Few people in the Valley listen to as much local music as Sweetbleeders – “Someway” Sweetbleeders have been making some of the most engaging music in Phoenix for the past 16 years, and they’ve just released one of the finest albums of the year with We Were Never Here. It…
When the duo that made up beloved Phoenix band The Format broke up in 2008, its two members went in very opposite directions. Nate Ruess famously dove headfirst into fun. and won Grammys, and instrumentalist Sam Means started a merch company and had a child. He did a little songwriting…
We’re officially in the season of overindulgence: We can eat as much holiday food as we want, drink the hell out of the spiked eggnog and mulled wine, and aren’t judged when we concoct dishes like “bourbon-glazed turkey with bourbon gravy” and “bourbon pumpkin pie.” We spend more money than…
If you follow electronic dance music, no doubt you’re aware of the fact it’s invaded numerous other genres since exploding in popularity back in 2011, including the realms of rap, reggae, rock and pop. Perhaps its most curious crossover, however, has been its dalliances with the country scene the last…
Tragedy struck metalcore band The Ghost Inside yesterday as the band traveled through Texas on the way to the Nile Theater. For reasons still unknown, the band’s tour bus struck a semi in a head-on collision, killing the drivers of both the tour bus (31-year-old Gregory Hoke) and the semi…
Steff Koeppen – “Celebrate (Atom Child Remix)” Steff Koeppen has been fronting Tucson’s amazing Steff & The Articles for over six years and tomorrow, November 20, she will release her first solo EP, the dazzling Game We Play. If you are expecting it to be her doing solo piano pop,…
Every Wednesday is Heritage Hump Day! That’s because every Wednesday from now to the end of the year or before someone really big stops us, Heritage Hump Records (a temporary subsidiary of Onus Records) and New Times will be bringing you a limited edition collector’s item of a much beloved Phoenix band…
For those who get a kick out of obscure or interesting minutia of the music they love, Matt Pinfield’s “Rock Stories” — a series of animated stories Pinfield tells about the rock stars he’s hung out with or interviewed — are hillbilly heroin. Each story, featuring musicians such as Matt…
The Arizona Hip-Hop Festival really did absolutely everything right in regards to growing the second annual gathering of mostly Copper State-based rhymers. This year’s promotion seems more streamlined than last year’s including a sleek round of individual fliers for each act; the lineup was even bigger; and oh, it partnered…
Tobie Milford – “Fear of Music” For many years I have considered Tobie Milford to be one of the most talented musicians in Phoenix. This is not only when he has played with Whisperlights and There Is Danger, but especially when he pursues his solo work. It’s been five years…
For days now, Captain Squeegee has been promising concrete evidence of extraterrestrial life. Here it is, a direct communication from inter-planetary beings, in the form of a music video. It turns out it may be Captain Squeegee who are indeed the aliens. You might be thinking, “Another new video from…
Every Wednesday is Heritage Hump Day! That’s because every Wednesday from now to the end of the year or before someone really big stops us, Heritage Hump Records (a temporary subsidiary of Onus Records) and New Times will be bringing you a limited edition collector’s item of a much beloved…
I’ll never for the life of me understand how Blink-182 are considered a guilty pleasure band while people who are supposedly grownups listen to Green Day. Every time I see a picture of Green Day I’m so embarrassed for them. They look like the kind of teenagers I’m glad get…
Whether it is a testament to legacy or a ploy to make fans feel old, Tempe’s own heritage rockers of the ’90s, The Refreshments, will be reissuing its debut breakout album, 1996’s Fizzy Fuzzy Big & Buzzy, on vinyl record for its 20th anniversary celebration. It is scheduled for release this…
At one time or another, two worries cross every fan’s mind about their favorite musician: What if the artist gets bored (we’ve all seen that disconnected, smug expression on stage)? Even worse, what if they get burned out? Some of the world’s greatest have met their demise this way, channeling…
Every Wednesday is Heritage Hump Day! That’s because every Wednesday from now to the end of the year, Heritage Hump Records (a temporary subsidiary of Onus Records) and New Times will be bringing you a limited edition collector’s item of a much beloved Phoenix band that only sounds like it…
There is no arguing that Treasure MammaL is one of the strangest musical acts in the Valley of the Sun. When the group drops its next album I Will Cut You With My E.B.T. Card, it will enter the argument for being one of the biggest bands in the Valley of the…
Happy Fall, Arizona metalheads! The heat is officially over, people are looking forward to the holidays, and one of the best holidays of the year just passed: Halloween. While I love the holiday, I must say that the Best October metal shows list was a bitch to write; there were…
Mitchell Hillman listens to more local music than just about anyone in the Valley. He presents his picks for best new local music in his column, Right Hear, Right Now. The Pleasure Victims – “Broken” The Pleasure Victims recently released a video for its forthcoming record’s (titled 7) debut single,…
Editor’s note: After this story was written and before it went to press, the Santana concert at Monster Mash festival in Tempe Beach Park was canceled by promoter Lucky Man Concerts. Here’s the piece in its entirety. Carlos Santana is a man at peace with his place in the musical universe. The…
Every Wednesday is Heritage Hump Day! That’s because every Wednesday from now to the end of the year or before someone really big stops us, Heritage Hump Records (a temporary subsidiary of Onus Records) and New Times will be bringing you a limited edition collector’s item of a much beloved…
Halloween starts early. It begins with a couple of odd Facebook posts, a meme or two, and by the first week of October it’s already looking like the nightmare before Christmas all over social media. Everyone seems to love Halloween time, whether they love the parties, bobbing for apples, or…
