With the release of his 1987 sophomore album, Surfing with the Alien, Joe Satriani effectively established himself as a guitar icon. Aside from his obvious command of proficiency and flashy technique, Satriani was able to rise above the niche visibility of the guitar-shredder ghetto on the strength of the lyricism…
It’s not often that a local band gets national recognition. It’s also not often that a local band has a song featured in a movie released internationally. Yet that’s exactly what Tramps and Thieves has done, all in about four months. In June, the group that guitarist/vocalist Emmett DeGuvera refers…
By Martin Cizmar
If you’re someone like me who, somewhat embarrassingly, cannot get enough Ben Gibbard, I have some good news.
For the past eight years, Alice Cooper has given us yuletide rockings with his annual Christmas Pudding show. Phoenix’s resident shock rocker hosts the annual fete to raise money for his charity, the Solid Rock Foundation, a non-profit Christian corporation that provides a recreation center (The Rock Teen Center) for teenagers. To that end, Cooper’s “Proof is in the Pudding” talent competition — which nets the winning contestant a gig at the Christmas Pudding show — now includes a Teen Competition.
Steve Wynn Crossing Dragon Bridge (Rock Ridge Music) By Thomas Bond After three stellar albums known as the “desert trilogy” because they were made in Tucson, singer/songwriter Steve Wynn set off for a change of scenery for his new disc Crossing Dragon Bridge. Recorded in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia,…
Last night, local bands rocked the SRC Fields at ASU to show their support for solar power. Phoenix rock band Shawn Johnson & The Foundation, Tempe funksters Fred Green, and spoken word artist Jamal a.k.a. i-Dee brought their talents to a stage set up on the athletic field, while students filled out forms advocating for solar power.
Tomorrow (Tuesday, November 4) is election day, and as a “thank you” to voters for casting their ballots, Starbucks is offering a free small coffee to anyone who comes in and says they voted.
By Martin Cizmar
There ain’t no bowling alley at Kierland Commons. So, really, I am at a last to explain what happened at Sunset Bowl today, as a team from Desert Living Magazine bested two New Times teams and a slew of other area bands, promoters, club owners and assorted independent music types to win the inaugural Phoenix Independents Bowl.
By Martin Cizmar
To be honest, we purposely drug out feet on the show announcements this week. Usually we blog ‘em here Friday, but I couldn’t bring myself to tell you all we’ve got is Kenny Loggins and NOFX.
The brainchild of local world music enthusiast DJ Seduce, Afro:Baile Records’ catalog brims with global beats, from sambas and forro to funk and jazz fusion. The overall vibe is one of laid-back goodness, and Maria Maria provided a perfectly chill setting for Seduce’s rich soundscapes.
Glenn Danzig is the Devil’s curator for the Blackest of the Black Tour, a metal mini-festival he’s been presenting and headlining intermittently since 2003. The punk alumnus has reached highs beyond most of his peers, but, 31 years into his musical career, he still thinks it’s important to help bands…
In 1996, Chuck Palahniuk wrote a novel about a pussy tormented by our consumerist society who creates a fight club and, in order to get over his aforementioned lack of balls, a badass alternate personality called Tyler Durden. Years later, four dudes from Seattle named their band Forgive Durden for…
A Vagabond Dreamer,
A Ryhmer and Singer of Songs.
A Revolutionary in Country Music
Beloved By The World
By Martin Cizmar
I do not generally drink in cemeteries. Yesterday, I made an exception.
By Martin Cizmar Just yesterday I was praising Coheed and Cambria, and today it was announced that they’ll be playing in town Sunday, along with local boys Stiletto Formal. Man, it seems like since they got signed it’s been forever between Stiletto Formal shows here in Phoenix, it’ll be good…
Saturday Night Live has some funny political parodies, but the revitalized sketch comedy show isn’t the only place to find some election-time chuckles. A Phoenix-based production company called Synthetic Human has gotten in on the action, with a political satire video titled “I’m Voting Republican.”
By Martin Cizmar Meatloaf’s concert at The Arizona State Fair, scheduled for Thursday, has been canceled due to illness. No make up date was announced. Tickets will be refunded at point of purchase. Earlier this week, Flo Rida’s show at The Venue of Scottsdale was quietly scrapped. No reason was…
As we pointed out in a previous blog, “Pop Goes Obama,” Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama can dance. In this clip of him on the Ellen show, Obama gets into the groove.
David Lynch’s films have always garnered cult followings, but in the case of his 1984 screen adaptation of Frank Herbert’s novel Dune, there’s more magic than murder in the air. There are psychic “witches,” futuristic water suits, giant sand worms, a coveted, mysterious spice, and Sting in a mankini. Fans of the sci-fi flick showed their spirit by dressing up as their favorite characters from the film at “The Spice Will Flow” Dune costume party at Green Restaurant in Tempe on Saturday, October 25.
By Martin Cizmar
So, sadly, Phoenix does not appear to be getting of Montreal’s Skeletal Lamping Tour, which MTV says is a much better bet than Madonna’s latest tour – and features Kevin Barnes on horseback, staging his suicide covered in whip cream but we do have a few related acts with shows announced this week. But a few shows by related acts were announced this week.
Jimi Hendrix died 38 years ago, but his music lives on — and his merchandising does, too. Caffeine fiends can now drink a real “rock star” energy drink — the “Jimi Hendrix Liquid Experience.” The flavorful brew was introduced last year by The Liquid Experience Group, a division of Beverage Concepts, LLC, and seems to be catching on in consumer land. The drink is available in seven states — New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Nevada, California, and Arizona, and the company looks to expand its distribution over the next two years.
In watching the presidential campaign for what feels like forever, the phrase you keep hearing that’s supposed to define people called to public service is “personal narrative.” Experience, judgment, policies, character, good grooming habits . . . They’re nil if you don’t have a compelling life story that you can…
Weekends start early in Rocky Point. The sun hasn’t yet set on a Friday night, but the beach is already spattered with vomit. Most people entering the tony Peñasco Del Sol hotel, overlooking the beach, plop cans of cerveza down on the marble counter as they check in. Where they…
