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Tempe, AZ — Supergroup Angels & Airwaves headlined an amazing night, supported by The New Regime and Charming Liars, at an absolutely full Marquee Theatre.Angels & Airwaves is led by singer Tom DeLonge (blink-182), who is accompanied by David Kennedy (Box Car Racer) on lead guitar, Matt Rubano (Taking Back Sunday) on bass, and Ilan Rubin (Nine Inch Nails, Paramore, The New Regime, Angels & Airwaves) on drums.
Charming Liars
This show commenced with Los Angeles rock band Charming Liars, who just released their new EP, Bare Bones on August 2nd.
The audience’s engagement crescendoed, beginning with a feeling of curiosity and enthusiasm and ending with full crowd participation of chanting and clapping. The pumped-up fans were rewarded by a visit in the pit from vocalist Kiliyan Maguire.
Next up was The New Regime, led by child prodigy and Guinness World Record holder Ilan Rubin. Rubin brought years of experience and tremendous talent and dedication to the stage. He served double duty as the drummer for Angels & Airwaves, and he was recently called “Nine Inch Nails’ secret weapon” (Metal Injection) and “one of rock’s most in-demand drummers” (Louder).
In addition to his world record for being the youngest musician to ever play at Woodstock, Rubin contributed his talents to Beck & Paramore’s Grammy-winning albums, and he closed The Grammy Awards with Nine Inch Nails, Queens of The Stone Age, Dave Grohl, and Lindsey Buckingham. He has toured with Muse, The Killers Nine Inch Nails, Alice In Chains, The Used, and The Joy Formidable.
The New Regime performed tracks off of their forthcoming album Heart Mind Body & Soul, which will be released in four installments between the end of 2019 and the first quarter of 2020; Heart is part 1 of this album.
Despite technical issues during the third song of The New Regime’s set, “Turning A Blind Eye” from Heart, the band gracefully handled the hiccup with a sense of humor. They joked that the song “should sound like this” and the crowd erupted with laughter.
Closing their set, The New Regime led them in a chant of “I want your heart, mind, body, and soul,” which echoed throughout the venue above the throng of happy concertgoers.
After singing their fifth song, “Everything’s Magic” from I-Empire (For Puretracks), DeLonge finally addressed the audience, making fun of himself for not yet giving an introduction. This showed how engaged and dedicated to their music the band was. He then announced the hit song “Paralyzed” and the crowd went crazy.
He poked fun at the heat in the Valley of the Sun by explaining that his friend visited the Sahara desert and stated that it was almost as hot as Tempe. DeLonge then began to engage the audience much more often, sharing his experiences while growing up in the punk scene and his love of his music and the opportunity to share a positive message with his fans via his lyrics.
Phoenix was the first stop on Angel & Airwaves’ comeback tour, their first in seven years. They performed an ambitious setlist of 21 songs with friendly crowd engagement throughout, and a quick encore of the final 2 songs: “Do It for Me Now” and “Heaven.” Angels & Airwaves demonstrated the next-level show that a culmination of great established artists brings, and it was well-worth the wait to watch them grace the stage of Marquee Theatre.
Phoenix, AZ — On June 26 of this year, Sir Paul McCartney brought an evening of legendary music to Talking Stick Resort Arena. Exactly two months later, Ringo Starr became the second Beatle to grace the stages of Arizona. This is the 30-year anniversary of this touring rock supergroup, Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band, with a shifting lineup that has included legends such as Joe Walsh, Todd Rungren, Clarence Clemons, Peter Frampton, John Entwhistle, and so many more (see list below). Starr is really the only constant member.
This year’s line up is no exception to Starr’s history of building a stellar lineup:
The dueling guitarists were the unlikely pairing of Steve Lukather (Toto) and Colin Hay (Men At Work). These two master songwriters brought along their biggest hits to add to the already incredible setlist. Fans were treated to Toto’s “Rosanna”, “Africa”, and “Hold The Line” and Men At Work’s “Down Under”, “Overkill”, and of course “Who Can It Be Now.”
On the Hammond organ was none other than Gregg Rolie (Santana, Journey) who chipped in the classic Santana songs “Evil Ways”, “Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen”, and “Oye Como Va”, but unfortunately nothing from his days with Journey.
Bassist Hamish Stuart (Average White Band) was back after his stint in the lineup from 2006 to 2008. He switched over to guitar when the band dove into the Average White Band standards “Pick Up The Pieces” and “Cut The Cake.”
Gregg Bissonette on drums and Warren Ham on… well, everything else (saxophone, flute, keyboards, percussion, etc.) rounded out the lineup. Both have toured extensively with major recording acts, such as Bissonette’s time with “Diamond” David Lee Roth during the “Eat ‘Em And Smile” era, and Ham’s contributions to Kansas and Toto (now that’s an ironic combo of band names).
All that talent on the revolving stage of the Celebrity Theater culminated in the focal point of the evening; a man who’s former band is arguably the most famous band in the history of rock & roll. And yes, Starr brought a few songs to the setlist from his days with the Fab Four, starting with the only song credited to Lennon–McCartney–Starkey, “What Goes On.” Ringo Starr is the stage name of Sir Richard Starkey, knighted by Prince William on March 20, 2018. The two most popular Beatles songs that featured Starr’s voice where the whimsical “Yellow Submarine” and the song he sang in the guise of the one-and-only Billy Shears, “With A Little Help From My Friends.”
Starr’s credentials make him a legendary musician, but he seemed very unassuming. There was no fabricated swagger or false bravado in his delivery. He was reverent of the talent of his bandmates while clearly letting loose to have fun on stage. Even his attire hinted at high fashion with a jacket and black leather pants, but they were offset by a pair of comfortable sneakers and a rhinestone shirt that said “Peace Rocks”. The peace sign proved to be a prevalent theme throughout the show, from holding up the hand sign for peace to wearing peace necklaces. Starr looked spry and healthy wearing his signature sunglasses and sporting the kempt beard and mustache. Though he is 79 years old, there was nothing lethargic or geriatric about this performance. It was quite the opposite: an energetic and youthful performance from start to finish.
Although there are some Ringo Starr hits embroidered in the fabric of our collective memory, it takes a show like this to remind us of just how many there have been. Eight songs from his solo career broke the top 10 in the US charts and two hit number one (“You’re Sixteen” and “Photograph”). Between 1970 and 2017, Ringo has released 19 solo studio records. The second song of the set started the audience down memory lane with “It Don’t Come Easy” from the 1975 album Blast From Your Past.
Starr shared the spotlight and lead vocal duties with the singers that made their respective songs famous. It was like a karaoke dream where everyone sounded exactly like the record. One highlight was hearing Rolie breathing life into “Black Magic Woman,” and then hearing Lukather shredding on the soulful solos of Carlos Santana, was magical. As the song transitioned to “Gypsy Queen”, it was Gregg Bissonette’s turn to shine as he vamped on the drumset.
A majority of the crowd were old enough to remember the quirky videos of Men At Work on MTV’s heavy rotation in the early 80’s. There were possibly a handful of people that didn’t recognize Colin Hay playing guitar on stage, but everyone recognized that distinctive voice singing “I come from the land down under,” Ham obviously broke out the flute to play the infectious solo on “Down Under” and then later in the show played the famous sax line on “Who Can It Be Now.”
While out of the spotlight, Starr was still an archetypal presence as he rose to his drum throne and commandeered the instrument that he is best known for. The bass drum of his Ludwig drum kit that once sported The Beatles logo, now has a symbolic star and lotus flower logo, presumably in support of the Ringo Starr Art Lotus Foundation.
Being the drummer in the back typically garners less notoriety, especially when you’re standing on the shoulders of giants like Lennon, McCartney, and Harrison. But throughout his career, he has received 9 Grammys, and has twice been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, first as a Beatle and then as a solo artist. Starr played in perfect synchronicity with Bissonette and reminded all of the musicians in the room why he is considered by many to be included in the category of best rock drummer of all time.
The wonderful evening of hit music was capped off with a resounding message of peace when Ringo and the boys joined in on the anthem “Give Peace A Chance,” the anti-war chant that John Lennon and Yoko Ono voiced 50 years ago from room 1742 that still needs to be heard today.
Photo Gallery
Photographer: Mark Greenawalt
Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band – Celebrity Theatre 8-26-19
Mesa, AZ — Songwriters doing “rounds” is a staple in the Nashville music scene, but it is a rare treat to the Metro Phoenix area. The CMA Songwriters Series launched in 2005 and has brought a little of that Music City culture to cities all over the world. The CMA website claims that the series has featured nearly 200 gifted storytellers who collectively have 100 CMA Song of the Year nominations. The 2019 season show that graced the intimate Piper Theater stage at the Mesa Arts Center was a stellar all-female cast.
Leading off the rounds was Liz Rose, who also acted as the MC for the evening. She has one of those 100 CMA Song of the Year nominations mentioned above for co-writing Little Big Town’s “Girl Crush” (which just so happened to also win the category).
Rose introduced the other songwriters; Mickey Guyton, Ingrid Andress, Jillian Jacqueline, and Marti Lynn Dodson, and then kicked off the music with a song that she wrote with “a little girl named Taylor”. The song was the Grammy Award winning “White Horse”, and of course the little girl was Taylor Swift.
Batting second, Texas native Mickey Guyton launched into her latest release, “Sister” (Capitol Records Nashville). Guyton has a powerful and alluring voice and an incredible knack for writing relatable songs. Her energy and emotions were on full display as her face lit up hearing great hooks, and as her tears fell after hearing Rose singing the emotional “When You’re My Age”.
An audience favorite was her new song, “Rosé” that was a fun drinking song for a more sophisticated palate. The ladies shared the fact that their drinks on stage were not exactly just water, which added to the vivacious atmosphere.
Rose and Guyton were accompanied by a guest acoustic guitarist, the sole male sitting upstage of the main line up. Ingrid Andress, however, was playing her Nord Stage 3 keyboard for her own piano accompaniment. Andress has writing credits with Sam Hunt and Alicia Keys, but it was obvious that she has that special style and presence to be a star in her own right. Her lyrics are fresh and honest and cater to her generation more than most modern country songs. Andress shared the stories behind “We’re Not Friends” and “Both”, each song being unique and candidates for crossover audiences. On the other hand, she proved that she has a firm foundation in country songwriting too as she played “More Hearts Than Mine”, her first single released after being signed to Atlantic Records / Warner Music Nashville.
Next up was Jillian Jacqueline who poured her heart and her angelic voice into each of her songs. It is so interesting to hear the stories behind the songs. Jacqueline shared the entertaining story of sitting on the floor at Keith Urban’s house working on “If I Were You”, a song on which he sang harmonies and played guitar.
Her well crafted lyrics on songs like “Sad Girls” and “Hate Me” brought the “feels” to room. Jacqueline commanded everyone’s undivided attention with the stripped down sound of her voice and her Gibson acoustic guitar, the ideal definition of a singer/songwriter.
Rounding out the lineup, wearing a beautiful flowing dress and stunning red shoes, was Marti Lynn Dodson who founded and fronted the band Saving Jane. Among her song selections was the Saving Jane hit “Girl Next Door” which had fans of the song tapping their feet and singing along. Dodson played an Epiphone acoustic guitar that sounded amazing.
Tucson Musicians Hall of Fame inductee, LeeAnne Savage was in the audience and is a long-time fan of Dodson. Savage noted, “The song “Cheerleader” was one of my favorite bops of 2000, however her song “Quarterback” takes the listener on a journey involving date rape, social media bullying, and the imbalance of power between victim and perpetrator. Great songwriters hold up a mirror to society in an effort to create dialogue around difficult topics. This song does just that.”
There were plenty of songwriters in the audience that were basking in the glow of this group of women who have honed their craft and found success in a very tough field. Songwriter Angel Pizarro said, “I loved the experience of being so close to songwriting greatness along with the feel of being at a friend’s living room; and as a songwriter I appreciated the value of being there, learning while being entertained. I’ll never forget this evening!”
Setlist for the Evening
Liz Rose – “White Horse” (recorded by Taylor Swift)
Mickey Guyton – “Sister”
Ingrid Andress – “We’re Not Friends”
Jillian Jacqueline – “Hate Me”
Marti Lynn Dodson – “Breakers” (recorded by Thompson Square)
Liz Rose – “When You’re My Age”
Mickey Guyton – “Brand New”
Ingrid Andress – “Both”
Jillian Jacqueline – “If I Were You” (recorded by Jillian Jacqueline feat. Keith Urban)
Marti Lynn Dodson – “Quarterback” (recorded by Kira Isabella)
Bailey Claywell (student songwriter) – “I Will Rise”
Liz Rose – “You Belong With Me” (recorded by Taylor Swift)
Lourde Childs (student songwriter) – “Faithful”
Mickey Guyton – “Rosé”
Ingrid Andress – “Lady Like”
Jillian Jacqueline – “Sad Girls”
Marti Lynn Dodson – “Girl Next Door” (recorded by Saving Jane)
Liz Rose – “Girl Crush” (recorded by Little Big Town)
Mickey Guyton – “Better Than You Left Me”
Ingrid Andress – “More Hearts Than Mine”
Jillian Jacqueline – “God Bless This Mess”
Marti Lynn Dodson – “Things I’ll Miss”
The touring group of ladies and the sponsor US Bank made a stop earlier in the day to visit with the teachers and students at The Phoenix Conservatory of Music (PCM) and give a master class in songwriting. The visit was part of U.S. Bank’s Community Possible giving and engagement platform and its Places to Play partnership with the CMA Foundation. Many of the students and teachers came out to attend the show and two exceptional students were even granted the opportunity to share the stage and play their original songs. Bailey Claywell was accompanied by keyboard player Michael Rodriguez as she sang their original song, and later Lourde Childs brought the house down, singing and playing guitar on his original. The students received a well-earned standing ovation.
Each of the featured writers were able to play four of their songs as they took turns showcasing their personal favorites. The highest energy and audience engagement occurred as Liz Rose sang her second Taylor Swift song of the evening, “You Belong To Me”. Everyone in the room, on-stage and off-stage, was singing along to the infectious chorus. One especially enthusiastic fan of the song was even pulled out of the audience to come up and sing on stage with the group.
It was a great evening with a diverse array of songs from some truly gifted songwriters. As the end of the evening approached each writer saved their best song for their last round as they each said their good-byes.
Jon Iger, the President of the Arizona Songwriters Association, was in attendance and had this message for CMA Songwriting Series participants:
“Thank you ladies of CMA for a very inspiring day! A day of amazing writing and performing talent! The same goes for the PCM students! We (Arizona Songwriters Association) have worked on several events with PCM, and they are doing outstanding work with their students and the music community! And being a long time member of CMA, I know the great work they continue to do with schools! Hope to see you again real soon!”
Dan & Glenda Paradee, Thanks for the Music News;
Rhonda Hitchcock-Mast, Chicks with Picks;
Jon Iger, Arizona Songwriters Assn.
PHOENIX — What comes to mind when you think of the 2000’s? Motorola RAZRs? MTV’s Pimp My Ride? Undoubtedly, your mind also went to the music that defined the decade: bands like Jimmy Eat World and Third Eye Blind. It might surprise you to learn that both of these groups are still going strong and loving every minute of it, as evidenced by their incredible performances at the Ak Chin Pavilion in Phoenix this past Wednesday evening.
Both bands are refreshing examples of groups that have not only outlasted their respective peaks of fame, but have continued going strong in spite of it. Jimmy Eat World playing timeless classics like “Sweetness”, “The Middle”, and “Hear You Me” to ear-piercing cheers and thundering applause is all the proof you need. Obvious musical and songwriting talents aside, a big reason for the longevity in Jimmy Eat World’s career is the sheer gratitude they express to their fans at nearly every show.
There are countless examples throughout musical history of artists who gain big heads from their fame but this band, and especially Jim Adkins, could not have been more humble, crediting their fans for helping them get to where they are now. About halfway through the set, Jim strapped on a beautifully shining acoustic guitar and as he was tuning for “Hear You Me” he warmly addressed the crowd: “I remember when we were sitting out on the lawn watching shows and dreaming about being on this stage. Now, here we are and it’s all thanks to you guys and your support.” This would become a common theme throughout the night as he so graciously engaged the audience and made them feel as welcome as they so clearly made him and the rest of the band feel in return.
Ra Ra Riot began the show with an uncharacteristically energetic set for an opening band; the crowd couldn’t get enough and the band definitely got the job done getting people out of their seats.
The stage chemistry and musicianship of each member shined through during key moments, like the crisp backing vocals of bassist, Mathieu Santos blending seamlessly with lead vocalist, Wes Miles. Guitarist, Milo Bonacci and his versatility with guitar FX pedals created mind-bending soundscapes of delayed and chorused chords, and even allowed him to smoothly recover from a brief tussle with some nasty feedback. Ra Ra Riot are entertainers in the truest sense of the word and are definitely one to watch out for.
Jimmy Eat World continued to amaze the audience by mixing in a pleasant blend of old and new songs, with the old songs sounding just as fresh as the new. It’s difficult to make a song like “The Middle”, released in 2001, not sound slightly dated when it appears in movies or TV shows for example, but live, this song takes on entirely new life, as those same familiar four power chords envelop you in pure nostalgic delight. It’s honestly incredible – a true testament to their abilities as a band to stand the test of time by continuously putting out timeless song after song.
Third Eye Blind closed out the night with a highly engaging set that the vast majority of fans never wanted to end. Lead singer/guitarist, Stephan Jenkins, displayed a level of energy and charisma not often seen in a 54-year-old man. The music keeps him young at heart, and the same can be said of his fans as they screamed every single word along with him.
Third Eye Blind effortlessly charged through songs like the latest collaborative effort with Alexis Krauss of Sleigh Bells, “Screamer”. This track has a harder modern rock vibe that they transition into deftly from their classic sound. Hearing a band continue to reinvent themselves is a sign that they don’t intend to give up on music anytime soon; which is good news for many.
Third Eye Blind also treated the crowd’s ears to a clever medley of songs “Back To Zero”, “Can You Take Me”, and “London”, strung together so well you’d think they were back to back on the same album. The band was obviously well-rehearsed, and executed each song down to the last screaming note. Playing songs from the first album like “Motorcycle Drive-by” and “Graduate” served as an endearing homage to their past, which acknowledges that they haven’t forgotten where they came from and how they arrived where they are today. This was a more understated approach to showing the fans gratitude: by treating them with more hidden gems on the early albums, which went over very well overall.
A more cynical observer might write off a joint tour between Jimmy Eat World and Third Eye Blind as an attempt to revive a dying genre; however this could not be further from the truth. Both bands are timeless examples of pop-rock bands of the early 2000’s that bring unique qualities to their music that only serves to guarantee their respective longevity. The “Summer Gods” tour is an aptly named one because these bands have successfully become immortalized through their music. And honestly, isn’t that what any band ultimately strives for?
Photo Gallery
Photographer: Rodrigo Izquierdo
Third Eye Blind, Jimmy Eat World, Ra Ra Riot – Ak-Chin Pavilion 7-31-19
PHOENIX — Opening their headlining Arizona show with an aptly titled track, “Heaven in Hell”, California beach goth rockers The Growlers played to a sold-out Van Buren venue that prepared them for their ambitious 2019 tour. The tour will include 52 concert nights over the next four months, finishing up in the heavenly City of Angels and Stars on Halloween night. Supporting The Growlers is Rinse & Repeat, an Orange County post-punk band.
Rinse & Repeat can be best described as a space age psychedelic synth group that have a perfect mix reminiscent of The Aquabats, Divo, and maybe even some Peter Gabriel. Full of energy and theatrics, the nice commenced with their performance that was engaging, fun, and showed much dedication from the band members: Aaron Bones on bass, Riley on guitar, and Rodney on the drums. They put on a show that went beyond their songs and took us through their “space” struggles and successes.
The Growlers
Sufficiently warmed up and likely grateful the show was in the climate-controlled venue, the crowd thoroughly enjoyed and sang along to each and every song with lead singer Brooks Nielsen, as if the lyrics popped up before them like a karaoke video.
The Growlers went through a total of 23 songs and 2 encore pieces, and unlike most mainstream bands, did not spend much time talking to the crowd in between songs, instead engaging them through their music.
Setlist:
Heaven in Hell
One Million Lovers
Dope on a Rope
Orgasm of Death
Naked Kids
The Daisy Chain
Someday
Love Test
Beach Rats
Rare Hearts
Hiding Under Covers
Who Loves the Scum?
Problems III
When You Were Made
Monotonía
Pavement and the Boot
Empty Bones
Vacant Lot
Night Ride
City Club
Drop Your Phone in the Sink
Chinese Fountain
I’ll Be Around
Encore:
Humdrum Blues
Going Gets Tough
With such a jam-packed setlist, the fans got what they paid to see, The Growlers singing their favorite songs live, with an extensive sample of their successful discography. Perhaps, referencing lyrics from the opening song, their fans were able to “find a haven” in their immersion in the music and energy of one of their favorite bands.
Nielsen seemed shy and tired, as he himself mentioned after singing just a few songs, “I’m tired, and it is only day one”, but as the show evolved, so did his energy and engagement. As their night ended, he expressed his gratitude to the audience for the boost, saying “Thank you Phoenix, we’re ready to tour now!”
The lyrics from their closing song “Going Gets Tough” seemed to be applicable for The Growlers that night:
Still always remembering When the going gets tuff That the labor of our love Will reward us soon enough
Photo Gallery
Photographers: Rodrigo Izquierdo (Reagle Photography) & Andrea Stoica
The Growlers and Rinse & Repeat – The Van Buren 7-17-19
PHOENIX — Time and again, rock n’ roll has proven that it’s a genre that staunchly refuses to die. Two good reasons for this phenomenon were proudly on display this past Tuesday evening at Crescent Ballroom in downtown Phoenix; the opening act of the night, Seattle rock band Thunderpussy, and the incomparable two-man rock powerhouse known as Black Pistol Fire.
Thunderpussy
The evening couldn’t have kicked off better as Thunderpussy took the stage by storm, captivating the audience immediately with their slick style along with some effortlessly proficient musicianship. Lead vocalist, Molly Sides (a Tucson native) had undeniable charisma and grace from the moment she strode across the stage towards her iconic Elvis-style microphone.
Donning a vibrant, glittery and flowing outfit, she was the centerpiece that completed the unmistakably rock n’ roll spectacle the band was giving off. As her darkly-colored vocals soared to the stratosphere with an excellent cover of Jefferson Airplane’s “Somebody to Love”, she dazzled fans with her fluid dancing that seemed far too natural to be choreographed.
The charisma didn’t stop there either; it comes pouring out of each member as you see them thoroughly enjoying themselves on stage. Lead guitarist, Whitney Petty opened the show wielding a violin bow, grazing it across the strings in ways that would make Jimmy Page’s jaw drop. The rhythm section could easily hold their own with the best of them as Leah Julius’ bass and the battering proficiency of the drums made up a rock-solid foundation supporting the rest of the music. The band was an excellent choice for an opener and definitely one to keep your eyes on as they inevitably ascend to greatness.
Black Pistol Fire
As palpable as the excitement in the room was for the main attraction, it was still hard to imagine the night getting much better. However as soon as singer/guitarist Kevin McKeown and drummer Eric Owen rushed the stage, it was obvious that the night had only just begun.
Ripping into the first lines of “Suffocation Blues”, you could feel the desperation behind every note being bent out of McKeown’s beautiful SG guitar. Deeply rooted in the blues and garage rock of the dirtiest varieties, Black Pistol Fire must feel right at home back in the thriving Austin, Texas music scene. As a rock duo featuring no bassist, the superficial comparisons to other famous rock duo groups like The White Stripes and The Black Keys are inevitable, but don’t be fooled; Black Pistol Fire brings many unique qualities to the table in a genre saturated with copycats.
Owen’s creative contribution of playing the synth bass while he simultaneously drums with one arm is a sight that must be seen to be fully processed. This is not something that can be pulled off easily but he makes it look like the easiest thing in the world, which is a testament to his raw musical talent. Shockingly, this also does very little in simplifying his drum parts because his merciless whacks on the toms and snare drum are just as strikingly heavy as if someone were playing with two burly arms.
McKeown’s vocal and guitar chops are both solid, with attitude aplenty. It’s so powerful to see how the themes behind the lyrics of songs like “Hipster Shakes” directly translates through his guitar into this emotional downpour of soulful distortion. The songs exude this fiery, sensual energy that’s simply magnetic and is sure to make anyone loosen up a bit. He screams with this begging and pleading tone that perfectly complements the gyrating motions he does on stage. It’s almost as if you’re watching someone go through an exorcism the way he shakes, tearing away at the pain of past experiences and shedding them from existence. There was even a moment when McKeown’s exorcism took him off the stage and into the crowd with the help of a dedicated stagehand. This personal journey of his took him all the way from the back end of the room onto the bleachers, all the way to standing on top of the bar as the bartender proudly handed him a splash of whiskey, all during the same guitar solo.
Crescent Ballroom proved to be the ideal venue for the performance of both bands, balancing high sound quality with the intimacy that only it’s dark walls can provide. The light show was also complimentary without it being too blinding or distracting for the audience. The reactions you gather from watching both of these bands are visceral ones and each of their reputations are definitely elevated because of it. Black Pistol Fire and Thunderpussy are as rock n’ roll as they come.
Photo Gallery
Photographer: Rodrigo Izquierdo
Black Pistol Fire & Thunderpussy – Crescent Ballroom 7-16-19
PHOENIX — On the cusp of their sophomore album release, Chase Atlantic and opener Lauren Sanderson celebrated at Crescent Ballroom with contagious energy. Touring the US from coast to coast with 29 stops, and their self-produced PHASES set to release on June 28, the alt-pop three-piece have played to sold out venues in Pittsburgh, Nashville, Charlotte, Ft. Lauderdale, and now Phoenix.
“This album feels as though it is truly a work of astronomical measures,” says lead vocalist, Mitchel Cave. “It’s the first time we were able to honestly and openly hone into something so monumentally special and raw without compromising even an inch of our integrity as artists. We’ve developed a completely new sound within a matter of months that has never been tapped into before. Chase Atlantic is now dwelling within a realm of its own; it’s both scarily isolating and blissfully euphoric at the same time. Welcome to a whole new era.”
Lauren Sanderson, an Indiana native with a huge Twitter following of over 100,000 people, gave her first Ted Talk, titled “Stay Positive N’ Stay You”, only a year after graduating high school. Shehit the stage with a bright smile and a burst of energy that set the table for the main course of the night: Chase Atlantic.
During the intermission between Sanderson and Chase Atlantic, the music kept the audience energized and singing along as they played one of Lauren’s songs, to the crowd’s delight.
When the lights went out, the crowd went wild with anticipation. The back LED screens came on, and a fantastic and electrifying drum solo by Jesse Boyle got everybody screaming. A few seconds later, the shouts intensified as frontman Cave walked onto the stage, followed by band members Christian Anthony, Clinton Cave, and Patrick Wilde.
Mitchel yelled to the crowd, “Make some noise if you came with a friend!” The crowd roared and the song “Angels” began a night of jumping and motion that could practically induce seasickness.
During “What U Call That”, “Her”, “The Walls”, “Friends”, and “StuckInMyBrain”, the madness continued with nonstop singing, jumping, and partying like the world was about to end.
As they hit the stage again, following a quick and well-earned interlude, they made the announcement everybody was waiting for: their new album PHASES was just made live a day early, and Cave encouraged the whole crowd to open up their cell phones and download the song right then and there. He even asked to get a thumbs-up once each audience member had finished the transaction. An ocean of cell phone screens lit up the inside of Crescent Ballroom as the download frenzy went on for a few moments, to the delight of the band. Thumbs started to go up enthusiastically and smiles filled the faces of the musicians.
The crowd was rewarded for their instant downloads with one of Chase Atlantic’s most popular and well-known songs, “Swim”, followed by “Love Is Not Easy”, then by Cave and Anthony taking off their shirts suggestively right before their song “Lust”.
Cave’s statement matched that of the opener by saying that “this has been the best show of their whole f***ing ride.”
“Drugs & Money” kept the energy as high as it had been since the opening and continued with “Heaven And Back”, followed by Anthony asking the crowd, “Who feels like a rockstar?”, then pointing towards Cave and telling him, “I know you do,” then playing “Like A Rockstar”.
During their last song, “Uncomfortable”, Cave took a cell phone from the audience to take a selfie with the crowd, then carefully returned it to the fan without breaking or slowing down the energetic performance.
As they walked offstage, they said to the crowd, “We can play a f***ing encore if you want one more!” The crowd chanted incessantly and, over the speakers the band instructed everyone to scream “F*** yeah!” in unison. The crowd again obliged and chanted until the band returned to the stage.
Chase Atlantic closed the show with their last song, “Okay”, commanding the crowd in a way seasoned musicians do. The band coerced the whole crowd get down low, almost lying on the ground, and brought them back up to dance and jump. They welcomed Lauren Sanderson back to the stage for a high-octane rock n’ roll sound with heavy guitar riffs and powerful drum beats, and the night ended by leaving the audience exhausted and excited, as only great and memorable shows can do.
PHOENIX — Paul McCartney delivered the soundtrack of our lives in a three-hour marathon performance at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The sound was perfect and the light show was amazing, but the magical and elusive ingredient was the way McCartney could make everyone feel the songs. This stop on his “Freshen Up Tour” was an emotional rollercoaster that took a nostalgic journey down memory lane and then ventured back to the more recent entries into the most incredible catalog on earth. The tour kicked off last September in Canada and has literally traveled the world including stops in Asia, Europe, South America, and finally back to North America. Phoenix is so fortunate to be included in such a short list of international dates.
Pulling from a catalog of hits by the Beatles, Wings, and solo material that everyone knew and loved, McCartney modestly proved why he is the world class entertainer all others aspire to. There were happy moments where the audience was giddy and singing along to “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” like drunks in an Irish pub. But there were also more solemn moments when McCartney became the storyteller and reminisced about some people that we have lost – people we know as celebrities, but he knew as friends.
There was excitement in the air when the gentle verse of “Live And Let Die” exploded into a shocking display of pyrotechnics that brought out the inner child, wide-eyed and watching a finale of fireworks. At the opposite end of that spectrum was a simple rustic shack stage set for the performance of a stripped-down acoustic set of songs that included Beatles classics “From Me To You”, “Love Me Do”, and all the way back to The Quarrymen song “In Spite of All The Danger.”
There is no denying that McCartney is a class act, and it was evident from the moment he walked on stage wearing a stylish black jacket, white shirt, black pants and wielding the iconic Hoffner bass guitar for a splash of color. The jacket lasted eight songs before he announced, “This will be the one-and-only wardrobe change,” and revealed the white shirt, in stark contrast to the rest of the band dressed in all black.
Paul McCartney – Lead vocals, bass, acoustic guitar, piano, electric guitar, ukulele, mandolin
Paul ‘Wix’ Wickens – Backing vocals, keyboards, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bongos, percussion, harmonica, accordion
Abe Laboriel Jr. – Backing vocals, drums, percussion
Rusty Anderson – Backing vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar
Brian Ray – Backing vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass
Plus guest appearance by 3-piece horn section
The band included the dueling guitar team of Rusty Anderson (on McCartney’s right) and Brian Ray, who takes on the role of playing bass when McCartney transitions to tickling the ivories. Paul ‘Wix’ Wickens was the multi-instrumentalist who was predominantly on keyboards, but also shined on harmonica. Drummer Abe Laboriel Jr. was the highly animated and always entertaining drummer who has been with McCartney since the 2001 Concert for New York City. Laboriel brought some levity and comic relief to the stage as he performed goofy dance moves behind the stoic McCartney singing “Dance Tonight.” And to add icing to the already delicious cake, McCartney introduced a 3-piece horn section that elevated the authenticity of songs like “Hey Jude” while we sang the “Na-NaNa-NaNaNaNa” part and the uplifting “Got To Get You Into My Life.”
McCartney’s narration paid tribute to the late Jimi Hendrix (telling the story about Hendrix playing “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” live at a show in England the day after the song was released) and to the late Sir George Martin who is often cited as the fifth Beatle. But the two most touching tributes were to the two fallen Beatles.
He recalls a story of sitting with George Harrison and showing him that he had learned the Harrison hit “Something” on ukulele. He mentioned how Harrison was a great “uke” player and said “Let’s hear it for George.” The crowd responded with a swell of cheers as McCartney raised his hand in the air for a moment of reverence and then started into the song playing a ukulele that Harrison had given him. Any song on ukulele seems light hearted and “cute”, but when the band orchestration kicked in for the guitar solo and the images of Harrison filled the screen the emotions cut deep. Many tears were shed in the audience at that moment. “Thank you George,” said McCartney as the music faded, “for writing such a beautiful song.”
The other tribute was, of course, to John Lennon. One can only imagine the loss that McCartney felt when he lost his co-writing partner and friend to a senseless act of violence that brought the world to a standstill in 1980. Reflecting back on their time together he shares a message with the audience that sometimes we don’t tell friends what they really mean to us. If you have something nice to say about someone, say it. He advised, “Sometimes it’s too late and you wish you had said it.” As he introduced a song he had written for John shortly after he died, he called it a “conversation that they never got to have.” Then with just an acoustic guitar and his emoting voice he delivered the beautiful tribute “Here Today,” and everyone old enough to remember Lennon alive recalled all of those precious memories.
At 77 years old, you might expect him to have the feeble voice of an old man. Although there may have been a few moments where time revealed itself on the vocal cords that have been singing songs like “Helter Skelter” and “Maybe I’m Amazed” for decades, his voice was still powerful, eloquent, and mesmerizing throughout the three-hour marathon. The focus of the show was on the songs, so the physical stage antics were kept to a minimum, but this doesn’t mean that there was any loss of showmanship. McCartney commanded the stage as he glided from bass on songs like the opener “A Hard Day’s Night” to the Yamaha grand piano for an epic rendition of “Let It Be” that could be described as a spiritual experience.
Even the casual McCartney fan knows most of the songs on the setlist from “back in the day,” but McCartney has continued to produce music that hasn’t necessarily made it into heavy rotation on radio stations. McCartney said they know which songs the audience wants to hear by looking into the audience and seeing a sea of cellphone lights when a classic Wings or Beatles song begins to play. “When we play the new songs,” he said, “It’s a black hole.” Then with a cheeky grin he said they are going to play them anyway as they dove into “Fuh You” from the album Egypt Station released last year. Not sure if it was guilt or just some brilliant power of suggestion, but before the first verse was complete, there was a sea of cellphone lights illuminating Talking Stick Resort Arena. Brilliant.
Setlist
A Hard Day’s Night
Junior’s Farm
Can’t Buy Me Love
Letting Go
Who Cares
Got to Get You Into My Life
Come On to Me
Let Me Roll It
I’ve Got a Feeling
Let ‘Em In
My Valentine
Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five
Maybe I’m Amazed
I’ve Just Seen a Face
In Spite of All the Danger
From Me to You
Dance Tonight
Love Me Do
Blackbird
Here Today
Queenie Eye
Lady Madonna
Eleanor Rigby
Fuh You
Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!
Something
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
Band on the Run
Back in the U.S.S.R.
Let It Be
Live and Let Die
Hey Jude
Encore:
Birthday
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)
Helter Skelter
Golden Slumbers
Carry That Weight
The End
The setlist contained 38 songs, and each one was worthy of a paragraph in this review, but for the sake of relative brevity, here are just a few highlights. “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!” with it’s spooky carnival melody has some of the most visual and strange lyrics. McCartney said he’s often asked where the ideas for songs come from and he said for this one they quite literally saw a poster for an upcoming circus with the tagline, “Being for the benefit of Mr. Kite there will be show tonight on trampoline…” Earlier in the show, McCartney dedicated the song “My Valentine” to his wife and mentioned that she was there in the audience with us in Phoenix. This song also has a hauntingly beautiful melody and the jumbo screen played a black and white film of Natalie Portman and Johnny Depp doing sign language while the song played. Another highlight was for the song “Black Bird.” The stage rose several stories high and revealed a video wall of a starfield of lights in the form of an animated bird on a black background. At the top of the stage, high over the audience, McCartney delivered the song that has inspired singer/songwriters all over the planet to pick up a guitar and learn to play these challenging chords. To be present this night and hear it straight from the source was truly moving.
If you were there, you understand there is no way to put into words how wonderful this show felt. You may be able to find clips or maybe even the entire concert on YouTube, and that might give you a glimpse of how the songs sounded and what was generally happening on stage, but there was an immersive blanket of sound and laser lights that just can’t be captured on any media. Sir Paul McCartney was talking to us like we were his friends and passing down stories like an elder might share with the youth to keep the stories alive for future generations. The end of the night was drawing near as McCartney addressed the audience saying, “We’ve had a great time, but there comes a time when we’ve got to go home…and it ends up the same time you’ve got to go home too.” He took a moment to thank the traveling stage crew, many of them he even thanked by name, and then closed the night with the apropos medley of “Golden Slumbers”, “Carry That Weight”, and “The End”.
(Author’s Note – I used to sing “Golden Slumbers” as a lullaby to my kids when they were babies, so this song was very special to me.)
The last lyric of the night seemed to sum up the overarching positive message from Paul McCartney to the world:
“And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.”
Amid a rain of red, white, and blue confetti and streamers the show came to a physical end, but the memories of this chance encounter with a legendary icon will live on in our hearts and minds.
Photo Gallery
Photographer: Mark Greenawalt
Paul McCartney – Talking Stick Resort Arena 6-26-19
Scottsdale, AZ — It’s a sad truth that some of the best musicians are no longer with us; they found their way to rock ‘n roll heaven. However, they did leave a hell of a legacy in music. Hollywood Vampires is a band formed by Alice Cooper, Joe Perry of Aerosmith, and Johnny Depp in 2015 to pay tribute to the musicians that are no longer with us from the 1970s. Hollywood Vampires is a brainchild from Cooper, who used to hang out in the Rainbow Bar in Hollywood, California in the 1970s. That’s where Cooper and the original Hollywood Vampires followed their mission statement: drink until no one could stand up. Some of the members to this motley crew of drinkers were Keith Moon of The Who, John Lennon and Ringo Starr of The Beatles, Micky Dolenz of The Monkees, and Elton John.
On a strangely cool night — perhaps the undead bring a chill to the air — Hollywood Vampires came to Talking Stick Resort to play some classic rock by the pool. Co-Op warmed up the crowd — a band formed by Alice Cooper’s son Dash Cooper, who is on lead vocals.
Their backdrop was a skull logo with a red left eye that changed to green for certain songs. As they began to play their second song, Cooper shouted, “Let me hear you howl!” It was fitting as they played under a full moon. The crowd wasn’t too loud, and Cooper once again spoke, trying to liven everyone up, “You’re going to need to be louder to wake the undead. We’re from right here in Phoenix!” One of their final songs was called “Silent Skies,” which Cooper said was a tribute song for a friend of his who committed suicide, and he encouraged the crowd to remember that there’s always help out there.
All the lights went off as a spooky recorded voice-over said, “Listen to them, the children of the night!” Cooper came out, first armed with his cane and mic. Perry and Depp followed with their guitars. The rest of the touring band filled the stage around them: Tommy Henriksen on rhythm and lead guitar, keyboards, and backing vocals; Glen Sobel on drums; Chris Wyse on bass; and Buck Johnson on keyboards, rhythm and lead guitar, and backing vocals.
Before addressing the nearly sold-out crowd, Hollywood Vampires played “I Want My Now,” “Raise the Dead,” and “As Bad As I Am.” Before going into a tribute song combo with “Five to One / Break On Through (to the Other Side)” Cooper said, “We’re the Vampires. Paying tribute to our friends who are gone, The Doors.”
As the rift to “The Jack” by AC/DC filled the air, Cooper said, “We lost Malcolm from AC/DC.” As Cooper sang, he did his stage antics with his cane, walking hunched over going back and forth. As he walked he’d slowly pull jack playing cards from his jacket and would show the crowd the card for a few moments before throwing the card at eager fans.
Perry took the mic, saying to fans, “How are you all doing? It’s time for a ballad. This song is by a good friend of mine who died a long time ago, Johnny Thunders.” Perry sings Thunders’ song “You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory.” As the song plays, pictures of Thunders flashed on the backdrop mixed in with Hollywood Vampires’ logo changing in colors.
Cooper took back the mic, singing “My Dead Drunk Friends,” as pictures of Cooper’s fallen buddies, including musical icons such as Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison, took turns coming across the backdrop, showing how happy they were to be on stage in their prime. Before singing the next song, “Baba O’Riley” by The Who, Cooper said, “There wouldn’t be the Vampires without Keith Moon.”
Depp paid tribute to David Bowie by singing the song, “Heroes” as images of Bowie appeared on the backdrop.
“It’s a fact most of the vampires have died, but one is still around,” said Cooper. The crowd cheered as they played Cooper’s “I’m Eighteen.” As Cooper sang the next song, “People Who Died” by The Jim Carroll Band, and people in the crowd raised their drinks into the air and sang along with the chorus line, “For the people who died, died.” The logo of the Hollywood Vampires would flash on the backdrop with gravestones inscribed with the names of fallen musicians.
The last song of the night was Cooper’s iconic “School’s Out” as the band played giant red and white balloons with the band’s logo on them were tossed into the crowd like beach balls. People hit them up into the air as others grabbed balloons to keep as souvenirs, and one person even fished their balloon out of the pool. Cooper wrapped up the show by introducing each member of the band. Cooper commented that Perry is one of the best guitar players that he knows.
He put his hand on Depp’s shoulder and said, “You know him by many names, many characters, and now you know him as a guitar player.” Cooper talked about himself last, mentioning how he’s from Arizona and graduated from Cortez High School in Phoenix. The crowd cheered one last time before the lights went out and the Hollywood Vampires took to the night sky.
To see music legends Alice Cooper and Joe Perry together in a band with Johnny Depp is something no one at Talking Stick Resort is going to forget. As fans wandered about the property to the parking lot, went back up to their hotel room, or tried their hand at the slot machines in the casino they all had one thing in common: they knew they were never going to forget seeing Hollywood Vampires. The energy of the band as they jammed their songs and paid tribute to fallen musicians will live on inside them. That night was legendary.
PHOENIX — One word continuously comes to mind when one thinks of metal music: catharsis. According to Google dictionary, catharsis can be defined as “the process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions.” Look around the audience at any metal show and you will see catharsis taking place in many forms. Maybe it’s the down-tuned, insanely heavy guitars palm-muting and blasting you with power chords, or the syncopated rhythms of the double bass drums beating fan’s ears into submission. Whatever it is about the music, metal brings people together and serves as a one-stop shop for the release of myriad types of emotions; happiness, anger, sadness, etc.
There’s a sort of camaraderie between fans at metal shows as people bond over their love for the music and in some cases, their equally great love for alcohol. The evidence supporting that love for metal is alive and well could not have been greater last night at the Ak-Chin Pavilion in Phoenix as heavy metal forefathers, Slayer took the stage in front of about 22,000 in attendance after several intense opening sets from Lamb Of God, Amon Amarth, and Cannibal Corpse.
Picture this: flamethrowers perfectly synced to the frequent stops of the music with heat you can feel on your face from the audience, a giant, banner adorned the back wall of the stage replete with a devious-looking Baphomet among other satanic imagery, bright strobe and giant spot lights occasionally resembling double helix shapes. These were only a few of the visual treats fans were given Thursday night as some stared silently in awe, while others rarely stopped screaming their favorite lyrics to take a breath. Slayer has been around a very long time and yet despite their collective ages, their energy has not wavered in the slightest. From the opening speed metal riffs of the first song, “Repentless”, to the final onslaught of songs culminating in “Angel Of Death”, Slayer proved that they’re still masters of their metal domain.
Vocalist and bassist, Tom Araya has always had a distinct vocal style; it’s not singing but it’s not your average metal-scream either. It’s visceral, primal shouting from a man who otherwise comes off very kind and cordial on stage during the quieter moments in between songs. He’s a living legend, as are the other members; longtime guitarist Kerry King, recent stand-in guitarist and Exodus alumni Gary Holt, and drummer Paul Bostaph. Last night at Ak-Chin Pavilion, these four, with their powers combined, recreated some of the heaviest music ever written. King and Holt’s blisteringly fast riffs caused fans to headbang themselves into a state of whiplash, while Bostaph’s drumming undoubtedly caused plenty of heart arrhythmia from the sheer force with which he hits the many pieces of his instrument of choice.
Watching Slayer is a musical experience of course but also one you can feel; physically and metaphorically speaking. Their lyrics are some of the most brutally honest words shrieked into microphones worldwide. For example, “World Painted Blood” (the 3rd song into their set) contains the lines “Gomorrah’s dream to live in sin, has reached its critical mass, man himself has become God, and laughs at his destruction…”, which gives an unrepentant glimpse into what’s on the band’s minds. Death, destruction, the unstoppable collapse of humanity due to its own ignorance; the band frequently come off as messengers of the impending doom that will surely befall humanity should we choose to ignore it. This serves for a powerful concert experience that’s not to be missed should you ever get the chance to see them perform.
It’s worth mentioning that the supporting bands all brought the energy to critically high levels long before Slayer even took the stage.
Florida death metal legends Cannibal Corpse started off the evening with incredible stage presence and easily one of the best renditions of “Hammer Smashed Face” played to date.
Next, Swedish natives Amon Amarth brought along their trademark viking theme, with the drummer sitting atop a replica of a viking ship complete with glowing red eyes. Their unique take on metal and lead vocalist, Johan Hegg’s friendly demeanor, was warmly received by fans.
Finally, Lamb of God stole the show with an insanely heavy set despite a few technical difficulties with the wireless guitar rigs. The other band members never missed a beat and effectively carried on regardless of any technical glitches entirely out of their control.
These are the marks of great live performance and each band, in their own unique ways, served as the perfect appetizers to temporarily appease everyone’s metal palate.
Other high points of the night included one of Slayers more ambitious songs, “Seasons In The Abyss” as well as other brutal numbers like “Mandatory Suicide”, “Hate Worldwide,” “Disciple”, “Temptation”, and “World Painted Blood”. Slayer saved most of the classics like “Raining Blood”, “Hell Awaits”, and “South Of Heaven” for the very end of the night, which made for an extremely captivating finale to a great show on their “Final World Tour”.
Local 98KUPD FM afternoon announcer, Fitz Madrid, prefaced Slayer taking the stage by announcing their imminent arrival as well as commenting on how he first saw the band in 1991 and that he considered it one of the best concerts he’d ever seen. That’s saying a lot coming from a person who has frequently attended many shows because of his line of work and love for music. Slayer’s music left a powerful impression on Fitz after witnessing what they could do live. That impact surely carried itself over to just about everyone else in attendance at Ak-Chin Pavilion last night, many of whom will one day describe their experience of this show as equally life-changing.
