Love Me Nots

​New Times Soundcheck 2012 Night 1

New Times Soundcheck kicked off with 14 diverse and talented bands. Regardless of personal tastes, every performer was entertaining to watch. Like most music festivals, the artists played at overlapping times and made for some difficult decisions. Fortunately, the festival is arranged so that you can spend at least 15 minutes watching every band on the lineup.

Check out the full New Times Soundcheck slideshow.

​Casey Donahew band at Denim and Diamonds

"Up all night sippin' on whiskey n' drinkin' beer." Well, that definitively described the concert by the Casey Donahew Band last night.

The energy level was so high, you almost didn't notice that drummer TAZ was missing. He was in the hospital, but the band stepped it up and soldiered on without him. J.J. Soto, lead guitarist played drums for the night, while A.C. Copeland, keyboardist took over lead guitar for the night.

The parking lot was already packed, lines out the door and everyone singing and dancing of course. Read more.

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William Westfall

​Saturday night was a good one for emotional rock 'n' roll.

The Jealous Sound (featuring former and current members of Knapsack, Sunday's Best, Foo Fighters, and Sunny Day Real Estate) aired tunes from its brand new record, A Gentle Reminder, at the Rogue Bar in Scottsdale.

Source Victoria, whose last record, Slow Luck, was one of our favorites of 2011 was along for the ride, as was Phoenix-based indie classicists Dust Jacket.

We were there to take in the sights and sounds.

Check out our complete Jealous Sound/Source Victoria/Dust Jacket slideshow.

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​George Strait at US Airways Center

Wow, I truly underestimated the amount of country fans in Arizona.

Rising to their feet for the only and only "King of Country," George Strait walked onto the stage and the crowd went crazy. They whistled so loud that my ears continue to ring and women of all ages screamed out, "I love you, George!"

Now I understand why my mom is so jealous of me. Strait is every cowgirl's heartthrob. With a catalog as loaded with great songs, how can Strait possibly decide what to play each night? The crowd didn't seem picky; whatever tune he played the crowd loved it. Even new tune got the audience dancing. Too bad there wasn't enough room for couples to country two-step.

Read more.

​Social Distortion at Marquee Theatre

Phoenix loves Social Distortion, and the band loves Phoenix, including not one but two stops on their most recent tour. Last night was business as usual: The band played a packed venue to a sea of drunk burly guys and tiny girls trying to make their way to the front as if their lives depended on it. Lost in the sea of circle pits and crowd surfers are a few young children whose parents were brave, or foolish, enough to bring them along.

That's how it's always been since the band formed in the late '70s. Okay, I wasn't alive then, so I can't justify that claim, but I can say that every Social D show I've been to in the past decade or so has panned out a little something like that.

See the full Social Distortion slideshow here.

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​Citizen Cope at Marquee Theatre

I've been to more exciting Citizen Cope shows over the past few years, but last night's solo acoustic gig was still a tight show for different reasons than I'm used to. Clarence Greenwood sounds fabulous when he plays with his band, but he held his own without them. He didn't do a whole lot of strumming on the guitar, so the onstage activity was minimal, but it forced us all to pay attention to a facet of his music that can lost amid the funky jamming: his lyrics. Read more.

​Sundown Showdown IV at Yucca Tap Room

Let's contrast, for a minute: During opening band TOAD's (it's an acronym: Take Over and Destroy) second song, "Midnight Hunger," a few straggling Yucca regulars, a little more keen on country and western than distorted guitars and tasteful blastbeats, headed for the door. But then there was "The Mad Alchemist," a feller old enough to be your grandpa, standing off stage, projecting oil bath visuals behind TOAD, Sleep Money, Destruction Unit, Radio Moscow, and Graveyard (he's on tour with the latter two). Some folks just stick around.

See the full Sundown Showdown slideshow here.

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​The Pistoleros, Ghetto Cowgirl and Dead Hot Workshop at Crescent Ballroom

Vintage jangle rockers Dead Hot Workshop, The Pistoleros, and Ghetto Cowgirl brought back a little of Mill Avenue's glory day sound to downtown Phoenix.

Check out the slideshow.

​Wooden Indian, Spafford, Dry River Yacht Club, Sugar Thieves at Crescent Ballroom

Ballrooms are traditionally designated for swanky soiree's and formal dance receptions. Since it's opening, Crescent Ballroom has played host to anything but traditional music ensembles and while it might be a tad shy of the opulence associated with venues of the same namesake, there's always a little dancing when the double doors sway open. Read more.

​Fitz and The Tantrums at CityScape

So much for drinking that Red Bull. All I needed for some real energy was Fitz and The Tantrums.

Making their first appearance in Phoenix, the band brought a soulful and energetic sound, and once they stepped foot on the stage the crowd couldn't get enough.

The location, not known for live music, made for a diverse crowd. Kids and grandparents sang and danced along, "because everyone knows Fitz and The Tantrums likes to get down," lead singer Michael "Fitz" Fitzpatrick said. Read more, and see our slideshow.

Photo by Melissa Fossum

Fat Mike (NOFX)

​NOFX at The Marquee Theatre, 1/7/12

Photo by Melissa Fossum

NOFX at The Marquee Theatre

​Fat Mike painted a grim picture of Arizona a couple weeks ago. He was convinced that nobody goes to shows in Phoenix anymore because it's on its way to becoming the next Detroit.

Sure, we've got our issues, but NOFX fans surprised everyone (myself included) by selling out the Marquee Theatre Saturday night, and it wasn't a crowd full of floor starers, everyone seemed to be having a great time. See the full review from Saturday night's NOFX show.

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Melissa Fossum

​Andrew Jackson Jihad at Crescent Ballroom

Some guy spat on my face, I have random bruises all over my legs, and even though I only drank water, I reek of beer.

The crowd booed and yelled "fuck you" to Andrew Jackson Jihad...looks like Andrew Jerkson Jerkwad needs to go back to Chicago and stay there for good.

Read more.

See the full slideshow of Andrew Jackson Jihad at Crescent Ballroom.

Maria Vassett

​Welcome 2 My Pudding at Comerica Theatre

They don't call it a variety show for nothing. Most of the crowd for last night's Welcome 2 My Pudding, the 11th installment of local restauranteur, golfer, and shock rocker Alice Cooper's long running Christmas Pudding event, was more interested in seeing guys like Kip Winger than Brian "Head" Welch.

But the diverse -- let's call it scattered, even -- lineup, which featured John Corabi (Motely Crue), Bruce Kulick (KISS), Gary Mule Deer, Runaway Phoenix with guitarist Orianthi (who also plays in Alice's band), Kip Winger, and headliners Brian "Head" Welch, The Tubes, Rob Halford, and Alice himself, was united for a cause, Alice Cooper's Solid Rock Foundation.

Read more.

See the full slideshow of Alice Cooper's Welcome 2 My Pudding at Comerica Theatre.

The Love Me Nots

​X, The Love Me Nots, and more at Club Red

Eight overlapping bands in four hours.

Last night's X show felt more like a music festival than a Friday night concert. Eager fans bounced back and forth between Club Red and Red Owl to see a bunch of bands that played some variety of punk, country, or both. See the slideshow.

Puscifer

​Puscifer at Mesa Arts Center

Maynard James Keenan has a flair for the theatrical. Given his reputation, it's an obvious fact, but hearing about his theatrics and watching him in action are totally different things. Keenan's musical collective Puscifer, put the dramatics on display at last night's sold-out show, bringing the Conditions of My Parole Tour to Ikeda Theater in the Mesa Arts Center. See the slideshow.

Cake

​Cake at the Marquee Theatre

Cake can be great for a lot of things, including eating, smashing, and celebrating. Thanks to John McCrea and the gang, last night's Cake show left an equally sweet taste in my mouth.

An absolutely packed house at the Marquee was treated to two sets of sarcasm and exceptionally enjoyable goofy, straight-faced lyrics.

As front man McCrea said, "If you tried to skip the opening and band and failed," you were still treated to some extra Cake lovin'. To the delight of the fans, John rocked the hell out of his vibraslap all night long. Everyone really got into the show as one big group, and the whole room sang along together all night. Viva la Cake community! Read more.

​Dream Theater at Ikeda at Mesa Arts Center

Loyal fans talk about Dream Theater's live show in hushed, reverential tones. I'd never experienced the band live before last night, but years of hearing fans rave about the prog-rock theatrics of the long-running group set my expectations high. Mesa Arts Center's Ikeda Theater made for an intimate venue, and my conversation with Jordan Rudess last week had me curious how things would work out with new drummer Mike Mangini behind the kit. See our slideshow here.

​Iron & Wine at Crescent Ballroom

How much saxophone is too much saxophone? You might want to ask the young lady who passed out during the extended dub-into-free jazz-psychedelic blues skronk of "Wolves (Song of the Shepherd's Dog)," the fifth song played by Iron & Wine last night at Crescent Ballroom.

Wait, isn't Iron and Wine quiet and stuff? Like, M&M commercials and Garden State snooze?

Not anymore, you could surmise, as the Crescent crew dragged the conked-out girl, dutifully offering her water and a place to sit. See our slideshow here.

​Busy giving thanks over your four-day weekend? Don't worry, here's what you missed at Up on the Sun:

Sister Cities and Doctor Bones

The Rogue Bar kicked off Saturday night with a charismatic and interactive performance by Doctor Bones followed by local charmers Sister Cities. Both bands were on point. Sister Cites get bonus points for showing the French animated classic, Fantastic Planet during their performance. Here's what it looked like.

Benjamin Leatherman

​Eastside Records' Michael Pawlicki To Open New Pop-Up Record Store

Just in time for Record Store Day on Black Friday, here's some killer news for Valley vinylphiles and music nerds: Michael Pawlicki, one of the co-owners of the now-defunct Eastside Records, will be opening a pop-up-style record store near the Yucca Tap Room sometime in the coming weeks. Read more.