July 8
Several of the Valley's top female vocalists--Ayanna, Karen Brooks, Dorothy Grayson, Maxine Johnson, Lady J, Kauffe, Lila, Karen Scott, Patti Williams and others--perform, backed up by Blues Ratio, at "Phoenix Divas Live: An Evening With Ladies of Color," a benefit show scheduled for 8 p.m. Thursday, July 8, at American Legion Post #65, 1624 East Broadway. Proceeds from the concert, which is hosted by singer/emcee George Bowman, benefit the post's Youth Education Scholarship Fund. Tickets, available at the door, are $10. Call 602-268-6059 for more information.
The endowment fund ArtShare Arizona is the beneficiary of the proceeds from a special screening of Alfred Hitchcock's Dial M for Murder at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 8, at AMC Esplanade 14, 2515 East Camelback. The evening also includes an ArtShare awards presentation, and is hosted by Valley poet Mary McCann, "The Bone Mama." Tickets are $25 in advance--available by calling 480-421-2384--and $30 at the door.
Comic Mitch Hedberg of That '70s Show takes the stage at 8 p.m. Thursday, July 8; 8 and 10 p.m. Friday, July 9; and the same times Saturday, July 10; and Sunday, July 11, at the Tempe Improv Comedy Theater, 930 East University (at Cornerstone mall). Todd Barry opens the show. 480-921-9877.
A free seminar with the unpoetic but self-explanatory title "Knee Injuries: Discover How Cartilage Replacement Therapy May Be a Viable Alternative to Total Knee Replacement Surgery" is slated from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, July 8, at Cowden Center (part of John C. Lincoln Health Network), 9202 North Second Street, and again from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, July 10, at the Scottsdale Marriott, 16770 North Perimeter Drive in Scottsdale. Dr. Gerald Yaccobucci hosts both talks. Seating is limited; call 602-716-5650 for registration.
Instructor Angelique and her students host a Belly Dancing Demonstration, with group participation encouraged, at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 8, at the North Central Regional Library, 17811 North 32nd Street. Admission is free, and no registration is required. 602-506-1634.
Friday
July 9
UofA student and pianist Kelly Dalton performs and signs her eponymous CD at 8 p.m. Friday, July 9, at Borders Books & Music at Biltmore Fashion Park, 24th Street and Camelback, Suite 200. Admission is free. 602-957-6660.
Tempe Kiwanis Park hosts American Red Cross Community First Aid from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, July 9; and from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, July 10, in the Recreation Center, 6111 South All-America Way in Tempe. Day one focuses on CPR; day two on other basic first-aid skills. Participation cards are given to those who complete the course, which costs $50. Advance registration is required. 480-350-5201.
The gaming convention HexaCon 9 features special guest Derek Pearcy of Steve Jackson Games--author of the role-playing game In Nomine--competitions, demos, a dealers' room and much more. It starts at 10 a.m. Friday, July 9, and continues round-the-clock to 3 p.m. Sunday, July 11, at Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort, 7601 East Indian Bend in Scottsdale. Admission is $20 for the weekend, for all ages. For registration and other details, call 602-973-2341 before the convention, and 480-991-2400.
Saturday
July 10
"Fashion Fusion," the new exhibit at Heard Museum North combining clothing and jewelry to show how Anglo and Native American fashions have influenced each other, opens on Saturday, July 10, and continues through June 2000. Hours: 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, noon to 5:30 p.m. Sundays. Admission: $2, $1 for those ages 4 to 12, free for younger kids and Heard members. At el Pedregal at the Boulders, 34505 North Scottsdale Road in Scottsdale. 480-488-9817.
The driving, built-for-video teeny-rock quartet called The Donnas--all four go by this same first name, using only last initials to denote individuality--visits the Valley, touring behind its new Lookout Records CD Get Skintight, on Saturday, July 10, at Boston's, 910 North McClintock in Tempe. The terrific blues/punk outfit The Delta '72 is also on the all-ages bill, as is Scared of Chaka. Tickets are $8 in advance, $10 at the door. 480-921-7343 (Boston's), 480-784-4444 (Ticketmaster).
Isn't fly casting best left to a good talent agent who has some experience with insect performers? (It's quite possible that that's the single dumbest joke that has ever appeared in this section.) Anyway, Canyon Creek Anglers presents a free Fly Casting Clinic at 8 a.m. Saturday, July 10, at the upper pond at Granada Park, 20th Street and Maryland. Call 602-277-8195 for more information.
Sunday
July 11
"Eat Right for Your Type" is the theme of a lecture by Dr. Herb Lewis from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, July 11, at the Gentle Strength Cooperative, 234 West University in Tempe. It costs $5, $3 for co-op members. All participants get a goody bag which includes a home blood-type testing kit and a free product for one's own blood type; it's said to be a $25 value. Call 480-968-4831 for more information.
Valley poets Mary Crume and William Eason are set to perform at this month's edition of the Divergent Arts Poetry Series, at 7 p.m. Sunday, July 11, at Long Wong's Live, 3623 East Indian School. Open-microphone readings follow. Admission is free; donations are accepted. 480-947-0371.
Monday
July 12
The Maricopa County Health Department offers Children's Immunizations from noon to 6 p.m. Monday, July 12, in the community room by the food court of Arrowhead Towne Center, 75th Avenue and Bell in Glendale. If possible, parents should bring their kids' immunization records with them. 623-979-7575.
The R&B/rock and funk/country group Masque performs at 7:30 p.m. Monday, July 12, on the southwest side of the lake at Kiwanis Park, Mill Avenue and All-America Way, concluding the series of Tempe's "Concerts in the Park." Admission is free. 480-898-5665.
Tuesday
July 13
Fauna both wild and domestic take over Shemer Art Center and Museum when the space presents "Mammals, Critters, Fish or Fowl," an exhibition of animal art featuring works by Frank Ybarra, Roberta Hancock--including what will likely be the only public showing of Maggie Muddypaws, Hancock's commissioned pastel portrait of an Airedale mix--and Sam Mindrum-Logan. It opens with a reception, at which the artists will be present, from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, July 13, and continues through Friday, August 6. Mixed-media works by Nancy Pendleton are displayed during the same dates. Sculptures by Larry McLaughlin continue indefinitely on the museum grounds. The mission-style facility, a former residence, was built between 1919 and 1928. Regular hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays. 5005 East Camelback. 602-262-4727.
Wednesday
July 14
New Times' own Robrt L. Pela facilitates the monthly Gay/Lesbian Literature Conversation Group at 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 14, at Borders Books & Music at Biltmore Fashion Park, 24th Street and Camelback, Suite 200. All are welcome; admission is free. This month's selection is Paula Martinac's Out of Time. 602-957-6660.
Funkmaster Robert Walters rocks the Valley at 9 p.m. Wednesday, July 14, at the Rhythm Room, 1019 East Indian School. The cover is $5. 602-265-4842.
