The Hourglass Cats – “Rainchecks” After their singles last year were heavily indebted to garage rock influences, I was wondering if The Hourglass Cats had decided on a new direction or if they would still make songs that had that classic Cats sound. I got my answer with their newest…
Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds were all set to open a New Year’s Eve party for Daryl Hall at the singer’s Hudson Valley venue, when a perplexing cancellation sent the band scrambling to book a replacement gig. But the hard-touring Brooklyn-based band, a seven-piece that plays a feisty mix…
Tucked in the northeast corner of Ultra Music Festival near the UMF Radio stage, dozens are unabashedly grabbing condoms courtesy of the Florida Department of Health. Most pick up the flavored ones that come in pineapple and strawberry varieties, and there the confident few who grab the Magnum XL’s. (Just…
Even if he’d never released a single note of his own music, Alan Parsons would have been a part of rock history. As engineer on the last two Beatles albums, he presided at two noteworthy sessions — the last ever Beatles live show (on the roof for Let It Be)…
Seventeen-year-old Elijah Krueger winds his hands up the bridge of his guitar, methodically hitting chord after chord. It takes concentration to even follow his movements, but he plays with a grin on his face like it’s the easiest thing in the world. It’s First Friday, and as throngs of people…
Well, this doesn’t happen too often. Phoenix band Harrison Fjord, which we named one of the 16 Phoenix Bands to Watch in 2016 earlier this year, play a set before the main event at the Bernie Sanders rally in Flagstaff yesterday. As the senator from Vermont began his speech, he…
When Prince decided to party like it was 1999, little did he, or anyone else for that matter, understand the significance of the year. For the purposes of his song, it was the end of the century and thus a reason to celebrate. However, for electronic dance music, it was…
At the same time that clashes between supporters and haters dominated news coverage of Donald Trump’s weekend rallies in Fountain Hills and Tucson, thousands of Mexican rock fans gathered in the Arizona desert for a protest of a different sort. In reality, Rock Fiesta — which we called “the Coachella…
There are two elements in rock music that don’t get the credit they deserve: the percussion and the bass. Both work together to provide the foundation to the beat of the song and the melody. While the bass works as the bridge between the percussion and the rest of the…
When was the last time you told your bro you loved him? Seriously. When was the last time you looked into his eyes, placed a hand gently on his quadricep, and said, “Hey man, I really care about you.” Male friendship is a complicated phenomenon. Taught from birth to internalize our…
With Ultra 2016 in the history books, it’s time to look back at just who exactly came out on top, and who walked away from Bayfront Park with nothing but regret and a T-shirt soaked in other people’s bodily fluids. This year, like every year, we end the weekend with…
There have to be moments of existential angst for every worthwhile pursuit. There really does. If the universe is fair, everybody out there — working away at some job or profession, hobby, labor of love, whatever it might be — has to have some moment where you look within your…
Some of the biggest and most notable music fests of the springtime are officially in the rearview, both here in the Valley and elsewhere. Pot of Gold, for instance, wrapped up its second year down at Rawhide in Chandler over the weekend with memorable performances by headliners Futuristic and Big…
I used to not like Big Sean as an artist. I disliked his voice and adlibs, and in his early days, I was simply not impressed with the music he was putting out. When Kanye West brought the Detroit rapper under his tutelage, I knew we would watch Kanye mold…
With a demographic ranging from young trap-obsessed kids looking to turn up, to older weed-loving reggae fans, this year’s Pot of Gold Music Festival was looking to convince every market possible to attend the two-day event at Rawhide. Veteran underground hip-hop legends Atmosphere joined the likes of Slightly Stoopid and…
Formed in the good old days (see: early ’90s and 1992, specifically), Tempe, Arizona band Alison’s Halo enjoyed a healthy run as a fully functional recording and live band for the majority of the decade. Founded by married couple Adam and Catherine Cooper (guitar and vocals/guitar respectively), and Lynn Anderson (bass,…
Mitchell Hillman listens to more local music than just about anyone else in the Valley. He shares his picks for best new music in his column, Right Hear, Right Now. The Sink Or Swim – “Wasted Time” I had never heard of The Sink Or Swim until I got an…
Igudesman & Joo are classically trained musicians who put a modern spin on their musical presentations. Besides the musical virtuosity the two men have, they sprinkle comedy and pop culture into their performances and add unexpected twists to keep the crowd on the edges of their seats. The duo will…
Last year’s Pot of Gold Music Festival featured four days of music. This year’s is down to just two, but Lucky Man Concerts is making them count, doubling down on hip-hop for a festival that promises two of the most significant rap concerts that will happen in Phoenix this year…
As you might expect, Saint Patrick’s Day is traditionally cause for much celebration. Typically, that includes (but is by no means limited to) parties where live music and adult beverages are in abundance, enlivened affair filled with fun, and events where everyone’s wearing something green. Such will certainly be the…
Maynard James Keenan sure doesn’t like to be idle. Not that he has a choice at this point in his life. Any of Keenan’s chief preoccupations — touring musician, winemaker, grape-grower — would be a full-time job in the hands of lesser men, but Keenan somehow manages to balance them…
Coachella may be known for getting rock bands like Radiohead, The Cure, and Guns N’ Roses to play in the middle of the California desert, but when it comes to rock en español, the 16-year-old festival has nothing on Rock Fiesta. The one-off event taking place in Quartzite Friday, March…
