River Jones Music Festival The Paisley Violin Sunday, January 16, 2011 The first images that came to mind when I heard about a folk festival at The Paisley Violin? Tie-dyed college kids screeching out against the Vietnam War over a haze of sweet smoke.That wasn’t exactly the scene at the…
KinchSaturday, January 15, 2011Rogue Bar, ScottsdaleThe Rock ‘N’ Roll Arizona Marathon was this morning — thousands of runners, both locals and tourists, jogged 26 miles of Valley streets on a warm January day.The race wasn’t the weekend’s only impressive show of endurance along Scottsdale Road, though. Kinch’s second week of…
Joe Strummer Benefit George & Dragon Pub & Restaurant January 15th, 2011Phoenix’s punk community might not be the biggest or brightest music scene in the Valley, but, damn, it most definitely knows how to throw one hell of a wild wingding. For instance, the annual Joe Strummer Benefit that took…
Social Distortion Marquee Theatre January 13th, 2011It’s a testament to Social Distortion’s prominent influence on younger punk rock n’ roll bands that two songs in to opening band Dead Relatives’ set, I thought they were Social Distortion. It’s either a testament to that or how crappy a music critic I…
Purple Reign Talking Stick Resort January 8th, 2011 When it comes to most musical acts there really isn’t any substitution for the original. Prince, for example, is a one of a kind musician, but the tribute act Purple Reign is probably as close to the real thing as you can…
Hemoptysis and Landmine MarathonClubhouse Music VenueJanuary 7, 2011Two of the Valley’s best metal bands came together last night for a show that set the bar high for the local metal scene in 2011. Landmine Marathon and Hemoptysis put together a 1-2 punch last night that not only solidified their reputations…
New Year’s Eve in Scottsdale Scottsdale’s Old Town was celebration central as New Year’s revelers flocked to the White House, Axis-Radius, The Firehouse, and various other nightspots to fete Auld Lang Syne…see photos Epic Red Cup Massive Psycho Circus The freaks and geeks of Warsaw Pact Entertainment and Mourning Fyre…
Jimmy Eat WorldFiesta Bowl Block Party in TempeDecember 31, 2010 – January 1, 2011Playing a New Year’s Eve concert is sort of a big responsibility. Sure, it’s easy to impress a merry and well-lubricated crowd, but there’s a larger obligation, too. If you’re playing before the largest crowd assembled in…
Rx Bandits Scottsdale’s Ultimate Block Party December 31, 2011 When Matt Embree, Steve Choi, and the other members of SoCal ska-punk reggae-rock band Rx Bandits signed up to headline Scottsdale’s Ultimate Block Party New Year’s Eve some months ago, they probably thought it to be a smart idea at the…
Steve Aoki Pussycat Lounge, Scottsdale December 29, 2010 It’s safe to say that this is a first for Last Night — a show at Scottsdale’s Pussycat Lounge. For those who haven’t been to the upscale Scottsdale venue or others of its ilk, let me explain: it’s madness. It’s madness in…
Eastside Records Christmas Eve Eve Memorial Legendary local store Eastside Records is scheduled to close at the end of the month after more than 23 years, but not before going out in style with a massive memorial party that took place on Thursday, December 23. The refreshments consisted of cheese…
Over the last days of 2010 Up On The Sun will be counting down the best live shows of 2010. Today we look at the No. 7 show of the year, A Perfect Circle at Marquee Theatre…
Alice Cooper’s A Taste of Christmas Pudding Comerica Theatre December 18th, 2010 In a lot of ways Alice Cooper’s yearly Christmas Pudding charity concert is like most families Christmas gatherings. Everybody gathers together in one spot and you have to sit through a lot of boring, awkward and downright uncomfortable moments in…
You would have thought the new Twilight movie was premiering by the looks of Pollack Tempe Cinemas last night, as a line of girl-after-teenage girl winded around the theater. They were actually there to catch a glimpse of the oh-so-dreamy local band The Maine, who also happen to have a…
Neon TreesDecember 14, 2010Ovations Live! Showroom at Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino I never thought one of the best shows I saw all year would be in an Arizona casino.Even the bands playing last night at Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino in Chandler, Paper Tongues and Neon Trees,…
The Temper TrapDecember 13, 2010Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill In perhaps the weirdest artist/venue pairing ever, Australian indie band The Tempe Trap played Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill in Mesa last night. “I’ve never seen so much plaid,” someone in the crowd said, and…
“I’ll kick anyone out smoking reggie.”
Those were Curren$y’s first words to the audience at the Clubhouse Music Venue on the eventful last stop for the Smoker’s Club Tour. The crowd — mostly flat-brimmed baseball cap clad guys in their early 20s — received the threat warmly. A few minutes later they tossed a few blunts onto the stage for him.
Dweezil ZappaComerica TheatreMonday, December 6, 2010 Grey-haired dudes in tennis shoes, file in Co-mer-i-caThey throw back beers and let loose cheers, they scream ‘woo-hoo, oh yeah!’Their past they seek sans acid peak, at the Zappa showLive it up, do it big, Just don’t eat that yellow snow Dweezil Zappa played…
Yo Gabba Gabba at the Comerica Theatre Last Afternoon I haven’t been to one of these afternoon kids shows before, so I’m not sure if there are generally so many indie-looking dudes with beards ecstatically singing along with with a song called “Get the Sillies Out” at the Comerica Theatre…
Yo Gabba GabbaComerica Theatre in PhoenixSunday December 5, 2010As I mentioned in my interview with Yo Gabba Gabba! co-creator Christian Jacobs, I have seen every episode of the popular kids TV show Yo Gabba Gabba! a minimum of six times. You may think that number is an exaggeration but…
Yo Gabba Gabba LiveComerica Theatre in PhoenixSaturday, December 4, 2010I haven’t been to one of these afternoon kids shows before, so I’m not sure if there are generally so many indie-looking dudes with beards ecstatically singing along with with a song called “Get the Sillies Out” at the Comerica Theatre…
Toubab KreweCompound GrillSaturday December 4, 2010Here’s something amazing that pretty well sums up the vibe at Saturday night’s Toubab Krewe show at Compound Grill: They let the chicks bring in their hula hoops and, dammit, they used them!In case you missed the memo, hula hooping is what hippie chicks started…
