Her debut CD may be called The Queen of Pain, but Colleen Duffy, the glamorous chanteuse known as Devil Doll, is nothing but pleasure for the eyes and the ears. She's clearly mastered sultry swing and 1940s-style jazz vocals, but her album reveals modern sensibilities, with ska beats, Latin rhythms and occasional hints of Devil Doll's true rock 'n' roll heart. To top it all off, the gal just oozes style and attitude, from her glossy red pout and pinup-girl hair styles to her intricate tattoos. Check out her live performance on Thursday, April 10, with opening band Rumble King, at the Rhythm Room, 1019 East Indian School. Admission is $10. To find out more, call 602-265-4842.
Friday, 11
While most intact World War II-era aircraft are now preserved in museum exhibits around the country, the restored vintage bombers of the Wings of Freedom Tour still take to the air, in proud tribute to veterans' valor. The tour's B-17 Flying Fortress, "Nine O Nine," is one of just nine such planes that can fly, while the B-24 Liberator, "Dragon and His Tail," is the only remaining airworthy craft of its kind. On Friday, April 11, from 3 to 6:30 p.m., visitors to Falcon Field can experience these rare planes firsthand, getting an inside tour of the 10 crew positions as well as meeting local vets who served the country aboard such aircraft. Tours continue from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, April 12, and Sunday, April 13, and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, April 14. Suggested donation is $8 for adults and $4 for children. For visitors who won't be happy until they can get a ride, 30-minute flights can be had for $400 a person; call 1-978-562-9182 for reservations. Falcon Field is located at 4800 East Falcon Drive in Mesa. For more information, visit www.collingsfoundation.org or call 480-644-9845.
Saturday, 12
Look out, Ford lovers: The magic word is Chevrolet on Saturday, April 12, when vintage-car owners and aficionados race to the second annual All-Chevy Show. Co-sponsored by Impala Bob's and the Arizona Impala Club, the event not only boasts plenty of cherry Impalas, as you'd expect, but also includes 11 classes of sweet rides from the '50s through 1972. At 2 p.m., DPS will escort the whole gearhead crew to Park Central Mall for Cruisin' Night, a downtown yearly tradition. Registration is $20 per vehicle; there's no cost to go and gawk at the cars of your dreams. The show runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Falcon Field, 4800 East Falcon Drive in Mesa. To find out more, call 480-981-1600.
Sunday, 13
It's been 25 years since The Feederz took the Phoenix music scene by storm with aggressive punk rock ("Jesus Entering From the Rear," a seven-inch release made even more notorious on the early '80s compilation Let Them Eat Jellybeans) and down-with-the-system antics (appearing at a press conference in fatigues with semiautomatic weapons). Now, front man/lead troublemaker Frank Discussion is back in the Valley (from his current home in Seattle), this time armed with a new CD and more sonic subversion for fans. If you don't get to catch The Feederz on Saturday, April 12, at Jugheads, 5119 East McDowell, check out the all-ages gig on Sunday, April 13, at Modified Arts, 407 East Roosevelt. Admission is $6 and showtime is 8 p.m. Call 602-462-5516 for details.
Monday, 14
As the reality of war constantly flashes across our television screens, it's nice to take refuge in a good read, even if the book engrosses us in fantasies of a different conflict. Bernard Cornwell, best-selling historical adventure novelist, fleshes out the drama of the Napoleonic Wars with his celebrated character Richard Sharpe in Sharpe's Havoc, the 19th volume about the fictional British rifleman's exploits. Set in 1809, the tale follows Sharpe to northern Portugal, where his search for the missing daughter of an English wine shipper is thrown off course when the French attack and Sharpe gets stranded behind enemy lines. A page-turning mix of historic facts and realistic detail, we wish our history books could've been as intriguing. Cornwell appears at Poisoned Pen Bookstore, 4014 North Goldwater Boulevard in Scottsdale, for a signing at 7 p.m. Monday, April 14. Call 480-947-2974 for more information.
Tuesday, 15
Talk about a surreal experience. When Suzi Gablik was just a young twentysomething, fresh out of school, she got the chance to live for nearly a year with surrealist painter René Magritte and his wife. Needless to say, the adventure transformed her; Gablik is now one of the world's foremost art critics. As part of the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art's Articulations series, Gablik will discuss her incredible encounters with the legendary artist, and will also read from and sign copies of her newest book, Living the Magical Life: An Oracular Adventure, at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 15. Admission is $7 ($5 for members) at Scottsdale Center for the Arts' Stage 2 theater, 7380 East Second Street in Scottsdale. For details, visit www.scottsdalearts.org or call 480-994-ARTS (2787).
Wednesday, 16
It seems that you can do yoga anywhere -- at a gym, in your living room, or on a Hawaiian beach. Just roll out your little blue mat and start stretching. But face it -- atmosphere can really enhance your exercise, and you're probably not a fitness show host with a designated oceanside spot. That's why your best chance to achieve physical and spiritual harmony (or at least better flexibility) is on Wednesday, April 16, when Yoga Pura presents Yoga at the Garden, a "Sunset Peace" session from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Desert Botanical Garden. Held outdoors in the serene setting of the Wildflower Pavilion (surely a more exotic locale than in front of the TV), it's an event geared to participants of all levels. The class fee is $15, $12 for garden members, and reservations are required. To sign up, call 480-941-1225. The garden is located at 1201 North Galvin Parkway.
