“Chaos Theory”
One night each year, Legend City Studios becomes the epicenter of the metro Phoenix art scene. It’s happened every First Friday in October for nearly two decades, thanks to a trio of artists who started the free “Chaos Theory” exhibition that’s become an annual must-see.
The show is named for a mathematical principle that says small changes can produce large effects. Today, “Chaos Theory” is organized by Randy Slack, who helped launch it. He chooses dozens of artists to participate, mixing up the roster just enough each year to keep people coming back for more.
Make your way to 521 West Van Buren Street anytime after 6 p.m. on Friday, October 6, to check it out. You’ll see works by some of Arizona’s best-known creatives, and get the chance to rub elbows with fellow art lovers, collectors, and creatives. Visit the Legend-City-Studios Facebook page. Lynn Trimble
During the annual Otsukimi Moonviewing Festival, the Japanese Friendship Garden of Phoenix highlights traditional Japanese music and dance.
Japanese Friendship Garden of Phoenix
In Japan in September, people observe the practice of
The event will be held Friday and Saturday, October 6 and 7, and features an array of things to do. The Phoenix Astronomical Society will lead a stargazing session. Throughout the garden, performers will showcase traditional Japanese dance and music, including the art of playing taiko drums, pipa guitar, Shakuhachi flute, and a stringed instrument called the koto.
The celebration also will have
Hours are 6 to 9 p.m. each night at 1125 North Third Avenue. For the general public, admission is $25 in advance and $30 at the entrance, and kids 3 to 12 get in for $5. Discounts are available for garden members. The tea ceremonies cost an extra $15 per person. For more information, visit the Japanese Friendship Garden website. Laura Latzko
Arizona Dance Festival
Why stay home with your reality TV dance competitions when you can experience the real thing? It’s nearly time for this year’s Arizona Dance Festival, a two-night affair that showcases work by emerging and established dancers from Phoenix, Tucson, Flagstaff, and other cities around the state. It kicks off at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, October 6, at Tempe Center for the Arts.
The opening night lineup features more than a dozen performances in styles that include ballet, contemporary, and modern dance — as well as flamenco, Indian dance, and swing. Companies with dancers performing Friday night include CONDER/dance, Desert Dance Theatre, and Movement Source. The festival is organized by Lisa Chow, artistic director for Desert Dance.
Saturday, October 7, features a whole other program. Both nights, there’s a post-performance discussion with dancers. Tickets are $20 for a single
Howie Mandel
It’s hard to picture Howie Mandel without hearing the words “Deal or No Deal,” the name of the NBC game show he hosted for several years. His career has been steeped in TV, from roles on the defunct hospital drama ER to a current stint as a judge on America’s Got Talent.
When he’s not busy appearing on television, Mandel hits the road — typically about 200 days a year — to entertain crowds with his energetic stand-up show. He takes his off-the-rails style through a range of subject matter.
Enjoy the comedic roller-coaster ride at 7:30 or 10 p.m. on Friday, October 6, at Stand Up Live, 50 West Jefferson Street. Admission for the 21-and-older show is $40; a two-drink minimum is required. Call 480-719-6100 or visit the Standup Live website. Amy Young
Retro Disneyland Slide Show
Someday, a bunch of you will die off, and things from the 1950s won’t be so blindingly popular. (Though Formica may be the indestructible cockroach of decor.) Until that day, there’s Charles Phoenix, a cheerful, disarming fella who sealed his fame by championing the
Shockingly, Phoenix isn’t from Phoenix, but he’ll visit us again Friday, October 6, to share his slides and “lecture” spotlighting the early days of The Happiest Place on Earth. See his Retro Disneyland Slide Show at Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 North Arizona Avenue, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $28 and $38 at 480-782-2680 or the Chandler Center for the Arts website. Julie Peterson
Creepy and crafty creatures will haunt the first-ever Monster Market this weekend in Tempe.
Victor Moreno
Fans of Halloween, it’s the month you’ve been waiting for. The scary season is in full swing, evidenced by the hordes of costumes, decorations, and other eerie ephemera for sale at shops across the Valley right now. If your tastes in Halloween gear are
The one-day event on Saturday, October 7, will feature dozens of local artisans, vendors, and crafty types selling their spooky wares,
Hours are 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. General admission is $20 per person, and VIP packages offering a variety of perks are $30 to $100. See the Monster Market website. Benjamin Leatherman
Phoenix Wine Festival
Fall has arrived, which means it’s time to get outside and drink wine. Bring your tolerance for alcohol and identification to the Phoenix Wine Festival, where the 21-and-older set can sample vintages from more than 50 wineries from around the world. Local food trucks, including Two Fat Guys Grilled Cheese, will be on hand — because you can’t have wine without a little cheese. Lawn games and live music will round out the festivities.
Take a sip from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 7, at Civic Space Park, 424 North Central Avenue. Tickets run from $55 to $65. For more information, visit the Uncorked website. Jason Keil
Monster Jam
For better or worse, there’s no shortage of entertainment outlets that celebrate machismo and masculinity in all its barbaric glory. But few can boast raw power equal to that of Monster Jam. Enormous
For a not-so-exaggerated parody of this, one might refer to the “
The Storrs Objection: Rights
?Matt Storrs is pretty passionate about being right. And his upcoming installment of The Storrs Objection takes that to the next level — by being right about rights.
The funnyman with a background in law hosts a recurring show in which he corrects fellow jokesters while they’re onstage. This month, Storrs and “co-counsel” Trejon Dunkley will cross-examine other comedians during The Storrs Objection: Rights. Comedians will take the stage to discuss current controversial topics, and Storrs and Dunkley will fact-check them during the set.
The crossfire comedy show goes down on Saturday, October 7, at Herberger Theater’s Kax Stage, 222 East Monroe Street. Admission for the event is $10. For more information, visit the Facebook event page. Lindsay Roberts
“You Can’t Go Home Again”
Brooklyn artist Charlie Welch is fascinated by the concept of home, in part because he moved a lot during childhood. “I was always the new kid, a stranger, or just strange,” Welch says in press materials. Two traits have long served him well: a powerful imagination and a knack for creating with whatever materials he can find.
See what Welch came up with when he decided to make architectural models of his many childhood homes, then photograph them as part of his larger body of work exploring identify formation and related themes.
Welch’s photos are featured in the free “You Can’t Go Home Again” exhibition at Shortcut Gallery inside Phoenix General, 5538 North Seventh Street, Suite 120. Sunday hours on October 8 are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Visit the Phoenix General website. Lynn Trimble
Chris Guillebeau
Need some extra dough? It might be time for you to put into action one of those money-making ideas swirling around in your head.
Author Chris Guillebeau shares tips in his book Side Hustle: From Idea to Income in 27 Days. Guillebeau also wrote the New York Times bestseller The $100 Startup, another guide to ways to make money while doing things you love.
Find out how to fill your penny jar when the author shares his latest at 3 p.m. on Sunday, October 8, at Changing Hands Bookstore, 300 West Camelback Road. Admission is $25, which gets you one copy of the book and entry for two people. Call 602-274-0067 or visit the Changing Hands website. Amy Young
