Photos of Jane N’ The Jungle’s “Shake Me Out” music video premiere and performance at Shady Park in Tempe, Arizona
on May 28, 2016.
Photography by Katherine Vega, © Kataklizmic Design
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NO STEALING
Check out our review of Jane N’ The Jungle’s new “Shake Me Out” music video, and watch the video here!
REVIEW: Jane N’ The Jungle ‘Shakes Out’ New Video
PHOENIX — The Rocket Summer has an intense fan base. They love frontman Bryce Avary, and nowhere was that more evident than at The Rebel Lounge on Tuesday, May 10, when the indie rock headliner played there as part of their Zoetic tour.
Opening for The Rocket Summer, local band
The Foxies got the crowd warmed up for the show with some indie-pop beats and melodies. Their undeniably charismatic lead vocalist, Julia Lauren, invited the audience to dance with her, and by the third song in their set, she had everyone at the front of the house moving. Like any good opening act, The Foxies left concert-goers excited and ready for more.
Arriving on the stage to the sound of screams and applause, The Rocket Summer opened the show with “So in This Hour” from the 2007 album Do You Feel, with Avary showing off his skills on the guitar while simultaneously singing the vocals. It was followed up with “Cold War” from Avary’s latest album Zoetic. Then he switched to playing the piano and singing “Of Men and Angels” from the 2010 album of the same title.
Known for his skill as an instrumentalist, Avary’s talent was evident all throughout the show. He frequently swapped instruments between songs, effortlessly transitioning from piano to drums back to guitar again. And the passion he poured into the performance made it easy to see why fans were so eager to swoon for him.
“Let’s celebrate the community that is The Rocket Summer,” Avary told fans, “You, us, all of us together.” For the entirety of the night, concert-goers were packed tightly around the stage of the intimate venue. They knew the words to the songs so well, that in some parts of the show, it was almost as if Avary was being backed by a choir.
When The Rocket Summer finished “Circa ‘46” and started playing “Same Air,” there was hardly a pause between songs. Avary played and sang with such ease and familiarity that one song simply transitioned into the next. Then for “Roses,” he waded into the crowd with a mic and guitar and performed from the center of the audience. Avary interacted with concert-goers all throughout the night and surprised and delighted fans when, during “Brat Pack,” confetti exploded out above the crowd.
“This is pretty freakin’ rad for a Tuesday night,” Avary said in response to the high level of energy and engagement in the room. “I’ve played a lot of places around Phoenix,” he continued, giving a nod to all of the local venues of his past performances—including some that have long since closed. He also joked about playing when it was “impossibly hot” outside. “God bless you people,” he said before playing “FL, CA” and changing the lyrics to, “Arizona, you’re an earthquake.”
A lot of Avary’s music is about a message of hope and positivity, but the soulfulness with which he performed and his affection for his fans made it all the more genuine. “Even when you’re alone, you’re not alone,” he told concert-goers before playing “Walls.” Holding one long note, he elicited more applause and cheers from the audience. “Let’s make this epic!” he said, as he was rejoined by the choir of his fans.
After leaving the stage and then coming back out for an encore performance, Avary left it up to the audience. “What do you guys want to hear?” he asked the crowd. With so much enthusiasm from concert-goers fueling his already energetic performance, Avary proceeded to play nearly an entire second set, including “Hills and Valleys,” “Around the Clock,” “200,000,” “Never Knew,” “Cross My Heart,” and “Revival.” He even covered “Hanginaround” by the Counting Crows just to change things up a bit. “I like to play my own songs, but sometimes it’s fun to jam to other things,” he smiled.
“There’s something about Phoenix that brings out all the good stuff,” Avary told fans. He then played “So Much Love,” while, at one point, he hung from the rafters of the building’s low ceiling. “Thank you for being a part of this. You’re just as much a part of this as we are,” he said afterward.
When The Rocket Summer finally closed with “You Are, You Are,” Avary didn’t just sing it for the audience, he sang it to them.
PHOTO ALBUM by Katherine Vega
Photography © Katherine Amy Vega, Kataklizmic Design
All Rights Reserved.
TEMPE, Ariz. — Lacuna Coil played at the Marquee Theatre Monday, May 9, as the third stop on their Delirium tour. The Italian metal band from Milan was preceded by Painted Wives, 9Electric, and label-mate Butcher Babies, who gave an over-the-top performance that left concert-goers in a frenzy before Lacuna Coil took the stage.
Finally, the introduction to “Nothing Stands in Our Way,” a track from Broken Crown Halo (2014), foreshadowed the headliner’s imminent appearance. And like true (Gothic) rock stars, the members of Lacuna Coil stepped out of the wings in their best psych ward escapee couture to screams and cheers.
Without a word and without missing a beat they launched into the song and followed it up with “Die & Rise” from the same album and “Kill the Light” from Dark Adrenaline (2012). After indulging fans for the first three songs, vocalist Cristina Scabbia addressed the audience for the first time. “This one is for everyone who tries to make this world a better place,” she said before playing “Victims.”
The show included a good mix of the group’s older and newer songs, like “Spellbound” from their 2009 album Shallow Life. After “Spellbound,” they announced their new album, Delirium, which drops on May 27, and played the newly released track, “The House of Shame.” That’s when Scabbia demonstrated why she has been called one of the most influential women in metal. Her voice dominated the room into silent awe at the song’s climax. After that they returned to another classic, “Heaven’s a Lie,” from their 2002 breakout album, Comalies.
After playing “To the Edge” from Karmacode (2006), vocalist Andrea Ferro admitted that the group was a bit jet-lagged after their recent return from Asia, though you wouldn’t have known it from their performance. “This is such a great welcome back to the United States,” Ferrero told fans. That’s when Scabbia introduced the band’s new guitarist, Diego Cavallotti.
“We’d like to introduce you to Diego, who joined us and is family now,” Scabbia announced warmly. Cavallotti replaced the group’s former guitarist, Marco “Maus” Biazzi, after it was revealed in January that he would be leaving the group. Biazzi played with Lacuna Coil for more than 17 years before retiring to pursue other projects.
Although the core members–Scabbia, Ferrero, and bassist Marco Coti Zelati–are still together, Lacuna Coil also saw the loss of guitarist Cristiano “Pizza” Migliore and drummer Cristiano “CriZ” Mozzati when, tired of touring, the two decided to retire from the group in 2014. Since then, Ryan Folden has joined as the group’s drummer.
Nevertheless, Lacuna Coil delivered a seamless performance, with nothing to evidence Cavallotti and Folden hadn’t been part of the band all along. Other songs in the night’s setlist included “Upsidedown”, “Swamped,” “Fire,” “Cybersleep” and “Delirium” from the group’s forthcoming release.
Toward the end of the show, Scabbia and Ferrero wanted concert-goers to sing along with them to one more song. “Have you heard of Depeche Mode?” Scabbia asked. “I’m totally sure you will know this one,” she promised before they played their popular cover of “Enjoy the Silence” with concert-goers singing along. Then, midway through the song, Scabbia enticed the audience to do better. “That was very good, but I’m sure we can sing louder!” she taunted to enthusiastic response.
Before their encore performance, Scabbia made a quick costume change into a short white dress with “DELIRIUM,” “LEAVE ME ALONE” and “TAKE ME HOME NOW” scrawled across the front in large, black print, in keeping with their psych ward theme. For the encore, they played “Trip the Darkness,” followed by “Zombies,” and “Our Truth.”
“It’s been an honor and a privilege to perform for you here tonight,” Scabbia told concert-goers at the conclusion of the show and let fans know the band would be signing autographs at the merchandise booth. With no word on when the European metal group might return to Arizona, a line formed in front of the booth almost immediately, full of fans anxious for one last encounter with Lacuna Coil.
Photographer: Katherine Amy Vega
Photography © Katherine Amy Vega, Kataklizmic Design
All Rights Reserved.
TEMPE, Ariz. — Butcher Babies wouldn’t have been an easy act for anyone to follow Monday night. The heavy metal band from Los Angeles was the final opener for Lacuna Coil, taking the stage right after 9Electric at the Marquee Theatre. And if synchronized hair tossing and head banging were an Olympic sport, frontwomen Heidi Shepherd and Carla Harvey would have taken the gold.
Butcher Babies’ set was short but memorable, especially when, at one point, Shepherd decided that security would help them play a game with concert-goers. “You ready to catch some bodies?” she asked before announcing that during the next song she wanted to see how many high-fives they could collect from fans crowd-surfing to the front of the stage. And they received a lot more high-fives than one might expect from the modest number of concert-goers that attended the show.
Watching Butcher Babies play to a crowd is akin to watching parents dropping their kids off with two favorite aunts who then spend the weekend spoiling their nieces and nephews—deliberately getting them wound up and hyped full of sugar before letting them return home to terrorize their parents. By the time they demanded concert-goers start a circle pit in front of the stage, the audience was already wild with adrenaline and excitement.
The band itself was a sight to behold on the stage. They brought an immense amount of energy and enthusiasm to the show, every member dancing and head banging in time with the music. Harvey was even seen cartwheeling mid-song. And crowd participation wasn’t just an option, it was a requirement.
“We absolutely will not start this song without you… I want them to hear us in Utah!” Shepherd shouted. “Let me hear you scream!” she roared as they launched into “Magnolia Blvd.” from their self-titled album.
Toward the end of their set, while singing, Shepherd made her way down from the stage into the center of the circle pit with a member of the security staff shining a flashlight on her as a makeshift spotlight. She then finished the song from the center of the pit while the moshers flung themselves about recklessly around her. Lacuna Coil couldn’t have asked for a better opening act.
Butcher Babies will play with Painted Wives, 9Electric, and label-mate Lacuna Coil during the first leg of their North American tour to promote Lacuna Coil’s upcoming album, “Delirium”, which hits record stores on May 27.
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega
Photography by Katherine Vega, © Kataklizmic Design
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
When 9Electric took the stage at the Marquee Theatre Monday night, the crowd gathered before them was a small one. Most of the concert-goers were at the back of the house buying drinks at the bar or socializing on the patio. But it wouldn’t stay that way for long.
9Electric along with Painted Wives and Butcher Babies opened for Lacuna Coil as part of the first leg of their North American tour to promote Lacuna Coil’s upcoming album, “Delirium”, which hits record stores on May 27.
Opening with lyrics like “Let’s start a fire. Let’s burn it down,” from “New God”—a track off 9Electric’s forthcoming album—and filling the room with smoke and laser light, it wasn’t hard to tell what kind of show it would be. Between the songs “New God” and “Time Bomb,” the audience began to grow as the electronic metal beats lured concert-goers back to the stage.
Lead vocalist Ron “Thunderwood” didn’t waste any time. From the first song to the last, he continually engaged with fans from stage right to stage left to right behind the barricades. He brought a staggering amount of energy to the show, but what was truly impressive was that he had the stamina to keep it up for the entire performance.
During “The Damaged Ones,” another song from their upcoming album of the same title, Thunderwood got up on top of the barricades in front of the stage. “I want to see you move!” he shouted to the growing audience. And by the time they started playing “Beautiful,” people were moving to bass beats so hard, it felt like it could make someone’s heart explode.
“You ready to go ape shit?” Thunderwood asked the crowd. “This one’s about people who are full of shit,” Thunderwood told concert-goers before playing “Lies”. Afterward, he announced that their first full-length album would be released in July. “So fuckin’ buy it or get fucked!” Thunderwood said with an unapologetic smile.
Although 9Electric hails from Los Angeles, Thunderwood himself is a Phoenix native. Before singing “Beautiful” for his hometown audience, Thunderwood, who had periodically been standing on a platform at the center front of the stage for better visibility, joked that the height difference between him and their towering bass player, CaseyDC, was an “optical illusion.”
The group’s setlist included “Goodbye,” “More More,” and “Naked.” By the time they finished “Naked,” drummer Micah Electric was shirtless, and they were playing to a much bigger audience. “It’s like they know we’re here now,” Thunderwood said to CaseyDC, both of them laughing. “Yeah, we’re doing something right… Let’s end this one on a high note!”
For their finale, 9Electric covered AC/DC’s “Dirty Deeds,” lending their unique electronic rock sound to an old classic. Nearly everyone in the room sang along as Thunderwood made his way from one end of the stage barricades to the other, exchanging fist-bumps and high-fives with concert-goers along the way.
After the show, Thunderwood, CaseyDC, Micah Electric, and guitarist Mikey Lopez all took time to talk to fans, sign merchandise and pose for selfies. If 9Electric returns to Phoenix to promote “The Damaged Ones,” they may find a whole new clutch of fans waiting for them.
PHOTO ALBUM by Katherine Vega
Photography by Katherine Vega, © Kataklizmic Design
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. (THAT MEANS NO STEALING)
TEMPE, AZ — Violent Femmes packed the Marquee Theatre in Tempe on Tuesday, May 3, as part of their tour to promote their latest album, “We Can Do Anything”. The punk-rock headliner of over 35 years drew a more mature crowd that evening, with fans eschewing sleep on a weeknight for the chance to see Violent Femmes live. They wasted no time in giving concert-goers exactly what they wanted and opened with their biggest hit, “Blister in the Sun,” from their self-titled 1983 album, then went right into “Kiss Off.” It was clear from the start that fans were in for a great show when bassist Brian Ritchie was already rocking out to a bass guitar solo by the second song.
After sating the audience with two of their most well-known hits, Violent Femmes played “Memory” from their new album. At the song’s conclusion, lead vocalist and guitarist Gordon Gano finally addressed concert-goers, “Here’s another one that sounds just the same, but with different words and chords and melodies,” he said jokingly before launching into “Big Car,” another song from their new album, after which, Ritchie announced to excited fans that it was the first time they had played the song live.
The release of “We Can Do Anything” in March of this year was a special treat for Violent Femmes fans. It was the band’s first new album in 16 years. Amid a variety of conflicts between Gano and Ritchie, the group disbanded in 2009 due to a lawsuit Ritchie filed against Gano in 2007. It wasn’t until 2013 that Violent Femmes reunited to play at Coachella. According to an interview with Gano, it was that event that laid the foundation for the two musicians to put aside their differences in order to successfully record a new album.
The set list for Tuesday’s show artfully wove together new songs with old favorites. “Now we’ll do one we’ve played maybe 3,000 times,” Ritchie smiled before playing “Country Death Song,” another one of what he referred to as “murder story songs”. From there he announced that they would play another, more wholesome murder story song and kicked off “I Could Be Anything,” which tells the story of Bongo the dragon slayer. The set list also included, “Please Do Not Go,” “Good for/at Nothing,” “Issues,” “Good Feeling,” “Never Tell” and “Hallowed Ground.”
On the saxophone, Blaise Garza stole the show during “Love Love Love Love Love.” At the end of the song, Ritchie told concert-goers that Garza had been playing with them for 14 years. “Now he’s 27, so he’s been playing with us for half his life,” Ritchie added. Later, the group played “I Held Her in My Arms,” in which Garza delivered an incredible saxophone solo in tribute to the late Steve Mackay who played with the group early in their career.
© Kataklizmic Design
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Throughout the night, Garza played at least four different kinds of saxophones, including the impressively large contrabass for “Gone Daddy Gone”. But he wasn’t the only one in the spotlight. Gano and Ritchie were surrounded by a host of talent. While Gano rocked out with a fiddle during “Jesus Walking on the Water,” he was complemented by guitarist Jeff Hamilton on the mandolin. Drummer John Sparrow hammered out beats on a charcoal grill at one point. And during “Black Girls,” Sparrow delivered an impossibly long drum solo while Gano credited all of the players.
Violent Femmes closed the show with “American Music,” after which they came back out and played “Mirror Mirror (I See a Damsel)” and “Add It Up” for their encore set. The combination of nostalgic hits from past and new soon-to-be favorites made it a fun night for young and old alike. It was also impressive to see the plethora of instruments that made their way onto the stage. If future performances hold as much fun and nostalgia as Tuesday night, Violent Femmes can look forward to a successful comeback tour.
PHOTO ALBUM by Katherine Vega
Photography by Katherine Vega, © Kataklizmic Design
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. (THAT MEANS NO STEALING)
Phoenix, Ariz. – Jim Adkins, lead singer of Jimmy Eat World, returned home to Arizona last night, bringing his solo project super chill “dude-with-a-guitar” gig to Valley Bar. The show sold out at least a month in advance, which is no surprise considering the success of the band he fronts, the success of his recent European tour, and the special place he holds in the hearts of those in his hometown.
A refreshing deviation from the norm, the show unexpectedly opened with stand up from Anwar Newton instead of an opening band. Recruited by Adkins, he loosened up the crowd before it was going to “get emo”. Newton succeeded in garnering laughter from the audience with off-color humor about topics like self-righteous coworkers, a carjacker who couldn’t drive manual, separation of food and politics, and paying taxes versus giving blowjobs (in his opinion… there’s no question, BJs FTW). For those that came to see Adkins, this was an engaging act, and time passed quickly before Adkins took the stage. It was unique that, as the headliner, he was the second act of the night with more bands following.
As emotional as Adkins’ music is, he brought a very lighthearted, slightly goofy stage presence to Valley Bar. He was excited to be playing at Valley Bar for the first time! Despite 23 years in Jimmy Eat World, he is arguably the least pretentious major musician you could ever meet. Adkins effortlessly tapped into the vulnerable emotions of his music, while still interjecting his quirky sense of humor between songs. One moment he was singing heart-wrenching lyrics like, “Are we too damaged now to possibly connect?”, and the next, he was joking about learning Slayer songs to play upon request.
For the set, Adkins played songs from his “I Will Go” EP, as well as select J.E.W. songs and covers. Without falter, his vocals delivered exactly what you would expect from listening to his records, with the only noticeable difference being intentional changes to the melody for the performance. Adkins’ guitar is like an extension of himself, which lends itself to his ability to fully invest in the nuances of his vocal performance. He is a seasoned musician with the ability to genuinely connect with his adoring audience on the same level.
For some solo projects, such as Nate Ruess and The Band Romantic or Amanda Palmer and The Grand Theft Orchestra, the artist performs with a full live band. For Adkins’ solo endeavors, he may be only one man with an acoustic guitar on a big empty stage, but these humble, low-key vibes are exactly what he goes for.
In a 2015 interview, Adkins told Substream Magazine that, “…planning out an encore makes me feel like an asshole.” So it was unsurprising that when Adkins exited the stage, that was the end of his set. He loaded up his equipment himself afterward, which he joked is what rock ‘n roll really is. Some in the crowd were overheard asking, “Why is he carrying out his stuff himself?”
Jim Adkins is a totally normal guy who happens to be a world-famous musician, and Arizona is proud to call him our own.
PHOTO ALBUM by Katherine Vega
Photography by Katherine Vega, © Kataklizmic Design
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. (THAT MEANS NO STEALING)
Photos of Nate Ruess (fun., The Format) performing at ALT AZ 93.3’s FestivALT in downtown Phoenix, Arizona on April 23, 2016.
Photography by Katherine Vega, © Kataklizmic Design
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NO STEALING
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Photos of KONGOS performing at ALT AZ 93.3’s FestivALT in downtown Phoenix, Arizona on April 23, 2016.
Photography by Katherine Vega, © Kataklizmic Design
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NO STEALING
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Artist: Say Anything
Album: I Don’t Think It Is
Release Date: February 5, 2016
Like every Say Anything album, “I Don’t Think It Is” lays it’s cards on the table from the first note of the raucous intro “Give A Damn”, and sets the tone for a strong outing that is at once a return to form and a massive leap in sheer willingness to push their songs beyond any easily categorizable structure. Lyrically, the song showcases Max Bemis’ traditional vitriol toward both himself and his critics. However, the song structurally revolves around a much more lo-fi garage rock vibe than has ben shown in any previous Say Anything album. This burst of high energy post-punk stems directly from the influence of members from bands such as The Blood Brothers, At The Drive-In, and Mutemath; as they each provide their own unique take on the tried and true Say Anything formula. Since the release of “In Defense Of The Genre”, Say Anything as a band has evolved into a collective of sorts with Max Bemis at the helm. Whether through a slew of special guest features (“In Defense Of The Genre”) or a bold decision to release an album without any guitarist (“Hebrews”), Bemis’ creativity and unhinged passion always shine brightest when he surrounds himself with his peers and idols.
Perhaps the most impressive feat this album manages to pull off is a return to the bold sassiness, hilarity, and angst that characterized the early albums without coming across as an awkward old man trying to rekindle the sound of his youth. Above all, there is a refreshing burst of anger on this release that could only be created by an artist who simply does not give a damn what critics, fans, or anyone other than himself thinks about the songs he has crafted. Perhaps this mindset is what allowed for the much talked about collaboration with Kanye West wherein Bemis and West sat down and listened to one another’s at-the-time unreleased albums together and each other.
As with all things Say Anything, there really is no way to truly ever separate truth from facetiousness unless you were actually present for any of the events, but it is very difficult not to notice parallels between the two artists. “Goshua” in particular sounds like an indie B-Side of the “Yeezus” album, and is the moment the album became a masterpiece. “We’re divided by a wavering expression. And I drink too much to cut the tension. You think I live for attention? Man, look what I do for a pension.” is a verse that could have just as easily shown up during “Black Skinhead”, and shows a bravado noticeably missing from the previous two albums. Max Bemis is confronting his own creativity with every line and through doing so manages to save Say Anything by simply returning to what he does best, brutally and comedically self-deprecating his own shortcomings and successes. In short, Say Anything managed to succeed where “Life Of Pablo” fell short.
A surprise release full of bravado and grandeur that actually delivered on the self-congratulatory hype of it it’s creator.
Check out our review and photos of Say Anything’s concert!
REVIEW: Say Anything Brings It to Tempe 4-22-16
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