When was the last time you were actually afraid of losing something? That primordial fear rattled me just before seeing Fall Out Boy for the first time on Friday night. I was truly concerned that the nostalgia of laying on my living room floor after school and watching Fall Out…
It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that Guns N’ Roses’ much-anticipated reunion at Coachella 2016 wouldn’t be the last time the legendary rock group played together this year. After all, if there’s any truth to the $3 million per show payout that GN’R was seeking, why wouldn’t…
Game to go a show this weekend? You’ve certainly got no shortage of options available as the concert calendar in overloaded with big gigs by major names taking place around Phoenix. That includes performances by rock and country legends (David Crosby, Vince Gill), burgeoning hip-hop stars (Migos), and phenomenally gifted…
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)…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Looking for a great show to see this week? Here are our picks for the best concerts worth checking out this week in Metro Phoenix. For more options, visit our comprehensive online concert calendar. Electric Six – Tuesday, March 15 – The Rebel Lounge Most of America got to know…
Few musicians are quite as raw and honest as Genevieve Schatz. From the sound of her voice to the message of her music, the performer, known simply by her first name, doesn’t hold back. For that matter, Genevieve doesn’t always even know how or where her performances are going sometimes,…
McDowell Mountain Music Festival returned to Margaret T. Hance Park for the third straight year, attracting tens of thousands of people downtown for weekend of dual-stage musical madness. There were changes galore at this year’s incarnation, including the elimination of camping, waste (there were three-bin recycling stations throughout the festival), and…
Viva PHX’s third edition once again ignited downtown Phoenix last weekend, proving for just one night that under the right circumstances Phoenicians will brave the great outdoors on their quest for excellent music. The festival operates by setting out a beacon for bands touring on their way to South By…
Why would Bruce Springsteen want to revisit the over 35-year-old album The River? I asked myself the above question as the New Jersey-based singer-songwriter, accompanied by his incomparable E Street Band, played the 20 songs on the breakthrough double album in chronological order to a sold-out crowd at Talking Stick…
Kitten’s Chloe Chaidez is a killer interview. An old soul, for sure, especially for someone who can’t even by a legal beer yet, but something tells us she’s maybe had one or two alcoholic beverages. The Los Angeles, California singer/songwriter basically is the band she fronts, but to hear her…
To say that downtown Phoenix will be busy with live music and concertgoers this weekend would be an understatement. Two of the Valley’s biggest festivals of the year will be taking place and bring tens of thousands of people to the area who are eager to see a show, including…
