Daniel Johnston, Crescent Ballroom, 2/3/13

Daniel Johnston @ Crescent Ballroom | 2/3/13An enthusiastic young man in the crowd shouts: “We all love you, Daniel!” Daniel Johnston, the grizzled man onstage, backed by a selection of Phoenix all-star players from Jimmy Eat World, Reubens Accomplice, Dry River Yacht Club, Boxhead Ensemble, Limbeck, and Source Victoria, answers…

Digging Up Heavy Metal’s Country Roots

I have always been one of those metal heads that claims to listen to all musical genres–except for country. But in the past year, I’ve realized that classic country songs, with their imagery and energy, are pretty hard to dislike. Take David Allan Coe’s “If That Ain’t Country” for example…

Top Five Must-See Shows This Week in Phoenix

It’s the Monday after the big game, which means you’re back at the office, standing around the water cooler listening to your most annoying co-worker recreate his favorite Super Bowl commercial in vivid, poorly-acted detail. Excruciating, right? No fear. 5 o’clock is on its way, and this week brings a…

Vagabond Gods, Rogue Bar, 2/2/13

Vagabond Gods @ Rogue Bar|2/2/13For a band like Vagabond Gods, Rogue Bar is the perfect place: rough around the edges, obscure, uh, rogue. As we’ve talked about before, lead singer/screamer and guitarist Bryant Vazquez also divides his time between three other projects. First, there’s Sedona’s decker., where Vazquez plays bass,…

Z-Trip, Axis/Radius, 2/2/13

Z-Trip @ Axis/Radius|2/2/13Whatchu know ’bout Z-Trip? In all seriousness, if you asked this question to any of your local peers, I’m willing to bet that nine out of ten will know the ubiquitous DJ name, eight out of ten will know him personally, or claim to know him personally, from…

Jimmy Webb, Musical Instrument Museum, 2/1/13

Jimmy Webb @ Musical Instrument Museum|2/1/13It’s always interesting hearing an alternate version of a popular song. That’s one of the appeals of live music. But that version is especially worthwhile when it’s the original version by the original artist. Such is the case at a Jimmy Webb concert. A prolific…

Paul Oakenfold, Wild Knight, 2/1/13

Paul Oakenfold @Wild Knight|2/1/13Even before veterans like Benny Benassi stepped foot into the EDM worlds, UK DJ Paul Oakenfold was merging the worlds of pop and electronic music. He’s been at it for four decades. He might not be the first name EDM fans name-drop when discussing their favorite DJs,…

Pinback, Crescent Ballroom, 1/31/13

Pinback @ Crescent Ballroom|1/31/13After interviewing singer/guitarist Rob Crow and having an at-length discussion of Star Wars, my expectations for Pinback’s live show were set pretty high. He said somewhat vaguely, “Everybody agrees these are the best shows that we’ve ever played,” which made me feel a little skeptical, but the…

Top Five Must-See Shows This Week In Phoenix

Yeah, yeah, yeah…we get it. Mondays suck (we’ve read Garfield). But it means the start of a new week, which means a bunch of killer shows in and around Phoenix. And here are a few of the coolest — our top five must-see shows this week. See also: -Stop Hating…

W&W, Wild Knight, 1/25/13

W&W @ Wild Knight|1/25/13I am not the biggest trance fanatic, but somehow, slowly but surely, its gotten its hooks in me. Applying aural dynamics, 110 to 150 beats per minute are dropped into tempo creates such a magical and melodic sound, and Dutch trance duo W&W proved its mastery of…

The Father Figures, Crescent Ballroom, 1/25/13

The Father Figures @ Crescent Ballroom|1/25/13Not that I had any doubts, but I’m starting to think that there’s really no such thing as a bad Father Figures show. This hybrid punk/post punk trio has decades of experience in various musical endeavors and it shows. The attention to detail pays off;…

Stop Hating on the 2013 Coachella Lineup

Each year, like many of you, I impatiently wait for the Coachella lineup to be announced. Sometimes it’s disappointing (if Daft Punk says they’re not touring, chances are they’re not playing the festival), but there’s always going be a few redeeming artists. At best the lineup will be amazing, and…

Coachella 2013 Official Lineup is Posted

The wait, as they say, is finally over. You can cease all the speculation of who the hell is officially playing this year’s Coachella as Goldenvoice unveiled the lineup in grand fashion. See also: -Who Is Really Playing Coachella This Year? -The Rolling Stones Aren’t Playing Coachella, but Some Great…

Lady Gaga, US Airways Center, 1/23/13 (VIDEO)

Lady Gaga@ US Airways Center|1/23/13It’s been a hot minute since Lady Gaga released any new music, but that didn’t stop her Little Monsters from coming out in full force to support her at her sold-out Born This Way Ball at US Airways Center last night. The more than 2-hour long…