Black Keys – US Airways Center – 11/10/2014

The Black Keys came on stage at US Airways Center last night in front of a light blue curtain with red, velvet stage drapes with gold trim on either side. After the fourth song, during a tension-building burst of distorted guitar noise, the curtains dramatically dropped, and the band launched…

Tegan and Sara Explain the Shift Toward Pop on New Album

Indie duo Tegan and Sara, identical twin sisters with the surname Quin from Calgary, have toured with their fellow countryman Neil Young and had their track “Walking with a Ghost” covered by The White Stripes. Their connection to their music and each other is clear during their live shows. The…

6 Best Concerts in Phoenix this Week

Shows are in season this week, with a slew of great options for musical entertainment in the Valley of the Sun. So kick back, relax, and get your concert on. We’ve got recommendations for you below, and be sure to check out our comprehensive concert listings for more info…

Psychedelic Furs – Talking Stick – 11/8/14

Saturday night’s Psychedelic Furs and Lemonheads show at Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale could have done without one thing — chairs. I’m sure that opinion wasn’t shared by everyone, as plenty of butts seemed to keep those bad boys warm all night long, and when my party stood at times…

7 Best Concerts to See in Phoenix This Weekend

Holy Saturday, Batman. Walk around anywhere in downtown Phoenix this weekend, and you’ll find music. With concerts at Civic Space Park, Portland Parkway, CityScape, and all the usual venues like Crescent Ballroom (which has a slew of great shows this weekend), you’re pretty much guaranteed to have a good time…

30 Best Concerts in November in Phoenix

We don’t blame you if things happen to be a little hectic this month. There’s the last of all those Halloween decorations to remove (not to mention all that candy to polish off), warm clothes to get out of storage, and the whole holiday season only a few weeks away…

Tommy Ash’s Yodeling Country Rock Is Pure Phoenix

Authenticity is a loaded word when it comes to country music. Nearly every modern country act likes to shout out “real country fans” in arenas, even the ones pumping out bombastic party anthems about red Solo cups, shaking asses, and jacked-up pickup trucks. Then there’s the historical struggle of standard…

Yelle Made Going Out on Monday in Phoenix Worth It Last Night

Sometimes, no amount of coffee or marijuana can help you from lying around a dingy house instead of being able to write. I wasn’t excited about Yelle. I almost considered not going at all. But I’m glad I forced myself to get out because this show was possibly the best…

6 Best Concerts in Phoenix This Week

Another month is on us. The Arizona State Fair has wrapped up, capping off an extremely good concert series with an epic old-school hip-hop show. Gone are the marquee names the state fair brought in October, but November ain’t looking bad, either. Check out our picks below for this week,…

Jimmy Eat World – Marquee Theatre – 10/30/2014

Jimmy Eat World’s recent Arizona appearances have all been special, and Thursday night’s was no exception. The band’s sold-out show at Marquee Theatre was less intimate than last year’s mini Arizona tour, The Rock Lottery, or Jim Adkins’ solo Christmas show, but hearing Futures in its entirety with a two-part…

Queens of the Stone Age – Memorial Coliseum – 10/30/2014

Queens of the Stone Age began its set a little after 7 p.m. at the Memorial Coliseum at the Arizona State Fair. To get there, you have to spend time winding through the fairgrounds, past the hordes of children tugging their parents’ hands, begging for tickets to games and rides…

5 Best Concerts in Phoenix This Weekend

Darkness falls across the desert. Costumed peeps with orange drinks flirt. Phoenicians crawl in search of bands, providing entertainment for all the land. And whosoever shall be seeking musical help, should our list of parties and concerts consult. Well, there’s only so much co-opting of Vincent Price and Michael Jackson…

Video: Linkin Park Raises $500,000 for Mesa’s Cardon Medical Center

Valley native Chester Bennington is known globally for the being in one of biggest rock bands in the world. Locally, he’s become known for more than the rock anthems he creates with Linkin Park. The singer has a soft spot for children who are suffering from life-threatening illnesses and youngsters…

Arctic Monkeys – Comerica Theatre – 10/25/2014

The crowd at Arctic Monkeys ranged from late teens up into the late 40s; however, since I was in the pit of the theater, the crowd there was mostly teens, 20-somethings, and drinkers with these massive cups of beer. Anytime someone walked past me with one of those things, I…

5 Best Concerts to See in Phoenix This Week

We hope you don’t have a music hangover from last weekend. The weather was gorgeous, and the music festivals were so plentiful we expect you made like us and saw music every opportunity you had, which was many. So it’d be understandable if you didn’t want to hear any music…

11 Best Concerts to See in Phoenix This Weekend

There’s a little bit of everything this weekend, including a band called 40lb Vagina. Seemingly all the local bands you’re used to seeing playing around town are up at the Apache Lake Music Festival. There is a three-day R&B and smooth jazz festival, the Arizona Jazz Festival. And there is…

Why Judge Judy Is Paul Leary’s (Butthole Surfers) Happy Place

The Melvins Maybe the most misunderstood band still out slogging it out on tour today. Maybe (definitely) brilliant, maybe mad, always noisily rocking out some of the best heavy sludge you’ll ever hear, Buzz Osborne (guitar and vocals) and Dale Crover (drums) have been the core of the band which…

Arizona Hip Hop Festival a Showcase of Culture

“The culture is back” This is what one of the people introducing MCs on the outside stage at the Arizona Hip Hop Festival at Comerica Theatre got the crowd chanting. I have no idea what the previous culture of Arizona hip-hop was, so I couldn’t tell if you if anything…

St. Lucia – Crescent Ballroom – 10/16/2014

The sold-out St. Lucia show at Crescent Ballroom last night definitely felt like being hit with a tidal wave of pop sensation. Arizona may be one of the only places where you can comfortable rock beachware in October: floral-printed button-up shirts, khaki shorts, flip flops and tans were displayed on…

Combichrist Still Doesn’t Give a Damn

No fucks were given at last night’s Combichrist show — but none were needed. The self-described “aggrotech” band Combichrist stopped in Mesa last night, performing at Club Red with opening acts Davey Suicide, William Control, and Darksiderz. About 300 black-shirted fans filled the venue’s east stage area…