Support indie businesses—that’s how to make our neighborhoods great!
Here are three local places I go to for their food + colorful ambience: Xiao Long Dumplings + The Taco Stand, both in Chinatown, and the Neon Feast-endorsed “fit-friendly” Bronze Cafe in Summerlin/Desert Shores.
See you there…
Xiao Long Dumplings, Chinatown
The Taco Stand, Chinatown
Bronze Cafe, Summerlin/Desert Shores
DATE: SEPTEMBER 1, 2022
FROM: MARCEE RONDAN/MITCH SCHNEIDER
OZZY OSBOURNE
CONFIRMED FOR IN-STORE SIGNING
IN SUPPORT OF HIS ‘PATIENT NUMBER 9’ ALBUM
OUT SEPTEMBER 9 ON EPIC
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10
IN-STORE APPEARANCE AT
FINGERPRINTS IN LONG BEACH, CA
WILL BE ONLY SIGNING FOR THE NEW ALBUM
To celebrate his new PATIENT NUMBER 9 album (out September 9 on Epic), Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and Grammy®-winning singer and songwriter OZZY OSBOURNE has confirmed a special in-store appearance and signing at Fingerprints in Long Beach, California on Saturday, September 10, the day after the album’s release. Attendees will need to pre-order a copy of PATIENT NUMBER 9 to attend the event as OZZY will only be signing copies of the new album. In order to sign as many copies as possible, the new album will be the only item signed. Masks will be required for all attendees and no photos with OZZY will be permitted. Click here to reserve your copy.
The new album marks the first release since OSBOURNE’s critically acclaimed, worldwide, chart-topping 2020 ORDINARY MAN. Produced by Andrew Watt (who handled the same duties on ORDINARY MAN), the new album marks OSBOURNE’s 13th solo studio album. It’s heavy, it’s hard-hitting, it’s historic–it’s everything you’d want from an OZZY OSBOURNE record and maybe more. Working with producer Watt for the second time, OZZY welcomed a dynamic A-list featured guests. For the first time ever, Black Sabbath co-founder, guitarist, and riff-master Tony Iommi appears on an OZZY solo album. The record also boasts guitarists Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Mike McCready of Pearl Jam, and longstanding righthand man and six-string beast Zakk Wylde who plays on the majority of the tracks. For the bulk of the album, Chad Smith of Red Hot Chili Peppers held down drums, while the late Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters appears on three songs. Old friend and one-time OZZY band member Robert Trujillo of Metallica plays bass on most of the album’s tracks, with Duff McKagan of Guns N’ Roses and Chris Chaney of Jane’s Addiction supplying bass on a few songs.
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DT: AUGUST 31, 2022
FM: KELLY WALSH, SRO PR
ART SHOW PRODUCTION COMPANY
PUNK ROCK & PAINTBRUSHES
TO HOST EXHIBITS AT DANNY WIMMER PRESENTS FESTIVALS
LOUDER THAN LIFE, AFTERSHOCK, BOURBON & BEYOND
ART SHOWCASES TO FEATURE ARTWORK FROM MUSICIANS INCLUDING:
JAY WEINBERG (SLIPKNOT)
CHAD SMITH (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS)
LZZY HALE (HALESTORM)
CHARLIE BENANTE (ANTHRAX)
CARLA HARVEY (BUTCHER BABIES)
ANDREW CAMPANELLI (THE REVIVALISTS)
CHLOE TRUJILLO (Wife of ROB TRUJILLO of METALLICA)
& MANY MORE
ART AUCTION ON-SITE TO BENEFIT
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION
ROCK AGAINST RACISM,
WITH SUPPORT OF BANDS INCLUDING
MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, BODY COUNT, ROB ZOMBIE, SLIPKNOT, LAMB OF GOD & MORE
Punk Rock & Painbrushes Crew Group Photo (Photo Credit: Sara Rose Wright)
PUNK ROCK & PAINTBRUSHES is a boutique independent art production and management company developed out of the love of music and art and the healing power both outlets can bring. Founded by Emily Nielsen in 2007 following her successful battle against cancer after her friend Tim McIlrath of Rise Against created a painting with the poignant lyrics to their song, “Survive,” This inspired a safe place for artists and fans alike to connect combining their creative energy while raising awareness for charitable efforts.
PUNK ROCK & PAINTBRUSHES will bring their exhibit to audiences at some of the fall’s most popular rock music festivals where one-of-a-kind artwork from musicians performing on the stages will be displayed and available for purchase. Some of rock’s biggest artists will have artwork shown including Chad Smith of Red Hot Chili Peppers—who premiered his second collection of rhythm-driven paintings, THE ART OF CHAD SMITH, this past January–Jay Weinberg of SLIPKNOT—who released his debut solo art exhibition “A Hollow Realm” in July consisting of a collection of oil paintings he’s been working on for eight years—Lzzy Hale (Halestorm), Charlie Benante (Anthrax), Carla Harvey (Butcher Babies), Andrew Campanelli (The Revivalists), Chloe Trujillo (wife of Rob Trujillo of Metallica) and many more.
Weinberg shared more about the artwork he’ll be displaying:
“‘A Hollow Realm’ is a body of work that contains 14 paintings I’ve made over the last eight years. Whether set within the beauty of the natural world, or in complete darkness, each painting’s subject tells a part of a personal narrative that explores themes of connection and isolation. The visceral emotions of vulnerability, comfort, lust, and anxiety. Love found and love lost. Others explore the mysterious connection to nature I’ve felt since an early age, wandering amongst the trees and streams in the backwoods of rural New Jersey.
“It’s a pleasure to finally share these works with you. Please join myself, Punk Rock & Paint Brushes, and many of put wonderfully talented peers — in partnership with Rock Against Racism — at these select pop-ups to check out a curated selection from my debut exhibition, ‘A Hollow Realm.’”
Alongside featured artist collections, several bands on each festival’s lineup have collaborated with PUNK ROCK & PAINTBRUSHES to lend their artistic skills to raise awareness and funds for the non-profit organization ROCK AGAINST RACISM founded by 5B Artists + Media CEO Cory Brennan which consists of a collective of musicians, artists and industry leaders who work on combatting modern day racism. Bands were given a blank ‘raised fist’ statue to design—the global symbol of fighting racial oppression–or the option to sign album artwork to auction to fans attending the festival to help the cause. The winning bidder for select pieces will be granted side-stage privileges to watch the band whose artwork they bid on. Stop by PUNK ROCK & PAINTBRUSHES exhibit at each festival to find out who’s involved.
PUNK ROCK & PAINT BRUSHES provides a platform for career musicians to showcase their visual art and to bring their talent from the stage to the exhibit walls. Additional art shows will take place across the world including:
9/2-3: Tupelo, MI @ Change Fest Tupelo
9/4-5: Nashville, TN @ Rocket Town
10/21: Las Vegas, NV – WHEN WE WERE YOUNG FESTIVAL Kick Off @ Brooklyn Bowl
10/26-31: Kobe & Tokyo, JP – PR&PB Art Shows
11/5-6: Orange Country, OC – PUNK IN THE PARK @ Oak Canyon Park
12/17-18: Los Angeles, CA – 8TH ANNUAL HOLIDAY LOS ANGELES ART SHOW
See a full list of featured musicians and artists and festival stops for PUNK ROCK & PAINTBRUSHES below (in order of schedule):
SEPTEMBER 15-18
BOURBON & BEYOND – Louisville, KY
SEPTEMBER 22-25
LOUDER THAN LIFE – Louisville, KY
OCTOBER 6-9
AFTERSHOCK FESTIVAL – SACRAMENTO, CA
Find more information on PUNK ROCK & PAINTBRUSHES online at: www.punkrockart.com
Instagram.com/punkrockandpaintbrushes
(L-R: Chloe Weinberg, Jay Weinberg, Emily Nielsen)
###
For press inquiries, please contact:
SRO PR
Kelly Walsh
kwalsh@sropr.com
DATE: AUGUST 29, 2022
FROM: MITCH SCHNEIDER/ANDREA FAULK, SRO PR
YES
TO CELEBRATE THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY
OF ICONIC ALBUM
‘CLOSE TO THE EDGE’
WITH U.S. TOUR
YES at Bridgewater Hall in Manchester/U.K. on June 17, 2022
Photo credit: Mike Ainscoe
Prog rock pioneers and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees YES have revealed the dates and details for the U.S. leg of their “The Album Series Tour 2022,” celebrating the 50th anniversary of their 1972 iconic album, Close To The Edge. This marks the band’s first trek in the U.S. since 2019 and will kick off with two shows in Glenside, PA at the Keswick Theatre on Friday, October 7 and Saturday, October 8 and wrap in New York at the NYCB Theatre on November 19. Tickets will begin to go on sale on Friday, September 2; check local listings for information. See the full tour dates below.
As with “The Album Series Tour 2022,” which started off in the UK this past June, the U.S. tour is dedicated to the late Alan White—the band’s legendary drummer—following his passing this past May (see the band quotes below about Alan). Before the tour gets underway, a special tribute concert—“Alan White–Celebrating His Life and Music”—will be held October 2, 7:00pm at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle: https://www.stgpresents.org/calendar/13566/alan-white-celebrating-his-life-and-music
Alan White joined YES in June 1972, just days before their “Close To The Edge” Tour began. Over the following 50 years, Alan would appear on every YES album including 2021’s The Quest. Following the global pandemic, he had been looking forward to this tour and re-joining his bandmates on stage, something he lived for, in the run up to his 50th anniversary of joining YES.
Sadly, that was not be, but Alan’s towering presence will be omnipresent on the tour. Alan’s good friend, drummer Jay Schellen, will join YES for the forthcoming tour, alongside Steve Howe (guitars & backing vocals), Geoff Downes (keyboards), Jon Davison (lead vocals) and Billy Sherwood (bass guitar and backing vocals).
The “Close to the Edge” show will comprise full production and a high-definition video wall directed by Andy Clark and featuring the artwork of Roger Dean.
Following the release of The Yes Album and Fragile in 1971, YES released what is widely considered one of the most defining albums, not only for YES but for the whole progressive movement. Close To The Edge became an inspiration for their contemporaries and for successive generations of musicians. The album is saluted with a cover story in the September 2022 issue of the national magazine Guitar Player, for which Steve Howe was interviewed. He recalls: “We were young, enthusiastic, and adventurous, and we had this incredible breakthrough success with Fragile. We saw our next album as a real opportunity to prove our worth as a band. The door had been opened and we weren’t going to go backward. We wanted to sharpen our skills as far as writing and arranging.”
Journalist Joe Bosso wrote about the album’s place in rock history in Guitar Player (September 2022):
“Vast, enigmatic, full of moments of spectacular grandeur and ever-changing hues, Close to the Edge is the ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ of progressive-rock albums. Comprised of just three tracks – the dizzying side-long, 18-minute title track, the equally sprawling mini epic “And You and I,” and the whacked-out, hyperactive jazz-funk album closer “Siberian Khatru” – Close to the Edge documented Yes operating at the peak of their musical powers.”
YES 2022 U.S. Tour Dates Are:
10/7 – Keswick Theatre – Glenside, PA
10/8 – Keswick Theatre – Glenside, PA
10/9 – State Theatre – New Brunswick, NJ
10/11 – Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN
10/13 – Florida Theatre – Jacksonville, FL
10/14 – The Parker Playhouse – Ft. Lauderdale, FL
10/16 – King Center – Melbourne, FL
10/17 – Ruth Eckerd Hall – Clearwater, FL
10/19 – Saenger Theatre – New Orleans, LA
10/20 – Arena Theatre – Houston, TX
10/21 – The Aztec Theatre – San Antonio, TX
10/23 – Rialto Theatre – Tucson, AZ
10/24 – The Magnolia – El Cajon, CA
10/25 – Fox Performing Arts Center – Riverside, CA
10/27 – Hard Rock Live – Wheatland, CA
10/29 – Paramount Theatre – Seattle, WA
11/4 – The Factory – Chesterfield, MO
11/5 – Brown County Music Center – Nashville, IN
11/6 – Taft Theatre – Cincinnati, OH
11/9 – Orpheum Theater – Madison, WI
11/10 – Wabash Theater – Wabash, IN
11/11 – Hard Rock Casino – Gary, IN
11/13 – Warner Theater – Washington, DC
11/14 – The Palace – Stamford, CT
11/15 – Warner Theatre – Torrington, CT
11/17 – Bergen Performing Arts Center – Englewood, NJ
11/18 – Wind Creek Events Center – Bethlehem, PA
11/19 – NYCB Theatre – Westbury, NY
For full details and tickets for all shows visit the venue website or http://yesworld.com/live where you can also book Meet and Greets with the band.
YES Quotes About Alan White (June 2022)
Steve Howe: “It is with great sadness that I join with the other members of Yes to acknowledge the passing of our dearest friend and drummer, Alan White. He gave so many of his best years to the band and was a true believer and determined professional til the very end. Being a kind and loving human being just came naturally to him, with his mellow, non-confrontational personality and abundant generosity, which made him so popular with his friends and everyone he met.”
Geoff Downes: It is with the utmost sadness I have received the news of the passing of my dearest friend and bandmate Alan White. He was truly one of the greatest men I have ever met. Honest, loyal, passionate, caring, kind, generous, considerate, charitable, funny – so many superlatives, too many to mention – simply, an all-round top guy and one of the best. And despite living for many years in his adopted hometown of Seattle, he never lost that Geordie wit, irony and charm. As a musician he was unique in every way, and his powerhouse technique influenced whole generations of drummers and percussionists – an absolute legend in the true sense of the word. He was a joy to share the same stage with, often glancing over at the keyboard riser with a wink and a smile, but still laying down that solid, yet intricate groove as only he could. This was Alan – a genius who never took himself too seriously. We had some great laughs together, became very close, and always looked after each other to the point where they started referring to us as ‘The Odd Couple’!”
About YES
Formed in 1968 by Jon Anderson and the late, and much-missed, Chris Squire, YES have been one of the most innovative, influential and best-loved bands in rock music history. Their 1970s albums The Yes Album, Fragile, Close to the Edge, Yessongs (a triple live album set), Tales From Topographic Oceans, Relayer and Going For The One were ground-breaking in musical style and content. Their music also became synonymous with artist Roger Dean whose distinctive YES logo design and artwork adorned the lavish gatefold presentation sleeves of many YES albums.
With sales of over 50 million records, the Grammy-award winning YES were inducted into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2017 where they performed Roundabout from the album Fragile and the FM radio-friendly Owner Of A Lonely Heart from the 1985 album 90125. In 2021 YES released their 22nd Studio album, The Quest, produced by Steve Howe, which went to No.1 in the UK rock chart and entered the Official UK Album Chart at No.20.
YES Online:
http://yesworld.com/
https://www.facebook.com/yestheband/
https://twitter.com/yesofficial
https://www.instagram.com/yesofficial/
https://www.youtube.com/user/yesofficial
For press inquiries regarding YES, contact:
SRO PR:
Mitch Schneider, national // mschneider@sropr.com
Andrea Faulk, tour // afaulk@sropr.com
###
DT: AUGUST 26, 2022
FM: KELLY WALSH, MITCH SCHNEIDER / SRO PR
BETTER NOISE MUSIC SHARE TRACK FROM
THE RETALIATORS ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK OUT SEPTEMBER 16 AND IS AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER NOW
HYRO THE HERO’s “WHO’S THAT PLAYING ON THE RADIO?” FEATURING MICK MARS (MÖTLEY CRÜE) & DANNY WORSNOP (ASKING ALEXANDRIA)
As BETTER NOISE MUSIC gears up for the release of THE RETALIATORS ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK on Friday, September 16, following the horror-thriller THE RETALIATORS’ global theatrical release on September 14, they’ve unleashed a new single from rap rocker HYRO THE HERO. HYRO’s previously unreleased track “Who’s That Playing On The Radio?” features MICK MARS from MÖTLEY CRÜE and DANNY WORSNOP from ASKING ALEXANDRIA and was produced by Dave Katz (Iron Man 3: Heroes Fall, Yungblud) and Jim Kaufman (Anti-Flag, Helmet). The song is out today (August 26) across all digital platforms alongside an official music video. Watch/stream “Who’s That Playing On The Radio?” at this link: https://hyrothehero.ffm.to/whosthatplayingontheradio.
“‘Who’s That Playing On Your Radio’ is the perfect example of when worlds collide,” shares HYRO. “Not only do you hear the epic vocals of Danny Worsnop of Asking Alexandria, but you also get the legendary guitar skills of Mick Mars of Mötley Crüe. It’s the perfect mix to bring about my description of two opposing sides ready to go to war and creating noise among the masses. Both sides believe in their heart they are right while simultaneously thinking each other is brainwashed. A constant cycle of society’s arguments.”
Mick Mars said of the song, “I had a great time playing on this track. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did playing on it.”
MARS AND WORSNOP are also included in the film’s recently released theme song, “THE RETALIATIORS Theme Song (21 Bullets),” which features MÖTLEY CRÜE, ASKING ALEXANDRIA, ICE NINE KILLS, and FROM ASHES TO NEW and was co-written by NIKKI SIXX and JAMES MICHAEL of SIXX: A.M.. THE RETALIATORS ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK defines the state of hard rock in 2022 as it breaks new ground by captivating both rock and horror audiences by featuring some of the genre’s top charting acts on the soundtrack while also featuring the music throughout the film and including artists with featured on-screen roles. THE RETALIATORS includes guest appearances from rockers such as TOMMY LEE (MÖTLEY CRÜE), IVAN MOODY (FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH), JACOBY SHADDIX (PAPA ROACH), SPENCER CHARNAS (ICE NINE KILLS) and AMANDA LYBERG (EVA UNDER FIRE) as well as members of THE HU and FROM ASHES TO NEW. The above artists are also featured across the soundtrack in addition to new music from BETTER NOISE MUSIC acts, including BAD WOLVES, NOTHING MORE, ESCAPE THE FATE, HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD, CORY MARKS, ALL GOOD THINGS, CLASSLESS ACT and CROSSBONE SKULLY. See the complete track listing below.
THE RETALIATORS ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK is available for pre-order now digitally and physically, including CD, special edition vinyl, and cassette versions at https://theretaliators.ffm.to/retaliatorssoundtrack.
The digital version includes:
The special collector’s edition vinyl includes:
THE RETALIATORS is a theatrical release and will be seen worldwide across 400+ cinemas starting Wednesday, September 14. Find local movie screening times and reserve your tickets now at RETALIATORSMOVIE.com. Watch the official theatrical movie trailer for THE RETALIATORS now at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62B-SEgNaas.
THE RETALIATORS ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK
Track Listing:
For more details on THE RETALIATORS and THE RETALIATORS ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK, please visit:
Website | Instagram | Twitter |Facebook | TikTok
SRO PR Assets: sropr.com/portfolio/the-retaliators
###
For press inquiries and additional information, please contact:
SRO PR
Kelly Walsh – kwalsh@sropr.com
Mitch Schneider – mschneider@sropr.com
DT: AUGUST 25, 2022
FM: KELLY WALSH, SRO PR
REDLIGHT KING
REVEAL SECOND SINGLE
“COLD KILLER”
WITH REBELLIOUS MUSIC VIDEO
WATCH HERE
FOURTH ALBUM
‘IN OUR BLOOD’
DUE THIS FALL VIA AFM RECORDS
Canadian American active rock outfit REDLIGHT KING will release a new single “Cold Killer” this Friday, August 26 across digital platforms. The groove-laden track is the second track to be issued from their fourth studio album IN OUR BLOOD due out later this fall via AFM Record. REDLIGHT KING have also shared a rebel-rousing music video for “Cold Killer,” directed and produced by Strati Havartos. In the video, frontman KAZ leads a biker gang of outlaws including actor/musician Dan Garland (“Euphoria,” New Medicine), Arthur Victoryan, musician Jimmy Trigger (A Trigger Within) and model Widny Bazile (Vogue, Dior, Puma), across various locations in Southern California. Watch everything excitingly unfold in the “Cold Killer” video streaming below or via YouTube HERE. Pre-save “Cold Killer” now at https://bfan.link/cold-killer.
“‘Cold Killer’ is about the moment in my life when all dues have been paid, where passion and will meet with wisdom and age,” explains KAZ. “It’s about taking one of my biggest and darkest character defects and flipping it on its head. The song is about capability. There is nothing more dangerous than a man possessed. Oh, and it dances…”
IN OUR BLOOD sees REDLIGHT KING notch soaring new highs with a clutch of revved-up, guitar-powered bangers that bring forth challenging, complex themes with a defiant undercurrent of hope. “I wanted fast, heavy rock songs and I wanted it to seamlessly translate to the live show, with a full rock band—something that was well-recorded but nothing too slick or overproduced,” shares KAZ. IN OUR BLOOD was written and produced by KAZ at his home studio The Wheelhouse in Los Angeles with longtime collaborator and guitarist Julian Tomarin and drummer Randy Cooke. The album’s first single/video “In Our Blood” was released on May 9 which Loudwire described as “a song that truly speaks to the human spirit.” Stream/watch/download it here: https://bfan.link/in-our-blood.
REDLIGHT KING recently brought their dynamic live performance to the festival stage with an appearance at Welcome To Rockville earlier this summer and will continue to rock the festival stages at Blue Ridge Rock Festival (9/8-11) in Dansville, VA and Louder Than Life (9/23-26) in Louisville, KY. The band have developed a worldwide fanbase since their formation in 2009, performing over 1,000 shows with some of the biggest names in rock and being seen at festivals in North America, UK and Europe as well as late-night TV appearances on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” and “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.”
lineup (l-r): Mark “Kaz” Kasprzyk, Brian Weaver, Julian Tomarin, Mark Goodwin
Credit: David Harris
Find REDLIGHT KING online at:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER
SRO PR ASSETS: www.sropr.com/portfolio/redlight-king
###
For press inquiries, please contact:
SRO PR
Kelly Walsh – kwalsh@sropr.com
DATE: AUGUST 25, 2022
FROM: MARCEE RONDAN
“STARING INTO NOTHING,”
THE NEW MUSICAL/ROCK OPERA,
SET TO DEBUT FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7
AT THE EL PORTAL THEATRE
IN THE NOHO AREA OF LOS ANGELES
NEW PRODUCTION FROM SONGWRITING PARTNERS
STEVE ROGERS AND KURT BARABAS
After releasing two albums under the name of “Staring Into Nothing,” the collaborative songwriting partnership between Kurt Barabas and Steve Rogers has evolved into a live stage production featuring all new music.
L-R: Kurt Barabas and Steve Rogers
Photo credit: Kimberly Adamis
“Staring Into Nothing,” the new musical/rock opera, explores the impact of mass media, social media and the digital information age on the quality of our lives. It asks and attempts to answer the age-old philosopher’s question: “What Is Good And What Is Not?”
Set to debut Friday, October 7 at the El Portal Theatre in the NoHo area of Los Angeles, the full-scale production will launch with three shows: Friday, October 7 and Saturday, October 8 at 8:00 PM and Sunday, October 9 at 2:00 PM. Tickets are available via the theatre’s website at $55 beginning Thursday, September 1.
The show is directed by Broadway performer, director, choreographer Jeffrey Polk with acclaimed musician Denny Fongheiser serving as producer, musical director, drums, and percussion. Additional details about the cast and production will be revealed in the coming weeks. Listen to a sample of the music here.
The idea of writing a musical/rock opera that explores the philosophical concept of “Quality” began with one of Steve’s favorite books: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig. It is subtitled “An Inquiry Into Values,” and explores the relationship between people, technology and quality. Written in 1974, it could not have contemplated the technology we live with today, but the principles are the same.
Steve wanted to explore these same relationships in the modern world and mentions that during the writing, “other books started to influence and enhance my thinking about ‘What is Good and What is Not’ in a world of cell phones, tablets, email and the 24-hour news cycle; particularly Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and Technopoly by Neil Postman.
For the soundtrack recording, Steve and Kurt wanted to record more organically than they had in the past. This meant going into the big room at East-West Studios in Hollywood and recording the backing tracks live. To do this, Kurt (on bass) and Steve (on vocals and piano) needed to fill out the band. For this, they brought in Bruce Watson to handle guitars of all types and Denny Fongheiser on drums and percussion. Bruce–the lead guitarist with Foreigner–showed up for the sessions with an army of guitars and amps and a boatload of enthusiasm. Denny has spent many years as the drummer for Heart and many other artists including Roger Waters, John Paul Jones, Bruce Cockburn, Al Stewart, Peter Frampton, and Tracy Chapman. Denny was also the drummer on the theme song for the hit TV show “Friends.” When it came time to add background vocals, Fongheiser says, “When I was first thinking about how to do this record, I heard Kipp and Mark Lennon from the band Venice. They are a known fixture in the LA music and studio scene and come from a long pedigree of family musicians, producers and singers. During my first in person meeting with Steve and Kurt (who is a big fan of the band), I mentioned possibly using them. They were available and they delivered big!”
L-R: Denny Fongheiser, Steve Rogers and Brendan Dekora, engineer
Photo credit: Kimberly Adamis
Denny also served as the producer of the soundtrack recording. Recording the backing tracks live at the same studio where Frank Sinatra and Nirvana once recorded was thrilling. Rogers notes, “Our previous recordings were done one track and instrument at a time, but our dream was to go back to the future and record live, the way it used to be done.” The live backing tracks and guitar overdubs were recorded over 13 days at East-West. For the composers, to have 100 minutes of music go from nothing to virtually complete in such a short time was the dream come true and the only way they will ever record again!
This project was always written as a musical narrative. Upon completion of the songs, the only question was should it be delivered as a film or a theatrical performance. After seeing “Hamilton,” Steve decided he definitely wanted to perform these songs with additional dialog and multiple actors live on stage and the rock opera was born.
WEBSITE
FACEBOOK
INSTAGRAM
TWITTER
DT: AUGUST 24, 2022
FM: KELLY WALSH / SRO PR
PSYKO STEVE PRESENTS AND DOWNTOWN PHOENIX, INC.
ANNOUNCE INAUGURAL
ZONA MUSIC FESTIVAL
FEATURING HEADLINERS
BEACH HOUSE, PORTUGAL. THE MAN, BLEACHERS,
TEGAN AND SARA & JAPANESE BREAKFAST
TWO-DAY EVENT TO TAKE PLACE
IN DOWNTOWN PHOENIX, AZ AT MARGARET T. HANCE PARK
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3 & SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4
TICKETS ON-SALE FRIDAY, AUGUST 26 @ 10 A.M. PST
PSYKO STEVE PRESENTS (PSP) and DOWNTOWN PHOENIX, INC (DPI) are excited to reveal details for the inaugural ZONA MUSIC FESTIVAL—a new two-day boutique music festival taking place December 3 & 4 in Downtown Phoenix at Margaret T. Hance Park. The event will feature a diverse range of national and local alternative, indie, pop and rock artists in addition to highlighting several nearby businesses and vendors. Headlining acts include Beach House, Portugal. The Man and Bleachers with Tegan and Sara and Japanese Breakfast. The event was formally announced earlier this morning at a press conference in Downtown Phoenix with remarks from Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego and Congressman Greg Stanton along with a special acoustic performance from Phoenix-based alternative/indie group Breakup Shoes who are featured on the festival.
In addition to the above headlining acts, the 2022 ZONA MUSIC FESTIVAL lineup is rounded out by (in alphabetical order):
Bartees Strange, Beach Goons, Black Carl, Breakup Shoes, Chicano Batman, Chloe Lilac, Destroy Boys, Diva Bleach, flor, The Front Bottoms, The Garden, Glixen, The Happy Fits, Jeff Rosenstock, July Talk, Lucius, Lucy Dacus, Miniature Tigers, The National Parks, Pariah Pete, Phoenix Afrobeat Orchestra, Playboy Manbaby, Pom Pom Squad, The Red Pears, The Regrettes, SALES, SASAMI, Sitting On Stacy, Sub Urban, Sydney Sprague, Turnover, TV Girl, UPSAHL, Waxahatchee and Kevin Morby.
“We are beyond thrilled to be among this incredible lineup and return to one of our favourite cities in the United States,” says headlining act Tegan and Sara. “It’s been a long three years, and we are very much looking forward to getting on stage and strutting our stuff at ZONA in December!”
“So excited to come back to Phoenix for ZONA Festival!!!,” exclaims the Northern California-based punk trio Destroy Boys. “So many killers bands are playing, plus this is one of our favorite cities. See you there!”
Event producer PSYKO STEVE PRESENTS has been promoting concerts in the Phoenix area since 2000. Founder Stephen Chilton has always placed an emphasis on developing local talent and incorporating Arizona-based artists into the company’s events. That approach rings true for ZONA MUSIC FESTIVAL; some of Arizona’s finest artists are included throughout the festival’s lineup, including UPSAHL, who will be coming off her first headlining tour, Black Carl, who are reuniting for the occasion, and Sydney Sprague, who has had a busy couple years since the pandemic opening for tours with Jimmy Eat World and Dashboard Confessional, and The Front Bottoms. Other local artists featured on the bill include Miniature Tigers, Breakup Shoes, Playboy Manbaby, Phoenix Afrobeat Orchestra, Glixen, Diva Bleach and Pariah Pete.
ZONA MUSIC FESTIVAL general admission and VIP weekend tickets will go on sale to the public this Friday, August 26 at 10:00 A.M. PST via ZONAMusicfest.com and SeeTickets.us. Single day GA and VIP tickets will be available closer to the event.
Stay updated for more information on ZONA MUSIC FESTIVAL online at:
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ABOUT PSYKO STEVE PRESENTS
Psyko Steve Presents (PSP) was founded in 2000 by Stephen Chilton, who has always strived to develop new artists and work with acts before anyone else. Over the years, PSP has worked with artists such as Frank Turner, Weezer, Ghost, Mitski, Bleachers, Thrice, Future Islands, and Jimmy Eat World in addition to producing 8123 Fest–an artist-curated festival by The Maine taking place bi-annually in downtown Phoenix–ALT AZ 93.3’s Ugly Sweater Party and Save Our Stages Fest. Chilton also founded the popular Phoenix indie/rock venue The Rebel Lounge in 2015. In 2019, Psyko Steve Presents was named “Best Promoter” by Phoenix New Times.
In 2020, Chilton became a founding board member and Vice President of the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), successfully lobbying Congress to pass the Save Our Stages Act, providing a crucial lifeline for venues and promoters nationwide.
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ABOUT DOWNTOWN PHOENIX, INC.
Formed in 2013, Downtown Phoenix Inc. is a 501c3 non-profit organization that advocates for our evolving urban neighborhood while managing the work plans for Phoenix Community Alliance and Downtown Phoenix Community Development Corporation and delivering enhanced municipal services to downtown’s business core. Downtown Phoenix Inc. works collaboratively with community leaders, city leaders and business leaders to propel Phoenix’s continued ascension as one of our nation’s great cities.
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SRO PR
Kelly Walsh – kwalsh@sropr.com