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Wednesday August 20
9:30 PM
FM Stereochild features Toby Slade, vocalist for Haley Jane. If you dig acts like the Dave Matthews Band, Matchbox 20, Counting Crows, O.A.R, as well as Maroon 5, Damien Rice, and Third Eye Blind, you should enjoy FM Stereochild.
Tickets : No Cover!
Sound Samples:
FM Stereochild
Thursday August 21
11:45 PM
Some French Friends Festival
With
Along with Dominique A, singer/songwriter Philippe Katerine was among the leaders of the minimalist variete movement in French pop during the mid-1990s. Drawing on influences as diverse as Burt Bacharach and Michel Legrand to the Clash and the Buzzcocks. Katerine's latest work blends Kraftwerk-inspired electronica with more dance-party inspired material peddled by acts like LCD Soundsystem. Very cool stuff indeed!
If you haven't seen Golden Boots yet, you definately should. With their recent signing to Park the Van (that is the label Dr. Dog is on folks), they are one of the most likely Tucson acts to fully graduate to the national stage.
Golden Boots have "an edgy feel, like Beck meets Tom Waits. The songs exude a raw sense of natural discovery evident both in the vocals and instrumentation. It's Impossible to describe the fantasy that animates their composition, arrangements and singing." - Abus Dangerouex Magazine
Fans of Marlene Dietrich and Serge Gainsbourg take note! Acclaimed Gallic chanteuse Francoiz Breut returned with her stunning third album, Une Saison Volee (A Stolen Season) on Bella Union Records, home of Explosions in The Sky, Dirty Three, and The Dears among others. Francoiz is highly regarded in certain circles and has collaborated with a number of highly-regarded artists including Tucson's own Joey Burns from Calexico.
Sounding a bit like a French Morrissey, Dominique A. creates franco-indie sound scapes jangling with synths, guitars, and microphones in a minimalist style that made him famous in France. Dominique A. should appeal to fans of The Smiths, The Wedding Present, Franz Ferdinand and Orange Juice.
Tickets : $5.00
Sound Samples:
Katerine
Golden Boots
Francoiz Breut
Dominique A.
Friday August 22
11:30 PM
With
"The Mission Creeps stay true to the classic surf rock style coined by The Cramps, using zombie inspired themes, fast tempos and bluesy guitar riffs. The lead singer, James Arrr, has the perfect voice for this genre of music - a little Elvis mixed with some Roy Orbison and Johnny Cash." - Eugene Weekly
"Mission Creeps... combine surf rock, punk, and the Doors, topping it off with an eerie dosage of Ennio Morricone-inspired gunfight licks that fit seamlessly into the band's tales of desert-highway depravity." - San Francisco Bay Guardian
"Like a toned-down version of the Cramps by way of Deadbolt, the twangy, reverb-heavy guitar, Arrr's genuinely sexy bellowing croon (a la Bauhaus' Peter Murphy) and the band's grinding rhythms all add up to something more than your standard clad-in-black, death-obsessed affair." - Tucson Weekly
"The Mission Creeps are for fans of the Cramps, Bauhaus, spooky surf-rock, select Doors songs, and low-budget horror flicks from the 60's and 70's." - Tucson Scene
"Mission Creeps play organ-driven, menacing surf rock, sometimes with go-go dancers, fronted by a singer who resembles a younger, less-dead version of Roy Orbison." - Arizona Daily Star
Chris Black is a solo multi-instrumentalist transplant originally from Austin, Texas, who perfroms with an upright bass, overdriven acoustic guitar, banjo, and violin. In performance he loops the music on the fly, creating rhythms and sounds to sing against. Fans of Nick Cave, Tom Waits, Mark Eitzel and Mark Lanegan should be happy that Chris has immigrated to Tucson.
"Black's... instrumentation may change throughout the album, but the vibe remains the same: This is dark stuff." - Tucson Weekly
"Black's music veers from hushed to hair-raising." - The Onion
Flagrante Delicto kind of sounds like a Tom Waits-Frank Zappa instrumental jam covering Deadbolt and Oingo Boingo songs at a spooky carnival or mad scientist's lab... Pretty cool stuff!
Tickets : $5.00
Sound Samples:
The Mission Creeps
Chris Black
Flagrante Delicto
Saturday August 23
11:30 PM
With
In a recent issue of Time Out London, Tom Waits was asked who he is listening to now. He says, "Well, I really like Wu Tang Clan, those guys kill me. And then there's this guy named Bob Log, you ever heard of him? He's this little kid -- nobody ever knows how old he is -- wears a motorcycle helmet and he has a microphone inside of it and he puts the glass over the front so you can't see his face, and plays slide guitar. It's just the loudest strangest stuff you've ever heard. You don't understand one word he's saying. I like people who glue macaroni on to a piece of cardboard and paint it gold. That's what I aspire to basically."
"Log stands as a master of something that's as low-brow and funny as it is cunning and distinctive..." - Kansas City Star
"To truly understand the phenomenon that is Log, one must attend one of his live shows, slightly surreal, must be seen-to-be-believed experiences where Log plays the guitar like the salvation of his soul depends on it ..." - Preview Magazine
Tom Walbank is a Tucson gem.... one of the best musicians in town. If you haven't seen him yet, particularly if you are a fan of Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and John Lee Hooker - you are definately missing out.
Mashed potatoes and whiskey fuel this two-man frenzy of blues-driven noise. Representing the North Mississippi Hill Country sound, these boys venture into the darker side of blues. Left Lane Cruiser will resonate with fans of Bob Log III, Scott Biram, R.L. Burnside, Junior Kimbrough, and the Black Keys!
"Alive Records has released Left Lane Cruiser's label debut, Bring Yo' Ass To The Table, and it is everything fans of their self-released album, Gettin' Down On It, could have expected and so much more... This is a must add to the essential listening list and currently my favorite cd of this young year." - Nine Bullets
"Listen to this stunning album." 4 1/2 stars - All Music Guide
"This Indiana guitar/drums duo certainly sound ready to compete with peers like the Black Keys... it doesn’t get much better." - Exclaim
"Left Lane Cruiser's high-voltage blues sound is downright nasty. Blistering electric slide guitar and leering vocals distill old-school Mississippi blues down to its rowdiest essence. This band has some major mojo." - Casual Listening
"Left Lane Cruiser is another two-piece gritty, raw, dirty blues outfit but the depth of sound they bring is unreal... this record blows the door off the hinges." - Herohill
Tickets : $8.00
Buy tickets online: 
http://www.ticketweb.com
Sound Samples:
Bob Log III
Left Lane Cruiser
Sunday August 24
11:00 PM
With
Head Like A Kite... Can you say BUZZ?!?! Head Like A Kite is all-the-rage in Seattle - and likely everywhere else very soon. They are getting nothing but rave reviews for their newest release There Is Loud Laghter Everwhere just as they did with their debut, Random Portraits of the Home Movie. Fans of Pinback, Four Tet, Beck, American Analog Set, Stereolab, The Dandy Warhols, and DJ Shadow should dig their eclectic brew!
"Head Like A Kite... Sonic Youth guitar treatments upon Stereolab keyboards on top of Primal Scream-style vocal loops... a well-edited scrapbook of retro-futurism." - Magnet
"Head Like A Kite (create)... a mixture of straight rock 'n' roll tunes buried under layered synthesizers, topped with funk-guitar, drum machines and half-baked retro-futuristic vocal loops... In the end, they serve up a true genre-twisted party album that appropriately captures the sounds of an eclectic America." 4 stars - Urb
"Think Pinback's melodic tonalities with guitar treatments by Brian Eno. Head Like A Kite's live shows are an aural-erotic experience." - San Francisco Bay Guardian
"Head Like A Kite (create)... gorgeous pop melodies with electronic bleeps." 5/5 - Alternative Press
"Random Portraits is a beautiful pop album that pays personal homage to the past but has one eye on the future." - Remix
"Mixing tons of sampling and bits of electronica with alternative rock in the vein of The Pixies and Morphine, Random Portraits comes out sounding like a sane man's Nine Inch Nails." - American Songwriter
L Eye is Justin Miller formerly of Red Switch and various other cool local acts. An experimental/indie-electronic project, L Eye balances organic and programmed sounds not unlike nationally acclaimed acts Four Tet, Fatboy Slim, DJ Shadow and DJ Spooky. This is very, very cool!
21 Pump Street serve up a puree of crunk, funk and all that other shizz that makes you shake your junk. Imagine a blend of James Brown, Cameo, and Lil' Wayne.
Tickets : $6.00
Buy tickets online:
http://www.ticketweb.com
Sound Samples:
Head Like A Kite
L Eye
21 Pump Street
Monday August 25
10:30 PM
With
Crazy, dancy electronica in the same vein of Ladytron, Adult, Fischerspooner, Stereolab and Le Tigre's more exerimental material... Very cool!
The always eclectic French Cowboy creates a sometimes fuzzed out showgaze-inspired indie rock with a quirky speghetti-western vibe.... This is there introspective, quiter set. Think Camper Van Beethoven meets Galixie 500, or Violent Femms meets Spaceman 3 with hints of Calexico and Firewater... but weirder and dreamier than the French Cowboy full-band.
Tickets : No Cover!
Sound Samples:
Rock and Roll Remember
Lonesome French Cowboy
Tuesday August 26
10:30 PM
Presented by Stateside!
With
The Melvins are legendary, the first post-punk band to revel in sludgy sounds made famous by Black Sabbath. They have released over twenty records since their debut in 1987, including the metal/grunge classics Houdini, Stoner Witch and their 1991 self-titled release. Kurt Cobain, who once roadied for the Melvins, helped the band get the national attention they deserved in the early 90s. Their newest release, A Senile Animal, is receiving rave reviews. If you are already fans of Black Sabbath, Metallica, The Misfits, Black Flag, Motorhead, Nirvana, White Zombie, Clutch, Queens of the Stone Age or Mastodon and you don't know Melvins - you NEED to... as they have influenced nearly all heavy music for the past 15 years. The Melvins are literally part of metal/rock history!
"The Melvins have long been considered one of hard rock/metal's most powerful/monolithic-sounding bands, despite only consisting of three members. So, imagine what the group would sound like with two drummers. Well, imagine no more. The Melvins' second release of 2006, A Senile Animal, sees longtime members - guitarist Buzz Osborne and drummer Dale Crover - joined by both members of noise duo Big Business (bassist Jared Warren and drummer Coady Willis)... (the new album) contains some of the group's most straightforward compositions in some time... The transfusion of new blood has made one of rock's gnarliest beats even gnarlier!" 4 stars - All Music Guide
"As we all know, few if any bands have managed to make a drastic personnel change correlate to an appreciable increase in musical quality... Warren and Willis flesh out the Melvins' already formidable rhythm section... It's going to mighty difficult to top this." 8/10 - Prefix
"Senile Animal is coming with rocking non-stoping riffs, head blowing drums... Altogether, it's a lucid work." - Modern Music
"Senile Animal is definitely worthy of your attention, and just might visit your stereo as often as the band's seminal, classic material. Definitely recommended." - Metal Review
"Senile Animal... could be the album that Atlantic Records was waiting on with bated bank accounts in the early 1990s... It's succinct and satisfying... and as a taste of things to come, here's hoping that seconds and thirds are on the way." - Dusted
"Senile Animal... more hair than a silverback gorilla fight." - Stylus
"Melvins: stoner metal elder statesmen" - Pitchfork
Big Business not only are opening for the Melvins, they just got off tour opening for Tool!
"Best known these days as the two young musicians who injected new life into the Melvins, the duo of bassist Jared Warren and drummer Coady Willis have been plying their trade as Big Business for several years now, attracting attention for their undeniably Melvins-esque blend of sludge metal and Lightning Bolt-inspired minimalist noise rock... massively heavy... but this stuff is shockingly catchy" - Pop Matters
"Big Business... deadpan, metal-rock cool guys, with bigger bass riffs per song than Lightning Bolt and lyrics so apocalyptic they're practically biblical." 7.9/10 - Pitchfork
"Big Business'... strain of Neanderthal groove metal is likened to High on Fire's relentlessness with Torche's pop tendencies... With amps cranked to 11, Big Business show in loud detail that they're not merely a splinter group of King Buzzo Inc." - Exclaim
"If, after getting drunk on cheap whiskey you stumbled onto a highway, an earthquake started, and then you were struck by an oncoming eighteen wheeler, you might be able to understand the massive force, chaos, and rock and roll mayhem behind Big Business." - PunkNews
Tickets : $13.00
Buy tickets online:
http://www.ticketweb.com
Sound Samples:
Melvins
Big Business
Wednesday August 27
9:30 PM
"Stefan has... been named Best of Tucson since 1994 in songwriter, solo acoustic performer, and acoustic ensemble categories, and has been a finalist at Telluride and Kerrville, where he now hosts the annual Blues Summit. In addition to his solo acoustic work, he has an electric trio, The Conrads, a duo of guitar and hammered dulcimer, Arm & Hammer, and a folk band, Songtower." - Arizona Blues Hall of Fame
Tickets : No Cover!
Thursday August 28
9:30 PM
"These United States have created their own musical category, 'Jangly Railyard WordPop,' which will probably be an entire channel on one of those satellite radios soon because it's just that compelling and, shall we say, catchy?" - Washington City Paper
"These United States are by turns fiercely enthused and melancholically memorable. They pop and sizzle, stomp and ponder, warble and whoop - but always seek to engage the listener in a thought and a story beyond the usual pop'n'roll fare." - Us
"One of the most pleasant developments over the past year in the local music scene has been the emergence of The Federal Reserve collective. It's a loosely-affiliated group of like-minded artists that favors a sound that's sort of alt-country and sort of late-'60s Laurel Canyon (and much more Gram Parsons than the Eagles). But more than a common sound, the acts share an affinity for gimmick-free, straightforward pop songs that remind you of a time when pop songs could be built around guitars. These United States is perhaps the jangliest of the bunch, playing well-crafted, toe-tapping tune." - Washington Post
Tickets : No Cover!
Sound Samples:
These United States
Friday August 29
11:30 PM
With
"The (Solace Brothers') somewhat unorthodox three-piece (guitar, organ and drums, plus vocals) specializes in a unique brand of feel-good quirk-pop that we can't recommend highly enough." - The Tucson Weekly
"From a tune that sounds like Gang Of Four playing Kinks songs in an Indian ashram to a New Wave funk number headedup by a whoopin' soulman falsetto vocal that'd make Jon Spencer turn pale to aCobra Verde-meets-Bowie glam-slam, this Arizona combo is sassier than a slap on the cheek from a nymphet cheerleader." - Magnet
Papier Tiger will resonate with fans of Built To Spill, Pavement and Modest Mouse!
The eclectic French Cowboy creates a sometimes fuzzed out showgaze-inspired indie rock with a quirky speghetti-western vibe. Think Camper Van Beethoven meets Galixie 500, or Violent Femms meets Spaceman 3 with hints of Calexico and Firewater.
Tickets : $5.00
Sound Samples:
The Solace Bros.
Papier Tigre
French Cowboy
Saturday August 30
11:30 PM
With
Mostly Bears are one of Tucson's most promising new bands. They will resonate with people who are fans of Mars Volta, Wolfmother and Queen!
"On their outstanding full-length debut, the Tucson trio Mostly Bears own a dense, swirling wall of sound on par with early Modest Mouse and The Mars Volta... One of the year's best albums thus far, and among the top indie bows of the past decade." 4.5/5 - Creative Loafing
"Adventurous and never boring, Mostly Bears have stirred up a hornet's nest of buzz since a SXSW showcase earlier this year. And based on this album, they have quite a few things going from them." 7/10 - Pop Matters
"Full of verve and with chops to burn, Mostly Bears... sounds a bit like a non-acoustic, amped-up version of Arcade Fire... and (at times) contains the brawn of Muse but the intricacies and nuances of the Dears." 3.5/5 - All Music Guide
"Toss Radiohead, Mars Volta and early U2 in a sonic blender, and this trippy Tucson trio might be the result." - Pasadena Weekly
"Mostly Bears is an eclectic and energetic rock group that can conjure the progressiveness of the Mars Volta and counts influences from screamo to Radiohead to Animal Collective." - Arizona Daily Star
Featuring past members of Lloyd Dobbler and Maintenence, Garboski is one of Tucson's newest indie-rock acts!
System and Station are a great band... People in Portland sing the praises of SAS and wonder why they aren't yet famous. If you dig Built To Spill, Sunny Day Real Estate, Band of Horses and My Morning Jacket... You should mark this date in your I-Phone, Blackberry or dog-earred day planner.
Tickets : $5.00
Sound Samples:
Mostly Bears
Garboski
System and Station
Sunday August 31
9:30 PM
Most of you probably know Thonmas Ian Nicholas best for his roles in Rookie of the Year, A Kid in King Arthur's Court and, of course, the American Pie series, of which he appeared in the first three. However, he is also an established singer/songwriter often compared to acts such as John Mayer, Ben Harper, Train and Jason Mraz. Very nice stuff!
Tickets : No Cover!
Sound Samples:
Thomas Ian Nicholas
Tuesday September 2
Duo Sonido
9:30 PM
Island melodies without the grass skirts. Blues without the sorrow. Meet Duo Sonido (formerly Hans and the Attache), a fun local act with a Latin-infused sound.
Tickets : No Cover!
Wednesday September 3
9:30 PM
Mojo Gumbo Trio are equal parts Delta blues, old timey music, swing, and redneck jazz. Fans of Taj Mahal, David Grissman, and Robert Johnson.
Tickets : No Cover!
Sound Samples:
Mojo Gumbo Trio
Thursday September 4
9:30 PM
Jeremy Michael Cashman is a talented vocalist, songwriter and guitarist... He will resonate with fans of Steve Earle, Dave Alvin and Teddy Morgan.
Tickets : No Cover!
Sound Samples:
Jeremy Michael Cashman
Saturday September 6
10:30 PM
11:30 PM
With
The Static Session 9:30 PM
Run Run Run should resonate with fans of Spiritualized, My Bloody Valentine and Ride.
"Run Run Run's first full-length effort has meat on its bones, though admittedly it's a pleasure that feels caught in a tension between 1969, 1989, and the present. The line of descent that runs from the Brian Jonestown Massacre to the Warlocks and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club... (They are) unable to shake that jones completely, also bring in a guitar pop glaze that recalls more recent forebears from the U.K. plus an appreciation of crisp, punchy delivery..." - All Music Guide
"Los Angeles rockers Run Run Run...are on a hot streak." - Rolling Stone
"A nice, dark-sounding piece of work that has that perfect element of hooj to it. Singer/guitarist Xander Smith manages to coax out a little My Bloody Valentine from his instrument without paying over-the-top homage to Kevin Shields. " - Pop Music
"a huge, unabashed pop sound that's as fresh as it is reverent, and it establishes The Jons as one of the most purely enjoyable bands in a town currently boiling over with them." - Tucson Weekly
Featuring members of The Year of Acceleration, The Static Session performs songs crafted with a pop sensibility that has been compared to a mix of The Cure, Echo and the Bunnymen, Oasis and U2.
Tickets : $5.00
Sound Samples:
Run Run Run
The Jons
Sunday September 7
9:30 PM
Mariah Secrest is a sweet recent singer-songwriter addition to the Tucson community of already amazing artists.
Tickets : No Cover!
Sound Samples:
Mariah Secrest
Monday September 8
9:30 PM
"Bisbee Arizona's Nowhere Man and a Whiskey Girl (not to be confused w/ Tucson's Nowhere Man) .... similar to the Spinanes--and not just because it's a two piece indie folk-pop band, either. Siblings Amy & Derek Ross make simple indie-pop with a jazzy edge not seen since Manos...." - Mundane Sounds
"Nowhere Man and a Whiskey Girl are perfect examples of the originality and inventiveness that can come out of ignoring scene trends. What elevates (them) above the masses is Amy Ross' voice. Solid, and unpredictable without feeling scattered." - Lost At Sea
Tickets : No Cover!
Sound Samples:
Nowhere Man & Whiskey Girl
Tuesday September 9
9:30 PM
"With a classic rockabilly style, and a course, gin-soaked voice, Arizona's Al Foul has just released a solo album. After one listen, you will be left swimming in images of crinoline and sideburns with a grin from start to finish. The One, The Only is an album with an unmistakable 50's flair, reminiscent of Elvis' glory days; but Al Foul has added his own style to bring in a distinctly modern feel..." - Left of the Dial
"Al's rockabilly sound feels like it best suited as mood music for a good ol' white-trash bar. Maybe that explains that special thanks to Schlitz Beer in the liner notes... Al Foul and the Shakes are a cool sounding band, but are their songs too ridiculous? Like Pet Sounds, the Beatles' White Album, Led Zeppelin IV, and Back In Black, this is a landmark album in the annals of rock and roll. Or maybe not. - Agousti Music
Tickets : No Cover!
Sound Samples:
Al Foul
Wednesday September 10
9:30 PM
"Al Perry... like an old-school preacher; timeless voice, stern demeanor, but a twinkle escapes those pale eyes once in a while. Laconic, ironic, dedicated to curating what used to be known as country and western, Al Perry is a testament to the best of live music in Tucson." - Tucson Underground
Tickets : No Cover!
Sound Samples:
Al Perry
Thursday September 11
11:00 PM
With
Guitar stud Matt Mitchell and French chanteuse Marianne Dissard do the songs they like. And they like their gypsy jazz a la Django Reinhardt, their chansons a la Edith Piaf and Yves Montand, their Porter pearls and Charles Trenet tricks. Plus, when the mood strikes, they'll throw in the odd likeable bossa number. Matt Mitchell is Tucson's most versatile guitar player, lately heard with Al Perry and Hot Club of Tucson. Marianne Dissard has recorded with Calexico's Joey Burns and worked with beau Naim Amor and Giant Sand's Howe Gelb.
"Drawing inspiration from France's legendary Hot Club, Le Chat Lunatique sounds a bit like Duke Ellington with an absinthe problem, or perhaps the soundtrack to Idlewild if the film were a documentary... despite all the pretensions of modern musicians - jazz began as primal dance music." - The Daily Lobo
"This Mustachioed foursome in gangster garb blends together seemingly unblendable musical styles - think classical with reggae - for some of the most mesmerizing, foot-tapping songs you'll ever hear." - Albuquerque Magazine
Tickets : $4.00
Sound Samples:
Matt Mitchell + Marianne Dissard
Le Chat Lunatique
Friday September 12
11:30 PM
With
"The Mission Creeps stay true to the classic surf rock style coined by The Cramps, using zombie inspired themes, fast tempos and bluesy guitar riffs. The lead singer, James Arrr, has the perfect voice for this genre of music - a little Elvis mixed with some Roy Orbison and Johnny Cash." - Eugene Weekly
"Mission Creeps... combine surf rock, punk, and the Doors, topping it off with an eerie dosage of Ennio Morricone-inspired gunfight licks that fit seamlessly into the band's tales of desert-highway depravity." - San Francisco Bay Guardian
"Like a toned-down version of the Cramps by way of Deadbolt, the twangy, reverb-heavy guitar, Arrr's genuinely sexy bellowing croon (a la Bauhaus' Peter Murphy) and the band's grinding rhythms all add up to something more than your standard clad-in-black, death-obsessed affair." - Tucson Weekly
"The Mission Creeps are for fans of the Cramps, Bauhaus, spooky surf-rock, select Doors songs, and low-budget horror flicks from the 60's and 70's." - Tucson Scene
"Mission Creeps play organ-driven, menacing surf rock, sometimes with go-go dancers, fronted by a singer who resembles a younger, less-dead version of Roy Orbison." - Arizona Daily Star
"The Distortionists are a new band composed of seasoned veterans from bands such as Marshmallow Overcoat, Grimblewedge, and Blood Spasm. Expect tight, poppy punk songs by musicians who know how to play their instruments and aren't afraid to show it." - Tucson Weekly
The Distortionists will resonate with fans of The Buzzcocks, Stiff Little Fingers, The Ramones and Green Day.
The Brawlers are one of THE Rockabilly/Surf/Punk acts in southern Arizona... always a good show!
Tickets : $5.00
Sound Samples:
The Mission Creeps
The Distortionists
Last Call Brawlers
Saturday September 13
10:30 PM
11:45 PM
With
"Sketching In Stereo... sounds like it's reaching for modern rock radio... crafting KFMA-ready rock anthems." -Arizona Daily Star
"...most impressively, many of these songs wouldn't sound out of place if KFMA sneaked them into rotation between Hoobastank and The Killers." - Tucson Weekly
"Sketching In Stereo... are making rock on a grand scale... Tucson may have a winner on its hands." - Arizona Daily Wildcat
Tempering hard-hitting rock and complex rhythms with moving melodies and tasteful harmonies, American Android delivers a socially conscious message with a captivating live show that will keep you glued to the stage.
"Imbuing their beefy rock sound with lovely melodies and vocal harmonies, American Android almost make you forget the fact that, lyrically, they're sticking it to The Man." - Tucson Weekly
...Music Video? - lush, indie-electronic sound has been compared to The Postal Serice, Radiohead, M83, DJ Shadow and the Flaming Lips... good stuff!
"...Music Video? stands out in a crowded field of electro-pop groups with their strong sense of melody, flawless production and surprisingly fresh use of synths and samples" - NPR
Tickets : $5.00
Sound Samples:
Sketching In Stereo
American Android
...Music Video?
Sunday September 14
9:30 PM
Soul, funk. jazz, honky-tonk and rock meld seamlessly together in the music of multi-instrumentalist Michael P... Always a good time.
Tickets : No Cover!
Sound Samples:
Michael P.
Monday September 15
9:30 PM
"John Vecchiarelli, with his first swing at a solo venture, creates a collection of songs whose simplicity tempts the ear and soothes the soul." - Sponiczine
"Vecchiarelli's music is best experienced live, where the singer/guitarists emotional impact hits hardest." - Willamette Weekly
Tickets : No Cover!
Sound Samples:
John Vecchiarelli
Tuesday September 16
9:30 PM
"Courtney Robbins is still a new face in the Old Pueblo, but she has earned her stripes as a successful singer/songwriter back East. In her time playing the clubs and coffeehouses of New England, she has opened for, among others, Dar Williams, Lucy Kaplansky and Melissa Ferrick." - Arizona Daily Star
Tickets : No Cover!
Sound Samples:
Courtney Robbins
Wednesday September 17
9:30 PM
Matt Bauer creates absolutely beautiful lo-fi Americana in the vein of Iron & Wine, Hayden, (Smog) and Will Oldham!
"Matt Bauer... (is) understated, bare boned, intimate, the sound is pared back with guitar and banjo providing skeletal support for a set of songs portraying nature red in tooth and claw... a tremendous record." - Americana U.K.
"Listen closely and you'll hear in Bauer's heart-breaking tales of modern life, of condoms and coke cans left by cemetery fences, and of wildfires burning in the west. Influenced by country and bluegrass, Bauer is reinterpreting those traditions to create a haunting modern sound." - San Francisco Bay Guardian
"He's channeling something heavy, preparing the rest of us for a darkness or beauty that we aren't yet ready to receive. We believe Matt Bauer is a prophet." - Thrasher
"Matt Bauer... examines the intermeshed realities of our world, its natural workings of beauty and cruelty..." - Skyscraper
Tickets : No Cover!
Sound Samples:
Matt Bauer
Thursday September 18
10:30 PM
With
Liam Finn is best known in the States as the son of his more famous father, Neil Finn of Crowded House and as nephew of Tim Finn, founder of '70s art-rock turned new wave band the Split Endz. Like his famous father and uncle, Liam has a knack for creating catchy melodic gem's. Liam's debut, I'll Be Lightning, is getting great reviews and should resonate with fans of The Beatles, Elliott Smith, The Thrills, The Shins, Squeeze and, um... Crowded House.
"On his full-length debut, the child of Kiwi pop kingpin Neil Finn (Split Enz, Crowded House) is more a descendant of the scattershot aesthetic that Todd Rundgren perfected... Liam loops hook-happy guitars through syncopated rhythms, serves up classic-pop reproductions, and tosses in odds and ends both ridiculous and sublime. Skillful if occasionally rickety, Lightning showcases a confident, evolving voice." 3.5 stars - Spin
"It's uncanny how much Liam Finn recalls Neil Finn not just vocally, but also lyrically and melodically. Yet while Liam may sound a lot like Neil (and the Beatles, for that matter), he's not exactly aping him. As the tune goes, it's only natural, and besides, Liam's got a few things going for him that even dad doesn't." 7.6/10 - Pitchfork
"Mashing together Beatles-esque indie pop with the atonal grunts favoured by more modern, leftfield rockers, Liam creates a surprisingly satisfactory ruckus... Still, denying the debt Liam Finn owes to his father is impossible. The stamp of his genetic stock is there for all to see and the apple honestly hasn't fallen that far from the tree. Yet even for all the familiarity to be found within its looping guitars and drums, I'll Be Lightning also announces the arrival of a promising voice. Finn senior has every right to feel proud." - Drowned In Sound
"Finn has emerged with a credible album that would have deserved attention regardless of his illustrious lineage... Finn's journey may have only just begun but I'll Be Lightning suggests it's going to be an eventful trip." - BBC
"Not only do Liam's vocals throughout I'll Be Lightning sound like Neil (Finn)'s sweet falsetto tones, but the music itself resembles that of one of Neil's solo albums, or some of Crowded House's best work." - Treble
The Veils frontman is none other than son of Barry Andrews, founding member of XTC. They display this prestigious musical linage on their second release on the Rough Trade label, as they already sound like a well-seasoned act with decades of album-making under their belts. Garnering praises galore on their latest, Nux Vomica, as well as comparisons to Nick Cave, Rufus Wainwright, Ed Harcourt, The Arcade Fire and Mission UK, we expect to hear increasinly more from this promising act.
"The Veils... swirling indie-rock drama will net them the Arcade Fire comparisons... Nux Vomica is a dramatic and powerful statement about uncertain futures, strong-felt regrets, and occasional, barely concealed joy. The stuff of life." 8/10 - Pop Matters
"Nux Vomica represents a huge progression for the Veils. Andrews has certainly grown as a songwriter; his lyrics, while still as affected as before, have gained a certain poeticism that reflects a growing understanding of the world around him... an excellent piece of work." 4 stars - All Music Guide
"Nux Vomica is the new Bad Seeds record that (Nick) Cave has forsaken in favor of Grinderman, or the first Gun Club album to crack the UK top 20." 7.6/10 - Pitchfork
"Nux Vomica (is) as exciting as The Bunnymen's second, Heaven Up Here." 4 stars - Uncut
"I feel like I've listened through Nux Vomica down to its veneers. I've given hours of my life to this record, and will give it untold hours more. Likely, you will as well." - Dusted
"Nux Vomica... one of the most exciting and substantial records so far this year." 9/10 - Lost At Sea
Tickets : $8.00
Buy tickets online:
http://www.ticketweb.com
Sound Samples:
Liam Finn
The Veils
Friday September 19
10:30 PM
11:45 PM
With
Stripped, soulful garage blues filtered through a Rhodes organ, rather than fuzzed-out guitars, the Black Diamond Heavies are a feral duo that includes a former Immortal Lee County Killer. Recently signing to the Alive label (that is where the Black Keys and Two Gallants got their start), there is quite the industry buzz bubbling out there for their debut, Every Damn Time. Fans of Tom Waits, John Lee Hooker, R. L. Burnside, the Black Keys and The Stooges may have all found their favorite new act... Oh, and word on the street is they are freakin' great live!
"Black Diamond Heavies singer John Wesley Myers doesn't growl. Tom Waits growls. Joe Cocker growls. Myers barks like a man who's had his throat ripped out by a wolf... Calling themselves 'a punk-ass blues duo,' the Tennessee-hailing group have produced a debut of filthy Southern blues that makes The Black Keys seem like choirboys." 8/10 - NME
"The Black Diamond Heavies generate a mighty wall of sound and the duo cuts a hard, bluesy groove... Every Damn Time is an impressive set of messed-up 21st century blues." 4 stars - All Music Guide
"Armed with organ, drums, a voice that lies somewhere between Lemmy and Tom Waits, and a shitload of energy, Every Damn Time delivers some of roughest soul/blues punk I've ever heard." - Lowcut
"Call me a convert. Call me a sinner. Call me what you will. I have witnessed the devil's music of the Black Diamond Heavies and am ready to testify." - Creative Loafing
"The Black Diamond Heavies will be legendary in years to come!" - Tripwire
Tom Walbank is a Tucson gem.... one of the best musicians in town. If you haven't seen him yet, particularly if you are a fan of Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and John Lee Hooker - you are definately missing out.
Chris Black is a solo multi-instrumentalist transplant originally from Austin, Texas, who perfroms with an upright bass, overdriven acoustic guitar, banjo, and violin. In performance he loops the music on the fly, creating rhythms and sounds to sing against. Fans of Nick Cave, Tom Waits, Mark Eitzel and Mark Lanegan should be happy that Chris has immigrated to Tucson.
"Black's... instrumentation may change throughout the album, but the vibe remains the same: This is dark stuff." - Tucson Weekly
"Black's music veers from hushed to hair-raising." - The Onion
Tickets : $5.00
Sound Samples:
Black Diamond Heavies
Chris Black
Saturday September 20
9:30 PM
Elvis lives in these Moscow-bred, LA based surf-abilies....they put on quite a show!
"They learned their English from The Beatles and Queen. They love Thai pop. They won the International Band Competition on Ed McMahon's Star Search. They blend good old rock'n'roll with ethnic music from Russia, and they're influenced by Chuck Berry and Fidel Castro. They are the Red Elvises, and they're coming to kick ass and boogie all night." - Nada Mucho
"The feisty, three-fourths Russian act delivers high-octane rock 'n' roll spiced with klezmer and country & western, all the while making full use of the stage with clowning and choreography. Oh, and audience participation is mandatory." - The Weekly Planet
"How do you describe a show that features four fellows dressed in red playing Eastern European-tinged surf and rockabilly? It's that simple. .... garage/surf/rockabilly troika." - Chart Attack
"The guys are ready to fill the high-heeled shoes of the Monkees, with their manic energy and easily identifiable personalities." - The Arizona Republic
Tickets : $10.00
Buy tickets online:
http://www.ticketweb.com
Sound Samples:
The Red Elvises
Sunday September 21
9:30 PM
Michael John Serpe is a recent transplant from Seattle, WA...a nice addition to the Tucson scene.
"Esoteric deluxe. Like the illusive, drunken, incoherent but turbulent folk of Tim Buckley and especially John Martyn, without sounding like either... he writes acoustic guitar music with shuffling drums that sounds like Seattle rain, incessant but non threatening... (like) Tindersticks or Sundays gone ambiguous." - The Big Takeover
Tickets : No Cover!
Sound Samples:
Serpe
Monday September 22
11:00 PM
With
Silver Jews, and frontman David Berman, are literal indie-music legends. Producing six massively lauded albums in the last decade and a half, their latest release, Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea, is no different, garnering acclaim far and wide. If you are a fan of Pavement, Stephen Malkmus, Sebadoh, Lambchop, Smog, Will Oldham, Johnny Cash and/or Leonard Cohen, you owe it to yourself to see this band live!
"David Berman has indie friends and peers that include Pavement, Smog and Will Oldham. But while all three have seeped overground since their early '90s beginnings, his own Silver Jews has only recently attained the same legendary status. Berman has a reputation as something of a recluse, sporadic albums appearing inbetween bouts of depression and heavy chemical abuse. That said, there's rife humour bubbling through his story songs. Chugging along like The Byrds doing the Velvet Underground." 4 stars - Uncut
"Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea is one of the Silver Jews' lightest albums, at times surpassing the most playful moments of Starlite Walker and American Water... reveal(ing) more poetic, as well as playful, layers with each listen - and above all, underscores what an inviting songwriter Berman is..." 4 stars - All Music Guide
"Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea is paradoxically Silver Jews' most complex and most accessible work to date. Better yet, it improves with each listen, as more and more nuances and links are revealed." - Music OMH
"It is no small feat to write melodies as memorable as Berman's exceedingly quotable lyrics, but on each song here, he does. Lookout Mountain is an outstanding work of art." - Slant
"Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea is the most assured and poignant album since American Water." 86/100 - Filter
"If alt-country were truly alternative, it might sound more like Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea... where Silver Jews leader David Berman's booming vocals run as deep as anything this side of Johnny Cash or Leonard Cohen in their prime." 4/5 - Alternative Press
After collaborating with several backing bands under the Wooden Wand moniker, most notably with The Vanishing Voice, James Jackson Toth is set to release Waiting In Vain, his first album under his own name. Fans of Jason Molina and Magnolia Electric Company, Jim White, Lambchop, Crooked Fingers, The Court & Spark and Tindersticks, as well as Wooden Wand should dig the new material.
"James Jackson Toth (a) refugee from the freak-folk commune... a knack for Southern sensibility and beatific sloth... (creating) loping, closely harmonized country rockers that could be lost Tom Petty nugget(s)." 3 stars - Spin
"Toth's... Waiting In Vain isn't just bright by comparison (to Wooden Wand and The Vanishing Voice material), it's lucid. He's always been able to write a decent song, but (now)... it's like he finally realized that self-effacement is as much a manifestation of neuroses as cool... the quality of the few songs floating around from Waiting In Vain, he not only has nothing to hide in his name, but, actually, plenty to be proud of." 8/10 - Paper Thin Walls
Tickets : $15.00
Buy tickets online:
http://www.ticketweb.com
Sound Samples:
Silver Jews
James Jackson Toth
Tuesday September 23
9:30 PM
"Stefan has... been named Best of Tucson since 1994 in songwriter, solo acoustic performer, and acoustic ensemble categories, and has been a finalist at Telluride and Kerrville, where he now hosts the annual Blues Summit. In addition to his solo acoustic work, he has an electric trio, The Conrads, a duo of guitar and hammered dulcimer, Arm & Hammer, and a folk band, Songtower." - Arizona Blues Hall of Fame
Tickets : No Cover!
Wednesday September 24
9:30 PM
Planet Jam is a great local Reggae act!
Tickets : No Cover!
Thursday September 25
11:30 PM
With
Citing Foo Fighters, Jimmy Eat World, and Recover as influences combined with a live show reminicient of Bear VS Shark, Palatina pours out their hearts and souls every time they set foot onstage.
Standby Red 5, a new Tucson act should resonate with fans of the Appleseed Cast, Sunny Day Real Estate and Minus the Bear.
The Holy Rolling Empire (formerly The Crowd) is one of Tucson's coolest new acts! For fans of The Shins, The Flaming Lips, and The Beatles.... we expect a lot from these home-town boys. Good Stuff!!!
"The Holy Rolling Empire... have quickly generated considerable buzz, and I'm happy to report the hype is justified... the new school of indie-style, not unlike Cold War Kids... or Voxtrot... The group's songs are both catchy enough to grab you on first listen and complex enough to keep you going back for more." - Tucson Weekly
"Backing vocal harmonies litter the songs, coinciding with a dreamy, vaguely psychedelic air. Numerous riffs and tempo changes elevate (The Holy Rolling Empire) above simple pop, along with lyrics that add a dark undercurrent." - Downtown Tucsonan
Tickets : $5.00
Sound Samples:
Palatina
Standby Red 5
The Holy Rolling Empire
Friday September 26
11:30 PM
With
The Low Ones describe themselves as "Neil Young fronting a worn-out Dead Moon" or "American Analog Set crashing on Portastatic's couch." We at Plush agree... particularly with the Dead Moon reference. Good stuff!!!
If you haven't seen Golden Boots yet, you definately should. With their recent signing to Park the Van (that is the label Dr. Dog is on folks), they are one of the most likely Tucson acts to fully graduate to the national stage.
Golden Boots have "an edgy feel, like Beck meets Tom Waits. The songs exude a raw sense of natural discovery evident both in the vocals and instrumentation. It's Impossible to describe the fantasy that animates their composition, arrangements and singing." - Abus Dangerouex Magazine
"Dark, compelling, hypnotic, swimmy...Greyhound Soul's third release (Down) is all of these things. It's also bluesy and smart and weird and jammy. Driven by singer Joe Pena's meandering, gruff melodies, the band's sound is somewhere between Tom Waits and Neil Young, caught in a strange limbo between the retro blues rock of the Black Crowes and the post-apocalyptic Southern gothic sound of 16 Horsepower." - Performing Songwriter
Greyhound Soul's "sound, which takes a chapter from the book of Tom Waits, some pages from Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and (soul), and creates a book all of their own. Lead singer Joe Pena has a perfectly gravelly voice that is similar enough to Waits to draw the obvious comparisons but not forced into aping his style. Filled with thick, bluesy guitar riffs, organ, harmonica, and stellar instrumentation all around, Greyhound Soul have crafted two deliciously gritty, soulful, and bluesy rock albums to soothe your dusty soul and to imbibe to." - Delusions of Adequacy
"Mournful, bluesy and a wee bit rocking, calling Greyhound Soul a "bar band" would not be far from the truth nor an insult. Greyhound Soul plays it straight and plays it well" - In Your Ear
Tickets : $5.00
Sound Samples:
Low Ones
Golden Boots
Greyhound Soul
Saturday September 27
11:30 PM
With
Marianne Dissard is a great little cabaret act... For fans of Josephine Baker, Marlene Dietrich and Serge Gainsbourg! Her new album features songs witten with Joey Burns of Calexico and Naim Amor.
"Dissard... polished and thoughtful, French and sultry, smoky, beautiful and sad, as Amor's guitar provides a reverberating backbone." - Tucson Weekly
"Dissard(s)... work has a lovely, mournful lilt, a sort of Parisian blues. Even those of us who don't speak French cannot help but be touched by the stark beauty of her phrasing." - LA Weekly
Will Elliott is one of the most promising additions to the Tucson music scene in the past couple of years. An amaizing singer-songwriter with an slightly rootsy leaning. For fans of Devandra Banhart, Elliott Smith, Leonard Cohen, Will Oldham and Smog... Nice.
"Elliott (has)... a voice with a wisdom beyond his years. One thinks of Harry Nilsson in his prime. (You know, the guy who did 'Everybody's Talkin') Some of his songs even rock out a bit, such as 'Today You, But Tomorrow the World...,' which could easily have been a companion piece to Calexico's breakaway song 'Even Stevie Nicks'." - Tucson Scene
Tickets : $5.00
Sound Samples:
Marianne Dissard
Will Elliott
Tuesday September 30
11:30 PM
With
Last year, not long after Ra Ra Riot released an excellent debut EP, their drummer drowned in the ocean after a show. While his death has influenced much of the content on their follow-up, The Rhumb Line, it hasn't weighed the band down, drawing a heap of industry buzz and critic's raves with comparisons to Arcade Fire, Vampire Weekend, Islands, The Dodos and label mates Nada Surf.
"Ra Ra Riot combine Arcade Fire's orchestral reveries with Vampire Weekend's pop sensibility for an album that's both effervescent and heartbreaking." 4 stars - Rolling Stone
"The Rhumb Line... (is a) poignant testament to Pike's life and his former bandmates' resilience." 7.5/10 - Pitchfork
"Ra Ra Riot... expertly guides its mischievous, youthful interpretation of indie rock around dueling violin and cello strings. The result is an album comprised of ten new-wave-meets-orchestral tracks that range from ebullient come-ons to studied hymns of grief." - Spin
"Ra Ra Riot has a potential hit on its hands with this debut LP." 7/10 - No Rip Chord
Virtually every buzz band of the year - from the Kooks to MGMT and now Ra Ra Riot - has hand-picked the Morning Benders as tourmates. Fans of 60s luminaries the Kinks, Beach Boys and the Beatles, along with modern indie-pop acts like The Thrills, The Shins, and The Kooks should really dig this act.
"Among the slew of new music, it's rare to find a young band who can recall their idols without coming off as a cheap copy; however, with their debut full-length album, the Morning Benders have developed a heavily influenced sound that is absolutely their own." 4 stars - Static Multimedia
"Within the past month and a half, two songs from Chicago electro-pop duo Walter Meego's full-length debut, Voyager, have appeared on the hit ABC dramedy 'Ugly Betty.' The show's title protagonist is young and unprepossessing, but gains confidence and command as her story unfolds. However unwittingly, Voyager mimics this evolution, initially presenting a pair of facile, derivative popsmiths who seem to perceptibly mature into dynamic artists in the short space between the record's beginning and end." 6.8/10 - Pitchfork
"Load Walter Meego's Voyager into iTunes and the genre that appears is simply 'pop.' And despite the fact that the Chicago duo's material is built around a dance format, this is a truly apt description. On their debut, the band looks to spit-shine the work of current favorites Hot Chip and Cut Copy... Voyager's production is black-toast crisp and its songs retain an almost Beatles-like dedication to melodic precision." - XLR8R
Tickets : $8.00
Buy tickets online:
http://www.ticketweb.com
Sound Samples:
Ra Ra Riot
The Morning Benders
Walter Meego
Thursday October 2
10:30 PM
11:30 PM
With
Mr. Gnome is causing quite the stir in the upper Mid-West. This duo offer an amalgam of arty-stoner rock with heavy doses of trip-hop. They have been described Cat Power's Chan Marshall backed by an early Blonde Redhead or as Black Sabbath meets Portishead with PJ Harvey or an early Sinead O'Conner fronting. They are out in support of their new album Deliver this Creature, which is already receiving great reviews. Expect to hear increasing buzz about this band!
"Mr. Gnome's debut full-length, Deliver This Creature, pulls a heckuva lot of noise out of a small hat, pretty much just Sam Meister's tribal drums and the reverberating vocals and sludgily atmospheric guitar fills of Nicole Barille... Barille raises her voice from a breathy whisper to a double-tracked, sustained holler, and her guitar playing ranges from high-pitched, psyched-out tremolo to bone-crunching distorted thrums." - Pitchfork
"Cleveland duo gives feminine nuance to prog-rock complecity... (Mr. Gnome's) debut full-length balances a soulful, feminine power that recalls Scout Niblett and a drummer who coldly demands dynamic shifts with almost electronic precision. Its an earnest tug-of-war." 3.5 stars - Spin
"Mr. Gnome (are the) absolute antidote to all those shrinking violets we've been big upping lately." - Rolling Stone.com
"Boy does this Ohio duo make a lot of noise. In fact, this sophomore EP... sounds more like a mid-career offering from an accomplished hard-rock quartet. Such is the overwhelming nature of the two-some's aggressive-yet-beautiful sound." - Paste
"Mr. Gnome glides through catchy and crunchy hard rock arrangements... post-modern prog rock arrangements that arrive in burning starts and smoldering stops. Promising work." - Amplifier
"Their sound is so full and complete you would think you're listening to a full 6 person ensemble... but uh nope. It just these two dope folks... Check out this band." - Unsigned Magazine
Mostly Bears are one of Tucson's most promising new bands. They will resonate with people who are fans of Mars Volta, Wolfmother and Queen!
"On their outstanding full-length debut, the Tucson trio Mostly Bears own a dense, swirling wall of sound on par with early Modest Mouse and The Mars Volta... One of the year's best albums thus far, and among the top indie bows of the past decade." 4.5/5 - Creative Loafing
"Adventurous and never boring, Mostly Bears have stirred up a hornet's nest of buzz since a SXSW showcase earlier this year. And based on this album, they have quite a few things going from them." 7/10 - Pop Matters
"Full of verve and with chops to burn, Mostly Bears... sounds a bit like a non-acoustic, amped-up version of Arcade Fire... and (at times) contains the brawn of Muse but the intricacies and nuances of the Dears." 3.5/5 - All Music Guide
"Toss Radiohead, Mars Volta and early U2 in a sonic blender, and this trippy Tucson trio might be the result." - Pasadena Weekly
"Mostly Bears is an eclectic and energetic rock group that can conjure the progressiveness of the Mars Volta and counts influences from screamo to Radiohead to Animal Collective." - Arizona Daily Star
Wolves Are Coming is a new Tucson act. Fans of Fu Manchu, Queens of the Stone Age and Kyuss should welcome their arrival to the Tucson music scene.
Tickets : $5.00
Sound Samples:
Mr. Gnome
Mostly Bears
Wolves Are Coming
Sunday October 5
11:30 PM
With
A Place to Bury Strangers busted out nationally with a HUGE buzz on their last tour with Holy Fuck. How do they sound?... think: 40% Jesus and Mary Chain, 40% Joy Division, 10 % The Cure, 5 % Ministry and 5% My Bloody Valentine. Two words: freakin' awesome!
"A Place to Bury Strangers' self-titled debut LP sets tinnitus-inducing noise-pop against a tension-wracked Joy Division-meets-Ministry backdrop. Plenty of bands have tapped the trebly, ecstatic side of shoegaze in recent years, but none have imbued it with this band's frustrated aggression or lacerating feedback." 8.4/10 - Pitchfork
"A Place to Bury Strangers are a precious gift for those of us who will always carry a torch for the delirious rush of pre-1990s Jesus and Mary Chain, and the glistening chill of late Joy Division. Add in a little Cure circa Pornography and this debut is quite a treat." 8/10 - Pop Matters
"A Place to Bury Strangers... a staggering debut" - Stylus
"Turn on the black lights, kids. This year's model is A Place to Bury Strangers... uber-fun, uber-recommendable." 7.5/10 - Coke Machine Glow
"A Place to Bury Strangers have released the best shoegaze album of the year, hands down." - Delusions of Adequacy
One of Tucson's best post-rock meets post-punk acts. Early Black will resonate with fans of Mogwai, Slint, and Godspeed You! Black Emporer, as well as Mission of Burma, The Mekons and Dinosaur Jr.
The progressive/post-rock/indie rock Sian Alice Group center around vocalist Sian Ahern, whose vocals at times recall PJ Harvey, or the girls from My Bloody Valentine. Combine this with hints of Sigur Ros, Mogwai, and Rachel's and you start to get an idea of what this act sounds like. The latest record, 59.59, is simply amazing.
"Some artists walk a fine line between the abstarct and the arranged, creating a sense of spontaneity without being overly rehearsed. Sian Alice Group accomplishes just this. What's more, it does so while simultaneously recalling great artists but sounding completely unique." - Filter
"59.59 is an astounding album, quite unlike anything one's ever heard before." 4.5/5 - All Music Guide
"59.59 charts transformations from psychedelic rock, pastoral folk, and piano-lounge balladry into analog-synthtronica, free-jazz breakdowns, pounding Afro-tech grooves, and avant-classical composition. The beauty of Sian Alice Group is that the band is capable of creating highly effective music even when they stray far from traditional torch-song territory." 7.7/10 - Pitchfork
"The Sian Alice Group... (have created) some of the most gorgeous, melodic music to surface so far this year. It takes the listener from scattered snares to soft, sad guitar ballads accompanied by legions of strings." - XLR8R
"The Sian Alice Group's 59.59... cinematic and gorgeous." 8/10 - Prefix
Tickets : $10.00
Buy tickets online:
http://www.ticketweb.com
Sound Samples:
A Place to Bury Strangers
Early Black
Sian Alice Group
Tuesday October 7
9:30 PM
"(Lopez') talented voice...a mixture of Ani Defranco, Fiona Apple and Tracy Chapman. This accompanied by her Latin influenced breakneck style of guitar playing...With a voice like vanilla coffee, bold but smooth, Leila Lopez has a Spanish Bossa Nova style with influence from Santana to the Gypsy Kings and Joni Mitchell." - The Aztec Press
"This native Tucsonan singer-songwriter plays six instruments, and writes lyrics with the poignancy of Dylan. They accompany a smooth, sweet, clear voice that has the jazzy, R & B style of Sade, with attitude... (like) a mellow Ani DiFranco." - Downtown Tucsonan
Tickets : No Cover!
Sound Samples:
Leila Lopez
Wednesday October 8
11:00 PM
The ladies and gents of The Molehill Orkestrah are performers in the old world tradition. This independently managed outfit consisting of mandolin, guitar, cello, violin, baritone, trumbone, bass, and drums... playing a variety of musical backgrounds ranging from classical to punk rock, from mariachi to jazz, fuse diverse contemporary genres with Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Klezmer, and Eastern European influences. For fans of Devotchka, Andrew Bird, Rachel's, Calexico, and Tom Waits.
"The Desert Gypsy propheteers of Molehill are nothing short of mesmerizing every time they set out... Molehill plays with a primal urgency that is undeniable." - Tucson Weekly
Tickets : $5.00
Sound Samples:
Molehill Orkestrah
Saturday October 11
11:30 PM
Tucson Film + Music Festival
Like recent '80s retro-metal act the Darkness, Bang Camaro pay homage to acts like Def Leppard, Dokken, Ratt and Quiet Riot. However, their stage show is more like The Polyphonic Spree in that they feature a chorus, yep... a METAL chorus. These guys have been getting a lot of attention, playing MTV parties showing up on Guitar Hero, and word is their live show is one hell of a good time!
"On any given night, there might be 18-25 members of Boston's Bang Camaro onstage during a show, with 15 consistent 'lead singers' and a backing band with two lead guitarists... Bang Camaro believes in two core values - catchy guitar riffs and memorable choruses - which is why it generally does away with superfluous elements like verses and bridges. Onstage, the crew is a haywire all-male choir, fist pumps and hand claps and the occasional black eye all figuring into the mix." - Billboard
"Breaking Artist: Bang Camaro burn rubber reviving '80s metal... (they) lovingly pays homage to the big-hair metal they loved as kids with anthems built out of chugging riffs, wailing guitar solos and choruses (no verses!) sung by not one, not two, but upwards of 17 lead singers." - Rolling Stone
"Bang Camaro is doing something different with rock music: lyrics without verses, solos without bridges and singing without a lead singer. Best of all, Bang Camaro is unique without being unfamiliar. The band's songs are made up of guitar solos, choruses and little else. The solos tend to be long, the choruses short. This strange take on lyrics is taken further by the band's roster of 10-plus singers, who all sing at the same time. This combination of simple lyrics with so many voices in unison gives songs a catchy, communal appeal that a lone singer could not produce... Great!" - Austin 360
"Bang Camaro is unarguably an experience best served live: it's hard to watch twenty-five self-professed Dudes onstage, rocking out and spraying beer, and not get caught up in the moment." - Performer
"Bang Camaro is Guitar Hero" - New York Daily News
Tickets : $8.00
Buy tickets online:
http://www.ticketweb.com
Sound Samples:
Bang Camaro
Tuesday October 14
10:00 PM
Presented by The Onion!
With
For fans of John Prine, Townes Van Zandt, Lyle Lovett, Lucinda Williams, Joe Ely and Steve Earle, Hayes Carll is Lost Highway Record's newest golden child. There is a HUGE buzz about this guy and a ton of gushing reviews to match.
"Carll's debut ushers in a compelling major voice. Following in the tradition of his many Texas predecessors, Carll delivers a set of songs filled with little epiphanies, lyrical dexterity and dirt dry wit... A record like this shows you the trouble with normal country." - Boston Globe
"Singer-songwriter Carll makes nouveau-outlaw country, poetic diction delivered with a rasp. His best melodies are honky-tonk lamentations, with detours into banjo-plunking balladry and Stones-y rock." Grade A - Entertainment Weekly
"If you prefer your country musicians to be poets with drinking problems rather than cowboys who drive SUVs, meet the aloof Hayes Carll. This Texas bred singer-songwriter, whose easygoing demeanor is leftover from his years spent dwelling in shacks on the beach, channels coffee shop honky-tonk greats like Lyle Lovett and Townes Van Zandt, as well as his labelmate Lucinda Williams." - Playgirl
"Carll.. follows in the mighty footsteps of such Lone Star State country-folk-rock luminaries as Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark and Joe Ely. There's a bit of Steve Earle folksy philosopher lurking there too, but Carll's voice, as a writer and a singer, is as uncommonly distinctive as it is assured." - Los Angeles Times
"This Texas troubadour displays both heart and humor on an alt-country disc that gives Ryan Adams something to worry about." 3.5/4 - People
"On his first major-label album, Carll rocks as needed across a rowdy life-scape he describes pungently and sometimes ruefully." 4 stars - Blender
"Carll... covers plenty of bases on his third album, many of them alcoholic, and the tastiest perched between stadium rockabilly and Dylan-worship rock." 3 stars - Spin
"Carll's.. tone is spot-on and the songs have just the right amount of heft, humour and humanity." 4 stars - Mojo
The Dedringers are one of Austin's most promising new acts... with a heap of buzz surrounding them (in a town full of buzz). They play a sort of power-pop country: think Big Star meets The Byrds. Great stuff!
"The Dedringers are without a doubt one of Austin's best bands... they sound at once familiar and fresh." - KGSR (Austin)
"When The Dedringers play the Hollywood Bowl we hope that they will let us open for them". - James McMurtry
Tickets : $10.00 advance / $12.00 day of show
Buy tickets online:
http://www.ticketweb.com
Sound Samples:
Hayes Carll
The Dedringers
Thursday October 16
11:00 PM
With
"Hillstomp is cut from similar cloth as the North Mississippi All-Stars and the Black Keys... cranking out lo-fi punk blues on homemade instruments and vintage gear." - Harp
"Hillstomp twist all notions of country by playing pulsating rhythms mixed with hints of R.L. Burnside, Indian drone, and Southern bluegrass." - San Francisco Bay Guardian
"Before rock and roll, people danced to the blues, as Hillstomp reminds us with a thunderous groove." - The Miami New Times
"Who knew that with just a guitar and a few buckets, you could make such fun and fantastic music? That's just what Hillstomp does on its first live album After Two But Before Five. The band has created an incredibly full sound with just two guys, one guitar and a bunch of stuff you could find in your garage." - Ink 19
"Hillstomp preserves classic, dredged-from-the-Delta blues, yet adds a new speed and vigor that makes it their own." - Synthesis
"Since the loss of the great Slobberbone to retirement and Old 97's to pop-ish/foppish hell, alt-country fans looking for reverence, fun and grit beyond The Gourds need look no further than Hillstomp." - Music Emissions
"(Hillstomp's) vibe is like a musical version of a barroom knife fight: exciting, dangerous and a little surreal." - Tucson Weekly
Hillstomp is for fans of Bob Log III, Split Lip Rayfield, Scott Biram and the Black Keys!
Tom Walbank is a Tucson gem.... one of the best musicians in town. If you haven't seen him yet, particularly if you are a fan of Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and John Lee Hooker - you are definately missing out.
Tickets : $6.00
Buy tickets online:
http://www.ticketweb.com
Sound Samples:
Hillstomp
Friday October 17
11:30 PM
"Von Iva... If you've ever wished for Franz Ferdinand, P.J. Harvey, Gary Numan, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs to be bottled up into a love potion, here it is. They're soul-shaking dance-punk queens - and they're going to rock your world." - Bust
"Von Iva show..an ass-shaking mix of soul, disco and dirty, raw rock & roll, this San Francisco band rattles the rafters with an aural love potion that will have you licking glittery beads of sweat from the cleavage of your nearest neighbor by the end of the first song." - LA Weekly
"Von Iva is one of the greatest girl groups I've ever heard in my life." - Detroit Metro Times
"hot groove dance-punk that is undeniably catchy and will get you moving no matter your location...one of the best EP's of this year... I haven't been this excited about a dance-orientated band since my first encounter with the Faint." - Exoduster
Von Iva will strike a chord with fans of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs!, Peaches, Blondie, and the Hives.
Tickets : $6.00
Buy tickets online:
http://www.ticketweb.com
Sound Samples:
Von Iva
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