The founding members of Ozomatli met at a Los Angeles rally for workers’ rights in 1995; appropriate since the band seems to be almost as well-known for their politics as for their music. They were one of many bands to boycott the state of Arizona when SB1070 reared its ugly head in 2010 (a controversial decision the band still attributes to the legislation itself) and have been regulars on the protest and charity scene from the beginning.

Back then, while Ozo’s core lineup was just playing shows to raise money for an L.A. community collective dubbed the “Peace and Justice Center”, none involved had any idea that the genre-bending band that eventually took shape would grow to become the cultural force that it is today. Almost two decades and eight full-length albums later (the most recent of which, Place in the Sun, was released by Vanguard Records on March 11) the group’s unique mix of Latin, hip-hop, rock, reggae, and world music continues to make fans worldwide jump and scream and move their bodies ‘til they hurt. And the party comes to Tucson’s own Fox Theatre tonight as Ozomatli kicks off their 2014 tour with us here in the desert.

Yesterday I started off the festival at my home away from home, the Thrasher Magazine Death Match party at The Scoot Inn. Plant a Lone Star tall boy in my hand, place me next to a half-pipe and in front of a stage and watch me smile. I caught Cherry Glazer, a three-piece, female-fronted punk rock band from Los Angeles. A great way to start the day at noon sharp.

I managed to weasel my way in to the Fader Fort, and I'm still scratching my head at what I witnessed. A lot of SXSW is like a reverse They Live. People gladly groove on the Dell Sandwiches and Mazda Beer. Tweet to win a lifetime supply of Vitamin Water! Instagram for free Converse Kool-Aid! Samsung Illuminati presents Jay-Z and Kanye West! I was out of there in record time. Note: First time I've seen Google Glass and a 3-D printer in action. The future is here, and it's weird.

Caught Future Islands last night, and like their performance on Letterman last week, they delivered the goods. Lead singer Samuel T. Herring might look like a paunchy Terry Malloy, but his voice is pure blue-eyed soul, with death metal barks thrown in for good measure. A great band, and they may just save pop music this year.

• Jim Nintzel
• MC Lars: Nerdcore Master

I had a better first night than poor Casey Dewey: No travel hassles, easy check in and then it was off to races. Started out at the Fader Fort, where pretty girls carried trays of Blue Hawaiians for the guests and Charlie XCX kicked off the show with her up-and-coming pop-rock, including a fun cover of "I Want Candy." She was followed by the dazzling Chromeo, who combined dance rock with a hypnotic light show. From there, I entered the mouth of madness along Sixth Street and caught a nerdcore show by MC Lars with shout-outs to the likes of Bruce Campbell and Edgar Allen Poe. Had a few confusing hits and misses with a shows afterwards until I finished the evening with some ol' fashioned guitar and drums with Grape St.

• Photo by JStone / Shutterstock.com
• Lady Gaga.

Lady Gaga's Born This Way Foundation was designed "to foster a more accepting society, where differences are embraced and individuality is celebrated," according their website.

A breakdown of BTWF's 2012 tax report by Roger Friedman for Showbiz 411 reveals the foundations lack of grants to organizations and individuals in comparison to the $2.1 million in net assets the foundation claimed.

I wonder what spending $50,000 on social media gives you in return. Or how many ornate and freakishly over the top outfits/costumes and head gear Lady Gaga could buy with $808,661 spent on "other."

BTWF's President Cynthia Germanotta, Lady Gaga's mom, spent $150,000 on philanthropic consulting but only $5,000 on actual grants for organizations and individuals who are trying to make society more accepting.

• C. Elliott
• Sir Mix-A-Lot, Rialto Theatre, March Radness 2014

Tucson Weekly is among proud members of the Nuevo Gang of Four, including Stateside Presents, the Rialto Theatre and Club Congress, who brought Tucson the kickass Saturday night full of music billed as "March Radness" on Saturday, March 8.

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Due to 12+ hours of traveling, traffic jams, hotel bungles and hotel shuttle snafus, by the time I got settled in Austin last night I wasn't in any shape to join the throngs of people out on the street. Besides a few places I ducked into to down some Lone Stars, I wasn't about to stand around and do any more waiting. I'm at SXSW, and they're will be plenty of time to stand around and wait. It's the name of the game.

Tomorrow morning I'll have a rundown on today's activities. Some bands and parties I look forward today are B L A C K I E, Trust, Earthless, David Letterman's beloved Future Islands, Thrasher Magazine's Death Match Party, a Sailor Jerry party with free tattoos (in which I might partake for journalistic purposes, of course) and this may be the year when I penetrate the legendary Fader Fort party. What goes on behind those walls? Today is the day I find out.

Over and out.

• C. Elliott
• Jessi Colter at the Warden Oasis Museum, Saturday, March 8

Jessi Colter sang under a clear sky on a balmy spring evening as if it were the most natural thing in the world, notwithstanding the turbo-frost that slammed more northerly and easterly regions of the country. Of course she might have done that at Reid Park or a half-dozen other venues in town, but instead she performed at what is perhaps Tucson's second greatest tourist attraction next to the weather: The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.

Fresh off receiving the Morrissey Seal of Approval by opening two shows this summer with the preening former Smiths frontman, Welsh tight-pants-wearing/singer Tom Jones is coming to the Rialto Theatre on May 7.

Over the course of his seemingly infinite career, Jones has taken on all of the genres of music, from Bacharach/David pop hits to a blissfully strange take on Prince's "Kiss" with Art of Noise and a late 90's Britpop-inspired collaboration album, Reload, which included a cover of "Are You Gonna Go My Way" with Robbie Williams, because that's what people did back then.

Recently, to keep up his generally unpredictable career path in effect, Jones has worked with Jack White (on "Evil," above) and put out a Ethan Johns' sort of Americana-ish album in 2012, Spirit in the Room, where he took on songs by Richard Thompson and the Low Anthem. And no joke, his version of Leonard Cohen's "Tower of Song" is pretty great, if only because the opening line of "I was born with the gift of a golden voice" is actually true.

I imagine concert attendees will get a little of everything from Jones on May 7. And, play your cards right, ladies, and maybe you could get inside the notoriously tight pants of the man who admitted bedding 250 groupies a year in his prime.

Tickets go on sale on Friday and range from $46 to $66.