Halocene, Dead Man’s Curse, and Toybox Phoenix Comicon at the Hyatt Regency Hotel Friday, May 26, 2011There was blood on the sidewalks at Phoenix Comicon last night. Thankfully, it wasn’t real — the sticky red puddles were left by hundreds of pasty-faced, costumed”zombies” screeching and shuffling down Second Street for the con’s…
Legendary spoken word, soul, jazz and hip-hop pioneer Gil Scott-Heron has passed away at 62, according to a report by NPR Music.As of yet, no cause of death has been released. Scott-Heron is most widely known for his song “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.” After spending time in jail…
Earlier this week, we wrote about five comics by or about rock stars, in anticipation of Phoenix Comicon, taking place now through Sunday, May 29 at Phoenix Convention Center. While attending opening night festivities last night, I ran across yet another comic book about a rock band — but this…
It’s been less than a month since local pop band Peachcake released their current EP, This Wasn’t Our Plan, and if you haven’t gotten a copy yet, now you can download the disc for free at www.peachcake.bandcamp.com. According to singer Stefan Pruett, the band had always wanted to give away…
For those keeping track, I am choosing to write about a band named after the son of a late NASCAR legend that has recorded a downtempo, electronic cover of a Beach Boys classic. Dale Jr., as goofy and kitschy as they may seem, are as solid a new band that…
Who would have thought Spock could croon seductively about making love to you? Oh yes he did — and this week’s music feature, Finding Nimoy, is all about his crossover foray from sci-fi television to ’60s folk and ’70s space rock singer. Speaking of crossover, Leonard Nimoy’s a featured guest…
Stephen “Psyko Steve” Chilton The Valley-based music promoter has more than 20 events he’s producing, which may be found at www.psykosteve.com When you put your key in the ignition and turn on the radio, what station would play right now? When I am in the car, I mostly listen to NPR…
New bars and clubs are constantly popping up in Scottsdale as of late. But no matter how hip and hype the latest sensation might be, we prefer coming back to old favorites like American Junkie. The sports bar-meets-danceteria is almost always a popular playground for drinking, dancing, and debauchery, as well…
Zach Sciacca (a.k.a. Z-Trip) is arguably the biggest DJ ever to come outta Phoenix.Enjoying a level of superstardom that many local turntablists and mix masters can only dream about, the 38-year-old Valley native has spent the past decade and a half using his stellar scratching skills to propel himself to international…
Fans of Irish rockers U2 who are eagerly anticipating the band’s next album, tentatively titled Songs of Ascent, will have to wait a while longer. The record was first expected in 2010, and in January of this year, the German branch of Amazon.com listed the release date as May 27,…
I really wanted to drop some Randy Newman jams on KWSS this morning, but alas, time didn’t permit. Newman will be in town this weekend, doing a two-night stand at the Biltmore. If you are only familiar with his soundtrack work — or know him as simply as the butt…
Troubled hip-hop star DMX, whom we profiled just after he was sentenced to a year in the clink last December, will be released on July 1, according to the website hiphopwired.com. DMX (real name: Earl Simmons) was on the comeback trail last year when he was sentenced to a year…
If you’re like us, you’re probably already sick of hearing about the Rapture that didn’t happen last Saturday. But we reserve the right to kick dead horses, even in the midst of our apocalypse fatigue. This week, Up on the Sun comic artist Robbie Pfeffer explores a world without Christians…
In case you haven’t noticed, a bunch of us at Up on the Sun are total nerds. Our coverage of artists appearing at Phoenix Comicon and related stories has not so subtly hinted at our fan-boy-and-girl hearts. So we won’t bother trying to tiptoe around the fact that we are…
This week, New Times ran a list in our print publication highlighting some of the most interesting posts published at Up On The Sun over the past week. Here are links to those posts.Which national music blog featured local band St. Ranger’s new single? What was late pro wrestler “Macho…
The Dirty Dozen Brass BandThe Rhythm RoomWednesday, May 25, 2011Maybe I don’t get out that much, but I can count on my hand the number of times I’ve seen a sousaphone played live in concert — especially at the Rhythm Room. Such was the case with last night’s The Dirty…
A million name changes weren’t enough for Sean Combs. Apparently, it was time for another one, according to Paste.Rapper and producer Diddy, whose real name is Sean Combs, can’t seem to ever settle on a name. Even this time he feels that his new alter ego will only be suitable…
For those too impatient to wait two weeks, Grooveshark is currently streaming the album in its entirety…
Noisy and melodic Australian guitar-and-drums duo An Horse — which channels the scrappy spirit of such “college rock” icons as Throwing Muses, The Spinanes, and Blake Babies — comes back to town behind its excellent new sophomore album, Walls. We caught up with super-friendly singer/guitarist Kate Cooper to get her…
On the surface, John Vanderslice seems like just another in a long line of melancholy singer-songwriters. Frankly, even if a slew of mopey indie-folk songs were his only contribution to the American music canon, he’d still be worthy of praise, just because he does that whole mopey indie-folk thing so…
People who thought Matisyahu was unusual for being an American Hasidic Jewish reggae artist will really be thrown for a loop when they hear the music of Asaf Borger, a.k.a. Borgore. This mixmaster from Israel puts a new twist on dubstep, adding layers of hard drum ‘n’ bass and metal…
You have to fish where the fish are. Maybe that’s why so many bands from Japan make their U.S. debuts playing anime and sci-fi conventions. Why slug it out like rookies when a built-in audience of squealing fan girls and manga-obsessed Pocky swallowers awaits? Toybox, the Valley’s only band whose…
