The 30 Best Concerts in October

Our inbox was hit with an e-mail blast the other day from the proprietors of a local music venue who declared that October was going to be “insane” because of all the fantastic acts they has booked at the joint over the next few weeks. They ain’t the only ones,…

Eagles Tour Looks at Band’s History — When Convenient

Old white people like the Eagles. That is the biggest takeaway from Wednesday night’s “History of The Eagles” stop at Gila River Arena. That, and history is very easily changed when it needs to be for the sake of some feel-good moments on tour. They also more or less left…

8 Things We Learned at Summer Ends Music Festival

It was a weird, wild, and wet weekend. We’re talking about Summer Ends Music Festival, Lucky Man Concerts’ three-day extravaganza scheduled for Tempe Beach Park. But Mother Nature had other plans, and after the second huge rainstorm to hit the Valley in a month dumped more than an inch of…

5 Best Concerts to See in Phoenix This Week

Perhaps everyone has a music hangover from this past week, because after a week that saw a giant three-day music festival get washed out by the rain and featured performances by heavyweights Katy Perry, Drake, and Lil Wayne, this upcoming is much calmer. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t musical…

Drake vs. Lil Wayne Tour: Battle, or Hip-Hop Bromance?

When writing show reviews, I always struggle with the journalistic imperative to report “what happened?” because usually nothing really happened other than some brooding subculture people played some notes and maybe moved around in a vaguely distinct way. The kind of stuff that is so commonplace that it’s not worth…

Katy Perry – Gila River Arena – 9/25/2014 (VIDEO)

“How many of you are under the age of 10?” Tegan from indie-pop group Tegan and Sara asked the crowd last night at Gila River Arena. Thousands of girls, including one super-shrieky one directly behind me, screamed in delight as their young age was recognized by a band they’d probably…

6 Best Concerts to See This Weekend

Do you like music but hate overly large crowds? Is Tempe Beach Park your idea of hell? Do you hate everything you hear on AAA and alternative radio stations? Never fear. There are other things going on this weekend besides Summer Ends Music Festival, and we’ve got the six best…

Summer Ends Music Festival: The Local Acts

Taken a look at a concert calendar recently? Like migrating birds, major music acts are flocking to the Valley as the weather shifts from outdoor sauna to merely hot. What better way to celebrate turning your air conditioner off than heading out to the biggest three-day music festival to happen…

Summer Ends Music Festival: The National Headliners

Taken a look at a concert calendar recently? Like migrating birds, major music acts are flocking to the Valley as the weather shifts from outdoor sauna to merely hot. What better way to celebrate turning your air conditioner off than heading out to the biggest three-day music festival to happen…

Violent Femmes’ Profane Gospel Rock Album Turns 30

In the “about” section of the Violent Femmes’ official Facebook page, under the “description” header, it currently reads: “Violent Femmes are currently touring in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the release of their first album.” It’s an album worth celebrating; recorded by a trio of Milwaukee folk punks –…

The Descendents’ New Record Might Be Out This Time Next Year

Influential pop punk legends The Descendents paved the way for bands that hit it big, like Blink-182 and Green Day. Descendents may not be a sold-out-arena sort of band, but that’s the band’s appeal — Descendents are for underdogs who are unlucky in love and like going to Wienerschnitzel. They…

Summer Ends Music Festival 2014: A Field Guide

Yup, it’s almost here, and we know y’all have been waiting for it tirelessly, throughout the long, hot, and brutal months. Now, it’s only mere days away. So are we talking about to the end of summer? Well, yeah, that too (since temperatures will start to decrease later this week)…

Check Out the Schedule, Lineup for Apache Lake Music Festival

The Apache Lake Music Festival announced the breakdown of who’s playing where at the two-day event, which happens October 24-25 in Roosevelt. Now that you know who’s playing on what day, it’s time to plan your pre-Halloween weekend. The Friday and Saturday of the festival will take place on an…

Marco Antonio Solís – US Airways Center – 9/19/2014

Marco Antonio Solís has been rocking his infamous long hair and a full beard since the ’70s. People have always compared his looks to those of Jesus of Nazareth, but in our current era of memes, his image has made the artist one of the most viral and popular faces…

6 Best Concerts to See in Phoenix This Week

This week kicks off a helluva run for Phoenix concerts. Thursday we have Drake, Lil Wayne, and Katy Perry all performing, and Friday begins the Summer Ends Music Festival. What more could you want? Well, if you really need more options, check out the ones below, and browse our comprehensive…

Rob Zombie and Powerman 5000 – Westworld – 9/19/2014

On Friday, Rob Zombie officially brought the Halloween season to the Valley of the Sun in wicked style. The heavy metal musician’s show celebrated the opening of his very own Great American Nightmare haunted house at Westworld, and his stripped down performance took place in the shadow of his three…

6 Best Concerts to See in Phoenix This Weekend

People of the Valley of the Sun, fear not. Yes, you have suffered. Through July, with average high temps of 107 degrees, you have persevered. Through August, much of the same. Then in September, you weathered another type of extreme weather, as rainwater filled up city streets and turned neighborhood…

6 Best Concerts to See in Phoenix This Week

Have you recovered from Mad Decent Block Party? Last weekend, everything musical in Phoenix paused to give space for what is arguably the largest EDM event that will happen this year. This week, the Phoenix music universe has adjusted, compensating for the overabundance of beats and turntables with a slew…