decker. @ Crescent Ballroom

The snare drum hits that open Sedona-based decker.’s forthcoming new record, Slider, sound like shotguns. It’s an appropriately menacing sound for what follows, as singer/songwriter Brandon Decker seethes: “I burned the boat / I swam ashore / I’m out of breath / I slammed the door / I laid the…

Mill’s End @ The Rogue Bar

This is it, folks. The grand finale. The end of the world — or is it? It still remains to be seen exactly what is going to happen when the calendar page turns to December 21, but if what some interpreters of Mesoamerican archaeology say is true, the end of…

End of the World Parties @ Various Locations

At any point in the next 48 hours or so, the ground might start shaking, flaming objects might zoom from the heavens, or the undead might rise from their dirt naps and turn the populace into a gigantic brain buffet. While you shouldn’t take our word for it (or the…

Club Candids: Getting Into The Holiday Spirit at Coach House

Finding holiday cheer can be difficult in Phoenix at times, save for a decked out saguaro cactus or two. The change in season would be a bit more noticeable if it actually snowed. We can’t complain though, wearing shorts and flip flops through most of December is nice. Coach House…

Sundressed Is Sad (And That’s Good)

As 2012 draws to a close, we’ll be looking forward to the 2013 and spotlighting 13 Phoenix bands that will be making a mark on the Southwest throughout the new year. This entry comes from Anthony Sandoval, and he’s scoping out the bummer pop glory of Sundressed. Indie folk band…

G-Owens: R&B Singer’s The Feeling Has Pop Appeal

As 2012 draws to a close, we’ll be looking forward to the 2013 and spotlighting 13 Phoenix bands that will be making a mark on the Southwest throughout the new year. This entry comes from Jason P. Woodbury, examining the funky textures of G-Owens’ excellent new record, The Feeling. G-Owens’…

Sara Robinson & Midnight Special

As 2012 draws to a close, we’ll be looking forward to the 2013 and spotlighting 13 Phoenix bands that will be making a mark on the Southwest throughout the new year. This entry comes from Melissa Fossum, zeroing in on the Tempe-based rock ‘n’ blues combo Sara Robinson & Midnight…

Black Sabbath: Music For the End of the World

If the end of days is upon us on December 21, in five short ones we may all be in line at the pearly gates. Or at the gates of Hell. You never really can tell. If it was up to you, which would you actually choose? The question was…

Trapstyle Duo Trapzillas Are Not Bullshitting

As 2012 draws to a close, we’ll be looking forward to the 2013 and spotlighting 13 Phoenix bands that will be making a mark on the Southwest throughout the new year. This entry comes from Benjamin Leatherman, focusing on the audio exploits of trap duo Trapzillas. Bragging seems to be…

Me Vale Madre: Electronic Math Folk Band Doesn’t Give a F*ck

As 2012 draws to a close, we’ll be looking forward to the 2013 and spotlighting 13 Phoenix bands that will be making a mark on the Southwest throughout the new year. Our first entry in the series comes from writer Troy Farah, focusing in on new “math folk” band Me…

MarchFourth Marching Band @ Crescent Ballroom

What started in Portland, Oregon, as a 2003 Fat Tuesday party has evolved into the must-see national act. MarchFourth Marching Band’s music brings to light the deepest grooves of funk, swing, rock, and jazz, and their style pulls from an array of influences, like Sergeant Pepper leading a freaky Cirque…

The Sword @ Club Red

Austin metal quartet The Sword is keeping it simple. In 2010, the band had its greatest commercial success to date with the dazzling Warp Riders, a high-concept album that was the metal equivalent to a sci-fi novel. For Apocryphon, the band’s newest release for indie label Razor and Tie, singer/guitarist…

KMLE Acoustic Christmas @ Comerica Theatre

Boots, big buckles, tight jeans, and 10-gallon Stetsons is the non-official dress code (but garb of choice for most attendees) for the annual KMLE Acoustic Christmas, benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. There will be plenty of good tidings and twang in the air as rising country stars Randy Houser,…

The Breakup Society @ Crescent Ballroom

Ed Masley is the poet laureate of romantically challenged, over-educated, ne’er-do-wells, channeling the clever knock-kneed misanthropy of Elvis Costello. The Breakup Society frontman formed the band from the ashes of his old outfit, The Frampton Brothers, who broke up while recording the songs that would comprise TBS’ 2004 debut, James…

Bum Squad DJs Toy Drive @ All Starz

If DJ Phlava were penning a Christmas wish list to Santa this year, the local hip-hop selector would likely ask jolly ol’ Saint Nick for a new iPad, as well as a slick 60-inch HDTV for his living room wall, and a fancy ride for his son. In the meantime,…

A Dimebag Darrell Playlist (Just In Time For The Holidays)

Sometimes it can be difficult to get pumped up for the holidays, especially nowadays, when the sacred dates are saturated with commercialism, consumer greed, and an importance on tradition that, unfortunately for many, lost its spiritual meaning a long time ago. See also: Your Holiday Heavy Metal Gift Guide Korn…

Don Dokken Doesn’t Want To Make Dokken Records Just For the Money

’80s rocker Don Dokken will make a special appearance tonight at Club Red for an intimate acoustic performance featuring Dokken hits, cover tunes, and the stories behind some of the band’s greatest hits. Dokken fans were prematurely promised a full fledged reunion last year when the singer and guitar god…

Garland Jeffreys @ Talking Stick Resort

When Garland Jeffreys broke onto the New York music scene in the early 1970s — the same scene that spawned Patti Smith, Lou Reed, and (via New Jersey) Bruce Springsteen — his songs were a little too close to the reality of the times. Music was supposed to be an…

The Mountain Goats @ Crescent Ballroom

There are at least three sets of noted Diaz brothers: Nick and Nathan of mixed martial arts fame; Lu and Hugo, known for producing hip-hop and Miami bass records in the 1980s and ’90s; and the unseen siblings in Brian De Palma’s brutal 1983 classic Scarface (“Fuck the fuckin’ Diaz…