I really think so. It’s been a busy year for Mesa’s leading reggae/punk export, Authority Zero. The band is in the midst of a national tour that includes a date at Marquee Theatre on November 5, which will be a hometown sendoff of sorts before the band heads to Japan…
Things you likely miss from your long gone childhood: pretending to be a superhero (without catching judgmental stares), melodramatically avoiding ever-present cooties, and devoting entire Saturday mornings to animated features – likely courtesy of Looney Tunes. Since the seminal cartoon made its theatrical debut in 1930, generations of kids have…
Frank Turner and The Sleeping Souls Rhythm Room Monday, October 10, 2011 A sold-out, super energetic Monday night show is somewhat of a rarity in Phoenix (or, you know, anywhere). British punk/folkie Frank Turner had no problem selling out Rhythm Room as he has done for most of his U.S…
Frank Turner has been enjoying unexpected success as a solo folk/punk musician after the demise his hardcore band, Million Dead. Turner has garnered an international fanbase over the past few years, touring relentlessly with bands like Social Distortion, Flogging Molly, and The Gaslight Anthem. His hard work is paying off–most…
A well-made documentary can make the most inane things seem interesting, even if the subject matter is downright tedious. Just look at Scrabble flick Word Wars or the quarter-pumping arcade drama of King of Kong. Finding a good documentary amidst the mind-numbing blockbusters at your local cineplex can be an…
Mainstream pop punk fizzled out as a commercial prospect when the Hot Topic demographic traded in their Hurley T-shirts and baggy shorts for guyliner and skinny jeans. But no one passed the memo on to New Found Glory, who have stayed true to the brash, poppy force that defined the…
There were plenty of shenanigans at Martini Ranch on Sunday, October 2. Fans of hair metal rocked out to Metalhead while others danced in the packed Shaker Room to the sounds of DJ Dave “Wave.” We captured the fun in this week’s Club Candids slideshow…
We can’t even front. The big news regarding Arrested Development– creator Mitch Hurwitz’s announcement that the series will return for a fourth season and a feature film– has us giddy with joy here at Up on the Sun. Hurwitz plans on airing nine or ten episodes next fall, building up…
Last week we announced the bummer news that Blondie has called off the show scheduled for tomorrow at Foundry on First due to “last minute scheduling conflicts. Promoter Danny Zelisko states that the band may reschedule its date, but until then, you can continue listening to the group’s latest album,…
Arizona got a special show last night, a combination of the yearly Fall Frenzy event and The Honda Civic Tour. Jimmy Eat World took My Chemical Romance’s spot and locals Halocene shared the stage with Matt & Kim and blink-182 for an evening of fun and nostalgia…
GTL: The process of staying fresh and mint. Stands for “Gym, tan, laundry.” Must be done every day to achieve maximum potential. Side effects may include fist pumping. Coined by the eloquent Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino from MTV’s ground breaking Jersey Shore. You gotta GTL everyday to make sure you’re…
Kevin Smith’s 1999 religious farce Dogma generated a crapload of controversy, even before it ever hit theatres. A Catholic advocacy group assailed and berated the director for a good six month prior to the film’s premiere — not because of its dick and fart jokes, but rather its portrayal of…
Sunday nights are usually pretty uneventful, but Dutch DJ Fedde le Grand drew a huge crowd of Scottsdale’s finest to Smashboxx on September 25. The turnout was as good as the crowd was attractive. Check out lots gorgeous tans and beautiful teeth in this week’s Club Candids slideshow…
With the exception of a few heartbreaks, New Found Glory has continued to write music for the past 14 years with minimal obstacles. And since the band’s songs largely deal with matters of the heart, you could consider all those bum relationships song fodder. The band is gearing up for…
Last week’s season premiere of Two and a Half Men had nearly 28 million viewers due to sheer curiosity. It played out like a revenge fantasy of Chuck Lorre killing off Charlie Sheen without the gore or entertainment of Kill Bill. Alan (Jon Cryer) wasn’t the least bit upset about…
Within These Walls Nile Theater Saturday, September 24 Hardcore may have a niche audience, but H2O’s two main messages are universal: 1. “Treat yourself and other people with respect and try to make the world a better place by the fact that you’re in it,” bassist Adam Blake said in…
Rock Allegiance Tour Mesa Amphitheatre Friday, September 23 Buckcherry, Papa Roach, Puddle of Mudd, and P.O.D. all sharing the bill…what year is this, 2002? In spite of all four artists releasing their biggest hits about ten years ago, all continue to tour and record new music. I for one had…
The whole teacher-turned-musician career path is well traveled. Musicians including Sheryl Crow, Sting, and Roberta Flack all started as teachers — and top Gene Simmons was even fired for teaching Spider-Man in lieu of Shakespeare. We’ll admit that Bluhm’s story isn’t on par with The Demon’s, it is unique. This…
Hardcore isn’t just about dudes in camo shorts with X’s on their hands. Take H20, for example, a band that typifies the “positive mental attitude” movement but never gets preachy about it. “Any kind of preaching we’d do would be pretty hypocritical,” bassist Adam Blake says. “We have vegans in…
One of the first suggestions on The Crystal Dreams Wild Fire Tour–The World’s Wildest Paint Party flier is “wear all white.” With guests spraying paint in the air at every turn, this was a more of a requirement than a recommendation. Things got messy. The party went down Saturday, September…
Within These Walls has a pretty impressive line-up of hardcore acts. H2O is headlining and making their first Arizona appearance since playing with Bane three years ago. We spoke to bassist Adam Blake, who insists that Arizona has not intentionally been skipped. The band likes to play in as many…
Black Carl’s album release show on Saturday, October 8 is set to help mark the opening week of Crescent Ballroom (which seriously, no one seems to be able to quit talking about). This soulful local band returns to Phoenix after a brief west coast tour to celebrate the release of…
