Kids today, y’know? Thinking that all they need to figure out transcendental psychedelia is a tube of face paint, some Jodorowsky DVDs and a handful of funky -looking mushrooms. Pshaw! They should take a cue from their peers in Prince Rama, a Brooklyn-based act specializing in profoundly psychedelic tuneage. Sisters…
As a musician, film maker and performer, renaissance man Voltaire has a flare for the theatrical. His live performances, which are best described as a kind of campy gothic carnival, have been known to resemble a vintage cabaret show that revels in the macabre. On Thursday, October 6, he’ll be…
As Munich’s 17-day slosh-a-palooza wrapped up yesterday, it left us feeling a little empty. We didn’t celebrate Oktoberfest the proper way — by getting shithoused in lederhosen and violently gesturing toward the breasts of a beer wench with a full mug of god’s greatest nectar, all while listening to polka. (As…
Be sure to join Dearspeak this Saturday at New City in Phoenix for a very special occasion.They’re playing a show in honor of the release of their new EP, Oh For Freedom. Plus, Dearspeak will be performing with additional members for this show!The event will be an enjoyable evening of biographical music…
Want to know what new release discs and platters are moving across the Valley at local record stores? We’ve got you covered with another installment of What’s Selling. After taking most of 2010 off, Chicago indie-pop rockers Wilco are back strong with last week’s The Whole Love release taking top…
Fall Frenzy: blink-182, Jimmy Eat World, Matt & Kim, and Halocene Arizona got a special show last night, a combination of the yearly Fall Frenzy event and The Honda Civic Tour. Jimmy Eat World took My Chemical Romance’s spot and locals Halocene shared the stage with Matt & Kim and…
Arizona natives Miniature Tigers have been pretty busy in the last year. They performed with The Roots in the Red Bull Sound Clash, they’ve been working on their album Mia Pharaoh, they released a new single entitled “Boomerang,” and most recently, they have just finished up their fall tour.This week…
We can’t even front. The big news regarding Arrested Development– creator Mitch Hurwitz’s announcement that the series will return for a fourth season and a feature film– has us giddy with joy here at Up on the Sun. Hurwitz plans on airing nine or ten episodes next fall, building up…
Last week we announced the bummer news that Blondie has called off the show scheduled for tomorrow at Foundry on First due to “last minute scheduling conflicts. Promoter Danny Zelisko states that the band may reschedule its date, but until then, you can continue listening to the group’s latest album,…
There’s no getting around it. No matter how awesome DJ Star Slinger may have been before getting shouted out by Donald Glover, AKA Childish Gambino, AKA Troy on one of TV’s best shows, Community, he was immeasurably cooler afterward. The cred boost wasn’t entirely necessary. Slinger, known as Darren Williams…
There are always those albums that you miss. Analog Drift, by Chico Mann came out in 2010, but I didn’t get it until last week. Which is a real shame, because it’s a fantastic disc, featuring 12 tracks comprised of vintage hip-hop synths, Afrobeat shuffles, Latin vocals, and a Talking…
Maynard James Keenan doesn’t seem to like down time. When not working with prog rock giants Tool, he performs in the arty A Perfect Circle, and when not keeping busy with either of those bands, he makes wine here in Arizona, and has a major role in the upcoming existentialist…
BRAIDS The Sail Inn Friday, September 30, 2011 The thing most interesting about BRAIDS is the band’s ability to create elegant, intricate post-rock without coming off as overtly eccentric. There’s a reason why they engage in a side-stage group-hug before hoping on stage. Crafting music as delicate as theirs requires…
Arizona got a special show last night, a combination of the yearly Fall Frenzy event and The Honda Civic Tour. Jimmy Eat World took My Chemical Romance’s spot and locals Halocene shared the stage with Matt & Kim and blink-182 for an evening of fun and nostalgia…
The Zombies Celebrity Theatre Friday, September 30, 2011 50 years is a long time. There’s no getting around it — The Zombies, lead by original members Rod Argent and Colin Blunstone, have been at it for a five decades; much longer than the original run of The Zombies, from 1961…
The southern California leg concluded nicely. Thanks to a great promoter and the draw of some awesome local rippers, we played to 130 kids at The Smell in Los Angeles, a well-known downtown all-ages space with a relatively big stage. We don’t normally get the opportunity to play with big…
Incubus has been a longtime favorite band for alternative rock fans. Now in their twentieth year together, Incubus released their seventh studio album this summer, entitled If Not Now, When?. Multi-instrumentalist and bassist Ben Kenney, former member of The Roots, joined the band in 2003 and has been on board…
As we get closer to the end of the year there are probably quite a few music nerds who are already working on their best of 2011 lists. After all, there have been some pretty amazing records released this year from the likes of Kanye and Jay-Z to the Fleet…
Bad news for fans of ’80s new wavers Blondie — the band has canceled its appearance, previously scheduled for October 4 at Foundry on First. Promoter Danny Zelisko confirms that the band had a “late scheduling conflict,” and on Facebook states that the gig may possibly be rescheduled. I spoke…
Ellie Elmore: The interior designer and Zumba fitness instructor. Teaches at Diverse Elements Dance Studio in Phoenix Monday nights. For more information on her classes, go here. When you put your key in the ignition and turn on the radio, what station would play right now? Lately, 97.5-FM has been…
This weekend is full of things to do in the Valley of the Sun. Tonight, the massive AZ Fall Frenzy concert, featuring Halocene, Matt & Kim, Jimmy Eat World, and blink-182 hits Tempe Beach Park; MegaRan and MC Chris bring the nerd-rap “Race Wars” tour to Martini Ranch; and British…
Seattle band iji have roots here in Phoenix. Songwriter Zach Burba started the group in Tempe, and played frequently at The Trunk Space, honing his weird funk-pop. I’ve always liked the Burba’s sensibility (full disclosure: a band I used to play in a band that covered the iji tune “Meet…
