Posts filed under 'Concert Tour Announcements'
Hello everybody,
I was in the middle of my normal work here at the office and decided this post had to happen right now. You see, I just got done listening to Ra Ra Riot’s debut full-length disc, The Rhumb Line.
Now, some of you may remember I have written about this nifty little outfit twice, April 3 and April 9 of this year. I have seen them twice and was blown away on each occasion. Well, after listening to this new disc, all I can say is HOLY ####! Go buy this disc NOW. Serious. You can finish reading this when you get back from Stinkweeds or wherever you buy the disc at, as long as it isn’t one of those big chain stores that are killing the indie-record store community. Of course, they aren’t cool enough to carry a band as good as Ra Ra Riot!
After seeing them at the Monolith Festival last year I picked up their six song self-titled EP. Great stuff. Go to their website and order it if you do not already own it. In fact, order both discs at the same time, play the EP first, then the new disc immediately thereafter. The progression is spectacular.
The Rhumb Line showcases a more mature band expanding on their unique brand of indie pop. The string arrangements of Alexandra Lawn and Rebecca Zeller are beautiful, Mathieu Santos plays a very rhythmic bass, Milo Bonacci plays a stellar guitar, Cameron Wisch did a bang-up job propelling things along on the drums and vocalist/keyboardist Wes Miles has that unique singing style and is a pure burst of energy onstage. All of these ingredients add up to some of the most eclectic and refreshing music that has emerged in years.
Four of the six songs from the EP are re-done for the new disc and as good as the original versions were, the new renditions blow the old ones away. The music has a more polished sound while still maintaining that critical indie-edge to things. The six new tunes smoke as well. This is a remarkable disc and should catapault this band into the upper-echelon of the alternative music community. I should say mainstream, but since most people consider mainstream to be trash like Miley Cyrus, I have no hope that there are enough intelligent and musically-minded people in this world to recognize true art.
Folks, Ra Ra Riot is in the midst of a big nationwide tour right now, so there is absolutely no excuse to not take an evening out of your busy lives and supoort this great band. For the Arizona locals, they will be playing at the Modified (thanks Kimber!) once again on Monday, September 29, then travel down south to Tucson to play a show at Plush on September 30. Go see them!
Thanks to Ra Ra Riot for a great disc. I look forward to seeing you guys in a month and a half!
Cheers!
The Dust Devil
check out this video of the band for Dying is Fine
August 20th, 2008
Hello everybody,
I primarily listened to punk and new wave “back in the day”, and I am proud to admit that. The eighties was a pretty cheesy decade in many respects, but the excess and craziness from that era is a time I still look back on fondly. Even today most of my favorite music comes from that decade. For example, Echo and the Bunnymen is still my favorite band and their heyday was during this era.
I love it when artists from that era get back together. Some I had a chance to see back then, some I never did and welcome an opportunity to see them today. That is why the Regeneration Tour is such a big deal to me.
Five artists that had an impact on music twenty-plus years ago, all playing together for one show! The Human League, Belinda Carlisle, ABC, Missing Persons and A Flock of Seagulls; are you kidding me?
Yes, more than likely in the case of the bands, the full original line-up will not be featured. Personally, a tour like this is simply a brief moment to travel back in time, enjoy some good new wave music and reminisce about a more simple time in my life. Music has always played a key role in my existence and often times I can equate an event with a tune from that era.
A Flock of Seagulls were completely over the top with the big hairdo of the lead singer, but the band created some wonderful pop tunes. Everyone remembers I Ran, but Space Age Love Song, Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You) and The More You Live, The More You Love were for me better songs.
The Missing Persons has a fabulous debut full-length record with Spring Session M and four classic tunes emerged from that disc: Walking in L.A.; Destination Unknown; Windows and Words. The unique vocals of Dale Bozzio helped make the band a popular new wave staple in the early eighties.
ABC had a string of hits, including the gorgeous The Look of Love, Poison Arrow and Be Near Me. The eighties new wave scene featured many bands that sported a regal look and ABC played the part well, their wardrobe a picture of class. However, ABC could back up the look with well-crafted pop songs that have stood the test of time well.
Belinda Carlisle was the lead vocalist for the phenomenal Go-Go’s for several years until they broke up after the Talk Show album. A successful solo career ensued with hits such as Heaven is a Place on Earth, Mad About You and I Get Weak, all of which were Top Five singles.
The Human League began as an all-male synth-pop group in 1977, but the release of the album Dare and the single Don’t You Want Me in 1981 finally brought world-wide acclaim for the band. Don’t You Want Me and Human, released in 1986, were both Number One U.S. hits for the Human League. The core of only original member Philip Oakley and the two female vocalists, Joanne Catherall and Susan Ann Sulley, who joined the band in 1980, continue to play and record today.
This will be a great evening, a chance to see in concert five artists from the eighties that produced some great music. What better way to spend a Friday night than at the Dodge Theatre with many other thirty and forty-somethings going to the way-back machine for just a brief time!
There are some great deals going on for this concert right now, so grab some buddies and check out the Live Nation link below.
Cheers!
The Dust Devil
Buy Regeneration Tour tickets at Live Nation http://www.livenation.com/event/getEvent/eventId/325414/
July 28th, 2008
Last year I finally had an opportunity to do two things music related I had always wanted to experience: see a show at Red Rocks in Colorado; catch the Flaming Lips live. That Lips show was one of the most amazing things I have ever witnessed and to this day is one of my all time music moments. However, this post is to talk about Red Rocks and the festival I saw the band at, the inaugural Monolith Festival.
As a high school kid I remember being blown away by the U2 video for Under a Blood Red Sky and thinking, “I have to see a show there one of these years.” Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado, is quite simply the best venue this writer has ever been to, and I have seen a lot of concerts over the years. Driving up to the venue was an experience all its own, simply for the sheer beauty of the surroundings. Driving through this huge natural rock archway to the parking lot at the top was spectacular. Getting out of the vehicle and looking out over the valley was breathtaking.
Upon entering Red Rocks I walked open-mouthed, realizing I was in music Utopia. Once I actually made my way to the seating, saw the amphitheatre and the rock surrounding it, I was quite simply blown away. I hope the residents of Colorado realize just how fortunate they are. By the end of the weekend I was partly wishing I lived there, just so I would have the opportunity to see a concert, any concert, at this magnificent venue anytime I wanted.
The acoustics are unbelievable. Every band that played sounded fabulous … even if the music from some was not up to the standard of the venue (Art Brut anyone?). The stage is enormous, the seating, although made of rock, is quite comfortable. I love the fact that there are signs posted on the sides where you walk up to the terrace that tell you how many calories you will burn walking all the way up to the top! Needless to say, the elevation does play a part in the Red Rocks experience. There is a very cool vistor’s center at the top of the venue. It is definitely something to check out, especially the hallway listing every performer who has ever played there, as well as listening stations to check out past performances.
The Monolith Festival is in its second year now and is the biggest event Red Rocks hosts. I can tell you from personal experience that the Festival team does a fabulous job putting on this event. Everything is in order, the facility was clean the entire weekend, there were plenty of vendor and food tents and of course, the line-up secured last year was fabulous! In addition, the Monolith Festival is very green and eco-friendly and there is plenty of information readily available with environmental concerns given away during the festival.
This year’s line-up is sure to be a big hit again. Two of the bands, Tokyo Police Club and the Silversun Pickups, are personal faves and I have seen both bands on two occasions each. I am really excited both will be performing on the main stage.
Check out the full line-up here! There will be over SIXTY bands performing on five different stages during the two days of the Festival. The organizers do a great job of timing the performances in such a way where sound from one does not affect the other. The only “drawback” is figuring out what band you definitely want to see since at least one if not two others will be performing at the same time.
I strongly suggest if you are planning to attend both days to purchase the VIP Gold Pass. Regular two day passes go for $110, but those you have to buy from Ticketmaster, and we all know how that company kills the industry with its service charges. A VIP Gold Pass can only be purchased at the Monolith Festival site, costs $225 with no service charges or shipping fees and the amenities are fabulous! Best of all, you have VIP parking access at the top of the venue and trust me, that alone makes the price worthwhile. Seating at Red Rocks is general admission, but VIP patrons have an area all to themselves directly surrounding the soundboard, maximizing the sound experience. Only 500 of these are sold; I have mine, I suggest you get yours before they are gone.
This festival has not reached the status of Glastonbury, Coachella or Bonnaroo yet, but someday I think it could. It is that wonderful of an experience. Folks, take it from the Dust Devil, make the trip to Morrison, CO the weekend of September 13-14 and prepare for an experience you will never forget!
Cheers!
The Dust Devil
regular one or two days passes for the Monolith Festival http://www.monolithfestival.com/pages/buy-tickets
July 17th, 2008
Hey guys,
Yeah, I haven’t been here in a month, busy as heck. However, things continue to roll, there have been a couple of good shows we still need to discuss, but first, let’s focus on this weekend.
Local faves The Captives are playing this weekend, Saturday, June 28, at the Hollywood Alley. Now, I’ve talked up Hollywood Alley before, so if I need to go into that again you need some work on your reading comprehension.
The Captives are a local (Arizona) Dreampop/Britpop band comprised of Eddie Lebario on guitars, Tom Laman on vocals, Robert Lerma on the drums and Steve Flores on bass. Eddie was in a very cool band before by the name of Echo Chamber. He and Tom met when Echo Chamber was in the midst of a period of inactivity. Steve joined the mix in 2003. Robert (Bobby) and Eddie have been friends for years. He has been in a number of bands, all with very different styles. Not many guys on the skins can state they have played punk rock (Kluged and Grant & the Geezers), garage (The Tellers) and indie pop (40 Watt Las Vegas). One of the bands he played in, The Voice, was named one of the Top 100 Arizona Bands of the Millineum by the Republic back in 2000.
I have seen these guys a number of times over the years and as Robert knows since I have told him this, I had a casual liking for them, but nothing overwhelming. My interpretation had always been “I’ve heard this before” and I wasn’t interested in another band that reminded me so much of The Smiths.
Well folks, even the Dust Devil is wrong sometimes. I couldn’t stand Catherine Wheel and the Stiff Little Fingers when I first heard them, but came to realize down the road the greatness I was missing out on. Such is the case with The Captives.
The most compelling change, at least for me, has been the progress in Tom’s vocal’s. He has developed his own delivery style and stage presence. I felt in the past I saw too much Morrissey on stage. When their latest disc, Dreams In Stars came out and the band played a release party, I was really impressed with the change. He has established his own identity, all the while maintaining his intense love of the moment and desire to express that onstage. The vocals are no longer overstated. Today they blend in very well with the cascade of sound going on at the same time.
The new disc is a marked improvement over their 2001 debut In the Cobalt Twilight. The Smiths influence is still there, but personally I enjoyed the more definite shoegazer influence. I LOVE guitars that shimmer, and Eddie’s guitar work does exactly that. The guitars bring back memories of a great Britpop band by the name of Kitchens of Distinction. Steve plays a smooth bass and keeps things moving along a fluid pace. I am biased, but Robert really is one of the best drummers around. He and Steve comprise a great rhythm section. Bobby can play as hard and powerful as anyone I have ever seen, but displays a quite elegance in his playing with The Captives.
GO SEE THESE GUYS! Folks, good local music is scarce in the Valley of the Sun nowadays. These guys are the real deal and this disc could push them into the mainstream. It should, but of course that depends if the general public get it together in regards to what is good music. Go to Stinkweeds or your other favorite independent record store and get Dreams In Stars today, you will not be disappointed. More important, make plans for this Saturday to be at Hollywood Alley at 8:00pm. It’s a $5.00 cover, how could you possibly go wrong?
I promise, more to come this week! Look for a Peter Murphy review, Monolith Festival news and news on U2 reissues.
Cheers,
The Dust Devil
The Captives website http://www.thecaptives.net/
The Captives Myspace page http://www.myspace.com/thecaptives
June 23rd, 2008
Congratulations to Tiger Woods on winning his 3rd US Open. He downed Rocco Mediate after an 18-hole playoff ended in a deadlock.
Rocco had troble off the first tee into the sand, took a drop of his second shot left at the base of some grandstands and could not finish a long put to force an extended suddendeath.
June 16th, 2008
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