Double Visionaries

Seeing double is usually a bad sign. Maybe you hit your head, were in a fistfight, or just pounded a few Everclear shots. Of course, it’s pretty sweet if you’re Hugh Hefner looking at twin girlfriends Karissa and Kristina — or if you’re talking about stereoscopic photography, the process by…

The Losing Art of Battle

When it comes to left-wing politics here in Ari-bama, liberals can either resign themselves to being doormats for their Republican counterparts or grow a set of dukes and learn to use ’em. Sadly, many local Dems see the wisdom of the welcome mat, including assistant state House minority leader Kyrsten…

Jennifer Steinhauer

The L.A. bureau chief for The New York Times presents her first novel, Beverly Hills Adjacent, co-written by Jessica Hendran. The two describe the book as “a reproachful gaze at the television industry.” Thu., July 16, 7 p.m., 2009…

Back to the Sonic Future

If you think of The Gin Blossoms as the primary legacy of Valley music, you’re invited to hop into the Delorean that is “The Grid: Music Edition” exhibition. The Trunk Space, hosts of this sweet show, posed this simple question to The Shizz online local music community: “What’s the oldest…

Fore Real

Here’s a golf challenge: We triple dog dare you that you can’t land on the green in the dark. Sounds all Mission Impossible, right? Well, when the balls are fluorescent like they will be during the Night Flight Golf event at Palo Verde Golf Course, then it’s, like, mission possible…

Novaballet’s Imperative Forms

The promising young Valley troupe salutes promising young U.S. choreographers with this program featuring works by Adam Hougland, Robert Dekkers, and Emery LeCrone. Fri., July 17, 8 p.m.; Sat., July 18, 8 p.m.; Sun., July 19, 2 p.m., 2009…

Pooch Punt

Photographer William Wegman is the Anne Geddes of the canine world. Where Geddes dresses babies as ladybugs, flowers, and bunnies, Wegman coaxes his pet Weimaraners into equally humiliating garb: think dresses, purses, and oversize trench coats reminiscent of McGruff the Crime Dog. His latest show is titled “Unexpected Wegman”; so…

“Lineage: Tracing Generations of American Photography”

Claire C. Carter speaks about the museum’s “At the Crossroads of American Photography” exhibit, examining the symbiotic artistic relationships between the exhibit’s three principals, a.k.a. the “holy trinity of American photography”: Harry Callahan, Frederick Sommer, and Aaron Siskind (pictured). Thu., July 16, 6:30 p.m., 2009…

Arizona Opera Film Series: Carlos Saura’s Salome

Saura’s 2002 film is arguably the most passionate (unless you count Richard Strauss’) artistic rendering of the biblical temptress, famed for her dance of the seven veils. The flamenco-filled flick is presented in Spanish with English subtitles. Sun., July 19, 1 p.m., 2009…

The Bantam Menace

It’s easy, especially in a league historically dominated by megalopoli like the WNBA, to write off small-market teams like the Minnesota Lynx, but the Phoenix Mercury won’t. The surprising Lynx, who’ve never finished higher than third in the West, whipped the Merc last time out and owned the best record…

Diamondbacks Live Postgame Show: D-Backs/Rockies

The fan-friendly affair features a televised breakdown of the night’s Diamondbacks road game against the Colorado Rockies, along with giveaways, drink specials at nearby bars like Cadillac Ranch and Dave & Buster’s, and more. Wed., July 22, 3 p.m., 2009…

Diamondbacks Live Postgame Show: D-Backs/Rockies

The fan-friendly affair features a televised breakdown of the night’s Diamondbacks road game against the Colorado Rockies, along with giveaways, drink specials at nearby bars like Cadillac Ranch and Dave & Buster’s, and more. Tue., July 21, 8:30 p.m., 2009…

Diamondbacks Live Postgame Show: D-Backs/Rockies

The fan-friendly affair features a televised breakdown of the night’s Diamondbacks road game against the Colorado Rockies, along with giveaways, drink specials at nearby bars like Cadillac Ranch and Dave & Buster’s, and more. Mon., July 20, 8:30 p.m., 2009…

Idol Worship

Have there really been eight seasons of American Idol? That settles it. We’re all freaking sadists with rampant addictions to witnessing innocents get brutal lashings by that iron-maiden-tongued Brit Simon Cowell. Not to mention, we’ve had eight glorious years of watching Paula Abdul slowly wither to the same mental state…

Head Master

When we say Russian artist Sergei Isupov has a big head, we mean it literally. No, his noggin’s perfectly normal, and he’s not arrogant. Isupov sculpts large-scale ceramic heads covered with hand-drawn scenes, several dozen of which are currently on display in the “Androgyny: New Work by Sergei Isupov” exhibit…

Jessica Lea Mayfield

It hasn’t been long since Jessica Lea Mayfield played the Rhythm Room. Only six months, actually. But things are a lot different for the singer-songwriter discovered by Black Keys singer Dan Auerbach. Since her gig opening for Annuals in Phoenix she’s had a South By Southwest coming-out party, opened for…

“Noctilucent Mycology” Brings Art to Darkness at Five15 Arts

Local artist Preston Graves has a fascination with the night. He’s not one of those creepy pseudo-goth types, nor is his art influenced by the occult, like that of Perihelion Gallery’s Rachel Bess. Graves is passionate about biology — specifically plants, cells, and living organisms that transcend the ordinary when…

Departures: It’s Hard to Stay Mad at This Surprise Oscar Winner

The stately Japanese movie Departures comes into theaters trailing some justified ill will for having trounced the critical favorite, Israel’s Waltz with Bashir, for Best Foreign Film at last year’s Academy Awards. It’s not hard to fathom what Academy voters, who skew mature, saw in Departures, an earnest appeal for…

Arty Girl: William Wegman Show at SMoCA

We’ve all snapped photos of our beloved pets before. And with the aid of websites like icanhascheezburger.com, we get to see everyone else’s mediocre kitty and doggy shots.So how is it that when William Wegman takes photos of his Weimaraners, it’s considered high art?I say one look at any of…