Pinback @ Crescent Ballroom|1/31/13After interviewing singer/guitarist Rob Crow and having an at-length discussion of Star Wars, my expectations for Pinback’s live show were set pretty high. He said somewhat vaguely, “Everybody agrees these are the best shows that we’ve ever played,” which made me feel a little skeptical, but the…
Tim Fogarty and Kristian Dunn are two musicians who hate constricting genre labels. These two California-based music makers are known collectively as El Ten Eleven and they make super-duper music that’s not quite math rock, not exactly experimental, and not 100 percent pop. Dunn is a wiz at playing his…
The weekend is finally here! You’re going to want to spend it checking out live music around Phoenix, right? Allow us to help with the top five must-see shows this weekend…
As expected, this year’s Coachella sold out pretty fast. Scalpers are already selling tickets for upwards of $1,000 for a single pass–for the love of god, please email this person and offer them $200. That’s a bit of an anomaly, since most resales are going for around $500, but sometimes…
Editor’s note: Every couple weeks, Alan Scherstuhl, the film editor at our sister publication The Village Voice, will be taking a hard listen to the music in which millions of Americans soak. We’re happy to share his findings. By Alan Scherstuhl Brad Paisley, Southern Comfort Zone Current Billboard Country Singles…
Yeah, yeah, yeah…we get it. Mondays suck (we’ve read Garfield). But it means the start of a new week, which means a bunch of killer shows in and around Phoenix. And here are a few of the coolest — our top five must-see shows this week. See also: -Stop Hating…
Seas Will Rise, Gay Kiss, Said Gun, Dead Canyon @ Yucca Tap Room|1/26/12Last night’s charity event at the Yucca for CASA, a crisis center focused on the prevention of sexual abuse, went surprisingly well, all things considered. Along with the originally intended charity, the Boys & Girls Club of America…
W&W @ Wild Knight|1/25/13I am not the biggest trance fanatic, but somehow, slowly but surely, its gotten its hooks in me. Applying aural dynamics, 110 to 150 beats per minute are dropped into tempo creates such a magical and melodic sound, and Dutch trance duo W&W proved its mastery of…
The Father Figures @ Crescent Ballroom|1/25/13Not that I had any doubts, but I’m starting to think that there’s really no such thing as a bad Father Figures show. This hybrid punk/post punk trio has decades of experience in various musical endeavors and it shows. The attention to detail pays off;…
Each year, like many of you, I impatiently wait for the Coachella lineup to be announced. Sometimes it’s disappointing (if Daft Punk says they’re not touring, chances are they’re not playing the festival), but there’s always going be a few redeeming artists. At best the lineup will be amazing, and…
Curious about what’s going on around town this weekend? Need some suggestions where to rock, dance, or krump in the Valley of the Sun? Don’t fret: These are our Five Shows to See This Weekend…
The wait, as they say, is finally over. You can cease all the speculation of who the hell is officially playing this year’s Coachella as Goldenvoice unveiled the lineup in grand fashion. See also: -Who Is Really Playing Coachella This Year? -The Rolling Stones Aren’t Playing Coachella, but Some Great…
Lady Gaga@ US Airways Center|1/23/13It’s been a hot minute since Lady Gaga released any new music, but that didn’t stop her Little Monsters from coming out in full force to support her at her sold-out Born This Way Ball at US Airways Center last night. The more than 2-hour long…
San Diego’s post rock-meets-subdued pop duo Pinback has kind of been under the radar for the past five years. Rob Crow and Zach Smith took a break from recording new Pinback songs to focus on side projects and family, all while taking Pinback out for occasional tours. But the duo…
Yesterday afternoon, the home page of the Coachella website changed to a video called “Bloom,” which shows plants and art exhibits sprouting from the ground. Some look pretty creepy–did those worm/slug things 30 seconds into the video really just form a structure? At least the rest are fairly cute or…
Social Distortion @ Marquee Theatre|1/22/23By most standards, I arrived on the Social Distortion scene rather late, some 15 years ago. I wasn’t much older than 14 when I bought my first album, and was — like most fans — immediately hooked. Many of us grew up on the lyrics of…
Yesterday, NME revealed the unfortunate news that the rumor that The Rolling Stoneswere headlining Coachella was just that– a rumor. “We’re not gonna do Coachella ‘cos it’s too early,” Mick Jagger told the magazine. “We’re not gonna be ready to go by April, but we’re not gonna stop.” Looks like…
Yeah, yeah, yeah…we get it. Mondays suck (we’ve read Garfield). But it means the start of a new week, which means a bunch of killer shows in and around Phoenix. And here are a few of the coolest — our top five must-see shows this week…
Iamwe @ Crescent Ballroom| 1/19/13We’re going to need another venue. Iamwe is a rare exception in indie music. Last night, the local rockers packed Crescent Ballroom to release their album, Run Wild. After touring the East Coast with Anberlin, the boys returned to their hometown to play their first headlining…
Trampled by Turtles @ Marquee Theatre|1/19/13The rumors are true: There’s nothing like a Minnesotan man. Better yet, there’s nothing like a group of Minnesotan men gifted with knowledge, skill, and artistic sensitivity performing exciting and powerful music. This might sound like a cheap generalization, there’s no way to better simplify…
Dumperfoo’s 40th Birthday feat. Drunken Immortals @ Club Red | 1/18/13Once upon a time, catching a wild gig by the Drunken Immortals was an easy thang to do. A decade ago, the local hip-hop ensemble of phenomenal talent and great renown was throwing weekly joints at Tempe bars like the…
Curious about what’s going on around town this weekend? Need some suggestions where to rock, dance, or krump in the Valley of the Sun? Don’t fret: These are our Five Shows to See This Weekend…
