Email Author Benjamin Leatherman

Awards

• 2009 - Arizona Press Club Awards, published July 24, 2008

  "Pedalphiles"

• 2006 - Arizona Press Club Awards

  "Beach in Heat"

• 2006 - Arizona Press Club Awards

  "Tech Mex"

• 2006 - Arizona Press Club Awards

  "Swat Team"

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2008 Stories by Benjamin Leatherman

• Local Indie Record Store Owners Weigh In With Their Favorties of 2008

  published Dec 31, 2008

  It wasn't exactly a banner year for proprietors of the record-slinging shops. Album sales at in general were down 14 percent nationwide from 2007, and this obviously hit brick-and-mortar retailers... More >>

• Cherry Poppin' Daddies at Harrah's Ak-Chin Casino on Dec. 30

  published Dec 31, 2008

  Steve Perry (a.k.a. MC Large Drink) jumps and jives for the crowd. (Photos by Jonathan McNamara)I'm at war with myself over last night's Cherry Poppin' Daddies show.While the fanboy part of me (who's... More >>

• Local Politicians and Journalists Help Test Out Light Rail Before Tomorrow's Grand Opening

  published Dec 26, 2008

  From left: Mesa Mayor Scott Smith, Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman, and light rail CEO Richard Simonetta. Mesa Mayor Scott Smith called Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman a game show host, light rail CEO Richard S... More >>

• Concert Calendar for This Weekend: The Maine, Caecelia, The Funky Formal, George Bowman, and more

  published Dec 25, 2008

  Down AKA Kilo is scheduled to perform Friday at the Sets in Tempe. This weekend's lineup of concerts isn't exactly big on star power. Sure, there are few major names scheduled to perform in the Vall... More >>

• Party Crasher: American Junkie, Club FullFilled, The Vintage Lounge, and Rhythm Room

  published Dec 23, 2008

  The lovely Lady Santas of the Rhythm Room. Click here for a slideshow of the Party Crasher's weekend adventures. There's a plethora of parties that go down each and every weekend in the PHX. Whether... More >>

• Neil Young (Circa 1968), The Clash, What Laura Says, And Pavement Are Just Some Of What's Selling At Hoodlums Music & Movies

  published Dec 23, 2008

  Neil Percival Young during the late '60s. Here's some irony for you. In November 1968, future rock 'n' roll hall of famer Neil Young was paralyzed with fear before his solo show at the Canterbury Hous... More >>

• All About Eve

  published December 25, 2008

  Is it over yet? Can we look? Don't know about y'all, but we're more than ready to put the titanic clusterfuck that was 2008 behind us.... More >>

• Soul Train

  published December 25, 2008

  If anybody deserves to celebrate this weekend's debut of P-town's newfangled Metro light-rail system, it's the party people down at Homme Lounge.... More >>

• Cherry Poppin' Daddies

  published December 25, 2008

  A decade ago, the neo-swing movement was in, er, full swing. That damned commercial for The Gap, featuring models foxtrotting and Lindy-hopping to... More >>

• Lit At The Edge 103.9's Third Thursday on Dec. 18

  published Dec 19, 2008

  Since debuting last year, The Edge 103.9's monthly Third Thursday free concert series has featured headliners that easily fall into one of two categories: burgeoning and innovative indie-style bands... More >>

• Concert Calendar for This Weekend: Gilby Clarke, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Sarah Brightman, Agnostic Front, And More

  published Dec 18, 2008

  Bone Thugs-n-Harmony is scheduled to perform on Friday, December 19, at the Celebrity Theatre. As we get closer and closer to Christmas (just seven days to go), the number of regular concerts tends ... More >>

• Kris Roe Of The Ataris To Perform An Acoustic Show At ChyroArts Next Month, While Fujiya & Miyagi Hits Rhythm Room In March

  published Dec 17, 2008

  Kris Roe, picking at his gee-tar. We got a rather excited-sounding text message on our cell phone last night from Jeremiah Gratza (a.k.a. President Gator) of Stateside Presents informing us of a rath... More >>

• The Gospel According to Paisley

  published December 18, 2008

  It’s a Christmas Eve tradition to spend time in the presence of the divine. If you’re Christian, it’s congregating with holy men... More >>

• South Park Mexican, Ludacris, Britney Spears, and Lil Rob Are Just Some Of What's Selling At Circles Records & Tapes

  published Dec 16, 2008

  Carlos Coy (a.k.a. South Park Mexican): Sentenced to spend the the next four decades or so in the pokey. The life of Texas rapper Carlos Coy (a.k.a. South Park Mexican) is a tale of triumph, terror, ... More >>

• All About Eve

  published December 18, 2008

  Is it over yet? Can we look? Don't know about y'all, but we're more than ready to put the titanic clusterfuck that was 2008 behind us.... More >>

• DJ Swift Rock & WinterFresh

  published December 18, 2008

  If you're feeling the need to bump your hump to some hip-hop, R&B, or Top 40 dance jams, a few off-the-hook urban dance parties will be happening... More >>

• Sonorous

  published December 18, 2008

  Downtown Phoenix's art scene is hard to exactly quantify in some respects, with creativity running amok across multiple genres and mediums.... More >>

• The Verdicks

  published December 18, 2008

  Phoenix isn't anywhere near topping the list of the punkest cities in the U.S. Not even close. Burgs like New York City, Frisco, and Detroit have... More >>

• Concert Calendar For This Weekend: Bloc Party, Brendan James, The Andre Nickatina Experience, The Aquabats,

  published Dec 12, 2008

  Limbeck is scheduled to perform tonight at the Chyro Arts Venue in Scottsdale. If I was an arrogant, self-centered kind of music journalist, I'd probably spend the next 400 or so words detailing all... More >>

• Wesley Willis, Antony and the Johnsons, Bloc Party, and Ween Are Just Some Of What's Selling At Revolver Records

  published Dec 12, 2008

  The Daddy of Rock 'N' Roll (1963-2003)The late Wesley Shabazz Willis was one of the coolest mofos in music. The schizophrenic African-American musician (who refered to his psychotic episodes as "he... More >>

• You Can't See Me

  published December 11, 2008

  One of the grooviest things about the Valley's EDM scene is that DJ/dance events seemingly spring up in the unlikeliest of places. An all-night... More >>

• The Medic Droid’s Electro Power-Pop and Ambisextrous Antics are Driving Kids Wild Nationwide

  published December 11, 2008

  Zach Daniell is wiped out. It's the night before Thanksgiving and the 18-year-old New Yorker has just flat-out sprinted through lower... More >>

• Who's Performing At Tonight's First Friday: Andrew Jackson Jihad, FutureKind, Furious Styles Crew, and More

  published Dec 05, 2008

  <form mt:asset-id="11450" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;" contenteditable="false"><img alt="ofk18.jpg" src="http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/uponsun/ofk18.jpg... More >>

• City Of Phoenix Orders HoodRide Tear Down Its Popular Tree House

  published Dec 05, 2008

  The HoodRide treehouse. The intersection of Fifth and Roosevelt Streets has become one of the hotspots for the downtown Phoenix arts district. And one of the coolest parts of this cluster of galler... More >>

• Concert Calendar for This Weekend: Celine Dion, David Banner, The Hanson Brothers, Wu-Tang Clan, and more

  published Dec 05, 2008

  DJ Deadmau5 is scheduled to spin tonight at Myst in Scottsdale. While we're sure most of you are gonna be heading out west to the Cricket Pavillion to check out tonight's mega-sized Phooson shindig,... More >>