Show Review: Shakey Graves is soulful and sentimental at ‘And the War Came’ 10th Anniversary Tour
On a breezy Tuesday evening in downtown Phoenix, Shakey Graves returned to The Van Buren to celebrate ten years of And the War Came—an album that cracked open something tender and timeless in the hearts of many. This stop on his 10th Anniversary Tour felt like a reunion with an old friend: familiar, cathartic, and […]
Gallery: Denzel Curry’s Mischievous South Tour kicks off in Phoenix
Denzel Curry is going worldwide this year. Hot on the heels of his 2024 album, King of the Mischievous South, the Miami rapper drew a massive crowd at Camp Flog Gnaw in November and then hit the road in February for an extensive tour through Australia, North America, and Europe. For his U.S. opener, he […]
Show Review: half•alive’s ‘Persona’ era comes to life at The Van Buren
Back on the road to celebrate the Persona era, half•alive brought their new live show to Phoenix for a stunning Saturday night of dancing, color, and joy. Support from mehro and The Walters was the perfect primer, showing both the introspective and energetic sides of half•alive’s music. Early arrivals shrieked with delight at the goofy […]
Show Review: Yugyeom lights up Los Angeles with two sold out El Rey performances
Spring is in the air and the California sunshine welcomed Yugyeom- of GOT7 fame- to a pair of sold out shows at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles last weekend. The intimate venue was quite literally packed to the rafters with K-pop fans eager to catch one of the GOT7 crew on his Trusty […]
Show Review: JOHNNYSWIM’s headlining tour brings heart and heat to The Van Buren
On Thursday evening, JOHNNYSWIM brought warmth, intimacy, and a whole lot of soul to The Van Buren in Phoenix. Though the room wasn’t at full capacity, it didn’t matter—the crowd was dialed in and the connection between audience and artist was unmistakable. Opening the night was Micah Edwards, affectionately known as “Mr. Texas Soul”. With […]
Show Review: K.Flay embraces every era at healing AZ tour stop
K.Flay is in her healing era. The singer/rapper is back on the road (officially to promote 2023’s MONO) and is weirder and more confident and arguably better than ever. And plenty of fans experienced the mid-week pick-me-up that was her show at The Van Buren in downtown Phoenix on Wednesday night. Opening act Vienna Vienna […]
Show Review: Daniel Seavey finds his Second Wind with intimate Arizona tour stop
The pop girls of Phoenix (and let’s not forget the pop guys) packed Crescent Ballroom on a Sunday night when Daniel Seavey’s Second Wind Tour visited the Valley. The former Why Don’t We singer has struck out on his own and with an arsenal of solo music, the fans were more than ready for him […]
Show Review: The Chandler Ostrich Festival marks 35 years of fun with Natasha Bedingfield and much more
The Chandler Chamber of Commerce’s annual Ostrich Festival celebrated 35 years with two weekends of fun for the whole family- including live performances from pop and country icons. Weekend two brought British pop icon Natasha Bedingfield and Boston rockers American Authors to the main stage, drawing huge crowds to the festival’s Saturday night headliner. American […]
Show Review: Joy Oladokun brings an intimate, soulful night to The Van Buren
Some shows feel larger than life, but some—like Joy Oladokun’s stop at The Van Buren this week—thrive in their intimacy. Playing to a modest but deeply devoted crowd, Oladokun transformed the space into something far more personal, weaving together humor, vulnerability, and raw storytelling. This was more than just a tour stop—it was a homecoming. […]
Show Review: AMPERS&ONE breathes new life into K-pop with invigorating Arizona performance
A flood of young fans (and one very excited dad) piled into Mesa’s Nile Theater when AMPERS&ONE brought their aptly named My First_ in North America tour to Arizona. The freshly minted K-pop group- made up of Kamden, Brian, Jiho, Siyun, Mackiah, Kyrell, and Seungmo- turned the iconic theater into a spectacle of energetic dancing […]