By Shea Serrano 8:45 p.m.: So here’s what this is: More than 20 years ago, 2 Live Crew, one of rap’s most notoriously offensive acts, performed in Phoenix. The concert was recorded and released as a live show album called The 2 Live Crew Live In Concert. It came out…
Bassnectar is not your father’s hippie. His long hair and music are more Metallica than Grateful Dead, but in many ways, Lorin Ashton, the 33-year-old northern Californian DJ and producer, is as much an heir to John Lennon as he is DJ and producer. Listen to him speak and you’ll…
What does Madonna have that Katy Perry likely won’t? Staying power. Will Perry still be performing — and with such drive and determination — when she hits her 50s? Unlikely, as that pop bubble can burst quickly (remember Britney Spears once ruled the pop charts and now is a reality…
It’s not a simple binary, but someone like Kendrick Lamar — lyrically skilled yet decidedly un-preachy, quick-tongued but hook-driven — has what it takes to split the difference between unflinching gangster rap audiences and ponderous “conscious” hip-hop heads. Hailing from Compton and boasting the endorsement of West Coast vicelord/expensive-headphone impresario…
NYC songwriter Sean Hayes doesn’t bother with the very-much-in-vogue retro-soul affectations of the moment, but make no mistake about it, his new record, Before We Turn to Dust, has got spirit and groove in abundance. Remember how you’d see names like Carole King in the credits of Donnie Hathaway records?…
It’s a small, stripped-down EP, but Songs from the Stratton Sessions encapsulates just about everything Jon Rauhouse stands for musically. And oddly enough, there isn’t one lick of steel guitar, the instrument he’s made his name with. There’s the joy and spontaneity of creating: Rather than stick to the few…
We’re in the midst of Halloween season, which means those in the business of scaring the crap outta people are busier than a masked psychopath slaughtering teenyboppers in an ’80s slasher film. That includes the frightening freaks over at Monsterland, 18 West Main Street in Mesa, who are dishing out…
Thursday 11 AZ/88: Black Out Thursdays with Josh 1 (soulful house, lounge) Bar Smith: International Thursdays with DJ EC, DJ StarMarz, & DJ Clavo El Parientito (hip-hop, Latin) Bobby Q’s: DJ Phlava, MC Focus, DJ Dark Vader, & DJ Skoolboi (hip-hop, reggae, R&B) Cadillac Ranch: Thirsty Thursdays with DJ Chris…
The wheel’s come back around for doom-metal trailblazers Saint Vitus. It took some time, but what’s three decades among friends? “Like anybody, we were kind of surprised this hard-rock return was happening,” says Scott “Wino” Weinrich, who sang for Vitus on three albums during their ’86-’91 heyday and has fronted…
Apache Lake Music Festival has grown leaps and bounds since its launch in 2010. The festival now spans three days and features nearly twice as many bands as last year’s installment. The event’s roots may lie in the bygone Jeromeatherapy event, but now scores of music lovers will make the…
In the past, most of downtown Phoenix’s opportunities for fun were limited to concert venues or clubs on Washington. Cityscape changed all of that by adding an array of restaurant and shopping options, and plenty of features that make it a stand out location. Nestled in the same complex as…
The Black Keys @ US Airways|10/9/12The Black Keys have come a long way since their last performance in Phoenix a year and a half ago. They released a new album, El Camino, played prime time slots at Coachella two years in a row, and performed at a much larger venue…
The Hives @ Marquee Theatre|10/9/12Eleven miles from the US Airways Center, at The Marquee Theatre, an important question was pondered tonight. “Do any of you like The Black Keys?” asked Hives lead singer Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist. Every band that took the stage before the Swedish garage rock band got to…
Keller Williams will be hitting The Marquee Theatre on Friday January 18th, pushing his latest release Pick, where he teamed up with The Travelin’ McCourys to deliver his unique brand of bluegrass/folk/jazz. When we last caught Williams, at the McDowell Mountain Music Festival, he blew us away. We’re looking forward…
By Daniel Hopkins Welcome to Ask a Failed Musician, in which I will help struggling musicians make sense of their careers and even offer some advice. Whether or not it will work, who knows? It obviously didn’t work for me. But then again, I was on Kimmel once, so there’s…
Grimes @ Crescent Ballroom| 10/8/12What a difference six months makes. The last time Canadian synth-pop visionary Grimes visited Phoenix, her set was riddled with painful sound problems and an unruly crowd. Rumor had it Grimes herself separated the bathroom fight that resulted in a swarm of cops in the parking…
Are you a musician? Is your group having issues? Critic Jessica Hopper has played in and managed bands, toured internationally, booked shows, produced records, worked as a publicist, and is the author of The Girls’ Guide to Rocking, a how-to for teen ladies. She is here to help you stop…
It’s been a long road for Gossip Girl, from the teenage backstabbing and juicy gossip in the first seasons to the characters heading off to college, flirting with the rich and powerful, and being at the root of public scandals. The show’s sixth and final season premiered last night, and…
Apache Lake Music Festival has grown leaps and bounds since its launch in 2010. The festival now spans three days and features nearly twice as many bands as last year’s installment, Arizona’s beloved local music fest has continued to expand in size and scope in no time at all. See…
I’m going defer to my esteemed colleague down the hall, Mr. Stephen Lemons, on this one: “Remember the ’90s under Clinton? Eight years of peace and prosperity. And all the Rs had to kvetch about was Monica Lewinsky.” Lemons goes on to describe “Bubba” as a “rockstar,” an apt metaphor…
Soul legends Ike & Tina Turner were renowned for their personal lives as much as their music career. In songs like “Should’a Treated Me Right” and “A Fool in Love,” you can’t help but cheer Tina on. In spite of the couple’s strife, they were responsible for some great songwriting…
Once a week Up on the Sun features a new comic strip from punk rocker, cartoonist, and full-time dad Brad Dwyer. See the New Times print edition to check out the strip in glorious, inky newsprint each Thursday…
