Like any great artist, Fiona Apple is uncompromising in pursuit of her muse. Her vision is exceptionally personal and uniquely her own. Beyond intimate, it runs to the brink of claustrophobia. Most confessional songwriters wear their hearts on their sleeves; Apple pulls the still pumping mess out of her chest…
In the two years that Derek Vincent Smith, the man behind dance music juggernaut Pretty Lights, has been tirelessly working on his new record, yet untitled, his genre, EDM, has blown up into a international phenomenon. Two years — that’s equal to 14 in both EDM production and dog years,…
Last night’s Passion Pit show was pretty fun, but don’t take it from me. We browsed Twitter to get a sense of the crowds’ response, which for the most part, was positive. The negative responses stemmed from folks rolling their eyes that their friends were going to the show, as…
See also: Green Day’s New Song “Epic as F*ck”? Not Even Close. See also: Throwback Thursday: Green Day’s DookieWhen I was told by my editor to allow some room for a Green Day blurb, my first thought was “How awesome! It’s like getting to write about how a former love…
We’re getting funky with this week’s Take Cover, as Stan Devereaux & the Funky Suns perform soulful jams two songs for your enjoyment. Devereaux asked me to film Marvin Gaye’s hit from the Boogie Nights soundtrack, “Got to Give it up,” but the band continued jamming with a cover of…
Once a week Up on the Sun features a new comic strip from punk rocker, cartoonist, and full-time dad Brad Dwyer. See the New Times print edition to check out the strip in glorious, inky newsprint each Thursday…
See also: Maynard James Keenan: Up on the Sun’s New Columnist See also: Maynard James Keenan (Puscifer, Tool, A Perfect Circle) on The Importance of Keeping It Local See also: Can Maynard James Keenan Put Arizona Wine on the Map? See also: New Film Queens of Country Has a Bizarre…
The news waits for no one — at least that’s what we read somewhere — so it’s perfectly understandable that you, the reader, might have missed out on a musical tidbit, breaking news about your favorite venue, or one of our rants. So enjoy this digest-style sampling of some of…
See also: Pilots on Their Airplane Shtick, Harry Potter Obsession, and Busting Into the Local DJ Scene See also: Logan “Element” Howard on Traveling the World, His New Summer Mix, Meeting Sheila E, and Whether He’s Returning to The Blunt Club”Four turntables, two DJs, one powerful sound.” That’s the phrase…
Maynard James Keenan has a lot on his resume. He’s a musician, known for leading Puscifer, Tool, and A Perfect Circle, an actor, record producer, comedian, multimedia artist, and winemaker in Northern Arizona, where he co-owns Arizona Stronghold Vineyards, and oversees Caduceus Cellars and Merkin Vineyards. Now he’s got another…
Douglas Proce Proce is the owner of Video Imaging Services and the filmmaker of the documentary Beautiful Women, screening at the FilmBar September 7-9. For more info, go here. When you put your key in the ignition and turn on the radio, what station would play right now? I don’t…
Got plans this weekend? Cancel them and go support live music instead. We’re here to help with our freshly updated calendar of Phoenix concerts. The listings are sortable by artist, venue and even price, if you like to choose bands based on cost per riff. There’s also a big list…
You don’t need us to remind you that the Valley is a massive piece of land. Phoenix alone is a whopping 517 square miles, according to Wikipedia (which is never wrong, right?). That dwarfs metropolises such as Chicago (234 square miles) and Seattle (142 square miles). Even Los Angeles is…
When you spend as much time on the road as songwriter Brandon Decker does, you begin to feel at home on it. The Sedona-based musician and bandmates in Americana outfit decker. have spent countless hours on Southwest highways, promoting their brand of blissed-out desert folk in a “new” 1999 Toyota…
Swans were one of the most original acts of the early ’80s. Formed in New York City, they created grim, ominous throb that suggested industrial music at its most minimalist and fatigued, the entire structure on the verge of inward collapse. Early on, concert volume approached levels that could drown…
Depending on whom you ask, the sound of reggae is either one of spiritual enlightenment or the soundtrack to an awesome kegger. Rastafari might consider the music sacred, but frat boys and sorority girls nationwide simply want to party to it. The double bill of Matisyahu and The Dirty Heads…
See also: R.I.P. Mark Erickson of Colorstore, Roar, and Gospel Claws See also: Download: Colorstore’s Shambolic, Fuzzy “My Life As a Beaver” See also: Serene Dominic Interviews ColorstoreThe details regarding the memorial service for Mark Erickson, known for his roles in Colorstore, Sweetbleeders, Roar, and Gospel Claws, have been announced…
See also: Stabbing at Scottsdale’s Rogue Bar After Argument Leaves Two InjuredThe man accused of stabbing two people at the Rogue Bar this past weekend has been arrested by Scottsdale Police Department. According to a department report, Adam Logan Graham, a 36-year-old resident of Tempe, was taken into custody on…
Self-taught singer/songwriter Taj Mahal has grooved with everyone from The Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton to blues progenitors like Buddy Guy, Howlin’ Wolf, and Muddy Waters. Like his friend Ry Cooder, he navigated the twisting waters of the late ’60s and ’70s session scene of Santa Monica, before easing into…
See also: Peachcake Explains “You Matter” Video See also: Peachcake Is Still Sweet — But Growing Up, Too Local electronic pop band Peachcake is used to putting out fun, dance-y music with existential lyrics, and their latest single, “The World Is Our Platform to Mean Something,” is no exception. You…
Once a week Up on the Sun features a new comic strip from punk rocker, cartoonist, and full-time dad Brad Dwyer. See the New Times print edition to check out the strip in glorious, inky newsprint each Thursday…
The news waits for no one — at least that’s what we read somewhere — so it’s perfectly understandable that you, the reader, might have missed out on a musical tidbit, breaking news about your favorite venue, or one of our rants. So enjoy this digest-style sampling of some of…
