At several points during Cured: A Tale of Two Imaginary Boys by original Cure drummer (and later keyboard player) Laurence “Lol” Tolhurst, the author describes situations where other members of the Cure said to him something along the lines of, “No one will mind if you get some help, Lol.”…
A 13-album catalog, sold-out tours, and lyrical themes of existential despair are not what come to mind when thinking about a 24-year-old musician. Will Toledo of Car Seat Headrest, however, has all of these and more under his belt. For Toledo, music was always a presence. From his father teaching…
We all had an imaginary friend growing up. Singer-songwriter Erin Fein imagined a recording partner. In 2012, Psychic Twin, led by Fein, released several rapt, evocative singles. These starry-eyed exercises in the shoe-gaze genre, filled with wistful counter-melodies and dark rhythms, were meant to be solitary affairs, a way to capture the…
The Weeknd announced his 2017 tour today, and it will include a Phoenix stop at Talking Stick Resort Arena on Tuesday, May 2. The Weeknd has a highly-anticipated new album, Starboy, coming out Friday, November 25. The singer is coming off a tremendous two years. “Can’t Feel My Face,” a…
Still got some mojo and money left after Halloween weekend? Don’t put away your costume just yet. There’s at least one more night of parties on tap, including a Thriller-inspired shindig at Valley Bar featuring the DJs of Motown on Mondays and Sean Watson’s always popular Halloween affair at Crescent…
For the fifth year, a slew of Phoenix bands will pack their vans and head down to the Sidepony Express Music Festival in Bisbee on November 11-13, and New Times has the exclusive scoop on the 101-artist lineup this year. Yes, the festival takes place in Bisbee, the haunted mining…
Watchu doing this weekend? There’s most definitely no shortage of things to do, whether its hanging out at the Arizona State Fair, checking out Ignite Phoenix’s first-ever music edition, And lest we not forget, it also just happens to be Halloween weekend, which means tons of costume parties, masquerades, and…
Many fans and critics alike felt Black Rebel Motorcycle Club had gone soft, given the tone and sound of their most recent album, 2013’s Specter at the Feast. Album opener “Fire Walker” meanders in with Pink Floyd “Echoes”-like wanderings, and even with the fuzzed-out guitars, sullen harmonies and dark basslines,…
Not unlike The Flaming Lips’ Wayne Coyne last Saturday night, Tom Araya, Slayer’s ass kicking bassist/vocalist, talked to the Fair crowd about the importance of remembering to share the love about halfway through the band’s set. Then he and his band melted the faces off the people in the front…
“Reward the listener.” When was the last time you heard any artist say that and not have it not mean including a discount coupon for their fragrance tucked away in a CD? Okay, so Brooklyn neo-psychedelic pop band Yeasayer never actually say anything about rewarding the listener either, but Chris Keating,…
Let’s face it, there’s something downright magical to Stevie Nicks. When I think of Nicks, three things come to mind: Fleetwood Mac, the sexiest voice on the planet, and magic, probably in that order. Even the way I had the opportunity to see Stevie Nicks and the Pretenders on Tuesday night…
It’s always bittersweet to see a band unexpectedly hang it up at the height of their game and call it quits prematurely, but sometimes it’s a blessing in disguise. Metal’s most chaotic act, the Dillinger Escape Plan, doesn’t want to be that band who makes the subpar record fans despise…
Look at the cover of Paper Bird’s eponymous album. Standing clustered together in Old West-styled garb on a white background, shades of Fleetwood Mac are apparent. Musically, the Denver band strikes numerous similarities to the Stevie Nicks-fronted band. With multiple female harmonies, catchy hooks, and driving pop songs, the appeal…
When in Rome, do as the Romans do. When in Phoenix, head to the desert. Desert raves have been an underground staple of the dance music scene since I can remember. Once upon a time, underground parties were the only places you could listen to electronic music and engage in…
We’re rolling into one of the busiest weeks of the year for live music – and its not only because the Halloween party season about to kick into gear. By sheer happenstance, a slew of great concerts will be happening over the next few nights at Valley venues, and every one…
The Flaming Lips are known for their wild performances and colorful theatrics on stage. Yet, there is a lot more to their flamboyant productions than first meets the eye. Last night at the Arizona State Fair, frontman Wayne Coyne showed the entire coliseum the deep roots of his musical mission…
Jimmy Eat World might not have burst onto the national consciousness until “The Middle” hit the airwaves in 2001, but the band actually formed in 1993, during the heyday of the Mill Avenue jangle-pop scene. But while the Gin Blossoms were riding the wave of “Hey Jealousy” and the streets…
Up for seeing a great concert this weekend? If so, we’ve got a few suggestions for y’all. As a matter of fact, we’ve got 10 of ‘em, which include shows from a wide variety of genres, ranging from R. Kelly and Yuna to The Cookers and Nicolas Jaar. We’ve also got the…
Taylor Momsen is no stranger to the spotlight. She’s been modeling and acting since age 2, and she began writing music by the time she was in grade school. (Years later, a song she wrote at age 8 even ended up on a 24-year-old reality star’s debut album). She starred…
On November 18, 2014, North Carolina’s Hiss Golden Messenger appeared on The Late Show With David Letterman. After the band’s performance, a funky, swaying version of “Southern Grammar,” Letterman raved. “I like everything about this,” Letterman beamed. “What are you worried about?” Bandleader M.C. Taylor answered with a smirk and…
Of Montreal fans have, in a sense, been reading frontman Kevin Barnes’ diary for the past 20 years. Endearingly vulnerable and addictingly frank, his lyrics are emotionally magnetic, with enough highbrow literary references and sesquipedalian terminology to make you feel like you’re in with the smart kids if you get…
Is it just me or are people who are afraid of clowns kinda dumb? Fear of masks (masklophobia) makes sense to me — it could be anything under there, or even spookier, maybe there isn’t a face at all! But a clown is just an idiot in makeup — what’s…
