november 23
Turkey Trot 10K: Organizers bill the traditional Thanksgiving Day run as the oldest annual 10K in Arizona. This year's event also includes a two-mile fun run and a one-mile fitness walk; they both step off at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, with the Trot following at 9. The scene is Fitch Park, 651 North Center in Mesa. Prizes, including turkeys, will be awarded. Registration fee is $13; proceeds benefit local charities. Call 644-2351.
Valley Art Theatre: Director Jiri Weiss' Martha & I (unrated) concludes Thursday at the cinema, 509 South Mill in Tempe. Now &Then: FitzPatrick Traveltalks (unrated), a collection of nine one-reel travel films from the 1930s by MGM writer-producer-director James A. FitzPatrick, opens Friday. The late filmmaker's son, Kelly FitzPatrick, will be on hand to introduce the compilation, which isscreened at 7 p.m. Friday and 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Meet the Feebles (unrated), the first film by director Peter Jackson (Heavenly Creatures, Dead Alive), also opens Friday. Pink Floyd--The Wall (R) screens atmidnight Friday, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show (R) plays at midnight Saturday. For more information, call 829-6668.
Phoenix Roadrunners: Arizona's International Hockey Leaguers host the Peoria Rivermen at 7 Thanksgiving night and the Los Angeles Ice Dogs at 7 p.m. Saturday at Veterans' Memorial Coliseum, 19th Avenue and McDowell. Tickets range from $10 to $19, available at the the coliseum and all Ticketmaster outlets. For details call 340-0001, 258-6711 or 784-4444.
friday
november 24
Cities of Lights: Holiday lighting ceremonies are planned in Glendale, Scottsdale, Mesa and Litchfield Park Friday. The "Glendale Glitters" display features about 500,000 bulbs scattered throughout Murphy Park, 58th Avenue and Glendale; it's unveiled at a free festival scheduled for 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, and continues on view at the same time nightly, through January 31, 1996. Special "gala" nights, featuring shopping, livemusic by the Rockin' Santas and more, are planned at the same time Thursdays through Saturdays, through December 23; call 930-2299. Scottsdale's seasonal kickoff, "Holiday Harmony," begins at 7 p.m. Friday with a caroling procession that starts at Scottsdale Stadium, 7408 East Osborn, andends at Scottsdale Civic Center Mall, Civic Center Boulevard between Second Street and Indian School. The free event culminates with the lighting of the city's 35foot-tall tree and its 100,000-bulb-strong exhibition, both which remain on view nightly, through December 31; call 994-2414. Over in Mesa, designated switch-flipper FifeSymington does his thing at 7 p.m. Friday, illuminating the 500,000-light "Temple Garden Christmas 1995," sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The display, located on the grounds at the Arizona Temple, 525 East Main, remains on view from 5:30 to 10 nightly, through December 31. Admission is free; call 964-7164. For information about the "Wild Winter Nights" display at Litchfield Park's Wildlife World Zoo, see "'Tis the Season" in Kid Pics. For details about lighting ceremonies in Phoenix and Tempe, see Saturday.
Phoenix Symphony's All-Russian Classics Concerts: Hermann Michael makes his debut as the orchestra's principal guest conductor and cellist Daniel Gaisford is the featured artist in these concerts, scheduled for 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Symphony Hall, 225 East Adams. The program includes Rimsky-Korsakov's Russian Easter Overture, Opus 36, and two works by Tchaikovsky: "Variations on a Rococo Theme," Opus 33; and Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Opus 36. Tickets range from $12 to $36, available at the symphony box office and all Dillard's locations. For details call 264-6363, 262-7272 or 678-2222.
ASU Sun Devils Versus UofA Wildcats: With a potential bowl bid hanging in the balance, Bruce Snyder's Devils battle their archenemies, Tucson's 'cats, for pigskin supremacy at 4 p.m. Friday at Sun Devil Stadium inTempe. For ticket information, call Sun Devil Sports Box Office at 965-2381 or Dillard's at 678-2222.
saturday
november 25
APS Fiesta of Light and Downtown Holiday Tree Tour: City of Phoenix's free holiday hoe-down begins at 4 p.m. Saturday at Phoenix Civic Plaza, Second Street and Adams. "Parada de Luminarias," a lighted procession through the downtown area, starts at 5:30 at the north end of Symphony Hall Terrace; each torch costs $3, and proceeds benefit American Cancer Society. Mayor Skip Rimsza lights the city's 194-foot-tall tree and its bright new display at 6, and the Fiesta concludes with fireworks at 11. The free, self-guided Tree Tour also begins Saturday, and includes stops at Arizona Center (see "City Lights" in Events), Bank One Center, Orpheum Theatre and Heritage Square. The display and thetour continue nightly, through January 1, 1996. For more information or a free tour brochure, call 534-3378 or 254-8696.
Tempe's Fantasy of Lights: A free festival marking the beginning of this second annual display is planned for 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday at Centerpoint, Mill and University; it includes Kriss Kringle's Market, live music, a parade, fireworks and more. At 6:30, Mayor Neil Giuliano lights the city's tree and display; the latter remains on view nightly, through January 29, 1996. Call 894-8158.
Village People: The macho, macho men are back, but did they ever truly go away? Did disco die, or was it just hibernating? And what happened to all of those mirror balls, anyway? Get the answers to these and other pressing questions when Village People take the stage Saturday at Party Gardens, 5555 East Van Buren; see the story on page 94. Boogie Knights share the bill. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20, available at the club and Dillard's. Call 231-0488 or 678-2222.
Phoenix Suns: Charles Barkley and company host the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday and the Utah Jazz on Tuesday at America West Arena, First Street and Jefferson; both games tip off at 7 p.m. Call 379-7867.
Paul Winter Consort: Phoenix Boys Choir joins soprano saxophonist Winter--who was incorporating whalespeak into his music long before the term "New Age" was coined--and crew in a seasonal celebration on Saturday at Scottsdale Center for the Arts, 7380 East Second Street. Showtimes are 5and 8 p.m. Tickets are $18 and $22, available at the center and Ticketmaster. Call 994-2787 or 784-4444.
ASU Sun Devils Basketball: Bill Frieder's Arizona State University cagers open the regular season Saturday with a game against Texas Southern, then host Southern Utah on Tuesday. Both games tip off at 7 p.m. at ASU Activity Center in Tempe. Call 965-3434.
Natalie Merchant: The concert by the former 10,000 Maniacs vocalist, scheduled for November 21, has been rescheduled for 7p.m. Saturday at Mesa Amphitheatre, Center and University. Tickets are $21 in advance, $22 the day of the show, available at Dillard's; all tickets purchased for the original show will be honored. Call 644-2560 or 678-2222.
sunday
november 26
Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories: Dallas native Loeb moved back East to attend college, and she cut her alterna-folk teeth in Greenwich Village. Her friendship with Ethan Hawke resulted in the placement of her song "Stay (I Missed You)" over the closing credits of his film Reality Bites, and the sweetheart break sent the tune careening to the top of the charts, making Loeb the first unsigned artist ever to hit No.1 on the Billboard chart. Needless to say, she's signed now. Touring in support of their Geffen debut, Tails (see the review on page 98), Loeb and her band, named after the J.D. Salinger collection, perform Sunday at the Rockin' Horse, 7000 East Indian School in Scottsdale. Once Blue opens at 8 p.m. Tickets are available at the scene and Ticketmaster. For details call 949-0992 or 784-4444.
Arizona Cardinals: Buddy Ryan's birds host the Falcons from Atlanta at 2 p.m. Sunday atSun Devil Stadium in Tempe. Tickets are $29, $39 and $54, available at Dillard's. For details call 379-0102 or 678-2222.
El Vez: The King, still dizzy from the exchange of vows between the Presley princess and theGloved One from Gary, Indiana, makes another revolution in his coffin whenever ElVez, the self-proclaimed "Bowie of Elvis impersonators," takes the stage. The purported love child of Elvis and Charo, "El Rey de Rock 'n' Roll" (real name: Robert Lopez) isbacked by the Memphis Mariachis and theEl Vettes: Priscillita, Gladysita, Lisa Maria and Que Linda Thompson. The repertoire includes sleazed-up covers of "How Great Thou Art," "Blue Suede Shoes" ("Huaraches Azules") and "In the Ghetto" ("En el Barrio") and stultifying stylistic tributes like "Maria's the Name (of His Latest Flame)," "Lordy Miss Lupe" and "Never Been to Spain" ("I've never been to Spain/So don't call me a Hispanic"). The guy can't sing a lick, but he's got the King down cold--pun intended. El Vez and company perform their special Christmas show on Sunday at the Rhythm Room, 1019 East Indian School. Elgin opens at 9 p.m. Cover is $6. For details call 265-4842.
monday
november 27
Jim Rose Circus: Rose, Mr. Lifto, the Enigma, the Armenian Rubberman and the rest of this bizarro collective perform feats of daring and stupidity--chain-saw football, body piercing, something they call "bed of nailing"--that would make P.T.Barnum blanch; see the story on page 93. The band Hovercraft opens the all-ages show, which starts at 9 p.m. Monday at Electric Ballroom, 1216 East Apache in Tempe. Tickets are $13, available at the scene and Ticketmaster. For details call 894-0707 or 784-4444.
Festival of Trees: Because of Phoenix Art Museum's ongoing expansion, PAM has moved its 27th annual show and sale of donated trees, wreaths, garlands, centerpieces, ornaments and other holiday staples to the pavilion at Arizona Biltmore, 24th Street and Missouri. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday and Tuesday. Admission is $3, $1 for children ages 6 to 12, free for kids age 5 and under; proceeds benefit Arizona Biltmore Children's Charities and the museum. For details call 257-1880.
tuesday
november 28
Carolyn Wonderland and the Imperial Monkeys: A newspaper in this band's hometown of Houston labeled 22-year-old Wonderland the illegitimate offspring of Tinkerbell and Joe Cocker. She is kind of a spastic fairy, in the best way possible. The blues/surf quartet's Big Mo debut, Play With Matches, features a white-hot cover of Robert Ward's "Comfort Table" and a cameo by Mark Wenner of the Nighthawks. Showtime is 9p.m. Tuesday at the Rhythm Room, 1019 East Indian School. Admission is $2. Call 265-4842.
Jeffrey Siegel's "Virtuoso Variations": The pianist was supposed to kick off his 17th annual "Keyboard Conversations" series on November 7 with this program, but a death in the family forced him to reschedule it for 8 p.m. Tuesday at Scottsdale Center for the Arts, 7380 East Second Street. Siegel performs and discusses Beethoven's Variations on the Turkish March (from "The Ruins of Athens"); Rachmaninoff's Variations on a Theme by Corelli, Opus 42; Chopin's Variations on "The Swiss Lad"; and Dutilleux's Chorale and Variations (1948). Tickets are $20, available at the center and Ticketmaster. Call 994-2787.
wednesday
november 29
The Turn of the Screw: Arizona State University's Lyric Opera Theatre continues its season with Benjamin Britten's opera, based on Henry James' ghost story. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at ASU Music Theatre, Mill and Gammage Parkway in Tempe. More performances are planned at the same time December 1 and 2. Tickets are $11, $8.50 for ASU faculty and staff, $6 for students and seniors, available at ASU and Dillard's box offices. Call 965-6447 or 678-2222.
Steve Allen: The vintage funnyman and songsmith, host of The Tonight Show in its earliest incarnation (when it was titled Tonight), performs a rare local gig on Wednesday atthe Improvisation, Rural and University (at Cornerstone mall) in Tempe. Showtimes are 7 and 9 p.m. Tickets are $10, $15 and $20. For details call 921-9877.
James McMurtry: The son of novelist Larry McMurtry is a highly literate writer of songs. He kind of croaks 'em out, à la John Prine--it would be an insult to steel wool to compare James' voice to the cleaning pad--but, like Prine, his creations are always worthy, and occasionally brilliant. Showtime is 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Rockin' Horse, 7000 East Indian School in Scottsdale. Tickets are available at the scene and Ticketmaster. For details call 949-0992 or 784-4444.
