Tucson: Night Life, Bars and Music
The Tucson Music Scene in 2009
While the Tucson, AZ live music scene has dwindled in the past few years, there are still some popular nightclubs that attract steady and loyal music fans. In 2009, some Tucson bars and clubs will undergo changes- partly due to the economy.
Club Congress, in Downtown Tucson, has been a landmark in the local Tucson music scene for decades. Alternative and rock concerts held weekly, spotlighting local musicians and national acts, continue to attract a following.
Country fans still have long time bars, The Maverick and Cactus Moon on Tucson's eastside. After a devasting fire, The Maverick relocated to Tanque Verde and Grant.
Tucson Music News:
Legendary Rock Pioneer’s FISHBONE Announces Unknown Modes of Being
December 12, 2008 at The Rock, 136 N. Park Avenue
Legendary American Ska, Rock Fusion and (so-called) Black Rock band FISHBONE started their twenty two-year long professional career in Los Angeles's burgeoning, illustrious Alternative Rock scene of the mid-1980s. Their sound has often been imitated, but never duplicated.
Angelo Moore’s ability to combine thought-provoking, humorous, social commentary with Fishbone brethren’s frenzied, up-tempo music and a frantic, euphorically entertaining stage show has cultivated their undisputed reputation as one of the best live acts in music history. Moore is renowned as one of the very best live showmen; Gwen Stefani of platinum-selling Ska/Pop band No Doubt sites Moore as her idol.
Fishbone has been composing, creating, recording, releasing and performing original music for over two decades. They have toured worldwide with such bands as the Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Roots, Les Claypool/Primus, Fela Kuti, The Dead Kennedys and many more.
Still a relative secret in the worlds of Pop and Rock music Fishbone has released numerous innovative, clever, genre-bending, cult-classic albums like 'Fishbone', 'Truth and Soul', 'The Reality of My Surroundings' and 'Psychotic Friends Nuttwerx'.
Over the years, Fishbone's Ska/Punk sound has fused and morphed, incorporating Reggae, Metal, Funk, Thrash, Soul, Jazz and Cajun Roots. Fishbone isn't afraid to challenge its fans' social views or musical tastes, and holds the reputation as one of the best live acts in rock n’ roll history, and continues to tour extensively worldwide. This Fall Fishbone will be headlining its first North American tour since their 2007 release “Still Stuck In Your Throat,” as well as making plans to tour regionally this winter with HR of Bad Brains.
Tucson Bluegrass Music Festival 2009
The10th Desert Bluegrass Association presents the Tucson Bluegrass Music Festival 2009 in October 2009. The dates are yet to be set.
The 2008 Bluegrass Festival was held on October 24, 25 & 26, 2008 at Desert Diamond Casino. The ninth annual festival featured all-day performances on Saturday and Sunday by Dale Ann Bradley, Kirby Knob Boys, Sawmill Road, Chris Stuart & Backcountry, Burnette Family and the Blues "N" Grass Neighborhood Band - all staged in a beautiful outdoor plaza.
On Friday evening (7pm - 9 pm) the Desert Bluegrass Association band contest was introduced. Up to 10 bands competed for $1000 in prize money and the opportunity to perform on the festival stage on Sunday. Workshops helped pickers hone their skills, vendors offered crafts and music for sale and Desert Diamond offered dining options ranging from fine dining to casual snacks. The Desert Diamond Casino is located at Interstate 19 & Pima Mine Road just south of Tucson, AZ. For more information visit www.desertbluegrass.org. The Desert Bluegrass Association is a non-profit, all volunteer organization who promotes Bluegrass Music in the Greater Tucson metropolitan area.
There have been several changes in the local Tucson, AZ music club and night life scene recently.
A temporary new home has been arranged for Skrappy's, the youth empowerment center that features regular concerts. Skrappy's will share three blocks away from its former 201 E. Broadway Blvd. address to the basement of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tucson, 160 E. Alameda. Concerts will not be held at this location, but other Skrappy's program will continue until a more permanent home is found.
TESTAMENT TO BE FEATURED ON MTV'S 52 / 52...ALL TESTAMENT Ð ALL WEEK LONG. TESTAMENT CHARTS FOR SECOND WEEK IN A ROW AND REMAINS #1 ON RADIO! Tucson stop on August 29th. Held at Rialto Theater - Headlining off date from Metal Masters Tour – ALMOST SOLD OUT…PLEASE POST/LIST DATE - 6:00 pm doors / 6:30 pm showtime all ages $23 gen. admission adv. / $TBA gen. admission day of show
Valley of the Moon restoration progress and the endangered Magic Carpet sculptures. Two fundraisers planned for Sept. 5 at the Hotel Congress, 311 E. Congress and a Sept. 27 fundraiser at the Hut, 305 N. Fourth Avenue, hope to acieve much of that needed goal. Local bands will perform to help raise money.
 Jonathan L and his lopsided world
Newsreal's Jonathan L is back with his twice weekly radio show "THE LOPSIDED WORLD OF L," a mixture of Alternative and Rock from the past and present. Listen to Jonathan L on Saturday mornings 6:45am-10am and Sunday evenings from 6pm-8pm on 98KUPD FM, Tempe, AZ. Also read alternative rock music reviews from Jonathan L's Must Have CDs.
The Travel Channel rolled into The Maverick
"Lawrence of America: the TV Series" will be onsite at The Maverick "The King of Clubs" 7:00pm Thursday October 25, 2007 to shoot a feature profiling the Western lifestyle scheduled to air 2008 on the Travel Channel. Lawrence is an Englishman who has come to the USA to delve into many different and fascinating subcultures. In each episode of this half-hour Travel Entertainment Show, Lawrence will explore, in his own unique way, a different aspect of American culture. Continue reading...
|
Tucson, AZ 2009 Calendar of
Music and Entertainment
November 29 – December 20, 2008. Arizona Theatre Company
December 2008
Dec. 3, 22: Rain - The Beatles Experience, TCC Music Hall, 7:30pm
Dec. 31: Los Lobos, Rialto Theater, 9:00pm.
December 4: Warren Miller's "Chldren of Winter" Fox Theatre.
Dec. 9: Bryan Adams Fox Theatre.
Dec. 12: Fishbone, The Rock, 136 N. Park Avenue
Dec. 13: Free Public Tour Fox Theatre.
Dec. 13: Polar Express Fox Theatre.
Dec. 13: Christmas Party Fox Theatre.
Dec. 20: Nightmare Before Christmas Fox Theatre.
Dec. 27: It's A Wonderful Life Fox Theatre.
January 2009
January 4: The Wizard of Oz Fox Theatre
Jan. 3, 4: Jesus Christ Superstar, TCC Music Hall, 1:00pm, 8:30pm
Jan. 10: Pato Banton, Mystic Roots, UpRoots Reggae Band & Spirit Familia. All ages show. 8pm. Tweleve Tribes Reggae.
Jan 10: The Smothers Brothers, Tucson Music Hall, TCC
Jan. 18: Elixir of Love Tickets, Tucson Music Hall, TCC
Jan. 21: Don Giovanni, Tucson Music Hall, TCC
Jan. 27-30: A Bronx Tale, TCC MUsic Hall, 8:00 pm.
January 29, 2009: Gabriel Iglesias, 8pm. Icon Entertainment presents Comedy Central award winning comedian, Gabriel Iglesias at the historic Fox Tucson Theatre. Unbelievable, electrifying and gifted are just some of the many words used to describe Gabriel Iglesias, star of Comedy Central stand-up special, Hot & Fluffy. The Hot & Fluffy DVD was released in 2007 and has recently gone double platinum!
February 2009
Grease: Tucson Music Hall, 7:30pm
Feb. 24: Grease
Feb. 25: Grease
Feb 26: Grease
Feb. 28: Monster Jam Trucks, Tucson Arena, TCC
April 2009
April 4: Tosca Tickets, Tucson Music Hall, TCC
Apr. 22: Mandy Patinkin, U of A Centennial Hall
Mama Mia, TCC Music Hall
April 24: Mamma Mia, 8:00pm
April 25: Mamma Mia, 2:00pm
April 26: Mamma Mia, 1:00pm and 8:30pm.
April 25, 2009:  Hot Tuna
May 2009
May 1: Stomp, University of Arizona Centennial Hall, 8:00 pm.
May 9: Ira Glass, Centennial Hall UA
May 12: Tuna Does Vegas, TCC Music Hall, 7:30pm.
|
|
 TWELVE TRIBES Reggae Shop & Concerts
See what Reggae Concerts Papa Ranger has planned for Tucson's Reggae Scene
January 10, 2009: Pato Banton, Mystic Roots, UpRoots Reggae Band & Spirit Familia
|
|
The King of Clubs
Live Country Music
|
|
Tickets for TCC Shows from TicketSellers
From the Follow That Dream series out of Europe, this is an unreleased 'live' show from June 1, 1976! All songs were recorded June 1, 1976 at the Community Center Arena, Tucson, Arizona except See See Rider (recorded in Odessa May 30 1976, afternoon show) and Love Letters (recorded in Odessa May 30, 1976, evening show).
Zoom Records was Southern Arizona’s first rock and roll record label. It was the creation of two 17 year old Tucson, Arizona, Catalina High School students, Burt Schneider and Ray Lindstrom. All the records were produced during a short 7 month period in 1959, but they capture the independent rock sound of the era.
They were all recorded in Phoenix at Audio Recorders of Arizona, where Duane Eddy made all his big hits. Legendary engineer, and Grammy award winner, Jack Miller was at the controls. He was famous later for sessions with many top stars including the Rolling Stones.
None of the records were giant chart busters, but they got heavy play and made the hit sheets in Tucson as well as a few other places in the US and Europe. They continue to be included on many US and overseas compilation releases featuring 50's American rock and roll and rockabilly.
No early rock collection is complete without the "Southern Arizona Sound."
Featured Tucson Artists:
King Rock and The Knights: The wildest, groovinest, hard pounding-rockinest sound anywhere. Roger Hohlenkamp is King Rock with Knights Bob Dickey, Carson Noel, and Tom Hawk. The two cuts featured here were re-released on a 45 in 1965 and Send-di became a hit in Pittsburgh as the theme song of WZUM's legendary jock "Mad Mike" Metrovich. It is also featured on the Itzy label LP and CD "Pittsburgh's Greatest Hits." Scandal and Send-di were both cuts on on the German label Buffalo Bop's Strictly Instrumental Series.
Pete Ronstadt and The Nightbeats: Fast or slow, these vocals with Pete were the world’s best. (You may have heard of Pete's little sister, Linda Ronstadt) Besides Pete on the vocals and guitar,there was Nate Foster-guitar, Bert Roberts-Drums, Lance Hoopes-Sax, and Don Grossberndt-Piano.
Lonesome Road Rock was the biggest hit of all the Zoom sounds in Tucson. These singles have shown up quite often on foreign early rock compilation albums including the recent Collector's Records "Rockabilly Hoodlums" (Hot Greaseball Action) CD series. Actually, the words "hoodlums" and "greaseball" are really misnomers; the group was about as clean-cut as you could get...just look at the cover photo.
Jack Wallace and the Hi-Tones: He could have been Elvis, but he was just a couple of years too late. Jack’s deep vocals along with the doo-wop harmony of LeRoy Meadows and Dave First of the Hi-Tones are a real treat. This was the first Zoom Record and had the blue and silver label. All future releases would be the distinctive red and silver color. The week You Are The One was released it was played on the air very hour as a KTKT Exclusive (Tucson's top station).
Tracks:
1. Scandal – King Rock and The Knights
2. Send-Di – King Rock and The Knights
3. Lonesome Road Rock – Pete Ronstadt & The Nightbeats
4. Nightbeat – Pete Ronstadt & The Nightbeats
5. Doreen – Pete Ronstadt & The Nightbeats
6. Cryin’ All Night – Pete Ronstadt & The Nightbeats
7. Sea of Love – Pete Ronstadt & The Nightbeats
8. I Think of You – Jack Wallace & The Hi-Tones
9. You Are The One – Jack Wallace & The Hi–Tones
Original Release Date: January 2, 2002
|
Tucson, Arizona Dining:
|
The Disco Pimps
HAIR