Thursday, June 20
In 2009, after proclaiming My Shit Is Perfect (Voodoo Rhythm Records), NME noted that this racy rocketman summoned women from the audience to "stir his whiskey with their tits." Brace yourselves for a mind-blowing set of finger-picked, steel-string blues and heavy rock played by a wildman in a human-cannonball jumpsuit and full-face racing helmet rigged with a telephone receiver as a mic. Yes, it's Tucson's own Bob Log III at 191 Toole. Local heroes Lenguas Largas drool uncontrollably... From the scorching Austin music scene, indie/dance poppers TC Superstar wheel their "Toyota Corolla" to Bar Passé for a respite to stave off Heat Death... Resident DJs Atom Energy and Lunarfox spin house before and after... Cadillac Mountain play rollicking traditional bluegrass. At Tap + Bottle - Downtown... Nashville music mogul Virginia Cannon presents a Thursday night singer-songwriter showcase. Six performers, four original songs, taking turns round robin. This week features: Brian Berggoetz, It Might Not Change, Jeff Robb, Juliana Warkentin, Dan Oved and Keli Carpenter. At Monterey Court... Mark Insley with Damon Barnaby perform outlaw Americana, and a little taste of the devil's music, at Iron John's Brewing Company...
Friday, June 21
But Wait...There's More! Dirty Rotten Imbecile's Kurt Brecht weighs in on how social media has helped to foment a world where there is no gray. "It's pretty rough when you have friends who say 'If you like so and so, delete me immediately off your friends list. I don't ever want to speak to you again.' Really? You're literally willing to lose half your friends? If you disagree with them, that's it?" D.R.I. discharge a whiplash fury and head-banging good time in an all-ages show at The Rock. Waukegan, Illinois skate punks Fastplants Spread The Stoke... Traveling through the orangy-pink tropical sky faster than a "Supersónico" boom. From East L.A., psychedelic cumbia punk rockers Tropa Magica return to burn one with Los Èsplifs. At Club Congress... It's an art + noise mashup. The experimental/electronic/noise/drone of Clown Doll, Black Baptist, Schadenhaus and Ruin Dweller will push you towards the edge of psychosis. At Ward6... Smooth jazz? Friday Night Live Jazz Summer Concert Series presents saxophonist Butch Diggs & Friends. At Main Gate Square... Freddy Parish hosts a monthly series which traces back the roots of country music, bluegrass, Appalachian folk and honky tonk. Dry and Dusty features an alternating cast of Tucson's most esteemed guest pickers. At Exo Roast Co... Fronted by Luci Furr, Pigmy Death-Ray celebrate the darker side of rock 'n' roll. Phoenix's Noonday Devils and Gutter Town are the things that go bump in the night. At the Surly Wench Pub... Street punks Blue Collar Criminals play Broken Hearted Songs, For Bitter Minded Drunks at Irene's Holy Donuts. Patiently, with One Day at a Time... And, the Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robot epic battle continues. Two bands. One stage. This week's Tucson Duels: FIST vs. Stripes520. At The Screening Room...
Saturday, June 22
Once upon a time, when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, there emerged a mythic band from the UK: Led Zeppelin. For 23 years, ZoSo have provided a ticket to board a time machine—back to an era in rock history that defined glamour and excess—for all who dare climb the "Stairway to Heaven." The attention to detail is impressive. Yet, it's more than verisimilitude: Vocalist Matt Jernigan's lion's mane, kimono shirt and bell-bottomed jeans that epitomize Robert Plant. Or employing vintage instruments: A Ludwig Vistalite drum kit or Gibson EDS-1275 double-neck guitar. It's the musicianship—from guitarist John McDaniel's spot-on rendition of Jimmy Page's complex solo on "The Song Remains the Same" to drummer Bevan Davies' savage barehanded drum pounding, as the mighty John Bonham once did, during "Moby Dick"—that truly captures the magick of a band who decades after their heyday still inspire zealotry. ZoSo: The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience play the Rialto Theatre. The warm come soulful wail of Miss Olivia & The Interlopers tell A Few Little Stories... In 1975, the release of Desolation Boulevard (Capitol Records)—fueled by the strength of chart topping hits "The Ballroom Blitz" and "Fox on the Run"—catapulted these English glam rockers into the American mainstream. The Sweet play the hits and a few surprises at Encore. Midnight Transit Co., and Funky Bonz open the show... Spearheaded by a team of artists, musicians and educators, this non-profit is passionate about fostering an all-ages, DIY music and art space in the city where young people feel safe and supported. And they seek contributions to help secure a facility for classes, workshops, events, an all-ages music venue y mas. Groundworks Fundraiser features emo/shoegazers Cool Funeral, brash young Turks Rough Draft, "dirty skater emo kids" Annie Jump Cannon and in-your-face pop punkers Big Bad. At 191 Toole... Taking on the time-tested tropes and poses of classic rock, Phoenix sybarites Wyves, in search of "Distractions," are on a road trip with "Princess Excess" to "Mar-a-Lago." And rumor has it "Bitch Has Got Problems." Local stalwarts Greyhound Soul and Crooked Saints are onboard for this hell ride. At Club Congress... Experimental noise maker Quaker Folk (aka Steven Cosand) says adios to the Old Pueblo before heading down to Dixie. He shares his Harshest Piety for all to experience mouth agape at Bar Passé. With the music of Nobody (aka Willis Earl Beal), Sean Bonnette, Nullus and Jaime Soto... Featuring some of Tucson's finest jazzers, vocalist/violinist Heather "Lil' Mama" Hardy hosts Taste of Jazz at Monterey Court... Recently signed to Mint 400 Records, indie/alt rockers Home is West of San Clemente, California, are "Waiting" for "The Moment" to shine. At Irene's Holy Donuts. Flanked by locals Flying Half Full and Beyond the Firewall... Solar Culture Gallery is the site of Summer Shootout. A celebration of Tucson's hip hop scene with performances by: 9D5, Aske, Rick Tensai, Soul Point, Marne Dom, Ago, as well as DJ sets by Shamiro Blitz and Based Hoezer... You know her as the frontwoman of Taco Sauce and Juju Fontaine. Gabi Montoya performs solo at Tucson Hop Shop... Singer-songwriter Adam Townsend performs poolside. At Hotel McCoy... "Wipe Out!" It's time for the summer surf party of the season. Surf-a-palooza unites The Surfbroads, Shrimp Chaperone and The Furys for this common cause. Watch the colorful beach balls bounce on the plaza at Hotel Congress...
Sunday, June 23
Championing the needs of tribal and rural communities. Featuring Tonight's Sunshine, A.M. Waves and Tongs. The Tribal Nations Tour kicks off at Club Congress... Be soothed by the bohemian folk rock of Little Cloud on the patio at Che's Lounge...
Monday, June 24
This L.A. power duo's fifth studio album, The Beast You Are (Gold Metal Records, 2019), depicts the struggle for dominance of will over power. Brashly declaring that "Complacency Is Killing You," Big Business bring their frantic low-end attack to Club Congress. Manguera hoses everyone down... Drawing from traditional jazz, swing and the American songbook, Tucson Jazz Institute hosts JAZZ JAMbalaya. At Sheraton Tucson Hotel...
Tuesday, June 25
Umm. Stay in? Consider drinking kombucha tea or milk thistle in preparation for the next round of debauchery.
Wednesday, June 26
In need of a midweek metal fix? Lasiodora, Copper Magma, Swarm Of Serpents and Last Crime function as an intravenous injection straight into the median cubital vein. At The Rock... Drenched in sheets of paranoia and anxiety, Memphisians Sweet Knives bring their black-wave synth punk to Club Congress. Tucson's Lengua Largas add intrigue...
Thursday, June 27
Reverb-drenched mistresses of trauma, with impeccable fashion sense, The Surfbroads wholeheartedly believe that summertime is fun time. At Tap + Bottle - Downtown... Immerse yourself. Songstress Natalie Pohanic performs dreamy, melodic folk on the patio at Agustin Kitchen... Ride the "Butter Wave." From Denver, Colorado, this improvisational jazz fusion trio introduce their "wonky groove" music to all. Dandu perform at Sky Bar. With the equally intrepid pairing of Mesquite and Tongs...
Shout Out
"No Hand Me Downs" here. Hard-hitting rock 'n' roll duo Birds and Arrows premiere their latest video on Saturday, June 22, at Wooden Tooth Records. What riff rockin' badassery awaits? Krab Legz add the briny tang of the sea to the festivities... Possessing a certain je ne sais quoi, his voice is reminiscent of Musiq Soulchild and Usher. His funky/scratchy guitar riffs are pure Nile Rodgers. And the airtight R&B/Euro pop backbeats, wicked. Seanloui debuts his new single "Bad Things" on Saturday, June 22, at Thunder Canyon Brewstillery. Phoenix's alt-fusionists Method to the Madness add to the chaos...
On The Horizon
Distilled through the bong water of the 1970s, the proto-metal of Sabbath and the biker rock of Steppenwolf with a lyrical bent that slants towards the fantastical—suffused with grim reapers, extraterrestrials, Godzilla and tattooed vampires—their self-titled debut album (Columbia, 1972) quickly established this band as radio-friendly heavy metal pioneers. Appearing in various guises over the years, Blue Öyster Cult has maintained a relentless touring schedule; One that brings classics to diehard fans and, as vocalist/guitarist Eric Bloom puts it, "teenagers with green hair." On Friday, July 5, at the Rialto Theatre. Grungy hard rockers of Limbo wait, in neither heaven nor hell, with crossed fingers...
Until next week, XOXO...
