Secondhand Serenade

Singer/songwriter John Vesely will bring more than his smoldering emo-boy looks to the Marquee Theatre this weekend. Vesely will be in Tempe with Secondhand Serenade, his acoustic pop-rock solo act, as part of his “Fast Times at Secondhand High” tour. We can’t help but wonder whether the tour’s moniker will…

Breakbeat Boutique

When it comes to breakbeats, there’s no bigger fan of the EDM genre than DJ Louder. In fact, the 31-year-old spent most of the past decade sharing his love for pounding syncopated, polyrhythmic tracks at clubs and raves around the Valley, much as he’ll do this weekend during the Breakbeat Boutique…

Seven Nights of DJs & Dancing

THURSDAY 3 Bobby Q’s: All-Star Thursdays (hip-hop) Bomberos: Rani G., dk.stricker, & more (lounge, house) Bunkhouse: DJ Doom (dance) Club Red: The Blunt Club with Pickster One, DJ Element, & more (hip-hop) Copper State Tavern: DJ Kavi, & guests (hip-hop) Drinx: Roc Thursdays with DJ Louder, & DJ Soloman (various) Forbidden…

The Wonders of Sergio Mendoza y La Orkesta and Hotel Congress

If you live in the Phoenix area, you’re obligated to badmouth Tucson at every possible opportunity. In fact, I’m sure some readers saw the word “Tucson” somewhere in or around this block of text and have already turned the page. Congratulations to you, the reader who is open-minded enough to…

Most of Lynyrd Skynyrd Is Gone, But Who Cares?

On a recent trip to Oregon, I ended up at West Fest, an annual event aimed at drumming up business in the western outskirts of Salem, the state’s capital. Both Boston and The Kingsmen were scheduled to play, so it sounded like it would be worth the $3 admission, even…

Pinky Ring Moves to Scottsdale Starting Tonight

In case your looking for a little action on a Wednesday night, head up to Scottsdale to catch Pinky Ring’s debut at its new home at the newly-remodeled Pussycat Lounge. The long-running electro/hip-hop night that’s been going down at Bar Smith since last November, has eschewed downtown in favor of…

Impact Zone Wrestling Finds a New (Temporary) Home

As we reported yesterday, the closure of Tempe nightclub The Sets this past weekend left Impact Zone Wrestling, the Valley’s resident grappling group, searching for a new location to hold its bi-weekly slamfests. We just spoke with IZW spokeperson Chris McClennan, who informed us that they’ve found a new home…

Pussycat Lounge’s New Look in Pictures

Debaucherous Scottsdale nightspot Pussycat Lounge re-opened this past weekend after a undergoing a month-long renovation. So what’s new, Pussycat? Lots, including a redesigned interior space. That annoying wall that seperated the entraceway from the rest of the club has been 86’d, the DJ booth has been put in its place,…

Peachcake, Rainbird, Alfaress Invited to CMJ

It’s September already which means we’ve got our first piece of CMJ news. Three Phoenix bands have been invited to showcase at College Music Journal’s influential Music Marathon festival through their Sonicbids accounts. As always, CMJ seems to go for more gimmicky acts than SxSW.The always-around Peachcake (pictured) is one,…

New Panic! at the Disco Video

OK, I admit it, I’m a sucker for Panic! at the Disco — especially now that they have that delicious exclamation point back — so I was pretty excited to see what the new band looks like post-split. Turns out they’re still great, in a guilt-inducing sort of way. Megan…

Karlie Hustle Is Super Emo (For An Urban Radio DJ)

Now, Ms. Hustle has upped the ante. In the last two months she’s started a blog filled with personal anecdotes about her BFF’s move to Europe, the process of getting a passport and a few introspective essays like “The Woman That Love Made,” which includes the following prose: “I’m not special…

Courtney Marie Andrews: You Asked For It

Courtney Marie Andrews Painter’s Hands and a Seventh Son (River Jones Music Label) Grade: B+ Legend has it that Courtney Marie Andrews first tried her hand at songwriting when only 13 years old. Now 18, under the tutelage of River Jones and his music label Andrews has released two full-length…

Geek to Pinup: The Provocatease Project

Turns out some of our local burlesque hotties are actually real-life geeks. They crochet. They do crafts. They love books. Some of them are fans of Star Trek or Firefly. You don’t have to be naturally gorgeous to be a burleque dancer, says Provocatease Burlesque troupe member Lolli VonLingus. “You could be somebody…

The Sets in Tempe Closes for Business

It saddens us to report this, but Tempe music venue The Sets has gone belly up after five years. As in closed. Finito. The big goodbye. The multi-room bar and nightclub shut its doors permanently on Sunday night following a local battle of the bands showcase. But as startled as…

Puscifer Sets Tour Dates, Plays Phoenix December 3 and 4

Arizona-dwelling Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan’s side project, Puscifier, has announced fall tour dates, including two shows at Phoenix’s stunning Orpheum Theatre. The show, which actually allows you to see Maynard, unlike Tool’s concerts, where he stands on the back of the stage, has been explained as, “a performance art…

Definitely Maybe is 15 Years Old, and Oasis Finally Splits

As Rolling Stone pointed out yesterday there’s something sadly coincidental about Britpop’s guiding light, Oasis, splitting, nearly 15 years to the day after their stellar debut, Definitely Maybe, was released. And, no, they have not split before, though they’ve certainly feuded plenty.As I wrote in a column a few weeks…

Foo Fighters Greatest Hits, Blueprint 3 Leak, Street Scene Reviewed

Idolator: Vh1 Can’t Stop Getting Behind Bret MichaelsNME: Strokes’ Julian Casablancas makes solo live debut in Japan – videoPitchfork: Foo Fighters Greatest Hits Album DueRolling Stone: Jay-Z Stays Calm Over “Blueprint 3″ Leak, Tells Fans “Enjoy It”Silver Platter: www.WheninAz.com launch parties this First Friday and Saturday!Spin: Harvey Danger Play Final…

Phoenix DJs React to Death of Adam Goldstein (a.k.a. DJ AM)

The music world was stunned and saddened by the tragic and untimely passing of DJ AM (a.k.a. Adam Goldstein), who was found dead in his NYC apartment this past Friday. It’s been reported that the 36-year-old superstar was the victim of an apparent accidental drug overdose. The shockwaves from Goldstein’s…

Earn It Yourself Tour with Gavin Castleton Visiting Trunk Space

Earn It Yourself is the brainchild of Sarah Saturday, singer/songwriter of Gardening, Not Architecture fame. After dropping out of college to put her focus full-time on her band, Saturday began developing the blueprint for what would become the present day Earn It Yourself (EIY) ideals. Saturday self-promoted her band, booked…