I saw a lot of great artists all in one week between two very different music festivals. From Festivus to Paid Dues, there was music to enjoy.
I attended two shows last week. But the two concerts were a striking dichotomy. How many people can say they saw Don Henley, The Pretenders, The Stray Cats, and the Paid Dues independent hip-hop festival with acts like Brother Ali and Murs all in the same week? I did it, and I’ve lived to tell.
The radio station I work for here in Phoenix, Arizona put on its first ever “Festivus.” Our three-act show included Brian Setzer and a reunited group of Stray Cats that hadn’t played together in this incarnation in a good 15 years. Then there was Chrissie Hynde and her Pretenders. Our headliner was Don Henley of the Eagles.
Both The Eagles and the Pretenders are currently working on new albums, by the way.
Then I went to the Paid Dues independent hip hop festival for Melodytrip.com, a site for which I produce a weekly podcast. We cover music festivals of all genres all over the world.
I was really hoping Rock The Bells would come through Phoenix, but like many hot tours, it isn’t. But it’s sister fest, Paid Dues, was set to come through town. On a 107-degree day, the outdoor festival was the kind you attend because you love independent hip-hop. Around 1,500 showed up to show their love for hip-hop’s emerging acts like Brother Ali, Living Legends, Felt, and Murs.
I came away from the festival with Drunken Immortals (a local hip-hop act) on vinyl, a CD from The Insects, and later bought Brother Ali on iTunes because I just couldn’t stop thinking about his music after seeing him play live.
From The Peak’s Festivus, I came away knowing that anytime The Pretenders, Stray Cats, or Don Henley come through town again, they are not to be missed.
