Mötley Crüe, Alice Cooper – Ak-Chin Pavilion – 7/19/2014

’80’s hair metal kings Mötley Crüe held very little back in the production department when their supposed final tour made its stop at Ak-Chin Pavilion on Saturday night to a sold out crowd. While there were enough pyro, flamethrowers, female dancers, and a lighting spectacle that would make a Nelson…

5 Best Concerts to See in Phoenix This Week

First, the binge. Inevitably, the come down. This past weekend was a veritable musical orgy, as a flood of touring and national bands came through Phoenix. This week, things are a little drier. Check out our five favorite shows happening this week, and browse our comprehensive concert listings for more…

Apache Lake Music Festival Announces 2014 Dates

Since it’s the worst part of the summer right now, spending more than a few hours at an outdoor music festival, let alone an entire day, isn’t something we’d recommend. However, when late October rolls around (and Arizona feels less like Satan’s grundle) whiling away an entire weekend in the…

7 Best Concerts to See This Weekend

In summertime, when we put together this list of best shows to see in Phoenix on any given weekend, we don’t have very many options. It can be slim pickings for live music around here when it hits triple digits. Not this week. There are more concerts than you could…

Remembering Chris Gaines, Garth Brooks’ Alter Ego

Alter-ego Chris Gaines on the left, original persona Garth Brooks on the right. By Jaime Lees Inspired by Garth Brooks’ recent announcement of his world tour, we thought we’d take a minute to look back on our favorite era of Garth-ness: the invention of Brooks’ alter-ego, Chris Gaines. Alter-egos help…

7 Best Concerts to See This Week in Phoenix

Let there be rock, said Ronnie James Dio from atop his gnarled throne in metal heaven last week. And lo, did Dio send a monsoon of rock ‘n’ roll on Phoenix, from KISS/Def Leppard to Mayhem Festival. Someone prayed to a different god this week, because this week is (almost)…

KISS, Def Leppard – Ak-Chin Pavilion – 7/9/2014

Jim LouvauKISS. Full slideshow here. The surroundings of a KISS and Def Leppard concert are one of the most entertaining parts about it, aside from the legends performing on stage. Wednesday’s concert contained a huge range of age groups, but the most amusing of them is what I like to…

5 Best Concerts to See in Phoenix This Week

Don’t let the haboob slow you down. It might be monsoon season, but that just means slightly cooler temps when you go to check out some sweet live music at night. Check out the following six shows if you’re looking for something to do, and don’t be afraid to check…

The 25 Best Concerts in July

It’s coming — and there’s little, if anything, you can do to stop it. The dog days of summer? Nope, although those are due this month, too. We’re referring to the imminent invasion of throwback acts, nostalgia tours, and long-in-the-tooth musicians who take to the road come summertime, and there’s…

A Fond Farewell to The Sail Inn

It was a bittersweet send-off, at best, this weekend at The Sail Inn. On the one hand, it was one of the most amazing local music lineups that could have possibly been arranged, but on the other, there was the idea that this was never going to happen again at…

EMA, Mas Ysa, YUS – Crescent Ballroom – 6/28/14

I’m not sure what went wrong with this show. All the bands were talented, smart individuals, yet it seemed like no one could be bothered to even pretend to be interested. First, this gig started off with tickets around $7, but Crescent Ballroom made the event free, presumably because they…

Arsonists Get All The Girls – The Underground – 6/26/2014

Going to a show at The Underground is always an interesting experience. The basement-style venue is popular for local and national acts and crams in its audience for the bigger shows. One of the most memorable shows I’ve been to there was about four years ago. My friends opened up…

5 Best Concerts to See in Phoenix This Weekend

What’s that, you say? Summers in Phoenix suck for live music? Expand your tastes, philistine. We got everything from washed-up ’90s alt-rock superstars to at least three significant local showcases and almost everything in between. If you don’t see anything that tickles your pickle, check out our comprehensive concert listings…

I Called in Sick to Follow Menzingers on Tour

Against all odds, Pennsylvania punk outfit the Menzingers gets better with every tour. The band gained quite the following with its fantastic 2012 album, On the Impossible Past. If Past serves as an introduction to the Menzingers, the band’s most recent record, Rented World, will make lifelong fans. The Menzingers…

The 20 Most Beautiful People at Electric Daisy Carnival

Christopher Victorio You thought only homely people went to Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) this past weekend? Think again! This year, per usual, the bold and the beautiful made their way to Las Vegas for parties that lasted all night long. Here are the concertgoers, shot by Christopher Victorio, whom we…