New Times Soundcheck 2012 Night 1 New Times Soundcheck kicked off with 14 diverse and talented bands. Regardless of personal tastes, every performer was entertaining to watch. Like most music festivals, the artists played at overlapping times and made for some difficult decisions. Fortunately, the festival is arranged so that…
Editor’s Note: An abridged version of this article appears in this week’s issue, featuring 100 Songs that Defined Arizona. In celebration of Arizona’s centennial, we spoke with Eric Swedlund, a writer, photographer, editor, and all-around-good-dude in Tucson, Arizona, about “We Got Cactus,” sort of an unofficial Tucson anthem, which coincidentally…
Lenny Kravitz Comerica Theatre Sunday, February 12, 2012 Lenni and Lenny, together at last. Until last night, I had been waiting years to say that. The baby-making music was full-speed ahead at Lenny Kravitz’s show Sunday night. Clearly, the crowd was disgustingly excited, everyone on their feet before Kravitz even…
Fresh off his stint in the hospital, things are starting to normalize for Brad Dwyer. We were happy to have Jeff Owens, musician and mini-comic artist extraordinaire, fill in last week, but it’s nice to have Dwyer back. This week, Dwyer creates a whole new punk rock subset, adding “home-core,”…
If Adele could rap, she probably would have won that Grammy as well. Sunday night’s Grammy Awards made for interesting viewing, with Adele’s sweep, some amazing tributes, performances, and a downright weird and horrible showing from Nicki Minaj. Host LL Cool J opened up with a prayer for Whitney Houston,…
Last night’s Grammy Awards was a mixed bag, but it was hard not to well up a bit hearing Paul McCartney sing “Golden Slumbers.” It wasn’t his first performance of the night — he started off with a performance of “My Valentine,” from his strangely titled new record, Kisses on…
A week ago, the Superbowl inspired Volkswagen to fork up millions to rework its Darth Vader commercial of Superbowls past. The New York Football Giants’ victory over Sith Lord Bill Belichick and his Patriots moved Giants fans to celebrate. Most fans were moved to the kitchen to grab a final celebratory Bud Light before calling it a night. One particularly famous fan and host of yesterday’s 54th Grammy Awards Ceremony, LL Cool J, was moved to write the song “Super Baller,” a Giant’s victory anthem that samples the NFL horns you hear at the beginning of every NFL broadcast.
New Times Soundcheck Saturday, February 11, 2012 Club Red Two stages: check. Fourteen bands: check. Sound: check. The New Times Soundcheck Festival concluded last night at Club Red with 14 kickass local acts. Day two emulated Friday’s kickoff with a varied musical palate that included an injection of Valley hip-hop…
Casey Donahew Band Denim & Diamonds Friday, February 10, 2012 “Up all night sippin’ on whiskey n’ drinkin’ beer.” Well that definitively described the concert by the Casey Donahew Band last night. The energy level was so high, you almost didn’t notice that drummer TAZ was missing. He was in…
New Times Soundcheck Friday, February 10, 2012 Club Red It’s been a great week for local music fans. The much-anticipated 100 Years of Music That Defined Arizona article came out a couple days ago, and we’re halfway through a pretty big music festival. Check out the full Phoenix New Times…
This weekend is going to be busy in the Valley of the Sun. Not only is New Times invading Club Red/Red Owl for Soundcheck Festival 2012, featuring Glass Heroes, Sugar Thieves, The Love Me Nots, Father Figures, Jason Devore, Crusher Sound System, The Insects, and many many more, but there…
Editor’s Note: An abridged version of this article appears in this week’s issue, featuring 100 Songs that Defined Arizona. In celebration of Arizona’s centennial, we spoke with local music icon Sara Cina about one of the earliest songs of renowned Tempe band Gin Blossoms. “All the lines you wrote to…
We’ve got some bones to pick about this. While Lambert said he’ll be doing this “to pay tribute to Freddie and the band by singing some fucking great songs,” that can’t possibly be his only motive. If he wants to pay tribute to Queen, he should start a tribute band.Lambert…
Unwritten Law Roxy Lounge Thursday, February 9, 2012 Unwritten Law has had an interesting career. Lineup changes are to be expected with any band that’s been around for over 20 years, but most frontmen don’t have “physical arguments” with (soon-to-be-former) bandmates. That leaves Scott Russo, the only original member of…
Arizona is pretty much as Southwest as it gets. What other state can claim Southwestern staples like the OK Corral, Grand Canyon and SB 1070. (We said claim, not be proud of.) It’s only natural that our local bands get some serious stage presence at SxSW, Austin’ yearly arts and music…
Without music education, it’s safe to say there would be no Bears of Manitou. To help foster the local talent of the future, the band is pairing with Ear Candy Charity, a local nonprofit that seeks monetary and musical instrument donations to help with Arizona’s dismal arts education funding, for…
Joey BradfischBradfisch is a producer for the Johnjay and Rich radio morning show on 104.7 KISS-FM. His segment, What’cha Doin At The Courthouse?, airs on the station every Friday at 7:40 a.m. When you put your key in the ignition and turn on the radio, what station would play? I’m…
Who doesn’t love indulging in a metal show every now and then? If the show turns out to be anything like the flier looks, then it’s going to be a gruesome, bloody metal showdown.Silent Civilian will be bringing the heat tonight at 910 Live. Mureau, Failing to Fly, Levels of…
When we last touched base with Hooves, they were splitting town, cramming into the Bikini Lounge for a goodbye celebration before heading to Washington. I noted “…we can take comfort in knowing they’ll be back to visit. It’ll be “Party Time” then, but it’s hard to imagine it all feeling…
Editor’s Note: An abridged version of this article appears in this week’s issue, featuring 100 Songs that Defined Arizona. In celebration of Arizona’s centennial, John “Johnny D” Dixon, host of Mostly Vinyl with Johnny D on KWSS 106.7 and unofficial Arizona music historian, shares a little history about Sanford Clark’s…
With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching, it seems like everyone is scrambling to find a hook up way to impress a crush or a significant other. A dozen roses and a box of chocolates may seem like a cheesy and overdone gift, but it’s a safer bet than some other ideas…
Metal legends Metallica recently announced the two-day Orion Music and More Festival, where the band will headline each night by playing a different classic album, Ride the Lightning and The Black Album, in their entirety. There’s a super-long video on the festival site featuring an interview with the band, conducted…
