As our dear friend Sheriff Joe has reminded us on many occasions, you don’t have to go far to find traces of Mexico around the Valley. One of those places is the restaurant/music hall, La Casa Del Mariachi, in Phoenix. As the name implies, this spot is host to some…
Florence and the Machine @ Comerica Theatre When I streamed the band’s Coachella performance last weekend so I could get an idea of what to expect when they came to Phoenix, I thought, “She’s great, but something about the performance is kind of weird.” To hell with those thoughts! Last…
Timothy NorrisBon IverBon Iver Coachella April 21, 2012 See also: *Our Complete Coachella Coverage Better than…trying to dance off your sunburn. Flickering strands of glowing balloons swayed gently over the polo fields as the crowd drew in for Bon Iver’s set on the main stage yesterday evening. Sunburnt and spent,…
Meranda CarterSee also: Our Complete Coachella Coverage By Rebecca Haithcoat One assumes that thousands of people shouting, “I guess that cunt getting eaten” in unison has never happened at Coachella before. Yet you could hear just that yesterday during Azealia Banks’ set; it was afternoon, and most of us weren’t…
Meranda CarterSee also: Our complete Coachella coverage Saturday at Coachella meant tributes, tributes, tributes. From Levon Helms to Biggie, everyone got a shout-out. In between all that, some nasty partying and a little recreational drug use. Read our highly-trained writers as they tell you the the best things they saw…
Whether you got up early to buy the Feist/Mastodon split or went to one of the many free shows in town yesterday, it’s safe to say that yesterday was a good day. Stinkweeds celebrated its 25th anniversary and Record Store Day with a barbecue and live performances by Dylan Pratt,…
Meranda CarterOver the past 30 years, alternative Britpop rockers James have been one of the most underrated bands to come from Manchester. Having toured across the globe and played some of the biggest festivals in the world, frontman Tim Booth knows a thing or two about what makes a show…
Molly BergenSee also: *The Best of Coachella: Friday, April 20 *Our Complete Coachella Coverage Yesterday was 4/20. It was also Coachella. And so, the percentage of festival-goers who were stoned rose from a paltry 75 percent to a full 98 percent. (These estimates come courtesy of LA Weekly music editor,…
Timothy NorrisSee also: *Our complete Coachella coverage *Top Ten Awkward Coachella Dance Move GIFs The first weekend of Coachella: cold, damp, and wet. The second weekend of Coachella: hot, sultry, and steamy. Here are our scribes’ picks for the best of what they saw on Friday, April 20 at Coachella…
Florence + the Machine Friday, April 20, 2012 Comerica Theatre When I streamed the band’s Coachella performance last weekend so I could get an idea of what to expect when they came to Phoenix, I thought, “She’s great, but something about the performance is kind of weird.” To hell with…
Tempe bandmates Johnny Hayward, Andy Higgins, Graham Corrington, and John Wong know each other pretty well. The quartet presently known as rock group Neato, have played in bands in the local circuit over the past decade but before that, the four friends were actually roommates. “The coolest part about Neato,…
Tempe’s Japhy’s Descent have made their rounds in the Valley for years now, which means they have plenty of stories to go around. Stories they hope are represented on their new double disc album, Moon Noon. The double disc, deservedly will get a two-weekend blowout that starts tonight and finishes with an…
Over 40 years have gone by since the first Earth Day. During that time, the eco-conscious have planted trees, rescued oil-covered birds, and rocked out with their compost out. What Laura Says might not have been around for the first Earth Day, but Saturday, they’ll celebrating the anniversary in style at…
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. Hunx and His Punx @ Yucca Tap Room Ever since its genesis with Chuck…
Andrew Bird Mesa Arts Center Wednesday, April 18 When I opened the doors of Mesa Arts Center last night to see indie rock whistle-master Andrew Bird, I was greeted by an ocean of flannel shirts and beards. Folks were politely waiting in line for an overpriced beer and excited to…
See also: M. Ward Discusses A Wasteland Companion, and His Arizona Ties to The Meat Puppets and Howe Gelb M. Ward Crescent Ballroom Tuesday, April 17, 2012 Following fIREHOSE’s blistering set of punk jazz, I was almost worried that the hushed immediacy of Portland-based singer/songwriter/producer M. Ward would suffer by…
See also: fIREHOSE’s Ed Crawford: “It Was Our Job. We Fuckin’ Showed Up Every Day.” fIREHOSE Crescent Ballroom Tuesday, April 17, 2012 I entered the Crescent Ballroom with a mix of anticipation and apprehension in my gut. Soon to be on stage was fIREHOSE, a band I frequented in the…
For more than a decade, industrial electro/rock band The Strand have increasingly become known for an electrifying stage presence, undeniable talent, and enigmatic sexual energy. They’ve been known to frequent the Valley’s fetish balls and favored intimate venues. And they have a knack for seducing the crowd — not just…
Frankie Rose and Chandails Rhythm Room Monday, April 16 To all aspiring indie rock mavens: no matter how many blog accolades you acquire (even, yes, the three-pronged hydra of “Best New Music”) or how many spine-crushingly cool side-projects bolster your C.V., at some point you will play Phoenix, Arizona on…
School is almost out for summer but for the Mathmadix crew, class will still be in session when their long-awaited album, In a Class of our Own, finally drops on April 20. “We’ve been trying to drop this album for a couple years now and it’s been difficult because of…
Gabrielle CanonGiant Flower at CoachellaSee also: Best of Coachella: Sunday, April 15 See also: Top 10 Awkward Dance Moves at Coachella (GIFs) By Gabrielle Canon Coachella-goers arrived to the festival Sunday to find a giant 100 foot tall lotus flower on the grounds near the Gobi tent. Trippy! The crazy…
See also: Coachella: Radiohead’s Weekend 1 Set Has No Alarms and No Surprises See also: The Best of Coachella Sunday, April 15, 2012 By Ben Westhoff At Coachella, folks come from all over the world to lose themselves in the music. They’ll employ almost anything in this quest — but…
