Citizen Cope, Marquee Theatre, 9/25/12

Citizen Cope @ Marquee Theatre| 9/25/12I understand that going to a concert isn’t like going to the movies. What I want to know is why. Why should it be any different? You pay more for concert tickets. You’re expected to behave in a particular fashion during them. But Citizen Cope’s…

Digital Summer’s Kyle Winterstein on Playing Desert Uprising

Since 2006, local band Digital Summer has been garnering fans from all over the country, with a Facebook count of almost 50,000 fans. They have a distinguishable style of heavy, melodic guitars and raw vocals that not only comes off as radio-friendly, but also sets them apart from other local…

William Elliott Whitmore Isn’t a Sad Singer/Songwriter (Anymore)

Pity the Americana singer/songwriter. No matter how in vogue the genre may be (looking at you Mumfords, with a sidewise glare at The Lumineers), it’s tough to stand out among the selvedge denim-wearing crowd. Tattoos? Everyone’s got ’em. Suspenders? Grab ’em at Target. Punk past? Who doesn’t have a Ramones…

Happy National One-Hit Wonder Day: Here’s The Best and Worst

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…

Rob Zombie’s Guitarist John 5 Has a Motto: “More is More”

“I love Phoenix,” Rob Zombie guitarist John 5 says excitedly. “Rob [Zombie] and the other guys in the band, they like the colder weather, but for some reason I love the really hot weather.” He pauses, then anxiously asks, “It should be really warm there still when I’m there in…

Here Are The Rules for Internet Jukeboxes

By John Seaborn Gray Used to be you’d have to hit bar after bar until you found just the right jukebox, which promptly became your own personal lair of alcohol consumption. Folks demanded more freedom of choice, however, so many bars have switched over to Internet jukeboxes, where you can…

Record Heat: Hates Music

Once a week Up on the Sun features a new comic strip from punk rocker, cartoonist, and full-time dad Brad Dwyer. See the New Times print edition to check out the strip in glorious, inky newsprint each Thursday…

Rise Against’s Tim McIlrath on SB 1070 and MTV

It’s been three years since Rise Against last performed in Arizona thanks to the band’s participation in The Sound Strike. The terms of the boycott have changed, so Rise Against is making its triumphant return to the valley. The line-up couldn’t get much better, as Rise Against is paired with…

Maynard James Keenan: Rochambeau Myself

I love a good comedy. Browsing through mental notes of quotable material, apropos for tedious moments brought on by the petty, the narrow minded, and the desperate, keeps me questionably sane. See also: Maynard James Keenan: These Are The “End of Days” See also: Maynard James Keenan: Up on the…

Top Five Must-See Shows This Week

Yeah, yeah, yeah…we get it Mondays suck (we’ve read Garfield). But it means the start of a new week, which means a bunch of killer shows in and around Phoenix. And here are a few of the coolest, our top five must-see shows this week…

Lymbyc Systym, Yucca Tap Room, 9/21/12

Lymbyc Systym @ Yucca Tap Room | Friday, September 21, 2012Jared and Michael Bell, who make up the entirety of post-rockers and former locals Lymbyc Systym, may be brothers but they seem like polar opposites. Mike is definitely the more extroverted one and it shows through his dynamic drumming display…

Merle Haggard, Wild Horse Pass Casino, 9/21/12 (VIDEO)

Merle Haggard @ Wild Horse Pass Casino | Friday, September 21, 2012 We pity the grim reaper on the day he comes to collect the soul of Merle Haggard, because the iconic country musician won’t be going anywhere without putting up a major fight. Without a speck of hyperbole, Haggard…

Suicidal Tendencies, Marquee Theatre, 9/21/12

Suicidal Tendencies @ Marquee Theatre| Friday, September 21As I moved through the crowd tonight during Suicidal Tendencies’ make-up date at Marquee Theatre, I stopped to lean against a rail. An older woman in front of me was texting on her phone. As my eyes wandered to the bright glow of…