fun. Ikeda Theater at Mesa Arts Center Thursday, May 31 See also: Nate Ruess Has Some fun. At Zia Records fun. frontman Nate Ruess wears his heart on his sleeve, and that’s why it’s so easy to get into his head. His lyrics — part stream of consciousness (“My friends…
I can’t even start writing this blog without thinking about what an utter hypocrite I am. When I was 12, I obsessed with the Backstreet Boys. I may or may not have wished my Nick Carter poster a good night as I went to sleep. I felt like their music…
Curious what’s going on around town this weekend? Need some suggestions as to how to rock, dance, or krump in the Valley of the Sun? Don’t fret: These are our Five Shows to See This Weekend. Friday, June 1: Frequency Fridays @ DWNTWN Fridays used to be one of the…
Gun Outfit and Broken Water Meat Market Garment Factory Wednesday, May 30 I will declare, without the slightest inkling of doubt or hesitance, that Olympia, Washington has the best independent music scene in the country right now. The major hipster metropoli (Brooklyn, San Francisco, Austin) all have loads of recognized…
San Pedro punkers Toys That Kill have been going strong since 1999, and they released their fourth album, Fambly 42 , earlier this month. The band maintained an impressive clip, releasing an album every few years, but there was a six-year wait this time around. That sort of thing happens…
Ladylike at Crescent Ballroom In this week’s music feature the men of Ladylike, the Tempe-based pop combo that packed Crescent Ballroom last night, discussed the difference between a live show and a recording, noting that limiting their approach in the studio in favor of their live setting only hampers both…
Nadia Ali Monarch Theatre Saturday, May, 26 Better than: dishing out hundreds of dollars to see Katy or Britney, only to find out there’s no room to dance. Thanks to Comicon, downtown was a great place to people watch last night. I spotted a rickshaw-driving Darth Vader, girls with cat…
Ladylike, Factories, Gospel Claws, Steff Koeppen and The Articles Crescent Ballroom Friday, May 25, 2012 See also: Ladylike Approaches ’70s Pop With Sharp Tools In this week’s music feature the men of Ladylike, the Tempe-based pop combo that packed Crescent Ballroom last night, discussed the difference between a live show…
When Ari Leopold moved to the Valley last year, he stumbled upon a burgeoning indie rock scene that couldn’t be ignored. Well, difficult for him to ignore, anyway. The Tempe rock scene he fell in love with isn’t exactly popular if you’re thinking mainstream success. You don’t see parents from…
Curious what’s going on around town this weekend? Need some suggestions as to how to rock, dance, or krump in the Valley of the Sun? Don’t fret: These are our Five Shows to See This Weekend. Friday, May 25, and Saturday, May 26: Lost Leaf Turns Five It’s been five…
The original big-screen blockbuster, Star Wars, is turning 35 big ones, and to mark the occasion, Rips Ales & Cocktails is throwing a themed party to celebrate. “We’re encouraging everybody to come over after Comicon because we actually have a ton of people from Tucson that are coming up, and…
Dead Winter Carpenters are another group of virtuoso musicians toiling in bluegrass obscurity. But it shouldn’t–and won’t always–be that way? Though it would be easy to write this band off as another Yonder Mountain String Band or Trampled by Turtles knock-off giving a punk spin to tradgrass as this Northern…
Punk and hardcore bands aren’t usually known for lineup stability, but Hermosa Beach, California, rockers Pennywise had a pretty solid run for their first 20 years of existence. Beyond the death of bassist Jason Matthew Thrisk (they dedicated “Bro Hymn” to him) Pennywise’s lineup remained solid as the band toured…
It’s not everyday that we get to check out a concert put on by one of the greats from our parents’ era.I’m proud to say that my dad brought me up listening to music from his early years. My first three concerts were the Beach Boys, and the radio station…
A former colleague of mine has a sandwich on his wall with a bite taken out of it. To the casual onlooker, it’s weird. For him, it’s the ultimate piece of music memorabilia. Better than an autograph, splintered guitar neck or piece of concert-worn clothing, this collectible is laced with…
“The End of the Quaver,” Robin Gibb’s Greatest Hits Robin Gibb, of legendary psychedelic popsters turned disco kings The Bee Gees, has passed away at age 62. If you first learned of Robin Gibb’s deteriorating health from Facebook, it was through links to newspaper articles and not the usual reposting…
The Dandy Warhols The Roxy Lounge Sunday, May 20, 2012 You’d be hard-pressed to find a band as crowd-pleasing as The Dandy Warhols. On Sunday night, the Portland-based quartet covered all their bases, unwinding into shoegaze drifts of fuzz that sent out waves of psychedelic charm balanced by catchy power-pop…
Spiritualized Crescent Ballroom Saturday, May 19 See also: Spiritualized’s Jason Pierce on Sweet Heart Sweet Light See also: Spiritualized’s Jason Pierce on How Amazing The Liver Is J. Spaceman didn’t say a word to the crowd. No small talk, no nervous chatter. Wearing a white tee and white jeans, with…
El Tri, Celso Piña, Inspector, La Lupita Comerica Theater Friday, May 18, 2012 In the buildup to last night’s Chido Fest featuring Celso Piña, Inspector and La Lupita, frontman Alex Lora of host band El Tri told us that the event would be a great chance to hear all sorts…
JEFF the Brotherhood, North Dakota, Wooden Indian Rhythm Room Thursday, May 17 The three bands on stage at Rhythm Room didn’t sound very much alike — and that’s a good thing. It was a treat to see three distinct bands perfectly execute their respective sounds at last night’s JEFF the…
Hey, nerds! Don’t worry. We’re not going to break your glasses this time. We just want to tell you something. You probably already know Phoenix Comicon is going down next week at Phoenix Convention Center. You probably have your costume already planned out, and you’re in luck: So do some…
Roger Waters Performs The Wall US Airways Center Tuesday, May 15 The spectacle that is Roger Waters’ The Wall tour deserves more than a cursorily run-through. The concert is as much theater and cutting-edge theatrics as it is a musical production, and each aspect deserves — requires — equal respect,…
