The Compound Grill, the Phoenix venue and eatery has hosted its share of touring classic rock veterans like Mickey Hart and Timothy B. Schmit. “I’ve heard of them,” you say, “but this Paul Gurvitz and the New Army has me scratching my recognition meter.” Well, with his brother Adrian Gurvitz,…
So, they say the holidays are a time for family, for friends, for gratitude. Well, okay, then. Here’s something we’re grateful for: Our local bands who contribute to the ever-developing Valley culture. For example, there’s A Boy Named Sioux, Rob Toner’s lauded outlaw country band. The band’s celebrating local culture…
One of the more curious entries in last year’s Village Voice Pazz & Jop music critics’ poll was a fan-made (not commercially released) compilation of early Bob Seger material titled Never Mind the Bullets, Here’s Early Bob Seger. The album was ranked 111, beating out releases by Tom Petty, Elton…
Despite the near-constant backbiting and backstabbing that seems to take place in the Valley’s music scene, it’s kinda cool that artists will band together to help out an old friend in their time of need. To wit: A slew of old-school DJs and music-scene veterans will gather on Sunday, December…
Welcome to the latest installment of our weekly feature, Sound Off, in which Jason P. Woodbury is joined by a different guest each week to listen to and discuss three tracks from local Phoenix artists. If you would like your songs to be considered for future Sound Off columns, please…
The true test of any bar’s popularity isn’t if it’s crowded on Friday or Saturday (every place is like that), but rather if it’s just as busy on an off night like Sunday. Based upon the amount of people that crammed themselves inside SideBar during Retro Hi-Fi on Sunday, December…
Big ups to Wayne Coyne and the gang, who took on approximately one project in every month of 2011 and somehow managed to pull it off. They’re one of the greatest and weirdest psychedelic bands out there, and you’ve got to love ’em.Let’s take a trip down memory lane and…
Want to know what new release discs and platters are moving across the Valley at local record stores? We’ve got you covered with another installment of What’s Selling. Corridos and rancheras have a long history of storytelling, dance-inducing beats and violence. Its been 19 years since the legendary Chalino Sanchez…
Arroyo Deathmatch, a folk punk band from New Mexico, will be playing their hearts out Sunday, January 1 at Conspire. Ari and Her Banjo, Hug of War and Josue Rodriguez will be joining them as well.Those in attendance are urged to please bring donations for the Arroyo Deathmatch to help…
I went to a lot of shows this year. Thanks to last.fm, I can conform that I went to at least 56 concerts, not counting the numerous times I swung by Yucca Tap Room or Crescent Ballroom just for fun. That’s one show every six and a half days! I…
Welcome to another installment of Up on the Sun’s 2011 Review. Over the next week, we’ll be counting down our favorite songs, shows, national and local releases of 2011. Enjoy! Okay. I’m done. Spent. No more lists. The reissues list was hard. The show list was hard. The songs and…
Welcome to another installment of Up on the Sun’s 2011 Review. Over the next couple days we’ll be counting down our favorite songs, shows, national and local releases of 2011. This entry comes from Chase Kamp, a Phoenix musician and writer. Kamp began writing for Up on the Sun with…
Welcome to another installment of Up on the Sun’s 2011 Review. Over the next week, we’ll be counting down our favorite songs, shows, national and local releases of 2011. Enjoy! Is it just me, or was 2011 weird? Like, really weird? Lou Reed and Metallica made an album together. It…
Remember the ’90s? Those were the days — back when a bro could have frosted hair and not look like a brosef, when women could show nothing but their midriff without looking like a gypsy hooker, alternative rock reigned supreme, and the term “indie” was mostly used to describe race…
Have you lost your soul? Is your step missing its rhythm? Could your swagger use an injection of funk? Phoenix natives Cold Shott and The Hurricane Horns are more than happy to help put a little rhythm and blues in your life. The band doesn’t have to sweat its authenticity…
The recent hiatus of Virginia rap duo Clipse — which comprises brothers Pusha T and Malice, whose Neptunes-produced 2002 debut, Lord Willin’, earned acclaim on the pop charts and Pitchfork alike — has resulted in very different paths for its two members. Pusha T appeared on Kanye West’s My Dark…
You know what I love? I love when an upbeat rock ‘n’ roll song manages to sound sad without staring at its shoes. It’s hard to explain exactly how it works, how a tune packed with brisk snare pops, chugging distortion, and a plucky bass line can still toss in…
Oh, to be the highway patrolman who pulls over this band’s Econoline! “What’s with all the sinister masks, fellas? You’re not one of those 99 percenters, are ya?” He’d most certainly demand to see their registration, and in the course of his interrogation, he’d come to learn that they are…
Pandrogynous industrial icon and Psychic TV frontma . . . uh, frontperson Genesis P-Orridge hasn’t had the warmest of receptions in the Valley. In 2007, the British-born transgender artist — who founded landmark act Throbbing Gristle and helped influence early industrial and other nascent EDM genres — was scheduled to…
Welcome to the latest installment of our weekly feature, Sound Off, in which Jason P. Woodbury is joined by a different guest each week to listen to and discuss three tracks from local Phoenix artists. If you would like your songs to be considered for future Sound Off columns, please…
Welcome to another installment of Up on the Sun’s 2011 Review. Over the next week, we’ll be counting down our favorite songs, shows, national and local releases of 2011. Enjoy! I’m already regretting this one. I left so much off this list it hurts, deserving songs from the likes of…
It’s hard to believe that Joe Strummer, one of The Clash’s founding members, has been dead for almost a decade. George & Dragon continues to keep his memory alive with annual benefit shows. This year, local punk bands like Glass Heroes, Plainfield Butchers, and Dirty Hairy took the stage, while…
