Happy New Year loyal punk fans. If you really tied one on and you’re nursing your hangover by chugging some Pedialyte, punk music may be the last thing you want to listen to. But 2012 was a great year for punk releases, which made this list difficult to narrow down…
Are you a musician? Is your group having issues? Critic Jessica Hopper has played in and managed bands, toured internationally, booked shows, produced records, worked as a publicist, and is the author of The Girls’ Guide to Rocking, a how-to for teen ladies. She is here to help you stop…
Editor’s Note: With a tip of the cap to the man, we bid Maynard James Keenan adieu. This is MJK’s final column for Up on the Sun, as he’s devoting 2013 to more music and more wine. You won’t have to wait too long to hear some of the fruits…
Happy New Year, readers. Thanks for hanging out with us in 2012. Stick around — 2013 is going to be even better. See also: -10 Favorite Local Hip-Hop Tracks of 2012 – 12 Favorite Local EDM Mixes of 2012 – New Year’s Eve Guide 2013 – Top 10 Phoenix Albums…
One of the best turntablists in Arizona, if not the entire southwest, announced today that he’s hanging up his headphones for good and bidding farewell to the DJ world. Logan Howard, known to many by his moniker DJ Element, dropped a bombshell on the local music scene within the last…
It’s been a mighty big year for hip-hop music in Arizona, most notably with the explosion of the locally-produced platinum hit “Mercy” by Kanye West. Producer and New F-Os member Lifted helped direct ears towards our corner of the map for his work on the massively popular track, but he…
The year 2012 brought an array of exciting moments in heavy metal, from album releases by veteran acts like Napalm Death and younger bands like Goatwhore, to some of the biggest ever heavy metal festivals, to a few of my personal favorite interviews with metal legends. Enjoy — and happy…
Roll Acosta’s debut full-length album, This Dreamt Existence , is a delightful mix of catchy indie pop and relationship commentary. One of the stand out tracks, “The Deep” ended up becoming the band’s first music video. “[It] is really a story about my past experience with over-analyzed relationships and trying…
Friends and family of Matt “Fundy” Funderburk, bassist of Lydia, Bears of Manitou, Joey Arroyo Band, and other musical groups, are still coming to terms with his passing. The musician’s Facebook wall is still full of endearing messages. Two memorial services for Matt Funderburk have been announced: the first is…
If it ain’t one apocalypse, it’s another, right? First December 21 rolls on by with nary an earthquake or a giant dragon emerging from the sky and burning us all to death with his flaming volcano mouth, and now we’re perched on the edge of the dreaded fiscal cliff. But…
PHX FMLY Fest @ Fifth Street|12/28/12Perhaps it was a few too many Santa Clauses wandering around, but FMLY Fest felt a lot like spending the holiday season with the extended family. The massive festival — featuring 60 bands taking dozens of stages on Fifth Street, drew all sorts of interesting…
By day, Suzy Homewrecker is the supervisor of a local laboratory that studies pathology and immunohistochemistry. At night or on the weekends, however, the 30-year-old crimson-haired vixen becomes a tough-as-nails roller derby queen, a gothy go-go dancer, or industrial music DJ known as Defense.Mekanizm. It all depends on her particular…
Let’s face it: When it really comes down to it, most New Year’s Eve parties tend to be all alike. Setting aside such particulars as which specific DJs are spinning or what live entertainment options are available, pretty much the same things happen: Libations are freely available, hokey party favors…
The influence of tribal African sounds comes through in KONGOS’ music, so it makes sense the local band pays homage to South Africa in their latest video. The band took footage from a string of five performances there from the past year for a dynamite video called “Hey I Don’t…
As 2012 draws to a close, we couldn’t be more optimistic about the state of music in the Valley of the Sun. With new bands emerging from various scenes and subgenres, it can be hard to keep up with the latest in Phoenix music. What follows are our picks for…
Alexus Poulette Poulette plays Aldonza in the musical, Man of La Mancha, performed by the Scottsdale Musical Theater Company tonight, December 28, through Sunday, December 30. For tickets, go here. When you put your key in the ignition and turn on the radio, what station would play right now? The…
Each week in our print editions and every day on our blogs, the 13 Voice Media Group papers feature some of the best music writing in the country. That’s why we’re excited to announce the winners of our first VMG music writing awards. The honor goes to the authors of…
Curious about what’s going on around town this weekend? Need some suggestions where to rock, dance, or krump in the Valley of the Sun? Don’t fret: These are our Five Shows to See This Weekend…
The local music community has lost a valued member. Matt “Fundy” Funderburk was known for his talents in a number of local bands including Lydia, Bears of Manitou, and Joey Arroyo Band, but most of all, he’s remembered as a good friend. Bears of Manitou’s Facebook page refers to him…
The overwhelming popularity of electronic dance music continued its exponential growth over the last 12 months, both nationwide and here in the Valley of the Sun. Beats were bumping nearly nonstop across the local music landscape in 2012 as new dance clubs (such as the Monarch Theatre and EPIQ) debuted…
“I think Tristan’s [Jemsek, guitars/vocals] Craigslist addiction is the biggest influence on the band,” says Dogbreth bassist Erin Caldwell. Dogbreth — the long running downtown pop punk combo — has been around for a while, but 2012 has been a year of growth for the band, seeing it make a…
As 2012 draws to a close, we’ll be looking forward to the 2013 and spotlighting 13 Phoenix bands that will be making a mark on the Southwest throughout the new year. This blog entry from Jason P. Woodbury turns up the retro soul sound of Samuel L and The Cool…
