Music Festivals

McDowell Mountain Music Festival 2013 (VIDEO)

Are you still sleeping off the hangover you picked up at the 10th annual McDowell Mountain Music Festival? In case you somehow missed it, MMMF 3013 brought some great acts to Phoenix. We're still tapping our feet every time we hear a song by The Roots or The Shins and we've got our fingers crossed t ... 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 >>

Pinata @ Fillmore Creative

The Insects, Mouse Powell and Afro Classics Wrap Up SxSW Tour Tonight at Hidden House

Our local music acts make one helluva trip come SxSW time. Aside from the drive to Austin itself, many of the musicians take the opportunity to spread their sounds along the southwest with various gigs along the way. Then of course there's the actual music festival. Although March 18 marks the offi ... More >>

First Five Bands Announced for Punk Rock Bowling 2012

The term "punk festival" conjures up images of bratty tweens with asymmetrical haircuts crowd surfing at Warped Tour. Remember when Warped Tour actually had punk bands and was, you know, good? It may seem like a bygone era, but the annual

Phooson @ US Airways Center

Phoenix Music Heads to Tortilla Flat

GLOWfest

Lollapalooza: "It Was 20 Years Ago Today..."

​It's kind of hard to imagine that Lallapalooza is 20 years-old. I wasn't in attendance in 1991, but the event still feels like a cultural touchstone for me (due in no small part to the "Homerpalooza" episode of The Simpsons, which introduced me to Sonic Youth, and cemented my growing love for The ... More >>

X Japan's Single "Jade" Gets June 28 Release Date

The cover art for X Japan's new single "Jade." X Japan band leader Yoshiki Hayashi shot this photo.​Last Year, America got a pumping rock-fist of Japanese Music when X Japan, the most popular J-Rock band ever, played their debut U.S. show at Lollapalooza before rocking through a few major cities o ... More >>

Coachella's Big Announcement: Two Weekends For 2012

The dates for Coachella 2012.​When the people behind the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival -- Paul Tollett and Goldenvoice -- announced they had a big announcement set for 10 a.m. today, my curiosity was piqued. I have been attending the festival for six years now, and no two year ... More >>

Lollapalooza Unveils Lineup: Eminem, Foo Fighters, Coldplay, Muse

​Lollapalooza has revealed an absolutely killer lineup for its 20th-anniversary show, according to Consequence of Sound.Eminem, Foo Fighters, Coldplay, and Muse are at the top of this summer's impressive bill. Other big names scheduled to perform include My Morning Jacket, Deadmau5, A Perfect Circ ... More >>

SXSW: A Look Back For Those of You Who Missed Out

Jonathan McNamaraCheck out this and more photos like it in our "Bands of SXSW" slideshow.​Another SXSW has come and gone leaving the echoes of hundreds of bands ringing in our ears and the streets of Austin, Texas covered in fliers for showcases long since past. If you didn't make it down to the ... More >>

Saving Japan at SXSW

Help Save Japan @ SXSWCasino Kids standing in front of the Help Save Japan at SXSW booth at the Austin Convention Center. ​Debilitating earthquakes. Aftershocks. Tsunamis that swept away entire towns and destroyed countless agricultural fields. Thousands of dead and missing. All of this occurr ... More >>

Starfucker at Trunk Space Last Night

Starfucker​StarfuckerSunday, March 13, 2011Trunk SpaceWhat's a band to do en route to next week's SXSW? Perhaps spend a night on Grand Ave. in Phoenix at Trunk Space whilst they make their way to Austin? Such was the more than decent decision by Portland indie/electronic outfit Starfucker. March i ... More >>

A Look at the Four Arizona Acts to be Showcased at South by Southwest

Eminem, Arcade Fire, Widespread Panic, The Black Keys Headlining Bonnaroo

Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival​ Eminem, Arcade Fire, Widespread Panic, and The Black Keys will be headlining the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival for its 10th year, according to the Bonnaroo website.The good people who run Bonnaroo have put together a bomb-ass lineup. Other artists confir ... More >>

Sarah McLachlan @ Comerica Theatre

X Japan Signs With EMI, Plans New Tour

X Japan during their North American tour in 2010.​Just a few short months ago, I watched X Japan play their first U.S. performance ever in front of hundreds of sunburned Lollapalooza attendees.It was a dynamite performance, but mostly because of pyrotechnics - not the audience reaction. The band f ... More >>

10 Steps to Becoming the Next Indie Buzz Band

Arcade Fire​So, it's Saturday night and you are playing another show in front of an empty dive bar. You can't figure out why your Linkin Park tribute band hasn't become more successful. You've spent hours working on your bands MySpace page, you've worked hard to get your original stuff played o ... More >>

X Japan, Hayley Williams, Hanson, and More in This Week's Issue

X Japan at Lollapalooza 2010​This week's music feature is on X Japan's breakthrough into the American music scene. They recently performed in the U.S. for the very first time and made their debut at Lollapalooza. The Japanese metal super group has grown to have an impressive cult-like following, a ... More >>

X Japan's Yoshiki on Lollapalooza, Hide, and Taking Over America with Japanese Rock

Jonathan McNamaraX Japan moments before playing Lollapalooza 2010. Left to right: Pata, Heath, Yoshiki, Toshi, and Sugizo.​I'm riding in an elevator up to the highest floors of Chicago's Ritz Carlton with publicist Heidi Ellen Robinson-Fitzgerald. For a sweet lady, she represents some hard-hit ... More >>

Mini-Ozzfest

Guitar Hero

We’re talking about Clapton, of course

Mayhem Explained

A Look At Each of the Mayhem festival’s Headliners

A Look at Korn, Rob Zombie, and the Other Stars of the Mayhem Festival

The PBR Spring Situation

The PBR Spring Situation

How Dear and the Headlights Became the Most Important Band in Arizona

Bonnaroo, Summer of Sound, Transformers 2 Rave, and the Dub Show Tour Over the Weekend

Onstage at Bonnaroo Music Festival Bonnaroo kicked off Thursday with sets from, among others, Passion Pit and Those Darlins. Friday's acts included Al Green, the Beastie Boys, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Phoenix and Grizzly Bear. Saturday's sets included Bon Iver (with Justin Long and Drew Barrymore in the cro ... More >>

Pretty Things Peepshow

Michelle Branch and Other Chicks With Picks Drew a Small Crowd to Tempe Beach Park

Jonathan McNamara It's no secret that we at Up on the Sun love local music. Hell, our music editor just made the journey to SxSW to make sure you get to read first-hand accounts of how Miniature Tigers, Kinch, Dear and the Headlights and several other Phoenix bands did in Austin, Texas. So it was w ... More >>

Ozzfest

Now Osbourne-free

Messing With Texas

Arizona Rock Coalition's "foot in the door" may end up in its mouth

Storm Troopers

Jane's Addiction soldiers on, even as bad weather delays its return to the stage

Dream Team

Tempe-based, baby dance-music label Dream Music scores big with first single

Austin Stories

Confused agenda of SXSW can't obscure the many musical highlights

Goin' South

Seven local bands head to SXSW for a week of industry excess

It's Only Agro to Me

SXSW.97

Wushu Clan

Texas Flood

Coda

NO NET JAMDIRTY THREE TAKES INSTRUMENTAL ROCK INTO THE DANGER ZONE

LA-LA-LA-LA, LA-LA-LA-LARUMORS OF LOLLAPALOOZA'S DEATH ARE GREATLY EXAGGERATED

APOCALYPSE YOWTHE JESUS LIZARD, LOLLAPALOOZA'S SURPRISE DARLING, STICKS OUT ITS TONGUE AND GOES, "ARRRGH"

AGGRESSION SESSIONIT'S GLOVES OFF FOR KUKQ "ANTIFEST"

SOUTHWEST STORY

TEXAS SCHMEXAS

LOLLAPALOSAR