DELIVERY BOY
It's been nice having Prom Body around for awhile lately, playing the Rialto's Halloween extravaganza and the second Night of the Living Fest (following a run of shows at the CMJ industry fest in New York City), but hey, that might not last forever, so be sure to enjoy a band doing something exceptionally well while the opportunity is there. This week, they're on a crazy-interesting bill at Topaz (which is a thing again, temporarily, perhaps?) with Vancouver, British Columbia's The Courtneys, Phoenix's Numb Bats and Get a Grip. Plus, it's a record release party for the third Dune Drift compilation (which has a great lineup) AND there's art from Andrew Shuta and Carne and Queso. The Courtneys are a ton of fun, throwing around big power-pop riffs, Riot Grrrl attitude and lyrics that sound like the universal experience of the under-employed twentysomething. So, yeah, you should probably go. Tickets for the show on Sunday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m. are $5 or if you're smart, you'll bring $8 and get the Dune Drift 3 compilation and entry to the show. The show's all ages, FYI, and you can get more info at facebook.com/events/1490090817917084.
NU SUNDAE
Bonnie Vining, who used to promote shows that frequently appeared in Soundbites under the Live Acoustic Venue Association brand for years at a number of venues, is still at it, now at the Vail Theatre of the Arts. This week on Saturday, Nov.15 at 7 p.m., she has a Funny Females of Folk show featuring Cheryl Wheeler, Christine Lavin, Cosy Sheridan, and Claudia Nygaard. If you're interested in female singer-songwriters and appreciate fresh, clever takes on life, this show's right up your alley. All of these women have songwriting awards to their credit and could likely headline a show on their own, so a quadruple bill is a particularly good deal. Tickets are $22 in advance, $25 at the door. More info at vtota.vail.k12.az.us.
90210
Here's a full and delightful evening for you on Saturday night, Nov. 15, conveniently in one location at Club Congress. Go see Tempest DuJour's Retro Game Show Night at 7 p.m. ($10; it's "Hollywood(ish) Squares" this time, I'll be one of the "celebrities," as it were), then stick around to hear Saint Pepsi on the patio (free!). Saint Pepsi, the stage name of Ryan DeRobertis, is an electronic producer who, like most these days, found fame on the internet, making mixtapes on Soundcloud and collecting likes on Hype Machine. He's working on a debut album now, working his way away from the "vaporwave" movement he was associated with (a glitchy 80's and 90's-pop-culture-sampling trend that popped up for a minute) towards music inspired by 80's production like the work of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, but with a pop twist (DeRobertis says his biggest inspiration is the work of British pop act Prefab Sprout). His recorded material is wildly entertaining and fun, so I imagine his life show will provide a good time for all involved as well. More info at hotelcongress.com.
SOCIAL ANXIETY
Genre names are often confusing to me in this age of infinite music, considering three dudes recording stuff on the Macbook can be a style of music now, but the term "noise rap" seems pretty dead on. Yes, mainstream rap can be noisey and dissonant at times, but the stuff that comes from artists like Death Grips, BLACKIE, Clipping and such is noise and rap. And defined by both descriptors, chaotic, rhythmic and aggressive. Moodie Black, who have roots in Phoenix, but also have ties to Tucson, but ended up in Minneapolis for while, fit that term as well. Just take a listen to their latest album, "Nausea," which is a challenging and interesting work of art, paranoid, claustrophobic and recalling post-rock and the most recent Kanye West records simultaneously. While it makes me cringe to see the fifty (approximate) openers on the bill at The Rock on Sunday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m. (I'm an impatient person, sorry), for $5, it should be an interesting experience. More info at rocktucson.com.
