Hair
People grow up idealistic and brave. Then they become cautious, inflexible despots, oppressing the next generation in turn. Young adulthood endures enough without old white men sending them to be killed by the thousands in some war. We can’t even.
In that spirit, 1968 saw the premiere of Hair, a.k.a. Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical. The original production paved the way for multiple musical genres and styles to flourish on stage. Hits from the score include “Aquarius” and “Easy to Be Hard.”
Arizona Broadway Theatre revives the psychedelic resistance through Sunday, March 25.
On Thursday, March 1, seating starts at 5:30 p.m. for a 7:30 showtime at 7701 West Paradise Lane in Peoria. Ticket prices, which may increase with demand, start at $76 at press time, including dinner. (Non-dining seats are also available.) Some adult stuff goes on in the play, so be advised. Call 623-776-8400 or visit the Arizona Broadway Theatre website. Julie Peterson
Michael Blackson
Comedian Michael Blackson’s Twitter game is strong. Whether commenting on Kevin Hart’s post-Super Bowl antics or discussing Blac Chyna’s sex tape, he makes a point to continuously fan the pop culture flames with hilariously brutal barbs.
Blackson started performing stand-up comedy in Pennsylvania in the early ’90s, eventually making his way to L.A. One night, Ice Cube caught Blackson’s set at the Comedy Store and offered the up-and-comer an audition for Next Friday. He landed a part in the
Sharp dress meets sharp wit when Blackson takes the stage at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 1, at Stand Up Live, 50 West Jefferson Street. Admission is $35 for guests 21 and older, $45 for VIP. Attendance requires a two-drink minimum. Two more shows happen on Friday, March 2. Call 480-719-6100 or visit the Stand Up Live website. Amy Young
“Toy”
For Beth Tom, art is as much about the experience of creating as the finished product. For her upcoming show “Toy,” the mixed-media artist experimented with different styles and used found objects to create new pieces.
The one-night-only exhibition will run from 7 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, March 1. Much of the work in the exhibition features a childlike element or pays homage to childhood in some way. The artist incorporated keepsake items such as old ticket stubs, cards, drawings, letters, CD covers, and sheet music into her work and reused old paintings, canvases, fabric, pieces of wood, and paints.
The free solo show will take place at Megaphone PHX, 4700 North Central Avenue, #112. For more information, go to the Megaphone Phoenix Facebook page. Laura Latzko
The Gila Junior All-Stars played for massive, rabid crowds during WWII. While they lived in an internment camp.
Bill Staples Jr./Nisei Baseball Research Project
We’re guessing you don’t remember firsthand when a World War II Japanese-American internment camp turned Gila Bend into Arizona’s third-largest city. Or that prisoner Kenichi Zenimura spearheaded an effort to construct a baseball field and build a 32-team league, knowing that hitting the road and playing together would raise morale and awareness and foster goodwill between Japanese and white Americans. And it did.
Sports historian Bill Staples Jr., author of Kenichi Zenimura, Japanese American Baseball Pioneer, will speak on “The Legacy of Japanese American Baseball,” including but not limited to Gila Bend, on Thursday, March 1, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Scottsdale Civic Center Library, 3839 North Drinkwater Boulevard. The event’s free, but it’s suggested you RSVP at the Scottsdale Performing Arts website. Call 480-312-7323 for more info. Julie Peterson
Wild Wild West Steampunk Convention
Robots and dinosaurs are taking over Old Tucson, 201 South Kinney Road, as the Wild Wild West Steampunk Convention
Now in its seventh year, the convention features a variety of panels on costuming and character creation, make-and-take crafts, burlesque and fashion shows, and, of course, a thrilling round of tipsy tea dueling.
The climax, however, will be a Saturday night concert
The convention opens on Thursday, March 1, with a meet-and-greet at the Doubletree Airport Tucson, 7051 South Tucson Boulevard, but the main programming runs from Friday through Sunday, March 2 through 4. Passes range in cost from $30 to $200, and some events may require additional tickets or fees. Visit the Wild West Convention website for more information. Michael Senft
Full Moon Festival
When it comes to the first Friday of the month, the festivities along Roosevelt Row aren’t the only art-filled action happening in Phoenix that night. There’s also the Full Moon Festival, which also offers a mix of art, music, and social rites, albeit with more of an underground feel.
This month’s edition of the festival takes place on Friday, March 2, and celebrates the coming of the worm moon. The eight-hour event will fill the District 8 Warehouse, 320 South 25th Street, with local artists, live performances, and vendors. The band lineup will include gigs by Fairy Bones and Jeremiah Christo while the DJ lineup will offer sets by Korey Wade, Nasty Humanz, Grackle Beats, and Uncanny Valley.
The festival runs from 8:08 p.m. until 3:33 a.m. Costumes reflecting the “magic and majesty of the moon” are encouraged, and the event is for the 18-and-over crowd only. Admission is $15. See Festival Facebook page for more details. Benjamin Leatherman
Phoenix Suns v. Oklahoma City Thunder
It’s no secret that the Phoenix Suns aren’t having the best season. Less than 20 wins and more than 40 losses are where things stand as of this writing. They probably won’t take a championship title this go-around, but they still have 20 games to redeem themselves with some victories. The Oklahoma City Thunder’s March 2 visit is one opportunity. The team surpasses the Suns in wins, having 33 of them so far.
This battle’s buzzer sounds at 7 p.m. on Friday at Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 East Jefferson Street. Tickets start at $21. Visit the Ticketmaster website. Amy Young
Phoenix Chorale
The Phoenix Chorale is bringing the music of Scandinavia to the Valley with their latest offering, Nordic Songs. Guest conductor Joshua Habermann will bring together traditional Norwegian folk music with dance tunes that may conjure up images of the Muppets’ Swedish Chef.
There are two performances. One is at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, March 2, at American Lutheran Church, 17299 Del Webb Boulevard in Sun City. The other is Saturday, March 3, at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, 100 West Roosevelt Street. An additional performance begins at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 4, at Camelback Bible Church, 3900 East Stanford Drive in Paradise Valley. Tickets are $35 for adults with various pricing for students, seniors, and military. For more information, visit the Phoenix Chorale website. Jason Keil
Thomas "Breeze" Marcus painting (detail) reflecting traditional basketry patterns.
Courtesy of Royse Contemporary
Two artists with indigenous roots are revealing important steps in their own journeys, with an exhibition of new work in Scottsdale.
“If These Walls…” features work by Thomas “Breeze” Marcus and Douglas Miles. They’re well-known for creating murals and work that reflects Native American life both present and past. Marcus hails from the Tohono O’odham tribe and grew up
Marcus’ artwork references traditional basketry patterns, and Miles’ artwork incorporates skateboard culture. See their work at Royse Contemporary, 7077 East Main Street, #6, on Saturday, March 3. The free exhibition continues through Saturday, March 31. Visit the Royse Contemporary website. Lynn Trimble
First Encounters DJ Competition
Want to get noticed in the DJ world? It takes a little more than just a killer mix, yo. Just ask any of the contestants participating in this weekend’s First Encounters DJ Competition at the Monarch Theatre, 122 East Washington Street.
Competitors in the DJ battle — which takes place on Saturday, March 3 — are hoping to get a big break in the beat-slinging business and will attempt to earn themselves some honor, glory, and the chance to perform a killer gig. They’ll be judged on their technical prowess on the mixers, as well as their abilities at track selection, showmanship, bringing in a crowd, and getting the place jumping.
At stake is an opening slot at next month’s Phoenix Lights electronic dance music festival in Chandler, as well as the chance to grab the spotlight.
Doors open at 9 p.m. and the event is 18 and over. Admission is $10. See the Relentless Beats website. Benjamin Leatherman
Dancing with the Stars: Live! Light Up the Night
Feed your obsession with the TV show that’s had us hooked for 25 seasons at Dancing with the Stars: Live! Light Up the Night. Get up close and personal for a lineup of your glitzy and glittery faves as they leap and glide.
The mix of performers includes Jenna Johnson and Val Chmerkovskiy, co-stars who are now romantically linked. Special guest stars are Jordan Fisher and Frankie Muniz. Fisher is a singer and actor who’s appeared on shows like Secret Life of the American Teenager. Muniz is a Scottsdale resident who is best known for his years on Malcolm in the Middle.
Twirl time is 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 3, at Comerica Theatre, 400 West Washington Street. Tickets start at $45. VIP packages are available. Call 602-379-2800 or visit the Comerica Theatre website. Amy Young
Please Send Nudes
Before waving goodbye to Vine, the app that allowed users to share six-second videos, we got to watch repeatedly the “send nudes” video that went viral for its hilarious and creatively unsubtle ways of asking to see someone’s junk. Phoenix comedians Mike Enders and Charles Engle have one-upped the six-second platform with their “mastermind” podcast Please Send Nudes.
On Saturday, March 3, the comedic duo will discuss topics that include dating advice and personal life stories for a live podcast episode at Valley Bar, 130 North Central Avenue. Doors to the 21-and-over event open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 day of. For more information and tickets, visit the Valley Bar website. Melina Zuñiga
Morning Bird Walk
Wanna learn more about birdwatching? Set your alarm early for the weekend and visit volunteer Joe Willy and other birders of various skill levels at the Nina Mason Pulliam Rio Salado Audubon Center for the Saturday Morning Bird Walk.
For an hour, they’ll guide you through the habitat and teach you how to spot the winged creatures along the Salt River. If you don’t have binoculars or a field guide, do not fret. There are plenty you can borrow at the facility.
Be on the lookout starting at 8 a.m. on Saturday, March 3, at 3131 South Central Avenue. This event takes place rain or shine. Admission is free. For more information, visit the Rio Salado Audubon Center website. Jason Keil
Phoenix Scottish Games
The Scottish are what you’d call a badass people. They’ve withstood centuries of English rule, live in harsh conditions in the far-flung reaches of the British Isles, consume the parts of animals no one else would dare touch, and wear skirts with pride.
Oh yeah, and their traditional pastimes involve toting around boulders and telephone poles for fun. Don’t believe us? See for yourself at the Phoenix Scottish Games this weekend at Steele Indian School Park, 300 East Indian School Road. The annual two-day event, which will run from Saturday, March 3, to Sunday, March 4, will feature such heavy-duty athletic contests as the hammer throw, tug-of-war, and the caber toss (where competitors toss the aforementioned telephone poles).
A variety of traditional and cultural activities, including performances by pipe and drum bands and traditional highland dancers, are also planned.
The games begin at 9 a.m. each day. Admission is $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and military, $5 for children 6 to 12, and free for kids 5 and younger. See the Arizona Scots website. Benjamin Leatherman
Iris van Herpen, Refinery Smoke, Dress, July 2008. Untreated woven metal gauze and cow leather. Groninger Museum.
Photo by Bart Oomes, No 6 Studios
Now’s the time to haul out your far-out fashion, because Phoenix Art Museum, 1625 North Central Avenue, is showing work by Dutch designer Iris van Herpen.
Performers including Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, and Bjork have worn designs by the avant-garde creative, who’s known to make garments using materials like faux leather, gold foil, and tulle, with technology including 3-D printers.
“Iris van Herpen: Transforming Fashion” surveys 15 of the famed designer’s collections. Linger over her artistry from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 4, as you take note of ensemble titles like Radiation Invasion. Tickets are $23 for adults, which includes museum admission. The exhibition continues through Sunday, May 13. Visit the Phoenix Art Museum website. Lynn Trimble
The Nile Record Swap
Digital music, games, or memes
In the past, vendors have had one-of-a-kind finds such as wrestling figurines from the 1990s and 2000s. During the sale, DJ My God Complex will spin music, and the Nile’s coffee shop will be open for business.
The free event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 105 West Main Street. For more information, go to the Facebook event page. Laura Latzko
Cheap Food and Sex
Film titles are weird. If we can remember them at all, they seem designed to confuse us into staying away.
(Current examples: Annihilation, Beast of Burden, Flower, Journey’s End.) But plays often have more satisfying, alluring names, like Cheap Food and Sex, a new script by Micki Shelton and Colin Druce-McFadden, which gives us warm fuzzies. Even if we can’t literally snack and smash in the theater, it’s fun to think about.
The show features two adults and their parents trying to get along in the context of offbeat self-healing practices in the desert. Ultimately, they learn to laugh. So will you, at a free reading Monday, March 5, at Theatre Artists Studio, 4848 East Cactus Road. Showtime is 7 p.m. Visit the Studio Phoenix website or call 602-765-0120. Julie Peterson
Sips ’N Screens: Space Jam
We know Michael Jordan for his skills on the basketball court and coveted namesake sneakers. But we all can agree that Jordan’s greatest accomplishment was appearing in the magnum opus of the ’90s that is Space Jam. Right?
Watch the film with adult beverages and plenty of snacks, when Arizona Science Center hosts a screening on as part of its Sips ’N Screens series on Monday, March 5. Doors open at 6 p.m. at 600 West Washington Street, and the movie begins at 7. Admission is $5. For more information, visit the Facebook event page. ?Lindsay Roberts
Spring Butterfly Exhibit
The prime destination for ogling desert beauty gets even prettier with the Spring Butterfly Exhibit. Visit the Butterfly Pavilion at Desert Botanical Garden for up-close looks at different types of butterflies, including zebra longwings and painted ladies. See hungry caterpillars in action at a special nursery. The emergence chamber allows you to see butterflies freeing themselves
Merge with nature from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 6, at 1201 North Galvin Parkway. The exhibit is open through Sunday, May 13, and access is included with general admission, which ranges from $12.95 to $24.95 and is free for children under 3. Call 480-941-1225 or visit the Desert Botanical Garden website. Amy Young
Sophie Gimbel Dress from the collection of Dorothy McGuire of the McGuire sisters.
Model: Ford RBA. Photographer: Kelly Cappelli
Visit Vision Gallery, 10 East Chicago Street in Chandler, to explore how the movie industry has influenced fashion and design in a new exhibition called “Hollywood in the Desert.”
It’s curated by Robert Black, founder of the international model and talent agency Ford Robert Black Agency, and proprietor (with Doreen Picerne) of the Fashion by Robert Black boutique in Scottsdale.
The free exhibition pays homage to designers including Adrian, Helen Rose, Bill Travilla, and Bob Mackie. The opening reception takes place on Wednesday, March 7, from 6 to 9 p.m. “Hollywood in the Desert” runs through Friday, April 6. Visit the Vision Gallery website. Lynn Trimble
Christopher Rice
Christopher Rice can usually be seen signing with his mom, the vampire queen herself, Anne Rice. But when he visits the Poisoned Pen, 4014 North Goldwater Boulevard in Scottsdale, Rice will be alone, showcasing his latest thriller, Bone Music.
The novel follows Charlotte Rowe, who’s kidnapped by a pair of serial killers. After escaping, she exacts revenge on her captors, using superhuman powers imbued when she is unwittingly experimented on.
Bone Music kicks off Rice’s “Burning Girl” series, and he’ll sign and discuss it at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 7. Hardcover copies are available for $24.95. For more information, call 480-947-2974 or visit the Poisoned Pen website. Michael Senft
