Hot Topic Inc.

10 Greatest Love Songs (That Aren't Actually Love Songs)

In case you haven't set foot in a grocery store in the past week only to be assaulted by a red and pink barrage to the eyes, let us clue you in: Valentine's Day is on the way. You've no doubt began prepping (or, you've at least convinced yourself that waiting until the last minute is a good idea), o ... More >>

Refused is Not F*cking Dead

The seminal politically-charged Swedish hardcore band, Seminal politically-charged Swedish hardcore band, Refused, made music well ahead of its time. No debate - these guys were the real deal. "We wanted something more than what was on offer and we gave it our best shot. It didn't pan out, we went ... More >>

Gathering of the Juggalos or S.S. Coachella? We Break Out the Scorecard

See also: S.S. Coachella Cruise Lineup Announced Featuring Pulp, Girl Talk, Z-Trip, and More See also: Z-Trip Talks Growing Up in Phoenix, Johhny D., Crate-Digging, Mexican Food, Smite, and More See also: The Gathering of the Juggalos 2012 Lineup Is Pretty Good. Really! See also: FBI Report Official ... More >>

The Adolescents and Youth Brigade Represent Punk Well Into Middle Age

Haywire: Steven Soderbergh Makes an Impact With MMA Leading Lady Gina Carano

Maynard James Keenan (Puscifer, Tool, A Perfect Circle) on The Importance of Keeping It Local

​Maynard James Keenan is a successful guy: he's fronts two massive rock bands, Tool and A Perfect Circle, owns Merkin Vineyards and Caduceus Cellars in Jerome, Arizona, where he lives. Though ostensibly a "side-project," Keenan's band Puscifer seems to be increasingly be where Keenan's hear lies. ... More >>

Skrillex and 12th Planet at Marquee Theatre (VIDEO)

Francis LazaroSkrillex (a.k.a. Sonny Moore) performs for the screaming masses.​As a rocker and vocalist, Sonny Moore was passable at best. As his alter ego Skrillex, however, the dude's an electronic music maestro and fifth-degree party instigator. Moore displayed said skills last night at the M ... More >>

The Smoking Popes @ The Sail Inn

DJ Dark Mark Talks Industrial Music, Tranzylvania, Lords of Acid, Front 242, and More

Mark Tomlinson (a.k.a. DJ Dark Mark)​Name: Mark Tomlinson AKA: DJ Dark Mark Genres spun: I started out playing with what I knew best -- EBM, industrial, and rhythmic noise. As of late I have been mixing a lot of dubstep and drum 'n' bass into my industrial sets. Current schedule: I am one of th ... More >>

Atreyu @ Marquee Theatre

Best Coast's Bethany Cosentino: Hanging With Lo-Fi's Leading Lady

Tom VandenAvond, Frequis, WTFunk Friday, and Other Events This Weekend

Benjamin LeathermanA typical night at TT Roadhouse, which is putting on a major party this weekend.One year ago, many fans of the TT Roadhouse such as myself probably had a major Malox moment going. Rumors were circulating that Brad Henrich, the longtime proprietor of the notorious Scottsdale dive ... More >>

The Paramore Paradox: Why Hayley Williams Can't Leave the Band That Made Her Famous

The Summer Set Gears Up For (Go Figure) a Busy Summer with Hot Topic In-Store Appearance and Vans Warped Tour

The Summer Set: Their bikes could beat up your bikes​Fresh off a successful run on the AP Tour this spring, Scottsdale pop rockers the Summer Set are not slowing down. The band returns to the road this week as part of the annual Vans Warped Tour. The genre-bending mega-festival kicks off this Frid ... More >>

Concert Review: Brand New Cover Songs From All Four Albums And Keep It Simple On Stage

​It's not often that a band garners encore-like chants from their fans before a show unless it's an arena band such as Bon Jovi or U2. However, this was the scene at Mesa Ampitheatre Thursday 10 minutes before Brand New greeted the fairly packed house. The Long Island punk act took ... More >>

The Academy Is… Power Pop’s Leading Light

Thirst: Park Chan Wook Gets Positively Trendy – With a Vampire Flick

Q&A: Get Up Kids' Matt Pryor Talks Jumping Around, Playing Pop Music and the Emo Handbook

​ Any attempt on my part to play "rock critic" on this assignment would be complete bullshit. Few assignments have ever made me want to high five my inner fifteen-year-old more than a chance to interview Matt Pryor of The Get Up Kids, a band that dominated my Walkman in early high school. I'd spen ... More >>

For an Unsigned Act, The Asylum Sure Are Fancy

Danny Dirtnap and The Video Nasties Are "No Hope Kids"

Lucero Live: Why Country Music Needs Some Punk Blood

I love discussing music with our new Music Editor, Martin. More often than not we basically agree on most things. But I could not disagree more with his review of the Lucero show last night at the Rhythm Room. The first of my complaints is when talking about how the crowd was reacting (or the fact t ... More >>

“Divining Nature” Puts Rachel Bess’ Interests in the Darker Side of Life on Display at Perihelion Arts

Filmmaker Brian Pulido Celebrates the Horror of Phoenix in The Graves

Renaissance Faire 101: The What Not to Wear Episode

Hark! The Arizona Renaissance Festival is back for another glorious year, and that means giant turkey legs, jousts to the death, and big-breasted babes in bodices. We'll drink to that -- with a tankard of ale, natch! If you want to fit in with this carny crowd, you'll need proper attire. So we've as ... More >>

Style Watch: Tempe Music Festival

Geek chic

Antichrist Superstars

Absinthe makes the heathens grow fonder

That's a Rap

Putting away the 40

Getting Over Emo

Fall Out Boy transcends a taboo tag

Panic Attack

Jett bird-dogs Britpop-tarts and surfs upper badonkadonk while Kreme shoegazes at Anderson's Fifth Estate

Warped Minds

A day at punk rock's biggest summer tour takes more than just stamina

Brain Trust

Let video games rot your gray matter before the zombies get to you

7 Seconds

Take It Back, Take It On, Take It Over!
(Side One Dummy)

Vid Kid

New video games and DVDs will keep you glued to the screen

Marrying the Mainstream

White men learned to dance, and the emoting was as thick as the eyeliner on the year's best pop-rock records

Hip to Be SquarePants

There's nothing absurd about the appeal of SpongeBob's first movie

Dance Dance Fever

Valley arcade rats find fame on the DDR Dance Pad

Studio Visit: Disturbed Beauty

A Phoenix artist who dreams up dark works like The Nightmare

Photo Finish

Picture this at Paper Heart

Maritime

Rising from the ashes of the Promise Ring

Geeks Gone Wild!

Wardriving hackers take the revenge of the nerds to the street

Under Avril's Hood

Moody or confused? Essential or disposable? We offer an analysis.

Big Bang Boom

Bangs sticks its punk right in your face -- but insists it has no agenda

Herald and Mod

My First Mister proclaims the transcendence of a pretty young freak

'zine Buddha

Local artist Brian Brooks watches his work go from sticky barroom floors to flying off international clothing racks

Tigre Beat

Former Bikini Kill leader Kathleen Hanna's new group is the cat's meow

Letters