The Arizona Review

L.A. Buzz Band Nico Vega Making 2 Arizona Stops On Their Headlining Tour.

AZR — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:24:16 +0000

NICO VEGA ON TOUR NOW; DATES INCLUDE SHOWS WITH CHEVELLE, AND INWARD EYE
LOS ANGELES TRIO TOURING IN SUPPORT OF ITS SELF-TITLED MYSPACE RECORDS DEBUT BAND’S LATEST SINGLE “GRAVITY” BUZZING AT ALTERNATIVE RADIO

L.A. buzz band Nico Vega is currently on a headlining tour, including a homecoming Halloween show at Club Nokia with rockers Chevelle, before jumping on tour with Inward Eye, and Neon Trees.

As the trio’s latest single “Gravity” is taking off on alternative radio, the group will be filming the song’s video in November.

The band (singer Aja Volkman, guitarist Rich Koehler and drummer Dan Epand) has made a name for itself thanks in part to its blistering and in-your-face live show highlighted by dynamic frontwoman Aja Volkman’s volatile stage presence. Filter described the band as “a musical, mythical beast” while 944 Magazine heralded them as a “brutal love triangle of rock, funk and blues” and congratulated the trio for its “wide musical scope, which stretches from stomach-scraping soul to unrelenting rage.” The NY Post called Aja “insanely spirited,” comparing her to Janis Joplin and Karen O.

Having worked with producers Linda Perry (Pink, Gwen Stefani) and Tim Edgar (Earl Greyhound), and mixer Tchad Blake (Pearl Jam, Elvis Costello, Peter Gabriel), Nico Vega channels a classic swagger a la Led Zeppelin and adds soaring, soulful vocals somewhere between Fiona Apple and PJ Harvey.

Over the summer the band’s song “Beast” was featured in the horror film The Collector and now Aja is preparing to leap headfirst onto the silver screen herself, making her acting debut co-starring in the upcoming Dane Cook movie Answers To Nothing where her shockingly gritty scenes will definitely not be forgotten anytime soon. Aja will play Tara, the mistress who is also a musician, and Nico Vega will sport cameos in the movie.

For more info see www.myspace.com/nicovega.

Catch Nico Vega on Tour:

Headline dates:

11/5 San Diego, CA Bar Pink

11/6 Tucson, AZ Plush

With Inward Eye/Neon Trees:

11/27 Mesa, AZ Hollywood Alley

11/29 Las Cruces, NM Code Red Concert Hall

12/1 Dallas, TX The Cavern

12/2 Biloxi, MS Hard Rock Café – Inside – ALL AGES, FREE SHOW

12/3 Jacksonville, FL Jack Rabbits

12/5 Atlanta, GA The Masquerade – Hell

12/6 Charlotte, NC Milestone

12/7 Washington, DC The Red and Black

12/10 Cambridge, MA TT The Bears

12/11 New York, NY The Studio at Webster Hall

12/13 Cleveland, OH Pirate’s Cove

12/18 Denver, CO Bender’s Tavern

Headline dates:

12/20 Las Vegas Wasted Space

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Bon Jovi Announces 2010 – 2011 World Tour

AZR — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 23:51:30 +0000

BON JOVI WELCOMES FANS INTO THE CIRCLE WITH

2010-2011 WORLD TOUR

* * * * *

North American Tour Announced at Bon Jovi’s Exclusive

New Meadowlands Stadium Performance

* * * * *

Bon Jovi to be the First Band to Play New Meadowlands Stadium

East Rutherford, NJ – October 22, 2009 – With New Jersey’s New Meadowlands Stadium as their backdrop, GRAMMY Award-winning hometown heroes Bon Jovi performed at a concert and media event today that announced “The Circle World Tour.” The band is preparing to spend nearly two years spanning the globe, including the kickoff event of New Meadowlands Stadium, scheduled for May 26th and 27th, 2010.

The New Meadowlands concerts will go on sale beginning at 10am on Saturday, October 31st, while additional tour dates go on sale beginning November 9th. Fans should continue to log on to www.bonjovi.com for the most up to date concert and ticket on-sale information.

The band’s Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, David Bryan and Tico Torres performed an exclusive set for a select group of 5,000 lucky contest winners, fan club members, and on-site construction workers currently at work building the New Meadowlands Stadium. Bon Jovi was also joined by New York Jets Chairman & CEO Woody Johnson, New York Giants President & CEO, John Mara, as well as President & CEO of the New Meadowlands Stadium Company, Mark Lamping. New York’s powerhouse radio station WPLJ DJ, Race Taylor, served as emcee. Live footage of the event is available at www.BonJovi.com.

Beginning with the band’s North American tour launch on February 19th, 2010 in Seattle, WA, Bon Jovi will spend much of the next two years on the road, performing 135 shows in 30 countries. Following in the footsteps of their hugely successful “Lost Highway Tour, Bon Jovi will draw fans around the world into The Circle, with a residency at London’s O2 Arena in June 2010 before returning to America in the fall for an additional nationwide leg, and further dates well into 2011.

“It is often said that the third time is a charm, and in the case of the Bon Jovi/AEG Live relationship, this axiom certainly holds,” said Randy Phillips, President and CEO of AEG Live. “AEG Live has been honored to serve as the band’s worldwide tour promoters, from the 2005 ‘Have A Nice Day’ tour to the highest grossing tour of 2008, ‘Lost Highway,’ to the upcoming ‘The Circle World Tour’ in 2010. Bon Jovi is one of the most prolific and exciting live rock bands in the world.”

Having sold more than 120 million albums and performed more than 2,600 concerts in over 50 countries for more than 34 million fans, Bon Jovi is at their best when they’re on the move, and that’s truer now than ever before. The November 10th, 2009 release of Bon Jovi’s new album, The Circle, and the band’s subsequent world tour, provides a powerful reassertion of Bon Jovi’s commitment to the hard-hitting rock & roll that has been the band’s indelible signature since it began more than 26 years ago.

Bon Jovi’s 2010 “The Circle World Tour” North American Itinerary

Advanced tickets to the New Meadowlands Stadium go on sale to American Express Card members beginning at 10am on Monday, October 26th.

*For more information on BON JOVI’s North American tour, visit www.BonJovi.com

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University of Phoenix U2 Concert Review and Photos

Nubia — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 22:55:45 +0000

On October 20^th, one of the most well known musical groups in the world performed in Arizona at the University of Phoenix stadium. U2 is on their 360 degree world tour promoting the new album No line in the Horizon, and I was ready to take full advantage of this opportunity to see them live.

I was expecting to be in front of a band that is overwhelming in their grandiosity. The iconic members, Bono, The Edge, Adam Klayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. have the ability to engage an entire stadium of people while maintaining an intimate relationship with the fans. The performance was raw, emotional, and there was no doubt that this was different then merely playing a U2 CD or watching a video. They presented in a way that was fun and more natural then a scripted performance.

U2’s 360 degree world tour is represented by an impressive structure that hovers over the stage. At first glance it looks like a giant claw from a sci-fi movie. It illuminated in different colors as the mood over the night changed. After trying to figure out what it was, I realized that it is an abstract representation of a rocket ship. Attached to the underbelly of the massive formation, was a 360 degree tele-ring that allowed for people sitting anywhere around the stadium to have a view of what was happening in the far off stage.

Spending over a third of their concert time playing songs from their new album, U2 also played songs that even the lay U2 fan would recognize. The classic songs like “Beautiful Day” “Stuck In A Moment” “Vertigo” and of course “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” kept the entire stadium singing along. At times we were put to the test on our knowledge of U2 lyrics as the microphone was pointed at the stadium to sing more than one line from a song.

Even the casual mainstream music follower is aware that U2 is more than a rock band. While promoting their new album, U2 uses the tour as an opportunity to bring awareness of social issues such as the house arrest of Burma political leader Aung San Suu Kyi and the work she has done for her country. Also, putting to good use the tele-cone, U2 broadcast the “One” speech by Nobel Prize Laureate Desmond Tutu which talked about how all people across the world can be a united force. While in the past U2 had been more subtle while sharing political views, a noticeable portion of the night was dedicated to these presentations.

Whether you are a die hard U2 fan or just a person going to a concert, we were in the presence of a band that has impacted people across time culture, and any other imaginary difference we think exists.

Set list:
Breathe
Get on Your Boots
Magnificent
Mysterious Ways
Beautiful Day
I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For
Stuck In A Moment
No Line on the Horizon
Elevation
In A Little While
Unknown Caller
Until The End of the World
The Unforgettable Fire
City of Blinding Lights
Vertigo
I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight
Sunday Bloody Sunday
MLK
Walk On
One
Where The Streets Have No Name
Encore:
Ultraviolet
With or Without You
Moment of Surrender

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Atreyu @ The Rialto Theater Concert Review and Photos!

Nubia — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 09:29:49 +0000

A Tuesday night at the Rialto Theater usually means that a much anticipated act will perform. However, at times the headliner does not deliver the entertainment expected and, in turn, is outshined by the opening bands. This is what happened to Atreyu on October 13 in Tucson, Az.

Too enthused to wait until the 7:30pm show time, Endless Hallway began their set a few minutes early. They came on stage and delivered a consistently high energy set from the first to the last song. The drum beatings, guitar rhythms and intense vocals that were heard from outside the Rialto lured stragglers and onlookers into the theater where they purchased last minute tickets.

Inside the theater, the floor was filled with young fans accompanied by their parental chaperones. Age difference aside, there was united excitement and shared enjoyment.

Escape the Fate then came on stage and gave a performance that stole the night. They were a step-up from the last time I saw them at KFMA day last spring. Possibly due to the intimate nature of the Rialto Theatre versus the massive audience from the outdoor event, Escape the Fate were personable, funny, and they dominated the stage with apparent zeal. At times, when lead singer Craig Mabbitt would head bang with such force, I was afraid he would suffer some whiplash. It was good to see a band onstage having a good time and rocking out despite however many times they have heard and performed their own songs.

At approximately 9:25pm, Atreyu came on stage and were greeted by the loud chanting from an awaiting audience. The band started off performing songs from their new album Congregation of the Damned, and gave some background on favorite songs such as “Gallows” while practicing in rehearsal. If you haven’t heard of Atreyu, their music can be described as screamo/metal. Atreyu live sounds like incomprehensible vocals coupled with quick beats, their strong point was that they were consistently powerful throughout each song, but their performance did not allow for listeners to notice a distinction from one song to the next. After half an hour of listening to songs with only slight noticeable differences, they performed their new radio favorite song “Falling Down” from Lead Sails Paper Anchors. This song is not just drastically different from the other songs performed so far, but it sounds like it belongs in a Weird Al Yankovic album. After “Falling Down” they returned to performing predominantly screamo style songs.

The spotlight to the night’s show definitely belonged to Escape the Fate rather than the Headliners Atreyu. Each band performed well, but Escape the Fate truly knew how to deliver their music to show the uniqueness of each song.

Concert photos by Mike Leland | www.mikeleland.com

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Fall Ball VS. KLPXfest Concert Review and Photos

Nubia — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 05:53:07 +0000

92.1 KFMA and sister station 96.1 KLPX presented an impressive rock weekend with Fall Ball Saturday, October 3rd and the 30th anniversary of KLPXfest on Sunday, October 4th at the Pima County Fairgrounds. KFMA is a Tucson rock station that plays new music and KLPX plays classic rock mostly from the ‘70s and ‘80s. The difference between Saturday and Sunday were astonishing and fascinating when taking into account the audience and the music.

On Saturday the 3rd, fairgrounds were dominated by the young rock crowd. For this all-day event it is striking how many attending would compromise comfort to show off their alternative style mall clothes. Black and neon, frills and vinyl, hair done and faces made up, and yet keeping themselves together after 10 hours at the fairgrounds, they were definitely troopers to last the entire day.

Highlights from Saturday included an amazing performance by club/rock act Paper Tongues. I wasn’t sure what to expect since the only song that has received much radio play is Ride to California. I have noticed when there is one song associated with an artist, it is usually the only one that is radio friendly or would appeal to a larger audience. However, I was captivated with their entire set and I recommend listening to a few more songs.

Misfits then took the stage and gave a lesson in punk history. Not a band that you would hear on KFMA, they seemed a little out of place. They did give a high energy performance with hardly a break between songs. The lure of the Misfits is that they are a well known name which attracted an older crowd. Long-time Misfit fans pushed their way through the young rockers to the front of the stage and held their fists in the air with each song.

Now returning to music that is played on KFMA, Flyleaf was an instant crowd favorite. Lead singer Lacey Mosley gave positive energy as she told everyone that we looked beautiful. Mosley has a voice that compares to Paramore’s Hayley Williams in that it is strong, powerful, and feminine without taking away from the savagery of their music. Flyleaf performed “Again,” which is their first single from their new album Memento Mori.

Leading into the evening The Used brought about rekindled excitement to the exhausted crowd. This excitement was quickly turned into disappointment when lead singer Burt McCraken made a homophobic joke and then asked the crowd to boo them. Most people that I could see around me were taken aback by his interaction with everyone. It is difficult to enjoy and appreciate a band when they make comments that are distasteful.

To save the night, Rise Against came on stage and took upon one of the most difficult feats of a day long concert. Finding an annoyed and exhausted audience, Rise Against turned the crowd around and hyped them up by playing some of their more popular songs right away.

The evening ended and some of us waited with anticipation to see what Sunday would bring.

Walking into the Pima County Fairgrounds on Sunday, my first thought was, “when did they have time to clean up the mess that was left behind the night before?” After dismissing that thought I set out to find my spot in the field to enjoy the 30th anniversary of KLPXfest.

The first noticeable difference between the young rockers from Saturday and those who have been going to concerts for decades is that the KLPX crowd no longer has a need to impress anyone around them with clothes or attitude. There were hardly any dark clothes or outlandish ensembles. Jeans and t-shirts was the outfit of choice, sprinkled with a few bandanas and leather vests from the biker crowd.

In addition, these wise concert elders brought blankets that quilted most of the fairground. Saturday I stood for 7 hours straight without a break, and I noticed that the people that came Sunday were not fooling themselves into thinking they could last all day without taking breaks between bands. I took heed and found my own spot on the grass.

The 30th anniversary of KLPXfest featured an epic classic rock line-up. I have always been a fan of 80’s rock, but it wasn’t until today that I became aware of how the music has changed in the last 30 years.

Sunday’s opener Great White was greeted by a crowd that was ready to rock loud and hard. Most of the crowd standing near the stage was cheering and singing with each song, and then more people joined when Great White finished with their most recognizable hit “Once Bitten, Twice Shy.” This made me realize that since these bands have been around for such a long time, I would expect a more intense reaction with each stirring of nostalgia.

During the intermission between bands, KLPX announced that the next band Ratt had to cancel due to illness. Not wanting to leave their fans disappointed, Ratt has scheduled a make-up performance on a later date.

War came on next with their laid back yet funky styling. As War played “Why Can’t We Be Friends” I saw a unity among the crowd as people would hold hands and sway to the music, it was a different pace to the head banging I’m used to being around.

As the evening set Styx possibly gave the best show of the night. They were energetic, funny, personable and extraordinary. A legendary band and much anticipated by those who partook in KLPXfest. Styx were the only band to give an encore to the demanding audience. Their presentation gave the impression that the band itself was excited to be part of the night.

Unfortunately for half of the crowd who left after Styx finished performing, REO Speedwagon came on and was absolutely incredible. Lucky for me and others waiting for REO, there was room for us to come close to the stage. I was taken aback that so many people had left, and wondered why KLPX had chosen to end with REO Speedwagon. Although it seemed as if there was more anticipation for Styx, I think people knew more REO Speedwagon songs. After so much excitement during the day, the mellowness of REO Speedwagon and lulled the remaining crowd into a near-slumber and put those blankets to good use.

www.kfma.com

www.klpx.com

Fall Ball concert photos by Alonso Murillo | www.photobyalonso.com

KLPXfest concert photos by Mike Leland | www.mikeleland.com

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