“Festival” is a strong word for what transpired at Hayden Lawn on Arizona State University’s Tempe campus Saturday. But that is certainly not to say that The Underground Foundation’s fourth annual Clusterfest was not a rousing success for the ASU student club concert promoters. There were multiple (two) stages, grass,…
Following in the footsteps of his pastor father, Joel Marquard, of Dear and the Headlights fame, decided to record a gospel album in his late 20s. Marquard’s father was responsible for picking out the hymns and songs for each service at their church and now his own 12-piece traditional gospel…
At the end of day one of McDowell Mountain Music Festival 2015, I questioned the promoters’ abilities to pull off a third-straight spectacular festival in the heart of downtown Phoenix. By the end of day two, I realized that they just might know what they are doing, and at the…
McDowell Mountain Music Festival 2015 hit its stride on day two with a stellar lineup that combined a big group of acts that don’t really go together at all to make for an eclectic and fun festival Saturday. I arrived in the middle of Pretty Lights protege Break Science’s set,…
McDowell Mountain Music Festival has consistently been my favorite musical event of the year since I first went in 2013. Of all the metro Phoenix-based festivals, it feels the most like a legitimate national level festival — and, really, with this year’s lineup, it just about is one. MMMF really…
Phantogram has been making the big-time festival rounds over the past half-decade or so, and even though it isn’t really a jam band, the group will stop at this weekend’s McDowell Mountain Music Festival. The fest isn’t really a stretch for the Bonnaroo veterans, but suffice it to say, four…
Long before the Valley of the Sun was boasting multiple major music events, as seems to be the rage these days, McDowell Mountain Music Festival stood alone as the premier metro Phoenix outdoor music festival. And arguably, the Valley’s homegrown Bonnaroo is still the best music festival in town. Before…
Stand-up comic Matt Micheletti has always been one to mix comedy and music, and for his third annual nerd-centric comedy night for charity, Comedy Avengers, he’s putting together his best musical lineup yet. Last year was the first year Micheletti incorporated music into his nerd comedy night, with a performance…
Looking around at the people at Tempe Beach Park Sunday night, I couldn’t help but giggle to myself the entire night, thinking, “Wow, it looks like a Fall Out Boy concert in here.” I’d never seen the Illinois-based four-piece live before and I’ve never been much of a fan of…
The acts that took the Monroe Street Stage at Viva PHX on Saturday night were absolutely phenomenal, despite a subpar sound crew. It didn’t seem like a single set went off without some sort of glitch, but the performers themselves didn’t let that hurt their swag one bit. Not bad…
2014’s winner for Best Festival, Viva PHX is back for round two and this year it is even bigger. Bigger headliners, more touring acts, more local acts, more venues involved, more activated spaces, and lucha libre wrestling. The only thing that Stateside is leaving out is the kitchen sink …..
The Hourglass Cats are leaning more rock ‘n’ roll than ever after the Saturday evening release of their two new tracks “Be That Way,” and “Been Thinkin” at Tempe’s C.A.S.A. SunBá. There isn’t even a hint of THC’s early reggae and ska influences, as the tracks go in a far…
The first Paint Phoenix In 2014 was a pretty killer event where artists gathered in downtown for three days to quite literally paint the town. But in their second go round they have decided to add in a day long block party, so artists and appreciators alike can congregate to…
The atmosphere at Last Exit Live was just a little different than usual Friday night for the premier of The Stakes’ debut record, The Stakes Music Vol.1. The jazz- and funk-infused hip-hop seven-piece brought the laid-back, chilled-out vibes of their music with them to south Central Phoenix, and it settled…
“We try and make our music for anyone who can appreciate it, for people from all walks of life,” said Zalamar ‘Zeedub’ Davis one of the two MCs fronting Tempe full-band hip-hop group The Stakes. The Stakes’ music blends the smooth tones of jazz with the heavier guitars of funk,…
In the past five years, Sedona-based psychedelic folk outfit decker. has played somewhere near 600 shows, according to frontman Brandon Decker, and the band has played more out-of-town dates than most Arizona-based bands have performed locally in that time. Through four albums, countless shifts in lineup, and the retirement of…
Adele, T Pain, John Legend, Wilco, Trey Anastasio, Cat Stevens, Jackson Browne, The B.O.T.S., Trampled By Turtles, Hozier, The Pixies, and Neko Case are just a few of the notable bands and musicians that have participated in National Public Radio’s Tiny Desk Concert Series. The concept is pretty simple and…
In 2015, it is more important than ever that a band trying to get noticed can present more than just music, but an entire multimedia experience. That doesn’t just apply to those on the brink of stardom either. Bands at every level are working overtime to come up with interesting…
There was nothing remotely positive about DirecTV Super Fan Fest last night. Nothing. In my ever so humble opinion literally, LITERALLY, every single thing about DirecTV’s event is either insulting, stupid, overpriced or bad, and it made me feel like I needed to apologize to Bonnaroo and Coachella for blasting…
Editor’s Note: We’re excited at New Times for the Super Bowl and all the culture and parties and concerts that come with it, but we know not everyone is, and we asked one of them to explain why. Here’s an alternative opinion on what the Super Bowl brings to town…
Moves Magazine’s website launch party — Moves Magazine Kick-Off Party — took place Wednesday night at the Hotel Valley Ho in Scottsdale, and except for an exceptional performance by British dance-punk duo The Ting Tings, it really wasn’t that much different than any other night in Scottsdale. There was valet…
What is so satisfying about the level of recognition that local synth-punks Fairy Bones get is that the band has gone about its entire career the “right” way. The foursome is equally about business as it is party, they don’t kowtow to local promoters, they work with as many local…
