The Hold Steady

10 Star Wars Songs To Ease Your Rage Now That Disney's Killed LucasArts

Ever since Disney's acquisition of LucasFilms was announced, the prognosis by fans has been mixed. Three new Star Wars movies is good news, right? Sure, but what about yesterday's news that Disney has shut down LucasArts? Yeah, the future of the saga a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away is up ... More >>

Dust Off Your Flannel: Is the Underground Rising to the Mainstream?

You've got a lot of reading to do, guys: snuggled tightly in this week's massive Best of Phoenix 2012 issue is a regular issue of Phoenix New Times. In anticipation of the busiest musical weekend of the year, you'll find pieces about KUPD's two-day metal festival Desert Uprising, EDM waterpark party ... More >>

10 Songs About Methheads and Speedfreaks

See also: 10 Tripped-Out Songs About Hallucinogens and Psychedelics See also: The 10 Coolest, Scariest, Freakiest Songs About Heroin See also: 10 Songs About Cocaine See also: 15 Songs to Light Up to on 4/20 See also: Breaking Bad Season Five Is About to Start; Get Ready with This Methy PlaylistSex, ... More >>

The Donkeys, Yucca Tap Room, 5/14/12

The Donkeys Yucca Tap Room Monday, May 14, 2012 It's hard to tell your friends "I'm going to the Donkeys show" with a straight face. No, not some perverted freak-show in Mexico. I mean the psychedelic San Diegan blues rockers The Donkeys, who tore the Yucca Tap Room apart with their '60s-inspired p ... More >>

Curren$y Leads a Brigade of Stoned But Tough Rappers

Ten Songs to Help Cope With Coachellaitis

Coachella was a lot of fun. I crossed a bunch of bands off my bucket list that I never thought I'd be able to see live--Refused, Pulp, Justice, At The Drive-In, 2pac...okay, 2pac wasn't actually on my bucket list, but it was cool to kind of see him. A major downside to the festival is you're prett ... More >>

Record Heat: Comic Approach by Brad Dwyer

See also: Record Heat: I Feel Like Puking by Brad Dwyer Collecting comics is a lot like collecting records, only they are a little less strenuous to move (just a little). They take up a lot of space, a lot of folks wonder what the hell you're doing with them, and they inspire intense, all-encompa ... More >>

Mike Kennedy, What Are You Listening To?

​Mike KennedyKennedy is a comedian and producer at the Speakeasy Comedy Lounge. He co-headlines the Tempe Improv Thursday, April 19. When you put your key in the ignition and turn on the radio, what station would play right now? I would've said X 103.9-FM a month ago, but now it's sports radio 91 ... More >>

They Might Be Giants at The Marquee Theatre, 1/29/12

Maria VassettThey Might Be Giants​They Might Be Giants Marquee Theatre Sunday, January 29, 2012 How many F-bombs can you drop in a PG-13 movie? Is it one? Two? However many, last night's They Might Be Giants show certainly earned its 14-and-over "rating," with the "Johns," Flansburgh and Li ... More >>

World/Inferno Friendship Society @ Marquee Theatre

Andrew W.K. Coming to Tempe; Here's Five Party Jams to Celebrate

In the midst our daily humdrum of going to work, eating, and sleeping, it can be very easy to overlook one of the most important things in life: Partying. Luckily we have someone like Andrew W.K., who has based his life and career on the concept of "partying," expanding its definition and celebratin ... More >>

Music Guide to Living the Jersey Shore Lifestyle

GTL: The process of staying fresh and mint. Stands for "Gym, tan, laundry." Must be done every day to achieve maximum potential. Side effects may include fist pumping. Coined by the eloquent Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino from MTV's ground breaking Jersey Shore. You gotta GTL everyday to make sure ... More >>

Death Cab, Cut Copy, Empire of the Sun, DFA 1979 to Headline Treasure Island Music Festival 2011

Empire of the Sun, Death Cab For Cutie, Cut Copy, Explosions in the Sky, and Death From Above 1979 have been announced as the headliners for this year's Treasure Island Music Festival, according to One Thirty BPM.TIMF has brought a pretty solid lineup to the table for its fifth year. The bill has be ... More >>

The Baseball Project Last Night at Martini Ranch

​ The Baseball ProjectMartini RanchFriday, March 25There's really no better tune to sum up The Baseball Project's set than their opening one, "All Future and No Past." In its 3-odd minutes, the tune encapsulates everything that makes the band so great, the opening day optimism that makes eager fan ... More >>

The Baseball Project, "All Future And No Past"

​Song: The Baseball Project, "All Future And No Past"Context: The Baseball Project, an indie rock band featuring members of R.E.M. and Golden Smog which writes songs about baseball, will be at Martini Ranch tonight. It's a super-cool project, having featured contributions from guys like Death Cab ... More >>

Think of The Baseball Project as an Indie Rock Soundtrack to a Ken Burns Documentary

South By Stateside: Day 2 Last Night at The Sail Inn

​It's a real shame that Mother Nature didn't see if fit to cooperate with Stateside Presents' plans for South By Stateside: Day 2, the annual Phoenix run off of indie-bands on their way to the West Coast from Austin's South by Southwest Festival. The nine band bill was divided pretty evenly betwee ... More >>

Get Primed for Day 2 of South by Stateside

Valentine's Day Songs That Tell it Like it is

Not everyone is either totally head-over-heels in love or bitter and lonely on Valentine's Day.Some people are a little more realistic -- a little more down to earth -- about things.What about the rest of us? Whether you recently got dumped, have a crush, or just wanna get laid, there's a song out t ... More >>

15 Good Songs You Might've Missed in 2010

Peter Storch​I listened to more than 3,000 songs in 2010, so I was asked to come up with a list of the best of the year. But you've probably heard "Swim" by Surfer Blood and "Boyfriend" by Best Coast and "Helicopter" by Deerhunter and "Hustle and Cuss" by the Dead Weather, so I came up with a ... More >>

13 Must-Hear Songs from the First Half of 2010

Dum Dum Girls​Today marks the halfway point of Nothing Not New. That means I've listen to nearly 140 records in their entirety in the first six months of 2010. Just another 140 or so to go before I can retreat to the familiarity of my record collection.To recognize the occasion, the Up on the Sun ... More >>

Foals: Total Life Forever

​Artist: FoalsTitle: Total Life ForeverRelease date: June 22Label: Sub PopThough I disagree with a commenter on one of my posts this week (Shawn from excellent local music blog Electric Mustache) about the merits of electro-punk Sleigh Bells, I agree with him that S.B. are a band that you either l ... 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 >>

Odds 'n' Sods: Delta Spirit, Stereo Total, The Tallest Man on Earth, The Cringe, The Dig, and more

​Let's clear off the desk, shall we?Stereo Total: Baby Ouh! -- This band on the Kill Rock Stars label is a multi-lingual new-New Wave boy-girl band with songs sung in English, German, and French. It's quirky with a capital "Q" and not nearly as charming as it thinks it is. Still, most songs are un ... More >>

Odds 'n' Sods: CocoRosie, Natalie Merchant, Disco Biscuits, The Sadies, Small Black, and more

​It's been a pretty big past two weeks for indie rock: Hold Steady, New Pornographers, Flying Lotus, The National, The Dead Weather. That's a lot of heavy-hitters. Meanwhile, some lower-profile stuff has been piling up on my desk, so it's time to give you a rundown of the other stuff I've been lis ... More >>

Male Bonding: Nothing Hurts

​Artist: Male BondingTitle: Nothing HurtsRelease date: May 11Label: Sub PopRemember all the buzz about Wavves last year? I thought they were just okay. Hopefully, their next record (slated for release this year) will be better. In the meantime, I'll be listening to the new record by Male Bonding, ... More >>

Spin's Best & Worst Moments of Coachella

​So if you weren't fortunate enough to make it to Coachella this year -- I along with several of my fellow disappointed New Times staffers fall into that category -- and you're not too broken up about it to find out how it actually went, Spin offers up the high and lowlights of the fest, both from ... More >>

Sasquatch Announces 2010 Lineup

The 2010 lineup for the Sasquatch! Music Festival has been announced, and it is, my friends, rather impressive (finally)​​It's been a long time coming, but the Sasquatch! Music Festival -- held annually at Washington's Gorge Amphitheater over Memorial Day weekend -- has come of age. Too long the ... More >>

New House Shows in Phoenix Arts District: Do House Shows Matter?

​It looks like Phoenix DIYers are getting a new house to see shows at, this one at 9th Street and Pierce, very near the so-called "Arts District." The headliner is Lenguas Largas, a Tucson lo-fi indie act.There's still a month until the show, which leaves plenty of time for it to be canceled becau ... More >>

The Scourge of Aesthetic Atrophy, and the Top 50 Albums of the Aughts

2010's Most Anticipated Albums

2010 brings with it the hope of a new, much better decade chock full of impressive albums​Some of you may or may not have noticed that the 2000s, or aughts for the cool kids, was a pretty crappy decade. That sentiment is becoming more and more prevalent as we inch toward a brand new decade, and B ... More >>

A New Way to Tell Who Was Buzzing at SxSW

If you are like most people reading about SxSW on every blog out there, it can be a bit overwhelming. But that is nothing compared to how overwhelming it can be to actually be at a festival where 300 bands are playing at every minute (how many stages does Coachella or EdgeFest have going at any one ... More >>

SxSW 2009: Saturday

Attention, all Phoenicians unable to attend SxSW this year: Don't worry. Sure, it's not as good as standing inches away from your favorite band in a trendy Austin club, but we've got the coverage to keep you satisfied. Village Voice Media SXSW Party: Meese, Bear Hands, Crystal Antlers, Gomez and ... More >>

Rachael Ray at SXSW

To add to the list of hip parties we have told you about happening at SxSW next month in Austin is the most random one yet. Rachel Ray will be hosting the party "Rose's Mojito & Rachael Ray's Feedback: The B-Side." The party with have Acts such as The Hold Steady, Ra Ra Riot, The New York Dolls ... More >>

The Hold Steady Opening for Dave Matthews Band?

The Hold Steady... opening for Dave?Wait, what? The Hold Steady, beloved hipster bar band, sharing a stage with unrepentant frat-rock douches Dave Matthews Band? It's happening in St. Louis, reports our sister paper, Riverfront Times. It's too late to call Live Nation, and the listing for Dave at Cr ... More >>

Feb. 18 In Blogs: President Obama, Geronimo, The Hold Steady and More

We understand that in the 24-hour news cycle it can be difficult to keep up. Worry not! We have the solution. Check back on Valley Fever every evening for highlights from each of New Times' blogs. Today's entries: Valley Fever: Obama Protesters Leave Signs Near Dobson High School in Mesa Obama Say ... More >>

Just Announced: Black Lips, Cursive, Fall Out Boy, Gaslight Anthem, The Little Ones

A great week for show announcements, as we've got indie faves The Black Lips, Cursive, Gaslight Anthem, and The Little Ones coming.Oh, and Fall Out Boy. You know, for kids.The Black Lips (above) have a druggy, melodic sound they call "psych-punk," which strikes me as something like The Stooges playi ... More >>

Coachella Artists Start Leaking

The first batch of bands for the hottest music festival around, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, has been leaked. Confirmed Artists: the Killers, the Airborne Toxic Event, the Bug, Buraka Som Sistema, Crystal Castles, Drop The Lime, Fleet Foxes, Flying Lotus, Girl Talk, the Hold Steady, ... More >>

The Best Album of 2008? Sorry 'Science,' I Go With Girl Talk

Can an album comprised solely of samples really be an artistic achievement? Honestly, I'm a little bit torn about naming Girl Talk's Feed The Animals the best album of the year. After all, it is a record made up entirely of mashups, so, strictly speaking, there's not a note of new music in this ba ... More >>

What's Selling: Stinkweeds Record Exchange

North Stars

Feeling Minnesota at Marquee

Future Shock: The Hold Steady, Regina Spektor, Saosin, and more

The Hold Steady

Good is all

Independence Day

What's indie rock? Who cares? Here are 10 great CDs that will blow you away, no matter your definition

The Hold Steady

Bossy format

P.O.S.

Audition
(Rhymesayers)

Marah

An indie you can't refuse

The Hold Steady

Brains, sweat, and booze