You know your band is cool when indie folk hero Devendra Banhart “opens” for you at a house party. It was pretty exciting for local rockers The Tremulants, anyway, when they found themselves playing after Banhart in the basement of a Mesa home one Saturday night in early June. “I…
On paper, a concert featuring Mavis Staples and Dr. John, also known as Mac Rebennack, seems like a natural pairing. The two have become elder statespeople of the soul genre. Staples solidified her rep last year, winning a Grammy award for Best Americana Album for You Are Not Alone, her…
Last Year, America got a pumping rock-fist of Japanese Music when X Japan, the most popular J-Rock band ever, played their debut U.S. show at Lollapalooza before rocking through a few major cities on their first North America tour. I witnessed their fiery pyrotechnics and emotionally-charged duality between tearful ballads…
On hip-hop supergroup The Roots’ 2002 album, Phrenology, there’s a track called “WAOK (Ay) Roll Call,” wherein the band gives shout-outs to 230 of their favorite and most influential music artists, including Grandmaster Flash and Common. At the very end of this illustrious list, the track ends with the words…
Rapper, proucer, and The Voice vocal coach Cee Lo Green will kick off his own talk show on Fuse on June 22, according to Paste.The upcoming show, entitled Talking to Strangers, is a performance and interview series that’s all about Cee Lo sitting down to interview indie, rap and R&B artists…
Plenty of people can appreciate good writing when they recognize it. I particularly appreciate reading good pieces about music. If I’m reading something that’s not about any of my favorite bands, that’s even better because maybe I’ll learn something, and perhaps you will, too. Welcome to our first installment of our…
, according to MTV News.In the brand new video, Perry throws a kick ass ’80s house party at her home with the help of party co-host and my homegirl Rebecca Black, house band Hanson, and sax master Kenny G, who plays Uncle Kenny. Plus, ’80s stars Debbie Gibson and Corey…
Those instrumental breaks certainly add a wild-card element to Sun and Shade, furthering the band’s sound rather than allowing it to rest on past laurels. That eye on progress is something that the members of Woods have quite the knack for, yet the band hasn’t, by any means, forgotten their…
Swedish indie pop band Acid House Kings have garnered quite a bit of praise for their latest album, Music Sounds Better with You. Pitchfork called the twee pop quartet’s album “their strongest-sounding record,” and Pop Matters says “it’s nearly impossible to resist them.” But as they saying goes, “Imitation is…
You have to give it up to the folks organizing the 2011 Winter Soulstice event presented by Walking Stick. Rather than just guess who the people want to see, they are allowing Facebook fans of their page to actually vote on who is going to get booked at this year’s…
Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you? I hope not, but just in case someone is, there’s good news on the horizon. Just after 7 a.m. this morning, X 103.9 announced The Foo Fighters are coming to town, on October 16 at US Airways…
, according to Pitchfork.The blues rock duo has filed two lawsuits against Della Femina Rothschild Jeary and Partners for using The Black Keys’ song “Tighten Up” in a television commercial for New Jersey’s Valley National Bank without asking permission from the band’s record label, Nonesuch Records. The label has asked…
Phoenix-based hip-hop group Cut Throat Logic has been on the proverbial grind longer than most local rap acts. Since 1996, CTL has tirelessly promoted their shows through street teams, fliers, merchandising, and networking — and it’s paid off. In addition to having shared stages with the likes of Wu-Tang Clan,…
Fight Club Sadisco* is justifiably legendary around town. How often do you get to watch real live fights to the grinding sounds of electronica, industrial, and generally angry jams? This year, the down-and-dirty party goes down on June 18, at The Firehouse Gallery. Last year, our own Benjamin Leatherman climbed…
Michelle KableThe associate artistic director for the Space 55 Theatre Ensemble invites you to the variety show 7 Minutes in Heaven, every Saturday in June at Space 55 at 9 p.m. Tickets cost $10, and more info may be found at www.space55.org.When you put your key in the ignition and turn…
Arizona’s own Jimmy Eat World have been added to the lineup for the X103.9 Arizona Fall Frenzy. Punk band blink-182 and indie duo Matt & Kim were already slated to play the Frenzy, as part of the 2011 Honda Civic Tour.Jimmy Eat World will be touring for the next year…
Sometimes a remix doesn’t need to drastically depart from an original song. The Strobes — a Phoenix-based DJ collective featuring William Reed, Ryan Breen, Thomy Hoefer (AKA Prince $$) — doesn’t go off the map with their take on T. Rex’s classic rock anthem “Bang a Gong (Get It On),”…
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 the top 40 songs with Arizona in the lyrics? What shows will new downtown…
This week’s issue of Phoenix New Times features a profile on local DJ Seduce, a.k.a Miguel Ivery, who has been bringing Afro-Brazilian sounds to the Valley for the past five years. Seduce recently released Brazil:Sambossica 3, a compilation of up-and-coming Brazilian artists he wanted to introduce to the rest of…
Leon Botha, who is often associated with Die Antwoord, has passed away from complications with progeria, according to Stereogum.Botha is also known as DJ Solarize. He’s known for being a prominent visual artist in Cape Town, South Africa, as well. He appeared in South African hip-hop duo Die Antwoord’s hit…
Arizona’s resident shock rocker, Alice Cooper, recently shared a very interesting story involving himself, Elvis Presley, Liza Minnelli, porn star Linda Lovelace, and a gun. Cooper told the U.K. paper Daily Mirror that in 1971, he went to visit Presley in his penthouse at a Las Vegas hotel, with Minelli and…
The rhythm grabs you by the knees, starts bending them on every second and fourth beat, and before you know it, your head’s bobbing uncontrollably to deep, downbeat surdo drums; the sharp snap of caixa snare drums; and the steady clapping of hands. This is the infectious rhythm of Brazilian…
