It seems as if everybody, especially Los Angeles Dodgers fans, is creaming him or herself over the Dodgers’ acquisition of outfielder Manny Ramirez. True, the slugger is leading the team’s charge toward NL West supremacy. But just wait until he ditches his best behavior and the loose cannon starts firing…
Don’t worry. Just because this piece you are reading will soon plug the lecture appearance of Eric Schlosser, author of the bestselling fast-food exposé Fast Food Nation, it doesn’t mean that we are going to slam Fat America. Instead, we are going to slam Fat Planet Earth. Okay, maybe the…
One thing was always certain on The Cosby Show: When Theo Huxtable (played by Malcolm-Jamal Warner) escaped the influence of his pal Cockroach, he was actually a pretty smart guy. In real life, Warner is a pretty deep dude who performs a one-man music/spoken-word routine. Warner gigs on the rooftop…
One of the biggest complaints we hear in this town? “Phoenix has no culture.” Hey, crybaby. Ever been to Guadalupe, the Native American/Hispanic enclave nestled between Phoenix and Tempe? If not, get your behind to the off-the-hook ’hood on Saturday, April 5, for Guadalupe Days. The event, centered on the…
Not since the mid-’90s street tournament at Arizona Center has a b-ball happening tickled our jones for pavement hoopin’. Radio station 101.5 Jamz presents Gus Macker’s Who’s Got Game? 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament at Tempe Marketplace. The shindig will feature slam-dunk and free-throw contests as well as blacktop balling. April 5-6,…
We heart Arizona Bike Week – one of the largest motorcycle rallies in the state, currently frequenting the Phoenix area – but we eco-friendly, transportation-challenged types prefer our bikes non-motorized and of the pedal variety. That’s why we’ll take extra precaution not to be run down by a burly chopper…
“Let’s get fucked-up! It’s Wednesday!” This piece of midweek advice comes courtesy of Corey Gloden, lead singer of Strange Young Things, who are playing at The Loft in Tempe. I’m kicking back at the bi-level club’s copper bar with my friend Whoopi Pupi, watching the local rock group perform. Gloden’s…
Three-quarters of the way through a compilation that’s been billed as a locals-only/females-only album, a voice that’s clearly not a girl’s appears. That voice belongs to Chris Corwin (no, Chris is not short for Christina), who, last time we checked, is totally a guy. We didn’t investigate to see whether…
The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of NiggyTardust, the newest, Internet-only album by Saul Williams, may not be what fans expect from the accomplished writer, star of the 1998 movie Slam, and poet/musician. It’s more gritty, electronic-based, and, at times, even more pissed-off. For that, we can thank Trent Reznor of…
The hip cats who put together the Theonix Arts Showcase know how to throw a slammin’ shindig. 4 real dough. On Friday, March 28, the center of the cool universe takes place at Hollywood Alley, with performances by What Laura Says Thinks and Feels, Rocketline, The Market, and H.P.R. as…
Outside of blaxploitation and Spike Lee, motion pictures made by black filmmakers don’t get much love. That changes (at least in this town) when acclaimed African-American filmmakers visit for the seventh annual Arizona Black Film Showcase. Workshops take place at Phoenix Convention Center, 111 North Third Street, while the films…
Chuck Taylor All-Stars, those venerable Converse sneakers, were once the cutting edge in athletic shoes. They’ve long since given way to NASA-level contraptions in competition arenas. Similarly, Jean Cocteau’s contributions to art and performance might seem a little, well, quaint. Backwards Theatre, a new avenue for experimental theater from preeminent…
While the Willo Historic District receives mad accolades and recognition, little ol’ Coronado – loosely bordered by Virginia Avenue to the north, McDowell Road to the south, Seventh Street to the west, and 14th Street to the east – sits there in all of its cute and quiet glory. To…
The Arizona American Italian Club will be a heaven for record nerds when they host a Record Swap Meet. Sat., March 29, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., 2008…
You’d be one crazy mofo to miss this shindig. On Thursday, March 27, Djentrification, Johnny Dee, and One Peso share four turntables during this DJ potpourri. One Peso, who plans to leave Phoenix soon, will spin rarely-heard Jamaican music while the legendary Johnny Dee plays super rare songs from local…
It’s a rainy Tuesday afternoon in central Phoenix, and I’m hanging with TJ Jordan, co-owner of the Valley’s newest vinyl shop, Revolver Records. Aromatic candles give the space a warm, cozy vibe. Others must think so, too, because there’s a steady flow of shoppers competing for space in the snug,…
We once noted that The Lost Leaf hosts killing New York City-style jazz every Sunday night courtesy of Jiggle. Now y’all can add Monday evenings for the benefit of your jazz-loving eardrums. A quartet made up of some burning Tempe-based players (Jeff Libman on guitar, bassist John Chapman, percussionist Shaun…
Dude who led the largest global warming demonstration in American history discusses and signs Fight Global Warming Now as well as the national bestseller Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future. Tue., March 25, 7 p.m., 2008…
During Radical Mod, L.A.’s “punk-mariachi-hip-pop” party band Los Super Elegantes perform a rare concert. Thu., March 20, 5-9 p.m., 2008…
Police blotter: 1:18 a.m. January 16, 2008. A stabbing took place outside of Uncle Monkeys in Mesa. Suspect fled the scene in a teal Geo Storm. Word is that dude sucked ass in the bar’s Tuesday-night Guitar Hero Tournament and went apeshit (okay, we made up that last part). So…
The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of NiggyTardust, the newest, Internet-only album by Saul Williams, may not be what fans expect from the accomplished writer, star of the 1998 movie Slam, and poet/musician. It’s more gritty, electronic-based, and, at times, even more pissed-off. For that, we can thank Trent Reznor of…
Because we’re pea-brained individuals at times, we write about things solely because they have weird or effed-up names. A perfect example: Aubrey Debauchery and the Puke Boots. The alt-ish/country-ish band from Chico, California — Chico! — plays simple-enough-sounding tunes with some jacked-up lyrics, like, “I’m gonna tie you to the…
