The Smiths (Band)

A Poem on the Occasion of Morrissey's Cancelled Show

I've never seen Morrissey in concert, and who knows if The Smiths will ever reunite (highly unlikely), so as a longtime fan, I was excited when I heard he would be playing a show in Tempe. First, he was scheduled to perform at the Marquee Theatre on November 21; then it was postponed. Then the show ... More >>

Was Coachella 2013 Worth The Drive From Phoenix?

If you went to Coachella last weekend, you're probably still sunburned, dehydrated, and physically exhausted. Sleeping in your own bed is a glorious feeling after camping out or crashing on a friend's hotel room floor, but some aches and pains are bound to persist. Fortunately, if you had a good-en ... More >>

New Order - Coachella - April 13, 2013

New Order While over at the main stage the bulk of the Coachella crowd was enduring Phoenix with the hope that Daft Punk would come out -- they instead got R. Kelly -- a smaller but perhaps-more-enthusiastic crowd got a first-rate greatest hits set from New Order last night. See also: Doing Drugs ... More >>

Modest Mouse @ Crescent Ballroom

Billy Bragg, Crescent Ballroom, 3/26/13

Billy Bragg @ Crescent Ballroom|3/26/13For his first-ever Phoenix show, Billy Bragg gave his all, of all of his sides -- the young punk firebrand, the activist, the lover, the Woody Guthrie acolyte, the folk malcontent, and the Bard of Barking hawking his new album. Though the new record, Tooth & ... More >>

Guess What's Going on With the Morrissey Show at Marquee (Hint: It's Not Happening)

We're pretty sick of reporting it, but seriously, Morrissey's upcoming Friday, April, 19, show at Marquee Theatre has been canceled. The past TWO TIMES he's postponed his tour stop in Tempe, fans were told to hang on to their tickets, because the show would be rescheduled. Well, not anymore: The sho ... More >>

Stop Hating on the 2013 Coachella Lineup

Each year, like many of you, I impatiently wait for the Coachella lineup to be announced. Sometimes it's disappointing (if Daft Punk says they're not touring, chances are they're not playing the festival), but there's always going be a few redeeming artists. At best the lineup will be amazing, and i ... More >>

Who Is Really Playing Coachella This Year?

Historically, the Coachella line up has always been announced in January. That means the official line up should be announced any day now, along with some artists that will hopefully make their way to Phoenix between dates. There have been a number of fake posters circling the net-- some credible a ... More >>

Being Cool is Lonely Wishes You A Happy Xmas

The United States was was knee deep in the Vietnam conflict when John Lennon and Yoko Ono penned the words to the 1971 single, "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)." But while it's been more than 30 years since the infamous twosome led the cries for an end to violence and suffering around the world, Phoenix' ... More >>

Morrissey Reschedules Marquee Theatre Show

I imagine there are some casual Morrissey fans out there, but most of the Moz fans I know are the diehard sort, the kind of folks who'll stick by the singer no matter what grumpy things he says and does. So while I'm sure someone was just kinda bummed about the former Smiths singer and longtime so ... More >>

Robyn Hitchcock's Strange World Is a Tuneful Place

Robyn Hitchcock Talks Tomatoes and Psychedelic Pop

Speaking with Robyn Hitchcock back in 1996, the conversation quickly diverged from music to the difficulties of growing tomatoes at high-elevation. It was not his issue, but mine, as he lives in England where growing tomatoes is much easier, and I was in Colorado. Still, that conversation made it cl ... More >>

10 Meatless Songs in Honor of World Vegetarian Day

October is a fun month to start planning Halloween costumes and sip on pumpkin spice lattes or pumpkin flavored beers. The month of the gourd serves another purpose- vegetarianism. Today happens to be World Vegetarian Day, which kicks off Vegetarian Awareness Month, so stock up on some hummus. If ... More >>

10 Phoenix Bands You Need to Hear This Summer: The Complete List

In last week's issue of New Times, we profiled 10 new(ish) bands we expect to dominate Phoenix iPods and boomboxes this long, hot summer. We'll be focusing more deeply on those artists over the next couple of days on Up on the Sun. Here's the complete list.

Being Cool Is Lonely Talks Love, Old-School Electronica, and Andy Rourke of the Smiths' Welcome Intrusion

In this week's issue of Phoenix New Times, we profiled 10 new(ish) bands we expect to dominate Phoenix iPods and boomboxes this long, hot summer. We'll be focusing more deeply on those artists over the next couple of days on Up on the Sun. See the entire list: 10 Phoenix Bands You Should Be Listeni ... More >>

Flashback Friday: An '80s Conversation with Super Stereo

Where we're going, we don't need roads; just a synthesizer, eyeliner, and a touch of androgyny. Welcome to Flashback Friday. Local future-pop rockers Super Stereo are marking their triumphant return to the stage with a super-sweet lineup tomorrow night at Crescent Ballroom. After a brief hiatus f ... More >>

10 Phoenix Bands You Need to Hear This Summer

Flashback Friday: The Smiths, A Soundtrack to Awkward '80s Dance Moves

Where we're going, we don't need roads; just a synthesizer, eyeliner, and a touch of androgyny. Welcome to Flashback Friday. Los Angeles-based rockers Ozomatli reminded me of a cold hard fact at last month's McDowell Mountain Music Festival; if you're a Latino, particularly a Chicano like myself, y ... More >>

Brad Steinke, What Are You Listening To?

Brad Steinke​Steinke is a host and reporter for FOX Sports Arizona. When you put your key in the ignition and turn on the radio, what station would play right now? Sirius XMU. It features great new indie artists -- I've heard Lykke Li, Neon Indian, Chapel Club and Lana Del Rey on this station. W ... More >>

Weekend: Decker, Andy Rourke (The Smiths), Jerry Riopelle, Mergence, Cadillac Angels

This weekend is going to be busy in the Valley of the Sun. Not only is New Times invading Club Red/Red Owl for Soundcheck Festival 2012, featuring Glass Heroes, Sugar Thieves, The Love Me Nots, Father Figures, Jason Devore, Crusher Sound System, The Insects, and many many more, but there are scads o ... More >>

Unite and Take Over Vol. 2: More Stories Inspired By the Songs of The Smiths

Unite and Take Over Vol. 2, Record Store Day variant cover by Jason Pedersen​One of our favorite Kickstarter success stories was last year's Unite and Take Over, a graphic collection of songs inspired by the lyrics of The Smiths. Editor and writer Shawn Demumbrum took to the crowd-funding s ... More >>

Top Cover Songs of 2011

Charles Bradley​Welcome to another installment of Up on the Sun's 2011 Review. We've been counting down our favorite songs, shows, national and local releases of 2011. This installment takes a look at 2011's best videos. Enjoy! The idea of The Beatles, The Pixies, Tom Waits, and Elton John sh ... More >>

Morrissey at The Orpheum Theatre, 11/20/11

Morrissey Orpheum Theatre Sunday, November 20, 2011 Click here for more photos by Maria Vassett Morrissey has never been the kind of artist to shy away from what's on his mind. Animal rights is a topic near and dear to the man's heart, and while songs like "Meat Is Murder" address the topic artful ... More >>

We Love Morrissey, But Does He Love Us?

Seven Nights of DJs and Dancing

Is Morrissey Coming to Phoenix?

​It was only yesterday that I was sharing the news of Smiths-related activity in Phoenix, including former-Smiths bassist Andy Rourke's DJ set at Bar Smith this Friday, and the upcoming performance by Los Esmiths, Calexico, California's premier Smiths tribute band, at Rips Ales and Cocktails. ... More >>

Decemberists Bassist Nate Query Talks Influences, The Smiths, and a Love of Americana

Nate Query, second from right​ Everyone, it seems, loves The Smiths. Morrissey and co. hasn't played together for nearly 25 years, yet the hyper-literature jangle rockers have had an enduring influence on bands across the spectrum. Good luck finding an indie scenester who doesn't know every morbid ... More >>

Phoenix Artist Makes Smiths Comic, And You Can Help

Jason Pedersen​You know, when you think about it, Morrissey is kind of like a comic book character already. Call him "Super Sad Man," or "Captain Sexually Ambiguous." Don't expect Shawn Demumbrum's Unite and Take Over: Comic Book Stories Inspired by The Smiths to be as stupid as those ideas, th ... More >>

13 Must-Hear Songs from the First Third of 2011 ( Mp3)

Toro y Moi​Did you know that a third of a year is called a tertile? Now you do!The first tertile of 2011 (great word, right?) comes to end at the close of this month, which seems like a good time to get caught up on the best songs from the first part of the year. Hey, it's never too early for a be ... More >>

First Ever Twitter Cover Band Created

​A group called Tw1tterband (@tw1tterband) has become the first Twitter music group, according to Paste.The project began when an Englishman named Richard Newman decided to reach out for singers, musicians and producers via Twitter to make a cover song together in honor of his two year Twitter ann ... More >>

P-Nut of 311 on Perry Farrell, Secret Summer Events, and Rocking a Boat

Alison Dyer​I don't know how much there really is to do out in Omaha, Nebraska, but being a city girl, I'd imagine that living there would give people plenty of time to bounce artistic ideas off of one another and get creative. Out comes 311. The five-piece rock/rap band's sound is undeniably one- ... More >>

Now Trending: Indie Supergroups

Middle Brother, a new potential indie powerhouse​Holiday cover songs were popular this season, but there's something else that has been getting just as much attention. It seems to be that the latest and greatest trend among rock bands, particularly indie bands, is forming supergroups.Ben Harper, D ... More >>

DJ Roya Talks Obscura, Tron Legacy, Daft Punk, Temper Trap, Pussycat Dolls, and More

DJ Roya​Name: Michele Chinichian AKA: DJ Roya Current gigs: Obscura, held at Rips Bar every second Saturday of the month. Genres spun: I play a blend of indie, New Wave, and Britpop at Obscura. I also enjoy spinning '80s pop, old school, electro, and the occasional Top 40 guilty pleasure. How ... More >>

DJ Manchester Talks Britpop, Shadowplay, Anderson's, The Smiths, Interpol, and More

DJ Manchester​Eddie Lebario (a.k.a. DJ Manchester) is old school, just like his favorite musical genre.As you'll read in this week's version of DJ Dossier, the cat has been spinning up the hits inside local clubs since the mid '90s. And more often than not, said hits have typically been from the e ... More >>

The Parlotones on Dancing, Politics and Making it in America

​Chances are few in the crowd at Arizona Fall Frenzy will have heard of The Parlotones but, believe it or not, they've sold more records than The Killers, U2, and Coldplay.In their native South Africa, at least.Like X-Japan, this band who's huge on the other side of the world -- as in, they sell t ... More >>

The 10 Best Tribute Bands of All Time

Club Candids at Los Esmiths' Show at Club Red

Now, that's some serious commitment.​We're not going to make any bones about it: we effing love The Smiths. And we effing love Morrissey.So when we heard that this cover band from Calexico, California, called Los Esmiths was playing at Club Red, we made it priority number one for our weekend's sch ... More >>

Neil Finn, family and friends make melodious music for poverty relief on 7 Worlds Collide

Frenz.comSinger/songwriter Neil Finn gathered family and friends in his native New Zealand to create and record a double album in three weeks.​ A sage singer/songwriter named Willie Nelson once extolled the joys of "making music with my friends" and a younger, but perhaps no less sage, singe ... More >>

10 Things Under $10: The Love Me Nots, Third Friday, Shizz Bands, and More

The Love Me Nots are scheduled to perform tonight at the Yucca Tap Room in Tempe.Need something to do tonight? What about Saturday or Sunday? Here's the latest edition of our weekend sampler encompassing everything a slew of cheap and chic thrills available around the Valley. 1. Third Friday Art ... More >>

Scotland May Be Small, But It's Big On Pop Music

The flag of Scotland What is it about Scotland that makes the country of just more than 5 million people produce far more than its fair share of great pop music artists? Consider the following sample list: Simple Minds, Orange Juice, Aztec Camera, Big Country, Altered Images, The Bluebells, The Je ... More >>

Modest Mouse

Shake! Four-Year Anniversary Party

Life After Morrissey

Former Smiths drummer is still alive and stickin'

Old School of Rock

Don’t hang the DJ at this pre-post-mod blowout

Elefant

The band stomps into the Old Brickhouse