Last night’s Passion Pit show was pretty fun, but don’t take it from me. We browsed Twitter to get a sense of the crowds’ response, which for the most part, was positive. The negative responses stemmed from folks rolling their eyes that their friends were going to the show, as…
Maybe I watch too much It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, but when I heard that there’s a bar in Scottsdale called Pattie’s First Avenue Lounge, I assumed it would be just like Paddy’s Pub. To my disappointment, Danny DeVito wasn’t scheming, but there were still plenty of shenanigans to be…
See also: Passion Pit: The Electropop Band is Doing Just Fine These Days Passion Pit @ Marquee Theatre| 9/11/12Massachusetts electropoppers Passion Pit haven’t performed in the Valley in almost three years. The band’s second full-length album, Gossamer, was released a couple of months ago, and fans responded quite well to…
We’re getting funky with this week’s Take Cover, as Stan Devereaux & the Funky Suns perform soulful jams two songs for your enjoyment. Devereaux asked me to film Marvin Gaye’s hit from the Boogie Nights soundtrack, “Got to Give it up,” but the band continued jamming with a cover of…
Massachusetts’ electropop outfit Passion Pit got fans moving with its full-length debut, Manners, in 2009. The group followed it up this year, with Gossamer, full of the same catchy synth tones, but with much darker undertones. Songs like “I’ll be Alright” provide a glimpse into songwriter Michael Angelakos’ struggle, and…
See also: Strung Out’s Jason Cruz: Twisted in a Suburban Teenage Wasteland See also: Strung Out at Clubhouse Music Venue, 1/28/12 (VIDEO) See also: Ataris’ Kris Roe Explains the Meaning Behind His Arizona Tattoo, Classic Phoenix Venues, and Warped Tour See also: The Ataris at Yucca Tap Room, 3/16/12Strung Out…
Drag isn’t just about getting all dolled up and tucking away unmentionables — though a fierce lip sync ability and throwing some shade at the audience do make a performance memorable. Cover charges don’t always go toward wigs and eyelash extensions. Plenty of queens use their position as entertainers to…
See also: Twin Shadow: Songwriter Trades in Gauzy New Wave Honesty See also: Download: Bogan Via’s Sparkling, Pulsing “Kanye” See also: Take Cover: Bogan Via Covers Department of EaglesTwin Shadow and Bogan Via @ Crescent Ballroom| 9/4/12Twin Shadow played its first Phoenix show last night and there’s no denying that…
See also: Strung Out at Clubhouse Music Venue, 1/28/12 (VIDEO) See also: Top Five Must-See Shows This Week Strung Out has been generous about performing in Phoenix over the course of its two decade career. The band tends to perform old songs (link to Face to Face/Strung Out review) while…
See also: Rise Against Ends Boycott of Arizona; Sound Strike Changes Focus See also: Five Sound Strike Bands We’d Like to See Perform in ArizonaYeasayer @ Crescent Ballroom, 9/3/12 Last night had all the ingredients for a great performance: a band fresh off the Soundstrike, a sold-out show, a cool…
See also: Download: The World Record’s Sublime Guitar Rock Hit “She’s Not a Liar” See also: Take Cover: Bogan Via Covers Department of EaglesWishful thinking often leads to wishful drinking. The results are usually disastrous, but in Source Victoria’s case, it resulted in a great Built to Spill cover. “We…
As August comes to a close, I had the challenge of picking a fifth and final topic for Drug Month. There were plenty of options–alcohol, tobacco, Quaaludes, club drugs, bath salts, and so on, but I decided to go in a different direction this week. How about anti-drug songs? They’re…
Seminal politically-charged Swedish hardcore band, Refused, made music well ahead of its time. No debate – these guys were the real deal. “We wanted something more than what was on offer and we gave it our best shot. It didn’t pan out, we went out and played it and people…
From timeless paintings in the Louvre to creative bento boxes, art can be found just about anywhere. And the Valley of the Sun is no exception. Tempe Art A Gogh-Gogh combines visual art with talented local bands each month. On Friday, August 31, the event’s organizers will celebrate its two-year…
See also: Club Candids: Lingerieve 2012 See also: Club Candids: Doom Disco at Sanctum See also: Club Candids: Chandler SandbarLingerieve 6, the lingerie-themed rave, went on without a hitch, unless you include the issues with the ever-changing venue: It started at Madison Events Center, then moved to Stratus, and finally…
See also: American Standards Hosts Benefit Show for Teen Lifeline See also: American Standards @ The Underground Local hardcore band American Standards, is pretty loud when it comes to its positive messages. The combo recently released a music video for “The Still Life,” the title track of the band’s recent…
Drag is a great way for queens to embrace their inner divas, regardless of gender or sexual orientation. On Friday, August 24, Pandora Boxx performed in front of a sold out crowd at The Rock. Boxx, the drag persona created by Michael Steck, didn’t quite make it to the final…
It drives dudes crazy, but we gals love getting ready. Okay, love might be too strong a word. But making sure that LBD fits in all the right places is important. Unfortunately, it can also prove agonizing, so much so that we’d rather leave the house in our undies. When…
See also: Take Cover: Dry River Yacht Club Covers The Beatles See also: Take Cover: Field Tripp Covers Townes Van Zandt See also: Foster the People @ Comerica Theatre, 7/6/12 See also: South Mountain Witness/North Brother Island @ JobotIt’s tough to turn on the TV or radio without hearing a…
See also: Identity Festival at Ashley Furniture HomeStore Pavilion, 8/19/12 See also: Live Nation Looks to Cash In on EDM Rage with Identity Festival See also: Paul van Dyk on Why He Dissed Madonna, His Quest for the Perfect Track, and the Growth of EDM in America See also: Luke…
LOS DIAS DE LA CRESCENT @ CRESCENT BALLROOM | 8/17/12I challenge anyone who thinks that Phoenix has a faltering music scene to go to the second night of Los Dias de la Crescent tonight. Go ahead, I dare you. You’ll most likely see that this so-called Tempe versus Phoenix rivalry…
Like scrunchies and Clarissa Explains It All, Alanis Morissette is an integral part of the ’90s. The Canadian singer/songwriter’s enjoyed a solid eight-album career, but there’s no denying that she peaked with 1995’s seminal Jagged Little Pill. A more pop-minded Exile in Guyville or a grunge-lite update on Blood on…
