Critic's Notebook

Bottles and other debris flew through the air, prompting one witness to say “It felt like those stories you hear on the news.”

The former accordion store turned 30 before disco was a thing.

Today would have been Andrew Duncan Brown’s 30th birthday. Just over three years ago, the well-respected local singer/songwriter lost his life under mysterious circumstances while vacationing and performing in France. At the time he was experiencing something of a musical renaissance of his own, having released his self-titled album on…

It’s a space designed to be intimate and focused entirely on the artist.

Beginning in the 1930s, “border blaster” radio stations began lining the southern divide of the United States. Unencumbered by American frequency restrictions, these Mexican superpower stations — dubbed “X stations” after the first letter of their corresponding call signs — pumped music via high-wattage frequencies across much of North America…

What makes an electronic music festival a memorable one? The lineup’s typically the biggest thing, as are such factors as production value, execution, the energy level of the crowd, and (of course) the quality of the actual performances. There’s also something to be said for the location itself, which can…

We sift through all the local music so you don’t have to.

Took them long enough.

Amber Giles is a big proponent of living outside your comfort zone, especially if you happen to be an artist. It’s a distressing and vexing experience, sure, but also one that could potentially expand horizons,  fuel creativity, and lead to bigger and better things. And Giles’ ever-evolving career in electronic…

Ron Campbell, now an Anthem resident, helped animated the Beatles’ animated cartoon series and parts of “Yellow Submarine.”

We’re keeping you up-to-date on what’s new in the Phoenix music scene.

In June 2014, Futuristic’s single “I Guess I’ll Smoke” cracked 1 million views on YouTube. Now he predicts he has more than 70 videos that have eclipsed that mark.

Don’t ask Leighton Antelman to explain how his dream-pop outfit, Lydia, composes songs. Like Lydia’s music, which is full of hazy edges and misty melodies, Antelman’s answer provides a vague guide to the band’s musical aspiration. “There’s a lot of different randomness. I’m not really sure,” he says inconclusively. “We…

Okilly Dokilly is set to release its first full-length record after going viral last year.

Hiding in a stranger’s bedroom at a house party on the west side of Phoenix, 14-year-old Buzzy Murder, lead guitarist in Exterminators, thought he was going to jail for sure.  “A good percentage of our gear had been stolen,” says Murder, whose real name is Doug Clark. “[Doug Goss, the…

Since Trunk Space officially closed its doors on its original Grand Avenue location this summer, there has been much anticipation in the Phoenix DIY scene to see where the new Trunk Space would be. After many successful pop-up shows around Phoenix and Tempe, the perfect spot opened up for Trunk…

Political correctness and punk rock don’t mix. Sure, there are bands that do the punk thing well and never say or do anything untoward or aiming to offend. These bands are neat, probably dress well, and are nice to their mothers, and the world is safer for it. Luckily for…

Joe Arpaio’s infamous tenure as Maricopa County Sheriff has inspired lots of protest art and music. But the metal community has not yet joined the flock. Until now. Thanks to a volunteer for Bazta Arpaio, a nonprofit dedicated to voting the sheriff out of office during next week’s election, there now…

Arizona metalheads, it’s finally November. Take a deep breath of fresh air — after all, we’re finally out of the triple digits — kick back, and listen to some of your favorite tunes. One of the best parts about the impending holiday season is the end-of-year sales on music and the…

With Halloween and Day of the Dead behind us, we turn now to our Month of the Dead tally and see if there were any October surprises. Of course, there were. Like the nine months before it, we lost some great underrated musicians, many of them songwriters whose names may not…

When we threw down the list of Tucson’s 10 most buzzworthy bands, you might have noticed a handful of glaring omissions. We didn’t forget. The Old Pueblo is proving itself to be a home for hip-hop with innovative events, a bunch of great artists, and its own Tucson Hip Hop…