Omaha indie rockers Cursive are no strangers to making concept albums. From Domestica’s tale of Sweetie and Pretty Baby to the religious town in Happy Hollow, each album has its own narrative thread. This is abundantly clear on the band’s seventh album, I Am Gemini. “I was writing really jerky…
Titus Andronicus and Ceremony @ Crescent Ballroom, 11/6/12″Good night, good luck, and four more years!” said Patrick Stickles as he high-fived fans from the stage as Titus Andronicus wrapped up a solid set that ran almost two hours. The night wasn’t as political as it could have been, both bands…
Retox and Regents @ Yucca Tap Room|11/6/12By Mike Bogumill While most people were at the Titus Andronicus and Ceremony show enjoying a bar rock act and a hardcore band, both of which escaped their respective niches to achieve crossover success among general indie audiences, two bands with similarly prefixed names,…
Seattle math rock-meets-electronic indie band Minus the Bear has been going strong for 12 years now, spending most of its time on the road or in the studio. As a testament to how much the band tours, take a look at how many times we’ve reviewed the band over the…
Eddie Vedder @ Comerica TheatreEddie Vedder lists his tools. In the booklet handed out to concertgoers at last night’s packed performance, the Pearl Jam frontman laid out a detailed list of gear he’d be using during the evening: guitars, ukuleles, amplifiers, a modified kick drum made from a Corona box,…
Alanis Morissette @ Comerica Theatre|11/1/12A lot has changed for Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette since the release of her 1995 breakthrough album, Jagged Little Pill. She no longer pens angry songs about the “Mr. Duplicity” who wronged her; she now focuses on her role as a wife and a mother on…
Earth @ Rhythm Room|10/31/12″The last time I was in Phoenix, I was opening for The Lemonheads,” Earth guitarist Dylan Carlson intoned with a chuckle last night at the Rhythm Room. “I was all by myself.” See also: Earth Drummer Adrienne Davies Discusses Cutting Loose (By Earth Standards) The contrast between…
PiL @ Marquee Theatre|10/30/12″You all look so fucking happy!” Public Image, Ltd. frontman John Lydon called out the crowd about halfway through the band’s Marquee Theatre performance. And he was right; the surprisingly small crowd was truly caught up in the moment because; well, simply because the music was so…
Converge @ Nile Theater| 10/30/12By Mike Bogumill When trying to describe to people unfamiliar with Converge what kind of event I went to last night, I was hesitant to use a phrase like “metal show” or “hardcore show”. While metal and hardcore certainly influence all the bands that performed, none…
Matthew Dear @ Rhythm RoomPart of the reason you see musicians live is to experience their craft firsthand. Like a zoo or the ocean, secondhand exposure just doesn’t cut it — you need to see it for yourself. I went into Matthew Dear’s show not knowing what to expect: he…
Tiger Army @ Marquee Theatre | 10/28/12Tiger Army frontman Nick 13 promised something special when we spoke to him last week ahead of last night’s Halloween celebration, Octoberflame V. That could have meant a number of things in hindsight: outrageous outfits, an elaborate stage set up, pyrotechnics, and any number…
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…
Korn @ Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum | 10/27/12 The Arizona State Fair got its yearly dose of metal when Korn paid a visit to the valley last night at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The nu metal pioneers treated fans of all ages to a career-spanning set consisting of hits, covers,…
Band of Horses and Howlin Rain @ Marquee Theatre|10/26/12By Mike Cryer Please indulge a quick note about the Marquee before we talk music. All is right in the universe if Ricky Dimmick is tending bar there. If you haven’t met Rick, she’s the one who makes you feel grateful you’re…
Benny Benassi and Congorock @ Marquee Theatre|10/25/12Last night was a late night — things didn’t kick off until 11 p.m., with Italian-born Congorock starting things off, and progressive house master Benny Benassi not taking the stage until well after midnight. Maybe it was the late hour, but despite a solid…
Tucson’s horror film and surf music-loving psychobilly outfit Mission Creeps don’t shy away from the macabre– which is why the group joined the Southern Arizona Ghost and Paranormal Society to spend the night at The Oliver House, where there have been 28 known deaths, making it one of the most…
Jane’s Addiction @ Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum|10/25/12I have a confession to make. I’ve never taken Jane’s Addiction all that seriously. I think it’s largely due to guitarist and modern-rock caricature Dave Navarro. His dedication to choosing mascara over shirts remains laughable. But you’d have a hard time convincing the crowd that…
We know there’s tons of Halloween parties happening this weekend, with a little something for everyone going down. If you’re spending the whole weekend at home noshing on Halloween candy and watching zombie movies, you’re doing it wrong. But for fans seeking punk thrills, the Yucca Tap Room is the…
There’s plenty to be worried about these days. Just off the top of our heads, there’s the very real possibility of a Mitt Romney presidency, the horrors of the ever-lagging economy, and all that folderol about whether or not the world’s ending in a couple of months. Frankly, your brains…
Arc In Round @ Yucca Tap Room|10/22/12 I’m a bloody sucker for shoegaze. Even if it sounds relatively crappy to a “veteran” shoegaze groups like Slowdive or My Bloody Valentine, I have trouble saying no. Luckily, getting turned on to Arc in Round turned out to be far above average…
Melvins Lite @ Crescent BallroomMelvins Lite, the latest incarnation of the 30-year-old sludge/punk/metal band The Melvins, took the stage at The Crescent Ballroom last night, chalking up stop number 48 on their record-breaking 51-day tour of the country. They’re hitting every state…and Washington D.C. See also: New Times Talks to…
Psychobilly mavens Tiger Army have managed to amass a legion of loyal followers over the course of 17 years. A massive discography on the other hand, is something the Southern California trio is yet to possess. Ever since their 1999 self-titled debut, the group has added only three more titles…
