How does a quirky beardo from the tiny town of Wynne, Arkansas (pop. 8,615) come to write songs that are so beautiful and moving that they can only be referred to as “pieces?” Chances are, there was nothing else to do in a place that small for Chase Pagan, whose…

Since the dawn of its invention, music fans have held the synthesizer in direct conflict with the drum kit. While these opposing camps may never lay down arms, Phoenix’s Maypop is out to show that this town isn’t too small for the both of ’em. Describing itself as “Rocktronic Indieca,”…

Unless you consider Nickelback rock ’n’ roll, you probably don’t rely on the radio to find the hottest new rock music, so why settle for FM-radio-filtered hip-hop? As with most music genres today, if you want to hear the best, you need to go underground. One of the best is…

Why is it that no one dances to rock anymore? Today, most nightlife enthusiasts bump and grind to Top 40, hip-hop, and house, but in the swingin’ ’60s, there was enough rock ’n’ roll hip-shakin’ goin’ on to jolt the Richter scale. Though we can’t recapture that magic without a…

When was the last time you saw a really good live glockenspiel performance? Can’t recall, eh? Well, leave it to Germany – the same country that worships David Hasselhoff – to incorporate the noble instrument (which is basically a higher-pitched xylophone) into an experimental/progressive metal band. No, we’re not talking…

Remember how much fun it was to swim at the public pool as a kid? Unfortunately, when you grew up, you realized that the oasis of your memory was just a chlorinated hole filled with grimy little creatures who got pleasure from peeing in the water and stewing in their…

If there’s one thing hipsters and Scottsdale socialites might agree on – aside from illicit drug use in public restrooms and celebrity gossip blogs – it’s DJ extraordinaire Steve Aoki. The hip kids dig Aoki’s American Apparel indiglo palette fused with an ’80s hip-hop style and remixes of current indie-music…

Will Smith said it best about Miami: “Party in the city where the heat is on/All night on the beach ’til the break of dawn.” Most will agree that Miami is best known for its hard-body beach parties, perfectly bronzed skin (no spray tans allowed), and electro-booty bass courtesy of…

Thirteen, an unlucky number to many, is actually an impressive figure if you’re talking about the life span of a typical indie business in Phoenix. Maybe that’s why Arizona’s most renowned tattoo/piercing destination is throwing a big-ass party to celebrate its 13th birthday. The Club Tattoo Anniversary Party goes off…

It has to be said: the AZ music scene suffers from a severe lack of spookiness. Perhaps it’s the overabundance of sunshine or scarcity of graveyards, but in the greater Phoenix metro area, it’s hard to get rocked in that “this music could very well be sucking the blood from…

How does a British girl of average attractiveness (whose first single was a White Stripes cover, by the way) rise to international fame? For then-16-year-old Joss Stone, worshiping Aretha Franklin and belting out soulful dirges like a Whitney Houston/Mariah Carey love child may have had something to do with it…

As long as the production of hallucinogenic drugs and electronic music continues, raving will ensue. For those who dig the beats, but not the candy necklace/pacifier/glowstick culture, the Faux Show fellas present “THE M*TH*RF*CK*NG RAVE IS OVER” — an evening of live turntable action starring the notorious Wes Pentz, a.k.a…

We’re kind of sad, in a sick kind of way, that there hasn’t been a real mano a mano war in centuries. The downward spiral started with the invention of the gun, then snowballed into fighter jets and nuclear weapons. Fortunately, there are still plenty of pre-1600s enthusiasts who prefer…

Despite what you hear on the radio, true hip-hop isn’t about Escalades, VIP rooms, or “Superman[ing] that ho.” In fact, local dance troupe Foot Klan equates hip-hop with “higher inner peace helping other people.” Representing the local scene since the early ’90s, the Klan’s goal is to enrich the community…

Why do Americans insist on everything being so BIG? Supersize trucks. Get-fat-as-soon-as-possible fast-food meal deals. Big-box stores. Whether purchasing an Escalade or sucking down a 64-ounce Thirstbuster, bigger is considered better. Unless you’re talkin’ about chicks. Right, bro? If you’re sick of being told to “think big,” “bigger is better,”…

You ain’t a real bluesman until you get a clever alias like Leadbelly or Howlin’ Wolf. Since 1958, fellow hip-moniker-bearer Sonny Rhodes (born Clarence Edward Smith) has been creating heartfelt music for the jovial and the blue alike. Influenced by B.B. King, T-Bone Walker, and Pee Wee Crayton, Rhodes is…

It’s a well-known fact that Wu-Tang Clan “ain’t nuthin’ to fuck with,” which may be why the nine original emcees (and savvy businessmen) landed such a sweet record deal back in ’93. Their successful strategy was to maximize cash flow by making it big as a group, then create as…

If you thought McLovin from Superbad was a badass, wait ’til you get a load of MacReady, Kurt Russell’s alien-slaying character in John Carpenter’s classic horror film The Thing (1982). Based on John W. Campbell Jr.’s 1938 novella Who Goes There?, the flick centers on an army base in Antarctica…

When it comes to the automobile, grandma’s right: They just don’t make ’em like they used to. Sure, cars are more environmentally friendly now, but they’ll never look as cool as they did 50 years ago. Fortunately, there are still plenty of vintage-vehicle enthusiasts to keep these gentle giants on…

This week, a wave of sorrow will crash over the artists, bands, and performers of Phoenix as they endure the loss of a dear friend: the Paper Heart. For the past seven years, Scott Sanders’ spot has lit up the downtown area with spoken word, performance art, comedy, art exhibits,…