Yucca Tap Room’s Halloween Party Features All-Star Punk Lineup

We know there’s tons of Halloween parties happening this weekend, with a little something for everyone going down. If you’re spending the whole weekend at home noshing on Halloween candy and watching zombie movies, you’re doing it wrong. But for fans seeking punk thrills, the Yucca Tap Room is the…

10 Must-See Shows This Halloween Weekend

There’s plenty to be worried about these days. Just off the top of our heads, there’s the very real possibility of a Mitt Romney presidency, the horrors of the ever-lagging economy, and all that folderol about whether or not the world’s ending in a couple of months. Frankly, your brains…

Arc In Round, Yucca Tap Room 10/22/12

Arc In Round @ Yucca Tap Room|10/22/12 I’m a bloody sucker for shoegaze. Even if it sounds relatively crappy to a “veteran” shoegaze groups like Slowdive or My Bloody Valentine, I have trouble saying no. Luckily, getting turned on to Arc in Round turned out to be far above average…

Melvins Lite, Crescent Ballroom, 10/22/12

Melvins Lite @ Crescent BallroomMelvins Lite, the latest incarnation of the 30-year-old sludge/punk/metal band The Melvins, took the stage at The Crescent Ballroom last night, chalking up stop number 48 on their record-breaking 51-day tour of the country. They’re hitting every state…and Washington D.C. See also: New Times Talks to…

Top Five Must-See Shows This Week

Yeah, yeah, yeah…we get it. Mondays suck (we’ve read Garfield). But it means the start of a new week, which means a bunch of killer shows in and around Phoenix. And here are a few of the coolest — our top five must-see shows this week…

Dan Deacon, 10/18/12, Crescent Ballroom

Dan Deacon @ Crescent Ballroom|10/18/12Dan Deacon’s live shows are not only deafening, they’re legendary. I’ve heard of his infamous methods of crowd participation, playing on the floor, surrounded by his fans, even using coercion to get everyone to play along. Basically, he’ll unsympathetically point you out if you don’t have…

Bassnectar, Marquee Theatre, 10/17/12

Bassnectar @ Marquee Theatre|10/17/12Love for bass was in full supply for Wednesday night’s Bassnectar show at Marquee Theatre — not to mention the three semi trucks to supply the light set up as well the sound systems made for bass. Bassnectar (real name: Lorin Ashton) has made his mark as…

Madonna, US Airways Center, 10/16/12

Madonna @ US Airways Center| 10/16/12With a long history of being a proven provocateur, it makes sense that Madonna has managed to piss a lot of people off since kicking off her MDNA tour. There was that nip slip in Istanbul, and a reference to our current president as a…

Leon Russell: One True Rock ‘n’ Roll Badass

Leon Russell is the definition of the term “session man.” He’s played with Bob Dylan, Elton John, Ray Charles, Rolling Stones, Joe Cocker, The Beach Boys, George Harrison, and more. He’s a “musician’s musician,” admired by the guys you admire, and his solo albums have found him exploring the sounds…

Top Five Must-See Shows This Week

Yeah, yeah, yeah…we get it. Mondays suck (we’ve read Garfield). But it means the start of a new week, which means a bunch of killer shows in and around Phoenix. And here are a few of the coolest — our top five must-see shows this week…

Top Five Shows to See This Weekend

Curious about what’s going on around town this weekend? Need some suggestions where to rock, dance, or krump in the Valley of the Sun? Don’t fret: These are our Five Shows to See This Weekend. Unable to get out of town and head to the massive Apache Lake Music Festival…

Lindsey Stirling on YouTube Fame and Returning to Her Hometown

Violinist Lindsey Stirling has a little something for everyone, primarily mixing classical and electronic music together. She became a YouTube sensation thanks to her innovative covers. She even wore elf ears in her Zelda suite. Her music videos are just as beautiful as her music, traveling to locales like New…

Father John Misty, Rhythm Room, 10/10/12

Father John Misty @ Rhythm Room”I want to do what a stripper does, and in another way do what a carnival barker does, or a shaman, some kind of Pentecostal preacher,” Josh Tillman, the singer/songwriter known by his alter ego Father John Misty, said when we spoke in advance of…

Metric, Marquee Theatre, 10/10/12

Metric @ Marquee Theatre| 10/10/12The moment the word “escape” crossed Emily Haines’ lips, it’s hard to go back. In concert Wednesday, as it is on the band’s latest release Synthetica, “escape” comes in the first verse of the first song. If there’s a time to think about what that means,…

President Gator Records Launches This Weekend at Crescent Ballroom

Downtown Phoenix regulars know Jeremiah Gratza — he’s that dapper guy with white-rimmed glasses and usually a snazzy hat — as Director of Operations of local promotion house Stateside Presents. But Gratza is looking to expand his resume by launching a brand new vinyl imprint. Gratza is celebrating the birth…

2 Live Crew Live in Phoenix (in 1990)

By Shea Serrano 8:45 p.m.: So here’s what this is: More than 20 years ago, 2 Live Crew, one of rap’s most notoriously offensive acts, performed in Phoenix. The concert was recorded and released as a live show album called The 2 Live Crew Live In Concert. It came out…