See more Elf Power shots in our slideshow. By Martin Cizmar There’s a shortage of music for the contented. Not the ecstatically happy or the introspective, mind you, but for those who are simply satisfied with life for a moment. That’s why it was such a joy to see Elf…
By Martin Cizmar The Yucca Tap Room’s no cover policy has always served me well, usually by getting a bunch of cheap friends to see a cool local band without bitching about their $5. Occasionally, though, things really get interesting, as a national act comes in to play a free…
It’d be hard to pinpoint exactly when Woody Guthrie joined Iggy Pop, Wayne Kramer and Johnny Cash as a proto punk demigod. Somewhere along the line, he seems to have slipped in there though, at least for certain segments of the punk world. The Revival Tour, which stopped in Tempe last night, is probably the best evidence you’ll find to that effect.
By Martin Cizmar
If you want to judge a concert based on how far back the crowd is dancing – and I think it’s a pretty fair way to do it – it would be hard to top The Faint’s show Saturday. Feet weren’t just moving in the first few rows, or in the main clump in front of the stage at the spacious Marquee, they were sliding around all the way back by the soundboard, where some dude in a day-glow hat had his own little rave and where a girl in a gray dress indiscreetly scanned every guy around her in search of a suitable dance partner then, coming up empty, switched to a new spot.
By Jonathan McNamara The Stiletto Formal at the Clubhouse Phoenix-based The Stiletto Formal played at a CD release party Friday, October 24 in support of their full-length debut Fiesta, Fiesta, Fiesta, Fiesta! at the Clubhouse in Tempe. It was, indeed, a fiesta. Read: this Up on the Sun The Stiletto…
By Sarah Ventre Truckers on Speed don’t mess around and you sure as hell wouldn’t want to mess around with them. When they throw a CD release party it’s one intense event. By the time the Truckers took the stage at Clubhouse Music, local bands Two Spot Gobi, Plowed Under,…
By Benjamin Leatherman The indie pop-rockers of Hooves perform at AZ Rocks the Hope. Better than: Hanging out at a McCain fundraiser. For some reason, I thought the AZ Rocks the Hope event on Saturday, October 25, in downtown Phoenix was going to be a gigantic rally for presidential front-runner…
By Yvonne Zusel
When you see an electric cello leaning against a chair during sound check at a rock show, you know you’re not in for…well, a typical rock show.
By Michael Lopez
Taking the stage in his Army of Darkness t-shirt accompanied by Zombie Nation’s hit “Kernkraft 400,” (as heard in many sports arenas) Illinois’ own MC Chris welcomed the flood of cheers from his loyal, nerdy fan base. Chris Ward IV knew just how to get them riled up for his entrance, showing his favorite clips from Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead 2 before he took the stage. I knew going into this concert I would encounter a lot of sci-fi themed fanboy antics, so having “Bruce Campbell” (the star of the Evil Dead series) act as the buffer between opener Totally Michael and MC Chris made all the sense in the world.
By Jonathan McNamara Something amazing happened at Clubhouse Music last night. In the old tales of concert-going I’ve heard of this mysterious phenomnenon called “interaction,” but it wasn’t until a group of Japanese musicians in orange jump suits with rectangular sunglasses took the stage at the Clubhouse that I witnessed…
By Martin Cizmar
As promised, we’ve got a link to New Times Staff Writer, and former Music Editor, Niki D’Andrea’s review of last night’s Metallica show for Spin.com.
By Martin Cizmar
It’s not often that a band’s only top 10 hit is the low point at a concert – let alone by a band that’s been around 25 plus years and released 40 plus singles – but that’s exactly what happened Tuesday night in Glendale.
By Jonathan McNamara Weezer at The Arizona State Fair Music Editor Martin Cizmar admits that he’s been neglecting his old friend Rivers Cuomo. Streetlight Manifesto at The Venue of Scottsdale Streetlight Manifesto filled The Venue of Scottsdale with a skank-tastic Ska frenzy on Friday, October 17, 2008. Friday Night Out…
By Martin Cizmar
OK, I admit it, I’ve been neglectful of my old friend Rivers Cuomo. I haven’t really paid much attention to Weezer since The Green Album and I haven’t seen him since 2002, when I went a couple shows to see The Strokes, who I was spending a lot of time with at the time, open for him. As far as I knew, though, Rivers was a little nutty, in a harmless sort of way, but seemed like a pretty cool dude. I wasn’t in touch much, but hearing the singles off the last three albums filter through the radio, it seemed like things were pretty normal. Rivers was doing his thing, I was doing mine, everything was cool. We weren’t close, like we had been back in my high school days, but I had no reason to suspect he’d fallen on hard times.
By Joseph Golfen Some say that punk is dead, but Streetlight Manifesto’s frenzied show at the Venue of Scottsdale proved that at the very least, Ska is still alive and kicking widely. Friday night’s show packed the house with manic kids flailing their limbs to horn-fueled mayhem. See more shots…
By Jonathan McNamara Saturday, October 18: Weezer at the State Fair Here at New Times we’re trouble makers. That’s right, we eat our candy with the pork and beans. Which is why we’ll be venturing off to see Weezer at the State Fair. We swear it’s true. Oh! You’re planning…
By Martin Cizmar
Maybe it’s that I recently read John Sellers’ Perfect From Now On, a memoir which ends up being all about indie outfit Guided By Voices, but I couldn’t help but think about the band who gave We Are Scientists their name Monday night.
By Martin Cizmar It’s nearing 3 p.m. Monday and I’m still recovering from an amazing weekend in Rocky Point, where web editor Jonathan McNamara a few friends and I traveled to see Roger Clyne and the Peacemaker’s Circus Mexicus extravaganza. See more photos in our Roger Clyne and the Peacemaker’s…
By Jonathan McNamara Friday, October 10: Circus Mexicus Anyone else tripping down to Rocky Point for the three-day jam fest that is Circus Mexicus? If not, be sure to keep checking back with Up on the Sun for updates featuring Roger Clyne and all the wacky mayhem. Saturday, October 11:…
By Martin Cizmar
There were a bunch of upcoming shows announced this week, but nothing super high profile. For my money, the top announcement was Flo Rida, which will come to the Venue of Scottsdale on Nov. 1.
By Niki D’Andrea
Photos by Benjamin Leatherman
Better than: The first two presidential debates.
Henry Rollins is a man of many words. The former singer of Black Flag and Rollins Band is currently out on his umpteenth spoken word tour (labeled “The Recountdown Tour”) and this time around, he’s got plenty to say about politics, his travels, and the more ridiculous aspects of American popular culture.
By Martin Cizmar
Depending on who you ask, Cat Power is either really good or really bad live. In her younger days, as a notoriously stage-frightened boozehound, Chan Marshall didn’t impress anyone. Now sober and enjoying life, the indie diva mostly gets great write-ups praising her energetic sets and mesmerizing stage presence.
