If E! were to develop a reality TV series called Keeping Up with the Chillwave Bands, the network might actually finally grab our attention. Let’s face it: Separating one indie buzz-band — armed with a token foxy frontwoman, breathy vocals, and spacey synth — from the next has proved difficult…
Given the strict observance of “punk rock rules” that define the genre now, it’s hard to believe that the original CBGB bands had more in common with hippies than anyone you might see on Epitaph’s roster. That’s right, punk used to all be about personal expression and fashion code, minor…
Even if you don’t go, it’s fun to read people’s bitchy reactions to each year’s Coachella lineup. Said lineup could feature a resurrected John Lennon, Kurt Cobain, Ian Curtis, and Keith Moon jamming Leadbelly covers on the main stage and, still, someone would complain. (“It’s not as good as last…
Thursday 26 16th Street Bar & Grill: Kickback Thursdays with DJ Cedric Ceballos (hip-hop, classics, neo-soul, reggae, R&B, Top 40, old school) Afterlife: Beat the Scene Thursdays (electronica, dance, remixes) Bar Smith: Ladies Night with DJ Idenaty, DJ EC Rock, & DJ Oh-Jezus (various) Bobby Q’s: Capricorn B-Day Bash with…
Say what you will about the changing commercial landscape of the music industry, but record labels still matter. Anyone can upload some tunes to BandCamp, but the stamp of approval from a great record label can still inspire confidence in the heart of a record browser. Labels still serve as…
Some nights are destined to be great. Above & Beyond had a fantastic evening in the cards on Friday, January 20 when the British trance trio performed at Axis/Radius in Scottsdale. The group was recently ranked #5 on DJ Magazine’s list of the top 100 DJs, falling behind the likes…
Blues rock band/solo artist Citizen Cope has been on the road for years. With a new album entitled One Lovely Day in the works, Tempe is bound to be blessed with both the oldies but goodies and some new material that hasn’t yet been released.We were lucky enough to catch…
By any yardstick you wish to measure it, you probably owe Nico Holthaus a drink. If nothing else. Mill Avenue Inc, his 2008 documentary chronicling the corporate invasion of Tempe, is a talking history time capsule of the faces and places that made the Tempe music boom of the ’90s…
Anthrax Marquee Theatre Tuesday, January 24 Everyone knows Anthrax played the Big Four in Indio, California, last year, of course. And as much as I hate to admit this out loud or on paper, I missed them, even though I was in Indio. See the full Anthrax slideshow here. They…
The members of electronic pop outfit Factories put themselves in a tight situation last year when they locked themselves in a shipping container in the middle of the summer. With a wall full of amps, flashing strobe lights, and of course a ton of balloons, the Tempe trio had themselves…
How’s this for cred: Michael Cornelius, of JFA fame and current guitarist of The Father Figures, shouting out a cover of “Avon Lady” by famed PHX hardcore band The Feederz? That’s pretty much punk-on-punk-punk action, but the results certainly don’t sound like a history lesson. No, just like the songs…
It’s been a minute since I’ve seen The Green Lady Killers in action. The hometown garage rockers relocated to Los Angeles some time ago, but before that I used to enjoy dipping into random dive bars to catch a live show by the grrrly trio. Needless to say I was…
You know that scene in Spinal Tap, where Rob Reiner is reading the band a review of the Shark Sandwich album and he says, “This one is simply two words: Shit Sandwich?” Scanning through most of the reviews of IV, the fourth album by Alabama Christian rockers Maylene and the…
Imagine wild organ swirls, rolling surf licks and jazzy party horns coupled with angular and decidedly eastern melodies, plus a sultry singer who shifts between English and her native Cambodian dialect. That’s just a fraction of what shapes Dengue Fever’s original sound. The band discovered its calling in Cambodia’s 1960s…
Bogan Via is fairly new to the local music scene, but has already made a striking impact on their audiences. The Phoenix-based pair plays a mixture of folk and indie pop that combines vocal harmonies with acoustic guitar and keyboard to shake up the typical boy-girl-indie-duo dynamic. I swung by…
30 years is a long time. You might think that after 30 years in a career as unique and unpredictable as They Might Be Giants, (college rockers to children’s rockers) principals John Linnell and John Flansburgh might be wondering how much longer they can keep it up, but that’s not…
When he’s not making up stories about what he listens to while he’s busy being a hardcore runner, Ben Gibbard of Death Cab For Cutie makes plans for the future. Recently, he has carried out plans to go through with his divorce and go on an international tour. The latter…
Jerome may be America’s highest and largest ghost town, but that doesn’t mean you can’t dip into one of the many storefronts to thumb through some vinyl. Renfield Record Exchange specializes in rare vinyl records and out-of-print CDs, but you can also replace your El Camino album if it somehow…
Okay folks, the finish line is in sight. February 14 marks the Arizona Centennial, and that means we’re just about ready to break out 100 Greatest Songs of Arizona list. It’s been fascinating reading your suggestions, which range from freakout post-punk to classic rock to Phoenix-based blues jams. But there’s…
New Orleans bounce queen Big Freedia opened recent track, “Almost Famous, with a succinct and powerful line: “I’d like to thank all my fans /And all my haters /For making me famous.” Beef is beneficial for both parties involved: Music outlets love covering it, fans love chiming in, and any…
Bummed that yet another New Year’s celebration has passed? Don’t fret, you can continue partying, because today is the Chinese New Year. So happy Year of the Dragon, everyone. And you don’t have to be Chinese to celebrate. After all, Chinese New Year is focused on good food, good luck,…
Starting a revolution of your own is a difficult task, but jam band O.A.R. (Of a Revolution) makes it look pretty easy. Of course, it’s harder than it seems. I spoke with drummer Chris Culos, in hopes of finding what lessons O.A.R. has learned in its transition from garage band…
