Phoenix New Times is following the footsteps of some of our sister papers with our first ever Big Brain Awards.What does that mean? Well, we’re seeking emerging creative types, giving them a cash award and throwing a party in their honor. It’s sort of a localized MacArthur Genius Grant designed…
Just in case you hadn’t glanced at a calendar lately, April 20 (a.k.a. 420) is this coming Tuesday, man, which means plenty of marijuana-related parties, music fests, and celebrations going on around Phoenix. As your pothead friends are likely to tell you (in-between mouthfuls of skunky smoke, that is), however,…
Voodoo Swing, an old-timey Phoenix rockabilly band, got a little help from Meat Puppet Cris Kirkwood on their record, Voodoo Beans. Some of the new tracks are already up on the band’s MySpace page.The record, set for release early next month, is very traditional roots music, and marks the start…
You know what? We shall overcome this banality. There are plenty more shows that have just been announced for The Valley, including Jack Johnson, Chris Isaak, Athlete and Matt Pond PA. Read the entire list after the jump…
The short film is one of the most underrated mediums around. They take the essence of film, condense it into one brief little package, and if they’re good, they leave you thinking about it for likely longer than you would a full length feature.Because of constraints in length, every scene,…
This week’s music feature is a helpful pocket guide to ignorant Americans about English geography and the bands that come from each region.Also, Jason Woodbury publicly admits that he likes The Eagles, even if it destroys all of his hipster street cred. But he tells you why it shouldn’t. And…
Artist: Coheed and CambriaTitle: Year of the Black RainbowRelease date: April 13Label: ColumbiaYesterday, I wrote about the over-the-top self-titled record by Queen acolytes Foxy Shazam. I gave it a D. But I may have to go back and adjust the grade to something better because, in the end, despite its…
Maybe you loved your prom and were voted into Prom Court and got lucky that night and had the perfect dress and everything was oh-so-magical and memorable.Or maybe, like most, things went wrong on prom. Your date ditched you halfway through, you spilled punch on your tux and you ended…
It’s hard to find out what Brooklyn-based Luke Temple has on his iPod, but judging from the tracks we’ve heard from Here We Go Magic’s recently released CD Pigeons (especially the lead single, the catchy “Collector”), he’s been listening to a lot of psychedelic-era Pink Floyd and Rolling Stones or…
A recent trend in the indie music world seems to be bands comprising simple two-person setups who try to make their music as distorted and lo-fi as possible. Though the trend may not be for everyone, it has produced some decent music so far — just look at bands like…
One of the major problems facing the organizers of Valley music festivals is the weather. Residents are used to the heat, but most bands that are familiar with Arizona summers have little interest in playing an outdoor music festival at 2 on a sweltering June afternoon. Not that you can…
The plight of too many talented songwriters is obscurity, often because they write songs for others. When a song becomes famous, few know the person behind the music. Thankfully, Mark Knopfler, the Scottish-born singer, songwriter, and former lead guitarist for Dire Straits, did not fall into obscurity. Since his Dire…
Australia’s too-cute-for-school Sia came to prominence in the U.S. after her song “Breathe Me” was featured in the final episode of Six Feet Under. Looking back, it makes sense her big break would come on the small screen: Sia’s sweet style is endearing to the fantasy-like, surreal scenarios portrayed on…
For geography-impaired Americans, being able to differentiate between this British city and that British borough is always a dicey proposition — especially if one of them isn’t London. I mean, there’s just so much de-industrialization everywhere. And curry shops. Makes it hard to know your Leeds from your Leicester. The…
Superstar spinner Steve Aoki has got plenty of connections and he ain’t afraid to use them. The 32-year-old’s record label, Dim Mak, has featured some of the best beat-makers in the business, including MSTRKRFT and The Bloody Beetroots. He’s also part-owner of hip L.A. restaurant Shin with Julian Casablancas of…
Spread out the blanket, hoist the umbrella, slather on the SPF 50, sip a beer pulled from the cooler, and gaze at the pelicans dive-bombing the breaking surf. Oh, and try not to get any sand in your suit as you doze off under the sun. Sorry, you’re a ‘Zonie…
It’s not a bad time to be a hipster who loves “yacht rock,” or album-oriented rock, or whatever term you want to use to describe the kind of breezy soft rock that rules the airwaves of classic-rock stations and mellow VH1 Classic programming aimed at adults (read: old folks). Everyone…
THURSDAY 15 27th Avenue Bar: Ladies Night with DJ Moy, & DJ Jared Paul (Top 40, hip-hop, Latin) Afterlife: Filthy Thursdays (dubstep, breakbeats) AZ88: Mr. P-Body & Friends (classic and old-school grooves) Bikini Lounge: DJ Shane Kennedy (jazz, blues, country, R&B, rarities) Bobby Q’s: All-Star Thursdays (hip-hop, Top 40) Bomberos:…
This week, New Times ran a box in our print publication highlighting some of the most interesting posts published at Up On The Sun over the past week. Here are links to those posts. When will Mesa’s Nile Theatre re-open? What do Martin Cizmar and Steve Chilton think of the…
There’s nothing like a new dance night with an elaborately-dressed crowd and an eclectic music selection to make Valley nightlife feel almost fresh again. The fleshy burlesque and S&M performances didn’t hurt either. Check out our slide show of Crotch Rockitt’s maiden voyage…
The Phoenix Film Festival is one of the few events that makes me, and the city of Phoenix, feel cultured. I’m not saying there aren’t fun, “classy” things to do during the year. But this is the one solitary week out of the year that you can see more than…
Artist: Foxy ShazamTitle: Foxy ShazamRelease date: April 13Label: SireAttention, fans of Glee and American Idol and Fame and Broadway and Queen. Your prayers have been answered by Sire Records, who has delivered unto you a band from Cincinnati that will blow you away. The band is called Foxy Shazam, and…
