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REVIEW: M83 Brings a Double-dose of The Dreamy Vibes of ‘Fantasy’ to The Van Buren (4-10-23)

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M83 Setlist

PHOENIX — M83, an electronic group from France named after the galaxy Messier 83, performed at The Van Buren with experimental artist Rachika Nayar opening the show in a line-up consisting of only the two acts. The night of focus here is April 10, which was the original tour launch date scheduled in Phoenix and became the second night after it sold out, resulting in an add-on of April 9.

Rachika Nayar

Rachika Nayar performing at The Van Buren in Phoenix, AZ.
Rachika Nayar
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Opener Rachika Nayar, a composer and producer from Brooklyn, New York, set an ambiance that helped prime the audience for the vibes of M83. With the stillness of the crowd that portrayed an uncertainty of how to behave during this sensory electronic set, and a respectful patience, the performance came across almost like a pre-show DJ set.

Rachika Nayar performing at The Van Buren in Phoenix, AZ.
Rachika Nayar
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Nayar has a muted stage presence, and she remained stationed at her equipment throughout the set, not speaking until the end when she expressed gratitude in an unassuming tone and wished a friend in the audience a happy birthday.

Rachika Nayar has released two albums: Out Hands Against the Dusk and Heaven Come Crashing — both featuring heavily mutated and digitally-processed guitar, along with the fragments EP featuring raw guitar. All 3 of these records are available as MP3 downloads and/or as vinyls to add to your prized collection.

M83

Anthony Gonzalez (Vocalist, Guitar), M83
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Touring in support of Fantasy, which was released last month, M83 opened with the deeply relaxing and ethereal “Water Deep,” continuing with the chill vibes emanated by Nayar, unlike many other acts that will typically burst onto a performance as they start their set.

Anthony Gonzalez (Vocalist, Guitar), M83
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Fronted by 43-year-old Anthony Gonzalez, M83 has existed for about 24 years. Gonzalez is not a glamorous showman, yet his prowess shines for him. More than just a singer, he is a renaissance man responsible for lead vox, guitar, synths, keys, bass, percussion, mixing, arranging, and producing. 

Joe Berry (Synths, Sax, EWI), M83
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

M83 transitioned to a danceable energy with the upbeat title-track from Fantasy, which was the 8th song in a setlist of 20 (including the encore). “Fantasy” hearkens back to the primary energy of the Junk album — a personal favorite that I have kept on heavy rotation after being lucky enough to experience it live on their April 13, 2016 tour stop at Comerica Theatre (which, while I knew of M83 before that point, was what impacted me so much as to cement me as a fan).

Joe Berry (Synths, Sax, EWI), M83
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

It was during “Fantasy” that Joe Berry stepped away from the synthesizers and pleased the crowd with the EWI. The stage lights brightened and bathed the band in many more colors, and it was especially in that moment that the slow-roll of the night proved worth the wait. Though I may be biased as a sax player myself, I am confident in my opinion that anyone would be in agreement that the show really gets ripping once Berry starts wailing on the saxophone.

Kaela Sinclair (Vocalist, Keyboard), M83
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Kaela Sinclair commands attention as the siren of a soprano vocal that is a signature and integral part of M83’s sound. You can also catch her sultry, haunting, and powerful vocals outside of M83 as a solo artist.

The band’s show ebbs and flows from there, following “Fantasy” with “Laura”, which channels the 80s prom night air that much of M83’s music exudes. Afterward, they brought some of their highest energy with “Don’t Save Us From the Flames.” “Noise” from 2003 release Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts served as a segue to “Wait” from Hurry Up We’re Dreaming (2011). Delightfully, “Solitude” from Junk was next, and the bopping “Sunny Boy” from Fantasy after that.

The tracks that go heavier on the guitars for a dramatic electronic-meets-rock sound are absolutely soul igniting. The live band is rounded out with Julien Aoufi on drums, the skills of guitarist Théophile Antolinos, and bass rhythms from Clément Libes. These 3 musicians were shrouded in smoke and lights in the background as the front of the stage was filled with the synths and keyboards, along with Gozales, Sinclair, and Berry.

Anthony Gonzalez (Vocalist, Guitar), M83
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

It comes as no surprise that the crowd’s energy climaxed during the encore as the group launched into the highly recognizable “Midnight City”, which has received heavy radio play since its release in 2011. If you are a regular listener of ALT AZ 93.3, you’ve heard it a lifetime’s worth. One can only long for more of M83’s superior tracks to hit the mainstream to give respite from the overabundance of formulaic, forgettable, and overplayed tracks of other artists that pervade popular music today. 

Kaela Sinclair (Vocalist, Keyboard), M83
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

This night of music was nourishing to the spirit with a perfect blend of chill time and outright fun, which was quite apparent by the invigorated energy that was effortlessly perceptible from the crowd leaving the venue following “Outro.” 

M83
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

See the full M83 setlist from April 10, 2023 at The Van Buren here:

Setlist

Burning Hot Events highly recommends catching this tour. There is ample opportunity to do so, as it has just started, and the band has dates scheduled all across North America up through May 16th. Check out the tour dates here:

Tour Dates


Photo Album

Photographer: Katherine Amy Vega

M83 & Rachika Nayar – The Van Buren 4-10-23

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

REVIEW: The Triumphant Return of Alter Bridge Brings “Pawns & Kings” To Marquee Theatre (3-29-23)

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Setlists

Tempe, AZ — It was 2017 when Alter Bridge last took the stage at the Marquee Theatre. As the pandemic subsided, they released new music with Pawns & Kings in October last year and set out on a North American Tour. On this night the stop in Arizona included opening sets by Wolfgang Van Halen’s Mammoth WVH and Pistols At Dawn. Although the popular music scene seems to have forgotten how to play guitars, rest assured that the great American guitar heroes are alive and well in the rock world. 

In fact, the night opened with a shredding solo from 22-year-old phenom, Will James, that brought the house down just minutes after the lights went down. The second act delivered the Van Halen 2.0 guitarist that wowed the world when he played his father’s solos at the tribute shows for the late Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters. And the icing on the cake was rock royalty, Mark Tremonti! Fans who love heavy guitar played by virtuosos were in their glory at this show and the decibels were sufficiently over 100dB as prescribed to make sure you heard and felt the music. The vocalists of the night were in top form for this show too as expected, but Myles Kennedy of Alter Bridge was beyond outstanding and proved that he is arguably one of the best singers…ever. Some of his melodies that soared into the stratosphere brought cheers from the audience that rose above the volume of the PA system.

Pistols At Dawn

Pistols at Dawn
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

Sometimes the opening band makes you scratch your head and wonder why they are there, but Pistols At Dawn complemented the essence of Alter Bridge perfectly.  They formed in Atlanta in 2015 and shuffled through several lineup changes while recording and releasing singles and a 7-song EP. Last year, the latest incarnation recorded their debut album Ascension on Megaforce Records with producer Sylvia Massy (Tool) and founding members Devin White (guitar) and Adam Jaffe (drums). The band was reinvented with additions of Cris Hodges (vocals), Sean Benham (bass), and the young Will James (guitar) mentioned above. 

Cris Hodges (Vocalist), Pistols at Dawn
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

Ascension has an epic big production sound, which is typical and possibly necessary to complement their contemporaries, but their short set of five songs sounded better live than on the recordings. Hodges, with his day-glo sneakers and open sided muscle shirt, entertained while delivering a flawless performance. Burning Hot Events spoke with him after their set about his upcoming tour with Ugly Kid Joe and Fozzy, and he mentioned that he’ll be back in town for U-Fest as a guest singer for Chester Bennington’s former band Grey Daze.

Cris Hodges (Vocalist), Pistols at Dawn
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

They confirmed it on Instagram saying, “After many requests to perform live, we finally said yes! We will honor our original intention while still paying homage to Chester, by bringing in guest vocalist Chris [sic] Hodges @hodgesofficial to perform with us.” Before joining Pistols At Dawn, Hodges fronted a Linkin Park tribute band called In The End and guitarist James was playing his signature green neon-light guitar in a Bon Jovi tribute band called Shot Thru The Heart. They advanced from tribute band to touring with Alter Bridge shows. Dreams do come true.

Mammoth WVH

Wolfgang Van Halen (Vocalist, Guitarist, Keyboardist), Mammoth WVH
Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

You’d have to admit that you had your doubts when his dad let him play bass in the mighty Van Halen, but Wolfgang has won over all of the naysayers. When we finally heard him play guitar and sing, and then found out that he also played everything including drums, bass, and keyboards on the debut Mammoth WVH album, we all realized there is something really special in this kid. He inherited that captivating smile from his mother, Valerie Bertinelli, and a broad appreciation and mastery of music from the late Eddie Van Halen. But now he is blazing his own trail and there were no Van Halen songs in the set (or technically we can say that they were all “Van Halen” songs since he wrote every one of them).

Frank Sidoris and Wolfgang Van Halen
Frank Sidoris (Guitarist) & Wolfgang Van Halen (Vocalist, Guitarist), Mammoth WVH
Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

In the music video for “Don’t Back Down”, they show four clones of Wolfgang playing all of the instruments, and while that would be awesome to see live, they had to get some hired guns to cover the parts that he didn’t play live. The guitarist on his right was Frank Sidoris who many in the audience recognized from Slash’s band with Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators. Ron Ficarro (I Am Ghost, Falling In Reverse) played bass, and Garrett Whitlock (who Wolfgang had played with in the band Tremonti) joined as the live drummer, and lastly the charismatic Jon Jourdan (To Whom It May)  joined as a third guitarist. So Wolfgang didn’t get to play drums or bass on any songs, but he did play a little bit of keyboards in addition to his guitars.

Wolfgang Van Halen (Vocalist, Guitarist, Keyboardist), Mammoth WVH
Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

The 8-song set flew by leaving the crowd wanting more, but they were at least able to include their first two singles which both went to number 1: “Distance” and “Don’t Back Down,” which closed their set. We were also treated to a new song that had just been released last week called “Another Celebration At The End Of The World” – a true crowd pleaser that drives hard and included a finger tapping speed solo that garnered a round of applause mid-song. 

Alter Bridge

This four-piece leviathan keeps building on their foundation of stellar musicianship and rock-solid songwriting. It’s a full-on blitzkrieg from the top of the setlist with “Silver Tongue,” from the latest Alter Bridge release, Pawns & Kings to the closer “Rise Today” from the Blackbird LP.

Had it really been 6 years since they last came to town? Their loyal fans showed up in droves to welcome them back from the silence of the pandemic, and it was great to see them back on stage where they belong! 

Myles Kennedy (Vocalist, Guitarist), Alter Bridge
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

It was a packed house and they may have actually outgrown this midsize theater, but it proved to be the perfect intimate setting to showcase highlights from their 7 studio albums (note that no songs made the setlist from The Last Hero or Walk The Sky). It’s not unusual for bands to tell every city that they are the best audience, but Kennedy seemed to genuinely appreciate the fan engagement on this night and gave a heartfelt thank you to the Phoenician crowd.

Mark Tremonti (Guitarist), Alter Bridge
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

Tremonti is the guitar hero and Kennedy is the vocal maestro, however they each showed their prowess at switching roles. Tremonti sang harmonies all night and then took center stage to sing the melancholy “Burn It Down” and did an incredible job. Most loyal followers were not surprised knowing that he sings lead in his self-titled band Tremonti and also on his incredible Mark Tremonti Sings Frank Sinatra solo album (seriously check this out if you haven’t heard about it). 

Myles Kennedy (Vocalist, Guitarist), Alter Bridge
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

And on the flip side, Kennedy is relegated to being “just” a phenomenal frontman singer when he is touring with Slash, but in Alter Bridge he contributes to the six-string shredding too.  These dual talents shone brightest on the song “Blackbird.” He started the song in silhouette against beams of amber lights emulating angelic wings. An homage of the familiar chords of The Beatles’ “Blackbird” ushered in the somber chords of the title track from the Alter Bridge 2007 album of the same name.

The song begins delicately but ultimately crescendos into a symphony of sound bathed in violet lights as Kennedy plays the most soulful guitar solo of the night and then tosses the reins to Tremonti who adds his stamp of originality for this rock anthem. Few songs are truly “moving.” This is one. The ending was so powerful that it felt like the final encore as the crowd shouted their approval.

The four new songs were heavy. “Silver Tongue” and “Holiday” carried the traditional flame of fast and furious, while “Sin After Sin” was best received and had that epic slow march of classic metal. The title track, “Pawns and Kings” is a great song with meticulously crafted lyrics, but for some reason it didn’t resonate live (possibly the newness needs to become more ingrained or maybe it was the strobe lights aimed at the audience throughout the song).

Myles Kennedy (Vocalist, Guitarist), Alter Bridge
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

There was a brief respite from the onslaught of loud guitars with a two-song acoustic set that was just stellar. For “Watch Over You,” Kennedy was alone on stage with his Taylor acoustic guitar and a microphone. With each lyric of the song he emoted the feelings of loss of a friend that is just beyond helping. You can’t “phone in” the vocals on a song like this, stripped down to just a guitar/vocal, you have to “feel” the emotions and Kennedy made us feel it too.

For the second acoustic song, Tremonti commandeered his Taylor acoustic guitar with the cutaway neck as they went back to their first album for the song “In Loving Memory.” Another beautiful song. Cheers arose as Kennedy held the soft falsetto note for 14 seconds effortlessly. Two guys in unassuming black T-shirts held the reverent gaze of everyone in attendance who came to rock-out, but communed in this peaceful moment.  All hell would soon break out again with the aggressive Alter Bridge rockers “Isolation” and “Metalingus.”

Alter Bridge
Alter Bridge
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

After a 15-song set, they bowed and expressed their heart-felt gratitude to the fans who came out on this night to cheer them on. They left the stage, but the house lights refused to come up and the people began to chant “AL – TER – BRIDGE!” They wasted no time getting back on stage and began some banter with the audience. They apologized to one guy that wanted to come up and play drums with them, but offered maybe next time. Then some guy named Al got the coolest birthday present as Alter Bridge and all of us sang “Happy Birthday” to him. 

To close the night they chose two iconic songs. First was “Open Your Eyes,” which is the first song that really put them on the map with heavy rotation on MTV (it was much later when most of us learned that Kennedy was that guy from the audience that got up and sang with Steel Dragon in the movie Rock Star). Kennedy let the audience chime in on the signature falsetto melody in the bridge and then proceeded to show everyone how it was really done…so impressive. The choice for the song to close the night was “Rise Today,” which most succinctly defined the Alter Bridge sound. The energy was still high and Tremonti banged his head all night (if not for his military haircut, his hair would have been flying all evening).

Brian Marshal (Bassist), Alter Bridge
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

One last shout out to the rhythm sections for all three bands that aren’t as much in the spotlight, but contribute so much to the sound and presence of the stars they support. Brian Marshal (bass) and Scott Phillips (drums) have been working with Tremonti since their commercial success with Creed and they were absolutely phenomenal all night. It’s funny how you just expect them to be perfect so you might only notice their passionate playing if there were mistakes…and there were no mistakes that I noticed. They deserve all of the recognition as key components of Alter Bridge!

Scott Phillips (Drummer), Alter Bridge
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

As the house lights came on and the recorded music came up, was that Frank Sinatra singing as the audience shuffled out? Or could it have been Tremonti? 

Alter Bridge - Marquee Theater
Alter Bridge
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

Setlists

Photo Galleries

Photographer: Rodrigo Izquierdo

View Separately:
Shaggy | TLC | En Vogue | Sean Kingston | Nyce Hitz

Alter Bridge | Mammoth WVH | Pistols at Dawn

Alter Bridge, Mammoth WVH, & Pistols at Dawn – Marquee Theatre 3-29-23

Photography © Reagle Photography
All Rights Reserved

REVIEW: Sad Night Dynamite Brings a Unique Spin on Trip Hop to Valley Bar (11-13-22)

PHOENIX — England’s Sad Night Dynamite has had two full length albums, both dropping in the last two years, but based on the fevered crowd reaction to their Sunday night concert at Valley Bar, with support from The Color 8, you might believe they are a group whose rabid cult-following stretches across decades and multiple albums. Valley Bar was the perfect venue for the show, as its location around the back of a building, and down an old staircase into the basement of the building felt like a secret show that only the coolest people know about. It’s a vibe that Sad Night Dynamite’s set kept going, in a set heavy with crowd interaction

The Color 8

The Color 8 - Valley Bar
The Color 8
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

Phoenix’s The Color 8, for those unfamiliar, are a band that defies all expectations their first appearance may give an audience. From the first note of their opener “Galaxy,” one might expect a set of modern-day jazz-funk fusion, like The Meters’ Cabbage Alley album was pulled through a time warp and reimagined for a new generation. That on its own would have been incredible enough, but this is where The Color 8 swerves instead of staying any particular course. 

The Color 8 - Valley Bar
The Color 8
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

“Is it alright if we switch things up a little bit?” asked guitar player Kal (stage name Kal The Guitar Hero). With that, Kal and bassist Jeremiah Smith laid into a heavy (with emphasis on heavy) metal riff for the song “Whoa,” joined by drummer Wisco 3’s heavy beats. His jazzy tempo from “Galaxy” gave way to a drumming so intense it sounded like he was hitting the drums with cinder blocks instead of sticks. Ashton Vaughn Charles, who was playing the saxophone just a song before, let loose with vocals that felt like a cross between the metal of System of the Down’s Serj Tankian with a splash of the hardcore punk of HR from Bad Brains. It was gloriously intense. 

Ashton Vaughn Charles (Saxophonist, Vocalist), The Color 8
Ashton Vaughn Charles (Saxophonist, Vocalist), The Color 8
Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

They followed up jazz-funk fusion and metal with the post-reggae island track “Know the Plan.” They invited the audience to join in with each track and be a part of the experience (the band are veterans of First Friday Art Walk, where they were routinely joined by a bevy of different musicians which has lent itself well to their eclectic style). The new song “No Sleep” was a set highlight, featuring some gorgeous harmonies in the shared vocals from Wisco 3 and Jeremiah. Following the metal track “Run It Back,” with more audience participation throughout the song, Kal joked to the audience “We’re a bit bipolar ‘cause we go up and down,” before they launched into the R&B-soul groove of “X.” They closed out their set with “Savage Season.” 

Sad Night Dynamite

Sad Night Dynamite - Valley Bar
Sad Night Dynamite
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

Playing their first show in Phoenix, Sad Night Dynamite from Somerset, England immediately proved to have built a strong fanbase in The Valley of the Sun. With the house lights down, the duo of best friends Josh Greacen and Archie Blagden joined their band to the appropriately named track “Intro.” As soon as they launched into “Demon” from this year’s album Volume II, the audience collectively lost their minds. As the two traded off vocals and weaved back and forth around the stage, they were musical puppet masters, moving the crowd this way and that at even the slightest of directions. During the song and throughout the night, Greacen rapped through a megaphone into his microphone, which is never not cool. 

Sad Night Dynamite - Valley Bar
Josh Greacen (Vocalist, Guitarist), Sad Night Dynamite
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

For “Black & White,” Greacen played guitar while Blagden went into the crowd (shout out to the member of SND’s crew who stood on stage holding the mic chord high up, so that he could stand in the crowd without the mob of fans around him inadvertently unplugging the mic).  Following “Icy Violence” from their self-titled debut, it was Greacen’s turn to go into the crowd for “Smoke Hole.” As he waded out into the middle, he prompted the crowd with “Alright Phoenix, I want you to break my bones! On my count: 1, 2, 3… 4!” As Blagden and the band launched into the song, the crowd launched into Greacen, seemingly trying to follow through on his request, bouncing him around the circle pit like a pinball. Returning to the stage a little beat up, he jokingly opined “That’s more like a 10, Phoenix… I think I broke some ribs!” 

Archie Blagden (Vocalist), Sad Night Dynamite
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

“We’re from this sad little island called England,” Greacen told the crowd after recovering from his circle pit beating. “Do you know what’s good about England?… Sad Night Dynamite,” Blagden responded, with the crowd roaring in approval. Excluding The Beatles, Bowie, and Monty Python, Sad Night Dynamite certainly made a compelling case throughout the night. 

The duo changed the mood with the beautiful, atmospheric “Tramp” from Volume II, with Greacen on keyboards. Their 13-song set featured seven of the nine songs from their debut Sad Night Dynamite, and four of the seven songs from their new album. They closed out their set with the chill dance groove of their new song “What Does That Make Me?” and “Krunk”. Sad Night Dynamite traveled approximately 5,186 miles to play their first show in Phoenix, and for this crowd, they truly brought the best thing in England to the Valley Bar.

Photo Galleries

Photographer: Rodrigo Izquierdo

Sad Night Dynamite & The Color 8 – Valley Bar 11-13-22

Photography © Reagle Photography
All Rights Reserved

REVIEW: The Who’s Icons Roger Daltrey & Pete Townshend Front a Symphony of Sound at Ak-Chin Pavilion (10-30-22)

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PHOENIX — The Who is a band with a pedigree worthy of selling out stadiums, but this night held the ambiance of a relatively intimate venue at Ak-Chin Pavilion. Opening the show was Mike Campbell and The Dirty Knobs. This same large stage that can look almost empty for a quartet was filled to the brim with a full orchestra and ten times as many musicians. The publicity for this concert seemed to ‘fly under the radar.’ Many long time fans were there to see the legendary singer Roger Daltrey and guitarist Pete Townshend, and it was like ‘tasty icing on the cake’ to get a symphony of sound to elevate the band that coined the phrase rock opera. The setlist took advantage of the cacophony of instruments with selections from Tommy and Quadrophenia.

Mike Campbell and The Dirty Knobs

Setlist

Mike Campbell and the Dirty Knobs
| Photography:
Mark Greenawalt © All Rights Reserved

Campbell may not be a household name to everyone, but he was the right-hand-man to world renown Tom Petty, and as part of the Heartbreakers, Campbell entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002. He will forever be associated with and compared to Petty, and tonight was no exception. He looked the part, wearing a raggedy ‘Mad Hatter’ top hat and a frumpy pin-striped coat, and speaking the same register, timbre, and Florida dialect as Petty. 

Mike Campbell
Mike Campbell
| Photography:
Mark Greenawalt © All Rights Reserved

They were only allotted a short 6-song set and a mere sliver of the stage, but they made the best of it and kicked the night off with two Dirty Knobs original songs from their 2020 release Wreckless Abandon. The rest of the set was like seeing the ultimate tribute band playing Tom Petty “covers.” Except, this was authentic. You’re hard pressed to call them ‘cover’ songs when Campbell co-wrote the biggest crowd pleasers “Refugee” and the closing anthem “Runnin’ Down A Dream”. It’s a safe bet that some of Campbell’s songwriting prowess will fill this venue again next week when Stevie Nicks sings “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around.” 

The Who

Setlist

The stage was set and the multitude of supporting musicians were their places. Dim blue lighting washed over the many instruments that were foreign to most rock concerts and the crowd swelled with anticipation. The spotlights cut through the monochromatic background to reveal the colorful pair of superstars known as Daltrey and Townshend.

Roger Daltrey (Vocalist) & Pete Townshend (Guitarist), The Who
| Photography:
Mark Greenawalt © All Rights Reserved

Daltrey was wearing an unassuming sage t-shirt and signature blue-tinted glasses. Townshend, ever the showman, was dressed in a black sports jacket with a crimson handkerchief in the pocket and sporting rockstar sunglasses. The night was divided into three acts, and the first act was a celebration of Tommy that included “Overture,” “1921,” “Amazing Journey,” “Sparks,” “We’re Not Gonna Take It,” and of course, “Pinball Wizard.”

Roger Daltrey (Vocalist), The Who
| Photography:
Mark Greenawalt © All Rights Reserved

It did not take long for Daltrey to shift from wielding a pair of goatskin tambourines to commandeering the microphone and spinning it around like a giant lasso, like he has for decades. He has had some vocal issues to attend to in the past couple of years so the verdict was out as to how he would sound. It was a resounding yes, he was back to full throttle and sounded absolutely incredible. Full range, impeccable pitch, and that unique rasp that makes him a one-of-a-kind.

The Who with orchestra of touring &amp local musicians
Photography:
Mark Greenawalt © All Rights Reserved

The sound that the orchestra added was so full and powerful and perfectly mixed. Apparently, there were technical things on stage that were a nuisance, from Daltrey saying that there were a bunch of “mice in his in-ear monitors” to Townshend having monitor issues, and a guitar that completely ambushed the start of one song. Townshend remarked in his humorous snarky way that this venue was “a shit hole, parking lot of a venue” and that they “deserve better.” Daltrey’s reaction was priceless as he looked down and grinned, assumingly amused at the guitarist’s outspoken candidness. They soldiered-through the sound issues and made sure that the fans knew how much they truly appreciated them.

Keith Levenson (Conductor)
| Photography:
Mark Greenawalt © All Rights Reserved

The orchestra remained on stage for “Who Are You,” “Eminence Front,”, and “Ball and Chain” to round out the first act. The conductor, Keith Levenson and a core of four musicians tour with the band, while the remaining members of the up-to-48-piece orchestra are a specially handpicked group of players from each city.

Katie Jacoby (Violinist) & other orchestra members performing with The Who
Photography:
Mark Greenawalt © All Rights Reserved

The touring members included Katie Jacoby, the violinist that stole the show for the “Baba O’Reily” solo, Audrey Snyder on cello, Randy Landau on contrabass, and Emily Marshall on symphonic keyboards. The local musicians are the best of the best from the Phoenix Symphony, Arizona Opera, and other chamber groups and recording session players.

Audrey Snyder & Melanie Yarger (Cellists), Randy Landau (Contrabassist)
Photography:
Mark Greenawalt © All Rights Reserved

We spoke with cellist Melanie Yarger about being selected for the show:

This was by far one of the most epic experiences of my career,” she said. “Being onstage with an iconic band like The Who is mind blowing in itself, but their presentation with the thick orchestration is just next level. There is a reason why they are the benchmark for rock and roll.

Zak Starkey (Drummer), The Who
| Photography:
Mark Greenawalt © All Rights Reserved

For the second act, the orchestra left the stage for the core band to perform “You Better You Bet,” “The Seeker,” “Naked Eye,” “Another Tricky Day,” “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” and “Behind Blue Eyes.” The influence of two members of the classic lineup of The Who were ever present throughout the night, but sadly they could only be there in spirit. Drummer Keith Moon passed away in 1978 and bassist John Entwistle passed away in 2002. These are very large shoes to fill, but drummer Zak Starkey (son of Ringo Starr) has toured with them since 1996 and bassist Jon Button since 2017 and, pardon the pun, but these kids are alright. 

Jon Button (Bassist), The Who
| Photography:
Mark Greenawalt © All Rights Reserved

“Won’t Get Fooled Again” started with an explosion (and no audible count in) and then all eyes were on keyboardist Loren Gold for that groundbreaking sequenced keyboard exposition originally crafted by the mad scientist (Townshend). And, oh yes, Townshend is not too old to show off the windmill guitar attacks on this song. What a treat to see this live! There may only be one Pete Townshend, but there were two Townshends on stage. Pete’s little brother Simon has toured with them since 1996 as the second guitarist and backup vocalist.

Pete Townshend (Guitarist), The Who
| Photography:
Mark Greenawalt © All Rights Reserved

Speaking of vocals, so many of The Who’s catalog has wonderful vocal harmonies supporting Daltrey’s melodies and they were able to replicate them live with the help of Billy Nicolls, who was dedicated to vocals, both keyboardists, and obviously both of the Townshend brothers. Pete Townshend’s reported issues of hearing loss might have made one question if he would be able to hear well enough to sing on key, but rest assured that he sounded as good as ever taking lead vocals on “Eminence Front” and “I’m One” from Quadrophenia.

Simon Townshend (Guitarist, Backup Vocalist), The Who
| Photography:
Mark Greenawalt © All Rights Reserved

Act three was the ode to Quadrophenia and saw the return of the orchestra to the stage. I wish Entwistle could have been there to hear the horn section blasting out his arrangements on “The Real Me.” It was just a little too loud…exactly as it should be! Townshend composed Quadrophenia, The Who’s third rock opera, just shy of 50 years ago, and these songs are still getting airplay on classic rock stations today and reaching new fans. Songs “5:15” and “The Rock” fed the nostalgic thirst, but it was “Love, Reign O’er Me” that was more like an out-of-body experience… with a full symphony! It was an honor to be there and it is a memory that we collectively carried with us.

Pete Townshend (Guitarist), The Who
| Photography:
Mark Greenawalt © All Rights Reserved

With such a deep discography, it is no surprise that quite a few fan favorites had to be left out. This tour decided to leave out the whole era of the early years. It seems almost criminal that they didn’t play “My Generation,” “I Can’t Explain,” “I Can See For Miles,” “Magic Bus,” and a personal favorite: “Squeeze Box.” The newest song that they played was “Ball And Chain” from the 2019 album Who. Luckily, though, they did not leave town before entertaining us with a serving of “Baba O’Riely.”

The Who
| Photography:
Mark Greenawalt © All Rights Reserved

The windmills were grazing the candy apple red Stratocaster guitar and you could sense the pride Townshend still feels to perform this song after countless shows around the world. Katie Jacoby stole our hearts with her infectious smile during the violin solo (and we will probably never hear this song again without envisioning her playing that part). This ended a magical night of heartfelt musicianship and brilliant songwriting that has been our soundtrack since the British Invasion first filled our airwaves. Townshend ended the evening by introducing all of the touring members and bringing them out front for a wave goodbye.

Photo Gallery

Photographer: Mark Greenawalt

The Who & Mike Campbell and the Dirty Knobs – Ak-Chin Pavilion 10-30-22

Photography © Mark Greenawalt.
All Rights Reserved

REVIEW: AFI “Bodies Tour 2022” Lights Up & Sells Out Marquee Theatre (10-28-22)

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Tempe, AZ — Marquee Theatre hosted a sellout crowd for the return of AFI to the valley for the first time since their February 2017 sold out show at the same venue. The AFI “Bodies Tour 2022” stopped in this college town following a short COVID postponement, and included opener Drab Majesty with their unique ethereal sound to excite the fanbase. Known for high-energy live performances, AFI had their loyal followers fist-pumping and singing every song word-for-word. It was a memorable show to be sure and well worth the wait. 

Drab Majesty

Drab Majesty
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

Playing in low-light with some dramatic smoke, Drab Majesty took the stage with their purposefully androgynous uniform look. The two-piece band sported white shirts with gray jackets, white face paint and black goggles, with matching white choppy hair. They had a synth-heavy sound with monotonous vocals, inciting memories of 80’s bands like The Smiths or Spandau Ballet. One fan was overheard comparing them to Joy Division, and they are not wrong. With choruses repeating lyrics like, “When you were dead, I took you by your head” from their song “Cold Soul”, they add a dark edginess to their seven-song set. 

Deb DeMure (Vocals, Guitar, Percussion), Drab Majesty
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

The “darkwave” band was formed in 2011 in Los Angeles, California by Andrew Clinco – aka Deb DeMure – who currently provides vocals, guitar, and percussion for Drab Majesty. DeMure previously worked for the group Marriages as a drummer from late 2012 until 2017 when the band apparently broke. He is joined onstage by keyboardist and vocalist Alex Nicolaou – aka Mona D – who joined Drab Majesty in 2016.

Mona D (Keyboardist, Vocalist), Drab Majesty
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

Their record label, Dais Records, claims “DeMure insists that the inspiration for the songs is received from an other-worldly source that Deb is merely a vessel through which outside ideas flow inward”. The duo have 3 albums on the label: Careless (2015), The Demonstration (2017) and Modern Mirror (2019). They have previously toured with The Smashing Pumpkins. 

A Fire Inside

Setlist

AFI (A Fire Inside)
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

AFI is touring in support of their 2021 Bodies album, bringing “A Fire Inside” to Arizona, and what a show it was! The burgeoning crowd lit up from the first note of “Girls Not Grey,” from the 2003 album Sing the Sorrow. Frontman Davey Havok immediately climbed on a riser situated on the front of the stage, wearing a brass-studded vest with “Death of the Party” on the back, and the room exploded with energy. Havoc ran from one side of the stage to the other, and leaned precariously forward from the stage while singing directly to fans. When he wasn’t jumping from the riser, or swinging his microphone stand, he was belting out hit after hit from the AFI discography.  

Davey Havok (Vocalist), AFI
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

Onstage was Havok, along with original drummer and backing vocalist Adam Carson, with Hunter Burgan on bass, backing vocals and keyboards, and Jade Puget also provided backing vocals and on the keys. Their 18 song set was not shy of hits, including an intense version “Escape From Los Angeles” from 2021’s Bodies album, a super-sultry version of “The Boy Who Destroyed the World” from the All Hallows EP, and an encore including: “Third Season” from Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes (1997) and “Silver and Cold” from Sing the Sorrow (2003). Notably missing from the setlist, however, was “Miss Murder”, from 2006’s Decemberunderground album. 

Davey Havok (Vocalist), AFI
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

Havoc knows how to connect to people and there’s a palpable love that’s reciprocated. While singing “I Hope You Suffer” from Burials (2013), he trusted the fans to support him as he walked across the crowd. You read that right. In some sort of biblical walk-on-water feat, he used outstretched palms to walk into the crowd about 10 deep. A feat to behold, to be sure, and a bit of a surprise to the Marquee’s bewildered security. Perhaps they underestimated the crowd, who would never, ever let him fall. Havoc is an icon, and AFI is in their bloodstream. 

Davey Havok (Vocalist), AFI
| Photography:
Rodrigo Izquierdo © All Rights Reserved

AFI moved on to the “When We Were Young Festival” in Las Vegas the next day, leaving Arizona fans fulfilled, for now. This show has left a mark on the band’s devotees. Sometimes watching a crowd enjoy a show is as exciting as the show itself, and this is one of those times. AFI just brings it.

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Photographer: Rodrigo Izquierdo

AFI & Drab Majesty – Marquee Theatre 10-28-22

Photography © Reagle Photography
All Rights Reserved

REVIEW: Panic! at the Disco Exacts Vengeance on the Footprint Center (10-23-22)

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PHOENIX – Panic! at the Disco returned to the Valley of the Sun for the first time in over 4 years; the longest absence from the state since the group was formed. At one point – between Valentine’s Day 2014 and March 29th, 2017, Panic! at the Disco (Panic) visited the Phoenix area a whopping 7 times, so the 4 year absence – in part due to the pandemic – meant that the fans in this area were hungry for the pageantry that comes with a Panic stage show. Opening for Panic was Jake Wesley Rogers, who catapulted into the public’s eye in 2012 when he competed – and was unfortunately eliminated in the quarterfinals – on America’s Got Talent. Following Rogers was MARINA, a Welsh-born singer/songwriter who started on her path to stardom across the pond in 2005. 

The three artists visited the valley on the “Viva Las Vengeance” tour, in support of the latest album – of the same name – from Panic! at the Disco. Together, the three bands promised to put on one entertaining show. The stage was a bit different than what most are used to with a square catwalk surrounding a standing room only pit for the lucky few who were able to score those prize tickets. If one were to stand in the middle of that area, it would only be around 15 feet from the stage in all directions, making it an incredible place to view this show.

Jake Wesley Rogers

Setlist

Jake Wesley Rogers
Jake Wesley Rogers
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

As his accompanying band started up, Rogers emerged wearing a white, sparkly suit with ruby red high heeled boots. It was a triumphant entry, his hands held high as he spun around before he took a seat at the piano.

Jake Wesley Rogers
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Rogers may not be the most recognizable name on this tour, but he was an excellent choice to join Panic! He was an entertainer though and through, projecting some Freddie Mercury vibes when he whipped off his jacket, revealing a tank top. It would be easy to get lost in the majesty of his stage presence, but he is not only great at setting a scene and then chewing it right up, he is also a staggeringly talented vocalist. 

Jake Wesley Rogers
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

At one point, he performed a cover of My Chemical Romance’s “Welcome to the Black Parade,” to the delight of the crowd. The mix of his vocal talents and his ability to impressively emulate Gerald Way shows that Rogers is the consummate entertainer, and we will likely see him quite a bit more on tours – perhaps even headlining on the scale of Panic – in the future. 

Jake Wesley Rogers
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Mid-set, he introduced himself and explained he was from Missouri, “You know…the Bible Belt,” and, chuckling, he showed off the soon to be infamous high heeled red boots – perhaps a nod to Brendon Urie’s time in the Broadway musical “Kinky Boots” –  and stated “I like to think I was the rhinestone on the belt buckle.” 

The 30-minute set was capped by “Pluto,” the title track of the album he released last year. As his performance was coming to an end, he announced he was putting his phone number up on the screen, and he would select one person to upgrade their seats. This was his way of giving back, as he had told the story of how, growing up, his mother took him to concerts, but they ended up sitting in the nosebleeds. This was his way of taking someone who was in the same type of situation, giving them a night they wouldn’t soon forget.

MARINA

Setlist

As the stage change occurred, a banner with “MARINA” was raised. This act alone caused a cheer to rise from the crowd, and it became clear that there is a huge portion of Panic fans who are also MARINA fans. It’s easy to see why, as they both share the flair for the dramatics.

Marina Diamandis (Vocalist), MARINA
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

While there are no pyrotechnics that back up vocalist Marina Diamandis, she truly does not need them. She came out wearing a pink dress, slinking onto and owning the stage, and she launched into “Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land.” Standing on a white platform, Diamandis commanded the attention of the audience, keeping them in awe for the entire performance. 

Marina Diamandis (Vocalist), MARINA
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

She greeted the crowd before “Man’s World,” saying “Phoenix! How are you feeling tonight? I’m so, so happy to be here, thank you for the warm welcome! I wasn’t expecting it.” Diamandis was extremely grateful for the love that the crowd showed her, thanking them between many of the songs, and also seemed a bit surprised at how well the crowd knew her music. Her mix of confidence and humbleness endeared herself to the crowd even more. It was hard to walk away from her set and feel anything but awe for her performance. 

Marina Diamandis (Vocalist), MARINA
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

When she started out, she had stated she was influenced by Britney Spears and The Distillers’ singer Brody Dalle. She is now an influence herself, and there are undoubtedly many musicians and vocalists who are inspired by her for good reason: Her voice is stunning, she has the stage presence of a superstar (making the most of a minimalist background), and her lyrics are sharp and pointed, even with the upbeat sounding music. In short, it is no wonder that so many knew her music, and no wonder that she was given such a warm welcome from the crowd. Over the course of a 12-song set, she moved between the platform, her piano, and walked the stage with a fierce confidence. She closed her portion of the show with more gratitude to the audience, followed by “Bubblegum Bitch,” which drew the biggest cheers of her set.

Marina Diamandis (Vocalist), MARINA
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

After MARINA’s set ended, the temperature in the arena started to plummet. Signs on the pillars on the way in warned that there would be flashing lights, smoke, and pyro effects. When you see a sign about pyro in an arena, and you feel the temperature dropping, it is a good sign that you’re about to get a lot warmer, and not just because you’re going to be dancing yourself into a frenzy. Panic! at the Disco is well known for their stage shows, which are always over-the-top and some of the most fun you can possibly have at a concert. 

There is also a build-up of anticipation before the show starts: on the sides of the stage, a clock counts down from 10 minutes, giving fans plenty of warning so they could return to their seats. During this countdown, various songs were playing, and as the last couple of minutes ticked by, the newly rediscovered masterpiece of a song “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)” by Kate Bush. As the song ended, the lights cut out, and a simulated thunderstorm started.

Panic! At the Disco

Setlist

Lights flashed, thunder rumbled, smoke poured from the stage and the cheers started. And then seemingly out of nowhere – due to some fantastic misdirection – Urie stood on the outer edge of the stage with a huge grin and a microphone. As he began to sing “Say Amen (Saturday Night),” he also began to slowly make his way around the loop up to his ultimate destination of the main portion of the stage. 

Brendon Urie (Vocalist), Panic! at the Disco
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

For those who have not attended a Panic show, Urie is a showman to the core – a flashy entertainer who will make sure you’re having the time of your life. The first 6 songs of the set were quite familiar to the fans, ranging from “This is Gospel” to “Emperor’s New Clothes,” the song when the pyro really kicked in. As the skulls on the screen behind Urie and the band laughed, flames erupted across the stage. 30-foot flames produce massive amounts of heat, and with multiple fireballs erupting, it became very clear why the arena attempted to turn the massive room into an icebox. 

Brendon Urie (Vocalist), Panic! at the Disco
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Once the first portion of the show ended, Panic proceeded to play the entire new album, starting with the title track “Viva Las Vengeance.” Not all of the songs were overly impressive, but the presentation is what mattered most here. Joining Urie on stage was a guitarist, bassist, a small brass section, and stringed instruments. The three stringed instruments – two violins and a cello – were thrust into the spotlight during the openings for most of the new songs. The brass section would get their chance to shine during “Death Of A Bachelor” later in the show, as everyone – including the drummer – left the stage beyond the saxophonist, trumpeter, and the trombonist, who all joined Urie at the outer edge of the stage. 

Panic! at the Disco instrumentalists
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

The tracks off of Viva Las Vengeance range from the tragic in “Don’t Let The Light Go Out”, to the bouncy “Sad Clown” – which sounds as if it was pulled straight from a musical. There is even a song that might make some imagine that Will Ferrell and Christopher Walken are about to burst onto the stage: the cowbell content of “Sugar Soaker” is excessive perfection – which is perhaps a paradox – but unlike “Jumbo Shrimp,” this makes sense once one sees a live performance of the song. Many bands don’t showcase their entire album at once, so it was a bit unusual to have 12 songs sandwiched between classics that all Panic fans know and love. 

Brendon Urie (Vocalist), Panic! at the Disco
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

The new album also shows off the incredible, unearthly vocal range that Urie has. The 4-octave range is used throughout the previous albums, but to witness it in person is breathtaking. There seems to be very little that Urie cannot do, and he appears to relish each moment up on stage. The fans relished it as well, and the Shakespearean saying “parting is such sweet sorrow” would apply here. Fans in Phoenix will undoubtedly eagerly await the next show, which hopefully will not require another 4-year wait for Urie and his crew to give us a dazzling spectacle of lights, sounds, and imagination.

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Photographer: Katherine Amy Vega

View Separately:
Shaggy | TLC | En Vogue | Sean Kingston | Nyce Hitz

Panic! at the Disco | MARINA | Jake Wesley Rogers

Panic! at the Disco, MARINA, Jake Wesley Rogers – Footprint Center 10-23-22

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

REVIEW: Lamb of God Invites Arizona to See the Omens at Arizona Financial Theatre (10-14-22)

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PHOENIX – In support of their new album Omens, Lamb of God performed with Killswitch Engage at the recently renamed Arizona Financial Theatre. Nearing the end of the approximately 2-month long “Omens” tour, an impressive slate of east coast bands was completed with acts Fit for an Autopsy from New Jersey, and the Washington D.C. progressive metal band Animals As Leaders.

There are certain elements that are expected at every metal show: One is a circle pit, which – for the uninitiated – is what it sounds like: a moving circle of humanity, some slamming into others, and others just there to run around and avoid those hits. Most in those pits walk away with mutual respect for everyone else who partook, and it is a staple for most shows no matter the size. Another would be passing by religious protests outside of the venue. While the protesters are mostly there to yell at attendees, they also provide comic relief for the fans of a band that used to be named “Burn the Priest.” There is also an unwritten rule that a metal show should have fire of some sort, and to the delight of the pyros in the audience, this show delivered.f

Fit for an Autopsy

Joe Badolato (Vocalist), Fit for an Autopsy
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Smoke rose from the stage as the pit filled and fans trickled to their seats. Drummer Josean Orta, guitarist and backing vocalist Pat Sheridan, guitarist Tim Howley, and bassist Blue Spinazola of Fit for an Autopsy (FFFA) took to the stage, with the first note of “Sea of Tragic Beasts” shortly following. Lead vocalist Joe Badolato erupted onto the stage, yelling out “ARIZONA!” before singing the first lines of “Tragic Beasts.”

FFAA have previously stated that they get their inspiration from Lamb of God (LoG), and in fact, Badolato temporarily replaced LoG lead vocalist Randy Blythe when he contracted COVID-19 earlier this year. Fit for an Autopsy released a cover of “Walk With Me In Hell,” which Metal Hammer postulates is even heavier than the LoG original release. 

Tim Howley (Guitarist), Fit for an Autopsy
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Indeed, while it is possible to draw parallels between the two, FFAA is often heavier than their idols. Badolato stalks the stage, headbanging between lines, and implored the crowd to bring their energy levels up. For some, a 4-hour long metal concert means a slightly less than energetic reaction to the opener, no matter how heavy they are. Badolato did his best to bring up the energy in the venue, so at one point – right before “Pandora” – he told the crowd that the song “involves a very massive circle pit, the biggest one this room has ever seen.” The fans gladly placated him, quickly forming a circle pit for the duration of the song.

Joe Badolato (Vocalist), Fit for an Autopsy
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

As the set drew to a close, Badolato spoke about his time in the Phoenix area, mentioning he had lived there for a year during the pandemic, and noted his mother was currently at the concert. What Badolato didn’t mention was the fact he had owned a barbershop next to The Nile in downtown Mesa during his time in Arizona. He is a talented barber who regularly gives those on tour with him haircuts and beard trims.

Animals As Leaders

Matt Garstka (Drummer), Animals As Leaders
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

The next band to take the stage was Animals As Leaders (AAL) – a trio of exceptionally talented musicians: Guitarists Tosin Abasi and Javier Reyes, and drummer Matt Garstka. There was but a single microphone on stage, set in front of Abasi, who used it sparingly. The music speaks for itself, with Garstka putting on an absolute clinic behind the kit. The ease at which he plays complex and technical beats are borderline unfair, and he is known as something of a prodigy. Currently just 33, he joined the band at 23 and has been blowing the minds of audiences ever since. Drum Magazine wrote an article – albeit nearly a decade ago – about the technical prowess of Garstka, and it seems the only thing that has changed is his skills have simply increased. 

Tosin Abasi (Guitarist), Animals As Leaders
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

AAL being a three-person band means that each member needs to be able to perform at the top of their game, night-in to night-out. Reyes and Abasi do just that, and what these two wizards do with their 8-string guitars is something that no one would want to miss. In fact, as soon as they left the stage, the many in the pit – and the audience in the seats – made a beeline for the restrooms and concession stands. In a genre where it is not surprising to see two or three guitar players and a bass player, watching these two execute some incredibly complex patterns with no margin for error, producing sounds that normally take full bands to accomplish, it is no wonder that the theater stood in rapt attention, watching and soaking up every single note that poured forth from the trio. 

Javier Reyes (Guitarist), Animals As Leaders
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Compared to the other three frontmen in the night’s lineup, Abasi was a soft spoken – yet firm – and calm voice between the 6 songs the band performed. The set opened with 2016’s “Arithmophobia” – a song first performed live at the now defunct Livewire in Scottsdale, Arizona – and then showcased 4 songs from their newest album, The Madness of Many, before the band circled back to “CAFO” from their 2009 self-titled debut album. Before CAFO started, Abasi asked the crowd to give the crowd a round of applause for each of the other bands before saying, “this is going to be our last one of the evening. We’ll catch you next time we’re in Phoenix, take care.”  

Killswitch Engage

Jesse Leach (Vocalist), Killswitch Engage
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Killswitch Engage seemingly has become a staple in the Phoenix music scene, even though they’re based far across the country. This was the third time in this past year that they had performed in the Phoenix area, but there was no sign of fatigue from fans. The repeated appearances could also be due to the tour manager having roots in the area; a bonus for the band since the manager has contacts with local businesses and can get some great local brews delivered. 

Justin Foley (Drummer), Killswitch Engage
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

As they took the stage, the difference between the size of the drum kit that AAL’s Garstka uses and that of Killswitch Engage’s drummer, Justin Foley, is notable. Foley prefers a smaller drum kit – a simple set-up compared to the monster that Garstka uses – but he is a master behind the kit. Literally; he has a masters degree from Hartt School of Music and has played with symphony orchestras in the past. It cannot be emphasized enough: Garstka and Foley are genius drummers, and to see the two back-to-back is a rare treat. 

Mike D’Antonio (Bassist), Killswitch Engage
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

The rest of Killswitch Engage is vocalist Jesse Leach, guitarists Joel Stroetzel and Adam Dutkiewicz, and bassist Mike D’Antonio. Leach, while an intense presence onstage, does not have the angry, caged-animal style Badolato and Blythe share. Instead, he moves around from side to side with something that could be considered grace if one were to compare him to his contemporaries.

Jesse Leach (Vocalist), Killswitch Engage
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

There is a mutual interaction – something unspoken if you will – between Leach and the fans. It is not to say the other bands cannot connect with the audience, it is instead that Leach focuses on connecting to the fans onstage, and his charisma shines through naturally. At one point, he stated that “At the end of the day, it’s all about unity man, it’s all about us coming together to have a good time.” He also made a point to ask how the people up in the nosebleeds were doing, and after asking if they have a bar up there, he said, “At least they’re taking care of you up there!” 

Adam Dutkiewicz (Guitarist), Killswitch Engage
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

As the night drew to a close, the band jumped into their cover of Dio’s “Holy Diver”, a song they released in 2007. After it finished, Leach acknowledged the fans who sang the entire song, and then paid tribute to Ronnie James Dio by saying, “You have to pay respect for the masters, the ones who have paved the road for us.” Leach closed the night out by dedicating “The Signal Fire” to their managers, saying they had taken care of them in their 20s, and now they’re “old pricks.” As that song wrapped, Leach told the fans, “We love you!” before leaving the stage. 

Lamb of God

Lamb of God
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

As the crews rushed out to set the stage for Lamb of God, a curtain was lowered, covering the stage and raising the anticipation for this upcoming spectacle. The song “Memento Mori” began to play as the lights fell – inciting cheers as a backlit, swaying silhouette of Blythe appeared. He sang the first few lines of the song in a surprisingly controlled, quiet – relatively speaking – manner. Then, a concussive pyrotechnical effect exploded, the curtain fell, and the night devolved into a maelstrom of noise, fireballs, and screaming guitars. 

Randy Blythe (Vocalist), Lamb of God
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

As mentioned, Blythe has the stage presence of a caged beast; one that prowls in open, plain view, looking for his next prey to pounce on. His audience is utterly captive, and responds to his commands with glee. Circle pits opened, grew, shrank, and bodies surfed to the front of the stage where security helped them down to safety. Those who made it up to the front would then run back around and join the pit, where the entire process would start all over again. 

John Campbell (Bassist), Lamb of God
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

There was a sense of euphoria in the air during this show, mixed with the overwhelming sonic boom that LoG produces. Blythe is joined onstage by guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler, drummer Art Cruz, and bassist John Campbell.

Art Cruz (Drummer), Lamb of God
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

It is hard, if not impossible, to overstate just how much talent crossed the stage on this night. There is a bit of duality with Blythe; the character you see on stage is diametrically opposed to the person who he is offstage. The angsty, stalking beast exists in the way he approaches the issues of social justice – directed at the oppressors – but he is also an example of integrity. His arrest in the Czech Republic in 2012 is an example of this, and he made brief mention of his arrest before the start of “512,” which was inspired by his experience. An excerpt from his book on this matter can be found in the Rolling Stone article, “Lamb of God Singer Reveals What He Remembers of Deadly 2010 Czech Show.” 

Randy Blythe (Vocalist), Lamb of God
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Once “512” ended, he announced – to the frenzied cheering of the crowd – that they would be playing “Grayscale,” the 8th song off of Omens, live for the very first time. In typical LoG fashion, the entire album is a ridiculously incredible display of lyrical mastery as well as the artistry that comes from the masters of guitar and drum, providing Blythe a wonderful tapestry to weave his vocals onto. The album is a must have for anyone who even remotely enjoys LoG, as it is another banger of an LP from the legendary band. 

Randy Blythe (Vocalist), Lamb of God
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Throughout the night, Blythe made mention of the first show that the band had played at this venue 16 years ago with Megadeath. In the 16 years since first playing at the venue, LoG has returned 7 times, and is currently one of the few – if not the only – bands to play under all four names the theater has had. The venue currently known as “Arizona Financial Theatre” has had the names Dodge, Comerica, and Arizona Federal over the 20 years since it opened in downtown Phoenix. It is a very popular spot for LoG, as they have played half of their Arizona gigs in the venue since 2006, for a total of 8 shows there in 16 years.

Randy Blythe (Vocalist) & Willie Adler (Guitarist), Lamb of God
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

The end comes even if no one is ready for it or really wants it to happen, and after thanking the crowd, jumping off the stage and singing with the front row of the mosh pit, and after the fiery stage show, it was time for Lamb of God to say goodbye.

Mark Morton (Guitarist), Lamb of God
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

The last song of the night was “Redneck,” off the 2006 album Sacrament, released shortly before the first show they played at this theater known by many names. As the song came to a close, another concussive blast shook the venue, and the night officially ended. With quite a large fanbase in the area, there is little doubt that Phoenix will again see these four bands that are exceptionally technically adept and soul-shaking.

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Photographer: Katherine Amy Vega

View Separately:
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Lamb of God | Killswitch Engage | Animals As Leaders | Fit for an Autopsy

Lamb of God, Killswitch Engage, Animals As Leaders, & Fit for an Autopsy – Arizona Financial Theatre 10-14-22

Photography © Katherine Amy Vega, Kataklizmic Design
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SPECIAL REVIEW: My Chemical Romance Brings Off-the-charts Seismic Velocity to Tacoma Dome (10-3-22)

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Tacoma, WA — A surreal air swept over the night that a once dormant My Chemical Romance erupted on the stage of Tacoma Dome, following a warm-up by “emo” post-hardcore cohorts Taking Back Sunday and anti-folk singer-songwriter Kimya Dawson from Olympia, WA.

My Chemical Romance at Tacome Dome 10-3-22
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

The show arrived nearly 3 years after the Halloween 2019 announcement of the reunion, and 9.5 years following the March 2013 break-up of this band with a gargantuan legacy. To top it off, it had been 11 years since Washington state had last seen My Chemical Romance (MCR/My Chem) perform on September 1st of 2011, at White River Amphitheatre on the 10th Annual Honda Civic Tour, co-headlining with blink-182. Yet, somehow, as MCR released each note into the atmosphere on the evening of October 3rd, the achingly forlorn feelings that persisted throughout the years of their absence finally melted away.  

Kimya Dawson

Setlist

On March 9th of this year, Dawson announced she would be opening for My Chemical Romance at Tacoma Dome. As an acoustic guitar wielding solo artist with a folksy sound, some fans of the rock opera stylings of MCR initially found the choice of opener perplexing.

She is best known as part of a duo named Moldy Peaches, whose song “Anyone Else But You” was at the end of the film Juno (2007), performed by Elliot Page and Michael Cera. Independent of Moldy Peaches, she contributed a whopping 12 songs to Juno – on its soundtrack, within the film but excluded from the OST, and a few “almost adopted songs” that were released on a b-sides soundtrack.

Kimya Dawson performing at Tacoma Dome
Kimya Dawson performing at Tacoma Dome 10-3-2022. Fan phone pic.

Dawson and her daughter Panda (who is also an artist), performed together in matching Ernie sweaters, à la Bert and Ernie from Sesame Street. For the duration of Dawson’s performance, the big screens on each side of the stage stayed illuminated with her name and an illustration versus live video, preventing a visual of the artist and her daughter for the majority of the audience, and leading to some bewilderment when she said they were “just a couple of Ernies hanging out.” The set included “You Are My Baby” – a song Dawson wrote for now 16-year-old Panda when she was a “little teeny tiny newborn”. Kimya expressed, “I can’t even believe it… being able to share the stage with my child is the best.” MCR frontman Gerard Way later dedicated “Teenagers” to Panda.

“‘[Moldy Peaches] are not sort of amateur, lo-fi indie,’ said Geoff Travis, the founder and president of Rough Trade, an English independent label that once signed the Smiths and the Violent Femmes, and has recently signed both the Strokes and the Moldy Peaches. ‘If Lou Reed was writing these songs at this age, he would be absolutely jealous. This is really serious, world-class songwriting … and the performance is so unusual, and it is so naked emotionally. It is very, very brave.’” - Deborah Netburn, Observer - "Sesame Street Meets Avenue A in Goofy Tunes of Moldy Peaches”

Listening to the sound of Dawson’s songs coupled with her witty lyrics brought Amanda Palmer to mind, especially during “The Beer” with black humor reminiscent of Palmer’s notorious “Oasis”. As it turns out, “The Beer” was released in 2003 and “Oasis” was released in 2008. What’s more, Palmer actually covered Dawson’s song “All I Could Do” with her father Jack Palmer in 2015, and Dawson nodded to Palmer in a Tweet sharing an MTV article from November 2016 about whether oppression from Trump’s presidency would lead to better music. 

One link between Dawson and My Chemical Romance is their outspoken LGBTQ+ allyship.

During “I Like Giants”, Dawson tweaked the lyrics after, “She said, ‘I like giants, especially girl giants’” to add, “and trans and non-binary giants!” Before following “The Beer” with “Loose Lips”, she said, “I don’t know why I put this one back-to-back but we’ll see what I can do,” presumably because both songs are rather fast-paced. 

Excerpt from “Loose Lips”:
And we'll pray, all damn day, every day
That all this shit our President has got us in will go away
While we strive to figure out a way we can survive
These trying times without losing our minds 
(...full lyrics)

Mid-song, Dawson shout-sang, “Fuck fascism!” and proceeded to give an impactful monologue:

“On this day in 1967 Woody Guthrie died, and he was very outspoken against fascism, and I just wanted to acknowledge him, uh… he is the OG!” She went on to say, “…so, the original, like, lyric was, ‘Fuck Bush’, but that was like 20 years ago, and then I was saying ‘Fuck Trump’  but I don’t even want to think about that guy. And I could be like, ‘Fuck Marjorie Taylor Greene!’, you know, ‘fuck Matt Gaetz, fuck Ben Shapiro, fuck Mitch McConnel… DeSantis,’ you know, ‘Bezos… Proud Boys, TERFs… the list is endless… but not clowns. I love clowns.” (Video

Dawson’s modest 6-song set was finalized as a trio with Panda and a surprise guest – MCR’s rhythm guitarist Frank Iero – performing “Anyone Else But You”.

Frank Iero (Guitarist), My Chemical Romance
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved
Iero later wrote on Instagram

“Last night i got to play one of my favorite songs with one of my favorite artists, before getting back up on that same stage a little later and playing more of my favorite songs with my best friends… all while my daughter watched and filmed. Life is pretty darn ok sometimes.

Thank you Kimya and Panda for being the absolute raddest and for sharing your stage with me, it was a dream come true. thank you Tacoma. Thank you rock and roll. music is magick. KTF 🖤 xofrnk”

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Taking Back Sunday

Setlist

Taking Back Sunday from the back of Tacoma Dome 10-3-2022. Fan phone pic.

“We’re here to warm you up for My Chemical Romance… Mikey Fuckin’ Way is not coming out to a cold audience!” frontman Adam Lazzara declared amidst their set, referring to MCR’s bassist.

Mikey Way (Bassist), My Chemical Romance
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Indeed, fellow “Taste of Chaos” tour veterans Taking Back Sunday (TBS) served as an integral segue between Kimya Dawson and My Chemical Romance. 

Taking Back Sunday’s 8-song set started with “What’s it Feel Like to Be a Ghost?” from their 2006 LP Louder Now. The mix of Lazzara’s dirty vocals and the band’s instrumentals seemed to be off for the first few songs, and his stage banter felt a bit obligatory and forced. However, what may have seemed to constitute standard intros to band members between songs was actually rather significant to any fan aware of the band’s dramatic history. Guitarist John Nolan and bassist Shaun Cooper left TBS in 2003, but returned in 2010.

Before starting the second song of their set, “A Decade Under the Influence”, Lazzara gave big-ups to drummer Mark “Thunderbolt” O’connell, who lives true to his nickname “when his foot hits the kick drum”. Following the song “Tidal Wave”, he shouted, “…this is my pal, and yours… John Nolan on guitar!” 

Taking Back Sunday at Tacoma Dome 10-3-2022. Fan phone pic.

Their energy spiked and sound solidified with “Error Operator” and sustained through the 4 remaining songs, transforming them into that promised pre-heater. Unfortunately the screens continued to merely display a still image – Taking Back Sunday’s panther logo – until My Chemical Romance performed. However, the energy of this rock band along with the spectacle of colorful stage lights brought satisfactory stimulation to the crowd.

Taking Back Sunday at Tacoma Dome 10-3-2022. Fan phone pic.

It was surprising how much space was available in the general admission between the crowd and front row of seats, even after it later filled out a little more for the headliner. One of the most entertaining parts of TBS’s performance was when someone dove beneath the barricade (separating row A of seats from the pit) as if they were on a stealth mission, and strolled up to the crowd.

Taking Back Sunday at Tacoma Dome 10-3-2022. Fan phone pic.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we have but a-two songs left for you this evening,” said Lazarra, which elicited a shocked and disappointed, “WHAT?!” from some fans. He continued, “Now, make no mistake, we are very well aware (as we feel it too), of how long you’ve been waiting for this show tonight… Us, too! So, with that said, I would like to thank each and every one of you for being so kind and showin’ us a good time… Now, my pal John over here… he’s gonna blow your minds. They don’t call him ‘tomcat’ for nothing.” (Video)

The last 2 songs of Taking Back Sunday’s performance, “Cute without the ‘E’ (Cut from the Team)” and “MakeDamnSure”, are guaranteed crowd-pleasers. Their most recent studio album Tidal Wave was released 6 years ago. Eddie Reyes, who originally founded TBS with former member Jesse Lacey of Brand New, departed the band in 2018 citing alcoholism as the culprit. In 2019, they released Twenty, a 20th anniversary compilation, and of course COVID-19 took over the world in 2020. All things considered, if they are resting on their laurels (mind you, touring and performing are no small tasks), perhaps they can be forgiven for doing so while the nostalgia of individuals formed on their music is still running high.

As part of a culmination of the emo revival that has been steadily expanding over the last several years (which has conflated emo and pop punk), Taking Back Sunday will continue to perform in the shadow of My Chem up through the last day of the seemingly-impossible “When We Were Young” festival, which is spread out over 3 dates on 2 weekends at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds. 

When We Were Young festival admat
“When We Were Young” festival line-up

Despite the fact that multiple massive festivals have taken place and continue to be planned since the pandemic eased up (such as Coachella, Lollapalooza, Innings, Bonnaroo, Firefly, Aftershock, Austin City Limits, Zona, and more), this particular festival stood out as “too good to be true” and has received heavy speculation and criticism over logistics and feasibility – especially initially, when only one 1 day was announced. It was called “the next Fyre festival” by the faithless and snarky, and sensationalized by the uninformed as being put on by the company behind Astroworld: Live Nation – the company that puts on nearly all major concerts in the United States. Perhaps it is simply difficult for the “misunderstood” demographic to which this festival caters to believe that it is possible to get what they want.

An updated site map for an expanded general admission (GA) area was posted on October 6th, much to the ire of the VIP section. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out. 

“Ladies and gentleman, we are a band called Taking Back Sunday… and we hope all your dreams come true!” said Lazzara as their performance finished.

Taking Back Sunday live at Tacoma Dome
Taking Back Sunday at Tacoma Dome 10-3-2022. Fan phone pic.

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My Chemical Romance

Setlist

“My Chemical Romance were undoubtedly the rock superstars of the 21st century.” – Paul Travers, Kerrang’s “10 Moments that Made My Chemical Romance Superstars”

Gerard Way (Vocalist), My Chemical Romance
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Despite the grueling wait for the return of My Chemical Romance, who are now nearing the end of their reunion tour, the show at Tacoma Dome felt like it went through a time warp.

Gerard Way (Vocalist), My Chemical Romance
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Sure, the band may have been stripped of costumes, make-up, and theatrics – given permission to be more of a normal rock band – but the magnitude of their performance spoke the prevailing truth that all of that is just fluff – the real power lies in the showmanship and musical expertise of the group. Gerard Way (lead vocalist), Mikey Way (bassist), and Ray Toro (lead guitarist, backup vocalist) especially radiate in their stage presence.

Gerard Way (Vocalist), My Chemical Romance
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Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

When they took the stage they launched into their newest single “The Foundations of Decay” (released May 12, 2022) – a track that beautifully combines the raw essence of their debut LP I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love with musical maturity that one might say channels Tool.

Mikey Way (Bassist), My Chemical Romance
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Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

The stage setup included a backdrop and props of a decaying city. On this tour, MCR’s setlists have varied wildly in comparison to most tours, which tend to stick to the same songs or change up just a couple of songs on most stops. However, the introductory song has remained the same throughout their reunion tour, and that works well – because one of the most exciting things a fan can experience after all of this time, on top of the ecstasy of seeing them live, is to kick it off with a fresh, explosive sound. If “The Foundations of Decay” is any indicator of what can be expected of a future studio album, there is no end to the anticipation.

Ray Toro (Guitarist), My Chemical Romance
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Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Including the encore, My Chemical Romance performed 19 songs at Tacoma Dome. For anyone who discovered them when “I’m Not Okay (I Promise)” was released as a single, it was the perfect song to follow the first, flipping from the present to the start. This track of course comes from their second studio album, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, however many fans were not turned on to the Bullets album (fun fact: it was produced by Thursday vocalist Geoff Rickly) until after being introduced to this album.

Jarrod Alexander (Drummer), My Chemical Romance
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Still more were blind to the magic of My Chem until after “Welcome to the Black Parade” was released. The music video for this track was awarded the title of MTV’s “Greatest Music Video of the Century” in 2017. This achievement was deeply gratifying to a fanbase aware of how criminally underrated MCR once was, and every heap of praise this band has received since the announcement of their return continues to be sweetly satisfying. 

“They offered up spiritual solutions to real problems, and they did it with huge riffs and big theatrical stage shows, with rarely a hint of irony or detachment… it’s unlikely there will ever be a band quite like them again.”

Kyle Anderson, Entertainment Weekly’s “My Chemical Romance: the last most important band on the planet”
Gerard Way (Vocalist), My Chemical Romance
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

The encore began with Gerard reading an excerpt from Interview with the Vampire with heavy distortion over his voice, and it consisted of the banger “Vampire Money”, the classic “Vampires Will Never Hurt You”, and closed with the solemn “Cancer”.

Jamie Muhoberac (Keyboardist), My Chemical Romance
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Before starting the delightful “Ballroom Blitz”-esque intro of “Vampire Money”, Gerard professed his and his wife’s love for The Batman: “…Lyn-Z and I watched the new Batman. We had like a little weekend getaway, it was really fucking rad, and… we really fucking liked it. We LOVED it. We watched it two times in a row it was so fucking good! …It was that good…. THAT. FUCKING. GOOD! …and Robert is really, incredibly fuckin’ handsome.” (Video)

Gerard Way (Vocalist), My Chemical Romance
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

This is worth noting because Gerard Way is the creator and writer of The Umbrella Academy, a comic book series which was adapted into a Netflix series that broke numerous records in viewership. So if you have wavered at all on whether another adaptation of the Batman story is worth your time, this endorsement may tip the scales for you.

Gerard Way (Vocalist), My Chemical Romance
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

In an NME article, “My Chemical Romance defend ‘Cancer’ track”, Gerard is quoted as saying, “It’s not a poetic track… It’s very direct, very brutal, but that’s the way disease is. Obviously cancer is being used as a metaphor… But I also wanted the song to be directly about the disease, because it’s something that the patient has gone through and it’s a very powerful thing. For me it was almost like an attempt to write the darkest song ever, and I think we achieved that.”

With regard to the closing song, on the walk toward the exit of the dome, a fan could be overheard saying, “…why did you end on this? Now I’m going to cry myself to sleep!”

Frank Iero (Guitarist), My Chemical Romance
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Sprinkling in upbeat songs from Danger Days throughout the set list certainly contributed to a continuous buzz throughout the show. The only songs from the same album that were performed consecutively were “Famous Last Words” and “Welcome to the Black Parade” from The Black Parade – obviously fan favorites, as it seemed that every person in the 23,000-seat venue was singing along.

Ray Toro (Guitarist), My Chemical Romance
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Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Mixing songs from their 4 studio albums created an excellent ebb and flow, and the inclusion of the “I’m Not Okay” b-side “Bury Me in Black” was also a treat. Unfortunately, Washington was not treated to a live experience of any of the songs from the Conventional Weapons compilation album of unreleased tracks. However, surrounding shows in Portland, OR (Oct. 2) and Oakland, CA (Oct. 5) included “Boy Division” and “The World is Ugly”.

Gerard Way (Vocalist), My Chemical Romance
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

This weekend, My Chemical Romance is appearing in the truly incredible line-up of “Monster Energy Aftershock 2022” festival alongside the likes of Muse, Evanescence, Slipknot, Kiss, Bring Me The Horizon, Stone Temple Pilots, Rob Zombie, The Pretty Reckless, Halestorm, Ice Nine Kills, Judas Priest, The Struts, Motionless in White, and many more. 

The last date of the “When We Were Young” festival, October 29th, will be the last show of the North American leg of MCR’s reunion tour. Afterward, Mexico City will see them in mid-November. Finally, after touring since mid-May of this year, they will get a break until March 2023 when they are scheduled to perform 1 show in New Zealand and 6 more in Australia.

My Chemical Romance
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Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

My Chem made the Cascadian crowd sweat that night, and you can bet money that the MCRmy (their dedicated fanbase) is insatiably hungry for more – they won’t let go. May this not be considered the famous last tour of My Chemical Romance, but rather just the beginning of a new era with great longevity.

“It’s pretty much accepted canon at this point that My Chemical Romance are one of the most significant rock bands this side of the millennium. And as yesterday’s teenagers become today’s arbiters of acceptable nostalgia, that sentiment isn’t going anywhere soon.”

– Eli Enis, Paste’s “The 10 Most Underrated My Chemical Romance Songs”

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Photographer: Katherine Amy Vega

My Chemical Romance – Tacoma Dome 10-3-22

Photography © Katherine Amy Vega, Kataklizmic Design
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REVIEW: Incubus, Sublime with Rome, The Aquadolls Chill Out the Desert at Ak-Chin Pavilion (8-22-22)

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PHOENIX — Ak-Chin Pavilion wrapped up its summer concert series with Incubus, Sublime with Rome, and The Aquadolls as part of their “Summer 2022” tour. The three California bands brought a reggae-meets-alternative end-of-summer party to Phoenix, and a party it was! The kick-ass girl band The Aquadolls, plus 90’s and beyond radio favorites Sublime with Rome and Incubus brought a “chill” to the desert and a whole lot of fun for a Monday night in Arizona. 

The Aquadolls

The Aquadolls
Melissa Brooks (Vocalist, Guitarist), The Aquadolls
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

The Aquadolls emerged as Abba’s “Dancing Queen” ushered them onto the stage. Singer and lead guitarist Melissa Brooks shouted, “Who’s ready to party?” and jumped into the 2013 song “Mine” from their album Stoked on You, followed by “Our Love Will Always Remain” from the same album. 

The all-girl band of “perma-teenage mermaids” from the Orange County area were founded in 2012 by lead singer and writer Brooks, who recorded demos in her bedroom before signing with indie label Burger Records. Their current lineup includes Jacqueline Proctor on drums and Keilah Nina on bass. Their tongue-in-cheek lyrics paired with an upbeat pop sound served as a great fit for this summer tour. A psychedelic, tie-dye screen with floating palm trees and the Aquadolls logo were the perfect scene-setting backdrop for their high-energy pop-alternative music. 

The Aquadolls
Jacqueline Proctor (Drummer), The Aquadolls
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Their seven-song setlist continued with their new single “Beachy,” which is scheduled for release on August 26th on Enci Records, and a high-energy cover of the Go-Go’s classic hit “Vacation.” Brooks gave a shout out to their crew and tour headliners: “Who’s ready for freaking Sublime? Who’s ready for freaking Incubus?!” while the exuberant crowd cheered. Next up, a catchy and fun song about obsession, “Sneaky,” followed by “Take Me Away.” Finishing out the set was a song Brooks said was about tripping out, called “Wander.” The Aquadolls made sure to take time for fans at the merch booth after their set. 

Sublime with Rome

Sublime with Rome performing in Phoenix
Sublime with Rome
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Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

With flashing red and blue police lights and images of riots projected behind them, stoner-music favorites Sublime with Rome kicked off their set with “April 26, 1992”. As if on cue, the arena filled with the smell of weed, with Rome Ramirez asking, “Where my stoners at?!” before sliding into the weed-friendly anthem “Smoke Two Joints.” Eric Wilson’s deep guttural basslines hit hard during “Doin’ Time” while images of lowriders were projected on the screen and the crowd sang along to the chorus, “most definitely”. Drummer Carlos Verdugo didn’t miss a beat with his huge beaming grin, and his unique bent-elbows-held-high style of drumming.

Carlos Verdugo (Drummer), Sublime with Rome
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

The band played more reggae-inspired hits next with “The Wrong Way” and “Badfish”. They also made time to pay homage to “our brothers in Katastro”. The Phoenix reggae-rock band Katastro lost their lead singer, 32-year-old Andy Chaves to a deadly car crash on May 12th on the Pacific Coast Highway in California. Sublime is no stranger to loss, and have rebuilt the band following the death of original singer Bradley Nowell to a heroin overdose in 1996. With the house lights up, a dalmatian dog joined the band onstage, in honor of “Lou Dog,” the Sublime mascot who shared the stage with the band in the 90’s.

Rome Ramirez (Vocalist, Guitarist), Sublime with Rome
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Ramirez started “What I Got” while fans danced with their flashlights on. Their set ended with the popular “Santeria”. Sublime brought their mega-talent and chill vibe for a fun, end-of-summer show. 

Incubus

“I want my, I want my MTV…” from “Money for Nothing” by Dire Straits played over the P.A. as the walk-out song for Incubus, the third California-based band of the tour. On came the lights, and frontman Brandon Boyd sang a powerful version of “Nice To Know You” to kick off a nearly two-hour set covering three decades of songs from the alternative band. Boyd spent the entire set on a chair, stating he hurt himself without elaborating how, but amused by the spinnable chair. 

Brandon Boyd of Incubus in Phoenix
Brandon Boyd (Vocalist), Incubus
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

With his shoulder-length hair and white pants, Boyd said he remembered playing Ak-Chin Pavilion years before, after traveling from California in a van when Incubus toured with Dirty Heads in the 90’s. Currently, he is touring with bandmates Mike Eiziger on guitar, Chris Kilmore on turntable, José Pasillas on drums, and Ben Kenney on bass guitar on a 27-date U.S. tour that began July 24th and wraps up September 3rd. 

Chris Kilmore (DJ), Incubus
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Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Next up was “Circles,” matching the track sequence from Morning View. Afterward, the house lights came on and Boyd asked for the crowd’s help as the band performed “Wish You Were Here”. A powerful version of “Anna Molly” blew the crowd away, followed by an amazing, extended version of “Just a Phase” with a little of The Doors “Riders on the Storm” injected into the middle.

Brandon Boyd of Incubus in Phoenix
Brandon Boyd (Vocalist), Incubus
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Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Their 16-song set was full of both radio hits and deep cuts from their 30-year history, like Make Yourself’s “Stellar” and “Pardon Me”, “Sick Sad Little World” from A Crow Left of the Murder, 2020’s apropos “Karma, Come Back” from Trust Fall (Side B), “Vitamin” (barely placating S.C.I.E.N.C.E. fans) and more. During “Mexico” the injured Boyd placed his arm around guitarist Eiziger’s shoulder in a sort of seated side-hug and sang the “ooo”s of the song’s bridge in a beautiful bromance moment.

Mike Eiziger (Guitarist), Incubus
| Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

When Incubus said goodnight, fans naturally were not having it. With cell phone flashlights beaming, the fans cheered for more, and the band returned to the stage. They closed out the night with “Warning” and “Drive.” What a way to end the summer – three hella chill bands bringing Cali-style fun and cool vibes to the desert!

View Setlist


Photo Galleries

Photographer: Katherine Amy Vega

View Separately:
Shaggy | TLC | En Vogue | Sean Kingston | Nyce Hitz

Incubus* | Sublime with Rome* | The Aquadolls*

*Includes a few additional photos

Incubus, Sublime with Rome, The Aquadolls – Ak-Chin Pavilion 8-22-22

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

REVIEW: Fierce Femme Fatales on Tour with Halestorm & The Pretty Reckless (8-5-22)

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PHOENIX — All in attendance at this rock & roll revival – Halestorm’s mega Summer 2022 tour – were there to bear witness to a concert fronted by some of the top women in rock music today! It was definitely ladies’ night on stage, co-commandeered by Lzzy Hale (with her flagship rock & roll machine known as Halestorm) and Taylor Momsen (with her nuclear destroyer blitzkrieg known as The Pretty Reckless).

Halestorm - Arizona Financial Theatre

Photography: Mark Greenawalt

But wait, there’s more! These two co-headliners brought an additional bevy of ladies to the shed with supporting acts Lilith Czar and The Warning. This entourage began this Summer Tour 2022 in Detroit in July and will wrap up the twenty-one stops in Portsmouth in August. This night’s “sermon” was held at Arizona Financial Theatre for the Phoenicians. And it was good… Correction – It was great!

Lilith Czar

Lilith Czar (Vocalist, Guitarist)
| Photography:
Mark Greenawalt © All Rights Reserved

Lilith Czar had a short set and half empty arena to deliver it to. Despite that, she and her band played their asses off and established their reason for being on this stellar bill. Fans know her to be the artist formerly known as Juliet Simms, who CeeLo Green coached to the finals in the 2011 season of The Voice. In 2021 she re-tooled her look and her sound and changed her moniker to Lilith Czar, and this was the night her new persona touched down in Phoenix (note that in March ‘22 she played Mesa Amphitheater with Black Veil Brides).

Lilith Czar (Vocalist, Guitarist)
| Photography:
Mark Greenawalt © All Rights Reserved

Her hair was raven black with bangs like Bettie Page. She was dressed in red leather short-shorts and a red lace shirt to match. Accessories included hoop earrings, a black leather choker, and a black leather vest that came off early in the show – a very evocative look. Her set began with “Feed My Chaos” and “100 Little Deaths,” a song carried over from her Juliet Simms days. Her voice is the same as when it won us over singing “Oh! Darling” by the Beatles on The Voice blind auditions, but the music has gotten much heavier. Between songs she armed herself with an Epiphone Les Paul Gold Top guitar and later an acoustic guitar.

Despite the low energy of the early crowd, her band put on a stellar performance and special shout out to drummer Lindsey Martin, who truly seemed thrilled to be behind the drum set. Crowd participation peaked when the band did a cover of “Edge of Seventeen” by Stevie Nicks and then rolled out the songs from her current music video suite for “Lola,” “King,” and “Anarchy.” Lilith Czar has developed a unique sound and a unique look and her loyal fanbase is coming around. We’re looking forward to seeing and hearing her future offerings. 

The Warning

The Warning - Alejandra Ale Villarreal Vélez
Alejandra Ale Villarreal Vélez (Bassist, Vocalist), The Warning
| Photography:
Mark Greenawalt © All Rights Reserved

The convergence of these four particular acts may never happen again and it was a thrill to experience the “dark horse” performance of The Warning. I expected to be blown away by Halestorm and The Pretty Reckless, but The Warning was such a pleasant surprise of an up-and-coming act…that has arrived! Their story is documented in countless YouTube videos about these three sisters from the city of Monterrey, Mexico. They were just children when they did a video of themselves covering Metallica’s “Enter Sandman.” It went viral. The youngest, bassist Alejandra, is still just 17 and the oldest sister, guitarist Daniela, is just 22. The middle sister of the Villarreal family is drummer Paulina (age 20).

Paulina “Pau” Villarreal Vélez (Drummer), The Warning
| Photography:
Mark Greenawalt © All Rights Reserved

Most of their original songs were from their third studio album, Error, however they did take a moment to show how much their musicianship has blossomed by doing a new cover of “Enter Sandman,” and it was very impressive. All three sisters sing and their stage presence is invigorating to watch. Although they may have been new to many attendees, there were quite a few die-hard fans singing along to every song.

Daniela “Dany” Villarreal Vélez (Guitarist, Vocalist), The Warning
| Photography:
Mark Greenawalt © All Rights Reserved

Their YouTube reach has continued to grow with more seasoned music videos for songs “Choke” and “Disciple.” These videos show that those cute little children have grown into beautiful women, not to mention they have evolved as songwriters too. Their heavy sound has traces of the bands that have influenced them, but their musical style is uniquely their own. Crowd favorites tended to be their current single “Money” (which reverberated echoes of “Seven Nation Army”-meets-“Balls To The Wall”) and the closing song “Evolve,” which has prog rock elements. Keep your eyes peeled. We haven’t seen the last of this power trio from Mexico!

The Pretty Reckless

Taylor Momsen (Vocalist), The Pretty Reckless
| Photography:
Mark Greenawalt © All Rights Reserved

In 2020, Taylor Momsen was ready to hit the road in support of Death By Rock & Roll. The title track had been pre-released and shot up to number 1, then the pandemic hit. The album release date kept getting pushed back until it finally was released in February of 2021, but touring was still not in the cards. Finally, 2022 is proving to be the year for The Pretty Reckless (TPR) to reconnect with that tangible live experience. The press for this show implied a dual headline of Halestorm and TPR, but it was soon clear that TPR were relegated to being an opening act with a fraction of the full stage, less lights, and about half as many songs. They handled it with grace and thanked Halestorm for bringing them on the tour, but it seems they may have been somewhat short changed for a band that sports 7 number one songs (one more than the headliner).

Taylor Momsen (Vocalist), The Pretty Reckless
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Mark Greenawalt © All Rights Reserved

The set opened with a cover of Soundgarden’s “Loud Love,” a song The Pretty Reckless recently recorded for Sirius XM with Soundgarden’s Kim Thayil on guitar and Matt Cameron on drums. Momsen has cited Soundgarden as a huge influence and she again recruited Thayil and Cameron to play a track on the new album, “Only Love Can Save Me Now.” This song, another number 1, also made it into the short set. The Pretty Reckless were on a career high when they had the pleasure of being the opening act for Soundgarden until the tour tragically ended with the passing of Chris Cornell.

Taylor Momsen (Vocalist, Guitarist), The Pretty Reckless
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Mark Greenawalt © All Rights Reserved

There was a mix of new songs like “Witches Burn,” a rocker with a nostalgic AC/DC feel, and back to their first single “Make Me Wanna Die.” You know it’s real live music when there is a bass malfunction and guitarist Ben Phillips stops the show and says, “Hold up. Stop. I don’t wanna play the song without bass.” The problem was fixed right away and Phillips continued, “Let me decide where we’re going to pick up. This is how live rock and roll could work. I can count this out where ever the fuck I want it to start.” He chose to start back at the first verse, the crowd cheered in agreement and just like that, they were back in the swing of things. No tracks to sync up to, just live music. Much appreciated.

Taylor Momsen (Vocalist, Guitarist), The Pretty Reckless
| Photography:
Mark Greenawalt © All Rights Reserved

Momsen looked beautiful with the smoky eyes and glittering eye shadow and wore her platform biker boots and black silk camisole like a superhero costume. There was no doubt that she had reinvented herself when she started this band and left Cindy Lou Who and Gossip Girl behind in search of her own identity. It’s working. She exuded sexiness with a devil-may-care attitude and you could tell that her primary goal wasn’t to turn you on with her womanly wiles, but to draw you in with her voice, to deeply experience her music. Her voice was in top form as she emoted smoky smooth low notes in “Going To Hell” and then launched into raunchy, gravelly high notes in “Heaven Knows.”

Taylor Momsen (Vocalist), The Pretty Reckless
| Photography:
Mark Greenawalt © All Rights Reserved

So many good songs had to be left on the cutting room floor like “Follow Me Down,” “25”, and “And So It Went”, but they did save a really good one for their final number. Momsen thanked the opening acts and Halestorm for bringing them on this tour. “I don’t know about everyone here, but all I wanna do with my life is fucking rock, and fucking roll, and play fucking music,” she said, “And thanks to all of you, I get to do that and that’s absolutely incredible. So thank you from the bottom of my heart, from all of us. We love you so much.

The song “Take Me Down” is an amalgamation of all the greatest hits of classic rock mixed with that signature sound of The Pretty Reckless. It’s a song about selling your soul for rock & roll. Momsen donned an electric six-string as the band played from their souls and she sang from her heart. Great show!

Halestorm

Lzzy Hale (Vocalist, Guitarist), Halestorm
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Mark Greenawalt © All Rights Reserved

Halestorm is no stranger to Phoenix. In fact, they were here in November 2021 with Evanescence in this same venue. Hale and company are back this time with a fresh set of monster tracks from Back From The Dead, just released in May. Last year’s show introduced the title track “Back From The Dead,” which was riding high at number 1 on the charts at the time. Tonight’s show took a deeper dive with half of their 16-song set being new material. Two of the new songs were more familiar due to radio airplay including “Wicked Ways” and the number 1 song that capped off the night, “The Steeple.”

The opening acts had the audience primed and ready for the Halestorm experience, which began as a black veil that dropped, revealing the band 8’ above the stage on platform risers leading to the drum cage. Two colors popped out of the scene under the blistering white lights: the cardinal red of Lizzy’s signature Gibson Explorerbird (with matching lips and sexy boots) and the neon green glow of drummer Arejay Hale’s hair, drumset, and modern-day zoot suit! Poised for attack, they left no doubt that their intention was to thoroughly entertain!

Halestorm
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Mark Greenawalt © All Rights Reserved

Praise be to Lzzy Hale, first for her songwriting prowess on every Halestorm song (including six number 1’s, by the way), second for her mastery of the guitar which earned her a coveted sponsorship last year from Gibson Guitars as the first female brand ambassador, and third…good Lord almighty, that voice! How she reaches those notes with such a growl and perfect intonation, night after night for months on end is truly one of the natural wonders of the world. Steve Whiteman (Kix) may have given her some tips to the secret sauce of belting, but there is something about her vocal anatomy that makes her a celebrated freak of nature.

Lzzy Hale (Vocalist, Guitarist), Halestorm
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Mark Greenawalt © All Rights Reserved

The rasp was on full display on songs like “I Am The Fire,” “Psycho Crazy,” and “I Miss The Misery,” but she proved that her voice is much more than controlled screaming when the show entered the proverbial eye of the hurricane for the ballad “Break In.” All the lights went down except for the spotlight on the piano at center stage. Oh yeah, did I mention that she’s also accomplished on piano? She played solo and had the audience in the palm of her hand during the new acoustic anthem “Raise Your Horns.” Janis Jopplin had to be looking down and smiling for this song. Touching.

Arejay Hale (Drummer), Halestorm
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Mark Greenawalt © All Rights Reserved

Although she is undoubtedly the focal point for most, the band is rock solid at every position. Brother Arejay Hale is a phenomenon to watch on the drums. He is technically precise, but exudes fun and antics while delivering a clinic on professional drum techniques. He did a drum solo which included some interesting oversized drumsticks (still smaller than the broom sticks he used when Halestorm played the Arizona State Fair in 2017). Although cool, the drum solo was unnecessary in the sense that his playing was so incredible throughout the show that there was nothing left to prove! Guitarist Joe Hottinger and bassist Josh Smith seemed to keep their nose to the grindstone and play to the masses while the brother/sister act basked in the spotlight. But make no mistake…they didn’t (make any mistakes, that is). The band was tight and obviously rehearsed after years on the road.

Joe Hottinger (Guitarist) & Lzzy Hale (Vocalist, Guitarist), Halestorm
Photography:
Mark Greenawalt © All Rights Reserved

It’s a shame when really good songs have to be cut from the setlist to make way for the new, but ones that remain are the ones that bring the crowd to their feet. In the bottom of the ninth, it was time to bring out the closers: “I Miss The Misery,” “Freak Like Me,” and a personal favorite from the debut album, “I Get Off.” What a climax! And then an encore of thank yous, “Here’s To Us” and finally, America’s (dare I say the world’s) new rock anthem, “The Steeple.”

Lzzy Hale (Vocalist, Guitarist), Halestorm
| Photography:
Mark Greenawalt © All Rights Reserved

Lzzy Hale closed the night with a song reminding everyone that this was her church and these were her people: A healthy mix of genders, races, and ages with a common passion for great music.

Phone flashlights raised for Halestorm at Arizona Financial Theatre
Phone flashlights raised for Halestorm at Arizona Financial Theatre
Photography:
Mark Greenawalt © All Rights Reserved

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Halestorm, The Pretty Reckless, The Warning, & Lillith Czar – Arizona Financial Theatre 8-5-22

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