Don’t blame us for pinning low hopes on the Arizona Diamondbacks’ chances of winning the National League West crown in 2010. Blame the team. They sucked hardcore last season, limping on two broken legs to a 70-92 record. However, anything can happen, right? Plus, as of now, every team is…
Now this is cool. This week, the soon-to-be-open Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) in north Phoenix took delivery of the piano in which John Lennon of The Beatles composed “Imagine,” a tune that some people feel is the best song ever. The instrument – which isn’t the white piano that Lennon…
Just in case you haven’t heard, Modified Arts didn’t close or become a strip joint (yes, these were rumors that were actually floated about). Rather, the longtime space simply changed its modus operandi by focusing on NYC-style music shows, such as the Alchemy of Sound, a collaboration series curated by…
As if the Worst Cooks in America fame from Food Network wasn’t enough for Beau MacMillan, the chef of Elements Restaurant is getting more of the rock-star treatment during the WestSide ThrowDown. MacMillan hosts this high energy, rock ‘n’ roll style competition that features six local chefs – including Josh…
Another one bites the dust.Chyro Arts Venue, the mostly theater/sometimes music venue, has announced its closing via its Web site. A Best of Phoenix winner in 2008, Chyro will hold one final production before a closing bash around its closing May 16.A D.I.Y. venture from the get-go, the spot was…
If you believe that record sales equal musical relevance, then you may think that classical music — which accounted for less than 3 percent of all record sales in 2009 — needs to be locked up in some museum archive along with the dinosaur bones. However, if you listened to…
We heart Conspire. We really do. However, we’ve noticed a theme while waiting for a cup of the best coffee in town: the patrons are always bitching about something, ranging from what we need to do to change the world to the mean meter maid that just dolled out parking…
The latest story was written by Si Robins for Wavelength, a mag published by Phoenix’s National Public Radio station, KJZZ-FM 91.5. It does teeter on puffy, press-release territory, however the piece also features some nice touches, such as a brief background of the label’s namesake, River Jones, as well as some…
The smell of freshly cut plywood is in the air as 15 audience members, seated in Space 55’s brand-new seating area, buzz with anticipation for the beginning of the Improvised Bookclub. A few minutes later, Sam Haldiman, the emcee of tonight’s Torch Theatre production, sprints onstage. He’s a little man…
During a basketball game’s halftime, it’s always so painful to watch Joe Schmoe – who has just been plucked from his rafter seat – run around all duck-footed, missing three-pointer after three-pointer in hopes of winning a lifetime supply of Jumbo Jacks. If we’re going to be subject ourselves to…
How does a trip to, say, the Dominican Republic sound right about now? Pretty awesome, right? Well, you don’t have to hop on a plane to enjoy the culture. All you need to do is drive over to La Taverna Mexican Grill for the Dominican Festival featuring an all day…
Kicking back and watching cheap ball with an affordable brewski in-hand, all while slowly soaking underneath a free sun . . . some of us live here for that. Yep, it’s time, once again, for some baseball. The month-long 2010 Arizona Cactus League season kicks off with a game between…
It’s March, aka, the month for Phoenicians to be stinkin’ drunk all of the time. With the perfect sunny weather and events like Cactus League Baseball, St. Patrick’s Day, and the Great Arizona Beer Festival, sobriety will be at a premium this month. Whatever. We’ll roll with it and on…
You’re a classical composer living in Norway. That means you must exclusively like Edvard Grieg or something that sonically references a journey at sea. Well, in the case of Ola Gjeilo, that’s not exactly accurate. The Norwegian-born creative type, who now lives in Manhattan, loves him some jazz, especially cats…
It’s been a while since the Phoenix Suns were in this position. They may have been able to post a season sweep against those pesky Sacramento Kings, but that Northern Cali squad (who’s rarely that good, btw) always seems to hand the Suns a critical loss or two each season…
The old bread and butter of hometown collegiate athletics, the ASU Baseball team, are in a wee bit of trouble. The defending three-time Pac-10 champions canned its head skipper, Pat Murphy, after fourteen successful seasons. And now, Tim Esmay (a man with limited head coaching experience) steps in. Yikes. Despite…
It’s a trip how things come full circle. You see, on February 7, 1999, the modest red-brick building at Roosevelt and Fourth streets, formerly known as Metropophobobia, celebrated its grand opening as Modified Arts with a sold-out performance by the Chicago Underground Duo. Nearly 11 years to the day, the…
No doubt about it: our local economy is in the toilet. State parks are closing, city businesses are slashing staff, and there aren’t any new jobby-jobs. Rather than sinking into depression, view this as a perfect time to get more educated. Reading good book after good book is one way…
We’ve lost our way a bit here in Arizona, thanks to over reliance on air conditioning, fancy resort spas, and grocery stores galore at every strip-mall corner. In other words, folks ‘round these parts are soft, doughy, and need an injection of the old school, which is exactly what one…
You think Valentine’s Day comes from the heart? Well, if you’ve got a strong one, put that theory to the test and participate in this heart-pumping workout. The Arizona Marathon features a course that begins at Yuma and Cotton lanes in Goodyear, moseys past the Estrella Mountains, and ends at…
You think Valentine’s Day comes from the heart? Well, if you’ve got a strong one, put that theory to the test and participate in this heart-pumping workout. The Lost Dutchman Arizona Marathon takes off from Prospector Park and meanders through Gold Canyon. The event also offers a half-marathon, 10k, 8k-trail…
For years, Anna Ramsey’s art has been as mobile as a fugitive and noticeable to the observant eye only in fleeting moments. Now, there will finally be some permanence to the Phoenix-based artist’s work. The El Paso and Flagstaff-bred creative type (she’s the percussionist in The Do It Upright Initiative…
