Gin Blossoms

The Black Moods: "The Cover Band Thing Is Almost Like An Epidemic"

Somewhere outside of Phoenix, in the blistering desert, towering rock and roll legends of the past buried a time capsule containing the key to a long lost sound. Through perseverance, talent and brilliance, The Black Moods from Tempe, AZ seem to have uncovered that capsule and tapped into the secret ... More >>

Top Five Must-See Phoenix Shows This Weekend

If you want to see the Refreshments, who haven't played together as a band since 1998, now might be a good time to figure out whether you're legally allowed to go to Mexico. I don't mean to spoil this week's Must-See Phoenix Shows This Weekend, but it might take you a little time to figure that ou ... More >>

Who Decides What Rock is "Classic Rock?"

Not everyone has the luxury of having an auxiliary jack in their car stereo. With the amount of leaks, holes, and weird noises coming from my engine, I'm lucky my beat up truck still runs period. I can't be asking for a decent stereo. So my commuting music consists entirely of FM radio, which is sti ... More >>

Jill Bryan, What Are You Listening To?

Jill Bryan The comedian hosts Stand-Up Live's Comedy Gold showcase and radio's "What A Mouth." Check out www.jillbryancomedy.com for upcoming shows and events! When you put your key in the ignition and turn on the radio, what station would play right now? KMLE Country, 107.9-FM. I'm a big fan of T ... More >>

Happy Independence Day (We'll Be Back Tomorrow)

Happy Independence Day, Up on the Sun readers. Check out our review of last night's '90s nostalgia-festival Summerland (featuring Gin Blossoms, Lit, Sugar Ray, Marcy's Playground, and Everclear), then hit the pool, drink some cold American beers (or one of these), eat whatever the hell you want to ... 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 >>

Chip Off The Old Block

Ring in the New Year With These Five Local Shows

Meat Puppets​A year full of excellent local shows has come and gone, and like years past, we're sad to see them go. We look forward to a fruitful future of local music in 2012. To ring in the New Year, a gracious amount of local bands have decided to play shows around the Valley, including so ... More >>

Eight Bands That Should Make a Children's Record

​They Might Be Giants' new album, Join Us, comes out today. If you've only been following TMBG for the past four or five years, you might be under the impression that this Brooklyn-based band is a children's music group. That would be understandable, considering Join Us is the first TMBG album si ... More >>

The Persuaders' Lawrence Zubia on Major Labels, The Tempe Scene, and New Album

​Featuring former members of Tempe jangle-pop kings The Pistoleros, Dead Hot Workshop, The Gin Blossoms, and Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers, The Persuaders debuted earlier this year, cranking out the same kind of melodic pop rock that defined the sound of their earlier bands.If you've spent any ... More >>

Gin Blossoms' Ex-Drummer Scott Kusmirek Starts New Band Vinyl Station ( Mp3)

​Drummer Scott Kusmirek -- who did two stints with the Gin Blossoms in the midst of the band's feud with Phillip Rhodes, the drummer they rode to prominence in the early 90s -- has a new project."The Kooze's" new band is called Vinyl Station and an "indie-rock" trio also featuring bassist Darell C ... More >>

What's Selling: Zia Record Exchange Tempe

​Local bands were in demand at Zia Record Exchange in Tempe this week.Jimmy Eat World took the top spot with their new album Invented, and the Gin Blossoms also found their way onto the list with their anticipated second comeback album. Singer-songwriter Pete Yorn snuck onto the top 10 with his se ... More >>

Back to the Sonic Future

Downtown gallery maps Valley music history

Back to the Sonic Future

Downtown gallery maps Valley music history

Back to the Sonic Future

Downtown gallery maps Valley music history

Back to the Sonic Future

Downtown gallery maps Valley music history

Valley Bands Unite to Rock Out for the Love of Boobs

Let Go, are one of several Valley acts, who will rock out for boobs at Last Exit on March 21. Promoter Lance Wilson will host his annual Rock for the Cure (aka "Save the Boobs") benefit concert Saturday, March 21 at Tempe's Last Exit Bar & Grill. The bill is packed with some of Arizona's fines ... More >>

Source Victoria, Scotty Johnson gig this weekend in Scottsdale

Valley indie-rock buzz band Source Victoria (a Jim Adkins favorite!) and Gin Blossoms über-guitarist Scotty Johnson are mixing it up this weekend with gigs outside the box. Source Victoria will perform at Scottsdale's Art One Gallery, 4120 N. Marshall Way. The show starts around 10 p.m. Cov ... More >>

Rest in Peace, Doug Hopkins

Today is the 15th anniversary of what I'd say is the darkest day in the history of Arizona music. On December 5, 1993 Doug Hopkins, former guitarist of Gin Blossoms took his life. I'm not really the person to talk about this myself, having been 13 and living in Ohio at the time, but I wanted to shar ... More >>

Hit Refresh

Former Tempe scenester hypes new book, disc

Sugar High

Let the Sunshine Out
(Thousandaire Records)

You can't swing a Gin Blossom without hitting a concert this weekend

Fame, Shmame: Overlooked AZ Hall of Fame Nominees

Props to Our Peeps: The Arizona Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame Awards on Sept. 23

CTS

Sentimental Journey
(New Circle Entertainment)

Dream On

Alive and picking

This Week's Day-by-day Picks

OK, Go Go

Paper Heart makes a Modest Proposal

Gin Mill

The gigs are great, but the strains of middle age catch up with the Gin Blossoms

Nicks of Time

Pop's gold-dust woman bounces back from drugs, depression and sluggish sales

Hanging On to Something

Older, wiser Pistoleros are no longer defined by rock 'n' roll, but they're still committed to it

Back in the Zone

Retooled version of local music showcase returns to the FM dial

Seems Like Old Times

Back together after a decade of ups and downs, Dead Hot Workshop tries to restore its legacy

Time Transients

A new millennium in Phoenix, where the motorist in the next lane is your auld acquaintance

A Glitch in Time Saves None

Where were you when the lights didn't go out? All the dangers of Celebration 2000 that Phoenix shut-ins sat out.

New Times Music Showcase 1999

I Want My MP3!

Wondermeat's Will Nerini and Eric Long have seen the future of Phoenix rock, and it's downloadable

Recordings

Songbird Rising

Live music in Phoenix is there if you want it -- whatever it is you want

Staying Power

The Chimeras are the Tempe band that would not die

Four Thousand Miles From Tempe

Ten days, five cities, chainmotels and a van named Sugar. This is how Dead Hot Workshop doestheroad.

Pic Hits for the week

RECORDINGS

A DECEN CHANCETHE PIERSONS TRY TO BECOME MORE THAN KINGS O SATURDAY NIGHT AT WONG'S

TUNES OF '93 IN TEN EASY STEPS SIR CHARLES, BARRY GOLDWATER AND DAVE FROM CIRCLE K WEIGH IN WITH THEIR FAVES

DEAD HOT AND RIPE BUT WILL THE TALENTED TEMPE BAND MISS ITS HARVEST SEASON?

NEW RELEASES FROM THE DESERT

THE MOUTHS THAT ROARED

LOCAL RAP RULERS PHUNK JUNKEEZ DON'T KNOW WHEN TO SHUT UP. IT'S MAKING THEM FAMOUS.

TOPS AND FLOPS II

ANOTHER LOOK AT THE LATEST IN MUSIC RECORDED BY BALLEY ACTS

BAND ON THE RUN

WHAT'S IN A NAME? PLENTY, WHEN IT'S THE GIN BLOSSOMS.