LOS ANGELES – Transcendent, two-time GRAMMY® Award-winning rock band Evanescence have released the official music video for their latest single “Hi-Lo”, featuring a virtuosic violin solo by acclaimed Billboard Award-winning electronic violinist Lindsey Stirling. Watch the music video HERE.
Off the latest Evanescence album Synthesis, “Hi-Lo” marks the first time front woman Amy Lee and Stirling have collaborated on a track together, and features the full band backed by an orchestra and Lee’s signature powerhouse vocals. Directed by P.R. Brown, the video includes live performance footage from Evanescence’s critically acclaimed Synthesis tour along with orchestra footage. Stirling makes a cameo to deliver her signature blend of dance moves while performing a powerful electronic violin solo. The song was written by Amy Lee and Will Hunt and arranged by David Campbell.
Tickets for Evanescence and Lindsey Stirling North American Co-Headline Amphitheater Tour on Sale Now!
Evanescence and Lindsey Stirling will embark on a co-headlining 2018 summer amphitheater tour across North America. The tour, produced by Live Nation, will kick off July 6 in Kansas City, MO at the Starlight Theatre and will make stops in 31 North American cities. Tickets are available now at LiveNation.com. Both artist’s shows will be accompanied by a full orchestra, highlighting both acts musicality and their incredible performance abilities that continue to blow fans away. The orchestrated performances will also perfectly accent the astounding amphitheater venues across the U.S. and Canada that the two will be performing in, making for a magical summer evening.
Rock Guitar virtuoso Adrian Galysh has revealed the first single, “So Close… So Far,” off of his upcoming Venusian Sunrise: 20th Anniversary Edition. Due out July 10, 2018, Venusian Sunrise: 20th Anniversary Edition will include completely re-recorded tracks, the remastered original record, and bonus live tracks.
“Venusian Sunrise was recorded in my parent’s basement on a single Alesis 8-Track ADAT recorder. While the performances are commendable for their time, given limited resources at the age of 22—it lacks what 20 years of experience and advancement in recording technology can now easily provide—richer guitar tones, advanced recording techniques, the palatial keyboard and realistic orchestral sounds of today, and maybe most importantly…real drums!” – Adrian Galysh
Track List:
1. Venusian Sunrise (2018)
2. What On Earth (2018)
3. The Blue Jungle (2018)
4. Lullaby of South Aiken St. (2018)
5. Drifting Memories (2018)
6. So Close… So Far (2018)
7. Lydian Dreams (2018)
8. Miss Fabina The Ballerina (2018)
9. In The End (2018)
10. Venusian Sunrise (1998)
11. What On Earth (1998)
12. The Blue Jungle (1998)
13. Lullaby of South Aiken St. (1998)
14. Drifting Memories (1998)
15. So Close… So Far (1998)
16. Lydian Dreams (1998)
17. Miss Fabina The Ballerina (1998)
18. In The End (1998)
Bonus Tracks:
19. The Blue Jungle (Live in LA 2011
20. Lydian Dreams (Live in LA 2011)
Los Angeles-based guitarist Adrian Galysh is an in-demand solo artist, session guitarist, published author, and educator with an illustrious career spanning five studio albums.
Praised by artists like Carl Verheyen and outlets like Guitar Player and Fireworks magazines, Galysh has a successful trajectory that includes numerous collaborations and performances with industry giants like Uli Jon Roth, Yngwie Malmsteen, Robben Ford, Mike Keneally, George Lynch, Warren DeMartini, and many more.
Galysh is also a Guitar World Magazine online lesson columnist and Education Coordinator for Guitar Center Lessons. He’s the author of the book Progressive Guitar Warm-Ups and Exercises. He uses Brian Moore Guitars, D’Angelico Guitars, Suhr Guitars, SIT Strings, Seymour Duncanpickups and effects, Straptight Straplocks, Voodoo Lab and Morley pedals.
PHOENIX — The Melvins concluded the spring portion of their ambitious two-part 2018 tour schedule to promote the April 20th release of their album, Pinkus Abortion Technician, at The Crescent Ballroom on Thursday, May 31. Los Angeles-based rock band All Souls warmed up concertgoers with songs from their newly released self-titled album.
Rockers of all ages flooded the intimate venue to experience the heavy, experimental sounds of one of the most influential and notable grunge/sludge metal bands to pave the way for the likes of Nirvana and Pearl Jam. The drinks flowed and the smell from the food being run from the kitchen to Cocina 10 permeated the venue as All Souls hit the stage.
After a quick introduction, they jumped right into the music with their melodic, guitar-heavy sound that ranges from deep and dark, to grunge, to downright ethereal. All Souls, comprised of Drummer Tony Tornay, (formerly of Fatso Jetson), bassist Meg Castellanos and guitarist/vocalist Antonio Aguilar (both formerly of Totimoshi) as well as guitarist Erik Trammell (formerly of Brothers Collateral) proved that, though they’ve only been together for 3 years, they’ve uncovered a winning combination of musical talent to generate a polished sound worth listening to on repeat. At then end of their set, Trammell thanked the Melvins for a “blissful” five week tour together to which Meg added that it also included a broken foot. This concluded the band’s stint with the Melvins, who take a small break and then tackle another ambitious 5-week tour schedule to include four nights in Canada.
Following All Souls’ performance was the anxiously awaited Melvins who planned to take listeners on a musical trip through their discography that spans 34 years. Their newest creation to add to their collection is Pinkus Abortion Technician, which pays homage to the likes of The Beatles and The James Gang. The album brings bassist Jeff Pinkus from the Butthole Surfers back on a collaboration once again to create a whole new sound along with fellow bassist, Steven Shane McDonald, who joined the band in 2015. The Melvins have toured with two drummers and also with two lead guitars, but having two basses is a first. Being the experimental musicians they are and willing to take a chance, they brought forth a sound rarely experienced. The walls reverberated with what felt like a collective heartbeat, a depth of sound that had audience members moving their heads in unison.
The band came out to experimental pedal and guitar sounds that primed the audience for the journey they were about to embark on for the next few hours.The musical journey began with visceral and gritty “Sesame Street Meat” off their 23rd studio album from 2014, Hold It In, on which bassist Jeff Pinkus collaborated. Drummer Dale Crover was immediately seated and fitted with his over-the-ear mic, while outgoing bassist McDonald dazzled with a series of high kicks. Bassist Jeff Pinkus took stage right, where he remained the majority of the evening deeply engrossed in his music and showing an occasional glimmer when his guitar hit the light just right. Guitarist and lead vocalist Buzz Osborne restlessly moved about the stage as though energy were traveling through him in a higher capacity than he could possibly emit. Next stop was 25 years in the past with “At A Crawl”, followed by a zig zag to “Kicking Machine” from 2008’s Nude With Boots, which brought the crowd to a higher level of excitement when a mosh pit ensued. Next were two covers: David Bowie’s “Saviour Machine” sung by Steve McDonald and Red Kross’ “What They Say” which had all-hands-on-deck vocally.
Buzz Osborne took front and center once again with “Anaconda” off of their 1991 album, Bullhead. Next up, Buzz got into character over dead silence and sauntered up to the mic with a smirk to tell everyone, “Well… well… well, I’ll be moooving down to Floriduh,” to kick off the Butthole Surfers’ “Moving to Florida” with a mix of their new song “Stop Moving to Florida” off Pinkus Abortion Technician.
Other notable mentions are McDonald’s long locks blowing in the wind of the fan off on stage left, his Superman move of pulling his blazer open to show his sparkly “punk rock” written across his chest, and one cannot forget the slower tempo of “Don’t Forget to Breathe” off of the new album, with credits for writing going completely to Pinkus.
The Melvins ended their energy-fueled, seventeen-song setlist by taking fans all the way back to the beginning with “Eye Flys” from their debut album Gluey Porch Treatments. Drummer Dale Crover’s elbows were moving at seemingly lightning speed, reminding everyone why he was worthy of a shout out during Nirvana’s 2014 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction.
As the crescendo of the last notes of the night filled the room, shook the ground, and flooded the ears of each fortunate audience member, Crover stood up and dropped his drumsticks to a crowd of sated fans who uproariously applauded. Drenched with sweat and playing with the same amount of gusto as the first moment they set foot on stage, it was evident that the Melvins have the masterful talent of a band that has been around for 34 years and the ambition to put on a show for their fans like a band that is just up and coming.
Los Angeles, CA —Hollywood Undead’s highly-anticipated new single, “Gotta Let Go,” is out today! The summery tune exposes a more melodic side of the band and showcases their impressive songwriting chops. By stripping things down to their core, the quintet unveils a new side of themselves, while still remaining uniquely Undead. Fans can listen HERE and stream and purchase the track HERE.
“At times when we look at the past, we only see the struggles and the hardships. We too often forget about the good moments because we are blinded by the pain we all go through. This song is about letting go of that pain, so we can see that life can be a beautiful experience,” says Johnny 3 Tears, Hollywood Undead’s vocalist and bass guitarist.
Since the release of FIVE (October 2017 via Dove & Grenade Media/BMG), Hollywood Undead have crossed an impressive one billion U.S. streams across their catalog, as well as 1.7 million total Shazams. In addition to debuting at #7 on the Billboard Top Albums Chart, FIVE has also racked up 56 million total global streams, and all six music videos from the record have garnered 30 million views cumulatively. Watch them here:
Set to Play Rock am Ring, Rock im Park, and Reading & Leeds Festivals
After touring tirelessly worldwide throughout the past year, Hollywood Undead will head back out on the road this weekend, playing Rock AM Ring and Rock IM Park in Nuremberg, Germany, followed by a run of headline dates and festival performances across Europe and the U.S. In August, the band will also return to Europe for the Reading & Leeds Festivals in the U.K. A full list of tour dates is included below, and tickets are available HERE.
Stay tuned for more new music from Hollywood Undead!
Hollywood Undead Tour Dates:
6/01 – Nuremberg, Germany @ Rock AM Ring
6/02 – Nuremberg, Germany @ Rock IM Park
6/04 – Krakow, Poland @ Klub Studio #
6/06 – Tallinn, Estonia @ Venue TBA #
6/07 – Riga, Latvia @ Palladium #
6/08 – Hyvinkaa, Finland @ Rockfest
6/10 – Gdansk, Poland @ Stary Manez #
6/12 – Warsaw, Poland @ Torwar #
6/14 – Nickelsdorf, Austria @ Novarock Festival
6/16 – Bretigny Sur Orge, France @ Download France
Hell Average are a pop punk band from Perth, Western Australia.
Having recently won a local battle of the bands against other established Perth acts, Hell Average have used the prize money to record their new single “Cold Day In Hell”. The song will be available online Friday, June 1st.
The song is hard hitting and honest, influenced by bands such as Green Day and With Confidence.
Hell Average will be celebrating the release with a launch show at The Boston, Northbridge on Saturday, June 2nd.
American Singer/Song-writer Joe Settineri has released the official music video for his impassioned pop single “Hello Goodbye.” Originally premiered on Paste Magazine, “Hello Goodbye” was written in collaboration with platinum Nashville-based producer Mike Krompass (Smash Mouth, Nellie Furtado).
“Love lost, regret, and the power of saying, “goodbye.” Moving on, though is rarely that simple. Our love lives are tangles of good and bad – pushing and pulling – never wanting to let go, yet, needing to break free. Searching for that allusive feeling of ‘true’ happiness. Did we give up too soon? Will we ever know? Why can’t we forget? Does clarity ever present itself? This song emotively asks these questions and explores the purposeful intention to move on and the confusing, often conflicting emotions that come with it.
I said goodbye, but why can’t I forget?”
Searching for clarity — finding a new path – is never easy.” – Joe Settineri
“Clarity is never an easy path when it comes to this emotion called love, however, what Joe Settineri brings is his ardent musical talents as he carries his lyrics of rich passion simply and understandably. Joe’s vocals and the embracing notes from his piano show his arrival time is welcomed in the world of pop music while the video imagery is the perfect compliment to the heart of “Hello Goodbye.” Simply put, Joe Settineri’s music delivers the power to believe in love again.” – Paste Magazine
“… American singer-songwriter Joe Settineri has a habit of writing love songs, but just listen to his music and you’ll understand why … and understand the power of Joe Settineri.”
Originally from the mid-west, Los Angeles based singer songwriter Joe Settineri was a late bloomer. After the music world wooed him away from a finance career, and years spent being one of a handful of go-to singers in Los Angeles, Settineri established himself as an exceptional singer-songwriter in 2009 with his widely praised first studio album, STAY (LML Records). His second full studio album, BEYOND YOUR CONTROL, was released 2014 and followed up by his most recent EP, BE THE ONE in 2017.
Joe’s newest singles, “HELLO GOODBYE,” “BATMAN CRIES,” and “OXYGEN,” all collaborations with multi-platinum Nashville-based producer Mike Krompass (Smash Mouth, Nellie Furtado), are slated for release in summer 2018.
Joe lives in Los Angeles with his husband and two children.
PHOENIX — Anyone with nostalgia for the 90s would have been in seventh heaven Saturday night at The Van Buren as they hosted Club 90’s “Spice Girls Night”. Everywhere you looked, clubbers were decked out in their favorite Spice Girls attire. Girls rocking the signature Baby Spice pigtails could be seen laughing over cocktails, with their less formally dressed Sporty Spice counterparts, while a six foot tall male Scary Spice walked the event with his elegantly dressed Posh Spice girlfriend at his side. The air buzzed with the excitement of everyone ready to get inside and party like it was once again 1999.
If you were lucky enough to be one of the first 400 attendees, you got your choice of a pin featuring one of the fabulous five from the “Say You’ll Be There” music video, and this was just the first of many opportunities to show love for your favorite girl. A photo booth sat just outside the auditorium, giving hyped fans the chance to pose with different props and cutouts. There were “Team” signs for each girl, and fun accessories that jazzed up the photos, which printed out on a free photo strip — a unique gift for the partiers to take with them.
There was even a Spice Girls costume contest that commenced throughout the night, giving everyone the chance to vote for their favorite look alike. The competition was tough however, as there were so many groups that made a valiant effort to look just like them. Some even took on their personalities as well, talking in accents to one another and striking their signature poses for photos.
Onstage, DJ Jeffery could be seen amongst multicolored strobe lights and smoke, spinning anything from 90s to early 2000s pop, R&B, rock, and hip hop. In addition to the Spice Girls, DJ Jeffery played a great selection pop-favorites such as: Ace of Base, Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Janet Jackson, Dream, A-Teens, Vengaboys, B*witched, Eifle 65, Destiny’s Child, and Sisqo – which turned the crowd amusingly raunchy like clockwork. Incorporating hit songs from other genres during that era, Shania Twain, blink-182, and Evanescence were also in rotation, and each new song was met with an uproar of cheers and arms carelessly thrown in the air as the DJ kept the party going.
The electrified dance floor was packed from start to finish as the diverse crowd danced the night away to some of their old favorites, creating a beautiful sense of unity. DJ Jeffery was into it just as much as the crowd on the dance floor, jumping up and down while occasionally chanting the lyrics, as the music videos flashed across a large screen — which really pumped up the fans.
He even took a minute between songs to engage the crowd in a cheer-based vote on which Spice Girl was the favorite. To no one’s surprise really, the winner was Posh (Victoria Beckham).
It was clear from the start that this night was special to anyone who attended it. Those that weren’t old enough to go out clubbing when this music was new were finally able to go wild to it as adults. It was a chance to relive that era alongside others who loved it just as much made it more than just a dance party. Complete strangers feverishly danced alongside each other to the nonstop beats, mouthing the well-ingrained lyrics to one another, and the energy level continued to soar as the night went on. Spice Girls Night brought generations and a unique fanbase together to commemorate the greatness that was 90s pop music and arguably the greatest girl group of all time.
Today, critically acclaimed singer/songwriter and BMG’s latest signing, Greg Holden, is excited to share his new single, “On The Run,” his first release in three years.
The track was produced by the iconic Butch Walker (Katy Perry, Panic! At The Disco, Weezer) and serves as a follow up to his third full-length studio album, Chase the Sun (2015). “On The Run” is an uplifting, stadium-ready anthem complete with catchy, summery hooks that perfectly mesh with Holden’s strong, heartfelt vocals. The song is available to stream and purchase HERE.
“ ‘On The Run’ is one of a few songs that was bouncing around in my head when it came to the question of what to lead with after three years on the dark side of the moon,” says Holden. “Ultimately, this song felt like the most authentic, whilst at the same time not being so typically subject heavy that I would scare my listeners away. I’ll save that for the second single…”
“ ‘On The Run’ is an apology, obviously. But it’s an apology to a number of people, for a number of things,” he adds. “For years I’ve been on the road, either emotionally or physically absent, and at times probably a nightmare for partners, friends, and family. I wanted to write something that in a way, said sorry for all that. A way to relinquish some of the guilt perhaps. I recorded it last winter with Butch Walker, along with some incredibly talented friends. It took a morning, it was a blast, and then we were done. It feels right to lead with this one as it came out so naturally.”
The Scottish-born, English-raised musician has garnered recognition as an independent artist for the past several years and is best known for writing Phillip Phillips’ hit single, “Home,” which sold over five million copies in the U.S. and earned him an ASCAP Pop Award. He’s also earned praise from industry staples such as Cher, Josh Groban, Sara Bareilles, Michael Bublé, Zane Lowe, TIME, NPR, and more.
Despite his early accolades, Holden has not taken his success for granted and has worked tirelessly to establish his profile as a socially conscious artist. Standout track, “The Lost Boy” (from his sophomore album, I Don’t Believe You [2012]), inspired by a Dave Eggers’ novel about a Sudanese refugee, raised over $50,000 for the Red Cross. His hit single from Chase the Sun,“Boys In The Street,” an acceptance anthem that discusses a gay son’s strained relationship with his father, directly benefited LGBTQ youth by raising money for the Everyone Is Gay organization. It’s an emotional, poignant song that Tom Hanks called “perfect.”
This summer, Holden will head back out on tour, headlining shows across Europe including notable stops in Amsterdam, Berlin, and Munich. All tickets can be purchased HERE, and a full list of shows can be found below.
“Rare is a singer-songwriter who can actually touch the lives of another person with raw, emotional lyrical poetry.” –Nylon
“Soaring, purpose-filled songs that carry real emotional weight.” –BuzzFeed
“Holden’s clear vocals give an even greater weight to his expressive lyrics when the songs are performed live.” –Paste
Greg Holden Tour Dates
July 18th – Hamburg, DE @ Nochtspeicher
July 20th – Frankfurt, DE @ Venue TBA
July 21st – Cologne, DE @ The Nomad Music Festival
July 24th – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso
July 25th – Hannover, DE @ Faust
July 26th – Berlin, DE @ Frannz
July 27th – Munich, DE @ Zehner Club
July 28th – Tettnang, DE @ Schlossgarten Open Air #
The Faim’s new single, “Summer Is A Curse,” is out today!
Los Angeles, CA — The track was co-written with 5 Seconds of Summer’s Ashton Irwin and follows the massive debuts of the quartet’s previous releases, “Saints Of The Sinners” and “Midland Line.” All of the band’s songs were produced with the legendary John Feldmann (blink-182, All Time Low, Good Charlotte) and have racked up support from VEVO, BBC Radio 1’s Dan P Carter, KERRANG!, Rock Sound, Alternative Press, and more. Stream and purchase “Summer Is A Curse” HERE.
According to The Faim, “ ‘Summer Is a Curse’ is about taking the leap into a make or break situation that could grow into the beginning of a new era, or cause the end of what could’ve been. It’s about the paths that we take, the dreams that we have, and the things we leave behind to reach them.”
Touring with PVRIS, PVMNTS, and The Dangerous Summer— Confirmed to Play Slam Dunk and Reading & Leeds Festivals
The Aussie pop-rock quartet kicked off 2018 with extensive global touring, supporting Lower Than Atlantis in the UK and Sleeping With Sirens in Australia and New Zealand. The Faim is showing no signs of slowing down and will kick off a run of dates with PVMNTS on Monday, May 21st at The Dome in London. The guys will also support The Dangerous Summer in Germany and PVRIS in Australia in June, as well as play their first sold out headline show at The Anvil in Bournemouth on Thursday, May 31st. The band will also hit the festival circuit this summer, playing Great Escape, Slam Dunk, Camden Rocks, Download, and Reading & Leeds. All tickets can be purchased HERE, and a full list of shows can be found below.
During the recording process of their debut album, The Faim have teamed up with some of the scene’s biggest luminaries, including Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz, Twenty One Pilots’ Josh Dun, and blink-182’s Mark Hoppus. Fans can expect more music later this year, and stay tuned for additional exciting news!
“Putting songs together with the likes of Pete Wentz, Josh Dun and Mark Hoppus, these guys could become one of the biggest new names in rock this year.”–Rock Sound
The Faim Tour Dates:
May 19th – Brighton, UK @ Great Escape Festival
May 21st – London, UK @ The Dome #
May 22nd – Leeds, UK @ Key Club #
May 23rd – Manchester, UK @ Night People #
May 24th – Cardiff, UK @ Clwb Ifor Bach #
May 25th – Glasgow, UK @ Stereo %
May 26th – Leeds, UK @ Slam Dunk Festival North
May 27th – Hatfield, UK @ Slam Dunk Festival South
May 28th – Birmingham, UK @ Slam Dunk Festival Midlands
May 30th – Milton Keynes, UK @ The Craufurd Arms %
May 31st – Bournemouth, UK @ The Anvil % [SOLD OUT]
PHOENIX— It was a Sunday night that just so happened to be Mother’s Day, but they still came out in droves to see Tech N9ne and his cast of labelmates at The Van Buren in Phoenix. Rapper Aaron Dontez Yates, a.k.a. Tech N9ne, brought his semi-automatic speed rhymes to the house in support of the 2018 release Planet. The album was just released in March and instantly shot to number one on the independent album chart. This was spurred by the charting single and video for “Don’t Nobody Want None”, a solid track with beat boy throwbacks to analog synths lifted from Hashim – Al-Naafiysh (The Soul), scratching, and breakdancing in the video. This concert was a four-hour marathon and it was high energy from eight to midnight… and that’s probably when the after-party was just getting started because they showed no signs of slowing down.
The “Planet Tour 2018” is a family affair with artists on the roster of the Yate’s Strange Music record label including Joey Cool, Mackenzie Nicole, and of course Krizz Kaliko, along with a few friends of the family with King ISO and Just Juice. Phoenix was the 24th stop on this 60-city tour and it was a sold-out show with standing room only.
King ISO and King Kash
The show opened with King ISO and King Kash sporting orange prison jumpsuits, wrist shackles, and sacks over their heads. Then it was 100-mile-per-hour rhymes for twenty minutes culminating in their signature “1s in the air for Mental Health and Suicide awareness”. Showing true fan appreciation, each act took time at the merchandise booth to meet and greet the fans and sign anything from t-shirts to body parts during the break.
Joey Cool
Next up was Joey Cool, just signed to Strange Music last October and supporting his debut self-titled album. He and Yates both hail from Kansas City and collaborated on “Life Sentences” from the Special Effects album. Tonight Joey was joined on stage by DJ Tiberias who played the only instrument all night when he picked up the bass for the new single “Under Pressure”.
Mackenzie Nicole
In the three-hole was Mackenzie Nicole introducing songs from her new album The Edge on Strange Music. Nicole’s set was a refreshing break from the angst and monotonous beats of the opening rap acts and introduced melodic pop music to the crowd. The expectation was that the Tech N9ne crowd would boo a Taylor Swift-inspired artist singing to tracks and syncopated video, but the crowd adored her and she seemed genuinely surprised at the enthusiastic response from Phoenix. She later told Burning Hot Events, “I loved this Phoenix crowd, this was the best show yet!” Although the music seemed a little out of place for this concert, Mackenzie Nicole has a great signature voice and the songs were instantly familiar.
Just Juice
Another break. On the stage are two larger-than-life video screens flashing the winged snake logo of Strange Music. Expectations are high for internet sensation Just Juice, but instead, we are greeted by his unknown MC sidekick. So sure he was a comedian doing his schtick, but he did get the crowd fired up with an overused countdown dance for a crowd yell. Finally, Just Juice appears in a white jacket and his trademark bucket hat. Props to his mic skills and lyrical tirades, but the banter between songs about his doubters and haters in high school got old. He’s young and shows lots of potential, and it was awesome that Tech N9ne gave him the opportunity to be on this tour, but his set was uninspiring. The audience, on the other hand, were on their feet and connecting and gave him a warm Phoenix welcome.
There was ample time to buy t-shirts and swag, down some cold beer, and from the smells in the air there may have been some medical marijuana patients in the audience getting prepared for the main event. The intermission mixtape was filled with favorites that had everyone rapping in place and getting amped.
Tech N9ne
Eventually, the groundswell culminated as the lights went down and the “Klusterfuk” mixtape heralded the coming of The G. Two 12-foot screens flash with the beat and an 8-foot crystal ball glows purple from within with the blood-red winged serpent logo locking in that brand identity. The video to the right explodes with Yates as ‘The King’ adorned in brown medieval robes in a deserted misty forest. On the left screen, he is ‘The Clown’ and wearing all white and donning the skull cap touting the “A” for anarchy. Fans scream as the crystal ball turns to reveal ‘The G’ dressed in all red except for the white jersey number, and obviously, that number is “9”.
“What the fuck’s up Phoenix!?,” he shouts, “I…am…what? Fresh out of fucks!” It was on. This was what everyone came for. This is really when the SHOW started. One-hundred mile-per-hour chopper style flowing with his hand in the air and each finger typing the lyrics into the sky. The Clown and The King are the on-screen backup singers for The G and this power trio continues to entertain with “Comfortable” and “No Reason (The Mosh Pit Song).”
Just when it seems like we’ve reached the pinnacle of excitement, Krizz Kaliko hits the stage and takes it up another notch, prancing back and forth like a caged panther. The virtual trio becomes a quartet as they launch into “Riotmaker”, “Dysfunctional”, and “Einstein.” The G takes a knee and lets out a primal scream to end the song while explosive smoke cannons erupt. He gets to his feet and shouts, “Happy Mother’s Day, Mom I love ya” and he exits the stage.
Then it was Kaliko’s turn to take center stage to hammer out “Anxiety.” He was also dressed in all red except for his white spider logo on the front of his jacket and a white towel that he waved around like a magic wand. As the song faded, he exited the stage. Eerie music played and a chant began: “long live the clown.” There was an explosion on the left video screen and the clown was gone, replaced by a twerking dancer in lingerie and a medical gown.
Symbolically jumping from the screen, Yates reappears donning the clown mask and the white uniform. We were in Clown Town now and the set includes “Tormented”, “URALYA”, “Straight Out The Gate”, and “Starting To Turn” (note, this one was awesome), “So Dope (They Wanna)”, and then he dedicated the show to his mother and shot into “Blackened the Sun”.
Kaliko was back on stage and did a dope medley of songs that included homages to Hall & Oats “I Can’t Go For That”, to “Rock Me Amadeus”, and host of song snippets that kept everyone entranced. Krizz Kaliko can obviously rap, but his singing voice was even more impressive and he was leaving it all out on the stage. The twerker on the left screen had gone away and The King was replaced on the right screen with another twerker wearing very little medieval garb in front of a throne made of dead wood.
A choir of angels heralded the coming of The King. Yates dressed in his priestly robes and gave a schooling demonstration of speed and enunciation that is unrivaled. This set included “Sriracha”, “He’s A Mental Giant”, “Worldwide Choppers”, and wrapped up with “Speedom (WW2)” that featured Kaliko and Eminem on the Special Effects CD.
The last act of the show was aptly titled “House of Hits” and Yates returned to the stage in all black and admitted that they’d been ‘sippin’ all day and they’d be sippin’ all night.’ The feel of the show transformed from “why so serious” to “let’s get delirious” and all of the opening acts took turns collaborating. King ISO rocked “Bad Juju” and Mackenzie Nicole brought vocal prowess to “One More”. The party was in full swing, both the audience and performers were showing signs of being under the influence, and what better time to break into “Caribou Lou”; the song that inspired the Tech N9ne craft beer “Bou Lou”!
The song selections covered the entire Tech N9ne career, which led us to 2018 and to the song that’s ignited the interest of the newcomer fans, “Don’t Nobody Want None”. He was out of breath as any normal human being would be at the end of a four-hour show, but it wasn’t over yet. There was some drinking on stage and the full cast of characters came out for the finale of “Hood Go Crazy” and the last rites of the 14-second “Stamina” from the Anghellic CD. What an awesome way to end the show as everyone on stage recites the final words, “Tech N9ne”!
One last shout out to this crew for being genuine and for respecting the fans. They had been doing these long nights since the beginning of the tour for the past two weeks, and they still took time at the end of the show to meet and greet everybody at the merchandise booth… not just the elite VIP, but every fan. That’s cool, and it makes them even more appreciated. Phoenix may have been just another stop on Tech N9ne’s tour across the planet, but he showed that he genuinely cared about the fans in this town and that will be remembered for a long time to come.
