25 Best Halloween Parties and Concerts in Phoenix

Urbane Manner A sinister sideshow spectacle awaits those who attend the Dead Carnival Block Party on Friday, October 30, at this Scottsdale spot, as does an enormous array of DJs, producers, and EDM artists that are scheduled to perform at the event. The lineup will include gigs by co-headliners Ookay,…

5 Best Concerts in Phoenix This Week

We present to you our concert picks for the week. Check out our comprehensive Phoenix concert calendar for more options. William Fitzsimmons – Monday, October 26 – Crescent Ballroom From the time we are thrust into the world and make an attempt to find our place in it, we have…

Sunflower Bean Is on a Mission to Save the World From EDM

A good rule of thumb for music writers is to avoid referencing one band to describe the one you are writing about. The Brooklyn trio Sunflower Bean makes it easy to break that rule. They have a song titled “Tame Impala,” which they admit is meant a reference to the…

Santana, John Fogerty Concert at Tempe Beach Park Canceled

Promoter Lucky Man Concerts has canceled the Friday, October 30, date of the upcoming Monster Mash festival, which featured Santana, John Fogerty, and Tedeschi Trucks Band as headliners.  Refunds are available at point of purchase.  The Saturday, October 31, and Sunday, November 1, concert dates will continue as planned. Tool,…

Frank Turner Is Besties with Andrew Jackson Jihad

Not all dudes with acoustic guitars are created equal — just ask Frank Turner. Ever since rising from the ashes of post-hardcore outfit Million Dead, Turner has enjoyed a successful solo career spanning six studio albums, including the recent Positive Songs for Negative People. The English singer-songwriter has bounced all…

Toro y Moi Wants You to Know That Music is All the Same

Chaz Budnick, better known in music circles as Toro y Moi, just released the upbeat funk-rock hybrid album What For? in April, but it’s the experimental turns he takes in his self-released mixtape Samantha that is getting all the attention from listeners and critics. “The main reason I [released Samantha]…

8 Best Concerts in Phoenix This Week

Eagles of Death Metal – Tuesday, October 20 – Crescent Ballroom Dave Grohl may seem like the clear choice as the contemporary Rock God, but Josh Homme is the poor man’s candidate. Not only does he rule with a mighty strum in Queens of the Stone Age (as well as…

Garth Brooks Is the Ultimate Country Arena Performer

Garth Brooks did my job for me Friday night when he took a moment toward the end of his set to talk to me about my concert review. Okay, I realize that sounds a little bit egotistical and far-fetched; I’ll clarify: He took a moment to address all of my…

Madonna’s Love/Hate Relationship With Catholicism

Last month, I found myself, along with the rest of America, gripped by a strong case of papal fever. Pope Francis’ messages of love and mercy are so stunningly different than previous pontiffs that it’s difficult not to like the 78-year-old Argentinian church leader. Yet when he made his trip…

10 Can’t-Miss Bands at Apache Lake Music Festival

Apache Lake Music Festival is one of the best Phoenix music scene events of the entire year, and it’s coming up really soon! It’s not huge like the festivals Lucky Man production has been putting on and it doesn’t have quite production value of a Viva PHX, but Brannon Kleinlein…

Alt-J Gives a Robotic Performance at Comerica Theatre

There is a scene in the film Almost Famous where the lead singer of the fictional band Stillwater, played by Billy Crudup, talks about how with music you “remember the mistakes.” For those who attended the alt-J performance at Comerica Theatre, the few mistakes that were made by the Leeds…

Gang of Four’s Andy Gill Downplays Notion of “Authenticity”

In Simon Reynolds’ fantastic book Rip It Up and Start Again, the author asks the question, “What made me believe music could matter this much?” The answer is well worth any music fan’s time discovering, but Reynolds’ book, which is almost textbook-like in its approach to music history, explores his…

Meat Loaf Is Willing to Die for You on Stage

Rock opera maestro Marvin Michael Lee Aday, better suited by his stage name, Meat Loaf, finds his way to Phoenix as a headlining act for the opening weekend of the 2015 Arizona State Fair. The multi-platinum Bat Out of Hell entertainer will take the stage on Sunday, October 18 at…

Twenty One Pilots Fans Are Truly Fanatical

I’m not sure I’ve ever been to a sold-out show at Comerica Theatre — or any other name — over the years. It was clear that there had been a line around the building for a good portion of the day as abandoned blankets, beverages, and snacks lined the perimeter…