Concert Review: Ryan Montbleau Band at Martini Ranch

It's become a bit of a music journalism cliché to say that a particular act "defies categorization," but when it comes to the Ryan Montbleau Band, it's an apt description. Unless you're the type of person who likes to employ five or six hyphens to string together a handful of disparate genres in an attempt to nail down someone's sound, you'd have a hard time pigeonholing Montbleau into any specific category of music. At their show last night at Martini Ranch in Scottsdale, Montbleau and his five bandmates veered seamlessly from folk to funk, from reggae to alt-country, from straightforward rock to jazz and even hints of zydeco.

3?aK Episode 48: The Grand Finale

Well, we've finally come to the last episode of 3?aK. I'm sure this is a monumental moment for a lot of you. I imagine it must be similar to the bittersweet feeling of watching the final episode of M*A*S*H or Lost. But all good things must come to an end. Sometimes even the greatest ideas run their course. I had a lot of fun asking people these questions over the course of a year, but once you see who the final interviewee is, you'll see why I decided to put 3?aK to rest. Anyway, on to the background info...

Back in 2007, when I was the music writer for College Times, Kip Winger blew me off for an interview because he was on “vocal lockdown.” I didn’t want to see the questions I’d prepared go to waste, so for the next year, I asked everyone I interviewed if they’d be willing to get into character and answer the following “Three Questions as Kip.”

If you're new to 3?aK and want a more detailed history of how this project came to be, click here.

OK, now that you're up to speed, let's get on with the show. Playing the role of Kip Winger for this installment of 3?aK will be none other than the man himself, Kip Winger.

3?aK Episode 47: Marshall "Fucking" Beck (Rebirth, Reign of Vengeance)

Back in 2007, when I was the music writer for College Times, Kip Winger blew me off for an interview because he was on “vocal lockdown.” I didn’t want to see the questions I’d prepared go to waste, so for the next year, I asked everyone I interviewed if they’d be willing to get into character and answer the following “Three Questions as Kip.”

If you're new to 3?aK and want a more detailed history of how this project came to be, click here.

OK, now that you're up to speed, let's get on with the show. Playing the role of Kip Winger for this installment of 3?aK will be Phoenix heavy metal singer and concert promoter Marshall "Fucking" Beck.

3?aK Episode 46: Andy Williams (Every Time I Die)

Back in 2007, when I was the music writer for College Times, Kip Winger blew me off for an interview because he was on “vocal lockdown.” I didn’t want to see the questions I’d prepared go to waste, so for the next year, I asked everyone I interviewed if they’d be willing to get into character and answer the following “Three Questions as Kip.”

If you're new to 3?aK and want a more detailed history of how this project came to be, click here.

OK, now that you're up to speed, let's get on with the show. Playing the role of Kip Winger for this installment of 3?aK will be Andy Williams of Every Time I Die.

3?aK Episode 45: Lisa Lampanelli

Back in 2007, when I was the music writer for College Times, Kip Winger blew me off for an interview because he was on “vocal lockdown.” I didn’t want to see the questions I’d prepared go to waste, so for the next year, I asked everyone I interviewed if they’d be willing to get into character and answer the following “Three Questions as Kip.”

If you're new to 3?aK and want a more detailed history of how this project came to be, click here.

OK, now that you're up to speed, let's get on with the show. Playing the role of Kip Winger for this installment of 3?aK will be comedy's "Queen of Mean," Lisa Lampanelli.

3?aK Episode 44: Blaze Ya Dead Homie

Back in 2007, when I was the music writer for College Times, Kip Winger blew me off for an interview because he was on “vocal lockdown.” I didn’t want to see the questions I’d prepared go to waste, so for the next year, I asked everyone I interviewed if they’d be willing to get into character and answer the following “Three Questions as Kip.”

If you're new to 3?aK and want a more detailed history of how this project came to be, click here.

OK, now that you're up to speed, let's get on with the show. Playing the role of Kip Winger for this installment of 3?aK will be zombie rapper Blaze Ya Dead Homie.

Arson Anthem - Insecurity Notoriety (Album Review)

Arson Anthem - Insecurity Notoriety
Release date: October 12, 2010 (Housecore Records)

The first thing that came to mind while listening to Arson Anthem's debut full-length album is that all these so-called "metalcore" bands out there right now should be forced to sit down and listen to this album on a continuous loop for about a week. Calling Arson Anthem a metalcore band might seem like a misnomer, but only because the term has been bastardized by a bunch of 20-something emo kids in eyeliner and white belts. If metalcore, as the name implies, is supposed to be a hybrid of heavy metal and hardcore punk, then Arson Anthem do it better than pretty much any band out there right now.