Lyme Lyte Thursdays

Whenever we’re out surveying some of the more ostentatious and showy nightspots that make up P-town’s club scene, the lyrics from that Finger 11 song “Paralyzer” seem to roll through our heads. You know, the verse where Scott Anderson sings: “This club has got to be/The most pretentious thing/Since I…

It Came From YouTube: Danzig gets Decked

By Benjamin Leatherman Let mortal kombat begin. It was announced recently that Danzig will be heading back to the Valley this November as a part of the “Blackest of the Black Tour,” which also features fellow black metal rockers Dimmu Borgir, Moonspell, Winds of Plague, and Skeletonwitch on the lineup…

What’s Selling: Revolver Records

By Benjamin Leatherman It’s a damn shame that in a city the size of Phoenix (the fifth largest in the nation last we checked) there’s a real dearth of cool independent music stores. But, hey, at least it lets us appreciate those scant few record shops that are available all…

Can’t Miss Show: William Reed’s Birthday Party

By Benjamin Leatherman Birthday boy William Fucking Reed’s gonna party like its 1999 at the Hotel San Carlos tonight. Local DJ impresario/über-scenester extraordinaire William Fucking Reed turns 31 years old tonight, and the dude’s celebrating in grand style at his weekly “Adult Swim” pool party that goes down every Sunday…

Concert Schedule for this Weekend

By Benjamin Leatherman The hometown boys of Peachcake are scheduled to perform on Saturday at Modified Arts in downtown Phoenix. Here’s a rundown of all the concerts and major music events scheduled over the next 72 hours, from tonight until Sunday. Click the link for ticketing info. FRIDAY, AUGUST 8:…

What’s Selling: Circles Records & Tapes

By Benjamin Leatherman Here’s a list of what’s been selling at Circles Records & Tapes (800 North Central Avenue in Phoenix). 1. Lil Wayne, Tha Carter III (Cash Money) 2. Suga Free, Sunday School (Siccness) 3. The-Dream, Love Hate (Def Jam) 4. Roca Dolla, Roca Is a Classic (5Fith Coast…

The Crystal Method

It’s been more than a decade since the blockbuster electronica duo of Ken Johnson and Scott Kirkland (a.k.a. The Crystal Method) broke out big-time in 1997, helping to popularize the late-’90s “big beat” EDM sound. And though most alt-music acts from that era have faded into obscurity, Crystal Method is…

Brag Kings

If nothing else, the members of Tucson indie rock outfit seemingly have an endless supply of confidence in their sound. How do we know this? Just check out the slogan on their MySpace page, bub, featuring the declaration that they’re the “Most Underrated Band in The World.” Normally we’d just…

Who’s performing at tonight’s First Friday art walk

By Benjamin Leatherman Matthew Reveles and Fancy Cloud are scheduled to perform tonight at Holgas. August is usually the deadest month when it comes to First Friday. Blame a combination of late summer heat and monsoon mugginess that makes people want to stay hunkered inside someplace air-conditioned instead of sweating…

Can’t Miss Show: Sweetbleeders CD release party

By Benjamin Leatherman Party hard with Sweetbleeders tonight at the Ruby Room during their CD release show. So watcha got planned for tonight? Heading out to the monthly First Friday festivities or perhaps dropping by the nearby multiplex to watch The Dark Knight for the 863rd time? We say bollocks…

Concert Schedule for This Weekend

By Benjamin Leatherman The indie rock cuties of Paramore are scheduled to perform on Saturday. Here’s a compilation of the big shows and events scheduled to go down at Valley concert and music venues this weekend. FRIDAY, AUGUST 1: BeatleMania Live [tribute band] 7 p.m. $37-$40 (visit www.ticketmaster.com) Casino Arizona…

Groove Candy’s big move

If you’re planning to head to The Door in Tempe to hang out at Groove Candy this coming Hump Day, a minor course correction is in order, yo. That’s because the crackalackin’ Wednesday-night hip-hop affair has flipped the script and moved northward to Lyte Lounge, 7419 East Indian Plaza in…

What’s Selling: East Side Records

By Benjamin Leatherman It always takes some dexterity to maneuver through the cramped aisles of the seemingly closet-sized East Side Records, 217 West University Drive in Tempe. But believe us, a little fancy footwork and extra is totally worth visiting the shop, since East Side’s got all the good shit,…

Concert Schedule for This Weekend

By Benjamin Leatherman The Ying Yang Twins are scheduled to perform at the Venue of Scottsdale on Saturday. Here’s our weekly list of all the major concerts and music shindigs that are scheduled to take place over the next 72 hours from tonight until Sunday. There’s a show for every…

Videos of fixed-gear fun around the PHX

By Benjamin Leatherman In the week’s feature story, I delve into the recent growth of the Valley’s fixed-gear bike scene, covering how local cyclist have latched on to the single-speed (and often brakeless) two-wheeled pedaling machines over the past few years. Getting on a fixed-gear (called “fixies” for short) takes…

The Other Big Party

Believe it or not, P-town peeps, but there are plenty of other events going on this weekend besides that certain championship football game on Sunday afternoon that everyone seems to be all hyped up about. Case in point: SoCal mixmaster J.J. Keo will be staging a boffo birthday bash on…

Party Foul! Fridays

Life apparently goes on for the DJs of the recently closed nightspot Glam. Not only is Faux Show founder Jared Alan hunting for a new home for his decadent dance extravaganza, but Kevin the Makeout Bandit and the other beat-spinning boys of the former Word Up! Saturdays have debuted a…

Fixed-gear fanaticism rolls into the PHX

It’s nearly midnight on a Saturday in late May, and 50 strong are lined up behind the waist-high brick wall surrounding the Marquee Theatre’s parking lot in Tempe. To the few motorists rolling past the Mill Avenue venue, it could be a post-concert crowd gathering after a Vampire Weekend or…

What’s Selling: Stinkweeds Record Exchange

By Benjamin Leatherman This week’s list of the top 10 best-selling albums at local music stores comes from Kimber Lanning’s indie emporium, Stinkweeds Record Exchange, 12 West Camelback Road. Here’s what being bought at the shop: 1. The Hold Steady, Stay Positive (Vagrant) 2. Fleet Foxes, Self-titled (Sub Pop) 3…

Concert Schedule for This Weekend

By Benjamin Leatherman Slipknot and the metal misfits of the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival take over Cricket Wireless Pavillion this afternoon. Here’s a rundown of all the major concerts and big-time gigs that will be going down around the Valley over the next 72 hours. Click links for ticket…

The Dark Knight

Summertime ain’t a dead time as far as the local rave scene is concerned. The particular all-hours party that we’re going to be swooping into will definitely be The Dark Knight, being put on by Silent Unspoken ­Entertainment on Saturday, July 19, in honor of that certain comic book flick…

What’s Selling: Zia Record Exchange in Chandler

Here’s the top 10 best-selling albums for Zia Record Exchange, 1940 West Chandler Boulevard in Chandler, for the week of July 7 to 13. 1. Beck, Modern Guilt (Geffen) 2. Lil Wayne, Tha Carter III (Universal) 3. The Maine, Can’t Stop Won’t Stop (Fearless) 4. Sigur Rós, Med Sud I…