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 Weezer |
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Review and photos by Frances Sealy This year, KFMA presented the most diverse talent lineup than they have in their 10-year history. They produce two day long festivals each year. This year the Fall Ball was pushed forward to October in hopes to have more temperate weather. Clear skies and mid 90 degree heat had the afternoon sizzling. However, top-notch musical acts sizzled even hotter.The Shows started around noon and there were two stages early in the day alternating so that when one band ended, the next band began to play. There was a continuous show until around 4 PM. The fans did not have to move since the stages were located next to each other. After 4 PM, only the larger stage continued to operate. The acts early in the day included Lethal Injekton, Holy White Hounds, Beware of Darkness, Night Riots, Bleeker, and Black Bottom Lighters. Lethal Injektion is a local Tucson rap metal band with all the exuberance needed to electrify a crowd. Holy White Hounds are a rock band from Iowa and pushed their swagger and musical chops to the eager crowd. LA band, Beware of Darkness, created a sound and persona much larger than their three-man group. Another California based band, Night Riots, managed to rock out although Travis Hawley's model magazine good looks were a distraction. Canadian band, Bleeker, crushed the crowd with their alt rock confident charm. Phoenix homies, Black Bottom Lighters, started the show with their reggae-rock sounds that got the crowd in the groove. Iration started the single stage roaring with their Hawaiian roots reggae music. Their signature rock-reggae delivered a set jam-packed with their best-known songs that kept the crowd dancing. The vocals were smooth and the band was as tight as they come. Once the sun went down the whole tone of the festival changed. English band, The Struts, set the night on fire. Front man Luke Spiller displayed all the showmanship and glam of Queen's Freddie Mercury. Spiller has taken androgyny to the limits with his glittery makeup, glitz and sequined clothes. Take some Tim Curry (from "Rocky Horror Picture Show") and throw in some Joan Jett, and add a dash of Paul Stanley and you have the strut and attitude of Luke Spiller. Their music was pure rock and roll, but almost secondary to the visual and emotional explosion that Spiller was emoting on the stage. This was just the right injection of octane that was needed to get a heat-weary crowd energized. Luke mentioned that the band's music had been shunned by UK radio. Thankfully, the US was more than willing to give the group radio exposure. Panic! At the Disco kept the energy going as lead singer Brendon Urie gave a raucous performance for the die-hard fans. The one-hour set included a good representation of their hits, but the real highlight of the set was Urie's cover of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody." Urie's vocal rendition did Freddie Mercury proud. The Panic! set had everything from glitz, glamor, great music, to streams confetti blown into the crowd. Weezer's set ended the evening with a performance filled with lots of hits from throughout their career. Lead singer Rivers Cuomo and the band started the set with "California Kids" from their latest release. They quickly went into their songs "Hash Pipe" and "My Name Is Jones." Unlike the two previous sets, Weezer stood mostly behind the microphones during most of the performance. There was no running or sashaying across the stage even though their fans were animated and excited as hell! The Rock 102.1 KFMA really knows how to throw a great party. The only suggestion that I have is that the fans in front of the stage were there from the beginning. They tend not to leave their sacred "real estate" for fear of loosing their spot. The result is that they get dehydrated. Many were bodily pulled from the crowd by security because they were heat exhausted. There was a plethora of security in the pit. It would make sense to have a concessionaire in the pit to sell water. Phoenix has done it. No reason Tucson can't follow suit. The "Fall Ball" was a screaming success for the majority of fans. |
 Panic! At The Disco |
 Panic! At The Disco |
 Panic! At The Disco |
 Panic! At The Disco |
 Panic! At The Disco |
 Weezer |
 Weezer |
 Weezer |
 Beware of Darkness |
 Beware of Darkness |
 The Struts |
 The Struts |
 The Struts |
 The Struts |
 The Struts |
 The Struts |
 Weezer |
 Night Riots |
 Lethal Injektion |
 Iration |
 Holy White Hounds |
 Holy White Hounds |
 Holy White Hounds |
 Bleeker |
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