Music briefs

German DJ bringing techy house music

On his Facebook page, German DJ and techno pioneer Steve Bug describes his music as “deep, techy house.”

A product of the early 1990s Berlin hardcore techno dance scene, he took a different path than his contemporaries, offering up what has been described as “a fresher, hybrid sound–merging stripped deep house, tweaked-out acid and more minimal forms of techno and electronic music.”

The diversion has led him to an enviable and sustained career as an independent DJ and artist. For the past 15 years he has had his own record label, Poker Flat Recordings, and tours around the world, including a show Thursday, Feb. 11, at the new Merci Gallery, 630 E. Ninth St.

Tucson electronica band Electric Feel will open the show, which is Bug’s first here. Only 100 tickets will be sold for the show, which Merci Gallery’s Corbin Dooley said will feature Tucson’s only Funktion-One sound system.

Bug broke through internationally with his fourth studio record “Sensual” in 2002. He has released more than 90 recordings and at least 40 remixes and compilations. He has worked on more than 500 recording projects, according to press materials provided by Merci Gallery.

Thursday’s show starts at 7 p.m. at the gallery. Tickets are $25 through mercigallery.com; any tickets remaining will be available at the door for $35.

Merci is a newcomer to Tucson’s music and arts scene. The gallery is focused on art, music and champagne and features a regularly changing bubbly menu by the glass and bottle, according to gallery officials. For details, see mercigallery.com

Springfield, ABBA cover band at DDC

Tickets go on sale soon for a trio of shows coming to Desert Diamond Casino’s Diamond Entertainment Center, 1100 W. Pima Mine Road. Tickets are available at startickets.com or the casino’s Rewards Center.

• The MVPs, a party band that mixes rock, R&B, Latin, swing, hip-hop and pop into a high-energy dance show, will be on stage at 8 p.m. March 25. $10, on sale Feb. 20.
• Eighties rocking heartthrob Rick Springfield is bringing “Jessie’s Girl” and other hits to the stage at 8 p.m. March 26. Starting at $30, on sale Feb. 20.
• “ABBA the Concert: A Tribute to ABBA” will take you back to the Swedish quartet’s heydays — “Mamma Mia,” “S.O.S.,” “Money, Money, Money,” “The Winner Takes it All,” “Waterloo,” “Gimme, Gimme, Gimme” and “Dancing Queen” — at 8 p.m. May 6. Starting at $12.50, on sale March 12.

Another take on Queensrÿche at Rialto

Last month, the official Queensrÿche band played at the Rialto Theatre.

On Monday, Feb. 15, founding Queensrÿche frontman Geoff Tate brings his band Operation: Mindcrime to the Rialto, 318 E. Congress St.

Tate and Co. will perform classic Queensrÿche hits from “Silent Lucidity” onward, including excerpts from “Operation: Mindcrime,” Queensrÿche’s bestselling album.

Tate, who was fired from the band in 2012 over creative and artistic differences, took the name for his new band from that album.

The official Queensrÿche band with frontman Todd La Torre has the legal rights to the band’s name. They played Rialto on Jan. 10.

Monday’s show starts at 8 p.m. Colors of Chaos opens the show. Tickets are $27 in advance at ticketfly.com, $29 day of show. Details: rialtotheatre.com

Back to homepage

Subscriber Login

Keep reading with a digital access subscription.

Subscribe now

Rhythm & Roots offers

2 shows this week

Rhythm & Roots is bringing two shows to Tucson stages this week.

• First up is Gypsy jazz guitar virtuoso Stephane Wremble at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, at Club Congress, 311 E. Congress St.

He’s a big deal: iconic filmmaker Woody Allen has his phone number and used it to call him up to score the theme song for Allen’s 2012 movie “Midnight in Paris” — his second song featured in an Allen film. Wremble then got an invite to the Academy Awards that year to perform the song during the show.

There’s a French guitar named after him, he’s toured and recorded with American giants including mandolin legend David Grisman, violin master Mark O’Connor, Elvis Costello and Patti Smith. The French native now living in New Jersey is largely regarded as having one of the most original voices in contemporary music.

Tickets: $20 in advance at ticketfly.com, $23 day of show.

• On Saturday, Feb. 13, bluegrass guitarist and award-winning vocalist Dede Wyland pulls into Congress for a gig with her band, which includes the McLaughlin Brothers,

• Peter

• and

• David McLaughlin

• , along with members of Peter McLaughlin’s The Sonoran Dogs band.

As one of the few female bluegrass singers of her generation, Wyland was the role model for all the greats who followed. She was with the band Grass, Food & Lodging and was a founding member of Tony Trischka and Skyline.

Saturday’s show begins at 7 p.m. at Club Congress. Tickets: $16 in advance at ticketfly.com or Dark Star Leather in Plaza Palomino, 2960 N. Swan Road at East Fort Lowell Road; $20 day of show. Details: rhythmandroots.org

Other Club Congress shows this week include:

• Tucson pop singer

• Steff Koeppen

• of the progressive pop piano band Steff and the Articles makes her solo debut at 9 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 14, with Head Over Heart opening the show. Admission is free and it’s a 21-and-older show.