The Black Moods – RockBar Inc., Scottsdale – 6/15/2013

The Black MoodsRockBar Inc., ScottsdaleJune 15, 2013 Old Town Scottsdale came alive last night when The Black Moods blew the roof off Rockbar. On the street, the usual busy social scene of Scottsdale seemed mellow for a Saturday night. But inside, it was apparent word of mouth had spread, emptying…

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals – Celebrity Theatre – 6/13/2013

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals Celebrity Theatre (View the full slideshow.) Thursday, June 6, 2013 Grace Potter and the Nocturnals are a band of many talents, combining songs that could have been ’70s rock anthems with Potter’s powerhouse vocals, exuding blues, country, and pop flair. The band’s musical variety attracted…

Top Five Must-See Phoenix Shows This Weekend

That Tupac hologram probably gave the whole industry a scare, but for the moment it looks like tribute bands are safely ensconced as the only way you’ll be able to see, say, Pantera live. A night of cover bands at the Marquee, don’t-call-it-chillwave at Last Exit Live, the less-wordy parts…

The Thermals – Crescent Ballroom – 6/12/13

The Thermals Crescent Ballroom Wednesday, June 12, 2013 If you like The Ramones, you probably would have loved last night’s show. I know that’s a lofty comparison, but Portland DIY pop punk trio The Thermals performed relatively simple but uber-catchy songs that kept the crowd moving throughout its 20 song…

Fall Out Boy – Marquee Theatre – 6/11/2013 (VIDEO)

Fall Out Boy Marquee Theatre (View the full slideshow.) June 11, 2013 It was as if Fall Out Boy had never left. When they played Marquee Theatre last night, it was hard to imagine they’d ever abandoned the scene and called it quits four years earlier. The Marquee was sold…

Top Five Must-See Phoenix Shows This Week

Has there been any point in the last 50 years in which people weren’t convinced rock and roll needed saving? Fall Out Boy’s latest album isn’t a boast or a promise so much as the natural career path for rock stars who’ve become monstrously successful and lived to tell about…

Trinidad James – Celebrity Theater – 6/8/2013

By Jonathan Alvira Trinidad JamesCelebrity TheatreJune 8, 2013 Groupies, strippers and first-time stage dancers were “turnt” up all night with Mr. “All Gold Everything” himself. As I watched a blonde bombshell from the crowd get pulled on stage to shake her ass for the screaming fans, I came to a…

Top Five Must-See Phoenix Shows This Weekend

If you want to see the Refreshments, who haven’t played together as a band since 1998, now might be a good time to figure out whether you’re legally allowed to go to Mexico. I don’t mean to spoil this week’s Must-See Phoenix Shows This Weekend, but it might take you…

Mumford and Sons – Desert Sky Pavilion – 6/5/2013

Mumford and Sons (See the complete slideshow here)Desert Sky PavilionJune 5, 2013 Love ’em or hate ’em, Mumford and Sons’ popularity continues to grow. Last night’s sold-out show at Desert Sky Pavilion puts the band in a league with some of the Valley’s other huge indie shows from previous years–but…

Ceremony – Rhythm Room – 6/4/2013

By Eric Ruchensky CeremonyRhythm RoomJune 4, 2013 For indie-rock-loving dudes who required something harder-edged than the Generationals show at the Crescent on Tuesday night, Stateside brought four — two local, two touring — hardcore heavyweight bands to Phoenix’s premier juke joint, The Rhythm Room. Veteran locals Move Forward kicked off…

Six Reasons to See Ceremony Tonight at Rhythm Room

Hardcore/post-punk act Ceremony returns to Rhythm Room tonight, and it is not a show to miss. I saw the band perform for the first time about six months ago, opening for Titus Andronicus. The vibe of the night was a little weird — it was Election Night — but it…

Top Five Must-See Phoenix Shows This Week

If you’re looking for proof that yesterday’s indie sound is today’s mainstream sound, you could do worse than examining the record sales of Imagine Dragons and Mumford & Sons, two enormously successful rock acts that spend most of their time blurring what was already a pretty blurry line. If you’re…

Are Out-of-Town Festivals Worth the Hassle?

Music festivals have been around for decades, and they’re only becoming more popular. Each year, millions of fans fly around the world to attend more than 270 fests of various genres in the United States alone. They aren’t a cheap experience, either: between festival tickets, travel, hotels and basics like…

Top Five Must-See Phoenix Shows This Weekend

June is here (basically.) All across the Valley, people are glancing nervously at the sun, aware that at some point in the next month rising temperatures are going to force them into a kind of ersatz air-conditioning hibernation until sometime just after Christmas. Or maybe that’s just me. But hey:…