Action Bronson, Club Red, 6/8/12

Action Bronson Club Red Friday, May 8 See also: NYC’s Action Bronson Plays It Tough and Cool “You want me to rap or what?” That was the first thing that Flushing, Queens, rapper Action Bronson asked the crowd last night at Club Red in Tempe. Rhetorical question or not, the…

Electric Daisy Carnival Las Vegas Coverage Ahead

This weekend, traveling EDM festival Electric Daisy Carnival is coming to Sin City (you know, Lost Wages, the “Crown of Clark County,” the “Entertainment Capitol of the Word,” or plain old Las Vegas), and we’re going to be there keeping tabs on the debauchery for those who aren’t participating in…

Flashback Friday: An ’80s Conversation with Super Stereo

Where we’re going, we don’t need roads; just a synthesizer, eyeliner, and a touch of androgyny. Welcome to Flashback Friday. Local future-pop rockers Super Stereo are marking their triumphant return to the stage with a super-sweet lineup tomorrow night at Crescent Ballroom. After a brief hiatus from performing, the five-piece…

YUS Is Giving You Something to Chill To

In this week’s issue of New Times, we profiled 10 new(ish) bands we expect to dominate Phoenix iPods and boomboxes this long, hot summer. We’ll be focusing more deeply on those artists over the next couple days here on Up on the Sun. See the entire list: 10 Phoenix Bands…

Destroyer, Crescent Ballroom, 6/7/12

Destroyer and Sandro Perri Crescent Ballroom Thursday, May 7 See also: Destroyer Got Rejected By Jazz Festivals, Which Is Good for Pop Fans Speaking with Dan Bejar of Canadian indie rock band (or smooth jazz or ’80s pop or Bowie-worshiping-street-poet rock — the band was all of these at various…

Brian Kohatsu, What Are You Listening To?

Brian Kohatsu The comedian and media producer performs tonight at 3rd Place Neighborhood Grill at 7:30 p.m. His full schedule is here.  When you put your key in the ignition and turn on the radio, what station would play right now? Mix 96.9-FM or 96.3-FM Real Country. What’s the first album you…

One Direction: Beautiful Lyrics Meet Breathtaking Photos

See also: Can You Explain One Direction? No, Seriously A quick word from the editor: Last week, New Times writer Christina Caldwell pondered One Direction’s appeal to both teens and more mature modern pop fans, asking a politely (but firmly) WTF? Of course, OD fans got defensive, attacking with comments…

Up on the Sun: The Podcast ft. Zero Zero/The Love Me Nots

See also: The Love Me Nots’ Nicole Laurenne on New Album, New/Old Drummer and Beating Breast Cancer Nicole Laurenne likes a challenge. Not only does she juggle life as a judge and the Farfisa-shredding frontwoman of The Love Me Nots, but she beat breast cancer. So while the idea of…

Five Must-See Shows This Weekend

Curious what’s going on around town this weekend? Need some suggestions as to how to rock, dance, or krump in the Valley of the Sun? Don’t fret: These are our Five Shows to See This Weekend. Friday, June 8: Action Bronson @ Club Red in Tempe Action Bronson, who hails…

Throwback Thursday: Garbage Still Rules

Alternative/industrial rock darlings Garbage released its fifth album, Not Your Kind of People last month, and the record shows no signs of wear or dust after a seven year break. The band steps slightly away from the alterna-pop that earned them radio domination in the ’90s, with synths and slower…

Walk the Moon at the Rhythm Room, 6/6/12

See also: Nicholas Petricca of Walk the Moon Wants to Jam With Michael McDonald (Let’s Make It Happen)Walk the MoonRhythm RoomWednesday, June 6, 2012Walk the Moon have conquered kiddie rock, impressed the masses at Sasquatch, and they’ve got the song of the summer. They’re coming up quickly, and they can’t…

City In The Sea Is Wise Beyond Its Years

In this week’s issue of Phoenix New Times, we profiled ten new(ish) bands we expect to dominate Phoenix iPods and boomboxes this long, hot summer. We’ll be focusing more deeply on those artists over the next couple days here on Up on the Sun. See the entire list: 10 Local…

Sareena Dominguez Gets Her Groove on With Moonbeams

In this week’s issue of Phoenix New Times, we profiled ten new(ish) bands we expect to dominate Phoenix iPods and boomboxes this long, hot summer. We’ll be focusing more deeply on those artists over the next couple days here on Up on the Sun. See the entire list: 10 Phoenix…

From Print: Blogs Teased in Our June 7 Issue

This week, New Times ran a list in our print publication highlighting some of the most interesting posts published at Up On The Sun over the past week. Here are links to those posts. What does DJ Jason Ayers hate about “brostep?” What does pop star Santigold have to say…

Lazer Sword @ Monarch Theatre

Some things in life are totally worth the wait. Like, for instance, a return visit to the Valley by electronica wizards Lazer Sword. It’s been almost two years since the team of L.A.’s Lando Kal (a.k.a. Antaeus Roy) and Berlin-based beathead Low Limit (better known as Bryant Rutledge) hypnotized locals…

Seven Nights of DJs & Dancing

Thursday 7 16th Street Bar & Grill: Kickback Thursdays with DJ Cedric Ceballos (hip-hop, classics, neo-soul, reggae, R&B, Top 40, old school) Afterlife: Throwback Thursdays (electronica, dance) Azucar Cuban Lounge: Latin Night with DJ Los & DJ Yoshi (cumbia, reggaeton, bachata, rock en Español, old school, funk) Bar Smith: Double…

10 Phoenix Bands You Need to Hear This Summer

It’s a common question: What does the Phoenix area sound like? The answer — a resounding and emphatic “who knows?” — is upsetting only to the kind of people who want easy, tidy answers to questions like that. The truth is, Phoenix sounds like a lot of things, and if…