Need something to do this weekend? Hope so, since it’s Labor Day and all and you’ve got three straight days of work-free bliss at your disposal. There plenty of pool parties and club parties happening, as well as many other events connected to the Labor Day holiday. And, of course,…
Even the Grim Reaper has to hang up his scythe and take a vacation once in awhile, and nothing shows he was slumming it in August more than the emergence of that Indonesian dude Mbah Gotho, who both claims to be both the oldest man alive at 145 and the…
The Flamin’ Groovies would prefer to take the oft-bestowed label as one of the “greatest rock ‘n’ roll bands you’ve never heard of” and kick it to the curb. And yet, 50 years since their humble San Francisco beginnings, this sincere, yet dubious distinction given to them may be be…
The summertime certainly had its fair share of great concerts, including many of the stunning, spectacular and super-sized variety. With that being said, September is going to be even better. No joke. As a matter of fact, we can assuredly state that this month will feature some of the most-anticipated…
When the Deftones released their 1995 debut record Adrenaline the metal world was already seeing a changing of the guard as bands wearing tank tops, baggy shorts, and spiked hair were redefining the genre. While the Deftones were major players in putting the term “nü metal” on the map, it was…
The world needs more wild children. You know the type, right? Free spirits who actually do things. Powerful women and men who, when pushed, push back, and tend to keep pushing the boundaries placed in front of them because they have no choice but to keep on pushing. Juliette Lewis…
Jimmy Eat World- “Sure And Certain” In all honesty I was going to write about Jimmy Eat World’s new single “Get Right,” but then they released an even newer song on Tuesday and I liked that even more. One thing is for sure, whether it’s “Get Right” or “Sure And…
It’s not like music festivals are a new thing. Woodstock, anyone? In fact, long-running ones, like Coachella, going strong since 1993, have inspired a hearty annual calendar of multi-act, multi-day concert destinations. Whether you want your music delivered via stages at a remote desert site like the aforementioned Coachella or…
“When I go out, I want to hear things I’ve never heard” explains Jesse Keeler, who’s half of the electronic music duo MSTRKRFT. “I feel like dance music was all about that forever, then at least in the last while, people have been too worried about, I guess, losing a…
Nikki Hill’s secret recipe: Take equal parts revved-up rockabilly punk, AC/DC metal stomp, and scorching modern electric blues, and add overflowing spoonfuls of raw, edgy jump blues, R&B, and soul. Blend on 11. What pours from the speakers is one fiery, passionate soul shouter with plenty of attitude and the…
If you’re looking for a unifying theme for this column, here it is: It’s dedicated to exploring what one of my oldest and dearest friends calls “the uncanny valley of music.” I’ve mentioned it here before. For anyone who missed it, here’s how it works: Take a band like The…
Cool weather is just around the corner, Phoenix, and with it, the opportunity to actually walk outside. Scottsdale Quarter, the fancy mall up north on Scottsdale Road and Main Street, is preparing for the cool temps by throwing together a weekly concert series starting September 10 and featuring bands that…
The music scene doesn’t happen on its own. What we see on the surface is the result of passionate people behind the scenes, writing, creating, organizing, promoting, and working tirelessly to bring music to the venues, bars, and houses of Metro Phoenix. We will look at 25 here, some familiar,…
A heated argument at a popular Phoenix bar early this morning escalated into a shooting that injured two people. According to Phoenix Police Department officials, an after-hours dispute between two men inside of CJ Talley’s Pub became violent after they took the fight outside. A total of four people became…
The music scene doesn’t happen on its own. What we see on the surface is the result of passionate people behind the scenes, writing, creating, organizing, promoting, and working tirelessly to bring music to the venues, bars, and houses of Metro Phoenix. We will look at 25 here, some familiar,…
The Valley is going to be hesher heaven this week. Thanks to the fact that the annual Psycho Fest took place in Las Vegas this past weekend, a number of participating metal and rock bands (including many of the experimental, psychedelic, stoner, and death variety) are passing through Phoenix in…
So, how was your summer? Hope you packed in tons of carefree fun and thrills aplenty at festivals and pool parties during last few months as the summertime season is about to officially wrap up. If not, don’t fret. You’ve got a few opportunities left to live it up, get…
A longtime voice of and advocate for the local music scene, KWSS morning show host Brad Pfirrman, a.k.a. Beef Vegan, is leaving local airwaves. Friday morning, August 25, will be his final show. “It’s bittersweet,” Pfirrman says. “But I’m excited to start this new chapter in my life.” For almost…
This weekend’s slate of big concerts happening around the Valley is downright eclectic, to say the least. It seems an apt description, considering it includes a lingerie rave, a visit from punk icons Face to Face, and a performance by instrumental post-rock act Explosions. And that’s just on Friday.The rest…
Go to enough pop concerts and certain parts of the show will start to annoy you. For instance, pretty much every pop star incorporates the state flag of whatever city they’re in into the set, usually to resounding, pandering applause. They throw unrealistic superlatives to the audience, saying they’re the…
Streaming music is, at best, for the most basic music consumer. At worst, it’s exploitative and shitty. All of the major streaming platforms tout the fact that they are an amazing way to discover new artists. But for more serious listeners, that claim is usually empty. I’ve never “discovered” an artist…
Phoenix native Josh Graham knows a thing or two about sights and sounds. The 42-year-old musician and visual artist brings his current band, A Storm of Light, to Yucca Tap Room on Friday, August 26. Graham and his bandmates, Domenic Sita on bass and Billy Graves on drums, are doing…
