There are times when journalistic integrity and putting one’s self well outside of the story are simply too difficult to entertain, let alone do. When the opportunity to speak with drummer Jean-Paul Gaster of Clutch about the band’s upcoming Phoenix show popped up, I met it with, quite honestly, a…
Say what you want about FORM Arcosanti (and our own Troy Farah has already said plenty), but you must admit it’s different. It’s a music festival that this year booked a big-name headliner, Skrillex, and brought roughly 30 more bands, singers, and DJs to Arcosanti, the Paolo Soleri-designed arcology about 70…
The term “music industry” is an oxymoron if you understand that it’s comprised of suits unsustainably leeching off the creative people behind new sounds. Attempts to monetize self-expression eventually implode when enough money is thrown around, so the “industry” has to constantly replenish itself with what’s true, authentic and ripe…
Maybe three weeks isn’t long enough to really process the loss of a legend like Prince, because it is still more than a little unbelievable that at 57 he is now an artist formerly known as alive. But even in the face of such a tragic loss, the band must…
Why did I come to FORM at Arcosanti? Was I looking for a good time? Was I looking for something new and different? Or maybe even enlightening or inside? I’m still not sure. But there’s something about music, the desert and seclusion that calls the soul, and lures weary eyes…
Looking for a memorable concert to see over the next few nights? Consider any of the following eight options making up our list of the best shows taking place this week, which include such acts and artists as Filter, Orgy, Atreyu, Titus Andronicus, and Wild Nothing. There’s even a Prince…
If hip-hop or heavy-duty death metal happen to be your bag, this weekend offers you a few different opportunities to indulge your love of said genres. Fans of the former, for example, can check out Vince Staples’ gig at the Crescent tonight, Young Thug’s show on Saturday at the Marquee…
James Goshow and Jacob Rendel look like they could use a power up right about now. It’s late Wednesday night and the co-owners of Phoenix’s newest arcade bar Bonus Round have just finished wrapping up a “friends and family” preview night of their spot and are visibly exhausted. In fact,…
The first time I remember encountering Ryan Avery was at a birthday party he threw for Andy Kaufman at The Trunk Space a few years back. All the show was, was Avery dressed as Kaufman pressing play on a record player, but it was great. He organized it so there…
Last May, I was one of the lucky few able to attend FORM Arcosanti, an electronic music festival in the “experimental” hamlet known as Arcosanti, located in Yavapai County a few clicks north of Phoenix. The festival was one of the most bizarre experiences of my life, and the site…
This Sunday, Radiohead released their long-awaited ninth album A Moon Shaped Pool, and die-hard fans have been quick to point out how many of its songs we’ve heard before: “Identikit” and “Ful Stop” were regularly performed on their King of Limbs tour in 2012, while “Present Tense” dates back to…
It shouldn’t seem surprising a band with Sunsquabi’s pedigree would come from Boulder, Colorado. Even the band’s name has a kind of stoner mountain vibe to it. Yet, Sunsquabi is not exactly stoner rock, at least not in the sense of bands (Fu Manchu, Kyuss, Eagles of Death Metal, etc.)…
We don’t normally post about concert ticket prices, but this is too good a deal to pass up. From May 13 to May 20, Live Nation is offering $20 tickets to outdoor concerts. That means you can get a lawn seat at Ak-Chin Pavilion for $20 instead of the usual…
New Times’ monthly live reading series Bar Flies is back, this time, with a musical twist. The event happens underground and downtown at Valley Bar, but on occasion it rises above street level. This month is one of those times. The May 27 installment of the wordy shindig is headed…
He doesn’t give a shit if you confuse him with A$AP Rocky, and by some metrics, he’s got a vocabulary more unique than Shakespeare’s. He formed an anti-folk rap group with singer-songwriter Kimya Dawson and wrote a children’s book (that wasn’t kid friendly) with bearded illustrator Jeremy Fish. He’s often…
I can justify paying for an awesome show, but there’s something about having to pay for parking that makes me feel like a sucker. From $10 “special event” parking for otherwise free spots to pricey valets and parking garages — there is another way. Free parking. With a little luck…
When Jack Tatum bought a car after relocating to Los Angeles, he needed some music to accompany his drives through the smoggy metropolis’ traffic. Without an AUX outlet in his older car, he discovered an old CD booklet filled with unmarked CD-Rs at his parents’ house and started to listen…
Things have an uncanny way of coming full circle for John “Johnny D” Dixon, longtime Valley music scene fixture. Example: Back in 1967, he rolled tape at a small Scottsdale club called the Red Dog a Go Go, recording an act fresh from Las Vegas called the Nooney Rickett IV…
Looking for a memorable show to see over the next few nights? Consider any of the following seven options in our list of concert picks for this week, which include such stellar acts as The Internet, Immortal Technique, Daniel Martin Moore, Four Tet, and Drab Majesty. As always, if you’re looking…
Arizona claims a whole list of artists who hail from, lived in, and got their starts in the state, and their music is more familiar than you might think—especially if you didn’t know they’re from the area. These artists have lent their music, vocals, and talents to the silver screen,…
It was a night of mixed emotions at the Trunk Space — the final show in the indie venue’s storied 12-year history. There were fewer tears than there were faces of joy amid reunions and tight hugs, but the atmosphere still felt sullen, like a funeral. Sure, Trunk Space may…
The DIY venue Trunk Space, which has set up shop in a quirky, oddly shaped space at 1506 Grand Avenue for 12 years, is hosting its final show this Saturday, May 7. It’s the end of an era for Steph Carrico, who conceived the venue with partner JRC in 2004…
