It doesn’t get any more old school than C.L. McSpadden. In fact, the 36-year-old DJ extraordinaire has been working the wheels of steel since the late ’80s (long before some of y’all even knew what EDM was) at bygone Valley hotspots like Club Freedom, Planet Earth, and Club 411. This…
Alas, the constant search for the best party in town can be a little exhausting. Sometimes, Club Candids needs a quick break from the saturated scene. This week, we decided to hit up one of our favorite local venues, The Brickhouse Theater, on Thursday, September 20, to check out a…
I’m standing in front of Cash Inn Country on 21st and McDowell, and I’m frightened. I’m scared for several reasons: 1) It’s a lesbian bar; 2) I’m wearing a Metallica Kill ‘Em All T-shirt; 3) it’s a country joint. I use a lifeline and text a girlfriend: “Is it safe…
There must have been something up with the moon last week, because once Thursday rolled around, we started to get super-antsy. No casual neighborhood bar would sate our desires because we were in the mood for vibrating eardrums and dizzying crowds. We wanted it all for our preemptive weekend celebration…
One thing you notice about Breathing Under Water is that Shankar was willing to go beyond the confines of classical Indian music (her previous discs contained material written by her father, legendary sitar player Ravi Shankar, who guests on the disc). Kale’s sonic textures, which blend Western, Eastern, and electronic…
Cultural music is what you get with Congolese-born Marie Daulne, best known as the founder and frontwoman of Zap Mama. The band’s music draws from various influences without sticking to a single genre, surprising the listener at every turn. On “Toma Taboo,” for instance, she borrows elements from ’70s Brazilian…
Kanye is the most exciting man in rap because he puts out quality, popular albums. Forget the artless 50 Cent and Akon — Kanye tries harder, and Graduation, which has 13 bangers and zero skits, reflects the man’s tireless work ethic. Having united backpackers and clubbers with his first two…
Who’d’ve thunk it? Along with windy Chicago and verdant Mississippi, Arizona is, in fact, a fertile environment for the blues. The proof’s in these two discs, with the commonality between them being Bob Corritore, boss harmonica player and owner of Phoenix’s Rhythm Room. On Travelin’ the Dirt Road, he co-leads…
Phunk Junkeez More than just a little reminiscent of the Beastie Boys, the entire genre of white, outlandish pseudo-rap is somewhat of a novelty that has worn itself out, but the six-piece Phunk Junkeez manage to come together into a tight, cohesive group that sounds layered, blending funk, hip-hop and…
One-man noise ensemble Luke Fischbeck is a computer musician, unlike other sound manipulators working the 0s and 1s. The Los Angeles-based improviser executes his experimental music-meets-performance-art concertos under the Lucky Dragons moniker. Instead of gazing into a computer monitor, Fischbeck employs a circuit-bent box and sophisticated software capable of producing…
What was old is new again. The Burt Reynolds ‘stache. Polyester. The Pet Rock. Okay, you might not see a revival of the eight-track tape, but you will see a lot of current young bands picking up and incorporating a lot of the wild experimentation happening within mainstream rock and…
When many people use the “Americana” tag, they’re usually referring to rock ‘n’ roll laced with elements of folk and country music, two of its “roots” vectors. But uniquely, distinctive American music encompasses other genres and styles, too — blues, gospel, jazz, the song craft of Stephen Foster and Hoagy…
Grammy winner Michael McDonald has been a road warrior since his success with Motown and Motown Two. Three years later, the silver-haired crooner is back in the studio revisiting significant songs from various stages in his life for a forthcoming CD, due in February on Motown Records. McDonald has been…
The times are a-changing over at Homme, 138 West Camelback Road. Gone are such old and busted dance nights as StraightNoChaser’s “one” and Club Rumorz, making way for new hotness like Solid Saturdays. Promising plenty of “Muzik4FunkyOPENminds,” the weekly event sees Scottsdale mainstay DJ Kevin Brown painting Homme’s main room…
I’m driving down Hatcher toward Seventh Street in Sunnyslope on a Thursday night when I see two hot girls walking and . . . Wait, they are checking me out! Surely, the minivan must be doing its magic. I’m staring and almost miss the green arrow that will point me…
On a recent Friday night, people from all over the world are watching local “Bohemian Geek Soul” artist Jody Gnant kick my ass at bowling. Gnant’s been broadcasting her life 24/7, via a UStream channel on the Internet, for the past several weeks (www.ustream.tv/jodygnant). Tonight, she’s carrying around two big…
Here’s an all-star tribute to the jazzy queen of the American songbook, Ella Fitzgerald. Check these creds: produced by legendary A&R Recording studios founder Phil Ramone; arrangements by Billy Childs (formerly of Trumpeter Freddie Hubbard’s band) and Rob Mounsey (whose horn arrangements include Paul Simon’s “You Can Call Me Al”);…
There are several ways to play rockabilly nowadays: the gentlemanly way (Robert Gordon, Sleepy LaBeef), the roots-conscious 1955 hepcat way (High Noon, Big Sandy & the Fly-Rite Boys), glam-revival (Stray Cats, Polecats), and the mondo-demento lunacy/ribaldry of the Cramps and Reverend Horton Heat. (Can’t forget the Blasters — in a…
We have a little piece of music history living here in Phoenix in the form of Paul Roman, vocalist and guitarist of seminal psychobilly band The Quakes. Formed in 1986 in Buffalo, New York, The Quakes were one of the first American psychobilly bands — influential enough to get constant…
The debut album of Tempe-based Awake and Alert, Devil in a Lambskin Suit (Five One, Inc.), is one of the most welcome surprises in the indie pop scene this year. The band’s sound is a mix of classically inspired rock with touches of soul and musical theater, which seems to…
Put them in suits and give them bowl haircuts, because from the sweet harmonies to the charismatic melodies, this Phoenix quartet channels the British Invasion circa 1965. In April, they released their 11-track debut, We Can Do No Wrong, which recalls the retro vibe of the Rosebuds’ debut several years…
Hats off to any musician who ventures out of his/her comfort zone and doesn’t stick (or bury) him/herself in a particular niche. But venturing isn’t without its pitfalls: Your fans might be disoriented by a new direction, while other listeners might think you a dabbler or pretender. Guitar wizard John…
