On Cinco de Mayo, hundreds of metal fans ditched the crowded taco restaurants and cantinas to catch three budding metal acts and a band that has remained a staple on metal charts for nearly a quarter of a century. Returning to The Van Buren stage for its first Phoenix headlining gig in nearly half a decade, Atreyu was supported by Point North, Within Destruction and LYLVC.   LYLVC An hour after doors opened, six-piece rap-rock band LYLVC, pronounced Lilac, sprouted out from behind the curtain and quickly bloomed with its groovy sound. The band’s set was a bit brisk, clocking in at exactly ..read more

Modern English’s “I Melt with You” has been streamed more than 100 million times on Spotify and Apple Music — since 2015. Thousands of couples have been married to the new wave hit. There’s a rather unexpected person among that group.  “I got married last October, and I actually had the band play ‘I Melt with You’ at my wedding,” Modern English’s bassist/vocalist Mick Conroy says with a sly laugh. They were married in Upstate New York.  Fans can expect Modern English to perform “I Melt with You” Friday, May 26, at Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino in Chandler.  Arizona has beco ..read more

Ben Christo learned early on about the power of music.  His very first memory of it is wandering around a supermarket in Torquay, Devon, England, looking for his mother.  “I’m sure it happens to every kid,” Christo says. “I was walking around, trying to find my mum, but I wasn’t worried because I was singing ‘Frankie’ by Sister Sledge. “That very first memory is one where music is helping me to feel OK in a scary situation. So, from that point on, I was always really into music. I found that I gravitated toward any pop music that had a guitar in it, like Michael Jackson, Belinda Carl ..read more

Reggae legend Ziggy Marley just wants peace in the world. He’s going to do his part with a tour that stops at the Pure Imagination Festival on Saturday, May 20, in Prescott.  “I’m going to play music to unite the people,” he says. “I want music I’m doing to inspire the people. We need to bring more peace within society and change what’s going on in America. That’s what I plan to do for this summer tour — bring the message to the people.” The eclectic festival at Watson Lake also features Lucinda Williams, Los Lobos, Capital Cities, Allison Russell, Nappy Roots, Dirtwire, Ponderosa Grove ..read more

Playboy Manbaby frontman Robbie Pfeffer is no stranger to special events, having played several, including the inaugural Zona Fest at Hance Park in Downtown Phoenix, and curating the PHX FMLY Festival in 2012 and 2013.  “In 2012 and 2013, a friend and I put together this thing called PHX FMLY Fest, which had more than 20 bands on a bunch of different stages, and it was very do-it-yourself,” Pfeffer recalls. “We had no permits; it was not real venues along Fifth Street, and I’d never done anything like that.”  However, he couldn’t stop thinking about the magic he created. Now a decade ..read more

North Phoenix/Scottsdale’s Duelies Sports Bar and Grill is crowd interaction at its finest.  Dueling pianists perform alongside guests, who join the musicians at their instruments, while others gather around and sing, dance or start a conga line around the three-month-old venue.   Housed near Harkins Theatres Scottsdale 101, Duelies is an upscale sports bar with live music and has garnered great reviews. Patrons have learned about it from word of mouth. The space is owned by Ross Paterson, a real estate developer and a native of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He had owned resta ..read more

“Star Wars” Trivia MAY 4 “May the Fourth be with you” at this special trivia event celebrating one of sci-fi’s most iconic and enduring franchises. Walter Station Brewery will test fans’ knowledge of all things “Star Wars,” from the main episodes to spinoffs like “Rogue One” and “Solo.” RSVP online. Walter Station Brewery, 4056 E. Washington Street, Phoenix, 602-368-8402, maythe4thwsb050423.eventbrite.com, 6 p.m., free admission   “Chasing Light” Art Show First Friday Reception MAY 5 Amanda Adkins and Cindy Brower’s “Chasing Light” art show — on display from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday throug ..read more

Old Town Tavern has become known for its affordable drinks and stellar entertainment, seeing acts like the Black Moods, Mark Zubia and Ivan Harshman hit the stage. Now, owner Paul Mitchell has opened the adjacent The Back Door Lounge for those quieter moments.  “If it’s too crowded or noisy at Old Town Tavern, I’ll recommend they stop in and take a look at The Back Door Lounge,” Mitchell says. “About 90% of them end up staying.” Overlooking the Civic Center Mall, the upscale Back Door Lounge boasts a selection of cocktails, Manhattans, martinis and wines.  It offers snacks, too, like ..read more

Opened in January, Buck & Rider is already attracting a wide variety of seafood lovers to its new North Phoenix location. The 10,000-square-foot restaurant in The Shops at Chauncey Ranch, 7015 E. Mayo Boulevard at Scottsdale Road, doubles the size of the original Camelback location, which opened in 2015 in Arcadia. The restaurant offers an extensive selection of fresh seafood, including oysters and mussels, scallops, lobster, Alaskan king crab, Louisiana blue crab and fish from around the world as well as Midwestern USDA-certified aged Angus beef. This menu is similar to the one on Camelba ..read more

The Spot at Arcadia owner Scott Hibler is a champion of good customer service. He’ll pay for kids to play video games in his family-friendly sports bar, while the staff serves cotton candy to them. Hibler installed a “kids cam” in the arcade so parents can keep an eye on their children via televisions in the dining room while they enjoy the menu.  “When guests come in here, I want them to feel like they’re walking into a different world,” Hibler says.  “When people sit down at a table, I want them to be welcomed by my staff. ‘Thank you for coming in. What games can I get you? Is ther ..read more