APRIL 2005
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Downtown LiveGo To: X-Old Ladies • Notes • Monkey Box– bassist Demetri Enriquezby Jamie Manser
Yet, so it is, a man named Pickle moved to freakin’ California about five years ago to fulfill a contractual agreement with the Devil by accepting a position with Intuit. “He cut his hair and everything,” Demetri deadpanned. “He sold out to the Man. Got a job in San Jose.” Demetri shook his head in mystified disgust. It was a hazy, lazy Sunday afternoon when Mr. Enriquez spilled about The X-Old Ladies. The history shrouded in mystery began back in 1992 when Demetri (henceforth known as D) and Steve “Pickle” Laflen worked together at Time Market. “Pickle wrote a song about an ex-girlfriend called ‘X-Old Lady’,” D explained. And it all took off from there. Interestingly enough, the band’s first show was on September 18, 1997 -opening for the dear departed blues/slide guitarist, song crafter and Tucson legend Rainer Ptacek at Monsoon Madness on 4th Avenue. According to Kini Wade (who used to book those gigs), it would prove to be Rainer’s last performance. Since Pickle chose the dark side - abandoning his friends and the Old Pueblo, The X-Old Ladies only play three to four times a year. Per the stipulations of the band’s lawsuit settlement, Pickle must pay penance for his sins. “So he comes down to Tucson for three to four days at a time and we punish him for selling out…Tucson style,” D clarified. “The last time we played was in October at Curtis Troyer’s killer house party.” Six months later, Pickle is overdue for his “Tucson Style” flogging. His atonement shouldn’t be too egregious – they’ll need their guitarist for a possible up-coming studio session. D says they (which also include multi-instrumentalist Jimmy Carr and Bill “The Hammer” Richardson) have enough material for a new project. But, will it see the light of day? With two albums out and “maybe 40 copies” floating around, the best bet for hearing the elusive, fugacious band is to boogie on down to Che’s Lounge (350 N. 4th Ave.) on Saturday, April 2.
Thanks to modern technology, I was able to rip a burned copy of the band’s second effort “Solid F#@%ing Gold.” These tight and talented musicians are all over the genre map with styles involving rock, jazz, rap, country, hip-hop, funk, reggae, lounge, and even Lou Reed-esque spoken word – all with tongues-in-cheeks. It’s comedic, goof rock of the highest caliber. There is no contact information to share – the band is sans website, email and phone. And they probably like it that way. Notesby Jamie Manser Sweat EquityThe month of April sees relative scene newbies, The Sweat Band, performing thrice: a CD release party on the 8th at Club Congress with The George Squire Orchestra and Golden Boots; April 9 at Plush with The Deludes and Bog Log III; and again at Plush on the 30th with The Deludes and The Sights. Admittedly, I haven’t witnessed the threesome perform, but have – as the Congress website says, “Heard their praises sung” to the tune of having raw punk energy that is more than just some teenaged garage band, as in – they have talent. Their website, www.SweatyMusic.com, promises that music, shows and news are coming soon. Check that out or throw down $3 for the Congress gig or $5 for the Plush shows. Poignant, Suasive Shoegaze
I have in my grubby little paws SSF’s Through the Opaque Air and I can tell you this -Appropriately named, the SSF’s EP is darkly pensive with the haunting vocals of Marguerite Olivelle – dare I say a female Ian Curtis with her emotive wrenching? – wailing over sonic layers that pull from The Cure and Joy Division. The songs evoke the phantasmagoric imagery that plagued my slumbering child self after reading “Where the Wild Things Are.” Prepare yourself for a lush, foreboding wall of sound. (www.TheSlowSignalFade.com) Plush’s website recommends The Slow Signal Fade for fans of My Bloody Valentine, Siouxie and the Banshees or This Moral Coil. “We’ve Got Cactus” Music FestThe French-Tucson connection is getting stronger: Little Rabbits drummer Eric Pifeteau is initiating an upcoming fall festival of Tucson music in France. Part of the festival will include a video installation featuring Tucson performers of every ilk. If you have video tapes or DVDs of any length or quality to potentially be included in the installation, you have the month of April to submit ‘em. Maggie Golston over at Biblio (222 E. Congress St.) is accepting and guarding the entries for Marianne Dissard, who will be shipping them overseas. Cut off is the 30th and questions can be answered by emailing mariannedissard@hotmail.com. Club CrawlLooks like the semi-annual music fest is scheduled for Saturday, April 16 starting at 8:00 p.m. and is exclusively downtown, including (according to the posters) eight outdoor venues and 20 indoor stages – inclusive of a few new participants and one old mainstay – the Rialto Theatre. The crawl will be the first time the theatre has been open since before the city purchased it last September. Tucson Folk FestivalScheduled from Saturday, April 30 and Sunday, May 1 at El Presidio Park (Church/Alameda) this is the Tucson Kitchen Musicians (www.tkma.org) 20th year doing this and their national headliner is going to be Delta-Country Blues & Acoustic Roots artist Rory Block. Please see page 9. Musicians at the Monkey BoxThe evening of April 2nd will mark the debut of “Catalogue One”, live recordings of shows at the Monkey Box. Included on the album are the Rosano Brothers, Jimmy Carr, the Nick Luca Trio, Maggie Golston, Tom Walbank, Al Foul and several others. Accompanying the album’s release, is an art opening of black and white portraits by photographer Chod McClintock of musicians who have played at The Box. The portraits will be hung for six weeks and will be available for purchase with a significant portion of the proceeds going towards the musicians. The evening begins at 6pm. The Monkey Box is located at 100 N. Stone. Call 623-3500 for more info.
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ho would have thought a guitarist dude named “Pickle,” or, alternately “Sweet Pickle” could abjure the punk rock ideology of “Fight the Man?” 
On Friday, April 22 Plush’s backroom will be a powerhouse of sound with LA’s The Slow Signal Fade headlining after solo artists Fred Thomas and Nedelle. 