Can’t an emotionally complex, religiously ambiguous metal band get a break? Even though the members of introspective prog-metal titans Shai Hulud are neither uniformly spiritual nor sober, the band has been combating both the “straight edge” and “Christian” tags almost since its inception in 1995. Genre is apparently a point…
Neither Ryan Fontana nor Aaron Cool are illegal in nine countries. Nor do they reek of pure gasoline or Bigfoot’s wang. Truth be told, there are scant similarities between Sex Panther the Orange County-based DJ twosome and Sex Panther the fictional musk of Anchorman fame. Fontana and Cool don’t settle…
Christopher Owens, the songwriter who fronts jangling indie rockers Girls, insists he doesn’t have an ax to grind. Sure, the revivalist cult Children of God effectively destroyed his life before it had even begun, indoctrinating a young Owens to live like a monk in the name of “apostolicism.” Sure, they…
When he’s touring in Europe, Gabriel Sullivan keeps an eye out for Gypsies with instruments. “It’s a constant search for that common theme of necessity in the music,” says Sullivan, whose band, Taraf de Tucson, sets Balkan brass and Peruvian cumbia side by side, combining Latin rhythms and exotic melodies…
It’s early on a Friday night, and I’m saddled up at the bar at Palo Verde Lounge in Tempe, waiting for the six members of blackened rock ‘n’ roll sextet TOAD (it’s an acronym: Take Over and Destroy) to show up for an interview. The “Dirty Verde” is notoriously small,…
Thursday 1 16th Street Bar & Grill: Kickback Thursdays with DJ Cedric Ceballos (hip-hop, classics, neo-soul, reggae, R&B, Top 40, old school) Afterlife: Beat the Scene Thursdays (electronica, dance, remixes) Bar Smith: Double Vision Thursday with DJ Kyko, DJ Idenaty, & DJ Dario (Latin, hip-hop) Bobby Q’s: DJ Phlava, Judge…
Of all the estimated 80 million people who saw The Ed Sullivan Show on February 9, 1964 to catch a first glimpse of The Beatles, maybe 10,000 of them formed groups. Maybe 1,000 of them made charting singles. Only one of them was a performer on the Sullivan stage that…
As enchanting and entertaining as Grimes’ performance was at the Rhythm Room on Monday night, the real action was taking place outside of the CenPho music venue. While the Canadian indie artist charmed the crowd with her captivating voice inside, a chaotic scene unfolded in the Rhythm Room’s parking lot…
Welcome to the latest installment of our recurring feature, Sound Off, in which Jason P. Woodbury is joined by a different guest to listen to and discuss three tracks from local Phoenix artists. If you would like your songs to be considered for future Sound Off columns, please email music@newtimes.com…
Albert Manjarrez, manger of The Roxy Lounge is hosting a benefit for his sister on Thursday, March 1.This event features live performances from local acoustic musicians Adam Shero, Angela Ferrari, and Javier Garcia. Amanda Manjarrez was an asymptomatic 26-year-old single mother, unaware she was ill until she tried to write…
Cloud Nothings Crescent Ballroom Tuesday, February 28 When I spoke with Dylan Baldi of Cloud Nothings, he said he had never been intimidated by extensive touring, high-profile shows, or recording Attack on Memory, the band’s latest record, with punk purist Steve Albini. The band’s excellent set at Crescent — airtight…
Yeah, we’re bummed that we didn’t get tickets to Coachella. But there’s is no need to panic. There are high-priced, shirtless concertgoer-attracting festivals all over the nation. (Not the mention that with South By Southwest and Coachella run-off, the Southwest’s concert calendar is looking pretty full.) But we get it…
We’ve had to write plenty of arrest-tastic headlines about DMX here at Phoenix New Times, but despite his issues with Arizona law enforcement, X loves our state. In a recent interview with Power 105.1 in NYC, DMX had nothing but nice things to say about AZ: “It was just a…
How’s this for traditions? Since 1992 the Phoenix Blues Society has championed blues culture and heritage with their annual live music event, the Blues Blast Festival. Historically, the festival has taken place in the city of Mesa, but this year the event will be held at theMargaret T. Hance Park…
Up on the Sun favorite Dan Bejar and his band Destroyer released their newest album Kaputt more than a year ago. We liked it then, we liked it at the end of the year, we like it now still. It’s a charming ode to the smooth sounds of late-’70s/early-’80s yacht…
Grimes and Born Gold Rhythm Room Monday, February 27 Montreal-based Claire Boucher, known as Grimes, not only has a stirringly sweet voice that she layers like K-pop frosting but also a penchant for weaving bombastic beats inside ambient textures. Her latest record on 4AD, Visions, manages to embody the label’s…
Bare Wires Yucca Tap Room Monday, February 27 It was hard not to feel just a little bad for the earnest strummers in Yucca’s neighboring craft bar when Manhands, the first of four loud bands took the stage last night. I can imagine that at least a little of the…
Cursive Crescent Ballroom Monday, February 27, 2012 “Whenever I see a band shortly after an album comes out, I hope it’s too soon for them to play new songs live,” a friend yelled to me as Cursive tore into the opening hooks of “This House Alive,” the first track from…
As our sister blog, Jackalope Ranch reported earlier this month, women’s apparel eBay shop Meat Market Vintage is now open for business on Mill Avenue in Tempe. The industrialized storefront boasts: “Meat Market Vintage runs the gamut of unique 20th century apparel for trend-setting (and trend-smashing) women all around the…
It wasn’t a serendipitous event that New Orleans-based funk combo Galactic released its eight studio release, Carnivale Electricos, last week on Tuesday, February 21 (you know, Fat Tuesday). Galactic’s blend of hip-hop, marching jazz, and Meters-style funk endears it to the jam band crowd, but Carnivale is a straight ahead,…
Anyone who’s seen Michelangelo Antonioni’s mysterious thriller L’Avventura knows Italian filmmakers like Antonioni have a knack for visually striking cinema that will leaves you with more questions than answers. St Ranger’s music video for “It’s ‘Appening” is a lot like that. There’s imagery of people swimming around, which is quite…
Over the last 30 years, The Fabulous Thunderbirds have been a blues rock institution, at various times featuring folks like Jimmy Vaughan, Duke Robillard, Kid Bangham, Marc Ford (of The Black Crowes) and ultimate bassist and badass Keith Ferguson. These days, founding member and vocalist Kim Wilson leads the group…
