Chat with an editor: Tom-style

Hey Friends…

Welcome to the end of the week.

Let’s jump right in with some thoughts on Devo. I was lucky enough to see both Phoenix shows due to a review I wrote for the New Times. Yeah, I know… what the heck? Why didn’t I review it for Signal and Noise PHX?

Well, that’s a long story. I still love the New Times and always will; they haven't given me a reason not to. It was a last-minute opportunity, and I couldn't say no.

I had originally purchased tickets for the Monday show at The Van Buren as a Christmas present for my wife, Rhondi. However, when an offer came up to see the Sunday show at a venue with actual seats, she jumped at the chance. She’s been dealing with some back issues for nearly twenty years, and last weekend was a particularly rough one, so it was a no-brainer.

Arizona Financial Theatre is a really solid place to see a show. Parking is always a drag, but once you’re inside, the sound is typically great, and the sightlines are fantastic from just about anywhere. It’s a very comfortable venue.

Devo looked and sounded incredible. The setlist was identical to the other stops on this tour, so I knew what to expect, and Setlist.fm helped me ensure I got the order right for my review.

The biggest difference between Sunday and Monday was the energy. The Van Buren crowd Monday night came to rock, and while the Sunday crowd did too, it was in a much more laid-back way. On Sunday, I felt my age. On Monday, I felt like that much younger dude who lives inside my brain—the one who wishes he had seen Devo in the '80s.

Rhondi stayed home on Monday to rest, so our son, Liam, went with me. He had a blast, though he immediately ditched me for his friends. I didn’t mind; that’s how it should be.

One of the best parts of both nights was seeing old friends. I ran into my former NSK bandmate, Ryan Butler, on Sunday, and my high school chum, Buzz Golsch, on Monday. It was also rad hearing so many nice words from people about Signal and Noise PHX. Thanks to everyone for noticing what we are building here.

I digress, though.

Devo remains a fantastic live band. At one point, Gerald (or was it Mark?) talked about meeting back at The Van Buren in another 50 years to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Devo. That was well-received. Imagine what that would be like? I actually kind of can.

On the Turntable: Clusterfux / Conflict Resolution Split Recently, I got a 7” record in the mail from my buddy Josh Lent. It’s a split between his band, Clusterfux (out of Denver), and locals Conflict Resolution. My old friend Kelvin Yazzie plays guitar in Conflict Resolution, and let me tell you… holy heck. This 7” is a ripper.

I met Josh a couple of years ago when The Freeze went up to Denver to play a show on my birthday in 2024. Clusterfux opened for us, and they fucking ruled. To be honest, I was a little intimidated following them; we hadn't played live in six years, and they had just released Defy (2024) on Beer City, which I consider one of the best thrash records in decades. If you haven’t heard it, you should.

This new split keeps the mosh pit going. The bass and drums sound massive on the Clusterfux side. All four songs—“Infected,” “Magats,” “Just Like That,” and “American Gestapo”—are memorable and full of heavy riffage. The whole band is at the top of their game, and hopefully, we’ll see another full-length from these Denver heroes soon.

I had hoped to interview Josh to help promote their D.R.I. show tonight at The Nile, but life has been buried under state testing and a mountain of "life stuff" lately. We’ll get Josh on the record here soon, though.

As for the Conflict Resolution side, I knew it was going to be a blast, and it absolutely is. I’ve always been a fan of Kelvin’s guitar prowess, and his work here doesn't disappoint. “The Social Media Waltz,” for example, features some technical wizardry that you’d be an idiot not to love. They burned through their side with six blasts of punk/metal mayhem. “Bots” is a catchy standout, and I’m digging “Peace” a lot, too. Kudos to Vince, Rich, Tom, and Kelvin. We need to talk soon.

Weekend Plans Lastly, my brother from another mother, Tom Stewart, is celebrating his 60th birthday tonight at Pub Rock with his band, The Dynamic Machine. Tom and I were in Religious Skid together back in the late '80s; I used to hop on his bass whenever there was a lull in practice to try and learn a thing or two. Showtime is at 8:00 PM if you want to check them out with me.

Hope to see folks out and about this weekend. Don’t forget about the Meat Puppets at the Crescent and AZ Tiki Oasis happening at the Hotel Valley Ho all weekend long.

Stay noisy,

— Tom