Untidy Secrets Storytelling
We’ve all done shit that we feel bad about. In plenty of cases, we’ve realized the errors of our ways and tried to remedy it with an apology. Then there’s the stuff we know we should feel bad
Hear what they’re unapologetic about from 8 to 10 p.m. at Ash Avenue Comics, 806 South Ash Avenue, in Tempe. Admission is free. Chairs are limited; feel free to bring your own. Visit the Facebook event page. Amy Young
Joel McHale
The Soup is gone, and Community was canceled, but Joel McHale remains as busy as ever. When he’s not guest-starring on various television shows, the actor and comedian
Last year, McHale made his first foray into publishing with his self-help memoir Thanks For The Money, written with the trademark snarky tone that made him such a draw on the stand-up circuit.
Phoenix somehow made McHale’s nice list this year, as he is closing out the last three nights of 2017 with a series of shows downtown at Stand Up Live.
The laughter begins at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, December 29, at 50 West Jefferson Street. Tickets are $35. For more information, visit the Stand Up Live website. Jason Keil
“Ravage 2099 Redux”
Imagine a world obsessed with sterility, where so-called polluters could be put to death. That’s the premise of a Marvel Comics series called Ravage 2099, created by writer Stan Lee and artist Paul Ryan. The 33-issue series launched in 1992. Now, 25 years later, it’s inspired an art exhibition called “Ravage 2099 Redux.”
See the free exhibition at The Hive art gallery, 2222 North 16th Street, during the opening reception from 7 to 10 p.m. on Friday, December 29. The show features work by eight artists who’ve collaborated to reimagine, rewrite, and redraw all 24 pages of Ravage 2099, #1. The pages will be displayed sequentially, so gallerygoers can experience the first account of Ravage 2099’s Orwellian world.
Participating artists are Brad Dwyer, Reset Survivor, Damon Begay, Denny Riccelli, Eric Mengel, Robin Holley, Adam Yeater, and Christopher Ness. The exhibition continues through Sunday, January 14. Visit the Hive website. Lynn Trimble
News junkies welcome.
Courtesy of Valley Bar
Revisiting the last 12 months might not be good for your mental state, but it could lead to fun and prizes. You and up to five of your news junkie friends can battle it out during Year in Review Trivia 2017 at Valley Bar. Teams will be asked 20 questions on topics including news, sports, and pop culture during the game night, which is also a benefit for Central Arizona Shelter Services (C.A.S.S.). The two groups with the most points will be awarded prizes, and so will the team that raises the most money for C.A.S.S.
Find the answers at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, December 29, at 130 North Central Avenue. Tickets are $35. For more information, visit the Valley Bar website. Jason Keil
Fiesta Bowl Parade
As if traffic on Central Avenue weren’t slow enough, once a year the city of Phoenix allows the Fiesta Bowl Parade down the pivotal thoroughfare that separates the streets from the avenues. Were it not for the Fiesta Bowl, a boon for the Valley’s economy that takes place during the holidays, the parade might just be a nuisance. But doldrums be damned, the annual event delights onlookers who relish the celebration. Maybe they’re onto something.
The Fiesta Bowl Parade rolls through central Phoenix on Saturday, December 30, beginning at 9 a.m. General admission is $10. Visit the Fiesta Bowl website or call 480-350-0911 for details. Rob Kroehler
It’s all in a day’s rumba for these members of Zoppé — an Italian Family Circus.
Courtesy of Chandler Center for the Arts
Wild animals perform in fewer circuses nowadays, and we, along with the animals, approve of that development. Zoppé an Italian Family Circus, a mainstay of Valley holidays, employs domestic horses and dogs, in case that matters to you, but
Join Zoppé in celebration of its 175th anniversary through Sunday, January 7, 2018, at 250 North Arizona Avenue in Chandler. (Look for the enormous tent on the Chandler Center for the Arts campus.) Saturday, December 30’s showtimes are 2 and 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 to $40 at the Chandler Center for the Arts website or 480-782-2680. There’s also a circus camp on-site next week for kids ages 8 to 13 — check the website. Julie Peterson
DJ Tristan Isuelt will be there.
Batwings Photography
The word “disco” typically conjures images of shimmery ’70s fashion and jerky, embarrassing dance moves.
If that sounds terrible to you, don’t worry, you won’t find any of that at the Haxan v Warlock, A Doomed Disco-tech dance party. This event will bring the glorious gloom.
From the tunes to the vibe, you can feed your
Guests are encouraged to “dress to raise the dead” for this shadowy soiree that starts at 9 p.m. on Saturday, December 30, at The Rebel Lounge, 2303 East Indian School Road. Admission is $5. Call 602-296-7013 or visit the Rebel Lounge website. Amy Young
Debra Berman- Montano
“Broken”
“Broken” is an evening filled with art, poetry, and performance curated by Helen Hestenes and dedicated to her sister, Karen, an Arizona artist who passed away in 1997. The Room of White Columns inside The Icehouse will feature work by late local artists who worked in photography, painting, and other media. The Cathedral Room will feature “Sarcophagus,” a sculpture by Helen Hestenes presented in conjunction with performance artist Mariana Riley.
Joining the event is Butoh Sonics, which was founded by sonic sculptor HexRAY and ritualist Eric Hodgins in 2015. The group, which includes rampaNT and Parker
“Broken” begins at 7 p.m. on Saturday, December 30, at 429 West Jackson Street. Admission is $40 and benefits The Glass Eye, a nonprofit campaign dedicated to suicide awareness.
For more information, visit the Ice House website. Jason Keil
Glow in the Park + Full Moon Drum Circle
Grab your glow sticks and go. That’s the simple mantra of Shakti Drummers, who will gather with community members on Sunday, December 31, for Glow in the Park + Full Moon Drum Circle. It’s an excuse to drum your little heart out, meet some new people, get a nature fix, and spend the early part of New Year’s Eve in an unconventional way.
The free gathering happens from 5:15 to 8 p.m. at the Tewa Ramada at North Mountain Park, 10608 North Seventh Street. Expect music, games, and spontaneous dance under the glow of the early evening desert sky. You can bring your own instruments and glow sticks, or borrow what you need when you get there. No pets, please. Visit the Facebook event page. Lynn Trimble
2018 Flannel Ball
Sure, you could waste a ton of cash to fly to New York City to see the ball drop in the super-crowded Times Square for New Year’s Eve. Or, you could go to the Roosevelt Row equivalent, the 2018 Flannel Ball.
Like any good kickback, the celebration will have live music by Snailmate and Exxxtra Crispy, as well as art, food trucks, beer, and, of course, flannels.
Party on from 9 p.m. until 2 a.m. on Sunday, December 31. Tickets are $15 at Eventbrite or $25 the day of the event. Lindsay Roberts
The Grid’s Nerdy New Year
Throw your Power Gloves in the air like you just don’t care, because the fine folks at The Grid: Games and Growlers in Mesa are putting on an 8-bit bacchanal for New
Instrumental heroes The Minibosses will shred epic game music covers, and nerdcore rapper Mega Ran will spit rhymes and drop beats as big as the Times Square New Year’s ball. Local weirdo Kawaii Robot Shark will also be there to help usher us into 2018 with some additional acts that have yet to be announced.
The festivities kick off at 7 p.m. on Sunday, December 31. Tickets are $10 at the door for this 21-and-over show. There will be a free champagne toast at midnight; all other beverages will be available for an additional cost. Visit the Facebook event page or call 480-621-8088. Ashley Nafutle
