We might finally see that "Dancing Queen" pop-up we never knew we always wanted when ABBA showcases its homemade books at . . . oh, wait, wrong ABBA. This ABBA acronym stands for "A Buncha Book Artists," an Arizona State University student book-builder collective that creates original handmade books using a variety of methods, from handset type and linocut to lithography and screen printing. Thursday, June 9, is your last chance to catch the group's current exhibition, "Speed Bumps on the Information Super Highway," in the Hayden Library at ASU, 525 South Forest Avenue in Tempe. ABBA's artist-made books combine the technology of the digital age with traditional binding styles, like the "third century Ethiopian exposed Coptic style," which could also describe some of the other ABBA's album covers. Library hours are 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., and the exhibit is free. Visit www.asu.edu/clubs/abba.
FRI 10
The futuristic apostles in The One are some fly guys, delivering dope messages of redemption straight from the godless ghetto of the year 2042. In this urban wasteland, everybody speaks hip-hop, and one young rap sensation, "The One" (a.k.a. Jesus), must battle another fierce MC, "The Star" (a.k.a. Satan), who insists "The One" sign to his Hellbound Records label, which currently "controls the world market." Witness all the funk and crunk of salvation when The One, "the world's first holy hip-hopera," hits the Herberger Theater Center, 222 East Monroe Street, on Friday, June 10. The rap-ture happens at 8 p.m., and tickets cost $19 to $37 for the musical that's been described as "Jesus Christ Superstar with a better beat." Call 602-784-4444. Hmm . . . what would Jesus do?
SAT 11
Let's go surfing tonight! So what if we're in the middle of the desert? We've always thought Big Surf in Tempe was a good idea, but the sand gets so hot on a summer day. How about a night on the beach? Head west -- but just a bit -- to the West Valley Arts Council's Beach Party Bash in downtown Litchfield Park, 101 West Wigwam Boulevard. The event, from 7:30 to 10 p.m. Saturday, June 11, promises "an evening of music and dancing under the stars, ocean style." Steel drum band Enlightenment provides tropical tunes, while La Loma Village, Old Pueblo Café, Park Wines, and Wigwam Resort and Golf Club provide food and beverages. Admission is free. Call 623-935-6384 or visit www.westvalleyarts.org.
SUN 12
Smile -- you're on Copwatch camera! Since the police have cameras on their patrol car dashboards and cameras now snap your mug as you run red lights, the members of Phoenix Copwatch felt it was perfectly fair to drive around the Valley, videotaping police officers when they make stops. They might look like they're trying to shoot sellable footage for Wildest Police Videos, but they insist "our intent in videotaping the police is to stop police brutality and crimes." Besides, there just aren't enough disastrous freeway pursuits here. On Saturday, June 11, and Sunday, June 12, Phoenix Copwatch will host "Training Sessions" from noon to 2 p.m. at Saguaro Library, 2808 North 46th Street. The sessions cover the laws and techniques of videotaping the police, as well as a rundown of how to use equipment such as scanners to monitor the po-po's. The event is free and "anybody is welcome . . . except police officers and employees of law enforcement agencies." Call 602-337-7188.
MON 13
Devon Williams, the L.A.-based singer-songwriter behind Fingers Cut Megamachine, doesn't like all the "folk-freak" allusions he's been getting. Williams has said, "Folk music to me implies something that's dead. I don't play dead music." So what if he's a self-described "jangly singer-songwriter"? Williams' first buzz band, Osker, was a decidedly punk band signed to Epitaph Records, so that plugs up the folk pigeonhole quite a bit, and he's deftly mixed enough angst, pop and rock together to garner comparisons to Beck and Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst. Williams will bring his eclectic aggro-rock to Modified Arts, 407 East Roosevelt Street, on Monday, June 13, in support of Fingers Cut Megamachine's self-titled CD. Doors open at 8 p.m., and admission costs $5. Call 602-462-5516.
TUE 14
San Diego-based indie publication REUP magazine focuses on downtempo music, underground hip-hop, graffiti artists and spoken word. Sounds a lot like DJ Seduce's regular "PAINT: Music Art Spoken Expression" event on Tuesdays at the Paper Heart, 750 Grand Avenue. DJ Seduce picked up a copy of REUP at a Valley Tower Records store and thought so, too, so he called up the publishers and got them to sponsor the REUP Magazine Party on June 14. Then he booked all sorts of entertainment, ranging from live electronica, hip-hop, funk and flamenco music to fashion shows, door-painting artists, break-dancing and spoken word. "I've got a whole slew of craziness going on that night," he says. "I should be doing this on a Friday or Saturday." But a true partyer knows no schedule, so plan to look "Saturday sharp" on Tuesday night, because Seduce is bringing in a camera crew to shoot footage for a DVD, too. The shebang starts at 8 p.m. Admission costs $3 before 10 p.m., and $5 after. Call 602-262-2020.
WED 15
So the Suns' season has ended; that doesn't mean the courts must be cleared. Rim shots and rebounds abound when amateurs get to compete in a basketball tournament, rather than just bounce balls off the backboards in their driveways. Competition gets fierce because, dammit, they may not be in the NBA, but they've still got something to prove. So even though the Juneteenth Basketball Tournament, tipping off at Eastlake Park, 1549 East Jefferson Street, raises money for scholarships for minorities and underprivileged youth, don't expect any mercy from the 20 teams competing in the tournament, because this is all about winning, street-ball-style. Games continue through June 18. Participants pay a $200 entry free, but spectators can watch the action for free. Call 602-261-8578.
