The gig is on our list of “can’t miss” concerts to see in the Valley this weekend along with shows by punk pioneers GBH, funk band Toubab Krewe, jazz guitarist Al Di Meola and esteemed ensemble Mariachi Sol de México de José Hernández.
Read on for more details or check out Phoenix New Times concert listings for even more music events happening from Friday, June 2, to Sunday, June 4.
Toubab Krewe
Friday, June 2Last Exit Live, 717 South Central Avenue Toubab Krewe are neo-griot-funk from Southern freak zone Asheville, North Carolina. Their name admits they're tourists ("Toubab" = white dude) and their sound blends Mali soul and Afrobeat with bluesy desert surf-twang, Caribbean scratch, and zydeco bounce, all of which is surrounded by occasional floating ambiance. Sometimes they do it all in one song, like "NTB." On others, like "Fire," they play a dubby lover's rock. Their hometown-recorded Live at the Orange Peel (2009) is a fan favorite; and for street cred, they recorded "Moose," a fervent spoken-word ode to Hendrix, with the Last Poets' Umar Ben Hassan. They've dominated Bonnaroo (of course) and many other festivals. The band's willingness to rip it up with tasty new sounds reminds us that innovation should always keep you physically, as well as culturally, moving. With DJ Funk Nasty; 9 p.m., $25 via eventbrite.com. Phoenix New Times
Mariachi Sol de México de José Hernández
Friday, June 2Mesa Arts Center, 1 East Main StreetJosé Hernández has numerous claims to fame. The Mexican-born musician, composer, and vocalist has had music featured in films like "Rango" and "Seabiscuit," arranged and produced recordings for Jose Feliciano, and been nominated for a Grammy Award. Put simply, he’s one of the more influential and prolific mariachi artists alive today and has helped spread awareness and appreciation for the genre both in the United States and internationally. In 1981, Hernández formed the esteemed Mariachi Sol de México, which has brought its big, bold sound to venues around the world. The 31-member ensemble is an impressive sight to behold and seeing them perform live is something every music fan should do once in their lives. Your next opportunity to do so happens this weekend when Hernández and Mariachi Sol de México perform inside Mesa Arts Center’s Ikeda Theater. 7 p.m., $60-$65 via mesaartscenter.com. Benjamin Leatherman
AZ Blues Bash
Friday, June 2, and Saturday, June 3The Rhythm Room, 1019 East Indian School RoadIf there’s one thing the Rhythm Room does best, it's showcasing the blues. It's been the bread and butter of the central Phoenix music venue since owner, harmonica player, and radio host Bob Corritore helped open the place back in 1991. This weekend, the Rhythm Room will host the two-night AZ Blues Bash with sets by a variety of local and touring artists. Friday night will feature performances by Sarah Styles and the Brotherhood of the Blues (who mix ‘50s rockabilly with huge dollops of blues and R&B), guitarist Michael Coleman Grondin, and the four-member ensemble Hooter’s Blues. The following evening will see local acts Smokestack Lightning, Dry Heat, and The Aaron McCall Band doing their thing on the Rhythm Room stage. 8 p.m., $12 at the door. Benjamin Leatherman
GBH
Saturday, June 3Crescent Ballroom, 308 North Second AvenueIt's ironic that consistency, longevity, and predictability have come to be the hallmarks of "true punk," but that's where we are almost five decades after Johnny Rotten blew his nose all over those things. As Jello Biafra once sang, there are all these bands singing their "hits from the 'good old days' about how bad the 'good old days' were." GBH is right there, shouting down the culture of early-'80s Britain, but it wouldn't succeed were it not for the undeniable power of the hard-charging punk style that GBH and their '82 UK peers pioneered. That bleak, remorseless heaviness was proto-metallic in its brutality and all but nihilistic in its outlook. Although the memories and the whole "living legend" thing may be a solid enough reason for the old punks to pull on their leathers and check out the show, GBH still defines true-school punk so precisely that its new, younger audience loves the band not for the old times, but for the fact that its approach is timeless in capturing the spiritual tenor of disaffected youth. With The Chisel and Niis; 8 p.m., $25-$28 via ticketweb.com. Phoenix New Times
deadmau5
Saturday, June 3Talking Stick Resort, 9800 East Talking Stick Way, ScottsdaleIf you’re superstar DJ/producer Joel Zimmerman, better known as deadmau5, you’ve essentially done everything there is to do in the electronic dance music world. He’s put out enormous hits (including 2008’s “Ghosts 'n' Stuff”), earned gold records, sold out venues worldwide and collaborated with the likes of Kaskade and Rezz. Zimmerman’s also been nominated for multiple Grammy Awards, composed film scores, and even took on Disney in a legal battle over his signature deadmau5 helmet and won. Last year, Zimmerman joined forces with Kaskade on the project Kx5, which resulted in a self-titled album that dropped back in March. It includes multiple singles, including the high-energy house track “Take Me High” and the electro-pop banger “Escape.” Local EDM fans are likely to hear both when Zimmerman dons his mask at Scottsdale’s Talking Stick Resort to headline its latest “Wave by Release” pool party on Saturday. With No Mana, Speaker Honey, McWhite and Joseph Harding; 1 p.m., $50 via ticketmaster.com. Benjamin Leatherman
Al Di Meola
Saturday, June 3, and Sunday, June 4Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 East Mayo BoulevardGuitar virtuoso Al Di Meola is quite dazzling when it comes to technique. His blazing riffs exploded in the '70s as a member of the groundbreaking jazz-fusion group Return to Forever, with his fretwork often defined by dizzying, slashing turns. Over the years, the New Jersey-born Di Meola has ascended to more than a note-spinning phenom by pushing himself and his music forward. When Di Meola went solo in 1976, he turned to exploring acoustic-based world music and a variety of intriguing musical hybrids. Perhaps his best early work was captured the following year with "Elegant Gypsy," in which an acoustic-guitar instrumental ("Lady of Rome, Sister of Brazil") and gorgeous guitar duet with the great Paco de Lucia ("Mediterranean Sundance") let us peek into the places he was heading. More nuanced material ensued, roaming from understated, reflective compositions to spicy Latin-, African- and Middle Eastern-influenced passages, the kind you'd expect from such song titles as "Morocco," "Istanbul," and "Valentina." Di Meola continues to man his creative rudder. 5 and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, 4:30 and 7 p.m. on Sunday; $49.50-$69.50 via mim.org. Phoenix New Times
