This week’s Take Cover session is a little different, as it’s the first time we’ve featured a touring band. Kopecky Family Band drove 16 hours straight from Norman, Oklahoma, to the Musical Instrument Museum to play a few songs and explore the museum. Tonight the band is scheduled to perform…
People have recognized Danny Marianino — he of the infamous Danzig punching incident and hardcore band North Side Kings — ever since video of the incident hit the Internet. But lately, it’s been a little crazy. While signing my copy of his new book, Don’t Ever Punch a Rockstar: A…
With a name like Leftover Cuties and a penchant for unabashed use of ukelele, how could the Los Angeles-based quartet of Shirli McAllen, Austin Nicholsen, Stuart Johnson, and Mike Bolger be anything other than adorable? The group’s folksy sound evokes images of happy couples strolling down a boardwalk decades ago…
Minneapolis breeds a certain kind of musician, one that’s tough and able to thrive through biting, bitter winters. Fiery five-piece Off with Their Heads hails from the Land of 10,000 Lakes, but don’t expect them to recall the band’s alt-punk heritage like The Replacements and Hüsker Dü. “I never really…
Getting drunk with Santa Claus would be pretty awesome when you think about it. St. Nick is already pretty generous with gifts if you’ve been nice, but just imagine what he would get you when you’ve been nice and kept the IPAs flowing? We can’t guarantee you that World of…
Melodic Minnesota punks Off With Their Heads are a busy bunch. The band is currently making the rounds in Canada and down the U.S. west coast after some border crossing issues. “I used to love the marathon touring,” says singer and guitarist Ryan Young, “but I’m a little more into…
The Faint @ Crescent Ballroom| 11/23/12Dance rock favorites The Faint returned to Phoenix last night after a hiatus, armed with new songs, a Sonic Youth cover, and the band’s enduring synth-punk classic, Danse Macabre, in its entirety. Signs in the lounge warned about the band’s “heavy strobe lighting,” and in…
The desert can make it difficult to get festive (in the traditional, Americana-centric sense) in Arizona. But for us, cooler temperatures and no snow are reasons enough to get excited about the holidays. Sure, plenty of folks celebrate by draping twinkle lights over cacti (and, miraculously, don’t injure themselves), but…
When The Faint’s seminal album, Danse Macabre, was released 11 years ago, its combination of pulsing synths and heavy guitars made the band stand out. Sure, bits and pieces sounded like New Order or Depeche Mode, but there was a modern urgency that still rings loud and clear over a…
It’s that time of year again–once you wake up from your tryptophan-induced food coma on Thanksgiving evening, it’s time to grab a blanket and a lawn chair to camp out for Black Friday. Some wackos are already waiting in line…so much for enjoying Turkey Day. If killer deals on electronics…
By now, you know the story: Things ran late at a 2004 show in Tuba City, Arizona, where Glenn Danzig and Phoenix-based hardcore group North Side Kings were scheduled to perform. Due to scheduling conflicts, the North Side Kings were bumped from the show. Frontman Danny Marianino was upset, and…
Andrew Jackson Jihad @ Crescent Ballroom| 11/18/12Last night was what homecoming show is all about. Almost a year has passed since Andrew Jackson Jihad’s last hometown show, so there was plenty of anticipation. The show progressively got better and better, leading up to a very unexpected and excellent ending. I’m…
The Faint will makes its triumphant return to Phoenix next week, following a two-year hiatus. This isn’t just any show: The band is playing its landmark synth-punk record Danse Macabre in its entirety. The concert will include a few new songs as well as fan favorites, so you will get…
After a two-and-a-half-year run, DJ William “Fucking” Reed has decided to pull the plug on Sticky Fingers, Bar Smith’s ultra-hip Friday night dance party (which just so happened to win our best of award for Best Weekly Dance Night for Hipsters in 2012, and a whole bunch of other years…
Etsy has made it easier for aspiring crafters to get their work out there — for better or worse. It begs the question: Do you really need to make and sell $40 earrings poorly modeled after The Beatles, an abstract painting of a weird tiger and Corvette hybrid, or anything…
Last weekend’s cold spell made finding an appropriate outfit for Saturday night shenanigans a bit of a challenge. It was way too cold to rely on go to cute dresses or button down tops, so it was time to dig cozy hoodies and sweaters out of storage. In spite of…
Local DJ and activist Austin Head was assaulted early Friday morning in what has now been designated an anti-gay hate crime. The local community has expressed outrage over this incident, as well as sending its best regards to Austin Head. Check out what some local DJs have to say about…
Update: Phoenix Police have officially designated the attack on Austin Head an anti-gay hate crime. Read more at New Times’ news blog, Valley Fever. Local DJ, activist, and former New Times Clubs Editor Austin Head was assaulted early on Friday, November 9, while walking down Central Avenue. Two men harassed…
Rusko @ Marquee Theatre| 11/11/12Last night marked the highly anticipated rescheduled date for English producer/dubstep DJ Christopher Mercer, who performs under the moniker of Rusko. Mercer was unable to perform in May due to illness, according to Steve Levine Entertainment’s Facebook event. The headlining DJ didn’t just show off his…
6 Rounds of Punk with The Misfits, The Vandals, Strung Out, and Guttermouth @ Celebrity Theatre| 11/9/126 Rounds of Punk is a dream come true for fans of good ol’ punk rock. Okay, so maybe not in 2012, but it would have been a dream lineup a decade or two…
Broadcast built a dedicated fanbase with its innovative mix of ’60s nostalgia and electronic beats. If you’ve never heard the band, imagine Nico singing for Stereolab. Youceff Kabal, who performs under the stage name of Yus plays piano and slows the song down a bit for his version of “Michael…
Omaha indie rockers Cursive are no strangers to making concept albums. From Domestica’s tale of Sweetie and Pretty Baby to the religious town in Happy Hollow, each album has its own narrative thread. This is abundantly clear on the band’s seventh album, I Am Gemini. “I was writing really jerky…
