Rivals forthcoming 2-song EP Supernova is due out on November 8th on 7″ vinyl via Smartpunk Records and is now available for pre-order HERE. Limited edition pre-order items include ultra clear vinyl 7″ (500 units), 3’x3′ wall flag (100 units) and Supernova t-shirt.
“We’ve really started to step up the creativity with sounds and environments,” describes Wolfe. “Building and creating a world around a theme and trying to show everyone what we see and feel. Between “Supernova” and “Thunderstorms,” we really stepped out of our comfort zone for this.”
In addition, The band revealed their motion video for “Supernova” that captures the atmospheric textures of the music. “A long time ago I dumped a guy and later on, when my career started to take off, he tried to come back into my life,” explains Rivals vocalist Kalie Wolfe of their new single “Supernova“. “I sort of wrote this as a f*ck you song to him, that he won’t get me now after all the stuff between us happened.”
In support of their forthcoming EP, the band will be kicking off a run of dates with Slaves today in Dallas, TX. Their double outing with Slaves will be making stops throughout Texas (Dallas, San Antonio, Houston). Also, they’ll be joining back up on release day (November 8th) for a few more shows that includes three dates in California (Sacramento, Fresno, Los Angeles) and the final show of the tour at Club Red in Mesa, AZ.
Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the barrio, METALACHI has announced another run of dates through the southwest this fall!
In addition to METALACHI, the world’s first – and only – heavy metal mariachi band, Shark in the Water will deliver a blistering tidal wave of non-stop, raw, gritty surf music.
“METALACHI is pumped to wrap up our tour schedule for 2019 at all our favorite venues across the southwest,” says METALACHI manager Warren Moscow. “This run is something we always look forward to, as the whole southwest corridor has been like a second home for us for years…and this time we are bringing even more insanity to the run with the addition of Shark in the Water to the tour.”
METALACHI‘s most recent full-length album, Tres, was released late last year and features covers of songs originally performed by artists such as Judas Priest, Dio, Journey, Guns N’ Roses, including METALACHI‘s popular cover of the Queen classic, “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Watch the video for “Bohemian Rhapsody,” featuring a cameo by comedian Felipe Esparza, here:
METALACHI with Shark in the Water dates:
Click to Enlarge
11/8 – Denton, TX @ Backyard on Bell 11/9 – New Braunfels, TX @ Billy’s Ice 11/10 – Dallas, TX @ Trees 11/13 – Austin, TX @ Antone’s 11/14 – Austin, TX @ Antone’s 11/15 – Stafford, TX @ Republic Country Club 11/16 – Fort Worth, TX @ Lola’s Trailer Park 11/17 – San Antonio, TX @ Paper Tiger 11/20 – Tucson, AZ @ 191 Toole 11/21 – Phoenix, AZ @ Rhythm Room 11/22 – Cottonwood, AZ @ Main Stage*
*No Shark in the Water
Hailing from Hollywood, CA via Juarez, Mexico, METALACHI is a musical/comedy stage show that somehow seamlessly blends the world of Spinal Tap and Cheech & Chong into an over-the-top stage spectacle. The band is comprised of a five-piece ensemble of classically trained mariachi musician siblings, that have been fused together with the power of heavy metal. Fans can expect an unlikely meshing of metal classics from artist such as Metallica, Slayer, Ozzy Osbourne and more with traditional mariachi standards from the likes of Vicente Fernandez and Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan… all played with traditional mariachi instrumentation but with a stage show that strays far from traditional!
METALACHI takes their cues from outrageous stage shows like KISS, GWAR and Rob Zombie with outrageous costumes, stage production, personas and onstage antics. The band features Vega De La Rockha on vocals, Queen Kyla Vera on violin, Kiko Cane on guitarron, Paco Halen on guitar, El Cucuy on trumpet and is managed by mysterious impresario Warren Moscow.
METALACHI has garnered worldwide acclaim for their unique brand of raucous humor and innovative musical mastery, quickly amassing a loyal and diverse fan base of music lovers in addition to gaining praise from music royalty such as Dave Lombardo (Slayer), Vinnie Paul (Pantera, Hellyeah), Eric Wilson (Sublime), M. Shadows (Avenged Sevenfold), Billy Idol, and Howard Stern along the way (fun fact – for the past five years, Sublime has used METALACHI‘s debut album Uno to time their set changes, blasting the entire album over the PA at their live shows). On a previous leg of the current tour, METALACHI was personally invited by comedian George Lopez to perform at the grand opening of his Chingon Kitchen at the Vee Quiva Hotel in Arizona.
METALACHI has been featured on America’s Got Talent, CNN’s Great Big Story, Rolling Stone en Español, BBC’s Outlook via NPR, Huffington Post, and National Geographic, and their music has been heard on FX’s The Bridge and in a TV commercial for DirecTV.
METALACHI has been named one of the 10 best Mexican Metal Bands worldwide by OC Weekly, was named #4 on a list of the top 20 tribute bands based in Los Angeles by LA Weekly, and was voted as one of the best live shows in Southern California by Examiner.com.
Simple Creatures have released their much-anticipated sophomore EP, Everything Opposite, today via BMG, which is available to stream and download HERE. The band have also premiered the hilarious music video for “Thanks, I Hate It.” The new visual was directed by April Salud, and the Deepfake was done by The Fakening. Watch it HERE.
Earlier this week, “One Little Lie,” a standout track from the EP, was exclusively premiered on the BBC Radio 1 Rock Show with Dan P. Carter. Listen HERE.
Additionally, Simple Creatures, have just announced that they’ll be playing two intimate shows in Southern California next month. Tickets go on sale at 10am PT on Friday, October 18 and can be purchased on the band’s website HERE.
Southern, CA Tour Dates Announced Today:
11/12 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda 11/14 – Santa Ana, CA @ The Observatory
The group will also be heading to Australia for The Good Things Festival on December 6 (Melbourne), 7 (Sydney), and 8 (Brisbane). Tickets can be purchased HERE.
Simple Creatures are Mark Hoppus (blink-182) and Alex Gaskarth (All Time Low) and evolved from a long-standing friendship and a musical kinship. Hoppus and Gaskarth took a beat from their individual bands to have some fun in the studio, and came away with a new band with a new sound.
Everything Opposite Track Listing:
1. Special 2. One Little Lie 3. Need Me 4. The Wolf 5. NVM 6. Thanks, I Hate It
In the seemingly-bygone-but-dearly-missed era of the cross street of life and music, summertime meant a great many things, but cherished most of all were the words, “I’ll make you a tape.” As mixtapes gave way to mix CDs, which in turn gave way to mp3 playlists and eventually music streaming, the idea of a mixtape seems to have faded from the public consciousness for a while. Perhaps though with the resurgence of cassette tapes (Mutemath and Jenny Lewis, among many, many others have released cassette copies of their latest albums), there is still a place for lost nights of driving around listening to the perfect soundtrack of youth. Therein lies the charm of Alt-rockers Arizonan Summer’s debut album Temperatures Rise, as it instantly brings to mind such memories of late-night drives with friends in a time when you had nowhere important to be and life still lay somewhere far on the horizon as a worry for another day.
Art of any kind begins with the artist trying his or her best to approximate their heroes before discovering their own voice. The band is fronted by Chris Reiswig, the 22-year-old singer/songwriter behind the Arizona-based band, clearly knows where he comes from, not just in place but in style, as he definitely wears his influences on his sleeve. Arizonan Summer’s bio describes their sound as “Progressive Indie,” but the deeper story of their music can be found in their admission that their sound gravitates towards “Art-Rock, Folk, Post-Punk, Funk and Psychedelia.” All of those influences can be heard on Temperatures Rise, and yet it proves to be so much more than that. Arizonan Summer’s bio describes their sound as “Progressive Indie,” but the deeper story of their music can be found in their admission that their sound gravitates towards “Art-Rock, Folk, Post-Punk, Funk and Psychedelia.” All of those influences can be heard on Temperatures Rise, and yet it proves to be so much more than that.
In the album’s opening track, the simple acoustic “Aardvarks (Intro),” which recalls early Radiohead albums, you can feel Reiswig’s youth, as the lyrics recall that moment in everyone’s early twenties where they’re not a kid anymore, but also definitely not an adult. He sings of those directionless nights, in the song’s opening lyric “Keep your eyes to the stars/And your ear to the radio/You’ve got to get your kicks however you can/When fighting against this life on loan,” but it’s the song’s next line, from which the album gets its title (“Temperatures rise/it’s just a fact of life”), that comes the reckoning that the inevitabilities of life are coming for all of us, no matter how lost we feel.
Where “Aardvarks” feels quiet and introspective, “Perpetual Slip” is a shot of early 90’s punk adrenaline. With vocals that recall The Offspring, a soaring guitar solo that feels like moving upwards in a tornado of music, and supported throughout by a rhythm that begins with foot tapping but ends with the urge to pump your fist in the air along with the song. If the opening track is like lighting a fuse, this is the moment when the album soars into the stratosphere and explodes for the listener.
Chris Reiswig (Lead Vocals, Guitar), Arizonan Summer
While “Perpetual Slip” is the point where the album’s energy skyrockets, it is the third track, the righteous post-punk anti-love ballad “Anhedonia (I‘m Not In Love),” that emerges as Temperatures’ standout. At his age, Reiswig would be forgiven for filling the album with sappy declarations of love, but instead he uses a shredding guitar to share his nearly-exuberant acceptance of the end of a relationship. There’s no moping in the song, and not a hint of regret to be found, as he closes out the song with his pronouncement to the lover he’s leaving behind that he’ll rip them off like Nicorette patch. To whomever inspired this song, sorry, but he didn’t want to be with you, and he clearly couldn’t care less because he’s moving on.
Displaying the album’s diverse range, “The Fever Age” features grungy guitars, and vocals that bring Alice in Chains’ Layne Staley to mind. The darkly-ambiguous spoken vocals of the song’s bridge creates images of a half-remembered ominous dream.
Where Reiswig turns up the volume for a love he no longer wants, he turns it down for the heartbreaking “Shimmer” to sing about the love he does want but can’t seem to have. It serves as a bookend to “Anhedonia,” and has the feel of later regret when you realize at an awake-too-late hour that the love you had but didn’t want was what you wanted all along. Moving on in these moments is easier said than done, and Reiswig clearly knows this as he closes the song promising, “I promise you I’m still right here;” this is the last hope a lonely heart has before accepting and getting on with life.
The coffee-house folk of “Idle Mind” continues the album’s theme of feeling stuck in the middle of indecision. Its simple guitar-strum melody and toe-tapping rhythm makes for a perfect sing-along moment of appreciating being directionless, as long as you’ve got someone with you, since the greatest memories are born not of intricate plans but what can happen when you don’t have anything in mind and let the moments happen.
While Arizonan Summers may be a showcase for Reiswig’s songwriting, the nearly seven-minute “The Joy of Ulterior Motives,” serves as a showcase for the entire band – guitarist Dylan Ewing, bassist Erin Sperduti, and drummer Kash Filburn. The haunting track, reminiscent of “Mexican Moon”-era Concrete Blonde, sees Reiswig serving a warning to someone who has betrayed him, ending with the parting, “I know that you know pride comes before the fall,” amidst a wall of screeching instruments.
Arizonan Summer
The album’s closer, the aptly named “This Must Be the End” begins with the image of an aimless drive on a full tank of gas. For an album that feels like the perfect mixtape for such a drive, this song has a shrug of acceptance that there are no sure things in life, and sometimes we aren’t guaranteed the happy ending we’re hoping for, but that’s okay.
Chris Reiswig (Lead Vocals, Guitar), Arizonan Summer
With Temperatures Rise, Chris Reiswig and his talented band have positioned themselves as more than homegrown talents, and the album isn’t just some local kids giving it a go for the first time. No, this is an album that defies expectations by never settling into anything easy or overly sentimental. It is an album that lives on that cusp of life between being young and being old. It’s in the moments where we crash and burn, tell an unwanted love to get out, feel lonely when we realize it was a mistake, bond over the meaninglessness of it all, and finally accept our fate, turn up the radio, and drive off into the unknown horizon of our futures.
PHOENIX — Jimmy Eat World announced on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram on October 1, 2019 that they would be playing a hometown show at Crescent Ballroom in support of their 10th and newest studio album “Surviving”, which will be released a couple of weeks later on October 18th. The tickets went on sale at the same time the show was announced, and those lucky enough to be on social media at that time managed to snag a ticket or two to what would turn out to be one of the most incredible shows the valley would see in 2019. The opener was Gabriel Sullivan, a Tucson native who also was playing in support of a new album, his 4th: Black Crow, released on September 27th this year.
Gabriel Sullivan
Crescent Ballroom in Downtown Phoenix was less than half full when Sullivan took the stage, his band playing a nearly ethereal opening few notes with the stage bathed in blue light before he bounded onto the stage. Gabriel has a passing resemblance to a younger Eddie Money, his low, growling voice reminiscent of Nick Cave, with a sound that would be at home in a Quentin Tarantino movie. He is, in short, what one would think of if someone mentioned music that sounded like the desert.
By the time the final note had played, he had the crowd’s rapt attention and had many heads bobbing along to the music. Mid show, he raised a can and talked about how incredible it was to open “for your hometown heroes, Jimmy Eat World!” He also made mention of Casey Golden, who had played in the lounge before the show and told everyone to grab the record of a fellow Tucson native.
Jimmy Eat World
As the stage was prepared for Jimmy Eat World, the anticipation in the crowd built, with a near electric feeling prevalent in the room. Finally, the time came for the band to take the stage, with frontman Jim Adkins wasting no time in starting the show: “Howdy y’all! We’re Jimmy Eat World from Mesa, and this is Surviving!”. The title track off of the upcoming record had a retro sound and yet was brand new. This was the magic of the evening; 21 songs, some new, some old, all sounding timeless and explosive.
Jimmy Eat World just reached 25 years as a band, a milestone that is no small feat, and in that quarter of a century of existence they have released nine records with Surviving being the tenth. To say that they have released some incredible songs over those years would be an understatement, and many songs have resonated with fans in various stages of life. To that end, as past hits such as “Pain”, “Sweetness” and “The Middle” played, Adkins’ face would light up as the fans sang every single word back to him, matching his passion and his energy. Very little time was spent talking to the audience, but every word he said was full of gratitude. Repeatedly, he would wait until the applause died down and would say, “Thank you so much!” At one point, while wiping sweat off his face, he told the audience, “you guys are fantastic. It’s just better when we have our fans.”
Jimmy Eat World | Photo courtesy of Nate Wert
Seven of the songs on the expansive setlist were from Surviving. “All The Way (Stay)” and “Love Never” were already familiar to much of the audience, as they were singles that were released when the album was announced on September 23rd. Others, like “Surviving”, “Criminal Energy” and “555” were new and well-received, with the latter two being heavy, and yet soaring songs, a sound that has traces of “Integrity Blues” and traces of the time Justin Meldal-Johnsen, who produced the album, spent with Nine Inch Nails.
Jimmy Eat World has played many venues all over the world, from the majestic Red Rocks in Colorado, to the enormous music festivals such as Kaaboo Del Mar in San Diego and the massive Rock am Ring in Germany. They can, and do, sell out massive amphitheaters, and yet they appear to still be in awe when they return to their hometown and play a concert in a cozy venue such as the Crescent Ballroom.
Saw some old friends. Made some new friends. Pretty solid afternoon. 🙏@rockamringofficial #rockamring
The respect they have for the fans could be witnessed multiple times throughout the night. After “Bleed American” Jim asked the audience to give themselves a hand because “That was really cool!”. Later on he would thank the Crescent Ballroom for allowing them to play, and announced, “We’ll be on Jimmy Kimmel next Thursday! Is it Thursday? It might be Thursday.” As the last notes of “The Middle” were still fading away, members of the band shook the hands of the fans in the front of the stage, gave some high fives, and thanked everyone for coming out again.
One of the coolest parts of the night did not happen on stage. Rather, it happened by the merch booth, where Adkins stood and took pictures and talked to fans up until the point Gabriel Sullivan took the stage. Jimmy Eat World came from a Phoenix music scene that was rough in the 90s, and rose to the top of the nationwide charts. However, as this show proved, they have not and will never forget their roots. This show was a love letter of sorts, a thank you to the fans in their hometown.
There will be a Surviving listening event on October 18, with a Zia Records/Jimmy Eat World pop-up shop, while DJ Chelsey Louise (of Fairy Bones) spins emo classics at Arizona Wilderness. Don’t miss it!
It’s finally here. Can’t wait for you guys to give this a spin. #Surviving #vinyl
https://smarturl.it/Surviving
PHOENIX — Bad Religion’s concert at The Van Buren, with support from Emily Davis and The Murder Police and Dave Hause & The Mermaid, was more than just a legendary punk band giving a show at an intimate venue in support of a new album. It was a night where their legacy was felt not only in the crowd but on the stage, too.
Their recent tour is in support of the band’s 17th album,Age of Unreason, released earlier this year. The reason for the band’s longevity is that from their initial formation in 1980 and first release, 1982’s How Could Hell Be Any Worse?, they have stayed true to their ethos and written righteous punk anthems exploring many of the same themes recurring in our society across those 39 years. Any doubt of their staying power could be quickly dismissed with a quick sweep of the audience, where longtime fans of the band loudly sang along and pumped their fists in the air, alongside kids ranging from teenagers and younger. At one point, a father hoisted his daughter up on his shoulders, so she could rock out hard to “Generator” late in the set.
Emily Davis and The Murder Police
The show’s opener was Emily Davis with her backing band The Murder Police, consisting of Jose Macias, Jorge Torres, and Tomas Tinajero. Davis has three previous solo releases, and is touring in support of her debut album with the band, 2018’s Same Old World. Hailing from El Paso Texas, Davis managed to flip the initial impressions given off by the country-ish twang of her vocals, as the songs would quickly explode into all out rockers. Davis describes her songs as “aggressive, introspective folk music,” which could be heard as she and her band tore through seven tracks from the new album with an intensity reminiscent of Neko Case fronting The Attractions, in place of Elvis Costello.
Late in her set, she told the concertgoers what an honor it was to be touring with Bad Religion, adding that her introduction to them came via Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2, which means “You” from their 1989 album No Control was her introduction to the band. She closed out her set with “Circles” and the album’s title track “Same Old World.”
Dave Hause and The Mermaid
Up next was Dave Hause and The Mermaid, and if anyone didn’t already know his music (and you should), they might have been fooled by their sound from his quick soundcheck with his band, consisting of short bursts of riffs from songs by Lynyrd Skynyrd and Metallica, which drew some surprising whoops of approval from the punk crowd. When Hause (pronounced like pause or cause, for the record) and the band came back out to start their set proper, he took a moment to joke with the audience that despite their appreciation for the soundcheck, they wouldn’t be hearing covers from either band. “For the rest of the night, you’ll only be hearing songs by me and Bad Religion because this is a punk show!” The crowd roared in approval (although that didn’t stop someone from yelling out for Metallica mid-set).
Hause and his band are touring to support of Kick, his fourth solo album since leaving his previous band The Loved Ones in 2009. His set drew heavily from the new album, save for one track from 2017’s Bury Me In Philly. Prior to forming his backing band The Mermaid, Hause performed most of his shows solo with a guitar, bantering with the audience between songs. Since forming The Mermaid, the sound is louder, but the impromptu moments of interactions with the fans have remained.
The band features Hause´s brother Tim on lead guitar, Miles Bentley (the son of Bad Religion bassist Jay Bentley) on bass, and Kevin Conroy on drums. His stellar song-writing aside, Hause shines when it comes to instantly generating a rapport with his audience. Even when he encouraged everyone to put up a middle finger and direct it towards a particular politician in Washington, and an audience member booed the moment, Hause turned the moment around to something light: “Oh, do you not agree with me? That’s okay. We’re not always going to agree, so go start your own band and write songs about why you think he’s so awesome.” The crowd (including the person who booed) laughed, and Hause tore into “Dirty Fucker.” Hause closed out his set with Kick highlight “The Ditch.” He’ll be back to Phoenix to headline in February.
Bad Religion
Any band that’s approaching their 40th anniversary would be excused if their live shows were a serving of pure nostalgia and built a set list around the songs the audience loved from years ago. While Bad Religion managed to cover points all along their discography, what stands out the most about one of their live shows is how prescient the songs feel, with thirty-year-old songs feeling like they were a three-minute prophecy of events yet to happen. All of this is because as a band, Bad Religion has railed against the same ills of society since the band’s inception.
Led to the stage first by drummer Jamie Miller and guitarists Brian Baker and Mike Dimkich, original members bassist Jay Bentley and singer Greg Graffin came out last. Without a word, the band launched into “Them and Us” from 96’s The Grey Race. The song hit the room like an atomic bomb and sent everyone into a frenzy of moshing and crowd surfing. Security guards at The Van Buren earned their checks over the next ninety minutes, as they caught, set down, and guided out multiple people.
“We put out a new record this year, Age of Unreason,” Graffin exclaimed after “Them and Us” faded out, “which is #17 for those of you who are counting, and we just wanted to get back to play for you before the end of history,” setting up a track from the new album.
“End of History” was followed up by the to-the-point “Fuck You,” from 2013’s True North. Graffin complimented The Van Buren for being the perfect rock club. “How many of you have been to a lot of shows here before?” he asked. With everyone yelling out the number of shows they’ve seen, he joked, “Well, this will be the best one you’ve ever seen here!” This was followed by “Stranger Than Fiction,” the title track from their 1994 album, which in itself laughs at the absurdity of the real world.
They next performed “Dichotomy,” “Recipe for Hate,” and “Chaos From Within,” before Graffin paused again to survey the sea of people, noticing the range of ages staring back at him. Spotting one kid in the audience, he asked how old they were, but after being told the kid was 12 and starting to say that has to be the youngest one, another kid called out she was only nine. Laughing for a moment, Graffin said, “Well, I’ve always said it’s the kids who are our future,” which might have been a double entendre, referring to either society or the band. The show’s next fifteen minutes was a sprint through the band’s catalogue, covering songs from 1989’s No Control through the recently-released Age of Unreason.
To watch a Bad Religion show, you wouldn’t instantly know how long they’ve been playing together, as they bring the same energy to every song now as punk-rock elder statesman, as they did as kids starting out. Pausing after “Automatic Man,” Graffin looked around and asked the crowd where he was. “Oh yeah, that’s right: Phoenix! No matter where we all are, this is still the new dark ages,” as they played “New Dark Ages” from 2007’s New Maps of Hell, an album whose cover art and title served as a knowing nod to their first album How Could Hell Be Any Worse?, on its then-25th anniversary.
Taking a jab at himself, Graffin mused that he was born in the 1980’s and was only two when he wrote the next song. Guitarist Brian Baker chimed in that he was born in 1981. The song was the timeless “We’re Only Gonna Die,” from that first album, a song that shows no signs of being a now 37-year old song. It was quickly followed by “No Control,” which reignited the crowd. “Generator” and “Conquer the World” were played with the same fervor as when they were new releases.
While playing “21st Century (Digital Boy)” from their 1990 album Against the Grain, there was a moment that showed just how much their music has connected to everyone in the grade, both young and old: As the crowd sang along, a kid no more than 15 crowd surfed while screaming the lyrics “I don’t know how to read, but I got a lot of toys!” like the song was written only for him and his generation, even as he passed over the heads of men and women easily three times his age who sang it with the same energy. Bad Religion is still here because their music doesn’t age. There’s no nostalgia in their set. Songs from their debut all the way through the new album live in the moment, just as each member of the audience experienced them the first time.
“We’ve reached the climax of the show, and after you’ve reached the climax, you move into a refractory period. In this moment, we want to dedicate this next song to our favorite people: You!” After the No Control classic and “Paranoid Style,” Graffin told a story about their first album: “Back in the 80’s there wasn’t a whole lot of color choices, so we chose red with the shadowy figure of Los Angeles in the background, and we asked a simple question: How could hell be any worse?” The band’s original anthem led into “Sorrow” from 2002’s The Process of Belief, which was another sing-along across the generations in the crowd. As the song closed out, each member walked off the stage one-by-one, led by Graffin.
For the next two minutes, the fans cheered, clapped, and called out for one more song, before the band emerged for an encore. “I could get all sentimental about Phoenix,” said Graffin, “It was the second city we ever went to play a show. This song is about you and me.” The band closed out the show with “Infected” from Stranger Than Fiction, and “American Jesus” from Recipe for Hate. Before leaving the stage, they took one final moment to acknowledge the audience, pulling up their set lists and giving them to the kids in the crowd, and solidifying the next wave of fans who will continue to carry them on as a band who defies time and continues to produce powerful, relevant music that unites fans of all ages.
Los Angeles, CA – Simple Creatures have released their new single, “One Little Lie,” today, which was exclusively premiered on the BBC Radio 1 Rock Show with Dan P. Carter. Listen HERE. The track is taken from the band’s sophomore EP, Everything Opposite, which is due this Friday, October 11. The effort is available to pre-order HERE, with the official track listing included below.
Simple Creatures are Mark Hoppus (blink-182) and Alex Gaskarth (All Time Low) and evolved from a long-standing friendship and a musical kinship. Hoppus and Gaskarth took a beat from their individual bands to have some fun in the studio, and came away with a new band with a new sound.
The group will also be heading to Australia for The Good Things Festival on December 6 (Melbourne), 7 (Sydney), and 8 (Brisbane). Tickets can be purchased HERE.
Everything Opposite Track Listing:
1. Special 2. One Little Lie 3. Need Me 4. The Wolf 5. NVM 6. Thanks, I Hate It
PHOENIX — Whether you are on team Stark, Lannister, Targaryen, or that one guy that is on team Bolton, this show transported you to world of Westeros through the songs and scenes of the characters we’ve grown to love and hate. This was the third tour that graced the stages of Arizona for the Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience. This time the immersive journey through the show’s music, eloquently crafted by composer Ramin Djawadi, would include the songs from the eighth and final season. The majesty of the show was slightly scaled down for this round and Djawadi was noticeably absent for the Comerica show in downtown Phoenix. Conductor Michael Sobie took the reigns for this stop of the tour and did a fantastic job coraling the myriad of instruments, but anyone expecting to see Ramin Djawadi at the helm were sadly disappointed. (See tour dates)
As the crowd shuffled in, the anticipation was high. The room felt a little cold; maybe winter was coming. A rotation of slides featured Dragonstone, Old Town, Winterfell, The Sept (before the wildfire), and other locales developed by producers David Benioff and DB Weiss. The amplified speakers droned an ominously disturbing symphonic ambiance that was void of melody or cadence.
The house lights dimmed. It was time. The stage was bathed in blood red light except for the iron throne in the midst of the empty orchestra seats, which was the target of a beam of light as blue as the glint off Valyrian steel in “stark” contrast to the red. Unlike the shows that hide the orchestra in the “pit”, this show revered the musicians as the protagonists as they staked claim to center stage. Yes, they were supposed to be the stars of the show, but the inanimate giant screen still upstaged them and it’s almost sad to admit that our collective eyes would be spending more time focused on the GOT scenes than on the live “band” that was breathing life into the video. That screen was now engulfed with the face of Drogon, the alpha male of Danery’s three dragons (or could it have been Viserion, they’re hard to tell apart sometimes). Fireflies of brimstone danced around his menacing stare as the musicians took their seats and tested their instruments.
Finally the undeniable voice of Queen Cersei (actress Lena Heady) filled the room with the ground rules for the show:
“Lords and ladies, eh, peasants, thank you for joining us tonight. I know some of you have come a long way to see your queen and your obedience touches me deeply. (pause) Silence your phones. Those who violate these rules will be boiled alive in the blood of their children. I do hope you enjoy the show and if you should see me afterwards do not approach. I find contact with my subjects extremely distasteful.”
And so it began. This show kicked off with the theme song that kicks off every episode HBO series. It’s less than two minutes long and affectionately known as “Main Title,” but it is the melody that everyone could hum along to. We were warned that there would obviously be spoilers ahead and I’ll relay that sentiment that there may be spoilers coming up in this article. Though I doubt you would have read this far if you didn’t already know that Ned Stark didn’t make it past season one. Sobie polled the audience to ask who has never seen an episode of the show and there were dozens in the audience that responded. They would be treated to a first class “Cliff Notes” introduction to the entire show.
It was obvious that the majority of the audience were on the other extreme, hadn’t missed an episode of the show, and had probably read all of the books and watched all of the behind-the-scenes footage they could find on YouTube. As the orchestra played through a medley of the house themes, there were varying intensities of cheers as the sigils on each banner crossed the screen. The montage of each house was edited to seemingly reveal all of the characters from the entire series.
The musicians on stage were comprised of a team of seven soloists who were part of the touring cast and the rest of the orchestra and choir seats were filled by local talent in each city of the tour. There were about three dozen Phoenicians in the orchestra and fifteen in the choir. The cello that is dominantly featured throughout Djawadi’s scores was played by Cameron Stone who dressed for the part in a sleeveless robe revealing pauldron armor and a necklace reminiscent of a maester’s chain.
Rock shows often feature dueling virtuoso guitarists and this experience mirrored that element with Stone on cello and his counterpart, Molly Rogers, on violin. Rogers has played with many of the top names in the music business and rose to prominence in this show suspended on wires several stories high above the stage while playing the gentle melody of “Goodbye Brother”. The video screen played season one scenes of Winterfell while Roger’s dress extended from stage to proscenium in the guise of a weirwood tree with red leaves snowing from the gridiron.
The next soloists to be featured were the percussion team of Alan Mark Lightner and Davey Chegwidden. While the cello cried out a phrygian melody, a scale that the ancient Egyptians may have borrowed from the Dothraki, Lightner and Chegwidden provided the cadence on taiko and djembe for “Love In The Eyes.” Lightner was spotlighted later too as he played the hammer dulcimer for the theme dedicated to Arya Stark, “Needle.”
Vocalist Nayanna Holley earned her spot on center stage from a diverse resume of performances on tours and television (see her link below). Dressed in a flowing red gown, Holley delivered the second famous song of the series entitled “The Rains of Castamere,” accompanied by Hsin Huang on keys. The lyrics for this song were actually written by Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin in the book A Storm of Swords and then Djawadi later set it to a haunting melody in the key of D minor.
And who, are you, the proud Lord said, That I must bow so low? Only a cat of a different coat, That’s all the truth I know. In a coat of gold or a coat of red, A lion still has claws, And mine are long and sharp, my lord, As long and sharp as yours. And so he spoke and so he spoke. That lord of Castamere, But now the rains weep o’er his hall, With no one there to hear. Yes now the rains weep o’er his hall, And not a soul to hear.
The song packs an emotional impact to fans of the show who remember hearing the song sprinkled throughout the series, most notable at the Red Wedding. This was arguably one of the most shocking scenes of the series and we went back in time to relive it again while the orchestra intensified the already intense scenes with “The Lanisters Send Their Regards.”
Shifting from Westeros to Essos, we left the Lanister-Stark rift and rejoined the Daenerys Targaryens story arc for the songs “Dracarys” and “Mhysa.” The audience revealed their love of the character and Emilia Clarke, the actress who played her, as she gave the command “Dracarys” that gave Drogo the permission to burn slaver Kraznys mo Nakloz to a crisp. This song was the heavy metal segment of the setlist and the distortion on the cello sounded like a mix between a Les Paul through a Marshall stack and the spine-chilling roar of a dragon. Pyrotechnic flame cannons erupted on stage. Exciting!
Act one continued with John Snow dying and being resurrected, the Battle of the Bastards, and then wrapped up with the first song of the series to feature piano, “The Light of the Seven.” Conductor Michael Sobie proved his skills as a pianist which is his main task when Djawadi is conducting. The video played out the entire scene of Cersei’s trial that never comes to pass. The quiet piano passages evolved into organ chord progressions inspired by the horror of The Phantom of the Opera while the Phoenix choir was voicing chilling Gregorian chants…I guess they’re actually Valyrian chants. The act ends with the green wildfire imploding the Sept and the stage filled with smoke cannons immersed in lime green illumination.
Even for those who had seen the previous tours, Act Two was new. It was all carved from the episodes of season eight. There was a lot of controversy about how the series wrapped up in the final season, but there was no controversy regarding the music that was unanimously praised. The songs culled up the scenes of the reunions at Winterfell, battles on the Narrow Sea, live dragons above the clouds and undead dragons below the ice, Arya’s dagger plunge to end the war, and of course the unbridled rage of another mad Targaryan.
Djawadi captured the spirit and the tempo of this myriad of emotions in the confines of the same twelve notes used by his childhood hero Elmer Bernstein. In an HBO behind the scenes featurette, Djawadi shows the humble beginnings of this larger than life music forming in his relatively small studio. He shares his process of finding the right tones and instruments, recording them in the computer until the filming is locked, and then, he says, “I go in and record it with real musicians and I feel that’s the most rewarding thing. I still get goosebumps when I hear them play the music.” So did we.
One highlight for the second act was yet another song for which George R.R. Martin started the lyrics in the book A Storm of Swords, called “Jenny of Oldstones.” The song was featured on the series as Podrick Payne sang it before the massive “dark” battle and Florence and the Machine version sounded in the closing credits. The thirteen song set ended with a reprise of the main theme and the soloists lining up at the front of the stage for a final bow. As all of the musicians ghosted off the stage, the screen once again grabbed everyone’s attention and played a slide show of all of the major and minor characters from the Game of Thrones series. Finally the epic night of music and visual stimulation moved on to become additional audio-visions that will ever enhance our memories of A Song of Ice and Fire.
Photo Gallery
Photographer: Rodrigo Izquierdo
Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience – Comerica Theatre 10-1-19
Mesa, AZ — Flogging Molly, closing their “Life is Good” tour, and Social Distortion, about to hit the studio again, put on a spectacular show of endurance and exuberance for an all ages crowd at the Mesa Amphitheatre. Together, they demonstrated that punk’s not dead, but alive and well, with new albums and more tours to come for future fans in attendance that were not even born yet.
Openers — Le Butcherettes & The Devil Makes Three
The opening bands, Le Butcherettes and The Devil Makes Three, did a fantastic job at getting the crowd pumped and ready for the headliners. With spastic moves and strong vocals, Le Butcherettes surprised and impressed the audience with their style and polished delivery. Then, the bluegrass punk mix brought in by The Devil Makes Three brought in their excellent performance, gaining fans throughout the audience that came in early enough to be rewarded by their unusual, yet fantastic musical talents.
Social Distortion
Social Distortion’s Mike Ness and his 40 years of rock and roll experience kept the crowd cheering and fired up during their energized performance. Early into their set, Ness thanked the openers one by one, encouraged the crowd to cheer for them, as he then also shared how the Mesa crowd was so far superior from all the other ones, especially the recent night in Las Vegas. There were nonstop mosh pits during Social Distortion’s performance, staying true to the punk tradition of chaos and high energy.
Halfway through the set, Ness made an announcement that their fans were ecstatic to hear by saying, “I have some great news! Social Distortion is going into the studio in January to record a new album.” Since their last album release was Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes back in 2011, the crowd went crazy. Social Distortion rewarded their fans’ loyalty with a new song called “Over You” from the not-yet-recorded new album.
Ness connected with the audience between every song, telling stories about his musical journey and pouring his all into each song. One of the stories that stood out the most was about an assignment he received while in high school back in September of 1980 where he was told to read about WWII. Ness, with a smile, commented that he spent that time writing a song, and shortly after he dropped out of high school because it was getting in the way of his rock and roll life. That song is called “1945”.
As their set was nearing its end, they were joined by band members from The Devil Makes Three and Flogging Molly for the song “Sometimes I Do”. Social Distortion closed the last stop of their tour with an appropriate song for their 40th anniversary tour; “Story of My Life”.
Flogging Molly
Flogging Molly hit the stage to end what, for them, has been long 3 years of constant touring. Their well-deserved break will include a couple of weddings and international trips: Spencer Swain, who plays the mandolin, banjo, guitar, and vocals, is to be married within a week of the show’s end; Nathen Maxwell, who plays bass guitar and vocals, is also getting married within a week after the show; finally, band leader Dave King — their lead vocalist who plays the acoustic guitar, and bodhrán, and his wife Bridget Regan, who provides backing and lead vocals and plays the violin and tin whistle, were going on a trip to Ireland almost immediately after the show at 7:30 the next morning.
King and company rocked the stage and brought a performance to Mesa that was a prime example of fun, energy, and professionalism, demonstrating their 22 years of experience and true dedication to their fans.
A memorable moment arose in the middle of their set as King wanted to give a special shout-out to a fan that flew all the way from Tokyo, Japan, just to see them play here. King greeted this young fan, Kazu, in what seemed to be fluent Japanese, causing an explosion of cheers and clapping from the audience. Flogging Molly played one of their most popular songs, “Tobacco Road”, for this traveling fan.
As Flogging Molly played the energetic, musically and lyrically powerful song “Crush,” King stopped mid-song and said, “On the last day of our tour, after 3 years without emptying our suitcases, let’s have some fun,” and started to sing “We Will Rock You” by Queen with the crowd chanting loudly, then seamlessly went back to the song “Crush”.
King then introduced each one of the 7 Drunken Pirates, as the band members call themselves, one by one and thoroughly thanked the entire crew. He stated that after touring for years, this was the best crew they’ve ever had — “except for this asshole right there,” he jokingly said while pointing towards the backstage area without specifically singling anybody out.
“If I Ever Leave This World Alive” was their last song, powerfully and beautifully performed from the stage to a cheering crowd that didn’t want to see this show end. These fans had been gifted with phenomenal performances from two of the most recognizable punk bands of our time.
As their last song came to an end, the speakers began to play the theme song of Monty Python’s The Life of Brian, a British comedic classic, with their positive and uplifting message: “Always look on the bright side of life.” The stage began to fill back up with the members of Flogging Molly and The Devil Makes Three as they said goodbye to their fans, throwing guitar pics, drumsticks, playlists, and anything else they could find to give away while King waved away his fans, ready for their well-earned break.
After a crowdfunding campaign that far exceeded the goal, symphonic/Celtic vocal goddess Leah has revealed that her upcoming winter-themed album,Ancient Winter, will officially see release on November 15.
Says Leah, “Now that the crowdfunding campaign is complete, I’m really excited to focus on the release of this album in November. My closest colleagues have told me this album might be some of my best work yet. Regardless, I hope this new music will make the coming winter season much more magical.”
Ancient Winter features eight tracks – five of which are originals and three traditional century medieval songs that Leah puts her own unique touch on. The album offers a slight departure from Leah‘s traditional symphonic metal into a more atmospheric, ethereal sound. It is a more earthy sounding album filled with new instrumentation such as fiddles and uilleann pipes, which give it a beautiful harmony of middle eastern feeling and Celtic folk and fantasy. Ancient Winter proves Leah‘s ability to venture into musical realms beyond metal.
Ancient Winter represents a new approach to holiday music as it celebrates winter themes in a way that is sure to give it a wider appeal. This is not simply a “Christmas album” but rather an emotional journey into transcendent ideals that will inspire any listener from anywhere.
Ancient Winter Tracklisting:
The Whole World Summons Light of the World Upon Your Destiny Redemption The Messenger Gaudete Puer Natus Noël Nouvelet
For Ancient Winter, Leah tapped a top-notch talent cast of musicians, including Troy Donockley (Nightwish), Anna Murphy (Cellar Darling), Shir-Ran Yinon (Eluveitie), Oliver Philipps (Everon, Phantasma) and renowned string musician Rupert Gillett. This diverse lineup adds an international flavor to the album alongside Leah‘s beautiful vocals.
A variety of bundle packages will be available soon HERE. Watch the lyric video for “Redemption,” the first single from Ancient Winter, HERE:
About Leah:
Leah has amassed a generous and dedicated fanbase that has allowed her to crowdfund three of her five recordings without the assistance of a record label. Leah‘s first four albums, Of Earth and Angels (2012), Otherworld (2013), Kings & Queens (2015), and The Quest (2018) are a rapturous blend of a symphonic metal style carefully spiced with Celtic, folk and fantasy. Her emotive vocals are often compared to Loreena McKennitt, Tori Amos and Sarah McLachlan.
Leah – described affectionately by her fans as “the metal Enya” – hails from the coast of British Columbia, Canada, and is inspired by Celtic and world music influences such as Clannad and Enya to European symphonic and progressive metal influences. Her debut self-released album Of Earth & Angels received international critical acclaim, including landing the “The Best Symphonic Metal Album” Metalstorm Award for 2012. Her 2013 release, Otherworld, is a five-song Celtic-metal masterpiece, mixed by Christian “Moschus” Moos at SPACELAB in Germany (Delain, Everon, Imperia) and features the vocals of guitar legend Eric Peterson (Testament/Dragonlord) on the ethereal metal track “Dreamland.” 2014 was very successful year for Leah as she raised over $27,000 through Indiegogo via her fans to record and produce her heaviest album, Kings & Queens, which was eventually released in early 2015 through Inner Wound Recordings. The album received dozens of four and five-star reviews, and helped her gain thousands of new fans around the world. Leah raised over $87,000 in 30 days via Indiegogo and her shop to launch last year’s The Quest, again released via her own independent record label, Ex Cathedra Records, along with Inner Wound Recordings. The Quest received 5-star reviews and critical acclaim.
