Phoenix Music Blog

Benjamin Leatherman

Sailing the seas of asphalt during the Phoenix Annual Parade of the Arts. See more pics in our slide show.

The ultra-eclectic Fifth Street in downtown Phoenix got even more coloful than usual as a flock of funky types gathered for freaktastic fete of epic proportions this past weekend..

The Strange Family Circus.

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First Friday? Nah, that ain't for another couple weeks. It was the Phoenix Annual Parade of the Arts, a pulchitrudinous procession of oddities and art through the streets of the Evans Churchill neighborhood that took place this past Saturday.

Organized by the Strange Family Circus and other members of the PHX's fringe/arts community, it's kinda like the Valley's version of such whacked-out parades as Tucson's All Souls Procession. Shopping cart floats, brightly-colored boats, and a beat-busting mobile rave were just some of the more oddball and entertaining entries in this year's edition of PAPA, which you can see for yourself by checking out our slide show

​Concert Review: Everclear at The Big Pour
It's a well-established fact that the mark of a truly brilliant pop song is its ability to stand the test of time, captivating new generations or, at the very least, remaining meaningful to it's intended audience over a lifetime. As an admitted Gen X/Y cusper with a 90s obsession, I can't claim I'm an unbiased and wholly legitimate source when it comes to declaring the work of Portland-bred alt-rock icons Everclear to be on that level -- but it sure seemed like it was to me last night...full story

​Hot Italian Cars at the Concorso Arizona Car and Bike Show at El Pedregal Festival Marketplace
Everyone needs a hobby, but no one said it should be collecting bank-breaking automobiles. Still, plenty of Ferraris and Ducatis hit the pavement at El Pedregal Festival Marketplace for the Concorso Arizona Italian Sports and Exotic Cars and Bike Show on Saturday, November 14, 2009. Check out the sweet rides below...see photos

​An Eviscerating Experience: GWAR at Marquee Theatre on Saturday, November 14
Nothing was sacred in splatter metal band GWAR's theater of costumed insanity at the Marquee Theatre in Tempe on Saturday. Michael Jackson's face got ripped off. Babies were disemboweled. President Obama's noggin got partially severed and was rolling around on his shoulders, but he kept smiling...full story

​Wrestlemania XXVI Pre-sale Party at Westgate City Center
Rasslin' fanatics from around the Valley and across the country converged on Westgate City Center in Glendale on Friday, November 6, to get first crack at primo tickets for Wrestlemania XXVI (a.k.a. the "Superbowl of wrestling") a day before they went on sale to the general public. World Wrestling Entertainment superstars Chris Jericho and Kelly Kelly were on hand for the event, meeting and greeting fans and getting interviewed by the local media...">see photos

​Demolition Derby at the Arizona State Fair
Unbridled car-on-car carnage ignited passion in the grandstand at the Arizona State Fair as this year's demolition derby occurred. Check out these car-crunching photos from the main event, and the pit. The only thing missing is the smell of vehicular fluid staining the dirt...see photos

​DOSE and Hector Ruiz' coLABORation at the Bentley Project
Hector Ruiz and DOSE kicked off November's First Friday with an exhibition at the Bentley Project Gallery. These two local artists unveiled an impressive collection, entitled "coLABORation," consisting of mixed-media pieces on various materials ranging from paper to canvas...see photos

​The Final Shake! at the Rogue
After five long years of indie/rock/electro/etc. dance tunes, celebrity guest DJs and stylish drunks gyrating on the dance floor, Shake! finally let out its death rattle. Fortunately the old dame went out with a bang and not a whimper Saturday night, yielding an army of creatively-costumed partygoers intent on drinking, dancing and making out one last time...see photos

​Sadisco* at Chaser's
You think your Halloween was scary? You should have been at Sadisco*. Costumed freaks and chain saw-wielding maniacs were out in droves celebrating All Hallows Eve...see photos




​The Night Before Halloween in Phoenix and Tempe
Sexy costumed ghouls and face-painted zombies were haunting the bars and music venues of both Phoenix and Tempe on Friday, October 30, including the G-Spot, Jugheads, Club Red, and along Mill Avenue...see photos


​Phish Festival 8: Photos of The Ultimate Hippie Halloween
Hippies love Halloween. Or so one would think from Phish's 3-day "Festival 8," which brought the band's die-hard fans from around the world to Indio, California for a weekend of pot, Frisbee, breakfast burritos, pot, fire-breathing statues, pot and incredibly well-crafted costumes...see photos

​Downtown Zombie Walk
The undead walked the streets of Phoenix on October 30, 2009. Starting at Rose and Crown, the crowds of ghouls meandered (like zombies do) around town before arriving at their final destination (we hope) at the ball park...see photos

Adriane Goetz

There was no shortage of holiday spirit at the Rogue on Saturday.

​After five long years of indie/rock/electro/etc. dance tunes, celebrity guest DJs and stylish drunks gyrating on the dance floor, Shake! finally let out its death rattle. Fortunately the old dame went out with a bang and not a whimper Saturday night, yielding an army of creatively-costumed partygoers intent on drinking, dancing and making out one last time.

See shots from the final Shake!

​The Most Interesting Show in the World at Venue of Scottsdale
Burlesque singer Melody Sweets, renowned contortionist Mei Ling and a dude shredding lettuce with a lawn mower balanced on his chin made the Venue of Scottsdale the home of the Most Interesting Show in the World on Friday, October 23, 2009...see photos

​Steamcroween at Red Hot Robot
Daniel Davis, the mind behind local Web comic Monster Commute, and the boys with toys at Red Hot Robot threw one hell of a party on Saturday, October 26, 2009. Steamcroween featured tons of costumes, Halloween treats and even a few tricks...see photos

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Haunted House Review: Fear Farm
Fear Farm was named this year's Best of Phoenix, and topped last year's reviews, for good reason. This massive four-part, mostly cornfield, haunt is the best (and, apparently, busiest) in the Valley...full story

​The International Horror & Sci-fi Film Festival at Madcap Theaters
Hard to believe the International Horror & Sci-fi Film Festival has terrorized the Valley for five years now. To our delight, the three-day affair returned to its original location this year, right in the heart of ASU student nightlife's portion of the Mill Avenue District...see photos

​Howl at the Moon Grand Opening
An SRO crowd packed the the Scottsdale piano bar during its grand opening bash on Friday, October 16, sucking down bucket-sized drinks and singing along with dueling piano players as they performed songs ranging from The Killers' "Mr. Brightside" to Kings of Leon's "Sex on Fire."...see photos

​Tiki Lounge Party III at Rhythm Room
Bob Corritore's blues joint transformed into a south seas paradise filled with beautiful hula girls, island drinks, and a slew of surf rock bands during the Tiki Lounge Party III on Sunday, October 18, which helped raise funds for Nate Anderson's Ear Candy Charity...see photos

​Uncorked and Unplugged at Desert Ridge Marketplace
Benefitting the Boys & Girls Club, Uncorked and Unplugged gave participants the chance to sample fine eats from Famous Dave's and the Grind Burger Bar while drinking Ketel One Vodka drinks and watching bands. See shots of the festivities below...see photos

Adriane Goetz

Two-for-one "Gore Girl" Death Pageant contestants at the International Horror & Sci-fi Film Festival at MADCAP Theaters in Tempe.

​Hard to believe the International Horror & Sci-fi Film Festival has terrorized the Valley for five years now. To our delight, the three-day affair returned to its original location this year, right in the heart of ASU student nightlife's portion of the Mill Avenue District. What once was Harkins Centerpoint Eleven is now MADCAP Theaters (a new venue for alternative films, theater and anything else local artisans want to rent it out for), a potentially lifesaving dose of oxygen in Mill's predominantly corporate dioxide atmosphere.

We crashed opening night to behold what types of infernal hellions would escape their fiery graves to meet Night of the Living Dead's Judith O'dea and compete in icansmellyourbrains.com's "Gore Girl" Death Pageant. Festival fashion did not disappoint, and we even found some moderately normal looking folks; the horror & sci-fi communities don't discriminate.

Check out our slide show for more gore.

​Tour de Fat at Tempe Beach Par
New Belgium Brewing maintains that Tour de Fat is a bike festival first and a beer festival second. To prove it, they got a Tempe citizen to donate his car and agree to utilize only a bike he received at Tour de Fat as his means of transportation. Talk about putting your pedal where your mouth is...see photos

​Phoenix Mercury Win Second WNBA Championship
How big of a deal was Friday's WNBA championship game in Phoenix? Well, consider this: the only other times a basketball team's won a championship in this city, it was the Boston Celtics beating the Phoenix Suns on our home court in 1976, and then the Chicago Bulls beating the Suns on home court in 1993. When the Phoenix Mercury won their first WNBA championship in 2007, they were in Detroit. And when the Suns won their first NBA championship -- oh wait, never mind. That hasn't happened...full story

​Shizzfest 2 in downtown Phoenix
Music/culture Web-board The Shizz hosted an evening of local music and madness on Saturday, October 10, at the Trunk Space and Sweets & Beats in downtown Phoenix...see photos




​Wanda Jackson at Rhythm Room: Crowning the Queen of Rock
Wanda Jackson has been dubbed many titles, most of which are some play on "The Queen/First Lady of Rock/Rock n Roll/Rockabilly." This year she finally got that official recognition when she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an "Early Influence."...full story

Who knew the fashionably chic were inclined to be so fashionably wasted? Maybe it was the "party all night" atmosphere or the seemingly neverending stream of martinis pouring out of Scottsdale's famed Valley Ho this past Friday, but there was a lot of elbowing, a lot of cussing (even in the ladies room, where a woman apologized for using the word "motherfucker"), and a lot of slurred phrases. You thought what about that dress? It was "fantashbuloshus"?? 

The right way to do Phoenix Fashion Week: dress chic, smile pretty and sip cocktails slowly.

​ ​Of course, we're all teetotalers here at the New Times *cough, cough* so we were totally focused on the real reason we were sitting on a runway in the rain: hot new fashions from 8 up-and-coming designers including Bella Bijoux, Crystalishious and Peter Kent (handbags). Giddy up!

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​Cute casual wear like this Route 66 pink tee from local designer Kiss The Girl was the norm at Friday's fashion show, which focused on athletic gear, t-shirts and jeans. KTG's other items included flirty, hippie-chic printed dresses and babydoll tops and graphic tees with peace signs and hoot owl appliques. We scored a fun horseshoe tee with the slogan "I Make Luck" from Kiss the Girl's Scottsdale Fashion Square kiosk just in time for a Vegas trip a few months ago. No big wins at the slots, but we sure got compliments on the shirt.  

​Star Wars: In Concert at Jobing.com Arena: Lucasfilm Ganks More Money Outta Geekdom
For the past three decades, the "Great Bearded One" has been on a Jedi-like quest to separate Star Wars fans from their paychecks by any means necessary. His unabashed over-licensing has even exceeded Krusty the Clown-like levels of hucksterism at times, as evidenced by such WTF? merchandise as green-friendly organic products from a galaxy far, far away...full story

Also: Star Wars: In Concert at Jobing.com Arena In Photos

​Haunted House Review: Arizona's Original Scream Park
Arizona's Original Scream Park has a well-deserved reputation for being one of the best Halloween attractions in the Valley. All four sections of this classic haunt are long, though inconsistently staffed. We loved two of the houses (3-D Fear Factory and Goldminers Revenge) but the other two were understaffed, leaving us bored enough to try scaring other people in our group at some points...full story

​First Friday: The Walking Dead, Ghostbusters and Best of Phoenix on Display
Arizona Ghostbusters took donations for Multiple Sclerosis and rewarded generous First Friday patrons by painting them up like zombies and parading them around 5th Street and Roosevelt. Meanwhile, the [merz] Project was bustling with other First-Fridayers checking out the Wonderland exhibit featuring art from this year's Best of Phoenix issue...see photos

Also see:

Former Ghosts At Trunk Space: An Early Haunting

Starfucker At Modified Arts: New Name Coming Soon

​Concert Review: The Get Up Kids at The Clubhouse in Tempe
There was something very telling about the two songs The Get Up Kids chose to open their encore at last night's packed Clubhouse Music Venue show in Tempe. On one hand, it was odd to hear covers of The Cure's "Close To Me" and The Replacements' "Beer For Breakfast" get some of the loudest applause of the night, considering the occasion, a reunion tied to the re-release of the band's classic album Something To Write Home About. On the other hand, it made perfect sense since (depending on how you figure it) the band's collection of b-sides, covers and rarities, Eudora, may be the Kids' highest charting record...full story

​Brew Review: Biergarten at Desert Botanical Gardens
Real life is so underrated. That's what I found myself thinking as I wandered through the dimly lit pathways of the Desert Botanical Gardens on Saturday night. In real life, security guards prevent you from going places. But at Biergarten, Desert Botanical Gardens' beer festival, security guards want to make sure you ticket gets punched so you can have another beer...full story

​Night Out: Grand Avenue Festival and Red Hot Robot
Things got downright artistic on Saturday, September 26, 2009. We caught the final events of Grand Avenue Festival and took in "Robot Rewind" at Red Hot Robot featuring new pen and ink drawings by Jon Borette...see photos

Arizona Fall Frenzy In Photos:

​Arizona Fall Frenzy: Day One In Photos
The whole shack shimmy! Fans of The B-52s, Rob Thomas, and Jason Mraz had plenty to scream about at the first night of Arizona Fall Frenzy...see photos



​Arizona Fall Frenzy: Day Two In Photos
Blink 182, Fall Out Boy, Pepper and Slightly Stoopid brought an ocean of high school punks to Tempe Beach Park on Saturday, September 19, 2009. Check out images of the concert carnage below...see photos



​Arizona Fall Frenzy: Day Three In Photos
The Airborne Toxic Event, The Bravery, Ben Harper, Flogging Molly, and Social Distortion tore it up on the third and final day of Arizona Fall...see photos

​Hot Chicks and Tattooed Bros at Fall Frenzy
Arizona Fall Frenzy this past weekend had plenty of lovely ladies in attendance, as well as a slew of tattooed men. We've assembled a slideshow chronicalling both...see photos

​Twestival Local Phoenix Raises Money for St. Mary's Food Bank
Last night, local twitter-users gathered at the Aloft Hotel in Tempe to socialize, try great food from local businesses as donate money to St. Mary's Food Bank during Twestival Local Phoenix. Twestival started as a Twitter-based meet-up but has grown into an event that benefits local charities all around the world from Seotember 10 -13...full story

​Richard Cheese Says Farewell to Phoenix; Phoenix Wipes Brow, Says 'Whew'
One song into Richard Cheese's Saturday show at Celebrity Theatre, I was ready to believe I'd been wrong. Sure, a guy who for nearly a decade has made a living performing sleazy lounge covers of popular songs might seem, at first glance, to be a novelty act with a short shelf life, and since this is the outfit's "farewell tour," it's possible Cheese has finally decided he's past his expiration date...full story

​Don't Miss: Best of Burning Man '09
We came, we saw, we burned the man. CuriousJosh brings the best of Burning Man 2009, including pyromaniacs, extravagant art cars, costumes and more...see photos

​The Mars Volta Erase Last Year's Mistakes
Let's start with some context: The Mars Volta came to Phoenix's Dodge Theater last October and played a show that was, for lack of a better term, lacking. They played for less than an hour and left many people underwhelmed. It's unfortunate to judge the band to that precedent, but they have only themselves to blame...full story

See: The Mars Volta in Photos

​First Friday: September 2009
Local band Kinch performed on the corner of 5th Street and Roosevelt while Red Bull's Manny Mania Skate Competition rolled on into late Friday night...see photos


​Kinch Release New EP with Two Great Shows
Kinch's The Economic Chastisement EP release party back in February was one of the best little concerts I've seen this year, so I was pretty stoked about this weekend's twin parties on behalf of the new EP Collars and Sleeves. I was not disappointed...full story

​When In AZ Series Kicks Off at Modified Arts
Between oddballs hocking light sabers, impenetrable Arizona temperatures and grown men playing accordions shirtless, First Fridays is always a little crazy. Friday was par for the course, with the exception of the release of a massive compilation of local bands covering each other. Modified Arts hosted night one of the When In AZ concert series, which featured three local groups who also contributed a track a piece to the comp...full story

Read: When In AZ: Part Two

​Woods Freak Out at Modified
Up until the middle of last week, it was hard to say exactly where Brooklyn's Woods would be performing September 6th. Fliers circulating around town indicated the freak-folkers would be playing venerable Tempe establishment, The Manor. Folks won over by the band's recent opening spot for Dungen at the Rhythm Room would have the chance to see the band in an intimate setting. Then came word that the show had been moved to The Modified...full story

​Poison and Def Leppard at Cricket Wireless Pavilion
After drawing some fire for making an unfavorable comparison between Green Day and Poison in my review of last Saturday's show at U.S. Airways Center, I saw a rare chance to subject one of my statements to some scrutiny this Saturday as Poison and Def Leppard show played Cricket Pavilion...full story

See: Poison and Def Leppard In Photos

​Against Me! Proves They're Punk's Best Band at Phoenix Show
​There are probably some people who'd question the credibility of any punk band playing a show staged by a carmaker, especially if that carmaker didn't just stake out prime product placement, but actually paid for the whole shebang so it could give tickets only to people who test-drove a new model...full story

​Love Mania Pool Party at the Wyndham Hotel
School might be back in session, but the summer ain't over just yet. A slew of bikini-clad babes mixed with dope DJs during the pimp Love Mania Pool Party on Saturday, August 29, at the Wyndham Hotel. Photos by Benjamin Leatherman...see photos

​"Do You Remember When?": Postcommodity Installation at ASU Art Museum
"Native Confluence: Sustaining Cultures" opened Friday, August 28 at ASU Art Museum's Ceramic Research Center. Kicking off a 3-part series of installations by Native American artists in conjunction with ASU's October Sustainability Conference was "Do You Remember When?" by Postcommodity, an interdisciplinary indigenous artists' collective focused on what they term "decolonization."...full story

​Green Day Brings Classic Rock Feel To U.S. Airways Show  I can't say for sure that Green Day are the only truly great DIY scene punk act to successfully transform themselves into respected classic rockers, though they've got to be on a short list...full story

See: Green Day in photos.

​Low & Slow: The Art of The Lowrider at Phoenix Art Museum As part of the "Phantom Sightings: Art After The Chicano Movement" Phoenix Art Museum played host to several lowriders cars. Hydraulics and air-brushed murals made the evening into a fiesta of lowrider art...see photos

​Suns Dancers Auditions With Pussycat Doll Ashley Roberts
So you think you can dance (for the Phoenix Suns, that is)? About 200 women from around the Valley thought so when they showed up at the US Airways Center in Phoenix on Saturday morning to audition for the 2009-2010 Suns Dancers squad. In the end, however, only 16 can make the cut...full story

See: Ashley Roberts at the Suns Dancers Auditions In Photos

​Twi-Tour: Twilight Stars Invade Phoenix
Despite the fact that vampires don't leave an image in photographs, we've managed to snag several shots from the Twi-Tour Convention. Check out these shots of some of Twilight's celebrities as well as the fans who adore them...see photos

​Toby Keith Talks About Him (and the Army) at Cricket
​It's a shame Toby Keith will always be The Angry American. In mainstream consciousness, the Oklahoma-born country singer is a Bush-loving neocon who's always ready to put his boot in Osama bin Laden's ass, thereby making his best effort to preserve The American Way...full story

See: Toby Keith In Photos

​Adult Swim: William Reed's Birthday Pool-Side at the Wyndham
Local DJ William Reed turned 32 this weekend and he did it with style. Sure, there was a cake, but there was also wicked DJ sessions, plenty of hot bods and pool-side dancing. Happy Birthday to you...see photos

​First Friday: August 2009
The late-summer temps were much cooler than normal during this weekend's First Friday in downtown Phoenix, as was all the artistic and musicial action that took place during the latest edition of the monthly art walk. Some of the highlights included costumed kooks, Burner bunny cars, painted flesh, and ooky art, and other outrageousness...see photos

​Summer of Sound: Hip Hop Show at Fat Tuesday
Not to toot our own horn too much, but the Summer of Sound Hip Hop show was slick on Saturday, August 8, 2009. B-Boys spun on their heads, DJs spun their musical magic and local acts like Bear the Astronot, Golden Tung, and Souls of Mischief brought the house down...see photos

​Liberty Market's Bathrooms In Photos
We're guessing that unless your bathroom has appeared in Dwell magazine, you've never seen a potty like the five waiting for you in Liberty Market. Each one features its own music and atmosphere perfect for...well, you know...full story

Also: Bob Dylan Cancels Phoenix Concert Due To "Excessive Heat"

​Solstice Saturdays at Bar Smith
Some people (usually the ones who complain all the time and are absolutely zero fun to hang out with) are always trying to say there's no nightlife in Downtown Phoenix. After cruising down to 2nd Avenue and Washington over the weekend to check out Bar Smith's Solstice Saturdays, the debate is over and they are unequivocally wrong...see photos

​Phoenix New Times: July In Photos
Epic super hero battles, music festivals, nights out with your closest (and most inebriated) friends and Beyonce. July 2009, you will be missed...see photos

​The Big Event: Electronic Music at Firebird International Raceway
Electronic Dance Music enthusiasts came out in droves wearing beads and often little else as they hit the dance floor at Firebird International Raceway for The Big Event on July 25, 2009. DJs in attendance included DJ Dan, Wolfgang Gartner, AK1200, DJ Irene, Ultra Black, Delerium, Mayhem and more spinning on five stages...see photos

​Lost Velvet - A Sadisco* Sequel at Homme Lounge
The members of debaucherous DJ collective Sadisco* celebrated the freaky-deaky flicks of David Lynch on Saturday, July 25, during the latest edition of their monthly dance party series (which is going bi-yearly after October). Bizarreness was in abundance at the outlandish affair, including gigantic rabbits, barely-clothed vixens, and plenty of Lynchian-style film quotes...see photos

​Summer of Sound: Hard Rock Show at The Sets
Hogjaw, IWATCHEDHERDIE, Uncrowned, From Dark, and Dagg Nabbit Stubbs brought the rock to The Sets on Saturday, July 25, 2009 as part of New Times' ongoing concert series "Summer of Sound."...see photos

​Dreamy Lingerie and Swimwear Launch Party at the Mondrian
The Midnight Room at Scottsdale's Mondrian Hotel was jam-packed with ritzy folks downing complimentary drinks courtesy of Dreamy Lingerie on Saturday, July 25, 2009...see photos

ASU Cronkite Journalism School Mourns the Death of Its Namesake
Walter Cronkite, famous CBS anchorman known as "the most trusted man in America," and long-time mentor to Arizona State University School of Journalism students, died today at his New York home. He was 92...full story

Rockstar Mayhem Tour: Slayer Plays Through The (Dry) Heat
When the lights finally went down at 8:25, the crowd erupted as Slayer tore into the opening bars of "God Hates Us All." Guitarist Jeff Hanneman was wearing his customary Raiders jersey, but someone forgot to tell fellow guitarist Kerry King and bassist/vocalist Tom Araya that it's a major faux pas to wear your own band's T-shirt at a gig. Wardrobe issues aside, Slayer put on a show befitting its near-three-decade legacy...full story

Slide show: Slayer, Marilyn Manson and More From the Rockstar Mayhem Festival

Summer of Sound Continues at the Library
New Times' Summer of Sound concert series continued with Dry River Yacht Club, Gospel Claws, Michelle Blades, and Miles to Nowhere performing live at the Library on Mill on July 18, 2009...see photos


Also: Q&A: Jessica Lea Mayfield Talks Step Mothering, Dropping Out and Punching Ex-Boyfriends

Jenny Lewis at The Marquee: Not Quite Convincing Jenny Lewis is certainly an entertainer. "From Los Angeles, with love, here's Jenny Lewis," the announcer belted Vegas-style as she took the stage at the Marquee on Saturday night, and Ms. Lewis wasted no time making her indie-diva status abundantly clear. As her ace-card backing band cranked out solid seventies-folk rock approximations, Lewis blew kisses in the crowd, batted her eyes and generally sold herself to the room of hipster girls in floppy hats who brought along boys desperate to get into their high-waisted jeans...full story

See: Jenny Lewis and The Heartless Bastards in Photos

OBSCURA at The Ruby Room If you're looking for a sweet spot to get your dance on and 80's, New Wave and Brit Pop is your thing, head over to OBSCURA at The Ruby Room every second Friday where DJ Roya and DJ Manchester keep the party going all night, well at least until 2 a.m. We took a look for ourselves on Friday, July 10, 2009...see photos

Could Jay-Z Replace Michael Jackson?
Jay-Z's claim to being "The Best Rapper Alive" is delivered so flippantly it's almost filler anymore. Certainly, there was a time after 2003's The Black Album dropped that it'd have been indisputable to any serious fan of hip-hop music, but, in the years since, it's become such a droning constant that I can't recall the last time I put Jigga's self-applied title under any real scrutiny. Maybe now is the time...full story

See: Jay-Z In Photos

First Friday: July 2009
A sudden rain storm was a welcome change of pace for this First Friday's otherwise sweltering celebration in Downtown Phoenix. Luckily it didn't last long enough to stop the multitude of musical performances on street corners and back lots or a troupe of fire dancers outside The Firehouse...see photos

Joey Arroyo Band at The Marquee Theatre: Sheer Joy
The last time I went out to The Marquee Theatre, The Offspring made themselves at home amongst the sweaty, aging punk audience. Friday night's performance by The Joey Arroyo Band at this very same venue can be described in two words that The Offspring show could not: civil and desolate...full story

Epic Super Hero Battle at Scottsdale Fashion Square
Improv AZ and AZ Cacophony hatched a sinister plan for last weekend: assemble a cast of violent villains and honorable heroes and have them duke it out at Scottsdale Fashion Square. The result will come to be known as the "Epic Super Hero Battle" of Saturday, June 27, 2009...see photos

So You Think You Can Dance Auditions at Phoenix Convention Center
Hundreds of aspiring dancers lined up at Phoenix Convention Center Friday morning for the "So You Think You Can Dance" open auditions. From hip-hop to traditional dance--and from serious to silly--these fans all hoped to get a shot at becoming "America's Favorite Dancer" on the show's sixth season...see photos

Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood at Jobing.com Arena
Clapton began his career with the bluesy stylings of The Yardbirds and then segued into John Mayall's Blues Breakers. In his days with Cream, he slid headfirst into psychedelic rock and later even touched on reggae. To Winwood's credit, he led a similar trek, dabbling in the blue-eyed soul of the Spencer Davis Group and psychedelic rock with Traffic...full story

See: Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood in Photos

Phoenix New Times: June In Photos
Before we welcome July, let's say goodbye to June and all the awesome concerts, pool parties and events that it gave us. Adieu, June 2009...see photos

Rose Johnson's Memorial at Icehouse in Downtown Phoenix
There was no dirth of Rose Johnson-created (and inspired) art at the memorial celebration held in honor of the artist on Saturday night, June 20th, 2009 at the Icehouse downtown. Hundreds of people showed up to pay their respects to one of Phoenix's seminal members of this town's arts community. The memorial was capped by a procession of mermaids bearing offerings to the spirit of Rose Johnson...full story

See: Photos from the Rose Johnson Memorial Exhibit

Devastation 2009: Street Fighter IV Attracts the Country's Top Fighters
Determined to grasp victory, two warriors step onto an airfield unconcerned that a nearby military transport plane maneuvering to take off may disturb their encounter. On the right is Rufus, a fighter whose undulating belly and spandex outfit masks his deadly potential. On the left is Ryu, a wandering fighter from Japan who can toss enough fireballs to make Super Mario jealous...full story

Angels & Outlaws Preview Party
Look out, Scottsdale. There's a new club in town and it's only for the holiest of law breakers. Check out the grand opening of Angels & Outlaws on Saturday, June 20, 2009...see photos

Closing Day at Chandler Cinemas
Chandler Cinemas closed its doors this Sunday, but not without the independent theater's loyal fans getting a chance to say goodbye. The close attracted die-hard "REPO! The Genetic Opera" and "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" fans...see photos


Third Friday in Downtown Phoenix
Third Friday offers another chance for Valley art lovers to get out and see all that the downtown art scene has to offer without having to fight the crowds or scarcity of parking that First Friday entails. That said, June 2009 Third Friday was pretty dead compared to its First Friday counterpart. The art was still great of course, and the lack of people in the galleries offered an opportunity to interact with the artists and gallery owners...see photos

Onstage at Bonnaroo Music Festival
Bonnaroo kicked off Thursday with sets from, among others, Passion Pit and Those Darlins. Friday's acts included Al Green, the Beastie Boys, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Phoenix and Grizzly Bear. Saturday's sets included Bon Iver (with Justin Long and Drew Barrymore in the crowd), Wilco and Bruce Springsteen...see photos

Also: Scenes from Bonnaroo in Photos

Babes of Bonnaroo 2009
As always, the Bonnaroo Music Festival featured stages graced with some of the best musical talent around, and muddy festival grounds packed with good-looking girls dressed-down for the festival. Also, Drew Barrymore (the one next to Justin Long, who does not qualify)...see photos

New Times Summer of Sound Americana Concert
Patrons packed into Mill Avenue's Mill Cue Club on Saturday, June 13 to see The Bellrays, Matthew Reveles, The Sugar Thieves, The Cartwheels and Tractor Pull Divas. Who says there's no music on Mill?...see photos

Transformers 2 Rave in Tempe
There may not have been any transforming robots at Saturday's rave, but that didn't stop giant robot and electonic music fans from coming out in full force to dance the night away...see photos


Dub Show Tour '09 at Phoenix Convention Center
Dub Magazine brought their custom auto show to Phoenix on June 13. Loaded with custom and celebrity rides, the event attracted car-lovers from all around the Valley. While checking out latest in custom auto swag, visitors were also able to stop by exhibits from hot sponsors like Xbox and Monster Energy Drink. The Dub Show ended with explosive performances by local rap artists and national acts like Swag and Juvenile, and the man of the hour: Ice Cube...see photos

W Scottsdale's Sunset Sessions Pool Party
The only thing hotter than direct sunlight this Sunday was the poolside crowd at the W Scottsdale's Sunset Sessions. There was no shortage of bronzed bodies in teenie bikinis and reality TV stars sipping assorted libations, but there was still plenty of room on the posh rooftop deck for working professionals and families as well. Sunset Sessions goes down every Sunday til the moon comes up...see photos

Skyy Vodka Bar Chef Competition at CANAL Restaurant
Last night, a dozen local bartenders gathered at Scottsdale's fashion-forward CANAL restaurant for an Iron Chef-style competition that tested their cocktail making prowess. A few of the culinary scene's big names were also there, including James Tapino and emcee Dave Johnson, head of the wine and spirits program at Sol y Sombra. When Johnson showed up in a beer-print shirt (think Hawaiian print, only sub beer mugs for the palm trees) and a Shriner fez, the audience knew they were in for one hell of a crazy show...full story

See: Skyy Vodka Bar Chef Competition in Photos

The Aggrolites Make 'Em Sing And Skank At The Clubhouse
The Aggrolites, who played Tempe's Clubhouse Music Venue last night, draw crowds wherever they go. It's white reggae, sure, but it somehow manages to not come off as ridiculous as a bunch of Babylonians playing music associated with a religion which, at times, has held their race to be evil, should. Oh, and it's perfect for singing along to, which the crowd showed...full story

See: The Aggrolites in Photos

Butterscotch Swag" Opening at After Hours Gallery
Local artist ISSE unveiled his latest series of paintings at After Hours Gallery located on Central and McDowell on Friday, June 5, 2009. Mashing together pop-culture icons, personal figures, and paint, ISSE makes unique art that no one can afford to miss...see photos

First Friday: June 2009
Drum circles, B Boys and graffiti art entertained the crowds at another First Friday on Roosevelt Row and beyond on June 5, 2009... see photos

Also:

Hairforce Debuts at Upper Deck Sports Grill Saturday With a Slew of Popular Local Musicians

Youth Brigade at Yucca Tap Room: Full of Moshy Goodness

No, host Andy Samberg didn't high five any cats, but he did introduce one that plays the keyboard

Lucinda Williams Plays the Non-Hits at Mesa Arts Center
It takes some chutzpah to read your lyrics off a music stand. When you've been dubbed "America's Greatest Songwriter" by Time magazine (a publication that's not known for its music criticism, but nonetheless notable in any grand pronouncement) you get such latitude without question though, as country singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams showed at Mesa Arts Center last night...full story

DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Bacardi B-Live Music Series at Myst
Jazzy Jeff has come a long way from being hurled face first out of the mansion by Uncle Phil. Still spinning hot tracks from the 80s to today (sans the Fresh Prince, of course), DJ Jazzy Jeff brought the house down at Myst Saturday night as part of the BACARDI B-LIVE music series. A portion of the proceeds from the night went to VH-1's Save the Music Foundation...see photos

Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest Arizona Qualifier at Arizona Mills
Gastronomical athletes were hungry for victory and hot dogs in this qualifying competition for the Famous Nathan's Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest at Coney Island...see photos