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wednesday, december ,
Your guide to the Tucson arts and entertainment scene
What not to give Everyone knows what it’s like to unwrap that one gift. Whether it’s something awkward, abnormal or just not functional, there are a few things we always get but aren’t quite sure what to do with. Of course, we appreciate all the gifts we receive — but if you want your friends and family to truly love what you pick out for them, here are some gifts to avoid handing out this holiday season.
A Stuffed Animal
Stuffed animals are fun — for kids. But if you give a teddy bear or plush dog to anyone upward of 10, it just feels silly. Though some of us may have kept our favorite stuffed friends from childhood, we usually don’t have any use for a new one, no matter how cute it is. — Miranda Butler, arts writer
A Craft Kit
I’m not a person to dislike a gift, especially at the holidays. But it’s always pretty frustrating when I get some kind of doit-yourself craft kit. Probably just because to me it conveys the message of, “Hey, do this craft for me, so I can know that you had fun.” Make your own beaded bag? Make your own embroidered potholder? Maybe I’d enjoy crafting some of these things on my own, but when it’s an obligatory craft, it becomes more of a nagging obligation than an indulgence in kitsch. — Kellie Mejdrich, arts writer
A Self-Help Book
Do you know what gift no one ever wanted for Christmas? A selfhelp book. Not only is it something that you’re never going to read, but it’s also a subtle insult. Gifts are supposed to be an indulgence that you wouldn’t normally buy yourself, not a practical and constructive slap in the face. They wouldn’t be getting you “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens” if you weren’t a loser, “Skinny Bitch” if you weren’t a bit hefty or “Addiction and Recovery for Dummies” if you weren’t a cokehead. The only gift worse than a self-help book: a scale. — Kenny Contrata, copy chief
A Package of Batteries
Nothing ruins the whole “good things come in small packages” adage like six double-A batteries in their own festive wrapping. While such thorough planning ahead does save me that Dec. 26 trip to Target, I’d rather shake a few stray Energizers out of my remote than waste my excitement on such a mundane nod to practicality. — Christy Delehanty, arts editor
A Charm Bracelet
One particularly poor holiday gift choice people seem to love giving the women in their lives is a charm bracelet. Not only are charm bracelets so seventh grade, but they also come with a hidden, unwanted amount of work and expense for the receiver. When has someone ever received a fully-adorned charm bracelet? Never. People seem to think it is fun to only help you begin your bracelet by gifting you with the bracelet and a “starter charm.” Or even better, no bracelet at all; just the starter charm. Thanks for the useless chunk of metal; that really means a lot. — Rebecca Rillos, news writer
Online magazine to host three-day event at Tucson’s MOCA By Miranda Butler ARIZONA DAILY WILDCAT The times are definitely changing, which raises a lot of questions in the world of art, design and production. For example, what will happen to the various media for art as technology grows increasingly more allencompassing? How can we showcase creative expression in such an industrialized world? Triple Canopy is an online magazine which has taken these questions and embraced the answers. The company uses the internet to contribute to, and connect people within the world of art and design. Triple Canopy’s mission statement explains that the company “facilitates projects that engage the Internet’s specific characteristics as a public forum and as a medium, one with its own evolving practices of reading and viewing, economies of attention and modes of interaction.” As a result, Triple Canopy has created a complex world of networking for creativity all across the world. They host many events which showcase films, hold discussions and start conversations between artists and their audiences. As Alexander Provan,
IF YOU GO “Scale Models” Museum of Contemporary Art 265 S. Church Ave. Dec. 16 - 18. canopycanopycanopy.com
“We’re excited to see what people in Tucson are thinking.” — Alexander Provan editor of Triple Canopy
Courtesy of Triple Canopy
A still from Robert Breer’s “Recreation” (1956). Triple Canopy’s three-day event at the Museum of Contemporary Art will include a screening of Breer’s films.
the editor of Triple Canopy, explains: “We’ve done some events in New York, Berlin and LA. This is a subject that people tend to respond to differently depending on where they live, and depending upon the relationship between artistic practice and publishing (in that area).” And this December, Triple Canopy is also bringing one of these discussions to Tucson. This event, called “Scale Models,” contains many exciting activities spanning three days. From Dec. 16 18, many important representatives of the Triple Canopy company will be “discussing the role of design in the development of emerging
forms of publication” at the Museum of Contemporary Art. “As far as I know, there aren’t a lot of discussions about this happening in Tucson. We’re excited to see what people in Tucson are thinking,” Provan said. The event also features screenings of films by the prolific animator and Tucson denizen, Robert Breer. In addition, the museum will unveil “Planetarium,” a navigable scale model of the solar system by artist Matt Mullican. This work was recently featured in the online magazine. Provan encourages UA students to attend this unique and thoughtprovoking weekend at the
museum. “This event is interesting, especially for students studying art, art history, literature, design and even computer sciences. The idea for Triple Canopy is that it’s really a space in which all those things interact and learn from each other,” he said. Although the world of emerging technology can seem daunting, Triple Canopy believes that the combination of various forms of media can be extremely beneficial. Provan said that art, literature, design and computer sciences “converge pretty often. And those convergences are really interesting and productive for all the areas involved.”
Christy Delehanty Arts Editor 520•621•3106 arts@wildcat.arizona.edu
Soft Rock Hard Comedy at Sky Bar Monthly event combines music, laughs, film By Kristina Remy ARIZONA DAILY WILDCAT What better way to end finals week than with a little comic relief? Sky Bar will be hosting this month’s Soft Rock Hard Comedy VII, a free monthly event that brings together comedy, music and even film shorts, on Dec. 19. Mike Sterner, a former UA student who started his comedy career by participating in Comedy Corner and performing in the old student union, hosts the event alongside nine comedians and four musical acts. Each “comedy clump,” as Sterner calls it, is composed of three comedians who have seven to 12 minutes each to perform. Before the next clump is introduced, there is a musical break, giving audience members the opportunity to grab drinks, a slice of pizza from Brooklyn Pizza Company next door or even step outside on the patio. The event is different from most local comedy shows for several reasons. Comedians typically only have a few minutes to perform, whereas at Soft Rock Hard Comedy they have almost triple the typical stage time. “In two minutes you barely get the audience used to you and then you have to leave. With 10 or so minutes, you have the time to do something you don’t normally do,” Sterner said. Additionally, the musical intermissions give the event more of a bar/club vibe. “There’s more of a clubhouse feel. Everyone just hangs out. You can go in and out, intermingle with the comedians and be entertained the whole time,” Sterner said. Musical acts range from a single person with a guitar to a full band. “Musical acts are supposed to be a break while still keeping the overall rhythm and feel of the event,” Sterner said. The event begins at 8 p.m. and ends at 11. The event is open to anyone 21 and older. Anyone interested in participating as a comedian, musical act or even submitting a short film should look up Soft Rock Hard Comedy on Facebook.
IF YOU GO “Soft Rock Hard Comedy VII” Sky Bar 536 N. Fourth Ave. Dec. 19, 8 p.m. 21+
WEEKLY FIVE WHY
WAIT
PLEASE
YOU MUST
DON’T FORGET
have some professors scheduled tests this Wednesday? Finals start on Friday, people. Don’t be cruel.
until after Christmas to buy gifts for friends in Tucson — most stores hold huge sales after the holiday.
look both ways. There have been some scary incidents this semester involving pedestrians, so even if you’re dead tired from a long day and/or night at the library, be safe.
get a peppermint mocha or a gingerbread latte while Starbucks still has them. Extra shots are good in these, too. The flavors are strong, so you can be festive and cracked out on caffeine.
anything as you pack up and head home for the holidays. Remember to lock up your bike and defrost that mini-fridge!