The classic blues pattern is not technically complicated. The devil is in the details, the nuance. Beginning guitar players often start out with a blues scale, a watered-down version of the American Songbook, and a play-along CD in the background. There’s nothing wrong with that — everyone’s gotta start somewhere…
The Valley’s nightlife landscape was as tumultuous and volatile as ever in 2010, as more than a dozen bars and clubs came and went over the past 12 months. But while heavy hitters such as Club Rain or Forbidden blinked out of existence, downtown Phoenix’s Bar Smith, 130 East Washington…
Name: Jason P. Woodbury Most played song on my iTunes: “Shangri-La” by M. Ward Best concert I saw in 2010: Elvis Costello at Scottsdale Civic Center Favorite single of 2010: “Round and Round” by Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti Favorite album of 1970: Velvet Underground’s Loaded 1. Deerhunter: Halcyon Digest —…
NEW TIMES’ OVERALL TOP 25 Based on rankings of the top 25 albums of 2010 as picked by 13 New Times staffers and contributors. 1. Kanye West — My Dark Twisted Beautiful Fantasy (10 ballots) 158 points 2. Deerhunter — Halcyon Digest (6 ballots) 122 points 3. Arcade Fire —…
You know that Person of the Year thing where Time magazine profiles a person who “for better or for worse has done the most to influence the events of the year”? If I were doing something similar for the Phoenix music scene, Zack de la Rocha would get the nod…
Naming Phoenix’s best records is always a tough task. As far as year-end lists go, it’s exponentially more difficult than naming the best albums overall. Why? Well, for a national list, I have no problem just going with what I enjoy. But when it comes to the local list, I…
THURSDAY 30 27th Avenue Bar: R&B Thursdays (old school, R&B) 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) Bikini Lounge: DJ…
Over the last days of 2010 Up On The Sun will be counting down the best live shows of 2010. Today we look at the #3 show of the year, Lady Gaga at US Airways Center…
Every year a few ridiculous stories get squeezed in between the serious ones. In honor of the year coming to a close, it’s time to poke some fun at those who entertained us by making the stupidest headlines in music news in 2010.In no particular order, here are some real…
If you missed out on last Thursday’s action-packed memorial to the soon-to-be-shuttered Eastside Records, tonight provides one more opportunity to raise a toast in honor of the store. A half-dozen local rock and punk bands will present a final farewell to Eastside this evening at CenPho dive bar Philthy Phil’s…
Artist: Neil Young Title: Le Noise Release date: September 28 Label: Reprise Neil Young is a first-rate iconoclast and one of the few successful rock artists who has remained truly uncompromising throughout his long and storied career. Of course, uncompromising can result in inconsistency, something that has followed Young around…
Note: This article has been updated to include additional event information. So you’ve already established proper etiquette on New Year’s Eve (and believe it, the forecast still reads 29 degrees), but where are you headed to watch the ball drop? This year’s full line-up of booze-heavy dance, block, and art…
This week’s issue of New Times has Best of 2010 lists from a slew of contributors to our music section as well as Nothing Not New columnist Jay Bennett and a few other staffers. We compiled 13 writers’ lists of the top 25 albums of the year into our own…
Sticky Fingers was fun as a “Motherf***ing Rock N Roll Dance Party” Friday nights at Rips Ales & Cocktails, but it’s become nothing short of pandemonius (for lack of an appropriate “real word”) since moving to Bar Smith and incorporating hip hop as well as various genres of electronic dance…
Unless you’re planning on planting yourself at home to avoid the usual drinking and driving drama, New Year’s Eve always mean parties…and plenty of ’em: parties at clubs, in the street, and even at palatial mansion or two. But a party on a pedestrian bridge somewhere in Phoenix? You gotta…
Big changes took place in the Valley’s nightlife landscape, to say the least. Music venues, nightspots, and dance clubs alike all entered and exited the scene. The loss of some (say like Jugheads, PHiX, or the Copper State Tavern) were mourned greatly, while other more reviled establishments (Club Mardi Gras)…
Song: The Love Me Nots, “Move In Tight”Context: The Love Me Nots are back playing shows after singer Nicole Laurenne beat a recent cancer scare. They’ll be at Yucca Tap Room on New Year’s Eve. Oh, and a familiar face — original drummer Jay Lien, who left the band in…
2010 sure was a fickle beast at times. A Kanye West album was top dog, a Canadian teenager ruled the world and a bunch of bands decided to boycott Arizona. But enough looking into the past, it’s time to look towards a fresh, new 2011. What better way to get…
Artist: Girl Talk Title: All Day Release date: November 15 Label: Illegal Art Whether sample-happy mash-up act Girl Talk is “good” or “not good” and whether you “like” or “dislike” Girl Talk are completely irrelevant to any discussion regarding Girl Talk. The only things I care about when it comes…
Sir Elton John and his husband David Furnish are now proud parents of a baby boy, according to MTV News.The pair welcomed Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John into the world on Christmas Day. Man, what a name.The surrogate mother is unidentified. Regardless, the baby is “healthy and doing well,” the couple…
Over the last days of 2010 Up On The Sun will be counting down the best live shows of 2010. Today we look at the #4 show of the year, Gorillaz at Comerica Theatre…
In lieu of this glaring lack of new music for today, I present to you one of my personal sleeper/dark horse albums of 2010, Illumination by Melbourne-based electronic outfit Miami Horror. Think Daft Punk’s Discovery or Justice’s † — Illumination is along the lines an electronic music album that has…
