FOR SEPTEMBER 1998
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For great local music in a pop vein check out Leah Miller's radio show Leah's Local Zone on 101.5 FM, KZON on Sunday evenings at midnite (Monday morning for you sticklers). Upcoming guest Crashbar (9/5) and 22 Brides (9/13)


And don't forget the all-nite drive MON thru FRI at 3 AM
email leah@kzon.com

• BACK 2 SCHOOL! The ViC's Back to School Extravaganza dubbed Night of 1,000 Books will feature Vic Masters, Dustbin Flowers, and Psycho Gypsyat the stroke of midnight. Fans of the late Autumn Teen Sound are smacking their lips with rumblings that Adrian Smith will join ATS former bandmate Pat Singleton & the Dustbinners for a few tunes and Sport Model slinger Jason Garcia will also officially debut on lead guitar duties. This happens SATURDAY, September 19 at Hollywood Alley.
  
• BACK 2 DRUGS! Hallucinatin' folks can look forward to October 9 when Big Blue Couch, Windigo and Vic Masters bend minds at Minderbinders with the BACK 2 DRUGS show. DJ Smoke-A-Lot will be spinning classic psychedelia all nite long! Opening the show will be the acoustic stylings of Cliff, who, in the true spirit of trippy selflessness, will invite everyone with a mask and a tambourine onstage to, er, umph, jam.
  
  

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• BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS' SUNDAY BRUNCH! Actually brunch comes between lunch and dinner and Breakfast of Champion's sets land somewhere between dinner and late night snack-dack anyone? Every Sunday in August and September, the Champions host all-girl rock at the Mason Jar, a heavy-on-the-estrogen program of punk, rock and folk. Unfortunately, the print ads abbreviated the group's name, which resulted in some biker dudes screaming out for "Don't Fear the Reaper".and "This Ain't The Summer of Love". They could hardly be disappointed by the hard boiled battering that followed as Leslie, Sue and Mary pummeled through their set! Introducing her band mates, Sue cited Leslie as having a guy in every port while Mary was simply referred to as "the mother of God."Guess modesty really is next to godliness!!
  
  

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• VIC BE A LADY TONITE! The Lively One made an appearance at the Champion's August 23rd edition for a pathos filled performance as Victoria Masters, America's Sweetheart Of Song. The showpiece, entitled "There's Something About Vicky," traces the meteoric rise of a Sixties singing chanteuse, her descent into pills and drug addiction and her inevitable comeback. Audience members were invited to throw cabbage at one point when she forgot the words to one of her songs. If this sounds like it could be a night out for you, come to Hollywood Alley on SATURDAY, September 19 when Vic Masters will reprise his drag persona once more as part of the Night of 1,000 Hooks Back to School Extravaganza. Lest you doubt Mr. Giddy Up Go's manhood, his wife Doreen will be performing with him in the show and his son Vic, Jr. will be his trusty roadie. Also guesting will be Diedre Radford of Sipping Soma as Vicky's arch-rival, Dusty Springfield.
  
  
  

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• MANNEQUIN IMPRESSIVE! Our friends in Sipping Soma continue to gain recognition with their debut CD on Undermine records. The latest accolade comes from the Mesa Tribune's Get Out Magazine which named them "Best Band On the Verge"! in their "Devil Picks" issue. This title has sparked a debate amongst ViC personnel--what does it mean to be on the verge and can anyone ever get off the verge? Singer Diedre Radford almost sent the commemorative plaque back when she thought it said "Best Band Since The Verve."
  
  
  
• MASON JARGON indicates peace! Few eyes stayed dry among onlookers at the Mason Jar as Beat Angel Brian Smith reconciled with Jar owner Franco Gagliano on August 21st. Their well-publicized feud, which began early this year with an exchange of blows onstage, publicly ended as the (boxing) gloves literally came off and the two embraced warmly enough to melt even the Queen Mum's heart. Then, as only she could decree, rock-and-roll ensued as the Beat Angels rattled the Jar for the first time in over 6 months. Though the evening proceeded sans incident, the usually graceful Messier Smith took an uncharacteristic tumble over a front stage monitor. (Hint to Brian-Franco's since redecorated!)
  

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  ARTY-CHOKE ON THIS! One-of-a-kind performer Optimist debuted yet another performing alter-ego at the aforementioned Alwun House extravaganza with a brief appearance by Figurehead-Lite, his new electro-industrial duo. Don't expect angry & somber trademark songs like "I Would Be An Artichoke" or "Up Like Sky" on this night from Optimist, who says "This time it's for the kids, and it's for fun." Also check out Figurehead-Lite's early set on September 19th at Hollywood Alley.
  
  
  

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• THEY'RE COOL, THEY RULE! Three guitars, two singers, one organ, and an apparently inexhaustible source of dynamite pop songs--that was Crashbar at their August 10 Valley debut, mixing-up the ATS/Sugar High hits you've missed with terrific new stuff for a packed house at Suck Wongs. If you haven't seen 'em yet, see 'em FRIDAY, SEPT 18TH at Minderbinders with danny & Vic Masters & the Vicarage.
  
  

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• HELP US SPRING KIRSTEN! Our summer foreign-correspondent Kirsten has landed her bad self in the brig! And in record time, too. Though hindsight (and a few sleepless nights fighting with rat over a piece of half-eaten cheese in the cooler) has given her new perspective on the Irish way of life, how was she to know that they like to down their Guinness at room temperature over there? After she did a spit-take and demanded a frostier brew, a no-holds barred melee followed. On the plus side she learned how the Paddy Wagon got its name. Says Kirsten now: "Guinness tastes really different in an Irish pub. It tastes good warm. Mmm..." But nobody's buying her Yankee lies. So, for the love of cold beer, find a spare moment, fire off an angry letter to the Irish Consulate and help us get the poor dear home!
  
  
  
  
• FROM OUR 'I TOLD YOU SO' DEPARTMENT... Piersons reunion is tentatively scheduled for October 3.
  
  

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  ViC CLIQUE HERO OF THE MONTH! He's a rootin' tootin' outlaw, he's ten feet tall, he's missing an arm and it takes three men to carry him out of a saloon. He's Pecos Bill and he's turning up in every hot spot in the Valley that serves firewater. People just love posing with the wooden cowboy as these quickie Polaroids taken at Mesa's Hollywood Alley prove. On the left is Les Payne roadie Lek Cavendish. On the right is Windigo's Matt Strangwayes, who rustled up an instant family for this heart warming scene which met with Peco's thumb's up approval. Come to think of it, everything meets with Peco's Bill's approval. That's why he's a hero to us all! Just do it! And tell 'em Pecos Bill said it was O.K!
  
  

• "Until next time be gentle on your mind"
  -Peggy Stanshall, with additional items by Quinn Veecher