Cute Is What We Aim For is likely the perfect 21st-century pop band. Almost purpose-built for short-attention-span marketing campaigns, the four gents in CIWWAF focus so heavily on pop sheen, hooks, and scenester touchstones that it’s often difficult to figure out just what the sum of the parts is. Then…
Like his dad Larry, singer-songwriter James McMurtry knows characters. But unlike his novelist father — who penned The Last Picture Show and Lonesome Dove, and wrote Brokeback Mountain’s screenplay — the guys and gals who populate James’ work don’t even bother looking for a way out. They’re already down for…
Even with Ozzfest gearing up for another go, metalheads would be hard pressed to find a better festival bill this summer than the Rockstar Energy Mayhem tour. Slipknot — Iowa’s favorite (and probably only) Grammy-winning metal band — headlines the melee, with a barrage of badass metallers in tow, including…
Summertime ain’t a dead time as far as the local rave scene is concerned. The particular all-hours party that we’re going to be swooping into will definitely be The Dark Knight, being put on by Silent Unspoken Entertainment on Saturday, July 19, in honor of that certain comic book flick…
Here’s the top 10 best-selling albums for Zia Record Exchange, 1940 West Chandler Boulevard in Chandler, for the week of July 7 to 13. 1. Beck, Modern Guilt (Geffen) 2. Lil Wayne, Tha Carter III (Universal) 3. The Maine, Can’t Stop Won’t Stop (Fearless) 4. Sigur Rós, Med Sud I…
This weekend marks the New Times Summer of Sound “experimental” show. The event, scheduled to take place Friday, July 18, at Papillons Too (formerly Cell Block) in Mesa, features local eclectic outfit Janis Joplin Crap N Vomit, along with three other great local bands and headliners Estradasphere Trio.
By Jonathan McNamara Last time we saw the Minibosses press start on their own brand of 8-bit Nintendo music, it was under the influence of several spirits at Yucca Tap Room’s Shotfest 2. It was good, but unmistakably degraded by a waterfall of alcoholic substances. Looking for a chance to…
By Lilia Menconi For more sweaty goodness, check the slideshow. Since Glam closed, we’ve been on a mission. We’ve got to find another place where people are sporting everything from jeans and Converse to designer dresses to wrestling masks. We dig dancing amid total chaos — it’s the only way…
If you’re a band from the Phoenix metro area and would like to have your CD reviewed here, please send it to me at:
This weekend was full of fun (and rain). Friday, July 11, the New Times Summer of Sound jazz show took place at the Brickhouse Theatre. I was not there for personal reasons (a close friend had a medical emergency in the family), but I heard the event was smooth and groovy. Props and thanks to all the local acts that played the show — Jazz Robot, Eric Rasmussen, Music for Bowlers, and Jiggle — and headlining act, the B-Side Players.
By Sarah Ventre Better Than: Any other rainy Sunday afternoon with about 100 underage kids. Ah, summertime! It is a time for remembering one’s youth from endless days of swimming to eating ice-cold watermelon and who can forget summer camp? Certainly not the good folks at Unlimited Enthusiasm, a summer…
Max and the Marginalized: Tuesday, July 15, at Modified Arts By Clay McNear Max Bernstein, Jon Ryggy, and Dave Watrous — the musicians who comprise the political-punk band Max and the Marginalized — will be shocked by what I’m about to do. What’s that, you ask? Lump them in with…
PJ Standlee They are six-feet tall, made of super vacuum-formed solid aluminum and boast six 250 mm woofers, a 250 mm midrange speaker and a state-of-the-art 165 mm tweeter. They’re called “Muon,” and they just might be the best sounding speakers money can buy – if you have $140,000 to…
By Benjamin Leatherman Don’t know about y’all, but I really dig it when bands whip out a cover or two during their live gigs. Whether it’s a song the band normally apes (like the Dead Kennedy’s parodies of “Viva Las Vegas” or “Rawhide”), or it’s just a rare, one-time-only kinda…
By Benjamin Leatherman Teenybopper pop-rock faves the Jonas Brothers are scheduled to perform tonight at the Cricket Wireless Pavilion. There’s a pretty substantial slate of live music going down this weekend at venues throughout the PHX. Nearly every major genre is represented, from rock and hip-hop to jazz and Latin…
Here’s a handful of concerts that were just announced.
By Jonathan McNamara Friday: Ukulele Ray and the KoKonutz We’re unsure how much faith you can put in anything a parody artist says, but if myspace is to be believed, Ukulele Ray is capable of imitating a “cast of thousands.” Come take a gander at the man who dresses like…
By Jonathan McNamara What? You think just because Harry Potter is a wizard he doesn’t know how to rock? You know what rocks? Petrification…by a basilisk. Have you ever stared into the magic eyes of a massive, serpentine demon and whispered “oh shit” in parsletongue before feeling your very fibers…
By Steve Jansen One microphone and, uh, one microphone. That’s the only thing used to record The Black Jacket’s self-titled debut. The result: A rock ‘n’ roll adventure in unmastered, lo-fi goodness. “Like Father, Like Daughter” is the album’s best song. Imagine if you could sprout wings and fly through…
THURSDAY 10 Axis/Radius: Divine Ladies Night with MCB & DJ Devine (various) Blooze Bar: DJ El Dedo (rockabilly) Bunkhouse: DJ Doom (dance) Cherry Lounge: Greed Thursdays (hip-hop, Top 40) Club Forbidden: Lips Thursdays with DJs Domenica, Hill, & MJ (various) Club Red: The Blunt Club with Pickster One, DJ Element, Dumperfoo, & Emerg…
July is the time of year when families get together for cookouts, kids stay up late to watch TV, and music critics compile their midyear Top 10 lists. Yes, we live for this kinda thing. Never mind that there are still six long months of records that will be released,…
Country audiences have always been strongly working-class, and such country greats of yesteryear as Johnny Cash and Merle Haggard sold albums based on how they answered the fears of the average American. Toby Keith does the same thing, but with a wholly commercial slant, pandering to audiences dismissed by the…
