Back Ted Bring New Material To First Friday Show

In the disorganized menagerie of music and art that you’ll find at a typical Phoenix First Friday, I’ve found that it’s usually best to show up without plans and let the muse lead you. Friday night I showed up with a mission, though: See Back Ted N-Ted at Lost Leaf…

Concert Calendar for This Weekend: Richard Cheese, KUPD’s Ufest, Napalm Death, and More

[jump] FRIDAY, MAY 1: Tomcat Courtney[blues]8 p.m., $7Rhythm Room, 1019 E. Indian School Rd., Phoenix, 602-265-4842. DJ Matt DareyWith Sean Essex, & Brook B[trance/house]9 p.m., $5-$20Myst, 7340 E. Shoeman Ln., Scottsdale, 480-970-5000. Bruce Fine[comedy]8 & 10 p.m., $10-$12The Comedy Spot, 7117 E. Third Ave., Scottsdale, 480-945-4422. Jim Florentine[comedy]8 p.m.., $20Club…

The Flaming Lips Dazzle at McDowell Mountain Music Festival

Major labels get a lot of flack. Whether it’s because they supposedly put out nothing but overly-commercialized crap, or because they’re suing computer-using kids in a vain effort to salvage their busted business model, it’s rare to hear anyone say anything nice about the Big Four. That’s why Flaming Lips…

First Class All the Way to McDowell Mountain

So between New Times and my “day job” I get to go to more shows and festivals than anyone ever should. After a while you notice that most share a lot more in common than you might think after you look past line-ups. Sitting in the VIP area at MMMF…

The Sun Has Set At MMMF

The sun has set at McDowell Mountain Music Festival and the crazies have run to the parking lot to retrieve their pink robot costumes for the big Flaming Lips closer. As for the rest of us, we’ve run out to get our jackets as it’s about as cold a night…

McDowell Mountain Music Festival: Drum Circles and Tequila Tents

This weekend marks a big occasion for fans of outdoor music festivals and jam-ish bands: the McDowell Mountain Music Festival. The lineup boasts The Flaming Lips, Matisyahu and Michael Franti — a pretty solid lineup for such a festival (and I didn’t even include Hot Tuna). Those artists all lend…

The Aggrolites: White Reggae That Won’t Let You Down

Since my day at Coachella I’ve been asked by a lot of people if I discovered any cool new bands. Actually, I did: The Aggrolites. I have to admit, I was pretty skeptical about the band, who took the stage after local boys Dear and the Headlights, when I first…

Franz Ferdinand (Eventually) Resurrects The Dead at Marquee

I know it’s probably unfair to compare a crowd at the Marquee to a crowd at Coachella — where the music-obsessed kids even greeted the white reggae band who came on after local boys Dear and the Headlights like The Beatles at Shea Stadium — but since Franz Ferdinand and I were both…

Record Store Day: Why You Should Care

Believe it or not, record stores still function in this digital day and age. On top of that, this Saturday is Record Store Day, or “Time to Give a Shit About Record Stores.” While record stores are a debatable topic, a day that celebrates music in an orderly fashion is…

Conor Oberst Keeps it Mystical at Marquee

Comparing Conor Oberst to Bob Dylan is somewhat old hat. It’s easy enough to make a case for grouping the two Midwestern singer-songwriters known for folky instrumentation and unique styles of story-telling, and people have been since Oberst’s days as a child prodigy in Omaha. But what really strikes me…

Coachella Set Times Released – Let the Madness Begin

Well the long wait is over: those in power at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival (Goldenvoice) have released the set times for this weekend’s affair. An initial glance at things shows a pretty smooth flow for the weekend, with minimal conflict for fans of the same genres. Picking…

Zombie Ball Proves the ‘Nix Knows How to Get Down

This Saturday marks the 2009 installment of Arizona’s own Horns and Halos’ Zombie Ball. Knowing what Horns and Halos is capable of, this Saturday will be an epic event, sure to bring out the most devoted zombie fans and other fans of fetish/adult oriented entertainment. It’s remarkable to try and…