The Offspring Switched From Mesa Amp to Marquee Theatre

The Offspring’s June 1 show, which was scheduled for Mesa Amphitheatre, has been switched to The Marquee. There was scheduling conflict, we’ve been told. Tickets are still available here.While I wasn’t super excited about this show at Mesa Amp, seeing a band this big at a mid-sized venue like Marquee…

For A Life Of Science, Music Is Only Part of the Equation

To call A Life of Science “ambitious” would be an understatement. The Phoenix band’s debut concept album, The Apneist, has grown into a multimedia project that spans both coasts and makes the cross-promotional efforts of bands like Coheed & Cambria seem almost underwhelming by comparison. A Life of Science released…

Mayhem’s History Is Painted Black

If it’s true, as Billy Joel once famously said, that dying is the best career move a musician can make, then the same apparently rings doubly true for musicians who play black metal. Case in point: Norway’s infamous Mayhem, which still attracts just as much (if not more) attention for…

Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, and All Points West — Pick Your Festival

If you attend only one talent-swollen, multi-stage music festival this summer, make it . . . Well, that’s the perennial question, isn’t it? We live in a veritable golden age of Lollapaloozas, Bonnaroos, and otherwise funny-sounding alt-music orgies. How to pick the one that’s right for you? First, you may…

Teen Guitar God-In-Training Yayo Comes To The Blooze Bar

Guitar phenom Yayo Sanchez, 16, will play The Blooze Bar Saturday. The Austin, Texas native has been playing clubs since he was 14, and has opened for Quiet Riot, L.A. Guns and Dirty Penny. He tends to sound like a mix of all of them, with a little Slash thrown…

New Release Tuesday: Phoenix

On this momentous last Tuesday in May, It’s safe to say that it’s been a pretty remarkable month for new releases. I have dedicated my entire month’s worth of Tuesday posts to new albums I felt necessary to share with those willing readers (I will recap after the jump for…

Video: Darkness Dear Boy’s “Dominos”

Ever since I interviewed Darkness Dear Boy for a column I did back in March, I’ve liked those crazy kids. Heck, we called them up to do one of our very first Sun Sessions. Here they are on video again, this time for “Domino,” the single off their new album…

Just Announced: Tool, Blink 182, Tori Amos

It always catches us off gaurd, but Arizona-based winemaker and film producer Maynard James Keenan occasionally still dabbles in his side project, making spooky prog metal with his band Tool. The band’s show at U.S. Airways is this week’s biggest show announcement, headlining a list of thin summer offerings that…

The Wooden Birds Play Modified on May 27

Austin indie band The Wooden Birds start their tour at Modified Arts on May 27. The band — which plays a mellow, pretty brand of folk flavored by the vocals of Andrew Kenny, formerly of American Analog Set — just released their debut record, Magnolia, on Barsuk.You can check out…

Theresa Andersson Show at Modified Cancelled

In an unfortunate turn of events, New Orleans indie/soul singer Theresa Andersson has had to cancel her May tour due to a chest infection. News like this is never good, and it is especially saddening because of the nature of her infection. I just hope that she rests up and…

Lindsay Lohan in Steve Nicks’ Life Story?

After conducting a thorough scientific evaluation (involving an array of test tubes and beakers, a Bunsen burner, and some heavy duty tongs) of Fleetwood Mac’s 17 studio albums, I’ve concluded that the veteran Anglo-American band’s music is 8 percent classic and 92 percent booooring. You may or may not agree,…

Detroit Cobras in Phoenix: Like Jazz in Japan

I’ve never understood the obsession with garage rock you’ll find in some corners of Phoenix. I like garage rock, sure, but I’m from Akron, Ohio, a Rust Belt town with strong ties to lo-fi punk and garage. Phoenix? Well, Phoenix was mostly ranchland and desert when “96 Tears” topped Billboard’s…

The Format Founder Just Wants to Have Some “fun.”

It’s a liberating feeling to break free from a commitment or relationship that was holding you back. From time to time in the life of an artist, a creative funk comes along with the people and surroundings he previously cherished: situations that had infused him with creativity and ingenuity turn…

Tune-Up For Summer

Sunny pop music and summertime are made for each other like two soulmates holding hands on an oceanside stroll. With the weather heating up here in the Valley of the Sun, let’s take a look at some great summer music… Tinted Windows Tinted Windows (S-Curve Records) A power pop supergroup…