The Entertainer! Magazine February 2019

PHX METRO » FEBRUARY 2019

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TIFFANY HADDISH

‘THE STORY’

IS THE LEGO QUEEN

CONTINUES Jared and the Mill bring community to the stage FEBRUARY 22-24

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ENTERTAINMENT AMPLIFIED Little River Band Friday, Feb 8 The Ballroom

Tommy James & The Shondells Saturday, Feb 9

Jonny Lang

Saturday, Feb 16 The Showroom

The Showroom

Ambrosia with Gary Wright

Al Stewart “Year of the Cat”

The Showroom

The Showroom

Saturday, Feb 23

Friday, Apr 5

P L A Y

I N

Tyler Henry Friday, Apr 12 The Ballroom

S T Y L E

For tickets call the box office at 480.850.7734 or visit ticketmaster.com

101 & TA L K I N G S T I C K W A Y

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SCOTTSDALE

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TA L K I N G S T I C K R E S O R T. C O M

Locally owned and caringly operated by the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2019

CONTENTS

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12 ON THE COVER

JARED AND THE MILL

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The Tempe band is ready to bring positivity to the masses

THE NEED FOR SPEED

NHRA takes over Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park

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THE LEGO QUEEN

Tiffany Haddish is animated on and off the screen

on the cover: Jared Kolesar of Jared and the Mill photo by Kimberly Carrillo at The Listening Room in Phoenix

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THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2019

Times Media Group 1620 W. Fountainhead Parkway Suite 219, Tempe, AZ 85282 Phone 480.348.0343 Fax 480.348.2109 entertainermag.com

publisher

Steve T. Strickbine

steve@entertainermag.com

executive editor

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Niki D’Andrea

ndandrea@timespublications.com

editor

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

christina@timespublications.com

LONG BEACH

assistant editor Connor Dziawura

This California seaside town is filled with secret hotspots

designer

Chris Chattom

production manager

CONTENTS UPFRONT 9 Top 25 • Jared and the Mill • NHRA

CITY

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Jeremy Piven • Four Peaks Mining Company • Concours in the Hills • Sedona International Film Festival • Mummies of the World • Tiffany Haddish

THE DOWNTOWNER

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Top 10 • Volunteer Fair • Ambassador Don Olund • Lukas Nelson

TRAVEL

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Long Beach

ARTS

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Sarah Brightman • Arts Calendar • Paige Gallery • The Five Browns

DINING

Courtney Oldham

production@timespublications.com

circulation director

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Aaron Kolodny

aaron@entertainermag.com

contributing writers

Alison Bailin Batz, Heather Copfer, Sherry Jackson, Laura Latzko, Carson Mlnarik, Randy Montgomery, Eric Newman, Taylor O’Connor, Octavio Serrano, Alan Sculley

TRANSPLANT CITY

Staff Photographers

Kimberly Carrillo, Pablo Robles

New West Valley brewery brings creativity to craft beef scene

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Contributing Photographers Elton Anderson Jr., Andy Barron, Jacob Blickenstaff, Alysse Gafkjen, Lizzy Johnson, Joey Martinez, Steve Rose, Myriam Santos, SMP Photor

THE CRACK OF THE BAT IS BACK

ONE COPY PER READER

Spring Training swings into the Valley

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The Entertainer! is circulated throughout the Phoenix Metro area, especially concentrated in entertainment districts. ©2019 Affluent Publishing, LLC. A free online subscription is available to all readers simply by going to entertainermag.com/subscribe.

Best Food Events in February • Happy Hour Guide • Street Eats • Italian Festival

BEER AND WINE

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Best Beer and Wine Events in February • Beerfinder • Beertender • Beer Week • Transplant City Brewery

CASINOS

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Casino Entertainment Calendar

SPORTS

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Best Sports Events in February • Spring Training • Josh Collmenter

FAMILY

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Best Family Events in February • Hot Dogs and Jazz • Renaissance Festival

ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

MUSIC 59

IN CLOSING

Kongos • Live Music Calendar • Joy Williams • Whitney Woerz • Wood Brothers • Innings Festival

You’re Not Gonna Believe This

NIGHTLIFE

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For calendar and news items, the deadline for submission is the 15th of the month prior to publication. Submissions are included based on available space and are used at the discretion of the editor. Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or illustrations will not be returned unless it is specifically requested and submission is accompanied by a properly addressed envelope and sufficient postage. The Entertainer! makes every effort to authenticate claims and accurate times and event locations. We encourage readers to verify information prior to attending events or purchasing tickets.

DISTRIBUTION SERVICES PROVIDED BY:

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Best Nightlife Events in February • Mad Mixologist • Z-Trip

480.348.0343

MUST SEE AT LEAST ONCE YOUR LIFETIME in

“Absolutely

THE NO. 1 SHOW in the world.”

—Kenn Wells, former lead dancer of English National Ballet

“ I’ve reviewed about 4,000 shows, none can compare to what I saw tonight.”

—Richard Connema, renowned Broadway critic

“Absolutely the greatest of the great!

It must be experienced.”

—Christine Walevska, “Goddess of the Cello”, watched Shen Yun 5 times

“The highest and the best of what humans can produce.”

—Olevia Brown-Klahn, singer and musician

“AWE-INSPIRING!” “A MUST-SEE!”

—

—Broadway world

FEB 19–24 FEB 26–27 PHOENIX

TUCSON

MAR 1–3 MESA

Orpheum Theatre Tucson Music Hall Mesa Arts Center

ShenYun.com/AZ 800-880-0188

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2019

UPFRONT

9

PHX » CITY » LOCAL » PRIDE » DO » SEE

TOP25

soda, drink tickets and food.

Dave and Buster’s Tempe Marketplace, 2000 E. Rio Salado Parkway, Suite 1000, Tempe, 480.281.8456, bit.ly/2Cn74zZ, 3 to 8 p.m., $48.64-$61.45.

Carson Mlnarik » The Entertainer!

Lantern Festival

FEBRUARY 1 TO FEBRUARY 3 This lantern festival, which wraps February 3, combines the ageold Chinese tradition with holiday lights. The show represents a variety of cultures in lights, as well as in performances, food vendors, crafts and carnival rides.

Arizona State Fairgrounds, 1826 W. McDowell Road, Phoenix, 602.252.6771, bit.ly/ px-lant-fest, 5 to 10 p.m., $19.

Scottsdale Desert Stages Theatre, 7014 E. Camelback Road, Suite 0586, Scottsdale, 480.483.1664, desertstages.org, times vary, $20.

A Bowie Celebration

And In This Corner: Cassius Clay Aladdin

FEBRUARY 1 TO FEBRUARY 17 The beloved Disney cartoon flies to stage in the Broadway adaptation of the story of Aladdin, a street rat whose life changes when he finds a genie in a lamp. There’s also a princess, a magic carpet ride and a really catchy tune called “Friend Like Me.” Faithful to its source material with some modern asides, the show is sure to satisfy fans of the original.

ASU Gammage, 1200 S. Forest Avenue, Tempe, 480.965.3434, asugammage. com, times vary, $30-$195.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

FEBRUARY 2 TO FEBRUARY 10 This PG-13 musical is for the prepubescent in us all. The show centers around an eclectic group of tweens vying for title of spelling bee champ. They voice their middle school takes on love, life and everything else in between dings of the spelling mistake bell—and juice boxes.

FEBRUARY 2 TO FEBRUARY 24 This special play transports audiences back to the ’50s when a young boy named Cassius Clay Jr. took his first step into the ring, before knowing he’d grow up to be known to the world as Muhammad Ali. The performance shows Cassius navigating friendships, his family and learning to fight for himself in the South.

Black Theatre Troupe, 1333 E. Washington Street, Phoenix, 602.258.8128, new-wp.blacktheatretroupe. org, times vary, $25.

Dave and Buster’s Big Game Watch Party

FEBRUARY 3 Can’t swing a luxury box at the big game? Tempe Marketplace’s Dave and Buster’s has you covered. With TV screens as far as the eye can see, the best arcade games and buffet food at every corner, the gaming mecca will offer special admission packages for the party. Packages include reserved seating in the VIP sports lounge, as well as options for game play,

FEBRUARY 6 The iconic rocker’s spirit lives on with this special tribute, not only through setlist but through stage.

Key alumni musicians from David Bowie’s bands throughout the years will take the stage, joined by worldclass vocalists to take audiences on a Ziggy Stardust-worthy journey through Bowie’s discography.

Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main Street, Mesa, 480.644.6500, mesaartscenter.com, 7:30 p.m., $33-$68.

Lit and Sip

FEBRUARY 7 The scenic landscape at Desert Botanical Garden will play backdrop to an Electric Desert dance party for the 21-and-over crowd. Grab a cocktail and survey the illuminated garden paths or bounce between genres on the dance floor with two DJs leading a “silent disco.”

Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix, 480.941.1225, dbg.org, 7 p.m., $35.

You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown

FEBRUARY 7 TO FEBRUARY 10 The beloved Charles Schulz comic strip characters come to life in this musical celebrating its 50th anniversary. From “Happiness” to “My Blanket and Me,” characters like Linus, Charlie, Lucy and even Snoopy have their moments.

Making a three-night engagement at Mesa Arts Center, the tour adds two songs to the original version.

Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main Street, Mesa, 480.644.6500, mesaartscenter.com, times vary, $15-$20.

Worldwide Women’s Film Festival

FEBRUARY 8 TO FEBRUARY 10 This female-fronted festival seeks revive women’s representation in behind-the-scenes Hollywood.

About 122 films, documentaries, shorts and music videos from across the world will screen alongside panels and awards. Each featured film was helmed by a woman in a primary creative role, such as director, cinematographer or writer.

Harkins Theatres, 7354 E. Shea Boulevard, Scottsdale, 480.948.6555, wwfilmfestival. com, times vary, $12 per show, $40-$180 festival passes.

Jad Abumrad: The Miracle of Indoor Plumbing

FEBRUARY 9 The critically acclaimed NPR host sits down to deconstruct the process of indoor plumbing, among other hidden processes. Fans can expect the film composer-turned-journalist to dish, a la the type of work he’s known for in Radiolab and More Perfect.

Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main Street, Mesa, 480.644.6500, mesaartscenter.com, 7:30 p.m., $24-$35.

Arizona Strong Beer Festival FEBRUARY 9 With more than 500 craft beers on tap from 130 breweries, Arizona Strong Beer Festival is one of the state’s largest gatherings of beer.

Each ticket holder will receive a commemorative tasting cup, as well as tasting tickets. Live music, outdoor games and grub await, for when the foam settles.

Steele Indian School Park, 300 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix, 602.495.0935, bit.ly/2SUtboB, 1 to 5 p.m., $60-$100, $20 for designated drivers.

Grilled Cheese Festival

FEBRUARY 9 TO FEBRUARY 10 As if there needs to be an excuse to consume cheese and carbs. This festival brings together multiple variations on the sandwich favorite.

With food trucks and restaurant ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

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UPFRONT | CITY | THE DOWNTOWNER | TRAVEL | ARTS | DINING | BEER AND WINE | CASINOS | SPORTS | FAMILY | MUSIC | NIGHTLIFE | IN CLOSING

offerings, as well as chef demos, live music and pop-up bars, a lactose allergy couldn’t even stop a true grilled cheese connoisseur.

Horse Lovers Park, 19224 N. Tatum Boulevard, Phoenix, 602.330.5553, rockthefork. com, noon to 7 p.m., $15-$30.

Higley Center for the Performing Arts, 4132 E. Pecos Road, Gilbert, 480.279.7190, higleycenter. org, 7 p.m., $35-$55.

because Arizona’s iconic EDM party is returning. With a decade of good times under its belt, the 18-and-up two-day festival has recruited acts like Alesso, Seven Lions, Slander and Anna Lunoe for this year’s lineup.

Rawhide Western Town and Event Center, 5700 W. North Loop Road, Chandler, 480.502.5600, bit.ly/2RrHVhO, times vary, $109-$169.

Next to Normal

Colin Wright: The Becoming Tour Arizona Roots Music and Arts Festival FEBRUARY 9 TO FEBRUARY 10 This new Arizona festival hopes to plant the seed for good vibes.

From the same team behind Monterey’s beloved Cali Roots festival, the two-day event will feature the best in Arizona art and local vendors, as well as a packed lineup of acts like Rebelution, Atmosphere, Stick Figure, Black Bottom Lighters and Dispatch.

Rawhide Western Town and Event Center, 5700 W. North Loop Road, Chandler, 480.502.5600, arizonarootsfestival.com, noon to 11 p.m., $75-$750.

FEBRUARY 15 Runners from near and far start their On The Becoming Tour, Colin Wright, the host of the Let’s Know Things podcast, explores the grander topics of purpose, living life to the fullest and with intention.

After residing in a different country every few months as dictated by his readers, the author has taken up this yearlong speaking tour.

Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main Street, Mesa, 480.644.6500, mesaartscenter.com, 7 p.m., $25.

Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show

FEBRUARY 14 TO FEBRUARY 24 This Scottsdale tradition started in 1955 on the Arizona Biltmore Hotel grounds with 50 horses.

Nowadays, the show attracts nearly 2,400 Arabian horses, as well as top owners, trainers and breeders from around the world. The event is a world-class showcase of equines, from the awards to presentations.

WestWorld of Scottsdale, 16601 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale, 480.312.6802, scottsdaleshow. com, times vary, $10-$25.

Steel Magnolias

FEBRUARY 14 Celebrate the romance of friendships— or get major bonus points from your chick-flick-loving partner— with this Valentine’s Day special performance of Steel Magnolias. The play follows the bittersweet story of six smalltown women with a bond as their lives twist, turn and play out.

The stage play inspired the film adaptation with Julia Roberts, Dolly Parton and Sally Field.

ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

FEBRUARY 15 TO FEBRUARY 24 An intimate theater space on Third Street is taking on this three-time Tony Award-winning mental illness musical that also nabbed a Pulitzer.

Through a rock soundtrack, Next to Normal tells the story of Diana Goodman, a suburban housewife whose battle with bipolar disorder affects her entire family.

Third Street Theater, 1202 N. Third Street, Phoenix, 602.698.8668, arizonaregionaltheatre.org, times vary, $20 matinees, $25 evenings.

Tacos and Tequila Crawl

FEBRUARY 16 This crawl has narrowed its technique to a simple combo: tacos and tequila.

Margs, shots and beers galore will await partiers as they make their way through the social Old Town Scottsdale crawl, starting at Old Town Gringos. Tickets include one taco per hour and drink specials.

Old Town Gringos Restaurant and Bar, 4209 N. Craftsman Court, Scottsdale, 480.423.3800, bit. ly/-taco-crawl, noon to 6 p.m., $10.

Chili Bourbon Festival

FEBRUARY 15 There are two main things on this festival’s menu, and when it comes to the selection, the organizers come through. As far as the grub goes, chili will be supplied by local chefs and home cooks competing in the cook-off. Libations from makers like Jim Beam and Marker’s 46 will be available. The outdoor festival will also feature local art installations, lawn games and live music from country acts like Chauncey Jones, Jacob Morris and Drew Cooper.

Dr. A.J. Chandler Park, 178 E. Commonwealth Avenue, Chandler, 480.782.2727, chilibourbonfestival.com, noon to 9 p.m., $10 in advance online, $15 at the door.

Crush

FEBRUARY 15 TO FEBRUARY 16 This Valentine’s Day, it doesn’t matter how committed you are or aren’t,

streeteatsaz.com, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., $12 online in advance, $15 at the gate, $65 VIP, free for kids younger than 13.

Magic Dry Organic Absorbent NHRA Arizona Nationals

FEBRUARY 22 TO FEBRUARY 24 Head down to Chandler for the newly dubbed Magic Dry Organic Absorbent NHRA Arizona Nationals.

Besides the races, fans can meet with mechanics between rounds and get autographs from their favorite drivers. Carnival attractions and food round out the weekend.

Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park, 20000 S. Maricopa Road, Chandler, 1.800.844.NHRA, nhra. com/tickets, 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.

Friday, February 22, and Saturday, February 23, and 11 a.m. Sunday, February 24, tickets start at $34.

Funkadelic 5K

FEBRUARY 23 This 5K is less about the form and more about the groove.

Participants dressed in their ’70s best will run, walk and dance their walk through the course in the name of funk. Awards will be given to the best disco costumes.

Los Arboles Park, 2255 S. McQueen Road, Chandler, bit. ly/2TQdv5K, 8 to 11 a.m., $30.

Italian Festival

FEBRUARY 23 TO FEBRUARY 24 This two-day festival helps you say “Ciao,” to your worries. A fullon celebration of Italian culture, visitors can enjoy live music, purchase handcrafted Italian goods and of course, indulge in authentic Italian cuisine.

Scottsdale Waterfront, East Fifth Avenue, Scottsdale, 480.745.7020, italianfestivalaz. com, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, February 23, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, February 24, $12 and kids younger 12 free.

Best of Broadway Street Eats Food Truck Fest

FEBRUARY 16 TO FEBRUARY 17 This food truck fiesta encompasses every imaginable cuisine on wheels, whether you’re in the mood for something fried, frozen or covered in cheese. More than 55 food trucks participate in the annual festival, offering their full menus, as well as $2 samples. After filling up, guests can enjoy live music, a marketplace, cooking classes and lawn games.

Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, 7555 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale, 480.270.5166,

FEBRUARY 24 While New York City is a flight away, Broadway’s powerful and emotive music is as accessible as ever. This special matinee program combines four powerhouse vocalists with a 10-piece orchestra for stunning arrangements of some of Broadway’s biggest hits, including songs by Andrew Lloyd Weber, Rodgers and Hammerstein and Carole King.

Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 N. Arizona Avenue, Chandler, 480.782.2680, chandlercenter. org, 3 p.m., $32-$38.

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UPFRONT | CITY | THE DOWNTOWNER | TRAVEL | ARTS | DINING | BEER AND WINE | CASINOS | SPORTS | FAMILY | MUSIC | NIGHTLIFE | IN CLOSING

‘THE STORY’ CONTINUES

Jared and the Mill bring community to the stage

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elaxed in a black velvet chair backstage at The Listening Room, Jared Kolesar crosses his legs and pauses to consider what he thinks is “fancy.”

“I’m a regular cold brew guy,” Kolesar says smiling, while giving his Starbucks order. “The nitro is very fancy and I’m not a fancy person. My lassoing isn’t fancy. My cold brew isn’t fancy. My singing is kind of fancy. It inspires elegance.”

Kolesar is correct, but there’s a certain fanciness to him and his band, Jared and the Mill. With disheveled hair, Kolesar arrives to The Entertainer!

Magazine’s photoshoot donning a mustard yellow jacket and jeans, acoustic guitar slung over his shoulder, and a change of clothes. He needs a little time to wake up, hence the coffee.

Jared and the Mill is preparing to hit the road in support of This Story is No Longer Available, its second fulllength album, due February 15. The depth of the lyrics and the music by the five-member band makes it Jared and the Mill’s best.

“We’re going to release this record and tour our keisters off,” Kolesar says.

“There’s not going to be a whole lot of ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

downtime. We’re going to go all over the nation, into Canada and hopefully into Europe. We’re going to Asia to play for the Navy. It’s crazy.

“In 2018, we did our best to set ourselves up to make this record really work for us after we worked so much for it. 2019 is a year of action and getting to the next rung on the ladder, or hopefully a couple rungs up.”

WORTH THE TRIP This Story is No Longer Available is a study in the experiences of the band, which also includes Michael Carter, Larry Gast III, Chuck Morriss III and Josh Morin. Jared and the Mill isn’t a concept band, but there’s a thread that runs throughout the album.

“This record is geared toward the idea of everybody has (crap) they’re dealing with,” Kolesar says. “The best thing we can do for ourselves is let go of the parts of us that maybe we aren’t huge fans of, and learn to deal with those factors within ourselves and try to be the best we can be in any regard.

“The songs are like trying to come to terms with the things we deal with in relation to mental health and the way we develop as a touring band. A lot of

people identify with similar mindsets.

They may not be touring musicians, but they feel and experience the road within their own lives.”

This Story is No Longer Available also tackles the subject of maturity.

“Growing up is really hard,” Kolesar says “We identify as grownups and that’s what this record is about. We’re chiseling away to be the best form of ourselves, and accepting the things you may not be proud of.”

MARKETING GENIUS Kolesar grew up in Scottsdale, a fifth-generation Arizona rancher.

He affectionately carries a beige hat that’s a replica of one owned by his grandfather.

“I wanted to be the crocodile hunter when I was a kid,” Kolesar says with a sly grin. “I have videos of me catching rattlesnakes and climbing all of the place and chasing coyotes around.

“After a little while, I wanted to be a doctor, a human mechanic, and learn what makes people work, in a physical sense. I always thought it would be really cool to be a doctor. I have the constitution for it, I think, and the aptitude. I love helping people

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski >> The Entertainer!

and making things better and making things work.”

After graduating from Chaparral High School, he headed to ASU and quickly learned he didn’t have the constitution to study as hard as he needed.

“I directed myself to the idea of working my way into the business world, maybe being an entrepreneur, owning a restaurant or hotel— something in hospitality.

“I really clicked with marketing and advertising. I focused my schooling on that.”

When he finished university, he decided he would give music a shot.

Kolesar didn’t think it would go far, let alone pay the bills.

“By our third show, people were excited to see us and knew our songs,” Kolesar says. “That was crazy. I thought we might as well see where this goes.

I’m still seeing where it goes eight years later. I never intended for this to be a thing, until it was already a thing.”

THE STORY CONTINUES This Story is No Longer Available is Jared and the Mill’s latest “thing.”

Grammy-winning producer Ethan Allen turned the knobs for the album

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2019

at Gatos Trail Studio owned by Dan Joeright in Joshua Tree.

“Ethan’s awesome,” Kolesar says.

“He’s the embodiment of Joshua Tree to us. He’s so spiritual with how he approaches music. He’s a lot of fun, and really, really great to work with.

He’s our spirit guide in a sense.”

The paramount artistry on any record is the producer’s work, Kolesar adds.

“It’s up to the producer to really make this thing come to life and what it inevitable is going to be,” he says.

“You need a very strong constitution and you need to be creative to be a successful producer.

When Jared and the Mill was recording This Story is No Longer Available, it was the first time it could take a breath in the studio. Recordings were previously rushed after perfecting the music before stepping foot in the studio.

“We would get in, do it and get out,” Kolesar says. “This time, if no one was feeling it on a particular day, we’d go have a barbecue at the house or go for a walk in the desert.

“It was cool to have that. We were happy with Dan—we call him Dan ‘The Man.’ He’d, every once in a while, grill dinner for us or bring us a case of beer. It’s the best vibe you can imagine.

The spot was seemingly in the middle of nowhere in the desert. If you get the physical version of the record, there are pictures of us hanging out by a fence and behind us there is nothing but Joshua Trees and mountains. We’re so far away from everything you can look up and see the Milky Way. It’s really special.”

The environment proved to be inspirational, as the music was written in the studio while Kolesar wrote the lyrics on the road.

“On the road, I’m in a place mentally where I can express my thoughts a little bit more. I have more time to think, I guess.

“You look out of the window of a van for 10 hours a day and I have all this time to think. There isn’t the clutter of every day life. You’re very much isolated and it allows you to look at your life in an outside perspective. It gives me the freedom to really think about what’s going on in my life and the lives of other people around me.”

This Story is No Longer Available is going to be self-released, as the band is hesitant to sign to a record label.

“We don’t have the political clout that comes with being on a label,” he says. “We take the most of every opportunity we can.”

For example, at the 2017 Firefly Festival in Delaware, Jared and the Mill made the most of its stay by playing private concerts for each campsite.

“Saturday morning, after that first night of the festival, some of the guys and I took our instruments and went

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to every campsite we saw— hundreds of them,” he says.

“We played three songs each for about six hours.

We made a lot of fans. We had this mindset of, ‘Oh my God. We’re finally doing somet hing we wanted to do for a

long time.

Let’s take this opportunity and get every last drop out of it that we can.’”

No matter where Jared and the Mill is playing, there’s a feeling of inclusion and community.

“Our shows are about allowing people to tell their stories throughout our community and we attract a wide variety of people because of that,” Kolesar says.

“We have a strong LGBT fanbase and a strong conservative white dude fanbase, and a strong fan base of people who live alternative lifestyles.

We d r aw in so many different kinds of people, while not having a target demo.

“It may be a weakness, but we found a strength in it. We take the opportunity to have these kinds of people, put our arms around each other and sing with one another. I think people see something in these other types of lifestyles and they don’t normally get to see. It’s very humanizing.

It’s a huge responsibility. We appreciate it and we don’t take it for granted.”

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UPFRONT | CITY | THE DOWNTOWNER | TRAVEL | ARTS | DINING | BEER AND WINE | CASINOS | SPORTS | FAMILY | MUSIC | NIGHTLIFE | IN CLOSING

NHRA’s Steve Torrence hopes for a repeat win in Chandler

UNHARNESSED

HORSEPOWER N HRA driver Steve Torrence expects 2019 to be a landmark year.

This fall marks his 20th year cancer free after fighting Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and he’s gunning for a second victory at Magic Dry Organic Absorbent NHRA Arizona Nationals.

Set for Friday, February 22, to Sunday, February 24, at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Chandler, the Magic Dry Organic Absorbent NHRA Arizona Nationals is the second of 24 stops during the 2019 season, giving all the top competitors in Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock the chance to find success in their 10,000 horsepower, nitro-breathing machines.

Torrence (Top Fuel), Courtney Force (Funny Car) and Chris McGaha (Pro Stock) were last year’s winners of an event that will be televised nationally on Fox Sports 1 (FS1), including finals coverage on Sunday, February 24.

Torrence, who drives the Capco Contractors Top Fuel dragster, says last year’s visit to Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park proved to be a mental and emotional turning point.

“We didn’t have the best end of the season in 2017 and I let that stay with me and carried it with me into Pomona and even a little bit into the start of the season,” he says about the season-ending race in California. The season starts with the winter nationals in Pomona in February and ends with the world finals there in November.

“In Phoenix, I had a change of mindset and attitude and we were able to leave there with a win.”

He won his first Top Fuel world championship in 2018.

“We finished second in 2017,” he says.

“We were really far ahead of everybody in points in 2017. There was a bad crash with three races left in the season and it allowed ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

one of the other drivers to catch us and pass us in the last day of the season.

“A lot of people called 2018 our redemption tour.”

Torrence has always been interested in drag racing, a sport his father is involved with as well. His mother has drawings Torrence did as a youngster in the East

classes than NHRA. So, it was always something I gravitated toward. To do it as a family-run team, there’s nothing better than that.”

The setup has worked. Torrence was undefeated in the six-race NHRA playoff system, the Countdown to the Championship. In 2018, he was the first

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“A lot of people who come to Phoenix aren’t locals, either. They make the trip down to Arizona. People come down to get away from the winter to hang out in the drags.”

He said the NHRA’s popularity stems from the experience. Fans can interact with their favorite drivers as they’re granted an exclusive pit pass so they can see the mechanics service their hotrods between rounds. They can also get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers.

NHRA’s Nitro Alley and Manufacturers Midway showcase sponsors and race vendors to create a carnival atmosphere, with interactive displays, simulated competitions, merchandise, food and fun.

But it all comes down to the need for speed.

“There is no quicker or fasteraccelerating vehicle in the world,” he says.

“The only thing that accelerates quicker than what we do is the space shuttle and they don’t even use it anymore.

“When you get there and see it in person, it’s a complete sensory sport.

You feel it, see it, hear it and smell it. It’s fire-breathing, ground-shaking, earthpounding horsepower that’s completely unharnessed. To see that in person and just experience something so loud it makes the ground shake, it’s really fun. It sets off car alarms a half a mile away. It’s so unique.”

Magic Dry Organic Absorbent NHRA Arizona Nationals Texas town of Kilgore, when he merely aspired to become a professional drag racer.

“My dad was a racer all my life,” says Torrence, with whom he runs a pipeline contracting business. “I remember him going to the local track and having the opportunity to race more sportsman

driver to sweep the series.

Torrence is excited about racing in Chandler, as the Valley has a rich NHRA history.

“The fans are great there,” he says. “They always come out in droves. There are so many of them and everybody is really a fan.

Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park, 20000 S. Maricopa Road, Chandler, 800.884.NHRA, nhra. com/tickets, 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.

Friday, February 22, and Saturday, February 23, and 11 a.m. Sunday, February 24, tickets start at $34.

eggstasy breakfast • lunch • mimosas

e1 6990 east shea blvd scottsdale 480.500.5889 e2 10155 east via linda scottsdale ranch 480.993.3449 e3 20775 n pima rd scottsdale 480.219.8344 www.eggstasyaz.com

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THE REAL MR. PIVEN

Octavio Serrano >> The Entertainer!

Award-winning actor lets fans in during his stand-up gigs

J

eremy Piven has been referred to as “Ari Gold,” “Spence Kovak” or “Mr. Selfridge,” all consequences of his successful acting career. When he brings his stand-up tour to CB Live in Desert Ridge Friday, February 8, and Saturday, February 9, fans will get to truly see the man behind the characters.

“I have gotten a chance to play a lot

of fictional characters and it’s been incredible, but this is a chance for people to see who I actually am,” says Piven, who has starred in Wisdom of the Crowd, Mr. Selfridge and cult classic Entourage.

During his comedy shows, Piven shares funny stories and impersonations that trace his journey to standup. For example, Piven talks about how he has rehearsed with his family.

“Imagine screaming as Ari Gold and having your mother run lines with you,” Piven says about the fictional aggressive Hollywood agent.

“Everything I said as Ari Gold, my mother witnessed. That was very funny and surreal, and I talk about that on stage.”

Piven’s background is in theater, having attended Harand Theater Camp in Wisconsin, trained at his

parents’ Piven Theatre Workshop, and studied at New York University’s Tisch School of Arts. His comedy career was inspired by the likes of Richard Pryor. It amazes him how one person can enrapture an audience like a comedian.

“It seems like a magic trick to be able to do it by yourself,” Piven says. “I’ve always been mesmerized by the fact that someone can transform the space by themselves.”

Stand-up helps keep him fresh between projects.

“When I go back and do a film or TV, I don’t have any rust on me because I’ve been performing the whole time,” says Piven, whose upcoming projects includes All-Star Weekend, directed and written by Jamie Foxx and starring Gerard Butler, Robert Downey Jr. and Benicio del Toro.

Piven is passionate about performing and tries to make every character fit.

“It’s my job to play them as authentically as possible and to never judge them, even though I may not agree with him,” Piven adds. “If you do it right, the audience should not be able to see anyone else in that role.

“Every movie and TV show I’ve done has been a unique experience. I’m really proud of all of them. Every time you perform, it is a great opportunity and you should never take anything for granted.”

He considers stand-up comedy an “incredible outlet” that uses a different muscle and discipline.

It’s the only form in which he can rehearse and perform concurrently.

“One thing I learned from standup is we’re all very much alike,” Piven says. “It’s very easy to think you know someone, but I think it’s important to be open to who they really are.

“I think after the show, you will have more of a sense of who I really am and hopefully I’ll make you laugh.”

Jeremy Piven, CB Live, 21001 N. Tatum Boulevard, Phoenix, 602.910.5161, cblive.com, 7:30 p.m. Friday, February 8, 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, February 9, $30 general admission, $55 VIP.

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Upcoming Concerts BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet February 1 The BoDeans February 2 The Sweet Remains February 9 The Bad Plus February 12

THE NELS CLINE 4 Thursday, February 7 | 7:30 p.m.

“Whether digging into glam pop songs, avant-jazz routines with punk attitude, or sophisticated garage-rock episodes, impetuous guitarist Nels Cline . . . always sounds unique and fetching.”

—JazzTrail

David Huckfelt of the Pines with Special Guests Keith Secola and Tom Walbank February 15 Darrell Scott February 17 International Guitar Night February 26 And many more!

2019 Concert Series sponsored by

MIM.org | 480.478.6000 | 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix, AZ ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

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CITY

STYLE » ENVY » PASSION » FASHION » BEAUTY » DESIGN

Deep Purple

F

our Peaks Mining Company glistens in the morning light at OdySea in Scottdale.

The light perfectly hits the mountain’s amethysts, creating a faint rainbow in the February gemstone’s cases.

Owned by computer programmer Kurt Cavano, Four Peaks Mining Company is a sight within the entertainment center.

“The owner of the mine owned this claim for about 20 years,” says general manager Susan Emberley about Cavano.

“He’s been actively mining for 18 years. All of the amethyst is from our mine. He designs and manufactures this whole line of amethysts. We’re the only gemstone amethyst mine in the United States, some of the highest quality in the world.”

She can pinpoint a Four Peaks amethyst in a second. The stunning color shows through, especially when it’s set in rose gold. Four Peaks’ amethysts have a deep red hue due to high magnesium and iron content occurring naturally in the soil.

There are many amethyst mines in the world – namely Brazil, Uruguay and the United States – but they do not produce gemstones. Cavano designs the jewelry

and has it manufactured in Indonesia or China.

“They’re all in big host rocks,” says Emberley, who dons amethyst-colored eyeshadow and other accessories. “The amethyst crystals form in big veins. You can’t just chip away and find a big clump of amethyst. You find veins.”

Located on the only private land in Four Peaks Wilderness, the actual mine hosts amethysts in linings of voids in the faults of 1.6 billion-year-old Mazatzal quartzite.

“The mine was discovered in the late-1800s by gold miners,” she says.

“When they found out it wasn’t gold, but amethyst, they abandoned it and it sat unclaimed until it was claimed again by three people of the same family, three separate times.

“They did take amethyst out of there and they did make some jewelry – not like Kurt’s doing. There are older pieces from the Four Peaks Mine, but it would be hard to find.”

The Arizona Four Peaks amethyst mine requires a helicopter to transport supplies in and take mined material out.

“We have videos on the website of our mine tours,” she says. “(Cavano) is the man up there. Everything’s done by hand. They’re carrying it out in a

Four Peaks Mining Company brings pieces of Arizona to OdySea Christina Fuoco-Karasinski >> The Entertainer!

wheelbarrow and bringing all the big stones out to the belly of the helicopter.

“They process them in Tucson in cement mixers to tumble all the rough rock off and get the gemstone out of the middle.”

Rings set in gold range from $500 to $9,000, depending on the size of the stone and the number of diamonds.

White, yellow and rose gold rings are $400 to $9,000. Sterling silver rings are near the front of the store for $45 to $200.

Four Peaks Mining Company sells other minerals and stones from throughout the world, including Michigan copper and Kingman turquoise, married with a piece of amethyst. Cards describe the stones’ history and location.

“Rock collectors love all this,” she says.

That’s an understatement. The store sells rock tumblers, crystal-growing kits and minerals as well.

“Our kids’ section is amazing,” Emberley says about the area next to a faux mine that guests can tour with headlamps. “They can break open geodes from Morocco. When you break them open, they’re all white. We give (kids) little glasses and a miner’s tool so they can break them open.”

February is meaningful to Four Peaks Mining Company, for obvious reasons.

But it celebrates every birthstone by giving guests a 10-percent discount on the gems’ corresponding month. Four Peaks Mining Company has a stackable ring series, rings, pendants and bracelets.

“Tourists come in and buy something that says Arizona,” she says. “But this is actually something from Arizona. Four Peaks is on the Arizona license plate. It’s historical and you’re taking a piece of the ground with you.”

Kurt Cavano will discuss and sell pieces from his Four Peaks Amethyst Mine at 2 p.m. Thursday, February 7, at Superstition Mountain Museum, 4087 N. Apache Trail, Apache Junction. Admission is free. For more information, call 480.983.4888 or visit superstitionmountainmuseum. org Four Peaks Mining Company 9500 E. Via De Ventura, Suite D-110, Scottsdale, 480.434.6074, fourpeaksminingco.com

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2019

19

CONCOURS IN THE HILLS ‘Tough car guy’ has a soft spot for Phoenix Children’s Hospital Christina Fuoco-Karasinski >> The Entertainer!

W

hen philanthropist and car collector Peter Volny moved to Fountain Hills from Toronto, he found one thing missing: a proper car show.

He founded Concours in the Hills, a high-end car show benefiting Phoenix Children’s Hospital, set for Saturday, February 9 in Fountain Hills, because he didn’t like what he was seeing.

“I bought a couple cars and started going to various car shows all in parking lots,” says the Australian-born Volny.

“You’re in there and the cars are jammed together. If someone left their car overnight, you’ll have a Ferrari next to a GMC Suburban. This city was large enough that it deserved to have a proper car show, something more prestigious.”

Volny sought an area that was equally as upscale: Fountain Park in Fountain Hills.

“It has a beautiful backdrop and access,” he says. “I asked the mayor if I could start a car show in the park for charity and she said it would be good for the town as well.

“She asked me how many cars I was expecting. She was nervous about parking cars on the grass. I said I was hoping for 100. We wound up with 200.”

The show has grown each year,

increasing the funds raised for Phoenix Children’s Hospital. This year, Volny is expecting more than 700 cars, each of which pays a minimum $60 entry fee.

Admission is free. The money donated to PCH goes toward a playroom for children in the oncology unit.

“Last February was our fifth show and we had 749 cars and 20,000 people,” he says. “We had 79 sponsors who were a variety of auto dealers, companies who sell tires and wheels. Different things for the automobile industry.

“We raised $117,000 for PCH. There are no paid people working on the show, except those working for PCH. The rest of us are volunteers.”

Awards will be presented to the best domestic and import cars, as well as best car club display and best of show.

“Almost every car club in the state comes in,” he says. “Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, Camaro, Viper, Jaguar. We had over 50 Ferraris last year. There aren’t too many places to see 50 Ferraris at the same time.”

The show also boasted a rare, vintage racing Jaguar. A similar one sold at auction for $21 million.

“The one we had may not be worth $21 million, but it’s certainly worth over $10 million,” he says. “This time, we’re expanding and having a dedicated racing car section. We have a really, really neat car. Mario Andretti raced it.”

Volny says the Cobra Car club will be joined by Cobra military attack helicopters, thanks to the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation.

“We worked with the town and the FAA and jumped through a lot of hoops to get this,” Volny says. “We flew this Cobra attack helicopter into the park and had 31 Cobras around the Cobra helicopter. That was a huge attraction.

“I found Viper helicopters that could join Viper sports cars. We persuaded them to fly a viper from San Diego just for the show. The Viper will be coming back. The pilot and co-pilot said they’ve attended shows all over the place and they’ve never been busier than this show. They were bombarded with questions.”

Food trucks will keep the crowd fed, selling lunch and dinner, coffee and frozen yogurt.

Cars are nothing new to Volny. He’s been involved in the auto industry most of his life. In Australia, he says he “attempted” a career as a race car driver, which took him to England.

“I realized I was never going to get well of living hand to mouth, so I somehow wound up in Canada,” he adds. “I started an advertising agency, specializing in the auto area. We became, by far, the biggest automotive agency in Canada.”

He sold his agency and retired 15

years ago. Not enjoying the snow of Toronto, he moved to Arizona shortly thereafter. He also hosts the monthly Cars and Coffee, or Scottsdale Motor Sports Gathering as it’s officially called, in a mall near Scottsdale Road and Mayo Boulevard from 7 to 10 a.m. the first Saturday of the month. It is free to car owners and spectators.

Volny says it was important to donate money to PCH. “I’m retired. I’m not looking to earn an income,” he says, “I’ve been lucky.

Life has worked out for me. It’s nice to be able to give back.

“Why PCH? We had friends involved with PCH who invited us down once.

I thought I was a tough car guy and been around quite a bit. I walked in and within 5 minutes, I had tears in my eyes. Seeing what those kids go through, gosh. For adults to be sick and have problems is one thing. Kids don’t understand and they deserve better.”

Concours in the Hills Fountain Park, 12925 N. Saguaro Boulevard, Fountain Hills, concoursinthehills.org, concoursinthehills@cox.net, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, February 9, free admission.

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The BEST independent films from around the world!

Celebrities • Filmmakers • Parties • Workshops • Much more!

February 23-March 3, 2019 www.SedonaFilmFestival.org

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928.282.1177

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Mummies unravel history at the Arizona Science Center Laura Latzko >> The Entertainer!

M

ummies are often associated with ancient Egypt, but they have been found worldwide.

Mummies of the World: The Exhibition proves this, assembling the largest collection of these wrapped wonders. They are on display from February 10 to September 2 at the Arizona Science Center.

“This is a great opportunity for people to learn that mummies come from all different places in the world and all different situations,” says Sari Custer, chief curiosity officer.

The exhibit tells the personal stories of these 40 animal and human mummies.

“All of these mummies went through a different experience or have a different background. That’s another piece of the story here, is that each of these mummies was a real person, and we can learn about that ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

person and that culture,” Custer says.

The mummies ended up as such due to their environment with little moisture or oxygen. Ancient Egyptians removed body parts and used resin or embalming chemicals on bodies before wrapping them.

Mummies have helped scientists gather more information about the societies in which these individuals lived.

The mummy exhibit will be on a similar scale as the science center’s previous blockbuster-style show, Pompeii: The Exhibition.

Custer says the center is trying to engage children and adults with science. The mummies represent people at different levels in society, including a baron and baroness and a priest.

The exhibition has the remains of mummified animals, including a cat, fish, falcon, rabbit, dog and crocodile.

Within the exhibit, visitors learn more about cultural rituals, scientific experiments, medical science advancements and environmental conditions a ssociated with mummification.

Also featured are a mummified family in Hungary who died of tuberculosis and was entombed in a church; a German nobleman who was preserved in his family crypt after dying during the Thirty Years’ Wars; mummies created during the early 19th century to teach anatomy; shrunken heads from South America, and a Maryland man who was scientifically mummified using an ancient Egyptian process as part of the MUMAB project.

The exhibit is split into different sections, based on how the mummies were created.

Along with mummies, the exhibition will also have artifacts such as clothing, jewelry and

personal items found in tombs and medical instruments.

Interactive stations will give visitors a sense of what mummies feel like, where they have existed and how they were created.

Throughout the exhibit’s run, the science center will also hold afterhours events, labs and demonstrations related to the exhibition.

Mummies of the World: The Exhibition Arizona Science Center, 600 E. Washington Street, Phoenix, 602.716.2000, azscience.org, various hours Sunday, February 10, to Monday, September 2. $11.95 for adults, $9.95 for children 3 to 17 and $6 for groups of 15 and more in addition to the purchase of general admission ticket, which are $18 for adults and $13 for children.

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2019

23

‘The Lego Movie’ royalty brings her stand-up show to Phoenix

C

omedian Ti f f a n y Haddish loves to talk on the phone. She’s quick-witted and animated, and her conversation is peppered with wise cracks.

The Emmy Award-winning actress’ effervescent personality carries over into everything she does. Whether it’s hosting an awards show or Saturday Night Live, she brings it. And she’s ready to bring her party to the Comerica Theatre on Saturday, February 9.

“I’m excited to be coming to Phoenix,” Haddish says. “Every single show has been sold out and great. I sold lots of T-shirts and took pictures and pictures, then I ended up going to the club and dancing with everybody and having a good time.”

Life wasn’t always celebratory for Haddish, who made her film breakthrough as Dina in the 2017 film Girls Trip, which ended its run with a 90-percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a $140.1 million take.

As she shared in her 2017 memoir, The Last Black Unicorn, the Southcentral Los Angeles native was placed in foster care at age 8 after her mother

su s t a i ne d a brain injury in a car accident and became violent toward her.

When Haddish was 13, her mother was committed to a psychiatric hospital because she was schizophrenic. Haddish got through it, thanks to her personality and imaginary friends.

She doesn’t want other children to suffer the way she did. On her tour, Haddish is hosting charity VIP meet and greets sessions from which 100 percent of the fee goes to The She Ready Foundation to provide suitcases for foster kids.

Each venue, including Comerica Theatre, is giving 50 cents per paid ticket to the foundation as well.

“That’s super important to me,”

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski >> The Entertainer!

Haddish says.

“I was a foster youth. When you’re moved around like that, a lot of times you put everything in trash bags. It’s the worst. You feel like garbage. I’m going to ma ke sure no other kids feel like that, if I can, if it’s within my power to do so.

So, if you meet me, we’re working for the kids together.”

Haddish says drama teachers and social

workers w e r e inspirational to her.

Her charitable endeavors don’t end wit h her meet and greets.

She also performs in a comedy show ca lled Chuck les Not K nuc k le s, a progra m t hat promotes nonviolence among inner-city high school students.

“I don’t see myself as a role model,” Haddish adds. “But I hope people will say, ‘If she can do it, I can.’”

Not only is she a c omed ia n, she ha s proven to be a versatile actress appearing in such diverse projects as the film comedy/300 parody Meet the Spartans, Night School with Kevin Hart, and the Lifetime drama Racing for Time, where she played a lead role opposite Charles S. Dutton.

Haddish showed off her comedic chops on a grand scale when she hosted the

M T V Awards a n d

Saturday Night Live in 2018.

The first black female stand-up comedian to host SNL, Haddish won the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series.

“Saturday Night Live was fun once it went live,” Hadd i sh say s. “ T he y couldn’t stop me, but it was a real learning experience for me. I’m a very creative person and I wanted to contribute creatively to it, but that’s a machine.”

She was allowed some input, but Haddish was told her job was to deliver the material in the skits and in her monologue.

H a d d i s h ’s ne x t project is voicing Queen Watevra WaNabi in The Lego

Movie 2: The Second Part, which hits screens February 8. She has become an animated show favorite.

She stars as Tuca in Netf lix’s Tuca and Bertie, and as Daisy, a Shih Tzu, in The Secret Life of Pets 2.

“I’ve been doing cartoons for about four years,” says Haddish, who cites her inf luences as everyone from Roger Rabbit to Richard Pryor.

“I’m excited about Lego Movie 2. I saw some of it while I was shooting it. It’s really good. Cartoons are perfect for me. If you could see me – I love talking on the phone – my face is really animated. When they asked me if I wanted to be Queen Watevra Wa-Nabi, I thought, ‘I can be whatever I want to be, too.’”

Netf li x has become commonplace for Haddish. She makes a surprise video appearance on the Netf lix concert Taylor Swift: Reputation Stadium Tour, as “Old Taylor.”

“I love Taylor,” she says enthusiastically. “She’s my buddy.

One day I got this call, ‘Hey Tiff ’ – that’s what she calls me – ‘Be at this hotel and do this video. I just need you to answer the phone.’ I said, ‘Oh, OK.’ “We had fun. It took us about 30 minutes, then it was a wrap. I went to two of the shows. I didn’t know when it was going to come or where it was going to be, but it was a pleasant surprise. The energy in the stadiums was amazing.”

The same could be said for the rooms in which she plays.

“You can expect a whole lot of laughs,” Haddish says. “I talk about my experiences in Hollywood. It’s funny; life as a child prepared me for life now.

“There is a lot of hate going around. I just laugh at it now. The world has nothing on me.”

Tiffany Haddish

Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington Street, Phoenix, 602.379.2800, comericatheatre.com, 8 p.m. Saturday, February 9, tickets start at $53.50.

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THE DOWNTOWNER

HIP » AMBASSADORS » MUSEUMS » PRO SPORTS » HIGHRISES

TOP10

Carson Mlnarik >> The Entertainer!

Tiffany Haddish

FEBRUARY 9 Since Tiffany Haddish’s electric appearance in 2017’s Girls Trip, the sky’s been the limit for the Los Angeles comedian. From on-screen gigs alongside Kevin Hart and Tika Sumpter to touring the country, Haddish brings the party with her frank opinions on relationships, men, politics and pop culture.

Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington Street, Phoenix, 602.379.2800, comericatheatre. com, 8 p.m., $53.50-$153.50.

Phoenix Volunteer Fair

Neko Case

FEBRUARY 14 A former member of Canadian indie rock group The New Pornographers and an alt-folk queen in her own right, Neko Case takes to the road once more to promote her first album in five years, Hell-On. The meditative and occasionally goofy singer-songwriter Kimya Dawson of The Moldy Peaches and Juno fame opens the show.

The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren Street, Phoenix, 480.659.1641, thevanburenphx. com, 8 p.m., $32-$50.

FEBRUARY 10 More than 100 nonprofits gather for this annual info fair. Those wishing to volunteer, or causes looking for a little help can benefit from this event. Plus, food will be available between sessions.

The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren Street, Phoenix, 480.659.1641, thevanburenphx.com, 11 a.m., free.

adventure continues with rides, inflatable mazes and fossil digs.

Phoenix Convention Center, 100 N. Third Street, Phoenix, 936.588.3332, jurassicquest. com, 3 to 8 p.m. Friday, February 15, and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, February 16, and Sunday, February 17, tickets start at $22 and parking is $12.

vegan lifestyle. The festival hosts more than 100 vegan and veganfriendly vendors, as well as vegan food trucks, restaurants, an artisan

Devour Phoenix Bartending Competition

FEBRUARY 17 In the quest for the best craft cocktail, Phoenix’s brightest bartenders will compete in front of celebrity judges, hoping to take home the title of Arizona’s Star Bartender. Featuring competitors from local joints like Joyride Taco House, The Dressing Room and Hula’s Modern Tiki, guests can root for their faves and sip on the competition.

Portland Parkway Park, 103 W. Portland Street, Phoenix, 602.956.0909, classic.devourphoenix. com, 3 to 6 p.m., $40.

market, chef demos and live music.

From bowls to greens, animals are strictly friends at this two-day event.

Margaret T. Hance Park, 1202 N. Third Street, Phoenix, 602.296.5362, phxveganfest. com, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, February 23, and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday, February 24, $25-$90.

Kacey Musgraves

FEBRUARY 13 This country songbird had a big 2018 with her latest collection, Golden Hour, taking home a Country Music Award for best album and racking up multiple Grammy nods. Musgraves' honest lyrics coupled with country, folksy-pop production make her one of music’s coolest innovators and one of the most sought-after tickets in town. The equally charming Soccer Mommy opens the show.

The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren Street, Phoenix, 480.659.1641, thevanburenphx. com, 8 p.m., sold out.

Michelle Wolf

FEBRUARY 14 TO FEBRUARY 16 From the White House Correspondents’ Dinner to Netflix’s The Break with Michelle Wolf, this witty performer is not afraid to speak her mind. Wolf, who formerly worked in hedge funds, mixes political satire with pop culture and civil rights.

Stand Up Live, 50 W. Jefferson Street, Phoenix, 480.719.6100, phoenix.standuplive.com, times vary, $35-$45.

Jurassic Quest

FEBRUARY 15 TO FEBRUARY 17 This traveling exhibit is the closest thing you can get to Jurassic World without the “dinosaurs-eating-theguests” scenario. Guests will walk through the Cretaceous, Jurassic and Triassic periods, surrounded by life-size dinosaurs. The prehistoric

Muse: Simulation Theory World Tour Patton Oswalt

FEBRUARY 23 From Seinfeld to A.P. Bio, this comedian, actor and writer has made the media rounds with his sarcastic and surreal sense of humor. With six stand-up specials and a Grammy for Best Comedy Album under his belt, Patton Oswalt has found his sweet spot.

Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington Street, Phoenix, 602.379.2800, comericatheatre. com, 8 p.m., $38.50-$65.

Phoenix Vegan Food Festival

FEBRUARY 23 TO FEBRUARY 24 Close to 6,000 people attend Phoenix’s annual salute to the

FEBRUARY 26 Over its expansive career, English rock band Muse has developed a reputation as one of the most interesting live groups. Its latest tour, pegged to its eighth album, Simulation Theory, is no exception.

Technology will be aplenty in the show, inspired by science fiction and the simulation hypothesis.

As a bonus, each ticket includes a digital copy of the album.

Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson Street, 602.379.2000, talkingstickresortarena.com, 7:30 p.m., $44.25-$99.75.

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Bringing the Community Together

Downtown businesses recruiting volunteers through annual event Christina Fuoco-Karasinski >> The Entertainer!

R

ead Better Be Better has a nonprofits will appear ranging from wellsmall staff of 23 and relies known groups like Planned Parenthood to on volunteers to run the the grassroots Room to Read.

Arizona-based nonprofit “It’s not always easy to find out what dedicated to helping the organizations are all about,” Sipes says, state’s literacy crisis.

“We wanted to help people who wanted To gain volunteers, they signed on to the to volunteer get the information in an easy, Phoenix Volunteer Fair at The Van Buren, intimate way.” which is set for Sunday, February 10.

Arizona Hemophilia Associates’ Victoria “As a small nonprofit, we don’t have a Katz calls the event a great way for patrons lot of staff members and we have to pick to compare nonprofits like hers, which and choose where we spend our time,” says helps improve the lives of people with Kelsey Pinckney, Read Better Be Better’s bleeding disorder. program manager.

The Arizona Hemophilia Association is Hosted by the venue, Downtown returning because its staff loves Downtown Phoenix Inc. and the city of Phoenix, the Phoenix Inc.’s motivation to build a better volunteer fair brings together hundreds downtown, says Katz, the development of nonprofits and showcases them to the and marketing director. Once the Arizona thousands of people who filter through the Hemophilia Association found out they concert hall eager to volunteer. were hosting this event, Katz says “it Alison Sipes, director of events at just made sense,” so they signed up to Downtown Phoenix Inc. says event gives participate. potential volunteers the chance to meet Katz estimates 200 volunteers came to and talk with various organizations to their booth last year and they connected TLR046_ENTERTAINER_AD_9.25x1.5_FINAL.qxp_Layout 1 1/11/19 4:54 PM Page 11 discover what each one has to offer. Diverse with Greater Phoenix, an organization that

helps other nonprofits get their volunteer opportunities out to Valley residents.

Read Better Be Better decided to participate in the fair this year because it had the resources to spend the time there.

Pinckney says she has never seen an event like this and it shows “our community is full and vibrant.”

Artlink Inc. volunteer coordinator Leslie Criger agrees, saying she finds the event valuable.

“As with any organization, when you get an opportunity to put your brand out to a new audience you should take it.

Even though Artlink has been around for 30 years, people are still discovering the organization.”

Criger says Artlink was excited to sign up for the event this year because it allows the organization to “lay out our elevator speech face-to-face and capture more likeminded people and answer questions.”

Sipes says the hardest part of coordinating the fair is “getting the messaging clear.”

Numerous groups signed up, but Sipes

says she needs prospective volunteers to arrive. It’s just a matter of communicating and making sure people are aware of the event.

To join, nonprofits must register a spot for a booth space and then the volunteer fair staff selects an array of nonprofits. So far, 104 organizations have registered, 22 more than last year. There is a waiting list, which caused the fair to expand its space.

This year, booths will set up in the Van Buren as well as down Fourth Avenue.

On the day of the fair, Fourth Avenue will be closed from Van Buren Street to Monroe Street. Patrons can park in the garage at Adams Street and Third Avenue.

“The volunteer fair is a way to bridge the gap between a normal person within the community and nonprofit organizations that need help all the time,” Sipes says.

Phoenix Volunteer Fair, The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren Street, Phoenix, thevanburenphx.com, 11 a.m. Sunday, February 10, free.

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Downtown Ambassador Don Olund keeps the city clean Sherry Jackson >> The Entertainer!

O

n Don Olund’s second day on the job for the Downtown Phoenix Inc., his supervisor took him to an underpass, handed him a gallon of paint and a paint roller, and prepared him to cover graffiti as a service to the city.

Olund enjoyed the task. As he rode his bike around the city for his job, he noticed other graffiti. So, he purchased supplies on his own and began cleaning up the graffiti while he was out helping people.

“No one asked me to do it,” he says.

Twenty-six years later, Olund spends his workdays painting over tags and graffiti on mailboxes, street poles, dumpsters and more, keeping downtown Phoenix’s streets and buildings clean.

He’s the program’s sole “graffiti guru,” and he likes being able to make a difference. Even at age 62, he has no plans to slow down.

“It’s been a one-man show for 26 years,” he says. “As long as they’re willing to have me and I’m productive, I’m going to keep working. It’s a great organization and they’ve been good to me.”

Olund is a member of the Downtown Phoenix Inc.’s Field Services team, which is tasked to “continue the revitalization and promotion” of the 90-square block that is considered the core of Downtown Phoenix. Olund was one of Downtown Phoenix’s first employees, joining the organization in 1993 as a security and information associate.

As the Downtown Phoenix Inc. expanded, Olund became a member of the ambassador program in 2001, but even with a different role, he still kept cleaning graffiti.

Originally from Minnesota, Olund moved to the Valley in 1990. He was a semi-pro hockey player for about 10 years after graduating from high school and worked odd jobs. He spent a good amount of time painting and found he liked it.

“I like to find things and make them new again,” he says.

In his first year for the Downtown Phoenix Inc., Olund managed to clean up around 500 tags, he says. In 2013, he joined the “Clean and Green Team” and was assigned full-time to remove graffiti and tags. Throughout his tenure, he figures he’s removed approximately 50,000 tags.

The other ambassadors are his “eyes and ears,” he says. When anyone sees graffiti on the streets, they’ll take a picture and send it to Olund. He then makes a list and heads out.

“I make it look like it was never there,” he says. “Every tag is important to me and I’m not satisfied until it’s looks like it was never there.”

But that’s not to say he doesn’t appreciate the graffiti he’s come across.

“Graffiti is a form of expression,” he says.

“It’s a fine line. There have been tags that are so artistic and beautiful.” But at the end of the day, it’s not only illegal but it’s destructive. It scars the landscape, makes people uncomfortable and accelerates urban decay, he says.

“One person with a Sharpie can write on a lot of stuff,” he says.

It can be an endless job. Olund has removed a tag in the morning, only to have it removed the same afternoon.

“I take them one at a time,” he says. “I never know what I’m facing every day.

It’s a challenge to me.”

It’s the feedback and positive reinforcement that makes him love his job. Visitors tell him they are amazed that Downtown Phoenix is so clean and free from graffiti, he says. Others will stop him on the street or drive by and tell him “thank you.”

“I’m happy to do it,” he says. “I think I found my niche.”

To reach the ambassadors, call 602.495.1500 or email ambassadors@dtphx.org.

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Lukas Nelson calls his latest album a new beginning

Alan Sculley >> The Entertainer!

L

ukas Nelson has been releasing music and touring for nearly a decade, but he is treating his self-titled album as if it’s a new beginning.

There’s plenty of logic to that thinking.

The past few years have seen Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real's profile expand considerably.

After seeing Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real perform at Farm Aid in 2010, Neil Young befriended the group, and a few years later drafted them to be his backing band on The Monsanto Years, his 2015 album that blasted the use of genetically modified foods.

“I think Neil and the band all come from the same musical places, and it kind of stands to reason that we’d somehow end up playing together since we were in the same circle,” Nelson says. “It just kind of became a cosmic flow manifestation.”

Young’s 2016 live album, Earth, was drawn from the 2015 The Monsanto Years tour, and Young and the group then resumed their collaboration on Young’s 2017 studio release, The Visitor. The group also contributed to the soundtrack of the Neil Young film, Paradox, and Lukas and his brother, Micah, appeared in leading roles alongside Young in the movie.

The Visitor arrived with a fall 2017 album that united Lukas and Micah with their father, country legend Willie Nelson, on Willie Nelson and the Boys: Willie’s Stash Vol. 2, an album where the three Nelsons perform a selection of favorite country songs.

“A lot of those recordings were made when we went in and recorded the tunes for dad’s record, Heroes,” Nelson says. “Then it became Willie’s Stash. Then Micah sang on them (adding his vocals to the mix) and I went back and re-sang a lot of them and then it became Willie and the Boys. So that’s kind of how it all came together.”

And as if that wasn’t enough, fall 2017 also saw the release of Lukas Nelson & Promise of

the Real, the group’s first album as part of a new contract with Fantasy Records. That affiliation has given the group the kind of recording budget, distribution and promotion that wasn’t available for their earlier albums.

Nelson, 30, knew the attention generated by the projects with Young and his father, coupled with the new record deal, meant a far larger audience had become aware of Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real. So the selftitled album would introduce the band to a

occasional song that showed that the band’s abilities and tastes could stretch into a more expansive-feeling brand of rock, as well as country, soul and blues.

The opening track on the self-titled album, “Set Me Down on a Cloud,” sets the tone for the group’s new sound. The track is even more beautiful and spacious than the original version, and also gets a previously absent measure of gospel, thanks to the backing vocals of Jess Wolfe and Holly Lessig of the

lot of potential new fans and serve as the start of a new phase in the group’s career.

Nelson also was able to use some of his larger recording budget to hire John Alagia to produce the self-titled album and give the songs a notably different and more varied feel and sound than on the earlier Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real albums.

“A cinematic quality is what I wanted,” Nelson says. “I wanted to make it feel like you’re kind of immersed in the music and really, the sounds themselves were very well recorded. I think we accomplished that with John’s help.”

On 2016’s Something Real, 2013’s Wasted and the band’s 2010’s debut, Promise of the Real, the band favored a hard-hitting, riffy and rootsy guitar rock sound, but also had the

duo Lucius.

The songs “Die Alone” and “Four Letter Word” recall the chunky country rock and soul of J.J. Cale and early Eric Clapton, while the group’s country roots shine on “Just Outside of Austin,” an acoustic ballad that features Willie Nelson, and “Runnin’ Shine,” another ballad that swells into high lonesome territory behind steel guitar and the soaring backing vocals of Wolfe and Lessig.

Funk, blues, country and rock filter into the proceedings on the sprightly “Fool Me Once” and on “Find Yourself,” an extended track on which Nelson’s reedy lead vocal pairs wonderfully with a sassy guest vocal from Lady Gaga.

Nelson met Lady Gaga during work on the acclaimed remake of the 1976 movie

N !

W U O O T Y N R O W F O G N D AITI IS W

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A Star is Born, which finds Gaga taking on the role played by Barbra Streisand and Bradley Cooper in the role of the hard-living rocker played in the previous version by Kris Kristofferson.

Nelson was extensively involved in the film. Most notably, the band backs Cooper’s character, and he co-penned many of the tracks.

“There are a lot of great songs on there and that most of the music is played by the band and produced by me and Lady Gaga and the band and Bradley,” Nelson says. “I wrote a lot of songs for the movie with her and on my own. You know, I think it’s a really special thing to be able to be a part of such a fun project.”

With A Star Is Born having given Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real another burst of exposure, Nelson and his band – Tato Melgar (percussion), Anthony LoGerfo (drums), Corey McCormick (bass, vocals), Jesse Siebenberg (steel guitars, Farfisa organ, vocals) and Alberto Bof (piano, Wurlitzer, Hammond B3) – plan to spend a good deal of time touring. Nelson offered a few hints about the show.

“We like to just make sure it’s a high-energy show,” Nelson says. “So we do a lot of the new record and the new material, and then toward the end we’ll throw in some real rockers from Something Real (or the other albums) because there are a lot of fans that we have that love our old material, and we don’t quit playing that.”

Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real

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TRAVEL

VACATION » SIGHTS » DAY TRIPS » ADVENTURE » EXPLORE » TRAVEL

LONG BEACH

The long and short of California’s seaside town

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski >> The Entertainer!

F

rom the Hilton Long Beach windows, container shipping ports loom over the shore.

There’s more to the nation’s second busiest container port than industry.

Long Beach is vibrant, with a wealth of museums, murals and a relaxing waterfront.

After a 5 1/2-hour drive, all we wanted to do was chill by the beach and listen to the seagulls.

This isn’t Los Angeles or San Diego, it goes much deeper than that.

From eclectic neighborhoods to sandy beaches, Long Beach is home to a 1930s ocean liner, adorable sea lions and fun ocean animals.

WHERE TO STAY Hilton Long Beach 333 E. Ocean Boulevard westinlongbeachhotel.com Within 5 minutes of being at the Hilton Long Beach, I had already made a fool of myself. Heads up: You have to use your room card to access the elevator’s controls. Otherwise, the elevators close on guests. Don’t worry, you won’t get trapped.

Anyway, public service announcement aside, the modern-looking Hilton Long Beach allows visitors to see every side of the city. A selection of the 469 guest rooms and 31 suites overlook the marina and tranquility of the Pacific Ocean. It is mere blocks from beaches, shopping, theaters and bistros.

Insider tip: Talk to the servers during Sunday brunch. They’re knowledgeable about the city, spewing tips here and there about what out-of-town guests should visit.

The hotel is pet-friendly.

SIGHTS TO SEE The Aquarium of the Pacific 100 Aquarium Way aquariumofthepacific.org The Aquarium of the Pacific features more than 11,000 animals in over 50 spectacular exhibits. The facility may not be fancy like OdySea in Scottsdale, but it gets to the point. The courageous can mingle with sharks and rays, or check out jellyfish. (I was stung by a jellyfish when I was 9 and it traumatized me, but this was still cool.) The world’s largest ocean aquarium boasts a replica lifesized whale hanging from the ceiling.

The behind-the-scenes tour is a must, but so is the gift shop, where the trinkets, T-shirts and penguin umbrellas (yes, it’s a thing!) are affordable. We came home with bags of souvenirs from the aquarium. Travel there on the last day of your trip, so you can save a little cash for the rest of the stay.

Harbor Breeze Cruises 100 Aquarium Way Dock 2 562.432.4900, https://tickets.harbor-cruises.com/ We knew we were in good hands when the captain pointed out Parker’s Lighthouse, a recipient of Wine Spectator’s award of excellence. It’s known for its mesquite-grilled fresh seafood and spectacular views. (More on that later.) We also explored Long Beach’s coastline, while our apt host schooled us on the harbor’s history and the skyline. More importantly, we saw California sea lions up close on buoys.

The adorable mammals seemed just as interested in us as we were in them. The cruise gives an idyllic view of the Queen Mary, an art-deco ocean liner in its 41st year in Long Beach. Docked alongside it was Carnival Inspiration, the closest I’ve ever been to a fantasy class cruise ship.

The Queen Mary 1126 Queens Highway queenmary.com We were whisked back in time to the days of art deco ocean liners, men in tuxedos and women in flowing gowns on The Queen Mary. Celebrating 41 years in Long Beach, The Queen Mary is a top attraction with historic tours and special exhibits. While we were there, The Queen Mary housed a Princess Diana exhibit that was bound to make even the most heartless person weep. The ship has

347 spacious staterooms with elegant suites, fine restaurants and Sunday brunch, a spa, shops, ocean views and meeting facilities aboard and alongside for 20 to 5,000 guests.

The Museum of Latin-American Art (MOLAA) 628 Alamitos Avenue molaa.org Founded in 1996, The Museum of Latin American Art is a cultural gem.

The only museum in the United States

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2019

dedicated to modern and contemporary Latin American art, the MOLAA is stunning, as is the 15,000-square-foot sculpture garden. The gallery hosts works from the likes of Tamayo and Matta to Cruz-Diez, Los Carpinteros and Tunga.

and veal sauce; and gnocchi served in a gorgonzola sauce that was impeccable.

The appetizer was king here: braised beef, veal and pork meatballs smothered in red sauce that were flavorful. Also, on the menu are salads, grain bowls and, of course, great wine to pair with meals.

DINING

Breakfast Bar 70 Atlantic Street 562.726.1700, the-breakfast-bar.com

Michael’s Downtown Italian Kitchen 210 E. Third Street michaelsdt.com Michael Dene has a must when traveling to Long Beach. The restaurateur found the perfect way to wood-fire pizza with freshly made mozzarella. That’s nothing new to Dene, as he and his staff take locally sourced ingredients and create stellar dishes like Bolognese with tagliatelle pasta with prime hand-grown beef, pork

Breakfast Bar serves breakfast and lunch, along with an assortment of wines and beers, in the heart of downtown Long Beach. Family owned by Josh and Pamela Beadel, who have both worked and lived in downtown Long Beach for more than 10 years, the Breakfast Bar’s tasty menu abounds with special dishes from their family traditions and recipes.

The menu is as special as it is personal.

For example, a Breakfast Bar favorite is Uncle Marcee’s Omelet Casserole, which is individually baked and served with a potato pancake and fruit.

Because I’m a plain Jane, I tried the French toast, thick-cut sourdough French toast served with two eggs cooked any way (I had scrambled) and a choice of two bacons, two sausage links, two turkey sausage or one sausage patty.

The guests at the table next to us were from Boston and delightful. They

33

were eyeballing my husband’s meatloaf steak and eggs. It was house-spiced and thick-cut meatloaf made with beef, pork and soyrizo, and topped with two eggs cooked any way. It was served with potato pancake and house rosemary bread.

The long and short of it is Long Beach is more than Sublime, bike-friendly streets and the ocean. It’s a respite from the Arizona heat and a place to put our feet up.

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Sarah Brightman turns rocket trip into ‘Hymn’ Alan Sculley >> The Entertainer!

A

few years ago, Sarah Brightman was planning to make a re-entry into the earthly world after a trip to space. That adventure did not happen, but Brightman found she had gone far enough into the world of space travel that she had to make a re-entry of another kind if she was to resume her primary career, as a singer, recording artist and performer.

After spending five years training and preparing for a flight into space, Brightman returned to studying music.

“I rented this small house on the beach, in a warm place, and I asked a friend of mine, who is an opera singer who also teaches, if he would come and work with me for a few months,” Brightman recounts.

“That’s all we did, every day. We’d lie on the beach and then I would sing and work on things and listen to things. And that was how I got my head back around to doing all of this (music) and started to get inspired by, you know, what I had been doing originally.”

Brightman’s planned 10-day trip in September 2015 to the International Space Station aboard a Russian Soyus rocket was quite the source of curiosity – not to mention media coverage. She booked her ticket through Space Adventures Ltd., a private space experience company, for a reported $31 million (Canadian).

But then she announced in May 2015 she was postponing her plans for the flight. Brightman has not been specific in her public explanations for why she didn’t complete her intended mission.

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“I came out of the space program for all sorts of reasons and not necessarily (in) my control, although, you know, I passed all of my exams. I did everything,” she says.

One thing she realized when she stepped away from space program and back into normal life, was the world around her had gone through some stark changes.

“I had about five years where I wasn’t concentrating on the world,” Brightman says. “I was just trying to focus in on all of the space stuff, what I had to do, because it’s incredibly hard. And when I came out of it, because I had been away, I could see things very clearly when I suddenly looked. And I was very shocked. I was shocked at actually how kind of on the edge of dystopian we were.”

Brightman found herself turning away from the scientific toward the spiritual, and this provided her inspiration for what the Hymn album would become.

“I really, really wanted to do something that is sort of enlightening for me,” she says. “All of those Biblical rules that we’re all given, and they’re very simple rules, I mean, about goodness, looking after your neighbor, enjoying the moment and being enlightened as much as you can in life because it’s a short time that we’re here, all of those (are) simple rules.

“So, having that break from that faith thing and being in a scientific world, suddenly coming (out of it), that’s what enticed me to do an album and a piece like this.”

The album that resulted has its

spiritual themes (the title track, written by Barclay James Harvest, and “Better Is One Day” are very much Christian songs), but is more meant to inspire hope, happiness and belief in the ability of people to do right in this world.

Musically, Hymn, like other Brightman albums, is a lush work, with orchestra and choir giving it an ornate feel, as she sings songs that are both contemporary, including the title track, “Fly To Paradise” (by Eric Whitacre) and “Sky and Sand” (by German DJ Paul Kalkbrenner), as well as traditional works such as “Gia Nel Seno (La Storia D Lucrezia).”

Hymn is Brightman’s 12th studio album (not counting compilations and albums with former husband Andrew Lloyd Webber), and her sales of more than 30 million albums have made Brightman a leading classical crossover artist, a genre she founded.

Those successes followed her initial turn in the spotlight with musical theater, where she originated the role of Christine Daae in the London production of Webber’s Phantom of the Opera.

Brightman figures to touch on music from throughout her career during shows on a current tour in support of Hymn. It’s an elaborate show, musically and visually, complete with costume changes for Brightman.

“It’s beautiful because there are a lot of human beings on stage,” Brightman says. “Obviously, we’ve got orchestra and band. And we’ve got all of these choir members singing.

I wanted to use a huge amount of back light and beautiful light design, which bathed the whole thing. It’s amazing because my music, for whatever reason, think of something very uplifting and very spiritual and it leaves people happy. And this album is particularly like that. So that really is what the tour is.”

Sarah Brightman Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington Street, Phoenix, 602.379.2800, ticketmaster.com, 8 p.m. Wednesday, February 27, tickets start at $53.50.

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ARTS

CALENDAR Randy Montgomery >> The Entertainer!

on the front lawn of the museum and draws participants from throughout United States and Canada. Men, women and children of all age groups honor indigenous traditions, while incorporating new and creative designs and footwork. This prestigious, educational and entertaining event is not to be missed.

Heard Museum, 2301 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix, 602.252.8840, heard.org, times vary, $7.50-$30.

by Gold Canyon Arts Council.

Gold Canyon United Methodist Church, 6640 S. Kings Ranch Road, Gold Canyon, goldcanyonarts. org, 7:30 p.m., $5-$30.

An American in Paris

TO MARCH 1 Not only is Arizona Broadway Theatre known for its professional performances, but audiences love its curated dining menu that accompanies each production.

Savor scrumptious creations while enjoying the musical adaptation of the Academy Award-winning film featuring music from George and Ira Gershwin. The story proves that love, dreams and the joy of being alive can still be found in the aftermath of WWII. Arizona Broadway Theatre, 7702 W. Paradise Lane, Peoria, 623.776.8400, azbroadway. org, times vary, prices vary.

Camelot and Camelittle

Matt Doyle’s Broadway

FEBRUARY 8 TO FEBRUARY 10 Matt Doyle is an American actor and singer-songwriter. While you may best know him from the CW TV show Gossip Girl, Doyle made a splash on Broadway through performances in The Book of Mormon, War Horse and Spring Awakening. The multitalented 31-year old will visit the Valley and join the Phoenix Symphony, while lending vocals to a variety of Broadway hits.

Phoenix Symphony Hall, 75 N. Second Street, Phoenix, 602.495.1999, phoenixsymphony. org, times vary, $25-$108.

FEBRUARY 14 TO FEBRUARY 24 Writer Stacey Lane, the winner of East Valley Children’s Theatre’s Play Writing Contest, puts a new spin on Camelot, but this time it’s a young girl who is determined to become a knight of the roundtable.

King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, Sir Lancelot and others laugh while she demonstrates her skills. Despite being rejected, she gathers other unappreciated misfits and sets off to start her own queendom. Presented

by East Valley Children’s Theatre.

Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main Street, Mesa, 480.644.6500, evct.org, mesaartscenter. com, times vary, $15.

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Higley Center for the Performing Arts, 4132 E. Pecos Road, Gilbert, 480.279.7194, higleyarts. org, 7 p.m., $30-$54.60.

The Firebird and La Sylphide 2019

FEBRUARY 14 TO FEBRUARY 17 Treat your Valentine to a spectacular experience as Ballet Arizona presents a world premiere: Ib Andersen’s reimagined classical Russian fairytale, The Firebird. The production is a cinematic experience featuring couture costumes and panoramic set designs. If that was not enough, audiences will also be treated to a performance of La Sylphide, one of the most iconic of the romantic ballets. Music by the Phoenix Symphony.

Ballet Arizona, Phoenix Symphony Hall, 75 N. Second Street, Phoenix, 602.381.1096, balletaz. org, times vary, $33-$172.

Two Trains Running Rodney Marsalis and the Philadelphia Big Brass

FEBRUARY 8 The Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass is an internationally acclaimed brass ensemble. The evening’s repertoire will come from many of its themed concerts such as Brothers on the Battlefield, The Power of Love, The John Sousa Project and Baroque-Renaissance.

Rodney Marsalis himself comes from a family of talented musicians including cousins Wynton and Brandon Marsalis, and uncle Ellis, the famous New Orleans pianist and teacher. Presented

Steel Magnolias

World Championship Hoop Dance Contest

FEBRUARY 9 AND FEBRUARY 10 The World Championship Hoop Dance Contest at the Heard Museum is not only a display of skill, but one of artistry, athleticism and cultural traditions. The two-day competition takes place outdoors

FEBRUARY 14 Welcome to small-town Louisiana!

Step inside Truvy’s Beauty Salon and meet six women who share gossip, laughter, recipes and beauty secrets. Their sass and strength come in handy when tragedy strikes, but they work to get through it together with humor and their life-long bonds.

Experience one of your favorite movies from the 1980s live on stage.

Produced by L.A. Theatre Works.

FEBRUARY 14 TO MARCH 3 The setting: Pittsburgh. The year: 1969. Racial tensions are on the rise, and there is a new president in the White House. It’s the crossroads of a revolution. In the heart of the community is Memphis Lee’s diner, which is set to be demolished to renovate the neighborhood.

Memphis struggles with the reality, while his customers do the same. This story is the seventh in August Wilson’s decade-bydecade saga of African-American life in the 20th century. Presented

by Arizona Theatre Company.

Herberger Theater Center, 222 E. Monroe Street, Phoenix, ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

36

League of Their Own

UPFRONT | TCITY | THE DOWNTOWNER | TRAVEL | ARTS | DINING | BEER AND WINE | CASINOS | SPORTS | FAMILY | MUSIC | NIGHTLIFE | IN CLOSING

Mesa couple open Arizona’s only veteran-owned art gallery Christina Fuoco-Karasinski >> The Entertainer!

N

ortheast Mesa residents Susan Paige and her husband, Lt. Col. Barry Rosenblatt, are spreading their message that art boosts veterans’ morale by hosting exhibits at Paige Artists Studio/ Gallery/Gifts in Downtown Mesa’s OneOhOne collective.

Paige said she believes it’s the only veteran-owned art gallery in the Valley. From 2 to 8 p.m. Saturday, February 2, the couple/contemporary artists will host an opening reception for their two-person art exhibit. Paige has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in art from Northern Illinois University and is a venue director for the Mesa Art League. Rosenblatt was in the military for 20 years and began painting four years ago, thanks to the Mesa Art League’s free veterans art program sponsored by The Arizona Art Alliance.

“My husband and I are exhibiting all our work throughout the building,” Paige says. “It’ll be a pretty big show highlighting the things he does and the work I do.”

Paige has an extensive past with the Arizona art scene. In the early 1980s, she owned the

only avant-garde art gallery in Downtown Phoenix. She hosted emerging artists that Scottsdale galleries wouldn’t entertain because they weren’t well known.

“I did performance art, too,” she adds. “I was the first gallery to do performance art and mixed media. It was a lot of fun. I’ve been doing art and been involved in the art world here and in Dallas and Chicago. Then I got into the healing arts and was a massage therapist.”

Rosenblatt was a dentist and engineer in the military. He learned art and the creative process helps with post-traumatic stress disorder. Paige said her husband doesn’t suffer from PTSD, but

he saw those who did. For him, it relieves the boredom of retirement.

“He took his first art class with the Tempe Artists Guild,” she says. “He goes to one in Apache Junction, too. He started painting and he’s really talented. He focuses on impressionist contemporary, as well as military satire and political statements.

“I work with handmade papers, abstract art with an Asian flair, and impressionist kinds of things. I urged him to pursue it.”

Paige, 64, said her gallery’s location is perfect, as she believes Downtown Mesa will become the Valley’s cultural center.

Mandy Harvey

602.256.6995, arizonatheatre. org, times vary, $25-$75.

Es c her S t ri ng Q u a r te t

FEBRUA RY 17 Sedona is always a great experience, but February 17 is special. In addition to viewing the red rocks, galleries and famed eateries, visitors should visit the Sedona Performing Arts Center for a performance by the widely acclaimed Escher String Quartet. The ensemble (hailed as one of the leading ensembles of their generation) will perform favorites by Mozart, Dvorak and Barber. Presented

by Chamber Music Sedona.

S e d o n a Pe r fo rm i n g A r ts Ce nte r, 9 95 U p p e r Re d Ro ck Lo o p Ro a d , S e d o n a , 928 . 20 4 . 241 5 , ch a m b e rm u si cs e d o n a . o rg , 2: 30 p. m . , $1 5 -$ 6 0.

ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

Winston Churchill: The Blitz

FEBRUARY 17 Randy Otto brings to live Winston Churchill, the heroic prime minister who led the British people to victory during World War II, in this one-man show. Otto, in an uncanny portrayal of the leader, takes patrons on a journey through the German bombing of London from 1940-41, with Churchill’s nuanced, humorous wit.

Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 N. Arizona Avenue, 480.899.3447, chandlercenter. org, 3 p.m., $32-$42.

FEBRUARY 18 Mandy Harvey lost her hearing at age 18 from a connective tissue disorder. Despite this, she retrained herself to sing. Her perfect timing, pitch and passion, along with her ethereal vocals and emotive songwriting sent her to the America’s Got Talent finals.

While in Wickenburg, she and her band will perform a variety of jazz, standards and original pieces.

Del E. Webb Center for the Performing Arts, 1090 S. Vulture Mine Road, Wickenburg, depac. org, 7:30 p.m., $5-$47.

Raw Phoenix Presents: Reflect

FEBRUARY 21 The show will feature many local artists in the visual arts, fashion, film, music and performance, including artist Tim Digges, whose goal is to make viewers a bit uncomfortable, because

“It’s going in that direction, with The Nile and all the venues with entertainment,” Paige says. “There are so many open mic nights. Susan Woodruff, who created the Second Friday Night Out, owns our building.

“Downtown Mesa has a great energy for creative people. I just wanted to be a part of it.

I wanted to give my husband the opportunity to have goals and have something to do.”

Besides being a veteran, Rosenblatt, 69, is a hemorrhagic stroke survivor of eight years. He offers free classes on how to thrive after a stroke.

“He’s doing great,” she says. “He doesn’t act like he’s had a stroke. I feel we’re inspiring people.

“Guests see we have a working studio. We’re painting. We also have a gift shop because I create jewelry and we have art images on products.

Kids come in and I ask them if they’re artists.

It’s fun. There are diverse people who hangout downtown and we love that.”

Paige Artists Studio/Gallery/Gifts OneOhOne Art Gallery, 101 W. Main Street, Mesa, 1.214.207.9277, susanpaigeomc@yahoo.com discomfort happens in that moment that precedes change.

The event is 21 and older.

The Pressroom, 441 W. Madison Street, Phoenix, rawartists. org/redtreestudios, 7 p.m., $22.50 in advance.

As You Like It

FEBRUARY 22 TO MARCH 9 Set in the Forest of Arden, the story’s heroine, Rosalind, leads a variety of comic characters.

Wit, joy and laughter is prevalent in Shakespeare’s most famous comedies. While the critics do not always agree, this masterpiece is always an audience favorite. Join as Shepherds, Clowns, Lovers, and Fools deliver some of the English poet’s most recognizable dialogues. Presented by Southwest Shakespeare Company.

Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main Street, Mesa, 480.644.6500, swshakespeare.org, mesaarts. org, times vary, $13-$35.

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2019

IT’S A FAMILY AFFAIR The 5 Browns make classical music on five pianos

T

he 5 Browns have changed the genre of classical music by playing on five pianos. Made up of three sisters and two brothers who went to the Juilliard School, the group has topped the Billboard classical charts and brought a youthful energy to their genre.

The 5 Browns will visit the Chandler Center for the Arts on Saturday, March 2.

Originally from Utah, the members of the 5 Browns are separated in age by six and a half years. Growing up, they all started learning piano around age 3 and would often play four-handed music or duets together.

The five family members have performed together for the last 15 years. For the upcoming concert, they will bring a broad repertoire from their time together, including the first movement of Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67,” George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue,” Igor Stravinsky’s “The Firebird” and Nikolai RimskyKorsakov’s “Flight of the Bumblebee.”

During concerts, the siblings perform solos, duets and five-piano pieces.

Ryan Brown, the youngest of the 5 Browns, says these arrangements allow listeners to learn about the musicians.

“People can get a chance to see our individual personalities and then they get to see how we mesh together as a family onstage and play

these orchestral arrangements on five pianos,” he says. “I think people can see the differences in our styles and personalities in general.”

By the time they were teenagers, the Brown siblings had to make the decision of whether to pursue music as a career.

Gregory Brown, the middle child, says a music career comes with challenges, especially with traveling all the time, but he can’t imagine doing anything different.

“At the end of the day, I think about a life without music and what that would look like and what that would feel like, and I just can’t imagine my life without music in it.

I think it would be far less rewarding and meaningful,” Gregory says.

The siblings have developed a rapport with each other onstage and will often joke and banter back and forth. Gregory says they have a different dynamic than other ensembles because they know each other so well.

“There’s just an element of intense trust that the five of us have in one another as musicians and as human beings. Having lived 30-somethingodd years with each other, you really come to know a person inside and out,” Gregory says.

The five siblings now live in different parts of the country, so performing together allows them to see each other regularly.

“I feel like the older that we get, the easier it is for us to get along

musically and in our personal and married lives as well,” Ryan says.

“We actually are really good friends. We like hanging out with each other. We enjoy each other’s company.”

When the siblings already know the music, they often only need a day to rehearse before the start of a tour. To learn new music, they set aside a week or two to work on the arrangements.

Gregory says they are much more organized than when they started playing together. Over the years, the music has changed as they have grown as a group and as individuals.

“You grow up as siblings, and you’re used to just pushing each other’s buttons all the time and arguing,” Gregory says. “We realized very quickly that’s not the most efficient way to work with your coworkers. We’ve had to learn how to err on the side of kindness, to be nicer to each other, to be more respectful. We’ve gotten better with our practicing but just as musicians in general, I think we’ve matured a lot. I think the more life that you live, the more experiences you go through, the more joy you experience, the more pain you experience, the better you are at infusing that into the art of music making.”

Music has brought the Brown family closer through tough times, especially in the last few years.

Recently, family opened up their lives to the public with a documentary,

37

Laura Latzko >> The Entertainer!

Digging Through the Darkness: The 5 Browns Story.

Ben Niles’ 2016 film delves into the Brown family’s history through videos of rehearsals, interviews, family archives and performance footage, sharing details of their musical journey as well as their personal lives.

In documentary, the three Brown sisters revealed their father sexually abused them. By sharing their stories and starting a foundation for sexual abuse survivors, the three Brown sisters have impacted the lives of other women. The Chandler Center for the Arts will host a free screening of the documentary on Friday, February 22.

“My sisters are the closest thing to real-life heroes who I’ve ever encountered in my life,” Gregory says.

Ryan says music has helped the family to heal.

“I think during the course of the trying times of filming the documentary and discussing such difficult things that we were able to find some happiness through the music and through the connection with each other,” Ryan says.

The 5 Browns Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 N. Arizona Avenue, Chandler, 480.782.2680, chandlercenter.org, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 2, $32-$44.

ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

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UPFRONT | TCITY | THE DOWNTOWNER | TRAVEL | ARTS | DINING | BEER AND WINE | CASINOS | SPORTS | FAMILY | MUSIC | NIGHTLIFE | IN CLOSING

Participating Locations Eat Lunch Here Floridino’s Humble Pie - Downtown Ocotillo The Living Room Nando’s Mexican Cafe Rock Lobster San Tan Brewing Co. Serrano’s Mexican Food Restaurant Stone + Vine Urban Italian

Support The Arts In Chandler!

Restaurants help by donating a percentage of their proceeds to the Chandler Center for the Arts that day.

You help by eating at one or more of the participating restaurants.

Tuesday, February 26th

Eat Dinner Here CHoP Chandler Floridino’s Humble Pie - Downtown Ocotillo The Living Room Nando’s Mexican Cafe Rock Lobster Serrano’s Mexican Food Restaurant West Alley BBQ

Donations raised support the Center’s free arts programs, serving more than 20,000 people annually, including 5,400 children.

w w w.Ch andle rCe nte r.org /E AT • 480.782 . 2 6 8 0

HUNGRY? BEST HIDDEN GEM! COME DINE AT SCOTTSDALE’S

• SOUTHWESTERN CUISINE WITH A MEXICAN TWIST • SERVING 140 PREMIUM TEQUILAS • COMPLIMENTARY HOMEMADE FLAVORED TORTILLAS • MISTED AND HEATED PATIO (480) 945-4567 | 6910 EAST MAIN STREET, SCOTTSDALE, AZ 85251

• LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATEDM

WWW.OLDTOWNTORTILLAFACTORY.COM Free Admission & Parking 9am to 5pm Daily

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623-935-9040 litchfield-park.org

Beer & Wine Garden Live Entertainment

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2019

FEBRUARY 22-24

39

877-840-0457 RaceWildHorse.com

ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

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DINING

EAT » EXPERIENCE » INDULGE » SAVOR » DEVOUR » NOSH

FEBRUARY FOOD EVENTS Christina Fuoco-Karasinski >> The Entertainer!

The Peoria Greekfest

FEBRUARY 8 TO FEBRUARY 10 Enjoy traditional cuisine prepared

by Greek chefs, while listening to Greek music and watching folk dancers. Pastries and church tours are also on the docket.

St. Haralambos Greek Orthodox Church, 7950 W. Pinnacle Peak Road, Peoria, 623.486.8665, peoriagreekfest.com, 4 to 10 p.m.

Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, $3, free for those 12 and younger, students and active military.

strawberries, chocolate-drizzled kettle corn, chocolate-covered nuts, chocolate-covered cheesecake and bananas and fried Snickers dipped in chocolate. The Chocolate Affaire is presented by Arizona’s candy makers, Cerreta Candy Company. The candy factory will offer tours during event hours and visitors can expect to receive a free sample of its candy.

Murphy Park, West Glendale and North 58th avenues, Glendale, 623.930.2299, visitglendale.com, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, call for charge.

Chocolate Affaire

FEBRUARY 9 AND FEBRUARY 10 Nearly 40 chocolate purveyors sell delights like chocolate-covered

Tempe Library Courtyard, 3500 S. Rural Road, Tempe, tempeemptybowls.org, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. February 23, free admission.

Street Eats Food Truck Festival

FEBRUARY 16 AND FEBRUARY 17 Salt River Fields fills with food trucks offering $2 samples of their homemade treats. In between bites, guests can enjoy live music, foodeating contests and a kids’ zone.

Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, 7555 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale, saltriverfields.com, 11 a.m., $12 online, $15 at the gate, $65 VIP and free for kids 12 and younger.

Matsuri: A Festival of Japan

FEBRUARY 23 AND FEBRUARY 24 Matsuri highlights Japanese culture with entertainment, authentic crafts, food and fine arts, including martial arts demos, Taiko drums and audience participation in traditional Japanese folk dances.

Heritage & Science Park, 115 N. Sixth Street, Phoenix, 602.262.5029, azmatsuri.org, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., free admission.

Devour Culinary Classic

Chinese Week’s Culture and Cuisine Festival

FEBRUARY 8 TO FEBRUARY 10 The 29th annual event celebrates the beginning of the Year of the Boar with Chinese cuisine, arts and crafts, Chinese calligraphy, dragon and lion dances, Chinese costume photo booth, dances, mahjongg booth, martial arts demos, tea ceremony and chopstick pick-up contest.

Margaret T. Hance Park East, 1202 N. Third Street, Phoenix, phoenixchineseweek.org, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, free admission.

tempeemptybowls.org, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. February 22, free admission.

Voila French Bistro’s Valentine’s Day Dinners

FEBRUARY 10 AND FEBRUARY 14 Traditional French meals are served in celebration of Valentine’s Day, including La Cassolette (champagne sabayon served over bay scallops, salmon and mushrooms); Le Duo de Canard (duck duo: leg confit and roasted breast served with foie gras sauce); and Assiette Gourmande (trio of desserts: tutti frutti tart, chocolate mousse and lime sorbet). The three courses will include wine pairings on February 10. Reservations required.

Viola French Bistro, 10135 E. Via Linda, Scottsdale, 480.614.5600, voilafrenchbistro.com, 5 to 7 p.m. February 10, 5 to 8:45 p.m.

February 14, $79 per person.

FEBRUARY 17 TO FEBRUARY 24 Devour Culinary Classic brings together culinary and beverage leaders who have established Arizona as a foodie destination.

Added experiences include signature art installations, a 10th anniversary birthday cake, photo opportunities in the garden, and 10th anniversary recipe cards from featured chefs and more.

Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix, 602.956.0909, devourphoenix. com, 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., $24.95 for adults 17 and older, $12.95 for youth 3 to 17, does not include Electric Desert and special events.

Tempe Empty Bowls

FEBRUARY 22 TO FEBRUARY 23 Tempe Empty Bowls is a free, fun event featuring a selection of handcrafted bowls, which are sold for a $10 donation. Whole Foods Market Tempe will provide a simple meal of soup and bread, symbolic of the caloric intake that must sustain many around the world for a day.

Sixth Street Park, East of Mill Avenue on Sixth Street, Tempe,

The PHX Vegan Festival

FEBRUARY 23 AND FEBRUARY 24 Featuring more than 100 vegan and vegan-friendly vendors, The PHX Vegan Food Festival has expanded to two days, with Sunday having a brunch theme. Veganfriendly produces, like household products, health and wellness items, clothing and accessories, will be featured as well.

Margaret T. Hance Park, 1202 N. Third Street, Phoenix, phoenixchineseweek.org, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, $25-$90, free for children 12 and younger.

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THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2019

Diversity is key to annual Street Eats festival Octavio Serrano >> The Entertainer!

2019 SPRING TRAINING SUNDAY FEB

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s Street Eats Food Truck Festival rolls into its eighth year, founder David Tyda is focusing on consistency rather than expansion.

So this year, he’s sticking with more than 50 vendors, guaranteeing patrons can find the food type of their choice.

“The event is the proper size for what it should be,” Tyda says.

He would know. He’s also behind the Arizona Taco, Phoenix Pizza and Downtown Donut festivals. Street Eats is family friendly, and hosts a diverse food choice while hosting interactive activities.

“Street Eats was one of the first food truck festivals in Arizona,” he says. “The beauty of having 50 food trucks is that you get to touch on almost every food group.”

Street Eats offers a unique twist to food truck festivals. Every vendor provides a $2 sample for customers.

Because of this policy, customers can afford and experience multiple food trucks, Tyda says.

“The $2 sample is the thing that makes us unique and attractive,” Tyda says. In addition, the festival will hold several competitions and games like the hot dog-, “dirty donut”- and Saltine-eating contests.

“One of the most popular parts are the eating contests,” Tyda says. Customers

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D-backs Home Game Rockies Home Game All times subject to change. All times Arizona time.

are encouraged to participate in these contests where they can win several prizes such as gift cards and Spring Training tickets.

Music is another element of the festival. This year, the festival focused on bringing popular local bands to the stage, Tyda says. Lighthouse, The Haymarket Squares, Some Dark Hollow, People Who Could Fly and Sleepwar perform on February 16, while School of Rock Sugar Skulls, People Who Could Fly, Celebration Guns, The Voice’s Josh West and The Random Gingers hit the stage on Sunday.

“We’ve put more energy into curating a good lineup of bands,” Tyda says.

Diana Santaspago has been part of the festival since its inception with her truck, The Maine Lobster Lady. Santaspago says the festival is an event she cannot miss. Because of the $2 sample, the customers are more inclined to try food they normally wouldn’t try, she adds.

“It’s a really large gathering of food truck and vendors,” Santaspago says.

“You get a diverse mix of foods and culinary styles, all in one place.”

Street Eats Food Truck Festival, Salt River Fields, 7555 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale, streeteatsaz.com, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., $12 general admission, $75 VIP. ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

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UPFRONT | CITY | THE DOWNTOWNER | TRAVEL | ARTS | DINING | BEER AND WINE | CASINOS | SPORTS | FAMILY | MUSIC | NIGHTLIFE | IN CLOSING

Happy Hour Guide Brat Haus

Nestled in the heart of Old Town Scottsdale, this Euro-inspired eatery and beer garden just launched its happy hour program from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday. Food and drink specials include $1 off all draft beers, $5 glasses of wine, $7 Haus cocktails, $4 fried pickles, $6 brat burgers, $15 giant pretzels, and a free brat for dogs. For late-night visitors, reverse happy hour is 9 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, when there is $2 off all draft beers, $5 glasses of wine and $5 well drinks. As a new twist on “Sunday Funday,” guests can enjoy Stein Sundays with bottomless steins and mimosas for $20 from noon to 3 p.m.

3622 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, 480.947.4006, brauthausaz.com.

Buck & Rider

Happy hour is through 7 p.m. Monday to Saturday, when patrons can enjoy $6 signature cocktails, house pours and featured glasses of wine and draft beer. Reverse happy hour is from 9:30 p.m. to close Thursday to Saturday.

4225 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix, 602.346.0110, buckandrider.com.

Cold Beer & Cheeseburgers

Cold Beer & Cheeseburgers lives up to its name, but offers more than that. Check out the menu and see. Happy hour is from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday, and includes domestic pints for $3, domestic alum bottles and Four Peaks pints for $4, and premium wells and house wines at $5.

Valleywide locations, coldbeers.com.

Copper Blues

At Copper Blues, headliners don’t just occupy the stage, they surround it in the form of tap handles and inviting service.

Happy hour is offered from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday to Sunday.

50 W. Jefferson Street, Phoenix, 480.719.5005, copperblueslive.com.

Craft 64

Craft 64 specializes in local craft beer and artisan woodfired pizza. Happy hour is 4 to 7 p.m. daily, when there is $1 off all local beers, five wines for $6, and small plates for $8.

6922 E. Main Street, Scottsdale, 480.946.0542, craft64.com.

CRUjiente Tacos

CRUjiente Tacos offers taco therapy with deals on globally influenced tacos and cocktails. Happy hour is 3 to 6 p.m.

Monday to Thursday, and the modern taqueria recently launched reverse happy hour from 9 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Specials include $3 for the Korean fried chicken, $3 short rib tacos, $3 pork belly tacos, $7 Tex-Mex-style queso, $7 chips and salsa, $5 on any of the tacos CRUjientes (beef, pork or lamb), $5 Premier CRU margaritas, $1 off all draft and bottled beer and $2 off wine by the glass.

3961 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix, 602.687.7777, crutacos.com.

El Chorro

Paradise Valley’s historic El Chorro offers an authentic Arizona dining experience with stunning views of the Valley’s most prominent landmark, Camelback Mountain.

Happy hour is 5 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday.

5550 E. Lincoln Drive, Paradise Valley, 480.948.5170, elchorro.com.

EVO

EVO features recipes true to the Central and Northern regions of Italy, including risotto, alfredo, ragu and carbonara. Chef Steven Fowler strives to perfect a balance of simple yet robust flavors. Happy hour is 4 to 7 p.m. daily.

4175 N. Goldwater Boulevard, Scottsdale, 480.265.9814, evoscottsdale.com.

Freezer’s Ice House

Freezer’s Ice House is the Valley’s premiere Billiard Sports Bar establishment with 24 icy cold beers on draught.

Come see us! Happy hour is 3 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. ASU students (with Student ID) play pool free from noon to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. $2 Tuesdays (open to close): $2 domestic drafts, $2 tacos and $2 per-hour, per-person pool time. ASU Night Thursdays (6 p.m. to close): free pool for the ladies and $2 drink specials. UFC Fight Night Saturdays: UFC pay per view is offered as scheduled with only a $5 cover charge to attend. $10 Pool Pass Sundays: Play pool all day for only $10.

83 E. Broadway Road, Tempe.

“At the corner of Mill & Broadway”

Gallagher’s Sports Grill

Gallagher’s Sports Grill loves sports as much as it loves food, so it brings the two together. There are dozens of TVs and inspired dishes. Happy hour is 3 to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday, and 9 p.m. to close Fridays and Saturdays.

Valleywide locations, visit gallaghersaz.com.

Hard Rock Café

Take a break from the heat and stroll into the musical oasis that is Hard Rock Café Phoenix. With the Flying V over the door, the Hard Rock Café features a fully loaded bar, food, memorabilia and music. Happy hour is 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday to Sunday.

3 S. Second Street, Suite 117, Phoenix, 602.261.7625, hardrock.com.

Hungry Monk

Chandler’s The Hungry Monk pours 27 craft beers, with daily happy hour from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Food specials run from 3 to 7 p.m.

1760 W. Chandler Boulevard, Chandler, 480.963.8000, hungrymonkaz.com.

Luxe Lounge

Experience UltraStar’s 21-and-older sports bar, restaurant and lounge that boasts 14 HD flat-screen TVs, four pool tables, Golden Tee Golf, soft tip darts and foosball. Happy hour is 4 to 7 p.m. Monday to Saturday, and all day Sundays. Specials include $3 well drinks, $3 house wines and $3 domestic draft beers. Appetizers are $3 to $6, including cheese crisp, fried pickles, cheese curds, spicy Cajun fries, hoagie bread, cheese pizza and garlic cheese bread.

16000 N. Maricopa Road, Maricopa, 520.233.2426, ultrastarakchin.com.

Pedal Haus Brewery

Mill Avenue’s resident brewpub and beer garden, Pedal Haus Brewery offers beer enthusiasts the opportunity to enjoy happy hour from 3 to 6:30 p.m. Monday to Saturday.

It features $2 off Pedal Haus beers and spirits, and $5 select wines while receiving $2 off all appetizers on the menu. “Sunday Funday” specials run all day and include $3 Pedal Haus beers, $3 mimosas, $4 Bloody Marys and $5 margaritas.

730 S. Mill Avenue, Tempe, 480.314.2337, pedalhausbrewery.com.

Philly’s Sports Grill

Happy hour is 3 to 7 p.m. daily, and 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday to Thursday. Specials include appetizer discounts.

1826 N. Scottsdale Road, Tempe; 1402 S. Priest Drive, Tempe; 4855 E. Warner Road, Phoenix, phillyssportsgrill.com.

Pig & Pickle

Pig & Pickle handcrafts cocktails, bakes its own bread, makes its own aioli and grows its own herbs. Happy hour is 3 to 6 p.m. daily.

2922 N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale, 480.990.1407, pigandpickle.com.

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Rack Scottsdale | Old Town Scottsdale

Rack Scottsdale offers fine spirits in a laid-back environment. Happy hour runs from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday and features half-priced appetizers, such as mozzarella sticks and bacon cheese fries, $1 off beer and $2 off cocktails. It’s more than drinks, though. Pool is half price ($5) for the table.

3636 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, 480.476.1035, rackscottsdale.com.

Rehab Burger Therapy

Rehab Burger Therapy was founded on the idea that everyone deserves a break from the daily grind. Happy hour is offered from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, and 11 a.m. to close Thursdays. This includes $1 off “party starters,” wines by the glass and “rapid relief.”

7210 E. Second Street, Scottsdale; 480.621.5358, rehabburgertherapy.com.

The Stockyards

In 1947, The Stockyards, Arizona’s Original Steakhouse, opened its doors with a menu focused on its historical past: beef. Staying true to its heritage, The Stockyards’ menu continues to feature only the finest corn-fed, aged steaks and prime rib. Happy hour is 4 to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday, when house wine, draft beer, saloon snacks, domestic beer and well drinks are discounted. Complimentary tenderloin sliders are also offered.

5009 E. Washington Street, Suite 115, Phoenix, 602.273.7378, stockyardssteakhouse.com.

SunUp Brewing Co.

SunUp offers beer brewed on site, with happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m. daily.

322 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix, 602.279.8909, sunup.beer.

TapHouse Kitchen

TapHouse Kitchen of Scottsdale offers a menu by Chef Patrick Karvis centered around modern American cuisine, in addition to a respectable selection of craft beers. Happy hour is from 3 to 6 p.m. daily. Specials are plenty, with $2 off all draft beer, spirits and wine on tap, and $2 off all beer flights.

Hilton Village, 6137 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite 108, 480.656.0012, taphousekitchen.com.

Tutti Santi

Tutti Santi’s menu offers Nina’s original recipes for Italian classics, from antipasti freddi to mozzarella caprese.

Happy hour is 4:30 to 6 p.m. Monday to Thursday, and 9 to 11 p.m. Fridays. The late-night specials include live music.

6339 E. Greenway Road, Suite 108, Scottsdale, 480.951.3775, tuttisantiristorante.com.

Uncle Bear’s Grill & Tap

Uncle Bear’s Grill & Tap’s extensive menu includes favorites like garlic parm fries, fried mozzarella, beer cheese soup, Cajun-spiced chicken salad, black and bleu burger, guacamole and prime rib. Happy hour is 3 to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday, and 10 p.m. to close Sunday to Thursday. The kitchen closes at midnight Fridays and Saturdays, and at 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday.

9053 E. Baseline Road, Mesa; 2115 E. Rittenhouse Road, Queen Creek; 4921 E. Ray Road, Phoenix, unclebearsbarandgrill.com.

Wasted Grain

Happy Hour is offered 6 to 9 p.m. Thursdays, and 4 to 9 p.m.

Fridays.

7295 E. Stetson Drive, Scottsdale, 480.970.0500, wastedgrainscottsdale.com.

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2019

That ’s Amore!

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Italian Festival returns to the Scottsdale Waterfront Christina Fuoco-Karasinski >> The Entertainer!

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rank Guzzo is proud of his Italian heritage. Born and raised in the Italy’s Calabria region, Guzzo gets a little worried that his culture gets “lost in translation.”

Guzzo, the Italian Association of Arizona’s executive director, is bringing his culture to Old Town Scottsdale’s “Piazza del Southbridge” as part of the sixth annual Italian Festival on Saturday, February 23, and Sunday, February 24.

“It’s important for Americans to understand Italian culture,” he says. “I’m learning now about the impact Italians have had in Arizona.”

Helmed by renowned Scottsdale chef Marcellino Verzino, this year’s event will feature live entertainment and, of course, food – gelato, pizza, handmade meatballs, sausages, pasta, wine and other delicacies. Live performances will include Sbabieratori di Asta, A Ziarella (Italian folk group), Di Gala: Phoenician Tenors, and Sima and her All-Star Trio.

The Italian Association is a private, nonprofit, nonpolitical membership organization open to Italian Americans and ASU students who have an interest in developing their understanding and knowledge of Italy.

A portion of the proceeds from the event will go toward St. Vincent de

Paul, an organization that helps feed, clothe, house and heal those in need in Arizona. Todd Coole, who’s in charge of community and donor relations for St. Vincent de Paul, says the partnership is in its fourth year. The nonprofit provides volunteers to bolster the festival, so it gets a portion of the proceeds in return.

“We’ll be in the area in front of Olive and Ivy,” Coole says. “The festival is very authentic. We want to preserve the Italian culture and expose people to true Italian cuisine, entertainers and arts and crafts.”

Classico Distributors is the festival’s wine vendor.

“My role is to select the wine, and make sure there’s enough of it,” says Classico’s President Dario Soldan, who moved here January 27, 1987, from Italy.

“We want something easy to drink, let’s say a crowd pleaser. We choose varietals people are familiar with.

“In Italian, sometimes they can’t pronounce the name. We try to keep

Fun facts about Italians in Arizona ■ Statistics show there are about 10,000 first-generation Italians, and probably around

200,000 Italian-Americans in the state.

■ Father Eusebio Kino, the Jesuit who built the first mission in Arizona in 1687, was born in Italy near Trento.

■ Many Jesuit Fathers who started their missions in the West in the late 1700s were Italians.

■ The Roosevelt Dam, started in 1906 and completed in 1911, had many Italian immigrants working on the site.

■ Italians moved to Globe, Bisbee and Montezuma to work in mines, but in construction projects and in lumbering.

■ In 1930, Alessandro Rossi became opened several restaurants in Prescott, Tucson and Nogales. He’s from Cremona. He also founded Tucson’s first fire departments.

■ Architect Paolo Soleri came from Turin, built the town of Arcosanti and founded the Cosanti Foundation.

– Courtesy Frank Guzzo

the basic stuff. We try to get the best variety we have access to. We have to have something a little different so the guests can have an opportunity to try varietals they’re not familiar with. It’s an opportunity for us to see what kind of reaction the market has.”

The festival will offer spritz, a winebased cocktail, commonly served as an aperitif in Northeast Italy. For it, Aperol pairs perfectly with chilled prosecco.

“It’s been very popular for decades,” he says. “I noticed, here in the States, it’s slowly catching on,” he says.

True Italian entertainment is as well.

Guzzo says the flag wavers are returning.

A mini cultural museum will give guests a glimpse into Italy’s history by showcasing Francesco Corni’s work.

He, through a translator, will discuss his pieces.

Italian filmmaking will be the focus of the Istituto Italiano di Cultura of Los Angeles’ exhibit. And, an artist from outside of Naples will sell cameo pins, which originates from Torre Del Greco, Italy.

Galbani Cheese will sponsor a stage and host/celebrity chef Marco Sciortino, who will offer cooking classes and “fun things to do with cheese for the kids,” Guzzo says.

Not to be outdone, cars are on the docket, specifically Ferraris and Alfa Romeos.

“Ferrari is a global brand and they’ve been gracious enough to set up a display and bring the Ferraris out,” Guzzo explains. “Alfa Romeo is bringing cars, too. Anything to do with Italy, but available here in the United States, will be here.”

Italian Association’s Italian Festival

Old Town Scottsdale’s “Piazza del Southbridge,” 7114 E. Stetson Drive, Scottsdale, italianfestivalaz.com, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, February 23, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, February 24, $10, free for children younger than 12.

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BEER AND WINE

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SIP » BREW » RELAX » EXPERIMENT » REFRESH » TOAST

Beer Over Here

Drink up at any of these Valley beer events this FEBRUARY Christina Fuoco-Karasinski >> The Entertainer!

Lit & Sip

FEBRUARY 7 Electric Desert gets extra with Lit & Sip, featuring a “silent dance party” where guests choose their musical adventure based on genre and headphone color.

Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix, 480.941.1225, dbg. org, 7 to 10 p.m., $20-$35.

Girl Scout Cookie & Beer Pairing

FEBRUARY 7 What’s better than Girl Scout cookies and beer? The Four Peaks Brewing team will make the flavor connections with the beer and cookies. Tickets include free appetizers, a reception beer, a souvenir glass and a guided flight of five cookies paired with five specialty beers.

Four Peaks Grill & Tap, 15745 N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale, 480.991.1795, fourpeaks. com, 6 to 8 p.m., $25.

Arizona Strong Beer Festival

FEBRUARY 9 Enjoy and taste many favorite breweries and discover new ones this year at Arizona Strong Beer Festival. The flat-ratepriced festival also features top-notch food vendors from across the Valley.

Indian Steele Park, 300 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix, 602.495.0935, arizonabeerweek. com, 1 p.m., $60.

Corks & Cactus

FEBRUARY 9 AND FEBRUARY 10 Guests can sample, sip and savor their way through the splendor of the Desert Botanical Garden at Corks & Cactus, where boutique wines and desert beauty blend into a delightful event. Sample from 40 different wines each day, enjoy musical entertainment and purchase fare from Fabulous Food Fine Catering and Events.

Visit with representatives from a variety of wineries and purchase by the bottle or case at the garden’s Wine Retail Store. All wine purchased will directly benefit the garden.

Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix, 480.941.1225, dbg.org, 1 to 4:30 p.m., $40 members, $45 guests.

Willo Home Tour Beer Garden

games, craft beer and food specials.

QuartHaus, 201 S. Washington Street, Chandler, 480.999.9463, quarthaus.com, 5 to 9 p.m., call for charge.

FEBRUARY 9 AND FEBRUARY 10 Explore homes in the historic Willo Historic Neighborhood during this 31st annual tour. Huss Brewing Co. will sell beers, including CenPho Citrus IPA, throughout the event. Willo is Phoenix’s largest historic district consisting of over 900 homes and is bordered north to south by Thomas and McDowell roads, and east to west by First and Seventh avenues.

Willo Historic Neighborhood, various homes throughout the area, Phoenix, 602.266.0939, willophx.com, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., $5-$50.

Northern Arizona Craft Beer Crawl

Sausage Fest: Beer & Sausage Pairing

FEBRUARY 16 Huss’ Uptown Taproom launches CenPho Citrus IPA, created with citrus from Central Phoenix. Celebrate

FEBRUARY 10 The Porch will pair Huss Brewing beer with sausages prepared by Chef Paul. Beers that will be poured are Orange Blossom, Scottsdale Blonde, Copper State IPA and Koffee Kolsch. Grab giveaways and snag a special pint glass made for this event.

The Porch, 4017 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix, 602.583.7938, porcharcadia.com, noon to 2 p.m., charge depends on items ordered.

FEBRUARY 16 Beer aficionados will start the beer crawl at The Barley Hound and drink their way around the historic downtown district.

Explore nine breweries and bars like Coppertop Alehouse, Rickety Cricket Brewing and Jersey Lilly Saloon. A portion of sales will benefit Make-A-Wish Foundation.

The Barley Hound, 234 S. Cortez Street, Prescott, 928.237.4506, thebarleyhound. com, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., $20.

Citrus Fest

with beer, games, food and fun.

Huss Brewing Uptown Taproom, 100 E. Camelback Road, No. 160, Phoenix, 602.441.4677, hussbrewing.com, noon to 6 p.m., prices depend on items ordered.

Melt Your Heart Wine Bottles

FEBRUARY 18 Tip a few back and paint a spoon saver, which comes with a wire to hang it on the wall.

Saddle Mountain Brewing Company, 15651 W. Roosevelt Street, Goodyear, ticketbud. com, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., $27.22.

Scottsdale Beer Fest

FEBRUARY 23 Celebrate all-things beer at Wasted Grain.

Tickets include samples of more than 25 beers from area breweries. Cheers to great beers and great company!

Wasted Grain, 7295 E. Stetson Drive, Scottsdale, 480.970.0500, wastedgrain.com, 2 to 6 p.m., $20.

Strange Brew Beer Dinner & Screening

FEBRUARY 12 Alamo Drafthouse is keeping with the beer theme by teaming with Huss Brewing Co. to screen Strange Brew. Party favors and beer specials will fill the evening.

Tickets include movie ticket, four-course meal, and beer pairing for each course.

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 4955 S. Arizona Avenue, Chandler, 520.213.8129, drafthouse. com, 7 to 9 p.m., $59.29.

Singles Awareness Day: A Singles Mixer with Craft Beer FEBRUARY 14 Mingle with other singles from around the Valley and use beer as the icebreaker. Enjoy

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Beer Finder Directory Where to find the best craft beer bars in town

Craft 64

6922 E. Main Street, Scottsdale Craft 64 is proud to offer 36 local Arizona beers on tap in the heart of Scottsdale. Arizona beers only!

Mellow Mushroom Pizza

2490 W. Happy Valley Road, 5350 E. High Street, 740 S. Mill Avenue Locations throughout the Valley Incredible Pizza and amazing beer make Mellow the place to go for a craft beer experience.

Papago Brewing Company

7107 E. McDowell Road, Scottsdale The granddaddy of Arizona beer bars, there is something for every beer lover at Papago.

Boulders on Broadway

530 W. Broadway Road, Tempe Boulders has the appeal of a neighborhood bar with a beer list that’ll make your eyes pop.

Hungry Monk

1760 W. Chandler Boulevard, Chandler Whether you want great wings or great beer, Hungry Monk’s selection is tough to beat.

Harvey American Public House

1524 E. Williamsfield Road, Gilbert First class food and first class beer, all set away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Goldwater Brewing Co.

3608 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale This new brewery is already making waves with their desert-inspired brews – and names. Check out their Scotch’Dale Scottish style ale.

Spokes on Southern

1470 E. Southern Avenue, Tempe A comfortable bike-themed grill with 24 draft handles and food made from scratch.

Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row

Phoenix Public Market Café

4420 N. Saddlebag Trail Scottsdale Dierks Bentley has been known to kick back with a craft beer or two, and so can you at his digs.

14 E. Pierce Street Phoenix The Phoenix Public Market Café is a casual urban hangout offering breakfast, lunch, dinner and great beer.

Freezer’s Ice House

Main Ingredient Ale House

83 E. Broadway Road, Tempe (At the corner of Mill & Broadway) Freezer’s Ice House is the Valley’s premiere Billiard Sports Bar establishment with 24 icy cold beers on draught. Come see us! Happy hour is 3 to 7 p.m.

Monday through Friday. ASU students (with Student ID) play pool free from noon to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Specials throughout the week include $2 Tuesdays, ASU Night Thursdays, UFC Fight Night Saturdays and Pool Pass Sundays.

The Casual Pint Central Phoenix

4626 N. 16th Street, Unit 102, Phoenix The Casual Pint Central Phoenix is a fun spot with an upscale yet casual atmosphere. Our expert “beer-tenders” can serve up craft beer by the pint from our tap wall, by the can or by the bottle to enjoy in our store.

Copper Blues/Stand Up Live

50 W. Jefferson Street, Phoenix Have a beer and a meal at Copper Blues before the stand-up show. You won’t even worry if it’s sold out.

Brat Haus

3622 N. Scottsdale Road Scottsdale The name says it all – brats, pretzels, Belgian fries and plenty of craft “bier” to make everyone happy.

Cold Beer and Cheeseburgers 4222 N. Scottsdale Road, 20831 N. Scottsdale Road Scottsdale Do we need to say more? The name spells out everything you need to know.

Philly’s Sports Grill

Culinary Dropout

5640 N. Seventh Street, 7135 E. Camelback Road Locations in Phoenix and Scottsdale Located at The Yard, Culinary Dropout has everything you look for in a great restaurant experience, especially great beer.

Scottsdale Beer Company

8608 E. Shea Boulevard, Scottsdale Quality craft beer made right here in Scottsdale.

Happy hour is 3 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, with $1 off all Scottsdale Beer Company beers, well drinks, wines by the glass, and all small bites and starters!

1826 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, 1402 S. Priest Drive, Tempe, 4855 E. Warner Road, Phoenix Over 20 beers on draft, 15 craft beers on tap plus more selection in cans/bottles. Happy hour is 4 to 7 p.m. daily, and reverse happy hour is 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday through Thursday (excludes UFC, Boxing and ASU events).

Flanny’s Bar and Grill

1805 E. Elliot Road Tempe Home of the Third Thursday Tap Takevoer. The rest of the month is pretty good, too.

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2337 N. Seventh Street Phoenix A charming old home is the location for this Coronado neighborhood hangout spot.

Pig & Pickle

2922 N. Hayden Road Scottsdale A restaurant that focuses on balance and quality, Pig & Pickle doesn’t skimp when it comes to their craft beer selection, either.

House of Brews Sports Bar

825 S. Cooper Road Gilbert Is it a sports bar or a craft beer bar? It’s both!

The PERCH Pub & Brewery

232 S. Wall Street, Chandler Located in historic Downtown Chandler, this brewery and pub not only has delicious craft brews, but is also home to a collection of beautiful, brightly colored rescue birds!

TapHouse Kitchen

Hilton Village, 6137 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite 108, Scottsdale Taphouse kitchen has 20 handles of the most sought after craft beers, mostly local brew and 2 THK selection rotating handles that change with the season and taste of what we are craving at the time.

Ground Control

4860 N. Litchfield Road Litchfield Park Fresh roasted coffee and an ever-changing selection of good beer, including a fantastic import selection, make this one of the top spots in the West Valley.

The Brass Tap

1033 N. Dobson Road, Suite 104 Mesa Over 60 Taps of great craft beers and over 300 total craft beers from around the globe available! Casually upscale atmosphere, open-air patio that is cigar-friendly, nice menu, daily specials and knowledgeable staff. What more could you ask for?

Uncle Bear’s Brewery

4921 E. Ray Road, Phoenix Stop by to enjoy some local craft beer including Uncle Bear’s and other guest taps as well as delicious bites and a great happy hour!

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2019

47

BEERTENDERS Bartenders who really know their beer

Alison Bailin Batz >> The Entertainer!

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rad and Kat Moore moved to Arizona from Texas in 2001, so Brad could play semiprofessional soccer. The plan was to stay for one season, but the Moores fell in love with the Valley and made it their home.

For much of the 2000s, Brad was a banker, while Kat worked in interior design. But, when the recession began, both of their industries were among those that were hit the hardest.

At a crossroads and burned out from the corporate world, the Moores cashed in their 401Ks and bought a food truck and opened it in 2010 with the name Short Leash Hot Dogs in honor of their pups.

Despite naysayers, the truck was a hit. By 2013, it expanded to a fullon restaurant. With the expansion, they also added a bar – and beers. Since then, the couple has delighted in Short Leash Hot Dogs + Rollover Doughnuts.

We spoke with Brad about the beer program at Short Leash Hot Dogs + Rollover Doughnuts.

HOW DID YOU GET YOUR START IN CRAFT BEER? TELL US YOUR STORY. So, I grew up in Texas. In college – OK and maybe in high school – we loved Shiner Bock. Today, Shiner Bock is a massive, national brand that distributes more than 6 million beers a year. But back in 1994, it was small – we thought it was our own, personal beer find.

So, it was ingrained in me young to look for beers beyond the bigger brands. Fast forward to 2010, when we started Short Leash as a food truck in Arizona, we were overwhelmed with support from local breweries. Many invited us to be part of their beer release parties, and we even collaborated on beer/hot dog tastings. Then, we when made the leap to invest in our own restaurant and bar – first on Roosevelt and now in the heart of the Melrose District – we got it in our heads to pay it forward

to the local folks who supported us, and to the regional (mainly just Southwest) beers we loved.

WHAT DO YOU THINK MAKES CRAFT BEER SPECIAL? Every craft beer has a story – be it the locally sourced ingredients within it or the story

behind its name or even the story of how the folks came together to brew it. Craft beer is more than a product, more than a trend, more than a hot marketing option today.

Craft beer is people. Craft beer is emotion. Craft beer is connection to each other in such a special way.

TELL US ABOUT THE LOCAL AND REGIONAL BREWERIES DOING IT RIGHT – AND WHY YOU LOVE THEM. Here in Arizona, I am a huge fan of SanTan. Their quality is second to none. In California, you have to try Four Sons, which is a family-owned and -operated brewery in Huntington Beach that has a wide range of variety that appeals to the novice beer drinker and astonishes the beer expert. In New Mexico, don’t miss Santa Fe Brewing Company, which in 1988 became New Mexico’s first craft brewery and has since become the largest brewery in the state. In Colorado, there are dozens, but a good one to seek out is Upslope out of Boulder, which has handcrafted,

all-natural beers that are packaged in aluminum cans. And then in Utah (yes, Utah has craft beer!), try Uinta Brewing Company from Salt Lake, which the last time I checked was one of the top 40 craft breweries in the nation.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT BEER CULTURE IN ARIZONA? You would be hard-pressed to find an industry within Arizona that is more collaborative.

Everyone feels like they are in it together – and they show it each day.

TELL US ABOUT THE BEER PROGRAM AT SHORT LEASH. Happily! So, any given time, we have 90 beers by the can. Ninety percent of them are craft beer, and tons are local. We change them three or four times each year, so we have one of the largest selections in Arizona. In addition, we have 10 drafts, which we rotate out nearly weekly with local and regional craft

options only. We are especially proud to ensure we always have a few on tap from within five miles of our building. Right now, just some of the brands we have available are Wren House, Cider Corps, Helton Brewing, State 48, Huss Brewing, That Brewery, McFate and Grand Canyon.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE BEERS? I am really into Epic Brewing’s Tart & Juicy Sour IPA, Uinta’s bold and citrusy West Coast-style IPA, Wren House Kolsch, Dragoon’s IPA and any sour that Helton puts out, especially its black cherry option.

Short Leash Hot Dogs + Rollover Doughnuts 4221 N. Seventh Avenue, Phoenix, 602.795.2193, shortleashhotdogs.com

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Steele Indian School Park turns into brew central this month Octavio Serrano >> The Entertainer!

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rew enthusiasts can visit what Arizona Craft Brewers Guild’s Rob Fullmer calls “Beer City” this February when the Arizona Strong Beer Festival and Arizona Beer Week team for the ninth year.

Sitting on 9 acres at Steele Indian School Park, the Arizona Strong Beer Festival will house roughly 130 breweries as well as educational demonstrations.

“It is a Beer City we put on for a single-day event,” Fullmer says about the afternoon that kicks off the 10-day stretch of hundreds of craft beer events that make up Arizona Beer Week.

“Over the last 20 years, it has been the festival where breweries launch new beers and where breweries will launch their distribution in the state,” Fullmer says.

In addition to offering more than 500 craft brews to festivalgoers, the Arizona Strong Beer Festival will feature live music, restaurant and food truck offerings by Bang Bang Dumplings, Doughbros, Drivewood Grill, Farmboy Foods, Funky Food Concessions, Sally’s Barbecue and Tom’s Barbecue, and Strong Man Games.

ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

Standout selections abound in the stout category, like THAT Brewery’s Goat Milk Caramel Stout, Kohi Imperial Coffee Stout from Helio Basin and the Chocolate Chipotle Oatmeal Stout from Loco Patron Mexican Brewery.

Hoppy selections such as the Hazy Angel IPA from Lumberyard Brewing Co. in Flagstaff or Two Sons Citra DIPA from Tucson’s Ten 55 Brewery and Sausage House will make “hop heads” happy, and major crossstate collaborations are set to be the highlight at this year’s fest. Tempe’s Huss Brewing is collaborating with Durango’s Ska Brewing and Denver’s Great Divide, while Tempe’s Shop Beer Co. will pair with San Diego’s Burgeon Beer Co. and Lafayette’s Odd 13.

“We’re continuing to see not only the number of beer submissions increase but the quality of the submissions, as well,” Fullmer says.

“Our craft beer community is growing not just throughout the state, but across state lines. The collaborations among breweries and support for the festival are growing

exponentially and we are thrilled to see increased support.”

Along with Strong Beer Festival, Arizona Beer Week will play host to dozens of smaller events at local breweries and taprooms. Twelve Fry’s Food Store Wine Bar locations across the Valley will host tastings and offer rare pours from Arizona breweries participating in the Arizona Strong Beer Festival.

“Arizona has become a pretty robust and desirable place to make beer,” Fullmer says.

With so many breweries and vendors attending the festival, Fullmer says they will use the Untappd app so enthusiasts can see the list of breweries, and post ratings and feedback about them.

SanTan Brewing Company event supervisor Alejandro Fontes says the festival is, indeed, strong.

“It’s a bunch of breweries flexing their muscles,” Fontes says. “All these breweries will typically bring out some rare beers and let the public try it out.”

In addition, Fontes says Strong Beer Festival is “a huge exposure opportunity.” It is not every

day that brewing companies get to have 10,000 people look at their brand, Fontes says, and it helps the smaller breweries promote their businesses.

“We take part in it because it benefits our guild and our guild’s efforts to protect the Arizona brewing scene and make sure we are all regulated fairly,” Fontes says.

With roughly 10,000 people attending, Fullmer says it is special to serve so many people who enjoy beer culture in one place.

“I think that’s what drives the beer culture: People,” he adds.

Arizona Strong Beer Festival Steele Indian School Park, 300 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix, 480.586.6711, arizonabeerweek. com, 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, February 9, $60 general admission, $100 “super VIP” and $20 designated driver.

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2019

FOR THE LOVE OF HOCKEY

T

wo West Valley men have parlayed their love of the Arizona Coyotes into a burgeoning Litchfield Park taproom.

Justin Egbert of Avondale and Paul Powers of Phoenix were part of a Coyotes tweetup group when they discovered they were both homebrewers. They started creating beer together at home in 2014, and turned their passion into Transplant City Brewing Company, which opened on November 24.

“We’re huge hockey fans,” Egbert says, playing with his long beard. “The tweetup is a group of fans on Twitter who organize meetings at the Jose Cuervo margarita bar at Gila River Arena.

“Sometimes there are 50 people, sometimes five. I asked Paul why we weren’t friends on social media. That’s how it started. I had been homebrewing for a couple years at that point.”

The duo is making its mark at Transplant City, named after the state’s transient nature. Egbert relocated from San Diego and Powers from Idaho.

Available in December and January, an Oreo beer – oREO Speedwagon – was a hit, Egbert says. To create the beer, Ebgert and his daughter hand-crushed 12 packages of Oreos. It was an 8 percent chocolate stout brewed with 10 packages of Oreos and then conditioned on two packages of Oreos to top it off.

“They came in droves for it – from North Phoenix, Central Phoenix, Mesa. It was nice. That doesn’t happen very often,” says Egbert, who recently quit his job as a concrete dispatcher to devote time to Transplant City.

For Valentine’s Day, Egbert and Powers are producing a white chocolate-covered strawberry beer. They’re unsure if it’ll be a stout, as they’re in the planning stages.

“We just like playing with beer and the different flavors” says Powers, who works in title insurance. “We’re outside-the-box thinkers when it comes to beer. We don’t stick with the standard stout.”

Egbert adds, “We believe beer should be fun, so we have fun with it.”

They want to make Transplant City Brewing Company the West Valley’s version of Cheers. The bathroom is even adorned with a poster of Sam Malone, the titular character in Cheers.

The taproom is cozy, with long community tables to encourage conversation, not staring into cellphones.

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski >> The Entertainer!

“We’re big on craft beer being a community thing,” Powers says. “We want you to talk to people you don’t know. That’s the kind of drinker I am. Talk about stuff you’ve never talked about with somebody you don’t know. The craft beer community needs to come together.”

Egbert and Powers purchased the equipment from the owners of Peoria Artisan Brewery, which used the building for its Litchfield Taproom.

“We took over the brewing equipment here that Peoria Artisan Brewery had,” Egbert says. “We consider ourselves home brewers, but our equipment is nanobrewery, it’s not even microbrewery. It’s a one-barrel system. We only get two kegs out of it, compared to a company that has a seven-barrel system.”

Transplant City rotates its taps frequently, Powers says. It’s big on IPAs, including Booze Hound, a black IPA brewed with brown sugar and molasses (84 IBU, 7 percent).

“We had Let’s Be Cordial, a cherry cordial porter, for Christmas,” Egbert says.

“That went gangbusters. We had a Mexican chocolate stout, too. But the Oreo hit it on the head.”

They are also serving Fanta-inspired beers, and planning a crisp “spa beer” for Spring Training. Powers and Egbert have collaborated with nearby tea shop, Ribbons, as well.

“We want to support the community,” Powers says. “We have the menus of other businesses here. We don’t serve food, but guests are welcome to bring in food or order it through delivery services.

“I always say, ‘You’re more than welcome to bring a meatloaf dinner,’” Egbert adds with a laugh.

The secret weapon behind Transplant City Beer Company are Egbert and Powers’ wives, Lacijay and Heather, respectively.

“Justin and I are both pretty lucky,” Powers says. “The wives are supportive and helpful. If you see anything you like, that’s the wives who put the visual together. Our only art is in the beer.”

But Egbert and Powers owe a debt of gratitude to the Arizona Coyotes.

“If it wasn’t for them, this may not have even come to fruition,” Egbert says. “The Coyotes have a big part in this.”

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49

If it wasn’t for the Coyotes, Transplant City may not have been born

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CASINOS

PLAY » SPIN » LAUGH » GROOVE » UNWIND » WIN

CASINO ENTERTAINMENT

CALENDAR Christina Fuoco-Karasinski >> The Entertainer!

FEBRUARY 1 Don’t Look Back: The Boston Experience

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Thaddeus Rose

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FEBRUARY 2

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FEBRUARY 10

Jukebox 6

Tommy James and the Shondells

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FEBRUARY 3

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FEBRUARY 13 Tommy James and the Shondells

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Michael Land Band

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Western Fusion

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Harry Luge Band

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Angelo Valente

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Violin/Guitar Duo

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FEBRUARY 23 Ambrosia with Gary Wright Talking Stick Resort, talkingstickresort.com

The House of Floyd: The Music of Pink Floyd

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Jukebox 6

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Johnny City Band

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FEBRUARY 17 AbbaFab

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Quantum

FEBRUARY 21

FEBRUARY 7

Little River Band

The Long Run: The Music of The Eagles

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FEBRUARY 8

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FEBRUARY 20

FEBRUARY 6

AZ Blacktop Band

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FEBRUARY 16

XO Band

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Tommy James and the Shondells

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The Music of Pink Floyd

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FEBRUARY 22 The House of Floyd:

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XO Band

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December ‘63

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FEBRUARY 24 Soundwave

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FEBRUARY 27 Michael Land Band

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FEBRUARY 28 The Walkens Trio

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THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE JANUARY 2019

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ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

52

SPORTS

CHEER » HIT » HIKE » LEAD » ROOT » COMPETE

Celebrity Game Night

FEBRUARY’S BEST

SPORTS EVENTS

Eric Newman >> The Entertainer!

Waste Management Phoenix Open

TO FEBRUARY 3 Many of the world’s best golfers flock to the Valley to take part in what many consider the biggest party in professional golf. Enjoy the nice Arizona weather with hundreds of thousands of your closest friends. Roam the course following your favorite golfer or just pick a hole and see their approach.

The 16th hole is the ultimate party.

TPC Scottsdale, 17020 N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale, 480.585.4334, wmphoenixopen.com, tee times vary by day, general admission tickets start at $45.

Phoenix Suns vs. Atlanta Hawks

FEBRUARY 2 The Suns host Atlanta for the first and only time of the season, and both teams will likely be primed for a top pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. The first 2,500 kids will receive a free Deandre Ayton Growth Poster sponsored

by Arizona Milk Producers.

Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson Street, Phoenix, 602.379.2000, nba. com/suns/tickets, 7 p.m., tickets start at $24.

Phoenix Suns vs. Houston Rockets

FEBRUARY 4 Phoenix hosts championshipcontender Houston in a Western Conference battle. Besides seeing defending MVP James Harden, the first 5,000 fans will receive a Josh Jackson bobblehead.

Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson Street, Phoenix, 602.379.2000, nba. com/suns/tickets, 7 p.m., tickets start at $30.

Diamondbacks Fan Fest

FEBRUARY 9 Come celebrate all things baseball with Diamondbacks staff, fans and everything in between at Salt River Fields. Activities will include opportunities for play autographs and photos, inflatable toys, batting cages, face painting and various other baseball-related activities. The coolest thing? The yard sale where everything from bobbleheads to jackets are sold at a major discount.

Salt River Fields, 7555 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale, 480.270.5000, mlb.com/dbacks/fans/fanfest, noon, free admission.

FEBRUARY 15 Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner and wife, Brenda, will honor legendary Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald at their second annual Celebrity Game Night. The Warners are honoring Fitzgerald for his impact on and off the field, and will be joined by celebrities as well as current and former professional athletes at this premier event. The Van Buren will be converted into a giant game room, full of favorites such as giant Jenga, pop-a-shot and air hockey.

The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren Street, Phoenix, 6:30 to 9 p.m., bit. ly/2GYJMWu, tickets start at $250.

La Fiesta de los Vaqueros Tucson Rodeo

FEBRUARY 16 TO FEBRUARY 24 From bull riding to lasso tossing, rodeo fans get a little bit of everything in this weeklong party. The event begins with an opening ceremony, and has a variety of performances including professional rodeo and kids challenges.

Tucson Rodeo Grounds, 4823 S. Sixth Avenue, Tucson, 520.741.2233, tucsonrodeo. com, gates open 11 a.m., tickets start at $16.

AIA 6A Soccer Championships

FEBRUARY 21 Watch as the best high school soccer teams compete for the championship trophy. Last season, Desert Vista defeated Brophy Prep 3-0 in the boys’ final, and Xavier Prep beat Perry 1-0 on the girls’ side.

Campo Verde High School, 3870 S. Quartz Street, Gilbert, 602.385.3810, azpreps365. com, 5 p.m. boys, 7:30 p.m. girls, adult tickets are $10.

NHRA Arizona Nationals

FEBRUARY 22 TO FEBRUARY 24 Chandler hosts the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series’ second event.

See racers exceed 300 miles per hour with cars, motorcycles and more. The competition series includes dragsters, funny cars, pro stocks and motorcycles.

Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park, 20000 S. Maricopa Road, Chandler, 877.840.0457, racewildhorse.net, three-day ticket packages start at $111.

ASU Sun Devils vs. California Golden Bears

FEBRUARY 24 ASU, hoping for a spot in the postseason, will take on California in its final regular season home game. The Sun Devils will play three games afterward, before participating in the Pac12 Tournament in March.

Wells Fargo Arena, 600 E Veterans Way, Tempe, 480.727.0000, thesundevils.com, 4 p.m., tickets start at $15.

Arizona Coyotes vs Winnipeg Jets

FEBRUARY 24 The Coyotes take on Winnipeg in mid-season NHL action. The biggest draw for this game, though, is the retirement of Coyote-legend Shane Doan. The team will put his number in the rafters, and give out free bobbleheads to fans in attendance.

Gila River Arena, 9400 W. Maryland Avenue, Glendale, 623.772.3800, nhl.com/coyotes/, 7 p.m., tickets start at $69.

FIELDS OF DREAMS The Valley winds up for early Spring Training

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2019

S

ome of baseball’s biggest stars, including Cody Bellinger and Anthony Rizzo, and this year, J.D. Martinez, are traveling to the Valley for Cactus League baseball this spring.

The sluggers bring home the big bucks, but behind their star power are millions of dollars poured into municipalities like Scottsdale, Mesa and Peoria.

According a recent report, the 2018 Cactus League season generated an estimated economic impact of $644.2 million, an 11-percent increase on the 2015 output estimate in real terms.

The study, which surveyed only out-of-state visitors, also found the Cactus League generated $373 million for Arizona’s gross domestic product. The average traveling party spent $405 per day.

“This is a grand slam for Arizona’s economy,” said Cactus League President Jeff Meyer. “These figures tell the story of Spring Training’s awesome power as a tourism engine—and we need to ensure that the industry continues to remain

robust.

“We are grateful to Major League Baseball and the host communities for their partnership and to the Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority for providing funding for ballpark construction and renovation.”

Founded in 1947, the Cactus League began with the New York Giants training in Phoenix and the Cleveland Indians in Tucson.

Now there are 15 MLB clubs in 10 ballparks across Maricopa County.

Like last year, Spring Training is starting earlier—Thursday, February 24—because the MLB added days off to the regular schedule.

“We’re trying to get the word out about that,” Meyer says.

He invites locals to come down early in the Spring Training season, because great tickets are plentiful.

“Not as many people are traveling that time of year,” Meyer says.

What makes this year special is the defending champions, the Boston Red Sox, are making a rare appearance at the end of March.

They’re playing the Cubs at Sloan

Park March 25 and March 26 before the Sox head to Chase Field for the D-backs’ home opener.

Meyer says the Cactus League is successful because of the Valley’s wide range of amenities.

“We have the hotels, the lodging, the restaurants,” he says. “Tourists take in a game and then go to the Grand Canyon. I think it’s what Arizona has to offer. You can’t beat the weather this time of year.

“We’re very appreciative of the condition we have here in Arizona.

And, in the last two years, we haven’t had a rainout.”

Among the highlighted items is the significant construction at Maryvale, the spring home of the Milwaukee Brewers. In November 2017, the Phoenix City Council approved the plans to renovate the ballpark. The plan keeps the Club in Maryvale at the Brewers Fields of Phoenix through at least the year 2042, the second-longest commitment in the Cactus League.

A new stand-alone, two-story building will house new locker rooms, training spaces and support

53

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski >> The Entertainer!

functions for the major and minor league teams, a new flagship retail sales store and a new primary ticket office at the new home plate gate.

The building’s north side will have concession stands and restrooms as the first base concourse will be widened to accommodate better pedestrian traffic. A second floor will be constructed to house new offices for baseball operations, and will feature a walkout patio with views of training facilities to the south.

Other improvements include a new entry plaza behind home plate, a renovated Major League clubhouse, and a new Major League batting tunnels, agility field, covered Major League practice mounds, Major League practice field and parking lots.

“The Cactus League is a gamechanger for Arizona’s tourism industry,” says Debbie Johnson, director of the Arizona Office of Tourism. “Generations of baseball fans have fallen in love with Arizona—and Arizona loves to welcome them back every spring.”

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UPFRONT | CITY | THE DOWNTOWNER | TRAVEL | ARTS | DINING | BEER AND WINE | CASINOS | SPORTS | FAMILY | MUSIC | NIGHTLIFE | IN CLOSING

FROM EEPHUS TO ENZED

W

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski >> The Entertainer!

ith his affable personality and eephus pitch, Josh Collmenter was well-liked by

Diamondbacks fans.

Released by the D-backs in August 2016, Collmenter bounced around the MLB, but for the last few months, the Homer, Michigan, native has been helping New Zealanders learn about baseball.

In 2018, Collmenter was added to the New Zealand national baseball team U15 development squad as pitching coach. By August, the Arcadia resident became the first player signed by the Auckland Tuatara, an expansion team of the Australian Baseball League for the 2018-19 season.

“It’s been a good mix of guys, not just from Australia and New Zealand, but Japan, Taiwan and China even,” Collmenter says via telephone from New Zealand, affectionately known as “enzed” in the country. “Zed” is another way of pronouncing Z. “You get perspective from everybody and what they grew up doing and how baseball differs a little bit. Baseball makes it a small world.”

Different, but the same. There’s a language barrier, he admits, but signals and such cross the cultural lines.

“If you throw us all on a baseball diamond, we all work,” he says.

ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

Pitcher Josh Collmenter turns to New Zealand to revive his career Collmenter, who played with the D-backs when they took on the Dodgers in Australia, found his way to the land of the Kiwis through an Australian Baseball League executive who visited Phoenix.

“He came over here to work with a few Major League teams to see if they wanted to send players,” Collmenter says. “He laid out what they were doing. The season is only 10 weeks, so it was a good fit. It’s nothing too strenuous and it ends right before Spring Training.”

The league had a handful of teams and recently added two, including the Auckland Tuatara, who played three weeks in New Zealand before traveling to Australia. The experience has allowed Collmenter to make his mark overseas and is hoping to parlay this into a return to the Major League.

“It gives me a chance to get ready just in case something happens for Spring Training,” says Collmenter, whose infamous eephus pitch (a very low-speed junk pitch) was captured by YouTube.

“It’s designed that way because it’s their summer. A handful of minor leaguers play in it to tune up for Spring Training, too.”

Collmenter is pleased to hear he’s still a favorite around town.

“I hear that a lot, so that must mean I did something right when I was there,” he says with a laugh. “I’ve enjoyed my time there in Arizona. I’m glad I made an effect on people.”

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THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2019

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ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

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FAMILY

FROLIC » DISCOVER » IMAGINE » FAMILY » FUN » CONNECT

THE BEST FAMILY EVENTS IN FEBRUARY Christina Fuoco-Karasinski >> The Entertainer!

Great Canadian Picnic

FEBRUARY 2 Imbibe in all-things Canadian including poutine food trucks, curling, ball hockey and cornhole during the annual celebration of Great White North. Music is provided by Jack Jackson Band, and the Arizona Coyotes’ Howler will make an appearance.

South Mountain Park, 10919 S. Central Avenue, Phoenix, 602.309.1552, canadianpicnic. com, 10 a.m., free admission.

Parada del Sol and Trail’s End Festival

FEBRUARY 9 The parade starts at 10 a.m. on Scottsdale Road, south of Camelback Road and weaves through Old Town. The party continues at noon with the Trail’s End Festival featuring music, performances, refreshments and activity booths.

Old Town Scottsdale, 602.320.1483, scottsdaleparade. com, 10 a.m., free admission.

show; Lauridsen Aviation Museum; biplane, hot air and helicopter rides; craft vendors; exhibitors; and Kids Zone. A two-hour air show begins at noon each day.

Buckeye Municipal Airport, 3000 S. Palo Verde Road, Buckeye, buckeyeairfare. com, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., free admission, $80 VIP, $125 twoday VIP, $10 Kids Zone pass.

Arizona Indian Festival and Fair

FEBRUARY 9 AND FEBRUARY 10 This two-day, family-friendly event features Arizona tribes sharing cultural experiences, traditional dwelling, art demonstrations, Native American storytelling, performances, music and contemporary entertainment, an artisan market, Tribal and Tourism Expo, food trucks and fry bread stands, and kids’ activities.

The event is a collaboration between the city of Scottsdale and many Arizona Indian tribes.

Scottsdale Civic Center, 3939 N. Drinkwater Boulevard, Scottsdale, arizonaindiantourism.org, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays, free admission.

tournament and a dining hall.

Arizona Renaissance Festival, 12601 U.S. Highway 60, Gold Canyon, 520.463.2600, royalfaires.com, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., $18-$28.

Park, 20000 S. Maricopa Road, Chandler, 1.800.844.NHRA, nhra. com/tickets, 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.

Friday, February 22, and Saturday, February 23, and 11 a.m. Sunday, February 24, tickets start at $34.

Valentine’s Day Skate Party

Swift Carnival 2019

FEBRUARY 14 Celebrate Valentine’s Day with the family. Don a red shirt or pants and pay $1 admission.

Regular admission is $5.

Skateland Chandler, 1101 W. Ray Road, Chandler, 480.917.9444, skatelandchandler. com, 5:30 to 8 p.m., $5.

Arizona PBS Kids Day

FEBRUARY 16 Phoenix’s Civic Space Park is hosting PBS Kids Day along with its favorite characters, Splash and Bubbles, and “healthy” foods with Cookie Monster.

Civic Space Park, 424 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix, 602.262.7490, azpbs.org, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., free.

Magic Dry Organic Absorbent NHRA Arizona Nationals

Arizona Renaissance Festival Buckeye Air Fair

FEBRUARY 9 AND FEBRUARY 10 The two-day Buckeye Air Fair is perfect for the entire family, with a science and technology expo; police and fire demonstrations; car

WEEKENDS FEBRUARY 9 TO MARCH 31 This medieval amusement park boasts a 13-stage theater, a 30-acre circus, an arts and crafts fair, a jousting

FEBRUARY 22 TO FEBRUARY 24 Head down to Chandler for the newly dubbed Magic Dry Organic Absorbent NHRA Arizona Nationals.

Besides the races, fans can meet with mechanics between rounds and get autographs from their favorite drivers. Carnival attractions and food round out the weekend.

Goodyear Ballpark, 1933 S. Wild Horse Pass Motorsports

FEBRUARY 23 Help at-risk youth have an unforgettable day with food, fun and new friendships at the Swift Carnival hosted by the Swift Youth Foundation. Kids can enjoy carnival games, attractions, and mini-camp experiences. Teen counselors will be responsible for the children throughout the day and adult volunteers will assist with food and carnival games.

Palomino Intermediate School/ Boys & Girls Club, 3015 E. Marconi Avenue, Phoenix, 602.449.2900, swiftyouth. org, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., free.

Lost Dutchman Days

FEBRUARY 22 TO FEBRUARY 24 The 55th annual Lost Dutchman Days continues to provide three days of professional rodeo action, a carnival with more than 30 rides, and carnival attractions. The rodeo dance is set for 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, February 23, at Elks Lodge 2349.

Lost Dutchman Days Main Event Center, 1590 E. Lost Dutchman Boulevard, Apache Junction, 1.888.75.RODEO, lostdutchmandays.org, various times and prices.

Bike-In Movie

FEBRUARY 23 Put your pedal to the pavement for Horizon Park’s Bike-In Movie. Guests are invited to bring their bikes and picnic blankets to enjoy the movie.

Horizon Park, 15444 N. 100th Street, Scottsdale, 480.312.0217, scottsdaleaz.gov, 5 to 9 p.m., free.

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2019

HOT DOGS & JAZZ

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The Nash schools families on two great American traditions

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski >> The Entertainer!

B

efore Jazz in Arizona opened the club The Nash in 2012, the nonprofit was considered an “old person’s organization,” according to venue executive director Joel Goldenthal.

“We didn’t have our own venue,” Goldenthal says, “So, we came up with a model that would attract young people. We had a series of breakfast meetings at somebody’s house. We invited stakeholders, especially student musicians and educators and asked what a venue would have to have. From day one, we had buy-in.”

Now the organization is renowned for helping teach youngsters about the genre. On Saturday, January 19, The Nash once again hosts Hot Dogs & Jazz, an opportunity for children and families to enjoy a program about the American-born music.

The morning is spent with The Nash’s accomplished musicians who demonstrate the different instruments and styles of jazz to give kids a chance to move and sing to the music. Following the show, families can meet the band and enjoy free hot dogs.

“Music and the way jazz works, in particular, is such a model for behavior and values for young

people,” Goldenthal says. “When you watch musicians play, you realize there’s self-respect, respect for fellow musicians and creativity.

It’s not just a bunch of people blowing their instruments. There’s so much value to it.

“The exposure to jazz at a young age is so important. It all starts with exposure. There’s a jazz gene in people, I believe. All it takes is exposure to jazz to ignite that gene.”

Hot Dogs & Jazz attract between 50 and 120 youngsters and their families for the “cool” event, as

Goldenthal describes it. The Nash education interns—undergraduate or graduate students studying jazz—playfully perform.

“They all have personalities that are engaging with the young people,” he adds. “They perform for 45 minutes to an hour, and they perform music that goes through the different periods of jazz. They play material the kids can relate to.

There’s a female saxophonist who plays a Justin Bieber tune that all the kids know. So, they’re relating to them right off the bat.”

Goldenthal says Hot Dogs &

Jazz is equal parts education and exposure to the instruments.

“Kids don’t know what instruments sound like, or what makes what sound,” he adds. “It’s exposing them to the music, the artform and the instruments. They can make that connection.

“Many kids come up afterward and play the instruments. They can’t wait to get their hands on the drums or pluck the strings on the bass.”

The monthly program is geared toward elementary-age students, but The Nash staff doesn’t stick to an age limit. Education and The Nash are synonymous. Wynton Marsalis played the first note in the venue during a program for 140plus elementary school students.

“The commitment to exposing youth to the music is a primary goal of the organization,” Goldenthal says. “We have been invited to present at the Jazz Education Network Conference in Las Vegas in January on how to build a youth-based jazz community.

“We’ve accomplished something nobody else has been able to figure out. It’s been an organic process.”

Hot Dogs & Jazz, The Nash 110 E. Roosevelt Street, Phoenix, 602.795.0464, thenash.org, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, January 19, $3, $1 youth 12 and younger.

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UPFRONT | CITY | THE DOWNTOWNER | TRAVEL | ARTS | DINING | BEER AND WINE | CASINOS | SPORTS | FAMILY | MUSIC | NIGHTLIFE | IN CLOSING

A Step Back in Time

The Arizona Renaissance festival brings visitors to the 16th Century Taylor O’Connor >> The Entertainer!

E

agerly searching for his next customer in a crowd of tunic-wearing patrons munching on turkey legs, Shamus the Insulter parades through the Renaissance Festival grounds announcing, “Insults! Insults! Step right up to get your insults.”

Maidens and monsieurs alike approach Shamus to insult them or their loved ones, “from the ages of 4 to 98.” For the right price, Shamus will give a beautifully articulated insult, or compliment, rated “family-friendly G all the way through adult NC 17.”

Shamus, along with several other characters, can be found at the Renaissance Festival from Saturday, February 9, to Sunday, March 31, in Gold Canyon.

The Renaissance Festival launches people into the 16th century to enjoy a time of jousters, kings and queens, says Marketing and Sales Director Sanja Malinovic.

“This is an incredibly interactive event with a variety of amusements,” Malinovic says. “There are over 2,000 ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

costumed characters in authentic and elaborate period garments roaming the festival village.”

The 30-acre grounds house 14 stages with performances including “tall tales, acrobatics, song dance and tomfoolery,” Malivonic says.

Born Tony Miller, Shamus the Insulter describes his job as a “street act” who interacts with the crowds all day.

“It is what I like to call intimate theater,” he says, “Part of the draw of coming to the Renaissance Festival is to have interactions with the characters.”

Along with performances and character interactions, Malivonic suggests people go shopping and see the works of over 200 artisans with crafts like glassblowing, leatherwork, weaving, wood crafting, blacksmithing and pottery making.

Another major piece to the Renaissance Festival is the culinary experience, Malivonic says. Visitors can try foods such as turkey legs, steak-ona-stake, sausage-on-a-stick, skewered chicken, ears of corn, Scotch eggs, baked potatoes with toppings, and filled fresh

bread bowls.

In its 31st season, the festival has grown, Malinovic says. What started off as 9 acres and 43,000 visitors has now become 30 acres and over a quarter of a million guests.

Malinovic says as soon as the festival ends in March, planning and maintenance begin in April.

Malinovic highlighted three new performances this year. The first is CRAIC, a Celtic band featuring “roguish vocals, rhythmic violin, intense percussion and blaring bagpipes.”

The second is Rick the Hypnotist who picks volunteers “to take them on a journey they’ll never forget.” Read more about Rick at rickthehypnotist.com.

Finally, there’s Rick and Jan Stratton who juggle and move with Snorkel the Dancing Pig. While there may be an additional cost for some activities, Malinovic points out several free activities and performances like the knighting ceremony, the three daily jousts, the petting zoo, the Mermaid Grotto, contests and glassblowing demonstrations. Food and

vendors require cash. ATMs are on site.

Malinovic suggests wearing sunscreen, comfortable shoes, getting to the festival early and staying all day.

“There’s nothing like it in the entire state,” Malinovic says. “It is an event that brings the state of Arizona together in celebration of a period of enlightenment, bringing smiles and shenanigans to attendees of all ages.”

Shamus the Insulter is there to bring the shenanigans.

“I am a spoken wordsmith,” he says.

“All in all, I am a professional insulter.

This is the best thing I have ever done in my life.”

Arizona Renaissance Festival and Artisan Marketplace 12601 E. U.S. Highway 60, Gold Canyon, arizona.renfestinfo.com, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays February 9 to March 31 and Presidents Day, Monday, February 18, prices start at $26 at Fry’s.

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2019

MUSIC

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LISTEN » JAM » INNOVATE » EVOLVE » ROCK » SING

Storytellers with a Mission Kongos invites fans to come with them on a new journey Christina Fuoco-Karasinski >> The Entertainer!

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alling from Kongos’ Los Angeles studio, bassist Dylan Kongos is predicting fans will like the new record, 1929: Part 1.

After all, he says, the alternative rock band heard glowing reviews before it was released in mid-January.

“We’ve had a great initial reaction from fans and people on our team, and from venues and promoters,” says Kongos, who adds there will be two more parts. “I got a good vibe from the initial visceral reaction from people.”

Kongos – accordionist/keyboardist Johnny, drummer Jesse and guitarist Daniel – grew up in London and South Africa, before settling in their mother’s hometown of Paradise Valley. Their father is recording artist John Kongos.

Kongos formed in 2003 and released its self-titled debut album in 2007. Formerly signed to Epic Records, the act writes, produces, engineers and mixes its own music.

In 2011, Kongos make its mark on the music industry with the single “Come with Me Now,” which sold more than 2 million copies. Kongos spent the next two years on a worldwide tour.

In the last year, the band relocated from the Valley to Los Angeles to make that easier. They built their own studio, with Kongos’ front-of-house engineer shaping the room that gave the band the ability to

experiment on the new album.

“On the last record cycle, we were touring so much,” he says. “We found a studio space in Los Angeles to rehearse out of in between tours. In the last year, we felt like we settled in the studio here. It feels like we live here now.”

Kongos is returning home on Saturday, February 16, to showcase 1929: Part 1 at the Crescent Ballroom in Phoenix.

“It’s great to have a hometown show,” Kongos says. “We spent 20 years in Phoenix, honing our chaps at so many local shows like Last Exit Live and Valley Bar.” The last time Kongos played Phoenix, he says, was October 2016. Things will be different at this show.

“We have a bunch of new material, obviously,” he says. “We always try to change it up in terms of production, whether it’s a small theater or larger club room. It’s dancey. It’s high energy. It’ll be in the middle of winter so we’re getting people heated up.”

Besides the new album, Kongos worked on a 10-part documentary series called Bus Call, which follows their story and gives a compelling look at life on tour. The project began as a way of recapping tours to have short-form content for Instagram or YouTube. It snowballed.

“We thought we could do a travel documentary, showing all the cities we play, eating the food, seeing cultures,” he says. “It wouldn’t be as good as Anthony Bourdain,

but no one’s really done that to the extent we were trying to do. We kept the cameras rolling through arguments, the ups and downs and the difficulties.

“We’re capturing a really good sense of what it’s like to be on the road. We were miked up every tour we did for almost two years. As hard as that was, getting into the editing room with 100 terabytes of footage is an enormous task. We had to score the incidental music for it, too. This is about a mid-sized band struggling to breakthrough, paying things out of pocket and grinding it out for a couple years. It’s the unglamorous side without depressing people.”

Kongos says he gets emotional sometimes watching the footage.

“To see South America and South Africa, we get sad that we’re not out on the road yet,” he explains. “It’s hard to watch the arguments. The ones we captured, we had to sit through and decide what we were going to leave in the documentary and take out.”

The brothers also host a weekly podcast, “The Front Lounge,” where they discuss music, ideas and more with guests that include other musicians, artists, touring professionals and entrepreneurs.

Part of the tumultuous year has been

getting out of its deal with Epic. Kongos says the band tried to get out of the deal and were able to secure that in 2018. Now they’re on their own label. The documentary captures the relationship with the label.

“We show the struggles with the label.

We argued with them constantly,” he says.

“It was a relatively difficult time. It was emotionally draining to watch that again.”

Ultimately, Kongos has its masters, and controls each part of its career.

“For new singles, we self-release them on our schedule,” Kongos says. “We decide on a date, get a little closer, and sometimes push it up a week or back a week. That’s the freedom you have. We’re deciding which songs we want to put out. It’s important for us to give the right impression.”

What is that impression?

“I think it’s similar to the last time around,” Kongos adds. “We want people to get the sense of the wide variety of songwriting and sounds.

“We were pigeonholed into being that band with that one sound. We created a career for us and a touring base that put us on the map. We could go around the world playing our music. This album is a little more experimental.”

Kongos w/Fitness Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Avenue, Phoenix, 602.716.2222, crescentphx.com, 8 p.m. Saturday, February 16, $22-$199.

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Al Jardine: A Postcard from California

CALENDAR

Connor Dziawura >> The Entertainer!

FEBRUARY 1 Bayou Bandits

Dillon’s Bayou at Pleasant Harbor, 7 p.m., free, but gate entry is $6

Current Joys

Valley Bar, 7:30 p.m., $9-$15

Hank von Hell

Dillon’s Bayou at Pleasant Harbor, 7 p.m., free, but gate entry is $6

The BoDeans

Musical Instrument Museum, 7 and 9 p.m., $43.50-$53.50

The Dave Riley / Bob Corritore Juke Joint Blues Band The Rhythm Room, 9 p.m., $8-$10

Jacob Banks

The Rebel Lounge, 9 p.m., $23-$25

Crescent Ballroom, 8 p.m., $16.50-$72

Kelly Clarkson

Reel Big Fish

Gila River Arena, 7 p.m., $25-$699

MT Stream Liners

Dillon’s Arrowhead, 6 p.m., free

NOLAz

The Nash, 7:30 p.m., free

The Rock, 8 p.m., $20

Still Woozy

The Rebel Lounge, 8 p.m., $12-$14

Vince Staples

The Van Buren, 8 p.m., $30-$33

Phoenix Blues Woman Showcase

FEBRUARY 3

We Banjo 3

Shady Park, 2 p.m., $10

The Rhythm Room, 8 p.m., $10 Chandler Center for the Arts, 7:30 p.m., $26-$38

FEBRUARY 2 Andy Galore Quartet

The Nash, 7:30 p.m., $8-$25

Audio Freak

Dillon’s Arrowhead, 6 p.m., free

AZ/DZ Ultimate AC/DC Tribute Band

Dom Dolla

FEBRUARY 4 half•alive

Valley Bar, 8 p.m., $15

Tas Cru

The Rhythm Room, 8 p.m., $10-$12

FEBRUARY 5 Alex Cameron and Roy Molloy The Rebel Lounge, 8 p.m., $15-$17

Elijah the Boy

Cursive

Hollywood Yates

Joan Osborne sings the songs of Bob Dylan

Mesa Arts Center’s Piper Repertory Theater, 7:30 p.m., $35-$45

Magic City Hippies

Pub Rock Live, 8 p.m., $17-$40 Dillon’s Bayou at Pleasant Harbor, 7 p.m., free, but gate entry is $6

Inner Journeys Trio

The Nash, 7:30 p.m., $10-$20

Marisela

Valley Bar, 8 p.m., $11.25-$20

Celebrity Theatre, 8:30 p.m., $50-$95

FEBRUARY 6

FEBRUARY 9

Anthony Gomes

A Bowie Celebration

Arizona Roots Music and Arts Festival w/Rebelution, Atmosphere

DaniLeigh

Fuzzy Logic

JTM

Say What?! Ep. 3

Kalani Pe’a

Some Dark Hollow

The Rhythm Room, 8 p.m., $10-$12 Mesa Arts Center’s Ikeda Theater, 7:30 p.m., $33-$68 Pub Rock Live, 8 p.m., $12-$15 Last Exit Live, 8 p.m., $13-$25 Musical Instrument Museum, 7 p.m., $33.50-$43.50

King Princess

Crescent Ballroom, 8 p.m., sold out

Nat “King” Cole Centennial w/Joe Bourne, Dennis Rowland

Riverwalk at Rawhide Western Town, time TBA, $65-$750 Dillon’s Arrowhead, 6 p.m., free The Listening Room, 7 p.m., $10 Valley Bar, 7 p.m., $10-$12

Sonrisa

The Nash, 7:30 p.m., $8-$25

The Sweet Remains

Musical Instrument Museum, 7 p.m., $33.50-$38.50

ASU Kerr Cultural Center, 7:30 p.m., $10-$39

Tritonal

FEBRUARY 7

The Vibe

Marquee Theatre, 8:30 p.m., $22-$57

Grant Ferguson

Dillon’s Bayou at Pleasant Harbor, 7 p.m., free, but gate entry is $6

Jesse McCartney

FEBRUARY 10

The Nels Cline 4

Arizona Roots Music and Arts Festival w/Stick Figure, Dispatch

The Rhythm Room, 7 p.m., $12 The Van Buren, 8 p.m., $25-$149 Musical Instrument Museum, 7:30 p.m., $30.50-$40.50

FEBRUARY 8 Albert Cummings

Musical Instrument Museum, 7:30 p.m., $33.50-$43.50

Aurora

CRESCENT BALLROOM, 7:30 P.M. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23, SOLD OUT In a 2018 interview with The Entertainer! Magazine, Norwegian singer-songwriter Aurora said her forthcoming record would be more representative of her and her thoughts and feelings than past works. Months later, she finally released the product of her labor, titled Infections of a Different Kind – Step 1. The album, her sophomore one, sees her treading new territory – both in terms of commercial appeal and more left-field cuts. Though only the first part of a planned multi-phase project, the long wait for the eight-track Step 1 seems to have been worth it for fans, as the Os native sold out a scheduled show at Valley Bar so quickly that it had to be upgraded to the larger Crescent Ballroom, which didn’t take much longer to sell out. Talos is set to open the show.

ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

Dillon’s Arrowhead, 6 p.m., free

Musical Instrument Museum, 7 p.m., $68.50-$78.50 Crescent Ballroom, 8 p.m., $18-$28

LIVE MUSIC

Black Canyon Freeway

Riverwalk at Rawhide Western Town, time TBA, $45-$750

Concert Against Teen Bullying and Suicide: A Benefit Supporting Music United The Listening Room, 1 p.m., $10

Roger’s Tom Jones and the Motown Blossoms

Mesa Arts Center’s Piper Repertory Theater, 3 p.m., $29-$40

Shaggy 2 Dope

Club Red, 8 p.m., $20-$25

U.S. Bombs w/Total Chaos

The Rebel Lounge, 8 p.m., $16-$18

FEBRUARY 11 2 Cellos w/Jon McLaughlin

Comerica Theatre, 7:30 p.m., $38.50-$350

FEBRUARY 12 The Bad Plus

Musical Instrument Museum, 7 p.m., $33.50-$43.50

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2019

Cavetown

The Expendables

Igor and the Red Elvises

Chicago

Kongos

Lords of Acid

Plan B

Nothing More

Richard Thompson Electric Trio

Spear of Destiny

The Rebel Lounge, 7:30 p.m., sold out Celebrity Theatre, 7:30 p.m., $79-$450

Gregory Alan Isakov w/Laura Gibson

The Van Buren, 8 p.m., $34-$39

FEBRUARY 13 Amarionette

The Rebel Lounge, 7:30 p.m., $10-$12

Daniel Romano

Valley Bar, 8 p.m., $12

Kiss

Gila River Arena, $79.25-$1,000

Lewis Nash and Friends

The Nash, 7:30 p.m., $10-$25

Lucky Devils

The Rhythm Room, 8 p.m., free

Pedro the Lion

Marquee Theatre, 6 p.m., $20-$35 Crescent Ballroom, 8 p.m., $22-$199 Dillon’s Arrowhead, 6 p.m., free Musical Instrument Museum, 7:30 p.m., $58.50-$153.50

Boomer

Talking Stick Resort Arena, 7:30 p.m., $30.50-$52.50

The Walkens

The Aces

Born of Osiris Darrell Scott

Musical Instrument Museum, 7 p.m., $33.50-$43.50

Dillon’s Bayou at Pleasant Harbor, 4 p.m., free, but gate entry is $6

The Van Buren, 8 p.m., $32-$50

FEBRUARY 15 Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band

The Rhythm Room, 3 to 6 p.m., $15

Tripwire Yotto

Shady Park, 2 p.m., $25

FEBRUARY 18 Smoking Popes

The Rebel Lounge, 8 p.m., $17-$20

Y La Bamba

The Rhythm Room, 8 p.m., $12-$15

Talking Stick Resort Arena, 8 p.m., sold out

FEBRUARY 19

Bring Me the Horizon w/Thrice, Fever 333

The Rhythm Room, 7:30 p.m., $12-$15

Comerica Theatre, 7 p.m., $44.50

Elizabeth Cook

The Rebel Lounge, 8 p.m., $16-$18

Faded Jeans

Dillon’s Arrowhead, 6 p.m., free

Sara Robinson Band

The Rhythm Room, 9 p.m., $10

Tennessee Whiskey

Dillon’s Bayou at Pleasant Harbor, 7 p.m., free, but gate entry is $6

Unwritten Law

Club Red, 7 p.m., $20-$25

FEBRUARY 16

Ella Mai

Marquee Theatre, 8 p.m., sold out

FEBRUARY 17

Joshua Bell

Neko Case w/Kimya Dawson

Dillon’s Arrowhead, 6 p.m., free

Shari Rowe

Rockabilly for the Dogs

Crescent Ballroom, 9 p.m., $25

Celebrity Theatre, 8 p.m., $43-$87

Noname

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts’ Virginia G. Piper Theater, 7 p.m., $50-$115

Keller Williams

Amy Grant

Dillon’s Bayou at Pleasant Harbor, 7 p.m., free, but gate entry is $6

Club Red, 6 p.m., $18

Mesa Arts Center’s Ikeda Theater, 7:30 p.m., $30-$80

Club Red, 7 p.m., $10-$13

Valentine’s Super Love Jam

The Rhythm Room, 6 p.m., $18-$20

FEBRUARY 14 Esteban

The Van Buren, 6:30 p.m., $27-$150

FEBRUARY 22

Crescent Ballroom, 8 p.m., $18-$33

The Rhythm Room, 8 p.m., $8

Club Red, 5 p.m., $25-$30

Valentine’s Day Blues Celebration!

Crescent Ballroom, 8:30 p.m., $16-$17

Cadillac Angels

The Rhythm Room, 8 p.m., $10

Jay Allan

Justin Nozuka

Valley Bar, 8 p.m., $25-$30

Ron Gallo w/Post Animal

The Rebel Lounge, 8 p.m., $15-$17

FEBRUARY 20 Albert Castiglia

The Rhythm Room, 8 p.m., $10-$12

Cypress Hill w/Hollywood Undead

The Van Buren, 8 p.m., $25 Dillon’s Bayou at Pleasant Harbor, 7 p.m., free, but gate entry is $6

Slothrust

The Rebel Lounge, 7 p.m., $10-$12

FEBRUARY 26 Calling All Captains

The Rebel Lounge, 7:30 p.m., $10-$12

John 5

Club Red, 6:30 p.m., $28

Meek Mill

Comerica Theatre, 8 p.m., $29.50-$125.50

Muse

Talking Stick Resort Arena, 7:30 p.m., $44.25-$403.75

VHS Collection

Valley Bar, 8 p.m., $15-$55

The Wood Brothers

Crescent Ballroom, 8 p.m., $30-$52

The Subdudes

Bryce Vine

Trippie Red

The Interrupters w/Masked Intruder, Rat Boy

The Rhythm Room, 8 p.m., $35-$40 The Pressroom, 8 p.m., $35

FEBRUARY 23 The Doo Wop Project

Chandler Center for the Arts, 7:30 p.m., $32-$46

Metal Mayhem: A Night of Heavy Metal Tributes w/Damage Inc., Slaytanic, Domination, Maiden USA

The Van Buren, 8 p.m., $15

Outside the Line

Dillon’s Bayou at Pleasant Harbor, 7 p.m., free, but gate entry is $6

R. Carlos Nakai Quartet

The Rhythm Room, 7 p.m., $10 Club Red, 8 p.m., $20-$25

The Van Buren, 7:30 p.m., $23

Jorma Kaukonen

Musical Instrument Museum, 7 p.m., $43.50-$48.50

Nancy Buck

Musical Instrument Museum, 10:30 p.m., $7, or included with paid museum admission

Sarah Brightman

Comerica Theatre, 8 p.m., $53.50-$900

FEBRUARY 28 AZ Songwriters in the Round w/Andrew Gork, Blaine Long, Eric Ramsey

The Listening Room, 7 p.m., $15-$20

Musical Instrument Museum, 7:30 p.m., $33.50-$43.50

The Band Camino

Reboot

Can’t Swim

Dillon’s Arrowhead, 6 p.m., free

The Sugar Thieves

The Rhythm Room, 9 p.m., $10

Tropa Magica

Last Exit Live, 8 p.m., $10-$12

FEBRUARY 21

The Rebel Lounge, 8 p.m., $18-$20

Valley Bar, 8 p.m., $12 The Rebel Lounge, 6:30 p.m., $15-$17

Makana

Musical Instrument Museum, 7:30 p.m., $33.50-$43.50

Soulfly w/Incite

The Rock, 6 p.m., $23-$25

The Black Queen

Dark Star Orchestra

Francine Reed

Country Fest Phoenix 2019 w/Glen Templeton, Chase Miller, Billy Shaw Jr.

Gregory Porter

Susana Baca

The Pressroom, 5 p.m., $20-$40

Rainy Days

AJ Odneal

FEBRUARY 24

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts’ Virginia G. Piper Theater, 7:30 p.m., $45-$75

Valley Bar, 8 p.m., $9-$12

The Stakes

The Van Buren, 7:30 p.m., $37.50-$287.50

Marquee Theatre, 8 p.m., $25-$55

Mozes and the Firstborn

FEBRUARY 27

The Cocktail Jam w/Z-Trip

The Van Buren, 8 p.m., $40-$50

FEBRUARY 25

Valley Bar, 7:30 p.m., $13-$15 The Nash, 7:30 p.m., $10-$20

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The Nash, 3 p.m., $16-$36 Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts’ Virginia G. Piper Theater, 7:30 p.m., $39-$59 ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

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UPFRONT | CITY | THE DOWNTOWNER | TRAVEL | ARTS | DINING | BEER AND WINE | CASINOS | SPORTS | FAMILY | MUSIC | NIGHTLIFE | IN CLOSING

Crazy/Wonderful Joy Williams balances motherhood and her ‘Front Porch’ Christina Fuoco-Karasinski >> The Entertainer!

W

hitney Woerz is a longtime Jesse McCartney fan. So, when she was given the opportunity to open for him on his The Resolution Tour, she jumped at the chance.

“Oh my goodness, I’m such a fan,” says Woerz, who opens for McCartney at The Van Buren on Thursday, February 7. “It’s seriously incredible. Amazing, amazing.

He’s such a genuine person. The whole crew and everybody are amazing and it’s perfect.”

In addition to joining McCartney’s tour, Woerz released a behind-the-scenes video, “The Making Of ‘Love Me Not.’” It features footage of Woerz’s time in the studio recording her Billboard-charting single that has received more than 52 million views on YouTube.

The high school student’s strength as a songwriter poignantly and accurately depicts a multitude of relevant teenage issues. She is a teen ambassador for Glenn Close’s nonprofit organization, BringChange2Mind.

“At 13, there was this girl I only knew from social media,” the 18-year-old says.

“She lives in California and I reached out because she said she wanted to kill herself.

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I didn’t know what that meant at the age of 13.

“I called the suicide hotline and saved her life. I wrote a poem for her, put it to a melody and sent it to her that night. It inspired her to get professional help and keep going. I like writing music to let people know they’re not alone. She’s now five years clean of cutting herself.”

She hears similar stories whenever she performs. It’s moving, she says, and keeps her going as well.

At her Van Buren show, Woerz says fans will hear “a lot of new music; 80 percent unreleased music.”

“I’m also doing this drum feature,” she says enthusiastically. “I take over and play a little groove and do this stand-up thing.

I play piano. It’s a really interactive, really cool set.”

Jesse McCartney w/ Whitney Woerz The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren Street, Phoenix, 480.659.1641, thevanburenphx.com, 8 p.m.

Thursday, February 7, $25-$149. 13 and older.

oy Williams is in a happy place.

After her duo, The Civil Wars, parted ways, it was understandably heartbreaking. But now she’s on track to release her second full-length album, Front Porch, since the 2014 split. She premiered two tracks—“Canary” and “The Trouble with Wanting”—last year to lead up to the May 3 street date.

“It was the most joyful time in the studio ever in my life,” Williams says softly. “I think we recorded 15 songs in five days. It was the most effortless experience I had. I was three months-ish pregnant. I was just sitting on a stool, singing these songs in a Nashville studio.

I think you can hear the joy and the ease and the musical magic that happened in those moments.”

Produced by Kenneth Pattengale of The Milk Carton Kids and engineered by Matt RossSpang, Front Porch represents a new chapter in Williams’ career.

“There is an energy that is very creative in having a baby,” she says. “It gives a sense of urgency on top of all the creative energy.

Cellularly, your body is experiencing something really different. Everything you are feeling is elevated. And you have a time-stamped sense of urgency.

“So much of this is about coming home.

Whether to a physical place or to yourself. The lines on my face, I can see them more clearly now. But a lot of them are laugh lines. This record feels like breathing more deeply into who I am. Come what may.”

Front Porch is an apropos title for the album, Williams says. It’s simple, yet complex, but definitely welcoming.

“It’s about returning to simplicity and returning to yourself and welcoming what is uncomfortable, messy, beautiful and what’s real,” she says.

“When we were doing shows prior to the holiday break, what I really loved was somehow everybody came and brought themselves to the show. We’d just be, and sit together as it were on this front porch. There’s laughter and tears; tears coming out of my eyes. It was a time to really be together and just welcome it all. People are really grateful. They’re enjoying the shows and telling their friends about it. It’s a feel-good moment and I want to keep going out.”

Williams will share these songs with her fans when she kicks off her tour 7 p.m. Monday, February 25, at the Musical Instrument Museum. On this jaunt, she is touring with her kids, Miles, 6 1/2, and Poppy, 5 months.

“I hope we’re growing great memories as a family,” she says. “It’s not easy for kids to be on the road. I don’t want them to grow up just on the road. But I want to make the most of it.

Part of the rhythm of our lives is this colorful part of going to different cities and meeting new people. I’m opening the world to them.

“It’s totally a zoo, but it’s really fun showing Miles all the different parts and pockets of the country. I will say it is good and it is so challenging as any working parent can understand. I’m sleep deprived, but I love my kids and I’m forced as a working parent to work as smartly as I can. I want to show my kids what it looks like to do something I love, and set an example like that. For us to do that all together feels crazy; crazy and wonderful at the same time.”

Joy Williams w/Anthony DeCosta Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Boulevard, Phoenix, 480.478.6000, mim.org, 7 p.m. Monday, February 25, $38.50-$48.50.

Teenage Wonder Whitney Woerz thrilled to be on tour with Jesse McCartney

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski >> The Entertainer!

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2019

One Drop of Truth The Wood Brothers can’t explain phenomena of latest album

T

he Americana rockers The Wood Brothers have a problem they never expected: Having to rearrange tour dates so they can attend the Grammys.

The band’s sixth full-length album, One Drop of Truth, resonated with fans and critics, leading to a Best Americana Album nomination for the 61st Grammy Awards.

“I never thought I’d ever get one, so I haven’t paid close attention to the Grammys or awards,” says Chris Wood, upright bassist.

“Now that we have a nomination, it’s kind of surreal. I don’t know what to make of it. I’m honored we’re getting attention for making an album we self-produced and did our own way, without a record company. That a nice little vindication.”

The Wood Brothers – which also includes Oliver Wood (acoustic and electric guitars) and multi-instrumentalist Jano Rix – were founded in Colorado. The Woods were inspired by their molecular biologist father, who performed classic songs at family gatherings. Their mother is a poet.

Wood always knew he wanted to be a musician. After decades in the business, he’s not sure why One Drop of Truth has garnered a slew of attention.

“Nobody knows or has a formula for what makes good music good,” he says. “For me, it’s one of those things that never gets boring. It’s always interesting and always mysterious because there’s always more to learn.”

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Christina Fuoco-Karasinski >> The Entertainer!

That segues into The Wood Brothers’ plans for 2019. He says the wheels are always turning for new music, “It’s just an ongoing progression of us exploring the possibilities of what we can do as a band,” Wood says. “My brother and Jano are great musicians with a lot of ideas and sounds.

Both are good producers, too.

“What made this album special was the actual process. Instead of writing a whole bunch of songs and going into the studio and recording them all in one session, we wrote a song and went into the studio to record it. We didn’t take it so seriously.

“We wanted to be more playful with it. Maybe we were making a demo, maybe we weren’t. We would experiment with it a bit and forget about it for a couple months, while we worked on another tour. It was a valuable way to self-produce.”

With One Drop of Truth and any future recordings, anything was and will be fair game.

“We’re influenced by everything,” Wood says. “That’s one way to find new songs: take something old and put it into new context and discover something unique.”

The Wood Brothers w/Carsie Blanton The Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Avenue, Phoenix, 602.716.2222, crescentphx.com, 8 p.m. Tuesday, February 26, $30-$52.

Murphy’s Celtic Legacy

Feb 16 · 7:30 p.m.

An Afternoon with

Shirley MacLaine Feb 10 · 3:00 p.m.

International Irish Dance Show

Winston Churchill: The Blitz

The Doo Wop Project

One-Man Show!

Classic Doo Wop to Modern Hits

Feb 17 · 3:00 p.m.

Tickets on sale at

ChandlerCenter.org

Feb 23 · 7:30 p.m.

480.782.2680 ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

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A Home Run

Innings Festival bands talk baseball and longevity Christina Fuoco-Karasinski >> The Entertainer!

S

cott McCaughey admits he was a little miffed when his band, The Baseball Project, was left out of last year’s Innings Festival.

With a band lineup that includes Peter Buck and Mike Mills, formerly of R.E.M., The Baseball Project has power hitters behind its music.

“They didn’t know about us and I guess by the time they did, it was too late,” the multi-instrumentalist says of Innings Festival organizers. “I’m really glad they made room for us this time.

We definitely belong there.”

The Baseball Project—which also features vocalist/guitarist Steve Wynn and drummer Linda Pitmon—is joined by a hall of fame-worthy group of musicians like Eddie Vedder, Incubus, Jimmy Eat World, Liz Phair, G. Love and Special Sauce and Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers at the Saturday, March 2, and Sunday, March 3, celebration of music at Tempe Beach Park and Arts Park.

“Innings sounds like an awesome festival,” G. Love says. “It’s a great lineup. It’s going to be so much fun.”

G. Love and Special Sauce is celebrating its 25th anniversary as a band

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at Innings Festival.

“You just blink your eye and wake up and all of a sudden you’re old,” he says with a laugh. “It’s a testament to the fans and how much support we’ve had over the years. If it wasn’t for you, there’d be no us.

“We’ve achieved a sort of cult fanbase.

We achieved a certain level of success, but it’s never been massive commercial success. It’s very word of mouth.”

He admits he’s a Phillies fan, considering he was born and raised in The City of Brotherly Love.

“It’s really special to be there,” he says about games at Citizens Bank Park. “My father took me to my first Phillies game and he caught a ball. He must still have it.

“As a kid, I played basketball with a pitcher for the Diamondbacks, Mike Koplove. His father was my basketball coach for one year. His father was a really, really intense sports guy. Mike went on to win a World Series with the Diamondbacks.”

He’s looking forward to meeting ballplayers like Rollie Fingers, Eric Byrnes and Roger Clemens at Innings, but mostly G. Love wants to reconnect with fans.

“Our fanbase is like a community,” he says. “They’re very supportive. It’s a testament to our fans that we’ve been around for so long. Our touring is the thing that always sustains us. We love to play live.

“When I think about my job, my job is to make people happy; to communicate and connect with people. That’s something I take really seriously.”

The Baseball Project takes its shows— and its love of baseball—seriously, too.

Mills and Atlanta Braves legend Dale Murphy have become fast friends.

“He’s a really awesome guy,” McCaughey says. “He’s a big music fan.

He even likes bands that we like like Wilco. He has pretty good taste.”

The band formed after Wynn and McCaughey had a conversation—after many drinks—about their love of baseball. They jokingly discussed having a baseball-themed band.

“Peter joined, even though he’s not as much of a baseball fan,” McCaughey says. “We didn’t know we were going to be a band. We just got together and made a record about baseball. It just snowballed.”

McCaughey has lived in Tucson, while his family resided in Ajo and Glendale.

He saw his first baseball game at Hi Corbett Field, a Spring Training game between the Indians and the Giants. He moved to the San Francisco Bay area when he was 9. His teams are the San Francisco Giants, the Oakland A’s and the Seattle Mariners, in that order, he stresses.

He’s pleased to carry on his love of baseball through music.

“We’ll be playing nothing but songs about baseball,” says McCaughey, who recently had a stroke. “We’ll probably do songs about old-time Hall of Famers and more recent ones, and things about baseball in general.”

Innings Festival Tempe Beach Park and Arts Park, 80 W. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe, inningsfestival.com, times TBD, Saturday, March 2, and Sunday, March 3, $99 for oneday pass, $275 for one-day VIP pass, $580 for one-day platinum, $130 for two-day pass, $430 for two-day VIP pass.

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2019

NIGHTLIFE

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SIP » UNLEASH » MIX » MINGLE » PULSE » SHAKE

THE BEST NIGHTLIFE EVENTS FOR FEBRUARY

Connor Dziawura >> The Entertainer!

602.716.2222, relentlessbeats. com, 8 p.m., $14.40-$75.

Destructo

ATLiens

FEBRUARY 8 AND FEBRUARY 9 Named for the southern city from which it hails, this Atlanta, Georgia, trap duo’s music is out of this world.

Not even a year removed from a show in the Valley last August, the masked DJ/producer duo known as ATLiens is coming to the northern and southern ends of the Grand Canyon State for shows at the intimate Green Room and Gentle Ben’s. These shows are 18 and older.

Green Room, 15 N. Agassiz Street, Flagstaff, 928.266.8669, relentlessbeats.com, 9 p.m.

Friday, February 8, $15.

Gentle Ben’s, 865 E. University Boulevard, Tucson, 520.624.4177, relentlessbeats.com, 9 p.m.

Saturday, February 9, $15.

Boogie T.Rio

FEBRUARY 9 Louisiana’s Brock Thorton, who performs as Boogie T, is coming to the Crescent Ballroom with a little help from his friends. Get ready to boogie, as special guests Mersiv and Vampa will lend a hand when the funky dubstep DJ/ producer takes to the Downtown Phoenix stage. Together, the three acts along with special guests comprise what is billed as the Boogie T.Rio, and a stop at the Valley is just one part of their Boogie T.Our. This show is 18 and older.

Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Avenue, Phoenix,

FEBRUARY 9 Nearly three decades into his career, Destructo surely has the clout and discography to draw crowds to his shows. Otherwise known as Gary Richards, this DJ/ producer/music executive has been “destroying” stages since the early ’90s, a tradition he’ll surely continue when stopping by Tempe’s Shady Park on the Let’s Be Friends Again tour. The everyman will bring J. Worra along for the ride. This show is 21 and older.

Shady Park, 26 E. University Drive, Tempe, 480.474.4222, relentlessbeats. com, 9 p.m., $25.

Luttrell

FEBRUARY 9 This mustachioed melodic techno DJ/producer will help fans and partiers alike set their past week’s troubles aside when he caps off a week with a Saturday night performance at Tempe’s Aura nightclub. Get ready to dance the night away when the San Francisco-based Luttrell shows up in style. This show is 18 and older.

Aura, 411 S. Mill Avenue, Suite 201, Tempe, 480.210.2872, relentlessbeats. com, 9 p.m., $12.

Alan Walker

FEBRUARY 12 Trekking all the way from Norway, this DJ/producer is touring on the back of his debut album, Different World, released in December.

And when this Nordic electro/ progressive house purveyor

arrives in the Valley, a different world it’s sure to be. Walker has collaborated with the likes of Noah Cyrus and Steve Aoki, and his hit single “Faded” capped at No. 80 on the Billboard 200 – and even higher on the dance and electronic charts. This show is all ages.

Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress Street, Tucson, 520.740.1000, relentlessbeats. com, 8 p.m., $20-$30.

Crush Arizona 2019

FEBRUARY 15 AND FEBRUARY 16 Ten whole years. That’s how long this festival has been crushing it.

This year it’ll surely do it again, when it returns to the Valley just after Valentine’s Day. On Friday, Seven Lions, Slander, JOYRYDE, Spag Heddy, Wuki, Kaivon and BARDZ will take the stage; Saturday consists of Alesso, 3LAU, Black Tiger Sex Machine, Anna Lunoe, Wooli, um.. and Blossom.

This event is 18 and older.

Rawhide Event Center, 5700 W. North Loop Road, Chandler, decadencearizona. com, 6 p.m. Friday, February 15, and Saturday, February 16, $59-$169.

Brasstracks

FEBRUARY 20 Future bass becomes future brass when this unique duo returns to the Valley in February. Brooklynites Ivan Jackson and Conor Rayne fuse their trumpet and drum skills, respectively, to bring the b(r)ass to Downtown Phoenix.

This show is 21 and older.

Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Avenue, Phoenix, 602.716.2222, relentlessbeats. com, 8 p.m., $18-$80.

Brohug

FEBRUARY 22 Hailing from Sweden, this trio of Christopher and Niklas Lunde and John Dahlbäck is set to return after they last played Māyā in May. Generally inspired by the sounds of house music, this DJ/producer trio has had many prefixes applied to its name, from bass to tech to future to deep. Don’t miss out on the perfect way to cap a Scottsdale Friday night. This show is 21 and older.

Māyā Day and Nightclub, 7333 E. Indian Plaza, Scottsdale, 480.625.0528, mayaclubaz. com, 10 p.m., $10.

Downlink

FEBRUARY 28 AND MARCH 2 Let’s not get complicated with descriptions here. If you like bass, that should be enough to attract you to this DJ/producer’s show.

Crediting his style as bass music on Facebook, Downlink is Sean Casavant – and Gentle Ben’s and Aura are sure to take well to his sounds come late February/early March. Al Ross opens at Aura.

These shows are 18 and older.

Gentle Ben’s, 865 E. University Boulevard, Tucson, 520.624.4177, relentlessbeats.com, 9 p.m.

Thursday, February 28, $15.

Aura, 411 S. Mill Avenue, Suite 201, Tempe, 480.210.2872, relentlessbeats.com, 9 p.m.

Saturday, March 2, $15-$30.

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MAD

MIXOLOGIST

Getting down and dirty with the Valley’s hottest shot slingers Christina Fuoco-Karasinski >> The Entertainer!

T

yler Strasser always wanted to tend bar. He enjoys the camaraderie, the conversation and the cocktails.

“It’s always been a lot of fun for me,” says Strasser, a second-generation Phoenician who is the head bartender at Mix Up Bar in the Royal Palms Resort and Spa. “I enjoy having people around and just the good times. Everybody’s in a good mood.”

Nestled within the historic Royal Palms Resort and Spa lies Mix Up Bar, an inviting and inventive craft cocktail bar serving up seasonal, handcrafted gardento-glass cocktails and shareable dishes.

Named “The Coziest Restaurant in Arizona” by Food & Wine Magazine in 2018, Mix Up Bar is refined, yet casual with roaring fireplaces, rich leather chairs and residential-inspired décor that harkens back to the resort’s 1920s heritage as a private estate. The dimly lit, cozy bar is directly connected to the iconic T. Cook’s restaurant, making it the perfect destination for predinner drinks or a place to catch a nightcap.

The Entertainer! Magazine spoke to the North Phoenix resident about the cocktail program at Mix Up Bar. ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

Tell us about the oddest drink request you’ve received.

A dirty vodka martini with two bleu cheese olives shaken in the shaker. It came out like bleu cheese dressing. I’ve come up with some weird cocktails on accident while experimenting, but that one blew my mind.

What is your No. 1 pet peeve when working?

Working alongside someone who doesn’t put things back where they belong. It’s easier. I keep the highvolume pace going, Be able to execute cocktail quickly.

What is your go-to drink when you’re at a bar other than your own?

Campari or Scotch on the rocks. I really love, smoky scotches and whiskey in general.

What does ordering a vodka tonic say about a person?

Ha! It says quite a bit, but I think it says that person can be persuaded into ordering a double. It’s a pretty easy drink. You can get the same cocktail all over the place.

Tell us about the cocktail program at Mix Up Bar? Mix Up Bar is designed to showcase regionally inspired, seasonal cocktails with local ingredients that reflect our Phoenix history. It’s like having the garden in the glass, with fresh rosemary, sage, mint, and a lot of good things.

I love being able to do seasonal stuff.

I want people to come in and feel the garden.

What do you like about this drink?

The jalapeno-infused tequila has just enough spice to make you take another sip and before you know it, it’s gone and you’re ready for another.

Orange Grove ($15)

1.5 ounces jalapeno-infused tequila .5 ounces lemon juice 1 ounce orange juice .5 ounces (2:1) demerara 2 dashes angostura 2 dashes AZBL mi casa bitters Shake and strain over ice in a rocks glass Garnish with jalapeno slices and an orange twist What is one cocktail you would love for us to feature in the magazine this month?

The Orange Grove. A spicy, cinnamon, orange margarita that fits any season.

The Mix Up Bar, Royal Palms Resort and Spa 5200 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix, 602.977.6458, royalpalmshotel.com

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2019

The Prism of Hip-Hop

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DJ Z-Trip brings color to the world of remixing

P

laying around the Valley is meaningful to Z-Trip, a New River-raised DJ born Zach Sciacca.

Shows like The Cocktail Jam on Saturday, February 16, at The Van Buren in Phoenix recall lugging gear in and out of his vehicle to entertain clubgoers around town.

“Arizona shows are super fun,” he says.

“It’s cool to see a lot of the people who were there from my very, very start, helping me load record crates into my pickup truck after bar gigs.

“It’s great to be able to still play music and do what I do.”

Z-Trip, who has performed at the Grammys with LL Cool J, will headline The Cocktail Jam, a “music-meetsmixology” party that kicks off Arizona Cocktail Weekend. In the business for more than two decades, Z-Trip has loved watching his audience evolve.

“A really interesting way to sum it up for me is it’s interesting to see a second generation coming out to my shows, which is really wild,” he says. “It’s fun when my fans bring their son or daughter out to a show to experience what I do for the first time. It’s that stuff that I really dig.

“I see so many people I’ve known over the years. It’s not like I’m doing a show in some random state. I’m extremely connected.”

The 46-year-old was born in New York but spent his teenage years in Arizona attending Barry Goldwater and Deer Valley high schools. He lived in New River before part of it became Anthem, and moved around the Valley, residing in North Phoenix, Tempe, Scottsdale and Mesa. He is now based in San Diego.

His career has been fruitful. Besides releasing his own albums, Z-Trip has remixed songs by Bob Marley, Daft Punk, Missy Elliott, Beastie Boys, Jackson 5 and Rush, and served as producer for tracks by LL Cool J, Beck and Meat Beat Manifesto.

He’s been dubbed the “pioneer of the mash-up movement,” a moniker Z-Trip is iffy about. The mash-up scene, as it were, goes back to Afrika Bambaataa and Grandmaster Flash, who chopped songs and put them through their filters.

“I’m happy to wear the badge, but I actually drew inspiration from the people who were dabbling in that stuff before me,” he says.

“I think I was the guy who made it palatable and got branded as the ‘pioneer.’

My whole thing is it’s about how hip-hop is in general. I’m a cog in a much bigger wheel or machine.

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski >> The Entertainer!

“If you really boil it down, mashing up is really mixing things. Isn’t that what DJs are supposed to be doing anyway? Mixing?

If you say you’re a mash-up DJ, it’s a bit of a redundancy. I think I identify with extreme remixing. That’s a better term for it.”

Z-Trip says he draws from each genre—rock, funk, electronic bands like Kraftwerk, spoken word, anything.

“The idea of having an infinite palette of colors to use to paint with was amazing,” he says. “Over time, it got boiled down to these primary colors and that’s all you can paint with. It goes through the prism of hip-hop and what comes out is amazing.”

He respects his peers and what they are doing, however. Z-Trip is just hoping for creativity.

“It’s crazy,” Z-Trip says. “There’s so much more music out there now. I feel like the people who are curating could really do everybody a service by trying to push boundaries a little bit more.

“You go over to Europe or Australia or even Canada and musically it’s completely different—the underlying themes. So many other people are taking chances, and the music is more diverse. Thank God for all the DJs out there who are breaking down boundaries and outlets for people to

experience more.”

Even though Canada is just across the States’ northern border, its music can be vastly different. Z-Trip respects the rule that Canadian radio must play a certain percentage of homegrown music per year.

“I go somewhere and hear a regional hit, bring it home and people will say, ‘What is that?’” he says. “It’s something we should be listening to and we’re not for whatever reason.”

He loves exploring record stores like Tracks in Wax in Phoenix—especially when songs are suggested to him by those in the know. Z-Trip prefers this over the algorithms that curate music for people.

“All of a sudden I’m getting exposed to new stuff surrounded by people listening to what I was listening to,” he says.

“My mom came over and wanted to hear Linda Ronstadt records. Now I’m told, ‘You’re going to like Bette Midler.’ I’m like, ‘No man, you don’t know that because my mom was over for a couple weeks.’

“We’re in this day and age when these things are picked for you. The real curation and the real tastemakers—not the ‘Instagram tastemakers’—are the people who I jam with. I swap music with them.

We’re hunting and digging. I definitely take their word over a computer.”

After finding success, Z-Trip says his future is uncharted territory. He is planning to release new music now that he is settled in his new San Diego home.

An avid java fan, Z-Trip is thinking of dabbling in coffee.

“It took a couple years to get settled,” he says about his move. “I stuck to shows with LL Cool J and Rock the Bells Radio (on SiriusXM), and keeping the load, which was pretty heavy, at a manageable level.

“There’s nothing worse than putting out a record or a clothing line or tour merchandise or whatever and not having time to work on it. I didn’t want to put myself in the position of releasing something and sabotaging myself and inundating myself with extra work.”

Now that his infrastructure is set up, it’s time to “bang the drum again.”

“I’ve got all these things I really wanted to do, but couldn’t release them because I was rebuilding a studio or moving all the records from Los Angeles to San Diego. I didn’t want to be sitting in a house with piles and piles of boxes, trying to find that one record.”

While he awaits release dates for his music, he’s looking forward to The Cocktail Jam. “I’m super stoked to do this,” he says.

“I’m a big whisky guy. This is right up my alley. I’m super into scotch. Scotch is my thing. I’ve gotten into it pretty heavy. All the squares on the boxes were checked— Whisky, love it. Arizona, great. Music, even better. I’m super stoked to be at this thing and looking forward to seeing everybody.”

The Cocktail Jam The Van Buren, 401 W Van Buren Street, Phoenix, thevanburenphx.com, 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday, February 16, tickets start at $40 in advance or $50 at the door.

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YOU’RE NOT GONNA BELIEVE THIS

Bizarro facts that will stretch your noggin

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski » The Entertainer!

Cenosillicaphobia is the fear of an empty beer glass.

The world’s longest hangover lasted four weeks after a Scotsman consumed 60 pints of beer.

The world’s strongest beer has a 67.5 percent alcohol content.

Beer is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea.

ALE is the oldest type of beer and LAGERS are the most commonly consumed beers.

The Babylonians about 3000 B.C. had up to 20 different types of beer.

George Washington had his own brewhouse at Mount Vernon.

Beer may date back to 9500 B.C.

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A beer wave of 388,000 gallons flooded London in 1814 after a huge vat ruptured.

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