Lollapalooza Announces Full 2009 Lineup

After relaying the news of expected Lollapalooza headliners, I am glad to say that the festival announced its official lineup this morning, to much aplomb. The lineup is bolstered by big-name acts Depeche Mode, Tool, the Killers, Jane’s Addition, Beastie Boys, and Kings of Leon. Lollapalooza 2009 will take place…

Former Format Frontman’s New Band, Fun, Starts Touring Tomorrow

That Format-size hole in the heart of Phoenix music fans is about to get a little healing. Fun, the new NYC-based project by The Format’s Nate Ruess, with ex-Anathallo multi-instrumentalist Andrew Dost and Steel Train’s Jack Antonoff, will embark on a 34-date tour with Manchester Orchestra tomorrow.Their first record isn’t…

X-Men Origins: Wolverine Premiere Coming to Tempe Marketplace

Phoenix fans of the claw-sprouting bundle of anger that is Wolverine can rejoice. Fox has announced that the world premiere of X-Men Origins: Wolverine will happen on Monday, April 27 at Harkins Tempe Marketplace.Yes, the world premiere of one of the biggest movies of the summer is happening in Tempe,…

Zaireeka: Listening Party at Yucca Tap Room Tonight

We’re pretty excited about The Flaming Lips at McDowell Mountain Music Festival this weekend. So excited, in fact, that we’re having a little shindig tonight to pre-game for the show. It’s our first tweetup (follow Phoenix New Times and me) but we’re also promoting it here, in case you’re not…

Catch Good With Grenades at Martini Ranch Tonight

Pop-rock AZ boys Good With Grenades will be playing an early show Friday at downtown Scottsdale’s Martini Ranch (7295 East Stetson Drive). The group will be playing with locals Hollywood Heartthrob, Idle Red and Lyra the Harp for this 21-and-older performance. The show starts at 8 p.m. Good With Grenades…

iTunes Update: Sales May be Down, but Revenue is up

On Monday I wrote about a report from Billboard on the initial effects of iTunes increased prices. That report showed that the increased prices hurt a song’s chart positions on iTunes top 100 singles charts compared to those songs that did not see a price increase. Well Billboard has a new…

Five Reasons to Support Record Store Day

In case you’ve somehow missed the propaganda popping up around town and the Internets, Record Store Day is Saturday, April 18. In honor of the third-annual national event, New Times talked to owners and employees of local indie music businesses and compiled five reasons why you should give two poops…

Coachella 2009: Sunday Picks

Music Editor/Ambassador of the Funk Martin Cizmar got things kicking with his Friday picks for this year’s edition of the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, so I figured I should divulge my picks for Sunday’s lineup. My sensibilities are different than most people’s. Last year’s Coachella lineup was my…

Coachella 2009: Friday Picks

So I know Coachella isn’t quite the planning nightmare SxSW is — given that there’s less than a tenth of the bands playing, and it’s at a single site — but I’ve learned my lesson and have planned things carefully. I thought I’d share it with you. I’ll be there…

The Arizona Republic is Laughably Out Of Touch With Local Music

I actually try to keep Republic-bashing to a minimum here on Up on the Sun, but, as you’d probably expect of one of the largest papers in the country to never win a Pulitzer, the Gannett-piloted drone just keeps embarrassing itself.The latest example? Their “Best Local Band” category in the…

No Doubt Tax Day Special: $15 Lawn Seats

Right now, if you were to amble over to Live Nation’s No Doubt page you’d see that lawn tickets for Gwen Stefani’s band’s show at Cricket Wireless Pavilion are $25. Not tomorrow. In a promotional effort tied to tax day they’ll be a more modest $15. For the band that…

Outside Lands Festival Dubs Beasties, Pearl Jam Worthy Headliners

As we all eagerly await the set times to be announced for this weekend’s Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, San Francisco’s Outside Lands Festival announced its initial lineup. The headliners for the second edition of the festival, set to take place August 28-30, are the Beastie Boys, Pearl Jam,…

iTunes Price Hikes Hurt Some Track Rankings

The big music news today is a report from Billboard on iTunes price changes and their negatively affecting chart positions for the top 100 songs.Last week, iTunes introduced variable pricing, with some newer and more popular singles priced at $1.29 while other songs remaining at 99 cents and some older…

Wilco Is Coming . . . to Tucson

First, the good news: Wilco is coming to Arizona for the first time in five years on June 18. Now, the band news: to Tucson. A two-hour drive really won’t affect the most die-hard fans (like me) of the Americana-turned-jam-turned-soft rock band, which tours extensively and once wrote a song about how…

Download New Shiny Toy Guns Track “Major Tom” For Free

Hot on the heels of their Tempe Music Festival performance, future-forward, electro-rock band Shiny Toy Guns have released a free download of “Major Tom” their cover of Peter Schilling’s song of the same name which is a continuation of the Major Tom character as told about in the David Bowie…