There’s never been less of a division between electro-pop bands and DJs. Case in point, Next Fest, which hits Sail Inn on April 30. The festival is a veritable who’s who of electronic dance acts, featuring turntablists, live bands, and groups that blend the two formats. …
Take the L out of “lover” because it’s over. Liam and Noel Gallagher of British rock group Oasis, are essentially calling it quits as brothers, according to Spinner.Is this the fiftieth or the fifty-first time they’ve declared this? I’ve lost count. We get it, they hate each other and they’re not…
Joe Purdy’s not one for big statements and volume, at least not right off the bat. He’s not a showy performer, he hasn’t shaped an eccentric stage presence, and he doesn’t project needy ego. He’s understated. But that doesn’t mean he’s not usually the center of attention when he performs…
For Howard Stern Show fans, the mere mention of Amon Amarth inspires chuckles. It’s virtually impossible not to think of Stern show writer Richard Christie declaring Amon Amarth his “faaay-vrit” in his trademark Kansas drawl. While Christie — an accomplished heavy metal drummer in his own right — is often…
Outlaw country legend Jessi Colter has never slowed down. She’s most famous for her heartbreaking lovesick ballad “I’m Not Lisa” and her 1970s collaboration with late husband Waylon Jennings, but in the past 10 years, Colter has been busy, too. She’s released a compilation of her own work and a…
Mumford & Sons, Old Crow Medicine Show, and Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros all chug through town via the Railroad Revival Tour this weekend. The three bands are traveling in vintage rail cars on a six-date cross-continental jaunt, performing together, practicing in the cars, and generally trying to make…
If Steelheart had come around a few years earlier, they could have been Poison or Mötley Crüe. They certainly had the hair-metal formula down perfectly: a lead singer (Miljenko Matijevic) who had incredible vocal range, fully capable guitarists, quality power ballads, and a hairdresser’s ability to get the bangs just…
It’s tempting to say that the lineup for local hard rock station KUPD’s U-Fest looks culled from a Where Are They Now? marathon on VH-1. But that would imply that someone actually gives a shit where bands like Papa Roach, Drowning Pool, and Powerman 5000 are now. Those holdovers from…
Dave Mustaine has never gotten over his ouster from Metallica. At least not if you believe what he said to former bandmate Lars Ulrich in the documentary Some Kind of Monster. “It’s been hard to watch everything that you guys do and touch turn to gold, and everything I do…
Steve Aoki’s set at the Pussycat Lounge in December was a thing of beauty. So why, pray tell, would you want to pay $35 to go to The Collossal Event (which is being headlined by the renowned mixmaster) this weekend? Easy. There’s gonna be more at the event than just…
It’s not everyday that a band’s first gig is also its CD release show. It’s rarer still that such a gig would take place at Tempe’s Clubhouse Music Venue, a 600-capacity venue that typically plays host to up-and-coming national touring acts. Then again, The Artifact isn’t your typical wet-behind-the-ears local…
THURSDAY 21 27th Avenue Bar: DJ Manage, & DJ Android (Top 40, dance) Afterlife: Thumpin Thurzdays (various) AZ/88: Josh One (rare groove, urban funk) Bar Smith: Splash Thursday (reggae, dancehall, Top 40, house) Bikini Lounge: DJ Shane Kennedy (jazz, blues, country, R&B, rarities, vintage) Blue Martini: Rewind Thursday with DJ…
Obviously there’s plenty of crazy shit that goes on at Coachella, which makes for a lot of great selective listening. Some people dress up to get attention and comments are made about them. Meanwhile, others are rolling and tripping and say things that don’t make sense. Even some of the artists…
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. Why was Steve Nash hanging out with Arcade Fire?How was Lil Wayne’s show in Phoenix?Why is…
Song: Megadeth, “I Thought I Knew It All”Context: This track is from my favorite Megadeth record, 1994’s Youthanasia, which was recorded right here in Phoenix. I touch on the recording of this record in this week’s music column, which is all about how Dave Mustaine is Metal’s MVP. Megadeth -…
Title: Leave It Be EPBasics: Well, looks like it’s back to some more old guy garage rock for this week’s YAFI. Thankfully, these rock bands with decidedly older members know a goddamn thing or two about recording good music, and The Unlucky 8s are no exception. Their sound is self-described…
With Coachella beginning only five days before 4/20 this year, it’s a busy week for stoners. One thing that’s essential for a good blazing session is a solid soundtrack to light up to. Chances are, you’ve already seen at least one list of songs — they’re hard to avoid today!So…
Devin The Dude’s Top 10 Songs to Get High To
Despite it’s name, you won’t find President Barack Obama kicking it old school inside this chic Craftsman Court lounge, which is modeled after the illustrious presidential residence from which it draws its moniker, right down to the portico columns out front.Instead, the Whitehouse in Scottsdale is populated with winsome women,…
Lil Wayne US Airways Center, Phoenix Tuesday, April 19, 2011 Lil Wayne has entertained the idea of morphing from a rapper into a full-fledged rock star for a few years now. Why would one of the world’s most successful rappers want to learn to play guitar despite being mercilessly mocked…
Welcome to Obscuro, a feature where Up on the Sun dives deep into the world of vinyl oddities: private press jobs, major label cast-offs, and general thrift shop clutter that’s thus far escaped anyone’s attention. These LPs have been hiding out, collecting dust, until we come along, investigate, probe and…
Steve Nash really seems eager to rub Phoenix’s collective nose in the fact that he’s hanging out with pop musicians instead of playing basketball this April.While the first round of the NBA playoffs is in full swing, the team Nash leads is no part of it, leaving him free to…
