There was something very telling about the two songs The Get Up Kids chose to open their encore at last night’s packed Clubhouse Music Venue show in Tempe. On one hand, it was odd to hear covers of The Cure’s “Close To Me” and The Replacements’ “Beer For Breakfast” get…
By Frances Michelle Lopez After a successful year in 2008 touring their critically acclaimed debut album The Airing of Grievances, Glen Rock, New Jersey’s Titus Andronicus graced the Modified Arts stage to once again dazzle a lucky Phoenix audience with their immensely exuberant and inspiring punk rock gems. I had…
David Cross is a very funny guy. As such, he got away with saying things about deaf people, blacks and native Americans that the rest of polite society can’t conceive of uttering at his Orpheum Theatre gig on Wednesday. Dressed in a blue polo shirt, plaid shorts and hiking shoes…
Dear Sugar Ray fans, I’m embarrased for the 100-or-so of you who actually paid to see Wednesday’s show at Marquee Theatre. I talked to several of you who told me you were offered free tickets or were friend’s of a Marquee staffer. That’s cool. Unless you were just too embarrassed…
Arizona Fall Frenzy In Photos: Arizona Fall Frenzy: Day One In Photos The whole shack shimmy! Fans of The B-52s, Rob Thomas, and Jason Mraz had plenty to scream about at the first night of Arizona Fall Frenzy…see photos Arizona Fall Frenzy: Day Two In Photos Blink 182, Fall Out…
The temperature, reaching well into the 100s, mixed with a less than overwhelming lineup made for the perfect late-arriving crowd scenario. The later sets from Ben Harper and Relentless 7, Flogging Molly and Social Distortion were worth the effort, thankfully, and provided Sunday’s defining moments — a fitting bookend to…
If Friday night of the Arizona Fall Frenzy was cougar town, Saturday was junior high and stoner central, as an army of underagers in skinny jeans (some with knit caps!) braved the heat to see a variety of rock acts.
Back when I was in high school we had a different name for “emo” kids. To avoid being crass I wont say what it was but here’s a hint: It starts with a “p” and ends with an “ussies.” The kids at Fall Frenzy didn’t disappoint. To be honest, I…
At first glance, The Most Serene Repulic and The Grates touring together seems unlikely — even odd. The former is a Toronto-based snapshot of what Arts & Crafts does best: Broken Social Scene’s intricate textures and soundscapes with the personality dynamic of Stars. The latter is a pop-infused fun punk…
Arizona Fall Frenzy started out with the rock lite line-up Friday night at Tempe Beach Park, and, as expected, there were plenty of moms mixed in with the usual 20- and 30-something music fest crowd. It’s hard to believe headliner Rob Thomas, of Matchbox Twenty fame, is now one of the…
He’s the lead singer of twentythree-year-old power pop dream The Posies and rounds out the second-wave Big Star revival. But next Friday, Jon Auer will be all alone at Last Exit in Tempe, showcasing his extensive repertoire of solo work…
At first blush, The Meat Puppets and Dead Confederate, who joined forces for a show at a half-full Marquee Theatre last night, don’t seem to have much in common. Originating two decades and 2,000 miles apart the two twangy alt-rock bands acts do have some small musical similarities, but even…
Twestival Local Phoenix Raises Money for St. Mary’s Food Bank Last night, local twitter-users gathered at the Aloft Hotel in Tempe to socialize, try great food from local businesses as donate money to St. Mary’s Food Bank during Twestival Local Phoenix. Twestival started as a Twitter-based meet-up but has grown…
One song into Richard Cheese’s Saturday show at Celebrity Theatre, I was ready to believe I’d been wrong. Sure, a guy who for nearly a decade has made a living performing sleazy lounge covers of popular songs might seem, at first glance, to be a novelty act with a short…
By Martin Cizmar and Brian Bardwell Sometimes one perspective on a show isn’t enough. So, like we did with Beck and Tool, Up on the Sun is bringing you a point/counterpoint style write-up on last night’s Lynyrd Skynyrd show. Brian Bardwell, who wrote last week’s music feature advancing last night’s…
The Thermals looked so very clean for a group of touring indie punks from Portland. Hopping up to the stage, it was no nonsense, down to the trio’s minimalist wardrobe. The crowd was thrown into a state of euphoria with opener “No Culture Icons,” the proclaimed favorite of the show’s…
The Mars Volta Erase Last Year’s Mistakes Let’s start with some context: The Mars Volta came to Phoenix’s Dodge Theater last October and played a show that was, for lack of a better term, lacking. They played for less than an hour and left many people underwhelmed. It’s unfortunate to…
Kinch’s The Economic Chastisement EP release party back in February was one of the best little concerts I’ve seen this year, so I was pretty stoked about this weekend’s twin parties on behalf of the new EP Collars and Sleeves. I was not disappointed.Starting with a Friday night show on…
Up until the middle of last week, it was hard to say exactly where Brooklyn’s Woods would be performing September 6th. Fliers circulating around town indicated the freak-folkers would be playing venerable Tempe establishment, The Manor. Folks won over by the band’s recent opening spot for Dungen at the Rhythm…
Let’s start with some context: The Mars Volta came to Phoenix’s Dodge Theater last October and played a show that was, for lack of a better term, lacking. They played for less than an hour and left many people underwhelmed. It’s unfortunate to judge the band to that precedent, but…
Night two of “When In AZ” celebrations continued at Modified on Saturday. Seven local outfits, featured on the locals-covering-locals comp, split the bill. Download cards for the compilation flowed freely, as the charge for admission guaranteed each attendee his own free copy.Highlights included performances from Harcuvar, whose engulfing harmonies were…
