When in Rome, do as the Romans do. When in Phoenix, head to the desert. Desert raves have been an underground staple of the dance music scene since I can remember. Once upon a time, underground parties were the only places you could listen to electronic music and engage in…
Feeling a little frightened? Can’t say we blame you, considering the depressing state of the world these days. There’s the impending prospect of either a Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump presidency (although the former is rapidly becoming more likely than the latter), the always precarious economic situation, and the fact…
If you’ve ever worked in an office where workers can play music lightly at their desks, there has been a time when you’ve looked over at a nearby coworker and thought: If you play that Shaggy album one more time, two minutes from now I’m going to be standing over your corpse, holding a bloody staple-remover. But sheer violence isn’t the only way to get your revenge. You too can annoy your coworkers with just a simple playlist. The trick is to keep it subtle. You can’t just start blasting Rammstein/ 2 Live Crew mash-ups at maximum volume. Somebody will justifiably complain to your boss quicker than you can say “Du hast deez nuts.” You need office-appropriate music that seems gentle and harmless, yet subtly inflicts unbearable pain upon those around you. If you need some help picking out songs, here’s a little guide to get you started.
We’re rolling into one of the busiest weeks of the year for live music – and its not only because the Halloween party season about to kick into gear. By sheer happenstance, a slew of great concerts will be happening over the next few nights at Valley venues, and every one…
The Flaming Lips are known for their wild performances and colorful theatrics on stage. Yet, there is a lot more to their flamboyant productions than first meets the eye. Last night at the Arizona State Fair, frontman Wayne Coyne showed the entire coliseum the deep roots of his musical mission…
Jimmy Eat World might not have burst onto the national consciousness until “The Middle” hit the airwaves in 2001, but the band actually formed in 1993, during the heyday of the Mill Avenue jangle-pop scene. But while the Gin Blossoms were riding the wave of “Hey Jealousy” and the streets…
Up for seeing a great concert this weekend? If so, we’ve got a few suggestions for y’all. As a matter of fact, we’ve got 10 of ‘em, which include shows from a wide variety of genres, ranging from R. Kelly and Yuna to The Cookers and Nicolas Jaar. We’ve also got the…
Taylor Momsen is no stranger to the spotlight. She’s been modeling and acting since age 2, and she began writing music by the time she was in grade school. (Years later, a song she wrote at age 8 even ended up on a 24-year-old reality star’s debut album). She starred…
Good Charlotte began its career with a bang and went on to rule the roost as one of pop punk’s most successful bands among fans with more than 10 million in sales. This happened despite harsh criticisms from rock critics as being too boy-bandish and heavy on the teen angst themes…
Mitchell Hillman listens to more local music than just about anyone in the Valley. He presents his picks for best new local music in his column, Right Hear, Right Now. Holy Fawn – “Reykur (Live)” To be clear, I’m not one to usually share or review a live video for…
Maynard James Keenan of Puscifer, Tool, and A Perfect Circle has always had an odd sense of humor. If he has a signature lyrical trick with the band, it’s injecting lightheartedness into songs and verse ideas that are deathly serious. No track on Money Shot, the band’s 2015 album, better exemplifies…
On November 18, 2014, North Carolina’s Hiss Golden Messenger appeared on The Late Show With David Letterman. After the band’s performance, a funky, swaying version of “Southern Grammar,” Letterman raved. “I like everything about this,” Letterman beamed. “What are you worried about?” Bandleader M.C. Taylor answered with a smirk and…
Of Montreal fans have, in a sense, been reading frontman Kevin Barnes’ diary for the past 20 years. Endearingly vulnerable and addictingly frank, his lyrics are emotionally magnetic, with enough highbrow literary references and sesquipedalian terminology to make you feel like you’re in with the smart kids if you get…
BOO! Arizona at Rawhide this past weekend had everything you could want in a Halloween-themed electronic dance music festival. There were loads of eerie decorations, including a ginormous skull onstage that loomed behind DJs, a cannonade of lasers lighting things up, a spooky atmosphere augmented by the bass-heavy sounds blasted…
DRAWL! is a video series created by all-around Renaissance man Robbie Pfeffer and New Times that focuses on the odd and exciting experiences that make life in a band interesting. With a mix of first-person storytelling and animation, DRAWL! hopes to show that these artists’ lives can be just as…
Is it just me or are people who are afraid of clowns kinda dumb? Fear of masks (masklophobia) makes sense to me — it could be anything under there, or even spookier, maybe there isn’t a face at all! But a clown is just an idiot in makeup — what’s…
Alessia Cara wants you to get to know her. The voters of the JUNO Awards sure did last year; the 20-year-old Canadian pop artist took home the Best New Artist accolade in 2015, a true source of pride for Cara. “There’s something so great about being recognized for the artist…
Blend up some catchy garage pop, a punk rock heart, some quirky sensibilities, and a heap of sincerity and you’ll wind up with Australian duo, Gooch Palms. Otherwise known as Leroy MacQueen and Kat Friend, these two – who are also a couple – have been working their asses off…
Insane Clown Posse is not a critically acclaimed band, to say the least. While ICP’s press is more positive than it used to be, and that was a low bar to clear to begin with, most of it has focused on Juggalos, their devoted fanbase. Why the FBI decided that…
Halloween is only a couple of weeks away and – as you’d expect – ’tis the season for sporting kooky costumes, madcap masks, and freaky face paint. And, fittingly enough, some of this week’s best concerts in the Valley will include artists and acts who are famous for their costumes,…
Reading I Am Brian Wilson is like having a conversation with Brian Wilson. In fact, it’s more like having a conversation with Brian Wilson than having an actual conversation with him. This is the discussion that every music enthusiast and admirer of the man would want to have with Brian…
When the lights went up inside the historic Orpheum Theatre in downtown Phoenix after an emotional performance by Icelandic dream rockers Sigur Rós, my eyes were, for lack of a better word, moist. I was moved and I did not know why. As the crowd emptied, I attempted to keep…
