If you’ve read this week’s music feature Sonny Long you may have a grasp on who he is (at least in his own mind). Is he the next thing in Arizona music or just another dreamer? Read on to find out.While writing this week’s cover story, witers Niki D’Andrea and…
To see Matthew Reveles kicking back in his Tempe home, dressed in blue jeans, a T-shirt, and flip-flops, you might get the wrong idea. Reveles’ long, black hair, flowing beard, and wire-rim specs seem to suggest he’s in a neo-jam band on the order of Phish or maybe even drawing…
You might not think that Tempe “humorcore” band Psychostick and Jill Sobule (a.k.a. that chick who sings the other “I Kissed a Girl” song) have much in common, but it turns out they both have some seriously loyal fans. Last year, with the country mired in a recession, Psychostick and…
In July 2007, Yeah Yeah Yeahs appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman, capping the night with “Down Boy,” from their then-current EP, Is Is. “Down Boy” is a dark, sultry song, and the band’s singer, Karen O, swayed in place with odd, theatrical movements, unable to keep a…
It’s a mild Friday evening in May, and the patio at Pure Sushi in downtown Scottsdale is packed with patrons in business casual, sipping sake and discussing everything from the economy to fashion. Sonny Long is standing inside the restaurant, looking out at the plush, white leather couches through the…
We’d been hearing rumblings about a big fall concert (“to rival Coachella!,” some rumormongers claimed) at Tempe Beach Park for a few months now, but it wasn’t until today that we actually heard who’s playing.It doesn’t remotely resemble Coachella, but it is a lot like a three-day version of Edgefest. So if…
These troubling financial times call for belt-tightening across American society. We all know what’s going on with the auto industry, and the record industry is not safe from this recession. As announced Monday, online music retailer eMusic — one of the largest on the web — made a deal with…
One-time red hot Valley rock band Fivespeed may very well be poised to make a comeback. The band, who haven’t released an album since their 2006 Virgin Records debut Morning Over Midnight, have lined up some gigs. They opened for Stereotyperider at Yucca Tap Room back in February for the…
Electric Mustache: Photos: Dusty Rhodes and the River Band @ The Yucca Tap Room 5/30Rolling Stone: R. Kelly Preps For New Album With Debut Mixtape, “Demo”Idolator: The Most Horrifying Song You Will Hear All Day: It’s Like “Butterfly Kisses” Meets The Birds And The BeesWaved Rumor: Smells Like….Rock Volume One?Spin:…
We’ve got some stellar news for anyone who’s a fan of local-DJ-made-good Zach Sciacca (a.k.a. Z-Trip): Thanks to the joystick Jedi at Activision and its developer FreeStyleGames, the 38-year-old superstar turntablist (and former Valley resident) will be a playable character in the upcoming DJ Hero video game, which is set…
Electric Mustache: Videos: St. Vincent at Modified Arts 5/31/2009 Spin: New Arctic Monkeys Album Due in August Idolator: Michael Jackson Wasn’t Planning On Getting Four Extra Helpings Of Comeback Shows Web Devil: Grizzly Bear’s latest hits high note Pitchfork: Los Campesinos! Lose a Member, Plan Summer American Tour Idolator: The Dave…
Our weekly concert announcements are always a bit of a “Wait, those guys are still alive and playing music” shock, but I’ve never been quite as blindsided as I was seeing Tears For Fears slated to place Tempe Marketplace in July.Yes, Tears for Fears. They’re still around. In fact, the…
Tomorrow is Live Nation Southwest Chairman Danny Zelisko’s 35th anniversary as a show promoter, and we’d like to extend a hearty congratulations. That’s right, Zelisko booked his first show on June 2, 1974, bringing Englishman John McLaughlin’s jazz-rock fusion group Mahavishnu Orchestra to Tucson.Danny also hosts a radio show, Regular Guy Radio Hour…
Idolator: The Case Against Phish: Why A Once-Great Band Should Have Stayed Dead Waved Rumor: The Points/Said Gun, Modified, Phoenix Pitchfork: Wavves Cancel First Post-Meltdown Show Rolling Stone: Flashback: Phoenix’s “Lisztomania” Makes Ringwald And Cryer Feel Like Dancing Spin: Amanda Palmer Talks Neil Gaiman Collaboration Pitchfork: Sigur Rós to Perform…
New York hardcore punk act Roger Miret & The Disasters, who packed ’em in at the Yucca Tap Room last month, will take their show to Jugheads Saturday, June 6. The high-energy group, who is led by Agnostic Front front man Roger Miret, features local musician Roy Valencia on bass…
Not too many local shows sound more fun than this: Some of the Valley’s best Americana, country, and rock singers getting together for a full night of Tom Petty songs at Yucca Tap Room. “Petty Thieves” features our old pal Chris Orf, a New Times freelancer, Jim Bachmann, who wowed…
June is a big month for AZ Taking Back Sunday fans. The New Jersey band will drop their highly-anticipated fourth album, New Again, Tuesday, June. 2. The CD is the follow-up to 2006’s “Louder Now” and features new guitarist Matt Fazzi. The first single off the album,”Sink Into Me,” is…
National mix master Paul van Dyk, who is one of the most recognized DJs in the industry, will take the helm of the wheels of steel at downtown Scottsdale dance club Myst Thursday, June 11. The DJ will be in town as part of his Volume World Tour 2009 and…
The Dish with Jess Harter: Toby Keith to attend restaurant grand opening WednesdayIdolator: So What Is Jay-Z Up To, Anyway?So Much Silence: Handsome Furs: Radio KaliningradNME: Beyonce to offer $20 tickets on North American tourElectric Mustache: Kid Cudi Playing Marquee Theatre July 27thPitchfork: Fucked Up’s Pink Eyes Becomes Fox News…
The Offspring’s June 1 show, which was scheduled for Mesa Amphitheatre, has been switched to The Marquee. There was scheduling conflict, we’ve been told. Tickets are still available here.While I wasn’t super excited about this show at Mesa Amp, seeing a band this big at a mid-sized venue like Marquee…
Idolator: Diddy Hoping That The Power Of Prayer Will Help People Forgive Him For The Whole Ma$e ThingZia Records: Jay Bennett (1963 – 2009) “Whatever Happened, I’m Sorry” — by Matthew RevelesWaved Rumor: The Thermals/Shaky Hands, Rhythm Room, PhoenixSpin: What Jay Bennett’s Death Made Me Realize About WilcoElectric Mustache: Listen…
To call A Life of Science “ambitious” would be an understatement. The Phoenix band’s debut concept album, The Apneist, has grown into a multimedia project that spans both coasts and makes the cross-promotional efforts of bands like Coheed & Cambria seem almost underwhelming by comparison. A Life of Science released…
