Weekend music
New kids in town: Cool Funeral
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Girlpool -
Cool Funeral is a band so new that they don't yet have an online presence or any official recordings, much less a back catalog.
In spite of this, the nascent Tucson indie shoegaze group has gained the respect and admiration of notable members of the Arizona music scene, including The Rifle's Nelene DeGuzman, as well as Nirantha Balagopal of Phoenix band Language Barrier, who described the band as “thoughtful, nostalgic, sad-as-fuck jazzy shoegaze, tap your toes and try not to cry” music.
Cool Funeral began as the musical "bedroom project" of founding member Deandra Binder, who began writing and recording original compositions and posting video versions of the songs on Instagram in early 2017.
The seeds of the band were born when Binder was asked to perform at this August's edition of WTF AF - a monthly showcase for local women and femme-identified musical artists.
Not wanting to play alone, she recruited her friend and roomate, fellow musician Angéline Fahey to accompany her for the gig. Shortly thereafter, the two began regularly collaborating, with Binder on keyboard and vocals, Fahey on guitar and vocals and electronic drum tracks keeping the rhtythm.
As the pair performed and wrote together more, the music started to become more organic and dynamic and a live drummer seemed to make more sense. Enter Justin Tomberg on drums and percussion.
"We still feel like we are in the beginning stages of discovering our sound," said Fahey. "We feel lucky to be surrounded by supportive friends and the community. Given the time that we’ve had, our shows have gone better than expected. Things are still coming together, but we’re excited to keep learning as we play more shows."
As for the musical direction and inspiration that drives the band, Fahey credited closeness and a common creative drive. Binder and Fahey are best friends in addition to being bandmates and drummer is Binder's real-life partner in addition to being in the band.
"All three of us write the music together and [while] we all listen to a lot of different music, but what stuck with us was bands like Chasity Belt, Sales, and Girlpool, who we’re opening for at Solar Culture," Fahey said. "We’re pretty excited for that, since their music really influenced our sound."
The band is looking forward to writing more music and developing their sound, as well as building a social media profile and making some merch options available at their live gigs.
In the meantime, you can check them out live at Solar Culture this coming Wednesday, opening for feminist folk punk powerhouse duo Girlpool.
Cool Funeral and French Vanilla open for Girlpool on Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. at Solar Culture, 31 E. Toole Ave. (Downtown)
A fix for your post-Halloween withdrawal
Are you feeling like something is missing lately? Now that the candy is all eaten and your costume is back in the closet, you might be suffering from a general lack of Halloween.
Not to worry, though. The Surly Wench has got you covered this Friday night with a deliciously macabre night of darkly tinged rock and roll and a costume contest for those who want to live out their undead fantasties. Vampires Vs. Werevolves features Phoenix's The Spider Hole along with performances by Tucson bands Pigmy Death-Ray and The Mission Creeps.
Vampires Vs Werewolves w/ The Mission Creeps, Spider Hole and Pigmy Death-Ray - 9 p.m. Friday at The Surly Wench Pub, 424 N 4th Ave (Downtown)
Also happening this week
It's another stellar weekend and coming week for live music in the Old Pueblo, but that means lots of simultaneous shows, especially in Downtown Tucson. Among your options in the next few days...
Mute Swan with Hannah Yeun and Texas band Midnight Opera (Friday at Owl's Club)
Alright, Alright with Katie Haverly and Language Barrier (Saturday at Bar Passe)
Hungry Skinny, Untied Snakes, Bruja and the Coyote (Saturday at Sky Bar)
Sonidas de Luna Showcase w/ Shooda Shook It, Krab Legz and Golden Boots (Saturday at Brodies)
Carbon Canyon, Free Machines (Saturday at Che's Lounge)
Hank Topless (Thursday at Tap & Bottle)
So get thee out to a show or three this weekend, Tucson! It will be worth your while.
Check your local listings...
Friday, November 10
- Midnight Opera, Hannah Yeun, Mute Swan - 8 p.m. at Owl's Club, 236 S. Scott Ave. (Downtown)
- Mission Creeps, Spider Hole, Pigmy Death-Ray - 9 p.m. at Surly Wench, 424 N. 4th Ave. (Downtown)
- Igor & The Red Elvises - 9 p.m. at Flycatcher, 340 E. 6th St. (Downtown)
- Chris Janson - 8 p.m. at The Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St. (Downtown)
- Within Reach, Elyzian, End Of Eras - 8 p.m. at The Loudhouse, 915 W. Prince Rd. (Northside)
- Woke Up Dead - 8 p.m. at House Of Bards, 4915 E. Speedway (Central)
Saturday, November 11
- Alright Alright, Katie Haverly, Language Barrier - 9 p.m. at Bar Passe, 417 N. 4th Ave. (Downtown)
- Hungry Skinny, Untied Snakes, Bruja and the Coyote - 9 p.m. at Sky Bar, 536 N. 4th Ave. (Downtown)
- Krab Legz, Golden Boots, Shooda Shook It - 9 p.m. at Brodie's, 2449 N Stone Ave (N of Downtown)
- Velocity - 9:30 p.m. at The Edge, 4635 N. Flowing Wells Rd. (Northside)
- Carbon Canyon, Free Machines,Wooden Tooth DJ's - 10 p.m. at Che's Lounge, 350 N. 4th Ave. (Downtown)
- Hiss Golden Messenger - 7 p.m. at Club Congress, 311 E. Congress St. (Downtown)
- iLe - 8 p.m. at The Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St. (Downtown)
- Los Street Curb Players - 8 p.m. at The Loudhouse, 915 W. Prince Rd. (Northside)
Sunday, November 12
- SJP at Che's - 6 p.m. at Che's Lounge,350 N. 4th Ave. (Downtown)
- Shadow Age, Plastic Disease, Early Black - 9 p.m. at Flycatcher, 340 E. 6th St. (Downtown)
Monday, November 13
- Wonder - 5 p.m. at Bar Passe, 417 N. 4th Ave. (Downtown)
- The Sindicate, Stubborn Old Bastard - 9 p.m. at Flycatcher, 340 E. 6th St. (Downtown)
- Deer Tick - 8 p.m. at 191 E. Toole (Downtown)
Tuesday, November 14
- Deer Tick - 8 p.m. at 191 E. Toole (Downtown)
Wednesday, November 15
- Girlpool, French Vanilla, Cool Funeral - 8:30 p.m. at Solar Culture, 31 E. Toole Ave. (Downtown)
- Azfarat, Snackbirdy, Spirithouse, Ijustsa - 9 p.m. at Flycatcher, 340 E. 6th St. (Downtown)
- Helms Alee - 8 p.m. at Club Congress, 311 E. Congress St. (Downtown)
- K.Flay - 8 p.m. at The Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St. (Downtown)
- Stellar Corpses, Gunrunners, The Sindicate, Argyle Goolsby & the Roving Midnight - 7 p.m. at The Loudhouse, 915 W. Prince Rd. (Northside)
Thursday, November 16
- Hank Topless Band - 8:30 p.m. at Tap & Bottle, 403 N. 6th Ave. (Downtown)
