Ready or not, the holidays are just over the horizon and everyone’s already busy making plans. That includes the members of local prankster group the Arizona Cacophony Society who have set a date for the 2015 edition of Santarchy, their biggest and most anticipated event of the year. Organizers of…
When it comes to the major drinking holidays of the year, Thanksgiving Eve ranks up there as one of the biggest. As a matter of fact, it’s widely considered to be second only to New Year’s Eve and Saint Patrick’s Day in term of its enormity. Groove Candy Pre-Thanksgiving Party…
Admittedly, Chris Hardwick doesn’t get much sleep. And given his many projects and responsibilities, you can’t blame him for that. According to the comedian, television personality, actor, writer, podcaster, geek icon, and co-founder of entertainment website Nerdist Industries, he only gets about five hours of sack time each night. Needless…
The Shout! House is playing a new tune these days. The popular piano bar and nightspot, situated on the upper level of the Westgate Entertainment District over in Glendale, recently completed at $50,000 renovation that not only jazzed up the look of the place but also allowed it to beef…
Old-school video gamers of the Valley, please rip yourself away from Super Mario Maker for a moment and listen up. We’ve got some good news for you: the organizers of ZapCon recently revealed the dates for next year’s edition of the popular local retro arcade and pinball convention. Earlier this…
As one might expect, costumes were literally everywhere to be seen across the Valley over Halloween weekend – and people adorned themselves in all manner of getups for the occasion. Some were stylish and sexy while others ran the gamut from downright silly to flat-out scary. And there was no…
If you’re the sort that wished Halloween would last longer than just one night, we’ve got some good news: While a host of parties in and around the Valley will happen on All Hallow’s Eve, there also will be a multitude of macabre events taking place during the days leading…
Urbane Manner A sinister sideshow spectacle awaits those who attend the Dead Carnival Block Party on Friday, October 30, at this Scottsdale spot, as does an enormous array of DJs, producers, and EDM artists that are scheduled to perform at the event. The lineup will include gigs by co-headliners Ookay,…
WWE superstar Dolph Ziggler is a man of many talents. Besides being one of the more gifted professional wrestlers currently on the WWE’s roster (and a two-time world heavyweight champion to boot), the 35-year-old is also a stand-up comedian and actor. The common trait with all of these pursuits is,…
Let’s face it: The zombie trend is probably never, ever going to die. In fact, it’s continuing to spread. The Walking Dead expanded into a second show, zombie costuming still sells like mad at stores, and Hollywood has numerous zombie flicks on the horizon (including Resident Evil: The Final Chapter,…
SPECIAL EVENTS Alwun House 1204 E. Roosevelt St. www.alwunhouse.org Thrills and chills await at Alwun House’s annual Monsters Ball, which will be occupied by creepy creatures and nightcrawlers aplenty. Performers on tap for this year’s event include Romantasy Cabaret, Opendance, Lady Purple, and others. Hors d’oeuvres, dancing, and other freaky…
The music and vocals of renowned R&B, soul, and jazz artists was supposed to fill the air this weekend at Rawhide in Chandler, courtesy of the annual Arizona Jazz Festival. Unfortunately, all there will be is silence as the three-day concert event was unceremoniously cancelled by its promoter. And a…
At this point, it might seem like everyone’s got a Halloween costume going. Your co-workers are going as the staff of Camp Firewood from Wet Hot American Summer, including Mitch and his beloved can of vegetables. That geek kid you know is building a screen-accurate rendition of Kylo Ren. The…
Okay, kids. This is where it gets interesting. Scottish actress and geek icon Karen Gillan will be heading to the Valley in early December as a special guest of Phoenix Comicon Fan Fest 2015 at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale. And it’s certainly big news since she’s pretty famous…
It’s the Fourth of July, and Jessica Nigri is alive with color. And just like the fireworks shows that are a hallmark of the holiday, the Phoenix resident has the rapt attention of a large audience. It’s an absolute mob scene inside the South Hall of the Los Angeles Convention…
It’s a great time to be Dierks Bentley these days. The homegrown country music superstar, who has deep roots in the Valley, performed a surprise duet with Taylor Swift during a recent concert in Kansas City, dropped the fifth hit single from his latest album Riser earlier this summer, and…
While it might not necessarily feel like it right now, the summer is officially over. Yes, we’re aware that its still going to be hot for the next couple of weeks or so, but according to the calendar, the season that we all dread and ultimately must all suffer through…
When it comes to comedian Lewis Black, to paraphrase Rage Against the Machine, his anger is a gift. That is to say, the often-incensed comedy veteran and sociopolitical pundit has made a considerable living and earned significant fame over the years with his rage-filled rants that hilariously skewer stupidity, hypocrisy,…
While he doesn’t possess neither a stovepipe hat nor a bullwhip, esteemed dance music king Diplo is most certainly a ringmaster of the highest order. After all, he’s spent the last few years overseeing one of the larger and more vibrant circuses in the EDM world – namely, the Mad…
If you’re an electronic dance music fan with a ticket for Zedd’s performance on Saturday at Mesa Amphitheatre, there’s been a slight change in plans. Don’t worry, the show’s still going to happen as planned, only at a completely new venue. Live Nation, the co-promoter of this weekend’s gig by…
The next time that country music king Toby Keith ambles into Phoenix, he’ll only be here for whatever concert he’s scheduled to perform — and certainly not for any personal appearances at any of his namesake venues. That’s because, as of this week, there aren’t any left in the Valley…
US Airways Center in downtown Phoenix has hosted plenty of big battles during its 23-year lifespan – and were not only referring to all the showdowns by the Phoenix Suns and Arizona Rattlers with their respective opponents. Over the decades, the venue (which will soon be rebranded as Talking Stick…
