Of all the articles concerning Madonna’s Half Time show/M.I.A.’s on air fingerbird (Finger-Gate 2: Electric Boogaloo), none was quite as hilarious as this one, from Vigilant Citizen, which alleged that the entire performance was an indicator of Madonna’s allegiance to the Illuminati (you know, that secret world order): “Laced with…
Even more Coachella runoff? That’s fine by me.Noel Gallagher of Oasis will be making his way to Phoenix on April 18. Apparently he has been playing some Oasis songs at his High Flying Birds gigs, so there’s a chance you’ll hear some material from the Gallagher boys’ good old days…
Just in case Flogging Molly’s annual St. Paddy’s Day stop in Tempe doesn’t make it abundantly clear to you, the Phoenix metro area loves Irish stuff, and it loves its Celtic punk. In 2009, Authority Zero frontman Jason Devore (who headlines the New Times Soundcheck festival this weekend) formed The…
It’s obvious music blogs have a unique place in the great big music discussion. Entire careers have been bolstered by one lone blogger posting a hot new MP3 that quickly catches fire and burns up RSS feeds. However, some of the biggest taste-makers on the Internet have combined forces and…
Brad Dwyer, who writes and draws our weekly comic strip, Record Heat, has had a hell of a week. Dwyer was hospitalized last week on Wednesday due to complications involving his asthma. Dwyer is doing okay — though keeping him in your thoughts or wishing him well certainly wouldn’t hurt…
William “Fucking” ReedWelcome to Pop Quiz, a new recurring series where we sit down notable folks about town and force them to take a geeky pop culture test. Today we feature electronic maven William Fucking Reed. Look out First Friday — Sticky Fingers, the weekly electronic bash that goes down…
Fun. seem to be the only (sort of) Arizonans on the artist roster, but at least we’re represented. Considering the rest of the lineup, it could definitely be worth the trip, especially for those who didn’t manage to snag tickets to either weekend of Coachella. After all, some of Coachella’s…
Joleen LunzerThe stand-up comedian headlines the Tempe Improv Thursday, February 23 at 7:30 p.m. When you put your key in the ignition and turn on the radio, what station would play right now? I recently found a station that plays hip hop/R&B from the 90’s and early 2000’s, 101.1 FM…
Before the Corporatization of Mill Avenue, the Tempe party center was more about music and less about $3 Long Islands. But the Downtown Tempe Community is looking to bring the street back to its roots with Music on Mill, a weekly music series on Thursday nights that has been a…
Local rock band The Sunset Rider and the Skeleton Army are sparing no expense at their show at Tempe’s The Sail Inn this Friday, February 3. The band is hosting their 2nd Annual Rock n’ Roll Circus, complete with a packed line-up full of music plus sideshow performances by The…
With the passing of Soul Train’s Don Cornelius it seems only right that we should celebrate his life, with a little local funk. On Friday, February 3, Martini Ranch is a place to find some when Catfish Mustache take the stage. The East Valley band will be bringing their fusion…
Philadelphia indie-rockers Dr. Dog are an interesting bunch. Able to appeal as much to granola crunching jam-banders and Urban Outiftted indie kids, the band’s new record Be The Void (due out on ANTI Records on Tuesday, February, 7) finds them returning to the freewheeling looseness of their early work, aided…
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. What does James Fella of Gilgongo Records think of songs from Nathaniel Nichols, Seas Will Rise,…
It’s ironic that Be the Void, the new album by Dr. Dog, begins with a song lamenting being “Lonesome.” Ironic considering the band’s steady rise: A couple of well-received albums on indie label Park the Van attracted fans and wooed critics throughout the 2000s, leading the band to a contract…
Twin Cities hip-hop crew Doomtree has come a long way in the nearly four years since the collective’s 2008 self-titled debut, let alone the decade since it came together. The members have grown more comfortable not only in their own skins and talents, but with each other propelling them to…
We were sitting at the bar, my friend and I, talking about shows we’ve seen. Great shows. Tom Waits! M.I.A.! Prince! And, then, the less than great. And then, the most troubling of all, that weird and wobbly middle ground of the “inconsistent.” Notorious acts like Cat Power could sometimes…
Don Cornelius, creator and first host of Soul Train, the iconic television dance show was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound early this morning in his Encino, California home. The short, but obviously shocked response from ?uestlove, drummer of The Roots, is a good indicator of the weight of…
On any given evening, you’re likely to find Dario Varela inside of a Valley nightclub. If it’s during the weekend, he’ll be working the mixers at joints like Oceans Seven. On other nights, however, he’s usually on the other side of the DJ booth, observing other selectas order to help…
Denying the cuteness of the cats isn’t an option when those little critters are standing in on some major artists’ album covers. This week we’re bringing you The Kitten Covers, a modified collection of classics.Alfra Martini, the creator of The Kitten Covers, offers something for everyone, from Nat King Cole to The…
You know, if Coachella didn’t sell out in record time, I’d argue that a lot of Phoenicians wouldn’t really need to head out to Indio to catch some big-time shows. M.Ward and fIREHOSE? Coming to Phoenix. Florence and the Machine? Coming to Phoenix. At the Drive In, Refused, Godspeed You…
The term “punk festival” conjures up images of bratty tweens with asymmetrical haircuts crowd surfing at Warped Tour. Remember when Warped Tour actually had punk bands and was, you know, good? It may seem like a bygone era, but the annual Punk Rock Bowling Music Festival in Las Vegas caters…
Wasn’t it cool to see Andrew Jackson Jihad play as a full band last month? Oh, you didn’t make it, and like Brad Dwyer you’re bummed you missed it? Lucky for you, you get another chance because AJJ is hitting the road with ROAR and Laura Stevenson and the Cans,…
