As part of a mailing-list update, The National offered a brief – yet totally logical – statement concerning SB 1070 and the band’s two October shows in Arizona:

“Finally, we’d like you to know that we’re concerned about the discriminatory legislation that has been passed into law in Arizona. We don’t feel it’s right to boycott playing in AZ as our fans had no say in passing SB 1070, but we do intend to donate a share of proceeds from the October Tucson and Tempe shows to Latino Justice PRLDEF in support of their civil rights work. You can learn more about this organization at www.latinojustice.org.”

Like the upcoming Artists for Action concert on Aug. 27, The National seems to get it. As I’ve been saying, why punish the fans who likely share similar political viewpoints as the bands they listen to? By donating a portion of its earnings, The National at least gives fans an option instead of flat-out denying us a show.

Former Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic offers a similar call to action to play Arizona, not avoid it, in a Seattle Weekly column.

• The National | Bloodbuzz Ohio
• The National | Afraid of Everyone

Memo to all bands boycotting Arizona: This is how you engage/inform people and affect change. How about having some courage to actually organize a concert as a form of activism inside our state lines – instead of, say, California?

Artists for Action/VivaArizona.org announced on Wednesday a voter registration concert in protest of SB 1070 for Aug. 27 at Marquee Theatre, featuring Calexico, Miniature Tigers, Sergio Mendoza Y La Orkesta, Kinch, Big Son (featuring Sam Means of The Format and Jeff Bufano and Chris Corak of Reubens Accomplice), Sand Rubies, Salvador Duran and more.

It’s a free show for anyone who pledges to vote on Nov. 2, and registration will be available for first-time voters. An excerpt from the press release:

Representatives from local non-profit human rights and immigration organizations will be there to provide information about SB 1070, immigration, and related human rights issues.

Artists for Action member Joey Burns, of Calexico, explains, “This will be a great way to get people in the Phoenix area excited about voting this fall and educated about the immigration issues facing Arizona today.”

For as awful as SB 1070 is, it’s interesting to me that the only people that really seem to get it are the bands/musicians/people from Arizona facing the issue every day, not the bandwagon boycotters eager for a quick headline. I found comments by Kim Gordon of now-boycotting Sonic Youth quite amusing: “I’ve always regarded Arizona as semi-evil. I don’t know if the logic really pans out, but my gut reaction is: I don’t want to go there. I don’t want to celebrate Arizona.” Always, eh? You had no problems playing TWO shows in our state in January – and no doubt taking home healthy paychecks from them.

On a related note, be sure to check out Up on the Sun’s post about the Most Worthlessly Obscure Bands on The Soundstrike’s Arizona Boycott List.

Hopefully, Arizonans will have a long memory when it comes time to remembering the bands and musicians that abandoned the fans – most of whom probably agree with their political viewpoints – and those who came here to offer their voice.

There is little doubt that SB 1070 – that heinous anti-immigration black eye on our state – has sullied Arizona’s reputation. When I traveled to Illinois for a wedding last month, that’s all anybody seemed interested in asking about when I revealed I was from here. Though I find nothing redeemable about this bill, I’m sick at how many people who know so little about or never have been to Arizona suddenly have so much to say about it. Hey, look, I’m not defending our conservative politicians (I didn’t vote for them), I’m just not willing to accept people disrespecting the place I’ve called home for almost 25 years. I guess it’s my civic pride.

So thank God for a band like Calexico, an Arizona institution. The Tucson-based group has jumped in the SB 1070 fray, but they’re not asking/expecting musicians to not voice opposition to it (who would?). They’re taking a different tack: Come to Arizona and actually do something. Don’t boycott from afar. That’s too easy.

“We’re asking artists to take a stand, make their voices heard and inspire fans to get involved,” frontman Joey Burns says. “Now is the time when art can make a difference. Now is the time for action.”

As an Arizonan, I’m quite grateful for Calexico, a band sticking its neck out to engage in thoughtful dialogue at a time when it’s not very popular to be from here.

And, really, all I wanted to tell you is that the band, in conjunction with CASH Music, is offering a free download (320 KBPS) of a 2009 show in Nuremberg, Germany. The download is a way for the band to celebrate the start of a new tour, but I’m listening (and appreciating) Calexico for reasons that hit closer to home.

Calexico, Live in Nuremberg (download via CASH music):
1. Roka
2. Bend To The Road
3. Inspiration
4. Crystal Frontier
5. Two Silver Trees
6. Red Blooms
7. Victor Jara’s Hands
8. Man Made Lake
9. Fractured Air
10. All Systems Red

Anthony Hart, aka DJ HartBreaks, technically unleashed his first mixtape – The Long Goodbye – earlier this year, but he’s throwing a proper release party on Tuesday from 7-9 p.m. at downtown gallery Phoenicia Association (821 N. Third St., Phoenix).

I have a ton of respect for people who work to make Phoenix a more inviting cultural/musical destination and Anthony is one of those guys. He’s a resident at the weekly Downtime night at The Lost Leaf and helps curate Civic Space Jam, a free monthly event (every third Sunday) at downtown’s Civic Space Park.

Couple that with an impeccable taste in music – I’ve seen Anthony at everything from the Wilco/Grizzly Bear show in Tucson to Gift of Gab in Tempe (among others) – and you have yourself a well-rounded DJ who has released a mix that he – and Phoenix – can be proud of.

As the title suggests, The Long Goodbye is a personal statement, “a love letter or ode, whatever you want to call it,” Anthony says. He also told me earlier in the year, when the mix first came out: “This is also a representation or document of a lot of my favorite songs of last year. Several of the songs on the mix were staples in my DJ sets that I just happened to have a really personal connection to, be it the content, or mood/theme.”

Stream the mix above and/or download it below.

• DJ HartBreaks | The Long Goodbye (follow link; 60.2 MB, 1:05:45)

The Long Goodbye tracklist:

ACT I — DAY:
Honey Pie North of The Border Intro
Pariah – Detroit Falls Mixdown
Grizzly Bear – Two Weeks
Animal Collective – Daily Routine (Phaseone Remix)
Bullion – Are You The One?
Bibio – Fire Ant
Floating Points – For You
Exile – In Love
Blockhead – Trailer Love
Slum Village – The Look Of Love
DERT – The Light (Common w/ Erykah Badu) / Jose Gonzalez – Heartbeats
Common – The Light (acapella)
Oh No – Dr. No’s Ethiopium
Guilty Simpson – Man’s World (instrumental)
Daedelus – It’s Madness (Nosaj Thing remix)
DERT – Dert is Full Of Love
Mayer Hawthorne – Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out (Astronote El Camino remix)

ACT II — NIGHT:
The Gaslamp Killer – Birthday Music
Frankie Valli – Beggin’ (Pilooski re-edit)
Florence & The Machine – You’ve Got The Love (xx remix)
Hijak – Tears
M.R.K.1 – Ready For Love
Guido – Beautiful Complication
Iron Shirt – I Gave You All My Love (Matt Shadetek’s I Gave You All My Dub remix)
Von D. feat. Phephe – Show Me
Solange Knowles – Stillness Is The Move
2000F & J Kamata – You Don’t Know What Love Is
Chromeo – Night By Night (Skream remix)
DZ – What You Won’t Do For Love

April 17 will be a joyous day. My wife’s birthday just happens to fall on Record Store Day this year, so I’m sure she’ll love the Wilco Kicking Television vinyl box set I’ll be getting her. Just what she always wanted!

Well, that’s one of the many Record Store Day exclusives I have my eyes on. I went to Stinkweeds on Wednesday and got the full menu of what will be available when the store opens at 9:30 a.m.

By the end of the day, I hope to also own these: Built to Spill 7-inch (love the artwork); Telekinesis 7-inch, featuring three new songs; vinyl copy of the new Hold Steady album with screen-printed artwork; Modest Mouse’s The Moon and Antarctica 10th anniversary vinyl reissue … and the list goes on.

I’m not sure yet what’s going on at other record stores in the Valley, but I know Stinkweeds will also have live music and food. Could my wife ask for a better birthday??

If you need convincing to check out the Record Store Day fun, then Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme is here to help: