Show Review: PVMNTS and WSTR prove that pop punk’s not dead
Loud, messy pop punk may have fallen by the wayside, but some up-and-coming bands are leading the revival. True to form, PVMNTS took over The Nile Theater’s Underground venue with WSTR, Hold Close and PCL for a wall-shaking Wednesday. Hopeless Records’ string of stellar discoveries continues with Hold Close. In what was the strongest set […]
Show Review: Power pop reigned supreme with MAX at Crescent Ballroom
Pop wunderkind MAX brought the club to Phoenix on Tuesday for a party we wished would never end. Joined by EZI and Nina Nesbitt, the night was empowering and energetic. Newcomer EZI started things off with her brand of mellow electro-pop, backed by a live guitarist/keyboardist and percussionist. Her slow jam version of The Killer’s […]
Show Review: Jeremy Zucker and joan bring varied genre styles to Phoenix show
When you walk into a venue and see the underage section taking up most of the floor, you can infer a few things. For one, you’ll probably be watching the show through the phone screen of the person in front of you. But for two, you’re definitely seeing a decent, if not great, up-and-comer. We […]
Show Review: Sure Sure get into the groove at Valley Bar
Walking into a packed Valley Bar on a Sunday night was a pleasant and entirely welcome surprise. Tourmates Wilderado and Sure Sure managed to fill the hip basement venue on the most unlikely of evenings for what turned out to be one groovy party. Wilderado’s indie folk-rock created a hype in the audience that’s hard […]
Show Review: Mayday Parade aims to keep the rock show alive on Welcome to Sunnyland Tour
Rock shows reign supreme this fall touring season, with Mayday Parade returning to Phoenix on Thursday with a full lineup of alternative acts. Oh, Weatherly started early, bringing their brand of light alt-rock to The Van Buren’s stage. Singer Blake Roses’ solid vocals kept the band’s short set solid and fun. There was some palpable […]
Show Review: All Time Low step into headlining slot for Summer Ever After Tour
“This is pretty fucking good for a weeknight!” All Time Low’s unexpected headlining tour made its Phoenix stop on Monday, filling The Van Buren with highly excitable fans. The Never-Ending Summer Tour lost its original headliner when Dashboard Confessional was forced to drop the remaining dates due to a family emergency. The show, as they […]
Show Review: Atlas Genius praise The Van Buren, Phoenix and their massive crowd
It’s hard to go wrong with an Atlas Genius performance. They have the triple threat of a solid catalog, a friendly demeanor, and the rare quality of sounding—somehow—better live than on a recording. “This is the best venue in the country, by the way,” lead vocalist/guitarist Keith Jeffery said about The Van Buren, which is […]
Album Review: Don’t believe the hype for twenty one pilots’ Trench
“Last year I needed change of pace, couldn’t take the pace of change.” This is the lyric that accurately sums up the course of Twenty One Pilots’ highly anticipated new album, Trench. Unfortunately, upon first listen, the impression is that Trench is just….bland. The opening track is a kind of fake out for the album, […]
Show Review: Interpol and Sunflower Bean glam up The Van Buren
Sometimes the rock show is pretty low key in the grand scheme of things, but it emanates the same buzz of intensity as the most rowdy on-stage parties. That was the energy at The Van Buren on Monday night when Sunflower Bean and Interpol took the stage for a sold out crowd. In their true […]
Show Review: The Dangerous Summer joins The Early November for strong end of summer tour
A mix of nostalgia and new music swept through the Nile Theater in Mesa on Saturday for the return of The Early November and The Dangerous Summer. Joined by Save Face and Jetty Bones, the show was a beautiful journey down a sunny memory lane. New Jersey band Save Face, along with Jetty Bones, made […]