By now, loyal readers are probably familiar with the hullabaloo surrounding local band You Hang Up, which prominently features child actor Frankie Muniz (best known for his starring role in Malcolm in the Middle) on drums. You undoubtedly remember how You Hang Up scheduled a show, canceled it, and then…
A Screaming Females CD was delivered to my desk when I worked at a local radio station. An unabashed riot grrrl fanatic, I hosted a weekly show that juxtaposed yelling, pissed-off variations on Kathleen Hanna with ’60s girl groups harmonizing about how much they wanted to get married. So maybe…
Slick swimming soirees proved to be both potent and plentiful again this summer, but one of the bigger bashes has been rather conspicuous by its absence. Namely, Adult Swim, which arguably helped popularize the hipster hotel pool party trend two years ago but couldn’t quite get off the ground this…
Finally, some CityScape nightlife! Lucky Strike opened its lanes and lounge last Thursday, and folks from all over the Valley came out to drink some booze, throw some balls, and, in a few cases, get turned away for violating the venue’s strict dress code. Perched atop a CVS on Jefferson…
Music lovers at Zia Record Exchange in Tempe are craving rougher, louder sounds at the moment. Topping the chart this week is The Sword. Also in demand were Best Coast’s lo-fi chillwave and the beloved raps of everyone’s favorite white boy, Eminem, as well as the talented Akron blues boys,…
Leave it to Revolver Records and their incredibly knowledgeable clientele to remind us of Je T’aime…Moi Non Plus.It’s a late ’60s album of French duets as sung by two lovers. The brand new re-issue of it is what must have put it all the way in the top slot. Arcade…
While some may insist Nicki Minaj is the most promising lady out there right now in the female rap game, it’s sad that such a prolific artist ends up bashing her own gender so often. Instead of an empowering artist carrying the torch for lady wordsmiths, we’re stuck with silliness…
Even though Miguel Valencia calls himself a “noob” when it comes to poster making and promoting, this flier totally manages to catch people’s attention. It doesn’t even look like it’s advertising a concert. Rather, the ecstatic-looking people on the poster look like they’re advertising the fiesta of the century–or just…
The fact that the most onerous components of SB 1070 were blocked by a judge hasn’t done much to dull the rage of angry activists across the country. In the music world, the ink wasn’t yet dry on the judge’s ruling when Zack de la Rocha and his posse of…
Way back in 1990, before Nirvana came along and made “metal” a bad word, three of thrash metal’s biggest bands — Slayer, Megadeth, and Testament — joined forces for a European tour dubbed “Clash of the Titans.” Much has changed in the 20 years since that legendary tour, but in…
The long, hot summer has been particularly bumpy for nightclub owner Jon Harris. Since re-opening the doors to Phase 54 at its new location, 1020 North 54th Street in Chandler, in May, he’s endured a court challenge from neighboring businesses over the fact they don’t want a dance joint in…
Listening to Green Day’s major label debut, Dookie, in 1994, who could have imagined that they’d be a video game in 2010? Not me, certainly. For one, the idea of a video game branded to a rock band was still pretty far-fetched, despite Midway’s Revolution X arcade game, a standard…
It’s seems unlikely that Valley residents are unfamiliar with Soulfly. After all, the band is fronted by a longtime Phoenix resident, Max Cavalera, and has been rocking out and destroying eardrums for 13 years. Just take a look at the track list on the band’s latest album Omen: “Bloodbath &…
Folks can’t help singing along to “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” — even if they’re in a public place and can’t sing. What many people don’t know that the song’s composer, Charlie Daniels, played with the likes of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen and produced such bands as The…
At 56 years old, L.A.-based singer-songwriter (and founding member of Wall of Voodoo) Stan Ridgway will release his newest album, Neon Mirage, in September. In the process of writing and recording it, however, he had a string of losses. His uncle died, his father died, and a friend and contributor…
No doubt about it, the downtown dance spots located along Washington Street get pretty damn busy during weekend nights as countless clubgoers congregate to drink and debauch until last call looms amidst this massive club hub. PHX Nightclub was particularly packed this past Friday evening as the deckmaster duo of DJ…
The music lovers who frequent Zia Records in Phoenix tend to favor heavier fare — typically metal and hip-hop. But they always pepper in a few surprises. While the latest from Bun B comes out on top this week, The Black Keys slide right in the middle. The newest Arcade…
There are probably lots of ladies on the planet who wish they were Bruno Mars’ girlfriend right now. That’s because his latest single, “Just the Way You Are,” is one of the prettiest, purest love songs out there right now. Girls all over the place instantly swoon when the hear…
This flier sure is pretty for advertising a show by a band that goes by the name of Asses of Evil. It’s a bright and colorful portrait of a lady with pin-up girl style, and it almost looks as if it could have a place in a comic book. Asses…
If you’re one of those trendoid hepcat types who dig American Apparel, colored Ray-Bans, and electro remixes of La Roux, chances are good that you’re already familiar with the extracurricular exploits of the Night Thieves. But for those who aren’t, here’s the skinny on the skinny jean-wearing posse: Consisting of…
On Interpol’s self-titled fourth album, the onetime kings of the New York indie-rock scene are still the well-groomed gloom merchants that exploded in popularity in 2002, but they seem to have lost their edge. That’s not really supposed to happen after you leave the big leagues (Capitol) and return to…
“I always said I hated the Black Crowes,” says Mike, sipping a Diet Coke. “Then one day someone put on a Black Crowes album and I was like, ‘Who is this?’ There were four or five songs I liked — I mean, really liked.” I agree with Mike, staring at…
