Reflections on Clarity: An Introduction

As you probably know, Jimmy Eat World’s masterpiece Clarity came out 10 years ago last month. To celebrate that anniversary, the band has been out on the CLARITY x 10 TOUR, where they have been playing that record in its entirety from start to finish, even a full version of…

Just Announced: Taylor Swift, Foreigner, Pokafase

Why isn’t Taylor Swift bigger than she is? Being the best selling artist of last year and having her own line of clothing at Wal-Mart, you might expect Taylor swift to be a little more exposed than she is. With a Rolling Stone cover this month and a Saturday Night…

Jamie Foxx’s New Video: Amazing or Just Plain Goofy?

As was widely reported at the end of last week, Jamie Foxx released his new video for the song “Blame It,” and the response in the blogosphere has been one of elation. He’s Jamie Foxx, for one thing — and that alone opens him up to an endless roster of…

Cheap Thrills: Hottest Dance Party of the Weekend

This Saturday night is Cheap Thrills IV billed as “An Evening of Dancing and Debauchery,” the new monthly Dance Party by DJs and promoters Jared Alan and Sean Watson. The party happens the last Saturday of every month at The Black Forest Mill (4900 E Indian School Rd in Phoenix)…

Rachael Ray at SXSW

To add to the list of hip parties we have told you about happening at SxSW next month in Austin is the most random one yet. Rachel Ray will be hosting the party “Rose’s Mojito & Rachael Ray’s Feedback: The B-Side.” The party with have Acts such as The Hold…

Our SxSW Party: M. Ward, Crystal Antlers, Cursive

LA Weekly has announced the bill for our Village Voice South by Southwest showcase. M. Ward, Crystal Antlers, Cursive, Gomez and Bear Hands. Crystal Antlers and Cursive are the highlights for me. The new Cursive record, Mama, I’m Swollen — which I popped in today, and happened to be listening…

Zappa Plays Zappa Well Worth the Wait

Considering Frank Zappa’s vast catalog of music, I’m pretty sure I wasn’t the only person at Dodge Theatre Thursday night who was surprised when Zappa Plays Zappa’s set kicked off with a Van Halen cover. After a half-hour delay reportedly due to an exhaustive sound check, Dweezil Zappa took the…

Idol’s Top 12 Gets a Big, Fat Dose of Faaaaabulousness

Before we get to the nittty-gritty of last night’s American Idol Group 2 results show, I just want to take a moment to brag and say that I called it. Yes, I know it wasn’t that hard to predict who, out of Tuesday night’s group, would get through to the…

Jugheads Returns With New Look, Old Name

Raise a can of PBR in salute, as P-Town punk bar Jugheads is re-opening to the public tonight with a special celebration. As I reported a few weeks ago, former proprietor Tonya Copeland (the widow of original owner Sid Copeland) sold the bar at the end of January to the…

Flier of the Week: The Necronauts

This flier of the week comes to us by way of suggestion from New Times contributor Jose Gonzalez and, I have to say, it portends great things for The Necronauts’ show at Trunkspace tomorrow. The lo-fi indie/punk band has a cool sound, full of grumbling, fuzzy guitars that often remind…

This Week’s Number-One Album Sells Only 62,000 Copies

Less than a decade ago, an album would have to sell well over 100,000 copies in a single week to become the number-one album in the country. Single-week sales of over a million units were not uncommon for major acts. Now, with the collapse of the CD market, DigitalmusicNews.com is reporting…

Yeah Yeah Yeah’s Create Big Buzz for New Album

For an album that doesn’t come out out until April 14th, the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s have been creating a healthy amount of buzz for their next offering It’s Blitz. Last week saw the first two tracks off the album find their way onto the internet, much to the delight of…

Where to Celebrate Mardi Gras and Fat Tuesday in Phat Fashion

Hope you’ve recovered from whooping it up during All-Star Weekend, because yet another partying holiday is upon us: Fat Tuesday (a.k.a. Mardi Gras). For those of the Catholic faith, it means one last 24-hour session of excess before abstaining for the next 40 days during the Lenten period. But even…

Seven Nights of DJs & Dancing

THURSDAY 26 Axis/Radius: Ladies Night (Top 40, rock, dance) Bunkhouse: DJ Doom (dance) Cherry Lounge: Scandalous Thursday with DJ Juan Rocha (house, electronica) Club Red: The Blunt Club with Pickster Uno, DJ Element, more (hip-hop) Copper State Tavern: DJ Kavi, & guests (hip-hop) Homme: So Paid!!! Thursdays with Zachary J.,…

KonGeror Dreams of Post-Rap Glory in the Frigid North Woods

Chris Martinez may be the best local rapper you’ve never heard of — but not for much longer. The 22-year-old producer and MC, who records under the name KonGeror (or, more recently, just K.), has called Arizona home since his family moved to the Valley from El Paso, Texas, nearly…

Zappa Plays Zappa Stays True to Frank’s Vision

Attention, audio adopters like Diddy who think classic rock sounds better with a rap track laid down over it: Keep your hip-hop mitts off Frank Zappa’s songs. Dweezil Zappa, the oldest son of late avant-garde rock composer Frank Zappa, has been performing songs from his father’s career for the past…