One of the funny little things that came out of World War II is the way the Conquered Peoples of Germany and Japan joyously adopted American popular music from the time, and continue to do so. Japan, of course, has a thriving jazz scene and Germany, apparently is still in…
Amazon just announced their list of the Bestselling Albums of 2008 on their MP3 digital service. At first glance you might not think much of the list: Coldplay, Death Cab For Cutie, 3 Doors Down, Beck, and Radiohead are all near the top of the list. What is remarkable and…
It’s a safe bet the music aficionados reading this post or new contributor Michael Lopez’s posts on Fleet Foxes and Animal Collective are not going to care much about this news, but here on Up on the Sun, we cater to all musical tastes, so it’s imperative we share this…
As Americans, there are a lot of things we don’t agree on. But if there’s one thing I think we can all get behind, it’s this: British/Irish/Scottish accents make everything better. You could call my mother a dirty slut in your boring old American accent and I’d want to punch…
Greetings, Up on the Sun readers! My name is Stephen Chilton and I am the newest addition to the Up on the Sun writing crew. Some of you may know me by the moniker under which I’ve promoted Valley concerts since 2000, Psyko Steve. I want to fill you in…
Free kegs of beer. Need we say more? Well, if we must, let’s just say that Phoenix electro-pop trio Mr. Meeble is shooting a live video this weekend, and not only is the show free, but the beer is, too…
As reported on this past Friday, Fleet Foxes have been named the musical guest for this Saturday’s episode of Saturday Night Live with host Rosario Dawson. Lorne Michaels booked the band to perform a week after sugary-sweet teen pop-star Taylor Swift graced the stage, ushering in the second time Fleet…
[jump] Bellinger talked tough in his initial Facebook post announcing the event, using some fairly incendiary words to rally others around the cause of keeping light rail open until 2 a.m.”When people have a safe way to get home late at night they don’t drive drunk, and people don’t get…
We’re going to be overhauling the links to other music and culture blogs on the right hand side of the page (the “blogroll,” as the kids call it) and we thought we’d solicit your suggestions. We’re looking for critics, labels, promoters and fans but not band blogs. We’re most interested…
It’s almost quittin’ time Friday which means it’s time we brought you this week’s concert announcements. Nothing too big this week, just a little Dokken, some AP Tour and confirmation of the Dave Matthews Band show we told you about a month or so ago.There’s also “Shaq & Cedric the…
Darren Robinson, now a (temporary) member of Miniature TigersIf you happen to be attending the Miniature Tigers performance tonight at Modified Arts (which we wholeheartedly recommend), you’ll probably notice there’s been a small change to the indie trio’s line-up. Namely, the addition of a new guitarist into the mix. Darren…
It’s probably an oddity that Columbus, Ohio had a reputation for producing quality country music for so long, but that’s what spawning Dwight Yoakam does for you. But whatever country cred the giant-Applebee’s-of-a-city had through Yoakam was quickly squandered in 2004 when Rascal Flatts’ “Mayberry” undid it all as quickly…
I rode the light rail for the first time last night, from downtown Phoenix to downtown Tempe and back again. For my money (which is to say, free, because I have a student pass that allows me to ride public transit to my hearts content) it was a most excellent…
Almost every local venue has been going through a long post-holiday slump, booking-wise. Not Trunk Space. The Jewel of Grand Avenue has been staging a ton of shows lately, including the Back Ted N-Ted concert we shot earlier this week and the concert promoted by this cool flier, local folkie…
You’d think the good people of Scottsdale suffered enough during the reign of Dirty Scottsdale, when any drunken night in an Old Town club could lead to online humiliation, but they’ve been targeted again.No, Nik Ritchie is still basically ignoring his roots, and posting stuff about British soccer players instead…
Brand new to the internet this week is the latest effort from DJ Minty Fresh Beats, otherwise known as 22-year old New Yorker Max Tannone. Tannone has harnessed the eternal power of Jay-Z’s The Black Album for his own evil-doing, choosing Radiohead as his partner in crime in creating this…
Video may have killed the radio star, but video could also nab one Valley resident a free trip to this year’s Grammy Awards at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles.
Ministry of Love is scheduled to perform Friday at PHiX Gallery. There’s something of an indie/alt-rock bent to this weekend’s slate of concerts, as numerous shoegazers, mop-toppers, and other shabby chic types will be performing around these parts sometime in the next 72 hours. For instance, Friday features Minuiature Tigers…
Drive your rocket-powered Chevy Impala down to this east Phoenix bar for a drink.We’re barely a week into 2009, but I’ve already found a winner for the “Coolest New Name for a Bar” award: It’s “Darwin’s Waiting Room,” the moniker that was recently bestowed upon the watering hole formerly known…
These are tough economic times, what with a recession driven by the housing crash and skyrocketing unemployment. It’s damn near impossible in such a climate to splurge on our hobbies and passions. Who can afford New Kids on the Block tickets or iPods jam-packed with soundtrack-baiting Killers tracks when some…
THURSDAY 8 Axis/Radius: Ladies Night with DJ MCB (hip-hop, Top 40, rock) Blooze Bar: DJ El Dedo (rockabilly) Bunkhouse: DJ Doom (dance) Club Red: The Blunt Club with Pickster Uno, DJ Element, Emerg McVay, & more (hip-hop) Crabby Don’s: DJ Johnny Knuckles (mash-ups, Top 40, ’80s) J-Heads: Thursday Night Artist…
A couple of years ago, The Loveblisters arguably were the hottest band in Arizona. They played out nearly every week — often several shows a week — and they still drew, which isn’t easy. Their 2005 record, Silver White Sunlight, was beloved locally and labeled “one of the finest slabs…
