All The Famous Musicians Who Died In June 2016

Here we are at the midway point of what has been the worst year for music having nothing to do with what was issued and everything to do with who was discontinued. “Sure,” you say. “We lost a lot of giants early in the year like Bowie and Prince, but…

The 10 Best Metal Concerts in Metro Phoenix in July 2016

It’s July. I’m not going to go into a rant about how hot it currently is in Phoenix — we all know. We all see the annoying Facebook posts daily of temperature gauges. Yes, we live in the desert. Yes, it’s the price we pay for gorgeous winters. So shut…

Pinegrove’s Emo-Coated Indie Rock Looks to Revive Genre

Evan Stephens Hall already has an idea of what heaven looks like — creatively speaking, of course. The frontman of New Jersey indie rock band Pinegrove, Hall seems like the kind of musician who just has to get it out via whatever medium he has at hand. Luckily for him,…

The Eight Best Concerts In Phoenix This Week

Happy Fourth of July everyone. If you’ve still got some mojo and, more importantly, money leftover from spending the three-day weekend partying and playing hooky from work, there are several notable shows happening this week. The list includes gigs by pop princess Selena Gomez, indie singers like Mitski and Japanese…

The 25 Best Concerts in Phoenix in July 2016

We’re about to hit what’s known as the dog days of summer, a period of the summertime that’s particularly loathsome due to the fact its muggy as hell outside and no sign of relief on the horizon (save for the occasional monsoon storm). Thankfully, we’re also about to roll into…

Ted Nugent Disses Iggy And The Stooges and Talks Detroit Music

Ted Nugent. Ted “Fucking” Nugent. He calls himself this frequently. During a 45-minute phone conversation, he must’ve said “Ted fucking Nugent” at least a dozen times. The man is mesmerizing and drunk on confidence, even if he never takes a drink. There really is no one else quite like him,…

Cowboys Saloon in Peoria Opens in Mid-July

Country music fans of the West Valley, better dust off your boots and get ready to cowboy up. The second Metro Phoenix location of Cowboys Saloon is set to make its debut next month in Peoria and will offer just as much country kitsch and dance floor action as its…

XIXA’s Chucks Cumbia Covers and Goes All-Original on New Album

XIXA came to exist almost by accident. The Tucson sextet – formerly known as Chicha Dust – formed and began playing the Peruvian style of psychedelic cumbia as a way to get more gigs without overbooking the solo projects of its two co-founders, Brian Lopez and Gabriel Sullivan. With almost…

New Music From Stephen Steinbrink, Miller James, DWARF, and More

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. Stephen Steinbrink – “Absent Mind” Before he was Olympia, Washington’s Stephen Steinbrink, he belonged to Phoenix, Arizona. I first became…

New Madrid Pushes The Boundaries of Psychedelic Music

There’s an urgency to New Madrid. It’s evident by the opening thrust of “Not In Me,” the lead track on the Athens, Georgia, band’s latest effort, magnetkingmagnetqueen. Sporting rapid, airy vocal overlays pushed by a frenetic drumbeat and prog-ish guitar licks, the song makes it clear New Madrid is not…

How Three Metal Frontwomen Made Me Wonder If I’m Sexist

Fifty years ago, women’s role in heavy metal was mostly a lyrical focal point — a heartbreaking vixen, fantasy figure, groupie. Now, it’s commonplace that women not only frequent the stage, but work as tour managers, sound and light techs, promoters, publicists, booking agents, managers, and more — all in…