Christopher Owens, the songwriter who fronts jangling indie rockers Girls, insists he doesn’t have an ax to grind. Sure, the revivalist cult Children of God effectively destroyed his life before it had even begun, indoctrinating a young Owens to live like a monk in the name of “apostolicism.” Sure, they…
When he’s touring in Europe, Gabriel Sullivan keeps an eye out for Gypsies with instruments. “It’s a constant search for that common theme of necessity in the music,” says Sullivan, whose band, Taraf de Tucson, sets Balkan brass and Peruvian cumbia side by side, combining Latin rhythms and exotic melodies…
It’s early on a Friday night, and I’m saddled up at the bar at Palo Verde Lounge in Tempe, waiting for the six members of blackened rock ‘n’ roll sextet TOAD (it’s an acronym: Take Over and Destroy) to show up for an interview. The “Dirty Verde” is notoriously small,…
Of all the estimated 80 million people who saw The Ed Sullivan Show on February 9, 1964 to catch a first glimpse of The Beatles, maybe 10,000 of them formed groups. Maybe 1,000 of them made charting singles. Only one of them was a performer on the Sullivan stage that…
How’s this for traditions? Since 1992 the Phoenix Blues Society has championed blues culture and heritage with their annual live music event, the Blues Blast Festival. Historically, the festival has taken place in the city of Mesa, but this year the event will be held at theMargaret T. Hance Park…
Up on the Sun favorite Dan Bejar and his band Destroyer released their newest album Kaputt more than a year ago. We liked it then, we liked it at the end of the year, we like it now still. It’s a charming ode to the smooth sounds of late-’70s/early-’80s yacht…
Blues pop lover boy John Mayer is heading west.He has recently opted for a more mature look, and over the years his attitude has matured too, and it would seem that he’s also moved on from saying things like, “My dick is sort of like a white supremacist” and that…
Though there’s a rich history of African American motorcycle clubs, you’d be forgiven for conjuring up images of burly, bearded white dudes when someone says “Harley rider.” Slick of Hindu Mafia Family knows that, but on Black Harley Riders Volume 1, the Phoenix-based rapper hopes to expand the traditional biker…
Yesterday, while cleaning my apartment (too rare an occurrence, lemme tell you) I listened to a recent broadcast of Henry Rollins’ excellent radio show on KCRW. Rollins is a man of many talents: In addition to his excellent program, he writes for our sister paper, LA Weekly, and he tours…
The Cure is a difficult band to cover. Purists will balk at anyone that can’t sing like Robert Smith, but playing Cure songs with your own style is usually a bad idea (just look at what 311 did to “Love Song”). “There’s no reason to tweak a Cure song. You…
If you’re a member of the trendy dance music scene, chances are likely you’ve seen the name Jen Deveroux before. Most likely on a flier for any of the myriad club events, fashion fetes, and hip parties that she’s helped promote over the past five years or so.In recent months,…
Today is a big day for fans of Las Vegas, punk, and/or bowling. The full lineup for the 14th Annual Punk Rock Bowling and Music Festival will come out sometime today. We’re guessing it’s going to happen in the afternoon since three-day passes go on sale today at 1 p.m…
Mallory Kregle Kregle is one of the FOX Sports Arizona Girls. Check them out on Facebook here. When you put your key in the ignition and turn on the radio, what station would play right now? Usually 104.7 KISS-FM. Other than that, I usually have my iPod plugged in. There’s…
There must be something here in Arizona that makes our young folks sad and exaggerated, morphing from shy young kids to angular haircut sporting emo rock ‘n’ rollers. We’ve got some high profile acts to call our own: Blessthefall, Eyes Set to Kill, The Maine, and countless others. Is it…
Within seconds of watching this video, it’s obvious that Boys and Frogs is not performing “There Is A Light That Never Goes Out.” Instead, they play a fuzzy version of Kanye West’s “All Of The Lights,” which transitions into The Smiths classic. “I’m a fan of Kanye and The Smiths…
This week, New Times ran a list in our print publication highlighting some of the most interesting posts published at Up On The Sun over the past week. Here are links to those posts. Want to listen to (almost) all of our 100 Songs that Defined Arizona? Why is Megadeth…
Our new issue is on stands now (look for that big, tabloid-y looking cover), but you can catch up on all our stories online now. Our main feature showcases Boys and Frogs, a visually minded indie-pop band whose videos have quickly earned them internet attention. Christina Caldwell explains that the…
There’s no quicker way to alienate listeners than to be so pretentious as to describe a band as an “experience,” “lifestyle,” or “state of mind.” Still, despite the groans the following statement may elicit, there’s no way to get around it: Boys and Frogs is more than a band; it’s…
Although he operates in a genre of music that tends toward innovative extremes — either lionizing the traditions of the past or rejecting them outright — Buck 65 is a particularly forward-thinking MC and turntablist. He’s always been willing to play with convention and weave a healthy amount of folk,…
Despite the quick rise of his punk outfit Cloud Nothings through the blogosphere and the warm critical reception of the band’s latest record, Attack on Memory, 20-year-old singer-songwriter Dylan Baldi remains calm. The big, black all-ages Xs drawn on his hands surely negate any ego-tripping. “Some cities on the West…
Hope those thinking caps aren’t too snug: Phoenix New Times’ Big Brain Awards are back. The annual awards designed to recognize innovative artists in the fields of design, visual art, fashion, performing art, and culinary art, and give each $500 for their creative endeavors…
It’s hard to find music videos on TV these days. Sure, one could argue that the internet has ushered in a new era of DIY or underground video creativity, but it’s hard not to miss the days when you could waste hours watching clips on MTV or VH1. If musical…
