Roger Waters November 27, 2010 US Airways Center British rocker Roger Waters performed Pink Floyd’s album The Wall with style at the US Airways Center last night. It was, indeed, a “show,” as much a theatrical exercise as a musical one.Since it’s safe to say that at least most of…
The Summer Set Nile Theater November 27, 2010 As someone who reviews concerts fairly regularly I try and keep an open mind with every show I see. Being objective is part of the job. In general, giving negative reviews isn’t a lot of fun because in my opinion every band,…
The Roots and Miniature Tigers at American Junkie Last Night Okay, let’s go ahead and get this out of the way first: In terms of who would win in a true, neutral-turf battle of the bands between The Roots and the Miniature Tigers, there is really little doubt that it…
The Roots & Miniature Tigers American Junkie November 20, 2010 Okay, let’s go ahead and get this out of the way first: In terms of who would win in a true, neutral-turf battle of the bands between The Roots and the Miniature Tigers, there is really little doubt that it…
Bruno Mars November 20, 2010 Martini Ranch Wow, what a showman Bruno Mars is.The young singer-songwriter made it clear he’s not just another pop star at his show Saturday night at Martini Ranch, launching his set with an extensive drum solo. While other musicians in his genre might hide behind…
Rhythm Room, PhoenixNovember 17 2010It was at some point during Portland indie punk trio The Thermals’ set last night where I caught myself remembering that I wasn’t the biggest fan of the band’s 2004 album Fuckin A.Granted, I was a total spazz back then and my music tastes weren’t quite…
You’re lucky if you already have Bruno Mars tickets for his show this Saturday, November 20 at Martini Ranch–the show quickly sold out, and it’s no wonder, considering you can’t turn on a Top 40 radio station without hearing one of his many hit tracks. Martini Ranch was probably a…
Elephant 6 stallwart Julian Koster, formerly of of Neutral Milk Hotel, has been doing weird shows with his new band The Music Tapes for years. For example, playing “White Christmas” outside random apartments in New York as part of an annual Christmas Carol tour.These are the sorts of tours that…
The AggrolitesNovember 12, 2010 Sail Inn Despite the chilly autumn air outside, the Aggrolites warmed up the Sail Inn with the sounds of summer last night. It was one of those shows where everyone checked their worries at the curb, knowing the Aggrolites’ feel-good vibe would make caring about anything else…
Two dozen bands. Nine hours. Two stages. One good cause. No cover.Oh yeah, and no moshing.This weekend’s Metalstock show is almost a dream come true for Valley metalheads, if only Club Red would do away with that pesky “no moshing” policy. Metalstock organizer Tad Zaccard has assembled quite a line-up…
The Trunk Space may be one of the best places in town to catch an intimate vaudevillian-type show. Just last week, the downtown Phoenix spot hosted the sideshow variety act the Squidling Bros. Circus Sideshow, and this Saturday, November 13, vaudeville music takes over The Trunk Space stage when Zoe…
Bad Religion Marquee Theatre 11/9/2010 Old age is Hell. Especially if you’re punk rock icons who are looking as long in the tooth as Greg Graffin and the other members of Bad Religion did last night during their show at the Marquee Theatre in Tempe. Sadly, for bands like this…
Best CoastRhythm Room, PhoenixNovember 9, 2010A comment left on my Facebook check-in at last Night’s Best Coast concert at Rhythm Room:”Good luck listening to the same song with different lyrics over and over!”The friend who left that is half right about the LA-based garagey, surfy, lo-fi indie pop band in…
Last week Phoenix New Times ran a big ol’ story on Best Coast in our print edition. We were topped by our sister paper in LA that same day, however.Gustavo Turner, the Weekly’s music editor, had a 6,000-word cover story on the band’s main lady Bethany Cosentino which might just…
Delorean Rhythm Room 11/8/2010Hey — do you like dancing? Who the hell doesn’t? Do you also like to party like it’s Monday? Well then Delorean’s show at the Rhythm Room was where the action was last night. Spanish indie/electronic foursome Delorean kept the beat strong last night with their European-influenced stage…
Joanna Newsom Orepheum Theatre 11/07/2010 If there is one word that best describes Joanna Newsom’s latest album, Have One On Me, it’s “ambitious.” Honestly, is there any other way to describe a triple album? In a lot of ways that ambition makes the record a tough listen. That’s not a…
Elton John November 6, 2010 US Airways Center Elton John and Leon Russell let their fingers do the talking at last night’s show at the US Airways Center. John was, of course, the main attraction and the singer’s solo set was hit after hit, satisfying a crowd full of people…
A Perfect Circle Marquee Theatre November 4, 2010 There was a palpable sense of excitement in the air before A Perfect Circle took the stage at a sold-out Marquee Theatre last night. It’s not often you go to a concert and feel like you’re part of a rare and significant…
Deerhunter Clubhouse Music Venue November 3, 2010 Since releasing their fourth album in September, Atlanta band Deerhunter has earned some high praise from a few folks here at Up on the Sun. And with good reason. To put it simply, the band’s latest album, Halcyon Digest, is really, really good…
Downtown Phoenix Zombie Walk A zombie horde of hundreds didn’t so much walk as lumber down the unsuspecting streets of Phoenix on Oct. 29 for the 2010 Phoenix Zombie Walk. Lead (and contained) by the Arizona Ghost Busters, zombies met up at Heritage Square walked through the Arizona Center, to…
Arizonans often don’t have much to root for. Most of the time our state is an afterthought, or the butt of jokes about immigration policy and home foreclosures. For many years, the Cardinals, the Sun Devils, and the Wildcats have been mediocre. We’re lucky to still have a hockey team…
Snoop Dogg Veterans Memorial Coliseum at the Arizona State Fair Friday, October 29, 2010 Snoop Dogg gave the audience at Veterans Memorial Coliseum everything they wanted to hear (and then some) during his Arizona State Fair performance on Friday evening. Tha Doggfather busted out with all of his signature hits…
