Down Marquee Theatre Sunday, September 11 You have to feel bad for opening acts. Upon arriving at the Down concert last night, Ponykiller had just ended its set and In Solitude was in full force, playing their hearts out on the stage for a half-full Marquee Theater. A handful of…
Cults became a buzz band without even trying. Last year, the ’60s pop-influenced group posted a couple songs on Bandcamp for friends to hear, not expecting bloggers to find and praise the demos. Content that the music spoke for itself, Madeline Follin and Brian Oblivion decided against posting any additional…
Carla Bozulich, Badwater Bob, Where Dead Voices Gather, and Tobie Milford The Trunk Space Friday, September 9, 2011 “That’s a pretty song, right?” — Badwater Bob There’s only about twenty people in the Trunk Space, and we’re sitting on the floor. Badwater Bob is on stage, a spry, gray gentleman…
When I was young, I used to love Friday night because it meant TGIF (Thank Goodness It’s Funny) — the ABC block of programming that included Dinosaurs, Full House, Boy Meets World, Hanging With Mr. Cooper, Muppets Tonight, and Family Matters. I really liked those shows. I don’t love any…
Cold War KidsMarquee TheatreTuesday, September 6, 2011 Quality over quantity. That’s what it’s all about for Cold War Kids. Attendance at the band’s show at the Marquee last night could have been better, but the 600 cheering fans that did show made up for everyone who didn’t. The band aptly…
Get those heart strings in check Phoenix. Emotive modern-rockers Blue October are coming to town and they’ve got a new album full of heartache and pain in tow. It’s been 16 years since the Texas quintet first donned the eye-liner and started wearing their hearts on their sleeves and after…
Long ago — or earlier this year — I used to DJ Ten High Tuesdays at the Yucca Tap Room, spinning power-pop, soul, and whatever else I felt like. I liked to think of myself as pretty eclectic, but I generally tried to keep to things that people could dance…
Sade and John Legend U.S. Airways Center Friday, September 2, 2011 REVIEW BY DAN GIBSON Sade (the woman, not the band) doesn’t seem like she has to work very hard live. If there’s ever an audience willing to plunk down $149 for the good seats, load up on $25 glossy…
Oh, Labor Day weekend. Don’t know about you guys, but I’m ready for it. There’s plenty of stuff going on this weekend, and we’ve tried to cover the gamut. Tonight you can catch Sade at US Airwaves and Gucci Mane at Celebrity Theatre, tomorrow brings Neon Trees, Peachcake, and iamwe…
Traditionally, a foundry is a place where hardened metal castings are made. Last night I walked into the Foundry on First a wad of Play-Doh, and walked out a hardened rock ‘n’ roll concertgoer that my angry inner 19-year-old self would have been proud of. In short, Mexico’s volatile rock-rap…
Deadmau5 September 1, 2011 Phoenix Convention Center Phoenix Convention Center is usually home to conferences and expos, but last night one of the massive halls was turned into a giant glowstick-heavy dance party as Canadian producer deadmau5 (“dead mouse”) came to town.It seemed like an odd place to have a…
Red Hot Chili Peppers: Live From the E-Werk Viewed at Cinemark 16Watching a rock concert from a seat in a Mesa movie theater is a strange experience. People in the theater clapped after every song as if they were really there, but nobody cheered or hooted or got rowdy and…
You know how every once in a while an album comes out and just throws a right cross to your jaw? That’s how I felt the first time I heard ¿Dónde Jugarán las Niñas? by Mexico’s hip-hop metal outfit Molotov. It was epic. The album, titled as a play off…
During all of the times I had seen Patrick Stump perform with Fall Out Boy, he never looked quite as comfortable, confident or happy as he did last night during his solo set at Martini Ranch.
It would be tacky to start an Atmosphere review with a description of the atmosphere, but in this case, I really don’t have a choice. Just know I do it while gritting my teeth. The sweaty, steamy, rain-hungry crowd at Mesa Amphitheatre last night was nothing short of magic. Sure, much…
During my sophomore biology class in high school, a bubbly classmate pleaded for help getting Peachcake to play an upcoming dance. That feels like an eternity ago, but eight years later, the band is still going strong. I have no idea if they ended up playing since I didn’t have…
It’s looking to be another packed weekend of gigs here in the Valley of the Sun. Here’s a handy guide featuring some fresh, hand-picked recommendations to your rock, rap, soul, punk, or whatever on this weekend…
If you call yourself a fan of electronic music, then it’s safe to assume you’re familiar with Jimmy Tamborello of DNTEL. If not, you might want to visit Tamborello’s Wikipedia page then smack your head on the keyboard for nearly committing indietronica music geek social suicide. The contemporary electronic music…
BY DANIEL RAVEN Young Jeezy Celebrity Theatre Thursday, August 25, 2011 Young Jeezy may not know how to ride a beat or rap for more than ten seconds without losing his breath, but he was certainly able to keep it gangsta last night at Celebrity Theatre. Rapping to a half-empty…
Maxine Johnson is something of an RnB legend in Phoenix, and she’s got the resume to prove it, having worked with everyone from Wayne Newton and Diana Ross to Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. Johnson is known for her big voice, which can regularly be heard at juke joints around…
The last time I was invited to a Black and White Party, a buddy of mine convinced me it would be a great idea to cram into his Scion tC with a third dude, drive across the border around the time shit started getting sticky, and hit up this crazy…
She’s at the forefront of the “white folks saying the N-word debate,” been compared to Odd Future’s Tyler the Creator, and her big single “Gucci Gucci” possesses anti-commercialism undertones, but if you ignore all the implications of her music, Kreasyshawn makes party music. And that’s a handy thing, seeing as…
