Ben Harper

Jason Hildebrandt, What Are You Listening To?

Jason Hildebrandt Hildebrandt is the executive sous chef for Ocotillo Golf Resort. Meet him Thursday, October 18 at San Tan Brewery for a beer dinner at 6 p.m. For more information, go here. When you put your key in the ignition and turn on the radio, what station would play right now? KUPD 97.9-F ... More >>

Douglas Proce, What Are You Listening To?

Douglas Proce Proce is the owner of Video Imaging Services and the filmmaker of the documentary Beautiful Women, screening at the FilmBar September 7-9. For more info, go here. When you put your key in the ignition and turn on the radio, what station would play right now? I don't have a favorite ... More >>

Lisa Whealy, What Are You Listening To?

Lisa Whealy​Lisa Whealy Whealy is the CEO of Surface to Air Records and owner of Mountain Music Promotions.  When you put your key in the ignition and turn on the radio, what station would play right now? Radio iPod. What's the first album you bought? Emerson, Lake, & P ... More >>

Mamady Keïta and Famoudou Konaté -- Grand Masters Bring "Djembe Fever" to The MIM

​ The African djembe drum may be a familiar sight for pop music fans -- it's popped up onstage with plenty of Western artists like Paul Simon, Ben Harper, and Peter Gabriel -- but intrepid percussionists will have a chance to hear the drum played by two grand masters, Mamady Keïta and Famoudou Ko ... More >>

What's Selling? Top Ten Lists from Valley Record Stores

Fleet Foxes, Helplessness Blues ​Want to know what new release discs and platters are moving across the Valley at local record stores? We've got you covered with another installment of What's Selling. Looks like Fleet Foxes are doing pretty well this week, with their heady folk album Helples ... More >>

The Sound Strike Gets Fancy New Web Site

​Would you like to see fewer (possible no) concerts played in the state of Arizona until SB 1070 has been repealed by a state legislature more interested in getting a gun into the hands of every man woman and child and making Obama hop through hoops to get his name on the 2012 ballot? The Sound St ... More >>

Lollapalooza Chile Announces Solid Lineup

​The lineup for the first annual Lollapalooza in Chile has been announced, according to Consequence of Sound.The Killers, Jane's Addiction, and Kanye West are among some of the top names on the artist roster. Other big names include The Flaming Lips, Ben Harper, The National, Cold War Kids, Devand ... More >>

Now Trending: Indie Supergroups

Middle Brother, a new potential indie powerhouse​Holiday cover songs were popular this season, but there's something else that has been getting just as much attention. It seems to be that the latest and greatest trend among rock bands, particularly indie bands, is forming supergroups.Ben Harper, D ... More >>

Cee-Lo Gives a Big 'F*ck You' to the Music Industry

​It turns out that Cee-Lo Green's song "F*ck You" isn't about a girl at all, but rather about the music industry, according to NME."I was in a place where subconsciously, my 'f*ck you' was aimed at the industry itself," Cee-Lo told NME. "You have to be kind, you have to court it, and be considerat ... More >>

Eric Lindell

Eric Lindell

Rasta Redmon: Hopi Reggae Artist Casper Lomayesva Brings Redemption Songs to the Desert

Jason Mraz, Fall Out Boy, and Other Must-See Sets at Fall Frenzy

Brad Perry: You Asked For It

Brad Perry and the Acoustic FingerprintsBrad Perry and the Acoustic Fingerprints(Self-released)Grade: C-I'm sure our weekly locals-only music review column, You Asked For It, has unwittingly kicked people when they were down before but, honestly, that's never the intent. That's why it's so hard to w ... More >>

Just Announced: Miley Cyrus, Bo Bice, Juvenile

I've never been sure why there isn't more of a rivalry between Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus, but, aside from some boy drama, the two country-tinged pop princesses seem to co-exist happily.If you missed Swift's excellent show at Jobing.com Arena last month, you'll have a chance to check out what I ca ... More >>

Ten Dollar Outfit

And that's a lot of jam

Austin City Limits Jumps on Festival Bandwagon, Announces Lineup

Austin City Limits: recycling this year's festival headliners so you don't have to The lineup for the 2009 Austin City Limits Music Festival has been announced and it is teeming with top-notch talent. The Beastie Boys, Pearl Jam and Dave Matthews Band round out the top slots of Outside Lands Lollapa ... More >>

Outside Lands Festival Dubs Beasties, Pearl Jam Worthy Headliners

Pear Jam is set to rock it on out at this year's Outside Lands FestivalAs we all eagerly await the set times to be announced for this weekend's Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, San Francisco's Outside Lands Festival announced its initial lineup. The headliners for the second edition of th ... More >>

SXSW Starts Anouncing Bands

The first batch of bands for SXSW, the large music industry trade show, conference and festival every year in Austin Texas, have been announced. Unlike my Coachella post earlier this week, the list comes straight form SXSW.com so we know it is right (but subject to change). This year's line up has a ... More >>

Citizen Cope

Get in the van

G. Love & Special Sauce

You can call him G.

Ten Dollar Outfit

And that's a lot of jam

Ben Harper

Are you gonna go his way?

John Butler Trio

Down under a rock

Top 10 selling CDs at Stinkweeds, 1250 East Apache Boulevard in Tempe

Chart-busters for the week

Blackalicious

The Craft
(Anti)

Xavier Rudd

Solace
(Foundations/Universal)

Novel Tease

The First Fiction tour treats new authors like rock stars

Slap Happy

Much like his Hawaiian waves, flip-flop folkie Jack Johnson finds a near-perfect groove

Scenes From Nowhere

A Coachella diary from that other desert to the left

Candles in the Dark

The Blind Boys of Alabama bring their brand of Southern gospel closer to the mainstream -- and help keep roots music alive

What Was Going On

At long last, the spotlight replaces the Shadows that obscured the Funk Brothers

Nowhere Fast

Blackalicious takes its sweet time moving from underground to overground

Sam I Slam

Sean Penn plays retarded for Oscar, and audiences aren't rewarded

Avalon Sunrise

Legendary songsmith Mississippi John Hurt receives loving tribute on Avalon Blues

Life Goes On

Despite the recent passing of some of heritage music's finest, the music continues to flourish thanks to a handful of fine new releases

Various Artists

Badlands: A Tribute to Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska (Sub Pop)

Fair to Middlin'

State fair means music -- and the most toothless people you'll ever see

Road to Freedom

Ben Harper continues to widen his path with the eclectic Burn to Shine

Various artists

Fire & Skill: The Songs of the Jam
(Ignition/Epic Records)

Searching for Your Inner Redneck

A pair of new releases from Gov't Mule find meaning in being a Southern man, anyhow