Did you get that memo? Not the one about the TPS report, but the one that says fluorescent hues slowly drain the light out of your eyes and that desk jobs are hazardous to your health. Saddles frontman Charles Barth did not did get that memo, but he was recently…
Linsdey Buckingham Celebrity Theatre Wednesday, October 12 “The small machine.” That’s how Lindsey Buckingham described his solo work, comparing it to the “big machine” that is Fleetwood Mac. Buckingham was about halfway through a kind of extended monologue about the differences between his massive, stadium-touring collaboration with Stevie Nicks, Mick…
Dawes and Blitzen Trapper Crescent Ballroom Monday, October 10, 2011 When you catch onto a band in its early stages, they become bigger in your head than they actually are in real life. For me, one of those bands has always been Blitzen Trapper. Their indie folk sound is exactly…
Frank Turner and The Sleeping Souls Rhythm Room Monday, October 10, 2011 A sold-out, super energetic Monday night show is somewhat of a rarity in Phoenix (or, you know, anywhere). British punk/folkie Frank Turner had no problem selling out Rhythm Room as he has done for most of his U.S…
A few years ago, shortly after I turned 21, I purchased a sixer of Fat Tire. At the time I was living with a constantly rotating cast rogues in a two story house attached to an old doctors office. The couch was nearly always occupied by any number of guests,…
Frank Turner has been enjoying unexpected success as a solo folk/punk musician after the demise his hardcore band, Million Dead. Turner has garnered an international fanbase over the past few years, touring relentlessly with bands like Social Distortion, Flogging Molly, and The Gaslight Anthem. His hard work is paying off–most…
This weekend is looking pretty packed. In addition to the New Times Best of Phoenix A’Fare, there’s a ton happening around the Valley, including shows from Tim Minchin, the Red Light Disco party, Avenged Sevenfold, New Found Glory, Star Slinger, Wayne Static, and more. Oh, and that giant music festival…
Gang Gang Dance, Prince RamaCrescent BallroomWednesday, October 5, 2011Last night was weird. Really weird — but it wasn’t a bum-pissing-on-the-light-rail kinda weird. It was an interesting sense of “exciting confusion” weird. On screen psychedelic videos accentuated by dim red and blue lighting set the tone for what was an evocative,…
Incubus Comerica Theatre October 5, 2011 For some fans an Incubus show may be all about hearing their favorite band’s heavier tracks from back in the day, but for others it’s about enjoying the band’s entire collection. While the new album If Not Now, When? sounds sort of like a…
Unknown Mortal Orchestra, What Laura Says, and St. Ranger Crescent Ballroom Tuesday, October 4, 2011 It’s official: Crescent Ballroom is open, and people are excited about it. Last night was…well, really, kind of perfect. The rain mostly cleared, leaving a strange…what’s the word? Non-heat? Less hot? Oh yeah– coolness –in…
If last night’s debut of the Crescent Ballroom is any indication, the new music and nightlife venue has a grand future ahead of it. A sold out crowd of more than 400 people were in attendance to break in the posh concert hall for its grand opening and there were…
Kids today, y’know? Thinking that all they need to figure out transcendental psychedelia is a tube of face paint, some Jodorowsky DVDs and a handful of funky -looking mushrooms. Pshaw! They should take a cue from their peers in Prince Rama, a Brooklyn-based act specializing in profoundly psychedelic tuneage. Sisters…
As a musician, film maker and performer, renaissance man Voltaire has a flare for the theatrical. His live performances, which are best described as a kind of campy gothic carnival, have been known to resemble a vintage cabaret show that revels in the macabre. On Thursday, October 6, he’ll be…
Fall Frenzy: blink-182, Jimmy Eat World, Matt & Kim, and Halocene Arizona got a special show last night, a combination of the yearly Fall Frenzy event and The Honda Civic Tour. Jimmy Eat World took My Chemical Romance’s spot and locals Halocene shared the stage with Matt & Kim and…
BRAIDS The Sail Inn Friday, September 30, 2011 The thing most interesting about BRAIDS is the band’s ability to create elegant, intricate post-rock without coming off as overtly eccentric. There’s a reason why they engage in a side-stage group-hug before hoping on stage. Crafting music as delicate as theirs requires…
Arizona got a special show last night, a combination of the yearly Fall Frenzy event and The Honda Civic Tour. Jimmy Eat World took My Chemical Romance’s spot and locals Halocene shared the stage with Matt & Kim and blink-182 for an evening of fun and nostalgia…
The Zombies Celebrity Theatre Friday, September 30, 2011 50 years is a long time. There’s no getting around it — The Zombies, lead by original members Rod Argent and Colin Blunstone, have been at it for a five decades; much longer than the original run of The Zombies, from 1961…
This weekend is full of things to do in the Valley of the Sun. Tonight, the massive AZ Fall Frenzy concert, featuring Halocene, Matt & Kim, Jimmy Eat World, and blink-182 hits Tempe Beach Park; MegaRan and MC Chris bring the nerd-rap “Race Wars” tour to Martini Ranch; and British…
With the exception of a few heartbreaks, New Found Glory has continued to write music for the past 14 years with minimal obstacles. And since the band’s songs largely deal with matters of the heart, you could consider all those bum relationships song fodder. The band is gearing up for…
Every now and then, the Yucca Tap Room hosts 18 + shows. On Sunday, October 2, as something of a courtesy to Love Me Nots bassist Sophie O. — who’s shy of the 21 mark herself — Valley Fever at Yucca Tap Room will be an 18-and-over affair. Valley Fever…
Rock Allegiance Tour at Mesa Amphitheatre, 9/23/11 Buckcherry, Papa Roach, Puddle of Mudd, and P.O.D. all sharing the bill…what year is this, 2002? In spite of all four artists releasing their biggest hits about ten years ago, all continue to tour and record new music. I for one had no…
Within These Walls Nile Theater Saturday, September 24 Hardcore may have a niche audience, but H2O’s two main messages are universal: 1. “Treat yourself and other people with respect and try to make the world a better place by the fact that you’re in it,” bassist Adam Blake said in…
