Collectors of pop culture memorabilia face many challenges. Finding a toy that was new in 1983 and doesn’t look like a pack of dogs chewed on it for 28 years can be hard enough, but getting it at a good price is another matter. Re-selling memorabilia seems like yet another…
What’s going on at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts? Well, looking at SCPA’s upcoming 2011-2012 season — plenty. In addition to the venue’s upscale musical fare (including performances by opera legend Kathleen Battle, and Bruce Hornsby) and theatrical productions (yes, Late Night Catechism is back for the umpteenth time),…
We all know the saying, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” but in the case of the Paseo Vista Recreation Area, one man’s trash is below another man’s playground. This massive, 64-acre park in Chandler was built on top of a landfill.Chandler voters approved the use of General Obligation…
Whether it’s a three-headed dragon creature from Japan or a cuddly zombie bear, monsters have long terrified, fascinated, and influenced various artists. And through August 31, you can see a menagerie of monsters on display at Cade Gallery downtown. The gallery’s “MONSTERS!” exhibit features figures, paintings, and drawings of fantastical…
If you’ve been sitting on a great idea for a movie script, now’s a good time to start typing. From now through November 23, the Independent Feature Project Phoenix is looking for short film scripts to produce for their “Script to Screen Challenge.”IFP Phoenix hosts a variety of film challenges throughout…
This weekend, several local artists and performers will voyage down to the Stygian depths (The Trunk Space, in this case) to summon archaic gods and demons, and to “resurrect” legendary horror writer H.P. Lovecraft. The night, dubbed “H.P. Lovecraft: Exhumed, Roasted” is meant to be a tongue-in-cheek exploration of the…
For smokers, there’s nothing worse than not being able to light a cigarette in extreme conditions. And when you’re halfway up the San Francisco Peaks in Flagstaff during January, flicking your Bic won’t do the trick. Enter the Tuck-N-Toke, a new smoking device created by native Arizonan Scott Gwilliam. Gwilliam’s…
RAW, the California-based arts organization that’s been hosting events featuring Phoenix artists at the Hotel San Carlos for the past few months, will be moving to a larger venue for their next event. As we’ve already pointed out, previous RAW art showings have been underdone and overcrowded. The last RAW…
In Russ Kazmierczak, Jr.’s comic renderings of Arizona, superheroes travel back in time from the future to communicate with Governor Jan Brewer, Sheriff Joe sends Lou Ferrigno to the border to combat a “marijuana catapult,” and a young immigrant from Mexico finds an alien sombrero in the desert that gives…
Custom pipes and bongs can be beautiful, almost approaching “high art” in their craftsmanship. But like any medium, there’s always going to be a handful of abominations good for only gasps and giggles. It’s baffling enough that somebody would want to make something like a combination sex toy/pipe, but even…
Sometimes, the best part of a planned event is the unplanned part. Such was the case with the “RAW: Phoenix Presents FUSION” show at the Ghost Lounge in the Hotel San Carlos last night.This was the third event at the San Carlos hosted by RAW, a California-based organization that seeks…
If you’ve been to The Icehouse in downtown Phoenix in the last few weeks, you might have noticed a garden that’s slowly growing on the asphalt of the art venue’s modest parking lot along Jackson Street. The “Garden of Thorns,” as it’s called by owner Helene Hestenes, occupies about 20…
Filmmaker Janus Metz’s documentary, Armadillo, is about as raw as they come.Metz and cameraman Lars Skree spent six months following a group of Danish soldiers working at an army base (Armadillo) in the Afghan province of Helmland. The soldiers patrol an area where Taliban forces are often less than a…
The Black Canyon City Dog Track, about 40 miles north of Phoenix, is both a mecca for squatters and urban explorers and a fascinating study in decay. This massive property has been falling into rapid disrepair since the late 1980s, and remains one of the most accessible abandoned sites in…
Many have dreamed of voyaging into space, but unless you’re an astronaut, pop star Lance Bass, or billionaire Richard Branson, taking a trip beyond the Earth’s atmosphere has been way too expensive, if not impossible — until now. On Tuesday, Space Adventures, a private space exploration company, announced it will…
At first glance, the dark green leaves of the Mitragyna speciosa tree look no more remarkable than mint leaves. They’re large, somewhat oval in shape, and smooth to the touch. The trees are indigenous to Southeast Asia, and their leaves, known as kratom, have been used as a traditional medicine…
Someone should really make a movie about the saga of The Wailers. This band — founded by reggae legends Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Bunny Wailer in 1963 — is the seminal reggae band, and its various members have influenced every style of reggae imaginable, from roots to rocksteady to…
Summer’s around for a few more weeks, which means plenty of time to get creative (and finish a few projects) before the school year kicks in and the weather cools down. Lucky you, there happen to be a handful of great opportunities for local artists to have their work displayed and recognized. From paintings…
Local artist Hugo Medina (better known as just Hugo) could be likened to a tight rope walker in a circus — if the tight rope walker was also spinning plates while balancing candles on their head while juggling apples while smoking a cigar. In other words, Hugo is one busy…
Domestic partners Niki and Esther aren’t huge fans of Conan O’Brien. Before they went to see the documentary Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop at The Royale in Mesa, Niki had watched maybe two whole episodes of Late Night with Conan O’Brien in the early ’90s, and Esther was more familiar with him…
It’s about time Phoenix sees some serious mural love. In the interest of giving credit to their artists and because we’re losing track of the times we’ve said, “Whoa, when did that go up?”, we bring you Mural City, a series on the murals springing up around town — their…
After watching and reviewing Captain America last week, domestic partners Niki and Esther could have taken this week to do some much-needed laundry or whack the unruly weeds in their front yard. Instead, they decided to catch another midnight movie premiere, this time Cowboys & Aliens, opening nationwide Friday, July…
