Tucson seems to be turning into a legitimate destination for touring modern rock acts. In some sense this is good: Perhaps we can expect an increase in the number of local venues and opportunities to see live music. In another sense, this is bad: Evil, soulless devils are brought to our town and may bring the downfall of our virtuous community.

I've seen live video footage of Bush several times. The band seemed to be a bit lackluster: The guitar player/singer stood with his legs split front to back, swaying back and forth as he played and the rest of the band kind of just stood there. This is a pretty bad sign, kind of like seeing a singer read lyrics from a sheet of notebook paper - almost a sure indicator of wretchedness. Perhaps this live show will be greatly improved. Bush's singles - most recently, "Glycerine" and "Machinehead" - are hookless fuzz rock of the grunge variety. This is too bad - it seems as if a lot of modern guitar rock is spiraling into a vortex of pointless distortion and feedback, losing any interest in notions of guitar texturing and experimentation that the Beatles-Velvet Underground-Sonic Youth-Nirvana heritage of popular rock might have provided. I can't help but wonder if Bush would be so successful if it had called itself Cock (or Weed). Also note: The video footage reveals one other interesting element - the members' auras are black - THEY HAVE NO SOULS! Resist the temptations of the dark side, for once you venture down its path it is difficult to turn back.

The Goo Goo Dolls released one of the most overrated and overplayed singles of this past year. If I never hear "A Boy Named Goo" again I will be ecstatic. What tripe. But I guess that's more of a commentary on MTV and modern rock radio than the band. I saw these guys play a few years ago at Club Congress. This was around the second time they were supposed to be the next "big thing in rock." They were kind of a raucous bar band - like a really drunk E-Street band. I remember the singer grabbing some girl's sunglasses and wearing them through the show (what a cad). They took a lot of photographs of the crowd, and I think the bass player puked in the middle of the set - but I suspect age and arena rock have tempered their flame. With a great Midwestern rock heritage (liberally stealing from the Replacements), I feel like I should really like this band, but up until now it has been a bit flaccid for my taste. Notice as well that the first three words in its name has three letters. Multiply by two for the double word "Goo" and we arrive at 666. BEWARE! BEWARE!

No Doubt has a catchy single in "I'm Just a Girl." The band falls into some ska-influenced punk category, and seem to be a lively act. Whee! But guess what one guy has his hair styled to look like? DEVIL'S HORNS! AHHHHH!

I beseech thee. Look not into the eyes of the demon, for its venom is delivered with a glance. Smell not its sweet scent, for pain rides on the its perfume. Listen not to its words, for agony is delivered with a whisper.