Critic's Notebook

“I always knew that you can’t go back to something, but sometimes things from your past can come around to your future.”

Talking gear in this week’s Pound for the Sound.

It all started at an open mic night.

And finally letting her hair down.

The photo guy and I brainstormed about the best way to approach this important piece of investigative journalism. “Let’s just drive over there,” I said. “They’re psychics. They already know we’re coming.”

“Let’s raise the stoke level right through the fucking ceiling.”

“And pickles so huge.”

Including Danzig, Paramore, and Otonana Trio.

“They’ve got fire in their eyes, hunger in their bellies and great big shoes on their feet!”

Here’s what happened at the band’s University of Phoenix concert.

Kendrick Lamar and The Weeknd have sampled them. For good reason.

For starters, it’s this weekend.

They’re playing The Van Buren this week with KOLARS, Bear Ghost, and Luxxe.

He left behind a staggering body of work as one of the songwriters for Midwestern alt-rock icons.

In this Pound for the Sound, we talk with Mouse Powell about his Fender Rhodes and Lil Jon references.

Which is why he wasn’t at the band’s Crescent Ballroom concert.

The West Valley native will get to spit his hottest 16 bars in front of a national audience.

“U2 had sort of adopted Arizona as its flagship state for the Joshua tour.”

The band garnered attention for writing quotable lyrical slogans, but there was always an element of self-questioning in Laura Jane Grace’s lyrics.

If you’re thinking about laying down some tracks here in metro Phoenix, there are several recording studios to choose from.

(It involves a Micro Korg.)

The Grand Avenue spot has new blood behind the scenes, a new menu, and a new lease on life.