What Laura Says "Girl Not Gonna Leave" Live

Hot off the digital presses (the HOTTEST of all presses) I present to you What Laura Says' new live video for "Girl Not Gonna Leave". It was shot at their record release part inside Phoenix Arizona's famous and ulta historic Ice House back in May. Why is it so historic you may ask. Because it was a house filled with ICE, in Phoenix BEFORE air conditioning. Funny story, when I was typing the headline I accidentally typed "lice" instead of "live"... "Girl Not Gonna Leave Lice" lolz

Unknown Mortal Orchestra "Ffunny Ffrends"

I am really liking Unknown Mortal Orchestra, and I am really looking forward to seeing them at the Crescent Ballroom Oct 4th with What Laura Says and St. Ranger (Tix). One of my favorite new bands playing with two of my favorite local bands, that also happen to be two of my favorite bands regardless of geography.

I hope someone gets the guys in Unknown Mortal Orchestra some oranges or at least a bottle of vitamin C because I would be super bummed if they had to cancel because of scurvy. I am joking of course, they just look like they have scurvy, it's probably just a lot of time practicing in that basement & drinking way to much Mt. Dew, which I am pretty sure has vitamin C in it, so they should be fine either way.

Here Comes Crescent Ballroom!

image courtesy of Phoenix New Times

It has been a long time coming and something that I have been dreaming and wishing for since we started this site in 2008.  A truly bad ass music venue downtown! Sure Modified had it charms, but good sound, not smelling like shit and AC were not those charms, and the Trunk Space... let's just not talk about the Trunk Space.

But news is hitting that the best and most wonderful Stateside Presents are finally fulfilling their destiny and opening up a venue of their very own. It's called Crescent Ballroom and even though we have seen the name pop up as the site for upcoming shows like St Vincent, tUne-YaRdS, M83 & We Were Promised Jetpacks we didn't really know any details. Now we know more details and those details are good. It's going to be size wise in between The Rhythm Room and Marquee Theatre, have food and drinks and be open everyday at 4pm to hang out, or something to that effect.

It looks like the first show is Unknown Mortal Orchestra with What Laura Says opening on Oct 4th. I am going to bet that it sells out, so I would get your tickets now, or whenever they become available because their site is not working yet I guess.

New Music Tuesday: White Denim, Battles, What Laura Says

To be honest with you. This list is very very long. Do I have time to listen to every single one of them? No! Did I omit some stuff that I just KNOW is going to suck? YES! Are there other ones in there that suck that I missed? Again YES! Do Battles, White Denim and What Laura Says all have new releases today? Also YES!

Premier: What Laura Says "Oh, My Neighbor"

Today is a pretty great day. Not only is Talk, the new What Laura Says EP out today. But we are lucky enough to be world premiering their new video for "Oh, My Neighbor"! So if you fancy yourself a lover of awesome things, you have something awesome to add to your  collection.

New Music Tuesday: Big Boi, What Laura Says, Baths, Rescues

Kind of a slow week. I guess it's because of Independence Day. You would think that Independance Day would be a big deal for Independent music but I guess not. What Laura Says are releasing Bloom Cheek for the 20th time in the last month. So if you don't already have that then I highly suggest you pick that up. Big Boi's Sir Lucious Left Foot... The Son of Chico Dusty is probably the most anticipated album this week. So maybe that will be good. I don't know though because I have not heard the whole thing yet but I bet it's real real good. The rest of the list is after the break...

Best of 2010... So Far

Not that lists are anything new, and mid year reviews are no exception. But once again we have been meaning to put together a list for few weeks now but we were beaten to it thus forcing our hand to actually make one. So here is MY list of MY favorite albums of the year so far. Check back tomorrow for Mike's. It will have a couple cross overs but maybe not. Especially not Sleigh Bells I can assure you of that.

Top 10 of 2010... So Far... after the break...

New Music Tuesday: What Laura Says, Ratatat, The Drums, Ariel Pinks Haunted Graffiti, Blitzen Trapper, Casiokids, Deer Tick

Holy poo poo in the face today is a good day for new releases. First off I am going to mention What Laura Says' new album Bloom Cheek is out today despite the email I got last week that it was pushed to June 22nd, I have been listening to that album for months now and it's still amazing. The rest of my pics are in BOLD N' GOLD after the break, along with all the other pics. Why the bee picture you ask, I have a bee hive in the tree in my backyard and it seamed appropriate.

Tonight In The Valley: What Laura Says at Club 910

If you like the look of that picture up there and have fantasies about it, those fantasies can come true tonight. That picture was taken AT Club 910, you can go those tonight and stop using your stupid imagination dummy! I thought that it was going to be What Laura Says CD release show but then I got an email saying that they pushed the release till later in the month. So I guess there is a chance that you could get the new record tonight but I don't really know and now it's to late to ask anybody. Doesn't mean you shouldn't go there anyway. It's probably going to be a good time.

The Stache Cast Episode 1

Very first in what I hope to be a series of weekly podcast's. These are the kind of things we have to do to get ahead in this world of half broken promises AND hearts we call the internet.

Download or listen to the direct file HERE WE are also working on getting it added to iTunes but in the meantime you can subscribe via iTunes but clicking on "Advanced" then "Subscribe To Podcast..." and just add this URL http://feeds.feedburner.com/electricstachecast and you should be good to go!

Below you will find the playlist of songs.

Sleigh Bells: Tell 'Em
The National: Bloodbuzz Ohio
Miniature Tigers: Gold Skull
What Laura Says: Training
Tugboat: Party
Japandroids: Darkness on the Edge of Gastown
Gospel Claws: God Keeps Me Alive
Casiokids: En ville hest

Tonight In Tempe: Dry River Yacht Club Spring Festival

Starting in two hours is THE place to be today. FOURTEEN of the best bands in the Phoenix area in one place for only 10 American Dollars! And you even get Dry River Yacht Club's new album so really it's like they are paying you to have fun. Granted you will probably spend $600 on drinks if you stay for the whole 12 hours but it's not like you have anything better to spend that money on... well a new liver I guess but that is a whole "chicken and egg" thing that I just don't have the energy to get into.

There is going to be a raffle too I hear. Who doesn't love a raffle?* Check out links to the line up below.

Finding Grampa's Monsters
Los Guys
Mojo Farmers
Hot Birds
Strange Young Things
Sugar Thieves
Jake Payne
Yellow Minute
What Laura Says
Matthew Reveles
Sunorus
Fatigo
Black Carl
Dry River Yacht Club

*Communists HATE raffles.

Photos: What Laura Says | Black Carl | Bata Ire @ Club 910 3/19/2010

I want to say some things about What Laura Says and their new album but I think I will just post these pictures and talk about that other stuff later, so stay tuned for that.

The show itself was most excellent. It was my first time seeing Bata Ire and they are definitely a band you need to check out as soon as you can. Black Carl and What Laura Says were both amazing as always.

I am trying to think of something funny to say now but it's Monday... Oh I got it! Did anybody watch the season premier of Breaking Bad last night? It was kind of slow and your sister totally had no idea what was going on. See that was totally lame... fucking Mondays man.

After the break there are pictures of this event. There are even more pictures of this concert event on our Flickr site HERE.

Photos: Shawn Anderson ELECTRICSHOTS.COM

Tonight In Tempe: What Laura Says | Black Carl | Bata Ire @ Club 910

You are going to go to this show tonight! Why you ask? Well… 'cause it's Friday; you ain't got no job... and you ain't got shit to do. That’s why.

Oh and the other obvious reasons... What Laura Says, Black Carl and Bata Ire are three of the best bands in town and I heard that Club 910 has just "the best fucking sound in town man".

Only going to cost you $5 at the door and it starts at 9pm

Tonight in Tempe: What Laura Says @ Yucca Tap Room

If you were to busy playing Cranium with your kids to make it out to the best sounding venue in the Valley last night for the Mini T's farewell show, but have now found yourself hankering for beer and musics. Then What Laura Says might just fill that void in your soul tonight. 8pm at Yucca Tap Room and as always no cover.

Photos: Kinch Xmas Party @ The Rhythm Room 12/22/09

Sorry about the whole one day delay in posting these pictures from the “Kinchmas Party” Tuesday night but time is a commodity hard to come by right before our national day of giving each other useless crap and/or gift cards to buy our own useless crap. But I set aside some "me" time and powered these out. Mike did a nice write up of the whole shebang for the New Times blog that you can read HERE... and you can visually inspect the several more pictures of the festive event on our Flickr page HERE as well as a sampling after the break.

Tonigh in Phoenx: Kinch, Dear and the Headlights, What Laura Says & Black Carl @ The Rhythm Room

If you are smart, and I know that you are, then excitement is growing in the pants of your loins for this show tonight. What could be better then 5 of the best Phoenix has to offer all together for our pleasure? A shit ton of money maybe but other than that I can't think of anything. I am interested to see how this whole "xmas songs n' carols" thing goes because as a general rule I fucking hate xmas music. In fact the only thing I really like about xmas is the huge lines of mouth breathers at Wal-Mart when I just want to buy Cottenelle adult wipes.

Photos: J Tillman, Pearly Gates Music & What Laura Says @ Modified 11/30/09

Damn fine evening of entertainment last night down at the old Modified Arts. What Laura Says put on a stripped down acoustic set re creating their sounds in some very interesting ways that I can't properly explain... so I won't, you just had to be there. Pearly Gates Music (Zach Tillman) was phenomenal and I wish I would have remembered to buy a copy of his EP before I left but I didn't have to pay the price. J Tillman was great as expected even if some of the full band songs seamed a little repetitive they were at least repeating something good, and with moxy! Check out some pictures below and the full set on our Flickr page HERE and I even added a bonus video of a J Tillman song that was performed at this very same show that I have not yet figured out the name too yet.

Today/Tonight in Phoenix: RIver Jones Pres "The Final Folk Fest" @ Modified

The last time we spoke was Wednesday and within an hour of that post I felt that familiar tickle in the back of my throat that lets you know that you are about to get hella fucking sick. And so it was... I was pretty much bed ridden from Wed afternoon till this morning, so if anything cool happened since then I am sorry for missing it. But today on the other hand is going to be awesome! My old friend River Jones is throwing another (and last) Folk Festival at Modified Arts today. You will be able to visually and aurally experience many many musical artists in their natural habitat. For you pleasure and convenience I have listed most of them all below. The whole shebang get's started and noon and goes till question marks and only costs $8, so assuming it goes till 8pm that is only $1 per hour, but if it ends at 1:22 I will feel cheated. 

What Laura Says
Courtney Andrews
The Pioneers of Prime Time Tv
You, Me, and Apollo
Michelle Blades
Tobie Millford
Steff Koeppen
Saddles
In Symmetry
Bradley and the Materials
Owl & Penny
Juliet Piper
Jake Greider
Poem

MODIFEST This Weekend!

Well as some or all or none of you may know Modifest is this weekend. What is Modifest you ask? It's three days of awesome local bands playing at the soon to be "different" Modified Arts all for charity.

This really is a "whos who" of the Phoenix scene. Every night is jam packed with tasty goodness and only costs $5 per night, even though they should have sold a 3 day pass for $12 or something to entice people to come all 3 nights, and if they don't....eff them, they already paid! But who the hell am I? (PS Kimber it's NOT to late!)

Here is a break down of all three night with fancy links to each bands Myspace page so you can hear more if you are unfamiliar:

Friday the Thirteenth
Black Carl
Treasure Mammal
Soft Drink
Liar's Handshake
Michelle Blades

Saturday the Fourteenth
What Laura Says
Matthew Reveles
Yellow Minute
Farewell Review
Stellaluna
So and So (No link could be found, please send one over if you can)

Sunday the Fifteenth
Dry River Yacht Club
The Whisperlights
Dust Jacket
Dakota Jeane and Sister Cities
You, Me and Apollo

What Laura Says Daytrotter Session

(photo: Jeff Ambrose)

Local favorites What Laura Says recently stopped by the Daytrotter studios to record a few tracks for the website. The Tempe band played a few tunes off of their album Thinks and Feels as well as a previously unreleased song, "I Suppose", which sounds fantastic. Take a listen below.


What Laura Says - "I Suppose"

I might be a bit biased, being that the band is a local favorite of mine, but this is definetely one of my favorite Daytrotter sessions in a while. Be sure to head on over to Daytrotter to check out the rest of the songs from What Laura Says.

Listen: What Laura Says - Daytrotter Session