All-out geekery, trivia, and a pop-up art gallery round out Jackalope Ranch’s top picks for things to do in (and around) Phoenix this week. Weekly Trivia Night We can’t prove it, but we’re pretty sure beer makes you smarter. Why else would a bar add a staple trivia contest to…
Need plans, Phoenix? This weekend theater, poetry, and a thrillshow by way of Houston await. Shakespeare’s King Lear How do you take tragic and turn it into magic? You hand over it over to a bunch of Shakespeare rookies, give them only a month to practice, then sit back, relax,…
There are two words sum up the greatest concert going on this weekend in Phoenix. They are “Billy” and “Joel.” But if you can’t score a ticket or just can’t afford one, there are still plenty of other options this weekend, from noise-punk (Perfect Pussy) to stoner rock (Fu Manchu)…
The Western genre isn’t entirely comprised of spaghetti or John Wayne talking out the side of his mouth: From its earliest days, filmmakers were putting a comic spin on stories set on the dusty trail, with the genre hitting its apex between the mid ’70s and mid ’80s. We’ve gathered…
Just because it’s a four-day working week doesn’t mean your options for going out are limited. Au contraire, there’s plenty to do this week, whether you’re looking for some ring-bound action, pop culture-inspired burlesque, or something a bit more bookish. King of the Cage There aren’t a lot of sports…
So you’ve written some songs. Recruited your best friend to play bass. Taught your neighbor the drums. Rehearsed a little. Played some house parties. Now you’re ready to take the next step and play an actual venue. But where do you go? First gigs are like losing your virginity. You…
Whether you’re looking for indie theater, fresh choreography, or something a little more, um, debauched, this weekend has all of the above. Innovations Ballet Arizona’s founding a new tradition this year. Instead of having artistic director Ib Andersen present another work of his own, Andersen is putting the spotlight on…
Memorial Day is when we, as a nation, proudly get together and celebrate the men and women of the armed services who have died in order to give us an extra day off. Bad joke. But the reality is so damned depressing it’s hard to think of anything else. It…
If ever there were a soundtrack to Memorial Day Weekend, it’d be electronic dance music. That’s because EDM will be in abundance during MDW, whether it’s in the dance clubs of Scottsdale, Tempe, and Downtown Phoenix or around the pools of the nearest swanky boutique hotel. As such, some of…
On this week’s Voice Film Club podcast, the Village Voice’s Alan Schestuhl and L.A. Weekly’s Amy Nicholson are joined by special guest Chris Klimek to discuss the strange career of Tom Cruise, the new X-Men movie, and why Han Solo should die. We close the show with a special phone…
Perhaps you stepped outside this morning and started sweating. Summer is coming, reverse Game of Thrones-style, and as the temperature starts ratcheting up, relief from the heat will come in smaller and smaller windows each day. That said, it’s still quite pleasant at night, and you can catch anything from…
Your best bets for getting out and about this week are here, Phoenix. Jenni Pulos Book Signing Jenni Pulos’ life plan didn’t pan out. She didn’t end up being the second coming of Gilda Radner on Saturday Night Live. UCLA was not interested in her performing as their mascot. And…
From hotel art installations and cartoonish takes on the Southwest to outdoorsy Shakespeare and movie makeup how-tos, your weekend plans have arrived. ARTELPHX It’s time for a new spring look. The Clarendon Hotel and Spa is once again lending itself to local creatives to become the largest art installation in…
There are always shows in Phoenix, here, we humbly recommend five you should check out. If none of these strike your fancy, check out our comprehensive concert listings for many more options. Sister Lip – Friday, May 16, and Saturday, May 17 – Sail Inn Sister Lip is one of…
For Brad Paisley fans hoping to beat this summer with some musical relief, bad news: LiveNation anounced today that the show has been canceled due to “scheduling conflicts.” Refunds will be available at the point of purchase. Find any show in Metro Phoenix via our extensive online concert calendar. 9…
2014 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. & Legendary Pictures Productions LLCGodzilla, opening May 16.Village Voice film editor Alan Scherstuhl and L.A. Weekly film critic Amy Nicholson recommend Neighbors (Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne, Zac Efron) and Godzilla (Bryan Cranston, Godzilla) and are joined by special guest, James Beard Award-winning L.A. Weekly restaurant…
Phoenix, your plans for the week are here. Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Washington Nationals He probably didn’t plan it, but Matt Williams picked a great time to leave Arizona. Williams was part of the Arizona Diamondbacks — as either a player, partial owner, or coach — for every year of the…
“School’s out for summer,” sang one of Phoenix’s proudest sons, Alice Cooper. But I’m going to go out on a limb and say that per-capita celebrations of summer are lower here than most places in the country. As Arizona State University students go back from whence they came and the…
Kathy Griffin Calm down, gurl. Yes, this year Kathy Griffin won a long-awaited Grammy for a comedy album, which has a title quite similar to the advice we’ve just given you. But that doesn’t mean she’s taking a load off with a box of wine. Although, we’re sure her mom,…
There are so many options for concerts this week. Diversity — that’s what Phoenix’s music scene is offering. Like hair metal? Catch Skid Row and Black Star Riders on Friday. Goth DJ nights? We got that, too. Punk? Indie rock? Stoner metal godfathers? Yup; yeah; and yes, please. Check out…
The Black Keys announced a nationwide tour in support of their forthcoming album, Turn Blue, and they will stop by Phoenix on November 10 to play the US Airways Center. No word yet on ticket price, but if you pre-order the album through the Black Keys’ website you can get…
If you missed the sold-out shows Dr. Dog played at the Crescent Ballroom in February, you don’t have to wait much longer for another chance to see the Philadelphia band. Dr. Dog is playing a free show at Desert Botanical Gardens on May 15. RSVP here. See also: Dr. Dog’s…
