And if world music is your thing, you'll want to get there early to take in the opening set by our own Phoenix Afrobeat Orchestra.ĭetails: 8 p.m. The album pulled in raves from Mojo to the New York Times, the Wire proclaiming "One has to look back to the golden age of the West African guitar bands to find this level of complexity executed with such brazen confidence and ability." "Zoy Zoy" is their second effort since signing to the British label, FatCat Records. These West African artists are touring the States in continued support of "Zoy Zoy," an inspired collection of rhythmically sophisticated and at times hypnotic world-music songs with roots in highlife, Afrobeat and desert music. As Paste wrote, "There’s still an utter disdain for normalcy propelling Wolf Eyes’ latest disc."ĭetails: 8 p.m. noise." And the recent followup, "I Am a Problem: Mind in Pieces" is just as worthy of that billing, an experimental exploration of the possibilities of noise that splits its times between moments that lurk in the shadows and full-on explosions of raw power. No less an authority on all things cutting edge than the Wire responded to "No Answer: Lower Floors" by hailing Wolf Eyes as "the kings of U.S. As Pitchfork wrote, "Of all the contradictions Skream has somehow managed to reconcile, a crossover bid that doubles as a back-to-the-roots move might be the most audacious."ĭetails: 10 p.m. This English DJ/producer was a pioneering presence on the dubstep scene with the LA Times calling his "Midnight Request Line" dubstep's "most recognizable crossover hit." His latest solo album is "Outside the Box," which arrived in 2010 and brought home raves from Spin and Pitchfork while moving his sound in a poppier direction. If you're wondering where those stages are, the ones announced so far are at CityScape, Crescent Ballroom, Second Avenue (one would assume this one is outside Crescent Ballroom), Valley Bar, Punk Rock Alley, Last Exit Live, Monarch Theatre, Masonic Temple, Monroe Street Stage, Lost Abbey Chapel, Goldwater Room and Monroe Street Mercado.ĭetails: 7 p.m. 3/12: Viva PHXĬrystal Castles and the Growlers are the marquee names on this year's Viva PHX festival, which brings 65 bands to 15 stages in downtown Phoenix. Among the higher-profile artists rounding out the bill are Neon Indian, Rocket from the Crypt, Chuck Ragan of Hot Water Music, hip-hop icon Biz Markie (who's doing a live set and a DJ set), Beach Fossils, Lydia, Sage Francis, Afrika Bambaataa, This Will Destroy You, Kitten, From Indian Lakes, Eleanor Friedberger of the Fiery Furnaces and Punk Rock Karaoke with members of Bad Religion, Goldfinger and DI. Sweetening the deal are local heroes Captain Squeegee, the Haymarket Squares, the Senators, Gus Campbell, Harper & The Moths, CooBee Coo, Huckleberry, Fairy Bones and Ruca.ĭetails: March 11-13.
And Sunday brings the Avett Brothers, Bird Dog, Gary Clark Jr. How big and wild is that? Saturday's lineup features Goldfish, GRiZ, the Main Squeeze, M!nt, Porter Robinson Live and St. In early 2015, Beck Hansen won album of the year at the Grammy Awards for the introspective majesty of "Morning Phase." Now, he is headed to Phoenix as one of the headlining artists at the 13th annual McDowell Mountain Music Festival. Beck headlines Friday's bill, which also features Animal Collective and Big Wild. 3/11-13: McDowell Mountain Music Festival Thursday, March 10. Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. The set also includes a two-DVD film of never-released, newly edited multi-camera footage from a 1980 show in Tempe, described by NPR as something of a "holy grail."ĭetails: 7:30 p.m. Rolling Stone has called "The Ties That Bind" the best archival Springsteen package yet. The tour is timed to coincide with the release of a box set called "The Ties That Bind: The River Collection," a comprehensive look at one of Springstreen's most enduring efforts. Released in 1980, "The River" was the Hall of Famer's first chart-topping effort, sending "Hungry Heart" to No. This tour will feature the E Street Band playing "The River" in its entirety. You can't go back to 1980, but you can't blame Springsteen for wanting to give it a shot. 3/10: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band We've also pointed out some club shows you might want to pencil into your itinerary (with a Sharpie). And those are just the artists playing giant venues and/or festivals. Also swinging through the Valley? Justin Bieber, Fall Out Boy, Disturbed and Puscifer.
Bruce Springsteen brings the E Street Band to Phoenix on a tour that revisits "The River," all four sides in order, in a month that also features three big festivals - Viva PHX with Crystal Castles, McDowell Mountain Music Festival with Beck (!) and Avett Brothers, and Pot of Gold with Future and Big Sean.