My good friend Albert Ching at our sister paper in Orange County penned a real gem this week: “Seven Unsexy Songs About Sex.” From Bruce Springsteen talking about anal sex with a hooker to the Liz Phair song that’s more lewd than “Flower” these songs are guaranteed to kill any…
Tempe Music Festival has bolstered their lineup with three acts that give the beachfront festival — headlined by Kid Rock and Three Doors Down — some indie cred. The Outlaws, Mutemath and Shiny Toy Guns pad a lineup that also includes Cowboy Mouth, Roger Clyne and The Peacemakers and The…
One of the things I enjoy most about reading the other music, arts and culture blogs in the Village Voice chain is seeing how they reflect their respective scenes. Take, for example, today’s porn-related posts here in Phoenix and at our sister paper in San Francisco.Last night, Niki D’Andrea covered a…
I’m not sure what I like so much about this flier for Philly pop-punk band Valencia, but it sure is eye-catching. I don’t have much to say about the band, which is playing Modified on Valentine’s Day, but I love the flier…
As our blogger Yvonne Zusel noted a couple days ago, there’s plenty of things to see and do in the Valley this weekend that have absolutely nothing to do with the hoopla surrounding the 2009 NBA All-Star Game. And here’s the proof to back up said statement: our regular weekly…
After having a humongous 2008 — and sure to be large 2009 — Santogold has chosen to change her name to “Santigold.” This comes as very little surprise; the original “Santo Gold” has been all over her ass, harassing her and threatening legal action if the singer didn’t change her name…
Honestly, I didn’t think anything would be able to top Tuesday night’s people-sit-in-rooms-and- await-their-fates episode of American Idol in terms of sheer boredom, but Wednesday night’s people-sit-in-a-room-and-then-go-into-another-room-wherein-they-sit-down-and-await-their-fates managed to do it. I’m not kidding. It was two hours of people sitting. To make it “exciting,” a few contestants had to…
We gotta admit it: the 1st Annual Arizona Porn Star Ball wore us out.The feral festivities started at 9 p.m. and lasted well beyond last call. The list of special guests was longer than John Holmes’ tool, and included adult film stars Pharyn Sparxxx, Mya Lee, Taryn Thomas, Priya Rai,…
Most-often-heard gripe in the digital age? That there’s no regionalism in music anymore, that once upon a time, you heard a record and could tell in a second if it was from Philly or Detroit or New Orleans. Often, a record label could even reproduce a map indicating the exact…
In his bedroom, Mike Roberts has a mural comprising old gig fliers, posters, and ads in which someone has egregiously misspelled Smoky Mountain Skullbusters’ name incorrectly. “This was the flier to our first show, December 9, 2001,” he says. “And Smoky is spelled wrong. And look at this — ‘Rocky…
Joshua Radin never intended to become a musician, at least not outside of the confines of his personal life where he always quested for new ways to artistically express himself. Painting and screenwriting had largely occupied him — until 2004, when friend and singer-songwriter Cary Brothers prodded him into recording…
THURSDAY 12 Bunkhouse: DJ Doom (dance) Club Red: The Blunt Club with Pickster Uno, DJ Element, Emerg McVay, & more (hip-hop) Copper State Tavern: Southwest Rapstock with DJ Kavi, & guests (hip-hop) Karamba: Vaquero Thursdays with DJ Miguel (cumbia, Norteña, banda, Latin) Margarita Rocks: DJ Mr. Eaton (Top 40) Red Bar: All…
If there’s one thing that P-town won’t be in short supply of this weekend, it’s pro basketball players, as seemingly the entire NBA roster will be hanging in the PHX for the league’s annual All-Star Game. Besides all the big ballers and shot callers, the Valley’s also gonna be filled…
Atlanta rapper Young Jeezy was once seen as the last great Southern hope. He had the ‘hood respect of T.I. and garnered the admiration of practically every drug dealer in North America with his rap sheet and lyrical references to his drug-dealing days. It’s not that he’s overly gangster or…
After his arrest in 2007, rapper T.I. was charged with possessing heavy artillery and was forced to spend months under house arrest. He also was sentenced to serve 1,000 hours of community service and will begin a year and a day in jail on March 27. But while it’s been…
Voted Tucson Weekly’s “Best New Band” in 2007, Mostly Bears have steadily been working their way up the list — a very, very short list — of innovative Arizona bands. Of course, they are from Tucson and not Phoenix, so they fit in nicely with the other bands emerging from…
If 2008 started things in motion for sultry songstress Jessica Lea Mayfield, 2009 may prove to be a banner year for the upstart musician. She released her debut album, the cleverly titled With Blasphemy So Heartfelt, in September and has been tabbed to open for the likes of Annuals and…
It’s been only a year since Z-Trip pulled a spin gig in his hometown, and over the past 12 months, the PHX native has been racking up frequent-flier miles like a motherfucker. The ultra-talented 34-year-old just returned from Australia, where he crisscrossed the continent with the Big Day Out festival…
Though he is, in a sense, crystallized in the public’s memory as the first act to perform at the original Woodstock, legendary folkie Richie Havens is arguably still in possession of the vitality and spirit that made him famous 40 years ago. Sure, Havens hasn’t had an onstage epiphany quite…
Cradle of Filth scaled back their twisted-burlesque spectacle on the Thornography tour, which, combined with the record’s unseemly catchiness, led to some dismayingly unfreakish sets. But the British metal provocateurs reverted to harsh thrash on last year’s Godspeed on the Devil’s Thunder, a concept album chronicling the depravity of French…
North Carolina’s Annuals remain a gravity-defying whirlwind with the release of their latest disc, Such Fun. Pairing herky-jerky rhythms and over-the-top musical drama, the players follow the whimsical lead of frontman Adam Baker into robust country, rapturous string sections, and myriad other musical pathways. To wit: “Hot Night Hounds” peaks…
Valley bar and club owners have been busting much ass recently in preparation for this weekend’s All-Star Game, and Gary and Renetta Slone are no exception. The couple’s new nightspot/restaurant Open Gallery Bar & Grill (5025 North Seventh Avenue, 602-277-0323), will make its debut tomorrow night and they’ve been spending…
