Man, what a weekend, right? After a week of scarily summer-like temperatures in the mid-90s, the Valley gods blessed us with two days of gorgeous sunshine in which the mercury hardly threatened to break 80. Not ideal if you were, say, at an electronic music festival at a water park,…
Cloudy skies, gushing winds and 60-degree temperatures greeted day one of the East Valley’s annual water-park not-a-rave at Big Surf Water Park in Tempe on Saturday. Although the sun pushed away the clouds in the afternoon, conditions were slightly less than ideal. This is unfortunate for the festival goers, given…
It’s going to be a big weekend for DJ McBoy — and a very “electric” one at that. The 21-year-old is scheduled to perform at tonight’s Summer Electric party over at the Arizona Event Center in Mesa, followed by a gig on the local stage during the first day of…
The road hasn’t necessarily been the smoothest for the alt-country/Southern rock group Drive-By Truckers. From multiple lineup changes since their inception 18 years ago to dealing with writer’s block and long, tiring days and nights on the road, this Southern band continues to move forward, recently releasing its10th studio album,…
It’s time to drop a little knowledge on y’all: According to the eggheads of acoustic science, sound waves tend to travel much more efficiently through water than through air. And the practical upshot of this particular factoid? If you somehow wind up underwater at either of the this weekend’s two…
Dandys rule, okay? They have never not ruled, they still rule, and I suspect they always will. Turning 20 years old, Portland’s premier rock band, the Dandy Warhols, can claim one of its generation’s most eccentric careers, making the quartet one of the last great rock ‘n’ roll acts in…
Coachella? What Coachella? Coachella 2014 is dead and gone, and most of the marquee national acts that have graced Phoenix these fast couple weeks are sadly no longer with us. That said, there is still great music happening in Phoenix this weekend. Here are five shows that are sure to…
Founded 17 years ago in Morris Fields, New Jersey, genre-twisting metal act The Dillinger Escape Plan was simply made to disrupt. Unimpressed with a bland metal scene and without a vehicle to exercise his intentionally dissonant and defiant songwriting style, guitarist Ben Weinman formed the band that would go on…
In honor of the fifth annual Big Brain Awards, New Times is recognizing five Urban Legends, established creative pioneers who have made Phoenix a better, cooler place. Leading up to the Big Brain Award announcement and Artopia on April 25, Jackalope Ranch, Chow Bella, and Up on the Sun will…
Plenty of bands profess bizarre origins, but few are quite as violent as Samuel L Cool J. According to the Phoenix-based group, lead vocalist Haendel Balzora and rhythm guitarist Joel Marquard teamed up after assassinating each other’s respective gang leaders, “Bernardo” and “Tony.” Instead of the electric chair, an extremely…
Alexander “A.J.” Fimbres, known by his hip-hop stage name Whyte Rekluse, died early Wednesday morning after suffering a scooter accident on April 20. He was 28. Fimbres was a regular at The Firehouse Gallery’s variety show, Firestage, as well as other hip-hop- and performance-based shows around the Valley. According to…
Creatures of habit are often seen as boring, but that isn’t the case with Blue Öyster Cult. The band has made a career out of a particular routine: forging new paths and experimenting with the unknown. Since their self-titled debut album in 1972, the band has sold more than 24…
Dandys rule, okay? They have never not ruled, they still rule, and I suspect they always will. Turning 20 years old, Portland’s premier rock band, the Dandy Warhols, can claim one of its generation’s most eccentric careers, making the quartet one of the last great rock ‘n’ roll acts in…
Plenty of bands profess bizarre origins, but few are quite as violent as Samuel L Cool J. According to the Phoenix-based group, lead vocalist Haendel Balzora and rhythm guitarist Joel Marquard teamed up after assassinating each other’s respective gang leaders, “Bernardo” and “Tony.” Instead of the electric chair, an extremely…
Few people in popular music today are as prolific as Robert Pollard. Pollard is best known as the leader of the influential indie rock band Guided by Voices, a low-fi legend whose albums are densely packed with pocket-size exercises in hooky rock magic, and he’s also released a steady stream…
It’s time to drop a little science on y’all: According to the eggheads of acoustic science, sound waves tend to travel much more efficiently through water than through air. And the practical upshot of this particular factoid? If you somehow wind up underwater at this weekend’s Wet Electric pool party…
Thursday 24 AZ/88: Black Out Thursdays with Josh 1 (soulful house, lounge) Baja Joe’s: Latin Live Thursdays with DJ Chop (Top 40, Latin) Bar Smith: Ladies Night with DJ AL3, & DJ Fantastico (hip-hop, EDM, trap, Latin) Bobby Q’s: All Star Thursdays with DJ Freshmaker, DJ Phlava, DJ Dark Vader,…
Holy punk rock, Batman! So, like many of you — some who have earned it, some who have not — I am not easily impressed these days. Whether you call it “jaded” or “been there, done that,” it really doesn’t matter, as long as you call it like you see…
When a fistfight breaks out at an ordinary club night, it’s typically cause for alarm and swift intervention by security. But when such punches are thrown at a Fight Club Sadisco* party, it’s just part of the usual chaos and cacophony of the combination dance fest and slugfest. Arguably one…
Wet Electric, Phoenix’s original water-park festival returns this weekend for two days at two locations: Saturday, April 26, at Big Surf in Tempe, and on Sunday, April 27, at Talking Stick Resort and Casino in Scottsdale. As always, the lineup includes everything from dance music heavyweights to local legends. If…
Though the lineup certainly has changed a few times over the course of its five-decade career, The Freeze is still performing and preparing to record a new album. “We are supposed to be recording in July with Jason Newsted from Metallica producing and engineering,” says founder, frontman, and only remaining…
Timothy NorrisBillie Joe Armstrong Joins The Replacements Early in The Replacement’s Friday night set, Paul Westerberg welcomed Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong as their honorary member. Armstrong, matching the rest of the band in plaid suits, seemed beyond giddy to be onstage with his idols, joking “Dreams really do come…
