If you Phantom fanatics out there can't wait until Christmastime to hear music of the night, please refrain from firing up your BitTorrent clients to catch a sneak preview of Joel Schumacher's adaptation of the world-renowned musical, that's all we ask of you. You can wait a few weeks, especially since the Queen Creek Performing Arts Center, 22149 East Ocotillo Road, will present The Best of Andrew Lloyd Webber on Saturday, November 20. This retrospective of the work of Lloyd Webber, who, in addition to The Phantom of the Opera, composed the music for such Broadway blockbusters as (the underrated) Jesus Christ Superstar, Cats, and Evita, will feature renditions of such Lloyd Webber standards as "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" and "I Don't Know How to Love Him" performed by vocalists Raymond Saar, Diane Ketchie and Valerie Perri, backed up by pianist Scott Harlan. The music of the night begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 to $25. Call 480-987-7469 or see www.qcpac.com. -- Benjamin Leatherman
Scary Tale
Drummer catches the offbeat
Tue 11/23
Besides banging the skins and working the mike as drummer and vocalist for the psychobilly trio the Toomstoners, "Scary Gary" Ammann has been promoting lineups of local fringe-rocking hepcats. Last month it was "Garage a Go-Go," a night of punk vixens and rockabilly freaks, while this month "Scary Gary" presents a slate of psychobilly sickos and ska superstars on Tuesday, November 23, at the Rhythm Room, 1019 East Indian School. Along with the Toomstoners, the bill includes Forbillstall, the Upsteady's, and Reverb From the Grave. Doors open at 9 p.m. Admission is $4. Call 602-265-4842. -- Benjamin Leatherman
Let the Healing Begin
Aftershock and awe
Sat 11/20
If you can't beat 'em, laugh at 'em. Nothing heals an overwhelmed electorate like some good political bashing, and who better to supply the jeers (although some would argue that most politicos do a pretty good job of it themselves) than the once-deemed "lesbian you want to take home to your parents"? Kate Clinton, the high-profile comedienne (she's appeared on enough talk shows to rival any book-touring politician), puts writing and acting projects aside to dish hot-off-the-press, intelligently derisive comedy where no subject is too sacred not to be scoff-worthy. So for all of you embittered limelight-lovers who still feel gypped out of visits by incumbents and candidates because you aren't living in a swing state, Clinton performs at the Scottsdale Center for the Arts, 7380 East Second Street, at 8 p.m. Saturday, November 20. Tickets are $34 and are available at 480-994-2787. -- Melinda Peer
