If we examine Hozier from a purely statistical standpoint, for the moment he is what Billboard classifies as a “one-hit wonder.” That distinction is bestowed on artists who place one song in the Billboard Top 40 while the rest of that artist’s single releases fail to trouble the upper regions…
Built to Spill is a perplexing band. They can lull an audience into a happy trance as well as any band I’ve ever seen. They are great. Yes. There is no denying their talent and their fingers are definitely nimble, but watching them two days in a row sort of…
Timothy Norris/OC Weekly “The Coachella Experience” is tough to define, because the behemoth annual festival means different things to different people. For some, it’s all about a sunset ferris wheel ride. For others, it’s about dancing your heart out in the Sahara tent all damn day. For me, it’s about…
You submitted nominations for the best and brightest emerging Valley creatives, and the results are in. Presenting the 2015 Big Brain finalists. Leading up to the announcement of winners at Artopia on May 9, Jackalope Ranch, Chow Bella, and Up on the Sun will introduce the finalists. Up today is…
Immediately after the debut album (Dead) from Scotland’s Young Fathers won the prestigious Mercury Prize, the group took off for Berlin to record a vastly different sophomore album. Blending hip-hop with a varied soundscape that brings in everything from drum ‘n’ bass to punk and psychedelic rock, Young Fathers began…
By Andy Hermann and Besha Rodell Our Coachella team had a blast rocking out to AC/DC, getting our swerve on in the craft beer garden and stepping over passed-out bros in the Sahara tent. But we would have had an even better time if we had gone into the weekend…
Vinyl nerds rejoice, Record Store Day is upon us! This Saturday marks what is arguably the best day of the year for record collectors — short of a yard sale with an awesome collection at a criminally low price — giving us the opportunity to line up outside of the…
Nate JacksonJason Eppworth giving a high five down low.Jason Eppworth giving a high five down low.Smack!…Smack!….Smack! “Woooo! Coachellaaaaaaaahhh! Gimmie five!” That’s the sound of a loud, burly Kentucky man high-fiving his way through the sunburned Sunday crowd on weekend one of Coachella. Though he appears to be just another dude…
Mitchell Hillman listens to more local music than just about anyone in the Valley. He presents his picks for best new music in his column, Right Hear Right Now. Tigerface – “Slip Away” After nine years of releases, the dance rock outfit known as Tigerface is finally set to release…
Aly Spaltro, known to the masses as Lady Lamb, manages herself, but most of all, she challenges herself. Her second full-length, After, is 12 songs of radio-friendly, bright-eyed folk pop, but it’s a departure from her previous long-winded efforts. “I arranged the drums on the record, which was a new…
By Adam Lovinus Time for weekend two of Coachella 2015, or amateur hour for doing drugs in the desert. Hopefully by now you’ve got your stash procured already. If not, there’s always Palm Springs Craigslist if you know the right search terms. If you think consuming drugs at Coachella is…
I’ve already extolled Laura Walsh’s virtues already, but I have to reemphasize her talents once more. It’s a shame that she’s still not Phoenix-based, as her vocal range alone could place her in a number of genres. She subscribes to the pop country label, which may deter some hardcore country…
It’s no easy feat to maintain a popular free weekly residency in downtown Phoenix and still be one of the biggest-drawing bands in metro Phoenix. But desert reggae band Black Bottom Lighters manages to find a way. Even though the group cranks out acoustic tunes every Wednesday at Copper Blues…
Before indie rock was a thing, like the hip, Urban Outfitters thing we know today, there was Built to Spill, one of the most indie of indie bands to ever indie. Which is kind of confusing, because the band has been on Warner Bros. Records for most of its career,…
Every Wednesday is Heritage Hump Day! That’s because every Wednesday from now to the end of the year or before someone really big stops us, Heritage Hump Records (a temporary subsidiary of Onus Records) and New Times will be bringing you a limited edition collector’s item of a much beloved…
The temperature isn’t the only thing that’s sizzling at Coachella. With their tanned bodies, gym rat physiques, and seriously on-point bohemian/ethereal/fairy-style choices, Coachella-goers know to look their best while they’re in the desert. Both the festival itself and the parties that go with it have some of the most desirable…
It’s tough to complain about any Coachella lineup, but people inevitably do. Often bringing together some of the best rock, rap, EDM, and pop artists in the world, Coachella does a pretty good job of collecting many of the best of the best. Since we’re all whiny pessimists anyway, here…
It’s not uncommon to see 10 bands on a line-up on any given Friday night, and when it comes to local festivals, that number averages around 20. But the AZ Brutal Fest is taking it to an entirely new level at Rogue Bar in Scottsdale on Friday, April 17, and…
“You can ask me anything. You’ve opened up to me, and now I will open up to you.” Charles Bradley, the 66-year-old soul singer extraordinaire, spoke those words to me a couple hours after his fiery Friday afternoon Coachella set. I had just told him how much his spellbinding performance…
By Aimee Murillo When Coachella coverage bounces around every year, there’s plenty of focus on the headliners, buzz bands, fashion, and the people in attendance, but very little mention is paid to the attractive visual art displays that dot the polo grounds. This year, 14 new installations made their debut…
You submitted nominations for the best and brightest emerging Valley creatives, and the results are in. Presenting the 2015 Big Brain finalists. Leading up to the announcement of winners at Artopia on May 9, Jackalope Ranch, Chow Bella, and Up on the Sun will introduce the finalists. Up today is…
The first thing I have to say is that Quail Run Park is a pretty cool venue and has the perfect layout for many festivals to come (I hope), as it hosted two festivals this weekend. It’s also conveniently located immediately off the 202. The entire setup was a pretty…
