Video: Snail Quail - "Phoenix, Arizona"

Sometimes, people like myself, take for granted that we live in a pretty awesome city. Sure, we like to all bitch about the heat and the fact that we never get the really good concerts and that our local government is run by a bunch of dumb assess...I could do this all day long, folks, but rather than rattle off a list of complaints I think I'll focus on the positive for a minute. I've lived in Arizona all my life and I've lived in the Phoenix metro area for the last ten or so years and while I don't exactly have any other point of reference I do think living here is pretty awesome.

You know who also thinks living here is pretty great? An pretty fantastic group?(I think it's just the one guy) called Snail Quail. Our friends over at the Phoenix New Times blog Up on the Sun posted this terrific video from the folk singer who professes his love for our great city. Enjoy.

Free Live Album From Phoenix (the band) In Sydney (the city)

It's been a really weird day for reasons that would make no sense to you even if you wanted to know (mescaline detox is a bitch man), so the news of a free live album from Grammy Award winning Frenchiard's Phoenix is making it almost bearable... almost. The album is from their recent show in Sydney Australia. I have no idea if it's good or not because I am pretty sure their servers are getting slammed and it's taking FOREVER to download... but I am sure it's good, it's not like they decided to be a Molly Hatchet cover band for a night, even though that would be pretty cool. (Why do Australians love Molly Hatchet so much?)

Download HERE and thanks to Katie for the tip!

Photos: Phoenix & Sea Wolf @ The Marquee Theater 2/1/2010

Well it's not very often that you get to see a Grammy Award winner the day after they win but that is exactly what happened last night when Phoenix played The Marquee Theater in Tempe. I have been to a lot of shows at The Marquee in my time but I have never seen it so ridiculously packed as I did last night. Every square inch of that place was taken up with people all the way out the back doors.

Supporting band Sea Wolf looked genuinely giddy as hell to be playing in front of a crowd that big, and they didn't disappoint. I am not saying they haven't played to that many people before but it was quit an increase from Modified Arts a few month ago. They played mostly new songs off their new album White Water, White Bloom as well as crowd favorite "The Violet Hour" from the New Moon Soundtrack.

Once Phoenix came on stage the place was the most frenzied I had seen since Rage Against the Machine in 1999. It was all pretty surreal since only a couple people I knew had ANY idea who these guys were six months ago. But they put on a great freaking show and if you missed it I feel pretty bad for you. Even though I don't think that many of you did... you know, since there were so many people... ughh leave me alone it's early.

Check out more pictures after the break and even more on our Flickr HERE

Tonight In Tempe: Phoenix & Seawolf @ The Marquee

If you were planning on heading to The Marquee tonight to see Grammy Award winning band Phoenix tonight and don't already have tickets then you are probably out of luck.

I have pretty high expectations for tonight's show. Not only did Phoenix just win the Grammy for Best Alternative Album last night for Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix but I think there is going to be some people there just for the novelty of seeing the band Phoenix IN Phoenix. Those people are weird and hopefully they won't ruin everything with their weirdness.

Another thing I would like to mention that I find odd is that nobody has said anything about Seawolf. They were just here a few months ago at Modified for a great sold out show so they obviously have a fan base here. Not to mention the whole New Moon Soundtrack thing on top of that. Add all this up this is going to be one of the bigger events I have ever seen at the Marquee. So if you already have tickets... see you there and if not check back tomorrow for a review and hopefully some pictures, assuming I can talk my way in with the camera that is.

Show Preview in The New Times (by Mike)

Phoenix Is Coming To Phoenix

This past Friday our favorite concert promoters ever announced that come Monday there would be a huge concert announcement.  The only hint provided is that whoever it was had one of ten best albums of the year according to Pitchfork.  While Shawn and I each had our own idea as to who it would be, it looks like we have our official confirmation on Stateside's website that French buzz band Phoenix will be playing Marquee Theatre on Monday, February 1st.

No word yet as to who will be opening but I'm sure it will be someone awesome.  For more info on the show you can visit Stateside's website here.

VIDEO: PHOENIX "LISZTOMANIA" ON FALLON

Say what you will about Jimmy Fallon but the dude has good taste in music and the Barry Gibb sketch on SNL is still one of the best ever...EVER! Don't agree? Give it another watch after the break.

Video: Phoenix Accoustic at KEXP

In New York you get finer style of life. Things like subways and parks with grass. In Phoenix we have parks with dirt. You would think that IN PHOENIX we would have the type of radio station that would be able to get the BAND Phoenix to play some acoustic songs at least on the radio but NOOOOO! We get festivals with Panic! (fuck that exclamation point in the ass!) At the Disco. FML and enjoy the videos.

Phoenix - 1901 from KEXP RADIO on Vimeo.

Phoenix - Lisztomania from KEXP RADIO on Vimeo.

Phoenix - Armistice from Jim Beckmann on Vimeo.

Phoenix - Playground Love from Jim Beckmann on Vimeo.

Video: Phoenix - "Lisztomania"

Phoenix are having a pretty good year so far. They killed it on a recent episode of SNL and their latest album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix is shaping up to be one of the best albums of the year. Check out their video for the song "Lisztomania" and be sure to pick up a copy of their latest album when it becomes available on 5/26 via Glass Note.

[via: pitchfork]

Phoenix (from France) Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix | New Album and MP3

Sorry for such a long ass title but since we ARE in Phoenix and they are CALLED Phoenix I felt it pertinent to our lives and souls that I clarify. Now that the nasty business of post title explanation is complete let me drop some knowledge into the vacuous orb your mom calls your "love sponge"...Phoenix has a new album coming out May 25th and they called it Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix as an homage to their 2 favorite thing...Mozart and awesome blogs based out of Phoenix...duh. I implore you to listen to the just releases track 1901 below... and it's probably safe to download it but you might as well just go to their site and get it yourselves to save us some goddamn bandwidth...thanks for reading, I love you.

1901

Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix due out 5/25 or 26th (who knows?) on Glassnote

p.s. whilst performing all of my investigative reporting duties I found out that this MP3 has been out for like a month...but since I already wrote this whole fucking thing I decided to just post it anyways...ok?...sue me!

Phoenix | "1901" (MP3)

Technically speaking, the band Phoenix isn't actually from Phoenix, AZ but their new song "1901", off their forthcoming album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, could be the official soundtrack for Awesome Town. Download the song for free at Phoenix's web site. You don't even have to leave your e-mail address.

download: Phoenix - "1901"

Jessica Lea Mayfield, What Laura Says and Annuals | Phoenix 2/17/2009

If you recall I just heard Jessica Lea Mayfield for the first time on Sirius XM and I really and truly liked her a lot. So naturally I immediately wrote a post and emailed her management hoping to score a interview with her at last nights show at the Rhythm Room. Since it was such short notice I did not get the interview but I DID get put on the guest list (being a famous blogger really has some good perks).

I showed up around 8pm with my good friend Ryan of Fungdark fame, procured beer and got ready for space, rock opera, old thyme local band What Laura Says. I must admit that I didn't listen to What Laura Says before the show because I thought their name sucked and they were going to be a crappy emo band. I am happy to report that they effing rocked my balls off...seriously I was totally not expecting them to be so good, well I wasn't expecting anything really but I was blown away. They are easily the best band coming out of Phoenix right now. I suggest you purchase their debut album Thinks and Feels.

So after grabbing another beer and a square we got ready to relax to the smooth sounds of Jessica Lea Mayfield but instead of smooth sounds we got a very unexpected "melt your fucking face off rock show" featuring Jessica, her giant bearded brother playing upright bass, the skinny cowboy whose name sounded vaguely Irish and a rocking chick drummer with a nice hat. If you have heard the album imagine it with Pink Floyd as her backing band. Her voice with the chorusie reverb guitar (that isn't on the actual album) creates an ethereal combination that gave me chills multiple times. I still love that time she gingerly climbed up on her brothers upright bass for a couple seconds...I still do love it ;-)

Then we get to the headliner the Annuals, after checking them out on Myspace last week Ryan and I had every intention of leaving before they played but since the first two bands were so good we though we would give them a chance live. Let me say that we were rewarded for our diligence. The 702 members of the Annuals (sans the keyboardists but especially the lead guitar player) look like a bunch of dorks that should have been playing World or Warcraft. And their drummer looks like a young Bob Seger but as they say "Don't judge a band by how retarded their haircuts and clothes are". The almost 2 hour long set contained a shit ton of awesome songs...some people might think that the vocals were a bit "emo" but those same people also like the Medic Droid so they can go fuck themselves and their 8 referring click throughs.

All in all it was the best combination of "3 bands I was not expecting to be so good that ended up being REALLY good" show I have ever seen.

Check out some shitty iPhone pics below, the official electricmustache photographer could not make it last night and the camera I took crapped out on me so I did my best with what I had!!!! Leave me alone!

OMG a GOOD Arizona Band - Lydia!!! OMG!! STFU!!!

Living in Phoenix sometimes sucks balls...I think it has to do something with the heat and large distance between stuff, but bands here usually suck...I was in a band her for 3 years and we totally sucked and we were one of the best ones around. Any who I decided tonight that I would go on a search for a good band in the Valley of the Crappy Music to find a diamond in the poop (shit). I thought I found one but it was just some asshole that created a new page for a good band from Portland and tagged them as being from Phoenix...tricky fucking internet.

BUT my friends I think I may have found one...after like 2 hours of searching the internet and listening to several bands that sound like crappy rip off of bands trying to rip off Incubus tribute bands (but not that good) I came across Lydia, they are FROM Gilbert and are signed to a real label (Universal Motown Records...fancy pants they are) and are currently on a tour (Check them out at the Clubhouse on March 21, Celeste Polonski please send us press passes please). And the part that makes them different from the Medic Droid (aside from not being broken up...ohhhh sick burn) is that they are actually pretty good and I don't want to punch them all in the face over and over and over again. I am hearing a tinge of The Format and sprinkle of lavender. I don't know dude...I am just happy to be listening to a Phoenix band that doesn't make me cry blood out of my sound pussies. Check out this video they put on their myspace page of them on tour or something, they sometimes play almost 10 seconds of a song all at once ;-)