| SOUNDCHECK | t Music Ticket Machine Phoenix concert news you may have missed. BY JENNIFER GOLDBERG W CANCELLATIONS/ POSTPONEMENTS The Format One of the most exciting an- nouncements of 2020 (before the world shut down, that is) was that hometown favorites The Format’s Sam Means and Nate Ruess were going to play a limited series of re- union shows. The Phoenix shows, scheduled to be at The Van Buren, were pushed several times and we were optimistic that the three dates in April 2022 were actually going to happen. But last week, the band released a state- ment on social media officially canceling, not postponing, the shows. “It is not fair to continue to reschedule dates, and we would much prefer to revisit the idea of playing live when things are more certain, and we can all travel and safely enjoy ourselves,” the statement read in part. Rage Against the Machine The Format’s reunion concert was by no means the only big 2020 show that still hasn’t materialized. Local Rage Against the Machine fans are still waiting for their chance to see the band. After postpone- ments in 2020 and 2021, RATM an- nounced on January 20 that the first leg of their Public Service Announcement Tour, which included two dates on April 4 and 6 at Gila River Arena in Glendale, was being put on hold. There’s no word yet on when Phoenix will finally get its RATM fix. 32 Billie Eilish As it turns out, Billie Eilish is taking one of the dates formerly occupied by Rage Against the Machine. The pop superstar was supposed to be at Gila River Arena on April 2 and 3. Then, due to the new date of ith the Omicron vari- ant of COVID-19 wreaking havoc on the live music scene, keep- ing up with the latest concert news can be a challenge. Here are three cancellations and three additions to the metro Phoenix concert calendar you may have missed. the Grammys, Eilish announced last week that her April 3 show would now be hap- pening on April 4. (In the same press re- lease, she also said that some of her Canadian dates were getting moved due to local COVID-19 guidelines.) ANNOUNCEMENTS Punk in Drublic The Punk in Drublic craft beer and music festival is returning to Big Surf in Tempe on Saturday, March 19. Created by NOFX’s frontman Fat Mike and craft beer fanatic/ festival promoter Cameron Collins, Punk in Drublic will feature NOFX as the head- liner, plus Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, The Bouncing Souls, Lagwagon, The Last Gang, and local favorites Author- ity Zero and the Venomous Pinks. The event starts at noon and ends late. Your ticket gets you unlimited craft beer tastings from noon to 3 p.m. There will also be food trucks and vendors on-site. Gen- eral admission is $55 to $65. VIP tickets are Ben Garcia NOFX will headline March’s Punk in Drublic festival. $125 and include a special viewing area, ac- cess to a lounge, reserved restrooms, and a VIP bar. Bob Dylan One of rock’s most respected elder states- men will be kicking off the second leg of his Rough and Rowdy Ways Tour in Phoe- nix. Bob Dylan will be at Arizona Federal Theatre on Thursday, March 4. Tickets are now on sale. Desert Roots Festival The newest big metro Phoenix music event is Desert Roots Festival, which will take place on Sunday, March 20, at Scarizona in Mesa. It’s being put on by Brew Ha Ha Pro- ductions, the same company that runs Punk in Drublic. The acts on the bill in- clude Cypress Hill, Common Kings, Katastro, Fortunate Youth, Arise Roots, Bi- kini Trill, and The Irie. (Katastro and The Irie are Phoenix bands.) The festival runs from noon to 8 p.m. Tickets for the all-ages show are now on sale at desertrootsfest.com. General admis- sion is $39 to $59, and a ticket for unlimited beer tastings from noon to 4 p.m. is $10. VIP tickets are $99 to $129, and include a tasting ticket plus early admission, access to the VIP lounge, and more. FEB 3RD– FEB 9TH, 2022 PHOENIX NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | FEATURE | NEWS | OPINION | FEEDBACK | CONTENTS | phoenixnewtimes.com
