Tag Archives: Mesa

REVIEW: Leprous Delivers a Progressive Metal Grandeur to The Nile Theatre (9-28-24)

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Mesa, AZ — Arizona’s metal scene is thriving, yet it often flies under the radar, deserving far more recognition. While other genres may get more press, the crowd for Leprous’s concert at The Nile Theatre, with support from Fight The Fight and Earthside, proves that the scene is absolutely thriving. The concertgoers on Saturday night demonstrated a scene that formed a tight-knit community, united by their shared love of the music. There was a sense of camaraderie and belonging among fans at the show. The crowd was filled with passionate fans who turned out for Leprous but gave the same love to New England’s Earthside and Norway’s Fight The Fight. The crowd at The Nile was alive, in the moment, and metal A.F. 

Fight The Fight

Touring in support of their new album Shah Of Time, Fight The Fight delivered on their unique blend of heavy metalcore and elements of alternative metal and rock. From the opener of “Serpent in the Sand,” the band’s sound was driven by the chugging guitars of Amok and Lord who provided a force throughout their entire set.

Fight The Fight
Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

The rhythm section of bassist HM and drummer Bjørn Dugstad Rønnow created the foundation on which the whole band shined, with both really showing out on “Alien” and “12800.” Combined, the band allowed Lars Vegas’s catchy, melodic vocals, which shifted effortlessly from heavy verses into cinematic heights, especially on the band’s closer: “In Memory.” 

Lars Vegas (Vocalist), Fight The Fight
Lars Vegas (Vocalist), Fight The Fight
Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Earthside

New England’s Earthside was up next. Their sound is a modern twist on vintage progressive rock with each song in their setting displaying their complex compositions, intricate musicianship, and a blend of heavy and atmospheric sounds.

Earthside
Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Their five-song set was an experience, powerful and dazzling. Pulling heavily from last year’s Let the Truth Speak, the first four songs (“We Who Lament,” “Pattern of Rebirth,” “Watching the Earth Sink,”  and “Let the Truth Speak”) showcased the band’s incredible interplay of music and showmanship. Their closer of “The Closest I’ve Come,” the lone song performed from their debut A Dream in Static, left the crowd fired up for more while amped for Leprous’s set. 

Jamie van Dyck (Guitarist), Earthside performing live at The Nile
Jamie van Dyck (Guitarist), Earthside
Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Leprous

The lights dimmed, and the crowd erupted in a roar as Norwegian progressive metal band Leprous took the stage. The first time they played Arizona, there were 29 people at the show, singer Einar Solberg told the crowd.

Einar Solberg (Vocalist), Leprous performing live at The Nile
Einar Solberg (Vocalist), Leprous
Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

In the years since, the band has built a rabid following that turned out, and it’s clear that the Arizona crowd is some of their most hardcore. The band’s intricate compositions, technical prowess, and emotional depth were unleashed in a live, unfiltered experience across their 15-song set, and the opener “Silently Walking Alone” from the recently-released Melodies Of Atonement showed exactly why the Norwegian powerhouse is so loved. 

Leprous
Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Their set was a marvel, as each member is a superstar presence in their own right. Solberg’s distinctive vocals, which soared above the dense sonic landscape, achieved Freddie Mercury-esque heights, while the rhythmic patterns of Baard Kolstad provided a complex foundation for the band’s musical exploration. On highlights of the night like “On a Sunken Ship” and “Unfree My Soul,” the intricate instrumentals filled the air with technicality and emotion. 

Baard Kolstad (Drummer), Leprous performing live at The Nile
Baard Kolstad (Drummer), Leprous
Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

With each song, the Leprous’s emotional intensity grew. Each song in their set delved into themes of introspection and vulnerability, connecting with the audience who responded with pumped fists throughout. Solberg would climb on top of the speakers at the front, ascending like a God-like figure to deliver a powerful and expressive performance that conveyed the raw emotion behind the lyrics.

Einar Solberg (Vocalist), Leprous
Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

“Faceless,” also from the new album, featured a fan choir made up of a few of Arizona’s most die hard Leprous fans. Sharing that moment with the fans was a magical moment of the night, as it showed how seamless the connection between band and their fans has become, eliminating the idea of “us” and “them” and instead creating a moment of “we.” 

Robin Ognedal (Guitarist), Leprous performing live at The Nile
Robin Ognedal (Guitarist), Leprous
Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

The rest of the set, with “Slave,” “From the Flame,” and “Atonement,” built on this moment. Even as the final notes of “The Sky is Red” faded out, the energy in the room made it clear the night was not over. When the band returned to the stage, they gave the fans three choices: “Stuck,” “Rewind,” and “Castaway Angels.” While any would have made for an unimaginably powerful closer, it was clear the crowd wanted “Castaway Angels,” and the band absolutely delivered. As the final notes faded, the riotous crowd erupted in applause for each member as they exited the stage, with everyone emotionally spent by the moment and yet not ready to call it a night. It was a moment, testament to the unforgettable performance we had all just witnessed. 

Leprous
Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Leprous may have first played Arizona in 2016 to just 29 people, but after Saturday’s truly immersive and powerful experience they gave to everyone in attendance, it’s clear they’ve found a home away from home at The Nile in Mesa. However, with the ever-growing passion of their fanbase, it’s hard to imagine the theater will be able to contain them the next time they return.

Photo Galleries

Photographer: Katherine Amy Vega

View Separately:
Leprous | Earthside | Fight The Fight

Leprous, Earthside, & Fight The Fight – The Nile Theatre 9-28-24

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

AZ’s The Venomous Pinks Debut the Documentary ‘We Must Prevail: The Making of Vita Mors’

Arizona femme punks The Venomous Pinks are debuting the new documentary, We Must Prevail: The Making of Vita Mors, which chronicles the creation of their latest album Vita Mors, out now on SBÄM Records.

The film was directed and edited by Alexander Thomas and filmed in Santa Ana, CA, at Maple Sounds Studios, with cameos by Brenna Red (The Last Gang), Linh Le (Bad Cop/Bad Cop), Cameron Webb (Alkaline Trio, Motorhead), Dan Palmer (Death By Stereo, Zebrahead), and Stefan Beham (SBÄM Records).

The Pinks had a busy 2023, touring relentlessly with the likes of T.S.O.L., Dead Kennedys, The Queers, Less Than Jake, The Toasters, and appearing on festival stages at Punk Rock Bowling and more. 2024 promises more of the same, as the band has already announced its first shows of the year, including an appearance at Camp Punksylvania in July.

Stream We Must Prevail: The Making of Vita Mors here:

“[The Venomous Pinks] might singlehandedly make you believe in the power of feminism, whoa-oh gang vocals, and punk pride to change the world. The songs can wax as melodic as the GoGo’s or roar as persuasively polemical as Bad Religion.”- Offshelf

Upcoming The Venomous Pinks Shows

  • 3/22 – Santa Ana, CA @ Observatory w/ Mac Sabbath, DI
  • 4/6 – Honolulu, HI @ Nextdoor
  • 4/7 – Paia, HI @ Paia Bay Coffee and Bar
  • July 5-7 @ Camp Punksylvania – Gilbert, PA

“Mesa, AZ’s own The Venomous Pinks have more than earned their place amid punk’s most weird and riotous acts. This bare-bones punk jam blends heft, heart, and pop-punk vibes into a bona fide earworm.”- Phoenix New Times


Vita Mors is out now via SBÄM Records

Vita Mors was recorded, engineered and produced by Grammy winner Cameron Webb, who also worked with iconic bands like Motorhead, Social Distortion, Pennywise, NOFX, Alkaline Trio and many more. The Venomous Pinks set out to be the next big thing on that list.

Stream Vita Mors here

Vita Mors Vinyl

Vinyl currently available in Yellow/Purple and Purple Marble,
also on CD

Buy at SBÄM Records webstore
(US | EU | UK | AUD)

If members of Bikini Kill and TSOL musically collided in a Russ Myer movie, the soundtrack scoring the scene would be orchestrated by The Venomous Pinks.

The Venomous Pink group photo
The Venomous Pinks
| Photography:
Ben Trivett

Hailing from Mesa, Arizona the three-piece trio creates an unapologetically, uniquely addictive, in-your-face punk sound, that instantly makes the soul hurt so good, you can’t help but yearn for more.

REVIEW: Ben Folds Creates More Beautiful Moments with Tall Heights for Die-Hard Fans in Mesa (8-15-23)

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Mesa, AZ — In the moments before the start of Ben Folds’ performance at the Mesa Arts Center with support from Tall Heights, the line for the merch table stretched back through Ikeda Theatre’s lobby and out the door. As the audience poured in for the evening’s show, so many eras of Ben Folds’ career was present across t-shirts, some clearly dating back the 28 years of his career (one attendee was sporting an early Ben Folds Five t-shirt that was surely coveted by many of the long-time fans). Special shoutout to the Ben Folds glasses-cleaning set, the most audience-specific piece of merch sold, this side of Taylor Swift friendship bracelets and Cypress Hill rolling papers. Throughout the entryway, die-hard fans shared memories of their favorite Ben Folds show, detailing their favorite moments. 

Tall Heights

Tall Heights
Tall Heights with touring member Paul Dumas (Drummer)
Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Boston’s Tall Heights pulled double duty, serving as both the opener for Folds and also as a part of his backing band. The two-piece group, consisting of guitarist Tim Harrington and cellist Paul Wright, has been building a steady following since their 2009 debut album on the strength of their gorgeous melodies and the duo’s lush harmonies. They opened their set with “Back to Autumn” and “Murmuring State” before introducing themselves to the crowd and making note of the delicious empanadas they’d eaten that day – presumably at downtown Mesa’s gem Republica Empanada less than half a mile away from the venue. 

Paul Wright of Tall Heights
Paul Wright (Singer, Cellist), Tall Heights
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

The duo covered Blink-182’s “Dammit” – a captivatingly ethereal rendition that surprised, amused, and delighted the audience. They released their reimagined version of this song in 2022. After playing “Only,” the duo talked about getting to tour with Folds and how they were recruited by him to play on his latest album, which in turn inspired them to get to work on their own new album.

Tim Harrington of Tall Heights
Tim Harrington (Singer, Guitarist), Tall Heights
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

They then debuted a brand-new song “Still Feel the Same,” so new in fact that they had the lyrics printed and out on stage with them. When the crowd immediately embraced the song and gave it a long round of applause after, Harrington laughed and said “you are so sweet. I was shitting my pants the whole time, and it was not because of the empanadas!” 

Tall Heights
Tall Heights
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

After a haunting rendition of their “Spirit Cold,” Harrington implored the crowd, since “Still Feel the Same” was so new, “If you took a video of the song, don’t post it on social media, and you already have… you know what? Fuck it. We’re not famous enough for anyone to care if something gets leaked early.” They closed their set with a completely unplugged, standing performance of “To Be Young.” 

Ben Folds

Ben Folds with touring band, including Tall Heights
Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

For being such an incredibly dynamic performer, Folds is so humble and gracious in between. Even his arrival on stage came with a brief pause at the front of the stage for a quick smile and nod before he went to his piano, and opened his show with “Exhausting Lover,” “Winslow Gardens,” and “Clouds With Ellipses” from his new record What Matters Most (his set would feature eight of the album’s ten songs), all of which sounded great. The new album is a must for those who don’t already have it. 

Ben Folds
Ben Folds
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

After “Losing Lisa” off of Rockin’ the Suburbs, Folds shared with the crowd that during the pandemic he had an online song-writing course he taught and that one assignment involved students in the class using headlines to inspire songs. He himself got two songs out of it: “Fragile” (inspired by a story of a would-be burglar who was caught by the family, started to cry, and then gave them $200 before quickly leaving their home) and “Kristine from the Seventh Grade” (drawn from an article by a woman explaining why she wouldn’t remove her shoes in homes that ask you to remove shoes). “This is funny,” he added before starting the song, “but I put it in a minor key.” Indeed, it was amusing, eliciting laughter throughout, as it told the tale of a former school friend. She had given herself over to online conspiracy theories and near-constant anger at the world.

Ben Folds
Ben Folds
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

One of the reasons why Ben Folds’ fans are so loyal is in part because of his incredible song writing. While his songs can be many things: funny and sad, uplifting and sorrowful, heartwarming and heartbreaking, they are all deeply rooted in an unmistakable humanity. Though we may at times laugh at his protagonists, be they him, a surrogate, or a character he’s created, it is in response to something we can all connect to and understand.

Ben Folds
Ben Folds
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

“Still Fighting It,” a song written about his son Louis, has been a live-show staple for years and always a highlight. I mean, who of any age can’t relate to the line: “Everybody knows it sucks to grow up”? “What Matters Most,” the title track from the new album, and “Landed” both deal with missing friends, whether from death or confusing estrangement. These songs were performed back-to-back, making for a poignant one-two punch.

Ben Folds with touring band, including Tall Heights
Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

“If you know Regina’s parts, go ahead and sing along,” prompted Folds before playing “You Don’t Know Me,” his duet with Regina Spektor from Way To Normal. The audience took Folds’ cue and responded majestically. One of the hallmarks of any Ben Folds show is audience participation. For a time after the release of Rockin’ the Suburbs, his first album away from Ben Folds Five, he embarked on a solo tour that featured only him and a piano each night. He made the audience a part of the show, directing them to add harmonies or, in the case of “Army,” stand in for the trumpet and trombone parts.

Ben Folds
Ben Folds
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

As Folds and the band arrived at the first instance of Spektor’s vocals, it clearly surprised and delighted Folds to hear her parts sung so loudly and enthusiastically from all corners of the Mesa Arts Center, even briefly stopping the song at one point to express how much it pleased him. “How cool is that?!” he marveled. Following a spirited run through of Way To Normal’s “Effington,” Folds ran the audience through a quick three-part harmony rehearsal to accompany the performance of “Not the Same” — Folds’ ballad of a high school friend who dropped acid at a party and climbed up into a tree where he stayed all night before climbing down the next morning and promptly becoming a born-again Christian. Throughout the song, Folds stood, playing many of the parts one-handed so he could keep his right hand free to direct the audience through the harmonies. For a song that is somewhat somber in tone, it managed to be one of the evening’s highlights, especially as a scan of the audience revealed universal expressions of glee. 

Ben Folds
Ben Folds
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

As Folds began to set up “Moments,” the final track on the new album and what would be the pre-encore closer, an audience member called out “Rock This Bitch,” Folds’ long-running live show staple improvised song. Folds obliged the request, playing an Arizona-specific version of the song and once more assigning the audience vocal parts. Folds came back out and performed “Annie Waits” solo (eventually joined by Tall Heights, who added some of their incredible harmonies at the tailend of the song). They followed with full-band runs through “Still” and “Zak and Sara”. 

Ben Folds
Ben Folds
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

“Moments” was the evening’s pinnacle. It was, after all, a night about living in the moment, being present for life. As the lyrics go “We try to hold these moments as they glow/We’ll breathe them in and then we’ll let them go.”

Ultimately, it is these moments — shared moments with strangers — that are what matter most (yeah, that’s right, I worked in TWO references to Folds’ stellar new album in one sentence). There is something so real, so uplifting, and ultimately something so life affirming about a Ben Folds concert that it should never be missed. Despite arriving as strangers and departing as strangers, a Ben Folds audience in between is a community drawn into the experience, singing along to every word, providing harmonies, laughing, crying, and being present. We held in the moments like one of life’s most precious breaths before letting it go into the night, a community forever but strangers once more.

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Photographer: Katherine Amy Vega

View Separately: Ben Folds | Tall Heights

Ben Folds & Tall Heights – Mesa Arts Center 8-15-23

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

REVIEW: Annual Punk in Drublic Festival Storms Into Bell Bank Park (03-19-22)

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Mesa, AZ — The annual Punk in Drublic Festival, held this past Saturday at Mesa’s brand new Bell Bank Park, is built around two things: craft beer and punk rock. This year’s lineup, anchored as always by festival founder Fat Mike’s band NOFX, also featured Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, The Bouncing Souls, Lagwagon, Authority Zero, The Last Gang, The Venomous Pinks, and WinterHaven. It was a lineup that covered several generations of punk and just as many styles. 

Man with a mohawk hairstyle at Punk in Drublic festival
Barry Humphrey with the mohawk hairstyle – an emblem of non-conformity in the punk community
Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

When the gates opened at 11 a.m., with WinterHaven not going on to open the festival until 1 p.m., the other opener took front stage and center: craft beer, and plenty of it. With breweries from all over Arizona giving out free samples to the 21+ crowd in the free Punk in Drublic souvenir sample cups, cans and kegs were emptied on a consistent basis from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. 

Woman laying on grass, holding 2 cans of alcohol
Woman lounges on the lawn at Punk in Drublic fest with Cutwater Spirits’ Tequila Paloma & Tequila Margarita
Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

What makes a punk festival so different from other all-day festivals is that punks, regardless of era or style, are accepting of everyone who enters the sanctum of punk, as a place of brotherhood and sisterhood for all. Names are never needed, as the t-shirt you wore is enough to identify you. “Hey yo, Black Flag, try that Hazy IPA they got! It’s my favorite!” was shouted at me as I approached one of the many tents. The same guy followed up with me later to get my thoughts. 

Man and two women against the barricade at a concert
Ryan Novak (Music Journalist of Burning Hot Events) & concert-goers Amy Kochansk & Desiree Izquierdo
Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

There’s an inspiring sense of community and fun, like we’re all on the same team, whether we’re toasting a craft brew or slamming into each other in a circle pit. If this day were a musical, it would almost be expected that at any moment the crowd would break out into a punk rock rendition of “Gaston,” sloshing frothy beers from those mini Punk in Drublic sampler cups to and fro in the spirit of a hardy sing-along. 

WinterHaven

Jack Hernandez of WinterHaven performing
Jack Hernandez (Vocalist, Guitarist), WinterHaven
Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

Opening the show was Flagstaff’s own Winterhaven. Made up of singer and rhythm guitarist Jack Hernandez, lead guitarist Brendan Goepfrich, bassist Colton Henderson, and drummer Nick Schira, they brought the right balance of humor and youthful energy to open the show. By their own admission, they have gotten onto the festival by getting in touch with Cameron Collins, who handles lining up the breweries for each stop (Fat Mike handles the bands) who dug what he heard and got them added to the lineup. Though the youngest band on the bill, they came out swinging like old pros. 

WinterHaven performing at Punk in Drublic
WinterHaven
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

The band wears its pop-punk influences on their sleeves like a badge of honor. Though you could hear the importance that bands like blink-182 and The Offspring had on their sound (and also some noticeable Ian MacKaye Fugazi-era basslines), there was nothing derivative about WinterHaven. As the opening chords of the first song hit, their music was a magnet pulling people away from beer and merch tents right to the front of the stage. In between songs, they joked with the crowd about Spider-Man and in a hilarious moment, Hernandez said that his mom asked him to remember to wear sunscreen before they went on that day, but he had immediately forgotten and asked that no one tells. (I’m sorry if she reads this and learns that way.) 

The Venomous Pinks

Drea Doll of The Venomous Pinks performing
Drea Doll (Vocalist), The Venomous Pinks
Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

It would seem Arizona was the perfect starting point for the festival, since three-fifths of the acts hail from State 48, with Mesa’s The Venomous Pinks playing second. Though the all-female outfit certainly has some Bikini Kill in their sound, they would not be out of place amongst the heaviest of hitters of early 80’s hardcore. The three-piece attack of Drea Doll on guitar and vocals, Gaby Kaos on bass and vocals, and Cassie Jalilie on drums sounded like the sister band to Bad Brains or Minor Threat, playing each song with a fast and furious intensity. 

Their second song “Todos Unidos” had some Generator-era Bad Religion guitar and “oohs” and “aahs” on the backing vocals. Their new single “No Rules,” the first from their upcoming debut album Vita Mors from SBÄM Records, was a set highlight (the single is out on 03/24/2022 and the album is forthcoming). They closed out their nine-song set with “We Do It Better,” an absolutely righteous rager and the perfect anthem for the band. They were joined by The Last Gang’s lead singer Brenna Red for the final verse. 

The Last Gang

The decidedly more political The Last Gang played next. The California quartet – Red on vocals and guitar, Ken Aquino on guitar, Sean Viele on bass, and Robert Wantland on drums – surprised the crowd throughout their set, as they used the punk rock template as a springboard for so many other styles.  Their third song, “Gimme Action,” even opened with a surprising AC/DC-esque guitar riff.

Brenna Red of The Last Gang performing
Brenna Red (Vocalist, Guitarist), The Last Gang
Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

Red admitted to listening to a lot of The Clash and some classic reggae and dub, including Toots And The Maytals and the legendary Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry. This was no more evident than on “Noise Noise Noise,” the title track from their 2021 album, which had some very clear Clash London Calling-era dub influence. She is an incredible frontwoman, and the band plays loosely within the punk genre. If their nine-song set is any indication of even a snippet of what they are capable of, they are going to be a band to watch for many years to come. 

Authority Zero

Rounding out the Arizona triad was Mesa’s Authority Zero. The skate punk legends came out guns blazing with lead singer Jason DeVore leading into the first song (or perhaps warning the crowd) with “Here we go!” He was immediately perched on top of amps (rocking one precariously forward before he hopped off of it) and bounced around the stage with each song. For a guy who’s been doing this since the mid-nineties, he didn’t show even a hint of slowing down. 

Jason DeVore of Authority Zero performing
Jason DeVore (Vocalist), Authority Zero
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

Though DeVore’s vocals are rooted firmly in hardcore, Authority Zero includes reggae and some very noticeable Bad Religion rhythms in their music. The band’s new song “Ollie Ollie Oxen Free” from the album of the same name was a set highlight. 

Mid-set, DeVore stopped to plug Punk Rock Saves Lives, an organization he supports whose work focuses on mental health, human rights, and equality. His passion for their work was clear in the set’s closer, “Lift One Up.”

Jason DeVore of Authority Zero with Punk in Drublic crowd
Jason DeVore (Vocalist), Authority Zero
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

It spoke to DeVore’s love for his audience and to the communal feeling so clear amongst the attendees since the gates opened: “So lift one up/To put one down/We’ll keep singing these old songs our whole lives through/It’s where we’re found/They’ve touched our hearts/They’ve saved our lives.” It was one of the best sing-alongs of the day. 

Lagwagon

Considering their name was inspired by the band’s unreliable touring van, Lagwagon have been anything but unreliable, recording and touring since 1990. Before they began their set, an audience member complained to the soundman checking the microphones that it was “too loud.” In response, he received a hard laugh from the guy who said, “Don’t worry. Joey’s known for his soft vocals.” Indeed, the start of their set was like a bomb going off (leaving this writer wondering what the kids playing soccer just across the way from the festival at the rather vast Bell Bank Park complex were wondering). 

Joey Cape (Vocalist), Lagwagon
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

With nine albums spread across their 30-year career, frontman Joey Cape joked, “All we have are old songs,” when an audience member requested they play something new after they played “Bombs Away” from their 1995 album Hoss. Regardless of his self-deprecating comment, the band with a lineup almost unchanged since they started, played each song with an ageless vigor. They dedicated “Surviving California” to all of their fallen comrades over the years, in the highlight of their set. 

Crowd surfer at Punk in Drublic festival in Mesa, AZ
Crowd surfer at Punk in Drublic festival in Mesa
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

The Bouncing Souls

New Jersey’s favorite punk sons The Bouncing Souls showed that Lagwagon were not the only 30-year veterans who hadn’t lost a step. The pogoing punk icons brought their trademark lighthearted sound to the stage. Opening with the title-track from the 1999 album “Hopeless Romantic”, the band had the crowd bouncing in unison from the word go (not the song “Go,” because that was their fifth track). 

Greg Attonito of The Bouncing Souls performing
Greg Attonito (Vocalist), The Bouncing Souls
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

Singer Greg Attonito was a consummate showman, playfully dancing around the stage during each song. The Bouncing Souls have always been a fun live band, and this day’s set was no different. Their song “That Song” was one of the highlights, with the audience singing along throughout. It felt like a fitting summation of the vibe for the day, with the lyrics: And in the end what have we learned? Are we just faces in the crowd? I died and was reborn again today. Hold fast to myself. Make these good feelings stay. On a pleasantly cool Arizona spring day, it felt like many of us were reborn in those moments of community. 

Crowd at Punk in Drublic festival
Punk in Drublic crowd raises devil horns and smartphones at twilight for The Bouncing Souls
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

Me First And The Gimme Gimmes

We’re not a cover band,” declared lead singer Spike Slawson, “We are THE cover band!” For the uninitiated, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes are like punk-rock karaoke. They are a supergroup, with a rotating cast of members including Slawson of Re-Volts and Swignin’ Utters,  Joey Cape and Dave Raun from Lagwagon pulling double duty, Fat Mike, and CJ Ramone. They will cover any genre of music, with the songs poured through their unique filter. 

Spike Slawson of Me First and The Gimme Gimmes performing
Spike Slawson (Vocalist), Me First and The Gimme Gimmes
Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

Opening with “Different Drum,” written by the late Mike Nesmith of The Monkees and made famous by Linda Rondstadt, they followed it with “Sloop John B” and a three-song country superset of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene,” Willie Nelson’s “On the Road Again,” and John Denver’s “Country Roads,” with Fat Mike coming out to sing on the songs. With no set genre they will pull from, the set is full of surprises because every song is unexpected. Where else are you going to get Paul Simon’s “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard” followed by CJ Ramone singing Paula Abdul’s “Straight Up”? Only at a Me First and the Gimme Gimmes concert. They closed their night with a rousing rendition of Elton John’s “Rocket Man.” 

NOFX

To close out the night was NOFX, fronted by Punk in Drublic founder Mike “Fat Mike” Burkett. Though their live album I Heard They Suck Live!! might set certain expectations for anyone who has never witnessed a NOFX concert, they make each show unique from any other they’ve played before. 

Fat Mike of NOFX performing
Fat Mike (Vocalist, Bassist), NOFX
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

Not to veer into politics, but it can be reasonably inferred by the t-shirts and buttons you see around the festival exactly what the political leanings are of a punk-rock crowd. Regardless, Fat Mike opened their set with “Greetings Republicans!” Throughout their set, he continued to playfully troll the crowd, from saying the only thing Arizona got right was doing away with daylight savings, to telling the crowd the only good thing to ever come out of the state was stand-up comic Doug Stanhope. Mike even attempted to call Stanhope from the stage, but the call went to voicemail. 

Eric Melvin of NOFX performing
Eric Melvin (Guitarist), NOFX
Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

Some songs were introduced but quickly abandoned. After claiming that drummer Smelly Sandin did not want to play “Liza and Louise,” they moved on to “I Love You More Than I Hate Me” instead. “We’ve only got 5 good songs,” Mike claimed at one point, “and we’ve been doing this for 38 years!” Following “Eat the Meek” and “Franco UnAmerican,” Mike called Arizona “the Alabama of the west.” They closed out their set with a one-two punch of “Don’t Call Me White” and “Kill All the White Man.” 

Though the beer tents were all long gone at this point, everyone held tight to their Punk in Drublic beer sampler cups as they headed for the exit. Together or not, the punk community is always united, and maybe those cups will make their way out again on some random night, filled to the rim, and toasted high to the brothers and sisters, before turning the music up and slamming the beer down. 

Arizona sunset and Punk in Drublic festival
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

The 2022 Punk In Drublic Craft Beer & Music Festival will continue on through the spring and summer with the following dates:

  • Saturday, March 26 –
    San Diego, CA – Petco Park – Tickets
  • Sunday, March 27 – Ventura, CA
    Ventura Fairgrounds – Tickets
  • Saturday, May 7 –
    Sacramento, CA – Heart Health Park at the Cal Expo – Tickets
  • Friday, July 8 –
    Cleveland, OH – Jacobs Pavilion – Tickets
  • Saturday, July 9 –
    Detroit, MI – Masonic Temple Outdoors – Tickets

Photo Galleries

Photographer: Rodrigo Izquierdo

View Separately:

NOFX | Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
| The Bouncing Souls | Lagwagon
| Authority Zero | The Last Gang
| The Venomous Pinks | WinterHaven

Punk in Drublic – Bell Bank Park 3-19-22


Punk In Drublic online:

Photography © Reagle Photography
All Rights Reserved

REVIEW: OTEP Brings the Kult 45 Resistance to Mesa 8-6-18

Mesa, AZ Award-winning performer, artist, and activist Otep Shamaya rallied fans at Club Red Tuesday night in an impassioned, politically-charged performance. Heavy metal veterans OTEP (the band) [an anagrammatic name derivative of the word “poet”] recently dropped their eighth full-length album entitled Kult 45 via Napalm Records. According to an exclusive interview with Blabbermouth.net, “This is OTEP like you’ve never heard them before.

Fatal Malady - Photography: Katherine Amy Vega
Clinton Rackley (Vocalist), Fatal Malady
Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega
© Kataklizmic Design. All Rights Reserved

Along with Kult 45’s highly anticipated release, OTEP announced a headline tour, to tease their newest work of art; beginning at The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 5th, and ending in Ventura, California on August, 18th 2018. Tour-mates include Dropout Kings, an AZ-based nu-metal band on the rise (who just released a burning hot new album called “AudioDope” this past Friday), and European progressive rock band Ragdoll Sunday. First to take the stage was anime-themed punk rock band Usagi (formerly Unagi Usagi), followed by progressive metal group CharonIncentive a band heavily influenced by iconic black and death metal styles, and groove metal band Fatal Malady, whose skull-faced aesthetic captivated the now overflowing trickle of bodies entering through the back of the venue.

View Photo Albums: 
Fatal Malady & Ragdoll Sunday

Dropout Kings - Photography: Katherine Amy Vega
Dropout Kings |
Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega
© Kataklizmic Design. All Rights Reserved

Following a supercharged performance by Dropout Kings, audience members began to chant in unison, “OTEP! OTEP! OTEP!” Drummer Justin Kier could be seen jetting on and off the stage, while crew members worked diligently to set the scene. Illuminated only by sporadic flares of light, Kier stepped forward to address the crowd, breaking the ice with a little marijuana-related humor before being joined by bandmates Ari “The Spartan” Mihalopoulos on guitar, and bassist Andrew Barnes. With time to spare, Kier went on to talk about a new, lesser known project in collaboration with Phoenix’s own hard rock female-fronted foursome Doll Skin, which they’ve aptly named “PETO”, once again utilizing OTEP’s iconic anagram, only this time – backwards. The trio commenced with an ear-splitting rendition of Slayer’s “Raining Blood”, immediately provoking a mosh pit nearly the size of the entire room.

OTEP

Creepy baby doll holding a sign reading "Where are the children?" - Photography: Katherine Amy Vega
Photography: Katherine Amy Vega
© Kataklizmic Design. All Rights Reserved

After the music faded and fans had settled into standing-room-only once again, Shamaya exploded onto the platform between two vertically-balanced rifles, adorned with severed baby heads, faux weapons, LGBT symbolism, the U.S. flag, and a variety of other props yet to be revealed. Hanging delicately beneath the deceased infant’s haunting yellow eyes was a crooked sign that read, “Where are the children?” It’s no coincidence Shamaya’s performances have been dubbed “a two-decade invasion of the senses” and it’s clear she has no intention of dulling that edge now.

“We want to empower people,” Shamaya says of Kult 45. “This album wasn’t written to only wake people up, it’s meant to carbonate people with the hope and confidence that they can make a difference.”

Are you ready to riot?!”, Shamaya asked the crowd, growling into the mic with intensity while being met with a reverberating wave of hoots, screams, and howls.

OTEP - Photography: Katherine Amy Vega
Otep Shamaya (Vocalist), OTEP |
Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega
© Kataklizmic Design. All Rights Reserved

Beneath a beer-soaked haze of golden strobe lights, attendees raged along to political anthems “To The Gallows” (during which Shamaya fiercely spun a hangman’s noose from the end of her mic), “Battle Ready”, and “Lords of War”, succeeded by what is arguably one of OTEP’s most iconic tracks to date, “Crooked Spoons”. Shamaya playfully pulled from her rifling of props for each new track, punching her fist in the air as a bloody, severed pig head was tossed out from behind the stage.

OTEP - Photography: Katherine Amy Vega
Otep Shamaya (Vocalist), OTEP |
Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega
© Kataklizmic Design. All Rights Reserved

Fans roared along to every word of “Blood Pigs” and “Apex Predator”, off OTEP’s earlier albums Sevas Tra (2012) and Hydra (2013), erupting with raw emotion and appreciation for the purpose embedded in each verse. OTEP is a band that’s known for it’s ultra-loyal fanbase, but the reasoning behind that is something so much deeper than fame or catchy music. Shamaya’s ability to continually utilize OTEP’s music as a vessel for societal change through a variety of synchronized creative mediums is seriously impactful and evidently similar to that of legendary musical influencers like Woodie Guthrie, Bob Dylan or Zach de la Rocha of Rage Against The Machine.

OTEP - Photography: Katherine Amy Vega
Ari “The Spartan” Mihalopoulos (Guitarist), OTEP |
Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega
© Kataklizmic Design. All Rights Reserved

OTEP went on to make their stance on mass shootings known with newly released track “Shelter In Place”, during which Shamaya aimed a presumably plastic, silver pistol at one of the severed doll heads while chanting with the room, “enough is enough!” Shamaya did go on to clarify her stance however, noting that “guns don’t kill people; people kill people,” before moving into “Zero” off the group’s 2016 album Generation Doom, which was followed-up by a couple of surprise tracks from the group’s self-titled poetry EP Wurd Becomes Flesh  originally released in 2005, one year prior to OTEP’s infamous addition to Ozzfest (2004).

OTEP - Photography: Katherine Amy Vega
OTEP |
Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega
© Kataklizmic Design. All Rights Reserved

The audience rippled with excitement as Shamaya waved her rainbow flag high. OTEP moved to close the night with staple track “Equal Rights, Equal Lefts”, prior to transitioning into an anger-charged protest, which peaked to the opening notes of “Wake Up” by Rage Against The Machine; a cover included as the second-to-last track on Kult 45.

OTEP - Photography: Katherine Amy Vega
Otep Shamaya (Vocalist), OTEP |
Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega
© Kataklizmic Design. All Rights Reserved

In one final call to action, OTEP ignited fans with an ear-splitting performance “Confrontation” from The Ascension (2007). The props did not end there though; Shamaya had one final trick up her sleeve – a fake severed Trump head. Almost in a single motion, Shamaya plunged the barrel of one of the rifles into the base of Trump’s rubbery neck, twirling him around until the two were facing eye-to-eye, spitting in the mock President’s face before a final punch which sent Trump’s spitclad face soaring out of view.

OTEP - Photography: Katherine Amy Vega
Otep Shamaya (Vocalist), OTEP |
Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega
© Kataklizmic Design. All Rights Reserved

It was a night of disruption, a night of rage, empowerment, catharsis, emotion and unity. It’s obvious that Kult 45 was intended as more of a social catalyst – a statement piece that simultaneously disrupts and unifies. This is an album that gets people to look; each track furiously spotlights a variety of recurring social issues in the forefront of the United States’ current political landscape. Regardless of whether or not you agree with their stance, OTEP is making one thing exceptionally clear: “Art is resistance. Art aloows us to fight back without violence.”

“This is why we rally, this is why we march, and this is why I write. Because when I look back someday I want to know that I did everything in my power as an artist, activist and citizen.”Otep Shamaya

 

PHOTO ALBUM

Photographer: Katherine Amy Vega

(View separate Fatal Malady, Ragdoll Sunday, & OTEP photo albums)

OTEP, Dropout Kings, Ragdoll Sunday, Fatal Malady, CharonIncentive, & Usagi – Club Red 8-7-18

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

REVIEW: Bleachers, Bishop Briggs, New Politics, and Others Rock Mesa for Dia De Los ALT! 9-22-17

MESA — As the first day of fall descended upon the Phoenix metro area, locals were preparing for a much-anticipated event hosted by local alternative radio station ALT AZ 93.3, featuring many wonderful bands and headlined by Bleachers. While it was maybe a little long for a concert, and a little short for a music festival, it was just the perfect length of time for music fans attending the Dia De Los ALT music festival in Mesa Amphitheatre on Friday, September 22, 2017. Luckily, the weather this year also seemed to participate, with a lower-than-average high of 86 degrees. A beautiful afternoon of music entertained a slowly-growing crowd, preparing them for a fantastic night of great alternative bands and temperatures in the 70s. What a wonderful way to welcome these musicians to the Valley of the Sun.

Dia De Los ALT may have been headlined by Bleachers, but 5 other incredible bands also blessed Mesa Amphitheatre with their presence – and their tunes. The lineup included local band Rival Coast, Los Angeles/Seattle band Tangerine, Los Angeles-based Sir Sly, the Copenhagen/New York musical sensation New Politics, and finally the London (by way of Los Angeles) queen of alternative, Bishop Briggs. Each band brought their unique style and sound to the festival, showing how truly diverse and interesting alternative music can be. This was also reflected by those in attendance – Dia De Los ALT was a wonderful way for all types to come together and enjoy beautiful music and a fantastic time.

Rival Coast

First up was Rival Coast, a young yet capable local Phoenix band. The festival started at 4pm, and with the recent venue change and rush hour traffic in Phoenix, the venue was just starting to gain a sizeable number of attendees. While Rival Coast are still just getting started, they just recently released their first EP – Red Lights. These young men may have only recently graduated from high school, but their talent and love for music are both crystal clear. Since they have all been friends since childhood, it was also easy to see that they love playing music with one another.

Each band member totally rocked the stage and entertained a small yet enthusiastic crowd. They only had the spotlight for 20 minutes, but they made ample use of the time they were allotted. They have likely gained at least a few new fans after their stellaalr performance. They are energetic and enthusiastic, and they pair fantastic vocals with excellent instrumentals. The highlight of their performance was definitely their last song, “Shiver,” a portentous yet spirited tune with a fun, memorable chorus. It was certainly a great choice with which to end their brief performance.

Tangerine

After a brief break and a word from some of the ALT AZ hosts who thanked everyone for coming out early, the next band – Tangerine – was introduced. They started with great energy, fun vibes, and a very chill stage presence. Their music is considered alternative pop, and they certainly have a unique sound. The band consists of two sisters, Marika and Miro, and their best friend Toby. It was easy to tell how close they are to one another, and this made their performance a seriously enjoyable experience.

Tangerine has been making music for quite a while, but they have yet to release a full album. They do have singles and EPs out, however, and their latest song ”Sly Moon” was released last month. Other highlights from the show include the songs “Sunset,” “Girls Like Us,” and “Nothing Better.” They seriously brought out some fun and chill vibes for the growing crowd near the stage as others found seating in the shade around Mesa Amphitheatre; attendees were throwing beach balls around, eating some snacks, enjoying some beverages, or getting some free face painting done with various Sugar Skull themes. Their music perfectly complimented the easy-going nature of the festival. Prior to playing their last song, they threw in a wonderful comment: “We love Phoenix so much! This is our second time here.” It was great to have them visit again – Phoenix loves you too, Tangerine!

Sir Sly

Between shows, ALT AZ played some select songs from Bleachers, New Politics, and Bishop Briggs to hype up the valley for their performances later in the evening. However, Sir Sly was on next. Sir Sly dominated the stage with their interesting music and fantastic stage presence, bringing the energy levels of the festival up a few notches. The synth music was out in full force, and the bass was certainly bumping. There were some tinges of 80s music in there, but this was certainly a unique musical experience. Landon, the vocalist, concentrated all of his energy into moving around the stage and sharing his fantastic vocals with the crowd. Most importantly, he shared his smooth dance moves with the audience, with a PBR in hand. That man can move!

Sir Sly recently released a new album – Don’t You Worry, Honey – and played a few of these new songs during their set. The best part was that the band members are very close to one another, and Landon said it was wonderful to create this new music with his best friends, Jason and Hayden. He also shared that “it’s good to be back once again,” as their very first show outside of California was here in Phoenix; it obviously holds a special place in their hearts, so being back was a truly special experience for everyone that night.

It was clear Sir Sly loved performing their music, and some highlights were new songs “Altar” and “Change.” The songs were full of fun, yet sometimes sardonic and cutting lyrics and backed up with lots of bass, guitar, drums, and synth. They also employed some voice filters to interesting effect during songs. The highlight of their performance, however, was when they played the song “&Run” just as the sun began to set over Mesa; they sang the lyrics, “Heavy as a setting sun…” and “I’ll run into the setting sun…” at the perfect moment. This truly made their presence at the show truly unforgettable.

During another brief break, as dusk set itself upon the Phoenix metro area, more people began to arrive to the Mesa Amphitheatre. The temperature was dipping into the 70s, and people were getting excited for New Politics coming on next. People were grabbing more beers and cocktails, more people were getting some face painting done, lots of people were finding spots to sit down or hang out with one another, and entire families were enjoying one another’s company; in fact, there was one family with small children playing with one of the many beach balls floating around the amphitheater. One young boy had ear protection on and a shirt that read, “HERE TO ROCK.” I’m sure he wasn’t alone!

A beautiful evening and a very happy crowd. #altaz #diadelosalt #altaz933 @altaz933 @newpoliticsrock

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New Politics

Just as twilight was setting in, New Politics came on at about 6:30pm. They were the first to have a dramatic entrance onto the stage, and dramatic it was – they played some epic background music while the band members came on stage one at a time. First up was the drummer, Louis Vecchio, followed by guitarist Søren Hansen, and finally, lead vocalist David Boyd. The crowd was screaming, and they did not waste any time getting into things. They started the show with a huge bang, rocking out pretty hard and getting the crowd jumping. Now that it was getting dark, it was time for some fantastic lighting, and New Politics’ light show definitely delivered.

New Politics was great at getting the crowd involved, and everyone certainly loved the attention and engagement. They discussed how it was great to be back in Phoenix, how they have a new album coming out next month (Lost In Translation), and sang one of their new songs, “CIA.” During this song, David threw his hat off to really get into the mood of rocking out and moving all over stage with his ridiculous yet entertaining dance moves while sporting his bright red microphone. He even told the audience he hoped they had their dancing shoes on so they could join him. During the show, they played some of their greatest hits, such as: “West End Kids,” “One of Us,” and “Just Like Me.” They also played a new song, “Color Green,” while illuminating the entire stage in green lighting (of course).

Not only did New Politics play some amazing songs, but they also brought a message of hope and love. They thanked ALT AZ for having them and bringing everyone together, citing them as the main reason they were all there that evening. They also praised ALT AZ for spreading music and love, how they love alternative music because it is truly the best. Continuing on this theme, they also discussed how, when we all have each other, through all the bad stuff like hurricanes and earthquakes, we’re here for each other; “All it is is just a lot of good people listening to music and sharing love.” This is when they started singing “One of Us,” which was perfect timing.

The most beautiful moment of New Politics’ performance was when they busted out the ukulele sang “Fall Into These Arms,” at which point a little girl popped up on her parents’ shoulders towards the front of the crowd. In the middle of the song, David pointed out to her and said, “I LIKE YOU!” The little girl was overjoyed, but that wasn’t the end of this beautiful moment. David also, quite literally, fell into those arms by gently diving into the crowd. The excitement levels of the crowd were off the charts by this point, and it was such a wonderful moment where everyone truly was brought together by some beautiful music.

Sadly, at about 7:15pm, New Politics’ time was up. Before parting ways, they announced that Bleachers were coming up later, but first, the “most beautiful woman in alternative rock” was coming on – Bishop Briggs. They then got together at the front of the stage, bowed to the audience, and threw some guitar picks and drumsticks into the crowd for a few delighted fans to catch. After that, they were off, and after another short break consisting of an awkward word from the show’s sponsors, Bishop Briggs took the stage.

Bishop Briggs

First on the stage were Bishop Briggs’ band members, and the lighting was quite dark. They started playing music, and after a few moments, Bishop Briggs herself jumped out on stage with incredible energy. Dark purple lighting flooded the stage, but right at the perfect moment, the big 93.3 ALT AZ banner in the back was lit up in bright red right as Bishop Briggs started singing the first lyrics of her first song of the night.  It may have been a bit difficult to see anything on stage, but what stood out were her signature dual hair buns and jumpsuit – a black Adidas tracksuit that evening, with bright white iconic stripes down the sides. This was just the outfit she needed, because not only was she singing, she was also running! This made the show feel a bit like a high energy workout routine, but it certainly made the audience move and jump too.

The first song Bishop Briggs played was “Dark Side,” containing the lyrics “Welcome to my dark side, it’s gonna be a long night;” perhaps that’s why the stage was so dark during her show! Regardless, the intense beats and maximum bass were perfect accompaniments to her high-energy lyrics and her almost-non-stop jogging and jumping around the stage. What also stood out was her massive smile the entire time, and it was easy to tell she was truly enjoying her time up on stage. She also had a unique style of inserting a little scream into the perfect moments in her lyrics and just talking to the crowd, with such moments like “How is everybody DOING?!” followed by an enthusiastic “GOOD!!!

Her music was loud, aggressive, and entertaining, and there were even guests staying in the nearby Marriott hotel who came to their windows to look down at the amphitheatre to see what all the commotion was about. Hopefully they enjoyed their free view of the show! The crowd definitely did – everyone seemed to be jumping up and down, dancing, and singing along with Bishop Briggs’ songs. To show her appreciation for everyone, she stated that she was “so honored to be in this lineup. It’s great to be alive in this little bubble we have going on here.” On that note, she ended her show with her wildly famous hit single, “River.” The crowd went wild!

During another short break, it was easy to feel the anticipation in the air; clearly, there were many people at Dia De Los ALT who were there to see Bleachers. During this break, one could hear the final calls of the Lemonade man, who had been shouting all evening: “Lemonade, Lemonade, like Grandma… made!” Attendees had grown accustomed to him and his impressive set of lungs, particularly those who had been in the amphitheater since the doors opened at 3pm. During this time, technicians took down the huge 93.3 ALT AZ banner and replaced it with the new stuff for Bleachers’ elaborate stage setup.

Bleachers

Finally, at about 8:50pm, the moment many had been waiting for had arrived. Bleachers came out on stage to the screams, shouts, and claps of the audience. They started out with the fact that they are from New Jersey and that they have never headlined in this part of the world before, so this was a very special night for them. They also continued to hilariously decide if it was okay for them to call everyone “Phoenix” since they were in Mesa, and they asked if that was offensive. They decided, “f*ck it, we’ve never headlined in Arizona before. All of AZ is here tonight!

Their high-energy, anthemic songs uplifted and roused the crowd; their music was coupled with one of the best light shows possible, which added a new level to the experience and pumped the crowd up even more. Their songs encourage people to sing along in many ways, compounded by the fact that four out of five of the band members pipe in from time to time to sing along with Jack Antonoff. Not only that, but Jack frequently encouraged the crowd to sing along with shouts like “SING IT LOUD!” and “holy sh*t, you guys don’t f*ck around!

After a few of their songs, Jack ripped off his jacket; things were getting serious now. They also had a huge surprise for everyone that night – Jack announced they had a birthday in Bleachers very recently. The crowd cheered a bit, but to his displeasure, not loud enough: “Come on, you can do better than that! Do you guys not give a sh*t?! There was a birthday, like, a WEEK ago!” The cheering got much louder at this point, to which he shouted, “That’s more like it!” At this point, everyone sang happy birthday together with the band to one of its drummers, Mike Riddleberger. Jack then brought out a cake and handed it to the crowd, stating “You all can share it.

Jack then followed the birthday celebration up with how he knows Bleachers hasn’t been to Arizona enough, but he considers Phoenix a home away from home; it meant a lot for them to be there at Dia De Los ALT. After a few more songs, Jack punctuated the show with another little personal story. He first made the crowd get quiet, and then he made bass guitarist and keyboardist Mikey Hart stop all background music. Everyone then listened to how quiet it was outside in Mesa, and then Jack had Mikey start playing a low, humming sound. He then went on to explain how he loved Yaz (Yazoo) when he was young, and he heard this beautiful yet sad synth humming sound in the song “Only You.”

He became obsessed with that sound, and he bought the type of synth Yaz used to make it. He would play it all night long in his bedroom, which inspired him to write the lyrics to the songs that would one day become Bleachers. He wanted to make sad sounds, sad lyrics, and sad stories sound beautiful. He then stated that it would “sound something like this,” and then the other sounds of the beginning of their massively popular song “Rollercoaster” began to play. The crowd instantly screamed and cheered; this was truly one of the greatest build-up moments, and the crowd loved it. They were hanging off Bleachers’ every note, every lyric, and every word. Of course, Jack inspired the audience to sing it with him, and they most definitely sang along.

Since Jack has been a part of many beautiful moments in recent alternative music history, including being a part of the band Fun., they just had to include a slowed down version of “Carry On.” The crowd enjoyed this lull in the hype, sang along, and swayed solemnly. This more somber moment was followed up by additional slower songs, such as “Foreign Girls.” After this point, Jack discussed how they were excited to be touring with Bishop Briggs again in November, and they asked, “How are we doing on time? Someone give me a sign… I don’t want to f*ck this up.” Someone in the audience jokingly announced that it was over, to which Jack replied, “Oh, that’s it? Okay, I guess we’re done then!” However, they were far from done.

Jack next shouted out to the audience, “We’ve gotta keep it moving!” and inspired the crowd to pick up the pace once more. Next up was the song “You’re Still a Mystery,” which certainly brought the energy back again. After this, it was time to introduce the band, which was a significant moment in the show. They did a musical introduction to each member, along with a fun fact about each. Some even got to do a sort of musical solo after being announced.

Some exceptional moments were when the audience found out that Sean Hutchinson lived in Phoenix for a few years. We also learned how Mike Riddleberger is the “original Jersey hipster;” apparently, he started the entire movement! Finally, Mikey Hart was introduced, and the crowd learned he has a brother who lives in Phoenix. Mikey then treated the audience to a wickedly awesome saxophone solo, which was met with raucous applause.

Bleachers ended the evening strong, with two high-energy songs: “I Wanna Get Better” and “Don’t Take the Money.” While the crowd desperately wanted an encore, time was unfortunately up, and the festival had to come to an end. The guests staying at the adjacent Marriott were likely relieved, at least!

Closing Thoughts

All in all, despite the last-minute venue change from Fear Farm on the west side of the valley over to the Mesa Amphitheatre, Dia De Los ALT was a raging success! Citizens of the Phoenix metro area truly did come together to share love and music, and it was wonderful to see so many people of all ages and types enjoying these bands and the beautiful fall weather together. With any luck, the Phoenix area will continue to enjoy beautiful weather from here on out, and it would be great for all the bands from the Dia De Los ALT lineup to return and play in Phoenix again soon. After all, many of them seem to love Phoenix, and many of them did throw Phoenix into their lyrics as frequently as possible!

That's a wrap! What a great show! 😁😁😁 Good night! #altaz #diadelosalt #altaz933 @altaz933 @bleachersmusic

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