album. “I’m going to hand it over to Edgar Winter now to unleash the beast,” he said at the song’s closing. Winter’s performance of instrumental classic “Frankenstein” allowed the band to have fun on what turned out to be a jam session that impressively highlighted the drumming skills of Gregg Bissonette. Throughout the song, which stretched to nearly ten minutes, Bissonette worked in drum breaks that steered the song into a range of hits by other artists, including “Come Together” by The Beatles, “Rock ‘N’ Roll” by Led Zeppelin, and appropriately enough, “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” — the seventeen-minute Iron Butterfly classic in which the recognizable drumming comes during the lengthy instrumental break in the song. By the end of the jam, Bissonette, very deservedly, got one of the biggest pops from the crowd.

Ringo returned to the stage, and before going into “Octopus’s Garden” (rivaling “Yellow Submarine” for one of the most crowd-pleasing moments of the night), he introduced each member of the band, heaping praise on them as he did. It was followed by his solo hit “Back Off Boogaloo.” Next up was Colin Hay to perform Men at Work’s ode to anxiety “Overkill.”

“Every song we’ve played tonight is one you know, but I’d like to debut my 30-minute jazz odyssey,” Steve Lukather joked with the crowd, adding, “If you get really stoned first, you might just get into it,” before launching into “Africa” — Toto’s mega-smash that will live on for generations to come. The performance featured some incredible backing vocals from Colin Hay.

After going one more round with each performer, including Hamish Stuart with the Isley Brothers’ “Work to Do,” and Ringo playing The Beatles’ “I Wanna Be Your Man.” Edgar Winter took a moment to pay tribute to his brother Johnny Winter before playing “Johnny B. Goode,” a song the brothers used to play together growing up, as they each first learned to play the guitar. It was immediately followed by Colin Hay playing “Who Can It Be Now?” and Steve Lukather on Toto’s “Hold the Line.”

The evening closed as it began, with the tour’s namesake Ringo Starr on vocals for his solo classic “Photograph,” the Johnny Russell hit “Act Naturally”, made famous by Buck Owens and even more famous by The Beatles version on Help!, and finally and very fittingly given the vibe of the tour and the mutual respect and camaraderie amongst the performers, they closed the evening “With a Little Help From My Friends.” As the song came to a close, they shifted to a cover of John Lennon’s “Give Peace a Chance” to send the crowd home happy, still singing along in their own acapella as they exited the Celebrity Theatre and out into the warm Phoenix night.

View Setlist

Photo Gallery

Photographer: Mark Greenawalt

Ringo Starr & His All-Star Band – Celebrity Theatre 5-20-23

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News, Tours

TOOL Announce North American Tour with 1st Canadian Dates Since 2019

June 6, 2023 Katherine Amy Vega Leave a comment

LOS ANGELES – TOOL return to the road this Fall, expanding on their recently announced festival appearances (Power Trip, Aftershock and Louder Than Life) with an additional six weeks of performances, including the band’s first Canadian dates since 2019.

The tour announcement follows TOOL’s debut live performances of 2023, headlining both Welcome to Rockville and the Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival in recent weeks.

Tickets for all non-festival shows are on-sale this Friday, June 9 at 10 am local time. In advance of the forthcoming on-sale, TOOL Army has opened additional memberships, with pre-sale tickets available exclusively to members on June 8 at 10 am local time. A limited number of VIP packages will also be initially available to TOOL Army members, with remaining options, including premium tickets, soundcheck access, exclusive merchandise and more, available to the general public as the on-sale begins on June 9.

TOOL Tour Dates

September 22 – Louisville, KY – Louder Than Life Festival
October 3 – Loveland, CO – Budweiser Event Center
October 6 – Sacramento, CA – Aftershock Festival
October 8 – Indio, CA – Power Trip
October 10 – Salt Lake City, UT – Delta Center
October 12 – Idaho Falls, ID – Mountain America Center
October 14 – Nampa, ID – Ford Idaho Center
October 15 – Spokane, WA – Spokane Arena
October 17 – Eugene, OR – Matthew Knight Center
October 19 – Portland, OR – Moda Center
October 20 – Tacoma, WA – Tacoma Dome
October 22 – Kelowna, BC – Prospera Place Arena
October 23 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena
October 25 – Edmonton, AB – Rogers Place
October 27 – Calgary, AB – Scotiabank Saddledome
October 29 – Winnipeg, MB – Canada Life Center
October 31 – St. Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center
November 1 – Milwaukee, WI – Fiserv Forum
November 3 – Knoxville, TN – Thompson-Boiling Arena
November 4 – Charleston, WV – Charleston Coliseum
November 6 – Rochester, NY – Blue Cross Arena
November 7 – Allentown, PA – PPL Center
November 10 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena
November 13 – Manchester, NH – SNHU Arena
November 15 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
November 16 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center
November 19 – Montreal, QC – Bell Center
November 20 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
November 21 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena

Since the 2019 release of TOOL’s critically-acclaimed album, Fear Inoculum, the band has won a GRAMMY Award® (Best Metal Performance for “7empest”), completed sold-out tours of both the U.S. and Europe, and headlined Bonnaroo, Welcome to Rockville and the Sonic Temple Arts & Music Festival. TOOL marked the 30th anniversary of the Opiate EP with the 2022 release of “Opiate ²,” a re-imagining of the EP’s title track, released in tandem with a breathtaking, 10-minute short film crafted by Adam Jones and visual artist Dominic Hailstone (“Alien: Covenant”, “The Eel”).

Reviews from TOOL’s sold-out 2022 tours praised the four-piece, with Loudwire dubbing the performances as “a masterclass of immersion, sound and stage design, musicianship… and levels of ungodly tightness.” The Austin Chronicle described the incomparable live experience as an “unbridled exchange of catharsis between performers and fans.” More recently, Revolver, covering Welcome to Rockville 2023, said “TOOL delivered a stunning… set featuring classic fan favorites, newer Fear Inoculum standouts and choice deeper cuts … the striking visuals also included a psychedelic laser and projections show bar none.”

TOOL formed in 1990, releasing five studio albums: Undertow (1993), Ænima (1996), Lateralus (2001),10,000 Days (2006), and Fear Inoculum (2019); two EPs: 72826 (1991) and Opiate (1992), and the limited-edition boxset Salival (2000). The band has won four GRAMMY Awards®: Best Metal Performance (1998, “Ænima”), Best Metal Performance (2002, “Schism”), Best Recording Package (2007, 10,000 Days) and Best Metal Performance (2020, “7empest”). TOOL is Danny Carey (drums), Justin Chancellor (bass), Adam Jones (guitar) and Maynard James Keenan (vocals).

Featured photo (top) by Travis Shinn

Adrenaline PR, News, Tracks

DRMAGDN Cyborg Drummer/DJ releases captivating The Beatles remix “Something” ft. The Voice singer Michelle Ray

June 2, 2023 Katherine Amy Vega Leave a comment

New York, NY — Today, DRMAGDN announces the release of his official remix track “Something” – out now on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and all streaming services.

The DRMAGDN “Something” Beatles Remix (on BMG) is a heartfelt re-imagination of The Beatles classic #1 hit song from their iconic Abbey Road record. DRMAGDN takes the original track and adds lush orchestration along with intense & breathtaking drums while updating the underlying production to a modern EDM pop style similar to DJs like Kygo, Alan Walker or Marshmello.

DRMAGDN says, “‘Something’ by The Beatles is my favorite Beatles tune of all time. So I jumped at the chance to do a modern remix of the song when BMG acquired George Harrison’s catalog. These musical shoes are the literally biggest in the world to fill, so I had to completely pull out all the stops on this Beatles tribute including nods to the artwork and a truly epic music video.”

DRMAGDN not only recreated the legendary Abbey Road album cover in NYC for the artwork for his remix, but he also traveled to all the New York spots The Beatles visited on their first trip to the US launching Beatlemania (JFK Airport, Carnegie Hall & The Ed Sullivan Theater) for his music video.

DRMAGDN’s eighth single “Something” Remix is a deeply layered arrangement and cinematic take on the classic hit. The single features Michelle Ray from Team Blake on Season 4 of The Voice on vocals, Dave Eggar on strings (Grammy Award winning track “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay, The Who, Bon Jovi, Fall Out Boy), Daniel Flam on horns (Grammy Award winning work with Kanye West & Rihanna’s “All Of The Lights,” Jay-Z, Lil Nas X, John Legend), Oscar Albis-Rodriguez on guitar/bass (A Great Big World, Sarah McLachlan, YouTube Audio Library) and vinyl mastering by Andy Vandette (David Bowie, U2, The Prodigy, Cirque Du Soleil, Aerosmith, Rush).

DRMAGDN drops his new “Something” Remix track following up his massive sports anthem “Get Tough” that landed him on a live radio interview on The NFL Channel on Sirius/XM Radio. Previous DRMAGDN tracks include Folkronica EDM single “Not Alone” with Jeremy O’Shea from Velvet Revolver along with members of American Authors, Rob Thomas & Capital Cities (featured in American Songwriter Magazine) and his big festival Big Room EDM track called “Say Less Be More” featuring Allé Guercio from American Idol & The Voice (as both seen together in The New York Times).

As with all of DRMAGDN’s track launches, he made a $250 philanthropic contribution to charities that speak to the heart of the song. For “Something” he donated to The Carnegie Hall Foundation for consideration for the educational clips in his music video plus George Harrison’s own charity The Material World Foundation that supports social, artistic and cultural change worldwide.

About DRMAGDN

DRMAGDN is a persona of Charlie Zeleny, who lives in the West Village in New York City and is a Drummer / DJ, Live Electronic Music Performer, Producer & Music Director. He has played The Winter Olympics, Lollapalooza, Warped Tour, Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Metlife Stadium, Bamboozle Fest, MTV’s TRL, AOL Sessions, The View, The Today Show & Royal Albert Hall. He has toured 31 Countries, 43 US States and can be heard on 250+ records. DRMAGDN has been seen on Times Square Billboards and on the side of NYC Buildings and his tracks have hit #1 on the SubmitHub charts. He is in the Sick Drummer Hall of Fame, on Blender Magazine’s “Best Drummers of All Time List” and AllMusic says that “Drummer Charlie Z / DRMAGDN must be heard to even be believed.”

DRMAGDN writes, records and produces all his own tracks & remixes. DRMAGDN currently 3M+ total views on his YouTube channels, 1M+ total plays on Spotify with 25k+ monthly listeners, 3M+ views and 350k+ followers on Instagram, 2M+ plays on SoundCloud & 12M+ total views on his own & all influencer’s profiles on TikTok (200k+ followers) where his livestreams hit 100k+ viewers per stream.

DRMAGDN’s grand total is now over 21M+ total plays/views and 700K+ verified followers across all social media platforms.

Live Nation, News, Tours

Black Veil Brides & Ville Valo Co-Headline Fall Tour of U.S. & Canada

May 31, 2023 Katherine Amy Vega Leave a comment

This fall, the classic season for dark and romantic music, BLACK VEIL BRIDES and VV (VILLE VALO) will co-headline a massive tour in select cities across North America. Presented by Hot Topic, the BVB & VV 2023 tour (featuring special guests DARK DIVINE) combines three unique bands who champion the heavy-hearted, hopeless, and broken with mixtures of high intensity and melody.

Produced by Live Nation, tickets to the tour will be available starting Tuesday, May 30 at 12 pm ET via presales with additional presales running throughout the week ahead of the general onsale beginning Friday, June 2 at 10 am local time on LiveNation.com. For more information on the presales visit BlackVeilBrides.net.

“We cannot wait to join forces with Ville Valo and give both of our audiences in North America an unforgettable experience each night,” says Black Veil Brides frontman Andy Biersack. “This run has been in the works for quite a while. We couldn’t be happier now that we can finally share the news. Ville is an icon. We have all been fans of his not only for his work in the hugely influential band HIM but as a torchbearer for an entire generation of rock fans and musicians.”

“There’s something tinnitus-inducingly romantic about the idea of being sandwiched nightly between Black Veil Brides and Dark Divine on this autumnal trek across North America,” muses Valo. “And imagining us explore the architecture of doom and gloom from three distinctly different musical perspectives has already made the bats in my belfry suitably ravenous.”

Andy adds, “This tour is a dream come true and will be something special. Dark Divine is new to the scene but garnering a lot of attention quickly and rightfully so. They are hands down one of the best young bands out there, and we are certain the BVB Army and VV fans will love them.”

Committed to uncompromising expression, with a foundation in hard rock tradition and rule-breaking iconoclasm, Black Veil Brides is a transcendent celebration of life-affirming power and anthemic catharsis. A gothic vision first summoned in a small town by an isolated kid fascinated with death, rock, theatricality, and monsters (both real and imagined), Black Veil Brides is now a postmodern heavy metal institution with a legion of like-minded fans and supporters worldwide.

2021’s The Phantom Tomorrow produced BVB’s first Top 10 single, “Scarlet Cross.” Last year’s The Mourning EP offered similar success with “Saviour II,” joining a rich catalog that includes “Knives and Pens” (over 160 million views on YouTube), the certified gold “Fallen Angels,” and the recently certified platinum “In the End.” (It’s possible Black Veil Brides may even release another brand-new song in the not-too-distant future…)

HIM, renowned as one of the most commercially successful Finnish bands of all time, has sold over ten million records. Ville Valo, the band’s frontman, released a series of beloved albums with HIM from 1997 through 2013, boasting influential modern goth-rock anthems like “Right Here in My Arms,” “Join Me in Death,” “Buried Alive by Love,” and “Rip Out the Wings of a Butterfly.” Declaring Neon Noir a perfect record for fans of HIM, Ghost, and Evanescence, Kerrang! wrote, “If you’ve been seduced in Mr. Valo’s musical twilight before, then you can now prepare to pulse in the glow of the heartagram once again.” In a VV cover story, Valo told the magazine, “It is a continuation of what I’ve done in the past and what might happen next.”

Hot Topic Presents: DVD & VV Tour Dates

Sept 10 – Louisville, KY – Paristown Hall
Sept 11 – Birmingham, AL – Avondale Brewing Company
Sept 12 – St. Petersburg, FL – Jannus Live
Sept 14 – Myrtle Beach, SC – House of Blues
Sept 15 – Baltimore, MD – Rams Head Live!*
Sept 16 – Niagara Falls, NY – The Rapids Theater*
Sept 17 – Toronto, ON – HISTORY
Sept 19 – Montreal, QC – MTELUS
Sept 20 – Hampton Beach, NH – Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom
Sept 22 – Wallingford, CT – Dome at Toyota Oakdale Theater
Sept 23 – Bethlehem, PA – Wind Creek Event Center
Sept 24 – Montclair, NJ – The Wellmont Theater
Sept 25 – Huntington, NY – The Paramount
Sept 27 – Grand Rapids, MI – GLC Live at 20 Monroe
Sept 28 – Gary, IN – Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana*
Sept 29 – Columbus, OH – KEMBA Live!*
Sept 30 – Indianapolis, IN – Egyptian Room at Old National Centre
Oct 01 – Chesterfield, MO – The Factory
Oct 03 – Austin, TX – ACL Live
Oct 05 – Tulsa, OK – Tulsa Theater*
Oct 06 – Omaha, NE – Steelhouse Omaha
Oct 07 – Madison, WI – The Sylvee
Oct 09 – Winnipeg, MB – Burton Cummings Theatre
Oct 11 – Edmonton, AB – Edmonton Convention Centre
Oct 12 – Calgary, AB – Grey Eagle Event Centre
Oct 14 – Vancouver, BC – Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre
Oct 15 – Spokane, WA – The Podium
Oct 16 – Seattle, WA – Paramount Theatre
Oct 18 – Garden City, ID – Revolution Concert HouseOct 19 – Wheatland, CA – Hard Rock Live
Oct 20 – Riverside, CA – Riverside Municipal Auditorium

*Not A Live Nation Date

News, Tours

Chevelle and Three Days Grace Announce 2023 Co-Headline Tour — Coming This Fall

May 30, 2023 Katherine Amy Vega Leave a comment

Get ready to rock out this fall as Chevelle and Three Days Grace team up for their highly anticipated 2023 co-headline tour, featuring special guest Loathe. The tour, produced by Live Nation, will kick off on September 8 at the Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem, PA, and will make stops in 23 cities across the US, including Chicago, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Boston.

Fans can expect an unforgettable night of headbanging and melodic anthems from two of rock’s biggest heavyweights. Don’t miss out on this epic tour! Tickets will be available starting with the Citi presale on Tuesday, May 30, followed by additional presales throughout the week. The general onsale will begin on Friday, June 2 at 10am local time on Live Nation.

Chevelle & Three Days Grace 2023 Tour Dates

Fri Sep 08 – Bethlehem, PA – Wind Creek Event Center
Sat Sep 09 – Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater
Tue Sep 12 – Sterling Heights, MI – Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill
Wed Sep 13 – Chicago, IL – Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom
Tue Sep 14 – Huber Heights, OH – The Rose Music Center
Sun Sep 17 – Prior Lake, MN – Mystic Lake Showroom
Tue Sep 19 – Indianapolis, IN – TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park
Wed Sep 20 – St. Louis, MO – Saint Louis Music Park
Thu Sep 21 – Kansas City, MO – Starlight Theater
Sat Sep 23 – Denver, CO – Fillmore Auditorium
Sun Sep 24 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex
Tue Sep 26 – Nampa (Boise), ID – Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater
Thu Sep 28 – Airway Heights, WA – Northern Quest Resort & Casino – BECU Live
Fri Sep 29 – Ridgefield, WA – RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater
Mon Oct 02 – San Diego, CA – Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre
Tue Oct 03 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium
Wed Oct 04 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Financial Theatre
Fri Oct 06 – The Woodlands, TX – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Sat Oct 07 – Durant, OK – Choctaw Grand Theater
Tue Oct 10 – Nashville, TN – Nashville Municipal Auditorium
Wed Oct 11 – Atlanta, GA – Coca-Cola Roxy
Thu Oct 12 – Charlotte, NC – Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre
Sat Oct 14 – Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway

News

Tina Turner Passes Away at Age 83

May 24, 2023 Katherine Amy Vega Leave a comment

Today, the world collectively mourns the loss of a true icon, Tina Turner.

The legendary singer, dancer, and actress passed away at the age of 83, leaving behind a legacy that few can match. From her humble beginnings in Nutbush, Tennessee, to her rise to fame alongside her former husband Ike Turner and later as a solo artist, Tina Turner’s life was both tumultuous and inspiring.

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Despite the challenges she faced along the way, Tina never lost her unrelenting spirit. Her timeless hits like ‘Proud Mary’ and ‘What’s Love Got to Do with It’ continue to inspire generations of fans, and have earned her numerous accolades, including a spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

But Tina’s influence extended far beyond her music. She was an actress, a philanthropist, and a survivor who never let her difficult past define her future. She taught us all how to be strong, how to persevere, and how to rise above our circumstances.

So today, we say goodbye to a true legend. While Tina may be gone, her legacy will live on forever. Rest in peace, Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll.

Tall Heights

Ben Folds

Photo Galleries

View Separately: Ben Folds | Tall Heights

Ben Folds & Tall Heights – Mesa Arts Center 8-15-23

Josh Ross

Brantley Gilbert

Nickelback

Photo Gallery

Nickelback & Brantley Gilbert – Footprint Center 7-12-23

Sean Kingston

En Vogue

TLC

Shaggy

Photo Galleries

View Separately:Shaggy | TLC | En Vogue | Sean Kingston | Nyce Hitz

Shaggy, TLC, En Vogue, & Sean Kingston – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre 7-7-23

The Trilogy Tour Dates

Mike and the Molotovs

Don’t Panic

Adrian H. and the Wounds

AL1CE

Photo Galleries

View Separately:

AL1CE | Don’t Panic | Full Lineup

AL1CE, Adrian H and the Wounds, Don’t Panic, & Mike and the Molotovs – Pub Rock 5-13-23

Ringo Starr and His All-Star Band

Photo Gallery

Ringo Starr & His All-Star Band – Celebrity Theatre 5-20-23

TOOL Tour Dates

About DRMAGDN

Hot Topic Presents: DVD & VV Tour Dates

Chevelle & Three Days Grace 2023 Tour Dates

News & Reviews from the Fiery Mosh Pits of Arizona

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Shaggy | TLC | En Vogue | Sean Kingston | Nyce Hitz