august 8
Jimmy Eat World: And the world--or, at least, our little corner of it--apparently likes the taste of Jimmy. "Flying off the shelves" may be an exaggeration regarding the status of the Valley alterna-pop band's major-label debut, Static Prevails (Capitol), but "moving briskly" seems fair; see the story on page 92. The group is scheduled to perform at a free CD-release party on Thursday, August 8, at Nile Theater, 105 West Main in Mesa. Automatic 7, and Aquanaut Drinks Coffee share the bill. The all-ages show starts at 8 p.m. For details call 649-2766.
The Grapes of Wrath: Frank Galati won a Tony Award for his adaptation of John Steinbeck's landmark novel about the Joad family's flight from the Dust Bowl's devastation to the broken promise of golden California, land of milk, honey and barbarism. The Phoenix-based Actors Group presents Galati's take on Grapes in Center Stage at Herberger Theater Center, 222 East Monroe. This week's performances are at 8 p.m. Thursday, August 8; 8 p.m. Friday, August 9; 8 p.m. Saturday, August 10; and 2 p.m. Sunday, August 11. The production continues through Sunday, August 18. Tickets are $16.25. For reservations and details, call 252-8497.
Israel Vibration: The three steady-rockin' vocalists in this roots-reggae group--Cecil "Skelly" Spence, Albert "Apple" Craig and Lascelle "Wiss" Bulgin--met at Jamaica's Mona Rehabilitation Center, where each of the polio victims was placed by his family. United by the healing power of music and fueled by the Rastafarian faith, Israel Vibration released a number of classic sides between 1976 and 1983, when the three musicians split, opting for solo careers. RAS Records prez Doctor Dread brokered a harmonic reconvergence in '89, and the trio's been kicking out the lights ever since. Touring behind its latest RAS disc, On the Rock, the Vibe performs on Thursday, August 8, at Electric Ballroom, 1216 East Apache in Tempe. Roots Radics, and Motherland Soul share the all-ages bill. Showtime is 8 p.m. Tickets are $17, available at the scene and Mesa's Rasta Tings Reggae Shop. For details call 894-0707 or 461-8305.
Culture Clash: The standup comedian has evolved into a lone wolf, but the Chicano funnymen in the Culture Clash collective--Richard Montoya, Ricardo Salinas and Herbert Siguenza--continue to run in a pack, and their strength-in-numbers approach has emboldened them. True to its name, the trio boasts one of the comedy circuit's strongest sociopolitical agendas. Culture Clash performs at 8 p.m. Thursday, August 8; 8 and 10 p.m. Friday, August 9; 8 and 10 p.m. Saturday, August 10; and 8 p.m. Sunday, August 11, at the Improvisation, Rural and University (at Cornerstone mall) in Tempe. Tickets are $10 and $12. For details call 921-9877.
Friends of Dean Martinez: The Tucson combo comprises five current or former members of sand-core groups Giant Sand and Naked Prey, and the band's signed to Sub Pop, so you'd expect its backward-leaning originals and its covers of lounge-era standards like "Misty" and "I Wish You Love" to be vicious, cheesy or both. You'd be wrong. The group restricts the satire to its title, which was Friends of Dean Martin until Dino's lawyers had their say. The Friends' music is, for the most part, languid and lovely. Touring in support of its full-length debut, The Shadow of Your Smile, Dean Martinez performs two Valley shows on Thursday, August 8. The first is a free in-store at 5 p.m. at Zia Record Exchange, 105 West University in Tempe (call 829-1967). The second, which also features Quebec's campy Minstrels, and the Valley's Suicide Kings, follows at 9 at the Rhythm Room, 1019 East Indian School; the cover is $6.50 (call 265-4842).
friday
august 9
Sovory: The San Francisco-born, L.A.-based singer/songwriter (his name is pronounced "Suh-vor-ee") is reminiscent of Seal backed by, say, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter. The son of Seventh-day Adventists, young Sovory was fed a strict diet of classics--the symphony, the ballet--and largely banned from partaking in "low" (read: pop) culture. The childhood experience might have left emotional scars, but it's paid off artistically; the big-voiced singer now lives and breathes pop, but his brand sports a distinctive, soulful edge. Hyping his self-titled Polydor debut, Sovory performs a free show on Friday, August 9, at Gibson's, 410 South Mill in Tempe. Showtime is 9:30 p.m. For details call 967-1234.
Culture Clash: See Thursday.
The Grapes of Wrath: See Thursday.
saturday
august 10
Arizona Rattlers Playoffs: Coach Danny White's minigridiron squad hosts the Orlando Predators on Saturday, August 10, in an opening-round arena-ball playoff game. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. at the "Snake Pit": America West Arena, First Street and Jefferson. Tickets range from $9 to $37, available at the arena and Dillard's. For details call 514-8383, 379-7800 or 678-2222.
Ice-T: The way-controversial West Coast rapper and self-proclaimed "original gangsta"--remember 1993's "Cop Killer" brouhaha?--is also a sometime film actor (Johnny Mnemonic, Trespass), a published author (The Ice Opinion), a worthy social critic and, far too frequently, a violent, sexist pig. Ice is scheduled on Saturday, August 10, at Nile Theater, 105 West Main in Mesa. Delinquent Habits, and Raw Breed share the all-ages bill. Showtime is 8 p.m. Tickets are available at the club and Dillard's. Call 649-2766 or 678-2222.
Arizona Cardinals: Head coach Vince Tobin and his reconfigured NFL redbirds continue the preseason with a game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday, August 10. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe. The team's next home match is the regular-season home opener at 5 p.m. Sunday, September 8, versus coach Jimmy Johnson's Miami Dolphins. Tickets range from $20 to $50. For details call 379-0102.
Kermit Ruffins: The New Orleans trumpeter, a three-time winner of the "Best Traditional Jazz" statuette at the Big Easy Awards, brings a taste of Bourbon Street to Scottsdale at a concert scheduled for 8 p.m. Saturday, August 10, in the Territorial Room at SunBurst Resort, 4925 North Scottsdale Road. The show concludes the resort's "Summer Jazz Series." Admission is $12. For details call 945-7666 or 1-800-528-7867.
Arizona Toy and Advertising Roundup: Youngsters will get a kick out of this gala array of advertising memorabilia and collectible playthings from the turn of the century to tomorrow--with emphasis on toys from the Star Wars, Star Trek, Mattel and Barbie universes--but their folks are the true targets of the nostalgia fest. It's scheduled for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, August 10, at Mesa Centennial Hall, 201 North Center. Admission is $3, free for accompanied kids age 14 and under. Call 943-1766 or 644-2242.
"Wasteland Circus": The off-center, "not for the squeamish" event features video works, performance art, experimental theatre and storytelling by Valley artists Stephanie Brewer, Steve Gompf, Leslie Barton, Caitlin Masley, Ralph Cordova and others. It starts at 8 p.m. Saturday, August 10, at MARS Artspace, 126 South Central, in Luhrs Office Center. Admission is $5. For details call 253-3541.
Culture Clash: See Thursday.
The Grapes of Wrath: See Thursday.
sunday
august 11
Dwight Yoakam: The Hollywood hillbilly's a weird sort of sex symbol--he has to be melted down and poured into his jeans on a daily basis, and he looks a bit like Robert Duvall sans his ever-present cowboy hat--but, dang, that cowboy can sing. And the country traditionalist just keeps gettin' better; 1993's double-platinum This Time won him a Grammy and an elevated reputation as an artist. Touring behind his new disc, Gone, Dwight performs on Sunday, August 11, at Desert Sky Pavilion, 2121 North 83rd Avenue. David Ball, and teenage Texas sensation LeAnn Rimes share the stage. Showtime is 7 p.m. Tickets range from $20 to $40, available at Ticketmaster. For details call 254-7599 or 784-4444.
Berlin: Bands of yesteryear that never made a splash have been re-forming like mad in these retro-crazy times, so why not Teri Nunn's Berlin, an '80s group that actually created a few small waves with songs like "Sex (I'm a . . . )" and "The Metro"? The synth-popsters are scheduled on Sunday, August 11, at Electric Ballroom, 1216 East Apache in Tempe. The Beat Angels share the bill. The all-ages show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $13 in advance, $15 the day of the show, available at the club and Ticketmaster. For details call 894-0707 or 784-4444.
Culture Clash: See Thursday.
The Grapes of Wrath: See Thursday.
monday
august 12
The Philosopher Kings: The young Canadian sextet--all of the members are 24 or under--plays a mix of wigged-out acid-jazz and straight-up soul. And it has what used to be called "breeding." Trumpet player Terence Blanchard was a perfect choice to solo on the Kings' tune "Lay My Body Down," which is included on the group's homonymous Columbia debut along with a distorted cover of Bob Dylan's "Just Like a Woman" and the slow burner "Fingernails to Claws." The band performs a free show on Monday, August 12, at Martini Ranch, 7295 East Stetson in Scottsdale. Showtime is 9 p.m. Call 970-0500.
tuesday
august 13
B.B. King, the Neville Brothers, and Delbert McClinton: There are actually three kings on this bill: blues sovereign B.B. and his queen, the guitar named Lucille; the Nevilles, rulers of New Orleans; and McClinton, that growling monarch of Texas honky-tonk. Oops, make that four; Valley kingpin Big Pete Pearson and his Blues Sevilles open at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, August 13, at Mesa Amphitheatre, Center and University. Tickets are $35.50 in advance, $37 the day of the show, available at Mesa Community Center and Dillard's box offices. For details call 644-2560 or 678-2222.
Grease!: Tommy Tune's touring production of the '50s musical, starring Adrian Zmed of the '82 movie Grease 2 as Danny Zuko, MacKenzie Phillips (American Graffiti, TV's One Day at a Time) as Rizzo, and Joe Piscopo as deejay Vince Fontaine, returns for its second Valley engagement this year following a February run at Tempe's Gammage Auditorium. Opening performances are at 8 p.m. Tuesday, August 13; and the same time Wednesday, August 14, at Symphony Hall, 225 East Adams. The production continues through Sunday, August 18. Tickets range from $28 to $42, available at the scene and Dillard's. For details call 262-7272 or 678-2222.
The Misfits, and Anthrax: All the ghoulish speed metal you can stand, and more: Life of Agony, and Cannibal Corpse share the stage; see the story about the Misfits on page 91. The all-ages show starts at 8 p.m. Tuesday, August 13, at Club Rio, 430 North Scottsdale Road in Tempe. Tickets are $12.50 in advance, $15 the day of the show, available at the club and Alternatix. For details call 894-0533 or 244-8444.
wednesday
august 14
Crosby, Stills and Nash: David, Stephen and Graham haven't done much for us lately, but they have a deep repertoire to draw on, from "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" to "49 Bye-Byes." CS&N salutes the silver anniversary of local album-rock station KDKB-FM 93.3 with a show at 7 p.m. Wednesday, August 14, at Mesa Amphitheatre, Center and University. Tickets are $26.10 in advance, $27.75 the day of the show, available at Mesa Community Center and Dillard's box offices. For details call 644-2560 or 678-2222.
Box Set: The San Francisco band has grown from a coffee-house duo to a big-draw quintet at Bay Area hot spots like the Fillmore and Boz Scaggs' Slim's to the recipient of the National Academy of Songwriters' 1995 Group of the Year award. Box Set returns to the Rockin' Horse, 7316 East Stetson in Scottsdale, for a show at 8 p.m. Wednesday, August 14. Tickets are available at the club and Ticketmaster. For details call 949-0992 or 784-4444.
Grease!: See Tuesday.
