The closing of The Clubhouse in Tempe is shaking up the Arizona music scene and forcing two dozen bands to either cancel their shows or find a new venue to perform. Earlier this week, hundreds of people showed up to the Tempe town hall meeting held to address the future…
See also: Radiohead: What’s the Big Deal? We found out last week that a lot of people like Radiohead. I mean, really like Radiohead. Just kidding. We knew, because most of us really like Radiohead, but some of our readers had a field day admonishing my colleague when she casually…
Sam Wiley, the heart and soul of Tempe-based The Wiley One, is known around town for churning out acoustic-driven, reggae-infused hip-hop tunes with rapid fluidity. Since 2007, the “No. 7 Kid” has dished out bouncy beats and twangy guitar licks, spreading his sound across the Southwest while, at the same…
Making a record is an involved, laboring process. There’s writing, recording, mixing and mastering. Sometimes it can be the little things that vex an independent band. Currently, alt pop-rockers Bad Lucy find themselves mulling over the artwork for their upcoming EP. The guys held a cover shoot with models Lear…
According to legend, Saint Patrick himself is responsible for all of the drinking that goes down on St. Paddy’s Day. As the story goes, Patrick walked into a local Howard Johnson and paid a visit to the bar before hitting the sack. This was back in ‘ye olde times so…
The Green Lady Killers Hollywood Alley Friday, March 9 The only thing hotter than two badass rock ‘n’ roll chicks? Why, that would be three badass rock ‘n’ roll chicks. I think the packed crowd at Hollywood Alley in Mesa will vouch for me on this one. Los Angeles rockers…
Line-up changes and schedule conflicts over the last year and a half have slowed down Tempe blues rockers Quick Henry, but haven’t stopped them from rocking out at local watering holes on a near daily basis. At the helm of it all is vocalist/guitarist Kevin Redlich. Whether he’s pulling double…
Jugg-Fest 2012 is almost upon us. But what does that mean? Has the Gathering of the Juggalos come to Arizona? Will thousands of Insane Clown Posse faithful descend upon our fair valley with their hybrid gang-like ways? Well, actually, no. You see, Jugg-Fest is a Polynesian reggae festival. Following the…
The life of a gigging band is pretty rough: Tempe-based alt-rockers Vinyl Station play eight gigs a week to make ends meet, populating Valley bars like the Rogue, Rosie McCaffery’s, and Kazimierz Wine Bar with their original tunes and alternative covers. On Sunday, March 25 the band is scheduled to…
In case those persistent robo-calls and that “Ron Paul Revolution” sticker on your neighbor’s Hyundai haven’t made it clear, it’s an election year folks. That means today is Super Tuesday; the day the Republican presidential candidate picture becomes a whole lot clearer. After winning big here in Arizona last week,…
Want to know what new release discs and platters are moving across the Valley at local record stores? We’ve got you covered with another installment of What’s Selling. Fun’s recent teaser set in Chandler resonated with Zia Records shoppers all over the Valley. Fans at the Thunderbird location made the…
Amid his own investigation by the feds, Sheriff Joe Arpaio held a press conference yesterday afternoon to discuss the preliminary findings of his “cold-case posse” that suggests President Barack Obama’s birth certificate is in fact a forgery. Arpaio and lead investigator of the volunteer posse Mike Zullo say that the…
For a little less than a year now, Tucson has been the arena to a rap battle royale called, The Voicebox Battles. It’s a place where wordsmiths throw verbal jabs, lyrical left hooks and insulting uppercuts at one another, all in the name of battle supremacy. Although this showdown takes…
How’s this for traditions? Since 1992 the Phoenix Blues Society has championed blues culture and heritage with their annual live music event, the Blues Blast Festival. Historically, the festival has taken place in the city of Mesa, but this year the event will be held at theMargaret T. Hance Park…
As our sister blog, Jackalope Ranch reported earlier this month, women’s apparel eBay shop Meat Market Vintage is now open for business on Mill Avenue in Tempe. The industrialized storefront boasts: “Meat Market Vintage runs the gamut of unique 20th century apparel for trend-setting (and trend-smashing) women all around the…
Want to know what new release discs and platters are moving across the Valley at local record stores? We’ve got you covered with another installment of What’s Selling. It isn’t hard to find an excuse to drive up to the city of Flagstaff. The charming community, green trees and patches…
Alejandra Guzmán Comerica Theatre Friday, February 24 When we think of rock ‘n’ roll superstars, Alejandra Guzmán’s name doesn’t regularly come to mind, but it should. For the past 20 years, the Mexican rock singer has reigned as Latin America’s “Queen of Rock,” and on Friday, Guzmán showed a packed…
In these cash-strapped days, music listeners can always do with a good free download. Since March 2010 local rapper Span Phly has been churning out a series of collaborative free-to-youn EPs. Spy vs. Spy Vol. 1 dropped first two years ago and featured LOST of The Council Productions, and Random…
Before eight well-oiled, orange-skinned cultural phenoms took over the sandy beaches of Seaside Heights, the Jersey shore was just another beach where kids could frolic and escape the pressures of everyday life. Although Tracey Rappa has called Phoenix home for the better part of her life, she grew up there…
Ah, Mardi Gras. A time honored tradition marked by booze, beads, boobies, and other pre-Lent debauchery. Since 1837, the city of New Orleans has been paving the way for last-minute sinners by throwing, “the greatest free show on earth.” While we at Up on the Sun have mad respect for…
Want to know what new release discs and platters are moving across the Valley at local record stores? We’ve got you covered with another installment of What’s Selling. You can always count on Phoenix music shoppers to pick up the latest in metal and rock releases. Top movers at Zia…
Digital Leather, Acid Dawgz, Weird Ladies, and Scorpion vs. Tarantula Rhythm Room Thursday, February 16, 2012 Last night’s show at the Rhythm Room was in desperate need of clarity. For the record, Digital Leather, Acid Dawgz, Weird Ladies, and Scorpion vs. Tarantula all played punk rocking sets. Figuring out who…
