Colin Meloy and company are back to their usual folk-inspired roots, keeping their whimsical air about them even though The King Is Dead is the band’s third major-label release. Harmonicas and twangier-than-normal guitars join the fold this time around, while Meloy’s trademark vocals are at perhaps their best. But don’t let…
New album releases don’t really get going until next week, but there are still plenty of January/February releases generating a lot of buzz. Here now are ten songs from those releases — one being from an already-released album — complete with embedded Soundcloud versions for your listening pleasure…
It’s official: Dispatch will be touring this summer. Indeed, a reunion is in order.The band made the announcement after an ongoing countdown on their website that ended at midnight on New Years Eve.Sorry, Phoenix, but they’re not coming here. They will be at Red Rocks though…
Paramore have recruited two new band members, according to NME.Recovering quickly from guitarist and drummer Josh and Zac Farro’s recent split from the band, Paramore have announced that Justin York and Josh Freese will temporarily fill the Farros’ spots for the duration of the band’s South American tour.In addition, the…
Jimmy Eat WorldFiesta Bowl Block Party in TempeDecember 31, 2010 – January 1, 2011Playing a New Year’s Eve concert is sort of a big responsibility. Sure, it’s easy to impress a merry and well-lubricated crowd, but there’s a larger obligation, too. If you’re playing before the largest crowd assembled in…
Rx Bandits Scottsdale’s Ultimate Block Party December 31, 2011 When Matt Embree, Steve Choi, and the other members of SoCal ska-punk reggae-rock band Rx Bandits signed up to headline Scottsdale’s Ultimate Block Party New Year’s Eve some months ago, they probably thought it to be a smart idea at the…
I listened to more than 3,000 songs in 2010, so I was asked to come up with a list of the best of the year. But you’ve probably heard “Swim” by Surfer Blood and “Boyfriend” by Best Coast and “Helicopter” by Deerhunter and “Hustle and Cuss” by the Dead Weather,…
Over the last days of 2010 Up On The Sun has counted down the best live shows of 2010. Today we look at the #1 show of the year, Sufjan Stevens at Mesa Arts Center…
If you’ve heard that song “Love Like Woe” and wondered if Owl City had somehow transformed into a teeny bopper, that was actually Jordan Witzigreuter, aka The Ready Set.His solo project played Mesa’s the Nile Theater recently, and Witzigreuter sat down to give Up on the Sun readers the low-down…
Late night television was packed with some pretty memorable musical moments in 2010. With the craze over young Willow Smith’s first single “Whip My Hair” came an unforgettable cover by Jimmy Fallon featuring Bruce Springsteen on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon back in the middle of November. Fallon played the…
Name: Thomy Hoefer AKA: Prince $$ Current gigs: Right now I do random spots at The Vig, but that’s like if someone needs me to fill in. Otherwise, Fridays I do Sticky Fingers with William Fucking Reed and then Cheap Thrills with Jared Alan on Saturdays at Brick. Genres spun:…
In the spirit of the new year, the New Times is feeling festive, so we’re featuring two fliers this week! Also, all of this week’s coolest fliers are coming from shows at the Rogue Bar.Personally, this flier caught my eye because it reminded me of the Red Hot Chili Peppers’…
If ever you wondered what Kanye West would look like as some sort of pseudo-Van Helsing, then look no further:…
In the final issue of the year we’ve got some great year-end recap stories. There was always someone or something shaking up the Phoenix music scene in 2010, including the Sound Strike, the unfortunate death of Carnegie of rap duo Silver Medallion, openings and closings, and more. On a lighter…
Nothing says eye-catching, understated awesomeness like this flier does.Tommy Miller, frontman of the Sweet Repose, designed the flier, which he actually created with PowerPoint in order to keep the design simple.”I wanted to spell the band’s name in an upside down human pyramid,” Tommy said. “It ended up looking like…
Steve Aoki Pussycat Lounge, Scottsdale December 29, 2010 It’s safe to say that this is a first for Last Night — a show at Scottsdale’s Pussycat Lounge. For those who haven’t been to the upscale Scottsdale venue or others of its ilk, let me explain: it’s madness. It’s madness in…
This week’s cover story features a root vegetable version of Lady Gaga. Have you seen it? Did you think it was frightening? Then get a load of the above video. A director who identifies himself as Darth Tater directed us to this parody music video presumably taken during the cover…
Despite what you may have concluded from yesterday’s list of the stupidest music stories of 2010, this year in music wasn’t all that bad.In fact, a funny blog of Photoshopped album covers was created, a concert for dogs was proposed, and musicians exchanged some choice words.As promised, here are the…
Luke HolwerdaOver the last days of 2010 Up On The Sun will be counting down the best live shows of 2010. Today we look at the No. 2 show of the year, Paul McCartney at Jobing.com Arena…
Alter Bridge is essentially Creed without Scott Stapp, and if that doesn’t warrant use of the phrase “addition by subtraction,” nothing does. Following Creed’s breakup in 2003, guitarist Mark Tremonti and drummer Scott Phillips recruited onetime Creed bassist Bryan Marshall (who left the band in 2000) and vocalist Myles Kennedy…
Since the Fiesta Bowl Block Party began taking over downtown Tempe on New Year’s Eve, it’s either become the absolute best place to be or the one place you want to avoid — depending on the crowd you run with. Either way, music fans are curious to know who will…
Objectively speaking, is this eight-years-running New Year’s Eve party in Collagen City really the “ultimate”? Well, if your vision of “ultimate” has room for Rx Bandits and two skilled tribute bands, then, yes, it totally is. Born from the same SoCal ska-punk primordial ooze that yielded Sublime and Reel Big…
