The jury is still out on this Fairfax, Virginia-based foursome: Legitimate heirs to Jimmy Eat World and other power-pop chart-toppers, or just another reason to hate the Internet? Because, yes, it was on iTunes that The Friday Night Boys first found appreciative teeny-bopper ears, leading to a one-off gig on…
Ladies and gentleman, presenting tonight’s performers: In one corner, we have the pride of Houston’s Jersey Village High School, “The People’s Champ,” the king of grills — Paul Wall. In the other corner, we have Houston’s own “Boss of All Bosses,” one half of the Boyz N Blue, the Boss…
Fresh on the release of their fourth studio album, New Again, Long Island rockers Taking Back Sunday will roll through the Valley to showcase their eclectic brand of rock, emo, and happy hardcore. There’s no denying the emo-ness of lead singer Adam Lazarra’s vocals — yet that same emo-ness helped…
It’s a mild Friday evening in May, and the patio at Pure Sushi in downtown Scottsdale is packed with patrons in business casual, sipping sake and discussing everything from the economy to fashion. Sonny Long is standing inside the restaurant, looking out at the plush, white leather couches through the…
Inside a brick home in an old neighborhood just north of downtown Mesa a stout olive-skinned man with slicked-back black hair sits patiently, sipping a Corona while Michael Johnny Walker, guitarist for local garage act The Love Me Nots, re-records one last riff for his band’s new record.You’ve likely never…
We’d been hearing rumblings about a big fall concert (“to rival Coachella!,” some rumormongers claimed) at Tempe Beach Park for a few months now, but it wasn’t until today that we actually heard who’s playing.It doesn’t remotely resemble Coachella, but it is a lot like a three-day version of Edgefest. So if…
These troubling financial times call for belt-tightening across American society. We all know what’s going on with the auto industry, and the record industry is not safe from this recession. As announced Monday, online music retailer eMusic — one of the largest on the web — made a deal with…
One-time red hot Valley rock band Fivespeed may very well be poised to make a comeback. The band, who haven’t released an album since their 2006 Virgin Records debut Morning Over Midnight, have lined up some gigs. They opened for Stereotyperider at Yucca Tap Room back in February for the…
Electric Mustache: Photos: Dusty Rhodes and the River Band @ The Yucca Tap Room 5/30Rolling Stone: R. Kelly Preps For New Album With Debut Mixtape, “Demo”Idolator: The Most Horrifying Song You Will Hear All Day: It’s Like “Butterfly Kisses” Meets The Birds And The BeesWaved Rumor: Smells Like….Rock Volume One?Spin:…
The British house duo of Simon Marlin and Max Reich (a.k.a. The Shapeshifters UK) have a busy itinerary planned for the summer. Besides jet-setting to the raucous Dance Island Festival in England and the trendsetting Pacha in Ibiza (natch), they’re gracing the Valley with their presence tomorrow night with a…
Chad Krystal$ Superconscious (Self-released) GRADE: B-I generally try to make our weekly You Asked For It review more about music than career counseling, but there’s no way to avoid it with this week’s pick, Phoenix rapper Chad Krystals.Krystal$ has some things going for him. His white boy flow isn’t bad,…
We’ve got some stellar news for anyone who’s a fan of local-DJ-made-good Zach Sciacca (a.k.a. Z-Trip): Thanks to the joystick Jedi at Activision and its developer FreeStyleGames, the 38-year-old superstar turntablist (and former Valley resident) will be a playable character in the upcoming DJ Hero video game, which is set…
Ok, folks, it’s time to get personal. While we here at the New Times strive not to navel-gaze too much when it comes to our blogs, there’s simply no way to get around it this time. Full disclosure: I am a former Rocky freak. I did a stint in a college theatrical troupe…
Just when we thought our weekend was going to be boring, we got a last minute text from DJ Anthony Hart about an art show downtown. God bless technology. And what a relief it was to see an open gallery on a night other that a First or Third Friday…
Electric Mustache: Videos: St. Vincent at Modified Arts 5/31/2009 Spin: New Arctic Monkeys Album Due in August Idolator: Michael Jackson Wasn’t Planning On Getting Four Extra Helpings Of Comeback Shows Web Devil: Grizzly Bear’s latest hits high note Pitchfork: Los Campesinos! Lose a Member, Plan Summer American Tour Idolator: The Dave…
Live Nation wants to help you save money in this trying economy. The concert promoter will eliminate its service fees on more than five million lawn seats and hundreds of concerts throughout North America beginning Wednesday, June 3 for a 24 hour event.No Service Fee Wednesdays will kick off June…
The mid-’90s were in full swing on Monday night when power-punk phenoms The Offspring took to the stage at the standing-room-only Marquee Theatre. And, yes, they played all the hits — from “Keep ‘Em Separated,” to “Pretty Fly (For a White Guy).” The crowd ranged from punks passed their prime…
The blogosphere is abuzz from last night’s MTV Movie Awards, and it’s not because MTV viewers are all huge Twilight fans (I’ll let you guess that particular demographic). True, the vampire movie based off of Stephanie Meyer’s novels absolutely slayed the competition — which shouldn’t come as a surprise since…
Our weekly concert announcements are always a bit of a “Wait, those guys are still alive and playing music” shock, but I’ve never been quite as blindsided as I was seeing Tears For Fears slated to place Tempe Marketplace in July.Yes, Tears for Fears. They’re still around. In fact, the…
Lucinda Williams Plays the Non-Hits at Mesa Arts Center It takes some chutzpah to read your lyrics off a music stand. When you’ve been dubbed “America’s Greatest Songwriter” by Time magazine (a publication that’s not known for its music criticism, but nonetheless notable in any grand pronouncement) you get such…
Tomorrow is Live Nation Southwest Chairman Danny Zelisko’s 35th anniversary as a show promoter, and we’d like to extend a hearty congratulations. That’s right, Zelisko booked his first show on June 2, 1974, bringing Englishman John McLaughlin’s jazz-rock fusion group Mahavishnu Orchestra to Tucson.Danny also hosts a radio show, Regular Guy Radio Hour…
Idolator: The Case Against Phish: Why A Once-Great Band Should Have Stayed Dead Waved Rumor: The Points/Said Gun, Modified, Phoenix Pitchfork: Wavves Cancel First Post-Meltdown Show Rolling Stone: Flashback: Phoenix’s “Lisztomania” Makes Ringwald And Cryer Feel Like Dancing Spin: Amanda Palmer Talks Neil Gaiman Collaboration Pitchfork: Sigur Rós to Perform…
