Cricket Wireless Pavilion

Cricket Pavilion is Now Desert Sky Pavilion Again (For Now)

​The 20-year-old outdoor amphitheater on the west side of Phoenix which switched its name from Desert Sky Pavilion to Cricket Wireless Pavilion a few years ago is now back to square one.This is no victory over corporate America. The low-cost cell provider's naming rights recently expired ... More >>

The Pixies, KISS, and Pool Parties Over the Weekend

​Pixies at the Mesa Amphitheatre Last Night To say that the Pixies performance was underwhelming might be a bit too strong. Mostly satisfactory would probably be a more accurate description. That is to say it wasn't bad but it wasn't completely blow-you-away-good, either...full story ​K ... More >>

Green Day at Cricket Wireless Pavilion Last Night

Luke HolwerdaGreen Day on stage at Cricket Wireless Pavilion in Phoenix.​Green Day August 30, 2010 Cricket Wireless Pavilion It's a mixed blessing when the band you see at your first real concert goes on to become one of the biggest and best bands of their generation. On one hand, you probably g ... More >>

August 19 In Blogs: Voting Violations, Vig Uptown, John Mayer, Zen 32, and Meth

​​​In the 24-hour news cycle, it can be difficult to keep up. We have the solution. Check back on Valley Fever every evening for highlights from each of New Times' blogs. Today's entries:

Mayhem Festival, Silversun Pickups, and Drag Wars Over the Weekend

​Smashingsun Pumpkinups at Marquee Theatre on 7/17/2010 Anyway, I decided to stick around to see the next band, which, as luck would have it, turned out to be beloved 90s alt-rockers Smashing Pumpkins, on tour again and playing what seemed to be some b-sides from Gish. Pretty sweet, right?...f ... More >>

Incoming: Social Distortion, Hot Hot Heat, Ra Ra Riot, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Nickelback

A picture of Canadian rock band Nickelback​I remember it like it was yesterday: it was the summer of 2002 and I was in super-humid Milwaukee for Major League Baseball's All-Star Game. We were in the parking lot of Miller Park, enjoying the pre-game festivities, eating and drinking all of the ... More >>

We Are the In Crowd Hopes Vans Warped Tour Fans Want to Join Their Clique

​If you're heading to the Vans Warped Tour at Cricket Wireless Pavilion today and are a little overwhelmed by the array of band choices in front of you, newbies We Are the In Crowd might be worth a listen--especially if you're a fan of female-fronted groups with catchy pop hooks. The band from Pou ... More >>

Country Throwdown Tour's Stop at Cricket Wireless Pavilion Canceled

Montgomery Gentry won't be making their way to Phoenix this month.​Country music fans might just wind up crying a tear in their collective beers after hearing this particular bit of news: The Country Throwdown Tour has called off its stop at the Cricket Wireless Pavilion on June 18. Accordi ... More >>

June 1 In Blogs: Buycotts, Psychobilly Rodeo Band, Prince of Persia, Culver's, and Murder Suspects

​​​​​​In the 24-hour news cycle, it can be difficult to keep up. We have the solution. Check back on Valley Fever every evening for highlights from each of New Times' blogs. Today's entries: Feathered Bastard: Buycott Rally Supports Arizona Businesses That Don't Support Buycott Rall ... More >>

Phoenix Lilith Fair Date Canceled Without Comment: Is This SB 1070 Fallout?

​The July 8 Lilith Fair tour stop scheduled for July 8 at Cricket Wireless Pavilion in Phoenix has been canceled. Live Nation's only statement on the matter is, "We apologize for any inconvenience." We've received no response from an inquiry about why directed at the promoter's publicist. Last ... More >>

Incoming: Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato, American Idol, Lilith Fair, Limp Bizkit

These young people play popular rock music.​Zomg, you guys! This week's show announcements include the Jonas Brothers with Demi Lovato. If that news doesn't make your day, then I don't know what to tell you. What's that you say? Jonas Brothers not quite your bag? Well then let Limp Bizkit, Ice Cub ... More >>

Sugarland

Sugarland

Incoming: John Mayer, Cake, Asia, Scorpions, Slightly Stoopid

"I called my penis what? Why would I tell that to a reporter?"​Up on the Sun contributor/club guru Benjamin Leatherman couldn't have said it better in regards to this week's announcements "Shit week for announcements."There is hope, however, in this meager group. That hope rests on the strong come ... More >>

Vayden and Miniature Tigers Make Big Summer Plans; More Local Band News

Phoenix rock band Vayden has a busy summer ahead of them. The group's lined up a monthly gig at Los Angeles' famous Whiskey a Go Go, every fourth Friday from May through July, then they're heading to Germany for the Dithmarscher Festival. You can check out the globetrotting band when they play in th ... More >>

Incoming: Justin Bieber, Green Day, Paramore, Tim McGraw, Chicago

Justin Bieber. Deal with it.​Oh baby: Phoenix is about to get Bieber Fever! Canadian pop singer/world-dominator Justin Bieber plays Jobing.com Arena this July. It seems you can't swing a dead cat these days without that same cat mentioning something about Justin Bieber. He has an absolute str ... More >>

Green Day Announces Summer Tour, Phoenix Date in August

Luke HolwerdaGreen Day's Billie Joe Armstrong on stage at U.S. Airways Center in Phoenix. See more shots of last year's Green Day concert in our slide show.Green Day announced a summer tour this morning, including a show that will bring the band to Phoenix for a second straight August.Last year the ... More >>

WTF? This Year's Phooson Is In Tucson Only

Luke Holwerda Fallout Boy from last year's Phooson. ​ One of the highlight's of last year's concert season undoubtedly was the superstar-studded Phooson put on by 104.7 KISS FM last December at Cricket Wireless Pavillion. (Relive the coverage by Martin Cizmar and Jonathan McNamara in all it ... More >>

Please Don't Call Chickenfoot a “Supergroup”

Poison, Def Leppard, Against Me! Love Mania Pool Party, and "Native Confluence: Sustaining Cultures" Over the Weekend

​Poison and Def Leppard at Cricket Wireless Pavilion After drawing some fire for making an unfavorable comparison between Green Day and Poison in my review of last Saturday's show at U.S. Airways Center, I saw a rare chance to subject one of my statements to some scrutiny this Saturday as Pois ... More >>

Toby Keith Talks About Him (and the Army) at Cricket

Jessica TestaToby Keith on stage at Cricket Wireless Pavilion in Phoenix.​It's a shame Toby Keith will always be The Angry American. In mainstream consciousness, the Oklahoma-born country singer is a Bush-loving neocon who's always ready to put his boot in Osama bin Laden's ass, thereby making his ... More >>

Lil Wayne at Cricket Wireless Pavilion In Photos

Luke HolwerdaLil Wayne on stage at Cricket Wireless Pavilion​Lil Wayne and his entourage fired up Cricket Wireless Pavilion with pyrotechnics, giant screens and all the hot dance moves they could Flash for the "America's Most Wanted Tour" on Wednesday. Check out shots from the show in our Lil ... More >>

July 28 In Blogs: David Irving, The Wiggles, Comic-Con, and Aerosmith

​In the 24-hour news cycle it can be difficult to keep up. We have the solution. Check back on Valley Fever every evening for highlights from each of New Times' blogs. Today's entries: Feathered Bastard: David Irving, the Cowardly Holocaust Denier, and His Gal Friday Jaenelle Antas Up on the Sun ... More >>

Aerosmith Drummer Joey Kramer Signs Book Before Show Monday

Aerosmith drummer Joey Kramer will meet fans before the band's show at Cricket Wireless Pavilion Monday, signing copies of his recently released book, Hit Hard: A Story of Hitting Rock Bottom At the Top. The car-dealin', debt-collectin' car lover is the man who came up with the name "Aerosmith."The ... More >>

Slayer Plays Through The (Dry) Heat

SlayerTwo stages, 13 bands, more than nine hours of music, and yet the Rockstar Mayhem Festival could easily be summed up in one word: SLAYER!!!!!!!!!!!!! Unfortunately, New Times doesn't pay me for one-word reviews, and to be honest, a handful of other bands on the bill definitely made an impre ... More >>

Incoming: Lil Wayne, Daughtry, Cherry Poppin Daddies

Robert Brandon MartinezLast time Lil Wayne came to town he was two hours late to the stage, causing a chain reaction of show-stalling shenanigans that involved the opener, T-Pain, coming back on stage wearing pajamas and a scarf to dance in a futile effort to quell the crowd. None of it worked and, ... More >>

Vans Warped Tour at Cricket Wireless Pavilion: The Maine, Dear and the Headlights, and Popsters Aplenty Entertain the Twees

The local heartthrobs of The Maine: Better than NOFX and Bad Religion. Until yesterday, I used to loathe the Warped Tour. Not because of the bands or music, mind you, but rather because of some bad experiences I'd had while attending the annual summertime mega-tour. When the Warped Tour first c ... More >>

July 1 In Blogs: Courtney Marie Andrews, Jay-Z, Twilight Farmer's Market, and Van's Warped Tour

In the 24-hour news cycle it can be difficult to keep up. We have the solution. Check back on Valley Fever every evening for highlights from each of New Times' blogs. Today's entries: Feathered Bastard: More Shawna Fordes in the Making? Violent Rhetoric and Unbalanced Actions from Phoenix Nativists ... More >>

No Doubt, Fun., Pool Parties and Taylor Swift Over the (Memorial Day) Weekend

Girl Power: Females Flock to Cricket Wireless Pavilion for No Doubt and Paramore Right now my ears are ringing something fierce after enduring a non-stop auditory assault of thousands of tweens and teenyboppers girls screaming in absolute elation during No Doubt and Paramore's show at Cricket Wirel ... More >>

Cheeseburger in Purgatory

Parrotheads take moveable beach bash from Cricket to Westgate

Examining Why We Go Absolutely Nuts for Certain Musicians

Oh Jimmy Buffet, you clever man you, naming your backing band the "Coral Reefer Band" For those of you living under a rock or just emerging from a coma, Jimmy Buffett will be playing tonight at Cricket Wireless Pavilion, much to the delight of seemingly tens of thousands of Valley Parrotheads ... More >>

Dave Matthews at Cricket Wireless Pavilion: Observed

Jonathan McNamaraDave on stage at Cricket... probably at least two violin solos in to the show.A collection of observations from the Dave Matthews Bands' performance at Cricket Wireless Pavilion, time-stamped by solo:Time: First violin solo (presumed)As DMB hit stage promptly at 8 p.m., the ticket l ... More >>

May 7 In Blogs: Eyes Set to Kill, NIN, Travel Channel, Dave Matthews Band and More

In the 24-hour news cycle it can be difficult to keep up. Worry not! We have the solution. Check back on Valley Fever every evening for highlights from each of New Times' blogs. Today's entries: Feathered Bastard: Joe Arpaio Fanboy/Neo-Nazi "Vito Lombardi" Is Thomas Vito Coletto, Alleged Columbine ... More >>

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo in Style

Wikipedia One tequila, two tequila, three tequila...floor. Stuff some cab money in your pocket, grab your dorkiest sombrero, and get ready to suck down some cerveza. It's Cinco de Mayo and the tequila's gonna be flowing like water today at bars, restaurants, and drinkeries throughout the Vall ... More >>

No Doubt Tax Day Special: $15 Lawn Seats

Right now, if you were to amble over to Live Nation's No Doubt page you'd see that lawn tickets for Gwen Stefani's band's show at Cricket Wireless Pavilion are $25. Not tomorrow. In a promotional effort tied to tax day they'll be a more modest $15. For the band that brought you "Spiderwebs," "Hey Ba ... More >>

Just Announced: Nine Inch Nails, The Atomic Punks, Magnolia Electric Co.

Not too many acts have as streaky a career as Nine Inch Nails. One tour they're playing the Marquee, the next they're headlining at Cricket Wireless Pavilion with Jane's Addiction, as they will in May. The bands are joined by Tom Morello's new band Street Sweeper. That show is just one of the big co ... More >>

Just Announced: Former Formatter's New Band Fun Coming to Tempe

The Format's breakup left a huge hole in the local music scene last year. Just when the duo seemed poised to put Phoenix on the map when they split up, but hopefully Nate Ruess's New York-based band Fun can alleviate some of that pain. They've booked a Valley show with Manchester Orchestra, Audreye ... More >>

10 Emo Songs That Don’t Suck

No Doubt Coming to Cricket on May 23

Gwen Stefani is reuniting with her backing band. Kidding! Seriously, folks, No Doubt announced a summer tour today, stopping in Phoenix's Cricket Wireless Pavilion on Saturday, May 23. Paramore and The Sounds join them. Tickets go on sale next Saturday at noon here.

Jimmy Buffett Coming to Phoenix on May 14

Jimmy Buffett is coming to Cricket Wireless Pavilion on May 14 as part of the inimitably named "Summerzcool Tour." Tickets go on sale next Monday at livenation.com. Expect lots of hats like those pictured above.

Rascal Flatts Coming to Cricket March 12

It's probably an oddity that Columbus, Ohio had a reputation for producing quality country music for so long, but that's what spawning Dwight Yoakam does for you. But whatever country cred the giant-Applebee's-of-a-city had through Yoakam was quickly squandered in 2004 when Rascal Flatts' "Mayberry" ... More >>

Dodge Theatre Dumps Ticketmaster, Other Live Nation Venues To Follow

The Internet age has finally done what Eddie Vedder couldn't: Break Ticketmaster's stranglehold on concert ticket sales.Starting now, tickets to Dodge Theatre will be available only through Livenation.com. Sarita Ray, public relations coordinator, says Cricket Wireless Pavillion, the mega-promoter's ... More >>

Dave Matthews Band Coming To Cricket on May 6

It's not even Christmas, but we have our first piece of big summer concert news today: Dave Matthews Band is coming to Cricket Wireless Pavilion on May 6.Yes, it's time for "Dave" again, already.DMB's first studio record in four years (oddly produced by Rob Cavallo of Green Day and My Chemical Roman ... More >>

Over the Weekend: Dave Matthews Band, Rage in the Cage and Manzanita Speedway

This Weekend: Manzanita Speedway, Dave Matthews Band and Across the Universe

Concert Schedule for This Weekend

Concert Schedule for this Weekend

This is Not Spinal Tap

But it might as well be

Tonight's Avril Lavigne show canceled

Future Shock: Annuals, Jimmy Eat World, Times New Viking, and more