Anyone who’s been waiting for the other shoe to drop in Scottsdale’s nightlife scene following the violence at Martini Ranch this past weekend, take note: It’s in the process of going down. Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane released a statement earlier this week indicating that he and other city officials will…
Section three of the Defense of Marriage Act was ruled unconstitutional Wednesday, marking a huge step forward for marriage equality. Thursday is the 44th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, giving the LGBTQ community and its allies plenty of reasons to celebrate. No victory is complete without some music, so here…
Warped Tour returns to the valley in a few hours, officially kicking things off at Quail Run Park in Mesa at noon. There are a few familiar names on the line up, but the onslaught of bands with colors and violent subject matter in their names is a little overwhelming…
The Vans Warped Tour–at Quail Run Park in Mesa Thursday–is 18 years old, which is just old enough for it to have second thoughts about going to Warped Tour. That’s the trouble with long-running festivals: Either the music stays the same and the people in attendance get older, or the…
Musical prodigies seem to be as common as the YouTube searches on which they can be found. Parlaying that precociousness into a career is a task in itself, and doing so while in the vein of a genre as storied as the blues takes more than just talent. For Tyler Bryant of Tyler Bryant and the Shakedown, the 22-year-old guitarist has transformed from the preteen shredder on the Internet into the frontman of a full-blown rock outfit.
Can you handle the truth? If stuff like honesty and real-life stories are your kind of thing, and you also happen to be heading to Crescent Ballroom on June 27 to see Twin Shadow, be prepared get your fix via personal storytelling, an added element to the night of music…
Minibosses does exactly what it says on the tin: It plays video game covers, and it’s been doing it since before “Video Game Cover Band” was a genre. The group’s oeuvre focuses on the ’80s — its most-recent album included a medley of some lesser-known Legend of Zelda tracks, a…
The current version of L.A. Guns is at least the second band bearing his name to not feature Tracii Guns, the guitarist who founded L.A. Guns and briefly took part in the Sunset Strip mega-merger that begat Guns N’ Roses. This iteration features two longtime members, singer Phil Lewis and…
Wow . . . Talk about a time trip. As someone who lived through the ’80s and now accepts the inevitable hangover of artists such as Peter Murphy, The Cure, Psychedelic Furs, and Morrissey still in touring mode, I have a question for young artists today: Why? Why the fascination…
The She*Riffs are singing in unison: “In the name of the law, you’re going down / ‘Cause we’re the new sheriffs in town.” It’s May 18, at Lawn Gnome Bookstore. The four women dance to the music, instruments in hand, as the wooden stage they stand on starts shaking. Each…
The nightlife-loving cats at Scottsdale’s Axis-Radius are planning one helluva party this weekend that likely will go down as one of the most memorable in the club’s 16-year history. Sadly, that’s because the iconic and influential establishment is about to become history. If you haven’t heard the news, the double-sided…
Thursday 27 Axis-Radius: Twist Thursdays with DJ Slippe, & DJ Breez (house) AZ/88: Black Out Thursdays with Josh 1 (soulful house, lounge) Barney’s Boathouse: Thirsty Thursdays with DJ Pulse (Top 40, rock) Bikini Lounge: DJ Shane Kennedy (juke joint, R&B, French pop) Bobby Q’s: All-Star Thursdays with DJ Phlava, DJ…
It’s been said that in order to truly sing the blues, it’s necessary to have experienced a lifetime of blues material — a broken heart, tragedy, hopelessness. So when you hear about an incredible blues musician, what usually comes to mind is an image of elderly Junior Kimbrough or Etta…
The Vans Warped Tour is 18 years old, which is just old enough for it to have second thoughts about going to the Warped Tour. That’s the trouble with long-running festivals: Either the music stays the same and the people in attendance get older, or the music changes with its…
I know. You like to rock. If it doesn’t kick ass, you don’t need it. Or maybe you’re listening to a different genre, like hip-hop, but it’s still the same. You like that hard-driving, in-your-face kind of stuff. That wonderful, rebellious, youthful music that makes you want to take another…
Many things define the popular hard rock/metal band Black Veil Brides, depending on whom you ask. For some, it’s their distinct appearance of black makeup and paint (decreasing more each year), tight black studded clothing and long hair. For others, it’s their inspiration (some might call it a blatant rip-off)…
December is shaping up to be a pretty good month to see music’s remaining super-superstars in Phoenix — Beyonce was announced for December 7 at US Airways Center this week, joining Justin Timberlake’s VIP-friendly 20/20 Experience date (did you pick up your $1950 ticket?) on December 2. One other thing…
Lost in love? Stuck in a relationship quagmire Ann Landers wouldn’t understand? Trying to figure out what comes next in life? We’d like to invite you personally to bring your problems to Ask Magic, your chance to ask Arizona’s reigning slow-jam king for advice on whatever life throws at you…
It takes a certain dedication and naiveté to go to Warped Tour in Arizona. Standing outside in what’s predicted to be a 111-degree day with dozens of screaming bands isn’t for everyone, but some teens continue to show their dedication year after year. The glory days of $25 punk Warped…
There’s a lot of Steve Hunter in your CD collection. If you read the four-point type, you’ll see that he’s played (with and without guitar buddy Dick Wagner) on three of Lou Reed’s most revered RCA albums and over a half-dozen Alice Cooper albums, as well as albums by Peter…
Shortly after writing Are Out of Town Music Festivals Worth The Hassle? I decided to embark on a cross-cultural adventure. The mission? To explore the Nashville music scene and attempt survival at the 80,000-person music festival Bonnaroo. Four days of camping in the heat (actually, we slept in the trunk…
As I’ve come to learn living in Arizona for my first summer ever, there’s a new motive for looking forward to summer vacations: getting the hell out of town. 110-degree weather isn’t my cup of tea, so why not a quick get-away? This time last year I was leaving the…
