Deer Tick

Music Fests Like Coachella Drive Concert Sales to New Heights

Top Five Must-See Shows in Phoenix This Weekend

Who's excited for the Instagram pictures Questlove is going to post of Phoenix this weekend? I sure am. The Roots will be in town on Saturday, March 23, to play as part of McDowell Mountain Music Festival, plus, Questo will be dropping a DJ set at Bar Smith afterward. That's sure to yield some good ... More >>

Heartless Bastards: Songwriter Erika Wennerstorm Aims for "Clint Eastwood-meets-Nancy Sinatra" Sounds

Timberlake-style audacity aside, it takes some serious stones to open an album with a six-minute-plus slow burning anthem. But that's what Erika Wennerstrom does with "Marathon," the opening track of her band Texas-via-Ohio band Heartless Bastards' 2012 opus, Arrow. See also: -Questlove of The Ro ... More >>

Questlove of The Roots Is So Much Better at Instagram Than You

Of all the stupid things we do with our phones, Instagram might be the worst. Not only has the app falsely convinced us all we're professional photographers, but it's done something even worse: It's encouraged our worst vainglorious tendencies. No one is Amaro-toning his or her real life. There are ... More >>

Yonder Mountain String Band: Bluegrass for People That Don't Like Bluegrass

"I don't feel at all that we have made it in the bluegrass world. We exist on the fringe at best," Yonder Mountain String Band bassist Ben Kaufmann lamented back in 2003. "The bluegrass music we are writing is different than the other bluegrass music that is out there. I think it is going to take pe ... More >>

Les Claypool: Eccentric Bassist Would Rather Be Fishing

If Primus bassist Les Claypool had a bumper sticker on his car, it would most likely read: "I'd rather be fishing." As much as Claypool likes to create strange and esoteric music, he also loves heading out on the water and zoning out. See also: -Les Claypool's Duo de Twang and Deer Tick Added to ... More >>

Last Exit Live to Open on March 22

There's been a growing cacophony coming from inside Last Exit Live in recent weeks, including plenty of banging, thumping, and grinding. Such clamor isn't from any ear-crunching local hard rock acts testing out the soon-to-open downtown Phoenix bar and music joint, however, but rather from a flurry ... More >>

McDowell Mountain Music Festival 2013 Announces Local Lineup Featuring Kongos, Fayuca, and More

McDowell Mountain Music Festival's 2013 lineup, featuring The Shins, The Roots, Deer Tick, Les Claypool's Duo de Twang, and more, has expanded to include a host of local Phoenix-based acts. The weekend festival will now Kongos, Mergence, Banana Gun, Fayuca, The Veragroove, Yellow Minute, Decker, and ... More >>

New Year's Resolution: Take Some Musical Chances, Phoenix

Is it possible to have a New Years Resolution for a whole city? Not sure, but I have one. One for Phoenicians one and all, myself included. So here goes: Let's take some musical risks, Phoenix. Let's look for opportunities to try new things. No sticking to known quantities. We want to help. There ... More >>

What Would Life Be Like Without Technology? A Onetime Addict Finds Out

The Shins and Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeroes Added to the Expanding McDowell Mountain Music Festival Lineup

The quickly expanding lineup of McDowell Mountain Music Festival 2013 has added two more big names to the roster: The Shins and Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeroes. The 2013 installment of the festival is looking to have the most impressive lineup in MMMF history, as The Shins and Sharpe join Th ... More >>

Top Five Phoenix Music Stories of the Week

The news waits for no one -- at least that's what we read somewhere -- so it's perfectly understandable that you, the reader, might have missed out on a musical tidbit, breaking news about your favorite venue, or one of our rants. So enjoy this digest-style sampling of some of our biggest stories f ... More >>

Les Claypool's Duo de Twang and Deer Tick Added to McDowell Mountain Music Festival 2013

Do you hear that? Off in the distance? It's the sound of a bass guitar being slapped. Furiously slapped. That's kinda what Les Claypool (Primus, Oysterhead, Frog Brigade) does, and I'm betting that's what he'll be doing with his Duo de Twang (Claypol plus MIRV) on Sunday, March 24. The act has been ... More >>

Is a Nirvana-Style Breakthrough Looming with '90s Revival?

Ryan Gaumont, What Are You Listening To?

Ryan Gaumont Gaumont is a member of local sketch comedy troupe Bully Mammoth and is a stand-up comedian. See him perform at Stand Up Scottsdale! in Scottsdale this Friday, August 31 at 9 p.m. For more details, go here. When you put your key in the ignition and turn on the radio, what station would ... More >>

These United States: Rambling Americana That Melts Into the Arizona Desert

Somewhere north of Apache Junction, there's a long road leading to a rock on the edge of the Salt River that Jesse Elliott still needs to see. For a songwriter who makes the most out of near-endless traveling, that rock represents just another one of those tempting little side roads in life. "Wh ... More >>

The Cave Singers @ Sail Inn

Sasquatch! 2012 Wrap-Up: Trivia for the Casual Observer

By Chris Kornelis Sasquatch! went down this past weekend in George, Washington, and our good friends at Seattle Weekly's Reverb blog were on hand to take it all in. Test your knowledge of the 2012 edition of the festival in this multiple-choice trivia test. For clues, check out Seattle Weekly's co ... More >>

Five Must-See Shows This Weekend (Cinco de Mayo Edition)

Curious what's going on around town this weekend? Need some suggestions as to how to rock, dance, or krump in the Valley of the Sun? Don't fret: These are our Five Shows to See This Weekend. Saturday May 5: Cinco de Mayo Phoenix Festival in Downtown Phoenix More than 150,000 people are expected to ... More >>

Deer Tick's John McCauley on Hanging Out With Brian Williams While Hungover

Alt-country stumblers Deer Tick know how to keep up the pace. Songwriter John McCauley started the band back in 2004, and since then it's morphed from a solo project into a full-fledges rock 'n' roll machine, spitting cheap domestic beer and rangy Americana fury. Back in October they released Divi ... More >>

Incoming: Summerland Tour, Santigold, 311

This summer is bringing in a miraculous flood of awesome shows if 90s alt-pop rock is your cup of tea. Everclear, Sugar Ray, The Gin Blossoms, Lit, and Marcy Playground are hitting the road together for what is sure to be an absolutely epic dream of a Summerland Tour. We apologize for having ju ... More >>

White Rabbits, Gull, and Other Successful Animal Rock Bands

Indie rockers White Rabbits are coming up fast and now they're on their way to potentially making it big. They recently appeared on the Late Show With David Letterman, and they released a fantastic music video for their single "Heavy Metal" in support of their album Milk Famous, which also just came ... More >>

Decker: Love, God, and Sex in Sedona

decker.​The music of Brandon Decker, who records as decker. has proven to be a pleasant surprise. Primarily based in Sedona, an area known more for snoozy New Age, smooth jazz, and coffeehouse folk, Decker's third record, Broken Belts, Broken Bones doesn't sound unlike something you might hear ove ... More >>

Christmas Songs That Don't Suck: Part II

​So the season hops along, and what's happening in the Valley? Snow in Scottsdale? Madness indeed. Perhaps it's an overload of crappy Christmas tunes driving the folks at Weather Control crazy. Let's fix that with some quality tunes, shall we?Last week Up On the Sun brought you Part I of our weekl ... More >>

What's Selling: Stinkweeds Top 10 Selling Albums of the Week

​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. The best part about Halloween is dressing up. Although no one in this week's list at Stinkweeds in Phoenix is particularly h ... 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 >>

Gorillaz Release 'Phoner to Arizona' Music Video

Gorillas have just dropped a music video for their new song "Phoner to Arizona," according to NME.Phoner to Arizona" is the first track on Gorillaz' new iPad album The Fall, which they wrote while on the road during their North American fall tour this year.The Fall will be released as a free downloa ... More >>

Deer Tick Hits up Sail Inn Before Auctioning Off Tour Bus

Deer Tick with The Flagship, the tour bus the band is auctioning for charity.​Benefit shows can be a dime a dozen. And, due to their ubiquity, that can be about as much as they raise sometimes. Rhode Island band Deer Tick's taking another route, auctioning off a tour bus to raise funds for OxFam I ... More >>

Oct. 15 In Blogs: Karl Rove, Jeff Jacobson, Deer Tick, Oktoberfest, and Escorts

Another week has come and gone leaving us to ponder the upcoming events that will shape our lives and, more importantly, our dinners out. But before we move on, let's have one last look at the blog posts from this week:

Incoming: Atreyu, Deer Tick, No Age, Tim Kasher, Five For Fighting, Saves the Day

​As much as we like to deny that we were awkward teenagers, the fact remains that we most certainly were. When I think of my own teenage years, I tend to reflect on the music that I really liked. While I started to come around in my late teenage years, the early portion reflected a certain ge ... More >>

What's Selling: Stinkweeds Records

​While many highly anticipated records have finally dropped in the last few weeks, everyone from Spin to NPR to our very own Nothing Not New column has had something to say about the latest release from Blitzen Trapper. Phoenicians have not been oblivious, as Destroyer of the Void charted number o ... More >>

Arctic Monkeys to Play the Marquee (More Coachella Runoff!)

​The Valley is getting a ton of runoff from this year's Coachella. First it was Yeasayer and Beach House. Deer Tick and Vampire Weekend then entered the fold. Finally, Sia and Frightened Rabbit scheduled Phoenix dates around the massive festival in Indio, California. The recent announcem ... More >>

Deer Tick Heading Back to Phoenix!

​Okay. We've received complaints that New Times makes a point of mentioning all the good bands that don't come to Phoenix yet rarely, if ever, mention it when they do. So . . . Deer Tick will be coming to the Trunk Space on April 14. Last time Deer Tick were in town, they ... More >>

February 3 In Blogs: Polysics, James Garcia, Cupcakes, and Tiger Woods

​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: Catch James Garcia's Dream Act Play for Free, One Night Only, Guaranteed to Make Nativist ... More >>

Deer Tick Gets Sweaty At Modified

Despite sweltering heat and scarce air conditioning, about 160 folks crammed into Phoenix's Modified Arts last night to watch the much-hyped Deer Tick as they rolled into town in their converted school bus to support their new record, Born on Flag Day.  The boys, lead by singer/songwriter John ... More >>

Michael Jackson Memorial Tickets, Green Day Letting Fans Play Guitar On Stage, Grizzly Bear Goes Top 10

Rolling Stone: Michael Jackson Memorial Confirmed for July 7, AEG's Ticket Information Pitchfork: Grizzly Bear's Ed Droste on Symphonies, Festivals, and Going Top Ten So Much Silence: Kissing Cousins: Pillar of Salt NME: Oasis' Noel Gallagher praises Lily Allen State Press: Deer Tick album not ... More >>

Deer Tick Tonight At Modified Arts

We already told you a lot about Deer Tick in this week's paper, and we'll tell you a little more tomorrow, after tonight's show at Modified Arts but in the meantime we just wanted to give you a little reminder: DEER TICK IS TONIGHT.In case you're too lazy to click the above link:The group cranks out ... More >>

Deer Tick

Deer Tick

Flier of the Week: We Shot The Moon

Stateside Presents has really been on a hot streak, poster-wise, of late. Their Deer Tick flier has caught my eye a few times, as has this one for last Monday's Men show at Rhythm Room. This flier for We Shot The Moon was good enough to make me look up who the band's MySpace. Turns out they used to ... More >>

Just Announced: Jay Z, Akon, Deer Tick, CKY

H.O.V.A.Do ya'll want more of the jigga man? Well if y'all want more of the Jigga man, then I need ya'll to help me, bring him back to stage. Say Hova, c'mon say it! HO-VA! HO-VA! Are y'all out there?Yes, J-A-Y is comign back to Phoenix, playing the cozy confines of Dodge Theatre in August. What els ... More >>

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 >>