Take it back to the old school, live just enough for the city, or keep it on the down-low during Thumping Thursdays. The weekly shindig showcases live DJs spinning dusty soul grooves and nostalgic R&B tracks. Thursdays, 5-9 p.m., 2007…

Urban photography wizard Craig Wactor ventured from downtown’s torn up Baghdad-esque streets and captured other depressive looking doom-and-gloom — the resurgent mining communities of Miami and Globe, Arizona — with his silver gelatin prints. Works by Farrell Yancy are also on display…

It’s no wonder the New York Times gave animated filmmaker Brent Green props, saying his films are “some of the most original animations we have seen in years.” And it should come as little surprise that Filmmaker magazine dubbed the twentysomething one of the top 25 newcomers to the independent…

There aren’t any “Your Momma So Fat” jokes allowed at Positive Open Mic night, because 1) they are way played out, and 2) you wouldn’t want to be a grade A a-hole, would ya? Poets, comedians, dancers, and more are invited to show off their stuff without fear of some…

Can Theatre in My Basement voyage even further into the avant-garde performance-art ether? Yep. Just listen to what TIMB’s main man, Chris Danowski, has to say about the troupe’s latest experiment, Coyote Love. “[It’s a] hypersexual performance text making love, war, and shopping into a lovely art for lovely monsters.”…

Travel overseas and ask any foreign bloke what stereotypes strike them the most regarding the ugly American. You may be surprised by the answer. We know from experience that the retort doesn’t concern vomit-colored strip malls or our nasally accents punctuated with a barrage of “likes” and “uhs.” Nor is…

We assume the Phoenix Craft Mafia are a friendly bunch, but you may not wanna cross them unless you want some size-15 knitting needles in your pupils or some hand-blown glass shrapnel in the jugular. Meet Phoenix’s newest collective of textile designers, jewelry crafters, and paper makers when the PCM…

Well, well. Mesa’s done it again. No, not closed off a section of the 202 to install luxury asphalt or constructed another tract-development eyesore. The Mesa we are referring to is Mesa Contemporary Arts and the “it” is the fostering of the local art community. An example is the “Contemporaneous…

We here in this sauna-esque shit hole must be missing something south of the border (no, not guaranteed T&A in Puerto Peñasco), because many of our downtown brethren seem to be living it up in exotic Central and South American lands. Vaiden Boyer Kirchheimer and hubby Will are soon off…

Last month, when Kevin Patterson, funnyman host of Grand Avenue LIVE!, traveled through the jungles of Colombia (yeah, that Colombia, the one currently immersed in a four-decade-strong guerrilla conflict), the buzz around downtown was whether he would 1) come back alive and 2) indulge in the crack pipe. We’re not…

Thanks to NBA whistle-blower Tim Donaghy, followers of the every-professional-sport-is-rigged faith have turned their focus away from always-controversial wrestling and boxing to the Not Basketball Anymore league. Maybe these kooks will finally appreciate the Bad Boy Boxing Tournament. Sat., Sept. 8…

We can’t claim to be the authority on a whole lot, but we sure as hell know a thing or two about the hair-pulling, time-consuming writing process. In the past 30 years, one of the best voices in contemporary prose, Jerry Stahl — Permanent Midnight author, ex-heroin addict, former pornographer,…

Can’t quite pin down the odor that’s living in the house? Ever think it could be your bitch, uh, dog that’s stinkin’ up the joint? A visit to Wag N’ Wash Self-Service Dog Wash — a cutesy, colorful pet emporium that provides all the equipment and space you need to…

Hey, fellas, ever wonder what truly goes on during an exclusive ladies night? Maybe your girlfriend meets a Prince Charming with all of the qualities you lack. You know, a tall, attractive Dapper Dan who can wield a garlic press like no other, quote Rumi, talk about feminine emotions, and…

Is wrestling fixed? Do toddlers cry? Is it hot here in July? Do you not give two poops, because you think anything involving turnbuckles and metal chairs is the coolest? Then check out WWE Presents Smackdown & ECW, starring Boogeyman, the Great Khali, Batista, and many more…

We know some artists are natural outcasts, but we can’t figure out what’s up Jacob Safari’s butt. On his MySpace page, the Tucson musician, better known as Bark Bark Bark, touts that “everyone hates me” and that he’s “100% unprofessional.” Locally, he has burned a few bridges with Grand Avenue…

Glendale equals nothing but lackluster sports franchises and puke-colored strip malls, true? False. Yung Face hosts the Hood Cartel hip-hop eve at the west side’s newest club. Trea-G, Crondo, Bruce Wayne, and K_Neezy are also scheduled to blow up the spot…

Mountain bike in the moonlight? Kind of sounds like a lyric from a cheesy ´80s power ballad penned by a sex-fueled hair-metal band, huh? We can just imagine some butt-rock freak in baking-flour makeup making love with the mic and using the bike’s aluminum frame as a metaphor for intercourse:…

Why are the three touring acts on the Queer Femme Dance Punk tour billed as such? Uh, because they’re, like, gay (duh), plus they wanted to be called “queer” rather than an offensive term spouted by some redneck clown. Jenna Riot (Casio-infused EDM), Diamond Beats (fronted by feminist pornographer Courtney…

In our opinion, we need more rock-star parties for book releases, especially when it’s the seventh and final installment of the Harry Potter series. The slamming Harry Potter Midnight Release Party features live music and fire-breathers…