PiL @ Marquee Theatre|10/30/12″You all look so fucking happy!” Public Image, Ltd. frontman John Lydon called out the crowd about halfway through the band’s Marquee Theatre performance. And he was right; the surprisingly small crowd was truly caught up in the moment because; well, simply because the music was so…
There are those who think of Dia de los Muertos as something of a Mexican Halloween. Considering the macabre costumes, plethora of skeletal images, and family trips to the cemetery, it’s easy to see why. But, that supposition is incorrect. Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a…
There will be no Sex Pistols songs performed at the Public Image, Ltd. concert. Yes, PiL is fronted by the former British public enemy number one and Sex Pistols singer Johnny Rotten (real last name Lydon), but those days are past. In fact, Lydon, despite the obvious royalty check boost,…
When you spend as much time on the road as blues artist Shawn Pittman, you come to savor places like the Czech Stop on I-35 in West Texas. “It’s this little gas station and has all these great Czech pastries and sandwiches and stuff,” he says during a phone interview…
Africa represents many things to many people. It is the birthplace of man, home to many of the last wild, big game species, and geologically diverse with the world’s longest river, largest desert, and some of the tallest peaks. Then there are the rich and varied ethnicities that populate the…
The Glass Heroes were destined to fail. Yet in a staggering feat of rock ‘n’ roll defiance, the band has been pumping its brand of hit-to-the-gut punk out of venue speakers for 21 years. It’s a remarkably long time for any band, and even more remarkable considering the group’s stubborn…
If there ever was proof that the world is becoming a smaller, closer-knit place musically, look no further than Chicano Batman, the Los Angeles indie band that blends myriad global elements into a wonderfully grooving and hypnotic sound. With this high-energy, do-it-yourself quartet — Carlos Arevalo (guitar), Eduardo Arenas (bass),…
The only thing scarier this Halloween than a Joe Arapio or Jan Brewer mask is Oculus Infernum: A Halloween Tale, a dark album of Halloween music devised by Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider. Anyone who has ever watched a horror film or felt the fear of walking alone at night…
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…
With ever-evolving slang, text message shorthand, and more Internet memes than we can handle, it’s a wonder the English language survives. But for some Native Americans languages, preservation is a far more pressing issue as entire dialects face obsolescence. Poet and University of Arizona linguistics professor Ofelia Zepeda, a member…
What does Madonna have that Katy Perry likely won’t? Staying power. Will Perry still be performing — and with such drive and determination — when she hits her 50s? Unlikely, as that pop bubble can burst quickly (remember Britney Spears once ruled the pop charts and now is a reality…
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, one that appreciates…
Speaking with Robyn Hitchcock 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 clear…
The first step is always the hardest, and while the members of Phoenix’s Zero Zero have been busy the past four months — writing songs to fill an album, generating international indie radio airplay, and making a video — the “electro fuzz” trio has yet to step on a stage…
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 clear…
Since being invented, bicycles have provided a natural inspiration for artists. Whether for those making an environmental statement or those captivated by the beauty, grace, and mystique of two-wheeled horses and their riders, bicycle imagery has appeared on everything from beer labels to campaign posters. This concept comes together locally…
Space is the place. It is the (claimed) birthplace of legendary jazz composer Sun Ra, it’s where Captain James T. Kirk boldly traveled, and it was there to give Cold War strategists something else to think about as people raced for the moon. It’s also where acclaimed hip-hop artist and…
Question: What do you get when you cross storytellers with an improv troupe? Answer: An offbeat, unexpected, altogether spontaneous, simply hilarious good time. As much is expected when Jonathan Simon, founder of local pop culture blog Lightning Octopus, teams up with The Foundation, a “supersquad” of improvisation masters, for an…
“I don’t know if it’s necessary, but I do know what feels right at the moment, and sometimes the song just calls for a bloodcurdling scream,” Amanda Palmer says by phone from Red Hook, New York, in reference to several sonic outbursts on her new album, Theatre Is Evil. “It…
After four highly successful albums with Vanguard Records, singer-songwriter Mindy Smith took the bold and daring plunge into self-releasing her work, forming Giant Leap Records. Interestingly, Smith did not go off the handle and embrace genres unbecoming her trademark mix of folk and country, some with a rock and roll…
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 instruments, Sandoval,…
The third Bike Gayng Night Ride has arrived and “It’s absurdly queer!” according to the group’s Facebook page. “Splash a little glitter in your water bottle, braid those handlebar streamers, turn on your bike light, and let’s ride!” Clearly, anything colorful and creative earns riders bonus points for this downtown…
