There are some extremely intelligent punk bands in the Valley of the Sun. These are bands that have a whole lot more going on in their tunes than a general middle-finger-to-the-establishment affectation. But not many of them are putting as much thought into their lyrics as Clipper “Danger” Arnold and…
As a young man, Ice-T had a penchant for rock ‘n’ roll. And while his path led him into the hardcore hip-hop world, he never lost that passion for music of the heavier, guitar-driven variety. It wasn’t until the early ’90s until he began to explore the type of music…
Love rock ‘n’ roll? If you live in the Valley, you’re in for a treat this week, especially if you’re into rock of a punk, indie, fuzz-filled, hardcore, or take-no-prisoners variety. This week’s slate of “can’t miss” concerts happening in Phoenix includes band from each of these subgenres, including British-born…
If you feel like the ’90s were just a little too recent to be looking back on with generational fondness, you’re wrong. At the I Love The ’90s tour at Talking Stick Resort Arena on Friday night, an age-and-reference specific dance party ensued, in which everyone, and I mean almost…
Looking for a memorable concert to check out this week after the sun goes down? Consider any of the following eight options on our list of the best shows taking place over the next several nights, which include such acts and artists as Junior Brown, The Garden, Simian Mobile Disco,…
Today has been the day that KONGOS fans worldwide have been waiting for since the band rose to international fame and platinum success with the release of the 2012 album Lunatic. Today, KONGOS released third album and second major label release, Egomaniac. While the strong debut single “Take It From Me”…
Zack Carmichael, guitar player for The Freeze, remembers vividly why the band moved to Phoenix in 2009. “I had just moved to the Cape [Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where The Freeze originated] to join the band in October of ’08. It was a brutal winter, and we were having trouble booking…
Over the course of the past 25 years, the world has gotten to view the performing talents of Gloria Reuben on a number of stages. She is a throwback to an era of multi-talented performers like Sammy Davis Jr. and Rosemary Clooney – she acts, dances, sings, plays piano. On…
It’s been awhile, but for the first time since 2013, Mumford and Sons are making their way back to Phoenix for a concert at Ak-Chin Pavilion. Fans will have to wait until Wednesday, October 5, to get their fix. Yes, Alice Cooper once called Mumford & Sons an “offence to…
Prophets of Rage — the new supergroup featuring members of Rage Against the Machine, Public Enemy, and Cypress Hill — announced a series of tour dates today leading to a protest show at the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland in July. The group will stop by Ak-Chin Pavilion on…
Looking for a memorable concert to check out this week after the sun goes down? Consider any of the following eight options on our list of the best shows taking place over the next several nights, which include such acts and artists as Junior Brown, The Garden, Simian Mobile Disco,…
As we’re sure you’re well aware by now, Phoenix Comicon is happening this weekend, which means hordes of geeks decked out in cape and cowl will be invading downtown. Thing is, they won’t be the only ones getting goofy while clad in costume. Downtown Phoenix venue Monarch Theatre, which is…
You’re not going to let a little hot weather stop you from going out, are you? Yeah, we know it’s hot, but you can’t stay cooped up for the next five months. You’re gonna get cabin fever at some point, plus there are a lot of great shows happening that…
Short-wave radio, coconuts, dried-out leaves — they’re random objects to most, but for Phoenix-based found-sound noise project RPM Orchestra, they are musical instruments for the group’s next performance. Though none of it is quite as weird as the time they hooked a contact microphone up to a Slinky. Anyone who…
One of the major things that A$AP Ferg and Tory Lanez have in common is that they both have to deal with being compared to their peers and counterparts: Ferg, a member of the A$AP mob, is often held to the high standards set by his team leader, A$AP Rocky,…
Among today’s slurries of synth pop and typical Top 40 trash, who knew a grunge band could still earn so much critical acclaim? Yet Speedy Ortiz does more than just revive sludgy, downtuned riffs with punk attitude. The Massachusetts four-piece are unique, not only because their lyrics are in an…
How’s your Memorial Day weekend going? D.O.A. – Monday, May 30 – Club Red Seething, agitated and anarchistic, D.O.A. continues to unleash tuneful and frenzied songs, proving they are far from retired. For more than 35 years, the band has unleashed rock and roll tethered to lumberjack toughness and ‘green’…
Besides being a little weirded out by the Grand Canyon State’s liberal gun laws — Aluna Francis, one-half of AlunaGeorge, is excited for her show in Phoenix at Crescent Ballroom tonight. That’s not to say she’s all that knowledgeable about the Copper State. “Well I know you can bring guns out in…
It’s Memorial Day Weekend, but that doesn’t mean live music stops. Check out our picks for live music this weekend, and visit our comprehensive concert calendar for more options. DJ Mustard – Sunday, May 29 – Livewire DJ Mustard is just 25, but already he’s es-tablished himself as a top…
Rather than trying to forget about the dark clouds that fell on his life in the last year, Modern Baseball’s Brendan Lukens found solace in writing a new batch of songs that faced everything head on. Lukens — who formed the pop-punk quartet with co-songwriter/guitarist Jacob Ewald, bassist Ian Farmer,…
The image of the reluctant rock star is sometimes more alluring than some throbbing Gibson jockey who does it for the babes, booze, and banknotes. When asked in a television interview if he ever wanted to be a rock star, Brian Jonestown Massacre frontman Anton Newcombe, whose band is playing…
In the world of heavy experimental music there’s nobody with as much clout as Aaron Turner. He founded the seminal record label HydraHead, fronted the post-metal goliath Isis for more than a decade, and has had his hand in so many groundbreaking side projects (Old Man Gloom, Mamiffer, Jodis, Split…
