25 Phoenix local music picks for August 2016: AJJ, decker., Dogbreth, Pro Teens, Luxxe, Jon Rauhouse
It's a big month for local release celebrations. AJJ will host a two-night party at the Rebel Lounge in honor of "The Bible 2" in a month that also brings new releases from Pro Teens, Dogbreth and decker.
Here's a look at those events and more, including release shows by Jon Rauhouse, Luxxe, Exiled Martyr, Moons Eat Stars and Dadadoh.
8/3: Pro Teens
New York City’s Broken Circles label is releasing “Accidentally,” Pro Teens’ second full-length, which is packed with soulful, atmospheric pop songs driven by seemingly effortless melodic sensibilities. The label bio makes mention of Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound, “Pet Sounds” and Elvis Costello’s Attractions, but those frames of reference are reduced to distant echoes – a hint of Costello-esque accents on “Puberty,” for instance. Which is to say there’s nothing especially retro going on here. They sound like they’re shooting for timeless in the here and now.
The album is streaming on Noisey, where the writer credits Pro Teens with having “created a beautiful punk sound that goes heavy on the Elvis Costello vibe.” He also quotes singer/guitarist Andy Phipps, who says, “’Accidentally’ is the midlife crisis of a 25-year-old. It is a subconscious walk through their fears, doubts, and shortcomings dealing with identity, relationships, and success. ... Not all is lost though, among the doubts within this critical self assessment, there is room for half-assed congratulations and shrugging forgiveness."
They’re joined at the release show by Treasure Mammal, Dent and Lai.
Details: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 3. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. $7; $5 in advance; Free before 9 p.m. 602-716-2222, crescentphx.com.
8/5: Dogbreth release show
Dogbreth’s first album of Asian Man Records has already been featured in Stereogum, NPR and Spin magazine, whose critic noted that “the power-pop quintet writes confident, witty songs that are tinged with a Picasso gray-cobalt, even in moments of pure celebration.” That’s certainly the case “Cups and Wrappers,” whose singalong chorus features Tristan Jemsek sighing, “Rock and roll won’t make it all OK / But it used to seem that way” before they hit you with the kind of lead Thin Lizzy might have played and suddenly it seems that way again. They made our best June singles list with “Hoarder House,” which as I noted, “rocks and jangles like some great lost relic from the days when guys in skinny ties were taking power-pop to the masses by letting the hype-men call it New Wave.”
Jemsek says, “This is the third full length we've recorded with Jalipaz at Audioconfusion. We decided to spend more time in the studio than we did on previous releases. We still worked fast. When you're a band on a budget, you have to. But we definitely put a little more emphasis on detail and getting the best sounds and takes as possible. For instance, my friend Mike Dee (guitarist of French Girls) lent me a pile of different old fuzz pedals to experiment with for a whole day of guitar tracking, which was super fun and felt very luxurious. We were also really lucky to have friends come in and record various things like saxophones, synthesizers, etc.”
This release show doubles as a tour kickoff with tourmates Cereal Milk. They're also joined by Red Tank! and Hiccups.
Details: 8:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 5. Rebel Lounge, 2303 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. $10; $8 in advance. 602-296-7013, therebellounge.com.
8/5: Christopher Shayne
As he sings on the opening cut of “Turning Stones,” his first release since leaving Whiskey Six to strike out on his own, “I am just who I am.” And who he is would seem to be the kind of guy who likes his outlaw country, Southern rock and headbanging hard-rock guitar riffs enough to want to mix them all together. He uses gospel backing vocals in a way that should appeal to anyone who’s ever cared about the Black Crowes. And he’s just as comfortable mellowing out with a country-rock ballad (see the ready-for-radio “When I Come Down”)
He recorded the album, which arrives on Aug. 12, in Detroit with producer/engineer Chuck Alkazian and Whiskey Six’s Dave Lansing reprising his role on lead guitar.
“There are moments in each song for every aspect of your life,” Shayne says. ”Life has ups and downs. The record is its own ride, and expresses itself through anger, joy, love and sadness. It's an honest album - I hope everyone finds some note of truth that resonates with them.”
Details: 9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 5. Last Exit Live, 717 S. Central Ave., Phoenix. $10. 602-271-7000, lastexitlive.com.
8/5: The Lonesome Wilderness
These local rockers set the tone for their first release, a self-titled effort, with "Cigarettes," which finds them channeling an old Spaghetti Western soundtrack vibe, all shadowy twang and high-lonesome whistling. And they follow through with an EP that wastes no time making its way from the trashy garage-punk of "Wasted" to a closing track called "Knives" that rocks a surf beat with abandon as Joe Golfen sneers the lyrics with the attitude it takes to put this kind of thing across. But my favorite track may by the change-up -- “Tropicana,” the video of which just made our playlist of the 20 best local videos of the first half of 2016. Also playing: Steel Cranes and Bad Neighbors.
Details: 9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 5. Rip’s Bar, 3045 N. 16th St., Phoenix. $7. 602-266-0015.
8/6: Exiled Martyr album release show
“Stagnant Waters Breathe Life” is their second release of 2016. It follows a self-titled EP of progressive yet punishing death metal. Victor Cabrera, whose throat-shredding vocals added much of the intensity to that EP, has left the fold but recorded the songs on “Stagnant Waters” first. And if the title track, for which they made a lyric video with “Swamp Thing” art, is any indication, it should definitely live up to the promise of that first EP.
As drummer Aaron Hale explains, the video is an artistic representation of the title track. “The man being pulled down represents innocence and free thought, the dead around him pulling on his body is society trying to silence him,” Hale says. “The idea for the song is that society can only pull you down for so long before you lash out and make a break for the surface, to be free.” The singer for Alterra will be filling in for this week’s release show while they look for a more permanent replacement. Also playing: Aethere, Insurgence, the Ephemeral and A Lapse of Ethos.
Details: 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6. Nile Theater, 105 W. Main St., Mesa. $12-$14. 480-559-5859, niletheater.com.
8/7, 8/24: Valley Bar Jazz Series
There are two nights of jazz at the Valley Bar this month. First up, on Saturday, Aug. 7, Café Jaleo will perform a set of Latin jazz, including songs made popular by Ruben Blades, Celia Cruz and Arturo Sandoval. Then, on Wednesday, Aug. 24, the Will Goble Quartet will honor the music of the legendary Thelonious Monk.
Details: 8 p.m. Sunday Aug. 7 and Wednesday, Aug. 24. Valley Bar, 130 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. $5-$32 (Aug. 7) and $5-$7 (Aug. 24). valleybarphx.com.
8/11: El West release show
These local rockers are releasing a self-titled EP of soaring, emotionally heartfelt indie-rock, citing Broken Social Scene, Radiohead and Elbow as inspirations. They’re joined by New Chums and Fits. And they’ve teamed with Grey Matter Family Bicycle Shop to help raise funds for brain tumor/cancer research through Barrow Neurological Institute, with all three artists donating all proceeds from the show to help support this cause.
Details: 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 11. Valley Bar, 130 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. $8; $5 in advance. valleybarphx.com.
8/12: Sundressed
These guys released not one but two EPs last year. In April, I wrote that the infectious pop-punk melodies of the "Dig Up a Miracle" EP "should speak to anyone who cut their teeth on early Blink-182 or Green Day, while the lyrics speak to, as they describe it, 'the struggle of living a sober life despite a rough past of addiction, while finding hope and passion for life.'" Then, in October, they dropped "The Same Condition," which lived up to their promise of "endearingly honest melodic punk mixed with shades of indie rock, and massive hooks to spare." This Valley Bar show is to celebrate the release of a split single with Secret Stuff, who also perform alongside Daisyhead and Holy Fawn.
Details: 6:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 12. Valley Bar, 130 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. $10; $8 in advance.. valleybarphx.com.
8/13: Ends release show
This local rapper recorded about 40 songs to arrive at the 16 tracks he’s chosen to include on “Beautiful,” an album he says “is about finding the beauty in life no matter the struggles you are going through, and trying to find the balance in accomplishing personal achievements and still taking care of responsibilities, mostly being a dutiful spouse and parent.” For the album release celebration, he did his best to put together “what I thought would make to be the best local hip-hop show I could imagine. All of the artists were handpicked because of my relationship with them (most of them being my friends and peers) as well as the most talented, successful, and diverse collection of people that I could think to put on the best show I possibly could -- a hip-hop circus with the focus on lyricism and great music.”
Among those slated to perform are Justus of Respect the Underground, Terrorist Angel Babies From Neptune, McNastee, HotRock SupaJoint, Odd Squad Family, OOPZ & Sky Writer, Mesa Made Records, Sharp The Emcee, Chaos Da Misfit, Ink Stained Pages, Explicit, Melo #MGS, Sindicate and the Real Chronicle.
Details: 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13. Rogue Bar, 423 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. $10. 480-947-3580, facebook.com/theroguebar.
8/13: Monaghans Dixon release show
“Gun Shy Cowboy” is Monaghans Dixon’s first album, the result of several months holed up at STEM Recording Studio in Phoenix. It's a collection of blues-tinged hard-rock songs they've written in their first three years of being a band. They plan to play the album in its entirety at the release show, which also features sets by Sunday at Noon, Modern Royal and Why Worry, in addition to new songs they've been working on since finishing the album.
Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13. Pub Rock, 8005 E. Roosevelt St., Phoenix. $12: $10 in advance. 480-945-4985, pubrocklive.com.
8/13: Colton Berry Band release show
“Swing Until We Miss” is the full-length followup to a four-song collection of bluesy pop songs titled “Love Wins.” Berry says the new one features “polished jams and larger-than-life choruses while earnest lyrics of lovesickness and homesickness contrast with sing-along hooks.” He also says the album “reminisces of the past without giving a single thought to turning back and the message is clear: Colton Berry Band is stepping up. And in the big leagues, you swing for the fences and never stop trying.” Also playing: Luau, the Lonesome Wilderness and Owning November.
Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13. Last Exit Live, 717 S. Central Ave., Phoenix. $10 (includes a copy of the EP). 602-271-7000, lastexitlive.com.
8/13: Phoenix Afrobeat Orchestra
Among my favorite memories of this year’s Viva PHX festival was Phoenix Afrobeat Orchestra packing not only the room but the actual stage at Valley Bar. As I wrote at the time, “There’s a mesmerizing quality to their Afrobeat rhythms, and that groove is topped by some amazing players working as a team and, on occasion, stepping out into the spotlight for a solo. As for (Camille) Sledge, she’s an extremely charismatic presence with a great voice who makes an incredible ‘leader of rituals,’ as they call it on their Facebook page.” If you haven’t seen them live, you should check out the video they filmed in 360 degrees (that’s the filming technique, not the temperature) at Shady Park Tempe for “Oppression Scatter." They're joined at this show celebrating the 10th anniversary of Fivethirteen Recording Studios by Sweetbleeders, whose latest effort, “We Were Never Here,” was named to a list of best local releases of 2015 by this very publication with good reason, Little Bobby Jr. & The Horsey House Band featuring Lonna Kelley and DJ Mitch Freedom with Treasure Mammal hosting.
Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13. Valley Bar, 130 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. $5. valleybarphx.com.
8/18: Luxxe release show
These local rockers recorded their second EP, "Rolling Thunder," at ZK Productions in Atlanta, where Mayday Parade, Set It Off, Cartel and All Time Low are just some of the names on the client list. The sound of the five-song EP they recorded is on the country-flavored side of modern pop-rock, with singalong choruses underscoring Seth Smades’ raspy melodies with aching harmonies from guest vocalist Anna Philippe.
Smades says, “We ended up leaving on New Year's Day for a three-day road trip to Georgia. Since it was our first time working with outside producers we wanted the songs to be radio-worthy and professionally recorded, mixed and mastered. In general we just wanted them to capture how we felt and they did.”
Philippe will revisit her breathtaking vocal assist at the release show, which also features sets by Daisy, Rio Wiley and Rival Coast.
Details: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 18. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. $15; $12 in advance; free before 9 p.m. 602-716-2222, crescentphx.com.
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8/18-19: AJJ "The Bible 2" release shows
Like Adele, these local heroes need a two-night stand to satisfy demand, although it may be fair to point out that their shows are at a somewhat smaller -- or is it "more intimate?" -- venue. Either way, I'd imagine the album they're releasing is more entertaining than that last Adele release. It's called "The Bible 2," for one, which is pretty hilarious. And that video they did lampooning other videos, "Goodbye, Oh Goodbye," is just as funny.
Their previous effort, an album of often hilarious, frequently cryptic, darkly existential and politically subversive folk-punk songs called "Christmas Island." was widely acclaimed and for obvious reasons. Since then, they've shortened their name from Andrew Jackson Jihad, a move that somehow proved more controversial than their former name, which I believe would qualify as irony, but I should maybe run it past Alanis Morissette.
Details: 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 18, and Friday, Aug. 19. Rebel Lounge, 2303 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. $20. 602-296-7013, therebellounge.com.
8/19: Dadadoh release show
Dadadoh is local rapper Bryan Preston, who celebrates the physical release of “Radical,” an alternative hip-hop album he mastered with Scott Mitting.
“I'd been working on this album before I went on tour last summer,” Preston says. “During that tour I really got to learn what worked and what didn't when it came to presenting my music to a larger audience outside the city. My previous album was called ‘Infernal’ and it was made during this dark time in my life and that really resonated with Phoenix but not so much on tour. Every once in a while I'd add something new to my set that I was working on just to see how it went and people really liked that stuff more than the songs from ‘Infernal’ and I knew that was the direction I wanted to go in with the project once I got back.”
He actually set aside rapping for two or three months when he got back from tour and a family member passed away right around his birthday.
“I wanted to pursue standup comedy,” he says. “It became a very therapeutic way for me to deal with it. I spent every Monday night at Lawn Gnome honing my skills and trying out new material. I actually began writing jokes more than I was writing lyrics because it gave me a new way to express myself and it made me realize how healing comedy could be. I think I also felt like I had run out of things to say in my music. I actually counted one day and realized I had recorded and released 104 songs. There was nothing else I felt I needed to say but after the joke writing and living through the passing of my cousin Jorel, I realized I wanted to make something fun and sexy. The album is ultimately a celebration of my time in Phoenix combined with everything I've learned about myself since I've been here.”
He's joined at his release show by Grimewave, Team Solo Patch, Dandelion Violence and 20 Ft. Neon Jesus.
Details: 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 19. The Fountain Space, 1515 W. Pierce St., Phoenix. $5. storyenvy.com.
8/20: Dave Riley and Bob Corritore
These Rhythm Room regulars are invading the Musical Instrument Museum and turning it into a temporary juke joint. Guitar-playing vocalist Riley and Corritore, a modern master of Chicago-style blues harp, have recorded three albums together. Highlights of their latest, 2013's "Hush Your Fuss!," ranged from the swampy swagger of "Baby Please Come Home" to John Weston's slow-burning "Snuff Dippin' Woman," on which Riley memorably sets the tone with "I got a snuff-dippin' woman / Snuff juice runnin' all down her dress."
Details: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 20. MIM Music Theater, Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. $25.50-$31.50. 480-478-6000, mim.org.
8/20: Mouse Powell
It’s been three years since “These are the Good Times,” the latest full-length effort from the world’s most reluctant rapper, as this Tempe artist has been known to bill himself. But he’s dropped a couple songs since then and clearly did his best to keep the good times flowing for the hip-hop party people with the video to last year’s "King of My Own Backyard," in which he summed up his aesthetic with: "This is our neighborhood / We get stepdad drunk / We like above-ground pools / We keep the grills set up." And now he’s dropping hints on Facebook that there may be more new music on the way. Last month, he posted, “Definitely got my confidence pretty shook over the last few months, but the music that is coming out of it is some of my favorite stuff I've ever made. I feel like I'm moving in a really interesting direction." In the meantime, have I mentioned that this show is free? With Rubedo and Hollowpoint Vigils.
Details: 10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 20. Valley Bar, 130 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. Free. valleybarphx.com.
8/21: Courtney Marie Andrews
OK, so she’s not local anymore, but this is where she got her start before our loss became Seattle’s gain. She returns to the Valley two days after dropping “Honest Life,” an aptly titled and gorgeous collection of country-flavored indie-folk material that makes the most of Andrews’ emotional range as a vocalist and writer.
On “How Quickly Your Heart Mends,” the sort of song she could have walked on stage at the Band’s “Last Waltz” to sing, she follows “The jukebox is playing a sad country song” with “for all the ugly Americans / Now I feel like one of them / Dancin’ alone, broken by their freedom.” And that’s just one reason to listen.
She’s joined at the Phoenix release show for the album by two local artists who definitely fit the bill, Dylan Pratt and Jesse Teer of the Senators.
Details: 8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 21. Valley Bar, 130 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. $10. valleybarphx.com.
8/25: Jane N the Jungle
These Phoenix rockers are blessed with a powerful female presence on lead vocals, Jordan White, whose voice is a natural fit for their brand of melodic alternative-rock. She can whisper as well as she rages, pout with attitude and wail with authority. They’re releasing a self-titled album in October. In the meantime, there’s a brand new video for “Smoke & Dust,” a track from the album that shows off the heavier, more raucous side of what they have to offer. They’re joined at Crescent Ballroom by California rockers Puff Puff Beer and locals Field Tripp and Talent Scout. Have I mentioned that Field Tripp is among my favorite Phoenix bands in six or seven of these columns? Yeah, I thought so, too.
Details: 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 21. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. $5. Free before 9 p.m. 602-716-2222, crescentphx.com.
8/25: Blood Feud Family Singers
On last year’s “No Moon,” their first album, Blood Feud Family Singers more than lived up to their promise to deliver “stories that don't end well and relationships that never should have been, packed into 12 lovingly recorded slices of Americana Noir.” It certainly applies to "Lonely Night,” a haunted murder ballad that draws you in by rhyming “Girl, I know you out there havin’ fun” with “Gonna sit here in this chair, polishin’ this gun.” There's a video on the way for that song in September, and there's certainly plenty to work with in those lyrics. They're joined at this show by Monster May I, the Fallen, Innoculous and the Spider Hole.
Details: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 25. Club Red, 1306 W. University Drive, Mesa. $5. 480-258-2733, clubredrocks.com.
8/26: “The Jon Rauhouse Orchestra” listening party
The local multi-instrumentalist will be joined by Robin Vining, Megyn Neff and Jennifer Rauhouse for an all-acoustic set at this listening party for his latest CD, “The Jon Rauhouse Orchestra Featuring Tommy Connell.” A welcome addition to the Rauhouse catalog, it features Rauhouse playing to his many instrumental strengths with guest appearance by members of Calexico, Andrew Bird, the Squirrel Nut Zippers, Iron & Wine, Rachel Flotard of Visqueen, Billy Bob Thornton of the Boxmasters and more.
For those who may be wondering how he lined up all those guest appearances, some background may be helpful. Rauhouse, whose instruments of choice are pedal-steel guitar, banjo, guitar and Hawaiian guitar, has worked with Neko Case since 1999 and toured with other artists such as Iron & Wine with Ben Bridwell, Jakob Dylan and Billy Bob Thornton. In addition to playing on albums by Case, Thornton’s Boxmasters, Dr. Dog, K.T. Tunstall, the Old 97s and Howe Gelb, he’s now released six albums. This one is available on Friday, Aug. 5, at Stinkweeds.
"This recording means a lot to me,: says Rauhouse. "I try not to get to maudlin about music but a lot of things, good and bad, happened during the making of this CD. One of the best was getting to collaborate with Rachel Flotard from Visqueen and the worst was the untimely death of bassist William Lovell III. Currently my favorite moments are Betsy Ganz singing 'Am I Blue' going into 'Jumpin' at the Woodside' and the great rhythm section of the aforementioned Will and the amazing Kevin O'Donnell."
Details: 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26. Arizona Hi Fi, 10 W. Camelback Road, Phoenix. 602-264-4434.
8/26: Voodoo Swing release show
Voodoo Swing’s release show doubles as an after-party for the legendary Paladins, who rock the house at 9:30 p.m. The music on “To You My Friend” should certainly speak to the Paladins fans who stick around to get their after-party on, combing elements of rockabilly, blues and other schools of roots-revival music, from jump blues to soul, on such obvious highlights as “So Fine” and the hard-grooving blues of “The Rambler.” And they’re just back from a five-week European tour, so they should be in top form.
Guitar-playing vocalist Shorty says: “We're obviously extremely excited about the new CD. We really feel like it represents so many of the sounds that we love, without losing our identity as a band rooted in rockabilly and blues. The album was recorded at Electric Lotus Studio in Phoenix, and was produced by the amazingly talented Olivier Zahm. Eleven brand new, swingin' original tunes, and a whole lot of rock n' roll!”
Details: 11:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26. Rhythm Room, 1019 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. $8. 602-265-4842, rhythmroom.com.
8/27: decker. album release
These Sedona-based rockers, led by Brandon Decker, are celebrating the release of an album called “Snake River Blues,” the lead single of which they rolled out in a big way late last month when PopMatters premiered the Matty Steinkamp video, which wisely cast Phoenix Afrobeat Orchestra’s Camille Sledge as the title character (the Holy Ghost).
That song already made our playlist of July’s best singles, where I noted that it “rocks while managing to sound as ghostly and ethereal as Sledge's goddess figure, arriving at some sort of gothic rockabilly swagger with a trembling lead vocal from Decker. and excellent use of dynamics from producer Bob Hoag.”
As Decker explains his mindset going into the recordings, “ ‘Snake River Blues’ really comes as the bookend of I'd say seven years of laying quite literally everything on the line. All cute and dreadful stories aside, after the work we did for ‘Patsy’ last year, I wanted to do the biggest thing I could conjure up. So we went to Bob Hoag to make a rock 'n roll record which we planned to take to New York City for a month-long residency. Super proud of everything we're working on this year -- the ‘Snake River Blues’ album, documentary, the upcoming New York residency and then the Snake River Blues beer, chocolate and soap collaborations. This Valley Bar show is really our Phoenix area celebration of the whole thing.”
Also playing: Harrison Fjord, Bear Ghost and DJ Mitch Freedom and Quezo Mann.
Details: 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27. Valley Bar, 130 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. $12; $10 in advance. valleybarphx.com.
8/28: Moons Eat Stars album release
Zachary Williams and Benjamin Rundall formed this instrumental post-rock project in 2015 and later that same year released a debut EP titled “Voyage.” “Exile” is the full-length followup, combining droning overtures with classical composition. In creating the album, they wanted to emulate the sounds and textures of a large orchestra without the addition of digital effects. Accordingly, “Exile” was initially recorded entirely from the duo’s shared in-home recording studio with only guitar, bass and analog pedals. Ryan Vance joined late last and contributed to the album as second guitarist with Adriel Zang-Perrault providing all the drum tracks and Paula Tesoriero adding vocals to a track called “Voice of Luna.”
“Ultimately,” they say, “the goal of ‘Exile,’ and perhaps all post-rock/instrumental music, is to embark our listeners on a story through sound. Familiar vocals with perceptible messages are replaced by the voiceless and neutral timbres and textures of the lead guitar. Clarity is lost in a cacophony of obscure soundscapes shaped by bass, drums, and rhythm guitar. In the end, the story of ‘Exile’ is as much guided by the atmospheres that result from this combination, as it is the listener’s own personal relationship to these sounds.
Also playing: Holy Fawn and the Idiot Mars.
Details: 8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 28. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. $15; $12 in advance; Free before 9 p.m. 602-716-2222, crescentphx.com.
8/31: Tony Ziemba Benefit Show
This is a great show for a great cause. A handful of the Valley's finest – the Haymarket Squares, Carol Pacey & the Honeyshakers, Mr. Mudd & Mr. Gold, and Betsy Ganz of the SunPunchers with multi-instrumentalist Jon Rauhouse – have joined forces for the benefit of a local photographer who's shot a lot of local acts for free, including Pacey's Honeyshakers. As Honeyshakers guitarist Andy Borunda says, "He's kind of a local music fixture."
Ziemba is currently dealing with stage four colon cancer. There will be a slide show playing throughout the night featuring his photography of local musicians. Attendees will have the option of paying however much they want beyond $8 for donation purposes towards Cancer Research.
The Haymarket Squares just topped our countdown of the year's best music videos by Phoenix artists with "Let's Start a Riot" (and finished seventh on that same list with the video to "Heaven"). Rauhouse just released a great new album, “The Jon Rauhouse Orchestra Featuring Tommy Connell," before heading back out on the road with Neko Case. And I am really liking what I've heard so far from "Eyes on the Prize," the raucous new album the Honeyshakers are releasing in October.
Details: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 31. Last Exit Live, 717 S. Central Ave., Phoenix. $6-$8. 602-271-7000, lastexitlive.com.
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