bscenelive october 2011

8/3/2019 BSceneLive October 2011

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DUB

FEST2 DAYSoRockandRgga

HOT SPOTo hMOnTH

RJSREPlAYSpage9

page21

Issu 07 - Free! Take me! - Issu 07

MuchMoRe!

Scene

PHOTOSpage11-12


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Jodi B. is a native NewYorker who loves thepeople and the warm,

sunny climate of Tucson.She celebrates all genres of

music and appreciates thevaried, friendly arts scene in

the Old Pueblo. She lovesdowntown and 4th Avenue.

Brooklyn Pizza and Sky Bar.Shes really glad to be here! Jodi

B. studied art, enjoys writing and

loves photography, especiallyphotos of people. Her goal is

photo portraits that captureyour unique attractiveness...

she wants to make YOU lookgood.

BSceneLivesPhoto Month Jodi B. Darig

BSceneLIVe.coM 520.358.2137

1 BSceneLive Issue #07


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Ben Michaels.3-4

PitBall RecoRds.5-6

a Fallto Break: CD reVIeW. 7

DUBFeSt. 9

YoU.were.SCeNe.Photos.11-12

HeatHer HarDY.13-14

Kini Wad 17

UNIVerSItY peDI-CaB.18

BaSketBall & Bare Feet. 19

BSl Hot Spot: rJS replaYS. 21

PuBLISheR-.GreGG.Ziekert

ARt DIRectoR-.rainbow.buckinGhamfInAnce & LegAL- rik.hoeflinGer

eDItoR-.carolyn.trouble.cary

MeDIA ReLAtIonS - stacy.fortson

Account RePReSentAtIVe- James.ford

JR. gRAPhIc ARtISt - katita.buckinGham

WRIteRS:

benJamin.bean.rollinG

cait.reynolds

debbie.federico

don.martin

GreGG.Ziekert

John.mares

katita.buckinGham

mel.macabre

moss.orion

stePhanie.swinGle.

tre.James.osborne

PhotogRAPheRS:

benJamin.bean.rollinG

Jeanni.nunn

Jodi.b.darlinG

rose.Price

stacy.fortson

frank.ramos

The views and opinions expressed on

this web site or in print are solely those

of the original authors and other con-

tributors. These views and opinions do

not necessarily represent those of Gregg

Ziekert, the BSceneLive sta, and/or any/

all contributors or adversers.

Ask us wh u shuld

advrtis ur Wb sit

BSLiv.m

520.358.2137

Underthedirectionand GUidanceof

ArtFare.org


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B

en Michaels is a man who has been humbledby life and by the mistakes he made in his. He

has overcome alcoholism, his ego of playingfor the girls, the money and the desire for fame, to getto a place of serenity and to play music that people payattention to and believe in.

Onstage, behind his guitar, barefoot because itscomfortable, he exudes a life force that lights up hisface and aura. Sometimes shouting his lyrics into themicrophone because he wants the audience to feel what hefeels. He does not try to be entertaining, he just is. Jokingwith the crowd, doing Lil Jon impressions and proclaiming

Ive got sweat on my guitar.Im rocking!

Ben is young, at 19 years oldhe has already experiencedlifes potholes, mostly by hisown doing. Unlike most young adults, he has discovereda secret that grounds him. He spoke to me about thespirituality he had to nd in order to overcome his innerdemons. He accepts and reads Buddhist and Hindu

teachings, and cites Eckhart Tolles The Power of Nowas an aid in squashing the ego within. He nds thosemessages best convey to him how he can be grounded.Everyone is Southern Baptist back home, he tells me,and I revolted against God. But I found it within myself.Thats what Buddhist teachings did for me. All religionhas the same message if you think about it. (I agree withhim.) And the best songs come when Im connected tomy spirituality.

For him, music is the best way he knows to expresshimself. It allows him to connect, to nd his center in his

spirituality. After a bout with drinking and taking a lookdown that long dark tunnel that led to nowhere, he had

to get sober to save himself. I have to live my life inhand with my spirituality. His biggest obstacle he claims

is my own head. Thinking too much has gotten me intotrouble in the past. I got to stay grounded here. I pickeda place on the map to move to and it was Tucson, the

polar opposite of Clemmons, North Carolina. Tucson isexactly where I am supposed to be right now. Showing

the Buddhist within, he says, Things will turn out theway they should.

One would think, after watching, hearing and talking to

Ben, that he is a veteran of the stage, but he has onlybeen playing professionally

since earlier this year. Hisimpact is already sizeable,

earning him fans at everyvenue. Most of those fans

have asked for a CD, and he is working on one. He plansto give those CDs out for free at his shows, because ofthe person he is. This is life, he says. What would be

a better way to talk to people about life? Why would I

want to listen to that? I want to give back and music isthe way to do that.

If I can just help other people the way I was helped

through music, then I can be happy, Ben says. Hedoesnt have to have fame, just enough money to get by.Mentoring others would be a great accomplishment for

him. The way he says his idol, Trevor Hall, did for him.Going through the hardest time in his life he listened to

Halls music, and it got him through it. He wants to be

able to do that for others.

Ben may just do that with his song Life Up High. It is songwritten after the memorial that was held for the victims ofthe January 8th shootings that killed 6 people and injured

13, including Representative Gabrielle Giffords, here inTucson. I was actually angry, that it took such a tragedy

to cause people to come together. But then I went andwrote the song in about 5 minutes. I believe that once

By:Dbbi FdricoPhotos by:Sac Forso

Ben MIchAeLS

If I can just help other people theway I was helped through music thenI can be happy. ~ Ben Michaels


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520.358.2137 BSceneLIVe.coM

Issue #07 BSceneLive 4

that song gets radioairplay it will become

Bens signature song,rocketing him onto the

radar.

His other songsare infectious and

powerful. He reallydoes nd a way to bond

with his audience. Hissong Breeze had

no nished secondverse, and he told theaudience that, but

played it anyways,cueing Kevin Pierre

Tomanovich on the drum, whooping and grinning inapproval. Ben has the energy of Michael Franti, that

happiness in his songs that you can groove to. He citesTrevor Hall, Dave Matthews, Radiohead and Matthew

Santos as his inuences. The Dave Matthews Bandslast album, Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King iscurrently in his rotation.

You get the sense that Ben has worked hard at tetheringhimself. Now he is in the state of being, however he will

say he is always working on it. He talked about howmusic was a way to get connected. Playing at the Hotel

Congress and opening for his idol was one of the biggestmoments of inspiration for him. Im talking about whatTrevor means to me and people were calling my name,

he says. There was a hundred and forty people I didntknow, there to see Trevor, but they liked me. He smiles,

There is ego involved in that, but instead I want to be

able to relate to people in that way. He had grabbed apress yer, and I kept it for safety while he played. WhenI gave it back to him after the show, he went up like any

other fan to Trevor. I had to have him sign it. My pictureis on there with his, he said with a big smile.

I could have talked to Ben for hours about music and

life and spirituality. I told him about my synesthesia,something I dont talk to many about, and realized that

he is that guy you can open up to and be yourselfwith because he is himself. Behind the shy smile,

once you get past the dgeting, you nd one ofthe most calm, open, accepting people to grace

your path. The colors that surround him are thedeepest imaginable. He could rule the world if he

wanted to, but chooses instead to use his talentto connect and be connected to all those aroundhim. The happiest we can hope to be in our lives is

when living becomes effortless. But does it makeit interesting? Ben thrives on that, he wants the

simplicity but also wants to make things happen.

Bens moment is now,and as humble as he is,

he would say he is gettingthere. I am here to attest

that as such a powerful energy,when he feels he is there, to that

place, he will bring the rest of uswith him.


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P

itBall Records is a full-service CD production companyfor the aspiring (or established) artist. They will handle

production, recording, CD duplication, CD printing,graphic design, management, and press relations. Oliver Saul,

owner of PitBall, says his goal is to Help a band create an EPor album, and to take the next steps to get that music out tothe rest of the planet! Ensphere, Animus Divine, and Solace in

Nothing are some of the bands he is working with now. SolaceIn Nothings six-song EP Demons is the latest release from

PitBall Records.

This release was produced by PitBall, recorded at Next Door

Studios, and was mastered by TAMMIE award winner Fen Ikner.Oliver talks about releasing the most recent PitBall EP. I meetSolace in Nothing in November of 2010, when they played forone of my metal compilation shows at Pearl. I quickly became

a fan of their music and stage performances, and about twomonths after that show I approached the band and asked if they would like to be a PitBall recording artist. They said

yes, and came into my studio in the beginning of 2011 to begin recording their EP. After about four months of trackingand mixing we had the tracks ready for mastering. Oliver adds, I was amazed by the Drummer Mark Chico, he was

able to get the tracking for all the songs in two days. For a 17 year old to have such talent blew me away. Michael Chicobrother of Mark, had an incredible guitar sound, which came out in the nished production. Neko Sam, bass player for

the band, was very easy to work with and his tracking was very quick. Nekos stage performance is a sight to be seen, heis a professional head banger for sure. Macos Rosas, the vocalist for the band, has a strong vision for the songs, which

he writes the lyrics for. His graveyard growls and strong voice

allowed me to create some vintage vocal tracks.

The Solace in Nothing EP demonstrates PitBall can indeed

take a CD from being only an idea in the mind of an artist,through recording, production, and release. Oliver says abou

the new release, I would have to say that the time in thestudio allowed me to get to know the band. They showed agreat desire to perfect each and every song. He describes

the PitBball team effort: PitBall Records graphic artist DanAgnew developed the EP art concept and worked with the

band to nd the perfect layout for this up and coming EP. MartyHaviik was the photographer for many of the band pictures

that are in the EP package. Gary Ranstead designed theEP cover art. The EP was recorded and produced by Oliver

at Next Door Studios. PitBall Records along with Big MikeProductions will be releasing the EP Demons will be released

By: Don Martin

Oivr Sa,

PiBa RcordsSpina cd withPItBALL RecoRDS


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on October 28, 2011 at the Rialto. Oliver says, This EPrelease show will be lled with top notch bands: Standswith Fists, Ensphere, A Fall to Break, Indu, and Trinity.

PitBall Records was very happy to have been able toproduce this EP for the band and we look forward to

starting on the full length CD in the beginning of 2012.


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If A Fall To Breaks last CD, SeptemberFalls was any indication of where thisband was heading, Man in the Mask has

announced it.

The title song showcases Nathan Shoemakers

vocal strength, and the rst two tracks have

a driving power provided by Matt Bejar on

the drums. The whole album is driven by the

crescendos of Craig Artzs guitars and the

rapid re dribbling repeats of Matt Bejar, with

the piece de resistance being Cody Gs guitar

solos. There is a melancholy warble to Nathans

voice as he belts out lyrics like it holds like itunderstands my needs/it keeps me from moving

forward/its times like these that I feel so weak/

and time to try and start this over/ leave it be in

the past where it all still belongs/ see the man

in the mask grows tired of all these questions/

theres no threat/ the less that you know/the less

you must forget, except you dont from the third

track Man in the Mask. This gravity was rst

heard on September Falls title track, a songbased on the September 11th attacks and the

anniversary of them. The band has seemed

to temper Man in the Mask with that same

melancholia. They bring it home with a surprise

slow ballad, a piano-driven highlight number

titled Ive Died.

Not to discount the utter extreme rock that is

blaring from my stereo. It is loud in all the right

places, with chord progressions running up

and down each track and some seriously hard-

hitting drums. Oh, there will be moshpits.

I found myself singing along after the second

listen through, realizing that this is a band that

needs some serious radio airplay. Though theresnot quite a band that sounds like them, or they

sound similar to, theyd t nicely between the

likes of Rise Against and Bullet for My Valentine

on KFMA. In my opinion, they are better than

most of what is played on the radio currently.

Released by XENOCIDE STUDIOS, they

recorded and mastered the album themselves.

Proudly proclaiming they are 100% self-

produced, they sound much more professionalthan most others out there. There is no over-

production here, just good, natural, talent.

They are releasing their CD at The Rock on

Saturday, September 24th with CCS Crew (who

are also releasing a CD). You can pick up the

CD for $10. Having had a chance to see them

live, I can say that theirs is a live show not to be

missed.

For more information check out their Facebook

page (and like them) at: https://www.facebook.

com/afalltobreak And watch their music video

Man in the Mask, directed

by Tucsons Peter Leon

(who will also be at the show

doing a live video shoot):

http://www.youtube.com/

watch?v=S2aJJxgZ7t8

Man in the MaskA fALL to BReAkCD ReviewBy:Dbbi Fdrico


9/24


10/24



What is Dub? Dub is commonly considered a

subgenre of music that emerged from Reggae

music in the late 1960s, progressing over the

years to impact other genres of music, including post-punk

and rock. Dub involves removing some, or all, of the lyrics

to a song and putting the emphasis on the drum track and

bass. To those who grew up in Southern California, Dub

may possibly mean those 20 inch rims or a $20 sack of

high grade marijuana. For this occasion, Dub is all about

the inuence that the music has on all of us.

Dub Fest is double the pleasure, two nights of Reggae,Rock, Alternative, Hip-Hop, Blues, Funk and Ska. This

extraordinary combination of music sure to please us allis coming to the Hut in Tucson on Friday October 14thand Saturday October 15th, 2011. Inspired by SouthernCalifornia style music and beach living lifestyle, bothnights will feature an incredible mix of local and nationalacts. Friday night headliners Ballyhoo, from Aberdeen,MD, are undeniably turning the world of music upsidedown and sideways as they blur the lines between rock,reggae, punk and pop to craft their own hybrid of music.Playing Friday night with Ballyhoo is Echo Movement, a

seven piece band from Asbury, NJ. Echo Movement isan American alternative/reggae band originally formedin 2004 by brothers Stephen and David Fowler.

Saturday night features Pacic Dub from HuntingtonBeach, CA. Pacic Dub is one of the newest, andyoungest, bands to solidify themselves as professionalswithin the Reggae-Rock scene. Pacic Dub combinescatchy choruses, heavy rock n roll guitar melodies,and smooth hip-hop and reggae rhythms that add totheir coastal vibe while sharing a message of love andpeace. Also featured Saturday night is Katastro, fromTempe, AZ. Formed in 2007, Katastro emerged fromdiverse musical backgrounds to create a unique sound,blending hip-hop, blues, jazz and rock.

DUB Fest Night 1 Lineup: Special Brownie (Tucson,AZ), Catsh Mustache (Mesa, AZ), Faster Than Light(Tucson, AZ), Spartacus (Oxnard, CA), Ease Up (L.A./San Diego, CA), Echo Movement (Asbury Park, NJ),Skitn (Tucson, AZ), and Ballyhoo (Aberdeen, MD).

DUB Fest Night 2 Lineup: Funky Bonz (Tucson, AZ),Faster Than Light (Tucson, AZ), Spartacus (Oxnard, CA),Katastro (Tempe, AZ), Pacic Dub (Huntington Beach,

CA).

Come join us at Dub Fest for an impressive two nightsof amazing live music performed by our favorite localand national acts. Purchase your tickets at http://dubfest.eventbrite.com/, $10 for one night or $15 for both nights.

Sponsored by Tucson Rock Alliance, PhenomenonConcerts, and BSceneLive. Vendors will also be on handfrom Moon Smoke Shop and 420org.

DuBfeStfeatUrinG BaLLyhooandpacific dUBBy: Sac Forso


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TAG Your Photo on

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inSePteMBeR


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S

he once played a secret concert in communist EastGermany before the Berlin Wall fell and is in the

Blues Hall of Fame. In her younger years she playedin the NYC subway for tips and has toured Europe severaltimes. She was trained as a classical symphony pianistand violinist at the prestigious Manhattan School of Music,but now plays blues and jazz. She has worked with thelikes of Allen Ginsberg and the legendary Sam BluzmanTaylor. She won the 2011 TAMMIE for best string musicianin Tucson. Many musicianswould kill for a shot at someof those things. So who is

this interesting person? Sheis Heather Hardy, and shelives and performs right herein Tucson!

Reading Heathers bio itseems to be a chronology oftaking musical risks. Playingin a communist countryduring the cold war wascertainly a risk. Switching

from a classically trained symphony musician to a jazz/blues artist is a risk. Playing with some of the best of thebest in the music world is a risk. The list goes on

So lets briey hit the highlights rst. She has been playinglive music in Tucson since 1991. She calls her music soul/blues. She says she plays lots of clubs and bars as wellas festivals. A little unusual, she also plays prisons andrehab centers. She says she does this because I love tobring music into settings that have none. I believe there

should always be some kind of music in our environment.

Heather was born in New Rochelle, NY, but her familyquickly moved to Westport, CT. Her father was a medicalillustrator, and her mother a teacher. The family had agreat appreciation for the musical arts, and at age sixHeather took up the piano. She says she immediately fellin love with it, but there was more, she fell in love withcreating and performing music.

In 4th grade, the school she attended offered every student

the opportunity to study a string instrument. Heather reallywanted to play the cello, but it was too heavy for a small girl tocarry around. Her family convinced her to study the violin.She says she absolutely fell in love with it, and with the idea

of playing in a symphony setting. She was selected for theAll-State Orchestra and the Norwalk Youth Symphony andplayed with them during Jr. High and High School. In HighSchool she had the honor to be selected for the AmericanYouth Symphony and did her rst European tour with them.

After High School she applied to the Manhattan Schoolof Music. She auditioned on both piano and violin, and

was accepted on both but wastold she had to pick one as hermajor. At rst it was the piano,

and she studied under WalterHautzig for a year. She did somesoul-searching and realized apiano was ne for a symphony,but it wasnt exactly portable.Heather says she is a gypsy atheart, and needed something shecould easily carry. She decideda violin was something you couldplay with the symphony, as well

as for informal small groups onthe road. She switched her major to violin, and studiedfor another two years under Raphael Bronstein, who shecalls incredible.

After the MSM she started playing the subways and localparks, mostly for tips. She says this was a great opportunityto meet other musicians, learn from them, and develop herstyle. By this time she had switched from classical musicto blues/jazz. One day, playing in Washington SquarePark, she got noticed. She was asked to join the False

Prophets who recorded on the Alternative Tentacles label.They were fairly well known, especially in Europe. She

joined them, and they toured Europe, Canada, and the US.

Heather talks a bit about the transition from a symphony-trained violinist/pianist to a blues/jazz performer. Ichanged direction musically, in 1984. I really always loved

jazz and blues and I wanted to be able to improvise. Butthat transition for a classical violinist is very difcult. For meit was a lot about loosening up and letting go, and allowing

By:Do Mari Photos by:Jodi B. Darig

JUStwho iSheAtheR hARDy?


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the music to come through me rather than from me. Shecontinues, I feel as though the violin is an extension ofmyself at this point, I dont look at it as something I like forbetter or worse. Its like breathing.

As for her singing, she credits Sam Taylor. Singing wasa gift given to me by the late great Sam Taylor. I had

always enjoyed singing, but I never even entertained thethought of being a lead singer. I worked with Sam for 20years. And from learning to sing harmonies next to him heendlessly encouraged me to nd my voice. I love it and amso grateful he encouraged me. I am still always striving toimprove.

Heather continues, This leads me to the question of whoinuenced me most. Well, without a doubt that would beSam Taylor. First of all, there was no artist before, during,

or after Sams life that rivaled what he did. And whenyou went to see Sam, or played with Sam, you were inthe Church of the Blues. Such a great band leader, suchan incredible showman, and his voice and guitar playingmoved me to chills and tears nightly. I also feel that beingin the presence of such a great songwriter and truly gettingto see his artistic process opened my mind and heart to thepossibilities of what I could do as a writer and performer.He was also my very best friend and on so many levels hemade me a better artist and human being.

I always like to ask musicians about the largest andsmallest crowds they have played to. I am interested in theanswer to the small crowd question, you can learn somethings there. Are they only in it for money (large crowd) orbecause they enjoy interacting with their audience (smallcrowd)?

Heather nailed this one perfectly. For the record, the largestcrowd she has played to is well over 5000 at a concert

in Poland,

with the FalseProphets on aEuropean tour.The smallestwas only a fewpeople at theMint, here inTucson. Aboutthis she says,But its one of

my favorite gigs.If its only a smallcrowd, but theylove music, then itseverything I need.

And most of the timewe have a greatgroup that comesto hear the musicand a great groupof regulars and staffthat also love music.I love playing there!

As a fan of livemusic thats exactlywhat I want to hear!

What does Heather get out of playing live? She puts itthis way. When I play a show, I always receive a greathealing. Of course, the act of playing creates that. And theexperience of collaborating with other artists (my band) isempowering. But at the shows the greatest power to me isin seeing the audience and feeling them have a catharticexperience. Whether they need to escape, or whether theynd comfort, or just dance their cares away, it is contagiousand I always feel that I receive way more than I could evergive. Those moments of creating community give my life

purpose.

Heather is passionate about supporting the AmityFoundation. Amity is a nonprot which helps peoplewith substance abuse problems. Their latest project isDragony Village, which will include a complete resourcecenter for children in families having problems withsubstance abuse issues.

Heathers website is www.heatherlilmamahardy.com.There you can keep up to date on her tour schedule, see

some live video, or download music.

The musicians Heather currently plays with are: EdDelucia (guitar), Larry Lee Lerma(bass), Ralph Gilmore (drums),Sabra Faulk (vocals), and DonNottingham (vocals).

Heathers previous CDs aretitled: Violins and I Believe.


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Pla yur adasLOWas

$100520.358.2137


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Imet Kini Wad when I walked into Plush on 4thAvenue. I spotted the bartender and asked if he wasKini Wade (pronouncing his last name way-ed). Hequickly corrected me on the pronunciation of his last nameas Wah-deh and told me it should be spelled with anaccent mark, Wad.

Kini Wad is well known for playing drums in various localTucson bands. He is the original founder of Tammie Hallof Fame reggae band, Neon Prophet. He formed theband back in 1984, but left shortly afterward to take care

of family responsibilities. He has played for The Stellas,Black Moon Grafti, Pro-Cell, The Low Downs, Manzanita,Tin Roof, Wad Connection, Moore Rockers, and has beendrumming for reggae band Planet Jam since September2007.

I was fortunate to sit down with Kini and hear interestingstories of his lifes journeys and travels. Kini describedhimself as an old hippie from Meadville, PA. He told meattended the original Woodstock in 1969, validating hisclaim as a hippie to me. I continued to take notes as he

unloaded more interesting tales.

Kini is very much an iconic gure on 4thAvenue. Not only does he bartend atPlush and Delectables, he also workspart time at the Chocolate Iguana andis the 4th Avenue Associations StreetFair Stage Manager. Kini is the manresponsible for booking all of the liveentertainment at all the 4th Avenue

Street Fairs since 1996. I asked Kinihow he landed the job with the 4th

Avenue Association and he replied,The people in charge at the timenoticed I had a decent sound systemand professional equipment for liveshows.

I was very interested on his thoughtsof Tucsons music scene and if he

itS pronoUncedWAh-Deh!

thought things have progressed and evolved in a positiveway for local musicians. He believes that Tucson hashad a huge growth in population since he arrived in 1977,and that has created more diversity and new talent to bediscovered in our community. He has seen many talentedyoung artists come to Tucson to attend the University of

Arizona and form new progressive bands. He believesthe younger bands will keep the music scene vibrant andfresh. Kini did mention that the City of Tucson neglected tobuild an outdoor amphitheater downtown or on 4th Avenuesomewhere. He wouldve liked to have a permanentstage for bands to play during 2nd Saturdays downtownor other events on 4th Avenue.

I asked him if he enjoys the Club Crawl events on 4th Avenue and Kini replied, Many bars have closed theirdoors to bands during club crawl. It has turned into more

of an outdoor type of festival than a club festival. ClubCrawl started out as just thatpeople going from club toclub to see various bands perform. Now its more outdoorcrawling than clubs.

If you ever get a chance to seePlanet Jam play, stop over and sayhello to Kini Wad. And rememberto pronounce his last name with anaccent Wah-deh! He will correct

you on thattrust me.

By:Joh Mars Photos by:Bjami Roig


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I met Brent years ago in the downtown scene of Tucson.Brent is a jack of all trades, but is probably best known

as the front man of Tucsons own BRICKTOP. The bandBRICKTOP is a staple in Tucsons punk scene, and Brentis a well known guy. For eight years, Brent worked at theVaudeville Cabaret on Congress. He and some guys fromdisbanded bands got together and formed BRICKTOP.However, he started tattooing long before Vaudeville andBRICKTOP. In 1997/98 Brent was living in Utah and did atattoo apprenticeship at Boulevard Tattoo. When he cameback to Tucson in 1999, he went to work at Tattoo Artistrywith Ed Slocum. In 2000, Brent met Jim, the owner of

Fastlane Tattoos. Brent and Jim started a couple thingstogether, they ride choppers together with some of theother artists in Jims shops, and maintained a friendship forthe past eleven years. Brent was working as a mechanicwhen Jim approached him with an offer to go back totattooing at Fastlane. Brent accepted, and we are nowblessed with another talented artist here in Tucson. Thereare two Fastlane shops now, one at 22nd St. and Wilmot,and the other on Oracle Rd. just north of Prince. Brentstarted out at the east side shop in August of 2010, and is

now working at the west side shop on Oracle. The shop isneat, clean, organized, and has a chill vibe to it. The newshop on Oracle also has a space in the back that is going tobe used as a retail space. Jim and Brent want to sell localmusic and merchandise, and rare and hard to nd punkrecords and merchandise. The space is awesome and Icant wait to see it set up. Of course, BRICKTOP CDs and

merchandise will be available at the shop! BRICKTOPcurrently have two CDs available: the 2003 releaseBorn to Brawl and 2011s Broken Bottles and SuicideThrottles. BRICKTOP is what we here in The T like to callThug Rock. If you like your punk heavy and awesome,youll love BRICKTOP.

I hope Ive given you enough incentive to go see Brent andthe rest of the talent at Fastlane. While youre there, buya BRICKTOP record.

Visit Brent at:

Fastlane Tattoo

3801 N. Oracle Rd.Tucson, AZ 85705

ph: 520.388.8282

You can also check out artwork and other shop info at:

http://fastlanetattooaz.com/

And, check out BRICKTOP at:

www.myspace.com/tucsonbricktop

www.reverbnation.com/bricktop

h t t p s : / / w w w . f a c e b o o k . c o m / p a g e s /BRICKTOP/85220658139

University Pedi-Cabs was established by TonyRivera in 2011. Born in Manhattan, New York,Tony moved to Tucson in his mid 20s after

careers in aircraft maintenance with the US Air Force

and as a BMX racer. Tony attended Pima CommunityCollege, studying Fitness Sport Science, then continuedhis education at the U of A, getting a degree in ElementaryEducation. A love of the great outdoors, combined with alove for tness and exercise, led Tony to form UniversityPedi-Cabs. He hopes to share his love of all three withthe people who use the service. Tony draws inspirationfrom Walt Disney, who would not give up until he madehis dream come to life.

University Pedi-Cabs provides the University of Arizona

and downtown Tucson areas with a unique, alternative,eco-friendly form of transportation. University Pedi-Cabs

also conducts tours of the El Presidio historic district, 4thAvenue, University of Arizona, and the romantic River

Walk, as well as participating in various communityfunctions and events.

So regardless

of whetheryou just take

a ride or wantto take a tour,

r e m e m b e r U n i v e r s i t y

Pedi -Cabs,We Can

Take YouThere.


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My love for live music is much likemy love for basketball. Screwthe NBA, NCAA is where the

heart is. I root for the underdog; anyonewhos lived through March Madness withme will vouch for that. Once playersmake it to true baller status (not like theycant/dont get laid every night shouldthey choose, but Im talking about fatwallets here), they lose the heart andsoul they play with in college. It just isntthe same; in case you were wondering,my favorite underdog team is Marquette.

So, as much fun as the big dogs are tosee, if you want to witness soul, you rootfor the little guy. I originally went out to seemy buddy, local bouncer and musician Big John Holmes.Ive got mad love for anyone who keeps my ass safe atwork, especially with my big mouth. Johns set was amazingand I am always pleasantly surprised when local musiciansnot only meet but beat my expectations talent-wise. Donteven get me started on his choice of cover songs, MarvinGayes Sexual Healing. Awesome cover choice, its theOG panty dropping song. Rock on, John Holmes, rock on!

Following my bouncin buddy was local up and comerBen Michaels. Ive never seen him before but I hear hesamazing. I grab a drink and settle in for the show, smack

in front of the little bongodrummer, Kevin. Hellocuties! Oh, if only I wasa decade younger! Thething I simply couldnt

get over was adorableBen performing barefoot.I simply had to knowwhy. Why, Ben, why?Watching Ben open forhis mentor and idol wasa really awe-inspiringexperience, a once ina lifetime opportunityto live his dream. Ben

By:Sphai Swig Photos by:Sac Forso

Kande SayS:BASketBALL ad BARe feet

has a certain charm in his lyrics andthe way he shares stories (gettingstranded coming home from Phoenix)

makes him easy to relate to. Watchout world, this guy is going places!

The real underdog of the eveningwas Trevor Hall, a new-to-me folk/reggae singer hailing from SouthCarolina, of all places. Trevor playedbarefoot as well, which again left mecurious. Certainly there is some deepand meaningful reason for bare feet.I anxiously awaited the opportunity

to ask one or both performers whythey did this. Although we didntbond over Lemon Drop martinis, weeventually had a chance to chat briey.

Once Trevor started playing, I was completely entranced.I witnessed one of themost musically inspiredmoments of my life. Therewas a point where I stood

back and absorbed everyword he sung. He closedhis eyes and poured hisheart into the microphone;it was so intimate. Thesong was Te Amo, I wantto be your shelter and Iwant you to shelter me.He closed his eyes andhe sung. He felt each

word he shared, none ofus were there; it was justTrevor and his music. That moment will stay with me avery long time. At one point I became angry because noneof my friends have turned me onto him before now! What the heck,music is meant to be shared!

StORy COntInueD

OnlIne


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there is a new live music venue on Tucsons eastside, RJs Replays, located in the old Berkeysbuilding. If you think RJs is Berkeys II youre

wrong, the club has been completely remodeled. Roughwood paneling makes it a warm and comfortable place tobe, a new stage for the bandsis in the corner and a modestdance oor has been installed.I recently attended their grandopening.

The rst thing you will wonderupon entering RJs is if its a

friendly Irish pub, a sportsbar, or a live music venue. Itis actually all of those things.RJs offers over 140 craftbrews sure to please the palate of any beer lover. Popularbeers are on tap, including some you wouldnt expect, like29 Gold Medal award- winning craft brews. The food menuranges from appetizers to fuller fare. There are about30 large at-screen TVs on the walls and they offer allthe cable sports networks and most pay-per-view sportsbroadcasts. If you want to watch a PPV boxing or wrestlingevent, RJs is a good place to do it. RJs runs sports duringthe day into the early evening, when they seamlesslychange to live music. This is when the fun starts!

RJs currently books classic rock, jazz, and cover bands,in addition to bands that play original music. Richard, theowner, says he will include some country bands as well, sopeople can two-step all night! The night I was there theplace was christened by the Bryan Dean Trio. You reallycant do much better than listen to a few sets of blistering

blues. The BDT is one of the best blues bands in thecountry, and it is a pleasure to hear them.

RJs is laid out a bit differently than some music venues.Some clubs pack you in so tight you think you are talking tothe table next to you. At RJs the tables are spaced apart,which makes for a comfortable and casual experience. Thenight I was there the service staff was very attentive, rightthere the exact moment you wanted to order another drink.RJs also offers two private seating areas. Intended for

people who want to sit together, there is no cover chargefor them, and full bottle service is offered.The club wantsto attract some of the U of A crowd. They could watch aU of A football game, and then hang around for some live

music. Current students can show their Wildcat Card toreceive a discount off of any appetizer. RJs reach extendsbeyond college kids, it extends to lovers as well. Richard

says, This historic buildingis [a place] memories can bemade. He continues, I havemet so many couples thathave returned to the historicBerkeys because this is wherethey met the love of their life. Ihope that I have many morecouples meet here at this newfun and exciting place.

RJs has an interesting plan for the future. They intend tobe one of the rst clubs in town to show 3-D sports, andtheir TVs are already equipped for it. The problem is thereare not many sports which are broadcast in 3-D. Richardsays, The last University of Arizona Wildcat football gamewas broadcast in 3-D and it was amazing to watch. Hecontinues, You have to be here to see it, its just like if you

were at the game.

RJs is sponsoring Beerfest 2011. There you will get tosample their signature sliders, and drink some unique craftbeers with 4000 other beer lovers.

The club is at 5769 E. Speedway Blvd. The hours ofoperation are Monday Friday, 11am 2am. Saturday &Sunday, 9am -2am. RJs opens early on Saturday for allcollege ESPN Gameplan shows and on Sunday for NFLTicket. They have a special breakfast menu on those twodays for the early birds.

RJs charges a modest cover of $3 to $5 for some specialsporting and live music events. Children are welcome witha parent or guardian until 10PM.Karaoke is hosted from 9PM to 1AMevery Wednesday. The live musicschedule can be seen at www.rjsreplays.com.

hot Spotof h MonthRJS RePLAySBy:Do MariPhotos by:Frak Ramos


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bscenelive october 2011

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