Lou Reed, Laurie Anderson and a Bunch ‘o’ Buddhists in Chandler

“Have you ever been given meditation instructions at a concert before?” the emcee asked as the crowd sat down at Chandler Center for the Arts to witness a benefit concert by Velvet Underground legend Lou Reed, his wife, performance artist Laurie Anderson.We had not, but that quickly changed. It was…

Calexico Classy at Heritage Square Concert

There’s one word that describes the Calexico concert at Heritage Square last night: Classy. From the tastefully-appointed stage, to the home-made tamales and high-end beer (Tecate and Four Peaks products only; no Bud) to the gorgeous textures of the band’s unique blend of Western and Tejano music and indie rock,…

Alan Jackson Keeps It Old School at Country Thunder

The annual Country Thunder festival at the dusty Canyon Moon Ranch just outside of Florence is country music’s version of a cattle drive, where over four days some of the bigger names in country music are herded on stage to bleat their biggest hits, then lassoed off to make way…

Country Thunder 2009: Where My ‘Necks At?

I’ve spent the last year telling everyone who’ll listen that Country Thunder is the premier music festival in Arizona. Whether you like country music or not, you should recognize that compared with any other festival in the state Country Thunder’s acts are bigger, the crowd crazier, the part wilder. So…

Bonnie Prince Billy Awes at Modified Arts

I’ve never seen Modified Arts as packed as it was last night during Will Oldham’s performance as Bonnie Prince Billy. And it’s no surprise why. More than 60 people jammed into the downtown Phoenix music venue to watch the iconic and enigmatic indie folk hero’s long, powerful concert that lasted…

Bruce Springsteen Makes Everyone a Little Nostalgic at Jobing

Maybe it was the bouncing beach balls that reminded me of my first concert experiences (seeing the Kokomo-era Beach Boys) or maybe it was the inclusion of a relatively obscure song by glam-punks D Generation (the band who headlined my first-ever club concert) in the before-set house music, but something about Bruce Springsteen’s show at Jobing.com Arena…

All-American Rejects Jam During Super Secret Practice in Tempe

The All-American Rejects held a super secret show Friday in a warehouse on the northeast corner of McClintock and Broadway. OK, it wasn’t a show as much as a jam session in preparation of Saturday’s Tempe Music Fest but it was pretty damn cool nonetheless. The jam session was so…

Afterlife Launches This Weekend

After writing about a few bar and club closures over the past week (including Maloney’s in Tempe and Lyte Lounge in Scottsdale), it feels refreshing to dole out some news about some openings instead. It’s even better when it’s a previously-deceased nightspot that’s getting reincarnated with a new identity. Case…

Green Day to Bring American Idiot to the Stage

Berkeley punk rockers Green Day will adapt their multi-platinum, Grammy-winning, catnip-for-angst-ridden tweens album American Idiot to the stage, just in time to open Berkeley Repertoire’s 2009/10 season. The musical will be the first for the vaunted Berkeley Rep’s new, swanky Roda Theatre, a fitting choice for Green Day, some of…

Peelander-Z Brings Out the Freaks and Geeks to the Trunk Space

In my five years of covering the local music scene for New Times, I’ve seen some pretty crazy things happen at the Trunk Space. I’ve witnessed lobster-handed ladies, full grown men dressed as diaper-clad babies, and even half-naked body modification artists piercing their supple flesh with gleaming steel hooks. But…

Billy Joel and Elton John Show Lacks Special Moments

In 1994, when Billy Joel and Elton John first took the stage together in Philadelphia, it was quite a novelty. Two piano-playing singer-songwriters — who’ve each sold more than 100 million records on their own — together in concert! Wowza!Five tours and 15 years later, the newness is gone. Last…

The Bronx Play Rough at Yucca

It wouldn’t be hard to argue that The Bronx are on a steady decline. When the band first played Phoenix, they were at the area’s biggest club-type venue, the Marquee. Then, last year, they played the much smaller Clubhouse. Last night, they were crammed into the tiny (but wonderful) Yucca…