Like him or hate him — and God knows our commenters are divided — but you can’t deny President Obama’s ability to speak. His 2012 Campaign Kickoff State of the Union address on Tuesday night was yet another example of the man’s public command, but to be honest, we couldn’t…
O.A.R. Marquee Theatre Wednesday, January 25 2012 O.A.R. kicked off their most recent tour with Tempe — and the buzzing crowd and multiple encores indicated that they picked a good place to start. As soon as the stage lit up, so did some trees — if you know what I…
Glendale metal band Cold Blooded Theory was fresh off of a show at the Nile Theater Saturday night when they announced that they would be joining Devil Driver and fellow Arizonans Job for a Cowboy at the second annual Metal Alliance Tour. This year’s lineup includes The Faceless, Dying Fetus,…
Hey, I know we already did an Incoming Concerts post this week, but I’m getting drowned in show announcements here at UOTS HQ. So let’s dive in: The rap collective Odd Future head back to Marquee Theatre on Friday, March 9. Will the crew sell the joint out again? Will…
In this week’s issue, we take a look at the rise of Phoenix rapper Mouse Powell. He’s new on the scene, only releasing his debut full-length Where It’s Cloudy late last November, but he’s quickly made a mark on the scene. This weekend he brings his laidback, jazzy sound to…
This week, New Times ran a list in our print publication highlighting some of the most interesting posts published at Up On The Sun over the past week. Here are links to those posts. What happens when a good show is ruined by asshole audiences? Who is playing New Times’…
Before digital music players were ubiquitous pieces of art capable of housing thousands of songs, pictures, and videos, they were bulky, expensive, and limited pieces of plastic. Then 2001 happened. That year, Apple introduced the first iPod and the digital jukebox iTunes, and everything changed. Since then, MP3 players have…
What with airfare prices the way they are, and wages for musicians the way they are, it’s not often folks in bands get to hop on planes, for work or otherwise. International touring’s always a high point of being in a band, but it’s also something that seems inaccessible. Despite…
Dismiss them as twee or cute if you want, but nearly 30 years into their career, the duo of John Fansburg and John Linnell — better known as They Might Be Giants — can’t be accused of being lazy. The pair have never stopped challenging themselves, trying to top oddball…
Let’s face it: Female artists are a distinct minority in the male-dominated electronic dance music biz. It’s even rarer to find female DJ duos, much less a talented twosome like South American siren Monica Farr and Minnesota beat mistress Lucy Luxe. The Twin City team, which performs as Dirty Talk,…
With song titles such as “Kodiak,” “Hunter,” “Wolves,” and “Between the Glacier and the Sea,” Turbid North’s connection to Alaska remains strong, even if the band currently resides in Texas. The “mountain metal” band started in North Pole, Alaska (yes, a Christmas theme is prominent), and quickly rose to the…
If E! were to develop a reality TV series called Keeping Up with the Chillwave Bands, the network might actually finally grab our attention. Let’s face it: Separating one indie buzz-band — armed with a token foxy frontwoman, breathy vocals, and spacey synth — from the next has proved difficult…
Given the strict observance of “punk rock rules” that define the genre now, it’s hard to believe that the original CBGB bands had more in common with hippies than anyone you might see on Epitaph’s roster. That’s right, punk used to all be about personal expression and fashion code, minor…
Even if you don’t go, it’s fun to read people’s bitchy reactions to each year’s Coachella lineup. Said lineup could feature a resurrected John Lennon, Kurt Cobain, Ian Curtis, and Keith Moon jamming Leadbelly covers on the main stage and, still, someone would complain. (“It’s not as good as last…
Thursday 26 16th Street Bar & Grill: Kickback Thursdays with DJ Cedric Ceballos (hip-hop, classics, neo-soul, reggae, R&B, Top 40, old school) Afterlife: Beat the Scene Thursdays (electronica, dance, remixes) Bar Smith: Ladies Night with DJ Idenaty, DJ EC Rock, & DJ Oh-Jezus (various) Bobby Q’s: Capricorn B-Day Bash with…
Say what you will about the changing commercial landscape of the music industry, but record labels still matter. Anyone can upload some tunes to BandCamp, but the stamp of approval from a great record label can still inspire confidence in the heart of a record browser. Labels still serve as…
Some nights are destined to be great. Above & Beyond had a fantastic evening in the cards on Friday, January 20 when the British trance trio performed at Axis/Radius in Scottsdale. The group was recently ranked #5 on DJ Magazine’s list of the top 100 DJs, falling behind the likes…
Blues rock band/solo artist Citizen Cope has been on the road for years. With a new album entitled One Lovely Day in the works, Tempe is bound to be blessed with both the oldies but goodies and some new material that hasn’t yet been released.We were lucky enough to catch…
By any yardstick you wish to measure it, you probably owe Nico Holthaus a drink. If nothing else. Mill Avenue Inc, his 2008 documentary chronicling the corporate invasion of Tempe, is a talking history time capsule of the faces and places that made the Tempe music boom of the ’90s…
Anthrax Marquee Theatre Tuesday, January 24 Everyone knows Anthrax played the Big Four in Indio, California, last year, of course. And as much as I hate to admit this out loud or on paper, I missed them, even though I was in Indio. See the full Anthrax slideshow here. They…
The members of electronic pop outfit Factories put themselves in a tight situation last year when they locked themselves in a shipping container in the middle of the summer. With a wall full of amps, flashing strobe lights, and of course a ton of balloons, the Tempe trio had themselves…
How’s this for cred: Michael Cornelius, of JFA fame and current guitarist of The Father Figures, shouting out a cover of “Avon Lady” by famed PHX hardcore band The Feederz? That’s pretty much punk-on-punk-punk action, but the results certainly don’t sound like a history lesson. No, just like the songs…
