Musical Instrument Museum

The Sopranos

Dark Star Orchestra To Bring an Acoustic Grateful Dead Set to MIM

There are an estimated 300 Grateful Dead tribute bands--by one website's account--including the Tempe-based Xtra Ticket. But of all those bands, only Dark Star Orchestra actually play the Dead. Let us be a little clearer. DSO picks a Grateful Dead show from a list of thousands spanning the Dead's 4 ... More >>

Eric Bibb and Habib Koité, Musical Instrument Museum, 2/11/13

Eric Bibb and Habib Koité @ Musical Instrument Museum|2/11/13The distance between Memphis, Tennessee, and Bamako, Mali, West Africa, is geographically large, but last night that distance in musical terms was no more than the three feet separating Eric Bibb and Habib Koité on the Musical Instrument ... More >>

Top Five Must-See Shows This Week in Phoenix

Yeah, yeah, yeah...we get it. Mondays suck (we've read Garfield). But it means the start of a new week, which means a bunch of killer shows in and around Phoenix. And here are a few of the coolest -- our top five must-see shows this week.

Shelby Lynne Doesn't Get Off On Her Own Voice

Country artist Shelby Lynne became something of a household name in 1999 when her album I Am Shelby Lynne dropped to immediate critical acclaim. That she had already released five albums seemed not matter to Grammy Award voters who gave her the Best New Artist award. At this stage in her career, Ly ... More >>

Butternut Squash Squares and Pear Spice Cookies at The Café at MIM

For good dessert, a museum is probably the last place you'd think to go. After all, don't they just provide food so that visitors, hungry from walking around, don't have to leave, quickly pick up some fast food, and return to finish touring the exhibitions? That's far from the attitude at the Musica ... More >>

Robyn Hitchcock, Musical Instrument Museum, 10/4/12

Robyn Hitchcock @ Musical Instrument Museum| 10/4/12The Musical Instrument Museum theater was a lonely place this evening, with a scant 50 music insiders in attendance to hear one of England's great musical treasures, Robyn Hitchcock. Insiders, I say, because it takes a certain kind of music fan, on ... More >>

Five Best Latin Records of 2012 (So Far)

Besides signaling the (almost) end of summer, the beginning of October also puts us right smack in the middle of National Hispanic Heritage Month. From September 15 through October 15, stateside brown folks can celebrate, "the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestor ... More >>

Nick Lowe, The Musical Instrument Museum, 10/1/12

Nick Lowe @ The Musical Instrument Museum|10/1/12If the tag "The Jesus of Cool" strikes you as hyperbolic or overblown, you've never watched 63-year-old Nick Lowe strut onto the stage, strap on his big Gibson J-200, and proceed to crack jokes and break hearts for 90 minutes. Lowe, with his easy En ... More >>

Nick Lowe on Crafting "Swinging" Pop in His 60s

Nick Lowe has worn more than a couple stylistic hats in his over 40 years as a songwriter, performer, and producer. He played ambling country rock with Brinsley Schwarz, ushered in pub rock, punk, and new wave with solo records and production for Stiff Records, and eased into a remarkable career as ... More >>

Sondre Lerche, Musical Instrument Museum, 9/25/12

Sondre Lerche @ the Musical Instrument Museum| 9/25/12"Ever since I saw Psycho, I've wanted to come to Phoenix." That's how Sondre Lerche introduced himself to Phoenix last night at the Musical Instument Museum, and in a time of SB1070 band boycotts, it's pretty refreshing for a musician to referenc ... More >>

Sondre Lerche @ Musical Instrument Museum

Rachel Barton Pine Brings Metal Intensity to Classical Music

If pressed to come up with the metal version of classical music's "Big Three", Brahms, Beethoven, and Bach, violinist Rachel Barton Pine, a performer who's well versed in both styles, has got it covered. "You can't leave off Sabbath, because they were the first metal band from which everything der ... More >>

Arturo Sandoval, Musical Instrument Museum, 9/14/12

Arturo Sandoval @ Musical Instrument Museum| 9/14/12It took all of eight minutes for jazz trumpeter Arturo Sandoval to lead his band into a driving Latin jazz tempo, one that would remain for most of the evening. Following slow warm-up featuring Sandoval and his keyboardist gently feeling out their ... More >>

All Shook Up

Joey DeFrancesco Was 17 When Miles Davis Asked Him To Join His Band

Jazz organists are a unique breed, able to switch from serious to funky quite literally at the push of a button. Joey DeFrancesco has been performing since he was a child, following in the footsteps of his jazz-playing father and grandfather.

Five Interesting String Instruments Found Around Town

Sure, strings create intriguing sounds, but sometimes simply the sight of them are enough to induce awe. After coming across an out-of-place full-sized zither that looked like it belonged at the Musical Instrument Museum instead of the thrift store it landed in, we couldn't help but wonder what ot ... More >>

Vive la France! Five Songs in Celebration of Bastille Day

Joyeux Le Quatorze Juillet, tout le monde! Pardon my Franglish, but it's Bastille Day tomorrow, so feel free to eat some cake and go raid a prison or something-- just leave your guillotine at home. La Fête Nationale celebrates the French Revolution on the anniversary of the storming of the Bastil ... More >>

Lure de France

Five Must See-Shows This Weekend (Father's Day 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. Sunday, June 17: The Kirkwoods @ Musical Instrument Museum It's not every father that gets to share a sta ... More >>

See Alice Cooper's Dark Shadows Costume at the Musical Instrument Museum

See also: Musical Instrument Museum Debuts "I Am AZ Music" Exhibit See also: Alice Cooper: No More Mr. Bad Guy When Alice Cooper, Phoenix's resident lord of the underworld/radio personality/Christian activist, pops up in the Tim Burton new flick, Dark Shadows, what he's wearing should look mighty f ... More >>

Musical Instrument Museum Debuts "I Am AZ Music" Exhibit

On Saturday, February 18, the Musical Instrument Museum debuted its "I Am AZ Music" exhibit, featuring over 40 installations that examine the scope and history of music in Arizona in celebration of the State's centennial. Reggae artist Walt Richardson performed, as well as psychedelic soul band What ... More >>

Weekend: Eddy Detroit, Indian Jewelry, Candye Kane, I Am AZ Music at The MIM, and Pusha T

Have you locked your weekend plans down yet? There's plenty going on -- on Source Victoria plays the Yucca on Friday, and Saturday night features three shows that couldn't be more different: Glam-rockers The Darkness, legendary singer Glen Campbell, and Michelle Blades CD release show. But there's ... More >>

The Boneyard Project, Chinese New Year, Animal Royale, and Monster Trucks Over the Weekend

The Boneyard Project: Art Planes in the Tucson Desert If you're looking for the latest work by a few of the biggest international names in street and contemporary art, don't bother looking at the walls. Instead, look south, down Interstate 10 past Tucson. It's there, in the "boneyard" of retired air ... More >>

Three Things to Eat, Drink, and Bake this Weekend

​There's no rest for the wicked -- or the hungry. This weekend is a busy one for me (work, work ,school, work, work, and then work some more) which won't leave much time for eating out, partying, or really much of anything. BUT if someone hadn't already planned my weekend for me then I would total ... More >>

Hula Plus

Past Times

Rupa and The April Fishes To Play the MIM This Saturday, Get a Free Download Here

​They don't come much more "multi-cultural" than Rupa and the April Fishes. Born in California to Indian parents, songwriter Rupa Marya was raised in France, India, and the United States. The music she makes with her group, The April Fishes, borrows sounds from all of her cultures. French nouvel ... More >>

MIM Exhibit The Power of Music: Photographic Portraits of Americans and Their Musical Instruments 1860-1915 Opens This Weekend

Augustus Henry, African-American woman with guitar, Prescott , Arizona. Image reproduced from original Paris card, c. 1890s​On Saturday, September 24, the Musical Instrument Museum is scheduled to open "Power of Music: Photographic Portraits of Americans and Their Musical Instruments 1860-1915." ... More >>

Elvis (Food) Is in the Building Tomorrow Only at the Musical Instrument Museum

​Feeling the urge to shake, rattle, and roll while munching on a Hound Dog Sandwich of peanut butter, Wilson Ranch bacon, and banana on brioche bread? Best shake those hips to the Musical Instrument Museum tomorrow. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., tomorrow only, Saturday, August 6, the Musical Instr ... More >>

Kronos Quartet at the Musical Instrument Museum

Photos by Niki D'AndreaKronos Quartet playing "Aheym."​Kronos QuartetMusical Instrument Museum May 20, 2011San Francisco-based Kronos Quartet occupies an interesting niche in classical music. All four are adept players, and make their instruments (some of which are more than 300 years o ... More >>

Musical Instrument Museum's Fancy New Promo Video

The Musical Instrument Museum in North Phoenix -- the largest of its type in the world -- has released a warm-and-fuzzy new promo video. "Music is the language of the soul..." it begins.Along the way you get quotes about how awesome the museum is from guys like Carlos Santana and a cool look insi ... More >>

Clothes Encounters

Jan. 25 In Blogs: Marimekko, Chris Brown, Christopher's, and Go Daddy

​​​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:

Top 10 Phoenix Music Stories of 2010

Local and Tasty Lunch at the Musical Instrument Museum

​A good friend got word that the cafe at the brand-spanking-new Musical Instrument Museum in North Phoenix (off the 101 and Tatum) was serving up unusually creative fare and using a lot of local ingredients, including MJ Bread, produce from Maya and Seacat Gardens, Queen Creek Olive Oil, meat from ... More >>

Música History

Traveling show docks at the MIM

Gamelan Çudamani

Weekend of Wines, The Candy Professor, and Snack O' Lanterns in Today's Eater's Digest

penniesonaplatter.com​Hungry for your early morning serving of food news, with no preservatives or additives?9th Annual Weekend of WineA can't miss event for the wine enthusiast, the 9th Annual First Press Weekend of Wines starts tomorrow, October 29th. The grand tasting will take place at the Mus ... More >>

Drum Machine

Toumani Diabaté @ Musical Instrument Museum

Ride the White Horse

Boy, are they Hungary

Drumming Up Business

World-class musicians mix Japanese drumming with contemporary stylings

Tony Bennett Praises Phoenix's Musical Instrument Museum, Disses NYC Museums

We should all look so good at 85 ...​Tony Bennett's signature tune may be "I left my heart in San Francisco," but the legendary singer is a true New Yorker -- born and raised in Astoria, Queens.But the Big Apple, Bennett announced at his concert last night, has got nothing on Phoenix.Surprisingly, ... More >>

Huun-Huur-Tu and Carmen Rizzo Bring An Ecclectic and Avant-Garde Mix To Scottsdale

​If you thought the newly opened Musical Instrument Museum was diverse in its selection of exotic instruments from around the world (where Nigerian hausa trumpets and a Burmese saung guak harp are housed in the same building as Eric Clapton's stratocasters), try checking out the multifaceted l ... More >>

War Born

West African music ensemble brings it all together

The First Global Musical Instrument Museum Opens in Phoenix

Musical Instrument Museum Opens, The Sand Rubies' Bad Luck, and Bad Jazz Singers in This Week's Issue

Just one of the pieces on display at the Music Instrument Museum in Phoenix.​This week's music feature gives you the skinny on Phoenix's new Musical Instrument Museum, which opens this weekend. You know you're curious about how instruments from all 195 countries were obtained. And why they're in P ... More >>

John Lennon's "Imagine": Original Piano Delivered to Phoenix's Musical Instrument Museum

Shannon WallacePrecious cargo: A crew delivers John Lennon's "Imagine" piano to the Musical Instrument Museum.​ Now this is cool. This week, the soon-to-be-open Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) in north Phoenix took delivery of the piano in which John Lennon of The Beatles composed "Imagine," ... More >>

Minibosses, Birds Nest, Via Vengeance, A Storm of Light, and the Musical Instrument Museum Over the Weekend

​Minibosses 10th Anniversary Show at Yucca Tap Room It's official. The Minibosses have been rockin' covers of 8-bit tracks for a decade. To celebrate, the band played a full on set of their classic game renditions at Yucca Tap Room on February 27, 2010...see photos ​A Storm of Light & V ... More >>