Coachella 2012 4/20: Let’s Talk About Weed

Molly BergenSee also: *The Best of Coachella: Friday, April 20 *Our Complete Coachella Coverage Yesterday was 4/20. It was also Coachella. And so, the percentage of festival-goers who were stoned rose from a paltry 75 percent to a full 98 percent. (These estimates come courtesy of LA Weekly music editor,…

Best of Coachella 2012: Friday, April 20

Timothy NorrisSee also: *Our complete Coachella coverage *Top Ten Awkward Coachella Dance Move GIFs The first weekend of Coachella: cold, damp, and wet. The second weekend of Coachella: hot, sultry, and steamy. Here are our scribes’ picks for the best of what they saw on Friday, April 20 at Coachella…

Florence + the Machine, Comerica Theatre, 4/20/12

Florence + the Machine Friday, April 20, 2012 Comerica Theatre When I streamed the band’s Coachella performance last weekend so I could get an idea of what to expect when they came to Phoenix, I thought, “She’s great, but something about the performance is kind of weird.” To hell with…

Meet Tempe Rockers Neato: From Roommates to Bandmates

Tempe bandmates Johnny Hayward, Andy Higgins, Graham Corrington, and John Wong know each other pretty well. The quartet presently known as rock group Neato, have played in bands in the local circuit over the past decade but before that, the four friends were actually roommates. “The coolest part about Neato,…

What Laura Says Talks Earth Day and How You Can Contribute

Over 40 years have gone by since the first Earth Day. During that time, the eco-conscious have planted trees, rescued oil-covered birds, and rocked out with their compost out. What Laura Says might not have been around for the first Earth Day, but Saturday, they’ll celebrating the anniversary in style at…

Five Must-See Shows This Weekend

Curious what’s going on around town this weekend? Need some suggestions as to how to rock, dance, or krump in the Valley of the Sun? Don’t fret: These are our Five Shows to See This Weekend. Hunx and His Punx @ Yucca Tap Room Ever since its genesis with Chuck…

Andrew Bird, Mesa Arts Center, 4/18/12

Andrew Bird Mesa Arts Center Wednesday, April 18 When I opened the doors of Mesa Arts Center last night to see indie rock whistle-master Andrew Bird, I was greeted by an ocean of flannel shirts and beards. Folks were politely waiting in line for an overpriced beer and excited to…

M. Ward, Crescent Ballroom, 4/17/12

See also: M. Ward Discusses A Wasteland Companion, and His Arizona Ties to The Meat Puppets and Howe Gelb M. Ward Crescent Ballroom Tuesday, April 17, 2012 Following fIREHOSE’s blistering set of punk jazz, I was almost worried that the hushed immediacy of Portland-based singer/songwriter/producer M. Ward would suffer by…

fIREHOSE, Crescent Ballroom, 4/17/12

See also: fIREHOSE’s Ed Crawford: “It Was Our Job. We Fuckin’ Showed Up Every Day.” fIREHOSE Crescent Ballroom Tuesday, April 17, 2012 I entered the Crescent Ballroom with a mix of anticipation and apprehension in my gut. Soon to be on stage was fIREHOSE, a band I frequented in the…

The Strand: Industrial Music Meets Pirates vs. Ninjas

For more than a decade, industrial electro/rock band The Strand have increasingly become known for an electrifying stage presence, undeniable talent, and enigmatic sexual energy. They’ve been known to frequent the Valley’s fetish balls and favored intimate venues. And they have a knack for seducing the crowd — not just…

Frankie Rose and Chandails at Rhythm Room, 04/16/12

Frankie Rose and Chandails Rhythm Room Monday, April 16 To all aspiring indie rock mavens: no matter how many blog accolades you acquire (even, yes, the three-pronged hydra of “Best New Music”) or how many spine-crushingly cool side-projects bolster your C.V., at some point you will play Phoenix, Arizona on…

Mathmadix Get Sexy and Discuss Tupac’s Hologram Ghost

School is almost out for summer but for the Mathmadix crew, class will still be in session when their long-awaited album, In a Class of our Own, finally drops on April 20. “We’ve been trying to drop this album for a couple years now and it’s been difficult because of…

Coachella: What The Hell Is That Giant Flower?

Gabrielle CanonGiant Flower at CoachellaSee also: Best of Coachella: Sunday, April 15 See also: Top 10 Awkward Dance Moves at Coachella (GIFs) By Gabrielle Canon Coachella-goers arrived to the festival Sunday to find a giant 100 foot tall lotus flower on the grounds near the Gobi tent. Trippy! The crazy…

Top Ten Awkward Coachella Dance Move GIFs

See also: Coachella: Radiohead’s Weekend 1 Set Has No Alarms and No Surprises See also: The Best of Coachella Sunday, April 15, 2012 By Ben Westhoff At Coachella, folks come from all over the world to lose themselves in the music. They’ll employ almost anything in this quest — but…

Coachella: 5 Signs You’re An Aging Hipster

Timothy Norris/LA WeeklySee also: Coachella: Radiohead’s Weekend 1 Set Has No Alarms and No Surprises See also: The Best of Coachella Sunday, April 15, 2012 By Lilledeshan Bose Aging hipsters–the very same people Coachella targeted when it began holding the music fest in Indio–are usually easy to spot on the…

The Best of Coachella: Sunday, April 15

Andrew Youssef/OC WeeklySnoop!See also: *The Best Of Coachella: Saturday, April 14 *Top Ten Awkward Coachella Dance Move GIFs Wow, that was fast! In a whirlwind of top-notch performances from legends and buzz bands alike, pool parties, and rain, Coachella’s first weekend is over. Here are our scribes’ favorite moments from…

Soulive, McDowell Mountain Music Festival, 4/15/12

Soulive McDowell Mountain Music Festival at Compound GrillSunday, April 15 Groove is what you make of it, and Soulive makes plenty of groovin’ music. This trio from New York City–brothers Neal and Alan Evans, on Hammond B-3 organ and drums, respectively, and guitarist Eric Krasno–draw inspiration from mid-1960s soul jazz…

Chairlift, Nite Jewel and Bell at Crescent Ballroom, 03/14/12

See also: Download: Nite Jewel’s Sultry, Direct Song “In the Dark” Chairlift, Nite Jewel, and Bell Crescent Ballroom Saturday, April 14 Watching the trio of on-the-rise bands at Crescent, I saw three very different approaches to both stage presence and synth-driven pop. Headliners Chairlift struck a very entertaining balance between…