Thursday, January 4th Dr. Bean kicked off this season in Tucson with a mix of funk, rock, and jazz. This mostly instrumental three-piece definitely set a high bar for the rest of the evening. Female fronted rock quartet, Dead Zone Citizens, followed with a set on modern radio rock with a twist of Pat Benatar. Atrest brought the Living Room back into the 21st century with a high-energy kick up the arse. Though probably the youngest band of the weekend, they put a very memorable show, their 90lb singer screaming like an 800lb gorilla. Though not technically perfect, they brought an energy and presence that left the crowd screaming for more. Hailing from Nogales, Mexico, Seventhport showed the crowd that metal knows no geographical boundaries. A solid and driving rhythm section supported Sepsis’ front man’s Hetfield-esque (circa Master of Puppets) vocals and shred mastery. Friday, January 5th Opening a show is never easy, but Slow Truck showed the rest how it’s done. When the audience is apprehensive and timid, you have to reach out and drag them into the performance, and remind them they’re at a rock show, which is exactly what Slow Truck did, drawing the crowd front and center, and demanding the attention of all. Peter’s Holiday followed with an upbeat, but not-so-poppy flavor of punk-rock that brought fans from all around southern Arizona. Never Let Die, founded by former members of Silence Falls Deep, rocked the living room in a way that is usually reserved for larger venues. Shredding guitar work, over their heads and otherwise, sent the crowd into a small riot. Following that lead, Psychotic Nerve held up their promise to “fuck this place up”. Matching acuitive technical skill with raw aggression, PN put on a show that reminded us all that small towns can make big sounds. Saturday, January 6th Recently relocated from Vermont, Sinister Mustard opened Saturday’s show with a sound not often heard in the Southwest. With gruff and demanding vocals reminiscent of PW Long, coupled with raw and soulful guitar work, Sinister Mustard rocked the Living Room like no one was looking. Dim Origin followed with a shreducation for the other guitar players in the room: whether metal is your particular bag or not, there is no denying that these guys put in a full 40 on the guitar each week. Taking the show into the other end of the modern-rock spectrum, Praying for Safety showed that they can hold their own with any crowd. With an indie sound not often heard in rural desert towns, these guys have definitely been doing their homework.