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Concerts, Kataklizmic Design, Media, Photo Galleries, Reviews

REVIEW: Nothing More Lets ‘Em Burn at The Van Buren in Phoenix (10-25-17)

October 30, 2017 Emily Rudolph Leave a comment

PHOENIX — Nothing More put on an explosive performance in Phoenix Wednesday night at the city’s eye-catching new venue, The Van Buren; named in honor of the historic Martin Van Buren. Once inside, it was a pretty swanky setup: grandiose crystal chandeliers dripping from the ceiling, marble double-sided bars wrapping around the room and on the back wall, an enormous, technicolored mural of the Sonoran Desert surrounded the stage — a fitting theme considering the band was formed out of San Antonio, TX. Interestingly, Nothing More frontman Jonny Hawkins is actually an Arizona native. This is a fact he shares with drummer Ben Anderson who is known for his presence in local success story Digital Summer.

Nothing More - Photo Credit: Katherine Amy Vega — **Ben Anderson (Drummer) – Nothing More**
**Photo Credit:** Katherine Amy Vega © Kataklizmic Design. All Rights Reserved

After stirring performances by Hell or Highwater, My Ticket Home, and Palisades, it was obvious the crowd’s anticipation was at its peak. All eyes were on the stage as the lights dimmed and the introduction to “Christ Copyright” rumbled out from beneath Anderson’s drum set. In a flash of white light, Hawkins entered the stage rocking his classic barefoot, shirtless style while yelling, “What’s up Phoenix?!”, as the remainder of the band stepped on stage behind him. A haze of blue and red light filled the room as the band moved right into meteoric performances of “Let ‘Em Burn”, “Mr. MTV”, “Don’t Stop”, and “Ripping Me Apart”; kicking things off with a mixture of heavy-handed tracks from Nothing More’s fourth and fifth studio albums, Nothing More and The Stories We Tell Ourselves.

The Stories We Tell Ourselves was an immediate favorite among fans after its release in mid-September of this year, coming in at 15 on the Billboard 200. And rightfully so, as the band’s live stage presence is both wildly unapologetic and deeply emotional.

Their set featured a variety of face-melting solos by each of the band’s highly talented members, but after their hit single “Go To War”, Hawkins and lead guitarist Mark Vollelunga decided to slow things down a bit. Midway through the night, the duo came together for a heart-wrenching acoustic performance of track “Just Say When”, which moved some neighboring fans and myself to tears. It’s a song that Hawkins said “almost didn’t make it onto the record” because they thought it might be “too sappy“. As is the case with many classic emo-toned favorites, the sad love story of the troubled rock star hit us right in the feels.

As “Just Say When” came to an impassioned end, the remaining members of Nothing More took the stage once again, throwing themselves into songs “I’ll Be Okay”, “Here’s To The Heartache”, and “Do You Really Want It”. Fans visibly rejoiced as bassist Daniel Oliver strapped his instrument into the infamous “Bassinator” while Vollelunga and Hawkins aggressively plucked and tapped along the fingerboard. They were, presumably, pumping up the audience for a prolific performance of profoundly personal track “Jenny”, the third single off Nothing More’s self-titled album which spotlights Hawkins’ sister’s struggle with mental illness — a topic that hits hard for many of the band’s listeners.

Just as we sang along to the closing lyrics of “This Is The Time”, Hawkins stepped forward to address the crowd for one of the last times that evening. “Well it’s that time of the night; it’s our last song. Who has seen us before? [Cheers] Who has never seen us before? [Cheers] We are a band that does not give encores because one: they’re fake, and two: they’re fake. We’re just going to play our last song instead, and give it all we’ve got.“

And just like that, Hawkins was back at it again, flinging his water bottle into the crowd and jumping all over the stage as he and his band mates poured their souls into iconic track “Salem – Burn The Witch”, standing atop their latest mega-futuristic, one-man-band machine – a 400-pound, 14-foot tall instrument. The members of Nothing More dubbed it as “The Scorpion Tail” in an interview with local radio station 98 KUPD earlier this week. The crowd went absolutely insane for it, cheering Hawkins on as he not only drummed with his feet, but sang as well. Even employees of the venue gathered to watch in awe, some with their fists thrust into the air.

To say this performance was “impressive” would be to sell it short. Nothing More swept us off our feet yet again, and Phoenix will absolutely be back for more.

PHOTO ALBUM

Photographer: Katherine Amy Vega

Nothing More – The Van Buren 10-25-17

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

Concerts, Kataklizmic Design, Media, Photo Galleries, Reviews

REVIEW: Infected Mushroom Proves Phoenix is Becoming Insane at Monarch Theatre 10-21-17

October 23, 2017 Emily Rudolph Leave a comment

Phoenix — Infected Mushroom’s tenth studio album Return To The Sauce had fans rushing the streets of downtown Phoenix Friday night to secure a spot inside Monarch Theatre for a special DJ set. One-of-a-kind beats could be felt vibrating out of the dance club as Israeli psychedelic trance duo, Amit “Duvdev” Duvdevani and Erez Eisen (referred to as mega-revolutionaries and twice-ranked as the world’s “10 Best DJ’s” by UK’s DJ Magazine) took command of the room. The evening kicked off with notable openers Binary Hertz, Astony, and Avitas; a perfect cocktail of chunky beats and futuristic electronica to foreshadow what was yet to come.

Binary Hertz - Photo Credit: Russ Broty — Binary Hertz
Photo Credit: Russ Broty © All Rights Reserved

Lime green and royal blue lights gushed in flashing motions above the entranced crowd as mysterious, three-dimensional psychedelia circumvolved on screen behind the stage. Their infamous visuals are actually known as a mark of transformation for the group, as they first introduced fans to this unique art in 2013 during their “FungusAmongUs Tour”, featuring three-dimensional figures that appear to collapse in on themselves as the music rises and falls. The hypnotizing display serves as the perfect backdrop for Infected Mushroom’s “psy-trippy synthetic rhythms”, having been dubbed by Relentless Beats as both “enigmatic” and “always trippy.”

**Infected Mushroom**
**Photography:** Ken Kendall, **Photo Editor:** Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

The vibe of the night was pure ecstasy. People danced with everything they had in them, grinning from ear to ear the whole time — adorned in multi-colored glow sticks, varying Infected Mushroom gear, and glazed looks of general intoxication. The set was a solid two-hour fusion of fan favorites mixed with the full Return To The Sauce album, a dance party to top all dance parties. Curiously, the song titles of the most notable tracks from the evening seemed to perfectly foreshadow the audience’s spirit along the way.

Infected Mushroom - Photo Credit: Ken Kendall — **Infected Mushroom**
**Photography:** Ken Kendall, **Photo Editor:** Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Although it was easy to get lost between one track and the next, it was clear Duvdev and Eisen knew exactly what the people of Phoenix wanted. They started things off with an electrified mash-up of “Return To The Sauce” followed soon after by “Flamingo” and “See Me Now.” As the opening notes to “Becoming Insane” tumbled out of the speakers, the crowd’s energy was on the verge of bubbling over. Bartenders thrust water hoses into the air in tandem, cutting through the dampened air with splices of icy water, sending everybody into a craze of complete euphoria. Senses dimmed and the beats took over; all that mattered was the music.

It was the raw innovation behind Infected Mushroom at work, enrapturing the crowd and never holding back, passionately compelling the audience to mirror their energy with every ounce of being until the set’s closing. Together, we danced furiously through the remaining tracks of Return To The Sauce, erupting louder and louder each time at surprise mixes of tracks like “Special Place”, System of a Down’s “B.Y.O.B.”, and “Deeply Disturbed”. By the night’s end it felt a bit like all of us had left something much needed behind on that dance floor. And that “something” speaks to the magic that is Infected Mushroom: Two producers who invented an entire subgenre of trance music; two creatives who have been captivating listeners for over a decade. Whether it was sweat and spilled drinks or something a bit more meaningful — “saucy” doesn’t even begin to cover it.

Infected Mushroom & Binary Hertz - Phoenix, AZ — **Infected Mushroom & Binary Hertz in Phoenix**
(Left-to-Right: Amit “Duvdev” Duvdevani, Sam Norris, Jeremy Miller, and Erez Eisen)

PHOTO ALBUM

Binary Hertz Photos: Russ Broty | Infected Mushroom Photos: Ken Kendall
Photo Editor: Katherine Amy Vega

Binary Hertz & Infected Mushroom – Monarch Theatre 10-21-17

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Concerts, Kataklizmic Design, Media, Photo Galleries, Reviews

REVIEW: Evanescence Uplifts the Crowd With Synthesis Live at Comerica Theater 10-17-17

October 20, 2017 Katie Silverman Leave a comment

PHOENIX — Evanescence brought a whole new level to their performance by teaming up with several orchestras around the US and Canada to promote their new album with the “Synthesis Live” Tour. The band’s fourth album Synthesis is set to be released in the fall of 2017, specifically November 10th. Downtown Phoenix was buzzing Tuesday, October 17th as fans eagerly anticipated the start of the show. Anyone who is familiar with this band knows that their music all has the same major trait to it: it’s intense. Whether it’s a soulful ballad or a heart pounding rock anthem, vocalist Amy Lee knows how to excite a crowd and keep them on their feet. This tour, however, was set to be a whole new experience from any other in the past.

Inside the concert area, center stage could be seen decked out with typical instruments; microphone, drum set, and a piano. The full orchestra surrounded them, warming up on a dark stage lit only by a hint of a purple hue. As the rest of the lights dimmed to signal the beginning of the show, the orchestra took it’s moment first to shine as it guided the audience through a symphony of sound. Wooden bows mixed with the sounds of brass and percussion shook the concert hall for several songs before turning the stage over to Lee. Met with rousing applause, Lee stepped up to the piano and played “Overture” off of their unreleased album.

Evanescence - Photo Credit: Katherine Amy Vega — **Amy Lee (Vocalist, Pianist) – Evanescence**
**Photo Credit:** Katherine Amy Vega © Kataklizmic Design. All Rights Reserved

Transitioning into “Never Go Back” from their 2011 self-titled album, everyone remained in their seats as her velvet-like vocals spilled into the crowd, and entranced them with explosive melodies and vocals that still possessed the true Evanescence sound. And even though the audience being stationary is not the norm at her shows, Lee made it known that even without the head banging and stage dancing, this show was going to rock. “Thank you for being here tonight”, she said out into the darkness. “I just want you to know… Just because there’s an orchestra here, just because we’re sitting, doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to MAKE NOISE!!” This was met with thunderous cheers from the audience, ready to see what was in store for them next.

As the sixteen song (plus three-song encore) setlist progressed, the audience was taken through every level of nostalgia imaginable. Performing songs from each of their four albums, Lee’s ever present talent was really put into the spotlight. Almost like that of a rock opera, she gave off a Sarah Brightman vibe, from her outfit to her unfaltering voice as she belted the lyrics to her most popular tunes. Not having to do the intense movements a typical Evanescence show calls for worked in her favor as well, allowing her to focus more intently on her vocals. She took to the piano for several songs, singing her soul-searching ballads under a single spotlight as she expertly ran her fingers across the ivory keys. As if that weren’t enough to completely draw the crowd in, her beautifully haunting music was accompanied by a spectacular light show that emphasized the tempo and important parts of each song.

A post shared by Burning Hot Events (@burninghotevents) on Oct 18, 2017 at 9:55am PDT

Following “Imaginary”, and before performing “Secret Door”, Lee took a moment to express appreciation for her fellow band members for stepping outside of their comfort zones to accomplish something new. “It’s a lot of fun for me. I think we’re all having fun up here. I want to give it up for my amazing band right now who had to go all the way outside the box! Beautiful, personal, amazing musicians who trusted me. Thank you.” She also later thanked the fans for trusting them.

As the set was nearing an end, there was one song that stood out in particular. With a sense of duality, Lee segued from the piano solo “In-Between” to the contrasting “Imperfection”; the second single from Synthesis. A pianist seamlessly replaced her at the piano bench, while she returned to center stage and unleashed the fierce song that combines the band’s current sound and channels the band’s original rock essence. It was able to fill the room with a powerful energy reminiscent of the time Evanescence came by storm with Fallen in 2003 (certified 7x Platinum); up through their time spent on the Family Values Tour in 2007 with the likes of Korn, Atreyu, Flyleaf, Trivium, and more. The light tech went all-out for this one as well, blanketing the room in a sea of color and shapes that perfectly aligned with the melody.

Before the first song of the encore, she asked the audience to indulge her before she played a solo song, “Speak to Me”, which she said they’ve only played live once, “so be nice.” Following this humble expression was a seemingly flawless performance of the song. The intensity and emotion was enough to send chills, especially as she hit the high note in the last instance of the lyrics, “Hear me call your name.”

Wanting to interact more before she closed out the set, Lee took some time to get more personal, vulnerable, and authentic with the crowd. She talked about having nagging self-doubt, and that regardless of it, you have to persevere and overcome it. She related with every person in that room by telling them that she too has these feelings of doubt and uncertainty.

“This is silly that I’m starting to talk now, after all of this time… You guys ever have that thing, where you don’t exactly know your place, and you’re just constantly inside, like, second-guessing yourself… ” One audience member shouted out, “Every day”. She continued, “…Here comes the punchline… wondering if you’re good enough? …You gotta fight that voice in your head. I fight that voice in my head every day. We all have to fight that voice in our head, we are good enough, you do belong here. One day at a time, ‘kay? Thanks for sticking with me.”

Her sweet words of encouragement and love were met with resounding response, fans screaming her name, and a few tears. These uplifting sentiments were a tie-in the the song that followed; “Good Enough.”

After the closing song, “Swimming Home”, Lee expressed, “Tonight has been so special to us, thank you, we love you.” By now the audience could no longer contain themselves, and Lee was met with a standing ovation from the entire theater. As she exited the stage, she bowed with the orchestra instructor and blew a kiss to her fans.

Lee and her band not only managed to put on another incredible, unforgettable show, but they also were able to give their fans a bit of encouragement to take home with them. There is no doubt that Evanescence will only have more surprises for their fans when they tour next, and that Phoenix should be ready when they do.

PHOTO ALBUM

Photographer: Katherine Amy Vega

Evanescence – Comerica Theater 10-17-17

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

Concerts, Kataklizmic Design, Media, Photo Galleries, Reviews

REVIEW: MRCH Was Something Beautiful for Their “Reactions” Album Release Party at Valley Bar 10-14-17

October 17, 2017 Mckayla Hull Leave a comment

PHOENIX — Electronic indie pop duo MRCH did not disappoint as they rocked out with the crowd at their album release party at Valley Bar on Saturday night. MRCH (pronounced “march”) filled the venue with aesthetically pleasing visuals and entrancing music. Drummer Jesse Pangburn’s, sparkly silver drum kit and Vocalist/Guitarist/Synthist Mickey Pangburn’s black sparkly dress added to the October atmosphere and the band’s image.

**MRCH, Photo Credit:** Dale Hurt © All Rights Reserved

Mickey Pangburn gave off Stevie Nicks vibes with her 70s inspired outfit which incorporated red velvet boots. At one point, she took off her boots, showing how comfortable she was with the crowd.

Heavy drums and synthesizer are the duo’s signature sound. One might consider some of their sound to be like a cross of Phoenix locals Vial of Sound, and The Birthday Massacre. Jesse Pangburn played the drums with seemingly effortless power and precision. Many times during the set, Mickey would ask the sound person to ease up on the drums due to the strong beats.

**Jesse Pangburn (Drummer) – MRCH, Photo Credit:** Dale Hurt © All Rights Reserved

One of their songs “Spooky”, the title lived up to its name, had a strong bass feel that even made the ground shake. Mickey’s vocals were fittingly haunting, and the song would’ve made an excellent soundtrack for those donning costumes for early Halloween celebrations outside the venue in downtown Phoenix.

Mickey incorporated guitar into some songs, often playing catchy riffs such as those in “Spin” and “Dark Days + Disco”.

**Mickey Pangburn (Vocalist/Guitarist/Synthist) – MRCH**
**Photo Credit:** Dale Hurt © All Rights Reserved

The duo paid a lot of attention to details in organizing the whole concert experience. They focused not only on their music, but also on the lighting and visuals. Green, blue, red, purple, pink and white lights cast over a background of white sheets added extra effect to their show setting the mood for the song.

Their visuals were just as amazing as their stage presence and musicianship. With a geometric theme, triangles and lines differed in shapes and colors varied per each song. Just as with lighting, their visuals helped make their songs and added to their meaning.

Mickey’s vocals were truly enchanting and transported the audience to another time in such songs as “Something Beautiful”, “Spin” and “We Are the Strange Ones”.

Mickey also really engaged with the crowd, making silly jokes during stage banter. At one point a girl in the crowd asked for her number, and Mickey playfully asked if she was referring to her favorite number. The crowd was completely invested into the duo as they danced and enjoyed themselves as the night went on. Mickey was also having fun and dancing while singing and moving across the stage when she wasn’t playing guitar or her synthesizer.

MRCH’s cover of Metric’s “Black Sheep” from Scott Pilgrim vs. The World was clearly a crowd-pleaser; amping up the power with strong vocals and crashing drums.

Covering Metric’s “Black Sheep” from Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, MRCH was on point with their energy as the end of their performance was approaching! This was the 2nd to last song of the set. @mrch.music 10-14-17 #ConcertVideo #LiveMusic #electronicmusic #cover #Metric #ScottPilgrim

A post shared by Burning Hot Events (@burninghotevents) on Oct 14, 2017 at 11:28pm PDT

At the end of the set, if fans had a wristband, they received a free CD of their new album Reactions. This was a kind gesture from MRCH that seemed to be their ‘thank you’ for supporting them, and the audience was grateful to the band in return.

MRCH is certainly a local band in Phoenix who you won’t want to miss! Follow them on their Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to find out more about their future tour plans.

Also check out our interview with the duo to find out more about MRCH!

Photo Album

Photographer: Dale Hurt

MRCH “Reactions” Album Release – Valley Bar 10-14-17

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Concerts, Kataklizmic Design, Media, Photo Galleries, Reviews

REVIEW: Halestorm Brings the Mayhem to Rock the Coliseum at the Arizona State Fair 10-12-17

October 15, 2017 Katie Silverman 1 Comment

PHOENIX — The city’s weather was perfect on Thursday, October 12th as it enthusiastically welcomed Halestorm to the stage. People of all ages swarmed the Arizona State Fairgrounds for one of two reasons; fun rides and fried food, or heading to the Coliseum for a show that would allow them to experience rock at its pure essence.

Lzzy (Elizabeth) Hale is and has been the lead vocalist since the band came into existence in 1997. Anyone who has been to a Halestorm show can confirm that she posses a stage presence unlike any other female artist in the industry. From the moment she stepped up to the mic, there was a fierce connection between her and the crowd that remained throughout the entire show.

Halestorm - Photo Credit: Mark Greenawalt — **Lzzy Hale, Vocalist – Halestorm**
**Photo Credit:** Mark Greenawalt © All Rights Reserved

Even as the music shifted from fast-paced, bass pumping rhythms to slower, more haunting ballads and back again, her passion for their music poured from her. Literally and figuratively in this case, as sweat dripped from every pore, whether she was dancing around the stage during “I Am the Fire” or aggressively playing her piano for her more emotional ballad “Dear Daughter.” One would think she would steal any show completely, but with this band that is simply not the case.

Joe Hottinger, Guitarist &
Lzzy Hale, Vocalist – Halestorm
**Photo Credit:** Mark Greenawalt
© All Rights Reserved

Midway through their set she did something often seen at a concert by pausing midway through one of their main hits titled “I Like it Heavy”, from their third album Into the Wild Life, to introduce Arejay Hale, who is her little brother and Halestorm’s drummer. He is also an original member of the band, asking his sister over breakfast, at 10 years old, if he could play drums for her when she was telling her parents about wanting to start a band. Without returning to the song, Arejay instead spent the next six minutes in an intense, heart-pounding drum solo that shook the Coliseum walls and drove the crowd insane. “WHAT’S UP PHOENIX?!”, he yelled into his mic as he brought the solo to an end. He then took out chopsticks and proceeded to prove his pure talent as he effortlessly played the drums with them as if used them everyday. People cheered loudly, and it was obvious this bit is a crowd favorite. Still not finished, he pulled out broomsticks next and successfully played the same beat he just had with much smaller sticks. The crowd was losing their minds with amazement at this point, so Lzzy Hale took the stage once more to finally bring the song they had started playing nearly fifteen minutes before to an end. It was truly a unique transition of focus and made for an unforgettable introduction.

One other thing Halestorm always makes clear when they perform is the love they have for their fans. After spending a good portion of the last half of the show playing upbeat, intense songs, Lzzy took a moment to toast the crowd with these words; “Thank you Phoenix for having us. Here’s to Rock and Roll, here’s to us being excellent to one another, and here’s to Arizona!”, which received thunderous applause and exuberant screams that were quickly drowned out as she launched into the beginning chords of “Here’s to Us.” This song brought out more emotion in the crowd than any song had yet. There were people pumping their fists and they sang back the lyrics they knew so well next to people hugging one another as they also sang along.

This band really knows how to evoke emotions from a crowd. Even as they closed their set with the ever popular “I Miss the Misery” everyone was out of their seat, head-banging along to the beat and dancing with their hands in the air. The band didn’t give on their end either, wrapping up their final song with so much intensity from the music and the light show you could feel it at your core. “Thank you so much Arizona, we fucking love you!”, Lzzy said, which was met with roaring applause and a room full of metal horns.

The band bowed together as one and exited the stage. As the lights came on and everyone began to file out of the Coliseum, various chatter had already started about the show and how unforgettable it was. For never meeting a majority of their fans, they have a way of making every one of them feel like family. So it’s only natural that Phoenix will anxiously await the next time Halestorm returns to rock this city, and our hearts.

PHOTO ALBUM

Photographer: Mark Greenawalt

Halestorm – AZ State Fair 10-12-17

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Photography © Mark Greenawalt.
All Rights Reserved

Concerts, Kataklizmic Design, Media, Photo Galleries

PHOTOS: The Movielife & The Early November with Racquet Club at The Rebel Lounge 10-3-17

October 7, 2017 Katherine Amy Vega Leave a comment

PHOENIX — While genre-bending musician & DJ Bonobo was electrifying The Van Buren downtown, The Rebel Lounge was being taken over by post-hardcore, indie, and alternative rock. On the bill were co-headlining classic Drive-Thru Records artists The Movielife & The Early November, along with Racquet Club, & locals Daylight Heist.

Racquet Club

Phoenix was the first night that Racquet Club joined this tour, and they will continue through to the last show on October 14. Racquet Club features members of Knapsack, The Jealous Sound, and Samiam. They released their debut self-titled album on September 29, just 4 days before this Phoenix show. Fans of local legends The Format, whose lead vocalist was Nate Ruess, may have recognized vocalist Blair Shehan from The Jealous Sound when they performed together in 2003 along with Limbeck and The Like.

The Early November

The Early November played their debut album, The Room’s Too Cold, in it’s entirety, to the delight of the crowd that sang 3/4 of the songs. The band took a break from 2007 to 2011, and has been active up until the present, with their fifth studio album Fifteen Years released in January of this year. The Early November performed as part of the Taste of Chaos line-up at Comerica Theatre in July of 2016; alongside Saosin, Taking Back Sunday, & Dashboard Confessional. (View our review & photos here.)

The Movielife

The Movielife released their first new album in 14 years, Cities in Search of A Heart, on September 22. Their 2014 reunion was a dream come true for fans who didn’t expect their return 11 years after their 2003 break-up, those who never had a chance to see them before, and for Phoenix fans who didn’t expect the band to play outside of New York.

Daylight Heist

Daylight Heist, who were on after The Movielife, are the official resident DJs of EmoNightPHX, which has been taking place at The Rebel Lounge, but will next be at The Van Buren on October 21. You can check them out, along with out all-emo cover band Hands Down, and other special guests (TBA) that night. Some of the special guest DJs that EmoNightPHX has had this year include: Buddy Neilsen of Senses Fail (9/27), Ryan Key of Yellowcard (7/20), and JT Woodruff of Hawthorne Heights (6/22).

PHOTO ALBUM

Photographer: Russ Broty | Photo Editor: Katherine Amy Vega

The Movielife & The Early November with Racquet Club – The Rebel Lounge 10-3-17

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Photography © Looking at You Too
All Rights Reserved

Albums, Artist Spotlights, Concerts, Kataklizmic Design, Media, Photo Galleries, Reviews

REVIEW: DaDadoh + The P.o.C. “You Can’t Rap Forever” EP Release at The Trunk Space 9-25-17

October 1, 2017 Katherine Amy Vega Leave a comment

PHOENIX — With an Arizona summer solar-powered surge of ambition, Tempe-based Alternative HipHop artist DaDadoh started recording the 6-track You Can’t Rap Forever in June of this year. In only four months between then and the release show, he worked with a perfectionistic fervor to re-work and refine his songs that had already proven popular. Regardless of unwavering confidence in the songs he’s written, DaDadoh honed his insatiable appetite for challenging himself to accomplish beyond what he thought feasible before. In fact, he mixed and mastered the album, and performed all of the songs including all of the instrumentals, himself. The result was reaching the same kind of new heights as an artist that he is regularly helping other artists achieve as a music producer with his record label TVLiFE Entertainment.

DaDadoh - Photographer: Lnin Oo — **DaDadoh**
**Photo Credit:** Lnin Oo
| **Editor:** Katherine Amy Vega
© All Rights Reserved

Although You Can’t Rap Forever is a cohesive addition to DaDadoh’s discography, the release brings a fresh sound that comes with his growth and evolution as an artist and a person. Lyrically, he continues to cleverly inject commentary into his verses, using music as his platform to have a voice in matters. Steering away from his cocky, comedic, and sex-saturated themes of the 2016 release Radical, he takes a more sober tone, and channels angst into his music. The new release is both melodic, and infused with punk rock. The album feels sincere and intense – like it’s made of his very soul. Get ready to get f*cked up when you dive in.

<a href="http://dadadoh.bandcamp.com/album/you-cant-rap-forever">You Can’t Rap Forever by DaDadoh</a>

You can buy You Can’t Rap Forever on Bandcamp as a digital download only, or with a physical copy in CD format: Here

SLIDESHOW

Photographer: Lnin Oo

Click Arrows to Scroll Images

View Album in Separate Window

While DaDadoh is a charismatic (and somewhat-eccentric) staple in the Phoenix local music scene, he isn’t one to boast; despite the fact that one might consider him a hiphop-flavored renaissance man. If you’re not familiar with his projects and you’re reading this now, it might have taken some online sleuthing to discover that on top of his solo project and music production, he also hosts “Before The Show: The Podcast,” and is a member of bands including Exxxtra Crispy and Militia Joan Hart. And during the four months leading up to the EP release, he helped local musicians even further by recruiting 3 live band members – now known as The P.o.C. – Andy Warpigs (Guitar & Vocals), Jimmie Lewis (Bass), and Daviid Giiron (Drums).

The more you learn about DaDadoh, the more you come to understand that he passionately pours 100% into his artistic projects, and how important the community is to him. Although this release show was his time to shine, his gratitude for his new bandmates, and all of the fans and media people swarming around The Trunk Space venue, was no secret; nor was their willingness and enthusiasm to support his release show – and THAT reciprocal community is what Burning Hot Events is all about.

Catch DaDadoh’s next show,
with Amuck, Wait for the Sun, & TOSO,
at Rogue Bar on October 10!

PHOTO ALBUM

Photographer: Katherine Amy Vega

DaDadoh + The P.o.C. – Trunk Space 9-25-17

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

Concerts, Kataklizmic Design, Media, Photo Galleries, Reviews

REVIEW: Soaring to New Heights at the Ben Folds Paper Airplane Tour at Marquee Theatre 9-22-17

September 26, 2017 Diana Stevens Leave a comment

Tempe, Ariz. — Even before a band took the stage there was a sense of friendship and camaraderie sweeping the room at the Marquee Theatre that Friday, September 22. Ben Folds’ Paper Airplane tour had come to town, and the audience smiled and laughed as they waited excitedly for the show to start.

Tall Heights

Tim Harrington and Paul Wright of the duo Tall Heights sauntered on stage, carrying their instruments: a guitar and a cello. The electrofolk group from Boston serenaded with haunting harmonies that lulled back and forth as an ocean’s tide, pulling the audience in and releasing them once again. Their emotive lyrics of songs like “Spirit Cold” and “Iron in the Fire” weighed on hearts and the duo used creative sounds like cell phone feedback to accompany the song “Cross my Mind”. The spell was eventually broken as their set came to an end, signalling to the crowd to usher forward for the main event, Ben Folds.

Ben Folds

After holding the audience in eager anticipation Ben Folds entered the stage and seated himself at the piano, gave a short wave and sheepish grin to the crowd, then immediately slammed fingers to keys, playing “Annie Waits”. Arms slipped over shoulders and the audience sang along. It was as though everyone was invited to an intimate house party, every song a precious memory as it poured over the audience, friendly reminders of days now past.

Ben Folds warmly shared stories, talking about his father as a construction worker and being cornered by his Uncle Walter who talked about what he would do if he were president. Occasionally Ben Folds would stop singing and just listen to the audience sing instead. He stood and happily conducted the crowd in a five part harmony singing “Not the Same”. Tall Heights came back to the stage joining Ben Folds to sing “Still Fighting It”.

Ben Folds & Tall Heights - Photo Credit: Katherine Amy Vega — **Ben Folds featuring Tall Heights**
**Photo Credit:** Katherine Amy Vega © Kataklizmic Design. All Rights Reserved

For the grand finale of the first half of his set he started playing a drum while walking across the stage and continued playing an amazing drum solo as they set up the remaining set around him. The stunned audience continued to watch intently, impressed into silence broken intermittently by hoots and screams. When it was over, a brief intermission began, but there was a catch.

The audience was instructed to go into the lobby and get a piece of paper. Write a request on it and fold it into a paper airplane to be sailed across the Marquee landing gently on the stage, where Ben Folds would take it and play what was written on it. People rushed to get their paper and pushed their way close to the stage, hoping that their paper would make it, and more importantly, that their paper would be chosen. It was none other than Arizona’s own Alice Cooper who came on to the stage, swinging red lights and wearing his signature black hat, who initiated the count down. The crowd chanted “10, 9, 8…” and at 0 the entire audience sailed airplanes towards the stage. The planes that didn’t make it were picked up by strangers and thrown again, everyone helping to get all the paper planes to the stage.

Alice Cooper with Paper Airplanes in the air - Photo Credit: Katherine Amy Vega — **Alice Cooper at Ben Folds Concert**
**Photo Credit:** Katherine Amy Vega © Kataklizmic Design. All Rights Reserved

Ben Folds did explain he might not be able to sing every song, or occasionally a song wasn’t even written on the paper, making it impossible to play. However, the highlight of the second half of the set was when just that happened. He started to play a song that no one recognized, and went on to completely ad-lib a song based off what was written on the airplane, which was “Rock this B***h, Omaha Symphony 2017.” In the song Ben Folds told a story about how he acquired his favorite piano, his Frank LLoyd Wright piano for only $8000, singing that the guy who sold it “thought that was a lot.” The audience laughed over and over at the witty story set to music, all in the guise of a request written on an airplane.

Songs kept coming and wrists flung in the air to the beat of “Kate” while bodies moved back and forth to the sweet piano chords. Abruptly, Ben stood and bowed the audience, thanking them for coming out and left the stage. The audience continued to cheer and scream, knowing an encore had to be in store. In a few minutes he returned and played “Zak and Sara” for a rejoicing audience.

Then it really was over, the house lights came on and the crowd started to head to the doors. Their faces full of smiles, holding the hands of loved ones and already reminiscing about their favorite part of the concert. It was as though they were leaving a friend’s party who had come to town unexpectedly, hyped up and already awaiting the next chance they get to see each other. The next time Ben Folds comes to town, they’ll be ready.

PHOTO ALBUM

Photographer: Katherine Amy Vega

Ben Folds & Tall Heights – Marquee Theatre 9-22-17

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Concerts, Kataklizmic Design, Media, Photo Galleries, Reviews

REVIEW: Nothing Stood in the Way of Epica, Lacuna Coil, Insomnium, & Elantris at Marquee Theatre 9-17-17

September 22, 2017 Diana Stevens Leave a comment

Phoenix — A long of line of dark figures stood waiting outside the Marquee Theatre on September 17th. Even on a Sunday night, fans gathered together under the setting sun, bonding over their shared excitement of the night to come. The Dutch symphonic metal band Epica was joining the Italian gothfathers Lacuna Coil in a show that was sure to not be forgotten.

Elantris & Insomnium

As the stage glowed an ominous red the opening band Elantris, a female-fronted symphonic metal band, perched on the edge of the stage amping up the crowd. The melodic voice of Lindsay Victoria Ketchum mixed with the gravelly screams of Thomas Ullom made for a beautiful contrast and got hearts pumping, Thomas even joined the crowd for moshing. After Elantris, Insomnium took the stage, bringing the crowd to new heights with their super charged energy and in-sync head banging. All the way from Finland, they were excited to be celebrating their 7th album Winter’s Gate.

Lacuna Coil

It was now time for Lacuna Coil to take the stage and the crowd pushed forward, the room thick and dripping with anticipation. One-by-one, the band members took to the stage, adorned in their sanitorium costumes. Straight jackets stained red and band members’ faces painted white and red to look like sadistic clowns.

Only the vocalists Cristina Scabbia and Andrea Ferro stood with unpainted faces, their clothes scrawled with lyrics such as “Leave me Alone” in erratic black marker. It was a sight to behold. They immediately launched into song and the crowd’s cheering filled the theatre.

They started off the night with some of their new songs from their latest album, Delirium which was released May, 2016. Songs such as “Delirium” as well as “House of Shame” and “Blood, Tears, Dust” all shook the theatre to the core. In between each song, vocalist Cristina Scabbia would address the crowd and make connections on a personal level. She told the audience to “Leave your problems at the door, because everyone is welcome in the sanatorium!”; and made them cheer as she told them, “We know where we are, and we are headed towards our destiny!”

Midway through their set, Cristina challenged the audience to raise the bar as she burst into their hit song “Swamped” the audience went wild, moshing and throwing their hands in the air. After singing “Come to Me” and “My Demons” Lacuna Coil brought it down a notch, asking the crowd to get out their lighters and cell phones and keep loved ones alive in their hearts as they sang “Downfall.”

Towards the end of their set Lacuna Coil announced a new project for their 20 year anniversary. They will be releasing a book entitled “We Fear Nothing” in 2018, which will document the band’s journey from beginning to their current platform. It should be an amazing and vivid illustration full of their accomplishments and past concerts. They finished their set with “Nothing Stands in Our Way” emphasizing that they believe in destiny! Even as the band members left stage, the audience was soaking in their message of love, acceptance, and strength. But the night wasn’t over.

Epica

The last band to take the stage was another female-fronted symphonic metal band, Epica. On their Ultimate Principle Tour, Epica promoted their newest album The Holographic Principle.

The band members took the stage as the eager crowd cheered them on. Vocalist Simone Simons appeared last, in a tight-fitting black leather like dress, flipping her iconic long red hair. Her operatic vocals filled the theatre as guitarists Mark Jansen and Isaac Dela haye wowed the crowd with their fingering skills, parading back and forth. Even the keyboardist Coen Janssen got into it, spinning his keyboard around and headbanging with his bandmates, even with his shaved head!

Green light emanated from behind them as though the audience was transported to a different world, as alternating lights flickered and flashed. Belting out the songs “Our Destiny” and “The Essence of Silence” the audience was electrified as though in a trance. It was the best way to end the night.

Afterwards, it was hard not to dwell on the lyrics and messages of the bands. It felt as though you could take on the world with a newfound passion and strength. With the words echoing in your head, “We Fear Nothing!”, it was time to tackle Monday.

Photo Album

Photographer: Katherine Amy Vega

Lacuna Coil & Epica – Marquee Theatre 9-17-17

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Concerts, Kataklizmic Design, Media, Photo Galleries, Reviews

REVIEW: A Hart to Hart – Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll, and Sobering Moments at The Van Buren 9-12-17

September 19, 2017 Sean Tingle 2 Comments

PHOENIX — Just as the heat started to break, Phoenix began its transition from a seemingly-endless scorching summer to the fall and winter temperatures locals seem to live for. A perfect night for Phoenicians to head down to the brand new venue downtown – The Van Buren. Beth Hart, along with Marina V, headed to the Valley of the Sun to serenade and entertain a diverse crowd in this beautiful new downtown space.

Marina V

Marina V set the stage for a beautiful, emotional evening, slowly warming up a relaxed crowd with her melodic voice and piano-playing skills. She shared many tender, intimate moments with the audience, making it seem as if it was a private show for each and every one of them. Her passion for the art she creates and shares with the world is obvious, and her performance was a mixture of the subtle and the sublime.

Marina V, short for Verenikina, hails from Moscow, Russia, but she has lived in the US for quite some time now. When she first started performing live, one of her first shows was opening for Beth Hart, making this tour very special – she was happy to be sharing the stage yet again with Beth. She also shared that she has performed over 1000 live shows by now, with her husband always by her side. In fact, after a few solo songs on stage and sharing her recent health struggles which she has recently recovered from – singing her song “Bring It On,” the anthem she wrote in some of her darkest moments – she brought out her husband to play guitar. Together, they rocked the stage, slowly ramping up their music and playing more stimulating songs and slowly warming the crowd up.

Eventually, Marina V told the crowd a bit more of her backstory, about growing up in Russia among tense relations with the US, and how she wishes peace, love, and unity for the two countries. To seal this deal, she confessed that she learned about most American music much later in her life, discovering Neil Diamond only recently. She sang “Solitary Man” in Russian, which was quite a pleasant surprise for the audience.

Marina V shared a few songs from her newer albums, and in fact plans to release her second album of the year soon. Her first one of this year, Inner Superhero, was released in January, and her latest album, Born to the Stars, comes out later this month. Fortunately for attendees, she was selling the newest album at her merch booth, giving fans a bit of a head start.

At the end of Marina V’s set, she offered for everyone to email her at [email protected] for 4 free songs, and a promise that she would read each and every message personally. She also invited everyone to visit her in the merch area, where she offered to sign every piece of merch sold, and to hug anyone who came to see her. As a bonus, she made sure to write fans’ names in both English and Russian on any merchandise sold.

Beth Hart

During a short break, people were able to explore The Van Buren a bit more, enjoying its spacious lobby, beautiful outdoor patio area, a drink or three from one of its bars, and maybe even a snack. As people were returning to their seats, Beth Hart took the stage by storm, starting the show with a “bang bang” and a “boom boom.” She rocked out hardcore, along with her band, moving all around the stage and singing her heart and soul out. It was crystal clear that she was enjoying her performance just as much as the audience, if not more so.

Beth Hart recently released a new album, Fire on the Floor, in the US this February, and what better way to celebrate than with a worldwide tour? On top of playing some of her newer songs, Beth Hart played some of her greatest hits since the early 90s. She also made sure to play one of her own mother’s favorite songs – something she thinks is a pretty sexy song: “Close to My Fire.” What she didn’t reveal just yet was that her mother was actually in the crowd at that very moment.

Beth Hart went through a great sampling of her best songs from over the years, transitioning from high energy to intimate, sobering, somber moments, and just about every other feeling in between. Her music is a mix of blues, rock and roll, jazz, and soul, and it is no wonder that The Blues Magazine called her “the ultimate female rock star.” Her voice has such a unique, enchanting sound, and her commanding stage presence only helps to amplify this.

**Beth Hart**
Photo Credit: Trystan Trenberth © All Rights Reserved

The crowd was also treated to Beth playing acoustic guitar on stage for a few songs, and of course she pulled out a few of her singer-songwriter-esque piano songs. Eventually, she had a heart-to-heart with the crowd, revealing her struggles with bipolar disorder and how it took her a very long time to “figure it out.” She also shared what was probably one of her proudest moments – reconnecting with her mom and showing her that she can do this thing called life. It was in that moment that she shared the fact that her mom was in the audience, somewhere towards the front, stage left. The lights went out, and they put the spotlight on Mama Hart, right as Beth prepared to play a song she had written just for her: “Mama This One’s For You.”

Beth Hart - Photo Credit: Trystan Trenberth — **Beth Hart**
Photo Credit: Trystan Trenberth
© All Rights Reserved

After this heartwarming moment, Beth wanted to get back to the business at hand – rocking the house, and she sure rocked it good. She shared how she hasn’t been to Phoenix in a very long time, and that she “really f*cked things up bad” last time she was here. She expressed how ridiculously happy she was to be back, how she has overcome many of her past struggles, and that she is in a truly good place in life now. All of this, combined with her supreme performance and masterful presence on stage, made the concert feel like a treat for all in the audience.

In addition to some of those more tender moments, she also shared how, as a young girl, she would go to the beach, see all the beautiful men, and imagine that they all looked delicious. Her line of choice? “I bet they taste like Coca-Cola.” This, as she informed the crowd, is what inspired her song “Coca Cola.” She also shared how her brother’s ex-girlfriend, who was “crazier” than Beth herself, inspired another one of her songs: “Get Your Sh*t Together.” In fact, she loved her brother’s ex, but she felt the need to write that song for both her and herself.

Later on, she shared how she always wanted to get the hell out of LA, as many people apparently do, leading into “LA Song (Out of this Town);” she expressed how she loves to tour but always seems to long for home when on the road. This lead to her final song, “No Place Like Home,” which was a raw, sincere moment where she shared how she wanted nothing more than to be at home with her husband, who does everything for her. She also changed some of the lyrics for a more contemporary look at her life, such as switching “have someone curl up at my feet” to “have Stella curl up at my feet” and interjecting with “Stella’s my dog” between lines.

As all good things tend to do, the show came to an end after her solo performance of “No Place Like Home,” to which Beth said her farewells to the crowd and ended with some wise parting words: “Now go home and take care of each other!” A bittersweet moment of the band coming back out on stage and motioning their own farewells to emphatic applause and cheering ensued before the stage lights went off, the venue lights came back on, and people were left to find their way home.

Closing Thoughts

All in all, The Van Buren was a perfect place to hold such an intimate, surreal show filled with all the emotions under the sky – and then some. The sound was near-perfect, despite Beth’s requests for the sound engineer to tweak what she was hearing. The light show was on point, illuminating the band, highlighting Beth, and casting some interesting shadows with the TOS-era Star Trek-esque alien planet-looking props in the background. The crowd was full of true Beth Hart fans, calmly swaying to her more soothing tunes and rocking out to her more upbeat songs. All in all, this was a fantastic insight into the downtown Phoenix music scene, and Beth Hart herself certainly seemed to love every moment of her visit.

PHOTO ALBUM

Photographer: Trystan Trenberth

Marina V & Beth Hart – The Van Buren 9-12-17

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PHOTO ALBUM

Nothing More – The Van Buren 10-25-17

PHOTO ALBUM

Binary Hertz & Infected Mushroom – Monarch Theatre 10-21-17

PHOTO ALBUM

Evanescence – Comerica Theater 10-17-17

Photo Album

MRCH “Reactions” Album Release – Valley Bar 10-14-17

PHOTO ALBUM

Halestorm – AZ State Fair 10-12-17

Racquet Club

The Early November

The Movielife

Daylight Heist

PHOTO ALBUM

The Movielife & The Early November with Racquet Club – The Rebel Lounge 10-3-17

SLIDESHOW

PHOTO ALBUM

DaDadoh + The P.o.C. – Trunk Space 9-25-17

Tall Heights

Ben Folds

PHOTO ALBUM

Ben Folds & Tall Heights – Marquee Theatre 9-22-17

Elantris & Insomnium

Lacuna Coil

Epica

Photo Album

Lacuna Coil & Epica – Marquee Theatre 9-17-17

Marina V

Beth Hart

Closing Thoughts

PHOTO ALBUM

Marina V & Beth Hart – The Van Buren 9-12-17

News & Reviews from the Fiery Mosh Pits of Arizona