Email Author Melissa Fossum

2013 Stories by Melissa Fossum

• Was Coachella 2013 Worth the Drive from Phoenixr

  published Apr 17, 2013

  If you went to Coachella last weekend, you're probably still sunburned, dehydrated, and physically exhausted. Sleeping in your own bed is a glorious feeling after camping out or crashing on a friend... More >>

• Bad Religion Experiences a Punk Renaissance

  published April 18, 2013

  "You might not think there's any wisdom in a fucked-up punk rock song," sings Greg Graffin in "Kyoto Now!" summarizing Bad Religion's ethos in... More >>

• Cage Match

  published March 14, 2013

  Watching Robin Williams and Nathan Lane portray a gay couple attempting to act straight to impress their son’s fiancée's parents... More >>

• Pride Not Prejudice

  published April 4, 2013

  Society has made major strides when it comes to embracing the LGBT community. Facebook users showed their solidarity about a week ago by... More >>

• The xx @ Marquee Theatre

  published April 11, 2013

  Minimalist R&B-inspired music is riding a wave of popularity right now, but not all makers of breathy, sexytime music are created equal. The... More >>

• Margaret Thatcher Protest Songs Came in Every Genre (Hi, Public Enemy)

  published Apr 09, 2013

  Monday's news of former English prime minister Margaret Thatcher's death elicited mixed responses. Some sites praised the Iron Lady's leadership tactics, while others celebrated her death. Pushing to... More >>

• 10 Star Wars Songs to Ease Your Rage Now That Disney's Killed LucasArts

  published Apr 04, 2013

  Ever since Disney's acquisition of LucasFilms was announced, the prognosis by fans has been mixed. Three new Star Wars movies is good news, rightr Sure, but what about Wednesday's news that Disney has... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  10 Best Punk Bars in Phoenix

  published Apr 02, 2013

  Phoenix has a long tradition of punk bars that serve up cheap beer and fast, aggressive (sometimes sloppy) punk rock. Some great venues have closed over the past few years, and while we dearly miss Ju... More >>

• McDowell Mountain Music Festival 2013 (VIDEO)

  published Mar 29, 2013

  Are you still sleeping off the hangover you picked up at the 10th annual McDowell Mountain Music Festivalr In case you somehow missed it, MMMF 2013 brought some great acts to Phoenix. We're still tapp... More >>

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  Dr. Dog and Les Claypool's Duo de Twang, McDowell Mountain Music Festival, 3/24/13

  published Mar 25, 2013

  Dr. Dog, Les Claypool's Duo de Twang, and More @ McDowell Mountain Music Festival at Margret T. Hance Park|3/24/13The last day of a music festival is always an exercise in mixed feelings. The majority... More >>

• R.I.P. Rick Martinez, a.k.a. DJ Essential

  published Mar 22, 2013

  Lately, we've had to report on far too many deaths in the Arizona music scene. But alas, it's our terrible duty to report that Rick Martinez, better known as DJ Essential, passed away on Thursday, Mar... More >>

• Tiger Army Added to Phoenix New Times/KUKQ's That Damn Show

  published Mar 21, 2013

  Tiger Army has replaced Against Me! on New Times/KUKQ's recently revived That Damn Show music festival at Mesa Amphitheatre, which includes Bad Religion, Awolnation, The Faint, and more. The news of ... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Brides of March Take Over Downtown Phoenix (VIDEO)

  published Mar 20, 2013

  Every girl fantasizes about her dream wedding, but her big day is usually full of compromises, thanks to messy logistics and the lack of a prince charming. Weddings are stressful, which makes eloping ... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Black Flag Is Coming to Tempe

  published Mar 20, 2013

  Yep, you read that headline correctly. Punk legends Black Flag are making their way to Club Red on Thursday, July 11. It isn't the classic lineup, though, and some fans may be disappointed by the lack... More >>

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  Austin Head: DJ/LGBT Advocate Is Running for City Council

  published Mar 15, 2013

  As a deejay, Austin Head knows how to work a crowd. It takes finesse, and it takes being in touch. Those skills are coming in handy for the entertainer/LGBT advocate: He recently announced that he is ... More >>

• Anti-Flag Finds Plenty of Machine to Rage Against in Obama Era

  published March 14, 2013

  Every year, Flogging Molly storms into Tempe for St. Patrick's Day, performing to a sea of drunken revelers primed to let loose to the sounds... More >>

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  Green Day, Marquee Theatre, 3/11/13

  published Mar 12, 2013

  Green Day @ Marquee Theatre| 3/11/13Phoenix is pretty damn lucky. We're one of three cities to host Green Day's intimate "warmup" tour on the band's way to South by Southwest. It's a rare treat to se... More >>

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  Wild Wild West Steampunk Convention's 21 Best Looks

  published Mar 11, 2013

  The Wild Wild West Steampunk Convention was a hit, as former movie studio/living history theme park Old Tucson Studios came to life this weekend, full of folks showing off costumes that reimagined th... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Flogging Molly's Bob Schmidt Says Tempe Is the Best Place in the Country for St. Patrick's Day

  published Mar 11, 2013

  After nearly a decade, Celtic folk punkers Flogging Molly have become a St. Paddy's Day staple in Tempe. The band's anthems -- "What's Left of the Flag," "Devil's Dance Floor," and "Salty Dog" -- pull... More >>

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  What the Hell's Going on With the Obscura Dance Night at Ripsr

  published Mar 08, 2013

  What exactly is going on with Rips' monthly Britpop/'80s/new wave event, Obscura Dance Nightr The party's official Facebook page has vanished, followed by a flurry of subsequent "new" Obscura Facebook... More >>

• See Candies

  published February 28, 2013

  Blindfolding children, spinning them around, and giving them a stick to whack a piñata is pretty nuts. Just imagine how many injuries... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Anti-Flag Peforms Anti-War Punk in the Obama/Drone/Wikileaks Era

  published Mar 07, 2013

  Punk bands have a tendency of burning out long before fading away. Pittsburgh's Anti-Flag has proved to be an exception to the rule. The band has been writing politically charged punk and touring rele... More >>

• Club Candids: Arizona Roller Derby's Fundraising Party at Vintage Lounge

  published Mar 06, 2013

  Mill Avenue is always busy on the weekends. Just try to find a parking spot among the partying coeds and crazy cab drivers and you'll know what we mean. Luckily, the ladies of Arizona's Roller Derby k... More >>

• J-Date

  published February 21, 2013

  Japanese culture is simultaneously strange and awesome. Sushi and sake are delicious, while the bizarro blog WTF Japan, Seriously? speaks for... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Alkaline Trio's Good Mourning: 10 Years Later, It's a Gothy Pop Punk Classic

  published Feb 28, 2013

  It's not uncommon for fans to have a soft spot for the first album they hear from a beloved artist. It might not be the band's defining work, but it was your entry point, your gateway. I'll always car... More >>