Up On the Sun’s resident photographers were plenty busy during Viva PHX this past weekend, as were their camera. While everyone else in attendance at the downtown Phoenix music festival was busy witnessing the performances of the 70 or so bands and artists, our shutterbug staff — including Jim Louvau,…
Chances are, if you met me — I’m a tall, goofy-looking, middle-aged white guy with a Canadian accent (it’s actually North Dakotan) — you wouldn’t think, “Hey, I should get some recommendations on fantastic soul albums from this cat.” Of course, I’m stereotyping myself, and you would be, too. I…
Austin has South by Southwest, San Francisco has Outside Lands, Manchester, Tennessee has Bonnaroo, and locally, now there’s Viva Phoenix. Viva Phoenix: A Downtown Music Festival is the Valley’s latest all-encompassing music festival. Last December, there was the disjointed True Music Festival, and the McDowell Mountain Music Festival has been…
Mavis Staples can be found in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s traveling “Women Who Rock” exhibit, currently on display at the Musical Instrument Museum. However, the soul icon, who ironically won a 2012 Grammy Award in the Americana category, easily could fit in several of the loosely genre-demarcated…
Dee Dee Penny, founder and frontwoman of Dum Dum Girls, is known for her shy disposition. She’s probably also tired of hearing about it in the press, but only one second into our phone call, it’s obvious how reserved, quiet, and thoughtful she is. The way she speaks is absolutely…
It’s 2014 and high time you got some new music into your playlist — seriously. It’ll help that Phoenix’s music scene has plenty of fresh jams and brand-new tunes to offer, as there’s an overflow of gifted and prolific musicians cranking out sounds. Since many local acts will make waves,…
By anyone’s definition, Jared Leto is having one bang up week thus far. There’s that whole Oscar thing, as well as the fact he appeared in arguably the greatest selfie in the history of ever. And now, the actor/director/musician is about to hit the road with his band 30 Seconds…
To those not plugged into the deeper chasms of the musical underground, the idea of a noise musician seems oxymoronic and bizarre — an easily understandable stance, given that noise is largely considered an undesirable sonic experience. When most people think of noise, they think of annoyance, panic, and fear…
The members of Rebel Disco are being tight-lipped about their newest hangout. Though they haven’t dropped dime on its location just yet, however, they’ve ecstatically announced the headliner and inspiration for tonight’s “We Still Believe” party, The Black Madonna. Per Rebel Disco’s Facebook: “We are excited about our new venue…
On Thursday, the Arizona Senate okayed a bill that would allow denial of services on religious grounds. A move civil-rights groups (and yours geekly) believe would allow discriminatory actions by businesses. As I read the news, shaking my head and thinking, “What will the crazy conservatives in this state do…
It’s pretty safe to say that Roosevelt Row has more than its share of mad DJ sessions conducted amid the arty milieus of both First and Third Friday, especially outside such venues as Jobot or Aside of Heart. But a madcap DJ session done on gramophones? Yeah, that’s sort of…
Millions of people know who the Pixies are. Since the ’80s, the band has found its songs incorporated into some of the most significant moments within pop culture’s most beloved films and shows — but only within the past 15 years or so. (Think Fight Club’s buildings tumbling, Zack and…
When one thinks of legendary punk rock venues where great bands got their start, folks usually think of CBGB in New York, or the Masque in Hollywood, or the 100 Club in London. Dykstra Hall, a dormitory on the UCLA campus? Not so much. But Dykstra Hall does have one…
Admit it: You’ve always longed for a music video that, in sum, features shots of bananas, pineapples, and other fruit; an explosively gaudy color scheme; several bizarre green-screen backgrounds seen at a rapid-fire pace; a rap interlude; a saxophone solo; lyrics about French bread and oysters; and the phrase “motherfucking…
There are inherent advantages to being a jazz musician. Genre constraints are practically thrown out the window and almost anything is considered acceptable, no matter how free, New Age-y, rock-leaning, contemporary, ballady, or bopping. As long as integrity to the art form remains, experimentation is rewarded. Guitarist Pat Metheny has…
The Ataris have always been Kris Roe’s baby. He is the singer, chief songwriter, and one constant member of the platinum-selling pop-punk band. An Indiana native, Roe has been fortunate enough to see music he wrote and performed go platinum in March 2003. For the 10-year anniversary of that platinum…
Ask George Thorogood how he’s doing, he’ll likely answer, “Bad.” Then, after leaving his interviewer wondering, he’ll follow up with “bad to the bone.” Somehow, it all seems pretty predictable, even expected, from the Delaware Destroyer some 40 years into a career — and 32 years after his biggest hit,…
Bettye LaVette has been making gritty, powerful soul music for more than 50 years. If you haven’t heard of her, that’s not unusual. If you thinkher career began in 2000, that’s not surprising either. LaVette’s had an up-and-down career, releasing almost three dozen singles — a number of them charting…
MewithoutYou is not a band to be taken lightly, nor is it a band easily defined. And right now, it’s a band that’s happy to be back on the road. Characterized by vocalist Aaron Weiss’ stream-of-consciousness lyrics, the Philadelphia four-piece is ever an immersive act — few bands can weave…
For Pete Bernhard, one of the guitarists and the primary singer for The Devil Makes Three, the process of creating the band’s most recent album, I’m a Stranger Here, was surprising. It was the first time the trio did not produce the record themselves (country singer Buddy Miller took the…
For almost a year now, I’ve been writing about music on this blog. Wacky little observations from the viewpoint of a 25-year industry veteran and independent record store owner. Mostly, I ramble poetic (hopefully) about how much I love music. How much it means to me and how it has…
Few bands can straddle the fine line between hard rock and heavy metal — or underground credibility and commercial viability — as well as Stone Sour. The band has released five studio albums, each of which has challenged and exceeded the band’s — and its fans’ — expectations. Stone Sour…
