Austin

How This New Music Will Make You Smarter (Thanks, Science)

A good 90 percent of my job as a music journalist is keeping my finger on new music, continuously discovering the vast spectrum of sound that human beings can create. Another 9 percent is attending concerts, where I destroy my liver and my hearing for shits and gigs. That final 1 percent is being a ... More >>

Lymbyc Systym @ Yucca Tap Room

Curt Kirkwood and Son Celebrate Father's Day at the MIM

Jay "Akshen" Valdez Talks Para One, Jam Master Jay, Fools Gold, and More

If you pay a visit to AZ/88 tonight, its urbane décor and trendy drinks won't be the coolest thing going on inside the haute Scottsdale hangout. DJ Akshen will be working hard on the wheels of steel providing a fitting tribute to the late Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys during his weekly gig Fluid F ... More >>

Our Favorite Spots for Nightly Local Music Around Town

With the impending arrival of Filter Magazine's Phoenix newsletter, it feels like a lot of eyes are on our music scene. Here's hoping Filter digs in and really investigates. I did so in April 2010, attempting the goal of going out to a different show every night for the entire month. The idea was ... More >>

Dogbreth: They Did It All for the Chookie

White Denim @ The Sail Inn

Yoko Ono will Speak at SxSW: Possible Topics for Her Talk?

Yoko Ono will speak at SxSW in Austin.​Yoko Ono, the avant-garde artist known exclusively for being the weird wife of late Beatle John Lennon, has been tapped as a "featured speaker" by Austin's all-important music industry gathering South By Southwest.The talk will evidently start as a sit-down i ... More >>

Asylum Street Spankers @ The Rhythm Room

Mates of State

East coasters to document one of downtown’s best art venues

Stephen "Psyko Steve" Chilton, What Are You Eating?

​Stephen Chilton The owner/talent buyer for Psycho Steve Presents is promoting a show tonight at the Rhythm Room with Nobility Obliged. What'd you eat for dinner last night? Last night my roommate barbecued for the holiday. Lots of great meat. Favorite food: I always enjoy lamb when I eat anywh ... More >>

Stream Spoon's Transference Right This Minute

Oh, Britt Daniel, you coquettish rogue...​It may come out a week from tomorrow, but Spoon's newest record Transference can be heard by your ears -- and your ears alone -- right now. The fine folks at NPR have made the Austin indie rocker's newest album readily, er streamily, available at npr.org. ... More >>

10 Things Under $10 This Weekend: Pirates, Psychobillies, and Creepy Bunnies

The Bay Area's Nobunny will terrorize the Trunk Space on Saturday night. There are gonna be two kinds of people in the Valley this weekend: Those who can afford to go to Fall Frenzy, and those who can't. Given the $50-$60 price tag for tickets, its to be expected that a few thrifty types might consi ... More >>

Dinomite

Indie rockers give the people what they want, then multiply it by two

New Release Tuesday: Spoon EP Got Nuffin

Austin rockers Spoon release three new tracks today with their Got Nuffin EPIt's a pretty slow new release schedule today, unless your name is Rob Thomas, Jeff Tweedy or Moby (or Mephistopheles, for that matter). What I do have to offer, however, is a new EP from Austin indie rockers Spoon. Got Nuff ... More >>

The Case That Won't End: Doug Grant's Stepdaughter Files `Wrongful-Death' Suit

If things weren't bad enough for Doug Grant, now serving a five-year prison term after a jury convicted him of manslaughter in the death of his wife Faylene, get this: Jenna Stradling, his 19-year-old stepdaughter (and a key witness against him in the controversial, high-profile case) has filed a& ... More >>

Little Room for Improv-ment at the Phoenix Improv Festival

It sounds like the premise of an especially horrific nightmare: You're on stage in front of at least 100 strangers. One of them yells out the phrase "Silly String in the Desert." And then the crowd, who all paid $15 to be entertained for the evening, expects you to use that phrase as the title of th ... More >>

Black Lips

Phoenix Fringe Festival: A Man, A Magic, A Music

Rachael Ray at SXSW

To add to the list of hip parties we have told you about happening at SxSW next month in Austin is the most random one yet. Rachel Ray will be hosting the party "Rose's Mojito & Rachael Ray's Feedback: The B-Side." The party with have Acts such as The Hold Steady, Ra Ra Riot, The New York Dolls ... More >>

To Anyone Thinking the Light Rail is No Fun: Try Taking Off Your Pants

For seven years now New York improve troop Improv Everywhere has celibrated their own holiday on the New York subway system called No Pants Day. On January 10th Phoenix residents were finaly able to join the Holiday on our new Light Rail. 

Two More AZ(ish) Bands Do Daytrotter Sessions

A couple weeks ago we brought you news that local favorites Dear and the Headlights recorded a session for Daytrotter, which is sort of Chicago's answer to The Peel Sessions, with upcoming indie acts doing four-song semi-live sets. Since then, two more bands with Arizona connections have been on, Tu ... More >>

Oops, They Did it Again

The BCS still sucks, but Longhorns’ loss is Fiesta Bowl’s gain

Nomen Omen: The Worst-Named Bands Playing at SxSW This Year

Show Barrage

Asylum Street Spankers

It will hurt them more than it hurts you

The Ugly Truth in Austin, Texas

The case against Michael Moore and for B-list celebs at SXSW

The Full Nelson

Willie make it

The Tuna Helpers

Freaky-funky-gothy casserole

Let There Be Rock

Ten albums that make it easy to avoid fretting about your old-fashioned, Rockist ways

Bob Schneider

Singer-songwriter is not a bad word

Drums and Tuba

The group that debunks categories

I'm Eighteen!

He's legal and he's legitimate. Blues prodigy J.D. Simo tells you how he's changed since 13.

Brown and Red

These days, his signature guit-steel playing leaves listeners slack-jawed. But it took Junior Brown a long time to get to center stage.

The Loner

Emotionally fragile Texas legend Daniel Johnston ventures out into the wicked world

Simulating the Senses

The director of Slacker returns to put reality in suspended animation with Waking Life

Best Club For Modern Rock

Modified

Texas State of Mind

The South by Southwest music conference might've been a disappointment this year, but there are still plenty of questions left to be answered

12LB. Test

Harm's Way (Miles of Music Recordings)

Shotgun Franny

Local blues diva gets some Texas-size love from the Red-Headed Stranger

Master of Puppets

Curt Kirkwood is the heart, soul and everything else of the Meat Puppets, no matter who's in the band

Truckers on Speed

No Sense in Runnin'
(self-released)

True Believer

From punk to rock to country, Alejandro Escovedo has weathered the push and pull of family and music

The Groover Is Gone

When they buried Doug Sahm, they buried Texas music

New Digs

Art on the Fly

Sky Harbor shows provide a sense of place, however fleeting

A BOY OF STRUMMERRICK TREVINO PLAYS THE BARS INSTEAD OF THE OUTFIELD

HONESTY IS THE BEST ANODYNEUNCLE TUPELO KEEPS ITS MIDWESTERN ROOTS ON THE WAY TO LOW-TECH SUCCESS

BREECH OF FAITH

TAMMI CARMODY THOUGHT SHE WS OVER THE PAIN OF CHILDBIRTH. THEN SHE GOT THE BILL.

NO MELLOW CELLO

LYLE LOVETT'S CELLIST, JOHN HAGEN, BENDS MORE THAN STRINGS