All posts by Debbie Malone

REVIEW: No Throw-Aways With Garbage at Marquee Theatre (10-7-18)

Tempe, AZ — On Sunday night, Garbage played at the Marquee Theatre as part of the “20 Years Paranoid” tour celebrating the 20th anniversary of the release of their Version 2.0 album. Opening for them was Rituals of Mine, a Los Angeles-based duo previously known as Sister Crayon.

At the start of the show, it wasn’t clear that Ritual of Mine’s self-described electronic/downtempo R&B sound would appeal to the packed house of late-to-middle-age Gen Xers. But as Terra Lopez sang “To Show You Violence,” the mood in the theater shifted from one of silent, reserved judgement to silent awe. Her indisputably powerful and clear voice resounded throughout the theatre to the applause of a crowd won over.

Rituals of Mine - Photo Credit: Rodrigo Izquierdo
Rituals of Mine |
Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

Rituals of Mine recently collaborated with Tricky and The Glitch Mob, and the duo is now working on their sophomore LP. They will also accompany Garbage throughout the entire U.S. anniversary tour. “This is a dream for us,” Lopez told the crowd. While Rituals of Mine isn’t a new act, the tour along with their recent collaborations could expose the group to a much wider audience.

Rituals of Mine - Photo Credit: Rodrigo Izquierdo
Terra Lopez (Vocalist), Rituals of Mine |
Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

It is a privilege to share our stage with them,” Garbage frontwoman Shirley Manson said later during the show, “cause not all musicians are good people, you know what I’m saying?

When Garbage finally took the stage, they opened with “Afterglow,” followed by “Deadwood,” and “Temptation Waits”. To the delight of the audience, Depeche Mode’s “Personal Jesus” was mixed in midway through “Wicked Ways.” By the time “Special” began to play, the crowd was fully amped.

Garbage - Photo Credit: Rodrigo Izquierdo
Garbage |
Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

This is an incredible surprise for us… We never ever know what we’re getting, and it is always extraordinary and it’s fun,” a breathless Shirley Manson told the screaming crowd. “We’re here to celebrate a record that was immensely influential for us as people. It took us all over the world.

Version 2.0, the band’s sophomore album released in 1998, was immensely successful, quickly gaining Platinum status in the U.S. and selling more than four million copies worldwide. It received two Grammy nominations, including “Album of the Year” and “Best Rock Album”. And in 1999, the single “Special,” was nominated for “Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal”.

Garbage has often credited Version 2.0 with solidifying their place in 90s rock music. In June, they reissued a special edition of the album that included 10 B-sides, several of which they played during their show at the Marquee, including “Lick the Pavement” and their cover of Big Star’s “Thirteen.” The group also has plans to record a new album for release in 2019.

One of Garbage’s last visits to the Valley was during a show at the Arizona State Fair to promote Strange Little Birds. Maybe it was the venue — the Veterans Memorial Coliseum has seen better days — or maybe it was just the changing state of affairs in the world at that time, but Manson seemed drained, world-weary and even a little sad. They delivered a powerful performance, but you couldn’t help leaving with the impression that maybe they weren’t coming back.  

By contrast, Garbage was more alive than ever on stage at the Marquee. Manson seemed to have a renewed energy and vigor that made you forget you were singing along to songs that are now 20 years old.

Garbage - Photo Credit: Rodrigo Izquierdo
Shirley Manson (Vocalist), Garbage |
Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

During “Push It,” nearly the entire front of the house was jumping up and down with Manson and screaming the chorus. The stage was backlit with playful rainbow hues for “When I Grow Up.” Then, at the end of “Can’t Seem to Make You Mine,” Manson joined Duke Erikson at the keyboard to play glissandos back and forth across the keys.

Despite what they will tell you, this is not a celebration of nostalgia,” Manson told concert-goers early in the evening. “It is a moment in which to collect you all in one space and feed off that mental energy that you just provided for us.

But there was something undeniably nostalgic about the sound clips from familiar old movies interspersed between each song. Before “Hammering in My Head,” a clip of Rutger Hauer’s iconic monologue from the final scene of Bladerunner played: “I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe. … All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die.” And before “Medication” they played a clip of HAL 9000 repeating: “Take a stress pill and think things over.”

Garbage - Photo Credit: Rodrigo Izquierdo
Shirley Manson (Vocalist), Garbage |
Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

Perhaps the most poignant messages of the night came after Garbage returned for their encore. “No life is very easy,” Manson told concertgoers. “Remember that today’s just a day. Tomorrow will be better. And if tomorrow isn’t better, maybe the day after that might be,” Manson said before dedicating “The Trick Is to Keep Breathing” to any fans who might be struggling.

They followed it with one of the band’s latest singles, “No Horses,” which Manson took some time to speak about.

We must focus on the things that are precious. Not the things that are of the most financial value, but the things that are truly truly precious that make our world beautiful, that make us want to live, that make us want to breath and thrive. And this is what this song is about, Manson said.

It is about the fact that we must never fuck up our planet and our beasts and our animals and the things that don’t make money and that, above all else, human beings are our biggest and most important resource.

Garbage - Photo Credit: Rodrigo Izquierdo
Shirley Manson (Vocalist), Garbage |
Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

Garbage closed the show on a high note with “Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go),” a song that Manson called their ode to the LGBQT community, which she has been a very vocal supporter of over the years.

It’s good to be free, and it’s good to be a nonconformist.
So this one goes out to you.

 

Photo Album

Photographer: Rodrigo Izquierdo

Garbage & Rituals of Mine – Marquee Theatre 10-7-18

Photography © Reagle Photography
All Rights Reserved

REVIEW: Blink-182 Goes ‘Overboard’ for Phoenix (9-24-16)

PHOENIX — With the word “FUCK” emblazoned in flames behind them, Blink-182 opened their set to a packed house at the Ak-Chin Pavilion on Saturday, Sept. 24. Despite steep ticket prices, the long-awaited return of the pop-punk headliner, along with openers All Time Low and A Day to Remember, brought fans out in droves. And they didn’t disappoint. Even after 24 years, Blink-182 was able to bring the same energy and bawdiness fans have come to expect.

Blink-182 - Photo Credit: Katherine Amy Vega
Mark Hoppus, Blink-182 © Kataklizmic Design
Photo Credit: Katherine Amy Vega

The set opened with “Feeling This” from Blink’s self-titled album, followed by “What’s My Age Again?” “Family Reunion” and “The Rock Show.” Finally, they gave the audience a taste of their new release, California, with the song “Cynical.”

Since hitting record stores in July, California has already topped the Billboard 200, making it Blink’s first number-one album since their 2001 success, Take Off Your Pants and Jacket. It was also their first album produced by John Feldmann whose past production work has included albums for Good Charlotte, The Used, All Time Low, and 5 Seconds of Summer.

However, what was perhaps most notable to long-time Blink fans was the absence of founding band member Tom DeLonge, who was replaced by Alkaline Trio lead vocalist and guitarist Matt Skiba at the start of 2015. The change came after DeLonge decided (for the second time in the band’s history) to take an indefinite hiatus from the group.

His announcement was a match in the powder keg of turmoil that had been brewing after DeLonge’s work with Angels & Airwaves and other projects were cited as the cause of long delays to recording a new Blink-182 album. But with Skiba in the band as a ready and willing partner, it looks like Blink-182 has finally put an end to the false starts and opened a new chapter.

Blink-182 - Photo Credit: Katherine Amy Vega
Matt Skiba, Blink-182 © Kataklizmic Design
Photo Credit: Katherine Amy Vega

If Phoenix fans had any reservations about Skiba, there was certainly no evidence of it Saturday night. During one of several “audience participation” segments, Mark Hoppus told concert-goers, “Oh Phoenix, you’re in for a fucking treat now. This is ‘Sing Along with Matt.'” He paused, looked back at the crowd sternly, then repeated more seriously, “I said, this is ‘Sing Along with Matt.'”

Without hesitation, the entire venue erupted into a cacophonous choir and joined Skiba in singing “Reckless Abandon.” Then after playing “Kings of the Weekend,” Hoppus and drummer Travis Barker jammed together for a moment to loud cheers and applause, clearly having a good time. “You’re welcome because that was me and Travis time right there,” Hoppus said.

Blink-182 - Photo Credit: Katherine Amy Vega
Travis Barker, Blink-182 © Kataklizmic Design
Photo Credit: Katherine Amy Vega

“We’re switching out the set a little bit tonight,” Hoppus announced at one point. “Just for you… Fuck all the other cities we’re going to,” he joked. Then during the part of the set when Blink would normally play “Not Now,” they gave concert-goers an unexpected treat and played “Man Overboard” instead. “Just for you, Phoenix!”

The show was rife with special effects, from fountain fireworks flowing from the rafters at the end of “Down,” to plumes of flames shooting up from the back of the stage during “Bored to Death.” During “Dumpweed,” several blow-up dolls were passed out to the audience and bounced around like beach balls. And later, the group turned off all the lights and played “Happy Holidays, You Bastard” to the light of thousands of mobile phones.

Blink-182 - Photo Credit: Katherine Amy Vega
Mark Hoppus, Blink-182 © Kataklizmic Design.
Photo Credit: Katherine Amy Vega

“You guys having fun? Not anymore. Not. Any. More. This next song is fucking sad,” Hoppus told concert-goers before playing “Stay Together for the Kids.” He joked that the song was so sad, it was practically emo, comparing it to what would result if Jimmy Eat World and The Used had a baby. He also dedicated “I Miss You” to all the ladies.

[Setlist]
#1 Feeling This
#2 What’s My Age Again?
#3 Family Reunion
#4 The Rock Show
#5 Cynical
#6 First Date
#7 Down
#8 I Miss You
#9 Bored to Death
#10 Built This Pool
#11 Dumpweed
#12 Stay Together for the Kids
#13 Reckless Abandon
#14 San Diego
#15 Man Overboard (replaced “Not Now” on printed setlist)
#16 Violence
#17 Kings of the Weekend
#18 Happy Holidays, You Bastard
#19 Dysentery Gary
#20 Los Angeles
-Encore-
#21 Carousel
#22 All the Small Things
#23 Brohemian Rhapsody
#24 Dammit

But it was Blink-182’s encore that really hit it out of the park. Skiba and Hoppus returned to the stage with neon pink and white guitars and played “Carousel” to more fireworks. They followed it up with “All the Small Things,” turning a kiss cam on the audience. Then they rounded it out with “Brohemian Rhapsody” and “Damnit,” which ended with thick plumes of confetti spewing from either side of the stage onto the audience. And even when everyone had cleared the stage, Hoppus still came back one more time and gave concert-goers a short drum-solo to wrap up a wild night.

 
PHOTO ALBUM
by Katherine Amy Vega

Blink-182 Ak-Chin Pavilion 9-24-16

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

REVIEW: No Rain Check for Marilyn Manson Show 8-20-16

PHOENIX — There’s nothing quite like seeing a show at an outdoor venue in the middle of Arizona’s monsoon season. Preceded by a torrential downpour and accompanying thunder and lightning, Marilyn Manson played at Ak-Chin Pavilion on Saturday, August 20, opening for headliner Slipknot.

The deluge started shortly after metalcore band Of Mice & Men took the stage to get the show rolling. Fans seated in the lawn area at the back of the venue probably weren’t expecting to need a towel, nor did they care. Front man Austin Carlile incited the crowd to cheers and shouts as the rain fell harder.

However, after Of Mice & Men finished their set, the show took a disappointing turn. An announcement came over the pavilion loudspeakers asking concert-goers to exit the venue and seek shelter. Due to the presence of rain and lightning, the show was being postponed until the storm passed. The announcement, unsurprisingly, was met with boos and fans chanting “Fuck that shit,” later changing their chants to “Rain or shine.”

It’s not surprising that concert-goers were disappointed. The show had already been postponed by more than a month due to Corey Taylor’s unexpected surgery after the Slipknot vocalist broke his neck without realizing it.

Many of the people in the back lawn left the venue or waited in their cars for the storm to pass. Others crowded into the walkways and stairways under the pavilion to take shelter. It wasn’t until just after 8 p.m. that the loudspeaker finally announced that the worst of the storm had passed and the show would go on. Fans filed back onto the lawn and into their seats in droves after waiting nearly one and a half hours for Manson’s set to begin.

With curtains up, “Bitch Better Have My Money” by Rihanna played over the speakers. Then when the curtains dropped, Manson was standing on the stage in a suit and tie, wearing his iconic gothic makeup. He opened the show with “Angel with the Scabbed Wings” from his 1996 album Antichrist Superstar.

Marilyn Manson - Photo Credit: Katherine Amy Vega
Marilyn Manson © Kataklizmic Design

“Technically, I may have caused that,” Manson joked about the rain. “You guys fucked with a fucking thunderstorm to be here. Thank you,” he said after playing “Disposable Teens.” “How many times does it rain in Phoenix? I’m just saying,” he continued. “Sometimes when you bring the sun, you get caught in the thunder.”

Marilyn Manson - Photo Credit: Katherine Amy Vega
Marilyn Manson © Kataklizmic Design

Manson followed up “Disposable Teens” with “No Reflection.” Then after joking that he was glad he was able to make the rain stop, he sang part of the chorus to David Bowie’s “Moonage Daydream.” Manson, who is an avid fan of Bowie’s music, wrote a touching tribute to the iconic singer songwriter for Rolling Stone after the announcement of Bowie’s death earlier this year.

Manson then sang “mOBSCENE” from his 2003 album The Golden Age of Grotesque, followed by “Cupid Carries a Gun” from his latest album, The Pale Emperor, singing the lyrics “pound me the witch drums” as he pounded his mic on the stage. “I’m sorry to make you all wait,” Manson told concert-goers, referencing the lightening again. “But now we can all say what we wanted to say—we love hate,” he said as he launched into “Irresponsible Hate Anthem.”

“Do that again,” he told drummer Gil Sharone, making him re-play the drum solo at the very end of “Irresponsible Hate Anthem.” “I know. I know. Cocaine is a powerful drug,” he said before playing “The Dope Show,” changing the lyrics to, “drugs, they say, are made in fucking Phoenix.” Afterward, Manson came back on the stage in stilts and arm braces to sing his cover of “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This).”

Marilyn Manson - Photo Credit: Katherine Amy Vega
Marilyn Manson © Kataklizmic Design

The highlight of the performance came when a huge podium was added to the stage during a set change. Manson stepped up to it and began his sermon. “And behold, there was a great red dragon, and its name was Phoenix,” he preached before launching into “Antichrist Superstar.” During the song, he set a Bible on fire before tossing it aside, with huge plumes of hell-lit smoke bursting from the front of the stage every time he screamed “Repent!”

Marilyn Manson - Photo Credit: Katherine Amy Vega
Marilyn Manson © Kataklizmic Design

Manson wound down the show with an emotional performance of “Coma White”—one of the most controversial tracks off the Mechanical Animals album—ending the song by letting the mic fall over as he stepped back off the stage. Then he wrapped it up with, perhaps his most well-known song, “The Beautiful People.”

By the time the show ended, the night skies were clear and not a drop of rain was falling. No rain checks required.

PHOTO ALBUM by Katherine Amy Vega

Marilyn Manson – Ak-Chin Pavilion 8-20-16

Photography by Katherine Amy Vega, © Kataklizmic Design
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NO STEALING

REVIEW: Phoenix Gets a ‘Taste of Chaos’ 7-14-16

PHOENIX — The Rockstar Energy Drink Taste of Chaos Tour landed in the Comerica Theatre on Thursday July 14, bringing with it a night of nostalgia for Phoenix’s 30-somethings.

Ace Enders, The Early November
Ace Enders, The Early November
© Kataklizmic Design
Click Image for The Early November Photo Album

The show opened with performances from The Early November and SAOSIN and concluded with headliners Taking Back Sunday and Dashboard Confessional.

SAOSIN lead vocalist Anthony Green could hardly contain his enthusiasm between songs. “We’re SAOSIN and we came here to fucking dance!” Green told fans at the beginning of the set. Later, he said that in his youth, going to a concert like this was the one place where he felt like he could truly let go, be himself, and not care about how others saw him and encouraged the audience to do the same.

SAOSIN’s set included songs from their new album, Along the Shadow, which was released on May 20. It was their first studio album since releasing In Search of Solid Ground in 2009. The new album features vocals from Green, who returned to SAOSIN in 2014, nearly a decade after his 2004 departure.

Phil Sgrosso, SAOSIN
Phil Sgrosso, SAOSIN © Kataklizmic Design
Click Image for SAOSIN Photo Album

By the time Taking Back Sunday took the stage, Comerica Theatre was packed with fans excited to hear the music of their youth. The group opened with “Cute Without the ‘E’ (Cut from the Team),” “Liar (It Takes One to Know One),” and “Flicker, Fade.” Their set also included other favorites from their hit albums Tell All Your Friends, Louder Now, and Happiness Is, including “A Decade Under the Influence,” “You’re So Last Summer,” and “Timberwolves at New Jersey.”

Adam Lazzara, Taking Back Sunday
Adam Lazzara, Taking Back Sunday © Kataklizmic Design
Click Image to View Taking Back Sunday Photo Album

Taking Back Sunday played in front of the backdrop of an American flag, with an impressively colorful light show. Between songs, lead vocalist Adam Lazzara said that Rockstar Energy Drink was paying him $30 every time he said “Rockstar Energy Drink Taste of Chaos Tour” and joked that he would be saying it as many times as he could (and he did).

“I understand a lot of you are here tonight for nostalgic purposes, and that’s okay. People say ridiculous things like, ‘my 16-year-old self’ or ‘my 18-year-old self’. Is that not still a part of yourself that you are today?” Lazzara asked concert-goers. “I was there when you got your driver’s license. I was there when you were exploring your bodies in the back of your dad’s car” he continued, “I was there when you went to college or when you didn’t go to college,” Lazzara said. And Taking Back Sunday is still here today.

Later, Lazzara introduced the audience to “Holy Water” from the band’s upcoming album, Tidal Wave, due to hit record stores later this year on September 16. They played the song “Tidal Wave” as well. “I’m just killing time because I don’t want the night to be over,” Lazzara confessed toward the end of the set. “Let’s go out with a bang,” he said before finishing the performance with “MakeDamnSure.”

Chris Carrabba, Dashboard Confessional
Chris Carrabba, Dashboard Confessional © Kataklizmic Design
Click Image to View Dashboard Confessional Photo Album

Dashboard Confessional, the final headliner, opened their set with “Vindicated,” “The Sharp Hint of New Tears,” and “The Good Fight.” They had an equally impressive light show and stage display, which included footage projected onto a large screen above the stage. By request, front man Chris Carrabba also played “The Moon Is Down,” a song by Further Is Forever, another band he performs vocals for.

Chris Carrabba, Dashboard Confessional
Chris Carrabba, Dashboard Confessional
© Kataklizmic Design
Click Image to View Dashboard Confessional
Photo Album

Carrabba was impressed with the “soft and sweet” singing of concert-goers. “Phoenix, can we sing this one together?” he asked as the group began to play “Remember to Breathe.” “You guys sing beautifully,” he told the audience. Later in the show, he asked fans to sing the chorus of his new song “Heart Beat Here,” because he wanted to see how it would sound recorded with the crowd singing along.

“I’m really proud of the records we’ve made, but I genuinely like the old shit better,” Carrabba said at one point. Dashboard Confessional’s set also included “The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most,” from the album of the same name, “Am I Missing,” “Don’t Wait,” “The Best Deceptions,” and “Screaming Infidelities.” Carrabba also covered “Fix You” by Coldplay before wrapping up with “Stolen” from Dusk and Summer.

Chris Carrabba, Dashboard Confessional
Chris Carrabba, Dashboard Confessional © Kataklizmic Design
Click Image to View Dashboard Confessional Photo Album

When Carrabba returned to the stage for Dashboard Confessional’s encore performance, he had one last message he wanted to impart to concert-goers. “I just want to point out one thing. All lives matter. Things have gotten crazy out of hand,” he continued “There isn’t a color of life that doesn’t matter. It’s all fantastic. It’s all beautiful. So can we all just try to take care of each other?” With that, Carrabba closed out the show on a high note, with “Hands Down,” a song about “the best day of his life.”

PHOTO ALBUM by Katherine Vega
(Click images above for separate band albums with additional photos.)

Taste of Chaos – Comerica Theatre 7-14-16

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

REVIEW: No ‘Wasted Tears’ at Haley Reinhart Show 6-9-16

PHOENIX — Haley Reinhart played at the Crescent Ballroom in Phoenix on Thursday as part of her latest tour to promote her new album, Better, which hit record stores on April 29 of this year. The show opened with melodic vocals and soft acoustic guitar tunes from Miller James followed by a hybrid mix of soul and R&B songs by Jacob Luttrell who’s also Reinhart’s keyboardist. By the time Reinhart took the stage, the intimate venue was packed.

Jacob Luttrell © Kataklizmic Design
Jacob Luttrell © Kataklizmic Design

Reinhart started the night with “Talkin’ About” from her new album. “It’s a party in here tonight. I can feel it,” she said before continuing with “Behave.” With little persuasion, Reinhart had the room swaying and clapping to the beat. Reinhart followed it up with “Keep Coming Back” from her 2012 debut album, Listen Up!

Haley Reinhart © Kataklizmic Design
Haley Reinhart – Crescent Ballroom

Reinhart and the band had a great energy together. When the song didn’t end, Reinhart turned to Luttrell, “You just don’t want to quit this one, do you?” she smiled, then got the audience to dance with her while the band just kept jamming. “We’re having so much fun with you guys that we’re just making stuff up,” Reinhart laughed when the song finally ended. Afterward, she sang “Wasted Tears,” dedicating it to all the ladies in the house.

“It was so nice to meet a lot of you earlier,” Reinhart said during the concert. The former American Idol star seemed to genuinely enjoy engaging with her audience. She even held a meet and greet session with fans before the show. “She was really down-to-earth,” one delighted fan commented about the experience. When she finally sang the title track of her new album, “Better,” she changed opening lyrics to “Now I’m right where I want to be, out on the road to Arizona.” At one point, she brought a hula-hoop up onto the stage that had been given to her by a fan and hula-hooped while the band played.

Haley Reinhart © Kataklizmic Design
Haley Reinhart © Kataklizmic DEsign

Before singing “Love Is Worth Fighting For,” Reinhart spoke to the audience about having the courage to chase their dreams, something that you could say Reinhart has spent her whole life doing. “Channel whatever you’re feeling in life and follow that,” she told concert-goers. Despite being dropped by major record label Interscope Records in 2012 after the disappointing reception of her debut album, Reinhart has continued to pursue her musical career. Since then, she has expanded her agreement with her music publisher, Ole, and in March of 2016, Reinhart also signed with ICM Partners.

Haley Reinhart © Kataklizmic Design
Haley Reinhart © Kataklizmic Design

The playful and fun mood of the show lasted the whole night. When the room started to get uncomfortably warm, Reinhart and the band spontaneously broke into an interpretation of Nelly’s “Hot in Herre” for a couple minutes at one concert-goer’s suggestion. Reinhart also covered “Black Hole Sun” in her unique jazzy style, performing it as a duet with Luttrell. After singing “Bad Light,” a delighted Reinhart accepted a flower from a fan at the front of the stage and placed it in her hair. “If it falls out, just know that it falls out with love,” she said while she secured the purple daisy in her hair.

Other songs Reinhart performed included “Good or Bad,” “Check Please,” and “I Belong to You.” “It was like I was entranced,” Reinhart said of writing “I Belong to You.” “I felt all the kinds of emotions you feel when you’re falling in love,” she said before delivering a passionate performance of the new track. She finished with “My Cake,” ending the song by introducing the band, each with their own solo.

When Reinhart returned to the stage for an encore, she gave concert-goers just what they had been waiting for. “I have a question for you. Have you ever seen an Extra gum commercial that made you cry?” she asked before singing her cover of Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” Reinhart initially recorded the cover for a Wrigley’s Extra gum commercial, which exploded on YouTube, garnering over seven million YouTube views and more than 78 million Facebook views within a week of its digital release. By the time the song ended, there was hardly a dry eye in the house.

Haley Reinhart's Setlist - Crescent Ballroom
Haley Reinhart’s Setlist – Crescent Ballroom
Click to Enlarge

Fortunately, Reinhart didn’t end the night with sniffles. “We’ve got one more song for you, and it’s kind of important too. We live on a beautiful planet, don’t we?” Reinhart asked. “It’s up to all of us to protect it. We’re all in this together,” she said before singing, “Listen.” The upbeat rhythm had the room dancing and swaying one last time before the night was over. Afterward, Reinhart stood arm in arm with the rest of the band on the stage and bowed to thunderous applause.

PHOTO ALBUM by Katherine Vega

Haley Reinhart & Jacob Luttrell – Crescent Ballroom 6-9-16

Photography by Katherine Vega, © Kataklizmic Design
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. (THAT MEANS NO STEALING)

REVIEW: Jane N’ The Jungle ‘Shakes Out’ New Video

TEMPE Ariz. — Jane N’ The Jungle announced the official worldwide release of their new music video, “Shake Me Out,” on Tuesday, May 31. The announcement came just days after the band’s successful premier of the video at Shady Park in Tempe on May 28.

Created by Rachael Smith of Ray Squared Photography, the video features vocalist Jordan White, guitarist Brian Dellis, bass guitarist Leah Brooks, and drummer Tommy Acedo rocking out in a graffitied underground garage. The video also features performances from ballet artist Samantha Kelly of Terpsicore Dance Company (TDC) Studios.

The group initially wanted to film at their rehearsal site, Bombshelter Studios, until building manager Adam Marr showed them something different. “We thought that the underground graffiti area was the perfect location,” White said in an email. When inquiring about dancers, Marr also proposed using a ballerina in the video. “We loved the idea,” White said.

The video’s technical crew, Max Gruber and Bryce White, were responsible for the vivid lighting and fog effects seen in the video. While filming, the crew had to be mindful of preventing the fog from setting off fire sprinklers. And while the dusty location combined with the blowing fans to create other challenges, everyone involved had fun during the shoot.

Jane N’ The Jungle is now working on finishing up their debut album. “We really wanted to take our time with this record and want to push out a finished product that feels right and represents the music the best we could,” White said. The group expects to announce the much-anticipated release date of the album within the next couple months.

While the record won’t be out in time for the Jane N’ The Jungle’s summer tour, they’re excited to be hitting the road with Painted Bones, another Arizona local band. The group will also be playing shows in

Las Vegas, Nevada, and Hollywood, California, with KM, a Long Beach indie pop band and friend of the group. “We are looking forward most to hitting the pavement and meeting new friends and fans,” White said.

Jane N’ The Jungle also announced that Smith would be accompanying them this summer and promises plenty of surprises are in store. The group will be documenting the tour so that fans can keep up with the ins and outs. “We’ve got some exciting shows happening in August and look forward to spending more time at high schools, middle schools, colleges and inspiring teens/preteens with music,” White said.

The members of Jane N’ The Jungle are excited to be on the verge of debuting their first record and hope that it won’t be the last. “The Phoenix music scene and all the fans have really inspired JNTJ and are the backbone to why we play so many shows, and we appreciate everyone’s love and support,” White said.

With a full summer calendar ahead, fans will still have plenty of opportunities to catch Jane N’ The Jungle playing in Phoenix. Fans can also find out more information about upcoming shows and announcements through the band’s website and Facebook page.

Check out our photos of Jane N’ The Jungle’s concert!
PHOTOS: Jane N’ The Jungle – Shady Park 5-28-16

Jordan White, Jane N' The Jungle - Shady Park
Jordan White, Jane N’ The Jungle © Kataklizmic Design

REVIEW: The Rocket Summer Returns to Devoted Arizona Fans 5-10-16

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.

Julia Lauren - The Foxies - The Rebel Lounge
The Foxies © Kataklizmic Design
Click Image for Photo Album

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.

Bryce Avary - The Rocket Summer - The Rebel Lounge
Bryce Avary – The Rocket Summer
© Kataklizmic Design

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.

Bryce Avary - The Rocket Summer - The Rebel Lounge
Bryce Avary – The Rocket Summer © Kataklizmic Design

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.

Bryce Avary - The Rocket Summer - The Rebel Lounge
Bryce Avary – The Rocket Summer
© Kataklizmic Design

“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.

[Setlist]
#1 So in This Hour
#2 Cold War
#3 Of Men and Angels
#4 Do You Feel
#5 Save
#6 Circa ’46
#7 Same Air
#8 UNI
#9 Roses
#10 Break It Out
#11 Help Me Out
#12 Brat Pack
#13 FL, CA
#14 Walls
–Encore–
#14 Hills and Valleys
#15 Around the Clock
#16 200,000
#17 Never Knew
#18 Cross My Heart
#19 Hanginaround (Cover)
#20 Revival
#21 So Much Love
#22 You Are, You Are

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

The Rocket Summer – The Rebel Lounge 5-10-16

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

REVIEW: Lacuna Coil Tours with New ‘Family’ (5-9-16)

Andrea Ferro - Lacuna Coil - Marquee Theatre
Andrea Ferro – Lacuna Coil © Kataklizmic Design

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.”

Cristina Scabbia - Lacuna Coil - Marquee Theatre
Cristina Scabbia – Lacuna Coil © Kataklizmic Design

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.

Diego Cavallotti - Lacuna Coil - Marquee Theatre
Diego Cavallotti – Lacuna Coil © Kataklizmic Design

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.

Marco Coti Zelati - Lacuna Coil - Marquee Theatre
Marco Coti Zelati – Lacuna Coil © Kataklizmic Design

“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.

Ryan Folden - Lacuna Coil - Marquee Theatre
Ryan Folden – Lacuna Coil © Kataklizmic Design

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.

[Setlist]
#1 Nothing Stands in Our Way
#2 Die & Rise
#3 Kill the Light
#4 Victims
#5 Spellbound
#6 The House of Shame
#7 Heaven’s a Lie
#8 Upsidedown
#9 Swamped
#10 To the Edge
#11 Fire
#12 Cybersleep
#13 Delirium
#14 Enjoy the Silence–Encore–
#15 Trip the Darkness
#16 Zombies
#17 Our Truth

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.

Photo Album

Photographer: Katherine Amy Vega

Lacuna Coil – Marquee Theatre 5-9-16

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

REVIEW: Butcher Babies Makes Tempe Scream (5-9-16)

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.

Carla Harvey, Heidi Shepherd - Butcher Babies - Marquee Theatre
Carla Harvey, Heidi Shepherd – Butcher Babies © Kataklizmic Design

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.

Butcher Babies - Marquee Theatre
Butcher Babies © Kataklizmic Design

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.

Jason Klein - Butcher Babies - Marquee Theatre
Jason Klein – Butcher Babies © Kataklizmic Design

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.

Carla Harvey - Butcher Babies - Marquee Theatre
Carla Harvey – Butcher Babies © Kataklizmic Design

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.

PHOTO ALBUM

Photography: Katherine Amy Vega

Butcher Babies – Marquee Theatre 5-9-16

Photography by Katherine Vega, © Kataklizmic Design
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Related: REVIEW: 9Electric Gets New Fans in Tempe 5-9-16

REVIEW: 9Electric Gets New Fans in Tempe (5-9-16)

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.

Mikey Lopez - 9ELECTRIC - Marquee Theatre
Mikey Lopez – 9ELECTRIC © Kataklizmic Design

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.

CaseyDC - 9ELECTRIC - Marquee Theatre
CaseyDC – 9ELECTRIC © Kataklizmic Design

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.

Ron Underwood - 9ELECTRIC - Marquee Theatre
Ron Underwood – 9ELECTRIC © Kataklizmic Design

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.”

Micah Electric - 9ELECTRIC - Marquee Theatre
Micah Electric – 9ELECTRIC © Kataklizmic Design

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!”

Ron Underwood - 9ELECTRIC - Marquee Theatre
Ron Underwood – 9ELECTRIC © Kataklizmic Design

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

9ELECTRIC – Marquee Theatre 5-9-16

Photography by Katherine Vega, © Kataklizmic Design
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. (THAT MEANS NO STEALING)