Mark Burnett has yet another reality show in the works. The upcoming singing competition called The Voice is coming to NBC. Adam Levine of Maroon 5 and Cee Lo Green of Gnarls Barkley and independent fame will be the judges, according to Entertainment Weekly.Christina Aguilera has also been negotiating with…
In keeping with my role as Up on the Sun’s resident metal geek, throughout 2011 I’ll be looking back a quarter century at 10 iconic thrash metal albums of 1986. For my money, 1986 was the best year in the history of thrash metal — and probably the genre as…
As spring slowly materializes and bands switch gears from their winter hibernation to the festival circuit, more and more new releases are hitting store shelves. With them brings the prospect of that killer new song, one that makes you play it over and over in the hopes of either getting…
The Sound Strike, the musical boycott of Arizona organized last year in the wake of a controversial immigration law, is crowing about its success. The boycott is lead by former Rage Against The Machine singer Zack de la Rocha. It persists even though SB 1070 — like an “eerily similar”…
In this week’s issue our new Clubs Editor Jason P. Woodbury writes about up and coming Tempe post-punk act Vegetable. The band has only been together about three months but already done a regional tour, pressed vinyl and had the honor of playing the last show held inside the now-shuttered…
There is a very good chance that at some point in your life, whether you’re too young to realize it or not, you’ve heard at least one song by Jackson Browne. It’s not just because the legendary singer-songwriter has been making music since the early ’70s, but it’s because his…
When Quiet Riot singer Kevin DuBrow passed away in 2007, many felt that his death would mark the end of the band. Among them was Quiet Riot drummer and figurehead Frank Banali, who issued a statement on the band’s official website declaring that, “Kevin was too important to go on…
When life gives you lemons, they say, make lemonade. But sometimes life throws you a double-fudge chocolate cake. That’s sorta what happened to heavy-rock outfit Unwritten Law. In 2002, just after the mainstream success of their single “Seein’ Red,” the five-piece (now four-piece) band from Poway, California, was asked to…
Autumn’s Victorian rock operas offer surprisingly poppy burlesque-glam — imagine a coned-tit-era Madonna gone goth. Rasputina and Dresden Dolls are obvious touchstones, sharing similar predilections for moody theatricalism, classical music, and Kurt Weill. A violin prodigy, Autumn attended the Music Conservatory at Indiana University when she was 14. She wouldn’t…
Tempe art-punks Vegetable sprouted much more quickly than most bands. Whereas plenty of their peers’ projects take years to develop, Vegetable’s backstory comprises a flurried few months, culminating in a debut single, a regional tour, and the honor of closing out the now-defunct Eastside Records in the time it would…
If you’ve loved all the hipsterrific DJs, EDM artists, and remix maestros who’ve been coming through the Valley in recent months (including Flosstradamus, Pictureplane, and Cassian), be sure to give a hearty high five to Jeremiah Gratza. The Stateside Presents co-promoter has been exposing our fair city to some of…
Athens, Georgia, is considered one of this country’s fine music towns. But that idea needs a little parsing, because the sleepy Southern city is no industry-laden Nashville or tradition-respecting-and-bucking Austin. What Athens is is a great place to be a musician — and every now and then you might make…
THURSDAY 3 Airia Nightclub: Ladies Night with DJ Circle, & D-JR (hip-hop, Top 40, remixes, house, electro) AZ/88: Josh One (rare groove, urban funk) Bar Smith: Bass, Lettuce, & Techno with DJ Josh Lestis, & DJ OG (deep bass) Blue Martini: Rewind Thursday (retro) Bobby C’s: DJ Willie B. (old…
I’ll forgive you if you hadn’t noticed Last Train to Paris, the album that Sean “Puffy” Combs released in December, and the debut of his R & B collective Diddy Dirty Money, comprised of Combs, Dawn Richards (of Danity Kayne fame) and singer/songwriter Kaleena Harper.You may have been distracted by…
Song: Neutral Milk Hotel, “Holland, 1945″Context: One of my favorite songs from an Elephant 6 act, in honor of tomorrow’s Holiday Surprise Tour at The Duce. Holland, 1945…
The Refreshments are playing South By Southwest. No, not those Refreshments. The famous Tempe act from the 90’s is still very much broken up. Not that you’d know it from a hilarious listing on a SXSW site which names a band called the Refreshments from Tempe, Arizona. The site shows the cover…
What Arizona acts are showcasing or playing parties at the South by Southwest music industry showcase in Austin? Glad you asked. Here’s a rundown of every show being played by Arizona acts during the week-long shindig.If you have any additions please hit me up on Twitter, @phxmusicdotcom…
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 did Kanye West’s new video get temporarily pulled from YouTube? What is Yoko One going to…
Title: The Progression Vol. 1Basics: More YAFI hip hop? You got it. Luckily, The Orphanz have a clue as to what they are doing, as opposed to certain other hip hop artists from last week. Veteran producers Dre Lesean and D.K. Simmons comprise The Orphanz and their Progression Vol. 1…
Phoenix New Times annual Big Brains contest is back.The contest is designed to reward and nurture up-and-coming talent in the Valley by giving ground-floor movers and/or shakers a grand.Straight cash, homie.There are categories for design/fashion, visual art, performing art, film/video, culinary art and a wild card so if you know…
The 20-year-old outdoor amphitheater on the west side of Phoenix which switched its name from Desert Sky Pavilion to Cricket Wireless Pavilion a few years ago is now back to square one.This is no victory over corporate America. The low-cost cell provider’s naming rights recently expired and concert promoter Live Nation, which…
Young the Giant The Rhythm Room March 1, 2011 Young the Giant brought a fascinating, unconfined performance to the Rhythm Room last night. The group formerly known as the Jakes completely let loose and had a great time on stage. Plus, they managed to keep their show almost as casual…
