february 1
Parada del Sol Rodeo: Scottsdale's annual Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association-sanctioned roundup is one of the world's best, attracting many of the top ropers and riders in the field. Performances are at 1 p.m. Thursday, 1 and 7 p.m. Friday, 1 and 5:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at Rawhide, 23023 North Scottsdale Road. Tickets range from $6 to $15, available at Ticketmaster; call 784-4444. Two rodeo dances are planned: Friday's starts at 9 p.m., and features music by Mogollon; Young Country plays at Saturday's, which begins an hour earlier. The cover is $5 to each dance. All events are in the Old West town's arena. For general information, call 990-3179.
A Grand Night for Singing: This touring production features the greatest hits of Rodgers and Hammerstein, including standards from Oklahoma!, The King and I and The Sound of Music and lesser-known tunes like "Allegro" and "Pipe Dream." The show starts at 8 p.m. Thursday at the Sundome, 19403 R.H. Johnson Boulevard in Sun City West, and at the same time Friday at Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 North Arizona Avenue. Tickets for the Sundome show are $11, $16 and $24, available at the venue and Dillard's; call 975-1900 or 678-2222. Chandler tickets range from $18 to $28, available at the center and Ticketmaster; call 786-2680 or 784-4444.
ASU Basketball: Bill Frieder's Arizona State University cagers host Washington State on Thursday, Washington on Saturday and the University of Arizona on Wednesday. All ofthe games tip off at 7 p.m. at ASU Activity Center in Tempe. Tickets are $16. Call 965-2381.
friday
february 2
Fires in the Mirror: Crown Heights, Brooklyn and Other Identities: Arizona Theatre Company presents Anna Deavere Smith's take on racism and class conflict in America, based on the incident that led to the 1991 riots in New York City's Crown Heights district. A preview is planned at 8 p.m. Friday inCenter Stage at Herberger Theater Center, 222 East Monroe. The official opening is at 7 p.m. Saturday. The rest of this week's performances are at 1and 7 p.m. Sunday and 8 p.m. Wednesday; a discussion follows Sunday's matinee. The production continues through February 17. Tickets range from $24 to $30, available at Herberger and Dillard's. Call 252-8497 or 678-2222.
ASU West Film Society: A screening of director/muckraker Errol Morris' superb The Thin Blue Line (1988, unrated), about a hitchhiker accused of murdering a Texas cop, continues the society's latest festival of free movies. Showtime is 7:15 p.m. Friday at Kiva Hall onArizona State University West campus, 4701 West Thunderbird in Glendale. Call 543-2787.
Copper World Classic: The superfast supermodifieds and the mighty midgets tackle Phoenix International Raceway's famed "Phoenix Mile" at the 19th annual classic, also known as the "Super Bowl of grassroots racing." It's scheduled Friday through Sunday at the track, 115th Avenue and Baseline in Tolleson. The second annual Copper World Classic Chili Cookoff is on Saturday. Tickets range from $10 to $30, available at PIR and Dillard's. Call 252-2227 or 678-2222.
Phoenix Symphony: Clotilde Otranto conducts the orchestra in "Hollywood Blockbusters," featuring performances of themes from TheMagnificent Seven, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Schindler's List, Batman and other films. Showtime is 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Symphony Hall, 225 East Adams. Tickets range from $12 to $36, available at Dillard's; call 678-2222. Otranto also wields the baton at the symphony's annual "People's Pops Concert" at 7 p.m. Sunday at the hall. This year's theme is "Carnival of the Animals." Free tickets are available at all Phoenix public libraries. For general information, call 264-6363.
ASU Baseball: Pat Murphy's Arizona State University squad opens the season with a series against Loyola Marymount at Packard Stadium, First Street and Rural in Tempe. Game times are 7 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The annual alumni game is slated for 7 p.m. Tuesday. Tickets range from $4 to $7. Call 965-2381.
A Grand Night for Singing: See Thursday.
Parada del Sol Rodeo: See Thursday.
saturday
february 3
LINES Contemporary Ballet: The San Francisco-based troupe is known for its technical daring and its fine repertoire of modern and classical works. Its founder and artistic director, Alonzo King, has been called the "Einstein of choreography." The ensemble performs two seven-part pieces--"String Quartet," set to music by Pawel Szymanski; and "Rock," a composition by Bernice Johnson Reagon, founder of the gospel group Sweet Honey inthe Rock--in a show at 8 p.m. Saturday at Scottsdale Center for the Arts, 7380 East Second Street. Tickets are $18 and $25, available at the center and Ticketmaster. For details call 994-2787 or 784-4444.
World Championship Hoop-Dance Contest: About 40 dancers from the U.S. and Canada are expected to compete in this sixth annual event, which determines new champs in youth, teen, adult and senior divisions based on originality, speed and precision. Grand entries are scheduled at10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday at Scott L.Libby Jr. Amphitheater at Heard Museum, 22 East Monte Vista. The championship round begins at 3p.m. Sunday. Admission is $3, $2 for seniors and children ages 13 to 18, $1 for kids ages 4 to 12, free for those younger. For details call 252-8840.
Anna Homler, Steve Peters and Steve Roden: LosAngeles vocalist Homler sings in a language of her own invention. Albuquerque composer Peters runs sounds created by natural objects--trees, shrubs, etc.--through an electronic processor. L.A. musician Roden plays "toy instruments, broken instruments and instruments on which he is untrained." Together, the trio makes lovely, bizarre music. Showtime is 9 p.m. Saturday at Metropophobobia, 621 North Third Street. Admission is a donation of $5. Call 252-9851.
Arizona Renaissance Festival and Artisan Marketplace: The eighth annual re-creation of amedieval village is populated by a cast of royals, peasants, thespians, equestrians, maidens fair, rogues, jousters and other appropriate types. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6p.m. each Saturday and Sunday, through March 24, and on Presidents' Day (February 19) at the festival grounds, located off Highway 60/89 east of Apache Junction. Tickets are $10.95, $3.95 for children ages 5to 12, available at Fry's stores; they're $1more at the gate. Kids under 5 are admitted free. For details call 1-520-463-2700.
ASU Baseball: See Friday.
ASU Basketball: (Versus Washington.) SeeThursday.
Copper World Classic: See Friday.
Fires in the Mirror: Crown Heights, Brooklyn andOther Identities: See Friday.
Parada del Sol Rodeo: See Thursday.
Phoenix Symphony: ("Hollywood Blockbusters.") See Friday.
sunday
february 4
Riders in the Sky: The trio of modern-day singing cowboys yodels, yelps, ki-yi-yips, performs rope tricks and puts new spins on old standbys like "Cool Water" in performances at 3and 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Red River Opry, Mill and Washington in Tempe. Tickets are $15, available at the scene and Dillard's. For details call 829-6779 or 678-2222.
Bone Thugs N Harmony: Cleveland's "Bone" brothers--"Krayzie," "Layzie," "Bizzy," "Wish" and "Flesh-N"--took the biz by storm and surprise with their multiplatinum 1994 EP Creepin on Ah Come Up (Ruthless), produced by the late Eazy-E. The gangsta rappers perform at 6 and 9 p.m. Sunday atElectric Ballroom, 1216 East Apache in Tempe. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster. Call 894-0707 or 784-4444.
Peter Rowan, and Jerry Douglas: Singer-songwriter Rowan is probably best known for his tune "Panama Red," a minor hit for New Riders of the Purple Sage, but he's dipped his toes in a number of interesting troughs over the years, collaborating with Jerry Garcia, David Grisman and Vassar Clements in the group Old and in the Way and handling lead-vocal duties for Bill Monroe's band for a time. Dobro player Douglas opens with a set at 8 p.m. Sunday at the Rockin' Horse, 7000 East Indian School in Scottsdale, then performs with Rowan. Tickets are $10, available at the scene and Ticketmaster. For details call 949-0992 or 784-4444.
Arizona Renaissance Festival and ArtisanMarketplace: See Saturday.
ASU Baseball: See Friday.
Copper World Classic: See Friday.
Fires in the Mirror: Crown Heights, Brooklyn and Other Identities: See Friday.
Parada del Sol Rodeo: See Thursday.
Phoenix Symphony: ("People's PopsConcert.") See Friday.
World Championship Hoop-Dance Contest: See Saturday.
monday
february 5
Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys: The bluegrass legend and his Virginia-based Boys are stone traditionalists. Arizona Bluegrass Association presents a performance by the band, touring in celebration of Stanley's golden anniversary in the business, on Monday at Red River Opry, Mill and Washington in Tempe. Flint Hill Special opens at 7 p.m. Tickets are $12 in advance at Dillard's, $14at the door. For details call 829-6779 or678-2222.
The Innocence Mission: Karen Peris and company, reminiscent of 10,000 Maniacs at half-speed, are touring in support of their new A&M album, Glow. The Mission performs Monday at the Rockin' Horse, 7000 East Indian School in Scottsdale. Labelmate 16 Horsepower opens at 8 p.m. Tickets are $7, available at the scene and Ticketmaster. For details call 949-0992 or 784-4444.
tuesday
february 6
Russell Means: The Native American activist, author and actor reads from and signs copies of his autobiography, Where White Men Fear to Tread, which details Means' rise from accountant to revolutionary to outlaw to Libertarian presidential candidate to the voice of the animated character Powhatan in Disney's Pocahontas, at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Tempe's Changing Hands Bookstore, 414 South Mill, Suite 109, and at the same time Wednesday at Borders Books & Music, 1361 South Alma School inMesa. Admission to both events is free. For details call 966-0203 or 833-2244.
The Harp Consort: The second annual Louise Lincoln Kerr Tribute to the Arts features this early-music ensemble, which includes Andrew Lawrence-King on Spanish double harp and psaltery and Paul O'Dette on guitar and vihuela. Showtime is 8 p.m. Tuesday at Kerr Cultural Center, 6110 North Scottsdale Road in Scottsdale. A dessert reception for the artists follows. Tickets are $13 and $14, available at Kerr and Dillard's. For details call 965-5377 or 678-2222.
Phoenix Suns: The Suns host the Chicago Bulls at 6 p.m. Tuesday at America West Arena, First Street and Jefferson. A free tipoff party is planned prior to the game; itstarts at 5 at Arizona Center, Third Street and Van Buren (call 252-2502). If game tickets are available, they're at the arena and Dillard's. For details call 379-7867 or 678-2222.
ASU Baseball: (Alumni game.) See Friday.
wednesday
february 7
Barry M. Goldwater Lecture Series: The former U.S. senator and conservative bulldog has developed a mild but welcome case of humanism in recent years. Following tradition, Goldwater kicks off the 1996 edition of the series that bears his name. He lectures on "Arizona: Past, Present and Future" at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Kerr Cultural Center, 6110 North Scottsdale Road in Scottsdale. Various speakers are featured at the same time weekly, through March 20. Single-lecture tickets are $11, available at Kerr and Dillard's; a series package is available. For details call 965-5377 or 678-2222.
George Winston: The new-age pianist, touring in support of his latest album, Forest, performs songs of winter at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Chandler Center for the Arts, 250North Arizona Avenue. Tickets range from $13.50 to $17.50, available at the scene and Ticketmaster; Winston requests anonperishable food item for donation to United Food Bank. Call 786-2680 or 784-4444.
ASU Basketball: (Versus U of A.) SeeThursday.
Fires in the Mirror: Crown Heights, Brooklyn and Other Identities: See Friday.
Russell Means: See Tuesday.
