It’s a common question: What does the Phoenix area sound like? The answer — a resounding and emphatic “who knows?” — is upsetting only to the kind of people who want easy, tidy answers to questions like that. The truth is, Phoenix sounds like a lot of things, and if…
You probably knew a kid like Steve Brooks in school. He was the rugrat in the Kiss T-shirt flipping the devil horns and flashing heavy metal attitude. He was in training for stoner-pop bruisers Torche from a tender age. “I had an early cousin who got me into Kiss in…
In Brian De Palma’s 1983 film Scarface — a touchstone film in the rap world — the title character, played by Al Pacino, lays out a simple path to domination as a ladies man: First you get the money, then you get the power, and then you get the women…
Although they possess a passion for Heavenly Father — not to mention the nutty belief that all disease can be healed solely through prayer — the folks at the Christian Science Monitor apparently don’t possess a sense of humor. To wit: The publication has brought down the thunder from the…
Southwest Arts and Music and Jackrabbit Lounge are up to a new collaboration: an original live music showcase — the only of its kind — held every Wednesday night in the Valley of the Sun. I know, I know, Jackrabbit Lounge, right? Well, after being completely refurbished, the managers are…
Multi-genre guitarist extraordinaire Buckethead is coming to Phoenix in August to show off his extreme shredding skills. Some of his work is quite lively while some of it is actually kind of soothing. Either way, give him six strings and a chicken bucket and he can do anything. Buckethead, The…
Last week we announced that Justin Bieber is coming to town on September 29. Of course, he responded to our blog by beating up a paparazzo. But we’re still excited to see him at Jobing.com Arena. It seems like a big enough place to house all of the Beliebers, but…
See also: Record Heat: Comicon Blues I’m only a single listen in, but Heaven by The Walkmen is feeling like a pivotal 2012 listen. There’s plenty of musical reasons at work: the acoustic strums, the harmonies, the tempered drums. But my reason for listening so intently come more from the…
“Somewhere Over the Rainbow” is one of those songs: no matter who you are or your circumstances, you feel something listening to it. For most, it’s the sound of childhood, a beautiful and hopeful song that conjures up images of wistfulness and memory. Plenty of musicians have offered soulful renditions…
If you’ve walked by Bar Smith on a recent Wednesday evening and had your eardrums assaulted, its probably Jason Ayers’ fault. The bass-loving beat-juggler and his long-running SubConscious night have (literally) been shaking the downstairs walls at the downtown Phoenix club with a storm of subharmonics and plenty of thrum…
Where we’re going, we don’t need roads; just a synthesizer, eyeliner, and a touch of androgyny. Welcome to Flashback Friday. Seminal ’80s ska revivalists Madness are probably best remembered for their kooky house-of-mirrors-style riff-raff and carnival music flair. During MTV’s glory days, it was all about the cheery pop/rock sound…
Mike James The local comedian performs Thursday, June 7, at Jaxon’s in Scottsdale. For more information, go here. When you put your key in the ignition and turn on the radio, what station would play right now? 97.3-FM — 24/7 comedy. What’s the first album you bought? Haha. I was 8…
News reports indicate that the shooting at Seattle’s Cafe Racer Espresso on Wednesday, May 30, took the life of Joseph “Vito” Albanese, an establishing member of the Phoenix punk rock scene. Matt Driscoll of our sister paper Seattle Weekly’s Daily Weekly blog writes that 40-year-old Ian L. Stawicki was behind…
The Smashing Pumpkins have had a checkered past swirling with drug addiction, depression, lineup changes, and death. Yet the band has soldiered on — remarkably, the band is set to release its seventh album, Oceania, on June 19. Billy Corgan is the only remaining member in a band that oscillated…
This week, New Times ran a list in our print publication highlighting some of the most interesting posts published at Up On The Sun over the past week. Here are links to those posts. What are sultry rockabilly sirens The Devil’s Daughters up to? What are our 10 favorite vintage…
About the worst thing that can occur when a band leader decides to undertake a solo tour is unthinkingly defaulting into the dreaded singer-songwriter mode. Let’s see: acoustic guitar, stool, and microphone. In a word: boring. Sure, there are a few examples of doing it right. Think Eddie Vedder with…
For some local bands, making it to weekly rehearsals and playing a show a month is a difficult task. For A Life of Science, full-length albums, comic books, and fanboy convention meet-and-greets are all in a day’s work. And now the electronic rock band is embarking on its biggest endeavor…
Drew Alexander thought he had it made. At only 19, the local electronic-tinged pop singer/songwriter and keyboardist, fresh out of high school, had secured a major-label record deal with Geffen Records. The Los Angeles suits snatched him up after hearing three tracks and seeing a few pictures of his tousled…
By Chris Kornelis Sasquatch! went down this past weekend in George, Washington, and our good friends at Seattle Weekly’s Reverb blog were on hand to take it all in. Test your knowledge of the 2012 edition of the festival in this multiple-choice trivia test. For clues, check out Seattle Weekly’s…
Metric, who sound like a poppier, gentler version of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, are dropping a new album, Synthetica, on June 12. They’ll be hitting up the Marquee Theatre in support of the record, but it’s likely that they’ll perform old hits such as “Help I’m Alive” and “Gimme Sympathy” as…
Local folksters Bears of Manitou have been covering Damien Rice since the band first formed. “He [Gabe Williams] said that he’d been practicing ‘Volcano,’ and I love that song so much,” says guitar/guitarist/pianist Maria Sais de Sicilia. “It was just crazy, the first time we played it. It felt so…
A taste of São Paolo is en route to Phoenix. That doesn’t mean a new churrascaria is opening up soon, unfortunately, but Brazil’s Curumin will be serving up a fresh blend of samba-infused funk and groovy electronic beats when he and fellow-Brazilian Céu come to town. The half Spanish, half…
