Five Music Festivals That Aren’t Coachella

Yeah, we’re bummed that we didn’t get tickets to Coachella. But there’s is no need to panic. There are high-priced, shirtless concertgoer-attracting festivals all over the nation. (Not the mention that with South By Southwest and Coachella run-off, the Southwest’s concert calendar is looking pretty full.) But we get it…

DMX Loves Arizona, and Yeah, We Kinda Love Him Too

We’ve had to write plenty of arrest-tastic headlines about DMX here at Phoenix New Times, but despite his issues with Arizona law enforcement, X loves our state. In a recent interview with Power 105.1 in NYC, DMX had nothing but nice things to say about AZ: “It was just a…

Destroyer Announces Phoenix Date This Summer

Up on the Sun favorite Dan Bejar and his band Destroyer released their newest album Kaputt more than a year ago. We liked it then, we liked it at the end of the year, we like it now still. It’s a charming ode to the smooth sounds of late-’70s/early-’80s yacht…

Grimes and Born Gold at Rhythm Room, 2/27/12

Grimes and Born Gold Rhythm Room Monday, February 27 Montreal-based Claire Boucher, known as Grimes, not only has a stirringly sweet voice that she layers like K-pop frosting but also a penchant for weaving bombastic beats inside ambient textures. Her latest record on 4AD, Visions, manages to embody the label’s…

Bare Wires at Yucca Tap Room, 2/27/12

Bare Wires Yucca Tap Room Monday, February 27 It was hard not to feel just a little bad for the earnest strummers in Yucca’s neighboring craft bar when Manhands, the first of four loud bands took the stage last night. I can imagine that at least a little of the…

Cursive at Crescent Ballroom, 2/27/12 (VIDEO)

Cursive Crescent Ballroom Monday, February 27, 2012 “Whenever I see a band shortly after an album comes out, I hope it’s too soon for them to play new songs live,” a friend yelled to me as Cursive tore into the opening hooks of “This House Alive,” the first track from…

Galactic’s Robert Mercurio on Carnivale Electricos

It wasn’t a serendipitous event that New Orleans-based funk combo Galactic released its eight studio release, Carnivale Electricos, last week on Tuesday, February 21 (you know, Fat Tuesday). Galactic’s blend of hip-hop, marching jazz, and Meters-style funk endears it to the jam band crowd, but Carnivale is a straight ahead,…

St Ranger Explains “It’s ‘Appening” Video

Anyone who’s seen Michelangelo Antonioni’s mysterious thriller L’Avventura knows Italian filmmakers like Antonioni have a knack for visually striking cinema that will leaves you with more questions than answers. St Ranger’s music video for “It’s ‘Appening” is a lot like that. There’s imagery of people swimming around, which is quite…

Incoming: John Mayer, The Aquabats, Thrice

Blues pop lover boy John Mayer is heading west.He has recently opted for a more mature look, and over the years his attitude has matured too, and it would seem that he’s also moved on from saying things like, “My dick is sort of like a white supremacist” and that…

Download: Black Harley Riders, “She Wanna Be a Rider”

Though there’s a rich history of African American motorcycle clubs, you’d be forgiven for conjuring up images of burly, bearded white dudes when someone says “Harley rider.” Slick of Hindu Mafia Family knows that, but on Black Harley Riders Volume 1, the Phoenix-based rapper hopes to expand the traditional biker…

Record Heat: Avant-Garde by Brad Dwyer

Yesterday, while cleaning my apartment (too rare an occurrence, lemme tell you) I listened to a recent broadcast of Henry Rollins’ excellent radio show on KCRW. Rollins is a man of many talents: In addition to his excellent program, he writes for our sister paper, LA Weekly, and he tours…

What’s Selling: Rock-It-Man Top Selling Albums

Want to know what new release discs and platters are moving across the Valley at local record stores? We’ve got you covered with another installment of What’s Selling. It isn’t hard to find an excuse to drive up to the city of Flagstaff. The charming community, green trees and patches…

Take Cover: Fate of the Galaxies Cover The Cure

The Cure is a difficult band to cover. Purists will balk at anyone that can’t sing like Robert Smith, but playing Cure songs with your own style is usually a bad idea (just look at what 311 did to “Love Song”). “There’s no reason to tweak a Cure song. You…

Flier of the Week: Valley Fever Quarantine 3

We love us a good ol’ western music roundup! Those faded, sandy western colors on this flier make us long for hours of country music performances. Conveniently, Valley Fever Quarantine 3 will be providing that this week. Grab your cowboy hats and get ready for an entire day of boot-kickin’,…

Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks at Crescent Ballroom, 2/24/12

Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks Crescent Ballroom Friday, February 24 Okay, Phoenix. First, the good news: According to no less an authority than Stephen Malkmus, godfather of slacker cool, genuinely tall and good-looking former frontman of Pavement and current leader of The Jicks, Portland now considers Phoenix a rival city…

DanceMission at Madison Event Center, 2/24/12

DanceMission with 12th Planet and more Madison Event Center Friday, February 24 Not to be too dramatic, but I probably suffered some permanent hearing damage last night while watching 12th Planet. It would take a doctor to confirm (perhaps even Doctor P), but there’s been a constant ringing in my…

Reckless Kelly at Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill, 2/24/12

Reckless Kelly Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill Friday, February 24, 2012 Friday night took the record for the most double-fisting I’ve ever seen. Packing beers, the crowd seemed restless, up on their feet and screaming even before Reckless Kelly took the stage. As soon as the Austin-based…