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Kanye West, Travis Scott, and Chance the Rapper Star in Summer Ends Music Festival's Finale - 9/27/2015

By Josh Chesler

Sep 28, 2015

J There are headliners for festivals, and then there are headliners for festivals. The closing night of the Summer Ends Music Festival was undoubtedly the latter of the two, as every act to perform before Kanye West just felt like an opener for the man known to many as Yeezus...

20 Hospitalized after Heat and Crowding at Summer Ends Festival

By Josh Chesler and David Accomazzo

Sep 27, 2015

For the second straight year, Saturday at Tempe’s Summer Ends Music Festival encountered an unexpected issue. At least this time they didn’t force everyone up the street into the Marquee Theatre. About two songs into Rebelution’s 7 p.m. set, the music stopped and an announcement came from the festival’s other...

Brand New, Spoon, Jimmy Eat World, Thrice - Summer Ends Music Festival - 9/25/2015

By Mitchell Hillman

Sep 26, 2015

I knew things had gone a little too smoothly on Thursday night, everything was like clockwork. With that in mind I was sure it would be the same case, but alas it was not. I approached the media check in with a smile and was very nearly scolded and told...

Concert Review: Hozier, Cold War Kids, Brandon Flowers - Tempe Beach Park - 9/24/2015

By Mitchell Hillman

Sep 25, 2015

It's safe to say that the first day of the Summer Ends Music Festival was a pretty great success, at least from a talent perspective. It honestly didn't feel much like a festival so much as a concert in the park. Sure there were vendor, tents, and a massive stage,...

Summer Ends Music Festival: A Field Guide

By Benjamin Leatherman

Sep 23, 2015

While it might not necessarily feel like it right now, the summer is officially over. Yes, we’re aware that its still going to be hot for the next couple of weeks or so, but according to the calendar, the season that we all dread and ultimately must all suffer through...

Summer Ends Music Festival Helps Put Phoenix on the National Concert Map

By J.C. Chesler

Sep 23, 2015

Through the early 2000s, Phoenix wasn't much of a music festival city. Outside of Lollapalooza's initial stop in 1991, significant music festivals were virtually nonexistent in the Valley. Festivals weren't the monstrous industry they are now, but as the scene began to grow and expand from a few festivals to...

Even After a Decade Together, Cold War Kids Are Still Learning

By Kristian C. Libman

Sep 22, 2015

Some things are best left to chance even after experience has long since taken hold. Take Cold War Kids’ latest single, “First,” off their recently rereleased deluxe version of last year’s record Hold My Home: Though the Los Angeles-based band has been together for over ten years now, the success...

Seven Can't-Miss Bands at Summer Ends Music Festival

By Jeff Moses

Sep 22, 2015

Summer Ends Music Festival round two is right around the corner, and for its second year of early fall festing Lucky Man Concerts has brought Kanye West into the mix. What is the point of some other useless turn of phrase when the just the use of his name spruces...

Kanye West vs. Dr. Dre: Battle of the Hip-Hop Ph.Ds

By Josh Chesler

Sep 22, 2015

Kanye West is one of the most influential rappers/producers of all time, there’s no doubt about that. Where he ranks among the all time greats will always be up for discussion, but the impressive combination of his own music along with the songs and beats he’s produced for others (not...

Brandon Flowers Isn't Happy With Commercial Radio

By Jason Keil

Sep 21, 2015

An hour after talking with Brandon Flowers, his publicist called me back to ask me to take out part of my interview. First, she thanked me for conducting it so early in the morning and let me know that Flowers had enjoyed speaking with me, which surprised me as he...

8 Things We Learned at Summer Ends Music Festival

By Phoenix New Times Staff

Sep 30, 2014

It was a weird, wild, and wet weekend. We're talking about Summer Ends Music Festival, Lucky Man Concerts' three-day extravaganza scheduled for Tempe Beach Park. But Mother Nature had other plans, and after the second huge rainstorm to hit the Valley in a month dumped more than an inch of...

Summer Ends Music Festival Day 2 - Storm of the Century vs The Replacements

By Tom Reardon

Sep 29, 2014

It's on. It's off. It's the end of the world. The sky is falling and I might die without ever seeing The Replacements. What a crazy, rain-filled day Saturday, September 27, was as torrential downpours, micro bursts, and low levels of chaos hit Tempe and almost ruined the fun for...

(UPDATED) Summer Ends Music Festival Canceled Due to Weather

By David Accomazzo

Sep 27, 2014

Update 2:Good news for tonight. From Luckyman Concerts' Facebook page: "Tentatively to play, The Maine Taking Back Sunday Luscious Jackson Descendents (Official) & The Replacements" Update: According to a press release from Luckyman Concerts, which organized Summer Ends Music Festival, the city of Tempe shut down the festival at 2:30...

The Senators Talk New Album, Recorded in Hollywood Studio

By Mandi Kimes

Sep 25, 2014

Local Americana group The Senators have had an exciting year. The band has recorded a live session album in Paramount Studios in Hollywood, opened for Phillip Phillips in front of 4,000 fans, while also playing the occasional local bit at Sail Inn or Crescent Ballroom. You can catch The Senators...

Summer Ends Music Festival: The Local Acts

By Phoenix New Times Staff

Sep 24, 2014

Taken a look at a concert calendar recently? Like migrating birds, major music acts are flocking to the Valley as the weather shifts from outdoor sauna to merely hot. What better way to celebrate turning your air conditioner off than heading out to the biggest three-day music festival to happen...

Summer Ends Music Festival: The National Headliners

By Phoenix New Times Staff

Sep 24, 2014

Taken a look at a concert calendar recently? Like migrating birds, major music acts are flocking to the Valley as the weather shifts from outdoor sauna to merely hot. What better way to celebrate turning your air conditioner off than heading out to the biggest three-day music festival to happen...

Violent Femmes' Profane Gospel Rock Album Turns 30

By Jason P. Woodbury

Sep 24, 2014

In the "about" section of the Violent Femmes' official Facebook page, under the "description" header, it currently reads: "Violent Femmes are currently touring in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the release of their first album." It's an album worth celebrating; recorded by a trio of Milwaukee folk punks --...

Bogan Via Used Drones, Motorcycles to Shoot Music Video in Istanbul

By Mandi Kimes

Sep 23, 2014

During the summer of 2013, Bret Bender and Maddie Miller of Bogan Via released their music video for "Kanye." Directed by Freddie Paull of Electric Legend Pictures, this dark storyline portrays a Bonnie-and-Clyde-type duo who robs Phoenix's own beloved Revolver Records of their register money and some unreleased Kanye West...

The Descendents' New Record Might Be Out This Time Next Year

By Melissa Fossum

Sep 23, 2014

Influential pop punk legends The Descendents paved the way for bands that hit it big, like Blink-182 and Green Day. Descendents may not be a sold-out-arena sort of band, but that's the band's appeal -- Descendents are for underdogs who are unlucky in love and like going to Wienerschnitzel. They...

Summer Ends Music Festival 2014: A Field Guide

By Phoenix New Times Staff

Sep 22, 2014

Yup, it's almost here, and we know y'all have been waiting for it tirelessly, throughout the long, hot, and brutal months. Now, it's only mere days away. So are we talking about to the end of summer? Well, yeah, that too (since temperatures will start to decrease later this week)...

Summer Ends Music Festival

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