What is there not to like about Paul Wall? First of all, his name is an absolute blast to say – especially in his trademark Houston drawl. He always rocks his beloved grills, allowing the world to see that he has both fine taste in mouth jewelry and a big…
Anything subtitled “Confessions of a Flight Attendant” blares a warning equivalent to “proceed to the nearest emergency exit.” But despite its awkward title, Around the World in a Bad Mood has been collecting admirable notices across the country. Written and performed by real-life flight attendant Rene Foss, the comic one-woman…
The stewards from the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy lead this hike into the spring bounty of the Sonoran Desert. Keep your eyes peeled for bloomers including the fairy duster, desert chicory, wolly daisy, brittlebush, buckhorn cholla, desert marigold and senna, globemallow, chuparosa, scorpion weed, and desert hyacinth. Sun., March 22, 8-11:30…
Author/photojournalist Lechner should’ve titled her book Chicago Cubs: Big, Fat Losers. Rather, she chose the high road with her Our Team, Our Dream: A Cubs Fan’s Journey Into Baseball’s Greatest Romance — described as a “passionate photo documentary highlighting 15 seasons with the Chicago Cubs.” Fifteen years? Ouch. The girl…
The discoverer of the famous skeletal hominid named Lucy and founder of the Institute of Human Origins, now based at ASU, signs Lucy’s Legacy: The Quest for Human Origins. Sun., March 22, noon, 2009…
Ballet is for rich white folks. Interpretive dance is for freaky hippie types. Those are the myths that visual artist Lee Berger, professional choreographer Candy Jimenez, and composer Jimmy Cerracchio want to dispel with their modern-dance performance Pensive Beauty. The nine-movement ballet includes music by electronic-acoustic rock band Azul and…
It’s more cliche than movie these days, but if you haven’t seen Francis Ford Coppola’s 1972 masterwork of late, check out the movie that launched Al Pacino’s career and resuscitated Marlon Brando’s in an outdoor setting. Fri., March 20, 7:30 p.m., 2009…
If you’re tempted by an eating disorder, listen to this: “Hungry? I bet you are, you piece of shit. Aw, poor baby hates her body? Good. You should, because you’re a big, giant fatso. You lost 10 pounds in a week? Don’t you dare feel proud, you worthless pile. You’re…
The New Zealand author signs Sonata for Miriam, the follow-up to her critically acclaimed 2007 debut, Astrid and Veronika. Mon., March 23, 7 p.m., 2009…
The hometown talent — the native Californian graduated from ASU and continues to live in the Valley — is getting excellent notices for her first, semi-autobiographical novel, Under the Lemon Trees, which she’ll read from and sign at Changing Hands. Sat., March 21, 7 p.m., 2009…
Ron Rhode provides accompaniment on the Wurlitzer pipe organ to five class L&H silent shorts. Sun., March 22, 2:30 p.m., 2009…
Here at New Times, we’ve covered the ever-living shit out of artist James Turrell’s skyspace viewing chamber Knight Rise at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. Don’t believe us? Scroll up and punch “Turrell” into the search box. We’ve pimped it for good reason. It’s one of the best places…
The nightlife series showcases a different Dale Chihuly sculpture and Chihuly-inspired cocktail weekly. This week’s featured sculpture: Blue Reeds, Marlins and Floats. Cocktail: Blueberry Rocks. Entertainment: Mikel & Meredith Band (pictured). Thu., March 19, 5:30-8 p.m., 2009…
Nothing is greater than clinching a championship against your rancorous rival, so imagine the feeling when the ASU Baseball team locked up a Pac-10 conference crown against the University of Arizona Wildcats in 2007. Totally awesome. But wait, that was just the beginning. ASU did the same freaking thing to…
The 1927 and 1996 flicks screen in conjunction with the “Seriously Funny” exhibit. A discussion with film critic Colin Boyd follows. Wed., March 25, 6:30 p.m., 2009…
For those of us stuck in Arizona during South by Southwest, the only solace is the number of great bands making pit stops in the PHX on their back-and-forth routes to Austin. Portland’s Parenthetical Girls – whose former members went on to form the groups Xiu Xiu and Dead Science…
In a haunting scene from the 2000 film O Brother, Where Art Thou?, a bluesman serenades a trio of escaped convicts with Skip James’ “Hard Times Killin’ Floor Blues” along the way to selling his soul to the devil in exchange for guitar immortality. Credit filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen…
The Grand Canyon is cool and all, but for those of us who don’t have time or scrilla for the four-hour jaunt up north, we’d love to see the wondrous gorge photographically depicted in a new light. Like, please. No more South Rim shots at sunset. “Charting the Canyon: Photographs…
Art historian Sharyn Udall goes to bat for the founder of the Taos School — sometimes denigrated for being an icon of the American Southwest — in this lecture held in conjunction with “In Contemporary Rhythm: The Art of Ernest L. Blumenschein.” Tue., March 24, 7 p.m., 2009…
The Iran-born former Baghdad bureau chief for Newsweek, now a John S. Knight fellow at Stanford University, speaks about his experiences covering the global war on terror in locales such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon. Mon., March 23, 7 p.m., 2009…
We’re ashamed to admit it, but we’ve always admired cosplayers. Not for their taste – or diet or personal hygiene – but for their courage. You have to respect someone who proudly advertises his or her interests with no regard for the stigmatization that inevitably follows. If you’re a closeted…
Comedian Charlie Murphy will forever be remembered as the man whose “Charlie Murphy’s True Hollywood Stories” sketch on Chappelle’s Show colored the world with that immortal catchphrase, “I’m Rick James, bitch!” It seemed damn near impossible, back in 2004, to avoid hearing one of your co-workers or friends spout the…
