You might want to take advantage of it and get out of the house this week, maybe even to attend one of the “can’t miss” concerts and music events happening over the next few nights.
That includes the long-awaited gig by Marilyn Manson at The Van Buren, as well as performances by bands like Milky Chance, Roadkill Ghost Choir, and Tatanka.
There will also be a few dance parties worth checking out, like the David Bowie Nite at Crescent Ballroom and the latest Thump Daze party at Lost Leaf.
Full details of all these events can be found below in our rundown of the best concerts and music events in Phoenix this week. And for even more gigs happening around town, check out our live music listings.
Milky Chance
Tuesday, January 9
The Van Buren
A trifecta of German folk, reggae, and electronic music, Milky Chance are a harmonious cacophony of something you’ve never really heard before. Singer Clemens Rehbein has the voice of a long-lost friend, his raspy, sultry attitude enriched by dreamy beats from producer Philipp Daush.
Their 2013 album Sadnecessary became an international hit, launching the duo into multiple world tours, as well as performances at venues and festivals worldwide. And after a four-year wait, Milky Chance finally released a follow-up album, Blossom, in 2017, which charted in countries worldwide, including the Billboard 200. They're currently touring in support of the 14-song LP and will visit The Van Buren on January 9. Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi opens. Eleanor Lambert
Ramblin’ Jack Elliott & Peter Rowan
Tuesday, January 9
Musical Instrument Museum
Folk singer Ramblin' Jack Elliott is truly the last of a dying breed, one of the last mastodons looking down at a herd of cattle and thinking, "Look at those frail, wimpy things."
Staccato stories from a free-wheeling life roll out of the man, now 86, as he bounces from tangent to tangent: lost guitars, actress girlfriends, Taos, the Alps, Utah Phillips, rodeos, Woody Guthrie, bluegrass and banjo players, hitchhiking trips to New Orleans, Kris Kristofferson, dancing around a banana tree with a naked ballerina. All are told with wit, verve, and a faint sense of lost youth.
Elliott's stories, and his life, bridge virtually the entire span of folk music and what has come to be called Americana. He rode trains with Woody Guthrie, was a role model for Bob Dylan and Arlo Guthrie, shared stages with everyone from Odetta to Fred Neil – and is ready to do it some more. On Tuesday night, he’ll share a stage and spin yarns with bluegrass musician and instrumentalist Peter Rowan at the MIM. William Michael Smith
Shock-rocker Marilyn Manson.
Mike Brooks
Wednesday, January 10
The Van Buren
Say what you will about America’s favorite satanist, but it can’t be denied that Marilyn Manson will always be an important thread in America's rock and roll fabric.
Whether you’re a fan or not — the shock rocker/boundary-pushing gender-bender goth lord is a divider, people either love or hate him — his cultural impact and musical history
Roadkill Ghost Choir
Wednesday, January 10
Valley Bar
The organic Americana sound created by indie folk troupe Roadkill Ghost Choir stands in stark contrast to the sleek, modern, Top 40 radio pop. Banjo-led songs with touches of folk, like the group's breakout track "Beggars' Guild," are as refreshing as taking a dip in
Add steel pedal guitar licks and Southern-rock charm and you'd assume the five guys who make up the band grew up in some tiny town in Florida's zany swampland. In actuality, the three Shepard brothers at the band's core – vocalist/guitarist Andrew, bassist Zach, and drummer Maxx – were raised in Deland, a town near Orlando.
At age 19, Andrew discovered the sweeping orchestral melodies of Sufjan Stevens and, a few years later, started exploring the country yearnings of Willie Nelson. He calls the discovery of Nelson's outlaw country tunes a "defining moment" in his young career because it caused the young musician to begin crafting songs.
Just a few years later, Roadkill Ghost Choir was fully realized when Andrew asked his brothers to perform with him. Success came at a rapid speed for the Shepard gang – one fan posted a song of theirs on Reddit, thereby catching the ear of notable comedian Joe Rogan, who in turn championed the band on his successful podcast. After just an EP's worth of material, the five-piece found itself on the iconic Late Show With David Letterman. Last year, Roadkill Ghost Choir released their latest album, False Youth Etcetera, which they’re supporting with their current tour. Alex Rendon
The late, great David Bowie.
Jimmy King
Wednesday, January 10
Crescent Ballroom
We ain’t gonna lie. It's been two years since David Bowie shuffled loose the mortal coil and headed for that great gig in the sky, and we’re still a bit saddened by his passing.
If you’re feeling about the same, we recommend gathering with fellow fans of the rock and pop icon at the Crescent Ballroom on Wednesday, January 10, for David Bowie Nite.
The self-described “Starman Disco” will pay tribute to Bowie, his music, and his legacy two days shy of what would’ve been his 71st birthday. According to organizers, the event will offer a celebratory atmosphere. “We will not mourn on this evening, we will celebrate the beautiful gift that this celestial being has left us with and dance along to every note of it until close,” they state.
Bowie fans can put on their red shoes and dance the blues to tunes and tracks spun up by local DJs Xam Renn, Rey Rey, and A Claire Slattery. His music videos and various films will also play on screens throughout the venue and a photo booth will feature a life-size cutout of Bowie that will be auctioned off at the end of the evening. The Starman lands at 9 p.m. Admission is $5. Benjamin Leatherman
Thump Daze
Thursday, January 11
The Lost Leaf
While downtown Phoenix continues to carve out a unique identity as a bustling urban center, one little bar has stood quietly amid the shadows of a shifting skyline. There are hotspots with more panache that — deservedly or otherwise — draw more buzz, but ever so unflinchingly The Lost Leaf has stayed true to its modest roots.
A fine purveyor of burgeoning local talent, the art bar has provided Valley artists with nightly proving grounds since 2006. But even the most welcoming of crowds need to know they can let their hair down from time to time, which is why every second Thursday of the month The Lost Leaf throws one helluva dance party. Featuring DJ KNS Bigandbad, Thump Daze is
Tatanka
Thursday, January 11
Club Red in Mesa
Anyone who saw Dances With Wolves probably recognizes that “tatanka” is the Lakota word for "bison." The like-named Denver-based band adopted that imagery for the cover art for many of its albums, including 2013’s Cloudless Thunder and last year’s Love is Medicine.
You might expect a band that named itself after the largest animal to roam the plains since the Pleistocene era to play doom rock, but instead, Tatanka has created an alloy of dub, hip-hop, EDM, and improvisational rock.
The act's 2010 EP, Sounds in Technicolor, lived up to its name with languid drifts of imaginatively crafted melodies nudged along by pulses of drum and bass. The mixture of the purely electronic and the organic is seamless, comparable to the work of the similarly minded STS9. Tom Murphy
