DJ Paul Oakenfold holds the distinction of being one of the first electronic superstars. He’s been performing and mixing since 1980, and he’s not planning on spending his 33rd year in the business chilling out: In addition to his recent work with Madonna and Bruno Mars, he’s scheduled to perform…
W&W @ Wild Knight|1/25/13I am not the biggest trance fanatic, but somehow, slowly but surely, its gotten its hooks in me. Applying aural dynamics, 110 to 150 beats per minute are dropped into tempo creates such a magical and melodic sound, and Dutch trance duo W&W proved its mastery of…
Bloc Party @ Marquee Theatre|12/9/12Bloc Party brought a night full of surprises to Tempe — chiefly one that all attendees would be able to get a good night of sleep. Singer Kele Okereke had a bit of a cold, and the show ended at the very un-rock ‘n’ roll hour…
Bloc Party is back, and the post-punk outfit is Tempe bound. Hailing from London, the band is closing out its 2012 comeback tour here in the Valley. The buzz kings benefited from the early 2000s “rock is back” craze, but it stuck around, outlasting the hype and incorporating soul, post-rock,…
Minus the Bear, Cursive, and Girl In a Coma, Cursive @ Marquee Theatre|11/8/12The term “indie rock” is a convenient catchall, but last night at the Marquee Theatre, the term’s definition was stretched to the limit. Minus the Bear, Cursive, and Girl in a Coma utilize elements of a lot of…
Nina Diaz was only 12 years old when she joined up with her sister Phanie and Jenn Alva in the power trio band Girl in a Coma. Hailing from San Antonio, Texas, the trio recalls the height of ’90s indie rock, with melodic melodies and crunchy guitars. Up On The…
Benny Benassi and Congorock @ Marquee Theatre|10/25/12Last night was a late night — things didn’t kick off until 11 p.m., with Italian-born Congorock starting things off, and progressive house master Benny Benassi not taking the stage until well after midnight. Maybe it was the late hour, but despite a solid…
There are two Halloweens: One is for the kids, so they can get dressed up in costumes and score candy. The other? It’s known as “the one night a year when girls can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it.” Yes that is…
Italian dance-punker Rocco Rampino, better known as Congorock, brings a different groove to the EDM genre. Rising up in the world with EDM anthems such as “Ivory” and “Babylon”, Congorock has made his own mark on the elctronic genre. See also: Russell Ramirez on the History of Swell Records, Old…
Bassnectar @ Marquee Theatre|10/17/12Love for bass was in full supply for Wednesday night’s Bassnectar show at Marquee Theatre — not to mention the three semi trucks to supply the light set up as well the sound systems made for bass. Bassnectar (real name: Lorin Ashton) has made his mark as…
Electronic artist Bassnectar (Lorin Ashton) is back on the road for his Fall Tour 2012 in support of his recentthe album Vava Voom. Influenced equally by metal, ambient, psychedelic, and hip-hop, his music defies expectations, and his fanbase reacts passionately. I spoke with Bassnectar about both of our Electric Forest…
Big Gigantic @ Marquee Theatre|10/3/12Doors at 6:30 is pretty strange thing to me, but when it comes to music I like to be punctual. I want to make sure all is set for an entertaining night. Due Big Gigantic has always stood to the left of EDM, owing as much…
Just in case you didn’t know, Tuesday, September 25, is National One-Hit Wonder Day. It’s the day the nation has carefully selected (or something) to celebrate musical splashes that never go beyond that big single (at least in the ears of most listeners). One-hit wonders are tricky things. They can…
Pretty Lights @ Comerica Theatre| Tuesday, September 18, 2012Damn, summer ended so quickly. It was gone within a blink of an eye. It was nice to be able to fit in one more Pretty Lights show. I last saw Derek Smith — the man behind the electro/soul sound of Pretty…
John Dahlbäck may not be a well-known name within the EDM scene in America, but the 26-year-old producer is quickly on the rise. After all, he was unknown in his homeland of Sweden once, and now he packs clubs there and in London, where he’s currently stationed. His intense house…
See also: Big & Rich and Jake Owen at Country Thunder in Florence, 4/13/12 Country Thunder Caynon Moon Ranch in Florence, Arizona Saturday, April 14, 2012 After Friday’s fraught and frightful driving experience to Country Thunder, I shut off the GPS and drove from memory. All went smoothly and I…
See also: The Five People You Will Meet at Country Thunder Country Thunder Canyon Moon Ranch in Florence, Arizona Friday, April 13, 2012 I’m not superstitious, but it’s hard to brush off the supreme bad luck I had on Friday the 13th, attempting to drive my Nissian Maxima to Day…
Childish Gambino The Venue Scottsdale Wednesday, April 11, 2012 Judd Apatow and Paul Feig’s Freaks and Geeks was one of those shows that seemed too good to exist — and indeed it didn’t for very long. NBC cancelled it after one season (they didn’t even originally air all the episodes…
Blood On The Dance Floor Nile Theater Thursday, April 5, 2012 It’s “Holy Week,” and this week I accepted a challenge not to criticize or gossip. I’ve been doing pretty well, reserving judgment on others, but I think it’s okay to put all of that on pause for work. Besides,…
Paper Diamond Club Red Tuesday, April 3, 2012 Last night may have been a Tuesday, but that didn’t stop the crowd at Club Red from getting raunchy like it was a weekend. Walking into the club, screens flashed ads for upcoming shows and a stern warning that no moshing would…
Puddle of Mudd Arizona Bike Week at WestWorld of Scottsdale Thursday, March 29, 2012 Bikes on bikes on bikes. Arizona Bike Week is all about hogs, big, roaring machines, and the big, tough looking dudes that ride them. After awhile it all seems to blur together, but the loud grunge…
You may not be familiar with the name “Wynter Gordon,” but you’ve heard her work. Wynter’s first success came when she wrote a hit for for Mary J Blige at only 19-years-old. Shes’s since collaborated with EDM artists like Steve Aoki, Laidback Luke, and David Guetta, and hip-hop artists like…
