Let’s face it, there’s something downright magical to Stevie Nicks. When I think of Nicks, three things come to mind: Fleetwood Mac, the sexiest voice on the planet, and magic, probably in that order. Even the way I had the opportunity to see Stevie Nicks and the Pretenders on Tuesday night…
It’s always bittersweet to see a band unexpectedly hang it up at the height of their game and call it quits prematurely, but sometimes it’s a blessing in disguise. Metal’s most chaotic act, the Dillinger Escape Plan, doesn’t want to be that band who makes the subpar record fans despise…
Look at the cover of Paper Bird’s eponymous album. Standing clustered together in Old West-styled garb on a white background, shades of Fleetwood Mac are apparent. Musically, the Denver band strikes numerous similarities to the Stevie Nicks-fronted band. With multiple female harmonies, catchy hooks, and driving pop songs, the appeal…
When in Rome, do as the Romans do. When in Phoenix, head to the desert. Desert raves have been an underground staple of the dance music scene since I can remember. Once upon a time, underground parties were the only places you could listen to electronic music and engage in…
We’re rolling into one of the busiest weeks of the year for live music – and its not only because the Halloween party season about to kick into gear. By sheer happenstance, a slew of great concerts will be happening over the next few nights at Valley venues, and every one…
The Flaming Lips are known for their wild performances and colorful theatrics on stage. Yet, there is a lot more to their flamboyant productions than first meets the eye. Last night at the Arizona State Fair, frontman Wayne Coyne showed the entire coliseum the deep roots of his musical mission…
Jimmy Eat World might not have burst onto the national consciousness until “The Middle” hit the airwaves in 2001, but the band actually formed in 1993, during the heyday of the Mill Avenue jangle-pop scene. But while the Gin Blossoms were riding the wave of “Hey Jealousy” and the streets…
Up for seeing a great concert this weekend? If so, we’ve got a few suggestions for y’all. As a matter of fact, we’ve got 10 of ‘em, which include shows from a wide variety of genres, ranging from R. Kelly and Yuna to The Cookers and Nicolas Jaar. We’ve also got the…
Taylor Momsen is no stranger to the spotlight. She’s been modeling and acting since age 2, and she began writing music by the time she was in grade school. (Years later, a song she wrote at age 8 even ended up on a 24-year-old reality star’s debut album). She starred…
On November 18, 2014, North Carolina’s Hiss Golden Messenger appeared on The Late Show With David Letterman. After the band’s performance, a funky, swaying version of “Southern Grammar,” Letterman raved. “I like everything about this,” Letterman beamed. “What are you worried about?” Bandleader M.C. Taylor answered with a smirk and…
Of Montreal fans have, in a sense, been reading frontman Kevin Barnes’ diary for the past 20 years. Endearingly vulnerable and addictingly frank, his lyrics are emotionally magnetic, with enough highbrow literary references and sesquipedalian terminology to make you feel like you’re in with the smart kids if you get…
Is it just me or are people who are afraid of clowns kinda dumb? Fear of masks (masklophobia) makes sense to me — it could be anything under there, or even spookier, maybe there isn’t a face at all! But a clown is just an idiot in makeup — what’s…
Blend up some catchy garage pop, a punk rock heart, some quirky sensibilities, and a heap of sincerity and you’ll wind up with Australian duo, Gooch Palms. Otherwise known as Leroy MacQueen and Kat Friend, these two – who are also a couple – have been working their asses off…
Halloween is only a couple of weeks away and – as you’d expect – ’tis the season for sporting kooky costumes, madcap masks, and freaky face paint. And, fittingly enough, some of this week’s best concerts in the Valley will include artists and acts who are famous for their costumes,…
When the lights went up inside the historic Orpheum Theatre in downtown Phoenix after an emotional performance by Icelandic dream rockers Sigur Rós, my eyes were, for lack of a better word, moist. I was moved and I did not know why. As the crowd emptied, I attempted to keep…
Roger Waters of Pink Floyd fame has always been known to have eye-popping visuals accompanying his concerts. Now, for the first time since 2012, Phoenix fans will get the chance to judge for themselves. Waters’ Us + Them Tour will stop by Gila River Arena in Glendale on June 14,…
If ever there was a time to see Bob Dylan in concert, it’d be this weekend. As you might’ve heard by now, the folk legend is making headlines for winning the Nobel Prize for literature earlier this week, arguably one of the proudest accomplishments of his 57-year career in music…
You know MC Magic when you hear him, and not only because the Phoenix producer/rapper/singer often intros himself at the top of his songs. Whether on one of his own records or features for Latin rappers like Brown Boy, Arion, and Ms. Krazie, Magic (real name Marco Cardenas) is instantly…
Wes Miles, the leader of the indie rock band Ra Ra Riot, remembers how much fun he had staying home from school because it afforded him the opportunity to watch science-fiction movies. He would watch the original Star Wars trilogy, only to go back and have a repeat viewing of…
Indie folk star Ryley Walker didn’t really take to Phoenix the last time he played here. Google does not offer any clues of the exact date when the Rockford, Illinois, native previously performed in the Valley. It’s difficult to confirm if the sordid events he described even took place. Yet…
It’s strange to let 27 years pass before seeing one of your favorite bands again. But somehow, that’s how much time had elapsed since the first and, until last weekend, only time I had ever seen The Who. I hadn’t intentionally avoided seeing them again, but over the intervening years, it…
After selling out the 2,650-capacity Celebrity Theatre in August, Brian Wilson will return to the venue once more on May 22, 2017, the singer announced today. Wilson has been touring the country for the 50th anniversary of the iconic Beach Boys album Pet Sounds, hailed critically as one of the most…
