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REVIEW: Metric’s “All The Feelings Tour” Brings Friendship, Community, & Canadian Good Vibes to Phoenix (6-17-26)

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PHOENIX — It’s always interesting how tours come together. By and large, most tours have a similar structure: interesting newcomer, established second band, and the headliner, with the lineup usually put together by the headliner’s management and approved by the headliner. What made Metric’s “All The Feelings Tour,” with support from Broken Social Scene and Stars, special was that it was put together by Metric and based on two things: long-standing friendship and Canadian indie-rock history, but mostly friendship. All three bands hail from Toronto and have spent decades as friends, collaborators, tourmates, and guests on one another’s albums. Their show at Arizona Financial Theatre was as much about community, friendship, and love as it was about the music.

Stars

Toronto-born and Montreal-formed band Stars opened the show with their beautiful brand of eloquent indie pop. Their set pulled from seven of their nine albums, but more importantly, it set the tone of fun and community for the night. Opening with “Hold On When You Get Love and Let Go When You Give It,” the band immediately established the themes that would define the evening: connection, compassion, and finding joy together. 

Torquil Campbell of Stars sings into a microphone under warm orange stage lights during the All The Feelings Tour.
Torquil Campbell of Stars sings under warm orange stage lights during the Phoenix show on the “All The Feelings Tour.”
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Stars delivered a set that felt both intimate and celebratory, moving from the soaring “Build a Fire” and “Elevator Love Letter” to some fan favorites like like “Take Me to the Riot” from In Our Bedroom After the War and “Dead Hearts” from the fantastic The Five Ghosts album. At one point in the set, singer Torquil Campbell joked about performing Shakespearean monologues to kill time, adding a sense of warmth and playfulness that made us feel like part of a gathering of friends rather than the audience at a large concert. 

Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan of Stars sing toward each other onstage under purple lighting.
Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan showcase the co-lead vocal chemistry and emotional connection that have long made Stars such a beloved indie-pop band.
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

What has always made Stars special was on full display in the co-lead vocals of Campbell and Amy Millan. The two have a magic that manifests lush harmonies as their voices merge as one, creating songs that feel deeply personal while somehow belonging to everyone in the room. That shared emotional space was especially on the night’s standout performances of “Your Ex-Lover is Dead” and “Ageless Beauty,” songs that remain as moving now as when they were first released on their 2004 masterpiece Set Yourself on Fire. 

Amy Millan of Stars sings and plays guitar onstage under blue lighting.
Amy Millan of Stars brings warmth and emotion to the band’s Phoenix performance, balancing shimmering guitar with the expressive vocals that help define their sound.
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Stars closed out their set with the joyous “No One is Lost,” complete with its call to the crowd to “Put your hands up if you ever feel afraid, yeah/Until then, that will listen/No one is lost.” On this night, certainly, no one was lost because we had the music and we had each other. 

View full Stars photo gallery below

Broken Social Scene 

“Well, it only took us 26 years to finally get to Phoenix,” Broken Social Scene singer Kevin Drew said, opening the band’s set.

Kevin Drew of Broken Social Scene sings and plays guitar onstage.
Kevin Drew of Broken Social Scene performs at Arizona Financial Theatre, bringing the band’s communal indie-rock spirit to the Phoenix stop of the “All The Feelings Tour.”
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

On a night built on the idea of friendship and community, this group took the evening to another gear, as Broken Social Scene is as much a musical collective as they are a band. With the group’s membership ranging from as few as six to as many as nineteen, the current eleven members approach music like a neighborhood potluck, with each person bringing their own style to the mix and everyone making the pieces work together. They are chamber pop by way of a good-time neighborhood jamboree.

Andrew Whiteman of Broken Social Scene smiles while playing guitar onstage.
Andrew Whiteman of Broken Social Scene smiles through a guitar part, adding to the loose energy of the band’s Phoenix set.
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Before going into their set-opener “Cause = Time” from their album You Forgot It In People, Drew told the audience “This tour is about friendship, and friendship is a form of protest so let’s do this!”

Jill Harris sings with Broken Social Scene, raising one arm under blue stage lights.
Jill Harris sings with Broken Social Scene, raising a hand as the band builds one of its richly layered live moments.
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

In a set that spanned all but their debut album and leaned heavily on their recently-released sixth album, Remember the Humans, Broken Social Scene created a party atmosphere that allowed moments not only for their eleven members, but also for their friends. Campbell and Millan from Stars came out for “Hug of Thunder,” “Only the Good I Keep,” “Texico Bitches,” and “Fire Eye’d Boy,” while Emily Haines and James Shaw from Metric joined for “Anthems of a Seventeen-Year-Old Girl” and “Parking Lot Dreams.”

Broken Social Scene’s horn section plays trombone and trumpet together onstage.
Broken Social Scene’s horn section brings a burst of brass to the set, adding punch, movement, and extra color to the band’s already expansive live sound.
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Before closing their set with “KC Accidental,” Drew left everyone with this: “Phoenix, don’t let them weaponize community. Their tragedy will end.” It was a good reminder that our future can be one built on the ideas of friendship and love. That’s beautiful. 

View full Broken Social Scene photo gallery below

Metric

Headliner, tour masterminds, and Toronto-trio completists Metric understood the assignment on this Wednesday: “With the ‘All The Feelings Tour,’ we’re bringing Saturday to every show. This is Saturday night in Phoenix,” singer Emily Haines told the crowd just after their opening song “Victim of Love.” Their set was the complete deal: the music, their performance, and their stage show. It’s not just a band playing their songs, but a totally immersive experience. 

Emily Haines of Metric sings into a gold microphone while wearing a black leather jacket onstage.
Metric vocalist Emily Haines commands the stage with sharp focus and unmistakable presence during the band’s set.
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Metric also knows how to give  their crowd an irresistible desire to dance. Their music moves through you. It gets you out of your seat and directs your body how to move. You don’t dance? Metric makes you dance. You hate dancing? Metric makes it what you want to do more than anything. You could walk into a Metric show as John Lithgow in Footloose and, within a few songs, you’re transformed into Kevin Bacon. 

Joules Scott-Key of Metric plays drums surrounded by cymbals and purple stage lighting.
Metric drummer Joules Scott-Key drives the band’s set from behind the kit, framed by cymbals and moody stage light.
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Toward the end of the night, musicians from all three bands in the lineup gathered for a spirited performance of “Loyal.”  The night’s setlist could not have been better chosen. It felt like the perfect Metric mixtape, pulling from most of their albums and moving easily between  newer material from their just-released Romanticize the Dive, and  older songs like “Combat Baby” from their debut, Old World Underground, Where Are You Now? 

Emily Haines of Metric sings into a gold microphone under warm stage lighting.
Emily Haines (vocalist) channels the joy and purpose behind Metric’s set, leading into a moment that framed the night around music, feeling, and connection.
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Haines articulated the night’s ethos: “Our sole purpose in the world is to bring good feelings into this broken-hearted world. We do what we can. You do what you can!” Metric and their supporting bands brought the energy, the feelings, and the music, and the crowd brought the dancing. We all did our part. 

Photo Galleries

Photographer: Katherine Amy Vega

View Full Photo Sets:

Metric

Broken Social Scene

Stars

Each set linked above contains many additional images—view the full galleries for more.

Metric, Broken Social Scene, & Stars – Arizona Financial Theatre 6-17-2026

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

Concerts, Reviews

REVIEW: Nine Inch Nails Peel It Back & Get Closer at Desert Diamond Arena (3-6-26)

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High-angle view of Nine Inch Nails performing on a center platform under intense red lighting and smoke, with a suspended lighting rig overhead and a packed arena crowd surrounding the stage in Glendale, Arizona.
Nine Inch Nails turn the center-stage platform into a red-lit storm of fog and light.
Audience photo by: Katherine Amy Vega

PHOENIX — An impressive crowd gathered at the Desert Diamond Arena for opener Boyz Noize and the legendary Nine Inch Nails. Bass pounded through the speakers as the opening set welcomed attendees to a darkened room, with occasional red lighting shifting between the center of the room, a shrouded, large box-shaped object sitting in the growing sea of fans.

High-angle view of Nine Inch Nails performing on a center platform under intense red lighting and smoke, with a suspended lighting rig overhead and a packed arena crowd surrounding the stage in Glendale, Arizona.
Nine Inch Nails turn the center-stage platform into a red-lit storm of fog and light.
Audience photo by: Katherine Amy Vega

The room transformed as the walls were shed to reveal Trent Reznor playing the gentle notes to “(You Made It Feel Like) Home” (2022). His warm voice invites us into a feeling of intimacy while being surrounded by other fans in the shadows, gazing into the gold light holding him. The experience felt like I was the only one in the room, though when I looked, the arena had little room to spare.

Wide arena shot of Trent Reznor at a small center stage lit by a single white glow, surrounded by a dense crowd in near darkness.
Nine Inch Nails open the night with Trent Reznor alone at the center-stage rig as the crowd closes in around him.
Audience photo by: Ali Crimson

The band assembles and Josh Freese returns

The warm light became cold, brighter, and sterile as the music transitioned to “Non-Entity” (2007). Guitarist/keyboardist Robin Finck and bassist Stu Brooks appeared, coordinated in all black with Reznor, to loud cheers.

High-angle view of Nine Inch Nails performing on a small center platform surrounded by a packed arena crowd, with bright white stage light cutting through haze at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.
Nine Inch Nails perform on the center stage as the crowd packs Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona (March 6, 2026).
Audience photo by: Katherine Amy Vega

“Piggy” from the 1994 The Downward Spiral album followed, the lights shift back to gold, now a low glow this time with Reznor on his feet, bouncing with his finger to the ceiling signaling the room to bounce with him to the beat.

Close-up concert photo of Trent Reznor singing into a microphone on a dim, smoky stage, wearing a dark oversized jacket with in-ear monitors visible.
Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor grips the mic in a tight, moody close-up within the stage haze surrounding him.
Photo by: Sara Perez

The glow allowed the room to slip into darkness, leaving only a screen at the front of the room showing a drum solo that marked the entrance of newly returned drummer Josh Freese, starting only on the North American leg of the tour. The curtain that once showed Freese lifts, showing the entire band surrounded by sheer veils.

Black-and-white projection of a drummer playing fills large hanging curtains, with the arena around it mostly dark and silhouetted.
Nine Inch Nails project a stark black-and-white close-up of the drummer Josh Freese across the sheer curtains during the early set.
Audience photo by: Ali Crimson

Visuals as an instrument

Live projections of each band member are shown on the sheer curtains as the band blasts into “Wish” (1992). New visuals come with each song; “March of Pigs” (1994) is the first time soundwaves are projected. A dramatic piano piece guides the performance into “Reptile” (1994) a standout at the sixth song in their set, the introduction contrasting heavily, grinding with aggressively flashing green lights as white whips across the screens with the rise and falls of the music.

Side-angle view of the stage draped in translucent curtains, with green lighting and swirling black-and-white projections partially revealing the band while the crowd watches in the dark.
Nine Inch Nails perform behind shimmering sheer curtains as green light and abstract projections wash over the stage.
Audience photo by: Katherine Amy Vega

Peak intensity and set highlights

“If there is a hell, I’ll see you there,” Reznor sings to us in the foggy, red-lit arena, as the audience claps along with “Heresy” (1994). Lights flash chaotically as the lyrics “God is dead, and no one cares” echo into every inch of the space. Shifting away from the earlier chaotic lights, the room darkens to a single spotlight on Reznor, with smaller projections on the walls between the band members that look like a house of mirrors showcasing dancing white silhouettes of him performing “Copy of A” (2013) from Hesitation Marks.

Wide arena view of the band playing behind translucent drapes, with bright backlighting projecting large silhouettes onto the curtains and stage lighting rigs hanging overhead.
Nine Inch Nails perform behind sheer curtains as towering shadows and silhouettes ripple across the stage.
Audience photo by: Katherine Amy Vega

The energy high, beneath the red and blue flashing lights during “Gave Up” (1992), a small, seemingly friendly mosh pit begins on the floor level. The room is one with Nine Inch Nails, every moment seeming perfectly executed to the plan of long-time industry professionals.

Wide stage photo of Nine Inch Nails performing live in smoky yellow light, with the vocalist at a microphone, guitarist in the foreground, drummer at left, and lighting rigs behind the band.
Nine Inch Nails performing at the O2 Apollo Manchester on June 20, 2022.
Photography: aliina s. (CC BY 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons

Drowned in red and fog, almost by magic, Reznor has returned to the smaller center platform. Electric fuchsia zaps and flashes in the foggy clouds surrounding the stage as “Vessel” (2007), from Year Zero, pumps through the veins of every listener. The music surges beneath the skin.

High, wide arena view with a bright white glow and haze rising from the center stage, surrounded by a dense crowd, with a large side screen showing black-and-white live footage.
Nine Inch Nails ignite the center stage in a burst of white light as the crowd surrounds them.
Audience photo by: Katherine Amy Vega

The final stretch: “Closer” to the closing moments

Entering the final songs of the set list, the most popular song of Nine Inch Nails’ nearly 40-year career, “Closer” (1994) starts and engulfs the room in purple, fuchsia, and white, flickering to the heat of the music. The feeling this song gives is undeniable; the words are on the lips of everyone there.

High, wide shot of a packed arena with a small center stage surrounded by the crowd, as bright white beams cut through haze and cast rippling, curtain-like light patterns across sections of the audience.
Nine Inch Nails light up the center stage as rippling, curtain-like beams pattern the crowd.
Audience photo by: Katherine Amy Vega

“Parasite” (2010), originally by How To Destroy Angels (a band featuring Reznor and his wife Mariqueen Maandig Reznor) poured fresh green lights and fog down the room. The projections return with close-ups of Reznor, where I note a link chain around his neck I hadn’t noticed before. In this song, Trent Reznor’s vocals have a more digitized effect than in previous songs in the set.

Nine Inch Nails bathe the arena in red as sharp white beams cut through the haze over the center stage.
Audience photo by: Katherine Amy Vega

 “As Alive As You Need Me To Be” (2025), off the newest album TRON Ares: Divergence (a 24-track soundtrack for a movie of the same name) plays with coordinating white and red flashing lighting. The full band returns to play “Mr. Self Destruct” (1994) with the entire stage flashing, energy peaking — a song they had played so many times before, and it shows only with the smoothness of their performance. It is practiced to perfection.

Wide arena view after the sheer curtain lifts, with the full band visible through heavy haze and bright stage lights, while a large silhouette projection looms on a side curtain and the crowd cheers at the front rail.
Nine Inch Nails surge into the open stage as the curtains lift, flooding the room with light, haze, and towering silhouettes.
Audience photo by: Ali Crimson

“Less Than” (2017) raises the sheer curtains that provided the veiled cover for the entire show, signaling that it is one of the final three songs of the evening. This is the one and only time I believe Reznor plays a tambourine the entire show, which I did not expect.

“Head Like a Hole,” “Hurt,” and an unexpected interruption

The closing songs for the evening are fan favorites “Head Like A Hole” (1989), off Pretty Hate Machine, and “Hurt” (1994) from The Downward Spiral. “Head Like A Hole” is one of the most recognizable songs of the band’s extensive catalog, inspiring dozens of covers over the decades. 

Nine Inch Nails blast through a bright, blue-lit moment as Trent Reznor raises a hand to the crowd at Staples Center in 2013.
Photography: Al Pavangkanan (CC BY 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons

At the beginning of “Hurt”, a fight broke out in front of the stage. As it was yet to be broken up, Reznor stopped the song and spoke directly to the people saying, “Hey we’re not here for this shit man, hey HEY!! There’s enough bullshit happening out there, we don’t need it happening in the fuck here.” He turned, awaiting the resolution of the problem before continuing the performance after his very Dad-like scolding. 

Wide stage view with the band performing amid thick fog, diagonal light beams cutting across a wall of small lights, and a packed audience filling the foreground.
Nine Inch Nails push the full-band set into a haze of diagonal beams and drifting smoke as the crowd surges at the front.
Audience photo by: Ali Crimson

“Hurt” closed the show, giving us a finale of Reznor’s emotive lyrics and vocals to send us off into the night. There was no encore, and one wasn’t needed.

High-angle view of the arena after the concert, with the NIN logo projected on large hanging curtains as the crowd gathers and begins to clear the floor under hazy yellow light.
Nine Inch Nails leave the arena glowing as the NIN logo lingers on the curtains after the show.
Audience photo by: Katherine Amy Vega

Peeling back the decades

You would think this performance would be one of simple nostalgia, but the music felt as fresh as when I listened to each release by NIN throughout the decades. The professionalism of this show was unmatched, smoothly transitioning between stages like the members had teleportation powers. The industrial music coursed through my veins with a unique awakening, the memorized words flowing from my tongue. The Peel It Back tour is an apt title, as this set list peels back the layers of years, and it is new again.

Concerts, Media, Photo Galleries, Reviews

REVIEW: The Format at Crescent Ballroom Deliver Healing and Solidarity (1-24-26)

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PHOENIX — For a band whose early work has become synonymous with mid‑2000s indie‑pop nostalgia, The Format proved they’re as essential as ever during a heartfelt mid‑day performance at Crescent Ballroom.

'Boycott Heaven' vinyl

Limited to fans who pre-ordered the new album Boycott Heaven, and originally planned as an intimate “in‑store” in the parking lot of Stinkweeds Records, the show was relocated due to weather concerns. The move indoors may have averted rain that never came – but it also meant missing out on a planned surprise rooftop performance, a Beatles‑style moment that would have overlooked the Stinkweeds lot and lived in Phoenix music lore.

Stinkweeds Records storefront in Phoenix, Arizona displaying The Format's Boycott Heaven album poster promoting the January 23, 2026 preorder.
Stinkweeds Records, where fans who pre-ordered Boycott Heaven by The Format were originally set to see an exclusive parking lot performance.

There was an unmistakable buzz in the room. With 500 fans packed into the sold‑out Crescent, the afternoon felt like a reunion of friends and kindred spirits. It marked the second of two Phoenix appearances, following an in‑store at Zia Records the day before. These homecoming events bookended the start of a limited run of shows, with additional stops planned in Long Beach, Seattle, and New York City.

Fans crowd into Crescent Ballroom in Phoenix ahead of The Format’s sold-out Boycott Heaven album release show on January 24, 2026.
A full house at Crescent Ballroom eagerly awaits The Format’s return to the stage for their second Phoenix album release performance.
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Backed by original live members Don Raymond, Jr. on bass and Marko Buzard on guitar, along with Will Noon (of Ruess’ other band, fun.) on drums, Nate Ruess and Sam Means offered a performance that was honest, uplifting, and deeply connective.

Don Raymond, Jr. (bassist)
Marko Buzard (guitarist)
Will Noon (drummer)

Their bond with the crowd ran deep, bolstered by the band’s willingness to speak directly about the times. The Format make no secret of their views – and based on the crowd’s reaction, most were right there with them.

The Format perform live at Crescent Ballroom in Phoenix on January 24, 2026, with Nate Ruess on vocals during their Boycott Heaven album release show.
Nate Ruess leads The Format on stage at Crescent Ballroom, performing songs from their new album Boycott Heaven for a sold-out Phoenix crowd.
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

From the moment they launched into the soaring “Back To Life,” the band leaned into tracks from their long‑awaited new album, released just the day before on January 23. The setlist flowed naturally from the upbeat “Shot In The Dark” to the candid “Depressed” and “Right Where I Belong.”

Sam Means of The Format sings the opening lines of “Boycott Heaven” while playing guitar during the album release show at Crescent Ballroom in Phoenix.
Sam Means (multi-instrumentalist) takes the mic as The Format perform songs from Boycott Heaven.
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Sam Means began the first verses of the title track “Boycott Heaven,” a special moment highlighting his occasional solo vocals, before Ruess belted, “It’s a long line / And it bleeds into the pavement / Sixty-something words to save them / From this recent misery,” stirring goosebumps throughout the room.

Nate Ruess performs with emotional intensity during The Format’s Boycott Heaven album release concert on January 24, 2026.
With expressive vocals and a powerful presence, Nate Ruess brings Boycott Heaven to life during The Format’s highly anticipated album release show.
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

During “Holy Roller,” the crowd softly sang along with a familiarity that seemed to call forth something rare and profound: a shared sense of energy and connection not felt in years. Since the song’s October 6, 2025 release (following its live debut at their first reunion show on September 27 at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum), it has become something of an anthem – not just a song people recognize, but one people also feel deeply. The song’s message, a critique of passive faith that urges immediate action, felt all the more resonant given the times.

Boycott Heaven’s announcement, cover art (featuring a crystallized Virgin Mary sculpture by Australian artist Kyle Montgomery), and title stirred some controversy among religious fans. One commenter wrote, “Ugh I used to love your music. This picture of whom I’m assuming was Mary absolutely breaks my heart and infuriates me at the same time.” Another defended the band, saying, “Don’t always judge an album by its name or artwork… it could have a deeper meaning than any of you holy molys think.”

The Format perform live at Crescent Ballroom in Phoenix on January 24, 2026, for a sold-out crowd of dedicated fans during their Boycott Heaven album release show.
Wall-to-wall fans packed Crescent Ballroom for The Format’s album release – a testament to the dedication of their hometown supporters and the band’s lasting impact.
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

The Format have long served as a beacon for fans navigating dark times. In an era dominated by hyper‑independence and the disconnection caused by social media, their music offers something increasingly rare: community. Arizona’s local scene has been deeply impacted by the loss of figures like Stefan Pruett (Peachcake) in 2020 and Jonah Foree — known for his work in Ikonoklast, Goth Brooks, and HARDWIRE — in 2022. These were artists who brought two very different music communities together, and their absence is still felt. The return of The Format helps begin to fill that gap by re‑establishing the connective tissue that once held disparate music communities and cultures together.

Their new track “Shot In The Dark” seems to reference kintsugi – the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold – with the lyric:

“Me and my friends, we used to fall apart / And piece ourselves back together like a work of art.“

It’s an apt metaphor for the night itself.

Nate Ruess appears somber at the mic during The Format’s Boycott Heaven album release concert on January 24, 2026.
Nate Ruess had moments where he looked a bit somber as The Format begin their Boycott Heaven release show, foreshadowing the emotional depth of the performance ahead.
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Ruess addressed the pain of the current moment in a powerful monologue before the encore, referencing a police shooting that had occurred earlier this day – the fatal shooting of 37‑year‑old Minneapolis ICU nurse Alex Pretti by federal officers. Visibly emotional, he told the crowd:

“It’s amazing just being here in Arizona for the release of this album… It’s great to play shows, and you make music, and… um… usually it’s like a good time, then sometimes you realize… just, awful fucking shit is happening, everywhere.” (Ruess makes a lengthy pause.)

“But uh… they fucking shot somebody again today. And…”

When a fan shouted, “FUCK ICE,” Ruess echoed it:

“Yeah, of course… fuck ICE… …everyone fucking thinks fuck ICE. FUCK them.”

“Anyways… they fucking shot somebody again and I can’t fucking take this shit anymore. I can’t take everything that’s going on in the fucking world. Nine fucking times. It’s hard to… it’s hard… it’s HARD to get up here and just have a straight face. Uh, you know… but at the same time, that’s what music is for. Sometimes it’s there to take us away from the fucking awful shit that’s fucking happening all around us.”

“We work hard, all of us, all of you work hard… you come to see a concert. Sometimes you come to get taken away from shit.”

That emotional release came in the form of the final song of the set – an unreleased track called “The Bar is Set So Low,” written a year ago but excluded from the album. The song’s somber lyrics cut deep:

“Get away, get away, get away cause the fear has gotten whole, and I’m struggling. / It’s a shame, it’s a shame, it’s a shame that the bar is set so low. / I’m caught under it.”

Despite its heaviness, the performance was filled with solidarity, especially when the crowd locked into the line:

“There is one goal. For all of our brothers, we must lighten the load.“

That sentiment reflects something Ruess recently shared in an interview with Minnesota Public Radio’s station The Current: “Our goal as human beings is to lighten the load for our brother.”

The Format deliver both clarity and comfort, unafraid to speak hard truths while giving listeners something to hold onto.

In response to the new material, one Facebook group commenter summed it up simply:

“Now that sounds like some classic Format.“

The Format performing with high energy at Crescent Ballroom during their 2026 Phoenix show.
Vocalist Nate Ruess clutches his head in the heat of the moment while guitarist Marko Buzard thrashes beside him, Sam Means raises his guitar, and Don Raymond, Jr. sweeps across the stage – capturing The Format’s signature energy.
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Thankfully, unlike The Beatles, this was not their final live performance together – just the beginning of something new. The Format’s return both satisfies nostalgia and reminds us what’s been missing. At Crescent Ballroom, they reawakened a feeling of joy, of belonging, of catharsis that many in the room hadn’t felt in years. And for a few unforgettable hours, it felt like we were all being pieced back together again.

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The Format – Crescent Ballroom 1-24-26

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Concerts, Media, Photo Galleries, Reviews

REVIEW: Matteo Bocelli Forges His Own Path, Carrying On a Heartwarming Vocal Tradition (11-30-25)

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Mesa, AZ — The Ikeda Theater at the Mesa Arts Center showcases the highest level of elite performers and so attracts refined audiences who appreciate talent and bask in emotional experiences. On this Sunday evening, the house was again packed and everyone was dressed to the nines to see Matteo Bocelli, a young Italian who carries the surname of vocal royalty. He has been traveling the world to showcase his own signature sound and to earn the prestige associated with the name.

Matteo Bocelli singing into a handheld microphone in a green blazer under spotlight at Mesa Arts Center.
Matteo Bocelli performs on stage during his “Falling In Love Tour” stop at Mesa Arts Center in Mesa, Arizona.
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

As the house lights went down, the stage lights began to twirl to a soundscape, heralding a message in multiple languages, perhaps foreshadowing the culturally diverse lyrics that would soon ensue. A spotlight landed on an unassuming man walking onto the stage with a boyish smile and a friendly wave. His ‘GQ’ hair and stylish olive green jacket gave him the appearance of the charismatic crooners of the timeless ages.

Matteo Bocelli singing with eyes closed, gripping the mic stand during his Mesa concert.
Matteo Bocelli cuts a dapper figure in a green blazer as he delivers an emotional performance.
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

He had the demeanor of a close, personal friend who just wanted to humbly share his songs in hopes that somebody might like them. He kicked off the show with “Love Like This” and “Naïve” – two upbeat songs from his new album, Falling In Love. It’s safe to say that everybody liked them!

Cover art for Matteo Bocelli’s debut album Falling In Love, released in 2025.
“Falling In Love” album cover

The new album was produced at Bocelli’s home in Tuscany, Italy, with producer Martin Terefe and was just released in September 2025. The album’s style is listed as “a blend of Italian heritage and modern pop,” and that does seem to sum up the song selections in his setlist, which included 10 of the 11 songs from this new album (none from his debut album, Matteo, released two years ago, although the song “Honesty” is often part of his setlist).

Most songs were in English, but several were in his native tongue of Italian. Luckily, music is the universal language that makes translation unnecessary. Every song was a story and the bilingual Bocelli would introduce each one with the back story in English for the American audience. His conversational delivery and, of course, his Italian accent commanded the attention of everyone in the audience.

“I’m so excited to be back in Arizona,” he said, “I love you guys. I love everything about this place… the weather, the temperature… coming from New York, it was pretty cold there.” This reference was to his Thanksgiving appearance three days prior at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. There, Bocelli performed the Lucio Dalla cover of “Caruso,” which would eventually be the closing song of this show.

Matteo Bocelli singing passionately with one arm extended on stage.
Matteo Bocelli brings his new songs to life with outstretched arm and powerful vocals for Arizona fans.
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Some may have incorrectly assumed that he would fill the night with operatic overtures laced with vocal gymnastics at the upper reaches of human abilities. However, his superpower is not what you would expect from The Three Tenors, but instead the precision of tone, the emotional infused melodies, and the relatability of the upper echelon of the world’s pop solo artists. One could easily cite influences of Frank Sinatra, Julio Iglesias, and Elvis Presley from decades before he was even born, to the modern array of artists like Josh Groban, Michael Bublé, and Ed Sheeran.

In fact, Bocelli did a cover of Sheeran’s “Perfect Symphony” and Presley’s “I Can’t Help Falling In Love” during his set. All of this is not to say that he has limited range and power. There were moments when he channeled the vocal prowess of his tenor father and his upper range seemed to be where he found his most iconic sound. Later there were moments of soft falsetto on the other end of the spectrum. His singing evolved through each song to adapt to the array of styles, and though moments were reminiscent of his idols, he introduced his own unique blend.

A close-up of Matteo Bocelli showcasing his dynamic vocal range during the “Falling In Love Tour.”
Matteo Bocelli showcases his dynamic vocal range during the “Falling In Love Tour” in Mesa, Arizona.
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

The backing band was a foursome that were introduced by first name only as Andrea on guitar, Eduardo on drums, Patricia on bass, and Fabio on keyboards . For the majority of the set, Bocelli was the frontman with the band lined up on the risers behind him, but for the song “Glimpse of Happiness,” he sat down at the piano as the fifth musician. “I’ve been studying (piano) for many years, without any good results,” he joked, “But at least I enjoy it a lot.” He was humble, but very talented and delivered a beautiful song after telling the story of his collaboration on it with Jon Batiste. He would later share his guitar playing abilities too on the song “Angel In Disguise” as part of the three song encore.

The dynamics of the set ebbed and flowed with ballads and songs meant for dancing. Bocelli turned on the charm when he drifted into the audience to samba dance with adoring fans as he sang the classic Italian song “Quando, Quando, Quando.” The energy of the crowd flowed into the next song, “Tempo,” which was so fun to listen to and even more fun to watch as Bocelli tickled the ivories again and bassist Patricia and guitarist Andrea came out front to do solos. The show was devoid of unnecessary pyrotechnics and theatrical tricks of the trade, but chock full of musicianship, candidness, and connection.

Matteo Bocelli smiling at the microphone in a green jacket during his live performance.
Matteo Bocelli shares a bright smile, connecting with the crowd in Mesa.
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

The recurring theme of the evening was love. The tour was named “Falling In Love” world tour in support of the new record of the same name that included the song of the same name! A block of three of the new songs had “love” in the title… don’t let the language fool you with the first one, “Amnesia D’Amore,” a song originally written for his father, but after singing on the original demo tape, Matteo asked to keep the song for himself. This was followed by “Loving You” and then the title track, “Falling In Love.” He introduced this song:

“And now the song that gave the title to the album, and the album title is “Falling In Love.” And why this song? Because I thought that it was describing with its title… the whole meaning of the project. It’s about falling in love. I do believe that it’s important to be able to fall in love every day of your life. (pause) I’m a good boy, not in that sense (audience chuckles). But falling love for everything that surrounds us. You know you wake up in the morning and just admire the nature… and simply your love with it… and it makes you happy and it makes you feel fulfilled.”

Matteo Bocelli singing into a microphone with his hand over his heart in warm stage lighting.
Matteo Bocelli underscores the emotion of the moment with his hand to his chest.
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

The handful of cover songs that were mixed in seemed to perfectly complement the character of his originals and of course highlighted his versatility. He introduced “Mi Historia Entre Tus Dedos” as a duet that he recorded with Gianluca Grignani, who had huge success with it in 1994 in Italy (note that Bocelli would not be born until 1997) and then the whole Latin market. He said, “It probably didn’t reach the US, but there’s always a first time.” This one had the audience singing along.  “Anime Imperfette” is another song that may not be on either of Bocelli’s albums, but it’s not really a cover. It is the Italian song that he sang for the Netflix series “From Scratch” that appears on the series soundtrack. This song was preceded by an epic synth solo by Fabio.

The Ed Sheeran cover of “Perfect Symphony” was definitely a highlight. Sheeran contacted Andrea Bocelli to do a duet of the song with him. Matteo recalled, “So one day Ed Sheeran called my father… I wish he had called me, but… (audience laughs)I had some good pasta with him still.” In the video, Sheeran sings the first half in English and Andrea belts out the response in Italian before they harmonize at the end. Matteo and his father have since sung the song together, but this time he was on his own and he brought the house down when he switched to Italian to sing his father’s part.

Matteo Bocelli singing into a handheld microphone in a green blazer, lit by purple stage lighting.
Matteo Bocelli holds the mic with a focused gaze under purple stage lights.
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

He performed “Fall On Me,” the duet he originally recorded with his father for Andrea’s 2018 album Si. Matteo shared the story of how this song was really how he got started. He had sung on the demo for this song and it was pitched to the team who was looking for original songs for Andrea’s upcoming album. “So I made the demo,” he said, “And the first two people to listen to it were the president of the label and the producer they were working with, Bob Ezrin. And he goes, ‘you know I love this song, I think it should be on the record, but I also love this guy, but it is not Andrea’ – it was me.” And it came to be their duet. This night it was his song and it brought a standing ovation.

The three-song encore consisted of two more songs from the new album: “Angel In Disguise” on which he played acoustic guitar, and “If I Can’t Have You,” that featured an astounding rock guitar solo by Andrea while Bocelli played piano. 

Before the last song, Bocelli told the story of how David Foster discovered him and wanted to produce him, but his father wasn’t on board since he was too young and needed to stay in school. As time went by, Foster still found opportunities to put Bocelli on world stages such as his 75th birthday celebration at the Hollywood Bowl and the American ICON Awards where they chose to cover the Lucio Dalla song “Caruso.” It has become a personal favorite for Bocelli and he closes each show with this song. He finally recorded his own version of this song and it is appropriately the closing track on Falling In Love. As he held the last note of this passionate song the room erupted with applause that continued through the final bow. He left center stage with a huge smile on his face, giving a final wave and glance to everyone.

As much as it meant for this audience to receive the gift of his musical talents, it truly seemed that it meant even more to him to share them.

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Matteo Bocelli – Mesa Arts Center 11-30-25

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Concerts, Media, Reviews

REVIEW: Purity Ring & yuniVERSE Lead Phoenix Into a Night Suspended Between Worlds (11-10-25)

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PHOENIX — Purity Ring’s fall 2025 “place of my own” tour came to The Van Buren, with yuniVERSE as the sole opener on her first tour. The beautifully historic, repurposed downtown venue set the stage for an evening the band had described in their July Substack tour announcement as “three-dimensional… expansive but intimate,” and the night delivered as promised.

yuniVERSE

The venue’s stage at first was strange to look at, one half covered in human-sized flowers and the other looking like metal stars or fans. I waited in the rapidly filling room with no idea of what to expect. When the lights faded, people abandoned the bars and the winding merch line spilling into the main room as the attention turned to a new performer on her first tour, yuniVERSE.

Singer kneels at the edge of the stage, singing into a microphone in front of towering pink paper flowers during yuniVERSE's set at The Van Buren in Phoenix, Arizona.
yuniVERSE draws closer to the crowd at The Van Buren in Phoenix, kneeling at the edge of the stage as glowing pink blossoms tower behind.
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Even though she only used a portion of the stage, she invited us into the jewel-lit garden of her design, where she shared her intimate confessions through emotive electric pop. yuniVERSE weaves through each song like a layer within a dream, her hair gently blowing as she captivates the audience with her presence and movements. Her performance feels like a journey into her private world as she navigates through love and life. She continued to captivate the room completely, her sensual, charismatic movements paired with the softness of her vocals as she sang behind the mask she wore in unity with Purity Ring’s request for community care.

yuniVERSE performs at The Van Buren in Phoenix, stretched out across a stage monitor with her hair flying and giant paper flowers glowing behind her.
yuniVERSE leans into the mic while sprawled across a stage monitor, hair flying as she delivers an intense, theatrical moment in her set.
Photography:Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

yuniVERSE said she wished this tour were longer because she wasn’t ready for it to end yet, and I can imagine I’m not the only one who felt the same. She playfully joked, “I know you’re here for Purity Ring, but together, we’ll keep it a secret that you’re actually here for me, okay?” giving a little laugh before closing out her set and leaving the stage for the headliner, Purity Ring.

Purity Ring

The room settled as the stage shifted from yuniVERSE’s dreamlike garden into the darker, more mysterious world crafted by Purity Ring. Corin Roddick stood alone at first, lighting up sections of the stage with his touch while the star-shaped fans began to spin, projecting red light that looked like sparks spraying across the dark.

Corin Roddick of Purity Ring performs in a mask behind an illuminated console as red fan-like visuals surround him on stage in Phoenix.

Purity Ring producer Corin Roddick performs behind an illuminated console amid vivid red stage visuals at The Van Buren in Phoenix. Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Megan James appeared a moment later, illuminated by a soft golden glow on her face in the sea of black around her.

Megan James of Purity Ring sings into a microphone while wrapped in a voluminous dark coat and white mask, scattered red LED streaks cutting across her in the otherwise dark stage at The Van Buren in Phoenix.
Purity Ring vocalist Megan James performs wrapped in a sculptural dark coat as red light streaks slice through the darkness.
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

With each song, the room shifted through new worlds and galaxies.

Purity Ring producer Corin Roddick silhouetted at his console as blue galaxy-like visuals and sparkling light particles swirl across the stage.
Purity Ring producer Corin Roddick is silhouetted at his console as swirling blue visuals and scattered points of light turn the stage into its own small galaxy.
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

During “Many Lives,” the lights flickered and danced like floating embers. “Obedear” pulled us into caverns and stars, with what looked like fireflies curling upward like smoke. “Soshy” arrived with bright, breathy vocals and pounding bass, blue lights sparkling before shifting into sharp red flashes deeper into the song.

Megan James of Purity Ring sits cross-legged onstage, masked and dressed in black, singing into a handheld mic as cool blue and white light streaks fall in the background.
Purity Ring vocalist Megan James performs seated and masked, framed by cascading blue and white light patterns that spill across the backdrop. Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

James took a moment to thank the people in the crowd who wore the masks the band provided for everyone’s health. She appreciated the contribution to community care and valued taking care of each other. As she gushed while thanking yuniVERSE, she admitted she was rambling before continuing the set. It was clear the two acts genuinely appreciated their time together. This became even more apparent after noticing Roddick’s contributions to at least three of yuniVERSE’s tracks (“FALL 4 U,” “18 nite texts,” and “wasted”).

ALT: Megan James of Purity Ring, masked and dressed in black, leans sideways into the mic as vivid red light patterns radiate behind her, with Corin Roddick faintly visible at the console below.
Purity Ring vocalist Megan James leans into the mic in front of spinning fan visuals while Corin Roddick works at the console below, both immersed in neon red light.
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Our journey resumed as holographic leaves of blue, green, and red light appeared and danced around the stage, swirling toward the crowd as the room stayed completely locked in the performance.

Purity Ring perform in silhouette as bright holographic leaf shapes burst from a giant blue seascape screen, drifting toward the crowd in the foreground.
Purity Ring perform in silhouette while shimmering leaf-shaped projections explode from a seascape backdrop and drift toward the crowd. Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

As the surreal landscape of each song immersed everyone further into the themes, the night kept expanding into something otherworldly.

Megan James of Purity Ring sings into the microphone with her arm extended as streaks of golden light spin around her against a vivid orange backdrop.
Purity Ring vocalist Megan James sings with her arm outstretched while spinning bands of golden light radiate behind her. Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

The final song, “Begin Again,” brought everything together. Galaxy patterns pulsed behind the band, and the twinkling vocals reached out with swirls of light bursting like magic. The fans met the band’s energy as they sang along during the quiet pauses. As we traveled back to reality with this song, and as the band thanked Phoenix to end the night, cheers of fanfare erupted and filled the room with adoration as we exited the enchanted world of Purity Ring.

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Photographer: Katherine Amy Vega

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Purity Ring

yuniVERSE

Purity Ring & yuniVERSE – The Van Buren 11-10-25

Photography © Katherine Amy Vega, Kataklizmic Design
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Concerts, Photo Galleries, Reviews

REVIEW: A Night of Dark Glamour: Aesthetic Perfection Takes the Stage (10-12-24)

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Chandler, AZ — On an unseasonably warm mid-October evening, Aesthetic Perfection brought their signature blend of dark electronic and industrial sounds to the Wild Horse Pass Festival Grounds. Aesthetic Perfection is celebrated for their intense performances and thought-provoking lyrics, and on this summery evening, the band delivered an unforgettable performance while opening for Twin Temple and Till Lindemann.

Daniel Graves, Aesthetic Perfection - Wild Horse Pass Festival Grounds
Daniel Graves (Vocalist), Aesthetic Perfection
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Founded by Daniel Graves – who is still the lead vocalist nearly 25 years after the band first came into existence – Aesthetic Perfection has a contagious energy. Graves noted several times that they weren’t very well-known, but that mattered very little to the audience. After all, what is there not to like? Graves is indomitable onstage, a whirlwind of sound and fury, mixing his nearly non-stop movements and animated expressions with a voice that switched between a vocal-fried metal growl and smooth as butter – something one would expect to hear in a Top 40 song from back when Casey Kasem was hosting the show.

Close-up of Daniel Graves of Aesthetic Perfection reaching out to the camera
Daniel Graves (Vocalist), Aesthetic Perfection
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Graves was joined onstage by NOIZITH who switched between the guitar and keyboard throughout the night. NOIZITH was known as PYRCE until recently, and before that, Julia Pierce from the band Cherri Bomb. NOIZITH is an incredibly talented artist, moving from rock to being a DJ and then stepping in to play with Aesthetic Perfection. Playing a sleek black Schecter guitar, NOIZITH made the remarkable look almost routine. Pacing from side to side, posing occasionally, and doing some dancing while shredding, it would be hard to picture another artist who could play off of Graves and his energy any better.

NOIZITH, Aesthetic Perfection - Wild Horse Pass Festival Grounds
NOIZITH (Guitarist), Aesthetic Perfection
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Rounding out the band was drummer Brooke Colucci, known better as “Rock Angel” to many fans who followed her on social media as she went from a 15-year-old phenom to a touring drummer at only 21. Formerly the drummer for the band Plush, Colucci made a name for herself with her drum cover of Tool’s “46 & 2” on YouTube. Colucci was the only one of the trio to stay stationary, in no small part due to the difficulty of moving a drum kit around the stage.

Brooke Colucci, Aesthetic Perfection - Wild Horse Pass Festival Grounds
Brooke “Rock Angel” Colucci (Drummer), Aesthetic Perfection
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

The seven song setlist included a new single “Into the Void,” from the 3 song Bad Vibes EP. Casual goth/industrial music fans may note there is an undeniable Nine Inch Nails influence in the song – with perhaps some Marilyn Manson mixed in there for some good measure. They would be right, as the song was mixed by Sean Beaven, who mixed the aforementioned artists as well. 

Graves also made sure to mention the heat – which has stuck around, refusing to leave, much like the first clingy middle school boyfriend who just doesn’t get the damn hint – you know the one. He noted how little it bothered him, as he is a goth who grew up in the deserts of Southern California. This, of course, was tied to the song “Summer Goth,” which has an unexpected yet very welcomed reggae feel to it until you get halfway through and the breakdown reminds you that you are, indeed, at an Aesthetic Perfection show. The song’s vibes felt especially appropriate for the atmosphere of the outdoor concert.

Daniel Graves, Aesthetic Perfection - Wild Horse Pass Festival Grounds
Daniel Graves (Vocalist), Aesthetic Perfection
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

The final songs of the short setlist included “Gods & Gold,” “S E X,” “TOXIC,” “Rhythm + Control,” and “Love Like Lies.”

Aesthetic Perfection "Fall Goth Tour 2024" dates
Aesthetic Perfection “Fall Goth Tour 2024” dates

Aesthetic Perfection may not exactly be a household name for the casual music lover, and this is unfortunate. If you see them on the bill, make sure to check when they’re hitting the stage, get there a bit early, and be prepared for a sonic delight. Graves, NOIZITH, and Colucci are dark, charming characters, and they will absolutely win you over by the end of the show, even if you have never heard of them. This was the case this evening, with the audience eagerly raising their hands into the air at the behest of Graves, gladly posing for a photo behind the band before their set’s finale.

Aesthetic Perfection "Fall Goth Tour 2024" dates
Aesthetic Perfection “Fall Goth Tour 2024” dates

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Photographer: Katherine Amy Vega

Aesthetic Perfection – Wild Horse Pass Festival Grounds 10-12-24

Photography © Katherine Amy Vega, Kataklizmic Design
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Concerts, Photo Galleries, Reviews

REVIEW: Halestorm and I Prevail Bring High-Octane Performances to Arizona Financial Theatre (8-16-24)

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PHOENIX — Halestorm and I Prevail brought their co-headlining tour to Arizona Financial Theatre last Friday night, delivering a night of unforgettable performances. With Halestorm taking the final slot this evening, the packed crowd was treated to a high-energy show. Hollywood Undead and Fit for a King added their own powerful sets to the lineup, making the night a standout for rock and metal fans. 

Fit for a King

The mindblowing evening started with the American metalcore band from Tyler, Texas, Fit for a King (FFAK). The band members—Ryan Kirby (vocals), Bobby Lynge and Daniel Gailey (guitars), Ryan “Tuck” O’Leary (bass), and Trey Celaya (drums)—have been melting faces since 2007. They played a blistering eight-song set that fired up the crowd, even igniting a circle pit among the general admission audience in front of the stage.

Ryan Kirby of Fit for a King singing live in Phoenix
Ryan Kirby (Vocalist), Hollywood Undead
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Hollywood Undead

Up next was the American rap rock band, Hollywood Undead, formed in 2005 in sunny Los Angeles, California. The current lineup includes Jorel “J-Dog” Decker (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Dylan “Funny Man” Alvarez (vocals), George “Johnny 3 Tears” Ragan (vocals, bass), Jordon “Charlie Scene” Terrell (vocals, guitar), Danny Murillo (vocals, keyboards, guitar), and finally, Matt “The Cat” Oloffson (drums).

Danny Murillo of Hollywood Undead singing live in Phoenix
Danny Murillo (Vocalist), Hollywood Undead
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

They recreated the “Cali” vibe with four light-up palm trees on stage, two trash fire barrels, and a cardboard sign hanging from the keyboard with “Hotel Kalifornia” handwritten on it. Hotel Kalifornia is their most recent album, released in August of 2022.

George "Johnny 3 Tears" Ragan singing live in Phoenix
George “Johnny 3 Tears” Ragan (Vocalist, Bassist), Hollywood Undead
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Hollywood Undead’s twelve-song set kicked off with “California Dreaming,” and by the third song, the fully-engaged crowd headbanged to “Riot” with contagious energy spreading like wildfire. The band threw beach balls into the crowd, which bounced above the audience as they rocked out. Right before starting the song, “Comin’ In Hot,” they brought up an eleven-year-old girl from the audience to jam on stage with them. Concertgoers sang and danced along to their cover of Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline,” and Hollywood Undead wrapped up their set with “Bullet” and “Undead.” 

I Prevail

The third band to take the stage was I Prevail, a rock band from Southfield, Michigan. The current band members are Brian Burkheiser (clean vocals), Eric Vanlerberghe (unclean and clean vocals), Steve Menoian (lead guitar), Dylan Bowman (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Gabe Helguera (drums), and Jon Eberhard (bass, keyboards).

Eric Vanlerberghe of I Prevail singing live in Phoenix
Eric Vanlerberghe (Vocalist), I Prevail
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

They rose in popularity in 2013 after releasing a metal cover of Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space” on YouTube. Since then, they have released three studio albums, with their single “Bow Down” earning a Grammy nomination for “Best Metal Performance” in 2019, and their album Trauma receiving one for “Best Rock Album” that same year.

When they took the stage, the venue shook—like literally shook. It made eardrums buzz, hearts race, and it knocked old confetti from past concerts down from the rafters to gently fall onto the crowd below.

Brian Burkheiser of I Prevail performing in Phoenix
Brian Burkheiser (Vocalist), I Prevail
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

I Prevail started with a video of an anonymous speaker talking about fear before starting “There’s Fear in Letting Go.” Vanlerberghe told the crowd that it’s been ten years since the band dropped their cover of Swift’s song, and they hate singing it, but they added it to the setlist for the fans. Everyone cheered and threw up their horns.

Closeup of Eric Vanlerberghe of I Prevail singing live in Phoenix
Eric Vanlerberghe (Vocalist), I Prevail
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Before playing “Breaking Down,” Vanlerberghe got personal with the audience, talking about how he is doing well in therapy and to talk to someone if you need to. That mental health is important. I Prevail gave the crowd everything they had, just as they promised.

Halestorm

Wrapping up the heavy metal night was Halestorm, the American rock band from Red Lion, Pennsylvania, formed in 1997 by lead vocalist and guitarist Lzzy Hale and her brother, drummer Arejay Hale. Other members include Joe Hottinger as guitarist and Josh Smith as bassist.

Lzzy Hale (Vocalist, Guitarist), Halestorm
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Grammy-Award winning Halestorm introduced their set with Lzzy singing an a capella “Raise Your Horns” before launching into “I Miss the Misery.” She shows no reserve for showcasing her unparalleled vocals, with an almost-menacing, growling belt prominently featured from start to finish. She figuratively blew the roof off the venue, jaws dropping, during the “I Get Off” interlude of Heart’s “Crazy On You.”

Lzzy Hale (Vocalist, Guitarist), Halestorm
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Lzzy addressed the crowd: “It’s for all the letters that you’ve given me, all of the love online, you guys just standing out here singing every word. I can’t believe it, man, I can’t believe it. It blows my mind. So, this one is for all of you tonight, this is called, ‘Familiar Taste of Poison’”. They played the long-beloved song from their first album, self-titled Halestorm.

Lzzy Hale (Vocalist, Guitarist), Halestorm
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Also in support of mental health, Halestorm has teamed up with the mental health organization Sound Mind Live to encourage fans to pledge their support, helping to fund free mental health programs that will be available to communities across the country.

Drummer Arejay Hale of Halestorm performing in Phoenix
Arejay Hale (Drummer), Halestorm
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

The band members’ percussive skills were on display as they played a taiko-style mid-set drum ensemble. Lzzy’s in-your-face stage presence admirably dominated throughout the night, and she delighted with moves such as a backbend contorting her body down to the floor as she shredded on her guitar.

Lzzy Hale (Vocalist, Guitarist), Halestorm
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Vanlerberghe rejoined the stage to sing the duet of “can u see me in the dark?” with Lzzy. Halestorm wrapped up the night with “Mz. Hyde” and “The Steeple.” Fans were left with ringing ears and giant smiles as all departed the venue into the blazing Phoenix night.

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Halestorm, I Prevail, Hollywood Undead, & Fit for a King – Arizona Financial Theatre 8-16-24

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Concerts, Reviews

REVIEW: Phantom Planet & AVIV – Warmly Welcomed Musical Guests Whet Appetites for ZONA Music Festival (12-2-22)

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PHOENIX – In a city where history seems to be but a suggestion, where a shrinking number of hundred year old buildings sit in the shadow of cranes that throw tons of steel and glass into the arid desert air, hoping that unsuspecting outsiders fall in love with the 3 days of reasonable weather per year – which seems to work at an alarming rate – one can still find the echoes of the past, if you look hard enough. One of these echoes is a building on the corner of Monroe and Central Ave, where one door will lead to a dizzying amount of Cornish pasties, another will lead to a jewelry shop where you will be greeted by a 102 year old man who walked through those doors 68 years ago and hasn’t left yet, and yet another leads down a flight of stairs.

Down these stairs, you will find the destination for this evening: a music hall and bar that is collectively and aptly named Valley Bar. At the foot of the stairs, you can turn to the left and find the Rose room, named after the first female governor of Arizona, Rose Mofford, or go straight ahead and enter the music hall. Within the music hall, fans of Phantom Planet and AVIV gathered to witness a new piece of history: one of the seven different ZONA night events, put on as part of the brand new ZONA Music Festival. Both bands would make an appearance the next day at the festival, which they both noted, asking the fans to come join them the next day during their sets.

AVIV

AVIV performing at Valley Bar 12-2-22
AVIV (Vocalist) with her live band
| Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

After a quick greeting, AVIV jumped into her set, immediately commanding attention. While she is not very well known in the US, the 16 year old has quite the impressive resume: She opened for Imagine Dragons during their tour through Canada at age 15, has appeared on TV as an actress (including a scene in American Gothic where she fires a crossbow at one of the main characters) and she toured with the Mini Pop Kids – a band well-known in Canada. To say she is an up and coming solo musician appears to be quite the understatement. 

AVIV performing at Valley Bar 12-2-22
AVIV (Vocalist)
| Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

AVIV also recently released her first EP: an 8 song record titled Drowning in the Culture. Between her stage presence, vocals, and rather on-the-nose and relatable lyrics, she shows flashes of Billie Eilish while also charting her own course. After the first song, she thanked the crowd, and then told them, “I love it here! The last time I was in Arizona, I was 5 years old, so a little while ago, but I just remember for the next decade I talked about how it was the most extraordinary trip of my life.” She spoke about the beauty of the state – an opinion that perhaps changed after rain fell for almost 24 hours straight on the festival that followed over the weekend, turning it into a muddy pit of pure fun.

AVIV performing at Valley Bar 12-2-22
AVIV (Vocalist)
| Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Afterward, she played “Girl in Red,” the song that garnered the attention of those in the music world, leading to her signing with a label. A few songs later, she stopped to discuss the songwriting process of “Sleep it Off.” She explained that the song was written in LA about a time in her life when she was “about 8 or 9,” when someone in her community passed away. The song was based on the reply her mother gave her, which was to “sleep it off.” As she began to explain the process, she wavered a bit as a man in the crowd decided to bless the entire room with his loud, one-way conversation with his apparent date, who did not seem overly impressed with his uninterrupted desire to talk. Fortunately, AVIV is quite the pro, and moved on quickly – hopefully this guy’s date followed suit.

AVIV performing at Valley Bar 12-2-22
AVIV (Vocalist)
| Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

AVIV moved around the stage with grace, dancing as she sang, moving to a keyboard, shining flashes of a superstar in the making. It is likely that those in attendance that night will look back and remember the time that they were fortunate enough to see a superstar in such an intimate setting. Before leaving, AVIV mentioned the ZONA festival, stating that she would be “on the stage under the bridge.” This was the Eddy stage (all four stages were named after local musicians) and it appeared to be the driest stage in the festival, while also being the smallest.

AVIV performing at Valley Bar 12-2-22
AVIV (Vocalist)
| Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

ZONA was held less than a mile from Valley Bar, in a park that was only made possible by another piece of Arizona, and, really, national history: On August 10th, 1990, on a brutally hot summer day, the final piece of the I-10 – a 2,500 mile highway stretching from coast to coast – opened up. This piece was the Deck Park Tunnel, a tunnel that isn’t actually a tunnel; it is instead 19 bridges side by side. On top of this not-a-tunnel sits Margaret T. Hance Park, named after the first female mayor of Phoenix. Who better to open this park than the first female governor of Arizona, the aforementioned Rose Mofford? Sadly, Hance passed away just a few short months before the park bearing her name opened, but her name and legacy will live on.

Phantom Planet

Phantom Planet performing at Valley Bar 12-2-22
Phantom Planet
| Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

With the music hall now nearly full, Phantom Planet took the stage. Formed in 1994, the band chose their name from a movie that gained second life when Mystery Science Theater 3000 chose to use it in the 9th season of the show. They have taken two hiatuses over the years: The first lasting from 2008 to 2011, and the second was 2013 to 2019.

Alex Greenwald (Vocalist, Guitarist), Phantom Planet
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

In between those breaks, they have done just about everything a band could hope to do: put out 5 albums,Alex appeared on two TV shows and a movie, and their song “California” became the theme song for The O.C.

Andrew Parker (Drummer), Phantom Planet
| Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

In between all of that, they have had numerous songs show up in movies and TV shows, and have also toured extensively with a rather eclectic mix of bands, including Guns N Roses, Blink-182, and Panic! At the Disco. They have appeared on enormous stages, yet seem to remember the smaller ones more. They even mentioned the time they played in a smaller stage in Arizona, and while they couldn’t agree exactly where it was, however the general consensus was that it was at the Mason Jar, now the Rebel Lounge. 

Darren Robinson (Guitarist) & Alex Greenwald (Vocalist, Guitarist), Phantom Planet
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

While they have the pedigree of major bands, they also are one of the more relaxed and tight-knit groups out there, and seeing them in a small space was quite the treat. As the evening progressed, the band joked with each other and the fans, at one point noting that a cable came unplugged during their song, which led to the joke, “Why do we always talk after this song? It’s supposed to be the next one!” 

Chris Lorentz (Bassist), Phantom Planet
| Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

The night was rife with technical interruptions and quick thinking and fixes by the band. At one point, lead singer Alex Greenwald broke his guitar string, and a discussion onstage about how to handle it was rather amusing and charming. Lead guitarist Darren Robinson grabbed the guitar from Greenwald, handing Greenwald his guitar, and giving bassist Sam Farrar and drummer Jeff Conrad a break as Greenwald decided to move “California” from the encore to the middle of the set. Greenwald played solo, singing along, while Robinson quickly changed the string, tuned the guitar to the best of his ability, and handed it back to Greenwald upon completion of the song. More lighthearted banter would follow from the band, between each other and the fans who could not get enough. 

Phantom Planet performing at Valley Bar 12-2-22
Alex Greenwald (Vocalist, Guitarist), Phantom Planet
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved
Phantom Planet Valley Bar setlist
Phantom Planet setlist – Valley Bar 12-2-22

The set – which lasted about an hour and 15 minutes – saw the band squeeze in an incredible 13 planned songs and two requests from the crowd at the end. At the height of the performance, the frontman entered the crowd and allowed fans to swarm around him as they thrust smartphones forward, recording video inches from his face. As the night drew to a close, he reminded the audience that Phantom Planet would be playing the next day at the ZONA fest on the Ronstadt stage – a day that might’ve had fans of the band singing “One Ray of Sunlight”. While the crowd cheered with great enthusiasm, the band members radiated smiles as they left the stage.

Phantom Planet Valley Bar setlist
Phantom Planet setlist – Valley Bar 12-2-22

This night was a confluence of history: The forming of a new festival, the gathering in a building where history oozes from the walls themselves, and the memories made during the time the two immensely talented bands were on the stage. While it remains to be seen if 2023 will bring another ZONA Music Festival, the hope and plan is that it will. When it happens, one would be amiss to hesitate in purchasing tickets to see history made once again.

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Photographer: Katherine Amy Vega

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Phantom Planet | AVIV

Phantom Planet & AVIV – Valley Bar 12-2-22

Concerts, Photo Galleries, Reviews

REVIEW: AFI “Bodies Tour 2022” Lights Up & Sells Out Marquee Theatre (10-28-22)

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Tempe, AZ — Marquee Theatre hosted a sellout crowd for the return of AFI to the valley for the first time since their February 2017 sold out show at the same venue. The AFI “Bodies Tour 2022” stopped in this college town following a short COVID postponement, and included opener Drab Majesty with their unique ethereal sound to excite the fanbase. Known for high-energy live performances, AFI had their loyal followers fist-pumping and singing every song word-for-word. It was a memorable show to be sure and well worth the wait. 

Drab Majesty

Drab Majesty
| Photography: Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

Playing in low-light with some dramatic smoke, Drab Majesty took the stage with their purposefully androgynous uniform look. The two-piece band sported white shirts with gray jackets, white face paint and black goggles, with matching white choppy hair. They had a synth-heavy sound with monotonous vocals, inciting memories of 80’s bands like The Smiths or Spandau Ballet. One fan was overheard comparing them to Joy Division, and they are not wrong. With choruses repeating lyrics like, “When you were dead, I took you by your head” from their song “Cold Soul”, they add a dark edginess to their seven-song set. 

Deb DeMure (Vocals, Guitar, Percussion), Drab Majesty
| Photography: Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

The “darkwave” band was formed in 2011 in Los Angeles, California by Andrew Clinco – aka Deb DeMure – who currently provides vocals, guitar, and percussion for Drab Majesty. DeMure previously worked for the group Marriages as a drummer from late 2012 until 2017 when the band apparently broke. He is joined onstage by keyboardist and vocalist Alex Nicolaou – aka Mona D – who joined Drab Majesty in 2016.

Mona D (Keyboardist, Vocalist), Drab Majesty
| Photography: Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

Their record label, Dais Records, claims “DeMure insists that the inspiration for the songs is received from an other-worldly source that Deb is merely a vessel through which outside ideas flow inward”. The duo have 3 albums on the label: Careless (2015), The Demonstration (2017) and Modern Mirror (2019). They have previously toured with The Smashing Pumpkins. 

A Fire Inside

Setlist

AFI (A Fire Inside)
| Photography: Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

AFI is touring in support of their 2021 Bodies album, bringing “A Fire Inside” to Arizona, and what a show it was! The burgeoning crowd lit up from the first note of “Girls Not Grey,” from the 2003 album Sing the Sorrow. Frontman Davey Havok immediately climbed on a riser situated on the front of the stage, wearing a brass-studded vest with “Death of the Party” on the back, and the room exploded with energy. Havoc ran from one side of the stage to the other, and leaned precariously forward from the stage while singing directly to fans. When he wasn’t jumping from the riser, or swinging his microphone stand, he was belting out hit after hit from the AFI discography.  

Davey Havok (Vocalist), AFI
| Photography: Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

Onstage was Havok, along with original drummer and backing vocalist Adam Carson, with Hunter Burgan on bass, backing vocals and keyboards, and Jade Puget also provided backing vocals and on the keys. Their 18 song set was not shy of hits, including an intense version “Escape From Los Angeles” from 2021’s Bodies album, a super-sultry version of “The Boy Who Destroyed the World” from the All Hallows EP, and an encore including: “Third Season” from Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes (1997) and “Silver and Cold” from Sing the Sorrow (2003). Notably missing from the setlist, however, was “Miss Murder”, from 2006’s Decemberunderground album. 

Davey Havok (Vocalist), AFI
| Photography: Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

Havoc knows how to connect to people and there’s a palpable love that’s reciprocated. While singing “I Hope You Suffer” from Burials (2013), he trusted the fans to support him as he walked across the crowd. You read that right. In some sort of biblical walk-on-water feat, he used outstretched palms to walk into the crowd about 10 deep. A feat to behold, to be sure, and a bit of a surprise to the Marquee’s bewildered security. Perhaps they underestimated the crowd, who would never, ever let him fall. Havoc is an icon, and AFI is in their bloodstream. 

Davey Havok (Vocalist), AFI
| Photography: Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

AFI moved on to the “When We Were Young Festival” in Las Vegas the next day, leaving Arizona fans fulfilled, for now. This show has left a mark on the band’s devotees. Sometimes watching a crowd enjoy a show is as exciting as the show itself, and this is one of those times. AFI just brings it.

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Photographer: Rodrigo Izquierdo

AFI & Drab Majesty – Marquee Theatre 10-28-22

Photography © Reagle Photography
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Concerts, Photo Galleries, Reviews

REVIEW: Panic! at the Disco Exacts Vengeance on the Footprint Center (10-23-22)

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PHOENIX – Panic! at the Disco returned to the Valley of the Sun for the first time in over 4 years; the longest absence from the state since the group was formed. At one point – between Valentine’s Day 2014 and March 29th, 2017, Panic! at the Disco (Panic) visited the Phoenix area a whopping 7 times, so the 4 year absence – in part due to the pandemic – meant that the fans in this area were hungry for the pageantry that comes with a Panic stage show. Opening for Panic was Jake Wesley Rogers, who catapulted into the public’s eye in 2012 when he competed – and was unfortunately eliminated in the quarterfinals – on America’s Got Talent. Following Rogers was MARINA, a Welsh-born singer/songwriter who started on her path to stardom across the pond in 2005. 

The three artists visited the valley on the “Viva Las Vengeance” tour, in support of the latest album – of the same name – from Panic! at the Disco. Together, the three bands promised to put on one entertaining show. The stage was a bit different than what most are used to with a square catwalk surrounding a standing room only pit for the lucky few who were able to score those prize tickets. If one were to stand in the middle of that area, it would only be around 15 feet from the stage in all directions, making it an incredible place to view this show.

Jake Wesley Rogers

Setlist

Jake Wesley Rogers
Jake Wesley Rogers
| Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

As his accompanying band started up, Rogers emerged wearing a white, sparkly suit with ruby red high heeled boots. It was a triumphant entry, his hands held high as he spun around before he took a seat at the piano.

Jake Wesley Rogers
| Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Rogers may not be the most recognizable name on this tour, but he was an excellent choice to join Panic! He was an entertainer though and through, projecting some Freddie Mercury vibes when he whipped off his jacket, revealing a tank top. It would be easy to get lost in the majesty of his stage presence, but he is not only great at setting a scene and then chewing it right up, he is also a staggeringly talented vocalist. 

Jake Wesley Rogers
| Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

At one point, he performed a cover of My Chemical Romance’s “Welcome to the Black Parade,” to the delight of the crowd. The mix of his vocal talents and his ability to impressively emulate Gerald Way shows that Rogers is the consummate entertainer, and we will likely see him quite a bit more on tours – perhaps even headlining on the scale of Panic – in the future. 

Jake Wesley Rogers
| Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Mid-set, he introduced himself and explained he was from Missouri, “You know…the Bible Belt,” and, chuckling, he showed off the soon to be infamous high heeled red boots – perhaps a nod to Brendon Urie’s time in the Broadway musical “Kinky Boots” –  and stated “I like to think I was the rhinestone on the belt buckle.” 

The 30-minute set was capped by “Pluto,” the title track of the album he released last year. As his performance was coming to an end, he announced he was putting his phone number up on the screen, and he would select one person to upgrade their seats. This was his way of giving back, as he had told the story of how, growing up, his mother took him to concerts, but they ended up sitting in the nosebleeds. This was his way of taking someone who was in the same type of situation, giving them a night they wouldn’t soon forget.

MARINA

Setlist

As the stage change occurred, a banner with “MARINA” was raised. This act alone caused a cheer to rise from the crowd, and it became clear that there is a huge portion of Panic fans who are also MARINA fans. It’s easy to see why, as they both share the flair for the dramatics.

Marina Diamandis (Vocalist), MARINA
| Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

While there are no pyrotechnics that back up vocalist Marina Diamandis, she truly does not need them. She came out wearing a pink dress, slinking onto and owning the stage, and she launched into “Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land.” Standing on a white platform, Diamandis commanded the attention of the audience, keeping them in awe for the entire performance. 

Marina Diamandis (Vocalist), MARINA
| Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

She greeted the crowd before “Man’s World,” saying “Phoenix! How are you feeling tonight? I’m so, so happy to be here, thank you for the warm welcome! I wasn’t expecting it.” Diamandis was extremely grateful for the love that the crowd showed her, thanking them between many of the songs, and also seemed a bit surprised at how well the crowd knew her music. Her mix of confidence and humbleness endeared herself to the crowd even more. It was hard to walk away from her set and feel anything but awe for her performance. 

Marina Diamandis (Vocalist), MARINA
| Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

When she started out, she had stated she was influenced by Britney Spears and The Distillers’ singer Brody Dalle. She is now an influence herself, and there are undoubtedly many musicians and vocalists who are inspired by her for good reason: Her voice is stunning, she has the stage presence of a superstar (making the most of a minimalist background), and her lyrics are sharp and pointed, even with the upbeat sounding music. In short, it is no wonder that so many knew her music, and no wonder that she was given such a warm welcome from the crowd. Over the course of a 12-song set, she moved between the platform, her piano, and walked the stage with a fierce confidence. She closed her portion of the show with more gratitude to the audience, followed by “Bubblegum Bitch,” which drew the biggest cheers of her set.

Marina Diamandis (Vocalist), MARINA
| Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

After MARINA’s set ended, the temperature in the arena started to plummet. Signs on the pillars on the way in warned that there would be flashing lights, smoke, and pyro effects. When you see a sign about pyro in an arena, and you feel the temperature dropping, it is a good sign that you’re about to get a lot warmer, and not just because you’re going to be dancing yourself into a frenzy. Panic! at the Disco is well known for their stage shows, which are always over-the-top and some of the most fun you can possibly have at a concert. 

There is also a build-up of anticipation before the show starts: on the sides of the stage, a clock counts down from 10 minutes, giving fans plenty of warning so they could return to their seats. During this countdown, various songs were playing, and as the last couple of minutes ticked by, the newly rediscovered masterpiece of a song “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)” by Kate Bush. As the song ended, the lights cut out, and a simulated thunderstorm started.

Panic! At the Disco

Setlist

Lights flashed, thunder rumbled, smoke poured from the stage and the cheers started. And then seemingly out of nowhere – due to some fantastic misdirection – Urie stood on the outer edge of the stage with a huge grin and a microphone. As he began to sing “Say Amen (Saturday Night),” he also began to slowly make his way around the loop up to his ultimate destination of the main portion of the stage. 

Brendon Urie (Vocalist), Panic! at the Disco
| Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

For those who have not attended a Panic show, Urie is a showman to the core – a flashy entertainer who will make sure you’re having the time of your life. The first 6 songs of the set were quite familiar to the fans, ranging from “This is Gospel” to “Emperor’s New Clothes,” the song when the pyro really kicked in. As the skulls on the screen behind Urie and the band laughed, flames erupted across the stage. 30-foot flames produce massive amounts of heat, and with multiple fireballs erupting, it became very clear why the arena attempted to turn the massive room into an icebox. 

Brendon Urie (Vocalist), Panic! at the Disco
| Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Once the first portion of the show ended, Panic proceeded to play the entire new album, starting with the title track “Viva Las Vengeance.” Not all of the songs were overly impressive, but the presentation is what mattered most here. Joining Urie on stage was a guitarist, bassist, a small brass section, and stringed instruments. The three stringed instruments – two violins and a cello – were thrust into the spotlight during the openings for most of the new songs. The brass section would get their chance to shine during “Death Of A Bachelor” later in the show, as everyone – including the drummer – left the stage beyond the saxophonist, trumpeter, and the trombonist, who all joined Urie at the outer edge of the stage. 

Panic! at the Disco instrumentalists
| Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

The tracks off of Viva Las Vengeance range from the tragic in “Don’t Let The Light Go Out”, to the bouncy “Sad Clown” – which sounds as if it was pulled straight from a musical. There is even a song that might make some imagine that Will Ferrell and Christopher Walken are about to burst onto the stage: the cowbell content of “Sugar Soaker” is excessive perfection – which is perhaps a paradox – but unlike “Jumbo Shrimp,” this makes sense once one sees a live performance of the song. Many bands don’t showcase their entire album at once, so it was a bit unusual to have 12 songs sandwiched between classics that all Panic fans know and love. 

Brendon Urie (Vocalist), Panic! at the Disco
| Photography: Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

The new album also shows off the incredible, unearthly vocal range that Urie has. The 4-octave range is used throughout the previous albums, but to witness it in person is breathtaking. There seems to be very little that Urie cannot do, and he appears to relish each moment up on stage. The fans relished it as well, and the Shakespearean saying “parting is such sweet sorrow” would apply here. Fans in Phoenix will undoubtedly eagerly await the next show, which hopefully will not require another 4-year wait for Urie and his crew to give us a dazzling spectacle of lights, sounds, and imagination.

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Panic! at the Disco | MARINA | Jake Wesley Rogers

Panic! at the Disco, MARINA, Jake Wesley Rogers – Footprint Center 10-23-22

Photography © Katherine Amy Vega, Kataklizmic Design
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