Snake River Blues
Last September, the psychedelic folk band decker. took up a monthlong residency at New York City’s Rockwood Music Hall to celebrate Snake River Blues, their latest release. Local filmmaker Matty Steinkamp captured frontman Brandon Decker’s journey from Sedona’s red rocks to the Big Apple in a documentary short that shares the record’s name. Embedded with the group for a year as Decker recorded and toured with his latest opus, Steinkamp captured a determined creative who hustles hard to make his dream come true. The film not only serves as a document of Decker’s exemplary songwriting but also as an inspiration to creators of all stripes to take that next step.
Snake River Blues premieres on Thursday, May 18, at 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. at Film Bar, 815 North Second Street. Admission is $6, which includes a meet-and-greet after each showing. For more information, visit the Film Bar website. Jason Kiel
R. Hamilton Wright and Noah Racey get things strait in Arizona Theatre Company’s Holmes and Watson.
Tim Fuller
You can enjoy some version of Arthur Conan Doyle’s Holmes and Watson oeuvre just about anywhere you look, anytime in the past century. Personally, we like to watch Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law gradually age in Guy Ritchie’s films. (However, Iron Man has aged enough.)
Scads of dejected fans pointed out to Doyle that Sherlock Holmes ought not to have died when he plunged over Reichenbach Falls with Professor Moriarty, and the author eventually caved and wrote more adventures. Jeffrey Hatcher’s play Holmes and Watson, in a production by Arizona Theatre Company through Sunday, May 28, picks up the timeline at an imagined point in that gap when three unidentified patients at a typically creepy asylum on a Scottish island all claim to be Holmes. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 18, at Herberger Theater Center, 222 East Monroe Street. Tickets are $25 to $64 at the Arizona Theatre website or 602-256-6995. Julie Peterson
Birds n’ Beer
It’s not always easy to tell whether there’ll be beer at an event, so it makes things easier when organizers call it something like Birds n’ Beer.
The Nina Mason Pulliam Rio Salado Audubon Center, 3131 South Central Avenue, and Audubon Arizona host their signature happy hour event each month (except in July). From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 18, the topic is “Top 10 Urban Birding Tips.” Birding enthusiasts and activist Kathe Anderson will teach May’s Birds n’ Beer audience how to spot and identify the most common birds in the Phoenix area — including hummingbirds and
Admission is free, and beer will be served by Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co. Call 602-468-6470 or see the Rio Salado Audubon
Mad Monster Arizona
Under normal circumstances, we wouldn’t recommend getting within slashing distance of any horror film villain, let alone one as insidiously evil as Pinhead from the Hellraiser series. At this year’s Mad Monster Arizona, however, folks who’ve got the gumption (as well as $260 for a group of up to four) can meet the actual character IRL. That’s because Doug Bradley, the actor who played the Cenobite leader in the first two Hellraisers, will become the character and interact with fans in a creepy setting straight from the films. A slew of other actors and actresses from horror will also appear at the convention, albeit not in character, which takes place from Friday, May 19, to Sunday, May 21, at the We-Ko-Pa Resort, 10438 North Fort McDowell Road in Scottsdale. The lineup includes Zach Galligan from Gremlins, Exorcist star Linda Blair, and Judith O’Dea from Night of the Living Dead. Daily admission is $25 to $35 in advance, $30 to $40 at the door. A weekend pass is $60. Event hours vary. See the Mad Monster website for more details. Benjamin Leatherman
Taliesin West Night Lights Tour
You know what happens when the lights go down, but do you know what happens at Taliesin West after dark? Per those in charge of the Frank Lloyd Wright property in Scottsdale, the Night Lights Tour is the “perfect date night activity” and also “not intended for children under the age of 13.” Come explore the Midcentury Modern masterpiece at 12621 North Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard in the night glow and see what happens under the cover of darkness. On Friday, May 19, tours leave at 6:30, 7, and 7:15 p.m. Tickets are $40. For reservations, call 888-516-0811 or visit the Taliesin West website. Lindsay Roberts
The baby-faced, suit-wearing silliness advocate and comedian Michael Ian Black
Courtesy of Crescent Ballroom
Do you ever spend hours watching the same old Stella shorts and searching for favorite sketches from The State? Were you all over Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp when it premiered on Netflix and more obsessed with Michael & Michael Have Issues than most? Well heads-up: One of your faves is coming to town.
The baby-faced, suit-wearing silliness advocate and comedian Michael Ian Black will perform at Crescent Ballroom, 308 North Second Avenue, during his Shut Up & Comedy tour. Doors open at 7 p.m., and the show starts at 8 on Friday, May 19.
Tickets for this 21-and-over event range from $22 for general admission to $28 for reserved sections. Call 602-716-2222 or see the Crescent Ballroom website for more information. Lauren Cusimano
Tripping the light fantastic inside Squidsoup’s installation at Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art.
Lynn Trimble
You’d need thousands of night lights to create anything even approximating the newest light-based art installation at SMoCA, 7374 East Second Street. Called Ocean of Light: Submergence, it’s an interactive, digital media piece that fills an entire gallery. It’s the work of Squidsoup, an artist collective based in the United Kingdom.
Explore Submergence from 7 to 9 p.m. on Friday, May 19, as Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art presents its Summer Opening Celebration. The piece is one of three exhibitions on
While you’re there, check out Electro-Symbio Phonics, an iconic mixed-media sculpture by Nam June Paik, which grounds an exhibition titled “I’m Sorry But It’s Hard to Imagine.” Finally, there’s “[dis]functional: Products of Conceptual Design,” a show that considers notions of what makes good design. Artists and curators will be on hand to talk art and design with visitors that night. Visit the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Arts website. Lynn Trimble
Experience Polynesia
It’s not the same as staring into clear blue waters while letting your feet sink into the sand, but a trip to north Phoenix for Experience Polynesia does get you immersed in
This annual celebration of Pacific island culture features performances of dance and music, including guitar and ukulele playing by Patrick Ki. Take a ukulele lesson and learn how to play traditional sounds. Get crafty and decorate your own slit drum to take home. The museum’s café offers Polynesian fare. It’s all a pretty good way of pretending you’re not in the desert from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 20, at the Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 East Mayo Boulevard. Admission is $10 to $20 for adults, and free for kids 3 and younger. Call 480-478-6000 or visit the Musical Instrument
“Facing West: The Feminine Perspective of the Frontier”
There’s no shortage of artworks by men exploring Wild West themes. But how often have you seen women tackle similar subject matter? That’s just what Phoenix artist Faith Christiansen Smeets
The free opening reception for “Facing West” happens from 6 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, May 20, at Megaphone PHX. It’s a studio and gallery space operated by artist Andy Brown, which is located at 4700 North Central Avenue. Smeets will be showing abstract works inspired by the “hope, tragedy, and triumph” of women who traveled westward during the mid-19th century. Visit the Faith Christiansen Smeets website. Lynn Trimble
The young lovers of unexpected, before it hits the fan
Shelby Maticic
So many literary traditions have given us the star-crossed lovers — a couple whose love is as epic as it will later become fucked up. Greek mythology is no different, and all you can hope for is that after you’ve angered the gods, and your innocence, hubris, or inept bad luck has separated you from
Brelby Theatre Company throws Cupid, Psyche, Pyramus, Thisbe, Orpheus, and Eurydice into a fresh plot in John Perovich’s unexpected. Three of the characters are now sisters whose mom would rather they stay at home unwounded than step into the world of love. Then a ship lands, as they do.
The play’s directed by venerable theater artist Gerald Thomson and continues through Saturday, June 10. Showtime Saturday, May 20, is 7:30 p.m. at 7154 North 58th Drive in Glendale. Tickets are $17 to $25 at the Brelby website or 623-282-2781. Julie Peterson
Arizona Rattlers vs. Salt Lake Screaming Eagles
When the Arizona Rattlers made the leap from the Arena Football League
Read on for more of the best things to do in the Valley — including a Scorpius Dance show, a geeky lit gathering, and Book of Mormon.
ANIMAL
Scorpius Dance Theatre’s newest show, ANIMAL, explores the interactions between beasts and humans — and the behavior and physicality of domestic and wild animals through nine dance pieces. The show also explores the connection between pets and their owners through a series of funny interludes and a short film. Inspired by artistic director Lisa Starry’s love of animals, the show is upbeat in tone but also delves into the experiences of caged animals through a multidisciplinary piece combining dance and film at Phoenix Theatre. A visual art display in the lobby will feature animal-inspired artwork by Metropolitan Arts Institute students, and a portion of the proceeds from the show will go to the Lost Our Home Pet Rescue. Showtime is 8 p.m. on Saturday, May 20, at 100 East McDowell Road. Tickets are $25 and up. For more information, call 602-254-2151 or see the
Bubbles and Beats Yoga Brunch
You don’t have to be a Parks and Rec fan to treat yo’ self in 2017. That’s
Learn more about the Trunk Murderess
Arizona Historical Society/Winnie Ruth Judd Collection
If you love finding lesser-known details from Arizona’s
Judd became known as the Trunk Murderess and the Blonde Butcher after she was caught hauling two dead bodies (one dismembered) in her luggage on a train to Los Angeles. She was arrested, tried, and convicted, but her story didn’t end there. Phoenix history buff Marshall Shore will share the scoop on the so-called
Consider whether the apple falls far from the tree at Practical Art.
Painting by Mark and Rosemary Christopher/Photo by Lynn Trimble
It appears the next generation of Phoenix artists is already showing work alongside some pretty well-known creatives. It’s happening at Practical Art, 5070 North Central Avenue. That’s where “The Apple & The Tree,” an exhibition featuring art by parent/child pairings, is on view from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday, May 22.
Featured professional artists include Kristin Bauer, Emmett Potter, Lara Plecas, Carrie Marill, Linda Pullinsi, Lori Fenn, Shannon
The show includes works in several media — such as encaustic, drawing, video, painting, photography, and fiber art. Visit the Practical Art website. Lynn Trimble
Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Chicago White Sox
Okay, no one really expected the Arizona Diamondbacks to run away with their division, but with the way they opened the season — going 16-11 in April — they certainly put their divisional foes on notice. A grueling road trip to open the month of May cooled the team off some, but unlike 2016, when the snakes were frighteningly nonvenomous at Chase Field, they’ve been downright formidable at 401 East Jefferson Street this season. Look for the home team to strike first when they host the Chicago White Sox on Monday, May 22, at 6:40 p.m. Tickets are $16 and up. Visit the Diamondbacks website or call 602-514-8400 for details. Rob Kroehler
See cactus in a new light as Ballet Arizona performs Topia at Desert Botanical Garden.
Rosalie O’Connor
Cactus imagery is ubiquitous around these parts, where every other T-shirt, button, or necklace seems to have one. We get it. Saguaros have a strange appeal. But they lose something in the translation from nature to knick-knack.
Try seeing cactus in a new light as Ballet Arizona takes the stage at Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 North Galvin Parkway. That’s where cactus and desert plants bathed in colorful lights become vast sets imbued with intriguing variations of texture and line for the troupe’s Topia, a site-specific ballet choreographed by artistic director Ib Andersen.
It’s being performed on an 80-foot stage at the garden at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, May 23, and through June 10. Tickets start at $36, but you can pay more for table seating, which gets you closer to the stage and makes it easier to enjoy food and drink offerings available for purchase. Visit the Ballet Arizona website. Lynn Trimble
Craig ‘Skibs’ Barker, Driving By The Moon, 2017, Oil and mixed media on canvas with custom lightbox assemblage, 20 x 32 inches.
Courtesy of Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum
Muralism, pop surrealism, installation and street art, graffiti, hyperrealism, illustration, and portraiture — all of this and more is on display
Curated by Thinkspace Gallery based out of Los Angeles, the "Flourish" exhibition displays works from new and relevant artists from a wide range of styles in the Main Gallery, Project Room, and South Gallery. There’s a Felipe Pantone installation in the Project Room, murals from Esao Andrews and Nosego, and more on display till August 6.
Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. for Tuesday, May 23. Admission is free. For more information, call 480-644-6560 or see the Mesa Arts Center website. Lauren Cusimano
The Book of Mormon
Like your initial happy hour drink, The Book of Mormon tour was met with pure joy when it first visited ASU Gammage in November 2015. Sales set a venue record, then broke it in week two. Tickets for the return engagement through Sunday, May 28, went on sale a year and a half ago. At press time, a small handful
What ignited this popularity is a deeply funny, charming, relatable musical about some missionaries and some Ugandans. It smacked Broadway with a haymaker from which it has yet to recover.
Showtime on Wednesday, May 24, is 7:30 p.m. at 1200 South Forest Avenue in Tempe. Call 480-965-3434 or visit the ASU Gammage website. Julie Peterson
The Poisoned Pen will host over 20 sci-fi authors before Phoenix Comicon during Elevengeddon.
Courtesy of The Poisoned Pen
Phoenix Comicon’s author track is one of the hidden gems of the Con, lost amidst the movie stars and cosplayers. But hustling between panels doesn’t leave much time to track down autographs.
The Poisoned Pen has your solution with Elevengeddon at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 24, at the Hilton Doubletree Resort, 5401 North Scottsdale Road in Scottsdale.
Conceived by Iron Druid author Kevin Hearne and hosted by Sam Sykes, the third annual pre-con celebration features bestselling con attendees Sherrilyn Kenyon, Jim Butcher, Robin Hobb, and Scott Lynch, along with another 20 authors.
Admission is free, and there is no purchase required to attend. Books by all authors will be available as well. Call 480-947-2974 or visit the Poisoned Pen website for more information. Michael Senft
