TOUR ODYSSEY >> and the headlining Shiny Toy Guns kicked off its second leg of touring on Wednesday evening in Tucson. This tour also doubles as the band's III album tour which was released this past Fall and is definitely right up there in sheer amazingness.
The show was also amazing and that's saying a lot considering how not very amazing the venue is. Perhaps I've been spoiled by the blessings of superb venues in and around Phoenix. Perhaps I just don't like crossing enemy lines and I'm that hardcore Sun Devil status. See, told you.
Anyway, why Tucson instead of Phoenix and not in addition to? According to Carah Faye of STG, this tour was to cover the B markets - which is pretty rad to share the love with smaller towns because there are starving music fans in Des Moines and Niagara Falls too you know.
Shiny Toy Guns took stage in the band's original formula. There were some additions and subtractions over the years since I last saw them in concert but Chad, Carah, Jeremy and Mikey are all back together again for the sake of their third album.
They played the best album cuts including both singles 'Waiting Alone' and 'Fading Listening' as well as my favorites 'Somewhere To Hide', 'Speaking Japanese' and 'Carrie' which they opened with. Most of the illest from their debut release We Are Pilots were mixed in as well. 'Le Disko' came about 5 songs in followed by 'Don't Cry Out'. They closed with the singles 'Rainy Monday' and my favorite 'You Are The One'.
They even busted out their cover of 'Major Tom' midway through the night and in the midst of body movin' I was reminded of the video tape of Gale from Breaking Bad singing karaoke all by his lonesome. So when exactly does Breaking Bad come back? Hurry up! Fuck. I have mega ADD. Shiny played only the 2 singles from their sophomore release 'Season Of Poison' which is my least favorite album, mainly because the lovely Carah is was not involved, but they got to that stuff early on and over with quickly.
It was 5 years between experiencing Shiny Toy Gun performances and 4 years had passed before releasing another album. Though substantial I think those painful gaps were worth the wait. I'm looking forward to seeing them again. Hopefully they get on the bill for some festivals this year otherwise I may need to travel some unless they find 'Somewhere To Hide' from me.
Let your iPhone Rock Your House with iHomeAudio!
marc
